Strawberries (Fragaria spp.) are perennial herbaceous plants belonging to the Fragaria genus of Rosaceae family, and classified as small berries in horticultural classification. There are approximately 26 species, including 14 diploid species, 5 tetraploid species, 1 pentaploid species, 1 hexaploid species, 3 octoploid species, and 2 decaploid species. Among them, only the octoploid species (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is economically cultivated, while the rest are in a wild or semi-wild state. The history of strawberry cultivation began in the early 14th century due to its edible value. However, the modern cultivated large-fruited strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) with high heterozygotes originated from a natural hybrid between the two American species, F. virginiana Duch. (2n=8x) and F. chiloensis Duch. (2n=8x) in France around 1750. It was quickly introduced for cultivation in European countries such as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and later gradually introduced to other countries. According to records, in 1915, the cultivated variety Victoria was introduced to Liangzipo in Heilongjiang Province, marking the beginning of strawberry cultivation in China. Strawberry ranks first in cultivation area among the small berries. China is the largest strawberry production country with the richest wild species in the world. Of about 26 recognized Fragaria species, 15 are distributed in China, including 10 diploid species, and 5 tetraploid species. Regions such as the Changbai Mountains, the Tianshan Mountains, the Qinling Mountains, the Tibetan Plateau, and the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau are all natural gene banks of wild strawberry resources. The National Peach and Strawberry Germplasm Resources Repository (Nanjing) is an important institution for the safe preservation, sharing, and utilization of strawberry germplasm resources in China. It is characterized by its strategic, fundamental and public welfare nature, and undertakes crucial tasks including the investigation and collection, preservation, accurate evaluation and identification, as well as sharing and communication of strawberry germplasm resources. As the supporting organization of the National Peach and Strawberry Germplasm Resources Repository (Nanjing), the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences has been engaged in the collection of strawberry germplasm resources and breeding new varieties since the 1950s. Since 2001 in response to the issue that China is rich in wild strawberry resources but lacks a clear understanding of their basic background information, it has systematically surveyed wild strawberry germplasm resources in the original habitats such as the Changbai Mountains, the Tianshan Mountains, the Tibetan Plateau, and the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. The survey covered more than 20 provinces and cities across the country. As a result, 513 strawberry germplasm resources have been collected and preserved, and the geographical distribution of 15 wild species in China has been clarified. The National Peach and Strawberry Germplasm Repository (Nanjing) preserves the largest numbers of species and accessions of strawberry in the country. Up to December 2024, The Germplasm Repository has collected and preserved over 1100 strawberry accessions, covering 23 out of the 26 species in the strawberry genus worldwide. As the leading unit for cataloging strawberry germplasm resources in China, the National Strawberry Germplasm Resources Repository (Nanjing) has collected data such as the phenotypic traits of plants, ploidy, pollen morphology, and fruit traits through botanical observations, ploidy detection, palynological observations, etc. It has established methods for identifying and evaluating resources, including determining the species based on phenotypic traits, using flow cytometry for ploidy identification and assessing the genome size, and detecting fruit quality through HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) and GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry). It has compiled the Descriptors and Data Standard for Strawberry (Fragaria spp.), formulated and co-formulated three industry standards, including the Descriptors for Strawberry Germplasm Resources, the Evaluating Standards for Elite and Rare Germplasm Resources—Strawberry (Fragaria spp.), and the Technical Code for Evaluating Germplasm Resources-Strawberry (Fragaria spp.), unifying the standards for the identification and evaluation of strawberry germplasm resources across the country. The National Strawberry Germplasm Resources Repository (Nanjing) ranks first in China and among the top internationally in terms of the quantity of germplasm resources preserved. To ensure the safe conservation of strawberry germplasm resources, it has established a threelevel conservation system, namely conservation of all resources in potted plants in glass greenhouses + in-vitro conservation of important resources + low-temperature conservation of precious resources. The rich strawberry germplasm resources provide a solid material foundation and technical support for basic strawberry research, new variety breeding, industrial development, as well as display and promotion. It provides material basis and data support for tracing the origin of the Fragaria×ananassa Duch., developing molecular markers, analyzing functional genes, innovating germplasm and breeding varieties. Moreover, the successful breeding of early-maturing strawberry cultivars such as Ningyu, Ningfeng, and Zijin Jiuhong, with disease resistance, has filled the gap of early-maturing strawberry varieties in China. This review introduces the construction process of the Germplasm Repository, outlines the current status of strawberry resource preservation, innovative utilization, and prospects for future research directions, in order to provide strong support for the safe preservation and effective utilization, and promote the healthy development of the strawberry industry.
This article highlights the political position in Paris of the Russian Ambassador, Prince A.B. Kurakin, regarding the Continental System of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1810-1811. The activity of the prince was out of sight of historians for a long period because of their biased attitude towards his figure. This article includes the analysis of highlights of Prince Kurakin’s activities according to the Continental System declared by Napoleon (negotiations on new tariffs between Russia and France, regulation of neutral trade, actions of French corsairs etc.). This analysis is based on published sources on the history of diplomacy: the fundamental publication «Foreign Policy of Russia in the XIX-early XX centuries», the collection of A.B. Kurakin’s dispatches and first-introduced documents of the Russian Empire’s Foreign Policy Archive. The conclusion of this article is that A.B. Kurakin was worthy to defend the interests of Russia in France at the rejection of the Trianon tariff and at the introduction of new conditions of the Russian-French trade. A.B. Kurakin became active as ambassador: he systematically contacted the French Foreign Minister J.-B. Champagny, filed notes, collected information, etc. However, Alexander I was not pleased with his actions, considering them insufficiently effective.
Archaeology, Law in general. Comparative and uniform law. Jurisprudence
The Rhabdodontidae was one of the most important dinosaur groups inhabiting the Late Cretaceous European Archipelago. Currently, the clade comprises nine species within six genera, which have been found in southern France, northern Spain, eastern Austria, western Hungary and western Romania, ranging from the Santonian to the late Maastrichtian. Phylogenetic analyses consistently place the Rhabdodontidae at the very base of the iguanodontian radiation, whereas the in-group relationships of rhabdodontids are relatively poorly understood; nevertheless, the clade seems to have had a rather complicated biogeographical history. Generally, rhabdodontids were small- to medium-sized, probably habitually bipedal herbivores, characterised by a rather stocky build and a comparatively large, triangular skull. Several lines of evidence suggest that they were presumably gregarious animals, as well as selective browsers that fed on fibrous plants and occupied different ecological niches than sympatric herbivorous dinosaur clades. Moreover, the sympatry of at least two rhabdodontid taxa was rather common and can be explained, at least in some instances, by niche partitioning. While rhabdodontids disappeared prior to the K/Pg extinction event in Western Europe, they survived close to the end of the Cretaceous in Eastern Europe, where they were amongst the last non-avian dinosaurs still present before the end of the Cretaceous. In this paper, we provide an overview of the rhabdodontid taxonomic history, diversity, phylogenetic relationships and palaeobiogeographic history, as well as palaeoecology and extinction. In addition, we also highlight still open questions on each of these topics and suggest potential future research directions.
This article examines the travel activities and records of the English author John Evelyn, who undertook an extensive journey through continental Europe in the mid-17th century and documented his impressions in a retrospective travel account called the Diary. The analysis focuses on Evelyn’s descriptions of the buildings that he visited during his stays in Paris and Rome. The descriptive passages are examined comparatively taking account of Evelyn’s descriptive methods and his understanding of architecture. The central aim is to establish which buildings he saw in Paris and Rome and how he assessed what he saw. The judgments formulated in the Diary are examined in relation to Evelyn’s later writings on architecture in order to find out (1) whether John Evelyn was able to acquire knowledge about architecture and urban planning based on his travel impressions and (2) whether this knowledge enriched his later reflections on architecture and enabled him to form an independent opinion.
Nicola Coley, Delphine Coniasse-Brioude, Valérie Igier
et al.
Abstract Background Preventive interventions for dementia are urgently needed and must be tested in randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Selection (volunteer) bias may limit efficacy, particularly in trials testing multidomain interventions and may also be indicative of disparities in intervention uptake in real-world settings. We identified factors associated with participation and adherence in a 3-year RCT of multidomain lifestyle intervention and/or omega-3 supplementation for prevention of cognitive decline and explored reasons for (non-) participation. Methods Ancillary study during recruitment and follow-up of the 3-year Multidomain Alzheimer Preventive Trial (MAPT) conducted in in 13 memory centres in France and Monaco, involving 1630 community-dwelling dementia-free individuals aged ≥ 70 who were pre-screened for MAPT (1270 participated in MAPT; 360 declined to participate). Results Response rates were 76% amongst MAPT participants and 53% amongst non-participants. Older individuals (odds ratio 0.94 [95% confidence interval 0.91–0.98] and those with higher anxiety (0.61 [0.47–0.79]) were less likely to participate in the trial. Those with higher income (4.42 [2.12–9.19]) and family history (1.60 [1.10–2.32]) or greater fear (1.73 [1.30–2.29]) of dementia were more likely to participate, as were those recruited via an intermediary (e.g. pension funds, local Alzheimer’s associations, University of the 3rd Age, sports clubs) (2.15 [1.45–3.20]). MAPT participants living in larger towns (0.71 [0.55–0.92]) and with higher depressive symptoms (0.94 [0.90–0.99]) were less likely to adhere to the interventions. Greater perceived social support (1.21 [1.03–1.43]) and cognitive function (1.37 [1.13–1.67]) predicted better adherence. Descriptively, the most frequent reasons for accepting and refusing to participate were, respectively, altruism and logistical constraints, but underlying motivations mainly related to (lack of) perceived benefits. Conclusions Disparities in uptake of health interventions persist in older age. Those most at risk of dementia may not participate in or adhere to preventive interventions. Barriers to implementing lifestyle changes for dementia prevention include lack of knowledge about potential benefits, lack of support networks, and (perceived) financial costs. Trial registration NCT00672685 (ClinicalTrials.gov)
Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry, Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system
Yuliya V. Lazich / Юлия В. Лазич , Valeriya A. Antonova / Валерия А. Антонова
The article is devoted to the consideration of the digital development of logistics. It gives an idea of the «physical Internet» and its implementation in the field of logistics; about the impact of this concept on the market and its structure. The history of the emergence of the «physical Internet», from 2006 to the present day, is briefly examined, and a number of forecasts are made for its development until 2030. The positive and negative effects of the introduction of this concept, the prerequisites for its formation and the barriers restricting the implementation are highlighted. The principle of the «physical Internet» in the field of delivery is described and a number of new π-containers (transport, freight and packaging) that allow one to quickly and compactly collect cargo in volumes of a standard container and load it onto a vehicle are described. The use of new containers will require the introduction of new terms for both transport and loading. Special attention is paid to the digitalization of the door-to-door delivery process, which will allow customers to choose the most suitable option for receiving an order (the best way at any convenient time), and companies to reduce costs at one of the most expensive stages. The prerequisites for the conception are considered, the history of the appearance and development of this technology in such large Internet companies as Amazon and Google from 2005 to the present day is presented, forecasts of its development through 2025 are presented. The positive and negative effects of the implementation of this technology, the barriers that limit its implementation, have been identified. The forecast of the structure of the delivery market in 2026 is considered. The final part of the article discusses the «Uberization» of delivery, which contributes to the development of digital crowdsourcing platforms. They allow you to combine customers who need to receive an order, independent organizations, and couriers who are able to make delivery in short terms. The evolution of crowdsourcing in the delivery of goods is described, starting in 2010, when the first applications appeared in the USA, Mexico, Finland, France. In addition, a forecast of the spread of crowdsourcing platforms until 2025 and a structural analysis of the introduction of digital initiatives in logistics activities in the field of delivery are presented. The positive and negative effects of using the technology, various risks and barriers to the implementation of crowdsourcing platforms, the prerequisites for the development of «uberization» in the modern world are considered.
Статья посвящена рассмотрению аспектов цифрового развития логистики. Дается представление о «физическом интернете» и его внедрении в область логистики; о влиянии данной концепции на рынок и его структуру. Кратко рассматривается история появления «физического интернета», начиная с 2006 г. и до наших дней, а также делается ряд прогнозов его развития до 2030 г. Выделены положительные и отрицательные эффекты от внедрения данной концепции, предпосылки ее образования и барьеры, ограничивающие внедрение. Описывается принцип действия «физического интернета» в области доставки и рассказывается о ряде новых π-контейнеров (транспортных, грузовых и упаковочных), которые позволяют быстро и компактно собрать груз в объемах стандартного контейнера и погрузить его на транспортное средство. Использование новых контейнеров потребует введения новых терминов и для перевозок, и для процесса погрузки. Отдельное внимание уделено характеристике цифровизации процесса доставки «до двери», который позволит покупателям выбрать наиболее подходящий вариант получения заказа (лучшим способом в любое удобное время), а компаниям – сократить издержки на один из самых затратных этапов. Рассмотрены предпосылки возникновения концепции, изложена история появления и развития данной технологии в таких крупных интернет-компаниях как Amazon и Google с 2005 г. и до наших дней, представлены прогнозы ее развития до 2025 г. Выявлены положительные и отрицательные эффекты от внедрения данной технологии, барьеры, которые ограничивают ее внедрение. Рассмотрен прогноз структуры рынка доставки в 2026 г. В заключительной части статьи рассказывается об «уберизации» доставки, которая способствует развитию цифровых краудсорсинговых платформ. Они позволяют объединить клиентов, которым нужно получить заказ, независимые организации, и курьеров, способных совершить доставку в короткие сроки. Описывается эволюция краудсорсинга при доставке товаров, начиная с 2010 г., когда появились первые приложения в США, Мексике, Финляндии, Франции. Кроме того, представлен прогноз распространения краудсорсинговых платформ до 2025 г. и структурный анализ по внедрению цифровых инициатив в логистическую деятельность в области доставки. Рассмотрены положительные и отрицательные эффекты использования технологии, различные риски и барьеры внедрения краудсорсинговых платформ, предпосылки для развития «уберизации» в современном мире.
El Mustapha Mouaddib, Guillaume Caron, Dominique Groux-Leclet
et al.
Several digital heritage projects for the creation of 3D models of historic buildings have emerged during recent years. Such projects have been stimulated by some significant advances in digital surveying technologies and in data processing. The wider diffusion of these techniques and several other methodological advances, notably in computer vision and photogrammetry, have also contributed to this phenomenon. The goal of the E-Cathédr@le programme, developed by our research group and centred on Amiens cathedral in France, is to keep a record of a historic monument which is as accurate and reliable as possible, and to enrich this record with textual information providing the basis for multidisciplinary research. While the objective is to cover the totality of the monument, both inside and out, and to take high-resolution and photometrically-realistic measurements, each of these criteria has its own scientific pertinence and an important impact on the modus operandi and on the quantities of data to be recorded and managed. These challenges forced us to design new adapted modalities of data capture. The programme was launched in 2010 and is expected to last 15 years. It has already allowed for the digitization of several other monuments in France and in Morocco, thanks to a bilateral research project. These digital models have been shared and widely used for multidisciplinary research in computer science, robotics, art history and archaeology. In this paper, we describe the E-Cathédr@le programme and we present its main results. In particular, we show how our 3D model of the monument allows for the easy creation of accurate plans and cross sections of the architecture. This in turn allows for the body of the building to be visualised in an innovative way. We conclude the paper with a discussion of the lessons learned during the first eight years of the programme, and of the main challenges and opportunities involved in digital heritage projects.
This article looks at the formation and fate of the private and museum collections of the history of World War I that emerged in Russia during the conflict, as well as subsequently in the émigré community. Already shortly after the outbreak of hostilities, Russian individuals and museums began to organise collections of relevant memorabilia, which they saw as their duty to future generations. After the 1917 Revolution, the museums and the most significant private collections, particularly that of M.S. Vorobev, led to the establishment of museums in the RSFSR. However, private collection of artefacts related to the military history of old Russia were illegal. By contrast, between 1920 and 1980, Russian émigré organisations in France, Czechoslovakia, the USA, especially those of former officers, actively gathered medals, weapons, banners and other relics, as well as photos and documents from the Great War. At the turn of the 21st century, these collections became an important part of the common memorial space in both Russia and Russia Abroad.
History of Russia. Soviet Union. Former Soviet Republics
Siva Kalyani Chamalla, Satya Sri Karri, Sesagiri Koripadu
et al.
Cerebrospinal fluid from a near-term second twin female baby with a history of seizures and respiratory distress requiring ventilator support was sent to our laboratory for culture. Light yellow colored colonies of 1-2 mm diameter of Gram-negative bacilli on chocolate and blood agar with no growth on MacConkey agar seen. The bacterium was multidrug resistant. Based upon the growth characteristics, bio-chemical reactions, drug susceptibility pattern and identification by Vitek 2 system (BioMerieux, France) the isolate was identified as Elizabethkingia meningoseptica. Treatment was started with cefoperazone-sulbactam. Baby subsequently developed hydrocephalus and required the insertion of a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt. Baby slowly improved and was discharged. The presence in the hospital environment along with multidrug resistance makes E. meningoseptica a successful emerging nosocomial pathogen.
Abstract Background Recent advances in sequencing technologies have allowed for the retrieval of ancient DNA data (aDNA) from skeletal remains, providing direct genetic snapshots from diverse periods of human prehistory. Comparing samples taken in the same region but at different times, hereafter called “serial samples”, may indicate whether there is continuity in the peopling history of that area or whether an immigration of a genetically different population has occurred between the two sampling times. However, the exploration of genetic relationships between serial samples generally ignores their geographical locations and the spatiotemporal dynamics of populations. Here, we present a new coalescent-based, spatially explicit modelling approach to investigate population continuity using aDNA, which includes two fundamental elements neglected in previous methods: population structure and migration. The approach also considers the extensive temporal and geographical variance that is commonly found in aDNA population samples. Results We first showed that our spatially explicit approach is more conservative than the previous (panmictic) approach and should be preferred to test for population continuity, especially when small and isolated populations are considered. We then applied our method to two mitochondrial datasets from Germany and France, both including modern and ancient lineages dating from the early Neolithic. The results clearly reject population continuity for the maternal line over the last 7500 years for the German dataset but not for the French dataset, suggesting regional heterogeneity in post-Neolithic migratory processes. Conclusions Here, we demonstrate the benefits of using a spatially explicit method when investigating population continuity with aDNA. It constitutes an improvement over panmictic methods by considering the spatiotemporal dynamics of genetic lineages and the precise location of ancient samples. The method can be used to investigate population continuity between any pair of serial samples (ancient-ancient or ancient-modern) and to investigate more complex evolutionary scenarios. Although we based our study on mitochondrial DNA sequences, diploid molecular markers of different types (DNA, SNP, STR) can also be simulated with our approach. It thus constitutes a promising tool for the analysis of the numerous aDNA datasets being produced, including genome wide data, in humans but also in many other species.
The article analyses Italy’s long- and medium-term industrial credit system, comparing it with that found in France. After briefly summarising present practices in France, the author provides a survey of Italy’s history in this field. The score of special institutions in Italy are then categorised into four subsets and the administrative arrangements peculiar to each are highlighted. The statuary provisions whereby the State exercises control over the distribution of loans and over the employment of public funds are also considered. Operating practices and loan procedures, including the structure, principals and methods of the credit institutions, are then reviewed. Finally, the author considers their place within the whole structure of the financial system. In the concluding remarks, the most original feature of the Italian system - its network of regional institutions, which could not have developed without the support of a central institute, the Mediocredito - is pointed out. Moreover, looking at the variety of Italian institutions it is apparent that, economically speaking, there are two Italies, that of the North and that of the South.
JEL: G28, H81, N24, O25