A computational approach for detecting peptidases and their specific inhibitors at the genome level

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Peptidases are proteolytic enzymes responsible for fundamental cellular activities in all organisms. Apparently about 2–5% of the genes encode for peptidases, irrespectively of the organism source. The basic peptidase function is "protein digestion" and this can be potentially dangerous in living organisms when it is not strictly controlled by specific inhibitors. In genome annotation a basic question is to predict gene function. Here we describe a computational approach that can filter peptidases and their inhibitors out of a given proteome. Furthermore and as an added value to MEROPS, a specific database for peptidases already available in the public domain, our method can predict whether a pair of peptidase/inhibitor can interact, eventually listing all possible predicted ligands (peptidases and/or inhibitors).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We show that by adopting a decision-tree approach the accuracy of PROSITE and HMMER in detecting separately the four major peptidase types (Serine, Aspartic, Cysteine and Metallo- Peptidase) and their inhibitors among a non redundant set of globular proteins can be improved by some percentage points with respect to that obtained with each method separately. More importantly, our method can then predict pairs of peptidases and interacting inhibitors, scoring a joint global accuracy of 99% with coverage for the positive cases (peptidase/inhibitor) close to 100% and a correlation coefficient of 0.91%. In this task the decision-tree approach outperforms the single methods.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The decision-tree can reliably classify protein sequences as peptidases or inhibitors, belonging to a certain class, and can provide a comprehensive list of possible interacting pairs of peptidase/inhibitor. This information can help the design of experiments to detect interacting peptidase/inhibitor complexes and can speed up the selection of possible interacting candidates, without searching for them separately and manually combining the obtained results. A web server specifically developed for annotating peptidases and their inhibitors (HIPPIE) is available at <url>http://gpcr.biocomp.unibo.it/cgi/predictors/hippie/pred_hippie.cgi</url></p

Experimental testing of two novel stress sensors for SHM of masonry structures

The paper presents an experimental study on the performance of two types of stress sensor for their possible use in structural health monitoring (SHM) of masonry constructions. Ceramic piezoelectric sensors and capacitive sensors were installed in mortar bed-joints of two series of masonry specimens made of calcarenite stones and clay bricks. The specimens were tested under uniaxial compression, assessing the effectiveness of the sensors in recording the stress state variation in terms of vertical stresses within different types of masonry. Experimental results show that, although both the ceramic and capacitive sensors were initially designed to be embedded in concrete elements, their application in mortar joints ensures a good agreement with records by standard measurement devices. Results also demonstrate the possibility to extend the application of these devices to existing masonry structures, where SHM becomes a challenging issu

The case of addressees in Dravido-Portuguese

This article is a study of the Dravido-Portuguese creolesoftheMalabar(modern-dayKerala,India)andSriLanka in terms of the formal means they use to mark the addressee arguments of various predicates of verbal interaction (e.g. talk, say, ask), and compares the functional range of such markers in the creoles with their counterparts in the lexifier language (Portuguese) and in the Dravidian adstrates (Malayalam and Tamil). Thiscomparativestudyshowsthedifferentcontributions of the lexifier and of the adstrates to the case-marking system of the present-day Dravido-Portuguese creoles, as well as the ways in which the functional range of the creole case-markers reveal diachronic processes of functional reanalysis.Resumo: Este artigo consiste num estudo dos crioulos drávido- portugueses do Malabar (actualmente Kerala, na Índia) e do Sri Lanka em termos dos meios usados para marcar formalmente os interlocutores de diversos predicados de interação verbal (ex. conversar, dizer, pedir), no qual se compara a amplitude funcional dos marcadores crioulos com a dos seus equivalentes na língua lexificadora (o português) e nos adstratos dravídicos (o malaiala e o tâmul). Este estudo comparativo demonstra os diferentes contributos do lexificador e dos adstratos para o sistema de marcação casual dos actuais crioulos drávido- portugueses, bem como o modo como a amplitude funcional dos marcadores casuais crioulos revela processos diacrónicos de reanálise funciona

Wh-constructions in cape verdean creole : extensions of the copy theory of movement

Tese de doutoramento, Linguística (Linguística Geral), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Letras, 2009Disponível no document

Comparative assessment of strut models for the modelling of in-plane seismic response of infill walls

The influence of infills on the seismic response of frame structures has long been recognised. Typically, stiffness and strength of the infill and connections between infill and frame are such that the infill affects the global seismic behaviour of the structure. Hence, the presence of infills should be considered in the analysis and design of new buildings and in the seismic assessment of existing ones. To this aim, simple models for infill walls, such as the equivalent diagonal no-tension strut model, have been developed in the last decades. The objective of the present study is to assess the validity of different strut models. To this aim, 162 experimental tests available in the literature are considered. The data set includes both reinforced concrete and steel frames, as well as confined masonry structures. The mechanical characteristics of masonry and the boundary conditions between frames and infills of the test specimens take into account a large set of situations, reflecting the great variability in the materials and in the construction techniques adopted in different countries. Moreover, the type of tests and the related results are not uniform; in some cases monotonic experiments are performed, whereas in other cases cyclic tests are carried out. As expected, the presence of different types of infill-frame systems results in a large scatter of the data. However, the comparison between experimental results and predictions show that, on the average, the infill strength can be adequately estimated by resorting to the strut model whereas major uncertainties are found for the stiffness prediction

Mixed model for the analytical determination of critical buckling load of passive reinforcement in compressed RC and FRC elements under monotonic loading

[EN] Compressed reinforcements on reinforced concrete (RC) and steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) columns are generally submitted to cyclic and monotonic loading, which can buckle. This phenomenon can cause the reduction of both ductility and peak loads, which is why design standards propose constructive details to avoid this. Although the bibliography mentions that steel fibres in concrete can delay buckling of reinforcements, design codes do not distinguish between concrete types (with and without fibres) in these constructive details. Analytical models that determine the length and critical buckling stress of reinforcements may consider this effect. Nowadays, analytical models can be classified as discrete and distributed depending on whether they consider transverse reinforcement stiffness and the stiffness of the concrete cover that concentrates on transverse reinforcements, or if they are distributed along the element, respectively. Both discrete and distributed models are valid for small transverse reinforcement separations, while distributed models that only consider the concrete cover effect are valid for large transverse reinforcement separations. This paper proposes a mixed model to determine critical buckling loads of compressed reinforcements subjected to monotonic loading to use the stress-strain relationships of reinforcing bars, including buckling, that are found in the scientific-technical literature. This model considers transverse reinforcements discretely and concrete cover distributedly. The model can be applied to any transverse reinforcement configuration, and to any concrete type (with or without fibres). An analytical equation is also proposed to determine critical compressed reinforcement loads, whose result is presented as abaci. Finally, to calibrate the model in normal-strength concrete columns under eccentric loading, with or without fibres, a programme is presented in which the critical load of longitudinal reinforcements is experimentally determined. The proposed analytical model is calibrated and a procedure to determine critical buckling loads of compressed reinforcements under monotonic loading is proposed.The model presented herein forms part of a research line that is being undertaken at the Concrete Science and Technology Institute (ICITECH) of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). The authors are sincerely grateful to the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for the help it has provided through Project BIA2012-32645 and to the European Union for financial support obtained from FEDER fundsPereiro Barceló, J.; Bonet Senach, JL. (2017). Mixed model for the analytical determination of critical buckling load of passive reinforcement in compressed RC and FRC elements under monotonic loading. Engineering Structures. 150(1):76-90. doi:10.1016/j.engstruct.2017.07.026S7690150

The Effect of the STEM Learning Model on Student’s Critical Thinking in Indonesia: Meta-Analysis

This study aims to determine the effect of STEM learning models on students' critical thinking skills in Indonesia. This type of research is a meta-analysis. Data sources came from 13 national and international journals. Data sources were searched from Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, Eric Journal, and Springer. The process of selecting data sources was carried out systematically and thoroughly. The collection technique was direct observation. Inclusion criteria in the study are 1) Data sources come from journals and proceedings indexed by SINTA, Scopus, and WOS; 2) The type of research is experimental or quasi-experimental; 3) Research related to the STEM model on critical thinking skills; 4) Journal publications 2015-2023; 5) Research has data sources that can be calculated effect size (ES) values. The results showed the average effect size (ES) value of 0.968 high criteria. This finding shows that the STEM model has a very large influence on students' critical thinking skills. The STEM model helps students be more creative and innovative in the learning proces

On the status of wh-chains with a spelled-out foot

The syntax of wh-questions has been largely investigated for several languages, basically focusing on their movement operations. In this paper I resort to wh-questions in Cape Verdean Creole (CVC) to illustrate a further syntactic aspect of these constructions, namely, the formation of resumptive and defective wh-chains. I suggest that these two chains are distinct from one another and, digging into their formal properties and assuming Boeckx’s (2003) theory of resumption, I argue for a movement analysis of defective wh-chains.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Wpływ wojen na rzymskie ustawodawstwo odnośnie do vicesima heredistatis i caducum

The article refers to matters related to vicesima hereditatis and caducum, by means of which a Roman legislator sought financial resources for waging wars. The territorial expansion of Rome, the wars waged, and, in particular, the need to raise funds for their financing affected not only the norms of public law but also individual regulations of Roman private law, including those considering both tax and inheritance law.W artykule odniesiono się do zagadnień związanych z vicesima heredistatis i caducum, za pomocą których rzymski prawodawca szukał środków finansowych na prowadzenie wojen. Ekspansja terytorialna Rzymu, prowadzone wojny, a zwłaszcza potrzeba gromadzenia funduszy na ich finansowanie wpływały nie tylko na normy prawa publicznego, lecz także na poszczególne unormowania rzymskiego prawa prywatnego, w tym na te z pogranicza prawa podatkowego i spadkowego