Transcriptomic and cellular responses in the intestine of Atlantic salmon

Doctoral thesis (PhD) - Nord University, 2021publishedVersio

Improved Prediction of Deep Temporal Neural Networks with Trend Filtering

Department of Computer Science and EngineeringForecasting with multivariate time series that has been studied for a long time has goal to predict future values using previous and current values. Since it is difficult to know how many noise is intrinsic within fast changing time series data, training the model having high predictive performance is difficult. Recently, many researchers have been interested in many deep neural network such as recurrent neural networks, encoder-decoder structure, and neural networks with attention mechanism to design them to forecast future financial time series data. Many attempts have been to use those methods for highlighting more important features for capturing the long period of temporal dependencies in the task of forecasting multivariate time series data to make predictive performance better. In this paper, a new framework is introduced, which is utilized deep temporal neural networks with trend filter techniques that make original time sequence data mixed with the noise into the trend. We show that the performance of each deep neural network using a feature temporally processed by trend filter skills. To verify this proposed method, three state-of-the-art models for forecasting future values in finance stock market sequence, are used for comparing the predictive performance with the original method. Expanded experiments for conducting the t-test between this proposed method and original one show that the new framework is useful and has statistical significance of the fact that proposed method achieves better performance.ope

Grammar Accuracy Evaluation (GAE): Quantifiable Quantitative Evaluation of Machine Translation Models

Natural Language Generation (NLG) refers to the operation of expressing the calculation results of a system in human language. Since the quality of generated sentences from an NLG model cannot be fully represented using only quantitative evaluation, they are evaluated using qualitative evaluation by humans in which the meaning or grammar of a sentence is scored according to a subjective criterion. Nevertheless, the existing evaluation methods have a problem as a large score deviation occurs depending on the criteria of evaluators. In this paper, we propose Grammar Accuracy Evaluation (GAE) that can provide the specific evaluating criteria. As a result of analyzing the quality of machine translation by BLEU and GAE, it was confirmed that the BLEU score does not represent the absolute performance of machine translation models and GAE compensates for the shortcomings of BLEU with flexible evaluation of alternative synonyms and changes in sentence structure.Comment: accepted in the Journal of KIISE (JOK

Optimum dietary processed sulfur (Immuno-F) level has antibiotic effects on the growth, hematology and disease resistance of juvenile olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus

Author's accepted version (postprint).This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Elsevier in Animal Feed Science and Technology on 19/07/2021.Available online: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377840121002212?via%3DihubA great deal of research has been focused on feed additives that can boost the immune system of cultured fish since the food and drug administration (FDA) banned the use of antibiotics as feed supplementations in 2017. Sulfur is generally an essential element for the growth of animals, and sulfur-containing compounds are known to have anti-oxidant and anti-bactericidal effects. Although dietary sulfur has many potentials as a functional additive as well as an antibiotic replacer, it can also be toxic when supplemented at the high levels. Thus, it is necessary to determine the optimum amount in fish diet to exert positive effects on immune responses. Hence, an 8-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the optimum dietary processed sulfur (Immuno-F) level to replace antibiotic oxytetracycline (OTC) in juvenile olive flounder based on growth performance, hematology, and disease resistance. Each of 20 fish averaging 12.6 ± 0.17 g (mean ± SD) were randomly allocated into 8 groups of three tanks, and fed one of the eight isonitrogenous and isocaloric (crude protein 46.7 %, 160 kJ g−1) experimental diets formulated by supplementing Immuno-F at 0 ppm (Cont), 25 ppm (F25), 50 ppm (F50), 250 ppm (F250), 500 ppm (F500), 1000 ppm (F1000) and 2000 ppm (F2000), or oxytetracycline 4000 ppm (OTC4000). Weight gain and specific growth rate of fish fed F25, F500, and OTC4000 diets were significantly higher than those of fish fed F1000 and F2000 diets. In addition, superoxide dismutase, lysozyme and myeloperoxidase activities were not significantly different between sulfur and OTC supplemented groups. However, serum triglyceride levels of fish fed F1000 diet were significantly higher than those of fish fed F25, F50, F250, F500 and OTC4000 diets. In challenge test against Edwardsiella tarda at the 6th day, cumulative survival rates of fish fed F50 diet were slightly higher than those of fish fed F250-F2000 diets. Therefore, these results indicate that dietary processed sulfur at 50 ppm supplementation could replace antibiotic (OTC) in juvenile olive flounder.acceptedVersio

Modeling and Design of Hybrid Control System for Dual Hybrid Electric Vehicle Drivetrains

This paper describes the modeling of dual hybrid electric vehicle drivetrain and proposes a hybrid control system for controlling the drivetrains. In dual hybrid electric drivetrains, the energy from the engine passes through the planetary gear set and is split into the generator and motor paths. A complete dual hybrid electric drivetrain system model is developed. The modeling process is discussed for each of the major components of dual hybrid electric drivetrain, such as planetary gear transmission, gasoline engine, motor, generator and vehicle dynamics. Integrated nonlinear model and effects of parameter variations are also studied. The hybrid control system which is a discrete-event system interacting with a continuous-state system, is suitable for modeling and control of the systems that have state jumps and dynamics changes. In this paper, on/off state of engine is treated as a discrete state of HEV system and, velocities and torques, etc. as continuous states. The proposed hybrid control system consists of a continuous-state plant to be controlled, a continuous-state controller, an interface, and discrete-state controller. Simulation results are also presented comparing the performance of the proposed hybrid control system with that of the conventional HEV controller

Fluorescent Microplastic Uptake by Immune Cells of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.)

The ubiquitous presence of microplastics and their marine ecotoxicity are major public concerns. Microplastics are ingested accidentally by the marine fauna or are taken up indirectly through the food chain. These particles can accumulate in cells and tissues and affect the normal biological functions of organisms, including their defense mechanisms. There is limited information available about the response of immune cells to microplastics; the degree of uptake by the cells, the response of different organs or the impact of environmental concentrations of microplastic are matters that remain unclear. Moreover, very little is known about the toxicity of different polymer types. This study aimed to shed light on the physical impact of small microplastics (1–5 μm) on cells from Atlantic salmon. Immune cells from intestine, blood, and head kidney were exposed to green fluorescent polyethylene microplastic (PE-MP), yellow fluorescent polystyrene microplastic (PS-MP) and both. High (50 mg/L), medium (5 mg/L), and low (0.05 mg/L) concentrations were tested for 1, 24, 48, and 72 h to study cell mortality and microplastic uptake. Quantitative data of microplastic uptake by fish immune cells were obtained for the first time by imaging flow cytometry. Salmon immune cells showed a relatively low ability to phagocytose microplastics. Less than 6% of the cells ingested the particles after 48 h of exposure to high concentrations. Cells also phagocytosed microplastics at low concentrations although at low rates (<0.1%). PE-MPs was phagocytosed by higher percentage of cells compared to PS-MPs and the former bioaccumulated in time while the latter decreased over time. However, each cell generally phagocytosed more PS-MPs particles than PE-MPs. Cells from different tissues showed different responses to the microplastic polymers. In conclusion, this study shows that immune cells of Atlantic salmon can phagocytose microplastics, and the impact is dependent on the microplastic type. PE-MPs, the most abundant polymer in the oceans and a widely used plastic in salmon aquaculture, was more easily taken up than PS-MPs. Furthermore, the study demonstrates how imaging flow cytometry can be applied in microplastics research.publishedVersionUnit Licence Agreemen

Evaluation of dietary selenium, vitamin C and E as the multi-antioxidants on the methylmercury intoxicated mice based on mercury bioaccumulation, antioxidant enzyme activity, lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial oxidative stress

Author's accepted version (postprint).This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Elsevier in Chemosphere on 18/01/2021.Available online: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045653521001429?via%3DihubMercury (Hg) in high exposures can be a potent life threatening heavy metal that bioaccumulate in aquatic food-chain mainly as organic methylmercury (MeHg). In this regard, fish and seafood consumptions could be the primary sources of MeHg exposure for human and fish-eating animals. The objective of the present study was to elucidate the effects of dietary supplementation of some antioxidants on induced mercury toxicity in mice model. In this study, a 30-day long investigation has been conducted to evaluate the dietary effect of selenium (Se) in combination with vitamin C and vitamin E on methylmercury induced toxicity in mice. Total 54 mice fed the diets with three levels of Hg (0, 50 or 500 μg kg−1) and two levels of Se in combination with vitamin C and E (Se: 0, 2 mg kg−1; vitamin C: 0, 400 mg kg−1; vitamin E: 0, 200 mg kg−1) in triplicates. The results show that Hg accumulated in blood and different tissues such as muscle, liver and kidney tissues of mice on dose dependent manner. The bioaccumulation pattern of dietary Hg, in decreasing order, kidney > liver > muscle > blood. Superoxide dismutase levels in blood serum showed no significant differences in mice fed the diets. However, dietary antioxidants significantly reduced the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in mice fed the mercury containing diets. Cytochrome c oxidase enzyme activities showed no significant differences as the mercury level increases in liver and kidney tissues of mice. Kaplan-Meier curve showed a dose- and time-dependent survivability of mice. Cumulative survival rate of Hg intoxicated mice fed the antioxidant supplemented diets were increased during the experimental period. Overall, the results showed that dietary Se, vitamin C and vitamin E had no effect on reducing the mercury bioaccumulation in tissues but reduced the serum lipid peroxidation as well as prolonged the cumulative survival rate in terms of high Hg exposures in mice.acceptedVersio

Schwannoma Mimicking Laryngocele

A schwannoma of the larynx is a rare benign tumor that usually presents as a submucosal mass in the pyriform sinus and the aryepiglottic space, and this type of schwannoma constitutes a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for otolaryngologists. We present here two cases of supraglottic schwannomas that were misdiagnosed as laryngoceles. Both were excised through a lateral thyrotomy approach without a tracheostomy, and the laryngeal function was successfully maintained. We discuss the clinical and imaging findings and the management of this rare neoplasm with focusing on the differential diagnosis of laryngeal schwannoma and laryngocele. We also review the relevant medical literature

Silicon germanium photo-blocking layers for a-IGZO based industrial display

Amorphous indium- gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) has been intensively studied for the application to active matrix flat-panel display because of its superior electrical and optical properties. However, the characteristics of a-IGZO were found to be very sensitive to external circumstance such as light illumination, which dramatically degrades the device performance and stability practically required for display applications. Here, we suggest the use for silicon-germanium (Si-Ge) films grown plasmaenhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) as photo-blocking layers in the a-IGZO thin film transistors (TFTs). The charge mobility and threshold voltage (V-th) of the TFTs depend on the thickness of the Si-Ge films and dielectric buffer layers (SiNX), which were carefully optimized to be similar to 200 nm and similar to 300 nm, respectively. As a result, even after 1,000 s illumination time, the V-th and electron mobility of the TFTs remain unchanged, which was enabled by the photo-blocking effect of the Si-Ge layers for a-IGZO films. Considering the simple fabrication process by PECVD with outstanding scalability, we expect that this method can be widely applied to TFT devices that are sensitive to light illumination.