bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hierarchical Meta-Learning in Time Series Forecasting for Improved Interference-Less Machine Learning
Authors: Afolabi David , Guan Sheng-Uei , Man Ka Lok , Wong Prudence W. H. , Zhao Xuan
Published: November 2017

The importance of an interference-less machine learning scheme in time series prediction is crucial, as an oversight can have a negative cumulative effect, especially when predicting many steps ahead of the currently available data. The on-going research on noise elimination in time series forecasting has led to a successful approach of decomposing the data sequence into component trends to identify noise-inducing information. The empirical mode decomposition method separates the time series/signal into a set of intrinsic mode functions ranging from high to low frequencies, which can be summed up to reconstruct the original data. The usual assumption that random noises are only contained in the high-frequency component has been shown not to be the case, as observed in our previous findings. The results from that experiment reveal that noise can be present in a low frequency component, and this motivates the newly-proposed algorithm. Additionally, to prevent the erosion of periodic trends and patterns within the series, we perform the learning of local and global trends separately in a hierarchical manner which succeeds in detecting and eliminating short/long term noise. The algorithm is tested on four datasets from financial market data and physical science data. The simulation results are compared with the conventional and state-of-the-art approaches for time series machine learning, such as the non-linear autoregressive neural network and the long short-term memory recurrent neural network, respectively. Statistically significant performance gains are recorded when the meta-learning algorithm for noise reduction is used in combination with these artificial neural networks. For time series data which cannot be decomposed into meaningful trends, applying the moving average method to create meta-information for guiding the learning process is still better than the traditional approach. Therefore, this new approach is applicable to the forecasting of time series with a low signal to noise ratio, with a potential to scale adequately in a multi-cluster system due to the parallelized nature of the algorithm.
Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Botulinum Toxin Injection Site for the Medial Approach to Tibialis Posterior Muscle in Chronic Stroke Patients with Spastic Equinovarus Foot: An Observational Study
Authors: Picelli Alessandro , Baricich Alessio , Chemello Elena , Smania Nicola , Cisari Carlo , Gandolfi Marialuisa , Cinone Nicoletta , Ranieri Maurizio , Santamato Andrea
Published: November 2017

The tibialis posterior muscle is a frequent target for injection of botulinum toxin during the management of spastic equinovarus foot in adults with post-stroke spasticity. Although it is deep-seated, the needle insertion into the tibialis posterior muscle is usually performed using anatomical landmarks and safety information obtained from healthy subjects and cadavers. Our aim was to evaluate the botulinum toxin injection site for the medial approach to the tibialis posterior muscle in chronic stroke patients with spastic equinovarus foot. Forty-six patients were evaluated at the affected middle lower leg medial surface with ultrasonography according to the following parameters: tibialis posterior muscle depth, thickness, and echo intensity. As to the spastic tibialis posterior, we found a mean muscle depth of 26.5 mm and a mean muscle thickness of 10.1 mm. Furthermore we observed a median tibialis posterior muscle echo intensity of 3.00 on the Heckmatt scale. The tibialis posterior muscle thickness was found to be inversely associated with its depth (p < 0.001) and echo intensity (p = 0.006). Furthermore, tibialis posterior muscle depth was found to be directly associated with its echo intensity (p = 0.004). Our findings may usefully inform manual needle placement into the tibialis posterior for the botulinum toxin treatment of spastic equinovarus foot in chronic stroke patients.
Microvesicle Involvement in Shiga Toxin-Associated Infection
Authors: Villysson Annie , Tontanahal Ashmita , Karpman Diana
Published: November 2017

Shiga toxin is the main virulence factor of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, a non-invasive pathogen that releases virulence factors in the intestine, causing hemorrhagic colitis and, in severe cases, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS manifests with acute renal failure, hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia. Shiga toxin induces endothelial cell damage leading to platelet deposition in thrombi within the microvasculature and the development of thrombotic microangiopathy, mostly affecting the kidney. Red blood cells are destroyed in the occlusive capillary lesions. This review focuses on the importance of microvesicles shed from blood cells and their participation in the prothrombotic lesion, in hemolysis and in the transfer of toxin from the circulation into the kidney. Shiga toxin binds to blood cells and may undergo endocytosis and be released within microvesicles. Microvesicles normally contribute to intracellular communication and remove unwanted components from cells. Many microvesicles are prothrombotic as they are tissue factor- and phosphatidylserine-positive. Shiga toxin induces complement-mediated hemolysis and the release of complement-coated red blood cell-derived microvesicles. Toxin was demonstrated within blood cell-derived microvesicles that transported it to renal cells, where microvesicles were taken up and released their contents. Microvesicles are thereby involved in all cardinal aspects of Shiga toxin-associated HUS, thrombosis, hemolysis and renal failure.
Development of a Predictive Tool to Support Environmentally Sustainable Management in Port Basins
Authors: Bonamano Simone , Madonia Alice , Piazzolla Daniele , Paladini de Mendoza Francesco , Piermattei Viviana , Scanu Sergio , Marcelli Marco
Published: November 2017

According to the Water Framework Directive, harbours that are classified as heavily modified water bodies must either reach or maintain good ecological potential. Moreover, following the marine spatial planning principles, the effects of port structure changes on water quality must also be considered. To support the sustainable management of harbour waters, we calculated flushing time (FT) through the use of a numerical model within the Civitavecchia port under different scenarios. To assess the effects of the realization of new infrastructure that will significantly alter the port configuration in the coming years, we also developed the flushing efficiency index (FEI). The increase in the harbour basin size due to the embankment extension result in high values of FT, particularly in the inner part of the port, in accordance with the highest values of the enrichment factor of the trace metals found in the sediment. The deterioration of water quality is confirmed by negative FEI values. Otherwise, the index assumes positive values after the realization of a second entrance in the southern part of Civitavecchia port, highlighting a drastic improvement in harbour water renewal. This study provides a low-cost and predictive tool to correctly address environmentally sustainable management of port activities.
Winter Snow Level Rise in the Northern Sierra Nevada from 2008 to 2017
Authors: Hatchett Benjamin , Daudert Britta , Garner Christopher , Oakley Nina , Putnam Aaron , White Allen
Published: November 2017

The partitioning of precipitation into frozen and liquid components influences snow-derived water resources and flood hazards in mountain environments. We used a 915-MHz Doppler radar wind profiler upstream of the northern Sierra Nevada to estimate the hourly elevation where snow melts to rain, or the snow level, during winter (December–February) precipitation events spanning water years (WY) 2008–2017. During this ten-year period, a Mann-Kendall test indicated a significant (p < 0.001) positive trend in snow level with a Thiel-Sen slope of 72 m year−1. We estimated total precipitation falling as snow (snow fraction) between WY1951 and 2017 using nine daily mid-elevation (1200–2000 m) climate stations and two hourly stations spanning WY2008–2017. The climate-station-based snow fraction estimates agreed well with snow-level radar values (R2 = 0.95, p < 0.01), indicating that snow fractions represent a reasonable method to estimate changes in frozen precipitation. Snow fraction significantly (p < 0.001) declined during WY2008–2017 at a rate of 0.035 (3.5%) year−1. Single-point correlations between detrended snow fraction and sea-surface temperatures (SST) suggested that positive SST anomalies along the California coast favor liquid phase precipitation during winter. Reanalysis-derived integrated moisture transported upstream of the northern Sierra Nevada was negatively correlated with snow fraction (R2 = 0.90, p < 0.01), with atmospheric rivers representing the likely circulation mechanism producing low-snow-fraction storms.
Detailed Sponge City Planning Based on Hierarchical Fuzzy Decision-Making: A Case Study on Yangchen Lake
Authors: Zhang Junyu , Fu Dafang , Wang Yajun , Singh Rajendra
Published: November 2017

We proposed a Hierarchical Fuzzy Inference System (HFIS) framework to offer better decision supports with fewer user-defined data (uncertainty). The framework consists two parts: a fuzzified Geographic Information System (GIS) and a HFIS system. The former provides comprehensive information on the criterion unit and the latter helps in making more robust decisions. The HFIS and the traditional Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) method were applied to a case study and compared. The fuzzified GIS maps maintained a majority of the dominant characteristics of the criterion unit but also revealed some non-significant information according to the surrounding environment. The urban planning map generated by the two methods shares similar strategy choices (6% difference), while the spatial distribution of strategies shares 69.7% in common. The HFIS required fewer subjective decisions than the MCDM (34 user-defined decision rules vs. 141 manual evaluations).
A Numerical Simulation of Coronal Waves Interacting with Coronal Holes. I. Basic Features
Authors: Piantschitsch Isabell , Vršnak Bojan , Hanslmeier Arnold , Lemmerer Birgit , Veronig Astrid , Hernandez-Perez Aaron , Čalogović Jaša , Žic Tomislav
Published: November 2017

We have developed a new numerical code that is able to perform 2.5D simulations of a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) wave propagation in the corona, and its interaction with a low-density region, such as a coronal hole (CH). We show that the impact of the wave on the CH leads to different effects, such as reflection and transmission of the incoming wave, stationary features at the CH boundary, or formation of a density depletion. We present a comprehensive analysis of the morphology and kinematics of primary and secondary waves, i.e., we describe in detail the temporal evolution of density, magnetic field, plasma flow velocity, phase speed, and position of the wave amplitude. Effects like reflection, refraction, and transmission of the wave strongly support the theory that large-scale disturbances in the corona are fast MHD waves and distinguish that theory from the competing pseudo-wave theory. The formation of stationary bright fronts was one of the main reasons for the development of pseudo-waves. Here, we show that stationary bright fronts can be produced by interactions of an MHD wave with a CH. We find secondary waves that are traversing through the CH and we show that one part of these traversing waves leaves the CH again, while another part is being reflected at the CH boundary inside the CH. We observe a density depletion that is moving in the opposite direction of the primary wave propagation. We show that the primary wave pushes the CH boundary to the right, caused by the wave front exerting dynamic pressure on the CH.
Neutron Stars: A Novel Equation of State with Induced Surface Tension
Authors: Sagun Violetta V. , Lopes Ilídio
Published: November 2017

A novel equation of state with the surface tension induced by particles’ interactions was generalized to describe the properties of the neutron stars (NSs). In this equation the interaction between particles occurs via the hard core repulsion by taking into account the proper volumes of particles. Recently, this model was successfully applied to the description of the properties of nuclear and hadron matter created in collisions of nucleons. The new approach is free of causality problems and is fully thermodynamically consistent, which enables us to use it for the investigation of the strongly interacting matter phase-diagram properties in a wide range of temperatures and baryon densities, including NSs. Here, we have calculated the mass–radius relations for a compact star using the Tolmann–Oppenheimer–Volkov (TOV) equation for two sets of parameters that satisfy the existing constraints. Accordingly, we found parameter values that are in good agreement with the same ones obtained from the nuclear–nuclear collision data analysis. The astrophysical constraints suggest that the hard core radius of baryons can vary between 0.425 fm and 0.476 fm.
Sunspot Number Second Differences as a Precursor of the Following 11-year Sunspot Cycle
Authors: Podladchikova Tatiana , Van der Linden Ronald , Veronig Astrid M.
Published: November 2017

Forecasting the strength of the sunspot cycle is highly important for many space weather applications. Our previous studies have shown the importance of sunspot number variability in the declining phase of the current 11-year sunspot cycle to predict the strength of the next cycle when the minimum of the current cycle has been observed. In this study we continue this approach and show that we can remove the limitation of having to know the minimum epoch of the current cycle, and that we can already provide a forecast of the following cycle strength in the early stage of the declining phase of the current cycle. We introduce a method to reliably calculate sunspot number second differences (SNSD) in order to quantify the short-term variations of sunspot activity. We demonstrate a steady relationship between the SNSD dynamics in the early stage of the declining phase of a given cycle and the strength of the following sunspot cycle. This finding may bear physical implications on the underlying dynamo at work. From this relation, a relevant indicator is constructed that distinguishes whether the next cycle will be stronger or weaker compared to the current one. We demonstrate that within 24–31 months after reaching the maximum of the cycle, it can be decided with high probability (0.96) whether the next cycle will be weaker or stronger. We predict that sunspot cycle 25 will be weaker than the current cycle 24.
Kinetic Features in the Ion Flux Spectrum
Authors: Vafin S. , Riazantseva M. , Yoon P. H.
Published: November 2017

An interesting feature of solar wind fluctuations is the occasional presence of a well-pronounced peak near the spectral knee. These peaks are well investigated in the context of magnetic field fluctuations in the magnetosheath and they are typically related to kinetic plasma instabilities. Recently, similar peaks were observed in the spectrum of ion flux fluctuations of the solar wind and magnetosheath. In this paper, we propose a simple analytical model to describe such peaks in the ion flux spectrum based on the linear theory of plasma fluctuations. We compare our predictions with a sample observation in the solar wind. For the given observation, the peak requires ∼10 minutes to grow up to the observed level that agrees with the quasi-linear relaxation time. Moreover, our model well reproduces the form of the measured peak in the ion flux spectrum. The observed lifetime of the peak is about 50 minutes, which is relatively close to the nonlinear Landau damping time of 30–40 minutes. Overall, our model proposes a plausible scenario explaining the observation.
The Survey of Water and Ammonia in the Galactic Center (SWAG): Molecular Cloud Evolution in the Central Molecular Zone
Authors: Krieger Nico , Ott Jürgen , Beuther Henrik , Walter Fabian , Kruijssen J. M. Diederik , Meier David S. , Mills Elisabeth A. C. , Contreras Yanett , Edwards Phil , Ginsburg Adam , Henkel Christian , Henshaw Jonathan , Jackson James , Kauffmann Jens , Longmore Steven , Martín Sergio , Morris Mark R. , Pillai Thushara , Rickert Matthew , Rosolowsky Erik , Shinnaga Hiroko , Walsh Andrew , Yusef-Zadeh Farhad , Zhang Qizhou
Published: November 2017

The Survey of Water and Ammonia in the Galactic Center (SWAG) covers the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) of the Milky Way at frequencies between 21.2 and 25.4 GHz obtained at the Australia Telescope Compact Array at ∼0.9 pc spatial and ∼2.0 km s−1 spectral resolution. In this paper, we present data on the inner ∼250 pc (1.°4) between Sgr C and Sgr B2. We focus on the hyperfine structure of the metastable ammonia inversion lines (J, K) = (1, 1)–(6, 6) to derive column density, kinematics, opacity, and kinetic gas temperature. In the CMZ molecular clouds, we find typical line widths of 8–16 km s−1 and extended regions of optically thick (τ > 1) emission. Two components in kinetic temperature are detected at 25–50 K and 60–100 K, both being significantly hotter than the dust temperatures throughout the CMZ. We discuss the physical state of the CMZ gas as traced by ammonia in the context of the orbital model by Kruijssen et al. that interprets the observed distribution as a stream of molecular clouds following an open eccentric orbit. This allows us to statistically investigate the time dependencies of gas temperature, column density, and line width. We find heating rates between ∼50 and ∼100 K Myr−1 along the stream orbit. No strong signs of time dependence are found for column density or line width. These quantities are likely dominated by cloud-to-cloud variations. Our results qualitatively match the predictions of the current model of tidal triggering of cloud collapse, orbital kinematics, and the observation of an evolutionary sequence of increasing star formation activity with orbital phase.
Serendipitous Discovery of an Optical Emission-line Jet in NGC 232
Authors: López-Cobá C. , Sánchez S. F. , Cruz-González I. , Binette L. , Galbany L. , Krühler T. , Rodríguez L. F. , Barrera-Ballesteros J. K. , Sánchez-Menguiano L. , Walcher C. J. , Aquino-Ortíz E. , Anderson J. P.
Published: November 2017

We report the detection of a highly collimated linear emission-line structure in the spiral galaxy NGC 232 through the use of integral field spectroscopy data from the All-weather MUse Supernova Integral field Nearby Galaxies survey. This jet-like feature extends radially from the nucleus and is primarily detected in [O iii]λ5007 without clear evidence of an optical continuum counterpart. The length of the radial structure projected on sky reaches ∼3 kpc, which makes NGC 232 the second-longest emission-line jet reported. The ionized gas presents extreme [O iii]/Hβ and [N ii]/Hα line ratios, increasing along the jet-like structure. We discuss three possible scenarios to explain the observed structure: (i) direct ionization of infalling material from the intergalactic medium by the AGN, (ii) photoionization by an undetected optical counterpart of the radio jet, and (iii) fast shock ionization due to the lateral expansion of the radio jet across the interstellar medium. Our analysis favors in situ ionization.
Arthroscopic Repair of Full-Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears in Active Patients Younger Than 40 Years: 2- to 5-Year Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Parnes Nata , Bartoszewski Nicole R. , Defranco Michael J.
Published: November 2017

This study characterized injury patterns and reported clinical outcomes of all-arthroscopic management of full-thickness rotator cuff tears among military patients younger than 40 years. A retrospective review was performed of prospective data for 42 patients younger than 40 years who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and, in some cases, concomitant labral repair. Preoperative and postoperative evaluations (minimum follow-up, 2 years; mean, 41 months; range, 24–66 months) included range of motion, visual analog scale (VAS) score, Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV), and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) Shoulder Score. Of the patients, 97.6% (41 of 42) had improved VAS, SST, and ASES scores. Mean VAS score improved from 8.09±1.51 to 1.19±1.85 (
P
<.01). Mean SSV improved from 47.88±19.56 to 89.45±14.04 (
P
<.01). Mean ASES score improved from 38.97±12.70 to 89.88±14.26 (
P
<.01). No difference for VAS, SSV, and ASES scores was noted between (1) all 42 patients, (2) the 26 patients who had rotator cuff repair but not labral repair, and (3) the 16 patients who had both rotator cuff repair and labral repair. Complications (7.1%; 3 of 42) included 2 postoperatively frozen shoulders and 1 retear of the rotator cuff. Of the patients, 95.2% (40 of 42) returned to their preoperative level of recreational and military job activity. Military patients younger than 40 years who have a full-thickness rotator cuff tear have a high prevalence of concomitant shoulder injury, especially labral tear. For patients younger than 40 years, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, with or without labral repair, resulted in excellent clinical outcomes, a low risk of complications, and a high rate of return to the preoperative level of recreational and military job activity. [
Orthopedics.
2018; 41(1):e52–e57.]
Medical Crowdfunding for Patients Undergoing Orthopedic Surgery
Authors: Durand Wesley M. , Johnson Joseph R. , Eltorai Adam E. M. , Daniels Alan H.
Published: November 2017

Crowdfunding for medical expenses is growing in popularity. Through several websites, patients create public campaign profiles to which donors can contribute. Research on medical crowdfunding is limited, and there have been no studies of crowdfunding in orthopedics. Active medical crowdfunding campaigns for orthopedic trauma, total joint arthroplasty, and spine surgery were queried from a crowdfunding website. The characteristics and outcomes of crowdfunding campaigns were abstracted and analyzed. For this study, 444 campaigns were analyzed, raising a total of $1,443,528. Among the campaigns that received a donation, mean amount raised was $4414 (SE, $611). Multivariate analysis showed that campaigns with unspecified location (odds ratio, 0.26;
P
=.0008 vs West) and those for total joint arthroplasty (odds ratio, 0.35;
P
=.0003 vs trauma) had significantly lower odds of receipt of any donation. Description length was associated with higher odds of donation receipt (odds ratio, 1.13 per +100 characters;
P
<.0001). Among campaigns that received any donation, those with Southern location (−65.5%,
P
<.0001), international location (−68.5%,
P
=.0028), and unspecified location (−63.5%,
P
=.0039) raised lower amounts compared with campaigns in the West. Goal amount was associated with higher amount raised (+3.2% per +$1000,
P
<.0001). Resources obtained through crowdfunding may be disproportionately available to patients with specific diagnoses, those from specific regions, those who are able to craft a lengthy descriptive narrative, and those with access to robust digital social networks. Clinicians are likely to see a greater proportion of patients turning to crowdfunding as it grows in popularity. Patients may ask physicians for information about crowdfunding or request testimonials to support campaigns. Surgeons should consider their response to such requests individually. These findings shed light on the dynamics of medical crowdfunding and support robust personal and professional deliberation. [
Orthopedics.
2018; 41(1):e58–e63.]
Traumatic Ruptured Globe From a .22 Cartridge Casing in a 2-Year-Old Girl
Authors: Martin Jacob S. , Reddy Devasis N. , Potter Heather A. D. , Burkat Cat N.
Published: November 2017

The authors report the case of a 2-year-old girl who presented with an acute ruptured globe secondary to penetration by the casing of a .22 caliber cartridge that was ignited by a car cigarette lighter. Although penetrating injuries are a common mechanism of ocular trauma, open globe induced by cartridge casing represents an unusual and preventable cause.

[
J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus
. 2017;54:e88–e90.]
Clinical Pearl: The “Rule of 8”
Authors: Shen Kevin Lu , Bhatt Amit R.
Published: November 2017

Preschool-aged children typically perform worse than 20/20 on visual acuity testing in the absence of ocular or visual pathway abnormalities due to non-ocular issues, including concentration, cooperation, and/or confidence. As a result, vision screening for this age group can be a challenge. The “Rule of 8” is an easy-to-remember, highly effective mnemonic that clinicians can use to help differentiate children who are performing visual acuity testing at age-appropriate levels from those who may need further evaluation.

[
J Pediatric Ophthalmol Strabismus
. 2017;54:e75–e76.]
Dehydration of Older Patients in Institutional Care and the Home Environment
Authors: Lešnik Amadeus , Piko Nejc , Železnik Danica , Bevc Sebastjan
Published: November 2017

Dehydration in older adults is an important clinical problem associated with more comorbidities, longer hospital stays, and higher mortality rates. However, in daily clinical practice, no single gold standard marker of hydration status in older adults is available. The aim of the current study was to define the fluid balance status in older adults residing in institutional care or the home. Four hundred ten patients (192 from institutional care and 218 from home care) 65 and older from the region of lower Styria (Slovenia) were included in the study. Serum osmolality, electrolytes, and blood urea nitrogen to creatinine (BUN:Cr) ratio were used to identify dehydration. Statistically significant differences were found between groups in serum osmolality and BUN:Cr ratio. Moreover, dehydration (defined as increased serum osmolality) was significantly more common in patients in institutional care than home care (51% versus 41.3%, respectively). The results confirm that dehydration is a common clinical problem in older adults, especially in those from institutional care. Although many methods of determining hydration status in older adults have been proposed, no gold standard exists, making hydration evaluation difficult in this population.

[Res Gerontol Nurs. 2017; 10(6):260–266.]
Promoting Resiliency in Emergency Communication Networks
Authors: Bartolacci Michael R. , Dimitrov Stanko
Published: November 2017

Police, fire, and emergency personnel rely on wireless networks to serve the public. Whether it is during a natural disaster, or just an ordinary calendar day, wireless nodes of varying types form the infrastructure that local, regional, and even national scale agencies use to communicate while keeping the population served safe and secure. In this article, Michael R. Bartolacci and Stanko Dimitrov present a network interdiction modeling approach that can be utilized for analyzing vulnerabilities in public service wireless networks; subject to hacking, terrorism, or destruction from natural disasters. They develop a case study for wireless networks utilized by the sheriff's department of Miami-Dade County in Florida in the United States. Finally, the authors' modeling approach—given theoretical budgets for the “hardening” of wireless network nodes and for would-be destroyers of such nodes—highlights parts of the network where further investment may prevent damage and loss of capacity.
Building Resilience Through Effective Disaster Management
Authors: Sakurai Mihoko , Thapa Devinder
Published: November 2017

Existing literature argues that taking a holistic approach to disaster management is important for organizations in building resilience. Theoretical underpinnings to achieve a holistic understanding, however, is lacking. This article applies the notion of an ecosystem as a holistic lens to understand complex disaster management. The paper reports two case studies from Japan and Nepal to illustrate how an ecosystem works during a disaster. The theoretical framework of information ecology is used in analyzing the cases. Based on the findings, the study shows three interconnected mechanisms that can build resilience of an ecosystem in a disaster management context, namely (1) coevolution, (2) collaboration, and (3) embeddedness of local knowledge. The authors argue that coevolution is a key to respond to constantly changing situations during a disaster. To accomplish ecosystem coevolution, creating a collaboration system with governments and local communities and embedding local knowledge into the system are essential. Furthermore, digital tools can play a critical role in the coevolution process.
Resource Allocations for Humanitarian Response
Authors: Juric Radmila , Shamoug Aladdin
Published: November 2017

Resource allocation is one of the most important tasks in organizing humanitarian response to humanitarian crises. It is not only that adequate and efficient resource allocation save lives and reduce damages caused by humanitarian crises, but resource allocation must be fast and efficient to save time and resources. Given that resource allocation is a type of a decision-making process, it is expected that decision on resource allocation are based on accurate and relevant information generated at various stages of humanitarian response. In this article, the authors promote Semantic Resource Allocation tools which a) collects and interprets the semantics of an environment where resource allocation is required and b) the reasons upon the semantics of that environment in order to make appropriate resource allocation. The tool is built with computations based on SWRL enabled OWL ontologies. The prototype has been implemented as a desktop application which can also run in mobile/wireless environments, including Android smart phones.
Interdiffusion Databanks of γ, γ′ and β Phases in NiAl-Based Ternary Systems
Authors: Zhang Li Jun , Chen Juan , Chen Wei Min , Ta Na , Li Qin
Published: November 2017

Advanced modern gas-turbine engines strongly rely on high-temperature thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) for the improved efficiency and power. Interdiffusion between the bond coat and the underlying Ni-based superalloy is one key factor limiting the lifetime of TBCs. In order to assist the engineering-oriented lifetime assessment and even design new TBCs, reliable composition- and temperature-dependent interdiffusivity databanks for γ, γ′ and β phases in different types of bond coats and Ni-based superalloys are the prerequisite. This chapter starts from a very brief introduction of the state-of-art experimental techniques and calculation methods for interdiffusivity determination in ternary systems. After that, the status of the interdiffusion databanks of γ, γ′ and β phases in NiAl-based ternary systems is then summarized, with a special focus on the demonstration of interdiffusivity data measured by means of single-phase diffusion couple/multiple techniques in combination with Matano-Kirkaldy method or numerical inverse method. Several typical results for NiAl-based γ, γ′ and β phases are also given. Finally, two examples of successful applications of the available interdiffusion databanks of ternary NiAl-based γ, γ′ and β phases are presented. One lies in the Re-substitutional element searching in potential new-generation Ni-based superalloys, while the other is the phase-field modeling of interdiffusion microstructure in ternary mode NiAlCr-based TBCs without/with the effect of temperature gradient.
Geographic Records of Subfamilies, Genera and Species of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Four Climatic Zones of Sri Lanka: A Review
Authors: Dias R. K. S. , Rajapaksa R. P. K. C.
Published: November 2017

Ants are a major biotic component in the terrestrial environment of Sri Lanka. For the first time, geographic records of worker ants from the surveys conducted in the four climatic zones of Sri Lanka from 1999 to 2016 have been summarized. Geographic records of subfamilies, genera and 95 species of ants from variety of localities in each climatic zone were pooled and tabulated for each taxon. Among the 11 subfamilies, Amblyoponinae, Dolichoderinae, Formicinae, Myrmicinae, Ponerinae and Pseudomyrmecinae were common to the lands in the four zones while each of the other subfamilies were recorded from a single zone or two or three zones only. The Sri Lankan Relict Ant in Aneuretinae has many records in the wet zone and two records in the intermediate zone. Twenty two among 64 ant genera were recorded from the four climatic zones; 42 genera were found in a single zone or two or three zones. Recorded occurrence of each of the 95 species showed that 24 including 8 invasive species, Anoplolepis gracilipes, Monomorium pharaonis, Paratrechina longicornis, Solenopsis geminata, Tapinoma melanocephalum, Technomyrmex albipes, Tetramorium bicarinatum and Trichomyrmex destructor were common to the four zones. Further surveys on ants of Sri Lanka are highly recommended for improving the current knowledge on their occurrence and to provide information on the distribution of endemic and invasive ant species in Sri Lanka.
A Novel Pkhd1 Mutation Interacts with the Nonobese Diabetic Genetic Background To Cause Autoimmune Cholangitis
Authors: Huang Wenting , Rainbow Daniel B. , Wu Yuehong , Adams David , Shivakumar Pranavkumar , Kottyan Leah , Karns Rebekah , Aronow Bruce , Bezerra Jorge , Gershwin M. Eric , Peterson Laurence B. , Wicker Linda S. , Ridgway William M.
Published: November 2017

We previously reported that NOD.c3c4 mice develop spontaneous autoimmune biliary disease (ABD) with anti-mitochondrial Abs, histopathological lesions, and autoimmune T lymphocytes similar to human primary biliary cholangitis. In this article, we demonstrate that ABD in NOD.c3c4 and related NOD ABD strains is caused by a chromosome 1 region that includes a novel mutation in polycystic kidney and hepatic disease 1 (Pkhd1). We show that a long terminal repeat element inserted into intron 35 exposes an alternative polyadenylation site, resulting in a truncated Pkhd1 transcript. A novel NOD congenic mouse expressing aberrant Pkhd1, but lacking the c3 and c4 chromosomal regions (NOD.Abd3), reproduces the immunopathological features of NOD ABD. RNA sequencing of NOD.Abd3 common bile duct early in disease demonstrates upregulation of genes involved in cholangiocyte injury/morphology and downregulation of immunoregulatory genes. Consistent with this, bone marrow chimera studies show that aberrant Pkhd1 must be expressed in the target tissue (cholangiocytes) and the immune system (bone marrow). Mutations of Pkhd1 produce biliary abnormalities in mice but have not been previously associated with autoimmunity. In this study, we eliminate clinical biliary disease by backcrossing this Pkhd1 mutation onto the C57BL/6 genetic background; thus, the NOD genetic background (which promotes autoimmunity) is essential for disease. We propose that loss of functional Pkhd1 on the NOD background produces early bile duct abnormalities, initiating a break in tolerance that leads to autoimmune cholangitis in NOD.Abd3 congenic mice. This model is important for understanding loss of tolerance to cholangiocytes and is relevant to the pathogenesis of several human cholangiopathies.
The byssus threads of Pinna nobilis: A histochemical and ultrastructural study
Authors: Diana Andrea , Reguzzoni Marcella , Congiu Terenzio , Rescigno Antonio , Sollai Federica , Raspanti Mario
Published: November 2017

The byssus of Pinna nobilis, the largest bivalve mollusc in the Mediterranean Sea, was investigated by histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). At low magnification, the byssus threads appeared distinctively elliptical in cross-section, with a typical size approaching 50 x 25 micron and a featureless glassy appearance. Histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques confirmed the presence of elastic domains but the absence of collagen, which is known to be the main component in other molluscs. Ultrastructural analysis by TEM revealed the presence of at least two components within the thread, and an inner arrangement of straight, tightly packed longitudinal streaks. SEM observations while confirming the inner packing of straight, parallel subfibrils, suggested in the fracture surfaces the presence of unidentified substance which cemented together the same subfibrils and which was removed by exposure to extreme pH values. AFM micrographs added further evidence for the tight packing of subfibrils and provided some evidence of orthogonal, barely visible connecting structures. Finally, HCl or NaOH treatment left the subfibrils clean and free from any other component.Â
Gait and Quiet-Stance Performance Among Adolescents After Concussion-Symptom Resolution
Authors: Berkner Justin , Meehan William P. , Master Christina L. , Howell David R.
Published: November 2017

Context: 

Concussions affect a large number of US athletes each year. Returning an athlete to activity once self-reported symptoms have resolved can be problematic if unrecognized neurocognitive and balance deficits persist. Pairing cognitive and motor tasks or cognitive and quiet-stance tasks may allow clinicians to detect and monitor these changes postconcussion.

Objective: 

To prospectively examine adolescent athletes' gait and quiet-stance performance while concurrently completing a cognitive task acutely after concussion and after symptom resolution.

Design: 

Case-control study.

Setting: 

Sport concussion clinic.

Patients or Other Participants: 

Thirty-seven athletes (age = 16.2 ± 3.1 years; 54% female) were diagnosed with a concussion, and their performance was compared with that of a group of 44 uninjured control participants (age = 15.0 ± 2.0 years; 57% female).

Intervention: 

Participants diagnosed with a concussion completed a symptom inventory and single- and dual-task gait and quiet-stance evaluations within 21 days of injury and then again after symptom resolution. Gait and postural-control measurements were quantified using an inertial sensor system and analyzed using multivariate analyses of covariance.

Main Outcome Measure(s): 

Post-Concussion Symptom Scale, single-task and dual-task gait measures, quiet-stance measures, and cognitive task performance.

Results: 

At the initial postinjury examination, single-task gait stride length (1.16 ± 0.14 versus 1.25 ± 0.13 m, P = .003) and dual-task gait stride length (1.02 ± 0.13 m versus 1.10 ± 0.13 m, P = .011) for the concussion group compared with the control group, respectively, were shorter. After symptom resolution, no single-task gait differences were found, but the concussion group demonstrated slower gait velocity (0.78 ± 0.15 m/s versus 0.92 ± 0.14 m/s, P = .005), lower cadence (92.5 ± 12.2 steps/min versus 99.3 ± 7.8 steps/min, P < .001), and a shorter stride length (0.99 ± 0.15 m versus 1.10 ± 0.13 m, P = .003) during dual-task gait than the control group. No between-groups differences were detected during quiet stance at either time point.

Conclusions: 

Acutely after concussion, single-task and dual-task stride-length alterations were present among youth athletes compared with a control group. Although single-task gait alterations were not detected after symptom resolution, dual-task gait differences persisted, suggesting that dual-task gait alterations may persist longer after concussion than single-task gait or objective quiet-stance alterations. Dual-task gait assessments may, therefore, be a useful component in monitoring concussion recovery after symptom resolution.
Supply chain management problems in the food processing industry: Implications for business performance
Authors: Nguegan Nguegan Catherine A. , Mafini Chengedzai
Published: November 2017

Orientation: In emerging economies such as South Africa, the implementation of supply chain management is characterised by significant problems. Despite its continued growth and importance to the economy, the food processing industry in the country remains vulnerable to these problems, which threaten its viability.Motivation for the study: The aim of this study was to investigate supply chain management problems in the food processing industry and their influence on business performance. The study was motivated by the need to use supply chain management practices as a tool to improve business performance in the food processing industry.Research design, approach and method: A questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 303 supply chain professionals working in the food processing industry in Gauteng Province. The collected data were analysed by using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, Pearson correlations and regression analysis.Main findings: Supply chain management problems were identified in seven areas, namely human resource management, technology, facilities, supplier relationship management, customer relationship management, regulatory factors and logistics and transportation. Except for regulatory factors, all supply chain management problems negatively predicted business performance.Contribution or value-add: Practically, the study enables supply chain professionals in the food processing industry to understand the sources of problems and use this information to develop solutions for the improvement of business performance. Theoretically, the study endorses the view that part of the key to resolving business performance complications in the food processing industry involves streamlining supply chain management by resolving its identifiable problems.
The wild McKay correspondence and $p$-adic measures
Authors: Yasuda Takehiko
Published: November 2017

We prove a version of the wild McKay correspondence by using

p

-adic measures. This result provides new proofs of mass formulas for extensions of a local field by Serre, Bhargava and Kedlaya.
Entropy and a convergence theorem for Gauss curvature flow in high dimension
Authors: Guan Pengfei , Ni Lei
Published: November 2017

We prove uniform regularity estimates for the normalized Gauss curvature flow in higher dimensions. The convergence of solutions in

C^\infty

-topology to a smooth strictly convex soliton as

t

goes to infinity is obtained as a consequence of these estimates together with an earlier result of Andrews. The estimates are established via the study of an entropy functional for convex bodies.
Integral transforms for coherent sheaves
Authors: Ben-Zvi David , Nadler David , Preygel Anatoly
Published: November 2017

The theory of integral, or Fourier–Mukai, transforms between derived categories of sheaves is a well established tool in noncommutative algebraic geometry. General “kernel theorems” represent all reasonable linear functors between categories of perfect complexes (or their “large” version, quasi-coherent complexes) on schemes and stacks over some fixed base as integral kernels in the form of complexes (of the same nature) on the fiber product. However, for many applications in mirror symmetry and geometric representation theory one is interested instead in the bounded derived category of coherent sheaves (or its “large” version, ind-coherent sheaves), which differs from perfect complexes (and quasi-coherent complexes) once the underlying variety is singular. In this paper, we prove general kernel theorems for linear functors between derived categories of coherent sheaves over a base in terms of integral kernels on the fiber product. Namely, we identify coherent kernels with functors taking perfect complexes to coherent complexes (an analogue of the classical Schwartz kernel theorem), and kernels which are coherent relative to the source with functors taking all coherent complexes to coherent complexes. The proofs rely on key aspects of the “functional analysis” of derived categories, namely the distinction between small and large categories and its measurement using t-structures. These are used in particular to correct the failure of integral transforms on ind-coherent complexes to correspond to ind-coherent complexes on a fiber product. The results are applied in a companion paper to the representation theory of the affine Hecke category, identifying affine character sheaves with the spectral geometric Langlands category in genus one.
Computing the Teichmüller polynomial
Authors: Lanneau Erwan , Valdez Ferrán
Published: November 2017

The Teichmüller polynomial of a fibered 3-manifold, introduced in [McM00], plays a useful role in the construction of mapping classes having a small stretch factor. We provide a general algorithm for computing the Teichmüller polynomial given a pseudo-Anosov mapping class obtained as a loop in a train track automaton. As a byproduct, our algorithm allows us to derive all the relevant information on the topology of various fibers that belong to a fibered face.
Source apportionment of carbonaceous chemical species to fossil fuel combustion, biomass burning and biogenic emissions by a coupled radiocarbon–levoglucosan marker method
Authors: Salma Imre , Németh Zoltán , Weidinger Tamás , Maenhaut Willy , Claeys Magda , Molnár Mihály , Major István , Ajtai Tibor , Utry Noémi , Bozóki Zoltán
Published: November 2017

Abstract. An intensive aerosol measurement and sample collection campaign was conducted in central Budapest in a mild winter for 2 weeks. The online instruments included an FDMS-TEOM, RT-OC/EC analyser, DMPS, gas pollutant analysers and meteorological sensors. The aerosol samples were collected on quartz fibre filters by a low-volume sampler using the tandem filter method. Elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), levoglucosan, mannosan, galactosan, arabitol and mannitol were determined, and radiocarbon analysis was performed on the aerosol samples. Median atmospheric concentrations of EC, OC and PM2.5 mass were 0.97, 4.9 and 25 µg m−3, respectively. The EC and organic matter (1.6  ×  OC) accounted for 4.8 and 37 %, respectively, of the PM2.5 mass. Fossil fuel (FF) combustion represented 36 % of the total carbon (TC  =  EC + OC) in the PM2.5 size fraction. Biomass burning (BB) was a major source (40 %) for the OC in the PM2.5 size fraction, and a substantial source (11 %) for the PM10 mass. We propose and apply here a novel, straightforward, coupled radiocarbon–levoglucosan marker method for source apportionment of the major carbonaceous chemical species. The contributions of EC and OC from FF combustion (ECFF and OCFF) to the TC were 11.0 and 25 %, respectively, EC and OC from BB (ECBB and OCBB) were responsible for 5.8 and 34 %, respectively, of the TC, while the OC from biogenic sources (OCBIO) made up 24 % of the TC. The overall relative uncertainty of the OCBIO and OCBB contributions was assessed to be up to 30 %, while the relative uncertainty for the other apportioned species is expected to be below 20 %. Evaluation of the apportioned atmospheric concentrations revealed some of their important properties and relationships among them. ECFF and OCFF were associated with different FF combustion sources. Most ECFF was emitted by vehicular road traffic, while the contribution of non-vehicular sources such as domestic and industrial heating or cooking using gas, oil or coal to OCFF was substantial. The mean contribution of BB to EC particles was smaller by a factor of approximately 2 than that of road traffic. The main formation processes of OCFF, OCBB and OCBIO from volatile organic compounds were jointly influenced by a common factor, which is most likely the atmospheric photochemistry, while primary organic emissions can also be important. Technological improvements and control measures for various BB appliances, together with efficient education and training of their users, in particular on the admissible fuel types, offer an important potential for improving the air quality in Budapest, and likely in other cities as well.