1,071 research outputs found
Differentially Private GAN for Time Series
No full textGenerative Adversarial Networks (GANs) are a modern solution aiming to encourage public sharing of data, even if the data contains inherently private information, by generating synthetic data that looks like, but is not equal to, the data the GAN was trained on. However, GANs are prone to remembering samples from the training data, therefore additional care is needed to guarantee privacy. Differentially Private (DP) GANs offer a solution to this problem by protecting user privacy through a mathematical guarantee, achieved by adding carefully constructed noise at specific points in the training process. A state-of-the-art example of such a GAN is Gradient Sanitized Wasserstein GAN, (GS-WGAN), \cite{chen2021gswgan}. This model is shown to create higher quality synthetic images than other DP GANs. To extend the applicability of GS-WGAN we first reproduce and extend the evaluation, verifying that the model outperforms DP-CGAN by an average of 40\% when assessed across three qualitative metrics and two datasets. Secondly we propose improvements to the architecture and training procedure to make GS-WGAN applicable on timeseries data. The experimental results show that GS-WGAN is fit for generating synthetic timeseries through promising experimental results.[1] D. Chen, T. Orekondy, and M. Fritz, “Gs-wgan: A gradient-sanitized approach for learning differentially private generators,” 2021CSE3000 Research ProjectComputer Science and Engineerin
The discriminative stimulus for punishment or S (Dp)
No full textdiscriminative stimulus for punishmentPresents the term discriminative stimulus for punishment and an accompanying symbol S-super(Dp). In describing a study of stimulus control in response-cost punishment with humans, the author notes that there was difficulty in writing a clear and succinct stimulus correlated with punishment conditions without using such a term. The author believes that the adoption of S-super(Dp ) as a discriminative stimulus for punishment would reserve S-super(D ) for reinforcement-only conditions, thus eliminating confusion as well as the need for additional descriptors. Furthermore, use of S-super(Dp ) would obviate the need for a term designating a stimulus correlated with the absence of punishment conditions
A common HLA-DPA1 variant is associated with hepatitis B virus infection but fails to distinguish active from inactive Caucasian carriers
No full textBackground and Aims: Chronic infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major health issue worldwide. Recently, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DP locus were identified to be associated with HBV infection in Asian populations. Most significant associations were observed for the A alleles of HLA-DPA1 rs3077 and HLA-DPB1 rs9277535, which conferred a decreased risk for HBV infection. We assessed the implications of these variants for HBV infection in Caucasians.
Methods: Two HLA-DP gene variants (rs3077 and rs9277535) were analyzed for associations with persistent HBV infection and with different clinical outcomes, i.e., inactive HBsAg carrier status versus progressive chronic HBV (CHB) infection in Caucasian patients (n = 201) and HBsAg negative controls (n = 235).
Results: The HLA-DPA1 rs3077 C allele was significantly associated with HBV infection (odds ratio, OR = 5.1, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.9–13.7; p = 0.00093). However, no significant association was seen for rs3077 with progressive CHB infection versus inactive HBsAg carrier status (OR = 2.7, 95% CI: 0.6–11.1; p = 0.31). In contrast, HLA-DPB1 rs9277535 was not associated with HBV infection in Caucasians (OR = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.4–1.9; p = 1).
Conclusions: A highly significant association of HLA-DPA1 rs3077 with HBV infection was observed in Caucasians. However, as a differentiation between different clinical courses of HBV infection was not possible, knowledge of the HLA-DPA1 genotype cannot be translated into personalized anti-HBV therapy approaches
Morphologic and functional correlates of synaptic pathology in the cathepsin D knockout mouse model of congenital neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis
No full textMutations in the cathepsin D (CTSD) gene cause an aggressive neurodegenerative disease (congenital neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis) that leads to early death. Recent evidence suggests that presynaptic abnormalities play a major role in the pathogenesis of CTSD deficiencies. To identify the early events that lead to synaptic alterations, we investigated synaptic ultrastructure and function in presymptomatic CTSD knockout (Ctsd) mice. Electron microscopy revealed that there were significantly greater numbers of readily releasable synaptic vesicles present in Ctsd mice than in wild-type control mice as early as postnatal day 16. The size of this synaptic vesicle pool continued to increase with disease progression in the hippocampus and thalamus of the Ctsd mice. Electrophysiology revealed a markedly decreased frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) with no effect on paired-pulse modulation of the evoked excitatory post synaptic potentials in the hippocampus of Ctsd mice. The reduced mEPSCs frequency was observed before the appearance of epilepsy or any morphologic sign of synaptic degeneration. Taken together, these data indicate that CTSD is required for normal synaptic function and that a failure in synaptic trafficking or recycling may bean early and important pathologic mechanism in Ctsd mice; these presynaptic abnormalities may initiate synaptic degeneration in advance of subsequent neuronal loss
Isolation of poly[d-lactate (LA)-co-3-hydroxybutyrate)]-degrading bacteria from soil and characterization of D-LA homo-oligomer degradation by the isolated strains
No full textP[d-lactate (LA)-co-3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB)] is an artificial polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) containing unusual D-LA units. In this study, the P(D-LA-co-3HB)-degrading bacterial group in the soil was analyzed and the bacterial degradation of the D-LA clustering structure in the copolymer were evaluated by using chemically synthetic D-LA homo-oligomers. A total of 216 soil samples were screened on the basis of clear zone formation on agar plates containing emulsified P(64 mol% D-LA-co-3HB). The 16S rRNA analysis of the isolated bacteria resulted in the identification of eight Variovorax, three Acidovorax, and one Burkholderia strains, which are closely related to previously identified natural PHA-degrading bacteria. These bacteria nearly consumed the P(D-LA-co-3HB) emulsion in the liquid culture; however, a small amount of the D-LA fraction remained unconsumed, which should be attributable to the D-LA-clustering structure in the copolymer. Cultivation of the isolated bacteria with the D-LA homo-oligomers revealed that the oligomers with a degree of polymerization (DP) ranging from 10 to 30 were partly consumed by six Variovorax and one Acidovorax strains. In contrast, the oligomers with DP ranging from 20 to 60 were not consumed by the isolated bacteria. These results indicate that D-LA homo-oligomers with DP higher than approximately 20 are hardly degraded by the soil bacteria. Molecular dynamic simulation of the D-LA homo-oligomers indicated that the upper limit of DP is likely to be determined by the conformational structure of the oligomers in water. The information obtained in this study will be useful for the molecular design of biodegradable D-LA-containing polymers
A Narrative Account of an Arts Psychotherapies Service Response to the COVID-19 crisis: Challenges and Recommendations
No full textAvailable for purchase at: https://www.amazon.com/Living-Fear-Reflections-Ade-Odunlade/dp/1838536035 .This chapter describes perspectives from the academic and practice arts psychotherapies leads within a large NHS Trust in the UK. This was written from the perspective two leads with experience in senior management, research and clinical practice. The first author is an art therapist and a consultant and the second author is a music therapist and Head of Profession. As part of the core psychological provision, the arts psychotherapies service employs arts psychotherapists, arts psychotherapies trainees and honorary professionals to deliver specialist care and treatment for patients across mental health services. The chapter is written during the time of crisis, when the peak has been reached but the end of the crisis and lockdown remains unclear. The authors take stock of the changes that have taken place to a community arts psychotherapies service during the COVID-19 crisis, making reference to the changes in staff provision and practice. During this time, clear lessons have already been learnt, observations made, and inquiries have resulted in broad recommendations which are relevant to health services where there may be similar events taking place. These recommendations relate to how at an operational level the clinical work, staff capability and capacity to adapt are kept in mind and responded to during and after a pandemic
Note on Dirac-Born-Infeld dynamics of the D-brane near NS5-branes
No full textIn this note, we investigate the homogeneous radial dynamics of (Dp, NS5) systems without and with one compactified transverse direction, in the framework of Dirac-Born-Infeld effective action. During the homogeneous evolution, the electric field on the D-brane is always conserved and the radial motion could be reduced to a one-dimension dynamical system with an effective potential. When the Dp-brane energy is not high, the brane moves in a restricted region, with the orbits depending on the conserved energy, angular momentum through the form of the effective potential. When the Dp-brane energy is high enough, it can escape to infinity. It turns out that the conserved angular momentum plays an interesting role in the dynamics. Moreover, we discuss the gauge dynamics around the tachyon vacuum and find that the dynamics is very reminiscent of the string fluid in the rolling tachyon case.http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000231565000101&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=8e1609b174ce4e31116a60747a720701Astronomy & AstrophysicsPhysics, Particles & FieldsSCI(E)15ARTICLE4null7
Ramón Gómez de la Sernas El alba (1923) and the Dawning of a New Aesthetics
No full textAlthough Ramón de la Serna has long been associated with bringing the avant-garde to Spain, much of his work evinces a poetic and lyrical style which is directly influenced by fin-de siecle aestheticism and Hispanoamerican modernismo, which he combines with his own subversive aesthetics. In El alba - written during Ramón's sojourn in Paris between 1909-1911 and later amended in 1923 - Ramón takes his poetic style to new heights, abstracting the immediate world through a poetic transformation of reality. The world becomes an aesthetic playground of infinite possibilities where the reader is enmeshed in an untrammelled flux of poetic images and language. For an author who never wrote poetry, but whose narrative fiction largely extols perception over action, El alba is a key work which sheds light on the author's opus as a whole, where narrative is often attenuated in favour of poetic prose. In this article I aim to examine the nature of Ramón's poetic discourse in El alba and the implications this has on our understanding of his literary style as a whole
A Path to Truthful Living (A Way of Life based on Guru Nanak's Panj Khand of Jap Hymns) AUTHOR: Dr. D. P. Singh; REVIEWER: Dr. H.S. Virk
No full textDr. D.P. Singh is a brilliant Physicist by training, a practicing Gursikh, and a dedicated researcher of Science and Sikhism. I was wondering how a physicist would justify his new venture as the Director of the Centre for Understanding Sikhism? After reading his half a dozen books on the Sikh religion, I am fully satisfied and testify that DP Singh is one of the best Sikh theologians in the Sikh world. He has not only imbibed the spirit of Sikhi based on the core principles of the Sikh scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, but also interpreted its message for Sikhs in general and Sikh Youth in particular using scientific methodology. Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal, a celebrated Scientist and a Theologian himself, mentions briefly in the introduction that DP Singh deems it necessary to give a background of the contents of this book before the discussion of the main theme. He presents the main topics under discussion by DP Singh and elaborates on the social and cultural background in which Guru Nanak launched his revolutionary mission to reform society, which was riven by the decadent religiosity of his times. The author explains the purpose of writing “A Path to Truthful Living” in his Foreword: “This book is not a mere intellectual exercise or a scholarly treatise. It is a heartfelt exploration of Guru Nanak’s timeless teachings, presented in a way that seeks to touch the very core of our being”. The author further elaborates the central theme of his book: “The Panj Khands are five distinct domains of existence described by Guru Nanak in his profound compositions. Through the exploration of the Dharam Khand (Domain of Righteousness), Gyan Khand (Domain of Knowledge), Saram Khand (Domain of Endeavour), Karam Khand (Domain of Grace), and Sach Khand (Domain of Truth), we are encouraged to reflect on the nature of our thoughts, actions, and beliefs”
Estimating selection pressures on HIV-1 using phylogenetic likelihood models
No full textHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) can rapidly evolve due to selection pressures exerted by HIV-specific immune responses, antiviral agents, and to allow the virus to establish infection in different compartments in the body. Statistical models applied to HIV-1 sequence data can help to elucidate the nature of these selection pressures through comparisons of non-synonymous (or amino acid changing) and synonymous (or amino acid preserving) substitution rates. These models also need to take into account the non-independence of sequences due to their shared evolutionary history. We review how we have developed these methods and have applied them to characterize the evolution of HIV-1 in vivo. To illustrate our methods, we present an analysis of compartment-specific evolution of HIV-1 em) in blood and cerebrospinal fluid and of site-to-site variation in the gag gene of subtype C HIV-1. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
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