bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methodology for Estimating Thermal and Neutron Embrittlement of Cast Austenitic Stainless Steels During Service in Light Water Reactors
Authors: Chopra O. K. , Rao A. S.
Published: October 2015

Cast austenitic stainless steel (CASS) materials, which have a duplex structure consisting of austenite and ferrite phases, are susceptible to thermal embrittlement during reactor service. In addition, the prolonged exposure of these materials, which are used in reactor core internals, to neutron irradiation changes their microstructure and microchemistry, and these changes degrade their fracture properties even further. This paper presents a revision of the procedure and correlations presented in NUREG/CR-4513, Rev. 1 (Aug. 1994) for predicting the change in fracture toughness and tensile properties of CASS components due to thermal aging during service in light water reactors (LWRs) at 280–330 °C (535–625 °F). The methodology is applicable to CF-3, CF-3M, CF-8, and CF-8M materials with a ferrite content of up to 40%. The fracture toughness, tensile strength, and Charpy-impact energy of aged CASS materials are estimated from known material information. Embrittlement is characterized in terms of room-temperature (RT) Charpy-impact energy. The extent or degree of thermal embrittlement at “saturation” (i.e., the minimum impact energy that can be achieved for a material after long-term aging) is determined from the chemical composition of the material. Charpy-impact energy as a function of the time and temperature of reactor service is estimated from the kinetics of thermal embrittlement, which are also determined from the chemical composition. The fracture toughness J-R curve for the aged material is then obtained by correlating RT Charpy-impact energy with fracture toughness parameters. A common “predicted lower-bound” J-R curve for CASS materials of unknown chemical composition is also defined for a given grade of material, range of ferrite content, and temperature. In addition, guidance is provided for evaluating the combined effects of thermal and neutron embrittlement of CASS materials used in the reactor core internal components. The correlations for estimating the change in tensile strength, including the Ramberg/Osgood parameters for strain hardening, are also described.
The significance of the evanescent spectrum in structure-waveguide interaction problems
Authors: Tsouvalas Apostolos , van Dalen Karel N. , Metrikine Andrei V.
Published: October 2015

Modal decomposition is often applied in elastodynamics and acoustics for the solution of problems related to propagation of mechanical disturbances in waveguides. One of the key elements of this method is the solution of an eigenvalue problem for obtaining the roots of the dispersion equation, which signify the wavenumbers of the waves that may exist in the system. For non-dissipative media, the wavenumber spectrum consists of a finite number of real roots supplemented by infinitely many imaginary and complex ones. The former refer to the propagating modes in the medium, whereas the latter constitute the so-called evanescent spectrum. This study investigates the significance of the evanescent spectrum in structure-waveguide interaction problems. Two cases are analysed, namely, a beam in contact with a fluid layer and a cylindrical shell interacting with an acousto-elastic waveguide. The first case allows the introduction of a modal decomposition method and the establishment of appropriate criteria for the truncation of the modal expansions in a simple mathematical framework. The second case describes structure-borne wave radiation in an offshore environment during the installation of a pile with an impact hammer—a problem that has raised serious concerns in recent years due to the associated underwater noise pollution.
Stress-dependent second-order grain statistics of polycrystals
Authors: Kube Christopher M. , Turner Joseph A.
Published: October 2015

In this article, the second-order statistics of the elastic moduli of randomly oriented grains in a polycrystal are derived for the case when an initial stress is present. The initial stress can be either residual stress or stresses generated from external loading. The initial stress is shown to increase or decrease the variability of the grain's elastic moduli from the average elastic moduli of the polycrystal. This variation in the elastic properties of the individual grains causes acoustic scattering phenomenon in polycrystalline materials to become stress-dependent. The influence of the initial stress on scattering is shown to be greater than the influence on acoustic phase velocities, which defines the acoustoelastic effect. This work helps the development of scattering based tools for the nondestructive analysis of material stresses in polycrystals.
Chemotherapy-induced antitumor immunity requires formyl peptide receptor 1
Authors: Vacchelli Erika , Ma Yuting , Baracco Elisa E. , Sistigu Antonella , Enot David P. , Pietrocola Federico , Yang Heng , Adjemian Sandy , Chaba Kariman , Semeraro Michaela , Signore Michele , De Ninno Adele , Lucarini Valeria , Peschiaroli Francesca , Businaro Luca , Gerardino Annamaria , Manic Gwenola , Ulas Thomas , Günther Patrick , Schultze Joachim L. , Kepp Oliver , Stoll Gautier , Lefebvre Céline , Mulot Claire , Castoldi Francesca , Rusakiewicz Sylvie , Ladoire Sylvain , Apetoh Lionel , Bravo-San Pedro José Manuel , Lucattelli Monica , Delarasse Cécile , Boige Valérie , Ducreux Michel , Delaloge Suzette , Borg Christophe , André Fabrice , Schiavoni Giovanna , Vitale Ilio , Laurent-Puig Pierre , Mattei Fabrizio , Zitvogel Laurence , Kroemer Guido
Published: October 2015

How dying tumor cells get noticed

Besides killing tumor cells directly, some chemotherapies, such as anthracyclines, also activate the immune system to kill tumors. Vacchelli
et al.
discovered that in mice, anthracycline-induced antitumor immunity requires immune cells to express the protein formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1). Dendritic cells (DCs) near tumors expressed especially high amounts of FPR1. DCs normally capture fragments of dying tumor cells and use them to activate nearby T cells to kill tumors, but DCs lacking FPR1 failed to do this effectively. Individuals with breast or colon cancer expressing a variant of FPR1 and treated with anthracyclines showed poor metastasis-free and overall survival. Thus, FPR1 may affect anti-tumor immunity in people, too.

Science
, this issue p.
972
Genome Sequence of the Deep-Sea Bacterium Idiomarina abyssalis KMM 227
T
Authors: Rheaume Bruce A. , Mithoefer Scott , MacLea Kyle S.
Published: October 2015

Idiomarina abyssalis
KMM 227
T
is an aerobic flagellar gammaproteobacterium found at a depth of 4,000 to 5,000 m below sea level in the Pacific Ocean. This paper presents a draft genome sequence for
I. abyssalis
KMM 227
T
, with a predicted composition of 2,684,812 bp (47.15% G+C content) and 2,611 genes, of which 2,508 were predicted coding sequences.
Draft Whole-Genome Sequence of the Marine Bacterium Idiomarina zobellii KMM 231
T
Authors: Mithoefer Scott , Rheaume Bruce A. , MacLea Kyle S.
Published: October 2015

Idiomarina zobellii
was isolated from the northwest Pacific Ocean at a depth of 4,000 to 5,000 m in 1985. The draft whole-genome shotgun sequence of
I. zobellii
KMM 231
T
described in this paper has a predicted length of 2,602,160 bp, containing 2,570 total genes, 52 tRNAs, and a G+C content of 47.10%.
Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 (DSM 1128), an Important Rhamnolipid Surfactant Producer and Sterility Testing Strain
Authors: Mai-Prochnow Anne , Bradbury Mark , Murphy Anthony B.
Published: October 2015

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
ATCC 9027 (DSM1128) is often used as a quality-control strain for sterility and microbial contamination testing and is an important biosurfactant producer. Here, we present the 6.4-Mb draft genome sequence and highlight some genomic differences to its closest relative,
P. aeruginosa
strain PA7.
Complete Genome Sequence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus schleiferi Strain TSCC54 of Canine Origin
Authors: Sasaki Takashi , Tsubakishita Sae , Kuwahara-Arai Kyoko , Matsuo Miki , Lu Yu Jie , Tanaka Yoshikazu , Hiramatsu Keiichi
Published: October 2015

We report a complete genome sequence of the methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus schleiferi
strain TSCC54, isolated from the skin of a dog in Tokyo, Japan.
Full-Length Genome Characterization of Chinese Porcine Deltacoronavirus Strain CH/SXD1/2015
Authors: Chen Fangzhou , Zhu Yinxing , Wu Meizhou , Ku Xugang , Yao Li , He Qigai
Published: October 2015

A porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) was identified in the Chinese mainland and found to be closely related to Hong Kong strain HKU15-155 but differed from PDCoV strains in the United States and South Korea. The complete genome of PDCoV strain CH/SXD1/201 was sequenced and analyzed to further characterize PDCoV in Chinese swine.
Effects of Acupuncture on Preeclampsia in Chinese Women: A Pilot Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Zeng Yingchun , Liu Bing , Luo Taizhen , Chen Yun , Chen Guangen , Chen Dunjin
Published: October 2015

Objective

To investigate the acceptability and feasibility of acupuncture treatment as an adjunct to usual care in Chinese women with preeclampsia.

Methods

This was a pilot prospective cohort study. Pregnant women with a diagnosis of preeclampsia were offered acupuncture and allocated into groups based on their choice: the acupuncture group (n=11) comprised women electing to receive treatment (up to 10 sessions over 2 weeks). The control group (n=11) was made up of women who declined and was matched for age, gestation at diagnosis, and parity. All women received usual care and underwent measurement of blood pressure (BP) at four time points: at baseline, at the end of the intervention, immediately before delivery, and postpartum (within 24 h).

Results

Patients in the acupuncture group had significantly lower BP at time of delivery, and postpartum, than patients in the control group (p<0.05). The individual change in BP between baseline and the end of treatment was significantly greater in the acupuncture group versus the control group for both systolic BP (median (IQR) −8 (−3 to −14) vs +1 (−7 to +9) mm Hg, p=0.007) and diastolic BP (−3 (−1 to −3) vs +2 (−2 to +7) mm Hg, p=0.013). There were no significant differences between the groups in perinatal outcomes and no adverse effects of treatment.

Conclusions

Acupuncture plus usual care was associated with a greater reduction in BP than usual care alone. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of acupuncture in the treatment of preeclampsia.
Pleural effusion caused by a malpositioned umbilical venous catheter in a neonate
Authors: Abiramalatha Thangaraj , Kumar Manish , Shabeer Machilakath Panangandi
Published: October 2015

Umbilical venous catheterisation (UVC) insertion is a common procedure performed in most neonatal units. We report a case of a neonate who developed pleural and pericardial effusions and ascites due to a malpositioned UVC causing diaphragmatic perforation. Timely diagnosis using bedside sonography and prompt removal of the catheter resulted in resolution of the effusions without undue complications.
Intensity of statin therapy and new hospitalizations for heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Kishimoto Ichiro , Makino Hisashi , Ohata Yoko , Tamanaha Tamiko , Tochiya Mayu , Anzai Toshihisa , Kusano Kengo , Noguchi Teruo , Yasuda Satoshi , Ogawa Hisao
Published: October 2015

Objective

To examine a relationship between statin intensity and heart failure (HF) incidence in diabetes.

Research design and methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with type 2 diabetes (n=600; age, 66.3 years; men, 68%). Patients were categorized into three groups by baseline statin treatments—moderate-intensity, low-intensity, or no statin—and the independent association between the statin category and HF hospitalization during follow-up was examined.

Results

Over the course of the median 6-year follow-up, 17.7% of the patients were hospitalized for HF. Cox regression analysis revealed a significant association between the baseline statin category and HF incidence (p=0.002), independently of age, sex, hypertension, B-type natriuretic peptide, glycated hemoglobin, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The moderate-intensity statin group had a significantly lower risk for HF than the low-intensity statin group with an adjusted HR of 0.31 (95% CI 0.13 to 0.65, p=0.0014). Interestingly, among patients with prevalent coronary artery diseases (CAD) and with baseline LDL controlled to less than 100 mg/dL, the frequency of HF was still significantly lower in the moderate-intensity group than in the low-intensity group or the no statin group. The effect of baseline statin category on HF was independent of incident CAD events during follow-up.

Conclusions

In type 2 diabetes, moderate-intensity statins, in comparison to low-intensity or no statin, were associated with lower HF incidence independently of LDL levels or of CAD events.
Incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in Australasian intensive care units: use of a consensus-developed clinical surveillance checklist in a multisite prospective audit
Authors: Elliott Doug , Elliott Rosalind , Burrell Anthony , Harrigan Peter , Murgo Margherita , Rolls Kaye , Sibbritt David
Published: October 2015

Objectives

With disagreements on diagnostic criteria for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) hampering efforts to monitor incidence and implement preventative strategies, the study objectives were to develop a checklist for clinical surveillance of VAP, and conduct an audit in Australian/New Zealand intensive care units (ICUs) using the checklist.

Setting

Online survey software was used for checklist development. The prospective audit using the checklist was conducted in 10 ICUs in Australia and New Zealand.

Participants

Checklist development was conducted with members of a bi-national professional society for critical care physicians using a modified Delphi technique and survey. A 30-day audit of adult patients mechanically ventilated for >72 h.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Presence of items on the screening checklist; physician diagnosis of VAP, clinical characteristics, investigations, treatments and patient outcome.

Results

A VAP checklist was developed with five items: decreasing gas exchange, sputum changes, chest X-ray infiltrates, inflammatory response, microbial growth. Of the 169 participants, 17% (n=29) demonstrated characteristics of VAP using the checklist. A similar proportion had an independent physician diagnosis (n=30), but in a different patient subset (only 17% of cases were identified by both methods). The VAP rate per 1000 mechanical ventilator days for the checklist and clinician diagnosis was 25.9 and 26.7, respectively. The item ‘inflammatory response’ was most associated with the first episode of physician-diagnosed VAP.

Conclusions

VAP rates using the checklist and physician diagnosis were similar to ranges reported internationally and in Australia. Of note, different patients were identified with VAP by the checklist and physicians. While the checklist items may assist in identifying patients at risk of developing VAP, and demonstrates synergy with the recently developed Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, decision-making processes by physicians when diagnosing VAP requires further exploration.
The impact of brush cytology from endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) on patient management at a UK teaching hospital
Authors: Sethi Rajiv , Singh Kaushiki , Warner Ben , Mahadeva Ula , Wilkinson Mark
Published: October 2015

Introduction

Patients with suspected pancreaticobiliary cancers frequently undergo endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to obtain brush cytology for confirmatory diagnosis. The outcome of this often leads to the management of the patient and can avoid more invasive investigations. There is a wide range of sensitivities and specificities reported in the literature.

Aims

To determine the accuracy of the brush cytology obtained at ERCP by performing a retrospective audit of all patients admitted to Guy's and St. Thomas’ Hospital for ERCP during 2008–2013. Also, to evaluate the impact of cytology results on patient care following ERCP.

Method

Data were collected from 4 January 2008 to 27 December 2013. This involved analysing EndoSoft (the in-house software for endoscopic data entry), Pathnet (the pathology database) and Electronic Patient Records.

Results

162 patients underwent brush cytology during ERCP. 58 patients had positive cytology. With intention-to-treat analysis, sensitivity was 54.7%, specificity was 100.0% and negative predictive value was 53.9% with a positive predictive value of 100%. Patients with a positive brush cytology result required fewer investigations compared with patients with a negative cytology result.

Conclusions

Our results compare favourably with previous studies in the field. Brush cytology has been ignored in recent times due to perceived poor results and efficacy. Our audit shows that it can reduce the number of investigations required to reach a diagnosis of malignancy and so is a valuable tool in the diagnosis of pancreaticobiliary malignancies. However, better guidance on preparation of samples for cytology is needed to reduce the number of insufficient samples.
Cellular and molecular basis of RV hypertrophy in congenital heart disease
Authors: Iacobazzi D , Suleiman M-S , Ghorbel M , George SJ , Caputo M , Tulloh RM
Published: October 2015

RV hypertrophy (RVH) is one of the triggers of RV failure in congenital heart disease (CHD). Therefore, improving our understanding of the cellular and molecular basis of this pathology will help in developing strategic therapeutic interventions to enhance patient benefit in the future. This review describes the potential mechanisms that underlie the transition from RVH to RV failure. In particular, it addresses structural and functional remodelling that encompass contractile dysfunction, metabolic changes, shifts in gene expression and extracellular matrix remodelling. Both ischaemic stress and reactive oxygen species production are implicated in triggering these changes and will be discussed. Finally, RV remodelling in response to various CHDs as well as the potential role of biomarkers will be addressed.
Are valve clinics a sound investment for the health service? A cost-effectiveness model and an automated tool for cost estimation
Authors: Ionescu Adrian , McKenzie Charlie , Chambers John B
Published: October 2015

Background

Valve disease is using up an important, growing proportion of the resources allocated for healthcare. Clinical care is often suboptimal and while multidisciplinary clinics are the ‘gold standard’, their adoption has been patchy and inhomogeneous.

Methods

We hypothesised that adoption of valve clinics can deliver financial savings and set out to estimate differences in cost between a standard model in which the cardiologist sees every case and a multidisciplinary model in which some cases are devolved to sonographer-led or nurse-led clinics, assuming usage of various tests in accordance with practice at our institutions and to published data. We developed a tool that allows the modelling of limitless permutations in order to assess costs.

Results

Seeing 100 new patients in a valve clinic is more expensive than seeing them in the conventional set-up (excess cost £2700, $4252). Follow-up of both patients with native valve disease (maximal savings/100 patients—£5166, $8135) and with operated valves (maximal savings/100 patients—£5090, $8015) is cheaper in a valve clinic than in a general cardiology clinic and the savings offset the increased cost of seeing new patients in the valve clinic.

Conclusions

The costing implications of valve clinics need to be worked out carefully. Our analysis suggests that important savings in healthcare costs could be achieved by their adoption. Clarifying the economic implications of this new model of care should become one of the priorities for the ‘heart valve community’.
Bile peritonitis secondary to projectile trauma from an air gun pellet
Authors: Elliott Ross Christopher
Published: October 2015

A six‐year‐old rottweiler presented with a non‐septic bile peritonitis caused by projectile trauma. An air gun pellet/projectile had penetrated both walls of the gall bladder leading to bile leakage. A cholecystectomy was performed and the patient made a full recovery.
Prevalence of antibodies to canine parvovirus and reaction to vaccination in client‐owned, healthy dogs
Authors: Riedl M. , Truyen U. , Reese S. , Hartmann K.
Published: October 2015

The purpose of this population‐based cohort study was to assess current prevalence of antibodies to canine parvovirus (CPV) in adult, healthy dogs, including risk factors associated with lack of antibodies, and reaction to revaccination with a modified live vaccine (MLV). One hundred dogs routinely presented for vaccination were included in the study and vaccinated with a single dose of a combined MLV. Information was collected on signalment, origin, environment, vaccination history and side effects. Prevaccination and postvaccination antibodies were detected byhaemagglutinationinhibition. Univariate analysis, followed by multivariate logistic regression, was used to investigate association between different variables and presence of antibodies as well as titre increase. Protective CPV antibodies were present in 86.0 per cent of dogs. Intervals of more than four years since the last vaccination and rare contacts with other dogs were determined as main risk factors for the absence of antibodies. An increase in titres only occurred in 17.0 per cent of dogs. Dogs without protective titres before vaccination or with bodyweight <10 kg were more likely to have an adequate titre increase. Based on these findings, antibody status should be determined instead of periodic vaccinations to ensure reliable protection without unnecessary vaccinations in adult dogs.
Fine roots and ectomycorrhizal colonization in black spruce subjected to reductions in soil moisture
Authors: Rossi Sergio , Couture Éliane , Plante Xavier , Morin Hubert
Published: October 2015

Growth and survival of boreal tree species depends on fungal symbionts, namely mycorrhizas. Owing to their rapid turnover, fine roots and their symbionts can be prompt and sensitive indicators of the effects of environmental changes on forest ecosystems. We investigated how a reduction in soil moisture influences the fine roots and ectomycorrhizas (ECM) of black spruce [Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP] after 3 years of rain exclusion in four mature stands of the boreal forest of Quebec, Canada. Rain was excluded with transparent plastic under-canopy covers installed during the growing seasons 2010–2012. Soil moisture was strongly affected by the treatment, with water content being reduced from 40% to 21% on average. As expected, the experimental trees showed a decrease in the proportion of vital root tips and ECM with respect to controls. The proportion of vital ECM was also globally reduced from 73.8% to 68.6%, but the effects of the treatment were only significant in two sites. The expected drier conditions due to current warming will likely influence the presence of mycorrhizas, with potential consequences on the root vitality of boreal tree species.
Ligand influence on intramolecular cyclometalation in bis(phosphinimine) rare earth alkyl complexes
Authors: Johnson Kevin R.D. , Kamenz Breanne L. , Hayes Paul G.
Published: October 2015

The synthesis and reactivity of two new bis(phosphinimine)carbazole ligands (PippN=PMe2)2DMC (HLA, 3) and (PippN=P(C4H8))2DMC (HLB, 10), where Pipp = para-isopropylphenyl and DMC = 3,6-dimethylcarbazole, are reported. Dialkyl lutetium complexes of 3 and 10 were prepared in the presence of DMAP and THF by reaction of the proteo ligands with the new trialkyl reagent, Lu(CH2SiMe3)3(DMAP)2 (4) as well as Lu(CH2SiMe3)3(THF)2. For both ligands 3 and 10, the resulting lutetium complexes were prone to intramolecular cyclometalative alkane elimination reactions whereby the location of cyclometalation was influenced by the identity of the ancillary ligand coordinated to the metal. For ligand 3, cyclometalation of two PMe2 groups generated the complex (LA-κ3N,κ2C)Lu(DMAP)2 (5), whereas ligand 10 resulted in the single ortho-metalation of a para-isopropylphenyl ring to afford (LB-κ3N,κC)Lu(CH2SiMe3) (12). When complexed with scandium, ligand 10 behaved differently; double cyclometalation of two phospholane moieties resulted in the species (LB-κ3N,κ2C)Sc (15). The nature of the cyclometalation reactivity of ligands 3 and 10 is supported by X-ray crystallography and kinetic analysis, respectively.
A Collaborative Approach for Minimal-Cost Monitor Deployment in Cloud Environment
Authors: Tung Yuan-Hsin , Tseng Shian-Shyong , Tsai Wei-Tek
Published: October 2015

Monitoring is widely applied in problem diagnosis, fault localization, and system maintenance. And since the cloud infrastructure is complex, the applications on the cloud are therefore complex, which makes monitoring in cloud more difficult. Rich monitors that contain composite and heterogeneous probes are often used in service-oriented system monitoring. These rich monitors often involve multiple entities, and the interpretation may require expert opinions from multiple domains. This paper proposes a knowledge-based collaborative monitoring approach to find out minimal cost monitor deployment in a cloud environment. The approach contains two main phases. In the knowledge acquisition phase, three acquisition tables, monitor-probe relationship matrix, cost of monitoring, and probe-problem dependence matrix, are generated according to diagnosis ontology and monitor ontology acquired from domain experts. And then based upon the three acquisition tables and three consensus building strategies, we formulate the problem of optimizing the cost of monitoring as an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) problem, which is NP-Complete. In the monitor deployment phase, the proposed algorithm applies two heuristic rules to address the problem. Three experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach. The results from the experiments show that our approach is effective and produce quality approximate solutions in monitor deployment.
Working and Playing with Scrum
Authors: Medeiros Danilo B. , Neto Pedro De Alcântara Dos Santos , Passos Erick B. , De Souza Araújo Wandresson
Published: October 2015

Software development is sometimes considered a boring task. To avoid this fact we propose an approach based on the incorporation of game mechanics into Scrum framework, in order to change its use to a more amusing task, by taking advantage of the gamification trend. Gamification is applied to non-game applications and processes, trying to encourage people to adopt them. This work shows a suggestion of Scrum gamification together with an evaluation of the proposed approach in a case study of a software house. The use of this concept can help the software industry to increase the team productivity in a natural way.
An Approach for Cluster-Based Retrieval of Tests Using Cover-Coefficients
Authors: Subramaniam Mahadevan , Chundi Parvathi
Published: October 2015

Retrieving relevant test cases is a recurring theme in software validation. We present an approach for cluster-based retrieval of test cases for software validation. The approach uses a probabilistic notion of coverage among line-based test profiles and can potentially discover groups of test cases executing a small number of unique lines. The distribution of lines across test profiles are analyzed to determine the number of clusters and generate a clustering structure without any additional user input. We also propose a novel and simple approach to identify test cases that are affected by software changes based on test profiles. It is shown that the clustering structures generated can be used to select affected tests economically to produce high quality regression test suites. The approach is applied to four unix utility programs from a popular testing benchmark. Our results show that the generated number of clusters and their average sizes closely track their estimates based on test profiles. The retrieval of affected tests using the clustering structure is economical and produces a good quality regression test suite.
FAST HILBERT TRANSFORM ALGORITHMS FOR PRICING DISCRETE TIMER OPTIONS UNDER STOCHASTIC VOLATILITY MODELS
Authors: ZENG PINGPING , KWOK YUE KUEN , ZHENG WENDONG
Published: October 2015

Timer options are barrier style options in the volatility space. A typical timer option is similar to its European vanilla counterpart, except with uncertain expiration date. The finite-maturity timer option expires either when the accumulated realized variance of the underlying asset has reached a pre-specified level or on the mandated expiration date, whichever comes earlier. The challenge in the pricing procedure is the incorporation of the barrier feature in terms of the accumulated realized variance instead of the usual knock-out feature of hitting a barrier by the underlying asset price. We construct the fast Hilbert transform algorithms for pricing finite-maturity discrete timer options under different types of stochastic volatility processes. The stochastic volatility processes nest some popular stochastic volatility models, like the Heston model and 3/2 stochastic volatility model. The barrier feature associated with the accumulated realized variance can be incorporated effectively into the fast Hilbert transform procedure with the computational convenience of avoiding the nuisance of recovering the option values in the real domain at each monitoring time instant in order to check for the expiry condition. Our numerical tests demonstrate high level of accuracy of the fast Hilbert transform algorithms. We also explore the pricing properties of the timer options with respect to various parameters, like the volatility of variance, correlation coefficient between the asset price process and instantaneous variance process, sampling frequency, and variance budget.
Investigation of 1/f Noise and Superimposed RTS Noise in Ti–Au/n-Type GaAs Schottky Barrier Diodes
Authors: Klyuev Alexey V. , Yakimov Arkady V.
Published: October 2015

Low frequency noise characteristics of Schottky diodes are investigated. Two noise components were found in experimental noise records: random telegraph signal (RTS), caused by burst noise, and 1/f Gaussian noise. The noise is sampled and recorded on a PC. Then, in addition to the spectrum, the probability density function (pdf) of the total noise is analyzed. In the case of the mixture of the burst noise and Gaussian (1/f) noise, the pdf has two maxima separated by a local minimum. Extraction of burst noise component from Gaussian noise background was performed using the pdf, standard signal detection theory, and advanced signal-processing techniques. It is concluded that the RTS noise and 1/f noise have different physical origins in Schottky diodes. The raw noise is split into two components. One appeared to be burst noise with a Lorentzian-like spectral shape. The other component is 1/f noise. Having extracted 1/f noise, we have studied the dependence of noise spectral values on the current across the diode.
Long-time behavior of a stochastic predator–prey model with modified Leslie–Gower and Holling-type II schemes
Authors: Lin Yuguo , Jiang Daqing
Published: October 2015

In this paper, we consider a stochastic predator–prey model with modified Leslie–Gower and Holling-type II schemes. We analyze long-time behavior of densities of the distributions of the solution. We prove that the densities can converge in [Formula: see text] to an invariant density or can converge weakly to a singular measure under appropriate conditions.
Structural, electronic and elastic properties of the B2-ScM (M =Au, Hg and Tl) intermetallic compounds: Ab initio calculations
Authors: Mousa Ahmad A. , Khalifeh Jamil M.
Published: October 2015

Structural, electronic, elastic and mechanical properties of ScM (M[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]Au, Hg and Tl) intermetallic compounds are studied using the full potential-linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method based on the density functional theory (DFT), within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and the local density approximation (LDA) to the exchange-correlation approximation energy as implemented in the Wien2k code. The ground state properties including lattice parameters, bulk modulus and elastic constants were all computed and compared with the available previous theoretical and experimental results. The lattice constant was found to increase in contrast to the bulk modulus which was found to decrease with every substitution of the cation (M) starting from Au till Tl in ScM. Both the electronic band structure and density-of-states (DOS) calculations show that these compounds possess metallic properties. The calculated elastic constants ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] confirmed the elastic stability of the ScM compounds in the B2-phase. The mechanical properties and ductile behaviors of these compounds are also predicted based on the calculated elastic constants.
Views on the dialectics between seismology and palaeoseismology with examples from southern Scandinavia
Authors: Mörner Nils-Axel
Published: October 2015

Seismology and palaeoseismology have a mutual goal in the assessment of seismic hazards. They are both needed to make the assessments meaningful. There are, however, some dialectics between the two disciplines. The south Scandinavian situation is highlighted with respect to the questions of seismic continuity versus discontinuity, coincidence versus verification and the application of multiple parameters in palaeoseismology. It is concluded that millennial-scale seismic records are characterized by discontinuities in seismic activity. In southern Scandinavia there is a clear successive increase in the maximum earthquake moment magnitudes back in time from <4.5 today, via >6 to
c.
7 in the Late Holocene to
c.
8 to >8 during times of deglaciation. This paper presents a rather philosophical view of the dialectics and interactions between instrumental seismology and geologically based palaeoseismology. This means that it is strongly based on the author's own material in the field and his mind because it represents his own experiences over a long period of active work in palaeoseismology and neotectonics.
Seismites as indicators for Holocene seismicity in the northeastern Ejina Basin, Inner Mongolia
Authors: Rudersdorf Andreas , Hartmann Kai , Yu Kaifeng , Stauch Georg , Reicherter Klaus
Published: October 2015

This paper contributes to the understanding of palaeoseismology in slowly deforming regions by demonstrating the interpretation of soft-sediment deformation to be a valuable tool in identifying palaeoseismicity where the present-day seismicity is low and the geomorphology initially does not indicate active tectonics by the presence of fault scarps, surface ruptures or diverted rivers. The Ejina Basin (also known as the Gaxun Nur Basin or Juyan Lake Basin) in Inner Mongolia exhibits highly variable endorheic lakes, such as the Late Quaternary Juyanze Palaeolake. We assessed the Holocene tectonic activity of the Western Juyanze Palaeolake Basin, situated within the Ejina Basin, by identifying seismites and a previously unknown normal fault. Deformation mechanisms other than earthquakes, such as landslides or cryoturbation in permafrost, can be excluded. Far-field and near-field seismic sources are considered to have generated the soft-sediment deformation structures. As the occurrence of seismites is restricted to the Western Juyanze Palaeolake Basin and there is Pleistocene–Holocene activity on the Tienehu Fault, a near-field source is most likely.
Modeling Character Canvases from Cartoon Drawings
Authors: Bessmeltsev Mikhail , Chang Will , Vining Nicholas , Sheffer Alla , Singh Karan
Published: October 2015

We introduce a novel technique for the construction of a 3D character proxy, or
canvas
, directly from a 2D cartoon drawing and a user-provided correspondingly posed 3D skeleton. Our choice of input is motivated by the observation that traditional cartoon characters are well approximated by a union of generalized surface of revolution body parts, anchored by a skeletal structure. While typical 2D character contour drawings allow ambiguities in 3D interpretation, our use of a 3D skeleton eliminates such ambiguities and enables the construction of believable character canvases from complex drawings. Our canvases conform to the 2D contours of the input drawings, and are consistent with the perceptual principles of Gestalt continuity, simplicity, and contour persistence. We first segment the input 2D contours into individual body-part outlines corresponding to 3D skeletal bones using the Gestalt continuation principle to correctly resolve inter-part occlusions in the drawings. We then use this segmentation to compute the canvas geometry, generating 3D generalized surfaces of revolution around the skeletal bones that conform to the original outlines and balance simplicity against contour persistence. The combined method generates believable canvases for characters drawn in complex poses with numerous inter-part occlusions, variable contour depth, and significant foreshortening. Our canvases serve as 3D geometric proxies for cartoon characters, enabling unconstrained 3D viewing, articulation, and non-photorealistic rendering. We validate our algorithm via a range of user studies and comparisons to ground-truth 3D models and artist-drawn results. We further demonstrate a compelling gallery of 3D character canvases created from a diverse set of cartoon drawings with matching 3D skeletons.
Lax Theory Morphisms
Authors: Rabe Florian
Published: October 2015

When relating formal languages, e.g., in logic or type theory, it is often important to establish representation theorems. These interpret one language in terms of another in a way that preserves semantic properties such as provability or typing. Metalanguages for stating representation theorems can be divided into two groups: First, computational languages are very expressive (usually Turing-complete), but verifying the representation theorems is very difficult (often prohibitively so); second, declarative languages are restricted to certain classes of representation theorems (often based on theory morphisms), for which correctness is decidable.

Neither is satisfactory, and this article contributes to the investigation of the trade-off between these two methods. Concretely, we introduce
lax
theory morphisms, which combine some of the advantages of each: they are substantially more expressive than conventional theory morphisms, but they share many of the invariants that make theory morphisms easy to work with.

Specifically, we introduce lax morphisms between theories of a dependently typed logical framework, but our approach and results carry over to most declarative metalanguages.

We demonstrate the usefulness of lax theory morphisms by stating and verifying a type erasure translation from typed to untyped first-order logic. The translation is stated as a single lax theory morphism, and the invariants of the framework guarantee its correctness. This is the first time such a complex translation has be verified in a declarative framework.
W3C Plans for Developing Standards for Open Markets of Services for the IoT
Authors: Raggett Dave
Published: October 2015

The Internet of Things (IoT) is being held back by divergent approaches that result in data silos, high costs, investment risks and reduced market opportunities. To realize the potential and unleash the network effect, W3C is focusing on the role of Web technologies for a platform of platforms as a basis for services spanning IoT platforms from microcontrollers to cloud-based server farms. Shared semantics are essential for discovery, interoperability, scaling and layering on top of existing protocols and platforms. For this purpose, metadata can be classified into: things, security, and communications, where things are considered to be virtual representations (software objects) for physical or abstract entities. Thing descriptions are modeled in terms of W3C's resource description framework (RDF). This includes the semantics for what kind of thing it is, and the data models for its events, properties and actions. The underlying protocols are free to use whichever communication patterns are appropriate to the context according to the constraints described by the given metadata. W3C is exploring the use of lightweight representations of metadata that are easy to author and process, even on resource constrained devices. The aim is to evolve the web from a web of pages to a "Web of Things."
Designing for civic events
Authors: Asad Mariam , Schoemann Sarah
Published: October 2015

Community + Culture features practitioner perspectives on designing technologies for and with communities. We highlight compelling projects and provocative points of view that speak to both community technology practice and the interaction design field as a whole.
--- Christopher A. Le Dantec, Editor
UX research vs. UX design
Authors: Karr Ashley
Published: October 2015

The
Interactions
website (interactions.acm.org) hosts a stable of bloggers who share insights and observations on HCI, often challenging current practices. Each issue we'll publish selected posts from some of the leading voices in the field.
Lessons from the History of Ivermectin and Other Antiparasitic Agents
Authors: Campbell William C.
Published: October 2015

The twentieth century's arsenal of chemical anthelmintics brought manifold improvement in human health and, more abundantly, in animal health. The benefits were not only in health per se but also in agricultural economics, livestock management, and the overall production of food and fiber to support expanding human populations. Nevertheless, there remains (due in large part to drug resistance and paucity of available vaccines) a great need for new means of controlling disease caused by parasitic worms. Prudence should persuade us to look to our past for lessons that might help in our quest for new drugs. The lessons suggested here derive from the history of ivermectin and other anthelmintics. They deal with the means of finding substances with useful antiparasitic activity and with alternative approaches to drug discovery.
Adaptation in Natural Microbial Populations
Authors: Koskella Britt , Vos Michiel
Published: October 2015

Although their diversity greatly exceeds that of plants and animals, microbial organisms have historically received less attention in ecology and evolutionary biology research. This knowledge gap is rapidly closing, owing to recent technological advances and an increasing appreciation for the role microbes play in shaping ecosystems and human health. In this review, we examine when and how the process and patterns of bacterial adaptation might fundamentally differ from those of macrobes, highlight methods used to measure adaptation in natural microbial populations, and discuss the importance of examining bacterial adaptation across multiple scales. We emphasize the need to consider the scales of adaptation as continua, in which the genetic makeup of bacteria blur boundaries between populations, species, and communities and with them concepts of ecological and evolutionary time. Finally, we examine current directions of the field as we move beyond the stamp-collecting phase and toward a better understanding of microbial adaptation in nature.
Changes in Ocean Heat, Carbon Content, and Ventilation: A Review of the First Decade of GO-SHIP Global Repeat Hydrography
Authors: Talley L.D. , Feely R.A. , Sloyan B.M. , Wanninkhof R. , Baringer M.O. , Bullister J.L. , Carlson C.A. , Doney S.C. , Fine R.A. , Firing E. , Gruber N. , Hansell D.A. , Ishii M. , Johnson G.C. , Katsumata K. , Key R.M. , Kramp M. , Langdon C. , Macdonald A.M. , Mathis J.T. , McDonagh E.L. , Mecking S. , Millero F.J. , Mordy C.W. , Nakano T. , Sabine C.L. , Smethie W.M. , Swift J.H. , Tanhua T. , Thurnherr A.M. , Warner M.J. , Zhang J.-Z.
Published: October 2015

Global ship-based programs, with highly accurate, full water column physical and biogeochemical observations repeated decadally since the 1970s, provide a crucial resource for documenting ocean change. The ocean, a central component of Earth's climate system, is taking up most of Earth's excess anthropogenic heat, with about 19% of this excess in the abyssal ocean beneath 2,000 m, dominated by Southern Ocean warming. The ocean also has taken up about 27% of anthropogenic carbon, resulting in acidification of the upper ocean. Increased stratification has resulted in a decline in oxygen and increase in nutrients in the Northern Hemisphere thermocline and an expansion of tropical oxygen minimum zones. Southern Hemisphere thermocline oxygen increased in the 2000s owing to stronger wind forcing and ventilation. The most recent decade of global hydrography has mapped dissolved organic carbon, a large, bioactive reservoir, for the first time and quantified its contribution to export production (∼20%) and deep-ocean oxygen utilization. Ship-based measurements also show that vertical diffusivity increases from a minimum in the thermocline to a maximum within the bottom 1,500 m, shifting our physical paradigm of the ocean's overturning circulation.
Toward a Better Understanding of the Complexity of Cancer Drug Resistance
Authors: Gottesman Michael M. , Lavi Orit , Hall Matthew D. , Gillet Jean-Pierre
Published: October 2015

Resistance to anticancer drugs is a complex process that results from alterations in drug targets; development of alternative pathways for growth activation; changes in cellular pharmacology, including increased drug efflux; regulatory changes that alter differentiation pathways or pathways for response to environmental adversity; and/or changes in the local physiology of the cancer, such as blood supply, tissue hydrodynamics, behavior of neighboring cells, and immune system response. All of these specific mechanisms are facilitated by the intrinsic hallmarks of cancer, such as tumor cell heterogeneity, redundancy of growth-promoting pathways, increased mutation rate and/or epigenetic alterations, and the dynamic variation of tumor behavior in time and space. Understanding the relative contribution of each of these factors is further complicated by the lack of adequate in vitro models that mimic clinical cancers. Several strategies to use current knowledge of drug resistance to improve treatment of cancer are suggested.
Existing and Future Drugs for the Treatment of the Dark Side of Addiction
Authors: Koob George F. , Mason Barbara J.
Published: October 2015

The identification of a heuristic framework for the stages of the addiction cycle that are linked to neurocircuitry changes in pathophysiology includes the binge/intoxication stage, the withdrawal/negative affect stage, and the preoccupation/anticipation (craving) stage, which represent neuroadaptations in three neurocircuits (basal ganglia, extended amygdala, and frontal cortex, respectively). The identification of excellent and validated animal models, the development of human laboratory models, and an enormous surge in our understanding of neurocircuitry and neuropharmacological mechanisms have provided a revisionist view of addiction that emphasizes the loss of brain reward function and gain of stress function that drive negative reinforcement (the dark side of addiction) as a key to compulsive drug seeking. Reversing the dark side of addiction not only explains much of the existing successful pharmacotherapies for addiction but also points to vast new opportunities for future medications to alleviate this major source of human suffering.