The Hunger Games: Stable Isotopes Indicate Winter Inter-Guild Competition for Resources by Marine Meso-Predators in the Sub-Arctic North Pacific.

Interspecific competition can significantly impact marine ecosystems by affecting species distributions and abundances. Understanding how sympatric species utilize available food helps identify potential competition and its effects when resources are limited. Here, we applied a suite of analytical methods (diet analysis, stable isotopes, and biomass estimates) to identify potential competitive interactions among North Pacific pelagic predators.

Data-centric approach for instance segmentation in optical waste sorting.

Computer vision systems have been integrated into facilities dealing with the sorting of household waste. This solution allows for the sorting efficiency improvement and cost reduction. However, challenges associated with the poor annotation quality of existing waste segmentation datasets, unsuitable environment for recognition on a conveyor belt, or limited data for creating an effective and cost-efficient sorting system using visible range cameras significantly limit the application efficiency of computer vision systems.

Deep Learning in Precision Agriculture: Artificially Generated VNIR Images Segmentation for Early Postharvest Decay Prediction in Apples.

Food quality control is an important task in the agricultural domain at the postharvest stage for avoiding food losses. The latest achievements in image processing with deep learning (DL) and computer vision (CV) approaches provide a number of effective tools based on the image colorization and image-to-image translation for plant quality control at the postharvest stage. In this article, we propose the approach based on Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) techniques to use synthesized and segmented VNIR imaging data for early postharvest decay and fungal zone predictions as well as the quality assessment of stored apples.

AI-enabled prediction of video game player performance using the data from heterogeneous sensors.

The emerging progress of video gaming and eSports lacks the tools for ensuring high-quality analytics and training in professional and amateur eSports teams. We report on an Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled solution for predicting the eSports player in-game performance using exclusively the data from sensors. For this reason, we collected the physiological, environmental, and the smart chair data from professional and amateur players.

Analysis of Video Game Players' Emotions and Team Performance: An Esports Tournament Case Study.

Video gaming and eSports is a quickly developing industry already involving billions of players worldwide. Gaming and eSports tournaments require strong mental abilities to avoid severe stress and other negative consequences upon completing the game. In this article, we report on the impact of emotions on a team performance.

Technical Note: ID-card-size dosimeter based on radiochromic films for continuous personnel monitoring.

Purpose: This paper is aimed at investigating the feasibility of developing a personal dosimeter of cumulative radiation dose which would incorporate the following features: 1) a small size compared to that of a proximity ID card; 2) instant dose readout; 3) no power source; 4) moderate cost. The dosimeter is proposed as a potential replacement for TLD and OSL dosimeters used by nuclear industry workers and some medical staff groups.

Methods: An original detector design is developed containing a two-color LED, two photodetectors located in one plane covered with a mirror coating.

Drug-templated mesoporous silica nanocontainers with extra high payload and controlled release rate.

The possibility of one-step creating of pH-sensitive mesostructured silica-based nanocontainers with exceptionally high payload using associates of two antiseptics (including hydrolyzable one) as templates is demonstrated. The effects of the template nature and the conditions of the sol-gel process on the porous structure of silica nanocontainers are studied and discussed. The kinetics of the templating drug release from such containers is studied and some features of this process are analyzed.

First Measurement of Near-Threshold J/ψ Exclusive Photoproduction off the Proton.

We report on the measurement of the γp→J/ψp cross section from E_{γ}=11.8  GeV down to the threshold at 8.2 GeV using a tagged photon beam with the GlueX experiment.

Organ Preservation into the 2020s: The Era of Dynamic Intervention.

Organ preservation has been of major importance ever since transplantation developed into a global clinical activity. The relatively simple procedures were developed on a basic comprehension of low-temperature biology as related to organs outside the body. In the past decade, there has been a significant increase in knowledge of the sequelae of effects in preserved organs, and how dynamic intervention by perfusion can be used to mitigate injury and improve the quality of the donated organs.

Protease Cargo in Circulating Exosomes of Breast Cancer and Ovarian Cancer Patients.

Background: As is known, exosomes play an important role in promoting progression of cancers by increasing its invasive potential. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of tetraspanine-associated (ADAM-10) and tetraspanine-nonassociated proteases (20S proteasomes) in exosomes from culture medium, plasma exosomes of patients with breast tumors and plasma and ascites of ovarian tumor patients. Methods: MCF-7 and SVO-3 culture mediums and blood samples from healthy females (n = 30, HFs), patients with diffuse dyshormonal dysplasia of the breast (n=28, BBTPs), breast cancer patients (n=32, BCPs), borderline ovarian tumor patients (n=20, BOTPs) and blood and ascites samples ovarian cancer patients (n=35, OCPs) were included in the study.

[Comparative sub-population analysis of exosomes from blood plasma of cancer patients].

To increase the sensitivity and specificity of the developed methods for diagnosis of oncological diseases using exosomes of blood, a stage of pre-selection of tumor exosomes from a common pool of circulating microvesicles is required. In the present work, universal proteins have been identified, their expression has been increased in the exosomes of patients with colorectal cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, and lung cancer. The use of antibodies against major exosomal proteins will further develop a simple and high-performance method of affinity isolation of tumor exosomes.

The commercial harvest of ice-associated seals in the Sea of Okhotsk, 1972-1994.

Sealing log books from 75 out of 79 commercial harvest cruises carried out between 1972 and 1994 in the Sea of Okhotsk, Russia, were analyzed to describe spatial and temporal allocation of ice-associated seal harvest effort, species composition of catches, total harvest rates, and related parameters for species including ringed (Pusa hispida), ribbon (Histriophoca fasciata), bearded (Erignathus barbatus) and spotted (Phoca largha) seal. Variations in catch per unit effort were explored in relation to year, sea ice conditions, day of the year, and geographic location. In most years, the harvest was predominantly represented by ringed seals (mean = 0.

[Isolation and characterization of exosomes from blood plasma of breast cancer and colorectal cancer patients].

A simple approach for isolation of exosomes from the blood plasma, which allows to obtain highly purified preparations of microvesicles no larger than 100 nm has been proposed. The presence of different subpopulations of exosomes in the blood plasma of healthy donors and cancer patients has been recognized. We found the presence of the universal markers CD9, CD24 and CD81 on exosomes isolated from blood plasma that can be used to their routine typing.

Yersinia pestis Caf1 Protein: Effect of Sequence Polymorphism on Intrinsic Disorder Propensity, Serological Cross-Reactivity and Cross-Protectivity of Isoforms.

Yersinia pestis Caf1 is a multifunctional protein responsible for antiphagocytic activity and is a key protective antigen. It is generally conserved between globally distributed Y. pestis strains, but Y.

Biopreservation of hepatocytes: current concepts on hypothermic preservation, cryopreservation, and vitrification.

Isolated liver cells (primarily isolated hepatocytes) have found important applications in science and medicine over the past 40 years in a wide range of areas, including physiological studies, investigations on liver metabolism, organ preservation and drug de-toxification, experimental and clinical transplantation. An integral component of many of these works is the need to store the isolated cells, either for short or long-term periods. This review covers the biopreservation of liver cells, with a focus on the history of liver cell biopreservation, the application of hypothermia for short-term storage, standard cryopreservation methods for isolated hepatocytes, the biopreservation of other types of liver cells, and recent developments such as vitrification of hepatocytes.

Capacity of bioregulators of stem and progenitor cells to strongly affect liver redox-dependent processes.

Abstract Effects of stem and progenitor cells or their compounds on recipient cells are investigated intensively today. In spite of this, their ability to interact with native cells and the final targets affected by them, particularly biochemical parameters that characterize cell redox-dependent processes, remain little studied. We have studied how bioregulators of stem and progenitor cells affect these processes in freshly isolated liver after animal pretreatment in vivo.

Organ Preservation: Current Concepts and New Strategies for the Next Decade.

SUMMARY: Organ transplantation has developed over the past 50 years to reach the sophisticated and integrated clinical service of today through several advances in science. One of the most important of these has been the ability to apply organ preservation protocols to deliver donor organs of high quality, via a network of organ exchange to match the most suitable recipient patient to the best available organ, capable of rapid resumption of life-sustaining function in the recipient patient. This has only been possible by amassing a good understanding of the potential effects of hypoxic injury on donated organs, and how to prevent these by applying organ preservation.

Reversible mitochondrial uncoupling in the cold phase during liver preservation/reperfusion reduces oxidative injury in the rat model.

Reversible uncoupling of the mitochondrial electron-transport chain may be one strategy to prevent intracellular oxidative stress during liver cold preservation/warm reperfusion (CP/WR) injury. 2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP) is a potent water-soluble uncoupling agent for supplementation of the hepatic CP solution. The aim of this work was to investigate the possible influence of DNP in the CP solution on the isolated rat liver state during CP/WR.

Mitochondrial function after liver preservation in high or low ionic-strength solutions: a comparison between UW-based and sucrose-based solution.

In this study we evaluated mitochondrial function after liver cold storage and normothermic reperfusion. The preservation solutions were: modified University of Wisconsin (mod UW) and sucrose-based solution (SBS). After cold preservation liver was re-perfused for 1 hour in vitro with Krebs-Ringer buffer at 37 degree C.

Measurement of the Decay B_(s);(0)-->D_(s);(-)pi;(+) and Evidence for B_(s);(0)-->D_(s);(-/+)K;(+/-) in e;(+)e;(-) Annihilation at sqrt[s] approximately 10.87 GeV.

We have studied B_(s);(0)-->D_(s);(-)pi;(+) and B_(s);(0)-->D_(s);(-/+)K;(+/-) decays using 23.6 fb;(-1) of data collected at the Upsilon(5S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB e;(+)e;(-) collider. This highly pure B_(s);(0)-->D_(s);(-)pi;(+) sample is used to measure the branching fraction, B(B_(s);(0)-->D_(s);(-)pi;(+))=[3.

Measurement of the time-dependent CP asymmetries in B0-->K(S)(0)rho(0)gamma decays.

We report the first measurement of time-dependent CP asymmetry in B(0)-->K(S)(0)rho(0)gamma decays based on 657 x 10(6) BB pairs collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy collider. We measure the CP-violating parameter S_{K_{S};{0}rho;{0}gamma}=0.11+/-0.

Evidence for neutral B meson decays to omegaK*0.

We present the results of a study of the charmless vector-vector decay B0-->omegaK*0 with 657 x 10(6) BB pairs collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB e+e- collider. We measure the branching fraction to be B(B0-->omegaK*0) = [1.8+/-0.

[Biological effects of electromagnetic radiation of extremely high frequencies combined with physiologically active compounds].

The study of the action of the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) of low intensity (10 microW/cm2) in the range of frequencies 120-170 GHz at the test-reaction of Infusoria Paramecium caudatum was carried out. The resonant character of the effects was established. The EMR action at 156.

Observation of B{0}-->ppK*0 with a large K*0 polarization.

Using a 492 fb{-1} data sample collected near the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e{+}e{-} collider, we observe the decay B{0}-->ppK*0 with a branching fraction of (1.18{-0.25}{+0.