A Software Suite for the Control and the Monitoring of Adaptive Robotic Ecologies

Adaptive robotic ecologies are networks of heterogeneous robotic devices (sensors, actuators, automated appliances) pervasively embedded in everyday environments, where they learn to cooperate towards the achievement of complex tasks. While their flexibility makes them an increasingly popular way to improve a system’s reliability, scalability, robustness and autonomy, their effective realisation demands integrated control and software solutions for the specification, integration and management of their highly heterogeneous and computational constrained components. In this extended abstract we briefly illustrate the characteristic requirements dictated by robotic ecologies, discuss our experience in developing adaptive robotic ecologies, and provide an overview of the specific solutions developed as part of the EU FP7 RUBICON Project

3D bioprinted human cortical neural constructs derived from induced pluripotent stem cells

Bioprinting techniques use bioinks made of biocompatible non-living materials and cells to build 3D constructs in a controlled manner and with micrometric resolution. 3D bioprinted structures representative of several human tissues have been recently produced using cells derived by differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Human iPSCs can be differentiated in a wide range of neurons and glia, providing an ideal tool for modeling the human nervous system. Here we report a neural construct generated by 3D bioprinting of cortical neurons and glial precursors derived from human iPSCs. We show that the extrusion-based printing process does not impair cell viability in the short and long term. Bioprinted cells can be further differentiated within the construct and properly express neuronal and astrocytic markers. Functional analysis of 3D bioprinted cells highlights an early stage of maturation and the establishment of early network activity behaviors. This work lays the basis for generating more complex and faithful 3D models of the human nervous systems by bioprinting neural cells derived from iPSCs

Quantitative models of hydrothermal fluid–mineral reaction:The Ischia case

The intricate pathways of fluid–mineral reactions occurring underneath active hydrothermal systems are explored in this study by applying reaction path modelling to the Ischia case study. Ischia Island, in Southern Italy, hosts a well-developed and structurally complex hydrothermal system which, because of its heterogeneity in chemical and physical properties, is an ideal test sites for evaluating potentialities/limitations of quantitative geochemical models of hydrothermal reactions. We used the EQ3/6 software package, version 7.2b, to model reaction of infiltrating waters (mixtures of meteoric water and seawater in variable proportions) with Ischia’s reservoir rocks (the Mount Epomeo Green Tuff units; MEGT). The mineral assemblage and composition of such MEGT units were initially characterised by ad hoc designed optical microscopy and electron microprobe analysis, showing that phenocrysts (dominantly alkali–feldspars and plagioclase) are set in a pervasively altered (with abundant clay minerals and zeolites) groundmass. Reaction of infiltrating waters with MEGT minerals was simulated over a range of realistic (for Ischia) temperatures (95–260° C) and CO2 fugacities (10 ^-0.2 to 10^0.5) bar. During the model runs, a set of secondary minerals (selected based on independent information from alteration minerals’ studies) was allowed to precipitate from model solutions, when saturation was achieved. The compositional evolution of model solutions obtained in the 95–260°C runs were finally compared with compositions of Ischia’s thermal groundwaters, demonstrating an overall agreement. Our simulations, in particular, well reproduce the Mg-depleting maturation path of hydrothermal solutions, and have end-of-run model solutions whose Na–K–Mg compositions well reflect attainment of full-equilibrium conditions at run temperature. High-temperature (180–260° C) model runs are those best matching the Na–K–Mg compositions of Ischia’s most chemically mature water samples, supporting quenching of deep-reservoir conditions for these surface manifestations; whilst Fe, SiO2 and, to a lesser extent, SO4 contents of natural samples are better reproduced in low-temperature (95°C) runs, suggesting that these species reflect conditions of water–rock interaction in the shallow hydrothermal environment. The ability of model runs to reproduce the compositional features of Ischia’s thermal manifestations, demonstrated here, adds supplementary confidence on reaction path modelling as a realistic and insightful representation of mineral–fluid hydrothermal reactions. Our results, in particular, demonstrate the significant impact of host rock minerals’ assemblage in governing the paths and trends of hydrothermal fluids’ maturation

Numerical modelling of gas-water-rock interactions in volcanic-hydrothermal environment: the Ischia Island (Southern Italy) case study.

Hydrothermal systems hosted within active volcanic systems represent an excellent opportunity to investigate the interactions between aquifer rocks, infiltrating waters and deep-rising magmatic fluids, and thus allow deriving information on the activity state of dormant volcanoes. From a thermodynamic perspective, gas-water-rock interaction processes are normally far from equilibrium, but can be represented by an array of chemical reactions, in which irreversible mass transfer occurs from host rock minerals to leaching solutions, and then to secondary hydrothermal minerals. While initially developed to investigate interactions in near-surface groundwater environments, the reaction path modeling approach of Helgeson and co-workers can also be applied to quantitative investigation of reactions in high T-P environments. Ischia volcano, being the site of diffuse hydrothermal circulation, is an ideal place where to test the application of reaction-path modeling. Since its last eruption in 1302 AD, Ischia has shown a variety of hydrothermal features, including fumarolic emissions, diffuse soil degassing and hot waters discharges. These are the superficial manifestation of an intense hydrothermal circulation at depth. A recent work has shown the existence of several superposed aquifers; the shallowest (near to boiling) feeds the numerous surface thermal discharges, and is recharged by both superficial waters and deeper and hotter (150-260° C) hydrothermal reservoir fluids. Here, we use reaction path modelling (performed by using the code EQ3/6) to quantitatively constrain the compositional evolution of Ischia thermal fluids during their hydrothermal flow. Simulations suggest that compositions of Ischia groundwaters are buffered by interactions between reservoir rocks and recharge waters (meteoric fluids variably mixed - from 2 to 80% - with seawater) at shallow aquifer conditions. A CO2 rich gaseous phase is also involved in the interaction processes (fCO2 = 0.4-0.6 bar). Overall, our model calculations satisfactorily reproduce the main chemical features of Ischia groundwaters. In the model runs, attainment of partial to complete equilibrium with albite and K-feldspar fixes the Na/K ratios of the model solutions at values closely matching those of natural samples. Precipitation of secondary phases, mainly clay minerals (smectite and saponite) and zeolites (clinoptilolite), during the reaction path is able to well explain the large Mg-depletions which characterise Ischia thermal groundwaters; while pyrite and troilite are shown to control sulphur abundance in aqueous solutions. SiO2(aq) contents in model simulations fit those measured in groundwaters and are being buffered by the formation of quartz polymorphs and Si-bearing minerals. Finally, our simulations are able to reproduce redox conditions and Fe-depletion trends of natural samples. We conclude that reaction path modelling is an useful tool for quantitative exploration of chemical process within volcano-hosted hydrothermal systems

Ex-vivo recruitment and x-ray assessment of donor lungs in a challenging retrieval from a donor supported by lvad using the portable normothermic perfusion system: A case report

Lung transplantation (LTx) is limited by the shortage of suitable donors. To overcome this problem, many programs have begun to use donors with extended criteria (marginal donors). However, brain-dead patients with implanted mechanical circulatory support system have rarely been considered as potential lung donors. This case demonstrates the feasibility of lung transplantations from organ donors supported by a mechanical circulatory support system despite the possible difficulties of lung retrieval. CASE PRESENTATION: Our case presents a successful procurement and bilateral lung transplantation from a donor supported by a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) who experienced an intraoperatively haemodynamic complication. The use of portable normothermic perfusion device let us to reduce ischemic injury and assess these marginal donor lungs helping us to determine the clinical suitability for transplantation. Given our extensive experience with the device instrumentation and management, the EVLP process was uneventful with excellent post-transplant course. CONCLUSIONS: This case report demonstrates the feasibility of lung transplantations from organ donors supported by a mechanical circulatory support system using the portable normothermic perfusion platform to assess and preserve these donor lungs

Multi-agent quality of experience control

In the framework of the Future Internet, the aim of the Quality of Experience (QoE) Control functionalities is to track the personalized desired QoE level of the applications. The paper proposes to perform such a task by dynamically selecting the most appropriate Classes of Service (among the ones supported by the network), this selection being driven by a novel heuristic Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL) algorithm. The paper shows that such an approach offers the opportunity to cope with some practical implementation problems: in particular, it allows to face the so-called “curse of dimensionality” of MARL algorithms, thus achieving satisfactory performance results even in the presence of several hundreds of Agents

Nuevas normas de auditoría en Argentina

En términos generales, la resolución técnica 37 (2013) tiene como finalidad modificar las normas profesionales de auditoría vigentes en la Argentina, fundamentalmente para incluir nuevos servicios ya contemplados en las normas internacionales de aseguramiento y servicios relacionados, adoptadas ahora por la FACPCE, y adecuar las normas de antigua data, hasta el momento existentes. La justificación del tema está dada por la gran importancia en materia de auditoría que implican los cambios introducidos por las nuevas resoluciones, ya que cambiarán no sólo las normas, sino también los tipos de informes y los servicios brindados, no así la metodología para la ejecución de las labores y procedimientos de auditoría, adoptando nuevas situaciones ya contemplados por las normas internacionales. Además el objetivo primordial de este trabajo es que sirva de base para el estudio de la materia tanto para los nuevos alumnos como así también para aquellos que estudiaron el campo de la auditoría a través de la normativa anterior, como así también cualquier otro interesado, pudiendo visualizar y sobretodo comparar fácilmente las modificaciones de fondo entre una y otra.Fil: Di Leo, Alessandro Franco. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas.Fil: Sibecas, Nicolás Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas.Fil: Victorio Marino, Federico José. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas.Fil: Villa Chiartano, Federico Nicolás. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas

New silibinin glyco-conjugates: Synthesis and evaluation of antioxidant properties

New silibinin glyco-conjugates have been synthesized by efficient method and in short time. Exploiting our solution phase strategy, several structurally diverse silibinin glyco-conjugates (gluco, manno, galacto, and lacto-) were successfully realized in very good yields and in short time. In preliminary study to evaluate their antioxidant and neuroprotective activities new derivatives were subjected to DPPH free radical scavenging assay and the Xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibition models assay. Irrespective of the sugar moiety examined, new glyco-conjugates are more than 50 times water-soluble of silibinin. In the other hand they exhibit a radical scavenging activities slightly higher than to silibinin and XO inhibition at least as silibinin. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Compiler techniques for binary analysis and hardening

Despite the growing popularity of interpreted or byte-compiled languages, C/C++ and other languages targeting native code are still dominantly used for system programming. Programs compiled to native code present a set of challenges compared to alternatives. In particular, in this work we focus on how they can be efficiently analyzed, how existing security measures (known as "binary hardening techniques") perform, and how new ones can be introduced to secure features that have received little attention. We propose rev.ng a binary analysis framework based on QEMU, a popular dynamic binary translator and emulator, and LLVM, a mature and flexible compiler framework. rev.ng can easily handle a large number of architectures and features a set of analyses to recover basic blocks locations, function boundaries and prototypes in an architecture- and ABI-independent way. rev.ng can be used for instrumentation, debugging, decompilation, retrofitting of security features and many more purposes. Our prototype encompasses about 17 kSLOC of C++ code and has been publicly released under a Free Software license. The core component of rev.ng is revamb: a static binary translator which can accurately identify all the basic blocks, and, in particular, the targets of indirect jumps for switch statements. Along this work, we will make heavy use of analysis techniques popular in the compiler literature, such as Monotone Frameworks, to recover an accurate control-flow graph, identify function boundaries and the number and location of function arguments and return values. We will also discuss how rev.ng can handle native dynamic libraries, how it can be easily employed for instrumentation purposes, how it can be extended to handle even more architectures and how its performance compares to tools with analogous purposes such as QEMU, Valgrind, Pin and angr. We also study two often overlooked features of C/C++ programs: variadic functions and the RELRO link-time protection mechanism. We propose HexVASAN, a sanitizer for variadic functions to ensure that the number and type of arguments used by the variadic function match those passed by the caller, and leakless, an exploitation technique to bypass the RELRO protection in its several forms.Despite the growing popularity of interpreted or byte-compiled languages, C/C++ and other languages targeting native code are still dominantly used for system programming. Programs compiled to native code present a set of challenges compared to alternatives. In particular, in this work we focus on how they can be efficiently analyzed, how existing security measures (known as "binary hardening techniques") perform, and how new ones can be introduced to secure features that have received little attention. We propose rev.ng a binary analysis framework based on QEMU, a popular dynamic binary translator and emulator, and LLVM, a mature and flexible compiler framework. rev.ng can easily handle a large number of architectures and features a set of analyses to recover basic blocks locations, function boundaries and prototypes in an architecture- and ABI-independent way. rev.ng can be used for instrumentation, debugging, decompilation, retrofitting of security features and many more purposes. Our prototype encompasses about 17 kSLOC of C++ code and has been publicly released under a Free Software license. The core component of rev.ng is revamb: a static binary translator which can accurately identify all the basic blocks, and, in particular, the targets of indirect jumps for switch statements. Along this work, we will make heavy use of analysis techniques popular in the compiler literature, such as Monotone Frameworks, to recover an accurate control-flow graph, identify function boundaries and the number and location of function arguments and return values. We will also discuss how rev.ng can handle native dynamic libraries, how it can be easily employed for instrumentation purposes, how it can be extended to handle even more architectures and how its performance compares to tools with analogous purposes such as QEMU, Valgrind, Pin and angr. We also study two often overlooked features of C/C++ programs: variadic functions and the RELRO link-time protection mechanism. We propose HexVASAN, a sanitizer for variadic functions to ensure that the number and type of arguments used by the variadic function match those passed by the caller, and leakless, an exploitation technique to bypass the RELRO protection in its several forms.DIPARTIMENTO DI ELETTRONICA, INFORMAZIONE E BIOINGEGNERIAComputer Science and Engineering30BONARINI, ANDREABONARINI, ANDRE