The aim of this study is to estimate the state of charge (SOC) of a high-capacity lithium iron manganese phosphate (LiFeMnPO _{4} ) battery cell from an experimental dataset using a support vector ...machine (SVM) approach. SVM is a type of learning machine based on statistical learning theory. Many applications require accurate measurement of battery SOC in order to give users an indication of available runtime. It is particularly important for electric vehicles or portable devices. In this paper, the proposed SOC estimator extracts model parameters from battery charging/discharging testing cycles, using cell current, cell voltage, and cell temperature as independent variables. Tests are carried out on a 60 Ah lithium-ion cell with the dynamic stress test cycle to set up the SVM model. The SVM SOC estimator maintains a high level of accuracy, better than 6% over all ranges of operation, whether the battery is charged/discharged at constant current or it is operating in a variable current profile.
Summary
Nucleotide biosynthesis proceeds through a de novo pathway and a salvage route. In the salvage route, free bases and/or nucleosides are recycled to generate the corresponding nucleotides. ...Thymidine kinase (TK) is the first enzyme in the salvage pathway to recycle thymidine nucleosides as it phosphorylates thymidine to yield thymidine monophosphate. The Arabidopsis genome contains two TK genes −TK1a and TK1b− that show similar expression patterns during development. In this work, we studied the respective roles of the two genes during early development and in response to genotoxic agents targeting the organellar or the nuclear genome. We found that the pyrimidine salvage pathway is crucial for chloroplast development and genome replication, as well as for the maintenance of its integrity, and is thus likely to play a crucial role during the transition from heterotrophy to autotrophy after germination. Interestingly, defects in TK activity could be partially compensated by supplementation of the medium with sugar, and this effect resulted from both the availability of a carbon source and the activation of the nucleotide de novo synthesis pathway, providing evidence for a compensation mechanism between two routes of nucleotide biosynthesis that depend on nutrient availability. Finally, we found differential roles of the TK1a and TK1b genes during the plant response to genotoxic stress, suggesting that different pools of nucleotides exist within the cells and are required to respond to different types of DNA damage. Altogether, our results highlight the importance of the pyrimidine salvage pathway, both during plant development and in response to genotoxic stress.
Significance Statement
The Arabidopsis genome contains two genes coding for thymidine kinase (TK1a and TK1b) that share 58% amino acid identity. This study presents evidence on the distinct roles of TK1a and TK1b genes during the DNA damage response to genotoxic stress, and finds that the thymidine salvage pathway is critical for chloroplast development, genome replication and integrity. Sugars compensate for the lack of TK activity by inducing the nucleotide de novo synthesis pathway.
Among the four G protein-coupled receptors (H
-H
) identified as mediators of the biologic effects of histamine, the H
receptor (H
R) is distinguished for its almost exclusive expression in the ...nervous system and the large variety of isoforms generated by alternative splicing of the corresponding mRNA. Additionally, it exhibits dual functionality as autoreceptor and heteroreceptor, and this enables H
Rs to modulate the histaminergic and other neurotransmitter systems. The cloning of the H
R cDNA in 1999 by Lovenberg et al. allowed for detailed studies of its molecular aspects. In this work, we review the characteristics of the H
R, namely, its structure, constitutive activity, isoforms, signal transduction pathways, regional differences in expression and localization, selective agonists, antagonists and inverse agonists, dimerization with other neurotransmitter receptors, and the main presynaptic and postsynaptic effects resulting from its activation. The H
R has attracted interest as a potential drug target for the treatment of several important neurologic and psychiatric disorders, such as Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, and addiction.
Respiratory chain complexes can super-assemble into quaternary structures called supercomplexes that optimize cellular metabolism. The interaction between complexes III (CIII) and IV (CIV) is ...modulated by supercomplex assembly factor 1 (SCAF1, also known as COX7A2L). The discovery of SCAF1 represented strong genetic evidence that supercomplexes exist in vivo. SCAF1 is present as a long isoform (113 amino acids) or a short isoform (111 amino acids) in different mouse strains. Only the long isoform can induce the super-assembly of CIII and CIV, but it is not clear whether SCAF1 is required for the formation of the respirasome (a supercomplex of CI, CIII
and CIV). Here we show, by combining deep proteomics and immunodetection analysis, that SCAF1 is always required for the interaction between CIII and CIV and that the respirasome is absent from most tissues of animals containing the short isoform of SCAF1, with the exception of heart and skeletal muscle. We used directed mutagenesis to characterize SCAF1 regions that interact with CIII and CIV and discovered that this interaction requires the correct orientation of a histidine residue at position 73 that is altered in the short isoform of SCAF1, explaining its inability to interact with CIV. Furthermore, we find that the CIV subunit COX7A2 is replaced by SCAF1 in supercomplexes containing CIII and CIV and by COX7A1 in CIV dimers, and that dimers seem to be more stable when they include COX6A2 rather than the COX6A1 isoform.
Despite the high prevalence of gastrointestinal disorders (GIDs) in infants and children, especially those categorized as functional GIDs (FGIDs), insufficient knowledge about their pathophysiology ...has limited both symptomatic diagnosis and the development of optimal therapies. Recent advances in the field of probiotics have made their potential use as an interesting therapeutic and preventive strategy against these disorders possible, but further efforts are still needed. In fact, there is great controversy surrounding this topic, generated by the high variety of potential probiotics strains with plausible therapeutic utility, the lack of consensus in their use as well as the few comparative studies available on probiotics that record their efficacy. Taking into account these limitations, and in the absence of clear guidelines about the dose and timeframe for successful probiotic therapy, our review aimed to evaluate current studies on potential use of probiotics for the prevention and treatment of the most common FGIDs and GIDs in the pediatric population. Furthermore, matters referring to know major action pathways and key safety recommendations for probiotic administration proposed by major pediatric health agencies shall also be discussed.
The south of Iberia conserves an important group of Palaeolithic rock art sites. The graphisms have been mostly attributed to the Solutrean and Magdalenian periods, while the possibility that older ...remains exist has provoked extensive debate. This circumstance has been linked to both the cited periods, until recently, due to the transition from the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic in the extreme southwest of Europe as well as the non-existence of some of the early periods of Palaeolithic art documented in northern Iberia. This study presents the results of interdisciplinary research conducted in Las Ventanas Cave. These results enabled us to identify a new Palaeolithic rock art site. The technical, stylistic and temporal traits point to certain similarities with the range of exterior deep engravings in Cantabrian Palaeolithic rock art. Ventanas appears to corroborate the age attributed to those kinds of graphic expression and points to the early arrival of the Upper Palaeolithic in the south of Iberia. Importantly, the results provide information on the pre-Solutrean date attributed to trilinear hind figures. These findings challenge the supposed Neanderthal survival idea at one of the main late Middle Palaeolithic southern Iberian sites (Carigüela) and, due to the parallels between them and an engraving attributed to this period in Gibraltar, it raises the possibility of interaction between modern humans and Neanderthals in the extreme southwest of Europe.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has made it necessary to rationalize health-care resources, but there is little published data at this moment regarding ambulatory management of ...patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. The objective of the study is to evaluate the performance of a protocol for ambulatory management of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia regarding readmissions, admission into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and deaths. Also, to identify unfavorable prognostic factors that increase the risk of readmission. This is a prospective cohort study of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia discharged from the emergency ward of Infanta Cristina Hospital (Madrid, Spain) that met the criteria of the hospital protocol for outpatient management. We describe outcomes of those patients and compare those who needed readmission versus those who did not. We use logistic regression to explore factors associated with readmissions. A total of 314 patients were included, of which 20 (6.4%) needed readmission, and none needed ICU admission nor died. At least one comorbidity was present in 29.9% of patients. Hypertension, leukopenia, lymphocytopenia, increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and increased aminotransferases were all associated with a higher risk of readmission. A clinical course of 10 days or longer, and an absolute eosinophil count over 200/µL were associated with a lower risk. After the multivariate analysis, only hypertension (OR 4.99, CI 1.54–16.02), temperature over 38 °C in the emergency ward (OR 9.03, CI 1.89–45.77), leukopenia (OR 4.92, CI 1.42–17.11) and increased LDH (OR 6.62, CI 2.82–19.26) remained significantly associated with readmission. Outpatient management of patients with low-risk COVID-19 pneumonia is safe, if adequately selected. The protocol presented here has allowed avoiding 30% of the admissions for COVID-19 pneumonia in our hospital, with a very low readmission rate and no mortality.
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