Method of Rain Attenuation Prediction Based on Long–Short Term Memory Network

Neural Processing Letters - Rain attenuation events are one of the foremost drawbacks in satellite communications, impairing satellite link availability. For this reason, it is necessary to foresee...     

Comparing simulation algorithms for multienvironment probabilistic P systems over a standard virtual ecosystem

Membrane Computing has recently proved to be a suitable framework for addressing the modelling of dynamical biological systems in general, and ecosystems in particular. Due to the inherent randomness and uncertainty in biological systems, when designing a model the relevant tasks to be addressed are the validation and virtual experimentation processes, rather than the formal verification. It is therefore crucial to rely on software implementations of efficient simulation algorithms. This paper presents a simple (but realistic enough) ecosystem where a carnivore and several herbivorous species interact. The model of this ecosystem has been used to compare experimentally the performance of two different simulation algorithms.     

Regional diffusion of military regimes in sub-Saharan Africa

Military dictatorships have been decreasing in number and concentrating in Africa. This paper analyses their spatial diffusion in sub-Saharan Africa between 1978 and 2014 applying a Bayesian SAR Probit regression. We find a significant and positive spatial coefficient only in the aftermath of the Cold War. This result suggests that once the global order of the Cold War vanished, geography took back its role and regional factors became crucial in shaping the institutional landscape. The evidence is interpreted in light of the patron-client approach. Among covariates, a larger manufacturing sector is associated with a smaller probability of a military regime.     

Immune-Mediated Drug-Induced Liver Injury: Immunogenetics and Experimental Models

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a challenging clinical event in medicine, particularly because of its ability to present with a variety of phenotypes including that of autoimmune hepatitis or other immune mediated liver injuries. Limited diagnostic and therapeutic tools are available, mostly because its pathogenesis has remained poorly understood for decades. The recent scientific and technological advancements in genomics and immunology are paving the way for a better understanding of the molecular aspects of DILI. This review provides an updated overview of the genetic predisposition and immunological mechanisms behind the pathogenesis of DILI and presents the state-of-the-art experimental models to study DILI at the pre-clinical level.     

Inventory policies and safety stock optimization for supply chain planning

In this article, traditional supply chain planning models are extended to simultaneously optimize inventory policies. The inventory policies considered are the (r,Q) and (s,S) policies. In the (r,Q) inventory policy an order for Q units is placed every time the inventory level reaches level r, while in the s,S policy the inventory is reviewed in predefined intervals. If the inventory is found to be below level s, an order is placed to bring the level back to level S. Additionally, to address demand uncertainty four safety stock formulations are presented: (1) proportional to throughput, (2) proportional to throughput with risk-pooling effect, (3) explicit risk-pooling, and (4) guaranteed service time. The models proposed allow simultaneous optimization of safety stock, reserve, and base stock levels in tandem with material flows in supply chain planning. The formulations are evaluated using simulation. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 65: 99–112, 2019     

New Frontiers in Electron Beam–Driven Chemistry in and around Graphene

Modern aberration corrected transmission electron microscopes offer the potential for electron beam sensitive materials, such as graphene, to be examined with low energy electrons to minimize, and even avoid, damage while still affording atomic resolution, and thus providing excellent characterization. Here in this review, the exploits in which the electron beam interactions, which are often considered negative, are explored to usefully drive a wealth of chemistry in and around graphene, importantly, with no other external stimuli. After introducing the technique, this review covers carbon phase reactions between amorphous carbon, graphene, fullerenes, carbon chains, and carbon nanotubes. It then explores different studies with clusters and nanoparticles, followed by coverage of single atom and molecule interactions with graphene, and finally concludes and highlights the anticipated exciting future for electron beam driving chemistry in and around graphene.     

Spectroelectrochemical study of trichloroacetic acid reduction at copper electrodes in an aqueous sodium sulfate medium

The electrochemical reduction of trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) in water has been analyzed through voltammetric studies with a copper rotating disc electrode supported by controlled-potential bulk electrolysis and electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) experiments. The influences of the mass-transport conditions and concentration were studied. It has been pointed out that the electrochemical reduction of trichloroacetic acid takes place prior to the massive hydrogen evolution. Strong adsorption was observed on the electrode surface, and dichloroacetic acid (DCAA), monochloroacetic acid (MCAA), and chloride anions were detected as reduction products. The SERS experiments point to a secondary mechanism in which dissociative adsorption of the trichloroacetic acid gives rise to the adsorption of CO, and therefore, to the production of 1C molecules as by-products of the electrochemical reduction.