Unraveling the genomic diversity of small eukaryotes

A report of the meeting Comparative Genomics of Eukaryotic Microorganisms, 17-22 October 2009, San Feliu de Guixols, Spain

Highly Variable Rates of Genome Rearrangements between Hemiascomycetous Yeast Lineages

Hemiascomycete yeasts cover an evolutionary span comparable to that of the entire phylum of chordates. Since this group currently contains the largest number of complete genome sequences it presents unique opportunities to understand the evolution of genome organization in eukaryotes. We inferred rates of genome instability on all branches of a phylogenetic tree for 11 species and calculated species-specific rates of genome rearrangements. We characterized all inversion events that occurred within synteny blocks between six representatives of the different lineages. We show that the rates of macro- and microrearrangements of gene order are correlated within individual lineages but are highly variable across different lineages. The most unstable genomes correspond to the pathogenic yeasts Candida albicans and Candida glabrata. Chromosomal maps have been intensively shuffled by numerous interchromosomal rearrangements, even between species that have retained a very high physical fraction of their genomes within small synteny blocks. Despite this intensive reshuffling of gene positions, essential genes, which cluster in low recombination regions in the genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, tend to remain syntenic during evolution. This work reveals that the high plasticity of eukaryotic genomes results from rearrangement rates that vary between lineages but also at different evolutionary times of a given lineage

Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer: Fast data Inversion and uncertainty analysis

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Aerosol Size Distribution Estimation And Associated Uncertainty For Measurement With a SMPS

International audienceScanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) is a high resolution nanoparticle sizing system that has long been hailed as the researcher's choice for airborne nanoparticle size characterization for nano applications including nanotechnology research and development. SMPS is widely used as the standard method to measure airborne particle size distributions below 1 m. It is composed of two devices: a Di erential Mobility Analyzer (DMA) selects particle sizes thanks to their electrical mobility and a Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) enlarges particles to make them detectable by common optical counters. System raw data represent the number of particles counted over several classes of mobility diameters. Then, common inversion procedures lead to the estimation of the aerosol size distribution. In this paper, we develop a methodology to compute the uncertainties associated with the estimation of the size distribution when several experiences have been carried out. The requirement to repeat the measure ensures a realistic variability on the simulated data to be generated. The work we present consists in considering both the uncertainties coming from the experimental dispersion and the uncertainties induced by the lack of knowledge on physical phenomena. Experimental dispersion is quanti ed with the experimental data while the lack of knowledge is modelled via the existing physical theories and the judgements of experts in the eld of aerosol science. Thus, running Monte-Carlo simulations give an estimation of the size distribution and its corresponding con dence region

Evaluation des incertitudes associées à la mesure granulométrique d'un aérosol par technique SMPS

National audienceLa détermination de la granulométrie en nombre d'un aérosol (concentration en nombre de particules en fonction du diamètre) à partir de mesures effectuées par un SMPS (Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer) est un problème mathématiquement mal posé. Une procédure d'inversion pour l'estimation de ce mesurande fonctionnel est proposée ainsi qu'une méthodologie pour propager l'incertitude résultant à la fois des erreurs de mesure et du manque de connaissances sur la physique sous-jacente au processus de mesure. L'inversion consiste en la décomposition du signal sur une base d'ondelettes discrètes couplée à des techniques de régularisation. Une comparaison entre la méthode développée et une technique de régularisation standard avec contraintes de lissage lorsque l'on considère une distribution de taille simulée avec des pics larges et étroits est proposée. Les résultats montrent un meilleur accord entre la reconstruction moyenne calculée par simulations de Monte-Carlo et la granulométrie originale pour la nouvelle procédure d'inversion

An investigation of the determinants of dialogue navigation in joint activities

When people engage in joint activities together, they use dialogue – and more specifically project markers such as yeah, okay or uh-huh – to coordinate entrances and exits of projects and subprojects. The purpose of the current study was to examine how two features of the dialogue situation, namely mental load and face visibility, affect project marker production. Pairs of participants performed a collaborative puzzle game together. Mental load was manipulated through time pressure; visibility was manipulated by allowing the participants to see each other’s face during the task, or not. Dialogues were transcribed and coded for project marker production. Project marker production was found to increase under mental load; this also depended on the role of the speaker in the dyad (Director or Matcher) and on face visibility. This sheds light on the idea that dialogue partners may behave more collaboratively when experiencing high levels of mental load, contributing to a better understanding of mental resource allocation in dialogue-based joint activities

Finalizing the CCSDS Space-Data Link Layer Security Protocol: Setup and Execution of the Interoperability Testing

The protection of data transmitted over the space-link is an issue of growing importance also for civilian space missions. Through the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS), space agencies have reacted to this need by specifying the Space Data-Link Layer Security (SDLS) protocol which provides confidentiality and integrity services for the CCSDS Telemetry (TM), Telecommand (TC) and Advanced Orbiting Services (AOS) space data-link protocols. This paper describes the approach of the CCSDS SDLS working group to specify and execute the necessary interoperability tests. It first details the individual SDLS implementations that have been produced by ESA, NASA, and CNES and then the overall architecture that allows the interoperability tests between them. The paper reports on the results of the interoperability tests and identifies relevant aspects for the evolution of the test environment

Mit Vielfalt punkten – Bauern beleben die Natur - Jahresbericht 2016

2016 war das letzte Jahr im Projekt „Mit Vielfalt punkten“ (MVP). Der Höhepunkt war sicher die Publikation des Handbuches „Biodiversität auf dem Landwirtschaftsbetrieb“. Dieses Werk liefert Bauernfamilien und Beratenden verständliche und wertvolle Informationen zur Förderung der Biodiversität. Ein grosser Teil des Inhalts beruht auf Erfahrungen aus dem Projekt MVP. Das Handbuch fand in Presse und Öffentlichkeit eine grosse Beachtung. Die 8500 deutschen Bücher waren bald ausverkauft und eine zweite Auflage wurde gedruckt. Die Auswertungen derjenigen Betriebe, die 2009 eine gesamtbetriebliche Beratung erfahren haben, zeigt, dass die beratenen Betriebe heute deutlich mehr Biodiversitätsförderflächen (BFF) und vor allem mehr BFF der Qualitätsstufe II aufweisen als die Vergleichsbetriebe. Auch die Zahl der Arten und Individuen von Pflanzen und Tagfalter sind heute auf den beratenen Betrieben tendenziell höher, allerdings ist der Unterschied zu nichtberatenen Betrieben nicht signifikant. Insgesamt hat sich das Projekt MVP als sehr erfolgreich erwiesen, konnten doch alle Ziele erreicht oder gar übertroffen werden