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Biological nervous systems typically perform the control of numerous degrees of freedom for example in animal limbs. Neuromorphic engineers study these systems by emulating them in hardware for a deeper understanding and its possible application to solve complex problems in engineering and robotics. Central-Pattern-Generators (CPGs) are part of neuro-controllers, typically used at their last steps to produce rhythmic patterns for limbs movement. Different patterns and gaits typically compete through winner-take-all (WTA) circuits to produce the right movements. In this work we present a WTA circuit implemented in a Spiking-Neural-Network (SNN) processor to produce such patterns for controlling a robotic arm in real-time. The robot uses spike-based proportional-integrativederivative (SPID) controllers to keep a commanded joint position from the winner population of neurons of the WTA circuit. Experiments demonstrate the feasibility of robotic control with spiking circuits following brain-inspiration., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to ISCAS2022

Heat pumps are increasingly being installed in domestic buildings, which is an opportunity to reduce the energy needed to heat and cool buildings. However, this reduction will only be possible if the equipment is maintained correctly. Fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) systems can improve the cost of operating and maintaining heating and air conditioning systems, specifically heat pump, while keeping their performance. This article first briefly introduces the methodologies used in FDD systems for heat pumps and compare their performance. Then, an accurate description of the common faults and their effects on field vapor compression systems is made. After that, a compilation of which faults and how are emulated in both laboratory conditions and virtual environments are extensively described. The measurements needed to perform the diagnosis are analyzed along with instrumentation needed for FDD systems. Finally, the virtual sensors applied to heat pumps to reduce the cost associated with FDD implementation are described. This article aims to establish a criterion for selecting which faults can be tested under laboratory conditions or by simulation with a virtual model and to determine the features that identify those faults. Finally, several areas of improvement for the aspects reviewed have been identified: increase the use of performance indicators for FDD, new and updated studies about the health status of field heat pumps, testing methods that take into account the gradual and probabilistic nature of heat pump faults and further research in the use of virtual sensors in FDD systems.

Previous studies have suggested that iron deficiency (ID) may impair thyroid hormone metabolism, however replication in wide samples of the general adult population has not been performed. We studied 3846 individuals free of thyroid disease, participants in a national, cross sectional, population based study representative of the Spanish adult population. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxin (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) were analyzed by electrochemiluminescence (E170, Roche Diagnostics). Serum ferritin was analyzed by immunochemiluminescence (Architect I2000, Abbott Laboratories). As ferritin levels decreased (>100, 30-100, 15-30, < 15 mu g/L) the adjusted mean concentrations of FT4 (p < 0.001) and FT3 (p < 0.001) descended, whereas TSH levels remained unchanged (p = 0.451). In multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, UI, BMI and smoking status, subjects with ferritin levels < 30 mu g/L were more likely to present hypothyroxinemia (FT4 < 12.0 pmol/L p5): OR 1.5 [1.1-2.2] p = 0.024, and hypotriiodothyroninemia (FT3 < 3.9 pmol/L p5): OR 1.8 [1.3-2.6] p = 0.001 than the reference category with ferritin >= 30 mu g/L. There was no significant heterogeneity of the results between men, pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women or according to the iodine nutrition status. Our results confirm an association between ID and hypothyroxinemia and hypotriiodothyroninemia in the general adult population without changes in TSH.

Angiosperms, http://name.umdl.umich.edu/IC-HERB00IC-X-1557394%5DMICH-V-1557394, https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/thumb/herb00ic/1557394/MICH-V-1557394/!250,250, The University of Michigan Library provides access to these materials for educational and research purposes. Some materials may be protected by copyright. If you decide to use any of these materials, you are responsible for making your own legal assessment and securing any necessary permission. If you have questions about the collection, please contact the Herbarium professional staff: herb-dlps-help@umich.edu. If you have concerns about the inclusion of an item in this collection, please contact Library Information Technology: libraryit-info@umich.edu., https://www.lib.umich.edu/about-us/policies/copyright-policy

Angiosperms, http://name.umdl.umich.edu/IC-HERB00IC-X-1557394%5DMICH-V-1557394, https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/api/thumb/herb00ic/1557394/MICH-V-1557394/!250,250, The University of Michigan Library provides access to these materials for educational and research purposes. Some materials may be protected by copyright. If you decide to use any of these materials, you are responsible for making your own legal assessment and securing any necessary permission. If you have questions about the collection, please contact the Herbarium professional staff: herb-dlps-help@umich.edu. If you have concerns about the inclusion of an item in this collection, please contact Library Information Technology: libraryit-info@umich.edu., https://www.lib.umich.edu/about-us/policies/copyright-policy

This paper presents a fuzzy inference system for voltage/reactive power control in distribution substations. The purpose is go forward to automation distribution and its implementation in isolated power systems where control capabilities are limited and it is common using the same applications as in continental power systems. This means that lot of functionalities do not apply and computational burden generates high response times. A fuzzy controller, with logic guidelines embedded based upon heuristic rules resulting from operators at dispatch control center past experience, has been designed. Working as an on-line tool, it has been tested under real conditions and it has managed the operation during a whole day in a distribution substation. Within the limits of control capabilities of the system, the controller maintained successfully an acceptable voltage profile, power factor values over 0,98 and it has ostensibly improved the performance given by an optimal power flow based automation system.

Acknowledgments: Sara Borrell Postdoctoral program; BFU 2011 and CIBER Obesidad y Nutricion (Instituto de Salud Carlos Tercero (ISCIII), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion). Juan de la Cierva Program (Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia)., The adipokine resistin is an insulin-antagonizing factor that also plays a regulatory role in inflammation, immunity, food intake, and gonadal function and also regulates growth hormone (GH) secretion in rat adenopituitary cells cultures with the adipokine. Although adipose tissue is the primary source of resistin, it is also expressed in other tissues, including the pituitary. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible action of resistin on the lipid metabolism in the pituitary gland in vivo (rats in two different nutritional status, fed and fast, treated with resistin on acute and a chronic way) and in vitro (adenopituitary cell cultures treated with the adipokine). Here, by a combination of in vivo and in vitro experimental models, we demonstrated that central acute and chronic administration of resistin enhance mRNA levels of the lipid metabolic enzymes which participated on lipolysis and moreover inhibiting mRNA levels of the lipid metabolic enzymes involved in lipogenesis. Taken together, our results demonstrate for the first time that resistin has a regulatory role on lipid metabolism in the pituitary gland providing a novel insight in relation to the mechanism by which this adipokine can participate in the integrated control of lipid metabolism., Depto. de Genética, Fisiología y Microbiología, Fac. de Ciencias Biológicas, TRUE, pub

Background: The differential diagnosis between metastatic head & neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) and lung squamous cell carcinomas (lung SCC) is often unresolved because the histologic appearance of these two tumor types is similar. We have developed and validated a gene expression profile test (GEP-HN-LS) that distinguishes HNSCC and lung SCC in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens using a 2160-gene classification model.Methods: The test was validated in a blinded study using a pre-specified algorithm and microarray data files for 76 metastatic or poorly-differentiated primary tumors with a known HNSCC or lung SCC diagnosis.Results: The study met the primary Bayesian statistical endpoint for acceptance. Measures of test performance include overall agreement with the known diagnosis of 82.9% (95% CI, 72.5% to 90.6%), an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.91 and a diagnostics odds ratio (DOR) of 23.6. HNSCC (N = 38) gave an agreement with the known diagnosis of 81.6% and lung SCC (N = 38) gave an agreement of 84.2%. Reproducibility in test results between three laboratories had a concordance of 91.7%.Conclusion: GEP-HN-LS can aid in resolving the important differential diagnosis between HNSCC and lung SCC tumors.Virtual Slides: The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1753227817890930. © 2013 Lal et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Background: The differential diagnosis between metastatic head & neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) and lung squamous cell carcinomas (lung SCC) is often unresolved because the histologic appearance of these two tumor types is similar. We have developed and validated a gene expression profile test (GEP-HN-LS) that distinguishes HNSCC and lung SCC in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens using a 2160-gene classification model.Methods: The test was validated in a blinded study using a pre-specified algorithm and microarray data files for 76 metastatic or poorly-differentiated primary tumors with a known HNSCC or lung SCC diagnosis.Results: The study met the primary Bayesian statistical endpoint for acceptance. Measures of test performance include overall agreement with the known diagnosis of 82.9% (95% CI, 72.5% to 90.6%), an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.91 and a diagnostics odds ratio (DOR) of 23.6. HNSCC (N = 38) gave an agreement with the known diagnosis of 81.6% and lung SCC (N = 38) gave an agreement of 84.2%. Reproducibility in test results between three laboratories had a concordance of 91.7%.Conclusion: GEP-HN-LS can aid in resolving the important differential diagnosis between HNSCC and lung SCC tumors.Virtual Slides: The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1753227817890930. © 2013 Lal et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

The adipokine resistin is an insulin-antagonizing factor that also plays a regulatory role in inflammation, immunity, food intake, and gonadal function and also regulates growth hormone (GH) secretion in rat adenopituitary cells cultures with the adipokine. Although adipose tissue is the primary source of resistin, it is also expressed in other tissues, including the pituitary. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible action of resistin on the lipid metabolism in the pituitary gland in vivo (rats in two different nutritional status, fed and fast, treated with resistin on acute and a chronic way) and in vitro (adenopituitary cell cultures treated with the adipokine). Here, by a combination of in vivo and in vitro experimental models, we demonstrated that central acute and chronic administration of resistin enhance mRNA levels of the lipid metabolic enzymes which participated on lipolysis and moreover inhibiting mRNA levels of the lipid metabolic enzymes involved in lipogenesis. Taken together, our results demonstrate for the first time that resistin has a regulatory role on lipid metabolism in the pituitary gland providing a novel insight in relation to the mechanism by which this adipokine can participate in the integrated control of lipid metabolism.

10.1371/journal.pone.0031280, De novo lipogenesis is involved in fatty acid biosynthesis and could be involved in the regulation of the triglyceride storage capacity of adipose tissue. However, the association between lipogenic and lipolytic genes and the evolution of morbidly obese subjects after bariatric surgery remains unknown. In this prospective study we analyze the association between the improvement in the morbidly obese patients as a result of bariatric surgery and the basal expression of lipogenic and lipolytic genes.

10.1186/1472-6793-12-4, The expansion of adipose tissue is linked to the development of its vasculature, which appears to have the potential to regulate the onset of obesity. However, at present, there are no studies highlighting the relationship between human adipose tissue angiogenesis and obesity-associated insulin resistance (IR).

The four main tangerine varieties (Oroval, Hernandina, Fortuna and Clemenville) processed in the Mediterranean region were analyzed for juice yield, diverse by-products obtained in industrial processing (peel, core and frit) and fiber content: crude fiber (CF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF), from the by-products (peel, core and frit) obtained in tangerine processing in pilot plant tests. Not much work is reported which is related to the effect on the characteristics of citrus by-products due to the configuration of the components in citrus juice extractors. In recent works, there appears to be a relationship between particle size and treatment, and the physiological functions of, at least, orange fibers. In this work, it was possible to correlate the configuration (as fruit size adaptation of it) and characteristics of the fiber obtained from the by-products. The variety Hernadina has the highest juice content and therefore has less peel, core and frit. The Oroval variety has more frit content, two times more than Hernandina and Clemenville and three times more than Fortuna. As regards crude fiber results it is clearly significant that the Oroval variety has a higher content than the rest of varieties. Regarding components, the core has the least fiber content and frit the highest. These results are useful to support marketing strategies based on the high dietetic fiber content of Clementines. This fiber could have a huge potential for food and pharmacy as an alternative to cereal fiber, improving economical profits from the tangerine juice extraction process. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.

The four main tangerine varieties (Oroval, Hernandina, Fortuna and Clemenville) processed in the Mediterranean region were analyzed for juice yield, diverse by-products obtained in industrial processing (peel, core and frit) and fiber content: crude fiber (CF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF), from the by-products (peel, core and frit) obtained in tangerine processing in pilot plant tests. Not much work is reported which is related to the effect on the characteristics of citrus by-products due to the configuration of the components in citrus juice extractors. In recent works, there appears to be a relationship between particle size and treatment, and the physiological functions of, at least, orange fibers. In this work, it was possible to correlate the configuration (as fruit size adaptation of it) and characteristics of the fiber obtained from the by-products. The variety Hernadina has the highest juice content and therefore has less peel, core and frit. The Oroval variety has more frit content, two times more than Hernandina and Clemenville and three times more than Fortuna. As regards crude fiber results it is clearly significant that the Oroval variety has a higher content than the rest of varieties. Regarding components, the core has the least fiber content and frit the highest. These results are useful to support marketing strategies based on the high dietetic fiber content of Clementines. This fiber could have a huge potential for food and pharmacy as an alternative to cereal fiber, improving economical profits from the tangerine juice extraction process. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.

Lipocalin-2 (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, NGAL) is an innate immune system protein that has been linked to insulin resistance and obesity, but the mechanisms behind these associations are poorly known. We hypothesized that endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) and fat intake were in the background of these associations.Design:We studied four cohorts: (1) a cross-sectional study in 194 subjects; (2) the changes in NGAL concentration induced by diet and weight loss in 36 obese women (with circadian rhythm in 8 of them); (3) the effects of acute fat intake on circulating NGAL concentration in 42 morbidly obese subjects; and (4) LPS-induced NGAL secretion ex vivo (whole blood and adipose tissue explants).

Cells in the central nervous system are normally prevented from coming into contact with albumin and other protein components of blood by the existence of a tight blood-brain barrier. Astrocytes and other glial cells proliferate to form glial scars when the blood-brain barrier is breached. In this report we show that albumin is an important blood component responsible for inducing astrocyte proliferation. Albumin also generates maintained trains of calcium spikes in astrocytes. Neither activity depends on blood coagulation, as albumins from both serum and plasma are approximately equally effective. Methanol extraction of albumin abolishes both actions, and recombination of the methanol-extracted factor with extracted albumin restores full activity indistinguishable from that of native albumin. The factor is sensitive to lipase, and the solvent extraction profile is that of a polar lipid.