bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stroke recurrence among Filipino patients taking aspirin for first‐ever non‐cardioembolic ischemic stroke
Authors: Jamora Roland Dominic G , Corral Evram V , Ang Mark Angelo , Collantes Maria Epifania V , Gan Robert
Published: May 2017

Background

Stroke is the second leading cause of death in the Philippines. There is no Filipino data on stroke recurrence rates.

Aim

The present study aimed to determine the risk of recurrence for stroke, myocardial infarction and death among Filipino patients taking varying doses of aspirin with first‐ever non‐cardioembolic strokes, and identify factors associated with stroke recurrence.

Methods

Patients aged 40–79 years with non‐cardioembolic ischemic stroke within 30 days from symptom onset who were taking varying doses of aspirin were included, and followed up monthly for the occurrence of recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction and/or death. Demographic and clinical data were collected at baseline and during each follow‐up assessment.

Results

A total of 262 patients with first‐ever, non‐cardioembolic stroke were included. The mean age was 56 ± 9 years. The mean follow‐up was 263.4 days. The cumulative survival rate for recurrent stroke was 92.1% at 1 year and 87.6% at 2 years. The cumulative survival rate for combined outcome of recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction, and/ or death was 91.1% at 1 year and 82.1% at 2 years. Stroke recurrence was associated with the lack of effort to modify diet.

Conclusions

Among Filipino patients taking aspirin for first‐ever, non‐cardioembolic ischemic stroke, the risk for stroke recurrence was 7.9% in the first year and 12.4% in the second year. The risk for combined stroke, myocardial infarction, and death was 8.9% in the first year and 17.9% in the second year. The lack of effort to modify diet was associated with stroke recurrence.
Clinical experience with white blood cell‐PET/CT in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease patients with suspected cyst infection: A prospective case series
Authors: Kim Hyunsuk , Oh Yun Kyu , Park Hayne Cho , Park Seokwoo , Lee Soojin , Lee Ho‐young , Hwang Young‐Hwan , Ahn Curie
Published: May 2017

Aims

Cyst infection (CI) is a common problem in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Localization is of great importance in CI. We describe the clinical experience with [18F] FDG‐labelled white‐blood cell (WBC) PET/CT in detecting CI in ADPKD.

Methods

Nineteen ADPKD patients (M:F = 7:12) suspected of having CI were enrolled in this prospective study. All underwent WBC‐PET/CT and MRI or CT. The degree of their WBC accumulation was evaluated from the maximal standardized uptake value of cystic wall.

Results

Cyst infection was diagnosed in 14 cases [definite (n = 6), probable (n = 1), or possible (n = 7); kidney (n = 11), or liver (n = 3)]. There was no difference in fever or laboratory findings (White blood cell count, C‐reactive protein, culture results, and eGFR). The blood culture was positive only in a subset of CI patients (n = 4). Cyst fluid culture yielded bacterial growth in 80% of aspirates. WBC‐PET/CT detected 64% of CI cases, whereas conventional imaging, 50%. WBC‐PET/CT showed false‐positive results in two of five cases with no CI. The reasons for false negatives with WBC‐PET/CT were poor host immune reaction, low virulence, or prior antibiotic therapy. Haemorrhagic cysts were the most common cause of false positivity in WBC‐PET/CT. However, WBC‐PET/CT detected CI in three cases, in which the conventional imaging failed to find CI.

Conclusions

Clinical information may play little role in the diagnosis of CI. WBC‐PET/CT can be used to detect CI with better sensitivity in ADPKD patients, circumventing the exposure to contrast media.
Stress and brain functional changes in patients with Crohn's disease: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Authors: Agostini A. , Ballotta D. , Righi S. , Moretti M. , Bertani A. , Scarcelli A. , Sartini A. , Ercolani M. , Nichelli P. , Campieri M. , Benuzzi F.
Published: May 2017

Background

In Crohn's disease (CD) patients, stress is believed to influence symptoms generation. Stress may act via central nervous system pathways to affect visceral sensitivity and motility thus exacerbating gastrointestinal symptoms. The neural substrate underpinning these mechanisms needs to be investigated in CD. We conducted an explorative functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study in order to investigate potential differences in the brain stress response in CD patients compared to controls.

Methods

17 CD patients and 17 healthy controls underwent a fMRI scan while performing a stressful task consisting in a Stroop color‐word interference task designed to induce mental stress in the fMRI environment.

Key Results

Compared to controls, in CD patients the stress task elicited greater blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signals in the midcingulate cortex (MCC).

Conclusions & Inferences

The MCC integrate “high” emotional processes with afferent sensory information ascending from the gut. In light of these integrative functions, the stress‐evoked MCC hyperactivity in CD patients might represent a plausible neural substrate for the association between stress and symptomatic disease. The MCC dysfunction might be involved in mechanisms of central disinhibition of nociceptive inputs leading to amplify the visceral sensitivity. Finally, the stress‐evoked MCC hyperactivity might affect the regulation of intestinal motility resulting in exacerbation of disease symptoms and the autonomic and neuroendocrine regulation of inflammation resulting in enhanced inflammatory activity.
Public Service Motivation Research: Lessons for Practice
Authors: Christensen Robert K. , Paarlberg Laurie , Perry James L.
Published: May 2017

Public service motivation research has proliferated in parallel with concerns about how to improve the performance of public service personnel. However, scholarship does not always inform management and leadership. This article purposefully reviews public service motivation research since 2008 to determine the extent to which researchers have identified lessons for practice. The results of the investigation support several lessons—among them using public service motivation as a selection tool, facilitating public service motivation through cooperation in the workplace, conveying the significance of the job, and building leadership based on public service values. These results are important because they offer evidence that the field is coalescing around tactics that managers and leaders can use to address enduring concerns about employee motivation in the public sector. They also prompt us to articulate ideas that can guide a tighter integration of research and practice moving forward.
Discovering Effect Modification in an Observational Study of Surgical Mortality at Hospitals with Superior Nursing
Authors: Lee Kwonsang , Small Dylan S. , Hsu Jesse Y. , Silber Jeffrey H. , Rosenbaum Paul R.
Published: May 2017

There is effect modification if the magnitude or stability of a treatment effect varies systematically with the level of an observed covariate. A larger or more stable treatment effect is typically less sensitive to bias from unmeasured covariates, so it is important to recognize effect modification when it is present. We illustrate a recent proposal for conducting a sensitivity analysis that empirically discovers effect modification by exploratory methods but controls the familywise error rate in discovered groups. The example concerns a study of mortality and use of intensive care units in 23715 matched pairs of two Medicare patients, one of whom underwent surgery at a hospital that had been identified for superior nursing; the other at a conventional hospital. The pairs were matched exactly for 130 four-digit ninth international classification of diseases surgical procedure codes and balanced 172 observed covariates. The pairs were then split into five groups of pairs by the classification and regression trees method in its effort to locate effect modification. The evidence of a beneficial effect of magnet hospitals on mortality is least sensitive to unmeasured biases in a large group of patients undergoing quite serious surgical procedures, but in the absence of other life-threatening conditions, such as a comorbidity of congestive heart failure or an emergency admission leading to surgery.
A new species of the genus Stigmaeus Koch (Acari: Stigmaeidae) and re-description of Cheylostigmaeus howellsi Evans from Iran
Authors: Khanjani Mohammad , KHANJANI MASOUMEH , NADRI ALIREZA NADRI , MOHAMMADI LADAN MOHAMMADI , NAZARI ALIREZA
Published: May 2017

Stigmaeus nahavandicus sp. nov. collected from soil under corn, Zea mays (Poaceae) is described from Nahavand city, Hamedan province, Iran and the female and male of Cheylostigmaeus howellsi Evans is re-described.
Pharmacokinetic Evidence from the HIRIF Trial To Support Increased Doses of Rifampin for Tuberculosis
Authors: Peloquin C. A. , Velásquez G. E. , Lecca L. , Calderón R. I. , Coit J. , Milstein M. , Osso E. , Jimenez J. , Tintaya K. , Sanchez Garavito E. , Vargas Vasquez D. , Mitnick C. D. , Davies G.
Published: May 2017

Rifamycins exhibit concentration-dependent killing of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
; higher exposures potentially induce better outcomes. We randomized 180 tuberculosis patients in Peru to receive rifampin at 10, 15, or 20 mg/kg/day. A total of 168 had noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analyses; 67% were sampled twice, and 33% were sampled six times. The doses administered were well tolerated. The median area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 6 h (interquartile range) was 24.9 (17.6 to 32.1), 43.1 (30.3 to 57.5), or 55.5 (35.7 to 73.2) h · μg/ml. The median maximum drug concentration in serum in the experimental arms reached the target of 8 μg/ml. Continued investigation of higher rifampin doses is warranted. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT01408914.)
Prevalence of Invasive Infections Due to Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae among Adult Patients in U.S. Hospitals
Authors: Lodise Thomas , Ye Michael J. , Zhao Qi
Published: May 2017

This large-scale retrospective analysis (
n
= 60,551) of the Premier inpatient database (1 January 2011 to 31 December 2014) found an overall prevalence of carbapenem-resistant
Enterobacteriaceae
strains of 2.3% (range, 0.9% to 5.8% by geographic region) among patients with infections due to
Enterobacteriaceae
. Ongoing monitoring and development of decision support tools/algorithms are needed for identification of high-risk patients.
A Phase 1, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Single-Ascending-Dose Study To Investigate the Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of an Anti-Influenza B Virus Monoclonal Antibody, MHAB5553A, in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Lim Jeremy J. , Derby Michael A. , Zhang Yaping , Deng Rong , Larouche Richard , Anderson Malia , Maia Mauricio , Carrier Stéphanie , Pelletier Isabelle , Girard Johanne , Kulkarni Priya , Newton Elizabeth , Tavel Jorge A.
Published: May 2017

Influenza B can cause significant morbidity and mortality. MHAB5553A, a human monoclonal immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) antibody that binds to a highly conserved region of the hemagglutinin protein of influenza B virus, is being examined as a novel therapeutic for the treatment of influenza B patients with severe disease. This phase 1, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-ascending-dose study was conducted to assess the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of MHAB5553A. Twenty-six healthy male and female volunteers of >18 years of age were randomized into five cohorts receiving a single intravenous (i.v.) dose of 120, 1,200, 3,600, 8,400, or 10,800 mg MHAB5553A or placebo (four active:one placebo, except for the 120-mg cohort [4:2]). Subjects were followed for 120 days after dosing. No subject discontinued the study, no dose-limiting adverse events or serious adverse events were reported, and a maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was not defined. The most commonly reported adverse events were cold symptoms and headache; most were mild and occurred at a similar rate across all cohorts. MHAB5553A showed no relevant time- or dose-related changes in laboratory values or vital signs compared to the placebo. The observed serum PK was linear and generally dose proportional, and the observed nasal PK was nonlinear and generally non-dose proportional. MHAB5553A is generally well tolerated in healthy volunteers up to at least a single i.v. dose of 10,800 mg and demonstrated linear serum PK consistent with those of a human IgG1 antibody lacking known endogenous targets in humans. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT02528903.)
Efficient Killing of Planktonic and Biofilm-Embedded Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci by Bactericidal Protein P128
Authors: Poonacha Nethravathi , Nair Sandhya , Desai Srividya , Tuppad Darshan , Hiremath Deepika , Mohan Thulasi , Vipra Aradhana , Sharma Umender
Published: May 2017

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are the major causative agents of foreign-body-related infections, including catheter-related bloodstream infections. Because of the involvement of biofilms, foreign-body-related infections are difficult to treat. P128, a chimeric recombinant phage-derived ectolysin, has been shown to possess bactericidal activity on strains of
Staphylococcus aureus
, including methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA). We tested the killing potential of P128 on three clinically significant species of CoNS,
S. epidermidis
,
S. haemolyticus
, and
S. lugdunensis
, under a variety of physiological conditions representing growing and nongrowing states. The MIC
90
and minimum bactericidal concentration at which 90% of strains tested are killed (MBC
90
) of P128 on 62 clinical strains of CoNS were found to be 16 and 32 μg/ml (0.58 and 1.16 μM), respectively, demonstrating the bactericidal nature of P128 on CoNS strains. Serum showed a potentiating effect on P128 inhibition, as indicated by 4- to 32-fold lower MIC values observed in serum. P128 caused a rapid loss of viability in all CoNS strains tested. Persisters of CoNS that were enriched in the presence of vancomycin or daptomycin were killed by P128 at 1× the MIC in a rapid manner. Low concentrations of P128 caused a 2- to 5-log reduction in CFU in stationary-phase or poorly metabolizing CoNS cultures. P128 at low concentrations eliminated CoNS biofilms in microtiter plates and on the surface of catheters. Combinations of P128 and standard-of-care (SoC) antibiotics were highly synergistic in inhibiting growth in preformed biofilms. Potent activity on planktonic cells, persisters, and biofilms of CoNS suggests that P128 is a promising candidate for the clinical development of treatments for foreign-body-related and other CoNS infections.
Efflux Transporter of Siderophore Staphyloferrin A in Staphylococcus aureus Contributes to Bacterial Fitness in Abscesses and Epithelial Cells
Authors: Nakaminami Hidemasa , Chen Chunhui , Truong-Bolduc Que Chi , Kim Eu Suk , Wang Yin , Hooper David C.
Published: May 2017

The siderophores staphyloferrin A (SA) and staphyloferrin B (SB) of
Staphylococcus aureus
are essential for iron acquisition in the iron-restricted environment of the host, such as in subcutaneous abscesses. SA and SB are secreted by SfaA and SbnD transporters, respectively. To assess the further function of SfaA and SbnD in
S. aureus
fitness, we tested its effect on murine abscess models and intracellular replication in epithelial cells. Bacterial fitness in abscesses and in epithelial cells was studied, by comparing the parental strains RN6390 and MW2 and their Δ
sfaA
and Δ
sbnD
mutants using competition assays in a murine abscess model and invasion and replication assays with human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549. In the murine abscess model using equal inocula of a Δ
sfaA
or Δ
sbnD
mutant and the wild-type RN6390 strain, the Δ
sfaA
mutant exhibited growth defects of 2.2-fold. Additionally, replication of the Δ
sfaA
mutant within A549 cells was decreased 3.0-fold. In complementation experiments, the Δ
sfaA
mutant carrying plasmid-borne
sfaA
restored the growth fitness in abscesses and epithelial cells. The Δ
sbnD
mutant, in contrast, showed no growth defect in either abscesses or epithelial cells. Our findings demonstrate that the efflux transporter of the siderophore SA contributes to the ability of
S. aureus
to replicate in abscesses and epithelial cells. Furthermore, fitness of
S. aureus
in these sites of replication is not compromised by the absence of transporter SbnD.
Interaction of Mycoplasma hominis PG21 with Human Dendritic Cells: Interleukin-23-Inducing Mycoplasmal Lipoproteins and Inflammasome Activation of the Cell
Authors: Goret J. , Béven L. , Faustin B. , Contin-Bordes C. , Le Roy C. , Claverol S. , Renaudin H. , Bébéar C. , Pereyre S.
Published: May 2017

Mycoplasma hominislacks a cell wall, and lipoproteins anchored to the extracellular side of the plasma membrane are in direct contact with the host components. A Triton X-114 extract ofM. hominisenriched with lipoproteins was shown to stimulate the production of interleukin-23 (IL-23) by human dendritic cells (hDCs). The inflammasome activation of the host cell has never been reported uponM. hominisinfection. We studied here the interaction betweenM. hominisPG21 and hDCs by analyzing both the inflammation-inducing mycoplasmal lipoproteins and the inflammasome activation of the host cell. IL-23-inducing lipoproteins were determined using a sequential extraction strategy with two nondenaturing detergents, Sarkosyl and Triton X-114, followed by SDS-PAGE separation and mass spectrometry identification. The activation of the hDC inflammasome was assessed using PCR array and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We defined a list of 24 lipoproteins that could induce the secretion of IL-23 by hDCs, 5 with a molecular mass between 20 and 35 kDa and 19 with a molecular mass between 40 and 100 kDa. Among them, lipoprotein MHO_4720 was identified as potentially bioactive, and a synthetic lipopeptide corresponding to the N-terminal part of the lipoprotein was subsequently shown to induce IL-23 release by hDCs. Regarding the hDC innate immune response, inflammasome activation with caspase-dependent production of IL-1β was observed. After 24 h of coincubation of hDCs withM. hominis, downregulation of the NLRP3-encoding gene and of the adaptor PYCARD-encoding gene was noticed. Overall, this study provides insight into both protagonists of the interaction ofM. hominisand hDCs.

IMPORTANCEMycoplasma hominisis a human urogenital pathogen involved in gynecologic and opportunistic infections.M. hominislacks a cell wall, and its membrane contains many lipoproteins that are anchored to the extracellular side of the plasma membrane. In the present study, we focused on the interaction betweenM. hominisand human dendritic cells and examined both sides of the interaction, the mycoplasmal lipoproteins involved in the activation of the host cell and the immune response of the cell. On the mycoplasmal side, we showed for the first time thatM. hominislipoproteins with high molecular mass were potentially bioactive. On the cell side, we reported an activation of the inflammasome, which is involved in the innate immune response.
Quantitative Proteomics Shows Extensive Remodeling Induced by Nitrogen Limitation in Prochlorococcus marinus SS120
Authors: Domínguez-Martín Maria Agustina , Gómez-Baena Guadalupe , Díez Jesús , López-Grueso Maria José , Beynon Robert J. , García-Fernández José Manuel
Published: May 2017

Prochlorococcus
is the most abundant photosynthetic organism on Earth, contributing significantly to global primary production and playing a prominent role in biogeochemical cycles. Here we study the effects of extreme nitrogen limitation, a feature of the oligotrophic oceans inhabited by this organism. Quantitative proteomics allowed an accurate quantification of the
Prochlorococcus
proteome, finding three main responses to nitrogen limitation: upregulation of nitrogen assimilation-related proteins, including transporters; downregulation of ribosome proteins; and induction of the photosystem II cyclic electron flow. This suggests that nitrogen limitation affects a range of metabolic processes far wider than initially believed, with the ultimate goal of saving nitrogen and maximizing the nitrogen uptake and assimilation capabilities of the cell.
Postoperative drug-induced priapism
Authors: Corten Bartholomeus J G A , Aarts Frits , Harms Ansgar S , Vogelaar Jeroen
Published: May 2017

We presented a case of a postoperative patient with low-flow priapism, possibly initiated by propofol-based anaesthesia or epidural anaesthesia. The delay in diagnosing priapism resulted in emergency interventions with a partially successful effect and eventually permanent erectile dysfunction. Due to the delay in treatment, erectile dysfunction ensued and was manageable with medication; hence, the patient decided against a penile prosthesis.
A rare cause of anuria in a case of pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Authors: Kalantri Siddhesh Arun , Singla Rahul , Bera Malay Kumar , Bhattyacharyya Maitreyee
Published: May 2017

Renal failure in cases of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia during induction is mainly because of sepsis and tumour lysis syndrome. This 18-year-old man had sudden onset anuria with increase in creatine. At this time, patient did not have any overt signs or laboratory features suggestive of sepsis. Imaging studies documented bilateral hydronephrosis. Ureteroscopy was done, and it showed presence of soft tissue mass obstructing the ureter. On the the left side, it was noted in its middle part and on the right, at the ureteropelvic junction. The mass on the left side was removed under ureteroscopic guidance and was sent for histopathology examination. It was confirmed to be fungal ball on histopathology examination. Though rare, even in immunocompromised patients, bilateral fungal ball should be considered in differential diagnosis in cases of acute leukaemia with sudden onset anuria. We share our experience in managing this case for which there are no clear guidelines.
Androstenedione and testosterone levels correlate with in vitro fertilization rates in insulin-resistant women
Authors: Sathyapalan Thozhukat , Dickerson Emily H , Maguiness Stephen M , Robinson John , Dakroury Youssra H Z , Atkin Stephen L
Published: May 2017

Background

The free androgen index (FAI) calculated using total testosterone measured by immunoassay does not correlate with oocyte fertilization rates; however, there is considerable cross-reactivity for testosterone with other androgens by immunoassay that is not found using isotope dilution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS).

Aims

This study was done to determine relationship between total testosterone and androstenedione measured by LC/MS/MS and fertilization rates.

Study design

49 infertile women without polycystic ovary syndrome were recruited preceding an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle. Serum testosterone and androstenedione were measured by LC/MS/MS and correlated with IVF parameters non-insulin resistant compared with insulin resistant (homeostatic model assessment >2.5) women.

Results

For non-insulin resistant women, total testosterone FAI and androstenedione did not correlate with oocyte fertilization rates. In insulin-resistant women, there was a negative correlation between both testosterone and FAI and fertilization rates (r=−0.62, p<0.03) and r=−0.73, p=0.02, respectively). There was a positive correlation between androstenedione and fertilization rates (r=0.87, p<0.01).

Conclusion

For insulin-resistant women, increases in testosterone and FAI were associated with reduced fertilization rates and androstenedione was associated with increased fertilization rates when measured by LC/MS/MS that should be considered to be the measurement method of choice.
Towards an optimal composition of general practitioners and nurse practitioners in out-of-hours primary care teams: a quasi-experimental study
Authors: Biezen Mieke van der , Wensing Michel , Burgt Regi van der , Laurant Miranda
Published: May 2017

Objectives

To gain insights into the ability of general practitioners (GPs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) to meet patient demands in out-of-hours primary care by comparing the outcomes of teams with different ratios of practitioners.

Design

Quasi-experimental study.

Setting

A GP cooperative (GPC) in the Netherlands.

Intervention

Team 2 (1 NP, 3 GPs) and team 3 (2 NPs, 2 GPs) were compared with team 1 (4 GPs). Each team covered 35 weekend days.

Participants

All 9503 patients who were scheduled for a consultation at the GPC through a nurse triage system.

Outcome measures

The primary outcome was the total number of consultations per provider for weekend cover between 10:00 and 18:00 hours. Secondary outcomes concerned the numbers of patients outside the NPs’ scope of practice, patient safety, resource use, direct healthcare costs and GPs’ performance.

Results

The mean number of consultations per shift was lower in teams with NPs (team 1: 93.9, team 3: 87.1; p<0.001). The mean proportion of patients outside NPs’ scope of practice per hour was 9.0% (SD 6.7), and the highest value in any hour was 40%. The proportion of patients who did not receive treatment within the targeted time period was higher in teams with NPs (team 2, 5.2%; team 3, 8.3%) compared with GPs only (team 1 3.5%) (p<0.01). Team 3 referred more patients to the emergency department (14.7%) compared with team 1 (12.0%; p=0.028). In teams with NPs, GPs more often treated urgent patients (team 1: 13.2%, team 2: 16.3%, team 3: 21.4%; p<0.01) and patients with digestive complaints (team 1: 11.1%, team 2: 11.8%, team 3: 16.7%; p<0.01).

Conclusions

Primary healthcare teams with a ratio of up to two GPs and two NPs provided sufficient capacity to provide care to all patients during weekend cover. Areas of concern are the number of consultations, delay in patient care and referrals to the emergency department.

Trial registration

NCT02407847
Can agent-based simulation be used as a tool to support polypharmacy prescribing practice?
Authors: Chalk Daniel , Manzi Sean , Britten Nicky , Kluettgens Bettina , Magura Ratidzai , Valderas Jose
Published: May 2017

Objective

We sought to develop a simulation modelling method to help better understand the complex interplay of factors that lead to people with type 2 diabetes and asthma not taking all of their medication as prescribed when faced with multiple medications (polypharmacy).

Research design and methods

In collaboration with polypharmacy patients, general practitioners, pharmacists and polypharmacy researchers, we developed a map of factors that directly and indirectly affect somebodyâ€™s decision to take their medication as prescribed when faced with multiple type 2 diabetes and asthma medications. We then translated these behavioural influences into logical rules using data from the literature and developed a proof-of-concept agent-based simulation model that captures the medicine-taking behaviours of those with type 2 diabetes and asthma taking multiple medications and which predicts both the clinical effectiveness and rates of adherence for different combinations of medications.

Conclusions

The model we have developed could be used as a prescription support tool or a way of estimating medicine-taking behaviour in cost-effectiveness analyses.
New Saurorhynchus (Actinopterygii: Saurichthyidae) material from the Early Jurassic of Alberta, Canada
Authors: Maxwell Erin E. , Martindale Rowan C.
Published: May 2017

Saurichthyidae are a family of elongate, piscivorous actinopterygian fishes with a stratigraphic range extending from the late Permian to the Middle Jurassic. There are four recognized Early Jurassic species, all from Europe and all referred to the genus Saurorhynchus. Only a single non-European Jurassic occurrence has been reported, a partial Saurorhynchus skull from the Fernie Formation of western Alberta, Canada. Here, we evaluate the Saurorhynchus material from Canada, including a new skull from Ya Ha Tinda, Alberta, and a fragmentary mandible from Canyon Creek, Alberta. All diagnostic Canadian Saurorhynchus specimens are consistent with the European species Saurorhynchus acutus, on the basis of external narial morphology and reduced dermal ornamentation. Saurorhynchus acutus was present in the Toarcian of western North America from the tenuicostatum Zone to the late serpentinum – early bifrons Zone, similar to the stratigraphic range documented in Europe. The absence of divergence between eastern Panthalassan and western Tethyan saurichthyids is surprising, given that divergence has been well-documented in coeval invertebrates. Saurorhynchus may have had slower rates of morphological evolution than contemporaneous marine invertebrates; alternatively greater mobility, broader environmental tolerance, or both in these fish may have allowed ongoing gene flow between the two oceanic basins in the early Toarcian.
Optical characteristics of finite temperature quantum electron gas
Authors: Akbari-Moghanjoughi M.
Published: May 2017

In this paper we study the propagation of elliptically polarized transverse electromagnetic waves in a quasineutral plasma with arbitrary degenerate electron fluid ranging from classical dilute to fully degenerate density regimes by using the appropriate collisional magnetohydrodynamics model, which incorporates the adiabatic quantum equation of states for high-frequency electron fluid compression and the Bohm quantum potential responsible for the collective quantum diffraction effect. Three distinct propagation modes are categorized corresponding to electron density regimes of dilute, intermediate, and fully degenerate plasmas. One of these modes is found to be purely of quantum mechanical origin and disappears in the absence of the quantum diffraction effect. The present generalized magnetohydrodynamics theory qualitatively describes key features of optical parameters and experimental data of dilute classical, semiconducting, and in fully degenerate plasmas. Different optical parameters, such as the refractive and absorption index of the new mode are investigated. It is shown that the optical response of the magnetized plasma with arbitrary degeneracy is essentially governed by three characteristic frequencies, namely, collision, plasmon, and cyclotron frequencies. The profound experimental minimum in the refractive index of arbitrary degenerate quantum plasmas and its dependence on the characteristic frequencies is studied in detail. Current investigation is of fundamental importance in high energy density and fusion plasma diagnostics and may provide key knowledge on the characteristics of astrophysical dense matter.
LOCAL ADMINISTRATION AND LOCAL POWER IN SPAIN: RECENT REFORMS AND DEBATES. LESSONS FOR AND FROM CHINA
Authors: LOIS-GONZÁLEZ RUBÉN C. , AYMERICH-CANO CARLOS
Published: May 2017

In Spain, as in China, local administration concentrates a number of problems. This is a level of financially weak government. In addition, this fragility is increased, because the municipalities manage numerous services to citizens. Since 2008, the outbreak of the economic crisis caused many difficulties to municipalities, which borrowed. The central government has responded in 2013 with a local reform, which seeks to control the spending of municipalities. Faced with this attempt, municipalities have responded by introducing more economic discipline. Undoubtedly, some of these Spanish lessons may be important for the experience of China, where economic problems of local power are similar.
Generalized higher-order Snyder model
Authors: Chung Won Sang
Published: May 2017

In this paper we consider the higher-order generalization of the Snyder algebra. We find the modified inner product for this algebra. We also discuss the one-dimensional hydrogen atom eigenvalue problem. We find the invariant phase space volume for the generalized Snyder algebra. Finally we use the density of states in three dimension to discuss the Maxwellian distribution and cosmological constant.
OPEN FOR INNOVATION? PRACTICES SUPPORTING COLLABORATION IN SWEDISH REGIONAL CLUSTERS
Authors: YSTRÖM ANNA , ASPENBERG HEDVIG
Published: May 2017

While it could be argued that globalisation would diminish the importance of a company’s location, research has shown that in an increasingly complex, knowledge-based and dynamic economy, regional collaboration has in fact become a critical aspect of enhancing competitiveness, locally as well as globally. Still, in order to create sustainable, innovative and successful clusters, interaction and collaboration among its members is necessary, which is not always easy to accomplish and requires actions that stimulate bottom-up activity rather than top-down directives.

Taking a practice-based perspective, this paper explores what cluster management do in their everyday activities to support collaboration among cluster members, based on a qualitative case study of 14 Swedish regional clusters and cluster initiatives. The paper contributes by outlining and discussing two distinct and essential practices–orchestrating and narrating.
Smart Fire Detection System with Early Notifications Using Machine Learning
Authors: Sultan Mahmud Mohammad , Islam Md. Shohidul , Rahman Md. Ashiqur
Published: May 2017

House fire is one of the major concerns for designers, builders, and residents of property. In the case of detecting fire, individual sensors have been used for a long time, but they cannot detect the level of fire and notify the emergency response units. To solve this problem, this study attempts to propose an intelligent early fire detection system that would not only detect the fire by using integrated sensors but also notify the appropriate authorities including fire department, ambulance services, and local police station simultaneously to protect valuable lives and properties. Signals from the integrated detectors e.g., heat, smoke, and flame go through the machine learning algorithms to check the potentiality of the fire as well as broadcast the predicted result to various parties using a GSM modem. To consolidate the predicted output, structured forest for fast edge detection has also been applied. The final outcome of this development also minimized false alarms, thus making this system more reliable.
From Clarity to Efficiency for Distributed Algorithms
Authors: Liu Yanhong A. , Stoller Scott D. , Lin Bo
Published: May 2017

This article describes a very high-level language for clear description of distributed algorithms and optimizations necessary for generating efficient implementations. The language supports high-level control flows in which complex synchronization conditions can be expressed using high-level queries, especially logic quantifications, over message history sequences. Unfortunately, the programs would be extremely inefficient, including consuming unbounded memory, if executed straightforwardly.

We present new optimizations that automatically transform complex synchronization conditions into incremental updates of necessary auxiliary values as messages are sent and received. The core of the optimizations is the first general method for efficient implementation of logic quantifications. We have developed an operational semantics of the language, implemented a prototype of the compiler and the optimizations, and successfully used the language and implementation on a variety of important distributed algorithms.
Efficient and Versatile FPGA Acceleration of Support Counting for Stream Mining of Sequences and Frequent Itemsets
Authors: Prost-Boucle Adrien , Pétrot FRédéric , Leroy Vincent , Alemdar Hande
Published: May 2017

Stream processing has become extremely popular for analyzing huge volumes of data for a variety of applications, including IoT, social networks, retail, and software logs analysis. Streams of data are produced continuously and are mined to extract patterns characterizing the data. A class of data mining algorithm, called
generate-and-test
, produces a set of candidate patterns that are then evaluated over data. The main challenges of these algorithms are to achieve high throughput, low latency, and reduced power consumption. In this article, we present a novel power-efficient, fast, and versatile hardware architecture whose objective is to monitor a set of target patterns to maintain their frequency over a stream of data. This accelerator can be used to accelerate data-mining algorithms, including itemsets and sequences mining.

The massive fine-grain reconfiguration capability of field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technologies is ideal to implement the high number of pattern-detection units needed for these intensive data-mining applications. We have thus designed and implemented an IP that features high-density FPGA occupation and high working frequency. We provide detailed description of the IP internal micro-architecture and its actual implementation and optimization for the targeted FPGA resources. We validate our architecture by developing a co-designed implementation of the Apriori Frequent Itemset Mining (FIM) algorithm, and perform numerous experiments against existing hardware and software solutions. We demonstrate that FIM hardware acceleration is particularly efficient for large and low-density datasets (i.e.,
long-tailed
datasets). Our IP reaches a data throughput of 250 million items/s and monitors up to 11.6k patterns simultaneously, on a prototyping board that overall consumes 24W in the worst case. Furthermore, our hardware accelerator remains generic and can be integrated to other
generate and test
algorithms.
Efficient Automated Code Partitioning for Microcontrollers with Switchable Memory Banks
Authors: Ciszewski Michal , Iwanicki Konrad
Published: May 2017

Switching active memory banks at runtime allows a processor with a narrow address bus to access memory that exceeds ranges normally addressable via the bus. Switching code memory banks is regaining interest in microcontrollers for the Internet of Things (IoT), which have to run continuously growing software, while at the same time consuming ultra-small amounts of energy. To make use of bank switching, such software must be partitioned among the available banks and augmented with bank-switching instructions. In contrast to the augmenting, which is done automatically by a compiler, today the partitioning is normally done manually by programmers. However, since IoT software is cross-compiled on much more powerful machines than its target microcontrollers, it becomes possible to partition it automatically during compilation.

In this article, we thus study the problem of partitioning program code among banks such that the resulting runtime performance of the program is maximized. We prove that the problem is
NP
-hard and propose a heuristic algorithm with a low complexity, so it enables fast compilation and hence interactive software development. The algorithm decomposes the problem into three subproblems and introduces a heuristic for each of them: (1) which pieces of code to partition, (2) which of them to assign to permanently mapped banks, and (3) how to divide the remaining ones among switchable banks. We integrate the algorithm, together with earlier ones, in an open-source compiler and test the resulting solution on synthetic as well as actual commercial IoT software bases, thereby demonstrating its advantages and drawbacks. In particular, the results show that the performance of partitions produced by our algorithm comes close to that of partitions created manually by programmers with expert knowledge on the partitioned code.
Collaborating around Digital Tabletops
Authors: Jamil Izdihar , Montero Calkin Suero , Perry Mark , O’Hara Kenton , Karnik Abhijit , Pihlainen Kaisa , Marshall Mark T. , Jha Swathi , Gupta Sanjay , Subramanian Sriram
Published: May 2017

We present a study of children collaborating around interactive tabletops in three different countries: India, the United Kingdom and Finland. Our data highlights the key distinctive physical strategies used by children when performing collaborative tasks during this study. Children in India employ dynamic positioning with frequent physical contact and simultaneous object movement. Children in the UK tend to prefer static positioning with minimal physical contact and simultaneous object movement. Children in Finland use a mixture of dynamic and static positioning with minimal physical contact and object movement. Our findings indicate the importance of understanding collaboration strategies and behaviours when designing and deploying interactive tabletops in heterogeneous educational environments. We conclude with a discussion on how designers of tabletops for schools can provide opportunities for children in different countries to define and shape their own collaboration strategies for small group learning that take into account their different classroom practices.
Reducing Write Amplification of Flash Storage through Cooperative Data Management with NVM
Authors: Lee Eunji , Kim Julie , Bahn Hyokyung , Lee Sunjin , Noh Sam H.
Published: May 2017

Write amplification is a critical factor that limits the stable performance of flash-based storage systems. To reduce write amplification, this article presents a new technique that cooperatively manages data in flash storage and nonvolatile memory (NVM). Our scheme basically considers NVM as the cache of flash storage, but allows the original data in flash storage to be invalidated if there is a cached copy in NVM, which can temporarily serve as the original data. This scheme eliminates the copy-out operation for a substantial number of cached data, thereby enhancing garbage collection efficiency. Simulated results show that the proposed scheme reduces the copy-out overhead of garbage collection by 51.4% and decreases the standard deviation of response time by 35.4% on average. Measurement results obtained by implementing the proposed scheme in BlueDBM,
1
an open-source flash development platform developed by MIT, show that the proposed scheme reduces the execution time and increases IOPS by 2--21% and 3--18%, respectively, for the workloads that we considered. This article is an extended version of Lee et al. [2016], which was presented at the 32nd International Conference on Massive Data Storage Systems and Technology in 2016.
Searchable Symmetric Encryption
Authors: Poh Geong Sen , Chin Ji-Jian , Yau Wei-Chuen , Choo Kim-Kwang Raymond , Mohamad Moesfa Soeheila
Published: May 2017

Searchable Symmetric Encryption (SSE) when deployed in the cloud allows one to query encrypted data without the risk of data leakage. Despite the widespread interest, existing surveys do not examine in detail how SSE’s underlying structures are designed and how these result in the many properties of a SSE scheme. This is the gap we seek to address, as well as presenting recent state-of-the-art advances on SSE. Specifically, we present a general framework and believe the discussions may lead to insights for potential new designs. We draw a few observations. First, most schemes use index table, where optimal index size and sublinear search can be achieved using an inverted index. Straightforward updating can only be achieved using direct index, but search time would be linear. A recent trend is the combinations of index table, and tree, deployed for efficient updating and storage. Secondly, mechanisms from related fields such as Oblivious RAM (ORAM) have been integrated to reduce leakages. However, using these mechanisms to minimise leakages in schemes with richer functionalities (e.g., ranked, range) is relatively unexplored. Thirdly, a new approach (e.g., multiple servers) is required to mitigate new and emerging attacks on leakage. Lastly, we observe that a proposed index may not be practically efficient when implemented, where I/O access must be taken into consideration.
Combinatorial Algorithm for Restricted Max-Min Fair Allocation
Authors: Annamalai Chidambaram , Kalaitzis Christos , Svensson Ola
Published: May 2017

We study the basic allocation problem of assigning resources to players to maximize fairness. This is one of the few natural problems that enjoys the intriguing status of having a better estimation algorithm than approximation algorithm. Indeed, a certain Configuration-LP can be used to estimate the value of the optimal allocation to within a factor of 4+ ε. In contrast, however, the best-known approximation algorithm for the problem has an unspecified large constant guarantee.

In this article, we significantly narrow this gap by giving a 13-approximation algorithm for the problem. Our approach develops a local search technique introduced by Haxell [13] for hypergraph matchings and later used in this context by Asadpour, Feige, and Saberi [2]. For our local search procedure to terminate in polynomial time, we introduce several new ideas, such as
lazy updates
and
greedy players
. Besides the improved approximation guarantee, the highlight of our approach is that it is purely combinatorial and uses the Configuration-LP only in the analysis.
Transparently Mixing Undo Logs and Software Reversibility for State Recovery in Optimistic PDES
Authors: Cingolani Davide , Pellegrini Alessandro , Quaglia Francesco
Published: May 2017

The Time Warp synchronization protocol for Parallel Discrete Event Simulation (PDES) is universally considered a viable solution to exploit the intrinsic simulation model parallelism and to provide model execution speedup. Yet it leads the PDES system to execute events in an order that may generate causal inconsistencies that need to be recovered via
rollback
, which requires restoration of a previous (consistent) simulation state whenever a causality violation is detected. The rollback operation is so critical for the performance of a Time Warp system that it has been extensively studied in the literature for decades to find approaches suitable to optimize it. The proposed solutions can be roughly classified as based on either
checkpointing
or
reverse computing
. In this article, we explore the practical design and implementation of a fully new approach based on the runtime generation of so-called
undo code blocks
, which are blocks of instructions implementing the reverse memory side effects generated by the forward execution of the events. However, this is not done by recomputing the original values to be restored, as instead it occurs in reverse computing schemes. Hence, the philosophy undo code blocks rely on is similar in spirit to that of undo-logs (as a form of checkpointing). Nevertheless, they are not data logs (as instead checkpoints are); rather, they are logs of instructions. Our proposal is fully transparent, thanks to the reliance on static software instrumentation (targeting the x86 architecture and Linux systems). Also, as we show, it can be combined with classical checkpointing to further improve the runtime behavior of the state recoverability support as a function of the workload. We also present experimental results related to our implementation, which is released as free software and fully integrated into the open source ROOT-Sim package. Experimental data support the viability and effectiveness of our proposal.