Author: "Alp A" - Searchworks@Jio Institute Digital Library Search Results

Your search keyword '"Alp A"' showing total 41,728 results

Start Over Author "Alp A"

41,728 results on '"Alp A"'

1. Unified metagenomic method for rapid detection of microorganisms in clinical samples

Author: Adela Alcolea-Medina, Christopher Alder, Luke B. Snell, Themoula Charalampous, Alp Aydin, Gaia Nebbia, Tom Williams, Simon Goldenberg, Sam Douthwaite, Rahul Batra, Penelope R. Cliff, Hannah Mischo, Stuart Neil, Mark Wilks, and Jonathan D. Edgeworth
Subjects: Medicine
Abstract: Abstract Background Clinical metagenomics involves the genomic sequencing of all microorganisms in clinical samples ideally after depletion of human DNA to increase sensitivity and reduce turnaround times. Current human DNA depletion methods preferentially preserve either DNA or RNA containing microbes, but not both simultaneously. Here we describe and present data using a practical and rapid mechanical host-depletion method allowing simultaneous detection of RNA and DNA microorganisms linked with nanopore sequencing. Methods The human cells from respiratory samples are lysed mechanically using 1.4 mm zirconium-silicate spheres and the human DNA is depleted using a nonspecific endonuclease. The RNA is converted to dsDNA to allow the simultaneous sequencing of DNA and RNA. Results The method decreases human DNA concentration by a median of eight Ct values while detecting a broad range of RNA & DNA viruses, bacteria, including atypical pathogens (Legionella, Chlamydia, Mycoplasma) and fungi (Candida, Pneumocystis, Aspergillus). The first automated reports are generated after 30 min sequencing from a 7 h end-to-end workflow. Sensitivity and specificity for bacterial detection are 90% and 100%, respectively, and viral detection are 92% and 100% after 2 h of sequencing. Prospective validation on 33 consecutive lower respiratory tract samples from ventilated patients with suspected pneumonia shows 60% concordance with routine testing, detection of additional pathogens in 21% of samples and pathogen genomic assembly achieve for 42% of viruses and 33% of bacteria. Conclusions Although further workflow refinement and validation on samples containing a broader range of pathogens is required, it holds promise as a clinically deployable workflow suitable for evaluation in routine microbiology laboratories.
Published: 2024
Full Text: View/download PDF

2. Substance specific EEG patterns in mice undergoing slow anesthesia induction

Author: David P. Obert, David Killing, Tom Happe, Philipp Tamas, Alp Altunkaya, Srdjan Z. Dragovic, Matthias Kreuzer, Gerhard Schneider, and Thomas Fenzl
Subjects: EEG, Sevoflurane, Ketamine, Dexmedetomidine, Propofol, Murine model, Anesthesiology, RD78.3-87.3
Abstract: Abstract The exact mechanisms and the neural circuits involved in anesthesia induced unconsciousness are still not fully understood. To elucidate them valid animal models are necessary. Since the most commonly used species in neuroscience are mice, we established a murine model for commonly used anesthetics/sedatives and evaluated the epidural electroencephalographic (EEG) patterns during slow anesthesia induction and emergence. Forty-four mice underwent surgery in which we inserted a central venous catheter and implanted nine intracranial electrodes above the prefrontal, motor, sensory, and visual cortex. After at least one week of recovery, mice were anesthetized either by inhalational sevoflurane or intravenous propofol, ketamine, or dexmedetomidine. We evaluated the loss and return of righting reflex (LORR/RORR) and recorded the electrocorticogram. For spectral analysis we focused on the prefrontal and visual cortex. In addition to analyzing the power spectral density at specific time points we evaluated the changes in the spectral power distribution longitudinally. The median time to LORR after start anesthesia ranged from 1080 [1st quartile: 960; 3rd quartile: 1080]s under sevoflurane anesthesia to 1541 [1455; 1890]s with ketamine. Around LORR sevoflurane as well as propofol induced a decrease in the theta/alpha band and an increase in the beta/gamma band. Dexmedetomidine infusion resulted in a shift towards lower frequencies with an increase in the delta range. Ketamine induced stronger activity in the higher frequencies. Our results showed substance-specific changes in EEG patterns during slow anesthesia induction. These patterns were partially identical to previous observations in humans, but also included significant differences, especially in the low frequencies. Our study emphasizes strengths and limitations of murine models in neuroscience and provides an important basis for future studies investigating complex neurophysiological mechanisms.
Published: 2024
Full Text: View/download PDF

3. Prognostic Value of NTCP p.Ser267Phe Variant in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B

Author: Bülent ÇAKAL, Alp ATASOY, Mehveş PODA, Bilger ÇAVUŞ, Mesut BULAKÇI, Mine GÜLLÜOĞLU, and Filiz AKYÜZ
Subjects: hepatitis b virus, chronic hepatitis b, single nucleotide polymorphism, sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide, Medicine
Abstract: Aim: In this study, the aim is to detect polymorphisms in the gene encoding the sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP), the functional receptor for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis D virus. Materials and Methods: The study included a total of 293 patients, with 150 diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 143 undergoing liver parenchyma biopsy procedures due to different clinical indications. Total DNA was isolated from liver biopsy samples. The TaqMan SNP genotyping method was used to determine the rs2296651 polymorphism in the SLC10A1 gene, which leads to the NTCP S267F variation. Results: In patients with CHB and the control group, the NTCP-interacting domain was highly conserved, and no variation of the SNP rs2296651 in the SLC10A1 gene leading to the NTCP S267F variation was detected in any of the patients. Conclusion: It was thought that in patients with CHB, the impact of the NTCP S267F variation on the progression of HBV-associated diseases and its influence on the therapeutic efficacy of anti-viral agents targeting NTCP blockade may be limited.
Published: 2024
Full Text: View/download PDF

4. Development and proof-of-concept demonstration of a clinical metagenomics method for the rapid detection of bloodstream infection

Author: Lluis Moragues-Solanas, Thanh Le-Viet, Elinor McSorley, Carl Halford, Daniel S. Lockhart, Alp Aydin, Gemma L. Kay, Ngozi Elumogo, William Mullen, Justin O’Grady, and Matthew W. Gilmour
Subjects: Clinical diagnostics, Metagenomics, Bacteraemia, Sepsis, Bacterial infection, Long-read sequencing, Internal medicine, RC31-1245, Genetics, QH426-470
Abstract: Abstract Background The timely and accurate diagnosis of bloodstream infection (BSI) is critical for patient management. With longstanding challenges for routine blood culture, metagenomics is a promising approach to rapidly provide sequence-based detection and characterisation of bloodborne bacteria. Long-read sequencing technologies have successfully supported the use of clinical metagenomics for syndromes such as respiratory illness, and modified approaches may address two requisite factors for metagenomics to be used as a BSI diagnostic: depletion of the high level of host DNA to then detect the low abundance of microbes in blood. Methods Blood samples from healthy donors were spiked with different concentrations of four prevalent causative species of BSI. All samples were then subjected to a modified saponin-based host DNA depletion protocol and optimised DNA extraction, whole genome amplification and debranching steps in preparation for sequencing, followed by bioinformatical analyses. Two related variants of the protocol are presented: 1mL of blood processed without bacterial enrichment, and 5mL of blood processed following a rapid bacterial enrichment protocol—SepsiPURE. Results After first identifying that a large proportion of host mitochondrial DNA remained, the host depletion process was optimised by increasing saponin concentration to 3% and scaling the reaction to allow more sample volume. Compared to non-depleted controls, the 3% saponin-based depletion protocol reduced the presence of host chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA 10X while also increasing detectable bacteria by > 10X. Parameters during DNA extraction, whole genome amplification and long-read sequencing were also adjusted, and subsequently amplicons were detected for each input bacterial species at each of the spiked concentrations, ranging from 50–100 colony forming units (CFU)/mL to 1–5 CFU/mL. Conclusion In this proof-of-concept study, four prevalent BSI causative species were detected in under 12 h to species level (with antimicrobial resistance determinants) at concentrations relevant to clinical blood samples. The use of a rapid and precise metagenomic protocols has the potential to advance the diagnosis of BSI.
Published: 2024
Full Text: View/download PDF

5. BitEA: BitVertex Evolutionary Algorithm to Enhance Performance for Register Allocation

Author: Gizem Sungu Terci, Enes Abdulhalik, Alp Arslan Bayrakci, and Betul Boz
Subjects: Evolutionary optimization, parallel processing, register allocation, graph coloring problem, vertex-weighted graphs, crossover operator, Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering, TK1-9971
Abstract: Register allocation is important in compiler design to enhance the execution time of programs, as CPU registers operate significantly faster than memory locations. The challenge of optimally assigning program variables to a limited number of CPU registers requires innovative solutions within constrained timeframes, particularly when traditional methods are not applicable due to computational infeasibility on current CPU architectures. This study introduces BitVertex Evolutionary Algorithm (BitEA), a novel approach grounded in bitwise operations and bit-based solutions, designed to accelerate computational performance in register allocation. Our experimental results show that BitEA outperforms the existing methods by a factor of up to 60 across all tested scenarios in the DIMACS benchmarks. Furthermore, in terms of solution quality, BitEA achieves lower chromatic numbers on 9 DIMACS benchmarks compared to its closest contemporaries. This research underscores that BitEA has potential to set a new standard for register allocation through its superior speed and solution quality.
Published: 2024
Full Text: View/download PDF

6. Altered sleep behavior strengthens face validity in the ArcAβ mouse model for Alzheimer’s disease

Author: Alp Altunkaya, Cassandra Deichsel, Matthias Kreuzer, Duy-Minh Nguyen, Ann-Marie Wintergerst, Gerhard Rammes, Gerhard Schneider, and Thomas Fenzl
Subjects: Medicine, Science
Abstract: Abstract Demographic changes will expand the number of senior citizens suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD). Key aspects of AD pathology are sleep impairments, associated with onset and progression of AD. AD mouse models may provide insights into mechanisms of AD-related sleep impairments. Such models may also help to establish new biomarkers predicting AD onset and monitoring AD progression. The present study aimed to establish sleep-related face validity of a widely used mouse model of AD (ArcAβ model) by comprehensively characterizing its baseline sleep/wake behavior. Chronic EEG recordings were performed continuously on four consecutive days in freely behaving mice. Spectral and temporal sleep/wake parameters were assessed and analyzed. EEG recordings showed decreased non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) and increased wakefulness in transgenic mice (TG). Vigilance state transitions were different in TG mice when compared to wildtype littermates (WT). During NREMS, TG mice had lower power between 1 and 5 Hz and increased power between 5 and 30 Hz. Sleep spindle amplitudes in TG mice were lower. Our study strongly provides sleep-linked face validity for the ArcAβ model. These findings extend the potential of the mouse model to investigate mechanisms of AD-related sleep impairments and the impact of sleep impairments on the development of AD.
Published: 2024
Full Text: View/download PDF

7. Awareness and level of digital literacy among students receiving health-based education

Author: Alp Aydınlar, Arda Mavi, Ece Kütükçü, Elçim Elgün Kırımlı, Deniz Alış, Ata Akın, and Levent Altıntaş
Subjects: Digital literacy, Health, Students, University, Education, Special aspects of education, LC8-6691, Medicine
Abstract: Abstract Background Being digitally literate allows health-based science students to access reliable, up-to-date information efficiently and expands the capacity for continuous learning. Digital literacy facilitates effective communication and collaboration among other healthcare providers. It helps to navigate the ethical implications of using digital technologies and aids the use of digital tools in managing healthcare processes. Our aim in this study is to determine the digital literacy level and awareness of our students receiving health-based education in our university and to pave the way for supporting the current curriculum with courses on digital literacy when necessary. Method Students from Acibadem University who were registered undergraduate education for at least four years of health-based education, School of Medicine, Nutrition and Dietetics, Nursing, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Psychology, Biomedical Engineering, Molecular Biology, and Genetics were included. The questionnaire consisted of 24 queries evaluating digital literacy in 7 fields: software and multimedia, hardware and technical problem solving, network and communication/collaboration, ethics, security, artificial intelligence (A.I.), and interest/knowledge. Two student groups representing all departments were invited for interviews according to the Delphi method. Results The survey was completed by 476 students. Female students had less computer knowledge and previous coding education. Spearman correlation test showed that there were weak positive correlations between the years and the “software and multimedia,” “ethics,” “interest and knowledge” domains, and the average score. The students from Nursing scored lowest in the query after those from the Nutrition and Dietetics department. The highest scores were obtained by Biomedical Engineering students, followed by the School of Medicine. Participants scored the highest in “network” and “A.I.” and lowest in “interest-knowledge” domains. Conclusion It is necessary to define the level of computer skills who start health-based education and shape the curriculum by determining which domains are weak. Creating an educational environment that fosters females’ digital knowledge is recommended. Elective courses across faculties may be offered to enable students to progress and discuss various digital literacy topics. The extent to which students benefit from the digital literacy-supported curriculum may be evaluated. Thus, health-based university students are encouraged to acquire the computer skills required by today’s clinical settings. Registration This study was approved by Acıbadem University and Acıbadem Healthcare Institutions Medical Research Ethics Committee (ATADEK) (11 November 2022, ATADEK registration: 2022-17-138) All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. Informed consent was obtained from the participants.
Published: 2024
Full Text: View/download PDF

8. Those Fighting with Burden on Their Back: Elite Taekwondo Players’ Perfectionism and Fear of Failure

Author: Alp Ayşegül Funda and Kocaekşi Serdar
Subjects: perfectionism, fear of failure, elite athlete, qualitative method, Sports, GV557-1198.995
Abstract: This study aimed to examine levels of perfectionism and fear of failure of elite athletes in the Turkish national taekwondo team through qualitative research methods. A total of 11 national team athletes (6 females and 5 males) participated in the research. The data were collected using a semi-structured interview technique. In the study, opinions, emotions and thoughts of elite national team athletes about the concept of perfectionism and fear of failure were determined. In the theme of perfectionism, there were 7 categories and 35 codes; in the theme of fear of failure, 6 categories and 36 codes were revealed. It might be concluded that perfectionism and fear of failure have a more complex structure than it seems for elite and high-ranking athletes, and this might affect their motivation in many positive and negative ways. In addition, it was found that when the coach is a family member, two concerns of athletes (the coach is upset due to failure, and the family is upset due to failure) come together. Therefore, those who are both a coach and parent should be more careful with their children/athletes. It should also be kept in mind that while perfectionism is a great source of motivation and self-confidence, it has the potential to make athletes drop out of sports.
Published: 2023
Full Text: View/download PDF

9. Publisher Correction: Unified metagenomic method for rapid detection of microorganisms in clinical samples

Author: Adela Alcolea-Medina, Christopher Alder, Luke B. Snell, Themoula Charalampous, Alp Aydin, Gaia Nebbia, Tom Williams, Simon Goldenberg, Sam Douthwaite, Rahul Batra, Penelope R. Cliff, Hannah Mischo, Stuart Neil, Mark Wilks, and Jonathan D. Edgeworth
Subjects: Medicine
Published: 2024
Full Text: View/download PDF

10. Do bony pelvis parameters affect perioperative outcomes in open radical prostatectomy?

Author: Serdar Kalemci, Kasim E. Ergun, Fuat Kizilay, Alp Akyol, and Adnan Simsir
Subjects: Bony pelvic, Prostate cancer, Radical prostatectomy, Vesicourethral anastomosis, Diseases of the genitourinary system. Urology, RC870-923
Abstract: Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of bony pelvic parameters measured by computerized tomography (CT) for use in the estimation of the likely technical difficulties that may be encountered when performing open radical prostatectomy (RP) for localized prostate cancer. Material and methods: One hundred patients, undergoing open RP for localized prostate cancer, were evaluated between October 2016 to November 2018. All operations were performed by the same experienced surgeon. Pelvic parameters were measured using spiral CT images. Data were retrospectively collected from medical, operative, radiology, and pathology records and analyzed. Positive surgical margin (PSM), presence of vesicourethral anastomosis stricture (VUAS) and urine leakage, operative time, urethral catheterization time, and estimated blood loss were used as indicators of operative difficulty. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the significance of these variables. Results: There was no significant correlation between the pelvic parameters of the patients and the presence of PSM, VUAS, and urine leakage. Only PSA levels and pathological tumor stage were higher in patients with PSM (p = 0.002 and p = 0.001). On univariate and multivariate analyses, none of the individual pelvic parameters assessed showed a significant relationship with the operation time, estimated blood loss, and urethral catheterization time. In univariate analysis, there was a significant relationship between PSA levels and pathological tumor stage and operation time (p = 0.048 and p = 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Bony pelvic parameters may not be a significant factor in influencing the perioperative outcomes of open RP. Higher PSA levels and pathological tumor stage may lead to surgical margin positivity and longer operative time.
Published: 2022
Full Text: View/download PDF

11. Hybrid metagenome assemblies link carbohydrate structure with function in the human gut microbiome

Author: Anuradha Ravi, Perla Troncoso-Rey, Jennifer Ahn-Jarvis, Kendall R. Corbin, Suzanne Harris, Hannah Harris, Alp Aydin, Gemma L. Kay, Thanh Le Viet, Rachel Gilroy, Mark J. Pallen, Andrew J. Page, Justin O’Grady, and Frederick J. Warren
Subjects: Biology (General), QH301-705.5
Abstract: Longitudinal hybrid metagenomic analyses of a human stool sample reveal compositional and functional variation in response to six structurally-distinct carbohydrates, providing insight into how gut bacteria utilize various carbohydrate sources.
Published: 2022
Full Text: View/download PDF

12. Phenotypic and genotypic distribution of ESBL, AmpC β-lactamase and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in community-acquired and hospital-acquired urinary tract infections in Sri Lanka

Author: Pandithage Dona Vindya Madushika Perera, Sirithilak Gamage, Hembadura Sara Melros De Silva, Sashika Kushlani Jayatilleke, Nelun de Silva, Alp Aydin, Virve I. Enne, and Enoka Marie Corea
Subjects: Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL), AmpC β-lactamase, Carbapenemase, Enterobacteriaceae, Urinary tract infections (UTI), Sri Lanka, Microbiology, QR1-502
Abstract: ABSTRACT: Objectives: Although Sri Lanka belongs to a region with a high prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL), AmpC β-lactamase and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, data regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is limited. We studied the prevalence and diversity of β-lactamases produced by Enterobacteriaceae urinary pathogens from two hospitals in the Western Province of Sri Lanka. Methods: ESBL, AmpC β-lactamase and carbapenemase production was detected by phenotypic testing followed by genotyping. Results: The species responsible for urinary tract infections (UTI) were Escherichia coli (69%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (16%) and Enterobacter sp (6%). The prevalence of ESBL (50%), AmpC β-lactamase (19%) and carbapenemase (11%) phenotypes was high, and greater in hospital-acquired (HA-UTI) (75%) than in community-acquired UTI (CA-UTI) (42%). Identification of CA-UTI caused by carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (5%) is alarming. Only one ESBL gene, blaCTX- M-15, was detected. AmpC β-lactamase genes found in E. coli and K. pneumoniae were blaCMY-2, blaCMY-42 and blaDHA-1, while Enterobacter sp. carried blaACT-1. Carbapenemase genes were blaNDM-1, blaNDM-4, blaOXA-181 and blaOXA-232, while blaKPC, blaIMP and blaVIM were absent. Co-occurrence of multiple bla genes, with some isolates harbouring six different bla genes, was common. Carbapenem-resistant isolates without carbapenemase genes displayed mutations in the outer membrane porin genes, ompF of E. coli and ompK36 of K. pneumoniae. Factors associated with UTI with β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae were age ≥50 years, previous hospitalization, presence of an indwelling urinary catheter, history of diabetes mellitus or other chronic illness and recurrent urinary tract infections. Conclusion: This study adds to the currently scarce data on AMR in Sri Lanka.
Published: 2022
Full Text: View/download PDF

13. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Anaesthesiology and Reanimation Residency Training in Turkey

Author: Bahar Sakızcı Uyar, Alp Alptekin, and Aslı Dönmez
Subjects: Anesthesiology, RD78.3-87.3
Published: 2022
Full Text: View/download PDF

14. Can the preemptive use of lornoxicam or paracetamol prevent pain after inguinal hernia repair? A randomized prospective double-blind placebo controlled trial

Author: Alp Alptekin, Zafer Ergul, M Ercan Sonmez, Celil Ugurlu, Haluk Gumus, and Hakan Kulacoglu
Subjects: inguinal hernia, lichtenstein, lornoxicam, paracetamol, preemptive analgesia, Surgery, RD1-811
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have become a popular part of multimodal analgesic regimens particularly in ambulatory surgery. This study was designed to search the efficacy of preoperative administration of lornoxicam or paracetamol in patients who underwent open inguinal hernia repair. MATERIALS AND METHODS: American Society of Anesthesiologists Classification (ASA) I–III male patients with unilateral primary inguinal hernia scheduled for elective prosthetic repair under general anesthesia were randomly assigned to three groups. Group I patients were infused 100-ml normal saline 30 min before anesthesia (placebo), whereas Group II and Group III patients were given 8 mg lornoxicam or 1,000 mg paracetamol intravenously in 100-ml normal saline. Postoperative pain was treated with patient controlled intravenous morphine. Postoperative pain scores were evaluated with visual analog scale (VAS) in the recovery room and at 1st, 6th, 12th, and 24th hours postoperatively in all groups. Total amount of analgesics. Liker scale and SF-36 form was also used at 4th week follow-up in order assess quality of life. RESULTS: Totally 88 patients were completed the study (G1 = 28, G2 = 30, and G3 = 30). Preemptive use of both lornoxicam and paracetamol resulted in significantly lower recovery room VAS scores in comparison with placebo group (3.93, 3.73, and 5.25). Both lornoxicam and paracetamol groups (G2 and G3) displayed better results at 12th h than placebo group (P = 0.04). VAS scores at 24th hour were similar in three groups. Total morphine consumptions were also similar between the groups at all times. Total postoperative 1-week oral analgesic use was significantly less in G2 (lornoxicam), and G3 (paracetamol) in comparison with G1 (placebo). Quality of life indicators in Likert Scale and SF-36 form were also not different. CONCLUSION: Preemptive use of both lornoxicam and paracetamol may be effective in early postoperative pain control in patients undergo elective open inguinal hernia repair. However, there seems to be no difference between the efficacies of the two agents.
Published: 2022
Full Text: View/download PDF

15. Situation of Sectors Financed by Participation Banks: 2015-2019 Period Analysis

Author: Alp Aytaç, Ümit Gücenme Gençoğlu, and Süleyman Hakkı Ayhan
Subjects: katılım bankaları, i̇nşaat sektörü, durum analizi, faizsiz bankacılık, finansal analiz., participation banks, construction sector, situation analysis, interest-free banking, financial analysis, Finance, HG1-9999, Business, HF5001-6182
Abstract: Participation Banks refers to the organizations that operate with the principle of collecting funds and extending loans through special current and participation accounts and the branches in Turkey of such organizations established abroad. The main aim of this research is to shed light on which sectors are financed by participation banks. To accomplish this aim, data covering the 2015-2019 period is used in this research. State-funded participation banks such as Vakıf and Ziraat established in 2015 is the reason why authors examined the 2015-2019 period. Data was downloaded from the Participation Banks Association of Turkey website, and it is prepared at the end of 2019. In this study, situation analysis is used to show the development of participation banks and the sectors they finance. In this context, the growth in terms of the number of branches and personnel, the change in basic indicators, and the financed sectors' situation were determined in the examined period. Results show that participation banks have increased their role in the banking system. In addition, there is a relation between their growth and funding and fundraising levels. It is found that participation banks mainly finance construction sector which have an essential effect on the macroeconomic growth of the Turkish economy.
Published: 2021
Full Text: View/download PDF

16. An optimised protocol for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in stool

Author: Tianqi Li, Enriqueta Garcia-Gutierrez, Daniel A. Yara, Jacob Scadden, Jade Davies, Chloe Hutchins, Alp Aydin, Justin O’Grady, Arjan Narbad, Stefano Romano, and Lizbeth Sayavedra
Subjects: FMT, COVID19, RT-qPCR, Stool, Clinical-test, Microbiology, QR1-502
Abstract: Abstract Background SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in stool samples of COVID-19 patients, with potential implications for faecal-oral transmission. Compared to nasopharyngeal swab samples, the complexity of the stool matrix poses a challenge in the detection of the virus that has not yet been solved. However, robust and reliable methods are needed to estimate the prevalence and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in the gut and to ensure the safety of microbiome-based procedures such as faecal microbiota transplant (FMT). The aim of this study was to establish a sensitive and reliable method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in stool samples. Results Stool samples from individuals free of SARS-CoV-2 were homogenised in saline buffer and spiked with a known titre of inactivated virus ranging from 50 to 750 viral particles per 100 mg stool. Viral particles were concentrated by ultrafiltration, RNA was extracted, and SARS-CoV-2 was detected via real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) using the CDC primers and probes. The RNA extraction procedure we used allowed for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 via RT-qPCR in most of the stool samples tested. We could detect as few as 50 viral particles per 100 mg of stool. However, high variability was observed across samples at low viral titres. The primer set targeting the N1 region provided more reliable and precise results and for this primer set our method had a limit of detection of 1 viral particle per mg of stool. Conclusions Here we describe a sensitive method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in stool samples. This method can be used to establish the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in stool and ensure the safety of clinical practices such as FMT.
Published: 2021
Full Text: View/download PDF

17. Increased QT Dispersion and High Risk of Ventricular Arrhythmias is Associated with Hyperuricemia in Individuals with Normal Renal Function

Author: Huddam Bülent, Alp Alper, Genek Dilek Gibyeli, Azak Alper, and Karakus Volkan
Subjects: electrocardiography, allopurinol, uric acid, acute ventricular arryhthmias, Diseases of the circulatory (Cardiovascular) system, RC666-701
Abstract: Background and aim: Uric acid elevation has been shown to be an important risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrobascular disease. QT dispersion (QTd) is a parameter that shows the heterogeneity of ventricular repolarization and can be calculated noninvasively from surface electrocardiography. Increased QTd has been associated with severe arrhythmia and risk of sudden death in many patients and disease groups. In this context, we aimed to investigate the effect of uric acid levels on QTd and the effects of decrease in uric acid levels on QTd.
Published: 2021
Full Text: View/download PDF

18. Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Author: Stephen R Knight, Catherine A Shaw, Riinu Pius, Thomas M Drake, Lisa Norman, Adesoji O Ademuyiwa, Adewale O Adisa, Maria Lorena Aguilera, Sara W Al-Saqqa, Ibrahim Al-Slaibi, Aneel Bhangu, Bruce M Biccard, Peter Brocklehurst, Ainhoa Costas-Chavarri, Kathryn Chu, Anna Dare, Muhammed Elhadi, Cameron J Fairfield, J Edward Fitzgerald, Dhruv Ghosh, James Glasbey, Mark I. van Berge Henegouwen, J.C. Allen Ingabire, T Peter Kingham, Marie Carmela Lapitan, Ismaïl Lawani, Bettina Lieske, Richard Lilford, Janet Martin, Kenneth A McLean, Rachel Moore, Dion Morton, Dmitri Nepogodiev, Faustin Ntirenganya, Francesco Pata, Thomas Pinkney, Ahmad Uzair Qureshi, Antonio Ramos-De la Medina, Aya Riad, Hosni Khairy Salem, Joana Simões, Richard Spence, Neil Smart, Stephen Tabiri, Hannah Thomas, Thomas G Weiser, Malcolm West, John Whitaker, Ewen M Harrison, Arben Gjata, Maria Marta Modolo, Sebastian King, Erick Chan, Sayeda Nazmun Nahar, Ade Waterman, Dominique Vervoort, Alemayehu Ginbo Bedada, Bernardo De Azevedo, Ana Gabriela Figueiredo, Manol Sokolov, Venerand Barendegere, Gerald Ekwen, Arnav Agarwal, Qinyang Liu, Juan Camilo Correa, Kalisya Luc Malemo, Jacques Bake, Jakov Mihanovic, Kamila Kunčarová, Julius Orhalmi, Hosni Salem, Jyri Teras, Aristotelis Kechagias, Alexis P Arnaud, Judith Lindert, Vasileios Kalles, Maria-Lorena Aguilera-Arevalo, Gustavo Recinos, Zsolt Baranyai, Basant Kumar, Harish Neelamraju Lakshmi, Sanoop Koshy Zachariah, Philip Alexander, Sunil Kumar Venkatappa, C Pramesh, Radhian Amandito, Christina Fleming, Luca Ansaloni, Gianluca Pellino, Ahmed M. Altibi, Ibrahim Nour, Intisar Hamdun, Ali M. Ghellai, Donatas Venskutonis, Tomas Poskus, Justas Zilinskas, Precious Malemia, Yong Yong Tew, Elaine Borg, Sarah Ellul, fatima Zahraa Wafqui, David W Borowski, Anne Sophie van Dalen, Cameron Wells, Harissou Adamou, Adesoji Ademuyiwa, Adewale Adisa, Kjetil Søreide, Sara Al Saqqa, Osaid Alser, Haya Tahboub, Helmut Alfredo Segovia Lohse, Sebastian Shu Yip, Piotr Major, António Sampaio Soares, Matei Razvan Bratu, Andrey Litvin, Armen Vardanyan, JC Allen Ingabire, Ahmad Gudal, Naif Albati, Jovan Juloski, Miran Rems, Sarah Rayne, Stephanie Van Straten, Yoshan Moodley, Irene Ortega Vázquez, Jaime Ruiz-Tovar, Kithsiri Janakantha Senanayake, Sujeewa Priyantha Bandara Thalgaspitiya, Omer Abdelbagi Omer, Anmar Homeida, Yucel Cengiz, Daniel Clerc, Muhammad Alshaar, Hanen Bouaziz, Yuksel Altinel, Matthew Doe, Maryna Freigofer, Ella Teasdale, Rakan Kabariti, Joshua Michael Clements, Stephen Richard Knight, Ahsan Ashfaq, Ijeoma Azodo, Gabriela Wagner, Ivan Trostchansky, Mayaba Maimbo, David Linyama, Helidon Nina, Amanda Zeko, Claudio Gabriel Fermani, Santiago Villalobos, Federico Carballo, Pablo Farina, Sebastian Guckenheimer, Marilla Dickfos, Ankit Ajmera, Chester Chong, Ralph Gourlay, Sikandar Hussaini, Yi Jia Lee, Adeeb Majid, Peter Martin, Rebecca Miles, Owen James Morris, Jamie Phua, William Ridley, Tarunpreet Saluja, Ryan Renxin Tan, Jen Teh, Anna Wells, Bharti Arora, Qaasim Dollie, Debbie Ho, Yanru Ma, Omattage Mahasha Perera, Anthony Truong, Amanda Caroline Dawson, Bryan Lim, Upuli Pahalawatta, Jacqueline Phan, Xiao-Ming Sarah Woon-Shoo-Tong, Andrea Yeoh, Lillian Charman, Andrew Drane, Sharon Laura, Charmaine Chu Wen Lo, Amy Mozes, Rita Poon, Hao Han Tan, Ellen Wall, Prakshi Chopra, Jasmine De Giovanni, Bal Dhital, Brian Draganic, Alexander Duller, Jonathan Gani, Yao Kuan Goh, Jun Young Jeong, Brendan McManus, Prakash Nagappan, Peter Pockney, Anya Rugendyke, Mahsa Sarrami, Stephen Smith, Vanessa Wills, Hsu Ven Wong, Geoffrey Ye, Geoffrey Zhang, Ethan Brooker, Daniel Feng, Bonnie Lau, Carlin Ngai, Sarah Birks, David Gyorki, Jaime Otero de Pablos, Ali Abbosh, Chris Gillespie, Ahmed Mahmoud, Bianca Kwan, Joshua Lawson, Andrea Warwick, Janne Bingham, Andrew J Cockbain, Nagendra Naidu Dudi-Venkata, Jordan Ellaby-Hall, Ben Finlay, Emily Humphries, Jade Pisaniello, Monique Pisaniello, Salma Salih, Tarik Sammour, Haidar Hadri Abd Wahab, April De Silva, Nicola Hayward, Kartik Iyer, Guy Maddern, Gian Andrea Prevost, Naga Annapureddy, Krishna Pranathi Settipalli, Jeremy Yeo, Lucy Hempenstall, Lily Pham, Shaun Purcell, Cherry Talavera, Ashish I Vaska, Gurpreet Chaggar, Phillip Chrapko, Annelise Cocco, Sarah Michelle Crystal Jade Coulter-Nile, Grahame Ctercteko, James French, Houchen Gong, Martijn Gosselink, Thuvarahan Jegathees, Ivan Jin, Michelle Kalachov, Kathryn Kiefhaber, Katherine Lee, Jason Luong, Steven Phan, Henry Pleass, Kelly Veale, Zhi Zeng, Angela Au, Ashe DeBiasio, Idy Deng, Jananee Myooran, Amrita Nair, Peter Stewart, Anton Stift, Lukas Walter Unger, Kerstin Wimmer, Nabila Ahmed, Syed Hasan, Saber Rahman, Margaret O'Shea, Greg Padmore, Adrian Peters, Pietro Perduca, Guenda Pulcina, Nicolas Tinton, Frederic Buxant, Elsa Dabin, Giulia Garofalo, Francis Dossou, Freddy Houehanou Rodrigue Gnangnon, Yacoubou Imorou Souaibou, Pako Motlaleselelo, Omphile Tlhomelang, Igor Lima Buarque, Gustavo Mendonça Ataíde Gomes, Aldo Vieira Barros, Ilia Batashki, Nikolai Damianov, Vladislav Stoyanov, Dragomir Dardanov, Svilen Maslyankov, Plamen Petkov, George Todorov, Evgeni Zhivkov, Aygulya Akisheva, Miguel Angel Castilla Moreno, Geno Genov, Ivelina Ilieva, Tsvetomir Ivanov, Martin Karamanliev, Azhar Khan, Emil Mitkov, Tsanko Yotsov, Boyko Atanasov, Nikolay Belev, Mihail Slavchev, Carlos Nsengiyumva, Elgan Jones, Simon Stock, Steve Kyota, James Brown, Tresor Mabanza K., Lemery Nigo Samuel, Chidi Otuneme, Ngwang Prosper, Franklin Umenze, Marylise Boutros, Natasha Caminsky, Sinziana Dumitra, Richard Garfinkle, Dominique Morency, Ebram Salama, Alexander Banks, Lorenzo Ferri, Haitian He, Amit Katz, Alexander Sender Liberman, Sarkis Meterissian, Allison Pang, Elena Parvez, Usmaan Hameed, Fahima Osman, Sangita Sequeira, Natalie Coburn, Alisha Jaffer, Paul Karanicolas, Matthew Mosseler, Reilly Musselman, Xinyuan Liu, Ching Wan Yip, Juan Sebastian Garces-Otero, Carolina Guzman, Sebastian Sierra, Andres Uribe Valencia, Paulo Andrés Cabrera Rivera, Saul Camelo, Andrea Gonzalez, Alejandro González-Orozco, Manuel Santiago Mosquera Paz, Carlos J- Perez Rivera, Felipe Gonzalez, Andres Isaza-Restrepo, Laura Nino- Torres, Natalia Arias Madrid, Maria Clara Mendoza Arango, Justin Tsandiraki, Damir Jemendžić, Branislav Kocman, Oliver Šuman, Renata Canic, Darko Jurišić, Ivana Karakas, Ana Krizanovic Rupcic, Vlatka Pitlovic, Josip Samardžić, Mario Kopljar, Ivan Bacic, Edgar Domini, Robert Karlo, Danijela Miljanić, Andrea Simic, Mariam Ahmed, Majdi Al Nassrallah, Rabiya Altaf, Talal Amjad, Ruba Eltoum, Heba Haidar, Alhassan Hassan, Omar Khalil, Marwan Qasem, Rommel Ramesh, Gautham Sajith, Maham Wisal, Jan Žatecký, Michele Bujda, Katerina Jirankova, Ales Paclik, Aya Abdallah, Mariam Abdulgawad Almogy, Esraa Ayman El-sawy, Ahmed Moustafa ElFayoumy, Nourhan Elghareeb, Nourhan Ahmed Esmat, Ahmed Fadel, Abdullah Habater, Heba Hamdy, Amr Hefni, Marwa Kamal, Norhan Mohamed Abobakr, Ahmed Sayed, Nancy Shaker, Ehab Taha, Hoda Tharwat, Omar Zakaria, Ibrahem Abdelmotaleb, Ali Al-Dhufri, Hamza S. Al-Himyari, Enas El sheikh, Asmaa Eldmaty, Aya Elkhalawy, Ahmed M.Elkhashen, Kithara Magdy, Safa Mostafa, Habib Doutoum Sadia, Mohamed mahmoud Saleh, Dina Samir, Mohamed Yahia Mohamed Ali, Mahmoud A. Nassar, Samar Abdelhady, Aly Abdelrazek, Israa Abdelsalam, Aya El-Sawy, Eman Essam, Mohamed Gadelkarim, Khaled Ghaly, Mohamed Hassabalnaby, Rana Masarani, Nourhan Mohamed Shaaban, Ahmed Sabry, Menatalla Salem, Nourhan Akram Soliman, Diaaaldin Zahran, Moustafa Ramadan Abou El.soud, Esraa Tarek Badr, Hala Borham, Nehal Elmeslemany, Mohammad Elsayed, Fawzia Elsherif, Sara Eslam, Gehad Gaber, Sondos Ibrahim, Yara Kamh, Abdelrahman Mahmoud, Shimaa gamal Mohamed, Eman Morshedy, Cinderella Omar, Fatima Salem Soliman, Shaza Abdelkawy, Naglaa Abdelmohsen, Mahmoud Abdelshakour, Ahmed Dahy, Norhan Gamal, Mohammed Gamal, Ahmad Hasan, Helal Hetta, Nehad Mousa, Mohamed Omar, Somia Rabie, Mahmoud Saad, Bakeer Saleh, Marwa Sayed Mohamed, Muhammad Shawqi, Heba Abdelhady Mousa, Mostafa Alnoury, Mohamed Elbealawy, Ahmed Elshafey, Muhammad Essam Ibrahim El Desouki Muhammad Ahmed, Mennatullah Ghonaim, Fawzy Hgag, Mohamed Ibrahim, Mahmoud Morsy, Mohamed Reda Loaloa, Ahmed Refaat, Hadeer Samir, Fatma Shahien, Mohamed Sobhy, Fathy Sroor, Esraa Abdellatif, Marina Adel, Amr Abdelghani Afifi, Eman Afifi, Marco Antaky, Amr Dawoud, Naira El Zoghby, Amira El-remaily, Ali Abdelazez Elzanfaly, Ahmed Gadallah, Fatma Alzahraa Gamal, Omar Hashem, Shrouk Medhat Youssef, Aliaa Muhammad Attyah, Malak Munir, Omar Shazly, Esraa Taha, Karim Wilson, Sawsan Adel, Asmaa Ali, Esraa Eid, Esraa Elhelow, Marwa Elmahdy, Bassant Elshatby, Amany Hossam el-din Zakaria, Ahmad Hossny, Eman Ibrahim, Ahmed M.Yonis, Maram Metwalli, Basant Yousry, Esraa Zid, Mina A Yacoub, Ahmed Abdelhakim, Nervana Abouelsoad, Mo'min Alkhatib, Ahmed Ashraf, Alaa Ashraf, Yasmin Elazab, Mahmoud Elfanty, Osama Elkabir, Mai Elsayed, Ahmed Elshimy, Hager Elsobky, John Eskander, Ahmed Gad, Ward Hamsho, Noura Khaled Abdelwahed, Menna Magdy, Dalia Moharam, Abeer Osama, Shereen Ramadan, Radwa Roum, Taqwa Sayed, Tarneem Shehada, Ahmed Mohy Zidan, Khalid Abbas, Amr Ali, Mohamed Attia, Mohamed Balata, Ayman El Nakeeb, Mohamed Ibrahim Elsayed Elewaily, Ahmed Elfallal, Hossam Elfeki, Ahmed Elkhadragy, Sameh Emile, Helmy Ezzat, Hasnaa Hosni, Islam Mansour, Waleed Omar, Gehad Othman, Kareem Sadek, Mostafa Shalaby, Noura Shehab-Eldeen, Rawda Anas khalifa, Helmy Badr, Mostafa Eldeep, Ahmed Eldeep, Amany Eldoseuky mohammed, Salwa Khallaf, Eman Magdy Hegazy, Rokia Mahmoud, Pola Mikhail, Mahmoud Morsi, Sara Mowafy, Dina Raafat, Amina Safy, Marwa Sera, Ahmed shible Sera, Mostafa Salim Mohamed AbdAllah, Muhammad Abdelkader, Abdulrahman Osama Abdou, Ahmedgaber Ahmed, Shireen Gaafar, Fatma Ibrahim negm, Mina Lapic, Ahmed Maher, Hagar Mahmoud, Ahmed Mostafa, Mohamed Samir, Fatma Samy, Nourhan Semeda, Hind I. Shalaby, Alaa El-taweel, Ahmed Galal Elnagar, Ahmed Gamal Hemidan, Mohamed Hussein, Ahmed.A. Kandil, Mf Moawad, Ayat Allah Nasser Hamamah, Mostafa Soliman, Mohamed Abdelkhalek, Noura Abdelmaksoud Tawakel, Ahmed Mohamed Abdelwahed, Alrawy Abdou, Khalid Atallah, Mohammed Yasser Elsherbeny, Eman Emara, Mohamed Hamdy, Omar Hamdy, Amira Haron, Salma Ismail, Islam Hany Metwally, Nihal Mohamed Hamed Elgaml, Ahmed Nassar, Basel Refky, Mirna Sadek, Mahmoud Saleh, Asmaa Yunes, Mai Zakaria, Mohammed Zuhdy, Notila Fayed, Mohammed Mustafa Hassan Mohammed, Sander Kütner, Priit Melnik, Indrek Seire, Toomas Ümarik, Eppu Ainoa, Verner Eerola, Hanna Koppatz, Laura Koskenvuo, Ville Sallinen, Sini Takala, Jevgeni Katunin, Arto Turunen, Niki Christou, Muriel Mathonnet, Vincent Lavoue, Krystel Nyangoh Timoh, Lucie Soulabaille, Romain Lesourd, Aude Merdrignac, Laurent Sulpice, Benoît André, Elodie Chantalat, Charlotte Vaysse, Bertrand Dousset, Sebastien Gaujoux, Gregory Martin, Octavian Clonda, Domantas Juodis, Klaus Kienle, Andras Mravik, Samuel Palmer, Gabor Szabadhegyi, Anita Eseenam Agbeko, Solomon Gyabaah, Frank Enoch Gyamfi, Nuhu Naabo, Atta Owusu senior, Joseph Yorke, Frank Owusu, Francis Abantanga, Theophilus Teddy Kojo Anyomih, Abdul-Jalilu Mohammed Muntaka, Emmanuel Owusu Abem, Mohammed Sheriff, Paul M. Wondoh, Dimitrios Balalis, Dimitrios Korkolis, Georgios Gkiokas, Eirini Pantiora, Theodosios Theodosopoulos, Argyrios Ioannidis, Konstantinos Konstantinidis, Sofia Konstantinidou, Nikolaos Machairas, Anna Paspala, Anastasia Prodromidou, Christos Chouliaras, Konstantinos Papadopoulos, Ioannis Baloyiannis, Ioannis Mamaloudis, George Tzovaras, Ioanna Akrida, Maria-Ioanna Argentou, Stylianos Germanos, Evangelos Iliopoulos, Ioannis Maroulis, George Skroubis, George Theofanis, Christos Chatzakis, Orestis Ioannidis, Lydia Loutzidou, Panagiotis Karathanasis, Nikolaos Michalopoulos, Charalampos Theodoropoulos, Dimitrios Theodorou, Tania Triantafyllou, Zoe Garoufalia, Natasha Hasemaki, Michalis Kontos, Gregory Kouraklis, Stylianos Kykalos, Theodore Liakakos, Eustratia Mpaili, Alexandros Papalampros, Dimitrios Schizas, Athanasios Syllaios, Ekaterini Christina Tampaki, Antonios Tsimpoukelis, Maria Ioanna Antonopoulou, Eirini Deskou, Dimitrios K. Manatakis, Dimitrios Papageorgiou, Menelaos Zoulamoglou, Christos Anthoulakis, Michalis Margaritis, Nikolaos Nikoloudis, Veronica Campo, André Ceballos, Mario-Andrés Flores, Waleska Giron, Donghyun Ko, Gabriel Martinez, Verónica Rivera Lara, Nataly Rueda, Andres Sanchez, Jorge Carlos Guillermo Tejeda Garrido, Alvaro Eduardo Alvarez Rivera, Elvis Benjamin Bamaca Ixcajoc, Lilian Elizabeth Barreda Zelaya, Patricia Chacòn-Herrera, Ligia Margarita Corea Ruiz, Guillermo Echeverria-Davila, Mario Garcia, Danilo García, Edgar Fernando Gutiérrez Mayen, Noriega José, Nery Mazariegos, Diego Méndez, Michael Paniagua Espinoza, David Bardos, Marton Benke, Kristof Illes, Balint András Kokas, Réka Szabó, Akhila Appukuttan, Anjitha Asok, Vijaykumar D.k, Kapil Malik, Praveen Ravishankaran, Ritesh Tapkire, Guru Moorthy, Joyner Abraham, Ramesh Muthuvel, John Alapatt, Abhay Kattepur, Nizamudheen Pareekutty, Mebanshanbor Garod, Caleb Harris, Cliff Wanniang, Ashish Gupta, Deepak Nehra, Sanjeev Parshad, Rajgopal Acharya, Rajendra Badwe, Manish Bhandare, Urvashi Jain, Karishma Kirti, Nita Nair, Shailesh Shrikhande, Purvi Thakkar, Premkumar Anandan, Archana C S, Arun Holenarasipur Narasannaiah, Tejaswi Jagarlamudi, Rashmi M R, Mallikarjuna Manangi, Abhishek Raghavendra, K. Seshagiri Rao, Vinay S, Vinay Sajjan, Aneesh Shenoy, Santhosh Shivashankar Chikkanayakanahalli, Kavya Tharanath, Sushmita V, Peter Adidharma, Raksheeth Agarwal, Phebe Anggita Gultom, Ghafur Rasyid Arifin, Matthew Billy, Zatira Elfizri, Alessa Fahira, Devi Felicia, Triana Hardianti Gunardi, Nadya Johanna, Nadia Rahmadiani Nugrahadi, Sonar Soni Panigoro, Siti Rahmayanti, Retta Catherina Sihotang, Santi Yuanita Brata, Hadi Winoto, Nastaran Barati, Manoochehr Karami, Hamidreza Khorshidi, Homa Naderifar, Mazin A. Abdulla, Maggie Coleman, Ronan J Doherty, Rob Hannon, Brenda Murphy, Aine Stakelum, Des Winter, Lylas Aljohmani, Richard Farnan, Yeshey Seldon, Tanna Tan, Shriya Varghese, Mohammad Alherz, Muaaz Ather, Mohammad Bajilan, Vivien Graziadei, Isobel Pilkington, Omar Quidwai, Paul Ridgway, Haaris Shiwani, Abd al-Rahman Tahir, Eimear Blunnie, Daniel Burke, Niall Kennedy, Kate Macdonagh, Maeve O'Neill, Siobhan Rooney, Giuseppe Falco, Guglielmo Ferrari, Simone Mele, Gabriela Elisa Nita, Lara Ugoletti, Maurizio Zizzo, Gianmaria Confalonieri, Giovanni Pesenti, Fulvio Tagliabue, Gianluca Baronio, Deborah Ongaro, Giacomo Pata, Bruno Compagnoni, Renato Salvadori, Lucio Taglietti, Nicola D'Alessandro, Pierpaolo Di Lascio, Giovanni Pascale, Luca Bortolasi, Tommaso Campagnaro, Massimo Carlini, Giorgio Lisi, Davide Lombardi, Corrado Pedrazzani, Domenico Spoletini, Giulia Turri, Paola Violi, Donato Francesco Altomare, Fabrizio Aquilino, Nicola Musa, Vincenzo Papagni, Arcangelo Picciariello, Leonardo Vincenti, Dario Andreotti, Savino Occhionorelli, Matteo Tondo, Stefano Maria Massimiliano. Basso, Paolo Ubiali, Riccardo Cirelli, Marco Enrico Mario Maino, Guglielmo Niccolò Piozzi, Emanuele Picone, Rosa Scaramuzzo, Giovanni Sinibaldi, Alfonso Amendola, Lorenzo Anastasio, Luigi Bucci, Emanuele Caruso, Antonio Castaldi, Sara Di Maso, Vincenza Paola Dinuzzi, Giovanni Esposito, Maria Gaudiello, Mariano Cesare Giglio, Paola Antonella Greco, Gaetano Luglio, Andrea Manfreda, Ester Marra, Federica Mastella, Gianluca Pagano, Roberto Peltrini, Vincenzo Pepe, Michele Sacco, Viviana Sollazzo, Giovanni Spiezio, Ettore Cianchetti, Nunzia Menduni, Michele Maria Carvello, Francesca Di Candido, Antonino Spinelli, Fabio Corsi, Luca Sorrentino, Fabio Marino, Emanuele Luigi Giuseppe Asti, Luigi Bonavina, Emanuele Rausa, Martina Asta, Andrea Belli, Francesco Bianco, Carmela Cervone, Paolo Delrio, Armando Falato, Andrea Fares Bucci, Rita Guarino, Ugo Pace, Daniela Rega, Emilia De Luca, Gaetano Gallo, Giuseppe Sammarco, Giuseppe Sena, Giuseppina Vescio, Letizia Santandrea, Giampaolo Ugolini, Davide Zattoni, Nicola Chetta, Gaetano Logrieco, Serafino Vanella, Gianluca Garulli, Nicola Zanini, Andrea Bondurri, Francesco Cammarata, Francesco Colombo, Diego Foschi, Giulia Maria Beatrice Lamperti, Anna Maffioli, Gianluca Matteo Sampietro, Al'ona Yakushkina, Gloria Zaffaroni, Enrico Cicuttin, Maria Grazia Sibilla, Harmony Impellizzeri, Marco Inama, Gianluigi Moretto, Sylvie Mochet, Elisa Ponte, Antonella Usai, Stefano Mancini, Andrea Sagnotta, Luigi Solinas, Elisa Bolzonaro, Nicolò Tamini, Gianluca Curletti, Raffaele Galleano, Michele Malerba, Sofia Campanella, Gianfranco Cocorullo, Francesco Colli, Paolino De Marco, Nicolò Falco, Tommaso Fontana, Leonel jospin Kamdem Mambou, Antonella La Brocca, Leo Licari, Brenda Randisi, Giovanna Rizzo, Giulia Rotolo, Giuseppe Salamone, Roberta Tutino, Paolina Venturelli, Stefano Malabarba, Alessandro Sgrò, Ivan Vella, Bruno Cirillo, Daniele Crocetti, Giorgio De Toma, Pierfrancesco Lapolla, Andrea Mingoli, Paolo Sapienza, Angela Belvedere, Stefania Bianchini, Margherita Binetti, Arianna Birindelli, Valeria Tonini, Mauro Podda, Fabio Pulighe, Michele De Rosa, Lorenzo Bono, Felice Borghi, Paolo Geretto, Maria Carmela Giuffrida, Corrado Lauro, Alessandra Marano, Luca Pellegrino, Paola Salusso, Diego Sasia, Michela Campanelli, Alberto Realis Luc, Mario Trompetto, Roberto Cardia, Nicola Cillara, Antonio Nicola Giordano, Antonio Costanzo, Mario Alessandro Giovilli, Luca Turati, Silvestro Canonico, Guido Sciaudone, Francesco Selvaggi, Lucio Selvaggi, Nader Albsoul, Ahmad AlBsoul, Ala'a Aldeen Alkhatib, Osama Alsallaq, Justin Z. Amarin, Rami Ayoub, Isam Bsisu, M S El Muhtaseb, Mohammad Jabaiti, Jamal Melhem, Yasmeen Z. Qwaider, Mohammad Hasan Salameh, Ahmad Suleihat, Haya H. Suradi, Mohammad Alammarin, Almoutuz Aljaafreh, Mohammad Bani hani, Zeina Bani hani, Farah Bani Hani, Toqa Fahmawee, Shadi Hamouri, Cyrine Katanani, Ra'fat Tawalbeh, Tamara Tawalbeh, Hassan Zawahrah, Mohamad K. Abou Chaar, Lana Abusalem, Mahmoud Al-Masri, Hani Al-Najjar, Lutfi Barghuthi, Zahra Ahmed, Adnan Maulana, Omar Ngotho, Charbel Kamau, Aruyaru Stanley Mwenda, Fridah Bosire, Elizabeth Mwachiro, Robert Parker, Ian Simel, Kimutai Sylvester, Abdulmunem Ahmed Mustafa Althini, Sofian Elbarouni, Aya Elseed Elbeshina, Ahmed Gwea, Ans Malek, Wedad Albashir Masoud Farag, Abdulwahab Abdalei, Abu Baker Abdel Malik, Areej Abo-khammash, Ma'aly Abuhlaiga, Nour Adnan, Marwa Albaggar, Asma Alfitory, Asma Aljanfi, Fakhruddin Almuzghi, Zohoor Altumei, Fatima Alzabti, Hana Ashoushan, Mohamed Assalhi, Joma Azzubia, Sondos Bnhameida, Malik Delhen, Houssein Elshafei, Hana Elteir, Fatima Esbaga, Abdel Aziz Gobbi, Fatma Hamouda, Hamdan Hilan, Rania Ismail, Fieruz Jebran, Muataz Kasbour, Galia Maderi, Saja Mohammad, Burooj Mohammed, Habib Murtadi, Hamassat Mustafa, Mohamed Rajab, Sarah Trenba, Mariam Wafaa, Eman Al Sagheir, Alabas Almigheerbi, Ahmed Alzahaf, Sumayyah Ghayth Bahroun, Najah Ben Dallah, Mahmoud Elshaibani, Haitem Eswaye, Maha Karar, Samah Omar, Eman Younes, Maha Younes, Dafer Zreeg, Saleh Abujamra, Firas Ashour, Mala Elgammudi, Wesal Omar F. Aljadidi, Enas Saddouh, Randa Sharif, Aya Alabuzidi, AbdulMawlay Alwerfally, Sarra Aribi, Fatma Bibas, Taha Elfaituri, Yasmine Elhajjaji, Ala Khaled, Wegdan Khalil, Tesneem Layas, Enas Soula, Ahmed Tarek, Muad fathi khalleefah Abu hallalah, Hazem Abdelkarem Ahmed, Tagwa Alsharef, Abdulsalam Ali Ben Saoud, Tasnim El Gharmoul, Ahmed Elhadi, Safa Elrais, Abdulhalim Shebani, Heba Zarti, Asaid Zeiton, Marijus Ambrazevicius, Nerijus Kaselis, Migle Stakyte, Oleg Aliosin, Agne Cizauskaite, Sarunas Dailidenas, Vitalijus Eismontas, Migle Kybransiene, Vitalija Nutautiene, Narimantas Samalavicius, Dainius Simcikas, Algirdas Slepavicius, Albinas Tamosiunas, Nerijus Ubartas, Paulius Zeromskas, Saulius Bradulskis, Edvinas Dainius, Juozas Juočas, Egle Kubiliute, Juozas Kutkevičius, Aurimas Opolskis, Audrius Parseliunas, Andrejus Subocius, Egle Virbickaite, Diana Zuikyte, Algirdas Bogusevicius, Kristina Buzaite, Daiva Čepuliené, Ieva Cesleviciene, Vaidotas Cesna, Jolanta Gribauskaite, Povilas Ignatavicius, Mantas Jokubauskas, Monika Liugailaitè, Ernest Margelis, Ruta Mazelyte, Lina Pankratjevaitè, Matas Pažusis, Agne Rackeviciute, Justina Saladyte, Monika Škimelytè, Vygintas Šlenfuktas, Monika Sudeikyte, Algimantas Tamelis, Tomas Vanagas, Žygimantas Žumbakys, Aivaras Atkociunas, Audrius Dulskas, Justas Kuliavas, Justas Birutis, Sigitas Paškevičius, Mindaugas Šatkauskas, Donatas Danys, Matas Jakubauskas, Lina Jakubauskiene, Marius Kryzauskas, Vytautas Lipnickas, Gabija Makūnaitè, Fanjandrainy Rasoaherinomenjanahary, Herizo Rasolofonarivo, Luc Hervé Samison, Bitiel Banda, Vanessa Msosa, Ahmad Imran Ahmad Izzuddin, Andre Das, Ying Yee Gan, Tan Shong Sheng, Jia yng Siaw, Mohd Fadliyazid Ab Rahim, Dyg Zahratul Hamrak Abang Jamari, Nurfariza Che Husin, Muhd Yusairi Kamarulzaman, Yi Ping Lim, Nil Amri Mohamed Kamil, Mohd Razeen Mohd Hassan, Saidah Mohd Sahid, Johari Mustafa, Elaine Hui Been Ng, Wan Khamizar Wan Khazim, Ng Chang Ern, P.g. Lingeshan, Syariz Ezuan Sulaiman, Sue Ean Ang, Muhammad Navid Bin Mohamad Sithik, Yih Jeng Cheong, Mahadevan Deva Tata, Law Jia Xian, Aravinthan Kadravello, I-Ern Koh, Li-Yen Ng, Yuki Julius Ng We Yong, Kandasami Palayan, Chi Xuan Sam, Phuah Siow Jin, Jeremy Tan Ern Hwei, Yita Tang, Alvin Zubin Ter, Michael Pak-Kai Wong, Andee Dzulkarnaen Zakaria, Zaidi Zakaria, Fitjerald Henry, Thyivya Kalaiselvan, Muhammad Fairuz Shah Abd Karim, Mohamed Rezal Abdul Aziz, Nora Abdul Aziz, Tak Loon Khong, Peng Choong Lau, Hiong Chin Lim, April Camilla Roslani, Jonathan Chen Ken Seak, Sui-Weng Wong, Lai Fen Wong, Leow Yeen Chin, Mercy Chinemerem Anyanwu, Zachary Busuttil, Thomas Calleja, Kurt Lee Chircop, Ruth Cutajar, Andrew Michael Dimech, Joseph Galea, Kiara Gascon Perai, Ruth Gatt, Lisa Kelman, Elizabeth Micallef, Favour Nwolu, Kim Sammut, Joanna Thompson, Sean Warwicker, Matthew Zammit, Fernando Cordera, Efraín Cruz González, Jorge Sánchez-García, Francisco José Barbosa Camacho, Francisco Javier Barrera López, Carlos Jose Zuloaga Fernandez del Valle, Eric Acosta, Iván Romarico González Espinoza, Perla Moreno, Ana Olivia Cortes-Flores, Clotilde Fuentes Orozco, Alejandro Gonzalez Ojeda, Samantha Corro Díaz González, Laura Martinez, Bonifacio Mosqueda Amador, Armando Novoa, Dennet Arturo Olazo Espejo, Alejandro Jimenez, Federico Lopez Rosales, Elva Gabriela Vanoye, Luis Alberto Garcia Gonzalez, Roberto Carlos Miranda-Ackerman, Manuel Solano-Genesta, Alethia Alvarez-Cano, Hector Hugo Romero-Garza, Heriberto Medina-Franco, Lorelí Mejía-Fernández, Noel Salgado-Nesme, Omar Vergara-Fernandez, Guadalupe Montserrat Gutiérrez-Mota, Francisco Xavier Hernandez Vera, Anabella Llantada Lopez, Gilberto Morgan Villela, Felipe de Jesus Ramirez Padilla, Walezka Tapia Marin, Mónica Martínez Maldonado, Ramses Sánchez Suárez, José Manuel Troche, Chaymae Benyaiche, Oumaima Outani, Souadka Amine, Amine Benkabbou, Anass Mohammed Majbar, Raouf Mohsine, Ali Rafik, Thida Oung, Moe Moe Tin, Philipp Plarre, Anna Alberga, Nina Sluiter, Jurriaan Tuynman, Robin Blok, Didem Cömert, Roel Hompes, Marianne Kalff, Merel Elisabeth Stellingwerf, Pieter Tanis, Mark van Berge Henegouwen, Elise Maria van Praag, Daan Wisselink, Michael Gerhards, Josephine Lopes Cardozo, Emma Westerduin, Joske de Jonge, Aaw van Geloven, Kaz van Schilt, Frank den Boer, Simone Stoots, Stijn Vlek, Jamie Adams, Ibrahim S. Al-Busaidi, Gabrielle Budd, Seung il Choi, Michael Jen Jie Chu, Anurag Ganugapati, Lucy McKinstry, Rebecca Pascoe, Simon Richards, Kenrick Rosser, Annie Stevenson, Rebecca White, Shebani Farik, Jin Kwun, Ahmed Murad, Sarah Cowan, Timothy Hall, Michael Hayton, Laminou Malam Sani, Souleymane Oumarou Garba, Ibrahim Amadou Magagi, Oumarou Habou, Halima Aliyu, Muhammad Daniyan, Tunde T. Sholadoye, Lawal Abdullahi, Lofty-John Anyanwu, Aminu Mohammad Mohammad, Abubakar Bala Muhammad, Abdurrahman Abba Sheshe, Ibrahim Suleiman, Alaba Adesina, Ajibola Awolowo, Clement Onuoha, Omotayo Salami, Ogechukwu Taiwo, Agboola Taiwo, Stephen Kache, Jerry Godfrey Makama, Danjuma Sale, Olajide Abiola, Akinlabi Ajao, Anthony Ajiboye, Amarachukwu Etonyeaku, Julius Olaogun, Ademola Adebanjo, Opeoluwa Adesanya, Michael Olatunji Afolayan, Olanrewaju Balogun, Ayomide Makanjuola, Samuel Nwokocha, Rufus Wale Ojewola, Thomas Olagboyega Olajide, Adewale Aderounmu, Abdul-Rashid Adesunkanmi, Augustine Agbakwuru, Adeleke Akeem Aderogba, Olusegun Isaac Alatise, Olukayode Arowolo, Oladejo Lawal, Tajudeen Mohammed, Chinedu Ndegbu, Olalekan Olasehinde, Funmilola Wuraola, Akinbolaji Akinkuolie, Arinzechukwu Mosanya, Omobolaji Ayandipo, Peter Elemile, Taiwo Akeem Lawal, Samuel Ali SANI, Stephen Garba, Rebecca Hauwa SANI, Samson Olori, Henry Onyebuashi, Ifeanyi Umoke, Adedire Adenuga, Ademola Adeyeye, Olufemi Habeeb, Bashir Lawal, Abdulrasheed Nasir, Eirik Kjus Aahlin, Didrik Kjønås, Elisabeth Myrseth, Jibran Abbasy, Abdul Alvi, Omair Saleem, Asma Afzal, Anam Nazir, Muhammad Farooq, Ayesha Liaqat, Syed Asghar Naqi, Ali Raza, Muzna Sarfraz, Muhammad Sarwar, Muntaha Banglani, Ambreen Munir, Rahmat Sehrish, Bushra Ayub, Raza Sayyed, Amna Altaf, Saima Ayub, Komal Saeed, Bilal Syed, Sana Amir Akbar, Abdul Wahid Anwer, Ruqayya Naheed Khan, Amina Iqbal Khan, Shahid Khattak, Sameen Mohtasham, Muhammad Asad Parvaiz, Aamir Ali Syed, Abdul Basit Ansari, Noman Shahzad, Tanwir Khaliq, Isbah Rashid, Shahzad Hussain Waqar, Hasan Abu Al-saleem, Amjad Abu Alqumboz, Mohammad Alqadi, Adham Amro, Rawan Assa, Eman Awesat, Rawan Ayyad, Mohammed Hammad, Ayat Haymony, Bassel Hijazi, Bara Hmeidat, Rowaa Lahaseh, Aseel Qawasmi, Alaa Rajabi, Mohammed Shehada, Sundus Shkokani, Yasmine Yaghi, Nadine Yaghi, Mohammad AlZohour, Mohammad Farid, Yousef Mahmoud Habes, Wesam Juba, Yanal Nubani, Abdelrahman Rabee, Mohammad Sa'deh, Saeed Abed, Iyad Al basos, Mohammad Alswerki, Dina Ashour, Israa Awad, Samar Diab, Alaa El Jamassi, Sahar El-Kahlout, Somaya Elhout, Ahmed N K Hajjaj, Doaa Hasanain, Baraa Nabil hajjaj, Mohammed Obaid, Eman Saikaly, Ahmed Salhi, Hiba Al-Tammam, Murad Almasri, Muath Baniowda, Doha Beshtawi, Ali Horoub, Rami Misk, Bayan Mohammad, Rami Qasrawi, Tasnim Sholi, Samar Abu-Nimeh, Abrar Abu-srour, Sadi A. Abukhalaf, Samer Adawi, Barah Alsalameh, Kholoud Ayesh, Muawiyah Elqadi, Ahmad Hammouri, Fatima Karim Mustafa, Natalie Marzouqa, Shatha Melhem, Dima Miqdad, Balqees Mohamad, Mhammed Rawhi, Ayman B. Abu Ahammala, Ahmed Abu Ataya, Israa Abu Jayyab, Samar Al-Shwaikh, Othman Alagha, Mohammed Alasttal, Haneen Awadallah, Mahmood Elblbessy, Jehad Fares, Akram Jarbou, Ibtisam Mahfouz, Moath A. Albahnasawi, Asmaa' Abo mahadi, Hasan Abuelhatal, Ayham Abuelqomboz, Abdelrahman Almoqayyad, Abdallah Alwali, Reem Balaawi, Mahmoud Hamouda, Mohammed Humeid, Abdullah Jedyan, Tasneem Mahmoud Abu hamam, Ghadeer Matar, Ali Salem, Tahani Samra, Nureddin Shaheen, Karam Shihada, Ayoob A.Nemer, Mahmoud Abu Al Amrain, Abdulwhhab Abu Alamrain, Najlaa Abu Jamie, Mohammed R. Abu-Rous, Nada Alfarra, Mohammed AlTaweel, Noor Alwhaidi, Ramadan Hamed, Bader Saqqa, Ahmad Shaheen, Dana Aljaber, Loay Aljaberi, Malak Alwaheidi, Assef Jawaada, Hani Khaldi, Rami Qahoush, Jalil Qari, Rana Saadeh, Ahlam Salim, Aseel Yacoub, Abbas Abbas, Rana Abu shua'ib, Baraa Abu Zainah, Mahmoud AbuSirrees, Basheer Babaa, Ola Barhoush, Asef Belal qadomi, Laith Daraghmeh, Reema Haji, Alaa Khatatbeh, Lana Khatib, Salsabeel Qarariah, Yara Quzmar, Khalil Safadi, Roqaya Salameh, Mohammad Hassan, Shifaa Herzallah, Loai Massad, Ahmed Nazzal, Ranin Nazzal, Dennis Escobar, Gustavo Miguel Machain V, Agustin Rodriguez Gonzalez, Jorge Emerson Chachaima Mar, Nathaly Olga Chinchihualpa Paredes, Vicente Cuba, Walter Lopez, Maria Milagros Niquen Jimenez, Nestor Alberto Sanchez Bartra, Olenka Sapallanay Ojeda, Diego Sequeiros, Andrea Toscano Pacheco, María Vergara, Sol Abarca, Rodrigo Alcorta, Giuliano Borda-Luque, Ivan Edward Eusebio Zegarra, Claudia Luján López, Mirella Marrufo, Cinthya Mogrovejo, Andrea Nomura, Yamile Rodríguez Angeles, Maitza Rosario Vidal Meza, Gabriela Zavala, José Neiser Castillo Arrascue, Jomara Caroline Hidrogo Cabrera, José Julio Mariano Larrea vera, Miguel Osorio, Edgar Alcides Ylatoma Díaz, Mark Anthony Fontanilla, Joseph Roy Fuentes, Anna Leah Salazar, Genieve Dominguez, Marc Paul Lopez, Shiela Macalindong, Mark Augustine Onglao, Arjel Ramirez, Marie Dione Sacdalan, Mayou Martin Tampo, Gemma Leonora Uy, Jeremiah Mangahas, Kenneth Yabut, Joannes Paul Cañete, Bernalynn Eris Cansana, Ernes John Castro, Maria Kaiserin Lipana, Manuel Francisco Roxas, Vlu Jean Zara, Maciej Chroł, Paula Franczak, Michał Orłowski, Piotr Budzyński, Andrzej Budzyński, Pawel Bury, Agata Czerwińska, Jadwiga Dworak, Jacek Dziedzic, Michał Kisielewski, Jan Kulawik, Anna Lasek, Piotr Małczak, Marcin Migaczewski, Michał Pędziwiatr, Magdalena Pisarska, Dorota Radkowiak, Mateusz Rubinkiewicz, Anna Rzepa, Tomasz Skoczylas, Maciej Stanek, Katarzyna Truszkiewicz, Mateusz Wierdak, Marek Winiarski, Piotr Zarzycki, Anna Zub-Pokrowiecka, Piotr Kowalewski, Rafał Roszkowski, Maciej Walędziak, Miguel Tomé, Sara Patrocinio, Ines Guerreiro, Filipe Almeida, Xavier de Sousa, Nuno Monteiro, Maria Teresa Costa Santos, Daniela de Oliveira, Marta Lopes Serra, Daniela Morgado, Christian Neves, Ana Carolina Oliveira, Alice Pimentel, Sofia Silva, Márcia Carvalho, Lúcia Carvalho, Joana Magalhães, Leonor Matos, Tânia Monteiro, Carlota Ramos, Vanessa Santos, José Barbosa, Jose Costa-Maia, Vítor Devezas, Ana Fareleira, Cristina Fernandes, Diana Gonçalves, Henrique Mora, Marina Morais, Fabiana Silva de Sousa, Sara Catarino Santos, Ana Logrado, André Tojal, Edgar Amorim, Miguel F. Cunha, Ana Fazenda, João Pedro Melo Neves, Inês Isabel Sampaio da Nóvoa Gomes Miguel, Diogo Veiga, José Azevedo, Hugo Cardoso Louro, Mariana Leite, Maria Bairos Menezes, Bárbara Gama, Diana Brito, Marta Cristina Cruz Martins, André Graça e Magalhães, Ana Catarina Longras, Rita Lourenço, Diana Matos, Luis Castro, Filipa Policarpo, Joana Romano, Cristina Monteiro, Diogo Pinto, Marina Duarte, Sónia Fortuna Martins, Mariline Oliveira, Diogo Galvão, Lisandra Martins, Anaisa Silva, Viorel Taranu, Bárbara Vieira, Jessica Neves, Simone Oliveira, Hugo Ribeiro, Margarida Cinza, Rosa Felix, Arnaldo Machado, Joana Oliveira, Joana Patrício, Rita Pedroso de Lima, Mário Pereira, Miguel Rocha Melo, Cristina Velez, Alberto Abreu da Silva, Mariana Claro, Daniel Costa Santos, Andreia Ferreira, Hugo Capote, Daniela Rosado, Filipa Taré, Oriana Nogueira, Miguel Ângelo, José Miguel Baiao, Andreia Guimarães, João Marques, Miguel Nico Albano, Marta Silva, Ana Valente da Costa, Teresa Vieira Caroço, Sara Almeida Braga, Ines Capunge, Marta Fragoso, João Guimarães, Bruno Pinto, João Ribeiro, Miguel Angel, Guilherme Fialho, Monica Guerrero, Filipa Campos Costa, Diogo Cardoso, Vasco Cardoso, Magda Alves, Inês Estalagem, Tiago Louro, Cláudia Marques, Rita Martelo, Miguel Morgado, Rita Canotilho, Ana Margarida Correia, Pedro Martins, Mariana Peyroteo, João Gomes, Rita Monteiro, Manuela Romano, Daniela Macedo Alves, Rita Peixoto, Catarina Quintela, Maria João Jervis, Débora Melo, André Pacheco, Valter Paixão, Vera Pedro, Joana Pimenta, João Pimenta de Castro, Ana Rocha, Mircea Beuran, Cezar Ciubotaru, Bogdan Diaconescu, Sorin Hostiuc, Ionut Negoi, Bogdan Stoica, Evgeny Anokhin, Georgy Kuznetsov, Giorgi Oganezov, Fedor Paramzin, Ekaterina Romanova, Valeryan Rutkovskii, Vasilii Rutkovskii, Mikhail Shushval, Mikhail Zabiyaka, Khasan Dzhumabaev, Valerii Ivanov, Zaman Mamedli, Sergey Achkasov, Artem Balkarov, Elnur Nabiev, Marat Nagudov, Evgeny Rybakov, Karina Saifutdinova, Oleg Sushkov, Lule Joseph, Isaac Ndayishimiye, Ntirenganya Faustin, Alphonse Zeta Mutabazi, Jean Paul Mvukiyehe, Vizir J.P Nsengimana, Carine Uwakunda, Mohammad Monir Abbas, Nouf Akeel, Murad Aljiffry, Kholoud Awaji, Ali Farsi, Ghader Jamjoum, Ahmad Khoja, Ashraf Maghrabi, Nadim Malibary, Mohammed Nassif, Abdulaziz Saleem, Abdullah Sultan, Wail Tashkandi, Hanaa Tashkandi, Nora Trabulsi, Mouhamadou Bachir Ba, Adja Coumba Diallo, Abdourahmane Ndong, Vladica Cuk, Uroš Janković, Sharon Zhiling Koh, Frederick Koh, Kuok Chung Lee, Kai Yin Lee, Sean Lee, Wei Qi Leong, Su Ann Lui, Prajwala Prakash, Jan Grosek, Gregor Norcic, Ales Tomazic, Nicolas Fitchat, Robert Jaich, Devorah Wineberg, Modise Zacharia Koto, Daniella Baiocchi, Damian Clarke, Christina Johanna Steenkamp, Sharon Bannister, Adam Boutall, Galya Chinnery, Anna Coccia, Angela Dell, Parveen Karjiker, Christo Kloppers, Nicholas Loxton, Tumi Mabogoane, Francois Malherbe, Eugenio Panieri, Shreya Rayamajhi, Tirsa van Wyngaard, Claire Warden, T E Madiba, Nivashen Pillay, Savannah Brooks, Charlise Kruger, Lisa Hannah Van Der Merwe, Ferhana Gool, Maahir Kariem, Heather Bougard, Nazmie Kariem, Fazlin Noor, Reantha Pillay, Leandi Steynfaardt, Lucía González González, José Miguel Marín Santos, Paula Martín-Borregón, Javier Martínez Caballero, Cristina Nevado García, Pastora Rodriguez Fraga, Gonzalo De Castro Parga, Maria Pilar Fernández Veiga, Lucía Garrido López, Hugo Infante Pino, Irene Lages Cal, Marta López Otero, Manuel Nogueira Sixto, Marta Paniagua García Señorans, Laura Rodríguez Fernández, Alejandro Ruano Poblador, Erika Rufo Crespo, Raquel Sanchez-Santos, Vincenzo Vigorita, Ester Alonso Batanero, Dorisme Asnel, Isabel Cifrian Canales, Elisa Contreras Saiz, Irene De Santiago Alvarez, Tamara Díaz Vico, Sebastian Fernandez Arias, Daniel Fernández Martínez, Carmen García Bernardo, Luis Joaquín García Flórez, Carmen Garcia Gutierrez, Manuel García Munar, Carlos Alberto Márquez Zorrilla Molina, Marta Merayo, José Luis Michi Campos, Maria Moreno Gijon, Jorge L. Otero-Diez, Jose Luis Rodicio Miravalles, Lorena Solar-Garcia, Aida Suárez Sánchez, Nuria Truan, Cristina Alejandre Villalobos, Yurena Caballero Díaz, Marta Jimenez, Dacil Montesdeoca, Antonio Navarro-Sánchez, Victor Vega, Juan Beltrán de Heredia, Zahira Gómez, Carlos Jezieniecki, Ana Patricia Legido Morán, Mario Montes-Manrique, Mario Rodriguez-Lopez, María Ruiz Soriano, Jeancarlos Trujillo Díaz, Andrea Vazquez Fernandez, Nuria Argudo, Miguel Pera, Laia Torrent Jansà, Melody García Domínguez, Ignacio Goded, Marta Roldón Golet, Issa Talal El-Abur, Alejandra Utrilla Fornals, Vanesa Zambrana Campos, Maria Del Mar Aguilar Martinez, Marina Bosch, Luis García-Catalá, Luis Sánchez-Guillén, Eva Artigau, Nuria Gomez Romeu, David Julià Bergkvist, Beatriz Espina Perez, Olga Morató, Carles Olona, Beatriz Diéguez, Alexander Forero-Torres, Manuel Losada, Segundo Gomez-Abril, Paula Gonzálvez, Rosario Martinez, Sergio Navarro Martínez, Carmen Payá-Llorente, Álvaro Pérez Rubio, Sandra Santarrufina Martinez, Juan Carlos Sebastián Tomás, Ramon Trullenque Juan, Alberto Gegúndez Simón, Paloma Maté, Maria Isabel Prieto-Nieto, Ines Rubio-Perez, Aitor Urbieta, Marina Vicario Bravo, David Abelló, Matteo Frasson, Alvaro Garcia-Granero, Alfredo Abad Gurumeta, Ane Abad-Motos, Elena Lucena-de Pablo, Beatriz Nozal, Javier Ripollés-Melchor, Rut Salvachúa, Esther Ferrero, Luis Garcia-Sancho Tellez, Antonio L. Picardo, Jose Alberto Rojo López, Laura Patricia Zorrilla Matilla, Carmen Cagigas Fernandez, Sonia Castanedo Bezanilla, José Estevez Tesouro, Maria Jose Fernandez-Diaz, Juan García Cardo, Marcos Gomez Ruiz, Erik Gonzalez-Tolaretxipi, Jaime Jimeno Fraile, Cristobal Poch, Montserrat Rodriguez-Aguirre, Noemí Troche Pesqueira, Maria Soledad Trugeda-Carrera, Javier de la Torre, Ruth Blanco-Colino, Eloy Espin-Basany, Martin Espinosa-Bravo, Clara Morales Comas, Eduardo Reyes Afonso, Joaquín Rivero Déniz, Christian Siso Raber, Mireia Verdaguer Tremolosa, Pramodh Chandrasinghe, Sumudu Kumarage, Nimeshi Wijekoon Arachchilage, Ahmed Abdalla Ahmed Elkamel, Mohammed A. Adam, Nina Blomme, Anders Thorell, Fredrik Wogensen, Andreas Älgå, Dhirar Ansarei, Fuat Celebioglu, Göran Heinius, Linda Nigard, Emil Pieniowski, Sandra Ahlqvist, Ida Björklund, Andreas Frånberg, Martina Håkansson, Karin Adamo, Oskar Franklin, Malin Sund, Rebecca Wiberg, Yvette Andersson, Abbas Chabok, Maziar Nikberg, Alexander Kugelberg, Claudia Canonica, Dimitrios Christoforidis, Fabrizio Fasolini, Paolo Gaffuri, Mauro Giuliani, Francesco Meani, Sotirios Georgios Popeskou, Silvia Pozza, Wiebke Wandschneider, Lorenz Peterer, Lukas Werner Widmer, Bernd Zimmermann, Panagiotis Bakoleas, Iris Chanousi, Lydia Charalampidou, Lukasz Filip Grochola, Franziska Heid, Sotirios Ntaoulas, Michail Outos, Georgios Peros, Hanna Podolska-Skoczek, Katharina Beate Reinisch, Christian Zielasek, Nicolas Demartines, Jérôme Gilgien, Amaniel Kefleyesus, Pénélope St-Amour, Arnaud Toussaint, Maryam Alhimyar, Bayan Alsaid, Amr Alyafi, Ahmad Alkhaledi, Basel Kouz, Ahmad Omarain, Yusra Al-Sabbagh, Haya Alkhatib, Samer Sara, Ahmad Alhaj, Aghyad Danial, Lama Kadoura, Sarah Maa Albared, Yamen Monawar, Louei Nahas, Barook Abd, Ahmad Saad, Habib Wakkaf, Hatem Bouzaiene, Montassar Ghalleb, Elif Akaydin, Ata Cem Akbaba, Onur Atakul, Ege Baltaci, Sevval Besli, Gökçen Burgu, Ulukan Cenal, Cansu de Muijnck, Hasan Can Demirkaya, Alper Dogruoz, Zeynep Ipek Gezer, Yasemin Gündoğdu, Merve Kara, Hasan Kürşad Korkmaz, Gökalp Kağan Kurtoğlu, Volkan Ozben, Berk Baris Ozmen, Ahmet Murat Pektaş, Eda Kübra Sel, Nilüfer Yenidünya, Fuat Baris Bengur, Berke Mustafa Oral, Tahir Koray Yozgatli, Seymur Abdullayev, Mehmet Emin Gunes, Nuri Alper Sahbaz, Tuba Banaz, Kübra Kargici, Omer Faruk Kuyumcu, Erkan Yanikoğlu, Merve Yeşilsancak, Duygu Yilmaz, Melik Kagan Aktas, Ahmet Rencuzogullari, Arda Isik, Sezai Leventoğlu, Ali Yalçinkaya, Osman Yüksel, Mustafa U Kalayci, Yasin Kara, Inanc Samil Sarici, Alp Akin, Gökçe nur Alemdağ, Ekin Arslan, Bahadir Emre Baki, Muhammed Selim Bodur, Adnan Calik, Bahar Candas Altinbas, Irem Cihanyurdu, Oğuz Erkul, Burak Gül, Ali Guner, Beyza Köse, Anil Semiz, Şule Sevim, Serkan Tayar, Kadir Tomas, Ozan yavuz Tüfek, Serdar Türkyilmaz, Mehmet Uluşahin, Arif Usta, Reyyan Yildirim, Sertaç Ata Güler, Ozan Can Tatar, Ecenur Varol, Busenur Kirimtay, Muhammed Uysal, Alp Yildiz, Emin Kose, Ahmet Burak Ciftci, Elif Çolak, Huseyin Eraslan, Gultekin Ozan Kucuk, Kürşat Yemez, Herman Lule, Mumbere Bienfait, Emmanuel Bua, Noella Okalany, Maksym Basarab, Oleksii Bielosludtsev, Kateryna Kolhanova, Kateryna Perepelytsia, Kateryna Romanukha, Dmytro Savenkov, Stanislav Siryi, Maksym Tereshchenko, Nezamai Viacheslav, Anton Volovetskyi, Andrey Kebkalo, Yegor Tryliskyy, Volodimir Tyselskiy, Eilidh Bruce, Bing Lun Chow, Emma Iddles, Sarah McGuckin, Nicola Newall, George Ramsay, Parivrudh Sharma, Caitlin Stewart, Jeremy Wong, Abdul Badran, Michael Bath, Fanny Belais, Eman Butt, Kaustuv Joshi, Milan Kapur, Mike Shaw, Adam Townson, Christopher Yee Khang Williams, Timothy Gray, Robert Greig, Mansoor Husain, Elspeth Murray, Ahmed Mustafa, Ashar Asif, Arya Gokul, Max Shah, Mabel Temisanren Akitikori, Alexandros Charalabopoulos, Sophie Davidson, Sinead McNally, Shamil Rupani, Fatema Juma, Sarah Catherine Mills, Laura Muirhead, Kate Sellars, Una Walsh, Oliver Warren, Alice Chambers, Richard Hunt, Stephen Boyce, Hannah Cornwall, Isabel Tol, Eleftherios Orestis Argyriou, Nicola Eardley, Meical Povey, Joanna M S Aithie, Ahmer Irfan, Mari-Claire McGuigan, Robert Starr, Craig Russell Warren, Jess Archibald, Georgia Kirby, Ivan Kisyov, Chun Kheng Khoo, Rachel Lee, Dana Photiou, Rowan Davis, Uday Prasad, P Zichu Yang, Jonathan Bird, Edmund Leung, Virginia Summerour, Chelise Currow, Jianshen Kiam, Gerald Jack Soon Tan, Anitha Muthusami, Ibifunke Pegba-Otemolu, Tomas Urbonas, Joseph Nunoo-Mensah, Edgaras Smolskas, Alex Boddy, Gianpiero Gravante, David Hunter, David Andrew, Amanda Koh, Amari Thompson, Lawrence Adams, Hollie A Clements, Kasun De Silva, Ogbonnia Ekpete, Seraj Haque, Scott Henderson, Bilal Ibrahim, Thummini Jayasinghe, Jennifer Livie, Keir Mailley, Gopikrishnan Nair, Daniel Tan, Caitlin Baggaley, Aleksander Dawidziuk, Bartosz Szyszka, Charlotte Barter, Nirav Gandhi, Karen Hassell, Samantha Hitchin, Jennett Kelsall, Eva Nagy, Ashrafun Nessa, Lisa Whisker, Fady Yanni, Mahmoud Ali, Deeksha Arora, Sunanda Hediwattege, Navam Kumarasinghe, Munir Rathore, Athula Tennakoon, Syed Mustafa Ali Ahmad, Oreoluwa Bajomo, Fahema Nadira, Valerio Celentano, Ewen Griffiths, Rama Santhosh Karri, Jason Kei Chak Mak, Michelle Pipe, Muhammad Iqbal Bhatti, Mohamed Rabie, Connor Boyle, David Hamilton, Aishath Mihuna, James Chean Khun Ng, Gary Nicholson, Agata Oliwa, Robert Pearson, Anna Rose, Shun Qi Yong, Catherine Boereboom, Michael Hanna, Catherine Walter, Thomas Samuel Greensmith, Rachel Mitchell, Eimear Monaghan, James Crawford, Susan Moug, James Blackwell, Hannah Boyd-Carson, Philip Herrod, Omar Al-Allaf, Miriam Beattie, Cameron Bullock, Shivang Burman, Gemma Clark, Nicolas Flamey, Oliver Flannery, Alexander Harding, Ben Kodiatt, Samuel Lawday, Shivani Mahapatra, Navin Mukundu Nagesh, Michael Ng, Dupinderjit Rye, Andrel Yoong, Laura Clark, Chris Deans, Monisha Edirisooriya, Emma Victoria Carrington, Tsz Lun Ernest Wong, Baasil Yusuf, Carla Chamberlain, Kathryn Duke, Elizabeth Kmiotek, Azel Botes, Natalie Condie, Timothy Schrire, Reena Shah, Iolo Thomas-Jones, Charlotte Yates, Natasha Anthony, Edward Matthews, Kapil Sahnan, James Tankel, Sally Tucker, Jasmine Winter Beatty, Paul Ziprin, William Duggan, Anastasia Kantartzi, Shruthi Sridhar, Rachel Alys Khaw, Prakhar Srivastava, Charlotte Underwood, Homero Alves do Canto Brum, Sharat Chopra, Laura Davis, Rebecca Hughes, Joshua Tulley, Justin Alberts, Thomas Athisayaraj, Mojolaoluwa Olugbemi, Kasim Ahmad, Claudia Chan, Gavin Chapman, Hannah Fleming, Benjamin Fox, Julia Grewar, Kate Hulse, Duncan Rutherford, Mackay Sinead, Scott Smith, Doug Speake, Peter G Vaughan-Shaw, Natasha Christodoulides, Simrit Kudhail, Matthew Welch, Syed Muhibullah Husaini, Simon Lambracos, Chikamuche Anyanwu, Rishi Suresh, Jimmy Scott Thomas, Elizabeth Gleeson, Rebecca Platoff, Areeba Saif, Zachary Enumah, Eric Etchill, Alodia Gabre-Kidan, Mitchell Bernstein, Francesco Maria Carrano, Joseph Connors, Patricio Lynn, Marcovalerio Melis, Elliot Newman, Deshka S Foster, Kenneth Perrone, Ashley Titan, Sarwat Ahmad, Andrea Chao M.D. Bafford, Marco Dal Molin, Nader Hanna, Syed Nabeel Zafar, Mark Hemmila, Lena Napolitano, Jane J Wong, Julia Chandler, Lauren Wood, Sherry Wren, Taylor Ottesen, Lucia You, Kristin Yu, María del pilar Arciénega Yañez, Martin Ferreira Fernandes, Daniel González, Santiago Cubas, María Catalina González, Vanessa Zubiaurre, Rodrigo Demolin, Nicolas Giroff, Pablo Sciuto, Maite Campos, Gabriela Rodríguez Cantera, Garg Deepika, Elliot Simuchimba, Anadi Bulaya, Chali Chibuye, Bright Chirengendure, Mary-Rose Kabale, Kizito Kabongo, James Munthali, Oliver Mweso, Francis Pikiti, James Otieno, Log Tung Lai, Brighid Blackman, Sophie Richards, Suren Subramaniam, Rafid Karim, Nathan Kok, Yanni Dion Lee, Shabina Ali, Aanjaneya Sinha, Robert Corrigan, Nicole Barnes, Florence Wong, Grace Dennis, Julia Jedamzik, Emil Phillips, Wivine Piette, Marie Van hentenryck, Houenoukpo Koco, Souliath Lawani, Mamo Woldu Kassa, Tainá Santos Bezerra, Petar Gribnev, Dobromir Dimitrov, Panche Krastev, Sovannarith Oum, Divine Tim Bonghaseh, Maryam Al Farsi, Nourah Alsharqawi, Veronica Acevedo, Andrea Carolina Castillo Barbosa, Felipe Giron, Jimmy Paul Leon Rodriguez, Darko Kučan, Damir Rosko, Neven Barsic, Domagoj Župan, Amgad Hegazi, Vendula Trunčíková, Vladimir Fryba, Mostafa Mohamed, Ahmed Sultan, Ahmed Nagi, Abdallah Rashad Temerik, Mohamed Elemam Elshawy, Moustafa Ibrahim Mahmoud, Shrouk Omar, Mohamed Anwar, Tarek Rageh, Aya Elmokadem, Khaled Gaballa, Sandra Teppo, Antti Turunen, Pasi Pengermä, Quentin Ballouhey, Damien Bergeat, Ariane Weyl, Elisabeth Hain, Adam Gyedu, Edwin Yenli, Dorcas Osei-Poku, Vaia-Aliki Rompou, Athanasios Zoikas, Apostolos Gaitanidis, Georgios Koukis, Konstantinos Perivoliotis, Panagiotis Tavlas, Konstantinos Galanos-Demiris, George Zografos, Ioannis Karavokyros, Georgia Xanthopoulou, Eirini Iordanidou, Fernanda Ayau, Allan Garcia, Pekli Damján, Deepender Wason, Ashika B L, Ervandy Rangganata, Prerna Kamath, Donal B O'Connor, Margherita Pinto, Fabrizio Perrone, Francesca Paola Tropeano, Francesca Troilo, Daniela Bossi, Dario Scala, Lucrezia Pulitanò, Marcella Carella, Andrea Pietrabissa, Alice Gori, Giorgio Giraudo, Veronica De Simone, Alfio Alessandro Russo, Bartolomeo Braccio, Raed Al-Taher, Sarah Athamneh, Andrea Parker, Adnan Sawiee, Amina Kattia, Malik Salem, Osama Tababa, Zuhour Shaeeb, Vilius Syminas, Jonas Jurgaitis, Gytè Damulevičienè, Saulius Svagzdys, Narindra Njarasoa Mihaja Razafimanjato, Ling Chieng Loo, Ing Ching Tiong, Wan Farahiyah Wan Muhmad, Harinthiran Vijeyan, Teoh Li Ying, Gabriella Grech, Rodrigo Arrangoiz, Vania Brickelia Jimenez Ley, Daniel Arizpe, Elizabeth Lagunes Lara, Elizabeth Victoria Castro López, Jose Eaazim, Marije Gordinou de Gouberville, Vivian Bastiaenen, Simone Rottier, Fouad Nahab, Maria Yeonhee Ji, Mohammed Seyoji, Callistus Nwachukwu, Okechukwu Emeghara, Sayyid Egbunu Muhammed, Ayodeji Idowu, Olamiposi Sowemimo, Olakayode Ogundoyin, Oluwatosin Akande, Alexander Lott, Maliha Nadeem, Ahsan Ali Laghari, Asif Loya, Hassan Mushtaq, Muhammad Tariq Abdullah, Baseel Abuhilal, Mohammad Atawneh, Hamdan Hamdan, Belal Alhabil, Abedelrahman Srour, Ibrahim Mousa, Luis Da Silva Medina, Katarzyna Bartosiak, Pedro Ferreira, Vítor Francisco, Ricardo Lemos, Luísa Frutuoso, Sara Fernandes, Telma Fonseca, Jorge Pereira, Juan Rachadell, Ana Torre, Filipe Madeira Martins, Ana Cristina Carvalho, Joana Rodrigues Ferreira, Bruno Ribeiro da Silva, Helena Devesa, Ana Vieira, Inês Mónica, Margarida Amaro, Diogo Sousa, Marta Reia, João Louro, Ana Martins, Joaquina Dominguez, Inês Santos, Nuno Miguel Freitas Oliveira, José Carlos Pereira, Pedro Silva-Vaz, Ligia Freire, Ricardo Escrevente, Valentina Madalina Negoita, Dmitry Shakhmatov, Yves Nezerwa, Radosav Radulovic, Gareth Obery, Francois Viljoen, Tome Mendes, Antonio Suarez, Enrique Moncada, Maria Fernandez-Hevia, Carolina Curtis Martínez, Julia Maria Gil Garcia, Mariana González Zunzarren, Tarig Idris, Karolina Eklöv, Oskar Grahn, Leila Amin, Malin Blomqvist, Costanza Ajani, Rebecca Kraus, Nico Seeger, Melissa Willemin, Fadi Rayya, Mohammad Ayash, Raneem Msouti, Israa Kannas, Eias Abazid, Asil Esper, Skander Slim, Akil Serdar Kavcar, Erman Aytac, Ahmet Cem Dural, Ayse Ilker, Ismail Cem Eray, Eray Kurnaz, Saygin Altiner, Mustafa Deniz Tepe, Can Şahin, Evrim Savli, Aryon Innocent, Lilian Babirye, Andrii Diachenko, Vladislav Hordoskiy, Heather Curry, Charlene Yat Che Chau, Harry Robertson, Arin Mahmoud, Hannah Lennon, Lynette Loi, Emily Kirkham, Cameron McCann, Daniel Watts, Binay Gurung, Michael Wilson, Thomas Tribedi, Eleonora Garofalo, Baryab Zahra, Scott MacDonald, Ian Daniels, Nathan Ng, Shivun Khosla, James Olivier, Sum Yu Pansy Yue, Gayathri Suresh, Jack Wellington, Emmanuel Lorejo, Mafdi Mossaad, Madison Crutcher, Marjan Alimi, Ioana Baiu, Hossam Abdou, Alison Conway, Connor Peck, Mauro Andres Perdomo Perez, Stanley Zulu, Mildred Nakazwe, Sule Burger, Justine Davies, Rachel Donaldson, Chikwendu Ede, O James Garden, Chiapo Lesetedi, Charles Mabedi, Laura Magill, Felix Makinde Alakaloko, Alex Makupe, Mark Monahan, Soloman Mulira, Elmi Muller, Jospeh Musowoyo, Jean Léon Olory-Togbe, Tracey Roberts, Martin Smith, Viki Tayler, John Windsor, Raul Yepez, Sudha Sundar, Emmy Runigamugabo, Azmina Verjee, José Chen, Leonid Daya, Nouhaila El Aroussi, Valeria Farina, Tchianze Gnintedeme Olivier, Mauricio Gonzales Nacarino, Aamr Hammani, Sarah Honjo, Rebecca Jacobs, Hitomi Kimura, Mugisha Nkoronko, Jasson Javier Oscullo Yepez, Wei Pin Hung, Ankit Raj, Alina Romani Pozo, Muna Rommaneh, Samuel Chimbioputo Sassamela Fabiano, Camila Milagros Shiroma Gago, Abhishekh Srinivas, Chia-Yen Sung, Aswan Tai, Yener Cristyell Valle Aranda, Sara Venturini, and Jean Wilguens Lartigue
Subjects: Public aspects of medicine, RA1-1270
Abstract: Summary: Background: Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide. Methods: A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study—a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3·85 [95% CI 2·58–5·75]; p
Published: 2022
Full Text: View/download PDF

19. Resonance Reduction Against Adversarial Attacks in Dynamic Networks via Eigenspectrum Optimization

Author: Sahin, Alp, Kozachuk, Nicolas, Blum, Rick S., and Bhattacharya, Subhrajit
Subjects: Computer Science - Social and Information Networks, Mathematics - Optimization and Control
Abstract: Resonance is a well-known phenomenon that happens in systems with second order dynamics. In this paper we address the fundamental question of making a network robust to signal being periodically pumped into it at or near a resonant frequency by an adversarial agent with the aim of saturating the network with the signal. Towards this goal, we develop the notion of network vulnerability, which is measured by the expected resonance amplitude on the network under a stochastically modeled adversarial attack. Assuming a second order dynamics model based on the network graph Laplacian matrix and a known stochastic model for the adversarial attack, we propose two methods for minimizing the network vulnerability that leverage the principle of eigenspectrum optimization. We provide extensive numerical results analyzing the effects of both methods., Comment: 13 pages, 18 figures
Published: 2024

20. FineZip : Pushing the Limits of Large Language Models for Practical Lossless Text Compression

Author: Mittu, Fazal, Bu, Yihuan, Gupta, Akshat, Devireddy, Ashok, Ozdarendeli, Alp Eren, Singh, Anant, and Anumanchipalli, Gopala
Subjects: Computer Science - Computation and Language, Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science - Machine Learning
Abstract: While the language modeling objective has been shown to be deeply connected with compression, it is surprising that modern LLMs are not employed in practical text compression systems. In this paper, we provide an in-depth analysis of neural network and transformer-based compression techniques to answer this question. We compare traditional text compression systems with neural network and LLM-based text compression methods. Although LLM-based systems significantly outperform conventional compression methods, they are highly impractical. Specifically, LLMZip, a recent text compression system using Llama3-8B requires 9.5 days to compress just 10 MB of text, although with huge improvements in compression ratios. To overcome this, we present FineZip - a novel LLM-based text compression system that combines ideas of online memorization and dynamic context to reduce the compression time immensely. FineZip can compress the above corpus in approximately 4 hours compared to 9.5 days, a 54 times improvement over LLMZip and comparable performance. FineZip outperforms traditional algorithmic compression methods with a large margin, improving compression ratios by approximately 50\%. With this work, we take the first step towards making lossless text compression with LLMs a reality. While FineZip presents a significant step in that direction, LLMs are still not a viable solution for large-scale text compression. We hope our work paves the way for future research and innovation to solve this problem.
Published: 2024

21. E-SQL: Direct Schema Linking via Question Enrichment in Text-to-SQL

Author: Caferoğlu, Hasan Alp and Ulusoy, Özgür
Subjects: Computer Science - Computation and Language
Abstract: Translating Natural Language Queries into Structured Query Language (Text-to-SQL or NLQ-to-SQL) is a critical task extensively studied by both the natural language processing and database communities, aimed at providing a natural language interface to databases (NLIDB) and lowering the barrier for non-experts. Despite recent advancements made through the use of Large Language Models (LLMs), significant challenges remain. These include handling complex database schemas, resolving ambiguity in user queries, and generating SQL queries with intricate structures that accurately reflect the user's intent. In this work, we introduce E-SQL, a novel pipeline specifically designed to address these challenges through direct schema linking and candidate predicate augmentation. E-SQL enhances the natural language query by incorporating relevant database items (i.e., tables, columns, and values) and conditions directly into the question, bridging the gap between the query and the database structure. The pipeline leverages candidate predicate augmentation to mitigate erroneous or incomplete predicates in generated SQLs. We further investigate the impact of schema filtering, a technique widely explored in previous work, and demonstrate its diminishing returns when applied alongside advanced large language models. Comprehensive evaluations on the BIRD benchmark illustrate that E-SQL achieves competitive performance, particularly excelling in complex queries with a 66.29% execution accuracy on the test set. All code required to reproduce the reported results is publicly available on our GitHub repository.
Published: 2024

22. Observation of Interface Piezoelectricity in Superconducting Devices on Silicon

Author: Zhou, Haoxin, Li, Eric, Godeneli, Kadircan, Zhang, Zi-Huai, Jahanbani, Shahin, Yu, Kangdi, Odeh, Mutasem, Aloni, Shaul, Griffin, Sinéad, and Sipahigil, Alp
Subjects: Quantum Physics, Condensed Matter - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics, Physics - Applied Physics
Abstract: The evolution of superconducting quantum processors is driven by the need to reduce errors and scale for fault-tolerant computation. Reducing physical qubit error rates requires further advances in the microscopic modeling and control of decoherence mechanisms in superconducting qubits. Piezoelectric interactions contribute to decoherence by mediating energy exchange between microwave photons and acoustic phonons. Centrosymmetric materials like silicon and sapphire do not display piezoelectricity and are the preferred substrates for superconducting qubits. However, the broken centrosymmetry at material interfaces may lead to piezoelectric losses in qubits. While this loss mechanism was predicted two decades ago, interface piezoelectricity has not been experimentally observed in superconducting devices. Here, we report the observation of interface piezoelectricity at an aluminum-silicon junction and show that it constitutes an important loss channel for superconducting devices. We fabricate aluminum interdigital surface acoustic wave transducers on silicon and demonstrate piezoelectric transduction from room temperature to millikelvin temperatures. We find an effective electromechanical coupling factor of $K^2\approx 2 \times 10^{-5}\%$ comparable to weakly piezoelectric substrates. We model the impact of the measured interface piezoelectric response on superconducting qubits and find that the piezoelectric surface loss channel limits qubit quality factors to $Q\sim10^4-10^8$ for designs with different surface participation ratios and electromechanical mode matching. These results identify electromechanical surface losses as a significant dissipation channel for superconducting qubits, and show the need for heterostructure and phononic engineering to minimize errors in next-generation superconducting qubits.
Published: 2024

23. Random embeddings of bounded degree trees with optimal spread

Author: Bastide, Paul, Legrand-Duchesne, Clément, and Müyesser, Alp
Subjects: Mathematics - Combinatorics
Abstract: A seminal result of Koml\'os, S\'ark\"ozy, and Szemer\'edi states that any n-vertex graph G with minimum degree at least (1/2 + {\alpha})n contains every n-vertex tree T of bounded degree. Recently, Pham, Sah, Sawhney, and Simkin extended this result to show that such graphs G in fact support an optimally spread distribution on copies of a given T, which implies, using the recent breakthroughs on the Kahn-Kalai conjecture, the robustness result that T is a subgraph of sparse random subgraphs of G as well. Pham, Sah, Sawhney, and Simkin construct their optimally spread distribution by following closely the original proof of the Koml\'os-S\'ark\"ozy-Szemer\'edi theorem which uses the blow-up lemma and the Szemer\'edi regularity lemma. We give an alternative, regularity-free construction that instead uses the Koml\'os-S\'ark\"ozy-Szemer\'edi theorem (which has a regularity-free proof due to Kathapurkar and Montgomery) as a black-box. Our proof is based on the simple and general insight that, if G has linear minimum degree, almost all constant sized subgraphs of G inherit the same minimum degree condition that G has., Comment: 12 pages
Published: 2024

24. An Examination of Offline-Trained Encoders in Vision-Based Deep Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Driving

Author: Mohammed, Shawan, Argun, Alp, Bonnotte, Nicolas, and Ascheid, Gerd
Subjects: Computer Science - Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence
Abstract: Our research investigates the challenges Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) faces in complex, Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes (POMDP) such as autonomous driving (AD), and proposes a solution for vision-based navigation in these environments. Partial observability reduces RL performance significantly, and this can be mitigated by augmenting sensor information and data fusion to reflect a more Markovian environment. However, this necessitates an increasingly complex perception module, whose training via RL is complicated due to inherent limitations. As the neural network architecture becomes more complex, the reward function's effectiveness as an error signal diminishes since the only source of supervision is the reward, which is often noisy, sparse, and delayed. Task-irrelevant elements in images, such as the sky or certain objects, pose additional complexities. Our research adopts an offline-trained encoder to leverage large video datasets through self-supervised learning to learn generalizable representations. Then, we train a head network on top of these representations through DRL to learn to control an ego vehicle in the CARLA AD simulator. This study presents a broad investigation of the impact of different learning schemes for offline-training of encoders on the performance of DRL agents in challenging AD tasks. Furthermore, we show that the features learned by watching BDD100K driving videos can be directly transferred to achieve lane following and collision avoidance in CARLA simulator, in a zero-shot learning fashion. Finally, we explore the impact of various architectural decisions for the RL networks to utilize the transferred representations efficiently. Therefore, in this work, we introduce and validate an optimal way for obtaining suitable representations of the environment, and transferring them to RL networks.
Published: 2024

25. Federated Frank-Wolfe Algorithm

Author: Dadras, Ali, Banerjee, Sourasekhar, Prakhya, Karthik, and Yurtsever, Alp
Subjects: Computer Science - Machine Learning, Computer Science - Distributed, Parallel, and Cluster Computing
Abstract: Federated learning (FL) has gained a lot of attention in recent years for building privacy-preserving collaborative learning systems. However, FL algorithms for constrained machine learning problems are still limited, particularly when the projection step is costly. To this end, we propose a Federated Frank-Wolfe Algorithm (FedFW). FedFW features data privacy, low per-iteration cost, and communication of sparse signals. In the deterministic setting, FedFW achieves an $\varepsilon$-suboptimal solution within $O(\varepsilon^{-2})$ iterations for smooth and convex objectives, and $O(\varepsilon^{-3})$ iterations for smooth but non-convex objectives. Furthermore, we present a stochastic variant of FedFW and show that it finds a solution within $O(\varepsilon^{-3})$ iterations in the convex setting. We demonstrate the empirical performance of FedFW on several machine learning tasks., Comment: European Conference on Machine Learning and Principles and Practice of Knowledge Discovery in Databases
Published: 2024

26. Image Quality Transfer of Diffusion MRI Guided By High-Resolution Structural MRI

Author: Cicimen, Alp G., Tregidgo, Henry F. J., Figini, Matteo, Messaritaki, Eirini, McNabb, Carolyn B., Palombo, Marco, Evans, C. John, Cercignani, Mara, Jones, Derek K., and Alexander, Daniel C.
Subjects: Electrical Engineering and Systems Science - Image and Video Processing
Abstract: Prior work on the Image Quality Transfer on Diffusion MRI (dMRI) has shown significant improvement over traditional interpolation methods. However, the difficulty in obtaining ultra-high resolution Diffusion MRI scans poses a problem in training neural networks to obtain high-resolution dMRI scans. Here we hypothesise that the inclusion of structural MRI images, which can be acquired at much higher resolutions, can be used as a guide to obtaining a more accurate high-resolution dMRI output. To test our hypothesis, we have constructed a novel framework that incorporates structural MRI scans together with dMRI to obtain high-resolution dMRI scans. We set up tests which evaluate the validity of our claim through various configurations and compare the performance of our approach against a unimodal approach. Our results show that the inclusion of structural MRI scans do lead to an improvement in high-resolution image prediction when T1w data is incorporated into the model input.
Published: 2024

27. Comparison of S gene mutations in patients with occult and chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Author: Bulent Cakal, Bilger Cavus, Alp Atasoy, Damla Altunok, Mehves Poda, Mesut Bulakci, Mine Gulluoglu, Mehmet Demirci, Leyla Turker Sener, Aslı Berru Arslan, Muzaffer Arikan, and Filiz Akyuz
Subjects: Occult HBV infection, HBV S gene, Immune epitopes, Mutation, Sub-genotype, Microbiology, QR1-502, Infectious and parasitic diseases, RC109-216
Abstract: Background and aim: This study aimed to detect mutations in the HBV S gene and evaluate their relationship to occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI). Methods: The study included 32 patients with negative serum HBsAg and HBV DNA who underwent liver biopsy due to different clinical indications defined as the OBI group and 32 patients who underwent liver biopsy due to chronic hepatitis B (CHB) as the comparison group. The HBV S gene region was amplified by Nested PCR, and Sanger sequencing was performed. Results: At least one amino acid (aa) mutation was detected in the major hydrophilic region (MHR) of the HBV S gene in 14/32 (43.75%) of the patients with OBI and 8/32 (25.0%) with CHB. The genotype of all patients with OBI and CHB was HBV/D. Although 9 (28.1%) of the cases with OBI had sub-genotype HBV/D3, none of the patients with CHB had sub-genotype HBV/D3. Unlike patients with CHB, L15*, D33N, Q51P, V63F, L91I, P108S, T115I, P120L, T125M, Q129H, T189I, L216F, P217L mutations were detected in the HBV S gene in OBI cases. Also, P127T aa polymorphism was frequently detected. Mutation frequency in the HBV S gene in the major hydrophilic region (MHR) was higher in patients with OBI with sub-genotypes HBV/D3 and D2 than those with HBV/D1 and those with serotype HBV/ayw3 compared to those with HBV/ayw2 (p
Published: 2022
Full Text: View/download PDF

28. Effect of different levels of lutein on laying performance and egg quality in laying hens

Author: ALP ATAY
Subjects: Egg quality, Laying hens, Lutein, Animal culture, SF1-1100
Abstract: Seventy Brown-Nick laying hens (39-wk old) were divided into 5 treatment groups of similar mean body weight and egg production, comprising 14 birds in each. The birds were housed in individual cages in a completely randomized design and 16:8 h light:dark photoperiod was employed. The birds were fed standard layer diets containing different levels of lutein for 6 weeks. Treatment groups included control (without lutein), 100, 200, 400 and 800 ppm lutein respectively. The results attained from this study indicated that, different levels of lutein did not have a significant effect on final body weight, feed intake and feed conversion ratio but egg production was different between treatment groups. Also, it was observed that egg width, albumen width, shell weight, egg shape index, yolk index, yolk height and shell thickness were affected by lutein. Feeding diet containing different levels of lutein had a significant effect on egg yolk colour. It can be concluded that, adding of lutein in layer hens’ diet can improve the laying performance and egg quality.
Published: 2022
Full Text: View/download PDF

29. Faunistic and ecological assessment of interstitial Harpacticoida (Crustacea, Copepoda) on a sandy beach in Balıkesir (Turkey)

Author: Alp Alper
Subjects: Biodiversity, meiofauna, new record, Sandy beach, Science, Biology (General), QH301-705.5, Zoology, QL1-991
Abstract: Abstract Interstitial harpacticoids along the mediolittoral zones of Sarımsaklı Beach, Turkey, were sampled monthly between April 2016 and March 2017 in order to reveal the effects of pH, water temperature, salinity, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and grain size on the occurrence and composition of the harpacticoids. Examination of the samples from nine stations revealed a total of 66 species. In terms of harpacticoid species abundance, Ectinosoma soyeri Apostolov, 1975 was ranked first followed by Sarsamphiascus angustipes (Gurney, 1927) and Leptomesochra eulitoralis Noodt, 1952. The variations in harpacticoid community were estimated by using some ecological indices (Species richness, Shannon’s diversity and Pielou’s evenness). Principal component analysis (PCA) based on the abiotic factors was applied for ordination of the stations. Relationships between environmental and temporal parameters as well as harpacticoid community structure were analyzed using distance-based Linear Models (DistLM). Relationships between environmental variables and most abundant species were determined with the Redundancy analysis (RDA). The abundance of S. angustipes and Klieonychocamptus ponticus (Serban and Plesa, 1957) were positively correlated with all tested variables except water temperature. The abundance of Klieonychocamptus kliei (Monard, 1935) was positively correlated with water temperature, grain size and salinity, while it was negatively correlated with dissolved oxygen and pH. The abundance of Ameira sp. and Microsetella norvegica (Boeck, 1865) were negatively correlated with all tested variables except water temperature. The abundance of E. soyeri and Ameira parvula (Claus, 1866) were negatively correlated with all tested variables except pH. The abundance of Leptomesochra eulitoralis was positively correlated with water temperature and salinity, while it was negatively correlated with grain size, dissolved oxygen and pH.
Published: 2022
Full Text: View/download PDF

30. A Systematic Review of Augmented Reality in Mathematics Education in the Last Decade

Author: Zeynep Bahar Ersen and Yasemin Alp
Abstract: The goal of the study is to examine a comprehensive review of research involving augmented reality (AR) in mathematics teaching during the previous 10 years. For this purpose, the research was conducted using a systematic review technique. It synthesized a set of 60 articles from 2012 to 2021. Two researchers used content analysis to analyze the data. According to the findings, the majority of publications were published in 2019, with studies mostly aiming at assessing the influence of AR applications on mathematical achievement and exposing viewpoints on AR applications used in mathematics education. Also, secondary school students were mostly preferred as participants. Furthermore, most of the studies found that mathematics teaching with AR applications had a positive impact on academic standing and the teaching process, and that AR applications positively affected attitudes in mathematics lessons, increased the motivation of individuals towards mathematics lessons, and improved three-dimensional thinking skills.
Published: 2024

31. Revisiting the Three Basic Dimensions Model: A Critical Empirical Investigation of the Indirect Effects of Student-Perceived Teaching Quality on Student Outcomes

Author: Aysenur Alp Christ, Vanda Capon-Sieber, Carmen Köhler, Eckhard Klieme, and Anna-Katharina Praetorius
Abstract: The Three Basic Dimensions model, theorizes three mediators for the effect of teaching quality dimensions on student outcomes. However, the proposed mediating paths and their effects have largely not been empirically tested. This study investigated the mediating role of depth of-processing, time-on-task, and need satisfaction between student-perceived teaching quality and student mathematics achievement and interest, expanding the TBD model to include mediation paths suggested by theories of motivation, cognition, and effort. Data from the TALIS Video Study for Germany, comprising 958 secondary school students in 41 classrooms, were used to run multilevel longitudinal and correlational mediation analyses. The results only found mediation effects at the student level; there were no mediating effects at the classroom level. Not all of the hypothesized relationships thought to exist between the mediators and achievement and interest outcomes were confirmed. The conceptual sequence of the variables, the choice of correlational vs. longitudinal evidence, and the level of analysis were all shown to have an impact on the results. The study thus confirms some of the assumptions of the TBD model, identifies new paths between teaching quality and student outcomes, and provides suggestions for how to proceed with further investigation of a model which should be expanded and more thoroughly empirically tested.
Published: 2024

32. Stent Optimization Using Optical Coherence Tomography and Its Prognostic Implications After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Author: Himanshu Rai, Fiona Harzer, Tatsuhiko Otsuka, Youssef S. Abdelwahed, Paula Antuña, Florian Blachutzik, Tobias Koppara, Lorenz Räber, David M. Leistner, Fernando Alfonso, Holger Nef, Masaru Seguchi, Alp Aytekin, Erion Xhepa, Sebastian Kufner, Salvatore Cassese, Karl‐Ludwig Laugwitz, Robert A. Byrne, Adnan Kastrati, and Michael Joner
Subjects: major adverse cardiac events, optical coherence tomography, percutaneous coronary intervention, stent expansion index, Diseases of the circulatory (Cardiovascular) system, RC666-701
Abstract: Background Stent underexpansion has been known to be associated with worse outcomes. We sought to define optical coherence tomography assessed optimal stent expansion index (SEI), which associates with lower incidence of follow‐up major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). Methods and Results A total of 315 patients (involving 370 lesions) who underwent optical coherence tomography–aided coronary stenting were retrospectively included. SEI was calculated separately for equal halves of each stented segment using minimum stent area/mean reference lumen area ([proximal reference area+distal reference area]/2). The smaller of the 2 was considered to be the SEI of that case. Follow‐up MACE was defined as a composite of all‐cause death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, and target lesion revascularization. Average minimum stent area was 6.02 (interquartile range, 4.65–7.92) mm2, while SEI was 0.79 (interquartile range, 0.71–0.86). Forty‐seven (12.7%) incidences of MACE were recorded for 370 included lesions during a median follow‐up duration of 557 (interquartile range, 323–1103) days. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis identified 0.85 as the best SEI cutoff (
Published: 2022
Full Text: View/download PDF

33. Altered sleep behavior in a genetic mouse model of impaired fear extinction

Author: Eva Maria Fritz, Matthias Kreuzer, Alp Altunkaya, Nicolas Singewald, and Thomas Fenzl
Subjects: Medicine, Science
Abstract: Abstract Sleep disturbances are a common complaint of anxiety patients and constitute a hallmark feature of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Emerging evidence suggests that poor sleep is not only a secondary symptom of anxiety- and trauma-related disorders but represents a risk factor in their development, for example by interfering with emotional memory processing. Fear extinction is a critical mechanism for the attenuation of fearful and traumatic memories and multiple studies suggest that healthy sleep is crucial for the formation of extinction memories. However, fear extinction is often impaired in anxiety- and trauma-related disorders—an endophenotype that is perfectly modelled in the 129S1/SvImJ inbred mouse strain. To investigate whether these mice exhibit altered sleep at baseline that could predispose them towards maladaptive fear processing, we compared their circadian sleep/wake patterns to those of typically extinction-competent C57BL/6 mice. We found significant differences regarding diurnal distribution of sleep and wakefulness, but also sleep architecture, spectral features and sleep spindle events. With regard to sleep disturbances reported by anxiety- and PTSD patients, our findings strengthen the 129S1/SvImJ mouse models’ face validity and highlight it as a platform to investigate novel, sleep-focused diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Whether the identified alterations causally contribute to its pathological anxiety/PTSD-like phenotype will, however, have to be addressed in future studies.
Published: 2021
Full Text: View/download PDF

34. CoronaHiT: high-throughput sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 genomes

Author: Dave J. Baker, Alp Aydin, Thanh Le-Viet, Gemma L. Kay, Steven Rudder, Leonardo de Oliveira Martins, Ana P. Tedim, Anastasia Kolyva, Maria Diaz, Nabil-Fareed Alikhan, Lizzie Meadows, Andrew Bell, Ana Victoria Gutierrez, Alexander J. Trotter, Nicholas M. Thomson, Rachel Gilroy, Luke Griffith, Evelien M. Adriaenssens, Rachael Stanley, Ian G. Charles, Ngozi Elumogo, John Wain, Reenesh Prakash, Emma Meader, Alison E. Mather, Mark A. Webber, Samir Dervisevic, Andrew J. Page, and Justin O’Grady
Subjects: SARS-CoV-2, Nanopore, Sequencing, NGS, Genome, Genetic, Medicine, Genetics, QH426-470
Abstract: Abstract We present CoronaHiT, a platform and throughput flexible method for sequencing SARS-CoV-2 genomes (≤ 96 on MinION or > 96 on Illumina NextSeq) depending on changing requirements experienced during the pandemic. CoronaHiT uses transposase-based library preparation of ARTIC PCR products. Method performance was demonstrated by sequencing 2 plates containing 95 and 59 SARS-CoV-2 genomes on nanopore and Illumina platforms and comparing to the ARTIC LoCost nanopore method. Of the 154 samples sequenced using all 3 methods, ≥ 90% genome coverage was obtained for 64.3% using ARTIC LoCost, 71.4% using CoronaHiT-ONT and 76.6% using CoronaHiT-Illumina, with almost identical clustering on a maximum likelihood tree. This protocol will aid the rapid expansion of SARS-CoV-2 genome sequencing globally.
Published: 2021
Full Text: View/download PDF

35. Association of De Ritis Ratio with Prognosis in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease and Aminotransferase Activity within and outside the Healthy Values of Reference Range

Author: Gjin Ndrepepa, Salvatore Cassese, Maria Scalamogna, Shqipdona Lahu, Alp Aytekin, Erion Xhepa, Heribert Schunkert, and Adnan Kastrati
Subjects: alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, De Ritis ratio, healthy range, mortality, Medicine
Abstract: Background: The aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio (De Ritis ratio), obtained from AST and ALT activities in the healthy range, has not been studied in association with mortality. Methods: This study included 3392 patients with stable coronary heart disease and aminotransferase activity in the reference range. Patients are categorized into two groups: a group with AST and ALT activity in the healthy range (n = 1697), and a group with AST and/or ALT activity outside the healthy range but in the reference range (n = 1695). The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality at three years. Results: The De Ritis ratio (median 5th–95th percentile] was 0.94 [0.61–1.41] in patients with AST and ALT in the healthy range and 0.93 [0.45–1.96] in patients with AST and/or ALT outside the healthy range (p = 0.700). At three years, there were 86 deaths in patients with AST and ALT in the healthy range: 27 deaths (3.9%) in patients with a De Ritis ratio ≤median, and 59 deaths (8.2%) in patients with the De Ritis ratio >median (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.94 to 1.42; p = 0.159); in patients with AST and/or ALT outside the healthy range, there were 148 deaths: 49 deaths (6.6%) in patients with a De Ritis ratio ≤median, and 99 deaths (14.1%) in patients with De Ritis ratio >median (adjusted HR = 1.27 [1.09–1.48], p = 0.002), with both HRs calculated per unit higher values of the De Ritis ratio. Conclusions: The De Ritis ratio obtained from AST and ALT activity in the healthy range was not independently associated with higher risk of mortality. The De Ritis ratio obtained from aminotransferase activity outside the healthy range (but still in the reference range) was independently associated with the risk of mortality.
Published: 2023
Full Text: View/download PDF

36. Direct aortic transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Author: Emir Karaçağlar, Arzu Neslihan Akgün, Alp Aydınalp, Deniz Sarp Beyazpınar, Atila Sezgin, and Haldun Müderrisoğlu
Subjects: Medicine, Internal medicine, RC31-1245, Diseases of the circulatory (Cardiovascular) system, RC666-701
Published: 2021
Full Text: View/download PDF

37. Prolonged Severe Watery Diarrhea in a Long-Term Myeloma Survivor: An Unforeseen Infection with Cystoisospora belli

Author: Tarık Onur Tiryaki, Kadir Uluç Anıl, Melek Büyük, Ahmet Yasir Yıldırım, Alp Atasoy, Aslı Çiftçibaşı Örmeci, and Sevgi Kalayoğlu Beşışık
Subjects: cystoisospora belli, prolonged watery diarrhea, multiple myeloma, Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs, RC633-647.5
Published: 2021
Full Text: View/download PDF

38. Apple Intelligence Foundation Language Models

Author: Gunter, Tom, Wang, Zirui, Wang, Chong, Pang, Ruoming, Narayanan, Andy, Zhang, Aonan, Zhang, Bowen, Chen, Chen, Chiu, Chung-Cheng, Qiu, David, Gopinath, Deepak, Yap, Dian Ang, Yin, Dong, Nan, Feng, Weers, Floris, Yin, Guoli, Huang, Haoshuo, Wang, Jianyu, Lu, Jiarui, Peebles, John, Ye, Ke, Lee, Mark, Du, Nan, Chen, Qibin, Keunebroek, Quentin, Wiseman, Sam, Evans, Syd, Lei, Tao, Rathod, Vivek, Kong, Xiang, Du, Xianzhi, Li, Yanghao, Wang, Yongqiang, Gao, Yuan, Ahmed, Zaid, Xu, Zhaoyang, Lu, Zhiyun, Rashid, Al, Jose, Albin Madappally, Doane, Alec, Bencomo, Alfredo, Vanderby, Allison, Hansen, Andrew, Jain, Ankur, Anupama, Anupama Mann, Kamal, Areeba, Wu, Bugu, Brum, Carolina, Maalouf, Charlie, Erdenebileg, Chinguun, Dulhanty, Chris, Moritz, Dominik, Kang, Doug, Jimenez, Eduardo, Ladd, Evan, Shi, Fangping, Bai, Felix, Chu, Frank, Hohman, Fred, Kotek, Hadas, Coleman, Hannah Gillis, Li, Jane, Bigham, Jeffrey, Cao, Jeffery, Lai, Jeff, Cheung, Jessica, Shan, Jiulong, Zhou, Joe, Li, John, Qin, Jun, Singh, Karanjeet, Vega, Karla, Zou, Kelvin, Heckman, Laura, Gardiner, Lauren, Bowler, Margit, Cordell, Maria, Cao, Meng, Hay, Nicole, Shahdadpuri, Nilesh, Godwin, Otto, Dighe, Pranay, Rachapudi, Pushyami, Tantawi, Ramsey, Frigg, Roman, Davarnia, Sam, Shah, Sanskruti, Guha, Saptarshi, Sirovica, Sasha, Ma, Shen, Ma, Shuang, Wang, Simon, Kim, Sulgi, Jayaram, Suma, Shankar, Vaishaal, Paidi, Varsha, Kumar, Vivek, Wang, Xin, Zheng, Xin, Cheng, Walker, Shrager, Yael, Ye, Yang, Tanaka, Yasu, Guo, Yihao, Meng, Yunsong, Luo, Zhao Tang, Ouyang, Zhi, Aygar, Alp, Wan, Alvin, Walkingshaw, Andrew, Lin, Antonie, Farooq, Arsalan, Ramerth, Brent, Reed, Colorado, Bartels, Chris, Chaney, Chris, Riazati, David, Yang, Eric Liang, Feldman, Erin, Hochstrasser, Gabriel, Seguin, Guillaume, Belousova, Irina, Pelemans, Joris, Yang, Karen, Vahid, Keivan Alizadeh, Cao, Liangliang, Najibi, Mahyar, Zuliani, Marco, Horton, Max, Cho, Minsik, Bhendawade, Nikhil, Dong, Patrick, Maj, Piotr, Agrawal, Pulkit, Shan, Qi, Fu, Qichen, Poston, Regan, Xu, Sam, Liu, Shuangning, Rao, Sushma, Heeramun, Tashweena, Merth, Thomas, Rayala, Uday, Cui, Victor, Sridhar, Vivek Rangarajan, Zhang, Wencong, Zhang, Wenqi, Wu, Wentao, Zhou, Xingyu, Liu, Xinwen, Zhao, Yang, Xia, Yin, Ren, Zhile, and Ren, Zhongzheng
Subjects: Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science - Computation and Language, Computer Science - Machine Learning
Abstract: We present foundation language models developed to power Apple Intelligence features, including a ~3 billion parameter model designed to run efficiently on devices and a large server-based language model designed for Private Cloud Compute. These models are designed to perform a wide range of tasks efficiently, accurately, and responsibly. This report describes the model architecture, the data used to train the model, the training process, how the models are optimized for inference, and the evaluation results. We highlight our focus on Responsible AI and how the principles are applied throughout the model development.
Published: 2024

39. Self-Sustainable Metasurface-Assisted mmWave Indoor Communication System

Author: Li, Zhenyu, Topal, Ozan Alp, Demir, Özlem Tuğfe, Björnson, Emil, and Cavdar, Cicek
Subjects: Computer Science - Information Theory, Electrical Engineering and Systems Science - Signal Processing
Abstract: In the design of a metasurface-assisted system for indoor environments, it is essential to take into account not only the performance gains and coverage extension provided by the metasurface but also the operating costs brought by its reconfigurability, such as powering and cabling. These costs can present challenges, particularly in indoor dense spaces (IDSs). A self-sustainable metasurface (SSM), which retains reconfigurability unlike a static metasurface (SMS), achieves a lower operating cost than a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) by being self-sustainable through power harvesting. In this paper, in order to find a better trade-off between metasurface gain, coverage, and operating cost, the design and performance of an SSM-assisted indoor mmWave communication system are investigated. We first simplify the design of the SSM-assisted system by considering the use of SSMs in a preset-based manner and the formation of coverage groups by associating SSMs with the closest user equipments (UEs). We propose a two-stage iterative algorithm to maximize the minimum data rate in the system by jointly deciding the association between the UEs and the SSMs, the phase-shifts of the SSMs, and allocating time resources for each UE. The non-convexities that exist in the proposed optimization problem are tackled using the feasible point pursuit successive convex approximation method and the concave-convex procedure. To understand the best scenario for using SSM, the resulting performance is compared with that achieved with RIS and SMS. Our numerical results indicate that SSMs are best utilized in a small environment where self-sustainability is easier to achieve when the budget for operating costs is tight., Comment: 13 Pages, 16 Figures, submitted to IEEE Transaction on Wireless Communication, under review
Published: 2024

40. A Nanomechanical Atomic Force Qubit

Author: Jahanbani, Shahin, Zhang, Zi-Huai, Hua, Binhan, Godeneli, Kadircan, Müllendorff, Boris, Zhang, Xueyue, Zhou, Haoxin, and Sipahigil, Alp
Subjects: Quantum Physics, Condensed Matter - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Abstract: Silicon nanomechanical resonators display ultra-long lifetimes at cryogenic temperatures and microwave frequencies. Achieving quantum control of single-phonons in these devices has so far relied on nonlinearities enabled by coupling to ancillary qubits. In this work, we propose using atomic forces to realize a silicon nanomechanical qubit without coupling to an ancillary qubit. The proposed qubit operates at 60 MHz with a single-phonon level anharmonicity of 5 MHz. We present a circuit quantum acoustodynamics architecture where electromechanical resonators enable dispersive state readout and multi-qubit operations. The combination of strong anharmonicity, ultrahigh mechanical quality factors, and small footprints achievable in this platform could enable quantum-nonlinear phononics for quantum information processing and transduction.
Published: 2024

41. Personalized Multi-tier Federated Learning

Author: Banerjee, Sourasekhar, Dadras, Ali, Yurtsever, Alp, and Bhuyan, Monowar
Subjects: Computer Science - Machine Learning, Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics - Optimization and Control
Abstract: The key challenge of personalized federated learning (PerFL) is to capture the statistical heterogeneity properties of data with inexpensive communications and gain customized performance for participating devices. To address these, we introduced personalized federated learning in multi-tier architecture (PerMFL) to obtain optimized and personalized local models when there are known team structures across devices. We provide theoretical guarantees of PerMFL, which offers linear convergence rates for smooth strongly convex problems and sub-linear convergence rates for smooth non-convex problems. We conduct numerical experiments demonstrating the robust empirical performance of PerMFL, outperforming the state-of-the-art in multiple personalized federated learning tasks.
Published: 2024

42. Topological Minors in Typical Lifts

Author: Bucić, Matija, Christoph, Micha, Müyesser, Alp, and Steiner, Raphael
Subjects: Mathematics - Combinatorics
Abstract: An $\ell$-lift of a graph $G$ is any graph obtained by replacing every vertex of $G$ with an independent set of size $\ell$, and connecting every pair of two such independent sets that correspond to an edge in $G$ by a matching of size $\ell$. Graph lifts have found numerous interesting applications and connections to a variety of areas over the years. Of particular importance is the random graph model obtained by considering an $\ell$-lift of a graph sampled uniformly at random. This model was first introduced by Amit and Linial in 1999, and has been extensively investigated since. In this paper, we study the size of the largest topological clique in random lifts of complete graphs. In 2006, Drier and Linial raised the conjecture that almost all $\ell$-lifts of the complete graph on $n$ vertices contain a subdivision of a clique of order $\Omega(n)$ as a subgraph provided $\ell$ is at least linear in $n$. We confirm their conjecture in a strong form by showing that for $\ell \ge (1+o(1))n$, one can almost surely find a subdivision of a clique of order $n$. We prove that this is tight by showing that for $\ell \le (1-o(1))n$, almost all $\ell$-lifts do not contain subdivisions of cliques of order $n$. Finally, for $2 \le \ell \ll n$, we show that almost all $\ell$-lifts of $K_n$ contain a subdivision of a clique on $(1-o(1))\sqrt{\frac{2n \ell}{1-1/\ell}}$ vertices and that this is tight up to the lower order term.
Published: 2024

43. Spanning spheres in Dirac hypergraphs

Author: Illingworth, Freddie, Lang, Richard, Müyesser, Alp, Parczyk, Olaf, and Sgueglia, Amedeo
Subjects: Mathematics - Combinatorics, 05C35, 05C65, 05C70
Abstract: We show that a $k$-uniform hypergraph on $n$ vertices has a spanning subgraph homeomorphic to the $(k - 1)$-dimensional sphere provided that $H$ has no isolated vertices and each set of $k - 1$ vertices supported by an edge is contained in at least $n/2 + o(n)$ edges. This gives a topological extension of Dirac's theorem and asymptotically confirms a conjecture of Georgakopoulos, Haslegrave, Montgomery, and Narayanan. Unlike typical results in the area, our proof does not rely on the Absorption Method, the Regularity Lemma or the Blow-up Lemma. Instead, we use a recently introduced framework that is based on covering the vertex set of the host graph with a family of complete blow-ups., Comment: 20 pages
Published: 2024

44. Towards Federated Learning with On-device Training and Communication in 8-bit Floating Point

Author: Wang, Bokun, Berg, Axel, Acar, Durmus Alp Emre, and Zhou, Chuteng
Subjects: Computer Science - Machine Learning, Computer Science - Distributed, Parallel, and Cluster Computing
Abstract: Recent work has shown that 8-bit floating point (FP8) can be used for efficiently training neural networks with reduced computational overhead compared to training in FP32/FP16. In this work, we investigate the use of FP8 training in a federated learning context. This brings not only the usual benefits of FP8 which are desirable for on-device training at the edge, but also reduces client-server communication costs due to significant weight compression. We present a novel method for combining FP8 client training while maintaining a global FP32 server model and provide convergence analysis. Experiments with various machine learning models and datasets show that our method consistently yields communication reductions of at least 2.9x across a variety of tasks and models compared to an FP32 baseline.
Published: 2024

45. Full rotational dynamics of plastic microfibers in turbulence

Author: Giurgiu, Vlad, Caridi, Giuseppe Carlo Alp, De Paoli, Marco, and Soldati, Alfredo
Subjects: Physics - Fluid Dynamics, Physics - Geophysics
Abstract: The motion, settling, and dispersion of microplastics in the ocean are determined by their rotational dynamics. We present experiments on elongated, large aspect ratio, and mildly curved plastic fibers slightly longer than the Kolmogorov length scale. Exploiting their uniquely identifiable three dimensional orientation, we perform original optical Lagrangian investigations and provide a set of homogeneous data on their rotation rates around their longitudinal axis -- spinning rate -- and transversal axes -- tumbling rates -- which we explain in the context of the general features of turbulence.
Published: 2024
Full Text: View/download PDF

46. Non-Ergodic-Induced Negative Differential Piezoresponse in Relaxor Ferroelectrics

Author: Saguy, Cecile, Kowalski, Benjamin, Sehirlioglu, Alp, and Ivry, Yachin
Subjects: Physics - Applied Physics
Abstract: Relaxor ferroelectrics exhibit a unique competition between long-range and short-range interactions that can be tuned electrically which prioritizes these materials in a broad range of electro-mechanical energy-conversion technologies, including biomedical imaging and electric-charge generators. Here, we demonstrate differential negative piezoresponse by utilizing the short-range interactions in relaxor ferroelectrics. The effect was observed over a broad temperature range with local piezoresponse spectroscopy in unpoled samples, while no negative piezoresponse was observed when the material was pre-scan poled. These measurements suggest that the effect, that is promising for power-generation applications, originates from non-ergodic behavior. Complementary macroscale impedance and dielectric constant measurements as a function of temperature and frequency supported the mesoscopic findings. Bearing in mind the direct relationship between piezoresponse and capacitance, relaxor ferroelectrics appear as an excellent platform for the emerging technology of low-power negative-capacitance transistors., Comment: paper of 17pages and 3 figures followed by supplementary information of 4 pages and 5 figures
Published: 2024

47. MeshPose: Unifying DensePose and 3D Body Mesh reconstruction

Author: Lê, Eric-Tuan, Kakolyris, Antonis, Koutras, Petros, Tam, Himmy, Skordos, Efstratios, Papandreou, George, Güler, Rıza Alp, and Kokkinos, Iasonas
Subjects: Computer Science - Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, 68, I.2.10
Abstract: DensePose provides a pixel-accurate association of images with 3D mesh coordinates, but does not provide a 3D mesh, while Human Mesh Reconstruction (HMR) systems have high 2D reprojection error, as measured by DensePose localization metrics. In this work we introduce MeshPose to jointly tackle DensePose and HMR. For this we first introduce new losses that allow us to use weak DensePose supervision to accurately localize in 2D a subset of the mesh vertices ('VertexPose'). We then lift these vertices to 3D, yielding a low-poly body mesh ('MeshPose'). Our system is trained in an end-to-end manner and is the first HMR method to attain competitive DensePose accuracy, while also being lightweight and amenable to efficient inference, making it suitable for real-time AR applications., Comment: IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR)
Published: 2024

48. Treeffuser: Probabilistic Predictions via Conditional Diffusions with Gradient-Boosted Trees

Author: Beltran-Velez, Nicolas, Grande, Alessandro Antonio, Nazaret, Achille, Kucukelbir, Alp, and Blei, David
Subjects: Computer Science - Machine Learning, Statistics - Machine Learning
Abstract: Probabilistic prediction aims to compute predictive distributions rather than single-point predictions. These distributions enable practitioners to quantify uncertainty, compute risk, and detect outliers. However, most probabilistic methods assume parametric responses, such as Gaussian or Poisson distributions. When these assumptions fail, such models lead to bad predictions and poorly calibrated uncertainty. In this paper, we propose Treeffuser, an easy-to-use method for probabilistic prediction on tabular data. The idea is to learn a conditional diffusion model where the score function is estimated using gradient-boosted trees. The conditional diffusion model makes Treeffuser flexible and non-parametric, while the gradient-boosted trees make it robust and easy to train on CPUs. Treeffuser learns well-calibrated predictive distributions and can handle a wide range of regression tasks -- including those with multivariate, multimodal, and skewed responses. % , as well as categorical predictors and missing data We study Treeffuser on synthetic and real data and show that it outperforms existing methods, providing better-calibrated probabilistic predictions. We further demonstrate its versatility with an application to inventory allocation under uncertainty using sales data from Walmart. We implement Treeffuser in \href{https://github.com/blei-lab/treeffuser}{https://github.com/blei-lab/treeffuser}.
Published: 2024

49. A Labeled Array Distance Metric for Measuring Image Segmentation Quality

Author: Berijanian, Maryam, Gensterblum, Katrina, Mutlu, Doruk Alp, Reagan, Katelyn, Hart, Andrew, and Colbry, Dirk
Subjects: Computer Science - Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, 68U10, I.4.6, I.2.10, G.m
Abstract: This work introduces two new distance metrics for comparing labeled arrays, which are common outputs of image segmentation algorithms. Each pixel in an image is assigned a label, with binary segmentation providing only two labels ('foreground' and 'background'). These can be represented by a simple binary matrix and compared using pixel differences. However, many segmentation algorithms output multiple regions in a labeled array. We propose two distance metrics, named LAD and MADLAD, that calculate the distance between two labeled images. By doing so, the accuracy of different image segmentation algorithms can be evaluated by measuring their outputs against a 'ground truth' labeling. Both proposed metrics, operating with a complexity of $O(N)$ for images with $N$ pixels, are designed to quickly identify similar labeled arrays, even when different labeling methods are used. Comparisons are made between images labeled manually and those labeled by segmentation algorithms. This evaluation is crucial when searching through a space of segmentation algorithms and their hyperparameters via a genetic algorithm to identify the optimal solution for automated segmentation, which is the goal in our lab, SEE-Insight. By measuring the distance from the ground truth, these metrics help determine which algorithm provides the most accurate segmentation., Comment: Submitted to: Electronic Letters on Computer Vision and Image Analysis
Published: 2024

50. Thin Film Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface for Harmonic Beam Steering

Author: Xie, Boxuan, Kuznetsov, Aleksandr D., Mela, Lauri, Lietzén, Jari, Ruttik, Kalle, Karakoç, Alp, and Jäntti, Riku
Subjects: Electrical Engineering and Systems Science - Signal Processing, Electrical Engineering and Systems Science - Systems and Control
Abstract: This letter explores an implementation of a novel thin film 1-by-4 reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) designed for future communication and sensing scenarios. Utilizing cost-effective inkjet printing methods and additive manufacturing, our approach significantly simplifies the RIS construction process and reduces production costs. The RIS, fabricated on a flexible and lightweight polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate, integrates antennas, switching circuitry, and a microcontroller unit (MCU), without a ground shield. This setup enables individual and simultaneous control of each RIS element, manipulating the captured carrier signal by reflecting and refracting its dominant harmonics. Beams of the harmonics can be steered to multiple desired directions at both front and back sides of the surface. Measurement results of the beam steering show that the RIS has the potential to enable RIS-aided communication and sensing applications., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, IEEE letter
Published: 2024
Full Text: View/download PDF

Catalog

Books, media, physical & digital resources

See catalog results

Searchworks

Select search scope, currently: Articles Catalog books, media & more in Jio Institute collections Articles journal articles & other e-resources

Search

Search Constraints

Refine your results

Search Limiters

Topic

Publication Year Range

Language

Publication Type

Journal

Region

Database

Publisher

41,728 results on '"Alp A"'

Search Results

Catalog

Select search scope, currently: Articles

Catalog

books, media & more in Jio Institute collections

Articles

journal articles & other e-resources