Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) consist of inter-wined computational (cyber) and
physical components interacting through sensors and/or actuators. Computational
elements are networked at every scale and ...can communicate with each other and
with humans. Nodes can join and leave the network at any time or they can move
to different spatial locations. In this scenario, monitoring spatial and
temporal properties plays a key role in the understanding of how complex
behaviors can emerge from local and dynamic interactions. We revisit here the
Spatio-Temporal Reach and Escape Logic (STREL), a logic-based formal language
designed to express and monitor spatio-temporal requirements over the execution
of mobile and spatially distributed CPS. STREL considers the physical space in
which CPS entities (nodes of the graph) are arranged as a weighted graph
representing their dynamic topological configuration. Both nodes and edges
include attributes modeling physical and logical quantities that can evolve
over time. STREL combines the Signal Temporal Logic with two spatial modalities
reach and escape that operate over the weighted graph. From these basic
operators, we can derive other important spatial modalities such as everywhere,
somewhere and surround. We propose both qualitative and quantitative semantics
based on constraint semiring algebraic structure. We provide an offline
monitoring algorithm for STREL and we show the feasibility of our approach with
the application to two case studies: monitoring spatio-temporal requirements
over a simulated mobile ad-hoc sensor network and a simulated epidemic
spreading model for COVID19.
Summary
Background
Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) may act as biomarkers of metabolic disturbances.
Objective
The aim of this study was to identify serum miRNAs signature of early insulin resistance ...in obese preschoolers.
Methods
Twelve obese children, aged 2–6 years, six insulin resistant (IR) and six controls were selected being age‐matched, sex‐matched and body mass index‐matched. Profiling of 179 circulating miRNAs, known to be widely expressed in the bloodstream, was investigated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction at fasting and 120 min following a standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).
Results
Twenty‐one miRNAs were differentially regulated in IR obese preschoolers. miR‐200c‐3p, miR‐190a and miR‐95 were differently regulated both at fasting and 120 min after the OGTT. In controls, the fold changes of some miRNAs were correlated with Δglucose0‐120 (miR‐660, miR‐26b‐5p and miR‐22‐3p: p = 0.005 for all) and Δinsulin0‐120 (miR‐660 and miR‐22‐3p: p = 0.02 for both and miR‐423‐5p: p = 0.042). In IR patients, miR‐1 fold changes were correlated with Δglucose0‐120 (r = −0.786; p = 0.036) and Δinsulin0‐120 (r = −0.821; p = 0.023).
Conclusions
Our study identifies circulating miR‐200c‐3p, miR‐190a and miR‐95 as biomarkers of insulin resistance in obese preschoolers, being differentially regulated in IR patients both in fasting condition and after the OGTT. Expression of some circulating miRNAs seems reflecting glucose and insulin excursion following the OGTT differently in controls and IR obese preschoolers.
Scientific investigation is very important in studies addressing issues of archaeological and historical objects. Ion beam analysis (IBA) and macro X‐ray fluorescence (MA‐XRF) spectroscopy are ...remarkable tools to obtain information about elemental composition and imaging of historical artefacts with a non‐invasive character. These investigation techniques were employed in the framework of a project aimed at supporting the characterization of materials and techniques related with the Roman wall painting. The archaeological excavations at Villa della Piscina in Rome have revealed a luxury building with a large pool (about 50 m long) and thermal baths and numerous fragments of plaster, coming from intentional demolitions referable to two distinct architectural contexts of the Villa during the imperial age, have been found. This work deals with studying the interesting wall pictorial apparatus of great cultural value of the heritage inherited from the Roman age in the area of the ancient city of Rome. The colour palette of the pigments investigated, in particular, by MA‐XRF and particle‐induced X‐ray emission (PIXE) and has revealed Fe, Cu, Pb, Si and Hg as main elements. Traces of other constituents uncover the choice of the different colours chosen by the artists who had embellished the rooms of the Villa.
In order to answer to some specific unsolved questions regarding ancient Roman frescoes from Villa della Piscina, already examined by other spectroscopic techniques, LIBS stratigraphic measurements ...were performed on the most representative sample fragments. We found that taking into account just the line intensities or applying a single normalization approach based on ratio of the element's analytical line and a selected transition from a main sample constituent, here of Ca, might produce misleading results of depth profiling by LIBS. During the laser induced ablation, parameters of the detected plasma might change both due to the crater development and different overlaid matrix materials, as in case of heterogeneous painted samples, possibly realized with different techniques. We performed the theoretical simulations to select the pair of Cu I and Ca I lines less sensitive to variations of the plasma temperature in presence of local thermal equilibrium (LTE). However, when using not gated detectors as here, the experimental results showed that only a partial LTE holds. For this reason, the choice of the optimum normalization line must take into account also the energy gap between the excited levels of the species, which energies affect the emission lifetime and consequently, the intensity captured by not gated detectors. In following, to the each element's analytical line a specific Ca I line was attributed for deducing the relative element distribution in sample. Following this approach and by detecting simultaneously up to 20 elements per laser pulse, it was possible to distinguish clearly by LIBS also thin overpainted layers of similar colour, and to recognize the painting technique used. Through detection of trace and light elements and studies of their correlations with other elements during ablation of on painted layer, in some cases it was possible also to establish the geographical provenance of the material used.
Display omitted
•In depth profiling the signal normalization should be weakly sensitive on the plasma temperature.•For the plasma in LTE we simulated the normalizations on different Ca I lines.•For not gated detection the energy gap among the excited lines also plays a role in the normalization.•The proper normalization per each element line allowed to distinguish thin layers on fresco samples.•By LIBS profilometry the realization technique and provenience of some pigments were determined.
SCC: A Service Centered Calculus Boreale, M.; Bruni, R.; Caires, L. ...
Lecture notes in computer science,
2006
Book Chapter, Conference Proceeding
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
We seek for a small set of primitives that might serve as a basis for formalising and programming service oriented applications over global computers. As an outcome of this study we introduce here ...SCC, a process calculus that features explicit notions of service definition, service invocation and session handling. Our proposal has been influenced by Orc, a programming model for structured orchestration of services, but the SCC’s session handling mechanism allows for the definition of structured interaction protocols, more complex than the basic request-response provided by Orc. We present syntax and operational semantics of SCC and a number of simple but nontrivial programming examples that demonstrate flexibility of the chosen set of primitives. A few encodings are also provided to relate our proposal with existing ones.
•We applied three ecosystem service models (InVEST, LUCI, NC-Model) to a common study area.•We compared three urban ecosystem services quantified for the current situation and two scenarios.•We found ...positive correlations but also systematic differences between model outputs for a given service.•Models also responded differently to the scenarios.•We recommend more systematic assessments of uncertainty in urban ecosystem service modelling.
The (re)integration of nature into cities has been a progressively promoted strategy to foster sustainable urbanization. To quantify the ecosystem services (ES) provided by urban nature, spatially explicit ES modeling is a key method. However, particularly in absence of independent validation data, there is a clear need for multi-model assessments in order to better understand uncertainties in model outcomes. Here we applied three commonly used open-source ES models (i.e., InVEST, LUCI, NC-Model) to quantify three key urban ES (i.e., local temperature regulation, flood protection and global climate regulation) using the city of The Hague (The Netherlands) as a case study. We quantified the three ES for the current situation and under two hypothetical scenarios representing changes in the amount of vegetation within the city. We found mostly positive correlations between the estimates for a given ES (Spearman’s ρ from 0.11 to 0.84). Yet, our comparison also revealed systematic differences in the ES indicator values between the ES models, as well as different responses to the scenarios. These differences may stem from differences in model structure (i.e., differences in biophysical processes accounted for) and model parameterization (i.e., differences in the value used to quantify a given biophysical process). To further advance urban ES modeling, we recommend i) to improve the representation of urban nature (e.g., green roofs, bioswales, gardens) and urban-specific conditions and processes (e.g., drainage systems, building patterns, soil characteristics) in urban ES models and ii) to systematically account for uncertainty in (urban) ES assessments (e.g., through multi-model assessments).
In spatially located, large scale systems, time and space dynamics interact and drives the behaviour. Examples of such systems can be found in many smart city applications and Cyber-Physical Systems. ...In this paper we present the Signal Spatio-Temporal Logic (SSTL), a modal logic that can be used to specify spatio-temporal properties of linear time and discrete space models. The logic is equipped with a Boolean and a quantitative semantics for which efficient monitoring algorithms have been developed. As such, it is suitable for real-time verification of both white box and black box complex systems. These algorithms can also be combined with stochastic model checking routines. SSTL combines the until temporal modality with two spatial modalities, one expressing that something is true somewhere nearby and the other capturing the notion of being surrounded by a region that satisfies a given spatio-temporal property. The monitoring algorithms are implemented in an open source Java tool. We illustrate the use of SSTL analysing the formation of patterns in a Turing Reaction-Diffusion system and spatio-temporal aspects of a large bike-sharing system.
We report the observation of single top-quark production using 3.2 fb(-1) of ppover collision data with sqrts=1.96 TeV collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. The significance of the ...observed data is 5.0 standard deviations, and the expected sensitivity for standard model production and decay is in excess of 5.9 standard deviations. Assuming m(t) = 175 GeV/c(2), we measure a cross section of 2.3(-0.5);(+0.6)(stat + syst) pb, extract the CKM matrix-element value |V(tb)| = 0.91 + or - 0.11(stat + syst) + or - 0.07(theory), and set the limit |V(tb)| > 0.71 at the 95% C.L.
Human macrophages are primary host cells of intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection and thus have a central role in immune control of tuberculosis (TB). We have established an ...experimental protocol to follow immune polarization of myeloid-derived cells into M1 (classically activated) or M2 (alternatively activated) macrophage-like cells through assessment with a 10-color flow cytometry panel that allows visualization and deep-characterization of green-fluorescent-protein (GFP)-labeled Mtb in diverse macrophages subsets. Monocytes obtained from healthy blood donors were polarized into M1 or M2 cells using differentiation with granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) followed by polarization with IFN-γ and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or IL-4, respectively. Fully polarized M1 and M2 cells were infected with Mtb-GFP for 4 hours before detached Mtb-infected macrophages were stained with flow cytometry at 4- or 24-hours post-infection. Sample acquisition was performed with flow cytometry and the data was analyzed using a flow cytometry analysis software. Manual gating as well as dimensionality reduction with Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP) and phenograph analysis was performed. This protocol resulted in effective M1/M2 polarization characterized by elevated levels of CD64, CD86, TLR2, HLA-DR and CCR7 on uninfected M1 cells, while uninfected M2 cells exhibited a strong up-regulation of the M2 phenotype markers CD163, CD200R, CD206 and CD80. M1-polarized cells typically contained fewer bacteria compared to M2-polarized cells. Several M1/M2 markers were downregulated after Mtb infection, which suggests that Mtb can modulate macrophage polarization. In addition, 24 different cell clusters of different sizes were found to be uniquely distributed among the M1 and M2 uninfected and Mtb-infected cells at 24-hours post-infection. This M1/M2 flow cytometry protocol could be used as a backbone in Mtb-macrophage research and be adopted for special needs in different areas of research.
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