Enterprise Integration of Smart Objects using Semantic Service Descriptions

Integrating physical objects (smart objects) and enterprise IT systems is still a labor intensive, mainly manual task done by domain experts. On one hand, enterprise IT backend systems are based on service oriented architectures (SOA) and driven by business rule engines or business process execution engines. Smart objects on the other hand are often programmed at very low levels. In this paper we describe an approach that makes the integration of smart objects with such backends systems easier. We introduce semantic endpoint descriptions based on Linked USDL. Furthermore, we show how different communication patterns can be integrated into these endpoint descriptions. The strength of our endpoint descriptions is that they can be used to automatically create REST or SOAP endpoints for enterprise systems, even if which they are not able to talk to the smart objects directly. We evaluate our proposed solution with CoAP, UDP and 6LoWPAN, as we anticipate the industry converge towards these standards. Nonetheless, our approach also allows easy integration with backend systems, even if no standardized protocol is used.

Investigating the value of privacy on online social networks: conjoint analysis

Popularity of Online Social Networks has been recently overshadowed by the privacy problems they pose. Users are getting increasingly vigilant concerning information they disclose and are strongly opposing the use of their information for commercial purposes. Nevertheless, as long as the network is offered to users for free, providers have little choice but to generate revenue through personalized advertising to remain financially viable. Our study empirically investigates the ways out of this deadlock. Using conjoint analysis we find that privacy is indeed important for users. We identify three groups of users with different utility patterns: Unconcerned Socializers, Control-conscious Socializers and Privacy-concerned. Our results provide relevant insights into how network providers can capitalize on different user preferences by specifically addressing the needs of distinct groups in the form of various premium accounts. Overall, our study is the first attempt to assess the value of privacy in monetary terms in this context.

Insular and caudate lesions release abnormal yawning in stroke patients.

Abnormal yawning is an underappreciated phenomenon in patients with ischemic stroke. We aimed at identifying frequently affected core regions in the supratentorial brain of stroke patients with abnormal yawning and contributing to the anatomical network concept of yawning control. Ten patients with acute anterior circulation stroke and ≥3 yawns/15 min without obvious cause were analyzed. The NIH stroke scale (NIHSS), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), symptom onset, period with abnormal yawning, blood oxygen saturation, glucose, body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and modified Rankin scale (mRS) were assessed for all patients. MRI lesion maps were segmented on diffusion-weighted images, spatially normalized, and the extent of overlap between the different stroke patterns was determined. Correlations between the period with abnormal yawning and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in the overlapping regions, total stroke volume, NIHSS and mRS were performed. Periods in which patients presented with episodes of abnormal yawning lasted on average for 58 h. Average GCS, NIHSS, and mRS scores were 12.6, 11.6, and 3.5, respectively. Clinical parameters were within normal limits. Ischemic brain lesions overlapped in nine out of ten patients: in seven patients in the insula and in seven in the caudate nucleus. The decrease of the ADC within the lesions correlated with the period with abnormal yawing (r = -0.76, Bonferroni-corrected p = 0.02). The stroke lesion intensity of the common overlapping regions in the insula and the caudate nucleus correlates with the period with abnormal yawning. The insula might be the long sought-after brain region for serotonin-mediated yawning.

Chronic administration of methylphenidate produces neurophysiological and behavioral sensitization.

The electrophysiological properties of acute and chronic methylphenidate (MPD) on neurons of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and caudate nucleus (CN) have not been studied in awake, freely behaving animals. The present study was designed to investigate the dose-response effects of MPD on sensory evoked potentials recorded from the PFC and CN in freely behaving rats previously implanted with permanent electrodes, as well as their behavioral (locomotor) activities. On experimental day 1, locomotor behavior of rats was recorded for 2 h post-saline injection, and sensory evoked field potentials were recorded before and after saline and 0.6, 2.5, and 10 mg/kg, i.p., MPD administration. Animals were injected for the next five days with daily 2.5 mg/kg MPD to elicit behavioral sensitization. Locomotor recording was resumed on experimental days 2 and 6 after the MPD maintenance dose followed by 3 days of washout. On experimental day 10, rats were connected again to the electrophysiological recording system and rechallenged with saline and the identical MPD doses as on experimental day 1. On experimental day 11, rat's locomotor recording was resumed before and after 2.5 mg/kg MPD administration. Behavioral results showed that repeated administration of MPD induced behavioral sensitization. Challenge doses (0.6, 2.5, and 10.0 mg/kg) of MPD on experimental day 1 elicited dose-response attenuation in the response amplitude of the average sensory evoked field potential components recorded from the PFC and CN. Chronic MPD administration resulted in attenuation of the PFC's baseline recorded on experimental day 10, while the same treatment did not modulate the baseline recorded from the CN. Treatment of MPD on experimental day 10 resulted in further decrease of the average sensory evoked response compared to that obtained on experimental day 1. This observation of further decrease in the electrophysiological responses after chronic administration of MPD suggests that the sensory evoked responses on experimental day 10 represent neurophysiological sensitization. Moreover, two different response patterns were obtained from PFC and CN following chronic methylphenidate administration. In PFC, the baseline and effect of methylphenidate expressed electrophysiological sensitization on experimental day 10, while recording from CN did not exhibit any electrophysiological sensitization.

Language lateralisation increases with age in very preterm born 7-12 year-olds but not in term born control children

Background: Neural structural abnormalities as well as cognitive difficulties in language processing have been described in children born very preterm (<32 weeks of gestational age and/or <1500 g birth weight). These findings raise the question how premature birth is related to neural language organisation and lateralisation. The aim of the study was to test the following hypotheses: a) VPT/VLBW and control children show different language organisation b) language organisation in VPT/VLBW children is more bilateral compared to language organisation in control children c) positive correlations between language performance measures and language lateralisation exist in VPT/VLBW children and controls. Method: Brain activity was measured during a phonologic detection task in 56 very preterm born children and 38 term born control children aged 7 to 12 years using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. General IQ, verbal IQ, verbal fluency and reading comprehension were assessed outside the scanner. Results: Language organisation and lateralisation did not differ in very preterm and control children in overall comparisons. However, in very preterm children lateralisation increased between the age of 7 to 12 years. This correlation was not found in control children. Language organisation in very preterm children was bilateral in young children and left-sided in old children, whereas language organisation in control children was left-sided in the young and old age group. Frontal lateralisation correlated with General IQ in controls, but no other correlations between lateralisation and verbal performance were found. Discussion: The results of this study suggest different developmental patterns of language processing in very preterm born and term born control children. While very preterm born children showed atypical language organisation and lateralisation in younger years, typical left-sided patterns were found at the age of 12 years.

Phyllotaxis — a new chapter in an old tale about beauty and magic numbers

Phyllotaxis, the regular arrangement of leaves and flowers around the stem, is one of the most fascinating patterning phenomena in biology. Numerous theoretical models, that are based on biochemical, biophysical and other principles, have been proposed to explain the development of the patterns. Recently, auxin has been identified as the inducer of organ formation. An emerging model for phyllotaxis states that polar auxin transport in the plant apex generates local peaks in auxin concentration that determine the site of organ formation and thereby the different phyllotactic patterns found in nature. The PIN proteins play a primary role in auxin transport. These proteins are localized in a polar fashion, reflecting the directionality of polar auxin transport. Recent evidence shows that most aspects of phyllotaxis can be explained by the expression pattern and the dynamic subcellular localization of PIN1.

Eclogitic diamonds from variable crustal protoliths in the northeastern Siberian craton: trace elements and coupled δ13C – δ18O signatures in diamonds and garnet inclusions

Diamonds of eclogitic assemblages are dominant in the placer diamond deposits of the northeastern Siberian platform. In this study we present new trace elements and stable isotopes (δ13C and δ18O) data for alluvial diamonds and their garnet inclusions from this locality. Cr-rich garnets of peridotitic affinity in the studied diamonds have a narrow range of δ18O values from 5.7‰ to 6.2‰, which is largely overlapping with the accepted mantle range. This narrow range suggests that the garnet inclusions showing different REE patterns and little variations in oxygen isotopes may have formed by different processes involving fluid/melts that, however, were in oxygen isotopic equilibrium with the mantle. The trace element composition of the eclogitic garnet inclusions supports a crustal origin for at least the high-Ca garnets, which show flat HREE patterns and in some cases a positive Eu-anomaly. High-Ca eclogitic garnets generally show heavier oxygen isotope compositions (δ18O 6.5–9.6‰) than what is observed in low-Ca garnets (δ18O 5.7–7.4‰). The variability in oxygen isotopes and trace elements is suggested to be inherited from contrasting crustal protoliths. The relationship between the high δ18O values of inclusions and the low δ13C values of the host diamonds implies that the high-Ca garnet inclusions were derived from intensely hydrated (e.g., δ18O > 7‰) and typically oxidised basaltic rock close to the seawater interface, and that the carbon for diamonds was closely associated with this protolith.

Transcriptional regulation of tenascin genes

Extracellular matrix proteins of the tenascin family resemble each other in their domain structure, and also share functions in modulating cell adhesion and cellular responses to growth factors. Despite these common features, the 4 vertebrate tenascins exhibit vastly different expression patterns. Tenascin-R is specific to the central nervous system. Tenascin-C is an "oncofetal" protein controlled by many stimuli (growth factors, cytokines, mechanical stress), but with restricted occurrence in space and time. In contrast, tenascin-X is a constituitive component of connective tissues, and its level is barely affected by external factors. Finally, the expression of tenascin-W is similar to that of tenascin-C but even more limited. In accordance with their highly regulated expression, the promoters of the tenascin-C and -W genes contain TATA boxes, whereas those of the other 2 tenascins do not. This article summarizes what is currently known about the complex transcriptional regulation of the 4 tenascin genes in development and disease.

The growing spectrum of antibody-associated inflammatory brain diseases in children.

OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical spectrum, diagnostic evaluation, current management, and neurologic outcome of pediatric antibody-associated inflammatory brain diseases (AB-associated IBrainD). METHODS We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients aged ≤18 years diagnosed with an AB-associated IBrainD at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, between January 2005 and June 2013. Standardized clinical data, laboratory test results, neuroimaging features, and treatment regimens were captured. RESULTS Of 169 children (93 female, 55%) diagnosed with an IBrainD, 16 (10%) had an AB-associated IBrainD. Median age at presentation was 13.3 years (range 3.1-17.9); 11 (69%) were female. Nine patients (56%) had anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, 4 (25%) had aquaporin-4 autoimmunity, 2 (13%) had Hashimoto encephalitis, and 1 (6%) had anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) encephalitis. The key presenting features in children with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, Hashimoto encephalopathy, and anti-GAD65 encephalitis included encephalopathy, behavioral symptoms, and seizures; patients with aquaporin-4 autoimmunity showed characteristic focal neurologic deficits. Six patients (38%) required intensive care unit admission at presentation. Median time from symptom onset to diagnosis was 55 days (range 6-358). All but 1 patient received immunosuppressive therapy. One child with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis died due to multiorgan failure. At last follow-up, after a median follow-up time of 1.7 years (range 0.8-3.7), 27% of the children had function-limiting neurologic sequelae. CONCLUSIONS Children with AB-associated IBrainD represent an increasing subgroup among IBrainD; 1 in 4 children has function-limiting residual neurologic deficits. Awareness of the different clinical patterns is important in order to facilitate timely diagnosis and initiate immunosuppressive treatment.

Investigating the potential of reported cattle mortality data in Switzerland for syndromic surveillance

Systems for the identification and registration of cattle have gradually been receiving attention for use in syndromic surveillance, a relatively recent approach for the early detection of infectious disease outbreaks. Real or near real-time monitoring of deaths or stillbirths reported to these systems offer an opportunity to detect temporal or spatial clusters of increased mortality that could be caused by an infectious disease epidemic. In Switzerland, such data are recorded in the "Tierverkehrsdatenbank" (TVD). To investigate the potential of the Swiss TVD for syndromic surveillance, 3 years of data (2009-2011) were assessed in terms of data quality, including timeliness of reporting and completeness of geographic data. Two time-series consisting of reported on-farm deaths and stillbirths were retrospectively analysed to define and quantify the temporal patterns that result from non-health related factors. Geographic data were almost always present in the TVD data; often at different spatial scales. On-farm deaths were reported to the database by farmers in a timely fashion; stillbirths were less timely. Timeliness and geographic coverage are two important features of disease surveillance systems, highlighting the suitability of the TVD for use in a syndromic surveillance system. Both time series exhibited different temporal patterns that were associated with non-health related factors. To avoid false positive signals, these patterns need to be removed from the data or accounted for in some way before applying aberration detection algorithms in real-time. Evaluating mortality data reported to systems for the identification and registration of cattle is of value for comparing national data systems and as a first step towards a European-wide early detection system for emerging and re-emerging cattle diseases.

Confocal analysis of synaptic connectivity of the rod pathway in the rabbit retina

The retina is a specialized neuronal structure that transforms the optical image into electrical signals which are transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve. As part of the strategy to cover a stimulus range as broad as 10 log units, from dim starlight to bright sunlight, retinal circuits are broadly divided into rod and cone pathways, responsible for dark and light-adapted vision, respectively. ^ In this dissertation, confocal microscopy and immunocytochemical methods were combined to study the synaptic connectivity of the rod pathway from the level of individual synapses to whole populations of neurons. The study was focused on synaptic interactions at the rod bipolar terminal. The purpose is to understand the synaptic structure of the dyad synapse made by rod bipolar terminals, including the synaptic components and connections, and their physiological functions in the rod pathway. In addition, some additional components and connections of the rod pathway were also studied in these experiments. The major results can be summarized as following: At the dyad synapse of rod bipolar terminals, three postsynaptic components—processes of All amacrine cells and the varicosities of S1 or S2 amacrine cells express different glutamate receptor subunits, which may underlie the functional diversity of these postsynaptic neurons. A reciprocal feedback system is formed by rod bipolar terminals and S1/S2 amacrine cells. Analysis showed these two wide-field GABA amacrine cells have stereotyped synaptic connections with the appropriate morphology and distribution to perform specific functions. In addition, S1 and S2 cells have different coupling patterns and, in general, there is no coupling between the two types. Besides the classic rod pathway though rod bipolar cells and All amacrine cells, the finding of direct connections between certain types of OFF cone bipolar cells and rods indicates the presence of an alternative rod pathway in the rabbit retina. ^ In summary, this dissertation presents a detailed view of the connection and receptors at rod bipolar terminals. Based on the morphology, distribution and coupling, different functional roles were identified for S1 and S2 amacrine cells. Finally, an alternative to the classic rod pathway was found in the rabbit retina. ^

HEALTH CARE COST INCREASES IN METROPOLITAN AREAS

The research project is an extension of the economic theory to the health care field and health care research projects evaluating the influence of demand and supply variables upon medical care inflation. The research tests a model linking the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the population, its community case mix, and technology, the prices of goods and services other than medical care, the way its medical services are delivered and the health care resources available to its population to different utilization patterns which, consequently, lead to variations in health care prices among metropolitan areas. The research considers the relationship of changes in community characteristics and resources and medical care inflation.^ The rapidly increasing costs of medical care have been of great concern to the general public, medical profession, and political bodies. Research and analysis of the main factors responsible for the rate of increase of medical care prices is necessary in order to devise appropriate solutions to cope with the problem. An understanding of the community characteristics and resources-medical care costs relationships in the metropolitan areas potentially offers guidance in individual plan and national policy development.^ The research considers 145 factors measuring community milieu (demographic, social, educational, economic, illness level, prices of goods and services other than medical care, hospital supply, physicians resources and techological factors). Through bivariate correlation analysis, the number of variables was reduced to a set of 1 to 4 variables for each cost equation. Two approaches were identified to track inflation in the health care industry. One approach measures costs of production which accounts for price and volume increases. The other approach measures price increases. One general and four specific measures were developed to represent each of the major approaches. The general measure considers the increase on medical care prices as a whole and the specific measures deal with hospital costs and physician's fees. The relationships among changes in community characteristics and resources and health care inflation were analyzed using bivariate correlation and regression analysis methods. It has been concluded that changes in community characteristics and resources are predictive of hospital costs and physician's fees inflation, but are not predictive of increases in medical care prices. These findings provide guidance in the formulation of public policy which could alter the trend of medical care inflation and in the allocation of limited Federal funds.^

Genetic variants in the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway as predictors of survival and clinical response in women with ovarian cancer

Background. The mTOR pathway is commonly altered in human tumors and promotes cell survival and proliferation. Preliminary evidence suggests this pathway's involvement in chemoresistance to platinum and taxanes, first line therapy for epithelial ovarian cancer. A pathway-based approach was used to identify individual germline single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and cumulative effects of multiple genetic variants in mTOR pathway genes and their association with clinical outcome in women with ovarian cancer. ^ Methods. The case-series was restricted to 319 non-Hispanic white women with high grade ovarian cancer treated with surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy. 135 SNPs in 20 representative genes in the mTOR pathway were genotyped. Hazard ratios (HRs) for death and Odds ratios (ORs) for failure to respond to primary therapy were estimated for each SNP using the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model and multivariate logistic regression model, respectively, while adjusting for age, stage, histology and treatment sequence. A survival tree analysis of SNPs with a statistically significant association (p<0.05) was performed to identify higher order gene-gene interactions and their association with overall survival. ^ Results. There was no statistically significant difference in survival by tumor histology or treatment regimen. The median survival for the cohort was 48.3 months. Seven SNPs were significantly associated with decreased survival. Compared to those with no unfavorable genotypes, the HR for death increased significantly with the increasing number of unfavorable genotypes and women in the highest risk category had HR of 4.06 (95% CI 2.29–7.21). The survival tree analysis also identified patients with different survival patterns based on their genetic profiles. 13 SNPs on five different genes were found to be significantly associated with a treatment response, defined as no evidence of disease after completion of primary therapy. Rare homozygous genotype of SNP rs6973428 showed a 5.5-fold increased risk compared to the wild type carrying genotypes. In the cumulative effect analysis, the highest risk group (individuals with ≥8 unfavorable genotypes) was significantly less likely to respond to chemotherapy (OR=8.40, 95% CI 3.10–22.75) compared to the low risk group (≤4 unfavorable genotypes). ^ Conclusions. A pathway-based approach can demonstrate cumulative effects of multiple genetic variants on clinical response to chemotherapy and survival. Therapy targeting the mTOR pathway may modify outcome in select patients.^

La homogeneidad varietal en viveros de olivo estudiada con marcadores moleculares

La difusión de variedades tradicionales de olivo (Olea europea L.) y la obtención de nuevas variantes fenotípicas han generado confusión en la correcta identificación y denominación de algunas de las aprox. 2 000 variedades conocidas a nivel mundial. En la Argentina, en los últimos años se ha triplicado la superficie implantada con olivo principalmente a partir de plantas de viveros locales e importadas. Con el fin de evaluar la homogeneidad genotípica del material comercializado en Mendoza, se probaron 7 marcadores RAPD altamente reproducibles en muestras de 5 viveros, correspondientes a 5 variedades de olivo. Los marcadores RAPD fueron previamente desarrollados para caracterizar las variedades del INTA Junín. Arbequina y Arauco fueron los materiales más homogéneos. En ambas variedades, todos los individuos compartieron el 100 % de los marcadores utilizados. Los lotes de muestras de Empeltre, Farga y Aloreña no fueron genotípicamente homogéneos, observándose 2-3 patrones diferentes por lote. Todas las variedades ensayadas -en alguna de sus muestras- tuvieron diferencias con su respectiva variedad del INTA Junín. Arbequina y Arauco también compartieron el 100 % de marcadores entre sí, no pudiéndose separar ambos grupos.

Conversaciones sustantivas en el aula

En este ensayo se procura conceptualizar acerca de cómo los niños, niñas y docentes construyen interpretaciones compartidas en el aula. Desde el análisis dialógico (Bajtin), entendemos el aprendizaje de los alumnos desde sus “respuestas" en relación con las voces de los maestros, textos y pares. Distinguimos el tratamiento unívoco del lenguaje, propio del recitado; de su tratamiento como instrumento de pensamiento, en el intercambio dialógico y en el discurso interactivo. Se analiza como se guía a un grupo de escolares en una institución pública de educación especial; centrando la mirada en las interacciones conversacionales del debate y preguntándonos qué patrones contribuyen más eficazmente a sus aprendizajes. El diseño supone la búsqueda de lo cualitativo, lo irrepetible y lo singular; incorporando el paradigma “indiciario" (Guinzburg). En la sistematización registramos, que las preguntas auténticas indican que el maestro otorga prioridad al razonamiento por sobre la memorización. Se caracteriza la interacción cercana al debate, como apuntes colaborativos. Esta construcción dialógica de sentido promueve el aprendizaje, porque genera respuestas con argumentación y facilita el diálogo entre lo nuevo y lo ya conocido. Así, el modo en que los alumnos piensan y lo que pueden aprender está relacionado a la modalidad que los docentes desarrollan para responder a sus preguntas.