cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Manifolds with nonnegative curvature operator of the second kind
Creators: name: Li, Xiaolong
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2021
Subjects: subject: Differential Geometry (math.DG)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: 53C20. 53C21. 53C24

description: We investigate the curvature operator of the second kind on Riemannian manifolds and prove several classification results. The first one asserts that a closed Riemannian manifold with three-positive curvature operator of the second kind is diffeomorphic to a spherical space form, improving a recent result of Cao-Gursky-Tran assuming two-positivity. The second one states that a closed Riemannian manifold with three-nonnegative curvature operator of the second kind is either diffeomorphic to a spherical space form, or flat, or isometric to a quotient of a compact irreducible symmetric space. This settles the nonnegativity part of Nishikawa's conjecture under a weaker assumption.
description: Final version, to appear in Commun. Contemp. Math. Theorem 1.6 added; Footnotes added; Remark 2.1 added; Comments are welcome. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2207.00520
title: Visually Guided Inter-limb Adaptation During Walking In Children And Adults
Creators: name: Choi, Julia T.
name: Jensen, Peter
name: Nielsen, Jens Bo
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2014

description: Voluntary visually guided movements must be constantly adapted to maintain accuracy. Here we applied principles of visuomotor adaptation to drive inter-limb adaptation of joint kinematics during voluntary, visually guided walking. We tested whether step length symmetry could be adapted and stored after training with mismatched visual feedback on two legs. 17 healthy children (9M/8F, 6-15 yrs) and 8 healthy adults (7M/1F, 26±6 yrs) were tested. We created a computer task where subjects modified step length trial-by-trial to hit virtual targets while walking on a treadmill. The relationship between screen-space and treadmill-space was defined by a visuomotor gain for each leg. Each test consisted of a baseline period (same gain on both legs), an adaptation period (one high gain, one low gain) and a post-adaptation period (same gain). The ‘fast leg’ and ‘slow leg’ refers to the leg adapted with the higher and lower gain, respectively. During the adaptation period, the leg adapted with the higher gain appeared to move fast, and the other leg appeared to move slowly on display. All healthy children and adults tested could rescale step length to maintain endpoint accuracy during visually guided walking. Step length gradually became more asymmetric during adaptation. The fast leg shortened step length (to correct overshoot), and the slow leg lengthened step length (to correct undershoot). In the post-adaptation period, step length asymmetry persisted (after-effect) despite the fact that the gains have returned to normal. The presence of an after-effect indicates storage of a new inter-limb visuomotor calibration. The after-effect was partially washed out after one minute of post-adaptation walking. This study suggests that visually guided inter-limb adaptation can alter step length, a major determinant of gait stability and energetic costs. This may open up new opportunities to correct abnormal, asymmetric walking patterns in children and adults with neurological damage.
Statistical Model Checking for Biological Applications
Creators: name: Zuliani, Paolo
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Logic in Computer Science (cs.LO)
subject: Systems and Control (eess.SY)
subject: Quantitative Methods (q-bio.QM)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences
subject: FOS: Electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering
subject: FOS: Biological sciences

description: In this paper we survey recent work on the use of statistical model checking techniques for biological applications. We begin with an overview of the basic modelling techniques for biochemical reactions and their corresponding stochastic simulation algorithm - the Gillespie algorithm. We continue by giving a brief description of the relation between stochastic models and continuous (ordinary differential equation) models. Next we present a literature survey, divided in two general areas. In the first area we focus on works addressing verification of biological models, while in the second area we focus on papers tackling the parameter synthesis problem. We conclude with some open problems and directions for further research.
Realization of an Error-Correcting Surface Code with Superconducting Qubits
Creators: name: Zhao, Youwei
name: Ye, Yangsen
name: Huang, He-Liang
name: Zhang, Yiming
name: Wu, Dachao
name: Guan, Huijie
name: Zhu, Qingling
name: Wei, Zuolin
name: He, Tan
name: Cao, Sirui
name: Chen, Fusheng
name: Chung, Tung-Hsun
name: Deng, Hui
name: Fan, Daojin
name: Gong, Ming
name: Guo, Cheng
name: Guo, Shaojun
name: Han, Lianchen
name: Li, Na
name: Li, Shaowei
name: Li, Yuan
name: Liang, Futian
name: Lin, Jin
name: Qian, Haoran
name: Rong, Hao
name: Su, Hong
name: Sun, Lihua
name: Wang, Shiyu
name: Wu, Yulin
name: Xu, Yu
name: Ying, Chong
name: Yu, Jiale
name: Zha, Chen
name: Zhang, Kaili
name: Huo, Yong-Heng
name: Lu, Chao-Yang
name: Peng, Cheng-Zhi
name: Zhu, Xiaobo
name: Pan, Jian-Wei
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2021
Subjects: subject: Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Quantum error correction is a critical technique for transitioning from noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices to fully fledged quantum computers. The surface code, which has a high threshold error rate, is the leading quantum error correction code for two-dimensional grid architecture. So far, the repeated error correction capability of the surface code has not been realized experimentally. Here, we experimentally implement an error-correcting surface code, the distance-3 surface code which consists of 17 qubits, on the \textit{Zuchongzhi} 2.1 superconducting quantum processor. By executing several consecutive error correction cycles, the logical error can be significantly reduced after applying corrections, achieving the repeated error correction of surface code for the first time. This experiment represents a fully functional instance of an error-correcting surface code, providing a key step on the path towards scalable fault-tolerant quantum computing.
Bayesian Neural Networks for Reversible Steganography
Creators: name: Chang, Ching-Chun
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Machine Learning (cs.LG)
subject: Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (cs.CV)
subject: Multimedia (cs.MM)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: Recent advances in deep learning have led to a paradigm shift in the field of reversible steganography. A fundamental pillar of reversible steganography is predictive modelling which can be realised via deep neural networks. However, non-trivial errors exist in inferences about some out-of-distribution and noisy data. In view of this issue, we propose to consider uncertainty in predictive models based upon a theoretical framework of Bayesian deep learning, thereby creating an adaptive steganographic system. Most modern deep-learning models are regarded as deterministic because they only offer predictions while failing to provide uncertainty measurement. Bayesian neural networks bring a probabilistic perspective to deep learning and can be regarded as self-aware intelligent machinery; that is, a machine that knows its own limitations. To quantify uncertainty, we apply Bayesian statistics to model the predictive distribution and approximate it through Monte Carlo sampling with stochastic forward passes. We further show that predictive uncertainty can be disentangled into aleatoric and epistemic uncertainties and these quantities can be learnt unsupervised. Experimental results demonstrate an improvement delivered by Bayesian uncertainty analysis upon steganographic rate-distortion performance.
title: International Rule of Law Through International Investment Law
title: Strengths, Challenges and Opportunities
titleType: Subtitle
Creators: name: Zivkovic, Velimir
Publisher: name: Universität Potsdam
Year: 2019

description: In challenging times for international law, there might be a heightened need for both analysis and prescription. The international rule of law as a connecting thread that goes through the global legal order is a particularly salient topic. By providing a working understanding of the content and contexts of the international rule of law, and by taking the regime of international investment law as a case study, this paper argues that assessing 'rise' or 'decline' motions in this sphere warrants a nuanced approach that should recognise parallel positive and negative developments. Whilst prominent procedural and substantive aspects of international investment law strongly align with the international rule of law requirements, numerous challenges threaten the future existence of the regime and appeal of international rule of law more broadly. At the same time, opportunities exist to adapt the substantive decision-making processes in investor-State disputes so to pursue parallel goals of enhancing rule of law at both international and national levels. Through recognising the specificities of interaction between international and national sphere, arbitrators can further reinvigorate the legitimacy of international rule of law through international investment law - benefitting thus the future of both.
description: KFG Working Paper Series, 16
TEORIA NOVO-DESENVOLVIMENTISTA E TEORIA LIBERAL COMPARADAS
Creators: name: Albertin de Moraes, Isaías
Publisher: name: figshare
Year: 2023
Subjects: Economic history
Socio-economic development
Economic development policy
Economic models and forecasting
History of economic thought

description: A ocasião, portanto, foi uma excelente oportunidade de debates e de refle-xões acerca do desenvolvimento econômico do Brasil e da América Latina. Além de possibilitar uma entrevista com Bresser-Pereira, um dos maiores expoentes do pensamento desenvolvimentista brasileiro. Aos 84 anos de idade, o econo-mista, administrador de empresas, advogado, Ex-Ministro de Estado e Professor Emérito da FGV, Bresser-Pereira continua meditando e produzindo copiosa-mente sobre desenvolvimento econômico. Recentemente, Bresser-Pereira vem se dedicando à Teoria do Novo Desenvolvimentismo, assim, buscamos a partir des sa breve entrevista, concedida por e-mail em fevereiro de 2018, trazer um pouco das experiências, reflexões e teorias desse humanista brasileiro extremamente engajado e comprometido com a produção, divulgação e execução do saber econômico, político, social correlacionado ao desenvolvimento latino-americano
title: Networks Fighting Nicotine: Will Visitors to a Tobacco Cessation Website Engage in an Online Support Community?
Creators: name: Cutrona, Sarah L.
name: Sadasivam, Rajani S.
name: Delaughter, Kathryn
name: Gilbert, Gregg H.
name: Ray, Midge N.
name: Houston, Thomas K.
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2014

description: Background: Online tobacco cessation social networks may influence effectiveness of Web-Assisted Tobacco Interventions (WATIs). Purpose: To understand characteristics and quit rates of WATI participants navigating to BecomeAnEx.org, an online cessation network. Methods: We recruited 759 smokers to a WATI (decide2quit.org), through in-person primary care and dental office referrals and Google ads. We used online surveys to gather data on sociodemographics, tobacco use, and readiness to quit. Smokers were able to navigate online from the WATI to an online social network supporting cessation (BecomeAnEx.org). We identified visitors to and registrants with BecomeAnEx.org, examining associations between BecomeAnEx.org use and sociodemographic characteristics, patterns of WATI use and likelihood of tobacco cessation. Results: One-quarter (26.0%) of WATI users visited BecomeAnEx.org ; 7.5% registered. BecomeAnEx.org visitors were more likely than nonvisitors to be female (73.0% vs. 62.6% p<0.01) and more likely to have visited a smoking cessation website before (43.9% vs 17.4%, p<.01). Registrants were more likely to engage in other WATI tools including e-mails to trained tobacco specialists (68.4% vs 28.8). No significant association was found between BecomeAnEx.org use (visiting or registration) and tobacco cessation. Conclusions: BecomeAnEx.org navigation from our WATI was limited, attracting those already inclined toward online cessation tools. Future studies must explore whether online cessation social networks may have additional benefits if designed to attract larger audiences.
Semiconducting layered blue phosphorus: A computational study
Creators: name: Zhu, Zhen
name: Tomanek, David
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci)
subject: Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics (cond-mat.mes-hall)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We investigate a previously unknown phase of phosphorus that shares its layered structure and high stability with the black phosphorus allotrope. We find the in-plane hexagonal structure and bulk layer stacking of this structure, which we call `blue phosphorus', to be related to graphite. Unlike graphite and black phosphorus, blue phosphorus displays a wide fundamental band gap and should exfoliate easily to form quasi-2D structures suitable for electronic applications. We study a likely transformation pathway from black to blue phosphorus and discuss possible ways to synthesize the new structure.
description: 5 pages, 4 figures; accepted by Phys. Rev. Lett
A Time-Constrained Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem in Urban E-Commerce Delivery
Creators: name: Cokyasar, Taner
name: Subramanyam, Anirudh
name: Larson, Jeffrey
name: Stinson, Monique
name: Sahin, Olcay
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Optimization and Control (math.OC)
subject: FOS: Mathematics

description: Electric vehicle routing problems can be particularly complex when recharging must be performed mid-route. In some applications such as the e-commerce parcel delivery truck routing, however, mid-route recharging may not be necessary because of constraints on vehicle capacities and maximum allowed time for delivery. In this study, we develop a mixed-integer optimization model that exactly solves such a time-constrained capacitated vehicle routing problem, especially of interest to e-commerce parcel delivery vehicles. We compare our solution method with an existing metaheuristic and carry out exhaustive case studies considering four U.S. cities -- Austin, TX; Bloomington, IL; Chicago, IL; and Detroit, MI -- and two vehicle types: conventional vehicles and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). In these studies we examine the impact of vehicle capacity, maximum allowed travel time, service time (dwelling time to physically deliver the parcel), and BEV range on system-level performance metrics including vehicle miles traveled (VMT). We find that the service time followed by the vehicle capacity plays a key role in the performance of our approach. We assume an 80-mile BEV range as a baseline without mid-route recharging. Our results show that BEV range has a minimal impact on performance metrics because the VMT per vehicle averages around 72 miles. In a case study for shared-economy parcel deliveries, we observe that VMT could be reduced by 38.8\% in Austin if service providers were to operate their distribution centers jointly.
title: Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies to Prevent Tuberculosis Infection
Creators: name: Crowley, Andrew
name: Emery, Chloe
name: Martens, Gregory W.
name: Proulx, Megan K.
name: Goguen, Jon D.
name: Sassetti, Christopher M.
name: Souders, Colby A.
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2014

description: Mycobacteria tuberculosis (Mtb) is a major cause of human morbidity and mortality. Transmission occurs through inhalation of aerosolized Mtb and the initial infection is believed to occur primarily in the alveolar macrophage, although Mtb can infect other cells residing in the lung including dendritic cells, pneumocytes and M cells. Several molecules derived from Mtb are involved in the attachment of the organism to host receptors (opsonic and non-opsonic), which have been reasonably well elucidated. However, a complete understanding of how Mtb attaches to the host and the relative importance of each mechanism on the outcome of infection remains elusive. We hypothesize that protection from infection is possible by blocking the critical initial surface interactions of the organism with the host cell using specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). To develop effective mAbs, the outermost layers of Mtb, the capsule and outer membrane, were isolated and characterized by protein gel and LC/MS/MS. Approximately 1000 different proteins were identified in the isolations, of which ~25% were unique to one of the two fractions. The capsule or outer membrane preparations were used as antigens to immunize CD1 mice for up to 12 weeks to generate antibodies via traditional hybridoma generation. Antibodies were screened, selected and characterized by their ability to bind whole cell Mtb by ELISA, demonstration of unique heavy chain variable region sequence and binding specificity by Western Blot. Of approximately 1500 screened hybridomas, 30 lead mAbs have been isolated with specificity to various targets. Preliminary results suggest several of the lead mAb candidates are able to prevent Mtb-induced macrophage cell death in vitro. Future studies will attempt to confirm efficacy in vivo after aerosolized infection in mice with mAb-coated Mtb or parenteral administration of mAb(s). Targets of functional mAbs will be determined and these antigens could serve as viable candidates for vaccine development.
title: A Soft Robotic Exomusculature Glove with Integrated sEMG sensing for Hand Rehabilitation
Creators: name: Delph, Michael
name: Nycz, Christopher
name: Fischer, Gregory
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2014

description: Stroke affects around 750,000 people annually with 80% of survivors left with unilateral weakness in their extremities. Repetitive hand movement therapy is often used as a rehabilitation technique to help patients regain dexterity and strength. In order to facilitate this rehabilitation process, a soft exo-muscular robotic upper limb device was designed to aid in the movement and coordination of upper limb exercises. The device utilizes a cable system to open and close a patient’s hand and elbow. These cables run through a series of guides and pull on attachment points at the fingertips and forearms, emulating muscle tension and generating joint torque. For energy dense actuation, DC electric motors were used to drive pulleys for cable actuation. To increase user comfort and safety, mechanically compliant actuation was added by using clutches with continuously variable slip torque between motor and pulley which could act as a means of mechanical force control. For closed loop control and monitoring of patient progress, a number of sensors were added. Flex and pressure sensors in the fingers can detect patient movement as well as the force being applied to objects and force sensors in the biceps are used to measure the lift force of the users arm. The device also takes input from a custom made surface myoelectric electrode (sEMG) array that measures the myoelectric signal being produced by the user’s muscles to help aid the user in their intended movement. In practice the device will be able to provide a customized rehabilitation experience for each user based on sensor data analyzed by doctors who can adjust the therapy regiment to focus on goals and needs of a specific patient.
Molecular line emission in NGC1068 imaged with ALMA. I An AGN-driven outflow in the dense molecular gas
Creators: name: Garcia-Burillo, S.
name: Combes, F.
name: Usero, A.
name: Aalto, S.
name: Krips, M.
name: Viti, S.
name: Alonso-Herrero, A.
name: Hunt, L. K.
name: Schinnerer, E.
name: Baker, A. J.
name: Casasola, F. Boone V.
name: Colina, L.
name: Costagliola, F.
name: Eckart, A.
name: Fuente, A.
name: Henkel, C.
name: Labiano, A.
name: Martin, S.
name: Marquez, I.
name: Muller, S.
name: Planesas, P.
name: Almeida, C. Ramos
name: Spaans, M.
name: Tacconi, L. J.
name: van der Werf, P. P.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We investigate the fueling and the feedback of star formation and nuclear activity in NGC1068, a nearby (D=14Mpc) Seyfert 2 barred galaxy, by analyzing the distribution and kinematics of the molecular gas in the disk. We have used ALMA to map the emission of a set of dense molecular gas tracers (CO(3-2), CO(6-5), HCN(4-3), HCO+(4-3) and CS(7-6)) and their underlying continuum emission in the central r ~ 2kpc of NGC1068 with spatial resolutions ~ 0.3"-0.5" (~ 20-35pc). Molecular line and dust continuum emissions are detected from a r ~ 200pc off-centered circumnuclear disk (CND), from the 2.6kpc-diameter bar region, and from the r ~ 1.3kpc starburst (SB) ring. Most of the emission in HCO+, HCN and CS stems from the CND. Molecular line ratios show dramatic order-of-magnitude changes inside the CND that are correlated with the UV/X-ray illumination by the AGN, betraying ongoing feedback. The gas kinematics from r ~ 50pc out to r ~ 400pc reveal a massive (M_mol ~ 2.7 (+0.9, -1.2) x 10^7 Msun) outflow in all molecular tracers. The tight correlation between the ionized gas outflow, the radio jet and the occurrence of outward motions in the disk suggests that the outflow is AGN-driven. The outflow rate estimated in the CND, dM/dt ~ 63 (+21, -37) Msun yr^-1, is an order of magnitude higher than the star formation rate at these radii, confirming that the outflow is AGN-driven. The power of the AGN is able to account for the estimated momentum and kinetic luminosity of the outflow. The CND mass load rate of the CND outflow implies a very short gas depletion time scale of <=1 Myr.
description: Version accepted for publication in A&A (June 4th). Accepted version. References (3) added and minor typos corrected. 24 pages, 20 figures
How the super-Eddington regime regulates black hole growth in high-redshift galaxies
Creators: name: Massonneau, Warren
name: Volonteri, Marta
name: Dubois, Yohan
name: Beckmann, Ricarda S.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)
subject: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Super-Eddington accretion is one scenario that may explain the rapid assembly of $\sim 10^9\rm\, M_\odot$ supermassive black holes (BHs) within the first billion year of the Universe. This critical regime is associated with radiatively inefficient accretion and accompanied by powerful outflows in the form of winds and jets. By means of hydrodynamical simulations of BH evolution in an isolated galaxy and its host halo with 12 pc resolution, we investigate how super-Eddington feedback affects the mass growth of the BH. It is shown that super-Eddington feedback efficiently prevents BH growth within a few Myr. The super-Eddington accretion events remain relatively mild with typical rates of about 2-3 times the Eddington limit, because of the efficient regulation by jets in that regime. We find that these jets are powerful enough to eject gas from the centre of the host galaxy all the way up to galactic scales at a few kpc, but do not significantly impact gas inflows at those large scales. By varying the jet feedback efficiency, we find that weaker super-Eddington jets allow for more significant BH growth through more frequent episodes of super-Eddington accretion. We conclude that effective super-Eddington growth is possible, as we find that simulations with weak jet feedback efficiencies provide a slightly larger BH mass evolution over long periods of time ($\sim 80\,\rm Myr$) than that for a BH accreting at the Eddington limit.
description: Updated the paper to the published A&A version
$γ^\ast N \to N(1710)$ transition at high momentum transfer
Creators: name: Ramalho, G.
name: Tsushima, K.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)
subject: High Energy Physics - Experiment (hep-ex)
subject: Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex)
subject: Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: In a relativistic quark model we study the structure of the $N(1710)$ resonance, and the $γ^\ast N \to N(1710)$ reaction focusing on the high momentum transfer region, where the valence quark degrees of freedom are expected to be dominant. The $N(1710)$ resonance, a state with spin 1/2 and positive parity ($J^P = \frac{1}{2}^+$), can possibly be interpreted as the second radial excitation of the nucleon, after the Roper, $N(1440)$. We calculate the $γ^\ast N \to N(1710)$ helicity amplitudes, and predict that they are almost identical to those of the $γ^\ast N \to N(1440)$ reaction in the high momentum transfer region. Thus, future measurement of the helicity amplitudes for the $γ^\ast N \to N(1710)$ reaction can give a significant hint on the internal structure of the $N(1710)$ state.
description: Version acepted for publication at PRD. Small changes. 10 pages, 2 figures
title: Clinical and Financial Impact of Readmissions Following Colorectal Resection: An Analysis of Predictors, Outcomes, and Cost
Creators: name: Damle, Rachelle N.
name: Cherng, Nicole
name: Flahive, Julie M.
name: Davids, Jennifer S.
name: Maykel, Justin A.
name: Sturrock, Paul R.
name: Sweeney, W. Brian
name: Alavi, Karim
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2014

description: Background: Following passage of the Affordable Care Act, 30day readmissions have come under greater scrutiny, with penalties levied for higher than expected readmission rates. We examined risk factors for 30day readmission following colorectal resection and evaluated the financial impact of readmissions on the healthcare system. Methods: The University HealthSystem Consortium Clinical Database was queried for adults undergoing colorectal surgery for cancer, diverticular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, or benign tumors from 2008-2012. Predictors of 30day readmission were assessed with multivariable logistic regression. Additional endpoints included time to readmission, readmission diagnosis, readmission length of stay (LOS), and readmission cost. Results: A total of 70,484 patients met study inclusion criteria, 13.7% (9,632) of which were readmitted within 30 days of discharge. The strongest independent predictors of readmission were: LOS ≥4 days (OR 1.44; 95% CI 1.32-1.57), stoma (OR 1.54; 95% CI 1.46-1.51), and non-home discharge (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.57-1.81). Of those readmitted, half occurred within 7 days, 13% required ICU care, 6% had a reoperation, and 2% died during the readmission stay. The median combined total direct hospital cost was over two times higher ($26,917 v. $13,817; p<0.001) than non-readmitted patients. Compared with late readmissions, those readmitted within 7 days were more likely to have a reoperation (8% v. 4%, p<0.001), be admitted to the ICU (14% vs. 12%, p<0.001), and had a longer median readmission LOS (5d vs. 4d, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: 30-day readmissions following colorectal resection occur frequently and incur a significant financial burden on the healthcare system. Highest-risk patients include those with longer LOS, stoma, and non-home discharge. Future studies aimed at targeted interventions may reduce readmissions and curb escalating healthcare costs.
title: Silencing DUX4 Expression in FSHD Cells by CRISPR
Creators: name: DeSimone, Alec
name: Jones, Peter L.
name: Broadsky, Michael
name: Wagner, Kathryn
name: Bibat, Genila
name: Emerson Jr., Charles P.
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2014

description: Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) is an autosomal dominant neuromuscular disease affecting 1 in 20,000 to 1 in 15,000 individuals and is characterized by progressive weakness in the facial, scapular, humeral, truncal, and lower extremity muscles (Tawil and Van Der Maarel Muscle Nerve 2006). FSHD is associated with the contraction of the D4Z4 microsatellite repeat below a threshold number of repeats (Wijmenga et al., Nat. Genet, 1992), allowing the transcription of the DUX4 gene contained within the last repeat (Snider et al., PLoS Gen, 2010). The disease only develops when DUX4 is expressed from a chromosome with the permissive 4qA allele, which contains a polyadenylation signal (PAS) that stabilizes the DUX4 transcript (Lemmers et al., Science, 2010). We are using CRISPR technology to investigate the possibility that disruption of the PAS in cells derived from FSHD patients could prevent expression of the DUX4 protein and restore the cell to a less affected phenotype. We will then take advantage of the high reprogramming efficiency of FSHD cells and generate iPSC from FSHD muscle cells with the repressed DUX4 allele, and determine if they have a similar phenotype to iPS cells derived from non-affected individuals. Finally, we will use the highly-engraftable iPS cells in xenograft experiments to determine if the DUX4-silenced iPSCs repopulate injured muscle more efficiently than unaltered FSHD-derived iPSC, and evaluate their potential for use as therapeutics.
Spectroscopic Coronagraphy for Planetary Radial Velocimetry of Exoplanets
Creators: name: Kawahara, Hajime
name: Murakami, Naoshi
name: Matsuo, Taro
name: Kotani, Takayuki
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP)
subject: Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We propose the application of coronagraphic techniques to the spectroscopic direct detection of exoplanets via the Doppler shift of planetary molecular lines. Even for an unresolved close-in planetary system, we show that the combination of a visible nuller and an extreme adaptive optics system can reduce the photon noise of a main star and increase the total signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of the molecular absorption of the exoplanetary atmosphere: it works as a spectroscopic coronagraph. Assuming a 30 m telescope, we demonstrate the benefit of these high-contrast instruments for nearby close-in planets that mimic 55 Cnc b ($0.6 λ/D$ of the angular separation in the K band). We find that the tip-tilt error is the most crucial factor; however, low-order speckles also contribute to the noise. Assuming relatively conservative estimates for future wavefront control techniques, the spectroscopic coronagraph can increase the contrast to $ \sim 50-130 $ times and enable us to obtain $\sim 3-6 $ times larger S/N for warm Jupiters and Neptunes at 10 pc those without it. If the tip-tilt error can be reduced to $\lesssim 0.3$ mas (rms), it gains $\sim 10-30$ times larger S/N and enables us to detect warm super-Earths with an extremely large telescope. This paper demonstrates the concept of spectroscopic coronagraphy for future spectroscopic direct detection. Further studies of the selection of coronagraphs and tip-tilt sensors will extend the range of application of the spectroscopic direct detection beyond the photon collecting area limit.
description: 9 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in ApJS, minor changes to match the proof
title: Robotics Enabled In-Home Environment Screening for Fall Risks
Creators: name: Du, Ruixiang
name: Jagtap, Vinayak
name: Padir, Taskin
name: Sadasivam, Rajani S.
name: Houston, Thomas K.
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2014

description: Our overarching goal is to investigate, design, create and validate the fundamental scientific and engineering framework for intelligent, networked mobile robots to semi-autonomously perform environmental fall risk assessment in the home. Motivated by the facts that (1) aging in place improves the overall health and well-being of individuals, (2) falls are the leading cause of mortality in older adults, (3) home environmental fall risk assessment is an effective preventive strategy, and (4) extreme costs and shortage of trained personnel are huge barriers for effective and efficient delivery of fall risk home assessments by health care providers, we are iteratively developing user-centric designs for a new class of robotic systems that can be assembled easily and cost-effectively to detect environmental hazards and, as a result, preventively and proactively minimize falls in the home. The tight integration of the research thrusts in robot design and control, task and motion planning under uncertainty, and human-on-the-mesh control of networked robots is aimed at advancing the theory and practice of robotics and lead to the demonstration of innovative approaches to transform healthcare delivery with a focus on wellbeing. In this poster presentation, we will present our preliminary results from developing this framework. We present the communication and control framework for a semi-autonomous mobile robot that can be controlled over an internet connection via a web interface. We will discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with a human-robot team completing the HEROS (http://www.temple.edu/older_adult/) environment safety checklist. Our preliminary results demonstrate that this technology can be helpful to effectively prevent the in-home falls among elderly.
Tracking the origin of black holes with the stochastic gravitational wave background popcorn signal
Creators: name: Braglia, Matteo
name: Garcia-Bellido, Juan
name: Kuroyanagi, Sachiko
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO)
subject: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Unresolved sources of gravitational waves (GWs) produced by the merger of a binary of black holes at cosmological distances combine into a stochastic background. Such a background is in the continuous or popcorn regime, depending on whether the GW rate is high enough so that two or more events overlap in the same frequency band. These two regimes respectively correspond to large and small values of the so-called {\it duty cycle}. We study the detection regime of the background in models of Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) and compare it to the one produced by black holes of stellar origin. Focusing on ground-based detectors, we show that the duty cycle of the PBH-origin background is larger than that of astrophysical black holes because of differences in their mass function and the merger rate. Our study opens up the possibility to learn about the primordial or astrophysical nature of black hole populations by examining the statistical properties of the stochastic background.
description: 13 pages, 7 figures; v2 matches version published in MNRAS
Characterizing the Role of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 7 (PRMT7) in Breast Cancer
Creators: name: Haghandish, Nasim
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2019
Subjects: PRMT7
Invasion
Breast Cancer
Metastasis
Translation
Stress Granules
eIF2α

description: The development of more efficient therapeutic strategies in the treatment of breast cancer relies on understanding the biological events that promote its progression. Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) are enzymes that catalyze the methylation of arginine residues within proteins resulting in changes in several biological processes. PRMTs have been shown to be aberrantly expressed in many cancers and promote tumourigenesis and cancer progression. Specifically, PRMT7 mRNA expression correlates with breast cancer aggressiveness and invasiveness. Thus, we sought to determine whether PRMT7 promotes breast cancer progression/tumourigenesis and to further identify the functional mechanisms through which this is possible. We have shown that PRMT7 is upregulated in both breast cancer tissues and cell lines. Moreover, we have shown both in vitro and in vivo that PRMT7 enhances breast cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Using biochemical experimentation, we demonstrated that PRMT7 induces the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 to promote invasion and subsequent metastasis. Furthermore, using proteomic experiments, we discovered many novel PRMT7-interacting proteins. Further biochemical experimentation identified eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF2α as an interacting protein and substrate of PRMT7. We demonstrated a regulatory interplay between eIF2α methylation and phosphorylation upon cellular stress: methylation is required for S51 phosphorylation. Accordingly, we have shown that stress granule formation, in the face of cellular stresses, was significantly diminished in PRMT7-knockdown cells. We additionally found that PRMT7 plays a regulatory role in protein translation. Overall, these findings suggest that PRMT7 plays a critical role in promoting breast cancer cell invasion, metastasis, stress regulation, and protein translation.
title: A systematic review on the effects of resistance and plyometric training on physical fitness in youth
title: What do comparative studies tell us?
titleType: Subtitle
Creators: name: Peitz, Matti
name: Behringer, Michael
name: Granacher, Urs
Publisher: name: Universität Potsdam
Year: 2019

description: Introduction

To date, several meta-analyses clearly demonstrated that resistance and plyometric training are effective to improve physical fitness in children and adolescents. However, a methodological limitation of meta-analyses is that they synthesize results from different studies and hence ignore important differences across studies (i.e., mixing apples and oranges). Therefore, we aimed at examining comparative intervention studies that assessed the effects of age, sex, maturation, and resistance or plyometric training descriptors (e.g., training intensity, volume etc.) on measures of physical fitness while holding other variables constant.

Methods

To identify relevant studies, we systematically searched multiple electronic databases (e.g., PubMed) from inception to March 2018. We included resistance and plyometric training studies in healthy young athletes and non-athletes aged 6 to 18 years that investigated the effects of moderator variables (e.g., age, maturity, sex, etc.) on components of physical fitness (i.e., muscle strength and power).

Results

Our systematic literature search revealed a total of 75 eligible resistance and plyometric training studies, including 5,138 participants. Mean duration of resistance and plyometric training programs amounted to 8.9 ± 3.6 weeks and 7.1±1.4 weeks, respectively. Our findings showed that maturation affects plyometric and resistance training outcomes differently, with the former eliciting greater adaptations pre-peak height velocity (PHV) and the latter around- and post-PHV. Sex has no major impact on resistance training related outcomes (e.g., maximal strength, 10 repetition maximum). In terms of plyometric training, around-PHV boys appear to respond with larger performance improvements (e.g., jump height, jump distance) compared with girls. Different types of resistance training (e.g., body weight, free weights) are effective in improving measures of muscle strength (e.g., maximum voluntary contraction) in untrained children and adolescents. Effects of plyometric training in untrained youth primarily follow the principle of training specificity. Despite the fact that only 6 out of 75 comparative studies investigated resistance or plyometric training in trained individuals, positive effects were reported in all 6 studies (e.g., maximum strength and vertical jump height, respectively).

Conclusions

The present review article identified research gaps (e.g., training descriptors, modern alternative training modalities) that should be addressed in future comparative studies.
description: Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe, 498
Uniform bounds for diffeomorphisms of the torus and a conjecture of P. Boyland
Creators: name: Addas-Zanata, Salvador
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: Dynamical Systems (math.DS)
subject: FOS: Mathematics

description: We consider $C^{1+ε}$ diffeomorphisms of the torus, denoted $f,$ homotopic to the identity and whose rotation sets have interior. We give some uniform bounds on the displacement of points in the plane under iterates of a lift of $f,$ relative to vectors in the boundary of the rotation set and we use these estimates in order to prove that if such a diffeomorphism $f$ preserves area, then the rotation vector of the area measure is an interior point of the rotation set. This settles a strong version of a conjecture proposed by P. Boyland. We also present some new results on the realization of extremal points of the rotation set by compact $f$-invariant subsets of the torus.
title: Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Does Not Improve Disease-Specific Survival in Elderly Patients with Intermediate Thickness Melanoma
Creators: name: Dinh, Kate H.
name: Maloney, Mary E.
name: Goldberg, Dori
name: Deng, April
name: Sullivan, Mary E.
name: Lambert, Laura A.
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2014

description: Objective: To determine whether sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is associated with improved disease-specific survival among elderly patients with intermediate-thickness melanoma

Design: Retrospective cohort study of prospectively-maintained tumor registry

Setting: Single institution tertiary care center. P

atients: Adults ≥ 70 years of age, who underwent surgical intervention for melanoma from 2000-2013.

Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Other clinicopathologic variables measured included age, gender, anatomic site, histologic type, tumor thickness, presence of adverse features, receipt and result of SLNB, and receipt of completion lymph node dissection (CLND).

Results: Ninety-one patients (mean age 80 years, 54% male) underwent wide excision of an intermediate-thickness melanoma. Forty-nine patients (54%) received a SLNB. Seven of these biopsies (14%) were positive, and five patients (71%) went on to receive CLND. Five-year OS was 41% in patients who did not receive SLNB and 52% in patients who did receive SLNB (Fig. 1A). However, 5-year DFS was 79% in patients who did not receive SLNB and 77% in patients who did receive SLNB (Fig. 1B).

Conclusions: Among elderly patients with intermediate-thickness melanoma, patients who received SLNB had higher 5-year OS than those who did not receive SLNB. However, the 5-year DFS is similar between the two groups, which suggests that the OS differences are related to non-melanoma factors. Routine SLNB for intermediate-thickness melanoma patients may not significantly change the outcome for this age group, and clinical decision-making should consider individual patient comorbidities and goals of care.
Multilingual open information extraction using universal dependencies
Creators: name: Naithani, Shardul
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2018

description: Open Information Extraction or Open IE is a paradigm which enables extraction of relational tuples from text without pre-specifying relations. Most of the work in Open IE has been done for English. In this thesis we leverage the Open IE tools present in English to generate data in a non-English language by using cross lingual projection. This data can be used to train models capable of extracting relational tuples in multiplelanguages. Universal Dependencies are used to generate features for these models that can be used across multiple languages.
Expectations for the Hard X-ray Continuum and Gamma-ray Line Fluxes from the Type Ia supernova SN 2014J in M82
Creators: name: The, Lih-Sin
name: Burrows, Adam
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2014
Subjects: subject: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The hard X-ray continuum and gamma-ray lines from a Type Ia supernova dominate its integrated photon emissions and can provide unique diagnostics of the mass of the ejecta, the $^{56}$Ni yield and spatial distribution, its kinetic energy and expansion speed, and the mechanism of explosion. Such signatures and their time behavior "X-ray" the bulk debris field in direct fashion, and do not depend upon the oftimes problematic and elaborate UV, optical, and near-infrared spectroscopy and radiative transfer that have informed the study of these events for decades. However, to date no hard photons have ever been detected from a Type Ia supernova in explosion. With the advent of the supernova SN 2014J in M82, at a distance of $\sim$3.5 Mpc, this situation may soon change. Both NuSTAR and INTEGRAL have the potential to detect SN 2014J, and, if spectra and light curves can be measured, would usefully constrain the various explosion models published during the last $\sim$thirty years. In support of these observational campaigns, we provide predictions for the hard X-ray continuum and gamma-line emissions for fifteen Type Ia explosion models gleaned from the literature. The model set, containing as it does deflagration, delayed detonation, merger detonation, pulsational delayed detonation, and sub-Chandrasekhar helium detonation models, collectively spans a wide range of properties and, hence, signatures. We provide a brief discussion of various diagnostics (with examples), but importantly make the spectral and line results available electronically to aid in the interpretation of the anticipated data.
description: Accepted to the Astrophysical Journal (March 31, 2014), with one additional figure and further discussion of technique
title: Antineoplastic Effects of Rhodiola crenulata on B16F10 Melanomas
Creators: name: Dudek, Maxine
name: Arenas, Richard B.
name: Wong, Kaityln
name: Mora, Carmen
name: Bassa, Lotfi M.
name: Schneider, Sallie S.
Publisher: name: eScholarship@UMMS
Year: 2014

description: Hypothesis: Rhodiola crenulata extract is derived from Tibetan plant’s roots and has been shown to have anti-cancer properties. Previously, we have shown that Rhodiola extract has toxic effects on B16 F10 mouse melanoma cells in vitro. The purpose of this project was to determine if a daily topical application of Rhodiola extract on melanoma tumors in mice leads to a reduction in tumor size and improved survival.

Methods: 1x106 B16F10 melanoma cells were subcutaneously injected above the scapular fat pad in C57/BL6 mice. Rhodiola extract was dissolved in a 10% DMSO Eucerine based cream. Twenty-four hours following tumor implantation, daily topical Rhodiola treatment began. Tumor volume measurements began on the fifth day of therapy and were measured daily thereafter.

Results: Tumors treated with the topical Rhodiola cream tended to grow more radially, rather than vertically when compared to vehicle control. Mice treated with the vehicle control reached a tumor volume of 500mm3 in 10 days, whereas mice treated with the 5% and 10% Rhodiola reached a tumor volume of 500mm3 in 11 and 15 days respectively. All mice treated with vehicle control met requirements for euthanasia by day 14. In contrast, mice treated with the 5% Rhodiola met requirements for euthanasia by day 15 except for one mouse who exhibited tumor regression and survived for over 30 days. All mice treated with the 10% Rhodiola cream met requirements for euthanasia by day 20.

Conclusion: Although analysis from our experiment is still in progress, we have observed a gross difference in tumors of mice treated with topical application of Rhodiola cream in comparison with mice treated with a topical application of a vehicle control cream. Future work will focus on histological evaluation of harvested tumors to determine microscopic differences in tumor characteristics.