Showing papers by "University of Los Andes published in 2016"
University of California, San Diego1, University of Hong Kong2, Australian Catholic University3, Arizona State University4, University of British Columbia5, Emory University6, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston7, University of Southern Denmark8, Staffordshire University9, University of Canberra10, Palacký University, Olomouc11, Federal University of Paraná12, The Catholic University of America13, University of Los Andes14, Auckland University of Technology15, Ghent University16, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute17
TL;DR: Design of urban environments has the potential to contribute substantially to physical activity and similarity of findings across cities suggests the promise of engaging urban planning, transportation, and parks sectors in efforts to reduce the health burden of the global physical inactivity pandemic.
795 citations
Vardan Khachatryan1, Albert M. Sirunyan1, Armen Tumasyan1, Wolfgang Adam +2283 more•Institutions (141)
TL;DR: Combined fits to CMS UE proton–proton data at 7TeV and to UEProton–antiproton data from the CDF experiment at lower s, are used to study the UE models and constrain their parameters, providing thereby improved predictions for proton-proton collisions at 13.
Abstract: New sets of parameters ("tunes") for the underlying-event (UE) modeling of the PYTHIA8, PYTHIA6 and HERWIG++ Monte Carlo event generators are constructed using different parton distribution functions. Combined fits to CMS UE data at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV and to UE data from the CDF experiment at lower sqrt(s), are used to study the UE models and constrain their parameters, providing thereby improved predictions for proton-proton collisions at 13 TeV. In addition, it is investigated whether the values of the parameters obtained from fits to UE observables are consistent with the values determined from fitting observables sensitive to double-parton scattering processes. Finally, comparisons of the UE tunes to "minimum bias" (MB) events, multijet, and Drell-Yan (q q-bar to Z / gamma* to lepton-antilepton + jets) observables at 7 and 8 TeV are presented, as well as predictions of MB and UE observables at 13 TeV.
686 citations
TL;DR: A novel bioink and a dispensing technique for 3D tissue-engineering applications are presented, which incorporates a coaxial extrusion needle using a low-viscosity cell-laden bioink to produce highly defined 3D biostructures.
Abstract: A novel bioink and a dispensing technique for 3D tissue-engineering applications are presented. The technique incorporates a coaxial extrusion needle using a low-viscosity cell-laden bioink to produce highly defined 3D biostructures. The extrusion system is then coupled to a microfluidic device to control the bioink arrangement deposition, demonstrating the versatility of the bioprinting technique. This low-viscosity cell-responsive bioink promotes cell migration and alignment within each fiber organizing the encapsulated cells.
638 citations
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh1, National Autonomous University of Mexico2, University of Edinburgh3, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute4, National Agrarian University5, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais6, National University of Rosario7, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador8, Spanish National Research Council9, National Museum of Natural History10, University of Los Andes11, South Colombian University12, University of Atlántico13, Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research14, Arizona State University15, Del Rosario University16, Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute17, International Institute of Minnesota18, University of Antioquia19, District University of Bogotá20, National University of Salta21, Bangor University22, University of the West Indies23, Universidad del Tolima24, National University of Colombia25, Royal Botanic Gardens26, University of Pamplona27
TL;DR: Using 835 inventories covering 4660 species of woody plants, marked floristic turnover among inventories and regions indicates that numerous conservation areas across many countries will be needed to protect the full diversity of tropical dry forests.
Abstract: Seasonally dry tropical forests are distributed across Latin America and the Caribbean and are highly threatened, with less than 10% of their original extent remaining in many countries. Using 835 inventories covering 4660 species of woody plants, we show marked floristic turnover among inventories and regions, which may be higher than in other neotropical biomes, such as savanna. Such high floristic turnover indicates that numerous conservation areas across many countries will be needed to protect the full diversity of tropical dry forests. Our results provide a scientific framework within which national decision-makers can contextualize the floristic significance of their dry forest at a regional and continental scale.
473 citations
17 Oct 2016
TL;DR: Deep Retinal Image Understanding is presented, a unified framework of retinal image analysis that provides both retinal vessel and optic disc segmentation and shows super-human performance, that is, it shows results more consistent with a gold standard than a second human annotator used as control.
Abstract: This paper presents Deep Retinal Image Understanding (DRIU), a unified framework of retinal image analysis that provides both retinal vessel and optic disc segmentation. We make use of deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), which have proven revolutionary in other fields of computer vision such as object detection and image classification, and we bring their power to the study of eye fundus images. DRIU uses a base network architecture on which two set of specialized layers are trained to solve both the retinal vessel and optic disc segmentation. We present experimental validation, both qualitative and quantitative, in four public datasets for these tasks. In all of them, DRIU presents super-human performance, that is, it shows results more consistent with a gold standard than a second human annotator used as control.
416 citations
University of Sussex1, University of Toulouse2, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile3, University of Miami4, Barry University5, Northwestern University6, West University of Timișoara7, University of Buea8, Nanyang Technological University9, Makerere University10, University of Namibia11, National Research University – Higher School of Economics12, Université catholique de Louvain13, University of Iceland14, American University of Beirut15, Complutense University of Madrid16, Ateneo de Manila University17, University of Cambridge18, Chinese Academy of Sciences19, North China University of Science and Technology20, University of Gdańsk21, Hokkaido University22, Osaka University23, Pontifical Catholic University of Peru24, University of Tartu25, Istanbul Şehir University26, University of Ghana27, Yaşar University28, Bilkent University29, Thammasat University30, University of Colorado Colorado Springs31, University of Wisconsin-Madison32, University of Los Andes33, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul34, University of Malaya35, University of Agder36, Victoria University of Wellington37, Uludağ University38, Ankara University39, Sultan Qaboos University40, Addis Ababa University41, The Chinese University of Hong Kong42, Hungarian Academy of Sciences43, Federal University of Paraíba44, Federal University of Pará45, Leipzig University46, University of Jena47, University of Milan48, Hong Kong Polytechnic University49
TL;DR: A new 7-dimensional model of self-reported ways of being independent or interdependent is developed and validated across cultures and will allow future researchers to test more accurately the implications of cultural models of selfhood for psychological processes in diverse ecocultural contexts.
Abstract: Markus and Kitayama’s (1991) theory of independent and interdependent self-construals had a major influence on social, personality, and developmental psychology by highlighting the role of culture in psychological processes. However, research has relied excessively on contrasts between North American and East Asian samples, and commonly used self-report measures of independence and interdependence frequently fail to show predicted cultural differences. We revisited the conceptualization and measurement of independent and interdependent self-construals in 2 large-scale multinational surveys, using improved methods for cross-cultural research. We developed (Study 1: N = 2924 students in 16 nations) and validated across cultures (Study 2: N = 7279 adults from 55 cultural groups in 33 nations) a new 7-dimensional model of self-reported ways of being independent or interdependent. Patterns of global variation support some of Markus and Kitayama’s predictions, but a simple contrast between independence and interdependence does not adequately capture the diverse models of selfhood that prevail in different world regions. Cultural groups emphasize different ways of being both independent and interdependent, depending on individualism-collectivism, national socioeconomic development, and religious heritage. Our 7-dimensional model will allow future researchers to test more accurately the implications of cultural models of selfhood for psychological processes in diverse ecocultural contexts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
309 citations
TL;DR: The Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance organized the concurrent preparation of report cards on the physical activity of children and youth in 38 countries from 6 continents (representing 60% of the world's population) as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance organized the concurrent preparation of Report Cards on the physical activity of children and youth in 38 countries from 6 continents (representing 60% of the world's population). Nine common indicators were used (Overall Physical Activity, Organized Sport Participation, Active Play, Active Transportation, Sedentary Behavior, Family and Peers, School, Community and the Built Environment, and Government Strategies and Investments), and all Report Cards were generated through a harmonized development process and a standardized grading framework (from A = excellent, to F = failing). The 38 Report Cards were presented at the International Congress on Physical Activity and Public Health in Bangkok, Thailand on November 16, 2016. The consolidated findings are summarized in the form of a Global Matrix demonstrating substantial variation in grades both within and across countries. Countries that lead in certain indicators often lag in others. Average grades for both Overall Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior around the world are D (low/poor). In contrast, the average grade for indicators related to supports for physical activity was C. Lower-income countries generally had better grades on Overall Physical Activity, Active Transportation, and Sedentary Behaviors compared with higher-income countries, yet worse grades for supports from Family and Peers, Community and the Built Environment, and Government Strategies and Investments. Average grades for all indicators combined were highest (best) in Denmark, Slovenia, and the Netherlands. Many surveillance and research gaps were apparent, especially for the Active Play and Family and Peers indicators. International cooperation and cross-fertilization is encouraged to address existing challenges, understand underlying determinants, conceive innovative solutions, and mitigate the global childhood inactivity crisis. The paradox of higher physical activity and lower sedentary behavior in countries reporting poorer infrastructure, and lower physical activity and higher sedentary behavior in countries reporting better infrastructure, suggests that autonomy to play, travel, or chore requirements and/or fewer attractive sedentary pursuits, rather than infrastructure and structured activities, may facilitate higher levels of physical activity.
294 citations
TL;DR: Direct measurements of the thermal conductivity of solid iron at pressure and temperature conditions relevant to the cores of Mercury-sized to Earth-sized planets, using a dynamically laser-heated diamond-anvil cell indicate that Earth's geodynamo has persisted since the beginning of Earth's history.
Abstract: The thermal conductivity of solid iron at the pressure and temperature conditions that prevail in the cores of planets is measured directly using a dynamically laser-heated diamond-anvil cell, yielding values that support findings from ancient magnetized rocks that suggest Earth’s magnetic field has persisted since the Earth’s earliest history. The thermal conductivity of iron and its alloys at high pressure and temperature is a critical factor in the evolution and dynamics of Earth-like planets. Recently, increasing uncertainty in these values has produced dramatically variable predictions for Earth's history that challenge traditional geophysical theories. Two groups reporting in this issue of Nature use laser-heated diamond-anvil cells to study the properties of iron at the extreme temperatures and pressures relevant to Earth's core, but using different methodologies, and they arrive at contrasting results. Kenji Ohta and co-authors measured the electrical resistivity of iron at up to 4,500 kelvin and obtained an estimate that is even lower than the low values predicted from recent ab initio studies. They conclude that this suggests a high thermal conductivity for Earth's core, which would imply rapid core cooling by conduction and a relatively young inner core. Zuzana Konopkova and co-authors measured heat pulses propagating through solid iron after heating with a laser pulse at pressures and temperatures relevant to the cores of planets ranging in size from Mercury to Earth. Their measurements place the thermal conductivity of Earth's core near the low end of previous estimates, implying that thermal convection in Earth's core could have driven the geodynamo for billions of years, and allowing for an ancient inner core. In a linked News & Views, David Dobson discusses the interpretation of these two tours de force of experimental geophysics. The conduction of heat through minerals and melts at extreme pressures and temperatures is of central importance to the evolution and dynamics of planets. In the cooling Earth’s core, the thermal conductivity of iron alloys defines the adiabatic heat flux and therefore the thermal and compositional energy available to support the production of Earth’s magnetic field via dynamo action1,2,3. Attempts to describe thermal transport in Earth’s core have been problematic, with predictions of high thermal conductivity4,5,6,7 at odds with traditional geophysical models and direct evidence for a primordial magnetic field in the rock record8,9,10. Measurements of core heat transport are needed to resolve this difference. Here we present direct measurements of the thermal conductivity of solid iron at pressure and temperature conditions relevant to the cores of Mercury-sized to Earth-sized planets, using a dynamically laser-heated diamond-anvil cell11,12. Our measurements place the thermal conductivity of Earth’s core near the low end of previous estimates, at 18–44 watts per metre per kelvin. The result is in agreement with palaeomagnetic measurements10 indicating that Earth’s geodynamo has persisted since the beginning of Earth’s history, and allows for a solid inner core as old as the dynamo.
245 citations
TL;DR: The main aim of this research is to build up a robust system for the multi-class fault diagnosis in spur gears, by selecting the best set of condition parameters on time, frequency and time–frequency domains, which are extracted from vibration signals.
238 citations
Carlos III Health Institute1, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario2, Pennington Biomedical Research Center3, University of Helsinki4, University of Cape Town5, University of South Australia6, University of Porto7, Kenyatta University8, University of Los Andes9, University of Bath10, University of Massachusetts Amherst11
TL;DR: Evaluated adherence to the 3 recommendations most strongly associated with health outcomes in new 24-h movement guidelines and their relationship with adiposity across countries participating in the International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment (ISCOLE) found that for ISCOLE participants meeting these 3 healthy movement recommendations the odds ratios of being obese or having high BMI z-scores were lower.
Abstract: The Canadian 24-h movement guidelines were developed with the hope of improving health and future health outcomes in children and youth. The purpose of this study was to evaluate adherence to the 3 recommendations most strongly associated with health outcomes in new 24-h movement guidelines and their relationship with adiposity (obesity and body mass index z-score) across countries participating in the International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment (ISCOLE). Cross-sectional results were based on 6128 children aged 9–11 years from the 12 countries of ISCOLE. Sleep duration and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were assessed using accelerometry. Screen time was measured through self-report. Body weight and height were measured. Body mass index (BMI, kg · m−2) was calculated, and BMI z-scores were computed using age- and sex-specific reference data from the World Health Organization. Obesity was defined as a BMI z-score > +2 SD. Meeting the overall 24-h movement guidelines was defined as: 9 to 11 h/night of sleep, ≤2 h/day of screen time, and at least 60 min/day of MVPA. Age, sex, highest parental education and unhealthy diet pattern score were included as covariates in statistical models. Associations between meeting vs. not meeting each single recommendation (and combinations) with obesity were assessed with odds ratios calculated using generalized linear mixed models. A linear mixed model was used to examine the differences in BMI z-scores between children meeting vs. not meeting the different combinations of recommendations. The global prevalence of children meeting the overall recommendations (all three behaviors) was 7%, with children from Australia and Canada showing the highest adherence (15%). Children meeting the three recommendations had lower odds ratios for obesity compared to those meeting none of the recommendations (OR = 0.28, 95% CI 0.18–0.45). Compared to not meeting the 24-h movement recommendations either independently or combined, meeting them was significantly associated with a lower BMI z-score. Whenever the MVPA recommendation was included in the analysis the odds ratios for obesity were lower. For ISCOLE participants meeting these 3 healthy movement recommendations the odds ratios of being obese or having high BMI z-scores were lower. However, only a small percentage of children met all recommendations. Future efforts should aim to find promising ways to increase daily physical activity, reduce screen time, and ensure an adequate night’s sleep in children. The International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment (ISCOLE) was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier NCT01722500) (October 29, 2012).
216 citations
TL;DR: Exosomes isolated from GDM pregnancies significantly increased the release of proinflammatory cytokines from endothelial cells, and exosome profiles may be of diagnostic utility for screening asymptomatic populations.
Abstract: Although there is significant interest in elucidating the role of placenta-derived exosomes (PdEs) during pregnancy, the exosomal profile in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) remains to be established. The aim of this study was to compare the gestational-age profile of PdEs in maternal plasma of GDM with normal pregnancies and to determine the effect of exosomes on cytokine release from human umbilical vein endothelial cells. A prospective cohort of patients was sampled at three time points during pregnancy for each patient (i.e., 11-14, 22-24, and 32-36 weeks' gestation). A retrospective stratified study design was used to quantify exosomes present in maternal plasma of normal (n = 13) and GDM (n = 7) pregnancies. Gestational age and pregnancy status were identified as significant factors contributing to variation in plasma exosome concentration (ANOVA, P < 0.05). Post hoc analyses established that PdE concentration increased during gestation in both normal and GDM pregnancies; however, the increase was significantly greater in GDM (∼2.2-fold, ∼1.5-fold, and ∼1.8-fold greater at each gestational age compared with normal pregnancies). Exosomes isolated from GDM pregnancies significantly increased the release of proinflammatory cytokines from endothelial cells. Although the role of exosomes during GDM remains to be fully elucidated, exosome profiles may be of diagnostic utility for screening asymptomatic populations.
TL;DR: An efficient Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) model is developed, which considers different types of interdependency while exploiting efficiencies from joint restoration due to colocation for the first time, and which converges to quasi-optimal solutions in all 16 configurations studied.
Abstract: This study introduces the Interdependent Network Design Problem (INDP), concerned with defining the minimum-cost reconstruction strategy of a partially destroyed system of infrastructure networks, subject to budget, resources, and operational constraints, while considering interdependencies between them. To solve the INDP, the authors develop an efficient Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) model, which considers different types of interdependency while exploiting efficiencies from joint restoration due to colocation for the first time. The authors also propose heuristic methodologies based on simulation and the iterative use of the INDP model, to enable studying problems with additional complexity, such as accounting for uncertainty from possible disaster scenarios, or determining not only what to reconstruct but the order of reconstruction. Such methodologies enable the analysis of expected costs and performance associated to reconstruction of the system of networks, providing an effective tool for infrastructure decision makers. To exemplify the capabilities of the presented INDP-based methodologies, the authors study the process of restoration of a set of interdependent networks after hypothetical earthquakes in Shelby County, TN, United States. Results show that the INDP-based approaches that account for time-dependent recovery converge to quasi-optimal solutions in all 16 configurations studied, considering four different resource levels and four different earthquake magnitudes. Similarly, as desired in emergency response scenarios, the rate of performance recovery is high in the early reconstruction stages, recovering more than 85% of performance in the first stage in a worst-case scenario.
University of Exeter1, University of Leeds2, James Cook University3, Imperial College London4, Environmental Change Institute5, Duke University6, National Institute for Space Research7, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno8, Florida International University9, Institut national de la recherche agronomique10, Universidade Federal do Acre11, Paul Sabatier University12, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto13, University College London14, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso15, National University of Colombia16, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana17, University of Los Andes18, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology19, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi20, Naturalis21, Federal University of Alagoas22, Georgetown University23, University of Nottingham24
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the impact of the 2010 Amazon drought on forest dynamics using ground-based observations of mortality and growth from an extensive forest plot network and found that during the 2010 drought interval, forests did not gain biomass (net change: −0.43
Abstract: The Amazon Basin has experienced more variable climate over the last decade, with a severe and widespread drought in 2005 causing large basin-wide losses of biomass. A drought of similar climatological magnitude occurred again in 2010; however, there has been no basin-wide ground-based evaluation of effects on vegetation. We examine to what extent the 2010 drought affected forest dynamics using ground-based observations of mortality and growth from an extensive forest plot network. We find that during the 2010 drought interval, forests did not gain biomass (net change: −0.43 Mg ha−1, confidence interval (CI): −1.11, 0.19, n = 97), regardless of whether forests experienced precipitation deficit anomalies. This contrasted with a long-term biomass sink during the baseline pre-2010 drought period (1998 to pre-2010) of 1.33 Mg ha−1 yr−1 (CI: 0.90, 1.74, p < 0.01). The resulting net impact of the 2010 drought (i.e., reversal of the baseline net sink) was −1.95 Mg ha−1 yr−1 (CI:−2.77, −1.18; p < 0.001). This net biomass impact was driven by an increase in biomass mortality (1.45 Mg ha−1 yr−1 CI: 0.66, 2.25, p < 0.001) and a decline in biomass productivity (−0.50 Mg ha−1 yr−1, CI:−0.78, −0.31; p < 0.001). Surprisingly, the magnitude of the losses through tree mortality was unrelated to estimated local precipitation anomalies and was independent of estimated local pre-2010 drought history. Thus, there was no evidence that pre-2010 droughts compounded the effects of the 2010 drought. We detected a systematic basin-wide impact of the 2010 drought on tree growth rates across Amazonia, which was related to the strength of the moisture deficit. This impact differed from the drought event in 2005 which did not affect productivity. Based on these ground data, live biomass in trees and corresponding estimates of live biomass in lianas and roots, we estimate that intact forests in Amazonia were carbon neutral in 2010 (−0.07 Pg C yr−1 CI:−0.42, 0.23), consistent with results from an independent analysis of airborne estimates of land-atmospheric fluxes during 2010. Relative to the long-term mean, the 2010 drought resulted in a reduction in biomass carbon uptake of 1.1 Pg C, compared to 1.6 Pg C for the 2005 event.
TL;DR: This synopsis surveys the diverse recent approaches to amide synthesis from nonactivated carboxylic acids and derivatives as well as noncar boxylic compounds, highlighting the most innovative methodologies and those that are more eco-friendly compared to traditional methods while focusing on recent developments during the past two years.
Abstract: Amides are unquestionably one of the most important functional groups in organic chemistry because of their presence in numerous interesting molecules such as peptides, pharmaceutical agents, naturally occurring molecules, proteins and alkaloids, among others. This synopsis surveys the diverse recent approaches to amide synthesis from nonactivated carboxylic acids and derivatives as well as noncarboxylic compounds, highlighting the most innovative methodologies and those that are more eco-friendly compared to traditional methods while focusing on recent developments during the past two years.
TL;DR: The effects of metformin on endothelial dysfunction, maternal blood vessel vasodilation, and angiogenesis are examined and it is suggested that soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 and soluble endoglin secretion is regulated through the mitochondria.
University of Southern Denmark1, Deakin University2, University of Hong Kong3, University of Melbourne4, University of California, San Diego5, University of Canberra6, Ghent University7, Auckland University of Technology8, Swinburne University of Technology9, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston10, University of Los Andes11, Federal University of Paraná12, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná13, Arizona State University14, University of British Columbia15
TL;DR: Across 14 diverse cities and countries, living in more densely populated areas, having a well-connected street network, more diverse land uses, and having more parks were positively associated with transport-related walking and/or cycling.
Abstract: Introduction Mounting evidence documents the importance of urban form for active travel, but international studies could strengthen the evidence. The aim of the study was to document the strength, shape, and generalizability of relations of objectively measured built environment variables with transport-related walking and cycling. Methods This cross-sectional study maximized variation of environments and demographics by including multiple countries and by selecting adult participants living in neighborhoods based on higher and lower classifications of objectively measured walkability and socioeconomic status. Analyses were conducted on 12,181 adults aged 18–66 years, drawn from 14 cities across 10 countries worldwide. Frequency of transport-related walking and cycling over the last seven days was assessed by questionnaire and four objectively measured built environment variables were calculated. Associations of built environment variables with transport-related walking and cycling variables were estimated using generalized additive mixed models, and were tested for curvilinearity and study site moderation. Results We found positive associations of walking for transport with all the environmental attributes, but also found that the relationships was only linear for land use mix, but not for residential density, intersection density, and the number of parks. Our findings suggest that there may be optimum values in these attributes, beyond which higher densities or number of parks could have minor or even negative impact. Cycling for transport was associated linearly with residential density, intersection density (only for any cycling), and land use mix, but not with the number of parks. Conclusion Across 14 diverse cities and countries, living in more densely populated areas, having a well-connected street network, more diverse land uses, and having more parks were positively associated with transport-related walking and/or cycling. Except for land-use-mix, all built environment variables had curvilinear relationships with walking, with a plateau in the relationship at higher levels of the scales.
16 May 2016
TL;DR: Test results show that microservices can help reduce infrastructure costs in comparison to standard monolithic architectures, and the use of services specifically designed to deploy and scale microservices reduces infrastructure costs by 70% or more.
Abstract: Large Internet companies like Amazon, Netflix, and LinkedIn are using the microservice architecture pattern to deploy large applications in the cloud as a set of small services that can be developed, tested, deployed, scaled, operated and upgraded independently. However, aside from gaining agility, independent development, and scalability, infrastructure costs are a major concern for companies adopting this pattern. This paper presents a cost comparison of a web application developed and deployed using the same scalable scenarios with three different approaches: 1) a monolithic architecture, 2) a microservice architecture operated by the cloud customer, and 3) a microservice architecture operated by the cloud provider. Test results show that microservices can help reduce infrastructure costs in comparison to standard monolithic architectures. Moreover, the use of services specifically designed to deploy and scale microservices reduces infrastructure costs by 70% or more. Lastly, we also describe the challenges we faced while implementing and deploying microservice applications.1
Vardan Khachatryan1, Albert M. Sirunyan1, Armen Tumasyan1, Wolfgang Adam2 +2249 more•Institutions (180)
TL;DR: In this article, a search for narrow resonances in proton-proton collisions at square root(s) = 13 TeV is presented, and the invariant mass distribution of the two leading jets is measured with the CMS detector using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.4 inverse femtobarns.
Abstract: A search for narrow resonances in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 13 TeV is presented. The invariant mass distribution of the two leading jets is measured with the CMS detector using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.4 inverse femtobarns. The highest observed dijet mass is 6.1 TeV. The distribution is smooth and no evidence for resonant particles is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set on the production cross section for narrow resonances with masses above 1.5 TeV. When interpreted in the context of specific models, the limits exclude string resonances with masses below 7.0 TeV, scalar diquarks below 6.0 TeV, axigluons and colorons below 5.1 TeV, excited quarks below 5.0 TeV, color-octet scalars below 3.1 TeV, and W' bosons below 2.6 TeV. These results significantly extend previously published limits.
TL;DR: The first instance of a hadronic state with valence quarks of four different flavors was reported in this article, where the mass and natural width of this state were measured to be m = 5567.8 +/- 2.4 fb(-1) of p (p) over bar collision data at root s = 1.96 TeV collected by the Fermilab Tevatron collider.
Abstract: We report evidence for a narrow structure, X(5568), in the decay sequence X(5568) -> B-s(0)pi(+/-), B-s(0) -> J/psi phi, J/psi -> mu(+)mu(-), phi -> K+K-. This is evidence for the first instance of a hadronic state with valence quarks of four different flavors. The mass and natural width of this state are measured to be m = 5567.8 +/- 2.9(stat)(-1.9)(+0.9) (syst) MeV/c(2) and Gamma = 21.9 +/- 6.4(stat)(-2.5)(+5.0) (syst) MeV/c(2). If the decay is X(5568) -> B-s*pi(+/-). B-s(0)gamma pi(+/-) with an unseen gamma, m(X(5568)) will be shifted up by m(B-s*) - m(B-s(0)) similar to 49 MeV/c(2). This measurement is based on 10.4 fb(-1) of p (p) over bar collision data at root s = 1.96 TeV collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron collider.
TL;DR: Compared the effect of human menstrual MSCs (MenSCs) mediated by cell-cell contact, by their total secretome or by secretome-derived extracellular vesicles on neuritic outgrowth in primary neuronal cultures, MenSC exosomes showed superior effects on the growth of the longest neurite in cortical neurons and had a comparable effect to BM-SCExosomes on neurite out growth in dorsal root ganglia neurons.
TL;DR: In this paper, the results on two-particle angular correlations for charged particles produced in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV were presented, and the data were taken with the CMS detector at the LHC.
Abstract: Results on two-particle angular correlations for charged particles produced in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV are presented. The data were taken with the CMS detector at the LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of about 270 nb^(−1). The correlations are studied over a broad range of pseudorapidity (|η| 2.0), near-side (Δϕ≈0) structure emerges in the two-particle Δη–Δϕ correlation functions. The magnitude of the correlation exhibits a pronounced maximum in the range 1.0
TL;DR: Deep Retinal Image Understanding (DRIU) as mentioned in this paper uses a base network architecture on which two set of specialized layers are trained to solve both the retinal vessel and optic disc segmentation.
Abstract: This paper presents Deep Retinal Image Understanding (DRIU), a unified framework of retinal image analysis that provides both retinal vessel and optic disc segmentation. We make use of deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), which have proven revolutionary in other fields of computer vision such as object detection and image classification, and we bring their power to the study of eye fundus images. DRIU uses a base network architecture on which two set of specialized layers are trained to solve both the retinal vessel and optic disc segmentation. We present experimental validation, both qualitative and quantitative, in four public datasets for these tasks. In all of them, DRIU presents super-human performance, that is, it shows results more consistent with a gold standard than a second human annotator used as control.
TL;DR: In this article, a search for single top quark production in the s channel in proton-proton collisions with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC in decay modes of the top quarks containing a muon or an electron in the final state is presented.
Abstract: A search is presented for single top quark production in the s channel in proton-proton collisions with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC in decay modes of the top quark containing a muon or an electron in the final state. The signal is extracted through a maximum-likelihood fit to the distribution of a multivariate discriminant defined using boosted decision trees to separate the expected signal contribution from background processes. Data collected at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV yield cross sections of 7.1 +/- 8.1 pb and 13.4 +/- 7.3 pb, respectively, and a best fit value of 2.0 +/- 0.9 for the combined ratio of the measured and expected values. The signal significance is 2.5 standard deviations, and the upper limit on the rate relative to the standard model expectation is 4.7 at 95% confidence level.
University of Leeds1, Ghent University2, University of Paris3, Université Paris-Saclay4, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research5, Technische Universität München6, National Institute for Space Research7, University of Exeter8, University of Edinburgh9, Los Alamos National Laboratory10, Wageningen University and Research Centre11, Australian National University12, Harvard University13, Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies14, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno15, Florida International University16, Universidade Federal do Acre17, Institut national de la recherche agronomique18, Tropenbos International19, Paul Sabatier University20, Amazon.com21, Federal University of Pará22, University of Texas at Austin23, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi24, World Wide Fund for Nature25, James Cook University26, George Mason University27, Environmental Change Institute28, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso29, Duke University30, National University of Colombia31, University of Los Andes32, Georgetown University33, Federal University of Alagoas34, Naturalis35, University of Nottingham36
TL;DR: It is found that woody NPP is not correlated with stem mortality rates and is weakly positively correlated with AGB, and across the four models, basin‐wide average AGB is similar to the mean of the observations.
Abstract: Understanding the processes that determine above-ground biomass (AGB) in Amazonian forests is important for predicting the sensitivity of these ecosystems to environmental change and for designing and evaluating dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs). AGB is determined by inputs from woody productivity [woody net primary productivity (NPP)] and the rate at which carbon is lost through tree mortality. Here, we test whether two direct metrics of tree mortality (the absolute rate of woody biomass loss and the rate of stem mortality) and/or woody NPP, control variation in AGB among 167 plots in intact forest across Amazonia. We then compare these relationships and the observed variation in AGB and woody NPP with the predictions of four DGVMs. The observations show that stem mortality rates, rather than absolute rates of woody biomass loss, are the most important predictor of AGB, which is consistent with the importance of stand size structure for determining spatial variation in AGB. The relationship between stem mortality rates and AGB varies among different regions of Amazonia, indicating that variation in wood density and height/diameter relationships also influences AGB. In contrast to previous findings, we find that woody NPP is not correlated with stem mortality rates and is weakly positively correlated with AGB. Across the four models, basin-wide average AGB is similar to the mean of the observations. However, the models consistently overestimate woody NPP and poorly represent the spatial patterns of both AGB and woody NPP estimated using plot data. In marked contrast to the observations, DGVMs typically show strong positive relationships between woody NPP and AGB. Resolving these differences will require incorporating forest size structure, mechanistic models of stem mortality and variation in functional composition in DGVMs.
Vardan Khachatryan1, Albert M. Sirunyan1, Armen Tumasyan1, Wolfgang Adam2 +2287 more•Institutions (178)
TL;DR: In this article, the angular distribution and the differential branching fraction of the decay B0 to K*0(892) mu mu are studied using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.5 inverse femtobarns collected with the CMS detector at the LHC in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV.
Vardan Khachatryan1, Albert M. Sirunyan1, Armen Tumasyan1, Wolfgang Adam2 +2239 more•Institutions (171)
TL;DR: In this paper, a search for the resonant production of high-mass photon pairs is presented based on samples of proton-proton collision data collected by the CMS experiment at center-of-mass energies of 8 and 13 TeV, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 19.7 and 3.3 fb(-1).
Abstract: A search for the resonant production of high-mass photon pairs is presented. The analysis is based on samples of proton-proton collision data collected by the CMS experiment at center-of-mass energies of 8 and 13 TeV, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 19.7 and 3.3 fb(-1), respectively. The interpretation of the search results focuses on spin-0 and spin-2 resonances with masses between 0.5 and 4 TeV and with widths, relative to the mass, between 1.4 x 10(-4) and 5.6 x 10(-2). Limits are set on scalar resonances produced through gluon-gluon fusion, and on Randall-Sundrum gravitons. A modest excess of events compatible with a narrow resonance with a mass of about 750 GeV is observed. The local significance of the excess is approximately 3.4 standard deviations. The significance is reduced to 1.6 standard deviations once the effect of searching under multiple signal hypotheses is considered. More data are required to determine the origin of this excess.
TL;DR: In this paper, a low-voltage ride-through control strategy that maximizes the inverter power capability by injecting the maximum-rated current during voltage sags was proposed, where two possible active power situations have been considered, i.e., high and low power production scenarios.
Abstract: Under voltage sags, grid-tied photovoltaic inverters should remain connected to the grid according to low-voltage ride-through requirements. During such perturbations, it is interesting to exploit completely the distributed power provisions to contribute to the stability and reliability of the grid. In this sense, this paper proposes a low-voltage ride-through control strategy that maximizes the inverter power capability by injecting the maximum-rated current during the sag. To achieve this objective, two possible active power situations have been considered, i.e., high- and low-power production scenarios. In the first case, if the source is unable to deliver the whole generated power to the grid, the controller applies active power curtailment to guarantee that the maximum rated current is not surpassed. In the second case, the maximum allowed current is not reached, thus, the control strategy determined the amount of reactive power that can be injected up to reach it. The control objective can be fulfilled by means of a flexible current injection strategy that combines a proper balance between positive- and negative-current sequences, which limits the inverter output current to the maximum rated value and avoid active power oscillations. Selected experimental and simulation results are reported in order to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.
TL;DR: This review focuses on the current knowledge regarding the functional relationship between cellular and extracellular components of the adult SVZ and SGZ neurogenic niches, and the growing evidence that supports the potential role of exosomes in the physiology and pathology of adult neurogenesis.
Abstract: Adult neurogenesis has been convincingly demonstrated in two regions of the mammalian brain: the sub-granular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus (DG) in the hippocampus, and the sub-ventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles. SGZ newborn neurons are destined to the granular cell layer of the DG, while new neurons from the SVZ neurons migrate rostrally into the olfactory bulb. The process of adult neurogenesis persists throughout life and is supported by a pool of neural stem cells (NSCs), which reside in a unique and specialized microenvironment known as “neurogenic niche”. Neurogenic niches are structured by a complex organization of different cell types, including the NSC-neuron lineage, glial cells and vascular cells. Thus, cell-to-cell communication plays a key role in the dynamic modulation of homeostasis and plasticity of the adult neurogenic process. Specific cell-cell contacts and extracellular signals originated locally provide the necessary support and regulate the balance between self-renewal and differentiation of NSCs. Furthermore, extracellular signals originated at distant locations, including other brain regions or systemic organs, may reach the niche through the cerebrospinal fluid or the vasculature and influence its nature. The role of several secreted molecules, such as cytokines, growth factors, neurotransmitters, and hormones, in the biology of adult NSCs, has been systematically addressed. Interestingly, in addition to these well-recognized signals, a novel type of intercellular messengers has been identified recently: the extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs, and particularly exosomes, are implicated in the transfer of mRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs), proteins and lipids between cells and thus are able to modify the function of recipient cells. Exosomes appear to play a significant role in different stem cell niches such as the mesenchymal stem cell niche, cancer stem cell niche and pre-metastatic niche; however, their roles in adult neurogenic niches remain virtually unexplored. This review focuses on the current knowledge regarding the functional relationship between cellular and extracellular components of the adult SVZ and SGZ neurogenic niches, and the growing evidence that supports the potential role of exosomes in the physiology and pathology of adult neurogenesis.
Vardan Khachatryan, Albert M. Sirunyan, Armen Tumasyan, Wolfgang Adam1 +2369 more•Institutions (184)
TL;DR: In this article, a search for fermionic top quark partners T of charge 2/3 was carried out in proton-proton collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse femtobarns collected at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 8 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC.
Abstract: A search for fermionic top quark partners T of charge 2/3 is presented. The search is carried out in proton-proton collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse femtobarns collected at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 8 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC. The T quarks are assumed to be produced strongly in pairs and can decay into tH, tZ, and bW. The search is performed in five exclusive channels: a single-lepton channel, a multilepton channel, two all-hadronic channels optimized either for the bW or the tH decay, and one channel in which the Higgs boson decays into two photons. The results are found to be compatible with the standard model expectations in all the investigated final states. A statistical combination of these results is performed and lower limits on the T quark mass are set. Depending on the branching fractions, lower mass limits between 720 and 920 GeV at 95% confidence level are found. These are among the strongest limits on vector-like T quarks obtained to date.
TL;DR: The results showed that PrPSc could be detected with 100% sensitivity and specificity in blood samples from vCJD patients, and suggest that PMCA may be useful for premortem noninvasive diagnosis of vC JD and to identify prion contamination of the blood supply.
Abstract: Human prion diseases are infectious and invariably fatal neurodegenerative diseases. They include sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), the most common form, and variant CJD (vCJD), which is caused by interspecies transmission of prions from cattle infected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Development of a biochemical assay for the sensitive, specific, early, and noninvasive detection of prions (PrPSc) in the blood of patients affected by prion disease is a top medical priority to increase the safety of the blood supply. vCJD has already been transmitted from human to human by blood transfusion, and the number of asymptomatic carriers of vCJD in the U.K. alone is estimated to be 1 in 2000 people. We used the protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) technique to analyze blood samples from 14 cases of vCJD and 153 controls, including patients affected by sCJD and other neurodegenerative or neurological disorders as well as healthy subjects. Our results showed that PrPSc could be detected with 100% sensitivity and specificity in blood samples from vCJD patients. Detection was possible in any of the blood fractions analyzed and could be done with as little as a few microliters of sample volume. The PrPSc concentration in blood was estimated to be ~0.5 pg/ml. Our findings suggest that PMCA may be useful for premortem noninvasive diagnosis of vCJD and to identify prion contamination of the blood supply. Further studies are needed to fully validate the technology.