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The apolipoprotein B messenger RNA editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide (APOBEC) family is composed of nucleic acid editors with roles ranging from antibody diversification to RNA editing. APOBEC2, a member of this family with an evolutionarily conserved nucleic acid-binding cytidine deaminase domain, has neither an established substrate nor function. Using a cellular model of muscle differentiation where APOBEC2 is inducibly expressed, we confirmed that APOBEC2 does not have the attributed molecular functions of the APOBEC family, such as RNA editing, DNA demethylation, and DNA mutation. Instead, we found that during muscle differentiation APOBEC2 occupied a specific motif within promoter regions; its removal from those regions resulted in transcriptional changes. Mechanistically, these changes reflect the direct interaction of APOBEC2 with histone deacetylase (HDAC) transcriptional corepressor complexes. We also found that APOBEC2 could bind DNA directly, in a sequence-specific fashion, suggesting that it functions as a recruiter of HDAC to specific genes whose promoters it occupies. These genes are normally suppressed during muscle cell differentiation, and their suppression may contribute to the safeguarding of muscle cell fate. Altogether, our results reveal a unique role for APOBEC2 within the APOBEC family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider three-dimensional diffeomorphisms having simultaneously heterodimensional cycles and heterodimensional tangencies associated to saddle-foci. These cycles lead to a completely nondominated bifurcation setting. For every r{\geqslant } 2, we exhibit a class of such diffeomorphisms whose heterodimensional cycles can be C^r stabilised and (simultaneously) approximated by diffeomorphisms with C^r robust homoclinic tangencies. The complexity of our nondominated setting with plenty of homoclinic and heteroclinic intersections is used to overcome the difficulty of performing C^r perturbations, r\geqslant 2, which are remarkably more difficult than C^1 ones. Our proof is reminiscent of the Palis-Takens' approach to get surface diffeomorphisms with infinitely many sinks (Newhouse phenomenon) in the unfolding of homoclinic tangencies of surface diffeomorphisms. This proof involves a scheme of renormalisation along nontransverse heteroclinic orbits converging to a center-unstable Hénon-like family displaying blender-horseshoes. A crucial step is the analysis of the embeddings of these blender-horseshoes in a nondominated context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we derive approximate analytical solution to a damped and forced oscillator with power law nonlinear restoring force. We illustrate the obtained results with concrete examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we introduce a novel homotopy method for solving nonconservative oscillators. We illustrate the method to obtain approximate analytical solution to the quadratically and linearly damped Helmholtz quadratic oscillator. The obtained results are illustrated graphically and numerically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we show the way to apply some and analytical and numerical techniques in order to solve the forced Van der Pol oscillator. We illustrate the obtained results with examples. A comparison with Runge–Kutta numerical method is made in order to see the accuracy of the approximated analytical solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we show the way to apply some and analytical and numerical techniques in order to solve the forced Van der Pol oscillator. We illustrate the obtained results with examples. A comparison with Runge–Kutta numerical method is made in order to see the accuracy of the approximated analytical solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) has served as a model organism for pathbreaking work in plant pathology, virology, biochemistry and applied genetics for more than a century. We were intrigued by a photograph published in Phytopathology in 1934 showing that Tabasco pepper plants responded to TMV infection with localized necrotic lesions, followed by abscission of the inoculated leaves. This dramatic outcome of a biological response to infection observed by Francis O. Holmes, a virologist at the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, was used to score plants for resistance to TMV infection. Our objective was to gain a better understanding of early to mid-twentieth century ideas of genetic resistance to viruses in crop plants. We investigated Holmes' observation as a practical exercise in reworking an experiment, having been inspired by Pamela Smith's innovative Making and Knowing Project. We had a great deal of difficulty replicating Holmes' experiment, finding that biological materials and experimental customs change over time, in ways that ideas do not. Using complementary tools plus careful study and interpretation of the original text and figures, we were able to rework, yet only partially replicate, this experiment. Reading peer-reviewed manuscripts that cited Holmes' 1934 report provided an additional level of insight into the interpretation and replication of this work in the decades that followed. From this, we touch on how experimental reworking can inform our strategies to address the reproducibility "crisis" in twenty-first century science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we obtain an approximate analytical solution to a damped pendulum equation with constant torque. We also compare this solution both graphically and numerically with Runge-Kutta numerical solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we give approximate expressions for Jacobian and elliptic Weierstrass functions and their inverses by means of the elementary trigonometric functions, sine and cosine. Results are reasonably accurate. We show the way the obtained results may be applied to solve nonlinear ODEs and other problems arising in nonlinear physics. The importance of the results in this work consists on giving easy and accurate way to evaluate the main elliptic functions cn, sn, and dn, as well as the Weierstrass elliptic function and their inverses. A general principle for solving some nonlinear problems through elementary functions is stated. No similar approach has been found in the existing literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, an approximate analytic solution which is called a semi-analytical solution to the pendulum equation is obtained. Moreover, the semi-analytical solution is compared to the approximate numerical solution obtained with the aid of Runge-Kutta method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we give the analytical solution and an approximate trigonometric solution to the undamped and unforced Duffing-Helmholtz equation. We also provide high accurate formulas to approximate the Weierstrass elliptic function and its period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an updated account of the Serranidae (groupers and sea basses) from the Canary Islands (eastern-central Atlantic). In this region this family is represented by 16 valid species belonging to six genera: Serranus, Anthias, Cephalopholis, Epinephelus, Mycteroperca, and Paranthias. Their biogeographic patterns and known distribution are provided, and several hypotheses explaining their presence in the Canaries are discussed. Settlement of Epinephelus costae is confirmed in Canary waters, where it is subject to regular recreational fishing. Also, the present report first records Serranus hepatus and Epinephelus aeneus from the Canaries. For each species, biogeographic pattern, temporal establishment process, local fishing uses, and measures for their conservation management are discussed and summarized in a table. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Jacobi elliptic function method is applied to solve the generalized Benjamin-Bona-Mahony equation (BBM). Periodic and soliton solutions are formally derived in a general form. Some particular cases are considered. A power series method is also applied in some particular cases. Some solutions are expressed in terms of the Weierstrass elliptic function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Animal tuberculosis (TB) is distributed worldwide and has a wide range of wild and domestic reservoirs. Few studies concerning TB in camelids have been published in the last decade, particularly as regards Old World Camelids (OWC), but the increase in reports of TB outbreaks in these species in recent years suggests a high susceptibility to the infection. Case presentation: We studied a dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) herd (n = 24) in which a Mycobacterium caprae infection was detected. The TB infection was confirmed in one animal at necropsy through the detection of TB lesions, mainly in the abdominal organs, and the subsequent isolation of M. caprae (SB0157 spoligotype). The whole herd was additionally tested using cellular and humoral based diagnostic techniques. The intradermal tuberculin test results were compared with those obtained using P22 ELISA for the detection of specific antibodies against the M. tuberculosis complex. The TB infected animal was a positive reactor to both the intradermal tuberculin tests and P22 ELISA, while the others were negative to all the diagnostic tests. Conclusion: The present study found M. caprae infection in OWC. This is the first report of M. caprae infection in an OWC not living in a zoo. Since the animal was born in the herd and fed with goat’s milk, this practice was suspected to be the potential source of TB infection, which was not confirmed in the other animals present in the herd. Moreover, our results highlight that the intradermal tuberculin test and the P22 ELISA could be valuable tools for the diagnosis of TB in OWC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study C1-robustly transitive and nonhyperbolic diffeomorphisms having a partially hyperbolic splitting with one-dimensional central bundle whose strong un-/stable foliations are both minimal. In dimension 3, an important class of examples of such systems is given by those with a simple closed periodic curve tangent to the central bundle. We prove that there is a C1-open and dense subset of such diffeomorphisms such that every nonhyperbolic ergodic measure (i.e. with zero central exponent) can be approximated in the weak* topology and in entropy by measures supported in basic sets with positive (negative) central Lyapunov exponent. Our method also allows to show how entropy changes across measures with central Lyapunov exponent close to zero. We also prove that any nonhyperbolic ergodic measure is in the intersection of the convex hulls of the measures with positive central exponent and with negative central exponent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently it has been proposed that the long-range electronic order formed by trimerons in magnetite should be frustrated due to the great degeneracy of arrangements linking trimerons. This result has important consequences as charge ordering from the condensed minority band electrons leads to a complex 3D antiferro orbital order pattern. Further more, the corner sharing tetrahedra structure of spinel B-sites supports frustration for antiferromagnetic alignments. Therefore frustration due to competing interactions will itself induce disorder and very likely frustration in the spin orientations. Here we present very low temperature specific heat data that show two deviations to the magnons and phonons contributions, that we analyze in terms of Schottky-type anomalies. The first one is associated with the thermal activation across both ferroelastic twin and ferromagnetic anti-phase domains. The second Schottky-type anomaly displays an inverse (1/H) field dependence which is a direct indication of the disordered glassy network with macroscopically degenerated singular ground states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The inclusion of Pinus taeda hydrolysed lignin (PTHL) in beef diets could improve quality and stability of meat, but effects could vary through the aging period (AP). Aim: The aim was to evaluate the effects of the PTHL inclusion in the diet of finishing beef cattle on meat quality, fatty acid composition and oxidative stability at Days 1, 8, 11 and 15 of aging. Methods: Forty Limousin bulls (340 ± 42 kg) were fed ad libitum on a total mixed ration (TMR). The control group received exclusively TMR for 120 days, while the experimental group received the same TMR as the control group but supplemented with PTHL (Oxifenol, I-Green, Padua, Italy; 35 g/day per head at 1–90 days and 70 g/day per head at 91–120 days). Key results: Diet did not influence the chemical composition, pH, cooking loss, Warner–Bratzler shear force and hydroperoxide content. The Warner–Bratzler shear force (P < 0.001) decreased, while lightness (P < 0.01) and hydroperoxides (P < 0.001) increased through the aging period. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were similar for both diets at 1 and 15 days. However, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances at 8 and 11 days were higher for control than for the PTHL diet (P = 0.023 for interaction). Protein carbonyls were higher for control than for the PTHL diet at 8 days (P = 0.003 for interaction), but similar for both diets for the other dates. Saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids varied through the AP with PTHL diet, while no changes were observed with control diet (P < 0.01 for interactions). At 11 days, the n-6 : n-3 ratio passed from being the minimum value with the PTHL diet to be the maximum with control diet (P < 0.01 for interaction). Conclusions: The effects of PTHL inclusion in bull finishing diets depends on the AP but, generally, may result in beef with meat with beneficial effects on human health. Implications: Including PTHL in the diet of finishing bulls can be useful to improve meat quality, favouring the use of natural waste substances deriving from vegetal production. The inclusion of antioxidants in beef diets could improve quality and stability of meat. However, different results have been obtained depending on the active principle and the aging time. Current results show that the effects obtained in meat quality with the inclusion of low levels of hydrolysed lignin from Pinus Taeda in beef finishing diets vary with the aging period but, in general, may result in meat with beneficial effects on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino acids (AAs) are modular building blocks which nature uses to synthesize both macromolecules, such as proteins, and small molecule natural products, such as alkaloids and non‐ribosomal peptides. While the 20 main proteinogenic AAs display relatively limited side chain diversity, a wide range of non‐canonical amino acids (ncAAs) exist that are not used by the ribosome for protein synthesis, but contain a broad array of structural features and functional groups. In this communication, we report the discovery of the biosynthetic pathway for a new ncAA, pazamine, which contains a cyclopropane ring formed in two steps. In the first step, a chlorine is added onto the C4 position of lysine by a radical halogenase, PazA. The cyclopropane ring is then formed in the next step by a pyridoxal‐5′‐phosphate‐dependent enzyme, PazB, via an SN2‐like attack at C4 to eliminate chloride. Genetic studies of this pathway in the native host, Pseudomonas azotoformans, show that pazamine potentially inhibits ethylene biosynthesis in growing plants based on alterations in the root phenotype of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. We further show that PazB can be utilized to make an alternative cyclobutane‐containing AA. These discoveries may lead to advances in biocatalytic production of specialty chemicals and agricultural biotechnology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amino acids (AAs) are modular building blocks which nature uses to synthesize both macromolecules, such as proteins, and small molecule natural products, such as alkaloids and non‐ribosomal peptides. While the 20 main proteinogenic AAs display relatively limited side chain diversity, a wide range of non‐canonical amino acids (ncAAs) exist that are not used by the ribosome for protein synthesis, but contain a broad array of structural features and functional groups. In this communication, we report the discovery of the biosynthetic pathway for a new ncAA, pazamine, which contains a cyclopropane ring formed in two steps. In the first step, a chlorine is added onto the C4 position of lysine by a radical halogenase, PazA. The cyclopropane ring is then formed in the next step by a pyridoxal‐5′‐phosphate‐dependent enzyme, PazB, via an SN2‐like attack at C4 to eliminate chloride. Genetic studies of this pathway in the native host, Pseudomonas azotoformans, show that pazamine potentially inhibits ethylene biosynthesis in growing plants based on alterations in the root phenotype of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. We further show that PazB can be utilized to make an alternative cyclobutane‐containing AA. These discoveries may lead to advances in biocatalytic production of specialty chemicals and agricultural biotechnology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The city of Monterrey, Mexico, has faced extreme water stress in recent years. But in a changing climate with increasingly unpredictable rainfall, nature-based solutions offer a chance to improve the hydrological cycle to increase water availability for both people and nature. [Extracted from the article]

1. Sausages were used to assess the effects of chicken meat replacement by spent laying hen meat on the quality parameters and sensorial properties. 2. Five formulations were developed: control (CON) containing 100% chicken meat and 4 levels of chicken meat replacement with spent laying hen meat: 25% (T25), 50% (T50), 75% (T75) and 100% (T100). 3. Appearance, texture, succulence, flavour and overall consumer acceptance were analysed. Parameters such as moisture, ash, fat and protein content, pH, cooking loss and colour parameters (lightness (L*), redness (a*), yellowness (b*)) were analysed, as well as the texture properties (hardness, elasticity, cohesiveness and chewiness). 4. Statistical analysis did not reveal significant (P > 0.05) differences in chemical composition and colour parameters among formulations. On the other hand, CON treatment showed the lowest (P < 0.05) cooking loss (20.45%) that increased as spent laying hen meat increased in the formulation (24.92% vs. 27.65% vs. 28.12% vs. 33.05%, for T25, T50, T75 and T100 batches, respectively). 5. Regarding textural parameters, T75 and T100 formulations presented higher (P < 0.05) hardness and chewiness compared to the other ones. 6. Concerning to sensorial characteristics, the T100 formulation presented the lowest average scores (P < 0.05) for all attributes studied. However, the other batches (T25, T50 and T75) did not show significant differences for appearance, texture, succulence, flavour and overall acceptability attributes compared with the CON formulation. 7. The results indicated that the substitution of up to 75% of chicken meat by spent laying hen meat did not decrease the sensory acceptance of the sausages by consumers, demonstrating that this level of substitution in sausages allows better use of spent laying hen meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In dimension three and under certain regularity assumptions, we construct a renormalization scheme at the heterodimensional tangency of a nontransverse heterodimensional cycle associated with a pair of saddle-foci whose limit dynamics is a center-unstable Hénon-like family displaying blender-horseshoes. As a consequence, the initial cycle can be approximated in higher regularity topologies by diffeomorphisms having blender-horseshoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on heat capacity measurements performed on a large Sr2Ca12Cu24O41 single crystal in the temperature range between 0.07 and 20 K and magnetic fields up to 10 T. A transition into the antiferromagnetic ground state is observed at TN=2.8 K. The heat capacity becomes strongly time-dependent below 0.5 K due to a Schottky contribution typical for materials with charge or spin-density waves. We found a quasi-linear contribution to the heat capacity that can be attributed to weakly coupled and shifted antiferromagnetic spin chains along the a-direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the results of a research on the assessment of mathematical problem solving (MPS) developed by secondary teachers in Bogotá city (Colombia). These results were obtained by means of the triangulation of the statistical analysis over the answers given by teachers to a questionnaire prepared by the author, the content analysis of the assessment instruments and the interventions in the discussion groups in which some of these teachers participated. Therefore, the research uses quantitative and qualitative tools. The triangulation was carried out by defining the common or similar categories obtained through the different research instruments and allowed us to approach teachers' evaluation practices. We concluded that there exist certain immobility and insecurity in the mathematics teachers surveyed when addressing MPS and its evaluation in the classroom. This is justified by the lack of information about this content, or other low-cost evaluation instruments, and by the lack of materials. This research is part of the research project (MEC18D502), from which a doctoral thesis was published (Cárdenas, 2014). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel probabilistic model of harmonic progressions and a generation scheme based on such model are presented. On the basis of the large amount of publications that show the stochastic nature of the music and the possibility of modelling it by means of statistical processes, this paper shows how to create a non-homogeneous Markov chain to automatically generate harmonic progressions by building a temporal reference of the internal beat structure of music to guide the progressions. Thus, this new model develops on the classic transition matrix to include a beat-dependent / temporal layer to model the residency time. The method for the automatic creation of harmonic progressions based on the model developed is presented after the model. The harmonic progressions generated by our scheme are coherent with the style of the training data employed and, thanks to the specific temporal layer designed, the musical mid-term and long-term dependencies that lead to a natural and logic cadence are taken into account. The model developed is usable for the automatic generation of harmonic patterns that can be used to enlarge the flexibility and creativity of pattern-based computational music composers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Celta pig is an autochthonous breed from the NW of Spain, characterized by its rusticity and its adaptation to the environment, so these animals can be reared in extensive and semi-extensive regimen. The effect of slaughter age (12, 14 and 16 months) on the fatty acid profile of Celta pig breed was studied. For this study, the longissimus dorsi muscle from 45 barrows of Carballiña genotype was assessed. Statistical analysis displayed that the fatty acids most abundant were the monounsaturated fatty acids, which did not show significant (P>0.05) differences among slaughter ages. On the other hand, the saturated fatty acids content significantly (P<0.05) increased with the slaughter age (39.1 vs. 40.1 vs. 42.2%, for 12, 14 and 16 months, respectively). The polyunsaturated fatty acids content significantly (P<0.05) decreased with the slaughter age (12.0 vs. 10.1 vs. 7.5%, at 12, 14 and 16 months, respectively). In addition, the animals slaughtered at 16 months presented the lowest n-3 and n-6 fatty acid contents. Finally, the hypocholesterolemic/Hypercholesterolemic ratio significantly (P<0.05) decreased with the slaughter age (2.0 vs. 2.0 vs. 1.7, at 12, 14 and 16 months, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human brain receives stimuli in multiple ways; among them, audio constitutes an important source of relevant stimuli for the brain regarding communication, amusement, warning, etc. In this context, the aim of this manuscript is to advance in the classification of brain responses to music of diverse genres and to sounds of different nature: speech and music. For this purpose, two different experiments have been designed to acquire EEG signals from subjects listening to songs of different musical genres and sentences in various languages. With this, a novel scheme is proposed to characterize brain signals for their classification; this scheme is based on the construction of a feature matrix built on relations between energy measured at the different EEG channels and the usage of a bi-LSTM neural network. With the data obtained, evaluations regarding EEG-based classification between speech and music, different musical genres, and whether the subject likes the song listened to or not are carried out. The experiments unveil satisfactory performance to the proposed scheme. The results obtained for binary audio type classification attain 98.66% of success. In multi-class classification between 4 musical genres, the accuracy attained is 61.59%, and results for binary classification of musical taste rise to 96.96%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This communication presents a semipassive radio frequency identification system in the 2.45-GHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical band. The transponder (or tag) is based on a modulated frequency selective surface (FSS). The FSS is composed of dipoles loaded with varactor diodes that modulate the radar cross section. The FSS transponder is designed to work for wearable and on-body applications and is used for reading and transmitting information from different sensors placed on the body. Experimental results locating the FSS at different positions in real scenarios and also at different places on the body are provided. Multiple FSSs have been used to explore spatial and polarization diversity techniques in order to mitigate the deep fadings that can happen during communication. Noticeable diversity gain has been obtained in both the cases without using antenna diversity in the reader. Finally, this communication describes a proof-of-concept experiment of the communication where two FSSs send digital data using a frequency shift keying modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A slight modification to the Yamane transconjunctival double-needle flanged-haptic technique of intrascleral fixation of an intraocular lens (IOL) shows the technique's usefulness when combined with Descemet-stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK). The modification uses bipolar cautery to create flanges at the tip of the IOL haptics and delays tucking the haptics into the scleral tunnels until DSEK has been completed. Bipolar cautery enables the technique to be used in situations in which disposable low- or high-temperature cautery, as originally described, might not be possible. Delaying the haptic tuck until after the complete air fill of DSEK means the surgeon can be confident of the IOL position at all times. This combined technique can be a viable option for patients with aphakia and endothelial cell dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explicitly compute the critical exponents associated with logarithmic corrections (the so-called hatted exponents) starting from the renormalization group equations and the mean field behavior for a wide class of models at the upper critical behavior (for short and long range ϕn-theories) and below it. This allows us to check the scaling relations among these critical exponents obtained by analysing the complex singularities (Lee-Yang and Fisher zeroes) of these models. Moreover, we have obtained an explicit method to compute the ϙ exponent [defined by ξ ~ L(log L)ϙ] and, finally, we have found a new derivation of the scaling law associated with it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on the effect of slaughter age (6 and 9 months) and sex on carcass characteristics and meat quality of the Minhota cattle breed. In this study, data from 52 cattle (34 entire males and 18 females) were used for the carcass and meat characterisation. Regarding carcass characteristics, entire male carcasses (158 kg and 223 kg for animals of 6 and 9 months, respectively), were heavier than female carcasses (130 kg and 161 kg for animals of 6 and 9 months, respectively), with better dressing percentages, increased lengths, thicknesses and depths and compactness indexes. The quality of meat from carcasses of both entire males and females had strong luminosity (L*), a pale pink tone (lower a*-value) and high yellowness. Mean tenderness of Longissimus thoracis, expressed as shear force, was below 5.5 kg/cm², without significant differences (P > 0.05) between either the slaughter age or sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the carcass characteristics of Mirandesa breed. To carry out this study, a total of 20 animals of Mirandesa breed were slaughter at 315 days. After 24 hours of slaughter, carcass weight and dressing percentage were determined, and morphometric measurements (carcass length, leg length, leg width, leg perimeter, chest external depth, chest internal depth and leg maximum perimeter) were performed and the following indexes were calculated: carcass compactness index and hindlimb compactness index and the main commercial cuts were obtained. Animals from Mirandesa breed presented a 293.7 kg live weight, a 152 kg carcass weight and a dressing percentage of 60.5 %. Regarding morphometric measurements, animals from Mirandesa breed showed a carcass length of 110 cm, leg length of 69 cm and leg perimeter of 89.8 cm. The values for the carcass compactness index and hindlimb compactness index were 1.4 and 3.7, respectively. Respecting fifth quarter, skin showed the highest percentages following by head and feet. Finally, the percentages of Mirandesa breed's carcass quartering were 74.9 % for meat, 18.1 % for bone and 7.0 % for fat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a two-parameter family of ‘partially hyperbolic’ skew products (Ga, t)a > 0, t ∈ [ − ε, ε]maps with one dimensional centre direction. In this family, the parameteramodels the central dynamics and the parametertthe unfolding of cycles (that occurs fort= 0). The parameteraalso measures the ‘central distortion’ of the systems: for smalla, the distortion of the systems is small and it increases and goes to infinity asa→ ∞. The family (Ga, t) displays some of the main characteristic properties of the unfolding of heterodimensional cycles as intermingled homoclinic classes of different indices and secondary bifurcations via collision of hyperbolic homoclinic classes. Fora∈ (0, log 2), the dynamics of (Ga, t) is always non-hyperbolic after the unfolding of the cycle. However, fora> log 4 intervals oft-parameters corresponding to hyperbolic dynamics appear and turn into totally prevalent asa→ ∞ (the density of ‘hyperbolic parameters’ goes to 1 asa→ ∞). The dynamics of the mapsGa, tis described using a family of iterated function systems modelling the dynamics in the one-dimensional central direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asparagine residues in proteins undergo spontaneous deamidation, a post-translational modification that may act as a molecular clock for the regulation of protein function and turnover. Asparagine deamidation is modulated by protein local sequence, secondary structure and hydrogen bonding. We present NGOME, an algorithm able to predict non-enzymatic deamidation of internal asparagine residues in proteins in the absence of structural data, using sequence-based predictions of secondary structure and intrinsic disorder. Compared to previous algorithms, NGOME does not require three-dimensional structures yet yields better predictions than available sequence-only methods. Four case studies of specific proteins show how NGOME may help the user identify deamidation-prone asparagine residues, often related to protein gain of function, protein degradation or protein misfolding in pathological processes. A fifth case study applies NGOME at a proteomic scale and unveils a correlation between asparagine deamidation and protein degradation in yeast. NGOME is freely available as a webserver at the National EMBnet node Argentina, URL: in the subpage “Protein and nucleic acid structure and sequence analysis”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present work is to design a system for automatic classification of personal video recordings based on simple audiovisual features that can be easily implemented in different devices. Specifically, the main objective is to classify frame by frame personal video recordings into 24 semantically meaningful categories. Such categories include information about the environment like indoor or outdoor, the presence or absence of people and their activity, ranging from sports to partying. In order to achieve a robust classification, features derived from both audio and image data will be used and combined with state of the art classifiers such as Gaussian Mixture Models or Support Vector Machines. In the process, several combination schemes of features and classifiers are defined and evaluated over a real data set of personal video recordings. The system learns which parameters and classifiers are most appropriate for this task. The experiments show that the approach using specific classifiers for audio features (Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs)) and image features (color, edge histograms), and using a meta-classification combination schema attains significant performance. The best performance obtained over the different approaches evaluated gave a promising f - measure larger than 57% in average for all the categories and larger than 73% over diverse categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given its importance, transpiration of forest canopies has been measured in a wide range of environments. However, measurements in treeline ecosystems with Mediterranean climate are rare more so in semi arid climates. Therefore in the present study we investigate inter-annual variation in canopy transpiration ( E c ) of a Pinus canariensis forest located on a treeline ecotone in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, where the climate is typically semi arid Mediterranean. Meteorological conditions and sap flow were continuously monitored during two consecutive years. In both years, atmospheric conditions were typical for the study site. Nevertheless large differences were detected in precipitation ( P ) with a high inter-annual variability. Calendar year (January–December) P was higher in 2008 than in 2009, while in the corresponding hydrological year (October–September), P was considerably lower in 2008 than in 2009. Despite this difference in P between both years top soil water availability was almost exhausted during both summers. However, the effect of top soil drought, showing a visible seasonality on E c was only clearly detected in 2008 with values down to 0.02 mm day −1 during summer. During the summer 2009, in contrast, E c rates were up to 1.12 mm day −1 showing that P. canariensis is able to tap water from deep soil layers when P of the previous wet period (October–April) recharged these reserves. This points out the importance of evaluating sap flow studies in semi arid treelines with respect to hydrological year P . Climate change models predict a reduction of more than 30% in precipitation. In our study the effect of only one hydrological dry year resulted in severe water stress. Thus, when winter rainfall is low for a number of years, chronic drought may have negative implications for tree and stand transpiration in semi arid treelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The early-type binary MY Cam belongs to the young open cluster Alicante 1, embedded in Cam OB3. Aims. MY Cam consists of two early-O type main-sequence stars and shows a photometric modulation suggesting an orbital period slightly above one day. We intend to confirm this orbital period and derive orbital and stellar parameters. Methods. Timing analysis of a very exhaustive (4607 points) light curve indicates a period of 1.1754514 ± 0.0000015 d. Highresolution spectra and the cross-correlation technique implemented in the todcor program were used to derive radial velocities and obtain the corresponding radial velocity curves for MY Cam. Modelling with the stellar atmosphere code fastwind was used to obtain stellar parameters and create templates for cross-correlation. Stellar and orbital parameters were derived using the Wilson- Devinney code, such that a complete solution to the binary system could be described. Results. The determined masses of the primary and secondary stars in MY Cam are 37.7 ± 1.6 and 31.6 ± 1.4 M☉, respectively. The corresponding temperatures, derived from the model atmosphere fit, are 42 000 and 39 000 K, with the more massive component being hotter. Both stars are overfilling their Roche lobes, sharing a common envelope. Conclusions. MY Cam contains the most massive dwarf O-type stars found so far in an eclipsing binary. Both components are still on the main sequence, and probably not far from the zero-age main sequence. The system is a likely merger progenitor, owing to its very short period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present work is to perform a step towards the design of specific algorithms and methods for automatic music generation. A novel probabilistic model for the characterization of music learned from music samples is designed. This model makes use of automatically extracted music parameters, namely tempo, time signature, rhythmic patterns and pitch contours, to characterize music. Specifically, learned rhythmic patterns and pitch contours are employed to characterize music styles. Then, a novel autonomous music compositor that generates new melodies using the model developed will be presented. The methods proposed in this paper take into consideration different aspects related to the traditional way in which music is composed by humans such as harmony evolution and structure repetitions and apply them together with the probabilistic reutilization of rhythm patterns and pitch contours learned beforehand to compose music pieces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel method to analyse the tonal behaviour of a music piece. The method is based on the development of a novel probability model of the predominant key using the well known Pitch Class Profile (PCP or chroma) descriptor. This feature represents the importance of each note of the chromatic scale within the spectral content of the audio signal. Making use of PCP feature, a main novel contribution presented is the development of new profile models for the characterization of major and minor keys. Most of the key profile models found in the literature assign a single value to each pitch class for a particular key. This value represents the salience of this pitch class in a specific key. The new key profiles, that will be described in this paper, are based on the identification of specific probability density functions (PDFs), defined after the analysis of the presence of the pitch classes of the chromatic scale in the different keys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 45 Celta breed pigs were used to investigate the effect of genotype (Barcina, Carballiña and Santiaguesa lines) on the fatty acid composition of intramuscular (IMF) and subcutaneous fat (SF). The total IMF content was influenced by genotype (P<0.05), since the Barcina line had the highest levels (5.21% vs 1.99 and 3.59% for Santiaguesa and Carballiña lines, respectively). The total and neutral lipids from the IMF of the Santiaguesa line displayed higher contents of PUFA than the other two lines. The nutritional indices were also affected by genotype, since the Santiaguesa line presented the lowest atherogenic (AI) and thrombogenic (TI) indices and the highest hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio (h/H) (P<0.05). The IMF total and neutral lipids presented higher (P<0.05) values of MUFA than SF, while the PUFA content was greatest in SF (P<0.05). Regarding the polar fraction, samples from IMF presented the highest values of PUFA (between 37-44%). Finally, SF showed higher percentages of MUFA and SFA than IMF (P<0.05). The differences in IMF content and back fat thickness imply that the deposition of IMF and SF may be regulated by different mechanism among the three lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We give an explicit family of polynomial maps called centre unstable Hénon-like maps and prove that they exhibit blenders for some parameter values. Using this family, we also prove the occurrence of blenders near certain non-transverse heterodimensional cycles under high regularity assumptions. The proof involves a renormalization scheme along heteroclinic orbits. We also investigate the connection between the blender and the original heterodimensional cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The current generation of X-ray satellites has discovered many new X-ray sources that are difficult to classify within the well-described subclasses. The hard X-ray source IGR J11215-5952 is a peculiar transient, displaying very short X-ray outbursts every 165 days. Aims. To characterise the source, we obtained high-resolution spectra of the optical counterpart, HD 306414, at different epochs, spanning a total of three months, before and around the 2007 February outburst with the combined aims of deriving its astrophysical parameters and searching for orbital modulation. Methods. We fit model atmospheres generated with the fastwind code to the spectrum, and used the interstellar lines in the spectrum to estimate its distance. We also cross-correlated each individual spectrum to the best-fit model to derive radial velocities. Results. From its spectral features, we classify HD 306414 as B0.5 Ia. From the model fit, we find Teff ≈ 24 700 K and log g ≈ 2.7, in good agreement with the morphological classification. Using the interstellar lines in its spectrum, we estimate a distance to HD 306414 d ≳7 kpc. Assuming this distance, we derive R* ≈ 40 R≲☉ and Mspect ≈ 30 M☉ (consistent, within errors, with Mevol ≈ 38 M☉, and in good agreement with calibrations for the spectral type). Analysis of the radial velocity curve reveals that radial velocity changes are not dominated by the orbital motion, and provide an upper limit on the semi-amplitude for the optical component Kopt 11±6 kms-1. Large variations in the depth and shape of photospheric lines suggest the presence of strong pulsations, which may be the main cause of the radial velocity changes. Very significant variations, uncorrelated with those of the photospheric lines are seen in the shape and position of the Hα emission feature around the time of the X-ray outburst, but large excursions are also observed at other times. Conclusions. HD 306414 is a normal B0.5 Ia supergiant. Its radial velocity curve is dominated by an effect that is different from binary motion, and is most likely stellar pulsations. The data available suggest that the X-ray outbursts are caused by the close passage of the neutron star in a very eccentric orbit, perhaps leading to localised mass outflow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies relating the affective domain with the teaching and learning of mathematics, and more specifically with mathematics problem solving, have focused on teacher education. The authors of these studies have been ever more insistently pointing to the need to design educational programs that take an integrated cognitive and affective approach to mathematics education. Given this context, we have designed and implemented a program of intervention on mathematics problem solving for prospective primary teachers. We here describe some results of that program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diffeomorphism f has a C1-robust homoclinic tangency if there is a C1-neighborhood 𝒰 of f such that every diffeomorphism in g ∈ 𝒰 has a hyperbolic set Λg, depending continuously on g, such that the stable and unstable manifolds of Λg, have some non-transverse intersection. For every manifold of dimension greater than or equal to three we exhibit a local mechanism (blender-horseshoes) generating diffeomorphisms with C1-robust homoclinic tangencies. Using blender-horseshoes, we prove that homoclinic classes of C1-generic diffeomorphisms containing saddles with different indices and that do not admit dominated splittings (of appropriate dimensions) display C1-robust homoclinic tangencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article a multidimensional environment is defined to allow the exploration of musical content in a novel way by means of three-dimensional interfaces. The environment is created so that musical content can be located in a comprehensive space in which the world coordinates are related to music genres. To this end, the songs in a database are analyzed, and a description of their spectral content is obtained. These descriptions are then projected onto six vectors, previously determined, that represent six main genres defining a global space with six dimensions. These projected representations are useful to create a multidimensional world in which the relations, orientation, and motion will be readily intelligible to users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]