A balanced part ternary design (BPTD) is a balanced ternary design (BTD) with a specified number of blocks, say b2, each having repeated elements. We prove some necessary conditions on b2 and show the existence of some particular BPTDs. We also give constructions of infinite families of BPTDs with b1 = 0, including families of ternary t-designs with t ≥ 3.

An-balanced pair in a partially ordered set P = (X; <) is a pair (x; y) of elements of X such that the proportion of linear extensions of P with x below y lies between and 1 ?. The 1=3 ? 2=3 Conjecture states that, in every nite partial order P , not a chain, there is a 1 3-balanced pair. This was rst conjectured in a 1968 paper of Kislitsyn, and remains unsolved. We survey progress towards a r...

background: conventional ivf and icsi are two common techniques to achieve fertilization. ivf has long been used for treatment of infertility, although it is not an effective treatment in severe male infertility. the use of icsi has been expanded in severe male factor and fertilization failure after ivf cycle. in spite of the widespread use of icsi in patients with non-male factor infertility, ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) allows genetically disadvantaged couples to reproduce, while avoiding the birth of children with targeted genetic disorders. By ensuring unaffected pregnancies, PGD circumvents the possible need and therefore risks of pregnancy termination. This review will describe the current progress of PGD for Mendelian and chromosomal disorders and ...

Sexual reproduction occurs in two fundamentally different ways: by outcrossing, in which two distinct partners contribute nuclei, or by self-fertilization (selfing), in which both nuclei are derived from the same individual. Selfing is common in flowering plants, fungi, and some animal taxa. We investigated the genetic basis of selfing in the homothallic fungus Aspergillus nidulans. We demonstr...

Balanced growth has at least two different meanings in economics. In macroeconomics, balanced growth occurs when output and the capital stock grow at the same rate. This growth path can rationalize the long-run stability of real interest rates, but its existence requires strong assumptions. In development economics, balanced growth refers to the simultaneous, coordinated expansion of several se...

Prefertilization mechanisms influencing selfing rates are thought to be absent in conifers. Outcrossing in conifers is promoted via an embryo-lethal system, but the genetic mechanism is poorly understood. This study is the first experimental profile of the genetic mechanism promoting outcrossing in conifers. Molecular dissection of a Pinus taeda L. selfed pedigree detected a chromosomal region ...

Oocyte fertilization rates in bovines following artificial insemination or natural mating are generally good (~90%). Curiously, only about one third of these pregnancies remain until 30 days post-AI in dairy cows. Thus, most pregnancies are lost between fertilization and early embryonic growth. Although classical pathways describing that lower progesterone post-AI is the main culprit to these e...

Effects of different fertilizers on organic carbon (C) storage and turnover of soil fractions remains unclear. We combined soil fractionation with isotope analyses to examine soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics after 25 years of fertilization. Five types of soil samples including the initial level (CK) and four fertilization treatments (inorganic nitrogen fertilizer, N; balanced inorganic fertil...