A traceable declaration of health is now necessary for many plants, especially those being monitored for disease such as certified nursery stock. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) microchips placed in woody plants can be used to store and retrieve information on their health status through all phases of propagation and in the field. The microchip is linked to a database in which many other kinds of information, such as pesticide applications, can be collected and linked. Using a Web-based platform, information can be shared globally and accessed quickly. RFID technology can also be integrated with cell phones and netbooks for the easy recording of images and audio, which can be linked back to the chip and shared — or, with global positioning systems (GPS), used to create a virtual orchard or vineyard. There are myriad uses for this new technology, which is expanding rapidly and has been implemented successfully in the European livestock industry. Trials have shown its particular relevance to plant pathology, where it could be an important risk management tool.

Production of iron and steel is an energy-intensive manufacturing process. The energy efficiency of steel production has a direct impact on overall energy consumption and related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The goal of this study was to develop a methodology for accurately comparing the energy-related CO2 emissions intensity of steel production in different countries and to demonstrate the application of this methodology in an analysis of the steel industry in China, Germany, Mexico, and the U.S. Emissions intensity values are often sought by policy makers who must decide questions related to energy, greenhouse gases, and competitiveness. Our methodology addresses the industry’s boundary definition, conversion factors, and industry structure. The results of our analysis show that, for the entire iron and steel production process, the base-case (2010) CO2 emissions intensity was 2,148 kilogram (kg) CO2/tonne crude steel in China, 1,708 kg CO2/tonne crude steel in Germany, 1,080 kg CO2/tonne crude steel in Mexico, and 1,736 kg CO2/tonne crude steel in the U.S. One of the main reasons that Mexico has the lowest CO2 emissions intensity is Mexico’s large share of steel production using electric arc furnaces (EAFs) (69.4%). EAF steel production has lower CO2 emissions intensity than production using blast furnaces/basic oxygen furnaces. China, by contrast, has the smallest share of EAF production among the four countries – 9.8% in the base-case year 2010. In one scenario, we applied the Chinese share of EAF production to the other three case-study countries; the result was an increase in CO2 emissions intensity of steel production of 19% (2,036 kgCO2/tonne crude steel) in Germany, 92% (2,074 kgCO2/tonne crude steel) in Mexico, and 56% (2,703 kgCO2/tonne crude steel) in the U.S. compared to these countries’ base-case analyses. In another scenario, we applied the Chinese national average grid electricity CO2 emissions factor from 2010, which is the highest emissions factor among the four countries, to the other three countries. In that scenario, the CO2 emissions intensity of steel production increased by 5% in Germany, 11% in Mexico, and 10% in the U.S. Additional scenarios were analyzed showing that when comparing the CO2 emissions intensities of the steel industry in different countries, it is necessary to take into account the industry structure, especially the share of EAFs and the effect of electricity grid CO2 emissions factors. This report also discusses a number of other important variables affecting steel industry CO2 intensity.

Objective

To compare the predictive validity of learning and retention measures from the picture version of the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test with Immediate Recall (pFCSRT + IR) for identifying incident mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods

Learning was defined by the sum of free recall (FR) and retention by delayed free recall (DFR) tested 15-20 min later. Totally, 1422 Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) participants (mean age 69.6 years, 54% male, mean 16.7 years of education) without dementia or MCI received the pFCSRT + IR at baseline and were followed longitudinally. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the effect of baseline learning and retention on risk of MCI.

Results

In total, 187 participants developed MCI over a median of 8.1 years of follow-up. FR and DFR each predicted incident MCI adjusting for age, sex, and education. Also, each independently predicted incident MCI in the presence of the other with similar effect sizes: around 20% decrease in the hazard of MCI corresponding to one standard deviation increase in FR or DFR.

Conclusion

The practice of preferring retention over learning to predict incident MCI should be reconsidered. The decision to include retention should be guided by time constraints and patient burden.

Objective

There are variable reports of risk of concordance for progression to islet autoantibodies and type 1 diabetes in identical twins after one twin is diagnosed. We examined development of positive autoantibodies and type 1 diabetes and the effects of genetic factors and common environment on autoantibody positivity in identical twins, nonidentical twins, and full siblings.

Research design and methods

Subjects from the TrialNet Pathway to Prevention Study (N = 48,026) were screened from 2004 to 2015 for islet autoantibodies (GAD antibody [GADA], insulinoma-associated antigen 2 [IA-2A], and autoantibodies against insulin [IAA]). Of these subjects, 17,226 (157 identical twins, 283 nonidentical twins, and 16,786 full siblings) were followed for autoantibody positivity or type 1 diabetes for a median of 2.1 years.

Results

At screening, identical twins were more likely to have positive GADA, IA-2A, and IAA than nonidentical twins or full siblings (all P < 0.0001). Younger age, male sex, and genetic factors were significant factors for expression of IA-2A, IAA, one or more positive autoantibodies, and two or more positive autoantibodies (all P ≤ 0.03). Initially autoantibody-positive identical twins had a 69% risk of diabetes by 3 years compared with 1.5% for initially autoantibody-negative identical twins. In nonidentical twins, type 1 diabetes risk by 3 years was 72% for initially multiple autoantibody-positive, 13% for single autoantibody-positive, and 0% for initially autoantibody-negative nonidentical twins. Full siblings had a 3-year type 1 diabetes risk of 47% for multiple autoantibody-positive, 12% for single autoantibody-positive, and 0.5% for initially autoantibody-negative subjects.

Conclusions

Risk of type 1 diabetes at 3 years is high for initially multiple and single autoantibody-positive identical twins and multiple autoantibody-positive nonidentical twins. Genetic predisposition, age, and male sex are significant risk factors for development of positive autoantibodies in twins.

Purpose

Compare the ability of peripapillary and macular structural parameters, vascular parameters, and their integration to discriminate among glaucoma, suspected glaucoma (GS), and healthy controls (HCs).

Methods

In this study, 196 eyes of 119 patients with glaucoma (n = 81), patients with GS (n = 48), and HCs (n = 67) underwent optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography to measure peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL), macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) thicknesses, radial peripapillary capillary perfusion density (RPC-PD), and macular GCIPL perfusion density (GCIPL-PD). Parameters were integrated regionally with logistic regression and globally with machine learning algorithms. Diagnostic performances were evaluated with area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves.

Results

Patients with glaucoma had mild to moderate damage (median, -3.3 dB; interquartile range, -6.5 to -1.4). In discriminating between patients with glaucoma and the HCs, pRNFL thickness had higher AUROC curve values than RPC-PD for average (0.87 vs. 0.62; P < 0.001), superior (0.86 vs. 0.54; P < 0.001), inferior (0.90 vs. 0.71; P < 0.001), and temporal (0.65 vs. 0.51; P = 0.02) quadrants. mGCIPL thickness had higher AUROC curve values than GCIPL-PD for average (0.84 vs. 0.68; P < 0.001), superotemporal (0.76 vs. 0.65; P = 0.016), superior (0.72 vs. 0.57; P = 0.004), superonasal (0.70 vs. 0.56; P = 0.01), inferotemporal (0.90 vs. 0.72; P < 0.001), inferior (0.87 vs. 0.69; P < 0.001), and inferonasal (0.78 vs. 0.65, P = 0.012) sectors. All structural multisector indices had higher diagnostic ability than vascular ones (P < 0.001). Combined structural-vascular indices did not outperform structural indices. Similar results were found to discriminate glaucoma from GS.

Conclusions

Combining structural and vascular parameters in a structural-vascular index does not improve diagnostic ability over structural parameters alone.

Translational relevance

OCT angiography does not add additional benefit to structural OCT in early to moderate glaucoma diagnosis.

Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is typically characterized by vascular alterations in the acute phase. The aim of this study was to evaluate choroidal changes occurring in asymptomatic, acute and chronic stages of LHON. We enrolled 49 patients with LHON, 19 with Dominant Optic Atrophy (DOA) and 22 healthy controls. Spectral Domain-Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) scans of macular and peripapillary regions were performed in all subjects, to evaluate macular and peripapillary choroidal thickness, and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thicknes. Macular and peripapillary choroidal thicknesses were significantly increased in the acute LHON stage. On the contrary, macular choroidal thickness was significantly reduced in the chronic stage. Furthermore, peripapillary choroidal thickness was decreased in chronic LHON and in DOA. Both RNFL and choroid had the same trend (increased thickness, followed by thinning), but RNFL changes preceded those affecting the choroid. In conclusion, our study quantitatively demonstrated the involvement of the choroid in LHON pathology. The increase in choroidal thickness is a feature of the LHON acute stage, which follows the thickening of RNFL. Conversely, thinning of the choroid is the common outcome in chronic LHON and in DOA.

The elliptic flow (v2) of D mesons from beauty-hadron decays (non-prompt D) was measured in midcentral (30–50%) Pb–Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sNN=5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The D mesons were reconstructed at midrapidity (| y| < 0.8) from their hadronic decay D → K -π + , in the transverse momentum interval 2 < pT< 12 GeV/c. The result indicates a positive v2 for non-prompt D mesons with a significance of 2.7 σ . The non-prompt D -meson v2 is lower than that of prompt non-strange D mesons with 3.2 σ significance in 2

A new, more precise measurement of the Λ hyperon lifetime is performed using a large data sample of Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=5.02 TeV with ALICE. The Λ and Λ¯ hyperons are reconstructed at midrapidity using their two-body weak decay channel Λ→p+π- and Λ¯→p¯+π+. The measured value of the Λ lifetime is τΛ=[261.07±0.37(stat.)±0.72(syst.)] ps. The relative difference between the lifetime of Λ and Λ¯, which represents an important test of CPT invariance in the strangeness sector, is also measured. The obtained value (τΛ-τΛ¯)/τΛ=0.0013±0.0028(stat.)±0.0021(syst.) is consistent with zero within the uncertainties. Both measurements of the Λ hyperon lifetime and of the relative difference between τΛ and τΛ¯ are in agreement with the corresponding world averages of the Particle Data Group and about a factor of three more precise.

This article presents new measurements of the fragmentation properties of jets in both proton–proton (pp) and heavy-ion collisions with the ALICE experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We report distributions of the fraction zr of transverse momentum carried by subjets of radius r within jets of radius R. Charged-particle jets are reconstructed at midrapidity using the anti-k T algorithm with jet radius R = 0.4, and subjets are reconstructed by reclustering the jet constituents using the anti-k T algorithm with radii r = 0.1 and r = 0.2. In proton–proton collisions, we measure both the inclusive and leading subjet distributions. We compare these measurements to perturbative calculations at next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy, which suggest a large impact of threshold resummation and hadronization effects on the zr distribution. In heavy-ion collisions, we measure the leading subjet distributions, which allow access to a region of harder jet frag- mentation than has been probed by previous measurements of jet quenching via hadron fragmentation distributions. The zr distributions enable extraction of the parton-to-subjet fragmentation function and allow for tests of the universality of jet fragmentation functions in the quark–gluon plasma (QGP). We find no significant modification of zr distributions in Pb–Pb compared to pp collisions. However, the distributions are also consistent with a hardening trend for zr < 0.95, as predicted by several jet quenching models. As zr → 1 our results indicate that any such hardening effects cease, exposing qualitatively new possibilities to disentangle competing jet quenching mechanisms. By comparing our results to theoretical calculations based on an independent extraction of the parton-to-jet fragmentation function, we find consistency with the universality of jet fragmentation and no indication of factorization breaking in the QGP. [Figure not available: see fulltext.].