Modulation of olfactory and gustatory sensitivity mediated by sensory experience in moths : a simple form of social learning ?

As do vertebrates, insects show a high degree of phenotypic plasticity, which enables them to adapt their behavioural responses to their surrounding world. For example, social insects such as honeybees are able to perform complex learning tasks, similar to vertebrates. Non-social insects such as flies or moths can also associate sensory information with rewards or punishment. Non-associative forms of learning include sensitization and habituation to sensory cues originating from conspecifics or the biotic or abiotic environment. Often sensitization and habituation are the result of multiple exposures to sensory stimuli, but we have evidence in moths that a single exposure can also elicit long-lasting sensitization. The capacity to use sensory experience to adapt responses to social contexts by developing increased sensitivity to salient sensory cues from conspecifics and heterospecifics can be interpreted as a simple form of social learning. We summarize here intra- and cross-modal effects of brief pre-exposure to different stimuli on the behaviour and underlying neural mechanisms in male moths. Moths are an ideal model for this type of approach because different sensory stimuli are well known to trigger a number of well-defined behaviours in different contexts and their nervous system is relatively simple, well-described and accessible. Adult males respond to low doses of highly specific female-produced sex pheromones to find a mating partner and to flower odours to find food sources. Host plant odours can also complement the sex pheromone for a better localization of conspecific females. For feeding, the quality of a food source is evaluated upon contact, where sucrose concentration indicates nutritional value and bitter substances indicate non- palatability or toxicity. Male moths also detect ultrasound emitted by bats, their natural enemies. Behavioural analyses have shown that a brief exposure to any of the mentioned sensory stimuli increases responses to the sex pheromone after 24 hr. In addition, responses to gustatory stimuli are increased by brief pre-exposure to gustatory and pheromone stimuli. These reciprocal effects indicate that the described phenomena represent a form of general sensitization or maturation of the sensory systems, rather than selective attention. Attempts to localize modifications within the nervous system after brief pre-exposure indicate no or rather small changes in peripheral sensory systems caused by intra-modal exposure. In the primary olfactory centre, the antennal lobe, response thresholds of projection neurons to the sex pheromone and plant odours decreased after pre-exposure to the sex pheromone, to a bat-mimicking sound, but not to sucrose. In addition, the part of the antennal lobe processing information on the major sex pheromone compound increased in size after pre-exposure to the sex pheromone, probably indicating an increase in synaptic connections. These neurobiological approaches indicate that intra- and cross-modal effects of sensory pre-exposure might originate from modality-dependent changes at multiple levels within the nervous system.

Q-Strategy: A Bidding Strategy for Market-Based Allocation of Grid Services

The application of autonomous agents by the provisioning and usage of computational services is an attractive research field. Various methods and technologies in the area of artificial intelligence, statistics and economics are playing together to achieve i) autonomic service provisioning and usage of Grid services, to invent ii) competitive bidding strategies for widely used market mechanisms and to iii) incentivize consumers and providers to use such market-based systems. The contributions of the paper are threefold. First, we present a bidding agent framework for implementing artificial bidding agents, supporting consumers and providers in technical and economic preference elicitation as well as automated bid generation by the requesting and provisioning of Grid services. Secondly, we introduce a novel consumer-side bidding strategy, which enables a goal-oriented and strategic behavior by the generation and submission of consumer service requests and selection of provider offers. Thirdly, we evaluate and compare the Q-strategy, implemented within the presented framework, against the Truth-Telling bidding strategy in three mechanisms – a centralized CDA, a decentralized on-line machine scheduling and a FIFO-scheduling mechanisms

Business and Information Technology Alignment Measurement -- a recent Literature Review

Since technology has been involved in the business context, Business and Information Technology Alignment (BITA) has been one of the main concerns of IT and Business executives and directors due to its importance to overall company performance, especially today in the age of digital transformation. Several models and frameworks have been developed for BITA implementation and for measuring their level of success, each one with a different approach to this desired state. The BITA measurement is one of the main decision-making tools in the strategic domain of companies. In general, the classical-internal alignment is the most measured domain and the external environment evolution alignment is the least measured. This literature review aims to characterize and analyze current research on BITA measurement with a comprehensive view of the works published over the last 15 years to identify potential gaps and future areas of research in the field.Comment: 12 pages, Preprint version, BIS 2018 International Workshops, Berlin, Germany, July 18 to 20, 2018, Revised Paper

LC-MS/MS method development for quantification of doxorubicin and its metabolite 13-hydroxy doxorubicin in mice biological matrices : Application to a pharmaco-delivery study

This study describes the development of simple, rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous analysis of doxorubicin and its major metabolite, doxorubicinol, in mouse plasma, urine and tissues. The calibration curves were linear over the range 5-250ng/mL for doxorubicin and 1.25-25ng/mL for doxorubicinol in plasma and tumor, over the range 25-500ng/mL for doxorubicin and 1.25-25ng/mL for doxorubicinol in liver and kidney, and over the range 25-1000ng/mL for doxorubicin and doxorubicinol in urine. The study was validated, using quality control samples prepared in all different matrices, for accuracy, precision, linearity, selectivity, lower limit of quantification and recovery in accordance with the US Food & Drug Administration guidelines. The method was successfully applied in determining the pharmaco-distribution of doxorubicin and doxorubicinol after intravenously administration in tumor-bearing mice of drug, free or nano-formulated in ferritin nanoparticles or in liposomes. Obtained results demonstrate an effective different distribution and doxorubicin protection against metabolism linked to nano-formulation. This method, thanks to its validation in plasma and urine, could be a powerful tool for pharmaceutical research and therapeutic drug monitoring, which is a clinical approach currently used in the optimization of oncologic treatments

Large potential for crop production adaptation depends on available future varieties

Climate change affects global agricultural production and threatens food security. Faster phenological development of crops due to climate warming is one of the main drivers for potential future yield reductions. To counter the effect of faster maturity, adapted varieties would require more heat units to regain the previous growing period length. In this study, we investigate the effects of variety adaptation on global caloric production under four different future climate change scenarios for maize, rice, soybean, and wheat. Thereby, we empirically identify areas that could require new varieties and areas where variety adaptation could be achieved by shifting existing varieties into new regions. The study uses an ensemble of seven global gridded crop models and five CMIP6 climate models. We found that 39% (SSP5-8.5) of global cropland could require new crop varieties to avoid yield loss from climate change by the end of the century. At low levels of warming (SSP1-2.6), 85% of currently cultivated land can draw from existing varieties to shift within an agro-ecological zone for adaptation. The assumptions on available varieties for adaptation have major impacts on the effectiveness of variety adaptation, which could more than half in SSP5-8.5. The results highlight that region-specific breeding efforts are required to allow for a successful adaptation to climate change

Il trattamento con topiramato protegge i topi APOE-KO dall’insorgenza di danno renale senza modificare i livelli dei lipidi plasmatici

Il topiramato e\u300 un farmaco impiegato nel trattamento dell\u2019epilessia e prescritto anche nella profilassi dell\u2019emicrania che si caratterizza per i molteplici meccanismi d\u2019azione. Diversi studi indicano che il trattamento con topiramato promuove la riduzione del peso corporeo e riduce moderatamente i livelli dei lipidi plasmatici e la glicemia. In considerazione di questi effetti metabolici positivi si e\u300 deciso di valutare se il trattamento con topiramato potesse modulare lo sviluppo di aterosclerosi e al tempo stesso avere effetti protettivi sugli organi bersaglio di condizioni dismetaboliche. Trenta topi apoE-KO sono stati distribuiti in tre gruppi sperimentali e alimentati per 12 settimane con una dieta ad elevato contenuto lipidico (controllo), oppure con la stessa dieta addizionata con topiramato allo 0.125% o allo 0.25%. Il peso corporeo e il consumo di cibo e acqua sono stati monitorati durante tutto lo studio. E\u300 stata inoltre misurata la concentrazione dei lipidi plasmatici e la glicemia, ed e\u300 stato effettuato un test di tolleranza al glucosio. Lo sviluppo di aterosclerosi e\u300 stato valutato nell\u2019intera aorta e nel seno aortico. Sono state inoltre condotte indagini istologiche su fegato, rene e tessuto adiposo. Il trattamento con topiramato non ha influenzato l\u2019aumento di peso corporeo o il consumo di cibo. La tolleranza al glucosio e la concentrazione lipidica plasmatica sono risultati comparabili tra i gruppi, cosi\u300 come lo sviluppo di aterosclerosi. Il trattamento non ha inoltre alterato l\u2019istologia del fegato e del tessuto adiposo. A livello renale, il trattamento con topiramato ha invece ridotto l\u2019insorgenza di lipidosi glomerulare in modo dose-dipendente, riducendo l\u2019accumulo di cellule schiumose e l\u2019espressione di marcatori di infiammazione. Inoltre, anche i livelli plasmatici di urea sono risultati ridotti in seguito al trattamento. In conclusione, i risultati ottenuti indicano che il trattamento con topiramato non influenza lo sviluppo di aterosclerosi, ma preserva struttura e funzionalita\u300 renale. Il topiramato potrebbe pertanto essere preso in considerazione in studi di riposizionamento farmacologico per il trattamento della lipidosi glomerulare

Long-term CD4+ T-cell count evolution after switching from regimens including HIV nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) plus protease inhibitors to regimens containing NRTI plus non-NRTI or only NRTI

BACKGROUND: Data regarding CD4+ recovery after switching from protease inhibitor (PI)-based regimens to regimens not containing PI are scarce. METHODS: Subjects with virological success on first-PI-regimens who switched to NNRTI therapy (NNRTI group) or to nucleoside reverse transcriptase (NRTI)-only (NRTI group) were studied. The effect of the switch on the ongoing CD4+ trend was assessed by two-phase linear regression (TPLR), allowing us to evaluate whether a change in the CD4+ trend (hinge) occurred and the time of its occurrence. Furthermore, we described the evolution of the frequencies in CD4-count classes across four relevant time-points (baseline, before and immediately after the switch, and last visit). Finally, we explored whether the CD4+ counts evolved differently in patients who switched to NNRTI or NRTI-only regimens by considering: the overall CD4+ trends, the time to CD4+ 65 500/mm3 after the switch, and the area-under-the-curve (AUC) of the CD4+ after the switch. RESULTS: Eight hundred and ninety-six patients, followed for a median of 2,121 days, were included. At TPLR, hinges occurred in 581/844 (68.9%), but in only 40/581 (6.9%) within a time interval (180 days) compatible with a possible relationship to the switch; furthermore, in 19/40 cases, CD4+ counts appeared to decrease after the hinges. In comparison with the NNRTI group, the NRTI group showed CD4+ count greater at baseline (P = 0.0234) and before the switch (P 64 0.0001), superior CD4+ T-cell increases after HAART was started, lower probability of not achieving CD4+ 65 500/mm3 (P = 0.0024), and, finally, no significant differences in the CD4+ T-cell AUC after the switch after adjusting for possible confounders (propensity score and pre-switch AUC). Persistence at CD4+ < 200/mm3 was observed in 34/435 (7.5%) patients, and a decrease below this level was found in only 10/259 (3.9%) with baseline CD4+ 65 350/mm3. CONCLUSIONS: Switching from first-line PI to NNRTI- or NRTI-based regimens did not seem to impair CD4+ trend over long-term follow-up. Although the greater CD4+ increases in patients who switched to the NRTI-only regimen was due to higher CD4+ counts before the switch, several statistical analyses consistently showed that switching to this regimen did not damage the ongoing immune-reconstitution. Lastly, the observation that CD4+ T-cell counts remained low or decreased in the long term despite virological success merits further investigation

Inter-observer agreement in the assessment of endoscopic findings in ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic findings are essential in evaluating the disease activity in ulcerative colitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate how endoscopists assess individual endoscopic features of mucosal inflammation in ulcerative colitis, the inter-observer agreement, and the importance of the observers' experience. METHODS: Five video clips of ulcerative colitis were shown to a group of experienced and a group of inexperienced endoscopists. Both groups were asked to assess eight endoscopic features and the overall mucosal inflammation on a visual analogue scale. The following statistical analyses were used; Contingency tables analysis, kappa analysis, analysis of variance, Pearson linear correlation analysis, general linear models, and agreement analysis. All tests were carried out two-tailed, with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: The inter-observer agreement ranged from very good to moderate in the experienced group and from very good to fair in the inexperienced group. There was a significantly better inter-observer agreement in the experienced group in the rating of 6 out of 9 features (p < 0.05). The experienced and inexperienced endoscopists scored the "ulcerations" significantly different. (p = 0.05). The inter-observer variation of the mean score of "erosions", "ulcerations" and endoscopic activity index in mild disease, and the scoring of "erythema" and "oedema" in moderate-severe disease was significantly higher in the inexperienced group. A correlation was seen between all the observed endoscopic features in both groups of endoscopists. Among experienced endoscopists, a set of four endoscopic variables ("Vascular pattern", "Erosions", "Ulcerations" and Friability") explained 92% of the variation in EAI. By including "Granularity" in these set 91% of the variation in EAI was explained in the group of inexperienced endoscopists. CONCLUSION: The inter-observer agreement in the rating of endoscopic features characterising ulcerative colitis is satisfactory in both groups of endoscopists but significantly higher in the experienced group. The difference in the mean score between the two groups is only significant for "ulcerations". The endoscopic variables "Vascular pattern", "Erosions", "Ulcerations" and Friability" explained the overall endoscopic activity index. Even though the present result is quite satisfactory, there is a potential of improvement. Improved grading systems might contribute to improve the consistency of endoscopic descriptions

Mitigation of NH3 emissions due to cattle slurry fertilisation.

Agriculture is known as the major source of atmospheric ammonia (NH3). The strategies to reduce the emissions of this gas have become an important focus in many countries to prevent environmental issues and to reduce the loss of nutrients and energy from cropping systems. Appropriate slurry application techniques are fundamental strategies to reduce nitrogen losses. This study presents an evaluation of the best agronomical practices for reducing NH3 emissions from cattle slurry spreading on arable lands. Two different application techniques with two incorporation procedures were assessed in four different field trials in the Po Valley. The NH3 concentration measurements were performed using passive samplers, while a dispersion model has been used for estimating NH3 fluxes at field scale. The best abatement strategy from slurry application has proved to be the direct injection into the soil, with a reduction of about 95% with respect to the surface spreading, while a contextual incorporation was able to reduce the emission of more than 85%