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Background: PARADIGM-HF demonstrated superiority of sacubitril/valsartan (sac/val) over enalapril in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, patients in clinical practice may differ in their characteristics and overall risk compared with patients in clinical trials, and additional outcomes can be observed in real world (RW). Hence, a systematic review was conducted to identify and describe RW data on sac/val. Methods: RW studies evaluating the effects of sac/val in adult patients with HFrEF with a sample size ≥100 were identified via MEDLINE® and Embase® from 2015 to January 2020. Citations were screened, critically appraised and relevant data were extracted. Results: A total of 68 unique studies were identified. Nearly half of the studies were conducted in Europe (n = 34), followed by the US (n = 15) and Asia (n = 11). Median follow-up period varied from 1 to 19 months. Mean age ranged between 48.7 and 79.0 years; patients were mostly male and in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II/III, and mean left ventricular ejection fraction varied between 23%and 38%. Of studies performing comparisons, most reported superior efficacy of sac/val in reducing the risk of HF hospitalisations, all-cause hospitalisations, and all-cause mortality as compared to standard-of-care. Many studies reported significant improvements in NYHA functional class and reduction in biomarker levels post sac/val. Hypotension and hyperkalaemia were the most frequently reported adverse events. Conclusions: This comprehensive overview of currently available RW evidence on sac/val complements the evidence from randomised controlled trials, substantiating its effectiveness in heterogeneous real-world HF populations.

The new book ‘Making sense of research for sustainable land management’ published by CDE/WOCAT and UFZ is based on the work of more than 600 scientists and synthesizes experiences and practice-relevant results from a 7year German funded international research programme on interactions between land management, climate change, and ecosystems and their services. It includes 30 technologies and approaches documented using WOCAT standardized tools. It was launched on 5 December 2016 at the CBD COP13 in Cancun, Mexico. The book provides evidence of how practices of sustainable land management – existing as well as new – can be adapted to specific local and regional contexts. It shows how research can support decision makers and advisors from a variety of sectors - at national, regional, and local levels - in comprehending the complexity of sustainable land management. It assists them in identifying and developing suitable solutions for prevention or restoration of land degradation, improvement of yields, increasing resilience in production systems, and making water management more efficient. A special focus targets measures for climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a common and debilitating disorder that results in reduced flexibility of the spine, pain, and reduced mobility. Risk factors for IDD include age, genetic predisposition, injury, and other environmental factors such as smoking. Loss of proteoglycans (PGs) contributes to IDD with advancing age. Currently there is a lack of a model for rapid investigation of disc aging and evaluation of therapeutic interventions. Here we examined progression of disc aging in a murine model of a human progeroid syndrome caused by deficiency of the DNA repair endonuclease, ERCC1-XPF (Ercc1-/Δ mice). The ERCC1-deficient mice showed loss of disc height and degenerative structural changes in their vertebral bodies similar to those reported for old rodents. Compared to their wild-type littermates, Ercc1-/Δ mice also exhibit other age-related IDD characteristics, including premature loss of disc PG, reduced matrix PG synthesis, and enhanced apoptosis and cell senescence. Finally, the onset of age-associated disc pathologies was further accelerated in Ercc1 -/Δ mice following chronic treatment with the chemotherapeutic agent mechlorethamine. These results demonstrate that Ercc1-/Δ mice represent an accurate and rapid model of disc aging and provide novel evidence that DNA damage negatively impacts PG synthesis. © 2010 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

ECAI 2010, 16 augustus 2010, Contains fulltext : 83711.pdf (preprint version ) (Open Access)

We investigate the complexity of axiom pinpointing for different members of the DL-Lite family of Description Logics. More precisely, we consider the problem of enumerating all minimal subsets of a given DL-Lite knowledge base that have a given consequence. We show that for the DL-Litecore, DL-Litekrom and DL-Litehorn fragments such minimal subsets are efficiently enumerable with polynomial delay, but for the DL-Litebool fragment they cannot be enumerated in output polynomial time unless P = NP. We also show that interestingly, for the DL-Litehorn fragment such minimal sets can be enumerated in reverse lexicographic order with polynomial delay, but it is not possible in the forward lexicographic order since computing the first one is already coNP-hard.

ECAI 2010, 16 augustus 2010, Contains fulltext : 83711.pdf (preprint version ) (Open Access)

ECAI 2010, 16 augustus 2010, Contains fulltext : 83711.pdf (preprint version ) (Open Access)

In this paper, we propose an automated approach to track and recognize daily activities. Any activity is represented in this research as a sequence of raw sensors data. These sequences are treated using statistical methods in order to discover activity patterns. However, as the way to perform an activity is usually not fixed but it changes and evolves, we propose an activity recognition method based on Evolving Systems.

We investigate the complexity of axiom pinpointing for different members of the DL-Lite family of Description Logics. More precisely, we consider the problem of enumerating all minimal subsets of a given DL-Lite knowledge base that have a given consequence. We show that for the DL-Litecore, DL-Litekrom and DL-Litehorn fragments such minimal subsets are efficiently enumerable with polynomial delay, but for the DL-Litebool fragment they cannot be enumerated in output polynomial time unless P = NP. We also show that interestingly, for the DL-Litehorn fragment such minimal sets can be enumerated in reverse lexicographic order with polynomial delay, but it is not possible in the forward lexicographic order since computing the first one is already coNP-hard.

In this paper we discuss the adoption of a formal approach to correlation of heterogeneous information based on qualitative spatial reasoning to contribute to some relevant aspects that stream reasoning need to face in Urban Computing. The approach is based on the adoption of Commonsense Spatial Hybrid Logics to reason about events and infer higher-level scenarios of interest. This paper therefore extends previous work of the authors in the context of pervasive computing systems in order to take into account an urban-scale application context. In order to discuss the advantages of the approach a real-world application devoted to control and monitor different phenomena occurring in urban environments is described. Finally, some issues related to the exploitation of the approach in Semantic Web frameworks are discussed.

Udgivelsesdato: 2009-Feb, INTRODUCTION: Sialendoscopy and sialo-MRI enable diagnosis of salivary gland obstructive pathologies, such as lithiasis, stenosis and dilatations. Therefore, a classification of these pathologies is needed, allowing large series comparisons, for better diagnosis and treatment of salivary pathologies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: With help from people from the European Sialendoscopy Training Center (ESTC), the results of sialographies, sialoMRI and sialendoscopies, a comprehensive classification of obstructive salivary pathologies is described, based on the absence or presence of lithiasis (L), stenosis (S) and dilatation (D) ("LSD" classification). DISCUSSION: It appears that a classification of salivary gland obstructive pathologies should be described. We hope it will be widely used and of course criticized to be improved and to compare the results of salivary gland diagnostic methods, such as sialography and sialendoscopy and also the results and indications for salivary gland therapeutic methods, such as lithotripsy, sialendoscopy and/or open surgery.

Udgivelsesdato: 2008/9

Udgivelsesdato: 2009-Feb, INTRODUCTION: Sialendoscopy and sialo-MRI enable diagnosis of salivary gland obstructive pathologies, such as lithiasis, stenosis and dilatations. Therefore, a classification of these pathologies is needed, allowing large series comparisons, for better diagnosis and treatment of salivary pathologies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: With help from people from the European Sialendoscopy Training Center (ESTC), the results of sialographies, sialoMRI and sialendoscopies, a comprehensive classification of obstructive salivary pathologies is described, based on the absence or presence of lithiasis (L), stenosis (S) and dilatation (D) ("LSD" classification). DISCUSSION: It appears that a classification of salivary gland obstructive pathologies should be described. We hope it will be widely used and of course criticized to be improved and to compare the results of salivary gland diagnostic methods, such as sialography and sialendoscopy and also the results and indications for salivary gland therapeutic methods, such as lithotripsy, sialendoscopy and/or open surgery.

Udgivelsesdato: 2008/9

With new standards like RDF or OWL paving the way for the much anticipated Semantic Web, a new breed of very large scale semantic systems is about to appear. Traditional semantic reconciliation techniques, dependent upon shared vocabularies or global ontologies, cannot be used in such open and dynamic environments. Instead, new heuristics based on emerging properties and local consensuses have to be exploited in order to foster semantic interoperability in the large. In this paper, we outline the main di.erences between traditional semantic reconciliation methods and these new heuristics. Also, we characterize the resulting emergent semantics systems and provide a couple of hints vis-`a-vis their potential applications.

With new standards like RDF or OWL paving the way for the much anticipated Semantic Web, a new breed of very large scale semantic systems is about to appear. Traditional semantic reconciliation techniques, dependent upon shared vocabularies or global ontologies, cannot be used in such open and dynamic environments. Instead, new heuristics based on emerging properties and local consensuses have to be exploited in order to foster semantic interoperability in the large. In this paper, we outline the main di.erences between traditional semantic reconciliation methods and these new heuristics. Also, we characterize the resulting emergent semantics systems and provide a couple of hints vis-`a-vis their potential applications.

To estimate the minimal gene set required to sustain bacterial life in nutritious conditions, we carried out a systematic inactivation of Bacillus subtilis genes. Among approximate to4,100 genes of the organism, only 192 were shown to be indispensable by this or previous work. Another 79 genes were predicted to be essential. The vast majority of essential genes were categorized in relatively few domains of cell metabolism, with about half involved in information processing, one-fifth involved in the synthesis of cell envelope and the determination of cell shape and division, and one-tenth related to cell energetics. Only 4% of essential genes encode unknown functions. Most essential genes are present throughout a wide range of Bacteria, and almost 70% can also be found in Archaea and Eucarya. However, essential genes related to cell envelope, shape, division, and respiration tend to be lost from bacteria with small genomes. Unexpectedly, most genes involved in the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway are essential. Identification of unknown and unexpected essential genes opens research avenues to better understanding of processes that sustain bacterial life.

Background: : Pneumocystis jirovecii is an opportunistic pathogen that causes pneumonia, particularly in immunodeficient hosts. Materials and Methods: : We retrospectively compared the results obtained by two staining methods (toluidine blue and calcofluor white) and two quantitative (q) real time PCR assays for the detection of P. jirovecii in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens. For the qPCR assays, we used newly selected probes and primers targeting the Kex-1 gene, which codes for a serine endoprotease, and compared the results to those from the published assay targeting the β-tubulin gene. Results: : A total of 1,843 BAL specimens were analyzed microscopically in parallel, and 74 (4.0%) were found to be positive with both stains, 23 (1.2%) were positive only with the toluidine blue stain, and six (0.3%) only with the calcofluor stain (p = 0.003). Of these, a selection of 186 consecutive BAL fluid samples were tested by qPCR using the respective different primer pairs. 21 of the 186 samples (11.3%) were microscopically positive with both stains as well as qPCR positive after 18-31 cycles (corresponding to 5.24 × 106 copies/ml to 640 copies/ml of native BAL) using the Kex-1 primer pair and between 21-33 cycles using the β-tubulin assay. A good correlation between semi-quantitative microscopy and the number of PCR cycles needed for a positive signal was noted. Of the remaining 165 samples, 153 (82%) were both microscopically and PCR negative (PCR with the two sets of primers); the remaining 12 samples (7%) were Kex-1-based PCR positive (from cycles 33 to 41, corresponding to 160 copies/ml of BAL or less) but microscopically negative. Of these latter samples, ten (6%) were also positive (from cycles 34 to 38) with the primers targeting the β-tubulin gene. Taking microscopy as a reference, the sensitivity of qPCR targeting the Kex-1 gene was 100%, and the specificity was 92.4%. Conclusion: : The sensitive qPCR analysis proved to be a rapid and reliable