bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Fenugreek Flour (Trigonella foenum-graecumL.) Addition on the Technofunctional Properties of Dark Wheat Flour
Authors: Man Simona Maria , Păucean Adriana , Călian Ioana Daniela , Mureșan Vlad , Chiș Maria Simona , Pop Anamaria , Mureșan Andruța Elena , Bota Monica , Muste Sevastița
Published: May 2019

Evaluation of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecumL.) and dark wheat flour (type 1250) blends was performed, and the effect of fenugreek flour on the physicochemical, textural, microbiological, and sensory characteristics of wheat bread was studied. The fenugreek flour was blended with wheat flour at different levels: 2%, 5%, and 8% for preparing bread samples. Even if a decrement of bread’s crumb textural properties was recorded with fenugreek flour addition, the improved content in protein, ash, fiber, and antioxidant compounds was noticeable. The results of the sensory analysis indicated that the bread sample fortified with 2% and 5% fenugreek flour has the highest acceptability score. However, considering the health benefits of fenugreek bioactive compounds and their influence on overall quality of bread, it can be concluded that bread supplementation up to 5% fenugreek flour is optimal.
High-Resolution Image and Video CubeSat (HiREV): Development of Space Technology Test Platform Using a Low-Cost CubeSat Platform
Authors: Cho Dong-Hyun , Choi Won-Sub , Kim Min-Ki , Kim Jin-Hyung , Sim Eunsup , Kim Hae-Dong
Published: May 2019

In this paper, we present high-resolution image and video CubeSat (HiREV), the first constructed 6 U platform to reach the space technology test bed stage, developed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). The CubeSat system is a low-cost platform that has been widely applied to various space missions, from missions involving earth observation to deep space. Despite the emergence of the CubeSat technology worldwide, the CubeSat market in Korea is still in the beginning stages, and a standard testing platform is also in demand. For this reason, KARI is starting to develop a 6 U CubeSat platform, which includes a less than 3 U bus system and greater than 3 U payload space. HiREV has been developed with locally manufactured parts, creating a domestic commercial off-the-shelf infrastructure for CubeSat and 3 m resolution camera payload development. Core flight software has also been applied as an on-board flight software system. Presently, we have developed the main system, while HiREV is under space environmental testing.
Robust Output Feedback Passivity-Based Variable Structure Controller Design for Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Chang Jeang-Lin , Wu Tsui-Chou
Published: May 2019

This paper examines the use of an output feedback variable structure controller with a nonlinear sliding surface for a class of SISO nonlinear systems in the presence of matched disturbances. With only the measurable system output, the discontinuous observer reconstructs the system states and ensures that the estimation errors exponentially approach zero. Using the estimation states, the proposed nonlinear sliding surface with variable damping ratio can simultaneously achieve low overshoot and short settling time. Then the passivity-based controller including a discontinuous term can guarantee that the closed-loop system asymptotically converges to the sliding surface. Compared with other sliding mode controllers, the proposed passivity-based control scheme has better transient performance and effectively reduces the control gain. Finally, simulation results demonstrate the validity of the proposed method.
Tracking Split Group with δ-Generalized Labeled Multi-Bernoulli Filter
Authors: Gan Linhai , Wang Gang
Published: May 2019

As target splitting is not considered in the initial development of δ-generalized labeled multi-Bernoulli (δ-GLMB) filter, the scenarios where the new targets appearing conditioned on the preexisting one are not readily addressed by this filter. In view of this, we model the group target as gamma Gaussian inverse Wishart (GGIW) distribution and derive a δ-GLMB filter based on the group splitting model, in which the target splitting event is investigated. Two simplifications of the approach are presented to improve the computing efficiency, where with splitting detection, we need not to predict the splitting events of all the GGIW components in every iteration. With component combination applied in adaptive birth, a redundant modeling for a newborn target or preexisting target could be avoided. Moreover, a method for labeling performance evaluation of the algorithm is provided. Simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
The Importance of Coordinated Actions in Preventing the Spread of Yellow Fever to Human Populations: The Experience from the 2016-2017 Yellow Fever Outbreak in the Northeastern Region of São Paulo State
Authors: Siconelli Márcio Junio Lima , Espósito Danillo Lucas Alves , Moraes Nathália Cristina , Ribeiro Julia Maria , Perles Lívia , Dias Maria Angélica , Carvalho Adolorata Aparecida Bianco , Werther Karin , Fernandes Natália Coelho Couto de Azevedo , Iglezias Silvia D'Andretta , Bürger Karina Paes , Fonseca Benedito Antonio Lopes da
Published: May 2019

Yellow fever (YF) is a zoonotic arthropod-borne disease that is caused by the yellow fever virus (YFV) and characterized by a sylvatic and urban cycle. Its most severe presentation is manifested as a hemorrhagic disease, and it has been responsible for thousands of deaths in the last decades. This study describes the public health approaches taken to control the 2016-2017 YF outbreak in nonhuman primates (NHPs) that took place in the northeastern region of São Paulo state, Brazil. NHPs recovered from the field were necropsied, and YF diagnoses were made at the Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School and the Center of Pathology, Adolfo Lutz Institute of São Paulo. NHP samples were inoculated into Vero cells for YFV isolation. RNA extraction was performed directly from NHP tissues and tested by RT-qPCR. YFV-positive samples were confirmed by sequencing. Based on the rapid RT-qPCR results, surveillance actions were implemented in the entire region. Confirmatory histopathology and immunohistochemistry for YFV were also performed. Among nine NHPs, gross hepatic involvement was observed in six animals, five of which were YFV-RT-qPCR-positive. One YFV was isolated from the serum of an infant NHP. YFV RNA sequences diverged from the virus responsible for the last epizootic that occurred in São Paulo state, but it was similar to the current Brazilian epizootic. Public health actions included dissemination of information on YF transmission, investigation of the probable location of NHP infection, characterization of the environment, and subsequent creation of the blueprint from which prevention and control measures were implemented. The YFV sylvatic cycle occurred in the periurban areas of the northeastern region of São Paulo state, but no human cases were reported during this period, showing that integrated actions between human, animal, and environmental health professionals were critical to restrain the virus to the sylvatic cycle.
Neutrophils Are Dysregulated in Patients with Hereditary Angioedema Types I and II in a Symptom-Free Period
Authors: Grymova Tereza , Vlkova Marcela , Soucek Premysl , Hakl Roman , Nechvatalova Jana , Slanina Peter , Stichova Julie , Litzman Jiri , Freiberger Tomas
Published: May 2019

Neutrophils impact on processes preceding the formation of bradykinin, a major swelling mediator in hereditary angioedema (HAE), yet their potential role in HAE pathogenesis has not been sufficiently studied. We assessed the relative mRNA expression of 10 genes related to neutrophil activation using RNA extracted from the peripheral blood neutrophils of 23 HAE patients in a symptom-free period and 39 healthy donors. Increased relative mRNA expression levels ofCD274,IL1B,IL1RN,IL8,MMP9, andTLR4, together with a lack in their mutual correlations detected in HAE patients compared to healthy controls, suggested a preactivated state and dysregulation of patients’ neutrophils. Patients’ neutrophil-alerted state was further supported by increased CD11b, decreased CD16 plasma membrane deposition, and increased relative CD274+and CD87+neutrophil counts, but not by increased neutrophil elastase or myeloperoxidase plasma levels. As CD274 mediates inhibitory signals to different immune cells, neutrophils were cocultured with T-cells/PBMC. The decrease in CD25+and IFN-γ+T-cell/PBMC ratio in patients indicated the patients’ neutrophil suppressive functions. In summary, the results showed neutrophils’ alerted state and dysregulation at the transcript level in patients with HAE types I and II even in a symptom-free period, which might make them more susceptible to edema formation. Neutrophils’ T-cell suppressive capacity in HAE patients needs to be further investigated.
A Data Mining Approach Identified Salivary Biomarkers That Discriminate between Two Obesity Measures
Authors: Shi Ping , Goodson J. Max
Published: May 2019

Background. A key mechanism of obesity involves dysregulation of metabolic and inflammatory markers. This study aimed to identify salivary biomarkers and other factors associated with obesity using an ensemble data mining approach. Methods. For a random cohort of over 700 subjects from 8137 Kuwait children (10.00 ± 0.67 years), four data mining methods were applied to identify important variables associated with obesity, including logistic regression by lasso regularization (Lasso), multivariate adaptive regression spline (MARS), random forests (RF), and boosting classification trees (BT). Each algorithm generated a variable importance rank list, based on an internal cross-validation procedure. An aggregated importance ranking was constructed by averaging the rank ordering of variables from individual list, weighted by the classification performance of respective models. Subsequently, the subset of top-ranking variables that were identified with at least three algorithms was evaluated by classification performance using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis with bootstrap percentile resampling. Results. Obesity was defined either by the waist circumference (OBW) or by the body mass index (BMI) (OBWHO). We identified C-reactive protein (CRP), insulin, leptin, adiponectin, as salivary biomarkers associated with OBW, plus a clinical feature fitness level. A similar set of biomarkers was identified for OBWHO, but not including leptin. Tree-based clustering analysis revealed patterns that were significantly different between the OBW and OBWHO subjects. Conclusion. A data mining approach based on multiple algorithms is useful for identifying factors associated with phenotypes, especially in cases where relationships are not salient, and a consensus from multiple methods can help produce a more generalizable subset of features. In this case, we have demonstrated that evaluation using the waist circumference includes association with high levels of salivary leptin, which is not seen with evaluation by BMI.
Development of a Two Port Laparoscopic Appendectomy Technique at a Rural Hospital
Authors: Bonatti Hugo J. R.
Published: May 2019

Background. Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) is most commonly performed using two 5-mm and one 10/12-mm ports. Various attempts to reduce the number and size of ports have been made and new technologies such as single port LA have been introduced. Appendix and mesoappendix are usually divided with a stapler or energy device with electrocautery, clips, and endoloop being cheaper options.Patients and Methods. This study includes 51 consecutive LAs performed at a rural hospital. Patients were divided into 4 groups: group 1 was the standard technique group (n=12), group 2 served as a “try-out” (n=12), group 3 served as feasibility group (n=12), and group 4 was the final patient cohort in which the optimized technique was preferably used (n=15).Results. Median age of the study cohort was 35.4 (range: 6.2-80.6) years, and 55% of patients were male. Whereas in G1 all patients had standard port placement (10/12-mm, 2x5-mm), in an increasing number of patients in G2-4 only two 5-mm ports and the 2.3-mm Teleflex minigrasper were inserted. Usage of staplers and/or energy devices was reduced from 100% in G1 to 20% in G4, and in the majority of cases both the appendix and the vascular pedicle were secured with an endoloop. The new technique did not add time to the procedure or total OR time. No stump-leaks or surgical site infections were encountered in this series, and there were no conversions to open surgery. Cost savings when not using a stapler or energy device are approximately 400$ per case; the minigrasper added approximately 200$ to the case.Discussion. LA with use of two ports and a portless needle grasper is feasible in the majority of cases and was associated with high patient satisfaction and excellent cosmetic results. Avoiding energy devices and staplers is cost saving; the endoloop securely controls appendix and mesoappendix.
Synthesis of Atenolol-Imprinted Polymers with Methyl Methacrylate as Functional Monomer in Propanol Using Bulk and Precipitation Polymerization Method
Authors: Hasanah Aliya Nur , Dwi Utari Traju Ningtias , Pratiwi Rimadani
Published: May 2019

Atenolol is one of the beta-1 blocker drugs that is misused by athletes to increase their performance during competition. Therefore, it is important to analyze atenolol levels in blood selectively. The preparation method that can be used in separating atenolol in sample is molecular imprinting solid-phase extraction (MI-SPE) because it has good selectivity and sensitivity. This study aims to examine the characteristics and analytical performance of imprinted polymers synthesized from functional monomer methyl methacrylate. The stages of this study include the determination of association constants, synthesis of sorbent MI-SPE atenolol using the bulk polymerization method, and precipitation with atenolol as the template, methyl methacrylate as the functional monomer, and propanol as the porogen. The template was extracted from a polymer, and then, the adsorption ability, capacity, and selectivity of MI-SPE and finally the application of the best MI-SPE to spiked serum samples were determined. MI-SPE was also characterized by using Fourier-transform instrument infrared (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The result of characterization with FTIR and SEM showed that MIP made by the precipitation polymerization method was completely polymerized, more porous, and produced smaller particle size with an average value of 0.274 μm. It had better analytic performances than MIP made by bulk polymerization, with affinity value 0.3607 mg/g and homogeneity value 1.3246, and good selectivity toward atenolol with imprinting factor value 22.519. Application of MI-SPE to spiked serum samples has an excellent recovery percentage of 95.46% over 0% for the nonimprinting one. Based on the result of study, MIP made by precipitation polymerization could be used to extract atenolol on serum samples toward drug analysis.
Interest of Thin Skin Flaps in the Treatment of Postburn Cervical Contractures: About Five Cases
Authors: Ghorbel I. , Bouaziz F. , Bellaaj H. , Moaalla S. , Ennouri Kh.
Published: May 2019

Objectives. The use of thin skin flaps in the reconstruction of postburn cervical contractures associated with functional impacts. Material and Methods. We conducted a descriptive observational study on about five patients who had reconstruction of postburn cervical contractures using various thin skin flaps in a plastic surgery department. The follow-up period was ranged from 12 to 18 months. We determined the characteristics of the retraction according to the Vandenbussche classification, the indications of the flaps, and the functional and aesthetic results. Results. Most of our patients were young adults presenting segmental retraction of the neck associated with moderate functional impact. The occipito-cervico-dorsal flap was used in three cases. The occipito-cervico-shoulder flap was used in two cases. The aesthetic and functional results were satisfactory for all patients, but a “neck-collar” aspect of the cervical-chin angle was noticed. Conclusion. Postburn cervical contractures remain frequent. Their reconstruction is a difficult process as it is ideally done with a skin similar to the original one. The use of thin skin flaps seems to be an excellent option.
Effect of Different Liners on Pulpal Outcome after Partial Caries Removal: A Preliminary 12 Months Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Singh Shreya , Mittal Shweta , Tewari Sanjay
Published: May 2019

Aim: The aim of this double-blinded parallel randomised controlled trial was to compare the effect of different liners on 12-month pulp health outcomes after partial caries removal (PCR) with composite restorations in permanent molars. Methods: The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov with registration No. NCT0328695 and conducted in the Department of Conservative dentistry and Endodontics, Post Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences Rohtak with no external financial support. One hundred and ninety-eight participants (116 males, 82 females and age 14–54 years) with vital permanent mature mandibular molars having deep caries involving two-thirds or more of dentin were randomised to calcium hydroxide (CH), resin-modified GIC (RMGIC) and no liner (DC) groups after PCR. After a follow-up time of 12 months, success was defined as positive response to pulp sensibility and absence of periapical alterations. Results: Categorical variables were compared using chi-square test. Two analytical approaches were used, such as intention-to-treat and per-protocol approach. Success rates in per-protocol approach were 96.8, 96.5, and 94.6% for CH, RMGIC and DC groups, respectively with no significant difference between 3 groups (p = 0.811). None of the baseline variables had any significant influence on the treatment success. Conclusion: Partial caries excavation has a high success rate to treat deep carious lesions in permanent teeth after 12 months of follow-up, indicating that the retention of carious dentin does not interfere with pulp vitality or restoration survival. Also, the success of the treatment is independent of the lining material used over the demineralized dentin.
Successful Treatment of Gastrosplenic Fistula Arising from Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma with Chemotherapy: Two Case Reports
Authors: Saito Makoto , Miyashita Kencho , Miura Yosuke , Harada Shinpei , Ogasawara Reiki , Izumiyama Koh , Mori Akio , Tanaka Masanori , Morioka Masanobu , Kondo Takeshi
Published: May 2019

Gastrosplenic fistula (GSF) is a rare condition arising from gastric or splenic lymphomas. Surgical resection is the most common treatment, as described in previous reports. We report two cases of GSF in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients that were successfully treated with chemotherapy and irradiation without surgical resection. Case 1 was of a 63-year-old man who had primary gastric DLBCL with a large lesion outside the stomach wall, leading to a spontaneous fistula in the spleen. Case 2 was of a 59-year-old man who had primary splenic DLBCL, which proliferated and infiltrated directly into the stomach. In both cases, chemotherapy comprising rituximab + dose-adjusted EPOCH regimen (etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin) was administered. Case 1 had significant bleeding from the lesion of the stomach during the treatment cycle; however, endoscopic hemostasis was achieved. Case 2 developed a fistula between the stomach and the spleen following therapeutic chemotherapy; however, no complications related to the fistula were observed thereafter. In both cases, irradiation was administered, and complete remission was achieved.
Intradural Lipoma at the Craniocervical Junction Presenting with Progressing Hemiparesis: A Case Report
Authors: Inoue Takuro , Hirai Hisao , Shima Ayako , Suzuki Fumio , Matsuda Masayuki , Fukushima Takanori
Published: May 2019

Intradural spinal lipomas are rare in an adult population. They are mostly asymptomatic and usually associated with spinal dysraphism in a pediatric population. We report a rare case of spinal lipoma without dysraphism and with progressing hemiparesis. A 60-year-old woman had incidental lipoma at the craniocervical junction observed for more than 5 years. Recently, she developed right-sided hemiparesis and sensory disturbance. Radiological studies revealed a large lipoma compressing the dorsal medulla and C1–C2 spinal cord. Standard midline suboccipital craniotomy and C1 laminectomy were performed, and the lipoma was removed subtotally. The lipoma showed severe adhesion to the dorsal medulla and C1 spinal cord; therefore, the excision was limited as internal debulking. Her neurological deficit subsided within 6 months after the decompressive surgery. Considering the benign nature of lipoma, internal decompression is a reasonable management for this lesion.
Medical Therapy for Heart Failure Caused by Ischemic Heart Disease
Authors: Elgendy Islam Y. , Mahtta Dhruv , Pepine Carl J.
Published: May 2019

Patients with heart failure (HF) syndromes have been categorized as those with reduced ejection fraction (EF) or preserved EF (HFpEF), and ischemia plays a key role in both types. HF remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and with the aging of our population this burden continues to rise, predominantly as a result of hospitalizations for HFpEF. Patients with obstructive coronary artery disease more likely have HF with reduced EF, rather than HFpEF, secondary to acute ischemic injury resulting in myocardial infarction, and large outcomes trials of treatments with neurohumoral inhibition have documented reduced adverse outcomes. In contrast, similar treatments in patients with HFpEF have not proven beneficial. This therapeutic dilemma may be attributed, in part, to heterogeneity in the underlying pathophysiology with different systemic and myocardial signaling pathways, despite similar clinical presentations and findings, in patients with HFpEF. Also, emerging evidence indicates that impaired myocardial perfusion and inflammation secondary to multiple comorbidities are key mechanisms in HFpEF. We will thoroughly review the role of ischemic heart disease in the pathogenesis of HF with reduced EF and HFpEF, and discuss the medical management strategies available for these conditions.
Climates of History, Histories of Climate: From History to Archaeoscience
Authors: McCormick Michael
Published: May 2019

The new scientific climate history is about more than just the history of climate. It is developing in a new climate of history; it forms one of several leading edges in archaeoscience, the broader transdisciplinary convergence that brings the power of science to bear on the human past. Along with the emergence of archaeogenetics, biomolecular archaeology, and digital humanities—such as geographical information systems (gis) and computational philology (quantitative studies of textual authorship)—climate history is in the process of achieving the long-imagined re-unification of the sciences and the humanities as it unveils historical changes in the environment.
Jayaprakash Narayan and the politics of reconciliation for the postcolonial state and its imperial fragments
Authors: Walker Lydia
Published: May 2019

Jayaprakash (JP) Narayan was an activist, politician and political thinker who attempted to use peace negotiations on India’s borders to renegotiate the postcolonial Indian state. This article tracks JP’s efforts to find non-national vehicles for regional nationalist demands through his positions on the contentious political questions of a Nagaland in India, and a Tibet in China. It locates JP within the Anglophone international peace movement that transitioned from support of Indian independence to a critique of the state violence of the Indian government, and traces JP’s thinking and work in support of some degree of autonomy for Tibet and Nagaland. Finally, this article connects these projects to JP’s non-statist critique of Indian state sovereignty, arguing that through a more decentralised and inclusively organised India, JP sought to re-organise what decolonisation had wrought.
Populism, inequality and representation: Negotiating ‘the 99%’ with Occupy London
Authors: Matthews Jamie
Published: May 2019

When Occupy London emerged with a global wave of protest movements in October 2011, it embodied and advanced discursive forms that have characterised the unsettling of political consensus following the financial crisis. The central claim that ‘We are the 99%’ staged a fundamental tension, between a populist appeal to the figure of ‘the people’, and a contrary orientation seeking to critique inequality while rejecting forms of representation and identity. This article – which draws on three years of ethnographic fieldwork with Occupy London (October 2011–October 2014) and a critical theorisation of the figure of ‘the people’ in radical movements – follows movement participants’ negotiation of the tension at the heart of the discourse of ‘the 99%’. It offers an account of the conflicting meanings and practices that emerged, arguing that the result was a creative contradiction that sustained the movement for a time, while setting the terms of its ultimate breakdown. Identifying the concept of ‘representation’ as the site of particular controversy, this is unpicked through a number of key figures (Pitkin, Marx, Spivak, Puchner, Deleuze and Guattari) as the basis for an empirical account of Occupy’s practice of assembly, which offered partial, imperfect ‘solutions’ to these tensions. The article concludes with some implications for the limits and possibilities of both a grassroots populism and a politics against representation, in the context of political developments since.
Predictive Power of Dynamic (vs. Static) Risk Factors in the Finnish Risk and Needs Assessment Form
Authors: Salo Benny , Laaksonen Toni , Santtila Pekka
Published: May 2019

We estimated the predictive power of the dynamic items in the Finnish Risk and Needs Assessment Form ( Riski- ja tarvearvio [RITA]), assessed by caseworkers, for predicting recidivism. These 52 items were compared to static predictors including crime(s) committed, prison history, and age. We used two machine learning methods (elastic net and random forest) for this purpose and compared them with logistic regression. Participants were 746 men who had and 746 who had not reoffended during matched follow-up periods from 0.5 to 5.8 years. Both RITA items and static predictors predicted general and violent recidivism well (area under the curve [AUC] = .74-.78), but to combine them increased discrimination only slightly over static predictors alone (ΔAUC = .01-.03). Calibration was good for all models. We argue that the results show strong potential for the RITA items, but that development is best focused on improving usability for identifying treatment targets and for updating risk assessments.
Study on novel signal processing and simultaneous-fault diagnostic method for wind turbine
Authors: Wang Xian-Bo , Miao Pu , Zhang Kun , Zhang Xiaoyuan , Wang Jun
Published: May 2019

High-precision fault diagnosis is important for the widely installed complex industrial product, the wind turbine. However, intelligent monitoring is difficult due to the fuzzy boundaries and individual different variations of the unseen single or simultaneous-fault of such intricate equipment. To solve this problem, this study proposes an ensemble fault diagnostic framework for simultaneous and coupling failure. First, this paper develops novel signal processing methods for effective feature learning and mapping from the non-stationary and nonlinear raw vibrational signals. The adapted variational mode decomposition is introduced based on the particle swarm optimization that applies the minimum mean envelope entropy to optimize the parameters settings. Second, the novel ensemble extreme learning machine-based network is proposed to isolate the faults that applies one extreme learning machine network to count the number of fault scenarios, and the other one to identify the specific single or simultaneous-fault labels. With this scheme, the self-adaptive ensemble extreme learning machine-based fault diagnostic framework is more accurate and faster than the prevailing probabilistic classifier-based methods, as the proposed method does not rely on empirically specified decision-making threshold and generates all the candidate fault labels at the same time. Finally, this study builds the test platform and compares the overall results with the existing feature analysis methods and classifiers. The experimental results verify that the proposed framework detects both single and simultaneous-fault accurately and quickly.
Integrating base-load cycling capacity margin in generation capacity planning of power systems with high share of renewables
Authors: Ma Jingjie , Zhang Shaohua , Li Xue , Du Dajun
Published: May 2019

The coordination between the renewable energy integration scale and the cycling capacity adequacy of power systems has been largely ignored at the capacity planning stage. In this paper, a generation capacity planning model (GCPM) for power systems with significant renewable energy is proposed taking into account the base-load cycling capacity margin (BCCM). In this model, the daily feasible ranges of system minimum output in the target year are given. For a day in the target year, if the sum of minimum load and BCCM does not reach the feasible range, then the BCCM constraint of that day is introduced into the GCPM to re-optimize the generation capacity mix. This treatment is conducted for each day to make sure the daily BCCM constraints can be satisfied in the capacity planning stage. Moreover, the impact of the CO2 emission cost on the optimal generation capacity mix is also addressed. The model is solved by combination of the screening curves method and Lagrange relaxation method. Numerical simulations are presented to verify the reasonableness and effectiveness of the proposed model. As compared with the traditional GCPM without BCCM constraints, the capacity shift from base-load plants to mid- and peak-load plants increases significantly with the increase of renewables after considering the BCCM constraints. It confirms that the BCCM constraints are non-negligible in GCPM, especially for power system with high share of renewable energy.
The Science and Art of Nerve Fiber Teasing for Myelinated Nerves: Methodology and Interpretation
Authors: Bolon Brad , Pardo Ingrid D. , Krinke Georg J.
Published: May 2019

Nerve fiber teasing is a sensitive technique utilized in diagnostic neuropathology practice, laboratory research, and animal toxicity studies for characterizing changes in single myelinated nerve fibers over extended distances. In animal toxicity studies, a nerve portion (approximately 10 mm in length) is stained with Sudan black for 24 to 48 hours and then transferred into a drop of viscous medium (eg, glycerin) mounted on an adhesive-coated glass slide, positioning it such that the proximodistal orientation is known. Individual fibers are removed using fine forceps while the sample is viewed under a stereomicroscope. In general, lesions can be identified during teasing, but more detailed characterization and photodocumentation is undertaken once nerve fibers have been dried and coverslipped. Nerve fiber teasing is particularly useful for distinguishing early stages of axonal degeneration (which presents as ovoid fiber fragments in the midinternodal region) from segmental demyelination (which presents as loss of original myelin segments and their replacement by thinner, shorter segments in the absence of axonal damage). The slow, laborious nature of nerve fiber teasing dictates that the technique will be employed on a few samples as an auxiliary method to better define the pathogenesis of nerve lesions first identified by conventional histopathologic assessment.
Contact-implicit trajectory optimization using variational integrators
Authors: Manchester Zachary , Doshi Neel , Wood Robert J , Kuindersma Scott
Published: May 2019

Contact constraints arise naturally in many robot planning problems. In recent years, a variety of contact-implicit trajectory optimization algorithms have been developed that avoid the pitfalls of mode pre-specification by simultaneously optimizing state, input, and contact force trajectories. However, their reliance on first-order integrators leads to a linear tradeoff between optimization problem size and plan accuracy. To address this limitation, we propose a new family of trajectory optimization algorithms that leverage ideas from discrete variational mechanics to derive higher-order generalizations of the classic time-stepping method of Stewart and Trinkle. By using these dynamics formulations as constraints in direct trajectory optimization algorithms, it is possible to perform contact-implicit trajectory optimization with significantly higher accuracy. For concreteness, we derive a second-order method and evaluate it using several simulated rigid-body systems, including an underactuated biped and a quadruped. In addition, we use this second-order method to plan locomotion trajectories for a complex quadrupedal microrobot. The planned trajectories are evaluated on the physical platform and result in a number of performance improvements.
Diagnostic yield of percutaneous core needle biopsy in suspected soft tissue lesions of extremities
Authors: Qi Dianwen , Zhao Ming , Hu Tongyu , Zhang Guochuan
Published: May 2019

Objective

This retrospective study was performed to investigate the diagnostic yield of percutaneous core needle biopsy (CNB) for suspected soft tissue lesions of the extremities.

Methods

The medical records of 139 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous CNB for suspected soft tissue lesions of the extremities from January 2014 to December 2016 at a single institution were reviewed. The pathologic findings or clinical follow-ups were used to evaluate the performance of CNB. Alterations in the treatment regimen from pre- to post-biopsy were also analyzed. Complications, when present, were documented.

Results

In total, 141 biopsy procedures were performed in 139 patients. In total, 136 (96%) biopsies were successful, among which 5 were false-negative and 131 were diagnosed accurately. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of CNB in the differentiation of malignant from benign lesions were 94%, 100%, 96%, 100%, and 90%, respectively. The treatment regimen was altered based on the biopsy findings in 25 cases. Two patients developed mild nerve injury but fully recovered during follow-up.

Conclusions

CNB is effective and safe, with high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the diagnosis of soft tissue lesions, especially for differentiating malignant from benign lesions.
Needs assessment for sexual health services development in a small European Union member state
Authors: Buttigieg Sandra C , Debono Gabrielle Attard , Gauci Dorothy
Published: May 2019

Introduction

Awareness of sexual health in Malta – a small European Union member state started to gain momentum in the new millennium. Taboos and norms about sexuality pose strong barriers for the provision of information, and reproductive health services. A major contributor is the strong influence of the Roman Catholic Church, which holds fast to its prohibitions of sexual behaviours, albeit counterbalanced by the liberal standpoint adopted by the State in recent years.

Methods

Survey data were collected from 269 students aged 16–21 (response rate 89.7%) in a state post-secondary school. The sample was selected through convenience sampling within the school grounds.

Results

Women were more knowledgeable in relation to available services and risks when compared to men. No geographical differences were found. School was the most common source for information, while health professionals, namely general practitioners were considered trusted resources for their needs. Confidentiality was deemed to be the most requested and crucial feature of sexual health services.

Conclusions

Three important multisectoral needs emerged, namely adequate dissemination system of sexual health information, scientifically based sexual health education for professionals in contact with young people, and well-designed and accessible sexual health services. Implications for management include updating health sexual education and promotion strategies, as well as designing better services. Young people should be able to make informed choices regarding their sexual health, in line with contemporary needs.
Proposed Therapies for Pantothenate-Kinase-Associated Neurodegeneration
Authors: Jackowski Suzanne
Published: May 2019

Multiple approaches to therapy have been proposed for the rare inherited neurodegenerative disease associated with mutations in the PANK2 gene, called pantothenate-kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN). Penetration of the blood-brain barrier for treatment of a central nervous system (CNS) disorder is a major challenge in drug discovery. Evaluation of the biochemistry and medicinal chemistry of the proposed therapies reveals potential liabilities among several compounds under consideration for clinical development.
Tobacco Use Among Transgender and Gender Non-conforming Adults in the United States
Authors: Wheldon Christopher W , Wiseman Kara P
Published: May 2019

Background:

Findings from previous population-based studies are in conflict regarding the relative use of tobacco products among transgender populations compared with their cisgender counterparts. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of current tobacco use among transgender persons in the United States and evaluate differences in relative use between transgender and cisgender respondents.

Methods:

This was a secondary analysis of data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Wave 2 (October 2014 and October 2015). Differences in current use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and cigars were examined between self-identified transgender (n = 151) and cisgender (n = 27 557) respondents.

Results:

In multivariable analyses, transgender identity was not associated with any of the 3 tobacco behaviors or the summary measure of tobacco use (ie, any current use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or cigars). In each of the models, female binary sex (compared with male), older age, Hispanic ethnicity (compared with non-Hispanic white), higher household income, and higher educational attainment were independently associated with lower odds of current use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or cigars, whereas sexual minority identity (ie, gay/lesbian or bisexual) was independently associated with higher odds of use.

Conclusions:

The prevalence of the use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and cigar use was statistically equivalent between transgender and cisgender populations in this national study of adults in the United States, which differs from previous research showing higher rates of tobacco use among transgender individuals. Differences in tobacco use that were identified were fully explained by sociodemographic characteristics (eg, income and education) between the transgender and cisgender populations.
Follicular Dendritic Cell Sarcoma or Not? A Series of 5 Diagnostically Challenging Cases
Authors: Lopez-Hisijos Nicolas , Omman Reeba , Pambuccian Stefan , Mirza Kamran
Published: May 2019

Imperfect or unusual presentation, morphology, or immunophenotype can make the diagnosis of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) very challenging. To illustrate this, we present 5 unique cases from the archives of our tertiary care academic medical center that presented a diagnostic challenge wherein FDCS was the top differential diagnostic possibility. The workup of these cases, including multiple expert consultations, highlights the importance of avoiding specific pitfalls in the diagnosis of FDCS.
The MSBase registry: Informing clinical practice
Authors: Kalincik Tomas , Butzkueven Helmut
Published: May 2019

Over the last decade, clinical registries have significantly contributed to the pool of evidence that supports management decisions in patients with multiple sclerosis. Being the largest international registry of multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunological disorders, MSBase collects demographic, clinical and limited paraclinical information from patients managed in different regions and under various circumstances. In this review, we will provide an overview of its published output, with focus on the information with impact on the management of multiple sclerosis.
Trans-science as a vocation
Authors: Eyal Gil
Published: May 2019

This paper compares Weber’s argument in “Science as a vocation,” with Physicist Alvin Weinberg’s discussion of the distinction between science and “trans-science,” as two contrasting blueprints for boundary-work. It argues that Weber’s empirical reasons for separating the scientific discussion of means and the extra-scientific discussion of ends – namely, the thesis of “disenchantment” – no longer serves as a useful approach to understanding the growth of “trans-science” or “expertise” over the last century. It advances an understanding of the latter as an intermediary sphere wherein facts and values, means and ends, are necessarily entangled because expertise is crucial to the production of legitimacy in liberal-democratic societies. The paper concludes by asking what is the responsibility of the scientist as trans-scientist or expert and what institutions would best embody and support this vocation.
The dawn of traditional CX metrics? Examining satisfaction, EXQ, and WAR
Authors: Imhof Gustavo , Klaus Phil
Published: May 2019

Customer experience (CX) has evolved into a top priority of business executives worldwide. CX is a key determinant of long-term corporate success. CX research has become commonplace among academics and marketing practitioners alike. Despite CX’s omnipresence, scholars and managers cannot agree on the meaning, foundations of CX, and develop enough evidence and tools to demonstrate CX’s crucial link to firm performance. Many argue that market researchers, by still relying on proxy measurements of CX, such as service quality, customer satisfaction, or the Net-Promoter-Score, all measurements with very little or no link to consumer behavior, are to be partially blamed for this predicament. As a result, there is a growing need for new, more comprehensive measurements built to understand the CX as main driver of consumer behavior. Scholars try to address this need by offering new measures, such as CX quality (EXQ), and the wallet allocation rule (WAR). The goal of our article is to use one of the most used measurements, customer satisfaction, in comparison with EXQ and WAR to determine which one of them can explain and predict consumer behavior best. Behavior is measured by examining the share-of-category of customers with multiple automobiles. The study highlighted that CX is a far better predictor of consumer behavior than customer satisfaction. Indeed, it provides more insight and a stronger explanatory power of consumers’ share-of-wallet (SoW). The findings confirmed that customer satisfaction has a weak influence on share-of-category. We could not confirm the proposed powerful correlation between share-of-category and the WAR. The most interesting finding is that the direct relationship between CX and SoW is negative in nature. We discuss the reasons for this counterintuitive result and its implication for theory, managers, and market researchers.
Deep semi-supervised generative adversarial fault diagnostics of rolling element bearings
Authors: Verstraete David Benjamin , Droguett Enrique López , Meruane Viviana , Modarres Mohammad , Ferrada Andrés
Published: May 2019

With the availability of cheaper multisensor suites, one has access to massive and multidimensional datasets that can and should be used for fault diagnosis. However, from a time, resource, engineering, and computational perspective, it is often cost prohibitive to label all the data streaming into a database in the context of big machinery data, that is, massive multidimensional data. Therefore, this article proposes both a fully unsupervised and a semi-supervised deep learning enabled generative adversarial network-based methodology for fault diagnostics. Two public datasets of vibration data from rolling element bearings are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed methodology for fault diagnostics. The results indicate that the proposed methodology is a promising approach for both unsupervised and semi-supervised fault diagnostics.
Assessing prison adjustment among young adult offenders: Changes, correlates, and outcomes
Authors: Gonçalves Leonel C. , Endrass Jérôme , Rossegger Astrid , Grace Randolph C. , Dirkzwager Anja J. E.
Published: May 2019

This longitudinal study investigated the self-reported adjustment of 75 young adults (aged 17–22 years) newly admitted to a Portuguese prison, and examines changes, correlates, and outcomes of their prison adjustment. The prisoners were assessed at the first, third, and sixth month after their entry in prison. Regression analyses revealed that, overall, adjustment problems remained relatively stable during the first six months of incarceration. Having more prison visits, a lower educational level, and being White were associated with more adjustment problems in general. Adjustment problems were, in turn, associated with subsequent mental health symptoms and severe disciplinary infractions. The current study shows that self-report measures may be useful in assessing the adjustment of young adult offenders’ over time in prison.
Calcium Channel Dysfunction in Epilepsy: Gain of CACNA1E
Authors: Carvill Gemma L.
Published: May 2019

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Comparison of the macroscopical stress field distribution characteristics between a novel non-pillar mining technique and two other current methods
Authors: Zhen Enze , Wang Yajun , Yang Jun , He Manchao
Published: May 2019

Recently, an original innovative non-pillar coal mining technology was developed and widely implemented in China’s coal production based on this background. To explore the difference of stress field distributions between a novel non-pillar mining technique and two other current methods, different numerical models, that is, mining with gob-side entry retained by filling (GERFM), mining with roof cutting and pressure relief (RCPRM), and non-coal pillar mining with roadway formed automatically (RFANM), had been built based on the first industrial test of RFANM. The difference of the stress field distributions in those three types of mining patterns was studied and analyzed. The results showed that in front of the mining face, the influence of gob-side entry retaining method on stress distribution had a limited range. Due to the impact of roof cutting, the vertical stress of RCPRM was the minimum within the range of 0–10 m from the roadway, and it was the maximum within the range of 10–80 m. In the mining pattern of GERFM and RCPRM, the abutment stress was highly concentrated around the gate entry, and the stress-concentrated position of RCPRM was further than GERFM under the influence of roof cutting. However, there was no stress concentration in RFANM because the gate entry was canceled in this new mining pattern. At the side of mining face, the stress-concentrated position of GERFM was always located in the coal seam and was close to the roadway, whereas the stress-concentrated position of RFANM and RCPRM was located in the top layer which was deeper and higher than GERFM and was far away from the roadway. While the roadway was stable, the relationship between the peak value of the surrounding rock stress was GERFM > RCPRM and RFANM. According to the above laws, it was obtained that canceling early excavation was helpful to reduce the advance pressure in front of the working face, and roof cutting could cause the stress concentration zone to move away from the roadway. Thus, the stress of surrounding rock near the roadway was reduced, which was more beneficial to ensure the stability of the roadway.