I read it on reddit: Exploring the role of online communities in the 2016 US elections news cycle

Reddit has developed into a significant platform for political discussion among Millennials. In this exploratory study, we examine subscription trends on three political sub-forums on Reddit during the 2016 US presidential elections: /The_Donald, /SandersForPresident, and /HillaryClinton. As a theoretical framework, we draw from work on online communities’ group identity and cohesion. Concretely, we investigate how subscription dynamics relate to positive, negative and neutral news events occurring during the election cycle. We classify news events using a sentiment analysis of event-related news headlines. We observe that users who supported Sanders displayed no consolidation of support for Clinton after she won the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. Secondly, we show that negative news events affected Sanders and Clintons subscription trends negatively, while showing no effect for Donald Trump. This gives empirical credence to Trump’s controversial claim that he could “stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and not lose any voters”. We offer a number of explanations for the observed phenomena: the nature of the content of the three subreddits, their cultural dynamics, and changing dynamics of partisanship. We posit that the ‘death of expertise’ expresses itself on Reddit as a switch in persuasion tactics from a policy-based to an emotions-based approach, and that group members’ agreement on policy proved a weak marker for online communities’ group identity and cohesion. We also claim that strong partisanship coupled with weak party affiliation among Millennials contributed to the low levels of Democratic support consolidation after Clinton won the nomination

Synthesis of Indium Nanowires by Galvanic Displacement and Their Optical Properties

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Single crystalline indium nanowires were prepared on Zn substrate which had been treated in concentrated sulphuric acid by galvanic displacement in the 0.002 mol L^&#8722;1In₂(SO₄)₃-0.002 mol L^&#8722;1SeO₂-0.02 mol L^&#8722;1SDS-0.01 mol L^&#8722;1citric acid aqueous solution. The typical diameter of indium nanowires is 30 nm and most of the nanowires are over 30 &#956;m in length. XRD, HRTEM, SAED and structural simulation clearly demonstrate that indium nanowires are single-crystalline with the tetragonal structure, the growth direction of the nanowires is along [100] facet. The UV-Vis absorption spectra showed that indium nanowires display typical transverse resonance of SPR properties. The surfactant (SDS) and the pretreatment of Zn substrate play an important role in the growth process. The mechanism of indium nanowires growth is the synergic effect of treated Zn substrate (hard template) and SDS (soft template).</p

Interaction Between Convection and Pulsation

This article reviews our current understanding of modelling convection dynamics in stars. Several semi-analytical time-dependent convection models have been proposed for pulsating one-dimensional stellar structures with different formulations for how the convective turbulent velocity field couples with the global stellar oscillations. In this review we put emphasis on two, widely used, time-dependent convection formulations for estimating pulsation properties in one-dimensional stellar models. Applications to pulsating stars are presented with results for oscillation properties, such as the effects of convection dynamics on the oscillation frequencies, or the stability of pulsation modes, in classical pulsators and in stars supporting solar-type oscillations.Comment: Invited review article for Living Reviews in Solar Physics. 88 pages, 14 figure

A prospective cohort study of postoperative complications in the management of perforated peptic ulcer

BACKGROUND: With dwindling rates of postoperative mortality in perforated peptic ulcer that is attributable to H(2)-receptor blocker usage, there is a need to shift the focus towards the prevention of postoperative morbidity. Further, the simultaneous contribution of several putative clinical predictors to this postoperative morbidity is not fully appreciated. Our objective was to assess the predictors of the risk, rate and number of postoperative complications in surgically treated patients of perforated peptic ulcer. METHODS: In a prospective cohort study of 96 subjects presenting as perforated peptic ulcer and treated using Graham's omentoplatsy patch or gastrojejunostomy (with total truncal vagotomy), we assessed the association of clinical predictors with three domains of postoperative complications: the risk of developing a complication, the rate of developing the first complication and the risk of developing higher number of complications. We used multiple regression methods – logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards regression and Poisson regression, respectively – to examine the association of the predictors with these three domains. RESULTS: We observed that the risk of developing a postoperative complication was significantly influenced by the presence of a concomitant medical illness [odds ratio (OR) = 8.9, p = 0.001], abdominal distension (3.8, 0.048) and a need of blood transfusion (OR = 8.2, p = 0.027). Using Poisson regression, it was observed that the risk for a higher number of complications was influenced by the same three factors [relative risk (RR) = 2.6, p = 0.015; RR = 4.6, p < 0.001; and RR = 2.4, p = 0.002; respectively]. However, the rate of development of complications was influenced by a history suggestive of shock [relative hazards (RH) = 3.4, p = 0.002] and A(- )blood group (RH = 4.7, p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Abdominal distension, presence of a concomitant medical illness and a history suggestive of shock at the time of admission warrant a closer and alacritous postoperative management in patients of perforated peptic ulcer

Conformational Determinants of Phosphotyrosine Peptides Complexed with the Src SH2 Domain

The inhibition of specific SH2 domain mediated protein-protein interactions as an effective chemotherapeutic approach in the treatment of diseases remains a challenge. That different conformations of peptide-ligands are preferred by different SH2 domains is an underappreciated observation from the structural analysis of phosphotyrosine peptide binding to SH2 domains that may aid in future drug design. To explore the nature of ligand binding, we use simulated annealing (SA) to sample the conformational space of phosphotyrosine-containing peptides complexed with the Src SH2 domain. While in good agreement with the crystallographic and NMR studies of high-affinity phosphopeptide-SH2 domain complexes, the results suggest that the structural basis for phopsphopeptide- Src SH2 interactions is more complex than the “two-pronged plug two-hole socket” model. A systematic study of peptides of type pYEEX, where pY is phosphotyrosine and X is a hydrophobic residue, indicates that these peptides can assume two conformations, one extended and one helical, representing the balance between the interaction of residue X with the hydrophobic hole on the surface of the Src SH2 domain, and its contribution to the inherent tendency of the two glutamic acids to form an α-helix. In contrast, a β-turn conformation, almost identical to that observed in the crystal structure of pYVNV bound to the Grb2 SH2 domain, predominates for pYXNX peptides, even in the presence of isoleucine at the third position. While peptide binding affinities, as measured by fluorescence polarization, correlate with the relative proportion of extended peptide conformation, these results suggest a model where all three residues C-terminal to the phosphotyrosine determine the conformation of the bound phosphopeptide. The information obtained in this work can be used in the design of specific SH2 domain inhibitors

Diagnosis and treatment delay among pulmonary tuberculosis patients identified using the Taiwan reporting enquiry system, 2002–2006

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The tuberculosis reporting enquiry system was launched in Taiwan in 2001. Tuberculosis has been categorized as the third most important notifiable disease in Taiwan and the time required for reporting has been shortened to 7 days.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 114,827 cases were reported using the Taiwan enquiry system between 2002 and 2006; of these, 26,027 (22.7%) were finally diagnosed as not being tuberculosis, 7,005 (8.2%) were diagnosed as extra-pulmonary tuberculosis and 3,677 (3.2%) were not a first-time diagnosis of tuberculosis, and these cases were hence excluded. Diagnosis time was defined as the length of time between the first medical examination (including chest radiography, sputum smear or sputum culture) to the diagnosis of PTB; treatment time was defined as the period from the diagnosis of PTB to the initiation of treatment. Using the cut-off at the 75^thpercentile, a period of longer than 9 days was defined as a <it>diagnosis delay </it>and a period of longer than 2 days as a <it>treatment delay</it>. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to analyze the risk factors associated with these delays.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the five-year study period, among the 78,118 new PTB patients reported in Taiwan, the mean diagnosis and treatment times were 12 and 5 days and the median times 1 day and 0 days, respectively. In total, 24.9% of the new PTB patients' diagnosis time delays were longer than 9 days and 20.3% of the patients' treatment time delays were longer than 2 days. The main factors associated with diagnosis delay included age, reporting year, living with family and a positive sputum culture (<it>p </it>< 0.0001); the risk factors significantly associated with treatment delay were increased age, an aboriginal ethnic background, a positive sputum culture and diagnosis at a non-medical center (<it>p </it>< 0.0001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The Taiwan TB reporting enquiry system has successfully increased the confirmed PTB reporting rate from 64.4% to 71.5%. Greater age and a positive sputum culture were both found to significantly increase both diagnosis and treatment delays; treatment delay is also significantly affected by the patient having an aboriginal ethnic background and being diagnosed at a non-medical center.</p

PS Integrins and Laminins: Key Regulators of Cell Migration during Drosophila Embryogenesis

During embryonic development, there are numerous cases where organ or tissue formation depends upon the migration of primordial cells. In the Drosophila embryo, the visceral mesoderm (vm) acts as a substrate for the migration of several cell populations of epithelial origin, including the endoderm, the trachea and the salivary glands. These migratory processes require both integrins and laminins. The current model is that αPS1βPS (PS1) and/or αPS3βPS (PS3) integrins are required in migrating cells, whereas αPS2βPS (PS2) integrin is required in the vm, where it performs an as yet unidentified function. Here, we show that PS1 integrins are also required for the migration over the vm of cells of mesodermal origin, the caudal visceral mesoderm (CVM). These results support a model in which PS1 might have evolved to acquire the migratory function of integrins, irrespective of the origin of the tissue. This integrin function is highly specific and its specificity resides mainly in the extracellular domain. In addition, we have identified the Laminin α1,2 trimer, as the key extracellular matrix (ECM) component regulating CVM migration. Furthermore, we show that, as it is the case in vertebrates, integrins, and specifically PS2, contributes to CVM movement by participating in the correct assembly of the ECM that serves as tracks for migration

siRNA-Based Targeting of Cyclin E Overexpression Inhibits Breast Cancer Cell Growth and Suppresses Tumor Development in Breast Cancer Mouse Model

Cyclin E is aberrantly expressed in many types of cancer including breast cancer. High levels of the full length as well as the low molecular weight isoforms of cyclin E are associated with poor prognosis of breast cancer patients. Notably, cyclin E overexpression is also correlated with triple-negative basal-like breast cancers, which lack specific therapeutic targets. In this study, we used siRNA to target cyclin E overexpression and assessed its ability to suppress breast cancer growth in nude mice. Our results revealed that cyclin E siRNA could effectively inhibit overexpression of both full length and low molecular weight isoforms of cyclin E. We found that depletion of cyclin E promoted apoptosis of cyclin E-overexpressing cells and blocked their proliferation and transformation phenotypes. Significantly, we further demonstrated that administration of cyclin E siRNA could inhibit breast tumor growth in nude mice. In addition, we found that cyclin E siRNA synergistically enhanced the cell killing effects of doxorubicin in cell culture and this combination greatly suppressed the tumor growth in mice. In conclusion, our results indicate that cyclin E, which is overexpressed in 30% of breast cancer, may serve as a novel and effective therapeutic target. More importantly, our study clearly demonstrates a very promising therapeutic potential of cyclin E siRNA for treating the cyclin E-overexpressing breast cancers, including the very malignant triple-negative breast cancers

Inducing Ni Sensitivity in the Ni Hyperaccumulator Plant Alyssum inflatum Nyárády (Brassicaceae) by Transforming with CAX1, a Vacuolar Membrane Calcium Transporter

The importance of calcium in nickel tolerance was studied in the nickel hyperaccumulator plant Alyssum inflatum by gene transformation of CAX1, a vacuolar membrane transporter that reduces cytosolic calcium. CAX1 from Arabidopsis thaliana with a CaMV35S promoter accompanying a kanamycin resistance gene was transferred into A. inflatum using Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Transformed calli were subcultured three times on kanamycin-rich media and transformation was confirmed by PCR using a specific primer for CAX1. At least 10 callus lines were used as a pool of transformed material. Both transformed and untransformed calli were treated with varying concentrations of either calcium (1–15 mM) or nickel (0– 500 lM) to compare their responses to those ions. Increased external calcium generally led to increased callus biomass, however, the increase was greater for untransformed callus. Further, increased external calcium led to increased callus calcium concentrations. Transformed callus was less nickel tolerant than untransformed callus: under increasing nickel concentrations callus relative growth rate was significantly less for transformed callus. Transformed callus also contained significantly less nickel than untransformed callus when exposed to the highest external nickel concentration (200 lM). We suggest that transformation with CAX1 decreased cytosolic calcium and resulted in decreased nickel tolerance. This in turn suggests that, at low cytosolic calcium concentrations, other nickel tolerance mechanisms (e.g., complexation and vacuolar sequestration) are insufficient for nickel tolerance. We propose that high cytosolic calcium is an important mechanism that results in nickel tolerance by nickel hyperaccumulator plants