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Development of a cost-effective high-throughput mid-density 5K genotyping assay for germplasm characterization and breeding in groundnut
Get PDFGroundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.), also known as peanut, is an allotetraploid legume crop composed of two different progenitor sub-genomes. This crop is an important source for food, feed, and confectioneries. Leveraging translational genomics research has expedited the precision and speed in making selections of progenies in several crops through either marker-assisted selection or genomic selection, including groundnut. The availability of foundational genomic resources such as reference genomes for diploid progenitors and cultivated tetraploids, offered substantial opportunities for genomic interventions, including the development of genotyping assays. Here, a cost-effective and high-throughput genotyping assay has been developed with 5,081 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) referred to as "mid-density assay." This multi-purpose assay includes 5,000 highly informative SNPs selected based on higher polymorphism information content (PIC) from our previously developed high-density "Axiom_Arachis" array containing 58,233 SNPs. Additionally 82 SNPs associated with five resilience and quality traits were included for marker-assisted selection. To test the utility of the mid-density genotyping (MDG) assay, 2,573 genotypes from distinct sets of breeding populations were genotyped with the 5,081 SNPs. PIC of the SNPs in the MDG ranged from 0.34 to 0.37 among diverse sets. The first three principal components collectively explained 82.08% of the variance among these genotypes. The mid-density assay demonstrated a proficient ability to distinguish between the genotypes, offering a high level of genome-wide nucleotide diversity. This assay holds promise for possible deployment in the identification of varietal seed mixtures, genetic purity within gene bank germplasms and seed systems, foreground and background selection in backcross breeding programs, genomic selection, and sparse trait mapping studies in groundnut.</p
Emotional contagion, empathy, and sympathy as responses to verbal and visual narratives:Some conceptual and methodological issues
Get PDFThis chapter seeks to air the following basic questions: what is the relationship between the emotions of characters and audiences in genres such as epic and tragedy; and what role do vision and visualization play in the mediation of this relationship? But I want to approach these questions by means of a more limited one: do the emotional responses of audiences depend to any significant extent on forms of mimicry or mirroring of the emotions of characters, and if they do, must these emotions be elicited by direct visual stimuli or can they be set in train by the imagination? This will then lead to a further question: how (if at all) does this issue bear on the theory and practice of ancient literature, and can ancient theory and practice help us frame the questions that we should like to see answered with the help of modern research in psychology and cognitive science
Modelling Gas Transport in Multiphasic Materials: Application to Semicrystalline Membranes
Get PDFThe description of gas permeation across heterogeneous materials has beenstudied with many methods, mainly focusing on composites with high aspect ratios andlow filler volume fractions. In the present work, the extension of these approaches tosemicrystalline polymers is studied, considering a wide range of crystalline volume fractionsto tackle applications ranging from membranes to barrier materials. A numericalapproach focused on tortuosity effects related to the presence of impermeable crystallinedomains was considered. Algorithms based on random sequential adsorption and Voronoitessellation were used to reproduce the morphology of semicrystalline polymers. The fluxreduction across the microstructures generated due to the presence of impermeable crystalswas calculated by solving local mass balance through a finite volume method. Using thisstrategy, it was possible to investigate the effect of crystallites’ arrangement, size distribution,orientation and shape on the relative permeability and the tortuosity of semicrystallinemembranes. The results were analyzed considering existing macroscopic models and newanalytical equations were proposed in order to account on such morphological effects forthe prediction of the tortuosity in semicrystalline polymers
Using Photovoice methods to set research priorities with Autistic people with experience of an eating disorder
Get PDFObjective(s): Autism and Autistic traits are heightened in individuals with eating disorders (EDs), with Autistic people reporting poorer treatment outcomes and experiences. Despite this, mechanisms of this overlap remain poorly understood, perhaps due to an exclusion of lived experience perspectives in setting research agendas. The study therefore sought to identify research priorities for Autistic people with an eating disorder (ED) by using accessible and inclusive arts-based research methodologies. Methods: Research questions were explored using Photovoice, a creative research methodology involving the creation and discussion of images. 14 participants attended group workshops, in two of which they explored research priorities for Autistic people with an ED. Images and transcripts were analysed using an adapted Photovoice Question Matrix (production, content and meaning of the image) and thematic analysis. Participants had the opportunity to provide feedback on emerging themes before themes were finalised. Results: Five themes were identified that highlighted research priorities for Autistic people with an ED: (1) Impact of early experiences (with subthemes Internalizing of socio-cultural food and body narratives and generational cycles); (2) Function of the ED (with sub-themes ED as a regulatory strategy and ED as a social acceptance strategy); (3) Barriers and facilitators to ED recovery (with sub-themes Autistic traits as barriers, Autistic traits as facilitators and Help and harm of unravelling); (4) Understanding and accommodating for complexity (with sub-themes Co-occurring conditions and Intersectionality); and (5) Changing research culture (with sub-themes Inclusive and participatory research and Non-clinical support). Discussion: Study findings are contextualised within existing autism and ED research, highlighting avenues for future research and making recommendations for future research questions. By identifying community-driven research priorities, it is hoped that study findings will inspire novel, interdisciplinary and co-produced research that will serve as a meaningful evidence base towards improving the lives of Autistic people with an ED
The psychometric properties of a new outcome measure of resilience for people living with dementia: The Bangor Dementia Resilience Scale.
Get PDFBackgroundPsychometrically sound resilience outcome measures are essential to establish how health and care services or interventions can enhance the resilience of people living with dementia. In response to a lack of resilience outcome measures designed specifically with, and for, people living with dementia, this research builds on several stages of measurement development and evaluates the psychometric properties of a new outcome measure of resilience for people living with dementia.MethodsWe aimed to recruit 185 people aged 18 + living with dementia. An online survey containing demographic questions, the draft 37-item resilience measure, the 7-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD- 7) and the 5-item Canterbury Wellbeing Scale was widely shared in the UK. Three people living with dementia piloted the survey before recruitment commenced and gave suggestions for improvement. Exploratory factor analysis was applied to the draft resilience measure and the construct validity and internal consistency ascertained. Convergent validity with other measures was tested.ResultsMinor changes were made to the survey following piloting to help people with dementia. The survey was completed by 193 participants, aged 47–93 (M = 69.9; SD = 9.5), 58% male, and living with a range of dementia diagnoses. The exploratory factor analysis led to a final 19-item measure (Chronbach’s Alpha = 0.85) with 5-factors underlying resilience: ‘Outlook’, ‘Adaptation’, ‘Acceptance’, ‘community and peer support’ and ‘family and friends’. The new resilience measure demonstrated convergent validity with well-being (r = 0.49, p < 0.001) and anxiety (r = - 0.28, p < 0.001).ConclusionsThis study presents preliminary field-testing and validation of the Bangor Dementia Resilience Scale, a new psychometrically sound resilience measure for people living with mild to moderate dementia. The scale may be a valuable tool for practitioners to provide strengths-based and person-centred support to maintain and enhance the resilience of people living with dementia, and evaluating the extent to which health and social care services may improve resilience. Given the global policy focus to support people with dementia to live as well as possible, the new scale has international significance for translation and cultural adaptation by other countries
The Effect of core filling on seismic performance of pretensioned centrifugal spun concrete piles with steel strands
Get PDFPretensioned centrifugal spun concrete piles with steel strands have been developed to improve the seismic performance of precast-prestressed concrete hollow piles. In this paper, two pile specimens with reinforced concrete infilling were fabricated, and lateral cyclic loading tests were conducted. A finite element model is developed to predict the hysteretic characteristics of core-filled pile specimens. The results show that reinforced concrete infilling improves the cracking pattern and failure mode of piles. Core-filled piles exhibit better structural stability and higher deformability than hollow piles. Reinforced concrete infilling enhances the lateral load-carrying capacity and deformability more significantly than plain concrete infilling
School starting age and the social gradient in educational outcomes
No full textWe provide evidence on the heterogeneous (positional) effects on school performance of two mandatory schooling reforms in Norway targeting achievement gaps based on family background and immigrant status. Both reforms effectively lowered school starting age by one year. Using high-quality register data, we examine children's grade point average (GPA) rank at age 15–16 and high school completion at age 21 as the main outcomes. Although not fully conclusive, our results suggest that the reforms neither had the intended effect of reducing socioeconomic achievement gaps or immigrant-native differentials, nor did they change the influences of relative age or gender.</p
Allosteric inhibition of trypanosomatid pyruvate kinases by a camelid single-domain antibody
Get PDFAfrican trypanosomes are the causative agents of neglected tropical diseases affecting both humans and livestock. Disease control is highly challenging due to an increasing number of drug treatment failures. African trypanosomes are extracellular, blood-borne parasites that mainly rely on glycolysis for their energy metabolism within the mammalian host. Trypanosomal glycolytic enzymes are therefore of interest for the development of trypanocidal drugs. Here, we report the serendipitous discovery of a camelid single-domain antibody (sdAb aka Nanobody) that selectively inhibits the enzymatic activity of trypanosomatid (but not host) pyruvate kinases through an allosteric mechanism. By combining enzyme kinetics, biophysics, structural biology, and transgenic parasite survival assays, we provide a proof-of-principle that the sdAb-mediated enzyme inhibition negatively impacts parasite fitness and growth
Genomic regions of current low hybridisation mark long-term barriers to gene flow in scarce swallowtail butterflies
Get PDFMany closely related species continue to hybridise after millions of generations of divergence. However, the extent to which current patterning in hybrid zones connects back to the speciation process remains unclear: does evidence for current multilocus barriers support the hypothesis of speciation due to multilocus divergence? We analyse whole-genome sequencing data to investigate the speciation history of the scarce swallowtails Iphiclidespodalirius and I . feisthamelii, which abut at a narrow ( ∼ 25 km) contact zone north of the Pyrenees. We first quantify the heterogeneity of effective migration rate under a model of isolation with migration, using genomes sampled across the range to identify long-term barriers to gene flow. Secondly, we investigate the recent ancestry of individuals from the hybrid zone using genome polarisation and estimate the coupling coefficient under a model of a multilocus barrier. We infer a low rate of long-term gene flow from I . feisthamelii into I . podalirius - the direction of which matches the admixture across the hybrid zone - and complete reproductive isolation across ≈ 33% of the genome. Our contrast of recent and long-term gene flow shows that regions of low recent hybridisation are indeed enriched for long-term barriers which maintain divergence between these hybridising sister species. This finding paves the way for future analysis of the evolution of reproductive isolation along the speciation continuum
Planar Surface-Wave Antenna for CubeSats with Directive Radiation Exactly at Endfire
Get PDFA two-layer planar surface-wave antenna (SWA) with directive gain exactly at endfire is proposed for applications including integration with solar panels, CubeSats, and other small satellites. Moreover, by co-design and including air vias (AVs) for the surface-wave aperture, the structure becomes semi-transparent and can be positioned on top of solar panels and this can improve solar power harvesting capabilities. Structure excitation is made possible by a leaky T-junction dual-feeder using substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology, creating a uniform wavefront that propagates through a truncated parallel-plate waveguide (PPW) section. In addition, a matching section based on an array of sub-wavelength printed patches is also included at the interface between the PPW and the grounded dielectric slab (GDS), while the AV section is positioned between the GDS and air region to improve antenna radiation. These features allow for an efficient and compact aperture and findings are competitive when compared to other relevant structures. For instance, the measured prototype demonstrated a peak realized gain of 17.5 dBi at 18.6 GHz as well as high radiation efficiency and sidelobe levels of about -10 dB. This makes the SWA suitable for high data rate downlink communications, and when non-deployable designs are required on CubeSats for example, or wherever a low-profile, simple, and planar antenna is needed with radiation directly at endfire
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