Features of Structure for Anaology Retrieval

Spontaneously retrieving analogies from presented problem data is an important phase of analogical reasoning, influencing many related cognitive processes. Existing models have focused on semantic similarity, but structural similarity is also a necessary requirement of any analogical comparison. We present a new technique for performing structure based analogy retrieval. This is founded upon derived attributes that explicitly encode elementary structural qualities of a domains representation. Crucially, these attributes are unrelated to the semantic content of the domain information, and encode only its structural qualities. We describe a number of derived attributes and detail the computation of the corresponding attribute values. We examine our models operation, detailing how it retrieves both semantically related and unrelated domains. We also present a comparison of our algorithms performance with existing models, using a structure rich but semantically impoverished domai

Oral health and pathology: a macrophage account.

Macrophages are present in healthy oral mucosa and their numbers increase dramatically during disease. They can exhibit a diverse range of phenotypes characterised as a functional spectrum from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory (regulatory) subsets. This review illustrates the role of these subsets in the oral inflammatory disease lichen planus, and the immunosuppressive disease oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We conclude that the role of macrophages in driving progression in oral disease identifies them as potential therapeutic targets for a range of oral pathologies

Restenosis and its determinants in first and repeat coronary angioplasty

Restenosis is the main problem limiting long-term success of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and is most accurately evaluated by follow-up angiography. We compared the primary and long-term results of angioplasty in 268 consecutive patients (293 segments) with first PTCA (PTCA 1, angiographic follow-up 98%) and in 66 patients (76 segments) with repeat PTCA after restenosis (PTCA 2, angiographic follow-up 92%). Forty clinical, angiographic and procedural factors were assessed in relation to outcome. Primary success rate was higher in PTCA 2 (91% vs 67.5%) and major complications were fewer (4.5% vs 16%).Higher inflation pressure (7.9 ± 2.3 vs 6.8 ± 1.8 atm, P70%) after PTCA 1 and after PTC A 2 (27% vs 36%, P = NS) and the mean time to recurrence (4.7 vs 5.3 months, P = NS) were similar. Procedural factors were the main determinants of long-term success in primary PTCA. The restenosis risk was independently related to residual stenosis >45% (P<0.001), variant angina (P<0.05) and multivessel disease (P<0.05) after PTCA 1 and to male sex (P<0.001) and higher inflation pressure (P<0.05) after PTCA 2. Mild to moderate intimal tearing was associated with less restenosis after PTC A 1, but not after PTCA 2. Including 9 patients (10 segments) with a third PTCA, 70% of the 66 patients with repeat PTCA had a successful long-term outcome. Repeat angioplasty should therefore be considered as an integral part of PTCA therapy. Restenosis however remains a major concern. An optimal primary result with a minimal residual stenosis is decisive for first PTCA, whereas avoidance of a dissection by using lower inflation pressure on a restenosis might improve the long-term outcome of repeat PTC

Relationship between MRI Derived Right Ventricular Mass and Left Ventricular Involvement in Patients with Anderson-Fabry Disease

Poster presentationpublished_or_final_versio

STORMTOOLS: Coastal Environmental Risk Index (CERI)

One of the challenges facing coastal zone managers and municipal planners is the development of an objective, quantitative assessment of the risk to structures, infrastructure, and public safety that coastal communities face from storm surge in the presence of changing climatic conditions, particularly sea level rise and coastal erosion. Here we use state of the art modeling tool (ADCIRC and STWAVE) to predict storm surge and wave, combined with shoreline change maps (erosion), and damage functions to construct a Coastal Environmental Risk Index (CERI). Access to the state emergency data base (E-911) provides information on structure characteristics and the ability to perform analyses for individual structures. CERI has been designed as an on line Geographic Information System (GIS) based tool, and hence is fully compatible with current flooding maps, including those from FEMA. The basic framework and associated GIS methods can be readily applied to any coastal area. The approach can be used by local and state planners to objectively evaluate different policy options for effectiveness and cost/benefit. In this study, CERI is applied to RI two communities; Charlestown representing a typical coastal barrier system directly exposed to ocean waves and high erosion rates, with predominantly low density single family residences and Warwick located within Narragansett Bay, with more limited wave exposure, lower erosion rates, and higher residential housing density. Results of these applications are highlighted herein

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance demonstration of the spectrum of morphological phenotypes and patterns of myocardial scarring in Anderson-Fabry disease

published_or_final_versio

Near-infrared monitoring of roller compacted ribbon density: investigating sources of variation contributing to noisy spectral data

The aim of this study was to highlight how variability in roller compacted ribbon quality can impact on NIR spectral measurement and to propose a simple method of data selection to remove erroneous spectra. The use of NIR spectroscopy for monitoring ribbon envelope density has been previously demonstrated, however to date there has been limited discussion as to how spectral data sets can contain erroneous outliers due to poor sample presentation to the NIR probes. In this study compacted ribbon of variable quality was produced from three separate blends of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)/lactose/magnesium stearate at 8 Roll Force settings (2–16 kN/cm). The three blends differed only in the storage conditions of MCC prior to blending and compaction. MCC sublots were stored at ambient (41% RH/20 °C), low humidity (11% RH/20 °C) and high humidity (75% RH/40 °C) conditions prior to blending. Ribbon envelope density was measured and ribbon NIR spectral data was acquired at line using a multi-probe spectrometer (MultiEye™ NIR). Initial inspection of the at-line NIR spectral data set showed a large degree of variability which indicated that some form of data cleaning was required. The source of variability in spectral measurements was investigated by subjective visual examination and by statistical analysis. Spectral variability was noted due to the storage conditions of MCC prior to compaction, Roll Force settings and between individual ribbon samples sampled at a set Roll Force/Blend combination. Variability was also caused by ribbon presentation to probes, such as differences in the presentation of broken, curved and flat intact ribbons. Based on the subjective visual examination of data, a Visual Discard method was applied and was found to be particularly successful for blends containing MCC stored at ambient and low humidity. However the Visual Discard method of spectra cleaning is subjective and therefore a non-subjective method capable of screening for erroneous probe readings was developed. For this data set a Trimmed Mean method was applied to set a limit on how data is cleaned from the data set allowing for the removal of a faulty probe reading (25% of data) or a poor sample (33% of data). The 33% Trimmed Mean reduced the impact of spectral variation or misreads between samples or probes and was found to be as successful as the Visual Discard method at cleaning the data set prior to development of the calibration equation

TGFβ and CCN2/CTGF mediate actin related gene expression by differential E2F1/CREB activation

BACKGROUND: CCN2/CTGF is an established effector of TGFβ driven responses in diabetic nephropathy. We have identified an interaction between CCN2 and TGFβ leading to altered phenotypic differentiation and inhibited cellular migration. Here we determine the gene expression profile associated with this phenotype and define a transcriptional basis for differential actin related gene expression and cytoskeletal function. RESULTS: From a panel of genes regulated by TGFβ and CCN2, we used co-inertia analysis to identify and then experimentally verify a subset of transcription factors, E2F1 and CREB, that regulate an expression fingerprint implicated in altered actin dynamics and cell hypertrophy. Importantly, actin related genes containing E2F1 and CREB binding sites, stratified by expression profile within the dataset. Further analysis of actin and cytoskeletal related genes from patients with diabetic nephropathy suggests recapitulation of this programme during the development of renal disease. The Rho family member Cdc42 was also found uniquely to be activated in cells treated with TGFβ and CCN2; Cdc42 interacting genes were differentially regulated in diabetic nephropathy. CONCLUSIONS: TGFβ and CCN2 attenuate CREB and augment E2F1 transcriptional activation with the likely effect of altering actin cytoskeletal and cell growth/hypertrophic gene activity with implications for cell dysfunction in diabetic kidney disease. The cytoskeletal regulator Cdc42 may play a role in this signalling response