Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Global Transcriptome Profiling of Developing Leaf and Shoot Apices Reveals Distinct Genetic and Environmental Control of Floral Transition and Inflorescence Development in Barley[OPEN]

Microscopic dissection and RNA-seq in leaves and apices of barley identify genes important for floral transition, seed set and fertility in barley in response to photoperiod and variation at Ppd-H1. Timing of the floral transition and inflorescence development strongly affect yield in barley (Hordeum vulgare). Therefore, we examined the effects of daylength and the photoperiod response gene PHOTOPERIOD1 (Ppd-H1) on barley development and analyzed gene expression changes in the developing leaves and main shoot apices (MSAs) of barley by RNA sequencing. The daylength sensitivity of MSA development had two phases, floret primordia initiated under long and short days, whereas successful inflorescence development occurred only under long days. The transcripts associated with floral transition were largely regulated independently of photoperiod and allelic variation at Ppd-H1. The photoperiod- and Ppd-H1-dependent differences in inflorescence development and flower fertility were associated with the induction of barley FLOWERING LOCUS T orthologs: FT1 in leaves and FT2 in MSAs. FT1 expression was coregulated with transcripts involved in nutrient transport, carbohydrate metabolism, and cell cycle regulation, suggesting that FT1 might alter source-sink relationships. Successful inflorescence development correlated with upregulation of FT2 and transcripts related to floral organ development, phytohormones, and cell cycle regulation. Identification of photoperiod and stage-specific transcripts gives insights into the regulation of reproductive development in barley and provides a resource for investigation of the complexities of development and yield in temperate grasses.
Variations in soil stability within and among soil types

One of the most important considerations when im,gating with mar­ ginal waler or managing sodic soils is maintaining or restoring. good soil structure_ Recommendations developed to date have considered water quality parameters and assumed that soils behaved similarly. We examined the Hocculation behavior of three different types of micaceous soils at variable electrolyte concentration, sodium adsorp­ tion ratio [SAR Na/(Ca + Mg)o.S, where concentrations are ex­ pressed in mmol L-'); and pH_ The variability in critical coagulation concentration (CCC) among soil types and among samples within the same soil type also was investigated. 1;he CCC values were calculated at electrolyte concentrations of 2, 5, 10, 20, and 40 mmol. L -, at SAR values of 5,10,20,40, and 80 (mmol L -')0.5, and at pH values of 6_0, • 7.5, and 9.0. The variability in CCC was large among soil types of similar mineralogy, and even within the same soil type. This varia­ bility was greater at higher pH,suggesting that at least part of the . ariation results from differences in variable charge. Increasing pH had an adverse effect on dispersion, especially when the SAR was high enough to break apart the illite domains. There was no relationship among CCC, organic maUer, and Fe and AI oxide contents for the soils studied. In the range investigated (1-4 g organic C kg-' 5011), only the Ebro Basin soils showed increases in CCC witb increasing , organic matter at high pH and SAR. Aggregate stability was measured on aggregates of the soils after saturation with solutions having salt concentrations of 2 and 40 mmol L-'; SAR values of 5, 20, and 80 c (mmo! L-')"'; and pH values . of 6.0,7.5, and 9.0. No relation was found between the Hocculation test data and the aggregate stability results. Apparently tl'\e measured parameters' in these two tests are governed by different soil factors. Particle-size distribution and po­ rosity, as well as the drying and rewetting processes, exert a major influence on aggregate stability, but are not considered in flocculation tests. Regardless of the test used, differences. in results for samples of the same soil type preclude the use of generalized tbreshold lines for
Do Family Firms Have Better Reputations than Non‐Family Firms? An Integration of Socioemotional Wealth and Social Identity Theories

We draw from socioemotional wealth and social identity research to develop a theory on reputational differences among family and non-family firms. We propose that family members identify more strongly with their family firm than non-family members do with either a family or non-family firm. Heightened identification motivates family members to pursue a favourable reputation because it allows them to feel good about themselves, thus contributing to their socioemotional wealth. We hypothesize that when the family's name is part of the firm's name, the firm's reputation is higher because family members are particularly motivated for their firm to have a better reputation. Family members also need organizational power to pursue a favourable reputation; thus, we hypothesize that the level of family ownership and family board presence should be associated with more favourable reputations. We find support for our theory in a sample of large firms from eight countries with disparate governance systems and cultures.
The Responsibility to Protect in the Asia-Pacific Region

In 2005, governments around the world unanimously agreed to the principle of the responsibility to protect (R2P), which holds that all states have a responsibility to protect their populations from genocide and mass atrocities, that the international community should assist them to fulfil this duty, and that the international community should take timely and decisive measures to protect populations from such crimes when their host state fails to do so. Progressing R2P from words to deeds requires international consensus about the principle’s meaning and scope. To achieve a global consensus on this, we need to better understand the position of governments around the world, including in the Asia-Pacific region, which has long been associated with an enduring commitment to a traditional concept of sovereignty. The present article contributes to such an endeavour through its three sections. The first part charts the nature of the international consensus on R2P and examines the UN secretary-general’s approach. The second looks in detail at the positions of the Asia-Pacific region’s governments on the R2P principle. The final part explores the way forward for progressing the R2P principle in the Asia-Pacific region.
Wrestling with uncertain risks: EU regulation of GMOs and the uncertainty paradox

Dealing with uncertain risks is an important challenge. Uncertain risks need to be sharply distinguished from traditional, simple risks which can be calculated by means of statistics. Arguably current governance of uncertain risks tends to erode into organized irresponsibility, i.e., society's ill‐preparedness and inability to deal with surprises, negative consequences and/or long‐term impacts which are associated with uncertain risks, notwithstanding all institutions and procedures in place. In such cases, a particular pattern in risk regulation can be identified, the uncertainty paradox, which is an umbrella term for situations in which uncertainty is acknowledged, but the role of science is framed as one of providing certainty. This article highlights the need to further understand the uncertainty paradox by investigating actual decision‐making processes. Through case‐study research on EU GMO regulation this article examines how various actors actually deal with science, knowledge and uncertainty. Four mechanisms sustaining the uncertainty paradox are inferred: 1) uncertainty intolerance; 2) boundary work; 3) the inclination to equate uncertainty with risk; and 4) technocratic provisions. In conclusion, some suggestions are advanced as to how to break through the uncertainty paradox.
Young sexual citizens: reimagining sex education as an essential form of civic engagement

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) pose a significant threat to the health and well-being of populations worldwide, and to young people in particular. Des]pite empirical evidence that comprehensive sex education is an important tool for prevention, the legitimacy and content of sex education in schools continue to be challenged by conservative narratives within society. This paper argues that sex education should be re-imagined as a form of civic training for children and recognised as an important corollary to public health efforts aimed at reducing the rate of STIs. The author's claim builds on notions of sexual citizenship, which consider sexuality to be an essential aspect of citizenship and a form of civic engagement. Sexual citizenship can make three important contributions to the advancement of sex education. First, the model can lead to greater acceptance of the idea of sex education by challenging conservative notions about children and sexuality, which are at the root of the classic objections to sex education. Second, it can help shape the content of sex education by eliciting parallels between civic participation and sex education. Finally, by emphasising how sex education can address some of the social phenomena underlying the spread of STIs, the model can be used to facilitate the incorporation of sex education into public health agendas. Although the author uses sex education in Canada as the principal case study, the paradigm may be equally helpful in other countries.
Age-time interactions in mortality projection: Applying Lee-Carter to Australia

Application of the Lee-Carter method to Australian data shows that model assumptions are not always met because of age-time interactions. In this article Heather Booth, John Maindonald and Len Smith adapt the Lee-Carter method to take account of departures from linearity in the dominant time component and the failure to satisfy the assumption of an invariant age component.
Ecologies of Organizations: Diversity and Identity

A famous article in bioecology (Hutchinson, 1959) asked, “Why are There So Many Kinds of Animals? ” In a 1977 article, John Freeman and I argued that the central goal of organizational sociology should be to answer the parallel question: Why are there so many kinds of organizations? We claimed that the social science literature of the time lacked good answers to this question, and we proposed a research agenda for an “organizational ecology” to answer it by studying interactions within and between populations of organizations. This essay introduces the basic methodology of organizational ecology and sketches some key insights arising from that work. For example, the paper will consider the extent of diversity of organizational forms; whether organizations can easily shift their defining characteristics; what happens to organizations as they age; the extent to which organizations can find niches that protect them against competitive pressures; and questions of how best to define the identity of organizations. I should note that many of my colleagues in sociology regard organizational ecology as heterodox. For one thing, this approach built initially on population bioecology’s evolutionary models of numerical aspects of population interactions (MacArthur, 1972). Reliance on ideas from biology troubles many sociologists even if, as in this case, no reference is made to any biological mechanism. Likewise, organizational ecology has a preoccupation with numerical patterns and tries to link theory, research design and estimation—emphases that run counter to the interpretive zeitgeist of contemporary sociology. However, my sociology colleagues should also note that organizational ecology certainly relies on defining key
Injury-induced ctgfa directs glial bridging and spinal cord regeneration in zebrafish

Spinal cord regeneration in zebrafish Unlike humans, zebrafish can regenerate their spinal cord. Mokalled et al. identified a growth factor in zebrafish that helps this process (see the Perspective by Williams and He). The protein encoded by ctgfa (connective tissue growth factor a) is secreted after injury and encourages glial cells to form a bridge across the spinal lesion. Addition of this protein improved spinal cord repair in injured zebrafish. Science, this issue p. 630; see also p. 544 A connective tissue growth factor underlies the unusual regenerative capacity of the zebrafish central nervous system. Unlike mammals, zebrafish efficiently regenerate functional nervous system tissue after major spinal cord injury. Whereas glial scarring presents a roadblock for mammalian spinal cord repair, glial cells in zebrafish form a bridge across severed spinal cord tissue and facilitate regeneration. We performed a genome-wide profiling screen for secreted factors that are up-regulated during zebrafish spinal cord regeneration. We found that connective tissue growth factor a (ctgfa) is induced in and around glial cells that participate in initial bridging events. Mutations in ctgfa disrupted spinal cord repair, and transgenic ctgfa overexpression or local delivery of human CTGF recombinant protein accelerated bridging and functional regeneration. Our study reveals that CTGF is necessary and sufficient to stimulate glial bridging and natural spinal cord regeneration.
Age-related changes in corneal thickness and endothelial characteristics saulius galgauskas

License. The full terms of the License are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. Permissions beyond the scope of the License are administered by Dove Medical Press Limited. Information on how to request permission may be found at: http://www.dovepress. com/permissions.php Clinical Interventions in Aging 2013:8 1445–1450 Clinical Interventions in Aging Dovepress
Therapeutic hypothermia after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in children.

BACKGROUND Therapeutic hypothermia is recommended for comatose adults after witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, but data about this intervention in children are limited. METHODS We conducted this trial of two targeted temperature interventions at 38 children's hospitals involving children who remained unconscious after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Within 6 hours after the return of circulation, comatose patients who were older than 2 days and younger than 18 years of age were randomly assigned to therapeutic hypothermia (target temperature, 33.0°C) or therapeutic normothermia (target temperature, 36.8°C). The primary efficacy outcome, survival at 12 months after cardiac arrest with a Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, second edition (VABS-II), score of 70 or higher (on a scale from 20 to 160, with higher scores indicating better function), was evaluated among patients with a VABS-II score of at least 70 before cardiac arrest. RESULTS A total of 295 patients underwent randomization. Among the 260 patients with data that could be evaluated and who had a VABS-II score of at least 70 before cardiac arrest, there was no significant difference in the primary outcome between the hypothermia group and the normothermia group (20% vs. 12%; relative likelihood, 1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86 to 2.76; P=0.14). Among all the patients with data that could be evaluated, the change in the VABS-II score from baseline to 12 months was not significantly different (P=0.13) and 1-year survival was similar (38% in the hypothermia group vs. 29% in the normothermia group; relative likelihood, 1.29; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.79; P=0.13). The groups had similar incidences of infection and serious arrhythmias, as well as similar use of blood products and 28-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS In comatose children who survived out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, therapeutic hypothermia, as compared with therapeutic normothermia, did not confer a significant benefit in survival with a good functional outcome at 1 year. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and others; THAPCA-OH ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00878644.).
Does Conversational Interviewing Reduce Survey Measurement Error

Standardized survey interviewing is widely advocated in order to reduce interviewer-related error, for example by F. L. Fowler and T. W. Mangione. But L. Suchman and B. Jordan argue that standardized wording may decrease response accuracy because it prevents the conversational flexibility that respondents need in order to understand questions as survey designers intended. The authors propose that the arguments for these competing positions - standardized versus flexible interviewing approaches - may be correct under different circumstances. In particular, both standardized and flexible interviewing should produce high levels of accuracy when respondents have no doubts about how concepts in a question map onto their circumstances. However, flexible interviewing should produce higher response accuracy in cases where respondents are unsure about these mappings. The authors demonstrate this in a laboratory experiment in which professional telephone interviewers, using either standardized or flexible interviewing techniques, asked respondents questions from three large government surveys. Respondents answered on the basis of fictional descriptions so that the authors could measure response accuracy. The two interviewing techniques led to virtually perfect accuracy when the concepts in the questions clearly mapped onto the fictional situations. When the mapping was less clear, flexible interviewing increased accuracy by almost 60 percent. This was true whether flexible respondents had requested help from interviewers or interviewers had intervened without being asked for help. But the improvement in accuracy came at a substantial cost - a large increase in interview duration. They propose that different circumstances may justify the use of either interviewing technique
Polymorphisms of NOD2 and the risk of tuberculosis: a validation study in the Chinese population

A genome‐wide association study (GWAS) of leprosy reported four specific genetic polymorphisms of NOD2 that were associated with susceptibility to Mycobacterium leprae in China. Considering the role of NOD2 in innate immune defence, we performed a study in a Chinese population to determine whether the same SNPs of NOD2 that were associated with disease caused by M. leprae were also associated with disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We performed a frequency‐matched case–control study in 1043 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and 808 unaffected controls. All subjects were >15 years old and were Han Chinese from Jiangsu Province. We extracted DNA from a blood sample from each study participant. SNPs of rs3135499, rs7194886, rs8057341 and rs9302752 in the NOD2 gene were genotyped using a TaqMan‐based allelic discrimination system. Using all possible patients with tuberculosis as cases, no significant association was found between the four specific SNPs and the risk of tuberculosis. In a subgroup analysis restricted to cases with bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis (sputum culture positive), the variant genotype of rs7194886 was significantly associated with an altered risk of tuberculosis. Compared with the CC genotype, individuals carrying the CT/TT genotype of rs7194886 had an increased risk [odds ratio (OR) 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.05–1.72)]. The association was stronger among tobacco smokers and males. By haplotype analysis, rs9302752C–rs7194886T was associated with an increased risk of bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis (sputum culture positive) (P = 0.039), but it was not significant after correcting for multiple comparisons. In summary, genetic polymorphisms of the SNP rs7194886 in the NOD2 gene, which were discovered in the GWAS of leprosy, might also be associated with the pulmonary tuberculosis in the Chinese population.
An Efficient Numerical Scheme for Sizing of Cavity Defect in Metallic Foam From Signals of DC Potential Drop Method

Quantitative nondestructive testing is important to guarantee the integrity of metallic foam (MF) structures. To predict the profile of a cavity defect in an MF material, a database-type fast forward scheme is upgraded at first by introducing a kind of multimedium element (MME) for the efficient simulation of dc potential drop (DCPD) signals of MF with defect of complicated shape. Second, a code of the hybrid strategy combining the neural network and the conjugate gradient optimization method is proposed to obtain the size and the position parameters of the defect. Both simulated and measured DCPD signals are adopted to reconstruct the bubble defects in MF. The good consistency of the true and the reconstructed results demonstrated the validity of the new scheme. In addition, it is also proved that the updated database-type fast-forward scheme is efficient for the signal simulation of MF with defect of complicated shape with the help of MME, and the hybrid inverse strategy has a better numerical performance for the defect sizing.
Women's Resistance and Empowerment through Wheelchair Sport

Abstract This study investigated the experiences of participating in elite-level sport for women with physical disabilities. Ten Paralympic wheelchair basketball players aged 18 to 32 years were interviewed about their experiences in elite-level sport. A semi-structured interview format was utilized and constant comparison with a grounded theory approach was used throughout (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). A poststructural feminist framework that incorporates Foucault's concept of resistance (Foucault, 1979) is used for interpretation. Two themes from the data are addressed in this paper: (a) resistance to disability and, (b) empowerment, both physical and mental. The majority of the women interviewed had acquired disabilities and were reluctant participants in sport initially, or were determined to ‘beat’ their disability by pursuing competitive sport. Either way, the women felt that their involvement in high-level sport was a way of regaining control over their bodies. They also felt that by mastering the skills required of high-level competition and being able to display their proficiency helped them to establish an identity based in the role of athlete, not “disabled person”. In this way, the women were able to resist the stereotyped expectations associated with their disability and also to feel empowered both physically and mentally
Instability and its relation to precipitation over the Eastern Iberian Peninsula

Abstract. Synoptic situations producing rainfall at four rawinsonde observatories at eastern Spain are classified as stratiform or convective depending on dynamic and thermodynamic instability indices. Two daily radiosonde and daily-accumulated precipitation data from four observatories in Eastern Spain are used: Madrid-Barajas (MB), Murcia (MU), Palma de Mallorca (PA) and Zaragoza (ZA). We calculated two thermodynamic instability indices from radiosonde data: CAPE and LI. Likewise, from ERA40 reanalysis data we have calculated the Q vector divergence over the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands, as a parameter describing dynamical instability. Synoptic situations producing rainfall were classified as convective or stratiform, satisfying a criterion based on the values of dynamic and thermodynamic indices at each observatory. It is observed that the number of days with stratiform precipitation related to the total number of precipitation days follows a consistent annual pattern.