Doing History, Creating Memory : Representing the Past in Documentary and Archive-Based Television Programmes within a Multi-Platform Landscape

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hagedoorn, B.

2016-01-01

Television is a significant mediator of past and historical events in modern media systems. This dissertation studies practices of representing the past on Dutch television as a multi-platform phenomenon. Dynamic screen practices such as broadcasting, cross-media platforms, digital thematic channels

Extended block diagram method for a multi-state system reliability assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lisnianski, Anatoly

2007-01-01

The presented method extends the classical reliability block diagram method to a repairable multi-state system. It is very suitable for engineering applications since the procedure is well formalized and based on the natural decomposition of the entire multi-state system (the system is represented as a collection of its elements). Until now, the classical block diagram method did not provide the reliability assessment for the repairable multi-state system. The straightforward stochastic process methods are very difficult for engineering application in such cases due to the 'dimension damnation'-huge number of system states. The suggested method is based on the combined random processes and the universal generating function technique and drastically reduces the number of states in the multi-state model

Efficient simulation and likelihood methods for non-neutral multi-allele models.

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Paul; Genz, Alan; Buzbas, Erkan Ozge

2012-06-01

Throughout the 1980s, Simon Tavaré made numerous significant contributions to population genetics theory. As genetic data, in particular DNA sequence, became more readily available, a need to connect population-genetic models to data became the central issue. The seminal work of Griffiths and Tavaré (1994a , 1994b , 1994c) was among the first to develop a likelihood method to estimate the population-genetic parameters using full DNA sequences. Now, we are in the genomics era where methods need to scale-up to handle massive data sets, and Tavaré has led the way to new approaches. However, performing statistical inference under non-neutral models has proved elusive. In tribute to Simon Tavaré, we present an article in spirit of his work that provides a computationally tractable method for simulating and analyzing data under a class of non-neutral population-genetic models. Computational methods for approximating likelihood functions and generating samples under a class of allele-frequency based non-neutral parent-independent mutation models were proposed by Donnelly, Nordborg, and Joyce (DNJ) (Donnelly et al., 2001). DNJ (2001) simulated samples of allele frequencies from non-neutral models using neutral models as auxiliary distribution in a rejection algorithm. However, patterns of allele frequencies produced by neutral models are dissimilar to patterns of allele frequencies produced by non-neutral models, making the rejection method inefficient. For example, in some cases the methods in DNJ (2001) require 10(9) rejections before a sample from the non-neutral model is accepted. Our method simulates samples directly from the distribution of non-neutral models, making simulation methods a practical tool to study the behavior of the likelihood and to perform inference on the strength of selection.

Multi-Level Formation of Complex Software Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui Li

2016-05-01

Full Text Available We present a multi-level formation model for complex software systems. The previous works extract the software systems to software networks for further studies, but usually investigate the software networks at the class level. In contrast to these works, our treatment of software systems as multi-level networks is more realistic. In particular, the software networks are organized by three levels of granularity, which represents the modularity and hierarchy in the formation process of real-world software systems. More importantly, simulations based on this model have generated more realistic structural properties of software networks, such as power-law, clustering and modularization. On the basis of this model, how the structure of software systems effects software design principles is then explored, and it could be helpful for understanding software evolution and software engineering practices.

A Droop Line Tracking Control for Multi-terminal VSC-HVDC Transmission System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Irnawan, Roni; Silva, Filipe Miguel Faria da; Bak, Claus Leth

2018-01-01

Generally, a voltage-sourced converter (VSC) within a multi-terminal HVDC (MTDC) system can be operated either in constant DC voltage, constant flow (AC active power or DC current) or DC voltage droop control. These control modes can be easily represented as the droop characteristic line with dif......Generally, a voltage-sourced converter (VSC) within a multi-terminal HVDC (MTDC) system can be operated either in constant DC voltage, constant flow (AC active power or DC current) or DC voltage droop control. These control modes can be easily represented as the droop characteristic line...

Chimerism representing both paternal alleles detected by HLA typing before kidney transplantation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Mette; Petersen, Mikkel Steen; Møller, Bjarne Kuno

2014-01-01

trisomy 6p or by chimerism. Flow cytometric analysis, employing antibodies specific for the two paternal HLA-A alleles, clearly showed two distinct populations of cells: 83% expressing HLA-A11 and 12% expressing HLA-A2, suggesting a paternal chimerism. We are studying these cell populations to possibly...... identify the mechanism behind this rather unusual paternally derived chimerism. This exceptional case illustrates that careful scrutiny of HLA-typing results may produce atypical conclusions. Clinically, the father is considered the best donor based on immunogenetics....

The link between some alleles on human leukocyte antigen system and autism in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Mostafa, Gehan A; Shehab, Abeer A; Al-Ayadhi, Laila Y

2013-02-15

The reason behind the initiation of autoimmunity to brain in some patients with autism is not well understood. There is an association between some autoimmune disorders and specific alleles of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system. Thus, we examined the frequency of some HLA-DRB1 alleles in 100 autistic children and 100 healthy matched-children by differential hybridization with sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes. The risk of association between acquisition or absence of these alleles and autism and also a history of autoimmune diseases in autistic relatives was studied. Autistic children had significantly higher frequency of HLA-DRB1*11 allele than controls (P<0.001). In contrast, autistic children had significantly lower frequency of HLA-DRB1*03 allele than controls (P<0.001). Acquisition of HLA-DRB1*011 and absence of HLA-DRB1*3 had significant risk for association with autism (odds ratio: 3.21 and 0.17, respectively; 95% CI: 1.65-6.31 and 0.06-0.45, respectively). HLA-DRB1*11 had a significant risk for association with a family history of autoimmunity in autistic children (odds ratio: 5.67; 95% CI: 2.07-16.3). In conclusions, the link of some HLA alleles to autism and to family history of autoimmunity indicates the possible contributing role of these alleles to autoimmunity in some autistic children. Despite a relatively small sample size, we are the first to report a probable protective association of HLA-DRB1*03 allele with autism. It warrants a replication study of a larger sample to validate the HLA-DRB1 genetic association with autism. This is important to determine whether therapeutic modulations of the immune function are legitimate avenues for novel therapy in selected cases of autism. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-Planetary Systems: Observations and Models of Dynamical Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Lissauer, Jack J.

2018-01-01

More than 600 multi-planet systems are known. The vast majority of these systems have been discovered by NASA's Kepler spacecraft, but dozens were found using the Doppler technique, the first multi-exoplanet system was identified through pulsar timing, and the most massive system has been found using imaging. More than one-third of the 4000+ planet candidates found by NASA's Kepler spacecraft are associated with target stars that have more than one planet candidate, and the large number of such Kepler "multis" tells us that flat multiplanet systems like our Solar System are common. Virtually all of Kepler candidate multis are stable, as tested by numerical integrations that assume a physically motivated mass-radius relationship. Statistical studies performed on these candidate systems reveal a great deal about the architecture of planetary systems, including the typical spacing of orbits and flatness. The characteristics of several of the most interesting confirmed multi-exoplanet systems will also be discussed.HR 8799's four massive planets orbit tens of AU from their host star and travel on nearly circular orbits. PSR B1257+12 has three much smaller planets orbiting close to a neutron star. Both represent extremes and show that planet formation is a robust process that produces a diversity of outcomes. Although both exomoons and Trojan (triangle Lagrange point) planets have been searched for, neither has yet been found.

Collective Machine Learning: Team Learning and Classification in Multi-Agent Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Gifford, Christopher M.

2009-01-01

This dissertation focuses on the collaboration of multiple heterogeneous, intelligent agents (hardware or software) which collaborate to learn a task and are capable of sharing knowledge. The concept of collaborative learning in multi-agent and multi-robot systems is largely under studied, and represents an area where further research is needed to…

Enhancement of allele discrimination by introduction of nucleotide mismatches into siRNA in allele-specific gene silencing by RNAi.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yusuke Ohnishi

Full Text Available Allele-specific gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi is therapeutically useful for specifically inhibiting the expression of disease-associated alleles without suppressing the expression of corresponding wild-type alleles. To realize such allele-specific RNAi (ASP-RNAi, the design and assessment of small interfering RNA (siRNA duplexes conferring ASP-RNAi is vital; however, it is also difficult. In a previous study, we developed an assay system to assess ASP-RNAi with mutant and wild-type reporter alleles encoding the Photinus and Renilla luciferase genes. In line with experiments using the system, we realized that it is necessary and important to enhance allele discrimination between mutant and corresponding wild-type alleles. Here, we describe the improvement of ASP-RNAi against mutant alleles carrying single nucleotide variations by introducing base substitutions into siRNA sequences, where original variations are present in the central position. Artificially mismatched siRNAs or short-hairpin RNAs (shRNAs against mutant alleles of the human Prion Protein (PRNP gene, which appear to be associated with susceptibility to prion diseases, were examined using this assessment system. The data indicates that introduction of a one-base mismatch into the siRNAs and shRNAs was able to enhance discrimination between the mutant and wild-type alleles. Interestingly, the introduced mismatches that conferred marked improvement in ASP-RNAi, appeared to be largely present in the guide siRNA elements, corresponding to the 'seed region' of microRNAs. Due to the essential role of the 'seed region' of microRNAs in their association with target RNAs, it is conceivable that disruption of the base-pairing interactions in the corresponding seed region, as well as the central position (involved in cleavage of target RNAs, of guide siRNA elements could influence allele discrimination. In addition, we also suggest that nucleotide mismatches at the 3'-ends of sense

Representing dispositions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Röhl Johannes

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Dispositions and tendencies feature significantly in the biomedical domain and therefore in representations of knowledge of that domain. They are not only important for specific applications like an infectious disease ontology, but also as part of a general strategy for modelling knowledge about molecular interactions. But the task of representing dispositions in some formal ontological systems is fraught with several problems, which are partly due to the fact that Description Logics can only deal well with binary relations. The paper will discuss some of the results of the philosophical debate about dispositions, in order to see whether the formal relations needed to represent dispositions can be broken down to binary relations. Finally, we will discuss problems arising from the possibility of the absence of realizations, of multi-track or multi-trigger dispositions and offer suggestions on how to deal with them.

Forensic genetic informativeness of an SNP panel consisting of 19 multi-allelic SNPs.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Zehua; Chen, Xiaogang; Zhao, Yuancun; Zhao, Xiaohong; Zhang, Shu; Yang, Yiwen; Wang, Yufang; Zhang, Ji

2018-05-01

Current research focusing on forensic personal identification, phenotype inference and ancestry information on single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) has been widely reported. In the present study, we focused on tetra-allelic SNPs in the Chinese Han population. A total of 48 tetra-allelic SNPs were screened out from the Chinese Han population of the 1000 Genomes Database, including Chinese Han in Beijing (CHB) and Chinese Han South (CHS). Considering the forensic genetic requirement for the polymorphisms, only 11 tetra-allelic SNPs with a heterozygosity >0.06 were selected for further multiplex panel construction. In order to meet the demands of personal identification and parentage identification, an additional 8 tri-allelic SNPs were combined into the final multiplex panel. To ensure application in the degraded DNA analysis, all the PCR products were designed to be 87-188 bp. Employing multiple PCR reactions and SNaPshot minisequencing, 511 unrelated Chinese Han individuals from Sichuan were genotyped. The combined match probability (CMP), combined discrimination power (CDP), and cumulative probability of exclusion (CPE) of the panel were 6.07 × 10 -11 , 0.9999999999393 and 0.996764, respectively. Based on the population data retrieved from the 1000 Genomes Project, Fst values between Chinese Han in Sichuan (SCH) and all the populations included in the 1000 Genomes Project were calculated. The results indicated that two SNPs in this panel may contain ancestry information and may be used as markers of forensic biogeographical ancestry inference. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-scale biomedical systems: measurement challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Summers, R

2016-01-01

Multi-scale biomedical systems are those that represent interactions in materials, sensors, and systems from a holistic perspective. It is possible to view such multi-scale activity using measurement of spatial scale or time scale, though in this paper only the former is considered. The biomedical application paradigm comprises interactions that range from quantum biological phenomena at scales of 10-12 for one individual to epidemiological studies of disease spread in populations that in a pandemic lead to measurement at a scale of 10+7. It is clear that there are measurement challenges at either end of this spatial scale, but those challenges that relate to the use of new technologies that deal with big data and health service delivery at the point of care are also considered. The measurement challenges lead to the use, in many cases, of model-based measurement and the adoption of virtual engineering. It is these measurement challenges that will be uncovered in this paper. (paper)

Parallel Computational Intelligence-Based Multi-Camera Surveillance System

OpenAIRE

Orts-Escolano, Sergio; Garcia-Rodriguez, Jose; Morell, Vicente; Cazorla, Miguel; Azorin-Lopez, Jorge; García-Chamizo, Juan Manuel

2014-01-01

In this work, we present a multi-camera surveillance system based on the use of self-organizing neural networks to represent events on video. The system processes several tasks in parallel using GPUs (graphic processor units). It addresses multiple vision tasks at various levels, such as segmentation, representation or characterization, analysis and monitoring of the movement. These features allow the construction of a robust representation of the environment and interpret the behavior of mob...

MULTI-PERSON DECISION FOR SUSTAINABLE DESIGN ON IBS FLOOR SYSTEM SELECTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christiono Utomo

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Selecting a design solution (choice problem is one of the natures of design decision. If the problem is more complex and involves multi participants, decision aid is necessary. This paper discusses the nature of group judgment and negotiation on multi-criteria decision-making methodologies. It presents a conceptual model of negotiation support in a multi-person decision on building floor system selection. Decision technique (AHP was applied for decision process in a satisfying options and game theory for coalition formation. An n-person cooperative game is represented by a set of all players. The proposed coalition formation model enables each agent to select individually or coalition. It improves the value of building system decision. It further emphasizes the importance of performance evaluation in the design process and value-based decision. The support model can be extended to an automated negotiation and in different building system selection with proper  modification. Keywords: Multi-person, design decision, IBS, floor system selection.

A new electrophoresis technique to separate microsatellite alleles ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A new electrophoresis technique to separate microsatellite alleles* ... African Journal of Biotechnology ... with the CEQTM 8000 Genetic Analysis System and ABI 3130xl DNA Sequencer easily separated products and determined allelic size, ...

Allele Workbench: transcriptome pipeline and interactive graphics for allele-specific expression.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carol A Soderlund

Full Text Available Sequencing the transcriptome can answer various questions such as determining the transcripts expressed in a given species for a specific tissue or condition, evaluating differential expression, discovering variants, and evaluating allele-specific expression. Differential expression evaluates the expression differences between different strains, tissues, and conditions. Allele-specific expression evaluates expression differences between parental alleles. Both differential expression and allele-specific expression have been studied for heterosis (hybrid vigor, where the hybrid has improved performance over the parents for one or more traits. The Allele Workbench software was developed for a heterosis study that evaluated allele-specific expression for a mouse F1 hybrid using libraries from multiple tissues with biological replicates. This software has been made into a distributable package, which includes a pipeline, a Java interface to build the database, and a Java interface for query and display of the results. The required input is a reference genome, annotation file, and one or more RNA-Seq libraries with optional replicates. It evaluates allelic imbalance at the SNP and transcript level and flags transcripts with significant opposite directional allele-specific expression. The Java interface allows the user to view data from libraries, replicates, genes, transcripts, exons, and variants, including queries on allele imbalance for selected libraries. To determine the impact of allele-specific SNPs on protein folding, variants are annotated with their effect (e.g., missense, and the parental protein sequences may be exported for protein folding analysis. The Allele Workbench processing results in transcript files and read counts that can be used as input to the previously published Transcriptome Computational Workbench, which has a new algorithm for determining a trimmed set of gene ontology terms. The software with demo files is available

The use of multi representative learning materials: definitive, macroscopic, microscopic, symbolic, and practice in analyzing students’ concept understanding

Science.gov (United States)

Susilaningsih, E.; Wulandari, C.; Supartono; Kasmui; Alighiri, D.

2018-03-01

This research aims to compose learning material which contains definitive macroscopic, microscopic and symbolic to analyze students’ conceptual understanding in acid-base learning materials. This research was conducted in eleven grade, natural science class, senior high school 1 (SMAN 1) Karangtengah, Demak province, Indonesia as the low level of students’ conceptual understanding and the high level of students’ misconception. The data collecting technique is by test to assess the cognitive aspect, questionnaire to assess students’ responses to multi representative learning materials (definitive, macroscopic, microscopic, symbolic), and observation to assess students’ macroscopic aspects. Three validators validate the multi-representative learning materials (definitive, macroscopic, microscopic, symbolic). The results of the research show that the multi-representative learning materials (definitive, macroscopic, microscopes, symbolic) being used is valid in the average score 62 of 75. The data is analyzed using the descriptive qualitative method. The results of the research show that 72.934 % students understand, 7.977 % less understand, 8.831 % do not understand, and 10.256 % misconception. In comparison, the second experiment class shows 54.970 % students understand, 5.263% less understand, 11.988 % do not understand, 27.777 % misconception. In conclusion, the application of multi representative learning materials (definitive, macroscopic, microscopic, symbolic) can be used to analyze the students’ understanding of acid-base materials.

Delimiting Allelic Imbalance of TYMS by Allele-Specific Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Balboa-Beltrán, Emilia; Cruz, Raquel; Carracedo, Angel; Barros, Francisco

2015-07-01

Allelic imbalance of thymidylate synthase (TYMS) is attributed to polymorphisms in the 5'- and 3'-untranslated region (UTR). These polymorphisms have been related to the risk of suffering different cancers, for example leukemia, breast or gastric cancer, and response to different drugs, among which are methotrexate glutamates, stavudine, and specifically 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), as TYMS is its direct target. A vast literature has been published in relation to 5-FU, even suggesting the sole use of these polymorphisms to effectively manage 5-FU dosage. Estimates of the extent to which these polymorphisms influence in TYMS expression have in the past been based on functional analysis by luciferase assays and quantification of TYMS mRNA, but both these studies, as the association studies with cancer risk or with toxicity or response to 5-FU, are very contradictory. Regarding functional assays, the artificial genetic environment created in luciferase assay and the problems derived from quantitative polymerase chain reactions (qPCRs), for example the use of a reference gene, may have distorted the results. To avoid these sources of interference, we have analyzed the allelic imbalance of TYMS by allelic-specific analysis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients.Allelic imbalance in PBMCs, taken from 40 patients with suspected myeloproliferative haematological diseases, was determined by fluorescent fragment analysis (for the 3'-UTR polymorphism), Sanger sequencing and allelic-specific qPCR in multiplex (for the 5'-UTR polymorphisms).For neither the 3'- nor the 5'-UTR polymorphisms did the observed allelic imbalance exceed 1.5 fold. None of the TYMS polymorphisms is statistically associated with allelic imbalance.The results acquired allow us to deny the previously established assertion of an influence of 2 to 4 fold of the rs45445694 and rs2853542 polymorphisms in the expression of TYMS and narrow its allelic imbalance to 1.5 fold, in our population

Multifragment alleles in DNA fingerprints of the parrot, Amazona ventralis

Science.gov (United States)

Brock, M.K.; White, B.N.

1991-01-01

Human DNA probes that identify variable numbers of tandem repeat loci are being used to generate DNA fingerprints in many animal and plant species. In most species the majority of the sc rable autoradiographic bands of the DNA fingerprint represent alleles from numerous unlinked loci. This study was initiated to use DNA fingerprints to determine the amount of band-sharing among captive Hispaniolan parrots (Amazona ventralis) with known genetic relationships. This would form the data base to examine DNA fingerprints of the closely related and endangered Puerto Rican parrot (A. vittata) and to estimate the degree of inbreeding in the relic population. We found by segregation analysis of the bands scored in the DNA fingerprints of the Hispaniolan parrots that there may be as few as two to five loci identified by the human 33.15 probe. Furthermore, at one locus we identified seven alleles, one of which is represented by as many as 19 cosegregating bands. It is unknown how common multiband alleles might be in natural populations, and their existence will cause problems in the assessment of relatedness by band-sharing analysis. We believe, therefore, that a pedigree analysis should be included in all DNA fingerprinting studies, where possible, in order to estimate the number of loci identified by a minisatellite DNA probe and to examine the nature of their alleles.

Modeling Multi-Level Systems

CERN Document Server

Iordache, Octavian

2011-01-01

This book is devoted to modeling of multi-level complex systems, a challenging domain for engineers, researchers and entrepreneurs, confronted with the transition from learning and adaptability to evolvability and autonomy for technologies, devices and problem solving methods. Chapter 1 introduces the multi-scale and multi-level systems and highlights their presence in different domains of science and technology. Methodologies as, random systems, non-Archimedean analysis, category theory and specific techniques as model categorification and integrative closure, are presented in chapter 2. Chapters 3 and 4 describe polystochastic models, PSM, and their developments. Categorical formulation of integrative closure offers the general PSM framework which serves as a flexible guideline for a large variety of multi-level modeling problems. Focusing on chemical engineering, pharmaceutical and environmental case studies, the chapters 5 to 8 analyze mixing, turbulent dispersion and entropy production for multi-scale sy...

Integrated development environment for multi-core systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krunić Momčilo V.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Development of the software application that provides comfortable working environment of embedded software applications was always a difficult task to achieve. To reach this goal it was necessary to integrate all specific tools designed for that purpose. This paper describes Integrated Development Environment (IDE that was developed to meet all specific needs of a software development for the family of multi-core target platforms designed for a digital signal processing in Cirrus Logic Company. Eclipse platform and RCP (Rich Client Platform was used as a basis, because it provides an extensible plug-in system for customizing the development environment. CLIDE (Cirrus Logic Integrated Development Environment represent the epilog of that effort, reliable IDE used for development of embedded applications. Validation of the solution is accomplished thru 2641 J Unit tests that validate most of the CLIDE's functionalities. Developed IDE (CLIDE significantly increases a quality of a software development for multi-core systems and reduces time-to-market, thereby justifying development costs.

A Framework for a Multi-Faceted, Educational, Knowledge-Based Recommender System

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John W. Coffey

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The literature on intelligent or adaptive tutoring systems generally has a focus on how to determine what resources to present to students as they make their way through a course of study. The idea of multi-faceted student modeling is that a variety of measures, both academic and non-academic, might be represented in student models in service of a broader educational context. This paper contains a framework for a multi-faceted, educational, knowledge-based recommender system, including a basic set of descriptors that the model contains, and a taxonomy of inferences that might be made over such models.

Negotiation and argumentation in multi-agent systems

CERN Document Server

Lopes, Fernando

2014-01-01

Multi-agent systems (MAS) composed of autonomous agents representing individuals or organizations and capable of reaching mutually beneficial agreements through negotiation and argumentation are becoming increasingly important and pervasive.Research on both automated negotiation and argumentation in MAS has a vigorous, exciting tradition. However, efforts to integrate both areas have received only selective attention in the academia and the practitioner literature. A symbiotic relationship could significantly strengthen each area's progress and trigger new R&D challenges and prospects toward t

Assessment of the myostatin Q204X allele using an allelic discrimination assay

OpenAIRE

Sifuentes-Rincón,Ana M.; Puentes-Montiel,Herlinda E.; Moreno-Medina,Víctor R.; Rosa-Reyna,Xóchitl F. de la

2006-01-01

An allelic discrimination assay was designed and used to determine the genotypic and allelic frequencies of the myostatin (MSTN) gene Q204X allele from two Mexican Full-French herds. The assay is a simple high throughput genotyping method that could be applied to investigate the effect of the Q204X allele on the Charolais breed.

Molecular strain typing of Brucella abortus isolates from Italy by two VNTR allele sizing technologies.

Science.gov (United States)

De Santis, Riccardo; Ancora, Massimo; De Massis, Fabrizio; Ciammaruconi, Andrea; Zilli, Katiuscia; Di Giannatale, Elisabetta; Pittiglio, Valentina; Fillo, Silvia; Lista, Florigio

2013-10-01

Brucellosis, one of the most important re-emerging zoonoses in many countries, is caused by bacteria belonging to the genus Brucella. Furthermore these bacteria represent potential biological warfare agents and the identification of species and biovars of field strains may be crucial for tracing back source of infection, allowing to discriminate naturally occurring outbreaks instead of bioterrorist events. In the last years, multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) has been proposed as complement of the classical biotyping methods and it has been applied for genotyping large collections of Brucella spp. At present, the MLVA band profiles may be resolved by automated or manual procedures. The Lab on a chip technology represents a valid alternative to standard genotyping techniques (as agarose gel electrophoresis) and it has been previously used for Brucella genotyping. Recently, a new high-throughput genotyping analysis system based on capillary gel electrophoresis, the QIAxcel, has been described. The aim of the study was to evaluate the ability of two DNA sizing equipments, the QIAxcel System and the Lab chip GX, to correctly call alleles at the sixteen loci including one frequently used MLVA assay for Brucella genotyping. The results confirmed that these technologies represent a meaningful advancement in high-throughput Brucella genotyping. Considering the accuracy required to confidently resolve loci discrimination, QIAxcel shows a better ability to measure VNTR allele sizes compared to LabChip GX.

Estimation of Prestress Force Distribution in the Multi-Strand System of Prestressed Concrete Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keunhee Cho

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Prestressed concrete (PSC is one of the most reliable, durable and widely used construction materials, which overcomes the weakness of concrete in tension by the introduction of a prestress force. Smart strands enabling measurement of the prestress force have recently been developed to maintain PSC structures throughout their lifetime. However, the smart strand cannot give a representative indication of the whole prestress force when used in multi-strand systems since each strand sustains a different prestress force. In this paper, the actual distribution of the prestress force in a multi-strand system is examined using elastomagnetic (EM sensors to develop a method for tracking representative indicators of the prestress force using smart strands.

Estimation of Prestress Force Distribution in the Multi-Strand System of Prestressed Concrete Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Keunhee; Park, Sung Yong; Cho, Jeong-Rae; Kim, Sung Tae; Park, Young-Hwan

2015-06-15

Prestressed concrete (PSC) is one of the most reliable, durable and widely used construction materials, which overcomes the weakness of concrete in tension by the introduction of a prestress force. Smart strands enabling measurement of the prestress force have recently been developed to maintain PSC structures throughout their lifetime. However, the smart strand cannot give a representative indication of the whole prestress force when used in multi-strand systems since each strand sustains a different prestress force. In this paper, the actual distribution of the prestress force in a multi-strand system is examined using elastomagnetic (EM) sensors to develop a method for tracking representative indicators of the prestress force using smart strands.

Timing system for multi-bunch/multi-train operation at ATF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naito, T.; Hayano, H.; Urakawa, J.; Imai, T.

2000-01-01

A timing system has been constructed for multi-bunch/multi-train operation at KEK-ATF. The linac accelerates 20 bunches of multi-bunch with 2.8 ns spacing. The Damping Ring stores up to 5 trains of multi-bunch. The timing system is required to provide flexible operation mode and bucket selection. A personal computer is used for manipulating the timing. The performance of kicker magnets at the injection/extruction is key issue for multi-train operation. The hardware and the test results are presented. (author)

Frequency of alleles and haplotypes of the human leukocyte antigen system in Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil

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Luana de Cassia Salvadori

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Background: HLA allele identification is used in bone marrow transplant programs as HLA compatibility between the donor and recipient may prevent graft rejection. Objective: This study aimed to estimate the frequency of alleles and haplotypes of the HLA system in the region of Bauru and compare these with the frequencies found in other regions of the country. Methods: HLA-A*, HLA-B*, and HLA-DRB1* allele frequencies and haplotypes were analyzed in a sample of 3542 volunteer donors at the National Registry of Voluntary Bone Marrow Donors (REDOME in Bauru. HLA low resolution typing was performed using reverse line blot with the Dynal Reli(tm SSO-HLA Typing Kit and automated Dynal AutoReli(tm48 device (Invitrogen, USA. Results: Twenty, 36, and 13 HLA-A*, HLA-B*, and HLA-DRB1* allele groups, respectively, were identified. The most common alleles for each locus were HLA-A*02, HLA-B*35, and HLA-DRB1*07. The most frequent haplotype was A*01-B*08-DRB1*03. Allele and haplotype frequencies were compared to other regions in Brazil and the similarities and differences among populations are shown. Conclusion: The knowledge of the immunogenic profile of a population contributes to the comprehension of the historical and anthropological aspects of different regions. Moreover, this helps to find suitable donors quickly, thereby shortening waiting lists for transplants and thus increasing survival rates among recipients.

Anticipatory vehicle routing using delegate multi-agent systems

OpenAIRE

Weyns, Danny; Holvoet, Tom; Helleboogh, Alexander

2007-01-01

This paper presents an agent-based approach, called delegate multi-agent systems, for anticipatory vehicle routing to avoid traffic congestion. In this approach, individual vehicles are represented by agents, which themselves issue light-weight agents that explore alternative routes in the environment on behalf of the vehicles. Based on the evaluation of the alternatives, the vehicles then issue light-weight agents for allocating road segments, spreading the vehicles’ intentions and coordi...

Modeling of a production system using the multi-agent approach

Science.gov (United States)

Gwiazda, A.; Sękala, A.; Banaś, W.

2017-08-01

The method that allows for the analysis of complex systems is a multi-agent simulation. The multi-agent simulation (Agent-based modeling and simulation - ABMS) is modeling of complex systems consisting of independent agents. In the case of the model of the production system agents may be manufactured pieces set apart from other types of agents like machine tools, conveyors or replacements stands. Agents are magazines and buffers. More generally speaking, the agents in the model can be single individuals, but you can also be defined as agents of collective entities. They are allowed hierarchical structures. It means that a single agent could belong to a certain class. Depending on the needs of the agent may also be a natural or physical resource. From a technical point of view, the agent is a bundle of data and rules describing its behavior in different situations. Agents can be autonomous or non-autonomous in making the decision about the types of classes of agents, class sizes and types of connections between elements of the system. Multi-agent modeling is a very flexible technique for modeling and model creating in the convention that could be adapted to any research problem analyzed from different points of views. One of the major problems associated with the organization of production is the spatial organization of the production process. Secondly, it is important to include the optimal scheduling. For this purpose use can approach multi-purposeful. In this regard, the model of the production process will refer to the design and scheduling of production space for four different elements. The program system was developed in the environment NetLogo. It was also used elements of artificial intelligence. The main agent represents the manufactured pieces that, according to previously assumed rules, generate the technological route and allow preprint the schedule of that line. Machine lines, reorientation stands, conveyors and transport devices also represent the

Cooperative Path-Planning for Multi-Vehicle Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qichen Wang

2014-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose a collision avoidance algorithm for multi-vehicle systems, which is a common problem in many areas, including navigation and robotics. In dynamic environments, vehicles may become involved in potential collisions with each other, particularly when the vehicle density is high and the direction of travel is unrestricted. Cooperatively planning vehicle movement can effectively reduce and fairly distribute the detour inconvenience before subsequently returning vehicles to their intended paths. We present a novel method of cooperative path planning for multi-vehicle systems based on reinforcement learning to address this problem as a decision process. A dynamic system is described as a multi-dimensional space formed by vectors as states to represent all participating vehicles’ position and orientation, whilst considering the kinematic constraints of the vehicles. Actions are defined for the system to transit from one state to another. In order to select appropriate actions whilst satisfying the constraints of path smoothness, constant speed and complying with a minimum distance between vehicles, an approximate value function is iteratively developed to indicate the desirability of every state-action pair from the continuous state space and action space. The proposed scheme comprises two phases. The convergence of the value function takes place in the former learning phase, and it is then used as a path planning guideline in the subsequent action phase. This paper summarizes the concept and methodologies used to implement this online cooperative collision avoidance algorithm and presents results and analysis regarding how this cooperative scheme improves upon two baseline schemes where vehicles make movement decisions independently.

[Analysis of allele dropout at TH01 locus in paternity testing].

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Li; Shen, Xiao-li; Xue, Shi-jie; Hu, Jie

2013-10-01

To analyze allele dropout at TH01 locus in paternity testing in order to determine the accurate genotype. To use a two STR loci genotyping system to verify an abnormal genotype for the TH01 locus with PCR using specific primers, cloning and DNA sequencing. A rare allele at TH01 locus named 5.2, which was undetectable with PowerPlex 21 system, was detected with an Identifiler system. Genetic variations may result in rare alleles and loci loss. To avoid misjudgment, laboratories should have a variety of methods for detecting loci loss.

Allelic inhibition of displacement activity: a simplified one tube allele-specific PCR for evaluation of ITPA polymorphisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Galmozzi, E; Facchetti, F; Degasperi, E; Aghemo, A; Lampertico, P

2013-02-01

Recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have identified two functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the inosine triphosphatase (ITPA) gene, that are associated strongly and independently with hemolytic anemia in patients exposed to pegylated-interferon (Peg-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) combined therapy. Here has been developed a simplified allele discrimination polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay named allelic inhibition of displacement activity (AIDA) for evaluation of ITPA polymorphisms. AIDA system relies on three unlabeled primers only, two outer common primers and one inner primer with allele-specific 3' terminus mismatch. DNA samples from 192 patients with chronic HCV infection were used to validate the AIDA system and results were compared with the gold standard TaqMan(®) SNP genotyping assay. Concordant data were obtained for all samples, granting for high specificity of the method. In conclusion, AIDA is a practical one-tube method to reproducibly and to assess accurately rs7270101 and rs1127354 ITPA SNPs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-objective optimization of linear multi-state multiple sliding window system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konak, Abdullah; Kulturel-Konak, Sadan; Levitin, Gregory

2012-01-01

This paper considers the optimal element sequencing in a linear multi-state multiple sliding window system that consists of n linearly ordered multi-state elements. Each multi-state element can have different states: from complete failure up to perfect functioning. A performance rate is associated with each state. The failure of type i in the system occurs if for any i (1≤i≤I) the cumulative performance of any r i consecutive elements is lower than w i . The element sequence strongly affects the probability of any type of system failure. The sequence that minimizes the probability of certain type of failure can provide high probability of other types of failures. Therefore the optimization problem for the multiple sliding window system is essentially multi-objective. The paper formulates and solves the multi-objective optimization problem for the multiple sliding window systems. A multi-objective Genetic Algorithm is used as the optimization engine. Illustrative examples are presented.

Apolipoprotein e4 allele and cognitive decline in elderly men

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Feskens, E.J.M.; Havekes, L.M.; Kalmijn, S.; Knijff, P. de; Launer, L.J.; Kromhout, D.

1994-01-01

Objectives - To determine whether polymorphism of apolipoprotein E - notably, the e4 allele - predicts cognitive deterioration in the general population. Design - Population based cohort investigated in 1990 and in 1993. Setting - Zutphen, the Netherlands. Subjects - Representative cohort of 538

Drop-out probabilities of IrisPlex SNP alleles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jeppe Dyrberg; Tvedebrink, Torben; Mogensen, Helle Smidt

2013-01-01

In certain crime cases, information about a perpetrator's phenotype, including eye colour, may be a valuable tool if no DNA profile of any suspect or individual in the DNA database matches the DNA profile found at the crime scene. Often, the available DNA material is sparse and allelic drop-out...... of true alleles is possible. As part of the validation of the IrisPlex assay in our ISO17025 accredited, forensic genetic laboratory, we estimated the probability of drop-out of specific SNP alleles using 29 and 30 PCR cycles and 25, 50 and 100 Single Base Extension (SBE) cycles. We observed no drop-out...... when the amount of DNA was greater than 125 pg for 29 cycles of PCR and greater than 62 pg for 30 cycles of PCR. With the use of a logistic regression model, we estimated the allele specific probability of drop-out in heterozygote systems based on the signal strength of the observed allele...

Multi-agent and complex systems

CERN Document Server

Ren, Fenghui; Fujita, Katsuhide; Zhang, Minjie; Ito, Takayuki

2017-01-01

This book provides a description of advanced multi-agent and artificial intelligence technologies for the modeling and simulation of complex systems, as well as an overview of the latest scientific efforts in this field. A complex system features a large number of interacting components, whose aggregate activities are nonlinear and self-organized. A multi-agent system is a group or society of agents which interact with others cooperatively and/or competitively in order to reach their individual or common goals. Multi-agent systems are suitable for modeling and simulation of complex systems, which is difficult to accomplish using traditional computational approaches.

Allele coding in genomic evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christensen Ole F

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Genomic data are used in animal breeding to assist genetic evaluation. Several models to estimate genomic breeding values have been studied. In general, two approaches have been used. One approach estimates the marker effects first and then, genomic breeding values are obtained by summing marker effects. In the second approach, genomic breeding values are estimated directly using an equivalent model with a genomic relationship matrix. Allele coding is the method chosen to assign values to the regression coefficients in the statistical model. A common allele coding is zero for the homozygous genotype of the first allele, one for the heterozygote, and two for the homozygous genotype for the other allele. Another common allele coding changes these regression coefficients by subtracting a value from each marker such that the mean of regression coefficients is zero within each marker. We call this centered allele coding. This study considered effects of different allele coding methods on inference. Both marker-based and equivalent models were considered, and restricted maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods were used in inference. Results Theoretical derivations showed that parameter estimates and estimated marker effects in marker-based models are the same irrespective of the allele coding, provided that the model has a fixed general mean. For the equivalent models, the same results hold, even though different allele coding methods lead to different genomic relationship matrices. Calculated genomic breeding values are independent of allele coding when the estimate of the general mean is included into the values. Reliabilities of estimated genomic breeding values calculated using elements of the inverse of the coefficient matrix depend on the allele coding because different allele coding methods imply different models. Finally, allele coding affects the mixing of Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms, with the centered coding being

Regulated open multi-agent systems (ROMAS) a multi-agent approach for designing normative open systems

CERN Document Server

Garcia, Emilia; Botti, Vicente

2015-01-01

Addressing the open problem of engineering normative open systems using the multi-agent paradigm, normative open systems are explained as systems in which heterogeneous and autonomous entities and institutions coexist in a complex social and legal framework that can evolve to address the different and often conflicting objectives of the many stakeholders involved. Presenting  a software engineering approach which covers both the analysis and design of these kinds of systems, and which deals with the open issues in the area, ROMAS (Regulated Open Multi-Agent Systems) defines a specific multi-agent architecture, meta-model, methodology and CASE tool. This CASE tool is based on Model-Driven technology and integrates the graphical design with the formal verification of some properties of these systems by means of model checking techniques. Utilizing tables to enhance reader insights into the most important requirements for designing normative open multi-agent systems, the book also provides a detailed and easy t...

Multi-criteria objective based climate change impact assessment for multi-purpose multi-reservoir systems

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Ruben; Schütze, Niels

2014-05-01

Water resources systems with reservoirs are expected to be sensitive to climate change. Assessment studies that analyze the impact of climate change on the performance of reservoirs can be divided in two groups: (1) Studies that simulate the operation under projected inflows with the current set of operational rules. Due to non adapted operational rules the future performance of these reservoirs can be underestimated and the impact overestimated. (2) Studies that optimize the operational rules for best adaption of the system to the projected conditions before the assessment of the impact. The latter allows for estimating more realistically future performance and adaption strategies based on new operation rules are available if required. Multi-purpose reservoirs serve various, often conflicting functions. If all functions cannot be served simultaneously at a maximum level, an effective compromise between multiple objectives of the reservoir operation has to be provided. Yet under climate change the historically preferenced compromise may no longer be the most suitable compromise in the future. Therefore a multi-objective based climate change impact assessment approach for multi-purpose multi-reservoir systems is proposed in the study. Projected inflows are provided in a first step using a physically based rainfall-runoff model. In a second step, a time series model is applied to generate long-term inflow time series. Finally, the long-term inflow series are used as driving variables for a simulation-based multi-objective optimization of the reservoir system in order to derive optimal operation rules. As a result, the adapted Pareto-optimal set of diverse best compromise solutions can be presented to the decision maker in order to assist him in assessing climate change adaption measures with respect to the future performance of the multi-purpose reservoir system. The approach is tested on a multi-purpose multi-reservoir system in a mountainous catchment in Germany. A

Fairness in multi-agent systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jong, de S.; Tuyls, K.P.; Verbeeck, K.

2008-01-01

Multi-agent systems are complex systems in which multiple autonomous entities, called agents, cooperate in order to achieve a common or personal goal. These entities may be computer software, robots, and also humans. In fact, many multi-agent systems are intended to operate in cooperation with or as

Comparative frequency and allelic distribution of ABO and Rh (D ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Gourab Dewan

2015-02-18

Feb 18, 2015 ... desh and having borders with India and Myanmar (Fig. 1). It is a hilly area with ..... calculated allelic frequencies for ABO/Rh systems previously. Therefore, allelic .... in backward caste population of Uttar Pradesh, India. Not Sci.

Diversity Outbred Mice at 21: Maintaining Allelic Variation in the Face of Selection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elissa J. Chesler

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Multi-parent populations (MPPs capture and maintain the genetic diversity from multiple inbred founder strains to provide a resource for high-resolution genetic mapping through the accumulation of recombination events over many generations. Breeding designs that maintain a large effective population size with randomized assignment of breeders at each generation can minimize the impact of selection, inbreeding, and genetic drift on allele frequencies. Small deviations from expected allele frequencies will have little effect on the power and precision of genetic analysis, but a major distortion could result in reduced power and loss of important functional alleles. We detected strong transmission ratio distortion in the Diversity Outbred (DO mouse population on chromosome 2, caused by meiotic drive favoring transmission of the WSB/EiJ allele at the R2d2 locus. The distorted region harbors thousands of polymorphisms derived from the seven non-WSB founder strains and many of these would be lost if the sweep was allowed to continue. To ensure the utility of the DO population to study genetic variation on chromosome 2, we performed an artificial selection against WSB/EiJ alleles at the R2d2 locus. Here, we report that we have purged the WSB/EiJ allele from the drive locus while preserving WSB/EiJ alleles in the flanking regions. We observed minimal disruption to allele frequencies across the rest of the autosomal genome. However, there was a shift in haplotype frequencies of the mitochondrial genome and an increase in the rate of an unusual sex chromosome aneuploidy. The DO population has been restored to genome-wide utility for genetic analysis, but our experience underscores that vigilant monitoring of similar genetic resource populations is needed to ensure their long-term utility.

Analog Electronic Implementation of Unstable Dissipative Systems of Type I with Multi-Scrolls Displaced Along Space

Science.gov (United States)

Ontañón-García, L. J.; Lozoya-Ponce, R. E.

2017-06-01

Multi-scroll Unstable Dissipative Systems (UDS) in R3 which consist of piecewise linear systems are implemented electronically by means of analog computing. The scrolling behavior of the systems can be designed to oscillate along a specific axis or into space depending on the unstable and stable manifolds. In order for a multi-scroll attractor, this switching system must present at least two unstable hyperbolic focus-saddle equilibria with the same stability index, a negative real eigenvalue and a pair of complex conjugated eigenvalues with positive real part. Then, to displace the scrolls among the axes and space different switching control laws must be designed. By taking into consideration the mathematical expressions of the switching systems, the electronic implementations are carried out by means of operational amplifiers representing the real analog physical solution of the systems, from which the voltage is measured representing the states solution.

Mutation intolerant genes and targets of FMRP are enriched for nonsynonymous alleles in schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Leonenko, Ganna; Richards, Alexander L; Walters, James T; Pocklington, Andrew; Chambert, Kimberly; Al Eissa, Mariam M; Sharp, Sally I; O'Brien, Niamh L; Curtis, David; Bass, Nicholas J; McQuillin, Andrew; Hultman, Christina; Moran, Jennifer L; McCarroll, Steven A; Sklar, Pamela; Neale, Benjamin M; Holmans, Peter A; Owen, Michael J; Sullivan, Patrick F; O'Donovan, Michael C

2017-10-01

Risk of schizophrenia is conferred by alleles occurring across the full spectrum of frequencies from common SNPs of weak effect through to ultra rare alleles, some of which may be moderately to highly penetrant. Previous studies have suggested that some of the risk of schizophrenia is attributable to uncommon alleles represented on Illumina exome arrays. Here, we present the largest study of exomic variation in schizophrenia to date, using samples from the United Kingdom and Sweden (10,011 schizophrenia cases and 13,791 controls). Single variants, genes, and gene sets were analyzed for association with schizophrenia. No single variant or gene reached genome-wide significance. Among candidate gene sets, we found significant enrichment for rare alleles (minor allele frequency [MAF] schizophrenia by excluding a role for uncommon exomic variants (0.01 ≤ MAF ≥ 0.001) that confer a relatively large effect (odds ratio [OR] > 4). We also show risk alleles within this frequency range exist, but confer smaller effects and should be identified by larger studies. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Selective maintenance of multi-state systems with structural dependence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dao, Cuong D.; Zuo, Ming J.

2017-01-01

This paper studies the selective maintenance problem for multi-state systems with structural dependence. Each component can be in one of multiple working levels and several maintenance actions are possible to a component in a maintenance break. The components structurally form multiple hierarchical levels and dependence groups. A directed graph is used to represent the precedence relations of components in the system. A selective maintenance optimization model is developed to maximize the system reliability in the next mission under time and cost constraints. A backward search algorithm is used to determine the assembly sequence for a selective maintenance scenario. The maintenance model helps maintenance managers in determining the best combination of maintenance activities to maximize the probability of successfully completing the next mission. Examples showing the use of the proposed method are presented. - Highlights: • A selective maintenance model for multi-state systems is proposed considering both economic and structural dependence. • Structural dependence is modeled as precedence relationship when disassembling components for maintenance. • Resources for disassembly and maintenance are evaluated using a backward search algorithm. • Maintenance strategies with and without structural dependence are analyzed. • Ignoring structural dependence may lead to over-estimation of system reliability.

Assigning breed origin to alleles in crossbred animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandenplas, Jérémie; Calus, Mario P L; Sevillano, Claudia A; Windig, Jack J; Bastiaansen, John W M

2016-08-22

For some species, animal production systems are based on the use of crossbreeding to take advantage of the increased performance of crossbred compared to purebred animals. Effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may differ between purebred and crossbred animals for several reasons: (1) differences in linkage disequilibrium between SNP alleles and a quantitative trait locus; (2) differences in genetic backgrounds (e.g., dominance and epistatic interactions); and (3) differences in environmental conditions, which result in genotype-by-environment interactions. Thus, SNP effects may be breed-specific, which has led to the development of genomic evaluations for crossbred performance that take such effects into account. However, to estimate breed-specific effects, it is necessary to know breed origin of alleles in crossbred animals. Therefore, our aim was to develop an approach for assigning breed origin to alleles of crossbred animals (termed BOA) without information on pedigree and to study its accuracy by considering various factors, including distance between breeds. The BOA approach consists of: (1) phasing genotypes of purebred and crossbred animals; (2) assigning breed origin to phased haplotypes; and (3) assigning breed origin to alleles of crossbred animals based on a library of assigned haplotypes, the breed composition of crossbred animals, and their SNP genotypes. The accuracy of allele assignments was determined for simulated datasets that include crosses between closely-related, distantly-related and unrelated breeds. Across these scenarios, the percentage of alleles of a crossbred animal that were correctly assigned to their breed origin was greater than 90 %, and increased with increasing distance between breeds, while the percentage of incorrectly assigned alleles was always less than 2 %. For the remaining alleles, i.e. 0 to 10 % of all alleles of a crossbred animal, breed origin could not be assigned. The BOA approach accurately assigns

Rapid detection of the CYP2A6*12 hybrid allele by Pyrosequencing® technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gallagher Margaret L

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Identification of CYP2A6 alleles associated with reduced enzyme activity is important in the study of inter-individual differences in drug metabolism. CYP2A6*12 is a hybrid allele that results from unequal crossover between CYP2A6 and CYP2A7 genes. The 5' regulatory region and exons 1–2 are derived from CYP2A7, and exons 3–9 are derived from CYP2A6. Conventional methods for detection of CYP2A6*12 consist of two-step PCR protocols that are laborious and unsuitable for high-throughput genotyping. We developed a rapid and accurate method to detect the CYP2A6*12 allele by Pyrosequencing technology. Methods A single set of PCR primers was designed to specifically amplify both the CYP2A6*1 wild-type allele and the CYP2A6*12 hybrid allele. An internal Pyrosequencing primer was used to generate allele-specific sequence information, which detected homozygous wild-type, heterozygous hybrid, and homozygous hybrid alleles. We first validated the assay on 104 DNA samples that were also genotyped by conventional two-step PCR and by cycle sequencing. CYP2A6*12 allele frequencies were then determined using the Pyrosequencing assay on 181 multi-ethnic DNA samples from subjects of African American, European Caucasian, Pacific Rim, and Hispanic descent. Finally, we streamlined the Pyrosequencing assay by integrating liquid handling robotics into the workflow. Results Pyrosequencing results demonstrated 100% concordance with conventional two-step PCR and cycle sequencing methods. Allele frequency data showed slightly higher prevalence of the CYP2A6*12 allele in European Caucasians and Hispanics. Conclusion This Pyrosequencing assay proved to be a simple, rapid, and accurate alternative to conventional methods, which can be easily adapted to the needs of higher-throughput studies.

Closure relations for the multi-species Euler system. Construction and study of relaxation schemes for the multi-species and multi-components Euler systems; Relations de fermeture pour le systeme des equations d'Euler multi-especes. Construction et etude de schemas de relaxation en multi-especes et en multi-constituants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dellacherie, St. [CEA Saclay, Dir. de l' Energie Nucleaire DEN/SFNME/LMPE, Lab. de Modelisation Physique et de l' Enrichissement, 91 - Gif sur Yvette (France); Rency, N. [Paris-11 Univ., CNRS UMR 8628, 91 - Orsay (France)

2001-07-01

After having recalled the formal convergence of the semi-classical multi-species Boltzmann equations toward the multi-species Euler system (i.e. mixture of gases having the same velocity), we generalize to this system the closure relations proposed by B. Despres and by F. Lagoutiere for the multi-components Euler system (i.e. mixture of non miscible fluids having the same velocity). Then, we extend the energy relaxation schemes proposed by F. Coquel and by B. Perthame for the numerical resolution of the mono-species Euler system to the multi-species isothermal Euler system and to the multi-components isobar-isothermal Euler system. This allows to obtain a class of entropic schemes under a CFL criteria. In the multi-components case, this class of entropic schemes is perhaps a way for the treatment of interface problems and, then, for the treatment of the numerical mixture area by using a Lagrange + projection scheme. Nevertheless, we have to find a good projection stage in the multi-components case. At last, in the last chapter, we discuss, through the study of a dynamical system, about a system proposed by R. Abgrall and by R. Saurel for the numerical resolution of the multi-components Euler system.

Multi-Locomotion Robotic Systems New Concepts of Bio-inspired Robotics

CERN Document Server

Fukuda, Toshio; Sekiyama, Kosuke; Aoyama, Tadayoshi

2012-01-01

Nowadays, multiple attention have been paid on a robot working in the human living environment, such as in the field of medical, welfare, entertainment and so on. Various types of researches are being conducted actively in a variety of fields such as artificial intelligence, cognitive engineering, sensor- technology, interfaces and motion control. In the future, it is expected to realize super high functional human-like robot by integrating technologies in various fields including these types of researches. The book represents new developments and advances in the field of bio-inspired robotics research introducing the state of the art, the idea of multi-locomotion robotic system to implement the diversity of animal motion. It covers theoretical and computational aspects of Passive Dynamic Autonomous Control (PDAC), robot motion control, multi legged walking and climbing as well as brachiation focusing concrete robot systems, components and applications. In addition, gorilla type robot systems are described as...

Use of the LUS in sequence allele designations to facilitate probabilistic genotyping of NGS-based STR typing results.

Science.gov (United States)

Just, Rebecca S; Irwin, Jodi A

2018-05-01

Some of the expected advantages of next generation sequencing (NGS) for short tandem repeat (STR) typing include enhanced mixture detection and genotype resolution via sequence variation among non-homologous alleles of the same length. However, at the same time that NGS methods for forensic DNA typing have advanced in recent years, many caseworking laboratories have implemented or are transitioning to probabilistic genotyping to assist the interpretation of complex autosomal STR typing results. Current probabilistic software programs are designed for length-based data, and were not intended to accommodate sequence strings as the product input. Yet to leverage the benefits of NGS for enhanced genotyping and mixture deconvolution, the sequence variation among same-length products must be utilized in some form. Here, we propose use of the longest uninterrupted stretch (LUS) in allele designations as a simple method to represent sequence variation within the STR repeat regions and facilitate - in the nearterm - probabilistic interpretation of NGS-based typing results. An examination of published population data indicated that a reference LUS region is straightforward to define for most autosomal STR loci, and that using repeat unit plus LUS length as the allele designator can represent greater than 80% of the alleles detected by sequencing. A proof of concept study performed using a freely available probabilistic software demonstrated that the LUS length can be used in allele designations when a program does not require alleles to be integers, and that utilizing sequence information improves interpretation of both single-source and mixed contributor STR typing results as compared to using repeat unit information alone. The LUS concept for allele designation maintains the repeat-based allele nomenclature that will permit backward compatibility to extant STR databases, and the LUS lengths themselves will be concordant regardless of the NGS assay or analysis tools

DRD2 A1 allele and P300 abnormalities in obesity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blum, K. [Univ. of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX (United States)]|[PATH Foundation, Princeton, NJ (United States); Wood, R.; Sheridan, L.P.J. [Univ. of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX (United States)] [and others

1994-09-01

Obesity is a heterogeneous and prevalent disorder having both inheritable and environmental components. The role of the dopamine system in P300 has been implicated. We genotyped 193 neuropsychiatrically ill patients with and without comorbid drug and alcohol/abuse/dependence and obesity for the prevalence of the A1 allele of the DRD2 gene. We found a significant linear trend ({chi}{sup 2} = 40.4, df=1, p<0.00001) where the percent prevalence of the A1 increased with increasing polysubstance abuse. Where the A1 allele was found in 44% of 40 obese subjects, the A1 allele prevalence was found in as much as 91% of 11 obese subjects with comorbid polysubstance abuse. 53 obese subjects having a mean body weight (BMI) of 34.6{+-}8.2 were mapped for brain electrical activity and compared with 15 controls with a BMI of 22.3{+-}3.0 (P<.001). The P3 amplitude was significantly different (two tailed; t=3.24, df=16.2, P = 0.005), whereas P3 latency was not significant. Preliminarily, we found a significant decreased P3 amplitude correlated with parental polysubstance abuse (p=0.4) with prolongation of P3 latency correlated with the three risk factors of parental substance abuse, chemical dependency and carbohydrate bingeing (P<0.02). Finally, in a small sample, the A1 allele was present in 25% of probands having 0 risk compared to 66% in those obese subjects with any risk. This work represents the first electrophysiological data to implicate P3 abnormalities in a subset of obesity and further confirms an association of the DRD2 gene and a electrophysiological marker previously indicated to have predictive value in vulnerability to addictive behaviors.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) alleles in the Quechua, a high altitude South American native population.

Science.gov (United States)

Rupert, J L; Devine, D V; Monsalve, M V; Hochachka, P W

1999-01-01

Recently it was reported that an allelic variant of the gene encoding angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) was significantly over-represented in a cohort of elite British mountaineers. It was proposed that this may be evidence for a specific genetic factor influencing the human capacity for physical performance. The implication that this allele could enhance performance at high altitude prompted us to determine its frequency in Quechua speaking natives living at altitudes greater than 3000m on the Andean Altiplano in South America. We found that the frequency of the putative performance allele in the Quechuas, although significantly higher than in Caucasians, was not different from lowland Native American populations. This observation suggests that, although the higher frequency of the 'performance allele' may have facilitated the migration of the ancestral Quechua to the highlands, the ACE insertion allele has not been subsequently selected for in this high altitude population.

Multi-target consensus circle pursuit for multi-agent systems via a distributed multi-flocking method

Science.gov (United States)

Pei, Huiqin; Chen, Shiming; Lai, Qiang

2016-12-01

This paper studies the multi-target consensus pursuit problem of multi-agent systems. For solving the problem, a distributed multi-flocking method is designed based on the partial information exchange, which is employed to realise the pursuit of multi-target and the uniform distribution of the number of pursuing agents with the dynamic target. Combining with the proposed circle formation control strategy, agents can adaptively choose the target to form the different circle formation groups accomplishing a multi-target pursuit. The speed state of pursuing agents in each group converges to the same value. A Lyapunov approach is utilised to analyse the stability of multi-agent systems. In addition, a sufficient condition is given for achieving the dynamic target consensus pursuit, and which is then analysed. Finally, simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.

Mannose-binding lectin variant alleles and HLA-DR4 alleles are associated with giant cell arteritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Soren; Baslund, Bo; Madsen, Hans O.

2002-01-01

/GCA, MBL variant alleles were associated with signs of increased inflammatory activity and clinical signs of arteritic manifestations. This was not found for HLA-DR4 alleles. These findings indicate that HLA-DR4 and MBL are contributing to the pathophysiology of GCA at different levels in the disease...... alleles in controls, patients with PMR only, and patients with GCA was 37, 32, and 53% (p = 0.01), respectively. HLA-DRB1*04 was found in 47% of patients with PMR only and in 54% of patients with GCA, which differed significantly from the 35% found in controls (p = 0.01). HLA-DR4 alleles were...... not associated with any clinical phenotypes of PMR/GCA, whereas MBL variant alleles were associated with cranial arteritis, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and low B-hemoglobin. CONCLUSION: We found MBL variant alleles and HLA-DR4 alleles to be weak susceptibility markers for GCA. In patients with PMR...

Association of breast cancer risk with genetic variants showing differential allelic expression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hamdi, Yosr; Soucy, Penny; Adoue, Véronique

2016-01-01

There are significant inter-individual differences in the levels of gene expression. Through modulation of gene expression, cis-acting variants represent an important source of phenotypic variation. Consequently, cis-regulatory SNPs associated with differential allelic expression are functional...

A Low Power, Parallel Wearable Multi-Sensor System for Human Activity Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yuecheng; Jia, Wenyan; Yu, Tianjian; Luan, Bo; Mao, Zhi-Hong; Zhang, Hong; Sun, Mingui

2015-04-01

In this paper, the design of a low power heterogeneous wearable multi-sensor system, built with Zynq System-on-Chip (SoC), for human activity evaluation is presented. The powerful data processing capability and flexibility of this SoC represent significant improvements over our previous ARM based system designs. The new system captures and compresses multiple color images and sensor data simultaneously. Several strategies are adopted to minimize power consumption. Our wearable system provides a new tool for the evaluation of human activity, including diet, physical activity and lifestyle.

Range based power control for multi-radio multi-channel wireless mesh networks

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Olwal, TO

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Multi-Radio Multi-Channel (MRMC) systems are key to power control problems in Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs). In this paper, researchers present a range based dynamic power control for MRMC WMNs. First, WMN is represented as a set of disjoint Unified...

Multi-iPPseEvo: A Multi-label Classifier for Identifying Human Phosphorylated Proteins by Incorporating Evolutionary Information into Chou's General PseAAC via Grey System Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Wang-Ren; Zheng, Quan-Shu; Sun, Bi-Qian; Xiao, Xuan

2017-03-01

Predicting phosphorylation protein is a challenging problem, particularly when query proteins have multi-label features meaning that they may be phosphorylated at two or more different type amino acids. In fact, human protein usually be phosphorylated at serine, threonine and tyrosine. By introducing the "multi-label learning" approach, a novel predictor has been developed that can be used to deal with the systems containing both single- and multi-label phosphorylation protein. Here we proposed a predictor called Multi-iPPseEvo by (1) incorporating the protein sequence evolutionary information into the general pseudo amino acid composition (PseAAC) via the grey system theory, (2) balancing out the skewed training datasets by the asymmetric bootstrap approach, and (3) constructing an ensemble predictor by fusing an array of individual random forest classifiers thru a voting system. Rigorous cross-validations via a set of multi-label metrics indicate that the multi-label phosphorylation predictor is very promising and encouraging. The current approach represents a new strategy to deal with the multi-label biological problems, and the software is freely available for academic use at http://www.jci-bioinfo.cn/Multi-iPPseEvo. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Multiple-state based power control for multi-radio multi-channel wireless mesh networks

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Olwal, TO

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Multi-Radio Multi-Channel (MRMC) systems are key to power control problems in wireless mesh networks (WMNs). In this paper, we present asynchronous multiple-state based power control for MRMC WMNs. First, WMN is represented as a set of disjoint...

Multi-level predictive maintenance for multi-component systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, Kim-Anh; Do, Phuc; Grall, Antoine

2015-01-01

In this paper, a novel predictive maintenance policy with multi-level decision-making is proposed for multi-component system with complex structure. The main idea is to propose a decision-making process considered on two levels: system level and component one. The goal of the decision rules at the system level is to address if preventive maintenance actions are needed regarding the predictive reliability of the system. At component level the decision rules aim at identifying optimally a group of several components to be preventively maintained when preventive maintenance is trigged due to the system level decision. Selecting optimal components is based on a cost-based group improvement factor taking into account the predictive reliability of the components, the economic dependencies as well as the location of the components in the system. Moreover, a cost model is developed to find the optimal maintenance decision variables. A 14-component system is finally introduced to illustrate the use and the performance of the proposed predictive maintenance policy. Different sensitivity analysis are also investigated and discussed. Indeed, the proposed policy provides more flexibility in maintenance decision-making for complex structure systems, hence leading to significant profits in terms of maintenance cost when compared with existing policies. - Highlights: • A predictive maintenance policy for complex structure systems is proposed. • Multi-level decision process based on prognostic results is proposed. • A cost-based group importance measure is introduced for decision-making. • Both positive and negative dependencies between components are investigated. • A cost model and Monte Carlo simulation are developed for optimization process.

Allele coding in genomic evaluation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Standen, Ismo; Christensen, Ole Fredslund

2011-01-01

Genomic data are used in animal breeding to assist genetic evaluation. Several models to estimate genomic breeding values have been studied. In general, two approaches have been used. One approach estimates the marker effects first and then, genomic breeding values are obtained by summing marker...... effects. In the second approach, genomic breeding values are estimated directly using an equivalent model with a genomic relationship matrix. Allele coding is the method chosen to assign values to the regression coefficients in the statistical model. A common allele coding is zero for the homozygous...... genotype of the first allele, one for the heterozygote, and two for the homozygous genotype for the other allele. Another common allele coding changes these regression coefficients by subtracting a value from each marker such that the mean of regression coefficients is zero within each marker. We call...

Quantitative threefold allele-specific PCR (QuanTAS-PCR) for highly sensitive JAK2 V617F mutant allele detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zapparoli, Giada V; Jorissen, Robert N; Hewitt, Chelsee A; McBean, Michelle; Westerman, David A; Dobrovic, Alexander

2013-01-01

The JAK2 V617F mutation is the most frequent somatic change in myeloproliferative neoplasms, making it an important tumour-specific marker for diagnostic purposes and for the detection of minimal residual disease. Sensitive quantitative assays are required for both applications, particularly for the monitoring of minimal residual disease, which requires not only high sensitivity but also very high specificity. We developed a highly sensitive probe-free quantitative mutant-allele detection method, Quantitative Threefold Allele-Specific PCR (QuanTAS-PCR), that is performed in a closed-tube system, thus eliminating the manipulation of PCR products. QuantTAS-PCR uses a threefold approach to ensure allele-specific amplification of the mutant sequence: (i) a mutant allele-specific primer, (ii) a 3′dideoxy blocker to suppress false-positive amplification from the wild-type template and (iii) a PCR specificity enhancer, also to suppress false-positive amplification from the wild-type template. Mutant alleles were quantified relative to exon 9 of JAK2. We showed that the addition of the 3′dideoxy blocker suppressed but did not eliminate false-positive amplification from the wild-type template. However, the addition of the PCR specificity enhancer near eliminated false-positive amplification from the wild-type allele. Further discrimination between true and false positives was enabled by using the quantification cycle (Cq) value of a single mutant template as a cut-off point, thus enabling robust distinction between true and false positives. As 10,000 JAK2 templates were used per replicate, the assay had a sensitivity of 1/10 -4 per replicate. Greater sensitivity could be reached by increasing the number of replicates analysed. Variation in replicates when low mutant-allele templates were present necessitated the use of a statistics-based approach to estimate the load of mutant JAK2 copies. QuanTAS-PCR showed comparable quantitative results when validated against a

Using multi-locus allelic sequence data to estimate genetic divergence among four Lilium (Liliaceae) cultivars

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shahin, A.; Smulders, M.J.M.; Tuyl, van J.M.; Arens, P.F.P.; Bakker, F.T.

2014-01-01

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) may enable estimating relationships among genotypes using allelic variation of multiple nuclear genes simultaneously. We explored the potential and caveats of this strategy in four genetically distant Lilium cultivars to estimate their genetic divergence from

Estimating the probability of allelic drop-out of STR alleles in forensic genetics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tvedebrink, Torben; Eriksen, Poul Svante; Mogensen, Helle Smidt

2009-01-01

In crime cases with available DNA evidence, the amount of DNA is often sparse due to the setting of the crime. In such cases, allelic drop-out of one or more true alleles in STR typing is possible. We present a statistical model for estimating the per locus and overall probability of allelic drop......-out using the results of all STR loci in the case sample as reference. The methodology of logistic regression is appropriate for this analysis, and we demonstrate how to incorporate this in a forensic genetic framework....

Multi-Agent Systems for E-Commerce

OpenAIRE

Solodukha, T. V.; Sosnovskiy, O. A.; Zhelezko, B. A.

2009-01-01

The article focuses on multi-agent systems (MAS) and domains that can benefit from multi-agent technology. In the last few years, the agent based modeling (ABM) community has developed several practical agent based modeling toolkits that enable individuals to develop agent-based applications. The comparison of agent-based modeling toolkits is given. Multi-agent systems are designed to handle changing and dynamic business processes. Any organization with complex and distributed business pro...

Ontology-based multi-agent systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hadzic, Maja; Wongthongtham, Pornpit; Dillon, Tharam; Chang, Elizabeth [Digital Ecosystems and Business Intelligence Institute, Perth, WA (Australia)

2009-07-01

The Semantic web has given a great deal of impetus to the development of ontologies and multi-agent systems. Several books have appeared which discuss the development of ontologies or of multi-agent systems separately on their own. The growing interaction between agents and ontologies has highlighted the need for integrated development of these. This book is unique in being the first to provide an integrated treatment of the modeling, design and implementation of such combined ontology/multi-agent systems. It provides clear exposition of this integrated modeling and design methodology. It further illustrates this with two detailed case studies in (a) the biomedical area and (b) the software engineering area. The book is, therefore, of interest to researchers, graduate students and practitioners in the semantic web and web science area. (orig.)

Kepler Confirmation of Multi-Planet Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Cochran, W. D.

2011-10-01

The NASA Kepler spacecraft has detected 170 candidate multi-planet systems in the first two quarters of data released in February 2011 by Borucki et al. (2011). These systems comprise 115 double candidate systems, 45 triple candidate sys- tems, and 10 systems with 4 or more candidate planets. The architecture and dynamics of these systems were discussed by Lissauer et al. (2011), and a comparison of candidates in single- and multi-planet systems was presented by Latham et al. (2011). Proceeding from "planetary candidate" systems to confirmed and validated multi-planet systems is a difficult process, as most of these systems orbit stars too faint to obtain extremely precise (1ms-1) radial velocity confimation. Here, we discuss in detail the use of transit timing vari- ations (cf. e.g. Holman et al., 2010) to confirm planets near a mean motion resonance. We also discuss extensions to the BLENDER validation (Torres et al., 2004, 2011; Fressin et al., 2011) to validate planets in multi-planet systems. Kepler was competitively selected as the tenth Discovery mission. Funding for the Kepler Mis- sion is provided by NASA's Science Mission Direc- torate. We are deeply grateful for the very hard work of the entire Kepler team.

Reduced Height (Rht) Alleles Affect Wheat Grain Quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Casebow, Richard; Hadley, Caroline; Uppal, Rajneet; Addisu, Molla; Loddo, Stefano; Kowalski, Ania; Griffiths, Simon; Gooding, Mike

2016-01-01

The effects of dwarfing alleles (reduced height, Rht) in near isogenic lines on wheat grain quality are characterised in field experiments and related to effects on crop height, grain yield and GA-sensitivity. Alleles included those that conferred GA-insensitivity (Rht-B1b, Rht-B1c, Rht-D1b, Rht-D1c) as well as those that retained GA-sensitivity (rht(tall), Rht8, Rht8 + Ppd-D1a, Rht12). Full characterisation was facilitated by including factors with which the effects of Rht alleles are known to interact for grain yield (i.e. system, [conventional or organic]; tillage intensity [plough-based, minimum or zero]; nitrogen fertilizer level [0-450 kg N/ha]; and genetic backgrounds varying in height [cvs Maris Huntsman, Maris Widgeon, and Mercia]. Allele effects on mean grain weight and grain specific weight were positively associated with final crop height: dwarfing reduced these quality criteria irrespective of crop management or GA-sensitivity. In all but two experiments the effects of dwarfing alleles on grain nitrogen and sulphur concentrations were closely and negatively related to effects on grain yield, e.g. a quadratic relationship between grain yield and crop height manipulated by the GA-insensitive alleles was mirrored by quadratic relationships for nitrogen and sulphur concentrations: the highest yields and most dilute concentrations occurred around 80cm. In one of the two exceptional experiments the GA-insensitive Rht-B1b and Rht-B1c significantly (Pgrain nitrogen concentration in the absence of an effect on yield, and in the remaining experiment the GA-sensitive Rht8 significantly reduced both grain yield and grain nitrogen concentration simultaneously. When Rht alleles diluted grain nitrogen concentration, N:S ratios and SDS-sedimentation volumes were often improved. Hagberg falling number (HFN) was negatively related to crop height but benefits from dwarfing were only seen for GA-insensitive alleles. For HFN, therefore, there was the strongest evidence for

An Approach for Autonomy: A Collaborative Communication Framework for Multi-Agent Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Dufrene, Warren Russell, Jr.

2005-01-01

Research done during the last three years has studied the emersion properties of Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS). The deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques applied to remote Unmanned Aerial Vehicles has led the author to investigate applications of CAS within the field of Autonomous Multi-Agent Systems. The core objective of current research efforts is focused on the simplicity of Intelligent Agents (IA) and the modeling of these agents within complex systems. This research effort looks at the communication, interaction, and adaptability of multi-agents as applied to complex systems control. The embodiment concept applied to robotics has application possibilities within multi-agent frameworks. A new framework for agent awareness within a virtual 3D world concept is possible where the vehicle is composed of collaborative agents. This approach has many possibilities for applications to complex systems. This paper describes the development of an approach to apply this virtual framework to the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) tetrahedron structure developed under the Autonomous Nano Technology Swarm (ANTS) program and the Super Miniaturized Addressable Reconfigurable Technology (SMART) architecture program. These projects represent an innovative set of novel concepts deploying adaptable, self-organizing structures composed of many tetrahedrons. This technology is pushing current applied Agents Concepts to new levels of requirements and adaptability.

Approximate Analysis of Multi-State Weighted k-Out-of-n Systems Applied to Transmission Lines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaogang Song

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Multi-state weighted k-out-of-n systems are widely applied in various scenarios, such as multiple line (power/oil transmission line transmission systems where the capability of fault tolerance is desirable. However, the complex operating environment and the dynamic features of load demands influence the evaluation of system reliability. In this paper, a stochastic multiple-valued (SMV approach is proposed to efficiently predict the reliability of two models of systems with non-repairable components and dynamically repairable components. The weights/performances and reliabilities of multi-state components (MSCs are represented by stochastic sequences consisting of a fixed number of multi-state values with the positions being randomly permutated. Using stochastic sequences with L multiple values, linear computational complexities with parameters n and L are required by the SMV approach to compute the reliability of different multi-state k-out-of-n systems at a reasonable accuracy, compared to the complexities of universal generating functions (UGF and fuzzy universal generating functions (FUGF that increase exponentially with the value of n. The analysis of two benchmarks shows that the proposed SMV approach is more efficient than the analysis using UGF or FUGF.

Automated multi-plug filtration cleanup for liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric pesticide multi-residue analysis in representative crop commodities.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Yuhong; Zhang, Jingru; Zhang, Yuan; Li, Fangbing; Han, Yongtao; Zou, Nan; Xu, Haowei; Qian, Meiyuan; Pan, Canping

2016-09-02

An automated multi-plug filtration cleanup (m-PFC) method on modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) extracts was developed. The automatic device was aimed to reduce labor-consuming manual operation workload in the cleanup steps. It could control the volume and the speed of pulling and pushing cycles accurately. In this work, m-PFC was based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) mixed with other sorbents and anhydrous magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) in a packed tip for analysis of pesticide multi-residues in crop commodities followed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) detection. It was validated by analyzing 25 pesticides in six representative matrices spiked at two concentration levels of 10 and 100μg/kg. Salts, sorbents, m-PFC procedure, automated pulling and pushing volume, automated pulling speed, and pushing speed for each matrix were optimized. After optimization, two general automated m-PFC methods were introduced to relatively simple (apple, citrus fruit, peanut) and relatively complex (spinach, leek, green tea) matrices. Spike recoveries were within 83 and 108% and 1-14% RSD for most analytes in the tested matrices. Matrix-matched calibrations were performed with the coefficients of determination >0.997 between concentration levels of 10 and 1000μg/kg. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of pesticide residues in market samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Energy-aware Thread and Data Management in Heterogeneous Multi-core, Multi-memory Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Su, Chun-Yi [Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)

2014-12-16

By 2004, microprocessor design focused on multicore scaling—increasing the number of cores per die in each generation—as the primary strategy for improving performance. These multicore processors typically equip multiple memory subsystems to improve data throughput. In addition, these systems employ heterogeneous processors such as GPUs and heterogeneous memories like non-volatile memory to improve performance, capacity, and energy efficiency. With the increasing volume of hardware resources and system complexity caused by heterogeneity, future systems will require intelligent ways to manage hardware resources. Early research to improve performance and energy efficiency on heterogeneous, multi-core, multi-memory systems focused on tuning a single primitive or at best a few primitives in the systems. The key limitation of past efforts is their lack of a holistic approach to resource management that balances the tradeoff between performance and energy consumption. In addition, the shift from simple, homogeneous systems to these heterogeneous, multicore, multi-memory systems requires in-depth understanding of efficient resource management for scalable execution, including new models that capture the interchange between performance and energy, smarter resource management strategies, and novel low-level performance/energy tuning primitives and runtime systems. Tuning an application to control available resources efficiently has become a daunting challenge; managing resources in automation is still a dark art since the tradeoffs among programming, energy, and performance remain insufficiently understood. In this dissertation, I have developed theories, models, and resource management techniques to enable energy-efficient execution of parallel applications through thread and data management in these heterogeneous multi-core, multi-memory systems. I study the effect of dynamic concurrent throttling on the performance and energy of multi-core, non-uniform memory access

Distribution of Human Leukocyte Antigen alleles in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patients with Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Insertion/Deletion Polymorphism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nageen Hussain

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is one of the classic examples of autoimmune diseases among human beings and is a rare disease in Pakistani population. Clinically it is a quite diverse and complicated autoimmune disease in a sense that it involves multiple organs of the body and mimics with other diseases as well. This study focused on the distribution of HLA alleles in SLE patients with ACE I/D Polymorphism. A total of 122 individuals were enrolled in this study, 61 were the SLE patients who fulfilled revised ACR criteria and 61 were the healthy controls. Mean age of SLE patients at diagnosis was 30.35 ± 1.687 years (12-68 years. ACE gene I/D polymorphism was performed by nested PCR and DNA based HLA typing technique was used. ACE gene I/D polymorphism of Intron16 was studied and found to be involved in the activity of SLE. There is high frequency of HLA-A*01, HLA-B*40, HLA-DRB1*01 alleles in SLE patients with ACE DD genotype. The distribution of HLA-A, -B, -DRB1 alleles was analyzed in SLE patients with various disease phenotypes. HLA-A*01 and HLA-B*40 was the most common allele found in SLE patients with the involvement of skin. HLA-A*01, -A*03, HLA-B*13 and -B*46 were common in SLE patients with arthritis while HLA-A*26 and -A*69 were commonly found in Lupus nephritis cases. SLE patients involving both skin and kidney had an allele HLA-DRB1*01 common in them.

Optimizing survivability of multi-state systems with multi-level protection by multi-processor genetic algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levitin, Gregory; Dai Yuanshun; Xie Min; Leng Poh, Kim

2003-01-01

In this paper we consider vulnerable systems which can have different states corresponding to different combinations of available elements composing the system. Each state can be characterized by a performance rate, which is the quantitative measure of a system's ability to perform its task. Both the impact of external factors (stress) and internal causes (failures) affect system survivability, which is determined as probability of meeting a given demand. In order to increase the survivability of the system, a multi-level protection is applied to its subsystems. This means that a subsystem and its inner level of protection are in their turn protected by the protection of an outer level. This double-protected subsystem has its outer protection and so forth. In such systems, the protected subsystems can be destroyed only if all of the levels of their protection are destroyed. Each level of protection can be destroyed only if all of the outer levels of protection are destroyed. We formulate the problem of finding the structure of series-parallel multi-state system (including choice of system elements, choice of structure of multi-level protection and choice of protection methods) in order to achieve a desired level of system survivability by the minimal cost. An algorithm based on the universal generating function method is used for determination of the system survivability. A multi-processor version of genetic algorithm is used as optimization tool in order to solve the structure optimization problem. An application example is presented to illustrate the procedure presented in this paper

Calibration of a multi-beam Laser System by using a TLS-generated Reference

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Gordon

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Rotating multi-beam LIDARs mounted on moving platforms have become very successful for many applications such as autonomous navigation, obstacle avoidance or mobile mapping. To obtain accurate point coordinates, a precise calibration of such a LIDAR system is required. For the determination of the corresponding parameters we propose a calibration scheme which exploits the information of 3D reference point clouds captured by a terrestrial laser scanning (TLS device. It is assumed that the accuracy of this point clouds is considerably higher than that from the multi-beam LIDAR and that the data represent faces of man-made objects at different distances. After extracting planes in the reference data sets, the point-plane-incidences of the measured points and the reference planes are used to formulate the implicit constraints. We inspect the Velodyne HDL-64E S2 system as the best-known representative for this kind of sensor system. The usability and feasibility of the calibration procedure is demonstrated with real data sets representing building faces (walls, roof planes and ground. Beside the improvement of the point accuracy by considering the calibration results, we test the significance of the parameters related to the sensor model and consider the uncertainty of measurements w.r.t. the measured distances. The Velodyne returns two kinds of measurements – distances and encoder angles. To account for this, we perform a variance component estimation to obtain realistic standard deviations for the observations.

Multi-bunch Feedback Systems

CERN Document Server

Lonza, M.

2014-12-19

Coupled-bunch instabilities excited by the interaction of the particle beam with its surroundings can seriously limit the performance of circular particle accelerators. These instabilities can be cured by the use of active feedback systems based on sensors capable of detecting the unwanted beam motion and actuators that apply the feedback correction to the beam. Advances in electronic technology now allow the implementation of feedback loops using programmable digital systems. Besides important advantages in terms of flexibility and reproducibility, digital systems open the way to the use of novel diagnostic tools and additional features. We first introduce coupled-bunch instabilities, analysing the equation of motion of charged particles and the different modes of oscillation of a multi-bunch beam, showing how they can be observed and measured. Different types of feedback systems will then be presented as examples of real implementations that belong to the history of multi-bunch feedback systems. The main co...

Population based allele frequencies of disease associated polymorphisms in the Personalized Medicine Research Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Cross, Deanna S; Ivacic, Lynn C; Stefanski, Elisha L; McCarty, Catherine A

2010-06-17

There is a lack of knowledge regarding the frequency of disease associated polymorphisms in populations and population attributable risk for many populations remains unknown. Factors that could affect the association of the allele with disease, either positively or negatively, such as race, ethnicity, and gender, may not be possible to determine without population based allele frequencies.Here we used a panel of 51 polymorphisms previously associated with at least one disease and determined the allele frequencies within the entire Personalized Medicine Research Project population based cohort. We compared these allele frequencies to those in dbSNP and other data sources stratified by race. Differences in allele frequencies between self reported race, region of origin, and sex were determined. There were 19544 individuals who self reported a single racial category, 19027 or (97.4%) self reported white Caucasian, and 11205 (57.3%) individuals were female. Of the 11,208 (57%) individuals with an identifiable region of origin 8337 or (74.4%) were German.41 polymorphisms were significantly different between self reported race at the 0.05 level. Stratification of our Caucasian population by self reported region of origin revealed 19 polymorphisms that were significantly different (p = 0.05) between individuals of different origins. Further stratification of the population by gender revealed few significant differences in allele frequencies between the genders. This represents one of the largest population based allele frequency studies to date. Stratification by self reported race and region of origin revealed wide differences in allele frequencies not only by race but also by region of origin within a single racial group. We report allele frequencies for our Asian/Hmong and American Indian populations; these two minority groups are not typically selected for population allele frequency detection. Population wide allele frequencies are important for the design and

Integrating multi-view transmission system into MPEG-21 stereoscopic and multi-view DIA (digital item adaptation)

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seungwon; Park, Ilkwon; Kim, Manbae; Byun, Hyeran

2006-10-01

As digital broadcasting technologies have been rapidly progressed, users' expectations for realistic and interactive broadcasting services also have been increased. As one of such services, 3D multi-view broadcasting has received much attention recently. In general, all the view sequences acquired at the server are transmitted to the client. Then, the user can select a part of views or all the views according to display capabilities. However, this kind of system requires high processing power of the server as well as the client, thus posing a difficulty in practical applications. To overcome this problem, a relatively simple method is to transmit only two view-sequences requested by the client in order to deliver a stereoscopic video. In this system, effective communication between the server and the client is one of important aspects. In this paper, we propose an efficient multi-view system that transmits two view-sequences and their depth maps according to user's request. The view selection process is integrated into MPEG-21 DIA (Digital Item Adaptation) so that our system is compatible to MPEG-21 multimedia framework. DIA is generally composed of resource adaptation and descriptor adaptation. It is one of merits that SVA (stereoscopic video adaptation) descriptors defined in DIA standard are used to deliver users' preferences and device capabilities. Furthermore, multi-view descriptions related to multi-view camera and system are newly introduced. The syntax of the descriptions and their elements is represented in XML (eXtensible Markup Language) schema. If the client requests an adapted descriptor (e.g., view numbers) to the server, then the server sends its associated view sequences. Finally, we present a method which can reduce user's visual discomfort that might occur while viewing stereoscopic video. This phenomenon happens when view changes as well as when a stereoscopic image produces excessive disparity caused by a large baseline between two cameras. To

Exploring new alleles for frost tolerance in winter rye.

Science.gov (United States)

Erath, Wiltrud; Bauer, Eva; Fowler, D Brian; Gordillo, Andres; Korzun, Viktor; Ponomareva, Mira; Schmidt, Malthe; Schmiedchen, Brigitta; Wilde, Peer; Schön, Chris-Carolin

2017-10-01

Rye genetic resources provide a valuable source of new alleles for the improvement of frost tolerance in rye breeding programs. Frost tolerance is a must-have trait for winter cereal production in northern and continental cropping areas. Genetic resources should harbor promising alleles for the improvement of frost tolerance of winter rye elite lines. For frost tolerance breeding, the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) and the choice of optimum genome-based selection methods are essential. We identified genomic regions involved in frost tolerance of winter rye by QTL mapping in a biparental population derived from a highly frost tolerant selection from the Canadian cultivar Puma and the European elite line Lo157. Lines per se and their testcrosses were phenotyped in a controlled freeze test and in multi-location field trials in Russia and Canada. Three QTL on chromosomes 4R, 5R, and 7R were consistently detected across environments. The QTL on 5R is congruent with the genomic region harboring the Frost resistance locus 2 (Fr-2) in Triticeae. The Puma allele at the Fr-R2 locus was found to significantly increase frost tolerance. A comparison of predictive ability obtained from the QTL-based model with different whole-genome prediction models revealed that besides a few large, also small QTL effects contribute to the genomic variance of frost tolerance in rye. Genomic prediction models assigning a high weight to the Fr-R2 locus allow increasing the selection intensity for frost tolerance by genome-based pre-selection of promising candidates.

A diagnosis method for physical systems using a multi-modeling approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thetiot, R.

2000-01-01

In this thesis we propose a method for diagnosis problem solving. This method is based on a multi-modeling approach describing both normal and abnormal behavior of a system. This modeling approach allows to represent a system at different abstraction levels (behavioral, functional and teleological. Fundamental knowledge is described according to a bond-graph representation. We show that bond-graph representation can be exploited in order to generate (completely or partially) the functional models. The different models of the multi-modeling approach allows to define the functional state of a system at different abstraction levels. We exploit this property to exonerate sub-systems for which the expected behavior is observed. The behavioral and functional descriptions of the remaining sub-systems are exploited hierarchically in a two steps process. In a first step, the abnormal behaviors explaining some observations are identified. In a second step, the remaining unexplained observations are used to generate conflict sets and thus the consistency based diagnoses. The modeling method and the diagnosis process have been applied to a Reactor Coolant Pump Sets. This application illustrates the concepts described in this thesis and shows its potentialities. (authors)

Stochastic modelling of shifts in allele frequencies reveals a strongly polygynous mating system in the re-introduced Asiatic wild ass.

Science.gov (United States)

Renan, Sharon; Greenbaum, Gili; Shahar, Naama; Templeton, Alan R; Bouskila, Amos; Bar-David, Shirli

2015-04-01

Small populations are prone to loss of genetic variation and hence to a reduction in their evolutionary potential. Therefore, studying the mating system of small populations and its potential effects on genetic drift and genetic diversity is of high importance for their viability assessments. The traditional method for studying genetic mating systems is paternity analysis. Yet, as small populations are often rare and elusive, the genetic data required for paternity analysis are frequently unavailable. The endangered Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus), like all equids, displays a behaviourally polygynous mating system; however, the level of polygyny has never been measured genetically in wild equids. Combining noninvasive genetic data with stochastic modelling of shifts in allele frequencies, we developed an alternative approach to paternity analysis for studying the genetic mating system of the re-introduced Asiatic wild ass in the Negev Desert, Israel. We compared the shifts in allele frequencies (as a measure of genetic drift) that have occurred in the wild ass population since re-introduction onset to simulated scenarios under different proportions of mating males. We revealed a strongly polygynous mating system in which less than 25% of all males participate in the mating process each generation. This strongly polygynous mating system and its potential effect on the re-introduced population's genetic diversity could have significant consequences for the long-term persistence of the population in the Negev. The stochastic modelling approach and the use of allele-frequency shifts can be further applied to systems that are affected by genetic drift and for which genetic data are limited. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Abnormal segregation of alleles in CEPH pedigree DNAs arising from allele loss in lymphoblastoid DNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Royle, N J; Armour, J A; Crosier, M; Jeffreys, A J

1993-01-01

Somatic events that result in the reduction to hemi- or homozygosity at all loci affected by the event have been identified in lymphoblastoid DNA from mothers of two CEPH families. Using suitably informative probes, the allele deficiencies were detected by the abnormal transmission of alleles from grandparents to grandchildren, with the apparent absence of the alleles from the parent. Undetected somatic deficiencies in family DNAs could result in misscoring of recombination events and consequently introduce errors into linkage analysis.

Age, gender, and cancer but not neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases strongly modulate systemic effect of the Apolipoprotein E4 allele on lifespan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kulminski, Alexander M; Arbeev, Konstantin G; Culminskaya, Irina

2014-01-01

cohorts and the Long Life Family Study (LLFS) to investigate gender-specific effects of the ApoE4 allele on human survival in a wide range of ages from midlife to extreme old ages, and the sensitivity of these effects to cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders (ND.......6 × 10(-6)) in the FHS cohorts. Major human diseases including CVD, ND, and cancer, whose risks can be sensitive to the e4 allele, do not mediate the association of this allele with lifespan in large FHS samples. Non-skin cancer non-additively increases mortality of the FHS women with moderate lifespans...... by 150% (p = 5.3 × 10(-8)) compared to the non-carriers. This risk explains the 4.2 year shorter life expectancy of the e4 carriers compared to the non-carriers in this sample. The analyses suggest the existence of age- and gender-sensitive systemic mechanisms linking the e4 allele to lifespan which can...

Reduced Height (Rht Alleles Affect Wheat Grain Quality.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard Casebow

Full Text Available The effects of dwarfing alleles (reduced height, Rht in near isogenic lines on wheat grain quality are characterised in field experiments and related to effects on crop height, grain yield and GA-sensitivity. Alleles included those that conferred GA-insensitivity (Rht-B1b, Rht-B1c, Rht-D1b, Rht-D1c as well as those that retained GA-sensitivity (rht(tall, Rht8, Rht8 + Ppd-D1a, Rht12. Full characterisation was facilitated by including factors with which the effects of Rht alleles are known to interact for grain yield (i.e. system, [conventional or organic]; tillage intensity [plough-based, minimum or zero]; nitrogen fertilizer level [0-450 kg N/ha]; and genetic backgrounds varying in height [cvs Maris Huntsman, Maris Widgeon, and Mercia]. Allele effects on mean grain weight and grain specific weight were positively associated with final crop height: dwarfing reduced these quality criteria irrespective of crop management or GA-sensitivity. In all but two experiments the effects of dwarfing alleles on grain nitrogen and sulphur concentrations were closely and negatively related to effects on grain yield, e.g. a quadratic relationship between grain yield and crop height manipulated by the GA-insensitive alleles was mirrored by quadratic relationships for nitrogen and sulphur concentrations: the highest yields and most dilute concentrations occurred around 80cm. In one of the two exceptional experiments the GA-insensitive Rht-B1b and Rht-B1c significantly (P<0.05 reduced grain nitrogen concentration in the absence of an effect on yield, and in the remaining experiment the GA-sensitive Rht8 significantly reduced both grain yield and grain nitrogen concentration simultaneously. When Rht alleles diluted grain nitrogen concentration, N:S ratios and SDS-sedimentation volumes were often improved. Hagberg falling number (HFN was negatively related to crop height but benefits from dwarfing were only seen for GA-insensitive alleles. For HFN, therefore, there

Optimization of multi-branch switched diversity systems

KAUST Repository

Nam, Haewoon; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

2009-01-01

A performance optimization based on the optimal switching threshold(s) for a multi-branch switched diversity system is discussed in this paper. For the conventional multi-branch switched diversity system with a single switching threshold

Applications of Multi-Agent Technology to Power Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Nagata, Takeshi

Currently, agents are focus of intense on many sub-fields of computer science and artificial intelligence. Agents are being used in an increasingly wide variety of applications. Many important computing applications such as planning, process control, communication networks and concurrent systems will benefit from using multi-agent system approach. A multi-agent system is a structure given by an environment together with a set of artificial agents capable to act on this environment. Multi-agent models are oriented towards interactions, collaborative phenomena, and autonomy. This article presents the applications of multi-agent technology to the power systems.

Comparative analysis of conditional reporter alleles in the developing embryo and embryonic nervous system.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellisor, Debra; Koveal, Dorothy; Hagan, Nellwyn; Brown, Ashly; Zervas, Mark

2009-10-01

A long-standing problem in development is understanding how progenitor cells transiently expressing genes contribute to complex anatomical and functional structures. In the developing nervous system an additional level of complexity arises when considering how cells of distinct lineages relate to newly established neural circuits. To address these problems, we used both cumulative marking with Cre/loxP and Genetic Inducible Fate Mapping (GIFM), which permanently and heritably marks small populations of progenitors and their descendants with fine temporal control using CreER/loxP. A key component used in both approaches is a conditional phenotyping allele that has the potential to be expressed in all cell types, but is quiescent because of a loxP flanked Stop sequence, which precedes a reporter allele. Upon recombination, the resulting phenotyping allele is 'turned on' and then constitutively expressed. Thus, the reporter functions as a high fidelity genetic lineage tracer in vivo. Currently there is an array of reporter alleles that can be used in marking strategies, but their recombination efficiency and applicability to a wide array of tissues has not been thoroughly described. To assess the recombination/marking potential of the reporters, we utilized CreER(T) under the control of a Wnt1 transgene (Wnt1-CreER(T)) as well as a cumulative, non-inducible En1(Cre) knock-in line in combination with three different reporters: R26R (LacZ reporter), Z/EG (EGFP reporter), and Tau-Lox-STOP-Lox-mGFP-IRES-NLS-LacZ (membrane-targeted GFP/nuclear LacZ reporter). We marked the Wnt1 lineage using each of the three reporters at embryonic day (E) 8.5 followed by analysis at E10.0, E12.5, and in the adult. We also compared cumulative marking of cells with a history of En1 expression at the same stages. We evaluated the reporters by whole-mount and section analysis and ascertained the strengths and weaknesses of each of the reporters. Comparative analysis with the reporters

Joint redundancy and imperfect preventive maintenance optimization for series–parallel multi-state degraded systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nourelfath, Mustapha; Châtelet, Eric; Nahas, Nabil

2012-01-01

This paper formulates a joint redundancy and imperfect preventive maintenance planning optimization model for series–parallel multi-state degraded systems. Non identical multi-state components can be used in parallel to improve the system availability by providing redundancy in subsystems. Multiple component choices are available in the market for each subsystem. The status of each component is considered to degrade with use. The objective is to determine jointly the maximal-availability series–parallel system structure and the appropriate preventive maintenance actions, subject to a budget constraint. System availability is defined as the ability to satisfy consumer demand that is represented as a piecewise cumulative load curve. A procedure is used, based on Markov processes and universal moment generating function, to evaluate the multi-state system availability and the cost function. A heuristic approach is also proposed to solve the formulated problem. This heuristic is based on a combination of space partitioning, genetic algorithms (GA) and tabu search (TS). After dividing the search space into a set of disjoint subsets, this approach uses GA to select the subspaces, and applies TS to each selected sub-space.

The genetic basis of resistance and matching-allele interactions of a host-parasite system: The Daphnia magna-Pasteuria ramosa model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gilberto Bento

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Negative frequency-dependent selection (NFDS is an evolutionary mechanism suggested to govern host-parasite coevolution and the maintenance of genetic diversity at host resistance loci, such as the vertebrate MHC and R-genes in plants. Matching-allele interactions of hosts and parasites that prevent the emergence of host and parasite genotypes that are universally resistant and infective are a genetic mechanism predicted to underpin NFDS. The underlying genetics of matching-allele interactions are unknown even in host-parasite systems with empirical support for coevolution by NFDS, as is the case for the planktonic crustacean Daphnia magna and the bacterial pathogen Pasteuria ramosa. We fine-map one locus associated with D. magna resistance to P. ramosa and genetically characterize two haplotypes of the Pasteuria resistance (PR- locus using de novo genome and transcriptome sequencing. Sequence comparison of PR-locus haplotypes finds dramatic structural polymorphisms between PR-locus haplotypes including a large portion of each haplotype being composed of non-homologous sequences resulting in haplotypes differing in size by 66 kb. The high divergence of PR-locus haplotypes suggest a history of multiple, diverse and repeated instances of structural mutation events and restricted recombination. Annotation of the haplotypes reveals striking differences in gene content. In particular, a group of glycosyltransferase genes that is present in the susceptible but absent in the resistant haplotype. Moreover, in natural populations, we find that the PR-locus polymorphism is associated with variation in resistance to different P. ramosa genotypes, pointing to the PR-locus polymorphism as being responsible for the matching-allele interactions that have been previously described for this system. Our results conclusively identify a genetic basis for the matching-allele interaction observed in a coevolving host-parasite system and provide a first insight into

The genetic basis of resistance and matching-allele interactions of a host-parasite system: The Daphnia magna-Pasteuria ramosa model.

Science.gov (United States)

Bento, Gilberto; Routtu, Jarkko; Fields, Peter D; Bourgeois, Yann; Du Pasquier, Louis; Ebert, Dieter

2017-02-01

Negative frequency-dependent selection (NFDS) is an evolutionary mechanism suggested to govern host-parasite coevolution and the maintenance of genetic diversity at host resistance loci, such as the vertebrate MHC and R-genes in plants. Matching-allele interactions of hosts and parasites that prevent the emergence of host and parasite genotypes that are universally resistant and infective are a genetic mechanism predicted to underpin NFDS. The underlying genetics of matching-allele interactions are unknown even in host-parasite systems with empirical support for coevolution by NFDS, as is the case for the planktonic crustacean Daphnia magna and the bacterial pathogen Pasteuria ramosa. We fine-map one locus associated with D. magna resistance to P. ramosa and genetically characterize two haplotypes of the Pasteuria resistance (PR-) locus using de novo genome and transcriptome sequencing. Sequence comparison of PR-locus haplotypes finds dramatic structural polymorphisms between PR-locus haplotypes including a large portion of each haplotype being composed of non-homologous sequences resulting in haplotypes differing in size by 66 kb. The high divergence of PR-locus haplotypes suggest a history of multiple, diverse and repeated instances of structural mutation events and restricted recombination. Annotation of the haplotypes reveals striking differences in gene content. In particular, a group of glycosyltransferase genes that is present in the susceptible but absent in the resistant haplotype. Moreover, in natural populations, we find that the PR-locus polymorphism is associated with variation in resistance to different P. ramosa genotypes, pointing to the PR-locus polymorphism as being responsible for the matching-allele interactions that have been previously described for this system. Our results conclusively identify a genetic basis for the matching-allele interaction observed in a coevolving host-parasite system and provide a first insight into its molecular basis.

A multi-objective optimization problem for multi-state series-parallel systems: A two-stage flow-shop manufacturing system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azadeh, A.; Maleki Shoja, B.; Ghanei, S.; Sheikhalishahi, M.

2015-01-01

This research investigates a redundancy-scheduling optimization problem for a multi-state series parallel system. The system is a flow shop manufacturing system with multi-state machines. Each manufacturing machine may have different performance rates including perfect performance, decreased performance and complete failure. Moreover, warm standby redundancy is considered for the redundancy allocation problem. Three objectives are considered for the problem: (1) minimizing system purchasing cost, (2) minimizing makespan, and (3) maximizing system reliability. Universal generating function is employed to evaluate system performance and overall reliability of the system. Since the problem is in the NP-hard class of combinatorial problems, genetic algorithm (GA) is used to find optimal/near optimal solutions. Different test problems are generated to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of proposed approach and compared to simulated annealing optimization method. The results show the proposed approach is capable of finding optimal/near optimal solution within a very reasonable time. - Highlights: • A redundancy-scheduling optimization problem for a multi-state series parallel system. • A flow shop with multi-state machines and warm standby redundancy. • Objectives are to optimize system purchasing cost, makespan and reliability. • Different test problems are generated and evaluated by a unique genetic algorithm. • It locates optimal/near optimal solution within a very reasonable time

Associations between gastric dilatation-volvulus in Great Danes and specific alleles of the canine immune-system genes DLA88, DRB1, and TLR5.

Science.gov (United States)

Harkey, Michael A; Villagran, Alexandra M; Venkataraman, Gopalakrishnan M; Leisenring, Wendy M; Hullar, Meredith A J; Torok-Storb, Beverly J

2017-08-01

OBJECTIVE To determine whether specific alleles of candidate genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and innate immune system were associated with gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) in Great Danes. ANIMALS 42 healthy Great Danes (control group) and 39 Great Danes with ≥ 1 GDV episode. PROCEDURES Variable regions of the 2 most polymorphic MHC genes (DLA88 and DRB1) were amplified and sequenced from the dogs in each group. Similarly, regions of 3 genes associated with the innate immune system (TLR5, NOD2, and ATG16L1), which have been linked to inflammatory bowel disease, were amplified and sequenced. Alleles were evaluated for associations with GDV, controlling for age and dog family. RESULTS Specific alleles of genes DLA88, DRB1, and TLR5 were significantly associated with GDV. One allele of each gene had an OR > 2 in the unadjusted univariate analyses and retained a hazard ratio > 2 after controlling for temperament, age, and familial association in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The 3 GDV-associated alleles identified in this study may serve as diagnostic markers for identification of Great Danes at risk for GDV. Additional research is needed to determine whether other dog breeds have the same genetic associations. These findings also provided a new target for research into the etiology of, and potential treatments for, GDV in dogs.

Multi-bunch feedback systems

CERN Document Server

Lonza, M

2008-01-01

Coupled-bunch instabilities excited by the interaction of the particle beam with its surroundings can seriously limit the performance of circular particle accelerators. These instabilities can be cured by the use of active feedback systems based on sensors capable of detecting the unwanted beam motion and actuators that apply the feedback correction to the beam. The advances in electronic technology now allow the implementation of feedback loops using programmable digital systems. Besides important advantages in terms of flexibility and reproducibility, digital systems open the way to the use of novel diagnostic tools and additional features. The lecture will first introduce coupled-bunch instabilities analysing the equation of motion of charged particles and the different modes of oscillation of a multi-bunch beam, showing how they can be observed and measured. Different types of feedbacks systems will then be presented as examples of real implementations that belong to the history of multi-bunch feedback sy...

Multi-channel data acquisition system for CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao Fuqiang; He Bin; Liu Guohua; Xu Minjian

2009-01-01

The architecture design and realization of a data acquisition system for multi-channel CT is described. The article introduces the conversion of analog signal to digital signal, the data cache and transmission. This data acquisition system can be widely used in the system which requires the multi-channel, weak current signal detection. (authors)

Type 2 diabetes risk alleles demonstrate extreme directional differentiation among human populations, compared to other diseases.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rong Chen

Full Text Available Many disease-susceptible SNPs exhibit significant disparity in ancestral and derived allele frequencies across worldwide populations. While previous studies have examined population differentiation of alleles at specific SNPs, global ethnic patterns of ensembles of disease risk alleles across human diseases are unexamined. To examine these patterns, we manually curated ethnic disease association data from 5,065 papers on human genetic studies representing 1,495 diseases, recording the precise risk alleles and their measured population frequencies and estimated effect sizes. We systematically compared the population frequencies of cross-ethnic risk alleles for each disease across 1,397 individuals from 11 HapMap populations, 1,064 individuals from 53 HGDP populations, and 49 individuals with whole-genome sequences from 10 populations. Type 2 diabetes (T2D demonstrated extreme directional differentiation of risk allele frequencies across human populations, compared with null distributions of European-frequency matched control genomic alleles and risk alleles for other diseases. Most T2D risk alleles share a consistent pattern of decreasing frequencies along human migration into East Asia. Furthermore, we show that these patterns contribute to disparities in predicted genetic risk across 1,397 HapMap individuals, T2D genetic risk being consistently higher for individuals in the African populations and lower in the Asian populations, irrespective of the ethnicity considered in the initial discovery of risk alleles. We observed a similar pattern in the distribution of T2D Genetic Risk Scores, which are associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes in the Diabetes Prevention Program cohort, for the same individuals. This disparity may be attributable to the promotion of energy storage and usage appropriate to environments and inconsistent energy intake. Our results indicate that the differential frequencies of T2D risk alleles may

Implementation method of multi-terminal DC control system

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Liu; Hao-Ran, Huang; Jun-Wen, Zhou; Hong-Guang, Guo; Yu-Yong, Zhou

2018-04-01

Currently the multi-terminal DC system (MTDC) has more stations. Each station needs operators to monitor and control the device. It needs much more operation and maintenance, low efficiency and small reliability; for the most important reason, multi-terminal DC system has complex control mode. If one of the stations has some problem, the control of the whole system should have problems. According to research of the characteristics of multi-terminal DC (VSC-MTDC) systems, this paper presents a strong implementation of the multi-terminal DC Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. This system is intelligent, can be networking, integration and intelligent. A master control system is added in each station to communication with the other stations to send current and DC voltage value to pole control system for each station. Based on the practical application and information feedback in the China South Power Grid research center VSC-MTDC project, this system is higher efficiency and save the cost on the maintenance of convertor station to improve the intelligent level and comprehensive effect. And because of the master control system, a multi-terminal system hierarchy coordination control strategy is formed, this make the control and protection system more efficiency and reliability.

Linkage disequilibrium in the insulin gene region: Size variation at the 5{prime} flanking polymorphism and bimodality among {open_quotes}Class I{close_quotes} alleles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McGinnis, R.E.; Spielman, R.S. [Univ. of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

1994-09-01

The 5{prime} flanking polymorphism (5{prime}FP), a hypervariable region at the 5{prime} end of the insulin gene, has {open_quotes}class 1{close_quotes} alleles (650-900 bp long) that are in positive linkage disequilibrium with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). The authors report that precise sizing of the 5{prime}FP yields a bimodal frequency distribution of class 1 allele lengths. Class 1 alleles belonging to the lower component (650-750 bp) of the bimodal distribution were somewhat more highly associated with IDDM than were alleles from the upper component (760-900 bp), but the difference was not statistically significant. They also examined 5{prime}FP length variation in relation to allelic variation at nearby polymorphisms. At biallelic RFLPs on both sides of the 5{prime}FP, they found that one allele exhibits near-total association with the upper component of the 5FP class 1 distribution. Such associations represent a little-known but potentially wide-spread form of linkage disequilibrium. In this type of disequilibrium, a flanking allele has near-complete association with a single mode of VNTR alleles whose lengths represent consecutive numbers of tandem repeats (CNTR). Such extreme disequilibrium between a CNTR mode and flanking alleles may originate and persist because length mutations at some VNTR loci usually add or delete only one or two repeat units. 22 refs., 5 figs., 6 tabs.

Correlation between carboxylesterase alleles and insecticide resistance in Culex pipiens complex from China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Yangyang

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In China, large amounts of chemical insecticides are applied in fields or indoors every year, directly or indirectly bringing selection pressure on vector mosquitoes. Culex pipiens complex has evolved to be resistant to all types of chemical insecticides, especially organophosphates, through carboxylesterases. Six resistant carboxylesterase alleles (Ester were recorded previously and sometimes co-existed in one field population, representing a complex situation for the evolution of Ester genes. Results In order to explore the evolutionary scenario, we analyzed the data from an historical record in 2003 and a recent investigation on five Culex pipiens pallens populations sampled from north China in 2010. Insecticide bioassays showed that these five populations had high resistance to pyrethroids, medium resistance to organophosphates, and low resistance to carbamates. Six types of Ester alleles, EsterB1, Ester2, Ester8, Ester9, EsterB10, and Ester11 were identified, and the overall pattern of their frequencies in geographic distribution was consistent with the report seven years prior to this study. Statistical correlation analysis indicated that Ester8 and Ester9 positively correlated with resistance to four insecticides, and EsterB10 to one insecticide. The occurrences of these three alleles were positively correlated, while the occurrence of EsterB1 was negatively correlated with Ester8, indicating an allelic competition. Conclusion Our analysis suggests that one insecticide can select multiple Ester alleles and one Ester allele can work on multiple insecticides. The evolutionary scenario of carboxylesterases under insecticide selection is possibly "one to many".

Multi-echelon systems : a service measure perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Diks, E.B.; Kok, de A.G.; Lagodimos, A.G.

1996-01-01

This paper reviews the most important results on divergent multi-echelon systems. In particular, we concentrate on the interactions between the elements that constitute such a multi-echelon system, in order to determine several service measures (e.g. external customer service level and inventory

AllelicImbalance: An R/ bioconductor package for detecting, managing, and visualizing allele expression imbalance data from RNA sequencing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gådin, Jesper R.; van't Hooft, Ferdinand M.; Eriksson, Per

2015-01-01

the possible biases. Results: We present AllelicImblance, a software program that is designed to detect, manage, and visualize allelic imbalances comprehensively. The purpose of this software is to allow users to pose genetic questions in any RNA sequencing experiment quickly, enhancing the general utility...... of RNA sequencing. The visualization features can reveal notable, non-trivial allelic imbalance behavior over specific regions, such as exons. Conclusions: The software provides a complete framework to perform allelic imbalance analyses of aligned RNA sequencing data, from detection to visualization...

Multi-disciplinary coupling for integrated design of propulsion systems

Science.gov (United States)

Chamis, C. C.; Singhal, S. N.

1993-01-01

Effective computational simulation procedures are described for modeling the inherent multi-disciplinary interactions for determining the true response of propulsion systems. Results are presented for propulsion system responses including multi-discipline coupling effects via (1) coupled multi-discipline tailoring, (2) an integrated system of multidisciplinary simulators, (3) coupled material-behavior/fabrication-process tailoring, (4) sensitivities using a probabilistic simulator, and (5) coupled materials/structures/fracture/probabilistic behavior simulator. The results show that the best designs can be determined if the analysis/tailoring methods account for the multi-disciplinary coupling effects. The coupling across disciplines can be used to develop an integrated interactive multi-discipline numerical propulsion system simulator.

Microphysics in Multi-scale Modeling System with Unified Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Wei-Kuo

2012-01-01

Recently, a multi-scale modeling system with unified physics was developed at NASA Goddard. It consists of (1) a cloud-resolving model (Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model, GCE model), (2) a regional scale model (a NASA unified weather research and forecast, WRF), (3) a coupled CRM and global model (Goddard Multi-scale Modeling Framework, MMF), and (4) a land modeling system. The same microphysical processes, long and short wave radiative transfer and land processes and the explicit cloud-radiation, and cloud-land surface interactive processes are applied in this multi-scale modeling system. This modeling system has been coupled with a multi-satellite simulator to use NASA high-resolution satellite data to identify the strengths and weaknesses of cloud and precipitation processes simulated by the model. In this talk, a review of developments and applications of the multi-scale modeling system will be presented. In particular, the microphysics development and its performance for the multi-scale modeling system will be presented.

Estimated allele substitution effects underlying genomic evaluation models depend on the scaling of allele counts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bouwman, Aniek C.; Hayes, Ben J.; Calus, Mario P.L.

2017-01-01

Background: Genomic evaluation is used to predict direct genomic values (DGV) for selection candidates in breeding programs, but also to estimate allele substitution effects (ASE) of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Scaling of allele counts influences the estimated ASE, because scaling of

Multi-core fiber undersea transmission systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nooruzzaman, Md; Morioka, Toshio

2017-01-01

Various potential architectures of branching units for multi-core fiber undersea transmission systems are presented. It is also investigated how different architectures of branching unit influence the number of fibers and those of inline components.......Various potential architectures of branching units for multi-core fiber undersea transmission systems are presented. It is also investigated how different architectures of branching unit influence the number of fibers and those of inline components....

Optimal Multi-Level Lot Sizing for Requirements Planning Systems

OpenAIRE

Earle Steinberg; H. Albert Napier

1980-01-01

The wide spread use of advanced information systems such as Material Requirements Planning (MRP) has significantly altered the practice of dependent demand inventory management. Recent research has focused on development of multi-level lot sizing heuristics for such systems. In this paper, we develop an optimal procedure for the multi-period, multi-product, multi-level lot sizing problem by modeling the system as a constrained generalized network with fixed charge arcs and side constraints. T...

Recent Advances in System Reliability Signatures, Multi-state Systems and Statistical Inference

CERN Document Server

Frenkel, Ilia

2012-01-01

Recent Advances in System Reliability discusses developments in modern reliability theory such as signatures, multi-state systems and statistical inference. It describes the latest achievements in these fields, and covers the application of these achievements to reliability engineering practice. The chapters cover a wide range of new theoretical subjects and have been written by leading experts in reliability theory and its applications.  The topics include: concepts and different definitions of signatures (D-spectra),  their  properties and applications  to  reliability of coherent systems and network-type structures; Lz-transform of Markov stochastic process and its application to multi-state system reliability analysis; methods for cost-reliability and cost-availability analysis of multi-state systems; optimal replacement and protection strategy; and statistical inference. Recent Advances in System Reliability presents many examples to illustrate the theoretical results. Real world multi-state systems...

Path integral molecular dynamics for exact quantum statistics of multi-electronic-state systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xinzijian; Liu, Jian

2018-03-14

An exact approach to compute physical properties for general multi-electronic-state (MES) systems in thermal equilibrium is presented. The approach is extended from our recent progress on path integral molecular dynamics (PIMD), Liu et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 145, 024103 (2016)] and Zhang et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 147, 034109 (2017)], for quantum statistical mechanics when a single potential energy surface is involved. We first define an effective potential function that is numerically favorable for MES-PIMD and then derive corresponding estimators in MES-PIMD for evaluating various physical properties. Its application to several representative one-dimensional and multi-dimensional models demonstrates that MES-PIMD in principle offers a practical tool in either of the diabatic and adiabatic representations for studying exact quantum statistics of complex/large MES systems when the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, Condon approximation, and harmonic bath approximation are broken.

Multi-bunch Feedback Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lonza, M; Schmickler, H

2014-01-01

Coupled-bunch instabilities excited by the interaction of the particle beam with its surroundings can seriously limit the performance of circular particle accelerators. These instabilities can be cured by the use of active feedback systems based on sensors capable of detecting the unwanted beam motion and actuators that apply the feedback correction to the beam. Advances in electronic technology now allow the implementation of feedback loops using programmable digital systems. Besides important advantages in terms of flexibility and reproducibility, digital systems open the way to the use of novel diagnostic tools and additional features. We first introduce coupled-bunch instabilities, analysing the equation of motion of charged particles and the different modes of oscillation of a multi-bunch beam, showing how they can be observed and measured. Different types of feedback systems will then be presented as examples of real implementations that belong to the history of multi-bunch feedback systems. The main components of a feedback system and the related issues will also be analysed. Finally, we shall focus on digital feedback systems, their characteristics, and features, as well as on how they can be concretely exploited for both the optimization of feedback performance and for beam dynamics studies

Expression and loss of alleles in cultured mouse embryonic fibroblasts and stem cells carrying allelic fluorescent protein genes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stringer Saundra L

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Loss of heterozygosity (LOH contributes to many cancers, but the rate at which these events occur in normal cells of the body is not clear. LOH would be detectable in diverse cell types in the body if this event were to confer an obvious cellular phenotype. Mice that carry two different fluorescent protein genes as alleles of a locus would seem to be a useful tool for addressing this issue because LOH would change a cell's phenotype from dichromatic to monochromatic. In addition, LOH caused by mitotic crossing over might be discernable in tissues because this event produces a pair of neighboring monochromatic cells that are different colors. Results As a step in assessing the utility of this approach, we derived primary embryonic fibroblast populations and embryonic stem cell lines from mice that carried two different fluorescent protein genes as alleles at the chromosome 6 locus, ROSA26. Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS showed that the vast majority of cells in each line expressed the two marker proteins at similar levels, and that populations exhibited expression noise similar to that seen in bacteria and yeast. Cells with a monochromatic phenotype were present at frequencies on the order of 10-4 and appeared to be produced at a rate of approximately 10-5 variant cells per mitosis. 45 of 45 stably monochromatic ES cell clones exhibited loss of the expected allele at the ROSA26 locus. More than half of these clones retained heterozygosity at a locus between ROSA26 and the centromere. Other clones exhibited LOH near the centromere, but were disomic for chromosome 6. Conclusion Allelic fluorescent markers allowed LOH at the ROSA26 locus to be detected by FACS. LOH at this locus was usually not accompanied by LOH near the centromere, suggesting that mitotic recombination was the major cause of ROSA26 LOH. Dichromatic mouse embryonic cells provide a novel system for studying genetic/karyotypic stability and factors

Performance of the Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor System over the Lower Colorado River, Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Bayabil, H. K.; Sharif, H. O.; Fares, A.; Awal, R.; Risch, E.

2017-12-01

Recently observed increases in intensities and frequencies of climate extremes (e.g., floods, dam failure, and overtopping of river banks) necessitate the development of effective disaster prevention and mitigation strategies. Hydrologic models can be useful tools in predicting such events at different spatial and temporal scales. However, accuracy and prediction capability of such models are often constrained by the availability of high-quality representative hydro-meteorological data (e.g., precipitation) that are required to calibrate and validate such models. Improved technologies and products such as the Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) system that allows gathering and transmission of vast meteorological data have been developed to provide such data needs. While the MRMS data are available with high spatial and temporal resolutions (1 km and 15 min, respectively), its accuracy in estimating precipitation is yet to be fully investigated. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of the MRMS system in effectively capturing precipitation over the Lower Colorado River, Texas using observations from a dense rain gauge network. In addition, effects of spatial and temporal aggregation scales on the performance of the MRMS system were evaluated. Point scale comparisons were made at 215 gauging locations using rain gauges and MRMS data from May 2015. Moreover, the effects of temporal and spatial data aggregation scales (30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, and 120 min) and (4 to 50 km), respectively on the performance of the MRMS system were tested. Overall, the MRMS system (at 15 min temporal resolution) captured precipitation reasonably well, with an average R2 value of 0.65 and RMSE of 0.5 mm. In addition, spatial and temporal data aggregations resulted in increases in R2 values. However, reduction in RMSE was achieved only with an increase in spatial aggregations.

CYP3A4 allelic variants with amino acid substitutions in exons 7 and 12: evidence for an allelic variant with altered catalytic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sata, F; Sapone, A; Elizondo, G; Stocker, P; Miller, V P; Zheng, W; Raunio, H; Crespi, C L; Gonzalez, F J

2000-01-01

To determine the existence of mutant and variant CgammaP3A4 alleles in three racial groups and to assess functions of the variant alleles by complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) expression. A bacterial artificial chromosome that contains the complete CgammaP3A4 gene was isolated and the exons and surrounding introns were directly sequenced to develop primers to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplify and sequence the gene from lymphocyte DNA. DNA samples from Chinese, black, and white subjects were screened. Mutating the affected amino acid in the wild-type cDNA and expressing the variant enzyme with use of the baculovirus system was used to functionally evaluate the variant allele having a missense mutation. To investigate the existence of mutant and variant CgammaP3A4 alleles in humans, all 13 exons and the 5'-flanking region of the human CgammaP3A4 gene in three racial groups were sequenced and four alleles were identified. An A-->G point mutation in the 5'-flanking region of the human CgammaP3A4 gene, designated CgammaP3A4*1B, was found in the three different racial groups. The frequency of this allele in a white population was 4.2%, whereas it was 66.7% in black subjects. The CgammaP3A4*1B allele was not found in Chinese subjects. A second variant allele, designated CgammaP3A4*2, having a Ser222Pro change, was found at a frequency of 2.7% in the white population and was absent in the black subjects and Chinese subjects analyzed. Baculovirus-directed cDNA expression revealed that the CYP3A4*2 P450 had a lower intrinsic clearance for the CYP3A4 substrate nifedipine compared with the wild-type enzyme but was not significantly different from the wild-type enzyme for testosterone 6beta-hydroxylation. Another rare allele, designated CgammaP3A4*3, was found in a single Chinese subject who had a Met445Thr change in the conserved heme-binding region of the P450. These are the first examples of potential function polymorphisms resulting from missense mutations in

Multi-view Multi-sparsity Kernel Reconstruction for Multi-class Image Classification

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Xiaofeng; Xie, Qing; Zhu, Yonghua; Liu, Xingyi; Zhang, Shichao

2015-01-01

This paper addresses the problem of multi-class image classification by proposing a novel multi-view multi-sparsity kernel reconstruction (MMKR for short) model. Given images (including test images and training images) representing with multiple

A two-stage approach for multi-objective decision making with applications to system reliability optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Zhaojun; Liao Haitao; Coit, David W.

2009-01-01

This paper proposes a two-stage approach for solving multi-objective system reliability optimization problems. In this approach, a Pareto optimal solution set is initially identified at the first stage by applying a multiple objective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA). Quite often there are a large number of Pareto optimal solutions, and it is difficult, if not impossible, to effectively choose the representative solutions for the overall problem. To overcome this challenge, an integrated multiple objective selection optimization (MOSO) method is utilized at the second stage. Specifically, a self-organizing map (SOM), with the capability of preserving the topology of the data, is applied first to classify those Pareto optimal solutions into several clusters with similar properties. Then, within each cluster, the data envelopment analysis (DEA) is performed, by comparing the relative efficiency of those solutions, to determine the final representative solutions for the overall problem. Through this sequential solution identification and pruning process, the final recommended solutions to the multi-objective system reliability optimization problem can be easily determined in a more systematic and meaningful way.

The Rg1 allele as a valuable tool for genetic transformation of the tomato 'Micro-Tom' model system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Quecini Vera

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The cultivar Micro-Tom (MT is regarded as a model system for tomato genetics due to its short life cycle and miniature size. However, efforts to improve tomato genetic transformation have led to protocols dependent on the costly hormone zeatin, combined with an excessive number of steps. Results Here we report the development of a MT near-isogenic genotype harboring the allele Rg1 (MT-Rg1, which greatly improves tomato in vitro regeneration. Regeneration was further improved in MT by including a two-day incubation of cotyledonary explants onto medium containing 0.4 μM 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA before cytokinin treatment. Both strategies allowed the use of 5 μM 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP, a cytokinin 100 times less expensive than zeatin. The use of MT-Rg1 and NAA pre-incubation, followed by BAP regeneration, resulted in high transformation frequencies (near 40%, in a shorter protocol with fewer steps, spanning approximately 40 days from Agrobacterium infection to transgenic plant acclimatization. Conclusions The genetic resource and the protocol presented here represent invaluable tools for routine gene expression manipulation and high throughput functional genomics by insertional mutagenesis in tomato.

Multi-disciplinary coupling effects for integrated design of propulsion systems

Science.gov (United States)

Chamis, C. C.; Singhal, S. N.

1993-01-01

Effective computational simulation procedures are described for modeling the inherent multi-disciplinary interactions which govern the accurate response of propulsion systems. Results are presented for propulsion system responses including multi-disciplinary coupling effects using coupled multi-discipline thermal, structural, and acoustic tailoring; an integrated system of multi-disciplinary simulators; coupled material behavior/fabrication process tailoring; sensitivities using a probabilistic simulator; and coupled materials, structures, fracture, and probabilistic behavior simulator. The results demonstrate that superior designs can be achieved if the analysis/tailoring methods account for the multi-disciplinary coupling effects. The coupling across disciplines can be used to develop an integrated coupled multi-discipline numerical propulsion system simulator.

A Multi-Model Approach for System Diagnosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Niemann, Hans Henrik; Poulsen, Niels Kjølstad; Bækgaard, Mikkel Ask Buur

2007-01-01

A multi-model approach for system diagnosis is presented in this paper. The relation with fault diagnosis as well as performance validation is considered. The approach is based on testing a number of pre-described models and find which one is the best. It is based on an active approach......,i.e. an auxiliary input to the system is applied. The multi-model approach is applied on a wind turbine system....

The Goddard multi-scale modeling system with unified physics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W.-K. Tao

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Recently, a multi-scale modeling system with unified physics was developed at NASA Goddard. It consists of (1 a cloud-resolving model (CRM, (2 a regional-scale model, the NASA unified Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF, and (3 a coupled CRM-GCM (general circulation model, known as the Goddard Multi-scale Modeling Framework or MMF. The same cloud-microphysical processes, long- and short-wave radiative transfer and land-surface processes are applied in all of the models to study explicit cloud-radiation and cloud-surface interactive processes in this multi-scale modeling system. This modeling system has been coupled with a multi-satellite simulator for comparison and validation with NASA high-resolution satellite data.

This paper reviews the development and presents some applications of the multi-scale modeling system, including results from using the multi-scale modeling system to study the interactions between clouds, precipitation, and aerosols. In addition, use of the multi-satellite simulator to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the model-simulated precipitation processes will be discussed as well as future model developments and applications.

Development of MARS for multi-dimensional and multi-purpose thermal-hydraulic system analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Won Jae; Chung, Bub Dong; Kim, Kyung Doo; Hwang, Moon Kyu; Jeong, Jae Jun; Ha, Kwi Seok; Joo, Han Gyu [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, T/H Safety Research Team, Yusung, Daejeon (Korea)

2000-10-01

MARS (Multi-dimensional Analysis of Reactor Safety) code is being developed by KAERI for the realistic thermal-hydraulic simulation of light water reactor system transients. MARS 1.4 has been developed as a final version of basic code frame for the multi-dimensional analysis of system thermal-hydraulics. Since MARS 1.3, MARS 1.4 has been improved to have the enhanced code capability and user friendliness through the unification of input/output features, code models and code functions, and through the code modernization. Further improvements of thermal-hydraulic models, numerical method and user friendliness are being carried out for the enhanced code accuracy. As a multi-purpose safety analysis code system, a coupled analysis system, MARS/MASTER/CONTEMPT, has been developed using multiple DLL (Dynamic Link Library) techniques of Windows system. This code system enables the coupled, that is, more realistic analysis of multi-dimensional thermal-hydraulics (MARS 2.0), three-dimensional core kinetics (MASTER) and containment thermal-hydraulics (CONTEMPT). This paper discusses the MARS development program, and the developmental progress of the MARS 1.4 and the MARS/MASTER/CONTEMPT focusing on major features of the codes and their verification. It also discusses thermal hydraulic models and new code features under development. (author)

Development of MARS for multi-dimensional and multi-purpose thermal-hydraulic system analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Won Jae; Chung, Bub Dong; Kim, Kyung Doo; Hwang, Moon Kyu; Jeong, Jae Jun; Ha, Kwi Seok; Joo, Han Gyu

2000-01-01

MARS (Multi-dimensional Analysis of Reactor Safety) code is being developed by KAERI for the realistic thermal-hydraulic simulation of light water reactor system transients. MARS 1.4 has been developed as a final version of basic code frame for the multi-dimensional analysis of system thermal-hydraulics. Since MARS 1.3, MARS 1.4 has been improved to have the enhanced code capability and user friendliness through the unification of input/output features, code models and code functions, and through the code modernization. Further improvements of thermal-hydraulic models, numerical method and user friendliness are being carried out for the enhanced code accuracy. As a multi-purpose safety analysis code system, a coupled analysis system, MARS/MASTER/CONTEMPT, has been developed using multiple DLL (Dynamic Link Library) techniques of Windows system. This code system enables the coupled, that is, more realistic analysis of multi-dimensional thermal-hydraulics (MARS 2.0), three-dimensional core kinetics (MASTER) and containment thermal-hydraulics (CONTEMPT). This paper discusses the MARS development program, and the developmental progress of the MARS 1.4 and the MARS/MASTER/CONTEMPT focusing on major features of the codes and their verification. It also discusses thermal hydraulic models and new code features under development. (author)

Adaptive fuzzy sliding-mode control for multi-input multi-output chaotic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poursamad, Amir; Markazi, Amir H.D.

2009-01-01

This paper describes an adaptive fuzzy sliding-mode control algorithm for controlling unknown or uncertain, multi-input multi-output (MIMO), possibly chaotic, dynamical systems. The control approach encompasses a fuzzy system and a robust controller. The fuzzy system is designed to mimic an ideal sliding-mode controller, and the robust controller compensates the difference between the fuzzy controller and the ideal one. The parameters of the fuzzy system, as well as the uncertainty bound of the robust controller, are tuned adaptively. The adaptive laws are derived in the Lyapunov sense to guarantee the asymptotic stability and tracking of the controlled system. The effectiveness of the proposed method is shown by applying it to some well-known chaotic systems.

Indistinguishability Operators Applied to Task Allocation Problems in Multi-Agent Systems

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José Guerrero

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In this paper we show an application of indistinguishability operators to model response functions. Such functions are used in the mathematical modeling of the task allocation problem in multi-agent systems when the stimulus, perceived by the agent, to perform a task is assessed by means of the response threshold model. In particular, we propose this kind of operators to represent a response function when the stimulus only depends on the distance between the agent and a determined task, since we prove that two celebrated response functions used in the literature can be reproduced by appropriate indistinguishability operators when the stimulus only depends on the distance to each task that must be carried out. Despite the fact there is currently no systematic method to generate response functions, this paper provides, for the first time, a theoretical foundation to generate them and study their properties. To validate the theoretical results, the aforementioned indistinguishability operators have been used to simulate, with MATLAB, the allocation of a set of tasks in a multi-robot system with fuzzy Markov chains.

Detecting imbalanced expression of SNP alleles by minisequencing on microarrays

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Dahlgren Andreas

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Each of the human genes or transcriptional units is likely to contain single nucleotide polymorphisms that may give rise to sequence variation between individuals and tissues on the level of RNA. Based on recent studies, differential expression of the two alleles of heterozygous coding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs may be frequent for human genes. Methods with high accuracy to be used in a high throughput setting are needed for systematic surveys of expressed sequence variation. In this study we evaluated two formats of multiplexed, microarray based minisequencing for quantitative detection of imbalanced expression of SNP alleles. We used a panel of ten SNPs located in five genes known to be expressed in two endothelial cell lines as our model system. Results The accuracy and sensitivity of quantitative detection of allelic imbalance was assessed for each SNP by constructing regression lines using a dilution series of mixed samples from individuals of different genotype. Accurate quantification of SNP alleles by both assay formats was evidenced for by R2 values > 0.95 for the majority of the regression lines. According to a two sample t-test, we were able to distinguish 1–9% of a minority SNP allele from a homozygous genotype, with larger variation between SNPs than between assay formats. Six of the SNPs, heterozygous in either of the two cell lines, were genotyped in RNA extracted from the endothelial cells. The coefficient of variation between the fluorescent signals from five parallel reactions was similar for cDNA and genomic DNA. The fluorescence signal intensity ratios measured in the cDNA samples were compared to those in genomic DNA to determine the relative expression levels of the two alleles of each SNP. Four of the six SNPs tested displayed a higher than 1.4-fold difference in allelic ratios between cDNA and genomic DNA. The results were verified by allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridisation and

Improving Multi-Agent Systems Using Jason

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vester, Steen; Boss, Niklas Skamriis; Jensen, Andreas Schmidt

2011-01-01

We describe the approach used to develop the multi-agent system of herders that competed as the Jason-DTU team at the Multi-Agent Programming Contest 2010. We also participated in 2009 with a system developed in the agentoriented programming language Jason which is an extension of AgentSpeak. We ...... used the implementation from 2009 as a foundation and therefore much of the work done this year was on improving that implementation. We present a description which includes design and analysis of the system as well as the main features of our agent team strategy. In addition we discuss...

An analysis of the electromagnetic field in multi-polar linear induction system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chervenkova, Todorka; Chervenkov, Atanas

2002-01-01

In this paper a new method for determination of the electromagnetic field vectors in a multi-polar linear induction system (LIS) is described. The analysis of the electromagnetic field has been done by four dimensional electromagnetic potentials in conjunction with theory of the magnetic loops . The electromagnetic field vectors are determined in the Minkovski's space as elements of the Maxwell's tensor. The results obtained are compared with those got from the analysis made by the finite elements method (FEM).With the method represented in this paper one can determine the electromagnetic field vectors in the multi-polar linear induction system using four-dimensional potential. A priority of this method is the obtaining of analytical results for the electromagnetic field vectors. These results are also valid for linear media. The dependencies are valid also at high speeds of movement. The results of the investigated linear induction system are comparable to those got by the finite elements method. The investigations may be continued in the determination of other characteristics such as drag force, levitation force, etc. The method proposed in this paper for an analysis of linear induction system can be used for optimization calculations. (Author)

An SSP-PCR method for the rapid detection of disease-associated alleles HLA-A*29 and HLA-B*51.

Science.gov (United States)

Amstutz, U; Schaerer, D; Andrey, G; Wirthmueller, U; Largiadèr, C R

2018-05-15

HLA-A*29 and HLA-B*51 are associated with birdshot uveitis and Behçet's disease, respectively, and are used as a diagnostic criterion in patients with suspected disease, requiring their detection in diagnostic laboratories. While commercial tests for individual HLA alleles are available for other disease-associated HLA variants, no similar allele-specific assays are available for HLA-A*29 and -B*51. Here, we report SSP-PCR methods for the detection of HLA-A*29 and -B*51 using a single PCR reaction per allele. The assays were tested in 30 and 32 previously HLA-typed samples, respectively, representing >97% of HLA-A alleles and >93% of HLA-B alleles in a European population. A concordance of 100% was observed with previous typing results, validating these methods for use in a diagnostic or research context. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Multi-agent robotic systems and applications for satellite missions

Science.gov (United States)

Nunes, Miguel A.

A revolution in the space sector is happening. It is expected that in the next decade there will be more satellites launched than in the previous sixty years of space exploration. Major challenges are associated with this growth of space assets such as the autonomy and management of large groups of satellites, in particular with small satellites. There are two main objectives for this work. First, a flexible and distributed software architecture is presented to expand the possibilities of spacecraft autonomy and in particular autonomous motion in attitude and position. The approach taken is based on the concept of distributed software agents, also referred to as multi-agent robotic system. Agents are defined as software programs that are social, reactive and proactive to autonomously maximize the chances of achieving the set goals. Part of the work is to demonstrate that a multi-agent robotic system is a feasible approach for different problems of autonomy such as satellite attitude determination and control and autonomous rendezvous and docking. The second main objective is to develop a method to optimize multi-satellite configurations in space, also known as satellite constellations. This automated method generates new optimal mega-constellations designs for Earth observations and fast revisit times on large ground areas. The optimal satellite constellation can be used by researchers as the baseline for new missions. The first contribution of this work is the development of a new multi-agent robotic system for distributing the attitude determination and control subsystem for HiakaSat. The multi-agent robotic system is implemented and tested on the satellite hardware-in-the-loop testbed that simulates a representative space environment. The results show that the newly proposed system for this particular case achieves an equivalent control performance when compared to the monolithic implementation. In terms on computational efficiency it is found that the multi

Citizen's initiatives and the representative system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guggenberger, B.; Kempf, U.

1978-01-01

This anthology containing contributions of 19 sociologists is a systematic investigation of the locality, the possibilities and the effective radius of citizen's initiatives under the functional conditions of the parliamentary - representative system. The intellectual and political surroundings, the sociologic context, the institutional, political and judical overall conditions as well as the consequences of this movement for the whole political system of the Federal Republic of Germany. (orig.) [de

A multi-agent design for a pressurized water reactor (P.W.R.) control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aimar-Lichtenberger, M.

1999-01-01

This PhD work is in keeping with the complex industrial process control. The starting point is the analysis of control principles in a Pressurized Water Reactor (P.W.R). In order to cope with the limits of the present control procedures, a new control organisation by objectives and means is defined. This functional organisation is based on the state approach and is characterized by the parallel management of control functions to ensure the continuous control of the installation essential variables. With regard to this complex system problematic, we search the most adapted computer modeling. We show that a multi-agent system approach brings an interesting answer to manage the distribution and parallelism of control decisions and tasks. We present a synthetic study of multi-agent systems and their application fields.The choice of a multi-agent approach proceeds with the design of an agent model. This model gains experiences from other applications. This model is implemented in a computer environment which combines the mechanisms of an object language with Prolog. We propose in this frame a multi-agent modeling of the control system where each function is represented by an agent. The agents are structured in a hierarchical organisation and deal with different abstraction levers of the problem. Following a prototype process, the validation is realized by an implementation and by a coupling to a reactor simulator. The essential contributions of an agent approach turn on the mastery of the system complexity, the openness, the robustness and the potentialities of human-machine cooperation. (author)

An unusual occurrence of repeated single allele variation on Y-STR locus DYS458

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pankaj Shrivastava

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Six brothers were accused of gagging and raping a woman. A single male Y-STR profile was obtained from vaginal smear swab and clothes of the victim, which did not match with the DNA profile of the accused brothers. As a reference point, the blood sample of their father (aged 87 years was also analyzed with the same kit. The Y-STR haplotype of all six brothers was found to be the same as that of their father except at locus DYS458. At this locus, while the eldest, second and fourth siblings share allele 18 with their father, a loss of one repeat (allele 17 instead of 18 is observed in the third son while fifth and sixth siblings have allele 19 representing a gain of one repeat. Thus, two changes viz. a gain (twice and loss of one repeat at this locus in one generation is both interesting and unusual.

Genetic structure, diversity, and allelic richness in composite collection and reference set in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gowda Cholenahalli LL

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Plant genetic resources (PGR are the basic raw materials for future genetic progress and an insurance against unforeseen threats to agricultural production. An extensive characterization of PGR provides an opportunity to dissect structure, mine allelic variations, and identify diverse accessions for crop improvement. The Generation Challenge Program http://www.generationcp.org conceptualized the development of "composite collections" and extraction of "reference sets" from these for more efficient tapping of global crop-related genetic resources. In this study, we report the genetic structure, diversity and allelic richness in a composite collection of chickpea using SSR markers, and formation of a reference set of 300 accessions. Results The 48 SSR markers detected 1683 alleles in 2915 accessions, of which, 935 were considered rare, 720 common and 28 most frequent. The alleles per locus ranged from 14 to 67, averaged 35, and the polymorphic information content was from 0.467 to 0.974, averaged 0.854. Marker polymorphism varied between groups of accessions in the composite collection and reference set. A number of group-specific alleles were detected: 104 in Kabuli, 297 in desi, and 69 in wild Cicer; 114 each in Mediterranean and West Asia (WA, 117 in South and South East Asia (SSEA, and 10 in African region accessions. Desi and kabuli shared 436 alleles, while wild Cicer shared 17 and 16 alleles with desi and kabuli, respectively. The accessions from SSEA and WA shared 74 alleles, while those from Mediterranean 38 and 33 alleles with WA and SSEA, respectively. Desi chickpea contained a higher proportion of rare alleles (53% than kabuli (46%, while wild Cicer accessions were devoid of rare alleles. A genotype-based reference set captured 1315 (78% of the 1683 composite collection alleles of which 463 were rare, 826 common, and 26 the most frequent alleles. The neighbour-joining tree diagram of this reference set represents

Multi Agent Systems to Set Up Virtual Enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catalin Lupu

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This work presents a model of organizing moreenterprises into a virtual or a web enterprise. To constitutevirtual enterprises multiagent systems are utilized.In this sense the following are to be considered:elaborating a model to constitute the virtual enterprise, theimplementation of a multiagent system based on this modeland the testing and evaluation of the system performances,comparing them with more classic types of realization.In this paper, we describe how the multi-agentarchitecture can be used to support Virtual Enterprises(VE. We have focused on understanding how aVE is formedand, in particular, how the partners of a VE are selected. Wetryto analyse this scenario in the form of an AgentInteraction Protocol (AIP and then discuss how the multiagentarchitecrure can be used to support this process.Our working definition of a VE is: a team of partners thatcollaborate to achieve a specific goal. The partners may behuman beings, organisations or software agents. We believethat software agents, hereafter referred to as agents, are asuitable means of representing the partners of a VE. Oneimportant reason is that by representing the partners of aVE as agents and by delegating agents to look for the nextVE and conduct the negotiation on behalf of the partners, thepartners would then have the time to do the actual workrequired in the current VE.At the end of the paper we will present an experimentalsystem for the architecture of a virtual enterprise.

Design of a multi-agent hydroeconomic model to simulate a complex human-water system: Early insights from the Jordan Water Project

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, J.; Klassert, C. J. A.; Lachaut, T.; Selby, P. D.; Knox, S.; Gorelick, S.; Rajsekhar, D.; Tilmant, A.; Avisse, N.; Harou, J. J.; Gawel, E.; Klauer, B.; Mustafa, D.; Talozi, S.; Sigel, K.

2015-12-01

Our work focuses on development of a multi-agent, hydroeconomic model for purposes of water policy evaluation in Jordan. The model adopts a modular approach, integrating biophysical modules that simulate natural and engineered phenomena with human modules that represent behavior at multiple levels of decision making. The hydrologic modules are developed using spatially-distributed groundwater and surface water models, which are translated into compact simulators for efficient integration into the multi-agent model. For the groundwater model, we adopt a response matrix method approach in which a 3-dimensional MODFLOW model of a complex regional groundwater system is converted into a linear simulator of groundwater response by pre-processing drawdown results from several hundred numerical simulation runs. Surface water models for each major surface water basin in the country are developed in SWAT and similarly translated into simple rainfall-runoff functions for integration with the multi-agent model. The approach balances physically-based, spatially-explicit representation of hydrologic systems with the efficiency required for integration into a complex multi-agent model that is computationally amenable to robust scenario analysis. For the multi-agent model, we explicitly represent human agency at multiple levels of decision making, with agents representing riparian, management, supplier, and water user groups. The agents' decision making models incorporate both rule-based heuristics as well as economic optimization. The model is programmed in Python using Pynsim, a generalizable, open-source object-oriented code framework for modeling network-based water resource systems. The Jordan model is one of the first applications of Pynsim to a real-world water management case study. Preliminary results from a tanker market scenario run through year 2050 are presented in which several salient features of the water system are investigated: competition between urban and

Multi-agent systems simulation and applications

CERN Document Server

Uhrmacher, Adelinde M

2009-01-01

Methodological Guidelines for Modeling and Developing MAS-Based SimulationsThe intersection of agents, modeling, simulation, and application domains has been the subject of active research for over two decades. Although agents and simulation have been used effectively in a variety of application domains, much of the supporting research remains scattered in the literature, too often leaving scientists to develop multi-agent system (MAS) models and simulations from scratch. Multi-Agent Systems: Simulation and Applications provides an overdue review of the wide ranging facets of MAS simulation, i

Suspension Array for Multiplex Detection of Eight Fungicide-Resistance Related Alleles in Botrytis cinerea

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Xin; Xie, Fei; Lv, Baobei; Zhao, Pengxiang; Ma, Xuemei

2016-01-01

A simple and high-throughput assay to detect fungicide resistance is required for large-scale monitoring of the emergence of resistant strains of Botrytis cinerea. Using suspension array technology performed on a Bio-Plex 200 System, we developed a single-tube allele-specific primer extension (ASPE) assay that can simultaneously detect eight alleles in one reaction. These eight alleles include E198 and 198A of the β-Tubulin gene (BenA), H272 and 272Y of the Succinate dehydrogenase iron–sulfur...

Generalized modeling of multi-component vaporization/condensation phenomena for multi-phase-flow analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morita, K.; Fukuda, K.; Tobita, Y.; Kondo, Sa.; Suzuki, T.; Maschek, W.

2003-01-01

A new multi-component vaporization/condensation (V/C) model was developed to provide a generalized model for safety analysis codes of liquid metal cooled reactors (LMRs). These codes simulate thermal-hydraulic phenomena of multi-phase, multi-component flows, which is essential to investigate core disruptive accidents of LMRs such as fast breeder reactors and accelerator driven systems. The developed model characterizes the V/C processes associated with phase transition by employing heat transfer and mass-diffusion limited models for analyses of relatively short-time-scale multi-phase, multi-component hydraulic problems, among which vaporization and condensation, or simultaneous heat and mass transfer, play an important role. The heat transfer limited model describes the non-equilibrium phase transition processes occurring at interfaces, while the mass-diffusion limited model is employed to represent effects of non-condensable gases and multi-component mixture on V/C processes. Verification of the model and method employed in the multi-component V/C model of a multi-phase flow code was performed successfully by analyzing a series of multi-bubble condensation experiments. The applicability of the model to the accident analysis of LMRs is also discussed by comparison between steam and metallic vapor systems. (orig.)

Multi-Objective Optimal Design of Renewable Energy Integrated CCHP System Using PICEA-g

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guozheng Li

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The integration of renewable energies into combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP systems has become increasingly popular in recent years. However, the optimization of renewable energies integrated CCHP (RECCHP systems (i.e., optimal component configurations is far from being well addressed, especially in isolated mode. This study aims to fill this research gap. A multi-objective optimization model characterizing the system reliability, system cost, and environmental sustainability is constructed. In this model, the objectives include minimization of annual total cost (ATC, carbon dioxide emission (CDE, and loss of energy supply probability (LESP. The decision variables representing the configuration of the RECCHP system include the number of photovoltaic (PV panels and wind turbines (WTs, the tilt angle of PV panels, the height of WTs, the maximum fuel consumption, and the capacity of battery and heat storage tanks (HSTs. The multi-objective model is solved by a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm, namely, the preference-inspired coevolutionary algorithm (PICEA-g, resulting in a set of Pareto optimal (trade-off solutions. Then, a decision-making process is demonstrated, selecting a preferred solution amongst those trade-off solutions by further considering the decision-maker preferences. Furthermore, on the optimization of the RECCHP system, operational strategies (i.e., following electric load, FEL, and following thermal load, FTL are considered, respectively. Experimental results show that the FEL and FTL strategies lead to different optimal configurations. In general, the FTL is recommended in summer and winter, while the FEL is more suitable for spring and autumn. Compared with traditional energy systems, RECCHP has better economic and environmental advantages.

Human minisatellite alleles detectable only after PCR amplification.

Science.gov (United States)

Armour, J A; Crosier, M; Jeffreys, A J

1992-01-01

We present evidence that a proportion of alleles at two human minisatellite loci is undetected by standard Southern blot hybridization. In each case the missing allele(s) can be identified after PCR amplification and correspond to tandem arrays too short to detect by hybridization. At one locus, there is only one undetected allele (population frequency 0.3), which contains just three repeat units. At the second locus, there are at least five undetected alleles (total population frequency 0.9) containing 60-120 repeats; they are not detected because these tandem repeats give very poor signals when used as a probe in standard Southern blot hybridization, and also cross-hybridize with other sequences in the genome. Under these circumstances only signals from the longest tandemly repeated alleles are detectable above the nonspecific background. The structures of these loci have been compared in human and primate DNA, and at one locus the short human allele containing three repeat units is shown to be an intermediate state in the expansion of a monomeric precursor allele in primates to high copy number in the longer human arrays. We discuss the implications of such loci for studies of human populations, minisatellite isolation by cloning, and the evolution of highly variable tandem arrays.

Mathematical model comparing of the multi-level economics systems

Science.gov (United States)

Brykalov, S. M.; Kryanev, A. V.

2017-12-01

The mathematical model (scheme) of a multi-level comparison of the economic system, characterized by the system of indices, is worked out. In the mathematical model of the multi-level comparison of the economic systems, the indicators of peer review and forecasting of the economic system under consideration can be used. The model can take into account the uncertainty in the estimated values of the parameters or expert estimations. The model uses the multi-criteria approach based on the Pareto solutions.

Generation of multi-wing chaotic attractor in fractional order system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Chaoxia; Yu Simin

2011-01-01

Highlights: → We investigate a novel approach for generating multi-wing chaotic attractors. → We introduce a fundamental fractional differential nominal linear system. → A proper nonlinear state feedback controller is designed. → The controlled system can generate fractional-order multi-wing chaotic attractors. - Abstract: In this paper, a novel approach is proposed for generating multi-wing chaotic attractors from the fractional linear differential system via nonlinear state feedback controller equipped with a duality-symmetric multi-segment quadratic function. The main idea is to design a proper nonlinear state feedback controller by using four construction criterions from a fundamental fractional differential nominal linear system, so that the controlled fractional differential system can generate multi-wing chaotic attractors. It is the first time in the literature to report the multi-wing chaotic attractors from an uncoupled fractional differential system. Furthermore, some basic dynamical analysis and numerical simulations are also given, confirming the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Multi-Organ toxicity demonstration in a functional human in vitro system composed of four organs.

Science.gov (United States)

Oleaga, Carlota; Bernabini, Catia; Smith, Alec S T; Srinivasan, Balaji; Jackson, Max; McLamb, William; Platt, Vivien; Bridges, Richard; Cai, Yunqing; Santhanam, Navaneetha; Berry, Bonnie; Najjar, Sarah; Akanda, Nesar; Guo, Xiufang; Martin, Candace; Ekman, Gail; Esch, Mandy B; Langer, Jessica; Ouedraogo, Gladys; Cotovio, Jose; Breton, Lionel; Shuler, Michael L; Hickman, James J

2016-02-03

We report on a functional human model to evaluate multi-organ toxicity in a 4-organ system under continuous flow conditions in a serum-free defined medium utilizing a pumpless platform for 14 days. Computer simulations of the platform established flow rates and resultant shear stress within accepted ranges. Viability of the system was demonstrated for 14 days as well as functional activity of cardiac, muscle, neuronal and liver modules. The pharmacological relevance of the integrated modules were evaluated for their response at 7 days to 5 drugs with known side effects after a 48 hour drug treatment regime. The results of all drug treatments were in general agreement with published toxicity results from human and animal data. The presented phenotypic culture model exhibits a multi-organ toxicity response, representing the next generation of in vitro systems, and constitutes a step towards an in vitro "human-on-a-chip" assay for systemic toxicity screening.

Model-Checking of Linear-Time Properties in Multi-Valued Systems

OpenAIRE

Li, Yongming; Droste, Manfred; Lei, Lihui

2012-01-01

In this paper, we study model-checking of linear-time properties in multi-valued systems. Safety property, invariant property, liveness property, persistence and dual-persistence properties in multi-valued logic systems are introduced. Some algorithms related to the above multi-valued linear-time properties are discussed. The verification of multi-valued regular safety properties and multi-valued $\\omega$-regular properties using lattice-valued automata are thoroughly studied. Since the law o...

Consensus for linear multi-agent system with intermittent information transmissions using the time-scale theory

Science.gov (United States)

Taousser, Fatima; Defoort, Michael; Djemai, Mohamed

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the consensus problem for linear multi-agent system with fixed communication topology in the presence of intermittent communication using the time-scale theory. Since each agent can only obtain relative local information intermittently, the proposed consensus algorithm is based on a discontinuous local interaction rule. The interaction among agents happens at a disjoint set of continuous-time intervals. The closed-loop multi-agent system can be represented using mixed linear continuous-time and linear discrete-time models due to intermittent information transmissions. The time-scale theory provides a powerful tool to combine continuous-time and discrete-time cases and study the consensus protocol under a unified framework. Using this theory, some conditions are derived to achieve exponential consensus under intermittent information transmissions. Simulations are performed to validate the theoretical results.

Optimization of multi-branch switched diversity systems

KAUST Repository

Nam, Haewoon

2009-10-01

A performance optimization based on the optimal switching threshold(s) for a multi-branch switched diversity system is discussed in this paper. For the conventional multi-branch switched diversity system with a single switching threshold, the optimal switching threshold is a function of both the average channel SNR and the number of diversity branches, where computing the optimal switching threshold is not a simple task when the number of diversity branches is high. The newly proposed multi-branch switched diversity system is based on a sequence of switching thresholds, instead of a single switching threshold, where a different diversity branch uses a different switching threshold for signal comparison. Thanks to the fact that each switching threshold in the sequence can be optimized only based on the number of the remaining diversity branches, the proposed system makes it easy to find these switching thresholds. Furthermore, some selected numerical and simulation results show that the proposed switched diversity system with the sequence of optimal switching thresholds outperforms the conventional system with the single optimal switching threshold. © 2009 IEEE.

Multi-view Multi-sparsity Kernel Reconstruction for Multi-class Image Classification

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Xiaofeng

2015-05-28

This paper addresses the problem of multi-class image classification by proposing a novel multi-view multi-sparsity kernel reconstruction (MMKR for short) model. Given images (including test images and training images) representing with multiple visual features, the MMKR first maps them into a high-dimensional space, e.g., a reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS), where test images are then linearly reconstructed by some representative training images, rather than all of them. Furthermore a classification rule is proposed to classify test images. Experimental results on real datasets show the effectiveness of the proposed MMKR while comparing to state-of-the-art algorithms.

FY1995 distributed control of man-machine cooperative multi agent systems; 1995 nendo ningen kyochogata multi agent kikai system no jiritsu seigyo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

In the near future, distributed autonomous systems will be practical in many situations, e.g., interactive production systems, hazardous environments, nursing homes, and individual houses. The agents which consist of the distributed system must not give damages to human being and should be working economically. In this project man-machine cooperative multi agent systems are studied in many kind of respects, and basic design technology, basic control technique are developed by establishing fundamental theories and by constructing experimental systems. In this project theoretical and experimental studies are conducted in the following sub-projects: (1) Distributed cooperative control in multi agent type actuation systems (2) Control of non-holonomic systems (3) Man-machine Cooperative systems (4) Robot systems learning human skills (5) Robust force control of constrained systems In each sub-project cooperative nature between machine agent systems and human being, interference between artificial multi agents and environment and new function emergence in coordination of the multi agents and the environment, robust force control against for the environments, control methods for non-holonomic systems, robot systems which can mimic and learn human skills were studied. In each sub-project, some problems were hi-lighted and solutions for the problems have been given based on construction of experimental systems. (NEDO)

Evaluation of BRDF Archetypes for Representing Surface Reflectance Anisotropy Using MODIS BRDF Data

OpenAIRE

Zhang, Hu; Jiao, Ziti; Dong, Yadong; Li, Xiaowen

2015-01-01

Bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) archetypes extracted from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) BRDF/Albedo product over the global Earth Observing System Land Validation Core Sites can be used to simplify BRDF models. The present study attempts to evaluate the representativeness of BRDF archetypes for surface reflectance anisotropy. Five-year forward-modeled MODIS multi-angular reflectance (MCD-ref) and aditional actual MODIS multi-angular observat...

Multi-variable systems in nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collins, G.B.; Howell, J.

1982-01-01

Nuclear power plant are complex multi-variable dynamically interactive systems which employ many facets of systems and control theory in their analysis and design. Whole plant mathematical models must be developed and validated and in addition to their obvious role in control system synthesis and design, they are also widely used for operational constraint and plant malfunction analysis. The need for and scope of an integrated power plant control system is discussed and, as a specific example, the design of an integrated feedwater regulator is reviewed. The multi-variable frequency response analysis employed in the design is described in detail. (author)

Representing Causality and Reasoning about Controllability of Multi-level Flow-Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heussen, Kai; Lind, Morten

2010-01-01

Safe operation of complex processes requires that operators maintain situational-awareness even in highly automated environments. Automatic reasoning can support operators as well as the automation system itself to react effectively and appropriately to disturbances. However, knowledge......-based reasoning about control situations remains a challenge due to the entanglement of process and control systems that co-establish the intended causal structure of a process. Due to this entanglement, reasoning about such systems depends on a coherent representation of control and process. This paper explains...... modeling of controlled processes with multilevelflow models and proposes a new framework for modeling causal influence in multilevel flow models on the basis of a flow/potential analogy. The results are illustrated on examples from the domain of electric power systems....

Definition of multi-state weighted k-out-of-n: F systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ding, Yi; Wu, Qiuwei; Zio, Enrico

2012-01-01

of the Multi-state Weighted k-out-of-n: G System- the Multi-state Weighted k-out-of-n: F System has not been clearly defined and discussed. In this short communication, the basic definition of the Multi-state Weighted k-out-of-n: F System model is proposed. The relationship between the Multi-state Weighted k...

A Complex Systems Approach to More Resilient Multi-Layered Security Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, Nathanael J. K. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Jones, Katherine A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Bandlow, Alisa [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Nozick, Linda Karen [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Waddell, Lucas [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Levin, Drew [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Whetzel, Jonathan [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-09-01

In July 2012, protestors cut through security fences and gained access to the Y-12 National Security Complex. This was believed to be a highly reliable, multi-layered security system. This report documents the results of a Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project that created a consistent, robust mathematical framework using complex systems analysis algorithms and techniques to better understand the emergent behavior, vulnerabilities and resiliency of multi-layered security systems subject to budget constraints and competing security priorities. Because there are several dimensions to security system performance and a range of attacks that might occur, the framework is multi-objective for a performance frontier to be estimated. This research explicitly uses probability of intruder interruption given detection (P_I) as the primary resilience metric. We demonstrate the utility of this framework with both notional as well as real-world examples of Physical Protection Systems (PPSs) and validate using a well-established force-on-force simulation tool, Umbra.

Dominant hemimelia and En-1 on mouse chromosome 1 are not allelic.

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, M; Hill, R E; West, J D

1992-08-01

Previous studies have shown that En-1, a homeobox-containing gene, maps close to or at the Dh locus in the mouse. Since homeobox-containing genes are key genes in the control of development the close proximity of En-1 to the developmentally significant gene Dh raised the possibility that the Dh mutation represented a mutant allele of En-1. A genetic analysis involving En-1, Dh, and other chromosome 1 markers (Emv-17, ln and Pep-3) shows that although Dh and En-1 are closely linked they are separable by recombination (4/563). The likely gene order and recombination frequencies of these loci are: ln (5.2 +/- 0.9) Emv-17 (1.1 +/- 0.4) Dh (0.7 +/- 0.4) En-1 (3.0 +/- 0.7) Pep-3. This shows that Dh is not a mutant allele of En-1.

Managed Multi-strata Tree + Crop Systems: An Agroecological Marvel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. K. Ramachandran Nair

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Today, when the emphasis on single-species production systems that is cardinal to agricultural and forestry programs the world over has resulted in serious ecosystem imbalances, the virtues of the time-tested practice of growing different species together as in managed Multi-strata Tree + Crop (MTC systems deserve serious attention. The coconut-palm-based multispecies systems in tropical homegardens and shaded perennial systems are just two such systems. A fundamental ecological principle of these systems is niche complementarity, which implies that systems that are structurally and functionally more complex than crop- or tree monocultures result in greater efficiency of resource (nutrients, light, and water capture and utilization. Others include spatial and temporal heterogeneity, perennialism, and structural and functional diversity. Unexplored or under-exploited areas of benefits of MTC systems include their ecosystem services such as carbon storage, climate regulation, and biodiversity conservation. These multispecies integrated systems indeed represent an agroecological marvel, the principles of which could be utilized in the design of sustainable as well as productive agroecosystems. Environmental and ecological specificity of MTC systems, however, is a unique feature that restricts their comparison with other land-use systems and extrapolation of the management features used in one location to another.

Building Multi-Agent Systems Using Jason

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boss, Niklas Skamriis; Jensen, Andreas Schmidt; Villadsen, Jørgen

2010-01-01

We provide a detailed description of the Jason-DTU system, including the used methodology, tools as well as team strategy. We also discuss the experience gathered in the contest. In spring 2009 the course “Artificial Intelligence and Multi- Agent Systems” was held for the first time...... on the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). A part of this course was a short introduction to the multi-agent framework Jason, which is an interpreter for AgentSpeak, an agent-oriented programming language. As the final project in this course a solution to the Multi-Agent Programming Contest from 2007, the Gold...

Process technology for multi-enzymatic reaction systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xue, Rui; Woodley, John M.

2012-01-01

In recent years, biocatalysis has started to provide an important green tool in synthetic organic chemistry. Currently, the idea of using multi-enzymatic systems for industrial production of chemical compounds becomes increasingly attractive. Recent examples demonstrate the potential of enzymatic...... synthesis and fermentation as an alternative to chemical-catalysis for the production of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. In particular, the use of multiple enzymes is of special interest. However, many challenges remain in the scale-up of a multi-enzymatic system. This review summarizes and discusses...... the technology options and strategies that are available for the development of multi-enzymatic processes. Some engineering tools, including kinetic models and operating windows, for developing and evaluating such processes are also introduced....

Calculation and experimental investigation of multi-component ceramic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rother, M.

1994-12-01

This work shows a way to combine thermodynamic calculations and experiments in order to get useful information on the constitution of metal/non-metal systems. Many data from literature are critically evaluated and used as a basis for experiments and calculations. The following multi-component systems are treated: 1. Multi-component systems of 'ceramic' materials with partially metallic bonding (carbides, nitrides, oxides, borides, carbonitrides, borocarbides, oxinitrides of the 4-8th transition group metals) 2. multi-component systems of non-metallic materials with dominant covalent bonding (SiC, Si 3 N 4 , SiB 6 , BN, Al 4 C 3 , Be 2 C) 3. multi-component systems of non-metallic materials with dominant heteropolar bonding (Al 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , BeO, SiO 2 , ZrO 2 ). The interactions between 1. and 2., 2. and 3., 1. and 3. are also considered. The latest commercially available programmes for the calculation of thermodynamical equilibria and phase diagrams are evaluated and compared considering their facilities and limits. New phase diagrams are presented for many presently unknown multi-component systems; partly known systems are completed on the basis of selected thermodynamic data. The calculations are verified by experimental investigations (metallurgical and powder technology methods). Altogether 690 systems are evaluated, 126 are calculated for the first time and 52 systems are experimentally verified. New data for 60 ternary phases are elaborated by estimating the data limits for the Gibbs energy values. A synthesis of critical evaluation of literature, calculations and experiments leads to new important information about equilibria and reaction behaviour in multi-component systems. This information is necessary to develop new stable and metastable materials. (orig./MM) [de

Tuneable resolution as a systems biology approach for multi-scale, multi-compartment computational models.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirschner, Denise E; Hunt, C Anthony; Marino, Simeone; Fallahi-Sichani, Mohammad; Linderman, Jennifer J

2014-01-01

The use of multi-scale mathematical and computational models to study complex biological processes is becoming increasingly productive. Multi-scale models span a range of spatial and/or temporal scales and can encompass multi-compartment (e.g., multi-organ) models. Modeling advances are enabling virtual experiments to explore and answer questions that are problematic to address in the wet-lab. Wet-lab experimental technologies now allow scientists to observe, measure, record, and analyze experiments focusing on different system aspects at a variety of biological scales. We need the technical ability to mirror that same flexibility in virtual experiments using multi-scale models. Here we present a new approach, tuneable resolution, which can begin providing that flexibility. Tuneable resolution involves fine- or coarse-graining existing multi-scale models at the user's discretion, allowing adjustment of the level of resolution specific to a question, an experiment, or a scale of interest. Tuneable resolution expands options for revising and validating mechanistic multi-scale models, can extend the longevity of multi-scale models, and may increase computational efficiency. The tuneable resolution approach can be applied to many model types, including differential equation, agent-based, and hybrid models. We demonstrate our tuneable resolution ideas with examples relevant to infectious disease modeling, illustrating key principles at work. © 2014 The Authors. WIREs Systems Biology and Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Multi spectral scaling data acquisition system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Behere, Anita; Patil, R.D.; Ghodgaonkar, M.D.; Gopalakrishnan, K.R.

1997-01-01

In nuclear spectroscopy applications, it is often desired to acquire data at high rate with high resolution. With the availability of low cost computers, it is possible to make a powerful data acquisition system with minimum hardware and software development, by designing a PC plug-in acquisition board. But in using the PC processor for data acquisition, the PC can not be used as a multitasking node. Keeping this in view, PC plug-in acquisition boards with on-board processor find tremendous applications. Transputer based data acquisition board has been designed which can be configured as a high count rate pulse height MCA or as a Multi Spectral Scaler. Multi Spectral Scaling (MSS) is a new technique, in which multiple spectra are acquired in small time frames and are then analyzed. This paper describes the details of this multi spectral scaling data acquisition system. 2 figs

A flocking algorithm for multi-agent systems with connectivity preservation under hybrid metric-topological interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Chenlong; Feng, Zuren; Ren, Zhigang

2018-01-01

In this paper, we propose a connectivity-preserving flocking algorithm for multi-agent systems in which the neighbor set of each agent is determined by the hybrid metric-topological distance so that the interaction topology can be represented as the range-limited Delaunay graph, which combines the properties of the commonly used disk graph and Delaunay graph. As a result, the proposed flocking algorithm has the following advantages over the existing ones. First, range-limited Delaunay graph is sparser than the disk graph so that the information exchange among agents is reduced significantly. Second, some links irrelevant to the connectivity can be dynamically deleted during the evolution of the system. Thus, the proposed flocking algorithm is more flexible than existing algorithms, where links are not allowed to be disconnected once they are created. Finally, the multi-agent system spontaneously generates a regular quasi-lattice formation without imposing the constraint on the ratio of the sensing range of the agent to the desired distance between two adjacent agents. With the interaction topology induced by the hybrid distance, the proposed flocking algorithm can still be implemented in a distributed manner. We prove that the proposed flocking algorithm can steer the multi-agent system to a stable flocking motion, provided the initial interaction topology of multi-agent systems is connected and the hysteresis in link addition is smaller than a derived upper bound. The correctness and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm are verified by extensive numerical simulations, where the flocking algorithms based on the disk and Delaunay graph are compared.

A flocking algorithm for multi-agent systems with connectivity preservation under hybrid metric-topological interactions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chenlong He

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose a connectivity-preserving flocking algorithm for multi-agent systems in which the neighbor set of each agent is determined by the hybrid metric-topological distance so that the interaction topology can be represented as the range-limited Delaunay graph, which combines the properties of the commonly used disk graph and Delaunay graph. As a result, the proposed flocking algorithm has the following advantages over the existing ones. First, range-limited Delaunay graph is sparser than the disk graph so that the information exchange among agents is reduced significantly. Second, some links irrelevant to the connectivity can be dynamically deleted during the evolution of the system. Thus, the proposed flocking algorithm is more flexible than existing algorithms, where links are not allowed to be disconnected once they are created. Finally, the multi-agent system spontaneously generates a regular quasi-lattice formation without imposing the constraint on the ratio of the sensing range of the agent to the desired distance between two adjacent agents. With the interaction topology induced by the hybrid distance, the proposed flocking algorithm can still be implemented in a distributed manner. We prove that the proposed flocking algorithm can steer the multi-agent system to a stable flocking motion, provided the initial interaction topology of multi-agent systems is connected and the hysteresis in link addition is smaller than a derived upper bound. The correctness and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm are verified by extensive numerical simulations, where the flocking algorithms based on the disk and Delaunay graph are compared.

Characterization of a New Pm2 Allele Conferring Powdery Mildew Resistance in the Wheat Germplasm Line FG-1

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Pengtao; Xu, Hongxng; Li, Lihui; Zhang, Hongxia; Han, Guohao; Xu, Yunfeng; Fu, Xiaoyi; Zhang, Xiaotian; An, Diaoguo

2016-01-01

Powdery mildew has a negative impact on wheat production. Novel host resistance increases the diversity of resistance genes and helps to control the disease. In this study, wheat line FG-1 imported from France showed a high level of powdery mildew resistance at both the seedling and adult stages. An F2 population and F2:3 families from the cross FG-1 × Mingxian 169 both fit Mendelian ratios for a single dominant resistance gene when tested against multiple avirulent Blumeria tritici f. sp. tritici (Bgt) races. This gene was temporarily designated PmFG. PmFG was mapped on the multi-allelic Pm2 locus of chromosome 5DS using seven SSR, 10 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-derived and two SCAR markers with the flanking markers Xbwm21/Xcfd81/Xscar112 (distal) and Xbwm25 (proximal) at 0.3 and 0.5 cM being the closest. Marker SCAR203 co-segregated with PmFG. Allelism tests between PmFG and documented Pm2 alleles confirmed that PmFG was allelic with Pm2. Line FG-1 produced a significantly different reaction pattern compared to other lines with genes at or near Pm2 when tested against 49 Bgt isolates. The PmFG-linked marker alleles detected by the SNP-derived markers revealed significant variation between FG-1 and other lines with genes at or near Pm2. It was concluded that PmFG is a new allele at the Pm2 locus. Data from seven closely linked markers tested on 31 wheat cultivars indicated opportunities for marker-assisted pyramiding of this gene with other genes for powdery mildew resistance and additional traits. PMID:27200022

Increased risk for CRC in diabetic patients with the nonrisk allele of SNPs at 8q24.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishimaru, Shinya; Mimori, Koshi; Yamamoto, Ken; Inoue, Hiroshi; Imoto, Seiya; Kawano, Shuichi; Yamaguchi, Rui; Sato, Tetsuya; Toh, Hiroyuki; Iinuma, Hisae; Maeda, Toyoki; Ishii, Hideshi; Suzuki, Sadao; Tokudome, Shinkan; Watanabe, Masahiko; Tanaka, Jun-ichi; Kudo, Shin-ei; Sugihara, Ken-ichi; Hase, Kazuo; Mochizuki, Hidetaka; Kusunoki, Masato; Yamada, Kazutaka; Shimada, Yasuhiro; Moriya, Yoshihiro; Barnard, Graham F; Miyano, Satoru; Mori, Masaki

2012-09-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) oncogenesis was considered to be determined by interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Specific interacting factors that influence CRC morbidity have yet to be fully investigated. A multi-institutional collaborative study with 1511 CRC patients and 2098 control subjects was used to compare the odds ratios for the occurrence of polymorphisms at 11 known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). TaqMan PCR and questionnaires were used to evaluate the effects of environmental exposures. Variants of rs6983267 on 8q24 were the most significant markers of risk for CRC (odds ratio 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.27, P = 0.0015). Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (DM), a higher body mass index at age 20, and meat consumption were environmental risk factors, whereas a tuna-rich diet and vitamin intake were protective factors. The cohort of rs6983267 SNP major (T) allele at 8q24 and DM had a 1.66-fold higher risk ratio than the cohort of major allele patients without DM. We confirmed that interactions between the genetic background and environmental factors are associated with increased risk for CRC. There is a robust risk of the minor G allele at the 8q24 rs6983267 SNP; however, a major T allele SNP could more clearly reveal a correlation with CRC specifically when DM is present.

Regulatory issues associated with the Multi-Purpose (MPC) system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, J.P.; Desell, L.J.; Birch, M.L.; Morgan, R.G.

1994-01-01

The US Department of Energy Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management is developing a Multi-Purpose Canister system to promote compatibility between the waste program elements of storage, transportation, and disposal. The development of a Multi-Purpose Canister system requires meeting various regulatory requirements. These regulatory requirements are set forth in environmental and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations. This paper discusses the more significant regulatory issues that must be addressed in the development of a Multi-Purpose Canister system by the Department of Energy

Robust multi-model predictive control of multi-zone thermal plate system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Poom Jatunitanon

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A modern controller was designed by using the mathematical model of a multi–zone thermal plate system. An important requirement for this type of controller is that it must be able to keep the temperature set-point of each thermal zone. The mathematical model used in the design was determined through a system identification process. The results showed that when the operating condition is changed, the performance of the controller may be reduced as a result of the system parameter uncertainties. This paper proposes a weighting technique of combining the robust model predictive controller for each operating condition into a single robust multi-model predictive control. Simulation and experimental results showed that the proposed method performed better than the conventional multi-model predictive control in rise time of transient response, when used in a system designed to work over a wide range of operating conditions.

Integration of geospatial multi-mode transportation Systems in Kuala Lumpur

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail, M. A.; Said, M. N.

2014-06-01

Public transportation serves people with mobility and accessibility to workplaces, health facilities, community resources, and recreational areas across the country. Development in the application of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to transportation problems represents one of the most important areas of GIS-technology today. To show the importance of GIS network analysis, this paper highlights the determination of the optimal path between two or more destinations based on multi-mode concepts. The abstract connector is introduced in this research as an approach to integrate urban public transportation in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia including facilities such as Light Rapid Transit (LRT), Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) Komuter, Express Rail Link (ERL), KL Monorail, road driving as well as pedestrian modes into a single intelligent data model. To assist such analysis, ArcGIS's Network Analyst functions are used whereby the final output includes the total distance, total travelled time, directional maps produced to find the quickest, shortest paths, and closest facilities based on either time or distance impedance for multi-mode route analysis.

Integration of geospatial multi-mode transportation Systems in Kuala Lumpur

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ismail, M A; Said, M N

2014-01-01

Public transportation serves people with mobility and accessibility to workplaces, health facilities, community resources, and recreational areas across the country. Development in the application of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to transportation problems represents one of the most important areas of GIS-technology today. To show the importance of GIS network analysis, this paper highlights the determination of the optimal path between two or more destinations based on multi-mode concepts. The abstract connector is introduced in this research as an approach to integrate urban public transportation in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia including facilities such as Light Rapid Transit (LRT), Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) Komuter, Express Rail Link (ERL), KL Monorail, road driving as well as pedestrian modes into a single intelligent data model. To assist such analysis, ArcGIS's Network Analyst functions are used whereby the final output includes the total distance, total travelled time, directional maps produced to find the quickest, shortest paths, and closest facilities based on either time or distance impedance for multi-mode route analysis

Geostatistical analysis of allele presence patterns among American black bears in eastern North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, L.M.; Van Manen, F.T.; King, T.L.

2005-01-01

Highways are one of the leading causes of wildlife habitat fragmentation and may particularly affect wide-ranging species, such as American black bears (Ursus americanus). We initiated a research project in 2000 to determine potential effects of a 4-lane highway on black bear ecology in Washington County, North Carolina. The research design included a treatment area (highway construction) and a control area and a pre- and post-construction phase. We used data from the pre-construction phase to determine whether we could detect scale dependency or directionality among allele occurrence patterns using geostatistics. Detection of such patterns could provide a powerful tool to measure the effects of landscape fragmentation on gene flow. We sampled DNA from roots of black bear hair at 70 hair-sampling sites on each study area for 7 weeks during fall of 2000. We used microsatellite analysis based on 10 loci to determine unique multi-locus genotypes. We examined all alleles sampled at ???25 sites on each study area and mapped their presence or absence at each hair-sample site. We calculated semivariograms, which measure the strength of statistical correlation as a function of distance, and adjusted them for anisotropy to determine the maximum direction of spatial continuity. We then calculated the mean direction of spatial continuity for all examined alleles. The mean direction of allele frequency variation was 118.3?? (SE = 8.5) on the treatment area and 172.3?? (SE = 6.0) on the control area. Rayleigh's tests showed that these directions differed from random distributions (P = 0.028 and P < 0.001, respectively), indicating consistent directional patterns for the alleles we examined in each area. Despite the small spatial scale of our study (approximately 11,000 ha for each study area), we observed distinct and consistent patterns of allele occurrence, suggesting different directions of gene flow between the study areas. These directions seemed to coincide with the

ALEA: a toolbox for allele-specific epigenomics analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Younesy, Hamid; Möller, Torsten; Heravi-Moussavi, Alireza; Cheng, Jeffrey B; Costello, Joseph F; Lorincz, Matthew C; Karimi, Mohammad M; Jones, Steven J M

2014-04-15

The assessment of expression and epigenomic status using sequencing based methods provides an unprecedented opportunity to identify and correlate allelic differences with epigenomic status. We present ALEA, a computational toolbox for allele-specific epigenomics analysis, which incorporates allelic variation data within existing resources, allowing for the identification of significant associations between epigenetic modifications and specific allelic variants in human and mouse cells. ALEA provides a customizable pipeline of command line tools for allele-specific analysis of next-generation sequencing data (ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, etc.) that takes the raw sequencing data and produces separate allelic tracks ready to be viewed on genome browsers. The pipeline has been validated using human and hybrid mouse ChIP-seq and RNA-seq data. The package, test data and usage instructions are available online at http://www.bcgsc.ca/platform/bioinfo/software/alea CONTACT: : mkarimi1@interchange.ubc.ca or sjones@bcgsc.ca Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Database for the ampC alleles in Acinetobacter baumannii.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nabil Karah

Full Text Available Acinetobacter baumannii is a troublesome opportunistic pathogen with a high capacity for clonal dissemination. We announce the establishment of a database for the ampC locus in A. baumannii, in which novel ampC alleles are differentiated based on the occurrence of ≥ 1 nucleotide change, regardless of whether it is silent or missense. The database is openly accessible at the pubmlst platform for A. baumannii (http://pubmlst.org/abaumannii/. Forty-eight distinctive alleles of the ampC locus have so far been identified and deposited in the database. Isolates from clonal complex 1 (CC1, according to the Pasteur multilocus sequence typing scheme, had a variety of the ampC locus alleles, including alleles 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 17, and 18. On the other hand, isolates from CC2 had the ampC alleles 2, 3, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, and 46. Allele 3 was characteristic for sequence types ST3 or ST32. The ampC alleles 10, 16, and 25 were characteristic for CC10, ST16, and CC25, respectively. Our study points out that novel gene databases, in which alleles are numbered based on differences in their nucleotide identities, should replace traditional records that use amino acid substitutions to define new alleles.

Diploid male dynamics under different numbers of sexual alleles and male dispersal abilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Faria, Luiz R R; Soares, Elaine Della Giustina; Carmo, Eduardo do; Oliveira, Paulo Murilo Castro de

2016-09-01

Insects in the order Hymenoptera (bees, wasps and ants) present an haplodiploid system of sexual determination in which fertilized eggs become females and unfertilized eggs males. Under single locus complementary sex-determination (sl-CSD) system, the sex of a specimen depends on the alleles at a single locus: when diploid, an individual will be a female if heterozygous and male if homozygous. Significant diploid male (DM) production may drive a population to an extinction scenario called "diploid male vortex". We aimed at studying the dynamics of populations of a sl-CSD organism under several combinations of two parameters: male flight abilities and number of sexual alleles. In these simulations, we evaluated the frequency of DM and a genetic diversity measure over 10,000 generations. The number of sexual alleles varied from 10 to 100 and, at each generation, a male offspring might fly to another random site within a varying radius R. Two main results emerge from our simulations: (i) the number of DM depends more on male flight radius than on the number of alleles; (ii) in large geographic regions, the effect of males flight radius on the allelic diversity turns out much less pronounced than in small regions. In other words, small regions where inbreeding normally appears recover genetic diversity due to large flight radii. These results may be particularly relevant when considering the population dynamics of species with increasingly limited dispersal ability (e.g., forest-dependent species of euglossine bees in fragmented landscapes).

Selection of security system design via games of imperfect information and multi-objective genetic algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lins, Isis Didier; Rêgo, Leandro Chaves; Moura, Márcio das Chagas

2013-01-01

This work analyzes the strategic interaction between a defender and an intelligent attacker by means of a game and reliability framework involving a multi-objective approach and imperfect information so as to support decision-makers in choosing efficiently designed security systems. A multi-objective genetic algorithm is used to determine the optimal security system's configurations representing the tradeoff between the probability of a successful defense and the acquisition and operational costs. Games with imperfect information are considered, in which the attacker has limited knowledge about the actual security system. The types of security alternatives are readily observable, but the number of redundancies actually implemented in each security subsystem is not known. The proposed methodology is applied to an illustrative example considering power transmission lines in the Northeast of Brazil, which are often targets for attackers who aims at selling the aluminum conductors. The empirical results show that the framework succeeds in handling this sort of strategic interaction. -- Highlights: ► Security components must have feasible costs and must be reliable. ► The optimal design of security systems considers a multi-objective approach. ► Games of imperfect information enable the choice of non-dominated configurations. ► MOGA, reliability and games support the entire defender's decision process. ► The selection of effective security systems may discourage attacker's actions

Allelic Variation at the Rht8 Locus in a 19th Century Wheat Collection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linnéa Asplund

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Wheat breeding during the 20th century has put large efforts into reducing straw length and increasing harvest index. In the 1920s an allele of Rht8 with dwarfing effects, found in the Japanese cultivar “Akakomugi,” was bred into European cultivars and subsequently spread over the world. Rht8 has not been cloned, but the microsatellite marker WMS261 has been shown to be closely linked to it and is commonly used for genotyping Rht8. The “Akakomugi” allele is strongly associated with WMS261-192bp. Numerous screens of wheat cultivars with different geographical origin have been performed to study the spread and influence of the WMS261-192bp during 20th century plant breeding. However, the allelic diversity of WMS261 in wheat cultivars before modern plant breeding and introduction of the Japanese dwarfing genes is largely unknown. Here, we report a study of WMS261 allelic diversity in a historical wheat collection from 1865 representing worldwide major wheats at the time. The majority carried the previously reported 164 bp or 174 bp allele, but with little geographical correlation. In a few lines, a rare 182 bp fragment was found. Although straw length was recognized as an important character already in the 19th century, Rht8 probably played a minor role for height variation. The use of WMS261 and other functional markers for analyses of historical specimens and characterization of historic crop traits is discussed.

Groupies and Loners: The Population of Multi-planet Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Van Laerhoven, Christa L.; Greenberg, Richard

2014-11-01

Observational surveys with Kepler and other telescopes have shown that multi-planet systems are very numerous. Considering the secular dynamcis of multi-planet systems provides substantial insight into the interactions between planets in those systems. Since the underlying secular structure of a multi-planet system (the secular eigenmodes) can be calculated using only the planets' masses and semi-major axes, one can elucidate the eccentricity and inclination behavior of planets in those systems even without knowing the planets' current eccentricities and inclinations. We have calculated both the eccentricity and inclination secular eigenmodes for the population of known multi-planet systems whose planets have well determined masses and periods. We will discuss the commonality of dynamically grouped planets ('groupies') vs dynamically uncoupled planets ('loners'), and compare to what would be expected from randomly generated systems with the same overall distribution of masses and semi-major axes. We will also discuss the occurrence of planets that strongly influence the behavior of other planets without being influenced by those others ('overlords'). Examples will be given and general trends will be discussed.

NHL and RCGA Based Multi-Relational Fuzzy Cognitive Map Modeling for Complex Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhen Peng

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In order to model multi-dimensions and multi-granularities oriented complex systems, this paper firstly proposes a kind of multi-relational Fuzzy Cognitive Map (FCM to simulate the multi-relational system and its auto construct algorithm integrating Nonlinear Hebbian Learning (NHL and Real Code Genetic Algorithm (RCGA. The multi-relational FCM fits to model the complex system with multi-dimensions and multi-granularities. The auto construct algorithm can learn the multi-relational FCM from multi-relational data resources to eliminate human intervention. The Multi-Relational Data Mining (MRDM algorithm integrates multi-instance oriented NHL and RCGA of FCM. NHL is extended to mine the causal relationships between coarse-granularity concept and its fined-granularity concepts driven by multi-instances in the multi-relational system. RCGA is used to establish high-quality high-level FCM driven by data. The multi-relational FCM and the integrating algorithm have been applied in complex system of Mutagenesis. The experiment demonstrates not only that they get better classification accuracy, but it also shows the causal relationships among the concepts of the system.

Segregation of male-sterility alleles across a species boundary.

Science.gov (United States)

Weller, S G; Sakai, A K; Culley, T M; Duong, L; Danielson, R E

2014-02-01

Hybrid zones may serve as bridges permitting gene flow between species, including alleles influencing the evolution of breeding systems. Using greenhouse crosses, we assessed the likelihood that a hybrid zone could serve as a conduit for transfer of nuclear male-sterility alleles between a gynodioecious species and a hermaphroditic species with very rare females in some populations. Segregation patterns in progeny of crosses between rare females of hermaphroditic Schiedea menziesii and hermaphroditic plants of gynodioecious Schiedea salicaria heterozygous at the male-sterility locus, and between female S. salicaria and hermaphroditic plants from the hybrid zone, were used to determine whether male-sterility was controlled at the same locus in the parental species and the hybrid zone. Segregations of females and hermaphrodites in approximately equal ratios from many of the crosses indicate that the same nuclear male-sterility allele occurs in the parent species and the hybrid zone. These rare male-sterility alleles in S. menziesii may result from gene flow from S. salicaria through the hybrid zone, presumably facilitated by wind pollination in S. salicaria. Alternatively, rare male-sterility alleles might result from a reversal from gynodioecy to hermaphroditism in S. menziesii, or possibly de novo evolution of male sterility. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that some species of Schiedea have probably evolved separate sexes independently, but not in the lineage containing S. salicaria and S. menziesii. High levels of selfing and expression of strong inbreeding depression in S. menziesii, which together should favour females in populations, argue against a reversal from gynodioecy to hermaphroditism in S. menziesii. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2014 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Derivation of optimal joint operating rules for multi-purpose multi-reservoir water-supply system

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Qiao-feng; Wang, Xu; Wang, Hao; Wang, Chao; Lei, Xiao-hui; Xiong, Yi-song; Zhang, Wei

2017-08-01

The derivation of joint operating policy is a challenging task for a multi-purpose multi-reservoir system. This study proposed an aggregation-decomposition model to guide the joint operation of multi-purpose multi-reservoir system, including: (1) an aggregated model based on the improved hedging rule to ensure the long-term water-supply operating benefit; (2) a decomposed model to allocate the limited release to individual reservoirs for the purpose of maximizing the total profit of the facing period; and (3) a double-layer simulation-based optimization model to obtain the optimal time-varying hedging rules using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II, whose objectives were to minimize maximum water deficit and maximize water supply reliability. The water-supply system of Li River in Guangxi Province, China, was selected for the case study. The results show that the operating policy proposed in this study is better than conventional operating rules and aggregated standard operating policy for both water supply and hydropower generation due to the use of hedging mechanism and effective coordination among multiple objectives.

Multi-level and hybrid modelling approaches for systems biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bardini, R; Politano, G; Benso, A; Di Carlo, S

2017-01-01

During the last decades, high-throughput techniques allowed for the extraction of a huge amount of data from biological systems, unveiling more of their underling complexity. Biological systems encompass a wide range of space and time scales, functioning according to flexible hierarchies of mechanisms making an intertwined and dynamic interplay of regulations. This becomes particularly evident in processes such as ontogenesis, where regulative assets change according to process context and timing, making structural phenotype and architectural complexities emerge from a single cell, through local interactions. The information collected from biological systems are naturally organized according to the functional levels composing the system itself. In systems biology, biological information often comes from overlapping but different scientific domains, each one having its own way of representing phenomena under study. That is, the different parts of the system to be modelled may be described with different formalisms. For a model to have improved accuracy and capability for making a good knowledge base, it is good to comprise different system levels, suitably handling the relative formalisms. Models which are both multi-level and hybrid satisfy both these requirements, making a very useful tool in computational systems biology. This paper reviews some of the main contributions in this field.

Design and optimization of flexible multi-generation systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lythcke-Jørgensen, Christoffer Ernst

variations and dynamics, and energy system analysis, which fails to consider process integration synergies in local systems. The primary objective of the thesis is to derive a methodology for linking process design practices with energy system analysis for enabling coherent and holistic design optimization...... of flexible multi-generation system. In addition, the case study results emphasize the importance of considering flexible operation, systematic process integration, and systematic assessment of uncertainties in the design optimization. It is recommended that future research focus on assessing system impacts...... from flexible multi-generation systems and performance improvements from storage options....

Design Multi-Sides System Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Rocket

Science.gov (United States)

Syam, Rafiudin; Sutresman, Onny; Mappaita, Abdullah; Amiruddin; Wiranata, Ardi

2018-02-01

This study aims to design and test USV multislide forms. This system is excellent for maneuvering on the x-y-z coordinates. The disadvantage of a single side USV is that it is very difficult to maneuver to achieve very dynamic targets. While for multi sides system easily maneuvered though x-y-z coordinates. In addition to security defense purposes, multi-side system is also good for maritime intelligence, surveillance. In this case, electric deducted fan with Multi-Side system so that the vehicle can still operate even in reverse condition. Multipleside USV experiments have done with good results. In a USV study designed to use two propulsions.

Use of a multi-thermal washer for DNA microarrays simplifies probe design and gives robust genotyping assays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, J.; Poulsen, Lena; Petronis, S.

2008-01-01

is called a multi-thermal array washer (MTAW), and it has eight individually controlled heating zones, each of which corresponds to the location of a subarray on a slide. Allele-specific oligonucleotide probes for nine mutations in the beta-globin gene were spotted in eight identical subarrays at positions......DNA microarrays are generally operated at a single condition, which severely limits the freedom of designing probes for allele-specific hybridization assays. Here, we demonstrate a fluidic device for multi-stringency posthybridization washing of microarrays on microscope slides. This device...

An Online Q-learning Based Multi-Agent LFC for a Multi-Area Multi-Source Power System Including Distributed Energy Resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Shayeghi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an online two-stage Q-learning based multi-agent (MA controller for load frequency control (LFC in an interconnected multi-area multi-source power system integrated with distributed energy resources (DERs. The proposed control strategy consists of two stages. The first stage is employed a PID controller which its parameters are designed using sine cosine optimization (SCO algorithm and are fixed. The second one is a reinforcement learning (RL based supplementary controller that has a flexible structure and improves the output of the first stage adaptively based on the system dynamical behavior. Due to the use of RL paradigm integrated with PID controller in this strategy, it is called RL-PID controller. The primary motivation for the integration of RL technique with PID controller is to make the existing local controllers in the industry compatible to reduce the control efforts and system costs. This novel control strategy combines the advantages of the PID controller with adaptive behavior of MA to achieve the desired level of robust performance under different kind of uncertainties caused by stochastically power generation of DERs, plant operational condition changes, and physical nonlinearities of the system. The suggested decentralized controller is composed of the autonomous intelligent agents, who learn the optimal control policy from interaction with the system. These agents update their knowledge about the system dynamics continuously to achieve a good frequency oscillation damping under various severe disturbances without any knowledge of them. It leads to an adaptive control structure to solve LFC problem in the multi-source power system with stochastic DERs. The results of RL-PID controller in comparison to the traditional PID and fuzzy-PID controllers is verified in a multi-area power system integrated with DERs through some performance indices.

8th International Symposium on Intelligent Distributed Computing & Workshop on Cyber Security and Resilience of Large-Scale Systems & 6th International Workshop on Multi-Agent Systems Technology and Semantics

CERN Document Server

Braubach, Lars; Venticinque, Salvatore; Badica, Costin

2015-01-01

This book represents the combined peer-reviewed proceedings of the Eight International Symposium on Intelligent Distributed Computing - IDC'2014, of the Workshop on Cyber Security and Resilience of Large-Scale Systems - WSRL-2014, and of the Sixth International Workshop on Multi-Agent Systems Technology and Semantics- MASTS-2014. All the events were held in Madrid, Spain, during September 3-5, 2014. The 47 contributions published in this book address several topics related to theory and applications of the intelligent distributed computing and multi-agent systems, including: agent-based data processing, ambient intelligence, collaborative systems, cryptography and security, distributed algorithms, grid and cloud computing, information extraction, knowledge management, big data and ontologies, social networks, swarm intelligence or videogames amongst others.

Predictive modeling of coupled multi-physics systems: I. Theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cacuci, Dan Gabriel

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We developed “predictive modeling of coupled multi-physics systems (PMCMPS)”. • PMCMPS reduces predicted uncertainties in predicted model responses and parameters. • PMCMPS treats efficiently very large coupled systems. - Abstract: This work presents an innovative mathematical methodology for “predictive modeling of coupled multi-physics systems (PMCMPS).” This methodology takes into account fully the coupling terms between the systems but requires only the computational resources that would be needed to perform predictive modeling on each system separately. The PMCMPS methodology uses the maximum entropy principle to construct an optimal approximation of the unknown a priori distribution based on a priori known mean values and uncertainties characterizing the parameters and responses for both multi-physics models. This “maximum entropy”-approximate a priori distribution is combined, using Bayes’ theorem, with the “likelihood” provided by the multi-physics simulation models. Subsequently, the posterior distribution thus obtained is evaluated using the saddle-point method to obtain analytical expressions for the optimally predicted values for the multi-physics models parameters and responses along with corresponding reduced uncertainties. Noteworthy, the predictive modeling methodology for the coupled systems is constructed such that the systems can be considered sequentially rather than simultaneously, while preserving exactly the same results as if the systems were treated simultaneously. Consequently, very large coupled systems, which could perhaps exceed available computational resources if treated simultaneously, can be treated with the PMCMPS methodology presented in this work sequentially and without any loss of generality or information, requiring just the resources that would be needed if the systems were treated sequentially

Information flow within relational multi-context systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cruz-Filipe, Luís; Gaspar, GrąCa; Nunes, Isabel

2014-01-01

Multi-context systems (MCSs) are an important framework for heterogeneous combinations of systems within the Semantic Web. In this paper, we propose generic constructions to achieve specific forms of interaction in a principled way, and systematize some useful techniques to work with ontologies w...... within an MCS. All these mechanisms are presented in the form of general-purpose design patterns. Their study also suggests new ways in which this framework can be further extended.......Multi-context systems (MCSs) are an important framework for heterogeneous combinations of systems within the Semantic Web. In this paper, we propose generic constructions to achieve specific forms of interaction in a principled way, and systematize some useful techniques to work with ontologies...

Procedures for identifying S-allele genotypes of Brassica.

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, D H

1979-11-01

Procedures are described for efficient selection of: (1) homozygous and heterozygous S-allele genotypes; (2) homozygous inbreds with the strong self- and sib-incompatibility required for effective seed production of single-cross F1 hybrids; (3) heterozygous genotypes with the high self- and sib-incompatibility required for effective seed production of 3- and 4-way hybrids.From reciprocal crosses between two first generation inbred (I1) plants there are three potential results: both crosses are incompatible; one is incompatible and the other compatible; and both are compatible. Incompatibility of both crosses is useful information only when combined with data from other reciprocal crosses. Each compatible cross, depending on whether its reciprocal is incompatible or compatible, dictates alternative reasoning and additional reciprocal crosses for efficiently and simultaneously identifying: (A) the S-allele genotype of all individual I1 plants, and (B) the expressions of dominance or codominance in pollen and stigma (sexual organs) of an S-allele heterozygous genotype. Reciprocal crosses provide the only efficient means of identifying S-allele genotypes and also the sexual-organ x S-allele-interaction types.Fluorescent microscope assay of pollen tube penetration into the style facilitates quantitation within 24-48 hours of incompatibility and compatibility of the reciprocal crosses. A procedure for quantitating the reciprocal difference is described that maximizes informational content of the data about interactions between S alleles in pollen and stigma of the S-allele-heterozygous genotype.Use of the non-inbred Io generation parent as a 'known' heterozygous S-allele genotype in crosses with its first generation selfed (I1) progeny usually reduces at least 7 fold the effort required for achieving objectives 1, 2, and 3, compared to the method of making reciprocal crosses only among I1 plants.Identifying the heterozygous and both homozygous S-allele genotypes during

Allele specific expression and methylation in the bumblebee, Bombus terrestris

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zoë Lonsdale

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The social hymenoptera are emerging as models for epigenetics. DNA methylation, the addition of a methyl group, is a common epigenetic marker. In mammals and flowering plants methylation affects allele specific expression. There is contradictory evidence for the role of methylation on allele specific expression in social insects. The aim of this paper is to investigate allele specific expression and monoallelic methylation in the bumblebee, Bombus terrestris. We found nineteen genes that were both monoallelically methylated and monoallelically expressed in a single bee. Fourteen of these genes express the hypermethylated allele, while the other five express the hypomethylated allele. We also searched for allele specific expression in twenty-nine published RNA-seq libraries. We found 555 loci with allele-specific expression. We discuss our results with reference to the functional role of methylation in gene expression in insects and in the as yet unquantified role of genetic cis effects in insect allele specific methylation and expression.

Hand hygiene and healthcare system change within multi-modal promotion: a narrative review.

Science.gov (United States)

Allegranzi, B; Sax, H; Pittet, D

2013-02-01

Many factors may influence the level of compliance with hand hygiene recommendations by healthcare workers. Lack of products and facilities as well as their inappropriate and non-ergonomic location represent important barriers. Targeted actions aimed at making hand hygiene practices feasible during healthcare delivery by ensuring that the necessary infrastructure is in place, defined as 'system change', are essential to improve hand hygiene in healthcare. In particular, access to alcohol-based hand rubs (AHRs) enables appropriate and timely hand hygiene performance at the point of care. The feasibility and impact of system change within multi-modal strategies have been demonstrated both at institutional level and on a large scale. The introduction of AHRs overcomes some important barriers to best hand hygiene practices and is associated with higher compliance, especially when integrated within multi-modal strategies. Several studies demonstrated the association between AHR consumption and reduction in healthcare-associated infection, in particular, meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia. Recent reports demonstrate the feasibility and success of system change implementation on a large scale. The World Health Organization and other investigators have reported the challenges and encouraging results of implementing hand hygiene improvement strategies, including AHR introduction, in settings with limited resources. This review summarizes the available evidence demonstrating the need for system change and its importance within multi-modal hand hygiene improvement strategies. This topic is also discussed in a global perspective and highlights some controversial issues. Copyright © 2013 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-source remote sensing data management system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qin Kai; Zhao Yingjun; Lu Donghua; Zhang Donghui; Wu Wenhuan

2014-01-01

In this thesis, the author explored multi-source management problems of remote sensing data. The main idea is to use the mosaic dataset model, and the ways of an integreted display of image and its interpretation. Based on ArcGIS and IMINT feature knowledge platform, the author used the C# and other programming tools for development work, so as to design and implement multi-source remote sensing data management system function module which is able to simply, conveniently and efficiently manage multi-source remote sensing data. (authors)

HLA Dr beta 1 alleles in Pakistani patients with rheumatoid arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naqi, N.; Ahmed, T.A.; Bashir, M.M.

2011-01-01

Objective: To determine frequencies of HLA DR beta 1 alleles in rheumatoid arthritis in Pakistani patients. Study Design: Cross sectional / analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Immunology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi in collaboration with Rheumatology departments of Military Hospital, Rawalpindi and Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi, from January 2009 to January 2010. Methodology: HLA DR beta 1 genotyping of one hundred Pakistani patients, diagnosed as having RA as per American College of Rheumatology revised criteria 1987, was done. HLA DR beta 1 genotyping was carried out at allele group level (DR beta 1*01-DR beta 1*16) by sequence specific primers in RA patients. Comparison of HLA DR beta 1 allele frequencies between patients and control groups was made using Pearson's chi-square test to find possible association of HLA DR?1 alleles with RA in Pakistani rheumatoid patients. Results: HLA DR beta 1*04 was expressed with significantly increased frequency in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (p <0.05). HLA DR?1*11 was expressed statistically significantly more in control group as compared to rheumatoid patients indicating a possible protective effect. There was no statistically significant difference observed in frequencies of HLA DR beta 1 allele *01, DR beta 1 allele *03, DR beta 1 allele *07, DR beta 1 allele *08, DR beta 1 allele *09, DR beta 1 allele *10, DR beta 1 allele *12, DR beta 1 allele *13, DR beta 1 allele *14, DR?1 allele *15 and DR beta 1 allele *16 between patients and control groups. Conclusion: The identification of susceptible HLA DR beta 1 alleles in Pakistani RA patients may help physicians to make early decisions regarding initiation of early intensive therapy with disease modifying anti rheumatic medicines and biological agents decreasing disability in RA patients. (author)

Multi-Modal Intelligent Traffic Signal Systems GPS

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Transportation — Data were collected during the Multi-Modal Intelligent Transportation Signal Systems (MMITSS) study. MMITSS is a next-generation traffic signal system that seeks to...

Semiotics, Multi-Agent Systems and Organizations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gazendam, H.W.M.; Jorna, René J.

1998-01-01

Multi-agent systems are promising as models of organization because they are based on the idea that most work in human organizations is done based on intelligence, communication, cooperation, and massive parallel processing. They offer an alternative for system theories of organization, which are

Trends in practical applications of heterogeneous multi-agent systems : the PAAMS collection

CERN Document Server

Rodríguez, Juan; Mathieu, Philippe; Campbell, Andrew; Ortega, Alfonso; Adam, Emmanuel; Navarro, Elena; Ahrndt, Sebastian; Moreno, María; Julián, Vicente

2014-01-01

PAAMS, the International Conference on Practical Applications of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems is an evolution of the International Workshop on Practical Applications of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems. PAAMS is an international yearly tribune to present, to discuss, and to disseminate the latest developments and the most important outcomes related to real-world applications. It provides a unique opportunity to bring multi-disciplinary experts, academics and practitioners together to exchange their experience in the development of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems. This volume presents the papers that have been accepted for the 2014 special sessions: Agents Behaviours and Artificial Markets (ABAM), Agents and Mobile Devices (AM), Bio-Inspired and Multi-Agents Systems: Applications to Languages (BioMAS), Multi-Agent Systems and Ambient Intelligence (MASMAI), Self-Explaining Agents (SEA), Web Mining and Recommender systems (WebMiRes) and Intelligent Educational Systems (SSIES).

A diagnosis method for physical systems using a multi-modeling approach; Utilisation de l'approche multi-modeles pour l'aide au diagnostic d'installations industrielles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thetiot, R

2000-07-01

In this thesis we propose a method for diagnosis problem solving. This method is based on a multi-modeling approach describing both normal and abnormal behavior of a system. This modeling approach allows to represent a system at different abstraction levels (behavioral, functional and teleological). Fundamental knowledge is described according to a bond-graph representation. We show that bond-graph representation can be exploited in order to generate (completely or partially) the functional models. The different models of the multi-modeling approach allows to define the functional state of a system at different abstraction levels. We exploit this property to exonerate sub-systems for which the expected behavior is observed. The behavioral and functional descriptions of the remaining sub-systems are exploited hierarchically in a two steps process. In a first step, the abnormal behaviors explaining some observations are identified. In a second step, the remaining unexplained observations are used to generate conflict sets and thus the consistency based diagnoses. The modeling method and the diagnosis process have been applied to a Reactor Coolant Pump Sets. This application illustrates the concepts described in this thesis and shows its potentialities. (authors)

Genome-wide analysis of allele frequency change in sunflower crop-wild hybrid populations evolving under natural conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Hybridization is known to occur between cultivated and wild populations of numerous plant species. This represents a major mechanism by which a wild population’s genetic structure and evolutionary dynamics could be altered. Studying crop-derived alleles in wild populations is also relevant to assess...

Common breast cancer risk alleles and risk assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Näslund-Koch, C; Nordestgaard, B G; Bojesen, S E

2017-01-01

general population were followed in Danish health registries for up to 21 years after blood sampling. After genotyping 72 breast cancer risk loci, each with 0-2 alleles, the sum for each individual was calculated. We used the simple allele sum instead of the conventional polygenic risk score......, as it is likely more sensitive in detecting associations with risks of other endpoints than breast cancer. RESULTS: Breast cancer incidence in the 19,010 women was increased across allele sum quintiles (log-rank trend test; p=1*10(-12)), but not incidence of other cancers (p=0.41). Age- and study-adjusted hazard...... ratio for the 5(th) vs. 1(st) allele sum quintile was 1.82(95% confidence interval;1.53-2.18). Corresponding hazard ratios per allele were 1.04(1.03-1.05) and 1.05(1.02-1.08) for breast cancer incidence and mortality, similar across risk factors. In 50-year old women, the starting age for screening...

L1 Adaptive Control Augmentation System with Application to the X-29 Lateral/Directional Dynamics: A Multi-Input Multi-Output Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Griffin, Brian Joseph; Burken, John J.; Xargay, Enric

2010-01-01

This paper presents an L(sub 1) adaptive control augmentation system design for multi-input multi-output nonlinear systems in the presence of unmatched uncertainties which may exhibit significant cross-coupling effects. A piecewise continuous adaptive law is adopted and extended for applicability to multi-input multi-output systems that explicitly compensates for dynamic cross-coupling. In addition, explicit use of high-fidelity actuator models are added to the L1 architecture to reduce uncertainties in the system. The L(sub 1) multi-input multi-output adaptive control architecture is applied to the X-29 lateral/directional dynamics and results are evaluated against a similar single-input single-output design approach.

Dynamic modeling and explicit/multi-parametric MPC control of pressure swing adsorption systems

KAUST Repository

Khajuria, Harish

2011-01-01

Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) is a flexible, albeit complex gas separation system. Due to its inherent nonlinear nature and discontinuous operation, the design of a model based PSA controller, especially with varying operating conditions, is a challenging task. This work focuses on the design of an explicit/multi-parametric model predictive controller for a PSA system. Based on a system involving four adsorbent beds separating 70% H2, 30% CH4 mixture into high purity hydrogen, the key controller objective is to fast track H2 purity to a set point value of 99.99%. To perform this task, a rigorous and systematic framework is employed. First, a high fidelity detailed dynamic model is built to represent the system\\'s real operation, and understand its dynamic behavior. The model is then used to derive appropriate linear models by applying suitable system identification techniques. For the reduced models, a model predictive control (MPC) step is formulated, where latest developments in multi-parametric programming and control are applied to derive a novel explicit MPC controller. To test the performance of the designed controller, closed loop simulations are performed where the dynamic model is used as the virtual plant. Comparison studies of the derived explicit MPC controller are also performed with conventional PID controllers. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A multi-channel humidity control system based on LabVIEW

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Aiwu; Xie Yuguang; Liu Hongbang; Liu Yingbiao; Cai Xiao; Yu Boxiang; Lu Junguang; Zhou Li

2011-01-01

A real time multi-channel humidity control system was designed based on LabVIEW, using the dry air branch of BESⅢ drying system. The hardware of this control system consist of mini humidity and temperature sensors, intelligent collection module, switch quantity controller and electromagnetic valves. The humidity can be controlled at arbitrary value from air humidity to 3% with accuracy better than 2%. Multi microenvironment with different humidity can be easily controlled and monitored in real time by this system. It can also be extended to hybrid control of multi channel humidity and temperature. (authors)

The shaping of modern human immune systems by multiregional admixture with archaic humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Abi-Rached, Laurent; Jobin, Matthew J; Kulkarni, Subhash; McWhinnie, Alasdair; Dalva, Klara; Gragert, Loren; Babrzadeh, Farbod; Gharizadeh, Baback; Luo, Ma; Plummer, Francis A; Kimani, Joshua; Carrington, Mary; Middleton, Derek; Rajalingam, Raja; Beksac, Meral; Marsh, Steven G E; Maiers, Martin; Guethlein, Lisbeth A; Tavoularis, Sofia; Little, Ann-Margaret; Green, Richard E; Norman, Paul J; Parham, Peter

2011-10-07

Whole genome comparisons identified introgression from archaic to modern humans. Our analysis of highly polymorphic human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I, vital immune system components subject to strong balancing selection, shows how modern humans acquired the HLA-B*73 allele in west Asia through admixture with archaic humans called Denisovans, a likely sister group to the Neandertals. Virtual genotyping of Denisovan and Neandertal genomes identified archaic HLA haplotypes carrying functionally distinctive alleles that have introgressed into modern Eurasian and Oceanian populations. These alleles, of which several encode unique or strong ligands for natural killer cell receptors, now represent more than half the HLA alleles of modern Eurasians and also appear to have been later introduced into Africans. Thus, adaptive introgression of archaic alleles has significantly shaped modern human immune systems.

Optimization of multi-phase compressible lattice Boltzmann codes on massively parallel multi-core systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Biferale, L.; Mantovani, F.; Pivanti, M.; Pozzati, F.; Sbragaglia, M.; Schifano, S.F.; Toschi, F.; Tripiccione, R.

2011-01-01

We develop a Lattice Boltzmann code for computational fluid-dynamics and optimize it for massively parallel systems based on multi-core processors. Our code describes 2D multi-phase compressible flows. We analyze the performance bottlenecks that we find as we gradually expose a larger fraction of

Alleles of Ppd-D1 gene in the collection of Aegilops tauschii accessions and bread wheat varieties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Babenko D. O.

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Light period significantly influences on the growth and development of plants. One of the major genes of photoperiod sensitivity is Ppd-D1, located on the chromosome 2D. The aim of the work was to determine the alleles and molecular structure of Ppd-D1 gene in samples from the collection of Ae. tauschii accessions, which have different flowering periods, and in 29 Ukrainian wheat varieties. Methods. We used methods of allele-specific PCR with primers to the Ppd-D1 gene, sequencing and Blast-analysis. Results. The collection of Ae. tauschii accessions and several varieties of winter and spring wheat was studied. The molecular structure of the allelic variants (414, 429 and 453 b. p. of Ppd-D1b gene was determined in the collection of Aegilops. tauschii accessions. Conclusions. The Ppd-D1a allele was present in all studied varieties of winter wheat. 60 % of spring wheat is characterized by Ppd-D1b allele (size of amplification products 414 b. p.. Blast-analysis of the sequence data banks on the basis of the reference sequence of sample k-1322 from the collection of Ae. tauschii accessions has shown a high homology (80 to 100 % between the nucleotide sequences of PRR genes, that characterize the A and D genomes of representatives of the genera Triticum and Aegilops.

A Method for Optimal Load Dispatch of a Multi-zone Power System with Zonal Exchange Constraints

Science.gov (United States)

Hazarika, Durlav; Das, Ranjay

2018-04-01

This paper presented a method for economic generation scheduling of a multi-zone power system having inter zonal operational constraints. For this purpose, the generator rescheduling for a multi area power system having inter zonal operational constraints has been represented as a two step optimal generation scheduling problem. At first, the optimal generation scheduling has been carried out for the zone having surplus or deficient generation with proper spinning reserve using co-ordination equation. The power exchange required for the deficit zones and zones having no generation are estimated based on load demand and generation for the zone. The incremental transmission loss formulas for the transmission lines participating in the power transfer process among the zones are formulated. Using these, incremental transmission loss expression in co-ordination equation, the optimal generation scheduling for the zonal exchange has been determined. Simulation is carried out on IEEE 118 bus test system to examine the applicability and validity of the method.

System Theory Aspects of Multi-Body Dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

1978-08-18

systems are described from a system theory point of view. Various system theory concepts and research topics which have applicability to this class of...systems are identified and briefly described. The subject of multi-body dynamics is presented in a vector space setting and is related to system theory concepts. (Author)

Computational Analysis of Multi-Rotor Flows

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Seokkwan; Lee, Henry C.; Pulliam, Thomas H.

2016-01-01

Interactional aerodynamics of multi-rotor flows has been studied for a quadcopter representing a generic quad tilt-rotor aircraft in hover. The objective of the present study is to investigate the effects of the separation distances between rotors, and also fuselage and wings on the performance and efficiency of multirotor systems. Three-dimensional unsteady Navier-Stokes equations are solved using a spatially 5th order accurate scheme, dual-time stepping, and the Detached Eddy Simulation turbulence model. The results show that the separation distances as well as the wings have significant effects on the vertical forces of quadroror systems in hover. Understanding interactions in multi-rotor flows would help improve the design of next generation multi-rotor drones.

On multi-dissipative dynamic systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thygesen, Uffe Høgsbro

1999-01-01

We consider deterministic dynamic systems with state space representations which are dissipative in the sense of Willems (1972) with respect to several supply rates. This property is of interest in robustness analysis and in multi-objective control. We give conditions under which the convex cone...

Multi-Range Conditional Random Field for Classifying Railway Electrification System Objects Using Mobile Laser Scanning Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaewook Jung

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Railways have been used as one of the most crucial means of transportation in public mobility and economic development. For safe railway operation, the electrification system in the railway infrastructure, which supplies electric power to trains, is an essential facility for stable train operation. Due to its important role, the electrification system needs to be rigorously and regularly inspected and managed. This paper presents a supervised learning method to classify Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS data into ten target classes representing overhead wires, movable brackets and poles, which are key objects in the electrification system. In general, the layout of the railway electrification system shows strong spatial regularity relations among object classes. The proposed classifier is developed based on Conditional Random Field (CRF, which characterizes not only labeling homogeneity at short range, but also the layout compatibility between different object classes at long range in the probabilistic graphical model. This multi-range CRF model consists of a unary term and three pairwise contextual terms. In order to gain computational efficiency, MLS point clouds are converted into a set of line segments to which the labeling process is applied. Support Vector Machine (SVM is used as a local classifier considering only node features for producing the unary potentials of the CRF model. As the short-range pairwise contextual term, the Potts model is applied to enforce a local smoothness in the short-range graph; while long-range pairwise potentials are designed to enhance the spatial regularities of both horizontal and vertical layouts among railway objects. We formulate two long-range pairwise potentials as the log posterior probability obtained by the naive Bayes classifier. The directional layout compatibilities are characterized in probability look-up tables, which represent the co-occurrence rate of spatial relations in the horizontal and vertical

Multi Optical Transition Radiation System for ATF2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alabau-Gonzalvo, Javier

2012-01-01

In this paper we describe the design, installation and first calibration tests of a Multi Optical Transition Radiation System in the beam diagnostic section of the Extraction (EXT) line of ATF2, close to the multi wire scanner system. This system will be a valuable tool for measuring beam sizes and emittances coming from the ATF Damping Ring. With an optical resolution of about 2 (micro)m an original OTR design (OTR1X) located after the septum at the entrance of the EXT line demonstrated the ability to measure a 5.5 (micro)m beam size in one beam pulse and to take many fast measurements. This gives the OTR the ability to measure the beam emittance with high statistics, giving a low error and a good understanding of emittance jitter. Furthermore the nearby wire scanners will be a definitive test of the OTR as a beam emittance diagnostic device. The multi-OTR system design proposed here is based on the existing OTR1X.

Reliability assessment of embedded digital system using multi-state function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Jong Gyun; Seong, Poong Hyun

2006-01-01

This work describes a combinatorial model for estimating the reliability of the embedded digital system by means of multi-state function. This model includes a coverage model for fault-handling techniques implemented in digital systems. The fault-handling techniques make it difficult for many types of components in digital system to be treated as binary state, good or bad. The multi-state function provides a complete analysis of multi-state systems as which the digital systems can be regarded. Through adaptation of software operational profile flow to multi-state function, the HW/SW interaction is also considered for estimation of the reliability of digital system. Using this model, we evaluate the reliability of one board controller in a digital system, Interposing Logic System (ILS), which is installed in YGN nuclear power units 3 and 4. Since the proposed model is a generalized combinatorial model, the simplification of this model becomes the conventional model that treats the system as binary state. This modeling method is particularly attractive for embedded systems in which small sized application software is implemented since it will require very laborious work for this method to be applied to systems with large software

Beta2-adrenergic receptor allele frequencies in the Quechua, a high altitude native population.

Science.gov (United States)

Rupert, J L; Monsalve, M V; Devine, D V; Hochachka, P W

2000-03-01

The beta2-adrenergic receptor is involved in the control of numerous physiological processes and, as the primary catecholamine receptor in the lungs, is of particular importance in the regulation of pulmonary function. There are several polymorphic loci in the beta2-adrenergic receptor gene that have alleles that alter receptor function, including two (A/G46, G/C79) that increase agonist sensitivity. As such a phenotype may increase vaso and bronchial dilation, thereby facilitating air and blood flow through the lungs, we hypothesized that selection may have favoured these alleles in high altitude populations as part of an adaptive strategy to deal with the hypoxic conditions characteristic of such environments. We tested this hypothesis by determining the allele frequencies for these two polymorphisms, as well one additional missense mutation (C/T491) and two silent mutations (G/A252 and C/A523) in 63 Quechua speaking natives from communities located between 3200 and 4200 m on the Peruvian altiplano. These frequencies were compared with those of two lowland populations, one native American (Na-Dene from the west coast of Canada) and one Caucasian of Western European descent. The Quechua manifest many of the pulmonary characteristics of high altitude populations and differences in allele frequencies between the Quechua and lowlanders could be indicative of a selective advantage conferred by certain genotypes in high altitude environments. Allele frequencies varied between populations at some loci and patterns of linkage disequilibrium differed between the old-world and new-world samples; however, as these populations are not closely related, significant variation would be expected due to stochastic effects alone. Neither of the alleles associated with increased receptor sensitivity (A46, G79) was significantly over-represented in the Quechua compared with either lowland group. The Quechua were monomorphic for the C allele at base 79. This variant has been

Multi-Objective Motion Control Optimization for the Bridge Crane System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renxin Xiao

2018-03-01

Full Text Available A novel control algorithm combining the linear quadratic regulator (LQR control and trajectory planning (TP is proposed for the control of an underactuated crane system, targeting position adjustment and swing suppression. The TP is employed to control the swing angle within certain constraints, and the LQR is applied to achieve anti-disturbance. In order to improve the accuracy of the position control, a differential-integral control loop is applied. The weighted LQR matrices representing priorities of the state variables for the bridge crane motion are searched by the multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA. The stability proof is provided in order to validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. Numerous simulation and experimental validations justify the feasibility of the proposed method.

GST M1-T1 null allele frequency patterns in geographically assorted human populations: a phylogenetic approach.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Senthilkumar Pitchalu Kasthurinaidu

Full Text Available Genetic diversity in drug metabolism and disposition is mainly considered as the outcome of the inter-individual genetic variation in polymorphism of drug-xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme (XME. Among the XMEs, glutathione-S-transferases (GST gene loci are an important candidate for the investigation of diversity in allele frequency, as the deletion mutations in GST M1 and T1 genotypes are associated with various cancers and genetic disorders of all major Population Affiliations (PAs. Therefore, the present population based phylogenetic study was focused to uncover the frequency distribution pattern in GST M1 and T1 null genotypes among 45 Geographically Assorted Human Populations (GAHPs. The frequency distribution pattern for GST M1 and T1 null alleles have been detected in this study using the data derived from literatures representing 44 populations affiliated to Africa, Asia, Europe, South America and the genome of PA from Gujarat, a region in western India. Allele frequency counting for Gujarat PA and scattered plot analysis for geographical distribution among the PAs were performed in SPSS-21. The GST M1 and GST T1 null allele frequencies patterns of the PAs were computed in Seqboot, Gendist program of Phylip software package (3.69 versions and Unweighted Pair Group method with Arithmetic Mean in Mega-6 software. Allele frequencies from South African Xhosa tribe, East African Zimbabwe, East African Ethiopia, North African Egypt, Caucasian, South Asian Afghanistan and South Indian Andhra Pradesh have been identified as the probable seven patterns among the 45 GAHPs investigated in this study for GST M1-T1 null genotypes. The patternized null allele frequencies demonstrated in this study for the first time addresses the missing link in GST M1-T1 null allele frequencies among GAHPs.

Multimer Formation Explains Allelic Suppression of PRDM9 Recombination Hotspots.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Christopher L; Petkova, Pavlina; Walker, Michael; Flachs, Petr; Mihola, Ondrej; Trachtulec, Zdenek; Petkov, Petko M; Paigen, Kenneth

2015-09-01

Genetic recombination during meiosis functions to increase genetic diversity, promotes elimination of deleterious alleles, and helps assure proper segregation of chromatids. Mammalian recombination events are concentrated at specialized sites, termed hotspots, whose locations are determined by PRDM9, a zinc finger DNA-binding histone methyltransferase. Prdm9 is highly polymorphic with most alleles activating their own set of hotspots. In populations exhibiting high frequencies of heterozygosity, questions remain about the influences different alleles have in heterozygous individuals where the two variant forms of PRDM9 typically do not activate equivalent populations of hotspots. We now find that, in addition to activating its own hotspots, the presence of one Prdm9 allele can modify the activity of hotspots activated by the other allele. PRDM9 function is also dosage sensitive; Prdm9+/- heterozygous null mice have reduced numbers and less active hotspots and increased numbers of aberrant germ cells. In mice carrying two Prdm9 alleles, there is allelic competition; the stronger Prdm9 allele can partially or entirely suppress chromatin modification and recombination at hotspots of the weaker allele. In cell cultures, PRDM9 protein variants form functional heteromeric complexes which can bind hotspots sequences. When a heteromeric complex binds at a hotspot of one PRDM9 variant, the other PRDM9 variant, which would otherwise not bind, can still methylate hotspot nucleosomes. We propose that in heterozygous individuals the underlying molecular mechanism of allelic suppression results from formation of PRDM9 heteromers, where the DNA binding activity of one protein variant dominantly directs recombination initiation towards its own hotspots, effectively titrating down recombination by the other protein variant. In natural populations with many heterozygous individuals, allelic competition will influence the recombination landscape.

Identifying optimal models to represent biochemical systems.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mochamad Apri

Full Text Available Biochemical systems involving a high number of components with intricate interactions often lead to complex models containing a large number of parameters. Although a large model could describe in detail the mechanisms that underlie the system, its very large size may hinder us in understanding the key elements of the system. Also in terms of parameter identification, large models are often problematic. Therefore, a reduced model may be preferred to represent the system. Yet, in order to efficaciously replace the large model, the reduced model should have the same ability as the large model to produce reliable predictions for a broad set of testable experimental conditions. We present a novel method to extract an "optimal" reduced model from a large model to represent biochemical systems by combining a reduction method and a model discrimination method. The former assures that the reduced model contains only those components that are important to produce the dynamics observed in given experiments, whereas the latter ensures that the reduced model gives a good prediction for any feasible experimental conditions that are relevant to answer questions at hand. These two techniques are applied iteratively. The method reveals the biological core of a model mathematically, indicating the processes that are likely to be responsible for certain behavior. We demonstrate the algorithm on two realistic model examples. We show that in both cases the core is substantially smaller than the full model.

Flexible Multi-Numerology Systems for 5G New Radio

OpenAIRE

Yazar, Ahmet; Peköz, Berker; Arslan, Hüseyin

2018-01-01

The physical layer of 5G cellular communications systems is designed to achieve better flexibility in an effort to support diverse services and user requirements. OFDM waveform parameters are enriched with flexible multi-numerology structures. This paper describes the differences between Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems and new radio (NR) from the flexibility perspective. Research opportunities for multi-numerology systems are presented in a structured manner. Finally, inter-numerology inter...

The Rh allele frequencies in Gaza city in Palestine

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Skaik Younis

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The Rh blood group system is the second most clinically significant blood group system. It includes 49 antigens, but only five (D, C, E, c and e are the most routinely identified due to their unique relation to hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN and transfusion reactions. Frequency of the Rh alleles showed variation, with regard to race and ethnic. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to document the Rh alleles′ frequencies amongst males (M and females (F in Gaza city in Palestine. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and thirty-two blood samples (110 M and 122 F were tested against monoclonal IgM anti-C,anti-c, anti-E, anti-e and a blend of monoclonal/polyclonal IgM/IgG anti-D. The expected Rh phenotypes were calculated using gene counting method. Results: The most frequent Rh antigen in the total sample was e, while the least frequent was E.The order of the combined Rh allele frequencies in both M and F was CDe > cDe > cde > CdE > cDE > Cde > CDE. A significant difference was reported between M and F regarding the phenotypic frequencies (P < 0.05. However, no significance (P > 0.05 was reported with reference to the observed and expected Rh phenotypic frequencies in either M or F students. Conclusion: It was concluded that the Rh antigens, alleles and phenotypes in Gaza city have unique frequencies, which may be of importance to the Blood Transfusion Center in Gaza city and anthropology.

Allele-specific MMP-3 transcription under in vivo conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chaoyong, Zhu [Atherosclerosis Research Unit, King Gustav V Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden); Odeberg, Jacob [Atherosclerosis Research Unit, King Gustav V Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden); Department of Biotechnology, AlbaNova University Center, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden); Hamsten, Anders [Atherosclerosis Research Unit, King Gustav V Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden); Eriksson, Per [Atherosclerosis Research Unit, King Gustav V Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden)

2006-09-29

A common matrix metalloproteinases-3 (MMP-3) -1612 5A/6A promoter polymorphism is associated with risk for cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other diseases. Here we used the haplotype chromatin immunoprecipitation method to study allele-specific MMP-3 expression under in vivo conditions in heterozygous THP-1 cells. Pyrosequencing was used to analyse the ratio of 5A-allele to 6A-allele after chromatin immunoprecipitation using an antibody against phosphorylated active RNA polymerase II. There was no allele-specific difference in transcriptional activity during basal conditions, i.e., in unstimulated monocytic THP-1 cells. However, after stimulation of MMP-3 expression by monocyte differentiation or incubation with IL-1{beta}, the haplotype containing the 5A-allele was associated with higher transcriptional activity compared with the 6A-containing haplotype. Electromobility shift assay demonstrated increased binding of nuclear proteins to the 5A-allele after monocyte differentiation. In conclusion, the common MMP-3 5A/6A promoter polymorphism appears to be functional only during specific environmental conditions involving inflammation.

SSR allelic variation in almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.).

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Hua; Sui, Yi; Chang, Feng-Qi; Xu, Yong; Ma, Rong-Cai

2006-01-01

Sixteen SSR markers including eight EST-SSR and eight genomic SSRs were used for genetic diversity analysis of 23 Chinese and 15 international almond cultivars. EST- and genomic SSR markers previously reported in species of Prunus, mainly peach, proved to be useful for almond genetic analysis. DNA sequences of 117 alleles of six of the 16 SSR loci were analysed to reveal sequence variation among the 38 almond accessions. For the four SSR loci with AG/CT repeats, no insertions or deletions were observed in the flanking regions of the 98 alleles sequenced. Allelic size variation of these loci resulted exclusively from differences in the structures of repeat motifs, which involved interruptions or occurrences of new motif repeats in addition to varying number of AG/CT repeats. Some alleles had a high number of uninterrupted repeat motifs, indicating that SSR mutational patterns differ among alleles at a given SSR locus within the almond species. Allelic homoplasy was observed in the SSR loci because of base substitutions, interruptions or compound repeat motifs. Substitutions in the repeat regions were found at two SSR loci, suggesting that point mutations operate on SSRs and hinder the further SSR expansion by introducing repeat interruptions to stabilize SSR loci. Furthermore, it was shown that some potential point mutations in the flanking regions are linked with new SSR repeat motif variation in almond and peach.

Specification of Behavioural Requirements within Compositional Multi-Agent System Design

OpenAIRE

Herlea, D.E.; Jonker, C.M.; Treur, J.; Wijngaards, N.J.E.

1999-01-01

In this paper it is shown how informal and formal specification of behavioural requirements and scenarios for agents and multi-agent systems can be integrated within multi-agent system design. In particular, it is addressed how a compositional

A biomimetic colorimetric logic gate system based on multi-functional peptide-mediated gold nanoparticle assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yong; Li, Wang; He, Kai-Yu; Li, Pei; Huang, Yan; Nie, Zhou; Yao, Shou-Zhuo

2016-04-28

In natural biological systems, proteins exploit various functional peptide motifs to exert target response and activity switch, providing a functional and logic basis for complex cellular activities. Building biomimetic peptide-based bio-logic systems is highly intriguing but remains relatively unexplored due to limited logic recognition elements and complex signal outputs. In this proof-of-principle work, we attempted to address these problems by utilizing multi-functional peptide probes and the peptide-mediated nanoparticle assembly system. Here, the rationally designed peptide probes function as the dual-target responsive element specifically responsive to metal ions and enzymes as well as the mediator regulating the assembly of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Taking advantage of Zn2+ ions and chymotrypsin as the model inputs of metal ions and enzymes, respectively, we constructed the peptide logic system computed by the multi-functional peptide probes and outputted by the readable colour change of AuNPs. In this way, the representative binary basic logic gates (AND, OR, INHIBIT, NAND, IMPLICATION) have been achieved by delicately coding the peptide sequence, demonstrating the versatility of our logic system. Additionally, we demonstrated that the three-input combinational logic gate (INHIBIT-OR) could also be successfully integrated and applied as a multi-tasking biosensor for colorimetric detection of dual targets. This nanoparticle-based peptide logic system presents a valid strategy to illustrate peptide information processing and provides a practical platform for executing peptide computing or peptide-related multiplexing sensing, implying that the controllable nanomaterial assembly is a promising and potent methodology for the advancement of biomimetic bio-logic computation.

Directional Positive Selection on an Allele of Arbitrary Dominance

OpenAIRE

Teshima, Kosuke M.; Przeworski, Molly

2006-01-01

Most models of positive directional selection assume codominance of the beneficial allele. We examine the importance of this assumption by implementing a coalescent model of positive directional selection with arbitrary dominance. We find that, for a given mean fixation time, a beneficial allele has a much weaker effect on diversity at linked neutral sites when the allele is recessive.

Multi-agent system for energy resource scheduling of integrated microgrids in a distributed system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Logenthiran, T.; Srinivasan, Dipti; Khambadkone, Ashwin M.

2011-01-01

This paper proposes a multi-agent system for energy resource scheduling of an islanded power system with distributed resources, which consists of integrated microgrids and lumped loads. Distributed intelligent multi-agent technology is applied to make the power system more reliable, efficient and capable of exploiting and integrating alternative sources of energy. The algorithm behind the proposed energy resource scheduling has three stages. The first stage is to schedule each microgrid individually to satisfy its internal demand. The next stage involves finding the best possible bids for exporting power to the network and compete in a whole sale energy market. The final stage is to reschedule each microgrid individually to satisfy the total demand, which is the addition of internal demand and the demand from the results of the whole sale energy market simulation. The simulation results of a power system with distributed resources comprising three microgrids and five lumped loads show that the proposed multi-agent system allows efficient management of micro-sources with minimum operational cost. The case studies demonstrate that the system is successfully monitored, controlled and operated by means of the developed multi-agent system. (author)

Multi-agent system for energy resource scheduling of integrated microgrids in a distributed system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Logenthiran, T.; Srinivasan, Dipti; Khambadkone, Ashwin M. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117576 (Singapore)

2011-01-15

This paper proposes a multi-agent system for energy resource scheduling of an islanded power system with distributed resources, which consists of integrated microgrids and lumped loads. Distributed intelligent multi-agent technology is applied to make the power system more reliable, efficient and capable of exploiting and integrating alternative sources of energy. The algorithm behind the proposed energy resource scheduling has three stages. The first stage is to schedule each microgrid individually to satisfy its internal demand. The next stage involves finding the best possible bids for exporting power to the network and compete in a whole sale energy market. The final stage is to reschedule each microgrid individually to satisfy the total demand, which is the addition of internal demand and the demand from the results of the whole sale energy market simulation. The simulation results of a power system with distributed resources comprising three microgrids and five lumped loads show that the proposed multi-agent system allows efficient management of micro-sources with minimum operational cost. The case studies demonstrate that the system is successfully monitored, controlled and operated by means of the developed multi-agent system. (author)

New approaches to screening infrastructure investments in multi-reservoir systems- Evaluating proposed dams in Ethiopia and Kenya

Science.gov (United States)

Harou, J. J.; Geressu, R. T.; Hurford, A. P.

2014-12-01

Two approaches have been used traditionally to screen infrastructure investments in multi-reservoir systems: scenario analysis of a few simulated designs and deterministic optimization, sometimes using hydro-economic models or screening optimization models. Simulation models realistically represent proposed water systems and can easily include multiple performance metrics; however each prospective system operating rules need to be formulated and simulated for each proposed design (time consuming. Optimization models have been used to overcome this burden. Screening optimization models use integer or non-linear programming and can be challenging to apply to large and/or multi-objective systems. Hydro-economic models that use deterministic (implicit stochastic) optimization must be modified to examine each different plan and they cannot always reproduce realistic or politically acceptable system operations. In this presentation we demonstrate the application of a new screening approach to multi-reservoir systems where operating rules and new assets (dams) are simultaneously optimized in a multi-criteria context. Results are not least cost investment plans that satisfy reliability or other engineering constraints, but rather Pareto-optimal sets of asset portfolios that work well under historical and/or future scenarios. This is achieved by using stakeholder-built simulation models linked to multi-criteria search algorithms (e.g. many objective evolutionary algorithms, MOEA). Typical output is demonstrated through two case-studies on the Tana and Blue Nile rivers where operating rules and reservoir assets are efficiently screened together considering stakeholder-defined metrics. The focus on the Tana system is how reservoir operating rules and new irrigation schemes should be co-managed to limit ecological damages. On the Nile system, we identify Blue Nile river reservoir capacities that least negatively impact downstream Nile nations. Limitations and new directions of

Multi-reactor power system configurations for multimegawatt nuclear electric propulsion

Science.gov (United States)

George, Jeffrey A.

1991-01-01

A modular, multi-reactor power system and vehicle configuration for piloted nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) missions to Mars is presented. Such a design could provide enhanced system and mission reliability, allowing a comfortable safety margin for early manned flights, and would allow a range of piloted and cargo missions to be performed with a single power system design. Early use of common power modules for cargo missions would also provide progressive flight experience and validation of standardized systems for use in later piloted applications. System and mission analysis are presented to compare single and multi-reactor configurations for piloted Mars missions. A conceptual design for the Hydra modular multi-reactor NEP vehicle is presented.

Erasure and reestablishment of random allelic expression imbalance after epigenetic reprogramming.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffries, Aaron Richard; Uwanogho, Dafe Aghogho; Cocks, Graham; Perfect, Leo William; Dempster, Emma; Mill, Jonathan; Price, Jack

2016-10-01

Clonal level random allelic expression imbalance and random monoallelic expression provides cellular heterogeneity within tissues by modulating allelic dosage. Although such expression patterns have been observed in multiple cell types, little is known about when in development these stochastic allelic choices are made. We examine allelic expression patterns in human neural progenitor cells before and after epigenetic reprogramming to induced pluripotency, observing that loci previously characterized by random allelic expression imbalance (0.63% of expressed genes) are generally reset to a biallelic state in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We subsequently neuralized the iPSCs and profiled isolated clonal neural stem cells, observing that significant random allelic expression imbalance is reestablished at 0.65% of expressed genes, including novel loci not found to show allelic expression imbalance in the original parental neural progenitor cells. Allelic expression imbalance was associated with altered DNA methylation across promoter regulatory regions, with clones characterized by skewed allelic expression being hypermethylated compared to their biallelic sister clones. Our results suggest that random allelic expression imbalance is established during lineage commitment and is associated with increased DNA methylation at the gene promoter. © 2016 Jeffries et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society.

MIMO wireless networks channels, techniques and standards for multi-antenna, multi-user and multi-cell systems

CERN Document Server

Clerckx, Bruno

2013-01-01

This book is unique in presenting channels, techniques and standards for the next generation of MIMO wireless networks. Through a unified framework, it emphasizes how propagation mechanisms impact the system performance under realistic power constraints. Combining a solid mathematical analysis with a physical and intuitive approach to space-time signal processing, the book progressively derives innovative designs for space-time coding and precoding as well as multi-user and multi-cell techniques, taking into consideration that MIMO channels are often far from ideal. Reflecting developments

multiPDEVS: A Parallel Multicomponent System Specification Formalism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Damien Foures

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Based on multiDEVS formalism, we introduce multiPDEVS, a parallel and nonmodular formalism for discrete event system specification. This formalism provides combined advantages of PDEVS and multiDEVS approaches, such as excellent simulation capabilities for simultaneously scheduled events and components able to influence each other using exclusively their state transitions. We next show the soundness of the formalism by giving a construction showing that any multiPDEVS model is equivalent to a PDEVS atomic model. We then present the simulation procedure associated, usually called abstract simulator. As a well-adapted formalism to express cellular automata, we finally propose to compare an implementation of multiPDEVS formalism with a more classical Cell-DEVS implementation through a fire spread application.

Multi agent gathering waste system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Álvaro LOZANO MURCIEGO

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Along this paper, we present a new multi agent-based system to gather waste on cities and villages. We have developed a low cost wireless sensor prototype to measure the volume level of the containers. Furthermore a route system is developed to optimize the routes of the trucks and a mobile application has been developed to help drivers in their working days. In order to evaluate and validate the proposed system a practical case study in a real city environment is modeled using open data available and with the purpose of identifying limitations of the system.

Multi-Resonant-Activation for a System Only Driven by Multi-State Noise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jinghui

2010-01-01

We consider the escape of the particles over fluctuating potential barrier for a system only driven by a multi-state noise. It is shown that, the noise can make the particles escape over the fluctuating potential barrier in some circumstances; but in other circumstances, it can not. If the noise can make the particle escape over the fluctuating potential barrier, the mean first passage time (MFPT) can display the phenomenon of multi-resonant-activation. For this phenomenon, there are two kinds of resonant activation to appear. One is resonant activation for the MFPTs as the function of the flipping rates of the fluctuating potential barrier; the other is that for the MFPTs as the functions of the transition rates of the multi-state noise. (general)

A multi-agent design for a pressurized water reactor (P.W.R.) control system; Modelisation multi-agents pour la conduite d'un reacteur a eau sous pression (REP)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aimar-Lichtenberger, M. [Paris-11 Univ., 91 - Orsay (France)

1999-01-01

This PhD work is in keeping with the complex industrial process control. The starting point is the analysis of control principles in a Pressurized Water Reactor (P.W.R). In order to cope with the limits of the present control procedures, a new control organisation by objectives and means is defined. This functional organisation is based on the state approach and is characterized by the parallel management of control functions to ensure the continuous control of the installation essential variables. With regard to this complex system problematic, we search the most adapted computer modeling. We show that a multi-agent system approach brings an interesting answer to manage the distribution and parallelism of control decisions and tasks. We present a synthetic study of multi-agent systems and their application fields.The choice of a multi-agent approach proceeds with the design of an agent model. This model gains experiences from other applications. This model is implemented in a computer environment which combines the mechanisms of an object language with Prolog. We propose in this frame a multi-agent modeling of the control system where each function is represented by an agent. The agents are structured in a hierarchical organisation and deal with different abstraction levers of the problem. Following a prototype process, the validation is realized by an implementation and by a coupling to a reactor simulator. The essential contributions of an agent approach turn on the mastery of the system complexity, the openness, the robustness and the potentialities of human-machine cooperation. (author)

Robustness analysis of pull strategies in multi-product systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chukwunonyelum Emmanuel Onyeocha

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This paper examines the behaviour of shared and dedicated Kanban allocation policies of Hybrid Kanban-CONWIP and Basestock-Kanban-CONWIP control strategies in multi-product systems; with considerations to robustness of optimal solutions to environmental and system variabilities. Design/methodology/approach: Discrete event simulation and evolutionary multi-objective optimisation approach were utilised to develop Pareto-frontier or sets of non-dominated optimal solutions and for selection of an appropriate decision set for the control parameters in the shared Kanban allocation policy (S-KAP and dedicated Kanban allocation policy (D-KAP. Simulation experiments were carried out via ExtendSim simulation application software. The outcomes of PCS+KAP performances were compared via all pairwise comparison and Nelson’s screening and selection procedure for superior PCS+KAP under negligible environmental and system stability. To determine superior PCS+KAP under systems’ and environmental variability, the optimal solutions were tested for robustness using Latin hypercube sampling technique and stochastic dominance test. Findings: The outcome of this study shows that under uncontrollable environmental variability, dedicated Kanban allocation policy outperformed shared Kanban allocation policy in serial manufacturing system with negligible and in complex assembly line with setup times. Moreover, the BK-CONWIP is shown as superior strategy to HK-CONWIP. Research limitations/implications: Future research should be conducted to verify the level of flexibility of BK-CONWIP with respect to product mix and product demand volume variations in a complex multi-product system Practical implications: The outcomes of this work are applicable to multi-product manufacturing industries with significant setup times and systems with negligible setup times. The multi-objective optimisation provides decision support for selection of control-parameters such that

State distribution and reliability of some multi- state systems with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

mn : G series systems and second, the multi-state consecutive kn-out-of-mn : G parallel systems (see denitions 1 and 2).We begin by giving a non recursive formula which calculates the state distribution and the reliability of multi-state ...

Representative elements: A step to large-scale fracture system simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clemo, T.M.

1987-01-01

Large-scale simulation of flow and transport in fractured media requires the development of a technique to represent the effect of a large number of fractures. Representative elements are used as a tool to model a subset of a fracture system as a single distributed entity. Representative elements are part of a modeling concept called dual permeability. Dual permeability modeling combines discrete fracture simulation of the most important fractures with the distributed modeling of the less important fracture of a fracture system. This study investigates the use of stochastic analysis to determine properties of representative elements. Given an assumption of fully developed laminar flow, the net fracture conductivities and hence flow velocities can be determined from descriptive statistics of fracture spacing, orientation, aperture, and extent. The distribution of physical characteristics about their mean leads to a distribution of the associated conductivities. The variance of hydraulic conductivity induces dispersion into the transport process. Simple fracture systems are treated to demonstrate the usefulness of stochastic analysis. Explicit equations for conductivity of an element are developed and the dispersion characteristics are shown. Explicit formulation of the hydraulic conductivity and transport dispersion reveals the dependence of these important characteristics on the parameters used to describe the fracture system. Understanding these dependencies will help to focus efforts to identify the characteristics of fracture systems. Simulations of stochastically generated fracture sets do not provide this explicit functional dependence on the fracture system parameters. 12 refs., 6 figs

Advances on Practical Applications of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems 10th International Conference on Practical Applications of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems

CERN Document Server

Müller, Jörg; Rodríguez, Juan; Pérez, Javier

2012-01-01

Research on Agents and Multi-Agent Systems has matured during the last decade and many effective applications of this technology are now deployed. PAAMS provides an international forum to present and discuss the latest scientific developments and their effective applications, to assess the impact of the approach, and to facilitate technology transfer. PAAMS started as a local initiative, but has since grown to become THE international yearly platform to present, to discuss, and to disseminate the latest developments and the most important outcomes related to real-world applications. It provides a unique opportunity to bring multi-disciplinary experts, academics and practitioners together to exchange their experience in the development and deployment of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems. PAAMS intends to bring together researchers and developers from industry and the academic world to report on the latest scientific and technical advances on the application of multi-agent systems, to discuss and debate the major ...

Highlights on Practical Applications of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems 10th International Conference on Practical Applications of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems

CERN Document Server

Sánchez, Miguel; Mathieu, Philippe; Rodríguez, Juan; Adam, Emmanuel; Ortega, Alfonso; Moreno, María; Navarro, Elena; Hirsch, Benjamin; Lopes-Cardoso, Henrique; Julián, Vicente

2012-01-01

Research on Agents and Multi-Agent Systems has matured during the last decade and many effective applications of this technology are now deployed. PAAMS provides an international forum to present and discuss the latest scientific developments and their effective applications, to assess the impact of the approach, and to facilitate technology transfer. PAAMS started as a local initiative, but has since grown to become THE international yearly platform to present, to discuss, and to disseminate the latest developments and the most important outcomes related to real-world applications. It provides a unique opportunity to bring multi-disciplinary experts, academics and practitioners together to exchange their experience in the development and deployment of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems. PAAMS intends to bring together researchers and developers from industry and the academic world to report on the latest scientific and technical advances on the application of multi-agent systems, to discuss and debate the major ...

Interlaboratory comparison of fig (Ficus carica L. microsatellite genotyping data and determination of reference alleles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matjaž HLADNIK

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Microsatellites have been identified as the marker of choice in plant genotyping projects. However, due to length discrepancies obtained between different laboratories for the same allele, interlaboratory comparison of fingerprinting results is often a difficult task. The objectives of this study were to compare genotyping results of two laboratories, to evaluate genetic parameters of microsatellite markers and to determine reference allele sizes for fig cultivars from the Istrian peninsula.Genotyping results of ninety fig (Ficus carica L. accessions were comparable between the laboratories despite differences observed when comparing electropherograms of different capillary electrophoresis systems. Differences in lengths of the same alleles were detected due to different PCR methods and laboratory equipment, but the distances between alleles of the same locus were preserved. However, locus FSYC01 exhibited one allele dropout which led to misidentification of 28 heterozygotes as homozygote individuals suggesting this locus as unreliable. Allele dropout was assigned to the tail PCR technology or to a touchdown PCR protocol.Genotypes of twenty-four reference cultivars from the Istrian peninsula were confirmed by both laboratories. These results will contribute to the usage of markers with greater reliability, discrimination power and consequently, to more reliable standardization with other fig genotyping projects.

Use of Self-Monitoring to Maintain Program Fidelity of Multi-Tiered Interventions

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, J. Ron; Oliver, Regina M.; Hebert, Michael A.; Bohaty, Janet

2015-01-01

Multi-tiered system of supports represents one of the most significant advancements in improving the outcomes of students for whom typical instruction is not effective. While many practices need to be in place to make multi-tiered systems of support effective, accurate implementation of evidence-based practices by individuals at all tiers is…

Optimal maintenance of multi-component systems: a review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R.P. Nicolai (Robin); R. Dekker (Rommert)

2006-01-01

textabstractIn this article we give an overview of the literature on multi-component maintenance optimization. We focus on work appearing since the 1991 survey "A survey of maintenance models for multi-unit systems" by Cho and Parlar. This paper builds forth on the review article by Dekker et al.

Reliable allele detection using SNP-based PCR primers containing Locked Nucleic Acid: application in genetic mapping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trognitz Friederike

2007-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The diploid, Solanum caripense, a wild relative of potato and tomato, possesses valuable resistance to potato late blight and we are interested in the genetic base of this resistance. Due to extremely low levels of genetic variation within the S. caripense genome it proved impossible to generate a dense genetic map and to assign individual Solanum chromosomes through the use of conventional chromosome-specific SSR, RFLP, AFLP, as well as gene- or locus-specific markers. The ease of detection of DNA polymorphisms depends on both frequency and form of sequence variation. The narrow genetic background of close relatives and inbreds complicates the detection of persisting, reduced polymorphism and is a challenge to the development of reliable molecular markers. Nonetheless, monomorphic DNA fragments representing not directly usable conventional markers can contain considerable variation at the level of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs. This can be used for the design of allele-specific molecular markers. The reproducible detection of allele-specific markers based on SNPs has been a technical challenge. Results We present a fast and cost-effective protocol for the detection of allele-specific SNPs by applying Sequence Polymorphism-Derived (SPD markers. These markers proved highly efficient for fingerprinting of individuals possessing a homogeneous genetic background. SPD markers are obtained from within non-informative, conventional molecular marker fragments that are screened for SNPs to design allele-specific PCR primers. The method makes use of primers containing a single, 3'-terminal Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA base. We demonstrate the applicability of the technique by successful genetic mapping of allele-specific SNP markers derived from monomorphic Conserved Ortholog Set II (COSII markers mapped to Solanum chromosomes, in S. caripense. By using SPD markers it was possible for the first time to map the S. caripense alleles

Onboard autonomous mission re-planning for multi-satellite system

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Zixuan; Guo, Jian; Gill, Eberhard

2018-04-01

This paper presents an onboard autonomous mission re-planning system for Multi-Satellites System (MSS) to perform onboard re-planing in disruptive situations. The proposed re-planning system can deal with different potential emergency situations. This paper uses Multi-Objective Hybrid Dynamic Mutation Genetic Algorithm (MO-HDM GA) combined with re-planning techniques as the core algorithm. The Cyclically Re-planning Method (CRM) and the Near Real-time Re-planning Method (NRRM) are developed to meet different mission requirements. Simulations results show that both methods can provide feasible re-planning sequences under unforeseen situations. The comparisons illustrate that using the CRM is average 20% faster than the NRRM on computation time. However, by using the NRRM more raw data can be observed and transmitted than using the CRM within the same period. The usability of this onboard re-planning system is not limited to multi-satellite system. Other mission planning and re-planning problems related to autonomous multiple vehicles with similar demands are also applicable.

A case of vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome with a cardiomyopathy and multi-system involvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Lan, Nick Si Rui; Fietz, Michael; Pachter, Nicholas; Paul, Vincent; Playford, David

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome comprises a heterogeneous group of heritable connective tissue disorders resulting from various gene mutations. We present an unusual case of vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome with distinctive physical characteristics and a cardiomyopathy with features suggesting isolated left ventricular non-compaction. The cardiac features represent the first report of a cardiomyopathy associated with a mutation in the COL3A1 gene. This case also illustrates the multi-system nature of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and the complexity of managing patients with the vascular subtype. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MULTI-PHOTON PHOSPHOR FEASIBILITY RESEARCH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

R. Graham; W. Chow

2003-05-01

Development of multi-photon phosphor materials for discharge lamps represents a goal that would achieve up to a doubling of discharge (fluorescent) lamp efficacy. This report reviews the existing literature on multi-photon phosphors, identifies obstacles in developing such phosphors, and recommends directions for future research to address these obstacles. To critically examine issues involved in developing a multi-photon phosphor, the project brought together a team of experts from universities, national laboratories, and an industrial lamp manufacturer. Results and findings are organized into three categories: (1) Multi-Photon Systems and Processes, (2) Chemistry and Materials Issues, and (3) Concepts and Models. Multi-Photon Systems and Processes: This category focuses on how to use our current understanding of multi-photon phosphor systems to design new phosphor systems for application in fluorescent lamps. The quickest way to develop multi-photon lamp phosphors lies in finding sensitizer ions for Gd{sup 3+} and identifying activator ions to red shift the blue emission from Pr{sup 3+} due to the {sup 1}S{sub 0} {yields} {sup 1}I{sub 6} transition associated with the first cascading step. Success in either of these developments would lead to more efficient fluorescent lamps. Chemistry and Materials Issues: The most promising multi-photon phosphors are found in fluoride hosts. However, stability of fluorides in environments typically found in fluorescent lamps needs to be greatly improved. Experimental investigation of fluorides in actual lamp environments needs to be undertaken while working on oxide and oxyfluoride alternative systems for backup. Concepts and Models: Successful design of a multi-photon phosphor system based on cascading transitions of Gd{sup 3+} and Pr{sup 3+} depends critically on how the former can be sensitized and the latter can sensitize an activator ion. Methods to predict energy level diagrams and Judd-Ofelt parameters of multi

Pattern-oriented modelling: a 'multi-scope' for predictive systems ecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Grimm, Volker; Railsback, Steven F

2012-01-19

Modern ecology recognizes that modelling systems across scales and at multiple levels-especially to link population and ecosystem dynamics to individual adaptive behaviour-is essential for making the science predictive. 'Pattern-oriented modelling' (POM) is a strategy for doing just this. POM is the multi-criteria design, selection and calibration of models of complex systems. POM starts with identifying a set of patterns observed at multiple scales and levels that characterize a system with respect to the particular problem being modelled; a model from which the patterns emerge should contain the right mechanisms to address the problem. These patterns are then used to (i) determine what scales, entities, variables and processes the model needs, (ii) test and select submodels to represent key low-level processes such as adaptive behaviour, and (iii) find useful parameter values during calibration. Patterns are already often used in these ways, but a mini-review of applications of POM confirms that making the selection and use of patterns more explicit and rigorous can facilitate the development of models with the right level of complexity to understand ecological systems and predict their response to novel conditions.

Differential allelic expression of a fibrillin gene (FBNI) in patients with Marfan syndrome

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hewett, D.; Lynch, J.; Sykes, B. [Univ. of Oxford (United Kingdom); Firth, H. [Churchill Hospital, Oxford (United Kingdom); Child, A. [St. George`s Hospital Medical School, London (United Kingdom)

1994-09-01

Marfan syndrome is a connective-tissue disorder affecting cardiovascular, skeletal, and ocular systems. The major Marfan locus has been identified as the FBN1 gene on chromosome 15; this codes for the extracellular-matrix protein fibrillin, a 350-kD constituent of the 8-10-nm elastin-associated microfibrils. The authors identified five MFS patients who were heterozygous for an RsaI restriction-site dimorphism in the 3{prime} UTR of the FBN1 gene. This expressed variation was used to distinguish the mRNA output from each of the two FBN1 alleles in fibroblast cultures from these five patients. Three of the patients were shown to produce <5% of the normal level of FBN1 transcripts from one of their alleles. This null-allele phenotype was not observed in 10 nonmarfanoid fibroblast cell lines. 26 refs., 4 figs.

Drop Testing Representative Multi-Canister Overpacks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Snow, Spencer D. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Morton, Dana K. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2015-06-01

The objective of the work reported herein was to determine the ability of the Multi- Canister Overpack (MCO) canister design to maintain its containment boundary after an accidental drop event. Two test MCO canisters were assembled at Hanford, prepared for testing at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), drop tested at Sandia National Laboratories, and evaluated back at the INEEL. In addition to the actual testing efforts, finite element plastic analysis techniques were used to make both pre-test and post-test predictions of the test MCOs structural deformations. The completed effort has demonstrated that the canister design is capable of maintaining a 50 psig pressure boundary after drop testing. Based on helium leak testing methods, one test MCO was determined to have a leakage rate not greater than 1x10^-5 std cc/sec (prior internal helium presence prevented a more rigorous test) and the remaining test MCO had a measured leakage rate less than 1x10^-7 std cc/sec (i.e., a leaktight containment) after the drop test. The effort has also demonstrated the capability of finite element methods using plastic analysis techniques to accurately predict the structural deformations of canisters subjected to an accidental drop event.

Measuring Performance of Soft Real-Time Tasks on Multi-core Systems

OpenAIRE

Rafiq, Salman

2011-01-01

Multi-core platforms are well established, and they are slowly moving into the area of embedded and real-time systems. Nowadays to take advantage of multi-core systems in terms of throughput, soft real-time applications are run together with general purpose applications under an operating system such as Linux. But due to shared hardware resources in multi-core architectures, it is likely that these applications will interfere and compete with each other. This can cause slower response times f...

Novel Hypomorphic Alleles of the Mouse Tyrosinase Gene Induced by CRISPR-Cas9 Nucleases Cause Non-Albino Pigmentation Phenotypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Challa, Anil K; Boitet, Evan R; Turner, Ashley N; Johnson, Larry W; Kennedy, Daniel; Downs, Ethan R; Hymel, Katherine M; Gross, Alecia K; Kesterson, Robert A

2016-01-01

Tyrosinase is a key enzyme in melanin biosynthesis. Mutations in the gene encoding tyrosinase (Tyr) cause oculocutaneous albinism (OCA1) in humans. Alleles of the Tyr gene have been useful in studying pigment biology and coat color formation. Over 100 different Tyr alleles have been reported in mice, of which ≈24% are spontaneous mutations, ≈60% are radiation-induced, and the remaining alleles were obtained by chemical mutagenesis and gene targeting. Therefore, most mutations were random and could not be predicted a priori. Using the CRISPR-Cas9 system, we targeted two distinct regions of exon 1 to induce pigmentation changes and used an in vivo visual phenotype along with heteroduplex mobility assays (HMA) as readouts of CRISPR-Cas9 activity. Most of the mutant alleles result in complete loss of tyrosinase activity leading to an albino phenotype. In this study, we describe two novel in-frame deletion alleles of Tyr, dhoosara (Sanskrit for gray) and chandana (Sanskrit for sandalwood). These alleles are hypomorphic and show lighter pigmentation phenotypes of the body and eyes. This study demonstrates the utility of CRISPR-Cas9 system in generating domain-specific in-frame deletions and helps gain further insights into structure-function of Tyr gene.

Novel Hypomorphic Alleles of the Mouse Tyrosinase Gene Induced by CRISPR-Cas9 Nucleases Cause Non-Albino Pigmentation Phenotypes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anil K Challa

Full Text Available Tyrosinase is a key enzyme in melanin biosynthesis. Mutations in the gene encoding tyrosinase (Tyr cause oculocutaneous albinism (OCA1 in humans. Alleles of the Tyr gene have been useful in studying pigment biology and coat color formation. Over 100 different Tyr alleles have been reported in mice, of which ≈24% are spontaneous mutations, ≈60% are radiation-induced, and the remaining alleles were obtained by chemical mutagenesis and gene targeting. Therefore, most mutations were random and could not be predicted a priori. Using the CRISPR-Cas9 system, we targeted two distinct regions of exon 1 to induce pigmentation changes and used an in vivo visual phenotype along with heteroduplex mobility assays (HMA as readouts of CRISPR-Cas9 activity. Most of the mutant alleles result in complete loss of tyrosinase activity leading to an albino phenotype. In this study, we describe two novel in-frame deletion alleles of Tyr, dhoosara (Sanskrit for gray and chandana (Sanskrit for sandalwood. These alleles are hypomorphic and show lighter pigmentation phenotypes of the body and eyes. This study demonstrates the utility of CRISPR-Cas9 system in generating domain-specific in-frame deletions and helps gain further insights into structure-function of Tyr gene.

Origin of allelic diversity in antirrhinum S locus RNases.

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Y; Carpenter, R; Dickinson, H G; Coen, E S

1996-01-01

In many plant species, self-incompatibility (SI) is genetically controlled by a single multiallelic S locus. Previous analysis of S alleles in the Solanaceae, in which S locus ribonucleases (S RNases) are responsible for stylar expression of SI, has demonstrated that allelic diversity predated speciation within this family. To understand how allelic diversity has evolved, we investigated the molecular basis of gametophytic SI in Antirrhinum, a member of the Scrophulariaceae, which is closely related to the Solanaceae. We have characterized three Antirrhinum cDNAs encoding polypeptides homologous to S RNases and shown that they are encoded by genes at the S locus. RNA in situ hybridization revealed that the Antirrhinum S RNase are primarily expressed in the stylar transmitting tissue. This expression is consistent with their proposed role in arresting the growth of self-pollen tubes. S alleles from the Scrophulariaceae form a separate group from those of the Solanaceae, indicating that new S alleles have been generated since these families separated (approximately 40 million years). We propose that the recruitment of an ancestral RNase gene into SI occurred during an early stage of angiosperm evolution and that, since that time, new alleles subsequently have arisen at a low rate. PMID:8672882

Ecological interactions and the fitness effect of water-use efficiency: Competition and drought alter the impact of natural MPK12 alleles in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Campitelli, Brandon E; Des Marais, David L; Juenger, Thomas E

2016-04-01

The presence of substantial genetic variation for water-use efficiency (WUE) suggests that natural selection plays a role in maintaining alleles that affect WUE. Soil water deficit can reduce plant survival, and is likely to impose selection to increase WUE, whereas competition for resources may select for decreased WUE to ensure water acquisition. We tested the fitness consequences of natural allelic variation in a single gene (MPK12) that influences WUE in Arabidopsis, using transgenic lines contrasting in MPK12 alleles, under four treatments; drought/competition, drought/no competition, well-watered/competition, well-watered/no competition. Results revealed an allele × environment interaction: Low WUE plants performed better in competition, resulting from increased resource consumption. Contrastingly, high WUE individuals performed better in no competition, irrespective of water availability, presumably from enhanced water conservation and nitrogen acquisition. Our findings suggest that selection can influence MPK12 evolution, and represents the first assessment of plant fitness resulting from natural allelic variation at a single locus affecting WUE. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Fault-Tolerant Consensus of Multi-Agent System With Distributed Adaptive Protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shun; Ho, Daniel W C; Li, Lulu; Liu, Ming

2015-10-01

In this paper, fault-tolerant consensus in multi-agent system using distributed adaptive protocol is investigated. Firstly, distributed adaptive online updating strategies for some parameters are proposed based on local information of the network structure. Then, under the online updating parameters, a distributed adaptive protocol is developed to compensate the fault effects and the uncertainty effects in the leaderless multi-agent system. Based on the local state information of neighboring agents, a distributed updating protocol gain is developed which leads to a fully distributed continuous adaptive fault-tolerant consensus protocol design for the leaderless multi-agent system. Furthermore, a distributed fault-tolerant leader-follower consensus protocol for multi-agent system is constructed by the proposed adaptive method. Finally, a simulation example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical analysis.

Utilization of a ts-sacB selection system for the generation of a Mycobacterium avium serovar-8 specific glycopeptidolipid allelic exchange mutant

Science.gov (United States)

Irani, Vida R; Lee, Sun-Hwa; Eckstein, Torsten M; Inamine, Julia M; Belisle, John T; Maslow, Joel N

2004-01-01

Background Mycobacterium avium are ubiquitous environmental organisms and a cause of disseminated infection in patients with end-stage AIDS. The glycopeptidolipids (GPL) of M. avium are proposed to participate in the pathogenesis of this organism, however, establishment of a clear role for GPL in disease production has been limited by the inability to genetically manipulate M. avium. Methods To be able to study the role of the GPL in M. avium pathogenesis, a ts-sacB selection system, not previously used in M. avium, was employed as a means to achieve homologous recombination for the rhamnosyltransferase (rtfA) gene of a pathogenic serovar 8 strain of M. avium to prevent addition of serovar-specific sugars to rhamnose of the fatty acyl-peptide backbone of GPL. The genotype of the resultant rtfA mutant was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and southern hybridization. Disruption in the proximal sugar of the haptenic oligosaccharide resulted in the loss of serovar specific GPL with no change in the pattern of non-serovar specific GPL moieties as shown by thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Complementation of wild type (wt) rtfA in trans through an integrative plasmid restored serovar-8 specific GPL expression identical to wt serovar 8 parent strain. Results In this study, we affirm our results that rtfA encodes an enzyme responsible for the transfer of Rha to 6d-Tal and provide evidence of a second allelic exchange mutagenesis system suitable for M. avium. Conclusion We report the second allelic exchange system for M. avium utilizing ts-sacB as double-negative and xylE as positive counter-selection markers, respectively. This system of allelic exchange would be especially useful for M. avium strains that demonstrate significant isoniazid (INH) resistance despite transformation with katG. Through the construction of mutants in GPL or other mycobacterial components, their roles in M. avium pathogenesis, biosynthesis, or drug

Utilization of a ts-sacB selection system for the generation of a Mycobacterium avium serovar-8 specific glycopeptidolipid allelic exchange mutant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Belisle John T

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mycobacterium avium are ubiquitous environmental organisms and a cause of disseminated infection in patients with end-stage AIDS. The glycopeptidolipids (GPL of M. avium are proposed to participate in the pathogenesis of this organism, however, establishment of a clear role for GPL in disease production has been limited by the inability to genetically manipulate M. avium. Methods To be able to study the role of the GPL in M. avium pathogenesis, a ts-sacB selection system, not previously used in M. avium, was employed as a means to achieve homologous recombination for the rhamnosyltransferase (rtfA gene of a pathogenic serovar 8 strain of M. avium to prevent addition of serovar-specific sugars to rhamnose of the fatty acyl-peptide backbone of GPL. The genotype of the resultant rtfA mutant was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and southern hybridization. Disruption in the proximal sugar of the haptenic oligosaccharide resulted in the loss of serovar specific GPL with no change in the pattern of non-serovar specific GPL moieties as shown by thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Complementation of wild type (wt rtfA in trans through an integrative plasmid restored serovar-8 specific GPL expression identical to wt serovar 8 parent strain. Results In this study, we affirm our results that rtfA encodes an enzyme responsible for the transfer of Rha to 6d-Tal and provide evidence of a second allelic exchange mutagenesis system suitable for M. avium. Conclusion We report the second allelic exchange system for M. avium utilizing ts-sacB as double-negative and xylE as positive counter-selection markers, respectively. This system of allelic exchange would be especially useful for M. avium strains that demonstrate significant isoniazid (INH resistance despite transformation with katG. Through the construction of mutants in GPL or other mycobacterial components, their roles in M. avium pathogenesis

A methodology for designing flexible multi-generation systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lythcke-Jørgensen, Christoffer Ernst; Viana Ensinas, Adriano; Münster, Marie

2016-01-01

An FMG (flexible multi-generation system) consists of integrated and flexibly operated facilities that provide multiple links between the various layers of the energy system. FMGs may facilitate integration and balancing of fluctuating renewable energy sources in the energy system in a cost...... is based on consideration of the following points: Selection, location and dimensioning of processes; systematic heat and mass integration; flexible operation optimization with respect to both short-term market fluctuations and long-term energy system development; global sensitivity and uncertainty...... analysis; biomass supply chains; variable part-load performance; and multi-objective optimization considering economic and environmental performance. Tested in a case study, the methodology is proved effective in screening the solution space for efficient FMG designs, in assessing the importance...

RHD alleles in the Tunisian population

Science.gov (United States)

Ouchari, Mouna; Jemni-Yaacoub, Saloua; Chakroun, Taher; Abdelkefi, Saida; Houissa, Batoul; Hmida, Slama

2013-01-01

Background: A comprehensive survey of RHD alleles in Tunisia population was lacking. The aim of this study was to use a multiplex RHD typing assay for simultaneous detection of partial D especially with RHD/RHCE deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence exchange mechanism and some weak D alleles. Materials and Methods: Six RHD specific primer sets were designed to amplify RHD exons 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9. DNA from 2000 blood donors (1777 D+ and 223 D-) from several regions was selected for RHD genotyping using a PCR multiplex assay. Further molecular investigations were done to characterize the RHD variants that were identified by the PCR multiplex assay. Results: In the 1777 D+ samples, only 10 individuals showed the absence of amplification of exons 4 and 5 that were subsequently identified by PCR-SSP as weak D type 4 variants. No hybrid allele was detected. In the 223 D-, RHD amplification of some exons was observed only in 5 samples: 4 individuals expressed only RHD exon 9, and one subject lacking exons 4 and 5. These samples were then screened by PCR-SSPs on d(C) ces and weak D type 4, respectively. Conclusion: The weak D type 4 appears to be the most common D variant allele. We have not found any partial D variant. Findings also indicated that RHD gene deletion is the most prevalent cause of the D- phenotype in the Tunisian population. PMID:24014941

A diagnosis method for physical systems using a multi-modeling approach; Utilisation de l'approche multi-modeles pour l'aide au diagnostic d'installations industrielles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thetiot, R

2000-07-01

In this thesis we propose a method for diagnosis problem solving. This method is based on a multi-modeling approach describing both normal and abnormal behavior of a system. This modeling approach allows to represent a system at different abstraction levels (behavioral, functional and teleological). Fundamental knowledge is described according to a bond-graph representation. We show that bond-graph representation can be exploited in order to generate (completely or partially) the functional models. The different models of the multi-modeling approach allows to define the functional state of a system at different abstraction levels. We exploit this property to exonerate sub-systems for which the expected behavior is observed. The behavioral and functional descriptions of the remaining sub-systems are exploited hierarchically in a two steps process. In a first step, the abnormal behaviors explaining some observations are identified. In a second step, the remaining unexplained observations are used to generate conflict sets and thus the consistency based diagnoses. The modeling method and the diagnosis process have been applied to a Reactor Coolant Pump Sets. This application illustrates the concepts described in this thesis and shows its potentialities. (authors)

Rapid identification of ST131 Escherichia coli by a novel multiplex real-time allelic discrimination assay.

Science.gov (United States)

François, Patrice; Bonetti, Eve-Julie; Fankhauser, Carolina; Baud, Damien; Cherkaoui, Abdessalam; Schrenzel, Jacques; Harbarth, Stephan

2017-09-01

Escherichia coli sequence type 131 is increasingly described in severe hospital infections. We developed a rapid real-time allelic discrimination assay for the rapid identification of E. coli ST131 isolates. This rapid assay represents an affordable alternative to sequence-based strategies before completing characterization of potentially highly virulent isolates of E. coli. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Energy-dissipation-model for metallurgical multi-phase-systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mavrommatis, K.T. [Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule Aachen, Aachen (Germany)

1996-12-31

Entropy production in real processes is directly associated with the dissipation of energy. Both are potential measures for the proceed of irreversible processes taking place in metallurgical systems. Many of these processes in multi-phase-systems could then be modelled on the basis of the energy-dissipation associated with. As this entity can often be estimated using very simple assumptions from first principles, the evolution of an overall measure of systems behaviour can be studied constructing an energy-dissipation -based model of the system. In this work a formulation of this concept, the Energy-Dissipation-Model (EDM), for metallurgical multi-phase-systems is given. Special examples are studied to illustrate the concept, and benefits as well as the range of validity are shown. This concept might be understood as complement to usual CFD-modelling of complex systems on a more abstract level but reproducing essential attributes of complex metallurgical systems. (author)

Energy-dissipation-model for metallurgical multi-phase-systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mavrommatis, K T [Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule Aachen, Aachen (Germany)

1997-12-31

Entropy production in real processes is directly associated with the dissipation of energy. Both are potential measures for the proceed of irreversible processes taking place in metallurgical systems. Many of these processes in multi-phase-systems could then be modelled on the basis of the energy-dissipation associated with. As this entity can often be estimated using very simple assumptions from first principles, the evolution of an overall measure of systems behaviour can be studied constructing an energy-dissipation -based model of the system. In this work a formulation of this concept, the Energy-Dissipation-Model (EDM), for metallurgical multi-phase-systems is given. Special examples are studied to illustrate the concept, and benefits as well as the range of validity are shown. This concept might be understood as complement to usual CFD-modelling of complex systems on a more abstract level but reproducing essential attributes of complex metallurgical systems. (author)

An investigation into the organisation and structural design of multi-computer process-control systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gertenbach, W.P.

1981-12-01

A multi-computer system for the collection of data and control of distributed processes has been developed. The structure and organisation of this system, a study of the general theory of systems and of modularity was used as a basis for an investigation into the organisation and structured design of multi-computer process-control systems. A multi-dimensional model of multi-computer process-control systems was developed. In this model a strict separation was made between organisational properties of multi-computer process-control systems and implementation dependant properties. The model was based on the principles of hierarchical analysis and modularity. Several notions of hierarchy were found necessary to describe fully the organisation of multi-computer systems. A new concept, that of interconnection abstraction was identified. This concept is an extrapolation of implementation techniques in the hardware implementation area to the software implementation area. A synthesis procedure which relies heavily on the above described analysis of multi-computer process-control systems is proposed. The above mentioned model, and a set of performance factors which depend on a set of identified design criteria, were used to constrain the set of possible solutions to the multi-computer process-control system synthesis-procedure

Compositional Verification of Multi-Station Interlocking Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Macedo, Hugo Daniel dos Santos; Fantechi, Alessandro; Haxthausen, Anne Elisabeth

2016-01-01

pose a big challenge to current verification methodologies, due to the explosion of state space size as soon as large, if not medium sized, multi-station systems have to be controlled. For these reasons, verification techniques that exploit locality principles related to the topological layout...... of the controlled system to split in different ways the state space have been investigated. In particular, compositional approaches divide the controlled track network in regions that can be verified separately, once proper assumptions are considered on the way the pieces are glued together. Basing on a successful...... method to verify the size of rather large networks, we propose a compositional approach that is particularly suitable to address multi-station interlocking systems which control a whole line composed of stations linked by mainline tracks. Indeed, it turns out that for such networks, and for the adopted...

The multi-camera optical surveillance system (MOS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otto, P.; Wagner, H.; Richter, B.; Gaertner, K.J.; Laszlo, G.; Neumann, G.

1991-01-01

The transition from film camera to video surveillance systems, in particular the implementation of high capacity multi-camera video systems, results in a large increase in the amount of recorded scenes. Consequently, there is a substantial increase in the manpower requirements for review. Moreover, modern microprocessor controlled equipment facilitates the collection of additional data associated with each scene. Both the scene and the annotated information have to be evaluated by the inspector. The design of video surveillance systems for safeguards necessarily has to account for both appropriate recording and reviewing techniques. An aspect of principal importance is that the video information is stored on tape. Under the German Support Programme to the Agency a technical concept has been developed which aims at optimizing the capabilities of a multi-camera optical surveillance (MOS) system including the reviewing technique. This concept is presented in the following paper including a discussion of reviewing and reliability

Allele and genotype frequencies of -β lactoglobulin gene in Iranian ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-08-04

Aug 4, 2009 ... Blood samples were supplied from 80 Najdi cattle and 80 buffalo from different cities of Khouzestan province. ... The allele B of β-Lactoglobulin occurred at a higher frequency than the allele A in both. Najdi cattle and buffalo. .... that of the B allele in both groups of animals studied. Expected heterozygosity ...

Recommending the heterogeneous cluster type multi-processor system computing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iijima, Nobukazu

2010-01-01

Real-time reactor simulator had been developed by reusing the equipment of the Musashi reactor and its performance improvement became indispensable for research tools to increase sampling rate with introduction of arithmetic units using multi-Digital Signal Processor(DSP) system (cluster). In order to realize the heterogeneous cluster type multi-processor system computing, combination of two kinds of Control Processor (CP) s, Cluster Control Processor (CCP) and System Control Processor (SCP), were proposed with Large System Control Processor (LSCP) for hierarchical cluster if needed. Faster computing performance of this system was well evaluated by simulation results for simultaneous execution of plural jobs and also pipeline processing between clusters, which showed the system led to effective use of existing system and enhancement of the cost performance. (T. Tanaka)

Potential of Multi-Winglet Systems to Improve Aircraft Performance

OpenAIRE

Berens, Martin

2008-01-01

Gegenstand der vorliegenden Arbeit ist die Untersuchung des Potenzials von Multi-Winglet Konfigurationen zur Leistungssteigerung von Flugzeugen. Multi-Winglet Systeme sind aus der Vogelwelt bekannt. Die offensichtliche Diskrepanz zwischen dem Erfolg der Multi-Winglet Konfiguration in der Natur sowie dem theoretisch großen Potenzial zur Verringerung des induzierten Widerstands und der damit verbundenen Abschwächung der Intensität der Nachlaufwirbel auf der einen und den gleichzeitig mäßigen Er...

Asymptotic behavior of solutions of linear multi-order fractional differential equation systems

OpenAIRE

Diethelm, Kai; Siegmund, Stefan; Tuan, H. T.

2017-01-01

In this paper, we investigate some aspects of the qualitative theory for multi-order fractional differential equation systems. First, we obtain a fundamental result on the existence and uniqueness for multi-order fractional differential equation systems. Next, a representation of solutions of homogeneous linear multi-order fractional differential equation systems in series form is provided. Finally, we give characteristics regarding the asymptotic behavior of solutions to some classes of line...

S-allele diversity in Sorbus aucuparia and Crataegus monogyna (Rosaceae: Maloideae).

Science.gov (United States)

Raspé, O; Kohn, J R

2002-06-01

RT-PCR was used to obtain the first estimates from natural populations of allelic diversity at the RNase-based gametophytic self-incompatibility locus in the Rosaceae. A total of 20 alleles were retrieved from 20 Sorbus aucuparia individuals, whereas 17 alleles were found in 13 Crataegus monogyna samples. Estimates of population-level allele numbers fall within the range observed in the Solanaceae, the only other family with RNase-based incompatibility for which estimates are available. The nucleotide diversity of S-allele sequences was found to be much lower in the two Rosaceae species as compared with the Solanaceae. This was not due to a lower sequence divergence among most closely related alleles. Rather, it is the depth of the entire genealogy that differs markedly in the two families, with Rosaceae S-alleles exhibiting more recent apparent coalescence. We also investigated patterns of selection at the molecular level by comparing nucleotide diversity at synonymous and nonsynonymous sites. Stabilizing selection was inferred for the 5' region of the molecule, while evidence of diversifying selection was present elsewhere.

A Simple, High-Throughput Assay for Fragile X Expanded Alleles Using Triple Repeat Primed PCR and Capillary Electrophoresis

Science.gov (United States)

Lyon, Elaine; Laver, Thomas; Yu, Ping; Jama, Mohamed; Young, Keith; Zoccoli, Michael; Marlowe, Natalia

2010-01-01

Population screening has been proposed for Fragile X syndrome to identify premutation carrier females and affected newborns. We developed a PCR-based assay capable of quickly detecting the presence or absence of an expanded FMR1 allele with high sensitivity and specificity. This assay combines a triplet repeat primed PCR with high-throughput automated capillary electrophoresis. We evaluated assay performance using archived samples sent for Fragile X diagnostic testing representing a range of Fragile X CGG-repeat expansions. Two hundred five previously genotyped samples were tested with the new assay. Data were analyzed for the presence of a trinucleotide “ladder” extending beyond 55 repeats, which was set as a cut-off to identify expanded FMR1 alleles. We identified expanded FMR1 alleles in 132 samples (59 premutation, 71 full mutation, 2 mosaics) and normal FMR1 alleles in 73 samples. We found 100% concordance with previous results from PCR and Southern blot analyses. In addition, we show feasibility of using this assay with DNA extracted from dried-blood spots. Using a single PCR combined with high-throughput fragment analysis on the automated capillary electrophoresis instrument, we developed a rapid and reproducible PCR-based laboratory assay that meets many of the requirements for a first-tier test for population screening. PMID:20431035

Enzyme-sharing as a cause of multi-stationarity in signalling systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Feliu, Elisenda; Wiuf, Carsten

2012-01-01

Multi-stationarity in biological systems is a mechanism of cellular decision-making. In particular, signalling pathways regulated by protein phosphorylation display features that facilitate a variety of responses to different biological inputs. The features that lead to multi-stationarity are of ......Multi-stationarity in biological systems is a mechanism of cellular decision-making. In particular, signalling pathways regulated by protein phosphorylation display features that facilitate a variety of responses to different biological inputs. The features that lead to multi......-stationarity are of particular interest to determine, as well as the stability, properties of the steady states. In this paper, we determine conditions for the emergence of multi-stationarity in small motifs without feedback that repeatedly occur in signalling pathways. We derive an explicit mathematical relationship ¿ between...... identify characteristics of the motifs that lead to multi-stationarity, and extend the view that multi-stationarity in signalling pathways arises from multi-site phosphorylation. Our approach relies on mass-action kinetics, and the conclusions are drawn in full generality without resorting to simulations...

Characterization of a Weak Allele of Zebrafish cloche Mutant

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Ning; Huang, Zhibin; Chen, Xiaohui; He, Fei; Wang, Kun; Liu, Wei; Zhao, Linfeng; Xu, Xiangmin; Liao, Wangjun; Ruan, Hua; Luo, Shenqiu; Zhang, Wenqing

2011-01-01

Hematopoiesis is a complicated and dynamic process about which the molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Danio rerio (zebrafish) is an excellent vertebrate system for studying hematopoiesis and developmental mechanisms. In the previous study, we isolated and identified a cloche 172 (clo 172) mutant, a novel allele compared to the original cloche (clo) mutant, through using complementation test and initial mapping. Here, according to whole mount in-situ hybridization, we report that the endothelial cells in clo 172 mutant embryos, although initially developed, failed to form the functional vascular system eventually. In addition, further characterization indicates that the clo 172 mutant exhibited weaker defects instead of completely lost in primitive erythroid cells and definitive hematopoietic cells compared with the clo s5 mutant. In contrast, primitive myeloid cells were totally lost in clo 172 mutant. Furthermore, these reappeared definitive myeloid cells were demonstrated to initiate from the remaining hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in clo 172 mutant, confirmed by the dramatic decrease of lyc in clo 172 runx1w84x double mutant. Collectively, the clo 172 mutant is a weak allele compared to the clo s5 mutant, therefore providing a model for studying the early development of hematopoietic and vascular system, as well as an opportunity to further understand the function of the cloche gene. PMID:22132109

Association mapping and favourable QTL alleles for fibre quality ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Cheng-Guang Dong

A total of 201 markers were polymorphic and generated 394 allele loci, and 403 ... identified as containing favourable allele loci related to fibre quality traits. The identified .... environment. Field management followed respective local practices.

The evaluation of multi-structure, multi-atlas pelvic anatomy features in a prostate MR lymphography CAD system

Science.gov (United States)

Meijs, M.; Debats, O.; Huisman, H.

2015-03-01

In prostate cancer, the detection of metastatic lymph nodes indicates progression from localized disease to metastasized cancer. The detection of positive lymph nodes is, however, a complex and time consuming task for experienced radiologists. Assistance of a two-stage Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) system in MR Lymphography (MRL) is not yet feasible due to the large number of false positives in the first stage of the system. By introducing a multi-structure, multi-atlas segmentation, using an affine transformation followed by a B-spline transformation for registration, the organ location is given by a mean density probability map. The atlas segmentation is semi-automatically drawn with ITK-SNAP, using Active Contour Segmentation. Each anatomic structure is identified by a label number. Registration is performed using Elastix, using Mutual Information and an Adaptive Stochastic Gradient optimization. The dataset consists of the MRL scans of ten patients, with lymph nodes manually annotated in consensus by two expert readers. The feature map of the CAD system consists of the Multi-Atlas and various other features (e.g. Normalized Intensity and multi-scale Blobness). The voxel-based Gentleboost classifier is evaluated using ROC analysis with cross validation. We show in a set of 10 studies that adding multi-structure, multi-atlas anatomical structure likelihood features improves the quality of the lymph node voxel likelihood map. Multiple structure anatomy maps may thus make MRL CAD more feasible.

Mansion, A Distributed Multi-Agent System

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van t Noordende, G.; Brazier, F.M.; Tanenbaum, A.S.

2001-01-01

In this position summary we present work in progress on a worldwide, scalable multi-agent system, based on a paradigm of hyperlinked rooms. The framework offers facilities for managing distribution, security and mobility aspects for both active elements (agents) and passive elements (objects) in the

On coding genotypes for genetic markers with multiple alleles in genetic association study of quantitative traits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Tao

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In genetic association study of quantitative traits using F∞ models, how to code the marker genotypes and interpret the model parameters appropriately is important for constructing hypothesis tests and making statistical inferences. Currently, the coding of marker genotypes in building F∞ models has mainly focused on the biallelic case. A thorough work on the coding of marker genotypes and interpretation of model parameters for F∞ models is needed especially for genetic markers with multiple alleles. Results In this study, we will formulate F∞ genetic models under various regression model frameworks and introduce three genotype coding schemes for genetic markers with multiple alleles. Starting from an allele-based modeling strategy, we first describe a regression framework to model the expected genotypic values at given markers. Then, as extension from the biallelic case, we introduce three coding schemes for constructing fully parameterized one-locus F∞ models and discuss the relationships between the model parameters and the expected genotypic values. Next, under a simplified modeling framework for the expected genotypic values, we consider several reduced one-locus F∞ models from the three coding schemes on the estimability and interpretation of their model parameters. Finally, we explore some extensions of the one-locus F∞ models to two loci. Several fully parameterized as well as reduced two-locus F∞ models are addressed. Conclusions The genotype coding schemes provide different ways to construct F∞ models for association testing of multi-allele genetic markers with quantitative traits. Which coding scheme should be applied depends on how convenient it can provide the statistical inferences on the parameters of our research interests. Based on these F∞ models, the standard regression model fitting tools can be used to estimate and test for various genetic effects through statistical contrasts with the

Distributed Cooperative Control of Nonlinear and Non-identical Multi-agent Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bidram, Ali; Lewis, Frank; Davoudi, Ali

2013-01-01

This paper exploits input-output feedback linearization technique to implement distributed cooperative control of multi-agent systems with nonlinear and non-identical dynamics. Feedback linearization transforms the synchronization problem for a nonlinear and heterogeneous multi-agent system...... for electric power microgrids. The effectiveness of the proposed control is verified by simulating a microgrid test system....

Negotiating designs of multi-purpose reservoir systems in international basins

Science.gov (United States)

Geressu, Robel; Harou, Julien

2016-04-01

Given increasing agricultural and energy demands, coordinated management of multi-reservoir systems could help increase production without further stressing available water resources. However, regional or international disputes about water-use rights pose a challenge to efficient expansion and management of many large reservoir systems. Even when projects are likely to benefit all stakeholders, agreeing on the design, operation, financing, and benefit sharing can be challenging. This is due to the difficulty of considering multiple stakeholder interests in the design of projects and understanding the benefit trade-offs that designs imply. Incommensurate performance metrics, incomplete knowledge on system requirements, lack of objectivity in managing conflict and difficulty to communicate complex issue exacerbate the problem. This work proposes a multi-step hybrid multi-objective optimization and multi-criteria ranking approach for supporting negotiation in water resource systems. The approach uses many-objective optimization to generate alternative efficient designs and reveal the trade-offs between conflicting objectives. This enables informed elicitation of criteria weights for further multi-criteria ranking of alternatives. An ideal design would be ranked as best by all stakeholders. Resource-sharing mechanisms such as power-trade and/or cost sharing may help competing stakeholders arrive at designs acceptable to all. Many-objective optimization helps suggests efficient designs (reservoir site, its storage size and operating rule) and coordination levels considering the perspectives of multiple stakeholders simultaneously. We apply the proposed approach to a proof-of-concept study of the expansion of the Blue Nile transboundary reservoir system.

A Multi-context BDI Recommender System: from Theory to Simulation

OpenAIRE

Ben Othmane , Amel; Tettamanzi , Andrea G. B.; Villata , Serena; Le Thanh , Nhan

2016-01-01

International audience; In this paper, a simulation of a multi-agent recommender system is presented and developed in the NetLogo platform. The specification of this recommender system is based on the well known Belief-Desire-Intention agent architecture applied to multi-context systems, extended with contexts foradditional reasoning abilities, especially social ones. The main goal of this simulation study is, besides illustrating the usefulness and feasibility of our agent-based recommender ...

An Evolutionary Approach for Optimizing Hierarchical Multi-Agent System Organization

OpenAIRE

Shen, Zhiqi; Yu, Ling; Yu, Han

2014-01-01

It has been widely recognized that the performance of a multi-agent system is highly affected by its organization. A large scale system may have billions of possible ways of organization, which makes it impractical to find an optimal choice of organization using exhaustive search methods. In this paper, we propose a genetic algorithm aided optimization scheme for designing hierarchical structures of multi-agent systems. We introduce a novel algorithm, called the hierarchical genetic algorithm...

Allele Frequency - JSNP | LSDB Archive [Life Science Database Archive metadata

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available nd 39 SNPs are assayed in three (POP_*) and two (RIKEN_japanese_*) panels, respectively. Derived from Flat f... assay (JBIC-allele and RIKEN_japanese_*), TaqMan assay (RIKEN-allele) or direct sequencing / allelic discri...unteers under informed consent RIKEN_japanese_normal_weight - 711 unrelated japanese normal weight volunteer...s ( body mass index RIKEN_japanese_obese - 796 unrelated japanese obese patients

Multi-Purpose X-ray System, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Stellarray proposes the development of a highly novel Multi-Purpose X-ray Source and System (MPXS), for use on flight missions, space stations, planetary excursions...

Cooperative control of multi-agent systems optimal and adaptive design approaches

CERN Document Server

Lewis, Frank L; Hengster-Movric, Kristian; Das, Abhijit

2014-01-01

Task complexity, communication constraints, flexibility and energy-saving concerns are all factors that may require a group of autonomous agents to work together in a cooperative manner. Applications involving such complications include mobile robots, wireless sensor networks, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), spacecraft, and so on. In such networked multi-agent scenarios, the restrictions imposed by the communication graph topology can pose severe problems in the design of cooperative feedback control systems.  Cooperative control of multi-agent systems is a challenging topic for both control theorists and practitioners and has been the subject of significant recent research. Cooperative Control of Multi-Agent Systems extends optimal control and adaptive control design methods to multi-agent systems on communication graphs.  It develops Riccati design techniques for general linear dynamics for cooperative state feedback design, cooperative observer design, and cooperative dynamic output feedback design.  B...

Multi-Objective Optimization of Hybrid Renewable Energy System Using an Enhanced Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mengjun Ming

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Due to the scarcity of conventional energy resources and the greenhouse effect, renewable energies have gained more attention. This paper proposes methods for multi-objective optimal design of hybrid renewable energy system (HRES in both isolated-island and grid-connected modes. In each mode, the optimal design aims to find suitable configurations of photovoltaic (PV panels, wind turbines, batteries and diesel generators in HRES such that the system cost and the fuel emission are minimized, and the system reliability/renewable ability (corresponding to different modes is maximized. To effectively solve this multi-objective problem (MOP, the multi-objective evolutionary algorithm based on decomposition (MOEA/D using localized penalty-based boundary intersection (LPBI method is proposed. The algorithm denoted as MOEA/D-LPBI is demonstrated to outperform its competitors on the HRES model as well as a set of benchmarks. Moreover, it effectively obtains a good approximation of Pareto optimal HRES configurations. By further considering a decision maker’s preference, the most satisfied configuration of the HRES can be identified.

Multi-Modal Traveler Information System - Gateway Functional Requirements

Science.gov (United States)

1997-11-17

The Multi-Modal Traveler Information System (MMTIS) project involves a large number of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) related tasks. It involves research of all ITS initiatives in the Gary-Chicago-Milwaukee (GCM) Corridor which are currently...

Multi-dimensional virtual system introduced to enhance canonical sampling

Science.gov (United States)

Higo, Junichi; Kasahara, Kota; Nakamura, Haruki

2017-10-01

When an important process of a molecular system occurs via a combination of two or more rare events, which occur almost independently to one another, computational sampling for the important process is difficult. Here, to sample such a process effectively, we developed a new method, named the "multi-dimensional Virtual-system coupled Monte Carlo (multi-dimensional-VcMC)" method, where the system interacts with a virtual system expressed by two or more virtual coordinates. Each virtual coordinate controls sampling along a reaction coordinate. By setting multiple reaction coordinates to be related to the corresponding rare events, sampling of the important process can be enhanced. An advantage of multi-dimensional-VcMC is its simplicity: Namely, the conformation moves widely in the multi-dimensional reaction coordinate space without knowledge of canonical distribution functions of the system. To examine the effectiveness of the algorithm, we introduced a toy model where two molecules (receptor and its ligand) bind and unbind to each other. The receptor has a deep binding pocket, to which the ligand enters for binding. Furthermore, a gate is set at the entrance of the pocket, and the gate is usually closed. Thus, the molecular binding takes place via the two events: ligand approach to the pocket and gate opening. In two-dimensional (2D)-VcMC, the two molecules exhibited repeated binding and unbinding, and an equilibrated distribution was obtained as expected. A conventional canonical simulation, which was 200 times longer than 2D-VcMC, failed in sampling the binding/unbinding effectively. The current method is applicable to various biological systems.

Multi-function nuclear weight scale system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Mingquan; Sun Jinhua; Jia Changchun; Wang Mingqian; Tang Ke

1998-01-01

The author introduces the methods to contrive the hardware and software of a Multi-function Nuclear Weight Scale System based on the communication contract in compliance with RS485 between a master (industrial control computer 386) and a slave (single chip 8098) and its main functions

A MultiAir®/MultiFuel Approach to Enhancing Engine System Efficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reese, Ronald [Chrysler Group LLC., Auburn Hills, MI (United States)

2015-05-20

FCA US LLC (formally known as Chrysler Group LLC, and hereinafter “Chrysler”) was awarded an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funded project by the Department of Energy (DOE) titled “A MultiAir®/MultiFuel Approach to Enhancing Engine System Efficiency” (hereinafter “project”). This award was issued after Chrysler submitted a proposal for Funding Opportunity Announcement DE-FOA- 0000079, “Systems Level Technology Development, Integration, and Demonstration for Efficient Class 8 Trucks (SuperTruck) and Advanced Technology Powertrains for Light-Duty Vehicles (ATP-LD).” Chrysler started work on this project on June 01, 2010 and completed testing activities on August 30, 2014. Overall objectives of this project were; Demonstrate a 25% improvement in combined Federal Test Procedure (FTP) City and Highway fuel economy over a 2009 Chrysler minivan; Accelerate the development of highly efficient engine and powertrain systems for light-duty vehicles, while meeting future emissions standards; and Create and retain jobs in accordance with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Development of a High Resolution Virulence Allelic Profiling (HReVAP) Approach Based on the Accessory Genome of Escherichia coli to Characterize Shiga-Toxin Producing E. coli (STEC)

Science.gov (United States)

Michelacci, Valeria; Orsini, Massimiliano; Knijn, Arnold; Delannoy, Sabine; Fach, Patrick; Caprioli, Alfredo; Morabito, Stefano

2016-01-01

Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains possess a large accessory genome composed of virulence genes existing in multiple allelic variants, which sometimes segregate with specific STEC subpopulations. We analyzed the allelic variability of 91 virulence genes of STEC by Real Time PCR followed by melting curves analysis in 713 E. coli strains including 358 STEC. The 91 genes investigated were located on the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE), OI-57, and OI-122 pathogenicity islands and displayed a total of 476 alleles in the study population. The combinations of the 91 alleles of each strain were termed allelic signatures and used to perform cluster analyses. We termed such an approach High Resolution Virulence Allelic Profiling (HReVAP) and used it to investigate the phylogeny of STEC of multiple serogroups. The dendrograms obtained identified groups of STEC segregating approximately with the serogroups and allowed the identification of subpopulations within the single groups. The study of the allelic signatures provided further evidence of the coevolution of the LEE and OI-122, reflecting the occurrence of their acquisition through a single event. The HReVAP analysis represents a sensitive tool for studying the evolution of LEE-positive STEC. PMID:26941726

Distribution of HLA-A,B alleles in 13 panels of blood donors in France.

Science.gov (United States)

Prevost, P; Busson, M; Marcelli-Barge, A

1984-05-01

In this study, we analysed 13 samples of the French population--4147 non-related individuals living in Bordeaux, Brest, Caen, Dijon, Limoges, Lyon, Marseille, Nancy, Paris, Poitiers, Rennes, Strasbourg and Toulouse--all of whom were typed for 10 alleles of the HLA-A locus and 16 alleles of the HLA-B locus. The results showed a strong heterogeneity (chi 2 = 675.13 for 324 df, p less than 10(5)). A diagram has been drawn up, showing the matrix of genetic distances obtained thanks to the B2 of Balkrishnan & Sanghvi (1968). This diagram enables us to envisage the hypothesis of 6 homogeneous clusters. A partition of chi 2 was used to test this 6 luster hypothesis: Paris and Caen (p = 0.98); Nancy, Strasbourg (p less than 5%); Rennes, Brest (p less than 1%); Dijon, Lyon, Marseille (p = 0.89); Limoges, Poitiers (p = 0.18); Toulouse, Bordeaux (p less than 10(-5)). The heterogeneity within these clusters represents only 1/43 of the total heterogeneity.

Genetic exchange of fimbrial alleles exemplifies the adaptive virulence strategy of Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer E Kerr

Full Text Available Porphyromonas gingivalis is a gram-negative anaerobic bacterium, a member of the human oral microbiome, and a proposed "keystone" pathogen in the development of chronic periodontitis, an inflammatory disease of the gingiva. P. gingivalis is a genetically diverse species, and is able to exchange chromosomal DNA between strains by natural competence and conjugation. In this study, we investigate the role of horizontal DNA transfer as an adaptive process to modify behavior, using the major fimbriae as our model system, due to their critical role in mediating interactions with the host environment. We show that P. gingivalis is able to exchange fimbrial allele types I and IV into four distinct strain backgrounds via natural competence. In all recombinants, we detected a complete exchange of the entire fimA allele, and the rate of exchange varies between the different strain backgrounds. In addition, gene exchange within other regions of the fimbrial genetic locus was identified. To measure the biological implications of these allele swaps we compared three genotypes of fimA in an isogenic background, strain ATCC 33277. We demonstrate that exchange of fimbrial allele type results in profound phenotypic changes, including the quantity of fimbriae elaborated, membrane blebbing, auto-aggregation and other virulence-associated phenotypes. Replacement of the type I allele with either the type III or IV allele resulted in increased invasion of gingival fibroblast cells relative to the isogenic parent strain. While genetic variability is known to impact host-microbiome interactions, this is the first study to quantitatively assess the adaptive effect of exchanging genes within the pan genome cloud. This is significant as it presents a potential mechanism by which opportunistic pathogens may acquire the traits necessary to modify host-microbial interactions.

Genetic exchange of fimbrial alleles exemplifies the adaptive virulence strategy of Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerr, Jennifer E; Abramian, Jared R; Dao, Doan-Hieu V; Rigney, Todd W; Fritz, Jamie; Pham, Tan; Gay, Isabel; Parthasarathy, Kavitha; Wang, Bing-yan; Zhang, Wenjian; Tribble, Gena D

2014-01-01

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a gram-negative anaerobic bacterium, a member of the human oral microbiome, and a proposed "keystone" pathogen in the development of chronic periodontitis, an inflammatory disease of the gingiva. P. gingivalis is a genetically diverse species, and is able to exchange chromosomal DNA between strains by natural competence and conjugation. In this study, we investigate the role of horizontal DNA transfer as an adaptive process to modify behavior, using the major fimbriae as our model system, due to their critical role in mediating interactions with the host environment. We show that P. gingivalis is able to exchange fimbrial allele types I and IV into four distinct strain backgrounds via natural competence. In all recombinants, we detected a complete exchange of the entire fimA allele, and the rate of exchange varies between the different strain backgrounds. In addition, gene exchange within other regions of the fimbrial genetic locus was identified. To measure the biological implications of these allele swaps we compared three genotypes of fimA in an isogenic background, strain ATCC 33277. We demonstrate that exchange of fimbrial allele type results in profound phenotypic changes, including the quantity of fimbriae elaborated, membrane blebbing, auto-aggregation and other virulence-associated phenotypes. Replacement of the type I allele with either the type III or IV allele resulted in increased invasion of gingival fibroblast cells relative to the isogenic parent strain. While genetic variability is known to impact host-microbiome interactions, this is the first study to quantitatively assess the adaptive effect of exchanging genes within the pan genome cloud. This is significant as it presents a potential mechanism by which opportunistic pathogens may acquire the traits necessary to modify host-microbial interactions.

Analysis of multi-stage open shop processing systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eggermont, C.E.J.; Schrijver, A.; Woeginger, G.J.; Schwentick, T.; Dürr, C.

2011-01-01

We study algorithmic problems in multi-stage open shop processing systems that are centered around reachability and deadlock detection questions. We characterize safe and unsafe system states. We show that it is easy to recognize system states that can be reached from the initial state (where the

Reimplementing a Multi-Agent System in Python

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villadsen, Jørgen; Jensen, Andreas Schmidt; Ettienne, Mikko Berggren

2012-01-01

We provide a brief description of our Python-DTU system, including the overall design, the tools and the algorithms that we used in the Multi-Agent Programming Contest 2012, where the scenario was called Agents on Mars like in 2011. Our solution is an improvement of our Python-DTU system from last...

Reimplementing a Multi-Agent System in Python

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villadsen, Jørgen; Jensen, Andreas Schmidt; Ettienne, Mikko Berggren

2013-01-01

We provide a brief description of our Python-DTU system, including the overall design, the tools and the algorithms that we used in the Multi-Agent Programming Contest 2012, where the scenario was called Agents on Mars like in 2011. Our solution is an improvement of our Python-DTU system from last...

Multi-Purpose X-ray System, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The proposed Multi-Purpose X-ray Source and System (MPXS) can be used on flight missions, space stations, planetary excursions and planetary or asteroid bases, to...

Minmax defense strategy for complex multi-state systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hausken, Kjell; Levitin, Gregory

2009-01-01

This paper presents a general optimization methodology that merges game theory and multi-state system survivability theory. The defender has multiple alternatives of defense strategy that presumes separation and protection of system elements. The attacker also has multiple alternatives of its attack strategy based on a combination of different possible attack actions against different groups of system elements. The defender minimizes, and the attacker maximizes, the expected damage caused by the attack (taking into account the unreliability of system elements and the multi-state nature of complex series-parallel systems). The problem is defined as a two-period minmax non-cooperative game between the defender who moves first and the attacker who moves second. An exhaustive minmax optimization algorithm is presented based on a double-loop genetic algorithm for determining the solution. A universal generating function technique is applied for evaluating the losses caused by system performance reduction. Illustrative examples with solutions are presented

IMPERA: Integrated Mission Planning for Multi-Robot Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Saur

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the results of the project IMPERA (Integrated Mission Planning for Distributed Robot Systems. The goal of IMPERA was to realize an extraterrestrial exploration scenario using a heterogeneous multi-robot system. The main challenge was the development of a multi-robot planning and plan execution architecture. The robot team consists of three heterogeneous robots, which have to explore an unknown environment and collect lunar drill samples. The team activities are described using the language ALICA (A Language for Interactive Agents. Furthermore, we use the mission planning system pRoPhEt MAS (Reactive Planning Engine for Multi-Agent Systems to provide an intuitive interface to generate team activities. Therefore, we define the basic skills of our team with ALICA and define the desired goal states by using a logic description. Based on the skills, pRoPhEt MAS creates a valid ALICA plan, which will be executed by the team. The paper describes the basic components for communication, coordinated exploration, perception and object transportation. Finally, we evaluate the planning engine pRoPhEt MAS in the IMPERA scenario. In addition, we present further evaluation of pRoPhEt MAS in more dynamic environments.

A compact readout system for multi-pixel hybrid photodiodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Datema, C.P.; Meng, L.J.; Ramsden, D.

1999-01-01

Although the first Multi-pixel Hybrid Photodiode (M-HPD) was developed in the early 1990s by Delft Electronic Products, the main obstacle to its application has been the lack of availability of a compact read-out system. A fast, parallel readout system has been constructed for use with the earlier 25-pixel tube with High-energy Physics applications in mind. The excellent properties of the recently developed multi-pixel hybrid photodiodes (M-HPD) will be easier to exploit following the development of the new hybrid read-out circuits described in this paper. This system will enable all of the required read-out functions to be accommodate on a single board into which the M-HPD is plugged. The design and performance of a versatile system is described in which a trigger-signal, derived from the common-side of the silicon anode in the M-HPD, is used to trigger the readout of the 60-anode pixels in the M-HPD. The multi-channel amplifier section is based on the use of a new, commercial VLSI chip, whilst the read-out sequencer uses a chip of its own design. The common anode signal is processed by a fast amplifier and discriminator to provide a trigger signal when a single event is detected. In the prototype version, the serial analogue output data-stream is processed using a PC-mounted, high speed ADC. Results obtained using the new read-out system in a compact gamma-camera and with a small muon tracking-chamber demonstrate the low-noise performance of the system. The application of this read-out system in other position-sensitive or multi-anode photomultiplier tube applications are also described

10th International Conference on Practical Applications of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems

CERN Document Server

Pérez, Javier; Golinska, Paulina; Giroux, Sylvain; Corchuelo, Rafael; Trends in Practical Applications of Agents and Multiagent Systems

2012-01-01

PAAMS, the International Conference on Practical Applications of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems is an evolution of the International Workshop on Practical Applications of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems. PAAMS is an international yearly tribune to present, to discuss, and to disseminate the latest developments and the most important outcomes related to real-world applications. It provides a unique opportunity to bring multi-disciplinary experts, academics and practitioners together to exchange their experience in the development of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems.   This volume presents the papers that have been accepted for the 2012 in the workshops: Workshop on Agents for Ambient Assisted Living, Workshop on Agent-Based Solutions for Manufacturing and Supply Chain and Workshop on Agents and Multi-agent systems for Enterprise Integration.

A Δ11 desaturase gene genealogy reveals two divergent allelic classes within the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harrison Richard G

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Moth pheromone mating systems have been characterized at the molecular level, allowing evolutionary biologists to study how changes in protein sequence or gene expression affect pheromone phenotype, patterns of mating, and ultimately, the formation of barriers to gene exchange. Recent studies of Ostrinia pheromones have focused on the diversity of sex pheromone desaturases and their role in the specificity of pheromone production. Here we produce a Δ11 desaturase genealogy within Ostrinia nubilalis. We ask what has been the history of this gene, and whether this history suggests that changes in Δ11 desaturase have been involved in the divergence of the E and Z O. nubilalis pheromone strains. Results The Δ11 desaturase gene genealogy does not differentiate O. nubilalis pheromone strains. However, we find two distinct clades, separated by 2.9% sequence divergence, that do not sort with pheromone strain, geographic origin, or emergence time. We demonstrate that these clades do not represent gene duplicates, but rather allelic variation at a single gene locus. Conclusions Analyses of patterns of variation at the Δ11 desaturase gene in ECB suggest that this enzyme does not contribute to reproductive isolation between pheromone strains (E and Z. However, our genealogy reveals two deeply divergent allelic classes. Standing variation at loci that contribute to mate choice phenotypes may permit novel pheromone mating systems to arise in the presence of strong stabilizing selection.

Design and implementation of real-time multi-sensor vision systems

CERN Document Server

Popovic, Vladan; Cogal, Ömer; Akin, Abdulkadir; Leblebici, Yusuf

2017-01-01

This book discusses the design of multi-camera systems and their application to fields such as the virtual reality, gaming, film industry, medicine, automotive industry, drones, etc.The authors cover the basics of image formation, algorithms for stitching a panoramic image from multiple cameras, and multiple real-time hardware system architectures, in order to have panoramic videos. Several specific applications of multi-camera systems are presented, such as depth estimation, high dynamic range imaging, and medical imaging.

Comparison of bovine lymphocyte antigen DRB3.2 allele ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-08-04

Aug 4, 2008 ... The bovine lymphocyte antigen (BoLA-DRB3) gene encodes cell ... alleles were more resistant to clinical mastitis. ... DRB3.2 allele pattern in two Iranian Holstein cow .... observed and the number of immune parameters with.

Tri-allelic SNP markers enable analysis of mixed and degraded DNA samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Westen, Antoinette A; Matai, Anuska S; Laros, Jeroen F J; Meiland, Hugo C; Jasper, Mandy; de Leeuw, Wiljo J F; de Knijff, Peter; Sijen, Titia

2009-09-01

For the analysis of degraded DNA in disaster victim identification (DVI) and criminal investigations, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been recognized as promising markers mainly because they can be analyzed in short sized amplicons. Most SNPs are bi-allelic and are thereby ineffective to detect mixtures, which may lead to incorrect genotyping. We developed an algorithm to find non-binary (i.e. tri-allelic or tetra-allelic) SNPs in the NCBI dbSNP database. We selected 31 potential tri-allelic SNPs with a minor allele frequency of at least 10%. The tri-allelic nature was confirmed for 15 SNPs residing on 14 different chromosomes. Multiplex SNaPshot assays were developed, and the allele frequencies of 16 SNPs were determined among 153 Dutch and 111 Netherlands Antilles reference samples. Using these multiplex SNP assays, the presence of a mixture of two DNA samples in a ratio up to 1:8 could be recognized reliably. Furthermore, we compared the genotyping efficiency of the tri-allelic SNP markers and short tandem repeat (STR) markers by analyzing artificially degraded DNA and DNA from 30 approximately 500-year-old bone and molar samples. In both types of degraded DNA samples, the larger sized STR amplicons failed to amplify whereas the tri-allelic SNP markers still provided valuable information. In conclusion, tri-allelic SNP markers are suited for the analysis of degraded DNA and enable the detection of a second DNA source in a sample.

Indirect synthesis of multi-degree of freedom transient systems. [linear programming for a kinematically linear system

Science.gov (United States)

Pilkey, W. D.; Chen, Y. H.

1974-01-01

An indirect synthesis method is used in the efficient optimal design of multi-degree of freedom, multi-design element, nonlinear, transient systems. A limiting performance analysis which requires linear programming for a kinematically linear system is presented. The system is selected using system identification methods such that the designed system responds as closely as possible to the limiting performance. The efficiency is a result of the method avoiding the repetitive systems analyses accompanying other numerical optimization methods.

A high-throughput method for genotyping S-RNase alleles in apple

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Bjarne; Ørgaard, Marian; Toldam-Andersen, Torben Bo

2016-01-01

We present a new efficient screening tool for detection of S-alleles in apple. The protocol using general and multiplexed primers for PCR reaction and fragment detection on an automatized capillary DNA sequencer exposed a higher number of alleles than any previous studies. Analysis of alleles...

From fault classification to fault tolerance for multi-agent systems

CERN Document Server

Potiron, Katia; Taillibert, Patrick

2013-01-01

Faults are a concern for Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) designers, especially if the MAS are built for industrial or military use because there must be some guarantee of dependability. Some fault classification exists for classical systems, and is used to define faults. When dependability is at stake, such fault classification may be used from the beginning of the system's conception to define fault classes and specify which types of faults are expected. Thus, one may want to use fault classification for MAS; however, From Fault Classification to Fault Tolerance for Multi-Agent Systems argues that

Thermodynamic analysis of a solar-based multi-generation system with hydrogen production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozturk, Murat; Dincer, Ibrahim

2013-01-01

Thermodynamic analysis of a renewable-based multi-generation energy production system which produces a number of outputs, such as power, heating, cooling, hot water, hydrogen and oxygen is conducted. This solar-based multi-generation system consists of four main sub-systems: Rankine cycle, organic Rankine cycle, absorption cooling and heating, and hydrogen production and utilization. Exergy destruction ratios and rates, power or heat transfer rates, energy and exergy efficiencies of the system components are carried out. Some parametric studies are performed in order to examine the effects of varying operating conditions (e.g., reference temperature, direct solar radiation and receiver temperature) on the exergy efficiencies of the sub-systems as well as the whole system. The solar-based multi-generation system which has an exergy efficiency of 57.35%, is obtained to be higher than using these sub-systems separately. The evaluation of the exergy efficiency and exergy destruction for the sub-systems and the overall system show that the parabolic dish collectors have the highest exergy destruction rate among constituent parts of the solar-based multi-generation system, due to high temperature difference between the working fluid and collector receivers. -- Highlights: ► Development of a new multi-generation system for solar-based hydrogen production. ► Investigation of exergy efficiencies and destructions in each process of the system. ► Evaluation of varying operating conditions on the exergy destruction and efficiency

Association of HLA-DRB1 alleles with susceptibility to mixed connective tissue disease in Polish patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Paradowska-Gorycka, A; Stypińska, B; Olesińska, M; Felis-Giemza, A; Mańczak, M; Czuszynska, Z; Zdrojewski, Z; Wojciechowicz, J; Jurkowska, M

2016-01-01

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is a systemic autoimmune disease, originally defined as a connective tissue inflammatory syndrome with overlapping features of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) and systemic sclerosis (SSc), characterized by the presence of antibodies against components of the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (U1snRNP). The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of (high-resolution-typed) DRB1 alleles in a cohort of Polish patients with MCTD (n = 103). Identification of the variants potentially associated with risk and protection was carried out by comparison with the DKMS Polish Bone Marrow Donor Registry (41306 alleles). DRB1*15:01 (odds ratio (OR): 6.06; 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.55-8.06), DRB1*04 (OR: 3.69; 95% CI 2.69-5.01) and *09:01 (OR: 8.12; 95% CI 2.15-21.75) were identified as risk alleles for MCTD, while HLA-DRB1*07:01 allele was found to be protective (OR: 0.50; 95% CI 0.28-0.83). The carrier frequency of the DRB1*01 was higher in MCTD patients compared with controls, although the differences were not statistically significant. Our results confirm the modulating influence of HLA-DRB1 genotypes on development of connective tissue diseases such as MCTD. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pattern-oriented modelling: a ‘multi-scope’ for predictive systems ecology

Science.gov (United States)

Grimm, Volker; Railsback, Steven F.

2012-01-01

Modern ecology recognizes that modelling systems across scales and at multiple levels—especially to link population and ecosystem dynamics to individual adaptive behaviour—is essential for making the science predictive. ‘Pattern-oriented modelling’ (POM) is a strategy for doing just this. POM is the multi-criteria design, selection and calibration of models of complex systems. POM starts with identifying a set of patterns observed at multiple scales and levels that characterize a system with respect to the particular problem being modelled; a model from which the patterns emerge should contain the right mechanisms to address the problem. These patterns are then used to (i) determine what scales, entities, variables and processes the model needs, (ii) test and select submodels to represent key low-level processes such as adaptive behaviour, and (iii) find useful parameter values during calibration. Patterns are already often used in these ways, but a mini-review of applications of POM confirms that making the selection and use of patterns more explicit and rigorous can facilitate the development of models with the right level of complexity to understand ecological systems and predict their response to novel conditions. PMID:22144392

Tracking human migrations by the analysis of the distribution of HLA alleles, lineages and haplotypes in closed and open populations

Science.gov (United States)

Vina, Marcelo A. Fernandez; Hollenbach, Jill A.; Lyke, Kirsten E.; Sztein, Marcelo B.; Maiers, Martin; Klitz, William; Cano, Pedro; Mack, Steven; Single, Richard; Brautbar, Chaim; Israel, Shosahna; Raimondi, Eduardo; Khoriaty, Evelyne; Inati, Adlette; Andreani, Marco; Testi, Manuela; Moraes, Maria Elisa; Thomson, Glenys; Stastny, Peter; Cao, Kai

2012-01-01

The human leucocyte antigen (HLA) system shows extensive variation in the number and function of loci and the number of alleles present at any one locus. Allele distribution has been analysed in many populations through the course of several decades, and the implementation of molecular typing has significantly increased the level of diversity revealing that many serotypes have multiple functional variants. While the degree of diversity in many populations is equivalent and may result from functional polymorphism(s) in peptide presentation, homogeneous and heterogeneous populations present contrasting numbers of alleles and lineages at the loci with high-density expression products. In spite of these differences, the homozygosity levels are comparable in almost all of them. The balanced distribution of HLA alleles is consistent with overdominant selection. The genetic distances between outbred populations correlate with their geographical locations; the formal genetic distance measurements are larger than expected between inbred populations in the same region. The latter present many unique alleles grouped in a few lineages consistent with limited founder polymorphism in which any novel allele may have been positively selected to enlarge the communal peptide-binding repertoire of a given population. On the other hand, it has been observed that some alleles are found in multiple populations with distinctive haplotypic associations suggesting that convergent evolution events may have taken place as well. It appears that the HLA system has been under strong selection, probably owing to its fundamental role in varying immune responses. Therefore, allelic diversity in HLA should be analysed in conjunction with other genetic markers to accurately track the migrations of modern humans. PMID:22312049

Multi-dimensional database design and implementation of dam safety monitoring system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhao Erfeng

2008-09-01

Full Text Available To improve the effectiveness of dam safety monitoring database systems, the development process of a multi-dimensional conceptual data model was analyzed and a logic design was achieved in multi-dimensional database mode. The optimal data model was confirmed by identifying data objects, defining relations and reviewing entities. The conversion of relations among entities to external keys and entities and physical attributes to tables and fields was interpreted completely. On this basis, a multi-dimensional database that reflects the management and analysis of a dam safety monitoring system on monitoring data information has been established, for which factual tables and dimensional tables have been designed. Finally, based on service design and user interface design, the dam safety monitoring system has been developed with Delphi as the development tool. This development project shows that the multi-dimensional database can simplify the development process and minimize hidden dangers in the database structure design. It is superior to other dam safety monitoring system development models and can provide a new research direction for system developers.

Changing ‘Multi-Problem Families’ – Developing a Multi-Contextual Systemic Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Over the past 30 years the Marlborough Family Service in London has pioneered multi-family work with marginalized families presenting simultaneously with abuse and neglect, family violence, substance misuse, educational failure and mental illness. The approach is based on a systemic multi-contextual mode and this chapter describes the evolving work, including the establishment of the first permanent multiple family day setting, specifically designed for and solely dedicated to the work with seemingly ‘hopeless’ families. The ingredients of ‘therapeutic assessments’ of parents and families are outlined and the importance of initial network meetings with professionals and family members is emphasized.

Autonomous Formations of Multi-Agent Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Dhali, Sanjana; Joshi, Suresh M.

2013-01-01

Autonomous formation control of multi-agent dynamic systems has a number of applications that include ground-based and aerial robots and satellite formations. For air vehicles, formation flight ("flocking") has the potential to significantly increase airspace utilization as well as fuel efficiency. This presentation addresses two main problems in multi-agent formations: optimal role assignment to minimize the total cost (e.g., combined distance traveled by all agents); and maintaining formation geometry during flock motion. The Kuhn-Munkres ("Hungarian") algorithm is used for optimal assignment, and consensus-based leader-follower type control architecture is used to maintain formation shape despite the leader s independent movements. The methods are demonstrated by animated simulations.

Power laws for heavy-tailed distributions: modeling allele and haplotype diversity for the national marrow donor program.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noa Slater

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Measures of allele and haplotype diversity, which are fundamental properties in population genetics, often follow heavy tailed distributions. These measures are of particular interest in the field of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT. Donor/Recipient suitability for HSCT is determined by Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA similarity. Match predictions rely upon a precise description of HLA diversity, yet classical estimates are inaccurate given the heavy-tailed nature of the distribution. This directly affects HSCT matching and diversity measures in broader fields such as species richness. We, therefore, have developed a power-law based estimator to measure allele and haplotype diversity that accommodates heavy tails using the concepts of regular variation and occupancy distributions. Application of our estimator to 6.59 million donors in the Be The Match Registry revealed that haplotypes follow a heavy tail distribution across all ethnicities: for example, 44.65% of the European American haplotypes are represented by only 1 individual. Indeed, our discovery rate of all U.S. European American haplotypes is estimated at 23.45% based upon sampling 3.97% of the population, leaving a large number of unobserved haplotypes. Population coverage, however, is much higher at 99.4% given that 90% of European Americans carry one of the 4.5% most frequent haplotypes. Alleles were found to be less diverse suggesting the current registry represents most alleles in the population. Thus, for HSCT registries, haplotype discovery will remain high with continued recruitment to a very deep level of sampling, but population coverage will not. Finally, we compared the convergence of our power-law versus classical diversity estimators such as Capture recapture, Chao, ACE and Jackknife methods. When fit to the haplotype data, our estimator displayed favorable properties in terms of convergence (with respect to sampling depth and accuracy (with respect to diversity

DRD4 dopamine receptor allelic diversity in various primate species

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adamson, M.; Higley, D. [NIAAA, Rockville, MD (United States); O`Brien, S. [NCI, Frederick, MD (United States)] [and others

1994-09-01

The DRD4 dopamine receptor is uniquely characterized by a 48 bp repeating segment within the coding region, located in exon III. Different DRD4 alleles are produced by the presence of additional 48 bp repeats, each of which adds 16 amino acids to the length of the 3rd intracytoplasmic loop of the receptor. The DRD4 receptor is therefore an intriguing candidate gene for behaviors which are influenced by dopamine function. In several human populations, DRD4 alleles with 2-8 and 10 repeats have previously been identified, and the 4 and 7 repeat alleles are the most abundant. We have determined DRD4 genotypes in the following nonhuman primate species: chimpanzee N=2, pygmy chimpanzee N=2, gorilla N=4, siamang N=2, Gelada baboon N=1, gibbon N=1, orangutan (Bornean and Sumatran) N=62, spider monkey N=4, owl monkey N=1, Colobus monkey N=1, Patas monkey N=1, ruffed lemur N=1, rhesus macaque N=8, and vervet monkey N=28. The degree of DRD4 polymorphism and which DRD4 alleles were present both showed considerable variation across primate species. In contrast to the human, rhesus macaque monkeys were monomorphic. The 4 and 7 repeat allels, highly abundant in the human, may not be present in certain other primates. For example, the four spider monkeys we studied showed the 7, 8 and 9 repeat length alleles and the only gibbon we analyzed was homozygous for the 9 repeat allele (thus far not observed in the human). Genotyping of other primate species and sequencing of the individual DRD4 repeat alleles in different species may help us determine the ancestral DRD4 repeat length and identify connections between DRD4 genotype and phenotype.

Explicit/multi-parametric model predictive control (MPC) of linear discrete-time systems by dynamic and multi-parametric programming

KAUST Repository

Kouramas, K.I.; Faí sca, N.P.; Panos, C.; Pistikopoulos, E.N.

2011-01-01

This work presents a new algorithm for solving the explicit/multi- parametric model predictive control (or mp-MPC) problem for linear, time-invariant discrete-time systems, based on dynamic programming and multi-parametric programming techniques

Status of the new multi-frequency ECRH system for ASDEX Upgrade

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wagner, D.; Grünwald, G.; Leuterer, F.

2008-01-01

Currently, a new multi-frequency ECRH system is under construction at the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak experiment. This system employs, for the first time in a fusion device, multi-frequency gyrotrons, step-tunable in the range 105-140 GHz. The first two gyrotrons, working at 105 and 140 GHz, were...

Investigating the adaptability of the multi-pump multi-piston power take-off system for a novel wave energy converter

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wei, Y.; Barradas Berglind, J.J; van Rooij, M.; Prins, WA; Jayawardhana, B.; Vakis, A. I.

2017-01-01

In this work, a numerical model is developed in order to investigate the adaptability of the multi-pump multi-piston power take-off ((MPPTO)-P-2) system of a novel wave energy converter (WEC). This model is realized in the MATLAB/SIMULINK environment, using the multi-body dynamics solver Multibody

MEDCIS: Multi-Modality Epilepsy Data Capture and Integration System.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Guo-Qiang; Cui, Licong; Lhatoo, Samden; Schuele, Stephan U; Sahoo, Satya S

2014-01-01

Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) is the leading mode of epilepsy-related death and is most common in patients with intractable, frequent, and continuing seizures. A statistically significant cohort of patients for SUDEP study requires meticulous, prospective follow up of a large population that is at an elevated risk, best represented by the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) patient population. Multiple EMUs need to collaborate, share data for building a larger cohort of potential SUDEP patient using a state-of-the-art informatics infrastructure. To address the challenges of data integration and data access from multiple EMUs, we developed the Multi-Modality Epilepsy Data Capture and Integration System (MEDCIS) that combines retrospective clinical free text processing using NLP, prospective structured data capture using an ontology-driven interface, interfaces for cohort search and signal visualization, all in a single integrated environment. A dedicated Epilepsy and Seizure Ontology (EpSO) has been used to streamline the user interfaces, enhance its usability, and enable mappings across distributed databases so that federated queries can be executed. MEDCIS contained 936 patient data sets from the EMUs of University Hospitals Case Medical Center (UH CMC) in Cleveland and Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH) in Chicago. Patients from UH CMC and NMH were stored in different databases and then federated through MEDCIS using EpSO and our mapping module. More than 77GB of multi-modal signal data were processed using the Cloudwave pipeline and made available for rendering through the web-interface. About 74% of the 40 open clinical questions of interest were answerable accurately using the EpSO-driven VISual AGregagator and Explorer (VISAGE) interface. Questions not directly answerable were either due to their inherent computational complexity, the unavailability of primary information, or the scope of concept that has been formulated in the existing Ep

Seasonal Changes in Brain Serotonin Transporter Binding in Short Serotonin Transporter Linked Polymorphic Region-Allele Carriers but Not in Long-Allele Homozygotes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kalbitzer, Jan; Erritzoe, David; Holst, Klaus K

2010-01-01

of the short 5-HTTLPR allele but not in homozygote carriers of the long allele. Conclusions: Our findings are in line with S-carriers having an increased response in neural circuits involved in emotional processing to stressful environmental stimuli but here demonstrated as a endophenotype with dynamic changes...

Multi-Kepler GPU vs. multi-Intel MIC for spin systems simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Bernaschi, M.; Bisson, M.; Salvadore, F.

2014-10-01

We present and compare the performances of two many-core architectures: the Nvidia Kepler and the Intel MIC both in a single system and in cluster configuration for the simulation of spin systems. As a benchmark we consider the time required to update a single spin of the 3D Heisenberg spin glass model by using the Over-relaxation algorithm. We present data also for a traditional high-end multi-core architecture: the Intel Sandy Bridge. The results show that although on the two Intel architectures it is possible to use basically the same code, the performances of a Intel MIC change dramatically depending on (apparently) minor details. Another issue is that to obtain a reasonable scalability with the Intel Phi coprocessor (Phi is the coprocessor that implements the MIC architecture) in a cluster configuration it is necessary to use the so-called offload mode which reduces the performances of the single system. As to the GPU, the Kepler architecture offers a clear advantage with respect to the previous Fermi architecture maintaining exactly the same source code. Scalability of the multi-GPU implementation remains very good by using the CPU as a communication co-processor of the GPU. All source codes are provided for inspection and for double-checking the results.

Optimized production planning model for a multi-plant cultivation system under uncertainty

Science.gov (United States)

Ke, Shunkui; Guo, Doudou; Niu, Qingliang; Huang, Danfeng

2015-02-01

An inexact multi-constraint programming model under uncertainty was developed by incorporating a production plan algorithm into the crop production optimization framework under the multi-plant collaborative cultivation system. In the production plan, orders from the customers are assigned to a suitable plant under the constraints of plant capabilities and uncertainty parameters to maximize profit and achieve customer satisfaction. The developed model and solution method were applied to a case study of a multi-plant collaborative cultivation system to verify its applicability. As determined in the case analysis involving different orders from customers, the period of plant production planning and the interval between orders can significantly affect system benefits. Through the analysis of uncertain parameters, reliable and practical decisions can be generated using the suggested model of a multi-plant collaborative cultivation system.

Resonant Quasi-Optical Systems with Multi-Row Periodic Structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oleksandr, Rybalko; Rybalko, Yu A.; Buriak, I. A.

2017-01-01

Selective properties of resonant quasi-optical systems with periodical multi-row structures in millimeter wavelength range are described. The possibility of selection fluctuations in the volume of open resonator using double-row periodic elements was shown in the experiment at 70-80 GHz. Advantages...... and possibility of control the energy characteristics of such structures are also described. The obtained experimental data is used to confirm the results of computational analysis previously described in the literature. Implementation of resonant quasi-optical systems with multi-row periodic structures...

Implication of HLA-DMA Alleles in Corsican IDDM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Cucchi-Mouillot

1998-01-01

Full Text Available The HLA-DM molecule catalyses the CLIP/antigen peptide exchange in the classical class II peptide-binding groove. As such, DM is an antigen presentation regulator and may be linked to autoimmune diseases. Using PCR derived methods, a relationship was revealed between DM gene polymorphism and IDDM, in a Corsican population. The DMA*0101 allele was observed to confer a significant predisposition to this autoimmune disease while the DMA*0102 allele protected significantly. Experiments examining polymorphism of the HLA-DRB1 gene established that these relationships are not a consequence of linkage disequilibrium with HLA-DRB1 alleles implicated in this pathology. The study of the DMA gene could therefore be an additional tool for early IDDM diagnosis in the Corsican population.

Human leukocyte antigen class I and II alleles and cervical adenocarcinoma: a pooled analysis of two epidemiologic studies

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Mahboobeh eSafaeian

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Associations between human leukocyte antigens (HLA alleles and cervical cancer are largely representative of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, the major histologic subtype. We evaluated the association between HLA class I (A, B, and C and class II (DRB1 and DQB1 loci and risk of cervical adenocarcinoma (ADC, a less common but aggressive histologic subtype.We pooled data from the Eastern and Western US cervical cancer studies, and evaluated the association between individual alleles and allele combinations and ADC (n=630 ADC; n=775 controls. Risk estimates were calculated for 11 a priori (based on known associations with cervical cancer regardless of histologic type and 38 non a priori common alleles, as odds ratios (OR and 95% confidence intervals (CI, adjusted for age and study. In exploratory analysis, we compared the risk associations between subgroups with HPV16 or HPV18 DNA in ADC tumor tissues in the Western US study cases and controls. Three of the a priori alleles were significantly associated with decreased risk of ADC (DRB1*13:01 (OR=0.61; 95%CI:0.41-0.93, DRB1*13:02 (OR=0.49; 95%CI:0.31-0.77, and DQB1*06:03 (OR=0.64; 95%CI:0.42-0.95; one was associated with increased risk (B*07:02(OR=1.39; 95%CI:1.07-1.79. Among alleles not previously reported, DQB1*06:04 (OR=0.46; 95%CI: 0.27-0.78 was associated with decreased risk of ADC and C*07:02 (OR=1.41; 95%CI:1.09-1.81 was associated with increased risk. We did not observe a difference by histologic subtype. ADC was most strongly associated with increased risk with B*07:02/C*07:02 alleles (OR=1.33; 95%CI:1.01-1.76 and decreased risk with DRB1*13:02/DQB1*06:04 (OR=0.41; 95%CI:0.21-0.80. Results suggest that HLA allele associations with cervical ADC are similar to those for cervical SCC. An intriguing finding was the difference in risk associated with several alleles restricted to HPV16 or HPV18 related tumors, consistent with the hypothesis that HLA recognition is HPV type specific.

HLA alleles and haplotypes distribution in Dai population in Yunnan province, Southwest China.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, L; Yao, Y F; Shi, L; Matsushita, M; Yu, L; Lin, Q K; Tao, Y F; Oka, T; Chu, J Y; Tokunaga, K

2010-02-01

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) analysis would be a useful tool to trace the origin of modern humans. In this study, we provided the first four digital HLA-A, -B, -C and -DRB1 allele and haplotype data in the Dai ethnic population, which is a unique and representative Kam-Tai-speaking ethnic minority living in the Yunnan province of Southwestern China. Our results showed that the Dai population has unique HLA characteristic that are most closely related to the Southeastern Asia group and similar to the Kam-Tai speaking populations in China and Thailand.

Effect of One-Step and Multi-Steps Polishing System on Enamel Roughness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cynthia Sumali

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 The final procedures of orthodontic treatment are bracket debonding and cleaning the remaining adhesive. Multi-step polishing system is the most common method used. The disadvantage of that system is long working time, because of the stages that should be done. Therefore, dental material manufacturer make an improvement to the system, to reduce several stages into one stage only. This new system is known as one-step polishing system. Objective: To compare the effect of one-step and multi-step polishing system on enamel roughness after orthodontic bracket debonding. Methods: Randomized control trial was conducted included twenty-eight maxillary premolar randomized into two polishing system; one-step OptraPol (Ivoclar, Vivadent and multi-step AstroPol (Ivoclar, Vivadent. After bracket debonding, the remaining adhesive on each group was cleaned by subjective polishing system for ninety seconds using low speed handpiece. The enamel roughness was subjected to profilometer, registering two roughness parameters (Ra, Rz. Independent t-test was used to analyze the mean score of enamel roughness in each group. Results: There was no significant difference of enamel roughness between one-step and multi-step polishing system (p>0.005. Conclusion: One-step polishing system can produce a similar enamel roughness to multi-step polishing system after bracket debonding and adhesive cleaning.DOI: 10.14693/jdi.v19i3.136

Allele frequency changes due to hitch-hiking in genomic selection programs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Huiming; Sørensen, Anders Christian; Meuwissen, Theo H E

2014-01-01

of inbreeding due to changes in allele frequencies and hitch-hiking. This study aimed at understanding the impact of using long-term genomic selection on changes in allele frequencies, genetic variation and the level of inbreeding. Methods Selection was performed in simulated scenarios with a population of 400......-BLUP, Genomic BLUP and Bayesian Lasso. Changes in allele frequencies at QTL, markers and linked neutral loci were investigated for the different selection criteria and different scenarios, along with the loss of favourable alleles and the rate of inbreeding measured by pedigree and runs of homozygosity. Results...

Structural Analysis of Insulin Minisatellite Alleles Reveals Unusually Large Differences in Diversity between Africans and Non-Africans

Science.gov (United States)

Stead, John D. H.; Jeffreys, Alec J.

2002-01-01

The insulin minisatellite (INS VNTR) associates with susceptibility to a variety of diseases. We have developed a high-resolution system for analyzing variant repeat distributions applicable to all known minisatellite alleles, irrespective of size, which allows lineages of related alleles to be identified. This system has previously revealed extremely low structural diversity in the minisatellite among northern Europeans from the United Kingdom, with all alleles belonging to one of only three highly diverged lineages called “I,” “IIIA,” and “IIIB.” To explore the origins of this remarkably limited lineage diversity, we have characterized an additional 780 alleles from three non-African and three African populations. In total, 22 highly diverged lineages were identified, with structural intermediates absent from extant populations, suggesting a bottleneck within the ancestry of all humans. The difference between levels of diversity in Africans and non-Africans is unusually large, with all 22 lineages identified in Africa compared with only three lineages seen not only in the United Kingdom but also in the other non-African populations. We also find evidence for overrepresentation of lineage I chromosomes in non-Africans. These data are consistent with a common out-of-Africa origin and an unusually tight bottleneck within the ancestry of all non-African populations, possibly combined with differential and positive selection for lineage I alleles in non-Africans. The important implications of these data for future disease-association studies are discussed. PMID:12404181

Numerical modelling of multi-vane expander operating conditions in ORC system

Science.gov (United States)

Rak, Józef; Błasiak, Przemysław; Kolasiński, Piotr

2017-11-01

Multi-vane expanders are positive displacement volumetric machines which are nowadays considered for application in micro-power domestic ORC systems as promising alternative to micro turbines and other volumetric expanders. The multi-vane expander features very simple design, low gas flow capacity, low expansion ratios, an advantageous ratio of the power output to the external dimensions and are insensitive to the negative influence of the gas-liquid mixture expansion. Moreover, the multi-vane expander can be easily hermetically sealed, which is one of the key issues in the ORC system design. A literature review indicates that issues concerning the application of multi-vane expanders in such systems, especially related to operating of multi-vane expander with different low-boiling working fluids, are innovative, not fully scientifically described and have the potential for practical implementation. In this paper the results of numerical investigations on multi-vane expander operating conditions are presented. The analyses were performed on three-dimensional numerical model of the expander in ANSYS CFX software. The numerical model of the expander was validated using the data obtained from the experiment carried out on a lab test-stand. Then a series of computational analysis were performed using expanders' numerical model in order to determine its operating conditions under various flow conditions of different working fluids.

Influence of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Alleles and Killer Cell Immunoglobulin-Like Receptors (KIR) Types on Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT).

Science.gov (United States)

Karnes, Jason H; Shaffer, Christian M; Cronin, Robert; Bastarache, Lisa; Gaudieri, Silvana; James, Ian; Pavlos, Rebecca; Steiner, Heidi E; Mosley, Jonathan D; Mallal, Simon; Denny, Joshua C; Phillips, Elizabeth J; Roden, Dan M

2017-09-01

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an unpredictable, life-threatening, immune-mediated reaction to heparin. Variation in human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes is now used to prevent immune-mediated adverse drug reactions. Combinations of HLA alleles and killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) are associated with multiple autoimmune diseases and infections. The objective of this study is to evaluate the association of HLA alleles and KIR types, alone or in the presence of different HLA ligands, with HIT. HIT cases and heparin-exposed controls were identified in BioVU, an electronic health record coupled to a DNA biobank. HLA sequencing and KIR type imputation using Illumina OMNI-Quad data were performed. Odds ratios for HLA alleles and KIR types and HLA*KIR interactions using conditional logistic regressions were determined in the overall population and by race/ethnicity. Analysis was restricted to KIR types and HLA alleles with a frequency greater than 0.01. The p values for HLA and KIR association were corrected by using a false discovery rate qHIT cases and 350 matched controls were identified. No statistical differences in baseline characteristics were observed between cases and controls. The HLA-DRB3*01:01 allele was significantly associated with HIT in the overall population (odds ratio 2.81 [1.57-5.02], p=2.1×10 -4 , q=0.02) and in individuals with European ancestry, independent of other alleles. No KIR types were associated with HIT, although a significant interaction was observed between KIR2DS5 and the HLA-C1 KIR binding group (p=0.03). The HLA-DRB3*01:01 allele was identified as a potential risk factor for HIT. This class II HLA gene and allele represent biologically plausible candidates for influencing HIT pathogenesis. We found limited evidence of the role of KIR types in HIT pathogenesis. Replication and further study of the HLA-DRB3*01:01 association is necessary. © 2017 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

A survey of Tumult, a real-time multi-processor system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jansen, P.G.

1986-01-01

Tumult (Twente University MULTi processor system) is the name of an ongoing project aiming at the design and implementation of a modular extendible multiprocessor system. All memory is distributed and processors communicate in parallel via a fast and reliable local switching network instead of a shared bus. A distributed real-time operating system is being designed and implemented, consisting of a multi-tasking subsystem per processor. Processes can communicate via a message passing mechanism. Communication links and processes are dynamically created and disposed by the application. In this article a brief description of the system is given; communication aspects are emphasized. (Auth.)

Evolutionary dynamics of sporophytic self-incompatibility alleles in plants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schierup, Mikkel Heide; Vekemans, Xavier; Christiansen, Freddy Bugge

1997-01-01

codominantly in both pollen and style (SSIcod), in the second, alleles form a dominance hierarchy in pollen and style (SSIdom). In the third model, alleles interact codominantly in the style and form a dominance hierarchy in the pollen (SSIdomcod). The SSIcod model behaves similarly to the model...

Distributed model based control of multi unit evaporation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yudi Samyudia

2006-01-01

In this paper, we present a new approach to the analysis and design of distributed control systems for multi-unit plants. The approach is established after treating the effect of recycled dynamics as a gap metric uncertainty from which a distributed controller can be designed sequentially for each unit to tackle the uncertainty. We then use a single effect multi-unit evaporation system to illustrate how the proposed method is used to analyze different control strategies and to systematically achieve a better closed-loop performance using a distributed model-based controller

Multi-sensor measurement system for robotic drilling

OpenAIRE

Frommknecht, Andreas; Kühnle, Jens; Pidan, Sergej; Effenberger, Ira

2015-01-01

A multi-sensor measurement system for robotic drilling is presented. The system enables a robot to measure its 6D pose with respect to the work piece and to establish a reference coordinate system for drilling. The robot approaches the drill point and performs an orthogonal alignment with the work piece. Although the measurement systems are readily capable of achieving high position accuracy and low deviation to perpendicularity, experiments show that inaccuracies in the robot's 6D-pose and e...

Soft-information flipping approach in multi-head multi-track BPMR systems

Science.gov (United States)

Warisarn, C.; Busyatras, W.; Myint, L. M. M.

2018-05-01

Inter-track interference is one of the most severe impairments in bit-patterned media recording system. This impairment can be effectively handled by a modulation code and a multi-head array jointly processing multiple tracks; however, such a modulation constraint has never been utilized to improve the soft-information. Therefore, this paper proposes the utilization of modulation codes with an encoded constraint defined by the criteria for soft-information flipping during a three-track data detection process. Moreover, we also investigate the optimal offset position of readheads to provide the most improvement in system performance. The simulation results indicate that the proposed systems with and without position jitter are significantly superior to uncoded systems.

Site-specific antibodies distinguish single amino acid substitutions in position 57 in HLA-DQ beta-chain alleles associated with insulin-dependent diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Atar, D; Dyrberg, T; Michelsen, Birgitte

1989-01-01

The HLA-DQ beta-chain gene shows a close association with susceptibility or resistance to autoimmune insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and it has been suggested that the amino acid in position 57 may be of pathogenetic importance. To study the expression of the IDDM associated HLA-DQ beta......-chain alleles, we immunized rabbits with 12 to 13 amino acid long peptides representing HLA-DQw7 and -DQw8 allelic sequences, differing only by one amino acid in position 57 being aspartic acid (Asp) and alanine (Ala), respectively. Immunoblot analysis of lymphoblastoid cells showed that several antisera...

Model of interaction in Smart Grid on the basis of multi-agent system

Science.gov (United States)

Engel, E. A.; Kovalev, I. V.; Engel, N. E.

2016-11-01

This paper presents model of interaction in Smart Grid on the basis of multi-agent system. The use of travelling waves in the multi-agent system describes the behavior of the Smart Grid from the local point, which is being the complement of the conventional approach. The simulation results show that the absorption of the wave in the distributed multi-agent systems is effectively simulated the interaction in Smart Grid.

Organization of the secure distributed computing based on multi-agent system

Science.gov (United States)

Khovanskov, Sergey; Rumyantsev, Konstantin; Khovanskova, Vera

2018-04-01

Nowadays developing methods for distributed computing is received much attention. One of the methods of distributed computing is using of multi-agent systems. The organization of distributed computing based on the conventional network computers can experience security threats performed by computational processes. Authors have developed the unified agent algorithm of control system of computing network nodes operation. Network PCs is used as computing nodes. The proposed multi-agent control system for the implementation of distributed computing allows in a short time to organize using of the processing power of computers any existing network to solve large-task by creating a distributed computing. Agents based on a computer network can: configure a distributed computing system; to distribute the computational load among computers operated agents; perform optimization distributed computing system according to the computing power of computers on the network. The number of computers connected to the network can be increased by connecting computers to the new computer system, which leads to an increase in overall processing power. Adding multi-agent system in the central agent increases the security of distributed computing. This organization of the distributed computing system reduces the problem solving time and increase fault tolerance (vitality) of computing processes in a changing computing environment (dynamic change of the number of computers on the network). Developed a multi-agent system detects cases of falsification of the results of a distributed system, which may lead to wrong decisions. In addition, the system checks and corrects wrong results.

The SRCR/SID region of DMBT1 defines a complex multi-allele system representing the major basis for its variability in cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mollenhauer, Jan; Müller, Hanna; Kollender, Gaby

2002-01-01

Deleted in malignant brain tumors 1 (DMBT1) at 10q25.3-q26.1 has been proposed as a candidate tumor-suppressor gene for brain and epithelial cancer. DMBT1 encodes a multifunctional mucin-like protein presumably involved in epithelial differentiation and protection. The gene consists of highly...... homologous and repeating exon and intron sequences. This specifically applies to the region coding for the repetitive scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) domains and SRCR-interspersed domains (SIDs) that constitutes the major part of the gene. This particular structure may previously have interfered...... with the delineation of DMBT1 alterations in cancer. Uncovering these, however, is of mechanistic importance. By a combined approach, we conducted a detailed mutational analysis, starting from a panel of 51 tumors, including 46 tumor cell lines and five primary tumors. Alterations in the repetitive region were present...

Allele-specific characterization of alanine: glyoxylate aminotransferase variants associated with primary hyperoxaluria.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melissa D Lage

Full Text Available Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1 (PH1 is a rare autosomal recessive kidney stone disease caused by deficiency of the peroxisomal enzyme alanine: glyoxylate aminotransferase (AGT, which is involved in glyoxylate detoxification. Over 75 different missense mutations in AGT have been found associated with PH1. While some of the mutations have been found to affect enzyme activity, stability, and/or localization, approximately half of these mutations are completely uncharacterized. In this study, we sought to systematically characterize AGT missense mutations associated with PH1. To facilitate analysis, we used two high-throughput yeast-based assays: one that assesses AGT specific activity, and one that assesses protein stability. Approximately 30% of PH1-associated missense mutations are found in conjunction with a minor allele polymorphic variant, which can interact to elicit complex effects on protein stability and trafficking. To better understand this allele interaction, we functionally characterized each of 34 mutants on both the major (wild-type and minor allele backgrounds, identifying mutations that synergize with the minor allele. We classify these mutants into four distinct categories depending on activity/stability results in the different alleles. Twelve mutants were found to display reduced activity in combination with the minor allele, compared with the major allele background. When mapped on the AGT dimer structure, these mutants reveal localized regions of the protein that appear particularly sensitive to interactions with the minor allele variant. While the majority of the deleterious effects on activity in the minor allele can be attributed to synergistic interaction affecting protein stability, we identify one mutation, E274D, that appears to specifically affect activity when in combination with the minor allele.

Entanglement and nonlocality in multi-particle systems

Science.gov (United States)

Reid, Margaret D.; He, Qiong-Yi; Drummond, Peter D.

2012-02-01

Entanglement, the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) paradox and Bell's failure of local-hiddenvariable (LHV) theories are three historically famous forms of "quantum nonlocality". We give experimental criteria for these three forms of nonlocality in multi-particle systems, with the aim of better understanding the transition from microscopic to macroscopic nonlocality. We examine the nonlocality of N separated spin J systems. First, we obtain multipartite Bell inequalities that address the correlation between spin values measured at each site, and then we review spin squeezing inequalities that address the degree of reduction in the variance of collective spins. The latter have been particularly useful as a tool for investigating entanglement in Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC). We present solutions for two topical quantum states: multi-qubit Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states, and the ground state of a two-well BEC.

Economic planning for electric energy systems: a multi objective linearized approach for solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mata Medeiros Branco, T. da.

1986-01-01

The economic planning problem associated to the expansion and operation of electrical power systems is considered in this study, represented for a vectorial objective function in which the minimization of resources involved and maximization of attended demand constitute goals to be satisfied. Supposing all the variables involved with linear characteristic and considering the conflict existing among the objectives to be achieved, in order to find a solution, a multi objective linearized approach is proposed. This approximation utilizes the compromise programming technique and linear programming methods. Generation and transmission are simultaneously considered into the optimization process in which associated losses and the capacity of each line are included. Illustrated examples are also presented with results discussed. (author)

A Multi-Agent Traffic Control Model Based on Distributed System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qian WU

2014-06-01

Full Text Available With the development of urbanization construction, urban travel has become a quite thorny and imminent problem. Some previous researches on the large urban traffic systems easily change into NPC problems. We purpose a multi-agent inductive control model based on the distributed approach. To describe the real traffic scene, this model designs four different types of intelligent agents, i.e. we regard each lane, route, intersection and traffic region as different types of intelligent agents. Each agent can achieve the real-time traffic data from its neighbor agents, and decision-making agents establish real-time traffic signal plans through the communication between local agents and their neighbor agents. To evaluate the traffic system, this paper takes the average delay, the stopped time and the average speed as performance parameters. Finally, the distributed multi-agent is simulated on the VISSIM simulation platform, the simulation results show that the multi-agent system is more effective than the adaptive control system in solving the traffic congestion.

A dynamic predictive maintenance policy for complex multi-component systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Horenbeek, Adriaan; Pintelon, Liliane

2013-01-01

The use of prognostic methods in maintenance in order to predict remaining useful life is receiving more attention over the past years. The use of these techniques in maintenance decision making and optimization in multi-component systems is however a still underexplored area. The objective of this paper is to optimally plan maintenance for a multi-component system based on prognostic/predictive information while considering different component dependencies (i.e. economic, structural and stochastic dependence). Consequently, this paper presents a dynamic predictive maintenance policy for multi-component systems that minimizes the long-term mean maintenance cost per unit time. The proposed maintenance policy is a dynamic method as the maintenance schedule is updated when new information on the degradation and remaining useful life of components becomes available. The performance, regarding the objective of minimal long-term mean cost per unit time, of the developed dynamic predictive maintenance policy is compared to five other conventional maintenance policies, these are: block-based maintenance, age-based maintenance, age-based maintenance with grouping, inspection condition-based maintenance and continuous condition-based maintenance. The ability of the predictive maintenance policy to react to changing component deterioration and dependencies within a multi-component system is quantified and the results show significant cost savings

Concussion As a Multi-Scale Complex System: An Interdisciplinary Synthesis of Current Knowledge

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Erin S. Kenzie

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Traumatic brain injury (TBI has been called “the most complicated disease of the most complex organ of the body” and is an increasingly high-profile public health issue. Many patients report long-term impairments following even “mild” injuries, but reliable criteria for diagnosis and prognosis are lacking. Every clinical trial for TBI treatment to date has failed to demonstrate reliable and safe improvement in outcomes, and the existing body of literature is insufficient to support the creation of a new classification system. Concussion, or mild TBI, is a highly heterogeneous phenomenon, and numerous factors interact dynamically to influence an individual’s recovery trajectory. Many of the obstacles faced in research and clinical practice related to TBI and concussion, including observed heterogeneity, arguably stem from the complexity of the condition itself. To improve understanding of this complexity, we review the current state of research through the lens provided by the interdisciplinary field of systems science, which has been increasingly applied to biomedical issues. The review was conducted iteratively, through multiple phases of literature review, expert interviews, and systems diagramming and represents the first phase in an effort to develop systems models of concussion. The primary focus of this work was to examine concepts and ways of thinking about concussion that currently impede research design and block advancements in care of TBI. Results are presented in the form of a multi-scale conceptual framework intended to synthesize knowledge across disciplines, improve research design, and provide a broader, multi-scale model for understanding concussion pathophysiology, classification, and treatment.

Association between allelic variants of the human glucocorticoid receptor gene and autoimmune diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera, Cristian; Marcos, Miguel; Carbonell, Cristina; Mirón-Canelo, José Antonio; Espinosa, Gerard; Cervera, Ricard; Chamorro, Antonio-Javier

2018-05-01

The human glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) is considered to play a role in the differences and sensitivities of the glucocorticoid response in individuals with autoimmune diseases. The objective of this study was to examine by means of a systematic review previous findings regarding allelic variants of NR3C1 in relation to the risk of developing systemic autoimmune diseases. Studies that analysed the genotype distribution of NR3C1 allelic variants among patients with systemic autoimmune diseases were retrieved. A meta-analysis was conducted with a random effects model. Odds ratios (ORs) and their confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. In addition, sub-analysis by ethnicity, sensitivity analysis and tests for heterogeneity of the results were performed. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. We found no evidence that the analysed NR3C1 polymorphisms, rs6198, rs56149945, and rs6189/rs6190, modulate the risk of developing a systemic autoimmune disease. Nonetheless, a protective role for the minor allele of rs41423247 was found among Caucasians (OR=0.78; 95% CI: 0.65, 0.92; P=0.004). A subgroup analysis according to underlying diseases revealed no significant association either for Behçet's disease or rheumatoid arthritis, while correlations between NR3C1 polymorphisms and disease activity or response to glucocorticoids could not be evaluated due to insufficient data. There is no clear evidence that the analysed NR3C1 allelic variants confer a risk for developing systemic autoimmune diseases although the minor G allele of rs41423247 may be protective among Caucasians. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study on collaborative optimization control of ventilation and radon reduction system based on multi-agent technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai Jianyong; Meng Lingcong; Zou Shuliang

2015-01-01

According to the radioactive safety features such as radon and its progeny, combined with the theory of ventilation system, structure of multi-agent system for ventilation and radon reduction system is constructed with the application of multi agent technology. The function attribute of the key agent and the connection between the nodes in the multi-agent system are analyzed to establish the distributed autonomous logic structure and negotiation mechanism of multi agent system of ventilation and radon reduction system, and thus to implement the coordination optimization control of the multi-agent system. The example analysis shows that the system structure of the multi-agent system of ventilation and reducing radon system and its collaborative mechanism can improve and optimize the radioactive pollutants control, which provides a theoretical basis and important application prospect. (authors)

Apolipoprotein E4 allele does not influence serum triglyceride ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated how the APOε4 allele affects the serum triglyceride response after a fatmeal in apparently healthy black South African young adults. Sixty students were successfully screened for APOE genotype using Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) and were divided into four groups; the ε2 allele ...

Second-Order Controllability of Multi-Agent Systems with Multiple Leaders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Bo; Han Xiao; Shi Yun-Tao; Su Hou-Sheng

2016-01-01

This paper proposes a new second-order continuous-time multi-agent model and analyzes the controllability of second-order multi-agent system with multiple leaders based on the asymmetric topology. This paper considers the more general case: velocity coupling topology is different from location coupling topology. Some sufficient and necessary conditions are presented for the controllability of the system with multiple leaders. In addition, the paper studies the controllability of the system with velocity damping gain. Simulation results are given to illustrate the correctness of theoretical results. (paper)

Opportunities of creating multi-agent systems in the service sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shatsky A.A.

2017-03-01

Full Text Available the paper seeks to examine opportunities to create multi-agent systems (MAS in the service sector. Using methods of theoretical analysis and synthesis, the author attempts to apply a multi-agent technology to description of the socio-economic system, such as the service sector. As a result, the author identifies three types of MAS in the service sector based on different types of architecture of intelligent information systems. The research shows that the problem posed by the author requires further study and clarification of results

A fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making model for trigeneration system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Jiangjiang; Jing Youyin; Zhang Chunfa; Shi Guohua; Zhang Xutao

2008-01-01

The decision making for trigeneration systems is a compositive project and it should be evaluated and compared in a multi-criteria analysis method. This paper presents a fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making model (FMCDM) for trigeneration systems selection and evaluation. The multi-criteria decision-making methods are briefly reviewed combining the general decision-making process. Then the fuzzy set theory, weighting method and the FMCDM model are presented. Finally, several kinds of trigeneration systems, whose dynamical sources are, respectively stirling engine, gas turbine, gas engine and solid oxide fuel cell, are compared and evaluated with a separate generation system. The case for selecting the optimal trigeneration system applied to a residential building is assessed from the technical, economical, environmental and social aspects, and the FMCDM model combining analytic hierarchical process is applied to the trigeneration case to demonstrate the decision-making process and effectiveness of proposed model. The results show that the gas engine plus lithium bromide absorption water heater/chiller unit for the residential building is the best scheme in the five options

Heterogeneous Multi-Robot System for Mapping Environmental Variables of Greenhouses.

Science.gov (United States)

Roldán, Juan Jesús; Garcia-Aunon, Pablo; Garzón, Mario; de León, Jorge; Del Cerro, Jaime; Barrientos, Antonio

2016-07-01

The productivity of greenhouses highly depends on the environmental conditions of crops, such as temperature and humidity. The control and monitoring might need large sensor networks, and as a consequence, mobile sensory systems might be a more suitable solution. This paper describes the application of a heterogeneous robot team to monitor environmental variables of greenhouses. The multi-robot system includes both ground and aerial vehicles, looking to provide flexibility and improve performance. The multi-robot sensory system measures the temperature, humidity, luminosity and carbon dioxide concentration in the ground and at different heights. Nevertheless, these measurements can be complemented with other ones (e.g., the concentration of various gases or images of crops) without a considerable effort. Additionally, this work addresses some relevant challenges of multi-robot sensory systems, such as the mission planning and task allocation, the guidance, navigation and control of robots in greenhouses and the coordination among ground and aerial vehicles. This work has an eminently practical approach, and therefore, the system has been extensively tested both in simulations and field experiments.

Heterogeneous Multi-Robot System for Mapping Environmental Variables of Greenhouses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Jesús Roldán

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The productivity of greenhouses highly depends on the environmental conditions of crops, such as temperature and humidity. The control and monitoring might need large sensor networks, and as a consequence, mobile sensory systems might be a more suitable solution. This paper describes the application of a heterogeneous robot team to monitor environmental variables of greenhouses. The multi-robot system includes both ground and aerial vehicles, looking to provide flexibility and improve performance. The multi-robot sensory system measures the temperature, humidity, luminosity and carbon dioxide concentration in the ground and at different heights. Nevertheless, these measurements can be complemented with other ones (e.g., the concentration of various gases or images of crops without a considerable effort. Additionally, this work addresses some relevant challenges of multi-robot sensory systems, such as the mission planning and task allocation, the guidance, navigation and control of robots in greenhouses and the coordination among ground and aerial vehicles. This work has an eminently practical approach, and therefore, the system has been extensively tested both in simulations and field experiments.

A multi-channel high-resolution time recorder system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Lingyun; Yang Xiaojun; Song Kezhu; Wang Yanfang

2004-01-01

This paper introduces a multi-channel and high-speed time recorder system, which was originally designed to work in the experiments of quantum cryptography research. The novelty of the system is that all the hardware logic is performed by only one FPGA. The system can achieve several desirable features, such as simplicity, high resolution and high processing speed. (authors)

Simulating the Agulhas system in global ocean models - nesting vs. multi-resolution unstructured meshes

Science.gov (United States)

Biastoch, Arne; Sein, Dmitry; Durgadoo, Jonathan V.; Wang, Qiang; Danilov, Sergey

2018-01-01

Many questions in ocean and climate modelling require the combined use of high resolution, global coverage and multi-decadal integration length. For this combination, even modern resources limit the use of traditional structured-mesh grids. Here we compare two approaches: A high-resolution grid nested into a global model at coarser resolution (NEMO with AGRIF) and an unstructured-mesh grid (FESOM) which allows to variably enhance resolution where desired. The Agulhas system around South Africa is used as a testcase, providing an energetic interplay of a strong western boundary current and mesoscale dynamics. Its open setting into the horizontal and global overturning circulations also requires global coverage. Both model configurations simulate a reasonable large-scale circulation. Distribution and temporal variability of the wind-driven circulation are quite comparable due to the same atmospheric forcing. However, the overturning circulation differs, owing each model's ability to represent formation and spreading of deep water masses. In terms of regional, high-resolution dynamics, all elements of the Agulhas system are well represented. Owing to the strong nonlinearity in the system, Agulhas Current transports of both configurations and in comparison with observations differ in strength and temporal variability. Similar decadal trends in Agulhas Current transport and Agulhas leakage are linked to the trends in wind forcing.

HLA-class II alleles in patients with drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis in Kazakhstan.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuranov, A B; Kozhamkulov, U A; Vavilov, M N; Belova, E S; Bismilda, V L; Alenova, A H; Ismailov, S S; Momynaliev, K T

2014-02-01

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system has a major role in the regulation of the immune response as it is involved in the defense against pathogens. Some studies have reported that HLA class II genes play a strong role in severe cases of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in several populations. Thus the aim of the study was to compare the HLA-class II alleles of patients with drug resistant tuberculosis with those of healthy controls from the same ethnic group in Kazakhstan. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the correlation of HLA-class II alleles by patients with drug resistant tuberculosis and the healthy controls of the same ethnic group in Kazakhstan. The HLA-class II alleles of 76 patients with tuberculosis (TB) and 157 healthy volunteers were investigated using sequence-based typing (SBT)-method. HLA-DQA1*03:02 HLA-DRB1*08:01 and DRB1*08:03 occurred more frequently (P = 0.05) in patients with drug resistant tuberculosis than in controls. We observed a possible association between certain HLA alleles and TB that are specific for the Kazakh population. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings using a larger number of patients with drug resistant tuberculosis. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Optimization of AVR Parameters of a Multi-machine Power System ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user1

Keywords: multi-machine power system stability, AVR system, power system stabilizer, PID controller ... The proposed controller was a fuzzy-logic-based stabilizer that has the capability to ..... Computer methods in power system analysis.

Modeling Multi-Mobile Agents System Based on Coalition Signature Mechanism Using UML

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

SUNZhixin; HUANGHaiping; WANGRuchuan

2004-01-01

With the development of electronic commerce and agent techniques, multi-mobile agents cooperation can not only improve the efficiency of electronic business trade, but more importantly, it has a comprehensive applicative value in solving the security issues of mobile agent system. This paper firstly describes the mechanism of multi-mobile agents coalition signature aiming at the system security. Subsequently it brings forward a basic architecture of Multi-mobile agents system (MMAS) based on the design pattern of multi-mobile agents. The paper uses the diagrs_rn of UML, such as use case diagram, class diagram and sequence diagram to build the detailed model of the coalition signature and multi-mobile agents cooperation results. Through security analysis, we find that multimobile agents cooperation and interaction can solve some security problems of mobile agents in transfer, and also it can improve the efficiency of business trade. These results indicate that MMAS has a high security performance and can be widely used in E-commerce trade.

Determination of allele frequencies in nine short tandem repeat loci ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SERVER

2008-04-17

Apr 17, 2008 ... the normal cellular process of replication of DNA molecules. ... probability of a certain genetic variant (alleles) occuring in ... have preservatives that hinder spoilage and are easily packaged .... Allele distribution at Nine STR.

A Multi-scale Modeling System with Unified Physics to Study Precipitation Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, W. K.

2017-12-01

In recent years, exponentially increasing computer power has extended Cloud Resolving Model (CRM) integrations from hours to months, the number of computational grid points from less than a thousand to close to ten million. Three-dimensional models are now more prevalent. Much attention is devoted to precipitating cloud systems where the crucial 1-km scales are resolved in horizontal domains as large as 10,000 km in two-dimensions, and 1,000 x 1,000 km2 in three-dimensions. Cloud resolving models now provide statistical information useful for developing more realistic physically based parameterizations for climate models and numerical weather prediction models. It is also expected that NWP and mesoscale model can be run in grid size similar to cloud resolving model through nesting technique. Recently, a multi-scale modeling system with unified physics was developed at NASA Goddard. It consists of (1) a cloud-resolving model (Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model, GCE model), (2) a regional scale model (a NASA unified weather research and forecast, WRF), and (3) a coupled CRM and global model (Goddard Multi-scale Modeling Framework, MMF). The same microphysical processes, long and short wave radiative transfer and land processes and the explicit cloud-radiation, and cloud-land surface interactive processes are applied in this multi-scale modeling system. This modeling system has been coupled with a multi-satellite simulator to use NASA high-resolution satellite data to identify the strengths and weaknesses of cloud and precipitation processes simulated by the model. In this talk, a review of developments and applications of the multi-scale modeling system will be presented. In particular, the results from using multi-scale modeling system to study the precipitation, processes and their sensitivity on model resolution and microphysics schemes will be presented. Also how to use of the multi-satellite simulator to improve precipitation processes will be discussed.

Distributed Consensus of Stochastic Delayed Multi-agent Systems Under Asynchronous Switching.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiaotai; Tang, Yang; Cao, Jinde; Zhang, Wenbing

2016-08-01

In this paper, the distributed exponential consensus of stochastic delayed multi-agent systems with nonlinear dynamics is investigated under asynchronous switching. The asynchronous switching considered here is to account for the time of identifying the active modes of multi-agent systems. After receipt of confirmation of mode's switching, the matched controller can be applied, which means that the switching time of the matched controller in each node usually lags behind that of system switching. In order to handle the coexistence of switched signals and stochastic disturbances, a comparison principle of stochastic switched delayed systems is first proved. By means of this extended comparison principle, several easy to verified conditions for the existence of an asynchronously switched distributed controller are derived such that stochastic delayed multi-agent systems with asynchronous switching and nonlinear dynamics can achieve global exponential consensus. Two examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Common Atrial Fibrillation Risk Alleles at 4q25 Predict Recurrence after Catheter-based Atrial Fibrillation Ablation

Science.gov (United States)

Shoemaker, M. Benjamin; Muhammad, Raafia; Parvez, Babar; White, Brenda W.; Streur, Megan; Song, Yanna; Stubblefield, Tanya; Kucera, Gayle; Blair, Marcia; Rytlewski, Jason; Parvathaneni, Sunthosh; Nagarakanti, Rangadham; Saavedra, Pablo; Ellis, Christopher; Whalen, S. Patrick; Roden, Dan M; Darbar, Dawood

2012-01-01

Background Common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at chromosome 4q25 (rs2200733, rs10033464) are associated with both lone and typical AF. Risk alleles at 4q25 have recently been shown to predict recurrence of AF after ablation in a population of predominately lone AF, but lone AF represents only 5–30% of AF cases. Objective To test the hypothesis that 4q25 AF risk alleles can predict response to AF ablation in the majority of AF cases. Methods Patients enrolled in the Vanderbilt AF Registry underwent 378 catheter-based AF ablations (median age 60 years, 71% male, 89% typical AF) between 2004 and 2011. The primary endpoint was time to recurrence of any non-sinus atrial tachyarrhythmia (atrial tachycardia, atrial flutter, or AF; [AT/AF]). Results Two-hundred AT/AF recurrences (53%) were observed. In multivariable analysis, the rs2200733 risk allele predicted a 24% shorter recurrence-free time (survival time ratio 0.76 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.6–0.95, P=0.016) compared with wild-type. The heterozygous haplotype demonstrated a 21% shorter recurrence-free time (survival time ratio = 0.79, 95% CI 0.62–0.99) and the homozygous risk allele carriers a 39% shorter recurrence-free time (survival time ratio = 0.61, 95% CI 0.37–1.0) (P=0.037). Conclusion Risk alleles at the 4q25 loci predict impaired clinical response to AF ablation in a population of predominately typical AF patients. Our findings suggest the rs2200733 polymorphism may hold promise as an as an objectively measured patient characteristic that can used as a clinical tool for selection of patients for AF ablation. PMID:23178686

DQB1*06:02 allele-specific expression varies by allelic dosage, not narcolepsy status

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weiner Lachmi, Karin; Lin, Ling; Kornum, Birgitte Rahbek

2012-01-01

The association of narcolepsy-cataplexy, a sleep disorder caused by the loss of hypocretin/orexin neurons in the hypothalamus, with DQA1*01:02-DQB1*06:02 is one of the tightest known single-allele human leukocyte antigen (HLA) associations. In this study, we explored genome-wide expression...

Analysis of an "off-ladder" allele at the Penta D short tandem repeat locus.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Y L; Wang, J G; Wang, D X; Zhang, W Y; Liu, X J; Cao, J; Yang, S L

2015-11-25

Kinship testing of a father and his son from Guangxi, China, the location of the Zhuang minority people, was performed using the PowerPlex® 18D System with a short tandem repeat typing kit. The results indicated that both the father and his son had an off-ladder allele at the Penta D locus, with a genetic size larger than that of the maximal standard allelic ladder. To further identify this locus, monogenic amplification, gene cloning, and genetic sequencing were performed. Sequencing analysis demonstrated that the fragment size of the Penta D-OL locus was 469 bp and the core sequence was [AAAGA]21, also called Penta D-21. The rare Penta D-21 allele was found to be distributed among the Zhuang population from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China; therefore, this study improved the range of DNA data available for this locus and enhanced our ability for individual identification of gene loci.

Numerical modelling of multi-vane expander operating conditions in ORC system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rak Józef

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Multi-vane expanders are positive displacement volumetric machines which are nowadays considered for application in micro-power domestic ORC systems as promising alternative to micro turbines and other volumetric expanders. The multi-vane expander features very simple design, low gas flow capacity, low expansion ratios, an advantageous ratio of the power output to the external dimensions and are insensitive to the negative influence of the gas-liquid mixture expansion. Moreover, the multi-vane expander can be easily hermetically sealed, which is one of the key issues in the ORC system design. A literature review indicates that issues concerning the application of multi-vane expanders in such systems, especially related to operating of multi-vane expander with different low-boiling working fluids, are innovative, not fully scientifically described and have the potential for practical implementation. In this paper the results of numerical investigations on multi-vane expander operating conditions are presented. The analyses were performed on three-dimensional numerical model of the expander in ANSYS CFX software. The numerical model of the expander was validated using the data obtained from the experiment carried out on a lab test-stand. Then a series of computational analysis were performed using expanders' numerical model in order to determine its operating conditions under various flow conditions of different working fluids.

Multi-channel temperature measurement system for automotive battery stack

Science.gov (United States)

Lewczuk, Radoslaw; Wojtkowski, Wojciech

2017-08-01

A multi-channel temperature measurement system for monitoring of automotive battery stack is presented in the paper. The presented system is a complete battery temperature measuring system for hybrid / electric vehicles that incorporates multi-channel temperature measurements with digital temperature sensors communicating through 1-Wire buses, individual 1-Wire bus for each sensor for parallel computing (parallel measurements instead of sequential), FPGA device which collects data from sensors and translates it for CAN bus frames. CAN bus is incorporated for communication with car Battery Management System and uses additional CAN bus controller which communicates with FPGA device through SPI bus. The described system can parallel measure up to 12 temperatures but can be easily extended in the future in case of additional needs. The structure of the system as well as particular devices are described in the paper. Selected results of experimental investigations which show proper operation of the system are presented as well.

Pitfalls in genetic testing: a case of a SNP in primer-annealing region leading to allele dropout in BRCA1.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Felipe Carneiro; Torrezan, Giovana Tardin; Brianese, Rafael Canfield; Stabellini, Raquel; Carraro, Dirce Maria

2017-07-01

Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer is characterized by mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes and PCR-based screening techniques, such as capillary sequencing and next-generation sequencing (NGS), are considered gold standard methods for detection of pathogenic mutations in these genes. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) constitute a vast source of variation in the human genome and represent a risk for misdiagnosis in genetic testing, since the presence of a SNP in primer-annealing sites may cause false negative results due to allele dropout. However, few reports are available and the frequency of this phenomenon in diagnostic assays remains unknown. In this article, we investigated the causes of a false negative capillary sequencing result in BRCA1 involving a mother-daughter dyad. Using several molecular strategies, including different DNA polymerases, primer redesign, allele-specific PCR and NGS, we established that the initial misdiagnosis was caused by a SNP located in the primer-annealing region, leading to allele dropout of the mutated allele. Assuming that this problem can also occur in any PCR-based method that are widely used in diagnostic settings, the clinical report presented here draws attention for one of the limitations of genetic testing in general, for which medical and laboratory communities need to be aware.

A meteo-hydrological prediction system based on a multi-model approach for precipitation forecasting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Davolio

2008-02-01

Full Text Available The precipitation forecasted by a numerical weather prediction model, even at high resolution, suffers from errors which can be considerable at the scales of interest for hydrological purposes. In the present study, a fraction of the uncertainty related to meteorological prediction is taken into account by implementing a multi-model forecasting approach, aimed at providing multiple precipitation scenarios driving the same hydrological model. Therefore, the estimation of that uncertainty associated with the quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF, conveyed by the multi-model ensemble, can be exploited by the hydrological model, propagating the error into the hydrological forecast.

The proposed meteo-hydrological forecasting system is implemented and tested in a real-time configuration for several episodes of intense precipitation affecting the Reno river basin, a medium-sized basin located in northern Italy (Apennines. These episodes are associated with flood events of different intensity and are representative of different meteorological configurations responsible for severe weather affecting northern Apennines.

The simulation results show that the coupled system is promising in the prediction of discharge peaks (both in terms of amount and timing for warning purposes. The ensemble hydrological forecasts provide a range of possible flood scenarios that proved to be useful for the support of civil protection authorities in their decision.

Incorporating time dependent link costs in multi-state supernetworks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liao, F.

2011-01-01

Multi-state supernetwork represents a promising approach to model multi-modal and multi-activity travel behaviour. A derived feature of this approach is that a point-to-point path through the supernetwork represents a specific activity-travel pattern. A limitation of current multi-state

QuASAR: quantitative allele-specific analysis of reads.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Chris T; Moyerbrailean, Gregory A; Davis, Gordon O; Wen, Xiaoquan; Luca, Francesca; Pique-Regi, Roger

2015-04-15

Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) studies have discovered thousands of genetic variants that regulate gene expression, enabling a better understanding of the functional role of non-coding sequences. However, eQTL studies are costly, requiring large sample sizes and genome-wide genotyping of each sample. In contrast, analysis of allele-specific expression (ASE) is becoming a popular approach to detect the effect of genetic variation on gene expression, even within a single individual. This is typically achieved by counting the number of RNA-seq reads matching each allele at heterozygous sites and testing the null hypothesis of a 1:1 allelic ratio. In principle, when genotype information is not readily available, it could be inferred from the RNA-seq reads directly. However, there are currently no existing methods that jointly infer genotypes and conduct ASE inference, while considering uncertainty in the genotype calls. We present QuASAR, quantitative allele-specific analysis of reads, a novel statistical learning method for jointly detecting heterozygous genotypes and inferring ASE. The proposed ASE inference step takes into consideration the uncertainty in the genotype calls, while including parameters that model base-call errors in sequencing and allelic over-dispersion. We validated our method with experimental data for which high-quality genotypes are available. Results for an additional dataset with multiple replicates at different sequencing depths demonstrate that QuASAR is a powerful tool for ASE analysis when genotypes are not available. http://github.com/piquelab/QuASAR. fluca@wayne.edu or rpique@wayne.edu Supplementary Material is available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A multi-function low solide angle system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Sujuan; Yao Linong

2001-01-01

A multi-function low solid angle system for direct and indirect measurement of radioactivity or emission rate of most α, β and EC emitting nuclides are described in this paper. The measurement result of 241 Am and 90 Sr- 90 Y are given

Energy integration on multi-periods and multi-usages for hybrid electric and thermal powertrains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dimitrova, Zlatina; Maréchal, François

2015-01-01

The improvement of the efficiency of vehicle energy systems promotes an active search to find innovative solutions during the design process. This requires more accurate modeling of complex systems, which offers new ways to improve the design efficiency of energy systems. The vehicle is a highly dynamic system. The size and the efficiency of the convertors are dependent on the dynamic driving profile. In order to increase the energy efficiency, using energy integration techniques, an adapted methodology is required to choose the best points for the integrated system design. The idea is to clusterize the dynamic profile on typical multi-periods of the vehicle use. The energy system design is then optimized for these typical multi-periods. In this article a new methodology is applied on hybrid electric vehicles, in order to define the energy integrated powertrain configuration of the vehicle. The energy recovery potential of a single stage Organic Rankine Cycle for a thermal engine in combination with a hybrid electric powertrain is assessed for different drive cycles profiles and comfort situations. After the energy integration, a multi-objective optimization is applied to define the optimal design of a hybrid electric vehicle with a waste heat recovery system. - Highlights: • K-means algorithm transforms the dynamic driving profile on static multi-periods. • The clusters represent the typical powertrain use and size the heat recovery utility. • The maximal heat recovery potential on thermal powertrains is 11% for urban driving. • The maximal heat recovery potential on hybrid electric powertrains is 5%. • Engine downsizing increases heat recovery potential on hybrid electric powertrains

Implementation of a novel two-attractor grid multi-scroll chaotic system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao-Hua, Luo; Zheng-Wei, Tu; Xi-Rui, Liu; Chang, Cai; Pu, Gong; Yi-Long, Liang

2010-01-01

This paper proposed a method of generating two attractors in a novel grid multi-scroll chaotic system. Based on a newly generated three-dimensional system, a two-attractor grid multi-scroll attractor system can be generated by adding two triangular waves and a sign function. Some basic dynamical properties, such as equilibrium points, bifurcations, and phase diagrams, were studied. Furthermore, the system was experimentally confirmed by an electronic circuit. The circuit simulation results and numerical simulation results verified the feasibility of this method. (general)

A Novel Approach to Develop the Lower Order Model of Multi-Input Multi-Output System

Science.gov (United States)

Rajalakshmy, P.; Dharmalingam, S.; Jayakumar, J.

2017-10-01

A mathematical model is a virtual entity that uses mathematical language to describe the behavior of a system. Mathematical models are used particularly in the natural sciences and engineering disciplines like physics, biology, and electrical engineering as well as in the social sciences like economics, sociology and political science. Physicists, Engineers, Computer scientists, and Economists use mathematical models most extensively. With the advent of high performance processors and advanced mathematical computations, it is possible to develop high performing simulators for complicated Multi Input Multi Ouptut (MIMO) systems like Quadruple tank systems, Aircrafts, Boilers etc. This paper presents the development of the mathematical model of a 500 MW utility boiler which is a highly complex system. A synergistic combination of operational experience, system identification and lower order modeling philosophy has been effectively used to develop a simplified but accurate model of a circulation system of a utility boiler which is a MIMO system. The results obtained are found to be in good agreement with the physics of the process and with the results obtained through design procedure. The model obtained can be directly used for control system studies and to realize hardware simulators for boiler testing and operator training.

Multi-flux-tube system in the dual Ginzburg-Landau theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ichie, H.; Suganuma, H.; Toki, H.

1996-01-01

We study the multi-flux-tube system in terms of the dual Ginzburg-Landau theory. We consider two periodic cases, where the directions of all the flux tubes are the same in one case and alternating in the other case for neighboring flux tubes. We formulate the multi-flux-tube system by regarding it as the system of two flux tubes penetrating through a two-dimensional spherical surface. We find the multi-flux-tube configuration becomes uniform above some critical flux-tube number density ρ c =1.3 endash 1.7 fm -2 . On the other hand, the inhomogeneity of the color electric distribution appears when the flux-tube density is smaller than ρ c . We study the inhomogeneity on the color electric distribution in relation with the flux-tube number density, and discuss the quark-gluon plasma formation process in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

Consensus of second-order multi-agent dynamic systems with quantized data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guan, Zhi-Hong, E-mail: zhguan@mail.hust.edu.cn [Department of Control Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 (China); Meng, Cheng [Department of Control Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 (China); Liao, Rui-Quan [Petroleum Engineering College,Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 420400 (China); Zhang, Ding-Xue, E-mail: zdx7773@163.com [Petroleum Engineering College,Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 420400 (China)

2012-01-09

The consensus problem of second-order multi-agent systems with quantized link is investigated in this Letter. Some conditions are derived for the quantized consensus of the second-order multi-agent systems by the stability theory. Moreover, a result characterizing the relationship between the eigenvalues of the Laplacians matrix and the quantized consensus is obtained. Examples are given to illustrate the theoretical analysis. -- Highlights: ► A second-order multi-agent model with quantized data is proposed. ► Two sufficient and necessary conditions are obtained. ► The relationship between the eigenvalues of the Laplacians matrix and the quantized consensus is discovered.

Cas9/sgRNA selective targeting of the P23H Rhodopsin mutant allele for treating retinitis pigmentosa by intravitreal AAV9.PHP.B-based delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Giannelli, Serena G; Luoni, Mirko; Castoldi, Valerio; Massimino, Luca; Cabassi, Tommaso; Angeloni, Debora; Demontis, Gian Carlo; Leocani, Letizia; Andreazzoli, Massimiliano; Broccoli, Vania

2018-03-01

P23H is the most common mutation in the RHODOPSIN (RHO) gene leading to a dominant form of retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a rod photoreceptor degeneration that invariably causes vision loss. Specific disruption of the disease P23H RHO mutant while preserving the wild-type (WT) functional allele would be an invaluable therapy for this disease. However, various technologies tested in the past failed to achieve effective changes and consequently therapeutic benefits. We validated a CRISPR/Cas9 strategy to specifically inactivate the P23H RHO mutant, while preserving the WT allele in vitro. We, then, translated this approach in vivo by delivering the CRISPR/Cas9 components in murine Rho+/P23H mutant retinae. Targeted retinae presented a high rate of cleavage in the P23H but not WT Rho allele. This gene manipulation was sufficient to slow photoreceptor degeneration and improve retinal functions. To improve the translational potential of our approach, we tested intravitreal delivery of this system by means of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs). To this purpose, the employment of the AAV9-PHP.B resulted the most effective in disrupting the P23H Rho mutant. Finally, this approach was translated successfully in human cells engineered with the homozygous P23H RHO gene mutation. Overall, this is a significant proof-of-concept that gene allele specific targeting by CRISPR/Cas9 technology is specific and efficient and represents an unprecedented tool for treating RP and more broadly dominant genetic human disorders affecting the eye, as well as other tissues.

Development of an allele-specific PCR assay for simultaneous sero-typing of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli predominant O1, O2, O18 and O78 strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shaohui; Meng, Qingmei; Dai, Jianjun; Han, Xiangan; Han, Yue; Ding, Chan; Liu, Haiwen; Yu, Shengqing

2014-01-01

Systemic infections by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) are economically devastating to poultry industries worldwide. E. coli strains belonging to serotypes O1, O2, O18 and O78 are preferentially associated with avian colibacillosis. The rfb gene cluster controlling O antigen synthesis is usually various among different E. coli serotypes. In present study, the rfb gene clusters of E. coli serotypes O1, O2, O18 and O78 were characterized and compared. Based on the serotype-specific genes in rfb gene cluster, an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed. This PCR assay was highly specific and reliable for sero-typing of APEC O1, O2, O18 and O78 strains. The sensitivity of the assay was determined as 10 pg DNA or 10 colony forming units (CFUs) bacteria for serotypes O2 and O18 strains, and 500 pg DNA or 1,000 CFUs bacteria for serotypes O1 and O78 strains. Using this PCR system, APEC isolates and the infected tissue samples were categorized successfully. Furthermore, it was able to differentiate the serotypes for the samples with multi-agglutination in the traditional serum agglutination assay. Therefore, the allele-specific PCR is more simple, rapid and accurate assay for APEC diagnosis, epidemiologic study and vaccine development.

Development of an allele-specific PCR assay for simultaneous sero-typing of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli predominant O1, O2, O18 and O78 strains.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaohui Wang

Full Text Available Systemic infections by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC are economically devastating to poultry industries worldwide. E. coli strains belonging to serotypes O1, O2, O18 and O78 are preferentially associated with avian colibacillosis. The rfb gene cluster controlling O antigen synthesis is usually various among different E. coli serotypes. In present study, the rfb gene clusters of E. coli serotypes O1, O2, O18 and O78 were characterized and compared. Based on the serotype-specific genes in rfb gene cluster, an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR assay was developed. This PCR assay was highly specific and reliable for sero-typing of APEC O1, O2, O18 and O78 strains. The sensitivity of the assay was determined as 10 pg DNA or 10 colony forming units (CFUs bacteria for serotypes O2 and O18 strains, and 500 pg DNA or 1,000 CFUs bacteria for serotypes O1 and O78 strains. Using this PCR system, APEC isolates and the infected tissue samples were categorized successfully. Furthermore, it was able to differentiate the serotypes for the samples with multi-agglutination in the traditional serum agglutination assay. Therefore, the allele-specific PCR is more simple, rapid and accurate assay for APEC diagnosis, epidemiologic study and vaccine development.

Power control method on VSC-HVDC in a hybrid multi-infeed HVDC system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Yan; Chen, Zhe

2012-01-01

Multi-infeed HVDC (MIDC) system connected with VSC-HVDC links and LCC-HVDC links is a new structure in modern power systems, which can be called hybrid multi-infeed HVDC (HMIDC) system. The paper presents the voltage stability analysis of a HMIDC system modeled from a possible future Danish power...

Aberrant allele-specific replication, independent of parental origin, in blood cells of cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dotan, Zohar A; Dotan, Aviva; Ramon, Jacob; Avivi, Lydia

2008-01-01

Allelic counterparts of biallelically expressed genes display an epigenetic symmetry normally manifested by synchronous replication, different from genes subjected to monoallelic expression, which normally are characterized by an asynchronous mode of replication (well exemplified by the SNRPN imprinted locus). Malignancy was documented to be associated with gross modifications in the inherent replication-timing coordination between allelic counterparts of imprinted genes as well as of biallelically expressed loci. The cancer-related allelic replication timing aberrations are non-disease specific and appear in peripheral blood cells of cancer patients, including those with solid tumors. As such they offer potential blood markers for non-invasive cancer test. The present study was aimed to gain some insight into the mechanism leading to the replication timing alterations of genes in blood lymphocytes of cancer patients. Peripheral blood samples derived from patients with prostate cancer were chosen to represent the cancerous status, and samples taken from patients with no cancer but with benign prostate hyperplasia were used to portray the normal status. Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) replication assay, applied to phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated blood lymphocytes, was used to evaluate the temporal order (either synchronous or asynchronous) of genes in the patients' cells. We demonstrated that: (i) the aberrant epigenetic profile, as delineated by the cancer status, is a reversible modification, evidenced by our ability to restore the normal patterns of replication in three unrelated loci (CEN15, SNRPN and RB1) by introducing an archetypical demethylating agent, 5-azacytidine; (ii) following the rehabilitating effect of demethylation, an imprinted gene (SNRPN) retains its original parental imprint; and (iii) the choice of an allele between early or late replication in the aberrant asynchronous replication, delineated by the cancer status, is not