Dynamic Graphs on the GPU

We present a fast dynamic graph data structure for the GPU. Our dynamic graph structure uses one hash table per vertex to store adjacency lists and achieves 3.4–14.8x faster insertion rates over the state of the art across a diverse set of large datasets, as well as deletion speedups up to 7.8x. The data structure supports queries and dynamic updates through both edge and vertex insertion and deletion. In addition, we define a comprehensive evaluation strategy based on operations, workloads, and applications that we believe better characterize and evaluate dynamic graph data structures

Novel signaling pathways in pulmonary arterial hypertension (2015 Grover Conference Series)

The proliferative endothelial and smooth muscle cell phenotype, inflammation, and pulmonary vascular remodeling are prominent features of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Mutations in bone morphogenetic protein type 2 receptor (BMPR2) have been identified as the most common genetic cause of PAH and females with BMPR2 mutations are 2.5 times as likely to develop heritable forms of PAH than males. Higher levels of estrogen have also been observed in males with PAH, implicating sex hormones in PAH pathogenesis. Recently, the estrogen metabolite 16α-OHE1 (hydroxyestrone) was implicated in the regulation of miR29, a microRNA involved in modulating energy metabolism. In females, decreased miR96 enhances serotonin’s effect by upregulating the 5-hydroxytryptamine 1B (5HT1B) receptor. Because PAH is characterized as a quasi-malignant disease, likely due to BMPR2 loss of function, altered signaling pathways that sustain this cancer-like phenotype are being explored. Extracellular signal–regulated kinases 1 and 2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play a critical role in proliferation and cell motility, and dysregulated MAPK signaling is observed in various experimental models of PAH. Wnt signaling pathways preserve pulmonary vascular homeostasis, and dysregulation of this pathway could contribute to limited vascular regeneration in response to injury. In this review, we take a closer look at sex, sex hormones, and the interplay between sex hormones and microRNA regulation. We also focus on MAPK and Wnt signaling pathways in the emergence of a proproliferative, antiapoptotic endothelial phenotype, which then orchestrates an angioproliferative process of vascular remodeling, with the hope of developing novel therapies that could reverse the phenotype

Scale Invariance and the AdS/CFT Correspondence

Using the AdS/CFT correspondence, we show that the Anti-de Sitter (AdS) rotating (Kerr) black holes in five and seven dimensions provide us with examples of non-trivial field theories which are scale, but not conformally invariant. This is demonstrated by our computation of the actions and the stress-energy tensors of the four and six dimensional field theories residing on the boundary of these Kerr-AdS black holes spacetimes.Comment: 3 pages. LaTeX, IJMP style. Contribution to proceedings of DPF 2000, held at Ohio State

Higher Dimensional Taub-NUTs and Taub-Bolts in Einstein-Maxwell Gravity

We present a class of higher dimensional solutions to Einstein-Maxwell equations in d-dimensions. These solutions are asymptotically locally flat, de-Sitter, or anti-de Sitter space-times. The solutions we obtained depend on two extra parameters other than the mass and the nut charge. These two parameters are the electric charge, q and the electric potential at infinity, V, which has a non-trivial contribution. We Analyze the conditions one can impose to obtain Taub-Nut or Taub-Bolt space-times, including the four-dimensional case. We found that in the nut case these conditions coincide with that coming from the regularity of the one-form potential at the horizon. Furthermore, the mass parameter for the higher dimensional solutions depends on the nut charge and the electric charge or the potential at infinity.Comment: 11 pages, LaTe

A Voting-Based System for Ethical Decision Making

We present a general approach to automating ethical decisions, drawing on machine learning and computational social choice. In a nutshell, we propose to learn a model of societal preferences, and, when faced with a specific ethical dilemma at runtime, efficiently aggregate those preferences to identify a desirable choice. We provide a concrete algorithm that instantiates our approach; some of its crucial steps are informed by a new theory of swap-dominance efficient voting rules. Finally, we implement and evaluate a system for ethical decision making in the autonomous vehicle domain, using preference data collected from 1.3 million people through the Moral Machine website.Comment: 25 pages; paper has been reorganized, related work and discussion sections have been expande

First Law, Counterterms and Kerr-AdS_5 Black Holes

We apply the counterterm subtraction technique to calculate the action and other quantities for the Kerr--AdS black hole in five dimensions using two boundary metrics; the Einstein universe and rotating Einstein universe with arbitrary angular velocity. In both cases, the resulting thermodynamic quantities satisfy the first law of thermodynamics. We point out that the reason for the violation of the first law in previous calculations is that the rotating Einstein universe, used as a boundary metric, was rotating with an angular velocity that depends on the black hole rotation parameter. Using a new coordinate system with a boundary metric that has an arbitrary angular velocity, one can show that the resulting physical quantities satisfy the first law.Comment: 19 pages, 1 figur

Motor Electrical Damping for Back-Drivable Prosthetic Knee

The paper presents a model and analysis of a backdrivable knee prosthesis. In this context, the investigation into the design, modelling and analysis of a back-drivable semiactive prosthetic knee is presented. A mathematical model has been developed for evaluating the electrical damping characteristics of the DC motor in passive mode. The analysis shows that a single actuator could be suitable to work in active mode to provide mechanical power and in passive mode as a damper dissipating energy

Scale without Conformal Invariance at Three Loops

We carry out a three-loop computation that establishes the existence of scale without conformal invariance in dimensional regularization with the MS scheme in d=4-epsilon spacetime dimensions. We also comment on the effects of scheme changes in theories with many couplings, as well as in theories that live on non-conformal scale-invariant renormalization group trajectories. Stability properties of such trajectories are analyzed, revealing both attractive and repulsive directions in a specific example. We explain how our results are in accord with those of Jack & Osborn on a c-theorem in d=4 (and d=4-epsilon) dimensions. Finally, we point out that limit cycles with turning points are unlike limit cycles with continuous scale invariance.Comment: 21 pages, 3 figures, Erratum adde

Estimation of Actuation System Parameters for Prosthetic Ankle

The loss in mobility following amputation results in a degradation of the quality of life of the amputees as it affects many aspects of their personal and professional lives. Lower limb prostheses are used to replace the lost limbs and assist amputees in restoring their missing mobility functions. Despite the current technological advances in prosthetics, amputees still suffer from gait asymmetry and high metabolic energy costs. The gait asymmetry pattern and high metabolic energy costs occur due to: the inability to deliver the required level of assistance/power at the right time and the inertia and mass distribution asymmetry between the intact and the prosthetic leg

Higher Dimensional Kerr-AdS Black Holes and the AdS/CFT Correspondence

Using the counterterm subtraction technique we calculatehe stress-energy tensor, action, and other physical quantities for Kerr-AdS black holes in various dimensions. For Kerr-AdS_5 with both rotation parameters non-zero, we demonstrate that stress-energy tensor, in the zero mass parameter limit, is equal to the stress tensor of the weakly coupled four dimensional dual field theory. As a result, the total energy of the generalKerr-AdS_5 black hole at zero mass parameter, exactly matches the Casimir energy of the dual field theory. We show that at high temperature, the general Kerr-AdS_5 and perturbative field theory stress-energy tensors are equal, up to the usual factor of 3/4. We also use the counterterm technique to calculate the stress tensors and actions for Kerr-AdS_6, and Kerr-AdS_7 black holes, with one rotation parameter, and we display the results. We discuss the conformal anomalies of the field theories dual to the Kerr-AdS_5 and Kerr-AdS_7 spacetimes. In these two field theories, we show that the rotation parameters break conformal invariance but not scale invariance, a novel result for a non-trivial field theory. For Kerr-AdS_7 the conformal anomalies calculated on the gravity side and the dual (0,2) tensor multiplet theory are equal up to 4/7 factor. We expect that the Casimir energy of the free field theory is the same as the energy of the Kerr-AdS_7 black hole (with zero mass parameter), up to that factor.Comment: 18 pages, LaTex (v3: references added. footnote added