bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intra- and Interlaboratory Agreement in Assessing the
In Vitro
Activity of Micafungin against Common and Rare Candida Species with the EUCAST, CLSI, and Etest Methods
Authors: Meletiadis J. , Geertsen E. , Curfs-Breuker I. , Meis J. F. , Mouton J. W.
Published: August 2016

The emergence of resistant strains among common and rare
Candida
species necessitates continuous monitoring of the
in vitro
susceptibilities of those isolates. We therefore assessed the
in vitro
activities of micafungin against 1,099 molecularly identified isolates belonging to 5 common and 20 rare
Candida
species by the EUCAST, CLSI, and Etest methods, assessing both the intralaboratory agreement and the interlaboratory agreement for two centers. The median micafungin EUCAST MICs were as follows, from the lowest to the highest: for
Candida albicans
, 0.004 mg/liter; for
C. glabrata
, 0.016 mg/liter; for
C. tropicalis
, 0.031 mg/liter; for
C. krusei
, 0.125 mg/liter; for
C. parapsilosis
, 2 mg/liter. Among rare
Candida
species, high MICs were found for
C. guilliermondii
,
C. lipolytica
,
C. orthopsilosis
,
C. metapsilosis
, and
C. fermentati.
No resistant isolates were found by the CLSI method, whereas resistance rates of 1 to 2% were found by the EUCAST method. Overall, the EUCAST method resulted in MICs 1 to 2 dilutions higher than those found by the CLSI and Etest methods. The intra- and interlaboratory agreement between methods was >92%, except for the interlaboratory agreement between the EUCAST and CLSI methods (81%), where 17 to 31% of the differences were >2 2-fold dilutions for
C. albicans
,
C. glabrata
,
C. tropicalis
, and other rare
Candida
species and <6% for
C. parapsilosis
and
C. krusei
. For the other interlaboratory comparisons, the EUCAST method resulted in higher MICs than the Etest method for all species, but <7% of these differences were >2 2-fold dilutions. Overall, the CLSI method resulted in lower MICs than the Etest method, with 11% of all isolates demonstrating >2 2-fold-dilution differences (6 to 20% for
C. albicans
,
C. tropicalis
, and rare
Candida
species; <5% for
C. glabrata
,
C. krusei
, and
C. parapsilosis
) and smaller differences found after 24 h. Despite these differences, categorical agreement was excellent (>97%), with only 1 to 2% very major errors between the EUCAST method and the other two methods.
Meningococcal Outer Membrane Vesicle Composition-Dependent Activation of the Innate Immune Response
Authors: Zariri Afshin , Beskers Joep , van de Waterbeemd Bas , Hamstra Hendrik Jan , Bindels Tim H. E. , van Riet Elly , van Putten Jos P. M. , van der Ley Peter
Published: August 2016

Meningococcal outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) have been extensively investigated and successfully implemented as vaccines. They contain pathogen-associated molecular patterns, including lipopolysaccharide (LPS), capable of triggering innate immunity. However,
Neisseria meningitidis
contains an extremely potent hexa-acylated LPS, leading to adverse effects when its OMVs are applied as vaccines. To create safe OMV vaccines, detergent treatment is generally used to reduce the LPS content. While effective, this method also leads to loss of protective antigens such as lipoproteins. Alternatively, genetic modification of LPS can reduce its toxicity. In the present study, we have compared the effects of standard OMV isolation methods using detergent or EDTA with those of genetic modifications of LPS to yield a penta-acylated lipid A (
lpxL1
and
pagL
) on the
in vitro
induction of innate immune responses. The use of detergent decreased both Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and TLR2 activation by OMVs, while the LPS modifications reduced only TLR4 activation. Mutational removal of PorB or lipoprotein factor H binding protein (fHbp), two proteins known to trigger TLR2 signaling, had no effect, indicating that multiple TLR2 ligands are removed by detergent treatment. Detergent-treated OMVs and
lpxL1
OMVs showed similar reductions of cytokine profiles in the human monocytic cell line MM6 and human dendritic cells (DCs). OMVs with the alternative penta-acylated LPS structure obtained after PagL-mediated deacylation showed reduced induction of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-1β but not of IP-10, a typical TRIF-dependent chemokine. Taken together, these data show that lipid A modification can be used to obtain OMVs with reduced activation of innate immunity, similar to what is found after detergent treatment.
Jejunal intussusception caused by metastasis of a giant cell carcinoma of the lung
Authors: Fujii Yuki , Homma Shigenori , Yoshida Tadashi , Taketomi Akinobu
Published: August 2016

A 55-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital reporting of nausea, vomiting and anorexia. One month before admission, she had been diagnosed with lung cancer with intestinal metastasis. A CT scan confirmed intussusception due to intestinal metastasis and she underwent emergency laparoscopic surgery followed by resection of the primary lung cancer. Histopathological findings of the intestinal specimen suggested the metastasis was from a giant cell carcinoma of the lung, which had extensive necrosis. She was still alive without recurrence 11 months after the first surgery. Giant cell carcinoma of the lung is a rare type of non-small cell carcinoma and intestinal metastasis is one of the unique features. This type of tumour has such aggressive characteristics that oncological prognosis is reported to be extremely poor. In our case, however, complete surgical resection of both primary and metastatic tumours might result in a better outcome than has been reported.
Reporting trends of randomised controlled trials in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a systematic review
Authors: Zheng Sean L , Chan Fiona T , Maclean Edd , Jayakumar Shruti , Nabeebaccus Adam A
Published: August 2016

Background

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) causes significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Current consensus guidelines reflect the neutral results from randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Adequate trial reporting is a fundamental requirement before concluding on RCT intervention efficacy and is necessary for accurate meta-analysis and to provide insight into future trial design. The Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) 2010 statement provides a framework for complete trial reporting. Reporting quality of HFpEF RCTs has not been previously assessed, and this represents an important validation of reporting qualities to date.

Objectives

The aim was to systematically identify RCTs investigating the efficacy of pharmacological therapies in HFpEF and to assess the quality of reporting using the CONSORT 2010 statement.

Methods

MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL databases were searched from January 1996 to November 2015, with RCTs assessing pharmacological therapies on clinical outcomes in HFpEF patients included. The quality of reporting was assessed against the CONSORT 2010 checklist.

Results

A total of 33 RCTs were included. The mean CONSORT score was 55.4% (SD 17.2%). The CONSORT score was strongly correlated with journal impact factor (r=0.53, p=0.003) and publication year (r=0.50, p=0.003). Articles published after the introduction of CONSORT 2010 statement had a significantly higher mean score compared with those published before (64% vs 50%, p=0.02).

Conclusions

Although the CONSORT score has increased with time, a significant proportion of HFpEF RCTs showed inadequate reporting standards. The level of adherence to CONSORT criteria could have an impact on the validity of trials and hence the interpretation of intervention efficacy. We recommend improving compliance with the CONSORT statement for future RCTs.
A machine learning approach to mapping streaming workloads to dynamic multicore processors
Authors: Micolet Paul-Jules , Smith Aaron , Dubach Christophe
Published: August 2016

Dataflow programming languages facilitate the design of data intensive programs such as streaming applications commonly found in embedded systems. They also expose parallelism that can be exploited using multicore processors which are now part of the mobile landscape. In recent years a shift has occurred towards heterogeneity ( ARM big.LITTLE) and reconfigurability. Dynamic Multicore Processors (DMPs) bridge the gap between fully reconfigurable processors and homogeneous multicore systems. They can re-allocate their resources at runtime to create larger more powerful logical processors fine-tuned to the workload. Unfortunately, there exists no accurate method to determine how to partition the cores in a DMP among application threads. Often programmers rely on analyzing the application manually and using a set of hand picked heuristics. This leads to sub-optimal performance, reducing the potential of DMPs. What is needed is a way to determine the optimal partitioning and grouping of resources to maximize performance. As a first step, this paper studies the effect of thread partitioning and hardware resource allocation on a set of StreamIt applications. We show that the resulting space is not trivial and exhibits a large performance variation depending on the combination of parameters. We introduce a machine-learning based methodology to tackle the space complexity. Our machine-learning model is able to directly predict the best combination of parameters using static code features. The predicted set of parameters leads to performance on-par with the best performance found in a space of more than 32,000 configurations per application.
Symbolic execution for memory consumption analysis
Authors: Chu Duc-Hiep , Jaffar Joxan , Maghareh Rasool
Published: August 2016

With the advances in both hardware and software of embedded systems in the past few years, dynamic memory allocation can now be safely used in embedded software. As a result, the need to develop methods to avoid heap overflow errors in safety-critical embedded systems has increased. Resource analysis of imperative programs with non-regular loop patterns and signed integers, to support both memory allocation and deallocation, has long been an open problem. Existing methods can generate symbolic bounds that are parametric w.r.t. the program inputs; such bounds, however, are imprecise in the presence of non-regular loop patterns. In this paper, we present a worst-case memory consumption analysis, based upon the framework of symbolic execution. Our assumption is that loops (and recursions) of to-be-analyzed programs are indeed bounded. We then can exhaustively unroll loops and the memory consumption of each iteration can be precisely computed and summarized for aggregation. Because of path-sensitivity, our algorithm generates more precise bounds. Importantly, we demonstrate that by introducing a new concept of reuse, symbolic execution scales to a set of realistic benchmark programs.
A graph-based iterative compiler pass selection and phase ordering approach
Authors: Nobre Ricardo , Martins Luiz G. A. , Cardoso João M. P.
Published: August 2016

Nowadays compilers include tens or hundreds of optimization passes, which makes it difficult to find sequences of optimizations that achieve compiled code more optimized than the one obtained using typical compiler options such as -O2 and -O3. The problem involves both the selection of the compiler passes to use and their ordering in the compilation pipeline. The improvement achieved by the use of custom phase orders for each function can be significant, and thus important to satisfy strict requirements such as the ones present in high-performance embedded computing systems. In this paper we present a new and fast iterative approach to the phase selection and ordering challenges resulting in compiled code with higher performance than the one achieved with the standard optimization levels of the LLVM compiler. The obtained performance improvements are comparable with the ones achieved by other iterative approaches while requiring considerably less time and resources. Our approach is based on sampling over a graph representing transitions between compiler passes. We performed a number of experiments targeting the LEON3 microarchitecture using the Clang/LLVM 3.7 compiler, considering 140 LLVM passes and a set of 42 representative signal and image processing C functions. An exhaustive cross-validation shows our new exploration method is able to achieve a geometric mean performance speedup of 1.28x over the best individually selected -OX flag when considering 100,000 iterations; versus geometric mean speedups from 1.16x to 1.25x obtained with state-of-the-art iterative methods not using the graph. From the set of exploration methods tested, our new method is the only one consistently finding compiler sequences that result in performance improvements when considering 100 or less exploration iterations. Specifically, it achieved geometric mean speedups of 1.08x and 1.16x for 10 and 100 iterations, respectively.
Synthesizing transformations on hierarchically structured data
Authors: Yaghmazadeh Navid , Klinger Christian , Dillig Isil , Chaudhuri Swarat
Published: August 2016

This paper presents a new approach for synthesizing transformations on tree-structured data, such as Unix directories and XML documents. We consider a general abstraction for such data, called hierarchical data trees (HDTs) and present a novel example-driven synthesis algorithm for HDT transformations. Our central insight is to reduce the problem of synthesizing tree transformers to the synthesis of list transformations that are applied to the paths of the tree. The synthesis problem over lists is solved using a new algorithm that combines SMT solving and decision tree learning. We have implemented our technique in a system called HADES and show that HADES can automatically synthesize a variety of interesting transformations collected from online forums.
Temporal NetKAT
Authors: Beckett Ryan , Greenberg Michael , Walker David
Published: August 2016

Over the past 5-10 years, the rise of software-defined networking (SDN) has inspired a wide range of new systems, libraries, hypervisors and languages for programming, monitoring, and debugging network behavior. Oftentimes, these systems are disjoint—one language for programming and another for verification, and yet another for run-time monitoring and debugging. In this paper, we present a new, unified framework, called Temporal NetKAT, capable of facilitating all of these tasks at once. As its name suggests, Temporal NetKAT is the synthesis of two formal theories: past-time (finite trace) linear temporal logic and (network) Kleene Algebra with Tests. Temporal predicates allow programmers to write down concise properties of a packet’s path through the network and to make dynamic packet-forwarding, access control or debugging decisions on that basis. In addition to being useful for programming, the combined equational theory of LTL and NetKAT facilitates proofs of path-based correctness properties. Using new, general, proof techniques, we show that the equational semantics is sound with respect to the denotational semantics, and, for a class of programs we call network-wide programs, complete. We have also implemented a compiler for temporal NetKAT, evaluated its performance on a range of benchmarks, and studied the effectiveness of several optimizations.
Refinement types for TypeScript
Authors: Vekris Panagiotis , Cosman Benjamin , Jhala Ranjit
Published: August 2016

We present Refined TypeScript (RSC), a lightweight refinement type system for TypeScript, that enables static verification of higher-order, imperative programs. We develop a formal system for RSC that delineates the interaction between refinement types and mutability, and enables flow-sensitive reasoning by translating input programs to an equivalent intermediate SSA form. By establishing type safety for the intermediate form, we prove safety for the input programs. Next, we extend the core to account for imperative and dynamic features of TypeScript, including overloading, type reflection, ad hoc type hierarchies and object initialization. Finally, we evaluate RSC on a set of real-world benchmarks, including parts of the Octane benchmarks, D3, Transducers, and the TypeScript compiler. We show how RSC successfully establishes a number of value dependent properties, such as the safety of array accesses and downcasts, while incurring a modest overhead in type annotations and code restructuring.
Transactional data structure libraries
Authors: Spiegelman Alexander , Golan-Gueta Guy , Keidar Idit
Published: August 2016

We introduce transactions into libraries of concurrent data structures; such transactions can be used to ensure atomicity of sequences of data structure operations. By focusing on transactional access to a well-defined set of data structure operations, we strike a balance between the ease-of-programming of transactions and the efficiency of custom-tailored data structures. We exemplify this concept by designing and implementing a library supporting transactions on any number of maps, sets (implemented as skiplists), and queues. Our library offers efficient and scalable transactions, which are an order of magnitude faster than state-of-the-art transactional memory toolkits. Moreover, our approach treats stand-alone data structure operations (like put and enqueue) as first class citizens, and allows them to execute with virtually no overhead, at the speed of the original data structure library.
Exposing errors related to weak memory in GPU applications
Authors: Sorensen Tyler , Donaldson Alastair F.
Published: August 2016

We present the systematic design of a testing environment that uses stressing and fuzzing to reveal errors in GPU applications that arise due to weak memory effects. We evaluate our approach on seven GPUs spanning three Nvidia architectures, across ten CUDA applications that use fine-grained concurrency. Our results show that applications that rarely or never exhibit errors related to weak memory when executed natively can readily exhibit these errors when executed in our testing environment. Our testing environment also provides a means to help identify the root causes of such errors, and automatically suggests how to insert fences that harden an application against weak memory bugs. To understand the cost of GPU fences, we benchmark applications with fences provided by the hardening strategy as well as a more conservative, sound fencing strategy.
Ivy: safety verification by interactive generalization
Authors: Padon Oded , McMillan Kenneth L. , Panda Aurojit , Sagiv Mooly , Shoham Sharon
Published: August 2016

Despite several decades of research, the problem of formal verification of infinite-state systems has resisted effective automation. We describe a system --- Ivy --- for interactively verifying safety of infinite-state systems. Ivy's key principle is that whenever verification fails, Ivy graphically displays a concrete counterexample to induction. The user then interactively guides generalization from this counterexample. This process continues until an inductive invariant is found. Ivy searches for universally quantified invariants, and uses a restricted modeling language. This ensures that all verification conditions can be checked algorithmically. All user interactions are performed using graphical models, easing the user's task. We describe our initial experience with verifying several distributed protocols.
Fast synthesis of fast collections
Authors: Loncaric Calvin , Torlak Emina , Ernst Michael D.
Published: August 2016

Many applications require specialized data structures not found in the standard libraries, but implementing new data structures by hand is tedious and error-prone. This paper presents a novel approach for synthesizing efficient implementations of complex collection data structures from high-level specifications that describe the desired retrieval operations. Our approach handles a wider range of data structures than previous work, including structures that maintain an order among their elements or have complex retrieval methods. We have prototyped our approach in a data structure synthesizer called Cozy. Four large, real-world case studies compare structures generated by Cozy against handwritten implementations in terms of correctness and performance. Structures synthesized by Cozy match the performance of handwritten data structures while avoiding human error.
Statistical similarity of binaries
Authors: David Yaniv , Partush Nimrod , Yahav Eran
Published: August 2016

We address the problem of finding similar procedures in stripped binaries. We present a new statistical approach for measuring the similarity between two procedures. Our notion of similarity allows us to find similar code even when it has been compiled using different compilers, or has been modified. The main idea is to use similarity by composition: decompose the code into smaller comparable fragments, define semantic similarity between fragments, and use statistical reasoning to lift fragment similarity into similarity between procedures. We have implemented our approach in a tool called Esh, and applied it to find various prominent vulnerabilities across compilers and versions, including Heartbleed, Shellshock and Venom. We show that Esh produces high accuracy results, with few to no false positives -- a crucial factor in the scenario of vulnerability search in stripped binaries.
Scripting the Folk: History, Folklore, and the Imagination of Place in Bengal
Authors: Chatterji Roma
Published: August 2016

Although the notion of world anthropology has opened up a space to consider non-Western scholarly traditions as crucial in the making of anthropology as a discipline, it is still too readily assumed that the boundaries of the political community are coterminous with the boundaries of scholarly traditions. This article departs from this assumption by arguing that the privileging of a regional tradition, that of folklore studies in Bengal, provided Bengali intellectuals with a language to contest both colonial and nationalist modes of representing India. The region becomes the space for a critical reflection on nationhood that reflects a specific conjuncture of language, politics, and culture. Although Bengal was not the only region in India that used the local to explore the potential of nationhood while India was still in the making, it offers a unique example of how the category of folk allows tradition and newer social formations to coexist.
Anthropological STS in Asia
Authors: Fischer Michael M. J.
Published: August 2016

Anthropological STS, distinct from its nearest neighbors social studies of science (SSK), social studies of technology (SCOT), and actor–network theory (ANT), is (a) more holistic and culturally embedded than those neighbors and (b) in conversation with comparative literature, film, and media studies, including imaginaries of networks beyond national boundaries. Asian STS, or theory from the Global East, rearranges theory from the Global North (traditional STS), the Global South (South Africa), India (postcolonial or subaltern studies), or white settler postcolonial theory from the antipodes. New key journals and networks are centers for STS in Asia. With consciousness of anthropocene changes and biological sensibilities of how systems interact, regenerate, stabilize, or collapse and morph, transform, and become otherwise, this article argues that we need more perspectives, located in different parts of the earth, on our bios and our polis, including revisionist histories of inter-Asian circulations and global circuitries, both as sentinels and as sources for robustness, consent, and legitimacy of flexible and responsive governance of emergent and interacting, if culturally variegated, technoscientific societies.
Identification in Differentiated Products Markets
Authors: Berry Steven , Haile Philip
Published: August 2016

Empirical models of differentiated products demand (and often supply) are widely used in industrial organization and other fields of economics. We review some recent work studying identification in a broad class of such models. This work shows that the parametric functional forms and distributional assumptions commonly used for estimation are not essential for identification. Rather, identification relies primarily on the standard requirement that instruments be available for the endogenous variables—here, typically, prices and quantities. We discuss the types of instruments that can suffice, as well as how instrumental variables requirements can be relaxed by the availability of individual-level data or through restrictions on preferences. We also review new results on discrimination between alternative models of oligopoly competition. Together, these results reveal a strong nonparametric foundation for a broad applied literature, provide practical guidance for applied work, and may suggest new approaches to estimation and testing.
International Comparative Household Finance
Authors: Badarinza Cristian , Campbell John Y. , Ramadorai Tarun
Published: August 2016

This article reviews the literature on international comparative household finance. It presents summary statistics on household balance sheets for 13 developed countries and uses these statistics to discuss common features and contrasts across countries. It then discusses retirement savings, investments in risky assets, unsecured debt, and mortgages.
Lessons from Digestive-Tract Symbioses Between Bacteria and Invertebrates
Authors: Graf Joerg
Published: August 2016

In most animals, digestive tracts harbor the greatest number of bacteria in the animal that contribute to its health: by aiding in the digestion of nutrients, provisioning essential nutrients and protecting against colonization by pathogens. Invertebrates have been used to enhance our understanding of metabolic processes and microbe-host interactions owing to experimental advantages. This review describes how advances in DNA sequencing technologies have dramatically altered how researchers investigate microbe-host interactions, including 16S rRNA gene surveys, metagenome experiments, and metatranscriptome studies. Advantages and challenges of each of these approaches are described herein. Hypotheses generated through omics studies can be directly tested using site-directed mutagenesis, and findings from transposon studies and site-directed experiments are presented. Finally, unique structural aspects of invertebrate digestive tracts that contribute to symbiont specificity are presented. The combination of omics approaches with genetics and microscopy allows researchers to move beyond correlations to identify conserved mechanisms of microbe-host interactions.
Economics of Coastal Erosion and Adaptation to Sea Level Rise
Authors: Gopalakrishnan Sathya , Landry Craig E. , Smith Martin D. , Whitehead John C.
Published: August 2016

This article provides a review and synthesis of geoeconomic models that are used to analyze coastal erosion management and shoreline change. We outline a generic framework for analyzing risk-mitigating and/or recreation-enhancing policy interventions within a dynamic framework, and we review literature that informs the nature and extent of net benefit flows associated with coastal management. Using stated preference analysis, we present new estimates on household preferences for shoreline erosion management, including costs associated with ecological impacts of management. Lastly, we offer some guidance on directions for future research.
Drivers and Impacts of Renewable Portfolio Standards
Authors: Lyon Thomas P.
Published: August 2016

Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPSs) are a key policy measure used by states in the United States to increase their production of renewable electricity. Economic theory shows that RPSs are not first-best policy measures for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions or solving other environmental problems. Nevertheless, they have been politically popular, in part because states hope they will help create new jobs in what the states expect will be a growth industry. Research suggests that RPSs are supported by Democratic legislatures in states with good solar and wind potential, are more likely in states with restructured electricity markets, and are less likely in states heavily dependent on natural gas for electricity generation. Research also suggests that RPSs have been successful at increasing renewable generation capacity, have increased the cost of electricity modestly where they have been implemented, and reduce carbon emissions at a cost roughly consistent with estimates of the social cost of carbon.
Nuclear Exodus: Herpesviruses Lead the Way
Authors: Bigalke Janna M. , Heldwein Ekaterina E.
Published: August 2016

Most DNA viruses replicate in the nucleus and exit it either by passing through the nuclear pores or by rupturing the nuclear envelope. Unusually, herpesviruses have evolved a complex mechanism of nuclear escape whereby nascent capsids bud at the inner nuclear membrane to form perinuclear virions that subsequently fuse with the outer nuclear membrane, releasing capsids into the cytosol. Although this general scheme is accepted in the field, the players and their roles are still debated. Recent studies illuminated critical mechanistic features of this enigmatic process and uncovered surprising parallels with a novel cellular nuclear export process. This review summarizes our current understanding of nuclear egress in herpesviruses, examines the experimental evidence and models, and outlines outstanding questions with the goal of stimulating new research in this area.
Adhesion Improvement and Characterization of Magnetron Sputter Deposited Bilayer Molybdenum Thin Films for Rear Contact Application in CIGS Solar Cells
Authors: Li Weimin , Yan Xia , Aberle Armin G. , Venkataraj Selvaraj
Published: August 2016

Molybdenum (Mo) thin films are widely used as rear electrodes in copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cells. The challenge in Mo deposition by magnetron sputtering lies in simultaneously achieving good adhesion to the substrates while retaining the electrical and optical properties. Bilayer Mo films, comprising five different thickness ratios of a high pressure (HP) deposited bottom layer and a low pressure (LP) deposited top layer, were deposited on 40 cm × 30 cm soda-lime glass substrates by DC magnetron sputtering. We focus on understanding the effects of the individual layer properties on the resulting bilayer Mo films, such as microstructure, surface morphology, and surface oxidation. We show that the thickness of the bottom HP Mo layer plays a major role in determining the micromechanical and physical properties of the bilayer Mo stack. Our studies reveal that a thicker HP Mo bottom layer not only improves the adhesion of the bilayer Mo, but also helps to improve the film crystallinity along the preferred [110] direction. However, the surface roughness and the porosity of the bilayer Mo films are found to increase with increasing bottom layer thickness, which leads to lower optical reflectance and a higher probability for oxidation at the Mo surface.
Early Cord Metabolite Index and Outcome in Perinatal Asphyxia and Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathy
Authors: Ahearne C.E. , Denihan N.M. , Walsh B.H. , Reinke S.N. , Kenny L.C. , Boylan G.B. , Broadhurst D.I. , Murray D.M.
Published: August 2016

Background: A 1H-NMR-derived metabolomic index based on early umbilical cord blood alterations of succinate, glycerol, 3-hydroxybutyrate and O-phosphocholine has shown potential for the prediction of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) severity. Objective: To evaluate whether this metabolite score can predict 3-year neurodevelopmental outcome in infants with perinatal asphyxia and HIE, compared with current standard biochemical and clinical markers. Methods: From September 2009 to June 2011, infants at risk of perinatal asphyxia were recruited from a single maternity hospital. Cord blood was drawn and biobanked at delivery. Neonates were monitored for development of encephalopathy both clinically and electrographically. Neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed at 36-42 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, ed. III (BSID-III). Death and cerebral palsy were also considered as abnormal end points. Results: Thirty-one infants had both metabolomic analysis and neurodevelopmental outcome at 36-42 months. No child had a severely abnormal BSID-III result. The metabolite index significantly correlated with outcome (ρ2 = 0.30, p < 0.01), which is robust to predict both severe outcome (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.92, p < 0.01) and intact survival (0.80, p = 0.01). There was no correlation between the index score and performance in the individual BSID-III subscales (cognitive, language, motor). Conclusions: The metabolite index outperformed other standard biochemical markers at birth for prediction of outcome at 3 years, but was not superior to EEG or the Sarnat score.
Anti-Zinc Transporter Protein 8 Antibody Testing Is Not Informative in Routine Prediabetes Screening in Young Patients with Autoimmune Thyroiditis and Celiac Disease
Authors: Larizza Daniela , De Amici Mara , Klersy Catherine , Albanesi Michela , Albertini Riccardo , Badulli Carla , Torre Cristina , Calcaterra Valeria
Published: August 2016

Background/Aims: Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), autoimmune thyroiditis (ATD), and celiac disease (CD) are at increased risk for developing other autoimmune diseases. We evaluated zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8) prevalence in patients with ATD and/or CD in order to define the usefulness of ZnT8 autoantibodies for prediabetes screening. Methods: Eighty-one young patients with ATD and/or CD were included in the study; 32 subjects with clinical onset of T1DM were enrolled as a control group. GAD65, IA-2, and ZnT8 antibodies were measured. An intravenous glucose tolerance test, C-peptide, glycosylated hemoglobin levels, and genomic analysis of HLA-DQA1* and -DQB1* were also considered in patients positive for autoantibodies. Results: The ZnT8 prevalence was higher in T1DM patients than in patients with other autoimmune diseases (p < 0.001); positive ZnT8 detection was found in 2 ATD (p = 0.004) and 3 ATD + CD (p = 0.04) patients. Positive ZnT8 was associated with GAD65 (p = 0.01) but not with IA-2 positivity. No correlation between ZnT8 detection and the number of T1DM-susceptible HLA-DQ heterodimers was found. Pathological C-peptide levels and insulin response were found in subjects with islet autoimmunity and genetic susceptibility. Conclusion: ZnT8 autoantibodies detection in ATD and/or CD patients is low, and routine ZnT8 screening is not justified. ZnT8 evaluation may be recommended in subjects with autoimmune diseases as a marker for predicting compromised insulin secretion.
Long-Term Outcomes, Genetics, and Pituitary Morphology in Patients with Isolated Growth Hormone Deficiency and Multiple Pituitary Hormone Deficiencies: A Single-Centre Experience of Four Decades of Growth Hormone Replacement
Authors: Rohayem Julia , Drechsel Hendrik , Tittel Bettina , Hahn Gabriele , Pfaeffle Roland , Huebner Angela
Published: August 2016

Background: Growth hormone (GH) has been used to treat children with GH deficiency (GHD) since 1966. Aims: Using a combined retrospective and cross-sectional approach, we explored the long-term outcomes of patients with GHD, analysed factors influencing therapeutic response, determined persistence into adulthood, investigated pituitary morphology, and screened for mutations in causative genes. Methods: The files of 96 GH-deficient children were reviewed. In a subset of 50 patients, re-assessment in adulthood was performed, including GHRH-arginine testing, pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and mutational screening for the growth hormone-1 gene (GH1) and the GHRH receptor gene (GHRHR) in isolated GHD (IGHD), and HESX1, PROP1, POU1F1, LHX3, LHX4, and GLI2 in multiple pituitary hormone deficiency (MPHD) patients. Results: GH was started at a height SDS of -3.2 ± 1.4 in IGHD patients and of -4.1 ± 2.1 in MPHD patients. Relative height gain was 0.3 SDS/year, absolute gain 1.6 SDS, and 1.2/2.6 SDS in IGHD/MPHD, respectively. Mid-parental target height was reached in 77%. Initial height SDS, bone age retardation and duration of GH replacement were correlated with height SDS gain. GHD persisted into adulthood in 19 and 89% of subjects with IGHD and MPHD, respectively. In 1/42 IGHD patients a GH1 mutation was detected; PROP1 mutations were found in 3/7 MPHD subjects. Anterior pituitary hypoplasia, combined with posterior pituitary ectopy and pituitary stalk invisibility on MRI, was an exclusive finding in MPHD patients. Conclusions: GH replacement successfully corrects the growth deficit in children with GHD. While the genetic aetiology remains undefined in most cases of IGHD, PROP1 mutations constitute a major cause for MPHD. Persistence of GHD into adulthood is related to abnormal pituitary morphology.
Psoas muscle abscess associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in patient with AIDS
Authors: Araújo Paulo Sérgio R. de , Barbosa Marcelia S. , Melo Fábio , Melo Heloísa Ramos L. de , Brandão Eduardo
Published: August 2016

Psoas muscle abscess is a rare condition difficult to diagnose clinically, as have non-specific signs and symptoms. In this case report, we illustrate an example of psoas muscle abscess associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in female patient, 48 years old, with diagnosis of AIDS five years ago. Physical examination showed the patient’s palpable mass in the lower back which was confirmed by ultrasonography and computed tomography. The smear obtained from the abscess puncture liquid showed the presence of resistant acid-fast bacilli. After combined treatment regimen started with antituberculosis drugs, the patient improved clinically. Although rare, the psoas muscle abscess is a disease that has been most frequently observed in immunocompromised patients, especially those with HIV-tuberculosis co-infection. In this case, the identification of the etiologic agent associated with the abscess was critical to ensure an adequate therapeutic conduct and consequently the good progression of the disease
A 6-month comparison of quality of life and mood states between physically active and sedentary college students
Authors: Noce Franco , Castro Henrique de Oliveira , Ferreira Tadeu Sartini , Guo James , Andrade André Gustavo Pereira de , Costa Varley Teoldo da
Published: August 2016

Physical inactivity has been described as one of the major public health problems of the 21st century. Physical activity plays an important role in reducing the prevalence of sedentarism, improving the quality of life and improving individuals’ mental health. Objective: This study aimed to perform a 6-month comparison of quality of life (QOL) and mood states (MS) between physically active and sedentary college students. Methods: A sample of 32 individuals completed questionnaires to assess their level of physical activity, quality of life and mood states. They were separated into two groups: sedentary (n=15) and physically active (n=17). The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used for assessing PA levels, the WHO Quality of Life-BREF for QOL and the Brazilian Mood Scale for MS. We used factorial analysis of variance with repeated measures and post-hoc Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05) for QOL and MS inferential analysis. Results: QOL was significantly higher for the physically active group in Environment and Social Relationships domains. Similarly, MS showed increased scores in Vigor dimension for the physically active group after six months. Conclusions: These results suggest PA can positively influence aspects of an individuals‘ quality of life. However, our data did not show a significant influence of PA on mood states
High rates of physical inactivity and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with resistant hypertension
Authors: Carvalho Cristiane J. de , Marins João C. B. , Amorim Paulo R. S. , Fernandes Márcio F. , Reis Hamilton H. T. , Sales Samuel S. , Miranda Marciano R. de , Lima Luciana M.
Published: August 2016

Background: Hypertension.is a multifactorial disease of high prevalence in Brazil and the world’s population and is the major treatable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Objectives: To investigate the prevalence, according to sex, of risk behaviors and comorbidities associated with Hypertension.in the treated patients in Hiperdia Center Viçosa, MG. Methods: Cross-sectional study that evaluated 172 medical records of hypertensive patients greater than 18 years, nondiabetic, referred to the center of Viçosa Hiperdia. Among the data evaluated from analysis of medical records are the factors and behaviors of cardiovascular risk as overweight / obesity, dyslipidemia, smoking, drinking and physical inactivity, as well as medical conditions or comorbidities associated with hypertension. For data analysis were used the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Mann-Whitney test and the Pearson correlation test. The level of significance was 5%. Results: There was a higher prevalence of men among the patients and rates of alcoholism and smoking were significantly higher in this group. Women had a higher rate of obesity. Physical inactivity and dyslipidemia were present in 77% and 44% of patients, respectively, with no difference between sexes. Resistant Hypertension.was found in 71% of patients. Lower education was also very present among the hypertensive. Among the clinical conditions related to hypertension, there was a predominance of left ventricular hypertrophy, followed by kidney disease and cerebrovascular disease. Conclusions: The study showed that 71% of patients were classified as resistant Hypertension.and that, beyond this serious condition, they still showed a combination of behaviors and risk factors that confer a high risk of cardiovascular complications
Patients with psychoactive substance use disorders treated in a psychiatric emergency unit
Authors: Padilha Vitoria M. , Santos-Júnior Amilton dos , Schettini Carolina S. S. , Azevedo Renata C. S.
Published: August 2016

Study type: Prevalence study. Objective: To describe the socio demographic and clinical profile of patients with mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substance (PAS) use, evaluated by the Psychiatric team of the Referenced Emergency Unit (REU) at the State University Clinical Hospital of Campinas (UNICAMP-HC). Methods and casuistic: This is a descriptive and quantitative study, which analyzed patients with mental and behavioral disorders due to PAS use, evaluated by the Psychiatric team of the REU-HC-UNICAMP during a period of 12 months, starting on May 2010. Results: There were evaluated 350 patients with PAS related disorders, representing 23.8% of those who sought psychiatric care. Most were males and younger than other patients of the emergency unit. The main reason for seeking help was psychiatric complaint other than PAS related disorders (23.1%), followed by desire to be treated oneself/being admitted to inpatient psychiatric treatment (20.8%) and intoxication (12.5%); 38.5% had a diagnosis of multiple PAS dependence and 34.8% were diagnosed with isolated alcohol dependence; 36% had psychiatric comorbidities and, when compared to other patients, they received more medications during attendance and were less directed to primary care units. Conclusion: There is a high rate of consultations of patients with PAS related problems in the psychiatric emergency unit. Data on the profile of the evaluated these patients can contribute to the improvement of care to this population
Functional capacity and quality of life between healthy subjects and patients with obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Tassinari Cadi C. R. , Piccin Chaiane F. , Beck Marco C. , Scapini Fabrício , Oliveira Luiz C. A. , Signor Luis U. , Silva Antônio M. V.
Published: August 2016

Study Model: Case – control. Study Objectives: To compare the functional capacity, respiratory parameters and quality of life between healthy subjects and patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Methodology: 19 patients with obstructive sleep apnea and 19 healthy subjects were evaluated regarding their quality of life (The Medical Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey), their functional capacity (six-minute walk test), pulmonary function (spirometry) and their strength respiratory muscle (manovacuometer). Results: Patients showed a decline in the quality of life concerning functional capacity domains, general state of health and mental health. The distance walked in the six-minute walk test was shorter for patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Respiratory parameters did not differ between groups. Conclusion: Patients with obstructive sleep apnea present impairment regarding their quality of life and functional capacity
Health and hearing: research instruments adapted to sign language - a systematic review
Authors: Andrade Luana F. , Castro Shamyr S. de
Published: August 2016

Model: Systematic review. Study objective: This study was aimed at reviewing the literature of research instruments in health adapted for the use in sign language. Methodology: From BIREME, CINAHL, PubMED and ISI Web of Science database the descriptors deafness, sign language, scales and questionnaires were used locating articles published between 2008 and May 2013 in the English and Portuguese languages were used. Results: 168 articles were found, of which only 15 responded to the inclusion criteria. In these publications, 29 instruments were used and 12 of them had their translations in sign language validated. It was observed that publications with research instruments in healthcare translated, adapted and validated for use in deaf populations are still in reduced quantities. Conclusion: These findings show scarce scientific literature to support research with the deaf and the need for translation, adaptation and validation of new instruments for this population group so that it can be properly studied and watched
CARACTERÍSTICAS DA PRECIPITAÇÃO PLUVIAL E A EROSIVIDADE DAS CHUVAS NA VERTENTE PARANAENSE DA BACIA HIDROGRÁFICA DO RIO ITARARÉ
Authors: Terassi Paulo Miguel De Bodas , Graça Carlos Henrique Da , Tommaselli José Tadeu Garcia
Published: August 2016

Informações sobre do potencial erosivo das chuvas são necessárias para a prevenção e controle da degradação do solo, bem como no planejamento e desenvolvimento de bacias hidrográficas em regiões tropicais. O presente trabalho objetivou caracterizar a precipitação pluvial e quantificar o poder erosivo das chuvas na vertente paranaense da bacia hidrográfica do rio Itararé, dada a relevância para o manejo adequado e a aplicação de práticas preditivas a perda de solos. Foram obtidos os dados de treze postos pluviométricos e de uma estação meteorológica, de Joaquim Távora, pertencente ao Instituto Agronômico do Paraná, para a série histórica de 1976 a 2012. O índice de erosividade da chuva foi calculado utilizando-se uma equação do tipo a + bx, no qual a e b = coeficientes linear e angular, e x = p2/P (p – precipitação média mensal em milímetros; P – precipitação média anual em milímetros). Os resultados indicaram que o verão e a primavera caracterizam-se por apresentar a maior suscetibilidade a erosividade das chuvas devido a uma concentração de 70,8% dos valores anuais. Foram obtidas quatro regiões homogêneas quanto ao potencial erosivo das chuvas, demonstrando as relações entre a orografia e a dinâmica atmosférica regional.