Knowing Values and Public Inspection

We present a basic dynamic epistemic logic of "knowing the value". Analogous to public announcement in standard DEL, we study "public inspection", a new dynamic operator which updates the agents' knowledge about the values of constants. We provide a sound and strongly complete axiomatization for the single and multi-agent case, making use of the well-known Armstrong axioms for dependencies in databases

Role of fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR) and FGFR like-1 (FGFRL1) in mesenchymal stromal cell differentiation to osteoblasts and adipocytes

Fibroblast growth factors (FGF) and their receptors (FGFRs) regulate many developmental processes including differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC). We developed two MSC lines capable of differentiating to osteoblasts and adipocytes and studied the role of FGFRs in this process. We identified FGFR2 and fibroblast growth factor receptor like-1 (FGFRL1) as possible actors in MSC differentiation with gene microarray and qRT-PCR. FGFR2 and FGFRL1 mRNA expression strongly increased during MSC differentiation to osteoblasts. FGF2 treatment, resulting in downregulation of FGFR2, or silencing FGFR2 expression with siRNAs inhibited osteoblast differentiation. During adipocyte differentiation expression of FGFR1 and FGFRL1 increased and was down-regulated by FGF2. FGFR1 knockdown inhibited adipocyte differentiation. Silencing FGFR2 and FGFR1 in MSCs was associated with decreased FGFRL1 expression in osteoblasts and adipocytes, respectively. Our results suggest that FGFR1 and FGFR2 regulate FGFRL1 expression. FGFRL1 may mediate or modulate FGFR regulation of MSC differentiation together with FGFR2 in osteoblastic and FGFR1 in adipocytic lineage.</div

Removal of proteinase K resistant alpha Syn species does not correlate with cell survival in a virus vector-based Parkinson's disease mouse model

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons and accumu-lation of alpha-synuclein (alpha Syn) as Lewy bodies. Currently, there is no disease-modifying therapy available for PD. We have shown that a small molecular inhibitor for prolyl oligopeptidase (PREP), KYP-2047, relieves alpha Syn-induced toxicity in various PD models by inducing autophagy and preventing alpha Syn aggregation. In this study, we wanted to study the effects of PREP inhibition on different alpha Syn species by using cell culture and in vivo models.We used Neuro2A cells with transient alpha Syn overexpression and oxidative stress or proteasomal inhibition -induced alpha Syn aggregation to assess the effect of KYP-2047 on soluble alpha Syn oligomers and on cell viability. Here, the levels of soluble alpha Syn were measured by using ELISA, and the impact of KYP-2047 was compared to anle138b, nilotinib and deferiprone. To evaluate the effect of KYP-2047 on alpha Syn fibrillization in vivo, we used unilateral nigral AAV1/2-A53T-alpha Syn mouse model, where the KYP-2047 treatment was initiated two-or four -weeks post injection.KYP-2047 and anle138b protected cells from alpha Syn toxicity but interestingly, KYP-2047 did not reduce soluble alpha Syn oligomers. In AAV-A53T-alpha Syn mouse model, KYP-2047 reduced significantly proteinase K-resistant alpha Syn oligomers and oxidative damage related to alpha Syn aggregation. However, the KYP-2047 treatment that was initiated at the time of symptom onset, failed to protect the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. Our results emphasize the importance of whole alpha Syn aggregation process in the pathology of PD and raise an important question about the forms of alpha Syn that are reasonable targets for PD drug therapy.Peer reviewe

Changing a semantics: opportunism or courage?

The generalized models for higher-order logics introduced by Leon Henkin, and their multiple offspring over the years, have become a standard tool in many areas of logic. Even so, discussion has persisted about their technical status, and perhaps even their conceptual legitimacy. This paper gives a systematic view of generalized model techniques, discusses what they mean in mathematical and philosophical terms, and presents a few technical themes and results about their role in algebraic representation, calibrating provability, lowering complexity, understanding fixed-point logics, and achieving set-theoretic absoluteness. We also show how thinking about Henkin's approach to semantics of logical systems in this generality can yield new results, dispelling the impression of adhocness. This paper is dedicated to Leon Henkin, a deep logician who has changed the way we all work, while also being an always open, modest, and encouraging colleague and friend.Comment: 27 pages. To appear in: The life and work of Leon Henkin: Essays on his contributions (Studies in Universal Logic) eds: Manzano, M., Sain, I. and Alonso, E., 201

The neutrino signal at HALO: learning about the primary supernova neutrino fluxes and neutrino properties

Core-collapse supernova neutrinos undergo a variety of phenomena when they travel from the high neutrino density region and large matter densities to the Earth. We perform analytical calculations of the supernova neutrino fluxes including collective effects due to the neutrino-neutrino interactions, the Mikheev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein (MSW) effect due to the neutrino interactions with the background matter and decoherence of the wave packets as they propagate in space. We predict the numbers of one- and two-neutron charged and neutral-current electron-neutrino scattering on lead events. We show that, due to the energy thresholds, the ratios of one- to two-neutron events are sensitive to the pinching parameters of neutrino fluxes at the neutrinosphere, almost independently of the presently unknown neutrino properties. Besides, such events have an interesting sensitivity to the spectral split features that depend upon the presence/absence of energy equipartition among neutrino flavors. Our calculations show that a lead-based observatory like the Helium And Lead Observatory (HALO) has the potential to pin down important characteristics of the neutrino fluxes at the neutrinosphere, and provide us with information on the neutrino transport in the supernova core.Comment: 30 pages, 12 figures, 6 tables, minor correction

Invasive species control with apex predators: increasing presence of wolves is associated with reduced occurrence of the alien raccoon dog

The role of an alien predator in the community depends on its interaction with native predators. The absence of apex predators may facilitate outbreaks of invasive mesopredators, but the effect of apex predators may vary between species and environments. We analysed the occurrence of a common invasive mesopredator in Europe, the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), and native mesopredators, the red fox and the Eurasian badger, in camera-trap data from Finland. The observations in cameras were analysed in relation to the presence of apex predators in the landscape (grey wolf and Eurasian lynx), human density, and habitat. We observed negative effect of increasing presence of wolves and lynxes on the occurrence of raccoon dogs. This effect appeared clear compared to the effects of habitat and human density. The effect of lynxes on raccoon dogs was clearer in areas with short growth season. For the occurrence of badgers, the presence of wolves had a weak negative effect and the presence of lynxes had a positive effect. For the occurrence of red foxes, wolves had a positive effect when agricultural fields were sparse in the landscape and lynxes had no effect. We also observed that the invasive raccoon dog currently appears to be the most common mesopredator within the study area. We conclude that the effect of apex predators on mesopredators depends on the environment and, in our case, was more suppressive on the alien mesopredator than on the native mesopredators. Thus, apex predators can play an important role in controlling invasive mesopredators

Vertical profiles of sub-3nm particles over the boreal forest

This work presents airborne observations of sub-3 nm particles in the lower troposphere and investigates new particle formation (NPF) within an evolving boundary layer (BL). We studied particle concentrations together with supporting gas and meteorological data inside the planetary BL over a boreal forest site in Hyytiala, southern Finland. The analysed data were collected during three flight measurement campaigns: May-June 2015, August 2015 and April-May 2017, including 27 morning and 26 afternoon vertical profiles. As a platform for the instrumentation, we used a Cessna 172 aircraft. The analysed flight data were collected horizontally within a 30 km distance from SMEAR II in Hyytiala and vertically from 100 m above ground level up to 2700 m. The number concentration of 1.5-3 nm particles was observed to be, on average, the highest near the forest canopy top and to decrease with increasing altitude during the mornings of NPF event days. This indicates that the precursor vapours emitted by the forest play a key role in NPF in Hyytiala. During daytime, newly formed particles were observed to grow in size and the particle population became more homogenous within the well-mixed BL in the afternoon. During undefined days with respect to NPF, we also detected an increase in concentration of 1.5-3 nm particles in the morning but not their growth in size, which indicates an interrupted NPF process during these undefined days. Vertical mixing was typically stronger during the NPF event days than during the undefined or non-event days. The results shed light on the connection between boundary layer dynamics and NPF.Peer reviewe

The effects of acute hyperinsulinemia on bone metabolism

Peer reviewe

The Cyprinodon variegatus genome reveals gene expression changes underlying differences in skull morphology among closely related species

Genes in durophage intersection set at 15 dpf. This is a comma separated table of the genes in the 15 dpf durophage intersection set. Given are edgeR results for each pairwise comparison. Columns indicating whether a gene is included in the intersection set at a threshold of 1.5 or 2 fold are provided. (CSV 13 kb

BAECC: a field campaign to elucidate the impact of Biogenic Aerosols on Clouds and Climate

Observations obtained during an 8-month deployment of AMF2 in a boreal environment in Hyytiälä, Finland, and the 20-year comprehensive in-situ data from SMEAR-II station enable the characterization of biogenic aerosol, clouds and precipitation, and their interactions. During “Biogenic Aerosols - Effects on Clouds and Climate (BAECC)”, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program deployed the ARM 2nd Mobile Facility (AMF2) to Hyytiälä, Finland, for an 8-month intensive measurement campaign from February to September 2014. The primary research goal is to understand the role of biogenic aerosols in cloud formation. Hyytiälä is host to SMEAR-II (Station for Measuring Forest Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations), one of the world’s most comprehensive surface in-situ observation sites in a boreal forest environment. The station has been measuring atmospheric aerosols, biogenic emissions and an extensive suite of parameters relevant to atmosphere-biosphere interactions continuously since 1996. Combining vertical profiles from AMF2 with surface-based in-situ SMEAR-II observations allow the processes at the surface to be directly related to processes occurring throughout the entire tropospheric column. Together with the inclusion of extensive surface precipitation measurements, and intensive observation periods involving aircraft flights and novel radiosonde launches, the complementary observations provide a unique opportunity for investigating aerosol-cloud interactions, and cloud-to-precipitation processes, in a boreal environment. The BAECC dataset provides opportunities for evaluating and improving models of aerosol sources and transport, cloud microphysical processes, and boundary-layer structures. In addition, numerical models are being used to bridge the gap between surface-based and tropospheric observations