iVici: Interrelational Visualization and Correlation Interface

Affiliation: Département de Biochimie, Faculté de médecine, Université de MontréalWe have developed an application, iVici, to analyze cellular networks represented as addressable symmetric or asymmetric two-dimensional matrices. iVici was designed to permit simultaneous visualization and correlation of multiple datasets, representing any relationship between a set of genes, mRNAs, or proteins. Visual overlay of datasets and addressable access to gene annotations permits comparison of networks of different types (for example protein-protein interactions and genetic networks) or investigation of the dynamic reorganization of a particular network

Integrated intelligent systems for industrial automation: the challenges of Industry 4.0, information granulation and understanding agents .

The objective of the paper consists in considering the challenges of new automation paradigm Industry 4.0 and reviewing the-state-of-the-art in the field of its enabling information and communication technologies, including Cyberphysical Systems, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things and Big Data. Some ways of multi-dimensional, multi-faceted industrial Big Data representation and analysis are suggested. The fundamentals of Big Data processing with using Granular Computing techniques have been developed. The problem of constructing special cognitive tools to build artificial understanding agents for Integrated Intelligent Enterprises has been faced

A cluster of ribosome synthesis factors regulate pre-rRNA folding and 5.8S rRNA maturation by the Rat1 exonuclease

The 5′-exonuclease Rat1 degrades pre-rRNA spacer fragments and processes the 5′-ends of the 5.8S and 25S rRNAs. UV crosslinking revealed multiple Rat1-binding sites across the pre-rRNA, consistent with its known functions. The major 5.8S 5′-end is generated by Rat1 digestion of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) spacer from cleavage site A(3). Processing from A(3) requires the ‘A(3)-cluster' proteins, including Cic1, Erb1, Nop7, Nop12 and Nop15, which show interdependent pre-rRNA binding. Surprisingly, A(3)-cluster factors were not crosslinked close to site A(3), but bound sites around the 5.8S 3′- and 25S 5′-regions, which are base paired in mature ribosomes, and in the ITS2 spacer that separates these rRNAs. In contrast, Nop4, a protein required for endonucleolytic cleavage in ITS1, binds the pre-rRNA near the 5′-end of 5.8S. ITS2 was reported to undergo structural remodelling. In vivo chemical probing indicates that A(3)-cluster binding is required for this reorganization, potentially regulating the timing of processing. We predict that Nop4 and the A(3) cluster establish long-range interactions between the 5.8S and 25S rRNAs, which are subsequently maintained by ribosomal protein binding

Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes, NM-400, NM-401, NM-402, NM-403: Characterisation and Physico-Chemical Properties

In 2011 the JRC launched a Repository for Representative Test Materials that supports both EU and international research projects, and especially the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials' (WPMN) exploratory testing programme "Testing a Representative set of Manufactured Nanomaterials" for the development and collection of data on characterisation, toxicological and ecotoxicological properties, as well as risk assessment and safety evaluation of nanomaterials. The JRC Repository responds to a need for availability of nanomaterial from a single production batch to enhance the comparability of results between different research laboratories and projects. The present report presents the physico-chemical characterisation of the multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) from the JRC Repository: NM-400, NM-401, NM-402 and NM-403. NM-400 was selected as principal material for the OECD WPMN testing programme. They are produced by catalytic chemical vapour deposition. Each of these NMs originates from one respective batch of commercially manufactured MWCNT. They are nanostructured, i.e. they consist of more than one graphene layer stacked on each other and rolled together as concentric tubes. The MWCNT NMs may be used as a representative material in the measurement and testing with regard to hazard identification, risk and exposure assessment studies. The results are based on studies by several European laboratories participating to the NANOGENOTOX Joint Action.JRC.I.4-Nanobioscience

Исторический процесс в свете христианской антропологии Ф. М. Достоевского

На основе фундаментальных для творческого сознания Достоевского понятий «тайны человека» и христианского реализма, «закона Я» и «закона любви» в статье рассмотрена односторонность биологизаторских и социализаторских концепций человеческой природы с эпохи Просвещения и их связь с энтропийными процессами в духовно-нравственном мире людей и снижающими тенденциями в ходе истории. Показаны, как уходящие из поля зрения рационалистического и прагматического сознания духовные законы жизни трансформируют социально-прогрессистское проектирование и планирование, вносят в них нигилистические элементы. Подчеркнуто, что методология христианского реализма носит универсальный характер, соединяет «тайну человека» с тайной истории, и становится одним из главных принципов для оценки иерархии ценностей в различных мировоззренческих, идеологических и социальных системах.Based on the fundamental concepts of the "mystery of man" and Christian realism, the "law of the Ego" and the "law of love" for Dostoevsky's creative consciousness, the article examines the one-sidedness of biologizing and socializing concepts of human nature since the Enlightenment and their connection with entropic processes in the spiritual and moral world of people and declining trends in the course of history. It is shown how the spiritual laws of life, which are leaving the field of view of rationalistic and pragmatic consciousness, transform social-progressive design and planning, and introduce nihilistic elements into them. It is emphasized that the methodology of Christian realism is universal, that it connects the "mystery of man" with the mystery of history, and becomes one of the main principles for assessing the hierarchy of values in various ideological and social systems.Based on the fundamental concepts of the "mystery of man" and Christian realism, the "law of the Ego" and the "law of love" for Dostoevsky's creative consciousness, the article examines the one-sidedness of biologizing and socializing concepts of human nature since the Enlightenment and their connection with entropic processes in the spiritual and moral world of people and declining trends in the course of history. It is shown how the spiritual laws of life, which are leaving the field of view of rationalistic and pragmatic consciousness, transform social-progressive design and planning, and introduce nihilistic elements into them. It is emphasized that the methodology of Christian realism is universal, that it connects the "mystery of man" with the mystery of history, and becomes one of the main principles for assessing the hierarchy of values in various ideological and social systems

Inhibitory effects of polar and non-polar organic substances on activated sludge activity

As is well known, several organic compounds, more often found in industrial wastewater, exhibit inhibitory effects on biomass activity, therefore, leading to poor wastewater treatment efficiency. This study presents the experimental results on the inhibition effects of 14 polar and non-polar organic compounds on the activity of activated sludge in the concentration range of 50–1,000 ppm. Two different activated sludge samples used, one of low activity and another of high activity. The organic compounds tested are: phenol, 2-chlorophenol, nitrophenol, resorcinol, dioxane, acetonitrile and benzotriazole (polar); and toluene, styrene, cyclohexane, tetrachloromethane, paraxylene, benzene and hexane (non-polar). The results demonstrate that polar compounds exhibit higher toxicity than non-polar compounds and hydrophobicity plays a crucial role. The effects of polarity, hydrophobicity, solubility and volatility are discussed and the conclusion is that inhibition is complex phenomenon requiring extensive theoretical and experimental studies

Titanium Dioxide, NM-100, NM-101, NM-102, NM-103, NM-104, NM-105: Characterisation and Physico-Chemical Properties

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) provides scientific support to European Union policy including nanotechnology. Within this context, the JRC launched, in February 2011, a repository for Representative Test Materials (RTMs), based on preparatory work started in 2008. It supports both EU and international research projects, and especially the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN). The WPMN leads an exploratory testing programme "Testing a Representative set of Manufactured Nanomaterials" for the development and collection of data on characterisation, toxicological and ecotoxicological properties, as well as risk assessment and safety evaluation of nanomaterials. The purpose is to understand the applicability of the OECD Test Guidelines for the testing of nanomaterials as well as end-points relevant for such materials. The Repository responds to a need for nanosafety research purposes: availability of nanomaterial from a single production batch to enhance the comparability of results between different research laboratories and projects. The availability of representative nanomaterials to the international scientific community furthermore enhances and enables development of safe materials and products. The present report presents the physico-chemical characterisation of the Titanium dioxide series from the JRC repository: NM-100, NM-101, NM-102, NM-103, NM-104 and NM-105. NM-105 was selected as principal material for the OECD test programme "Testing a representative set of manufactured nanomaterials". NM-100 is included in the series as a bulk comparator. Each of these NMs originates from one batch of commercially manufactured TiO2. The TiO2 NMs may be used as representative material in the measurement and testing with regard to hazard identification, risk and exposure assessment studies. The results for more than 15 endpoints are addressed in the present report, including physico-chemical properties, such as size and size distribution, crystallite size and electron microscopy images. Sample and test item preparation procedures are addressed. The results are based on studies by several European laboratories participating to the NANOGENOTOX Joint Action, as well as by the JRC.JRC.I.4-Nanobioscience

A mosaic of RNA binding and protein interaction motifs in a bifunctional mitochondrial tRNA import factor from Leishmania tropica

Proteins that participate in the import of cytosolic tRNAs into mitochondria have been identified in several eukaryotic species, but the details of their interactions with tRNA and other proteins are unknown. In the kinetoplastid protozoon Leishmania tropica, multiple proteins are organized into a functional import complex. RIC8A, a tRNA-binding subunit of this complex, has a C-terminal domain that functions as subunit 6b of ubiquinol cytochrome c reductase (complex III). We show that the N-terminal domain, unique to kinetoplastid protozoa, is structurally similar to the appended S15/NS1 RNA-binding domain of aminoacyl tRNA synthetases, with a helix–turn–helix motif. Structure-guided mutagenesis coupled with in vitro assays showed that helix α1 contacts tRNA whereas helix α2 targets the protein for assembly into the import complex. Inducible expression of a helix 1-deleted variant in L. tropica resulted in formation of an inactive import complex, while the helix 2-deleted variant was unable to assemble in vivo. Moreover, a protein-interaction assay showed that the C-terminal domain makes allosteric contacts with import receptor RIC1 complexed with tRNA. These results help explain the origin of the bifunctionality of RIC8A, and the allosteric changes accompanying docking and release of tRNA during import