Application of Natural Language Processing and Evidential Analysis to Web-Based Intelligence Information Acquisition

The quality of decisions made in business and government relates directly to the quality of the information used to formulate the decision. This information may be retrieved from an organization's knowledge base (Intranet) or from the World Wide Web. Intelligence services Intranet held information can be efficiently manipulated by technologies based upon either semantics such as ontologies, or statistics such as meaning-based computing. These technologies require complex processing of large amount of textual information. However, they cannot currently be effectively applied to Web-based search due to various obstacles, such as lack of semantic tagging. A new approach proposed in this paper supports Web-based search for intelligence information utilizing evidence-based natural language processing (NLP). This approach combines traditional NLP methods for filtering of Web-search results, Grounded Theory to test the completeness of the evidence, and Evidential Analysis to test the quality of gathered information. The enriched information derived from the Web-search will be transferred to the intelligence services knowledge base for handling by an effective Intranet search system thus increasing substantially the information for intelligence analysis. The paper will show that the quality of retrieved information is significantly enhanced by the discovery of previously unknown facts derived from known facts

Influence of hadronic interaction models and the cosmic ray spectrum on the high energy atmospheric muon and neutrino flux

The recent observations of muon charge ratio up to about 10 TeV and of atmospheric neutrinos up to energies of about 400 TeV has triggered a renewed interest into the high-energy interaction models and cosmic ray primary composition. A reviewed calculation of lepton spectra produced in cosmic-ray induced extensive air showers is carried out with a primary cosmic-ray spectrum that fits the latest direct measurements below the knee. In order to achieve this, we used a full Monte Carlo method to derive the inclusive differential spectra (yields) of muons, muon neutrinos and electron neutrinos at the surface for energies between 80 GeV and hundreds of PeV. The air shower simulator {\sc corsika} 6.990 was used for showering and propagation of the secondary particles through the atmosphere, employing the established high-energy hadronic interaction models {\sc sibyll} 2.1, {\sc qgsjet-01} and {\sc qgsjet-ii 03}. We show that the performance of the interaction models allows makes it possible to predict the spectra within experimental uncertainties, while {\sc sibyll} generally yields a higher flux at the surface than the qgsjet models. The calculation of the flavor and charge ratios has lead to inconsistent results, mainly influenced by the different representations of the K/$\pi$ ratio within the models. Furthermore, we could quantify systematic uncertainties of atmospheric muon- and neutrino fluxes, associated to the models of the primary cosmic-ray spectrum and the interaction models. For most recent parametrizations of the cosmic-ray primary spectrum, atmospheric muons can be determined with an uncertainty smaller than $^{+15}_{-13}$% of the average flux. Uncertainties of the muon- and electron neutrino fluxes can be calculated within an average error of $^{+32}_{-22}$% and $^{+25}_{-19}$%, respectively.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, version 2 includes analytic approximatio

Fruit and seed plumpness, germination and viability of rare plants in Yakutia

Background. With the increasing anthropogenic impact on nature, conservation and renewal of rare and endangered plants in natural cenoses is an urgent problem. Quality assessment, identification of full-fledged plump seeds, and determination of their viability is the way to develop reproduction technologies and provide a possibility of repatriating these species to their natural habitats. Collecting and studying natural flora species in botanical gardens helps to save biological resources of useful species and recommend them for urban landscaping.Materials and methods. X-ray techniques were used to analyze seed quality and viability of rare species in the flora of Yakutia: Adonis sibirica Patrin, Phlojodicarpus sibiricus (Steph. ex Spreng.) Koso-Pol., Iris laevigata Fisch. et C.A. Mey., Iris sanguinea Donn, and Paeonia anomala L. Methods developed for the application of microfocus radiography to fruits and seeds were used in the X-ray analysis.Results. Seed quality was assessed according to guidelines. It was shown that fruits and seeds of the studied species developed under the conditions of Yakutia were full-fledged (plump), but due to the presence of a morphophysiological type of dormancy in them, they could germinate only after a cold or multistage stratification.Conclusion. Assessment of reproductive diaspore quality and viability in rare and endangered plant species of Yakutia will make it possible to develop technologies for increasing their seed germination rates and restoring the natural populations of these species

High energy hadrons in EAS at mountain altitude

An extensive simulation has been carried out to estimate the physical interpretation of dynamical factors such as , in terms of high energy interaction features, concentrated in the present analysis on the average transverse momentum. It appears that the large enhancement observed for versus primary energy, suggesting in earliest analysis a significant rise of with energy, is only the result of the limited resolution of the detectors and remains in agreement with a wide range of models used in simulations.Comment: 13 pages, 6 PostScript figures, LaTeX Subm. to JPhys

Zebrafish Models for Dyskeratosis Congenita Reveal Critical Roles of p53 Activation Contributing to Hematopoietic Defects through RNA Processing

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is a rare bone marrow failure syndrome in which hematopoietic defects are the main cause of mortality. The most studied gene responsible for DC pathogenesis is DKC1 while mutations in several other genes encoding components of the H/ACA RNP telomerase complex, which is involved in ribosomal RNA(rRNA) processing and telomere maintenance, have also been implicated. GAR1/nola1 is one of the four core proteins of the H/ACA RNP complex. Through comparative analysis of morpholino oligonucleotide induced knockdown of dkc1 and a retrovirus insertion induced mutation of GAR1/nola1 in zebrafish, we demonstrate that hematopoietic defects are specifically recapitulated in these models and that these defects are significantly reduced in a p53 null mutant background. We further show that changes in telomerase activity are undetectable at the early stages of DC pathogenesis but rRNA processing is clearly defective. Our data therefore support a model that deficiency in dkc1 and nola1 in the H/ACA RNP complex likely contributes to the hematopoietic phenotype through p53 activation associated with rRNA processing defects rather than telomerase deficiency during the initial stage of DC pathogenesis

Staghorn stone and squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis: a clinical case and literature review

Squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis is a rare neoplasm. The incidence does not exceed 1% of all neoplasms of this localization. In the general population, up to 90% of all neoplasms of the renal pelvis are represented by urothelial carcinoma, while from 0.7% to 7.0% of cases are squamous cell carcinoma. Stones of the renal collecting system are found in 14 – 50% of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the pelvis. As a possible etiopathogenetic mechanism, chronic inflammation on the background of a stone is considered, leading to squamous urothelial metaplasia with subsequent keratinization and malignization. Clinical manifestation of squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis is nonspecific and is primarily associated with manifestations of urolithiasis. Squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis is characterised by high aggressiveness, insensitivity to chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and consequently an unfavourable prognosis. The survival rate of most patients is less than one year from the diagnosis, while the 5-year survival rate does not exceed 10%. We present our own clinical case of a patient with a staghorn stone and squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis

Features of Muon Arrival Time Distributions of High Energy EAS at Large Distances From the Shower Axis

In view of the current efforts to extend the KASCADE experiment (KASCADE-Grande) for observations of Extensive Air Showers (EAS) of primary energies up to 1 EeV, the features of muon arrival time distributions and their correlations with other observable EAS quantities have been scrutinised on basis of high-energy EAS, simulated with the Monte Carlo code CORSIKA and using in general the QGSJET model as generator. Methodically various correlations of adequately defined arrival time parameters with other EAS parameters have been investigated by invoking non-parametric methods for the analysis of multivariate distributions, studying the classification and misclassification probabilities of various observable sets. It turns out that adding the arrival time information and the multiplicity of muons spanning the observed time distributions has distinct effects improving the mass discrimination. A further outcome of the studies is the feature that for the considered ranges of primary energies and of distances from the shower axis the discrimination power of global arrival time distributions referring to the arrival time of the shower core is only marginally enhanced as compared to local distributions referring to the arrival of the locally first muon.Comment: 24 pages, Journal Physics G accepte

Результаты применения схем терапии на основе бедаквилина у больных туберкулезом с МЛУ/ШЛУ, в том числе при сочетании с ВИЧ-инфекцией (опыт Ленинградской области)

The effectiveness of tuberculosis control is associated with efficacy of treatment of TB patients and above all patients with multiple and extensive drug resistance (MDR/XDR MTB). Patients with TB/HIV co-infection providethe significant impact on the situation.The objective of the study is to assess outcomes of chemotherapy regimens containing bedaquiline in patients with MDR/XDR TB including those with concurrent HIV infection.Subjects and methods. The efficacy and safety of the regimes containing bedaquiline were assessed in the intensive phase of chemotherapy in 80 patients with MDR/XDR TB: Group1 consisted of 46 patients with negative HIV status (ICD10 code A15-A19); Group 2 – 34 HIV positive patients at the advanced stage with manifestations of a mycobacterial infection (ICD10 code B20.0).Results. Treatment outcomes in the groups were as follows: the effective treatment was statistically significantly more frequent in Group 1 versus Group 2 (80.4 and 52.9%, respectively, p = 0.0088). Treatment failure was registered in 3 patients from each group; treatment defaults were statistically significantly more frequent in Group 2 compared to Group 1: in 8/34 versus 2/46 (p = 0.011). 3 patients were transferred out in both Group 1 and Group 2 (3/46 and 3/34, p = 0.69). During treatment, only 1 patient from Group 2 developed an adverse event, most likely associated with the in-take of bedaquiline, a heart rhythm disorder (ventricular arrhythmia) and prolongation of QTcF > 450 ms. Эффективность противотуберкулезных мероприятий определяется эффективностью лечения больных туберкулезом и прежде всего пациентов с множественной и широкой лекарственной устойчивостью микобактерии туберкулеза (МЛУ/ШЛУ МБТ). Значительное влияние на ситуацию оказывает наличие у пациентов сочетания ВИЧ-инфекции и туберкулеза.Цель исследования: оценить результаты применения режимов химиотерапии (ХТ), включающих бедаквилин, у пациентов с МЛУ/ШЛУ-ТБ, в том числе при сочетании с ВИЧ-инфекцией.Материалы и методы. Оценены эффективность и безопасность режимов, включающих бедаквилин, в интенсивную фазу ХТ у 80 пациентов с МЛУ/ШЛУ-ТБ: 1-я группа – 46 пациентов с отрицательным ВИЧ-статусом (код МКБ10 А15-А19); 2-я группа – 34 пациента с ВИЧ-инфекцией на поздней стадии с проявлениями микобактериальной инфекции (код МКБ10 В20.0).Результаты. Исходы лечения в группах распределились следующим образом: эффективный курс ХТ статистически значимо чаще зарегистрирован в 1-й группе, чем во 2-й (80,4 и 52,9% соответственно, p = 0,0088). Неэффективный курс ХТ был у 3 пациентов в каждой из групп, «отрывы» от лечения статистически значимо чаще фиксировались во 2-й группе, чем в 1-й: у 8/34 против 2/46 (p = 0,011). Выбыли по 3 пациента как в 1-й группе, так и во 2-й (3/46 и 3/34, p = 0,69). Во время лечения лишь у 1 пациента 2-й группы отмечено нежелательное явление, с большой вероятностью связанное с приемом бедаквилина, ‒ нарушение сердечного ритма (желудочковая экстрасистолия) и удлинение QTcF > 450 мс.

Salivary gland immunohistochemistry vs substantia nigra sonography: comparative analysis of diagnostic significance

Introduction. Parkinson's disease (PD) urges for new instrumental methods of diagnosis. Transcranial sonography of the substantia nigra (SN TCS) is an established method for early PD diagnosis but its application is limited. Recently, biopsies (primarily that of salivary gland) and test for abnormal -synuclein are suggested to verify PD. Materials and methods. We assessed 12 individuals with PD, HoehnYahr 2.3 0.4. The assessments included: UPDRS, NMSQ, NMSS, RBDSQ, PDQ-8, MoCA, and HADS scoring; SN TCS; and sublingual gland immunohistochemistry for phosphorylated -synuclein (PS-129) with automated morphometric analysis. Results. Substantia nigra hyperechogenicity was shown in 75% of patients whereas biopsy revealed PS-129 in 100% of patients. Echogenic area of the substantia nigra was 0.24 [0.21; 0.3] cm2. PS-129 inclusion area varied from 28.47 [27.55; 96.26] to 238.77 [234.13; 272.49] m2, and PS-129 proportion varied from 13.4% to 93.4% of the nervous fiber area across the patients. We found relations between PS-129 and NMSQ (r = 0.8; p 0.001), NMSS (r = 0.9; p 0.001), PDQ-8 (r = 0.7; p = 0.003), UPDRS-I (r = 0.7; p = 0.009), UPDRS-II (r = 0.6; p = 0.03), and HADS (anxiety r = 0.8; p = 0.002; depression r = 0.6; p = 0.04) scores. Conclusion. The results demonstrate a higher biopsy sensitivity as compared to SN TCS. Automated morphometric analysis has been newly applied to assess PS-129 occurrence. Immunohistochemistry results are directly related to non-motor symptom severity, which may indicate high probability of PS-129 presence and diagnosis confirmation in early disease

Cardiac Hypertrophy Involves Both Myocyte Hypertrophy and Hyperplasia in Anemic Zebrafish

Background: An adult zebrafish heart possesses a high capacity of regeneration. However, it has been unclear whether and how myocyte hyperplasia contributes to cardiac remodeling in response to biomechanical stress and whether myocyte hypertrophy exists in the zebrafish. To address these questions, we characterized the zebrafish mutant tr265/tr265, whose Band 3 mutation disrupts erythrocyte formation and results in anemia. Although Band 3 does not express and function in the heart, the chronic anemia imposes a sequential biomechanical stress towards the heart. Methodology/principal findings: Hearts of the tr265/tr265 Danio rerio mutant become larger than those of the sibling by week 4 post fertilization and gradually exhibit characteristics of human cardiomyopathy, such as muscular disarray, re-activated fetal gene expression, and severe arrhythmia. At the cellular level, we found both increased individual cardiomyocyte size and increased myocyte proliferation can be detected in week 4 to week 12 tr265/tr265 fish. Interestingly, all tr265/tr265 fish that survive after week-12 have many more cardiomyocytes of smaller size than those in the sibling, suggesting that myocyte hyperplasia allows the long-term survival of these fish. We also show the cardiac hypertrophy process can be recapitulated in wild-type fish using the anemia-inducing drug phenylhydrazine (PHZ). Conclusions/significance: The anemia-induced cardiac hypertrophy models reported here are the first adult zebrafish cardiac hypertrophy models characterized. Unlike mammalian models, both cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia contribute to the cardiac remodeling process in these models, thus allowing the effects of cardiomyocyte hyperplasia on cardiac remodeling to be studied. However, since anemia can induce effects on the heart other than biomechanical, non-anemic zebrafish cardiac hypertrophy models shall be generated and characterized