Genome-wide scans identify known and novel regions associated with prolificacy and reproduction traits in a sub-Saharan African indigenous sheep (Ovis aries)

Maximizing the number of offspring born per female is a key functionality trait in commercial- and/or subsistence-oriented livestock enterprises. Although the number of offspring born is closely associated with female fertility and reproductive success, the genetic control of these traits remains poorly understood in sub-Saharan Africa livestock. Using selection signature analysis performed on Ovine HD BeadChip data from the prolific Bonga sheep in Ethiopia, 41 candidate regions under selection were identified. The analysis revealed one strong selection signature on a candidate region on chromosome X spanning BMP15, suggesting this to be the primary candidate prolificacy gene in the breed. The analysis also identified several candidate regions spanning genes not reported before in prolific sheep but underlying fertility and reproduction in other species. The genes associated with female reproduction traits included SPOCK1 (age at first oestrus), GPR173 (mediator of ovarian cyclicity), HB-EGF (signalling early pregnancy success) and SMARCAL1 and HMGN3a (regulate gene expression during embryogenesis). The genes involved in male reproduction were FOXJ1 (sperm function and successful fertilization) and NME5 (spermatogenesis). We also observed genes such as PKD2L2, MAGED1 and KDM3B, which have been associated with diverse fertility traits in both sexes of other species. The results confirm the complexity of the genetic mechanisms underlying reproduction while suggesting that prolificacy in the Bonga sheep, and possibly African indigenous sheep is partly under the control of BMP15 while other genes that enhance male and female fertility are essential for reproductive fitness

Transforming scholarship in the archives through handwritten text recognition:Transkribus as a case study

Purpose: An overview of the current use of handwritten text recognition (HTR) on archival manuscript material, as provided by the EU H2020 funded Transkribus platform. It explains HTR, demonstrates Transkribus, gives examples of use cases, highlights the affect HTR may have on scholarship, and evidences this turning point of the advanced use of digitised heritage content. The paper aims to discuss these issues. - Design/methodology/approach: This paper adopts a case study approach, using the development and delivery of the one openly available HTR platform for manuscript material. - Findings: Transkribus has demonstrated that HTR is now a useable technology that can be employed in conjunction with mass digitisation to generate accurate transcripts of archival material. Use cases are demonstrated, and a cooperative model is suggested as a way to ensure sustainability and scaling of the platform. However, funding and resourcing issues are identified. - Research limitations/implications: The paper presents results from projects: further user studies could be undertaken involving interviews, surveys, etc. - Practical implications: Only HTR provided via Transkribus is covered: however, this is the only publicly available platform for HTR on individual collections of historical documents at time of writing and it represents the current state-of-the-art in this field. - Social implications: The increased access to information contained within historical texts has the potential to be transformational for both institutions and individuals. - Originality/value: This is the first published overview of how HTR is used by a wide archival studies community, reporting and showcasing current application of handwriting technology in the cultural heritage sector

Theoretical mimicry of biomembranes

The study of membrane proteins requires a proper consideration of the specific environment provided by the biomembrane. The compositional complexity of this environment poses great challenges to all experimental and theoretical approaches. In this article a rather simple theoretical concept is discussed for its ability to mimic the biomembrane. The biomembrane is approximated by three mimicry solvents forming individual continuum layers of characteristic physical properties. Several specific structural problems are studied with a focus on the biological significance of such an approach. Our results support the general perception that the biomembrane is crucial for correct positioning and embedding of its constituents. The described model provides a semi-quantitative tool of potential interest to many problems in structural membrane biology. © 2009 Federation of European Biochemical Societies

read_dataset_german_konzilsprotokolle

This dataset arises from the READ project (Horizon 2020). Images were provided and enriched under the lead of Dr. Dirk Alvermann (Universitätsarchiv Greifswald - Germany). All in all this dataset contains 8770 trainscribed textlines of handwritten historical documents from the late 18th century. Besides the images and page-files (containing geometric textline information and transcripts), lists dividing the dataset in train and test data are provided (each list element contains the corresponding image, textregion and textline identifiers and therefore an explicit mapping of a list element to a textline is possible). Furthermore sublists of the train list are given

Ressourcen-Studie aktualisiert. Neue Prognosen für die kommenden 20 Jahre skizzieren den potentiellen Rohstoffbedarf von Schlüssel- und Zukunftstechnologien

Das Fraunhofer-Institut für System- und Innovationsforschung ISI hat im Auftrag der Deutschen Rohstoffagentur (DERA) eine Studie aus dem Jahre 2009 zum Rohstoffbedarf für Zukunftstechnologien aktualisiert und den Bedarf für das Jahr 2035 abgeschätzt. Im Mittelpunkt standen hierbei die möglichen Nachfrageentwicklungen für Rohstoffe aus rohstoffintensiven und -sensiblen Schlüssel- und Zukunftstechnologien. Von Technologien, die in den nächsten 20 Jahren ein starkes wirtschaftliches Wachstum erleben werden, können außergewöhnliche Impulse auf die Rohstoffnachfrage ausgehen. So beträgt im Fall der Schweren Seltenen Erden der Bedarf für Hochleistungspermanentmagnete im Jahr 2035 möglicherweise des 5,7-fache der Weltproduktion 2015. Durch Substitution (auf Material- und Technologieebene), Ressourceneffizienz und Recycling können diese kritischen Entwicklungen abgemildert werden. Der folgende Beitrag stellt einige Ergebnisse des Projekts Rohstoffe für Zukunftstechnologien 2016 vor

A-SMGCS Services, Procedures, and Operational Requirements (SPOR)

The 2-D1.1.1 ’A-SMGCS Services, Procedures, and Operational Requirements (SPOR)’ document is one of four main conceptual documents of the EMMA2 subproject 1 (SP1). The SPOR document is the central concept document within the EMMA2 project. It expresses an extensive and innovative operational concept in the field of A-SMGCS in terms of a description of: - A-SMGCS Services (§2) - related Procedures, and (§3) - Operational Requirements (§4)