Precise Environmental Searches: Integrating Hierarchical Information Search with EnviroDaemon

Information retrieval has evolved from searches of references, to abstracts, to documents. Search on the Web involves search engines that promise to parse full-text and other files: audio, video, and multimedia. With the indexable Web at 320 million pages and growing, difficulties with locating relevant information have become apparent. The most prevalent means for information retrieval relies on syntax-based methods: keywords or strings of characters are presented to a search engine, and it returns all the matches in the available documents. This method is satisfactory and easy to implement, but it has some inherent limitations that make it unsuitable for many tasks. Instead of looking for syntactical patterns, the user often is interested in keyword meaning or the location of a particular word in a title or header. This paper describes some precise search approaches in the environmental domain that locate information according to syntactic criteria, augmented by the utilization of information in a certain context. The main emphasis of this paper lies in the treatment of structured knowledge, where essential aspects about the topic of interest are encoded not only by the individual items, but also by their relationships among each other. Examples for such structured knowledge are hypertext documents, diagrams, logical and chemical formulae. Benefits of this approach are enhanced precision and approximate search in an already focused, context-specific search engine for the environment: EnviroDaemon

Abundance and distribution of bacterioplankton in the Gambia River, West Africa

Four ecological zones of the Gambia River were sampled during four different hydrologic seasons for determination of microbial, nutrient, and physical parameters. A Greco-Latin Square experimental design was used to define the particular transect, station, depth, and tide/time-of-day of samples taken. Ranges of total bacterioplankton densities (10 6 cells/ml) were similar to those of tropical and temperate environments. Numbers of free bacteria were similar temporally, whereas attached bacteria numbers were greater during periods of high stream flows when suspended solids concentrations were higher. Free bacteria were usually twice as numerous in the freshwater zones than in the estuarine zones. Attached bacterial densities were approximately four times greater in the estuarine zones than in the freshwater zones. Uptake of 3 H-glucose on both a sample volume and per-cell basis increased from the early stages of the flood (6.95±SE 1.37 ng/liter/hour and 3.8 pg/hour/10 6 cells, respectively) and reached observed annual maximums during the dry season (21.01±SE 3.05 ng/ liter/hour and 13.0 pg/hour/10 6 cells, respectively). Spatially, 3 H-glucose uptake per sample volume and per cell was highest in the upper river zone and lowest in the lower estuary zone. The lower estuary zone consistently acted out of concert with the other river zones in terms of 3 H-glucose and 14 C-bicarbonate uptake. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that free and attached bacterioplankton densities were not homogeneous among transects, stations, depths, and tide/time-of-day at the different zones during the four hydrologic seasons. The results suggested that heterotrophy overshadowed autotrophy in the river and that the bacterial abundance, distribution, and glucose uptake activity in this tropical floodplain river were greatly influenced by the annual flood and the presence of extensive mangrove forests in the estuary.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/48111/1/248_2005_Article_BF02011701.pd

No weighting for healthy sustainable local planning: Evaluation of a participatory appraisal tool for rationality and inclusivity

This paper is concerned with the contribution that project, plan and policy appraisal can make to effective decision making when shaping a built environment that needs to respond to the demands of local voices and also concerns for global sustainability and for population well-being. It argues that effectiveness depends on appraisal processes being rational, based on sound science, and also inclusive, involving stakeholders and implementers. A particular problem in all respects is the widespread reliance of decision makers on methods that use weighting. Although these give the appearance of validity, authority and objectivity, the paper argues that such methods are not compatible with the key tenets of appraisal and decision making that can address the challenges of localism, sustainability, health and inclusion. The paper advocates and evaluates a new technique, SPECTRUM, trialled in practice, which has been developed to meet these challenges. Specific attention is paid to its role in the development of the award winning ICON housing scheme in the Houndwood development at Street in Somerset, England. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC

Ankyrin-B dysfunction predisposes to arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy and is amenable to therapy

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is an inherited arrhythmia syndrome characterized by severe structural and electrical cardiac phenotypes, including myocardial fibrofatty replacement and sudden cardiac death. Clinical management of ACM is largely palliative, owing to an absence of therapies that target its underlying pathophysiology, which stems partially from our limited insight into the condition. Following identification of deceased ACM probands possessing ANK2 rare variants and evidence of ankyrin-B loss of function on cardiac tissue analysis, an ANK2 mouse model was found to develop dramatic structural abnormalities reflective of human ACM, including biventricular dilation, reduced ejection fraction, cardiac fibrosis, and premature death. Desmosomal structure and function appeared preserved in diseased human and murine specimens in the presence of markedly abnormal \u3b2-catenin expression and patterning, leading to identification of a previously unknown interaction between ankyrin-B and \u3b2-catenin. A pharmacological activator of the WNT/\u3b2-catenin pathway, SB-216763, successfully prevented and partially reversed the murine ACM phenotypes. Our findings introduce what we believe to be a new pathway for ACM, a role of ankyrin-B in cardiac structure and signaling, a molecular link between ankyrin-B and \u3b2-catenin, and evidence for targeted activation of the WNT/\u3b2-catenin pathway as a potential treatment for this disease

Consumer-Led Screening for Atrial Fibrillation: Frontier Review of the AF-SCREEN International Collaboration.

The technological evolution and widespread availability of wearables and handheld ECG devices capable of screening for atrial fibrillation (AF), and their promotion directly to consumers, has focused attention of health care professionals and patient organizations on consumer-led AF screening. In this Frontiers review, members of the AF-SCREEN International Collaboration provide a critical appraisal of this rapidly evolving field to increase awareness of the complexities and uncertainties surrounding consumer-led AF screening. Although there are numerous commercially available devices directly marketed to consumers for AF monitoring and identification of unrecognized AF, health care professional-led randomized controlled studies using multiple ECG recordings or continuous ECG monitoring to detect AF have failed to demonstrate a significant reduction in stroke. Although it remains uncertain if consumer-led AF screening reduces stroke, it could increase early diagnosis of AF and facilitate an integrated approach, including appropriate anticoagulation, rate or rhythm management, and risk factor modification to reduce complications. Companies marketing AF screening devices should report the accuracy and performance of their products in high- and low-risk populations and avoid claims about clinical outcomes unless improvement is demonstrated in randomized clinical trials. Generally, the diagnostic yield of AF screening increases with the number, duration, and temporal dispersion of screening sessions, but the prognostic importance may be less than for AF detected by single-time point screening, which is largely permanent, persistent, or high-burden paroxysmal AF. Consumer-initiated ECG recordings suggesting possible AF always require confirmation by a health care professional experienced in ECG reading, whereas suspicion of AF on the basis of photoplethysmography must be confirmed with an ECG. Consumer-led AF screening is unlikely to be cost-effective for stroke prevention in the predominantly young, early adopters of this technology. Studies in older people at higher stroke risk are required to demonstrate both effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. The direct interaction between companies and consumers creates new regulatory gaps in relation to data privacy and the registration of consumer apps and devices. Although several barriers for optimal use of consumer-led screening exist, results of large, ongoing trials, powered to detect clinical outcomes, are required before health care professionals should support widespread adoption of consumer-led AF screening

The Changing Landscape for Stroke\ua0Prevention in AF: Findings From the GLORIA-AF Registry Phase 2

Background GLORIA-AF (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation) is a prospective, global registry program describing antithrombotic treatment patterns in patients with newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke. Phase 2 began when dabigatran, the first non\u2013vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC), became available. Objectives This study sought to describe phase 2 baseline data and compare these with the pre-NOAC era collected during phase 1. Methods During phase 2, 15,641 consenting patients were enrolled (November 2011 to December 2014); 15,092 were eligible. This pre-specified cross-sectional analysis describes eligible patients\u2019 baseline characteristics. Atrial fibrillation disease characteristics, medical outcomes, and concomitant diseases and medications were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the total patients, 45.5% were female; median age was 71 (interquartile range: 64, 78) years. Patients were from Europe (47.1%), North America (22.5%), Asia (20.3%), Latin America (6.0%), and the Middle East/Africa (4.0%). Most had high stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc [Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age  6575 years, Diabetes mellitus, previous Stroke, Vascular disease, Age 65 to 74 years, Sex category] score  652; 86.1%); 13.9% had moderate risk (CHA2DS2-VASc = 1). Overall, 79.9% received oral anticoagulants, of whom 47.6% received NOAC and 32.3% vitamin K antagonists (VKA); 12.1% received antiplatelet agents; 7.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. For comparison, the proportion of phase 1 patients (of N = 1,063 all eligible) prescribed VKA was 32.8%, acetylsalicylic acid 41.7%, and no therapy 20.2%. In Europe in phase 2, treatment with NOAC was more common than VKA (52.3% and 37.8%, respectively); 6.0% of patients received antiplatelet treatment; and 3.8% received no antithrombotic treatment. In North America, 52.1%, 26.2%, and 14.0% of patients received NOAC, VKA, and antiplatelet drugs, respectively; 7.5% received no antithrombotic treatment. NOAC use was less common in Asia (27.7%), where 27.5% of patients received VKA, 25.0% antiplatelet drugs, and 19.8% no antithrombotic treatment. Conclusions The baseline data from GLORIA-AF phase 2 demonstrate that in newly diagnosed nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients, NOAC have been highly adopted into practice, becoming more frequently prescribed than VKA in Europe and North America. Worldwide, however, a large proportion of patients remain undertreated, particularly in Asia and North America. (Global Registry on Long-Term Oral Antithrombotic Treatment in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation [GLORIA-AF]; NCT01468701

Green Manufacturing of Ammunition through Knowledge Management with Distributed Access

This paper describes a distributed software requirements gathering methodology dealing with knowledge management for environmentally safer production and lifecycle aspects of tank ammunition. A requirements elicitation methodology is adapted and implemented as a distributed access tool on the Internet. This tool is used for gathering the requirements related information for a specific ammunition production process. During product development, requirements negotiation is the process where the customer needs are identified. This process is regarded as one of the most important parts of building a system because during this stage it is decided precisely what will be built. The concept has been extended from software centered systems to manufacturing processes, and also towards higher level concerns such as environmental awareness to be represented in the requirements of the product or system. The knowledge about what to build develops and evolves as a result of a collaborative requirement entry by different types of users and developer

CNS Involvement in a Patient with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Inspite of medication compliance, some chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients will relapse/progress into an accelerated phase or blast crisis. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is a rare manifestation of such a relapse. Here, we report a case of 23-year-old female who was diagnosed with CML in the accelerated phase and subsequently treated with imatinib. She developed early relapse in her CNS, and her treatment was switched to dasatinib and intrathecal chemotherapy with cytarabine and methotrexate. Her CNS disease went into remission, and she underwent matched unrelated donor (MUD) hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). We discuss various mechanisms of treatment failure, importance of vigilance for symptoms and signs of treatment failure/relapse, indications for use of different tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and management of blast crises in CML