Sentiment classification with concept drift and imbalanced class distributions

Document-level sentiment classification aims to automate the task of classifying a textual review, which is given on a single topic, as expressing a positive or negative sentiment. In general, people express their opinions towards an entity based on their characteristics which may change over time. User‘s opinions are changed due to evolution of target entities over time. However, the existing sentiment classification approaches did not considered the evolution of User‘s opinions. They assumed that instances are independent, identically distributed and generated from a stationary distribution, while generated from a stream distribution. They used the static classification model that builds a classifier using a training set without considering the time that reviews are posted. However, time may be very useful as an important feature for classification task. In this paper, a stream sentiment classification framework is proposed to deal with concept drift and imbalanced data distribution using ensemble learning and instance selection methods. The experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed method in compared with static sentiment classification

Effective viscosity of microswimmer suspensions

The measurement of a quantitative and macroscopic parameter to estimate the global motility of a large population of swimming biological cells is a challenge Experiments on the rheology of active suspensions have been performed. Effective viscosity of sheared suspensions of live unicellular motile micro-algae (\textit{Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii}) is far greater than for suspensions containing the same volume fraction of dead cells and suspensions show shear thinning behaviour. We relate these macroscopic measurements to the orientation of individual swimming cells under flow and discuss our results in the light of several existing models

The role of strict patient-positioning during nursing in the management of intracerebral migration of gravitational bullet injury

The intracranial migration of bullet was described in literature since Cushing time and the First World War [1]. The literature is still away from delivering a clear guideline and constitutes more of case reports rather than comprehensive well-designed studies [2-13], this mostly due to the variability and diversity in the presentation and management of such cases. The migration of bullet can be a sequel of any type of penetrating injury to the skull [14]. Intracranial migration after gravitational (falling) bullet injury is a unique type of injury that constitutes of significant human and material losses with differences in biomechanics and structural brain changes after the insult especially regarding the velocity of impact and the degree of yaw for the intracranially settled bullet [15]. The gravitational bullets injuries are considered by the international disease classification system as celebratory firing, that is quite common and is part of the traditional happy (marriage) or funeral event in the middle east in general and in rural areas of Iraq in particular, and also reported in some areas around the world (South America, North Africa, and middle of Asia) [15,16]

Continuous regional anaesthesia provides effective pain management and reduces opioid requirement following major lower limb amputation

Objectives: Postoperative stump pain after major lower limb amputation is a significant impediment to the recovery of amputees. The vast majority of patients require opioid analgesics following surgery, which are associated with opioid-related side-effects. Here, we investigate whether intraoperative placement of a peripheral nerve stump catheter followed by continuous infusion of local anesthetic is as effective at pain control as current analgesic practices. If beneficial, this procedure could potentially reduce post-amputation opioid consumption and opioid-related adverse effects. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of 198 patients over a 4-year period who had undergone a major lower limb amputation for indications related to peripheral vascular disease. Postoperatively, 102 patients received a perineural catheter were compared to 96 patients who did not. The primary outcomes of this study were the amount of morphine equivalents used in the first 72 hours postoperatively and postoperative pain intensity in the first 24 hours. Results: A total of 198 lower-limb amputations were selected for analyses. Multiple regression analyses indicated that perineural catheter use was associated with a lower cumulative postoperative opioid consumption over the first 72 hours but not postoperative pain scores at 24 hours. Perineural catheter use led to a 40% reduction in opioid use during the first 72 hours postoperatively. Mixed model repeated measures analysis demonstrated that this opioid reduction was consistent over time. Other variables related to total opioid use included age, presurgical chronic pain, pre-surgical opioid use, patient-controlled analgesia. Conclusions: Continuous perineural infusions of local anesthetic are a safe and effective method for reducing post-amputation opioid analgesic medications after major lower limp amputation.This study was supported by Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery 2013 National Student Research Award

Diversity of microbial communities in production and injection waters of algerian oilfields revealed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon 454 pyrosequencing

The microorganisms inhabiting many petroleum reservoirs are multi-extremophiles capable of surviving in environments with high temperature, pressure and salinity. Their activity influences oil quality and they are an important reservoir of enzymes of industrial interest. To study these microbial assemblages and to assess any modifications that may be caused by industrial practices, the bacterial and archaeal communities in waters from four Algerian oilfields were described and compared. Three different types of samples were analyzed: production waters from flooded wells, production waters from non-flooded wells and injection waters used for flooding (water - bearing formations). Microbial communities of production and injection waters appeared to be significantly different. From a quantitative point of view, injection waters harbored roughly ten times more microbial cells than production waters. Bacteria dominated in injection waters, while Archaea dominated in production waters. Statistical analysis based on the relative abundance and bacterial community composition (BCC) revealed significant differences between production and injection waters at both OTUs 0.03 and phylum level. However, no significant difference was found between production waters from flooded and non-flooded wells, suggesting that most of the microorganisms introduced by the injection waters were unable to survive in the production waters. Furthermore, a Venn diagram generated to compare the BCC of production and injection waters of one flooded well revealed only 4% of shared bacterial OTUs. Phylogenetic analysis of bacterial sequences indicated that Alpha- , Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria were the main classes in most of the water samples. Archaeal sequences were only obtained from production wells and each well had a unique archaeal community composition, mainly belonging to Methanobacteria , Methanomicrobia , Thermoprotei and Halobacteria classes. Many of the bacterial genera retrieved had already been reported as degraders of complex organic molecules and pollutants. Nevertheless, a large number of unclassified bacterial and archaeal sequences were found in the analyzed samples, indicating that subsurface waters in oilfields could harbor new and still-non-described microbial specie

Shortening of atrioventricular delay at increased atrial paced heart rates improves diastolic filling and functional class in patients with biventricular pacing

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Use of rate adaptive atrioventricular (AV) delay remains controversial in patients with biventricular (Biv) pacing. We hypothesized that a shortened AV delay would provide optimal diastolic filling by allowing separation of early and late diastolic filling at increased heart rate (HR) in these patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>34 patients (75 ± 11 yrs, 24 M, LVEF 34 ± 12%) with Biv and atrial pacing had optimal AV delay determined at baseline HR by Doppler echocardiography. Atrial pacing rate was then increased in 10 bpm increments to a maximum of 90 bpm. At each atrial pacing HR, optimal AV delay was determined by changing AV delay until best E and A wave separation was seen on mitral inflow pulsed wave (PW) Doppler (defined as increased atrial duration from baseline or prior pacemaker setting with minimal atrial truncation). Left ventricular (LV) systolic ejection time and velocity time integral (VTI) at fixed and optimal AV delay was also tested in 13 patients. Rate adaptive AV delay was then programmed according to the optimal AV delay at the highest HR tested and patients were followed for 1 month to assess change in NYHA class and Quality of Life Score as assessed by Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>81 AV delays were evaluated at different atrial pacing rates. Optimal AV delay decreased as atrial paced HR increased (201 ms at 60 bpm, 187 ms at 70 bpm, 146 ms at 80 bpm and 123 ms at 90 bpm (ANOVA F-statistic = 15, p = 0.0010). Diastolic filling time (P < 0.001 vs. fixed AV delay), mitral inflow VTI (p < 0.05 vs fixed AV delay) and systolic ejection time (p < 0.02 vs. fixed AV delay) improved by 14%, 5% and 4% respectively at optimal versus fixed AV delay at the same HR. NYHA improved from 2.6 ± 0.7 at baseline to 1.7 ± 0.8 (p < 0.01) 1 month post optimization. Physical component of Quality of Life Score improved from 32 ± 17 at baseline to 25 ± 12 (p < 0.05) at follow up.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Increased heart rate by atrial pacing in patients with Biv pacing causes compromise in diastolic filling time which can be improved by AV delay shortening. Aggressive AV delay shortening was required at heart rates in physiologic range to achieve optimal diastolic filling and was associated with an increase in LV ejection time during optimization. Functional class improved at 1 month post optimization using aggressive AV delay shortening algorithm derived from echo-guidance at the time of Biv pacemaker optimization.</p

Hurler disease (mucopolysaccharidosis type IH): clinical features and consanguinity in Tunisian population

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) was a group of rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by the deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme, alpha -L -iduronidase, and the resulting accumulation of undergraded dematan sulfate and heparan sulfate. MPS I patients have a wide range of clinical presentations, that makes it difficult to predict patient phenotype which is needed for genetic counseling and also impedes the selection and evaluation of patients undergoing therapy bone marrow transplantation

Atrial Fibrillation, Heart Failure and Left Atrial Function

Background Our aim was to assess how atrial fibrillation (AF) induction, chronicity, and RR interval irregularity affect left atrial (LA) function and size in the setting of underlying heart failure (HF), and to determine whether AF effects can be mitigated by vagal nerve stimulation (VNS). Methods HF was induced by 4-weeks of rapid ventricular pacing in 24 dogs. Subsequently, AF was induced and maintained by atrial pacing at 600 bpm. Dogs were randomized into control (n = 9) and VNS (n = 15) groups. In the VNS group, atrioventricular node fat pad stimulation (310 μs, 20 Hz, 3–7 mA) was delivered continuously for 6 months. LA volume and LA strain data were calculated from bi-weekly echocardiograms. Results RR intervals decreased with HF in both groups (p = 0.001), and decreased further during AF in control group (p = 0.014), with a non-significant increase in the VNS group during AF. LA size increased with HF (p<0.0001), with no additional increase during AF. LA strain decreased with HF (p = 0.025) and further decreased after induction of AF (p = 0.0001). LA strain decreased less (p = 0.001) in the VNS than in the control group. Beat-by-beat analysis showed a curvilinear increase of LA strain with longer preceding RR interval, (r = 0.45, p <0.0001) with LA strain 1.1% higher (p = 0.02) in the VNS-treated animals, independent of preceding RR interval duration. The curvilinear relationship between ratio of preceding and pre-preceding RR intervals, and subsequent LA strain was weaker, (r = 0.28, p = 0.001). However, VNS-treated animals again had higher LA strain (by 2.2%, p = 0.002) independently of the ratio of preceding and pre-preceding RR intervals. Conclusions In the underlying presence of pacing-induced HF, AF decreased LA strain, with little impact on LA size. LA strain depends on the preceding RR interval duration

Brain MRI and biological diagnosis in five Tunisians MLD patients

Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is a recessive autosomal disease which is characterized by an accumulation of sulfatides in the central and peripheral nervous system. It is due to the enzyme deficiency of the sulfatide sulfatase i.e. arylsulfatase A (ASA). we studied 5/200 cases of MLD and clearly distinguished three clinical forms. One of them presented the juvenile form; two presented the late infantile form; and two other presented the adult form. The Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of these patients showed a diffuse, bilateral and symmetrical demyelination. The biochemical diagnosis of MLD patients evidencing the low activity of ASA and sulfatide accumulation

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I: molecular characteristics of two novel alpha-L-iduronidase mutations in Tunisian patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is an autosomal storage disease resulting from defective activity of the enzyme α-L-iduronidase (IDUA). This glycosidase is involved in the degradation of heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate. MPS I has severe and milder phenotypic subtypes.</p> <p>Aim of study: This study was carried out on six newly collected MPS I patients recruited from many regions of Tunisia.</p> <p>Patients and methods: Mutational analysis of the IDUA gene in unrelated MPS I families was performed by sequencing the exons and intron-exon junctions of IDUA gene.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two novel IDUA mutations, p.L530fs (1587_1588 insGC) in exon 11 and p.F177S in exon 5 and two previously reported mutations p.P533R and p.Y581X were detected. The patient in family 1 who has the Hurler phenotype was homozygous for the previously described nonsense mutation p.Y581X.</p> <p>The patient in family 2 who also has the Hurler phenotype was homozygous for the novel missense mutation p.F177S. The three patients in families 3, 5 and 6 were homozygous for the p.P533R mutation. The patient in family 4 was homozygous for the novel small insertion 1587_1588 insGC. In addition, eighteen known and one unknown IDUA polymorphisms were identified.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The identification of these mutations should facilitate prenatal diagnosis and counseling for MPS I in Tunisia.</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by the deficient activity of the enzyme of α-L-iduronidase (IDUA, EC 3.2.1.76). This glycosidase is involved in the degradation of heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate. The clinical phenotype of MPS I ranges from the very severe in Hurler syndrome (MPS IH) to the relatively benign in Scheie syndrome (MPS IS), with an intermediate phenotype designated Hurler/Scheie (MPS IH/S) <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B1">1</abbr></abbrgrp>. Isolation of complementary and genomic DNAs encoding human α -L- iduronidase <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B2">2</abbr><abbr bid="B3">3</abbr></abbrgrp> have enable the identification of mutations underlying the enzyme defect and resulting in MPS I clinical phenotype. More than 100 mutations have been reported in patients with the MPS I subtypes (Human Gene Mutation Database; <url>http://www.hgmd.org</url>). High prevalence of the common mutations p.W402X and p.Q70X has been described; both of them in the severe clinical forms <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B4">4</abbr><abbr bid="B5">5</abbr></abbrgrp>. A high prevalence of common mutation p.P533R has also been described in MPS I patients with various phenotypes <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B5">5</abbr><abbr bid="B6">6</abbr></abbrgrp>. In addition, rare mutations including single base substitution, deletion, insertion and splicing site mutation have been identified <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B7">7</abbr></abbrgrp>, indicating a high degree of allelic heterogeneity in IDUA gene.</p> <p>Here, we described two novel IDUA mutations in MPS I Tunisian patients. These lesions were homoallelic in all the patients of the six families investigated as consanguineous marriages are still frequent in Tunisia <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B8">8</abbr></abbrgrp>.</p