Reasoning in inconsistent prioritized knowledge bases: an argumentative approach

A study of query answering in prioritized ontological knowledge bases (KBs) has received attention in recent years. While several semantics of query answering have been proposed and their complexity is rather well-understood, the problem of explaining inconsistency-tolerant query answers has paid less attention. Explaining query answers permits users to understand not only what is entailed or not entailed by an inconsistent DL-LiteR KBs in the presence of priority, but also why. We, therefore, concern with the use of argumentation frameworks to allow users to better understand explanation techniques of querying answers over inconsistent DL-LiteR KBs in the presence of priority. More specifically, we propose a new variant of Dung’s argumentation frameworks, which corresponds to a given inconsistent DL-LiteR KB. We clarify a close relation between preferred subtheories adopted in such prioritized DL-LiteR setting and acceptable semantics of the corresponding argumentation framework. The significant result paves the way for applying algorithms and proof theories to establish preferred subtheories inferences in prioritized DL-LiteR KBs

Applying calcium fluoride and silica particles: A solution to improve color homogeneity of pc-WLEDS

This article focuses on enhancing the lighting efficiency of pc-WLEDs, a new and advanced lighting solution that has received lots of attention. To adapt to the demand of modern lighting, the lighting performance of pc-WLEDs must be improved, especially the color homogeneity and luminous flux, two of the most important quality indicators of pc-WLEDs. Through experiments, this article proposes using the scattering enhancement particles (SEPs) such as CaF2 and SiO2 with yellow phosphor Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ in pc-WLEDs configuration. The pc-WLEDs model is created by using the LightTools program and set at 8500 K correlated color temperature, while the experimental results yielded from this simulation will be verified by Mie-scattering theory. The information from this article reveals the scattering coefficients of SEPs at 455 nm and 595 nm wavelengths. Moreover, it is confirmed that the employment of CaF2 is effective in promoting the color but may damage the luminous efficiency if the concentration is too high while the SEP material, SiO2, exhibits high luminous efficiency at all concentration

Infection status and molecular identification of digenean cercariae in snails in Kim Son district, Ninh Binh Province and Ba Vi district, Ha Noi

In this study, the molecular method was used to identify digenean cercariae from freshwater snails in Kim Son District (Ninh Binh Province) and Ba Vi District Ha Noi. A total of 9 snail species were collected and examined for cercarial infection. Three snail species (Radix swinhoei, Angulyagra polyzonata and Pomacea canaliculata) were not infected, while the other 6 species (Austropeplea viridis, Gyraulus convexiusculus, Parafossarulus striatulus, Bithynia fuchsiana, Melanoides tuberculata and Tarebia granifera) were infected with digenean cercariae at low infection rates, ranging from 2.3% to 6.3%. Seven cercarial groups were identified: Echinostome, Monostome, Parapleurophocercaria, Xiphidiocercaria, Fucocercaria, Gymnocephalous and Megalurous. Snails M. tuberculata and P. striatulus were infected with 4 cercarial groups, A. viridis and G. convexiusculus snails were infected with 2 groups, 2 snail species B. fuchsiana and T. granifera were infected with one group of cercaria. The results of ITS2 sequences analyses of the cercarial groups identified the larvae of 9 trematode species, namely Echinostoma revolutum, Echinochasmus japonicus, Notocotylus intestinalis, Philophthalmus gralli, Haplorchis pumilio, Procerovum cheni, Fasciola gigantica, Australapatemon burti and Cyathocotyle prussica. Among them the last three species, P. cheni, A. burti and C. prussica, were found for the first time in Vietnam. In addition, the ITS-2 sequence of Gymnocephalous cercariae which was previously identified as Sphaeridiotrema monorchis, from P. striatulus snail was 97% similar to that of Sphaeridiotrema pseudoglobulus. Likewise, ITS-2 sequence of Echinostome cercaria from B. fuchsiana snail was 93% similar to that of E. japonicus and that of Xiphidiocercaria cercaria from M. tuberculata snail was 93% similar to Lecithodendrium spathulatum.

MỐI QUAN HỆ DI TRUYỀN CỦA MỘT SỐ QUẦN THỂ CHIM YẾN SỐNG NGOÀI ĐẢO VÀ TRONG ĐẤT LIỀN Ở VIỆT NAM

Edible-nest Swiftlets (A. fuciphagus) create nests using their solidified saliva. The nests have long been harvested because of their high economic value. This research addresses the phylogenetic relationships of several bird populations in Vietnam based on a portion of the cytochrome b gene with 606bp in length. Phylogenetic analyses show that populations inhabiting islands and mainland belong to different subspecies of A. fuciphagus. Wild swiftlets on islands are assigned to subspecies A. f. germani, while house swiftlets (birds on mainland) are recovered as A. f. amechanus with mean genetic divergence of 1.9%. There are some specific sites for nucleotide substitutions between the two groups (group resident on islands and mainland, respectively): 36 (C-T), 93 (G-C), 96 (C-T), 117 (T-C), 306 (G-A), 468 (G-A), 489 (A-G), 531 (T-C). Our results suggest that the recently recorded house swiftlet populations (subspecies A. f. amechanus) in Vietnam are probably originated from the southern region of Southeast Asia. We recommend that future studies should include nuclear genes (chromosome genes) to evaluate cross-hybrid between the populations.TÓM TẮT Chim yến (Aerodramus fuciphagus) hiện là loài chim có khả năng tạo ra tổ chim hoàn toàn bằng nước bọt được con người khai thác với giá trị kinh tế cao. Các loài trong giống Aerodramus thuộc nhóm chim bay liên tục và rất khó phân biệt về hình thái. Những năm gần đây, số lượng chim yến làm tổ trong nhà yến ở đất liền ngày một gia tăng trải rộng các tỉnh ven biển từ Cà Mau ra tận Thanh Hóa. Phân tích trình tự một phần gen cytochrome b với chiều dài 606bp cho thấy các quần thể chim yến cư trú ngoài đảo (chim yến đảo) thuộc phân loài Aerodramus fuciphagus germani và chim yến làm tổ trong nhà ở đất liền (chim yến nhà) thuộc phân loài A. f. amechanus, vì giữa chúng có sự khác biệt về di truyền trung bình khá cao, tới 1,9%. So sánh phân tích di truyền cho thấy quần thể yến nhà A.f.amechanus ở nước ta được hình thành chủ yếu từ các quần thể chim yến khác nhau ở Thái Lan và Malaysia di cư đến trong khoảng hơn một thập kỉ qua

Urinary catecholamine excretion, cardiovascular variability, and outcomes in tetanus

Severe tetanus is characterized by muscle spasm and cardiovascular system disturbance. The pathophysiology of muscle spasm is relatively well understood and involves inhibition of central inhibitory synapses by tetanus toxin. That of cardiovascular disturbance is less clear, but is believed to relate to disinhibition of the autonomic nervous system. The clinical syndrome of autonomic nervous system dysfunction (ANSD) seen in severe tetanus is characterized principally by changes in heart rate and blood pressure which have been linked to increased circulating catecholamines. Previous studies have described varying relationships between catecholamines and signs of ANSD in tetanus, but are limited by confounders and assays used. In this study, we aimed to perform detailed characterization of the relationship between catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline), cardiovascular parameters (heart rate and blood pressure) and clinical outcomes (ANSD, mechanical ventilation required, and length of intensive care unit stay) in adults with tetanus, as well as examine whether intrathecal antitoxin administration affected subsequent catecholamine excretion. Noradrenaline and adrenaline were measured by ELISA from 24-h urine collections taken on day 5 of hospitalization in 272 patients enrolled in a 2 × 2 factorial-blinded randomized controlled trial in a Vietnamese hospital. Catecholamine results measured from 263 patients were available for analysis. After adjustment for potential confounders (i.e., age, sex, intervention treatment, and medications), there were indications of non-linear relationships between urinary catecholamines and heart rate. Adrenaline and noradrenaline were associated with subsequent development of ANSD, and length of ICU stay

Host Transcription Profile in Nasal Epithelium and Whole Blood of Hospitalized Children Under 2 Years of Age With Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection.

BACKGROUND: Most insights into the cascade of immune events after acute respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection have been obtained from animal experiments or in vitro models. METHODS: In this study, we investigated host gene expression profiles in nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs and whole blood samples during natural RSV and rhinovirus (hRV) infection (acute versus early recovery phase) in 83 hospitalized patients <2 years old with lower respiratory tract infections. RESULTS: Respiratory syncytial virus infection induced strong and persistent innate immune responses including interferon signaling and pathways related to chemokine/cytokine signaling in both compartments. Interferon-α/β, NOTCH1 signaling pathways and potential biomarkers HIST1H4E, IL7R, ISG15 in NP samples, or BCL6, HIST2H2AC, CCNA1 in blood are leading pathways and hub genes that were associated with both RSV load and severity. The observed RSV-induced gene expression patterns did not differ significantly in NP swab and blood specimens. In contrast, hRV infection did not as strongly induce expression of innate immunity pathways, and significant differences were observed between NP swab and blood specimens. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that RSV induced strong and persistent innate immune responses and that RSV severity may be related to development of T follicular helper cells and antiviral inflammatory sequelae derived from high activation of BCL6

Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke