Discovery of relevant response in infected potato plants from time series of gene expression data

The paper presents a methodology for analyzing time series of gene expression data collected from the leaves of potato virus Y (PVY) infected and non-infected potato plants, with the aim to identify significant differences between the two sets of potato plants’ characteristic for various time points. We aim at identifying differentially- expressed genes whose expression values are statistically significantly different in the set of PVY infected potato plants compared to non- infected plants, and which demonstrate also statistically significant changes of expression values of genes of PVY infected potato plants in time. The novelty of the approach includes stratified data randomization used in estimating the statistical properties of gene expression of the samples in the control set of non-infected potato plants. A novel estimate that computes the relative minimal distance between the samples has been defined that enables reliable identification of the differences between the target and control datasets when these sets are small. The relevance of the outcomes is demonstrated by visualizing the relative minimal distance of gene expression changes in time for three different types of potato leaves for the genes that have been identified as relevant by the proposed methodology

Humanistic Approach to Early Childhood Education in the Educational Philosophy of Rudolf Steiner

The unassailable empirical fact that Waldorf education has existed, endured and evolved for almost a century. It provides one with a legitimate propensity to engage and research into humanistic aspects of early childhood education in Steiner’s philosophical and pedagogical inclinations. In that respect, the first development cycle, which refers to the education of children in early years of development, represents the foundation of any further growth, as well as of structuring a healthy qualitatively-voluntaristic personality aspect. The essential feature of early childhood can be observed in a complex interplay of a myriad of holistic and integrative elements of a child’s sensitive nature during this period. The paper aims to provide humanistic insights into Steiner’s pedagogical oeuvre that, as a methodological basis, reflects in a rather explicit and applicable manner the necessity of a pedagogical conception of the uniqueness of childhood and children, whose forces ought to be preserved. It is concluded that a genuine global social renaissance, starting from a given present as a relative uncertainty towards a better future as a possible certainty, i.e. towards the humanised and humanistic, is possible only if education is understood as a true social power with reformed and revalued educational system. Steiner perceived exciting prospects for human beings in the absolute freedom that is inherent in every human being as a spiritual power, so in early childhood years it is necessary to model temporal and spatial circumstances which support and generate a child’s practice as a sensitive organ of a complex field of interactive exchange

Conceptual Representations for Computational Concept Creation

Computational creativity seeks to understand computational mechanisms that can be characterized as creative. The creation of new concepts is a central challenge for any creative system. In this article, we outline different approaches to computational concept creation and then review conceptual representations relevant to concept creation, and therefore to computational creativity. The conceptual representations are organized in accordance with two important perspectives on the distinctions between them. One distinction is between symbolic, spatial and connectionist representations. The other is between descriptive and procedural representations. Additionally, conceptual representations used in particular creative domains, such as language, music, image and emotion, are reviewed separately. For every representation reviewed, we cover the inference it affords, the computational means of building it, and its application in concept creation.Peer reviewe

Properties of LiMn2O4 powders obtained by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

LiMn2O4 powders were synthesized by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. By varying the cooling conditions. two samples of powders were obtained: quenched in water (Q) and spontaneously cooled to room temperature (SC). The crystal structure of the as-prepared powders was revealed by X-ray powder diffraction. Structure refinements confirm that SC sample crystallizes in Fd3m space group, while Q sample crystallizes in I4(1)/amd space group. Particle morphology was determined by scanning electron microscopy. Electrochemical intercalation and deintercalation were examined in galvanostatic regime.Progress in Advanced Materials and Processes, 5th Conference of the Yugoslav-Materials-Research-Society (Yu-MRS 2003), Sep 15-19, 2003, Herceg Novi, Yugoslavi

Structural and magnetic characterization of LiMn1.825Cr0.175O4 spinel obtained by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

Quaternary spinel oxide LiMn1.825Cr0.175O4 Powder was synthesized by using an ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method, without additional annealing. The crystal structure of the as-prepared powder was revealed by X-ray powder diffraction and identified as a single spinel phase with Fd3m space group. The powders had a spherical morphology with extremely smooth surface appearance and densely congested interior structure. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed that the particle consisted by the cohesion of the primary particles. Magnetic measurements performed in DC field in both zero-field-cooled and field-cooled regimes, as well as AC susceptibility experiments, show that system undergoes spin-glass transition at the freezing temperature T-f = 20 K. The value of the effective magnetic moment mu(eff) = 4.34 mu(B) Obtained from the Curie-Weiss fit in the high temperature region confirms the substitution of Mn3+ ions with Cr3+ ions. (C) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Deficiency in insulin-like growth factors signalling in mouse Leydig cells increase conversion of testosterone to estradiol because of feminization

A growing body of evidence pointed correlation between insulin-resistance, testosterone level and infertility, but there is scarce information about mechanisms. The aim of this study was to identify the possible mechanism linking the insulin-resistance with testosterone-producing-Leydig-cells functionality