A Comparison of BDD-Based Parity Game Solvers

Parity games are two player games with omega-winning conditions, played on finite graphs. Such games play an important role in verification, satisfiability and synthesis. It is therefore important to identify algorithms that can efficiently deal with large games that arise from such applications. In this paper, we describe our experiments with BDD-based implementations of four parity game solving algorithms, viz. Zielonka's recursive algorithm, the more recent Priority Promotion algorithm, the Fixpoint-Iteration algorithm and the automata based APT algorithm. We compare their performance on several types of random games and on a number of cases taken from the Keiren benchmark set.Comment: In Proceedings GandALF 2018, arXiv:1809.0241

Foxtail mosaic virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in switchgrass (<i>Panicum virgatum</i> L.)

Background Although the genome for the allotetraploid bioenergy crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) has been established, limitations in mutant resources have hampered in planta gene function studies toward crop optimization. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a versatile technique for transient genetic studies. Here we report the implementation of foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV)-mediated gene silencing in switchgrass in above- and below-ground tissues and at different developmental stages. Results The study demonstrated that leaf rub-inoculation is a suitable method for systemic gene silencing in switchgrass. For all three visual marker genes, Magnesium chelatase subunit D (ChlD) and I (ChlI) as well as phytoene desaturase (PDS), phenotypic changes were observed in leaves, albeit at different intensities. Gene silencing efficiency was verified by RT-PCR for all tested genes. Notably, systemic gene silencing was also observed in roots, although silencing efficiency was stronger in leaves (~ 63–94%) as compared to roots (~ 48–78%). Plants at a later developmental stage were moderately less amenable to VIGS than younger plants, but also less perturbed by the viral infection. Conclusions Using FoMV-mediated VIGS could be achieved in switchgrass leaves and roots, providing an alternative approach for studying gene functions and physiological traits in this important bioenergy crop

A Recombinant Influenza A Virus Expressing Domain III of West Nile Virus Induces Protective Immune Responses against Influenza and West Nile Virus

West Nile virus (WNV) continues to circulate in the USA and forms a threat to the rest of the Western hemisphere. Since methods for the treatment of WNV infections are not available, there is a need for the development of safe and effective vaccines. Here, we describe the construction of a recombinant influenza virus expressing domain III of the WNV glycoprotein E (Flu-NA-DIII) and its evaluation as a WNV vaccine candidate in a mouse model. FLU-NA-DIII-vaccinated mice were protected from severe body weight loss and mortality caused by WNV infection, whereas control mice succumbed to the infection. In addition, it was shown that one subcutaneous immunization with 105 TCID50 Flu-NA-DIII provided 100% protection against challenge. Adoptive transfer experiments demonstrated that protection was mediated by antibodies and CD4+T cells. Furthermore, mice vaccinated with FLU-NA-DIII developed protective influenza virus-specific antibody titers. It was concluded that this vector system might be an attractive platform for the development of bivalent WNV-influenza vaccines

Variation in Structure and Process of Care in Traumatic Brain Injury: Provider Profiles of European Neurotrauma Centers Participating in the CENTER-TBI Study.

INTRODUCTION: The strength of evidence underpinning care and treatment recommendations in traumatic brain injury (TBI) is low. Comparative effectiveness research (CER) has been proposed as a framework to provide evidence for optimal care for TBI patients. The first step in CER is to map the existing variation. The aim of current study is to quantify variation in general structural and process characteristics among centers participating in the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study. METHODS: We designed a set of 11 provider profiling questionnaires with 321 questions about various aspects of TBI care, chosen based on literature and expert opinion. After pilot testing, questionnaires were disseminated to 71 centers from 20 countries participating in the CENTER-TBI study. Reliability of questionnaires was estimated by calculating a concordance rate among 5% duplicate questions. RESULTS: All 71 centers completed the questionnaires. Median concordance rate among duplicate questions was 0.85. The majority of centers were academic hospitals (n = 65, 92%), designated as a level I trauma center (n = 48, 68%) and situated in an urban location (n = 70, 99%). The availability of facilities for neuro-trauma care varied across centers; e.g. 40 (57%) had a dedicated neuro-intensive care unit (ICU), 36 (51%) had an in-hospital rehabilitation unit and the organization of the ICU was closed in 64% (n = 45) of the centers. In addition, we found wide variation in processes of care, such as the ICU admission policy and intracranial pressure monitoring policy among centers. CONCLUSION: Even among high-volume, specialized neurotrauma centers there is substantial variation in structures and processes of TBI care. This variation provides an opportunity to study effectiveness of specific aspects of TBI care and to identify best practices with CER approaches

Variation in general supportive and preventive intensive care management of traumatic brain injury: a survey in 66 neurotrauma centers participating in the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study

Abstract Background General supportive and preventive measures in the intensive care management of traumatic brain injury (TBI) aim to prevent or limit secondary brain injury and optimize recovery. The aim of this survey was to assess and quantify variation in perceptions on intensive care unit (ICU) management of patients with TBI in European neurotrauma centers. Methods We performed a survey as part of the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study. We analyzed 23 questions focused on: 1) circulatory and respiratory management; 2) fever control; 3) use of corticosteroids; 4) nutrition and glucose management; and 5) seizure prophylaxis and treatment. Results The survey was completed predominantly by intensivists (n = 33, 50%) and neurosurgeons (n = 23, 35%) from 66 centers (97% response rate). The most common cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) target was > 60 mmHg (n = 39, 60%) and/or an individualized target (n = 25, 38%). To support CPP, crystalloid fluid loading (n = 60, 91%) was generally preferred over albumin (n = 15, 23%), and vasopressors (n = 63, 96%) over inotropes (n = 29, 44%). The most commonly reported target of partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood (PaCO2) was 36–40 mmHg (4.8–5.3 kPa) in case of controlled intracranial pressure (ICP) < 20 mmHg (n = 45, 69%) and PaCO2 target of 30–35 mmHg (4–4.7 kPa) in case of raised ICP (n = 40, 62%). Almost all respondents indicated to generally treat fever (n = 65, 98%) with paracetamol (n = 61, 92%) and/or external cooling (n = 49, 74%). Conventional glucose management (n = 43, 66%) was preferred over tight glycemic control (n = 18, 28%). More than half of the respondents indicated to aim for full caloric replacement within 7 days (n = 43, 66%) using enteral nutrition (n = 60, 92%). Indications for and duration of seizure prophylaxis varied, and levetiracetam was mostly reported as the agent of choice for both seizure prophylaxis (n = 32, 49%) and treatment (n = 40, 61%). Conclusions Practice preferences vary substantially regarding general supportive and preventive measures in TBI patients at ICUs of European neurotrauma centers. These results provide an opportunity for future comparative effectiveness research, since a more evidence-based uniformity in good practices in general ICU management could have a major impact on TBI outcome

Effect of remote ischaemic conditioning on clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (CONDI-2/ERIC-PPCI): a single-blind randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Remote ischaemic conditioning with transient ischaemia and reperfusion applied to the arm has been shown to reduce myocardial infarct size in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). We investigated whether remote ischaemic conditioning could reduce the incidence of cardiac death and hospitalisation for heart failure at 12 months. METHODS: We did an international investigator-initiated, prospective, single-blind, randomised controlled trial (CONDI-2/ERIC-PPCI) at 33 centres across the UK, Denmark, Spain, and Serbia. Patients (age >18 years) with suspected STEMI and who were eligible for PPCI were randomly allocated (1:1, stratified by centre with a permuted block method) to receive standard treatment (including a sham simulated remote ischaemic conditioning intervention at UK sites only) or remote ischaemic conditioning treatment (intermittent ischaemia and reperfusion applied to the arm through four cycles of 5-min inflation and 5-min deflation of an automated cuff device) before PPCI. Investigators responsible for data collection and outcome assessment were masked to treatment allocation. The primary combined endpoint was cardiac death or hospitalisation for heart failure at 12 months in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02342522) and is completed. FINDINGS: Between Nov 6, 2013, and March 31, 2018, 5401 patients were randomly allocated to either the control group (n=2701) or the remote ischaemic conditioning group (n=2700). After exclusion of patients upon hospital arrival or loss to follow-up, 2569 patients in the control group and 2546 in the intervention group were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. At 12 months post-PPCI, the Kaplan-Meier-estimated frequencies of cardiac death or hospitalisation for heart failure (the primary endpoint) were 220 (8·6%) patients in the control group and 239 (9·4%) in the remote ischaemic conditioning group (hazard ratio 1·10 [95% CI 0·91-1·32], p=0·32 for intervention versus control). No important unexpected adverse events or side effects of remote ischaemic conditioning were observed. INTERPRETATION: Remote ischaemic conditioning does not improve clinical outcomes (cardiac death or hospitalisation for heart failure) at 12 months in patients with STEMI undergoing PPCI. FUNDING: British Heart Foundation, University College London Hospitals/University College London Biomedical Research Centre, Danish Innovation Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, TrygFonden

Growth Model For Students' Perceptions of Teachers in Middle and High School

The purpose of this study was to model students’ perceptions of teachers (fair, warm, friendly, etc.) over time from 6th to 9th grade, to examine whether a relationship existed between students’ perceptions of teachers and distal outcomes of education attainment and education status in emerging adulthood, and to examine whether gender was associated with teacher perceptions, the trajectory of perceptions, or the outcomes. Attachment Theory and Self Determination Theory were used as frameworks for understanding relationships between study variables. The present study used existing data from a longitudinal, multi-wave, intervention study (Project Alliance 2 [PAL-2] DA018374) that addressed adolescents’ negative behaviors during middle school to high school. Data was examined from a sample of 415 participants from the larger randomized control trial of 593. Participants were students from three socioeconomically and ethnically diverse public middle schools in the Pacific Northwest. Data was analyzed using Mplus7.1 using full information maximum likelihood to account for missing data. The study had several key findings. First, latent class growth model (LCGM) analyses revealed a significant a linear model that showed an overall declining trajectory of students’ perceptions of teachers from 6th to 9th grade. There was a significant difference between students’ perceptions of teachers in 6th grade and education status. Students who reported more positive perceptions of teachers in 6th grade were more likely to endorse enrollment in a vocational or educational program. Second, LCGM analyses further revealed a model with an added quadratic term that showed an overall declining trajectory of student’s perceptions of teachers that decelerated beginning at 7th grade. Third, LCGM and growth mixture model analyses examined trajectories of students’ perceptions of teachers over time and revealed a two-class model. The first class was represented by a declining trajectory and a second class represented by overall lower students’ positive perceptions of teachers in 6th grade that increase each year through the 9th grade. Students’ perceptions of teachers appear to converge in 9th grade for both classes. Implications for practice and research, along with limitations and directions for future research are discussed

A comparison of BDD-based parity game solvers

\u3cp\u3eParity games are two player games with omega-winning conditions, played on finite graphs. Such games play an important role in verification, satisfiability and synthesis. It is therefore important to identify algorithms that can efficiently deal with large games that arise from such applications. In this paper, we describe our experiments with BDD-based implementations of four parity game solving algorithms, viz. Zielonka's recursive algorithm, the more recent Priority Promotion algorithm, the Fixpoint-Iteration algorithm and the automata based APT algorithm. We compare their performance on several types of random games and on a number of cases taken from the Keiren benchmark set.\u3c/p\u3

Coccidias intestinales en heces de pacientes con VIH - Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza 2016

TesisLas parasitosis intestinales son consideradas infecciones oportunistas en pacientes con VIH, dentro de ellas se encuentran un grupo de protozoarios apicomplexas denominados coccidias, reconocidas a nivel mundial como definitorias del SIDA, además de ser causantes de una variedad de complicaciones médicas en este tipo de pacientes, hasta incluso causarles la muerte. El objetivo de la presente investigación fue determinar la frecuencia de coccidias y relacionarlo con los niveles de CD4+ y la consistencia de las heces, en pacientes con VIH. Fueron incluidos 118 pacientes con VIH, hospitalizados y de consulta externa atendidos en el Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza en el periodo de Mayo a Octubre del año 2016. Las muestras de heces fueron analizadas mediante dos métodos: examen directo y la coloración de Ziehl-Neelsen modificada. Los resultados obtenidos demostraron que el 18.6% presentaron coccidios intestinales, siendo Isospora belli el más frecuente con 14 casos (11.9%), seguido de Cyclospora cayetanensis con 5 casos (4.2%) y finalmente Cryptosporidium parvum con 3 casos (2.5%). Las infecciones por coccidias fueron más frecuentes en heces de consistencia diarreica (11.0%), asimismo también se encontraron presentes en heces de consistencia pastosa (7.6 %). Los pacientes con VIH más afectados por estos parásitos fueron los que presentaron un recuento de linfocitos T CD4+ < 200/mm3. La parasitosis por coccidias es una condición muy frecuente en pacientes con diarreas e infección por VIH. A pesar de ello no se deben dejar de analizar la muestra de consistencia pastosa e incluso blanda. Estos pacientes comúnmente presentan un alto grado de inmunosupresión, por lo que tiene niveles bajos de linfocitos T CD4+ lo cual puede traer como consecuencia otras manifestaciones clínicas

Coccidias intestinales en heces de pacientes con VIH - Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza 2016

Las parasitosis intestinales son consideradas infecciones oportunistas en pacientes con VIH, dentro de ellas se encuentran un grupo de protozoarios apicomplexas denominados coccidias, reconocidas a nivel mundial como definitorias del SIDA, además de ser causantes de una variedad de complicaciones médicas en este tipo de pacientes, hasta incluso causarles la muerte. El objetivo de la presente investigación fue determinar la frecuencia de coccidias y relacionarlo con los niveles de CD4+ y la consistencia de las heces, en pacientes con VIH. Fueron incluidos 118 pacientes con VIH, hospitalizados y de consulta externa atendidos en el Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza en el periodo de Mayo a Octubre del año 2016. Las muestras de heces fueron analizadas mediante dos métodos: examen directo y la coloración de Ziehl-Neelsen modificada. Los resultados obtenidos demostraron que el 18.6% presentaron coccidios intestinales, siendo Isospora belli el más frecuente con 14 casos (11.9%), seguido de Cyclospora cayetanensis con 5 casos (4.2%) y finalmente Cryptosporidium parvum con 3 casos (2.5%). Las infecciones por coccidias fueron más frecuentes en heces de consistencia diarreica (11.0%), asimismo también se encontraron presentes en heces de consistencia pastosa (7.6 %). Los pacientes con VIH más afectados por estos parásitos fueron los que presentaron un recuento de linfocitos T CD4+ < 200/mm3. La parasitosis por coccidias es una condición muy frecuente en pacientes con diarreas e infección por VIH. A pesar de ello no se deben dejar de analizar la muestra de consistencia pastosa e incluso blanda. Estos pacientes comúnmente presentan un alto grado de inmunosupresión, por lo que tiene niveles bajos de linfocitos T CD4+ lo cual puede traer como consecuencia otras manifestaciones clínicas