Okratoksin A i omjer sfinganina i sfingozina u urinu stanovnika s područja endemske nefropatije u Hrvatskoj

The most plausible theory of the aetiology of endemic nephropathy links it with exposure to nephrotoxic mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA). In this study, the concentration of OTA and sphinganine/sphingosine (Sa/So) ratio, the biomarker of another nephrotoxic mycotoxin fumonisin B1 exposure, were analysed in 45 human urine samples collected in the endemic village of Kaniža in Croatia and in 18 samples from control village. Samples were collected twice from the same persons in 2000 and 2005. In both years the frequency of OTA-positive samples was higher in Kaniža (43 % and 18 %, respectively) than in the control village (28 % and 6 %, respectively). OTA concentrations in samples collected in Kaniža were higher in 2000 than in 2005 (p1 at the same time, while in Kaniža four such samples were collected in 2000 and one in 2005.Najprihvatljivija teorija o etiologiji endemske nefropatije povezuje njezin nastanak s izloženošću nefrotoksičnim mikotoksinima. Dok se izloženost mikotoksinu okratoksinu A (OTA) može dokazati njegovim nalazom u biološkim uzorcima kao što su krv i urin, vrlo kratko zadržavanje fumonizina B1 (FB1) u organizmu to onemogućava. Na pokusnim je životinjama nađeno da je porast omjera koncentracija sfi ngolipida sfi nganina i sfi ngozina (Sa/So) biološki pokazatelj izloženosti tom mikotoksinu. U ovom istraživanju mjerena je koncentracija OTA i omjer koncentracija Sa/So u urinu 45 stanovnika u endemskom selu Kaniža i 18 stanovnika u kontrolnom selu. Uzorci urina skupljeni su od istih osoba 2000. i 2005. godine. U obje godine učestalost uzoraka koji su sadržavali OTA bila je veća u Kaniži (43 % i 18 %) negoli u kontrolnom selu (28 % i 6 %). Koncentracija OTA također je bila viša u urinima skupljenim u Kaniži negoli u kontrolnom selu. Koncentracija OTA u uzorcima skupljenim u Kaniži 2000. bila je viša nego u uzorcima iz 2005. (p<0.005). Iako je u urinima iz obje godine omjer koncentracija Sa/So bio viši u Kaniži negoli u kontrolnom selu, razlika nije bila statistički značajna. Nije nađen nijedan uzorak skupljen u kontrolnom selu koji bi istodobno sadržavao mjerljivu koncentraciju OTA i omjer Sa/So veći od jedan. Za razliku od uzoraka iz kontrolnog sela, četiri uzorka skupljena u Kaniži u 2000. godini i jedan uzorak u 2005. godini upućivali su na istodobnu izloženost ovim mikotoksinima

Feedback Enhances Feedforward Figure-Ground Segmentation by Changing Firing Mode

In the visual cortex, feedback projections are conjectured to be crucial in figure-ground segregation. However, the precise function of feedback herein is unclear. Here we tested a hypothetical model of reentrant feedback. We used a previous developed 2-layered feedforwardspiking network that is able to segregate figure from ground and included feedback connections. Our computer model data show that without feedback, neurons respond with regular low-frequency (∼9 Hz) bursting to a figure-ground stimulus. After including feedback the firing pattern changed into a regular (tonic) spiking pattern. In this state, we found an extra enhancement of figure responses and a further suppression of background responses resulting in a stronger figure-ground signal. Such push-pull effect was confirmed by comparing the figure-ground responses withthe responses to a homogenous texture. We propose that feedback controlsfigure-ground segregation by influencing the neural firing patterns of feedforward projecting neurons

Observation of the γγ→ττ process in Pb+Pb collisions and constraints on the τ -lepton anomalous magnetic moment with the ATLAS detector

This Letter reports the observation of τ -lepton-pair production in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions Pb + Pb → Pb ( γ γ → τ τ ) Pb and constraints on the τ -lepton anomalous magnetic moment a τ . The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.44     nb − 1 of LHC Pb + Pb collisions at √ s NN = 5.02     TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment in 2018. Selected events contain one muon from a τ -lepton decay, an electron or charged-particle track(s) from the other τ -lepton decay, little additional central-detector activity, and no forward neutrons. The γ γ → τ τ process is observed in Pb + Pb collisions with a significance exceeding 5 standard deviations and a signal strength of μ τ τ = 1.0 3 + 0.06 − 0.05 assuming the standard model value for a τ . To measure a τ , a template fit to the muon transverse-momentum distribution from τ -lepton candidates is performed, using a dimuon ( γ γ → μ μ ) control sample to constrain systematic uncertainties. The observed 95% confidence-level interval for a τ is − 0.057 &lt; a τ &lt; 0.024

The Energy Systems Research Center Electric Power System Simulation Laboratory and Energy Management System Control Center

Abstract The increasing complexity of thesystems that monitor and control a modernpower grid require of the power engineer andsystem operator a correspondingly greaterfundamental understanding of phenomenaoccurring in the system from a system pointof view. With the objective of giving theengineer and operator this increasedunderstanding, the Energy Systems ResearchCenter is now in the process of constructing amodel electric power system coupled with acommercially available Energy ManagementSystem control center. The combination of EMSand realistic power system model make this aunique laboratory in which can be performedstudies in stability, system control, powersystem load modeling, etc.7 Halama

Mid infrared spectroscopy and milk quality traits: A data analysis competition at the “International Workshop on Spectroscopy and Chemometrics 2021”

A chemometric data analysis challenge has been arranged during the first edition of the “International Workshop on Spectroscopy and Chemometrics”, organized by the Vistamilk SFI Research Centre and held online in April 2021. The aim of the competition was to build a calibration model in order to predict milk quality traits exploiting the information contained in mid-infrared spectra only. Three different traits have been provided, presenting heterogeneous degrees of prediction complexity thus possibly requiring trait-specific modelling choices. In this paper the different approaches adopted by the participants are outlined and the insights obtained from the analyses are critically discussed

Series-parallel versus true polyphase calibration of electricity meters

NRC publication: Ye

Role of fumonisin B1 on DNA methylation changes in rat kidney and liver cells

Context: Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium verticillioides (Sacc.) Nirenberg (Nectriaceae) mold that contaminates maize and other agricultural products. Although the effects of FB1 on sphingolipid metabolism are clear, little is known about early molecular changes associated with FB1 carcinogenicity