Holographic dark energy described at the Hubble length

We consider holographic cosmological models of dark energy in which the infrared cutoff is set by the Hubble's radius. We show that any interacting dark energy model with a matter like term able to alleviate the coincidence problem (i.e., with a positive interaction term, regardless of its detailed form) can be recast as a noninteracting model in which the holographic parameter evolves slowly with time. Two specific cases are analyzed. First, the interacting model presented in [1] is considered, and its corresponding noninteracting version found. Then, a new noninteracting model, with a specific expression of the time-dependent holographic parameter, is proposed and analyzed along with its corresponding interacting version. We constrain the parameters of both models using observational data, and show that they can be told apart at the perturbative level.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figure

Transformative Leadership: A Case Study of Schools in a Network Designed to Improve Turnaround Schools

This summary presents the findings of professional research conducted over one year by a doctoral student working in an urban school district. The purpose of this research was to examine the perceptions of school leaders and teachers in two turnaround school networks that used different approaches to improving student learning outcomes. The goal was to compare one network\u27s approach with the other network\u27s approach to assess what factors leaders and teachers perceived to make a difference in improving student achievement in turnaround schools. One network focused on addressing the turnaround challenge through transformative leadership theory, which includes the following tenets: ( a) a call to action; (b) a demand for social justice; (c) serving ethically; (d) creating praxis; and (e) seeking new solutions. The other network used recommendations from an external consulting group to focus on: (a) more time in school; (b) small group tutoring; ( c) a focus on excellence in leadership and teaching; ( d) the use of data to drive achievement; and (e) a college going culture and high expectations. The research questions in this study were, What are leaders\u27 perceptions of factors that make a difference in improving student learning outcomes in turnaround schools? and What are teachers\u27 perceptions of factors that make a difference in improving student learning outcomes in turnaround schools

The Cortisol Awakening Response and Depressive Symptomatology: The Moderating Role of Sleep and Gender

The association between depression and the cortisol awakening response (CAR) has been widely examined, yet the results are mixed and factors responsible for such inconsistencies are poorly understood. The current study investigated whether the link between depressive symptomatology and CAR varied as a function of two such factors: sleep and gender. The sample included 58 young adults (30 females; Mageâ =â 18.7; SDageâ =â 0.91). Participants completed the Beck Depression Inventory as well as the Consensus Sleep Diary to assess depressive symptomatology and daily sleep patterns, respectively. Participants also provided four salivary cortisol samples (0, 30, 45 and 60â min after awakening) during two consecutive weekdays. Results demonstrated that greater depressive symptoms were associated with a greater CAR but only when depressive symptoms were linked to a shorter sleep time. In addition, gender significantly moderated the association between depressive symptoms and CAR. While greater depressive symptoms were associated with an elevated CAR among females, they were associated with a blunted CAR among males. These findings provide some insight into potential mechanisms linking depressive symptomatology and CAR, and suggest that future studies examining CAR as a biomarker of depression should account for differences in sleep and gender. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138213/1/smi2691_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138213/2/smi2691.pd

Mutations in LAMA5 disrupts a skeletal noncanonical focal adhesion pathway and produces a distinct bent bone dysplasia

Resultados de investigaciónIn addition to its structural role in skeletogenesis, the extracellular matrix (ECM), particularly basement membrane proteins, facilitates communication with intracellular signaling pathways and cell to cell interactions to control differentiation, proliferation, migration and survival. Alterations in extracellular proteins cause a number of skeletal disorders and one attributed mechanism results from the deleterious effects of mutated proteins on ECM structure. Yet, the consequences of abnormal ECM on cellular communication remains less well understood. Herein, we describe an unclassified form of bent bone dysplasia caused by recessively inherited mutations in LAMA5, the gene encoding the alpha-5 laminin basement membrane protein. This finding uncovered a mechanism of disease driven by ECM-cell interactions between alpha-5-containing laminins, and integrin- mediated focal adhesion signaling, particularly in cartilage. Loss of LAMA5 altered b1 integrin signaling through the non-canonical kinase PYK2 and the skeletal enriched SRC kinase FYN. Loss of LAMA5 negatively impacted the actin cytoskeleton, vinculin localization, and WNT signaling, tying focal adhesion molecules to key skeletal signaling molecules. This newly described mechanism reveals that a LAMA5-b1 Integrin-PYK2-FYN focal adhesion complex regulatesskeletogenesis and, when dysregulated, produces a distinct skeletal disorder.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Automatic generation of test scenarios from the models of systems specification

Orientador: Eliane MartinsDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de ComputaçãoResumo: As crescentes exigências em relação à melhoria de qualidade e a redução de custos e prazos têm tornado comum à busca por soluções mais eficientes para desenvolvimento e testes de sistemas. Com relação aos testes, uma recomendação é a de começá-los mais cedo, e, de preferência, automatizar o que for possível para evitar enganos cometidos pelos testadores. Assim, uma área de pesquisa que está em evidência atualmente é a de testes baseados em modelos (MBT), onde muitos estudos têm sido realizados visando o desenvolvimento de soluções para automação de testes a partir de modelos criados durante o ciclo de desenvolvimento. Nesta dissertação é proposto um método para geração automática de cenários de teste a partir de modelos da especificação de sistemas, baseando-se em um trabalho prévio para geração de testes de componentes de software. Os modelos utilizados para geração dos testes são os Diagramas de Atividades UML, criados a partir da descrição dos casos de uso, para Testes de Sistemas. A partir deles são gerados cenários de teste que descrevem as interações do sistema, tais como, as ações dos atores e as situações esperadas, incluindo também os cenários de exceção. A aplicação deste método na prática foi feita com êxito por uma equipe de testadores em sistemas reais. De forma geral, os modelos especificados para derivação dos testes têm facilitado o entendimento do sistema pelos testadores envolvidos e as informações presentes nos cenários de teste têm apoiado a realização dos testes.Abstract: The increasing requirements for quality improvement, reduction of costs and deadlines have promoted the search for more efficient solutions for systems development and testing. In the case of the tests, the recommendation is to start them earlier and, preferably, automatize what is possible to prevent the testers mistakes. Thus, a research area that is in evidence currently is the Model-Based Testing (MBT), in which many studies have been carried out with the aim of development solutions for test automation from the models created during the software development cycle. In this dissertation is proposed a method for automatic generation of test scenarios from the models of systems specification, it is based on a previous work for tests generation of software components. The models used for tests generation are the UML Activities Diagrams, generated from the description of the use cases for System Testing. From them, test scenarios are generated that describe the interactions of the system, such as, the actors actions and the expected situations, including also the exception scenarios. The application of this method in practice was successfully made by a team of testers in real systems. In general, the models specified for tests derivation have facilitated the agreement of the system by the involved testers and, the generated test scenarios contain information that have supported the test execution.MestradoMestre em Ciência da Computaçã

Conexión óptima de subestaciones de tracción (SETM) al sistema de distribución por teoría de grafos.

El presente documento determina las demandas de las subestaciones rectificadoras y las metodologías para los esquemas de conexión entre ellas y las subestaciones reductoras de AT/MT requeridas para la integración de un operador férreo al operador de red

Mutations in DYNC2LI1 disrupt cilia function and cause short rib polydactyly syndrome.

The short rib polydactyly syndromes (SRPSs) are a heterogeneous group of autosomal recessive, perinatal lethal skeletal disorders characterized primarily by short, horizontal ribs, short limbs and polydactyly. Mutations in several genes affecting intraflagellar transport (IFT) cause SRPS but they do not account for all cases. Here we identify an additional SRPS gene and further unravel the functional basis for IFT. We perform whole-exome sequencing and identify mutations in a new disease-producing gene, cytoplasmic dynein-2 light intermediate chain 1, DYNC2LI1, segregating with disease in three families. Using primary fibroblasts, we show that DYNC2LI1 is essential for dynein-2 complex stability and that mutations in DYNC2LI1 result in variable length, including hyperelongated, cilia, Hedgehog pathway impairment and ciliary IFT accumulations. The findings in this study expand our understanding of SRPS locus heterogeneity and demonstrate the importance of DYNC2LI1 in dynein-2 complex stability, cilium function, Hedgehog regulation and skeletogenesis