System-Optimal Routing of Traffic Flows with User Constraints in Networks with Congestion

The design of route-guidance systems faces a well-known dilemma. The approach that theoretically yields the system-optimal traffic pattern may discriminate against some users, for the sake of favoring others. Proposed alternate models, however, do not directly address the system perspective and may result in inferior performance. We propose a novel model and corresponding algorithms to resolve this dilemma. We present computational results on real-world instances and compare the new approach with the well-established traffic assignment model. The quintessence is that system-optimal routing of traffic flow with explicit integration of user constraints leads to a better performance than the user equilibrium while simultaneously guaranteeing a superior fairness compared to the pure system optimum

Violating the splicing rules: TG dinucleotides function as alternative 3' splice sites in U2-dependent introns

TG dinucleotides functioning as alternative 3' splice sites were identified and experimentally verified in 36 human genes

KAN KUNSTIG INTELLIGENS INDIKERE ØKONOMISK BEDRAGERI : En studie for å finne ut om man kan lære opp kunstig intelligens til å gjenkjenne økonomisk bedrageri, basert på finansregnskapet til bedrageri-dømte norske aksjeselskap

Masteroppgave MBA Executive Master of Business administration ORG954 - Universitetet i Agder 2018Denne masteroppgaven går ut på prediksjon av bedrageri basert på kunstig intelligens og finansregnskap. Dette er viktig fordi bedrageri skaper urettmessige fordeler for de som utfører det, samt at det medfører risiko for tap for interessentene til de bedriftene det gjelder. Kunstig intelligens er tidligere brukt til samme formål med suksess, men dette er ikke observert utført på norske bedrifter. Oppgaven er kun ment å vise at prediksjon av bedrageri basert på kunstig intelligens og finansregnskap er mulig. Forskningsspørsmålet i denne oppgaven er: «Er det mulig å identifisere økonomisk bedrageri basert på numeriske data i finansregnskapet til norske aksjeselskaper ved hjelp av kunstig intelligens.» Dataene som blir brukt er finansregnskap som er innhentet fra Proff Forvalt (forvalt.no) og dommer som er innhentet fra Lovdata (lovdata.no). Dataene er importert inn i en dataramme ved bruk av dataprogrammet Python og behandlet ved hjelp av Python modulen Tensorflow. Datasettet deles opp i et treningssett og et valideringssett. I treningssettet vekter den kunstige intelligensen variablene i finansregnskapene basert på om bedriftene er bedragerske eller ikke, for så å teste disse vektene ut på valideringssettet hvor den kunstige intelligensen ikke vet om bedriftene er bedragerske eller ikke. Valideringssettet brukes for å se om funksjonen som den kunstige intelligensen kommer frem til er generaliserbar og kan brukes til data utenfor treningssettet. Resultatene viser at det er mulig å påvise om en bedrift er bedragersk eller ikke med stor grad av sikkerhet, selv med et begrenset og ubalansert datasett. Implikasjonene av resultatet i denne oppgaven er at arbeid som brukes for å detektere bedrifter som utfører bedrageri kan reduseres signifikant. Videre kan det også hjelpe til med å detektere bedragerske bedrifter før de blir insolvente og dermed redusere risiko for tap for interessentene

TassDB2 - A comprehensive database of subtle alternative splicing events

Background: Subtle alternative splicing events involving tandem splice sites separated by a short (2-12 nucleotides) distance are frequent and evolutionarily widespread in eukaryotes, and a major contributor to the complexity of transcriptomes and proteomes. However, these events have been either omitted altogether in databases on alternative splicing, or only the cases of experimentally confirmed alternative splicing have been reported. Thus, a database which covers all confirmed cases of subtle alternative splicing as well as the numerous putative tandem splice sites (which might be confirmed once more transcript data becomes available), and allows to search for tandem splice sites with specific features and download the results, is a valuable resource for targeted experimental studies and large-scale bioinformatics analyses of tandem splice sites. Towards this goal we recently set up TassDB (Tandem Splice Site DataBase, version 1), which stores data about alternative splicing events at tandem splice sites separated by 3 nt in eight species. \ud Description: We have substantially revised and extended TassDB. The currently available version 2 contains extensive information about tandem splice sites separated by 2-12 nt for the human and mouse transcriptomes including data on the conservation of the tandem motifs in five vertebrates. TassDB2 offers a user-friendly interface to search for specific genes or for genes containing tandem splice sites with specific features as well as the possibility to download result datasets. For example, users can search for cases of alternative splicing where the proportion of EST/mRNA evidence supporting the minor isoform exceeds a specific threshold, or where the difference in splice site scores is specified by the user. The predicted impact of each event on the protein is also reported, along with information about being a putative target for the nonsense-mediated decay \ud (NMD) pathway. Links are provided to the UCSC genome browser and other external resources.\ud Conclusion: TassDB2, available via http://www.tassdb.info, provides comprehensive resources for researchers interested in both targeted experimental studies and large-scale bioinformatics analyses of short distance tandem splice sites.\ud \ud doi: 10.1186/1471-2105-11-216\u

Symptoms in unilateral vestibular hypofunction are associated with number of catch-up saccades and retinal error: results from the population-based KORA FF4 study

ObjectiveThe presence and intensity of symptoms vary in patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction. We aimed to determine which saccadic and vestibulo-ocular reflex parameters best predict the presence of symptoms in unilateral vestibular hypofunction in order to better understand vestibular compensation and its implications for rehabilitation therapy.MethodsVideo head impulse test data were analyzed from a subpopulation of 23 symptomatic and 10 currently symptom-free participants with unilateral vestibular hypofunction, embedded in the KORA (Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg) FF4 study, the second follow-up of the KORA S4 population-based health survey (2,279 participants).ResultsA higher number of catch-up saccades, a higher percentage of covert saccades, and a larger retinal error at 200 ms after the onset of the head impulse were associated with relevant symptoms in participants with unilateral vestibular hypofunction (p = 0.028, p = 0.046, and p = 0.038, respectively). After stepwise selection, the number of catch-up saccades and retinal error at 200 ms remained in the final logistic regression model, which was significantly better than a null model (p = 0.014). Age, gender, saccade amplitude, saccade latency, and VOR gain were not predictive of the presence of symptoms.ConclusionThe accuracy of saccadic compensation seems to be crucial for the presence of symptoms in unilateral vestibular hypofunction, highlighting the role of specific gaze stabilization exercises in rehabilitation. Early saccades, mainly triggered by the vestibular system, do not seem to compensate accurately enough, resulting in a relevant retinal error and the need for more as well as more accurate catch-up saccades, probably triggered by the visual system

Accurate prediction of NAGNAG alternative splicing

Alternative splicing (AS) involving NAGNAG tandem acceptors is an evolutionarily widespread class of AS. Recent predictions of alternative acceptor usage reported better results for acceptors separated by larger distances, than for NAGNAGs. To improve the latter, we aimed at the use of Bayesian networks (BN), and extensive experimental validation of the predictions. Using carefully constructed training and test datasets, a balanced sensitivity and specificity of ≥92% was achieved. A BN trained on the combined dataset was then used to make predictions, and 81% (38/47) of the experimentally tested predictions were verified. Using a BN learned on human data on six other genomes, we show that while the performance for the vertebrate genomes matches that achieved on human data, there is a slight drop for Drosophila and worm. Lastly, using the prediction accuracy according to experimental validation, we estimate the number of yet undiscovered alternative NAGNAGs. State of the art classifiers can produce highly accurate prediction of AS at NAGNAGs, indicating that we have identified the major features of the ‘NAGNAG-splicing code’ within the splice site and its immediate neighborhood. Our results suggest that the mechanism behind NAGNAG AS is simple, stochastic, and conserved among vertebrates and beyond

Prevalence, Determinants, and Consequences of Vestibular Hypofunction. Results From the KORA-FF4 Survey

Objective: Uni- or bilateral vestibular hypofunction (VH) impairs balance and mobility, and may specifically lead to injury from falls and to disability. The extent of this problem in the general population is still unknown and most likely to be underestimated. Objective of this study was to determine the prevalence, determinants, and consequences of VH in the general population.Methods: Data originates from the cross-sectional second follow-up (FF4) in 2013/14 of the KORA (Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg)-S4 study (1999–2001) from Southern Germany. This was a random sample of the target population consisting of all residents of the region aged 25–74 years in 1999. We included all participants who reported moderate or severe vertigo or dizziness during the last 12 months and a random sub-sample of participants representative for the general population without vertigo or dizziness during the last 12 months were tested. VH was assessed with the Video-Head Impulse Test (vHIT). Trained examiners applied high-acceleration, small-amplitude passive head rotations (“head impulses”) to the left and right in the plane of the horizontal semicircular canals while participants fixated a target straight ahead. During head impulses, head movements were measured with inertial sensors, eye movements with video-oculography (EyeSeeCam vHIT).Results: A total of 2,279 participants were included (mean age 60.8 years, 51.6% female), 570 (25.0%) with moderate or severe vertigo or dizziness during the last 12 months. Of these, 450 were assessed with vHIT where 26 (5.8%) had unilateral VH, and 16 (3.6%) had bilateral VH. Likewise, 190 asymptomatic participants were tested. Of these 5 (2.6%) had unilateral VH, and 2 (1.1%) had bilateral VH. Prevalence of uni- or bilateral VH among tested symptomatic participants was 2.4% in those < 48 years, and 32.1% in individuals aged 79 and over. Age-adjusted prevalence was 6.7% (95% CI 4.8%; 8.6%). VH was associated with worse health, falls, hearing loss, hearing impairment, and ear pressure.Conclusion: VH may affect between 53 and 95 million adults in Europe and the US. While not all affected persons will experience the full spectrum of symptoms and consequences, adequate diagnostic and therapeutic measures should become standard of care to decrease the burden of disease

Earth Virtualization Engines (EVE)

To manage Earth in the Anthropocene, new tools, new institutions, and new forms of international cooperation will be required. Earth Virtualization Engines is proposed as an international federation of centers of excellence to empower all people to respond to the immense and urgent challenges posed by climate change