bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrated GIS software for computing landscape visibility metrics
Authors: Sahraoui Yohan , Vuidel Gilles , Joly Daniel , Foltête Jean‐Christophe
Published: August 2018

As an important component of the quality of the living environment, landscape is increasingly addressed in terms of its visual dimension. In contrast to the point‐like character of in situ observations and photographic analyses, the modeling of landscape visibility from digital data has the advantage of scanning geographical space in a systematic way. However, the tools currently available for visibility modeling are limited to the mapping of viewsheds. They require complementary operations for a complete landscape assessment, including direct and easy computation of landscape metrics. Furthermore, none of those tools integrates recent technical advances to better characterize the visible landscape by tangential vision (i.e., from ground level as opposed to vision by viewshed from above). Starting from this, PixScape software proposes to integrate a large set of functions for modeling landscape visibility while remaining interfaced with GIS software. This software can be used to perform a complete landscape assessment by computing a wide range of original landscape metrics. It performs tangential analysis in addition to viewshed analysis, which can produce more realistic outcomes. Because landscape visibility analysis over large areas implies significant computation time, the software also integrates a multi‐resolution process intended to speed up calculations while also taking into account the cognitive abilities of human vision.
Variation in the regulatory region of FZP causes increases in secondary inflorescence branching and grain yield in rice domestication
Authors: Huang Yongyu , Zhao Shuangshuang , Fu Yongcai , Sun Hengdi , Ma Xin , Tan Lubin , Liu Fengxia , Sun Xianyou , Sun Hongying , Gu Ping , Xie Daoxin , Sun Chuanqing , Zhu Zuofeng
Published: August 2018

Inflorescence branching is a key agronomic trait determining rice yield. The primary branch of the ancestral wild rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.) bears few grains, due to minimal secondary branching. By contrast, Oryza sativa cultivars have been selected to produce large panicles with more secondary branches. Here we showed that the CONTROL OF SECONDARY BRANCH 1 (COS1) gene, which is identical to FRIZZY PANICLE (FZP), plays an important role in the key transition from few secondary branches in wild rice to more secondary branches in domesticated rice cultivars. A 4‐bp tandem repeat deletion approximately 2.7 kb upstream of FZP may affect the binding activities of auxin response factors to the FZP promoter, decrease the expression level of FZP and significantly enhance the number of secondary branches and grain yield in cultivated rice. Functional analyses showed that NARROW LEAF 1 (NAL1), a trypsin‐like serine and cysteine protease, interacted with FZP and promoted its degradation. Consistently, downregulating FZP expression or upregulating NAL1 expression in the commercial cultivar Zhonghua 17 increased the number of secondary branches per panicle, grain number per panicle and grain yield per plant. Our findings not only provide insights into the molecular mechanism of increasing grain number and yield during rice domestication, but also offer favorable genes for improving the grain yield of rice.
Quantification of drought during the collapse of the classic Maya civilization
Authors: Evans Nicholas P. , Bauska Thomas K. , Gázquez-Sánchez Fernando , Brenner Mark , Curtis Jason H. , Hodell David A.
Published: August 2018

Falling from a fall in rainfall

How much did rainfall have to decrease to trigger the collapse of Lowland Classic Maya civilization during the Terminal Classic Period? This collapse is a well-cited example of how past climate change—in this case, drought—can disrupt a population. Evans
et al.
measured the isotopic composition of water in Lake Chichancanab, Mexico, to quantify how much precipitation decreased during that period. Annual rainfall must have fallen by around 50% on average and by up to 70% during peak drought conditions.

Science
, this issue p.
498
Activity of Aromathecins against African Trypanosomes
Authors: Nenortas Nathaniel P. , Cinelli Maris A. , Morrell Andrew E. , Cushman Mark , Shapiro Theresa A.
Published: August 2018

African sleeping sickness is responsible for thousands of deaths annually, and new therapeutics are needed. This study evaluated aromathecins, experimental inhibitors of mammalian topoisomerase IB, against
Trypanosoma brucei
African trypanosomes.
Microbial Source Tracking Using Quantitative and Digital PCR To Identify Sources of Fecal Contamination in Stormwater, River Water, and Beach Water in a Great Lakes Area of Concern
Authors: Staley Zachery R. , Boyd Rachel J. , Shum Phoenix , Edge Thomas A.
Published: August 2018

Fecal contamination of recreational water poses a persistent and ongoing problem, particularly in areas of concern around the Great Lakes. The identification of the source(s) of fecal contamination is essential for safeguarding public health as well as guiding remediation efforts; however, fecal contamination may frequently be present at low levels and remain undetectable by certain methodologies. In this study, we utilized microbial source tracking techniques using both quantitative and digital PCR assays to identify sources of contamination. Our results indicated high levels of human fecal contamination within stormwater outfalls, while lower levels were observed throughout the watershed. Additionally, high levels of gull fecal contamination were detected at Rouge Beach, particularly during drier sampling events. Furthermore, our results indicated an increased sensitivity of the digital PCR assay to detect both human and gull contamination, suggesting it could be a viable tool for future microbial source tracking studies.
The Persistence-Inducing Toxin HokB Forms Dynamic Pores That Cause ATP Leakage
Authors: Wilmaerts Dorien , Bayoumi Mariam , Dewachter Liselot , Knapen Wouter , Mika Jacek T. , Hofkens Johan , Dedecker Peter , Maglia Giovanni , Verstraeten Natalie , Michiels Jan
Published: August 2018

Bacterial populations harbor a small fraction of cells that display transient multidrug tolerance. These so-called persister cells are extremely difficult to eradicate and contribute to the recalcitrance of chronic infections. Several signaling pathways leading to persistence have been identified. However, it is poorly understood how the effectors of these pathways function at the molecular level. In a previous study, we reported that the conserved GTPase Obg induces persistence in
Escherichia coli
via transcriptional upregulation of the toxin HokB. In the present study, we demonstrate that HokB inserts in the cytoplasmic membrane where it forms pores. The pore-forming capacity of the HokB peptide is demonstrated by
in vitro
conductance measurements on synthetic and natural lipid bilayers, revealing an asymmetrical conductance profile. Pore formation is directly linked to persistence and results in leakage of intracellular ATP. HokB-induced persistence is strongly impeded in the presence of a channel blocker, thereby providing a direct link between pore functioning and persistence. Furthermore, the activity of HokB pores is sensitive to the membrane potential. This sensitivity presumably results from the formation of either intermediate or mature pore types depending on the membrane potential. Taken together, these results provide a detailed view on the mechanistic basis of persister formation through the effector HokB.

IMPORTANCE
There is increasing awareness of the clinical importance of persistence. Indeed, persistence is linked to the recalcitrance of chronic infections, and evidence is accumulating that persister cells constitute a pool of viable cells from which resistant mutants can emerge. Unfortunately, persistence is a poorly understood process at the mechanistic level. In this study, we unraveled the pore-forming activity of HokB in
E. coli
and discovered that these pores lead to leakage of intracellular ATP, which is correlated with the induction of persistence. Moreover, we established a link between persistence and pore activity, as the number of HokB-induced persister cells was strongly reduced using a channel blocker. The latter opens opportunities to reduce the number of persister cells in a clinical setting.
Inhibition of EGFR Signaling Protects from Mucormycosis
Authors: Watkins Tonya N. , Gebremariam Teclegiorgis , Swidergall Marc , Shetty Amol C. , Graf Karen T. , Alqarihi Abdullah , Alkhazraji Sondus , Alsaadi Abrar I. , Edwards Vonetta L. , Filler Scott G. , Ibrahim Ashraf S. , Bruno Vincent M.
Published: August 2018

Mucormycosis is a life-threatening, invasive fungal infection that is caused by various species belonging to the order Mucorales.
Rhizopus
species are the most common cause of the disease, responsible for approximately 70% of all cases of mucormycosis. During pulmonary mucormycosis, inhaled
Rhizopus
spores must adhere to and invade airway epithelial cells in order to establish infection. The molecular mechanisms that govern this interaction are poorly understood. We performed an unbiased survey of the host transcriptional response during early stages of
Rhizopus arrhizus
var.
delemar
(
R. delemar
) infection in a murine model of pulmonary mucormycosis using transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq). Network analysis revealed activation of the host’s epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. Consistent with the RNA-seq results, EGFR became phosphorylated upon
in vitro
infection of human alveolar epithelial cells with several members of the Mucorales, and this phosphorylated, activated form of EGFR colocalized with
R. delemar
spores. Inhibition of EGFR signaling with cetuximab or gefitinib, specific FDA-approved inhibitors of EGFR, significantly reduced the ability of
R. delemar
to invade and damage airway epithelial cells. Furthermore, gefitinib treatment significantly prolonged survival of mice with pulmonary mucormycosis, reduced tissue fungal burden, and attenuated the activation of EGFR in response to pulmonary mucormycosis. These results indicate EGFR represents a novel host target to block invasion of alveolar epithelial cells by
R. delemar
, and inhibition of EGFR signaling provides a novel approach for treating mucormycosis by repurposing an FDA-approved drug.

IMPORTANCE
Mucormycosis is an increasingly common, highly lethal fungal infection with very limited treatment options. Using a combination of
in vivo
animal models, transcriptomics, cell biology, and pharmacological approaches, we have demonstrated that Mucorales fungi activate EGFR signaling to induce fungal uptake into airway epithelial cells. Inhibition of EGFR signaling with existing FDA-approved drugs significantly increased survival following
R. arrhizus
var.
delemar
infection in mice. This study enhances our understanding of how Mucorales fungi invade host cells during the establishment of pulmonary mucormycosis and provides a proof-of-concept for the repurposing of FDA-approved drugs that target EGFR function.
Exposure to Arsenite in CD-1 Mice during Juvenile and Adult Stages: Effects on Intestinal Microbiota and Gut-Associated Immune Status
Authors: Gokulan Kuppan , Arnold Matthew G. , Jensen Jake , Vanlandingham Michelle , Twaddle Nathan C. , Doerge Daniel R. , Cerniglia Carl E. , Khare Sangeeta
Published: August 2018

Intestinal microbiota composition and gut-associated immune response can contribute to the toxicity of arsenic. We investigated the potential toxicity of short-term arsenic exposure on gut microbiome composition, intestinal immune status, microbial arsenic resistance gene, and arsenic metabolic profiles in adult and developmental stages of CD-1 mice. The potential toxicity of arsenite [As(III)] was determined for two life stages: (i) adult animals at 24 or 48 h after single gavage (0.05 mg/kg body weight [b.w.] [low dose], 0.1 mg/kg b.w. [medium dose], and 0.2 mg/kg b.w. [high dose]) and repeated exposure at 1 mg/liter for 8 days and (ii) postnatal day 10 (PND10) and PND21 after single gavage (0.05 mg/kg b.w.). Dose- and time-dependent responses in bacterial recovery/microbial composition were observed in adults after a single gavage. Repeated exposure caused a transient decrease in the recovery of intestinal bacteria, a shift in the bacterial population with abundance of arsenic resistance genes, and evidence for host metabolism of arsenite into less-reactive trivalent methylated species. Arsenic exposure in adult animals induced high levels of CC chemokines and of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion in intestine. Arsenic exposure at PND21 resulted in the development of distinct bacterial populations. Results of this study highlight significant changes in the intestinal microbiome and gut-associated immune status during a single or repeated exposure to arsenic in juvenile and adult animals. The data warrant investigation of the long-term effects of oral arsenic exposure on the microbiome and of immune system development and responses.

IMPORTANCETransformation of organic arsenic to toxic inorganic arsenic (iAs) is likely carried out by intestinal bacteria, and iAs may alter the viability of certain microbial populations. This study addressed the impact of arsenic exposure on intestinal microbiota diversity and host gut-associated immune mediators during early development or adulthood using scenarios of acute or repeated doses. During acute arsenic exposure, animals developed defense functions characterized by higher abundances of bacteria that are involved in arsenic resistance or detoxification mechanisms. Arsenite had a negative effect on the abundance of bacterial species that are involved in the conversion of protein to butyrate, which is an alternative energy source in the intestine. The intestinal mucosal immune cytokine profile reflected a mechanism of protection from arsenic toxicity.
Communication quality between the medical team and the head coach/manager is associated with injury burden and player availability in elite football clubs
Authors: Ekstrand Jan , Lundqvist Daniel , Davison Michael , D’Hooghe Michel , Pensgaard Anne Marte
Published: August 2018

Objectives

We investigated medical staff interpretations and descriptions of internal communication quality in elite football teams to determine whether internal communication was correlated with injuries and/or player availability at training and matches.

Methods

Medical staff from 36 elite football clubs across 17 European countries produced 77 reports at four postseason meetings to provide their perceptions of internal communications in their teams. They also recorded data on individual players’ exposure to football and time-loss injuries.

Results

The injury burden and incidence of severe injuries were significantly higher in teams with low quality of communication between the head coach/manager and the medical team (scores of 1–2 on a 5-point Likert scale) compared with teams with moderate or high-quality scores (scores of 3–5; p=0.008 for both). Teams with low scores had 4%–5% lower training attendance (76% vs 83%, p=0.001) and less availability at matches (82% vs 88%, p=0.004) compared with teams with moderate or high communication quality scores.

Conclusions

The quality of internal communication within a team was correlated with injury rates, training attendance and match availability.
Association between subjective tinnitus and cognitive performance: protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Clarke Nathan A , Akeroyd Michael A , Henshaw Helen , Hoare Derek J
Published: August 2018

Introduction

Subjective tinnitus is very common and has a number of comorbid associations including depression, sleep disturbance and concentration difficulties. Concentration difficulties may be observable in people with tinnitus through poorer behavioural performance in tasks thought to measure specific cognitive domains such as attention and memory (ie, cognitive performance). Several reviews have discussed the association between tinnitus and cognition; however, none to date have investigated the association between tinnitus and cognitive performance through meta-analysis with reference to an established theoretical taxonomy. Furthermore, there has been little overlap between sets of studies that have been included in previous reviews, potentially contributing to the typically mixed findings that are reported.

Methods and analysis

This systematic review aims to comprehensively review the literature using an established theoretical taxonomy and quantitatively synthesise relevant data to determine associations between subjective tinnitus and cognitive performance. Methods are reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols. All study designs will be eligible for inclusion with no date restrictions on searches. Studies eligible for inclusion must contain adult participants (≥18 years) with subjective tinnitus and a behavioural measure of cognitive performance. Meta-analysis will be reported via correlation for the association between tinnitus and cognitive performance.

Ethics and dissemination

No ethical issues are foreseen. Findings will be reported in a student thesis, at national and international , ear, nose and throat/audiology conferences and by peer-reviewed publication.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42018085528.
Optimisation of lipids for prevention of cardiovascular disease in a primary care
Authors: Bakhai Smita , Bhardwaj Aishwarya , Sandhu Parteet , Reynolds Jessica L.
Published: August 2018

The 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines focus on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk reduction, using a Pooled Cohort Equation to calculate a patient’s 10-year risk score, which is used to guide initiation of statin therapy. We identified a gap of evidence-based treatment for hyperlipidaemia in the Internal Medicine Clinic. Therefore, the aim of this study was to increase calculation of ASCVD risk scores in patients between the ages of 40 and 75 years from a baseline rate of less than 1% to 10%, within 12 months, for primary prevention of ASCVD. Root cause analysis was performed to identify materials/methods, provider and patient-related barriers. Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles included: (1) creation of customised workflow in electronic health records for documentation of calculated ASCVD risk score; (2) physician education regarding guidelines and electronic health record workflow; (3) refresher training for residents and a chart alert and (4) patient education and physician reminders. The outcome measures were ASCVD risk score completion rate and percentage of new prescriptions for statin therapy. Process measures included lipid profile order and completion rates. Increase in patient wait time, and blood test and medications costs were the balanced measures. We used weekly statistical process control charts for data analysis. The average ASCVD risk completion rate was 14.2%. The mean ASCVD risk completion rate was 4.0%. In eligible patients, the average lipid profile completion rate was 18%. ASCVD risk score completion rate was 33% 1-year postproject period. A team-based approach led to a sustainable increase in ASCVD risk score completion rate. Lack of automation in ASCVD risk score calculation and physician prompts in electronic health records were identified as major barriers. Furthermore, the team identified multiple barriers to lipid blood tests and treatment of increased ASCVD risk based on ACC/AHA guidelines.
Improving access to Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP): the 2-week wait for cancer comes to psychosis
Authors: Singh Kirit , Ghazi Fatima , White Rebecca , Sarfo-Adu Benedicta , Carter Peter
Published: August 2018

Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) services aim to rapidly initiate specialist packages of care for those people newly experiencing symptoms. The intention of such rapid engagement is to mitigate the negative effects of a prolonged duration of untreated psychosis. Aiming to achieve a ‘parity of esteem’ between mental and physical health, a new target was introduced by the National Health Service (NHS) England, where 50% of new referrals were expected to receive a concordant package of care within 2 weeks from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. A baseline assessment in late 2014 found that just 21% of all referrals received and accepted met this target within the EIP Team for the North-East London NHS Foundation Trust. This project sought to improve the team’s performance, seeking input from all team members and using an iterative process with the primary aim of meeting the target ahead of its roll-out. It was determined that the relatively high number of inappropriate referrals (34% at baseline) is a key causative agent in delaying staff from processing eligible cases in a timely fashion. These are defined as referrals which do not meet basic eligibility criteria such as no previous treatment for psychosis. Interventions were therefore designed targeting three domains of improving staff awareness of the new target, improving efficiency by changing the case allocation process and improving the referral pathway for external sources. The impact of these changes was re-evaluated over two cycles beyond baseline. By the final cycle, 62% of new referrals were seen within 2 weeks, while inappropriate referrals declined to just 3%. The multi-interventional nature of this project limits its generalisability and further work should be carried out to identify those changes that were most impactful. Nevertheless, focused targeting of the referral pathway may prove to be of benefit to other EIP services struggling with lengthy wait times.
Transition and transfer of the patient with paediatric-onset lupus: a practical approach for paediatric and adult rheumatology practices
Authors: Sadun Rebecca E , Schanberg Laura E
Published: August 2018

The prevalence of paediatric-onset SLE (pSLE) is estimated at 1million people worldwide and accounts for a significant proportion of SLE morbidity, mortality and cost. Patients with pSLE are especially vulnerable during and immediately following transfer from paediatric to adult rheumatology care, when substantial delays in care and increased disease activity are common. Transition is the process through which adolescents and young adults (AYA) develop the skills needed to succeed in the adult healthcare environment, a process that typically takes several years and may span a patient’s time in paediatric and adult clinics. Recommendations for improving transition and transfer for AYA with pSLE include setting expectations of the AYA patient and family concerning transition and transfer, developing AYA’s self-management skills, preparing an individualised transition plan that identifies a date for transfer, transferring at a time of medical and social stability, coordinating communication between the paediatric and adult rheumatologists (inclusive of both a medical summary and key social factors), and identifying a transition coordinator as a point person for care transfer and to monitor the AYA’s arrival and retention in adult rheumatology care. Of paramount importance is empowering the adult rheumatologist with skills that enhance rapport with AYA patients, engage AYA patients and families in adult care models, promote adherence and encourage ongoing development of self-management skills.
Pro-inflammatory effects of e-cigarette vapour condensate on human alveolar macrophages
Authors: Scott Aaron , Lugg Sebastian T , Aldridge Kerrie , Lewis Keir E , Bowden Allen , Mahida Rahul Y , Grudzinska Frances Susanna , Dosanjh Davinder , Parekh Dhruv , Foronjy Robert , Sapey Elizabeth , Naidu Babu , Thickett David R
Published: August 2018

Objective

Vaping may increase the cytotoxic effects of e-cigarette liquid (ECL). We compared the effect of unvaped ECL to e-cigarette vapour condensate (ECVC) on alveolar macrophage (AM) function.

Methods

AMs were treated with ECVC and nicotine-free ECVC (nfECVC). AM viability, apoptosis, necrosis, cytokine, chemokine and protease release, reactive oxygen species (ROS) release and bacterial phagocytosis were assessed.

Results

Macrophage culture with ECL or ECVC resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in cell viability. ECVC was cytotoxic at lower concentrations than ECL and resulted in increased apoptosis and necrosis. nfECVC resulted in less cytotoxicity and apoptosis. Exposure of AMs to a sub-lethal 0.5% ECVC/nfECVC increased ROS production approximately 50-fold and significantly inhibited phagocytosis. Pan and class one isoform phosphoinositide 3 kinase inhibitors partially inhibited the effects of ECVC/nfECVC on macrophage viability and apoptosis. Secretion of interleukin 6, tumour necrosis factor α, CXCL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 and matrix metalloproteinase 9 was significantly increased following ECVC challenge. Treatment with the anti-oxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) ameliorated the cytotoxic effects of ECVC/nfECVC to levels not significantly different from baseline and restored phagocytic function.

Conclusions

ECVC is significantly more toxic to AMs than non-vaped ECL. Excessive production of ROS, inflammatory cytokines and chemokines induced by e-cigarette vapour may induce an inflammatory state in AMs within the lung that is partly dependent on nicotine. Inhibition of phagocytosis also suggests users may suffer from impaired bacterial clearance. While further research is needed to fully understand the effects of e-cigarette exposure in humans in vivo, we caution against the widely held opinion that e-cigarettes are safe.
Comparative onset of immunity of oral and intranasal vaccines against challenge with Bordetella bronchiseptica
Authors: Scott‐Garrard Maya M , Chiang Yu‐Wei , David Frederic
Published: August 2018

Three groups of approximately eight‐week‐old beagles were vaccinated once with 1 ml of placebo vaccine (oral, n=9), 1 ml of Recombitek® Oral Bordetella (oral, n=10) or 1 ml Nobivac® Intra‐Trac3 (intranasal, 0.5 ml/nostril, n=10). Seven days after vaccination, the three groups were challenged with virulent Bordetella bronchiseptica via aerosolisation. Eight of nine dogs in the placebo group and no dogs in the Recombitek® Oral Bordetella or Nobivac® Intra‐Trac3 vaccine groups developed spontaneous cough of two or more consecutive days (disease case definition). Dogs in the Recombitek® Oral Bordetella and Nobivac® Intra‐Trac3 groups had a significantly lower incidence of disease (P<0.0001) with a 100 per cent preventable fraction. The study demonstrated that vaccination with either Recombitek® Oral Bordetella or Nobivac® Intra‐Trac3 is effective in preventing disease seven days after vaccination when compared with dogs vaccinated with a placebo.
THE EARLY EXERCISE PREMIUM IN AMERICAN OPTIONS BY USING NONPARAMETRIC REGRESSIONS
Authors: LI WEIPING , CHEN SU
Published: August 2018

The early exercise premium and the price of an American put option are evaluated by using nonparametric regression on the time to expiration, the moneyness and the volatility of underlying assets. In terms of mean square error (MSE), our nonparametric methods of American put option pricings outperform the existing classical methods for both in-the-sample (1 September 2011–31 January 2012) and out-of-sample (1 September 2012–28 February 2013) testings on the S&P 100 Index (OEX). Our methods have better predictions and more accurate approximations. The Greek letters for both the early exercise premium and the American put option are computed numerically.
Unconditional uniqueness results for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation
Authors: Herr Sebastian , Sohinger Vedran
Published: August 2018

We study the problem of unconditional uniqueness of solutions to the cubic nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLS). We introduce a new strategy to approach this problem on bounded domains, in particular on rectangular tori. It is a known fact that solutions to the cubic NLS give rise to solutions of the Gross–Pitaevskii (GP) hierarchy, which is an infinite-dimensional system of linear equations. By using the uniqueness analysis of the GP hierarchy, we obtain new unconditional uniqueness results for the cubic NLS on rectangular tori, which cover the full scaling-subcritical regime in high dimensions. In fact, we prove a more general result which is conditional on the domain. In addition, we observe that well-posedness of the cubic NLS in Fourier–Lebesgue spaces implies unconditional uniqueness.
Nonlinear Pull-In Instability of Strain Gradient Microplates Made of Functionally Graded Materials
Authors: Gholami R. , Ansari R. , Rouhi H.
Published: August 2018

In this paper, the size-dependent nonlinear pull-in behavior of rectangular microplates made from functionally graded materials (FGMs) subjected to electrostatic actuation is numerically studied using a novel approach. The small scale effects are taken into account according to Mindlin’s first-order strain gradient theory (SGT). The plate model is formulated based on the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) using the virtual work principle. The size-dependent relations are derived in general form, which can be reduced to those based on different elasticity theories, including the modified strain gradient, modified couple stress and classical theories (MSGT, MCST and CT). The solution of the problem is arrived at by employing an efficient matrix-based method called the variational differential quadrature (VDQ). First, the quadratic form of the energy functional including the size effects is obtained. Then, it is discretized by the VDQ method using a set of matrix differential and integral operators. Finally, the achieved discretized nonlinear equations are solved by the pseudo arc-length continuation method. In the numerical results, the effects of material length scale parameters, side length-to-thickness ratio and FGM’s material gradient index on the nonlinear pull-in instability of microplates with different boundary conditions are investigated. A comparison is also made between the predictions by the MSGT, MCST and CT.
Brans–Dicke scalar field cosmological model in Lyra’s geometry with time-dependent deceleration parameter
Authors: Zia Rashid , Maurya Dinesh Chandra
Published: August 2018

From the recent observations, it is well known that the expansion rate of our universe varies with time (early decelerating and accelerating in the present epoch) which is an unsolved problem. This motivated to us to consider this paper and so we have developed a new cosmological model in Einstein’s modified gravity theory using two types of modifications: (i) Geometrical modification, in which we have used Lyra’s geometry in the curvature part of the Einstein field equations (EFE) and (ii) Modification in gravity (energy momentum tensor) on right hand side of EFE, as per the Brans–Dicke model. With these two modifications, we have obtained the exact solutions of Einstein Brans–Dicke field equations in Lyra’s geometry for a spatially homogeneous Bianchi type-I space-time with time variable deceleration parameter (DP). We have calculated various physical parameters for the model and found them consistent with recent observations. We have also examined the energy conditions for the model and found them satisfactory. We have found that the scalar field of Brans–Dicke theory behaves like a best fit dark energy candidate in the reference of Lyra’s geometry.
De Sitter and power-law solutions in non-local Gauss–Bonnet gravity
Authors: Elizalde E. , Odintsov S. D. , Pozdeeva E. O. , Vernov S. Yu.
Published: August 2018

The cosmological dynamics of a non-locally corrected gravity theory, involving a power of the inverse d’Alembertian, is investigated. Casting the dynamical equations into local form, the fixed points of the models are derived, as well as corresponding de Sitter and power-law solutions. Necessary and sufficient conditions on the model parameters for the existence of de Sitter solutions are obtained. The possible existence of power-law solutions is investigated, and it is proven that models with de Sitter solutions have no power-law solutions. A model is found, which allows to describe the matter-dominated phase of the Universe evolution.
Novel Gradient Design and Simulation of Voronoi Structures
Authors: Gu Yang , Xu Xianghong
Published: August 2018

The gradient design of a fine grain structure on the surface and coarse grain structure in the substrate gives nano metallic materials both high strength and plasticity. Inspired by the concept of gradient design of grain sizes in materials science, this paper shows the design of the gradient Voronoi polygonal honeycomb structure. The quasi-static uniaxial tensile deformation processes of both, gradient and uniform, Voronoi structures were studied and it was found that the gradient design of the honeycomb cell size greatly improves the tensile property and strain energy storage of the Voronoi structure.
Geometric micromechanical modeling of structure changes, fracture and grain boundary layers in polycrystals
Authors: Clayton J. D. , Knap J.
Published: August 2018

A constitutive framework based on concepts from phase field theory and pseudo-Finsler geometry is exercised in numerical simulations of deformation and fracture of ceramic polycrystals. The material system of interest is boron carbide, a hard but brittle ceramic. Some microstructures are enabled with thin layers of a secondary amorphous phase of boron nitride between grains of boron carbide. The constitutive theory accounts for physical mechanisms of twinning, crystal-to-glass phase transformations, cleavage fracture within grains and separation and cavitation at grain boundaries (GBs). According to the generalized Finsler approach, geometric quantities such as the metric tensor and connection coefficients can depend on one or more director vectors, also called internal state vectors, that enter the energy potential in a manner similar to order parameters of phase field models. A partially linearized version of the theory is invoked in finite element simulations of polycrystals, with and without GB layers, subjected to pure shear loading. Effects of grain size and layer properties — thickness, shear modulus and surface energy — are studied parametrically. Results demonstrate that twinning and amorphization occur prominently in nanocrystals but less so in aggregates with larger grains that tend to fail earlier by fracture. Structural changes occur readily in the latter at smaller applied strains only in conjunction with elastic shear softening in localized degraded or damaged regions. Hall–Petch scaling of peak shear strength with grain size is observed. Strength is increased via addition of amorphous layers that shift the failure mode from transgranular to intergranular and further by cavity expansion in layers that induces local elastic compression and suppresses crack extension. Stiff layers provide the largest peak strength enhancement, while elastically compliant layers may improve toughness and strength in the softening regime.
Automatics
Authors: Lakier Matthew , Annett Michelle , Wigdor Daniel
Published: August 2018

When fabricating, it is common to follow a prescribed set of steps in a tutorial or how-to. While popular, such explicit knowledge resources have many inconsistencies and omissions, use static illustrations, and cannot adapt to drop-in makers or a maker's mistakes. To overcome many of these issues, this work presents Automatics, a novel explicit knowledge resource system that dynamically generates fabrication activities for one or more makers based on their current environmental and fabrication context. Automatics assigns tasks to makers based on the past tools and components the maker was working with, enables makers to recover from mistakes through model regeneration, suggests alternative tools if a needed tool is unavailable or in use, and allows multiple makers to drop-in throughout a fabrication activity. Initial usage and feedback from novice makers showed that Automatics increases the number of tasks that can be completed compared to paper instructions, decreases frustration, and improves one's understanding of the global context of assigned tasks during fabrication activities.
ORL-SDN
Authors: Bentaleb Abdelhak , Begen Ali C. , Zimmermann Roger
Published: August 2018

In designing an HTTP adaptive streaming (HAS) system, the bitrate adaptation scheme in the player is a key component to ensure a good quality of experience (QoE) for viewers. We propose a new online reinforcement learning optimization framework, called ORL-SDN, targeting HAS players running in a software-defined networking (SDN) environment. We leverage SDN to facilitate the orchestration of the adaptation schemes for a set of HAS players. To reach a good level of QoE fairness in a large population of players, we cluster them based on a perceptual quality index. We formulate the adaptation process as a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process and solve the per-cluster optimization problem using an online Q-learning technique that leverages model predictive control and parallelism via aggregation to avoid a per-cluster suboptimal selection and to accelerate the convergence to an optimum. This framework achieves maximum long-term revenue by selecting the optimal representation for each cluster under time-varying network conditions. The results show that ORL-SDN delivers substantial improvements in viewer QoE, presentation quality stability, fairness, and bandwidth utilization over well-known adaptation schemes.
Weighted Aggregate Reverse Rank Queries
Authors: Dong Yuyang , Chen Hanxiong , Yu Jeffrey Xu , Furuse Kazutaka , Kitagawa Hiroyuki
Published: August 2018

In marketing, helping manufacturers to find the matching preferences of potential customers for their products is an essential work, especially in e-commerce analyzing with big data. The aggregate reverse rank query has been proposed to return top-
k
customers who have more potential to buy a given product bundling than other customers, where the potential is evaluated by the aggregate rank, which is defined as the sum of each product’s rank. This query correctly reflects the request only when the customers consider the products in the product bundling equally. Unfortunately, rather than thinking products equally, in most cases, people buy a product bundling because they appreciate a special part of the bundling. Manufacturers, such as video games companies and cable television industries, are also willing to bundle some attractive products with less popular products for the purpose of maximum benefits or inventory liquidation.

Inspired by the necessity of general aggregate reverse rank query for unequal thinking, we propose a weighted aggregate reverse rank query, which treats the elements in product bundling with different weights to target customers from all aspects of thought. To solve this query efficiently, we first try a straightforward extension. Then, we rebuild the bound-and-filter framework for the weighted aggregate reverse rank query. We prove, theoretically, that the new approach finds the optimal bounds, and we develop the highly efficient algorithm based on these bounds. The theoretical analysis and experimental results demonstrated the efficacy of the proposed methods.
Learning Multiple Kernel Metrics for Iterative Person Re-Identification
Authors: Dong Husheng , Lu Ping , Liu Chunping , Ji Yi , Gong Shengrong
Published: August 2018

In person re-identification most metric learning methods learn from training data only once, and then they are deployed for testing. Although impressive performance has been achieved, the discriminative information from successfully identified test samples are ignored. In this work, we present a novel re-identification framework termed Iterative Multiple Kernel Metric Learning (IMKML). Specifically, there are two main modules in IMKML. In the first module, multiple metrics are learned via a new derived Kernel Marginal Nullspace Learning (KMNL) algorithm. Taking advantage of learning a discriminative nullspace from neighborhood manifold, KMNL can well tackle the Small Sample Size (SSS) problem in re-identification distance metric learning. The second module is to construct a pseudo training set by performing re-identification on the testing set. The pseudo training set, which consists of the test image pairs that are highly probable correct matches, is then inserted into the labeled training set to retrain the metrics. By iteratively alternating between the two modules, many more samples will be involved for training and significant performance gains can be achieved. Experiments on four challenging datasets, including VIPeR, PRID450S, CUHK01, and Market-1501, show that the proposed method performs favorably against the state-of-the-art approaches, especially on the lower ranks.
Patterns with Equal Values in Permutation Entropy: Do They Really Matter for Biosignal Classification?
Authors: Cuesta–Frau David , Varela–Entrecanales Manuel , Molina–Picó Antonio , Vargas Borja
Published: August 2018

Two main weaknesses have been identified for permutation entropy (PE): the neglect of subsequence pattern differences in terms of amplitude and the possible ambiguities introduced by equal values in the subsequences. A number of variations or customizations to the original PE method to address these issues have been proposed in the scientific literature recently. Specifically for ties, methods have tried to remove the ambiguity by assigning different weighted or computed orders to equal values. Although these methods are able to circumvent such ambiguity, they can substantially increase the algorithm costs, and a general characterization of their practical effectiveness is still lacking. This paper analyses the performance of PE using several biomedical datasets (electroencephalogram, heartbeat interval, body temperature, and glucose records) in order to quantify the influence of ties on its signal class segmentation capability. This capability is assessed in terms of statistical significance of the PE differences between classes and classification sensitivity and specificity. Being obvious that ties modify the PE results, we hypothesize that equal values are intrinsic to the acquisition process, and therefore, they impact all the classes more or less equally. The experimental results confirm ties are often not the limiting factor for PE, even they can be beneficial as a sort of stochastic resonance, and it can be far more effective to focus on the embedding dimension instead.
Food Safety Analysis of Milk and Beef in Southwestern Uganda
Authors: Kasozi Keneth Iceland , Natabo Phyllis Candy , Namubiru Sarah , Tayebwa Dickson Stuart , Tamale Andrew , Bamaiyi Pwaveno H.
Published: August 2018

Background. Inorganic pollutants in milk and beef are of major public health concern; however, information in Africa is still limited due to low food safety monitoring practices. In this study, we established levels of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe) in milk and beef and obtained the estimated daily intake (EDI) and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) as measures of risk to the Ugandan population. Materials and Methods. This was a cross-sectional study in which a total of 40 samples of milk and beef were collected from Bushenyi district in southwestern Uganda. Samples were analyzed by atomic absorbance spectrophotometer, and the EDI and ILCR were computed using the US EPA reference values. Results and Discussion. Heavy metal concentrations were highest in the order of Zn > Fe > Pb > Cu in milk samples, while in beef samples, concentrations were highest in the order of Zn > Pb > Fe > Cu and no Cd was detected. Furthermore, beef had significantly higher (P<0.05) Pb and Fe concentrations than milk. The EDI was highest in children, and this was followed by very high ILCR levels, showing that milk and beef are not safe for children in Uganda. Bearing in mind that a high HI was shown, beef and milk from these regions are not recommended for consumption especially by children although more studies remain to be conducted. Conclusion. Heavy metals in milk and beef of Uganda may predispose the indigenous community to cancer and other health-related illnesses, showing a need for improved food safety screening to promote food safety.
The Improved Binary-Real Coded Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm for Solving Short-Term Hydropower Generation Scheduling Problem in Large Hydropower Station
Authors: Yang Zhe , Yang Kan , Su Lyuwen , Hu Hu
Published: August 2018

The short-term hydro generation scheduling (STHGS) decomposed into unit commitment (UC) and economic load dispatch (ELD) subproblems is complicated problem with integer optimization, which has characteristics of high dimension, nonlinear and complex hydraulic and electrical constraints. In this study, the improved binary-real coded shuffled frog leaping algorithm (IBR-SFLA) is proposed to effectively solve UC and ELD subproblems, respectively. For IB-SFLA, the new grouping strategy is applied to overcome the grouping shortage of SFLA, and modified search strategies for each type of frog subpopulation based on normal cloud model (NCM) and chaotic theory are introduced to enhance search performance. The initialization strategy with chaos theory and adaptive frog activation mechanism are presented to strengthen performance of IR-SFLA on ELD subproblem. Furthermore, to solve ELD subproblem, the optimal economic operation table is formed using IR-SFLA and invoked from database. Moreover, reserve capacity supplement and repair, and minimum on and off time repairing strategies are applied to handle complex constraints in STHGS. Finally, the coupled external and internal model corresponding to UC and ELD subproblems is established and applied to solve STHGS problem in Three Gorges hydropower station. Simulation results obtained from IBR-SFLA are better than other compared algorithms with less water consumption. In conclusion, to solve STHGS optimization problem, the proposed IBR-SFLA presents outstanding performance on solution precision and convergence speed compared to traditional SFLA effectively and outperforms the rivals to get higher precision solution with improving the utilization rate of waterpower resources.
Evaluating the Risk of Natural Gas Pipeline Operation Management in Intuitionistic Fuzzy Linguistic Environments
Authors: Li Ming , Liu Liangliang , Li Ying , Xu Yingcheng
Published: August 2018

Natural gas pipeline has been regarded as the most cost effective and safest channel of gas transportation and has extraordinary strategic significance for the country. There is a need to control the risks during the operation so as to operate the pipeline safely and smoothly under the complicated business environment. In order to evaluate the risk of natural gas pipeline operation management, this paper proposed an approach to evaluate the risk of natural gas pipeline operation management in intuitionistic fuzzy linguistic environments. Firstly, the evaluation criteria of the risk of natural gas pipeline operation management are established from the strategic risk, market risk, financial risk, operation risk, and legal risk aspects. Then experts are invited to evaluate the risk level and the weight of criteria using the linguistic terms. Rating values with regard to the criteria are in linguistic forms; the linguistic terms are modeled with the intuitionistic fuzzy linguistic model. The linguistic ratings are aggregated as the final results. Finally, the example is given to illustrate the feasibility and practicability of the proposed method.