Robust Model Predictive Control for Signal Temporal Logic Synthesis

Most automated systems operate in uncertain or adversarial conditions, and have to be capable of reliably reacting to changes in the environment. The focus of this paper is on automatically synthesizing reactive controllers for cyber-physical systems subject to signal temporal logic (STL) specifications. We build on recent work that encodes STL specifications as mixed integer linear constraints on the variables of a discrete-time model of the system and environment dynamics. To obtain a reactive controller, we present solutions to the worst-case model predictive control (MPC) problem using a suite of mixed integer linear programming techniques. We demonstrate the comparative effectiveness of several existing worst-case MPC techniques, when applied to the problem of control subject to temporal logic specifications; our empirical results emphasize the need to develop specialized solutions for this domain

A study of the dependence on wall material of the ionization produced within a cavity by high voltage radiations and an investigation of a possible method of measuring the radiation quality

The object of this work was first to investigate, by the ionization method the dependence on the wall material of the ionization produced within chambers by high voltage-radiations of wave lengths from 0.013 A.U. to 0.5 A.U. The ionization chambers were pressed from mixtures of bakelite powder and graphite powder either with vanadium or cerium oxide. Secondly to investigate the possibility of measuring the quality of radiation by means of the ratio of ionizations in two chambers one of them is air walled and the other of higher atomic number. A study was also made of the validity of Gray's theory for calculating the ratio of ionization in such small chambers. The results of these investigations have shown that: I- Chambers moulded from the above mentioned mixtures are satisfactory electrical conductors and behave consistently in their interactions with the radiations used. The method may be useful in examining the quality of the scattered radiations from harder beams of X-rays generated at say between 400 and 1000 KV. The ratio of ionisation calculated according to Gray's theory agrees with the experimental one up to a wave length of 0.08A.U. The effective wave lengths of the X-ray beams were obtained from the complete spectral distribution of the energy and from measurement of the half value layers of the beams. It was found that in most cases it is sufficiently accurate, when considering the calculation of the ratio of ionizations in two chambers, to regard the beam as having that effective wave length corresponding to its half value layer.<p

Microbiome profile associated with malignant pleural effusion.

INTRODUCTION:There is ongoing research into the development of novel molecular markers that may complement fluid cytology malignant pleural effusion (MPE) diagnosis. In this exploratory pilot study, we hypothesized that there are distinct differences in the pleural fluid microbiome profile of malignant and non-malignant pleural diseases. METHOD:From a prospectively enrolled pleural fluid biorepository, samples of MPE were included. Non-MPE effusion were included as comparators. 16S rRNA gene V4 region amplicon sequencing was performed. Exact Sequence Variants (ESVs) were used for diversity analyses. The Shannon and Richness indices of alpha diversity and UniFrac beta diversity measures were tested for significance using permutational multivariate analysis of variance. Analyses of Composition of Microbiome was used to identify differentially abundant bacterial ESVs between the groups controlled for multiple hypothesis testing. RESULTS:38 patients with MPE and 9 with non-MPE were included. A subgroup of patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma histology were identified among MPE group (adenocarcinoma of lung origin (LA-MPE) = 11, breast origin (BA-MPE) = 11). MPE presented with significantly greater alpha diversity compared to non-MPE group. Within the MPE group, BA-MPE was more diverse compared to LA-MPE group. In multivariable analysis, ESVs belonging to family S24-7 and genera Allobaculum, Stenotrophomonas, and Epulopiscium were significantly enriched in the malignant group compared to the non-malignant group. CONCLUSION:Our results are the first to demonstrate a microbiome signature according to MPE and non-MPE. The role of microbiome in pleural effusion pathogenesis needs further exploration

APOE mediated neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer\u27s disease

Neuroinflammation is a central mechanism involved in neurodegeneration as observed in Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD), the most prevalent form of neurodegenerative disease. Apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4), the strongest genetic risk factor for AD, directly influences disease onset and progression by interacting with the major pathological hallmarks of AD including amyloid-β plaques, neurofibrillary tau tangles, as well as neuroinflammation. Microglia and astrocytes, the two major immune cells in the brain, exist in an immune-vigilant state providing immunological defense as well as housekeeping functions that promote neuronal well-being. It is becoming increasingly evident that under disease conditions, these immune cells become progressively dysfunctional in regulating metabolic and immunoregulatory pathways, thereby promoting chronic inflammation-induced neurodegeneration. Here, we review and discuss how APOE and specifically APOE4 directly influences amyloid-β and tau pathology, and disrupts microglial as well as astroglial immunomodulating functions leading to chronic inflammation that contributes to neurodegeneration in AD

Facebook satisfaction, life satisfaction: Malaysian undergraduate experience

The central aim of this study was to investigate an approach whereby students’ online social networking produces positive psychological outcomes. Basically, Facebook is a social site that is open to all and closely integrated into the daily experience of most undergraduate students in Malaysia. This study conducted to analyse the association between the number of Facebook friends and the amount of time spent on Facebook with life satisfaction. The purpose of the current study was to investigate what gratifications Malaysian students obtain from Facebook uses. The present study also probed to find out whether gratification obtaining from Facebook uses predicts life satisfaction. In doing so, the theory of the uses and gratification and the theory of the life satisfaction were adopted as theoretical frame work. Our findings of 798 participants, conducting a factor analysis, explored respectively the following gratifications behind Facebook uses: entertainment, communication, social investigation social attention, shared identity and information seeking. Furthermore, using the regression equation, this study failed to find direct association between number of Facebook friends and amount of time using with life satisfaction. The number of Facebook friends while controlling by Facebook motivations could predict life satisfaction. So, it is propounded the view that general uses of social networking sites don’t meet the psychological effects, but the type of certain interaction is the matter. Finally, the findings of this study detected shared identity and social attention as two obtaining gratification that predicted students’ life satisfaction