Transcriptome analysis of porcine M. semimembranosus divergent in intramuscular fat as a consequence of dietary protein restriction

peer-reviewedBackground: Intramuscular fat (IMF) content is positively correlated with aspects of pork palatability, including flavour, juiciness and overall acceptability. The ratio of energy to protein in the finishing diet of growing pigs can impact on IMF content with consequences for pork quality. The objective of this study was to compare gene expression profiles of Musculus semimembranosus (SM) of animals divergent for IMF as a consequence of protein dietary restriction in an isocaloric diet. The animal model was derived through the imposition of low or high protein diets during the finisher stage in Duroc gilts. RNA was extracted from post mortem SM tissue, processed and hybridised to Affymetrix porcine GeneChip® arrays. Results: IMF content of SM muscle was increased on the low protein diet (3.60 ± 0.38% versus 1.92 ± 0.35%). Backfat depth was also greater in animals on the low protein diet, and average daily gain and feed conversion ratio were lower, but muscle depth, protein content and moisture content were not affected. A total of 542 annotated genes were differentially expressed (DE) between animals on low and high protein diets, with 351 down-regulated and 191 up-regulated on the low protein diet. Transcript differences were validated for a subset of DE genes by qPCR. Alterations in functions related to cell cycle, muscle growth, extracellular matrix organisation, collagen development, lipogenesis and lipolysis, were observed. Expression of adipokines including LEP, TNFα and HIF1α were increased and the hypoxic stress response was induced. Many of the identified transcriptomic responses have also been observed in genetic and fetal programming models of differential IMF accumulation, indicating they may be robust biological indicators of IMF content. Conclusion: An extensive perturbation of overall energy metabolism in muscle occurs in response to protein restriction. A low protein diet can modulate IMF content of the SM by altering gene pathways involved in lipid biosynthesis and degradation; however this nutritional challenge negatively impacts protein synthesis pathways, with potential consequences for growth.Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Ireland - Food Institutional Research Measur

Forming the Architecture of a Multi-Layered Model of Physical Data Storage for Complex Telemedicine Systems

The relevance of this research is determined by the need to study the issues of improving data storage technologies for complex telemedicine systems. The objective is to create a multi-layered data storage model for complex telemedicine systems to ensure the most complete use of their capacity and the timely expansion of existing storage. The research is conducted on the basis of an analysis of existing opportunities and problems in the field of data storage technologies. An analysis of the main features of the development of data storage technologies revealed that the existing models have no detailed description of the recording and physical storage of data bits, which is necessary for describing the storage process. Different architectures are reviewed, and their strengths and weaknesses are discussed. Within the framework of a demonstration experiment using the Kohonen neural network apparatus as a tool for solving the problem of placing objects in accordance with the required parameters, it is shown that the proposed storage system resource management model is operable and allows solving the problem of rational use of physical resources. As a result, a multilevel model of data storage is proposed, which combines the levels of storage process organization and technology. The distinguishing feature of this method is the comparison of storage organization levels, data media, and characteristics of physical storage and stored files. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2023-04-04-09 Full Text: PD

First hours of the GRB 030329 optical afterglow

We present the first results of the observations of the extremely bright optical afterglow of gamma-ray burst (GRB) 030329 with the 1.5m Russian-Turkish telescope RTT150 (TUBITAK National Observatory, Bakyrlytepe, Turkey). RTT150 was one of the first 1.5m-class telescopes pointed to the afterglow. Observations were started approximately 6 hours after the burst. During the first 5 hours of our observations the afterglow faded exactly as a power law with index -1.19+-0.01 in each of the BVRI Bessel filters. After that, in all BVRI filters simultaneously we observe a steepening of the power law light curve. The power law decay index smoothly approaches the value ~= -1.9, observed by other observatories later. This power law break occurs at t-t_0 =0.57 days and lasts for +-0.1 days. We observe no variability above the gradual fading with the upper limits 10--1% on time scales 0.1--1000s. Spectral flux distribution in four BVRI filters corresponds to the power law spectrum with spectral index \alpha=0.66+-0.01. The change of the power law decay index in the end of our observations can be interpreted as a signature of collimated ultrarelativistic jet. The afterglow flux distribution in radio, optical and x-rays is consistent with synchrotron spectrum. We continue our observations of this unique object with RTT150.Comment: Astronomy Letters, Vol. 29, No. 9, p. 573; 6 pages, 5 figures; pagination corrected; the original Russian version can be found at http://hea.iki.rssi.ru/~br/030329/pfh030329.pd

A Fuzzy Approach to the Synthesis of Cognitive Maps for Modeling Decision Making in Complex Systems

The object of this study is fuzzy cognitive modeling as a means of studying semistructured socio-economic systems. The features of constructing cognitive maps, providing the ability to choose management decisions in complex semistructured socio-economic systems, are described. It is shown that further improvement of technologies necessary for developing decision support systems and their practical use is still relevant. This work aimed to improve the accuracy of cognitive modeling of semistructured systems based on a fuzzy cognitive map of structuring nonformalized situations (MSNS) with the evaluation of root-mean-square error (RMSE) and mean average squared error (MASE) coefficients. In order to achieve the goal, the following main methods were used: systems analysis methods, fuzzy logic and fuzzy sets theory postulates, theory of integral wavelet transform, correlation and autocorrelation analyses. As a result, a new methodology for constructing MSNS was proposed—a map of structuring nonformalized situations that combines the positive properties of previous fuzzy cognitive maps. The solution of modeling problems based on this methodology should increase the reliability and quality of analysis and modeling of semistructured systems and processes under uncertainty. The analysis using open datasets proved that compared to the classical ARIMA, SVR, MLP, and Fuzzy time series models, our proposed model provides better performance in terms of MASE and RMSE metrics, which confirms its advantage. Thus, it is advisable to use our proposed algorithm in the future as a mathematical basis for developing software tools for the analysis and modeling of problems in semistructured systems and processes. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2022-06-02-012 Full Text: PD

Use of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to assess the stability of the anion exchange membrane MA-41, modified by poly-N,N-diallylmorpholine bromide in overlimiting current modes

The paper presents the results of studying the electrochemical characteristics and long-term stability of MA-41 membranes on the surface of which poly-N,N-diallylmorpholinium bromide was applied. The deposition of a polyelectrolyte on the membrane surface leads to an increase in the limiting current from 0.8 to 1.1 mA/cm2. The comparison of the experimental and theoretically calculated values of the limiting current density allows us to conclude that the modification of the membrane surface by poly-N,N-diallylmorpholinium bromide does not lead to the formation of a continuous polyelectrolyte film on the surface, but its fixation occurs due to the sorption of macromolecules on the surface of the ion-exchanger particles. To quantify the rate of the water dissociation reaction at the membrane/solution interface, the method of electrochemical impedance was used, which makes it possible to compare the rate constants of the water dissociation reaction for different membranes, assuming that the reaction is described by the Gericher impedance. It is shown that modification of the MA-41 membrane surface leads to a decrease in the rate of the water dissociation reaction in the current range i = 1.5–4ilim by a factor of 2–6. The reduction in water dissociation reaction rate is attributed to the substitution of catalytically active secondary and tertiary amino groups in the surface layer of the pristine membrane by stable heterocyclic ammonium bases of poly-N,N-diallylmorpholinium. The study of the long-term stability of the resulting membrane showed that when the membrane is polarized with a current equal to  twice the limiting current, the desorption of the modifier occurs within 25 h, and the properties of the membrane become close to those of the unmodified MA-41 membrane. It was shown that the electrochemical impedance method can be used as a very sensitive method for studying the long-term stability of ion-exchange membranes

Universality of the Ising and the S=1 model on Archimedean lattices: A Monte Carlo determination

The Ising model S=1/2 and the S=1 model are studied by efficient Monte Carlo schemes on the (3,4,6,4) and the (3,3,3,3,6) Archimedean lattices. The algorithms used, a hybrid Metropolis-Wolff algorithm and a parallel tempering protocol, are briefly described and compared with the simple Metropolis algorithm. Accurate Monte Carlo data are produced at the exact critical temperatures of the Ising model for these lattices. Their finite-size analysis provide, with high accuracy, all critical exponents which, as expected, are the same with the well known 2d Ising model exact values. A detailed finite-size scaling analysis of our Monte Carlo data for the S=1 model on the same lattices provides very clear evidence that this model obeys, also very well, the 2d Ising model critical exponents. As a result, we find that recent Monte Carlo simulations and attempts to define effective dimensionality for the S=1 model on these lattices are misleading. Accurate estimates are obtained for the critical amplitudes of the logarithmic expansions of the specific heat for both models on the two Archimedean lattices.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figure

Factors affecting pain and fatigue in females with chronic widespread pain

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate factors related to pain intensity and global fatigue in females with Chronic Widespread Pain (CWP). Material and methods: One hundred four patients with CWP were included. The mean age was 40.28±10.82 years. Both Pain intensity and global fatigue were assessed using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to describe anxiety and depression symptoms. Three different questionnaires (leisure time activity, and physical activity at home, at work) were used to determine physical activity levels. Dorsal regression was used to analyze the data. Results: The anxiety score was the most common factor affecting pain intensity (p=0.003). On the other hand, a moderate level of physical activity at home (p=0.027), physical activity level at work (p=0.008), and the anxiety score (p=0.027) were significant factors affecting global fatigue. Conclusion: Our results show that anxiety is the most important factor affecting both pain and global fatigue in women with CWP. These results also support the idea that the characteristics of pain, fatigue and anxiety should be evaluated separately