MIXED MODELS COMBINED ANALYSIS OF INDEPENDENT GRAZING TRIALS

The mixed models procedure (MMP) was used to analyze pooled data sets from 12 independent studies over 13 yr at 9 locations in 7 states to provide combined estimates of daily gains by beef steers grazing tall fescue pastures with different levels of infestation by Acremonium coenophialum, with and without clover. Spring, summer, and combined spring + summer data were analyzed separately. The MMP permitted estimation of the fixed effects of treatments over a broad inference space of future years and different tall fescue pastures over a wide geographic range, detected some relationships not apparent in the individual studies, and provided a more coherent body of information than do the results obtained from each discrete study. Logistical and financial constraints that force undesirable compromises in the conduct of future grazing and other expensive or time-consuming research may be avoided by using MMP within the context of cooperative projects

The hRPC62 subunit of human RNA polymerase III displays helicase activity.

In Eukaryotes, tRNAs, 5S RNA and U6 RNA are transcribed by RNA polymerase (Pol) III. Human Pol III is composed of 17 subunits. Three specific Pol III subunits form a stable ternary subcomplex (RPC62-RPC39-RPC32α/β) being involved in pre-initiation complex formation. No paralogues for subunits of this subcomplex subunits have been found in Pols I or II, but hRPC62 was shown to be structurally related to the general Pol II transcription factor hTFIIEα. Here we show that these structural homologies extend to functional similarities. hRPC62 as well as hTFIIEα possess intrinsic ATP-dependent 3'-5' DNA unwinding activity. The ATPase activities of both proteins are stimulated by single-stranded DNA. Moreover, the eWH domain of hTFIIEα can replace the first eWH (eWH1) domain of hRPC62 in ATPase and DNA unwinding assays. Our results identify intrinsic enzymatic activities in hRPC62 and hTFIIEα

An Inverse Method for Policy-Iteration Based Algorithms

We present an extension of two policy-iteration based algorithms on weighted graphs (viz., Markov Decision Problems and Max-Plus Algebras). This extension allows us to solve the following inverse problem: considering the weights of the graph to be unknown constants or parameters, we suppose that a reference instantiation of those weights is given, and we aim at computing a constraint on the parameters under which an optimal policy for the reference instantiation is still optimal. The original algorithm is thus guaranteed to behave well around the reference instantiation, which provides us with some criteria of robustness. We present an application of both methods to simple examples. A prototype implementation has been done

Control Synthesis for Stochastic Switched Systems using the Tamed Euler Method

In this paper, we explain how, under the one-sided Lipschitz (OSL) hypothesis, one can find an error bound for a variant of the Euler-Maruyama approximation method for stochastic switched systems. We then explain how this bound can be used to control stochastic switched switched system in order to stabilize them in a given region. The method is illustrated on several examples of the literature

Lazy Abstraction-Based Controller Synthesis

We present lazy abstraction-based controller synthesis (ABCS) for continuous-time nonlinear dynamical systems against reach-avoid and safety specifications. State-of-the-art multi-layered ABCS pre-computes multiple finite-state abstractions of varying granularity and applies reactive synthesis to the coarsest abstraction whenever feasible, but adaptively considers finer abstractions when necessary. Lazy ABCS improves this technique by constructing abstractions on demand. Our insight is that the abstract transition relation only needs to be locally computed for a small set of frontier states at the precision currently required by the synthesis algorithm. We show that lazy ABCS can significantly outperform previous multi-layered ABCS algorithms: on standard benchmarks, lazy ABCS is more than 4 times faster

Du droit à la culture aux droits culturels -Padeia 4D

Restitution de la première année de Paideia 4D, démarche interdépartementale d’observation et d’évaluation des politiques publiques au regard des droits culturels. Le Réseau Culture 21 et l’IIEDH de l’Université de Fribourg initient une démarche pilote interdépartementale à destination des secteurs de la culture, du social, de l’éducation et de l’aménagement du territoire. Cette proposition de démarche pilote est élaborée avec et à destination de quatre départements : ’Ardèche, la Gironde, le Nord et le Territoire de Belfort, en collaboration avec l’ADF. Elle sera ouverte à d’autres départements volontaires à l’issue de la première année. Elle s’inscrit également en introduction au projet européen dénommé Paideia en cours d’élaboration, qui devrait se dérouler d’octobre 2013 à octobre 2015 et associer les premiers départements impliqués. L’ambition de la démarche vise à élaborer la définition d’un nouveau cadre de référence adossé aux droits culturels pour l’observation et l’évaluation des politiques publiques. L’échelle départementale est celle qui convient probablement le mieux à cette démarche pilote, car elle permet une visibilité optimale des liens entre le culturel, le social et l’aménagement des territoires dans une démarche de démocratie participative. La comparaison entre des départements très différents permettra d’ajuster les observations, les analyses, ainsi que les outils développés

Forward Analysis and Model Checking for Trace Bounded WSTS

We investigate a subclass of well-structured transition systems (WSTS), the bounded---in the sense of Ginsburg and Spanier (Trans. AMS 1964)---complete deterministic ones, which we claim provide an adequate basis for the study of forward analyses as developed by Finkel and Goubault-Larrecq (Logic. Meth. Comput. Sci. 2012). Indeed, we prove that, unlike other conditions considered previously for the termination of forward analysis, boundedness is decidable. Boundedness turns out to be a valuable restriction for WSTS verification, as we show that it further allows to decide all $\omega$-regular properties on the set of infinite traces of the system

Quaternary structure of a G-protein coupled receptor heterotetramer in complex with Gi and Gs

Background: G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), in the form of monomers or homodimers that bind heterotrimeric G proteins, are fundamental in the transfer of extracellular stimuli to intracellular signaling pathways. Different GPCRs may also interact to form heteromers that are novel signaling units. Despite the exponential growth in the number of solved GPCR crystal structures, the structural properties of heteromers remain unknown. Results: We used single-particle tracking experiments in cells expressing functional adenosine A1-A2A receptors fused to fluorescent proteins to show the loss of Brownian movement of the A1 receptor in the presence of the A2A receptor, and a preponderance of cell surface 2:2 receptor heteromers (dimer of dimers). Using computer modeling, aided by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assays to monitor receptor homomerization and heteromerization and G-protein coupling, we predict the interacting interfaces and propose a quaternary structure of the GPCR tetramer in complex with two G proteins. Conclusions: The combination of results points to a molecular architecture formed by a rhombus-shaped heterotetramer, which is bound to two different interacting heterotrimeric G proteins (Gi and Gs). These novel results constitute an important advance in understanding the molecular intricacies involved in GPCR function

Cognitive impairment induced by delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol occurs through heteromers between cannabinoid CB1 and serotonin 5-HT2A receptors

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound of marijuana, induces numerous undesirable effects, including memory impairments, anxiety, and dependence. Conversely, THC also has potentially therapeutic effects, including analgesia, muscle relaxation, and neuroprotection. However, the mechanisms that dissociate these responses are still not known. Using mice lacking the serotonin receptor 5-HT2A, we revealed that the analgesic and amnesic effects of THC are independent of each other: while amnesia induced by THC disappears in the mutant mice, THC can still promote analgesia in these animals. In subsequent molecular studies, we showed that in specific brain regions involved in memory formation, the receptors for THC and the 5-HT2A receptors work together by physically interacting with each other. Experimentally interfering with this interaction prevented the memory deficits induced by THC, but not its analgesic properties. Our results highlight a novel mechanism by which the beneficial analgesic properties of THC can be dissociated from its cognitive side effects