Non-Geometric Fluxes, Quasi-Hopf Twist Deformations and Nonassociative Quantum Mechanics

We analyse the symmetries underlying nonassociative deformations of geometry in non-geometric R-flux compactifications which arise via T-duality from closed strings with constant geometric fluxes. Starting from the non-abelian Lie algebra of translations and Bopp shifts in phase space, together with a suitable cochain twist, we construct the quasi-Hopf algebra of symmetries that deforms the algebra of functions and the exterior differential calculus in the phase space description of nonassociative R-space. In this setting nonassociativity is characterised by the associator 3-cocycle which controls non-coassociativity of the quasi-Hopf algebra. We use abelian 2-cocycle twists to construct maps between the dynamical nonassociative star product and a family of associative star products parametrized by constant momentum surfaces in phase space. We define a suitable integration on these nonassociative spaces and find that the usual cyclicity of associative noncommutative deformations is replaced by weaker notions of 2-cyclicity and 3-cyclicity. Using this star product quantization on phase space together with 3-cyclicity, we formulate a consistent version of nonassociative quantum mechanics, in which we calculate the expectation values of area and volume operators, and find coarse-graining of the string background due to the R-flux.Comment: 38 pages; v2: typos corrected, reference added; v3: typos corrected, comments about cyclicity added in section 4.2, references updated; Final version to be published in Journal of Mathematical Physic

Nonassociative geometry in quasi-Hopf representation categories II: connections and curvature

We continue our systematic development of noncommutative and nonassociative differential geometry internal to the representation category of a quasitriangular quasi-Hopf algebra. We describe derivations, differential operators, differential calculi and connections using universal categorical constructions to capture algebraic properties such as Leibniz rules. Our main result is the construction of morphisms which provide prescriptions for lifting connections to tensor products and to internal homomorphisms. We describe the curvatures of connections within our formalism, and also the formulation of Einstein-Cartan geometry as a putative framework for a nonassociative theory of gravity

Interleukin 23-Helper T Cell 17 Axis as a Treatment Target for Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris.

Treatment of pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) is solely based on its resemblance to psoriasis rather than any knowledge of its pathomechanism. Insight into pathogenic mediators of inflammation is essential for targeted and valid treatment options that could replace previous serendipitous therapeutic approaches in refractory PRP. To determine whether blockade of the interleukin 23-helper T cell 17 (IL-23-TH17) pathway with ustekinumab represents an efficacious and, based on its proinflammatory cytokine profile, targeted treatment option in PRP. In this case report, a patient with PRP received outpatient treatment at a university hospital department of dermatology with ustekinumab according to the dosing regimen approved for psoriasis. Lesional skin biopsy samples were taken from this patient and 2 others with refractory PRP. Messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of proinflammatory innate and T-cell-derived cytokines were measured and compared with skin samples from patients with psoriasis and healthy donors. From 1 patient, lesional skin samples were taken before ustekinumab treatment and 4 and 28 weeks after treatment initiation. Follow-up was completed after 6 months. Subcutaneous ustekinumab, 45 mg, at weeks 0 and 4 and quarterly thereafter. The primary outcome was to determine the changes in expression of proinflammatory innate and T-cell-derived cytokines during ustekinumab therapy. The secondary objective was to evaluate the clinical and histopathologic phenotype in relation to the mRNA expression profile of proinflammatory cytokines. In lesional PRP skin samples from a single patient, upregulated expression levels were found for most proinflammatory innate cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF), IL-6, IL-12, IL-23, and IL-1β. Among adaptive T-cell cytokines, an increase of TH1 cytokines and, in particular, TH17 cytokines IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-22 was seen in PRP. The patient with PRP who received ustekinumab showed regression of skin lesions after 2 weeks and almost complete resolution after 1 month. Clinical and histopathologic improvement paralleled the expression levels of TH17 cytokines but not of interferon-γ and TNF, which lagged behind the amelioration. In this case report, a role of the IL-23-TH17-axis in PRP was identified, suggesting a shared pathogenic inflammatory pathway with psoriasis, despite evident clinical and histopathologic differences. In addition, this report provides a rationale for targeting the IL-23-TH17-pathway as a treatment option for refractory PRP

Membrane Sigma-Models and Quantization of Non-Geometric Flux Backgrounds

We develop quantization techniques for describing the nonassociative geometry probed by closed strings in flat non-geometric R-flux backgrounds M. Starting from a suitable Courant sigma-model on an open membrane with target space M, regarded as a topological sector of closed string dynamics in R-space, we derive a twisted Poisson sigma-model on the boundary of the membrane whose target space is the cotangent bundle T^*M and whose quasi-Poisson structure coincides with those previously proposed. We argue that from the membrane perspective the path integral over multivalued closed string fields in Q-space is equivalent to integrating over open strings in R-space. The corresponding boundary correlation functions reproduce Kontsevich's deformation quantization formula for the twisted Poisson manifolds. For constant R-flux, we derive closed formulas for the corresponding nonassociative star product and its associator, and compare them with previous proposals for a 3-product of fields on R-space. We develop various versions of the Seiberg-Witten map which relate our nonassociative star products to associative ones and add fluctuations to the R-flux background. We show that the Kontsevich formula coincides with the star product obtained by quantizing the dual of a Lie 2-algebra via convolution in an integrating Lie 2-group associated to the T-dual doubled geometry, and hence clarify the relation to the twisted convolution products for topological nonassociative torus bundles. We further demonstrate how our approach leads to a consistent quantization of Nambu-Poisson 3-brackets.Comment: 52 pages; v2: references adde

11β-HSD1 suppresses cardiac fibroblast CXCL2, CXCL5 and neutrophil recruitment to the heart post MI

We have previously demonstrated that neutrophil recruitment to the heart following myocardial infarction (MI) is enhanced in mice lacking 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) that regenerates active glucocorticoid within cells from intrinsically inert metabolites. The present study aimed to identify the mechanism of regulation. In a mouse model of MI, neutrophil mobilization to blood and recruitment to the heart were higher in 11β-HSD1-deficient (Hsd11b1(-)(/)(-) ) relative to wild-type (WT) mice, despite similar initial injury and circulating glucocorticoid. In bone marrow chimeric mice, neutrophil mobilization was increased when 11β-HSD1 was absent from host cells, but not when absent from donor bone marrow-derived cells. Consistent with a role for 11β-HSD1 in 'host' myocardium, gene expression of a subset of neutrophil chemoattractants, including the chemokines Cxcl2 and Cxcl5, was selectively increased in the myocardium of Hsd11b1(-)(/)(-) mice relative to WT. SM22α-Cre directed disruption of Hsd11b1 in smooth muscle and cardiomyocytes had no effect on neutrophil recruitment. Expression of Cxcl2 and Cxcl5 was elevated in fibroblast fractions isolated from hearts of Hsd11b1(-)(/)(-) mice post MI and provision of either corticosterone or of the 11β-HSD1 substrate, 11-dehydrocorticosterone, to cultured murine cardiac fibroblasts suppressed IL-1α-induced expression of Cxcl2 and Cxcl5 These data identify suppression of CXCL2 and CXCL5 chemoattractant expression by 11β-HSD1 as a novel mechanism with potential for regulation of neutrophil recruitment to the injured myocardium, and cardiac fibroblasts as a key site for intracellular glucocorticoid regeneration during acute inflammation following myocardial injury

The COST292 experimental framework for TRECVID 2007

In this paper, we give an overview of the four tasks submitted to TRECVID 2007 by COST292. In shot boundary (SB) detection task, four SB detectors have been developed and the results are merged using two merging algorithms. The framework developed for the high-level feature extraction task comprises four systems. The first system transforms a set of low-level descriptors into the semantic space using Latent Semantic Analysis and utilises neural networks for feature detection. The second system uses a Bayesian classifier trained with a “bag of subregions”. The third system uses a multi-modal classifier based on SVMs and several descriptors. The fourth system uses two image classifiers based on ant colony optimisation and particle swarm optimisation respectively. The system submitted to the search task is an interactive retrieval application combining retrieval functionalities in various modalities with a user interface supporting automatic and interactive search over all queries submitted. Finally, the rushes task submission is based on a video summarisation and browsing system comprising two different interest curve algorithms and three features

COST292 experimental framework for TRECVID 2008

In this paper, we give an overview of the four tasks submitted to TRECVID 2008 by COST292. The high-level feature extraction framework comprises four systems. The first system transforms a set of low-level descriptors into the semantic space using Latent Semantic Analysis and utilises neural networks for feature detection. The second system uses a multi-modal classifier based on SVMs and several descriptors. The third system uses three image classifiers based on ant colony optimisation, particle swarm optimisation and a multi-objective learning algorithm. The fourth system uses a Gaussian model for singing detection and a person detection algorithm. The search task is based on an interactive retrieval application combining retrieval functionalities in various modalities with a user interface supporting automatic and interactive search over all queries submitted. The rushes task submission is based on a spectral clustering approach for removing similar scenes based on eigenvalues of frame similarity matrix and and a redundancy removal strategy which depends on semantic features extraction such as camera motion and faces. Finally, the submission to the copy detection task is conducted by two different systems. The first system consists of a video module and an audio module. The second system is based on mid-level features that are related to the temporal structure of videos

Experiences from Using Gamification and IoT-based Educational Tools in High Schools towards Energy Savings

Raising awareness among young people, and especially students, on the relevance of behavior change for achieving energy savings is increasingly being considered as a key enabler towards long-term and cost-effective energy efficiency policies. However, the way to successfully apply educational interventions focused on such targets inside schools is still an open question. In this paper, we present our approach for enabling IoT-based energy savings and sustainability awareness lectures and promoting data-driven energy-saving behaviors focused on a high school audience. We present our experiences toward the successful application of sets of educational tools and software over a real-world Internet of Things (IoT) deployment. We discuss the use of gamification and competition as a very effective end-user engagement mechanism for school audiences. We also present the design of an IoT-based hands-on lab activity, integrated within a high school computer science curricula utilizing IoT devices and data produced inside the school building, along with the Node-RED platform. We describe the tools used, the organization of the educational activities and related goals. We report on the experience carried out in both directions in a high school in Italy and conclude by discussing the results in terms of achieved energy savings within an observation period.Comment: to be presented at 2019 European Conference on Ambient Intelligenc