SEAL /Subnetwork Enumeration And Listing/

SEAL /Subnetwork Enumeration And Listing/ computer program uses combinatorial techniques to generate all of the nonredundant subnetwork configurations derivable from an asymmetrical network or device. This is accomplished by a systematic shorting and opening of accessible terminals to obtain the desired allowable configurations

Dynamic Energy Management

We present a unified method, based on convex optimization, for managing the power produced and consumed by a network of devices over time. We start with the simple setting of optimizing power flows in a static network, and then proceed to the case of optimizing dynamic power flows, i.e., power flows that change with time over a horizon. We leverage this to develop a real-time control strategy, model predictive control, which at each time step solves a dynamic power flow optimization problem, using forecasts of future quantities such as demands, capacities, or prices, to choose the current power flow values. Finally, we consider a useful extension of model predictive control that explicitly accounts for uncertainty in the forecasts. We mirror our framework with an object-oriented software implementation, an open-source Python library for planning and controlling power flows at any scale. We demonstrate our method with various examples. Appendices give more detail about the package, and describe some basic but very effective methods for constructing forecasts from historical data.Comment: 63 pages, 15 figures, accompanying open source librar

A proposal for the implementation of quantum gates with photonic-crystal coupled cavity waveguides

Quantum computers require technologies that offer both sufficient control over coherent quantum phenomena and minimal spurious interactions with the environment. We show, that photons confined to photonic crystals, and in particular to highly efficient waveguides formed from linear chains of defects doped with atoms can generate strong non-linear interactions which allow to implement both single and two qubit quantum gates. The simplicity of the gate switching mechanism, the experimental feasibility of fabricating two dimensional photonic crystal structures and integrability of this device with optoelectronics offers new interesting possibilities for optical quantum information processing networks.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Domain adaptation with cyclegan for change detection in the amazon forest

Deep learning classification models require large amounts of labeled training data to perform properly, but the production of reference data for most Earth observation applications is a labor intensive, costly process. In that sense, transfer learning is an option to mitigate the demand for labeled data. In many remote sensing applications, however, the accuracy of a deep learning-based classification model trained with a specific dataset drops significantly when it is tested on a different dataset, even after fine-tuning. In general, this behavior can be credited to the domain shift phenomenon. In remote sensing applications, domain shift can be associated with changes in the environmental conditions during the acquisition of new data, variations of objects' appearances, geographical variability and different sensor properties, among other aspects. In recent years, deep learning-based domain adaptation techniques have been used to alleviate the domain shift problem. Recent improvements in domain adaptation technology rely on techniques based on Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), such as the Cycle-Consistent Generative Adversarial Network (CycleGAN), which adapts images across different domains by learning nonlinear mapping functions between the domains. In this work, we exploit the CycleGAN approach for domain adaptation in a particular change detection application, namely, deforestation detection in the Amazon forest. Experimental results indicate that the proposed approach is capable of alleviating the effects associated with domain shift in the context of the target application. © 2020 International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences - ISPRS Archives

The Kynurenine Pathway Is Upregulated by Methyl-deficient Diet and Changes Are Averted by Probiotics

Scope Probiotics exert immunomodulatory effects and may influence tryptophan metabolism in the host. Deficiency of nutrients related to C1 metabolism might stimulate inflammation by enhancing the kynurenine pathway. This study used Sprague Dawley rats to investigate whether a methyl-deficient diet (MDD) may influence tryptophan/kynurenine pathways and cytokines and whether probiotics can mitigate these effects. Methods and Results Rats are fed a control or MDD diet. Animals on the MDD diet received vehicle, probiotics (L. helveticus R0052 and B. longum R0175), choline, or probiotics + choline for 10 weeks (n = 10 per group). Concentrations of plasma kynurenine metabolites and the methylation and inflammatory markers in plasma and liver are measured. Results MDD animals (vs controls) show upregulation of plasma kynurenine, kynurenic acid, xanthurenic acid, 3-hydroxyxanthranilic acid, quinolinic acid, nicotinic acid, and nicotinamide (all p < 0.05). In the MDD rats, the probiotics (vs vehicle) cause lower anthranilic acid and a trend towards lower kynurenic acid and picolinic acid. Compared to probiotics alone, probiotics + choline is associated with a reduced enrichment of the bacterial strains in cecum. The interventions have no effect on inflammatory markers. Conclusions Probiotics counterbalance the effect of MDD diet and downregulate downstream metabolites of the kynurenine pathway.publishedVersio

The Kynurenine Pathway Is Upregulated by Methyl-deficient Diet and Changes Are Averted by Probiotics

Scope Probiotics exert immunomodulatory effects and may influence tryptophan metabolism in the host. Deficiency of nutrients related to C1 metabolism might stimulate inflammation by enhancing the kynurenine pathway. This study used Sprague Dawley rats to investigate whether a methyl‐deficient diet (MDD) may influence tryptophan/kynurenine pathways and cytokines and whether probiotics can mitigate these effects. Methods and Results Rats are fed a control or MDD diet. Animals on the MDD diet received vehicle, probiotics (L. helveticus R0052 and B. longum R0175), choline, or probiotics + choline for 10 weeks (n = 10 per group). Concentrations of plasma kynurenine metabolites and the methylation and inflammatory markers in plasma and liver are measured. Results MDD animals (vs controls) show upregulation of plasma kynurenine, kynurenic acid, xanthurenic acid, 3‐hydroxyxanthranilic acid, quinolinic acid, nicotinic acid, and nicotinamide (all p < 0.05). In the MDD rats, the probiotics (vs vehicle) cause lower anthranilic acid and a trend towards lower kynurenic acid and picolinic acid. Compared to probiotics alone, probiotics + choline is associated with a reduced enrichment of the bacterial strains in cecum. The interventions have no effect on inflammatory markers. Conclusions Probiotics counterbalance the effect of MDD diet and downregulate downstream metabolites of the kynurenine pathway

Cymantrene–Triazole "Click" Products: Structural Characterization and Electrochemical Properties

We report the first known examples of triazole-derivatized cymantrene complexes (η5-[4-substituted triazol-1-yl]cyclopentadienyl)tricarbonylmanganese(I), obtained via a “click” chemical synthesis, bearing a phenyl, 3-aminophenyl, or 4-aminophenyl moiety at the 4-position of the triazole ring. Structural characterization data using multinuclear NMR, UV–vis, ATR-IR, and mass spectrometric methods are provided, as well as crystallographic data for (η5-[4-phenyltriazol-1-yl]cyclopentadienyl)tricarbonylmanganese(I) and (η5-[4-(3-aminophenyl)triazol-1-yl]cyclopentadienyl)tricarbonylmanganese(I). Cyclic voltammetric characterization of the redox behavior of each of the three cymantrene–triazole complexes is presented together with digital simulations, in situ infrared spectroelectrochemistry, and DFT calculations to extract the associated kinetic and thermodynamic parameters. The trypanocidal activity of each cymantrene–triazole complex is also examined, and these complexes are found to be more active than cymantrene alone

Hospitalization and emergency department visits among seniors receiving homecare: a pilot study

BACKGROUND: Despite the recent growth in home health services, data on clinical outcomes and acute health care utilization among older adults receiving homecare services are sparse. Obtaining such data is particularly relevant in Ontario where an increasing number of frail seniors receiving homecare are awaiting placement in long-term care facilities. In order to determine the feasibility of a large-scale study, we conducted a pilot study to assess utilization of acute health care services among seniors receiving homecare to determine associated clinical outcomes. METHODS: This prospective cohort study followed forty-seven seniors admitted to homecare by two homecare agencies in Hamilton, Ontario over a 12-month period. Demographic information and medical history were collected at baseline, and patients were followed until either termination of homecare services, death, or end of study. The primary outcome was hospitalization. Secondary outcomes included emergency department visits that did not result in hospitalization and death. Rates of hospitalization and emergency department visits without admission were calculated, and univariate analyses were performed to test for potential risk factors. Survival curves for accumulative rates of hospitalization and emergency department visits were created. RESULTS: 312 seniors were eligible for the study, of which 123 (39%) agreed to participate initially. After communicating with the research nurse, of the 123 who agreed to participate initially, 47 (38%) were enrolled in the study. Eleven seniors were hospitalized during 3,660 days of follow-up for a rate of 3.0 incident hospitalizations per 1,000 homecare-days. Eleven seniors had emergency department visits that did not result in hospitalization, for a rate of 3.3 incident emergency department visits per 1,000 homecare-days. There were no factors significantly associated with hospitalization or emergency department visits when adjustment was made for multiple comparisons. CONCLUSION: The incidence of hospitalization and visits to the emergency department among seniors receiving homecare services is high. Getting satisfactory levels of enrolment will be a major challenge for larger prospective studies