The Age-Sensitive Efficacy of Calorie Restriction on Mitochondrial Biogenesis and mtDNA Damage in Rat Liver

Calorie restriction (CR) is the most efficacious treatment to delay the onset of age-related changes such as mitochondrial dysfunction. However, the sensitivity of mitochondrial markers to CR and the age-related boundaries of CR efficacy are not fully elucidated. We used liver samples from ad libitum-fed (AL) rats divided in: 18-month-old (AL-18), 28-month-old (AL-28), and 32-month-old (AL-32) groups, and from CR-treated (CR) 28-month-old (CR-28) and 32-month-old (CR-32) counterparts to assay the effect of CR on several mitochondrial markers. The age-related decreases in citrate synthase activity, in TFAM, MFN2, and DRP1 protein amounts and in the mtDNA content in the AL-28 group were prevented in CR-28 counterparts. Accordingly, CR reduced oxidative mtDNA damage assessed through the incidence of oxidized purines at specific mtDNA regions in CR-28 animals. These findings support the anti-aging effect of CR up to 28 months. Conversely, the protein amounts of LonP1, Cyt c, OGG1, and APE1 and the 4.8 Kb mtDNA deletion content were not affected in CR-28 rats. The absence of significant differences between the AL-32 values and the CR-32 counterparts suggests an age-related boundary of CR efficacy at this age. However, this only partially curtails the CR benefits in counteracting the generalized aging decline and the related mitochondrial involvement.     

Controllability of One Spin and Two Interacting Spins

Mathematics of Control, Signals, and Systems - ?We consider the problem of steering control for the systems of one spin ½ particle and two interacting spin ½ particles in an...     

A Neural Network Model of Caenorhabditis Elegans: The Circuit of Touch Sensitivity

The paper presents a neural network model of the touch sensitivity circuit of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We describe a serie of simulations in which neural networks are trained, using a genetic algorithm, to reproduce the habituation of the nematode's touch sensitive behavior. A lesion study of the network allows to make a direct comparison between the fine functioning of the model and the data collected in real organisms. The model accords well with the known neurobiological data and it suggests some hypotheses about the functioning of the neural circuit and of single neurons.     

Premixed metal fibre burners based on a Pd catalyst

As an alternative to previously developed catalytic FeCrAlloy fibre mat burners based on perovskite catalysts, new catalytic burners have been developed based on Pd catalyst on lantana-stabilised Al₂O₃ and different fibre structures (NIT100A, NIT100S and NIT200S by ACOTECH NV). All development steps are considered, shifting from catalyst preparation (based on combustion synthesis of γ-Al₂O₃) to the optimisation of lantana and Pd loadings, from the definitions of the best catalyst-deposition conditions (washcoating) to the catalytic burners performances, determined in an ad hoc developed combustion chamber. The results show almost half pollutants emissions and better performance compared to various non-catalytic counterparts, especially as far as CO and NO_x emissions are concerned. Some flame instability problems were though registered, especially for one of the catalytic burner mattresses employed, at low specific power inputs and excesses of air (<375 kW/m² and <12%, respectively). Further, PdO/Pd transition is shown to influence the dynamic behaviour of the catalytic burners.     

Convolution profiles for right inversion of multivariable non-minimum phase discrete-time systems

The problem of the non-causal inversion of linear multivariable discrete-time systems is analyzed in the geometric approach framework and is solved through the computation of convolution profiles which guarantee perfect tracking under the assumption of infinite-length preaction and postaction time intervals. It is shown how the shape of the convolution profiles is related to both the relative degree and the invariant zeros of the plant. A computational setting for the convolution profiles is derived by means of the standard geometric approach tools. Feasibility constraints are also taken into account. A possible implementation scheme, based on a finite impulse response system acting on a stabilized control loop, is provided.     

The S-kernel: A measure of symmetry of objects

In this paper we introduce a new symmetry feature named “symmetry kernel” (SK) to support a measure of symmetry. Given any symmetry transform S, SK of a pattern P is the maximal included symmetric sub-set of P for all directions and shifts. We provide a first algorithm to exhibit this kernel where the centre of symmetry is assumed to be the centre of mass. Then we prove that, in any direction, the optimal axis corresponds to the maximal correlation of a pattern with its symmetric version. That leads to a second algorithm. The associated symmetry measure is a modified difference between the respective surfaces of a pattern and its kernel. A series of experiments supports the actual algorithm validation.     

Dental caries in nineteenth century upper Canada

This study examines the presence of dental caries in a large sample of adult skeletons from the 19th century cemetery of St. Thomas' Anglican Church in Belleville, Ontario. The cemetery was used from 1821 to 1874. Caries prevalence and frequencies of diseased and missing teeth were calculated both by observing summary statistics of individual rates and by the total sample of teeth. Postmortem tooth loss is low in this sample and antemortem tooth loss is highest in first mandibular molars, all other molars and then premolars. Age at death, but not sex, was found to be significantly related to the overall Caries Rate while both age and sex were significantly associated with the Diseased-Missing Index. The increase in diseased and missing teeth in older individuals is expected while the sex difference is not explained by simple dietary factors. When compared to reports on British and American samples, caries and antemortem tooth loss in the St. Thomas' sample is most similar to a pre-1850 British group and higher than American samples. Although there is undoubtedly a complex of factors contributing to caries prevalence in this sample, more data are required from large historic samples, particularly from the American northeast and late 19th century Britain, to have a clearer understanding of the influence of diet, cultural, and environmental factors affecting caries rates in historic populations.     

Good teaching inputs do not correspond to desired responses in ecological neural networks

In this paper we analyze how supervised learning occurs in ecological neural networks, i.e. networks that interact with an autonomous external environment and, therefore, at least partially determine with their behavior their own input. Using an evolutionary method for selecting good teaching inputs we surprisingly find that to obtain a desired outputX it is better to use a teaching input different fromX. To explain this fact we claim that teaching inputs in ecological networks have two different effects: (a) to reduce the discrepancy between the actual output of the network and the teaching input, (b) to modify the network's behavior and, as a consequence, the network's learning experiences. Evolved teaching inputs appear to represent a compromise between these two needs. We finally show that evolved teaching inputs that are allowed to change during the learning process function differently at different stages of learning, first giving more weight to (b) and, later on, to (a).