Explosion of smoothness for conjugacies between multimodal maps

Let $f$ and $g$ be smooth multimodal maps with no periodic attractors and no neutral points. If a topological conjugacy $h$ between $f$ and $g$ is $C^{1}$ at a point in the nearby expanding set of $f$, then $h$ is a smooth diffeomorphism in the basin of attraction of a renormalization interval of $f$. In particular, if $f:I \to I$ and $g:J \to J$ are $C^r$ unimodal maps and $h$ is $C^{1}$ at a boundary of $I$ then $h$ is $C^r$ in $I$.Comment: 22 page

ML4IoT: A Framework to Orchestrate Machine Learning Workflows on Internet of Things Data

Internet of Things (IoT) applications generate vast amounts of real-time data. Temporal analysis of these data series to discover behavioural patterns may lead to qualified knowledge affecting a broad range of industries. Hence, the use of machine learning (ML) algorithms over IoT data has the potential to improve safety, economy, and performance in critical processes. However, creating ML workflows at scale is a challenging task that depends upon both production and specialized skills. Such tasks require investigation, understanding, selection, and implementation of specific ML workflows, which often lead to bottlenecks, production issues, and code management complexity and even then may not have a final desirable outcome. This paper proposes the Machine Learning Framework for IoT data (ML4IoT), which is designed to orchestrate ML workflows, particularly on large volumes of data series. The ML4IoT framework enables the implementation of several types of ML models, each one with a different workflow. These models can be easily configured and used through a simple pipeline. ML4IoT has been designed to use container-based components to enable training and deployment of various ML models in parallel. The results obtained suggest that the proposed framework can manage real-world IoT heterogeneous data by providing elasticity, robustness, and performance

Characterization of MHC class I in a long distance migratory wader, the Icelandic black-tailed godwit

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) encodes proteins that are central for antigen presentation and pathogen elimination. MHC class I (MHC-I) genes have attracted a great deal of interest among researchers in ecology and evolution and have been partly characterized in a wide range of bird species. So far, the main focus has been on species within the bird orders Galliformes and Passeriformes, while Charadriiformes remain vastly underrepresented with only two species studied to date. These two Charadriiformes species exhibit striking differences in MHC-I characteristics and MHC-I diversity. We therefore set out to study a third species within Charadriiformes, the Icelandic subspecies of black-tailed godwits (Limosa limosa islandica). This subspecies is normally confined to parasite-poor environments, and we hence expected low MHC diversity. MHC-I was partially characterized first using Sanger sequencing and then using high-throughput sequencing (MiSeq) in 84 individuals. We verified 47 nucleotide alleles in open reading frame with classical MHC-I characteristics, and each individual godwit had two to seven putatively classical MHC alleles. However, in contrast to previous MHC-I data within Charadriiformes, we did not find any evidence of alleles with low sequence diversity, believed to represent non-classical MHC genes. The diversity and divergence of the godwits MHC-I genes to a large extent fell between the previous estimates within Charadriiformes. However, the MHC genes of the migratory godwits had few sites subject to positive selection, and one possible explanation could be a low exposure to pathogens.Financial support to SP was provided by PhD grant SFRH/BD/84629/2012 from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT); to JAA by FCT grant SFRH/BPD/91527/2012. This study benefited from funding by RANNIS - Icelandic Research Council (130412-051), the strategic project (UID/MAR/04292/2013) granted to MARE and H. Westerdahl financed through Swedish Research Council (621-2011-3674 and 2015-05149) and provided the laboratory facilities for molecular analysis.Peer Reviewe

Use of stable isotope fingerprints to assign wintering origin and trace shorebird movements along the East Atlantic Flyway

Migratory connectivity can be defined as the flux of individuals or populations among areas between stages of an animal's life cycle. Many shorebird species perform long-distance migrations and while moving between breeding and wintering grounds, they depend on a network of intermediate wetlands (stopover sites) where populations of different origins extensively overlap. The difficulty to discriminate such populations represents a serious obstacle to the identification of the links between breeding or wintering areas and stopover sites, and also precludes the estimation of demographic parameters for each population. In this study, we test if linear discriminant models based on stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in toenails can he used to identify populations of several shorebird species of different wintering origins overlapping at two stopover sites of the East Atlantic Flyway. In addition, we evaluate the ability of this approach to infer migratory phenological patterns of shorebirds. Linear discriminant analyses performed overall well in distinguishing the isotopic signals of birds from wintering areas (in France, Portugal, Morocco, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau) most species, correctly classifying over 80% (n = 542) of all wintering individuals sampled at these areas. Assignment rates of shorebirds captured during spring migration were also high (96%, n=323) at the Tejo estuary, Portugal, but lower (40%, 0 = 185) at Marennes-Oleron Bay in France, and also differed among species. A large proportion of spring migrants captured in Portugal and France were assigned to Banc d' Arguin in Mauritania, the most important wintering area in the flyway. Phenological patterns derived for dunlins (Calidris alpina), common ringed plovers (Charadrius hiaticula) and grey plovers (Pluvialis squatarola) suggest that the first northward migrants started arriving at the Tejo estuary during the second half of March, with peaking numbers occurring during April or May.</p

Metabolic plasticity for subcutaneous fat accumulation in a long-distance migratory bird traced by 2 H 2 O

The migrant black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa) traditionally used natural wetlands in the Iberian Peninsula to prepare for migratory flights by feeding mainly in estuaries. In recent decades, this species has become increasingly dependent on rice fields, thereby relying on a plant-based diet for fuelling. Dietary fatty acids (FA) seem to be determinant to the composition of accumulated subcutaneous fat in migratory birds. It is still unclear whether metabolic plasticity allows for modification and/or synthesis of FA, contributing to a lipid profile that enables a successful migratory performance. Deuterated water was administered to captive black-tailed godwits submitted to two diets (fly larvae versus rice) and the incorporation of deuterium (2H) into subcutaneous triglycerides was analyzed by NMR. A recently developed localized biopsy method for sampling subcutaneous fat was employed with later successful release of all birds into the wild. The average chemical structure reflected mostly a mixture of saturated and monounsaturated 16- and 18-carbon FA, a profile frequently found in migrant birds. Significantly higher levels of polyunsaturated FA, as well as detectable levels of n-3 FA, were observed in fly-larvae-fed birds. Excess 2H-enrichments in FA revealed significantly higher rates of fractional de novo lipogenesis and FA desaturation capacity in rice-fed birds. This novel and non-lethal tracer method revealed the capacity of this species to alter its lipid metabolism to compensate for a poorer dietary lipid contribution. Because of its versatility, adapting this method to other scenarios and/or other migratory species is considered feasible and cost-effective.The authors acknowledge financial support from Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT) in the form of fellowships to I.V. (SFRH/BPD/90032/2012), P.M.A. (SFRH/BD/69238/2010), A.D.R. (SFRH/BD/74228/2010) and J.A.A. (SFRH/BPD/91527/2012) and research project EXCL/DTP-PIC/0069/2012. NMR data were collected at the UC-NMR facility that is supported by FEDER and FCT (RECI/QEQ-QFI/0168/2012, CENTRO-07-CT62-FEDER-002012) and Rede Nacional de Ressonancia Magnetica Nuclear (RNRMN).Peer Reviewe

Does the use of DACC-coated dressings improve clinical outcomes for hard to heal wounds: a systematic review

Reports of overuse and antimicrobial resistance have fuelled some clinicians to adopt alternative wound dressings termed to be non-medicated or non-antimicrobials, which still claim antimicrobial or antibacterial activity. In this PROSPERO-registered systematic review, we evaluated the in vivo clinical evidence for the effectiveness of DACC-coated dressings in chronic, hard to heal wound-related outcomes. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Framework was adopted as the template in constructing this systematic review. The PICO format (Population [or patients], Intervention, Comparison [control], Outcome/s) was used to identify key clinical questions in determining patient outcomes under two domains (infection control and wound healing). A systematic search was performed in PubMed, OVID, Cochrane Library, clinical trial registries and data sources from independent committees. Abstracts of all studies were screened independently by two reviewers, with six further reviewers independently assessing records proceeding to full review. The authors rated the quality of evidence for each of the outcomes critical to decision making. After excluding duplicates, 748 records were screened from the databases, and 13 records were sought for full review. After full review, we excluded a further three records, leaving ten records for data extraction. Three records were narrative reviews, three systematic reviews, two prospective non-comparative before/after studies, one prospective head-to-head comparator cohort study and one retrospective head-to-head comparator cohort study. No RCTs or case versus control studies were identified. The overall quality of clinical evidence for the use of DACC-coated dressing to improve wound infection and wound healing outcomes was assessed as very low. There is an urgent unmet need to perform appropriately designed RCTs or case–control studies. The extracted data provide no clarity and have limited to no evidence to support that using a DACC-coated dressing improves wound infection or wound healing outcomes. Further, there is no evidence to suggest this therapy is either superior to standard of wound care or equivocal to topical antimicrobial agents in the management of infected hard to heal wounds.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Behavior of Cu-Y2O3 and CuCrZr-Y2O3 composites before and after irradiation

ABSTRACT: The Cu-Y2O3 and CuCrZr-Y2O3 materials have been devised as thermal barriers in nuclear fusion reactors. It is expected that in the nuclear environments, the materials should be working on extreme conditions of irradiation. In this work the Cu-Y2O3 and CuCrZr-Y2O3 were prepared and then irradiated in order to understand the surface irradiation resistance of the material. The composites were prepared in a glove box and consolidated with spark plasma sintering. The microstructures revealed regions of Y2O3 dispersion and Y2O3 agglomerates both in the Cu matrix and in the CuCrZr. The irradiated samples did not show any surface modification indicating that the materials seem to be irradiation resistant in the present situation. The thermal conductivity values for all the samples measured are lower than pure Cu and higher than pure W, however are higher than those expected, and therefore, the application of these materials as thermal barriers is compromised.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The DNA damage and the DNA replication checkpoints converge at the MBF transcription factor

In fission yeast cells, Cds1 is the effector kinase of the DNA replication checkpoint. We previously showed that when the DNA replication checkpoint is activated, the repressor Yox1 is phosphorylated and inactivated by Cds1, resulting in activation of MluI-binding factor (MBF)-dependent transcription. This is essential to reinitiate DNA synthesis and for correct G1-to-S transition. Here we show that Cdc10, which is an essential part of the MBF core, is the target of the DNA damage checkpoint. When fission yeast cells are treated with DNA-damaging agents, Chk1 is activated and phosphorylates Cdc10 at its carboxy-terminal domain. This modification is responsible for the repression of MBF-dependent transcription through induced release of MBF from chromatin. This inactivation of MBF is important for survival of cells challenged with DNA-damaging agents. Thus Yox1 and Cdc10 couple normal cell cycle regulation in unperturbed conditions and the DNA replication and DNA damage checkpoints into a single transcriptional complex