Effect of dietary palm oil on growth and carcass composition of Heterobranchus longifilis fingerlings

This study investigated the effects of dietary palm oil (PO) on growth performance and carcass composition of Heterobranchus longifilis with the goal of replacing dietary fish oil with palm oil. In this study triplicate groups of H. longifilis fingerlings were fed the experimental diets for 8 weeks. Five isonitrogenous (45% crude protein), isoenergetic (20 KJg-1) experimental diets were made containing either 6.0% FO and 0% PO, 4.5% FO and 1.5% PO; 3.0% FO and 3.0% PO; 1.5% FO and 4.5% PO; or 0% FO and 6.0% PO using soybean and fish meal as the protein source. Dietary palm oil had no significant effect on growth rate or feed conversion ratio. Similarly, No significant differences were observed between dietary treatments for moisture, protein and ash content in H. longifilis fingerlings. However, fillet saturated, monounsaturated fatty acids and liver lipid deposition were significantly (P0.05) higher in fish fed 6.0% PO diet. This study suggests that the replacement of cod liver oil by palm oil as lipid supplement in the diet permitted a clear improvement of growth and FCR of H. longifilis. This indicates that PO can effectively replace FO in the diet of the fish without compromising fish growth and feed efficiency

Gouvernance et autonomie stratégique par l'innovation : Une étude exploratoire

International audienceThis paper explores the association between governance and the innovation-based strategic autonomy using unbalanced panel data of 33 countries observed over the period 2000-2015. The econometric results show that the “voice and accountability” dimension of governance is correlated positively with the innovation-based strategic autonomy. A negative correlation is highlighted for the “political stability and absence of violence/terrorism” dimension. The implications, limitations of the research, and avenues for future research are discussed.Cet article explore l'association entre la gouvernance et l'autonomie stratégique par l'innovation en utilisant un panel non cylindré de 33 pays observés sur la période 2000-2015. Les résultats économétriques montrent que la dimension « voix et responsabilité » de la gouvernance est corrélée positivement avec l'autonomie stratégique par l'innovation. Une corrélation négative est obtenue pour la dimension « stabilité politique et absence de violence/terrorisme ». Les implications des résultats obtenus, les limites de la recherche menée, et les perspectives sont évoquées

Evaluating the integration of artificial intelligence technologies in defense activities and the effect of national innovation system performance on its enhancement

This paper employs graph theory to assess the extent of integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies within defense activities and investigates how the performance of the national innovation system (NIS) influences this integration. The analysis utilizes data from 33 countries with defense industries, observed from 1990 to 2020. Empirical findings indicate that the United States (U.S.) leads globally, with a significant gap between the U.S. and other countries. NIS performance increases the level of integration of AI technologies in defense activities, suggesting that policies aimed at strengthening NIS performance should have positive externalities on defense activities in terms of integrating AI technologies. Technological diversification, knowledge localization, and originality are key dimensions of NIS performance that significantly enhance the integration of AI technologies within defense activities. They exhibit similar average marginal effects, suggesting comparable impacts. The cycle time of technologies has an inverted-U shaped relationship with the level of integration

Une étude économétrique des déterminants de l'autonomie stratégique des nations par l'innovation

International audienc

L’autonomie stratégique des nations cause-t-elle le développement économique ?Analyse à partir d’un panel de 34 pays (1993-2016)

International audienc

Constitutively active STING causes neuroinflammation and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in mice

Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is activated after detection of cytoplasmic dsDNA by cGAS (cyclic GMP-AMP synthase) as part of the innate immunity defence against viral pathogens. STING binds TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1). TBK1 mutations are associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and the STING pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of further neurodegenerative diseases. To test whether STING activation is sufficient to induce neurodegeneration, we analysed a mouse model that expresses the constitutively active STING variant N153S. In this model, we focused on dopaminergic neurons, which are particularly sensitive to stress and represent a circumscribed population that can be precisely quantified. In adult mice expressing N153S STING, the number of dopaminergic neurons was smaller than in controls, as was the density of dopaminergic axon terminals and the concentration of dopamine in the striatum. We also observed alpha-synuclein pathology and a lower density of synaptic puncta. Neuroinflammation was quantified by staining astroglia and microglia, by measuring mRNAs, proteins and nuclear translocation of transcription factors. These neuroinflammatory markers were already elevated in juvenile mice although at this age the number of dopaminergic neurons was still unaffected, thus preceding the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. More neuroinflammatory markers were blunted in mice deficient for inflammasomes than in mice deficient for signalling by type I interferons. Neurodegeneration, however, was blunted in both mice. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that chronic activation of the STING pathway is sufficient to cause degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Targeting the STING pathway could therefore be beneficial in Parkinson’s disease and further neurodegenerative diseases

Perspetivas nacionais

Este relatório documenta o seminário internacional “Defence Economics as a Concept and a Practice” que decorreu no Instituto da Defesa Nacional (IDN), em Lisboa, no dia 28 de fevereiro de 2023. Neste capítulo, apresentam-se os objetivos do seminário, o âmbito adotado pelo IDN, os artigos e estudos fundamentais ao enquadramento da Economia de Defesa, o programa, os participantes, assim como a descrição do conceito deste relatório.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Glycation potentiates α-synuclein-associated neurodegeneration in synucleinopathies

α-Synuclein misfolding and aggregation is a hallmark in Parkinson's disease and in several other neurodegenerative diseases known as synucleinopathies. The toxic properties of α-synuclein are conserved from yeast to man, but the precise underpinnings of the cellular pathologies associated are still elusive, complicating the development of effective therapeutic strategies. Combining molecular genetics with target-based approaches, we established that glycation, an unavoidable age-associated post-translational modification, enhanced α-synuclein toxicity in vitro and in vivo, in Drosophila and in mice. Glycation affected primarily the N-terminal region of α-synuclein, reducing membrane binding, impaired the clearance of α-synuclein, and promoted the accumulation of toxic oligomers that impaired neuronal synaptic transmission. Strikingly, using glycation inhibitors, we demonstrated that normal clearance of α-synuclein was re-established, aggregation was reduced, and motor phenotypes in Drosophila were alleviated. Altogether, our study demonstrates glycation constitutes a novel drug target that can be explored in synucleinopathies as well as in other neurodegenerative conditions.Authors were supported by: H.V.M. (Fundac¸a˜o para a Cieˆncia e Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal SFRH/BPD/64702/ 2009 and SFRH/BPD/109347/2015; EU FP7 project MEFOPA), L.M.A.O (FCT - SFRH/BD/23604/2005; CIRM-BMFB joint grant, 315050 AZ0101-31P6855), R.M.O. and T.S. (FCT SFRH/BPD/41416/2007; SFRH/ BPD/31209/2006); W.X. (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, SFB539/A3); C.B. and F.G. (Parkinson’s UK and the Medical Research Council, UK). S.E. is supported by Israel Academy of Sciences, Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences, The Allen and Jewel Prince Center for Neurodegenerative Disorders of the Brain. T.F.O. (EMBO Installation Grant; Marie Curie IRG, Neurofold; DFG Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain; I.C.M. (FCT SFRH/BPD/74287/2010; Investigador FCT IF/00772/ 2013). This work was supported by: FCT PTDC/SAUNEU/ 105215/2008, PTDC/QUI/73430/2006, PTDC/SAUENB/ 117013/2010, PTDC/NEU-OSD/5644/2014; EU FP7 project MEFOPA; CIRM-BMFB joint grant (315050 AZ0101-31P6855); Max Planck Society; and European Union (NEURASYNC PITNGA-2009-238316).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio