bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Vitro
Selection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Mutants with Elevated MIC Values and Increased Resistance to Cephalosporins
Authors: Johnson Steven R. , Grad Yonatan , Ganakammal Satishkumar Ranganathan , Burroughs Mark , Frace Mike , Lipsitch Marc , Weil Ryan , Trees David
Published: September 2014

Strains of
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
with mosaic
penA
genes bearing novel point mutations in
penA
have been isolated from ceftriaxone treatment failures. Such isolates exhibit significantly higher MIC values to third-generation cephalosporins. Here we report the
in vitro
isolation of two mutants with elevated MICs to cephalosporins. The first possesses a point mutation in the transpeptidase region of the mosaic
penA
gene, and the second contains an insertion mutation in
pilQ
.
Understanding Variability in Posaconazole Exposure Using an Integrated Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis
Authors: Dolton Michael J. , Brüggemann Roger J. M. , Burger David M. , McLachlan Andrew J.
Published: September 2014

Posaconazole oral suspension is widely used for antifungal prophylaxis and treatment in immunocompromised patients, with highly variable pharmacokinetics reported in patients due to inconsistent oral absorption. This study aimed to characterize the pharmacokinetics of posaconazole in adults and investigate factors that influence posaconazole pharmacokinetics byusing a population pharmacokinetic approach. Nonlinear mixed-effects modeling was undertaken for two posaconazole studies in patients and healthy volunteers. The influences of demographic and clinical characteristics, such as mucositis, diarrhea, and drug-drug interactions, on posaconazole pharmacokinetics were investigated using a stepwise forward inclusion/backwards deletion procedure. A total of 905 posaconazole concentration measurements from 102 participants were analyzed. A one-compartment pharmacokinetic model with first-order oral absorption with lag time and first-order elimination best described posaconazole pharmacokinetics. Posaconazole relative bioavailability was 55% lower in patients who received posaconazole than in healthy volunteers. Coadministration of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) or metoclopramide, as well as the occurrence of mucositis or diarrhea, reduced posaconazole relative bioavailability by 45%, 35%, 58%, and 45%, respectively, whereas concomitant ingestion of a nutritional supplement significantly increased bioavailability (129% relative increase). Coadministration of rifampin or phenytoin increased apparent posaconazole clearance by more than 600%, with a smaller increase observed with fosamprenavir (34%). Participant age, weight, or sex did not significantly affect posaconazole pharmacokinetics. Posaconazole absorption was reduced by a range of commonly coadministered medicines and clinical complications, such as mucositis and diarrhea. Avoidance of PPIs and metoclopramide and administration with food or a nutritional supplement are effective strategies to increase posaconazole absorption.
Identification of Genomic Binding Sites for Candida glabrata Pdr1 Transcription Factor in Wild-Type and ρ
0
Cells
Authors: Paul Sanjoy , Bair Thomas B. , Moye-Rowley W. Scott
Published: September 2014

The fungal pathogen
Candida glabrata
is an emerging cause of candidiasis in part owing to its robust ability to acquire tolerance to the major clinical antifungal drug fluconazole. Similar to the related species
Candida albicans
,
C. glabrata
most typically gains azole tolerance via transcriptional induction of a suite of resistance genes, including a locus encoding an ABCG-type ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter that is referred to as
CDR1
in
Candida
species. In
C. glabrata
,
CDR1
expression is controlled primarily by the activity of a transcriptional activator protein called Pdr1. Strains exhibiting reduced azole susceptibility often contain substitution mutations in
PDR1
that in turn lead to elevated mRNA levels of target genes with associated azole resistance. Pdr1 activity is also induced upon loss of the mitochondrial genome status and upon challenge by azole drugs. While extensive analyses of the transcriptional effects of Pdr1 have identified a number of genes that are regulated by this factor, we cannot yet separate direct from indirect target genes. Here we used chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) coupled with high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq) to identify the promoters and associated genes directly regulated by Pdr1. These genes include many that are shared with the yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
but others that are unique to
C. glabrata
, including the ABC transporter-encoding locus
YBT1
, genes involved in DNA repair, and several others. These data provide the outline for understanding the primary response genes involved in production of Pdr1-dependent azole resistance in
C. glabrata
.
Antiepileptic drug treatment of rolandic epilepsy and Panayiotopoulos syndrome: clinical practice survey and clinical trial feasibility
Authors: Mellish Louise C , Dunkley Colin , Ferrie Colin D , Pal Deb K
Published: September 2014

Background

The evidence base for management of childhood epilepsy is poor, especially for the most common specific syndromes such as rolandic epilepsy (RE) and Panayiotopoulos syndrome (PS). Considerable international variation in management and controversy about non-treatment indicate the need for high quality randomised controlled trials (RCT). The aim of this study is, therefore, to describe current UK practice and explore the feasibility of different RCT designs for RE and PS.

Methods

We conducted an online survey of 590 UK paediatricians who treat epilepsy. Thirty-two questions covered annual caseload, investigation and management practice, factors influencing treatment, antiepileptic drug preferences and hypothetical trial design preferences.

Results

132 responded (22%): 81% were paediatricians and 95% at consultant seniority. We estimated, annually, 751 new RE cases and 233 PS cases. Electroencephalography (EEG) is requested at least half the time in approximately 70% of cases; MRI brain at least half the time in 40%–65% cases and neuropsychological evaluation in 7%–8%. Clinicians reported non-treatment in 40%: main reasons were low frequency of seizures and parent/child preferences. Carbamazepine is the preferred older, and levetiracetam the preferred newer, RCT arm. Approximately one-half considered active and placebo designs acceptable, choosing seizures as primary and cognitive/behavioural measures as secondary outcomes.

Conclusions

Management among respondents is broadly in line with national guidance, although with possible overuse of brain imaging and underuse of EEG and neuropsychological assessments. A large proportion of patients in the UK remains untreated, and clinicians seem amenable to a range of RCT designs, with carbamazepine and levetiracetam the preferred active drugs.
Acute tear of the fascia cruris at the attachment to the Achilles tendon: a new diagnosis
Authors: Webborn Nick , Morrissey Dylan , Sarvananthan Kasthuri , Chan Otto
Published: September 2014

Background

The fascia cruris encloses the posterior structures of the calf and connects to the paratenon and the Achilles tendon. We describe the clinical presentation, ultrasound imaging characteristics and the time to the recovery of tears of the fascia cruris at the attachment to the Achilles tendon.

Methods

Retrospective review of 11 tears of the fascia cruris in the different legs as separate events in 9 patients (6 male and 3 female, mean age 35.52 years, range 11–48) identified using diagnostic ultrasound, after presenting with Achillodynia.

Results

11 participants presented at a mean of 4.5 weeks (range 0.5–12) after onset of symptoms. The left Achilles was more commonly injured than the right (7 : 4) and the lateral side more than the medial (6 : 4) with one case with medial and lateral presentation. Clinically, there was swelling and tenderness over the medial or lateral border in the mid to upper portion of the Achilles. 7 of the 11 (63.6%) had functional overpronation. Ultrasound appearances of a tear were identified as hypoechoic area extending from the medial or lateral border of the Achilles extending along the anatomical plane of the fascia cruris. Average return to activity was 5.2 weeks (range 1–22). Participants presenting later had longer recovery but all participants returned to full activity (r=0.4).

Conclusions

This is the first description of the clinical details and sonographic findings of a tear to the fascia cruris at its attachment to the Achilles tendon. This needs to be considered as a cause of Achillodynia in athletes as recognition will affect the management.
Ambulatory blood pressure adds little to Framingham Risk Score for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in older men: secondary analysis of observational study data
Authors: Bell Katy J L , Beller Elaine , Sundström Johan , McGeechan Kevin , Hayen Andrew , Irwig Les , Neal Bruce , Glasziou Paul
Published: September 2014

Objective

To determine the incremental value of ambulatory blood pressure (BP) in predicting cardiovascular risk when the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) is known.

Methods

We included 780 men without cardiovascular disease from the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men, all aged approximately 70 years at baseline. We first screened ambulatory systolic BP (ASBP) parameters for their incremental value by adding them to a model with 10-year FRS. For the best ASBP parameter we estimated HRs and changes in discrimination, calibration and reclassification. We also estimated the difference in the number of men started on treatment and in the number of men protected against a cardiovascular event.

Results

Mean daytime ASBP had the highest incremental value; adding other parameters did not yield further improvements. While ASBP was an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, addition to FRS led to only small increases to the overall model fit, discrimination (a 1% increase in the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve), calibration and reclassification. We estimated that for every 10 000 men screened with ASBP, 141 fewer would start a new BP-lowering treatment (95% CI 62 to 220 less treated), but this would result in 7 fewer cardiovascular events prevented over the subsequent 10 years (95% CI 21 fewer events prevented to 7 more events prevented).

Conclusions

In addition to a standard cardiovascular risk assessment it is not clear that ambulatory BP measurement provides further incremental value. The clinical role of ambulatory BP requires ongoing careful consideration.
Geographic variations in sleep duration: a multilevel analysis from the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) Survey
Authors: Fang Shona C , Subramanian S V , Piccolo Rebecca , Yang May , Yaggi H Klar , Bliwise Donald L , Araujo Andre B
Published: September 2014

Background

Sleep plays an important role in health and varies by social determinants. Little is known, however, about geographic variations in sleep and the role of individual-level and neighbourhood-level factors.

Methods

We used a multilevel modelling approach to quantify neighbourhood variation in self-reported sleep duration (very short <5 h; short 5–6.9 h; normative 7–8.9 h; long ≥9 h) among 3591 participants of the Boston Area Community Health Survey. We determined whether geographic variations persisted with control for individual-level demographic, socioeconomic status (SES) and lifestyle factors. We then determined the role of neighbourhood SES (nSES) in geographic variations. Additional models considered individual health factors.

Results

Between neighbourhood differences accounted for a substantial portion of total variability in sleep duration. Neighbourhood variation persisted with control for demographics, SES and lifestyle factors. These characteristics accounted for a portion (6–20%) of between-neighbourhood variance in very short, short and long sleep, while nSES accounted for the majority of the remaining between-neighbourhood variances. Low and medium nSES were associated with very short and short sleep (eg, very short sleep OR=2.08; 95% CI 1.38 to 3.14 for low vs high nSES), but not long sleep. Further inclusion of health factors did not appreciably increase the amount of between-neighbourhood variance explained nor did it alter associations.

Conclusions

Sleep duration varied by neighbourhood in a diverse urban setting in the northeastern USA. Individual-level demographics, SES and lifestyle factors explained some geographic variability, while nSES explained a substantial amount. Mechanisms associated with nSES should be examined in future studies to help understand and reduce geographic variations in sleep.
Pipeline endovascular device for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms at the level of the circle of Willis and beyond: multicenter experience
Authors: Martínez-Galdámez M , Romance A , Vega P , Vega A , Caniego J L , Paul L , Linfante I , Dabus G
Published: September 2014

Background and purpose

The aim of our study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the pipeline endovascular device for the treatment of anterior circulation aneurysms at the level of the circle of Willis and beyond.

Methods

A consecutive series of 25 patients (24 unruptured and one ruptured) with anterior circulation aneurysms treated with a pipeline endovascular device were included in the analysis.

Results

We found two minor clinical events (resolved within 7 days of the procedure), one major event (symptoms present after 7 days), and no mortality. There were no aneurysm ruptures or parenchymal hemorrhages during follow-up. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at 3 and 6 months did not change from the prior mRS score for all cases except 1. There was one asymptomatic periprocedural event. There were three intraprocedural complications which resolved without clinical consequences. Six month follow-up angiograms were obtained for 22 aneurysms, showing complete occlusion in 14 (64%) and significantly decreased residual filling in 8 (36%). The status of branches originating from the aneurysm sacs was evaluated in 14 angiograms: 11 were patent (79%), 2 had moderate reduction (14%) and 1 (7%) was occluded. We found six cases of in-stent stenosis (27%) on 6 month DSA, with only one symptomatic case.

Conclusions

The pipeline embolization device provides a feasible and technically safe solution for aneurysms at and beyond the circle of Willis. Preliminary results are promising but larger series with longer term follow-up examinations are required to show the long term safety and durability of this treatment alternative.
Development of a novel in vitro method for drug development for fish; application to test efficacy of antimicrosporidian compounds
Authors: Saleh M. , Kumar G. , Abdel‐Baki A‐A. , Dkhil M. , El‐Matbouli M. , Al‐Quraishy S.
Published: September 2014

Few drugs are approved for treating diseases caused by parasites in minor species such as fish. This is due, in part, to the expense of drug development and to the comparatively small market. In vivo effectiveness trials for antiparasitic drugs are costly, time consuming and require ethics approval, therefore an in vitro screening approach is a cost‐effective alternative to finding promising drug candidates. We developed an in vitro testing system to test antimicrosporidial compounds against a microsporidian pathogen Heterosporis saurida. Five antiparasitic compounds, albendazole, fumagillin, TNP‐70, nitazoxanide and lufenuron, were assayed for antimicrosporidial activity. All compounds reduced the number of H saurida spores in infected cells when applied at a concentration that did not appear to be toxic to the host cells. Albendazole inhibited replication of H saurida by >60 per cent, fumagillin and its analogue TNP‐470 inhibited H saurida >80 per cent, nitazoxanide and lufenuron inhibited growth >70 per cent. The data suggest that both fumagillin and its analogous TNP‐70 hold the best promise as therapeutic agents against H saurida. The ability to use fish cell cultures to assess drugs against H saurida demonstrates an approach that may be helpful to evaluate other drugs on different microsporidia and host cells.
Hypothalamic‐anterior pituitary hormone deficiencies following traumatic brain injury in dogs
Authors: Murtagh K. , Arrol L. , Goncalves R. , Granger N. , German A. J. , Smith P. M.
Published: September 2014

Traumatic brain injury is an important cause of hypopituitarism in human beings, but limited information exists in the veterinary literature regarding this condition. The primary study objective was to investigate whether hypothalamic‐anterior pituitary axis dysfunction exists following traumatic brain injury in 17 client owned dogs. In this retrospective, observational, open, cohort study, information about dogs presented to four separate referral centres between April 2008 and October 2013 was reviewed. Cases were included if they had suffered from non‐fatal traumatic brain injury, resulting in neurological dysfunction, and follow‐up evaluation included measurement of the serum concentration of insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1), endogenous adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), basal cortisol, thyroid‐stimulating hormone, total thyroxine (TT4) and, if appropriate, free thyroxine. Decreased IGF‐1 concentration was the most common abnormality detected (7/17, 41 per cent; median 132 ng/ml, range <15–536), followed by a decreased TT4concentration (4/17, 23 per cent; median 19, range 4–49). Basal cortisol concentration was less than 20 nmol/l in two cases (2/17, 12 per cent; median 65, range <20–1735), with concurrently undetectable ACTH (<5 pg/ml). This study demonstrates that dogs with a history of traumatic brain injury can develop endocrine abnormalities indicative of hypothalamic‐anterior pituitary dysfunction.
Estimation of horizontal stress magnitudes using sonic data from vertical and deviated wellbores in a depleted reservoir
Authors: Sinha Bikash K. , Wendt Anke S.
Published: September 2014

Changes in the reservoir rock stresses caused by large variations in the pore pressure play an important role in maintaining reservoir mechanical stability and therefore are important input to drilling and completion decisions. Producer wells are often designed with complex trajectories that include both nearly vertical and deviated sections to maximize hydrocarbon productivity. A new inversion algorithm estimates the maximum and minimum horizontal stresses in the formation using radial profiles of the three shear moduli in the two axial and cross-sectional planes of a vertical or deviated borehole. This algorithm inverts differences in the far-field shear moduli with the two difference equations obtained from radial profiles of the dipole shear moduli in the two axial planes between near and far radial positions from the borehole surface. Borehole stresses are related to the far-field principal stresses in terms of borehole azimuth and deviation. Difference equations for the shear moduli and corresponding stresses use radial positions away from the borehole surface that do not exhibit any plastic deformation. Borehole sonic data acquired from a vertical and deviated wellbores have been inverted to obtain formation stress magnitudes for a given change in the reservoir pressure in a depleted, highly faulted, high-pressure and high-temperature North Sea field. Estimates of the minimum horizontal stress magnitudes from this inversion algorithm are consistent with an independent estimate obtained from a standard minifrac test.
Automated Detection of Client-State Manipulation Vulnerabilities
Authors: Møller Anders , Schwarz Mathias
Published: September 2014

Web application programmers must be aware of a wide range of potential security risks. Although the most common pitfalls are well described and categorized in the literature, it remains a challenging task to ensure that all guidelines are followed. For this reason, it is desirable to construct automated tools that can assist the programmers in the application development process by detecting weaknesses. Many vulnerabilities are related to Web application code that stores references to application state in the generated HTML documents to work around the statelessness of the HTTP protocol. In this article, we show that such client-state manipulation vulnerabilities are amenable to tool-supported detection.

We present a static analysis for the widely used frameworks Java Servlets, JSP, and Struts. Given a Web application archive as input, the analysis identifies occurrences of client state and infers the information flow between the client state and the shared application state on the server. This makes it possible to check how client-state manipulation performed by malicious users may affect the shared application state and cause leakage or modifications of sensitive information. The warnings produced by the tool help the application programmer identify vulnerabilities before deployment. The inferred information can also be applied to configure a security filter that automatically guards against attacks at runtime. Experiments on a collection of open-source Web applications indicate that the static analysis is able to effectively help the programmer prevent client-state manipulation vulnerabilities. The analysis detects a total of 4,802 client-state parameters in ten applications, whereof 4,437 are classified as safe and 241 reveal exploitable vulnerabilities.
Perpetual Data Collection with Energy-Harvesting Sensor Networks
Authors: Renner Christian , Unterschütz Stefan , Turau Volker , Römer Kay
Published: September 2014

A sustainable, uniform, and utility-maximizing operation of energy-harvesting sensor networks requires methods for aligning consumption with harvest. This article presents a lightweight algorithm for online load adaptation of energy-harvesting sensor nodes using supercapacitors as energy buffers. The algorithm capitalizes on the elementary relationship between state of charge and voltage that is characteristic for supercapacitors. It is particularly designed to handle the nonlinear system model, and it is lightweight enough to run on low-power sensor node hardware. We define two energy policies, evaluate their performance using real-world solar-harvesting traces, and analyze the influence of the supercapacitor’s capacity and imprecisions in harvest forecasts. To show the practical merit of our algorithm, we devise a load adaptation scheme for multihop data collection sensor networks and run a 4-week field test. The results show that (i) choosing a duty cycle a priori is infeasible, (ii) our algorithm increases the achievable work load of a node when using forecasts, (iii) uniform and steady operation is achieved, and (iv) depletion can be prevented in most cases.
High-rate codes with sublinear-time decoding
Authors: Kopparty Swastik , Saraf Shubhangi , Yekhanin Sergey
Published: September 2014

Locally decodable codes are error-correcting codes that admit efficient decoding algorithms; any bit of the original message can be recovered by looking at only a small number of locations of a corrupted codeword. The tradeoff between the rate of a code and the locality/efficiency of its decoding algorithms has been well studied, and it has widely been suspected that nontrivial locality must come at the price of low rate. A particular setting of potential interest in practice is codes of constant rate. For such codes, decoding algorithms with locality
O
(
k∈
) were known only for codes of rate
∈
Ω(1/
∈
), where
k
is the length of the message. Furthermore, for codes of rate > 1/2, no nontrivial locality had been achieved.

In this article, we construct a new family of locally decodable codes that have very efficient local decoding algorithms, and at the same time have rate approaching 1. We show that for every
∈
> 0 and
α
> 0, for infinitely many
k
, there exists a code
C
which encodes messages of length
k
with rate 1 −
α
, and is locally decodable from a constant fraction of errors using
O
(
k∈
) queries and time.

These codes, which we call multiplicity codes, are based on evaluating multivariate polynomials and their derivatives. Multiplicity codes extend traditional multivariate polynomial codes; they inherit the local-decodability of these codes, and at the same time achieve better tradeoffs and flexibility in the rate and minimum distance.
Distributed Separate Coding for Continuous Data Collection in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Ye Xiucai , Li Jie , Xu Li
Published: September 2014

In this article, we present a novel distributed separate coding (DSC) scheme for continuous data collection in wireless sensor networks with a mobile base station (mBS). By separately encoding a certain number of data segments in a combined segment and doing decoding-free data replacement in the buffers of each sensor node, the DSC scheme is shown as an efficient method for continuously collecting data segments with a high success ratio. The proposed DSC scheme has a salient feature: with a minimum buffer size 2 in each sensor node, by querying any
m
−1 sensor nodes, the mBS can reconstruct the
m
latest data segments with high probability, where
m
is the number of latest data segments in a time interval
t
in which
n
(
t
) (
m
≤
n
(
t
)) data segments are generated. The necessary storage space in each sensor node can be adjusted by changing the number of sensor nodes queried by the mBS. Furthermore, the transmission cost for data submission to the mBS can be reduced with some additional storage space in each sensor node. The comprehensive performance evaluation has been conducted through computer simulation. It is shown that the proposed DSC scheme outperforms the existing scheme significantly.
Broadcast-Enhanced Key Predistribution Schemes
Authors: Kendall Michelle , Martin Keith M. , Ng Siaw-Lynn , Paterson Maura B. , Stinson Douglas R.
Published: September 2014

We present a formalisation of a category of schemes that we refer to as broadcast-enhanced key predistribution schemes (BEKPSs). These schemes are suitable for networks with access to a trusted base station and an authenticated broadcast channel. We demonstrate that the access to these extra resources allows for the creation of BEKPSs with advantages over key predistribution schemes such as flexibility and more efficient revocation. There are many possible ways to implement BEKPSs, and we propose a framework for describing and analysing them.

In their paper “From Key Predistribution to Key Redistribution,” Cichoń et al. [2010] propose a scheme for “redistributing” keys to a wireless sensor network using a broadcast channel after an initial key predistribution. We classify this as a BEKPS and analyse it in that context. We provide simpler proofs of some results from their paper, give a precise analysis of the resilience of their scheme, and discuss possible modifications. We then study two scenarios where BEKPSs may be particularly desirable and propose a suitable family of BEKPSs for each case. We demonstrate that they are practical and efficient to implement, and our analysis shows their effectiveness in achieving suitable trade-offs between the conflicting priorities in resource-constrained networks.
Structural Focalization
Authors: Simmons Robert J.
Published: September 2014

Focusing, introduced by Jean-Marc Andreoli in the context of classical linear logic [Andreoli 1992], defines a normal form for sequent calculus derivations that cuts down on the number of possible derivations by eagerly applying invertible rules and grouping sequences of non-invertible rules. A focused sequent calculus is defined relative to some nonfocused sequent calculus;
focalization
is the property that every nonfocused derivation can be transformed into a focused derivation.

In this article, we present a focused sequent calculus for propositional intuitionistic logic and prove the focalization property relative to a standard presentation of propositional intuitionistic logic. Compared to existing approaches, the proof is quite concise, depending only on the internal soundness and completeness of the focused logic. In turn, both of these properties can be established (and mechanically verified) by structural induction in the style of Pfenning's structural cut elimination without the need for any tedious and repetitious invertibility lemmas. The proof of cut admissibility for the focused system, which establishes internal soundness, is not particularly novel. The proof of identity expansion, which establishes internal completeness, is a major contribution of this work.
Transducing Markov sequences
Authors: Kimelfeld Benny , Ré Christopher
Published: September 2014

A Markov sequence is a basic statistical model representing uncertain sequential data, and it is used within a plethora of applications, including speech recognition, image processing, computational biology, radio-frequency identification (RFID), and information extraction. The problem of querying a Markov sequence is studied under the conventional semantics of querying a probabilistic database, where queries are formulated as finite-state transducers. Specifically, the complexity of two main problems is analyzed. The first problem is that of computing the confidence (probability) of an answer. The second is the enumeration of the answers in the order of decreasing confidence (with the generation of the top-
k
answers as a special case), or in an approximate order thereof. In particular, it is shown that enumeration in any subexponential-approximate order is generally intractable (even for some fixed transducers), and a matching upper bound is obtained through a proposed heuristic. Due to this hardness, a special consideration is given to restricted (yet common) classes of transducers that extract matches of a regular expression (subject to prefix and suffix constraints), and it is shown that these classes are, indeed, significantly more tractable.
Theory and Algorithm of Estimating Energy Consumption Breakdowns using ON/OFF State Sensing
Authors: Jung Deokwoo , Savvides Andreas
Published: September 2014

This article considers a problem of periodically estimating energy consumption breakdowns for main appliances inside building using a single power meter and the knowledge of the ON/OFF states of individual appliances. In the first part of this article, we formulate the problem as a constrained convex optimization problem with tunable parameters. Then we propose an online algorithm that adaptively determines the optimization parameters to robustly estimate the breakdown information. The proposed solution is evaluated by experiment using a scaled-down proof-of-concept prototype with real measurements. In the second part, we provide detailed analysis to understand the performance of our proposed algorithm. We first develop a stochastic model to describe evolution of appliances’ ON/OFF states using continuous-time Markov chain. Then we derive analytical bounds of estimation error and the probability of a rank-deficient binary matrix. Those analytical bounds are verified by extensive simulations. Finally, we study the effect of collinearity of binary data matrix on estimation performance. Simulation results suggest that our algorithm is robust against the collinearity of binary dataset.
Experiments on Density-Constrained Graph Clustering
Authors: Görke Robert , Kappes Andrea , Wagner Dorothea
Published: September 2014

Clustering a graph means identifying internally dense subgraphs that are only sparsely interconnected. Formalizations of this notion lead to measures that quantify the quality of a clustering and to algorithms that actually find clusterings. Since, most generally, corresponding optimization problems are hard, heuristic clustering algorithms are used in practice, or other approaches that are not based on an objective function. In this work, we conduct a comprehensive experimental evaluation of the qualitative behavior of greedy bottom-up heuristics driven by cut-based objectives and constrained by intracluster density, using both real-world data and artificial instances. Our study documents that a greedy strategy based on local movement is superior to one based on merging. We further reveal that the former approach generally outperforms alternative setups and reference algorithms from the literature in terms of its own objective, while a modularity-based algorithm competes surprisingly well. Finally, we exhibit which combinations of cut-based inter- and intracluster measures are suitable for identifying a hidden reference clustering in synthetic random graphs and discuss the skewness of the resulting cluster size distributions. Our results serve as a guideline to the usage of bicriterial, cut-based measures for graph clusterings.
Amplifying Tests to Validate Exception Handling Code
Authors: Zhang Pingyu , Elbaum Sebastian
Published: September 2014

Validating code handling exceptional behavior is difficult, particularly when dealing with external resources that may be noisy and unreliable, as it requires (1) systematic exploration of the space of exceptions that may be thrown by the external resources, and (2) setup of the context to trigger specific patterns of exceptions. In this work, we first present a study quantifying the magnitude of the problem by inspecting the bug repositories of a set of popular applications in the increasingly relevant domain of Android mobile applications. The study revealed that 22% of the confirmed and fixed bugs have to do with poor exceptional handling code, and half of those correspond to interactions with external resources. We then present an approach that addresses this challenge by performing an systematic amplification of the program space explored by a test by manipulating the behavior of external resources. Each amplification attempts to expose a program's exception handling constructs to new behavior by mocking an external resource so that it returns normally or throws an exception following a predefined set of patterns. Our assessment of the approach indicates that it can be fully automated, is powerful enough to detect 67% of the faults reported in the bug reports of this kind, and is precise enough that 78% of the detected anomalies are fixed, and it has a great potential to assist developers.
Flat but trustworthy
Authors: Lackorzynski Adam , Völp Marcus , Warg Alexander
Published: September 2014

Virtualization is a well-proven technology for consolidating desktop and server applications onto the same hardware platform while maintaining their native environments. However, although embedded real-time systems start to adopt this technology, constrained resources and strict timelines demands complicate this consolidation task, in particular if some applications are more critical than others and if the timeliness of the latter may be sacrificed for the sake of completing the former. In a previous publication, we have introduced flattening as a means to integrate mixed-criticality tasks into a single real-time system while maintaining most of their native environment as it is provided by virtual machines (VMs) and their monitors. In this paper, we focus on the security and trustworthiness aspects of flattening and on the interfaces for isolating mixed-criticality VMs on top of our microkernel for embedded real-time systems.
XtratuM hypervisor redesign for LEON4 multicore processor
Authors: Carrascosa E. , Coronel J. , Masmano M. , Balbastre P. , Crespo A.
Published: September 2014

XtratuM is an open source hypervisor that uses para-virtualization techniques designed to comply with safety critical real-time requirements. Several projects aimed to define a reference architecture for space on-board systems have adopted XtratuM as a virtualization layer in order to enforce the strong spatial and temporal isolation between software components that is required on real-time airborne systems.

Given the shift in the general trend in processor development towards multicore processors, the European Space Agency (ESA) is commissioning a set of studies in order to evaluate their suitability for their use on the space market. This paper focuses on the porting of XtratuM to the LEON4 multicore processor, in the frame of a ESA study that pursues to assess its fitness for its use in future space missions.
Towards hardware embedded virtualization technology
Authors: Garcia Paulo , Gomes Tiago , Salgado Filipe , Monteiro Joao , Tavares Adriano
Published: September 2014

Embedded virtualization possesses inherent challenges which differentiate the domain from traditional virtualization application fields such as server and desktop computing. Standard software virtualization solutions have a negative impact, not only on memory footprint and performance, but also on determinism and interrupt latency which are critical for the embedded real-time domain. Thus, efficient embedded virtualization requires domain-specific software and hardware support.

This paper presents work in progress results of hardware-based Hypervisor implementation. The use cases of embedded virtualization are analyzed, justifying the reasoning for hardware-supported virtualization. Architectural and micro-architectural improvements to an ARM v5TE processor are described, demonstrating the performance advantages, and compared against ARM Virtualization Extensions, identifying respective vulnerabilities and providing alternative solutions which enable higher flexibility, minimizing virtualization costs. The research roadmap towards a hardware-complete Hypervisor, based on the presented results, is described.
Certificate Transparency
Authors: Laurie Ben
Published: September 2014

On August 28, 2011, a mis-issued wildcard HTTPS certificate for google.com was used to conduct a man-in-the-middle attack against multiple users in Iran. The certificate had been issued by a Dutch CA (certificate authority) known as DigiNotar, a subsidiary of VASCO Data Security International. Later analysis showed that DigiNotar had been aware of the breach in its systems for more than a month - since at least July 19. It also showed that at least 531 fraudulent certificates had been issued. The final count may never be known, since DigiNotar did not have records of all the mis-issued certificates. On September 20, 2011, DigiNotar was declared bankrupt.
Linguistic Validation of the LupusQoL for the Assessment of Quality of Life in Iranian Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Hosseini Naeimehossadat , Bonakdar Zahra Sayed , Gholamrezaei Ali , Mirbagher Leila
Published: September 2014

Objectives.We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Persian LupusQoL for the evaluation of quality of life in Iranian systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.Methods.The LupusQoL was translated to Persian language. Patients with SLE (n=78) completed the LupusQoL and the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Disease activity and cumulative disease damage were assessed with standard indices. The psychometric properties of the scale were evaluated.Results.The Cronbach’s alpha was 0.97 for the total LupusQoL (above 0.8 for subscales). There were strong corrected item-total (r>0.4), item-subscale (r≥0.5), and subscale-total correlations (r>0.6), as well as intersubscale correlations (r>0.5). Patients with active disease and patients with disease damage index of ≥1 had lower scores in domains of planning, emotional health, burden to others, and body image than patients with inactive disease and those with no disease damage, respectively (P<0.05). The LupusQoL and the SF-36 correlated well regarding comparable domains (r>0.4).Conclusion.The psychometric characteristics of the Persian version of LupusQoL questionnaire are acceptable in Iranian population. This instrument can be used to evaluate quality of life in Iranian SLE patients.
αMSH Blunts Endotoxin-Induced MuRF1 and Atrogin-1 Upregulation in Skeletal Muscle by Modulating NF-κB and Akt/FoxO1 Pathway
Authors: Martín Ana Isabel , Gómez-SanMiguel Ana Belén , Gómez-Moreira Carolina , Villanúa María Ángeles , López-Calderón Asunción
Published: September 2014

Alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone (αMSH) has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anticachectic actions. We hypothesized thatαMSH administration could attenuate the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the skeletal muscle through modifications in IGF-Akt-FoxO1 pathway, or/and in serum corticosterone. Adult male Wistar rats were injected with LPS and/orαMSH.αMSH administration reduced LPS-induced increase in liver TNFαand serum nitrites as well as NF-κB activation in skeletal muscle. In contrast, αMSH was not able to prevent the stimulatory effect of LPS on serum concentration of ACTH and corticosterone. LPS decreased serum levels of IGF-I and IGFBP3 and their expression in the liver (P<0.01). However IGFBP3 expression in the gastrocnemius was increased by LPS. Treatment with αMSH prevented the effects of LPS on IGFBP3 but not on IGF-I. In the gastrocnemius αMSH blocked LPS-induced decrease in pAkt as well as the increase in pNF-κB(p65), FoxO1, atrogin-1, and MuRF1 levels. These results suggest thatαMSH blunts skeletal muscle response to endotoxin by downregulating atrogenes and FoxO1 at least in part by controlling NF-κB activation and Akt signalling, but not through modifications in the secretion of corticosterone or IGF-I.
Eradication ofBurkholderia cepaciaUsing Inhaled Aztreonam Lysine in Two Patients with Bronchiectasis
Authors: Iglesias A. , Artiles I. , Cabanillas J. J. , Álvarez-Sala R. , Prados C.
Published: September 2014

There are not many articles about the chronic bronchial infection/colonization in patients with underlying lung disease other than cystic fibrosis (CF), especially with non-CF bronchiectasis (NCFBQ). The prevalence ofB. cepacia complexis not well known in NCFBQ. The vast majority of published clinical data onBurkholderiainfection in individuals with CF is comprised of uncontrolled, anecdotal, and/or single center experiences, and no consensus has emerged regarding treatment. We present two cases diagnosed with bronchiectasis (BQ) of different etiology, with early pulmonary infection byB. cepacia complex, which was eradicated with inhaled aztreonam lysine.
Quality Improvement Opportunities in Caring for Patients with Nonepileptic Seizures
Authors: Chen Jasper J. , Thakur Devendra S. , Bujarski Krzysztof A. , Jobst Barbara C. , Kobylarz Erik J. , Thadani Vijay M.
Published: September 2014

Background. Patients with nonepileptic seizures (NES) are challenging to treat for myriad reasons. Often patients may be misdiagnosed with having epilepsy and then may suffer unintended consequences of treatment side effects with antiepileptic medication. In addition, patients may be maligned by health care providers due to a lack of ownership by both psychiatrists and neurologists and a dearth of dedicated professionals who are able to effectively treat and reduce severity and frequency of symptoms.Aims of Case Report. Many psychiatrists and neurologists are unaware of the extent of the barriers to care faced by patients with NES (PWNES) and the degree of perception of maltreatment or lack of therapeutic alliance at various stages of their care, including medical workup, video-EEG monitoring, and follow-up plans. We present the case of a patient with NES who experienced numerous barriers as well as incoordination to her care despite being offered a breadth of resources and discuss the quality improvement opportunities that may exist to improve care of patients with NES.Conclusion. No known literature has documented the extensive barriers to care of PWNES in parallel to quality improvement opportunities for improving their care. We endeavor to contribute to the overall formulation and development of a clinical care pathway for PWNES.
A Solitary Malignant Schwannoma in the Choana and Nasal Septum
Authors: Lee Eun Jung , Song Kee Jae , Seo Yeon Suk , Kim Kyung-Su
Published: September 2014

Malignant schwannoma is an extremely rare tumor and the risk of malignant schwannoma increases in patients with von Recklinghausen’s disease. Recently, we encountered a case of solitary malignant schwannoma in the choana and posterior nasal septum. Malignant schwannoma has not been previously reported in these locations. A 53-year-old man, who was immunologically healthy and showed no abnormal dermatological lesions, presented with a polypoid mass in the right nasal cavity and underwent endoscopic mass excision. The mass originated from the choana and the posterior portion of the right nasal septum. This mass was confirmed as a malignant schwannoma on histological examination and immunohistochemical staining. After endoscopic excision, postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy was administered, and there was no recurrence at 1 year after treatment. This case suggests that a solitary malignant schwannoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a mass in the posterior nasal cavity.
Real Time Implementation of Incremental Fuzzy Logic Controller for Gas Pipeline Corrosion Control
Authors: Jayapalan Gopalakrishnan , Agnihotri Ganga , Deshpande D. M.
Published: September 2014

A robust virtual instrumentation based fuzzy incremental corrosion controller is presented to protect metallic gas pipelines. Controller output depends on error and change in error of the controlled variable. For corrosion control purpose pipe to soil potential is considered as process variable. The proposed fuzzy incremental controller is designed using a very simple control rule base and the most natural and unbiased membership functions. The proposed scheme is tested for a wide range of pipe to soil potential control. Performance comparison between the conventional proportional integral type and proposed fuzzy incremental controller is made in terms of several performance criteria such as peak overshoot, settling time, and rise time. Result shows that the proposed controller outperforms its conventional counterpart in each case. Designed controller can be taken in automode without waiting for initial polarization to stabilize. Initial startup curve of proportional integral controller and fuzzy incremental controller is reported. This controller can be used to protect any metallic structures such as pipelines, tanks, concrete structures, ship, and offshore structures.
Quantitative Fraction Evaluation of Dermal Collagen and Elastic Fibres in the Skin Samples Obtained in Two Orientations from the Trunk Region
Authors: Kumar Naveen , Kumar Pramod , Nayak Badagabettu Satheesha , Prasad Keerthana , Kudva Ranjini , Raghuveer Coimbatore Vasudevarao
Published: September 2014

Background. Histomorphic evaluation of dermal collagen and elastic fibres was analysed by image analysis technique. The quantification of dermal elements was performed in skin tissues, collected in horizontal and vertical directions from trunk region and discussed under the perspective of consequences of scar related complications.Materials and Method. Total number of 200 skin samples collected from 5 areas of trunk region were processed histologically and subjected to tissue-quant image analysis. Statistical analysis involving mean with SEM and pairedttest by SPSS were employed to the percentage values obtained from image analysis.Result. Among the chosen 5 areas of trunk region, abdomen showed the statistically significant difference for both collagen and elastic content between horizontal and vertical orientations (P< 0.05), whereas upper back, presternal, and lateral chest areas showed significant difference (P< 0.05) only for collagen and groin only for elastic content.Conclusion. The differences in the distribution of dermal collagen and elastic fibres in 2 directions of the samples from the same areas might be attributed to final outcome of wound healing process by influencing the appearance and behaviour of scar related complications in the region of trunk.