On Invoking Transitivity to Enhance the Pursuit-oriented Object Migration Automata

From the earliest studies in graph theory [2], [5], the phenomenon of transitivity has been used to design and analyze problems that can be mapped onto graphs. Some of the practical examples of this phenomenon are the “Transitive Closure” algorithm, the multiplication of Boolean matrices, the determination of Communicating States in Markov Chains etc. The use of transitivity, however, to catalyze the partitioning problems is, to our knowledge, unreported, and it is by no means trivial considering the pairwise occurrences of the queries in the query stream. This paper pioneers such a mechanism. In particular, we consider the Object Migrating Automaton (OMA) that has been used for decades to solve the Equi-Partitioning Problem (EPP) where W objects are placed in R partitions of equal sizes so that objects accessed together fall in to the same partition. The OMA, which encountered certain deadlock configurations, was enhanced by Gale et al. to yield the Enhanced OMA (EOMA). Both the OMA and the EOMA were significantly improved by incorporating into them, the recently-introduced “Pursuit” phenomenon from the field of Learning Automata (LA). In this paper1 we shall show that the Pursuit matrix that consists of the estimates of the probabilities of the pairs presented to the LA, possesses the property of transitivity akin to the property found in graph-related problems. By making use of this observation, transitive-closure-like arguments can be made to invoke reward and penalty operations on the POMA and the PEOMA. This implies that objects can be moved towards their correct partitions even when the system is dormant, i.e., when the Environment does not present any queries or partitioning information to the learning algorithm. The results that we present demonstrate that the newly-designed transitive-based algorithms are about 20% faster than their non-transitive versions. As far as we know, these are the fastest partitioning algorithms to-date

Motion-corrected multiparametric renal arterial spin labelling at 3T: Reproducibility and effect of vasodilator challenge

Objectives We investigated the feasibility and reproducibility of free-breathing motion-corrected multiple inversion time (multi-TI) pulsed renal arterial spin labelling (PASL), with general kinetic model parametric mapping, to simultaneously quantify renal perfusion (RBF), bolus arrival time (BAT) and tissue T1. Methods In a study approved by the Health Research Authority, 12 healthy volunteers (mean age, 27.6 ± 18.5 years; 5 male) gave informed consent for renal imaging at 3 T using multi-TI ASL and conventional single-TI ASL. Glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) was used as a vasodilator challenge in six subjects. Flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery (FAIR) preparation was used with background suppression and 3D-GRASE (gradient and spin echo) read-out, and images were motion-corrected. Parametric maps of RBF, BAT and T1 were derived for both kidneys. Agreement was assessed using Pearson correlation and Bland-Altman plots. Results Inter-study correlation of whole-kidney RBF was good for both single-TI (r2 = 0.90), and multi-TI ASL (r2 = 0.92). Single-TI ASL gave a higher estimate of whole-kidney RBF compared to multi-TI ASL (mean bias, 29.3 ml/min/100 g; p <0.001). Using multi-TI ASL, the median T1 of renal cortex was shorter than that of medulla (799.6 ms vs 807.1 ms, p = 0.01), and mean whole-kidney BAT was 269.7 ± 56.5 ms. GTN had an effect on systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05) but the change in RBF was not significant. Conclusions Free-breathing multi-TI renal ASL is feasible and reproducible at 3 T, providing simultaneous measurement of renal perfusion, haemodynamic parameters and tissue characteristics at baseline and during pharmacological challenge

Preface

The multiple facets of modern sheet metal manufacturing techniques are applied throughout a wide spectrum of economy, ranging from the automotive industry and machine manufacturing to electrical engineering and electronics. This wide range of applications means that sheet metal manufacturers produce parts from a few grams up to 1000 kg and more — from electro-technical parts up to components in automotive industry — as well as batch sizes ranging from just a few pieces to mass production. Worldwide, around 12,300 companies employing 600,000 workers produce sheet metal goods worth over 732 billion US dollars. These are impressive numbers for sheet metal manufacturing, to which forming processes are central, but also for cutting and joining technologies with their increasing importance. All of these processes have developed dynamically in the recent past, and this trend will no doubt continue

A review of incidence and mortality of colorectal, lung, liver, thyroid, and bladder cancers in Iran and compared to other countries

In Iran, a developing country in southwest Asia, an epidemiologic transition is underway from communicable to noncommunicable diseases. In Iran, cancer is the second largest group of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the third most common cause of death following heart disease, accidents and other natural phenomena. There are some studies reporting an increasing trend in the incidence and mortality rate of a variety of cancers in Iran. Therefore, controlling and preventive interventions pertaining to cancers must be a main priority for health policy and it is recommended that the high-risk population receive earlier screening. In this review, incidence and mortality of colorectal, lung, liver, thyroid, and bladder cancers in Iran are reported. © 2019 Termedia Publishing House Ltd. All Rights Reserved

Laboratory Evaluation of Color Change and Surface Roughness of White Spot Lesions Treated with Resin Infiltration and Fluoride Therapy

Background and Objective: Two non-invasive treatment methods for treating white spot lesions (WSLs) include resin infiltration and fluoride therapy. Contradictions have been raised regarding the color change and surface roughness of the lesions based on these methods. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the color change and surface roughness of white spot lesions after treatment with resin infiltration and fluoride therapy. Methods: In this laboratory study, 40 buccal and lingual sections were prepared from 20 extracted healthy premolar teeth. 10 samples were considered as the control group, and in the other 30 samples, decayed lesions were created artificially. White spot lesions were randomly prepared in three groups without treatment, 0.05% sodium fluoride solution and resin infiltration (n=10). Then, the rate of color change and surface roughness of the samples after being placed in black tea and also after brushing were measured and compared using spectrophotometer and profilometer. Findings: The surface roughness of samples in resin infiltration, intact enamel and fluoride groups were 163.46±64.67, 259.6±43.12 and 293.92±41.36 micrometers, respectively (p<0.001). Before placing in tea and after brushing, no significant difference was observed in the color of the samples, but after staining, the color change in WSL (9.14±5.85), fluoride (17.40±4.13) and resin infiltration (12.13±4.88) groups was significant (p=0.004); the fluoride group showed significantly more color change compared to the WSL group (p=0.003), but the difference between the other groups was not significant. Conclusion: The results of this study show that if the resin infiltration method is used in the treatment of white spot lesions, less surface roughness and color change is observed compared to fluoride therapy

Pull-out behaviour of glass-fibre reinforced polymer perforated plate connectors embedded in concrete. Part II: Prediction of load carrying capacity

The authors have recently proposed an innovative connector system that consists on a Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) perforated plate that is embedded into Steel Fibre Reinforced Self Compacting Concrete (SFRSCC) layers. The connection is strongly based in the mechanical interlock assured by the dowels originated from the SFRSCC passing through the holes opened on the GFRP plates. In this study, an analytical framework to evaluate the load capacity of the connections when loaded transversally was developed based on experimental pull-out tests presented in the companion paper (Part I). For a better understanding of the mechanical behaviour of the connections and to allow to make estimations of the load capacity of connection when it is conditioned by the rupture of the connector itself, pull-out pin-bearing tests with single-hole plates were executed to assess the effect of the type of GFRP on the strain distribution in the vicinity of the holes until the failure, as well as the estimated failure modes and load capacities of the connections.- This work is part of the research project QREN number 5387, LEGOUSE, involving the companies Mota-Engil, CiviTest, the ISISE/University of Minho and PIEP. The first author would like to thank the financial support provided by PAIP/UNILA. The second author wish to acknowledge the grant SFRH/BSAB/114302/2016 provided by FCT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Customized clinical practice guidelines for management of adult cataract in Iran

Purpose: To customize clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for cataract management in the Iranian population. Methods: First, four CPGs (American Academy of Ophthalmology 2006 and 2011, Royal College of Ophthalmologists 2010, and Canadian Ophthalmological Society 2008) were selected from a number of available CPGs in the literature for cataract management. All recommendations of these guidelines, together with their references, were studied. Each recommendation was summarized in 4 tables. The first table showed the recommendation itself in clinical question components format along with its level of evidence. The second table contained structured abstracts of supporting articles related to the clinical question with their levels of evidence. The third table included the customized recommendation of the internal group respecting its clinical advantage, cost, and complications. In the fourth table, the internal group their recommendations from 1 to 9 based on the customizing capability of the recommendation (applicability, acceptability, external validity). Finally, customized recommendations were sent one month prior to a consensus session to faculty members of all universities across the country asking for their comments on recommendations. Results: The agreed recommendations were accepted as conclusive while those with no agreement were discussed at the consensus session. Finally, all customized recommendations were codified as 80 recommendations along with their sources and levels of evidence for the Iranian population. Conclusion: Customization of CPGs for management of adult cataract for the Iranian population seems to be useful for standardization of referral, diagnosis and treatment of patients. © 2015 Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research | Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow

Gene expression changes associated with Barrett's esophagus and Barrett's-associated adenocarcinoma cell lines after acid or bile salt exposure

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Esophageal reflux and Barrett's esophagus represent two major risk factors for the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Previous studies have shown that brief exposure of the Barrett's-associated adenocarcinoma cell line, SEG-1, or primary cultures of Barrett's esophageal tissues to acid or bile results in changes consistent with cell proliferation. In this study, we determined whether similar exposure to acid or bile salts results in gene expression changes that provide insights into malignant transformation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using previously published methods, Barrett's-associated esophageal adenocarcinoma cell lines and primary cultures of Barrett's esophageal tissue were exposed to short pulses of acid or bile salts followed by incubation in culture media at pH 7.4. A genome-wide assessment of gene expression was then determined for the samples using cDNA microarrays. Subsequent analysis evaluated for statistical differences in gene expression with and without treatment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The SEG-1 cell line showed changes in gene expression that was dependent on the length of exposure to pH 3.5. Further analysis using the Gene Ontology, however, showed that representation by genes associated with cell proliferation is not enhanced by acid exposure. The changes in gene expression also did not involve genes known to be differentially expressed in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Similar experiments using short-term primary cultures of Barrett's esophagus also did not result in detectable changes in gene expression with either acid or bile salt exposure.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Short-term exposure of esophageal adenocarcinoma SEG-1 cells or primary cultures of Barrett's esophagus does not result in gene expression changes that are consistent with enhanced cell proliferation. Thus other model systems are needed that may reflect the impact of acid and bile salt exposure on the esophagus <it>in vivo</it>.</p

A correlative and quantitative imaging approach enabling characterization of primary cell-cell communication: Case of human CD4+ T cell-macrophage immunological synapses

Cell-to-cell communication engages signaling and spatiotemporal reorganization events driven by highly context-dependent and dynamic intercellular interactions, which are difficult to capture within heterogeneous primary cell cultures. Here, we present a straightforward correlative imaging approach utilizing commonly available instrumentation to sample large numbers of cell-cell interaction events, allowing qualitative and quantitative characterization of rare functioning cell-conjugates based on calcium signals. We applied this approach to examine a previously uncharacterized immunological synapse, investigating autologous human blood CD4+ T cells and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) forming functional conjugates in vitro. Populations of signaling conjugates were visualized, tracked and analyzed by combining live imaging, calcium recording and multivariate statistical analysis. Correlative immunofluorescence was added to quantify endogenous molecular recruitments at the cell-cell junction. By analyzing a large number of rare conjugates, we were able to define calcium signatures associated with different states of CD4+ T cell-MDM interactions. Quantitative image analysis of immunostained conjugates detected the propensity of endogenous T cell surface markers and intracellular organelles to polarize towards cell-cell junctions with high and sustained calcium signaling profiles, hence defining immunological synapses. Overall, we developed a broadly applicable approach enabling detailed single cell- and population-based investigations of rare cell-cell communication events with primary cells