Showing papers by "Philips published in 2014"

Attribute-Based Classification for Zero-Shot Visual Object Categorization

Abstract: We study the problem of object recognition for categories for which we have no training examples, a task also called zero--data or zero-shot learning. This situation has hardly been studied in computer vision research, even though it occurs frequently; the world contains tens of thousands of different object classes, and image collections have been formed and suitably annotated for only a few of them. To tackle the problem, we introduce attribute-based classification: Objects are identified based on a high-level description that is phrased in terms of semantic attributes, such as the object's color or shape. Because the identification of each such property transcends the specific learning task at hand, the attribute classifiers can be prelearned independently, for example, from existing image data sets unrelated to the current task. Afterward, new classes can be detected based on their attribute representation, without the need for a new training phase. In this paper, we also introduce a new data set, Animals with Attributes, of over 30,000 images of 50 animal classes, annotated with 85 semantic attributes. Extensive experiments on this and two more data sets show that attribute-based classification indeed is able to categorize images without access to any training images of the target classes.

Narrow-band red-emitting Sr[LiAl3N4]:Eu2+ as a next-generation LED-phosphor material

Abstract: To facilitate the next generation of high-power white-light-emitting diodes (white LEDs), the discovery of more efficient red-emitting phosphor materials is essential. In this regard, the hardly explored compound class of nitridoaluminates affords a new material with superior luminescence properties. Doped with Eu(2+), Sr[LiAl3N4] emerged as a new high-performance narrow-band red-emitting phosphor material, which can efficiently be excited by GaN-based blue LEDs. Owing to the highly efficient red emission at λ(max) ~ 650 nm with a full-width at half-maximum of ~1,180 cm(-1) (~50 nm) that shows only very low thermal quenching (>95% relative to the quantum efficiency at 200 °C), a prototype phosphor-converted LED (pc-LED), employing Sr[LiAl3N4]:Eu(2+) as the red-emitting component, already shows an increase of 14% in luminous efficacy compared with a commercially available high colour rendering index (CRI) LED, together with an excellent colour rendition (R(a)8 = 91, R9 = 57). Therefore, we predict great potential for industrial applications in high-power white pc-LEDs.

Compressive Sensing via Nonlocal Low-Rank Regularization

Abstract: Sparsity has been widely exploited for exact reconstruction of a signal from a small number of random measurements. Recent advances have suggested that structured or group sparsity often leads to more powerful signal reconstruction techniques in various compressed sensing (CS) studies. In this paper, we propose a nonlocal low-rank regularization (NLR) approach toward exploiting structured sparsity and explore its application into CS of both photographic and MRI images. We also propose the use of a nonconvex log det ( X) as a smooth surrogate function for the rank instead of the convex nuclear norm and justify the benefit of such a strategy using extensive experiments. To further improve the computational efficiency of the proposed algorithm, we have developed a fast implementation using the alternative direction multiplier method technique. Experimental results have shown that the proposed NLR-CS algorithm can significantly outperform existing state-of-the-art CS techniques for image recovery.

EGN model of non-linear fiber propagation

Abstract: The GN-model has been proposed as an approximate but sufficiently accurate tool for predicting uncompensated optical coherent transmission system performance, in realistic scenarios. For this specific use, the GN-model has enjoyed substantial validation, both simulative and experimental. Recently, however, it has been pointed out that its predictions, when used to obtain a detailed picture of non-linear interference (NLI) noise accumulation along a link, may be affected by a substantial NLI overestimation error, especially in the first spans of the link. In this paper we analyze in detail the GN-model errors. We discuss recently proposed formulas for correcting such errors and show that they neglect several contributions to NLI, so that they may substantially underestimate NLI in specific situations, especially over low-dispersion fibers. We derive a complete set of formulas accounting for all single, cross, and multi-channel effects, This set constitutes what we have called the enhanced GN-model (EGN-model). We extensively validate the EGN model by comparison with accurate simulations in several different system scenarios. The overall EGN model accuracy is found to be very good when assessing detailed span-by-span NLI accumulation and excellent when estimating realistic system maximum reach. The computational complexity vs. accuracy trade-offs of the various versions of the GN and EGN models are extensively discussed.

Securing the Internet of Things: A Standardization Perspective

Abstract: The Internet of Things (IoT) is the next wave of innovation that promises to improve and optimize our daily life based on intelligent sensors and smart objects working together. Through Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity, devices can now be connected to the Internet, thus allowing them to be read, controlled, and managed at any time and at any place. Security is an important aspect for IoT deployments. However, proprietary security solutions do not help in formulating a coherent security vision to enable IoT devices to securely communicate with each other in an interoperable manner. This paper gives an overview of the efforts in the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) to standardize security solutions for the IoT ecosystem. We first provide an in-depth review of the communication security solutions for IoT, specifically the standard security protocols to be used in conjunction with the Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP), an application protocol specifically tailored to the needs of adapting to the constraints of IoT devices. Since Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS) has been chosen as the channel security underneath CoAP, this paper also discusses the latest standardization efforts to adapt and enhance the DTLS for IoT applications. This includes the use of 1) raw public key in DTLS; 2) extending DTLS record Layer to protect group (multicast) communication; and 3) profiling DTLS for reducing the size and complexity of implementations on embedded devices. We also provide an extensive review of compression schemes that are being proposed in IETF to mitigate message fragmentation issues in DTLS.

Improved motion robustness of remote-PPG by using the blood volume pulse signature

Abstract: Remote photoplethysmography (rPPG) enables contact-free monitoring of the blood volume pulse using a color camera. Essentially, it detects the minute optical absorption changes caused by blood volume variations in the skin. In this paper, we show that the different absorption spectra of arterial blood and bloodless skin cause the variations to occur along a very specific vector in a normalized RGB-space. The exact vector can be determined for a given light spectrum and for given transfer characteristics of the optical filters in the camera. We show that this 'signature' can be used to design an rPPG algorithm with a much better motion robustness than the recent methods based on blind source separation, and even better than the chrominance-based methods we published earlier. Using six videos recorded in a gym, with four subjects exercising on a range of fitness devices, we confirm the superior motion robustness of our newly proposed rPPG methods. A simple peak detector in the frequency domain returns the correct pulse-rate for 68% of total measurements compared to 60% for the best previous method, while the SNR of the pulse-signal improves from − 5 dB to − 4 dB. For a large population of 117 stationary subjects we prove that the accuracy is comparable to the best previous method, although the SNR of the pulse-signal drops from + 8.4 dB to + 7.6 dB. We expect the improved motion robustness to significantly widen the application scope of the rPPG-technique.

Privacy in the Internet of Things: threats and challenges

Abstract: The Internet of Things paradigm envisions the pervasive interconnection and cooperation of smart things over the current and future Internet infrastructure. The Internet of Things is, thus, the evolution of the Internet to cover the real world, enabling many new services that will improve people's everyday lives, spawn new businesses, and make buildings, cities, and transport smarter. Smart things allow indeed for ubiquitous data collection or tracking, but these useful features are also examples of privacy threats that are already now limiting the success of the Internet of Things vision when not implemented correctly. These threats involve new challenges such as the pervasive privacy-aware management of personal data or methods to control or avoid ubiquitous tracking and profiling. This paper analyzes the privacy issues in the Internet of Things in detail. To this end, we first discuss the evolving features and trends in the Internet of Things with the goal of scrutinizing their privacy implications. Second, we classify and examine privacy threats in this new setting, pointing out the challenges that need to be overcome to ensure that the Internet of Things becomes a reality. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Amide proton transfer imaging of adult diffuse gliomas: correlation with histopathological grades.

Abstract: Background.Amideprotontransfer(APT)imagingisanovelmolecularMRItechniquetodetectendogenousmobileproteinsandpeptides through chemical exchange saturation transfer. We prospectively assessed the usefulness of APT imaging in predicting the histological grade of adult diffuse gliomas. Methods. Thirty-six consecutive patients with histopathologically proven diffuse glioma (48.1+14.7 y old, 16 males and 20 females) were included in the study. APT MRI was conducted on a 3T clinical scanner and was obtained with 2 s saturation at 25 saturation frequency offsets v ¼ 2 6t o+6 ppm (step 0.5 ppm). dB0 maps were acquired separately for a point-by-point dB0 correction. APT signal intensity (SI) was defined as magnetization transfer asymmetry at 3.5 ppm: magnetization transfer ratio (MTR)asym ¼ (S[23.5 ppm] 2 S[+3.5 ppm])/S0. Regions of interest were carefully placed by 2 neuroradiologists in solid parts within brain tumors. The APT SI was compared with World Health Organization grade, Ki-67 labeling index (LI), and cell density.

Reference values for healthy human myocardium using a T1 mapping methodology: results from the International T1 Multicenter cardiovascular magnetic resonance study

Abstract: T1 mapping is a robust and highly reproducible application to quantify myocardial relaxation of longitudinal magnetisation. Available T1 mapping methods are presently site and vendor specific, with variable accuracy and precision of T1 values between the systems and sequences. We assessed the transferability of a T1 mapping method and determined the reference values of healthy human myocardium in a multicenter setting. Healthy subjects (n = 102; mean age 41 years (range 17–83), male, n = 53 (52%)), with no previous medical history, and normotensive low risk subjects (n=113) referred for clinical cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) were examined. Further inclusion criteria for all were absence of regular medication and subsequently normal findings of routine CMR. All subjects underwent T1 mapping using a uniform imaging set-up (modified Look- Locker inversion recovery, MOLLI, using scheme 3(3)3(3)5)) on 1.5 Tesla (T) and 3 T Philips scanners. Native T1-maps were acquired in a single midventricular short axis slice and repeated 20 minutes following gadobutrol. Reference values were obtained for native T1 and gadolinium-based partition coefficients, λ and extracellular volume fraction (ECV) in a core lab using standardized postprocessing. In healthy controls, mean native T1 values were 950 ± 21 msec at 1.5 T and 1052 ± 23 at 3 T. λ and ECV values were 0.44 ± 0.06 and 0.25 ± 0.04 at 1.5 T, and 0.44 ± 0.07 and 0.26 ± 0.04 at 3 T, respectively. There were no significant differences between healthy controls and low risk subjects in routine CMR parameters and T1 values. The entire cohort showed no correlation between age, gender and native T1. Cross-center comparisons of mean values showed no significant difference for any of the T1 indices at any field strength. There were considerable regional differences in segmental T1 values. λ and ECV were found to be dose dependent. There was excellent inter- and intraobserver reproducibility for measurement of native septal T1. We show transferability for a unifying T1 mapping methodology in a multicenter setting. We provide reference ranges for T1 values in healthy human myocardium, which can be applied across participating sites.

Vision 20/20: Perspectives on automated image segmentation for radiotherapy

Abstract: Due to rapid advances in radiation therapy (RT), especially image guidance and treatment adaptation, a fast and accurate segmentation of medical images is a very important part of the treatment. Manual delineation of target volumes and organs at risk is still the standard routine for most clinics, even though it is time consuming and prone to intra- and interobserver variations. Automated segmentation methods seek to reduce delineation workload and unify the organ boundary definition. In this paper, the authors review the current autosegmentation methods particularly relevant for applications in RT. The authors outline the methods’ strengths and limitations and propose strategies that could lead to wider acceptance of autosegmentation in routine clinical practice. The authors conclude that currently, autosegmentation technology in RT planning is an efficient tool for the clinicians to provide them with a good starting point for review and adjustment. Modern hardware platforms including GPUs allow most of the autosegmentation tasks to be done in a range of a few minutes. In the nearest future, improvements in CT-based autosegmentation tools will be achieved through standardization of imaging and contouring protocols. In the longer term, the authors expect a wider use of multimodality approaches and better understanding of correlation of imaging with biology and pathology.

Tissue distribution and elimination after oral and intravenous administration of different titanium dioxide nanoparticles in rats.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to obtain kinetic data that can be used in human risk assessment of titanium dioxide nanomaterials. Tissue distribution and blood kinetics of various titanium dioxide nanoparticles (NM-100, NM-101, NM-102, NM-103, and NM-104), which differ with respect to primary particle size, crystalline form and hydrophobicity, were investigated in rats up to 90 days post-exposure after oral and intravenous administration of a single or five repeated doses. For the oral study, liver, spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes were selected as target tissues for titanium (Ti) analysis. Ti-levels in liver and spleen were above the detection limit only in some rats. Titanium could be detected at low levels in mesenteric lymph nodes. These results indicate that some minor absorption occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, but to a very limited extent. Both after single and repeated intravenous (IV) exposure, titanium rapidly distributed from the systemic circulation to all tissues evaluated (i.e. liver, spleen, kidney, lung, heart, brain, thymus, reproductive organs). Liver was identified as the main target tissue, followed by spleen and lung. Total recovery (expressed as % of nominal dose) for all four tested nanomaterials measured 24 h after single or repeated exposure ranged from 64-95% or 59-108% for male or female animals, respectively. During the 90 days post-exposure period, some decrease in Ti-levels was observed (mainly for NM-100 and NM-102) with a maximum relative decrease of 26%. This was also confirmed by the results of the kinetic analysis which revealed that for each of the investigated tissues the half-lifes were considerable (range 28–650 days, depending on the TiO2-particle and tissue investigated). Minor differences in kinetic profile were observed between the various particles, though these could not be clearly related to differences in primary particle size or hydrophobicity. Some indications were observed for an effect of crystalline form (anatase vs. rutile) on total Ti recovery. Overall, the results of the present oral and IV study indicates very low oral bioavailability and slow tissue elimination. Limited uptake in combination with slow elimination might result in the long run in potential tissue accumulation.

Integrated lab-on-chip biosensing systems based on magnetic particle actuation--a comprehensive review.

Abstract: The demand for easy to use and cost effective medical technologies inspires scientists to develop innovative lab-on-chip technologies for point-of-care in vitro diagnostic testing. To fulfill medical needs, the tests should be rapid, sensitive, quantitative, and miniaturizable, and need to integrate all steps from sample-in to result-out. Here, we review the use of magnetic particles actuated by magnetic fields to perform the different process steps that are required for integrated lab-on-chip diagnostic assays. We discuss the use of magnetic particles to mix fluids, to capture specific analytes, to concentrate analytes, to transfer analytes from one solution to another, to label analytes, to perform stringency and washing steps, and to probe biophysical properties of the analytes, distinguishing methodologies with fluid flow and without fluid flow (stationary microfluidics). Our review focuses on efforts to combine and integrate different magnetically actuated assay steps, with the vision that it will become possible in the future to realize integrated lab-on-chip biosensing assays in which all assay process steps are controlled and optimized by magnetic forces.

Enhancement of sleep slow waves: underlying mechanisms and practical consequences.

Abstract: Even modest sleep restriction, especially the loss of sleep slow wave activity (SWA), is invariably associated with slower electroencephalogram (EEG) activity during wake, the occurrence of local sleep in an otherwise awake brain, and impaired performance due to cognitive and memory deficits. Recent studies not only confirm the beneficial role of sleep in memory consolidation, but also point to a specific role for sleep slow waves. Thus, the implementation of methods to enhance sleep slow waves without unwanted arousals or lightening of sleep could have significant practical implications. Here we first review the evidence that it is possible to enhance sleep slow waves in humans using transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Since these methods are currently impractical and their safety is questionable, especially for chronic long-term exposure, we then discuss novel data suggesting that it is possible to enhance slow waves using sensory stimuli. We consider the physiology of the K-complex (KC), a peripheral evoked slow wave, and show that, among different sensory modalities, acoustic stimulation is the most effective in increasing the magnitude of slow waves, likely through the activation of non-lemniscal ascending pathways to the thalamo-cortical system. In addition, we discuss how intensity and frequency of the acoustic stimuli, as well as exact timing and pattern of stimulation, affect sleep enhancement. Finally, we discuss automated algorithms that read the EEG and, in real-time, adjust the stimulation parameters in a closed-loop manner to obtain an increase in sleep slow waves and avoid undesirable arousals. In conclusion, while discussing the mechanisms that underlie the generation of sleep slow waves, we review the converging evidence showing that acoustic stimulation is safe and represents an ideal tool for slow wave sleep (SWS) enhancement.

Ca[LiAl3N4]:Eu2+—A Narrow-Band Red-Emitting Nitridolithoaluminate

Abstract: Ca[LiAl3N4]:Eu2+ is an intriguing new narrow-band red-emitting phosphor material with potential for application in high-power phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (pc-LEDs). With excitation by blue InGaN-based LEDs, the compound exhibits an emission maximum at 668 nm with a full width at half maximum of only 1333 cm–1 (∼60 nm). Ca[LiAl3N4]:Eu2+ was synthesized from Ca, LiAlH4, LiN3, AlF3, and EuF3 in weld-shut Ta ampules, and the structure was solved and refined on the basis of single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. After isotypical crystallization with Na[Li3SiO4], the compound forms a highly condensed framework of AlN4 and LiN4 tetrahedra [I41/a (no. 88), Z = 16, a = 11.1600(16) A, and c = 12.865(3) A] and can thus by classified as a nitridolithoaluminate. Both types of polyhedra are connected to each other by common edges and corners, yielding a high degree of condensation, κ = 1. The Ca site is positioned in the center of vierer ring channels along [001] and coordinated in a cuboidal manner by eig...

Particle size dependent deposition and pulmonary inflammation after short-term inhalation of silver nanoparticles

Abstract: Although silver nanoparticles are currently used in more than 400 consumer products, it is not clear to what extent they induce adverse effects after inhalation during production and use. In this study, we determined the lung burden, tissue distribution, and the induction and recovery of adverse effects after short-term inhalation exposure to 15 nm and 410 nm silver nanoparticles. Rats were nose-only exposed to clean air, 15 nm silver nanoparticles (179 μg/m3) or 410 nm silver particles (167 μg/m3) 6 hours per day, for four consecutive days. Tissue distribution and the induction of pulmonary toxicity were determined at 24 hours and 7 days after exposure and compared with the internal alveolar dose. Presence of silver nanoparticles in lung cells was visualized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Exposure to 15 nm silver nanoparticles induced moderate pulmonary toxicity compared to the controls, indicated by a 175-fold increased influx of neutrophils in the lungs, a doubling of cellular damage markers in the lungs, a 5-fold increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines, and a 1.5-fold increase in total glutathione at 24 hours after exposure. All the observed effects disappeared at 7 days after exposure. No effects were observed after exposure to 410 nm silver particles. The internal alveolar mass dose of the 15 nm nanoparticles was 3.5 times higher compared to the 410 nm particles, which equals to a 66,000 times higher particle number. TEM analysis revealed 15 nm nanoparticles in vesicles and nuclei of lung cells, which were decreased in size to <5 nm at 24 hours after exposure. This demonstrates substantial dissolution of the silver nanoparticles. The results show a clear size-dependent effect after inhalation of similar mass concentrations of 15 nm and 410 nm silver (nano)particles. This can be partially explained by the difference in the internal alveolar dose between the 15 nm and 410 nm silver (nano)particles as well as by a difference in the release rate of silver ions.

CMR in patients with severe myocarditis: diagnostic value of quantitative tissue markers including extracellular volume imaging

Abstract: Objectives This study evaluated the accuracy of T2, T1, and extracellular volume (ECV) quantification as novel quantitative tissue markers in comparison with standard “Lake-Louise” cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) criteria to diagnose myocarditis. Background Novel approaches using T2 and T1 mapping may overcome the limitations of signal intensity-based parameters, which would potentially result in a better diagnostic accuracy compared with standard CMR techniques in suspected myocarditis. Methods CMR was performed in 104 patients with myocarditis and 21 control subjects at 1.5-T. Patients with myocarditis underwent CMR 2 weeks (interquartile range: 1 to 7 weeks) after presentation with new-onset heart failure (n = 66) or acute chest pain (n = 38). T2 and T1 mapping were implemented into a standard protocol including T2-weighted (T2w), early gadolinium enhancement (EGE) CMR, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) CMR. T2 quantification was performed using a free-breathing, navigator-gated multiecho sequence. T1 quantification was performed using the modified Look-Locker inversion recovery sequence before and after administration of 0.075 mmol/kg gadobenate dimeglumine. T2, T1, and ECV maps were generated using a plug-in for the OsiriX software (Pixmeo, Bernex, Switzerland) to calculate mean global myocardial T2, T1, and ECV values. Results The diagnostic accuracies of conventional CMR were 70% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 61% to 77%) for T2w CMR, 59% (95% CI: 56% to 73%) for EGE, and 67% (95% CI: 59% to 75%) for LGE. The diagnostic accuracies of mapping techniques were 63% (95% CI: 53% to 73%) for myocardial T2, 69% (95% CI: 60% to 76%) for native myocardial T1, and 76% (95% CI: 68% to 82%) for global myocardial ECV. The diagnostic accuracy of CMR was significantly improved to 90% (95% CI: 84% to 95%) by a stepwise approach, using the presence of LGE and myocardial ECV ≥27% as diagnostic criteria, compared with 79% (95% CI: 71% to 85%; p = 0.0043) for the Lake-Louise criteria. Conclusions In patients with clinical evidence for subacute, severe myocarditis, ECV quantification with LGE imaging significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy of CMR compared with standard Lake-Louise criteria.

Personal monitoring system

Abstract: A system includes a processor; a cellular, WiFi, or Bluetooth transceiver coupled to the processor; an accelerometer or a motion sensor coupled to the processor; and a sensor coupled to the processor to sense mood, wherein text, image, sound, or video is rendered in response to the sensed mood.

Connecting System Identification and Robust Control for Next-Generation Motion Control of a Wafer Stage

Abstract: Next-generation precision motion systems are lightweight to meet stringent requirements regarding throughput and accuracy. Such lightweight systems typically exhibit lightly damped flexible dynamics in the controller cross-over region. State-of-the-art modeling and motion control design procedures do not deliver the required model complexity and fidelity to control the flexible dynamical behavior. The aim of this paper is to develop a combined system identification and robust control design procedure for high performance motion control and apply it to a wafer stage. Hereto, new connections between system identification and robust control are employed. The experimental results confirm that the proposed procedure significantly extends existing results and enables next-generation motion control design.

Real-time magnetic resonance imaging and electromagnetic articulography database for speech production research (TC)

Abstract: USC-TIMIT is an extensive database of multimodal speech production data, developed to complement existing resources available to the speech research community and with the intention of being continuously refined and augmented. The database currently includes real-time magnetic resonance imaging data from five male and five female speakers of American English. Electromagnetic articulography data have also been presently collected from four of these speakers. The two modalities were recorded in two independent sessions while the subjects produced the same 460 sentence corpus used previously in the MOCHA-TIMIT database. In both cases the audio signal was recorded and synchronized with the articulatory data. The database and companion software are freely available to the research community.

Structure of cohesin subcomplex pinpoints direct shugoshin-Wapl antagonism in centromeric cohesion

Abstract: The crystal structure of a human cohesin subcomplex, SA2–Scc1, guides mutagenesis analyses to dissect the antagonistic roles of shugoshin and Wapl in regulating centromeric functions during mitosis.

Historical and contemporary hypotheses on the development of oral diseases: are we there yet?

Abstract: Dental plaque is an oral biofilm that much like the rest of our microbiome has a role in health and disease. Specifically, it is the cause of very common oral diseases such as caries, gingivitis and periodontitis. The ideas about oral disease development have evolved over time with the techniques to analyze these changes. In the 19th century, scientists could not identify bacteria related to disease due to the lack of technology. This led to the “Non-Specific Plaque Hypothesis” or the idea that the accumulation of dental plaque was responsible for oral disease without discriminating between the levels of virulence of bacteria. In the 20th century these ideas evolved with the techniques to analyze the changes from health to disease. The first common hypothesis was the “Specific Plaque Hypothesis” (1976) proposing that only a few species of the total microflora are actively involved in disease. Secondly, the “Non-Specific Plaque Hypothesis” was updated (1986) and the idea that the overall activity of the total microflora could lead to disease, was enriched by taking into account difference in virulence among bacteria. Then, a hypothesis was considered that combines key concepts of the earlier two hypotheses: the “Ecological Plaque Hypothesis” (1994), which proposes that disease is the result of an imbalance in the microflora by ecological stress resulting in an enrichment of certain disease-related micro-organisms. Finally, the recent “Keystone-Pathogen Hypothesis” (2012) proposes that certain low-abundance microbial pathogens can cause inflammatory disease by interfering with the host immune system and remodeling the microbiota. In this comprehensive review, we describe how these different hypotheses, and the ideas around them, arose and test their current applicability to the understanding of the development of oral disease. Finally, we conclude that an all-encompassing ecological hypothesis explaining the shifts from health to disease is still lacking.

Twenty-five years of research on the effects of exercise training in breast cancer survivors: A systematic review of the literature.

Abstract: AIM: To investigate the role of exercise training the past 25 years on major physiological-psychological outcomes studied thus far in this patient population. METHODS: PubMed, MedlinePlus, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, SportDiscus, Embase, Scorpus, and Google Scholar were searched from September to November 2013 to identify exercise training studies that used objective measurements of fitness and/or patient reported outcomes assessed pre and post-exercise training with statistical analyses performed in at least one of the following outcome measurements: Cardiorespiratory function, body composition, muscular strength, fatigue, depression, and overall quality of life. Five reviewers independently identified the studies that met the criteria for the review and discrepancies were resolved by consensus among all authors. RESULTS: Fifty-one studies were included in this review with 5 from the period between 1989-1999, 11 from 2000-2006, and 35 from 2007-2013. The evolution of study designs changed from aerobic only exercise training interventions (1989-1999), to a combination of aerobic and resistance training (2000-2006), to studies including an arm of resistance training or examining the effects of resistance training as the main mode of exercise (2007-2013). Overall, the benefits of exercise showed improvements in cardiorespiratory function, body composition, strength, and patient reported outcomes including fatigue, depression, and quality of life. CONCLUSION: Exercise training appears to be safe for most breast cancer patients and improvements in physiological, psychological, and functional parameters can be attained with regular participation in moderate intensity exercise.

White matter microstructure correlates of mathematical giftedness and intelligence quotient

Abstract: Recent functional neuroimaging studies have shown differences in brain activation between mathematically gifted adolescents and controls. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between mathematical giftedness, intelligent quotient (IQ), and the microstructure of white matter tracts in a sample composed of math-gifted adolescents and aged-matched controls. Math-gifted subjects were selected through a national program based on detecting enhanced visuospatial abilities and creative thinking. We used diffusion tensor imaging to assess white matter microstructure in neuroanatomical connectivity. The processing included voxel-wise and region of interest-based analyses of the fractional anisotropy (FA), a parameter which is purportedly related to white matter microstructure. In a whole-sample analysis, IQ showed a significant positive correlation with FA, mainly in the corpus callosum, supporting the idea that efficient information transfer between hemispheres is crucial for higher intellectual capabilities. In addition, math-gifted adolescents showed increased FA (adjusted for IQ) in white matter tracts connecting frontal lobes with basal ganglia and parietal regions. The enhanced anatomical connectivity observed in the forceps minor and splenium may underlie the greater fluid reasoning, visuospatial working memory, and creative capabilities of these children.

How Antibody Surface Coverage on Nanoparticles Determines the Activity and Kinetics of Antigen Capturing for Biosensing

Abstract: The antigen-capturing activity of antibody-coated nanoparticles is very important for affinity-based bioanalytical tools. In this paper, a comprehensive study is reported of the antigen-capturing activity of antibodies that are nondirectionally immobilized on a nanoparticle surface. Superparamagnetic nanoparticles (500 nm) were covalently functionalized with different quantities of monoclonal antibodies against cardiac troponin I (cTnI). At a low antibody surface coverage, up to 4% of the immobilized antibodies could capture antigen molecules from solution. At high antibody coverage (≥50 × 10(2) antibodies per nanoparticle, i.e., ≥ 64 × 10(2) antibodies per μm(2)), the fraction of antigen-capturing antibodies drops well below 4% and the number of active antibodies saturates at about 120 per nanoparticle. The fraction of active antibodies is small, yet surprisingly their dissociation constants (Kd) are low, between 10 and 200 pM. In addition, the surface-binding activity of the antibody-coated nanoparticles was analyzed in an optomagnetic sandwich immunoassay biosensor, measuring cTnI in undiluted blood plasma. The data show that the immunoassay response scales with the number of active antibodies, increasing initially and saturating at higher antibody densities. The observations are summarized in a molecular sketch of the attachment, ordering, and functionality of antibodies on the nanoparticle surface.

Methods and apparatus for information management and control of outdoor lighting networks

Abstract: The invention provides a light management information system for an outdoor lighting network system, having a plurality of outdoor light units each including at least one sensor type, where each of the light units communicates with at least one other light unit, at least one user input/output device in communication with at one or more of said outdoor light units, a central management system in communication with light units, said central management system sends control commands and/or information to one or more of said outdoor light units, in response to received outdoor light unit status/sensor information from one or more of said outdoor light units or received user information requests from said user input/output device, a resource server in communication with said central management system, wherein the central management system uses the light unit status/sensor information and resources from the resource server to provide information to the user input/output device and/or reconfigure one or more of the lights units.

First Confirmed Cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) Infection in the United States, Updated Information on the Epidemiology of MERS-CoV Infection, and Guidance for the Public, Clinicians, and Public Health Authorities - May 2014

Abstract: Since mid-March 2014, the frequency with which cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection have been reported has increased, with the majority of recent cases reported from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE). In addition, the frequency with which travel-associated MERS cases have been reported and the number of countries that have reported them to the World Health Organization (WHO) have also increased. The first case of MERS in the United States, identified in a traveler recently returned from Saudi Arabia, was reported to CDC by the Indiana State Department of Health on May 1, 2014, and confirmed by CDC on May 2. A second imported case of MERS in the United States, identified in a traveler from Saudi Arabia having no connection with the first case, was reported to CDC by the Florida Department of Health on May 11, 2014. The purpose of this report is to alert clinicians, health officials, and others to increase awareness of the need to consider MERS-CoV infection in persons who have recently traveled from countries in or near the Arabian Peninsula. This report summarizes recent epidemiologic information, provides preliminary descriptions of the cases reported from Indiana and Florida, and updates CDC guidance about patient evaluation, home care and isolation, specimen collection, and travel as of May 13, 2014.

Group (III) Nitrides M[Mg2Al2N4] (M = Ca, Sr, Ba, Eu) and Ba[Mg2Ga2N4]—Structural Relation and Nontypical Luminescence Properties of Eu2+ Doped Samples

Abstract: The isotypic nitridomagnesoaluminates M[Mg2Al2N4] (M = Ca,Sr, Ba,Eu) as well as a novel nitridomagnesogallate Ba[Mg2Ga2N4] have been synthesized by high-temperature reactions in arc-welded tantalum ampules. The crystal structures were solved and refined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction or powder X-ray diffraction data, respectively. All compounds crystallize in the UCr4C4-structure type (space group I4/m (no. 87), Z = 2, Ca[Mg2Al2N4]: a = 8.0655(11), c = 3.2857(7) A, wR2 = 0.085 Sr[Mg2Al2N4]: a = 8.1008(11), c = 3.3269(7) A, wR2 = 0.084; Eu[Mg2Al2N4]: a = 8.1539(12), c = 3.3430(7) A, wR2 = 0.033; Ba[Mg2Al2N4]: a = 8.2602(9), c = 3.43198(19) A, wRp = 0.031; Ba[Mg2Ga2N4]: a = 8.3654(12), c = 3.4411(7) A, wR2 = 0.031) forming highly condensed anionic networks of disordered (Al/Mg)N4 and (Ga/Mg)N4 units, connected to each other by common edges and corners. The M2+ site is centered in vierer ring channels along [001] and coordinated in a cuboidal surrounding by N. Eu2+ doped samples of M[Mg2Al2N4] (M = C...

Exhaled breath metabolomics as a noninvasive diagnostic tool for acute respiratory distress syndrome

Abstract: There is a need for biological markers of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Exhaled breath contains hundreds of metabolites in the gas phase, some of which reflect (patho)physiological processes. We aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of metabolites in exhaled breath as biomarkers of ARDS. Breath from ventilated intensive care unit patients (n = 101) was analysed using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry during the first day of admission. ARDS was defined by the Berlin definition. Training and temporal validation cohorts were used. 23 patients in the training cohort (n = 53) had ARDS. Three breath metabolites, octane, acetaldehyde and 3-methylheptane, could discriminate between ARDS and controls with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.80. Temporal external validation (19 ARDS cases in a cohort of 48) resulted in an AUC of 0.78. Discrimination was insensitive to adjustment for severity of disease, a direct or indirect cause of ARDS, comorbidities, or ventilator settings. Combination with the lung injury prediction score increased the AUC to 0.91 and improved net reclassification by 1.17. Exhaled breath analysis showed good diagnostic accuracy for ARDS, which was externally validated. These data suggest that exhaled breath analysis could be used for the diagnostic assessment of ARDS. Metabolites in the breath of ventilated patients may be used to diagnose the acute respiratory distress syndrome