Feat-SKSJ: Fast and Exact Algorithm for Top-k Spatial-Keyword Similarity Join

Due to the proliferation of GPS-enabled mobile devices and IoT environments, location-based services are generating a large number of objects that contain both spatial and keyword information, and spatial-keyword databases are receiving much attention. This paper addresses the problem of top-k spatial-keyword similarity join, which outputs k object pairs with the highest similarity. This query is a primitive operator for important applications, including duplicate detection, recommendation, and clustering. The main bottleneck of the top-k spatial-keyword similarity join is to compute the similarity of a given object pair. To avoid this computation as much as possible, a state-of-the-art algorithm utilizes a filter that can skip the exact similarity computation of a given pair. However, this algorithm suffers from a loose threshold at the first stage, a high filtering cost, and the impossibility of filtering many pairs in a batch. We propose Feat-SKSJ, which removes these drawbacks and quickly outputs the exact result. Extensive experiments on real datasets show that Feat-SKSJ is significantly faster than the state-of-the-art algorithm

Ectopic Varices Rupture in the Gastroduodenal Anastomosis Successfully Treated with N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate Injection

The term &#34;ectopic varices&#34; is used to describe dilated portosystemic collateral veins in unusual locations other than the gastroesophageal region. We recently experienced a rare case of ectopic varices that developed in the gastroduodenal anastomosis after subtotal gastrectomy. A 70-year-old male with liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus infection was admitted for hematemesis and tarry stool. He had received a subtotal gastrectomy with the Billroth-I method for gastric ulcer at 46 years of age. Although emergency endoscopy revealed esophageal and gastric fundal varices, there were no obvious bleeding points. After removal of the coagula, ectopic varices and a fibrin plug were observed on the gastroduodenal anastomosis. During the observation, blood began to spurt from the fibrin plug. N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate with lipiodol injection succeeded in hemostasis. Splenic angiography showed gastric varices feeding from a short gastric vein and the posterior gastric vein. The blood flow around the bleeding point, as indicated by lipiodol deposition, had decreased, and no feeding vein was observed. Endoscopic and angiographic findings are shown and the treatment for such lesions is discussed.</p

Striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) exploit food sources across anaerobic decomposition- and primary photosynthetic production-based food chains

Dietary information from aquatic organisms is instrumental in predicting biological interactions and understanding ecosystem functionality. In freshwater habitats, generalist fish species can access a diverse array of food sources from multiple food chains. These may include primary photosynthetic production and detritus derived from both oxic and anoxic decomposition. However, the exploitation of anoxic decomposition products by fish remains insufficiently explored. This study examines feeding habits of striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) at both adult and juvenile stages within a tropical reservoir, using stable carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotope ratios (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and δ³⁴S, respectively) and fatty acid (FA) analyses. The adult catfish exhibited higher δ¹⁵N values compared to primary consumers that feed on primary photosynthetic producers, which suggests ingestion of food sources originating from primary photosynthetic production-based food chains. On the other hand, juvenile catfish demonstrated lower δ¹⁵N values than primary consumers, correlating with low δ³⁴S value and large proportions of bacterial FA but contained small proportions of polyunsaturated FA. This implies that juveniles utilize food sources from both anoxic decomposition and primary photosynthetic production-based food chains. Our results indicate that food chains based on anoxic decomposition can indeed contribute to the dietary sources of tropical fish species

Ice-binding proteins from the fungus Antarctomyces psychrotrophicus possibly originate from two different bacteria through horizontal gene transfer

Various microbes, including fungi and bacteria, that live in cold environments produce ice-binding proteins (IBPs) that protect them from freezing. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota are two major phyla of fungi, and Antarctomyces psychrotrophicus is currently designated as the sole ascomycete that produces IBP (AnpIBP). However, its complete amino acid sequence, ice-binding property, and evolutionary history have not yet been clarified. Here, we determined the peptide sequences of three new AnpIBP isoforms by total cDNA analysis and compared them with those of other microbial IBPs. The AnpIBP isoforms and ascomycete-putative IBPs were found to be phylogenetically close to the bacterial ones but far from the basidiomycete ones, which is supported by the higher sequence identities to bacterial IBPs than basidiomycete IBPs, although ascomycetes are phylogenetically distant from bacteria. In addition, two of the isoforms of AnpIBP share low sequence identity and are not close in the phylogenetic tree. It is hence presumable that these two AnpIBP isoforms were independently acquired from different bacteria through horizontal gene transfer (HGT), which implies that ascomycetes and bacteria frequently exchange their IBP genes. The non-colligative freezing-point depression ability of AnpIBP was not very high, whereas it exhibited significant abilities of ice recrystallization inhibition, ice shaping, and cryo-protection against freeze-thaw cycles even at submicromolar concentrations. These results suggest that HGT is crucial for the cold-adaptive evolution of ascomycetes, and their IBPs offer freeze resistance to organisms to enable them to inhabit the icy environments of Antarctica. Databases Nucleotide sequence data are available in the DDBJ database under the accession numbers , , for AnpIBP1a, AnpIBP1b, AnpIBP2, respectively

Feat-SKSJ: Fast and Exact Algorithm for Top-k Spatial-Keyword Similarity Join

Due to the proliferation of GPS-enabled mobile devices and IoT environments, location-based services are generating a large number of objects that contain both spatial and keyword information, and spatial-keyword databases are receiving much attention. This paper addresses the problem of top-k spatial-keyword similarity join, which outputs k object pairs with the highest similarity. This query is a primitive operator for important applications, including duplicate detection, recommendation, and clustering. The main bottleneck of the top-k spatial-keyword similarity join is to compute the similarity of a given object pair. To avoid this computation as much as possible, a state-of-the-art algorithm utilizes a filter that can skip the exact similarity computation of a given pair. However, this algorithm suffers from a loose threshold at the first stage, a high filtering cost, and the impossibility of filtering many pairs in a batch. We propose Feat-SKSJ, which removes these drawbacks and quickly outputs the exact result. Extensive experiments on real datasets show that Feat-SKSJ is significantly faster than the state-of-the-art algorithm

Influence of technique used to attach the infusion set to peristaltic finger smart-pumps on dispensing time: an experimental study

Abstract Background Infusion sets designed for peristaltic finger smart pumps (PFSPs) are necessary for the pumps’ accurate handling. We previously found that medication dispensing is occasionally incomplete following the calculated infusion time when using certain combinations of PFSPs and infusion sets at a Japanese hospital. Thus, in this study, we investigated the cause of this observed delay by determining the effect of infusion set attachment technique on dispensing time using a combination of three kinds of PFSPs and five kinds of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polybutadiene (PB) infusion sets. Methods PFSPs with their exclusive infusion sets were used. The PVC and PB infusion sets were either not stretched or stretched to 1–3 cm and attached to the PFSP’s liquid delivery system. PFSP dispensing rates were set at 25–400 mL/h. The primary outcome was the time required to dispense 100 mL of saline in a volumetric flask. Results The complete dispensing time correlated with the input time for all equipment combinations when the infusion sets were not stretched before attachment to the PFSP (R2 = 0.9998–1.0000). When stretched, the complete dispensing time was longer than the input time (P < 0.01–0.05, analysis of variance with Tukey-Kramer multiple comparisons). The maximum dispensing time extension ratio for the PVC and PB infusion sets was 141.8% and 113.0%, respectively. Conclusion Certain attachment techniques for infusion sets can adversely prolong drug dispensing time. As such, pharmacists should provide medical staff with information about the devices used to administer drugs, as well as about the drugs themselves

Polypentagonal ice-like water networks emerge solely in an activity-improved variant of ice-binding protein

Polypentagonal water networks were recently observed in a protein capable of binding to ice crystals, or ice-binding protein (IBP). To examine such water networks and clarify their role in ice-binding, we determined X-ray crystal structures of a 65-residue defective isoform of a Zoarcidae-derived IBP (wild type, WT) and its five single mutants (A20L, A20G, A20T, A20V, and A20I). Polypentagonal water networks composed of similar to 50 semiclathrate waters were observed solely on the strongest A20I mutant, which appeared to include a tetrahedral water cluster exhibiting a perfect position match to the (1010) first prism plane of a single ice crystal. Inclusion of another symmetrical water cluster in the poly-pentagonal network showed a perfect complementarity to the waters constructing the (2021) pyramidal ice plane. The order of ice-binding strength was A20L < A20G < WT < A20T < A20V < A20I, where the top three mutants capable of binding to the first prism and the pyramidal ice planes commonly contained a bifurcated gamma-CH3 group. These results suggest that a fine-tuning of the surface of Zoarcidae-derived IBP assisted by a side-chain group regulates the holding property of its polypentagonal water network, the function of which is to freeze the host protein to specific ice planes