Primary production in wild and cultivated cranberries

Cranberries grow in many Wisconsin sphagnum bogs. One of the two species, the large cranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon Alt., is among the few American fruit crops in cultivation. Most of the cultivated cranberries have been derived by selection from wild, and more recently from cultivated clones. Like the large cranberry, the small cranberry, Vaccinium oxycoccos L., is native to Wisconsin bogs and it, too, provides wildlife food, though it has not been selected for cultivation. This study examined the primary productivity of wild and cultivated cranberries (Wahlstrom 1979)

Data from: Molecular evolution in immune genes across the avian tree of life

All organisms encounter pathogens, and birds are especially susceptible to infection by malaria parasites and other haemosporidians. It is important to understand how immune genes, primarily innate immune genes which are the first line of host defense, have evolved across birds, a highly diverse group of tetrapods. Here, we find that innate immune genes are highly conserved across the avian tree of life and that although most show evidence of positive or diversifying selection within specific lineages or clades, the number of sites is often proportionally low in this broader context of putative constraint. Rather, evidence shows a much higher level of negative or purifying selection in these innate immune genes – rather than adaptive immune genes – which is consistent with birds’ long coevolutionary history with pathogens and the need to maintain a rapid response to infection. We further explored avian responses to haemosporidians by comparing differential gene expression in wild birds (1) uninfected with haemosporidians, (2) infected with Plasmodium and (3) infected with Haemoproteus (Parahaemoproteus). We found patterns of significant differential expression with some genes unique to infection with each genus and a few shared between ‘treatment’ groups, but none that overlapped with the genes included in the phylogenetic study

Fasta Files

Fasta alignments for gene data set

DE_all results by comparison

Results from differential gene expression analyses

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS OF FAST KICKER SYSTEMS FOR HIGH INTENSITY PROTON ACCELERATORS

In this paper, we discuss the specific issues related to the design of the Fast Kicker Systems for high intensity proton accelerators. To address these issues in the preliminary design stage can be critical since the fast kicker systems affect the machine lattice structure and overall design parameters. Main topics include system architecture, design strategy, beam current coupling, grounding, end user cost vs. system cost, reliability, redundancy and flexibility. Operating experience with the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron injection and extraction kicker systems at Brookhaven National Laboratory and their future upgrade is presented. Additionally, new conceptual designs of the extraction kicker for the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge and the Advanced Hydrotest Facility at Los Alamos are discussed