bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LOIS: syntax and semantics
Authors: Kopczyński Eryk , Toruńczyk Szymon
Published: May 2017

We present the semantics of an imperative programming language called LOIS (Looping Over Infinite Sets), which allows iterating through certain infinite sets, in finite time. Our semantics intuitively correspond to execution of infinitely many threads in parallel. This allows to merge the power of abstract mathematical constructions into imperative programming. Infinite sets are internally represented using first order formulas over some underlying logical structure, and SMT solvers are employed to evaluate programs.
Learning nominal automata
Authors: Moerman Joshua , Sammartino Matteo , Silva Alexandra , Klin Bartek , Szynwelski Michał
Published: May 2017

We present an Angluin-style algorithm to learn nominal automata, which are acceptors of languages over infinite (structured) alphabets. The abstract approach we take allows us to seamlessly extend known variations of the algorithm to this new setting. In particular we can learn a subclass of nominal non-deterministic automata. An implementation using a recently developed Haskell library for nominal computation is provided for preliminary experiments.
On verifying causal consistency
Authors: Bouajjani Ahmed , Enea Constantin , Guerraoui Rachid , Hamza Jad
Published: May 2017

Causal consistency is one of the most adopted consistency criteria for distributed implementations of data structures. It ensures that operations are executed at all sites according to their causal precedence. We address the issue of verifying automatically whether the executions of an implementation of a data structure are causally consistent. We consider two problems: (1) checking whether
one
single execution is causally consistent, which is relevant for developing testing and bug finding algorithms, and (2) verifying whether
all
the executions of an implementation are causally consistent.

We show that the first problem is NP-complete. This holds even for the read-write memory abstraction, which is a building block of many modern distributed systems. Indeed, such systems often store data in key-value stores, which are instances of the read-write memory abstraction. Moreover, we prove that, surprisingly, the second problem is
undecidable
, and again this holds even for the read-write memory abstraction. However, we show that for the read-write memory abstraction, these negative results can be circumvented if the implementations are
data independent
, i.e., their behaviors do not depend on the data values that are written or read at each moment, which is a realistic assumption.

We prove that for data independent implementations, the problem of checking the correctness of a single execution w.r.t. the read-write memory abstraction is polynomial time. Furthermore, we show that for such implementations the set of non-causally consistent executions can be represented by means of a finite number of
register automata
. Using these machines as observers (in parallel with the implementation) allows to reduce polynomially the problem of checking causal consistency to a state reachability problem. This reduction holds regardless of the class of programs used for the implementation, of the number of read-write variables, and of the used data domain. It allows leveraging existing techniques for assertion/reachability checking to causal consistency verification. Moreover, for a significant class of implementations, we derive from this reduction the decidability of verifying causal consistency w.r.t. the read-write memory abstraction.
A posteriori environment analysis with Pushdown Delta CFA
Authors: Germane Kimball , Might Matthew
Published: May 2017

Flow-driven higher-order inlining is blocked by free variables, yet current theories of environment analysis cannot reliably cope with multiply-bound variables. One of these, Δ
CFA
, is a promising theory based on stack change but is undermined by its finite-state model of the stack. We present Pushdown Δ
CFA
which takes a Δ
CFA
-approach to pushdown models of control flow and can cope with multiply-bound variables, even in the face of recursion.
A small embedding of logic programming with a simple complete search
Authors: Hemann Jason , Friedman Daniel P. , Byrd William E. , Might Matthew
Published: May 2017

We present a straightforward, call-by-value embedding of a small logic programming language with a simple complete search. We construct the entire language in 54 lines of Racket---half of which implement unification. We then layer over it, in 43 lines, a reconstruction of an existing logic programming language, miniKanren, and attest to our implementation's pedagogical value. Evidence suggests our combination of expressiveness, concision, and elegance is compelling: since microKanren's release, it has spawned over 50 embeddings in over two dozen host languages, including Go, Haskell, Prolog and Smalltalk.
Modular semantic actions
Authors: Warth Alessandro , Dubroy Patrick , Garnock-Jones Tony
Published: May 2017

Parser generators give programmers a convenient and declarative way to write parsers and other language-processing applications, but their mechanisms for extension and code reuse often leave something to be desired. We introduce Ohm, a parser generator in which both grammars and their interpretations can be extended in safe and modular ways. Unlike many similar tools, Ohm completely separates grammars and semantic actions, avoiding the problems that arise when these two concerns are mixed. This paper describes the particular way in which Ohm achieves this separation, and discusses the resulting benefits to modularity and extensibility.
Classless Java
Authors: Wang Yanlin , Zhang Haoyuan , Oliveira Bruno C. d. S. , Servetto Marco
Published: May 2017

This paper presents an OO style without classes, which we call interface-based object-oriented programming (IB). IB is a natural extension of closely related ideas such as traits. Abstract state operations provide a new way to deal with state, which allows for flexibility not available in class-based languages. In IB state can be type-refined in subtypes. The combination of a purely IB style and type-refinement enables powerful idioms using multiple inheritance and state. To introduce IB to programmers we created Classless Java: an embedding of IB directly into Java. Classless Java uses annotation processing for code generation and relies on new features of Java 8 for interfaces. The code generation techniques used in Classless Java have interesting properties, including guarantees that the generated code is type-safe and good integration with IDEs. Usefulness of IB and Classless Java is shown with examples and case studies.
Explaining anomalies in feature models
Authors: Kowal Matthias , Ananieva Sofia , Thüm Thomas
Published: May 2017

The development of variable software, in general, and feature models, in particular, is an error-prone and time-consuming task. It gets increasingly more challenging with industrial-size models containing hundreds or thousands of features and constraints. Each change may lead to anomalies in the feature model such as making some features impossible to select. While the detection of anomalies is well-researched, giving explanations is still a challenge. Explanations must be as accurate and understandable as possible to support the developer in repairing the source of an error. We propose an efficient and generic algorithm for explaining different anomalies in feature models. Additionally, we achieve a benefit for the developer by computing short explanations expressed in a user-friendly manner and by emphasizing specific parts in explanations that are more likely to be the cause of an anomaly. We provide an open-source implementation in FeatureIDE and show its scalability for industrial-size feature models.
Towards scalable configuration testing in variable software
Authors: Rothberg Valentin , Dietrich Christian , Ziegler Andreas , Lohmann Daniel
Published: May 2017

Testing a software product line such as Linux implies building the source with different configurations. Manual approaches to generate configurations that enable code of interest are doomed to fail due to the high amount of variation points distributed over the feature model, the build system and the source code. Research has proposed various approaches to generate covering configurations, but the algorithms show many drawbacks related to run-time, exhaustiveness and the amount of generated configurations. Hence, analyzing an entire Linux source can yield more than 30 thousand configurations and thereby exceeds the limited budget and resources for build testing.

In this paper, we present an approach to fill the gap between a systematic generation of configurations and the necessity to fully build software in order to test it. By merging previously generated configurations, we reduce the number of necessary builds and enable global variability-aware testing. We reduce the problem of merging configurations to finding maximum cliques in a graph. We evaluate the approach on the Linux kernel, compare the results to common practices in industry, and show that our implementation scales even when facing graphs with millions of edges.
IncLing: efficient product-line testing using incremental pairwise sampling
Authors: Al-Hajjaji Mustafa , Krieter Sebastian , Thüm Thomas , Lochau Malte , Saake Gunter
Published: May 2017

A software product line comprises a family of software products that share a common set of features. It enables customers to compose software systems from a managed set of features. Testing every product of a product line individually is often infeasible due to the exponential number of possible products in the number of features. Several approaches have been proposed to restrict the number of products to be tested by sampling a subset of products achieving sufficient combinatorial interaction coverage. However, existing sampling algorithms do not scale well to large product lines, as they require a considerable amount of time to generate the samples. Moreover, samples are not available until a sampling algorithm completely terminates. As testing time is usually limited, we propose an incremental approach of product sampling for pairwise interaction testing (called IncLing), which enables developers to generate samples on demand in a step-wise manner. Furthermore, IncLing uses heuristics to efficiently achieve pairwise interaction coverage with a reasonable number of products. We evaluated IncLing by comparing it against existing sampling algorithms using feature models of different sizes. The results of our approach indicate efficiency improvements for product-line testing.
Tool demo: testing configurable systems with FeatureIDE
Authors: Al-Hajjaji Mustafa , Meinicke Jens , Krieter Sebastian , Schröter Reimar , Thüm Thomas , Leich Thomas , Saake Gunter
Published: May 2017

Most software systems are designed to provide custom functionality using configuration options. Testing such systems is challenging as running tests of a single configuration is often not sufficient, because defects may appear in other configurations. Ideally, all configurations of a software system should be tested, which is usually not applicable in practice due to the combinatorial explosion with respect to the configuration options. Multiple sampling strategies aim to reduce the set of tested configurations to a feasible amount, such as T-wise sampling, random configurations, and user-defined configurations. However, these strategies are often not applied in practice as they require manual effort or a specialized testing framework. Within our tool FeatureIDE, we integrate all aforementioned strategies and reduce the manual effort by automating the process of generating and testing configurations. Furthermore, we provide support for unit testing to avoid redundant test executions and for variability-aware testing. With this extension of FeatureIDE, we aim to make recent testing techniques for configurable systems applicable in practice.
Automated regression testing of BPMN 2.0 processes: a capture and replay framework for continuous delivery
Authors: Makki Majid , Van Landuyt Dimitri , Joosen Wouter
Published: May 2017

Regression testing is a form of software quality assurance (QA) that involves comparing the behavior of a newer version of a software artifact to its earlier correct behavior, and signaling the QA engineer when deviations are detected. Given the large potential in automated generation and execution of regression test cases for business process models in the context of running systems, powerful tools are required to make this practically feasible, more specifically to limit the potential impact on production systems, and to reduce the manual effort required from QA engineers.

In this paper, we present a regression testing automation framework that implements the capture & replay paradigm in the context of BPMN 2.0, a domain-specific language for modeling and executing business processes. The framework employs parallelization techniques and efficient communication patterns to reduce the performance overhead of capturing. Based on inputs from the QA engineer, it manipulates the BPMN2 model before executing tests for isolating the latter from external dependencies (e.g. human actors or expensive web services) and for avoiding undesired side-effects. Finally, it performs a regression detection algorithm and reports the results to the QA engineer.

We have implemented our framework on top of a BPMN2-compliant execution engine, namely jBPM, and performed functional validations and evaluations of its performance and fault-tolerance. The results, indicating 3.9% average capturing performance overhead, demonstrate that the implemented framework can be the foundation of a practical regression testing tool for BPMN 2.0, and a key enabler for continuous delivery of business process-driven applications and services.
Automated Synthesis of Comprehensive Memory Model Litmus Test Suites
Authors: Lustig Daniel , Wright Andrew , Papakonstantinou Alexandros , Giroux Olivier
Published: May 2017

The memory consistency model is a fundamental part of any shared memory architecture or programming model. Modern weak memory models are notoriously difficult to define and to implement correctly. Most real-world programming languages, compilers, and (micro)architectures therefore rely heavily on black-box testing methodologies. The success of such techniques requires that the suite of litmus tests used to perform the testing be comprehensive--it should ideally stress all obscure corner cases of the model and of its implementation. Most litmus test suites today are generated from some combination of manual effort and randomization; however, the complex and subtle nature of contemporary memory models means that manual effort is both error-prone and subject to incomplete coverage.

This paper presents a methodology for synthesizing comprehensive litmus test suites directly from a memory model specification. By construction, these suites contain all tests satisfying a minimality criterion: that no synchronization mechanism in the test can be weakened without causing new behaviors to become observable. We formalize this notion using the Alloy modeling language, and we apply it to a number of existing and newly-proposed memory models. Our results show not only that this synthesis technique can automatically reproduce all manually-generated tests from existing suites, but also that it discovers new tests that are not as well studied.
Hardware-Software Co-design to Mitigate DRAM Refresh Overheads
Authors: Kotra Jagadish B. , Shahidi Narges , Chishti Zeshan A. , Kandemir Mahmut T.
Published: May 2017

DRAM cells need periodic refresh to maintain data integrity. With high capacity DRAMs, DRAM refresh poses a significant performance bottleneck as the number of rows to be refreshed (and hence the refresh cycle time, tRFC) with each refresh command increases. Modern day DRAMs perform refresh at a rank-level, while LPDDRs used in mobile environments support refresh at a per-bank level. Rank-level refresh degrades the performance significantly since none of the banks in a rank can serve the on-demand requests. Per-bank refresh alleviates some of the performance bottlenecks as the other banks in a rank are available for on-demand requests. Typical DRAM retention time is in the order several of milliseconds, viz, 64msec for environments operating in temperatures below 85 deg C and 32msec for environments operating above 85 deg C.

With systems moving towards increased consolidation (ex: virtualized environments), DRAM refresh becomes a significant bottleneck as it reduces the available overall DRAM bandwidth per task. In this work, we propose a hardware-software co-design to mitigate DRAM refresh overheads by exposing the hardware address mapping and DRAM refresh schedule to the Operating System. We propose a novel DRAM refresh-aware process scheduling algorithm in OS which schedules applications on cores such that none of the on-demand requests from the application are stalled by refreshes. Extensive evaluation of our proposed co-design on multi-programmed SPEC CPU2006 workloads show significant performance improvement compared to the previously proposed hardware only approaches.
Improving Datacenter Efficiency
Authors: Bianchini Ricardo
Published: May 2017

Internet companies can improve datacenter efficiency and reduce costs, by minimizing resource waste while avoiding (or limiting) performance degradation. In this talk, I will first overview a few of the efficiency-related efforts we are undertaking at Microsoft, including leveraging workload history to improve resource management. I will then discuss some lessons from deploying these efforts in production and how they relate to academic research.
REDSPY
Authors: Wen Shasha , Chabbi Milind , Liu Xu
Published: May 2017

Complex code bases with several layers of abstractions have abundant inefficiencies that affect the execution time. Value redundancy is a kind of inefficiency where the same values are repeatedly computed, stored, or retrieved over the course of execution. Not all redundancies can be easily detected or eliminated with compiler optimization passes due to the inherent limitations of the static analysis.

Microscopic observation of whole executions at instruction- and operand-level granularity breaks down abstractions and helps recognize redundancies that masquerade in complex programs. We have developed REDSPY---a fine-grained profiler to pinpoint and quantify redundant operations in program executions. Value redundancy may happen over time at same locations or in adjacent locations, and thus it has temporal and spatial locality. REDSPY identifies both temporal and spatial value locality. Furthermore, REDSPY is capable of identifying values that are approximately the same, enabling optimization opportunities in HPC codes that often use floating point computations. REDSPY provides intuitive optimization guidance by apportioning redundancies to their provenance---source lines and execution calling contexts. REDSPY pinpointed dramatically high volume of redundancies in programs that were optimization targets for decades, such as SPEC CPU2006 suite, Rodinia benchmark, and NWChem---a production computational chemistry code. Guided by REDSPY, we were able to eliminate redundancies that resulted in significant speedups.
SaberLDA
Authors: Li Kaiwei , Chen Jianfei , Chen Wenguang , Zhu Jun
Published: May 2017

Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) is a popular tool for analyzing discrete count data such as text and images. Applications require LDA to handle both large datasets and a large number of topics. Though distributed CPU systems have been used, GPU-based systems have emerged as a promising alternative because of the high computational power and memory bandwidth of GPUs. However, existing GPU-based LDA systems cannot support a large number of topics because they use algorithms on dense data structures whose time and space complexity is linear to the number of topics.

In this paper, we propose SaberLDA, a GPU-based LDA system that implements a sparsity-aware algorithm to achieve sublinear time complexity and scales well to learn a large number of topics. To address the challenges introduced by sparsity, we propose a novel data layout, a new warp-based sampling kernel, and an efficient sparse count matrix updating algorithm that improves locality, makes efficient utilization of GPU warps, and reduces memory consumption. Experiments show that SaberLDA can learn from billions-token-scale data with up to 10,000 topics, which is almost two orders of magnitude larger than that of the previous GPU-based systems. With a single GPU card, SaberLDA is able to learn 10,000 topics from a dataset of billions of tokens in a few hours, which is only achievable with clusters with tens of machines before.
Advances in Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Monogenic Disease and Aneuploidy
Authors: Treff Nathan R. , Zimmerman Rebekah S.
Published: May 2017

Genetic testing of preimplantation embryos promises to prevent monogenic disease in children born to at-risk couples, the transfer of unbalanced embryos to patients carrying a balanced translocation, and the use of aneuploid embryos created during in vitro fertilization. Technologies have evolved from fluorescence in situ hybridization to next-generation-sequencing-based aneuploidy screening and allow for simultaneous testing of multiple genetic abnormalities in a single biopsy. The field has also shifted away from polar body or blastomere biopsy and toward trophectoderm biopsy as the new standard. This review describes the multitude of available platforms and methodologies used in contemporary preimplantation genetic testing.
Molecular imaging of postprandial metabolism
Authors: Schrauwen-Hinderling Vera B. , Carpentier André C.
Published: May 2017

Disordered postprandial metabolism of energy substrates is one of the main defining features of prediabetes and contributes to the development of several chronic diseases associated with obesity, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Postprandial energy metabolism has been studied using classical isotopic tracer approaches that are limited by poor access to splanchnic metabolism and highly dynamic and complex exchanges of energy substrates involving multiple organs and systems. Advances in noninvasive molecular imaging modalities, such as PET and MRI/magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), have recently allowed important advances in our understanding of postprandial energy metabolism in humans. The present review describes some of these recent advances, with particular focus on glucose and fatty acid metabolism in the postprandial state, and discusses current gaps in knowledge and new perspectives of application of PET and MRI/MRS for the investigation and treatment of human metabolic diseases.
Neoadjuvant Trials in ER+ Breast Cancer: A Tool for Acceleration of Drug Development and Discovery
Authors: Guerrero-Zotano Angel L. , Arteaga Carlos L.
Published: May 2017

Neoadjuvant therapy trials offer an excellent strategy for drug development and discovery in breast cancer, particularly in triple-negative and HER2-overexpressing subtypes, where pathologic complete response is a good surrogate of long-term patient benefit. For estrogen receptor–positive (ER+) breast cancers, however, use of this strategy has been challenging because of the lack of validated surrogates of long-term efficacy and the overall good prognosis of the majority of patients with this cancer subtype. We review below the clinical benefits of neoadjuvant endocrine therapy for ER+/HER2-negative breast cancer, its use and limitations for drug development, prioritization of adjuvant and metastatic trials, and biomarker discovery.

Significance: Neoadjuvant endocrine therapy is an excellent platform for the development of investigational drugs, triaging of novel combinations, biomarker validation, and discovery of mechanisms of drug resistance. This review summarizes the clinical and investigational benefits of this approach, with a focus on how to best integrate predictive biomarkers into novel clinical trial designs. Cancer Discov; 7(6); 561–74. ©2017 AACR.
Screening Tool for Early Postnatal Prediction of Retinopathy of Prematurity in Preterm Newborns (STEP-ROP)
Authors: Ricard Caroline A. , Dammann Christiane E.L. , Dammann Olaf
Published: May 2017

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a disorder of the preterm newborn characterized by neurovascular disruption in the immature retina that may cause visual impairment and blindness. Objective: To develop a clinical screening tool for early postnatal prediction of ROP in preterm newborns based on risk information available within the first 48 h of postnatal life. Methods: Using data submitted to the Vermont Oxford Network (VON) between 1995 and 2015, we created logistic regression models based on infants born <28 completed weeks gestational age. We developed a model with 60% of the data and identified birth weight, gestational age, respiratory distress syndrome, non-Hispanic ethnicity, and multiple gestation as predictors of ROP. We tested the model in the remaining 40%, performed tenfold cross-validation, and tested the score in ELGAN study data. Results: Of the 1,052 newborns in the VON database, 627 recorded an ROP status. Forty percent had no ROP, 40% had mild ROP (stages 1 and 2), and 20% had severe ROP (stages 3-5). We created a weighted score to predict any ROP based on the multivariable regression model. A cutoff score of 5 had the best sensitivity (95%, 95% CI 93-97), while maintaining a strong positive predictive value (63%, 95% CI 57-68). When applied to the ELGAN data, sensitivity was lower (72%, 95% CI 69-75), but PPV was higher (80%, 95% CI 77-83). Conclusions: STEP-ROP is a promising screening tool. It is easy to calculate, does not rely on extensive postnatal data collection, and can be calculated early after birth. Early ROP screening may help physicians limit patient exposure to additional risk factors, and may be useful for risk stratification in clinical trials aimed at reducing ROP.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery as Initial Surgical Management for Elderly Patients with Trigeminal Neuralgia
Authors: Cohen Jonathan , Mousavi Seyed H. , Faraji Amir H. , Akpinar Berkcan , Monaco Edward A. , Flickinger John C. , Niranjan Ajay , Lunsford L. Dade
Published: May 2017

Background: Management of older patients with medically refractory trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is yet a matter of debate. Objective: We sought to determine the benefit of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) as the sole surgical management in older patients (≥70 years). Methods: One hundred and twenty-seven patients (≥70 years) with typical TN underwent SRS as initial surgical management. The median maximum dose for the first procedure was 80 Gy. Repeat SRS was performed in 46 patients who developed recurrent pain. Results: After the first SRS, the initial pain control was achieved in 91% of patients. Complete pain relief (Barrow Neurological Institute [BNI] score I) developed in 75 patients (59%) and was maintained in 59, 39, and 22% of patients at 1, 3, and 5 years. Following repeat SRS, the rate of complete pain relief was 79, 55, and 41% at 1, 3, and 5 years. The chance of BNI I preservation was greater after repeat SRS compared to initial SRS (hazards ratio: 2.02, p < 0.0001). The incidence of trigeminal sensory loss was 17% after initial SRS but increased to 39% after repeat SRS. Conclusions: SRS alone was used effectively in older TN patients to achieve pain control. Recurrent pain responded to retreatment but was associated with an increased risk of sensory dysfunction.
Five-Year Neuropsychological Outcome after Stereotactic Radiofrequency Amygdalohippocampectomy for Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Longitudinal Study
Authors: Krámská Lenka , Vojtěch Zdeněk , Lukavský Jiří , Stará Michaela , Malíková Hana
Published: May 2017

Purpose: To assess the neuropsychological performance recoded over a period of 5 years after stereotactic radiofrequency amygdalohippocampectomy (SAHE) in the treatment of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Material and Methods: Thirty patients (mean age 38 years, 14 females/16 males) were included in this study. Twenty-one patients were treated on the left side, 9 on the right. Patients underwent neuropsychological evaluation by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised and the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised preoperatively and 5 years after SAHE. Results: Twenty-three (77%) patients were classified as Engel class I. At the group level, we found significant increases in all intelligence domains (Global, Visual, and Performance) by 19.1 (7.4), 15.8 (6.1), and 19.1 (7.9) points, respectively. Significant improvements were also detected in all memory measures (Global, Verbal, Visual, Attention/Concentration, Delayed Recall) by 19.4 (14.2), 16.9 (13.3), 19.0 (14.7), 15.3 (15.0), and 24.6 (13.4), respectively. Patients with left-sided surgery improved significantly more in Attention/Concentration. Otherwise, there were no statistically significant differences in memory function improvements between subgroups according to the operated side. Conclusion: After SAHE, we found favorable long-term neuropsychological outcomes. These results could be caused by incomplete destruction of target structures and minimization of collateral damage that possibly enables adaptive postoperative neuronal reorganization.
Psychometric Properties of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire for Oral Health
Authors: Villalobos-Galvis Fredy H. , Mafla Ana C. , Burbano-Trujillo William F. , Sanchez-Figueroa Alexandra A.
Published: May 2017

Aims: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that, for patients with dental caries, the Spanish version of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire for Oral Health (IPQ-R-OH) has 7 dimensions, including personal and treatment control, timeline-acute/chronic and timeline-cyclical, illness coherence, consequences, and emotional representations. Methods: A Spanish adaptation of the IPQ-R, with a self-reported 38-item scale, was developed. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted using data from 520 patients with dental caries attending the Dental Clinic at Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Pasto, Colombia. Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed 7 dimensions with 36 items (2 items were removed because of poor factor loadings or discriminant ability). The internal consistency coefficients of each factor ranged from 0.72 to 0.91, and all item loadings were >0.52. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a 7-factor model with 36 items had superior fit compared to the 38-item original model: χ2 = 1,784.291 (df = 573, p < 0.001); nonnormal fit index = 0.941; comparative fit index = 0.946; root mean square error of approximation = 0.062 (90% CI = 0.057-0.066); standardized root mean square residual = 0.072; and Akaike information criterion = 638.291. Control (integrated by items from personal control, treatment control, and timeline-acute factors) and hopelessness (PC15 and PC17) were the 2 reconfigured factors that were identified. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the modified 36-item model has satisfactory reliability and construct factorial validity; therefore, it could be a valuable instrument in the screening of illness perceptions in oral health.
Single-Center Experience with Intimal Sarcoma, an Ultra-Orphan, Commonly Fatal Mesenchymal Malignancy
Authors: Van Dievel Julie , Sciot Raf , Delcroix Marion , Vandeweyer Raf O. , Debiec-Rychter Maria , Dewaele Barbara , Cornillie Jasmien , Van Cann Thomas , Meyns Bart , Schöffski Patrick
Published: May 2017

Background: Intimal sarcoma is a rare malignancy that, clinically and radiographically, often mimics pulmonary embolism. The intravascular tumor tends to disseminate rapidly and metastases can be present at first diagnosis. Methods: We reviewed all cases of intimal sarcoma that were diagnosed, treated and followed at the University Hospitals Leuven between April 2006 and April 2016. Results: We identified 13 patients with a median age of 51 years. In 6 patients initial findings were suggestive of thromboembolic disease. Platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRA) amplification was the most prevalent molecular finding, present in 11 patients. The MDM2 gene was amplified in 9 cases, and the EGFR gene in 3 patients. The median overall survival was 13 months. 11 patients underwent surgery. In 5 cases with inoperable and/or metastatic disease chemotherapy was given. Treatment with imatinib was initiated in 4 patients. Conclusions: Intimal sarcoma is an extremely rare and aggressive malignancy that has a very poor prognosis. Mimicking thromboembolic disease, diagnosis and treatment can be delayed. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment but is seldom curative. The disease is highly resistant to cytotoxic and targeted treatment. Given the fact that intimal sarcoma commonly expresses more than 1 molecular target, combination therapy might be an option, although toxicity may be a limitation.
Corpografia arquitetônica: o método do observador e das linhas
Authors: Aguiar Douglas Vieira de
Published: May 2017

Entende-se como corpografia arquitetônica, no contexto teórico e metodológico que norteia este artigo, o registro do deslocamento de um observador em movimento através do meio edificado, buscando desse modo descrever – através de texto, notações gráficas e sequências de imagens – os efeitos da arquitetura sobre a relação que se estabelece entre usuários e espaços. Entende-se aqui como efeitos da arquitetura as inerentes tensões – de fricção (negativas) ou de empatia (positivas) – que permeiam a relação entre as nossas ações e a configuração dos espaços onde elas ocorrem. Estaremos portanto lidando com a representação gráfica do movimento do corpo no espaço como método de estudo em arquitetura nas suas diferentes escalas, do edifício à cidade. O procedimento ora delineado está fundado na observação e registro – planimétrico e fotográfico – por um observador que se desloca a pé, sensível aos efeitos espaciais produzidos pelas situações por onde passa e com a intenção de descrevê-las. O método assim se propõe a descrever graficamente aquilo que é captado pelos sentidos do observador em seu percurso através de uma determinada situação espacial objeto de estudo, trabalhando de modo associado com procedimentos e categorias vindas dos estudos da percepção espacial, incluída aí a fenomenologia e, por outro lado, dos estudos da configuração espacial, incluída aí a sintaxe espacial. Duas questões servem como guia ao andamento do texto. A primeira delas explora o modo como as pessoas se relacionam com os espaços através dos diferentes sentidos. Já a segunda se refere ao que exatamente nos espaços viria a afetar esses mesmos sentidos. O modo descritivo assim delineado reúne tanto as percepções desse observador que se desloca no espaço, registrada em imagens e texto, quanto a informação privilegiada de natureza configuracional, mapas e plantas, o material cartográfico e diagramático que instruirá os deslocamentos desse observador. A utilização da caminhada como modo de produção de conhecimento em arquitetura implica a explicitação de um conjunto de procedimentos que denominaremos o método do observador e, ademais, uma breve revisão da literatura que, pretende-se, venha a subsidiar o procedimento desde um ponto de vista teórico. O artigo apresenta um detalhamento desse procedimento e ao final um estudo de caso que consta da realização de uma caminhada através de um objeto de estudo e seu entorno imediato, um percurso que propiciará análises da qualidade da fruição espacial em diferentes escalas.
Das neue Frankfurt
Authors: Zapatel Juan Antonio
Published: May 2017

A Siedlung é um assentamento habitacional construído na década entre 1925 e 1931 que possibilita novas formas de expansão urbana em Frankfurt. Sob o ideário da cidade-jardim como meio de difusão da cidade no campo, as Siedlungen são construídas em áreas residenciais de baixa densidade entremeadas com áreas verdes e bosques. Mediante a análise e a identificação das qualidades urbanas entre a cidade tradicional, enquanto forma urbana homogênea, abrangente e fechada,contraposta a cidade industrial, enquanto forma heterogênea, indefinida, e fragmentada, os arquitetos alemães desenvolvem na Siedlung distintas formas de racionalização urbana em resposta ao crescimento de Frankfurt. Do desenho da casa à cidade, a Siedlung em Frankfurt exemplifica as tentativas mais importantes de racionalização da cidade industrial. A racionalização do projeto e os meios tecnológicos constituem um saber-projetar e um saber-fazer indissociáveis, definindo-se na produção e expressão arquitetônica novos parâmetros qualitativos e quantitativos, com a construção de 15 mil unidades habitacionais. O potencial dos meios de produção possibilitou o trato de problemas urbanos em distintas escalas de intervenção, conferindo ao arquiteto o papel de agente de grandes transformações urbanas. O plano diretor de Frankfurt coordenado por Ernst May introduz a descentralização e a zonificação à escala metropolitana, sob processos de intervenção em que questões de âmbito urbano geral e particular são tratados em planos setoriais, sob intervenções específicas a cada área urbana.
Dúvida: uma doutrina de descoberta em design.
Authors: Santos Romilson Marco
Published: May 2017

O objetivo deste trabalho é procurar entender a dúvida como fator inerente ao processo de descoberta em design. Logo, faz-se necessário o deslocamento da criação em design para a descoberta em design. Tratase, na verdade, de entender que a doutrina da dúvida como descoberta em design parte, portanto, da representação da realidade a partir dos signos icônicos e indiciais, na mesma medida em que temos a supressão da representação da realidade pelo signo simbólico. Desse modo, a doutrina da descoberta em design visa a atingir um posicionamento menos equivocado, no que diz respeito a pensar o design.
Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Drive Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: Pieterse Elmar , Rother Nils , Garsen Marjolein , Hofstra Julia M. , Satchell Simon C. , Hoffmann Markus , Loeven Markus A. , Knaapen Hanneke K. , van der Heijden Olivier W.H. , Berden Jo H.M. , Hilbrands Luuk B. , van der Vlag Johan
Published: May 2017

Objective—

An excessive release and impaired degradation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) leads to the continuous exposure of NETs to the endothelium in a variety of hematologic and autoimmune disorders, including lupus nephritis. This study aims to unravel the mechanisms through which NETs jeopardize vascular integrity.

Approach and Results—

Microvascular and macrovascular endothelial cells were exposed to NETs, and subsequent effects on endothelial integrity and function were determined in vitro and in vivo. We found that endothelial cells have a limited capacity to internalize NETs via the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts. An overflow of the phagocytic capacity of endothelial cells for NETs resulted in the persistent extracellular presence of NETs, which rapidly altered endothelial cell–cell contacts and induced vascular leakage and transendothelial albumin passage through elastase-mediated proteolysis of the intercellular junction protein VE-cadherin. Furthermore, NET-associated elastase promoted the nuclear translocation of junctional β-catenin and induced endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in cultured endothelial cells. In vivo, NETs could be identified in kidney samples of diseased MRL/lpr mice and patients with lupus nephritis, in whom the glomerular presence of NETs correlated with the severity of proteinuria and with glomerular endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

Conclusions—

These results indicate that an excess of NETs exceeds the phagocytic capacity of endothelial cells for NETs and promotes vascular leakage and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition through the degradation of VE-cadherin and the subsequent activation of β-catenin signaling. Our data designate NET-associated elastase as a potential therapeutic target in the prevention of endothelial alterations in diseases characterized by aberrant NET release.
Morbidity and Mortality Associated With Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty
Authors: Alkhouli Mohamad , Zack Chad J. , Sarraf Mohammad , Bashir Riyaz , Nishimura Rick A. , Eleid Mackram F. , Nkomo Vuyisile T. , Sandhu Gurpreet S. , Gulati Rajiv , Greason Kevin L. , Holmes David R. , Rihal Charanjit S.
Published: May 2017

Background—

The introduction of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) led to renewed interest in balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV). We sought to assess contemporary trends in BAV utilization and their outcomes.

Methods and Results—

The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was used to identify patients who underwent BAV between 2004 and 2013. In-hospital morbidity and mortality, and predictors of death after BAV were assessed. Outcomes of propensity-matched groups of patients undergoing elective BAV or TAVR were evaluated. BAV utilization increased from 707 cases in 2004 to 3715 cases in 2013 (national estimates). Procedural and in-hospital mortality were 1.4% and 8.5%, respectively. Vascular complications occurred in 7.0% of cases, blood transfusion in 17.5%, clinical stroke in 1.8%, and pacemaker implantation in 3.0%. The strongest predictors of in-hospital death were cardiogenic shock (odds ratio, 6.01; 95% confidence interval, 4.19–8.61;
P
<0.001), need for left ventricular assist device (odds ratio, 3.48; 95% confidence interval, 2.25–5.36;
P
<0.001), coagulopathy (odds ratio, 2.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.51–3.18;
P
<0.001), and low institutional volume of BAV (odds ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.06–2.37;
P
=0.03). In propensity-matched patients undergoing elective BAV or TAVR, rates of in-hospital mortality (2.9% versus 3.5%;
P
=0.60), clinical stroke (1.6% versus 3.1%;
P
=0.10), and vascular complications (8.2% versus 10.9%;
P
=0.14) were similar. However, BAV was associated with lower rates of pacemaker implantation (2.9% versus 8.0%;
P
<0.001) and blood transfusion (12.8% versus 22.9%;
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—

In a contemporary national registry, BAV is associated with significant morbidity and mortality that are similar to TAVR. With the substantial increase in BAV utilization and the continuous improvement in TAVR outcomes, these data have important implications to aid clinicians in the selection of appropriate BAV candidates.
Establishing Recommendations for Stroke Systems in the Thrombectomy Era: The Upstate New York Stakeholder Proceedings
Authors: Magdon-Ismail Zainab , Benesch Curtis , Cushman Jeremy T. , Brissette Ian , Southerland Andrew M. , Brandler Ethan S. , Sozener Cemal B. , Flor Sue , Hemmitt Roseanne , Wales Kathleen , Parrigan Krystal , Levine Steven R.
Published: May 2017

Background and Purpose—

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and Department of Health Stroke Coverdell Program convened a stakeholder meeting in upstate NY to develop recommendations to enhance stroke systems for acute large vessel occlusion.

Methods—

Prehospital, hospital, and Department of Health leadership were invited (n=157). Participants provided goals/concerns and developed recommendations for prehospital triage and interfacility transport, rating each using a 3-level impact (A [high], B, and C [low]) and implementation feasibility (1 [high], 2, and 3 [low]) scale. Six weeks later, participants finalized recommendations.

Results—

Seventy-one stakeholders (45% of invitees) attended. Six themes around goals/concerns emerged: (1) emergency medical services capacity, (2) validated prehospital screening tools, (3) facility capability, (4) triage/transport guidelines, (5) data capture/feedback tools, and (6) facility competition. In response, high-impact (level A) prehospital recommendations, stratified by implementation feasibility, were (1) use of online medical control for triage (6%); (2) regional transportation strategy (31%), standardized emergency medical services checklists (18%), quality metrics (14%), standardized prehospital screening tools (13%), and feedback for performance improvement (7%); and (3) smartphone application algorithm for screening/decision-making (6%) and ambulance-based telemedicine (6%). Level A interfacility transfer recommendations were (1) standardized transfer process (32%)/timing goals (16%)/regionalized systems (11%), performance metrics (11%), image sharing capabilities (7%); (2) provider education (9%) and stroke toolbox (5%); and (3) interfacility telemedicine (7%) and feedback (2%).

Conclusions—

The methods used and recommendations generated provide models for stroke system enhancement. Implementation may vary based on geographic need/capacity and be contingent on establishing standard care practices. Further research is needed to establish optimal implementation strategies.
Revisiting Pronominal Typology
Authors: Patel-Grosz Pritty , Grosz Patrick G.
Published: May 2017

The overarching goal of this article is to shed new light on the debate over whether pronouns ( she/ he/ it) generally have the syntax and semantics of definite descriptions ( the woman/ the man/ the thing) or that of individual variables. As a case study, we investigate the differences between personal pronouns and demonstrative pronouns in German. We argue that the two types of pronouns have the same core makeup (both contain a null NP and a definite determiner), but demonstrative pronouns have additional functional structure that personal pronouns lack. This analysis is shown to derive both their commonalities and their differences, and it derives the distribution of demonstrative vs. personal pronouns by means of structural economy constraints.
Stripping and Topless Complements
Authors: Wurmbrand Susi
Published: May 2017

This article shows that stripping, the elision of declarative TPs, is possible not only in coordinate structures, but also in embedded clauses—however, only when the complementizer is absent. This Embedded Stripping Generalization is not predicted by earlier accounts of stripping, but it falls out from a certain combination of independently available assumptions. Specifically, I propose a zero Spell-Out view of ellipsis in a dynamic (or contextual) phasehood approach, which, together with the lack of a CP layer in that-less embedded clauses, derives this generalization in languages like English. I then briefly consider stripping in other languages and suggest that the analysis also has the flexibility to accommodate crosslinguistic differences in the distribution of stripping.
Bioethics, Complementarity, and Corporate Criminal Liability
Authors: Long Ryan
Published: May 2017

This article provides a brief introduction to some contemporary challenges found in the intersection of bioethics and international criminal law involving genetic privacy, organ trafficking, genetic engineering, and cloning. These challenges push us to re-evaluate the question of whether the international criminal law should hold corporations criminally liable. I argue that a minimalist and Strawsonian conception of corporate responsibility could be useful for deterring the wrongs outlined in first few sections and in answering compelling objections to corporate criminal liability.