Distributed Formal Concept Analysis Algorithms Based on an Iterative MapReduce Framework

While many existing formal concept analysis algorithms are efficient, they are typically unsuitable for distributed implementation. Taking the MapReduce (MR) framework as our inspiration we introduce a distributed approach for performing formal concept mining. Our method has its novelty in that we use a light-weight MapReduce runtime called Twister which is better suited to iterative algorithms than recent distributed approaches. First, we describe the theoretical foundations underpinning our distributed formal concept analysis approach. Second, we provide a representative exemplar of how a classic centralized algorithm can be implemented in a distributed fashion using our methodology: we modify Ganter's classic algorithm by introducing a family of MR* algorithms, namely MRGanter and MRGanter+ where the prefix denotes the algorithm's lineage. To evaluate the factors that impact distributed algorithm performance, we compare our MR* algorithms with the state-of-the-art. Experiments conducted on real datasets demonstrate that MRGanter+ is efficient, scalable and an appealing algorithm for distributed problems.Comment: 17 pages, ICFCA 201, Formal Concept Analysis 201

Identification and Characterization of Genes Involved in Leishmania Pathogenesis: The Potential for Drug Target Selection

Identifying and characterizing Leishmania donovani genes and the proteins they encode for their role in pathogenesis can reveal the value of this approach for finding new drug targets. Effective drug targets are likely to be proteins differentially expressed or required in the amastigote life cycle stage found in the patient. Several examples and their potential for chemotherapeutic disruption are presented. A pathway nearly ubiquitous in living cells targeted by anticancer drugs, the ubiquitin system, is examined. New findings in ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like modifiers in Leishmania show how disruption of those pathways could point to additional drug targets. The programmed cell death pathway, now recognized among protozoan parasites, is reviewed for some of its components and evidence that suggests they could be targeted for antiparasitic drug therapy. Finally, the endoplasmic reticulum quality control system is involved in secretion of many virulence factors. How disruptions in this pathway reduce virulence as evidence for potential drug targets is presented

Firm quality or market sentiment : what matters more for IPO investors?

This paper investigates the investment decisions of IPO investors when equipped with information on both the quality of the firm and the market sentiment. Unique regulatory provisions allow IPO investors in India to have access to the independent assessment of firm quality and information on the participation of other investors, including institutional investors. At the same time, an active grey market reveals market sentiment before the application for subscription is closed. The results, which are robust to alternative model specifications, suggest that the institutional investors' decision is guided almost exclusively by firm quality while the retail investors' decision to participate in IPOs is strongly influenced by market sentiment, even in a highly transparent market where both sets of information are freely available

Immunity to Visceral Leishmaniasis Using Genetically Defined Live-Attenuated Parasites

Leishmaniasis is a protozoan parasitic disease endemic to the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, with three major clinical forms, self-healing cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL), and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Drug treatments are expensive and often result in the development of drug resistance. No vaccine is available against leishmaniasis. Subunit Leishmania vaccine immunization in animal models has shown some efficacy but little or none in humans. However, individuals who recover from natural infection are protected from reinfection and develop life-long protection, suggesting that infection may be a prerequisite for immunological memory. Thus, genetically altered live-attenuated parasites with controlled infectivity could achieve such memory. In this paper, we discuss development and characteristics of genetically altered, live-attenuated Leishmania donovani parasites and their possible use as vaccine candidates against VL. In addition, we discuss the challenges and other considerations in the use of live-attenuated parasites

Return to sport and re-tears after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in children and adolescents

BACKGROUND: The primary objective of this study was to determine the time to and level of return to sports after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in children and adolescents. The secondary objectives were to evaluate the risk of early ACL re-tear after return to sports and the risk of ACL tear in the contralateral knee. HYPOTHESIS: The time to return to sports in young patients is considerably longer than in adults. METHODS: A prospective multicentre study was conducted at 12 centres specialised in knee ligament surgery, in children and adolescents younger than 18 years, between 1 January 2015 and 31 October 2015. The patients were divided into a paediatric group with open physes and a skeletally mature group with closed physes. We recorded the time to return to sport, the type of sport resumed, and the occurrence of early re-tears on the same side. A poor outcome was defined as a re-tear or an objective IKDC score of C or D. A contralateral ACL tear was not considered a poor outcome. RESULTS: Of 278 included patients, 100 had open physes and 178 closed physes. In the open physes group, return to running occurred after 10.4±4.7 months, return to pivoting/contact sport training after 13.1±3.9 months, and return to pivoting/contact sport competitions after 13.8±3.8 months. Of the 100 patients, 80% returned to the same sport and 63.5% to pivoting/contact sport competitions. Re-tears occurred in 9% of patients, after 11.8±4.1 months, and contralateral tears in 6% of patients, after 17.2±4.4 months. In all, 19.4% of patients had a poor outcome, including 10.4% with an IKDC score of C or D and 9% with re-tears. In the group with closed physes, return to running occurred after 8.8±5.1 months, return to pivoting/contact sport training after 11.7±4.7 months, and return to pivoting/contact sport competitions after 12.3±4.2 months. Of the 178 patients, 76.9% returned to the same sport and 55.6% to pivoting/contact sport competitions. The re-tear rate was only 2.8% and the contralateral tear rate 5%. In all, 14.7% of patients had poor outcome, including 11.9% with an IKDC score of C or D and 2.8% with re-tears. No risk factors for re-tears were identified; the quadruple-bundle semitendinosus technique showed a non-significant association with re-tears. CONCLUSION: In young children, the return to sport time after ACL reconstruction is considerably longer than 1 year and the return to competitions occurs later and is more difficult. The results of this study indicate that reservations are in order when informing the family about return to sports prospects after ACL reconstruction. The return to pivoting/contact sport competitions should not be allowed until 14 months after surgery in young skeletally immature patients, and the risk of re-injury is high within the first 2 years. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, retrospective study

Genome-wide footprints in the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) unveil a new domestication pattern of a fruit tree in the Mediterranean

Intense research efforts over the last two decades have renewed our understanding of plant phylogeography and domestication in the Mediterranean basin. Here we aim to investigate the evolutionary history and the origin of domestication of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua), which has been cultivated for millennia for food and fodder. We used >1000 microsatellite genotypes to delimit seven carob evolutionary units (CEUs). We investigated genome-wide diversity and evolutionary patterns of the CEUs with 3557 single nucleotide polymorphisms generated by restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RADseq). To address the complex wild vs. cultivated status of sampled trees, we classified 56 sampled populations across the Mediterranean basin as wild, seminatural or cultivated. Nuclear and cytoplasmic loci were identified from RADseq data and separated for analyses. Phylogenetic analyses of these genomic-wide data allowed us to resolve west-to-east expansions from a single long-term refugium probably located in the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains near the Atlantic coast. Our findings support multiple origins of domestication with a low impact on the genetic diversity at range-wide level. The carob was mostly domesticated from locally selected wild genotypes and scattered long-distance westward dispersals of domesticated varieties by humans, concomitant with major historical migrations by Romans, Greeks and Arabs. Ex situ efforts to preserve carob genetic resources should prioritize accessions from both western and eastern populations, with emphasis on the most differentiated CEUs situated in southwest Morocco, south Spain and eastern Mediterranean. Our study highlights the relevance of wild and seminatural habitats in the conservation of genetic resources for cultivated trees

The pregnane X receptor drives sexually dimorphic hepatic changes in lipid and xenobiotic metabolism in response to gut microbiota in mice.

The gut microbiota-intestine-liver relationship is emerging as an important factor in multiple hepatic pathologies, but the hepatic sensors and effectors of microbial signals are not well defined. By comparing publicly available liver transcriptomics data from conventional vs. germ-free mice, we identified pregnane X receptor (PXR, NR1I2) transcriptional activity as strongly affected by the absence of gut microbes. Microbiota depletion using antibiotics in Pxr <sup>+/+</sup> vs Pxr <sup>-/-</sup> C57BL/6J littermate mice followed by hepatic transcriptomics revealed that most microbiota-sensitive genes were PXR-dependent in the liver in males, but not in females. Pathway enrichment analysis suggested that microbiota-PXR interaction controlled fatty acid and xenobiotic metabolism. We confirmed that antibiotic treatment reduced liver triglyceride content and hampered xenobiotic metabolism in the liver from Pxr <sup>+/+</sup> but not Pxr <sup>-/-</sup> male mice. These findings identify PXR as a hepatic effector of microbiota-derived signals that regulate the host's sexually dimorphic lipid and xenobiotic metabolisms in the liver. Thus, our results reveal a potential new mechanism for unexpected drug-drug or food-drug interactions. Video abstract

Liver PPARα is crucial for whole-body fatty acid homeostasis and is protective against NAFLD.

OBJECTIVE: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) is a nuclear receptor expressed in tissues with high oxidative activity that plays a central role in metabolism. In this work, we investigated the effect of hepatocyte PPARα on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). DESIGN: We constructed a novel hepatocyte-specific PPARα knockout (Pparα(hep-/-)) mouse model. Using this novel model, we performed transcriptomic analysis following fenofibrate treatment. Next, we investigated which physiological challenges impact on PPARα. Moreover, we measured the contribution of hepatocytic PPARα activity to whole-body metabolism and fibroblast growth factor 21 production during fasting. Finally, we determined the influence of hepatocyte-specific PPARα deficiency in different models of steatosis and during ageing. RESULTS: Hepatocyte PPARα deletion impaired fatty acid catabolism, resulting in hepatic lipid accumulation during fasting and in two preclinical models of steatosis. Fasting mice showed acute PPARα-dependent hepatocyte activity during early night, with correspondingly increased circulating free fatty acids, which could be further stimulated by adipocyte lipolysis. Fasting led to mild hypoglycaemia and hypothermia in Pparα(hep-/-) mice when compared with Pparα(-/-) mice implying a role of PPARα activity in non-hepatic tissues. In agreement with this observation, Pparα(-/-) mice became overweight during ageing while Pparα(hep-/-) remained lean. However, like Pparα(-/-) mice, Pparα(hep-/-) fed a standard diet developed hepatic steatosis in ageing. CONCLUSIONS: Altogether, these findings underscore the potential of hepatocyte PPARα as a drug target for NAFLD

Adaptivni estimator brzine za bezsenzorsko vektorsko upravljanje asinkronim motorom zasnovan na umjetnoj neuronskoj mreži

This paper presents an adaptive speed observer for an induction motor using an artificial neural network with a direct field-oriented control drive. The speed and rotor flux are estimated with the only assumption that from stator voltages and currents are measurable. The estimation algorithm uses a state observer combined with an intelligent adaptive mechanism based on a recurrent neural network (RNN) to estimate rotor speed. The stator and rotor resistances are estimated by a simple Proportional-Integrator (PI) controller, which reduces sensitivity to variations, due essentially to the influence of temperature. The proposed sensorless control scheme is tested for various operating conditions of the induction motor drive. Experimental results demonstrate a good robustness against load torque disturbances, the estimated fluxes and rotor speed converge to their true values, which guarantees that a precise trajectory tracking with the prescribed dynamics.Ovaj članak opisuje adaptivni estimator brzine temeljen na umjetnoj neuronskoj mreži, koji se primijenjuje na asinkroni motor pogonjen izravnim vektorskim upravljanjem. Brzina i magnetski tok rotora estimiraju se uz pretpostavku dostupnosti mjerenja napona i struja statora. Algoritam koristi estimator stanja u kombinaciji s inteligentnim adaptivnim mehanizmom temeljenim na povratnoj neuronskoj mreži (RNN) kako bi se estimirala brzina rotora. Otpori statora i rotora estimiraju se jednostavnim Proporcionalno-Integralnim (PI) regulatorom, čime se smanjuje osjetljivost na varijacije uzrokovane utjecajem temperature. Predložena bezsenzorska upravljačka shema testirana je za različite radne uvjete asinkronog motora. Eksperimentalni rezultati pokazuju visoki stupanj robusnosti s obzirom na poremećaj momenta tereta, a estimirani tokovi i brzina rotora konvergiraju prema stvarnim vrijednostima što garantira precizno praćenje trajektorija uz zahtijevanu dinamiku