On finite-temperature holographic QCD in the Veneziano limit

Holographic models in the T=0 universality class of QCD in the limit of large number N_c of colors and N_f massless fermion flavors, but constant ratio x_f=N_f/N_c, are analyzed at finite temperature. The models contain a 5-dimensional metric and two scalars, a dilaton sourcing TrF^2 and a tachyon dual to \bar qq. The phase structure on the T,x_f plane is computed and various 1st order, 2nd order transitions and crossovers with their chiral symmetry properties are identified. For each x_f, the temperature dependence of p/T^4 and the quark-antiquark -condensate is computed. In the simplest case, we find that for x_f up to the critical x_c\sim 4 there is a 1st order transition on which chiral symmetry is broken and the energy density jumps. In the conformal window x_c<x_f<11/2, there is only a continuous crossover between two conformal phases. When approaching x_c from below, x_f\to x_c, temperature scales approach zero as specified by Miransky scaling.Comment: 66 pages, 29 figure

Prognostic impact of hyperglycemia at onset of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia

Previous reports have associated hyperglycemia to poor outcome among aged and comorbid Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) patients. However, the prognostic impact of hyperglycemia in SAB irrespective of age and underlying conditions including a diagnosis of diabetes has received little attention. The objective here was to evaluate the prognostic relevance of hyperglycemia at onset of methicillin-sensitive SAB (MS-SAB). It was a retrospective study of MS-SAB patients. Blood glucose was measured within 24 h of positive blood cultures. The patient cohort was analyzed en bloc and by categorization according to age, underlying conditions and a diagnosis of diabetes. Altogether 161 patients were identified. High initial blood glucose levels were observed among diabetics (p <0.001), patients with deep infections (p <0.05) and poor outcome at 28- or 90-days (p <0.05). Receiver operating characteristics presented the glucose cut-off level of 7.2 mmol/L as a significant predictor of mortality with an area under the curve of 0.63 (95% CI 0.52-0.75, p <0.05). Blood glucose ae7.2 mmol/L connected to higher 28- (9 vs. 20%, p <0.05) and 90-day (14 vs. 29%, p <0.01) mortality. In Cox proportional hazard regression the blood glucose cut-off value of 7.2 mmol/L significantly predicted 90-day mortality (HR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.01-4.46; p <0.05). Among young and healthy non-diabetics the negative prognostic impact of high glucose was further accentuated (HR 7.46, p <0.05). High glucose levels had no prognostic impact among diabetics. Hyperglycemia at SAB onset may associate to poor outcome. The negative prognostic impact is accentuated among young and healthy non-diabetics.Peer reviewe

An efficient algorithm for learning to rank from preference graphs

In this paper, we introduce a framework for regularized least-squares (RLS) type of ranking cost functions and we propose three such cost functions. Further, we propose a kernel-based preference learning algorithm, which we call RankRLS, for minimizing these functions. It is shown that RankRLS has many computational advantages compared to the ranking algorithms that are based on minimizing other types of costs, such as the hinge cost. In particular, we present efficient algorithms for training, parameter selection, multiple output learning, cross-validation, and large-scale learning. Circumstances under which these computational benefits make RankRLS preferable to RankSVM are considered. We evaluate RankRLS on four different types of ranking tasks using RankSVM and the standard RLS regression as the baselines. RankRLS outperforms the standard RLS regression and its performance is very similar to that of RankSVM, while RankRLS has several computational benefits over RankSVM

Pathological Angiogenesis Requires Syndecan-4 for Efficient VEGFA-Induced VE-Cadherin Internalization

Objective: VEGFA (Vascular endothelial growth factor A) and its receptor VEGFR2 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2) drive angiogenesis in several pathologies, including diabetic retinopathy, wet age-related macular degeneration, and cancer. Studies suggest roles for HSPGs (heparan sulfate proteoglycans) in this process, although the nature of this involvement remains elusive. Here, we set to establish the role of the HSPG SDC4 (syndecan-4) in pathological angiogenesis. Approach and Results: We report that angiogenesis is impaired in mice null for SDC4 in models of neovascular eye disease and tumor development. Our work demonstrates that SDC4 is the only SDC whose gene expression is upregulated during pathological angiogenesis and is selectively enriched on immature vessels in retinas from diabetic retinopathy patients. Combining in vivo and tissue culture models, we identified SDC4 as a downstream mediator of functional angiogenic responses to VEGFA. We found that SDC4 resides at endothelial cell junctions, interacts with vascular endothelial cadherin, and is required for its internalization in response to VEGFA. Finally, we show that pathological angiogenic responses are inhibited in a model of wet age-related macular degeneration by targeting SDC4. Conclusions: We show that SDC4 is a downstream mediator of VEGFA-induced vascular endothelial cadherin internalization during pathological angiogenesis and a potential target for antiangiogenic therapies

Hurricane risk analysis: A review on the physically-based approach

This paper reviews recent studies that take a physically-based approach to better assess and manage hurricane risk. Such a methodology includes three components: modeling the storm climatology (which defines TC risk in terms of the upper tail of the storm statistics); modeling landfalling hazards; and characterizing damage and losses

The experience of long-term opiate maintenance treatment and reported barriers to recovery: A qualitative systematic review

Background/Aim: To inform understanding of the experience of long-term opiate maintenance and identify barriers to recovery. Methods: A qualitative systematic review. Results: 14 studies in 17 papers, mainly from the USA (65%), met inclusion criteria, involving 1,088 participants. Studies focused on methadone prescribing. Participants reported stability; however, many disliked methadone. Barriers to full recovery were primarily ‘inward focused'. Conclusion: This is the first review of qualitative literature on long-term maintenance, finding that universal service improvements could be made to address reported barriers to recovery, including involving ex-users as positive role models, and increasing access to psychological support. Treatment policies combining harm minimisation and abstinence-orientated approaches may best support individualised recovery

A New Mechanism for Generating a Single Transverse Spin Asymmetry

We propose a new mechanism for generating a single transverse spin asymmetry (STSA) in polarized proton-proton and proton-nucleus collisions in the high-energy scattering approximation. In this framework the STSA originates from the q->q G splitting in the projectile (proton) light-cone wave function followed by a perturbative (C-odd) odderon interaction, together with a C-even interaction, between the projectile and the target. We show that some aspects of the obtained expression for the STSA of the produced quarks are in qualitative agreement with experiment: STSA decreases with decreasing projectile x_F and is a non-monotonic function of the transverse momentum k_T. In our framework the STSA peaks at k_T near the saturation scale Q_s. Our mechanism predicts that the quark STSA in proton-nucleus collisions should be much smaller than in proton-proton collisions. We also observe that in our formalism the STSA for prompt photons is zero.Comment: 28 pages, 17 figues; v2: minor corrections, a subsection, discussion and references added; v3: minor corrections and a new figure added; v4: minor corrections; v5: minor corrections in figure

Cassini Plasma Spectrometer and hybrid model study on Titan's interaction: Effect of oxygen ions

During the Cassini Titan flyby on 2 July 2006 (T15), Titan was surrounded by a magnetospheric plasma flow with density about 0.1 cm‑3 as measured by Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS). A very low fraction of water group ions (O+) was detected in the flow dominated by hydrogen ions. We show that Titan's plasma interaction can be highly sensitive to the small fraction of oxygen ions in the magnetospheric flow. The ion quantities of the magnetospheric flow during the flyby were obtained from numerical moments calculated from the CAPS measurements; the average ambient magnetic field was determined using the Cassini magnetometer data. We simulated the flyby using a global hybrid model; the water group abundance in the flow was varied in three simulation runs. Based on the simulation results, the oxygen content has an especially notable effect on the extent of Titan's induced magnetosphere. A multi-instrument analysis was performed comparing with the simulations, whereby a comprehensive picture of the plasma properties around Titan during this flyby was obtained. Comparisons between the hybrid model simulations and Cassini measurements during the flyby point toward O+ density in the undisturbed magnetospheric flow having been around 0.008 cm‑3, which would have accounted for one half of the dynamic pressure of the flow.Fil: Sillanpää, I.. Southwest Research Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Young, D. T.. Southwest Research Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Crary, F.. Southwest Research Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Thomsen, M.. Los Alamos National Laboratory,; Estados UnidosFil: Reisenfelc, D.. University of Montana; Estados UnidosFil: Wahlund, J. E.. Swedish Institute of Space Physics; SueciaFil: Bertucci, Cesar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciónes Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Kallio, E.. Finnish Meteorological Institute,; FinlandiaFil: Jarvinen, R.. Finnish Meteorological Institute; FinlandiaFil: Janhunen, P.. Finnish Meteorological Institute,; Finlandi