371 research outputs found
Stability and BPS branes
We define the concept of Pi-stability, a generalization of mu-stability of
vector bundles, and argue that it characterizes N=1 supersymmetric brane
configurations and BPS states in very general string theory compactifications
with N=2 supersymmetry in four dimensions.Comment: harvmac, 18 p
Unbiased taxonomic annotation of metagenomic samples
The classification of reads from a metagenomic sample using a reference taxonomy is usually based on first mapping the reads to the reference sequences and then classifying each read at a node under the lowest common ancestor of the candidate sequences in the reference taxonomy with the least classification error. However, this taxonomic annotation can be biased by an imbalanced taxonomy and also by the presence of multiple nodes in the taxonomy with the least classification error for a given read. In this article, we show that the Rand index is a better indicator of classification error than the often used area under thereceiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve andF-measure for both balanced and imbalanced reference taxonomies, and we also address the second source of bias by reducing the taxonomic annotation problem for a whole metagenomic sample to a set cover problem, for which a logarithmic approximation can be obtained in linear time and an exact solution can be obtained by integer linear programming. Experimental results with a proof-of-concept implementation of the set cover approach to taxonomic annotation in a next release of the TANGO software show that the set cover approach further reduces ambiguity in the taxonomic annotation obtained with TANGO without distorting the relative abundance profile of the metagenomic sample.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version
Labelling of mammalian cells for visualisation by MRI
Through labelling of cells with magnetic contrast agents it is possible to follow the fate of transplanted cells in vivo with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as has been demonstrated in animal studies as well as in a clinical setting. A large variety of labelling strategies are available that allow for prolonged and sensitive detection of the labelled cells with MRI. The various protocols each harbour specific advantages and disadvantages. In choosing a particular labelling strategy it is also important to ascertain that the labelling procedure does not negatively influence cell functionality, for which a large variety of assays are available. In order to overcome the challenges still faced in fully exploiting the benefits of in vivo cell tracking by MRI a good understanding and standardisation of the procedures and assays used will be crucial
Planar subgraphs without low-degree nodes
We study the following problem: given a geometric graph G and an integer k, determine if G has a planar spanning subgraph (with the original embedding and straight-line edges) such that all nodes have degree at least k. If G is a unit disk graph, the problem is trivial to solve for k = 1. We show that even the slightest deviation from the trivial case (e.g., quasi unit disk graphs or k = 1) leads to NP-hard problems.Peer reviewe
Effect of antibodies to intercellular adhesion molecule type 1 on the protection of distant organs during reperfusion syndrome in rats
We investigated kidney and lung alterations caused by intercellular adhesion molecule type 1 (ICAM-1) blockade after ischemia and reperfusion of hind limb skeletal muscles. Rats were submitted to ligature of the infrarenal aorta for 6 h. The animals were randomized into three groups of 6 rats each: group I, sacrificed after ischemia; group II, reperfusion for 24 h, and group III, reperfusion for 24 h after receiving monoclonal anti-ICAM-1 antibodies. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected for creatinine, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase, potassium, pH and leukocyte counts. Samples were taken from the muscles of the hind limbs and from the kidneys and lungs for histological analysis and measurement of the neutrophil infiltrate by myeloperoxidase staining. The groups did not differ significantly with regard to the laboratory tests. There were no major histological alterations in the kidneys. An intense neutrophil infiltrate in the lungs, similar in all groups, was detected. Myeloperoxidase determination showed that after reperfusion there was significantly less retention of polymorphonuclear neutrophils in the muscles (352 ± 70 vs 1451 ± 235 Ă— 10² neutrophils/mg; P<0.01) and in the kidneys (526 ± 89 vs 852 ± 73 Ă— 10² neutrophils/mg; P<0.01) of the animals that received anti-ICAM-1 before perfusion compared to the group that did not. The use of anti-ICAM-1 antibodies in this experimental model minimized neutrophil influx, thus reducing the inflammatory process, in the muscles and kidneys after ischemia and reperfusion of the hind limbs.Universidade Federal de SĂŁo Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de CirurgiaUniversidade Federal de SĂŁo Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de ClĂnicaUniversidade Federal de SĂŁo Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de PatologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de CirurgiaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de ClĂnicaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de PatologiaSciEL
TomograPy: A Fast, Instrument-Independent, Solar Tomography Software
Solar tomography has progressed rapidly in recent years thanks to the
development of robust algorithms and the availability of more powerful
computers. It can today provide crucial insights in solving issues related to
the line-of-sight integration present in the data of solar imagers and
coronagraphs. However, there remain challenges such as the increase of the
available volume of data, the handling of the temporal evolution of the
observed structures, and the heterogeneity of the data in multi-spacecraft
studies.
We present a generic software package that can perform fast tomographic
inversions that scales linearly with the number of measurements, linearly with
the length of the reconstruction cube (and not the number of voxels) and
linearly with the number of cores and can use data from different sources and
with a variety of physical models: TomograPy
(http://nbarbey.github.com/TomograPy/), an open-source software freely
available on the Python Package Index. For performance, TomograPy uses a
parallelized-projection algorithm. It relies on the World Coordinate System
standard to manage various data sources. A variety of inversion algorithms are
provided to perform the tomographic-map estimation. A test suite is provided
along with the code to ensure software quality. Since it makes use of the
Siddon algorithm it is restricted to rectangular parallelepiped voxels but the
spherical geometry of the corona can be handled through proper use of priors.
We describe the main features of the code and show three practical examples
of multi-spacecraft tomographic inversions using STEREO/EUVI and STEREO/COR1
data. Static and smoothly varying temporal evolution models are presented.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figures, 5 table
T1 mapping in the rat myocardium at 7 Tesla using a modified CINE inversion recovery sequence
Purpose To evaluate the reproducibility and sensitivity of the modified CINE inversion recovery (mCINE-IR) acquisition on rats for measuring the myocardial T1 at 7 Tesla. Materials and Methods The recently published mCINE-IR acquisition on humans was applied on rats for the first time, enabling the possibility of translational studies with an identical sequence. Simulations were used to study signal evolution and heart rate dependency. Gadolinium phantoms, a heart specimen and a healthy rat were used to study reproducibility. Two cryo-infarcted rats were scanned to measure late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). Results In the phantom reproducibility studies the T1 measurements had a maximum coefficient of variation (COV) of 1.3%. For the in vivo reproducibility the COV was below 5% in the anterior cardiac segments. In simulations with phantoms and specimens, a heart rate dependency of approximately 0.5 ms/bpm was present. The T1 maps of the cryo-infarcted rats showed a clear lowering of T1 in de LGE region. Conclusion The results show that mCINE-IR is highly reproducible and that the sensitivity allows detecting T1 changes in the rat myocardium
Globally-Linked Vortex Clusters in Trapped Wave Fields
We put forward the existence of a rich variety of fully stationary vortex
structures, termed H-clusters, made of an increasing number of vortices nested
in paraxial wave fields confined by trapping potentials. However, we show that
the constituent vortices are globally linked, rather than products of
independent vortices. Also, they always feature a monopolar global wave front
and exist in nonlinear systems, such as Bose-Einstein condensates. Clusters
with multipolar global wave fronts are non-stationary or at best flipping.Comment: 4 pages, 5 PostScript figure
Digital play and the actualisation of the consumer imagination
In this article, the authors consider emerging consumer practices in digital virtual spaces. Building on constructions of consumer behavior as both a sense-making activity and a resource for the construction of daydreams, as well as anthropological readings of performance, the authors speculate that many performances during digital play are products of consumer fantasy. The authors develop an interpretation of the relationship between the real and the virtual that is better equipped to understand the movement between consumer daydreams and those practices actualized in the material and now also in digital virtual reality. The authors argue that digital virtual performances present opportunities for liminoid transformations through inversions, speculations, and playfulness acted out in aesthetic dramas. To illustrate, the authors consider specific examples of the theatrical productions available to consumers in digital spaces, highlighting the consumer imagination that feeds them, the performances they produce, and the potential for transformation in consumer-players
Effectiveness of pictorial health warning on cigarette packages: A cross-sectional study in Sarawak, Malaysia
effective and low-cost method for increasing the knowledge and awareness among the community.
Thus, a study was conducted to assess the perception of pictorial health warnings (PHWs) against
smoking among the adult rural population of Sarawak.
Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from 10 villages in Kota Samarahan and Kuching
Division by face to face interview using modified Global Adult Tobacco Survey questionnaire. Nonprobability
sampling method was adopted to select the villages. All the households of the selected
villages were visited and an adult member was selected randomly from each house irrespective of the
sex. After missing value imputation, 1000 data were analysed using statistical software IBM SPSS
20.0 version.
Results: Analysis showed that 28.8% of the respondents were current smokers, 7.8% were past
smokers and the rest were non-smokers. Six items of pictorial health warnings were evaluated with
five point Likert’s scales for attractiveness, fearfulness and adequacy of the information. Analysis
revealed that the majority of the respondents had perceived awareness on PHWs, but the smokers
believed that this was not adequate to make them quit smoking. Only one-fifth (19.7%) of them
reported that current pictorial health warnings were sufficient to motivate people to quit smoking.
Conclusion: Though the PHWs on cigarette packages are appealing, it is not sufficient as a reason
to stop smoking. Thus, an approach using an integrated anti-tobacco public health programme
should be focused into the specific targeted community
- …