Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression of small heat shock proteins and heat tolerance in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

We have examined the correlation between heat tolerance and small heat shock protein (sHSP) expression under heat stress conditions in potato (Solanum tuberosum l.). The relative heat tolerance of nine potato cultivars grown under greenhouse conditions was determined using the electrolyte leakage assay (el A), a standard quantitative assay for heat tolerance. Three cultivars differing in heat tolerance were selected and designated as heat-tolerant (' laura'), moderately sensitive (' liseta') and heat-sensitive ('Agria') genotypes. The expression of cytosolic HSP18 and chloroplast HSP21 was analyzed at the protein level in the leaves of selected cultivars, both ex vitro- and in vitro-grown , after heat stress or control treatment. Immunoblot analysis revealed heat-induced HSP18 and HSP21 expression in all examined genotypes. A similar pattern of examined sHSP expression was observed ex vitro and in vitro: heat-tolerant ' laura' accumulated higher levels of both HSP18 and HSP21 compared to heat-sensitive ' liseta' and ' Agria'. Our results indicate that elA combined with im- munoblot analysis of sHSP accumulation under HS conditions, might be considered as a reliable procedure in screening potato genotypes for heat tolerance. to our knowledge, this is the first study where sHSP expression between ex vitro- and in vitro-grown potato plants was compared.
Foreign Object Detection and Quantification of Fat Content Using A Novel Multiplexing Electric Field Sensor

There is an ever growing need to ensure the quality of food and assess specific quality parameters in all the links of the food chain, ranging from processing, distribution and retail to preparing food. Various imaging and sensing technologies, including X-ray imaging, ultrasound, and near infrared reflectance spectroscopy have been applied to the problem. Cost and other constraints restrict the application of some of these technologies. In this study we test a novel Multiplexing Electric Field Sensor (MEFS), an approach that allows for a completely non-invasive and non-destructive testing approach. Our experiments demonstrate the reliable detection of certain foreign objects and provide evidence that this sensor technology has the capability of measuring fat content in minced meat. Given the fact that this technology can already be deployed at very low cost, low maintenance and in various different form factors, we conclude that this type of MEFS is an extremely promising technology for addressing specific food quality issues.
Revealing Toxin Signatures in Cyanobacteria: Report of Genes Involved in Cylindrospermopsin Synthesis from Saxitoxin-Producing Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii

Cyanotoxins are distinctive molecules in Cyanobacteria whose evolutionary origin, radiation and ecological role are still controversial. The cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii is alternately capable of producing two types of potent toxins, cylindrospermopsin (CYN) or saxitoxin and analogues (SAX). It has been proposed that this species spread to all continents early in its evolutionary history and biogeographical differences in toxin production are found between populations. Most reports indicate that American strains are able to produce SAX but not CYN, while Australian strains are described to produce CYN but not SAX. Here we describe the presence of three genes belonging to the cylindrospermopsin cluster (cyr), cyrA, cyrB and cyrC, in two SAX producing South American C. raciborskii strains, MVCC14 and MVCC19, which due to their differences in morphology, growth preferences, SAX production and genetic context are defined as different ecotypes. No CYN production was detected in either strain (by ELISA) after growth under nitrogen replete or nitrogen-free nutrient conditions. Phylogenetic analyses of cyrA, cyrB and cyrC partial sequences from both strains showed high similarity (>99%) with CYN genes belonging to C. raciborskii strains from Australia and Germany and to Aphanizomenon strains. This is the first report of the presence of cyr genes in strains known to produce only SAX.
Stratospheric ozone depletion from future nitrous oxide increases

Abstract. We have investigated the impact of the assumed nitrous oxide (N2O) increases on stratospheric chemistry and dynamics using a series of idealized simulations with a coupled chemistry-climate model (CCM). In a future cooler stratosphere the net yield of NOy from N2O is shown to decrease in a reference run following the IPCC A1B scenario, but NOy can still be significantly increased by extra increases of N2O over 2001–2050. Over the last decade of simulations, 50% increases in N2O result in a maximal 6% reduction in ozone mixing ratios in the middle stratosphere at around 10 hPa and an average 2% decrease in the total ozone column (TCO) compared with the control run. This enhanced destruction could cause an ozone decline in the first half of this century in the middle stratosphere around 10 hPa, while global TCO still shows an increase at the same time. The results from a multiple linear regression analysis and sensitivity simulations with different forcings show that the chemical effect of N2O increases dominates the N2O-induced ozone depletion in the stratosphere, while the dynamical and radiative effects of N2O increases are overall insignificant. The analysis of the results reveals that the ozone depleting potential of N2O varies with the time period and is influenced by the environmental conditions. For example, carbon dioxide (CO2) increases can strongly offset the ozone depletion effect of N2O.
Optimal Operation of an Energy Management System Using Model Predictive Control and Gaussian Process Time-Series Modeling

This paper describes an optimal operation scheme for energy management systems using Gaussian process forecasting and model predictive control (MPC) in the context of grid-connected microgrids with local generation, loads, and storage. The main objective of the control is to minimize the cost of energy taken from the grid. The microgrid consists of a photovoltaic (PV) panel and a battery energy storage system, which are connected to a power grid and a local load via a dc bus. At each sampling time, the predictions for PV output power and load demand power are calculated, and an MPC algorithm is executed based on these predictions and a physical battery model to decide the set point of the battery. Simulations of two case studies, namely, a labscale microgrid and a commercial microgrid, are presented. We compare the performance of MPC with various horizon lengths to a rule-based control strategy to demonstrate a cost reduction of more than 2%.
Four Dimensional Mapping with RGB-D Sensors and Mobile Robots

Mobile robots are often tasked with 3D mapping problems in dynamic environments. In such environments, to store a map of only the most recently observed state of the map is to ignore useful information. Storing map history will allow robots to make decisions based not only on the current state of the observed world, but also on previously recognized patterns. We present a memory-efficient, octreebased method of storing 3D maps with history, and a method for reducing the impact of sensor and localization noise on the memory requirements and quality of the map. We also describe map differencing approaches and an algorithm for cluster segmentation in octrees that are applicable to four-dimensional mapping
An Interferon Signature Discriminates Pneumococcal From Staphylococcal Pneumonia

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Despite the low prevalence of CAP caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), CAP patients often receive empirical antibiotic therapy providing coverage for MRSA such as vancomycin or linezolid. An early differentiation between S. pneumoniae and S. aureus pneumonia can help to reduce the use of unnecessary antibiotics. The objective of this study was to identify candidate biomarkers that can discriminate pneumococcal from staphylococcal pneumonia. A genome-wide transcriptional analysis of lung and peripheral blood performed in murine models of S. pneumoniae and S. aureus lung infection identified an interferon signature specifically associated with S. pneumoniae infection. Prediction models built using a support vector machine and Monte Carlo cross-validation, identified the combination of the interferon-induced chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 serum concentrations as the set of biomarkers with best sensitivity, specificity, and predictive power that enabled an accurate discrimination between S. pneumoniae and S. aureus pneumonia. The predictive performance of these biomarkers was further validated in an independent cohort of mice. This study highlights the potential of serum CXCL9 and CXCL10 biomarkers as an adjunctive diagnostic tool that could facilitate prompt and correct pathogen-targeted therapy in CAP patients.
Characterization of NADase-Inactive NAD + Glycohydrolase in Streptococcus pyogenes

Background: Streptococcus pyogenes secretes NAD+ glycohydrolase (NADase, also known as SPN or Nga). All S. pyogenes strains examined to date possess the gene that encodes SPN (spn), but some strains produce SPN that lacks detectable NADase activity. Although there is much evidence to support that SPN’s NADase activity contributes to virulence, there is very little evidence that NADase-inactive SPN has detectable functions. Results: In order to characterize the NADase-inactive SPN, we firstly attempted to clone the NADase-inactive spn allele in Escherichia coli. Although we obtained recombinants which were shown to have the correct size insert, all had some mutations in the spn allele. Therefore, we attempted to change the mutated nucleotides back to the original nucleotides. While a nucleotide mutagenesis (inverse PCR method) easily changed a target nucleotide of control genes back to the original nucleotides, the mutations of NADase-inactive spn allele were never successfully converted back to the original nucleotides. Finally the mutant spn alleles were sub-cloned into another vector (pLZ12-Km2), which is maintained in both E. coli and S. pyogenes. The resultant plasmids were subjected to nucleotide mutagenesis using inverse PCR; the resultant mutagenized plasmid DNAs were used to transform both E. coli and S. pyogenes strains. We observed successful nucleotide substitutions back to the original spn nucleotide sequence in S. pyogenes transformants, but not in E. coli transformants. Thus, the NADase-inactive spn allele was successfully cloned in S. pyogenes, but not in E. coli. However, we could not find an association with NADase-inactive spn allele and virulence in a mouse infection model. Conclusions: These results suggest that NADase-inactive spn allele has some toxic effect to E. coli, but not S. pyogenes. This effect may due to an as of yet unknown function attributable to NADase-inactive SPN.
Author’s response to comments to “Growth of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi in light- and nutrient-limited batch reactors: relevance for the BIOSOPE deep ecological niche of coccolithophores”, submitted by L. Perrin to Biogeosciences

We have considered the comments made by reviewers 1 and 2 to our manuscript and the latter was modified as recommended. In addition to these corrections we modified text and repetitions and improved the quality of the scientific message overall the manuscript. Figures and tables as well were improved and changed when the results were not clear enough. We found the reviewers’ comments pertinent and think they improved the manuscript. We have included his suggestions in the revised manuscript. In the following we detail our responses to specific questions and are prepared to implement these corrections/changes should the article be accepted for publication in Biogeosciences.
Mobile-Based Interventions for Dietary Behavior Change and Health Outcomes: Scoping Review

Background Mobile apps are being widely used for delivering health interventions, with their ubiquitous access and sensing capabilities. One such use is the delivery of interventions for healthy eating behavior. Objective The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive view of the literature on the use of mobile interventions for eating behavior change. We synthesized the studies with such interventions and mapped out their input methods, interventions, and outcomes. Methods We conducted a scoping literature search in PubMed/MEDLINE, Association for Computing Machinery Digital Library, and PsycINFO databases to identify relevant papers published between January 2013 and April 2018. We also hand-searched relevant themes of journals in the Journal of Medical Internet Research and registered protocols. Studies were included if they provided and assessed mobile-based interventions for dietary behavior changes and/or health outcomes. Results The search resulted in 30 studies that we classified by 3 main aspects: input methods, mobile-based interventions, and dietary behavior changes and health outcomes. First, regarding input methods, 5 studies allowed photo/voice/video inputs of diet information, whereas text input methods were used in the remaining studies. Other than diet information, the content of the input data in the mobile apps included user’s demographics, medication, health behaviors, and goals. Second, we identified 6 categories of intervention contents, that is, self-monitoring, feedback, gamification, goal reviews, social support, and educational information. Although all 30 studies included self-monitoring as a key component of their intervention, personalized feedback was a component in 18 studies, gamification was used in 10 studies, goal reviews in 5 studies, social support in 3 studies, and educational information in 2 studies. Finally, we found that 13 studies directly examined the effects of interventions on health outcomes and 12 studies examined the effects on dietary behavior changes, whereas only 5 studies observed the effects both on dietary behavior changes and health outcomes. Regarding the type of studies, although two-thirds of the included studies conducted diverse forms of randomized control trials, the other 10 studies used field studies, surveys, protocols, qualitative interviews, propensity score matching method, and test and reference method. Conclusions This scoping review identified and classified studies on mobile-based interventions for dietary behavior change as per the input methods, nature of intervention, and outcomes examined. Our findings indicated that dietary behavior changes, although playing a mediating role in improving health outcomes, have not been adequately examined in the literature. Dietary behavior change as a mechanism for the relationship between mobile-based intervention and health outcomes needs to be further investigated. Our review provides guidance for future research in this promising mobile health area.
Mitochondrial Calcium Increase Induced by RyR1 and IP3R Channel Activation After Membrane Depolarization Regulates Skeletal Muscle Metabolism

Aim: We hypothesize that both type-1 ryanodine receptor (RyR1) and IP3-receptor (IP3R) calcium channels are necessary for the mitochondrial Ca2+ increase caused by membrane depolarization induced by potassium (or by electrical stimulation) of single skeletal muscle fibers; this calcium increase would couple muscle fiber excitation to an increase in metabolic output from mitochondria (excitation-metabolism coupling). Methods: Mitochondria matrix and cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels were evaluated in fibers isolated from flexor digitorium brevis muscle using plasmids for the expression of a mitochondrial Ca2+ sensor (CEPIA3mt) or a cytoplasmic Ca2+ sensor (RCaMP). The role of intracellular Ca2+ channels was evaluated using both specific pharmacological inhibitors (xestospongin B for IP3R and Dantrolene for RyR1) and a genetic approach (shIP3R1-RFP). O2 consumption was detected using Seahorse Extracellular Flux Analyzer. Results: In isolated muscle fibers cell membrane depolarization increased both cytoplasmic and mitochondrial Ca2+ levels. Mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake required functional inositol IP3R and RyR1 channels. Inhibition of either channel decreased basal O2 consumption rate but only RyR1 inhibition decreased ATP-linked O2 consumption. Cell membrane depolarization-induced Ca2+ signals in sub-sarcolemmal mitochondria were accompanied by a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential; Ca2+ signals propagated toward intermyofibrillar mitochondria, which displayed increased membrane potential. These results are compatible with slow, Ca2+-dependent propagation of mitochondrial membrane potential from the surface toward the center of the fiber. Conclusion: Ca2+-dependent changes in mitochondrial membrane potential have different kinetics in the surface vs. the center of the fiber; these differences are likely to play a critical role in the control of mitochondrial metabolism, both at rest and after membrane depolarization as part of an “excitation-metabolism” coupling process in skeletal muscle fibers.
The Nature and Nurture of Congenital Amusia: A Twin Case Study

In this article, we report the first documented case of congenital amusia in dizygotic twins. The female twin pair was 27 years old at the time of testing, with normal hearing and above average intelligence. Both had formal music lesson from the age of 8–12 and were exposed to music in their childhood. Using the Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia (Peretz et al., 2003), one twin was diagnosed as amusic, with a pitch perception as well as a rhythm perception deficit, while the other twin had normal pitch and rhythm perception. We conducted a large battery of tests assessing the performance of the twins in music, pitch perception and memory, language perception and spatial processing. Both showed an identical albeit low pitch memory span of 3.5 tones and an impaired performance on a beat alignment task, yet the non-amusic twin outperformed the amusic twin in three other musical and all language related tasks. The twins also differed significantly in their performance on one of two spatial tasks (visualization), with the non-amusic twin outperforming the amusic twin (83% vs. 20% correct). The performance of the twins is also compared to normative samples of normal and amusic participants from other studies. This twin case study highlights that congenital amusia is not due to insufficient exposure to music in childhood: The exposure to music of the twin pair was as comparable as it can be for two individuals. This study also indicates that there is an association between amusia and a spatial processing deficit (see Douglas and Bilkey, 2007; contra Tillmann et al., 2010; Williamson et al., 2011) and that more research is needed in this area.
Evolution of fixed demographic heterogeneity from a game of stable coexistence

Background: Demographic heterogeneity refers to the observation that – within the same population – trajectories of survival and reproduction differ substantially between individuals. These differences have been found in both natural and captive populations. Models in ecology and evolution that incorporate demographic heterogeneity can improve both our understanding of the evolution of mortality curves and our population management abilities. Current explanations of the origin of demographic heterogeneity mostly revolve around interindividual differences that are either present at birth (ﬁxed heterogeneity) or the result of stochasticity in life history realization (dynamic heterogeneity). Largely neglected remains the possibility that a form of ﬁxed heterogeneity may evolve from interactions between behaviorally distinct individuals through their lifespan. Objective: We suggest one possible way in which heterogeneity in vital rates may evolve. Our approach assumes game theoretic interactions in the population. Methods: We combine population matrix models and game theory. We study a stable coexistence game between two types that are initially demographically homogeneous and analyze the effect of mutations that inﬂuence the trajectories of survival and reproduction. Results: The rise and ﬁxation of mutations can make the population demographically heterogeneous, while the game can preserve the coexistence of different types in the population. Conclusions: Frequency-dependent selection can help to explain the evolution of demographic heterogeneity. Contribution: Frequency-dependent selection can maintain already existing demographic heterogeneity in a population without overlapping generations. Here, we show that this form of selection can also be involved in the origin of a form of ﬁxed heterogeneity.
No tropospheric ozone impact on the carbon uptake by a Belgian pine forest

High stomatal ozone (O3) uptake has been shown to negatively affect crop yields and the growth of tree seedlings. However, little is known about the effect of O3 on the carbon uptake by mature forest trees. This study 10 investigated the effect of high O3 events on gross primary production (GPP) for a Scots pine stand near Antwerp, Belgium over the period 1998-2013. Stomatal O3 fluxes were modelled using in situ O3 concentration measurements and a multiplicative stomatal model, which was parameterised and validated for this Scots pine stand. Ozone-induced GPP reduction is most likely to occur during or shortly after days with high stomatal O3 uptake. Therefore, a GPP model parameterised for days with low stomatal O3 uptake rates was used to simulate 15 GPP during periods of high stomatal O3 uptake. Eventual negative effects of high stomatal O3 uptake on GPP would then result in an overestimation of GPP by the model during or after high stomatal O3 uptake events. The O3 effects on GPP were linked to AOT40 and PODy. Although the critical levels for both indices were exceeded in every single year, no significant negative effects were found of ozone on GPP and no correlations between GPP residuals and AOT40 and PODy were found. Overall, we conclude that no O3 effects were detected on the carbon 20 uptake by this Scots pine stand.
Patient Experiences of Medical Screening Performed by the Dental Services: A Qualitative Study

Objective: To explore how medical screening performed by the dental service was perceived from the patient’s perspective. Material and methods: Medical screening for high blood pressure and high plasma glucose was performed on 170 patients at a dental clinic in a small town in central Sweden. Seventeen individual interviews were conducted with a strategic sampling of these patients. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. The transcriptions were coded and categorized in a manifest analysis, followed by a latent, interpretive analysis. Results: The manifest analysis resulted in three categories: Positive attitude to screening and dental professionals which need to have specific knowledge of medical screening; Dental care which provides continuity but is not a neutral environment; and Feedback on the medical screening results and desired cooperation between dental and health care services. The latent analysis pointed out the importance of the patient’s feeling that the procedure is carried out properly and safely, and requests for clear feedback concerning the results of the screening. Conclusions: The interviewees experienced the dental care service as providing continuity. They would like to have regular medical screenings at their regular dental appointments to identify risks of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. However, they expressed that it was important for the dental care staff to have the necessary medical knowledge. They also wanted good cooperations between the dental and health care services, with clear feedback to the patients about both positive and negative results and, when appropriate, referrals to the health care service.