Evaluation of crowdsourcing Wi-Fi radio map creation in a real scenario for AAL applications

Indoor location at room level plays a key role for providing useful services for Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) applications. Wi-Fi fingerprinting indoor location methods are extensively used due to the widespread availability of WiFi infrastructures. A main drawback of Wi-Fi fingerprinting methods is the temporal cost involved in creating the radio maps. Crowdsourcing strategies have been presented as a way to minimize the cost of radio map creation. In this work, we present an extensive study of the issues involved when using crowdsourcing strategies for that purpose. Results provided by extensive experiments performed in a real scenario by three users during two weeks are presented. The main conclusions are: i) crowdsourcing data improves accuracy location in most studied cases; ii) accuracy of Wi-Fi fingerprinting methods decay along time; iii) device diversity is an important issue even when using the same device model

Performance assessment of ontology matching systems for FAIR data

© The Author(s). 2022 Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.Background: Ontology matching should contribute to the interoperability aspect of FAIR data (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable). Multiple data sources can use different ontologies for annotating their data and, thus, creating the need for dynamic ontology matching services. In this experimental study, we assessed the performance of ontology matching systems in the context of a real-life application from the rare disease domain. Additionally, we present a method for analyzing top-level classes to improve precision. Results: We included three ontologies (NCIt, SNOMED CT, ORDO) and three matching systems (AgreementMakerLight 2.0, FCA-Map, LogMap 2.0). We evaluated the performance of the matching systems against reference alignments from BioPortal and the Unified Medical Language System Metathesaurus (UMLS). Then, we analyzed the top-level ancestors of matched classes, to detect incorrect mappings without consulting a reference alignment. To detect such incorrect mappings, we manually matched semantically equivalent top-level classes of ontology pairs. AgreementMakerLight 2.0, FCA-Map, and LogMap 2.0 had F1-scores of 0.55, 0.46, 0.55 for BioPortal and 0.66, 0.53, 0.58 for the UMLS respectively. Using vote-based consensus alignments increased performance across the board. Evaluation with manually created top-level hierarchy mappings revealed that on average 90% of the mappings’ classes belonged to top-level classes that matched. Conclusions: Our findings show that the included ontology matching systems automatically produced mappings that were modestly accurate according to our evaluation. The hierarchical analysis of mappings seems promising when no reference alignments are available. All in all, the systems show potential to be implemented as part of an ontology matching service for querying FAIR data. Future research should focus on developing methods for the evaluation of mappings used in such mapping services, leading to their implementation in a FAIR data ecosystem

HSF1: Primary Factor in Molecular Chaperone Expression and a Major Contributor to Cancer Morbidity

Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) is the primary component for initiation of the powerful heat shock response (HSR) in eukaryotes. The HSR is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for responding to proteotoxic stress and involves the rapid expression of heat shock protein (HSP) molecular chaperones that promote cell viability by facilitating proteostasis. HSF1 activity is amplified in many tumor contexts in a manner that resembles a chronic state of stress, characterized by high levels of HSP gene expression as well as HSF1-mediated non-HSP gene regulation. HSF1 and its gene targets are essential for tumorigenesis across several experimental tumor models, and facilitate metastatic and resistant properties within cancer cells. Recent studies have suggested the significant potential of HSF1 as a therapeutic target and have motivated research efforts to understand the mechanisms of HSF1 regulation and develop methods for pharmacological intervention. We review what is currently known regarding the contribution of HSF1 activity to cancer pathology, its regulation and expression across human cancers, and strategies to target HSF1 for cancer therapy.Fil: Prince, Thomas L.. Geisinger Clinic. Department of Molecular Functional Genomics; Estados UnidosFil: Lang, Benjamin J.. Harvard Medical School; Estados UnidosFil: Guerrero Gimenez, Martin Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez Muñoz, Juan Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Ackerman, Andrew. Geisinger Clinic. Department of Molecular Functional Genomics; Estados UnidosFil: Calderwood, Stuart K.. Harvard Medical School; Estados Unido

Changes in soil properties along grazing gradients in the mountain and forest steppe, steppe and desert steppe zones of Mongolia

Includes bibliographical references.Presented at the Building resilience of Mongolian rangelands: a trans-disciplinary research conference held on June 9-10, 2015 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.Recent debates about the condition of Mongolia's rangelands and possible causes of rangeland change highlight the need for greater understanding of changes in grassland soil fertility and physical characteristics associated with grazing. As part of a large observational study of grazing effects on different Mongolian ecological zones and soil types (ecological sites), we studied soil characteristics along grazing gradients from winter shelters in the mountain and forest steppe, steppe and desert steppe ecozones of Mongolia. Our objective was to determine how grazing affects soil properties in winter pastures in different ecological zones and ecological sites within zones, based on grazing gradients. Our findings did not support our hypothesis that livestock grazing along a grazing gradient from winter shelters would lead to increased concentrations of nutrients (C, NO3-, P, K and humus) near the shelters. Instead, where soil chemical properties differed with distance, they were lowest close to winter shelters and higher with increasing distance. As hypothesized, we observed greater bulk densities nearer to winter shelters than farther away. Our hypothesis that grazing effects on soil properties would vary among ecological sites also was not supported. Further experimental and observational studies are needed to understand grazing effects on soil properties at different spatial scales and to examine feedbacks between livestock-induced changes in plant communities and soil quality

Análisis de las notificaciones de ototoxicidad, con sintomatología de acúfenos, en la base de datos del sistema español de farmacovigilancia de medicamentos de uso humano

Background: One of the adverse drug reactions (ADR) can be the Ototoxicity, either in a cochlear level or in a vestibular one. This may cause an incapacitating symptomatology due to a hearing impairment or deafness, tinnitus, or a vertiginous syndrome. The objective of this work was to analyze the notifications of ototoxic ADRs registered in the FEDRA database of the Spanish Pharmacovigilance System for Medicinal products for Human Use (SEFV-H), manifested as tinnitus, describing epidemiological and prognostic factors, as well as active principles and associated therapeutic groups. Methods: An observational retrospective study based on the incoming registers in the FEDRA database of the SEFV-H, with tinnitus symptomatology due to ototoxicity between 1984 and 2017 has been earned out. SPSS v.20.0 program has been used for the descriptive and inferential statistics searching elements related to the emergence, seriousness or recuperation of the tinnitus. Results: A total of 662 patients notifications were obtained with 899 suspected drugs. 64% of the patients were women. The average age was 55.8 years old. An 8.5% of the tinnitus were classified as serious, meaning a significant and persistent disability. Evaluating the causality through the modified Karch-Lasagna algorithm (SEFV-H algorithm). a causal group credible or well defined, was discovered in 48.6% In the ATC ranking, the most frequent group of cause drugs was the N. nervous system. It was concluded. among others, that the seriousness is more significant in men and that the elder group have a great influence in the tinnitus recovery. Conclusions: The appearance of tinnitus brought on by medical ototoxicity may determine an important limitation on the patient. A vestibular and cochlear function monitoring must he carried out on patients under treatment with high ototoxicity drugs. The task of the pharmacovigilance seems to be essential. by spreading its results and stimulating the ADR notifications in order to identify pharmacological threats

Historical perspectives on pastoralism and land tenure transformation in Ngamiland, Botswana: What are the policy and institutional lessons?

Pastoral societies in dryland Africa continue to face changes to their pastoral systems. These systems are influenced by a range of historical factors but little use is made of this information to design policies that suit pastoralists’ landscapes. This article provides a synthesis of historical perspectives on pastoral land use and tenure transformations in Ngamiland, south of the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Little documentation of herders’ historical perspectives exists and less is known about how past experiences can be applied to sustainable pastoralism policies. In this article, current land use pressing issues are examined and analysed within the context of past experiences. We use a series of oral histories with key informants, focus group discussions, expert interviews and rangelands field observations. Ngamiland historical perspectives depict a pastoral landscape that has been shaped by a variety of factors; livestock diseases, Human-wildlife-conflicts, droughts, land tenure transformations associated with rangeland policies and the pastoral identity of the Ovaherero/Ovambanderu ethnic groups. Pastoralists have followed unique trajectories, specific to their rangeland conditions and socio-cultural context. Resilience to climate shocks and diseases has been weakened by inequitable patterns of control over rangeland resources. We recommend institutional diversity such that from experiences of the past, lessons can be drawn of the sort of processes and institutions required for pastoralism policies including targeted pastoralists’ adaptations. Using pastoralists to provide information, especially in the area of indigenous knowledge, strategies can be developed to link conservation of wildlife and rangelands with pastoral production by developing ecologically-sensitive low-volume tourism that pastoral communities can tap in to diversify their livelihoods

Endocytosis as a biological response in receptor pharmacology: evaluation by fluorescence microscopy

The activation of G-protein coupled receptors by agonist compounds results in diverse biological responses in cells, such as the endocytosis process consisting in the translocation of receptors from the plasma membrane to the cytoplasm within internalizing vesicles or endosomes. In order to functionally evaluate endocytosis events resulted from pharmacological responses, we have developed an image analysis method -the Q-Endosomes algorithm- that specifically discriminates the fluorescent signal originated at endosomes from that one observed at the plasma membrane in images obtained from living cells by fluorescence microscopy. Mu opioid (MOP) receptor tagged at the carboxy-terminus with yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) and permanently expressed in HEK293 cells was used as experimental model to validate this methodology. Time-course experiments performed with several agonists resulted in different sigmoid curves depending on the drug used to initiate MOP receptor endocytosis. Thus, endocytosis resulting from the simultaneous activation of co-expressed MOP and serotonin 5-HT2C receptors by morphine plus serotonin was significantly different, in kinetics as well as in maximal response parameters, from the one caused by DAMGO, sufentanyl or methadone. Therefore, this analytical tool permits the pharmacological characterization of receptor endocytosis in living cells with functional and temporal resolution

Cardiac dysfunction and remodeling regulated by anti-angiogenic environment in patients with preeclampsia : the ANGIOCOR prospective cohort study protocol

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are cause of increased morbidity and mortality in spite of advances for diagnosis and treatment. Changes during pregnancy affect importantly the maternal CV system. Pregnant women that develop preeclampsia (PE) have higher risk (up to 4 times) of clinical CVD in the short- and long-term. Predominance of an anti-angiogenic environment during pregnancy is known as main cause of PE, but its relationship with CV complications is still under research. We hypothesize that angiogenic factors are associated to maternal cardiac dysfunction/remodeling and that these may be detected by new cardiac biomarkers and maternal echocardiography. Methods: Prospective cohort study of pregnant women with high-risk of PE in first trimester screening, established diagnosis of PE during gestation, and healthy pregnant women (total intended sample size n = 440). Placental biochemical and biophysical cardiovascular markers will be assessed in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy, along with maternal echocardiographic parameters. Fetal cardiac function at third trimester of pregnancy will be also evaluated and correlated with maternal variables. Maternal cardiac function assessment will be determined 12 months after delivery, and correlation with CV and PE risk variables obtained during pregnancy will be evaluated. Discussion: The study will contribute to characterize the relationship between anti-angiogenic environment and maternal CV dysfunction/remodeling, during and after pregnancy, as well as its impact on future CVD risk in patients with PE. The ultimate goal is to improve CV health of women with high-risk or previous PE, and thus, reduce the burden of the disease. Trial registration: NCT04162236

The Danger of Having All Your Eggs in One Basket—Winter Crash of the Re-Introduced Przewalski's Horses in the Mongolian Gobi

Large mammals re-introduced into harsh and unpredictable environments are vulnerable to stochastic effects, particularly in times of global climate change. The Mongolian Gobi is home to several rare large ungulates such as re-introduced Przewalski's horses (Equus ferus przewalskii) and Asiatic wild asses (Equus hemionus), but also to a millennium-old semi-nomadic livestock herding culture