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Diplocarpon coronariae is a fungal pathogen that is prevalent in low-input apple production. Over the past 15 years, it has become increasingly distributed in Europe. However, comprehensive insights into its biology and pathogenicity remain limited. One particular aspect is the rarity of the sexual morph of this pathogen, a phenomenon hitherto unobserved in Europe. Diplocarpon coronariae reproduces through a heterothallic mating system requiring at least two different mating types for sexual reproduction. Genes determining the mating types are located on the mating-type locus. In this study, D. coronariae strain DC1_JKI from Dresden, Germany, was sequenced and used to unravel the structure of the mating type locus. Using short-read and long-read sequencing methods, the first gapless and near-complete telomere-to-telomere genome assembly of D. coronariae was achieved. The assembled genome spans 51.2 Mbp and comprises 21 chromosome-scale contigs of high completeness. The generated genome sequence was used to in silico elucidate the structure of the mating-type locus, identified as MAT1-2. Furthermore, an examination of MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 frequency across a diverse set of samples sourced from Europe and Asia revealed the exclusive presence of MAT1-2 in European samples, whereas both MAT loci were present in Asian counterparts. Our findings suggest an explanation for the absence of the sexual morph, potentially linked to the absence of the second mating idiomorph of D. coronariae in European apple orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Target sequence capture (Hyb‐Seq) is a cost‐effective sequencing strategy that employs RNA probes to enrich for specific genomic sequences. By targeting conserved low‐copy orthologs, Hyb‐Seq enables efficient phylogenomic investigations. Here, we present Asparagaceae1726—a Hyb‐Seq probe set targeting 1726 low‐copy nuclear genes for phylogenomics in the angiosperm family Asparagaceae—which will aid the often‐challenging delineation and resolution of evolutionary relationships within Asparagaceae. Methods: Here we describe and validate the Asparagaceae1726 probe set (https://github.com/bentzpc/Asparagaceae1726) in six of the seven subfamilies of Asparagaceae. We perform phylogenomic analyses with these 1726 loci and evaluate how inclusion of paralogs and bycatch plastome sequences can enhance phylogenomic inference with target‐enriched data sets. Results: We recovered at least 82% of target orthologs from all sampled taxa, and phylogenomic analyses resulted in strong support for all subfamilial relationships. Additionally, topology and branch support were congruent between analyses with and without inclusion of target paralogs, suggesting that paralogs had limited effect on phylogenomic inference. Discussion: Asparagaceae1726 is effective across the family and enables the generation of robust data sets for phylogenomics of any Asparagaceae taxon. Asparagaceae1726 establishes a standardized set of loci for phylogenomic analysis in Asparagaceae, which we hope will be widely used for extensible and reproducible investigations of diversification in the family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collocation boundary element method, as developed and taught in the traditional books, suffers from severe inconsistencies, partly responsible for the method's lack of clarity and broader applicability (not to mention the uncontrollable proliferation of misleading alternatives that only add to more confusion). This has been recently corrected, as summarized in this review paper, in which we report the proposition of a convergence theorem for the general, just consistent, three-dimensional isoparametric formulation of potential and elasticity problems (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enganabound.2023.01.017), and also introduce the not interchangeable concepts of nodes and loci, for boundary displacements and tractions in elasticity, respectively, as well as of points, for domain sources. We have implemented, for both two-dimensional potential and elasticity problems, real-variable (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enganabound.2023.01.015, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enganabound.2023.03.026) and—still better—complex-variable (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enganabound.2023.04.024) codes for generally high-order, curved elements, which effortlessly enable evaluations with numerical precision that is only machine-limited and only resorts to the problem's mathematics—plus Gauss–Legendre quadrature of all integrals' regular parts. (Ad hoc mechanical interpretations, "regularizations," interval subdivisions, special quadrature formulas, or variable transformations are neither strictly speaking correct nor generally applicable nor required.) Despite the singular kernels that enter diverse forms of Somigliana's identity (as for evaluating stress results at a domain point), problem-unrelated singularities do not come up in a mathematically consistent formulation and implementation: singularities are just man-made. A few examples of highly challenging topological issues are presented. We show that fracture mechanics problems may be dealt with seamlessly, and we manage to objectively assess a problem's topological consistency, precision, accuracy, and round-off errors related to a given mesh discretization and software-conditioned computational digits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early Modern Italian manuals for memorization present memory as deeply embodied, especially through the memory palace technique. Here, physical sensation, emotion, navigational skills, and personal experience, are all functional to intellectual learning. This article individuates these embodied tools through the analysis of three memorization manuals from 16th century Italy – a time, place, and religious context, in which the body could still be involved in mnemnonics: Dolce’s Dialogo del modo di accrescere e conservar la memoria (1562), Della Porta’s L’Arte del Ricordare (1566), and Gesualdo’s Plutosofia (1592). In these manuals, it is especially the loci, the architectures of the memory palace, which show sensory participation. Fundamental for place-navigation skills, these embodied techniques are a theoretical challenge for the manuals’ authors, tied to the period’s view of memory as a fundamentally abstract process. Their various approaches are reviewed, and organized along a spectrum, from claiming to denying the contribution of the described practices to a theory of memory and knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid genotypes can provide significant yield gains over conventional inbred varieties due to heterosis or hybrid vigor. However, hybrids can also display unintended negative attributes or phenotypes such as extreme pathogen susceptibility. The necrotrophic pathogen Pyrenophora teres f. maculata (Ptm) causes spot form net blotch, which has caused significant yield losses to barley worldwide. Here, we report on a non-transgressive hybrid susceptibility locus in barley identified between the three parental lines CI5791, Tifang and Golden Promise that are resistant to Ptm isolate 13IM.3. However, F2 progeny from CI5791 × Tifang and CI5791 × Golden Promise crosses exhibited extreme susceptibility. The susceptible phenotype segregated in a ratio of 1 resistant:1 susceptible representing a genetic segregation ratio of 1 parental (res):2 heterozygous (sus):1 parental (res) suggesting a single hybrid susceptibility locus. Genetic mapping using a total of 715 CI5791 × Tifang F2 individuals (1430 recombinant gametes) and 149 targeted SNPs delimited the hybrid susceptibility locus designated Susceptibility to Pyrenophora teres 2 (Spt2) to an ~ 198 kb region on chromosome 5H of the Morex V3 reference assembly. This single locus was independently mapped with 83 CI5791 × Golden Promise F2 individuals (166 recombinant gametes) and 180 genome wide SNPs that colocalized to the same Spt2 locus. The CI5791 genome was sequenced using PacBio Continuous Long Read technology and comparative analysis between CI5791 and the publicly available Golden Promise genome assembly determined that the delimited region contained a single high confidence Spt2 candidate gene predicted to encode a pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic dissection of reproductive barriers between diverging lineages provides enticing clues into the origin of species. One strategy uses linkage analysis in experimental crosses to identify genomic locations involved in phenotypes that mediate reproductive isolation. A second framework searches for genomic regions that show reduced rates of exchange across natural hybrid zones. It is often assumed that these approaches will point to the same loci, but this assumption is rarely tested. In this perspective, we discuss the factors that determine whether loci connected to postzygotic reproductive barriers in the laboratory are inferred to reduce gene flow in nature. We synthesize data on the genetics of postzygotic isolation in house mice, one of the most intensively studied systems in speciation genetics. In a rare empirical comparison, we measure the correspondence of loci tied to postzygotic barriers via genetic mapping in the laboratory and loci at which gene flow is inhibited across a natural hybrid zone. We find no evidence that the two sets of loci overlap beyond what is expected by chance. In light of these results, we recommend avenues for empirical and theoretical research to resolve the potential incongruence between the two predominant strategies for understanding the genetics of speciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Varicose vein disease (VVD) is a common health problem worldwide. Microfibril-associated protein 5 (MFAP5) is one of the potential key players in its pathogenesis. Our previous microarray analysis revealed the cg06256735 and cg15815843 loci in the regulatory regions of the MFAP5 gene as hypomethylated in varicose veins which correlated with its up-regulation. The aim of this work was to validate preliminary microarray data, estimate the level of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) at these loci, and determine the methylation status of one of them in different layers of the venous wall. For this, methyl- and hydroxymethyl-sensitive restriction techniques were used followed by real-time PCR and droplet digital PCR, correspondingly, as well as bisulfite pyrosequencing of +/- oxidized DNA. Our microarray data on hypomethylation at the cg06256735 and cg15815843 loci in whole varicose vein segments were confirmed and it was also demonstrated that the level of 5hmC at these loci is increased in VVD. Specifically, among other layers of the venous wall, tunica (t.) intima is the main contributor to hypomethylation at the cg06256735 locus in varicose veins. Thus, it was shown that hypomethylation at the cg06256735 and cg15815843 loci takes place in VVD, with evidence to suggest that it happens through their active demethylation leading to up-regulation of the MFAP5 gene, and t. intima is most involved in this biochemical process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista del Museo de Antropología is the property of Museo de Antropologia - IDACOR 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.)

One of the geometric figures that has symmetry properties is the Cassini oval. The Cassini oval is a curve defined as the locus of points in the plane such that the product of the distances to two fixed points is constant. Cassini ovals are named after the astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini, who studied them in 1680. Today, the geometric properties of Cassini ovals are used in many fields: analytical geometry, nuclear physics, radiolocation, and industrial applications. The bistatic radar uses Cassini ovals to detect various targets in radiolocation. Until now, there have been no studies on the clustering capabilities of Cassini ovals. As a novelty, it is hypothesized that clustering possibilities could be used for Cassini ovals. In this article, a study of the capabilities of Cassini ovals in radiolocation was carried out, and their suitability for clustering purposes was shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Any triangle in an isotropic plane has a circumcircle u and incircle i. It turns out that there are infinitely many triangles with the same circumcircle u and incircle i. This one-parameter family of triangles is called a poristic system of triangles. We study the trace of the centroid, the Feuerbach point, the symmedian point, the Gergonne point, the Steiner point and the Brocard points for such a system of triangles. We also study the traces of some further points associated with the triangles of the poristic family, and we prove that the vertices of the contact triangle, tangential triangle and anticomplementary triangle move on circles while the initial triangle traverses the poristic family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compare the performance of two systems, ChatGPT 3.5 and GeoGebra 5, in a restricted, but quite relevant, benchmark from the realm of classical geometry: the determination of geometric loci, focusing, in particular, on the computation of envelopes of families of plane curves. In order to study the loci calculation abilities of ChatGPT, we begin by entering an informal description of a geometric construction involving a locus or an envelope and then we ask ChatGPT to compute its equation. The chatbot fails in most situations, showing that it is not mature enough to deal with the subject. Then, the same constructions are also approached through the automated reasoning tools implemented in the dynamic geometry program, GeoGebra Discovery, which successfully resolves most of them. Furthermore, although ChatGPT is able to write general computer code, it cannot currently output that of GeoGebra. Thus, we consider describing a simple method for ChatGPT to generate GeoGebra constructions. Finally, in case GeoGebra fails, or gives an incorrect solution, we refer to the need for improved computer algebra algorithms to solve the loci/envelope constructions. Other than exhibiting the current problematic performance of the involved programs in this geometric context, our comparison aims to show the relevance and benefits of analyzing the interaction between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: A family‐specific probe set for sunflowers, Compositae‐1061, enables family‐wide phylogenomic studies and investigations at lower taxonomic levels, but may lack resolution at genus to species levels, especially in groups complicated by polyploidy and hybridization. Methods: We developed a Hyb‐Seq probe set, Compositae‐ParaLoss‐1272, that targets orthologous loci in Asteraceae. We tested its efficiency across the family by simulating target enrichment sequencing in silico. Additionally, we tested its effectiveness at lower taxonomic levels in the historically complex genus Packera. We performed Hyb‐Seq with Compositae‐ParaLoss‐1272 for 19 Packera taxa that were previously studied using Compositae‐1061. The resulting sequences from each probe set, plus a combination of both, were used to generate phylogenies, compare topologies, and assess node support. Results: We report that Compositae‐ParaLoss‐1272 captured loci across all tested Asteraceae members, had less gene tree discordance, and retained longer loci than Compositae‐1061. Most notably, Compositae‐ParaLoss‐1272 recovered substantially fewer paralogous sequences than Compositae‐1061, with only ~5% of the recovered loci reporting as paralogous, compared to ~59% with Compositae‐1061. Discussion: Given the complexity of plant evolutionary histories, assigning orthology for phylogenomic analyses will continue to be challenging. However, we anticipate Compositae‐ParaLoss‐1272 will provide improved resolution and utility for studies of complex groups and lower taxonomic levels in the sunflower family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study two quite different types of Terracini loci for the order d-Veronese embedding of an n-dimensional projective space: the minimal one and the primitive one (defined in this paper). The main result is that if n = 4 , d ≥ 19 and x ≤ 2 d , no subset with x points is a minimal Terracini set. We give examples that show that the result is sharp. We raise several open questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic system applications require to use a solar panel, a power converter, and a load. When voltage reduction from a panel to a battery is necessary, a buck converter is usually proposed. In the specialized literature, there are a wide variety of controllers oriented to commercial panels; However, even though measuring the energy extraction of a solar panel is the main indicator, there are other metrics such as switching effort that also affect the overall performance of the PV system. The main contribution of this work is the design of two digital controllers for photovoltaic energy extraction: a servo system controller with integrator and a PI controller based on root locus techniques considering an MPPT algorithm and system perturbations to demonstrate the reliability and efficiency of the controllers under different system scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female participation in society is marked by constant demands for rights and equity in the social sphere, whether in the public or private sphere. Therefore, it becomes imperative to [re]think the places they occupy, as well as the way they have been represented for a long time. Therefore, this article aims to analyze the role of the character Agatha Bell in the short story “The Matchmakers”, written by Chimamanda Nigozi Adichie, which makes up the collection of short narratives The Thing Around Your Neck (2017). To this end, we used the theoretical contributions of Bonnici (2004), Cooper (2007), Vergès (2020), Spivak (1997), Pinto (2007), Davis (2016), Ribeiro (2018) and Cardoso (2022). Therefore, qualitative and descriptive research of a documentary and bibliographic nature was used to construct theoretical discussions and analyze the corpus. The studies developed here point to the need to no longer accept socially conventional female roles based on essentialist precepts, as well as the relationship between gender, class and race should not be used as a category to delegate a female inferiority locus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The axon initial segment (AIS) is a critical locus of control of action potential (AP) generation and neuronal information synthesis. Concussive traumatic brain injury gives rise to diffuse axotomy, and the majority of neocortical axonal injury arises at the AIS. Consequently, concussive traumatic brain injury might profoundly disrupt the functional specialization of this region. To investigate this hypothesis, one and two days after mild central fluid percussion injury in Thy1-YFP-H mice, we recorded high-resolution APs from axotomized and adjacent intact layer 5 pyramidal neurons and applied a second derivative (2o) analysis to measure the AIS- and soma-regional contributions to the AP upstroke. All layer 5 pyramidal neurons recorded from sham animals manifested two stark 2o peaks separated by a negative intervening slope. In contrast, within injured mice, we discovered a subset of axotomized layer 5 pyramidal neurons in which the AIS-regional 2o peak was abolished, a functional perturbation associated with diminished excitability, axonal sprouting and distention of the AIS as assessed by staining for ankyrin-G. Our analysis revealed an additional subpopulation of both axotomized and intact layer 5 pyramidal neurons that manifested a melding together of the AIS- and soma-regional 2o peaks, suggesting a more subtle aberration of sodium channel function and/or translocation of the AIS initiation zone closer to the soma. When these experiments were repeated in animals in which cyclophilin-D was knocked out, these effects were ameliorated, suggesting that trauma-induced AIS functional perturbation is associated with mitochondrial calcium dysregulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues that in Alsea ([aes]; Penutian/isolate; dormant; Oregon Coast) the main event line (mel) of narratives is reliably signaled by a particular combination of clause-initial particles, functioning as discourse markers, and not by a specific set of verb forms, the means usually identified and discussed in the literature as a cue for the mel status of a clause. The strength of the link between this combination of discourse markers and the mel, then, represents a cross-linguistic situation that seems rare. Alsea has a rich system of discourse markers and a rich system of verbal affixes, with over 20 potentially co-occurring markers in each. The relative wealth of these discourse markers and their potential combinations make an intricate system of signaling the syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic relationship between clauses and their immediate environment, essentially signaling their discourse status. One combination of markers has the function of signaling the mel. Alsea verbal affixes, on the other hand, play a major role in event semantics and aspectual construal, but a minor one in discourse structuring. This allows for seemingly paradoxical uses of irrealis or imperfective verb forms on the mel of narratives, where the later coerces the event into specific types of bounded and realis readings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polynomial system solving arises in many application areas to model non-linear geometric properties. In such settings, polynomial systems may come with degeneration which the end-user wants to exclude from the solution set. The nondegenerate locus of a polynomial system is the set of points where the codimension of the solution set matches the number of equations. Computing the nondegenerate locus is classically done through ideal-theoretic operations in commutative algebra such as saturation ideals or equidimensional decompositions to extract the component of maximal codimension. By exploiting the algebraic features of signature-based Gröbner basis algorithms we design an algorithm which computes a Gröbner basis of the equations describing the closure of the nondegenerate locus of a polynomial system, without computing first a Gröbner basis for the whole polynomial system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We give a concise summary on the technical history of visualizing implicit locus equations in the widely used dynamic geometry system GeoGebra. We mainly focus on the “draggable locus” equation, introduced in GeoGebra 5 (2014), and the dynamic envelopes. We discuss how user interface improvements (the Locus Equation and Envelope tools in GeoGebra Discovery), backend updates (the Giac subsystem) and algebraic experiments (to automatically exclude degeneracy) lead to easy study of caustics of a circle or a parabola in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide constructions of 3 classical curves, using novel approaches, based on tools for automated exploration and reasoning, especially for the determination of geometric loci. Dragging and animations are the core features in use. The different ways yield an output based either on numerical computations or on symbolic computations (these use Gröbner bases packages). These curves, which are generally presented as separate cases, appear here in a unifying frame. This work is a contribution to the study of plane curves and to a working frame aimed at developing the dialog between different kinds of mathematical software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytophthora capsici causes destructive disease in several crop species, including pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Resistance in this species is physiologically and genetically complex due to many P. capsici virulence phenotypes and different QTLs and R genes among the identified resistance sources. Several primer pairs were designed to follow an SNP (G/A) within the CA_011264 locus linked to the Pc5.1 locus. All primer pairs were designed on DNA sequences derived from CaDMR1, a homoserine kinase (HSK), which is a gene candidate responsible for the major QTL on chromosome P5 for resistance to P. capsici. A panel of 69 pepper genotypes from the Southern Seed germplasm collection was used to screen the primer pairs designed. Of these, two primers (Phyto_for_2 and Phyto_rev_2) surrounding the SNP proved successful in discriminating susceptible and resistant genotypes when combined with a restriction enzyme (BtgI). This new marker (called Phyto) worked as expected in all genotypes tested, proving to be an excellent candidate for marker-assisted selection in breeding programs aimed at introgressing the resistant locus into pure lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the construction of curves of degree 8 (octics) appearing as geometric loci of points defined by moving points on an ellipse and its director circle. To achieve this goal we develop different computer algebra methods, dealing with trigonometric or with rational parametric representations, as well as through implicit polynomial equations, of the given curves. Finally, we highlight the involved mathematical or computational issues arising when reflecting on the outputs obtained in each case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the degree d connectedness locus, Thurston [ On the geometry and dynamics of iterated rational maps , Complex Dynamics, A K Peters, Wellesley, MA, 2009, pp. 3–137] studied \sigma _d-invariant laminations , where \sigma _d is the d-tupling map on the unit circle, and built a topological model for the space of quadratic polynomials f(z) = z^2 +c. In the spirit of Thurston's work, we consider the space of all cubic symmetric polynomials f_\lambda (z)=z^3+\lambda ^2 z in a series of three articles. In the present paper, the first in the series, we construct a lamination C_sCL together with the induced factor space \mathbb {S}/C_sCL of the unit circle \mathbb {S}. As will be verified in the third paper of the series, \mathbb {S}/C_sCL is a monotone model of the cubic symmetric connectedness locus , i.e. the space of all cubic symmetric polynomials with connected Julia sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoperiodic sensitivity of soybean (Glycine max L.) is one of the limiting factors affecting plant growth and yield. At higher latitudes, early flowering and maturity with neutral reaction to photoperiods are required for adaptation of soybean plants to long-day conditions. Currently, the production and distribution of new varieties of soybeans adapted to widespread agricultural regions in northern Kazakhstan is in strong demand. Eleven soybean hybrid populations were obtained from crosses between 17 parents with four maturity groups, MG 000, 00, 0, and I. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) was assessed for suitable SSR markers and successfully applied for genes E1, E3, E4, and E7, targeting homozygous genotypes with recessive alleles. The identified and selected genotypes were propagated and tested in the conditions of 53° N latitude in the Kostanay region of northern Kazakhstan. Finally, 20 early maturing F4 breeding lines were identified and developed with genotypes e1 e3 E4 e7, e1 E3 E4 e7, and e1 E3 e4 e7, all completing their growth period within 92–102 days. These breeding lines were developed by MAS and should provide very prospective superior varieties of soybean for northern Kazakhstan through a strategy that may be very helpful to other countries with high latitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We know that circular shapes we encounter in daily life may appear to be elliptical from some viewing points. It is reasonable to expect that an ellipse may appear to be circular from certain viewpoints. In this paper, we investigate the locus of viewpoints from which an ellipse appears circular. It will be shown that the locus of viewpoints is a hyperbola passing through the two foci of the ellipse. Conversely, the locus of viewpoints from which a hyperbola looks circular is an ellipse passing through the two foci of the hyperbola. Further, the locus of viewpoints from which a parabola looks circular is itself a parabola, passing through the focus of the original parabola. There is a simple duality between the object to be observed and the observer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Forensic Medicine / Fayixue Zazhi is the property of Journal of Forensic Medicine Editorial Office 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.)

Despite its medieval origins (1423), the city of Łódź is young. It flourished as an important industrial center in the nineteenth century, becoming the second largest city in Poland in the twentieth. Its "American" plan with one main street and districts developing around factories is unusual in Poland and leaves little room for city squares and public space. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, Łódź has been trying to create more shared areas because they underwent far-reaching degradation after the transformatio of 1989 and the economic crisis of the 1990s. Nowadays, however, these areas are being revitalized. There are many competitions and projects concerning both the rehabilitation of existing city squares and the creation of new ones. However, the term "city square" has largely lost its original, traditional meaning, with "square" now covering a variety of open spaces, ranging from pedestrian streets to courtyards. The article discusses selected examples of municipal and private investments in squares, streets and parks. Despite the positive reception of these urban changes, the "renewal" of the city is criticized by specialists and considered controversial. The article attempts to analyze these solutions in terms of urban planning as well as urban landscape and ecology, also venturing to gauge whether such solutions can be considered modern and adequate to the requirements of twenty-first-century urban planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we report a rare allele 29 at locus D2S1338, established during routine forensic practice in a case of first-degree kinship (parenthood). This rare allele variant 29 at locus D2S1338, to the best of our knowledge, is reported for the first time in the Bulgarian population. So far it has not been registered in studies of allele frequencies in the same locus for 20 population groups in Europe and Asia. The presentation of similar genotyping findings relating to rare/unexpected population genetic variation is very important for the examination and documentation of such anomalies. The analysis has been performed for 16 STR loci: D2S1338, SE33, D16S539, D18S51, TH01, D12S391, D3S1358, FGA, vWA, D21S11, D1S1656, D2S441, D8S1179, D19S433, D22S1045, D10S1248 and 2 sex determination systems - Amelogenin and Y indel, set in NGM DetectTM PCR Amplification Kit (Applied Biosystems). The use of allelic witnesses in the diagnostic practice is mandatory in the standard fragment DNA analysis. The allelic witness contains well-known preset alleles for the examined locus. Establishing alleles that are outside the factory preset is important for broadening the scope of the witness and heightening the accuracy of the analysis. Rare allelic variants significantly increase the strength of discrimination when DNA profiles are compared. In this regard, it is important to report any new information about the emergence of rare allele variants detected in a particular population group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing the parameters of a PI-PD controller is very challenging. Consequently, the centroid of the convex stability boundary locus approach was employed to overcome this challenge. Unfortunately, this approach requires deriving several equations for constructing the stability regions of the PI-PD controller. Also, it computes the centroid of the stability region based on visual observations without using any analytical methods. Therefore, it is time-consuming, and the accuracy of its computations is questionable. This paper suggests simple tuning rules for computing the gains of PI-PD controllers based on the centroid of the stability region to handle the limitations of the centroid of the convex stability boundary locus approach. A robustness analysis has also been conducted to gauge the performance of the proposed tuning rules. Moreover, several simulation examples and a real-time application have been considered for evaluating the effectiveness and the feasibility of the suggested approach. • Simple tuning rules are proposed to eliminate the disadvantages of the CCSR approach. • The proposed tuning rules are easily applicable for adjusting the gains of the PI-PD controller in industrial applications. • The CCSR approach is extended for controlling integrating processes. • Proposed tuning rules for integrating processes are suitable for long-time delays. • Robustness analysis for analyzing and predicting closed-loop performances is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let M be a meromorphic connection with poles along a smooth divisor D in a smooth algebraic variety. Let Sol M be the solution complex of M. We prove that the good formal structure locus of M coincides with the locus where the restrictions to D of Sol M and Sol End M are local systems. Despite the very different natures of these loci (the first one is defined via algebra, and the second via analysis), the proof of their coincidence is geometric. It relies on moduli of Stokes torsors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed size and shape are not only critical for plant reproduction and dispersal, but also important agronomic traits. Tomato fruit shape loci sun, ovate and fs8.1 regulate the morphology of fruit, flower, leaf and stem, and recently their functions in seed morphogenesis have also been noticed. However, mechanism underlying seed morphology variation has not been systematically investigated yet. Thus, using the near isogenic lines (NILs) harboring one, two or three of the fruit shape loci, histological, physiological and transcriptional bases of seed morphology change have been studied. sun and ovate showed potential abilities in decreasing seed size, whereas, fs8.1 had a potential ability in increasing this parameter. Interactions between two loci and the interaction among three loci all led to significant decrease of seed size. All the loci significantly down-regulated seed shape index (SSI), except for sun/fs8.1 double NIL, which resulted in the reductions in both seed length and width and finally led to a decreased trend of SSI. Histologically, seed morphological changes were mainly attributed to the cell number variations. Transcriptional and physiological analyses discovered that phytohormone-, cytoskeleton- as well as sugar transportation- and degradation-related genes were involved in the regulation of seed morphology by the fruit shape loci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A triangle center such as the incenter, barycenter, etc., is specified by a function thrice- and cyclically applied on sidelengths and/or angles. Consider the 1d family of 3-periodics in the elliptic billiard, and the loci of its triangle centers. Some will sweep ellipses, and others higher-degree algebraic curves. We propose two rigorous methods to prove if the locus of a given center is an ellipse: one based on computer algebra, and another based on an algebro-geometric method. We also prove that if the triangle center function is rational on sidelengths, the locus is algebraic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let (X,B) be a pair, and let f:X→S be a contraction with -(KX+B) nef over S. A conjecture, known as the Shokurov-Kollár connectedness principle, predicts that f-1(s)∩Nklt(X,B) has at most two connected components, where s∈S is an arbitrary schematic point and Nklt(X,B) denotes the non-klt locus of (X,B). In this work, we prove this conjecture, characterizing those cases in which Nklt(X,B) fails to be connected, and we extend these same results also to the category of generalized pairs. Finally, we apply these results and the techniques to the study of the dual complex for generalized log Calabi-Yau pairs, generalizing results of Kollár-Xu and Nakamura. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe the Galois action on the middle ℓ-adic cohomology of smooth, projective fourfolds KA(v) that occur as a fiber of the Albanese morphism on moduli spaces of sheaves on an abelian surface A with Mukai vector v. We show this action is determined by the action on H2ét(Ak¯,Qℓ(1)) and on a subgroup GA(v)⩽(A×Â)[3], which depends on v. This generalizes the analysis carried out by Hassett and Tschinkel [HT13] over C. As a consequence, over number fields, we give a condition under which K2(A) and K2(Â) are not derived equivalent. The points of GA(v) correspond to involutions of KA(v). Over C, they are known to be symplectic and contained in the kernel of the map Aut(KA(v))→O(H2(KA(v),Z)). We describe this kernel for all varieties KA(v) of dimension at least 4. When KA(v) is a fourfold over a field of characteristic 0, the fixed-point loci of the involutions contain K3 surfaces whose cycle classes span a large portion of the middle cohomology. We examine the fixed loci in fourfolds KA(0,l,s) over C where l is a (1,3)-polarization, finding the K3 surface to be elliptically fibered under a Lagrangian fibration of KA(0,l,s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we developed a software tool for the simplified, automated definition and viewing of loci in the plane, an essential task in the design, engineering and architectural fields. The process was started by identifying the most salient geometric loci in the engineering domain (i.e., tangents). A geometric approach was followed to deal with curves from the relative positions of two circles or a circle and a point. The algorithms used can be easily implemented in commercially available CAD software, which testifies to the usefulness and timeliness of the proposed tool. The tool successfully solved all target cases and was implemented as a function with the commercial software Adobe Authorware v.7.0.2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study center power with respect to circles derived from Poncelet 3-periodics (triangles) in a generic pair of ellipses as well as loci of their triangle centers. We show that (i) for any concentric pair, the power of the center with respect to either circumcircle or Euler's circle is invariant, and (ii) if a triangle center of a 3-periodic in a generic nested pair is a fixed linear combination of barycenter and circumcenter, its locus over the family is an ellipse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new method for the computation of the generalized Voronoi diagram of planar polygons. First, we show that the vertices of the cut locus can be computed efficiently. This is achieved by enumerating the tripoints of the polygon, a superset of the cut locus vertices. This is the set of all points that are of equal distance to three distinct topological entities. Then our algorithm identifies and connects the appropriate tripoints to form the cut locus vertex connectivity graph, where edges define linear or parabolic boundary segments between the Voronoi regions, resulting in the generalized Voronoi diagram. Our proposed method is validated on complex polygon soups. We apply the algorithm to represent the exact signed distance function of the polygon by augmenting the Voronoi regions with linear and radial functions, calculating the cut locus both inside and outside. • Efficient algorithm for computing generalized Voronoi diagrams for polygon soups. • Our method constructs tripoints by embedding the polygon in a Delaunay triangulation. • Algorithm correctness is argued with a number of geometric theorems and a conjecture. • Exact algorithm utilizes closed-form geometric formulas and graph transformations. • Our robust Matlab implementation performs in O(n log(n)) time for most inputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The culms of solid-stemmed wheat cultivars are filled with "pith" - a parenchymatous tissue largely composed of soft, spongy, and compact parenchyma cells. Breeding solid-stemmed cultivars is the most effective way to decrease the detrimental impact of wheat stem sawfly (WSS), Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae) on wheat production. Although a major solid stem gene has been previously identified from durum wheat, it produces an intermediate level of stem solidness in common wheat which is insufficient to provide the required level of WSS resistance. The maximum resistance is achieved when stems are totally filled with pith. Thus, to identify a secondary source of solidness in common wheat, we developed three mapping populations from wheat cvs. Sadash, 'AAC Innova' and 'AAC Cameron', each crossed separately with P2711, a completely solid-stemmed hexaploid wheat breeding line. All populations were genotyped using either wheat 15K or 90K Infinium iSelect SNP Assay and high-density linkage maps were generated from individual populations along with consensus maps for chromosomes 3B and 3D from all populations. 'Sadash/P2711' and 'AAC Innova/P2711' populations were subjected to extensive phenotyping in =3 environments followed by quantitative trait loci (QTL) analyses using population-specific and consensus linkage maps. We identified two major solid stem QTLs in the distal regions of chromosome arms 3BL and 3DL in both populations in addition to several population-specific or common minor QTLs. Internode-specific QTL analyses detected both major QTLs of chromosomes 3B and 3D across internodes, from top to bottom of the stalk, but minor QTLs were largely detected in upper or middle internodes. Our results suggest that both major QTLs are sufficient to develop highly solidstemmed cvs; however, the minor loci, which additively enhance the pith expression, can be coupled with major genes to achieve a complete solid stem phenotype in common wheat. Comparative and haplotype analyses showed that the 3B locus is homoeologous to 3D, the former being mapped to a 1.1 Mb genomic region. Major QTLs identified in this study can be incorporated in modern wheat cultivars to achieve maximum WSS resistance from high pith expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed or pod shattering in rice (Oryza sativa) is considered to be one of the major factors involved in the domestication of rice as a crop. High seed shattering results in significant yield losses. In this study, we characterize the RICEHIGHSHATTERING 1 (RHS1) that corresponds to the locus LOC_Os04g41250 from a greenhouse screen, involving 145 Ac/Ds transposon mutant rice lines. The knockout mutant line rhs1 exhibited a significantly high shattering of grains in comparison to the wild-type plants. The exogenous application of nitric oxide (NO) resulted in a significant reduction in the expression of RHS1 in wild-type rice plants. The absence of RHS1, which encodes a putative armadillo/beta-catenin repeat family protein, resulted in high sensitivity of the rhs1 plants to nitrosative stress. Interestingly, the basal expression levels of QSH1 and SHAT1 genes (transcription factors that regulate seed-pod shattering in rice) were significantly lower in these plants than in wild-type plants; however, nitrosative stress negatively regulated the expression of QSH1 and SHAT1 in both WT and rhs1 plants, but positively regulated QSH4 expression in rhs1 plants alone. The expression levels of genes responsible for NO production (OsNIA1, OsNIA2, and OsNOA1) were lower in rhs1 plants than in WT plants under normal conditions. However, under nitrosative stress, the expression of OsNIA2 significantly increased in rhs1 plants. The expression of CPL1 (a negative regulator of seed shattering in rice) was significantly lower in rhs1 plants, and we found that CPL1 expression was correlated with S-nitrosothiol (SNO) alteration in rhs1. Interestingly noe1, a rice mutant with high SNO levels, exhibited low seed shattering, whereas rhs1 resulted in low SNO levels with high seed shattering. Therefore, RHS1 is a novel gene that negatively regulates the shattering trait in rice via regulation of endogenous SNO levels. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in the control of RHS1-mediated regulation of seed shattering and its interaction with nitric oxide and involvement in plant defense need to be investigated further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Using genomic DNA from 79 F1 plants resulted from a crossing between parents with strong and weak grazing tolerance in Medicago falcata L., we generated an EcoRI restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) sequencing library. After sequencing and assembly, a high-density genetic map with high-quality SNP markers was constructed, with a total length of 1312.238 cM and an average density of 0.844 SNP/cM. Methods: The phenotypic traits of 79 F1 families were observed and the QTLS of 6 traits were analyzed by interval mapping. Results: Sixty three QTLs were identified for seven traits with LOD values from 3 to 6 and the contribution rates from 15% to 30%. Among the 63 QTLs, 17 were for natural shoot height, 12 for rhizome Length, 10 for Shoot canopy diameter, 9 for Basal plant diameter, 6 for stem number, 5 for absolute shoot height, and 4 for rhizome width. These QTLs were concentrated on LG2, LG4, LG5, LG7, and LG8. LG6 had only 6 QTLs. According to the results of QTL mapping, comparison of reference genomes, and functional annotation, 10 candidate genes that may be related to grazing tolerance were screened. qRT-PCR analysis showed that two candidate genes (LOC11412291 and LOC11440209) may be the key genes related to grazing tolerance of M. falcata. Conclusion: The identified trait-associated QTLs and candidate genes in this study will provide a solid foundation for future molecular breeding for enhanced grazing-tolerance in M. falcata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because the exact allele frequencies I x SB l sb i are not explicitly known, we calculated I V SB M sb i with the expected value of I w SB l sb i ( I x i ) under the equilibrium allele-frequency distribution I f SB l sb i for the respective locus I l i : 4 HT ht where the sum is over all allele-frequency bins I i i . [Extracted from the article]

We are responding to the comment by Dommerholt and Gerwin that we have reverse-defined "myofascial trigger point" (MTrP) and "contracture/contraction knot." In attempting to maintain philosophical agreement with specific and implied aspects of their integrated hypothesis of trigger-point formation (namely a MTrP being ischemic and hypoxic), we referred to the MTrP as the small hyperechoic signal rather than the larger hypoechoic (and therefore hyperperfused) structure surrounding it. It was never our intent to re-define nor contribute to confusion. In making this concession with respect to Dommerholt and Gerwin's preferred nomenclature, however, we must instead now reconcile what we image as a hypoechoic (and therefore hyperperfused) MTrP with it being concurrently hypoxic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent study published in Diagnostics attempted to visualize trigger points and contracture knots with high-definition ultrasound. Based on their findings, the authors reversed the commonly understood meaning of the two terms. However, they did so without providing any convincing evidence. The authors maintained that their sonography images represented trigger points within contracture knots, supporting the multiple loci hypothesis. On review of the paper, both conclusions seem premature and rather speculative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on the genetic polymorphism of 27 Y-STR in Kazakhs of the Junior Zhuz has been presented and analyzed in relation to forensic features. A total of 464 representatives of the Western Kazakh tribes of Kazakhstan (Western Kazakhs, n = 405) and Uzbekistan (Karakalpakstan Kazakhs, n = 59) were examined by the Yfiler Plus set. The data are available in the YHRD under accession numbers YA006010 and YA006009. Genetic analysis (AMOVA and MDS) did not show significant differences between the two groups (Kazakhstan and Karakalpakstan Kazakhs) in terms of Y-chromosome diversity. Both groups are characterized by haplogroup C2a1a2 as a founder effect, which dominated two of the three tribes: Alimuly (67%), Baiuly (74.6%), and Zhetiru (25.8%). At the same time, the phylogenetic network for each tribe found its own clusters within C2a1a2. Western Kazakhs and Karakalpakstan Kazakhs present high values of unique haplotypes (84.44% and 96.61%), discrimination capacity (90.37% and 98.30%), and haplotype diversity (0.9991 and 0.9994). A set of 27 Y-STR loci distinguishes closely related individuals within the Western Kazakh tribes quite well. It is suitable for forensic application, and is also optimal for population genetics studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a uniformly distributed mathematical model for the self-heating process within compost piles is formulated and investigated. It consists of mass balance equations for oxygen and energy as well as the heat-generation processes due to both biological and chemical activities. This model is an extension of the study of Luangwilai et al. [2013] which consists of only biological activity. The singularity and degenerate Hopf bifurcation theories are used to determine the loci of different singularities: the isola, cusp, double-limit points and boundary limit set as well as the double-Hopf, generalized Hopf (Bautin) and Bogdanov–Takens bifurcations. In this investigation it is found that these loci separate the secondary parameter plane into twenty-two regions of different steady-state solution behaviors, whereas the model in the earlier study reported only eight regions. With more topological detail in the parameter space, a clearer understanding of the thermal behavior of a compost pile can be obtained, thus assisting compost operators in controlling the temperature within the pile more effectively: for example, achieving desirable elevated temperature range for ideal composting conditions via periodic solutions and S-shaped solution branch, or alternatively, understanding conditions, if not monitored carefully, that can also increase the likelihood of spontaneous ignition within the pile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial organization of chromatin at the scale of topologically associating domains (TADs) and below displays large cell-to-cell variations. Up until now, how this heterogeneity in chromatin conformation is shaped by chromatin condensation, TAD insulation, and transcription has remained mostly elusive. Here, we used Hi-M, a multiplexed DNA-FISH imaging technique providing developmental timing and transcriptional status, to show that the emergence of TADs at the ensemble level partially segregates the conformational space explored by single nuclei during the early development of Drosophila embryos. Surprisingly, a substantial fraction of nuclei display strong insulation even before TADs emerge. Moreover, active transcription within a TAD leads to minor changes to the local inter- and intra-TAD chromatin conformation in single nuclei and only weakly affects insulation to the neighboring TAD. Overall, our results indicate that multiple parameters contribute to shaping the chromatin architecture of single nuclei at the TAD scale. Here the authors applied their recently developed multiplexed DNA-FISH Hi-M method to dissect the sources of heterogeneity in topologically associating domain (TAD)-like organization during Drosophila embryogenesis. This single-nucleus analysis allows them to reveal that multiple parameters contribute to shaping the trace of the chromatin path from a single nucleus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 24-loci mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) genotyping has been used as an international standard method for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) genotyping. However, different optimized VNTR loci sets for improving the discrimination of specific Mtb genotypes have been proposed. In this regard, we investigated the efficacy of accumulation of the percentage differences (APDs) compared with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression strategy to identify a customized genotype-specific VNTR loci set which provides a resolution comparable to 24-loci MIRU-VNTR in divergent Mtb populations. We utilized Spoligotyping and 24-loci MIRU-VNTR typing for genotyping 306 Mtb isolates. The APD and LASSO regression approaches were used to identify a customized VNTR set in our studied isolates. Besides, the Hunter-Gaston discriminatory index (HGDI), sensitivity, and specificity of each selected loci set were calculated based on both strategies. The selected loci based on LASSO regression compared with APD-based loci showed a better discriminatory power for identifying all studied genotypes except for T genotype, which APD-based loci showed promising discriminative power. Our findings suggested the LASSO regression rather than the APD approach is more effective in the determination of possible discriminative VNTR loci set to precise discrimination of our studied Mtb population and may be beneficial to be used in finding reduced number loci sets in other Mtb genotypes or sublineages. Moreover, we proposed customized genotype-specific MIRUVNTR loci sets based on the LASSO regression and APD approaches for precise Mtb strains identification. As the proposed VNTR sets offered a comparable discriminatory power to the standard 24 MIRU-VNTR loci set could be promising alternatives to the standard genotyping for using in resource-limited settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze the BPS equations in the "superstratum sector" of three-dimensional gauged supergravity. We obtain multi-parameter supersymmetric solutions that include elliptical deformations of the supertubes that underlie standard superstrata. We uplift the three-dimensional solutions to obtain the corresponding six-dimensional geometries. This yields new families of elliptically-deformed, ambi-bolar hyper-Kähler geometries in four dimensions with a non-tri-holomorphic U(1) isometry. We also find a new family of scaling superstrata whose S-dual lives entirely within the NS-sector of supergravity, and will thus be more amenable to exact analysis using string probes. In all these new superstrata, including the scaling ones, if the momentum charge is non-zero we find that the ellipse stays away from the degeneration locus in which the ellipse becomes flat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are generally the mixed type surfaces with lightlike locus in the Lorentz-Minkowski 3-space. To investigate the geometry of lightlike locus, we define slant focal surfaces and slant evolutes associated to the oringinal mixed type surface by using a moving frame field along the lightlike locus defined by Honda etc. We obtain that singularities of slant focal surfaces and slant evolutes depend on the differential geometric properties of the lightlike locus. Furthermore, we investigate the relationship between slant focal surfaces and slant evolutes. We also consider the relationship between slant evolutes and the lightlike locus on the lightcone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]