Speeding Up the GVW Algorithm via a Substituting Method

Journal of Systems Science and Complexity - The GVW algorithm is an efficient signature-based algorithm for computing Gröbner bases. In this paper, the authors consider the implementation of...     

Aristotle Said “Happiness is a State of Activity” — Predicting Mood Through Body Sensing with Smartwatches

We measure and predict states of Activation and Happiness using a body sensing application connected to smartwatches. Through the sensors of commercially available smartwatches we collect individual mood states and correlate them with body sensing data such as acceleration, heart rate, light level data, and location, through the GPS sensor built into the smartphone connected to the smartwatch. We polled users on the smartwatch for seven weeks four times per day asking for their mood state. We found that both Happiness and Activation are negatively correlated with heart beats and with the levels of light. People tend to be happier when they are moving more intensely and are feeling less activated during weekends. We also found that people with a lower Conscientiousness and Neuroticism and higher Agreeableness tend to be happy more frequently. In addition, more Activation can be predicted by lower Openness to experience and higher Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. Lastly, we find that tracking people’s geographical coordinates might play an important role in predicting Happiness and Activation. The methodology we propose is a first step towards building an automated mood tracking system, to be used for better teamwork and in combination with social network analysis studies.     

Early SIV and HIV infection promotes the LILRB2/MHC-I inhibitory axis in cDCs

Classical dendritic cells (cDCs) play a pivotal role in the early events that tip the immune response toward persistence or viral control. In vitro studies indicate that HIV infection induces the dysregulation of cDCs through binding of the LILRB2 inhibitory receptor to its MHC-I ligands and the strength of this interaction was proposed to drive disease progression. However, the dynamics of the LILRB2/MHC-I inhibitory axis in cDCs during early immune responses against HIV are yet unknown. Here, we show that early HIV-1 infection induces a strong and simultaneous increase of LILRB2 and MHC-I expression on the surface of blood cDCs. We further characterized the early dynamics of LILRB2 and MHC-I expression by showing that SIVmac251 infection of macaques promotes coordinated up-regulation of LILRB2 and MHC-I on cDCs and monocytes/macrophages, from blood and lymph nodes. Orientation towards the LILRB2/MHC-I inhibitory axis starts from the first days of infection and is transiently induced in the entire cDC population in acute phase. Analysis of the factors involved indicates that HIV-1 replication, TLR7/8 triggering, and treatment by IL-10 or type I IFNs increase LILRB2 expression. Finally, enhancement of the LILRB2/MHC-I inhibitory axis is specific to HIV-1 and SIVmac251 infections, as expression of LILRB2 on cDCs decreased in naturally controlled chikungunya virus infection of macaques. Altogether, our data reveal a unique up-regulation of LILRB2 and its MHC-I ligands on cDCs in the early phase of SIV/HIV infection, which may account for immune dysregulation at a critical stage of the anti-viral response.     

Predicting Initial Formation Temperature for Deep Well Engineering with a New Method

With the progress of science and technology, human beings explore the energy under-ground with thousands of meters. As a thermophysical parameter, initial formation temperature (IFT) plays an essential...     

EVOKE: A Value-Driven Concept Selection Method for Early System Design

The development of new technologically advanced products requires the contribution from a range of skills and disciplines, which are often difficult to find within a single company or organization. Requirements establishment practices in Systems Engineering (SE), while ensuring coordination of activities and tasks across the supply network, fall short when it comes to facilitate knowledge sharing and negotiation during early system design. Empirical observations show that when system-level requirements are not available or not mature enough, engineers dealing with the development of long lead-time sub-systems tend to target local optima, rather than opening up the design space. This phenomenon causes design teams to generate solutions that do not embody the best possible configuration for the overall system. The aim of this paper is to show how methodologies for value-driven design may address this issue, facilitating early stage design iterations and the resolution of early stage design trade-offs. The paper describes how such methodologies may help gathering and dispatching relevant knowledge about the ‘design intent’ of a system to the cross-functional engineering teams, so to facilitate a more concurrent process for requirement elicitation in SE. The paper also describes EVOKE (Early Value Oriented design exploration with KnowledgE maturity), a concept selection method that allows benchmarking design options at sub-system level on the base of value-related information communicated by the system integrators. The use of EVOKE is exemplified in an industrial case study related to the design of an aero-engine component. EVOKE’s ability to raise awareness on the value contribution of early stage design concepts in the SE process has been further verified with industrial practitioners in ad-hoc design episodes.     

The expansion of GPCR transactivation-dependent signalling to include serine/threonine kinase receptors represents a new cell signalling frontier

G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signalling is mediated through transactivation-independent signalling pathways or the transactivation of protein tyrosine kinase receptors and the recently reported activation of the serine/threonine kinase receptors, most notably the transforming growth factor-β receptor family. Since the original observation of GPCR transactivation of protein tyrosine kinase receptors, there has been considerable work on the mechanism of transactivation and several pathways are prominent. These pathways include the “triple membrane bypass” pathway and the generation of reactive oxygen species. The recent recognition of GPCR transactivation of serine/threonine kinase receptors enormously broadens the GPCR signalling paradigm. It may be predicted that the transactivation of serine/threonine kinase receptors would have mechanistic similarities with transactivation of tyrosine kinase pathways; however, initial studies suggest that these two transactivation pathways are mechanistically distinct. Important questions are the relative importance of tyrosine and serine/threonine transactivation pathways, the contribution of transactivation to overall GPCR signalling, mechanisms of transactivation and the range of cell types in which this phenomenon occurs. The ultimate significance of transactivation-dependent signalling remains to be defined but it appears to be prominent and if so will represent a new cell signalling frontier.     

基于风廓线雷达的降水云分类方法在海南地区的应用

将风廓线雷达用于热带降水云体进行垂直探测,可以实时对热带地区降水云体进行较准确分类.通过对海口地区降水云系特征(2017年1月～12月)进行统计分析,提出一套基于风廓线雷达探测数据(回波强度、垂直速度和速度谱宽)的热带降水云体分类方法.以该方法为基础,结合天气雷达等观测资料,对2017年发生在海口地区的两次降水过程展开详细分析.结果表明:风廓线雷达具备较好体现降水云体垂直结构的能力,相比于天气雷达,风廓线雷达探测数据可以更精细地描述降水云系的变化趋势;相比于传统降水分类方案,采用以风廓线雷达探测数据为基础的分类方案可以提高对复杂降水类型识别的正确率;风廓线雷达可以更好地描述快速过境的高空微弱对流系统.     

Reconsideration on Homogeneous Quadratic Riemann Boundary Value Problem

The homogeneous quadratic Riemann boundary value problem (1) with Hoelder continuous coefficients for the normal case was considered by the author in 1997. But the solutions obtained there are incomplete. Here its general method of solution is obtained.     

CHARACTERISTICS OF QUATERNARY AMMONIUM RESISTANT BACTERIA FROM A FINE PAPERMACHINE SYSTEM

To evaluate the biocide effect of quaternary ammonium chloride (QAC), a whitewater sample was taken from a fine papermachine headbox. By plate spreading method, 51 strains of facultative anaerobe were isolated morphologically. Then the strains were separately transferred to basal medium and were incubated before the beginning of log phase. To identify strains with different QAC resistance, 30-120 ppm of N-Alkyl-benzyl-dimethyl ammonium chloride were added to basal medium.Biocide effect was investigated by comparison of bacterial growth, which can be monitored by 600 nm light absorbance of basal medium suspension. Among 51 strains, only 2 strains can Survive for QAC concentration up to 120 ppm. API20E aud 16S rRNA gene sequencing technique were applied to identify two strains with highest (120 ppm)QAC resistance. One strain (HB22)was identified as Morganella morganii. HB22 can resist QAC concentration up to 150 ppm. HB22 is Gram-negative rod, motile with flagella, catalase positive, oxidase negative, Indole positive, H2S production negative, facultative anaerobe. HB22 has optimum growth condition of 35℃ and pH 7.0.HB22 can catabolize only glucose and D (+)-Mannose.The other (HB45) was identified with high similarity among Pseudomonas cf. monteili or Pseudomonas mosselii or Pseudomonas putida. HB45 can resist QAC concentration up to 200 ppm.HB45 is Gram-negative rod, motile with flagella,catalase positive, oxidase negative, Indole negative,H2S production negative, aerobe. HB45 has optimum growth condition of 30℃ and pH 7.4. HB45 can catabolize L-Arabinose, L(+)-Rhanmose, D (+)-Mannose, Glucose, Glycerol, Lactose, Maltose,Raffmose, Xylose, Cellulose and Xylan. The implication of this work to paper industry is also discussed.     

Abrupt climate change：Debate or action

Global abrupt climate changes have been documented by various climate records, including ice cores, ocean sediment cores, lake sediment cores, cave deposits, loess deposits and pollen records. The climate system prefers to be in one of two stable states, i.e. interstadial or stadial conditions, but not in between. The transition between two states has an abrupt character. Abrupt climate changes are, in general, synchronous in the northern hemisphere and tropical regions. The timescale for abrupt climate changes can be as short as a decade. As the impacts may be potentially serious, we need to take actions such as reducing CO2 emissions to the atmosphere.