TEMPRANILLO is a regulator of juvenility in plants

Many plants are incapable of flowering in inductive daylengths during the early juvenile vegetative phase (JVP). Arabidopsis mutants with reduced expression of TEMPRANILLO (TEM), a repressor of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) had a shorter JVP than wild-type plants. Reciprocal changes in mRNA expression of TEM and FT were observed in both Arabidopsis and antirrhinum, which correlated with the length of the JVP. FT expression was induced just prior to the end of the JVP and levels of TEM1 mRNA declined rapidly at the time when FT mRNA levels were shown to increase. TEM orthologs were isolated from antirrhinum (AmTEM) and olive (OeTEM) and were expressed most highly during their juvenile phase. AmTEM functionally complemented AtTEM1 in the tem1 mutant and over-expression of AmTEM prolonged the JVP through repression of FT and CONSTANS (CO). We propose that TEM may have a general role in regulating JVP in herbaceous and woody species

Motivation, Fortitude and Success: The Impact of Academic Efficacy and Academic Commitment on Academic Performance among Minority High School Students

The importance of understanding the elements of success in the education of minority high school students is immense. Recognizing the causes of academic success for these students allows educators to employ better educational and motivational strategies. It has been shown that academic efficacy and academic commitment have a positive impact on academic performance. However, the interaction and relationship between these two variables in having a positive effect on education outcomes among minority high school students is not clear. This paper looks at the relationship between academic efficacy and academic commitment on academic performance among minority high school students. The findings reveal that academic commitment is positively associated with academic performance. However, while academic efficacy has a positive impact on academic commitment the results show that academic efficacy has no direct impact on academic performance among the respondents

Research into the practical and policy applications of soundscape concepts and techniques in urban areas

Executive Summary 1 The aim of this review was to investigate existing research into soundscape concepts and to produce recommendations for future research into the practical identification, management and enhancement of soundscapes in urban areas. 2 Existing research on soundscapes was investigated using four methods: i. a survey of more than 500 papers in the academic literature, ii. an analysis of 27 case studies of soundscape assessment, iii. an analysis of 15 case studies of soundscape design, and iv. interviews with five key soundscape experts. Analysis of this data was conducted to identify significant gaps in the knowledge base and suggest a way of obtaining a practical soundscape assessment method. 3 Soundscapes were found to be a highly multi-disciplinary topic, with many different ideas, concepts, aims and methods evident in the literature. The definition of the term soundscape is itself not settled; for the purposes of this project, we have defined it as “the totality of all sounds within a location with an emphasis on the relationship between individual’s or society’s perception of, understanding of and interaction with the sonic environment.” 4 This review highlights that a range of methodological approaches have been used to establish classifications and categorisations of sounds and soundscapes. The relationship between different categories of sounds and their interaction needs to be considered to increase the understanding of soundscape assessments and to derive soundscape classifications. 5 The different methods and tools used to assess soundscapes, in a variety of locations, each have advantages and disadvantages; using a number of methods in one case study can help to mitigate against the disadvantages of any one method. The case studies assessed in this report demonstrate the importance of individual and demographic similarities/differences, people’s behaviour, physical aspects of the soundscape, other sensory and environmental elements, and the general location and context, in understanding and assessing soundscapes. 6 Soundscape assessments involving a subjective component have highlighted a number of variables that play a part in the assessment. These include the individual’s knowledge and prior experience of the soundscape, the meaning they derive from it, their attitude towards the sound source, their behaviour, their noise sensitivity, demographic and cultural dimensions, and their sense of control over the noise. 7 Research has shown that sometimes a soundscape is perceived as a collection of the individual sounds of which it is comprised; soundscape assessments are therefore related to the assessment of those sound types. This implies that soundscape assessment relies upon the identification of the sounds, the prominence of the sounds, and potentially the ratio of certain sound types to other sound types within the soundscape. It is also highlighted that, because the soundscape varies over time, note must be taken of the fact that any soundscape assessment relates to a singular moment in time. Furthermore, research has shown that soundscape assessments can be dependent on an individual’s memory (when using subjective assessments methods) and/or the segment of the soundscape that was recorded (when playing back recorded soundscapes in a laboratory situation). 8 Multi-sensory experience is also shown to be highly relevant to soundscape assessment and must therefore be acknowledged as soundscapes are not perceived in sensory isolation; in particular audio-visual interactions have been shown to have an effect on soundscape perception. Many researchers point to the importance of understanding the full environmental and social context for soundscape assessment, the relevance of comparing similar place types, and the effect of moving between one soundscape and another on an assessment. 9 Turning to the subject of soundscape design, it is noted that there is a dearth of case studies involving the modification and design of soundscapes, both in the UK and internationally. The rationale behind many of the case studies’ focus upon or consideration of sound was the improvement of a soundscape that was negatively affected by the sound of traffic. Approaches to soundscape design varied, ranging from the use of noise control elements, such as barriers and absorbers, to the utilisation or exploitation of natural elements that already exist in the location. Some case studies introduced sounds to the soundscape, in particular water sounds, while others incorporated specific sonic art installations to alter the soundscape or detract attention from existing features of the soundscape. A number of case studies used design alterations to improve the soundscape and perception of the soundscape including altering visual aspects of the place, altering the layout of the area, pedestrianisation of the area, and providing entertainment facilities (e.g. cafes). 10 Case studies whereby design modifications or interventions have taken place, have had little or no formal evaluation of their success. The studies that were evaluated used a number of different methods involving both objective and subjective measures and included the experimental comparison of subjective ratings, observations of people’s behaviour, recognition and awards for good designs, and level of complaints about the soundscape. This demonstrates that different evaluation tools may be necessary dependent upon the type of soundscape intervention being evaluated. Additionally, by combining methods to produce an interdisciplinary evaluation, a more accurate understanding of the success of the soundscape design is possible, hence improving future interventions. 11 The relationship between environment and individual is complex, with many factors, some of which cannot currently be quantified. Important factors include: prominent individual sound sources, the interaction of sources, other sensory stimuli and contextual and individual factors such as meaning, and expectation. Some of these factors can be captured by subjective rating scales for high-level concepts like ‘calmness’, ‘vibrancy’ and ‘spaciousness’. Other factors, such as the semantic meaning of a soundscape are best characterised currently by qualitative descriptors. There are good prospects for developing objective acoustic metrics to evaluate some factors but in most cases this work is still at an early stage, and the methods developed so far have only been applied in specific contexts; to provide metrics that are more broadly applicable they would need to be evaluated in a broader range of locations and conditions. The expert interviews and case studies illustrated the diversity of views across different disciplines on the most promising soundscape methods. All the interviewees agreed on the need for an interdisciplinary approach, and on the need to retain some form of subjective rating when assessing soundscapes. 12 Ultimately, six important gaps have been identified in the soundscape knowledge base. These are areas where more research would significantly improve understanding soundscape assessments. These gaps have been identified as: i. a lack of genuinely interdisciplinary projects (characterised by a shared perspective) instead of multidisciplinary projects (where researchers work in parallel within their own disciplines). These are needed to deal with the multidimensional experience of soundscape perception. ii. a lack of basic knowledge on many aspects of soundscape cognition, perception and classification. iii.a need for large-scale robust field trials of soundscape assessment methods instead of the more common experiment of a new method in a single location. iv. a need to develop more soundscape-specific indicators and tools that could eventually be used for soundscape design. v. a need to rigorously assess deliberate soundscape interventions to understand which design aspects work and which do not. vi. a lack of a close connection between soundscape research, design and planning practice. 13 Finally, a new research project is proposed to develop a robust field assessment method. The aim of this project is to develop a method based on existing research methods but introducing greater confidence by trialling the method across many real urban soundscapes. Options are presented for developing a purely qualitative assessment tool or one that incorporates and integrates both qualitative and quantitative ratings. 14 We recommend that a first step for an assessment method, which could realistically be developed in the near future, should be based on qualitative methods. A second iteration of this soundscape assessment tool could supplement the qualitative techniques with quantitative methods, first based on subjective rating scales and eventually on objective metrics which predict the subjective ratings

Derrick's theorem beyond a potential

Scalar field theories with derivative interactions are known to possess solitonic excitations, but such solitons are generally unsatisfactory because the effective theory fails precisely where nonlinearities responsible for the solitons are important. A new class of theories possessing (internal) galilean invariance can in principle bypass this difficulty. Here, we show that these galileon theories do not possess stable solitonic solutions. As a by-product, we show that no stable solitons exist for a different class of derivatively coupled theories, describing for instance the infrared dynamics of superfluids, fluids, solids and some k-essence models.Comment: 4 page

Novel Branches of (0,2) Theories

We show that recently proposed linear sigma models with torsion can be obtained from unconventional branches of conventional gauge theories. This observation puts models with log interactions on firm footing. If non-anomalous multiplets are integrated out, the resulting low-energy theory involves log interactions of neutral fields. For these cases, we find a sigma model geometry which is both non-toric and includes brane sources. These are heterotic sigma models with branes. Surprisingly, there are massive models with compact complex non-Kahler target spaces, which include brane/anti-brane sources. The simplest conformal models describe wrapped heterotic NS5-branes. We present examples of both types.Comment: 36 pages, LaTeX, 2 figures; typo in Appendix fixed; references added and additional minor change

Does strabismus surgery improve quality and mood, and what factors influence this?

Aims To establish the impact of adult strabismus surgery on clinical and psychosocial well-being and determine who experiences the greatest benefit from surgery and how one could intervene to improve quality of life post-surgery. Methods A longitudinal study, with measurements taken pre-surgery and at 3 and 6 months post-surgery. All participants completed the AS-20 a disease specific quality of life scale, along with measures of mood, strabismus and appearance-related beliefs and cognitions and perceived social support. Participants also underwent a full orthoptic assessment at their preoperative visit and again 3 months postoperatively. Clinical outcomes of surgery were classified as success, partial success or failure, using the largest angle of deviation, diplopia and requirement for further therapy. Results 210 participants took part in the study. Strabismus surgery led to statistically significant improvements in psychosocial and functional quality of life. Those whose surgery was deemed a partial success did however experience a deterioration in quality of life. A combination of clinical variables, high expectations, and negative beliefs about the illness and appearance pre-surgery were significant predictors of change in quality of life from pre- to post-surgery. Conclusions Strabismus surgery leads to significant improvements in quality of life up to 6 months postoperatively. There are however a group of patients who do not experience these benefits. A series of clinical and psychosocial factors have now been identified, which will enable clinicians to identify patients who may be vulnerable to poorer outcomes post-surgery and allow for the development of interventions to improve quality of life after surgery

Derived neutrophil lymphocyte ratio is predictive of survival from intermittent therapy in advanced colorectal cancer: a post hoc analysis of the MRC COIN study

BACKGROUND: The phase III COntinuous or INtermittent (COIN) trial failed to show non-inferiority of intermittent compared with continuous chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer in overall survival (OS). The present analysis evaluated whether the derived neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (dNLR) could predict the effect of intermittent vs continuous chemotherapy on OS in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. METHODS: A post hoc exploratory analysis of COIN arms A and C was performed. Landmark analysis was conducted on all patients with available WBC and neutrophils data. The dNLR was calculated using a formula which has previously demonstrated predictive power in cancer patients: dNLR=ANC/(WBC−ANC). A high dNLR was defined using a cut-off value of ⩾2.22. Derived neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio was then correlated with clinical outcomes. Survival curves were generated based on dNLR using the Kaplan–Meier method. Comparison between groups was performed using Cox regression. RESULTS: A total of 1630 patients were assigned to the continuous (N=815) or intermittent (N=815) arms. There was a strong association between dNLR level and OS. The median survival times in the ITT population were 18.6 months and 12.5 months for patients with low and high dNLR, respectively (HR=1.70; 95% CI=1.52–1.90; P<0.001). The estimate of the hazard ratio did not alter substantially (HR=1.54) after adjusting for treatment, tumour status, number of metastatic sites, alkaline phosphate and platelet count. CONCLUSIONS: Derived neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio is strongly prognostic for survival in the COIN intermittent vs continuous treatment arms. Derived neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio does not predict for detrimental survival in patients treated with intermittent therapy

Measuring Relations Between Concepts In Conceptual Spaces

The highly influential framework of conceptual spaces provides a geometric way of representing knowledge. Instances are represented by points in a high-dimensional space and concepts are represented by regions in this space. Our recent mathematical formalization of this framework is capable of representing correlations between different domains in a geometric way. In this paper, we extend our formalization by providing quantitative mathematical definitions for the notions of concept size, subsethood, implication, similarity, and betweenness. This considerably increases the representational power of our formalization by introducing measurable ways of describing relations between concepts.Comment: Accepted at SGAI 2017 (http://www.bcs-sgai.org/ai2017/). The final publication is available at Springer via https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71078-5_7. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1707.05165, arXiv:1706.0636

Children's Medicines in Tanzania: A National Survey of Administration Practices and Preferences.

The dearth of age-appropriate formulations of many medicines for children poses a major challenge to pediatric therapeutic practice, adherence, and health care delivery worldwide. We provide information on current administration practices of pediatric medicines and describe key stakeholder preferences for new formulation characteristics. We surveyed children aged 6-12 years, parents/caregivers over age 18 with children under age 12, and healthcare workers in 10 regions of Tanzania to determine current pediatric medicine prescription and administration practices as well as preferences for new formulations. Analyses were stratified by setting, pediatric age group, parent/caregiver education, and healthcare worker cadre. Complete data were available for 206 children, 202 parents/caregivers, and 202 healthcare workers. Swallowing oral solid dosage forms whole or crushing/dissolving them and mixing with water were the two most frequently reported methods of administration. Children frequently reported disliking medication taste, and many had vomited doses. Healthcare workers reported medicine availability most significantly influences prescribing practices. Most parents/caregivers and children prefer sweet-tasting medicine. Parents/caregivers and healthcare workers prefer oral liquid dosage forms for young children, and had similar thresholds for the maximum number of oral solid dosage forms children at different ages can take. There are many impediments to acceptable and accurate administration of medicines to children. Current practices are associated with poor tolerability and the potential for under- or over-dosing. Children, parents/caregivers, and healthcare workers in Tanzania have clear preferences for tastes and formulations, which should inform the development, manufacturing, and marketing of pediatric medications for resource-limited settings

Universal time-dependent deformations of Schrodinger geometry

We investigate universal time-dependent exact deformations of Schrodinger geometry. We present 1) scale invariant but non-conformal deformation, 2) non-conformal but scale invariant deformation, and 3) both scale and conformal invariant deformation. All these solutions are universal in the sense that we could embed them in any supergravity constructions of the Schrodinger invariant geometry. We give a field theory interpretation of our time-dependent solutions. In particular, we argue that any time-dependent chemical potential can be treated exactly in our gravity dual approach.Comment: 24 pages, v2: references adde