bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The study of special positions of a crawling robot when changing its configuration
Authors: Yu Vorochaeva L , Malchikov A V , Yatsun A S , Martinez A
Published: March 2020

The paper considers the movement of a crawling robot, consisting of three modules, along a horizontal rough surface when changing its configuration. The fundamental characteristic of the research object is its equipping with support elements with a controlled coefficient of friction, due to which the movement along the plane can occur with the periodic fixation of two supports on the surface, which makes the device more maneuverable and high-speed. Another feature of the proposed construction is the controlled length of each module due to the prismatic pairs. This allows the robot to adapt to space limitations, such as corridors, obstacles, etc. The paper proposes a system for controlling the lengths of the robot modules, as well as the angles of their rotation when moving while fixing on the surface the two extreme supports of the side links. This system is sequential, first the central module is controlled, then one of the side modules, and only after that the second side module. Transitions from one control stage to another are carried out when the module length reaches its maximum permissible value. The paper analyzes the operation of the control system, and also examines in detail the issue of the robot transition to special positions.
Machine for winding a rib onto glass fiber rod
Authors: Bekker M V , Rokotov N V
Published: March 2020

The article presents a new machine for winding a rib onto glass fiber rod. The machine allows increasing the productivity of the production line, decreasing the amount of waste from production and decreasing the noise and vibration. Article shows key parameters of the machine. A patent protects the machine.
Calculation Of The Heat-Stressed State Of The Disk Using Free Software Code_aster
Authors: Cherednichenko A.V , Maksimova E.A , Savelyeva I.Yu
Published: March 2020

Annotation

A numerical calculation of the axisymmetric heat-stress state of the turbine disk was performed using the free Code_Aster software. Distributions of temperature, radial displacements, and also radial and axial stresses in the cross section of the disk are presented.
Influence of quality on the stress-strain state of the road fence post assembly
Authors: Demiyanushko I V , Nadezhdin V S , Titov O V , Lokit A G
Published: March 2020

In article compares results of mathematical modeling by the finite element method (FEM) for different assembly options. The object of the study was a prefabricated bridge guardrail post made of steel 3. After mathematical modeling, post deformation patterns obtained, corresponding to different eccentricity values of the installed post plate
Principles of functioning of the autonomous device for weed control for precision agriculture
Authors: Dyshekov A I , Smirnov I G , Mirzaev M A , Shereuzhev M A
Published: March 2020

The article shows the results of creation of a system aimed at reducing the negative impact on the ecological situation and biological systems while eliminating weeds in beetroot production. Methods of controlling weeds using machine vision technology are examined. For machine vision algorithms a library of images has been prepared. An algorithm and technical device have been developed for cultivating the soil on the early stages of beet growth.
To the issues of ensuring the stability of jib mobile cranes, taking into account various aspects of their operation
Authors: Emelianova G A , Kulikova C V , Gulyaev F A , Batischev Y A
Published: March 2020

The article is considered requirements of standards for crane stability analysis of mobile cranes. Proposed supplement about crane stability tests to Federal norms and rules for safety lifting hoisting equipment.
Construction of verification and diagnostic tests for the functional diagram of the object of the diagnosis
Authors: Filina O A , Salnikova O V
Published: March 2020

This article is devoted to the problem of technical diagnostics in urban electric transport and electrical facilities. To find the solution to this problem, it is necessary to transfer the qualitative determination of the Vehicle into some quantitative basis. The formalization of qualitative definitions is essential to the construction of formal (computable) diagnostic procedures.
Analysis of the structure of a precision winding using computer simulation
Authors: Kolesnikov V A , Rokotov N V
Published: March 2020

The article presents the results of computer simulation of winding structures. With random winding, a significant change in the structure of the winding product occurs even with a slight increase in the diameter of the package. With precision winding, slight deviations in the pitch of the winding of the thread lead to a significant change in the structure of the winding product.
Comparison of dynamic characteristics of the ideal field oriented control model and its based on act (automated control theory) real analogue
Authors: Myasoedov K R , Epifanov E D , Masyuk V M , Pchelkina I V
Published: March 2020

This article is dedicated to the accuracy of modeling the dynamic characteristics of a field oriented control model. The field oriented control model is based on automatic control theory and using the parameters of a real electric motor. As a result of the simulation, several dynamic characteristics were obtained. The comparison of these characteristics with the dynamic characteristics of the assembled system of field oriented control of a real electric motor is carried out. It is concluded that the operation of the field oriented control model with a certain error corresponds to the operation of the field oriented control system of a synchronous electric motor.
Time-optimal trajectories for a trolley-like system with state constraint
Authors: Samylovskiy Ivan
Published: March 2020

We consider a time-optimal problem for trolley-like system (matherial point with inertia) passage from start to zero position (i.e. origin) under bounded control (acceleration) and linear state constraint. We solve it with Pontryagin maximum principle for state-constrained problems usage. We construct optimal trajectories synthesis and show that it is not simple “cut” of classical trolleyplike problem synthesis. State constraint generates “forbidden zone” bounded by state constraint boundary and half of parabola. We also shows that optimal trajectory (for selected range of state constraint line coefficient) has no more than three switching points (for the classical case, there is no more than one switching point). We analyse synthesis for different cases of parameters and demonstrates its evolution.
The system of vertical movement stabilization of the geophysical rocket for the purpose of high-precision measurement
Authors: Verkner A S , Guryanova E O
Published: March 2020

The paper shows the system of vertical movement stabilization of the geophysical rocket (GR) for the purpose of high-precision measurement. The stabilization system is one of the main systems comprising GR’s vehicle information and control system (VICS). The model uses kinematic relations reflecting continuous changes of yaw, pitch and roll angles expressed with dynamic and kinematic equations. The computer model of GR vertical movement stabilization was developed, verified and simulated by means of SimInTech dynamic modeling.
Comparison of the results of solving the problem of nano-beams contact interaction according to different theories of size-dependent behavior
Authors: Maxim Viktorovich Zhigalov , Victor Alexandrovich Apryskin
Published: March 2020

A mathematical model of the package for two nano Bernoulli-Euler beams connected through boundary conditions is constructed. Used gradient theory of elasticity, nonlocal theory of elasticity and the theory of the account of contact interaction of B. Ya. Kantor. The influence of the length dimension parameters on the modes of beam vibrations is studied.
Algorithm For Constructing Modified Relative Phase Permeability For The Average Model Of Three-Phase Filtration In A Multilayered Layer
Authors: Yakupov Z.Ya , Abdulaziz Abrahem Hussain , Bogomolov V.A , Plokhotnikov S.P
Published: March 2020

The paper presents models of relative phase permeabilities for laboratory relative phase permeabilities. A technique has been developed for modifying the relative phase permeabilities taking into account the jet flow. Using a computational experiment, the applicability of the proposed averaged models was investigated. The models described in the article are applicable in numerical calculations for multilayered reservoirs in order to reduce the dimension of the problems under consideration.
Intelligent Nero modelling methods for PV panel system
Authors: Ahmed Hasan Ibtisam , Jawad Mohammed Mohammed , Attya Lafta Fatima
Published: March 2020

Nonlinear system identification modelling for the temperature of photovoltaic (PV) panel has been conducted in this work. In the beginning, an experimental work has been extracted from previous work in order to collect the input (ambient temperature, humidity, irradiance and wind speed) and output (PV module temperature) parameters. Then, Neural Network time series and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) models represented as system identification method to predict the temperature of PV panel as an output for the system. Both of modelling methods verified using mean square error (MSE). The effectiveness of all methods has been compared to know which method is the batter. Finally, the achieved results stated that the ANFIS method recorded the lowest MSE of 2.2627*10−7compared with NARX method which recorded of 5.078. ANFIS technique proved that will be able to use it in the control process in future.
Experimental and Numerical Assessment on S-shaped Diffuser performance with different Turbulence Intensity
Authors: Jessam Raed , Al-Kayiem Hussain H. , Nasif Mohammad S. , Abed Jaddoa Albuali Ameer
Published: March 2020

The turbulence structure in air intake S-shaped diffuser is proven to be influencing parameter on the diffuser performance. In the present research work, experimental and numerical investigations have been undertaken to explore the effect of inlet turbulence intensity level on the performance of air intake S-shaped diffuser. Detailed measurements including pressure and velocity at the inlet and outlet planes and static pressure on the top and bottom walls were taken at three pre-selected Reynolds numbers of 4.8×104, 6.4×104 and 7.5×104. The predicted corresponding turbulence intensities at the experimented three Re, were 4.16%, 3.15% and 2.8%. ANSYS-FLUENT 15 software with Standard k-ε turbulence model has been used for numerical simulations. Numerical results of static pressure recovery, total pressure loss coefficient and wall static pressure recovery have been compared with the experimental results. The experimental results indicate that increasing Reynolds number at the inlet of S-shaped diffuser resulting in slight decrease in measured turbulence intensity. Also, as Re increased from 4.8x104 to 7.5x104, the static pressure recovery increased by 9% and the total pressure loss coefficient was reduced by 4.9%.
Lead-free perovskite and double perovskite solar cells
Authors: Mashot Jafar Aqel , Khalaph Kawther A. , Moula Hmood Amar
Published: March 2020

The toxicity and instability of lead-halide perovskite materials in the solar cells are yet demands must be resolved to vie to find alternatives of free lead-based halide perovskites and double perovskite materials. Here we report on the experimental synthesis of a new family of lead-free inorganic halide double perovskites Cesium copper antimony chloride (Cs2CuSbCl6) and perovskite Cesium copper chloride (CsCuCl3) as a based sensitizer of the solar cells and studies of its characterize and optical properties of the Photo-Voltaic (PV) device. The configuration structural of PV devices is (FTO/TiO2/CsCuCl3 or Cs2CuSbCl6/Cu2O/Al electrode). The double perovskite Cs2CuSbCl6 and Perovskite CsCuCl3 are successfully synthesized, performed of structural investigations by X-ray diffraction, and depicted of optical properties via optical absorption of UV−vis measurement. The perovskite (CsCuCl3) belongs to the space grope P6122 and the Hexagonal structure phase. The strongest peeks of the XRD diffraction pattern of the double perovskite Cs2CuSbCl6 are taken at the reflection points (-201), (-202), (-3-11), (220), (-223) and (-5-34). From UV−vis measurements obtained values of a direct gap of both (Cs2CuSbCl6) and (CsCuCl3) are (1.5 and 2.2) eV, respectively. The optimum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the PV device which used Cs2CuSbCl6 as a sensitizer is 0.94%, the filling factor is 24%, the open-circuit voltage is 582.5 mV and the short circuit current was 2.656 mA. The measurement is carried out under one sun intensity illumination (1000 W/m2).
Investigation and characterization of coating and carburizing AISI 1011 steel
Authors: Abdulrazzaq Jabbar Diyar , Kadhim Zeyad Doshan
Published: March 2020

In this research work, the effect of coating layer thickness of nickel, which electrodeposited on low carbon steel AISI (1011), on mechanical properties has been studied. It also studied the mechanical properties of the carburized alloy at 950˚C at the time of carburizing five hours. It was found that fatigue strength for this alloy increased as thickness of the nickel-coated layer increased. Also, the carburized specimen has a fatigue strength higher than the untreated metal. The metal that was treated with the carburizing process and nickel plating for 15 minutes has the best fatigue strength. The fatigue strength improvement against non-plated specimens was between 3.93% and 16.87 % . Furthermore, hardness of metal increased for specimens treated with electrodeposition, and it became 219.7 Hv for metal coated with nickel at 15 minutes and had a coated layer of 20.42 µm. The hardness value became 431.65 Hv for carburized alloy treated with plating for 15 minutes. However, there was an improvement in the surface roughness due to electroplating.
Face Recognition using Hybrid Methods of Transformation and Statistical Measures
Authors: Ali Ameen Hayder , Noori Hashim Asaad
Published: March 2020

One of the most interesting problems and challenging issues within the pattern recognition computer vision is face recognition. Face recognition has gained special attention in the past few years due to its importance in relation to current applications such as security, forensic analysis, and surveillance systems. The whole system can be explained as the follows, after pre-processing, the first step is edge detection for the input image using the proposed filter, the second step is extraction the matrix of the Local Ternary Pattern (LTP) of the input image, the third step is capturing the features based on The Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). Fourth, extracted features are merged into a single vector. Finally, the matching has been performed between the features stored at the database and the features of the reference (test) image. The Proposed System has been applied to the variety databases. In the proposed system, the recognition ratio is 98% using city block distance and 98.5% using Structural Similarity (SSIM) as a classification method, the ORL ( AT&T) database is used.
Investigating the effect of post weld heat treatment on corrosion properties of explosive bonded interface of AA5083/AA1050/SS 321 tubes
Authors: Shargh Safarali Feleh , Saadat Abbas , Najafi Abolhassan , Gharehshiran Mohammad-Reza Khanzadeh , Khalaj Gholamreza
Published: March 2020

The corrosion behavior and microstructural changes in explosively welded AA5083/AA1050/SS 321 multilayer tubes after heat treatment were studied. Heat treatment were performed in 350 and 450 °C for 6 and 8 h. Microscopic results indicated significant changes in the thickness and concentration of alloying elements in locally melting zone with heat treatment temperature. According to electrochemical tests results at samples interfaces, by increasing the temperature and time of the heat treatment process, the energy stored due to explosive welding is reduced, the difference in the concentration of aluminum related to steel in the interface layer decreases, and the corrosion rate (current density) and electrical charge transfer decrease.
Spray pyrolysis of graphene oxide based composite for optical and wettability applications
Authors: Alkhafaji Abdulkareem A , Khaleel Imad H , Miran Hussein A
Published: March 2020

In this study, silica-graphene oxide nano–composites were prepared by sol-gel technique and deposited by spray pyrolysis method on glass substrate. The effect of changing the graphene/silica ratio on the optical properties and wetting of these nano–structures has been investigated. The structural and morphological properties of the thin films have been studied by x-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and atomic force microscope (AFM). XRD results show that silica structures present in the synthesized films exhibit amorphous character and there is a poor arrangement in graphene plates along their accumulation directions. The relationship between the contact angle of the water drop and the surface of thin films was analyzed by surface roughness. The results show that the contact angle is also decreased by decreasing the surface roughness. Absorption and transmittance spectra obtained from (UV–vis) of the studied films were used to compute and determine some optical parameters such as absorption coefficient, transmittance rate, optical gap, refractive index and extinction coefficient of the films. The calculated optical band gaps of films decrease by increase the silica contents in these structures.
Controlling oil/water separation using oleophillic and hydrophobic coatings based on plasma technology
Authors: Agarwal Anurag , Manna Soumyadeb , Nath Swaraj , Sharma Kanhaya , Chaudhury Pubali , Bora Tanujjal , Solomon Infant , Sarma Arun
Published: March 2020

Disposable and highly efficient device that can separate oil from water is in high demand. This work reveals the concept of oil/water separation using plasma technology. Copper coated, oxygen plasma-treated mesh has been used to separate oil and water from its mixture. At some critical conditions, the prepared coated mesh showed hydrophobic and oleophilic behavior. The coated mesh was used to separate the oil-water mixture, which allowed the oil to pass through, while it repelled water completely. The designed coated mesh maintained separation efficiency as high as 99 percent. Properties of coated and uncoated mesh were examined using various techniques and analyzed to understand the physical changes.
Corrosion behavior of lithium silicate-based Zn-5.5Al-4.5Mg-0.3Ce coating
Authors: Han Shaoguang , Shen Chengjin , Zhou Shuzheng
Published: March 2020

The effects of Ce on the microstructure of Zn-5.5Al-4.5Mg alloy and the corrosion mechanism of Zn-5.5Al-4.5Mg-0.3Ce alloy and its coatings were investigated in this research. The results show that the structure of Zn-5.5Al-4.5Mg-0.3Ce alloy is composed of hcp-Zn, fcc-Al and ternary eutectic structure (Zn/Al/MgZn2/Mg2Zn11), without dendritic tissue and MgZn2. The salt spray corrosion performance of Zn-5.5Al-4.5Mg-0.5CMC-2C coating was significantly better than that of Zn-5.5Al-4.5Mg-0.3Ce coating and Zn-5.5Al-4.5Mg-0.5CMC coating. The corrosion current density of Zn-5.5Al-4.5Mg-0.5CMC-2C coating was 3.217 μA cm−2, which was significantly lower than 3.96 μA cm−2 of Zn-5.5Al-4.5Mg-0.3Ce alloy and 5.879 μA cm−2 of Zn-5.5Al-4.5Mg alloy. Sodium carboxymethylcellulose and graphene improve the film formation and electrical conductivity of water-based lithium silicate resin. During corrosion of Zn-5.5Al-4.5Mg-0.3 Ce series alloy and coatings, Zn and Mg2Zn11 dissolved preferentially to form corrosion products of Zn5(OH)6(CO3)2 and Zn5(OH)8Cl2·H2O. Mg6Al2(OH)16CO3·4H2O and Zn4Al2(OH)12CO3·3H2O bimetallic hydroxide colloidal membranes were formed, which attached and wrapped on the surface of early corrosion products. Mg6Al2(OH)16CO3·4H2O and Zn4Al2(OH)12CO3·3H2O, preventing the dissolution of soluble corrosion products, improved the corrosion resistance of Zn-5.5Al-4.5Mg-0.3Ce alloy.
Structural relaxation probed by resistance drift in amorphous germanium
Authors: Dong Ning-Ning , Xu Jian-Gen , Cui Jin-Jiang , Wang Xiaodong
Published: March 2020

Amorphous germanium films with different thicknesses are deposited by magnetron sputtering (MS) method. Optical band gap and surface resistance are characterized. Our analysis reveals that there are three kinds of structural relaxation (SR) that may occur in amorphous germanium (a-Ge), and they are spontaneous SR (SSR), annealing-induced SR (AISR), and medium range order (MRO)-to-continuous random network (CRN) Sr Samples all demonstrate a band gap widening after these kinds of Sr The properties and mechanisms of SSR, AISR, and MRO-to-CRN SR are elucidated, respectively, which sheds some light on the controversies about SR in a-Ge films. In addition, some experimental results about SSR and AISR are also provided.
Effect of Ce addition on microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion behavior of Al-Cu-Mn-Mg-Fe alloy
Authors: Tian Wei , Hu Mengnan , Chen Xiaohong , Zhou Honglei , Sun Yue , Lu Qingqing , Wan Maoyuan
Published: March 2020

The effects of rare earth Ce on the microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion behavior of Al-Cu-Mn-Mg-Fe alloys were investigated by means of microstructure analysis, tensile test and electrochemical corrosion test. The research shows that the Al-Cu-Mn-Mg-Fe alloy after low temperature heat treatment mainly contains the S (Al2CuMg) phase, the T (Al20Cu2Mn3) phase, the Al6 (Mn, Fe) phase and the Al7Cu2Fe phase, and the rare earth Ce makes the alloy form the new rare earth phase Al8Cu4Ce. The appearance of this phase has a significant refinement effect on the Al6 (Mn, Fe) phase. Compared with Ce-free, the yield strength and tensile strength of Al-Cu-Mn-Mg-Fe alloy with 0.254 ωt% Ce increased by 7% and 15%, respectively, and the elongation increased from 3.1% to 4.8%. It also has better corrosion resistance, which is represented by the decrease of corrosion current density and positive shift of corrosion potential in Tafel measurement in solutions of different concentrations, and the increase of corrosion impedance in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy test, especially the corrosion current density was reduced by 6.06 μA cm−2 in 3.5% NaCl solution.
Blue-noise sampling for human retinal cone spatial distribution modeling
Authors: Lanaro Matteo Paolo , Perrier Hélène , Coeurjolly David , Ostromoukhov Victor , Rizzi Alessandro
Published: March 2020

This paper proposes a novel method for modeling retinal cone distribution in humans. It is based on Blue-noise sampling algorithms being strongly related with the mosaic sampling performed by cone photoreceptors in the human retina. Here we present the method together with a series of examples of various real retinal patches. The same samples have also been created with alternative algorithms and compared with plots of the center of the inner segments of cone photoreceptors from imaged retinas. Results are evaluated with different distance measure used in the field, like nearest-neighbor analysis and pair correlation function. The proposed method can effectively describe features of a human retinal cone distribution by allowing to create samples similar to the available data. For this reason, we believe that the proposed algorithm may be a promising solution when modeling local patches of retina.
Which Components of a Smartphone Walking App Help Users to Reach Personalized Step Goals? Results From an Optimization Trial
Authors: Kramer Jan-Niklas , Künzler Florian , Mishra Varun , Smith Shawna N , Kotz David , Scholz Urte , Fleisch Elgar , Kowatsch Tobias
Published: March 2020

Background

The Assistant to Lift your Level of activitY (Ally) app is a smartphone application that combines financial incentives with chatbot-guided interventions to encourage users to reach personalized daily step goals.

Purpose

To evaluate the effects of incentives, weekly planning, and daily self-monitoring prompts that were used as intervention components as part of the Ally app.

Methods

We conducted an 8 week optimization trial with n = 274 insurees of a health insurance company in Switzerland. At baseline, participants were randomized to different incentive conditions (cash incentives vs. charity incentives vs. no incentives). Over the course of the study, participants were randomized weekly to different planning conditions (action planning vs. coping planning vs. no planning) and daily to receiving or not receiving a self-monitoring prompt. Primary outcome was the achievement of personalized daily step goals.

Results

Study participants were more active and healthier than the general Swiss population. Daily cash incentives increased step-goal achievement by 8.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI): [2.1, 14.1] and, only in the no-incentive control group, action planning increased step-goal achievement by 5.8%, 95% CI: [1.2, 10.4]. Charity incentives, self-monitoring prompts, and coping planning did not affect physical activity. Engagement with planning interventions and self-monitoring prompts was low and 30% of participants stopped using the app over the course of the study.

Conclusions

Daily cash incentives increased physical activity in the short term. Planning interventions and self-monitoring prompts require revision before they can be included in future versions of the app. Selection effects and engagement can be important challenges for physical-activity apps.

Clinical Trial Information

This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03384550.
Computational methods for the integrative analysis of single-cell data
Authors: Forcato Mattia , Romano Oriana , Bicciato Silvio
Published: March 2020

Recent advances in single-cell technologies are providing exciting opportunities for dissecting tissue heterogeneity and investigating cell identity, fate and function. This is a pristine, exploding field that is flooding biologists with a new wave of data, each with its own specificities in terms of complexity and information content. The integrative analysis of genomic data, collected at different molecular layers from diverse cell populations, holds promise to address the full-scale complexity of biological systems. However, the combination of different single-cell genomic signals is computationally challenging, as these data are intrinsically heterogeneous for experimental, technical and biological reasons. Here, we describe the computational methods for the integrative analysis of single-cell genomic data, with a focus on the integration of single-cell RNA sequencing datasets and on the joint analysis of multimodal signals from individual cells.
Matrix decomposition for modeling lesion development processes in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Hu Menghan , Crainiceanu Ciprian , Schindler Matthew K , Dewey Blake , Reich Daniel S , Shinohara Russell T , Eloyan Ani
Published: March 2020

Our main goal is to study and quantify the evolution of multiple sclerosis lesions observed longitudinally over many years in multi-sequence structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI). To achieve that, we propose a class of functional models for capturing the temporal dynamics and spatial distribution of the voxel-specific intensity trajectories in all sMRI sequences. To accommodate the hierarchical data structure (observations nested within voxels, which are nested within lesions, which, in turn, are nested within study participants), we use structured functional principal component analysis. We propose and evaluate the finite sample properties of hypothesis tests of therapeutic intervention effects on lesion evolution while accounting for the multilevel structure of the data. Using this novel testing strategy, we found statistically significant differences in lesion evolution between treatment groups.
Markers of A1 astrocytes stratify to molecular sub-types in sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease brain
Authors: Ugalde Cathryn L , Lewis Victoria , Stehmann Christiane , McLean Catriona A , Lawson Victoria A , Collins Steven J , Hill Andrew F
Published: March 2020

Astrocytes are glial cells of the central nervous system that become reactive under conditions of stress. The functional properties of reactive astrocytes depend on their stimulus that induces the upregulation of specific genes. Reactive astrocytes are a neuropathological feature of prion disorders; however, their role in the disease pathogenesis is not well understood. Here, we describe our studies of one polarization state of reactive astrocytes, termed A1 astrocytes, in the frontal cortex region of 35 human sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease brains encompassing a range of molecular sub-types. Examination of two mRNA markers of A1 astrocytes, C3 and GBP2, revealed a strong linear correlation between the two following their log-normalization (P = 0.0011). Both markers were found upregulated in the sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease brain compared with age-matched control tissues (P = 0.0029 and 0.0002, for C3log and GBP2log, respectively), and stratifying samples based on codon 129 genotype revealed that C3log is highest in homozygous methionine and lowest in homozygous valine patients, which followed a linear trend (P = 0.027). Upon assessing other disease parameters, a significant positive correlation was found between GBP2log and disease duration (P = 0.031). These findings provide evidence for a divergence in the astrocytic environment amongst patients with sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease based on molecular sub-type parameters of disease. While more research will be needed to determine the global changes in the genomic profiles and resulting functional properties of reactive astrocytes in disease, considering the evidence demonstrating that A1 astrocytes harbour neurotoxic properties, the changes seen in C3log and GBP2log in the current study may reflect differences in pathogenic mechanisms amongst the sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease sub-types associated with the A1 polarization state.
Double-Layer Network Negative Public Opinion Information Propagation Modeling Based on Continuous-Time Markov Chain
Authors: Liu Xiaoyang , Tang Ting , He Daobing
Published: March 2020

In view of the fact that the existing public opinion propagation aspects are mostly based on single-layer propagation network, these works rarely consider the double-layer network structure and the negative opinion evolution. This paper proposes a new susceptible-infected-vaccinated-susceptible negative opinion information propagation model with preventive vaccination by constructing double-layer network topology. Firstly, the continuous-time Markov chain is used to simulate the negative public opinion information propagation process and the nonlinear dynamic equation of the model is derived; secondly, the steady state condition of the virus propagation in the model is proposed and mathematically proved; finally, Monte Carlo method is applied in the proposed model. The parameters of simulation model have an effect on negative public opinion information propagation, the derivation results are verified by computer simulation. The simulation results show that the proposed model has a larger threshold of public opinion information propagation and has more effective control of the scale of negative public opinion; it also can reduce the density of negative public opinion information propagation and suppress negative public opinion information compared with the traditional susceptible infected susceptible model. It also can provide the scientific method and research approach based on probability statistics for the study of negative public opinion information propagation in complex networks.
On Foreign Investor ‘Privilege’ and the Limits of the Law: A Reply to Ivar Alvik
Authors: Kurtz Jürgen
Published: March 2020

International investment treaties are structurally characterized by inherent asymmetry in the (non-relative) legal protections extended to foreign investors vis-à-vis domestic companies and nationals. For many lawyers, ‘foreign privilege’ is deeply problematic as it violates a foundational legal principle – namely, equality before the law. Yet law and law alone cannot always offer a definitive answer of this sort. At the very least, legal hypotheses should be rigorously tested against insights from other disciplines that can offer sharp analytical light on the complex contours of a given phenomenon. In this reply, I explore the political economy of host state policy as it is formed against three categories of foreign direct investment (FDI). Conceptually (and empirically), this political economy matrix reveals sharply varying levels of risk of hostile state action against distinct forms of FDI. To be sure, this analysis alone does not justify the traditional and expansive model of bilateral investment treaty protections. Yet, at least for some categories, this political economy case reveals an internal problem that is difficult (if not impossible) for the state itself to resolve, and, thus, it may well be rational for such a state to leverage international norms to extend qualified extra-domestic priority to foreign actors.
Missing links in the study of solute and particle exchange between the sea floor and water column
Authors: Rühl Saskia , Thompson Charlie , Queirós Ana M , Widdicombe Stephen
Published: March 2020

Exchanges of solutes and solids between the sea floor and water column are a vital component of ecosystem functioning in marine habitats around the globe. This review explores particle and solute exchange processes, the different mechanisms through which they interact at the ecosystem level, as well as their interdependencies. Solute and particle exchange processes are highly dependent on the characteristics of the environment within which they takes place. Exchange is driven directly by a number of factors, such as currents, granulometry, nutrient, and matter inputs, as well as living organisms. In turn, the occurrence of exchanges can influence adjacent environments and organisms. Major gaps in the present knowledge include the temporal and spatial variation in many of the processes driving benthic/pelagic exchange processes and the variability in the relative importance of individual processes caused by this variation. Furthermore, the accurate assessment of some anthropogenic impacts is deemed questionable due to a lack of baseline data and long-term effects of anthropogenic actions are often unknown. It is suggested that future research should be transdisciplinary and at ecosystem level wherever possible and that baseline surveys should be implemented and long-term observatories established to fill the current knowledge gaps.
Cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus) meal fed to healthy adult dogs does not affect general health and minimally impacts apparent total tract digestibility
Authors: Kilburn Logan R , Carlson Anne T , Lewis Elizabeth , Serao Mariana C Rossoni
Published: March 2020

Insects can serve as a novel high-quality protein source for pet foods. However, there is an absence of research investigating the use of insects in pet food. The study objective was to evaluate the apparent total tract digestibility and possible health effects of diets containing graded levels of cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus) meal fed to healthy adult dogs. Thirty-two adult Beagles were randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments: 0%, 8%, 16%, or 24% cricket meal. Dogs were fed their respective diet for a total of 29 d with a 6-d collection phase. Fecal samples were collected daily during the collection phase to measure total fecal output as well as apparent total tract digestibility for dry matter (DM), organic matter, crude protein, fat, total dietary fiber, and gross energy. Blood samples were taken prior to the study and on day 29 for hematology and chemistry profiles. Data were analyzed in a mixed model including the fixed effects of diet and sex. Total fecal output increased on both an as-is (P = 0.030) and DM basis (P = 0.024). The apparent total tract digestibility of each nutrient decreased (P < 0.001) with the increasing level of cricket meal inclusion. All blood values remained within desired reference intervals indicating healthy dogs. Slight fluctuations in blood urea nitrogen (P = 0.037) and hemoglobin (P = 0.044) levels were observed but were not considered of biological significance. Even with the decrease in digestibility with the inclusion of cricket meal, diets remained highly digestible at greater than 80% total apparent digestibility. In conclusion, crickets were demonstrated to be an acceptable ingredient for dog diets.
Competing Through Keyword Advertising
Authors: Colangelo Giuseppe
Published: March 2020

The impressive growth of online shopping has had a significant impact on firms’ strategies and customer behavior, bringing to the fore new forms of trademark exploitation that may affect competition. A prominent role is played by keyword advertising services provided by internet search engines. Keyword advertising systems have been the subject of several litigations with regard to the legality of the use of keywords which correspond to trademarks, since trademark holders complain that the essential functions of trademarks might be detrimentally affected. However, given the importance of search engines for attracting customers to the websites of retailers and competitors, online advertising restrictions also raise anticompetitive concerns on both sides of the Atlantic. Indeed, the E-commerce Sector Inquiry carried out by the European Commission reported that some retailers are limited in their ability to use or bid on the trademarks of certain manufacturers to get a preferential listing on search engines’ paid referencing service or are only allowed to bid on certain positions. Furthermore, the UK Competition and Markets Authority encountered brand-bidding restrictions in the markets for broadband, credit cards, energy, flights, and home insurance, while the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets analyzed the hotel sector. Moreover, in the US, the Federal Trade Commission has ruled that the largest online retailer of contact lenses unlawfully entered into a web of anticompetitive agreements with rivals, preventing them from bidding for search engine result advertisements that would inform consumers that identical products were available at lower prices. The aim of this paper is to shed light on the economic rationales and legal implications of keyword advertising to strike a proper balance between trademark protection and freedom of competition.
Maidenhead to Conventicle: The Curious Transformation of a Woodcut
Authors: Williams William Proctor
Published: March 2020

Thomas Heywood’s play A Maidenhead Well Lost (1634), printed by Nicholas Okes, has a woodcut larger than the usual page size for this quarto on its title-page and later in the book. It was clearly devised for this book only. Aside from this curious fact, the woodcut, considerably modified, was used later in John Taylor’s polemical The Brownists conventicle (1641) which was not printed by Okes who was dead by then. Although the existence of this woodcut is noted by scholars, notably Greg and Foakes, it has never been given careful bibliographical study. This paper provides such a study and considers the curious use of the woodcut in both books.
New Light on the History of Isaac Newton's Library
Authors: Thomson Karen
Published: March 2020

In the standard scholarly work, The Library of Isaac Newton published by CUP in 1978, John Harrison makes two significant assumptions about the library’s early history which are incorrect. This paper highlights the necessary revisions, including the unnoticed role played by Mrs Jane Musgrave, Jane Austen’s godmother, in the library’s preservation. It also proposes for the first time a plausible reason why John Huggins, Warden of the Fleet Prison, bought the library from the executors immediately after Newton’s death.
Multiparametric MRI for early identification of therapeutic response in recurrent glioblastoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors
Authors: Song Joseph , Kadaba Priyanka , Kravitz Amanda , Hormigo Adilia , Friedman Joshua , Belani Puneet , Hadjipanayis Constantinos , Ellingson Benjamin M , Nael Kambiz
Published: March 2020

Background

Physiologic changes quantified by diffusion and perfusion MRI have shown utility in predicting treatment response in glioblastoma (GBM) patients treated with cytotoxic therapies. We aimed to investigate whether quantitative changes in diffusion and perfusion after treatment by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) would determine 6-month progression-free survival (PFS6) in patients with recurrent GBM.

Methods

Inclusion criteria for this retrospective study were: (i) diagnosis of recurrent GBM treated with ICIs and (ii) availability of diffusion and perfusion in pre and post ICI MRI (iii) at ≥6 months follow-up from treatment. After co-registration, mean values of the relative apparent diffusion coefficient (rADC), Ktrans (volume transfer constant), Ve (extravascular extracellular space volume) and Vp (plasma volume), and relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) were calculated from a volume-of-interest of the enhancing tumor. Final assignment of stable/improved versus progressive disease was determined on 6-month follow-up using modified Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology criteria.

Results

Out of 19 patients who met inclusion criteria and follow-up (mean ± SD: 7.8 ± 1.4 mo), 12 were determined to have tumor progression, while 7 had treatment response after 6 months of ICI treatment. Only interval change of rADC was suggestive of treatment response. Patients with treatment response (6/7: 86%) had interval increased rADC, while 11/12 (92%) with tumor progression had decreased rADC (P = 0.001). Interval change in rCBV, Ktrans, Vp, and Ve were not indicative of treatment response within 6 months.

Conclusions

In patients with recurrent GBM, interval change in rADC is promising in assessing treatment response versus progression within the first 6 months following ICI treatment.

Key Points

• In recurrent GBM treated with ICIs, interval change in rADC suggests early treatment response.

• Interval change in rADC can be used as an imaging biomarker to determine PFS6.

• Interval change in MR perfusion and permeability measures do not suggest ICI treatment response.
The Utility of Intraoperative Lateral Spread Recording in Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Thirumala Parthasarathy D , Altibi Ahmed M , Chang Robert , Saca Eyad E , Iyengar Pragnya , Reddy Rajiv , Anetakis Katherine , Crammond Donald J , Balzer Jeffrey R , Sekula Raymond F
Published: March 2020

BACKGROUND

Microvascular decompression (MVD) is the surgical treatment of choice for hemifacial spasm (HFS). During MVD, monitoring of the abnormal lateral spread response (LSR), an evoked response to facial nerve stimulation, has been traditionally used to monitor adequacy of cranial nerve (CN) VII decompression.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the utility of LSR monitoring in predicting spasm-free status after MVD postoperatively.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase for relevant publications. We included studies reporting on intraoperative LSR monitoring during MVD for HFS and spasm-free status following the procedure. Sensitivity of LSR, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio, and positive predictive value were calculated.

RESULTS

From 148 studies, 26 studies with 7479 patients were ultimately included in this meta-analysis. The final intraoperative LSR status predicted the clinical outcome of MVD with the following specificities and sensitivities: 89% (0.83- 0.93) and 40% (0.30- 0.51) at discharge, 90% (0.84-0.94) and 41% (0.29-0.53) at 3 mo, 89% (0.83-0.93) and 40% (0.30-0.51) at 1 yr. When LSR persisted after MVD, the probability (95% CI) for HFS persistence was 47.8% (0.33-0.63) at discharge, 40.8% (0.23-0.61) at 3 mo, and 24.4% (0.13-0.41) at 1 yr. However, when LSR resolved, the probability for HFS persistence was 7.3% at discharge, 4.2% at 3 mo, and 4.0% at 1 yr.

CONCLUSION

Intraoperative LSR monitoring has high specificity but modest sensitivity in predicting the spasm-free status following MVD. Persistence of LSR carries high risk for immediate and long-term facial spasm persistence. Therefore, adequacy of decompression should be thoroughly investigated before closing in cases where intraoperative LSR persists.
HCN 3–2 survey towards a sample of local galaxies
Authors: Li Fei , Wang Junzhi , Fang Min , Tan Qing-Hua , Zhang Zhi-Yu , Gao Yu , Li Shanghuo
Published: March 2020

We present observations of HCN 3–2 emissions towards 37 local galaxies using the 10 m Submillimeter Telescope. HCN 3–2 emission is detected in 23 galaxies. The correlation of infrared luminosity (LIR) and the luminosity of HCN 3–2 line emission measured in our sample is fitted with a slope of 1.11 and correlation coefficient of 0.91, which follows the linear correlation found in other dense gas tracers in the literature. Although molecular gas above a certain volume density threshold (i.e., $n_{\rm H_2}\ge 10^4\:$cm−3) statistically gave a similar relation with infrared luminosity, the large scatter of HCN 3–2/HCN 1–0 ratios for galaxies with different LIR indicates that dense gas masses estimated from the line luminosities of only one transition of dense gas tracers should be treated with caution for individual galaxies.
Astrometry of H2O masers in the W 48 A (G35.20−01.74) H ii region with VERA: A compact disk outflow inside core H-2a
Authors: Chibueze James O , Nagayama Takumi , Omodaka Toshihiro , Nagano Masayuki , Wada Koji , Hirano Ken
Published: March 2020

W 48 A core H-2a is one of the young massive protostellar objects in the W 48 region. We conducted multi-epoch astrometric observations of the water (H2O) masers associated with the W 48 A core H-2a with VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry (VERA). The trigonometric annual parallax of W 48 A core H-2a was measured to be 0.433 ± 0.026 mas, corresponding to a distance of $2.31^{+0.15}_{-0.13}$ kpc. This agrees with the revised parallax of 0.412 ± 0.014 mas by Wu et al. (2019, ApJ, 874, 94). We obtained the systemic proper motion and local standard of rest velocity to be (μαcos δ, μδ) = (0.26 ± 0.73, −3.87 ± 0.33) mas yr−1 and vLSR = 41.9 ± 0.9 km s−1, respectively. The distribution of the H2O masers covers an area of 70 mas × 80 mas, corresponding to 160 au × 180 au at the distance of 2.31 kpc. The internal proper motions of the H2O masers trace an east–west bipolar outflow. With the recent absolute position measurement of the 6.7 GHz methanol (CH3OH) masers and their elliptical distribution, whose major axis is perpendicular to the axis of the bipolar outflow, we suggest the presence of a disk outflow system in core H-2a. The spectral energy distribution (SED) of the driving source of core H-2a was previously reported to yield a luminosity and envelope mass of 8000 ± 1000 $W_{\odot}$ and 170 ± 30 $M_{\odot}$, respectively. Refitting the SED with the new distance, we obtained the luminosity to be 3100 ± 388 $L_{\odot}$ and derived the zero age main sequence (ZAMS) stellar mass to be 9 ± 1 $M_{\odot}$. Using our distance measurement, we derived the peculiar motion of W 48 A to be (Us, Vs, Ws) = (1 ± 4, 5 ± 6, −15 ± 5) km s−1.