Towards a new seismic short-term prediction methodology for critical service operators and manufacturing companies against earthquake

This paper is concerned with the novel short-term and operational-term seismic hazard assessment approach within the critical service operators and the manufacturing industry. The Cosmetecor earthquake prediction methodology has been tested and validated in the recent two decades. A prototype, Kuznetsov method, for exploring the Earth's interior has been used to create global monitoring network, which automatically detects spatial-temporal clusters and identifies electric potential anomalies. Research team developed the mathematical modelling of proton migration in terms of the fundamental Vlasov-Maxwell equation to convert original time series into visualization of electromagnetic wave. A 2-layer neural network model is used to fine-grained classification. Further, the statistical and scaling laws of seismicity have been exploited to present case of earthquake seasonality, i.e., a dataset of abnormal seismic scenarios for machine learning task. Finally, authors evaluated results in terms of reliability and accuracy of earthquake warnings at M5.2 threshold in Kamchatka: 17% of all warning represent missed alerts, and 83% represent correct alerts where events occurred in a 10-year time horizon. Common outcome in almost every case is mean lead time (time horizon) of 11.62 days. The dispersion is 6.7 days. Further, a non-random sample of the Italian companies assessed new benefits of methodology during survey. The stakeholders confirmed that they will be able to activate business continuity plan to mitigate earthquake consequences in a specific time frame. It is anticipated the emergence of new risk management practices on the Cosmetecor-based high technology of the 21st century, and the replacement of the long-term, one-in-a-hundred-year return period, assessment with a short-term, seasonal, seismic risk assessment

Multistationary and Oscillatory Modes of Free Radicals Generation by the Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Revealed by a Bifurcation Analysis

The mitochondrial electron transport chain transforms energy satisfying cellular demand and generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) that act as metabolic signals or destructive factors. Therefore, knowledge of the possible modes and bifurcations of electron transport that affect ROS signaling provides insight into the interrelationship of mitochondrial respiration with cellular metabolism. Here, a bifurcation analysis of a sequence of the electron transport chain models of increasing complexity was used to analyze the contribution of individual components to the modes of respiratory chain behavior. Our algorithm constructed models as large systems of ordinary differential equations describing the time evolution of the distribution of redox states of the respiratory complexes. The most complete model of the respiratory chain and linked metabolic reactions predicted that condensed mitochondria produce more ROS at low succinate concentration and less ROS at high succinate levels than swelled mitochondria. This prediction was validated by measuring ROS production under various swelling conditions. A numerical bifurcation analysis revealed qualitatively different types of multistationary behavior and sustained oscillations in the parameter space near a region that was previously found to describe the behavior of isolated mitochondria. The oscillations in transmembrane potential and ROS generation, observed in living cells were reproduced in the model that includes interaction of respiratory complexes with the reactions of TCA cycle. Whereas multistationarity is an internal characteristic of the respiratory chain, the functional link of respiration with central metabolism creates oscillations, which can be understood as a means of auto-regulation of cell metabolism. © 2012 Selivanov et al

Involvement of suppressive B-lymphocytes in the mechanism of tolerogenic dendritic cell reversal of type 1 diabetes in NOD mice

The objective of the study was to identify immune cell populations, in addition to Foxp3+ T-regulatory cells, that participate in the mechanisms of action of tolerogenic dendritic cells shown to prevent and reverse type 1 diabetes in the Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD) mouse strain. Co-culture experiments using tolerogenic dendritic cells and B-cells from NOD as well as transgenic interleukin-10 promoter-reporter mice along with transfer of tolerogenic dendritic cells and CD19+ B-cells into NOD and transgenic mice, showed that these dendritic cells increased the frequency and numbers of interleukin-10-expressing B-cells in vitro and in vivo. The expansion of these cells was a consequence of both the proliferation of preexisting interleukin-10-expressing B-lymphocytes and the conversion of CD19+ B-lymphcytes into interleukin-10-expressing cells. The tolerogenic dendritic cells did not affect the suppressive activity of these B-cells. Furthermore, we discovered that the suppressive murine B-lymphocytes expressed receptors for retinoic acid which is produced by the tolerogenic dendritic cells. These data assist in identifying the nature of the B-cell population increased in response to the tolerogenic dendritic cells in a clinical trial and also validate very recent findings demonstrating a mechanistic link between human tolerogenic dendritic cells and immunosuppressive regulatory B-cells. © 2014 Di Caro et al

Mathematical modelling of proton migration in Earth mantle

In the study, we address the mathematical problem of proton migration in the Earth’s mantle and suggest a prototype for exploring the Earth’s interior to map the effects of superionic proton conduction. The problem can be mathematically solved by deriving the self-consistent electromagnetic field potential U(x, t) and then reconstructing the distribution function f(x, v, t). Reducing the Vlasov-Maxwell system of equations to non-linear sh-Gordon hyperbolic and transport equations, the propagation of a non-linear wavefront within the domain and transport of the boundary conditions in the form of a non-linear wave are examined. By computing a 3D model and through Fourier-analysis, the spatial and electrical characteristics of potential U(x, t) are investigated. The numerical results are compared to the Fourier transformed quantities of the potential (V ) obtained through field observations of the electric potential (Kuznetsov method). The non-stationary solutions for the forced oscillation of two-component system, and therefore, the oscillatory strengths of two types of charged particles can be usefully addressed by the proposed mathematical model. Moreover, the model, along with data analysis of the electric potential observations and probabilistic seismic hazard maps, can be used to develop an advanced seismic risk metric

Seeing the sound: a new multimodal imaging device for computer vision

Audio imaging can play a fundamental role in computer vision, in particular in automated surveillance, boosting the accuracy of current systems based on standard optical cameras. We present here a new hybrid device for acousticoptic imaging, whose characteristics are tailored to automated surveillance. In particular, the device allows realtime, high frame rate generation of an acoustic map, overlaid over a standard optical image using a geometric calibration of audio and video streams. We demonstrate the potentialities of the device for target tracking on three challenging setup showing the advantages of using acoustic images against baseline algorithms on image tracking. In particular, the proposed approach is able to overcome, often dramatically, visual tracking with state-of-art algorithms, dealing efficiently with occlusions, abrupt variations in visual appearence and camouflage. These results pave the way to a widespread use of acoustic imaging in application scenarios such as in surveillance and security

Baboon-to-human liver transplantation

Our ability to control both the cellular and humoral components of xenograft rejection in laboratory experiments, together with an organ shortage that has placed limits on clinical transplantation services, prompted us to undertake a liver transplantation from a baboon to a 35-year-old man with B virus-associated chronic active hepatitis and human immunodeficiency virus infection. Liver replacement was performed according to conventional surgical techniques. Immunosuppression was with the FK 506-prednisone-prostaglandin regimen used routinely for hepatic allotransplantation, to which a daily non-myelotoxic dose of cyclophosphamide was added. During 70 days of survival, there was little evidence of hepatic rejection by biochemical monitoring or histopathological examination. Products of hepatic synthesis, including clotting factors, became those of the baboon liver with no obvious adverse effects. Death followed a cerebral and subarachnoid haemorrhage that was caused by an angioinvasive aspergillus infection. However, the underlying cause of death was widespread biliary sludge that formed in the biliary tree despite a seemingly satisfactory choledochojejunostomy. During life and in necropsy samples, there was evidence of the chimerism that we believe is integral to the acceptance of both xenografts and allografts. Our experience has shown the feasibility of controlling the rejection of the baboon liver xenograft in a human recipient. The biliary stasis that was the beginning of lethal infectious complications may be correctable by modifications of surgical technique. In further trials, the error of over-immunosuppression should be avoidable. © 1993

Συνελίξεις κατανομών με βαριά ουρά

223 σ.Εθνικό Μετσόβιο Πολυτεχνείο--Μεταπτυχιακή Εργασία. Διεπιστημονικό-Διατμηματικό Πρόγραμμα Μεταπτυχιακών Σπουδών (Δ.Π.Μ.Σ.) “Εφαρμοσμένες Μαθηματικές Επιστήμες”Στην παρούσα εργασία αντικείμενο αποτελούν οι συνελίξεις των κατανομών με βαριά ουρά, και πιο συγκεκριμένα οι υποεκθετικές κατανομές. Οι υποεκθετικές κατανομές είναι μια υποκατηγορία των κατανομών με βαριά ουρά και έχουν εφαρμογές σε πολλά επιστημονικά αντικείμενα. Στηρίζονται στην ιδέα πως ένα άθροισμα τυχαίων μεταβλητών μπορεί να υπερβεί κάποιο μεγάλο φράγμα μόνο όταν μια από αυτές τις μεταβλητές υπερβεί αυτό το φράγμα.Σε αυτή την εργασία θα ασχοληθούμε με την εφαρμογή των υποεκθετικών κατανομών στον αναλογισμό και πιο συγκεκριμένα στη θεωρία χρεοκοπίας. Στην προσπάθεια μας να ορίσουμε μαθηματικά την θεωρία χρεοκοπίας χρησιμοποιούμε τους τυχαίους περιπάτους . Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας είναι να δείξουμε πως συμπεριφέρεται η πιθανότητα χρεοκοπίας κάτω από την υπόθεση των υποεκθετικών κατανομών και πώς συμπεριφέρεται όταν δεν ισχύει η υπόθεση των υποεκθετικών κατανομών.In this work, item are convolutions of heavy tailed distributions , and more specifically subexponencial distributions . Subexponencial distributions are a subclass of distributions with heavy tail and have applications in many scientific fields . Based on the idea that a sum of random variables can exceed a big bound only when one of these variables exceeds this bound.In this paper we discuss the application of subexponential distributions in actuarial science and in particular in ruin theory . In our effort to define ruin theory we use random walks. The purpose of this paper is the behavior of ruin probability under the assumption of subexponential distributions and how it behaves when it does not apply the case of subexponential distributions.Σωτήριος Ι. Λοσίδη

Potential for clinical pancreatic islet xenotransplantation

Diabetes mellitus is increasing worldwide. Type 1 diabetes can be treated successfully by islet allotransplantation, the results of which are steadily improving. However, the number of islets that can be obtained from deceased human donors will never be sufficient to cure more than a very small percentage of patients who might benefit from transplantation. Although there are some differences in glucose metabolism between pigs and humans, the use of pigs could provide an unlimited supply of islets, and the insulin produced would undoubtedly control glucose levels. Transplantation of islets into the portal vein results in islets residing in the liver; however, an early inflammatory response and rejection remain problematic, even when the recipient is receiving immunosuppressive therapy. In the long term, immunosuppressive drugs may exhibit toxicities to patients and specifically harm the islet cells. In contrast, encapsulation techniques provide islets with a physical barrier that prevents antibodies binding to the islet graft while still allowing insulin to be released into the recipient’s circulation; in theory, patients receiving encapsulated grafts might not require exogenous immunosuppressive therapy. Nonhuman primates with encapsulated pig islet transplants have remained insulin-independent for several weeks, but long-term efficacy remains uncertain. Furthermore, techniques are now available to knock out genes from the pig and/or insert human genes, thus rendering the antigenic structure of pigs closer to that of humans, and providing protection from the human immune response. Islet transplantation from genetically engineered pigs has been followed by insulin independence in a small number of nonhuman primates for greater than 1 year. Neonatal islets have some advantages over adult islets in that they are easier to isolate and culture, and have the ability to proliferate during the first few months after transplantation. In 2009, the International Xenotransplantation Association set up a group to encourage and advise on clinical trials of pig islet xenotransplantation; this group’s guidelines are discussed. Clinical trials of encapsulated pig islets are already under way

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase activity during in vitro dendritic cell generation determines suppressive or stimulatory capacity.

Modulating PI3K at different stages of dendritic cells (DC) generation could be a novel means to balance the generation of immunosuppressive versus immunostimulatory DC. We show that PI3K inhibition during mouse DC generation in vitro results in cells that are potently immunosuppressive and characteristic of CD8alpha- CD11c+ CD11b+ DC. These DC exhibited low surface class I and class II MHC, CD40, and CD86 and did not produce TNF-alpha. In allogeneic MLR, these DC were suppressive. Although in these mixed cultures, there was no increase in the frequency of CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ cells, the Foxp3 content on a per cell basis was significantly increased. Sustained TLR9 signaling in the presence of PI3K inhibition during DC generation overrode the cells' suppressive phenotype