Local pre-processing for node classification in networks : application in protein-protein interaction

Network modelling provides an increasingly popular conceptualisation in a wide range of domains, including the analysis of protein structure. Typical approaches to analysis model parameter values at nodes within the network. The spherical locality around a node provides a microenvironment that can be used to characterise an area of a network rather than a particular point within it. Microenvironments that centre on the nodes in a protein chain can be used to quantify parameters that are related to protein functionality. They also permit particular patterns of such parameters in node-centred microenvironments to be used to locate sites of particular interest. This paper evaluates an approach to index generation that seeks to rapidly construct microenvironment data. The results show that index generation performs best when the radius of microenvironments matches the granularity of the index. Results are presented to show that such microenvironments improve the utility of protein chain parameters in classifying the structural characteristics of nodes using both support vector machines and neural networks

Low serum magnesium and 1-year mortality in alcohol withdrawal syndrome

Background: In 2014, the WHO reported that 6% of all deaths were attributable to excess alcohol consumption. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between serum magnesium concentrations and mortality in patients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). Materials and methods: A retrospective review of 700 patients with documented evidence of previous AWS indicating a requirement for benzodiazepine prophylaxis or evidence of alcohol withdrawal syndrome between November 2014 and March 2015. Results: Of 380 patients included in the sample analysis, 64 (17%) were dead at 1 year following the time of treatment for AWS. The majority of patients had been prescribed thiamine (77%) and a proton pump inhibitor (66%). In contrast, the majority of patients had low circulating magnesium concentrations (2 (P  50 years (OR 3.37, 95% CI 1.52-7.48, P 2 (OR 3.10, 95% CI 1.38-6.94, P < 0.01) and magnesium < 0.75 mmol/L (OR 4.11, 95% CI 1.3-12.8, P < 0.05) remained independently associated with death at 1 year. Conclusion: Overall, 1-year mortality was significantly higher among those patients who were magnesium deficient (<0.75 mmol/L) when compared to those who were replete (≥0.75 mmol/L; P < 0.001)

Optimisation of Biochemical Condition and Substrates In Vitro for Tissue Engineering of Ligament

In this work, we analysed the effect of growth factors on in vitro cell proliferation and collagens synthesis by fibroblasts cultured for 72 h on different substrates (silicon sheet with or without 1% gelatin, and glass as control surface) for ligament tissue engineering. A human fibroblast cell line (CRL-2703) was used. The synthesis of type I and type III collagens were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively by RT-PCR and confocal microscopy, respectively. Cell proliferation was evaluated by two methods: (1) MTT assay (2) cell cycle analysis. It was found that PDGF-AB stimulate the proliferation of fibroblast cultured on gelatin coated silicon sheet in dose dependant manner with a maximum effect at 10 ng ml(−1). The exogenous TGF-β1 induced the expression of type I and type III collagens in a dose and substrate-dependant manner. We deduce from this work that biochemical conditions and substrates have an important impact for optimisation of the tissue neo synthesis

Behavioural Risk Factors in Mid-Life Associated with Successful Ageing, Disability, Dementia and Frailty in Later Life: A Rapid Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Smoking, alcohol consumption, poor diet and low levels of physical activity significantly contribute to the burden of illness in developed countries. Whilst the links between specific and multiple risk behaviours and individual chronic conditions are well documented, the impact of these behaviours in mid-life across a range of later life outcomes has yet to be comprehensively assessed. This review aimed to provide an overview of behavioural risk factors in mid-life that are associated with successful ageing and the primary prevention or delay of disability, dementia, frailty and non-communicable chronic conditions. METHODS: A literature search was conducted to identify cohort studies published in English since 2000 up to Dec 2014. Multivariate analyses and a minimum follow-up of five years were required for inclusion. Two reviewers screened titles, abstracts and papers independently. Studies were assessed for quality. Evidence was synthesised by mid-life behavioural risk for a range of late life outcomes. FINDINGS: This search located 10,338 individual references, of which 164 are included in this review. Follow-up data ranged from five years to 36 years. Outcomes include dementia, frailty, disability and cardiovascular disease. There is consistent evidence of beneficial associations between mid-life physical activity, healthy ageing and disease outcomes. Across all populations studied there is consistent evidence that mid-life smoking has a detrimental effect on health. Evidence specific to alcohol consumption was mixed. Limited, but supportive, evidence was available relating specifically to mid-life diet, leisure and social activities or health inequalities. CONCLUSIONS: There is consistent evidence of associations between mid-life behaviours and a range of late life outcomes. The promotion of physical activity, healthy diet and smoking cessation in all mid-life populations should be encouraged for successful ageing and the prevention of disability and chronic disease.This work was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), invitation to tender reference DDER 42013, and supported by the National Institute for Health Research School for Public Health Research. The scope of the work was defined by NICE and the protocol was agreed with NICE prior to the start of work. The funders had no role in data analysis, preparation of the manuscript or decision to publish.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from PLOS via http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.014440

Data value storage for compressed semi-structured data

Growing user expectations of anywhere, anytime access to information require new types of data representations to be considered. While semi-structured data is a common exchange format, its verbose nature makes files of this type too large to be transferred quickly, especially where only a small part of that data is required by the user. There is consequently a need to develop new models of data storage to support the sharing of small segments of semi-structured data since existing XML compressors require the transfer of the entire compressed structure as a single unit. This paper examines the potential for bisimilarity-based partitioning (i.e. the grouping of items with similar structural patterns) to be combined with dictionary compression methods to produce a data storage model that remains directly accessible for query processing whilst facilitating the sharing of individual data segments. Study of the effects of differing types of bisimilarity upon the storage of data values identified the use of both forwards and backwards bisimilarity as the most promising basis for a dictionary-compressed structure. A query strategy is detailed that takes advantage of the compressed structure to reduce the number of data segments that must be accessed (and therefore transferred) to answer a query. A method to remove redundancy within the data dictionaries is also described and shown to have a positive effect on memory usage

Walker and Walker: The Law of Evidence in Scotland. 5th Edition

A comprehensive and detailed examination of the law of evidence in the broadest of civil and criminal contexts. The emphasis is upon rigorous examination of the issues affecting all who work with the law of evidence whether in court, chamber practice or legal education. The fifth edition takes account of a range of relevant new legislation, including the following statutes: · Vulnerable Witnesses (Criminal Evidence) (Scotland) Act 2019 · Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 · Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016 · Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc (Scotland) Act 2016 · Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 It includes relevant case law, including significant developments in respect of opinion evidence, real evidence and corroboration

Improving the mental models held by novice programmers using cognitive conflict and jeliot visualisations

Recent research has found that many novice programmers often hold non-viable mental models of basic programming concepts which can limit their potential to develop appropriate programming skills. Previous work by the authors suggests that a teaching model that integrates cognitive conflict and program visualisation can help novices formulate appropriate mental models. This paper first outlines a 'concepts roadmap' that provides an ordered approach to learning programming concepts allowing students to build on fundamental base knowledge. It then reports the results of a series of studies investigating the use of the Jeliot visualisation tool as the visualisation component of the proposed learning model when applied to these concepts. The findings include: the ease with which Jeliot can be tailored to visualise a range of concepts using a variety of examples; the Jeliot visualisation of object reference was too complex for CS1 students; further evidence that CS1 students struggle to develop appropriate understanding of a range of key programming concepts; and, further evidence that an integrated cognitive conflict/visualisation strategy can help students develop an appropriate understanding of key programming concepts