A model for predicting the visual complexity of in-vehicle interfaces

This paper describes the development of a model that can be used to estimate the visual complexity of in-vehicle graphical user interfaces (GUI) and to reduce the distraction of in-vehicle interfaces and thus improve the driving performance. The first version of this model was validated using a GUI that was designed for an interactive C2X application. Using the model, the visual complexity for different screens of the GUI was calculated. 22 participants performed a simple ticket reservation task with the GUI while performing a driving task. A significant correlation was found between the visual complexity and the time until action. Although this result indicates the potential of the developed model, the model has to be refined and further validated in future iterations

The role of gene elongation in the evolution of histidine biosynthetic genes

Gene elongation is a molecular mechanism consisting of an in-tandem duplication of a gene and divergence and fusion of the two copies, resulting in a gene constituted by two divergent paralogous modules. The aim of this work was to evaluate the importance of gene elongation in the evolution of histidine biosynthetic genes and to propose a possible evolutionary model for some of them. Concerning the genes hisA and hisF, which code for two homologous (β/α)8-barrels, it has been proposed that the two extant genes could be the result of a cascade of gene elongation/domain shuffling events starting from an ancestor gene coding for just one (β/α) module. A gene elongation event has also been proposed for the evolution of hisB and hisD; structural analyses revealed the possibility of an early elongation event, resulting in the repetition of modules. Furthermore, it is quite possible that the gene elongations responsible for the evolution of the four proteins occurred before the earliest phylogenetic divergence. In conclusion, gene elongation events seem to have played a crucial role in the evolution of the histidine biosynthetic pathway, and they may have shaped the structures of many genes during the first steps of their evolution

Exploring the role of the histidine biosynthetic hisF gene in cellular metabolism and in the evolution of (ancestral) genes: from LUCA to the extant (micro)organisms

Histidine biosynthesis is an ancestral pathway that was assembled before the appearance of the Last Universal Common Ancestor; afterwards, it remained unaltered in all the extant histidine-synthesizing (micro)organisms. It is a metabolic cross-road interconnecting histidine biosynthesis to nitrogen metabolism and the de novo synthesis of purines. This interconnection is due to the reaction catalyzed by the products of hisH and hisF genes. The latter gene is an excellent model to study which trajectories have been followed by primordial cells to build the first metabolic routes, since its evolution is the result of different molecular rearrangement events, i.e. gene duplication, gene fusion, gene elongation, and domain shuffling. Additionally, this review summarizes data concerning the involvement of hisF and its product in other different cellular processes, revealing that HisF very likely plays a role also in cell division control and involvement in virulence and nodule development in different bacteria. From the metabolic viewpoint, these results suggest that HisF plays a central role in cellular metabolism, highlighting the interconnections of different metabolic pathways

Binary control of enzymatic cleavage of DNA origami by structural antideterminants

Controlling DNA nanostructure interaction with protein is essential in developing nanodevices with programmable function, reactivity, and stability for biological and medical applications. Here, we show that the sequence-specific action of restriction endonucleases towards sharp triangular or rectangular DNA origami exhibits a novel, binary 'on/off' behaviour, as canonical recognition sites are either essentially fully reactive, or strongly resistant to enzymatic cutting. Moreover, introduction of structural defects in the sharp triangle can activate an otherwise unreactive site, with a site-to-defect distance of ∼50 nm. We argue that site reactivity is dependent upon programmable, mechanical coupling in the two-dimensional DNA origami, with specific structural elements, including DNA nicks and branches proximal to the sites that can function as negative(anti) determinants of reactivity. Empirically modelling the constraints to DNA degrees of freedom associated with each recognition site in the sharp triangle can rationalize the pattern of suppressed reactivity towards nine restriction endonucleases, in substantial agreement with the experimental results. These results provide a basis for a predictive understanding of structure-reactivity correlates of specific DNA nanostructures, which will allow a better understanding of the behaviour of nucleic acids under nanoscale confinement, as well as in the rational design of functional nanodevices based on self-assembling nucleic acids

Effect of task failure on intermuscular coherence measures in synergistic muscles

The term "task failure" describes the point when a person is not able to maintain the level of force required by a task. As task failure approaches, the corticospinal command to the muscles increases to maintain the required level of force in the face of a decreased mechanical efficacy. Nevertheless, most motor tasks require the synergistic recruitment of several muscles. How this recruitment is affected by approaching task failure is still not clear. The increase in the corticospinal drive could be due to an increase in synergistic recruitment or to overlapping commands sent to the muscles individually. Herein, we investigated these possibilities by combining intermuscular coherence and synergy analysis on signals recorded from three muscles of the quadriceps during dynamic leg extension tasks. We employed muscle synergy analysis to investigate changes in the coactivation of the muscles. Three different measures of coherence were used. Pooled coherence was used to estimate the command synchronous to all three muscles, pairwise coherence the command shared across muscle pairs and residual coherence the command peculiar to each couple of muscles. Our analysis highlights an overall decrease in synergistic command at task failure and an intensification of the contribution of the nonsynergistic shared command

On the hierarchical use of colourants in a 15th century book of hours

An illuminated Book of Hours (in use in Chalon-sur-Sa\uf4ne) currently owned by the Museo Civico di Arte Antica and displayed in the prestigious Palazzo Madama in Torino (Italy) was investigated by means of optical microscopy, fibre optic reflectance spectroscopy, fibre optic molecular fluorimetry, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy. The aim of the scientific survey was to expand the knowledge of the manuscript itself and on the materials and techniques employed by Antoine the Lonhy, the versatile itinerant artist who decorated the book in the 15th century. The focus was to reveal the original colourants and to investigate the pigments used in rough retouches which were visible in some of the miniatures. The investigation was carried out in situ by portable instruments according to a non-invasive analytical sequence previously developed. It was evident that the use of different pigments by the master was ruled, at least partially, by a hierarchical scheme in which more precious materials were linked to the most important characters or details in the painted scene

Deviations in influenza seasonality: odd coincidence or obscure consequence?

AbstractIn temperate regions, influenza typically arrives with the onset of colder weather. Seasonal waves travel over large spaces covering many climatic zones in a relatively short period of time. The precise mechanism for this striking seasonal pattern is still not well understood, and the interplay of factors that influence the spread of infection and the emergence of new strains is largely unknown. The study of influenza seasonality has been fraught with problems. One of these is the ever-shifting description of illness resulting from influenza and the use of both the historical definitions and new definitions based on actual isolation of the virus. The compilation of records describing influenza oscillations on a local and global scale is massive, but the value of these data is a function of the definitions used. In this review, we argue that observations of both seasonality and deviation from the expected pattern stem from the nature of this disease. Heterogeneity in seasonal patterns may arise from differences in the behaviour of specific strains, the emergence of a novel strain, or cross-protection from previously observed strains. Most likely, the seasonal patterns emerge from interactions of individual factors behaving as coupled resonators. We emphasize that both seasonality and deviations from it may merely be reflections of our inability to disentangle signal from noise, because of ambiguity in measurement and/or terminology. We conclude the review with suggestions for new promising and realistic directions with tangible consequences for the modelling of complex influenza dynamics in order to effectively control infection

Temporal Evolution of Bacterial Endophytes Associated to the Roots of Phragmites australis Exploited in Phytodepuration of Wastewater

Improvement of industrial productions through more environment-friendly processes is a hot topic. In particular, land and marine environment pollution is a main concern, considering that recalcitrant compounds can be spread and persist for a long time. In this context, an efficient and cost-effective treatment of wastewater derived from industrial applications is crucial. Phytodepuration has been considered as a possible solution and it is based on the use of plants and their associated microorganisms to remove and/or transform pollutants. In this work we investigated the culturable microbiota of Phragmites australis roots, sampled from the constructed wetlands (CWs) pilot plant in the G.I.D.A. SpA wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of Calice (Prato, Tuscany, Italy) before and after the CW activation in order to check how the influx of wastewater might affect the resident bacterial community. P. australis specimens were sampled and a panel of 294 culturable bacteria were isolated and characterized. This allowed to identify the dynamics of the microbiota composition triggered by the presence of wastewater. 27 out of 37 bacterial genera detected were exclusively associated to wastewater, and Pseudomonas was constantly the most represented genus. Moreover, isolates were assayed for their resistance against eight different antibiotics and synthetic wastewater (SWW). Data obtained revealed the presence of resistant phenotypes, including multi-drug resistant bacteria, and a general trend regarding the temporal evolution of resistance patterns: indeed, a direct correlation linking the appearance of antibiotic- and SWW-resistance with the time of exposure to wastewater was observed. In particular, nine isolates showed an interesting behavior since their growth was positively affected by the highest concentrations of SWW. Noteworthy, this study is among the few investigating the P. australis microbiota prior to the plant activation