Evolutionary approaches to signal decomposition in an application service management system

The increased demand for autonomous control in enterprise information systems has generated interest on efficient global search methods for multivariate datasets in order to search for original elements in time-series patterns, and build causal models of systems interactions, utilization dependencies, and performance characteristics. In this context, activity signals deconvolution is a necessary step to achieve effective adaptive control in Application Service Management. The paper investigates the potential of population-based metaheuristic algorithms, particularly variants of particle swarm, genetic algorithms and differential evolution methods, for activity signals deconvolution when the application performance model is unknown a priori. In our approach, the Application Service Management System is treated as a black- or grey-box, and the activity signals deconvolution is formulated as a search problem, decomposing time-series that outline relations between action signals and utilization-execution time of resources. Experiments are conducted using a queue-based computing system model as a test-bed under different load conditions and search configurations. Special attention was put on high-dimensional scenarios, testing effectiveness for large-scale multivariate data analyses that can obtain a near-optimal signal decomposition solution in a short time. The experimental results reveal benefits, qualities and drawbacks of the various metaheuristic strategies selected for a given signal deconvolution problem, and confirm the potential of evolutionary-type search to effectively explore the search space even in high-dimensional cases. The approach and the algorithms investigated can be useful in support of human administrators, or in enhancing the effectiveness of feature extraction schemes that feed decision blocks of autonomous controllers

Direct determination of the solar neutrino fluxes from solar neutrino data

We determine the solar neutrino fluxes from a global analysis of the solar and terrestrial neutrino data in the framework of three-neutrino mixing. Using a Bayesian approach we reconstruct the posterior probability distribution function for the eight normalization parameters of the solar neutrino fluxes plus the relevant masses and mixing, with and without imposing the luminosity constraint. This is done by means of a Markov Chain Monte Carlo employing the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm. We also describe how these results can be applied to test the predictions of the Standard Solar Models. Our results show that, at present, both models with low and high metallicity can describe the data with good statistical agreement.Comment: 24 pages, 1 table, 7 figures. Acknowledgments correcte

Constraints from muon g-2 and LFV processes in the Higgs Triplet Model

Constraints from the muon anomalous magnetic dipole moment and lepton flavor violating processes are translated into lower bounds on v_Delta*m_H++ in the Higgs Triplet Model by considering correlations through the neutrino mass matrix. The discrepancy of the sign of the contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic dipole moment between the measurement and the prediction in the model is clarified. It is shown that mu to e gamma, tau decays (especially, tau to mu e e), and the muonium conversion can give a more stringent bound on v_Delta*m_H++ than the bound from mu to eee which is expected naively to give the most stringent one.Comment: 18 pages, 16 figure

Percutaneous injuries among dental professionals in Washington State

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous exposure incidents facilitate transmission of bloodborne pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). This study was conducted to identify the circumstances and equipment related to percutaneous injuries among dental professionals. METHODS: We used workers' compensation claims submitted to the Department of Labor and Industries State Fund during a 7-year period (1995 through 2001) in Washington State for this study. We used the statement submitted by the injured worker on the workers' compensation claim form to determine the circumstances surrounding the injury including the type of activity and device involved. RESULTS: Of a total of 4,695 accepted State Fund percutaneous injury claims by health care workers (HCWs), 924 (20%) were submitted by dental professionals. Out of 924 percutaneous injuries reported by dental professionals 894 (97%) were among dental health care workers in non-hospital settings, including dentists (66, 7%), dental hygienists (61, 18%) and dental assistants (667, 75%). The majority of those reporting were females (638, 71%). Most (781, 87%) of the injuries involved syringes, dental instruments (77, 9%), and suture needles (23%). A large proportion (90%) of injuries occurred in offices and clinics of dentists, while remainder occurred in offices of clinics and of doctors of medicine (9%), and a few in specialty outpatient facilities (1%). Of the 894 dental health care workers with percutaneous injuries, there was evidence of HBV in 6 persons, HCV in 30 persons, HIV in 3 persons and both HBV and HVC (n = 2) exposure. CONCLUSION: Out of hospital percutaneous injuries are a substantial risk to dental health professionals in Washington State. Improved work practices and safer devices are needed to address this risk

Constraints on Nucleon Decay via "Invisible" Modes from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

Data from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory have been used to constrain the lifetime for nucleon decay to ``invisible'' modes, such as n -> 3 nu. The analysis was based on a search for gamma-rays from the de-excitation of the residual nucleus that would result from the disappearance of either a proton or neutron from O16. A limit of tau_inv > 2 x 10^{29} years is obtained at 90% confidence for either neutron or proton decay modes. This is about an order of magnitude more stringent than previous constraints on invisible proton decay modes and 400 times more stringent than similar neutron modes.Comment: Update includes missing efficiency factor (limits change by factor of 2) Submitted to Physical Review Letter

Beyond the standard seesaw: neutrino masses from Kahler operators and broken supersymmetry

We investigate supersymmetric scenarios in which neutrino masses are generated by effective d=6 operators in the Kahler potential, rather than by the standard d=5 superpotential operator. First, we discuss some general features of such effective operators, also including SUSY-breaking insertions, and compute the relevant renormalization group equations. Contributions to neutrino masses arise at low energy both at the tree level and through finite threshold corrections. In the second part we present simple explicit realizations in which those Kahler operators arise by integrating out heavy SU(2)_W triplets, as in the type II seesaw. Distinct scenarios emerge, depending on the mechanism and the scale of SUSY-breaking mediation. In particular, we propose an appealing and economical picture in which the heavy seesaw mediators are also messengers of SUSY breaking. In this case, strong correlations exist among neutrino parameters, sparticle and Higgs masses, as well as lepton flavour violating processes. Hence, this scenario can be tested at high-energy colliders, such as the LHC, and at lower energy experiments that measure neutrino parameters or search for rare lepton decays.Comment: LaTeX, 34 pages; some corrections in Section

First Neutrino Observations from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

The first neutrino observations from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory are presented from preliminary analyses. Based on energy, direction and location, the data in the region of interest appear to be dominated by 8B solar neutrinos, detected by the charged current reaction on deuterium and elastic scattering from electrons, with very little background. Measurements of radioactive backgrounds indicate that the measurement of all active neutrino types via the neutral current reaction on deuterium will be possible with small systematic uncertainties. Quantitative results for the fluxes observed with these reactions will be provided when further calibrations have been completed.Comment: Latex, 7 pages, 10 figures, Invited paper at Neutrino 2000 Conference, Sudbury, Canada, June 16-21, 2000 to be published in the Proceeding

Bloom’s Syndrome and PICH Helicases Cooperate with Topoisomerase IIα in Centromere Disjunction before Anaphase

Centromeres are specialized chromosome domains that control chromosome segregation during mitosis, but little is known about the mechanisms underlying the maintenance of their integrity. Centromeric ultrafine anaphase bridges are physiological DNA structures thought to contain unresolved DNA catenations between the centromeres separating during anaphase. BLM and PICH helicases colocalize at these ultrafine anaphase bridges and promote their resolution. As PICH is detectable at centromeres from prometaphase onwards, we hypothesized that BLM might also be located at centromeres and that the two proteins might cooperate to resolve DNA catenations before the onset of anaphase. Using immunofluorescence analyses, we demonstrated the recruitment of BLM to centromeres from G2 phase to mitosis. With a combination of fluorescence in situ hybridization, electron microscopy, RNA interference, chromosome spreads and chromatin immunoprecipitation, we showed that both BLM-deficient and PICH-deficient prometaphase cells displayed changes in centromere structure. These cells also had a higher frequency of centromeric non disjunction in the absence of cohesin, suggesting the persistence of catenations. Both proteins were required for the correct recruitment to the centromere of active topoisomerase IIα, an enzyme specialized in the catenation/decatenation process. These observations reveal the existence of a functional relationship between BLM, PICH and topoisomerase IIα in the centromere decatenation process. They indicate that the higher frequency of centromeric ultrafine anaphase bridges in BLM-deficient cells and in cells treated with topoisomerase IIα inhibitors is probably due not only to unresolved physiological ultrafine anaphase bridges, but also to newly formed ultrafine anaphase bridges. We suggest that BLM and PICH cooperate in rendering centromeric catenates accessible to topoisomerase IIα, thereby facilitating correct centromere disjunction and preventing the formation of supernumerary centromeric ultrafine anaphase bridges

An Anatomy Massive Open Online Course as a Continuing Professional Development Tool for Healthcare Professionals

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) remain a novel and under-evaluated learning tool within anatomical and medical education. This study aimed to provide valuable information by using an anatomy MOOC to investigate the demographic profile, patterns of engagement and self-perceived benefits to healthcare professionals. A 21-item survey aimed at healthcare professionals was embedded into the Exploring Anatomy: The Human Abdomen MOOC, in April 2016. The course attracted 2711 individual learners with 94 of these completing the survey, and 79 of those confirming they worked full- or part-time as healthcare professionals. Variations in use across healthcare profession (allied healthcare professional, nurse or doctor) were explored using a Fisher’s exact test to calculate significance across demographic, motivation and engagement items; one-way ANOVA was used to compare self-perceived benefits. Survey data revealed that 53.2% were allied healthcare professionals, 35.4% nurses and 11.4% doctors. Across all professions, the main motivation for enrolling was to learn new things in relation to their clinical practice, with a majority following the prescribed course pathway and utilising core, and clinically relevant, material. The main benefits were in relation to improving anatomy knowledge, which enabled better support for patients. This exploratory study assessing engagement and self-perceived benefits of an anatomy MOOC has shown a high level of ordered involvement, with some indicators suggesting possible benefits to patients by enhancing the subject knowledge of those enrolled. It is suggested that this type of learning tool should be further explored as an approach to continuing professional, and interprofessional, education