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Sugarcane, the world's most harvested crop by tonnage, has shaped global history, trade and geopolitics, and is currently responsible for 80% of sugar production worldwide1. While traditional sugarcane breeding methods have effectively generated cultivars adapted to new environments and pathogens, sugar yield improvements have recently plateaued2. The cessation of yield gains may be due to limited genetic diversity within breeding populations, long breeding cycles and the complexity of its genome, the latter preventing breeders from taking advantage of the recent explosion of whole-genome sequencing that has benefited many other crops. Thus, modern sugarcane hybrids are the last remaining major crop without a reference-quality genome. Here we take a major step towards advancing sugarcane biotechnology by generating a polyploid reference genome for R570, a typical modern cultivar derived from interspecific hybridization between the domesticated species (Saccharum officinarum) and the wild species (Saccharum spontaneum). In contrast to the existing single haplotype ('monoploid') representation of R570, our 8.7 billion base assembly contains a complete representation of unique DNA sequences across the approximately 12 chromosome copies in this polyploid genome. Using this highly contiguous genome assembly, we filled a previously unsized gap within an R570 physical genetic map to describe the likely causal genes underlying the single-copy Bru1 brown rust resistance locus. This polyploid genome assembly with fine-grain descriptions of genome architecture and molecular targets for biotechnology will help accelerate molecular and transgenic breeding and adaptation of sugarcane to future environmental conditions.

We will present the design, growth, fabrication, electronic control and packaging of the InAs/InP quantum dot (QD) multi-wavelength lasers (MWLs) developed by AEP of NRC in Canada. Their key technical specifications include L-I-V curves, optical and RF beating spectra, relative intensity noise (RIN), and optical phase noise of each individual wavelength channel, as well as timing jitter are investigated. Data bandwidth transmission capacity of 5.376 Tbit/s and 10.3 Tbit/s respectively in the PAM-4 and 16-QAM modulation formats are demonstrated by only using a single QD MWL chip. We have also developed a novel monolithic InAs/InP QD dual-wavelength (DW) DFB laser as a compact optical beat source to generate millimeter-wave (MMW) signals. Because of using a common cavity, highly coherent and correlated optical modes with optical linewidth as low as 15.83 kHz, spectrally pure MMW signals around 46.8 GHz with a linewidth down to 26.1 kHz were experimentally demonstrated. By using this QD DW-DFB laser, a 1Gbaud (2Gbps) MMW over-fiber transmission link is demonstrated with PAM-4 signals. The results show that the demonstrated device is suitable for high speed high capacity MMW fiber-wireless integrated fronthaul of 5G networks.

This research examines further the hypothesis that subjects tend to allot figures to the negative poles of constructs approximately 38 percent of the time. Sixty Canadian undergraduates judged 20 nonsense words as if these were the names of persons on 20 bipolar constructs. Results clearly supported the hypothesis. (Author)

Studied the social judgments of children aged 10-15 in Trinidad and in Canada. Ten-year-olds assigned significantly more persons to the positive poles of dimensions. Mid-adolescents applied positive poles of dimensions to persons approximately 62 percent of the time. Discussed findings in terms of developmental implications. (Author/RC)

Abstract: Background: Diabetes after total pancreatectomy is commonly described as ‘brittle’ with most series reporting outcomes after resection for pancreatitis alone. The aim of this study was to determine glycaemic control in patients resected for benign and malignant disease. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing total pancreatectomy (1989–2003) from a single institution was done. Data of diabetic control were obtained from case notes, general practitioners and telephonic consultation. Comparison was made against a matched type 1 diabetic population. Results: Forty-seven patients with a median age of 59 years (range 17–85 years) and median follow-up of 50 months (range 5–136 months) were identified. Thirty-five underwent primary resection with 11 receiving completion procedures. Thirty were for malignancy (19 deceased) and 17 for benign/indeterminate histology (2 deceased). Thirty-three patients were available for detailed follow-up. There was no significant difference between median HbA1c of the study group and the control (8.2% versus 8.1%). The majority of patients reported diabetic control and daily performance as excellent or good. Resection for pancreatitis gave poorer subjective control (p <0.05) than those resected for malignancy. Two patients required in-patient treatment for diabetic complications, with no deaths related to diabetes observed. Conclusion: Diabetes after total pancreatectomy is not necessarily associated with poor glycaemic control and in the majority results in equivalent biochemical control compared to a normal type 1 diabetic population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]