bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The prevalence and clinical risk factors of insomnia in the Chinese elderly based on comprehensive geriatric assessment in Chongqing population
Authors: Zou Yan , Chen Yao , Yu Weihua , Chen Tian , Tian Qi , Tu Qi , Deng Yongtao , Duan Jingxi , Xiao Mingzhao , Lü Yang
Published: February 2019

Background

Insomnia is a major public health problem affecting older people. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and clinical risk factors of insomnia in a representative sample of Chinese elderly (≥ 60 years) in Chongqing.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study based on comprehensive geriatric assessment was conducted from January 2013 to February 2014. A questionnaire on sleep status was provided to each patient and insomnia was assessed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition criteria. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to illustrate risk factors correlated with insomnia.

Results

Of the total 597 participants, 55.4% suffered from insomnia. The prevalence of insomnia in men and women was 48.2% and 63.2%, respectively. Coronary heart disease, dizziness, chronic pain, anorexia, malnutrition, depression and cognitive decline were identified as risk factors associated with insomnia. Hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, headache, age and education level were not observed to be significantly associated with insomnia.

Conclusions

Insomnia is highly prevalent among the elderly in Chongqing, and shows a positive correlation to coronary heart disease, dizziness, chronic pain, anorexia, malnutrition, depression, cognitive impairment. Moreover, women are more likely to experience insomnia than men.
Genotype–environment interaction for age at first calving in buffaloes, using the reaction norm model
Authors: Freitas Gabriela Rodrigues , Hurtado‐Lugo Naudin Alejandro , de Abreu dos Santos Daniel Jordan , Aspilcueta Borquis Rusbel Raul , Pegolo Newton Tamassia , Tonhati Humberto , de Araújo Neto Francisco Ribeiro
Published: February 2019

Contents

The objective of this study was to evaluate the genotype–environment interaction effect on age at first calving in buffaloes. The records were analysed using two approaches: (a) standard animal model and (b) reaction norm model. For the reaction norm analysis, two environmental gradients were formed, using age of first calving or milk yield group contemporary average. The results showed differences in the heritability estimates when using the two approaches. The reaction norm model indicated high heritability in more favourable environments and low magnitude genetic correlations between extreme environments. Based on our findings, we verified the significance of the genotype–environment interaction effect on age at first calving in buffaloes.
Executive Actors and Environmental Enforcement: Examining the “Rick Scott Effect” in the U.S. State of Florida
Authors: Lynch Michael J. , Ozymy Joshua , Jarrell Melissa
Published: February 2019

Executive actors wield power within a principal–agent structure, where they compete with multiple political actors and administrative agencies to influence environmental enforcement outcomes. While the U.S. states make for an excellent laboratory to explore this phenomenon, a lack of quality enforcement data and the multifaceted dynamics of control makes it difficult to study these relationships. Using data on the number of environmental cases opened, sanctioned, and penalized by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 2005–15, this article takes advantage of a natural experiment in the U.S. state of Florida to explore the influence of an anti‐environmental governor on environmental enforcement outcomes. While we make no claims that Governor Rick Scott caused the precipitous decline in enforcement outcomes we witness pre‐ and post‐Scott, results demonstrate, descriptively, the influence executive actors can have on environmental enforcement outcomes in the state.
Reshaping EU Attitudes? The Case of Social Democratic and Radical Left Parties in Spain and Italy
Authors: Tarditi Valeria , Vittori Davide
Published: February 2019

Since the beginning of the Great Recession, the issue of European integration has become increasingly salient in many European polities. The European left has adopted a different stance toward European integration, both in terms of economic and welfare‐state integration. On the one hand, radical left parties (RLPs) have always opposed a process of integration dominated by neoliberal logic; on the other hand, the social democratic parties (SDPs) have appeared as one of the main pro‐EU party families, identifying the EU as a privileged space in which to promote the building of a European social model. In this paper, we propose a binary comparison between RLPs and SDPs in Italy and Spain with a qualitative content analysis methodology. Our results show that albeit the crisis brought SDPs closer to a Eurocritical stance vis‐à‐vis the social‐Europe, this dimension along with the political integration are still dividing issues for the RLPs and SDPs families.
Aid, Intervention, and Terror: The Impact of Foreign Aid and Foreign Military Intervention on Terror Events and Severity*
Authors: Danzell Orlandrew E. , Kisangani Emizet F. , Pickering Jeffrey
Published: February 2019

Objective

Relatively few empirical studies have analyzed the foreign policy options that leaders employ to counter terrorism, and the results have been mixed to date. This study takes a fresh look at two such policies: foreign aid and foreign military intervention.

Method

Using system generalized method of moments to control for endogeneity and a technique that identifies short‐ and long‐term effects, we examine the impact of both policy options within a sample of 122 countries from 1970 to 2005.

Results

The results suggest that foreign aid may be associated with an increase in the number of terrorist incidents, fatalities, and casualties. They also indicate that foreign military intervention increases terrorist incidents in the short term and may eventually reduce them in the long term.

Conclusion

These findings should give pause to those who consider foreign aid to be a possible antidote for both transnational and domestic terrorism. Unfortunately, policymakers searching for ways to reduce terrorist activity will find little solace if they turn to foreign military intervention since a surge in terror incidents in the short term after a military intervention establishes a significantly higher baseline of terror activity and violence. It may take decades for terror activity to return to its preintervention level. Policymakers searching for options to combat international terror should consequently approach both foreign aid and foreign military intervention with caution.
‘And Since I Knew About the Possibilities There …’: The Role of Open Creative Labs in User Innovation Processes
Authors: Brinks Verena
Published: February 2019

Open spaces for experimentation and innovation are receiving growing attention from economic geography and beyond. They are discussed as new material settings for temporarily working on projects and ideas. Moreover, individual users are increasingly regarded as potential innovators who might benefit from “Open Creative Labs” and the (shared) resources provided there. This paper situates Open Creative Labs within the research strands of user innovation and the geography of knowledge creation and explores how Open Creative Labs have been used in four specific user innovation processes. On the basis of innovation biographies, it is reconstructed how Open Creative Labs concretely influenced the pathways of innovation. In all innovation processes, Open Creative Labs have been resources of innovation. In two cases, they can also be regarded as their local sources.
Sports gynaecology
Authors: Jones Benjamin P , L'Heveder Ariadne , Saso Srdjan , Yazbek Joseph , Smith J Richard , Dooley Michael
Published: February 2019

Key content

While the physiological, psychosocial and obstetric health benefits of exercise are well established, there is less awareness of the health implications of long‐term intense exercise.

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED‐S) represents a complex inter‐relationship of health consequences that arise as a result of low energy availability.

The common presentations of elite sportswomen to gynaecologists include menstrual abnormalities, delayed menarche, subfertility and urinary incontinence.

Gynaecology input, including screening, recognition and management, can minimise the risk of consequences and optimise health, fertility and performance.

Learning objectives

To understand the short‐term and long‐term impacts of elite sport on gynaecological health.

To describe the gynaecologist's role in the screening, investigation and management of elite sportswomen.

Ethical issues

Elite sportswomen should be fully informed about the potential health implications of long‐term vigorous exercise to enable autonomous decision making.

While it is the role of the coach to optimise performance, it is the physician's responsibility to prioritise the health of sportswomen, even if this is at the expense of performance level, ability to train or competition rules.

To reach an elite level, training is often necessary from childhood; however, many girls will not have capacity, and the health consequences of RED‐S can cause them irreversible problems.
Developmental analysis of the early steps in strigolactone‐mediated axillary bud dormancy in rice
Authors: Luo Le , Takahashi Megumu , Kameoka Hiromu , Qin Ruyi , Shiga Toshihide , Kanno Yuri , Seo Mitsunori , Ito Masaki , Xu Guohua , Kyozuka Junko
Published: February 2019

By contrast with rapid progress in understanding the mechanisms of biosynthesis and signaling of strigolactone (SL), mechanisms by which SL inhibits axillary bud outgrowth are less well understood. We established a rice (Oryza sativa L.) hydroponic culture system to observe axillary buds at the critical point when the buds enter the dormant state. In situ hybridization analysis indicated that cell division stops in the leaf primordia of the buds entering dormancy. We compared transcriptomes in the axillary buds isolated by laser capture microdissection before and after entering the dormant state and identified genes that are specifically upregulated or downregulated in dormant buds respectively, in SL‐mediated axillary bud dormancy. Typically, cell cycle genes and ribosomal genes are included among the active genes while abscisic acid (ABA)‐inducible genes are among the dormant genes. Application of ABA to the hydroponic culture suppressed the growth of axillary buds of SL mutants to the same level as wild‐type (WT) buds. Tiller number was decreased in the transgenic lines overexpressing OsNCED1, the gene that encodes ABA biosynthesis enzyme. These results indicated that the main site of SL function is the leaf primordia in the axillary bud and that ABA is involved in SL‐mediated axillary bud dormancy.
Leveraging GWAS data to identify metabolic pathways and networks involved in maize lipid biosynthesis
Authors: Li Hui , Thrash Adam , Tang Juliet D. , He Linlin , Yan Jianbing , Warburton Marilyn L.
Published: February 2019

Maize (Zea mays mays) oil is a rich source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs) and energy, making it a valuable resource for human food, animal feed, and bio‐energy. Although this trait has been studied via conventional genome‐wide association study (GWAS), the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)‐trait associations generated by GWAS may miss the underlying associations when traits are based on many genes, each with small effects that can be overshadowed by genetic background and environmental variation. Detecting these SNPs statistically is also limited by the levels set for false discovery rate. A complementary pathways analysis that emphasizes the cumulative aspects of SNP‐trait associations, rather than just the significance of single SNPs, was performed to understand the balance of lipid metabolism, conversion, and catabolism in this study. This pathway analysis indicated that acyl‐lipid pathways, including biosynthesis of wax esters, sphingolipids, phospholipids and flavonoids, along with FA and triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis, were important for increasing oil and FA content. The allelic variation found among the genes involved in many degradation pathways, and many biosynthesis pathways leading from FAs and carbon partitioning pathways, was critical for determining final FA content, changing FA ratios and, ultimately, to final oil content. The pathways and pathway networks identified in this study, and especially the acyl‐lipid associated pathways identified beyond what had been found with GWAS alone, provide a real opportunity to precisely and efficiently manipulate high‐oil maize genetic improvement.
An indirect calculation method for estimating occupational sound exposure from communication headsets
Authors: Nassrallah Flora , Ellaham Nicolas N. , Giguère Christian , Dajani Hilmi R.
Published: February 2019

Measurement of noise exposure from communication headsets is challenging due to the need for specialized equipment, methods, and training. Canadian standard Z107.56-13 [(2013). Measurement of Noise Exposure (Canadian Standards Association, Mississauga, Canada)] introduced a calculation procedure to promote a simpler method that stakeholders in hearing loss prevention could readily apply using widely accessible sound level equipment. The original procedure specified a fixed signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 15 dB above the protected background noise when estimating the speech listening level through the headset communication channel. The relationship between background noise level, noise type, headset noise reduction (NR), and speech listening level is revisited in this study. In a noise simulation room, 24 participants were asked to adjust the headset volume while listening to speech and executing a visual reaction task. Results indicate that the growth in speech listening levels with noise is not adequately represented by a fixed SNR, and that one-sided listening increases speech levels by about 5–7 dB in quiet and in noise compared to two-sided listening. Moreover, use of an octave-band procedure with derating to estimate headset NR best captured the speech listening level data. A revised calculation procedure based on linear regression modeling is described with parameters adjusted separately for one-sided and two-sided headsets.
Pharmacokinetics of Albendazole, Albendazole Sulfoxide, and Albendazole Sulfone Determined from Plasma, Blood, Dried-Blood Spots, and Mitra Samples of Hookworm-Infected Adolescents
Authors: Schulz Jessica D. , Neodo Anna , Coulibaly Jean T. , Keiser Jennifer
Published: February 2019

Albendazole is an effective anthelmintic intensively used for decades. However, profound pharmacokinetic (PK) characterization is missing in children, the population mostly affected by helminth infections.
Thymineless Death in
Escherichia coli
Is Unaffected by Chromosomal Replication Complexity
Authors: Khan Sharik R. , Kuzminov Andrei
Published: February 2019

Thymineless death kills cells of any type and is used in anticancer and antimicrobial treatments. We tested the idea that the more replication forks there are in the chromosome during growth, the more extensive the resulting thymineless death. We varied the number of replication forks in the
Escherichia coli
chromosome, as measured by the origin-to-terminus ratio, ranging it from the normal 2 to 60, and even completely eliminated replication forks in the nonreplicating chromosomes (ori/ter ratio = 1). Unexpectedly, we found that thymineless death is unaffected by the intensity of replication or by its complete absence; we also found that even nonreplicating chromosomes still disappear during thymine starvation. We conclude that thymineless death can kill
E. coli
independently of chromosomal replication.
Development of a Standardized Sanger-Based Method for Partial Sequencing and Genotyping of Dengue Viruses
Authors: Santiago Gilberto A. , González Glenda L. , Cruz-López Fabiola , Muñoz-Jordan Jorge L.
Published: February 2019

The global expansion of dengue viruses (DENV-1 to DENV-4) has contributed to the divergence, transmission, and establishment of genetic lineages of epidemiological concern; however, tracking the phylogenetic relationships of these virus is not always possible due to the inability of standardized sequencing procedures in resource-limited public health laboratories. Consequently, public genomic data banks contain inadequate representation of geographical regions and historical periods.
Prime-Boost Immunizations with DNA, Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara, and Protein-Based Vaccines Elicit Robust HIV-1 Tier 2 Neutralizing Antibodies against the CAP256 Superinfecting Virus
Authors: van Diepen Michiel T. , Chapman Rosamund , Douglass Nicola , Galant Shireen , Moore Penny L. , Margolin Emmanuel , Ximba Phindile , Morris Lynn , Rybicki Edward P. , Williamson Anna-Lise
Published: February 2019

A vaccine is urgently needed to combat HIV-1, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, which remains disproportionately affected by the AIDS pandemic and accounts for the majority of new infections and AIDS-related deaths. In this study, two different vaccination regimens were compared. Rabbits that received two DNA primes followed by two modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) and two protein inoculations developed better immune responses than those that received two MVA and three protein inoculations. In addition, DNA and MVA vaccines that expressed mosaic Gag VLPs presenting a stabilized Env antigen elicited better responses than Env alone, which supports the inclusion of Gag VLPs in an HIV-1 vaccine.
Cytoplasm and Beyond: Dynamic Innate Immune Sensing of Influenza A Virus by RIG-I
Authors: Liu GuanQun , Zhou Yan
Published: February 2019

Innate immune sensing of influenza A virus (IAV) requires retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I), a fundamental cytoplasmic RNA sensor. How RIG-I’s cytoplasmic localization reconciles with the nuclear replication nature of IAV is poorly understood.
Cdk8 and Ssn801 Regulate Oxidative Stress Resistance and Virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Chang Andrew L. , Kang Yiming , Doering Tamara L.
Published: February 2019

Cryptococcus neoformans
is a fungal pathogen that primarily affects severely immunocompromised patients, resulting in 200,000 deaths every year. This yeast occurs in the environment and can establish disease upon inhalation into the lungs of a mammalian host. In this harsh environment it must survive engulfment by host phagocytes, including the oxidative stresses it experiences inside them. To adapt to these challenging conditions,
C. neoformans
deploys a variety of regulatory proteins to alter gene expression levels and enhance its ability to survive. We have elucidated the role of a protein complex that regulates the cryptococcal response to oxidative stress, survival within phagocytes, and ability to cause disease. These findings are important because they advance our understanding of cryptococcal disease, which we hope will help in the efforts to control this devastating infection.
Dual β-Lactam Combinations Highly Active against Mycobacterium abscessus Complex
In Vitro
Authors: Pandey R. , Chen L. , Manca C. , Jenkins S. , Glaser L. , Vinnard C. , Stone G. , Lee J. , Mathema B. , Nuermberger E. L. , Bonomo R. A. , Kreiswirth B. N.
Published: February 2019

The emergence of chronic MABC infections among immunocompromised populations and their inherent and acquired resistance to effective antibiotic therapy have created clinical challenges in advancing patients for transplant surgery and treating those with disease. There is an urgent need for new treatment regimens, and the repurposing of existing antibiotics provides a rapid strategy to advance a laboratory finding to patient care. Our recent discoveries that dual β-lactams, specifically the combination of ceftazidime with ceftaroline or ceftazidime with imipenem, have significant
in vitro
MIC values and kill curve activities and are effective against infected THP-1 human macrophages provide optimism for a dual β-lactam treatment strategy against MABC infections. The unexpected synergistic activities reported in this study create a new path of discovery to repurpose the large family of β-lactam drugs.
Salinity Is a Key Determinant for Soil Microbial Communities in a Desert Ecosystem
Authors: Zhang Kaoping , Shi Yu , Cui Xiaoqing , Yue Ping , Li Kaihui , Liu Xuejun , Tripathi Binu M. , Chu Haiyan
Published: February 2019

Belowground microorganisms are indispensable components for nutrient cycling in desert ecosystems, and understanding how they respond to increased salinity is essential for managing and ameliorating salinization. Our sequence-based data revealed that microbial diversity decreased with increasing salinity, and certain salt-tolerant phylotypes and phenotypes showed a positive relationship with salinity. Using a null modeling approach to estimate microbial community assembly processes along a salinity gradient, we found that salinity imposed a strong selection pressure on the microbial community, which resulted in a dominance of deterministic processes. Studying microbial diversity and community assembly processes along salinity gradients is essential in understanding the fundamental ecological processes in desert ecosystems affected by salinization.
Hummocks in alpine tundra, northern British Columbia, Canada: distribution, morphology and organic carbon composition
Authors: Verret Marjolaine , Wang Yifeng , Bjornson Jean , Lacelle Denis
Published: February 2019

Hummocks develop by cryoturbation in fine-grained frost-susceptible soils and their stage of maturity may affect the translocation of organics in Cryosols. This study examines the distribution and morphology of hummocks in the Chuck Creek Trail Valley (northern British Columbia) and determines the quantity, distribution, and composition of organic matter in their soils. Hummocks occupy about 5%–20% of the valley and their morphology is largely affected by their silt content. Cryoturbated intrusions, radiocarbon dated to 2814 and 1648 cal year B.P., suggest that hummock development was initiated during the cooler late Holocene. Hummocks have an average soil organic carbon density of 16.3 kg m−2 in the uppermost 1 m, with 62% stored in the top 25 cm. Organics are mainly present as particulate organic matter in the O-horizon (25%–80%), characterized by degradable alkyl C and O/N-alkyl groups, but occur as mineral-associated organic matter (96%–98%) composed of recalcitrant aromatic and aliphatic C groups in the underlying B and C horizons. Minor differences in organic content and composition occur between hummock tops and troughs, and between hummocks showing different stages of maturity. In the absence of an observed frost table, contemporary hummock activity is attributed to seasonal freezing and thawing.
Evaluation of CSA S16-14 asymmetry parameter for singly-symmetric beams
Authors: Koch James C. , Driver Robert G. , Li Yong , Manarin Michael
Published: February 2019

The provisions in the Canadian design standard S16, Design of Steel Structures, for determining the lateral–torsional buckling capacity of unequal-flange I-shaped beams employ an asymmetry parameter, βx, that is a function of the cross-sectional shape. It has been observed that the approximate equation for this parameter in the standard can be highly inaccurate in some cases. A study was completed to compare the approximate values of βxto the exact solutions for 16 312 singly-symmetric I-sections and 188 standard WT-shapes from the CISC Handbook of Steel Construction. It is concluded that the current standard provides extremely variable results, but is generally conservative for use in design, with the exception of T-sections, as long as the larger flange is in compression. Recommendations for adoption into the next edition of the standard are provided.
Hamiltonian formulation and energy-based control for space tethered system deployment and retrieval
Authors: Kang Junjie , Zhu Zheng H.
Published: February 2019

Usually, the dynamic equations of tethered systems are derived using Lagrangian formulation. However, Hamiltonian formulation is also widely used for mechanical systems because of its well-known symplectic structure property. In this paper, the dynamic equations of the tethered system are deduced using Hamiltonian formulation. The goodness of the Hamiltonian formulation is intuitive to reveal the energy balance property that corresponds to the passive property. Furthermore, the Hamiltonian function of the tethered system is employed to facilitate the design of the controller. The energy-based control is to achieve the tether deployment/retrieval with suppressing the tether liberation. Numerical simulations are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the designed controller.
Mismatching Structures: A New Explanation for the “Unsatisfactory” Labor Conditions in Chinese Mining Companies in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: Wang Duanyong , Zhao Pei
Published: February 2019

Ever since the Minerals-for-Infrastructure Deal valued at $6 billion was signed between Chinese companies and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Government in 2008, there have been criticisms on both the agreement itself and the working conditions for Congolese and Chinese workers in Chinese mineral enterprises in the DRC. Based on our fieldwork in Katanga Province of the DRC and interviews with dozens of local Chinese workers and managers in Chinese-run mining companies as well as staff working at the civil society organizations and governmental departments there, this research tries to investigate the real working conditions in Chinese mining companies. This paper concludes with three points. First, the so-called “wage gap” always asserted by the local workers is rather a phenomenon of employment structure than discrimination. In non-English-speaking African countries, a gap has actually emerged between the insufficiency of local human resources and the lack in localization capabilities of the Chinese multinational enterprises. Second, the compliance dynamics and mechanism of Chinese-run mining companies in the field of labor conditions were driven by local pressure groups including legislation, governments and NGOs, rather than by Chinese government or legislative system. What is interesting is that the rigid discipline of local laws and the abuse of discretion in the process of implementing laws have created a special pressuring structure and resulted in some complex consequences. Third, many Chinese-run mining companies in the DRC have quite different business structures from their branches in China. This is because of their financial investment aims and for the ease of enterprises’ transition. Therefore, it has led to their different perspectives of labor conditions and human resources strategy from mature MNCs. In summary, the research cannot draw a conclusion that the labor conditions are really terrible in Chinese-run mining companies in Katanga Province. However, it reveals that the Chinese government and Chinese enterprises are still not fully prepared for direct investment abroad, although “Going-out” strategy was raised 13 years ago.
Integrated Latch Placement and Cloning for Timing Optimization
Authors: Jung Jinwook , Nam Gi-Joon , Chung Woohyun , Shin Youngsoo
Published: February 2019

This article presents an algorithm for integrated timing-driven latch placement and cloning. Given a circuit placement, the proposed algorithm relocates some latches while circuit timing is improved. Some latches are replicated to further improve the timing; the number of replicated latches along with their locations are automatically determined. After latch cloning, each of the replicated latches is set to drive a subset of the fanouts that have been driven by the original single latch. The proposed algorithm is then extended such that relocation and cloning are applied to some latches together with their neighbor logic gates. Experimental results demonstrate that the worst negative slack and the total negative slack are improved by 24% and 59%, respectively, on average of test circuits. The negative impacts on circuit area and power consumption are both marginal, at 0.7% and 1.9% respectively.
Handling Massive
N
-Gram Datasets Efficiently
Authors: Pibiri Giulio Ermanno , Venturini Rossano
Published: February 2019

Two fundamental problems concern the handling of large
n
-gram language models:
indexing
, that is, compressing the
n
-grams and associated satellite values without compromising their retrieval speed, and
estimation
, that is, computing the probability distribution of the
n
-grams extracted from a large textual source.

Performing these two tasks
efficiently
is vital for several applications in the fields of Information Retrieval, Natural Language Processing, and Machine Learning, such as auto-completion in search engines and machine translation.

Regarding the problem of indexing, we describe compressed, exact, and lossless data structures that simultaneously achieve high space reductions and no time degradation with respect to the state-of-the-art solutions and related software packages. In particular, we present a compressed trie data structure in which each word of an
n
-gram following a
context
of fixed length
k
, that is, its preceding
k
words, is encoded as an integer whose value is proportional to the number of words that follow such context. Since the number of words following a given context is typically very small in natural languages, we lower the space of representation to compression levels that were never achieved before, allowing the indexing of billions of strings. Despite the significant savings in space, our technique introduces a negligible penalty at query time.

Specifically, the most space-efficient competitors in the literature, which are both quantized and lossy, do not take less than our trie data structure and are up to 5 times slower. Conversely, our trie is as fast as the fastest competitor but also retains an advantage of up to 65% in absolute space.

Regarding the problem of estimation, we present a novel algorithm for estimating
modified Kneser-Ney
language models that have emerged as the de-facto choice for language modeling in both academia and industry thanks to their relatively low perplexity performance. Estimating such models from large textual sources poses the challenge of devising algorithms that make a parsimonious use of the disk.

The state-of-the-art algorithm uses three sorting steps in external memory: we show an improved construction that requires only one sorting step by exploiting the properties of the extracted
n
-gram strings. With an extensive experimental analysis performed on billions of
n
-grams, we show an average improvement of 4.5 times on the total runtime of the previous approach.
Participant Incentive Mechanism Toward Quality-Oriented Sensing
Authors: Yu Ruiyun , Cao Jiannong , Liu Rui , Gao Wenyu , Wang Xingwei , Liang Junbin
Published: February 2019

The ubiquity of ever-more-capable mobile devices, especially smartphones, brings forth participatory sensing to collect and interpret information. It can achieve unprecedented quantity of data. However, it is arduous to guarantee quality of data because everyone can contribute data without scrutinization. It is an important issue in quality-oriented participatory sensing. Our idea to address this issue is motivating participants to contribute accurate data for improving data quality directly. In this article, we propose a reputation-based incentive mechanism, RIM, to realize the idea. More specifically, we identify the participants who collect the accurate data and regard them as the reputable ones. Then, the reputable participants are granted a higher chance to obtain rewards so that other people will try to follow such users and become reputable as well. Namely, RIM can encourage and steer users to collect accurate data in the long term. We analyze our incentive mechanism by formalization and premise implications. For a feasibility study of participatory sensing and verification of the implications, we implement and deploy a participatory sensing application focusing on monitoring environmental noise in a specific location as a case study and conduct a simulation based on the case study to further evaluate the proposed incentive mechanism. The results from the case study and the simulation present that RIM can remarkably increase the quality of collected data in participatory sensing while corroborating our theoretical implications.
Nitric Oxide Influences HSV-1-Induced Neuroinflammation
Authors: Cymerys Joanna , Kowalczyk Andrzej , Mikołajewicz Katarzyna , Słońska Anna , Krzyżowska Małgorzata
Published: February 2019

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) has the ability to replicate in neurons and glial cells and to produce encephalitis leading to neurodegeneration. Accumulated evidence suggests that nitric oxide (NO) is a key molecule in the pathogenesis of neurotropic virus infections. NO can exert both cytoprotective as well as cytotoxic effects in the central nervous system (CNS) depending on its concentration, time course exposure, and site of action. In this study, we used anin vitromodel of HSV-1-infected primary neuronal and mixed glial cultures as well as an intranasal model of HSV-1 in BALB/c mice to elucidate the role of NO and nonapoptotic Fas signalling in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. We found that low, nontoxic concentration of NO decreased HSV-1 replication in neuronal cultures together with production of IFN-alpha and proinflammatory chemokines. However, in HSV-1-infected glial cultures, low concentrations of NO supported virus replication and production of IFN-alpha and proinflammatory chemokines. HSV-1-infected microglia downregulated Fas expression and upregulated its ligand, FasL. Fas signalling led to production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines as well as induced iNOS in uninfected bystander glial cells. On the contrary, NO reduced production of IFN-alpha and CXCL10 through nonapoptotic Fas signalling in HSV-1-infected neuronal cultures. Here, we also observed colocalization of NO production with the accumulation ofβ-amyloid peptide in HSV-1-infected neurons both in vitro and in vivo. Low levels of the NO donor increased accumulation ofβ-amyloid in uninfected primary neuronal cultures, while the NO inhibitor decreased its accumulation in HSV-1-infected neuronal cultures. This study shows for the first time the existence of a link between NO and Fas signalling during HSV-1-induced neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.
Numerical Simulation of an Air Pollution Model on Industrial Areas by Considering the Influence of Multiple Point Sources
Authors: Oyjinda Pravitra , Pochai Nopparat
Published: February 2019

A numerical simulation on a two-dimensional atmospheric diffusion equation of an air pollution measurement model is proposed. The considered area is separated into two parts that are an industrial zone and an urban zone. In this research, the air pollution measurement by releasing the pollutant from multiple point sources above an industrial zone to the other area is simulated. The governing partial differential equation of air pollutant concentration is approximated by using a finite difference technique. The approximate solutions of the air pollutant concentration on both areas are compared. The air pollutant concentration levels influenced by multiple point sources are also analyzed.
Experimental Investigation on a Thermoelectric Cooler for Thermal Management of a Lithium-Ion Battery Module
Authors: Li Xinxi , Zhong Zhaoda , Luo Jinghai , Wang Ziyuan , Yuan Weizhong , Zhang Guoqing , Yang Chengzhao , Yang Chuxiong
Published: February 2019

Electric vehicles (EVs) powered by lithium batteries, which are a promising type of green transportation, have attracted much attention in recent years. In this study, a thermoelectric generator (TEG) coupled with forced convection (F-C) was designed as an effective and feasible cooling system for a battery thermal management system. A comparison of natural convection cooling, F-C cooling, and TEG cooling reveals that the TEG is the best cooling system. Specifically, this system can decrease the temperature by 16.44% at the discharge rate of 3C. The coupled TEG and F-C cooling system can significantly control temperature at a relatively high discharge rate. This system not only can decrease the temperature of the battery module promptly but also can reduce the energy consumption compared with the two other TEG-based cooling systems. These results are expected to supply an effective basis of the design and optimization of battery thermal management systems to improve the reliability and safety performance of EVs.
Influence of the Hydraulic Boundary Condition between the Embankment and Saturated Half‐Space on the Train‐Induced Ground Vibration
Authors: Yuan Zong-hao , Cao Zhi-gang , Tang Hao , Sun Si
Published: February 2019

A three‐dimensional analytical model was proposed to investigate the influence of the hydraulic boundary of the ground surface on the train‐induced ground vibrations. The ground was simulated as a fully saturated poroelastic half‐space and the embankment as a rectangular elastic soil layer with finite width. The rails and the sleepers were modeled as Euler beams and a Kirchhoff plate, respectively. Two hydraulic boundaries of the interface between the embankment and the ground surface were simplified as two limiting cases, namely, the permeable and impermeable cases. The linearized dynamic equations of motion for the fully saturated poroelastic soil and the elastic embankment were solved by Fourier transform and Fourier series. The vertical velocity and pore pressure were firstly calculated in the frequency‐wavenumber domain and then transformed into the time‐space domain by inverse Fourier transform. The influence of the hydraulic boundary at the ground surface on the train‐induced ground vibration was specially investigated. It was found that the hydraulic boundary condition has a significant influence on ground‐borne vibrations for the high‐speed moving train with high load excitation frequencies.
Temporal Performance Analysis of Bus Transportation Using Link Streams
Authors: Curzel J. L. , Lüders R. , Fonseca K. V. O. , Rosa M. O.
Published: February 2019

Performance analysis of transport systems usually requires transfer of passengers between trains, cars, or buses, among others. This paper proposes a methodology for modeling and analysis of bus transportation using link streams. Link streams are particular cases of stream graphs whose cliques provide information about available time intervals for connecting buses. These cliques are obtained by algorithms of the literature with good scalability. They are used to quantify performance indicators as transfer time, bunching, congestion, and number of transferred passengers. The results are obtained for real‐world data of a bus terminal in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. They reveal important issues regarding transfer delays and available capacity for transport. The proposed performance analysis can be used to support urban planners on planning and improving transport operation.
Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Mediates Ebastine-Induced Human Follicle Dermal Papilla Cell Proliferation
Authors: Tsai Fu-Ming , Li Chao-Hsu , Wang Lu-Kai , Chen Mao-Liang , Lee Ming-Cheng , Lin Yi-Ying , Wang Chun-Hua
Published: February 2019

Ebastine is a second-generation histamine H1 receptor antagonist that is used to attenuate allergic inflammation. Ebastine has also shown to affect hair loss; however, the immunoregulatory effect of ebastine cannot completely exclude the possibility of spontaneous hair regrowth in ebastine-treated mice. In this study, we examined the effects of ebastine on the growth of human follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPC) using a WST-1 cell proliferation assay and a bromodeoxyuridine incorporation assay. Ebastine was shown to significantly increase the proliferation of HFDPC. The expression levels of cell-cycle regulatory proteins and an antiapoptotic protein were increased in ebastine-treated HFDPC. Furthermore, elevated expression levels of phospho-AKT and phospho-p44/42 extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were observed in ebastine-treated HFDPC. Ebastine-mediated HFDPC growth was completely reversed by blocking ERK kinase. The results from our present study suggest that the regulation of HFDPC proliferation by ebastine might be directly involved in hair regrowth through the ERK signaling pathway.
Analysis of CaF2 Precipitation Process in the Selected Static Mixers
Authors: Synowiec Piotr Maria , Stec Magdalena
Published: February 2019

In the paper, the analysis of the precipitation process of calcium fluoride in the selected static mixers was made. The Kenics and Koflo static mixers, as well as an empty pipe as a background, have been taken into consideration. The Kenics and Koflo types have been chosen as their inner shapes convenient for the realization of continuous precipitation processes as incrustation phenomenon and dangerousness of flow blocking are not as high as in other solutions. The main tasks were focused on the recognition of the precipitation kinetics (to get the knowledge of the relative supersaturation, nucleation sources, and mechanisms controlling the crystal growth), determination of conversion efficiency of the chemical reaction by which CaF2 is precipitated, the fluid dynamic conditions on crystal size distribution (CSD), and the identification of particles’ destruction sources as well. This paper is a primary work dedicated to the possibilities of a special treatment of the solid phase during its formation in order to obtain the required crystal size distribution (CSD) and to avoid the agglomeration when necessary. The results are very promising. As it will be shown, the special treatment of the precipitated solid substances in static mixers enables to create crystals with the required size and to eliminate the agglomeration phenomenon.
Optimal Preview Control for Linear Discrete‐Time Periodic Systems
Authors: Liao Fucheng , Sun Mengyuan , Usman
Published: February 2019

In this paper, the optimal preview tracking control problem for a class of linear discrete‐time periodic systems is investigated and the method to design the optimal preview controller for such systems is given. Initially, by fully considering the characteristic that the coefficient matrices are periodic functions, the system can be converted into a time‐invariant system through lifting method. Then, the original problem is also transformed into the scenario of time‐invariant system. Later on, the augmented system is constructed and the preview controller of the original system is obtained with the help of existing preview control method. The controller comprises integrator, state feedback, and preview feedforward. Finally, the simulation example shows the effectiveness of the proposed preview controller in improving the tracking performance of the close‐loop system.
Structural Response of the Metro Tunnel under Local Dynamic Water Environment in Loess Strata
Authors: Qiu Junling , Qin Yiwen , Lai Jinxing , Wang Ke , Niu Fangyuan , Wang Hao , Zhang Guanglong
Published: February 2019

The reasons, prevention, and control of loess disaster are of great concern in practice. In recent years, Xi’an city, China, has taken the leadership in large-scale construction of subway lines in the loess strata. To study the structural response of the tunnel in loess region under local hydrodynamic environment, an experimental testing in 1g as well as a numerical simulation were performed, in which the achieved results were verified and were found to be in good agreement. Furthermore, the results showed that when the water outlet point is above the lining, the overall stress of the lining is “peanut shell,” as the water pressure of the outlet point decreases, the tensile stress of the top and bottom of the lining increases, while the compressive stress on both sides decreases; the channel form of the flow to the lining changes with the variation of the position of the water outlet point. It is worth mentioning that in the process of water gushing, the closer to the water source, the greater surface subsidence is, and there is a positive correlation between water pressure and surface subsidence. This study is of significant benchmark for the construction, maintenance, and prevention of tunnel in loess strata under the influence of water environment.
Oxidative Balance and Inflammation in Hemodialysis Patients: Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Risk?
Authors: Russa Daniele La , Pellegrino Daniela , Montesanto Alberto , Gigliotti Paolo , Perri Anna , Russa Antonella La , Bonofiglio Renzo
Published: February 2019

During chronic kidney disease, the progressive deterioration of renal function induces several biological/clinical dysfunctions, including enhancement of synthesis of inflammation/oxidative stress mediators. Impaired renal function is an independent cardiovascular risk factor; indeed, cardiovascular complications dominate the landscape of both chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. The aim of this study is to explore the correlation between the global oxidative balance in hemodialysis patients and both inflammatory markers and cardiovascular events. Using photometric tests, this study explored plasmatic oxidative balance in 97 hemodialysis patients compared to a healthy population. In the hemodialysis patients, we showed that oxidative stress values were significantly lower than in controls while effectiveness in the antioxidant barrier was significantly increased in the hemodialysis group. Furthermore, we highlighted a strong correlation between oxidative index and blood levels of C-reactive protein. When patients were divided into two groups based on previous cardiovascular events, we found that subjects with previous cardiovascular events had higher values of both oxidative stress and antioxidant barrier than patients without cardiovascular events. Our results indicated that in hemodialysis patients, the clinical and prognostic significance of oxidative status is very different from general population. As cardiovascular complications represent a strong negative factor for survival of hemodialysis patients, the research of new cardiovascular risk biomarkers in these patients takes on particular importance in order to translate them into clinical practice/primary care.
Learning Curve for Using Intraoperative Neural Monitoring Technology of Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Zhao Ning , Bai Zhigang , Teng Changsheng , Zhang Zhongtao
Published: February 2019

We investigated the learning curve for using intraoperative neural monitoring technology in thyroid cancer, with a view to reducing recurrent laryngeal nerve injury complications. Radical or combined radical surgery for thyroid cancer was performed in 82 patients with thyroid cancer and 147 recurrent laryngeal nerves were dissected. Intraoperative neural monitoring technology was applied and the “four-step method” used to monitor recurrent laryngeal nerve function. When the intraoperative signal was attenuated by more than 50%, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury was diagnosed, and the point and causes of injury were determined. The time required to identify the recurrent laryngeal nerve was 0.5–2 min and the injury rate was 2.7%; injuries were diagnosed intraoperatively. Injury most commonly occurred at or close to the point of entry of the nerve into the larynx and was caused by stretching, tumor adhesion, heat, and clamping. The groups are divided in chronological order; a learning curve for using intraoperative neural monitoring technology in thyroid cancer surgery was generated based on the time to identify the recurrent laryngeal nerve and the number of cases with nerve injury. The time to identify the recurrent laryngeal nerve and the number of injury cases decreased markedly with increasing patient numbers. There is a clear learning curve in applying intraoperative neural monitoring technology to thyroid cancer surgery; appropriate use of such technology aids in the protection of the recurrent laryngeal nerve.