bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Statistical Approach for Determination of Disk Diffusion-Based Cutoff Values for Systematic Characterization of Wild-Type and Non-Wild-Type Bacterial Populations in Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing
Authors: Valsesia Giorgia , Roos Malgorzata , Böttger Erik C. , Hombach Michael
Published: March 2015

In this study, we introduce a new approach for determination of epidemiologic cutoffs (ECOFFs) and resistant-population cutoffs (RCOFFs) based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. As an example, the method was applied for determination of ECOFFs for seven different beta-lactam antibiotics and wild-type populations of
Escherichia coli
,
Klebsiella pneumoniae
, and
Enterobacter cloacae
. In addition, RCOFFs were determined for bacterial populations with defined resistance mechanisms (“resistotypes”), i.e., extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-positive
E. coli
, ESBL-positive
K. pneumoniae
, and ESBL-positive
E. cloacae
; AmpC cephalosporinase-positive
E. coli
and AmpC-positive
K. pneumoniae
; and broad-spectrum beta-lactamase (BSBL)-positive
E. coli
. RCOFFs and ECOFFs are instrumental for a systematic characterization of associations between resistotypes and wild-type populations.
An In-House Assay Is Superior to Sepsityper for Direct Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry Identification of Yeast Species in Blood Cultures
Authors: Bidart Marie , Bonnet Isabelle , Hennebique Aurélie , Kherraf Zine Eddine , Pelloux Hervé , Berger François , Cornet Muriel , Bailly Sébastien , Maubon Danièle
Published: March 2015

We developed an in-house assay for the direct identification, by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, of yeasts in blood culture. Sixty-one representative strains from 12 species were analyzed in spiked blood cultures. Our assay accurately identified 95 of 107 (88.8%) positive blood cultures and outperformed the commercial Sepsityper kit (81.7% identification).
Dengue Virus Evolution under a Host-Targeted Antiviral
Authors: Plummer Emily , Buck Michael D. , Sanchez Marisa , Greenbaum Jason A. , Turner Julia , Grewal Rajvir , Klose Brennan , Sampath Aruna , Warfield Kelly L. , Peters Bjoern , Ramstedt Urban , Shresta Sujan
Published: March 2015

The host-targeted antiviral drug UV-4B reduces viral replication and promotes survival in a mouse model of experimental dengue virus (DENV) infection. UV-4B is an iminosugar that inhibits the α-glucosidase family of enzymes and subsequently the folding of glycosylated proteins, both viral and host. Here, we utilized next-generation sequencing to investigate evolution of a flavivirus under selective pressure by a host-targeted antiviral
in vivo
. In viral populations recovered from UV-4B-treated mice, there was a significant increase in the number of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous SNPs compared to findings in viral populations from vehicle-treated mice. The strongest evidence of positive selection was in the glycosylated membrane protein, thereby providing
in vivo
validation of the mechanism of action of an iminosugar. In addition, mutations in glycosylated proteins were present only in drug-treated mice after a single passage. However, the bulk of the other mutations were present in both populations, indicating nonspecific selective pressure. Together with the continued control of viremia by UV-4B, these findings are consistent with the previously predicted high genetic barrier to escape mutations in host-targeted antivirals.

IMPORTANCE
Although hundreds of millions of people are infected with DENV every year, there is currently no approved vaccine or antiviral therapy. UV-4B has demonstrated antiviral activity against DENV and is expected to enter clinical trials soon. Therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms of DENV resistance to UV-4B. Host-targeted antivirals are thought to have a higher genetic barrier to escape mutants than directly acting antivirals, yet there are very few published studies of viral evolution under host-targeted antivirals. No study to date has described flavivirus evolution
in vivo
under selective pressure by a host-based antiviral drug. We present the first
in vivo
study of the sequential progression of viral evolution under selective pressure by a host-targeted antiviral compound. This study bolsters support for the clinical development of UV-4B as an antiviral drug against DENV, and it provides a framework to compare how treatment with other host-targeted antiflaviviral drugs in humans and different animal models influence viral genetic diversity.
Efficient Interaction between Arenavirus Nucleoprotein (NP) and RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase (L) Is Mediated by the Virus Nucleocapsid (NP-RNA) Template
Authors: Iwasaki Masaharu , Ngo Nhi , Cubitt Beatrice , de la Torre Juan C.
Published: March 2015

In this study, we document that efficient interaction between arenavirus nucleoprotein (NP) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L protein), the two
trans
-acting viral factors required for both virus RNA replication and gene transcription, requires the presence of virus-specific RNA sequences located within the untranslated 5′ and 3′ termini of the viral genome.
Latent Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Infection Does Not Induce Apoptosis in Human Trigeminal Ganglia
Authors: Himmelein Susanne , Lindemann Anja , Sinicina Inga , Strupp Michael , Brandt Thomas , Hüfner Katharina
Published: March 2015

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) can establish lifelong latency in human trigeminal ganglia. Latently infected ganglia contain CD8
+
T cells, which secrete granzyme B and are thus capable of inducing neuronal apoptosis. Using immunohistochemistry and single-cell reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), higher frequency and transcript levels of caspase-3 were found in HSV-1-negative compared to HSV-1-positive ganglia and neurons, respectively. No terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay-positive neurons were detected. The infiltrating T cells do not induce apoptosis in latently infected neurons.
Acute exacerbation of dysphagia due to foreign body impaction in an oesophageal stricture due to eosinophilic esophagitis
Authors: Kang Jin-Yong , Kang Amy Hui-Yi , Amin Zahir , Chong Heung
Published: March 2015

A 43-year woman with a 4-year history of swallowing difficulty for solids presented with absolute dysphagia, which was only slightly relieved by intravenous relaxant given in the emergency department. Barium swallow showed a smooth polypoid filling defect in the mid-oesophagus, with a hold-up at this level. Gastroscopy showed a narrowed ringed oesophagus with an impacted foreign body. This was extracted with a basket, with relief of the dysphagia. Oesophageal biopsies confirmed the diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis.
Glycaemic control efficacy of oral antidiabetic drugs in treating type 2 diabetes: a protocol for network meta-analysis
Authors: Jia Yongliang , Lao Yaoguang , Leung Siu-wai
Published: March 2015

Introduction

Past studies of network meta-analysis focused on evaluating drug combinations in treating type 2 diabetes but not on evaluating antidiabetic drugs in monotherapy. Clinical guidelines (eg, NICE (National Institute of Health and Care Excellence) clinical guidelines 66 and 87) were based only on the findings of individual clinical trials and pairwise meta-analysis in evaluating monotherapy. This study aims to fill this gap of research by conducting a Bayesian network meta-analysis to compare major antidiabetic drugs, including metformin, glimepiride, glyburide, glipizide, repaglinide, nateglinide, sitagliptin, vildagliptin, saxagliptin and SGLT-2 (sodium-glucose transporter-2) inhibitors.

Methods and analyses

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on the drug therapy of type 2 diabetes with outcome measures including glycosylated haemoglobin or fasting blood glucose will be included. The quality of included RTCs will be evaluated according to the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. Traditional pairwise meta-analysis and Bayesian network meta-analysis will be conducted to compare the efficacies of antidiabetic drugs. Sensitivity analysis on the sample size of RCTs, meta-regression analysis on the follow-up periods, dosages and baselines of outcome measure, contradiction analysis between pairwise and network meta-analyses, and publication bias analysis, will be performed.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required because this study includes no confidential personal data and interventions on the patients. Pairwise and network meta-analyses are based on the published RCT reports of eligible drugs in treating type 2 diabetes. The results of this study will be disseminated by a peer-reviewed publication.

Protocol registration number

PROSPERO CRD42014010567.
Daptomycin plus fosfomycin versus daptomycin monotherapy in treating MRSA: protocol of a multicentre, randomised, phase III trial
Authors: Shaw E , Miró J M , Puig-Asensio M , Pigrau C , Barcenilla F , Murillas J , Garcia-Pardo G , Espejo E , Padilla B , Garcia-Reyne A , Pasquau J , Rodriguez-Baño J , López-Contreras J , Montero M , de la Calle C , Pintado V , Calbo E , Gasch O , Montejo M , Salavert M , Garcia-Pais M J , Carratalà J , Pujol M
Published: March 2015

Introduction

Despite the availability of new antibiotics such as daptomycin, methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) bacteraemia continues to be associated with high clinical failure rates. Combination therapy has been proposed as an alternative to improve outcomes but there is a lack of clinical studies. The study aims to demonstrate that combination of daptomycin plus fosfomycin achieves higher clinical success rates in the treatment of MRSA bacteraemia than daptomycin alone.

Methods and analysis

A multicentre open-label, randomised phase III study. Adult patients hospitalised with MRSA bacteraemia will be randomly assigned (1:1) to group 1: daptomycin 10 mg/kg/24 h intravenous; or group 2: daptomycin 10 mg/kg/24 h intravenous plus fosfomycin 2 gr/6 g intravenous. The main outcome will be treatment response at week 6 after stopping therapy (test-of-cure (TOC) visit). This is a composite variable with two values: Treatment success: resolution of clinical signs and symptoms (clinical success) and negative blood cultures (microbiological success) at the TOC visit. Treatment failure: if any of the following conditions apply: (1) lack of clinical improvement at 72 h or more after starting therapy; (2) persistent bacteraemia (positive blood cultures on day 7); (3) therapy is discontinued early due to adverse effects or for some other reason based on clinical judgement; (4) relapse of MRSA bacteraemia before the TOC visit; (5) death for any reason before the TOC visit. Assuming a 60% cure rate with daptomycin and a 20% difference in cure rates between the two groups, 103 patients will be needed for each group (α:0.05, ß: 0.2). Statistical analysis will be based on intention to treat, as well as per protocol and safety analysis.

Ethics and dissemination

The protocol was approved by the Spanish Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (AEMPS). The sponsor commits itself to publishing the data in first quartile peer-review journals within 12 months of the completion of the study.

Trial registration number

NCT01898338.
Effects of electroconvulsive therapy on cognitive functioning in patients with depression: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Oremus Carolina , Oremus Mark , McNeely Heather , Losier Bruno , Parlar Melissa , King Matthew , Hasey Gary , Fervaha Gagan , Graham Allyson C , Gregory Caitlin , Hanford Lindsay , Nazarov Anthony , Restivo Maria , Tatham Erica , Truong Wanda , Hall Geoffrey B C , Lanius Ruth , McKinnon Margaret
Published: March 2015

Introduction

Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting approximately 350 million people. Evidence indicates that only 60–70% of persons with major depressive disorder who tolerate antidepressants respond to first-line drug treatment; the remainder become treatment resistant. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is considered an effective therapy in persons with treatment-resistant depression. The use of ECT is controversial due to concerns about temporary cognitive impairment in the acute post-treatment period. We will conduct a meta-analysis to examine the effects of ECT on cognition in persons with depression.

Methods

This systematic review and meta-analysis has been registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42014009100). We developed our methods following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. We are searching MEDLINE, PsychINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane from the date of database inception to the end of October 2014. We are also searching the reference lists of published reviews and evidence reports for additional citations. Comparative studies (randomised controlled trials, cohort and case–control) published in English will be included in the meta-analysis. Three clinical neuropsychologists will group the cognitive tests in each included article into a set of mutually exclusive cognitive subdomains. The risk of bias of randomised controlled trials will be assessed using the Jadad scale. We will supplement the Jadad scale with additional questions based on the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The risk of bias of cohort and case–control studies will be assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We will employ the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) to assess the strength of evidence.

Statistical analysis

Separate meta-analyses will be conducted for each ECT treatment modality and cognitive subdomain using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V.2.0.
Time to initial antibiotic administration, and short-term mortality among patients admitted with community-acquired severe infections with and without the presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome: a follow-up study
Authors: Henriksen Daniel Pilsgaard , Laursen Christian B , Hallas Jesper , Pedersen Court , Lassen Annmarie Touborg
Published: March 2015

Background

The prognosis for patients with severe infection is related to early treatment, including early administration of antibiotics. The study aim was to compare the short-term mortality among patients admitted with severe infection with and without systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) at arrival, and to ascertain whether the presence of SIRS might affect the timing of antibiotic administration.

Methods

In this retrospective follow-up study, we included all adult patients (≥15 years) presenting to a medical emergency department in the period between September 2010 and August 2011 with a first-time admission of community-acquired severe infection (infection with evidence of organ dysfunction), with and without SIRS at arrival. The presence of SIRS was defined as two or more of the criteria according to the American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine (ACCP/SCCM) definitions. Cases were identified by manual chart review using predefined criteria of infection. Data on vital signs, laboratory values and antibiotic treatment were obtained electronically.

Results

We included 1169 patients with infection and organ dysfunction, treated with antibiotics within 24 h after arrival (median age 76.1 years (IQR 63.1–83.5), 567 (48.5%) men). In all, 886 (75.8%) presented with SIRS, and 283 (24.2%) presented without SIRS. Median time to antibiotics was 4.6 h (IQR 2.9–7.0) in patients with SIRS and 6.7 h (IQR 4.5–10.3) in patients without SIRS (p<0.0001). Thirty-day mortality in patients with and without SIRS was 18.4% (95% CI 15.9% to 21.1%) and 16.6% (95% CI 12.5% to 21.5%), respectively.

Conclusions

SIRS was absent in one-quarter of patients admitted with severe infection. The ‘door-to-antibiotics’ time was significantly shorter for patients with SIRS compared with patients without SIRS, but no difference was found in 30-day mortality.
γ-Tocotrienol-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy act concurrently to promote breast cancer cell death
Authors: Tiwari Roshan V. , Parajuli Parash , Sylvester Paul W.
Published: March 2015

The anticancer effects of γ-tocotrienol are associated with the induction of autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptosis, but a direct relationship between these events has not been established. Treatment with 40 μmol/L of γ-tocotrienol caused a time-dependent decrease in cancer cell viability that corresponds to a concurrent increase in autophagic and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. γ-Tocotrienol treatment was found to cause a time-dependent increase in early phase (Beclin-1, LC3B-II) and late phase (LAMP-1 and cathepsin-D) autophagy markers, and pretreatment with autophagy inhibitors Beclin-1 siRNA, 3-MA or Baf1 blocked these effects. Furthermore, blockage of γ-tocotrienol-induced autophagy with Beclin-1 siRNA, 3-MA, or Baf1 induced a modest, but significant, reduction in γ-tocotrienol-induced cytotoxicity. γ-Tocotrienol treatment was also found to cause a decrease in mitogenic Erk1/2 signaling, an increase in stress-dependent p38 and JNK1/2 signaling, as well as an increase in ER stress apoptotic markers, including phospho-PERK, phospho-eIF2α, Bip, IRE1α, ATF-4, CHOP, and TRB3. In summary, these finding demonstrate that γ-tocotrienol-induced ER stress and autophagy occur concurrently, and together act to promote human breast cancer cell death.
Foraging ecology of native pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) following the invasion of zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha)
Authors: Colborne S.F. , Clapp A.D.M. , Longstaffe F.J. , Neff B.D.
Published: March 2015

Invasive species are a major concern both biologically and economically because of the rates at which they spread and their alterations to ecosystems. Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are of concern in many regions owing to expenses related to industrial equipment damage and control education efforts. However, their greatest cost may be their ecological impact across North America. We tested pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) from three populations in Ontario (Canada) to determine if there was variation across populations or sampling periods in the consumption of zebra mussels. Using a combination of stomach content and stable isotope analyses, we found that pumpkinseed diet consisted of primarily zebra mussels across all populations and sampling periods, including a minimum of 54% in all lakes and sampling periods based on stable isotope mixing models. The current resource use patterns of pumpkinseed in our study populations indicate that there has been a shift from their pre-invasion diet of benthic littoral invertebrates such as gastropods. The large-scale consumption of invasive mussels by native fishes may have important implications for natural biological control of these mussels, decreasing overall mussel abundance and rate of spread. We discuss our results in the context of their implications for the overall health and dynamics of aquatic ecosystems.
Matrix Completion with Ordering Relation Constraints and its Applications
Authors: Huang Yizhen , Guan Yepeng , Wang Jiawen
Published: March 2015

We relax the equality constraints in the very general and well-known affine Schatten p-norm minimization problem into complete loss function-based constraints. Owing to the imposed equality constraints, existing methods only have limited degree of model flexibility, via their optimization of the objective energy function. By our proposed transformation, the decision variables in the objective function can directly achieve L0 norm minimization via the process of enumerating the matrix rank (i.e. matrix ordering constraint). We show that, our new objective function is still reasonable, and its minimum can be obtained by a more general form of the Fixed-Point Continuation framework with almost the same computational cost at each matrix order enumeration. Experiments show that, our algorithm has good performance compared to its predecessor over some datasets and applications.
Large-Capacity Reversible Watermarking Algorithm for Medical Image Based on Block Histogram of Difference
Authors: Huang Liangyong , Pan Guo , Zheng Guangyong , Li Zhimei
Published: March 2015

This paper proposes a high-capacity reversible watermarking algorithm for medical image analysis based on the difference block histogram, which will benefit the medical image authentication and doctor–patient confidentiality. By dividing the original medical image into blocks, the method displaces the peak point of a block's histogram of difference and embeds multi-bit information at 1 pixel point. In so doing, secret communication and storage of large-capacity invisible medical diagnoses and patients personal confidential data can be achieved. Once the watermark is extracted, not only the image integrity is authenticated, but also the original image and personal data of the patient can be recovered in a nondestructive way. With low computational complexity, a high embedding capacity and little demand for auxiliary information, the proposed algorithm is highly secure and practical.
Group Activity Recognition with Group Interaction Zone Based on Relative Distance Between Human Objects
Authors: Cho Nam-Gyu , Kim Young-Ji , Park Unsang , Park Jeong-Seon , Lee Seong-Whan
Published: March 2015

In this paper, we address the problem of recognizing group activities of human objects based on their motion trajectory analysis. In order to resolve the complexity and ambiguity problems caused by a large number of human objects, we propose a Group Interaction Zone (GIZ) to detect meaningful groups in a scene to effectively handle noisy information. Two novel features, Group Interaction Energy (GIE) feature and Attraction and Repulsion Features, are proposed to better describe group activities within a GIZ. We demonstrate the performance of our method in two ways by (i) comparing the performance of the proposed method with the previous methods and (ii) analyzing the influence of the proposed features and GIZ-based meaningful group detection on group activity recognition using public datasets.
A Multilevel Pseudo-Boolean Satisfiability-Based Approach for Segmented Channel Routing
Authors: Zhang Dahua , Li Wei , Du Tao
Published: March 2015

The segmented channel routing problem is fundamental to the routing of row-based field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and is proven to be nondeterministic polynomial time (NP) complete. In this paper, we capitalize on the compelling advancements in satisfiability (SAT) solvers to propose a multilevel pseudo-Boolean SAT-based approach. We construct several levels of hierarchy amongst the nets and the routing problem of each level is formulated as a pseudo-Boolean optimization (PBO) problem. Moreover, an optimization technique of reducing the number of variables in PBO problems is described to improve the scalability of the proposed method. Similar to the SAT-based routing, the unroutability of a given circuit can be proved by the approach. Experimental results show that the proposed method compares very favorably with existing algorithms and achieves the best convergence rate.
Strong solutions in the dynamical theory of compressible fluid mixtures
Authors: Kotschote Matthias , Zacher Rico
Published: March 2015

In this paper we investigate the compressible Navier–Stokes–Cahn–Hilliard equations (the so-called NSCH model) derived by Lowengrub and Truskinovsky. This model describes the flow of a binary compressible mixture; the fluids are supposed to be macroscopically immiscible, but partial mixing is permitted leading to narrow transition layers. The internal structure and macroscopic dynamics of these layers are induced by a Cahn–Hilliard law that the mixing ratio satisfies. The PDE constitute a strongly coupled hyperbolic–parabolic system. We establish a local existence and uniqueness result for strong solutions.
THE CREATIVE INVESTIGATION OF BRAIN ACTIVITY WITH EEG FOR GENDER AND LEFT/RIGHT-HANDED DIFFERENCES
Authors: XIONG YAN , LI YAN , CHEN YU , YUAN PING , FAN YUBO , JIANG WENTAO
Published: March 2015

This paper studied the differences of gender and left/right-handed groups from a neuroscience perspective through task-related power of alpha power changes during the generation of creative ideas. Aiming to investigate the effects of the differences, it will help understand the specific neural processes for different genders and left/right-handed groups. We used B-Alert X10®; electroencephalography (EEG) system, computed for left and right hemispheres, to determine if EEG metrics differentiated between the gender and left/right-handed groups. This study assessed EEG power spectral density (PSD) while 17 healthy participants worked on the alternative uses (AU) task. The results showed that (1) the creativity level has no relations with the gender; there is no obvious difference between males and females on the process of creative idea generation. (2) The creativity level is high related to the cultivation of innovative ability. There is obvious higher alpha power changes in posterior regions of the right hemisphere compared to the left hemisphere of the brain for high original group, and a stronger task-related alpha synchronization showed in the right hemisphere than that in the left one for the low original group. (3) There is comparatively lower alpha power in parietal region in the left hemisphere than that in the right one for the left-handed participants, and higher alpha power in the frontal region for the left-handed and in parietal region for right-handed participants. The comparison among different genders and left/right-handed participants can help us understand more about the creative thinking manifested in the human brain.
COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF A CUSTOM ARTICULATED ANKLE FOOT ORTHOSIS
Authors: ALAM MORSHED , CHOUDHURY IMTIAZ AHMED , MAMAT AZUDDIN BIN , HUSSAIN SAJJAD
Published: March 2015

Traditional design and manufacturing methods of ankle foot orthosis (AFO) involve manual techniques e.g., casting and molding of the limbs and often depend on trial and error. Three-dimensional scanning allows computer aided design (CAD) tools to be incorporated, however, both approaches rely on the external model of the limb. To design AFO with articulated joint, precise alignment of mechanical and anatomical joint axes is imperative. It is difficult to infer joint axis from external model as it is partially specified by the skeletal structure. In this article, a computer integrated design approach of an articulated AFO has been demonstrated. CAD model of the AFO was developed for a healthy subject's left leg based on the 3D models of skeleton and soft tissue of the limb. Components of the AFO were fabricated by rapid prototyping and CNC machining. The design approach is faster than the traditional techniques and also facilitates exact positioning of articulated ankle joint. The gait analysis indicates that the subject's ankle had to overcome lesser resistance with the custom made AFO compared to a pre-fabricated AFO. Simultaneous viewing of exterior and skeletal geometry might help the clinicians modify the design to enhance performance of the orthotic.
BIOCONVECTIVE NON-NEWTONIAN NANOFLUID TRANSPORT IN POROUS MEDIA CONTAINING MICRO-ORGANISMS IN A MOVING FREE STREAM
Authors: BÉG O. ANWAR , UDDIN MD. JASHIM , KHAN W. A.
Published: March 2015

Bioconvection flow of non-Newtonian nanofluids along a horizontal flat plate in a porous medium saturated with gyrotactic microorganisms is investigated by combined group similarity numerical technique. A linear group of transformations is used to develop similarity transformations and the corresponding similarity equations of the governing coupled, nonlinear ordinary differential boundary layer transport equations. The resulting nonlinear boundary value problem with appropriate boundary conditions is solved numerically by an MAPLE software algorithm. The effects of the controlling parameters on the flow, heat, nanoparticle concentration and the density of motile microorganisms characteristic as well as on the local Nusselt, Sherwood and the motile microorganism numbers have been examined. It is found that the bioconvection parameters have strong effects on the flow, heat and mass transfer and motile microorganism numbers. The present study finds application in microbial fuel cells.
Concept for a holistic sustainability assessment of the end-of-life phase of masonry
Authors: Herbst Tristan , Meng Birgit
Published: March 2015

In Germany, a quantity of more than 10 million metric tons of masonry rubble is generated per year. With regard to a sustainable closed substance cycle waste management, these rest masses have to be recovered if possible. The end-of-life (EOL) phase of masonry includes the planning steps of demolition, processing and application. The choice of the most sustainable solution raises questions regarding material technology, plant engineering, economic efficiency and ecological issues. For this purpose, a methodological concept for a holistic assessment of the EOL phase of masonry is developed within the scope of a doctoral thesis. For the assessment the Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) is adapted. The assessment concept enables a holistic comparison of different EOL scenarios for masonry while integrating all planning steps. It combines Material Flow Analysis (MFA), Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), Life Cycle Working Environment (LCWE), economic evaluation methods and material testing. In future, various scenarios can be evaluated with regard to the goals of the European and German waste management industry.
TiO
2
–SiO
2
–PDMS nanocomposites with self-cleaning properties for stone protection and consolidation
Authors: Kapridaki Chrysi , Maravelaki Noni-Pagona
Published: March 2015

This study deals with the design of two hydrophobic hybrid SiO
2
–TiO
2
materials and their application in the field of monument conservation. The nanocomposite consolidants were based on the modification of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) with the incorporation of both TiO
2
nanoparticles and hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The TiO
2
nanoparticles have been prepared from the hydrolysis of titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) in the presence of oxalic acid as a catalyst. The physico-chemical properties of the designed hydrophobic nanocrystalline SiO
2
–TiO
2
–PDMS composites have been extensively studied before their application as consolidants on a limestone. Overall, the effectiveness of the nanocomposites was evaluated by the comparative characterization of untreated and treated stone specimens. The results of both capillary water absorption and contact angle measurements point out that the TiO
2
–SiO
2
–PDMS nanocomposites functioned as hydrophobic coatings. Furthermore, the results obtained from microdrilling resistance and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) revealed a penetration depth of the nanocomposites within the stone of
c.
15 mm. The innovation of these syntheses pertains to the application of hydrophobic semi-transparent and transparent nanocomposites with self-cleaning and strengthening properties, without altering the colour of the stone surface and the water vapour permeability.
Transfer Learning across Feature-Rich Heterogeneous Feature Spaces via Feature-Space Remapping (FSR)
Authors: Feuz Kyle D. , Cook Diane J.
Published: March 2015

Transfer learning aims to improve performance on a target task by utilizing previous knowledge learned from source tasks. In this paper we introduce a novel heterogeneous transfer learning technique, Feature-Space Remapping (FSR), which transfers knowledge between domains with different feature spaces. This is accomplished without requiring typical feature-feature, feature instance, or instance-instance co-occurrence data. Instead we relate features in different feature-spaces through the construction of metafeatures. We show how these techniques can utilize multiple source datasets to construct an ensemble learner which further improves performance. We apply FSR to an activity recognition problem and a document classification problem. The ensemble technique is able to outperform all other baselines and even performs better than a classifier trained using a large amount of labeled data in the target domain. These problems are especially difficult because, in addition to having different feature-spaces, the marginal probability distributions and the class labels are also different. This work extends the state of the art in transfer learning by considering large transfer across dramatically different spaces.
A Fast Parallel Stochastic Gradient Method for Matrix Factorization in Shared Memory Systems
Authors: Chin Wei-Sheng , Zhuang Yong , Juan Yu-Chin , Lin Chih-Jen
Published: March 2015

Matrix factorization is known to be an effective method for recommender systems that are given only the ratings from users to items. Currently, stochastic gradient (SG) method is one of the most popular algorithms for matrix factorization. However, as a sequential approach, SG is difficult to be parallelized for handling web-scale problems. In this article, we develop a fast parallel SG method, FPSG, for shared memory systems. By dramatically reducing the cache-miss rate and carefully addressing the load balance of threads, FPSG is more efficient than state-of-the-art parallel algorithms for matrix factorization.
A Differential Approach to Undefined Behavior Detection
Authors: Wang Xi , Zeldovich Nickolai , Kaashoek M. Frans , Solar-Lezama Armando
Published: March 2015

This article studies undefined behavior arising in systems programming languages such as C/C++. Undefined behavior bugs lead to unpredictable and subtle systems behavior, and their effects can be further amplified by compiler optimizations. Undefined behavior bugs are present in many systems, including the Linux kernel and the Postgres database. The consequences range from incorrect functionality to missing security checks. This article proposes a formal and practical approach that finds undefined behavior bugs by finding “unstable code” in terms of optimizations that leverage undefined behavior. Using this approach, we introduce a new static checker called S
tack
that precisely identifies undefined behavior bugs. Applying S
tack
to widely used systems has uncovered 161 new bugs that have been confirmed and fixed by developers.
OverCode
Authors: Glassman Elena L. , Scott Jeremy , Singh Rishabh , Guo Philip J. , Miller Robert C.
Published: March 2015

In MOOCs, a single programming exercise may produce thousands of solutions from learners. Understanding solution variation is important for providing appropriate feedback to students at scale. The wide variation among these solutions can be a source of pedagogically valuable examples and can be used to refine the autograder for the exercise by exposing corner cases. We present OverCode, a system for visualizing and exploring thousands of programming solutions. OverCode uses both static and dynamic analysis to cluster similar solutions, and lets teachers further filter and cluster solutions based on different criteria. We evaluated OverCode against a nonclustering baseline in a within-subjects study with 24 teaching assistants and found that the OverCode interface allows teachers to more quickly develop a high-level view of students' understanding and misconceptions, and to provide feedback that is relevant to more students' solutions.
How Can Automatic Feedback Help Students Construct Automata?
Authors: D'antoni Loris , Kini Dileep , Alur Rajeev , Gulwani Sumit , Viswanathan Mahesh , Hartmann Björn
Published: March 2015

In computer-aided education, the goal of automatic feedback is to provide a meaningful explanation of students' mistakes. We focus on providing feedback for constructing a deterministic finite automaton that accepts strings that match a described pattern. Natural choices for feedback are binary feedback (correct/wrong) and a counterexample of a string that is processed incorrectly. Such feedback is easy to compute but might not provide the student enough help. Our first contribution is a novel way to automatically compute alternative conceptual hints. Our second contribution is a rigorous evaluation of feedback with 377 students. We find that providing either counterexamples or hints is judged as helpful, increases student perseverance, and can improve problem completion time. However, both strategies have particular strengths and weaknesses. Since our feedback is completely automatic, it can be deployed at scale and integrated into existing massive open online courses.
Report on the 2015 career network conference (CNC)
Authors: Das Sanmay
Published: March 2015

SIGAI organized the first Career Network Conference (CNC) for students and postdocs to publicize their work and interact with leaders from academia, industry, government, and other roles. The event was held in conjunction with AAAI 2015 and included a panel discussion and a Best Student Abstract award.
Detecting people in Cubist art
Authors: Ginosar Shiry , Haas Daniel , Brown Timothy , Malik Jitendra
Published: March 2015

Detectors trained on natural images can detect parts that characterize person figures in Cubist paintings.
Spatial big data for eco-routing services
Authors: Ali Reem Y. , Gunturi Venkata M. V. , Shekhar Shashi
Published: March 2015

The size, variety, and update rate of spatial datasets are increasingly exceeding the capacity of commonly used spatial computing technologies to learn, manage, and process the data with reasonable effort. We refer to these datasets as Spatial Big Data (SBD). Examples of emerging SBD datasets include temporally detailed (TD) roadmaps that provide speeds every minute for every road-segment, GPS track data from cell-phones, and engine measurements of fuel consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, etc. Harnessing SBD has a transformative potential. For example, a 2011 McKinsey Global Institute report estimates savings of "about $600 billion annually by 2020" in terms of fuel and time saved by helping vehicles avoid congestion and reduce idling at red lights or left turns. In this paper, we discuss the challenges posed by SBD for a next generation of routing services and we present our work towards addressing these challenges.
Big data spatial analytics for enterprise applications
Authors: Ravada Siva
Published: March 2015

Big data is present everywhere and it can help organization in any industry in many different ways. One of the main sources of this data is the increased digitization in every aspect of life. In general terms, digitization is the process of making something digital. That is, use computer technology in the middle of an activity that used to be done without computers. For example, people used to shoot pictures on film, but now most of the pictures are digital. People used to pay tolls with cash, and now it is digital. People used to drive cars with rack-and-pinion steering, now they are all drive-by-wire, fully digital rolling computers.
Smart Health Project 2.0
Authors: Macrì M. , Mirarchi D. , Pagliaro C. , Russo P. , Vizza P.
Published: March 2015

The main goal of SH2.0 is to create and define an innovative and technological infrastructure, as in Cloud environment, for the development of services necessary to the activation of new models in terms of health and wellness. In this context, the first proposal of SH2.0 is to enhance the life style of the citizens, starting from individual activities and adopting correct behaviors; the second aim regards the preventive health care feasible by institutional subjects (as, for example, Ministry of Health) which must be supported in the collection and analysis of data and information necessary to address specific actions and interventions for the early detection of diseases.
Involvement of protein kinase ζ in the maintenance of hippocampal long-term potentiation in rats with chronic visceral hypersensitivity
Authors: Chen Aiqin , Bao Chengjia , Tang Ying , Luo Xiaoqing , Guo Lixia , Liu Bin , Lin Chun
Published: March 2015

The hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) was implicated in the formation of visceral hypersensitivity in rats with irritable bowel syndrome in our previous study. Recent studies have shown that protein kinase M ζ (PKMζ) may be responsible for the maintenance of LTP in memory formation. However, it remains unclear whether PKMζ is involved in the visceral hypersensitivity. In this study, a rat model of visceral hypersensitivity was generated by neonatal maternal separation (NMS). The visceral hypersensitivity was assessed by recording responses of the external oblique abdominal muscle to colorectal distension. Our results demonstrated that hippocampal LTP and visceral hypersensitivity were enhanced significantly in rats of NMS. ζ-Pseudosubstrate inhibitory peptide (ZIP) could dose dependently inhibit the maintenance of Cornu Ammonis area 1 LTP in rats of NMS. Furthermore, Western blot data showed that the expression of hippocampal phosphorylated PKMζ (p-PKMζ) significantly increased in rats of NMS. In addition, bilateral intrahippocampal injections of ZIP attenuated the visceral hypersensitivity dose dependently in rats of NMS. The maximal inhibition was observed at 30 min, and significant inhibition lasted for 1.5–2 h after ZIP application. Besides, data from the open-field test and Morris water maze showed that ZIP did not influence the movement and spatial procedural memory in rats of NMS. In conclusion, p-PKMζ might be a critical protein in the maintenance of hippocampal LTP, which could result in visceral hypersensitivity.
Recent Advances in Methamphetamine Neurotoxicity Mechanisms and Its Molecular Pathophysiology
Authors: Yu Shaobin , Zhu Ling , Shen Qiang , Bai Xue , Di Xuhui
Published: March 2015

Methamphetamine (METH) is a sympathomimetic amine that belongs to phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs, which are widely abused for their stimulant, euphoric, empathogenic, and hallucinogenic properties. Many of these effects result from acute increases in dopamine and serotonin neurotransmission. Subsequent to these acute effects, METH produces persistent damage to dopamine and serotonin release in nerve terminals, gliosis, and apoptosis. This review summarized the numerous interdependent mechanisms including excessive dopamine, ubiquitin-proteasome system dysfunction, protein nitration, endoplasmic reticulum stress, p53 expression, inflammatory molecular, D3receptor, microtubule deacetylation, and HIV-1 Tat protein that have been demonstrated to contribute to this damage. In addition, the feasible therapeutic strategies according to recent studies were also summarized ranging from drug and protein to gene level.
Uterine Balloon Tamponade in Combination with Topical Administration of Tranexamic Acid for Management of Postpartum Hemorrhage
Authors: Kinugasa Masato , Tamai Hanako , Miyake Mayu , Shimizu Takashi
Published: March 2015

While uterine balloon tamponade is an effective modality for control of postpartum hemorrhage, the reported success rates have ranged from the level of 60% to the level of 80%. In unsuccessful cases, more invasive interventions are needed, including hysterectomy as a last resort. We developed a modified tamponade method and applied it to two cases of refractory postpartum hemorrhage after vaginal delivery. The first case was accompanied by uterine myoma and low-lying placenta. After an induced delivery, the patient had excessive hemorrhage due to uterine atony. Despite oxytocin infusion and bimanual uterine compression, the total blood loss was estimated at 2,800 mL or more. The second case was diagnosed as placental abruption complicated by fetal death and severe disseminated intravascular coagulation, subsequently. A profuse hemorrhage continued despite administration of uterotonics, fluid, and blood transfusion. The total blood loss was more than 5,000 mL. In each case, an intrauterine balloon catheter was wrapped in gauze impregnated with tranexamic acid, inserted into the uterus, and inflated sufficiently with sterile water. In this way, mechanical compression by a balloon and a topical antifibrinolytic agent were combined together. This method brought complete hemostasis and no further treatments were needed. Both the women left hospital in stable condition.
Decreased Perifoveal Sensitivity Detected by Microperimetry in Patients Using Hydroxychloroquine and without Visual Field and Fundoscopic Anomalies
Authors: Molina-Martín A. , Piñero D. P. , Pérez-Cambrodí R. J.
Published: March 2015

Purpose. To evaluate the usefulness of microperimetry in the early detection of the ocular anomalies associated with the use of hydroxychloroquine.Methods. Prospective comparative case series study comprising 14 healthy eyes of 7 patients (group A) and 14 eyes of 7 patients under treatment with hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of rheumatologic diseases and without fundoscopic or perimetric anomalies (group B). A comprehensive ophthalmological examination including microperimetry (MP) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography was performed in both groups.Results. No significant differences were found in mean MP foveal sensitivity between groupsP=0.18. However, mean MP overall sensitivity was significantly higher in group A (29.05±0.57 dB versus group B,26.05±2.75 dB;P<0.001). Significantly higher sensitivity values were obtained in group A in comparison to group B for the three eccentric loci evaluatedP<0.001.Conclusion. Microperimetry seems to be a useful tool for the early detection of retinal damage in patients treated with hydroxychloroquine.
JC Virus PCR Detection Is Not Infallible: A Fulminant Case of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy with False-Negative Cerebrospinal Fluid Studies despite Progressive Clinical Course and Radiological Findings
Authors: Babi Mohamed-Ali , Pendlebury William , Braff Steven , Waheed Waqar
Published: March 2015

We describe a case with a false-negative PCR-based analysis for JC virus in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a patient with clinical and radiological findings suggestive of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) who was on chronic immunosuppressive therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Our patient developed rapidly progressive global decline with clinical and radiographic findings suggestive of PML, but JC virus PCR in CSF was negative. The patient passed away 3 months from the onset of her neurological symptoms. Autopsy confirmed the diagnosis of PML with presence of JC-polyoma virus by immunohistochemical staining. This case highlights the potential of false-negative JC virus PCR in CSF when radiographic and clinical features are suggestive of “possible PML.” We review the plausible causes of potential false-negative CSF results and suggest that when the clinical presentation is suspicious for PML repeat CSF analysis utilizing ultrasensitive PCR assay and subsequent brain biopsy should be considered if CSF remains negative. Additionally, appropriate exclusion of other neurologic conditions is essential.