Regeneration Ecology of Chrysopogon aucheri and Cymbopogon jwarancusa in Grasslands of Upland Balochistan , Pakistan

Field experiments were conducted to investigate the seed attributes, movements and fates of dispersal units, and seedling establishment of Chrysopogon aucheri and Cymbopogon jwarancusa in a representative grassland ecosystem in upland Balochistan, Pakistan. Cymbopogon jwarancusa had more filled and viable caryopses than Chrysopogon aucheri. Seeds (spikelets) of both species had similar morphological features. Chrysopogon aucheri had one dispersal unit, a triplet spikelet. Cymbopogon jwarancusa had four types of dispersal units: a paired spikelet, a partial raceme, an entire raceme, and a partial inflorescence comprised of two racemes. Paired spikelets and partial racemes of Cymbopogon jwarancusa had greater mean dispersal distances (94 and 101 cm) from the edge of the basal crown of marked plants to the ground surface than triplet spikelets of Chrysopogon aucheri (79 cm). Spikelets of Cymbopogon jwarancusa and Chrysopogon aucheri moved mean distances of 26 and 32 cm, respectively, on the ground surface before becoming trapped in a microhabitat. The mean angle of dispersal for both species was toward the northeast, according to the prevailing wind direction. An ant (Tica verona) was the only detected seed (spikelet) predator for Chrysopogon aucheri. Both species had a weakly persistent soil seed bank, with higher amounts of seeds found under plant canopies compared to open interspaces. The recruitment of Chrysopogon aucheri and Cymbopogon jwarancusa seedlings from the natural seed bank was monitored in seven different microhabitats under natural and above-normal precipitation regimes . Above-normal precipitation increased seedling recruitment for both species in all microhabitats. Cymbopogon jwarancusa had higher seedling densities than Chrysopogon auchfiri. Seedling survival and tiller development for both species were greatest in the gravel microhabitat in the natural precipitation treatment. Monsoon rains in late July enhanced emergence of both species from recently dispersed seeds but emerged seedlings did not survive to the end of the growing season. The field studies indicate that Cymbopogon jwarancusa has a greater regeneration potential than Chrysopogon aucheri in this grassland ecosystem in upland Balochistan. It may be difficult to increase the composition of Chrysopogon aucheri, the more desirable species in these grasslands, when using management techniques that rely on natural regeneration

Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Biopsy for Diagnosis of Mediastinal Lymphadenopathy in Patients with Extrathoracic Malignancy

Mediastinal lymphadenopathy associated with extrathoracic malignancy or a metastasis of unknown origin (MUO) requires pathological verification. Surgical exploration or endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration is limited to application. We investigated the effectiveness of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle biopsy (EBUS-TBNA) for evaluating mediastinal lymphadenopathy in patients with an extrathoracic malignancy. We retrospectively analyzed data from 59 patients who underwent EBUS-TBNA with a core biopsy because of a suspected mediastinal metastasis between September 2008 and August 2010. All patients had previously been diagnosed with an extrathoracic malignancy (n = 39, 66.1%) or a suspected MUO without a thoracic lesion (n = 20, 33.9%). A total of 88 lymph nodes was analyzed. EBUS-TBNA findings indicated malignancies in 34 patients (57.6%). The EBUS-TBNA sensitivity and specificity for the detection of mediastinal malignancy in patients with a previous extrathoracic malignancy were 96.3% and 100%, respectively. For MUO patients without a thoracic lesion, the sensitivity and specificity were 61.5% and 100%, respectively. The overall sensitivity and specificity were 81.0% and 100%, respectively (P = 0.053). EBUS-TBNA is a safe and effective modality for evaluating mediastinal lymphadenopathy in patients with a previous extrathoracic malignancy or a MUO without a thoracic lesion. The application of this diagnostic tool is likely to have significant clinical implications

A Comparative Performance Analysis of Sonata in A Major, Op. 162, D. 574 for Violin and Piano by Franz Peter Schubert

Schubert composed works in various genres, including art song, opera, chamber, orchestral, piano and sacred music, as did Viennese composers of previous generations. But, he only wrote four sonatas for violin and piano: Sonatas in D major, A minor, G minor, and A major, the first three written in 1816 and the last in 1817. Of these sonatas, the first three are usually listed and programmed as sonatinas. The last is often referred to as a Duo. The first three works are simple in terms of musical depth and style, but the A Major Sonata is more developed, even though it was written just a year after the other three. Thus, this dissertation studies the Sonata in A major, D. 574, op. 162 for violin and piano. There are as many interpretations of the Sonata as there are recordings. For this study, I have selected recordings of the piece from different periods and analyzed the ways in which each performer executes various aspects of violin technique. The purpose of this document is to serve as a reference for violinists studying the Schubert violin Sonata, Op. 162. The study compares the interpretation of the piece based on five recordings—those of violinists Fritz Kreisler, Michael Rabin, Rafael Druian, Gidon Kremer, and Julia Fischer. The first recording is from 1928, the next two are from the mid twentieth century, and the last two are from 1993 and 2009

Regulatory Sentiment and Economic Performance

Regulatory sentiment refers to the market’s subjective evaluation of regulatory reform and is one of the most widely adopted indicators to those charged with implementing and diagnosing regulatory policies. The use of regulatory sentiment in advanced analysis has become universal, albeit it is often limited due to difficulties in articulating consistent and objective quantitative indicators that can meticulously reflect market sentiment overall. Thus, despite ample effort by scholars to read the economic impact of regulatory sentiment in the real economy, causal links are difficult to spot. To fill this gap in the literature, this study analyzes a regulatory sentiment index and economic performance indicators through a text analysis approach and by inspecting diverse tones in media articles. Using different stages of tests, the paper identifies a causal relationship between regulatory sentiment and actual economic activities as measured by private consumption, facility investment, construction investment, gross domestic investment, and employment. Additionally, as a result of analyzing one-unit impulse of regulatory perception, the initial impact on economic growth and private investment was found to be negligible; this was followed by a positive (+) response, after which it converged to zero. Construction investment showed a positive (+) response initially, which then rapidly changed to a negative (-) response and then converged to zero. Gross domestic investment as the initial effect was negligible after showing a positive (+) reaction. Unfortunately, the facility investment outcome was found to be insignificant in the impulse response test. Nevertheless, it can be concluded that it is necessary and important to increase the sensitivity to regulations to promote the economic effectiveness of regulatory reforms. Thus, instead of dealing with policies with the vague goal of merely improving regulatory sentiment, using regulatory sentiment as an indicator of major policies could be an effective approach

Development and Effectiveness Evaluation of the STEAM Education Program on Food Groups for Kindergarteners

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education program on the use of specific food groups in improving nutrition-related knowledge and attitude, dietary behavior, creative problem solving, and STEAM attitude. Methods: We selected two classes at a kindergarten in Jeollabuk-do, South Korea. A total of 44 kindergarteners from the two classrooms participated in this study. The experimental group and the control group were formed with 22 students each. The experimental group attended 11 STEAM classes on the use of the grain, fruit, and milk food groups. First, we performed the paired t-test to examine changes from pre-to-post classes for both groups. Then, we used ANCOVA to compare post-test scores between the experimental and control groups with the adjustment of pre-test scores. Results: The results demonstrate that the STEAM education program on the use of the food groups significantly improved (1) nutrition-related knowledge and attitude, and dietary behavior (P < 0.001), (2) creative problem solving (P < 0.001), and (3) STEAM attitude (P < 0.001) in the intervention group when compared with the control group. Conclusions: The STEAM education program on the use of food groups is effective in enhancing nutrition knowledge and attitude, dietary behavior, creative problem solving, and STEAM attitudes among kindergarten students

Possibility of large-area carbon nanotube films formation through spray coating

Abstract This study deals with the process of developing and optimizing the spray coating method for large-area deposition of carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes have excellent electrical and thermal properties and strength, so they are used in various fields of application. However, existing deposition methods have limitations. In this study, the possibility of the spray coating method for large-area deposition of carbon nanotubes is presented, and additional conditions for this are introduced. A spray coating solution was prepared using dichlorobenzene as a solvent for 3 mg carbon nanotubes. By controlling the spray coating speed, the spray coating conditions were optimized by analyzing the surface shape, structure, and resistance of the deposited carbon nanotubes. As a result, we confirmed the possibility of depositing carbon nanotubes on a large area through the spray coating method, and it is expected to contribute to increasing the application possibilities in industrial and scientific fields

Characterization of the Antimicrobial Activities of <i>Trichoplusia ni</i> Cecropin A as a High-Potency Therapeutic against Colistin-Resistant <i>Escherichia coli</i>

The spread of colistin-resistant bacteria is a serious threat to public health. As an alternative to traditional antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) show promise against multidrug resistance. In this study, we investigated the activity of the insect AMP Tricoplusia ni cecropin A (T. ni cecropin) against colistin-resistant bacteria. T. ni cecropin exhibited significant antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against colistin-resistant Escherichia coli (ColREC) with low cytotoxicity against mammalian cells in vitro. Results of permeabilization of the ColREC outer membrane as monitored through 1-N-phenylnaphthylamine uptake, scanning electron microscopy, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) neutralization, and LPS-binding interaction revealed that T. ni cecropin manifested antibacterial activity by targeting the outer membrane of E. coli with strong interaction with LPS. T. ni cecropin specifically targeted toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and showed anti-inflammatory activities with a significant reduction of inflammatory cytokines in macrophages stimulated with either LPS or ColREC via blockade of TLR4-mediated inflammatory signaling. Moreover, T. ni cecropin exhibited anti-septic effects in an LPS-induced endotoxemia mouse model, confirming its LPS-neutralizing activity, immunosuppressive effect, and recovery of organ damage in vivo. These findings demonstrate that T. ni cecropin exerts strong antimicrobial activities against ColREC and could serve as a foundation for the development of AMP therapeutics

A Deep Learning–Based Approach for Prediction of Vancomycin Treatment Monitoring: Retrospective Study Among Patients With Critical Illness

BackgroundVancomycin pharmacokinetics are highly variable in patients with critical illnesses, and clinicians commonly use population pharmacokinetic (PPK) models based on a Bayesian approach to dose. However, these models are population-dependent, may only sometimes meet the needs of individual patients, and are only used by experienced clinicians as a reference for making treatment decisions. To assist real-world clinicians, we developed a deep learning–based decision-making system that predicts vancomycin therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) levels in patients in intensive care unit. ObjectiveThis study aimed to establish joint multilayer perceptron (JointMLP), a new deep-learning model for predicting vancomycin TDM levels, and compare its performance with the PPK models, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and TabNet. MethodsWe used a 977-case data set split into training and testing groups in a 9:1 ratio. We performed external validation of the model using 1429 cases from Kangwon National University Hospital and 2394 cases from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care–IV (MIMIC-IV). In addition, we performed 10-fold cross-validation on the internal training data set and calculated the 95% CIs using the metric. Finally, we evaluated the generalization ability of the JointMLP model using the MIMIC-IV data set. ResultsOur JointMLP model outperformed other models in predicting vancomycin TDM levels in internal and external data sets. Compared to PPK, the JointMLP model improved predictive power by up to 31% (mean absolute error [MAE] 6.68 vs 5.11) on the internal data set and 81% (MAE 11.87 vs 6.56) on the external data set. In addition, the JointMLP model significantly outperforms XGBoost and TabNet, with a 13% (MAE 5.75 vs 5.11) and 14% (MAE 5.85 vs 5.11) improvement in predictive accuracy on the inner data set, respectively. On both the internal and external data sets, our JointMLP model performed well compared to XGBoost and TabNet, achieving prediction accuracy improvements of 34% and 14%, respectively. Additionally, our JointMLP model showed higher robustness to outlier data than the other models, as evidenced by its higher root mean squared error performance across all data sets. The mean errors and variances of the JointMLP model were close to zero and smaller than those of the PPK model in internal and external data sets. ConclusionsOur JointMLP approach can help optimize treatment outcomes in patients with critical illnesses in an intensive care unit setting, reducing side effects associated with suboptimal vancomycin administration. These include increased risk of bacterial resistance, extended hospital stays, and increased health care costs. In addition, the superior performance of our model compared to existing models highlights its potential to help real-world clinicians

A Deficiency of the Psychiatric Risk Gene DLG2/PSD-93 Causes Excitatory Synaptic Deficits in the Dorsolateral Striatum

Genetic variations resulting in the loss of function of the discs large homologs (DLG2)/postsynaptic density protein-93 (PSD-93) gene have been implicated in the increased risk for schizophrenia, intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Previously, we have reported that mice lacking exon 14 of the Dlg2 gene (Dlg2(-/-) mice) display autistic-like behaviors, including social deficits and increased repetitive behaviors, as well as suppressed spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents in the striatum. However, the neural substrate underpinning such aberrant synaptic network activity remains unclear. Here, we found that the corticostriatal synaptic transmission was significantly impaired in Dlg2(-/-) mice, which did not seem attributed to defects in presynaptic releases of cortical neurons, but to the reduced number of functional synapses in the striatum, as manifested in the suppressed frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents in spiny projection neurons (SPNs). Using transmission electron microscopy, we found that both the density of postsynaptic densities and the fraction of perforated synapses were significantly decreased in the Dlg2(-/-) dorsolateral striatum. The density of dendritic spines was significantly reduced in striatal SPNs, but notably, not in the cortical pyramidal neurons of Dlg2(-/-) mice. Furthermore, a DLG2/PSD-93 deficiency resulted in the compensatory increases of DLG4/PSD-95 and decreases in the expression of TrkA in the striatum, but not particularly in the cortex. These results suggest that striatal dysfunction might play a role in the pathology of psychiatric disorders that are associated with a disruption of the Dlg2 gene.11Nsciescopu