958 research outputs found
The Structure on Invariant Measures of generic diffeomorphisms
Let be an isolated non-trival transitive set of a generic
diffeomorphism f\in\Diff(M). We show that the space of invariant measures
supported on coincides with the space of accumulation measures of
time averages on one orbit. Moreover, the set of points having this property is
residual in (which implies the set of irregular points is also
residual in ). As an application, we show that the non-uniform
hyperbolicity of irregular points in with totally 0 measure
(resp., the non-uniform hyperbolicity of a generic subset in )
determines the uniform hyperbolicity of
Gender Differences, Risk and Probability Weights in Financial Decisions
Numerous studies have shown that decision makers do not usually treat probabilities linearly. Instead, people tend to overweight small probabilities and underweight large probabilities. The purpose of this research is to investigate whether women weigh probabilities differently than men. Besides that, this research also aims to examine whether women exhibit greater financial risk aversion than men. Women are commonly stereotyped as more risk averse than men in financial decision making. To examine some of the beliefs and preferences that underlie this difference, a stratified sample of 289 working adults (144 males and 145 females) aged 20–54 were interviewed within randomly selected geographical area across Penang Island. With this field experiment, we wish to generate a more credible and accurate results as compared to previous studies that used students as their subjects. This study confirmed the findings of previous researches that men and women differ in their financial decisions. In the gain domains, men tend to overweight smaller probabilities more than women (risk seeking) and women tend to underweight larger probabilities more than men (risk averse). While in the loss domains, when the probabilities were small, women were risk averse because they tend to overweight smaller probabilities more than men. When the probability became larger, women were exhibited as risk seeking as men because both of them perceived to have low chance of losin
Strigolactone synthesis is ancestral in land plants, but canonical strigolactone signalling is a flowering plant innovation
Background
Strigolactones (SLs) are an important class of carotenoid-derived signalling molecule in plants, which function both as exogenous signals in the rhizosphere and as endogenous plant hormones. In flowering plants, SLs are synthesized by a core pathway of four enzymes and are perceived by the DWARF14 (D14) receptor, leading to degradation of SMAX1-LIKE7 (SMXL7) target proteins in a manner dependent on the SCFMAX2 ubiquitin ligase. The evolutionary history of SLs is poorly understood, and it is not clear whether SL synthesis and signalling are present in all land plant lineages, nor when these traits evolved.
Results
We have utilized recently-generated genomic and transcriptomic sequences from across the land plant clade to resolve the origin of each known component of SL synthesis and signalling. We show that all enzymes in the core SL synthesis pathway originated at or before the base of land plants, consistent with the previously observed distribution of SLs themselves in land plant lineages. We also show that the late-acting enzyme LATERAL BRANCHING OXIDOREDUCTASE (LBO) may be considerably more ancient than previously thought. We perform a detailed phylogenetic analysis of SMXL proteins and show that specific SL target proteins only arose in flowering plants. We also assess diversity and protein structure in the SMXL family, identifying several previously unknown clades.
Conclusions
Overall, our results suggest that SL synthesis is much more ancient than canonical SL signalling, consistent with the idea that SLs first evolved as rhizosphere signals and were only recruited much later as hormonal signals
Battery management system and control strategy for hybrid and electric vehicle
Author name used in this publication: K. W. E. ChengAuthor name used in this publication: K. DingAuthor name used in this publication: W. TingVersion of RecordPublishe
Inferring the multiplicity of founder variants initiating HIV-1 infection:a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: HIV-1 infections initiated by multiple founder variants are characterised by a higher viral load and a worse clinical prognosis than those initiated with single founder variants, yet little is known about the routes of exposure through which transmission of multiple founder variants is most probable. Here we used individual patient data to calculate the probability of multiple founders stratified by route of HIV exposure and study methodology. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that estimated founder variant multiplicity in HIV-1 infection, searching MEDLINE, Embase, and Global Health databases for papers published between Jan 1, 1990, and Sept 14, 2020. Eligible studies must have reported original estimates of founder variant multiplicity in people with acute or early HIV-1 infections, have clearly detailed the methods used, and reported the route of exposure. Studies were excluded if they reported data concerning people living with HIV-1 who had known or suspected superinfection, who were documented as having received pre-exposure prophylaxis, or if the transmitting partner was known to be receiving antiretroviral treatment. Individual patient data were collated from all studies, with authors contacted if these data were not publicly available. We applied logistic meta-regression to these data to estimate the probability that an HIV infection is initiated by multiple founder variants. We calculated a pooled estimate using a random effects model, subsequently stratifying this estimate across exposure routes in a univariable analysis. We then extended our model to adjust for different study methods in a multivariable analysis, recalculating estimates across the exposure routes. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42020202672. FINDINGS: We included 70 publications in our analysis, comprising 1657 individual patients. Our pooled estimate of the probability that an infection is initiated by multiple founder variants was 0·25 (95% CI 0·21-0·29), with moderate heterogeneity (Q=132·3, p<0·0001, I2=64·2%). Our multivariable analysis uncovered differences in the probability of multiple variant infection by exposure route. Relative to a baseline of male-to-female transmission, the predicted probability for female-to-male multiple variant transmission was significantly lower at 0·13 (95% CI 0·08-0·20), and the probabilities were significantly higher for transmissions in people who inject drugs (0·37 [0·24-0·53]) and men who have sex with men (0·30 [0·33-0·40]). There was no significant difference in the probability of multiple variant transmission between male-to-female transmission (0·21 [0·14-0·31]), post-partum transmission (0·18 [0·03-0·57]), pre-partum transmission (0·17 [0·08-0·33]), and intra-partum transmission (0·27 [0·14-0·45]). INTERPRETATION: We identified that transmissions in people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men are significantly more likely to result in an infection initiated by multiple founder variants, and female-to-male infections are significantly less probable. Quantifying how the routes of HIV infection affect the transmission of multiple variants allows us to better understand how the evolution and epidemiology of HIV-1 determine clinical outcomes. FUNDING: Medical Research Council Precision Medicine Doctoral Training Programme and a European Research Council Starting Grant
Temperature dependence of Vortex Charges in High Temperature Superconductors
Using a model Hamiltonian with d-wave superconductivity and competing
antiferromagnetic (AF) interactions, the temperature (T) dependence of the
vortex charge in high T_c superconductors is investigated by numerically
solving the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations. The strength of the induced AF
order inside the vortex core is T dependent. The vortex charge could be
negative when the AF order with sufficient strength is present at low
temperatures. At higher temperatures, the AF order may be completely suppressed
and the vortex charge becomes positive. A first order like transition in the T
dependent vortex charge is seen near the critical temperature T_{AF}. For
underdoped sample, the spatial profiles of the induced spin-density wave and
charge-density wave orders could have stripe like structures at T < T_s, and
change to two-dimensional isotropic ones at T > T_s. As a result, a vortex
charge discontinuity occurs at T_s.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Quasiparticle States at a d-Wave Vortex Core in High-Tc Superconductors: Induction of Local Spin Density Wave Order
The local density of states (LDOS) at one of the vortex lattice cores in a
high Tc superconductor is studied by using a self-consistent mean field theory
including interactions for both antiferromagnetism (AF) and d-wave
superconductivity (DSC). The parameters are chosen in such a way that in an
optimally doped sample the AF order is completely suppressed while DSC
prevails. In the mixed state, we show that the local AF-like SDW order appears
near the vortex core and acts as an effective local magnetic field on the
quasiparticles. As a result, the LDOS at the core exhibits a double-peak
structure near the Fermi level that is in good agreement with the STM
observations on YBCO and BSCCO. The presence of local AF order near the votex
core is also consistent with the recent neutron scattering experiment on LSCO.Comment: 4 pages, 2 ps figure
Quasiparticle States around a Nonmagnetic Impurity in D-Density-Wave State of High- Cuprates
Recently Chakravarty {\em et al.} proposed an ordered -density wave (DDW)
state as an explanation of the pseudogap phase in underdoped high-temperature
cuprates. We study the competition between the DDW and superconducting ordering
based on an effective mean-field Hamiltonian. We are mainly concerned with the
effect of the DDW ordering on the electronic state around a single nonmagnetic
impurity. We find that a single subgap resonance peak appears in the local
density of state around the impurity. In the unitary limit, the position of
this resonance peak is always located at with respect to the Fermi
energy. This result is dramatically different from the case of the pure
superconducting state for which the impurity resonant energy is approximately
pinned at the Fermi level. This can be used to probe the existence of the DDW
ordering in cuprates.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Intramuscular midazolam, olanzapine, or haloperidol for the management of acute agitation: A multi-centre, double-blind, randomised clinical trial
© 2021 The Authors Background: The safety and effectiveness of intramuscular olanzapine or haloperidol compared to midazolam as the initial pharmacological treatment for acute agitation in emergency departments (EDs) has not been evaluated. Methods: A pragmatic, randomised, double-blind, active-controlled trial was conducted from December 2014 to September 2019, in six Hong Kong EDs. Patients (aged 18–75 years) with undifferentiated acute agitation requiring parenteral sedation were randomised to 5 mg intramuscular midazolam (n = 56), olanzapine (n = 54), or haloperidol (n = 57). Primary outcomes were time to adequate sedation and proportion of patients who achieved adequate sedation at each follow-up interval. Sedation levels were measured on a 6-level validated scale (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02380118). Findings: Of 206 patients randomised, 167 (mean age, 42 years; 98 [58·7%] male) were analysed. Median time to sedation for IM midazolam, olanzapine, and haloperidol was 8·5 (IQR 8·0), 11·5 (IQR 30·0), and 23·0 (IQR 21·0) min, respectively. At 60 min, similar proportions of patients were adequately sedated (98%, 87%, and 97%). There were statistically significant differences for time to sedation with midazolam compared to olanzapine (p = 0·03) and haloperidol (p = 0·002). Adverse event rates were similar across the three arms. Dystonia (n = 1) and cardiac arrest (n = 1) were reported in the haloperidol group. Interpretation: Midazolam resulted in faster sedation in patients with undifferentiated agitation in the emergency setting compared to olanzapine and haloperidol. Midazolam and olanzapine are preferred over haloperidol's slower time to sedation and potential for cardiovascular and extrapyramidal side effects. Funding: Research Grants Council, Hong Kong
UPF1, a Conserved Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay Factor, Regulates Cyst Wall Protein Transcripts in Giardia lamblia
The Giardia lamblia cyst wall is required for survival outside the host and infection. Three cyst wall protein (cwp) genes identified to date are highly up-regulated during encystation. However, little is known of the molecular mechanisms governing their gene regulation. Messenger RNAs containing premature stop codons are rapidly degraded by a nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) system to avoid production of non-functional proteins. In addition to RNA surveillance, NMD also regulates thousands of naturally occurring transcripts through a variety of mechanisms. It is interesting to know the NMD pathway in the primitive eukaryotes. Previously, we have found that the giardial homologue of a conserved NMD factor, UPF1, may be functionally conserved and involved in NMD and in preventing nonsense suppression. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that NMD factors can regulate some naturally occurring transcripts in G. lamblia. We found that overexpression of UPF1 resulted in a significant decrease of the levels of CWP1 and cyst formation and of the endogenous cwp1-3, and myb2 mRNA levels and stability. This indicates that NMD could contribute to the regulation of the cwp1-3 and myb2 transcripts, which are key to G. lamblia differentiation into cyst. Interestingly, we also found that UPF1 may be involved in regulation of eight other endogenous genes, including up-regulation of the translation elongation factor gene, whose product increases translation which is required for NMD. Our results indicate that NMD factor could contribute to the regulation of not only nonsense containing mRNAs, but also mRNAs of the key encystation-induced genes and other endogenous genes in the early-diverging eukaryote, G. lamblia
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