Generating Visual Arguments: a Media-independent Approach

... In this paper, we take the position that certain types of arguments that can be presented visually in information graphics (e.g., bar charts and scatter plots) can be generated from an underlying media-independent representation of a presentation. In support of this claim, first we briefly describe the architecture we are developing for the generation of integrated text and information graphics presentations. In this architecture, mediaindependent communicative acts are transformed into user task specifications which are the basis for the automatic design of the presentation's graphics. Then we present an example showing correspondences between the media-independent representation of an argument and the tasks that would be used to design a graphic expressing the argument

Global Burden Related to Nitrous Oxide Exposure in Medical and Recreational Settings: A Systematic Review and Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis.

The risk of adverse effects of nitrous oxide (N2O) exposure is insufficiently recognized despite its widespread use. These effects are mainly reported through case reports. We conducted an individual patient data meta-analysis to assess the prevalence of clinical, laboratory, and magnetic resonance findings in association with N2O exposure in medical and recreational settings. We calculated the pooled estimates for the studied outcomes and assessed the potential bias related to population stratification using principal component analysis. Eighty-five publications met the inclusion criteria and reported on 100 patients with a median age of 27 years and 57% of recreational users. The most frequent outcomes were subacute combined degeneration (28%), myelopathy (26%), and generalized demyelinating polyneuropathy (23%). A T2 signal hyperintensity in the spinal cord was reported in 68% (57.2-78.8%) of patients. The most frequent clinical manifestations included paresthesia (80%; 72.0-88.0%), unsteady gait (58%; 48.2-67.8%), and weakness (43%; 33.1-52.9%). At least one hematological abnormality was retrieved in 71.7% (59.9-83.4%) of patients. Most patients had vitamin B12 deficiency: vitamin B12 <150 pmol/L (70.7%; 60.7-80.8%), homocysteine >15 µmol/L (90.3%; 79.3-100%), and methylmalonic acid >0.4 µmol/L (93.8%; 80.4-100%). Consistently, 85% of patients exhibited a possibly or probably deficient vitamin B12 status according to the cB12 scoring system. N2O can produce severe outcomes, with neurological or hematological disorders in almost all published cases. More than half of them are reported in the setting of recreational use. The N2O-related burden is dominated by vitamin B12 deficiency. This highlights the need to evaluate whether correcting B12 deficiency would prevent N2O-related toxicity, particularly in countries with a high prevalence of B12 deficiency

A common variant associated with dyslexia reduces expression of the KIAA0319 gene

This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust (MYD, SP, TSS, JCK, RWM, PC, SB, and APM), the Intramural Research Programs of the National Human Genome Research Institute (MYD and EDG) and National Cancer Institute (MPO), and the NIH/Ox-Cam Graduate Partnership Program (MYD).Numerous genetic association studies have implicated the KIAA0319 gene on human chromosome 6p22 in dyslexia susceptibility. The causative variant(s) remains unknown but may modulate gene expression, given that (1) a dyslexia-associated haplotype has been implicated in the reduced expression of KIAA0319, and (2) the strongest association has been found for the region spanning exon 1 of KIAA0319. Here, we test the hypothesis that variant(s) responsible for reduced KIAA0319 expression resides on the risk haplotype close to the gene's transcription start site. We identified seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms on the risk haplotype immediately upstream of KIAA0319 and determined that three of these are strongly associated with multiple reading-related traits. Using luciferase-expressing constructs containing the KIAA0319 upstream region, we characterized the minimal promoter and additional putative transcriptional regulator regions. This revealed that the minor allele of rs9461045, which shows the strongest association with dyslexia in our sample (max p-value = 0.0001), confers reduced luciferase expression in both neuronal and non-neuronal cell lines. Additionally, we found that the presence of this rs9461045 dyslexia-associated allele creates a nuclear protein-binding site, likely for the transcriptional silencer OCT-1. Knocking down OCT-1 expression in the neuronal cell line SHSY5Y using an siRNA restores KIAA0319 expression from the risk haplotype to nearly that seen from the non-risk haplotype. Our study thus pinpoints a common variant as altering the function of a dyslexia candidate gene and provides an illustrative example of the strategic approach needed to dissect the molecular basis of complex genetic traits.PostprintPeer reviewe

Molecular taxonomic, epidemiological and population genetic approaches to understanding yam anthracnose disease

Water yam (Dioscorea alata L.) is the most widely cultivated yam species globally. The major limitation to the profitable and sustainable production of D. alata is its susceptibility to anthracnose disease. The availability of resistant varieties could potentially form the cornerstone of an integrated management strategy for yam anthracnose; however, anthracnose resistance breeding is hampered by the dearth of knowledge on pathogen identity and diversity. Four forms of Colletotrichum are now known to be associated with foliar anthracnose of yam: the slow-growing grey (SGG), the fast-growing salmon (FGS), the fast-growing olive (FGO), and the fast-growing grey (FGG) forms. The close phylogenetic relationship of the first three forms to reference isolates of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and the fact that only strains of these forms have been observed to induce typical anthracnose symptoms on D. alata, recently confirmed that C. gloeosporioides is the causal agent of yam anthracnose disease. The FGG form possibly represents a distinct, endophytic, species as indicated by morphological, biological and molecular criteria. Previous research emphasized epidemiology and control but limited progress was made in understanding yam anthracnose disease based on this classical approach. Molecular approaches have started to unravel the systematics and ecology of Colletotrichum strains associated with yam anthracnose, as well the population biology of C. gloeosporioides on yam. Sexual recombination is a likely mechanism contributing to the high genetic diversity of C. gloeosporioides in yam-based cropping systems. Studies have been initiated to understand the mechanisms that generate genetic variation in C. gloeosporioides, and to gain some insight into the biochemistry of the interactions between the pathogen and yam. Our thesis in this article is that integrating traditional and molecular approaches to understanding C. gloeosporioides systematics, epidemiology and population genetics will lead to a much better understanding of yam anthracnose disease, and thus to the development of effective and sustainable control measures. Research successes and challenges are discussed, as well as their implications for future studies on pathogen evolutionary potential, anthracnose resistance breeding, and the deployment of resistance genes. Key words: Anthracnose, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Dioscorea spp., molecular markers, molecular systematics, population biology, resistance breeding, yam. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 2 (12), pp. 486-496, December 200

Hydrodynamic coupling and rotational mobilities near planar elastic membranes

We study theoretically and numerically the coupling and rotational hydrodynamic interactions between spherical particles near a planar elastic membrane that exhibits resistance towards shear and bending. Using a combination of the multipole expansion and Faxen's theorems, we express the frequency-dependent hydrodynamic mobility functions as a power series of the ratio of the particle radius to the distance from the membrane for the self mobilities, and as a power series of the ratio of the radius to the interparticle distance for the pair mobilities. In the quasi-steady limit of zero frequency, we find that the shear- and bending-related contributions to the particle mobilities may have additive or suppressive effects depending on the membrane properties in addition to the geometric configuration of the interacting particles relative to the confining membrane. To elucidate the effect and role of the change of sign observed in the particle self and pair mobilities, we consider an example involving a torque-free doublet of counterrotating particles near an elastic membrane. We find that the induced rotation rate of the doublet around its center of mass may differ in magnitude and direction depending on the membrane shear and bending properties. Near a membrane of only energetic resistance toward shear deformation, such as that of a certain type of elastic capsules, the doublet undergoes rotation of the same sense as observed near a no-slip wall. Near a membrane of only energetic resistance toward bending, such as that of a fluid vesicle, we find a reversed sense of rotation. Our analytical predictions are supplemented and compared with fully resolved boundary integral simulations where a very good agreement is obtained over the whole range of applied frequencies.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures. Revised manuscript resubmitted to J. Chem. Phy

Microcraters in aluminum foils exposed by Stardust

We will present preliminary results on the nature and size frequency distribution of microcraters that formed in aluminum foils during the flyby of comet Wild 2 by the Stardust spacecraft

Is late-life dependency increasing or not? A comparison of the Cognitive Function and Ageing Studies (CFAS)

Background: Little is known about how dependency levels have changed between generational cohorts of older people. We estimated years lived in different care states at age 65 in 1991 and 2011 and new projections of future demand for care. Methods: Two population-based studies of older people in defined geographical areas conducted two decades apart (the Cognitive Function and Ageing Studies) provided prevalence estimates of dependency in four states: high (24-hour care); medium (daily care); low (less than daily); independent. Years in each dependency state were calculated by Sullivan’s method. To project future demand, the proportions in each dependency state (by age group and sex) were applied to the 2014 England population projections. Findings: Between 1991 and 2011 there were significant increases in years lived from age 65 with low (men:1·7 years, 95%CI 1·0-2·4; women:2·4 years, 95%CI 1·8-3·1) and high dependency (men:0·9 years, 95%CI 0·2-1·7; women:1·3 years, 95%CI 0·5-2·1). The majority of men’s extra years of life were independent (36%) or with low dependency (36%) whilst for women the majority were spent with low dependency (58%), only 5% being independent. There were substantial reductions in the proportions with medium and high dependency who lived in care homes, although, if these dependency and care home proportions remain constant in the future, further population ageing will require an extra 71,000 care home places by 2025. Interpretation: On average older men now spend 2.4 years and women 3.0 years with substantial care needs (medium or high dependency), and most will live in the community. These findings have considerable implications for older people’s families who provide the majority of unpaid care, but the findings also supply valuable new information for governments and care providers planning the resources and funding required for the care of their future ageing populations

Meet the family the catalog of known hot subdwarf stars

In preparation for the upcoming all-sky data releases of the Gaia mission, we compiled a catalog of known hot subdwarf stars and candidates drawn from the literature and yet unpublished databases. The catalog contains 5613 unique sources and provides multi-band photometry from the ultraviolet to the far infrared, ground based proper motions, classifications based on spectroscopy and colors, published atmospheric parameters, radial velocities and light curve variability information. Using several different techniques, we removed outliers and misclassified objects. By matching this catalog with astrometric and photometric data from the Gaia mission, we will develop selection criteria to construct a homogeneous, magnitude-limited all-sky catalog of hot subdwarf stars based on Gaia data. As first application of the catalog data, we present the quantitative spectral analysis of 280 sdB and sdOB stars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7. Combining our derived parameters with state-of-the-art proper motions, we performed a full kinematic analysis of our sample. This allowed us to separate the first significantly large sample of 78 sdBs and sdOBs belonging to the Galactic halo. Comparing the properties of hot subdwarfs from the disk and the halo with hot subdwarf samples from the globular clusters ! Cen and NGC 2808, we found the fraction of intermediate He-sdOBs in the field halo population to be significantly smaller than in the globular clusters