Efficient Computation of Group Skyline Queries on MapReduce

Skyline query is one of the important issues indatabase research and has been applied in diverse applicationsincluding multi-criteria decision support systems and so on. Theresponse of a skyline query eliminates unnecessary tuples andreturns only the user-interested result. Traditional skyline querypicks out the outstanding tuples, based on one-to-one recordcomparisons. Some modern applications request, beyond thesingular ones, for superior combinations of records. For example,fantasy basketball is composed of 5 players, fantasy baseball of 9players, and a hackathon of several programmers. Group skylineaims at considering all the groups comprising several records,and finding out the non-dominated ones. Because of the highcomplexity, few studies have been conducted and none has beenpresented in either distributed or parallel computing. This paperis the first study that solves the group skyline in the distributedMapReduce framework. We propose the MRGS algorithm togenerate all the combinations, compute the winners at each localnode, and find out the answer globally. We further propose theMRIGS algorithm to release the bottleneck of MRGS onunbalanced computing load of nodes. Finally, we propose theMRIGS-P algorithm to prune the impossible combinations andproduce indexed and balanced MapReduce computation.Extensive experiments with NBA datasets show that MRIGS-P is6 times faster than the MRGS algorithm

Efficient and Accurate CORDIC Pipelined Architecture Chip Design Based on Binomial Approximation for Biped Robot

Recently, much research has focused on the design of biped robots with stable and smooth walking ability, identical to human beings, and thus, in the coming years, biped robots will accomplish rescue or exploration tasks in challenging environments. To achieve this goal, one of the important problems is to design a chip for real-time calculation of moving length and rotation angle of the biped robot. This paper presents an efficient and accurate coordinate rotation digital computer (CORDIC)-based efficient chip design to calculate the moving length and rotation angle for each step of the biped robot. In a previous work, the hardware cost of the accurate CORDIC-based algorithm of biped robots was primarily limited by the scale-factor architecture. To solve this problem, a binomial approximation was carefully employed for computing the scale-factor. In doing so, the CORDIC-based architecture can achieve similar accuracy but with fewer iterations, thus reducing hardware cost. Hence, incorporating CORDIC-based architecture with binomial approximation, pipelined architecture, and hardware sharing machines, this paper proposes a novel efficient and accurate CORDIC-based chip design by using an iterative pipelining architecture for biped robots. In this design, only low-complexity shift and add operators were used for realizing efficient hardware architecture and achieving the real-time computation of lengths and angles for biped robots. Compared with current designs, this work reduced hardware cost by 7.2%, decreased average errors by 94.5%, and improved average executing performance by 31.5%, when computing ten angles of biped robots

Crosstalk between transcription factors and microRNAs in human protein interaction network

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gene regulatory networks control the global gene expression and the dynamics of protein output in living cells. In multicellular organisms, transcription factors and microRNAs are the major families of gene regulators. Recent studies have suggested that these two kinds of regulators share similar regulatory logics and participate in cooperative activities in the gene regulatory network; however, their combinational regulatory effects and preferences on the protein interaction network remain unclear.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, we constructed a global human gene regulatory network comprising both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory relationships, and integrated the protein interactome into this network. We then screened the integrated network for four types of regulatory motifs: single-regulation, co-regulation, crosstalk, and independent, and investigated their topological properties in the protein interaction network.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among the four types of network motifs, the crosstalk was found to have the most enriched protein-protein interactions in their downstream regulatory targets. The topological properties of these motifs also revealed that they target crucial proteins in the protein interaction network and may serve important roles of biological functions.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Altogether, these results reveal the combinatorial regulatory patterns of transcription factors and microRNAs on the protein interactome, and provide further evidence to suggest the connection between gene regulatory network and protein interaction network.</p

Infections Caused by Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae: An Update on Therapeutic Options

Carbapenems are considered as last-resort antibiotics for the treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. With the increasing use of carbapenems in clinical practice, the emergence of carbapenem-resistant pathogens now poses a great threat to human health. Currently, antibiotic options for the treatment of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are very limited, with polymyxins, tigecycline, fosfomycin, and aminoglycosides as the mainstays of therapy. The need for new and effective anti-CRE therapies is urgent. Here, we describe the current understanding of issues related to CRE and review combination therapeutic strategies for CRE infections, including high-dose tigecycline, high-dose prolonged-infusion of carbapenem, and double carbapenem therapy. We also review the newly available antibiotics which have potential in the future treatment of CRE infections: ceftazidime/avibactam, which is active against KPC and OXA-48 producers; meropenem/vaborbactam, which is active against KPC producers; plazomicin, which is a next-generation aminoglycoside with in vitro activity against CRE; and eravacycline, which is a tetracycline class antibacterial with in vitro activity against CRE. Although direct evidence for CRE treatment is still lacking and the development of resistance is a concern, these new antibiotics provide additional therapeutic options for CRE infections. Finally, we review other potential anti-CRE antibiotics in development: imipenem/relebactam and cefiderocol. Currently, high-dose and combination strategies that may include the new β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors should be considered in severe CRE infections to maximize treatment success. In the future, when more treatment options are available, therapy for CRE infections should be individualized and based on molecular phenotypes of resistance, susceptibility profiles, disease severity, and patient characteristics. More high-quality studies are needed to guide effective treatment for infections caused by CRE

Arsenic Methylation, GSTT1, GSTM1, GSTP1 Polymorphisms, and Skin Lesions

OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether primary and secondary arsenic methylation ratios were associated with skin lesions and whether GSTT1, GSTP1, and GSTM1 polymorphisms modify these relationships. METHODS: A case–control study of 600 cases and 600 controls that were frequency matched on age and sex was conducted in Pabna, Bangladesh, in 2001–2002. Individual well water, urine, and blood samples were collected. Water arsenic concentration was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Urinary arsenic speciation was determined using high performance liquid chromatography hydride with generator atomic absorption spectrometry and ICP-MS. Genotyping was conducted using multiplex polymerase chain reaction and TaqMan. RESULTS: A 10-fold increase in primary methylation ratio [monomethylarsonic acid (MMA)/(arsenite + arsenate] was associated with a 1.50-fold increased risk of skin lesions (multivariate odds ratio = 1.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.00–2.26). We observed significant interaction on the multiplicative scale between GSTT1 wildtype and secondary methylation ratio [dimethylarsinic acid/MMA; likelihood ratio test (LRT), p = 0.01]. No significant interactions were observed for GSTM1 or GSTP1 or for primary methylation ratios. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that increasing primary methylation ratios are associated with an increase in risk of arsenic-related skin lesions. The interaction between GSTT1 wildtype and secondary methylation ratio modifies risk of skin lesions among arsenic-exposed individuals

Generalist Versus Specialist Nurses\u27 Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavioral Intentions Toward Promoting Pulmonary Rehabilitation for Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Cross-Sectional Correlational Study

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an effective strategy to manage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), though its utilization rate is low. One reason for this low utilization rate is that nurses do not provide COPD patients with enough health education to increase the patient\u27s motivation for PR participation. This study examined knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intention toward PR promotion. The study also investigated the correlates of behavioral intentions to promote PR among pulmonary nurses. A cross-sectional correlational design was used. Overall, 284 nurses (all women) from chest medicine and general internal medicine wards in 3 hospitals within Midwest Taiwan were recruited. Data were collected by anonymous, self-administered questionnaires. We aimed to understand if there would be differences in the Chest Medicine and Generalist nurses on these outcomes, given the specialty versus generalist nature of their practice. Results were analyzed using multiple linear regressions. Although the 2 groups of nurses (ie, Chest Medicine, General Medicine) showed no differences in PR knowledge, attitudes, or behavioral intentions, they lacked sufficient PR knowledge and skills. The accuracy rate of PR knowledge was approximately 12% and self-evaluated PR skills were less than 50%. Self-efficacy in promoting PR was above average (ie, 57%–60%), and the strength of attitudes and behavioral intentions was over 70%. A multiple linear regression revealed that behavioral intentions of nurses working in the chest medicine ward were influenced by behavioral attitudes, and also PR skills and self-efficacy (explanatory power 33.3%). Attitudes, skills, and self-efficacy heavily affected pulmonary nurses’ ability to promote PR; however, PR knowledge and skills remain low. Therefore, future implementation of practical PR training courses is needed to strengthen nurses’ behavioral intentions toward PR promotion. Improved pulmonary rehabilitation-related skill, attitudes, clinical experience of PR programs, and/or practical PR training are needed among both generalist and specialist nurses. Education courses and clinical practice training should be increased in the future to promote pulmonary rehabilitation of COPD patients

Genetic polymorphisms in glutathione S-transferase (GST) superfamily and risk of arsenic-induced urothelial carcinoma in residents of southwestern Taiwan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Arsenic exposure is an important public health issue worldwide. Dose-response relationship between arsenic exposure and risk of urothelial carcinoma (UC) is consistently observed. Inorganic arsenic is methylated to form the metabolites monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid while ingested. Variations in capacity of xenobiotic detoxification and arsenic methylation might explain individual variation in susceptibility to arsenic-induced cancers.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To estimate individual susceptibility to arsenic-induced UC, 764 DNA specimens from our long-term follow-up cohort in Southwestern Taiwan were used and the genetic polymorphisms in GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1 and arsenic methylation enzymes including GSTO1 and GSTO2 were genotyped.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The GSTT1 null was marginally associated with increased urothelial carcinoma (UC) risk (HR, 1.91, 95% CI, 1.00-3.65), while the association was not observed for other GSTs. Among the subjects with cumulative arsenic exposure (CAE) ≥ 20 mg/L*year, the GSTT1 null genotype conferred a significantly increased cancer risk (RR, 3.25, 95% CI, 1.20-8.80). The gene-environment interaction between the GSTT1 and high arsenic exposure with respect to cancer risk was statistically significant (multiplicative model, <it>p </it>= 0.0151) and etiologic fraction was as high as 0.86 (95% CI, 0.51-1.22). The genetic effects of GSTO1/GSTO2 were largely confined to high arsenic level (CAE ≥ 20). Diplotype analysis showed that among subjects exposed to high levels of arsenic, the AGG/AGG variant of GSTO1 Ala140Asp, GSTO2 5'UTR (-183)A/G, and GSTO2 Asn142Asp was associated with an increased cancer risk (HRs, 4.91, 95% CI, 1.02-23.74) when compared to the all-wildtype reference, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The GSTs do not play a critical role in arsenic-induced urothelial carcinogenesis. The genetic effects of GSTT1 and GSTO1 on arsenic-induced urothelial carcinogenesis are largely confined to very high exposure level.</p