bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Characterization of OXA-48-Like-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in the Czech Republic and Evidence for Horizontal Transfer of pOXA-48-Like Plasmids
Authors: Skalova Anna , Chudejova Katerina , Rotova Veronika , Medvecky Matej , Studentova Vendula , Chudackova Eva , Lavicka Pavel , Bergerova Tamara , Jakubu Vladislav , Zemlickova Helena , Papagiannitsis Costas C. , Hrabak Jaroslav
Published: November 2016

The aim of this study was to characterize the first cases and outbreaks of OXA-48-like-producing
Enterobacteriaceae
recovered from hospital settings in the Czech Republic. From 2013 to 2015, 22
Klebsiella pneumoniae
isolates, 3
Escherichia coli
isolates, and 1
Enterobacter cloacae
isolate producing OXA-48-like carbapenemases were isolated from 20 patients. Four of the patients were colonized or infected by two or three different OXA-48-like producers. The
K. pneumoniae
isolates were classified into nine sequence types (STs), with ST101 being predominant (
n
= 8). The
E. coli
isolates were of different STs, while the
E. cloacae
isolate belonged to ST109. Twenty-four isolates carried
bla
OXA-48
, while two isolates carried
bla
OXA-181
or
bla
OXA-232
. Almost all isolates (
n
= 22) carried
bla
OXA-48
-positive plasmids of a similar size (∼60 kb), except the two isolates producing OXA-181 or OXA-232. In an ST45
K. pneumoniae
isolate and an ST38
E. coli
isolate, S1 nuclease profiling plus hybridization indicated a chromosomal location of
bla
OXA-48
. Sequencing showed that the majority of
bla
OXA-48
-carrying plasmids exhibited high degrees of identity with the pOXA-48-like plasmid pE71T. Additionally, two novel pE71T derivatives, pOXA-48_30715 and pOXA-48_30891, were observed. The
bla
OXA-181
-carrying plasmid was identical to the IncX3 plasmid pOXA181_EC14828, while the
bla
OXA-232
-carrying plasmid was a ColE2-type plasmid, being a novel derivative of pOXA-232. Finally, sequencing data showed that the ST45
K. pneumoniae
and ST38
E. coli
isolates harbored the IS
1R
-based composite transposon Tn
6237
containing
bla
OXA-48
integrated into their chromosomes. These findings underlined that the horizontal transfer of pOXA-48-like plasmids has played a major role in the dissemination of
bla
OXA-48
in the Czech Republic. In combination with the difficulties with their detection, OXA-48 producers constitute an important public threat.
In Vitro
Activities of Lefamulin and Other Antimicrobial Agents against Macrolide-Susceptible and Macrolide-Resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae from the United States, Europe, and China
Authors: Waites Ken B. , Crabb Donna M. , Duffy Lynn B. , Jensen Jorgen S. , Liu Yang , Paukner Susanne
Published: November 2016

Lefamulin, an investigational pleuromutilin, was tested against a collection of 18 macrolide-susceptible and 42 macrolide-resistant
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
strains, and the results were compared with those of azithromycin, erythromycin, tetracycline, doxycycline, and moxifloxacin testing. Lefamulin was highly active against all strains tested, with all MICs at ≤0.008 μg/ml. The lefamulin MIC
90
(0.002 μg/ml) for macrolide-resistant strains was the lowest among all drugs tested. Minimum bactericidal concentrations were within 2 dilutions of the MIC values, indicating a bactericidal effect.
Clinical Benefit of Appropriate Empirical Fluoroquinolone Therapy for Adults with Community-Onset Bacteremia in Comparison with Third-Generation-Cephalosporin Therapy
Authors: Lee Ching-Chi , Wang Jiun-Ling , Lee Chung-Hsun , Hsieh Chih-Chia , Hung Yuan-Pin , Hong Ming-Yuan , Tang Hung-Jen , Ko Wen-Chien
Published: November 2016

Both fluoroquinolones (FQs) and third-generation cephalosporins (3rd-GCs) are commonly prescribed to treat bloodstream infections, but comparative efficacies between them were rarely studied. Demographics and clinical characteristics of 733 adults with polymicrobial or monomicrobial community-onset bacteremia empirically treated by an appropriate FQ (
n
= 87) or 3rd-GC (
n
= 646) were compared. A critical illness (respectively, 8.0% versus 19.0%;
P
= 0.01), an initial syndrome with severe sepsis (33.3% versus 50.3%;
P
= 0.003), or a fatal outcome at 28 days (4.6% versus 10.5%;
P
= 0.08) was less common in the FQ group. A total of 645 (88.0%) patients were febrile at initial presentation, and the FQ group with (FQ group versus 3rd-GC group, respectively, 7.6 days versus 12.0 days;
P
= 0.04) and without (3.8 days versus 5.4 days;
P
= 0.001) a critical illness had a shorter time to defervescence than the 3rd-GC group. By the propensity scores, 87 patients with appropriate FQ therapy were matched with 435 treated by 3rd-GC therapy at a ratio of 1:5, and there were no significant differences in terms of bacteremia severity, comorbidity severity, major comorbidities, causative microorganisms, and bacteremia sources between groups. Moreover, crude mortality rates at 28 days (FQ group versus 3rd-GC group, respectively, 4.6% versus 7.8%;
P
= 0.29) did not differ significantly. However, the time to defervescence was shorter in the FQ group (4.2 ± 3.6 versus 6.2 ± 7.6 days;
P
< 0.001). Conclusively in the adults with community-onset bacteremia, appropriate empirical FQ therapy was related to shorter time to defervescence than with 3rd-GC therapy, at least for those without a critical illness.
Novel Detection Strategy To Rapidly Evaluate the Efficacy of Antichlamydial Agents
Authors: Zhang Yan , Xian Yuqi , Gao Leiqiong , Elaasar Hiba , Wang Yao , Tauhid Lamiya , Hua Ziyu , Shen Li
Published: November 2016

Chlamydia trachomatis
infections present a major heath burden worldwide. The conventional method used to detect
C. trachomatis
is laborious. In the present study, a novel strategy was utilized to evaluate the impact of antimicrobial agents on the growth of
C. trachomatis
and its expression of
ompA
promoter-driven green fluorescence protein (GFP). We demonstrate that this GFP reporter system gives a robust fluorescent display of
C. trachomatis
growth in human cervical epithelial cells and, further, that GFP production directly correlates to changes in
ompA
expression following sufficient exposure to antimicrobials. Validation with azithromycin, the first-line macrolide drug used for the treatment of
C. trachomatis
infection, highlights the advantages of this method over the traditional method because of its simplicity and versatility. The results indicate both that
ompA
is highly responsive to antimicrobials targeting the transcription and translation of
C. trachomatis
and that there is a correlation between changing GFP levels and
C. trachomatis
growth. This proof-of-concept study also reveals that the
ompA
-GFP system can be easily adapted to rapidly assess antimicrobial effectiveness in a high-throughput format.
Interplay of Toll-Like Receptor 9, Myeloid Cells, and Deubiquitinase A20 in Periodontal Inflammation
Authors: Crump Katie E. , Oakley Jennifer C. , Xia-Juan Xia , Madu Theandra C. , Devaki Swathi , Mooney Erin C. , Sahingur Sinem E.
Published: November 2016

Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9)-deficient (TLR9
−/−
) mice are resistant to periodontitis, a disease characterized by a dysbiotic microbiota and deregulated immune response and resulting in tooth loss and various systemic conditions. However, the mechanisms and biological pathways by which TLR9 instigates periodontal inflammation are yet to be identified. In a ligature-induced model of periodontitis, we demonstrate that TLR9
−/−
mice exhibited significantly less alveolar bone loss than their wild-type (WT) counterparts. Consistent with the disease phenotype, gingival tissues showed significantly more inflammatory cell infiltration in the WT ligated but not in the TLR9
−/−
ligated mice compared to the unligated controls. The peritoneal infection model using
Porphyromonas gingivalis
, a keystone pathogen for periodontitis, revealed reduced neutrophils in TLR9
−/−
mice on day 1 postinfection compared to the levels in WT mice. Transcriptomics analyses showed increased expression of A20 (tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]-induced protein 3 [TNFAIP3]), an inhibitor of the NF-κB pathway and a negative regulator of TLR signaling, in ligated TLR9
−/−
mouse gingival tissues compared to its expression in the WT.
Ex vivo
, TLR9
−/−
bone marrow-derived macrophages produced more A20 than WT cells following
P. gingivalis
challenge. Clinically, A20 was modestly upregulated in human gingival tissue specimens from chronic periodontitis patients, further confirming the biological relevance of A20 in periodontal inflammation. We conclude that TLR9 modulates periodontal disease progression at both the cellular and molecular level and identify A20 as a novel downstream signaling molecule in the course of periodontal inflammation. Understanding the regulation of the TLR9 signaling pathway and the involvement of A20 as a limiting factor of inflammation will uncover alternative therapeutic targets to treat periodontitis and other chronic inflammatory diseases.
Exercise therapy versus arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for degenerative meniscal tear in middle aged patients: randomised controlled trial with two year follow-up
Authors: Kise Nina Jullum , Risberg May Arna , Stensrud Silje , Ranstam Jonas , Engebretsen Lars , Roos Ewa M
Published: November 2016

Objective

To determine if exercise therapy is superior to arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for knee function in middle aged patients with degenerative meniscal tears.

Design

Randomised controlled superiority trial.

Setting

Orthopaedic departments at two public hospitals and two physiotherapy clinics in Norway.

Participants

140 adults, mean age 49.5 years (range 35.7–59.9), with degenerative medial meniscal tear verified by magnetic resonance imaging. 96% had no definitive radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis.

Interventions

12 week supervised exercise therapy alone or arthroscopic partial meniscectomy alone.

Main outcome measures

Intention to treat analysis of between group difference in change in knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS4), defined a priori as the mean score for four of five KOOS subscale scores (pain, other symptoms, function in sport and recreation, and knee related quality of life) from baseline to two year follow-up and change in thigh muscle strength from baseline to three months.

Results

No clinically relevant difference was found between the two groups in change in KOOS4at two years (0.9 points, 95% confidence interval −4.3 to 6.1; P=0.72). At three months, muscle strength had improved in the exercise group (P≤0.004). No serious adverse events occurred in either group during the two year follow-up. 19% of the participants allocated to exercise therapy crossed over to surgery during the two year follow-up, with no additional benefit.

Conclusion

The observed difference in treatment effect was minute after two years of follow-up, and the trial's inferential uncertainty was sufficiently small to exclude clinically relevant differences. Exercise therapy showed positive effects over surgery in improving thigh muscle strength, at least in the short term. Our results should encourage clinicians and middle aged patients with degenerative meniscal tear and no definitive radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis to consider supervised exercise therapy as a treatment option.

Trial registration

www.clinicaltrials.gov(NCT01002794).
An introduction to the Emergency Department Adult Clinical Escalation protocol: ED-ACE
Authors: Coughlan Eoin , Geary Una , Wakai Abel , O'Sullivan Ronan , Browne John , McAuliffe Eilish , Ward Marie , McDaid Fiona , Deasy Conor
Published: November 2016

Purpose of the study

This study demonstrates how a participatory action research approach was used to address the challenge of the early and effective detection of the deteriorating patient in the ED setting. The approach enabled a systematic approach to patient monitoring and escalation of care to be developed to address the wide-ranging spectrum of undifferentiated presentations and the phases of ED care from triage to patient admission. This paper presents a longitudinal patient monitoring system, which aims to provide monitoring and escalation of care, where necessary, of adult patients from triage to admission to hospital in a manner that is feasible in the unique ED environment.

Methods

An action research approach was taken to designing a longitudinal patient monitoring system appropriate for the ED. While the first draft protocol for post-triage monitoring and escalation was designed by a core research group, six clinical sites were included in iterative cycles of planning, action, reviewing and further planning. Reasons for refining the system at each site were collated and the protocol was adjusted accordingly before commencing the process at the next site.

Results

The ED Adult Clinical Escalation longitudinal patient monitoring system (ED-ACE) evolved through iterative cycles of design and testing to include: (1) a monitoring chart for adult patients; (2) a standardised approach to the monitoring and reassessment of patients after triage until they are assessed by a clinician; (3) the ISBAR (I=Identify, S=Situation, B=Background, A=Assessment, R=Recommendation) tool for interprofessional communication relating to clinical escalation; (4) a template for prescribing a patient-specific monitoring plan to be used by treating clinicians to guide patient monitoring from the time the patient is assessed until when they leave the ED and (5) a protocol for clinical escalation prompted by single physiological triggers and clinical concern.

Conclusions

This tool offers a link in the ‘Chain of Prevention’ between the Manchester Triage System and ward-based early warning scores taking account of the importance of standardisation, while being sufficiently adaptable for the unique working environment and patient population in the ED.
Structures and properties of Saturn-like complexes composed of oligothiophene macrocycle with methano[60]fullerene and [70]fullerene
Authors: Iyoda Masahiko , Shimizu Hideyuki , Aoyagi Shinobu , Okada Hiroshi , Zhou Biao , Matsuo Yutaka
Published: November 2016

π-Expanded oligothienylene macrocycle with a large inner cavity incorporates fullerenes such as methano[60]fullerene (C61H2) and [70]fullerene (C70) inside to form Saturn-like complexes. Although the oligothiophene macrocycle weakly interacts with fullerenes in solution, it forms stable Saturn-like fullerene complexes in the solid state. X-ray analysis of the Saturn-like complexes exhibited short contacts between the sulfur atoms of the oligothiophene macrocycle and fullerene carbons, which hinder the rotation of fullerenes. As a result, the non-covalent interaction between the oligothiophene macrocycle and fullerenes was employed in crystal structure determination of fullerenes. UV–vis–NIR spectra of the Saturn-like complexes showed weak donor–acceptor interaction between the oligothiophene macrocycle and fullerenes.
Effects of whole-tree harvest on soil-water chemistry at five conifer sites in Sweden
Authors: Ring Eva , Jacobson Staffan , Jansson Gunnar , Högbom Lars
Published: November 2016

Logging residues, such as tops and branches, can provide a useful biofuel for large-scale energy production. However, increasing the harvest intensity may affect the soil nutrient stores and water quality. Here, effects on soil-water chemistry after stem-only and whole-tree harvesting were investigated using data from five experimental sites in Sweden, representing medium- to high-fertility sites. They were located in recharge areas on mineral soil and harvested between the years 1995 and 2001. Soil-water samples had previously been collected from below the main part of the root zone in study plots subjected to stem-only or whole-tree harvest. Soil-water chemistry data from the five sites were jointly analyzed by ANOVA using seasonal mean concentrations from the first six seasons after clear-cutting. The concentrations of NO3–-N, K+, and Mg2+were significantly different (p < 0.05) between the two harvest regimes, indicating lower levels after whole-tree harvest than after stem-only harvest. No significant differences were detected for electrical conductivity, pH, or the concentrations of NH4+-N, Al, Ca2+, SO42–-S, and Cl–. Measurements at one site suggested that the logging residues left on the ground increased the influx of Cl–to the soil. Simple budget calculations indicated that the nutrient export by logging-residue harvest was greater than the export by leaching during the regeneration phase.
Genome-wide analysis and expression characteristics of small auxin-up RNA (SAUR) genes in moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis)
Authors: Bai Qingsong , Hou Dan , Li Long , Cheng Zhanchao , Ge Wei , Liu Jun , Li Xueping , Mu Shaohua , Gao Jian
Published: November 2016

Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) is well known for its rapid shoot growth. Auxin exerts pleiotropic effects on plant growth. The small auxin-up RNA (SAUR) genes are early auxin-responsive genes involved in plant growth. In total, 38 SAUR genes were identified in P. edulis (PheSAUR). A comprehensive overview of the PheSAUR gene family is presented, including the gene structures, phylogeny, and subcellular location predictions. A transcriptome analysis indicated that 37 (except PheSAUR18) of the PheSAUR genes were expressed during shoot growth process and that the PheSAUR genes were differentially expressed. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR analysis indicated that all of the PheSAUR genes could be induced in different tissues of seedlings and that 37 (except PheSAUR41) of the PheSAUR genes were up-regulated after indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) treatment. These results reveal a comprehensive overview of the PheSAUR gene family and may pave the way for deciphering their functions during bamboo development.
Multiple Repair Localities with Distinct Erasure Tolerance
Authors: Lu Jiyong , Zhang Jun , Guang Xuan , Fu Fang-Wei
Published: November 2016

In distributed storage systems, codes with lower repair locality for each coordinate are much more desirable since they can reduce the disk I/O complexity for repairing a failed node. The ith coordinate of a linear code 𝒞 is said to have [Formula: see text] locality if there exist δi non-overlapping local repair sets of size no more than ri, where a local repair set of one coordinate is defined as the set of some other coordinates by which one can recover the value at this coordinate. In this paper, we consider linear codes with information [Formula: see text] locality, where there exists an information set I such that for each [Formula: see text], the ith coordinate has [Formula: see text] locality and [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. We derive a lower bound on the codeword length n for any linear [n, k, d] code with information [Formula: see text] locality. Particularly, we indicate that some existing bounds can be deduced from our result by restrictions on parameters.
A New Operator over Parikh Languages
Authors: Atanasiu Adrian , Teh Wen Chean
Published: November 2016

The characterization of M-equivalence for the Parikh matrices is a decade old open problem. This paper studies Parikh matrices and M-equivalence in relation to the s-shuffle operator for the binary alphabet. We also study the distance between images under the s-shuffle operator in a graph associated to the corresponding class of M-equivalent words.
FLOAT, SPECULATION AND STOCK PRICE: EVIDENCE FROM THE SPLIT SHARE STRUCTURE REFORM IN CHINA
Authors: HWANG CHUAN-YANG , ZHANG SHAOJUN , ZHU YANJIAN
Published: November 2016

The Split Share Structure Reform in China offers a unique opportunity to test whether the supply of tradable shares (i.e., float) has a significant impact on the degree of speculation. After firms completed the reform, their float increased by 31% on average, while turnover and trading volume also increased substantially. We use information from firms’ reform plan to derive an estimate of the price premium of tradable shares over non-tradable shares before the reform and find that, after controlling for differences in liquidity and profitability, the price premium is significantly related to proxies for the level of speculative trading in tradable shares. Moreover, firms that were highly speculated before the reform had significantly smaller increase in turnover and trading volume than firms that were less speculated. Overall, our evidence confirms that there is a significant speculative component in the market price of tradable shares in China and a large increase in float dampens speculative trading.
Study of Υ(nS) → Bcρ and BcK∗ decays within the QCD factorization
Authors: Chang Qin , Zhang Yunyun , Han Lin
Published: November 2016

Motivated by the heavy-flavor experiments at running Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and upgrading SuperKEKB, which provide abundant [Formula: see text] data samples, the tree-dominated [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] (n =1, 2, 3) weak decays are studied within the framework of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) factorization. The QCD corrections to the longitudinal and transverse amplitudes are evaluated at next-to-leading order, and the branching fractions and polarization fractions are predicted. Numerically, the [Formula: see text] decays have relatively large branching fractions at the order of [Formula: see text] and are in the scope of the LHC and SuperKEKB/Belle-II experiments.
Synthesis and electrochemistry of A2B type mono- and bis-cobalt triarylcorroles and their electrocatalytic properties for reduction of dioxygen in acid media
Authors: Wang Yue , Ou Zhongping , Fang Yuanyuan , Guo Rui , Tang Jijun , Song Yang , Kadish Karl M.
Published: November 2016

Two A2B mono-cobalt corroles and the corresponding bis-cobalt derivatives linked by a xanthene acyl group were synthesized, characterized as to their electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry in nonaqueous media and then examined as catalysts for the electroreduction of O2 in 1.0 M HClO4. The investigated mono- and bis-corroles are represented as (NH2Ph)(YPh)2CorCo(PPh[Formula: see text] and [(YPh)2CorCo(PPh[Formula: see text]]2Xac, respectively, where Cor is the trianion of the corrole, Y is a CH3 or Cl substituent on the para-position of the 5- and 15-meso-phenyl rings of the macrocycle and Xac is the xanthene acyl group linking the two macrocycles in a face-to-face arrangement. The neutral compounds were characterized by cyclic voltammetry while thin-layer spectroelectrochemistry was used to elucidate UV-visible spectra of the compounds in their electrooxidized or electroreduced forms. Rotating disk and rotating ring-disk electrode measurements were also utilized to examine the electrocatalytic activity for reduction of O2 when the face-to-face corroles were adsorbed on the electrode surface in 1.0 M HClO4. The number of electrons transferred in the catalytic electroreduction of dioxygen was calculated from currents at the disk electrode using Koutecky–Levich plots. The effect of linking the two cobalt corrole macrocycles on UV-visible spectra, redox potentials and electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of dioxygen is discussed.
Queue Imbalance as a One-Tick-Ahead Price Predictor in a Limit Order Book
Authors: Gould Martin D. , Bonart Julius
Published: November 2016

We investigate whether the bid/ask queue imbalance in a limit order book (LOB) provides significant predictive power for the direction of the next mid-price movement. For each of 10 liquid stocks on Nasdaq, we fit logistic regressions between the queue imbalance and the direction of the subsequent mid-price movement, and we find a strongly statistically significant relationship in each case. Compared to a simple null model, we find that our logistic regression fits provide a considerable improvement in both binary and probabilistic classification of mid-price movements for large-tick stocks and a moderate improvement in both binary and probabilistic classification of mid-price movements for small-tick stocks. We also perform local logistic regression fits on the same data, and find that this semi-parametric approach slightly outperforms our logistic regression fits, at the expense of being more computationally intensive to implement.
A Spatial Target Function for Metropolis Photon Tracing
Authors: Gruson Adrien , Ribardière Mickaël , Šik Martin , Vorba Jiří , Cozot Rémi , Bouatouch Kadi , Křivánek Jaroslav
Published: November 2016

The human visual system is sensitive to relative differences in luminance, but light transport simulation algorithms based on Metropolis sampling often result in a highly nonuniform relative error distribution over the rendered image. Although this issue has previously been addressed in the context of the Metropolis light transport algorithm, our work focuses on Metropolis photon tracing. We present a new target function (TF) for Metropolis photon tracing that ensures good stratification of photons leading to pixel estimates with equalized relative error. We develop a hierarchical scheme for progressive construction of the TF from paths sampled during rendering. In addition to the approach taken in previous work, where the TF is defined in the image plane, ours can be associated with compact spatial regions. This allows us to take advantage of illumination coherence to more robustly estimate the TF while adapting to geometry discontinuities. To sample from this TF, we design a new replica exchange Metropolis scheme. We apply our algorithm in progressive photon mapping and show that it often outperforms alternative approaches in terms of image quality by a large margin.
Structural Analysis of User Choices for Mobile App Recommendation
Authors: Liu Bin , Wu Yao , Gong Neil Zhenqiang , Wu Junjie , Xiong Hui , Ester Martin
Published: November 2016

Advances in smartphone technology have promoted the rapid development of mobile apps. However, the availability of a huge number of mobile apps in application stores has imposed the challenge of finding the right apps to meet the user needs. Indeed, there is a critical demand for personalized app recommendations. Along this line, there are opportunities and challenges posed by two unique characteristics of mobile apps. First, app markets have organized apps in a hierarchical taxonomy. Second, apps with similar functionalities are competing with each other. Although there are a variety of approaches for mobile app recommendations, these approaches do not have a focus on dealing with these opportunities and challenges. To this end, in this article, we provide a systematic study for addressing these challenges. Specifically, we develop a
structural user choice model
(SUCM) to learn fine-grained user preferences by exploiting the hierarchical taxonomy of apps as well as the competitive relationships among apps. Moreover, we design an efficient learning algorithm to estimate the parameters for the SUCM model. Finally, we perform extensive experiments on a large app adoption dataset collected from Google Play. The results show that SUCM consistently outperforms state-of-the-art Top-N recommendation methods by a significant margin.
Minimum Latency Submodular Cover
Authors: Im Sungjin , Nagarajan Viswanath , Zwaan Ruben Van Der
Published: November 2016

We study the Minimum Latency Submodular Cover (MLSC) problem, which consists of a metric (
V
,
d
) with source
r
∈
V
and
m
monotone submodular functions
f
1
,
f
2
, …,

f
m

: 2

V

→ [0, 1]. The goal is to find a path originating at
r
that minimizes the total “cover time” of all functions. This generalizes well-studied problems, such as Submodular Ranking [Azar and Gamzu 2011] and the Group Steiner Tree [Garg et al. 2000]. We give a polynomial time
O
(log 1/ϵ ċ log
2+δ
|V|)-approximation algorithm for MLSC, where ϵ > 0 is the smallest non-zero marginal increase of any {

f
i

}

m

i
= 1

and δ > 0 is any constant.

We also consider the Latency Covering Steiner Tree (LCST) problem, which is the special case of MLSC where the

f
i

s are multi-coverage functions. This is a common generalization of the Latency Group Steiner Tree [Gupta et al. 2010; Chakrabarty and Swamy 2011] and Generalized Min-sum Set Cover [Azar et al. 2009; Bansal et al. 2010] problems. We obtain an
O
(log
2
|
V
|)-approximation algorithm for LCST.

Finally, we study a natural stochastic extension of the Submodular Ranking problem and obtain an adaptive algorithm with an
O
(log 1/ϵ)-approximation ratio, which is best possible. This result also generalizes some previously studied stochastic optimization problems, such as Stochastic Set Cover [Goemans and Vondrák 2006] and Shared Filter Evaluation [Munagala et al. 2007; Liu et al. 2008].
A Survey About Prediction-Based Data Reduction in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Dias Gabriel Martins , Bellalta Boris , Oechsner Simon
Published: November 2016

One of the main characteristics of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) is the constrained energy resources of their wireless sensor nodes. Although this issue has been addressed in several works and received much attention over the years, the most recent advances pointed out that the energy harvesting and wireless charging techniques may offer means to overcome such a limitation. Consequently, an issue that had been put in second place now emerges: the low availability of spectrum resources. Because of it, the incorporation of the WSNs into the Internet of Things and the exponential growth of the latter may be hindered if no control over the data generation is taken. Alternatively, part of the sensed data can be predicted without triggering transmissions that could congest the wireless medium. In this work, we analyze and categorize existing prediction-based data reduction mechanisms that have been designed for WSNs. Our main contribution is a systematic procedure for selecting a scheme to make predictions in WSNs, based on WSNs’ constraints, characteristics of prediction methods, and monitored data. Finally, we conclude the article with a discussion about future challenges and open research directions in the use of prediction methods to support the WSNs’ growth.
Piecewise Approximate Analytical Solutions of High-Order Singular Perturbation Problems with a Discontinuous Source Term
Authors: El-Zahar Essam R.
Published: November 2016

A reliable algorithm is presented to develop piecewise approximate analytical solutions of third- and fourth-order convection diffusion singular perturbation problems with a discontinuous source term. The algorithm is based on an asymptotic expansion approximation and Differential Transform Method (DTM). First, the original problem is transformed into a weakly coupled system of ODEs and a zero-order asymptotic expansion of the solution is constructed. Then a piecewise smooth solution of the terminal value reduced system is obtained by using DTM and imposing the continuity and smoothness conditions. The error estimate of the method is presented. The results show that the method is a reliable and convenient asymptotic semianalytical numerical method for treating high-order singular perturbation problems with a discontinuous source term.
Echocardiography as a Screening Test for Myocardial Scarring in Children with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Compton Gregory , Nield Lynne , Dragulescu Andreea , Benson Lee , Grosse-Wortmann Lars
Published: November 2016

Introduction. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is burdened with morbidity and mortality including tachyarrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. These complications are attributed in part to the formation of proarrhythmic scars in the myocardium. The presence of extensive LGE is a risk factor for adverse outcomes in HCM. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) is the standard for the noninvasive evaluation of myocardial scars. However, echocardiography represents an attractive screening tool for myocardial scarring. The aim of this study was to compare the suitability of echocardiography to detect myocardial scars to the standard of cMRI-LGE.Methods. The cMRI studies and echocardiograms from 56 consecutive children with HCM were independently evaluated for the presence of cMRI-LGE and echocardiographic evidence of scarring by expert readers.Results. Echocardiography had a high sensitivity (93%) and negative predictive value (94%) in comparison to LGE. The false positive rate was high, leading to a low specificity (37%) and a low positive predictive value (35%).Conclusions. Given the poor specificity and positive predictive value, echocardiography is not a suitable screening test for the presence of myocardial scarring in children with HCM. However, children without echocardiographic evidence of myocardial scarring may not need to undergo cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to “rule in” LGE.
An Endocrine Jaw Lesion: Dentist Perspective in Diagnosis
Authors: Kalapala Lavanya , Keerthi sai Surapaneni , Babburi Suresh , Venigalla Aparna , Pinisetti Soujanya , Kotti Ajay Benarji , Ganipineni Kiranmai
Published: November 2016

Brown tumor is a rare nonneoplastic focal giant cell lesion that occurs in hyperparathyroidism patients with a prevalence rate of 0.1% in jaws. We report an extremely rare case of brown tumor in mandible of a 40-year-old female patient that presented as the first clinical manifestation of hyperparathyroidism. Dentist played a pivotal role in the present case by the early diagnosis of lesion and its intervention.
Role of the ER/NO/cGMP Signaling Pathway in the Promotion of Osteogenic Differentiation of Rat Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Actaea racemosa Extract
Authors: Yang Shenlan , Zhou Yanping , Shuai Bo , Zhu Rui , Xu Wei , Wu Yanran , Deng Danfang , Luo Yingying
Published: November 2016

Purpose/Objective. To investigate the effect of Actaea racemosa (AR) extract on in vitro osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) via the ER/NO/cGMP signaling pathway. Methods/Materials. Rat BMSCs were treated with osteogenic differentiation‐inducing medium containing AR; estrogen receptor antagonist, ICI 182,780 (10−6 mol/L); and nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, L‐nitro arginine methyl ester (L‐NAME, 6 × 10−3 mol/L). Markers of osteogenic differentiation (alkaline phosphatase [ALP] activity, osteocalcin secretion, and calcium ion deposit levels) and the levels of key signaling molecules (nitric oxide synthase [NOS], nitric oxide [NO], and cyclic guanosine monophosphate [cGMP]) were assessed. Results. AR (10−1–10−6 g/L) increased ALP activity in a dose‐dependent manner, and the highest ALP, osteocalcin, and osteoprotegerin activities were achieved at an AR concentration of 10−4 g/L. Therefore, the concentration of 10−4 g/L was used for promoting osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs in subsequent analyses. At this concentration, AR increased the levels of NO and cGMP, and such effects could be blocked by the estrogen receptor antagonist (ICI 182,780) and nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (L‐NAME). Conclusion. AR induced osteogenic differentiation of rat BMSCs through the ER/NO/cGMP signaling pathway. This finding provides the theoretical foundation for the mechanism of AR in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Excretory Function of Intestinal Tract Enhanced in Kidney Impaired Rats Caused by Adenine
Authors: Yun Yu , Gao Tao , Li Yue , Gao Zhiyi , Duan Jinlian , Yin Hua , Duan Weigang
Published: November 2016

The main aim of the study was to prove the compensative effect of intestine for renal function. Rat kidney was impaired by intragastrically administrating adenine (400 mg per day for 5 days). Intestinal tract was harvested and equally divided into 20 segments except cecum. Kidneys were harvested and histologically examined with hematoxylin-eosin staining kits. Uric acid, urea (BUN), and creatinine in serum were determined with assay kits, and BUN and creatinine in every intestinal segment were also determined. The results showed that adenine was able to increase uric acid level in serum from

20.98
±
6.98

 μg/mL to

40.77
±
7
.
52

 μg/mL and cause renal function damage with BUN (from

3.87
±
0.62

 mM to 12.

33
±
3.27

 mM) and creatinine (from

51.48
±
6.98
 

μM to

118.25
±
28.63
 

μM) increasing in serum and with abnormally micromorphological changes in kidney. The amount of BUN and creatinine distributed in intestinal tract was positively correlated with those in blood. In impaired renal function rats, the amount of BUN (from

4.26
±
0.21
 

μMole to 10.

72
±
0.55
 

μMole) and creatinine (from

681.4
±
23.3

nMole to

928.7
±
21.3

nMole) distributed in intestinal tract significantly increased. All the results proved that intestinal tract had excretory function compensative for renal function.
Evidence of a Redox‐Dependent Regulation of Immune Responses to Exercise‐Induced Inflammation
Authors: Sakelliou Alexandra , Fatouros Ioannis G. , Athanailidis Ioannis , Tsoukas Dimitrios , Chatzinikolaou Athanasios , Draganidis Dimitris , Jamurtas Athanasios Z. , Liacos Christina , Papassotiriou Ioannis , Mandalidis Dimitrios , Stamatelopoulos Kimon , Dimopoulos Meletios A. , Mitrakou Asimina
Published: November 2016

We used thiol‐based antioxidant supplementation (n‐acetylcysteine, NAC) to determine whether immune mobilisation following skeletal muscle microtrauma induced by exercise is redox‐sensitive in healthy humans. According to a two‐trial, double‐blind, crossover, repeated measures design, 10 young men received either placebo or NAC (20 mg/kg/day) immediately after a muscle‐damaging exercise protocol (300 eccentric contractions) and for eight consecutive days. Blood sampling and performance assessments were performed before exercise, after exercise, and daily throughout recovery. NAC reduced the decline of reduced glutathione in erythrocytes and the increase of plasma protein carbonyls, serum TAC and erythrocyte oxidized glutathione, and TBARS and catalase activity during recovery thereby altering postexercise redox status. The rise of muscle damage and inflammatory markers (muscle strength, creatine kinase activity, CRP, proinflammatory cytokines, and adhesion molecules) was less pronounced in NAC during the first phase of recovery. The rise of leukocyte and neutrophil count was decreased by NAC after exercise. Results on immune cell subpopulations obtained by flow cytometry indicated that NAC ingestion reduced the exercise‐induced rise of total macrophages, HLA+ macrophages, and 11B+ macrophages and abolished the exercise‐induced upregulation of B lymphocytes. Natural killer cells declined only in PLA immediately after exercise. These results indicate that thiol‐based antioxidant supplementation blunts immune cell mobilisation in response to exercise‐induced inflammation suggesting that leukocyte mobilization may be under redox‐dependent regulation.
Pathological Predictors of Shunt Stenosis and Hepatic Encephalopathy after Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt
Authors: He Fuliang , Dai Shan , Xiao Zhibo , Wang Lei , Yue Zhendong , Zhao Hongwei , Zhao Mengfei , Lin Qiushi , Dong Xiaoqun , Liu Fuquan
Published: November 2016

Background. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is an artificial channel from the portal vein to the hepatic vein or vena cava for controlling portal vein hypertension. The major drawbacks of TIPS are shunt stenosis and hepatic encephalopathy (HE); previous studies showed that post-TIPS shunt stenosis and HE might be correlated with the pathological features of the liver tissues. Therefore, we analyzed the pathological predictors for clinical outcome, to determine the risk factors for shunt stenosis and HE after TIPS. Methods. We recruited 361 patients who suffered from portal hypertension symptoms and were treated with TIPS from January 2009 to December 2012. Results. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of shunt stenosis was increased with more severe inflammation in the liver tissue (OR, 2.864; 95% CI: 1.466–5.592; P=0.002), HE comorbidity (OR, 6.266; 95% CI, 3.141–12.501; P<0.001), or higher MELD score (95% CI, 1.298–1.731; P<0.001). Higher risk of HE was associated with shunt stenosis comorbidity (OR, 6.266; 95% CI, 3.141–12.501; P<0.001), higher stage of the liver fibrosis (OR, 2.431; 95% CI, 1.355–4.359; P=0.003), and higher MELD score (95% CI, 1.711–2.406; P<0.001). Conclusion. The pathological features can predict individual susceptibility to shunt stenosis and HE.
Indication of a Differential Freeze-Out in Proton-Proton and Heavy-Ion Collisions at RHIC and LHC Energies
Authors: Thakur Dhananjaya , Tripathy Sushanta , Garg Prakhar , Sahoo Raghunath , Cleymans Jean
Published: November 2016

The experimental data from the RHIC and LHC experiments of invariant pT spectra for most peripheral A+A and p+p collisions are analyzed with Tsallis distributions in different approaches. The information about the freeze-out surface in terms of freeze-out volume, temperature, chemical potential, and radial flow velocity for π+, K+, and p and their antiparticles is obtained. Furthermore, these parameters are studied as a function of the mass of the particles. A mass dependent differential freeze-out is observed which does not seem to distinguish between particles and their antiparticles. Furthermore, a mass-hierarchy in the radial flow is observed, meaning heavier particles suffer lower radial flow. Tsallis distribution function at finite chemical potential is used to study the mass dependence of chemical potential. The peripheral heavy-ion and proton-proton collisions at the same energies seem to be equivalent in terms of the extracted thermodynamic parameters.
Association of Heme Oxygenase 1 with Lung Protection in Malaria-Associated ALI/ARDS
Authors: Pereira Marcelo L. M. , Ortolan Luana S. , Sercundes Michelle K. , Debone Daniela , Murillo Oscar , Lima Flávia A. , Marinho Claudio R. F. , Epiphanio Sabrina
Published: November 2016

Malaria is a serious disease, caused by the parasite of the genusPlasmodium, which was responsible for 440,000 deaths in 2015. Acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) is one of the main clinical complications in severe malaria. The murine model DBA/2 reproduces the clinical signs of ALI/ARDS in humans, when infected withPlasmodium bergheiANKA. High levels of HO-1 were reported in cases of severe malaria. Our data indicated that the HO-1 mRNA and protein expression are increased in mice that develop malaria-associated ALI/ARDS (MA-ALI/ARDS). Additionally, the hemin, a HO-1 inducing drug, prevented mice from developing MA-ALI/ARDS when administered prior to the development of MA-ALI/ARDS in this model. Also, hemin treatment showed an amelioration of respiratory parameters in mice, high VEGF levels in the sera, and a decrease in vascular permeability in the lung, which are signs of ALI/ARDS. Therefore, the induction of HO-1 before the development of MA-ALI/ARDS could be protective. However, the increased expression of HO-1 on the onset of MA-ALI/ARDS development may represent an effort to revert the phenotype of this syndrome by the host. We therefore confirm that HO-1 inducing drugs could be used for prevention of MA-ALI/ARDS in humans.
Association of Postbreakfast Triglyceride and Visit-to-Visit Annual Variation of Fasting Plasma Glucose with Progression of Diabetic Nephropathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Kitaoka Kaori , Takenouchi Akiko , Tsuboi Ayaka , Fukuo Keisuke , Kazumi Tsutomu
Published: November 2016

Urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) was measured at baseline and after a median follow-up of 6.0 years in 161 patients with type 2 diabetes. Intrapersonal means and SD of HbA1c, systolic BP, fasting, and postmeal plasma glucose (FPG and PMPG, resp.) and serum triglycerides (FTG and PMTG, resp.) were calculated in each patient during the first 12 months after enrollment. Associations of these variables with nephropathy progression (15 patients with progression of albuminuric stages and 5 with ACR doubling within the microalbuminuric range) were determined by multivariate logistic regression analysis providing odds ratio with 95% confidential interval. Patients with nephropathy progression, compared with those without nephropathy progression, had higher HbA1c (p<0.01). They also had higher means and SD of FPG (bothp<0.05), FTG (bothp<0.05), and PMTG (p=0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that SD-FPG (1.036, 1.001–1.073,p=0.04) and PMTG (1.013, 1.008–1.040,p=0.001) were significant predictors of progression of nephropathy even after adjustment for mean FPG and SD-FTG, age, sex, BMI, waist circumference, diabetes duration and therapy, means and SDs of HbA1c, PPG, FTG and systolic BP, baseline ACR, smoking status, and uses of antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medications. Consistency of glycemic control and management of postmeal TG may be important to prevent nephropathy progression in type 2 diabetic patients.
The Matrix Completion Method for Phase Retrieval from Fractional Fourier Transform Magnitudes
Authors: Luo Qi , Wang Hongxia
Published: November 2016

Inspired by the implementation of the fractional Fourier transform (FRFT) and its applications in optics, we address the problem of reconstructing a signal from its several FRFT magnitudes (or intensities). The matrix completion method is adopted here. Through numerical tests, the matrix completion method is proven effective in both noisy and noise-free situations. We also compare our method with the Gerchberg-Saxton (GS) algorithm based on FRFT. Numerical tests show that the matrix completion method gains a certain advantage in recovering uniqueness and convergence over the GS algorithm in the noise-free case. Furthermore, in terms of noisy signals, the matrix completion method performs robustly and adding more measurements can generally increase accuracy of recovered signals.
Synthesis of Highly Reduced Graphene Oxide for Supercapacitor
Authors: Wang Chubei , Zhou Jianwei , Du Feipeng
Published: November 2016

A facile method to synthesize highly reduced graphene oxide in solid phase was developed. The reduced graphene oxide was scarcely prepared in solid phase. Solid substances act as spacers and pillaring agents. Sheets can not be close to each other in reduction process, and sheets agglomeration might not form. After reduction reaction is complete, the spacers and pillaring agents are removed. The average interlayer spacing and surface area of product are bigger than those of reduced graphene oxide. The product has few-layered sheet, and the ratio of carbon to oxygen is high, which might imply that the product is more similar to graphene compared to reduced graphene oxide. The specific capacitance of product is almost three times higher than that of reduced graphene oxide at the same current density.
Utilization of the Discrete Differential Evolution for Optimization in Multidimensional Point Clouds
Authors: Uher Vojtěch , Gajdoš Petr , Radecký Michal , Snášel Václav
Published: November 2016

The Differential Evolution (DE) is a widely used bioinspired optimization algorithm developed by Storn and Price. It is popular for its simplicity and robustness. This algorithm was primarily designed for real-valued problems and continuous functions, but several modified versions optimizing both integer and discrete-valued problems have been developed. The discrete-coded DE has been mostly used for combinatorial problems in a set of enumerative variants. However, the DE has a great potential in the spatial data analysis and pattern recognition. This paper formulates the problem as a search of a combination of distinct vertices which meet the specified conditions. It proposes a novel approach called the Multidimensional Discrete Differential Evolution (MDDE) applying the principle of the discrete-coded DE in discrete point clouds (PCs). The paper examines the local searching abilities of the MDDE and its convergence to the global optimum in the PCs. The multidimensional discrete vertices cannot be simply ordered to get a convenient course of the discrete data, which is crucial for good convergence of a population. A novel mutation operator utilizing linear ordering of spatial data based on the space filling curves is introduced. The algorithm is tested on several spatial datasets and optimization problems. The experiments show that the MDDE is an efficient and fast method for discrete optimizations in the multidimensional point clouds.