19,879 research outputs found
MM Algorithms for Minimizing Nonsmoothly Penalized Objective Functions
In this paper, we propose a general class of algorithms for optimizing an
extensive variety of nonsmoothly penalized objective functions that satisfy
certain regularity conditions. The proposed framework utilizes the
majorization-minimization (MM) algorithm as its core optimization engine. The
resulting algorithms rely on iterated soft-thresholding, implemented
componentwise, allowing for fast, stable updating that avoids the need for any
high-dimensional matrix inversion. We establish a local convergence theory for
this class of algorithms under weaker assumptions than previously considered in
the statistical literature. We also demonstrate the exceptional effectiveness
of new acceleration methods, originally proposed for the EM algorithm, in this
class of problems. Simulation results and a microarray data example are
provided to demonstrate the algorithm's capabilities and versatility.Comment: A revised version of this paper has been published in the Electronic
Journal of Statistic
A note on non-homogeneous deformations with homogeneous Cauchy stress for a strictly rank-one convex energy in isotropic hyperelasticity
It has recently been shown that for a Cauchy stress response induced by a
strictly rank-one convex hyperelastic energy potential, a homogeneous Cauchy
stress tensor field cannot correspond to a non-homogeneous deformation if the
deformation gradient has discrete values, i.e. if the deformation is piecewise
affine linear and satisfies the Hadamard jump condition. In this note, we
expand upon these results and show that they do not hold for arbitrary
deformations by explicitly giving an example of a strictly rank-one convex
energy and a non-homogeneous deformation such that the induced Cauchy stress
tensor is constant. In the planar case, our example is related to another
previous result concerning criteria for generalized convexity properties of
conformally invariant energy functions, which we extend to the case of strict
rank-one convexity
Bat Transmitted Rabies
Up to a few years ago, all the information one needed for a full understanding of rabies as a disease seemed to be readily available in most text-books. The rapidity with which changes in our concepts of this disease are now taking place, and the multiplicity of publications dealing with this disease both make frequent reviews desirable. Actually, bat-transmitted rabies created problems long before it was even recognized. A paralytic disease of epizoonotic proportions in horses, mules, and cattle in Brazil in 1908 was not even identified as rabies until three years after the outbreak started
Model of Transcriptional Activation by MarA in Escherichia coli
We have developed a mathematical model of transcriptional activation by MarA
in Escherichia coli, and used the model to analyze measurements of
MarA-dependent activity of the marRAB, sodA, and micF promoters in mar-rob-
cells. The model rationalizes an unexpected poor correlation between the
mid-point of in vivo promoter activity profiles and in vitro equilibrium
constants for MarA binding to promoter sequences. Analysis of the promoter
activity data using the model yielded the following predictions regarding
activation mechanisms: (1) MarA activation of the marRAB, sodA, and micF
promoters involves a net acceleration of the kinetics of transitions after RNA
polymerase binding, up to and including promoter escape and message elongation;
(2) RNA polymerase binds to these promoters with nearly unit occupancy in the
absence of MarA, making recruitment of polymerase an insignificant factor in
activation of these promoters; and (3) instead of recruitment, activation of
the micF promoter might involve a repulsion of polymerase combined with a large
acceleration of the kinetics of polymerase activity. These predictions are
consistent with published chromatin immunoprecipitation assays of interactions
between polymerase and the E. coli chromosome. A lack of recruitment in
transcriptional activation represents an exception to the textbook description
of activation of bacterial sigma-70 promoters. However, use of accelerated
polymerase kinetics instead of recruitment might confer a competitive advantage
to E. coli by decreasing latency in gene regulation.Comment: 30 pages, 2 figure
Nuclear star formation on 100 parsec scales: 10" resolution radio continuum, HI and CO observations
A program of radio line and continuum studies of star formation in nearby spiral galaxies is reported. The objective is a search for hot gas and peculiar dynamics in spiral nuclei with 10" to 30" angular resolution. Vigorous star formation is found to be a common phenomenon in the inner kpc of spirals. Arcsecond resolution observations of radio continuum emission at 6 and 2 cm were used to separate the thermal and nonthermal radio components. It was found that thermal and nonthermal emission are well mixed even on sizescales of 10 pc. To understand the reason for the increased level of star formation activity in spiral nuclei, HI and CO emission in these galaxies is studied. The CO transition was detected in M51, M82, NGC 253, NGC 6946 and IC 342 with T sub a approx. 0.5 to 2.0 K, at 20" angular resolution. The dynamics and spatial distribution of nuclear gas are being studied using VLA HI maps with 30" synthesized beams. Evidence for noncircular motions in HI was found in the nucleus of IC 342
Progress in Renewables
This is a status report on progress made in the conduct of eleven Federally-supported renewable energy programs. Considerable progress has been made in the establishment and development of an infrastructure to support sustained growth. Unique technical problems led to the research and development of materials and designs which have achieved energy conversion efficiencies of up to 25% for electricity and 92% for heat in solar thermal systems. Overall, enough real progress has been made to provide a sound technology base upon which renewable energy systems industries can reasonably continue development
Predicting the outcomes of treatment to eradicate the latent reservoir for HIV-1
Massive research efforts are now underway to develop a cure for HIV
infection, allowing patients to discontinue lifelong combination antiretroviral
therapy (ART). New latency-reversing agents (LRAs) may be able to purge the
persistent reservoir of latent virus in resting memory CD4+ T cells, but the
degree of reservoir reduction needed for cure remains unknown. Here we use a
stochastic model of infection dynamics to estimate the efficacy of LRA needed
to prevent viral rebound after ART interruption. We incorporate clinical data
to estimate population-level parameter distributions and outcomes. Our findings
suggest that approximately 2,000-fold reductions are required to permit a
majority of patients to interrupt ART for one year without rebound and that
rebound may occur suddenly after multiple years. Greater than 10,000-fold
reductions may be required to prevent rebound altogether. Our results predict
large variation in rebound times following LRA therapy, which will complicate
clinical management. This model provides benchmarks for moving LRAs from the
lab to the clinic and can aid in the design and interpretation of clinical
trials. These results also apply to other interventions to reduce the latent
reservoir and can explain the observed return of viremia after months of
apparent cure in recent bone marrow transplant recipients and an
immediately-treated neonate.Comment: 8 pages main text (4 figures). In PNAS Early Edition
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2014/08/05/1406663111. Ancillary files: SI,
24 pages SI (7 figures). File .htm opens a browser-based application to
calculate rebound times (see SI). Or, the .cdf file can be run with
Mathematica. The most up-to-date version of the code is available at
http://www.danielrosenbloom.com/reboundtimes
High Temporal Resolution XMM Monitoring of PKS 2155-304
The bright, strongly variable BL Lac object PKS 2155-304 was observed by XMM
for two essentially uninterrupted periods of ~11 and 16 hr on 30-31 May 2000.
The strongest variations occurred in the highest energy bands. After scaling
for this effect, the three softest bands (0.1-1.7 keV) showed strong
correlation with no measurable lag to reliable limits of \tau \ls 0.3 hr.
However, the hardest band (~3 keV) was less well-correlated with the other
three, especially on short time scales, showing deviations of ~10-20% in ~1 hr
although, again, no significant interband lag was detected. This result and
examination of previous ASCA and BeppoSAX cross-correlation functions suggest
that previous claims of soft lags on time scales of 0.3-4 hr could well be an
artifact of periodic interruptions due to Earth-occultation every 1.6 hr.
Previous determinations of the magnetic field/bulk Lorentz factor were
therefore premature, as these data provide only a lower limit of B
\gamma^{1/3} \gs 2.5 G. The hardest band encompasses the spectral region above
the high-energy break; its enhanced variability could be indicating that the
break energy of the synchrotron spectrum, and therefore of the underlying
electron energy distribution, changes independently of the lower energies.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, accepted by Ap
Replicability and Recurrence in the Experimental Evolution of a Group I Ribozyme
In order to explore the variety of possible responses available to a ribozyme population evolving a novel phenotype, five Tetrahymena thermophila group I intron ribozyme pools were evolved in parallel for cleavage of a DNA oligonucleotide. These ribozyme populations were propagated under identical conditions and characterized when they reached apparent phenotypic plateaus; the populations that reached the highest plateau showed a near 100-fold improvement in DNA cleavage activity. A detailed characterization of the evolved response in these populations reveals at least two distinct phenotypic trajectories emerging as a result of the imposed selection. Not only do these distinct solutions exhibit differential DNA cleavage activity, but they also exhibit a very different correlation with a related, but unselected, phenotype: RNA cleavage activity. In turn, each of these trajectories is underwritten by differing genotypic profiles. This study underscores the complex network of possible trajectories through sequence space available to an evolving population and uncovers the diversity of solutions that result when the process of experimental evolution is repeated multiple times in a simple, engineered system
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