Game Theory Models for the Verification of the Collective Behaviour of Autonomous Cars

The collective of autonomous cars is expected to generate almost optimal traffic. In this position paper we discuss the multi-agent models and the verification results of the collective behaviour of autonomous cars. We argue that non-cooperative autonomous adaptation cannot guarantee optimal behaviour. The conjecture is that intention aware adaptation with a constraint on simultaneous decision making has the potential to avoid unwanted behaviour. The online routing game model is expected to be the basis to formally prove this conjecture.Comment: In Proceedings FVAV 2017, arXiv:1709.0212

Optimizations of a Multi-Agent System for a Real-World Warehouse Problem

In recent years, many warehouses applied mobile robots to move products from one location to another. We focus on a traditional warehouse where agents are humans, and they are engaged with tasks to navigate to the next destination one after the other. The possible destinations are determined at the beginning of the daily shift. Our real-world warehouse client asked us to minimize the total wage cost, and to minimize the irritation of the workers because of conflicts in their tasks. We define a heuristic for the optimizations for splitting the orders into warehouse carts, defining the sequence of the products within the carts, and the assignment of the carts to workers. We extend Multi-Agent Path Finding (MAPF) solution techniques. Furthermore, we have implemented our proposal in a simulation software, and we have run several experiments. According to the experiments, the make-span and the wage cost cannot be reduced with the heuristic optimization, however the heuristic optimization considerably reduces the irritation of the workers. We conclude our work with a guideline for the warehouse

Lytic and mechanical stability of clots composed of fibrin and blood vessel wall components.

Background Proteases expressed in atherosclerotic plaque lesions generate collagen fragments, release glycosaminoglycans (chondroitin sulfate [CS] and dermatan sulfate [DS]) and expose extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins (e.g. decorin) at sites of fibrin formation. Objective Here we address the effect of these vessel wall components on the lysis of fibrin by the tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)/plasminogen system and on the mechanical stability of clots. Methods and results MMP-8-digested collagen fragments, isolated CS, DS, glycosylated decorin and its core protein were used to prepare mixed matrices with fibrin (additives present at a 50-fold lower mass concentration than fibrinogen). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the presence of ECM components resulted in a coarse fibrin structure, most pronounced for glycosylated decorin causing an increase in the median fiber diameter from 85 to 187 nm. Rheological measurements indicated that these structural alterations were coupled to decreased shear resistance (1.8-fold lower shear stress needed for gel/fluid transition of the clots containing glycosylated decorin) and rigidity (reduction of the storage modulus from 54.3 to 33.2 Pa). The lytic susceptibility of the modified fibrin structures was increased. The time to 50% lysis by plasmin was reduced approximately 2-fold for all investigated ECM components (apart from the core protein of decorin which produced a moderate reduction of the lysis time by 25%), whereas fibrin-dependent plasminogen activation by tPA was inhibited by up to 30%. Conclusion ECM components compromise the chemical and mechanical stability of fibrin as a result of changes in its ultrastructure

Identification of protein kinase inhibitors with a selective negative effect on the viability of Epstein-Barr virus infected B cell lines

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a human herpesvirus, which is causally associated with the development of several B lymphocytic malignancies that include Burkitt's lymphomas, Hodgkin's disease, AIDS and posttransplant associated lymphomas. The transforming activity of EBV is orchestrated by several latent viral proteins that mimic and modulate cellular growth promoting and antiapoptotic signaling pathways, which involve among others the activity of protein kinases. In an effort to identify small molecule inhibitors of the growth of EBV-transformed B lymphocytes a library of 254 kinase inhibitors was screened. This effort identified two tyrosine kinase inhibitors and two MEK inhibitors that compromised preferentially the viability of EBV-infected human B lymphocytes. Our findings highlight the possible dependence of EBV-infected B lymphocytes on specific kinase-regulated pathways underlining the potential for the development of small molecule-based therapeutics that could target selectively EBV-associated human B lymphocyte malignancies. © 2014 Mavromatidis et al

The iQ200 Microscopic Analyzer is valuable tool for evaluation of urinary sediment at transplanted patients

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The Anti-Inflammatory Role of Mannich Curcuminoids; Special Focus on Colitis

The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increases gradually in Western countries with high need for novel therapeutic interventions. Mannich curcuminoids, C142 or C150 synthetized in our laboratory, have been tested for anti-inflammatory activity in a rat model of TNBS (2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid) induced colitis. Treatment with C142 or C150 reduced leukocyte infiltration to the submucosa and muscular propria of the inflamed gut. C142 or C150 rescued the loss of body weight and C150 decreased the weight of standard colon preparations proportional with 20% less tissue oedema. Both C142 and C150 curcumin analogues caused 25% decrease in the severity of colonic inflammation and haemorrhagic lesion size. Colonic MPO (myeloperoxidase) enzyme activity as an indicator of intense neutrophil infiltration was 50% decreased either by C142 or C150 Mannich curcuminoids. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) co-treatment with Mannich curcuminoids inhibited NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa B) activity on a concentration-dependent manner in an NF-κB-driven luciferase expressing reporter cell line. Co-treatment with LPS and curcuminoids, C142 or C150, resulted in NF-κB inhibition with 3.57 μM or 1.6 μM half maximal effective concentration (EC50) values, respectively. C150 exerted a profound inhibition of the expression of inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in human PBMCs (peripheral blood mononuclear cells) upon LPS stimulus. Mannich curcuminoids reported herein possess a powerful anti-inflammatory activity