APPLICABILITY OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE APPROACHES TO NON- CONTACT ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT INJURY STUDIES

Numerous problems in biomechanics can be tackled using optimization methods. The primary objective of this paper is to explore the applicability and illustrate the importance of two major optimization approaches, namely, operation research (OR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to studies in non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury biomechanics. This paper focuses on the applicability of the two approaches to bring attention to the enabling capabilities that can be offered to address challenges faced in non-contact ACL injury studies. The differences and similarities, as well as, advantages and disadvantages of these two approaches are discussed. Some of the key techniques covered in the two different approaches are highlighted. As well, the area in which there is a common ground for both approaches is outlined. It was determined for a small search space and highly tailored problems, classical exhaustive OR methods usually suffice; however, for large search spaces an AI technique must be employed. Thus, an AI technique is better suited to tackle the challenges faced in non-contact ACL injury studies especially given the multifaceted nature of such problems

Analyzing Target-Based Cryptocurrency Pump and Dump Schemes

As the number of cryptocurrencies has exploded in recent years, so too has the fraud. One popular strategy is when actors promote coordinated purchases of coins in hopes of temporarily driving up prices. Prior work investigating such pump and dump schemes has focused on the immediate impact to prices following pump signals, which were largely interpreted as following the same strategy. The reality, as with most cybercrimes, is that the operators of the schemes try out a much more heterogeneous mix of tactics. From a population of 12,252 pump signals observed between July 2017 and January 2019, we identify and examine 3,683 so-called target-based pump signals that announce promoted coins alongside buy and sell targets, but without a coordinated purchase time. We develop a strategy to measure the success of target pumps over longer time horizons. We find that around half of these pumps reach at least one of their sell targets, and that reaching their peak price often takes days, as opposed to the seconds or minutes required in pumps studied previously. We also examine the various groups promoting coins and present evidence that groups try a variety of distinct strategies and experience varying success. We find that the most successful groups promote many coins and issue many pumps, but not for the same coins. As decentralized finance becomes more popular, a deeper understanding of price manipulation techniques like target pumps is needed to combat fraud

An examination of the cryptocurrency pump-and-dump ecosystem

The recent introduction of thousands of cryptocurrencies in an unregulated environment has created many opportunities for unscrupulous traders to profit from price manipulation. We quantify the scope of one widespread tactic, the “pump and dump”, in which actors coordinate to bid up the price of coins before selling at a profit. We joined all relevant channels on two popular group-messaging platforms, Telegram and Discord, and identified thousands of different pumps targeting hundreds of coins. We find that pumps are modestly successful in driving short-term price rises, but that this effect has diminished over time. We also find that the most successful pumps are those that are most transparent about their intentions. Combined with evidence of concentration among a small number of channels, we conclude that regulators have an opportunity to effectively crack down on this illicit activity that threatens broader adoption of blockchain technologies

Solubility isotope effects in aqueous solutions of methane

The isotope effect on the Henry's law coefficients of methane in aqueous solution (H/D and C-12/C-13 substitution) are interpreted using the statistical mechanical theory of condensed phase isotope effects. The missing spectroscopic data needed for the implementation of the theory were obtained either experimentally (infrared measurements), by computer simulation (molecular dynamics technique), or estimated using the Wilson's GF matrix method. The order of magnitude and sign of both solute isotope effects can be predicted by the theory. Even a crude estimation based on data from previous vapor pressure isotope effect studies of pure methane at low temperature can explain the inverse effect found for the solubility of deuterated methane in water. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics

Responding to physical and psychological health impacts of disasters: Case study of the Iranian disaster rehabilitation plan Agir en réponse aux conséquences physiques et psychologiques des catastrophes naturelles: �tude de cas du plan de relèvement post-catastrophe en Iran

This paper describes the process of developing a national pre-disaster plan for physical health and psychological rehabilitation of disaster-stricken communities. Data gathered from a literature review and expert panel discussions informed the process of drawing up unified definitions of physical and psychological health rehabilitation, carrying out stakeholder and STEEP-V analyses, and assigning the responsible organization and the collaborative organizations for each task. The Ministry of Health and the Welfare Organization were selected as the two responsible organizations. Integrated management at all levels, and sharing information, education and funding, were identified as ways to improve stakeholders� participation and collaboration. A system is needed for evaluating the implementation of the disaster rehabilitation plan, using valid and reliable indicators. © 2016, World Health Organization. All rights reserved

Hypoxic regulation of RIOK3 is a major mechanism for cancer cell invasion and metastasis.

Hypoxia is a common feature of locally advanced breast cancers that is associated with increased metastasis and poorer survival. Stabilisation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1α) in tumours causes transcriptional changes in numerous genes that function at distinct stages of the metastatic cascade. We demonstrate that expression of RIOK3 (RIght Open reading frame kinase 3) was increased during hypoxic exposure in an HIF1α-dependent manner. RIOK3 was localised to distinct cytoplasmic aggregates in normoxic cells and underwent redistribution to the leading edge of the cell in hypoxia with a corresponding change in the organisation of the actin cytoskeleton. Depletion of RIOK3 expression caused MDA-MB-231 to become elongated and this morphological change was due to a loss of protraction at the trailing edge of the cell. This phenotypic change resulted in reduced cell migration in two-dimensional cultures and inhibition of cell invasion through three-dimensional extracellular matrix. Proteomic analysis identified interactions of RIOK3 with actin and several actin-binding factors including tropomyosins (TPM3 and TPM4) and tropomodulin 3. Depletion of RIOK3 in cells resulted in fewer and less organised actin filaments. Analysis of these filaments showed reduced association of TPM3, particularly during hypoxia, suggesting that RIOK3 regulates actin filament specialisation. RIOK3 depletion reduced the dissemination of MDA-MB-231 cells in both a zebrafish model of systemic metastasis and a mouse model of pulmonary metastasis. These findings demonstrate that RIOK3 is necessary for maintaining actin cytoskeletal organisation required for migration and invasion, biological processes that are necessary for hypoxia-driven metastasis

Comprehensive Analysis of Transcript Start Sites in Ly49 Genes Reveals an Unexpected Relationship with Gene Function and a Lack Of Upstream Promoters

Comprehensive analysis of the transcription start sites of the Ly49 genes of C57BL/6 mice using the oligo-capping 5′-RACE technique revealed that the genes encoding the “missing self” inhibitory receptors, Ly49A, C, G, and I, were transcribed from multiple broad regions in exon 1, in the intron1/exon2 region, and upstream of exon -1b. Ly49E was also transcribed in this manner, and uniquely showed a transcriptional shift from exon1 to exon 2 when NK cells were activated in vitro with IL2. Remarkably, a large proportion of Ly49E transcripts was then initiated from downstream of the translational start codon. By contrast, the genes encoding Ly49B and Q in myeloid cells, the activating Ly49D and H receptors in NK cells, and Ly49F in activated T cells, were predominantly transcribed from a conserved site in a pyrimidine-rich region upstream of exon 1. An ∼200 bp fragment from upstream of the Ly49B start site displayed tissue-specific promoter activity in dendritic cell lines, but the corresponding upstream fragments from all other Ly49 genes lacked detectable tissue-specific promoter activity. In particular, none displayed any significant activity in a newly developed adult NK cell line that expressed multiple Ly49 receptors. Similarly, no promoter activity could be found in fragments upstream of intron1/exon2. Collectively, these findings reveal a previously unrecognized relationship between the pattern of transcription and the expression/function of Ly49 receptors, and indicate that transcription of the Ly49 genes expressed in lymphoid cells is achieved in a manner that does not require classical upstream promoters