bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Autonomous System to Take Angular Thermal-Infrared Measurements for Validating Satellite Products
Authors: Niclòs Raquel , Valiente José , Barberà Maria , Coll César
Published: November 2015

An autonomous system for field land surface temperature (LST) measurements taken at different observation angles was developed to be deployed easily at any conventional meteorological tower station. The system permits ground-truth data to be acquired on a continuous basis, and angularly scans land and sky hemispheres with a single thermal-infrared (TIR) radiometer. This paper describes the autonomous angular system and the methodology to assess ground-truth LST and relative-to-nadir emissivity data from system measurements. Ground-truth LSTs were used to validate satellite-retrieved LST products at two experimental sites (rice crop and shrubland areas). The relative-to-nadir emissivity values were used to analyze the anisotropy of surface emissive properties over thermally-homogeneous covers. The EOS-MODIS MOD11_L2/MYD11_L2 LST product was evaluated and shown to work within expected uncertainties (<2.0 K) when tested against the system data. A slight underestimation of around −0.15 K was observed, which became greater for the off-nadir observation angles at the shrubland site. The system took angular measurements for the different seasonal homogeneous covers at the rice crop site. These measurements showed emissivity angular anisotropies, which were in good agreement with previously published data. The dual-view ENVISAT-AATSR data reproduced them, and revealed that the system data collected for thermally-homogeneous surfaces could be used to test future satellite TIR sensors with multi-angular or bi-angular capabilities, like the forthcoming SLSTR on board Copernicus Sentinel-3A.
Mapping Cropland in Smallholder-Dominated Savannas: Integrating Remote Sensing Techniques and Probabilistic Modeling
Authors: Sweeney Sean , Ruseva Tatyana , Estes Lyndon , Evans Tom
Published: November 2015

Traditional smallholder farming systems dominate the savanna range countries of sub-Saharan Africa and provide the foundation for the region’s food security. Despite continued expansion of smallholder farming into the surrounding savanna landscapes, food insecurity in the region persists. Central to the monitoring of food security in these countries, and to understanding the processes behind it, are reliable, high-quality datasets of cultivated land. Remote sensing has been frequently used for this purpose but distinguishing crops under certain stages of growth from savanna woodlands has remained a major challenge. Yet, crop production in dryland ecosystems is most vulnerable to seasonal climate variability, amplifying the need for high quality products showing the distribution and extent of cropland. The key objective in this analysis is the development of a classification protocol for African savanna landscapes, emphasizing the delineation of cropland. We integrate remote sensing techniques with probabilistic modeling into an innovative workflow. We present summary results for this methodology applied to a land cover classification of Zambia’s Southern Province. Five primary land cover categories are classified for the study area, producing an overall map accuracy of 88.18%. Omission error within the cropland class is 12.11% and commission error 9.76%.
Polarimetric Scattering Properties of Landslides in Forested Areas and the Dependence on the Local Incidence Angle
Authors: Shibayama Takashi , Yamaguchi Yoshio , Yamada Hiroyoshi
Published: November 2015

This paper addresses the local incidence angle dependence of several polarimetric indices corresponding to landslides in forested areas. Landslide is deeply related to the loss of human lives and their property. Various kinds of remote sensing techniques, including aerial photography, high-resolution optical satellite imagery, LiDAR and SAR interferometry (InSAR), have been available for landslide investigations. SAR polarimetry is potentially an effective measure to investigate landslides because fully-polarimetric SAR (PolSAR) data contain more information compared to conventional single- or dual-polarization SAR data. However, research on landslide recognition utilizing polarimetric SAR (PolSAR) is quite limited. Polarimetric properties of landslides have not been examined quantitatively so far. Accordingly, we examined the polarimetric scattering properties of landslides by an assessment of how the decomposed scattering power components and the polarimetric correlation coefficient change with the local incidence angle. In the assessment, PolSAR data acquired from different directions with both spaceborne and airborne SARs were utilized. It was found that the surface scattering power and the polarimetric correlation coefficient of landslides significantly decrease with the local incidence angle, while these indices of surrounding forest do not. This fact leads to establishing a method of effective detection of landslide area by polarimetric information.
Vehicle Position Estimation Based on Magnetic Markers: Enhanced Accuracy by Compensation of Time Delays
Authors: Byun Yeun-Sub , Jeong Rag-Gyo , Kang Seok-Won
Published: November 2015

The real-time recognition of absolute (or relative) position and orientation on a network of roads is a core technology for fully automated or driving-assisted vehicles. This paper presents an empirical investigation of the design, implementation, and evaluation of a self-positioning system based on a magnetic marker reference sensing method for an autonomous vehicle. Specifically, the estimation accuracy of the magnetic sensing ruler (MSR) in the up-to-date estimation of the actual position was successfully enhanced by compensating for time delays in signal processing when detecting the vertical magnetic field (VMF) in an array of signals. In this study, the signal processing scheme was developed to minimize the effects of the distortion of measured signals when estimating the relative positional information based on magnetic signals obtained using the MSR. In other words, the center point in a 2D magnetic field contour plot corresponding to the actual position of magnetic markers was estimated by tracking the errors between pre-defined reference models and measured magnetic signals. The algorithm proposed in this study was validated by experimental measurements using a test vehicle on a pilot network of roads. From the results, the positioning error was found to be less than 0.04 m on average in an operational test.
Correlating the Integral Sensing Properties of Zeolites with Molecular Processes by Combining Broadband Impedance and DRIFT Spectroscopy—A New Approach for Bridging the Scales
Authors: Chen Peirong , Schönebaum Simon , Simons Thomas , Rauch Dieter , Dietrich Markus , Moos Ralf , Simon Ulrich
Published: November 2015

Zeolites have been found to be promising sensor materials for a variety of gas molecules such as NH3, NOx, hydrocarbons, etc. The sensing effect results from the interaction of the adsorbed gas molecules with mobile cations, which are non-covalently bound to the zeolite lattice. The mobility of the cations can be accessed by electrical low-frequency (LF; mHz to MHz) and high-frequency (HF; GHz) impedance measurements. Recent developments allow in situ monitoring of catalytic reactions on proton-conducting zeolites used as catalysts. The combination of such in situ impedance measurements with diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), which was applied to monitor the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides (DeNOx-SCR), not only improves our understanding of the sensing properties of zeolite catalysts from integral electric signal to molecular processes, but also bridges the length scales being studied, from centimeters to nanometers. In this work, recent developments of zeolite-based, impedimetric sensors for automotive exhaust gases, in particular NH3, are summarized. The electrical response to NH3 obtained from LF impedance measurements will be compared with that from HF impedance measurements, and correlated with the infrared spectroscopic characteristics obtained from the DRIFTS studies of molecules involved in the catalytic conversion. The future perspectives, which arise from the combination of these methods, will be discussed.
A Timing Estimation Method Based-on Skewness Analysis in Vehicular Wireless Networks
Authors: Cui Xuerong , Li Juan , Wu Chunlei , Liu Jian-Hang
Published: November 2015

Vehicle positioning technology has drawn more and more attention in vehicular wireless networks to reduce transportation time and traffic accidents. Nowadays, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) are widely used in land vehicle positioning, but most of them are lack precision and reliability in situations where their signals are blocked. Positioning systems base-on short range wireless communication are another effective way that can be used in vehicle positioning or vehicle ranging. IEEE 802.11p is a new real-time short range wireless communication standard for vehicles, so a new method is proposed to estimate the time delay or ranges between vehicles based on the IEEE 802.11p standard which includes three main steps: cross-correlation between the received signal and the short preamble, summing up the correlated results in groups, and finding the maximum peak using a dynamic threshold based on the skewness analysis. With the range between each vehicle or road-side infrastructure, the position of neighboring vehicles can be estimated correctly. Simulation results were presented in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) vehicular multipath channel, which show that the proposed method provides better precision than some well-known timing estimation techniques, especially in low signal to noise ratio (SNR) environments.
Dynamic Factor Analysis of Trends in Temporal–Spatial Patterns of China’s Coal Consumption
Authors: Sun Yuhuan , Li Qian , Chen Ting , Jia Xiaoai
Published: November 2015

This paper analyzes coal consumption in the 31 provinces and regions of China from 1995 to 2012. Using spatial analysis in Arc geographical information systems (ArcGIS) and the concept of the center of gravity in physics, we explore the regional differences in temporal-spatial coal consumption and the factors influencing them. The results show that China’s coal consumption increased yearly, especially after 2003. It exhibits a marked spatial clustering phenomenon; consumption in the south and east exceeded that in the north and west respectively. Moreover, the center of gravity of consumption gradually moved toward the southwest, indicating reducing gaps in coal consumption between the north-south and the east-west regions. Both the level of economic development and coal consumption are positively related with regional coal production. Promoting urbanization and increasing the proportion of the tertiary industry can effectively reduce coal consumption and help readjust coal consumption patterns to sustainable levels.
A Simple and Rapid Procedure for the Detection of Genes Encoding Shiga Toxins and Other Specific DNA Sequences
Authors: Nejman-Faleńczyk Bożena , Bloch Sylwia , Januszkiewicz Aleksandra , Węgrzyn Alicja , Węgrzyn Grzegorz
Published: November 2015

A novel procedure for the detection of specific DNA sequences has been developed. This procedure is based on the already known method employing PCR with appropriate primers and a sequence-specific DNA probe labeled with the fluorescent agent 6-carboxylfluorescein (FAM) at the 5′ end and the fluorescence quencher BHQ-1 (black hole quencher) at the 3′ end. However, instead of the detection of the fluorescence signal with the use of real-time PCR cyclers, fluorescence/luminescence spectrometers or fluorescence polarization readers, as in all previously-reported procedures, we propose visual observation of the fluorescence under UV light directly in the reaction tube. An example for the specific detection of the Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains, by detecting Shiga toxin genes, is demonstrated. This method appears to be specific, simple, rapid and cost effective. It may be suitable for use in research laboratories, as well as in diagnostic units of medical institutions, even those equipped only with a thermocycler and a UV transilluminator, particularly if rapid identification of a pathogen is required.
The Protective Effect of Bee Venom on Fibrosis Causing Inflammatory Diseases
Authors: Lee Woo-Ram , Pak Sok , Park Kwan-Kyu
Published: November 2015

Bee venom therapy is a treatment modality that may be thousands of years old and involves the application of live bee stings to the patient’s skin or, in more recent years, the injection of bee venom into the skin with a hypodermic needle. Studies have proven the effectiveness of bee venom in treating pathological conditions such as arthritis, pain and cancerous tumors. However, there has not been sufficient review to fully elucidate the cellular mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory effects of bee venom and its components. In this respect, the present study reviews current understanding of the mechanisms of the anti-inflammatory properties of bee venom and its components in the treatment of liver fibrosis, atherosclerosis and skin disease.
Optimizing Water Allocation under Uncertain System Conditions for Water and Agriculture Future Scenarios in Alfeios River Basin (Greece)—Part B: Fuzzy-Boundary Intervals Combined with Multi-Stage Stochastic Programming Model
Authors: Bekri Eleni , Disse Markus , Yannopoulos Panayotis
Published: November 2015

Optimal water allocation within a river basin still remains a great modeling challenge for engineers due to various hydrosystem complexities, parameter uncertainties and their interactions. Conventional deterministic optimization approaches have given their place to stochastic, fuzzy and interval-parameter programming approaches and their hybrid combinations for overcoming these difficulties. In many countries, including Mediterranean countries, water resources management is characterized by uncertain, imprecise and limited data because of the absence of permanent measuring systems, inefficient river monitoring and fragmentation of authority responsibilities. A fuzzy-boundary-interval linear programming methodology developed by Li et al. (2010) is selected and applied in the Alfeios river basin (Greece) for optimal water allocation under uncertain system conditions. This methodology combines an ordinary multi-stage stochastic programming with uncertainties expressed as fuzzy-boundary intervals. Upper- and lower-bound solution intervals for optimized water allocation targets and probabilistic water allocations and shortages are estimated under a baseline scenario and four water and agricultural policy future scenarios for an optimistic and a pessimistic attitude of the decision makers. In this work, the uncertainty of the random water inflows is incorporated through the simultaneous generation of stochastic equal-probability hydrologic scenarios at various inflow positions instead of using a scenario-tree approach in the original methodology.
Obtaining the Thermal Structure of Lakes from the Air
Authors: Chung Michaella , Detweiler Carrick , Hamilton Michael , Higgins James , Ore John-Paul , Thompson Sally
Published: November 2015

The significance of thermal heterogeneities in small surface water bodies as drivers of mixing and for habitat provision is increasingly recognized, yet obtaining three-dimensionally-resolved observations of the thermal structure of lakes and rivers remains challenging. Remote observations of water temperature from aerial platforms are attractive: such platforms do not require shoreline access; they can be quickly and easily deployed and redeployed to facilitate repeated sampling and can rapidly move between target locations, allowing multiple measurements to be made during a single flight. However, they are also subject to well-known limitations, including payload, operability and a tradeoff between the extent and density over which measurements can be made within restricted flight times. This paper introduces a novel aerial thermal sensing platform that lowers a temperature sensor into the water to record temperature measurements throughout a shallow water column and presents results from initial field experiments comparing \emph{in situ} temperature observations to those made from the UAS platform. These experiments show that with minor improvements, UASs have the potential to enable high-resolution 3D thermal mapping of a \(\sim\)1-ha lake in 2–3 flights (\textit{circa} 2 h), sufficient to resolve diurnal variations. This paper identifies operational constraints and key areas for further development, including the need for the integration of a faster temperature sensor with the aerial vehicle and better control of the sensor depth, especially when near the water surface.
Effect of Ultrasound Pretreatment on Sludge Digestion and Dewatering Characteristics: Application of Particle Size Analysis
Authors: Martínez Elia , Rosas Jose , Morán Antonio , Gómez Xiomar
Published: November 2015

The aim of this work was to study the effect of ultrasonic pretreatment on sludge digestion, particle size distribution (PSD), and dewaterability of digestates (measured by capillary suction time (CST) and specific resistance to filtration (SRF)). Sludge was pretreated with ultrasound (24 kHz) at an energy dosage of 4300 kJ/kg TS. Digestibility of sludge was increased by ultrasound pretreatment resulting in a higher specific methane production (SMP). The digestate of pretreated waste activated sludge (WAS) obtained under batch conditions presented a better dewatering performance. Digestion under semi-continuous conditions was evaluated using sewage sludge (mixture of primary sludge and WAS). In this case, digestates presented a much higher mean particle size for both cases evaluated (pretreated and non-pretreated) than that obtained under batch conditions. A wide PSD was a characteristic of these digestate samples. Flow dynamics inside the reactor resulted in the presence of high-diameter flocs, thus significantly affecting the mean particle size and specific surface area (SSA) values.
Synthesis, structure, and mechanical properties of silica nanocomposite polyrotaxane gels
Authors: Kato Kazuaki , Matsui Daisuke , Mayumi Koichi , Ito Kohzo
Published: November 2015

A significantly soft and tough nanocomposite gel was realized by a novel network formed using cyclodextrin-based polyrotaxanes. Covalent bond formation between the cyclic components of polyrotaxanes and the surface of silica nanoparticles (15 nm diameter) resulted in an infinite network structure without direct bonds between the main chain polymer and the silica. Small-angle X-ray scattering revealed that the homogeneous distribution of silica nanoparticles in solution was maintained in the gel state. Such homogeneous nanocomposite gels were obtained with at least 30 wt % silica content, and the Young’s modulus increased with silica content. Gelation did not occur without silica. This suggests that the silica nanoparticles behave as cross-linkers. Viscoelastic measurements of the nanocomposite gels showed no stress relaxation regardless of the silica content for <20% compression strain, indicating an infinite stable network without physical cross-links that have finite lifetime. On the other hand, the infinite network exhibited an abnormally low Young’s modulus, ~1 kPa, which is not explainable by traditional rubber theory. In addition, the composite gels were tough enough to completely maintain the network structure under 80% compression strain. These toughness and softness properties are attributable to both the characteristic sliding of polymer chains through the immobilized cyclodextrins on the silica nanoparticle and the entropic contribution of the cyclic components to the elasticity of the gels.
Reconstruction of Bog Lake Water Level Fluctuations Using Method of Simple Modelling: A Case Study on Lake Rėkyva
Authors: Taminskas Julius , Mažeikis Adomas , Linkevičienė Rita
Published: November 2015

Considering lack of observations and meteorological data, the article analyses the reconstruction of bog lake water level fluctuations. The main issue of using advanced methods for determining water level fluctuations and balance can be lack of verified data. The proposed method uses only a variable length period of precipitation amount data series. Bog lake Rėkyva can be distinguished from other bog lakes due to its large area, and therefore has been chosen for this case study. The main conclusion is that the proposed method is suitable for determining trends towards water level fluctuation over long time periods.
Priemaišos naudotuose plutonio šaltiniuose ir gama spinduliuotė
Authors: Pelanytė Inga , Motiejūnas Stasys , Gudelis Arūnas
Published: November 2015

Šiame darbe nagrinėjama naudotų plutonio šaltinių izotopinė sudėtis ir galimų priemaišinių radionuklidų įtaka žmonių saugai. Pateikti radionuklidų americio 241Am ir plutonio 241Pu aktyvumo dūmų jutikliuose skaičiavimo rezultatai. Gautos vertės kinta nuo 0,934±0,028 MBq iki 91,2±4,6 MBq. Išmatuota gama spinduliuotės sukelta lygiavertės dozės galia. Nustatytos lygiavertės dozės galios vertės kinta nuo 220 nSv/h iki 500 nSv/h. Vidutinė dozės galia patalpoje yra apie 140 nSv/h. Įvertinta išorinė apšvita, sukelta dirbtinės kilmės americio 241Am radionuklidų, esančių naudotuose dūmų jutikliuose. Nustatyta, kad metinė išorinė apšvita žmogui, dirbančiam patalpoje, kurioje įmontuotas dūmų jutiklis, kinta nuo 0,06 mSv iki 0,31 mSv.
Skaičiuojamosios fluidų dinamikos modeliavimo taikymas kūginiam grįžtamojo srauto ciklonui tirti
Authors: Vaitiekūnas Inga , Vaitiekūnas Petras
Published: November 2015

Nagrinėjama ciklonų, skirtų kietosioms dalelėms atskirti iš oro srauto, efektyvumo problema. Apžvelgti eksperimentiniai ir teoriniai darbai. Pateiktos trimatės pernašos diferencialinės lygtys su Reinoldso įtempių turbulencijos ir kitais modeliais. Atliktas skaitinis oro srauto judėjimo modeliavimas kūginiame grįžtamojo srauto (KGS) ciklone, kurio aukštis – 0,50 m, cilindrinės dalies aukštis - 0,29 m, kūginės - 0,133 m, skersmuo - 0,20 m. Modeliuojant aprašytas oro srauto judėjimas ciklone taikant Navjė ir Stokso trimačių diferencialinių lygčių sistemą, diskretizuotą baigtiniais tūriais. Modeliavimo rezultatai, kai įtekėjimo greitis – 4,64 m/s ir debitas – 0,28 m3/s, neblogai sutapo su kitų autorių vykdytų eksperimentų rezultatais. Gauta vidutinė santykinė paklaida - ±5 proc.
Proposal for a Candidate Core Set of Fitness and Strength Tests for Patients with Childhood or Adult Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies
Authors: van der Stap Djamilla K.D. , Rider Lisa G. , Alexanderson Helene , Huber Adam M. , Gualano Bruno , Gordon Patrick , van der Net Janjaap , Mathiesen Pernille , Johnson Liam G. , Ernste Floranne C. , Feldman Brian M. , Houghton Kristin M. , Singh-Grewal Davinder , Kutzbach Abraham Garcia , Munters Li Alemo , Takken Tim ,   on behalf of the International Myositis Assessment and Clinical Studies Group
Published: November 2015

Objective.

Currently there are no evidence-based recommendations regarding fitness and strength tests for patients with childhood or adult idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). This hinders clinicians and researchers in choosing the appropriate fitness- or muscle strength-related outcome measures for these patients. Through a Delphi survey, we aimed to identify a candidate core set of fitness and strength tests for children and adults with IIM.

Methods.

Fifteen experts participated in a Delphi survey that consisted of 5 stages to achieve a consensus. Using an extensive search of published literature and through the work of experts, a candidate core set based on expert opinion and clinimetrics properties was developed. Members of the International Myositis Assessment and Clinical Studies Group were invited to review this candidate core set during the final stage, which led to a final candidate core set.

Results.

A core set of fitness- and strength-related outcome measures was identified for children and adults with IIM. For both children and adults, different tests were identified and selected for maximal aerobic fitness, submaximal aerobic fitness, anaerobic fitness, muscle strength tests, and muscle function tests.

Conclusion.

The core set of fitness- and strength-related outcome measures provided by this expert consensus process will assist practitioners and researchers in deciding which tests to use in patients with IIM. This will improve the uniformity of fitness and strength tests across studies, thereby facilitating the comparison of study results and therapeutic exercise program outcomes among patients with IIM.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Inhibition in Ankylosing Spondylitis and Nonradiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis: Treatment Response, Drug Survival, and Patient Outcome
Authors: Corli Justine , Flipo René-Marc , Philippe Peggy , Bera-Louville Anne , Béhal Hélène , Wibaux Cécile , Paccou Julien
Published: November 2015

Objective.

The purpose of this study was to (1) evaluate baseline characteristics of nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) treated with tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors (TNFi), (2) assess the response to first TNFi treatment, and (3) compare drug-survival duration and rates.

Methods.

Inclusion criteria were patients with axSpA who initiated first TNFi treatment between April 2001 and July 2014 and were followed up for at least 3 months. Efficacy criteria were an improvement of at least 2 points (on a 0–10 scale) or a 50% improvement in the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI). Baseline characteristics, responses at 12 months, and drug survival were compared between AS and nr-axSpA.

Results.

A total of 361 patients were included in the study (AS, n = 263 and nr-axSpA, n = 98). Patients with AS were more often men (65.02% vs 45.92%, p = 0.001) and had longer symptom duration (11.71 ± 9.52 vs 7.34 ± 9.30 yrs, p < 0.001). Median levels of acute-phase reactants (C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate) were significantly higher in patients with AS (p < 0.001 for both). Median BASDAI scores at first TNFi initiation were not higher in patients with nr-axSpA than in patients with AS (59, 49–70 vs 60, 50–70, p = 0.73). BASDAI 20 and BASDAI 50 response rates at 12 months were not statistically different between patients with AS and patients with nr-axSpA (74.58% vs 64.58%, p = 0.19 and 61.02% vs 50.00%, p = 0.19, respectively). No statistically significant difference in terms of survival was observed between patients with AS and nr-axSpA (p = 1.00).

Conclusion.

Treatment response and drug survival were similar in patients with AS and nr-axSpA after first TNFi initiation.
Risk Factors for Symptomatic Avascular Necrosis in Childhood-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Yang Yelin , Kumar Sathish , Lim Lily Siok Hoon , Silverman Earl D. , Levy Deborah M.
Published: November 2015

Objective.

To examine the frequency and risk factors for symptomatic avascular necrosis (AVN) in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE).

Methods.

A single-center, nested, matched, case-control design was used. There were 617 patients with cSLE followed at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) Lupus Clinic between July 1982 and June 2013 included in the study. The AVN cohort consisted of 37 patients identified with clinical findings of symptomatic AVN and diagnosis was confirmed by 1 or more imaging modalities. Three controls were matched to each patient with AVN by date and age at diagnosis. Baseline clinical, laboratory, and treatment characteristics were compared between patients with AVN and controls by univariable analyses and if statistically significant, were included in a multivariable logistic regression model.

Results.

A total of 37/617 patients (6%) developed symptomatic AVN in 91 joints during followup at SickKids. The mean duration to disease was 2.3 years. The hip was the most commonly involved joint (26/37, 70%). Compared with the matched non-AVN cohort, patients with AVN had a higher incidence of central nervous system (CNS) involvement and nephritis, required greater cumulative prednisone (PRED) from cSLE diagnosis to AVN, received a greater maximal daily PRED dose, and had more frequent use of pulse methylprednisolone therapy. Multivariable regression analysis confirmed major organ involvement (CNS disease and/or nephritis) and maximal daily PRED dose as significant predictors of symptomatic AVN development.

Conclusion.

Patients with cSLE with severe organ involvement including nephritis and CNS disease and higher maximal daily dose of PRED are more likely to develop symptomatic AVN.
Nighttime Blood Pressure Patterns and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Sabio José Mario , Martinez-Bordonado Josefina , Sánchez-Berná Isabel , Vargas-Hitos José Antonio , Mediavilla Juan Diego , Navarrete-Navarrete Nuria , Zamora-Pasadas Mónica , Ruíz Manuela Expósito , Jiménez-Alonso Juan
Published: November 2015

Objective.

To compare 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring (ABPM) values and patterns in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with those of a matched control group and their relationship with the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis.

Methods.

ABPM was assessed in 70 women with SLE and in 65 sex- and age-matched controls without a history of clinic cardiovascular disease (CVD). Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), which is a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis and a predictor of future CVD, was measured. Multivariate logistic analysis was used to determine which explanatory variables were independently associated with the non-dipper pattern and the presence of nocturnal hypertension (HTN) in women with SLE.

Results.

No differences in PWV were found between patients and controls [median 7.3, interquartile range (IQR) 6.5–8.1 m/s vs median 7.1, IQR 6.5–7.8 m/s, p = 0.474]. The frequency of nondipper pattern (p = 0.025) and nocturnal HTN (p = 0.004) was significantly higher in women with SLE than in controls. White-coat and masked HTN were present in 10% and 11% of patients and in 20% and 8% of controls, respectively (p > 0.05 in all cases). The concordance between office and ambulatory HTN in the SLE and control groups was modest (κ = 0.325 and κ = 0.451, respectively). PWV and chronic kidney disease, and PWV and the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index were found to be independently associated with nocturnal HTN and nondipper pattern, respectively.

Conclusion.

Women with SLE were more likely to have an altered nighttime BP pattern than controls. In women with SLE, nondipper pattern and nocturnal HTN were independently associated with increased subclinical atherosclerosis measured by PWV.
Maintaining Replicated Recovery Log for RESTful Services
Authors: Kobusińska Anna , Wawrzyniak Dariusz
Published: November 2015

Along with development of information systems, their requirements in terms of fault-tolerance increase and become more stringent. A possible approach to deal with this issue is rollback-recovery that consists in loading by the recovering node its most recent checkpoint, or retransmitting requests saved in its message log, to reach a consistent pre-failure state. Both checkpoint and message log are commonly said to be saved in a persistent storage able to survive any failure. In this paper the authors propose the implementation of a stable storage by means of replication of the log containing recovery information. The proposed solution is especially tailored for the service oriented systems implemented accordingly to REST paradigm. Thus, they utilize RESTful semantics in order to reduce the size of replicated recovery log and thereby increasing the efficiency of the proposed recovery log replication protocol.
High Performance Temperature Detection System for Industrial Automation
Authors: Chen Uei-Ren , Wei Chia-Yen , Ho Meng-Fen
Published: November 2015

Temperature detection technology plays an important role in the industrial automation systems, for example the production of the plastic container in the industrial manufacturing machines. To produce a high quality plastic product, blow molding machines need a high performance and a great precision non-contact temperature detecting system. In this paper, the authors custom design and implement a high performance distributed microcontroller system for non-contact temperature measurement. In practice, this system can detect the temperature of plastic preforms in the heating system of blow molding machines by using infrared temperature sensors and employing the network communication technologies, such as SMBus, UART and RS485 networks. Finally, some experiments are executed to evaluate the performance of the authors' system.
Self-Adaptive QoS-Aware Web Service Discovery using Ontology Approach
Authors: Win Nwe Nwe Htay , Jianmin Bao , Gang Cui , Rehman Saif Ur
Published: November 2015

In recent years, although semantic has been widely used in service discovery mechanisms, it still needs to exploit all semantic aspects included in service documents so that the discovered service can highly be relevant with user request. Moreover, it also needs to consider self-adaptability in discovering the services which can adapt to searching conditions or parameters in order to find other suitable and potential services if no feasible solution could exactly satisfy user QoS requirements. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel self-adaptive QoS-based service discovery mechanism which can adapt the discovery process with the help of semantically structured ontology trees if unexpected results are encountered. The discovery process matches the equivalences between service advertisement and requirement using three similarity evaluation criteria namely concept, attribute and constraint similarity. This discovery process is repeated until feasible solution is found and a set of most suitable services are returned to the users. The authors prototype their system called SQoSD to evaluate the efficiency and adaptability compared with OWLS-CPS and RQSS. The experimental results prove that our mechanism is superior to the other compared mechanisms.
High Performance Datafly based Anonymity Algorithm and Its L-Diversity
Authors: Yu Zhi-ting , Qian Quan , Lin Chun-Yuan , Hung Che-Lun
Published: November 2015

Data anonymity, as an effective privacy protection method, has been widely used in real applications. High performance data anonymity algorithm is especially attractive for those massive data applications. In this paper, the authors propose a novel and efficient Datafly based data anonymity (Divide-Datafly) algorithm and the experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is not only more efficient than Datafly and Incognito, but also information loss less than KACA. Moreover, in order to improve the security of anonymous data, L-Divide-Datafly is presented that it combines Divide-Datafly and efficient distance based clustering. Experimental results show that L-Divide-Datafly achieves great performance both in execution time and Information loss.
Dual-frequency MEMS based Oscillator using a single ZnO-on-SOI Resonator
Authors: Lan Di , Dewdney Julio , Wu I-Tsang , Rivera Ivan , Avila Adrian , Wang Jing
Published: November 2015

In this paper, an oscillator technology with high-Q MEMS resonator as its tank circuit is presented to validate its key functionality as a stable frequency reference across a wide spectrum of frequencies. Particularly, a piezoelectrically-transduced contour-mode MEMS resonator is strategically designed to operate at two distinct layout-defined mechanical modal frequencies (259.5MHz and 436.7MHz). These devices were characterized and modeled by an extracted equivalent LCR circuit to facilitate the design of the oscillator using a standard circuit simulator. For this preliminary study, the MEMS resonators have been integrated with the sustaining amplifier circuit at PCB level using wire-bonding technique and coaxial connectors. As shown by the time-domain measurements, these oscillators are capable of selectively locking into the resonance frequency of the constituent MEMS resonator to generate a stable sinusoidal waveform with peak-to-peak amplitude of 4.6V at 259.5 MHz and 2.3V at 436.7 MHz, respectively. Meanwhile, the fundamental oscillation frequency and it harmonics can be easily observed in a measured frequency-domain spectrum.
Low Inductance Antenna (LIA) plasma source and plasma-enhanced dual rotatable magnetron sputter assisted with LIA
Authors: Takaya Y. , Tanioka Y. , Yoshino H. , Osawa A.
Published: November 2015

In recent years, both low plasma damage and low temperature deposition technic for polymer substrates (e.g. PCB, films and etc.) are often required. We have developed a plasma enhanced dual rotatable magnetron sputter source assisted with inductively coupled plasma (ICP) using low inductance antenna (LIA). LIA has same unique characteristics, a)low voltage high density plasma, b)well controllability of plasma profile to ensure uniformity over large area, c)ionization of sputtered particle and etc. when in being used as a plasma assistant, and besides, LIA can be used as a ICP source for polymer surface modification. We introduce a variety of the possibilities of whether this sputter source is usable for the process of the fabrication of PCB.
Packaging Architecture for an Implanted System that Monitors Brain Activity and Applies Therapeutic Stimulation
Authors: Bjune Caroline K. , Marinis Thomas F. , Sriram Tirunelveli S. , Brady Jeanne M. , Moran James , Parks Philip D. , Widge Alik S. , Dougherty Darin D. , Eskandar Emad N.
Published: November 2015

Deep brain stimulation therapies for Parkinson's disease utilize hardware, which from a packaging perspective, resembles that used in cardiac pacemakers. A hermetic package that contains stimulation electronics and a primary battery supply is implanted under the scalp in a recess cut into the skull. Stimulation probes, each with up to four electrodes, are inserted into the brain and connected to the electronics package via a plug and cable system. By contrast, the closed loop neural stimulator being developed under the DARPA SUBNETS program utilizes probes, which each carry up to 64 electrodes that can be switched between recording and stimulation functions. This capability necessitates locating low noise amplifiers, switching and communication electronics in close proximity to each probe. Each of these satellite electronics packages requires ten electrical connections to the hub package, which significantly increases the complexity of the interconnect system relative to current practice. The power requirements of this system preclude the use of a primary battery supply so instead, a large lithium ion battery is used with a recharging coil and electronics. The hub system is fabricated as a separate connector header, electronics package and battery pack that are interconnected by a flex circuit to allow it to conform to the skull for implanting. In this paper, we will describe the various packaging components of the system and the design considerations that drove our technology choices.
Substrate Temporary Bonding Supporting Post-Processing Applications
Authors: Pettit Jared , Law Alman , Brewer Alex , Moore John
Published: November 2015

Post-processing applications are carried out on substrates while they are temporarily supported. This requires a simple adhesion process with easy removal without complex tooling or cleaning. Substrates include wafers, displays, or components, organic or inorganic, and may contain topography such as solder bumps. The applications may vary from backside processing of wafers, complete flexible circuit integration, or the stacking of packages. Simple processing may use green products as the detergent soluble DaeCoatTM 600-series, exhibiting thermal stability from 80°C to allow hot DIW debond, to over 200°C to support thermal processing. Temporary bonding may resist heat and chemicals for many steps or one major extreme. The DaeCoatTM 300-series of products are designed to resist thermal exposures >300°C for wafer operations with bumps or reach ≥400°C (DaeCoatTM 315) for flexible displays to allow casting of liquid polyimide (PI) [1]. The properties are consistent with the needs of electronics processes, providing outgas below 1% inert to fab chemicals, and most important, an adhesive force that is tuned to allow simple substrate removal (peeling, lifting, or chemical diffusion). Where discrete die or components require installing infrastructure to support stacking or fan-out designs, the thin and fragile substrate is securely held in place by simple dry bonding completed in seconds and later removed by similar peeling practices without observed residue. Such component practices enable encapsulation during bumping, permanent bonding, or physical vapor deposition (PVD) of electromagnetic and radio-frequency interference (EMI/RFI) shielding [2]. The success in these and other technologies depend upon the use of the proper adhesive but most importantly, the tuning of the adhesion force. Successful tuning depends upon many factors, including substrate surface energy, texture, and the bonding process. Daetec has created adhesives used in temporary bonding processes for nearly 20yrs, applying to multiple wafer types, OLED and TFT displays, printed electronics, solar, thinning down to 4um, and thermal resistance >600°C [3]. Our experience in creating solutions for these and other industry needs will be discussed as well as the criteria to temporarily support flexible and rigid substrates of all types, sizes, and shapes.
HIGH DATA RATE SILICON PHOTONIC - CMOS ELECTRONIC MODULES USING COPPER MICROBUMPS
Authors: Bernabé S. , Pares G. , Blampey B. , Rida K. , Castany O. , Menezo S. , Malhouitre S. , Kopp C. , Dieng K. , Temporiti E.
Published: November 2015

Achieving high data speed (typically Nx25 Gbps) compact optoelectronic modules is now made possible by using Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) combined with CMOS electronic drivers. Among the techniques that can be used to combine both circuits, flip-chip assembly based on micro-bumps shows several advantages, for example low RF parasitics and high density compared to wire bonding. Using this technique, it is possible to build low consumption photonic receivers working at 25 Gbps.
Heterogeneous Integration of a 300mm Silicon Photonics-CMOS Wafer Stack by Direct Oxide Bonding and Via-last 3D Interconnection
Authors: McDonough Colin , La Tulipe Doug , Pascual Dan , Tariello Paul , Mucci John , Smalley Matt , Nguyen Anh , Vo Tuan , Johnson Corbet , Nguyen Phung , Hebding Jeremiah , Leake Gerald , Moresco Michele , Timurdogan Erman , Stojanović Vladimir , Watts Michael R. , Coolbaugh Douglas
Published: November 2015

A fully functional Si photonics and 65-nm CMOS heterogeneous 3D integration is demonstrated for the first time in a 300mm production environment. Direct oxide wafer bonding was developed to eliminate voids between SOI photonics and bulk Si CMOS wafers. A via-last, Cu through-oxide via (TOV) 3D integration was developed for low capacitance electrical connections with no impact on CMOS performance. 3D yield approaching 100% was demonstrated on >20,000 via chains.
Metal Salt Solution-Nanoprecipitation Method for Improvement in Reliability of Sintered Ag Nanoparticle Bonding
Authors: Hiratsuka Daisuke , Sasaki Akihiro , Iguchi Tomohiro , Yamamoto Tetsuya , Sato Tsuyoshi
Published: November 2015

Interest in die-attach materials with high thermostability has been stimulated by the high junction temperature of power semiconductors. Sintered Ag nanoparticle bonding is the most attractive candidate for use as solder because of its high melting point (1253 K) and low process temperature (~573 K). Recent studies have assumed that this bonding exhibits high thermostability above 573 K. However, in fact, it is difficult to preserve the bonding strength after high-temperature storage at 523 K for 1000 h. Thus, we first clarified that the sintered Ag nanoparticle bonding was degraded by micropore coalescence caused by the Ag grain growth. We then developed the metal salt solution-nanoprecipitation (MS2NP) method for improving the reliability of the sintered Ag nanoparticle bonding. We found that the bonding used by the MS2NP method can maintain a high die-shear strength (~40 MPa) even after high-temperature storage at 573 K for 1000 h.
Analysis of 16 QFN Device I/O Pads for Solderability Failures
Authors: Hegde Rama , Anderson Anne , Subramanian Sam , Mawer Andrew , Hall Ed , Leong VK , Selvakumar A.
Published: November 2015

In-process failures were experienced during printed circuit board (PCB) SMT assembly of a 16 Quad Flat No Leads (QFN) device. The failures appeared to be solderability related with QFN unit I/O pads not soldering robustly and sometimes leading to QFN detachment following board mounting. When assembly did take place on affected QFN units, the resulting solder joint was observed to be weak. This paper reports on very systematic analyses of the QFN device I/O pads using optical inspections, AES surface, AES depth profiling, SEM/EDX, SIMS, FIB and TEM cross-sectional measurements to determine the root cause of the failure and the failure mechanism. The detached QFN units, suspect and good unsoldered units, passing and failing units obtained from customers were examined. The industry standard surface mount solderability testing was performed on good and suspect parts, and all were observed to pass as evidenced by >95% coverage of the I/O pads. Optical inspections and a wide variety of physical analysis of the pads on fresh parts showed no anomalies with only the expected Au over Pd over Ni found. AES analysis was performed including depth profiling to look for any issues in the NiPdAu over base Cu plating layers that could be contributing the solderability failures. The AES depth profiling indicated AuPd film on the Ni under layer for the I/O pads as expected. No unexpected elements or oxide layers were observed at any layer. Then, one failing and one passing units were compared by doing FIB cross-section, FIB planar section and TEM cross-section analysis. The cross-sectional analysis showed rough Ni surface for the failing units, while the Ni surface was relatively smooth for the passing unit. Further, finer Cu grains and Ni grains were observed on the passing units. Additionally, the lead frame fabrication process mapping showed rough Cu, Ni “texturing” and use of low electro chemical polishing (ECP) current on the bad units compared to that of the good units. All affected bad units were confirmed coming from a second source Cu supplier with the rough Cu. The weak and irregular NiSn IMC formation on the bad units caused IMC separation and possible spalling during board solder reflow primarily due to the rough base Cu and irregular grain sizes and resulting lower ECP lead frame plating current. A possible final factor was marginally low Pd thickness. In conclusion, the 16 QFN device solderability failure root cause summary and the lessons learned from a wide variety of analysis techniques will be discussed.
Cost Analysis of Flip Chip Assembly Processes: Mass Reflow with Capillary Underfill and Thermocompression Bonding with Nonconductive Paste
Authors: Palesko Amy
Published: November 2015

Many factors affect the selection of the assembly and interconnect processes used to package a die. For example, the size of the die and package, the type of substrate, and the number of IOs all must be considered. In this paper, two processes are compared: a flip chip process using mass reflow with capillary underfill versus a flip chip thermocompression bonding process using nonconductive paste.

Activity based cost modeling is used for the analysis. Both of the process flows are presented in detail, then multiple cost comparisons are presented. Examples of the variables that will change are package size, material cost, and equipment cost. In most cases, the bonding and material portions of the process flows are focused on rather than the entire assembly and substrate processes—this allows for a better analysis of particular details. Conclusions are drawn about which design scenarios are suitable for each process flow. Key cost drivers that may affect future cost comparisons as the technologies advance are also indicated.