Quinuclidine compounds differently act as agonists of Kenyon cell nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and induced distinct effect on insect ganglionic depolarizations

We have recently demonstrated that a new quinuclidine benzamide compound named LMA10203 acted as an agonist of insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Its specific pharmacological profile on cockroach dorsal unpaired median neurons (DUM) helped to identify alpha-bungarotoxin-insensitive nAChR2 receptors. In the present study, we tested its effect on cockroach Kenyon cells. We found that it induced an inward current demonstrating that it bounds to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors expressed on Kenyon cells. Interestingly, LMA10203-induced currents were completely blocked by the nicotinic antagonist alpha-bungarotoxin. We suggested that LMA10203 effect occurred through the activation of alpha-bungarotoxin-sensitive receptors and did not involve alpha-bungarotoxin-insensitive nAChR2, previously identified in DUM neurons. In addition, we have synthesized two new compounds, LMA10210 and LMA10211, and compared their effects on Kenyon cells. These compounds were members of the 3-quinuclidinyl benzamide or benzoate families. Interestingly, 1 mM LMA10210 was not able to induce an inward current on Kenyon cells compared to LMA10211. Similarly, we did not find any significant effect of LMA10210 on cockroach ganglionic depolarization, whereas these three compounds were able to induce an effect on the central nervous system of the third instar M. domestica larvae. Our data suggested that these three compounds could bind to distinct cockroach nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

EasyML: An AutoML System using Meta Learning and Particle Swarm Optimization

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Data Science and Advanced Analytics, specialization in Data ScienceIn recent years machine learning has made great strides in many application areas and an ever-growing number of disciplines rely on it. However, machine learning modelling process involves trying many machine learning algorithms with different parameter configurations which is considered insufficient, tedious, and time-consuming. The challenge has brought about the need for off-the-shelf solutions that allow a dataset to choose its best modelling pipeline including data preprocessing, model selection and hyperparameter optimization without or with very little human intervention in the process. Despite the availability of numerous AutoML systems that can automate the machine learning modeling process, there is still a need for a solution that can achieve the same results using a significantly smaller space, while improving efficiency. This thesis proposes an AutoML system named EasyML that uses meta-learning for model selection and particle swarm optimization for hyperparameter optimization. The research objectives include conducting a comprehensive literature review on State-of-the-Art techniques and existing AutoML systems, design, and development of EasyML, evaluating the system's performance on benchmark datasets, comparing its efficiency to other AutoML systems, and identifying its limitations and suggesting future research directions. The research methodology combines Design Science Research and CRISP-DM. EasyML outperforms existing solutions like SmartML and Auto-WEKA on all benchmark datasets. EasyML has the potential to contribute to the development of more efficient and effective AutoML systems, thereby meeting the increasing demand for data scientists with strong knowledge of various machine learning algorithms and techniques

Superfast Broadband and Rural Community Resilience : Examining the Rural Need for Speed

Acknowledgements The authors would also like to thank colleagues at the University of Aberdeen and Scotland's Rural College for feedback and input throughout the early research process. Funding: This work is supported by the University of Aberdeen College of Physical Sciences as well as the dot.rural Digital Economy Research Hub at the University of Aberdeen, award reference EP/G066051/1.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Origin and evolution of the octoploid strawberry genome.

Cultivated strawberry emerged from the hybridization of two wild octoploid species, both descendants from the merger of four diploid progenitor species into a single nucleus more than 1 million years ago. Here we report a near-complete chromosome-scale assembly for cultivated octoploid strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) and uncovered the origin and evolutionary processes that shaped this complex allopolyploid. We identified the extant relatives of each diploid progenitor species and provide support for the North American origin of octoploid strawberry. We examined the dynamics among the four subgenomes in octoploid strawberry and uncovered the presence of a single dominant subgenome with significantly greater gene content, gene expression abundance, and biased exchanges between homoeologous chromosomes, as compared with the other subgenomes. Pathway analysis showed that certain metabolomic and disease-resistance traits are largely controlled by the dominant subgenome. These findings and the reference genome should serve as a powerful platform for future evolutionary studies and enable molecular breeding in strawberry

Anime and the Conquest of Time: Memory, Fantasy, and the “Time-Image” from Ghost in the Shell to Your Name

Anime is often characterized in terms of its multiplicity and fracture, with a penchant for non-photoreal depictions of fantasy characters who exist in alternative worlds and become embroiled in implausible plot lines. Theories particular to anime are often developed to account for these idiosyncrasies with a tendency to treat anime as a distinct genre rather than part of cinema more broadly. This article seeks to reintegrate anime within the compass of cinema by employing Gilles Deleuze’s philosophical treatment of the cinematic image. Deleuze argued that in certain instances cinema had the capacity to supplant conventional depictions of movement in space and time to evoke a more fluid perception of memory and consciousness. These instances he characterized as “time-images” as opposed to “movement-images.” To explore how certain aspects of animated cinema can epitomize Deleuze’s concept of the time-image, I examine the oeuvre of several Japanese animators, from Oshii Mamoru and Kon Satoshi through to Shinkai Makoto. Ultimately I contend that a better understanding of the operation of these images aids us to reassess the “fantasy” element in their work. While acknowledging the entertainment value of certain stylistic flourishes I argue that other “fantasy” tropes carry a more profound cinematic significance

Shinkai Makoto : The "New Miyazaki" or a New Voice in Cinematic Anime?

新領域・次世代の日本研究, オタゴ, 2016年11月24日-25

Comparative effects of technical-grade and formulated chlorantraniliprole to the survivorship and locomotor activity of the honey bee, \u3ci\u3eApis mellifera\u3c/i\u3e (L.)

Background: The loss of honey bee colonies is a nationally recognized problem that demands attention from both the scientific community and the beekeeping industry. One outstanding threat is the unintended exposure of these pollinators to agricultural pesticides. Anthranilic diamides, such as chlorantraniliprole, are registered for use in stone and pome fruits, vegetables, turf, and grains. There are few publicly available studies that provide an analysis of chlorantraniliprole effects on the survivorship and locomotion activity of beneficial, pollinating insects such as honey bees. The data gathered in this study provide the acute toxicity, 30-day survivorship, and locomotor activity of honey bees exposed to technical-grade chlorantraniliprole and three formulated products with chlorantraniliprole as the active ingredient. Results: Neither the technical-grade nor the formulated products of chlorantraniliprole were acutely toxic to honey bees following 4 or 72h treatments at the tested concentrations. A 4 h treatment of technical-grade and formulated chlorantraniliprole did not significantly affect the 30-day survivorship, although significantly higher mortality was observed after 30 days for bees receiving a 72 h treatment of technical-grade chlorantraniliprole and two formulated products. The locomotion activity, or total walking distance, of bees receiving a 4 h treatment of one chlorantraniliprole formulation was significantly reduced, with these individuals recovering their normal locomotion activity at 48 h post exposure. Conversely, there was observed lethargic behavior and significantly reduced walking distances for bees provided with a 72 h treatment of technical-grade chlorantraniliprole and each formulated product. Conclusion: This study provides evidence for the effect of long-term exposure of chlorantraniliprole on the survivorship and locomotor activity of honey bees. Bees receiving a more field-relevant short-term exposure survived and moved similarly to untreated bees, reiterating the relative safety of chlorantraniliprole exposure to adult honey bees at recommended label concentrations