Recent interest in the problem of maximum inner product search (MIPS) has sparked the development of new solutions. The solutions (usually) reduce MIPS to the well-studied problem of ...nearest-neighbour search (NNS). To escape the curse of dimensionality, the problem is relaxed to accept approximate solutions (that is, accept anything that is approximately maximum), and locality sensitive hashing is the approximate NNS algorithm of choice. While being extremely resourceful, these existing solutions have a couple of aspects that can be improved upon—(i) MIPS can be reduced to NNS in multiple ways and there is lack of understanding (mostly theoretical but also empirical) when to choose which reduction for best accuracy or efficiency, and (ii) when MIPS is solved via approximate NNS, translating this approximation to the MIPS solution is not straightforward. To overcome these usability issues, we propose the use of randomized partition trees (RPTs) for solving MIPS. We still reduce MIPS to NNS but utilize RPTs to solve the NNS problem. RPTs find the
exact
NNS solution, hence the exact MIPS solution (with high probability), avoiding the need for any translation of approximation. The theoretical properties of RPTs allow us to definitively choose the best MIPS-to-NNS reduction. The empirical properties of RPTs allow us to significantly outperform the state-of-the-art while providing unique fine-grained control over the accuracy–efficiency trade-off. For example, at 80% accuracy, RPTs are 2–5
×
more efficient than the state-of-the-art. Superiority of RPT comes at the cost of high space complexity overhead which can be a severe limitation of our proposed method. To address this limitation we introduce two space efficient versions of RPTs which enjoy the same superior performance of RPT while requiring a significantly reduced space complexity overhead.
The Astrophysical Multimessenger Observatory Network (AMON) has been built with the purpose of enabling near real-time coincidence searches using data from leading multimessenger observatories and ...astronomical facilities. Its mission is to evoke discovery of multimessenger astrophysical sources, exploit these sources for purposes of astrophysics and fundamental physics, and explore multimessenger datasets for evidence of multimessenger source population AMON aims to promote the advancement of multimessenger astrophysics by allowing its participants to study the most energetic phenomena in the universe and to help answer some of the outstanding enigmas in astrophysics, fundamental physics, and cosmology. The main strength of AMON is its ability to combine and analyze sub-threshold data from different facilities. Such data cannot generally be used stand-alone to identify astrophysical sources. The analyses algorithms used by AMON can identify statistically significant coincidence candidates of multimessenger events, leading to the distribution of AMON alerts used by partner observatories for real-time follow-up that may identify and, potentially, confirm the reality of the multimessenger association. We present the science motivation, partner observatories, implementation and summary of the current status of the AMON project.
We present the results of a study that simulates trajectories of ultra-high energy cosmic rays from Centaurus A to Earth, for particle rigidities from E/Z=2EV to 100EV, i.e., covering the possibility ...of primary particles as heavy as Fe nuclei with energies exceeding 50EeV. The Galactic magnetic field is modeled using the recent work of Jansson and Farrar (JF12) which fitted its parameters to match extragalactic Faraday rotation measures and WMAP7 synchrotron emission maps. We include the random component of the GMF using the JF12 3D model for Brand(r→) and explore the impact of different random realizations, coherence length and other features on cosmic ray deflections. Gross aspects of the arrival direction distribution such as mean deflection and the RMS dispersion depend mainly on rigidity and differ relatively little from one realization to another. However different realizations exhibit non-trivial substructure whose specific features vary considerably from one realization to another, especially for lower rigidities. At the lowest rigidity of 2EV, the distribution is broad enough that it might be compatible with a scenario in which Cen A is the principle source of all UHECRs. No attempt is made here to formulate a robust test of this possibility, although some challenges to such a scenario are noted.
Multimessenger astrophysics is undergoing a transition towards low-latency searches based on signals that could not individually be established as discoveries. The rapid identification of signals is ...important in order to initiate timely follow-up observations of transient emission that is only detectable for short time periods. Joint searches for gravitational waves and high-energy neutrinos represent a prime motivation for this strategy. Both gravitational waves and high-energy neutrinos are typically emitted over a short time frame of seconds to minutes during the formation or evolution of compact objects. In addition, detectors searching for both messengers observe the whole sky continuously, making observational information on potential transient sources rapidly available to guide follow-up electromagnetic surveys. The direction of high-energy neutrinos can be reconstructed to subdegree precision, making a joint detection much better localized than a typical gravitational-wave signal. Here we present a search strategy for joint gravitational-wave and high-energy neutrino events that allows the incorporation of astrophysical priors and detector characteristics following a Bayesian approach. We aim to determine whether a multimessenger correlated signal is a real event, a chance coincidence of two background events, or the chance coincidence of an astrophysical signal and a background event. We use an astrophysical prior that is model agnostic and takes into account mostly geometric factors. Our detector characterization in the search is mainly empirical, enabling detailed realistic accounting for the sensitivity of the detector that can depend on the source properties. By this means, we can calculate the false alarm rate for each multimessenger event which is required for initiating electromagnetic follow-up campaigns.
This article presents a critical reflection on the theory and practice of social sustainability in the built environment, identifies areas of agreement and disagreement, explores theoretical and ...conceptual gaps and challenges, and suggests practical implications for future research and urban policy. It argues that despite revisionist approaches which challenge the tripartite structure of sustainable development, social dimension of sustainability remains an essential valid pillar. Utilising a qualitative meta-analysis methodology for undertaking critical analysis of previous research and publications on the topic, key themes of theory and practice of social sustainability are identified and critically examined. Accordingly, 10 key formative characteristics of social sustainability and their research and policy implications are introduced. The article concludes with institutional observations for policy-makers to achieve greater success in addressing largely underestimated dimensions of social sustainability in urban settings.
In late December 2019, some cases of acute respiratory illness occurred in Wuhan, Hubei province, China that caused by a virus named "severe acute respiratory syndrome 2" (SARS-Cov2). More ...susceptible patients to this disease are elderly male patients since these patients with comorbid diseases are disposed to severe infection and more death. The most important comorbid diseases with COVID-19 pneumonia are hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cerebrovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease. The most common symptoms of SARS-Cov2 infection are dyspnea, cough, fatigue, diarrhea and vomiting. High number of kidney disease in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 has been reported. Furthermore, a large group of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia had signs of kidney disease, with a high level of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen that could be justified with different pathophysiologies happened in COVID-19 pneumonia. However, massive differences were found in the prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia, since various studies have shown that AKI correlates with higher mortality rate, upper morbidity and more severe cases of illness. Therefore, we should be informed about the pathophysiology of AKI in COVID-19 pneumonia to find the modalities to decrease the incidence of AKI and subsequent decrease mortality and morbidity of this disease.
In this research, polyaniline was synthesized chemically onto the surface of sawdust as a thin layer (termed as PAni/SD) and was then used for removal of tartrazine dye (a typical anionic azo dye) ...from aqueous solutions. Ammonium peroxodisulphate was used as chemical oxidant for polymerization of polyaniline directly on the surface of sawdust. The procedure involves sorption experiments were performed on both batch and column systems. The effects of some important parameters such as pH, initial concentration, sorbent dosage, exposure time and temperature on uptake of tartrazine dye were investigated. Adsorption studies have shown that pH of the tartrazine solution has influence on the dye removal capacity of PAni/SD. It was found that effective dye removal is occurred under neutral or acidic conditions. The treatments of the data were carried out using both Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms. Sorption/desorption studies showed that PAni/SD was fast, simple, inexpensive, highly efficient and potential re-usable adsorbent to remove tartrazine from aqueous solutions. Based on our kinetics and thermodynamic studies, it was found that sorption process was endothermic (ΔH > 0) and the experimental data fitted very well with pseudo second-order kinetic model.
Nanocellulose was produced from cotton lint and it was used as an agent of cryoprotective medium. The microstructures and surface morphologies were examined by field emission scanning electron and ...atomic force microscopes. Particles had a width of less than 50 nm and the length of hundreds of nanometers to several micrometers. According to the results of wide-angle X-ray diffraction, crystalline index was 74.07% and the average thickness of nanocellulose was 3.18 nm. Response surface coefficients and P values showed that the viability of Lactobacillus plantarum after freeze drying was highly dependent on nanocellulose concentration (P < 0.01). The highest viability of L. plantarum was obtained at the concentration of skim milk 13.75%, the concentration of trehalose 20.5% and the concentration of nanocellulose 13.75%. Under the optimized conditions, the predicted survival rate and observed experimental values for L. Plantarum, were 1.93 ± 0.1 × 109 CFU/ml and 1.85 ± 0.1 × 109 CFU/ml, respectively.
•Nanocellulose was extracted from cotton linters.•Nanocellulose particles had a width of less than 50 nm.•Optimization of cryoprotective medium was done.•The viability of cells was highly dependent on the nanocellulose concentration.
Flare-up of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a common characteristic that could have deleterious effects on patients' outcome and survival. The aim of this study was to identify the predictors ...of severe lupus flare.
120 patients with SLE were enrolled and followed-up for 23 months. Demographic, clinical manifestations, laboratory parameters and disease activity were recorded at each visit. In addition, presence of severe lupus flare at each visit was evaluated by using the Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment (SELENA)-SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) flare composite index. Predictors of severe lupus flare were obtained by backward logistic regression analyses. Predictors of SLEDAI were obtained by backward linear regression analyses.
During the follow-up period, 47 patients had at least one episode of severe lupus flare. Mean (SD) age of patients with severe flare versus no flare was 31.7 (7.89) and 38.3 (8.24) years, respectively (P = 0.001). Ten (62.5%) out of 16 males and 37 (35.5%) out of 104 females had severe flare (P = 0.04). History of lupus nephritis (LN) was recorded in 76.5% and 44% of patients with severe flare and no severe flare, respectively (P = 0.001). Thirty-five (29.2%) patients with high anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-ds-DNA antibody) and 12 (10%) with negative anti-ds-DNA antibody had severe lupus flare (P = 0.02). By multivariable logistic regression analysis, younger age (OR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.80-0.94, P = 0.0001), history of LN (OR = 4.66, 95% CI 1.55-14.002, P = 0.006) and high SLEDAI at the first visit (OR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.026-1.38) were the main predictors of flare. When severe lupus flare after the first visit was used as the outcome variable, similar findings were observed but, SLEDAI, although left among the final predictors in the model, was not significant. SLEDAIs in future visits were mainly predicted by Anti-ds-DNA antibody, 24-h urine protein and arthritis at the first visit.
SLE patients with younger age, history of previous LN or high baseline SLEDAI, may need closer monitoring and follow up.
The present study investigated the effects of overripe pulp and green peel extract and powder of banana fruit (Musa. cavendish) on haematological, biochemical, immunological, health, and performance ...of Holstein dairy calves. In all, 40 newborn calves were randomly divided into four groups of 10 animals. In the control group, animals received no banana meal. In group 1, calves were supplemented with 2 g (dry matter)/kg body weight/day of overripe banana pulp extract. The calves in group 2 were supplemented with 1 g (dry matter) of overripe banana pulp extract/kg body weight/day and 1 g (dry matter) of green banana peel extract/kg body weight/day. The animals in group 3 were supplemented with 2 g/kg body weight/day of green banana peel powder. The feeding period of calves on the tested supplements was 5 days. Blood samples and other evaluations were taken on day 0 (at birth, before supplementation) and on days 7, 15 and 30. Just a trend towards better average daily weight gain was seen in groups 2 and 3 than others (p = 0.073). Significant group and sampling time interactions were seen for the quantities of RBC (group 1 was lower than other groups at day 30), MCV (group 3 was lower than other groups at day 30) and MCH (group 1 was higher than other groups at day 30) (p < 0.05). A trend towards significance in values of IgG (group 1 was lower than other groups at days 15 and 30) and bilirubin (higher values at day 7 in groups 1 and 2 than control, higher amounts at days 15 and 30 in groups 3 and 2 than control, respectively) was also observed. In conclusion, banana supplementation in neonatal calves had beneficial effects on the values of RBC, MCV, MCH, bilirubin, IgG and average daily weight gain in dairy calves.
In conclusion, banana supplementation in neonatal calves showed that it may has beneficial effects on the values of MCH, bilirubin and average daily weight gain.
PDF
