Validating Forward Modeling and Inversions of Helioseismic Holography Measurements

Here we use synthetic data to explore the performance of forward models and inverse methods for helioseismic holography. Specifically, this work presents the first comprehensive test of inverse modeling for flows using lateral-vantage (deep-focus) holography. We derive sensitivity functions in the Born approximation. We then use these sensitivity functions in a series of forward models and inversions of flows from a publicly available magnetohydrodynamic quiet-Sun simulation. The forward travel times computed using the kernels generally compare favorably with measurements obtained by applying holography, in a lateral-vantage configuration, on a 15-hour time series of artificial Dopplergrams extracted from the simulation. Inversions for the horizontal flow components are able to reproduce the flows in the upper 3Mm of the domain, but are compromised by noise at greater depths.Comment: accepted for publication by the Astrophysical

Estudio descriptivo: valoración de autoeficacia percibida en la alimentación de estudiantes universitarios

Introduction: Self-efficacy refers to personal ability to control one's own behavior, being able to adopt a beneficial behavior and stop practicing one that would be harmful. Its assessment as a tool in health field is becoming increasingly important. The objectives were assess perceived self-efficacy in university students related to eating behaviors considered healthy and determine possible differences between careers. Methods: A psychometric test of food self-efficacy was used, validated and adapted to the Argentine food culture. The instrument was made up of 20 items, with a response option according to the Likert scale (1: lack of ability; 5: being very capable), corresponding to 4 categories: high-fat foods; healthy food; sweet foods and healthy drinks. Participants included 300 students from 3 careers: Biochemistry (BQ) and Bachelor's degrees in Biotechnology (BB) and Nutrition (BN). Results: The reliability of the instrument was 0.83 (Cronbach's Alpha). Population included 80% women and 20% men, 21 ± 4 years old. The healthy drinks category received the highest score, without observing statistical differences between careers (4.47, 4.37 and 4.37). The score obtained by BN corresponds to a greater sense of perceived self-efficacy than BQ and BB (respectively) in: foods high in fat (3.76 vs 3.31 and 3.50; p=0.001); healthy food (4.23 vs 3.75 and 3.90 p=0.003) and sweet foods (3.71 vs 3.53 and 3.55; p=0.016). Conclusions: It is assumed that the assessment of self-efficacy is an important predictor of the actions of individuals in various situations, resulting in a valuable tool to elucidate the particularities and promote nutritional food education in university students of different careers.Introducción: La autoeficacia refiere a la capacidad personal de controlar la propia conducta, siendo capaz de adoptar una beneficiosa y/o dejar de practicar una que resultaría dañina. Su valoración en el ámbito de la salud cobra cada vez más importancia. El objetivo del trabajo fue valorar en universitarios la autoeficacia percibida en conductas alimentarias consideradas saludables y determinar posibles diferencias entre carreras. Métodos: Se empleó un test psicométrico de autoeficacia alimentaria, validado y adaptado a la cultura alimentaria argentina, con opción de respuesta según escala de Likert (1: ausencia de capacidad; 5: ser muy capaz), correspondientes a 4 categorías: alimentos altos en grasa; alimentos dulces; alimentos saludables y bebidas saludables. Participaron 300 estudiantes, 80% mujeres y 20% varones, de 21±4 años, de tres carreras: Bioquímica (BQ) y las Licenciaturas en Biotecnología (LB) y en Nutrición (LN). Resultados: La confiabilidad del instrumento fue 0,83 (Alfa de Cronbach). La categoría bebidas saludables recibió la mayor puntuación, sin observar diferencias estadísticas entre carreras (4,47; 4,37 y 4,37). La puntuación obtenida por LN se correspondió con un mayor sentido de autoeficacia percibida que BQ y LB (respectivamente) en alimentos: altos en grasa (3,76 vs 3,31 y 3,50; p= 0,001); dulces (3,71 vs 3,53 y 3,55; p= 0,016) y saludables (4,23 vs 3,75 y 3,90 p=0,003). Conclusión: Siendo la valoración de la autoeficacia un importante predictor de las acciones de los individuos frente a diversas situaciones, resulta una herramienta valiosa para dilucidar las particularidades y promover la educación alimentaria nutricional en universitarios de diferentes carreras

Bruno: A deep recurrent model for exchangeable data

We present a novel model architecture which leverages deep learning tools to perform exact Bayesian inference on sets of high dimensional, complex observations. Our model is provably exchangeable, meaning that the joint distribution over observations is invariant under permutation: this property lies at the heart of Bayesian inference. The model does not require variational approximations to train, and new samples can be generated conditional on previous samples, with cost linear in the size of the conditioning set. The advantages of our architecture are demonstrated on learning tasks that require generalisation from short observed sequences while modelling sequence variability, such as conditional image generation, few-shot learning, and anomaly detectio

JAK Kinase Inhibition Abrogates STAT3 Activation and Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Tumor Growth

AbstractAberrant activation of the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 has been implicated in cell proliferation and survival of many cancers including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). AZD1480, an orally active pharmacologic inhibitor of JAK1/JAK2, has been tested in several cancer models. In the present study, the in vitro and in vivo effects of AZD1480 were evaluated in HNSCC preclinical models to test the potential use of JAK kinase inhibition for HNSCC therapy. AZD1480 treatment decreased HNSCC proliferation in HNSCC cell lines with half maximal effective concentration (EC50) values ranging from 0.9 to 4 μM in conjunction with reduction of pSTAT3Tyr705 expression. In vivo antitumor efficacy of AZD1480 was demonstrated in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models derived from two independent HNSCC tumors. Oral administration of AZD1480 reduced tumor growth in conjunction with decreased pSTAT3Tyr705 expression that was observed in both PDX models. These findings suggest that the JAK1/2 inhibitors abrogate STAT3 signaling and may be effective in HNSCC treatment approaches

ProteinWorldDB: querying radical pairwise alignments among protein sets from complete genomes

Motivation: Many analyses in modern biological research are based on comparisons between biological sequences, resulting in functional, evolutionary and structural inferences. When large numbers of sequences are compared, heuristics are often used resulting in a certain lack of accuracy. In order to improve and validate results of such comparisons, we have performed radical all-against-all comparisons of 4 million protein sequences belonging to the RefSeq database, using an implementation of the Smith–Waterman algorithm. This extremely intensive computational approach was made possible with the help of World Community Grid™, through the Genome Comparison Project. The resulting database, ProteinWorldDB, which contains coordinates of pairwise protein alignments and their respective scores, is now made available. Users can download, compare and analyze the results, filtered by genomes, protein functions or clusters. ProteinWorldDB is integrated with annotations derived from Swiss-Prot, Pfam, KEGG, NCBI Taxonomy database and gene ontology. The database is a unique and valuable asset, representing a major effort to create a reliable and consistent dataset of cross-comparisons of the whole protein content encoded in hundreds of completely sequenced genomes using a rigorous dynamic programming approach

EDS1 Contributes to Nonhost Resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana Against Erwinia amylovora

Erwinia amylovora causes fire blight in rosaceous plants. In nonhost Arabidopsis thaliana, E. amylovora triggers necrotic symptoms associated with transient bacterial multiplication, suggesting either that A. thaliana lacks a susceptibility factor or that it actively restricts E. amylovora growth. Inhibiting plant protein synthesis at the time of infection led to an increase in necrosis and bacterial multiplication and reduced callose deposition, indicating that A. thaliana requires active protein synthesis to restrict E. amylovora growth. Analysis of the callose synthase-deficient pmr4-1 mutant indicated that lack of callose deposition alone did not lead to increased sensitivity to E. amylovora. Transcriptome analysis revealed that approximately 20% of the genes induced following E. amylovora infection are related to defense and signaling. Analysis of mutants affected in NDR1 and EDS1, two main components of the defense-gene activation observed, revealed that E. amylovora multiplied ten times more in the eds1-2 mutant than in the wild type but not in the ndr1-1 mutant. Analysis of mutants affected in three WRKY transcription factors showing EDS1-dependent activation identified WRKY46 and WRKY54 as positive regulators and WRKY70 as a negative regulator of defense against E. amylovora. Altogether, we show that EDS1 is a positive regulator of nonhost resistance against E. amylovora in A. thaliana and hypothesize that it controls the production of several effective defenses against E. amylovora through the action of WRKY46 and WRKY54, while WRKY70 acts as a negative regulator

The HrpN Effector of Erwinia amylovora , Which Is Involved in Type III Translocation, Contributes Directly or Indirectly to Callose Elicitation on Apple Leaves

Erwinia amylovora is responsible for fire blight of apple and pear trees. Its pathogenicity depends on a type III secretion system (T3SS) mediating the translocation of effectors into the plant cell. The DspA/E effector suppresses callose deposition on apple leaves. We found that E. amylovora and Pseudomonas syringae DC3000 tts mutants or peptide flg22 do not trigger callose deposition as strongly as the dspA/E mutant on apple leaves. This suggests that, on apple leaves, callose deposition is poorly elicited by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) such as flg22 or other PAMPs harbored by tts mutants and is mainly elicited by injected effectors or by the T3SS itself. Callose elicitation partly depends on HrpW because an hrpW-dspA/E mutant elicits lower callose deposition than a dspA/E mutant. Furthermore, an hrpN-dspA/E mutant does not trigger callose deposition, indicating that HrpN is required to trigger this plant defense reaction. We showed that HrpN plays a general role in the translocation process. Thus, the HrpN requirement for callose deposition may be explained by its role in translocation: HrpN could be involved in the translocation of other effectors inducing callose deposition. Furthermore, HrpN may also directly contribute to the elicitation process because we showed that purified HrpN induces callose deposition