Call for research – the consuming child-in-context in unhealthy and unsustainable times

Childhood obesity is a highly complex issue with serious health and environmental implications. It has been postulated that young children (preschool-aged in particular) are able to internalise positive environmental beliefs. Applying a socioecological theoretical perspective, in this discussion paper we argue that although children may internalise such beliefs, they commonly behave in ways that contradict these beliefs as demonstrated by their consumer choices. The media directly influences these consumer choices and growing evidence suggests that media exposure (particularly commercial television viewing) may be a significant “player” in the prediction of childhood obesity. However, there is still debate as to whether childhood obesity is caused by digital media use per se or whether other factors mediate this relationship. Growing evidence suggests that researchers should examine whether different types of content have conflicting influences on a child’s consumer choices and, by extension, obesity. The extent to which young children connect their consumer choices and the sustainability of the product/s they consume with their overall health and wellbeing has not previously been researched. To these ends, we call for further research on this socioecological phenomenon among young children, particularly with respect to the influence of digital media use on a child’s consumer behaviours

Transformation bending device emulated by graded-index waveguide

We demonstrate that a transformation device can be emulated using a gradient-index waveguide. The effective index of the waveguide is spatially varied by tailoring a gradient thickness dielectric waveguide. Based on this technology, we demonstrate a transformation device guiding visible light around a sharp corner, with low scattering loss and reflection loss. The experimental results are in good agreement with the numerical results.Comment: This paper is published at Optics Express 20, 13006 (2012

gEM/GANN: a multivariate computational strategy for auto-characterizing relationships between cellular and clinical phenotypes and predicting disease progression time using high-dimensional flow cytometry data

The dramatic increase in the complexity of flow cytometric datasets requires the development of new computational based approaches that can maximize the amount of information derived and overcome the limitations of traditional gating strategies. Herein, we present a multivariate computational analysis of the HIV-infected flow cytometry datasets that were provided as part of the FlowCAP-IV Challenge using unsupervised and supervised learning techniques. Out of 383 samples (stimulated and unstimulated), 191 samples were used as a training set (34 individuals whose disease did not progress, and 157 individuals whose disease did progress). Using the results from the training set, the participants in the Challenge were then asked to predict the condition and progression time of the remaining individuals (45 ‘non-progressors’ and 147 ‘progressors’). To achieve this, we first scaled down data resolution. We then excluded doublet cells from the analysis using Expectation Maximization approaches. We then standardized all samples into histograms and used Genetic Algorithm-Neural Network to extract feature sets from the datasets, the reliability of which were examined using WEKA-implemented classifiers. The selected feature set resulted in a high sensitivity and specificity for the discrimination of progressors and non-progressors in the training set (average True Positive Rate = 1.00 and average False Positive Rate = 0.033). The capacity of the feature set to predict real-time survival time was better when using data from the ‘unstimulated’ training set (r = 0.825). The p-values and 95% confidence interval logrank ratios between actual and predicted survival time in the test set were 0.682 and 0.9542±0.24 for the unstimulated dataset, and 0.4451 and 0.9173±0.23 for the stimulated dataset. Our analytic strategy has demonstrated a promising capacity to extract useful information from complex flow cytometry datasets, despite a significance imbalance and variation between the training and test sets

Transient response of sap flow to wind speed

Transient responses of sap flow to step changes in wind speed were experimentally investigated in a wind tunnel. A Granier-type sap flow sensor was calibrated and tested in a cylindrical tube for analysis of its transient time response. Then the sensor was used to measure the transient response of a well-watered Pachira macrocarpa plant to wind speed variations. The transient response of sap flow was described using the resistance–capacitance model. The steady sap flow rate increased as the wind speed increased at low wind speeds. Once the wind speed exceeded 8.0 m s−1, the steady sap flow rate did not increase further. The transpiration rate, measured gravimetrically, showed a similar trend. The response of nocturnal sap flow to wind speed variation was also measured and compared with the results in the daytime. Under the same wind speed, the steady sap flow rate was smaller than that in the daytime, indicating differences between diurnal and nocturnal hydraulic function, and incomplete stomatal closure at night. In addition, it was found that the temporal response of the Granier sensor is fast enough to resolve the transient behaviour of water flux in plant tissue

A chromosome-level genome resource for studying virulence mechanisms and evolution of the coffee rust pathogen Hemileia vastatrix

Recurrent epidemics of coffee leaf rust, caused by the fungal pathogen Hemileia vastatrix, have constrained the sustainable production of Arabica coffee for over 150 years. The ability of H. vastatrix to overcome resistance in coffee cultivars and evolve new races is inexplicable for a pathogen that supposedly only utilizes clonal reproduction. Understanding the evolutionary complexity between H. vastatrix and its only known host, including determining how the pathogen evolves virulence so rapidly is crucial for disease management. Achieving such goals relies on the availability of a comprehensive and high-quality genome reference assembly. To date, two reference genomes have been assembled and published for H. vastatrix that, while useful, remain fragmented and do not represent chromosomal scaffolds. Here, we present a complete scaffolded pseudochromosome-level genome resource for H. vastatrix strain 178a (Hv178a). Our initial assembly revealed an unusually high degree of gene duplication (over 50% BUSCO basidiomycota_odb10 genes). Upon inspection, this was predominantly due to a single scaffold that itself showed 91.9% BUSCO Completeness. Taxonomic analysis of predicted BUSCO genes placed this scaffold in Exobasidiomycetes and suggests it is a distinct genome, which we have named Hv178a associated fungal genome (Hv178a AFG). The high depth of coverage and close association with Hv178a raises the prospect of symbiosis, although we cannot completely rule out contamination at this time. The main Ca. 546 Mbp Hv178a genome was primarily (97.7%) localised to 11 pseudochromosomes (51.5 Mb N50), building the foundation for future advanced studies of genome structure and organization.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A chromosome-level genome resource for studying virulence mechanisms and evolution of the coffee rust pathogen Hemileia vastatrix

29th Conference of Association for the Science and Information on Coffee, 11 Sept. - 14 Sept. 2023 Hanoi, Vietnaminfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Data mining in conservation research using Latin and vernacular species names

In conservation science, assessments of trends and priorities for actions often focus on species as the management unit. Studies on species coverage in online media are commonly conducted by using species vernacular names. However, the use of species vernacular names for web-based data search is problematic due to the high risk of mismatches in results. While the use of Latin names may produce more consistent results, it is uncertain whether a search using Latin names will produce unbiased results as compared to vernacular names. We assessed the potential of Latin names to be used as an alternative to vernacular names for the data mining within the field of conservation science. By using Latin and vernacular names, we searched for species from four species groups: diurnal birds of prey, Carnivora, Primates and marine mammals. We assessed the relationship of the results obtained within different online sources, such as Internet pages, newspapers and social media networks. Results indicated that the search results based on Latin and vernacular names were highly correlated, and confirmed that one may be used as an alternative for the other. We also demonstrated the potential of the number of images posted on the Internet to be used as an indication of the public attention towards different species

Internal Thoracic Artery Collateral to the External Iliac Artery in Chronic Aortoiliac Occlusive Disease

Objective To evaluate the incidence and angiographic findings of the collateral pathway involving the internal thoracic artery in patients with chronic aortoiliac occlusive disease. Materials and Methods Between March 2000 and Februrary 2001, 124 patients at our hospital underwent angiographic evaluation of chronic aortoiliac occlusive disease, and in 15 of these complete obstruction or severe stenosis of the aortoiliac artery was identified. The aortograms and collateral arteriograms obtained, including internal thoracic arteriograms, as well as the medical records of the patients involved, were evaluated. Results In nine patients there was complete occlusion of the infrarenal aorta, or diffuse stenosis of 75% or more in the descending thoracic aorta, and in the other six, a patent aorta but complete occlusion or stenosis of 75% or more of the common iliac artery was demonstrated. Collateral perfusion via hypertrophied internal thoracic arteries and rich anastomoses between the superior and inferior epigastric arteries, reconstituting the external iliac artery, were noted in all fifteen patients, regardless of symptom duration, which ranged from six months to twelve years. Conclusion In patients with chronic aortoiliac occlusive disease, the internal thoracic artery, along with visceral collaterals and those from the contralateral side, is one of the major parietal collateral pathways.ope

Rare coding SNP in DZIP1 gene associated with late-onset sporadic Parkinson's disease

We present the first application of the hypothesis-rich mathematical theory to genome-wide association data. The Hamza et al. late-onset sporadic Parkinson's disease genome-wide association study dataset was analyzed. We found a rare, coding, non-synonymous SNP variant in the gene DZIP1 that confers increased susceptibility to Parkinson's disease. The association of DZIP1 with Parkinson's disease is consistent with a Parkinson's disease stem-cell ageing theory.Comment: 14 page