Showing papers by "University of Nevada, Reno published in 2014"
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that tumours expressing PD-L1-positive tumour-infiltrating immune cells had particularly high response rates, and patients with UBC, who are often older and have a higher incidence of renal impairment, may be better able to tolerate MPDL3280A versus chemotherapy.
Abstract: There have been no major advances for the treatment of metastatic urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) in the last 30 years. Chemotherapy is still the standard of care. Patient outcomes, especially for those in whom chemotherapy is not effective or is poorly tolerated, remain poor. One hallmark of UBC is the presence of high rates of somatic mutations. These alterations may enhance the ability of the host immune system to recognize tumour cells as foreign owing to an increased number of antigens. However, these cancers may also elude immune surveillance and eradication through the expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1; also called CD274 or B7-H1) in the tumour microenvironment. Therefore, we examined the anti-PD-L1 antibody MPDL3280A, a systemic cancer immunotherapy, for the treatment of metastatic UBC. MPDL3280A is a high-affinity engineered human anti-PD-L1 monoclonal immunoglobulin-G1 antibody that inhibits the interaction of PD-L1 with PD-1 (PDCD1) and B7.1 (CD80). Because PD-L1 is expressed on activated T cells, MPDL3280A was engineered with a modification in the Fc domain that eliminates antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity at clinically relevant doses to prevent the depletion of T cells expressing PD-L1. Here we show that MPDL3280A has noteworthy activity in metastatic UBC. Responses were often rapid, with many occurring at the time of the first response assessment (6 weeks) and nearly all were ongoing at the data cutoff. This phase I expansion study, with an adaptive design that allowed for biomarker-positive enriched cohorts, demonstrated that tumours expressing PD-L1-positive tumour-infiltrating immune cells had particularly high response rates. Moreover, owing to the favourable toxicity profile, including a lack of renal toxicity, patients with UBC, who are often older and have a higher incidence of renal impairment, may be better able to tolerate MPDL3280A versus chemotherapy. These results suggest that MPDL3280A may have an important role in treating UBC-the drug received breakthrough designation status by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June 2014.
2,101 citations
TL;DR: This special issue of Computers in the Schools focuses on digital game-based learning and examines Nintendo Wii gaming as a tool to increase student engagement and ultimately improve student-learning outcomes.
Abstract: This special issue of Computers in the Schools focuses on digital game-based learning. Gaming has grown in popularity and become a defining characteristic of young learners. Digital games, initiall...
1,049 citations
TL;DR: This work exploits massive Drosophila total RNA-sequencing data, >5 billion paired-end reads from >100 libraries covering diverse developmental stages, tissues, and cultured cells, to rigorously annotate >2,500 fruit fly circular RNAs, which exhibit commonalities and distinctions from mammalian circles.
791 citations
TL;DR: The Global Strain Rate Model (GSRM v.2.1) as mentioned in this paper is a new global model of plate motions and strain rates in plate boundary zones constrained by horizontal geodetic velocities.
Abstract: We present a new global model of plate motions and strain rates in plate boundary zones constrained by horizontal geodetic velocities. This Global Strain Rate Model (GSRM v.2.1) is a vast improvement over its predecessor both in terms of amount of data input as in an increase in spatial model resolution by factor of ∼2.5 in areas with dense data coverage. We determined 6739 velocities from time series of (mostly) continuous GPS measurements; i.e., by far the largest global velocity solution to date. We transformed 15,772 velocities from 233 (mostly) published studies onto our core solution to obtain 22,511 velocities in the same reference frame. Care is taken to not use velocities from stations (or time periods) that are affected by transient phenomena; i.e., this data set consists of velocities best representing the interseismic plate velocity. About 14% of the Earth is allowed to deform in 145,086 deforming grid cells (0.25° longitude by 0.2° latitude in dimension). The remainder of the Earth's surface is modeled as rigid spherical caps representing 50 tectonic plates. For 36 plates we present new GPS-derived angular velocities. For all the plates that can be compared with the most recent geologic plate motion model, we find that the difference in angular velocity is significant. The rigid-body rotations are used as boundary conditions in the strain rate calculations. The strain rate field is modeled using the Haines and Holt method, which uses splines to obtain an self-consistent interpolated velocity gradient tensor field, from which strain rates, vorticity rates, and expected velocities are derived. We also present expected faulting orientations in areas with significant vorticity, and update the no-net rotation reference frame associated with our global velocity gradient field. Finally, we present a global map of recurrence times for Mw=7.5 characteristic earthquakes.
608 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present the time independent component of the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast, Version 3 (UCERF3), which provides authoritative estimates of the magnitude, location, and time-averaged frequency of potentially damaging earthquakes in California.
Abstract: The 2014 Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities (WGCEP14) present the time‐independent component of the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast, Version 3 (UCERF3), which provides authoritative estimates of the magnitude, location, and time‐averaged frequency of potentially damaging earthquakes in California. The primary achievements have been to relax fault segmentation and include multifault ruptures, both limitations of UCERF2. The rates of all earthquakes are solved for simultaneously and from a broader range of data, using a system‐level inversion that is both conceptually simple and extensible. The inverse problem is large and underdetermined, so a range of models is sampled using an efficient simulated annealing algorithm. The approach is more derivative than prescriptive (e.g., magnitude–frequency distributions are no longer assumed), so new analysis tools were developed for exploring solutions. Epistemic uncertainties were also accounted for using 1440 alternative logic‐tree branches, necessitating access to supercomputers. The most influential uncertainties include alternative deformation models (fault slip rates), a new smoothed seismicity algorithm, alternative values for the total rate of M w≥5 events, and different scaling relationships, virtually all of which are new. As a notable first, three deformation models are based on kinematically consistent inversions of geodetic and geologic data, also providing slip‐rate constraints on faults previously excluded due to lack of geologic data. The grand inversion constitutes a system‐level framework for testing hypotheses and balancing the influence of different experts. For example, we demonstrate serious challenges with the Gutenberg–Richter hypothesis for individual faults. UCERF3 is still an approximation of the system, however, and the range of models is limited (e.g., constrained to stay close to UCERF2). Nevertheless, UCERF3 removes the apparent UCERF2 overprediction of M 6.5–7 earthquake rates and also includes types of multifault ruptures seen in nature. Although UCERF3 fits the data better than UCERF2 overall, there may be areas that warrant further site‐specific investigation. Supporting products may be of general interest, and we list key assumptions and avenues for future model improvements.
448 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a proposal for detecting dark matter originating from light fields rather than particles makes use of existing networks of atomic clocks to measure time discrepancies between clocks that are spatially separated.
Abstract: A proposal for detecting dark matter originating from light fields rather than particles makes use of existing networks of atomic clocks to measure time discrepancies between clocks that are spatially separated.
404 citations
TL;DR: This article analyzed whole-genome divergence between replicate pairs of stick insect populations that are adapted to different host plants and undergoing parallel speciation, and found thousands of modest-sized genomic regions of accentuated divergence between populations, most of which are unique to individual population pairs.
Abstract: Natural selection can drive the repeated evolution of reproductive isolation, but the genomic basis of parallel speciation remains poorly understood. We analyzed whole-genome divergence between replicate pairs of stick insect populations that are adapted to different host plants and undergoing parallel speciation. We found thousands of modest-sized genomic regions of accentuated divergence between populations, most of which are unique to individual population pairs. We also detected parallel genomic divergence across population pairs involving an excess of coding genes with specific molecular functions. Regions of parallel genomic divergence in nature exhibited exceptional allele frequency changes between hosts in a field transplant experiment. The results advance understanding of biological diversification by providing convergent observational and experimental evidence for selection’s role in driving repeatable genomic divergence.
379 citations
TL;DR: The preparation of a fluorinated hydrocarbon two-dimensional polymer that can be exfoliated into single sheets, and its characterization by high-resolution single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis is reported.
Abstract: Two-dimensional synthetic polymers can be produced through solid-state topochemical polymerization, but achieving this through a single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation has not yet been demonstrated. Now, a fluorinated Y-shaped monomer has been preorganized in a lamellar crystal, which goes through two successive single-crystal-to-single-crystal phototransformations to give a 2D polymer; single-crystal X-ray diffraction has been used to elucidate its structure.
373 citations
TL;DR: Structural, functional, and molecular features of interstitial cells are described and their contributions in determining the behaviors of smooth muscle tissues are discussed.
Abstract: Smooth muscles are complex tissues containing a variety of cells in addition to muscle cells. Interstitial cells of mesenchymal origin interact with and form electrical connectivity with smooth muscle cells in many organs, and these cells provide important regulatory functions. For example, in the gastrointestinal tract, interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) and PDGFRα+ cells have been described, in detail, and represent distinct classes of cells with unique ultrastructure, molecular phenotypes, and functions. Smooth muscle cells are electrically coupled to ICC and PDGFRα+ cells, forming an integrated unit called the SIP syncytium. SIP cells express a variety of receptors and ion channels, and conductance changes in any type of SIP cell affect the excitability and responses of the syncytium. SIP cells are known to provide pacemaker activity, propagation pathways for slow waves, transduction of inputs from motor neurons, and mechanosensitivity. Loss of interstitial cells has been associated with motor disorders of the gut. Interstitial cells are also found in a variety of other smooth muscles; however, in most cases, the physiological and pathophysiological roles for these cells have not been clearly defined. This review describes structural, functional, and molecular features of interstitial cells and discusses their contributions in determining the behaviors of smooth muscle tissues.
331 citations
TL;DR: To assess evidence of an association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV infection among women, a large number of women were surveyed and the prevalence of IPV and HIV among women was found to be low.
Abstract: Introduction : To assess evidence of an association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV infection among women. Methods : Medline/PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, EBSCO, Ovid, Cochrane HIV/AIDS Group’s Specialized Register and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched up to 20 May 2013 to identify studies that examined the association between IPV and HIV infection in women. We included studies on women aged ≥15 years, in any form of sexually intimate relationship with a male partner. Results : Twenty-eight studies [(19 cross-sectional, 5 cohorts and 4 case-control studies) involving 331,468 individuals in 16 countries – the US (eight studies), South Africa (four studies), East Africa (10 studies), India (three studies), Brazil (one study) and multiple low-income countries (two studies)] were included. Results were pooled using RevMan 5.0. To moderate effect estimates, we analyzed all data using the random effects model, irrespective of heterogeneity level. Pooled results of cohort studies indicated that physical IPV [pooled RR (95% CI): 1.22 (1.01, 1.46)] and any type of IPV [pooled RR (95% CI): 1.28 (1.00, 1.64)] were significantly associated with HIV infection among women. Results of cross-sectional studies demonstrated significant associations of physical IPV with HIV infection among women [pooled OR (95% CI): 1.44 (1.10, 1.87)]. Similarly, results of cross-sectional studies indicated that combination of physical and sexual IPV [pooled OR (95% CI): 2.00 (1.24, 3.22) and any type of IPV [pooled OR (95% CI): 1.41 (1.16, 1.73)] were significantly associated with HIV infection among women. Conclusions : Available evidence suggests a moderate statistically significant association between IPV and HIV infection among women. To further elucidate the strength of the association between IPV and HIV infection among women, there is a need for high-quality follow-up studies conducted in different geographical regions of the world, and among individuals of diverse racial/cultural backgrounds and varying levels of HIV risks. Keywords: intimate partner violence; women’s health; systematic review; meta-analysis; gender-based violence; HIV/AIDS. (Published: 13 February 2014) Citation: Li Y et al. Journal of the International AIDS Society 2014, 17 :18845 http://www.jiasociety.org/index.php/jias/article/view/18845 | http://dx.doi.org/10.7448/IAS.17.1.18845 To access the supplementary material to this article please see Supplementary Files in the column to the right (under Article Tools).
296 citations
University of Minnesota1, University of Washington2, University of Cincinnati3, Wellcome Trust4, Centre national de la recherche scientifique5, New York University6, École normale supérieure de Lyon7, University of Maryland, College Park8, University of Nevada, Reno9, Washington University in St. Louis10, Centre College11, Harvard University12
TL;DR: The first de novo genome assembly for Astyanax mexicanus cavefish is presented, contrast repeat elements to other teleost genomes, identify candidate genes underlying quantitative trait loci (QTL), and assay these candidate genes for potential functional and expression differences.
Abstract: Natural populations subjected to strong environmental selection pressures offer a window into the genetic underpinnings of evolutionary change. Cavefish populations, Astyanax mexicanus (Teleostei: Characiphysi), exhibit repeated, independent evolution for a variety of traits including eye degeneration, pigment loss, increased size and number of taste buds and mechanosensory organs, and shifts in many behavioural traits. Surface and cave forms are interfertile making this system amenable to genetic interrogation; however, lack of a reference genome has hampered efforts to identify genes responsible for changes in cave forms of A. mexicanus. Here we present the first de novo genome assembly for Astyanax mexicanus cavefish, contrast repeat elements to other teleost genomes, identify candidate genes underlying quantitative trait loci (QTL), and assay these candidate genes for potential functional and expression differences. We expect the cavefish genome to advance understanding of the evolutionary process, as well as, analogous human disease including retinal dysfunction.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied twin-twin interactions by combining experimental observations and theoretical analysis, and classified twin-two interactions into Type I and Type II for two twin variants sharing the same zone axis and two twins with different zone axes, respectively.
TL;DR: A method based on precision magnetometry that can extend the search for axion-mediated spin-dependent forces by several orders of magnitude, and probe deep into the theoretically interesting regime for the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) axion.
Abstract: We describe a method based on precision magnetometry that can extend the search for axion-mediated spin-dependent forces by several orders of magnitude. By combining techniques used in nuclear magnetic resonance and short-distance tests of gravity, our approach can substantially improve upon current experimental limits set by astrophysics, and probe deep into the theoretically interesting regime for the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) axion. Our method is sensitive to PQ axion decay constants between 10(9) and 10(12) GeV or axion masses between 10(-6) and 10(-3) eV, independent of the cosmic axion abundance.
TL;DR: This article has two major objectives: first, to sketch a basic science of intentional change centered on evolution; second, to provide examples of intentional behavioral and cultural change from the applied behavioral sciences, which are largely unknown to the basic sciences community.
Abstract: Humans possess great capacity for behavioral and cultural change, but our ability to manage change is still limited. This article has two major objectives: first, to sketch a basic science of intentional change centered on evolution; second, to provide examples of intentional behavioral and cultural change from the applied behavioral sciences, which are largely unknown to the basic sciences community. All species have evolved mechanisms of phenotypic plasticity that enable them to respond adaptively to their environments. Some mechanisms of phenotypic plasticity count as evolutionary processes in their own right. The human capacity for symbolic thought provides an inheritance system having the same kind of combinatorial diversity as does genetic recombination and antibody formation. Taking these propositions seriously allows an integration of major traditions within the basic behavioral sciences, such as behaviorism, social constructivism, social psychology, cognitive psychology, and evolutionary psychology, which are often isolated and even conceptualized as opposed to one another. The applied behavioral sciences include well-validated examples of successfully managing behavioral and cultural change at scales ranging from individuals to small groups to large populations. However, these examples are largely unknown beyond their disciplinary boundaries, for lack of a unifying theoretical framework. Viewed from an evolutionary perspective, they are examples of managing evolved mechanisms of phenotypic plasticity, including open-ended processes of variation and selection. Once the many branches of the basic and applied behavioral sciences become conceptually unified, we are closer to a science of intentional change than one might think.
TL;DR: In this article, simultaneous inactivation of two functionally related miRNA clusters (miR-34b/c and miR-449) encoding five miRNAs (iR-33b, miR33c, miRNA-34c, iR-39c, iiR39c and iiR19c) led to sexually dimorphic, partial perinatal lethality, growth retardation, and infertility in mice.
Abstract: Ablation of a single miRNA gene rarely leads to a discernable developmental phenotype in mice, in some cases because of compensatory effects by other functionally related miRNAs. Here, we report that simultaneous inactivation of two functionally related miRNA clusters (miR-34b/c and miR-449) encoding five miRNAs (miR-34b, miR-34c, miR-449a, miR-449b, and miR-449c) led to sexually dimorphic, partial perinatal lethality, growth retardation, and infertility. These developmental defects correlated with the dysregulation of ∼240 target genes, which are mainly involved in three major cellular functions, including cell-fate control, brain development and microtubule dynamics. Our data demonstrate an essential role of a miRNA family in brain development, motile ciliogenesis, and spermatogenesis.
TL;DR: Psychological inflexibility was significantly higher across a range of current and lifetime depressive and anxiety disorders as well as lifetime history of eating disorders, relative to students with no disorder, even after controlling for general psychological distress.
Abstract: The current cross-sectional study examined psychological inflexibility, a process in which behavior is rigidly guided by psychological reactions rather than direct contingencies or personal values, as a transdiagnostic process relevant to a range of depressive, anxiety, substance use and eating disorders. A sample of 972 first-year college students between 17 and 20 years of age completed self-report measures of psychological inflexibility and psychological distress as well as a structured diagnostic interview. Psychological inflexibility was significantly higher across a range of current and lifetime depressive and anxiety disorders as well as lifetime history of eating disorders, relative to students with no disorder, even after controlling for general psychological distress. Findings were mixed for substance use disorders, with a more consistent pattern for lifetime history than for current disorders. Psychological inflexibility was also related to having comorbid depressive, anxiety, and substance use disorders relative to only having one of these diagnoses. Results are discussed in relation to research on psychological inflexibility as a transdiagnostic pathological process and target for interventions.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe direct observation of water within a perennial firn aquifer persisting throughout the winter in the southern ice sheet, where snow accumulation and melt rates are high.
Abstract: The accelerating loss of mass from the Greenland ice sheet is a major contribution to current sea level rise. Increased melt water runoff is responsible for half of Greenlands mass loss increase. Surface melt has been increasing in extent and intensity, setting a record for surface area melt and runoff in 2012. The mechanisms and timescales involved in allowing surface melt water to reach the ocean where it can contribute to sea level rise are poorly understood. The potential capacity to store this water in liquid or frozen form in the firn (multi-year snow layer) is significant, and could delay its sea-level contribution. Here we describe direct observation of water within a perennial firn aquifer persisting throughout the winter in the southern ice sheet,where snow accumulation and melt rates are high. This represents a previously unknown storagemode for water within the ice sheet. Ice cores, groundairborne radar and a regional climatemodel are used to estimate aquifer area (70 plue or minus 10 x 10(exp 3) square kilometers ) and water table depth (5-50 m). The perennial firn aquifer represents a new glacier facies to be considered 29 in future ice sheet mass 30 and energy budget calculations.
TL;DR: In this article, a stochastic framework for optimal sizing and reliability analysis of a hybrid power system including the renewable resources and energy storage system is proposed, where a pattern search-based optimization method is used in conjunction with a sequential Monte Carlo simulation (SMCS) to minimize the system cost and satisfy the reliability requirements.
Abstract: This paper proposes a stochastic framework for optimal sizing and reliability analysis of a hybrid power system including the renewable resources and energy storage system. Uncertainties of wind power, photovoltaic (PV) power, and load are stochastically modeled using autoregressive moving average (ARMA). A pattern search-based optimization method is used in conjunction with a sequential Monte Carlo simulation (SMCS) to minimize the system cost and satisfy the reliability requirements. The SMCS simulates the chronological behavior of the system and calculates the reliability indices from a series of simulated experiments. Load shifting strategies are proposed to provide some flexibility and reduce the mismatch between the renewable generation and heating ventilation and air conditioning loads in a hybrid power system. Different percentages of load shifting and their potential impacts on the hybrid power system reliability/cost analysis are evaluated. Using a compromise-solution method, the best compromise between the reliability and cost is realized for the hybrid power system.
TL;DR: It is suggested that long-term and late-summer flexural uplift of the Coast Ranges reduce the effective normal stress resolved on the San Andreas Fault, thereby providing a viable mechanism for observed seasonality in microseismicity at Parkfield and potentially affecting long- term seismicity rates for fault systems adjacent to the valley.
Abstract: Human-caused groundwater depletion in California’s San Joaquin Valley contributes to uplift of the surrounding mountains and may affect the stability of the San Andreas Fault. Through a combination of pumping, irrigation and evapotranspiration across the past 150 years, California's Central Valley has lost close to 160 km3 of groundwater. Colin Amos and co-authors use GPS measurements of vertical ground deformation to show that a broad zone of rock uplift surrounds the San Joaquin Valley, on the southern part of the Central Valley basin. The observed uplift closely matches the flexure predicted by a simple elastic model driven by current rates of water-storage loss within the valley. The authors suggest that such seasonal uplift of the Coast Ranges reduces the effective normal stress resolved on the adjacent San Andreas Fault, which may explain some of the annual modulation of seismicity observed in this area. They also infer that observed contemporary uplift of the southern Sierra Nevada, previously attributed to tectonic and/or mantle-derived forces, is partly a consequence of human-induced groundwater depletion. Groundwater use in California’s San Joaquin Valley exceeds replenishment of the aquifer, leading to substantial diminution of this resource1,2,3,4 and rapid subsidence of the valley floor5. The volume of groundwater lost over the past century and a half also represents a substantial reduction in mass and a large-scale unburdening of the lithosphere, with significant but unexplored potential impacts on crustal deformation and seismicity. Here we use vertical global positioning system measurements to show that a broad zone of rock uplift of up to 1–3 mm per year surrounds the southern San Joaquin Valley. The observed uplift matches well with predicted flexure from a simple elastic model of current rates of water-storage loss, most of which is caused by groundwater depletion3. The height of the adjacent central Coast Ranges and the Sierra Nevada is strongly seasonal and peaks during the dry late summer and autumn, out of phase with uplift of the valley floor during wetter months. Our results suggest that long-term and late-summer flexural uplift of the Coast Ranges reduce the effective normal stress resolved on the San Andreas Fault. This process brings the fault closer to failure, thereby providing a viable mechanism for observed seasonality in microseismicity at Parkfield6 and potentially affecting long-term seismicity rates for fault systems adjacent to the valley. We also infer that the observed contemporary uplift of the southern Sierra Nevada previously attributed to tectonic or mantle-derived forces7,8,9,10 is partly a consequence of human-caused groundwater depletion.
TL;DR: These guidelines present the main prophylactic and therapeutic modalities for each disorder and provide recommendations about their role in disease management and suggest suggested approaches to prevention and management of each disorder that incorporate these recommendations.
TL;DR: There have been reports of greater implantation and pregnancy rates with FET than with fresh autologous embryo transfer, suggesting superior endometrial receptivity in the absence of ovarian stimulation.
California Academy of Sciences1, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi2, Australian Museum3, Smithsonian Institution4, Natural History Museum5, Field Museum of Natural History6, Villanova University7, University of Milano-Bicocca8, Utica College9, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology10, University of Costa Rica11, University of California, Berkeley12, University of Kansas13, University of Los Andes14, Old Dominion University15, Louisiana State University16, James Cook University17, University of Auckland18, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration19, University of Chicago20, American Museum of Natural History21, University of São Paulo22, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro23, University of California, Davis24, Conservation International25, University of Nevada, Reno26, Addis Ababa University27, University of Sydney28, Museum Victoria29, University of Colorado Boulder30, Harvard University31, National University of Singapore32, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute33, Cornell University34, Marien Ngouabi University35, University of Wisconsin–Parkside36, Cincinnati Museum Center37, Australian National University38, University of Michigan39, California State University, Fullerton40, University of Florida41, Central University of Venezuela42, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile43, University of New Mexico44, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research45, Bishop Museum46, University of the Ryukyus47, Museum für Naturkunde48, Naturhistorisches Museum49, Long Island University50, Auckland War Memorial Museum51, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences52, McGill University53, University of Alaska Fairbanks54, Royal Ontario Museum55
TL;DR: Collecting biological specimens for scientific studies came under scrutiny when B. A. Minteer and colleagues suggested that this practice plays a significant role in species extinctions.
Abstract: Collecting biological specimens for scientific studies came under scrutiny when B. A. Minteer et al. [“Avoiding (re)extinction,” Perspectives, 18 April, p. [260][1]] suggested that this practice plays a significant role in species extinctions. Based on a small number of examples (rare birds,
TL;DR: Progress in introducing crassulacean acid metabolism into C3 crops requires comprehensive systems-level understanding of the enzymatic and regulatory pathways underpinning this temporal CO2 pump.
TL;DR: For example, this article found that the absence of interactions with family was more closely linked to loneliness than was the case in individualistic societies, whereas traditional social bonds are more potent in collectivistic societies.
Abstract: Using two multilevel analyses of residents in 12 (1992 Eurobarometer; N = 3,902) and 22 (2006 European Social Survey, N = 38,867) European societies, respectively, we examined loneliness as a function of dominant cultural values. Levels of loneliness were higher in collectivistic compared with individualistic societies, but societies differed in terms of their predictors of loneliness. In collectivistic societies, the absence of interactions with family was more closely linked to loneliness than was the case in individualistic societies. Conversely, in individualistic societies, the absence of interactions with friends and having a confidant was more closely linked to loneliness than in collectivistic societies. Findings are consistent with the notion that autonomy and choice with regard to interaction partners have greater implications for well-being in individualistic societies whereas traditional social bonds are more potent in collectivistic societies.
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of admixture and spatial isolation on how biological diversity is organized in a group of Lycaeides butterflies are quantified using DNA sequences and genetic ancestry.
Abstract: Detailed information about the geographic distribution of genetic and genomic variation is necessary to better understand the organization and structure of biological diversity. In particular, spatial isolation within species and hybridization between them can blur species boundaries and create evolutionary relationships that are inconsistent with a strictly bifurcating tree model. Here, we analyse genome-wide DNA sequence and genetic ancestry variation in Lycaeides butterflies to quantify the effects of admixture and spatial isolation on how biological diversity is organized in this group. We document geographically widespread and pervasive historical admixture, with more restricted recent hybridization. This includes evidence supporting previously known and unknown instances of admixture. The genome composition of admixed individuals varies much more among than within populations, and tree- and genetic ancestry-based analyses indicate that multiple distinct admixed lineages or populations exist. We find that most genetic variants in Lycaeides are rare (minor allele frequency <0.5%). Because the spatial and taxonomic distributions of alleles reflect demographic and selective processes since mutation, rare alleles, which are presumably younger than common alleles, were spatially and taxonomically restricted compared with common variants. Thus, we show patterns of genetic variation in this group are multifaceted, and we argue that this complexity challenges simplistic notions concerning the organization of biological diversity into discrete, easily delineated and hierarchically structured entities.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the reaction mechanisms of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) reactions at temperatures between 200 and 260°C and developed an experimental procedure to determine the net water production, a balance between consumption by hydrolysis reactions and production by dehydration reactions.
Abstract: Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a thermochemical process to convert lignocellulosic biomass into lignite-like HTC biochar. In this study, chemical reactions occurring during a relatively short HTC reaction time are discussed (5–30 min), and reaction mechanisms are examined at temperatures between 200 and 260 °C. Solid HTC biochar products were analyzed by attenuated total reflectance (ATR)/Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), elemental analysis, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), while liquid products were analyzed with GC-MS and ion chromatography (IC) to predict the reaction schemes. HTC reactions for whole biomass (loblolly pine) were proposed in the context of HTC reactions for individual biomass fractions. Hydrolysis, dehydration, and decarboxylation reactions are the major reactions of HTC, though condensation, polymerization, and aromatization also occur. An experimental procedure was developed to determine the net water production, a balance between consumption by hydrolysis reactions and production by dehydration reactions. Net production of water is evaluated. At lower HTC temperature (200 °C), water was consumed. However, at higher HTC temperatures, water was produced and the production increases with increasing reaction time.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors evaluated pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) in conjunction with RO, in a system called RO-PRO desalination, to reduce the energy requirement of seawater RO desalification.
TL;DR: Although a new platform for eDNA surveillance of aquatic species, ddPCR was consistent with more commonly used qPCR and a cost-effective means of estimating DNA concentrations, and should be considered in future e DNA surveillance applications.
Abstract: The use of molecular surveillance techniques has become popular among aquatic researchers and managers due to the improved sensitivity and efficiency compared to traditional sampling methods. Rapid expansion in the use of environmental DNA (eDNA), paired with the advancement of molecular technologies, has resulted in new detection platforms and techniques. In this study we present a comparison of three eDNA surveillance platforms: traditional polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative PCR (qPCR), and digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) in which water samples were collected over a 24 h time period from mesocosm experiments containing a population gradient of invasive species densities. All platforms reliably detected the presence of DNA, even at low target organism densities within the first hour. The two quantitative platforms (qPCR and ddPCR) produced similar estimates of DNA concentrations. The analyses completed with ddPCR was faster from sample collection through analyses and cost approximately half the ex...
01 May 2014
TL;DR: A novel image forgery detection method is proposed based on the steerable pyramid transform (SPT) and local binary pattern (LBP) and a support vector machine uses the feature vector to classify images into forged or authentic.
Abstract: In this paper, a novel image forgery detection method is proposed based on the steerable pyramid transform (SPT) and local binary pattern (LBP). First, given a color image, we transform it in the YCbCr color space and apply the SPT transform on chrominance channels Cb and Cr, yielding a number of multi-scale and multi-oriented subbands. Then, we describe the texture in each SPT subband using LBP histograms. The histograms from each subband are concatenated to produce a feature vector. Finally, a support vector machine uses the feature vector to classify images into forged or authentic. The proposed method has been evaluated on three publicly available image databases. Our experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method and its superiority over some recent other methods.
TL;DR: In this article, the performance of a magnetorheological elastomer-based semi-active/passive variable stiffness and damping isolator (VSDI) in a scaled building system is evaluated.
Abstract: This paper presents the performance of a new magnetorheological elastomer-based semi-active/passive variable stiffness and damping isolator (VSDI) in a scaled building system. The force of the VSDI can be controlled in real time by varying the applied magnetic field. To demonstrate the performance of the VSDI, four prototypes are built and utilized in a scaled three-story building. A Lyapunov-based control strategy is employed and it is demonstrated that it works well for the scaled building system under the scaled El Centro earthquake motion. Experimental results show that the VSDIs significantly reduce the acceleration and relative displacement of the building floors.