On Minimizing Crossings in Storyline Visualizations

In a storyline visualization, we visualize a collection of interacting characters (e.g., in a movie, play, etc.) by $x$-monotone curves that converge for each interaction, and diverge otherwise. Given a storyline with $n$ characters, we show tight lower and upper bounds on the number of crossings required in any storyline visualization for a restricted case. In particular, we show that if (1) each meeting consists of exactly two characters and (2) the meetings can be modeled as a tree, then we can always find a storyline visualization with $O(n\log n)$ crossings. Furthermore, we show that there exist storylines in this restricted case that require $\Omega(n\log n)$ crossings. Lastly, we show that, in the general case, minimizing the number of crossings in a storyline visualization is fixed-parameter tractable, when parameterized on the number of characters $k$. Our algorithm runs in time $O(k!^2k\log k + k!^2m)$, where $m$ is the number of meetings.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. To appear at the 23rd International Symposium on Graph Drawing and Network Visualization (GD 2015

Genetic study of congenital bile-duct dilatation identifies de novo and inherited variants in functionally related genes

published_or_final_versio

Etanercept and Methotrexate as Monotherapy or in Combination for Psoriatic Arthritis: Primary Results From a Randomized, Controlled Phase III Trial

Objective: To examine the efficacy of methotrexate monotherapy relative to etanercept monotherapy and the value of combining methotrexate and etanercept for the treatment of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Methods: In this double‐blind study, 851 patients with PsA were randomized to 1 of 3 treatment arms, as follows: oral methotrexate (20 mg) plus subcutaneous placebo given weekly (n = 284), subcutaneous etanercept (50 mg) plus oral placebo given weekly (n = 284), or subcutaneous etanercept (50 mg) plus oral methotrexate (20 mg) given weekly (combination therapy; n = 283). The American College of Rheumatology 20% improvement (ACR20) response and Minimal Disease Activity (MDA) response at week 24 were the primary end point and key secondary end point, respectively. Other measures of inflammatory arthritis, radiographic progression, and nonarticular disease manifestations were also assessed. Results: Patients with PsA had a mean ± SD age of 48.4 ± 13.1 years, and the mean ± SD duration of PsA was 3.2 ± 6.3 years (median 0.6 years). ACR20 and MDA response rates at week 24 were significantly greater in patients who received etanercept monotherapy compared with those who received methotrexate monotherapy (ACR20, 60.9% versus 50.7% of patients [P = 0.029]; MDA, 35.9% versus 22.9% of patients [P = 0.005]), and both were significantly greater in the combination therapy group compared with the methotrexate monotherapy group at week 24 (ACR20, 65.0% versus 50.7% of patients [P = 0.005]; MDA, 35.7% versus 22.9% of patients [P = 0.005]). Other secondary outcomes (ACR50 and ACR70 response rates, proportions of patients achieving a Very Low Disease Activity score, and PsA disease activity scores) showed between‐group differences that were consistent with the primary and key secondary end point results. Furthermore, patients in both etanercept treatment arms showed less radiographic progression at week 48 compared with patients who received methotrexate monotherapy. Outcomes were similar in the combination therapy and etanercept monotherapy groups, except for some skin end points. No new safety signals were seen. Conclusion: Etanercept monotherapy and combination therapy with etanercept and methotrexate showed greater efficacy than methotrexate monotherapy in patients with PsA, according to the ACR and MDA response rates and extent of radiographic progression at follow‐up. Overall, combining methotrexate and etanercept did not improve the efficacy of etanercept

Оценивание финансово-экономической безопасности предприятий молокоперерабатывающей отрасли

The essence of the concept “financial and economic security of the enterprise” is covered. Methodological approaches to the enterprise financial and economic security evaluation are considered, enabling the method of index numberrating score of the enterprise financial and economic security to be found. Dynamics of milk anddairy production in Ukraine has been studied. Ukrainian regions leading in liquid processed milk production have been identified. Dynamics of milk and dairy production per man has been analyzed which allowed to find out the annual increase in demand per man. Integrated index of the dairy enterprise financial and economic security has been evaluated. As a result, the ways to increase the managerial efficiency of financial and economic security of the following enterprises:PJSC "Dubnomoloko", PJSC "Kupyans'ki milk canning plant", PJSC the "Yagotyns'ki creamery", PJSC the "Pervomais'ki milk canning plant" are offered.У статті розкрито сутність поняття фінансово-економічної безпеки підприємства. Розглянуто методичні підходи щодо оцінювання фінансово-економічної безпеки підприємства, що дозволило виявити підхід рейтингової оцінки показника фінансово-економічної безпеки підприємства. Досліджено динаміку виробництва молока та молочних продуктів України. Виявити області України, які є лідерами з виробництва молока рідкого обробленого. Проаналізовано динаміку виробництва молока та молочних продуктів на одну особу, що дозволило встановити щорічне зростання попиту на одну особу. Визначено підприємства молокопереробної галузі. Проведено оцінку інтегрального показника фінансово-економічної безпеки підприємств молокопереробної галузі. За результатами оцінки запропоновано шляхи підвищення ефективності управління фінансово-економічної безпеки таких підприємств, як: ПАТ «Дубномолоко», ПАТ «Куп’янський молочноконсервний комбінат», ПАТ «Яготинський маслозавод», ПАТ «Первомайський молочноконсервний комбінат».В статье раскрыто сущность понятия финансово-экономическая безопасность предприятия. Рассмотрено методические подходы относительно оценивания финансово-экономической безопасности предприятия, что позволило выявить поход рейтинговой оценки показателя финансово-экономической безопасности предприятия. Исследовано динамику производства молока и молочных продуктов Украины. Выявлены области Украины, которые являются лидерами по производству молока жидкого обработанного. Проанализировано динамику производства молока и молочных продуктов на одного человека, что позволило установить ежегодный рост спроса на одного человека. Определены предприятия молокоперерабатывающей отрасли. Проведена оценка интегрального показателя финансово-экономической безопасности предприятий молокоперерабатывающей отрасли. По результатам оценки предложены пути повышения эффективности управления финансово-экономической безопасности таких предприятий, как: ПАО «Дубномолоко», ПАО «Купянский молочноконсервный комбинат», ПАО «Яготинский маслозавод», ПАО «Первомайский молочноконсервный комбинат»

HRS white paper on clinical utilization of digital health technology.

This collaborative statement from the Digital Health Committee of the Heart Rhythm Society provides everyday clinical scenarios in which wearables may be utilized by patients for cardiovascular health and arrhythmia management. We describe herein the spectrum of wearables that are commercially available for patients, and their benefits, shortcomings and areas for technological improvement. Although wearables for rhythm diagnosis and management have not been examined in large randomized clinical trials, undoubtedly the usage of wearables has quickly escalated in clinical practice. This document is the first of a planned series in which we will update information on wearables as they are revised and released to consumers

Macrophage-derived human resistin is induced in multiple helminth infections and promotes inflammatory monocytes and increased parasite burden.

Parasitic helminth infections can be associated with lifelong morbidity such as immune-mediated organ failure. A better understanding of the host immune response to helminths could provide new avenues to promote parasite clearance and/or alleviate infection-associated morbidity. Murine resistin-like molecules (RELM) exhibit pleiotropic functions following helminth infection including modulating the host immune response; however, the relevance of human RELM proteins in helminth infection is unknown. To examine the function of human resistin (hResistin), we utilized transgenic mice expressing the human resistin gene (hRetnTg+). Following infection with the helminth Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (Nb), hResistin expression was significantly upregulated in infected tissue. Compared to control hRetnTg- mice, hRetnTg+ mice suffered from exacerbated Nb-induced inflammation characterized by weight loss and increased infiltration of inflammatory monocytes in the lung, along with elevated Nb egg burdens and delayed parasite expulsion. Genome-wide transcriptional profiling of the infected tissue revealed that hResistin promoted expression of proinflammatory cytokines and genes downstream of toll-like receptor signaling. Moreover, hResistin preferentially bound lung monocytes, and exogenous treatment of mice with recombinant hResistin promoted monocyte recruitment and proinflammatory cytokine expression. In human studies, increased serum resistin was associated with higher parasite load in individuals infected with soil-transmitted helminths or filarial nematode Wuchereria bancrofti, and was positively correlated with proinflammatory cytokines. Together, these studies identify human resistin as a detrimental factor induced by multiple helminth infections, where it promotes proinflammatory cytokines and impedes parasite clearance. Targeting the resistin/proinflammatory cytokine immune axis may provide new diagnostic or treatment strategies for helminth infection and associated immune-mediated pathology

Letter processing and font information during reading: beyond distinctiveness, where vision meets design

Letter identification is a critical front end of the reading process. In general, conceptualizations of the identification process have emphasized arbitrary sets of distinctive features. However, a richer view of letter processing incorporates principles from the field of type design, including an emphasis on uniformities across letters within a font. The importance of uniformities is supported by a small body of research indicating that consistency of font increases letter identification efficiency. We review design concepts and the relevant literature, with the goal of stimulating further thinking about letter processing during reading

Fabrication and characterization of Ni-Ce-Zr ternary disk-shaped catalyst and its application for low-temperature CO2 methanation

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd This study optimized a Ni-Ce-Zr catalyst and its contents for a CO2 methanation reaction by selecting a disk shape with a high mechanical strength, good durability, and thermal emission resistance. The physical and chemical properties of the obtained catalysts were determined by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction, and temperature-programmed desorption of CO2 analyses. In addition, the activity and stability of the obtained catalysts were then evaluated and compared. It was determined that the combined Ni-Ce-Zr catalyst positively affects the conversion of CO2 to CH4. Furthermore, a CO2 methanation experiment was performed under atmospheric pressure conditions at 200–350 °C. The CO2 conversion was 82% at 300 °C, and the CH4 selectivity was 100%. A durability test revealed a difference in the conversion of approximately 6% for 1000 h, which indicates that the catalytic performance was maintained for a significant period

Male reproductive health and environmental xenoestrogens

EHP is a publication of the U.S. government. Publication of EHP lies in the public domain and is therefore without copyright. Research articles from EHP may be used freely; however, articles from the News section of EHP may contain photographs or figures copyrighted by other commercial organizations and individuals that may not be used without obtaining prior approval from both the EHP editors and the holder of the copyright. Use of any materials published in EHP should be acknowledged (for example, "Reproduced with permission from Environmental Health Perspectives") and a reference provided for the article from which the material was reproduced.Male reproductive health has deteriorated in many countries during the last few decades. In the 1990s, declining semen quality has been reported from Belgium, Denmark, France, and Great Britain. The incidence of testicular cancer has increased during the same time incidences of hypospadias and cryptorchidism also appear to be increasing. Similar reproductive problems occur in many wildlife species. There are marked geographic differences in the prevalence of male reproductive disorders. While the reasons for these differences are currently unknown, both clinical and laboratory research suggest that the adverse changes may be inter-related and have a common origin in fetal life or childhood. Exposure of the male fetus to supranormal levels of estrogens, such as diethlylstilbestrol, can result in the above-mentioned reproductive defects. The growing number of reports demonstrating that common environmental contaminants and natural factors possess estrogenic activity presents the working hypothesis that the adverse trends in male reproductive health may be, at least in part, associated with exposure to estrogenic or other hormonally active (e.g., antiandrogenic) environmental chemicals during fetal and childhood development. An extensive research program is needed to understand the extent of the problem, its underlying etiology, and the development of a strategy for prevention and intervention.Supported by EU Contract BMH4-CT96-0314