Growth suppression of ice crystal basal face in the presence of a moderate ice-binding protein does not confer hyperactivity

Ice-binding proteins (IBPs) affect ice crystal growth by attaching to crystal faces. We present the effects on the growth of an ice single crystal caused by an ice-binding protein from the sea ice microalga Fragilariopsis cylindrus (fcIBP) that is characterized by the widespread domain of unknown function 3494 (DUF3494) and known to cause a moderate freezing point depression (below 1 °C). By the application of interferometry, bright-field microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy, we observed that the fcIBP attaches to the basal faces of ice crystals, thereby inhibiting their growth in the c direction and resulting in an increase in the effective supercooling with increasing fcIBP concentration. In addition, we observed that the fcIBP attaches to prism faces and inhibits their growth. In the event that the effective supercooling is small and crystals are faceted, this process causes an emergence of prism faces and suppresses crystal growth in the a direction. When the effective supercooling is large and ice crystals have developed into a dendritic shape, the suppression of prism face growth results in thinner dendrite branches, and growth in the a direction is accelerated due to enhanced latent heat dissipation. Our observations clearly indicate that the fcIBP occupies a separate position in the classification of IBPs due to the fact that it suppresses the growth of basal faces, despite its moderate freezing point depression

Anchor Retouching via Model Interaction for Robust Object Detection in Aerial Images

Object detection has made tremendous strides in computer vision. Small object detection with appearance degradation is a prominent challenge, especially for aerial observations. To collect sufficient positive/negative samples for heuristic training, most object detectors preset region anchors in order to calculate Intersection-over-Union (IoU) against the ground-truthed data. In this case, small objects are frequently abandoned or mislabeled. In this paper, we present an effective Dynamic Enhancement Anchor (DEA) network to construct a novel training sample generator. Different from the other state-of-the-art techniques, the proposed network leverages a sample discriminator to realize interactive sample screening between an anchor-based unit and an anchor-free unit to generate eligible samples. Besides, multi-task joint training with a conservative anchor-based inference scheme enhances the performance of the proposed model while reducing computational complexity. The proposed scheme supports both oriented and horizontal object detection tasks. Extensive experiments on two challenging aerial benchmarks (i.e., DOTA and HRSC2016) indicate that our method achieves state-of-the-art performance in accuracy with moderate inference speed and computational overhead for training. On DOTA, our DEA-Net which integrated with the baseline of RoI-Transformer surpasses the advanced method by 0.40% mean-Average-Precision (mAP) for oriented object detection with a weaker backbone network (ResNet-101 vs ResNet-152) and 3.08% mean-Average-Precision (mAP) for horizontal object detection with the same backbone. Besides, our DEA-Net which integrated with the baseline of ReDet achieves the state-of-the-art performance by 80.37%. On HRSC2016, it surpasses the previous best model by 1.1% using only 3 horizontal anchors

A randomized comparison of transradial and transfemoral access in uterine artery embolization

PURPOSEWe aimed to compare duration of uterine artery embolization, radiation exposure, safety and quality of life associated with the procedure in patients undergoing uterine artery embolization using transradial and transfemoral access.METHODSThis randomized controlled trial was conducted from February 2013 to March 2017 in three hospitals. Transradial access was used in 78 patients and transfemoral access in 75 patients. Clinical characteristics of the patients were comparable between the two groups. Patients were evaluated for the success and duration of the procedure, radiation exposure, major and minor complications. Quality of life associated with the procedure was assessed among patients with uterine fibroids.RESULTSEmbolization procedures were successfully performed in all patients in both groups. The duration of uterine artery embolization (32.27±7.99 vs. 39.24±9.72 minutes, P < 0.001), uterine artery catheterization time (12.36±5.73 vs. 19.08±6.06 minutes, P < 0.001) and radiation exposure (0.28±0.14 vs. 0.5±0.21 mZv, P < 0.001) were significantly lower in the transradial access group. The rate of major (0% vs. 2.7%, P = 0.37) and minor (11.53% vs. 17.3%, P = 0.42) complications was comparable between the two groups. Transradial access was associated with a statistically significant improvement in the quality of life associated with the procedure among patients with uterine fibroids.CONCLUSIONTransradial access in uterine artery embolization has the same efficacy and safety compared to transfemoral access. This access reduces radiation exposure and duration of the procedure

Влияние ролевой гендерной идентичности на представления о насилии у девушек-студенток

The paper discusses the empirical results of the study of the inuence of gender&nbsp;role identity on representations of violence in young female students at the age from&nbsp;17 to 19. Attitudes towards violence, as well as the use of violence in interpersonal&nbsp;relations appear long before their realization in interpersonal interaction. Theauthors&nbsp;proceeded on the assumption that traditional ideas about gender dichotomy&nbsp;offeatures of violent behaviour were inadequate for the gender system of modernsociety. The study sample consisted of 100 respondents. The authors used thefollowing&nbsp;research methods: writing an essay, semantic dierential, and the Bem Sex-Role&nbsp;Inventory (BSRI).The obtained empirical data indicated that the girls with undierentiated(neutral)&nbsp;gender role identity had a wider range of representations of violence, if to&nbsp;compare with the respondents who were guided by dichotomous models of&nbsp;gender behaviour (with “masculine” and “feminine” patterns). The girls with&nbsp;undierentiated(not polarized) gender role identity are able to recognize a large&nbsp;variety of forms ofviolence; they can exibly use and combine various forms of&nbsp;violence for achieving their own goals in corresponding circumstances. In this sample&nbsp;the girls with typically feminine gender role identity were less able to notice unobviousforms of violence (especially in interpersonal relations); violence usually had polar&nbsp;forms in their representations: either physical, or psychological. Moreover, the girls&nbsp;with typically feminine gender role identity perceived violence in such behavioural&nbsp;patterns which could not be assessed as violent in the given context. The ndings ofthe study could be useful for improving the practices of prevention, correction and&nbsp;rehabilitation offemale violent convicts, as well as for reducing manifestations of&nbsp;extreme forms of female violence in society.В статье приводятся результаты эмпирического исследования, направленного на выявление функции ролевой гендерной идентичности в формировании представления о насилии у девушек в возрасте 17–19 лет. Установки в отношении насилия и его применения в межличностном взаимодействии формируются задолго до того, как они реализуются в межличностном взаимодействии. Авторы исходят из предположения, что привычные представления о гендерной дихотомии характеристик насильственного поведения являются неадекватными для современной гендерной системы общества. Эмпирические данные получены в ходе опроса 100 респондентов в форме свободного сочинения, заполнения семантического дифференциала и опросника гендерной ролевой идентичности С.&nbsp;Бем. Получены данные о том, что девушки с недифференцированным (нейтральным) типом ролевой гендерной идентичности имеют более разнообразный спектр субъективных представлений о насилии по сравнению с респондентами, ориентированными на проявление в межличностном взаимодействии дихотомических моделей гендерного поведения, относящихся к «мужскому» или «женскому» нормативному образцу. Девушки с нейтральным типом ролевой гендерной идентичности способны к распознаванию большего разнообразия форм проявления насилия, склонны к гибкому использованию и сочетанию различных форм насилия в качестве средства достижения собственных целей с учетом складывающейся ситуации. Девушки с нормативной фемининной ролевой гендерной идентичностью в меньшей степени способны обращать внимание на неявные и скрытые формы насилия, особенно такого, которое проявляется на уровне межличностных отношений. В их представлениях насилие чаще имеет полярные формы проявления: либо как только физическое, либо исключительно психологическое. Также они чаще воспринимают в качестве насилия такие формы поведения, которые не являются таковыми в контексте взаимодействия. С учетом этого обстоятельства можно улучшить практики профилактики, коррекции и реабилитации женщин, совершивших насильственные преступления, а также снизить уровень выраженности в обществе крайних форм проявления женского насилия

A transitional fossil mite (Astigmata: Levantoglyphidae fam. n.) from the early Cretaceous suggests gradual evolution of phoresy-related metamorphosis

Abstract Metamorphosis is a key innovation allowing the same species to inhabit different environments and accomplish different functions, leading to evolutionary success in many animal groups. Astigmata is a megadiverse lineage of mites that expanded into a great number of habitats via associations with invertebrate and vertebrate hosts (human associates include stored food mites, house dust mites, and scabies). The evolutionary success of Astigmata is linked to phoresy-related metamorphosis, namely the origin of the heteromorphic deutonymph, which is highly specialized for phoresy (dispersal on hosts). The origin of this instar is enigmatic since it is morphologically divergent and no intermediate forms are known. Here we describe the heteromorphic deutonymph of Levantoglyphus sidorchukae n. gen. and sp. (Levantoglyphidae fam. n.) from early Cretaceous amber of Lebanon (129 Ma), which displays a transitional morphology. It is similar to extant phoretic deutonymphs in its modifications for phoresy but has the masticatory system and other parts of the gnathosoma well-developed. These aspects point to a gradual evolution of the astigmatid heteromorphic morphology and metamorphosis. The presence of well-developed presumably host-seeking sensory elements on the gnathosoma suggests that the deutonymph was not feeding either during phoretic or pre- or postphoretic periods

Narcissism and the strategic pursuit of short-term mating : universal links across 11 world regions of the International Sexuality Description Project-2.

Previous studies have documented links between sub-clinical narcissism and the active pursuit of short-term mating strategies (e.g., unrestricted sociosexuality, marital infidelity, mate poaching). Nearly all of these investigations have relied solely on samples from Western cultures. In the current study, responses from a cross-cultural survey of 30,470 people across 53 nations spanning 11 world regions (North America, Central/South America, Northern Europe, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Middle East, Africa, Oceania, Southeast Asia, and East Asia) were used to evaluate whether narcissism (as measured by the Narcissistic Personality Inventory; NPI) was universally associated with short-term mating. Results revealed narcissism scores (including two broad factors and seven traditional facets as measured by the NPI) were functionally equivalent across cultures, reliably associating with key sexual outcomes (e.g., more active pursuit of short-term mating, intimate partner violence, and sexual aggression) and sex-related personality traits (e.g., higher extraversion and openness to experience). Whereas some features of personality (e.g., subjective well-being) were universally associated with socially adaptive facets of Narcissism (e.g., self-sufficiency), most indicators of short-term mating (e.g., unrestricted sociosexuality and marital infidelity) were universally associated with the socially maladaptive facets of narcissism (e.g., exploitativeness). Discussion addresses limitations of these cross-culturally universal findings and presents suggestions for future research into revealing the precise psychological features of narcissism that facilitate the strategic pursuit of short-term mating

Narcisismo y búsqueda estratégica del emparejamiento a corto plazo a través de las culturas: Enlaces omnipresentes a través de 11 regiones mundiales del Proyecto de la descripción de la sexualidad internacional 2

Previous studies have documented links between sub-clinical narcissism and the active pursuit of short-term mating strategies (e.g., unrestricted sociosexuality, marital infidelity, mate poaching). Nearly all of these investigations have relied solely on samples from Western cultures. In the current study, responses from a cross-cultural survey of 30,470 people across 53 nations spanning 11 world regions (North America, Central/South America, Northern Europe, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Middle East, Africa, Oceania, Southeast Asia, and East Asia) were used to evaluate whether narcissism (as measured by the Narcissistic Personality Inventory; NPI) was universally associated with short-term mating. Results revealed narcissism scores (including two broad factors and seven traditional facets as measured by the NPI) were functionally equivalent across cultures, reliably associating with key sexual outcomes (e.g., more active pursuit of short-term mating, intimate partner violence, and sexual aggression) and sex-related personality traits (e.g., higher extraversion and openness to experience). Whereas some features of personality (e.g., subjective well-being) were universally associated with socially adaptive facets of Narcissism (e.g., self-sufficiency), most indicators of short-term mating (e.g., unrestricted sociosexuality and marital infidelity) were universally associated with the socially maladaptive facets of narcissism (e.g., exploitativeness). Discussion addresses limitations of these cross-culturally universal findings and presents suggestions for future research into revealing the precise psychological features of narcissism that facilitate the strategic pursuit of short-term mating.Estudios previos, en primer lugar a través de las muestras de culturas occidentales, han documentado asociaciones sistemáticas del narcisismo subclínico con múltiples indicadores de estrategias del emparejamiento a corto plazo (p. ej. sociosexualidad ilimitada, infidelidad, caza de pareja). En este estudio se han usado respuestas de la encuesta transcultural de 30.470 personas de 53 naciones de 11 regiones mundiales (América del Norte, América del Sur/América Central, Europa del Norte, Europa del Oeste, Europa del Este, Europa del Sur, Oriente Próximo, África, Asia del Sur/Sudoeste de Asia, Asia del Este y Oceanía) para evaluar si el narcisismo (medido por el Inventario de Personalidad Narcisista; NPI) se asocia panuniversalmente con los indicadores del emparejamiento a corto plazo, tanto en la dirección, como en la intensidad. Los resultados sugieren que el narcisismo (incluidos muchos aspectos suyos medidos por el NPI) tiene las mismas asociaciones básicas con los rasgos de personalidad relacionados con el sexo (p. ej. extraversión alta) y con los resultados sexuales claves (p. ej. búsqueda más activa de las estrategias del emparejamiento a corto plazo) a través de las 11 mayores regiones mundiales del PDSI 2. La discusión se enfoca en las implicaciones y limitaciones del estudio actual

The Constrained Maximal Expression Level Owing to Haploidy Shapes Gene Content on the Mammalian X Chromosome.

X chromosomes are unusual in many regards, not least of which is their nonrandom gene content. The causes of this bias are commonly discussed in the context of sexual antagonism and the avoidance of activity in the male germline. Here, we examine the notion that, at least in some taxa, functionally biased gene content may more profoundly be shaped by limits imposed on gene expression owing to haploid expression of the X chromosome. Notably, if the X, as in primates, is transcribed at rates comparable to the ancestral rate (per promoter) prior to the X chromosome formation, then the X is not a tolerable environment for genes with very high maximal net levels of expression, owing to transcriptional traffic jams. We test this hypothesis using The Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) and data from the Functional Annotation of the Mammalian Genome (FANTOM5) project. As predicted, the maximal expression of human X-linked genes is much lower than that of genes on autosomes: on average, maximal expression is three times lower on the X chromosome than on autosomes. Similarly, autosome-to-X retroposition events are associated with lower maximal expression of retrogenes on the X than seen for X-to-autosome retrogenes on autosomes. Also as expected, X-linked genes have a lesser degree of increase in gene expression than autosomal ones (compared to the human/Chimpanzee common ancestor) if highly expressed, but not if lowly expressed. The traffic jam model also explains the known lower breadth of expression for genes on the X (and the Z of birds), as genes with broad expression are, on average, those with high maximal expression. As then further predicted, highly expressed tissue-specific genes are also rare on the X and broadly expressed genes on the X tend to be lowly expressed, both indicating that the trend is shaped by the maximal expression level not the breadth of expression per se. Importantly, a limit to the maximal expression level explains biased tissue of expression profiles of X-linked genes. Tissues whose tissue-specific genes are very highly expressed (e.g., secretory tissues, tissues abundant in structural proteins) are also tissues in which gene expression is relatively rare on the X chromosome. These trends cannot be fully accounted for in terms of alternative models of biased expression. In conclusion, the notion that it is hard for genes on the Therian X to be highly expressed, owing to transcriptional traffic jams, provides a simple yet robustly supported rationale of many peculiar features of X's gene content, gene expression, and evolution