Fast and Functional Structured Data Generators Rooted in Out-of-Equilibrium Physics

In this study, we address the challenge of using energy-based models to produce high-quality, label-specific data in complex structured datasets, such as population genetics, RNA or protein sequences data. Traditional training methods encounter difficulties due to inefficient Markov chain Monte Carlo mixing, which affects the diversity of synthetic data and increases generation times. To address these issues, we use a novel training algorithm that exploits non-equilibrium effects. This approach, applied on the Restricted Boltzmann Machine, improves the model's ability to correctly classify samples and generate high-quality synthetic data in only a few sampling steps. The effectiveness of this method is demonstrated by its successful application to four different types of data: handwritten digits, mutations of human genomes classified by continental origin, functionally characterized sequences of an enzyme protein family, and homologous RNA sequences from specific taxonomies.Comment: 15 page

Amending Contracts for Choreographies

Distributed interactions can be suitably designed in terms of choreographies. Such abstractions can be thought of as global descriptions of the coordination of several distributed parties. Global assertions define contracts for choreographies by annotating multiparty session types with logical formulae to validate the content of the exchanged messages. The introduction of such constraints is a critical design issue as it may be hard to specify contracts that allow each party to be able to progress without violating the contract. In this paper, we propose three methods that automatically correct inconsistent global assertions. The methods are compared by discussing their applicability and the relationships between the amended global assertions and the original (inconsistent) ones.Comment: In Proceedings ICE 2011, arXiv:1108.014

Choreographies with Secure Boxes and Compromised Principals

We equip choreography-level session descriptions with a simple abstraction of a security infrastructure. Message components may be enclosed within (possibly nested) "boxes" annotated with the intended source and destination of those components. The boxes are to be implemented with cryptography. Strand spaces provide a semantics for these choreographies, in which some roles may be played by compromised principals. A skeleton is a partially ordered structure containing local behaviors (strands) executed by regular (non-compromised) principals. A skeleton is realized if it contains enough regular strands so that it could actually occur, in combination with any possible activity of compromised principals. It is delivery guaranteed (DG) realized if, in addition, every message transmitted to a regular participant is also delivered. We define a novel transition system on skeletons, in which the steps add regular strands. These steps solve tests, i.e. parts of the skeleton that could not occur without additional regular behavior. We prove three main results about the transition system. First, each minimal DG realized skeleton is reachable, using the transition system, from any skeleton it embeds. Second, if no step is possible from a skeleton A, then A is DG realized. Finally, if a DG realized B is accessible from A, then B is minimal. Thus, the transition system provides a systematic way to construct the possible behaviors of the choreography, in the presence of compromised principals

New insights into the structure of glycols and derivatives: a comparative X-ray diffraction, Raman and molecular dynamics study of ethane-1,2-diol, 2-methoxyethan-1-ol and 1,2-dimethoxy ethane

In this study, we report a detailed experimental and theoretical investigation of three glycol derivatives, namely ethane-1,2-diol, 2-methoxyethan-1-ol and 1,2-dimethoxy ethane. For the first time, the X-ray spectra of the latter two liquids was measured at room temperature, and they were compared with the newly measured spectrum of ethane-1,2-diol. The experimental diffraction patterns were interpreted very satisfactorily with molecular dynamics calculations, and suggest that in liquid ethane-1,2-diol most molecules are found in gauche conformation, with intramolecular hydrogen bonds between the two hydroxyl groups. Intramolecular H-bonds are established in the mono-alkylated diol, but the interaction is weaker. The EDXD study also evidences strong intermolecular hydrogen-bond interactions, with short O···O correlations in both systems, while longer methyl-methyl interactions are found in 1,2-dimethoxy ethane. X-ray studies are complemented by micro Raman investigations at room temperature and at 80 °C, that confirm the conformational analysis predicted by X-ray experiments and simulations

Highly specific silver ion detection by fluorescent carbon quantum dots

Nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots are easily obtainable nanomaterials endowed with remarkable fluorescence properties for the detection of contaminations by heavy metals. In this report, we show that nanometric particles with high specificity for silver cations can be prepared by hydrothermal synthesis starting from citric and folic acid solutions. Solutions of these N-CQDs give a strong fluorescence emission in the violet region (385 nm) when excited at 330 nm, which can be quenched selectively by silver (I) cations at sub-nanomolar concentrations, while other cations do not give any effect. This remarkable feature was tentatively correlated with the stronger interactions between silver ion and small portions of the nanomaterial surface by comparing Ag+ and the isoelectronic Cd2

Determinación del rendimiento de trigo ante diferente oferta hídrica y de nitrógeno en el centro de Córdoba

Trabajo Final Integrador (Área de Consolidación Sistemas Agrícolas de Producción Extensivos - Ingeniería Agronómica) – UNC - Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, 2021Fil: Carbone, Lorenzo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina.Fil: Vázquez, Luis Mariano. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina.Fil: Cantarero, Marcelo Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina.El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar la respuesta agronómica del cultivo de trigo en dos situaciones contrastantes de oferta hídrica, combinadas con dos niveles de nitrógeno en dos cultivares de trigo pan. El experimento fue realizado en el Área Experimental del Campo Escuela de la Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias de la Universidad Nacional de Córdoba en la campaña agrícola 2019. El diseño experimental fue de parcelas sub subdivididas en donde la parcela principal fue el nivel de agua (Riego y Secano), la subparcela el nivel de nitrógeno (0 y 146 kg N ha-1) y la sub- subparcela correspondió al cultivar (Buck SY120 y Baguette 680). La producción total de biomasa a madurez (PST) se analizó en función de la captura y eficiencia de uso de la radiación. El PST fue significativamente mayor en la condición con riego, y solo hubo respuesta del PST a la aplicación de N en esta condición. En la condición con riego, en promedio hubo mayores valores de radiación fotosintéticamente activa acumuada durante el ciclo (RFAi) y más aún cuando se fertilizó con N. Por su parte, la eficiencia de uso de la RFAi (EUR), solo fue afectada por el nivel hídrico siendo superior en un 34% en la condición con riego (3,1 vs 2,3 g Mj-1, en riego y secano respectivamente). El PST se asoció tanto con la RFAi, como con la EUR. Al igual que el PST, el rendimiento (0% de humedad del grano) fue superior en la condición con riego (709 vs 428 g m-2, para la condición con riego y secano respectivamente), y solo se encontró respuesta a la fertilización con N en esta condición. En general, el número de granos por unidad de superficie (NG) estuvo más asociado con el rendimiento que el peso individual del grano (PG). Si bien se encontró una asociación significativa entre NG con el peso seco de las espigas alcanzado 7 d posteriores a la antesis (PSE) (R2= 0,53; p<0,05), la fertilización nitrogenada en la condición con riego mejoró significativamente el factor de fertilidad de las espigas (FF; granos por g de espiga 7 d posteriores a antesis), siendo el FF el rasgo de mayor asociación con la variación en NG entre tratamientos (R2=0,84; p<0,05). El rendimiento del cultivar SY120 se diferenció de Baguette 680 solo en la condición de secano, logrando un 37% más de rendimiento en esa condición. Esta respuesta estuvo relacionada con una menor limitación por la fuente de asimilados durante el período de llenado de los granos en SY120 respecto a Baguette 680. En conclusión, la nutrición nitrogenada en condiciones bajo riego no solo mejoró el crecimiento del cultivo a través de mayor captura de energía lumínica y EUR, sino que además se logró una mayor eficiencia reproductiva (FF).Fil: Carbone, Lorenzo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina.Fil: Vázquez, Luis Mariano. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina.Fil: Cantarero, Marcelo Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias; Argentina

NOVEL SYNTHESIS OF METAL OXIDE NANOPARTICLES FROM TYPE IV DEEP EUTECTIC SOLVENTS

One of the fields where DES show remarkable added-values is the synthesis of inorganic materials, in particular nanoparticles. In this field, the inherent and highly-tunable nano homogeneities of DES structure give origin to a marked templating effect, a precious role that has led to the recent bloom of a vast number of studies exploiting these new synthesis media to prepare nanomaterials and composite structures of various kinds. In this contribution, the most recent developments in the field will be reviewed and some exciting examples of novel metal oxide nanoparticles syntheses using non-toxic type-IV Deep Eutectic Solvents will be described. The prepared materials possess nanometric dimensions and show flower-like/thin layered shapes. Use of the prepared nanoparticles as fluorescent materials for the detection of various contaminants is under development

Critical assessment of the sustainability of deep eutectic solvents: a case study on six choline chloride-based mixtures

An outline of the advantages, in terms of sustainability, of Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) is provided, by analyzing some of the most popular DESs, obtained by the combination of choline chloride, as a hydrogen bond acceptor, and six hydrogen bond donors. The analysis is articulated into four main issues related to sustainability, which are recurrently mentioned in the literature, but are often taken for granted without any further critical elaboration, as the prominent green features of DESs: their low toxicity, good biodegradability, renewable sourcing, and low cost. This contribution is intended to provide a more tangible, evidence-based evaluation of the actual green credentials of the considered DESs, to reinforce or question their supposed sustainability, also in mutual comparison with one another

Recent advances in the synthesis of inorganic materials using environmentally friendly media

Deep Eutectic Solvents have gained a lot of attention in the last few years because of their vast applicability in a large number of technological processes, the simplicity of their preparation and their high biocompatibility and harmlessness. One of the fields where DES prove to be particularly valuable is the synthesis and modification of inorganic materials—in particular, nanoparticles. In this field, the inherent structural inhomogeneity of DES results in a marked templating effect, which has led to an increasing number of studies focusing on exploiting these new reaction media to prepare nanomaterials. This review aims to provide a summary of the numerous and most recent achievements made in this area, reporting several examples of the newest mixtures obtained by mixing molecules originating from natural feedstocks, as well as linking them to the more consolidated methods that use “classical” DES, such as reline

Surface Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors’ Passive Sensorless Control: A Review

Sensorless control of permanent magnet synchronous motors is nowadays used in many industrial, home and traction applications, as it allows the presence of a position sensor to be avoided with benefits for the cost and reliability of the drive. An estimation of the rotor position is required to perform the field-oriented control (FOC), which is the most common control scheme used for this type of motor. Many algorithms have been developed for this purpose, which use different techniques to derive the rotor angle from the stator voltages and currents. Among them, the so-called passive methods have gained increasing interest as they do not introduce additional losses and current distortion associated instead with algorithms based on the injection of high-frequency signals. The aim of this paper is to present a review of the main passive sensorless methods proposed in the technical literature over the last few years, analyzing their main features and principles of operation. An experimental comparison among the most promising passive sensorless algorithms is then reported, focusing on their performance in the low-speed operating region