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The representation of agreement is a crucial aspect of current syntactic theory, and therefore should apply in both signed and spoken languages. Neidle et al. (2000) claim that all verb types in American Sign Language (agreeing, spatial, and plain) can occur with abstract syntactic agreement for subject and object. On this view, abstract agreement can be marked with either manual agreement morphology (verb directed toward locations associated with the subject/object) or non-manual agreement (eye gaze toward the object/head tilt toward the subject). Non-manual agreement is claimed to function independently as a feature-checking mechanism since it can occur with plain verbs not marked with overt morphological agreement. We conducted a language production experiment using head-mounted eye-tracking to directly measure signers’ eye gaze. The results were inconsistent with Neidle et al.’s claims. While eye gaze accompanying (manually/morphologically) agreeing verbs was most frequently directed toward the location of the syntactic object, eye gaze accompanying plain verbs was rarely directed toward the object. Further, eye gaze accompanying spatial verbs was toward the locative argument, rather than toward the object of transitive verbs or the subject of intransitive verbs as predicted by Neidle et.al. Additionally, we found a consistent difference in the height of directed eye gaze between spatial and agreeing verbs. Gaze was directed lower in signing space for locative marking than for object marking, thus clearly distinguishing these two argument types. Plain verbs occurring with null object pronouns were not marked by gaze toward the location of the object and always occurred with an overt object topic. Thus, Neidle et.al.’s analysis of null objects as licensed by agreement (manual or non-manual) was not supported. Rather, the data substantiated Lillo-Martin’s (1986) claim that null arguments for plain verbs are licensed by topics. To account for the observed patterns of eye gaze, we propose an analysis of eye gaze agreement for agreeing and spatial verbs as marking the ‘lowest’ available argument on a noun phrase accessibility hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a recent outbreak of respiratory infections that have affected millions of humans all around the world. Initially, the major intervention strategies used to combat the infection were the basic public health measure, nevertheless, vaccination is an effective strategy and has been used to control the incidence of many infectious diseases. Currently, few safe and effective vaccines have been approved to control the inadvertent transmission of COVID-19. In this paper, the modeling approach is adopted to investigate the impact of currently available anti-COVID vaccines on the dynamics of COVID-19. A new fractional-order epidemic model by incorporating the vaccination class is presented. The fractional derivative is considered in the well-known Caputo sense. Initially, the proposed vaccine model for the dynamics of COVID-19 is developed via integer-order differential equations and then the Caputo-type derivative is applied to extend the model to a fractional case. By applying the least square method, the model is fitted to the reported cases in Pakistan and some of the parameters involved in the models are estimated from the actual data. The threshold quantity (R 0) is computed by the Next-generation method. A detailed analysis of the fractional model, such as positivity of model solution, equilibrium points, and stabilities on both disease-free and endemic states are discussed comprehensively. An efficient iterative method is utilized for the numerical solution of the proposed model and the model is then simulated in the light of vaccination. The impact of important influential parameters on the pandemic dynamics is shown graphically. Moreover, the impact of different intervention scenarios on the disease incidence is depicted and it is found that the reduction in the effective contact rate (up to 30%) and enhancement in vaccination rate (up to 50%) to the current baseline values significantly reduced the disease new infected cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease that places a substantial burden on patients and caregivers. Aducanumab is the first AD therapy approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to reduce a defining pathophysiological feature of the disease, brain amyloid plaques. In the phase 3 clinical trial EMERGE (NCT02484547), aducanumab reduced clinical decline in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD and mild AD dementia and confirmed amyloid pathology. Methods: We used a Markov modeling approach to predict the long-term clinical benefits of aducanumab for patients with early AD based on EMERGE efficacy data. In the model, patients could transition between AD severity levels (MCI due to AD; mild, moderate, and severe AD dementia) and care settings (community vs. institution) or transition to death. The intervention was aducanumab added to standard of care (SOC), and the comparator was SOC alone. Data sources for base-case and scenario analyses included EMERGE, published National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center analyses, and other published literature. Results: Per patient over a lifetime horizon, aducanumab treatment corresponded to 0.65 incremental patient quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and 0.09 fewer caregiver QALYs lost compared with patients treated with SOC. Aducanumab treatment translated to a lower lifetime probability of transitioning to AD dementia, a lower lifetime probability of transitioning to institutionalization (25.2% vs. 29.4%), delays in the median time to transition to AD dementia (7.50 vs. 4.92 years from MCI to moderate AD dementia or worse), and an incremental median time in the community of 1.32 years compared with SOC. Conclusion: The model predicted long-term benefits of aducanumab treatment in patients with MCI due to AD and mild AD dementia and their caregivers. The predicted outcomes provide a foundation for healthcare decision-makers and policymakers to understand the potential clinical and socioeconomic value of aducanumab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2017 the rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) became the first bee listed under the Endangered Species Act in the continental United States due to population declines and an 87% reduction in the species' distribution. Bombus affinis decline began in the 1990s, predating modern bee surveying initiatives, and obfuscating drivers of decline. While understood to be a highly generalist forager, little is known about the role that resource limitation or shifting floral community composition could have played in B. affinis decline. Determining which floral species support B. affinis could assist conservation efforts where B. affinis persists and identify floral species for restoration efforts. We constructed a historical foraging profile of B. affinis via DNA sequencing of pollen from museum specimens spanning seven states collected from 1913 to 2013. Molecular analysis revealed no temporal changes in the floral richness or composition of B. affinis pollen samples across our sampling period. Likewise, we found no temporal changes in the presence or proportion of native vs. introduced species in pollen samples, though we observed much greater use of introduced floral species than previously determined for B. affinis. Floral community composition was regionally dissimilar, inconsistent with patterns of B. affinis decline by state. Our results suggest B. affinis decline was unlikely to have been driven by spatial or temporal limitations of specific floral species. This work greatly expands the known forage of B. affinis and will provide managers with insight to aid the conservation of B. affinis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Parenting sense of competence, as measured by the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSCS), is defined as one's levels of satisfaction and self-efficacy experienced in the parenting role. Previous studies have identified significant associations among PSCS scores and a host of parenting characteristics predictive of child outcomes. Existing approaches to improving parenting sense of competence focus on developing parenting knowledge and skills; however, other modifiable contributing factors to parenting sense of competence may exist. We examined associations among fatigue, physical activity, and parenting sense of competence in a community sample of female primary caregivers of young children (N = 137) recruited from a university-based pediatric primary care clinic. Methods: Participants completed measures of child disruptive behavior disorders, parent fatigue, and parent physical activity level. Parenting sense of competence was measured with the 16-item PSCS. Results: Participants' mean age was 32 years (SD = 8 years), and most were non-Hispanic (87%) and White (70%). Multiple linear regression analyses revealed significant independent associations of fatigue (β = −0.19, p = 0.02) and physical activity level (β = 0.20 and β = 0.25, p < 0.05) with parenting sense of competence, controlling for child disruptive behaviors, child age, and socioeconomic status. Conclusions: In this non-clinical sample of mothers of young children, the significant relationships among fatigue, physical activity level, and parenting sense of competence could suggest potential targets for preventive intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing number of young adults in Denmark experience difficulties in completing their education and holding down a job. Many of these young adults have psychosocial problems and common mental disorders. To retain public income support they must attend education and work-directed activities, known as 'activation programmes'. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, this study presents an analysis of how one such programme unfolds in practice and how the participants engaged with the activities and negotiated the underlying rationales. We argue that the activities involved in the programme constitute 'biographical techniques' that entail a configuration of the participants as being responsible for their own biographies and having the capability to solve their problems themselves. The participants challenged this configuration of subjectivity by recounting complex or immediate problems that could not be solved through biographical techniques and by refusing to deal with their life stories as a way of configuring their futures. Biographical techniques limited the possibilities for grappling with the complexity of the participants' problems. We conclude that the participants are therefore subjected to biographical coercion because forms of subjectivity other than biographical subjectivity are disregarded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spinal muscular atrophy is a rare neuromuscular disorder with a spectrum of severity related to age at onset and the number of SMN2 gene copies. Infantile-onset (≤ 6 months of age) is the most severe spinal muscular atrophy and is the leading monogenetic cause of infant mortality; patients with later-onset (> 6 months of age) spinal muscular atrophy can survive into adulthood. Nusinersen is a new treatment for spinal muscular atrophy.Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost effectiveness of nusinersen for the treatment of patients with infantile-onset spinal muscular atrophy and later-onset spinal muscular atrophy in Sweden.Methods: One Markov cohort health-state transition model was developed for each population. The infantile-onset and later-onset models were based on the efficacy results from the ENDEAR phase III trial and the CHERISH phase III trial, respectively. The cost effectiveness of nusinersen in both models was compared with standard of care in Sweden.Results: For a time horizon of 40 years in the infantile-onset model and 80 years in the later-onset model, treatment with nusinersen resulted in 3.86 and 9.54 patient incremental quality-adjusted life-years and 0.02 and 2.39 caregiver incremental quality-adjusted life-years and an incremental cost of 21.9 and 38.0 million SEK (Swedish krona), respectively. These results translated into incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (including caregiver quality-adjusted life-years) of 5.64 million SEK (€551,300) and 3.19 million SEK (€311,800) per quality-adjusted life-year gained in the infantile-onset model and later-onset model, respectively.Conclusions: Treatment with nusinersen resulted in overall survival and quality-adjusted life-year benefits but with incremental costs above 21 million SEK (€2 million) [mainly associated with maintenance treatment with nusinersen over a patient's lifespan]. Nusinersen was not cost effective when using a willingness-to-pay threshold of 2 million SEK (€195,600), which has been considered in a recent discussion by the Dental and Pharmaceutical Benefits Agency as a reasonable threshold for rare disease. Nonetheless, nusinersen gained reimbursement in Sweden in 2017 for paediatric patients (below 18 years old) with spinal muscular atrophy type I-IIIa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field trials for variety selection often exhibit spatial correlation between plots. When multivariate data are analysed from these field trials, there is the added complication in having to simultaneously account for correlation between the traits at both the residual and genetic levels. This may be temporal correlation in the case of multi-harvest data from perennial crop field trials, or between-trait correlation in multi-trait data sets. Use of parsimonious yet plausible models for the variance-covariance structure of the residuals for such data is a key element to achieving an efficient and inferentially sound analysis. In this paper, a model is developed for the residual variance-covariance structure firstly by considering a multivariate autoregressive model in one spatial direction and then extending this to two spatial directions. Conditions for ensuring that the processes are directionally invariant are presented. Using a canonical decomposition, these directionally invariant processes can be transformed into a set of independent separable processes. This simplifies the estimation process. The new model allows for flexible modelling of the spatial and multivariate interaction and allows for different spatial correlation parameters for each harvest or trait. The methods are illustrated using data from lucerne breeding trials at several environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disease resistance is often measured as plant survival, which involves taking multiple counts of plants before and after disease incidence. Often, survival data are analyzed by forming a single derived variable, namely final counts expressed as a percentage of initial counts. In this study we propose a bivariate linear mixed model approach in which the two variables are the initial and final counts. This approach is demonstrated using data from nine blackleg disease nurseries in the 2009 growing season in Australia. Replicated experiments were grown at each nursery with a mixture of commercial Australian canola cultivars and breeding lines (collectively called 'entries') being tested. Plant survival was determined by counting all the seedlings at emergence and then recounting the number surviving at maturity in each plot. The counts were considered as two 'traits', which were log transformed prior to a bivariate linear mixed model analysis. Each trait had different error variances, spatial components (both local and global) and outliers. The variance of entry effects was non-zero for both traits at all locations. The correlation of entry effects between the traits ranged from 0.218 to 0.935 across locations. Best Linear Unbiased Predictors (BLUPs) of entry effects at both sampling times provided three possible indices for selection: (log) counts at emergence, (log) counts at maturity and the difference between these two which could be exponentiated to provide percentage survival values. Thus the bivariate mixed model approach for the analysis of plant survival data provided a more detailed picture of the impact of disease resistance compared with the univariate analysis of percentage survival data. Additionally the predicted entry effects for survival were more accurate in the bivariate analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trials in the early stages of selection are often subject to variation arising from spatial variability and interplot competition, which can seriously bias the assessment of varietal performance and reduce genetic progress. An approach to jointly model both sources of bias is presented. It models genotypic and residual competition and also global and extraneous spatial variation. Variety effects were considered random and residual maximum likelihood was used for parameter estimation. Competition at the residual level was examined using two special simultaneous autoregressive models. An equal-roots second-order autoregressive (EAR(2)) model is proposed for trials where competition is dominant. An equal-roots third-order autoregressive (EAR(3)) model allows for competition and spatial variability. These models are applied to two yield data sets from an Australian sugarcane selection program. One data set is in the paper and the other is in supplementary material available online. To determine the effect of simultaneously adjusting for spatial variability and interplot competition on selection, the percentages of superior varieties in common in the top 15% for the joint model and classical approaches were compared. Agreement between the two approaches was 45 and 84%. Hence, for some trials there are large differences in varieties advanced to the next stage of selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation was carried out in tropical sugarbeet at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to evaluate optimum time of sowing with suitable hybrids. The experiment was conducted in strip plot design. The main plot consists of four times of sowing (15 days interval from 1st September to 15th October) and three tropical sugarbeet hybrids (Cauvery, Indus and Shubhra) in sub plot. Higher crop biometrics of tropical sugarbeet was recorded in October 1st sowing and was on par with 15th September and 15th October sowing. The yield characters and yield (72 and 88 tha−1 during 2005 and 2006 respectively) of tropical sugarbeet and brix reading were higher in 1st October sowing during both the experiments conducted during 2005–06 and 2006–07. With respect to tropical sugarbeet hybrids, Cauvery performed better in yield (76 and 92 t ha−1 during 2005 and 2006 respectively) and Shubhra recorded higher brix reading (20%). September second fortnight to October second fortnight sowing with Cauvery hybrid performed better for tropical sugarbeet emergence, establishment, yield and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The least absolute selection and shrinkage operator (LASSO) is a method of estimation for linear models similar to ridge regression. It shrinks the effect estimates, potentially shrinking some to be identically zero. The amount of shrinkage is governed by a single parameter. Using a random model formulation of the LASSO, this parameter can be specified as the ratio of dispersion parameters. These parameters are estimated using an approximation to the marginal likelihood of the observed data. The observed score equations from the approximation are biased and hence are adjusted by subtracting an empirical estimate of the expected value. After estimation, the model effects can be tested (via simulation) as the distribution of the observed data given that all model effects are zero is known. Two related simulation studies are presented that show that dispersion parameter estimation results in effect estimates that are competitive with other estimation methods (including other LASSO methods). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extension of interval mapping is presented that incorporates all intervals on the linkage map simultaneously. The approach uses a working model in which the sizes of putative QTL for all intervals across the genome are random effects. An outlier detection method is used to screen for possible QTL. Selected QTL are subsequently fitted as fixed effects. This screening and selection approach is repeated until the variance component for QTL sizes is not statistically significant. A comprehensive simulation study is conducted in which map uncertainty is included. The proposed method is shown to be superior to composite interval mapping in terms of power of detection of QTL. There is an increase in the rate of false positive QTL detected when using the new approach, but this rate decreases as the population size increases. The new approach is much simpler computationally. The analysis of flour milling yield in a doubled haploid population illustrates the improved power of detection of QTL using the approach, and also shows how vital it is to allow for sources of non-genetic variation in the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Varietal selection for yield from a series of multi-environment trials can be regarded as a multi-trait selection problem in which the yields in different environments are synonymous with traits. As such an analysis of the data combined across environments should be conducted in order to form an index for selection. Analytical methods that include appropriate models for both the genetic variance structure (that is, the variances and covariances of genotype effects from different environments) and the residual variance structure (which typically comprises spatial covariance models for each trial) have been published previously. In the case of perennial crops, yields are often obtained from multiple harvests which implies that the data comprise short sequences of repeated measurements. Varietal performance in individual harvests is important for selection so that a combined analysis across both trials and harvests is required. The repeated measures nature of the data provides additional modelling challenges. In this paper we propose an approach for the analysis of multi-environment, multi-harvest data that accommodates the major sources of variation and correlation (including temporal). The approach is illustrated using two examples from sugarcane breeding programmes. The proposed models were found to provide a superior fit to the data and thence more accurate selection decisions than the common practice of conducting separate analyses of individual trials and harvests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) can be viewed as a subset selection problem. In a simulation study the least absolute selection and shrinkage operator (LASSO) is shown to be a useful and powerful tool for QTL identification. LASSO effects are embedded into a mixed model allowing simultaneous modeling of genetic and experimental effects. This provides the flexibility to model the experiment in conjunction with the power of LASSO QTL identification. Estimation is performed using an approximation to the restricted likelihood and modified Gaussian elimination. The extended mixed model is used to analyze a cattle gene mapping dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A genetic study is presented for traits relating to nitrogen use in wheat. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were established for 21 traits relating to growth, yield and leaf nitrogen (N) assimilation during grain fill in hexaploid wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) using a mapping population from the cross Chinese Spring × SQ1. Glutamine synthetase (GS) isozymes and estimated locations of 126 genes were placed on the genetic map. QTLs for flag leaf GS activity, soluble protein, extract colour and fresh weight were found in similar regions implying shared control of leaf metabolism and leaf size. Flag leaf traits were negatively associated with days to anthesis both phenotypically and genetically, demonstrating the complex interactions of metabolism with development. One QTL cluster for GS activity co-localised with a GS2 gene mapped on chromosome 2A, and another with the mapped GSr gene on 4A. QTLs for GS activity were invariably co-localised with those for grain N, with increased activity associated with higher grain N, but with no or negative correlations with grain yield components. Peduncle N was positively correlated, and QTLs co-localised, with grain N and flag leaf N assimilatory traits, suggesting that stem N can be indicative of grain N status in wheat. A major QTL for ear number per plant was identified on chromosome 6B which was negatively co-localised with leaf fresh weight, peduncle N, grain N and grain yield. This locus is involved in processes defining the control of tiller number and consequently assimilate partitioning and deserves further examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper gives a comprehensive treatment of EVPI-based sequential importance sampling algorithms for dynamic (multistage) stochastic programming problems. Both theory and computational algorithms are discussed. Under general assumptions it is shown that both an expected value of perfect information (EVPI) process and the corresponding marginal EVPI process (the supremum norm of the conditional expectation of its generalized derivative) are nonanticipative nonnegative supermartingales. These processes are used as importance criteria in the class of sampling algorithms treated in the paper. When their values are negligible at a node of the current sample problem scenario tree, scenarios descending from the node are replaced by a single scenario at the next iteration. On the other hand, high values lead to increasing the number of scenarios descending from the node. Both the small sample and asymptotic properties of the sample problem estimates arising from the algorithms are established, and the former are evaluated numerically in the context of a financial planning problem. Finally, current and future research is described. Bibliography: 49 titles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: ObjectivesInflammatory bowel disease (IBD), especially Crohn''s disease (CD), probably results from failure to downregulate a chronic Th1 intestinal inflammatory process. Induction of a Th2 immune response by intestinal helminths diminishes Th1 responsiveness. This study evaluates the safety and effectiveness of helminthic ova in the treatment of active IBD.: MethodsWe studied four patients with active CD and three with ulcerative colitis (UC). In an initial treatment and observation period, a single dose of 2500 live Trichuris suis eggs was given orally, and patients were followed every 2 wk for 12 wk. Baseline medications were continued at the same dose throughout the study. Safety was monitored by following the patients'' clinical status and laboratory studies at regular intervals. Patients also were monitored regularly using the Crohn''s Disease Activity Index, Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI), and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Quality of Life Index (IBDQ). To assess safety and efficacy with repetitive doses, two patients with CD and two with UC were given 2500 ova at 3-wk intervals as maintenance treatment using the same evaluation parameters.: ResultsDuring the treatment and observation period, all patients improved clinically without any adverse clinical events or laboratory abnormalities. Three of the four patients with CD entered remission according to the Crohn''s Disease Activity Index; the fourth patient experienced a clinical response (reduction of 151) but did not achieve remission. Patients with UC experienced a reduction of the Clinical Colitis Activity Index to 57% of baseline. According to the IBD Quality of Life Index, six of seven patients (86%) achieved remission. The benefit derived from the initial dose was temporary. In the maintenance period, multiple doses again caused no adverse effects and sustained clinical improvement in all patients treated every 3 wk for >28 wk.: ConclusionsThis open trial demonstrates that it is safe to administer eggs from the porcine whipworm, Trichuris suis, to patients with CD and UC. It also demonstrates improvement in the common clinical indices used to describe disease activity. The benefit was temporary in some patients with a single dose, but it could be prolonged with maintenance therapy every 3 wk. The study suggests that it is possible to downregulate aberrant intestinal inflammation in humans with helminths. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We show that single-point mutations conferring target-site resistance (kdr) to pyrethroids and DDT in aphids and houseflies, and gene amplification conferring metabolic resistance (carboxylesterase) to organophosphates and carbamates in aphids, can have deleterious pleiotropic effects on fitness. Behavioural studies on peach-potato aphids showed that a reduced response to alarm pheromone was associated with both gene amplification and the kdr target-site mutation. In this species, gene amplification was also associated with a decreased propensity to move from senescing leaves to fresh leaves at low temperature. Housefly genotypes possessing the identical kdr mutation were also shown to exhibit behavioural differences in comparison with susceptible insects. In this species, resistant individuals showed no positional preference along a temperature gradient while susceptible genotypes exhibited a strong preference for warmer temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper provides a unified algorithm to explicitly calculate the maximum likelihood estimates of parameters in a general setting of generalised linear mixed models (GLMMs) in terms of Gauss-Hermite quadrature approximation. The score function and observed information matrix are expressed explicitly as analytically closed forms so that Newton-Raphson algorithm can be applied straightforwardly. Compared with some existing methods, this approach can produce more accurate estimates of the fixed effects and variance components in GLMMs, and can serve as a basis of assessing existing approximations in GLMMs. A simulation study and practical example analysis are provided to illustrate this point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective genotyping of extreme progeny is a powerful method to increase the information content per individual when looking for quantitative trait loci (QTLs) using molecular markers for which a map is known. However, if marker information from the selected individuals is used to construct the map of the markers, this can lead to distorted segregation of the markers that in turn can lead to the estimation of a spurious linkage between independently inherited markers. The mistaken estimation of linkage between independently inherited markers will occur when there are two (or more) independently inherited QTLs linked to two (or more) markers and the same individuals are used to estimate the map of the markers and to do the QTL estimation. The incorrect linkage occurs because in selecting individuals from the tails of the phenotypic distribution we will also be selecting certain combinations of the markers instead of obtaining a random sample of the true distribution of the marker genotypes. Analytical results are outlined and the analyses of a simulated data set illustrate the problems that could arise when data from individuals chosen by selective genotyping are incorrectly employed to construct a marker map. A strategy is proposed to remedy this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of the sex-determining region Y gene in terminal sire beef cattle breeding was investigated, assuming that fertile transgenic bulls carrying this gene on an autosome can be created. The benefit of these transgenic bulls arises from having an increased proportion of calves with a male phenotype. Two mating strategies utilising the transgenic bulls were devised and compared; the Quota scheme whereby a quota of normal bulls is used alongside the transgenic bulls in a breeding nucleus, and the Bonus scheme in which a phenotypic bonus is assigned to transgenic bulls indicating the added value of their offspring. Bonus and Quota breeding schemes were comparable, in terms of the value of offspring of the bulls, for the first 6 years of selection, after which time the Quota breeding scheme was superior. For time horizons less than 10 years, and large assumed phenotypic superiorities of male calves, breeding schemes with transgenic bulls were superior to traditional breeding schemes without transgenic bulls. If the time horizon was longer, or if the assumed superiority of male calves was small, then traditional breeding schemes were generally superior to those utilising transgenic bulls. Scenarios were observed, however, where transgenic bulls were always superior to normal bulls, in terms of their value as sires. Equations were derived to predict genetic gain and the equilibrium genetic lag between normal and transgenic bulls in Quota breeding schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design, dimensioning and traffic management of an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network may be modelled as a hierarchical planning problem at different time-scales - capacity provision/expansion with intervals of weeks or months and real-time call routing at the time scale of the connection, which is itself treated in hierarchical order of transmitting calls (sec), bursts (msec) or cells (μsec). Taking the network topology as given, a chance-constrained stochastic programme for integrated services network dimensioning and traffic management is formulated using Hui's notion of effective bandwidth. This allows the removal of probabilistic constraints at the call level and leads to consideration of the network management problem as a linear deterministic multicommodity flow problem. To allow flexibility and easy problem formulation with various objectives and network specifications the decision support tool MODLER is employed. The model described can be used for a prototype software system for future network design and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Potato Research is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A method is given and illustrated by examples, for the analysis of incomplete diallel tables including the calculation of the coefficients in the expectations of mean squares. The method is applicable to any of the four basic diallel mating designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article regarding the use of high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in order to help biomedical researches.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to an article related to the collaboration of social and natural scientists.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to an article regarding the rigid views of animal rights activists.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article regarding the recommended perfect food for thought and relief.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article related to the significance of textbook writings.

The article offers information on the 2009 British Dental Conference and Exhibition to be held at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Center in Glasgow, Scotland from June 4-6, 2009.

The article reports on the inclusion of the four professors from the University of Dundee to the Royal Society of Edinburgh in Scotland. These professors are Irene Leigh, Tom Owen-Hughes, Tracy Palmer, and Tomoyuki Tanaka. Every new fellow of the RSE is recognised within his or her peer group as having achieved excellence within their profession. They are encouraged to contribute to the goals of the organization, which includes the provision of expert policy advice to government and parliament.

The article reports on the aesthetics training for dentists that uses fresh frozen cadavers, offered by the Faculty of General Dental Practice in Great Britain. The organization has believed that fresh cadaveric material ensures the total preservation of anatomy, which is important in practical superficial dissection. The practical hands-on sessions would include facial dissection and investigation of skin layers, facial muscles, blood supply, and innervations.

The article reports on the celebration of the National Smile Month 2009 on May 17-June 16, 2009 in Great Britain. Primary care trusts and businesses across the country are expected to participate in events and activities supporting the British Dental Health Foundation's (BDHF) campaign. It states that the campaign tagline highlights the systemic links between oral and overall health. The British Cheese Board (BCB) will also take part in helping the event to be a successful one.

The article announces that Stephen Hancocks has received the Fellowship by Election Award from the Faculty of General Dental Practice in Great Britain.

The article announces that Russ Ladwa was appointed dean at the Faculty of General Dental Practice in Great Britain.

The article offers information on the nominations for vacancies of the representative body of the British Dental Association (BDA). With vacancies in nine branches, nominations should be received no later than May 11, 2009. The representative body is expected to receive regular reports including those from the executive board and the autonomous committees of the BDA. These representatives are elected to a range of other committees dealing with a diversity of issues.

The article announces that Peter Bateman was appointed chairman of British Dental Association's Salaried Dentists Committee in Great Britain.

A calendar of events in Great Britain from April 24-July 17, 2009 is presented, which includes Dental Sedation Teachers Group Annual Symposium 2009, Clinical Innovations Conference and Annenberg Lecture, and British Dental Association Conference and Exhibition 2009

The article reports on the expansion of the Premier Awards that offer a £6,000 cash prize for dental risk management projects in Great Britain. In 2009, the awards would accept entries of original papers on dental ethics in six subject areas including infection control, health and safety, and record keeping. It states that all members of the dental team are eligible to enter.

The article reports on the grant awarded to professor Brian Henderson of the UCL Eastman Dental Institute from the British Heart Foundation for his study entitled "Circulating cell stress proteins, lymphocyte function, and cardiovascular disease." The study aims to examine the relationship between circulating levels of the cell stress protein, heat shock protein, and leukocyte function. Henderson will work with professor Andrew Steptoe and doctor Steve Thompson.

An obituary for Barbara Anna Geddes, a mother and a wife, is presented.