Expansion of Einstein-Yang-Mills Amplitude

In this paper, we provide a thorough study on the expansion of single trace Einstein-Yang-Mills amplitudes into linear combination of color-ordered Yang-Mills amplitudes, from various different perspectives. Using the gauge invariance principle, we propose a recursive construction, where EYM amplitude with any number of gravitons could be expanded into EYM amplitudes with less number of gravitons. Through this construction, we can write down the complete expansion of EYM amplitude in the basis of color-ordered Yang-Mills amplitudes. As a byproduct, we are able to write down the polynomial form of BCJ numerator, i.e., numerators satisfying the color-kinematic duality, for Yang-Mills amplitude. After the discussion of gauge invariance, we move to the BCFW on-shell recursion relation and discuss how the expansion can be understood from the on-shell picture. Finally, we show how to interpret the expansion from the aspect of KLT relation and the way of evaluating the expansion coefficients efficiently.Comment: 50 pages, 1 figure, Revised versio

Tuning the Solubility of Copper Complex in Atom Transfer Radical Self-Condensing Vinyl Polymerizations to Control Polymer Topology via One-Pot to the Synthesis of Hyperbranched Core Star Polymers

In this paper, we propose a simple one-pot methodology for proceeding from atom transfer reaction-induced conventional free radical polymerization (AT-FRP) to atom transfer self-condensing vinyl polymerization (AT-SCVP) through manipulation of the catalyst phase homogeneity (i.e., CuBr/2,2'-bipyridine (CuBr/Bpy)) in a mixture of styrene (St), 4-vinyl benzyl chloride (VBC), and ethyl 2-bromoisobutyrate. Tests of the solubilities of CuBr/Bpy and CuBr2/Bpy under various conditions revealed that both temperature and solvent polarity were factors affecting the solubility of these copper complexes. Accordingly, we obtained different polymer topologies when performing AT-SCVP in different single solvents. We investigated two different strategies to control the polymer topology in one-pot: varying temperature and varying solvent polarity. In both cases, different fractions of branching revealed the efficacy of varying the polymer topology. To diversify the functionality of the peripheral space, we performed chain extensions of the resulting hyperbranched poly(St-co-VBC) macroinitiator (name as: hbPSt MI) with either St or tBA (tert-butyl acrylate). The resulting hyperbranched core star polymer had high molecular weights (hbPSt-g-PSt: Mn = 25,000, Đ = 1.77; hbPSt-g-PtBA: Mn = 27,000, Đ = 1.98); hydrolysis of the tert-butyl groups of the later provided a hyperbranched core star polymer featuring hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid) segments

IsaB Inhibits Autophagic Flux to Promote Host Transmission of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has emerged as a major nosocomial pathogen that is widespread in both health-care facilities and in the community at large, as a result of direct host-to-host transmission. Several virulence factors are associated with pathogen transmission to naive hosts. Immunodominant surface antigen B (IsaB) is a virulence factor that helps Staphylococcus aureus to evade the host defense system. However, the mechanism of IsaB on host transmissibility remains unclear. We found that IsaB expression was elevated in transmissible MRSA. Wild-type isaB strains inhibited autophagic flux to promote bacterial survival and elicit inflammation in THP-1 cells and mouse skin. MRSA isolates with increased IsaB expression showed decreased autophagic flux, and the MRSA isolate with the lowest IsaB expression showed increased autophagic flux. In addition, recombinant IsaB rescued the virulence of the isaB deletion strain and increased the group A streptococcus (GAS) virulence in vivo. Together, these results reveal that IsaB diminishes autophagic flux, thereby allowing MRSA to evade host degradation. These findings suggest that IsaB is a suitable target for preventing or treating MRSA infection

Analysis of Nakamoto Consensus, Revisited

In the Bitcoin white paper, Nakamoto proposed a very simple Byzantine fault tolerant consensus algorithm that is also known as Nakamoto consensus. Despite its simplicity, some existing analysis of Nakamoto consensus appears to be long and involved. In this technical report, we aim to make such analysis simple and transparent so that we can teach senior undergraduate students and graduate students in our institutions. This report is largely based on a 3-hour tutorial given by one of the authors in June 2019.Comment: 8 page

An Evolutionary Method for Financial Forecasting in Microscopic High-Speed Trading Environment

The advancement of information technology in financial applications nowadays have led to fast market-driven events that prompt flash decision-making and actions issued by computer algorithms. As a result, today’s markets experience intense activity in the highly dynamic environment where trading systems respond to others at a much faster pace than before. This new breed of technology involves the implementation of high-speed trading strategies which generate significant portion of activity in the financial markets and present researchers with a wealth of information not available in traditional low-speed trading environments. In this study, we aim at developing feasible computational intelligence methodologies, particularly genetic algorithms (GA), to shed light on high-speed trading research using price data of stocks on the microscopic level. Our empirical results show that the proposed GA-based system is able to improve the accuracy of the prediction significantly for price movement, and we expect this GA-based methodology to advance the current state of research for high-speed trading and other relevant financial applications

A Multisampling Reporter System for Monitoring MicroRNA Activity in the Same Population of Cells

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) downregulate gene expression by binding to the partially complementary sites in the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of target mRNAs. Several methods, such as Northern blot analysis, quantitative real-time RT-PCR, microarray, and the luciferase reporter system, are commonly used to quantify the relative level or activity of miRNAs. The disadvantage of these methods is the requirement for cell lysis, which means that several sets of wells/dishes of cells must be prepared to monitor changes in miRNA activity in time-course studies. In this study, we developed a multisampling reporter system in which two secretable bioluminescence-generating enzymes are employed, one as a reporter and the other as an internal control. The reporters consist of a pair of vectors containing the Metridia luciferase gene, one with and one without a duplicated miRNA targeting sequence at their 3′UTR, while the other vector coding for the secreted alkaline phosphatase gene is used as an internal control. This method allows miRNA activity to be monitored within the same population of cells over time by withdrawing aliquots of the culture medium. The practicability and benefits of this system are addressed in this report

Accuracy of hysteroscopic biopsy, compared to dilation and curettage, as a predictor of final pathology in patients with endometrial cancer

AbstractObjectiveTo compare the methods of transcervical resectoscopy versus dilation and curettage (D&C) for endometrial biopsy and to compare these methods for the percentage of histological upgrades at the final posthysterectomy pathology findings in endometrial cancer.Materials and methodsWe retrospectively reviewed 253 cases of uterine cancer diagnosed from May 1995 to January 2014. Included in the study were patients who received transcervical resectoscopy (TCR) or D&C biopsy as the diagnostic method and underwent laparoscopic staging at our institution. The International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (FIGO) grade in the pathological report of the biopsy and final hysterectomy were recorded. The extrauterine risk was stratified using the initial FIGO grade and depth of myometrium invasion. It was compared to the actual risk using final pathological findings.ResultsWe identified 203 cases of endometrial cancer; 18 (8.9%) patients had a higher histological grade at the final hysterectomy. Among the 203 patients, 76 patients underwent TCR biopsy and 127 underwent D&C biopsy. The histological grade was upgraded in two (2.6%) patients in the TCR group. Three (3.9%) patients had positive peritoneal washings. In the D&C group, 16 (12.6%) patients with three (2.4%) positive peritoneal washings were upgraded.ConclusionTranscervical resectoscopy could provide more precise grading information, compared to D&C (2.6% vs. 12.6%). Doctors could therefore make a more accurate staging plan, based on the preoperative risk evaluation