bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrating climate change and habitat fragmentation to identify candidate seed sources for ecological restoration
Authors: Harrison Peter A. , Vaillancourt René E. , Harris Rebecca M. B. , Potts Brad M.
Published: January 2017

Anthropogenic change (climate change and habitat fragmentation) is driving a growing view that local seed collections may need to be supplemented with nonlocal seed as a strategy to bolster genetic diversity and thus increase evolutionary potential of plantings. While this strategy is becoming widely promoted, empirical support is limited, and there is a lack of accessible research tools to assist in its experimental testing. We therefore provide the Provenancing Using Climate Analogues (PUCA) framework that integrates the principles of the climate‐adjusted provenancing strategy with concepts from population genetics (i.e. potential inbreeding in small fragmented populations) as both a research and operational‐ready tool to guide the collection of nonlocal seed. We demonstrate the application of PUCA using the Midlands of Tasmania, Australia, a region that is currently undergoing large‐scale ecological restoration. We highlight multiple nonlocal seed sources for testing by identifying actual species distribution records that currently occupy environments similar to that projected to occur at the restoration site in the future. We discuss the assumptions of PUCA and the ecological considerations that need to be tested when moving nonlocal genotypes across the landscape.
Why Study Philo Today? A Hundred Years of Philonic Scholarship in Retrospect and Prospect
Authors: Katsos Isidoros
Published: January 2017

Reading Philo: A Handbook to Philo of Alexandria, Torrey Seland (ed.), , 2014 (ISBN 978–0–8028‐7069‐8), xvi + 345 pp., pb $45

Philo of Alexandria, Jean Daniélou, translated by James G. Colbert, James Clark, 2014 (ISBN 978–0–227‐17449‐4), xvii + 184 pp., pb £23

The relation of philosophy to theology is notoriously ambiguous. Reading Philo of Alexandria is a case in point. Understanding the dynamics of philosophy and theology in the Philonic corpus is a key to understanding Philo's thought. And yet, few scholars agree as to how to read Philo on this point. In this article, I highlight some of the hermeneutical challenges posed by the Philonic corpus, based on two recent publications. The first book, a recently edited volume, documents the current trends in the discussion, introducing the reader to the 21st century scholarship. The second book, the first translation into English of an older monograph, echoes earlier trends, reaching back to the beginning of the previous century. Both publications complement each other, together covering a hundred years of Philonic scholarship. They thus offer a sound guide to the perplexed, even though they ultimately suggest alternative ways of reading Philo. In what follows, I argue that the perennial challenge of every Philo reader is to decipher Philo's enigmatic strategy in combining the Greek philosophical tradition with the Jewish scriptural tradition. To delve into this mystery, I submit, is the reason why Philo will continue to fascinate scholars for generations to come.
Deciding with Thresholds: Importance Measures and Value of Information
Authors: Borgonovo Emanuele , Cillo Alessandra
Published: January 2017

Risk‐informed decision making is often accompanied by the specification of an acceptable level of risk. Such target level is compared against the value of a risk metric, usually computed through a probabilistic safety assessment model, to decide about the acceptability of a given design, the launch of a space mission, etc. Importance measures complement the decision process with information about the risk/safety significance of events. However, importance measures do not tell us whether the occurrence of an event can change the overarching decision. By linking value of information and importance measures for probabilistic risk assessment models, this work obtains a value‐of‐information‐based importance measure that brings together the risk metric, risk importance measures, and the risk threshold in one expression. The new importance measure does not impose additional computational burden because it can be calculated from our knowledge of the risk achievement and risk reduction worth, and complements the insights delivered by these importance measures. Several properties are discussed, including the joint decision worth of basic event groups. The application to the large loss of coolant accident sequence of the Advanced Test Reactor helps us in illustrating the risk analysis insights.
Endwall Loss in Turbine Cascades
Authors: Coull John D.
Published: January 2017

Prior to the detailed design of components, turbomachinery engineers must guide a mean-line or throughflow design toward an optimum configuration. This process requires a combination of informed judgement and low-order correlations for the principle sources of loss. With these requirements in mind, this paper examines the impact of key design parameters on endwall loss in turbines, a problem which remains poorly understood. This paper presents a parametric study of linear cascades, which represent a simplified model of real-engine flow. The designs are nominally representative of the low-pressure turbine blades of an aero-engine, with varying flow angles, blade thickness, and suction surface lift styles. Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) calculations are performed for a single aspect ratio (AR) and constant inlet boundary layer thickness. To characterize the cascades studied, the two-dimensional design space is examined before studying endwall losses in detail. It is demonstrated that endwall loss can be decomposed into two components: one due to the dissipation associated with the endwall boundary layer and another induced by the secondary flows. This secondary-flow-induced loss is found to scale with a measure of streamwise vorticity predicted by classical secondary flow theory.
Effects of postdeposition annealing on TiO2/GaN/AlGaN/GaN/Si metal-oxide-semiconductor high-electron mobility transistors
Authors: Lin Yu-Shyan , Lu Chi-Che
Published: January 2017

This study presents TiO2/GaN/AlGaN/GaN/Si metal-oxide-semiconductor high-electron mobility transistors (MOS-HEMTs). The measured direct current, microwave, and power characteristics of the MOS-HEMT are better than for identical geometry HEMT devices. Furthermore, the effects of postdeposition annealing (PDA) in an oxygen environment on the electrical properties of the MOS-HEMTs are investigated. This is the first report of effect of PDA on TiO2 GaN-based MOS-HEMTs. The quality of the TiO2/GaN interface shows significant improvement after annealing. These results clearly establish the potential of annealed TiO2 AlGaN/GaN MOS-HEMTs for high power microwave devices.
Prediction of the diffuse-field transmission loss of interior natural-ventilation openings and silencers
Authors: Bibby Chris , Hodgson Murray
Published: January 2017

The work reported here, part of a study on the performance and optimal design of interior natural-ventilation openings and silencers (“ventilators”), discusses the prediction of the acoustical performance of such ventilators, and the factors that affect it. A wave-based numerical approach—the finite-element method (FEM)—is applied. The development of a FEM technique for the prediction of ventilator diffuse-field transmission loss is presented. Model convergence is studied with respect to mesh, frequency-sampling and diffuse-field convergence. The modeling technique is validated by way of predictions and the comparison of them to analytical and experimental results. The transmission-loss performance of crosstalk silencers of four shapes, and the factors that affect it, are predicted and discussed. Performance increases with flow-path length for all silencer types. Adding elbows significantly increases high-frequency transmission loss, but does not increase overall silencer performance which is controlled by low-to-mid-frequency transmission loss.
Porogranular materials composed of elastic Helmholtz resonators for acoustic wave absorption
Authors: Griffiths Stéphane , Nennig Benoit , Job Stéphane
Published: January 2017

A theoretical and experimental study of the acoustic absorption of granular porous media made of non-cohesive piles of spherical shells is presented. These shells are either rigid or elastic, possibly drilled with a neck (Helmholtz resonators), and either porous or impervious. A description is given of acoustic propagation through these media using the effective medium models proposed by Johnson (rigid particles) and Boutin (rigid Helmholtz resonators), which are extended to the configurations studied in this work. A solution is given for the local equation of elasticity of a shell coupled to the viscous flow of air through the neck and the micropores. The models and the simulations are compared to absorption spectra measured in reflection in an impedance tube. The effective medium models and the measurements show excellent agreement for configurations made of rigid particles and rigid Helmholtz resonators that induce an additional peak of absorption at low frequency. A shift of the Helmholtz resonance toward low frequencies, due to the softness of the shells is revealed by the experiments for elastic shells made of soft elastomer and is well reproduced by the simulations. It is shown that microporous shells enhance and broaden acoustic absorption compared to stiff or elastic resonators.
Interview With Michael Lahoud, Professional Soccer Player: Lessons of Personal Athlete Branding via Social Media
Authors: Kunkel Thilo , Scott Olan , Beaton Anthony
Published: January 2017

Michael Lahoud is a professional soccer player who currently plays for Miami FC in the North American Soccer League (NASL). He was born in Sierra Leone, where he escaped civil war when he was 6 years old. As a refugee, soccer helped him integrate in the United States, where he was drafted as the ninth overall pick in the 2009 Major League Soccer (MLS) superdraft. He is a community advocate who uses his sport to support charitable efforts such as the Wall Las Memorias project, the NoH8 campaign, and Schools for Salone. He was the MLS Humanitarian of the Year in 2010, and, together with Kei Kamara, he is the recipient of the 2015 FIFPro World Players’ Union Merit Award (a prize worth $25,000), which recognized their involvement in the Schools for Salone project that builds schools in their home country of Sierra Leone. His brand is Soccer can make a difference. This interview consists of two parts, with the first part being conducted in December 2015 when he was a player with the MLS team Philadelphia Union and the second part being conducted in July 2016 after two transfers within 4 months. The interviews provide an overview of his approach to athlete branding via social media and its impact on his career.
Methods of Monitoring Training Load and Their Relationships to Changes in Fitness and Performance in Competitive Road Cyclists
Authors: Sanders Dajo , Abt Grant , Hesselink Matthijs K.C. , Myers Tony , Akubat Ibrahim
Published: January 2017

Purpose:

To assess the dose-response relationships between different training-load methods and aerobic fitness and performance in competitive road cyclists.

Methods:

Training data from 15 well-trained competitive cyclists were collected during a 10-wk (December–March) preseason training period. Before and after the training period, participants underwent a laboratory incremental exercise test with gas-exchange and lactate measures and a performance assessment using an 8-min time trial (8MT). Internal training load was calculated using Banister TRIMP, Edwards TRIMP, individualized TRIMP (iTRIMP), Lucia TRIMP (luTRIMP), and session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE). External load was measured using Training Stress Score (TSS).

Results:

Large to very large relationships (r = .54–.81) between training load and changes in submaximal fitness variables (power at 2 and 4 mmol/L) were observed for all training-load calculation methods. The strongest relationships with changes in aerobic fitness variables were observed for iTRIMP (r = .81 [95% CI .51–.93, r = .77 [95% CI .43–.92]) and TSS (r = .75 [95% CI .31–.93], r = .79 [95% CI .40–.94]). The strongest dose-response relationships with changes in the 8MT test were observed for iTRIMP (r = .63 [95% CI .17–.86]) and luTRIMP (r = .70 [95% CI .29–.89).

Conclusions:

Training-load quantification methods that integrate individual physiological characteristics have the strongest dose-response relationships, suggesting this to be an essential factor in the quantification of training load in cycling.
The Evolution of Champion Cross-Country-Skier Training: From Lumberjacks to Professional Athletes
Authors: Sandbakk Øyvind
Published: January 2017

Competitive cross-country (XC) skiing has traditions extending back to the mid-19th century and was included as a men’s event in the first Winter Games in 1924. Since then, tremendous improvements in equipment, track preparation, and knowledge about training have prompted greater increases in XC-skiing speeds than in any other Olympic sport. In response, this commentary focuses on how the training of successful XC skiers has evolved, with interviews and training data from surviving Norwegian world and Olympic XC champions as primary sources. Before 1970, most male champion XC skiers were lumberjacks who ran or skied long distances to and from felling areas while working long days in the woods. In addition, they trained as much as possible, with increased intensity during the autumn, while less work but more ski-specific training and competitions were done during the winter. Until the 1970s, few XC skiers were women, whom coaches believed tolerated less training than men did. Today’s XC skiers are less physically active, but the influence of both science and the systematic approaches of former athletes and coaches have gradually taught XC skiers to adopt smarter, more goal-oriented training practices. Although the very high VO2max of world-class XC skiers has remained the same since the 1960s, new events in modern XC skiing have additionally required superior upper-body power, high-speed techniques, and tactical flexibility. These elements also emerge in the training of today’s best skiers; women’s physiological capacities and training routines especially seem to have improved dramatically.
Papers of note in
Nature
541
(7636)
Authors: Gough Nancy R.
Published: January 2017

This week’s articles feature molecular mechanisms controlling metastasis, insights into heart and skeletal muscle regeneration, details of how to engineer a stomach from human stem cells, and the key role for a mechanosensitive channel in controlling respiration.
Effect of Minimal Acupuncture for Infantile Colic: A Multicentre, Three-Armed, Single-Blind, Randomised Controlled Trial (Acu-Col)
Authors: Landgren Kajsa , Hallström Inger
Published: January 2017

Background

Evidence for treating infantile colic with acupuncture is contradictory.

Aim

To evaluate and compare the effect of two types of acupuncture versus no acupuncture in infants with colic in public child health centres (CHCs).

Methods

A multicentre, randomised controlled, single-blind, three-armed trial (ACU-COL) comparing two styles of acupuncture with no acupuncture, as an adjunct to standard care, was conducted. Among 426 infants whose parents sought help for colic and registered their child's fussing/crying in a diary, 157 fulfilled the criteria for colic and 147 started the intervention. All infants received usual care plus four extra visits to CHCs with advice/support (twice a week for 2 weeks), comprising gold standard care. The infants were randomly allocated to three groups: (A) standardised minimal acupuncture at LI4; (B) semi-standardised individual acupuncture inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine; and (C) no acupuncture. The CHC nurses and parents were blinded. Acupuncture was given by nurses with extensive experience of acupuncture.

Results

The effect of the two types of acupuncture was similar and both were superior to gold standard care alone. Relative to baseline, there was a greater relative reduction in time spent crying and colicky crying by the second intervention week (p=0.050) and follow-up period (p=0.031), respectively, in infants receiving either type of acupuncture. More infants receiving acupuncture cried <3 hours/day, and thereby no longer fulfilled criteria for colic, in the first (p=0.040) and second (p=0.006) intervention weeks. No serious adverse events were reported.

Conclusions

Acupuncture appears to reduce crying in infants with colic safely.

Trial registration number

NCT01761331; Results.
Supra and infratentorial ectopic schwannoma mimicking a meningioma
Authors: Ribeiro da Cunha Pedro , Alves José Luís , Rocha Armando
Published: January 2017

We report the case of a supra and infratentorial ectopic schwannoma, mimicking a meningioma, that was surgically resected on a 75-year-old man, with a history of progressive visual loss and headaches. MRI was in favour of an occipital, cystic, tentorial-based meningioma extending to the posterior fossa, with signs of intratumoral haemorrhage. This is a unique case because of the rare type of lesion, in a very atypical location, completely unexpected by the preoperative imaging analysis, and to the best of our knowledge it is the oldest patient reported in the literature with this kind of tumour.
Influence of premium versus value brand names on the smoking experience in a plain packaging environment: an experimental study
Authors: Skaczkowski Gemma , Durkin Sarah , Kashima Yoshihisa , Wakefield Melanie
Published: January 2017

Objective

To examine the effect of branding, as indicated by brand name, on evaluation of the cigarette smoking experience.

Design

Between-subjects and within-subjects experimental study. Participants were randomly allocated to smoke a cigarette from a pack featuring a premium brand name and a cigarette from a pack featuring a value brand name. Within each condition, participants unknowingly smoked two identical cigarettes (either two premium or two value cigarettes).

Setting

Australia, October 2014, 2 years after tobacco plain packaging implementation.

Participants

81 current cigarette smokers aged 19–39 years. From apparently premium and value brand-name packs, 40 smokers were allocated to smoke the same actual premium cigarettes and 41 were allocated to smoke the same actual value cigarettes.

Primary outcome measures

Experienced taste (flavour, satisfaction, enjoyment, quality, liking, mouthfeel and aftertaste), harshness, dryness, staleness, harm/strength measures (strength, tar, lightness, volume of smoke), draw effort and purchase intent.

Results

Cigarettes given a premium brand name were rated as having a better taste, were less harsh and less dry than identical cigarettes given a value brand name. This pattern was observed irrespective of whether the two packs actually contained premium or value cigarettes. These effects were specific: the brand name did not influence ratings of cigarette variant attributes (strength, tar, volume of smoke, lightness and draw effort).

Conclusions

Despite the belief that brand names represent genuine differences between cigarette products, the results suggest that at least some of this perceived sensory difference is attributable to brand image.
Distinct risk factors of atrial fibrillation in patients with and without coronary artery disease: a cross-sectional analysis of the BOREAS-CAG Registry data
Authors: Murakami Naoto , Tanno Masaya , Kokubu Nobuaki , Nishida Junichi , Nagano Nobutaka , Ohnishi Hirofumi , Akasaka Hiroshi , Miki Takayuki , Tsuchihashi Kazufumi , Miura Tetsuji
Published: January 2017

Objective

Although risk factors of atrial fibrillation (AF) in the general population have been characterised, their impacts on patients with specific diseases are unclear. Our aim was to determine whether risk factors of AF are different in patients with and those without coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods

We enrolled 1871 consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography for evaluation of symptoms suggestive of CAD in the BOREAS-CAG Registry between August 2014 and January 2015. After exclusion of patients with valvular heart disease or a history of PCI/cardiac surgery, 1150 patients contributed to multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors of AF. We also retrieved data for 361 consecutive patients with CAD admitted to Sapporo Medical University Hospital between April 2013 and July 2014 and analysed data for 166 patients using the same inclusion and exclusion criteria as those in the BOREAS-CAG Registry.

Results

Unexpectedly, CAD was independently associated with the absence of AF. The patients were then divided into a non-CAD group (n=576) and a CAD group (n=574) for further analysis. The brain natriuretic peptide level showed a strong association with AF regardless of the presence or absence of CAD. In the non-CAD group, lack of statin use was independently associated with AF, whereas high serum uric acid level was an independent explanatory variable of AF in the CAD group. The association of AF with uric acid was confirmed in a separate group of patients (n=166) enrolled in the CAD cohort in Sapporo Medical University Hospital.

Conclusions

Major risk factors of AF are different in patients with CAD and those without CAD. Patients with CAD are more likely to develop AF when the serum uric acid level is high, whereas no statin administration predicts development of AF in patients without CAD.
Synthesis, crystal structure, and photophysical properties of 2,9-disubstituted peropyrene derivatives
Authors: Uchida Kazuyuki , Kubo Takashi , Yamanaka Daiki , Furube Akihiro , Matsuzaki Hiroyuki , Nishii Ritsuki , Sakagami Yusuke , Abulikemu Aizitiaili , Kamada Kenji
Published: January 2017

Peropyrene is a promising candidate molecule for use in organic solar cells based on singlet fission, because it fulfills the energy matching requirement for singlet fission. We prepare three 2,9-disubstitued peropyrene derivatives and investigate their crystal structures, photophysical properties, and singlet fission phenomenon. Although each derivative shows different molecular overlap motifs in solid state, no singlet fission occurs under normal exciton density conditions due to the substantial stabilization of the first excited singlet (S1) state. In contrast, under high exciton density conditions, singlet fission from highly excited singlet (Sn) states, which is generated by singlet–singlet exciton annihilation, takes place to produce a triplet exciton. We also investigate the reverse process of singlet fission, that is, triplet–triplet annihilation, of peropyrene in solution state to explore the possibility of photon upconversion.
Internal iron loading and warm temperatures are preconditions for cyanobacterial dominance in embayments along Georgian Bay, Great Lakes
Authors: Verschoor Mark J. , Powe Chistopher R. , McQuay Eric , Schiff Sherry L. , Venkiteswaran Jason J. , Li Jiahua , Molot Lewis A.
Published: January 2017

Previous work suggests that a high rate of internal ferrous iron (Fe2+) loading from anoxic sediments into overlying waters favours cyanobacteria dominance (>50% of the phytoplankton biomass) over eukaryotic algae. This Cyanobacteria–Ferrous conceptual model was assessed along the Georgian Bay coastline of Lake Huron, Ontario, in one meso-eutrophic and three oligotrophic embayments that experience natural hypolimnetic anoxia. Cyanobacteria dominated all embayments in the relatively warmer summer of 2012 but not in the much cooler summer of 2014, although hypolimnetic anoxia and internal Fe2+loading were observed in both summers in all embayments. A cyanobacteria bloom large enough to turn the lake visibly green was observed only in warmer 2012 in the meso-eutrophic embayment. Results show that warm summer temperatures and internal Fe2+loading are necessary preconditions for cyanobacteria dominance, while high nutrient levels are needed to form large blooms. There were no consistent patterns between dominance and total and dissolved phosphorus (P), total nitrogen, ammonium, and nitrate. Internal P loading was not a necessary precondition for dominance. While P removal programs will decrease phytoplankton biomass in eutrophic waters, oxidized surficial sediments must be maintained throughout an aquatic system to prevent cyanobacteria dominance.
Eigenvalue, Robustness and Time Delay Analysis of Hierarchical Control Scheme in Multi-DER Microgrid to Enhance Small/Large-Signal Stability Using Complementary Loop and Fuzzy Logic Controller
Authors: Baghaee Hamid Reza , Mirsalim Mojtaba , Gharehpetian Gevork B. , Talebi Heidar Ali
Published: January 2017

In this paper, the proposed hierarchical control scheme adds new control loop to control the reactive power reference by a fuzzy logic controller to have the benefit of increasing the system stability margins and moreover, eigenvalue, robustness and time delay analysis of proposed control scheme are presented. The reported droop-based control methods of VSI-based microgrids including hierarchical droop-based control scheme are limited to primary and secondary control levels while the proposed control scheme is completely analyzed so that the three hierarchical control levels modeled for both grid-connected mode and islanded mode. This scheme maintains the stability of microgrids not only for the small-signal events, but also for large-signal disturbances such as three phase and single phase to ground faults, heavy motor starting, etc. However, power sharing to loads and network is sufficiently done. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed hierarchical controller, simulation studies have been performed on a microgrid consisting of four units of distributed generation with local loads and in presence of main grid using MATLAB/SIMULINK software and validated using OPAL RT real-time digital simulator.
On the Weakest Version of Distributional Chaos
Authors: Doleželová-Hantáková Jana , Roth Zuzana , Roth Samuel
Published: January 2017

The aim of the paper is to correct and improve some results concerning distributional chaos of type 3. We show that in a general compact metric space, distributional chaos of type 3, denoted DC3, even when assuming the existence of an uncountable scrambled set, is a very weak form of chaos. In particular, (i) the chaos can be unstable (it can be destroyed by conjugacy), and (ii) such an unstable system may contain no Li–Yorke pair. However, the definition can be strengthened to get DC[Formula: see text] which is a topological invariant and implies Li–Yorke chaos, similarly as types DC1 and DC2; but unlike them, strict DC[Formula: see text] systems must have zero topological entropy.
Force Analysis of Qi Chaotic System
Authors: Qi Guoyuan , Liang Xiyin
Published: January 2017

The Qi chaotic system is transformed into Kolmogorov type of system. The vector field of the Qi chaotic system is decomposed into four types of torques: inertial torque, internal torque, dissipation and external torque. Angular momentum representing the physical analogue of the state variables of the chaotic system is identified. The Casimir energy law relating to the orbital behavior is identified and the bound of Qi chaotic attractor is given. Five cases of study have been conducted to discover the insights and functions of different types of torques of the chaotic attractor and also the key factors of producing different types of modes of dynamics.
Lyapunov Dimension Formulas for Lorenz-Like Systems
Authors: Leonov G. A.
Published: January 2017

New classes of Lyapunov-type functions are suggested for the estimation of Lyapunov dimension of Lorenz-like systems. Lyapunov dimension formulas for Lorenz and Tigan systems are obtained.
An algebraic flux correction scheme satisfying the discrete maximum principle and linearity preservation on general meshes
Authors: Barrenechea Gabriel R. , John Volker , Knobloch Petr
Published: January 2017

This work is devoted to the proposal of a new flux limiter that makes the algebraic flux correction finite element scheme linearity and positivity preserving on general simplicial meshes. Minimal assumptions on the limiter are given in order to guarantee the validity of the discrete maximum principle, and then a precise definition of it is proposed and analyzed. Numerical results for convection–diffusion problems confirm the theory.
A second-order asymptotic-preserving and positivity-preserving discontinuous Galerkin scheme for the Kerr–Debye model
Authors: Huang Juntao , Shu Chi-Wang
Published: January 2017

In this paper, we develop a second-order asymptotic-preserving and positivity-preserving discontinuous Galerkin (DG) scheme for the Kerr–Debye model. By using the approach first introduced by Zhang and Shu in [Q. Zhang and C.-W. Shu, Error estimates to smooth solutions of Runge–Kutta discontinuous Galerkin methods for scalar conservation laws, SIAM J. Numer. Anal. 42 (2004) 641–666.] with an energy estimate and Taylor expansion, the asymptotic-preserving property of the semi-discrete DG methods is proved rigorously. In addition, we propose a class of unconditional positivity-preserving implicit–explicit (IMEX) Runge–Kutta methods for the system of ordinary differential equations arising from the semi-discretization of the Kerr–Debye model. The new IMEX Runge–Kutta methods are based on the modification of the strong-stability-preserving (SSP) implicit Runge–Kutta method and have second-order accuracy. The numerical results validate our analysis.
Reading Russian Tea Leaves: Assessing the Quality of Bank Financial Statements with the Benford Distribution
Authors: Davydov Denis , Swidler Steve
Published: January 2017

Benford’s Law, a rule concerning first digits of an array of numbers, has frequently been used to test for the reporting quality of financial statements. When applied to the recent experience for Russian banks, one conclusion is that the 2004 regime shift in accounting standards produced higher quality financial statements. Prior to 2004, the Benford evidence suggests that Russian banks tended to round revenues up, expenses down and thus overstate net income. It also appears that banks may have presented stronger balance sheets than warranted. In the second part of the analysis, the practical use of Benford’s Law to discern a looming bank failure appears limited. While there is, perhaps, some beneficial information to be drawn from testing for Benford distribution conformity, in isolation the tests for financial statement manipulation are inconclusive. Instead, Benford might be used with other early warning detection algorithms to recognize impending bank failures.
The Predictive Performance of Asset Pricing Models: Evidence from the Australian Securities Exchange
Authors: Bianchi Robert J. , Drew Michael E. , Whittaker Timothy
Published: January 2017

This paper considers the accuracy (or otherwise) of cost of equity estimates provided by a range of Australian asset pricing models on industry returns. The results suggest that a simple, constant-benchmark approach (fixed excess return of five percent per annum) provides the best forecast for the cost of equity capital for the various industry segments of the Australian Securities Exchange examined across the observation window. Our results from Australia corroborate U.S. findings regarding the disconnect between asset pricing models that provide the best ex-post explanation of asset returns and models that produce superior ex-ante predictions of the cost of capital.
A Novel Hybrid Learning Achievement Prediction Model: A Case Study in Gamification Education Applications (APPs)
Authors: Su Chung-Ho
Published: January 2017

Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) used to be applied to finance, engineering, material design, and decision-making management in past research, but seldom to predict educational learning performance. In recent research, gamification learning material design is often applied to reinforce learning performance, while the prediction of gamification learning performance is seldom discussed. This study therefore applies Rough set theory to extract Core Set and generating rule, ANFIS for learning achievement predication. In order to evaluate the performance of proposed model, the VCCSEGLS dataset are collected as experimental dataset and compared with other models. The results show that the proposed method outperforms the listing models in accuracy. The three key factors are extract, (G7) Time spent on game-based learning, (L1) Examination, normal drugs and treatment, and (L2) Integration ability (time scoring, stability scoring, strain capacity, completeness scoring).The proposed model also can offer accurate predictions and provide some simple decision rules, which can be accurately used by decision-makers and game designers.
New multilocus linkage disequilibrium measure for tag SNP selection
Authors: Liao Bo , Wang Xiangjun , Zhu Wen , Li Xiong , Cai Lijun , Chen Haowen
Published: January 2017

Numerous approaches have been proposed for selecting an optimal tag single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) set. Most of these approaches are based on linkage disequilibrium (LD). Classical LD measures, such as D′ and r2, are frequently used to quantify the relationship between two marker (pairwise) linkage disequilibria. Despite of their successful use in many applications, these measures cannot be used to measure the LD between multiple-marker. These LD measures need information about the frequencies of alleles collected from haplotype dataset. In this study, a cluster algorithm is proposed to cluster SNPs according to multilocus LD measure which is based on information theory. After that, tag SNPs are selected in each cluster optimized by the number of tag SNPs, prediction accuracy and so on. The experimental results show that this new LD measure can be directly applied to genotype dataset collected from the HapMap project, so that it saves the cost of haplotyping. More importantly, the proposed method significantly improves the efficiency and prediction accuracy of tag SNP selection.
Time evolving potentials for electromagnetic knots
Authors: Rañada Antonio F. , Tiemblo Alfredo , Trueba José L.
Published: January 2017

Electromagnetic knots are electromagnetic fields in which the magnetic and electric lines are level curves of two complex scalar fields. If these scalar fields are chosen so that they can be interpreted as maps between the three-sphere and the two-sphere every time, then the electromagnetic helicity is proportional to the sum of the Hopf indices of both maps, that are topological invariants. An important example of this kind of electromagnetic fields with topological properties is often called the Hopfion. It is an electromagnetic knot in which the scalar fields are built from Hopf maps. In this work, we study the conditions for these electromagnetic fields to be null, i.e. to have both Lorentz invariant quantities [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] equal to zero. We derive from these fields explicit vector potentials [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] satisfying force-free like conditions for every time. In particular, equations [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] are derived for them. As a consequence, the energy, which is discretized, is proportional to the electromagnetic helicity. This relation between Physics and Topology is intriguing and worth of future research.
Derivation of the system of generalized Riccati equations from the system of evolution equations
Authors: Yamaleev Robert M.
Published: January 2017

The method of transformation of a linear system of evolution equations into the system of Riccati-type equations is elaborated. It is shown that the system of generalized Riccati equations is governed by the characteristic polynomial of [Formula: see text]-order generator matrix of the linear system of evolution equations. Solutions of the generalized Riccati equations are presented by roots of the polynomial function, whose coefficients constitute the solutions of the linear system of evolution equations. An inverse mapping from the solutions of generalized Riccati equations onto the solutions of the linear evolution equations is constructed.
Modeling and simulation of network traffic flow evolution based on incomplete information feedback strategies in the ATIS environment
Authors: Wang Jianqiang , Li Shiwei
Published: January 2017

Considering both the high complexity of urban traffic flow systems and the bounded rationality of travelers, providing traffic information to all travelers is an effective method to induce each individual to make a more rational route-choice decision. Within Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS) working environment, temporal and spatial evolution processes of traffic flow in urban road networks are closely related to strategies of providing traffic information and contents of information. In view of the day-to-day route-choice situations, this study constructs original updating models of the cognitive travel time of travelers under four conditions, including not providing any route travel time, only providing the most rapid route travel time, only providing the most congested route travel time, and providing all the routes travel times. The disaggregate route-choice approach is adopted for simulation to reveal the relationship between the evolution process of network traffic flow and the strategy of providing traffic information. The simulation shows that providing traffic information to all travelers cannot improve the operational efficiency of road networks. It is noteworthy that an inappropriate information feedback strategy would lead to intense variation in various routes traffic flow. Compared with incomplete information feedback strategies, it is inefficient and superfluous to provide complete traffic information to all travelers.
Sum rules and large deviations for spectral measures on the unit circle
Authors: Gamboa Fabrice , Nagel Jan , Rouault Alain
Published: January 2017

This work is a companion paper of [F. Gamboa, J. Nagel and A. Rouault, Sum rules via large deviations, J. Funct. Anal. 270 (2016) 509–559] and [F. Gamboa, J. Nagel and A. Rouault, Sum rules and large deviations for spectral matrix measures, preprint (2016), arXiv:1601.08135 ] (see also [J. Breuer, B. Simon and O. Zeitouni, Large deviations and sum rules for spectral theory — A pedagogical approach, to appear in J. Spectr. Theory, preprint (2016), arXiv:1608.01467 ]). We continue to explore the connections between large deviations for random objects issued from random matrix theory and sum rules. Here, we are concerned essentially with measures on the unit circle whose support is an arc that is possibly proper. We particularly focus on two-matrix models. The first one is the Gross–Witten (GW) ensemble. In the gapped regime, we give a probabilistic interpretation of a Simon sum rule. The second matrix model is the Hua–Pickrell (HP) ensemble. Unlike the GW ensemble the potential is here infinite at one point. Surprisingly, but as in [F. Gamboa, J. Nagel and A. Rouault, Sum rules via large deviations, J. Funct. Anal. 270 (2016) 509–559], we obtain a completely new sum rule for the deviation to the equilibrium measure of the HP ensemble. The case of spectral matrix measures is also studied. Indeed, in the case of HP ensemble, we extend our earlier works on large deviation for spectral matrix measure [F. Gamboa, J. Nagel and A. Rouault, Sum rules and large deviations for spectral matrix measures, preprint (2016), arXiv:1601.08135 ] and get here also a completely new sum rule.
On Uniform Capacitated
k
-Median Beyond the Natural LP Relaxation
Authors: Li Shi
Published: January 2017

In this article, we study the uniform capacitated
k
-median (CKM) problem. In the problem, we are given a set
F
of potential facility locations, a set
C
of clients, a metric
d
over
F
∪
C
, an upper bound
k
on the number of facilities that we can open, and an upper bound
u
on the number of clients that each facility can serve. We need to open a subset
S
⊆
F
of
k
facilities and connect clients in
C
to facilities in
S
so that each facility is connected by at most
u
clients. The goal is to minimize the total connection cost over all clients. Obtaining a constant approximation algorithm for this problem is a notorious open problem; most previous works gave constant approximations by either violating the capacity constraints or the cardinality constraint. Notably, all of these algorithms are based on the natural LP relaxation for the problem. The LP relaxation has unbounded integrality gap, even when we are allowed to violate the capacity constraints or the cardinality constraint by a factor of 2 − ϵ.

Our result is an exp (
O
(1/ϵ
2
))-approximation algorithm for the problem that violates the cardinality constraint by a factor of 1 + ϵ. In other words, we find a solution that opens at most (1 + ϵ)
k
facilities whose cost is at most exp (
O
(1/ϵ
2
)) times the optimum solution when at most
k
facilities can be open. This is already beyond the capability of the natural LP relaxation, as it has unbounded integrality gap even if we are allowed to open (2 − ϵ)
k
facilities. Indeed, our result is based on a novel LP for this problem. It is our hope that this LP is the first step toward a constant approximation for CKM.

The version that we described is the hard capacitated version of the problem, as we can only open one facility at each location. This is as opposed to the soft capacitated version, in which we are allowed to open more than one facility at each location. The hard capacitated version is more general, since one can convert a soft capacitated instance to a hard capacitated instance by making enough copies of each facility location. We give a simple proof that in the uniform capacitated case, the soft capacitated version and the hard capacitated version are actually equivalent, up to a small constant loss in the approximation ratio.
Cost-Effective and High-Throughput Merge Network
Authors: Mashimo Susumu , Van Chu Thiem , Kise Kenji
Published: January 2017

High-performance sorting is used in various areas such as database transactions and genomic feature operations. To improve sorting performance, in addition to the conventional approach of using general purpose processors or GPUs, the approach of using FPGAs is becoming a promising solution. As an FPGA sorting accelerator, Casper and Olukotun have recently proposed the fastest one known so far. In their study, they proposed a merge network which can merge two sorted data series at a throughput of 6 data elements per 200MHz clock cycle.

If an FPGA sorting accelerator is constructed using merge networks, the overall throughput will be mainly determined by the throughputs of the merge networks. This motivates us to design a merge network which outputs more than 6 data elements per 200MHz clock cycle. In this paper, we propose a cost-effective and high-throughput merge network for the fastest FPGA sorting accelerator. The evaluation shows that our proposal achieves a throughput of 8 data elements per 200MHz clock cycle.
FPGA-based Multicore Architecture for Integrating Multiple DDoS Defense Mechanisms
Authors: Pham-Quoc Cuong , Nguyen Biet , Thinh Tran Ngoc
Published: January 2017

This paper proposes an FPGA-based multicore architecture to integrate multiple DDoS defense mechanisms for DDoS protection. The architecture allows multiple cooperating DDoS mitigation techniques to classify incoming network packets. The proposed architecture consists of two separate partitions static and dynamic. The static partition includes packet pre-processing and post-processing modules while the DDoS filtering techniques are implemented within the dynamic partition. These filtering techniques can be implemented by either hardware custom computing cores or general purpose soft processors or both. In all cases, these DDoS filtering computing cores can be updated or changed at runtime or design time. We implement our first prototype system with the Hop-count filtering and Ingress/Engress filtering techniques using the Xilinx Virtex 5 xc5vtx240t FPGA device. The synthesis results show that the system can work at up to 116.782MHz while utilizing about 41% LUTs, 47% Registers, and 53% Block Memory of the available hardware resources. Experimental results show that our system achieves a 100% detection rate (true positive) with a 0% false negative rate and the maximum 0.74% false positive rate. Moreover, the prototype system obtains packet processing throughput by up to 9.869 Gbps in half-duplex mode and 19.738 Gbps in full-duplex mode.
FPGA-based Volleyball Player Tracker
Authors: Li Chengzhe , Yee Lai Yoong , Maruyama Hiroshi , Yamaguchi Yoshiki
Published: January 2017

The significant challenge facing sport science is how to grasp the flow of the game and analyze the situation of amatch. The use of information technology will facilitate to achieve the goal. The technical issues from the practical application perspective can be classified into three main points: computation speed, system size and complex data analysis considering the accuracy. In this paper, for accelerating image recognition and object tracking, we propose a one-dimensional data pipeline architecture on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). It satisfies both of high-speed streaming computation and small-sized circuits by considering spatiotemporal data dependence. Volleyball games have been chosen as a target application. The proposed system will identify the position of six volleyball players within real time. The design on an FPGA includes pre-processing, color filtering, digitalization, noise reduction, template matching, and so on. The design was implemented and evaluated on Atlys Spartan-6 FPGA Trainer Board with one XILINX Spartan-6 LX45 FPGA. The computational performance achieves 100 frames per second at SVGA 800 by 600 pixel resolution. And our design has good scalability; the performance can easily be enhanced when the larger FPGA is used. The proposed system is also compact, which is composed of one Atlys board and one Atlys VmodCAM stereo-camera board. The average-accuracy rates of pregame situation and during a match are 87.1% and 65.7%, respectively. Since the input is streaming data, we can improve the accuracy by considering the previous and the next frames. They could be improved to 90.4% and 72.2%, respectively, when we adopt template matching with a moving average filter.
Deregulation of Regulatory T Cells in Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: A Rat Model
Authors: Ni Shunlan , Li Shanshan , Yang Naibin , Tang Xinyue , Zhang Shengguo , Hu Danping , Lu Mingqin
Published: January 2017

Aims. Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) and acute liver failure (ALF) are similar in many respects during their acute exacerbation; however, ACLF generally has a poorer prognosis. We aimed to investigate the role and dynamic changes of regulatory T cell (Treg) and T helper 17 (Th17) cell proportions during ACLF progress. Methods. All rats were classified into two groups randomly: ACLF group and ALF group (control group). The rat model of ACLF was preestablished by intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride for 2 months. Then acute liver injury was induced by combined D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide. Six time points were examined before or after acute induction. Liver samples were performed with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson staining; circulatory Treg and Th17 cell frequencies were determined using flow cytometry assays; serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, interleukin-10 (IL-10), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were examined. Results. In group ACLF, both Th17 cell proportion and IFN-γ level presented upgrade firstly and then descend latter tendency; the trends of Treg cell proportion and IL-10 level were observed to gradually decrease and became stable. Conclusion. The Treg cells played an important role in the immunologic mechanism during the process of ACLF. And the function of Treg cells in ACLF was defective.