Minimal Action Research Articles

Abstract P3142: Engineering A Genetically Encoded Enhancer Of L-type Ca 2+ Currents

L-type calcium channels (LTCC) play a crucial role as they serve as vital portals for Ca 2+ entry into cardiac myocytes, neurons, and other physiological systems. Altered LTCC function is linked to various pathologies including cardiac arrhythmias and neurodevelopmental disorders. In particular, genetic studies have identified loss-of-function mutations in Ca V 1.2 channels in patients with shortened QT interval and Brugada Syndrome, as well as neuropsychiatric disorders. Given the broad physiological importance of LTCC in various tissues, conventional pharmacological agonists of LTCC may yield off-target effects and toxicity. Therefore, new approaches to upregulate LTCC function in a cell-type dependent manner is sought after. To do so, we here develop a genetically encoded enhancer of calcium channels (GeeCC, “geek”) by leveraging both a cardiac specific L-type channel modulator, leucine rich repeat containing protein 10 (Lrrc10), and selective nanobodies that target the LTCC complex. Specifically, Lrrc10 co-expression markedly upregulates LTCC currents. Furthermore, mutations in Lrrc10 are linked to cardiac diseases, including cardiomyopathies. Through extensive structure-function analysis, we identified a minimal action domain within Lrrc10 that is critical for functional modulation of LTCC. However, as this segment alone has a low affinity for the channel complex, its expression alone yielded minimal changes in Ca 2+ current amplitude. However, fusion of this Lrrc10 domain to a nanobody (nb.F3) that targets the Ca 2+ channel beta subunit resulted in a significant increase in the LTCC current amplitude. In depth analysis revealed exquisite selectivity of GeeCC for Ca V 1.2/Ca V 1.3 channels. In mouse cardiomyocytes, deployment of GeeCC via adenovirus enhances endogenous L-type currents when compared to uninfected controls or cardiomyocytes infected with nanobodies alone. Additionally, in neurons, co-expression of GeeCC enhanced excitation-transcription coupling. In all, we have developed a genetically-encoded approach to selectively enhance L-type currents. This strategy may enable new insights into cardiovascular and neuronal physiology and pathophysiology, and may have potential therapeutic applications.

A review of plastic waste circular actions in seven developing countries to achieve sustainable development goals.

Plastic waste circularity is a priority at a global level. Sustainable development goals (SDGs) set the ways to go, and the circular economy principles underlined the 'green' strategies to be employed. However, in practice, there is still much to do, especially in developing countries, where open burning and open dumping still represent the common way of plastic waste disposal. This review aims to analyse current plastic waste circular approaches in low-middle income settings. Seven countries were selected based on the economic level and data availability from the authors, and analysed to collect and critically discuss the actions implemented at a city level. Examples of waste minimization and recycling strategies, selective collection systems and public campaigns are reported from Africa, Asia and Latin America. First, a background analysis related to physical and governance aspects of municipal solid waste management systems of the chosen settings was conducted. The assessment was focused on the treatment processes or minimization actions. Then, the applicability of the projects to achieve the SDGs was commented on. The outcomes of the research underline the need to: (1) scale up small-scale and pilot projects, (2) disseminate good practices in more low- to middle-income settings, (3) create synergies among international partners for further replications in cities. Urgent solutions to plastic waste pollution are needed. The review presented practical actions to be implemented now to boost plastic waste circularity in developing cities.

Two new families of finitely generated simple groups of homeomorphisms of the real line

The goal of this article is to exhibit two new families of finitely generated simple groups of homeomorphisms of R. These families are strikingly different from existing families owing to the nature of their actions on R, and exhibit surprising algebraic and dynamical features. The first construction provides the first examples of finitely generated simple groups of homeomorphisms of R that also admit minimal actions by homeomorphisms on the torus. The second construction provides the first examples of finitely generated simple groups of homeomorphisms of R which also admit a minimal action by homeomorphisms on the circle. This also provides new examples of finitely generated simple groups that admit nontrivial homogeneous quasimorphisms (and therefore have infinite commutator width), also being the first such left orderable examples.

Acaricidal Biominerals and Mode-of-Action Studies against Adult Blacklegged Ticks, Ixodes scapularis.

Ticks in the USA are the most important arthropod vector of microbes that cause human and animal disease. The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, the focus of this study, is able to transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease in humans in the USA. The main approach to tick control is the use of chemical acaricides and repellents, but known and potential tick resistance to these chemicals requires the discovery of new methods of control. Volcanic glass, Imergard, was recently developed to mimic the insecticide mode of action of the minerals from diatoms (diatomaceous earth, DE) for the control of malaria mosquitoes in Africa. However, studies on the use of these minerals for tick control are minimal. In a dipping assay, which was put into DE (Celite), the times of 50 and 90% death of adult female I. scapularis were 7.3 and 10.5 h, respectively. Our mimic of DE, Imergard, killed ticks in 6.7 and 11.2 h, respectively. In a choice-mortality assay, ticks moved onto a treated surface of Imergard and died at 11.2 and 15.8 h, respectively. Ticks had greater locomotor activity before death when treated by dipping for both Imergard and Celite versus the no-mineral control. The ticks after making contact with Imergard had the mineral covering most of their body surface shown by scanning electron microscopy with evidence of Imergard inside their respiratory system. Although the assumed mode of action of Imergard and Celite is dehydration, the minerals are not hygroscopic, there was no evidence of cuticle damage, and death occurred in as little as 2 h, suggesting minimal abrasive action of the cuticle. Semi-field and field studies are needed in the future to examine the practical use of Imergard and Celite for tick control, and studies need to examine their effect on tick breathing and respiratory retention of water.

Continuum of allosteric actions for non-amenable surface groups

AbstractLet $\Sigma $ be a closed surface other than the sphere, the torus, the projective plane or the Klein bottle. We construct a continuum of probability measure preserving ergodic minimal profinite actions for the fundamental group of $\Sigma $ that are topologically free but not essentially free, a property that we call allostery. Moreover, the invariant random subgroups we obtain are pairwise distincts.

Finitely presented left orderable monsters

AbstractA left orderable monster is a finitely generated left orderable group all of whose fixed point-free actions on the line are proximal: the action is semiconjugate to a minimal action so that for every bounded interval I and open interval J, there is a group element that sends I into J. In his 2018 ICM address, Navas asked about the existence of left orderable monsters. By now there are several examples, all of which are finitely generated but not finitely presentable. We provide the first examples of left orderable monsters that are finitely presentable, and even of type $F_\infty $ . These groups satisfy several additional properties separating them from the previous examples: they are not simple, they act minimally on the circle, and they have an infinite-dimensional space of homogeneous quasimorphisms. Our construction is flexible enough that it produces infinitely many isomorphism classes of finitely presented (and type $F_{\infty }$ ) left orderable monsters.

The AH conjecture for Cantor minimal dihedral systems

The AH conjecture relates the low-dimensional homology groups of a groupoid with the abelianization of its topological full group. We show that transformation groupoids of minimal actions of the infinite dihedral group on the Cantor set satisfy this conjecture. The proof uses Kakutani–Rokhlin partitions adapted to such systems.

‘You have to use everything and come to some equilibrium’: a qualitative study on hypoglycemia self-management in users of continuous glucose monitor with diverse hypoglycemia experiences

IntroductionAlthough continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMs) can help reduce hypoglycemia, about one-quarter of people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) who use CGMs still either spend at least 1% of the...

ВЛАГОЧУВСТВИТЕЛЬНЫЕ IN SITU СИСТЕМЫ В КОМПЛЕКСНОЙ ТЕРАПИИ АТОПИЧЕСКОГО ДЕРМАТИТА

Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) are modern forms for drug agent delivery with improved biopharmaceutical characteristics. By their formation mechanism they belong to the group of in situ systems - forms formed at the application site, under the influence of specific physiological or pathological factors. Dermatological SEDDS for external use that form an emulsion at the absorption site upon contact with water are characterized by a number of advantages, both in terms of use and technology. Moisture-sensitive SEDDS are compositions of oil, surfactant, emollients and co-surfactants. Emulsification occurs with minimal mechanical action, and the emulsion formed provides effective transdermal absorption of the active ingredients, soothing, moisturizing, and protective effects on the skin. All these advantages can be effectively applied in local symptomatic treatment of atopic dermatitis. Topical SEDDS are currently known to be developed for the treatment of melanoma, viral and fungal diseases, protection against ultraviolet radiation. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic dermatological disease accompanied by itching, burning, dry and flaky skin, reduced protective function of the epidermis, susceptibility to fungal and bacterial infections. Using alkaline skin care products for patients with AD negatively affects the pH of the skin and affects it accordingly. In addition, the using of soaps causes thinning of the skin in both normal and atopic skin, which can aggravate the course of the disease. Therefore, the use of moisture-activated SEDDS in the complex external treatment of AD is reasonable both as agents for daily skin care, maintenance of its basic functions, and as drugs for transdermal delivery of active ingredients.

Antimicrobial Activity and Multi-therapeutic Potential of Salvia officinalis and Mentha longifolia Essential Oils in Leaves

The objective of the current work was to test the antimicrobial impact of Salvia officinalis and Mentha longifolia collected from Al-Madinah city in Saudi Arabia and extracted by hydrodistillation versus Escherichia coli (ATCC25922), Enterobacter cloacae (ATCC13047), Candida tropicalis (ATCC 13803), and Aspergillus fumigates (ATCC46645). M. longifolia essential oils showed higher inhibition zones versus tested microorganisms, especially against E. coli and C. tropicalis. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of M. longifolia essential oils were determined for M. longifolia, where 3.9 and 62.5 µg/ml were the resulted values of the essential oils versus E. coli and C. tropicalis, respectively. Antioxidant impact of essential oils from both plants was compared using a DPPH assay where, M. longifolia showed the most promising antioxidant action with an IC50 of 88.73 ± 2.59 µg/ml. Transmission electron microscopic examination was applied after treatment of E. coli and C. tropicalis using M. longifolia essential oils, which showed their impact to destroy tested bacterial and fungal microbes as standard drugs. M. longifolia essential oils were further tested versus colorectal cancer cells, showed their cytotoxic impact versus cancer cells with an IC50 of 97.61 ± 1.8 μg/ml and confirmed by flow cytometric analysis, which showed that treated cells by M. longifolia essential oils dramatically elevated their apoptotic rate (P< 0.05) compared to untreated Caco-2 cells. M. longifolia essential oils showed minimal cytopathic action versus Vero cells, which revealed their potency. These results illustrated the possible pleiotropic experimental roles of M. longifolia growing in Al-Madinah City to be applied in pharmaceutical applications after in vivo confirmation of results.

Classifiability of crossed products by nonamenable groups

Abstract We show that all amenable, minimal actions of a large class of nonamenable countable groups on compact metric spaces have dynamical comparison. This class includes all nonamenable hyperbolic groups, many HNN-extensions, nonamenable Baumslag–Solitar groups, a large class of amalgamated free products, lattices in many Lie groups, A ~ 2 {\widetilde{A}_{2}} -groups, as well as direct products of the above with arbitrary countable groups. As a consequence, crossed products by amenable, minimal and topologically free actions of such groups on compact metric spaces are Kirchberg algebras in the UCT class, and are therefore classified by K-theory.

Toward complete coverage planning using deep reinforcement learning by trapezoid-based transformable robot

Shape-shifting robots are the feasible solutions to solve the Complete Coverage Planning (CCP) problem. These robots can extend the covered areas by reconfiguring their shape to different forms according to space conditions. Since energy usage while navigating is constrained by the number of shape-shifting, it is desirable to cover the confined areas by trajectory using minimal robot actions within finite states. This paper presents a CCP method using deep reinforcement learning (DRL) for a reconfigurable robot with a trapezoid shape called Transbot. The framework derives optimal action policy for robot trajectory within the grid-based workspace. DRL model relies on Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) with Long Short Temporary Memory (LSTM) layers using Actor-Critic with Experience Replay (ACER) as the decision layers. The trained DRL model simultaneously generates robot shapes and directions with optimal energy cost by maximizing the cumulative reward representing the Transbot actions. By creating the trajectory with less 28.95% energy and 19.42% time in tested simulation and real-world experiments, the proposed CCP framework outperforms the existing tiling-based heuristic optimization techniques.

Exotic ideals in free transformation group C∗$\mathbf {C}^*$‐algebras

AbstractLet be a discrete group acting freely via homeomorphisms on the compact Hausdorff space and let be the completion of the convolution algebra with respect to a ‐norm . A non‐zero ideal is exotic if . We show that exotic ideals are present whenever is non‐amenable and there is an invariant probability measure on . This fact, along with the recent theory of exotic crossed product functors, allows us to provide answers to two questions of K. Thomsen.Using the Koopman representation and a recent theorem of Elek, we show that when is a countably‐infinite group having property (T) and is the Cantor set, there exists a free and minimal action of on and a ‐norm on such that contains the compact operators as an exotic ideal. We use this example to provide a positive answer to a question of A. Katavolos and V. Paulsen.The opaque and grey ideals in have trivial intersection with , and a result from Exel and Pitts [Characterizing groupoid ‐algebras of non‐Hausdorff étale groupoids, Lecture Notes in Mathematics, vol. 2306, Springer, Cham, 2022] shows that they coincide when the action of is free; however, the problem of whether these ideals can be non‐zero was left unresolved. We present an example of a free action of on a compact Hausdorff space along with a ‐norm for which these ideals are non‐trivial, in particular, they are exotic ideals.

Symmetry and nonsymmetry of minimal action sign-changing solutions for the Choquard system

AbstractIn this article, we consider the following Choquard system inRNN≥1{{\mathbb{R}}}^{N}N\ge 1−Δu+u=2pp+q(Iα∗∣v∣q)∣u∣p−2u,−Δv+v=2qp+q(Iα∗∣u∣p)∣v∣q−2v,u(x)→0,v(x)→0as∣x∣→∞,\left\{\begin{array}{l}-\Delta u+u=\frac{2p}{p+q}({I}_{\alpha }\ast | v{| }^{q})| u{| }^{p-2}u,\\ -\Delta v+v=\frac{2q}{p+q}({I}_{\alpha }\ast | u{| }^{p})| v{| }^{q-2}v,\\ u\left(x)\to 0,v\left(x)\to 0\hspace{1em}\hspace{0.1em}\text{as}\hspace{0.1em}\hspace{0.33em}| x| \to \infty ,\end{array}\right.whereN+αN<p,q<N+αN−2\frac{N+\alpha }{N}\lt p,q\lt \frac{N+\alpha }{N-2},2∗α{2}_{\ast }^{\alpha }denotesN+αN−2\frac{N+\alpha }{N-2}ifN≥3N\ge 3and2∗α≔∞{2}_{\ast }^{\alpha }:= \inftyifN=1,2N=1,2,Iα{I}_{\alpha }is a Riesz potential. By analyzing the asymptotic behavior of Riesz potential energy, we prove that minimal action sign-changing solutions have an odd symmetry with respect to the a hyperplane whenα\alphais either close to 0 or close toNN. Our results can be regarded as a generalization of the results by Ruiz et al.

The Entropy of Digital Texts-The Mathematical Background of Correctness.

Based on Shannon's communication theory, in the present paper, we provide the theoretical background to finding an objective measurement-the text-entropy-that can describe the quality of digital natural language documents handled with word processors. The text-entropy can be calculated from the formatting, correction, and modification entropy, and based on these values, we are able to tell how correct or how erroneous digital text-based documents are. To present how the theory can be applied to real-world texts, for the present study, three erroneous MS Word documents were selected. With these examples, we can demonstrate how to build their correcting, formatting, and modification algorithms, to calculate the time spent on modification and the entropy of the completed tasks, in both the original erroneous and the corrected documents. In general, it was found that using and modifying properly edited and formatted digital texts requires less or an equal number of knowledge-items. In information theory, it means that less data must be put on the communication channel than in the case of erroneous documents. The analysis also revealed that in the corrected documents not only the quantity of the data is less, but the quality of the data (knowledge pieces) is higher. As the consequence of these two findings, it is proven that the modification time of erroneous documents is severalfold of the correct ones, even in the case of minimal first level actions. It is also proven that to avoid the repetition of the time- and resource-consuming actions, we must correct the documents before their modification.

On continuous orbit equivalence rigidity for virtually cyclic group actions

We prove that any two continuous minimal (topologically free) actions of the infinite dihedral group on an infinite compact Hausdorff space are continuously orbit equivalent only if they are conjugate. We also show the above fails if we replace the infinite dihedral group by certain other virtually cyclic groups, e.g., the direct product of the integer group with any non-abelian finite simple group.

Chemical Composition, Microencapsulation and Comparative Antimicrobial Studies of Unencapsulated and Encapsulated Carrot Seed Essential Oil

The present study aimed to isolate and encapsulate carrot seed essential oil (CSEO) and to compare the antimicrobial potential of unencapsulated and encapsulated essential oil. Hydrodistilled CSEO was colourless to yellowish in colour with yield of 1.6% w/w. Chemical characterization by GC/MS revealed Carotol, Daucol and Daucene as major components. Microencapsulation was carried out employing a complex coacervation technique. The influence of gelatin and carrot seed essential oil concentration on the various parameters such as size, morphology, thermal properties, encapsulation and loading efficiency of the microcapsules were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy displayed quasi-spherical microcapsules. The pyrolysis behavior under thermal properties was divided into three stages. The highest encapsulation efficiency was achieved with 4: 6 ratio of gelatin: CSEO. The encapsulated and unencapsulated CSEO showed moderate bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus whereas minimal action against Escherichia coli. This study suggested the potential utilization of encapsulated essential oil for the long preservation of food stuff.

Data De-identification Framework

As technology develops, the amount of information being used has increased a lot. Every company learns big data to provide customized services with its customers. Accordingly, collecting and analyzing data of the data subject has become one of the core competencies of the companies. However, when collecting and using it, the authority of the data subject may be violated. The data often identifies its subject by itself, and even if it is not a personal information that infringes on an individual’s authority, the moment it is connected, it becomes important and sensitive personal information that we have never thought of. Therefore, recent privacy regulations such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) are changing to guarantee more rights of the data subjects. To use data effectively without infringing on the rights of the data subject, the concept of de-identification has been created. Researchers and companies can make personal information less identifiable through appropriate de-identification/pseudonymization and use the data for the purpose of statistical research. De-identification/pseudonymization techniques have been studied a lot, but it is difficult for companies and researchers to know how to de-identify/pseudonymize data. It is difficult to clearly understand how and to what extent each organization should take de-identification measures. Currently, each organization does not systematically analyze and conduct the situation but only takes minimal action while looking at the guidelines distributed by each country. We solved this problem from the perspective of risk management. Several steps are required to secure the dataset starting from pre-processing to releasing the dataset. We can analyze the dataset, analyze the risk, evaluate the risk, and treat the risk appropriately. The outcomes of each step can then be used to take appropriate action on the dataset to eliminate or reduce its risk. Then, we can release the dataset under its own purpose. These series of processes were reconstructed to fit the current situation by analyzing various standards such as ISO/IEC (International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission) 20889, NIST IR (National Institute of Standards and Technology Interagency Reports) 8053, NIST SP (National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publications) 800-188, and ITU-T (International Telecommunications Union-Telecommunication) X.1148. We propose an integrated framework based on situational awareness model and risk management model. We found that this framework can be specialized for multiple domains, and it is useful because it is based on a variety of case and utility-based ROI calculations.

Mecanismos de proteção de direitos de propriedade no sistema agroindustrial do leite: Um estudo no Paraná, Brasil, e na antiga Midi-Pyrénées, França

Abstract Purpose: This study aims to understand the mechanisms of property rights guarantee in the dairy agro-industrial system (DAGS) in Paraná, Brazil, and in the old Midi-Pyrénées region, France. Originality/value: From a complementary perspective of Transaction Cost Theory and Measurement Cost Theory, the proposal in the study is that the use of mechanisms to guarantee property rights through safeguards, parameters, measurement, agreements, or litigation contributes to the transaction of differentiated products and also to the protection of these rights, favoring systems improvement. Design/method/approach: A descriptive qualitative study was done, encompassing 25 semi-structured interviews with producers, processors, and key agents of the DAGS in the state of Paraná in Brazil and in the old Midi-Pyrénées region of France, in 2016 and 2017. Qualitative content analysis was performed with NVivo Pro software. Findings: It was identified that in France and in the central-eastern and western regions of Paraná, the use of complementary protection property rights mechanisms (safeguards, parameters, measurement, agreements, or litigation) allows higher quality milk transactions and reinvestments in production by agents, contributing to system improvement. In the northern region of Paraná, the limited use of property rights mechanisms (verbal agreement, measurement, unreliable information sharing, and the absence of ex post protection) allows minimal quality milk trans actions and restricts reinvestments in production, limiting systems improvement.

Sequence Modeling of Passive Sensing Data for Treatment Response Prediction in Major Depressive Disorder.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent mental health condition and has become a pressing societal challenge. Early prediction of treatment response may aid in the rehabilitation engineering of depression, which is of great practical significance for the relief of suffering and burden of MDD. In this paper, we present a sequence modeling approach that uses data collected by passive sensing techniques to predict patients with an outcome of treatment responded defined by the reduction in clinical administrated scales. Hundreds of patients with MDD have been recruited from outpatient clinics at 4 psychiatric sites. Each has been delivered with a self-developed app to passively record their daily phone usage and physical data with minimal human action. An unavoidable dilemma in passive sensing is missing values. To overcome that, the proposed approach combined feature extraction and sequence modeling methods to fully utilize the pattern of missing values from longitudinal data. With no treatment constraints, it enables us to predict the treatment response of MDD 8-10 weeks before the completion of the treatment course, leaving time for preventative measures. Our work explored the feasibility of treatment response prediction using longitudinal passive sensing data and sparse ground truth, and also has the potential for preventing depression by forecasting treatment outcomes weeks in advance.