bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
To Dereplicate or Not To Dereplicate?
Authors: Evans Jacob T. , Denef Vincent J.
Published: May 2020

Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) expand our understanding of microbial diversity, evolution, and ecology. Concerns have been raised on how sequencing, assembly, binning, and quality assessment tools may result in MAGs that do not reflect single populations in nature. Here, we reflect on another issue, i.e., how to handle highly similar MAGs assembled from independent data sets. Obtaining multiple genomic representatives for a species is highly valuable, as it allows for population genomic analyses; however, when retaining genomes of closely related populations, it complicates MAG quality assessment and abundance inferences.
Supplemental Material: Magma recharging beneath the Weishan volcano of the intraplate Wudalianchi volcanic field, northeast China, implied from 3-D magnetotelluric imaging
Authors: Gao Ji , Zhang Haijiang , al. et
Published: May 2020

Details on the 3-D magnetotelluric inversion, estimating melt fractions based on resistivity and velocity anomalies, earthquake activity, and the interpretation of low-resistivity anomalies by magmas and no apparent hydrothermal alterations for the Weishan volcano.
Supplemental Material: Iapetan Oceans: An analog of Tethys?
Authors: Robert Boris , al. et
Published: May 2020

The Cryogenian to Ediacaran rift-related magmatism distribution along east Laurentia, west Baltica, and west Amazonia, and a discussion about the paleomagnetic data from 750 to 600 Ma.
Comparison of macular structural and vascular changes in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and primary open angle glaucoma: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Zhang Xiayin , Xiao Hui , Liu Chunxin , Zhao Lanqin , Wang Jinghui , Li Haiquan , Wang Ruixin , Zhu Yi , Chen Chuan , Wu Xiaohang , Lin Duoru , Wang Jingqi , Liu Xing , Qiu Wei , Yu-Wai-Man Patrick , Ting Daniel S , Lin Haotian
Published: May 2020

Aims

To compare macular structure and vasculature between neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) using optical coherence tomography angiography.

Methods

NMOSD patients (n=124) with/without a history of optic neuritis (ON) (NMO+ON: 113 eyes; NMO-ON: 95 eyes), glaucomatous patients (n=102) with early/advanced glaucoma (G-E: 74 eyes; G-A: 50 eyes) and healthy controls (n=62; 90 eyes) were imaged. The main outcome measures were macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) thickness, vessel density (VD) and perfusion density (PD) in the superficial capillary plexus, and diagnostic capabilities of the parameters as calculated by area under the curve (AUC).

Results

Significant losses in GC-IPL, VD and PD were detected in both patients with NMOSD and POAG. With matched losses in the peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer, NMOSD group showed significant thinning of GC-IPL in the nasal-superior quadrant, whereas in POAG group, significant thinning was observed in the inferior and temporal-inferior quadrants. GC-IPL thinning was more prominent in the superior, nasal-superior and nasal-inferior quadrants in NMO+ON eyes. In G-A eyes, significant GC-IPL thinning was seen in the temporal-inferior quadrant. The specific structural parameters combining VD and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) indices showed the best diagnostic accuracies. The FAZ area in eyes with NMOSD was significantly smaller than the eyes of healthy controls and POAG.

Conclusion

NMOSD and POAG have specific patterns of macular structural and vascular changes associated with pathophysiology. Our results indicate that FAZ could be a sensitive biomarker of macular changes in NMOSD.
Role of socio-economic factors in visual impairment and progression of diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Low Jin Rong , Gan Alfred Tau Liang , Fenwick Eva K , Gupta Preeti , Wong Tien Y , Teo Zhen Ling , Thakur Sahil , Tham Yih Chung , Sabanayagam Charumathi , Cheng Ching-Yu , Lamoureux Ecosse Luc , Man Ryan Eyn Kidd
Published: May 2020

Background

To investigate the longitudinal associations between person-level and area-level socioeconomic status (PLSES and ALSES, respectively) with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and visual impairment (VI) in Asians with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods

In this population-based cohort study, we included 468 (39.4%) Malays and 721 (60.6%) Indians with DM, with a mean age (SD) of 58.9 (9.1) years; 50.6% were female and the mean follow-up duration was 6.2 (0.9) years. Individual PLSES parameters (education, monthly income and housing type) were quantified using questionnaires. ALSES was assessed using the Socioeconomic Disadvantage Index derived from Singapore’s 2010 areal census (higher scores indicate greater disadvantage). Incident DR and VI were defined as absent at baseline but present at follow-up, while DR and VI progression were defined as a ≥1 step increase in severity category at follow-up. Modified Poisson regression analysis was used to determine the associations of PLSES and ALSES with incidence and progression of DR and VI, adjusting for relevant confounders.

Results

In multivariable models, per SD increase in ALSES score was associated with greater DR incidence (risk ratio (95% CI) 1.27 (1.13 to 1.44)), DR progression (1.10 (1.00 to 1.20)) and VI incidence (1.10 (1.04 to 1.16)), while lower PLSES variables were associated with increased DR (low income: 1.68 (1.21 to 2.34)) and VI (low income: 1.44 (1.13 to 1.83); ≤4 room housing: 2.00 (1.57 to 2.54)) incidence.

Conclusions

We found that both PLSES and ALSES variables were independently associated with DR incidence, progression and associated vision loss in Asians. Novel intervention strategies targeted at low socioeconomic status communities to decrease rates of DR and VI are warranted.
Protocol of a randomised controlled trial assessing the impact of physical activity on bone health in children with inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Vanhelst Jérémy , Coopman Stéphanie , Labreuche Julien , Dupont Claire , Bertrand Valérie , Djeddi Djamal , Turck Dominique , Ley Delphine
Published: May 2020

Introduction

Low bone mineral density (BMD) is a frequent issue in children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Several studies in healthy populations have reported a positive impact of physical activity (PA) on bone health. Recently, an observational study in paediatric patients with IBD showed a significant positive relationship between daily PA and BMD. However, intervention studies investigating a causal relationship between PA and BMD are warranted to confirm these results. The aim of this randomised controlled trial will be to investigate the effect of a PA programme on BMD in paediatric patients with IBD.

Methods and analysis

This trial is a multicentre (four centres), randomised, controlled, blinded end-point study. Eighty children with IBD will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive a programme with adapted physical exercises (intervention group) or usual PA (control group) during a 9-month period. The primary outcome is the change from baseline at 9 months (the end of the study) in whole-body BMD assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Secondary efficacy outcomes include the changes from baseline at 9 months in: BMD assessed in the lumbar spine and trochanter; daily PA (time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA); body composition (fat mass and fat-free mass); fatigue resistance; quality of life and activity of IBD.

Ethics and dissemination

The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee in France (Comité de Protection des Personnes, Sud-Ouest and Outre-Mer III, Bordeaux, France, No 2018/27). All procedures will be performed according to the ethical standards of the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008, and the European Union’s Guidelines for Good Clinical Practice. Written informed consent will be obtained from the parents or legal guardian and from the children. Research findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and scientific meetings.

Trial registration number

NCT03774329.
Integrated palliative homecare in advanced dementia: reduced healthcare utilisation and costs
Authors: Pereira Michelle Jessica , Tay Ri Yin , Tan Woan Shin , Molina Joseph Antonio De Castro , Ali Noorhazlina Binte , Leong Ian Yi Onn , Wu Huei Yaw , Chin Jing Jih , Lee Angel Onn Kei , Koh Mervyn Yong Hwang , Hum Allyn Y M
Published: May 2020

Objectives

To determine the economic benefit of an integrated home-based palliative care programme for advanced dementia (Programme Dignity), evaluation is required. This study aimed to estimate Programme Dignity’s average monthly cost from a provider’s perspective; and compare healthcare utilisation and costs of programme patients with controls, accounting for enrolment duration.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study. Home-dwelling patients with advanced dementia (stage 7 on the functional assessment staging in Alzheimer’s disease) with a history of pneumonia, albumin <35 g/L or tube-feeding and known to be deceased were analysed (Programme Dignity=184, controls=139). One-year programme operational costs were apportioned on a per patient-month basis. Cumulative healthcare utilisation and costs were examined at 1, 3 and 6 months look-back from death. Between-group comparisons used Poisson, zero-inflated Poisson regressions and generalised linear models.

Results

The average monthly programme cost was SGD$1311 (SGD-Pounds exchange rate: 0.481) per patient. Fully enrolled programme patients were less likely to visit the emergency department (incidence rate ratios (IRRs): 1 month=0.56; 3 months=0.19; 6 months=0.10; all p<0.001), be admitted to hospital (IRRs: 1 month=0.60; 3 months=0.19; 6 months=0.15; all p<0.001), had a lower cumulative length of stay (IRRs: 1 month=0.78; 3 months=0.49; 6 months=0.24; all p<0.001) and incurred lesser healthcare utilisation costs (β-coefficients: 1 month=0.70; 3 months=0.40; 6 months=0.43; all p<0.01) at all time-points examined.

Conclusion

Programme Dignity for advanced dementia reduces healthcare utilisation and costs. If scalable, it may benefit more patients wishing to remain at home at the end-of-life, allowing for a potentially sustainable care model to cope with rapid population ageing. It contributes to the evidence base of advanced dementia palliative care and informs healthcare policy making. Future studies should estimate informal caregiving costs for comprehensive economic evaluation.
Fibronodular hepatocellular carcinoma—a new variant of liver cancer: clinical, pathological and radiological correlation
Authors: Tefera Jonathan , Revzin Margarita , Chapiro Julius , Savic Lynn Jeanette , Mulligan David , Batra Ramesh , Taddei Tamar , Jain Dhanpat , Zhang Xuchen
Published: May 2020

Aims

To establish and define a new, not previously reported hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) variant, termed fibronodular HCC (FN-HCC).

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 290 HCC cases and identified 29 FN-HCC and 24 scirrhous HCC (SCHCC). Clinical, pathological and radiological features of FN-HCC were reviewed and compared with 30 conventional HCCs (CV-HCC) and SC-HCC.

Results

FN-HCCs were more likely to arise in non-advanced fibrotic livers with lower advanced Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage, had lower rates of progression and longer time to progression and were more likely to be surgically resected compared with CV-HCCs and SC-HCCs. Imaging analysis of FN-HCCs demonstrated higher rates of non-peripheral washout and a new distinct pattern of enhancement which is characterised by the presence of multiple rounded nodules within a lesion embedded in fibrotic-appearing parenchyma.

Conclusions

FN-HCC may represent a specific variant of HCC with distinct pathological, radiological and clinical features with potential ramifications for outcome.
‘Kinesinopathies’: emerging role of the kinesin family member genes in birth defects
Authors: Kalantari Silvia , Filges Isabel
Published: May 2020

Motor kinesins are a family of evolutionary conserved proteins involved in intracellular trafficking of various cargoes, first described in the context of axonal transport. They were discovered to have a key importance in cell-cycle dynamics and progression, including chromosomal condensation and alignment, spindle formation and cytokinesis, as well as ciliogenesis and cilia function. Recent evidence suggests that impairment of kinesins is associated with a variety of human diseases consistent with their functions and evolutionary conservation. Through the advent of gene identification using genome-wide sequencing approaches, their role in monogenic disorders now emerges, particularly for birth defects, in isolated as well as multiple congenital anomalies. We can observe recurrent phenotypical themes such as microcephaly, certain brain anomalies, and anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract, as well as syndromic phenotypes reminiscent of ciliopathies. Together with the molecular and functional data, we suggest understanding these ‘kinesinopathies’ as a recognisable entity with potential value for research approaches and clinical care.
Hyperon III: $$K^{-}p - \pi \varSigma $$ coupled-channel dynamics in the $$\varLambda (1405)$$ mass region
Authors: Anisovich A. V. , Sarantsev A. V. , Nikonov V. A. , Burkert V. , Schumacher R. A. , Thoma U. , Klempt E.
Published: May 2020

Low-energy data on the three charge states in $$\gamma p \rightarrow K^+(\varSigma \pi )$$

γ
p
→

K
+

(
Σ
π
)

from CLAS at JLab, on $$K^-p\rightarrow \pi ^0\pi ^0\varLambda $$

K
-

p
→

π
0

π
0

Λ

and $$\pi ^0\pi ^0\varSigma $$

π
0

π
0

Σ

from the Crystal Ball at BNL, bubble chamber data on $$K^-p\rightarrow \pi ^-\pi ^+\pi ^{\pm }\varSigma ^{\mp }$$

K
-

p
→

π
-

π
+

π
±

Σ
∓

, low-energy total cross sections on $$K^-$$

K
-

induced reactions, and data on the $$K^-p$$

K
-

p

atom are fitted with the BnGa partial-wave-analysis program. We find that the data can be fitted well with just one isoscalar spin-1/2 negative-parity pole, the $$\varLambda (1405)$$

Λ
(
1405
)

, and background contributions. In a fit with one isocsalar state, the $$\varLambda (1405)$$

Λ
(
1405
)

structure can be determined as a dominantly SU(3) singlet state. A fit with two isoscalar singlet states, with imposed properties of the low-mass state, is, however, also not incompatible with data.
Dark energy and inflation invoked in CCGG by locally contorted space-time
Authors: Vasak David , Kirsch Johannes , Struckmeier Jürgen
Published: May 2020

The cosmological implications of the covariant canonical gauge theory of gravity (CCGG) are investigated. We deduce that, in a metric-compatible geometry, the requirement of covariant conservation of matter invokes torsion of space-time. In the Friedman model, this leads to a scalar field built from contortion and the metric with the property of dark energy, which transforms the cosmological constant to a time-dependent function. Moreover, the quadratic, scale-invariant Riemann–Cartan term in the CCGG Lagrangian endows space-time with kinetic energy, and in the field equations adds a geometrical curvature correction to Einstein gravity. Applying in the Friedman model the standard $$\Lambda \hbox {CDM}$$

Λ
CDM

parameter set, those equations yield a cosmological field depending just on one additional, dimensionless “deformation” parameter of the theory that determines the strength of the quadratic term, viz. the deviation from the Einstein–Hilbert ansatz. Moreover, the apparent curvature of the universe differs from the actual curvature parameter of the metric. The numerical analysis in that parameter space yields three cosmology types: (1) a bounce universe starting off from a finite scale followed by a steady inflation, (2) a singular Big Bang universe undergoing a secondary inflation–deceleration phase and (3) a solution similar to standard cosmology but with a different temporal profile. The common feature of all scenarios is the graceful exit to the current dark energy era. The value of the deformation parameter can be deduced by comparing theoretical calculations with observations, namely with the SNeIa Hubble diagram and the deceleration parameter. That comparison implies a considerable admixture of scale-invariant quadratic gravity to Einstein gravity. This theory also sheds new light on the resolution of the cosmological constant problem and of the Hubble tension.
Generalized Tensor Complementarity Problems Over a Polyhedral Cone
Authors: Ling Liyun , Ling Chen , He Hongjin
Published: May 2020

This paper addresses a class of generalized tensor complementarity problems (GTCPs) over a polyhedral cone. As a new generalization of the well-studied tensor complementarity problems (TCPs) in the literature, we first show the nonemptiness of the solution set of GTCPs when the involved tensor is cone ER. Then, we study bounds of solutions, and in addition to deriving a Hölderian local error bound of the problem under consideration. Finally, we reformulate GTCPs over a polyhedral cone as a system of nonlinear equations, which is helpful to employ the Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm for finding a solution of the problem. Some preliminary numerical results show that such an algorithm is efficient for GTCPs.
A New Nonisolated High-Step-Up DC–DC Converter Topology with High Voltage Gain Using Voltage Multiplier Cell Circuit for Solar Photovoltaic System Applications
Authors: Kumar C. , Raj T. Dharma
Published: May 2020

The solar photovoltaic (PV) source is preferred to be functioned at low voltages. The practical systems such as grid-tied systems require a high output voltage causing a reduction in conversion efficiency. To handle this problem, this paper presents a new nonisolated boost DC–DC converter with a single switch suitable for solar PV applications. This converter comprises dual voltage multiplier (VM) cells, leakage energy recovery scheme, and coupled inductor (CI) techniques to get the desired output voltage from the converter. The double-clamp capacitors are connected to the primary side of the CI. The clamp capacitors can share the current through CI, and it ensures that the leakage inductance energy of CI can be recovered, leading to an expansion in the converter voltage gain and conversion efficiency. In addition, the clamp circuit clamps the voltage stress of the MOSFET switch, and the clamp capacitors will discharge at a specific time to increase the converter gain. A high duty cycle is not necessary for getting a high voltage gain, which avoids the diode reverse recovery issues. The converter can be operated in both continuous conduction mode (CCM) and discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). A 500-W experimental prototype is developed for experimental validation, and the supporting simulation results are presented. The maximum efficiency of the converter is 93.94%, and, at full load, the efficiency is 92.55%.
Analysis of Deep Rain Streaks Removal Convolutional Neural Network-Based Post-Processing Techniques in HEVC Encoder
Authors: Jayaraman Thiyagarajan , Chinnusamy Gowri Shankar
Published: May 2020

This paper presents Deep Rain Streaks Removal Convolutional Neural Network (Derain SRCNN) based post-processing optimization algorithm for High-Efficiency Video Coder (HEVC). Earlier, the CNN-based denoising optimization algorithm faced overfitting issues and large convergence time when training the CNN for rain streaks affected High Definition (HD) video sequences. To address these problems, Deep rain streaks removal CNN-based post-processing block is introduced in HEVC encoder. Derain SRCNN architecture consists of a parallel two residual block layer and Dual Channel Rectification Linear Unit (DCReLU) activation function with various sizes of the convolutional layer. By reducing the validate error and training the error of CNN, the overfitting issue is solved. Also, convergence time is reduced using proper learning rate and kernel weight of optimization algorithm. The proposed network provides a higher bit rate reduction and higher convergence speed for corrupted high-definition video sequences. The experiment result shows that proposed DerainSRCNN-based post-processing filtering method achieves 6.8% and 4.1% -bit rate reduction for random access (RA) and low delay [Formula: see text] frame (LDP) configuration, respectively.
Smart Cities — Detecting Humans in Regions of Disasters: Synergy of Drones, Micro-robots in Underground Tunnels
Authors: Bourbakis Nikolaos , Ktistakis Iosif Papadakis , Seleem Tarek
Published: May 2020

The pieces of information that are being collected from regions of disaster is critical as the rapid deployment of the first responders rely on them. Another critical part of that deployment is the acquisition of different types of information (visual, sounds, and others). Even with that information the rescuing teams still face the difficult task of rescuing humans under debris. Some of the constraints that make this task harder are the wrecked building’s unknown structure, time limitation, the difficulty to collect information under the debris and more. An important issue is the accurate collection of information beneath destroyed structures and the 3D representation of the space and the correct location of the human subject under the debris. This paper deals with the design and the capabilities of a ground bio-inspired micro-robot, called Tzitziki, capable to select visual and audio information beneath destroyed buildings and locate human subjects in areas (like deep underground cavities), the reconstruction of the underground cavities and the synergistic collaboration of drones, micro-robots and human first responders. Illustrative examples are provided proving the concept.
A proof of the strong cosmic censorship conjecture
Authors: Hod Shahar
Published: May 2020

The Penrose strong cosmic censorship conjecture asserts that Cauchy horizons inside dynamically formed black holes are unstable to remnant matter fields that fall into the black holes. The physical importance of this conjecture stems from the fact that it provides a necessary condition for general relativity to be a truly deterministic theory of gravity. Determining the fate of the Penrose conjecture in nonasymptotically flat black hole spacetimes has been the focus of intense research efforts in recent years. In this paper, we provide a remarkably compact proof, which is based on Bekenstein’s generalized second law of thermodynamics, for the validity of the intriguing Penrose conjecture in physically realistic (dynamically formed) curved black hole spacetimes.
TORQUE ANALYSIS OF LOWER LIMB BASED ON UDWADIA–KALABA APPROACH AND INERTIAL SENSOR MOTION DETECTION
Authors: QIN FEIFEI , ZHAO HAN , ZHEN SHENGCHAO
Published: May 2020

This paper presents an explicit dynamic equation of motion of human unilateral lower limb based on Udwadia–Kalaba approach and conducts experiments to verify the practicability of the novel approach. A three-segment, planar model with two-degrees-of-freedom is derived to represent the lower limb when the hip and knee do the extension-flexion motion as the human body lies flat. We reframe the joint torque analysis of lower limb as a problem of constrained motion in analytical dynamics, in which the joint torque supplied by a human body is treated as constraint torque and the motion as the constraint. A Wearable Human Posture Detection System (WHPDS) based on MEMS inertial sensors is designed. The original angle curves of hip and knee joints are explicitly obtained by WHPDS and used to calculate the joint constraint torques. No auxiliary variables such as Lagrangian multipliers or pseudo-generalized speeds are used in the dynamic modeling or analysis. Analysis of human unilateral lower limb can be helpful in many fields such as rehabilitation therapy. It is beneficial for assessing effectiveness in rehabilitation therapy and selecting appropriate rehabilitation strategies.
Smart Cities: A Survey on New Developments, Trends, and Opportunities
Authors: Bohloul Seyed Mahdi
Published: May 2020

The continued growth of the population in urban areas has called for smarter cities for the 21st century. While great progress has been made in the last two decades in this regard, remaining challenges faced by city planners have forced them to pursue an alternative version of smart cities. Recent advancements in several technological areas like 5G communications, blockchain, and virtual/augmented reality have facilitated this process. This paper aims at providing a review of the definitions and components of current smart cities. It also discusses new developments, recent trends, and business opportunities.
Architectural Design of Flow-Based Microfluidic Biochips for Multi-Target Dilution of Biochemical Fluids
Authors: Kamal Nishant , Gupta Ankur , Singla Ananya , Tiwari Shubham , Kohli Parth , Roy Sudip , Bhattacharya Bhargab B.
Published: May 2020

Microfluidic technologies enable replacement of time-consuming and complex steps of biochemical laboratory protocols with a tiny chip. Sample preparation (i.e., dilution or mixing of fluids) is one of the primary tasks of any bioprotocol. In real-life applications where several assays need to be executed for different diagnostic purposes, the same sample fluid is often required with different target concentration factors (
CF
s). Although several multi-target dilution algorithms have been developed for digital microfluidic biochips, they are not efficient for implementation with continuous-flow-based microfluidic chips, which are preferred in the laboratories. In this article, we present a multi-target dilution algorithm (
MTDA
) for continuous-flow-based microfluidic biochips, which to the best of our knowledge is the first of its kind. We design a flow-based rotary mixer with a suitable number of segments depending on the target-
CF
profile, error tolerance, and optimization criteria. To schedule several intermediate fluid-mixing tasks, we develop a multi-target scheduling algorithm (
MTSA
) aiming to minimize the usage of storage units while producing dilutions with multiple
CF
s. Furthermore, we propose a storage architecture for efficiently loading (storing) of intermediate fluids from (to) the storage units.
Data Sharing via Differentially Private Coupled Matrix Factorization
Authors: Ermiş Beyza , Cemgİl A. Taylan
Published: May 2020

We address the privacy-preserving data-sharing problem in a distributed multiparty setting. In this setting, each data site owns a distinct part of a dataset and the aim is to estimate the parameters of a statistical model conditioned on the complete data without any site revealing any information about the individuals in their own parts. The sites want to maximize the utility of the collective data analysis while providing privacy guarantees for theirown portion of the dataas well as foreach participating individual. Our first contribution is to classify these different privacy requirements as (i)site-leveland (ii)user-leveldifferential privacy and present formal privacy guarantees for these two cases under the model of differential privacy. To satisfy a stronger form of differential privacy, we use a variant of differential privacy which islocal differential privacywhere the sensitive data is perturbed with a randomized response mechanism prior to the estimation. In this study, we assume that the data instances that are partitioned between several parties are arranged as matrices. A natural statistical model for this distributed scenario is coupled matrix factorization. We present two generic frameworks for privatizing Bayesian inference for coupled matrix factorization models that are able to guarantee proposed differential privacy notions based on the privacy requirements of the model. To privatize Bayesian inference, we first exploit the connection between differential privacy and sampling from a Bayesian posterior via stochastic gradient Langevin dynamics and then derive an efficient coupled matrix factorization method. In the local privacy context, we propose two models that have an additional privatization mechanism to achieve a stronger measure of privacy and introduce a Gibbs sampling based algorithm. We demonstrate that the proposed methods are able to provide good prediction accuracy on synthetic and real datasets while adhering to the introduced privacy constraints.
Story Forest
Authors: Liu Bang , Han Fred X. , Niu Di , Kong Linglong , Lai Kunfeng , Xu Yu
Published: May 2020

Extracting events accurately from vast news corpora and organize events logically is critical for news apps and search engines, which aim to organize news information collected from the Internet and present it to users in the most sensible forms. Intuitively speaking, an event is a group of news documents that report the same news incident possibly in different ways. In this article, we describe our experience of implementing a news content organization system at Tencent to discover events from vast streams of breaking news and to evolve news story structures in an online fashion. Our real-world system faces unique challenges in contrast to previous studies on topic detection and tracking (TDT) and event timeline or graph generation, in that we (1) need to accurately and quickly extract distinguishable events from massive streams of long text documents, and (2) must develop the structures of event stories in an online manner, in order to guarantee a consistent user viewing experience. In solving these challenges, we propose
Story Forest
, a set of online schemes that automatically clusters streaming documents into events, while connecting related events in growing trees to tell evolving stories. A core novelty of our
Story Forest
system is
EventX
, a semi-supervised scheme to extract events from massive Internet news corpora.
EventX
relies on a two-layered, graph-based clustering procedure to group documents into fine-grained events. We conducted extensive evaluations based on (1) 60 GB of real-world Chinese news data, (2) a large Chinese Internet news dataset that contains 11,748 news articles with truth event labels, and (3) the 20 News Groups English dataset, through detailed pilot user experience studies. The results demonstrate the superior capabilities of
Story Forest
to accurately identify events and organize news text into a logical structure that is appealing to human readers.
An Energy-aware Online Learning Framework for Resource Management in Heterogeneous Platforms
Authors: Mandal Sumit K. , Bhat Ganapati , Doppa Janardhan Rao , Pande Partha Pratim , Ogras Umit Y.
Published: May 2020

Mobile platforms must satisfy the contradictory requirements of fast response time and minimum energy consumption as a function of dynamically changing applications. To address this need, systems-on-chip (SoC) that are at the heart of these devices provide a variety of control knobs, such as the number of active cores and their voltage/frequency levels. Controlling these knobs optimally at runtime is challenging for two reasons. First, the large configuration space prohibits exhaustive solutions. Second, control policies designed offline are at best sub-optimal, since many potential new applications are unknown at design-time. We address these challenges by proposing an online imitation learning approach. Our key idea is to construct an offline policy and adapt it online to new applications to optimize a given metric (e.g., energy). The proposed methodology leverages the supervision enabled by power-performance models learned at runtime. We demonstrate its effectiveness on a commercial mobile platform with 16 diverse benchmarks. Our approach successfully adapts the control policy to an unknown application after executing less than 25% of its instructions.
Delayed Rejection Metropolis Light Transport
Authors: Rioux-Lavoie Damien , Litalien Joey , Gruson Adrien , Hachisuka Toshiya , Nowrouzezahrai Derek
Published: May 2020

Designing robust mutation strategies for primary sample space Metropolis light transport is a challenging problem: poorly tuned mutations both hinder state space exploration and introduce structured image artifacts. Scenes with complex materials, lighting, and geometry make hand-designing strategies that remain optimal over the entire state space infeasible. Moreover, these difficult regions are often sparse in state space, and so relying exclusively on intricate—and often expensive—proposal mechanisms can be wasteful, whereas simpler inexpensive mechanisms are more sample efficient. We generalize Metropolis–Hastings light transport to employ a flexible two-stage mutation strategy based on delayed rejection Markov chain Monte Carlo. Our approach generates multiple proposals based on the failure of previous ones, all while preserving Markov chain ergodicity. This allows us to reduce error while maintaining fast global exploration and low correlation across chains. Direct application of delayed rejection to light transport leads to low acceptance probabilities, and so we also propose a novel transition kernel to alleviate this issue. We benchmark our approach on several applications includingbold-then-timidandcheap-then-expensiveproposals across different light transport algorithms. Our method is applicable to any primary sample space algorithm with minimal implementation effort, producing consistently better results on a variety of challenging scenes.
Linear Regression from Strategic Data Sources
Authors: Gast Nicolas , Ioannidis Stratis , Loiseau Patrick , Roussillon Benjamin
Published: May 2020

Linear regression is a fundamental building block of statistical data analysis. It amounts to estimating the parameters of a linear model that maps input features to corresponding outputs. In the classical setting where the precision of each data point is fixed, the famous Aitken/Gauss-Markov theorem in statistics states that generalized least squares (GLS) is a so-called “Best Linear Unbiased Estimator” (BLUE). In modern data science, however, one often facesstrategic data sources; namely, individuals who incur a cost for providing high-precision data. For instance, this is the case for personal data, whose revelation may affect an individual’s privacy—which can be modeled as a cost—or in applications such as recommender systems, where producing an accurate estimate entails effort.

In this article, we study a setting in which features are public but individuals choose the precision of the outputs they reveal to an analyst. We assume that the analyst performs linear regression on this dataset, and individuals benefit from the outcome of this estimation. We model this scenario as a game where individuals minimize a cost composed of two components: (a) an (agent-specific) disclosure cost for providing high-precision data; and (b) a (global) estimation cost representing the inaccuracy in the linear model estimate. In this game, the linear model estimate is a public good that benefits all individuals. We establish that this game has a unique non-trivial Nash equilibrium. We study the efficiency of this equilibrium and we prove tight bounds on the price of stability for a large class of disclosure and estimation costs. Finally, we study the estimator accuracy achieved at equilibrium. We show that, in general, Aitken’s theorem does not hold under strategic data sources, though it does hold if individuals have identical disclosure costs (up to a multiplicative factor). When individuals have non-identical costs, we derive a bound on the improvement of the equilibrium estimation cost that can be achieved by deviating from GLS, under mild assumptions on the disclosure cost functions.
Dark Patterns: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Narayanan Arvind , Mathur Arunesh , Chetty Marshini , Kshirsagar Mihir
Published: May 2020

Dark patterns are an abuse of the tremendous power that designers hold in their hands. As public awareness of dark patterns grows, so does the potential fallout. Journalists and academics have been scrutinizing dark patterns, and the backlash from these exposures can destroy brand reputations and bring companies under the lenses of regulators. Design is power. In the past decade, software engineers have had to confront the fact that the power they hold comes with responsibilities to users and to society. In this decade, it is time for designers to learn this lesson as well.
Composite Membranes Containing a Porous Separator and a Polybenzimidazole Thin Film for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries
Authors: Gubler Lorenz , Vonlanthen David , Schneider Aaron , Oldenburg Fabio J.
Published: May 2020

Redox flow batteries (RFBs) are energy storage devices designed for grid-scale application. For next generation RFBs it is desirable to develop low cost materials with low ohmic resistance and high transport selectivity. We present a composite membrane for the vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) consisting of a composite of a porous polypropylene separator laminated with a thin film of polybenzimidazole (PBI). PBI layers are prepared by solution casting to obtain thicknesses in the range of 0.2 to 10 μm. The ohmic resistance of vanadium electrolyte imbibed PBI is ∼50 mOhm·cm2 per micrometer of film thickness at room temperature. In cell tests, composite membranes show higher coulombic efficiency compared to Nafion® 212. Composite membranes with a PBI layer thickness of 1 μm and below outperform Nafion® 212 in terms of energy efficiency and discharge capacity up to a current density of 250 mA cm−2. With thicker PBI films the ohmic cell resistance is excessively high. Over 100 charge-discharge cycles a higher rate of capacity fading is observed for a composite membrane with 0.7 μm PBI compared to Nafion® 212, which is a result of a more pronounced net electrolyte flux from the negative to the positive electrolyte.
Recent advances in understanding cancer-associated fibroblasts in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Huang Huocong , Brekken Rolf A.
Published: May 2020

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a devastating disease with a poor survival rate. It is resistant to therapy in part due to its unique tumor microenvironment, characterized by a desmoplastic reaction resulting in a dense stroma that constitutes a large fraction of the tumor volume. A major contributor to the desmoplastic reaction are cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). CAFs actively interact with cancer cells and promote tumor progression by different mechanisms, including extracellular matrix deposition, remodeling, and secretion of tumor promoting factors, making CAFs an attractive target for PDA. However, emerging evidences indicate significant tumor-suppressive functions of CAFs, highlighting the complexity of CAF biology. CAFs were once considered as a uniform cell type within the cancer stroma. Recently, the existence of CAF heterogeneity in PDA has become appreciated. Due to advances in single cell technology, distinct subtypes of CAFs have been identified in PDA. Here we review recent updates in CAF biology in PDA, which may help develop effective CAF-targeted therapies in the future.
Immediate Effect on Ground Reaction Forces Induced by Step Training Based on Discrete Skill during Gait in Poststroke Individuals: A Pilot Study
Authors: Wakida Masanori , Ohata Koji , Hashiguchi Yu , Mori Kimihiko , Hase Kimitaka , Yamada Shigehito
Published: May 2020

Background/Aim. Improving walking ability, especially the step-to-step transition control, is important in individuals after stroke. Although walking is a continuous skill, the discrete skills of gait, defined as movements with a clear beginning and end, may effectively modify walking performance. This pilot study shows the immediate effects of a discrete skill-based step training on ground reaction forces (GRFs) during gait in individuals with chronic hemiplegia following stroke.Methods. Twenty-two community-dwelling patients with chronic hemiplegia participated in this study. Eight participants performed only discrete-skill step training during the loading response phase, focusing on paretic hip extension movement (LR group). Another eight performed only discrete-skill step training during the preswing phase, focusing on paretic swing movement (PSw group). The remaining six were trained using both training methods, with at least 6 months in each group to washout the influence of previous training. Therefore, the final number of participants in each group was 14. The braking and propulsive forces of GRFs were measured during gait before and after 30 repetitions of the discrete-skill step training.Results. Although both groups showed a significant increase in stride length, walking speed was increased only in the LR group. The PSw group showed an increase in braking forces of both sides without any change in propulsion. In the LR group, paretic braking impulse did not change, while nonparetic propulsion increased.Conclusion. The discrete-skill step training during loading response phase induced an increase in nonparetic propulsion, resulting in increased walking speed. This study provides a clear understanding of immediate effects of the discrete-skill step training in patients with chronic stroke and helps improve interventions in long-term rehabilitation.
Pharmacokinetic Comparisons of Eight Active Components from Raw Farfarae Flos and Honey-Processed Farfarae Flos after Oral Administration in Rats by UHPLC-MS/MS Approaches
Authors: Yang Liu , Jiang Hai , Guo Xinyue , Hou Ajiao , Man Wenjing , Wang Song , Zhang Jiaxu , Yang Bingyou , Li Jianmin , Kuang Haixue
Published: May 2020

Farfarae flos (FF) is widely used for cough over thousands of years in China, but little is known about their pharmacokinetics properties. This study was aimed to establish a rapid and accurate ultraperformance liquid chromatography with triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry method for compare pharmacokinetics studies of eight active compounds after oral administration between raw and honey-processed farfarae flos extracts. Optimum separation was performed on a Thermo Hypersil GOLD C18 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.9 µm particles size) with a gradient elution of acetonitrile as mobile phase A and 0.3% formic acid aqueous solution as mobile phase B. The flow rate was set as 0.3 mL/min and separated for 34.0 minutes. Electrospray ionization in the negative ion mode and selected reaction monitoring were used to identify and separate active components. The results met the acceptance criteria and showed that this method exhibited good linear, precision, accuracy, and stability. The extraction recoveries ranged from 81.54% to 104.48%, and the matrix effects ranged from 81.94% to 103.02%. These results show that the validated method could be successfully applied to evaluate the pharmacokinetic study in rats after oral administration of raw farfarae flos (R-FF) and honey-processed farfarae flos (H-FF).
Protective Cerium‐Based Layered Double Hydroxides Thin Films Developed on Anodized AA6082
Authors: Iqbal Muhammad Ahsan , Fedel Michele
Published: May 2020

In this work, CeMgAl‐LDHs protective thin films were developed directly on the anodized aluminum surface, and on the “hot water‐sealed” anodized aluminum specimens. The synthesized coatings were investigated by SEM‐EDS and XRD and through long‐term electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) spectra. The growth of CeMgAl‐LDHs into/onto the micropores/defects of anodized film was found to significantly improve the LDH barrier properties with delaying coating degradation compared to LDHs developed on the “hot water‐sealed” surface. The unmodified LDHs “without cerium addition” were also developed to compare the influence of cerium on the structural and electrochemical properties of LDHs. It is also noteworthy that LDHs grown on the anodized surface provided dense and finer growth, while the addition of cerium ions was found to exhibit influential higher long‐term corrosion resistance properties after the 1200 h immersion period.
Deep Gray Matter Iron Content in Neuromyelitis Optica and Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Pudlac Adam , Burgetova Andrea , Dusek Petr , Nytrova Petra , Vaneckova Manuela , Horakova Dana , Krasensky Jan , Lambert Lukas
Published: May 2020

Background. Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are often presenting with overlapping symptoms. The aim of this study was to determine whether and how NMO and MS differ regarding cerebral iron deposits in deep gray matter (DGM) and the correlation between iron deposition and clinical severity as well as to regional atrophy of the DGM. Methods. We analyzed 20 patients with NMO, 40 patients with a relapsing‐remitting (RR) form of MS, and 20 healthy controls with 1.5T MRI. Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) was performed to estimate iron concentration in the DGM. Results. Patients with NMO have higher magnetic susceptibility values in the substantia nigra compared to healthy controls. RRMS patients have lower magnetic susceptibility values in the thalamus compared to healthy controls and NMO patients. Atrophy of the thalamus, pulvinar, and putamen is significant both in RRMS compared to NMO patients and healthy controls. A correlation was found between the disability score (EDSS) and magnetic susceptibility in the putamen in RRMS. Conclusions. This study confirms that a disturbed cerebral iron homeostasis in patients with NMO occurs in different structures than in patients with RRMS. Increased magnetic susceptibility in substantia nigra in NMO and decreased magnetic susceptibility within the thalamus in RRMS were the only significant differences in the study sample. We could confirm that iron concentration in the thalami is decreased in RRMS compared to that in the HC group. Positive association was found between putaminal iron and EDSS in RRMS.
Case Report: Homozygous C677T MTHFR Gene Mutation in Male with Hypogonadism
Authors: Salameh Rami , Miah Mumtaheena , Anastasopoulou Catherine
Published: May 2020

We report a 44-year-old male, who was diagnosed with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism after complaining of erectile dysfunction, depression, and fatigue. He was started on testosterone replacement therapy. He persistently complained of fatigue despite increasing the dose of testosterone over two years and having therapeutic testosterone levels. He was found to have homozygous C677T methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene mutation. After treatment with folate and B12, his symptoms resolve completely. MTHFR is a key enzyme in the folate pathway, and it plays an essential role in homocysteine metabolism. Homozygous C677T individuals have decreased activity of MTHFR enzyme with increased homocysteine levels, which is associated with increased risk of thrombosis. An association has been reported between C677T variant and male infertility. Patients identified to have hyperhomocysteinemia should be treated with B-complex vitamin supplements. Our case emphasizes other possible etiologies for fatigue and erectile dysfunction in a male with hypogonadism on testosterone therapy. Also, it shows possible association between MTHFR gene mutation and male hypogonadism.