Rete Algorithm Applied to Robotic Soccer

This article is a first approach to the use of Rete algorithm to design a team of robotic soccer playing agents for Robocup Soccer Server. Rete algorithm is widely used to design rule-based expert systems. Robocup Soccer Server is a system that simulates 2D robotic soccer matches. The paper presents an architecture based on CM United team architecture for Robocup Soccer Server simulation system. It generalizes the low-level information received by the agent as high-level soccer concepts. This way it can take advantage of expert system design techniques

A high-density collection of EMS-induced mutations for TILLING in Landsberg erecta genetic background of Arabidopsis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Arabidopsis thaliana </it>is the main model species for plant molecular genetics studies and world-wide efforts are devoted to identify the function of all its genes. To this end, reverse genetics by TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes) in a permanent collection of chemically induced mutants is providing a unique resource in Columbia genetic background. In this work, we aim to extend TILLING resources available in <it>A. thaliana </it>by developing a new population of ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS) induced mutants in the second commonest reference strain. In addition, we pursue to saturate the number of EMS induced mutations that can be tolerated by viable and fertile plants.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>By mutagenizing with different EMS concentrations we have developed a permanent collection of 3712 M₂/M₃independent mutant lines in the reference strain Landsberg <it>erecta </it>(L<it>er</it>) of <it>A. thaliana</it>. This population has been named as the Arabidopsis TILL<it>er </it>collection. The frequency of mutations per line was maximized by using M₁plants with low but sufficient seed fertility. Application of TILLING to search for mutants in 14 genes identified 21 to 46 mutations per gene, which correspond to a total of 450 mutations. Missense mutations were found for all genes while truncations were selected for all except one. We estimated that, on average, these lines carry one mutation every 89 kb, L<it>er </it>population providing a total of more than five million induced mutations. It is estimated that TILL<it>er </it>collection shows a two to three fold higher EMS mutation density per individual than previously reported <it>A. thaliana </it>population.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Analysis of TILL<it>er </it>collection demonstrates its usefulness for large scale TILLING reverse genetics in another reference genetic background of <it>A. thaliana</it>. Comparisons with TILLING populations in other organisms indicate that this new <it>A. thaliana </it>collection carries the highest chemically induced mutation density per individual known in diploid species.</p

Cutting edge: Regulation of exosome secretion by the integral MAL protein in T cells

Exosomes secreted by T cells play an important role in coordinating the immune response. HIV-1 Nef hijacks the route of exosome secretion of T cells to modulate the functioning of uninfected cells. Despite the importance of the process, the protein machinery involved in exosome biogenesis is yet to be identified. In this study, we show that MAL, a tetraspanning membrane protein expressed in human T cells, is present in endosomes that travel toward the plasma membrane for exosome secretion. In the absence of MAL, the release of exosome particles and markers was greatly impaired. This effect was accompanied by protein sorting defects at multivesicular endosomes that divert the exosomal marker CD63 to autophagic vacuoles. Exosome release induced by HIV-1 Nef was also dependent on MAL expression. Therefore,MAL is a critical element of the machinery for exosome secretion andmay constitute a target for modulating exosome secretion by human T cells. The Journal of Immunology, 2015, 195: 810–814.Peer Reviewe

From graphene oxide to pristine graphene: revealing the inner workings of the full structural restoration

Producción CientíficaHigh temperature annealing is the only method known to date that allows the complete repair of a defective lattice of graphenes derived from graphite oxide, but most of the relevant aspects of such restoration processes are poorly understood. Here, we investigate both experimentally (scanning probe microscopy) and theoretically (molecular dynamics simulations) the thermal evolution of individual graphene oxide sheets, which is rationalized on the basis of the generation and the dynamics of atomic vacancies in the carbon lattice. For unreduced and mildly reduced graphene oxide sheets, the amount of generated vacancies was so large that they disintegrated at 1773–2073 K. By contrast, highly reduced sheets survived annealing and their structure could be completely restored at 2073 K. For the latter, a minor atomic-sized defect with six-fold symmetry was observed and ascribed to a stable cluster of nitrogen dopants. The thermal behavior of the sheets was significantly altered when they were supported on a vacancy-decorated graphite substrate, as well as for the overlapped/stacked sheets. In these cases, a net transfer of carbon atoms between neighboring sheets via atomic vacancies takes place, affording an additional healing process. Direct evidence of sheet coalescence with the step edge of the graphite substrate was also gathered from experiments and theory.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Project AT2011-26399 and MAT2011-22781)Junta de Castilla y León (programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación - Ref. VA158A11-2

VISOR: Real time observations visualizer

Presentación realizada en la 3rd European Nowcasting Conference, celebrada en la sede central de AEMET en Madrid del 24 al 26 de abril de 2019

Monitoring UF membrane performance treating surface-groundwater blends: limitations of FEEM-PARAFAC on the assessment of the organic matter role

The decrease of water quantity and quality in water scarcity areas is palliated by improving water treatments with membrane technologies. System performance and efficiency, and then cost, is mainly affected by membrane fouling, which is still not well understood and controlled appropriately. In this study, the influence of content and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on a membrane ultrafiltration (UF) stage from a full-scale UF stage in a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) fed with surface water, groundwater (or blends of them) was investigated. Excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) was used to characterize and assess DOM changes in water samples Water streams feeding the UF stage showed high variability in DOM content and composition. FEEM-PARAFAC analysis allowed the differentiation of seven different organic components. Additionally to the characterization and monitoring of DOM in the full-scale UF stage, a bench scale UF pilot was run to experimentally correlate the impact of water quality with membrane performance. The experiments included testing synthetic solutions of model foulants (synthetic humic acid and bovine serum albumin) and blends of complex waters. To quantify fouling, the total fouling index (TFI) and the hydraulically irreversible fouling index (HIFI) were calculated for each filtration run. According to the results obtained, the correlation plots between the PARAFAC components and the fouling indices pointed at microbial byproducts (C1) and humic-like components (C2, C4, C5) as the ones showing higher correlations

Academic self-efficacy in first year students college of health sciences

Self-efficacy learning is an important component of learning for college. Academic self-efficacy refers to the degree of confidence that health sciences students could successfully complete on college-task. The purpose of this research lies on the specific characteristics of health sciences students according to their academic self-efficacy by comparing their profiles with students that chose a different discipline. The Academic self-efficacy sample was done to 2089 subjects: 902 women and 1187 men, all of them freshmen students from the different careers at the Autonomous University of Chihuahua who responded to a survey questionnaire, with an average age of 18.23 years (SD = 0.74). This is a quantitative approach with a descriptive survey design type. The results obtained by comparing students of health sciences, with students from other disciplines show that perceived self-efficacy in academic behaviors is very similar each other

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in Nd-Co alloy films nanostructured by di-block copolymer templates

et al.Nd-Co amorphous magnetic films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy have been grown on nanostructured templates prepared with self-organized di-block poly(styrene)-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) copolymer layers with a periodic structure of 60 nm spaced pores. These templates modify both the magnetic film topography and mechanical strain on a local scale. The effect of these structural changes is particularly noticeable in the low thickness range of the magnetic films where the transition from in-plane to out-of plane magnetization takes place. The Nd-Co films grown on the copolymer template present lower perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and, also, stronger stripe domain pinning effects in comparison with reference films grown on flat Si substrates. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.Work supported by Spanish MEC under Grants FIS2008-06249 and Consolider CSD2007-00010 and by CAM under Grant S2009/MAT-1726.Peer Reviewe

Efectos renales adversos por inhibidores del check-point (ICP) en pacientes con cáncer. Recomendaciones del grupo de Onconefrología de la Sociedad Española de Nefrología (SEN)

Insuficiència renal aguda; ImmunoteràpiaAcute kidney injury; ImmunotherapyInsuficiencia renal aguda; InmunoterapiaThe most widely used approach in the immunotherapy treatment of cancer is the administration of monoclonal antibodies directed against regulatory molecules of immune control that inhibit the activation of T cells, the so-called check point inhibitors (ICI). ICI nephrotoxicity epidemiology and pathology; its diagnosis with or without kidney biopsy; the type and duration of treatment; the possibility of rechallenging after kidney damage; and its indication in patients with cancer and renal transplantation are certainly controversial. In the absence of definitive studies, this document is intended to specify some recommendations agreed by the group of Onconephrology experts of the Spanish Society of Nephrology in those areas related to ICI nephrotoxicity, in order to help decision-making in daily clinical practice in Onconephrology consultations.El enfoque más utilizado en el tratamiento inmunoterápico del cáncer es la administración de anticuerpos monoclonales dirigidos contra moléculas reguladoras del control inmunitario que inhiben la activación de las células T, los llamados inhibidores del Check-Point (ICP). La epidemiología y patología de la nefrotoxicidad por los ICP; su diagnóstico con o sin biopsia renal; el tipo y la duración del tratamiento; la posibilidad de retratar después del daño renal; y su indicación en pacientes con cáncer y trasplante renal son ciertamente controvertidas. En ausencia de estudios definitivos, este documento está destinado a concretar unas recomendaciones consensuadas por el grupo de expertos de Onconefrología de la S.E.N en aquellas áreas relacionadas con la nefrotoxicidad por los ICP, con la finalidad de ayudar en la toma de decisiones en la práctica clínica diaria de las consultas de Onconefrología