Do cultivar, geographical location and crop season influence phenolic profile of walnut leaves?

Walnut leaves from nine different cultivars (Arco, Franquette, Hartley, Lara, Marbot, Mayette, Meylannaise, Parisienne and Rego) were studied for their phenolic compounds. Samples were harvested along three consecutive years, at two different geographical locations, in order to evaluate if significant differences in the phenolics composition can be related with genetic, climatic or geographical factors. Nine compounds (3-caffeoylquinic, 3-p-coumaroylquinic and 4-p-coumaroylquinic acids, quercetin 3- galactoside, quercetin 3-arabinoside, quercetin 3-xyloside, quercetin 3-rhamnoside, a quercetin 3-pentoside derivative and a kaempferol 3-pentoside derivative) were quantified using an HPLC-DAD methodology. The qualitative profiles were identical for all samples, but differences were observed in terms of individual compounds’ contents. Multivariate statistical analysis was carried out, showing that significant differences exist among production years, which can be related to climatic reasons.Direcção Regional de Agricultura da Beira Litoral (DRABL)Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (ESA

Compositional Static Value Analysis for Higher-Order Numerical Programs

Static analyzers have been successfully developed to detect runtime errors in many languages. However, the automatic analysis of functional languages remains a challenge due to their recursive functions, recursive algebraic data types, and higher-order functions. Classic type systems provide compositional methods that are in general not precise enough to prove the absence of runtime errors such as assertion failures. At the other end of the spectrum, deductive methods are more expressive but may require user guidance to prove invariants. Our work describes a static value analysis by abstract interpretation for a higher-order pure functional language. This analysis provides a sound and automatic approach to discover invariants and prevent assertion and match failures. We have designed a compositional analysis: functions are analyzed only once, at their definition site, generating a summary of their behavior. The summaries can be viewed as input-output relations expressed with relational abstract domains. We present two new abstract domains. A first abstract domain summarizes recursive algebraic data types. A second abstract domain lifts existing disjunctive relational summaries to higher-order by formalizing them as domains able to abstract higher-order functions. Both abstractions are parameterized by the abstractions of basic types (strings, integers, ...). Thanks to this parametric nature, both domains can be combined, allowing the analysis of higher-order functions manipulating algebraic data types and, conversely, algebraic data types using functions as first-class values. We have implemented this analysis in the open-source MOPSA platform. Preliminary evaluation confirms the precision of our approach on a set of 40 handwritten toy programs as well as 20 programs from the state-of-the-art Salto analyzer benchmark

Compositional Static Value Analysis for Higher-Order Numerical Programs (Artifact)

This artifact accompanies the submission entitled "Compositional Static Value Analysis for Higher-Order Numerical Programs". It enables to reproduce experimental claims made in the paper. The artifact requires a computer with Docker installed

Distinct activation mechanisms of NF-κB regulator inhibitor of NF-κB Kinase (IKK) by isoforms of the Cell Death Regulator Cellular FLICE-like Inhibitory Protein (cFLIP)*

The vFLIP protein from Kaposis sarcoma-associated herpesvirus activates the NF-kB pathway by forming a stable complex with a central region (amino acids 150-272) of the IKKgamma subunit, thereby activating IKK. Cellular FLIP forms are also known to activate the NF-kB pathway via IKK activation. Here we demonstrate that cFLIPL, cFLIPS, and their proteolytic product p22-FLIP, all require the C-terminal region of NEMO/IKKgamma (amino acids 272-419) and its ubiquitin binding function for activation of the IKK kinase (or kinase complex), but none form a stable complex with IKKgamma. Our results further reveal that cFLIPL requires the linear ubiquitination complex LUBAC and the kinase TAK1 for activation of the IKK kinase. Similarly, cFLIPS and p22-FLIP also require TAK1 but do not require LUBAC. In contrast, these isoforms are both components of complexes that incorporate FADD and RIP1 which appear essential for kinase activation. This conservation of IKK activation among the cFLIP family using different mechanisms suggests that the mechanism plays a critical role in their function

Modulation of cognitive performance and mood by aromas of peppermint and ylang-ylang

This study provides further evidence for the impact of the aromas of plant essential oils on aspects of cognition and mood in healthy participants. One hundred and forty-four volunteers were randomly assigned to conditions of ylang-ylang aroma, peppermint aroma, or no aroma control. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Cognitive Drug Research computerized assessment battery, with mood scales completed before and after cognitive testing. The analysis of the data revealed significant differences between conditions on a number of the factors underpinning the tests that constitute the battery. Peppermint was found to enhance memory whereas ylang-ylang impaired it, and lengthened processing speed. In terms of subjective mood peppermint increased alertness and ylang-ylang decreased it, but significantly increased calmness. These results provide support for the contention that the aromas of essential oils can produce significant and idiosyncratic effects on both subjective and objective assessments of aspects of human behavior. They are discussed with reference to possible pharmacological and psychological modes of influence

Analyse statique de valeurs par interprétation abstraite de programmes fonctionnels manipulant des types algébriques récursifs

National audienceAfin de prévenir les erreurs de programmation, des analyseurs statiques ont été développés pour de nombreux langages ; cependant, aucun analyseur mature ne cible l'analyse de valeurs pour un langage fonctionnel à la ML. Des outils de vérification pour ces langages existent, tels les systèmes de types classiques ou les méthodes déductives, mais le raisonnement automatique sur des programmes numériques a jusqu'alors été peu exploré. Cet article décrit un analyseur statique de valeurs par interprétation abstraite pour un langage fonctionnel typé du premier ordre, approche sûre et automatique pour garantir l'absence d'erreurs à l'exécution. En se basant sur des domaines abstraits relationnels et en réalisant des résumés des champs récursifs des types algébriques, cette approche permet d'analyser des fonctions récursives manipulant des types algébriques récursifs et d'inférer dans un domaine abstrait leur relation entrée-sortie. Une implémentation est en cours sur la plateforme d'analyse multilangage MOPSA et analyse avec succès de courts programmes de quelques lignes. Ce travail ouvre ainsi la voie vers une analyse de valeurs précise et relationnelle basée sur l'interprétation abstraite pour les langages fonctionnels d'ordre supérieur à la ML

SARS-CoV-2 and Guillain-Barré syndrome: AIDP variant with a favourable outcome.

The spectrum of COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection (SARS-CoV-2), includes different neurologic manifestations of the central and peripheral nervous system. From March through April 2020, in two university hospitals located in western Switzerland, we examined three patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) following SARS-CoV-2. These cases were characterized by a primary demyelinating electrophysiological pattern (Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy or AIDP) and a less severe disease course compared to recently published case series. Clinical improvement was observed in all patients at week five. One patient was discharged from hospital after full recovery with persistence of minor neurological signs (areflexia). Two of the three patients remained hospitalized: one was able to walk and the other could stand up with assistance. We report three cases of typical GBS (AIDP) occurring after SARS-CoV-2 infection and presenting with a favourable clinical course. Given the interval between COVID-19-related symptoms and neurological manifestations (mean of 15 days) we postulate a secondary immune-mediated mechanism rather than direct viral damage

Acute Pancreatitis Occurring after Pamidronate Infusions in Two Patients with Spondyloarthritis

We report two cases of acute pancreatitis following the administration of pamidronate given as an anti-inflammatory agent for spondyloarthritis with a recurrence in one patient when the drug was reintroduced. The upper gastrointestinal toxicity of aminobisphosphonates is well known and this drug class could be added to the list of medications that are associated with the development of pancreatitis