bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A micromachined efficient parametric array loudspeaker with a wide radiation frequency band
Authors: Je Yub , Lee Haksue , Been Kyounghun , Moon Wonkyu
Published: April 2015

Parametric array (PA) loudspeakers generate directional audible sound via the PA effect, which can make private listening possible. The practical applications of PA loudspeakers include information technology devices that require large power efficiency transducers with a wide frequency bandwidth. Piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs) are compact and efficient units for PA sources [Je, Lee, and Moon, Ultrasonics 53, 1124–1134 (2013)]. This study investigated the use of an array of PMUTs to make a PA loudspeaker with high power efficiency and wide bandwidth. The achievable maximum radiation bandwidth of the driver was calculated, and an array of PMUTs with two distinct resonance frequencies (f1 = 100 kHz, f2 = 110 kHz) was designed. Out-of-phase driving was used with the dual-resonance transducer array to increase the bandwidth. The fabricated PMUT array exhibited an efficiency of up to 71%, together with a ±3-dB bandwidth of 17 kHz for directly radiated primary waves, and 19.5 kHz (500 Hz to 20 kHz) for the difference frequency waves (with equalization).
Wave energy transfer in elastic half-spaces with soft interlayers
Authors: Glushkov Evgeny , Glushkova Natalia , Fomenko Sergey
Published: April 2015

The paper deals with guided waves generated by a surface load in a coated elastic half-space. The analysis is based on the explicit integral and asymptotic expressions derived in terms of Green's matrix and given loads for both laminate and functionally graded substrates. To perform the energy analysis, explicit expressions for the time-averaged amount of energy transferred in the time-harmonic wave field by every excited guided or body wave through horizontal planes and lateral cylindrical surfaces have been also derived. The study is focused on the peculiarities of wave energy transmission in substrates with soft interlayers that serve as internal channels for the excited guided waves. The notable features of the source energy partitioning in such media are the domination of a single emerging mode in each consecutive frequency subrange and the appearance of reverse energy fluxes at certain frequencies. These effects as well as modal and spatial distribution of the wave energy coming from the source into the substructure are numerically analyzed and discussed.
The effect of vocal and demographic traits on speech intelligibility over bone conduction
Authors: Pollard Kimberly A. , Tran Phuong K. , Letowski Tomasz
Published: April 2015

Bone conduction (BC) communication systems provide benefits over air conduction systems but are not in widespread use, partly due to problems with speech intelligibility. Contributing factors like device location and background noise have been explored, but little attention has been paid to the role of individual user differences. Because BC signals travel through an individual's skull and facial tissues, demographic factors such as user age, sex, race, or regional origin may influence sound transmission. Vocal traits such as pitch, spectral tilt, jitter, and shimmer may also play a role. Along with microphone placement and background noise, these factors can affect BC speech intelligibility. Eight diverse talkers were recorded with bone microphones on two different skull locations and in different background noise conditions. Twenty-four diverse listeners listened to these samples over BC and completed Modified Rhyme Tests for speech intelligibility. Forehead bone recordings were more intelligible than condyle recordings. In condyle recordings, female talkers, talkers with high fundamental frequency, and talkers in background noise were understood better, as were communications between talkers and listeners of the same regional origin. Listeners' individual traits had no significant effects. Thoughtful application of this knowledge can help improve BC communication for diverse users.
Change-point detection for recursive Bayesian geoacoustic inversions
Authors: Tan Bien Aik , Gerstoft Peter , Yardim Caglar , Hodgkiss William S.
Published: April 2015

In order to carry out geoacoustic inversion in low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions, extended duration observations coupled with source and/or receiver motion may be necessary. As a result, change in the underlying model parameters due to time or space is anticipated. In this paper, an inversion method is proposed for cases when the model parameters change abruptly or slowly. A model parameter change-point detection method is developed to detect the change in the model parameters using the importance samples and corresponding weights that are already available from the recursive Bayesian inversion. If the model parameters change abruptly, a change-point will be detected and the inversion will restart with the pulse measurement after the change-point. If the model parameters change gradually, the inversion (based on constant model parameters) may proceed until the accumulated model parameter mismatch is significant and triggers the detection of a change-point. These change-point detections form the heuristics for controlling the coherent integration time in recursive Bayesian inversion. The method is demonstrated in simulation with parameters corresponding to the low SNR, 100–900 Hz linear frequency modulation pulses observed in the Shallow Water 2006 experiment [Tan, Gerstoft, Yardim, and Hodgkiss, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 136, 1187–1198 (2014)].
John D. Lawther: Contributions to the Psychology of Sport
Authors: Kornspan Alan S.
Published: April 2015

Although sport psychology scholars often refer to John Lawther’s publication of the Psychology of Coaching as an important historical event, little detail of Lawther’s many contributions to the field of sport psychology have been discussed within the literature. Thus, the present paper describes Lawther’s various contributions to the field of sport psychology. Specifically, Lawther’s activities related to the publications of the Psychology of Coaching and Sport Psychology, presentations at the first, second, and third International Congress of Sport Psychology, as well as his leadership role in promoting the application of sport psychology during the late 1960s and early 1970s are delineated
In Guinea, a long, difficult road to zero Ebola cases
Authors: Enserink Martin
Published: April 2015

The country could soon be the epidemic's last holdout.
Have a sweet tooth? New blood test could tell
Authors: Callier Viviane
Published: April 2015

Isotope ratios could aid research by tracking added sugars.
What is
Jeopardy!
?
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: April 2015

This popular TV game show has a thing for science.
Paleontological baselines for evaluating extinction risk in the modern oceans
Authors: Finnegan Seth , Anderson Sean C. , Harnik Paul G. , Simpson Carl , Tittensor Derek P. , Byrnes Jarrett E. , Finkel Zoe V. , Lindberg David R. , Liow Lee Hsiang , Lockwood Rowan , Lotze Heike K. , McClain Craig R. , McGuire Jenny L. , O’Dea Aaron , Pandolfi John M.
Published: April 2015

Recognizing the threat of additive risk

Humans are accelerating the extinction rates of species in both terrestrial and marine environments. However, species extinctions have occurred across time for a variety of other reasons. Finnegan
et al.
looked at the extinction rates across marine genera (groups of species) over the past 23 million years to determine intrinsic extinction rates and what traits or regions correspond to the highest rates. Combining patterns of intrinsic extinction with regions of high anthropogenic threat revealed taxa and areas, particularly in the tropics, where the risk of extinction will be especially high.

Science
, this issue p.
567
Human-wildlife conflicts in a crowded airspace
Authors: Lambertucci Sergio A. , Shepard Emily L. C. , Wilson Rory P.
Published: April 2015

How can the ecological consequences of the increasing use of airspace by humans be minimized?
Calcilytics may help asthmatics breathe easier
Authors: Colmone Angela
Published: April 2015

Calcilytics reduce airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation and may represent effective asthma therapeutics.
Evaluation of Moxifloxacin-Containing Regimens in Pathologically Distinct Murine Tuberculosis Models
Authors: Li Si-Yang , Irwin Scott M. , Converse Paul J. , Mdluli Khisi E. , Lenaerts Anne J. , Nuermberger Eric L.
Published: April 2015

In the recently concluded REMox-TB trial, two 4-month moxifloxacin-containing regimens did not meet the criteria for noninferiority compared to the current 6-month first-line regimen to treat tuberculosis (TB). Despite the disappointing result, this phase 3 clinical trial provides a rare opportunity to gauge the predictive accuracy of the nonclinical models used to support regimen development. In parallel with the REMox-TB trial, we compared the efficacy of the same three regimens against chronic TB infection in the commonly used BALB/c mouse strain and in C3HeB/FeJ mice, which have attracted recent interest as a nonclinical efficacy model because they develop caseous lung lesions which may better resemble human TB. In long-term treatment experiments at two institutions, using low-dose aerosol infection models with 6- to 8-week incubation periods in both mouse strains, control mice received rifampin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol (RHZE), and test mice received the same regimen with moxifloxacin replacing isoniazid (RMZE) or ethambutol (RHZM). Outcome measures were lung CFU counts during treatment and relapse after various durations of treatment. At both institutions and in both mouse strains, RMZE and RHZM reduced by approximately 1 month and 0 to 1 month, respectively, the treatment duration needed to produce the same relapse rate as RHZE. These results demonstrating generally similar treatment-shortening effects of the moxifloxacin-containing regimens in each mouse strain, with effect sizes consistent with the REMox-TB trial results, reinforce the predictive value of murine models for TB regimen development.
Two Novel Salmonella Genomic Island 1 Variants in Proteus mirabilis Isolates from Swine Farms in China
Authors: Lei Chang-Wei , Zhang An-Yun , Liu Bi-Hui , Wang Hong-Ning , Yang Li-Qin , Guan Zhong-Bin , Xu Chang-Wen , Zhang Dong-Dong , Yang Yong-Qiang
Published: April 2015

Four different
Salmonella
genomic island 1 (SGI1) variants, including two novel variants, were characterized in one
Salmonella enterica
serovar Rissen sequence type ST1917 isolate and three
Proteus mirabilis
isolates from swine farms in China. One novel variant was derived from SGI1-B with the backbone gene S021 disrupted by a 12.72-kb IS
26
composite transposon containing the
dfrA17-aadA5
cassettes and macrolide inactivation gene cluster
mphA-mrx-mphR
. The other one was an integron-free SGI1 and contained a 183-bp truncated S025 next to IS
6100
and S044.
Silver Oxynitrate, an Unexplored Silver Compound with Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity
Authors: Lemire Joe A. , Kalan Lindsay , Bradu Alexandru , Turner Raymond J.
Published: April 2015

Historically it has been accepted, and recent research has established, that silver (Ag) is an efficacious antimicrobial agent. A dwindling pipeline of new antibiotics, combined with an increase in the number of antibiotic-resistant infections, is bringing Ag to the fore as a therapeutic compound to treat infectious diseases. Currently, many formulations of Ag are being deployed for commercial and medical purposes, with various degrees of effectiveness at killing microbial cells. Here, we evaluated the antimicrobial and antibiofilm capacity of our lead compound, silver oxynitrate [Ag(Ag
3
O
4
)
2
NO
3
or Ag
7
NO
11
], against other metal compounds with documented antimicrobial activity, including Ag
2
SO
4
, AgNO
3
, silver sulfadiazine (AgSD), AgO, Ag
2
O, and CuSO
4
. Our findings reveal that Ag
7
NO
11
eradicates biofilm and planktonic populations of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
,
Escherichia coli
,
Staphylococcus aureus
, uropathogenic
Escherichia coli
(UPEC), fluoroquinolone-resistant
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
(FQRP), and methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) at lower concentrations than those of the other tested metal salts. Altogether, our results demonstrate that Ag
7
NO
11
has an enhanced efficacy for the treatment of biofilm-forming pathogens.
Distinct Contributions of CD4+and CD8+T Cells to Pathogenesis of Trypanosoma brucei Infection in the Context of Gamma Interferon and Interleukin-10
Authors: Liu Gongguan , Sun Donglei , Wu Hui , Zhang Mingshun , Huan Haixia , Xu Jinjun , Zhang Xiquan , Zhou Hong , Shi Meiqing
Published: April 2015

Although gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) have been shown to be critically involved in the pathogenesis of African trypanosomiasis, the contributions to this disease of CD4+and CD8+T cells, the major potential producers of the two cytokines, are incompletely understood. Here we show that, in contrast to previous findings, IFN-γ was produced by CD4+, but not CD8+, T cells in mice infected withTrypanosoma brucei. Without any impairment in the secretion of IFN-γ, infected CD8−/−mice survived significantly longer than infected wild-type mice, suggesting that CD8+T cells mediated mortality in an IFN-γ-independent manner. The increased survival of infected CD8−/−mice was significantly reduced in the absence of IL-10 signaling. Interestingly, IL-10 was also secreted mainly by CD4+T cells. Strikingly, depletion of CD4+T cells abrogated the prolonged survival of infected CD8−/−mice, demonstrating that CD4+T cells mediated protection. Infected wild-type mice and CD8−/−mice depleted of CD4+T cells had equal survival times, suggesting that the protection mediated by CD4+T cells was counteracted by the detrimental effects of CD8+T cells in infected wild-type mice. Interestingly, CD4+T cells also mediated the mortality of infected mice in the absence of IL-10 signaling, probably via excessive secretion of IFN-γ. Finally, CD4+, but not CD8+, T cells were critically involved in the synthesis of IgG antibodies duringT. bruceiinfections. Collectively, these results highlight distinct roles of CD4+and CD8+T cells in the context of IFN-γ and IL-10 duringT. bruceiinfections.
Spore Cortex Hydrolysis Precedes Dipicolinic Acid Release during Clostridium difficile Spore Germination
Authors: Francis Michael B. , Allen Charlotte A. , Sorg Joseph A.
Published: April 2015

Bacterial spore germination is a process whereby a dormant spore returns to active, vegetative growth, and this process has largely been studied in the model organism
Bacillus subtilis
. In
B. subtilis
, the initiation of germinant receptor-mediated spore germination is divided into two genetically separable stages. Stage I is characterized by the release of dipicolinic acid (DPA) from the spore core. Stage II is characterized by cortex degradation, and stage II is activated by the DPA released during stage I. Thus, DPA release precedes cortex hydrolysis during
B. subtilis
spore germination. Here, we investigated the timing of DPA release and cortex hydrolysis during
Clostridium difficile
spore germination and found that cortex hydrolysis precedes DPA release. Inactivation of either the bile acid germinant receptor,
cspC
, or the cortex hydrolase,
sleC
, prevented both cortex hydrolysis and DPA release. Because both cortex hydrolysis and DPA release during
C. difficile
spore germination are dependent on the presence of the germinant receptor and the cortex hydrolase, the release of DPA from the core may rely on the osmotic swelling of the core upon cortex hydrolysis. These results have implications for the hypothesized glycine receptor and suggest that the initiation of germinant receptor-mediated
C. difficile
spore germination proceeds through a novel germination pathway.

IMPORTANCE
Clostridium difficile
infects antibiotic-treated hosts and spreads between hosts as a dormant spore. In a host, spores germinate to the vegetative form that produces the toxins necessary for disease.
C. difficile
spore germination is stimulated by certain bile acids and glycine. We recently identified the bile acid germinant receptor as the germination-specific, protease-like CspC. CspC is likely cortex localized, where it can transmit the bile acid signal to the cortex hydrolase, SleC. Due to the differences in location of CspC compared to the
Bacillus subtilis
germinant receptors, we hypothesized that there are fundamental differences in the germination processes between the model organism and
C. difficile
. We found that
C. difficile
spore germination proceeds through a novel pathway.
Two Rapidly Growing Mycobacterial Species Isolated from a Brain Abscess: First Whole-Genome Sequences of Mycobacterium immunogenum and Mycobacterium llatzerense
Authors: Greninger Alexander L. , Langelier Charles , Cunningham Gail , Keh Chris , Melgar Michael , Chiu Charles Y. , Miller Steve
Published: April 2015

Rapidly growing mycobacteria are rarely found in central nervous system infections. We describe a case of polymicrobial infection in a brain abscess including two rapidly growing
Mycobacterium
species,
M. immunogenum
and
M. llatzerense
. The
Mycobacterium
isolates were distinguishable by molecular methods, and whole-genome sequencing showed <60% pairwise nucleotide identity.
Diagnosis of double splenic artery pseudoaneurysm: CT scan versus angiography
Authors: Badour Sanaa , Mukherji Deborah , Faraj Walid , Haydar Ali
Published: April 2015

The formation of splenic artery pseudoaneurysms is a commonly reported complication of chronic pancreatitis. Angiography has an established role in the diagnosis of splenic artery pseudoaneurysms while CT scan is thought to be less accurate for making this diagnosis. In this report, we present a rare case of two separate concomitant splenic artery pseudoaneurysms, illustrating the value of combining CT and angiography for optimal visualisation and treatment.
Maternal critical care: what can we learn from patient experience? A qualitative study
Authors: Hinton Lisa , Locock Louise , Knight Marian
Published: April 2015

Objective

For every maternal death, nine women develop severe maternal morbidity. Many of those women will need care in an intensive care unit (ICU) or high dependency unit (HDU). Critical care in the context of pregnancy poses distinct issues for staff and patients, for example, with breastfeeding support and separation from the newborn. This study aimed to understand the experiences of women who experience a maternal near miss and require critical care after childbirth.

Setting

Women and some partners from across the UK were interviewed as part of a study of experiences of near-miss maternal morbidity.

Design

A qualitative study, using semistructured interviews.

Participants

A maximum variation sample was recruited of 35 women and 11 partners of women who had experienced a severe maternal illness, which without urgent medical attention would have led to her death. 18 of the women were admitted to ICU or HDU.

Results

The findings are presented in three themes: being in critical care; being a new mother in critical care; transfer and follow-up after critical care. The study highlights the shock of requiring critical care for new mothers and the gulf between their expectations of birth and what actually happened; the devastation of being separated from their baby, how valuable access to their newborn was, if possible, and the importance of breast feeding; the difficulties of transfer and the need for more support; the value of follow-up and outreach to this population of critical care patients.

Conclusions

While uncommon, critical illness in pregnancy can be devastating for new mothers and presents a challenge for critical care and maternity staff. This study provides insights into these challenges and recommendations for overcoming them drawn from patient experiences.
Health effects of home energy efficiency interventions in England: a modelling study
Authors: Hamilton Ian , Milner James , Chalabi Zaid , Das Payel , Jones Benjamin , Shrubsole Clive , Davies Mike , Wilkinson Paul
Published: April 2015

Objective

To assess potential public health impacts of changes to indoor air quality and temperature due to energy efficiency retrofits in English dwellings to meet 2030 carbon reduction targets.

Design

Health impact modelling study.

Setting

England.

Participants

English household population.

Intervention

Three retrofit scenarios were modelled: (1) fabric and ventilation retrofits installed assuming building regulations are met; (2) as with scenario (1) but with additional ventilation for homes at risk of poor ventilation; (3) as with scenario (1) but with no additional ventilation to illustrate the potential risk of weak regulations and non-compliance.

Main outcome

Primary outcomes were changes in quality adjusted life years (QALYs) over 50 years from cardiorespiratory diseases, lung cancer, asthma and common mental disorders due to changes in indoor air pollutants, including secondhand tobacco smoke, PM2.5from indoor and outdoor sources, radon, mould, and indoor winter temperatures.

Results

The modelling study estimates showed that scenario (1) resulted in positive effects on net mortality and morbidity of 2241 (95% credible intervals (CI) 2085 to 2397) QALYs per 10 000 persons over 50 years follow-up due to improved temperatures and reduced exposure to indoor pollutants, despite an increase in exposure to outdoor-generated particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5). Scenario (2) resulted in a negative impact of −728 (95% CI −864 to −592) QALYs per 10 000 persons over 50 years due to an overall increase in indoor pollutant exposures. Scenario (3) resulted in −539 (95% CI −678 to -399) QALYs per 10 000 persons over 50 years follow-up due to an increase in indoor exposures despite the targeting of pollutants.

Conclusions

If properly implemented alongside ventilation, energy efficiency retrofits in housing can improve health by reducing exposure to cold and air pollutants. Maximising the health benefits requires careful understanding of the balance of changes in pollutant exposures, highlighting the importance of ventilation to mitigate the risk of poor indoor air quality.
Decline in canopy gas exchange with increasing tree height, atmospheric evaporative demand, and seasonal drought in co-occurring inland Pacific Northwest conifer species
Authors: Pangle Robert , Kavanagh Kathleen , Duursma Remko
Published: April 2015

Interspecific variation in stomatal conductance (GS) and transpiration (EL) has been documented in stands of co-occurring species, and this variation has been observed to differ with tree size and canopy height increase. In this study, we present data that examine fluctuations in canopy gas exchange across co-occurring species and varying canopy heights for three montane forest chronosequences located in an inland Pacific Northwest mixed-conifer forest. With the exception of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco), we observed consistent declines in canopy EL and GS with increasing height for the majority of species examined in our 2-year study. Along with declines in canopy GS, we observed decreases in leaf-specific hydraulic conductance (KL) across species as canopy height increased. Seasonally, we observed declines in canopy GS during warmer and dryer summer months of both years. These decreases in GS were significant (up to 50%) and suggest that carbon assimilation in trees was limited during dryer months due to a combination of high evaporative demand and reduced soil H2O availability. Such reductions in GS during periods of increased plant water stress suggest that forest productivity in the inland Pacific Northwest may be impacted negatively if future climate predictions of increasing growing-season water stress are realized.
A Systematic Review of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Managing Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Li Chun-Yan , Ain Mohd Tahir Nurul , Li Shu-Chuen
Published: April 2015

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been commonly used by Chinese practitioners to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, the effectiveness of combining TCM with Western medicine in managing IBS has not been evaluated systematically. In this study, we evaluated the clinical effectiveness of combining TCM and Western medicine in the treatment of IBS via meta-analyses. We reviewed 72 eligible randomized controlled trials from January 2009 to December 2013 investigating the effectiveness of integrated TCM and Western medicine in the management of IBS. In the meta-analyses, the relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were calculated using raw data from each study, and low heterogeneity was detected. When compared to the Western medicine treatment alone, our result showed TCM combined with Western interventions significantly improved IBS global symptoms (RR, 1.21; 95%CI: 1.18–1.24). Additionally, there was no significant difference in therapeutic effects of the integrated approach in the meta-analyses involving the various IBS subtypes. Likewise, both Chinese proprietary herbal medicine plus conventional treatment and compound herbal preparations plus conventional treatment showed similar and statistically significant effects on global improvement compared with western treatment alone, with RRs of 1.22 (95%CI: 1.14–1.30) and 1.22 (95%CI: 1.18–1.27), respectively. These results demonstrated that treating IBS with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicines showed better effectiveness than conventional Western medicine alone. Although due to the quality of the included studies, our results might possess a high risk of bias. TCM, particularly Chinese proprietary medicine, with the benefits of low-cost, easy to use, and good palatability, would be an attractive option to be used in conjunction with conventional Western medicine to manage IBS patients.
Preparation and effect of thermal treatment on Gd2O3:SiO2 nanocomposite
Authors: Ahlawat Rachna
Published: April 2015

Rare earth oxides have been extensively investigated due to their fascinating properties such as enhanced luminescence efficiency, lower lasing threshold, high-performance luminescent devices, drug-carrying vehicle, contrast agent in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), up-conversion materials, catalysts and time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) labels for biological detection etc. Nanocomposites of silica gadolinium oxide have been successfully synthesized by sol–gel process using hydrochloric acid as a catalyst. Gd ( NO 3)3⋅6 H 2 O and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) were used as precursors to obtain powdered form of gadolinum oxide:silica ( Gd 2 O 3: SiO 2) composite. The powdered samples having 2.8 mol% Gd 2 O 3 were annealed at 500°C and 900°C temperature for 6 h and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The effect of annealing on the phase evolution of the composite system has been discussed in detail. It was found that the sintering of gadolinium precursor plays a pivotal role to obtain crystalline phase of Gd 2 O 3. Cubic phase of gadolinium oxide was developed for annealed sample at 900°C (6 h) with an average grain size ~12 nm.
Boundary dynamics and topology change in quantum mechanics
Authors: Pérez-Pardo J. M. , Barbero-Liñán M. , Ibort A.
Published: April 2015

We show how to use boundary conditions to drive the evolution on a quantum mechanical system. We will see how this problem can be expressed in terms of a time-dependent Schrödinger equation. In particular, we will need the theory of self-adjoint extensions of differential operators in manifolds with boundary. An introduction of the latter as well as meaningful examples will be given. It is known that different boundary conditions can be used to describe different topologies of the associated quantum systems. We will use the previous results to study the topology change and to obtain necessary conditions to accomplish it in a dynamical way.
A finite difference approach to find exact solution of differential equations
Authors: Zuev Sergei
Published: April 2015

This paper contains the background and samples of an approach to construct exact solutions of a wide range of differential equations (DEs). This approach is based on the finite difference equation which corresponds to the given DE. There are three cases considered: linear partial differential equation (PDE) with constant coefficients and at least one non-zero root of characteristic equation, linear PDE with constant coefficients and completely zero roots of the characteristic equation, and a case of nonlinear autonomous dynamical system of second order. Each of these cases is illustrated by an example.
Geochemical and mineralogical dispersal in till from the Mount Polley Cu-Au porphyry deposit, central British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Hashmi S. , Ward B.C. , Plouffe A. , Leybourne M.I. , Ferbey T.
Published: April 2015

The Quesnel terrane in the Interior Plateau of British Columbia, Canada, is highly prospective for locating new porphyry deposits; however, the bedrock in this region is obscured by a nearly continuous blanket of till, making mineral exploration challenging. Located within the Quesnel terrane is the Mount Polley deposit. It is an alkaline, silica-undersaturated, Cu-Au porphyry deposit mined by Imperial Metals Corporation. Eighty-six basal till samples were collected for geochemical and mineralogical analyses in the region of this deposit. Ore elements (Ag, Au and Cu), as well as pathfinder element (Hg and Zn) contents in till reflect detrital glacial dispersal from the Mount Polley deposit. The distribution of anomalous mineral counts of andradite garnet, apatite, chalcopyrite, epidote, jarosite and native gold also reflect glacial dispersal from the deposit. Outcrop-scale ice-flow indicators indicate a dominant ice-flow event to the NW that was preceded by a southwestward glacial advance. The element and mineral signatures of the Mount Polley Cu-Au porphyry deposit are dispersed in sub-glacial surface tills up to 12 km in the down-ice (NW) direction. We demonstrate that till geochemistry and mineralogy can serve for mineral exploration of Cu-Au porphyry mineralization in drift covered areas.

Supplementary material:

Complete data set for element and mineral results and ice-flow measurement is available at
www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18828
Large-Scale Spiking Neural Networks using Neuromorphic Hardware Compatible Models
Authors: Krichmar Jeffrey L. , Coussy Philippe , Dutt Nikil
Published: April 2015

Neuromorphic engineering is a fast growing field with great potential in both understanding the function of the brain, and constructing practical artifacts that build upon this understanding. For these novel chips and hardware to be useful, hardware compatible applications and simulation tools are needed. We argue that the neural circuit approach, in which networks of neuronal elements model brain circuitry are constructed, allows the development of practical applications and the exploration of brain function. At this level of abstraction, networks of 10
5
neurons or larger can be efficiently simulated, but still preserve the neuronal and synaptic dynamics that appear to be important for brain function. Because the neural circuit level supports spiking neural networks and the prevalent Addressable Event Representation (AER) communication scheme, it fits well with many existing neuromorphic hardware and simulation tools. To show how this approach can be applied, we present case studies of spiking neural networks in vision and recognition tasks based on one instantiation of a simulation environment. However, there are now many hardware options, simulation environments, and applications in this emerging field. These approaches and other considerations are discussed.
Upward Planarity Testing in Practice
Authors: Chimani Markus , Zeranski Robert
Published: April 2015

A directed acyclic graph (DAG) is
upward planar
if it can be drawn without any crossings while all edges—when following them in their direction—are drawn with strictly monotonously increasing
y
-coordinates. Testing whether a graph allows such a drawing is known to be NP-complete, and while the problem is polynomial-time solvable for special graph classes, there is not much known about solving the problem for
general
graphs
in practice
. The only attempt so far has been a branch-and-bound algorithm over the graph’s triconnectivity structure, which was able to solve small graphs. Furthermore, there are some known FPT algorithms to deal with the problem.

In this article, we propose two fundamentally different approaches based on the seemingly novel concept of
ordered embeddings
and on the concept of a
Hanani-Tutte-type characterization
of monotone drawings. In both approaches, we model the problem as special SAT instances, that is, logic formulae for which we check satisfiability. Solving these SAT instances allows us to decide upward planarity for arbitrary graphs.

For the first time, we give an extensive experimental comparison between virtually all known approaches to the problem. To this end, we also investigate implementation issues and different variants of the known algorithms as well as of our SAT approaches and evaluate all algorithms on real-world as well as on constructed instances. We also give a detailed performance study of the novel SAT approaches. We show that the SAT formulations outperform all known approaches for graphs with up to 400 edges. For even larger graphs, a modified branch-and-bound algorithm becomes competitive.
There is no now
Authors: Sheehy Justin
Published: April 2015

Problems with simultaneity in distributed systems.
Understanding and Supporting Cross-Device Web Search for Exploratory Tasks with Mobile Touch Interactions
Authors: Han Shuguang , Yue Zhen , He Daqing
Published: April 2015

Mobile devices enable people to look for information at the moment when their information needs are triggered. While experiencing complex information needs that require multiple search sessions, users may utilize desktop computers to fulfill information needs started on mobile devices. Under the context of mobile-to-desktop web search, this article analyzes users’ behavioral patterns and compares them to the patterns in desktop-to-desktop web search. Then, we examine several approaches of using Mobile Touch Interactions (MTIs) to infer relevant content so that such content can be used for supporting subsequent search queries on desktop computers. The experimental data used in this article was collected through a user study involving 24 participants and six properly designed cross-device web search tasks. Our experimental results show that (1) users’ mobile-to-desktop search behaviors do significantly differ from desktop-to-desktop search behaviors in terms of information exploration, sense-making and repeated behaviors. (2) MTIs can be employed to predict the relevance of click-through documents, but applying document-level relevant content based on the predicted relevance does not improve search performance. (3) MTIs can also be used to identify the relevant text chunks at a fine-grained subdocument level. Such relevant information can achieve better search performance than the document-level relevant content. In addition, such subdocument relevant information can be combined with document-level relevance to further improve the search performance. However, the effectiveness of these methods relies on the sufficiency of click-through documents. (4) MTIs can also be obtained from the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). The subdocument feedbacks inferred from this set of MTIs even outperform the MTI-based subdocument feedback from the click-through documents.
Putting the data science into journalism
Authors: Kirkpatrick Keith
Published: April 2015

News organizations increasingly use techniques like data mining, Web scraping, and data visualization to uncover information that would be impossible to identify and present manually.
Distributed Low-Latency Data Aggregation Scheduling in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Bagaa Miloud , Younis Mohamed , Djenouri Djamel , Derhab Abdelouahid , Badache Nadjib
Published: April 2015

This article considers the data aggregation scheduling problem, where a collision-free schedule is determined in a distributed way to route the aggregated data from all the sensor nodes to the base station within the least time duration. The algorithm proposed in this article (Distributed algorithm for Integrated tree Construction and data Aggregation (DICA)) intertwines the tree formation and node scheduling to reduce the time latency. Furthermore, while forming the aggregation tree, DICA maximizes the available choices for parent selection at every node, where a parent may have the same, lower, or higher hop count to the base station.

The correctness of the DICA is formally proven, and upper bounds for time and communication overhead are derived. Its performance is evaluated through simulation and compared with six delay-aware aggregation algorithms. The results show that DICA outperforms competing schemes. The article also presents a general hardware-in-the-loop framework (DAF) for validating data aggregation schemes on Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). The framework factors in practical issues such as clock synchronization and the sensor node hardware. DICA is implemented and validated using this framework on a test bed of sensor motes that runs TinyOS 2.x, and it is compared with a distributed protocol (DAS) that is also implemented using the proposed framework.
Distributed Cloud Computing
Authors: Coady Yvonne , Hohlfeld Oliver , Kempf James , McGeer Rick , Schmid Stefan
Published: April 2015

A distributed cloud connecting multiple, geographically distributed and smaller datacenters, can be an attractive alternative to today's massive, centralized datacenters. A distributed cloud can reduce communication overheads, costs, and latencies by o ering nearby computation and storage resources. Better data locality can also improve privacy. In this paper, we revisit the vision of distributed cloud computing, and identify di erent use cases as well as research challenges. This article is based on the Dagstuhl Seminar on Distributed Cloud Computing, which took place in February 2015 at Schloss Dagstuhl.
Paget Disease of the Vulva: Diagnosis by Immunohistochemistry
Authors: Gonçalves Amorim Andressa , Batista Fraga Mendes Brunelle , Neves Ferreira Rodrigo , Chambô Filho Antônio
Published: April 2015

The objective of this paper is to report a case of extramammary Paget disease of the vulva, to describe its diagnosis, surgical treatment, and outcome, and to discuss the general characteristics of this pathology. This is a rare neoplasm, found principally in areas in which apocrine and eccrine glands are numerous. This case report is relevant to the literature since the differential diagnosis of extramammary Paget disease is difficult to be done only with the macroscopic appearance of the lesion and even with the microscopic characteristics, requiring further studies, immunohistochemistry, as to differentiate pathologies. The present report describes the case of a 63-year-old patient at the Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital in Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil, who presented with a hardened, ulcerated, and purplish lesion with hyperchromic and hypochromic spots, measuring 4 cm in diameter, located on the lower third of right labium majus, close to the vaginal fourchette. A right hemivulvectomy was performed, leaving wide margins all around. The patient progressed satisfactorily following surgery. Although extramammary Paget disease is rare, its incidence increases as a function of the patient’s age. Patients should be followed up closely because of the risk of persistence and/or recurrence of the disease.
Identifying and Evaluating Chaotic Behavior in Hydro-Meteorological Processes
Authors: Kim Soojun , Kim Yonsoo , Lee Jongso , Kim Hung Soo
Published: April 2015

The aim of this study is to identify and evaluate chaotic behavior in hydro-meteorological processes. This study poses the two hypotheses to identify chaotic behavior of the processes. First, assume that the input data is the significant factor to provide chaotic characteristics to output data. Second, assume that the system itself is the significant factor to provide chaotic characteristics to output data. For solving this issue, hydro-meteorological time series such as precipitation, air temperature, discharge, and storage volume were collected in the Great Salt Lake and Bear River Basin, USA. The time series in the period of approximately one year were extracted from the original series using the wavelet transform. The generated time series from summation of sine functions were fitted to each series and used for investigating the hypotheses. Then artificial neural networks had been built for modeling the reservoir system and the correlation dimension was analyzed for the evaluation of chaotic behavior between inputs and outputs. From the results, we found that the chaotic characteristic of the storage volume which is output is likely a byproduct of the chaotic behavior of the reservoir system itself rather than that of the input data.
Diffusion and Persistence of Multidrug ResistantSalmonellaTyphimurium Strains Phage Type DT120 in Southern Italy
Authors: De Vito Danila , Monno Rosa , Nuccio Federica , Legretto Marilisa , Oliva Marta , Coscia Maria Franca , Dionisi Anna Maria , Calia Carla , Capolongo Carmen , Pazzani Carlo
Published: April 2015

Sixty-two multidrug resistantSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium strains isolated from 255 clinical strains collected in Southern Italy in 2006–2008 were characterised for antimicrobial resistance genes, pulsotype, and phage type. Most strains (83.9%) were resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline (ACSSuT) encoded in 88.5% by theSalmonellagenomic island (SGI1) and in 11.5% by the InH-like integron (blaOXA-30–aadA1) andcatA1,sul1, andtet(B) genes. STYMXB.0061 (75%) and DT120 (84.6%) were the prevalent pulsotype and phage type identified in these strains, respectively. Five other resistance patterns were found either in single or in a low number of isolates. The pandemic clone DT104 (ACSSuT encoded by SGI1) has been identified in Italy since 1992, while strains DT120 (ACSSuT encoded by SGI1) have never been previously reported in Italy. In Europe, clinical strains DT120 have been reported from sporadic outbreaks linked to the consumption of pork products. However, none of these strains were STYMXB.0061 and SGI1 positive. The prevalent identification and persistence of DT120 isolates would suggest, in Southern Italy, a phage type shifting of the pandemic DT104 clone pulsotype STYMXB.0061. Additionally, these findings raise epidemiological concern about the potential diffusion of these emerging multidrug resistant (SGI linked) DT120 strains.
Bacteremia after Endoscopic Submucosal Excavation for Treating the Gastric Muscular Layer Tumors
Authors: Li Guohua , Zeng Sheng , Chen Youxiang , Zhou Xiaojiang , Lv Nonghua
Published: April 2015

Background. The bacteremia is reported as being infrequent and transient in gastric EMR and ESD for treating gastric mucosa lesions or superficial gastric neoplastic lesion. There was no report of it being investigated in ESD for treating gastric muscular layer tumors (endoscopic submucosal excavation, ESE). This study aimed to determine the frequency of bacteremia in gastric ESE.Patients and Methods. A prospective study, in 122 consecutive patients who underwent gastric ESE for treating gastric muscular layer tumors, investigated the frequency of bacteremia before and 15 minutes after the procedure.Results. The median time for the total ESE procedure was 29 min (range from 8 to 62 min). The mean size of the biggest diameter of each resected specimen was10±2.7 mm (range from 5 mm to 30 mm). Blood cultures obtained before ESE were positive in 0% (0/122) of cases. Blood cultures obtained 15 min after ESE were positive in 2.5% (3/122) of cases. Six blood samples containedStaphylococcuswith coagulase negative, which was considered contaminant. No signs of sepsis were seen in all patients.Conclusions. The frequency of bacteremia after gastric ESE was low. ESE for treating gastric lesions is thought to have a low risk of infectious complications; therefore, prophylactic administration of antibiotics may not be warranted.
Punctate Inner Choroidopathy
Authors: Sá-Cardoso Mariana , Dias-Santos Arnaldo , Nogueira Natália , Nascimento Heloísa , Belfort-Mattos Rubens
Published: April 2015

Purpose. To report a case of bilateral punctate inner choroidopathy (PIC).Case Report. A 26-year-old Caucasian woman presented with bilateral blurred vision with one year of evolution. There was no relevant systemic disease or family history. Best-corrected visual acuity in the right eye was 20/30 and in the left eye was 20/20; there was no clinically significant refractive error. Fundoscopy evidenced multiple, small, round, yellow-white lesions limited to the posterior pole of both eyes, with greater macular involvement in the RE. There were no signs of inflammation in the anterior chamber or vitreous cavity. Fluorescein angiography revealed the presence of multiple hyperfluorescent lesions more evident in the later stages of the angiogram in both eyes. On indocyanine green angiography, these lesions appeared hypofluorescent in both early and late phases. Optical coherence tomography showed the presence of focal elevations of the retinal pigment epithelium with underlying hyporeflective space, bilaterally. Laboratory and imaging evaluation for evidence of autoimmune and infectious diseases were negative.Conclusion. The PIC is a relatively uncommon condition. In this report, an attempt has been made to describe a classic clinic presentation of this disease in a young and female patient.
miRNA Profiles of Tubular Cells: Diagnosis of Kidney Injury
Authors: Kito Naoko , Endo Kosuke , Ikesue Masahiro , Weng Huachun , Iwai Naoharu
Published: April 2015

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs of 18–23 nucleotides that regulate gene expression. Recently, plasma miRNAs have been investigated as biomarkers for various physiological and pathological conditions. The present study details the conserved miRNA expression profiles of tubular tissues, and discusses whether they could be used to distinguish between proximal tubule injury, diagnose acute kidney injury (AKI), and the early-stage renal tubular dysfunction. miRNA expression was assessed with miRNA array and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction using the TaqMan system. The expression profiles of miR-200a/b/c, miR-145, miR-192, miR-194, miR-216a/b, miR-217, and miR-449a in human and rat tubular tissues such as the kidneys, lung, small intestine, and various exocrine glands were adequate for discriminating tubular tissues. In the kidney, miR-192 and miR-194 were highly expressed, whereas miR-145 and miR-449a were absent. miR-145 and miR-449a were relatively specifically expressed in small intestine and lung, respectively. Therefore, the combined levels of miR-200a/b/c, miR-192, and miR-194 in plasma were very useful in diagnosing AKI induced by contact freezing in mice. Moreover, urinary miR-200a levels were useful for the diagnosis of renal tubular dysfunction in Dahl salt-sensitive rat with high salt administration. Our results indicate that miRNA expression profiles are useful as biomarkers for identification of various kidney injuries.