An IoT Model for Coping with Trade-offs in Designing Smart Environments

The Internet of Things (IoT) world is composed by a huge number of different so called “smart devices” and every year new and different models are released on the mass market. Most of those devices are intended to be used by professional people or by companies. Thanks to the constant growth of the “smart objects”, end users and people with low or no-knowledge of the IT-world get in touch with these pieces of technology. Those people are expected to use the smart devices “out of the box” and in a very simple and easy way so, the human-device interaction needs to be as easiest as possible. Despite of this need, end users are commonly faced with thousand of different technological standards which are hard to evaluate without a solid IT background. Thus, the comparison to understand which IoT device performs better in a particular situation become complicated. In this paper we propose a comparison of two different IoT solutions using an IoT model. The model assesses the different technical specifications of the devices and then extracts a “score” for each technological aspect. The end user can use the score to better understand the points of strength and the weaknesses of the devices. Copyright © 2018 for the individual papers by the papers' authors

PyGNA:A unified framework for geneset network analysis

Input data and results for the manuscript "PyGNA: a unified framework for geneset network analysis". Manifest files describe the content of each file.This work has been supported by the Wellcome Trust Seed Award in Science (207769/A/17/Z) to G.S

L’immagine divisa. Eautonomie e dualità dell’immagine in MDLSX di Motus

Theatrical and cinematic media, as it has been demonstrated through a wide range of researches and experimentations, have managed to find a point of contact in the elaboration of different formal settings, and their rediscussion in the latest decades. Here is discussed an inquiry about overall intermediality, focusing on its achievements, aporias and ambiguities; the analysis is helped by an examination of case studies taken from the works of Italian theater group Motus, especially for what concerns the work MDLSX (2015), in order to spot the basic traits of a specific approach to the creation of an intermedial work

Altered Expression of the CB1 Cannabinoid Receptor in the Triple Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease

The endocannabinoid system has gained much attention as a new potential pharmacotherapeutic target in various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the association between CB1 alterations and the development of AD neuropathology is unclear and often contradictory. In this study, brain CB1 mRNA and CB1 protein levels were analyzed in 3 × Tg-AD mice and compared to wild-type littermates at 2, 6 and 12 months of age, using in-situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Semiquantitative analysis of CB1 expression focused on the prefrontal cortex (PFC), prelimbic cortex, dorsal hippocampus (DH), basolateral amygdala complex (BLA), and ventral hippocampus (VH), all areas with high CB1 densities that are strongly affected by neuropathology in 3 × Tg-AD mice. At 2 months of age, there was no change in CB1 mRNA and protein levels in 3 × Tg-AD mice compared to Non-Tg mice in all brain areas analyzed. However, at 6 and 12 months of age, CB1 mRNA levels were significantly higher in PFC, DH, and BLA, and lower in VH in 3 × Tg-AD mice compared to wild-type littermates. CB1 immunohistochemistry revealed that CB1 protein expression was unchanged in 3 × Tg-AD at 2 and 6 months of age, while a significant decrease in CB1 receptor immunoreactivity was detected in the BLA and DH of 12-month-old 3 × Tg-AD mice, with no sign of alteration in other brain areas. The altered CB1 levels appear, rather, to be age-and/or pathology-dependent, indicating an involvement of the endocannabinoid system in AD pathology and supporting the ECS as a potential novel therapeutic target for treatment of AD

Improvements in power factor by replacing fluorescent tubes with equivalent LED tubes

El reciente reemplazo de la iluminación del túnel sub fluvial Uranga - Silvestre Begnis, que une las ciudades de Paraná y Santa Fe en la República Argentina, ha planteado una serie de interrogantes técnicos respecto del reemplazo por nuevas tecnologías de iluminación. En esta obra, 4.200 tubos fluorescentes T8 de 36 W fueron reemplazados por tubos de nueva Tecnología LED 14 W. El reemplazo se fundamentó en la necesidad de reducir el consumo energético y lograr una reducción de los costos operativos. Entre las principales hipótesis antes de la obra, se evaluó un incremento de la distorsión armónica total, a partir de conectar cargas no lineales. Entre las especificaciones del pliego de obra se indicaron límites máximos de THD tolerables. Sin embargo, no se tuvo en cuenta la THD original propia del uso de balastos electromagnéticos con tubos fluorescentes. En este trabajo se muestran las mejoras detectadas en los parámetros de calidad eléctrica, a partir de la utilización de equipos LED con características adecuadas. Los resultados muestran una notable mejora del factor de potencia, con valores cercanos a 0,9 y una reducción del contenido armónico a niveles tan bajos como 18 %. Como efecto negativo se detectó la presencia de modulación de HF en la señal de corriente en el análisis individual de cada equipo. Sin embargo, en la instalación masiva es posible observar una notable reducción de la señal de pulsado propia de la configuración del driver.The recent replacement of the illumination of the sub fluvial tunnel Uranga – Silvestre Begnis, that joins the cities of Paraná and Santa Fe in the Argentinean Republic, has raised a number of technical questions regarding the replacement for new lighting technologies. In this work, 4200 fluorescent tubes T8 of 36w were replaced by new technology LED tubes of 14w. The replacement was based on the need to reduce energy consumption and to achieve a reduction in operating costs. Among the main hypothesis before the work, an increase in the total harmonic distortion from connecting nonlinear loads was evaluated. Among the specifications of the statement work, maximum permissible THD limits were indicated. However, the original THD of the use of electromagnetic ballasts with fluorescent tubes was not take into consideration. This work shows the improvements detected in the parameters of electrical quality from the use of LED equipment with suitable characteristics. The results show a remarkable improvement of power factor with values close to 0.9 and a reduction of the harmonics content to levels as low as 18%. As a negative effect, the presence of HF modulation was detected in the current signal in the individual analysis of each equipment. Nevertheless, in the mass installation process, it is possible to observe a noticeable reduction of the pulse signal characteristic of the driver configuration

Psychosomatic syndromes are associated with IL-6 pro-inflammatory cytokine in heart failure patients

Psychosomatic syndromes have emerged as an important source of comorbidity in cardiac patients and have been associated with increased risk for adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). Understanding of the mechanisms underlying this connection is limited, however immune activity represents a possible pathway. While there have been numerous studies connecting immune activity to psychosomatic psychopathology, there is a lack of research on patients with HF. We examined forty-one consecutive outpatients affected by HF. We assessed psychosomatic psychopathology using the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15). The Psychosocial Index (PSI) was used for assessing stress and psychosocial dimensions. Depression was evaluated with Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha were ascertained. Univariate and multivariable regression models were used to test for associations between inflammatory cytokines and psychosomatic psychopathology (i.e., DCPR syndromes, PHQ-15) and psychological dimensions (i.e., BDI-II, PSI). A significant positive correlation was found between IL-6 levels and psychosomatic psychopathology even when controlling for any confounding variables (i.e., Body-mass index (BMI), New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, statin use, aspirin use, beta blockers use, age, and gender). In contrast, the associations between TNF-alpha levels were non-significant. These findings can contribute to research in support of a psychoneuroimmune connection between psychosomatic psychopathology and HF. Findings also suggest the possibility that elevated IL-6 levels are more relevant for the pathogenesis of psychosomatic syndromes than for depression in patients with HF

PDIA3 expression is altered in the limbic brain regions of triple-transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

In the present study, we used a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) (3×Tg-AD mice) to longitudinally analyse the expression level of PDIA3, a protein disulfide isomerase and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone, in selected brain limbic areas strongly affected by AD-pathology (amygdala, entorhinal cortex, dorsal and ventral hippocampus). Our results suggest that, while in Non-Tg mice PDIA3 levels gradually reduce with aging in all brain regions analyzed, 3×Tg-AD mice showed an age-dependent increase in PDIA3 levels in the amygdala, entorhinal cortex, and ventral hippocampus. A significant reduction of PDIA3 was observed in 3×Tg-AD mice already at 6 months of age, as compared to age-matched Non-Tg mice. A comparative immunohistochemistry analysis performed on 3×Tg-AD mice at 6 (mild AD-like pathology) and 18 (severe AD-like pathology) months of age showed a direct correlation between the cellular level of Aβ and PDIA3 proteins in all the brain regions analysed, even if with different magnitudes. Additionally, an immunohistochemistry analysis showed the presence of PDIA3 in all post-mitotic neurons and astrocytes. Overall, altered PDIA3 levels appear to be age- and/or pathology-dependent, corroborating the ER chaperone's involvement in AD pathology, and supporting the PDIA3 protein as a potential novel therapeutic target for the treatment of AD

Providing Reliable FIB Update Acknowledgments in SDN

Impairment of biliverdin reductase-A (BVR-A) is an early event leading to brain insulin resistance in AD. Intranasal insulin (INI) administration is under evaluation as a strategy to alleviate brain insulin resistance; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying INI beneficial effects are still unclear. We show that INI improves insulin signaling activation in the hippocampus and cortex of adult and aged 3×Tg-AD mice by ameliorating BVR-A activation. These changes were associated with a reduction of nitrosative stress, Tau phosphorylation, and Aβ oligomers in brain, along with improved cognitive functions. The role of BVR-A was strengthened by showing that cells lacking BVR-A: (i) develop insulin resistance if treated with insulin and (ii) can be recovered from insulin resistance only if treated with a BVR-A-mimetic peptide. These novel findings shed light on the mechanisms underlying INI treatment effects and suggest BVR-A as potential therapeutic target to prevent brain insulin resistance in AD