26 research outputs found
Integer Programming Approach to HP Folding
One of the most widely studied protein structure prediction models is the hydrophobic-hydrophilic (HP) model, which explains the hydrophobic interaction and tries to maximize the number of contacts among hydrophobic amino-acids. In order to find a lower bound for the number of contacts, a number of heuristics have been proposed, but finding the optimal solution is still a challenge. In this research, we focus on creating a new integer programming model which is capable to provide tractable input for mixed-integer programming solvers, is general enough and allows relaxation with provable good upper bounds. Computational experiments using benchmark problems show that our formulation achieves these goals.This work was supported by NFSR of Bulgaria, projects DOO2-162/16.12.2008, DOO2-135/31.07.2009 and DO 02-35
PLATELET AGGREGATION AFTER EXPERIMENTAL BURN INJURY AND THERAPY
Based on data concerning the coagulation changes after thermal injury the authors studied platelet aggregation after burn and its treatment. Severe thermal injury of Ha and lib degree was inflicted in white male rats (200 Β±20 g b. m.) under aether anaesthesia. It ranged over 17,5 Β± 2,5 % of the body surface. The animals were divided into the following groups: 1) burned non-treated; 2) burned and treated with Sol. Hartmanni (Hr), 3) burned and treated with Hemodex (Hx), and 4) controls. The treatment was intraperitoneally carried out immediately after the injury as well as on 6th and 24th hour after it. An elevation of the platelet aggregation for all the groups on the 24th hour after the injury was established
SOME THROMBOCYTIC AND ERYTHROCYTIC PARAMETERS AFTER BURNING (EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS)
No abstrac
Expansion of elevational range in a forest pest: Can parasitoids track their hosts?
We are thankful to Karim Senhadji and Ramon Ruiz-Puche for their help during the field work, and to Sara Garcia Morato for her contribution to quantifying rates of parasitism in PPM clutches at the laboratory. Two anonymous referees contributed to improve the manuscript. This study was supported by projects PROPINOL (PN22/2008), GESBOME (P06-RNM-1890) from Junta de Andalucia, REMEDINAL TE-CM (S2018/EMT-4338) from Comunidad de Madrid, ADAPTAMED (LIFE14 CCA/ES/000612) from LIFE program, and GILES (PCIN-2016-150) from the ERANET-LAC H2020 Programme.Gradients in elevation impose changes in environmental conditions, which in turn modulate species distribution and abundance as well as the interactions they maintain. Along the gradient, interacting species (e.g., predators, parasitoids) can respond to changes in different ways. This study aims to investigate how egg parasitism of a forest pest, the pine processionary moth (PPM), Thaumetopoea pityocampa, vary along an elevational gradient (190-2000 m.a.s.l.) in a mountain range of SE Spain, including areas of recent elevational expansion, for a seven years period (2008-2014). We used generalized linear mixed models to ascertain the effect of both elevation and the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index (a proxy of interannual climatic conditions) on the rate of parasitism, and the occurrence probabilities of two parasitoid species: a PPM specialist and a generalist species. Since four pine species are stratified along the elevational gradient, we repeated all the analyses separately for lowlands (190-1300 m. a.s.l.) and uplands (1350-2000 m. a.s.l.). Results showed a decrease in both parasitism rate and probability of occurrence of the two main parasitoid species with elevation, although decline was more severe for the specialist species. The effect of elevation was more conspicuous and intense in uplands than in lowlands. Positive NAO winter values, associated with cold and dry winters, reduced the rate of parasitism and the probability of occurrence of the two main parasitoid species-but particularly for the generalist species-as elevation increases. In a context of climate warming, it is crucial to mitigate PPM elevational and latitudinal expansion. Increasing tree diversity at the PPM expansion areas may favor the establishment of parasitoids, which could contribute to synchronizing host- parasitoid interactions and minimize the risk of PPM outbreaks.Junta de Andalucia
PN22/2008REMEDINAL TE-CM from Comunidad de Madrid
S2018/EMT-4338ADAPTAMED from LIFE program
LIFE14 CCA/ES/000612GILES from the ERANET-LAC H2020 Programme
PCIN-2016-150Junta de Andalucia
P06-RNM-189
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NF2/Merlin mediates contact-dependent inhibition of EGFR mobility and internalization via cortical actomyosin
The proliferation of normal cells is inhibited at confluence, but the molecular basis of this phenomenon, known as contact-dependent inhibition of proliferation, is unclear. We previously identified the neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) tumor suppressor Merlin as a critical mediator of contact-dependent inhibition of proliferation and specifically found that Merlin inhibits the internalization of, and signaling from, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in response to cell contact. Merlin is closely related to the membraneβcytoskeleton linking proteins Ezrin, Radixin, and Moesin, and localization of Merlin to the cortical cytoskeleton is required for contact-dependent regulation of EGFR. We show that Merlin and Ezrin are essential components of a mechanism whereby mechanical forces associated with the establishment of cellβcell junctions are transduced across the cell cortex via the cortical actomyosin cytoskeleton to control the lateral mobility and activity of EGFR, providing novel insight into how cells inhibit mitogenic signaling in response to cell contact
Genetic diversity and host alternation of the egg parasitoid Oencyrtus pityocampae between the pine processionary moth and caper bug
Research ArticleThe increased use of molecular tools for species identification in recent decades revealed
that each of many apparently generalist parasitoids are actually a complex of morphologically
similar congeners, most of which have a rather narrow host range. Ooencyrtus pityocampae
(OP), an important egg parasitoid of the pine processionary moth (PPM), is
considered a generalist parasitoid. OP emerges from PPM eggs after winter hibernation,
mainly in spring and early summer, long before the eggs of the next PPM generation occurs.
The occurrence of OP in eggs of the variegated caper bug (CB) Stenozygum coloratum in
spring and summer suggests that OP populations alternate seasonally between PPM and
CB. However, the identity of OP population on CB eggs seemed uncertain; unlike OP-PPM
populations, the former displayed apparently high male/female ratios and lack of attraction
to the PPM sex pheromone. We studied the molecular identities of the two populations
since the morphological identification of the genus Ooencyrtus, and OP in particular, is difficult.
Sequencing of COI and ITS2 DNA fragments and AFLP analysis of individuals from
both hosts revealed no apparent differences between the OP-PPM and the OP-CB populations
for both the Israeli and the Turkish OPs, which therefore supported the possibility of
host alternation. Sequencing data extended our knowledge of the genetic structure of OP
populations in the Mediterranean area, and revealed clear separation between East and
West Mediterranean populations. The overall level of genetic diversity was rather small,
with the Israeli population much less diverse than all others; possible explanations for this
finding are discussed. The findings support the possibility of utilizing the CB and other hosts
for enhancing biological control of the PPMinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio