There are a number of differences between the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) and Retail Prices Index (RPI), including their coverage, population base, commodity measurement and methods of construction. Combined, these differences have meant that, for most of its history, the CPI has been lower than the RPI. One of the main reasons to this difference is the method of construction at the lowest level, where different formulae are used in the CPI and RPI to combine individual prices. This difference is usually referred to as the formula effect. This article will investigate similar formula effects present in the inflation measures of other countries, and where necessary will attempt to explain why the magnitude of the formula effect experienced by other countries differs from that of the UK. Source agency: Office for National Statistics Designation: National Statistics Language: English Alternative title: International Comparison

Before commercialization of genetically modified crops, the events carrying the novel DNA must be thoroughly evaluated for agronomic, nutritional, and molecular characteristics. Over the years, Polymerase Chain Reaction-based methods, Southern blot, and short-read sequencing techniques have been utilized for collecting molecular characterization data. Multiple genomic applications are necessary to determine the insert location, flanking sequence analysis, characterization of the inserted DNA, and determination of any interruption of native genes. These techniques are time-consuming and labor-intensive, making it difficult to characterize multiple events. Current advances in sequencing technologies are enabling whole genomic sequencing of modified crops to obtain full molecular characterization. However, in polyploids, such as the tetraploid potato, it is a challenge to obtain whole genomic sequencing coverage that meets regulatory approval of the genetic modification. Here we describe an alternative to labor-intensive applications with a novel procedure using Samplix Xdrop® enrichment technology and next-generation Nanopore sequencing technology to more efficiently characterize the T-DNA insertions of four genetically modified potato events developed by the Feed the Future Global Biotech Potato Partnership: DIA_MSU_UB015, DIA_MSU_UB255, GRA_MSU_UG234 and GRA_MSU_UG265 (derived from regionally important varieties Diamant and Granola). Using the Xdrop® /Nanopore technique, we obtained a very high sequence read coverage within the T-DNA and junction regions. In three of the four events, we were able to use the data to confirm single T-DNA insertions, identify insert locations, identify flanking sequences, and characterize the inserted T-DNA. We further used the characterization data to identify native gene interruption and confirm the stability of the T-DNA across clonal cycles. These results demonstrate the functionality of using the Xdrop® /Nanopore technique for T-DNA characterization. This research will contribute to meeting regulatory safety and regulatory approval requirements for commercialization with small shareholder farmers in target countries within our partnership. Methods Plasmid and T-DNA Materials The plasmid pSIM4392 was developed by Simplot Plant Sciences (Boise, ID). The genetic elements within the T-DNA are in the supplementary data (S2. Table 1). To summarize, pSIM4392 has a T-DNA that contains four cassettes. The first cassette (elements 5 to 11, S2. Table 1) contains the selectable marker nptII gene and the expression of the gene confers kanamycin resistance used for the selection of plants containing the T-DNA. The second cassette (elements 13-15, S2. Table 1) contains Rpi-vnt1 (vnt1) gene from Solanum venturi (Foster, S.J., 2009). The third cassette (elements 17-19, S2. Table 1) contains Rpi-mcq1 (mcq1) gene from Solanum mochiquense (Aguilera-Galvez, C., 2020). The fourth cassette (elements 21-23, S2. Table 1) contains Rpi-blb2 (blb2) gene from Solanum bulbocastanum (van der Vossen, E.A., 2005). The gene products from the last three cassettes, VNT1, MCQ1 and BLB2, are R-proteins involved in the plant immune response that protects potato from foliar late blight infection caused by P. infestans (Jones, J.D. and Dangl, J.L., 2006). These genes are in the CC-NB-LRR (coiled-coil, nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat) class of resistance (R) genes (Paluchowska, P., et.al (2022). Each cassette is a cisgene expressed under its native promoter and terminator, pVnt1 and tVnt1 for Rpi-vnt1, pMcq1, and tMcq1 for Rpi-mcq1, pBlb2 and tBlb2 for Rpi-blb2. The sequence of pSIM4392 plasmid can be found in the Dryad Dataset (Zarka, KA., 2023). A map of the entire pSIM4392 plasmid is shown in Figure 1. Plant Materials Potato plant events were produced using Agrobacterium transformation as part of the Global Biotech Potato Partnership and by collaboration with Simplot Plant Sciences (Boise, Idaho). The C58-derived Agrobacterium strain AGL1 (Lazo et al., 1991) carrying pSIM4392, was used to transform potato internode explants following the method described by Richael et al. (2008). A flowchart highlighting the development and selection of lead potato events transformed with T-DNA in plasmid pSIM4392 is shown in the supplementary material (S1 Figure 2). Transformed internode explants were regenerated on medium containing 150 mg/l kanamycin to select for lines containing a T-DNA insert. The pSIM4392 backbone contained the isopentenyl transferase (ipt) gene. Events expressing the ipt gene will have a cytokinin phenotype (stunted growth) or have atypical phenotypes such as elongated trichomes or chlorotic leaves. (Kunkel et al., 1999). They would have also transferred some or all of the plasmid backbone. These events were eliminated from further analysis. For both the Diamant and the Granola host varieties around 300 events were advanced to analyze T-DNA copy number. The T-DNA copy number was determined by digital droplet Polymerase Chain Reaction (ddPCR) according to the protocol in Collier et al. (2017). Events with more than one copy were eliminated from further analysis. Internal regions of the T-DNA were tested in the events with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis and any negative events were eliminated. R-gene function was tested in growth chamber plant pathology bioassays and in field trials (unpublished, Douches, D., 2023). The plant events, selected as the lead events, and used in this study, are DIA_MSU_UB015 and DIA_MSU_UB255 from the host variety Diamant, and GRA_MSU_UG234 and GRA_MSU_UG265 from the host variety Granola. These events will be referred to as UB015, UB255, UG234 and UG265 respectively.
Genomic DNA Isolation For PCR analysis and ddPCR analysis, genomic DNA was isolated from leaf tissue using the DNeasy Plant Mini Kit: CAT#69,104 (Qiagen) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. DNA isolation for the Xdrop® enrichment technology method required high molecular weight genomic DNA. High molecular weight DNA is essential to obtain the long sequencing reads that will span not only the flanking region of the insert location but also the T-DNA. DNA isolation was done with leaf tissue of greenhouse-grown plants and an isolation procedure modified from Saghai-Maroof et al. (1984). Fresh leaf tissue (2 g) was ground with a mortar and pestle in 7 ml of extraction buffer (0.1 M Tris, pH 8.0/1.4 M NaCl/0.02M EDTA/2% hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide/ 1% 2-mercaptoethanol). Transfer of further DNA-containing solutions was only done with universal pipet tips with wide tip openings (USA Scientific, Ocala, FL). The ground leaf tissue mixture was filtered through 2 layers of cheesecloth and incubated at 65°C for 30 min with occasional gentle mixing. An equal volume of chloroform/isoamyl alcohol 24:1 (vol:vol), was added, and the solution was mixed by inversion to form an emulsion that was centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 min at room temperature. The aqueous phase was removed, and 2/3 vol of isopropanol was added and mixed by gentle inversions. The precipitated DNA was washed with 1ml 70% ethanol and then dissolved in 300 ml of resuspension buffer (10mM Tris 1 mM EDTA). The DNA samples were evaluated for DNA size distribution by capillary electrophoresis on a TapestationTM instrument, using Genomic DNA ScreenTape (Agilent Inc., Santa Clara, CA) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The DNA samples were then shipped to Samplix (Denmark). Inserted T-DNA analysis In polyploids, such as the tetraploid potato, it is difficult to have the coverage in whole genomic sequencing needed to meet regulatory review recommendations. Samplix developed an enrichment instrument technology called the Xdrop ®, which enables targeted DNA fragments to be encapsulated and enriched so they can be sequenced using next-generation sequencing. As mentioned in the introduction, Blondal et al. (2021), previously described identifying flanking regions of inserted T-DNA. Here we describe utilizing the technology to achieve high sequence coverage across the entire T-DNA region of each of the lead 3R-gene late blight resistant events as well as the identification of flanking regions on either side of the T-DNAs. A. Xdrop® enrichment technology The Xdrop® enrichment technology uses the Xdrop® instrument, cartridges, and reagents along with the DNA samples of interest. The workflow includes two parts: 1. Primer design, enrichment and quantification. 2. Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (dPCR) Generation, Sorting of Xdrop® droplets, Droplet Multiple Displacement Amplification (dMDA) and Evaluation of Enrichment. A graphic of the workflow was previously described in Blondal et al. (2021) and included here in the supplementary material (S1 Figure 1).
1. Primer design, enrichment and quantification The DNA samples were evaluated for size distribution and quality by TapestationTM System (Agilent Technologies Inc.), using Genomic DNA ScreenTape according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Primer sets for enrichment and quantification were designed specifically for the detection of sequences within the insert site. This was done to achieve coverage across the entire T-DNA and obtain genomic flanking sequence data as well. The primers were tested and successfully implemented to enrich two Regions of Interest (ROIs) and are listed in the supplementary material (S2. Table 2). Primer set, ROI1_8F and ROI1_8R, are located within the 3’ region of the Rpi-mcq1 gene. The primer set ROI2_9F and ROI2_9R set is located within the 3’ region of the Rpi-vnt1 gene. The highest amount of enrichment will occur in the sequence surrounding the ROIs. Therefore, to ensure that high-quality sequence data can be achieved after the enrichment and span the entire T-DNA the ROIs are located near the center of the T-DNA. Assay evaluation of primers described in the supplementary material (S2. Table 2). was performed by

Measures of monthly UK inflation data including CPIH, CPI and RPI. These tables complement the consumer price inflation time series dataset.

Based on discrete samples, we report new high-resolution records of the ~185 kyr Iceland Basin (IB) geomagnetic excursion from Ocean Drilling Project (ODP) Site 1063 on the Bermuda Rise (sedimentation rate 32 cm/kyr) and from ODP Site 983 in the far North Atlantic (sedimentation rate 18 cm/kyr). Two records from Holes 1063A and 1063B are very consistent, and provide the highest resolution of the detailed field behaviour during the IB excursion obtained so far. Inclination records from Holes 983B and 983C in the far North Atlantic are also very consistent, whereas declination anomalies deviate more notably. The pseudo-Thellier (PT) technique was applied along with more conventional palaeointensity proxies (NRM/ARM and NRM/kappa) to recover relative palaeointensity (RPI) estimates from Hole 1063A and Hole 983B. As expected, these proxies indicate that the field intensity generally dropped at both sites during the IB excursion, but also that the history of RPI from the two sites is different. VGPs from Site 1063 indicate that the field at this location experienced some stop-and-go behaviour between patches of intense vertical flux over North America and the tip of South America, areas which coincide fairly well with patches of preferred transitional VGP clustering from reversals and zones of high seismic velocity in the lower mantle. Changes in RPI at this location were generally gradual, possibly due to the proximity of these flux patches, and the first period of VGP-clustering over North America was accompanied by a conspicuous increase in RPI. VGPs from Site 983 track along a different path, and the associated RPI changes are very abrupt and completely synchronous with the onset and termination of the excursion. The differing VGP paths from Sites 1063 and 983 indicate that the global field structure during the IB excursion was not dominated by a single dipole.