Fault Location in Power Distribution Systems via Deep Graph Convolutional Networks

This paper develops a novel graph convolutional network (GCN) framework for fault location in power distribution networks. The proposed approach integrates multiple measurements at different buses while taking system topology into account. The effectiveness of the GCN model is corroborated by the IEEE 123 bus benchmark system. Simulation results show that the GCN model significantly outperforms other widely-used machine learning schemes with very high fault location accuracy. In addition, the proposed approach is robust to measurement noise and data loss errors. Data visualization results of two competing neural networks are presented to explore the mechanism of GCN's superior performance. A data augmentation procedure is proposed to increase the robustness of the model under various levels of noise and data loss errors. Further experiments show that the model can adapt to topology changes of distribution networks and perform well with a limited number of measured buses.Comment: Accepcted by IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communicatio

MicroRNA-939 restricts Hepatitis B virus by targeting Jmjd3-mediated and C/EBPα-coordinated chromatin remodeling

Multi-layered mechanisms of virus host interaction exist for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, which have been typically manifested at the microRNA level. Our previous study suggested that miRNA-939 (miR-939) may play a potential role in regulating HBV replication. Here we further investigated the mechanism by which miR-939 regulates HBV life cycle. We found that miR-939 inhibited the abundance of viral RNAs without direct miRNA-mRNA base pairing, but via host factors. Expression profiling and functional validation identified Jmjd3 as a target responsible for miR-939 induced anti-HBV effect. Jmjd3 appeared to enhance the transcription efficiency of HBV enhancer II/core promoter (En II) in a C/EBPα-dependent manner. However, the demethylase activity of Jmjd3 was not required in this process. Rather, Jmjd3's transactivation activity depended on its interaction with C/EBPα. This coordinated action further recruited the Brm containing SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex which promoted the transcription of HBV RNAs. Taken together, we propose that the miR-939-Jmjd3 axis perturbs the accessibility of En II promoter to essential nuclear factors (C/EBPα and SWI/SNF complex) therefore leading to compromised viral RNA synthesis and hence restricted viral multiplication.</p

Impact of Aerosols on Convective Clouds and Precipitation

Aerosols are a critical factor in the atmospheric hydrological cycle and radiation budget. As a major reason for clouds to form and a significant attenuator of solar radiation, aerosols affect climate in several ways. Current research suggests that aerosol effects on clouds could further extend to precipitation, both through the formation of cloud particles and by exerting persistent radiative forcing on the climate system that disturbs dynamics. However, the various mechanisms behind these effects, in particular the ones connected to precipitation, are not yet well understood. The atmospheric and climate communities have long been working to gain a better grasp of these critical effects and hence to reduce the significant uncertainties in climate prediction resulting from such a lack of adequate knowledge. The central theme of this paper is to review past efforts and summarize our current understanding of the effect of aerosols on precipitation processes from theoretical analysis of microphysics, observational evidence, and a range of numerical model simulations. In addition, the discrepancy between results simulated by models, as well as that between simulations and observations will be presented. Specifically, this paper will address the following topics: (1) fundamental theories of aerosol effects on microphysics and precipitation processes, (2) observational evidence of the effect of aerosols on precipitation processes, (3) signatures of the aerosol impact on precipitation from large-scale analyses, (4) results from cloud-resolving model simulations, and (5) results from large-scale numerical model simulations. Finally, several future research directions on aerosol - precipitation interactions are suggested

Characterization of gene expression profiles in HBV-related liver fibrosis patients and identification of ITGBL1 as a key regulator of fibrogenesis

Although hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the leading cause of liver fibrosis (LF), the mechanisms underlying liver fibrotic progression remain unclear. Here, we investigated the gene expression profiles of HBV-related LF patients. Whole genome expression arrays were used to detect gene expression in liver biopsy samples from chronically HBV infected patients. Through integrative data analysis, we identified several pathways and key genes involved in the initiation and exacerbation of liver fibrosis. Weight gene co-expression analysis revealed that integrin subunit β-like 1 (ITGBL1) was a key regulator of fibrogenesis. Functional experiments demonstrated that ITGBL1 was an upstream regulator of LF via interactions with transforming growth factor β1. In summary, we investigated the gene expression profiles of HBV-related LF patients and identified a key regulator ITGBL1. Our findings provide a foundation for future studies of gene functions and promote the development of novel antifibrotic therapies

A Novel Separated Position and Orientation System Integrated with Inertially Stabilized Platform

Considering the application requirements of independent imaging payloads design, a novel scheme of separated position and orientation system (POS) is proposed, in which the high-precision inertial sensors of traditional centralized POS fixed on the imaging payloads are mounted on three gimbals of the inertially stabilized platform (ISP), respectively, and make them integrated. Then, the kinematics model of the ISP system is built to transmit the inertial information measured by separated inertial sensors mounted on ISP gimbals and flight body to the imaging payloads, calculating the position and attitude of the imaging payloads to achieve the function of separated POS. Based on the model, a series of simulations indicate that the precision difference between separated system and centralized system is ignorable under the condition of angular motion and variable velocity motion. Besides the effective function equal to traditional centralized system, the separated POS enhances the integration with the ISP. Moreover, it improves the design independence of the imaging payloads significantly

Predictive model for inflammation grades of chronic hepatitis B: Large‐scale analysis of clinical parameters and gene expressions

BackgroundLiver biopsy is the gold standard to assess pathological features (eg inflammation grades) for hepatitis B virus‐infected patients although it is invasive and traumatic; meanwhile, several gene profiles of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) have been separately described in relatively small hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐infected samples. We aimed to analyse correlations among inflammation grades, gene expressions and clinical parameters (serum alanine amino transaminase, aspartate amino transaminase and HBV‐DNA) in large‐scale CHB samples and to predict inflammation grades by using clinical parameters and/or gene expressions.MethodsWe analysed gene expressions with three clinical parameters in 122 CHB samples by an improved regression model. Principal component analysis and machine‐learning methods including Random Forest, K‐nearest neighbour and support vector machine were used for analysis and further diagnosis models. Six normal samples were conducted to validate the predictive model.ResultsSignificant genes related to clinical parameters were found enriching in the immune system, interferon‐stimulated, regulation of cytokine production, anti‐apoptosis, and etc. A panel of these genes with clinical parameters can effectively predict binary classifications of inflammation grade (area under the ROC curve [AUC]: 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77‐0.93), validated by normal samples. A panel with only clinical parameters was also valuable (AUC: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.65‐0.86), indicating that liquid biopsy method for detecting the pathology of CHB is possible.ConclusionsThis is the first study to systematically elucidate the relationships among gene expressions, clinical parameters and pathological inflammation grades in CHB, and to build models predicting inflammation grades by gene expressions and/or clinical parameters as well.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/139116/1/liv13427.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/139116/2/liv13427_am.pd

The impact of the atmospheric turbulence-development tendency on new particle formation : a common finding on three continents

A new mechanism of new particle formation (NPF) is investigated using comprehensive measurements of aerosol physicochemical quantities and meteorological variables made in three continents, including Beijing, China; the Southern Great Plains site in the USA; and SMEAR II Station in Hyytiala, Finland. Despite the considerably different emissions of chemical species among the sites, a common relationship was found between the characteristics of NPF and the stability intensity. The stability parameter (zeta = Z/L, where Z is the height above ground and L is the Monin-Obukhov length) is found to play an important role; it drops significantly before NPF as the atmosphere becomes more unstable, which may serve as an indicator of nucleation bursts. As the atmosphere becomes unstable, the NPF duration is closely related to the tendency for turbulence development, which influences the evolution of the condensation sink. Presumably, the unstable atmosphere may dilute pre-existing particles, effectively reducing the condensation sink, especially at coarse mode to foster nucleation. This new mechanism is confirmed by model simulations using a molecular dynamic model that mimics the impact of turbulence development on nucleation by inducing and intensifying homogeneous nucleation events.Peer reviewe