Semantic Transparency,Brain Monitoring and Evaluation of Hybrid Cognitive Architectures

In constructing hybrid systems, there is a need for a principled basis to determine the relative roles or functions of artificial neural network and symbolic approaches. The primary objective of the work to be reported is the construction of a conceptual and methodological framework that permits an iterative sequence in which a hybrid model predicts the basis of cognitive performance and an objective analysis of performance provides empirical data, evaluating (and thus constraining) the structure and processes of the model. In seeking a linkage between a hybrid model of cognition and human performance the concept of “semantic transparency” has been adopted, since it can be used in analyzing and describing both the chracteristics of a model of cognition and the processes underlying human performance. An overview of a specific, ”strong” hybrid architecture is presented. The characteristics of the virtual machines which compose it and the nature of their interaction are illustrated. An approach to the questions of evaluation is described based on empirical data obtained by brain monitoring of subjects during cognitive performance.     

Corrosion behaviour in physiological fluids of surface films formed on titanium alloys

The properties of the surface films formed on Ti and its Ti–5Al–4V and Ti–6Al–3.5Fe alloys by chemical (immersion in 10 M NaOH) and thermal treatment (500 °C) were studied in this paper. Their corrosion behaviour in Ringer solution was investigated. After treatments, the sample microhardness was measured. Also, the sample surfaces were observed by an optical microscope before and after immersion in Ringer solutions. The electrochemical behaviour of the surface films obtained by the chemical and thermal treatments was studied using the methods of the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and monitoring of open circuit potentials at different immersion periods (up to 60 days) in Ringer solution. Microhardness increased with the increasing loads for the studied materials, showing the existence of a compact protective layer. Microscopic observations exhibited more compact coatings after 60 days of exposure in Ringer solution, due to the formation of an apatite layer. EIS spectra revealed surface films with two layers: an inner, barrier protective layer and an outer, porous apatite layer. The impedance increases in time denoting that the films have grown by apatite nucleation. Also, EIS spectra showed that the complex treatment by chemical + heat method is the most efficiently. For the samples treated by the two processes (chemical + heat) the values of the open circuit potentials are nobler than of the chemical treated samples, denoting better protective, bioactive films.     

Intranasal Administration of Codium fragile Polysaccharide Elicits Anti-Cancer Immunity against Lewis Lung Carcinoma

Natural polysaccharides have shown promising effects on the regulation of immunity in animals. In this study, we examined the immune stimulatory effect of intranasally administered Codium fragile polysaccharides (CFPs) in mice. Intranasal administration of CFPs in C57BL/6 mice induced the upregulation of surface activation marker expression in macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) in the mediastinal lymph node (mLN) and the production of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-12p70, and tumor necrosis factor-α in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Moreover, the number of conventional DCs (cDCs) was increased in the mLNs by the upregulation of C-C motif chemokine receptor 7 expression, and subsets of cDCs were also activated following the intranasal administration of CFP. In addition, the intranasal administration of CFPs promoted the activation of natural killer (NK) and T cells in the mLNs, which produce pro-inflammatory cytokines and cytotoxic mediators. Finally, daily administration of CFPs inhibited the infiltration of Lewis lung carcinoma cells into the lungs, and the preventive effect of CFPs on tumor growth required NK and CD8 T cells. Furthermore, CFPs combined with anti-programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody (Ab) improved the therapeutic effect of anti-PD-L1 Ab against lung cancer. Therefore, these data demonstrated that the intranasal administration of CFP induced mucosal immunity against lung cancer.     

Protection of Teleost Fish against Infectious Diseases through Oral Administration of Vaccines: Update 2021

Immersion and intraperitoneal injection are the two most common methods used for the vaccination of fish. Because both methods require that fish are handled and thereby stressed, oral administration of vaccines as feed supplements is desirable. In addition, in terms of revaccination (boosting) of adult fish held in net pens, oral administration of vaccines is probably the only feasible method to obtain proper protection against diseases over long periods of time. Oral vaccination is considered a suitable method for mass immunization of large and stress-sensitive fish populations. Moreover, oral vaccines may preferably induce mucosal immunity, which is especially important to fish. Experimental oral vaccine formulations include both non-encapsulated and encapsulated antigens, viruses and bacteria. To develop an effective oral vaccine, the desired antigens must be protected against the harsh environments in the stomach and gut so they can remain intact when they reach the lower gut/intestine where they normally are absorbed and transported to immune cells. The most commonly used encapsulation method is the use of alginate microspheres that can effectively deliver vaccines to the intestine without degradation. Other encapsulation methods include chitosan encapsulation, poly D,L-lactide-co-glycolic acid and liposome encapsulation. Only a few commercial oral vaccines are available on the market, including those against infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV), Spring viremia carp virus (SVCV), infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) and Piscirickettsia salmonis. This review highlights recent developments of oral vaccination in teleost fish.     

Electrochemical study of azo-azulene compounds

An electrochemical study of several azo-azulene compounds (Az-NN-Y, where Y = substituted phenyl, pyridine, thiazole) was performed with cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry, as well as rotating-disk electrode methods. The objective of this work was to characterize their electrochemical properties and establish the influence of donor and acceptor substituents on azulene and azo group behaviour. Calculations were performed, using quantum mechanics-based methods, to correlate electrochemical reactivity with structure. Satisfactory correlations were found between experimental oxidation and reduction potentials as well as calculated ionization potentials and LUMOs.     

Hidden logistic potentials of working systems

Nowadays, the companies operate in a turbulent environment caused by various effects of global market, quick expansion of new products and production processes, fastidious customers and increased competition.In these circumstances only those companies are successful which can respond to market changes as fast as possible—i.e. they have the shortest response time regarding fulfilment of customer requirements (short delivery time and reliable delivery in addition to price and quality).Consequently, a reduction of mean inventory, range and lead time of working systems in the company is an ever increasing strategy that ensures an increase of growth and profit of the company.The article shows how the tools for modelling the flow of orders through working systems can be used in order to discover the hidden logistic potentials of working systems in a company.Presented are the results of finding hidden logistic potentials of working systems in the tool-production department of "ETI d.d." company from Izlake, Slovenia.     

分子动力学模拟用贵金属势函数的应用与发展

势函数是用来描述介观层次系统中分子或原子间相互作用的一种数学模型,是在介观层次上进行材料显微结构分子动力学模拟的关键。针对贵金属及其合金总结了分子动力学模拟研究中常用势函数的类型、数学形式和基本参数,介绍了各种势函数在实际研究中的具体应用情况,分析讨论了贵金属势函数的构建和应用中急需解决的问题、以及势函数研究的发展趋势。     

A thermodynamic study of the effect of small-scale electrolytes on equilibrium redox potentials

Expressions are derived to calculate the equilibrium oxidation-reduction potentials for the Al⁺³/Al, Cu⁺²/Cu, and Zn⁺²/Zn systems in small-scale electrolytes. The geometrical system consists of a droplet of electrolyte resting on a flat metal plate, and the metal is considered to be immersed in a solution of its own ions. When the radius of the drop is allowed to vary, both the size of the electrolyte and the size of the active metal beneath the droplet change simultaneously. The total free energy change for the system consists of both electrochemical and surface chemical contributions. The interfacial free energy for the solid/liquid interface has been estimated from the Girifalco-Good expression or from spreading pressure considerations. When the droplet becomes sufficiently small in radius, the surface chemical contributions become significant, and the calculated redox potential changes from its normal value to more negative values as the size of the system decreases. The magnitude of this effect depends on the particular system. For 2 M Cu⁺², the calculated redox potential for a 0.8 nm radius droplet is 0.259 V more negative than for the bulk electrolyte. The effect is much smaller for aluminum and zinc. In all three systems, calculated redox potentials approach values for the bulk solution for droplet radii of about 10 nm.     

Probiotic-Induced Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells: A Novel Therapy for Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are immune-mediated, chronic relapsing diseases with a rising prevalence worldwide in both adult and pediatric populations. Treatment options for immune-mediated diseases, including IBDs, are traditional steroids, immunomodulators, and biologics, none of which are capable of inducing long-lasting remission in all patients. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a fundamental role in inducing tolerance and regulating T cells and their tolerogenic functions. Hence, modulation of intestinal mucosal immunity by DCs could provide a novel, additional tool for the treatment of IBD. Recent evidence indicates that probiotic bacteria might impact immunomodulation both in vitro and in vivo by regulating DCs’ maturation and producing tolerogenic DCs (tolDCs) which, in turn, might dampen inflammation. In this review, we will discuss this evidence and the mechanisms of action of probiotics and their metabolites in inducing tolDCs in IBDs and some conditions associated with them.     

关于推进怒江流域水能资源开发的思考

从本世纪初开始,围绕开发水能资源促进怒江流域地区经济社会发展等问题曾引发了一场大讨论。通过讨论,大家一致认为：怒江流域地区的发展不能再继续等待下去,应以切实可行的步伐向前推进。结合工作实践,简要回顾了怒江水能资源开发前期工作情况,畅谈了从怒江开发讨论中得到的有益启发,对现阶段怒江中下游水能资源开发的相关工作提出了若干建议。