Using genotyping-by-sequencing to understand Musa diversity : [P449]

This project is part of a larger effort to apply genomics technologies to assess genetic diversity and to advance genetic improvement efforts in Musa (banana and plantain), a major staple food crop in the developing world. Most cultivated varieties of bananas result from intra- or inter-specific crosses of the wild diploid species, Musa acuminata (A genome) and Musa balbisiana (B genome). Somaclonal mutation and human selection has resulted in current day bananas with a wide morphological diversity. The Cavendish (AAA) subgroups are believed to have derived from an individual unique initial genotype, and similarly for the subgroup plantain (AAB). However, little or no genetic diversity can be detected within these groups using conventional molecular markers such as RFLP, SSR, DArT. To assess genetic diversity with an improved resolution, we have selected 65 accessions with diploid and triploid combinations of the A and/or B genomes including AAB plantains and AAA Cavendish, and cultivated or wild Musa accessions from the core collection at the Global Musa Genomics Consortium (GMGC) (http://www.musagenomics.org). We have used a high-throughput reduced representation genome sequencing approach - genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) to obtain high density sequence markers. Genotypes are determined for each diploid and triploid accession, and dissimilarity computed across all accessions. We will discuss the value of GBS markers to characterize the genetic diversity of individual Musa subgroups with high resolution. This work is funded by the USAID linkage funds. (Texte intégral

Thermal counting statistics in an atomic two-mode squeezed vacuum state

We measure the population distribution in one of the atomic twin beams generated by four-wave mixing in an optical lattice. Although the produced two-mode squeezed vacuum state is pure, each individual mode is described as a statistical mixture. We confirm the prediction that the particle number follows an exponential distribution when only one spatio-temporal mode is selected. We also show that this distribution accounts well for the contrast of an atomic Hong--Ou--Mandel experiment. These experiments constitute an important validation of our twin beam source in view of a future test of a Bell inequalities.Comment: SciPost submissio

Thermal transpiration flow

This paper was presented at the 3rd Micro and Nano Flows Conference (MNF2011), which was held at the Makedonia Palace Hotel, Thessaloniki in Greece. The conference was organised by Brunel University and supported by the Italian Union of Thermofluiddynamics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University of Thessaly, IPEM, the Process Intensification Network, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Heat Transfer Society, HEXAG - the Heat Exchange Action Group, and the Energy Institute.Thermal transpiration is the macroscopic movement of rarefied gas induced by a temperature gradient. The gas moves from the lower to the higher temperature zone. An original method is proposed here to measure the mean macroscopic movement of gas in the case of a long circular cross-section glass microtube on to which a gradient of temperature is applied. The mass flow rate and the thermo-molecular pressure difference have been measured by monitoring the absolute pressure evolution in time at both ends of the capillary using high-speed response pressure gauges. Two gases Nitrogen and Helium are studied and three different temperature differences of 50, 60 and 70 Celsius degrees are applied to the tube. The analysed gas rarefaction conditions vary from transitional to slip regime.The European Community’s Seventh Framework Program (FP7/2007-2013 under grant agreement no 215504

Distribution of lipid nanocapsules in different cochlear cell populations after round window membrane permeation

Hearing loss is a major public health problem, and its treatment with traditional therapy strategies is often unsuccessful due to limited drug access deep in the temporal bone. Multifunctional nanoparticles that are targeted to specified cell populations, biodegradable, traceable in vivo, and equipped with controlled drug/gene release may resolve this problem. We developed lipid core nanocapsules (LNCs) with sizes below 50 nm. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the ability of the LNCs to pass through the round window membrane and reach inner ear targets. FITC was incorporated as a tag for the LNCs and Nile Red was encapsulated inside the oily core to assess the integrity of the LNCs. The capability of LNCs to pass through the round window membrane and the distribution of the LNCs inside the inner ear were evaluated in rats via confocal microscopy in combination with image analysis using ImageJ. After round window membrane administration, LNCs reached the spiral ganglion cells, nerve fibers, and spiral ligament fibrocytes within 30 min. The paracellular pathway was the main approach for LNC penetration of the round window membrane. LNCs can also reach the vestibule, middle ear mucosa, and the adjacent artery. Nuclear localization was detected in the spiral ganglion, though infrequently. These results suggest that LNCs are potential vectors for drug delivery into the spiral ganglion cells, nerve fibers, hair cells, and spiral ligament

No planet for HD 166435

The G0V star HD166435 has been observed by the fiber-fed spectrograph ELODIE as one of the targets in the large extra-solar planet survey that we are conducting at the Observatory of Haute-Provence. We detected coherent, low-amplitude, radial-velocity variations with a period of 3.7987days, suggesting a possible close-in planetary companion. Subsequently, we initiated a series of high-precision photometric observations to search for possible planetary transits and an additional series of CaII H and K observations to measure the level of surface magnetic activity and to look for possible rotational modulation. Surprisingly, we found the star to be photometrically variable and magnetically active. A detailed study of the phase stability of the radial-velocity signal revealed that the radial-velocity variability remains coherent only for durations of about 30days. Analysis of the time variation of the spectroscopic line profiles using line bisectors revealed a correlation between radial velocity and line-bisector orientation. All of these observations, along with a one-quarter cycle phase shift between the photometric and the radial-velocity variationss, are well explained by the presence of dark photospheric spots on HD166435. We conclude that the radial-velocity variations are not due to gravitational interaction with an orbiting planet but, instead, originate from line-profile changes stemming from star spots on the surface of the star. The quasi-coherence of the radial-velocity signal over more than two years, which allowed a fair fit with a binary model, makes the stability of this star unusual among other active stars. It suggests a stable magnetic field orientation where spots are always generated at about the same location on the surface of the star.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, Accepted for publication in A&