bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Successful Treatment of Disseminated Nocardiosis Caused by Nocardia veterana in a Dog
Authors: Yaemsiri S. , Sykes J.E.
Published: November 2017

A 5‐year‐old male castrated Lhasa Apso cross was evaluated for a 1‐month history of inappetence, lethargy, gagging, and progressive right thoracic limb lameness. Synovial fluid analysis revealed nonseptic suppurative inflammation, and a diagnosis of immune‐mediated polyarthritis (IMPA) was made. After 3 months of treatment with prednisone and later cyclosporine, the dog developed multiple firm cutaneous and subcutaneous masses and a focal mass within the jejunum. Cultures of blood, urine, skin lesions, and the jejunal mass identified Nocardia veterana by matrix‐absorption laser desorption ionization‐time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) and allowed for earlier identification of the organism compared to more traditional secA1 gene sequencing. Immunosuppressive drug treatment was discontinued, and the dog was treated for 3 months by administration of trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole (TMS). No recurrence of clinical signs was reported 1 year later. This case report highlights the clinical utility of MALDI‐TOF MS, particularly for the rapid identification of slow‐growing, fastidious organisms.
Questionnaire‐based Analysis of Owner‐reported Scratching and Pain Signs in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Screened for Chiari‐like Malformation and Syringomyelia
Authors: Sparks C.R. , Cerda‐Gonzalez S. , Griffith E.H. , Lascelles B.D.X. , Olby N.J.
Published: November 2017

Background

Chiari‐like malformation (CM) and syringomyelia (SM) cause a pain syndrome in Cavalier King Charles spaniels (CKCS). Clinical signs are not consistently apparent on neurologic examination, and owner reporting of signs provides vital clinical history. However, owner questionnaires for this disease are not well developed.

Objectives

To develop a tool to capture owner‐reported clinical signs for use in clinical trials and to compare owner‐reported signs with the presence of pain on neurologic examination and SM on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Animals

Fifty client‐owned CKCS.

Methods

Owners completed a questionnaire and pain/scratch map. Each dog underwent a neurologic examination and craniocervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Questionnaire responses were developed into scores, area of shading for pain/scratch maps was measured, and consistency of responses between these tools was assessed. Owner‐reported findings were compared with neurologic examination findings and presence and severity of SM on MRI.

Results

Thirty‐three dogs were symptomatic and 17 asymptomatic; 30 had SM. The most common sign of pain was crying out when lifted (n = 11). Extent of shaded areas on maps positively correlated with questionnaire scores for pain (r2 = 0.213, P = 0.006) and scratch (r2 = 0.104, P = 0.089). Owner‐reported findings were not significantly associated with presence or severity of SM or neurologic examination findings. Owner‐reported lateralization of signs was significantly associated with SM lateralization (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

The questionnaire and maps may be useful for clinical trials. Lack of association of owner‐reported signs with SM highlights our lack of understanding of the pathophysiology of pain in this disease.
Fight Dispersion Through Education: The Results of the First Cycle of the NoOut Project
Authors: Batini Federico , Bartolucci Marco , De Carlo Ermelinda
Published: November 2017

Dropping out of school can involve several internal and external factors. Regarding internal factors, learning difficulties and the experience of failure could trigger the withdrawal of commitment, rejection of and resistance to school, as well as a general perception of inadequacy. Here, we show the results of a series of interventions implemented in four schools. Participants were subjected to a total of 70 hr of interventions in class over a 6‐month period during which active and nontraditional teaching was promoted. Before and after the interventions, the Das‐Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System (CAS) was administered to participants in order to assess whether there was any enhancement of the cognitive functions that underlie learning processes. The results show a significant improvement in almost every experimental group, compared with control groups, suggesting that this kind of approach could lead to a systematic improvement in the cognitive resources of students, thereby diminishing the risk of failure and dropping out.
Introgression between divergent corn borer species in a region of sympatry: Implications on the evolution and adaptation of pest arthropods
Authors: Wang Yangzhou , Kim Kyung Seok , Guo Wenchao , Li Qiyun , Zhang Yunyue , Wang Zhenying , Coates Brad S.
Published: November 2017

The Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis, and European corn borer, O. nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), cause damage to cultivated maize in spatially distinct geographies and have evolved divergent hydrocarbons as the basis of sexual communication. The Yili area of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China represents the only known region where O. furnacalis has invaded a native O. nubilalis range, and these two corn borer species have made secondary contact. Genetic differentiation was estimated between Ostrinia larvae collected from maize plants at 11 locations in Xinjiang and genotyped using high‐throughput SNP and microsatellite markers. Maternal lineages were assessed by direct sequencing of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and II haplotypes, and a high degree of genotypic diversity was demonstrated between lineages based on SNP genotypes. Furthermore, historical introgression was predicted among SNP genotypes only at sympatric locations in the Yili area, whereas in Xinjiang populations only O. furnacalis haplotypes were detected and no analogous introgressed genotypes were predicted. Our detection of putative hybrids and historical evidence of introgression defines Yili area as a hybrid zone between the species in normal ecological interactions and furthermore, might indicate that adaptive traits could spread even between seemingly divergent species through horizontal transmission. Results of this study indicate there may be a continuum in the degree of reproductive isolation between Ostrinia species and that the elegance of distinct and complete speciation based on modifications to the pheromone communication might need to be reconsidered.
A new mechanism for reduced sensitivity to demethylation‐inhibitor fungicides in the fungal banana black Sigatoka pathogen Pseudocercospora fijiensis
Authors: Diaz‐Trujillo Caucasella , Chong Pablo , Stergiopoulos Ioannis , Cordovez Viviane , Guzman Mauricio , De Wit Pierre J. G. M. , Meijer Harold J. G. , Scalliet Gabriel , Sierotzki Helge , Lilia Peralta Esther , Arango Isaza Rafael E. , Kema Gerrit H. J.
Published: November 2017

The Dothideomycete Pseudocercospora fijiensis, previously Mycosphaerella fijiensis, is the causal agent of black Sigatoka, one of the most destructive diseases of bananas and plantains. Disease management depends on fungicide applications, with a major contribution from sterol demethylation‐inhibitors (DMIs). The continued use of DMIs places considerable selection pressure on natural P. fijiensis populations, enabling the selection of novel genotypes with reduced sensitivity. The hitherto explanatory mechanism for this reduced sensitivity was the presence of non‐synonymous point mutations in the target gene Pfcyp51, encoding the sterol 14α‐demethylase enzyme. Here, we demonstrate a second mechanism involved in DMI sensitivity of P. fijiensis. We identified a 19‐bp element in the wild‐type (wt) Pfcyp51 promoter that concatenates in strains with reduced DMI sensitivity. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay identified up to six Pfcyp51 promoter repeats in four field populations of P. fijiensis in Costa Rica. We used transformation experiments to swap the wt promoter of a sensitive field isolate with a promoter from a strain with reduced DMI sensitivity that comprised multiple insertions. Comparative in vivo phenotyping showed a functional and proportional up‐regulation of Pfcyp51, which consequently decreased DMI sensitivity. Our data demonstrate that point mutations in the Pfcyp51 coding domain, as well as promoter inserts, contribute to the reduced DMI sensitivity of P. fijiensis. These results provide new insights into the importance of the appropriate use of DMIs and the need for the discovery of new molecules for black Sigatoka management.
Ecosystem responses to elevated CO2 governed by plant–soil interactions and the cost of nitrogen acquisition
Authors: Terrer César , Vicca Sara , Stocker Benjamin D. , Hungate Bruce A. , Phillips Richard P. , Reich Peter B. , Finzi Adrien C. , Prentice I. Colin
Published: November 2017

Contents

Summary
507

I.
Introduction
507

II.
The return on investment approach
508

III.
CO2 response spectrum
510

IV.
Discussion
516

Acknowledgements
518

References
518

Land ecosystems sequester on average about a quarter of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. It has been proposed that nitrogen (N) availability will exert an increasingly limiting effect on plants’ ability to store additional carbon (C) under rising CO2, but these mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we review findings from elevated CO2 experiments using a plant economics framework, highlighting how ecosystem responses to elevated CO2 may depend on the costs and benefits of plant interactions with mycorrhizal fungi and symbiotic N‐fixing microbes. We found that N‐acquisition efficiency is positively correlated with leaf‐level photosynthetic capacity and plant growth, and negatively with soil C storage. Plants that associate with ectomycorrhizal fungi and N‐fixers may acquire N at a lower cost than plants associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. However, the additional growth in ectomycorrhizal plants is partly offset by decreases in soil C pools via priming. Collectively, our results indicate that predictive models aimed at quantifying C cycle feedbacks to global change may be improved by treating N as a resource that can be acquired by plants in exchange for energy, with different costs depending on plant interactions with microbial symbionts.
Desiccation tolerance in Physcomitrella patens: Rate of dehydration and the involvement of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA)
Authors: Xiao Lihong , Yobi Abou , Koster Karen L. , He Yikun , Oliver Melvin J.
Published: November 2017

The moss Physcomitrella patens, a model system for basal land plants, tolerates several abiotic stresses, including dehydration. We previously reported that Physcomitrella patens survives equilibrium dehydration to −13 MPa in a closed system at 91% RH. Tolerance of desiccation to water potentials below −100 MPa was only achieved by pretreatment with exogenous abscisic acid (ABA). We report here that gametophores, but not protonemata, can survive desiccation below −100 MPa after a gradual drying regime in an open system, without exogenous ABA. In contrast, faster equilibrium drying at 90% RH for 3–5 days did not induce desiccation tolerance in either tissue. Endogenous ABA accumulated in protonemata and gametophores under both drying regimes, so did not correlate directly with desiccation tolerance. Gametophores of a Ppabi3a/b/c triple knock out transgenic line also survived the gradual dehydration regime, despite impaired ABA signaling. Our results suggest that the initial drying rate, and not the amount of endogenous ABA, may be critical in the acquisition of desiccation tolerance. Results from this work will provide insight into ongoing studies to uncover the role of ABA in the dehydration response and the underlying mechanisms of desiccation tolerance in this bryophyte.
Ultraviolet A Eye Irradiation Ameliorates Atopic Dermatitis via p53 and Clock Gene Proteins in NC/Nga Mice
Authors: Hiramoto Keiichi , Yamate Yurika , Yokoyama Satoshi
Published: November 2017

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a widespread chronic skin condition that severely affects quality of life and can lead to more serious complications. Although ultraviolet (UV)A eye irradiation can exert various effects on the skin, it is unknown whether UVA can affect AD. To investigate potential associations, we used an NC/Nga mouse model of AD to study the effects of UVA eye irradiation. The eyes of mice were irradiated with a UVA dose of 100 kJ m−2 using a FL20SBLB‐A lamp. Our histological data demonstrated that AD symptoms could be ameliorated by UVA eye irradiation. We also observed an increase in the levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), p53 and retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) in mice with UVA‐irradiated eyes. In contrast, the levels of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), period 2 (PER2) and differentiated embryo chondrocytes 1 (DEC1) protein were decreased in mice treated with UVA irradiation. Furthermore, UVA eye‐irradiated mice exhibited reduced DEC1 and RXRα colocalization compared with nonirradiated mice. These results suggested that p53 and various clock gene proteins played important roles in the amelioration of AD symptoms observed after UVA eye irradiation; this technique may have therapeutic applications in AD.
Temperatures during flower bud development affect pollen germination, self‐incompatibility reaction and early fruit development of clementine (Citrus clementina Hort. ex Tan.)
Authors: Distefano G. , Gentile A. , Hedhly A. , La Malfa S.
Published: November 2017

One of the key environmental factors affecting plant reproductive systems is temperature. Characterising such effects is especially relevant for some commercially important genera such as Citrus. In this genus, failure of fertilisation results in parthenocarpic fruit development and seedlessness, which is a much‐prized character. Here, we characterise the effects of temperature on flower and ovary development, and on pollen–pistil interactions in ‘Comune’ clementine (Citrus clementina Hort. ex Tan.).

We examine flower bud development, in vitro pollen germination and pollen–pistil interaction at different temperatures (15, 20, 25 or 30 °C). These temperatures span the range from ‘cold’ to ‘hot’ weather during the flowering season in many citrus‐growing regions.

Temperature had a strong effect on flower and ovary development, pollen germination, and pollen tube growth kinetics. In particular, parthenocarpic fruit development (indicated by juice vesicle growth) was initiated early if flowers were exposed to warmer temperatures during anthesis.

Exposure to different temperatures during flower bud development also alters expression of the self‐incompatibility reaction. This affects the point in the pistil at which pollen tube growth is arrested and confirms the role of sub‐ and supra‐optimal temperatures in determining the numbers of pollen tubes reaching the ovary.
Changes in floral biology and inbreeding depression in native and invaded regions of Datura stramonium
Authors: Jiménez‐Lobato V. , Martínez‐Borda E. , Núñez‐Farfán J. , Valverde P. L. , Cruz L. L. , López‐Velázquez A. , Santos‐Gally R. , Arroyo J.
Published: November 2017

Plant populations invading new environments might compromise their fitness contribution to the next generation, because of the lack of native specialist pollinators and/or potential mates. Thus, changes in plant mating system and traits linked to it are expected in populations colonising new environments where selection would favour selfing and floral traits that maximise reproductive output. To test this, we studied native (Mexico) and non‐native (Spain) populations of the obligate sexual reproducing annual weed Datura stramonium.

Flower size, herkogamy, total number of seeds per plant, number of visits by and type of pollinators, and inbreeding depression were assessed in native and non‐native populations. Finally, we measured phenotypic selection on corolla size and herkogamy in each population.

Flower size and herkogamy showed wide and similar variation in both ranges. However, the largest average flower size was found in one non‐native population whereas the highest average positive herkogamy was detected in one native population. On average, flowers in the native range received more visits by pollinators. Hawkmoths were the main visitors in the native populations while only bees were observed visiting flowers in Spain's populations. Only in the native range was inbreeding depression detected. Selection to reduce herkogamy was found only in one native population.

Absence of both inbreeding depression and selection on floral traits suggest a change in mating system of D. stramonium in a new range where generalist pollinators may be promoting high reproductive success. Selection against deleterious alleles might explain the reduction of inbreeding depression, promoting the evolution of selfing.
Physiological and ultrastructural characterisation of a desiccation‐tolerant filmy fern, Hymenophyllum caudiculatum: Influence of translational regulation and ABA on recovery
Authors: Garcés M. , Ulloa M. , Miranda A. , Bravo L. A.
Published: November 2017

The filmy fern Hymenophyllum caudiculatum can lose 60% of its relative water content, remain dry for some time and recover 88% of photochemical efficiency after 30 min of rehydration. Little is known about the protective strategies and regulation of the cellular rehydration process in this filmy fern species. The aim of this study was to characterise the filmy fern ultrastructure during a desiccation–rehydration cycle, and measure the physiological effects of transcription/translation inhibitors and ABA during desiccation recovery.

Confocal and transmission electron microscopy were used to compare changes in structure during fast or slow desiccation. Transcription (actinomycin D) and translation (cycloheximide) inhibitors and ABA were used to compare photochemical efficiency during desiccation recovery.

Cell structure was conserved during slow desiccation and rehydration, constitutive properties of the cell wall, allowing invagination and folding of the membranes and an important change in chloroplast size. The use of a translational inhibitor impeded recovery of photochemical efficiency during the first 80 min of rehydration, but the transcriptional inhibitor had no effect. Exogenous ABA delayed photochemical inactivation, and endogenous ABA levels decreased during desiccation and rehydration.

Frond curling and chloroplast movements are possible strategies to avoid photodamage. Constitutive membrane plasticity and rapid cellular repair can be adaptations evolved to tolerate a rapid recovery during rehydration. Further research is required to explore the importance of existing mRNAs during the first minutes of recovery, and ABA function during desiccation of H. caudiculatum.
Effect of bovine seminal plasma on bovine endometrial epithelial cells in culture
Authors: Nongbua T , Guo Y , Edman A , Humblot P , Morrell JM
Published: November 2017

Contents

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of seminal plasma (SP) from bulls of known fertility on bovine endometrial epithelial cells (bEEC) in culture. The bEEC from passage 5, approximately 5.0–13 × 105 cells per flask, were challenged with SP from bulls of high or low fertility (n = 3 and 2, respectively) or PBS (control), at 1% (75 μl) or 4% (300 μl) and were incubated for 72 hr (n = 13 per challenge). Total cell number and viability of bEEC after challenge with 1% SP from either high‐ or low‐fertility bulls (75H or 75L, respectively) did not differ from controls. In contrast, challenge with 4% of SP from high‐ or low‐fertility bulls (300H or 300L) negatively affected bEEC cell number and viability. Challenge with 300 L had a greater adverse effect than 300H. These results suggest that the negative effect of bovine SP on bEEC is both dose‐dependent and fertility‐dependent.
Morphometric study of the porcine placental vascularization
Authors: Cristofolini A , Fiorimanti M , Campos M , Sanchis E , Diaz T , Moschetti E , Merkis C
Published: November 2017

Contents

The early development in mammals is characterized by the contribution of nutrients from the maternal tissues through the placenta, which is in apposition with foetal membranes and the endometrium, allowing the physiological interchange between the embryos/foetuses and the mother. The aim of this work was to study the number of placental blood vessels and their vascular area through morphometric analyses and the haemotrophic diffusion distance in porcine placental tissues from early gestations, intermediates gestations, advanced gestations and term gestations. For those purposes, morphometric measurements, blood vessel quantification, high‐resolution light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were performed. The implementation of the high‐resolution light microscopy allowed studying the placental vascular and tissue histoarchitecture with higher definition and resolution than using a conventional light microscopy. We highlight the close location of the subepithelial capillaries to the maternal/foetal interface as pregnancy progresses. We found statistically significant evidence to state that the area of blood vessels is dependent on the gestation period. In advanced gestations, the presence of numerous small blood vessels and its near location to foetal/maternal interface agree with the great remodelling reported in our previous studies. In conclusion, in gilts, given the type of non‐invasive epithelial placentation, the new blood vessels generation and of haemotrophic diffusion distance reduction, determined in this report, assure the maternal/foetal haemotrophic exchange efficiency during gestation.
Growth traits of juvenile American chestnut and red oak as adaptations to disturbance
Authors: Belair Ethan P. , Saunders Mike R. , Landhäusser Simon M.
Published: November 2017

American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was a dominant species in eastern North America prior to the importation of chestnut blight. In light of recent efforts to restore viable populations of chestnut in eastern forests, an increased understanding of its association with other co‐occurring, disturbance‐adapted oak species is necessary. We evaluated crown architecture and leaf morphology in juvenile chestnut and red oak (Quercus rubra) to assess potential differences in establishment strategies of both species. We also investigated differences in nonstructural carbohydrate reserves and whole tree biomass partitioning between species. Seedlings of both species were planted in forest stands treated either with midstory removal or small patch cuts, simulating potential restoration plantings. After 5–7 years, chestnut's allocation to its root system was lower than red oak's, with chestnut saplings instead diverting resources to branches and foliage. Chestnut had lower leaf area index, greater crown projection area, and higher specific leaf area than red oak, indicating the species may have an advantage in shaded understories. There were only minor differences in nonstructural root carbohydrate reserves, between red oak and American chestnut, indicating that chestnut may respond similarly to oak by resprouting after disturbances topkill young saplings. We suggest that American chestnut has morphological and physiological attributes that allow it to function as an opportunistic and plastic species that can utilize gaps to facilitate its canopy recruitment, yet still persist after occasional surface fire. This knowledge can guide restoration strategies for this iconic species of the eastern temperate forest region.
Bayesian Joint Modelling of Longitudinal Data on Abstinence, Frequency and Intensity of Drinking in Alcoholism Trials
Authors: Buta Eugenia , O’Malley Stephanie S. , Gueorguieva Ralitza
Published: November 2017

In alcoholism research, several complementary outcomes are of interest: abstinence from drinking during a specific time frame, and, when the individual is drinking, frequency of drinking (the proportion of days on which drinking occurs) and intensity of drinking (the average number of drinks per drinking day). The outcomes are often measured repeatedly over time on the same subject and, although they are closely related, they are rarely modelled together. We propose a joint model that allows us to fit these longitudinal outcomes simultaneously, using correlated random effects to model the association between the outcomes and between repeated measurements on the same subject. The model has three parts: a logistic part for sustained abstinence over the period of interest, a truncated binomial part for frequency of drinking and a log-normal model for drinking intensity when drinking occurs. Because of the computational impracticality of fitting models with many random effects by using standard frequentist approaches, we use a Bayesian approach to fit the joint model. We also conduct a simulation study to investigate the gains in parameter estimate bias and mean-squared error associated with joint versus separate modelling. We illustrate the approach on data from an alcoholism clinical trial.
Sexual orientation among Icelandic year 10 adolescents: Changes in health and life satisfaction from 2006 to 2014
Authors: Thorsteinsson Einar Baldvin , Loi Natasha M. , Sveinbjornsdottir Sigrun , Arnarsson Arsaell
Published: November 2017

Minority sexual orientation may add additional stresses to the period of adolescence thus affecting mental health and wellbeing. The whole population of year 10 students in 2006, 2010, and 2014 in Iceland were surveyed as part of the Health Behaviour in School‐aged Children Survey. Sexual orientation could be identified in 1,994 participants from 2006 (43.8% of population; 988 girls), 3,777 from 2010 (78.6%; 1,863 girls) and 3,526 in 2014 (80.1%; 1,731 girls). About 3.1%, 3.6%, and 4.4% were identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) in 2006, 2010, and 2014, respectively. Given the sampling proportions, the results reflect parameters (population values) rather than statistics (sample values). LGB adolescents were worse off across most of the psychosocial measures across the three surveys as compared with adolescents of unknown sexual orientation (USO). However, the gap between LGB and USO adolescents appears to be closing, at least for the 2010 to 2014 change, suggesting that outcomes for LGB adolescents have improved compared to four years earlier. Social support, liking school and one's classmates, being bullied, and physical and mental health all seem to play an important part in life satisfaction and general wellbeing. While advances have been made for LGB adolescents, gaps between LGB and USO adolescents still exist and need to be closed through evidence‐based school and society‐wide programs.
Examining Proximal Risk Factors for Suicide in a Sample of Mexican Adults in Rehabilitation Centers
Authors: Hurtado Gabriela , Hovey Joseph D. , Dueweke Aubrey R.
Published: November 2017

The cross‐cultural generalizability of the interpersonal theory of suicide was examined in this study. One hundred ninety‐nine adults in an inpatient setting in Mexico completed the Personal Resources Questionnaire, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire, Acquired Capability for Suicide Scale, and Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire‐Revised. Analyses revealed the interaction between perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness did not predict suicide ideation. The interactions between perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness and between perceived burdensomeness and acquired capacity significantly predicted suicidal behaviors, whereas the hypothesized three‐way interaction did not. These findings highlight the importance of perceived burdensomeness in the development of suicidal behaviors among Mexican‐origin adults.
Anxiety Sensitivity Differentially Predicts Factors of Interpersonal–Psychological Suicide Risk: A Consideration of Specificity
Authors: Hudiburgh Stephanie E. , Shaw Ashley M. , Arditte Hall Kimberly A. , Timpano Kiara R.
Published: November 2017

Recent studies have identified anxiety sensitivity (AS) as a risk factor for suicidality; however, limited work has been performed to understand this risk within the context of the interpersonal–psychological theory of suicide (IPTS; Joiner, 2005). The current study examined the relationship between overall AS, each AS subfactor (cognitive, social, and physical), and the three IPTS domains (perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and acquired capability). While each AS subfactor uniquely predicted one IPTS domain, greater overall AS only predicted greater acquired capability, suggesting that assessment of AS at the subfactor level may offer us more information about an individual's interpersonal suicide risk.
Historical geography in Transactions
Authors: Naylor Simon
Published: November 2017

This editorial reviews recent works of historical geography published in Transactions. It highlights a number of prominent themes that bind the papers together: the historical geographies of geopolitics, the state and territory; landscape and environmental change; matters of memory and commemoration; and the production, practice and provision of knowledge.
Phylogeny and reclassification of the Caucasigenini radiation from the Caucasus region (Gastropoda, Hygromiidae)
Authors: Neiber Marco T. , Walther Frank , Hausdorf Bernhard
Published: November 2017

The Caucasigenini is an endemic radiation of hygromiid land snails from the Caucasus region. A phylogenetic analysis of morphological characters of the genitalia and the shell showed that the morphological characters are insufficient for resolving the relationships within the Caucasigenini. Convergences of the few parsimony informative characters in other groups of the Hygromiidae demonstrate that these characters are not reliable indicators of phylogenetic relationships. Phylogenetic analyses of sequences of cox1, 16S rDNA, 5.8S rDNA, ITS2 and 28S rDNA revealed several well‐supported groups. The relationships among these groups could not be resolved. It is likely that these groups originated in a rapid radiation during the uplift of the Caucasus. Based on the molecular phylogeny, we propose a new classification of the species of the Caucasigenini and establish a new genus, Lazicana gen. n.
Order Beyond Chaos: Introducing the Notion of Generation to Characterize the Continuously Evolving Implementations of Cyber-Physical Systems
Authors: Horváth Imre , Rusák Zoltán , Li Yongzhe
Published: November 2017

Authors belonging to different institutions (‘schools’) of cyber-physical systems (CPSs) research and development report on largely different objectives, underpin their work with different theories and methodologies, and target characteristics which can actually better characterize other categories and families of engineered systems. This has resulted in an ontological chaos. Therefore, our research addressed the question: What exists in the form of past, current and future CPSs? Our hypothesis has been that we can have an ordered picture on the landscape of CPSs by introducing the notion of system generation. Generation is a structural term defined as a ‘technological/engineering cohort’ of different individual manifestation of systems that reflect genotypic features of ancestor systems belonging to the same category, but deviates from them with regards to their phenotypic features. Based on our literature findings, we have defined five generations of CPSs, which could be differentiated based on: (i) the level of self-intelligence, and (ii) the level of self-organization. The zeroth generation includes look-alikes and partial implementations of CPS. The 1G-CPSs include systems with self-regulation and self-tuning capabilities, while the 2G-CPSs are capable to operationalize self-awareness and self-adaptation. The 3G-CPSs are equipped with the capabilities of self-cognizance and self-evolution. According to our reasoning model, only the fourth generation of CPSs is supposed to achieve self-consciousness and self-reproduction in the form of system of systems. The paper analyses the major paradigmatic characteristics of these generations. It also provides an outlook to the trends that may have strong influence on the introduced generations of CPSs.
Robust Unconventional Interaction Design and Hybrid Tool Environments for Design and Engineering Processes
Authors: Wendrich Robert E. , Kruiper Ruben
Published: November 2017

This paper investigates how and whether existing or current design tools, assist and support designers and engineers in the early-phases of ideation and conceptualization stages of design and engineering processes. The research explores how fluidly and/or congruously technology affords cognitive, emotive, gesture-based shape-and-form transformation and stimulates externalization within a hybrid design tool environment (HDTE). Meta-cognitive, emotive, gestural, sensorial, multi-dimensional interaction through exploration, translation and manifestation within a contextual blended environment is studied to enhance representation, stimulate choice-architecture and foster decision-making. Current and novel hybrid design tool developments and experiments illustrate the promise of hybridization for natural computing and unobtrusive design-tools (HDT) and cyber-physical systems (CPS). Put into perspective; a proposed framework of robust interaction design (IxD), gamification and affective computing (e.g. emotion) to improve and intensify user-experience (UX) and user-engagement (UE) is presented. The paper concludes by considering the allowance for possible novel routes to increase the scope and forging of links on prevailing frames of human-computer interaction (HCI).
A Model Driven Approach for Early Assessment of Defense in Depth Capabilities of Complex Sociotechnical Systems
Authors: Papakonstantinou Nikolaos , Tommila Teemu , O’Halloran Bryan , Alanen Jarmo , Van Bossuyt Douglas L.
Published: November 2017

Defense in Depth (DiD) is a key design principle helping to improve the safety of complex systems in domains like nuclear power, oil and gas, and mining. DiD affects the basic design of the system because it contains requirements for isolation, diversity and safety divisions. If the DiD assessment happens late in the design process, there is a risk of costly redesign and project delays. To avoid this issue, this paper refines a set of early DiD assessment design rules and proposes a model-driven methodology for early assessment of the implementation of the DiD capabilities of a complex system design. The topology of the different design aspects of the system under study (mechanical, electrical, human factors, and others) and the dependencies between system elements are captured in a High Level Interdisciplinary Model (HLIM) that also holds DiD specific attributes. The resulting system model is assessed against the proposed set of DiD rules and requirements, and then it can be improved according to the results. The methodology is applied to a case study of an early nuclear power plant model of a spent fuel pool cooling system. The proof-of-concept software tool developed for early DiD assessment and presented in this paper is able to identify undesired dependencies between system elements of redundant systems, of different defense lines and other DiD related weaknesses. This provides practitioners with insights into potential vulnerabilities in the design and enables focused redesign to address the identified problems early in the design process.
Finding Causality in Socio-Technical Systems: A Comparison of Bayesian Network Structure Learning Algorithms
Authors: Martin William , Telenko Cassandra
Published: November 2017

A wide number of Bayesian Network (BN) structure learning algorithms have been developed for a variety of applications. The purpose of this research is to shed light on which of these BN structure learning algorithms work best with small, amalgamated socio-technical datasets in an attempt to better understand such systems and improve their design. BN structure learning algorithms have not been widely used for socio-technical problems due to the small and disparate natures of the data describing such systems. This research tested four widely used learning algorithms given two test cases: a simulated ALARM network data set as a baseline and a novel socio-technical network data set combining Divvy bike’s bike share data and Chicago weather data as the more challenging design case. After testing the K2, PC, Sparse Candidate Algorithm (SCA), and Min-Max Hill Climbing (MMHC) algorithm, results indicate that all of the algorithms tested are capable of giving insight into the novel dataset’s most likely causal structure given the real socio-technical data. It should be noted that the convergence with the real world socio-technical data was significantly slower than with the simulated ALARM network dataset. The conditional independence (PC) algorithm also exhibited an interesting pattern in that it diverged farther away from the novel socio-technical network’s most likely structure when given very large datasets, preferring a denser network with more edges. The resulting network structures from all of the algorithms suggest that an opportunity exists to increase ridership by women during commuting hours in the Divvy bike program.
Uncertainty Quantification and Validation of Lattice Structures Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting
Authors: Gorguluarslan Recep M. , Choi Seung-Kyum , Choi Hae-jin
Published: November 2017

A methodology is proposed for uncertainty quantification to accurately predict the mechanical response of lattice structures fabricated by additive manufacturing. Effective structural properties of the lattice structures are characterized using a multi-level stochastic upscaling process that propagates the quantified uncertainties at strut level to the lattice structure level. To obtain realistic simulation models for the stochastic upscaling process, high resolution finite element models of individual struts were reconstructed from the micro-CT scan images of lattice structures which are fabricated by selective laser melting. The upscaling process facilitates obtaining of the homogenized strut properties of the lattice structure to reduce the computational cost of the detailed simulation model for the lattice structure. Bayesian Information Criterion is utilized to quantify the uncertainties with parametric distributions based on the statistical data obtained from the reconstructed strut models. A systematic validation approach that can minimize the experimental cost is also utilized to assess the predictive capability of the stochastic upscaling method used at strut level and lattice structure level. In comparison with physical compression tests, the proposed methodology of linking the uncertainty quantification with multi-level stochastic upscaling method enabled an accurate prediction of the elastic behavior of the lattice structure by accounting for the uncertainties introduced by the additive manufacturing process.
V4PCS: Volumetric 4PCS Algorithm for Global Registration
Authors: Huang Jida , Kwok Tsz-Ho , Zhou Chi
Published: November 2017

With the advances in hardware and process development, additive manufacturing is realizing a new paradigm: mass customization. There are massive human-related data in mass customization, but there are also many similarities in mass-customized products. Therefore, reusing information can facilitate mass customization and create unprecedented opportunities in advancing the theory, method, and practice of design for mass-customized products. To enable information reuse, different models have to be aligned so that their similarity can be identified. This alignment is commonly known as the global registration that finds an optimal rigid transformation to align two three-dimensional shapes (scene and model) without any assumptions on their initial positions. The Super 4-Points Congruent Sets (S4PCS) is a popular algorithm used for this shape registration. While S4PCS performs the registration using a set of 4 coplanar points, we find that incorporating the volumetric information of the models can improve the robustness and the efficiency of the algorithm, which are particularly important for mass customization. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm, Volumetric 4PCS (V4PCS), to extend the 4 coplanar points to non-coplanar ones for global registration, and theoretically demonstrate the computational complexity is significantly reduced. Several typical human-centered applications such as tooth aligner and hearing aid are investigated and compared with S4PCS. The experimental results show that the proposed V4PCS can achieve a maximum of 20 times speedup and can successfully compute the valid transformation with very limited number of sample points.
Two Stage Mini-Max Algorithm for Grid-Based Wind Farm Layout Optimization
Authors: Quan Ning , Kim Harrison
Published: November 2017

The power maximizing grid-based wind farm layout optimization problem seeks to determine the layout of a given number of turbines from a grid of possible locations such that wind farm power output is maximized. The problem in general is a nonlinear discrete optimization problem which cannot be solved to optimality, so heuristics must be used. This article proposes a new two stage heuristic that first finds a layout that minimizes the maximum pairwise power loss between any pair of turbines. The initial layout is then changed one turbine at a time to decrease sum of pairwise power losses. The proposed heuristic is compared to the greedy algorithm using real world data collected from a site in Iowa. The results suggest that the proposed heuristic produces layouts with slightly higher power output, but are less robust to changes in the dominant wind direction.
Comparison of As-Built FEA Simulations and Experimental Results for Additively Manufactured Dogbone Geometries
Authors: Baikerikar Prathamesh J. , Turner Cameron J.
Published: November 2017

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM - a technology of additive manufacturing) parts entail a certain amount of ambiguity in terms of its material properties and microstructure due to its manufacturing technique. Therefore, an FDM part differs from its design model in terms of strength and stiffness. With an increasing amount of FDM parts being used as end use products, it is necessary to simulate and analyze them. Due to the differences in microstructure and material properties of FDM parts, it is necessary to determine the accuracy of analysis methods like Finite Element Analysis (FEA) while analyzing the non-continuous, non-linear FDM parts. The goal of this study is to compare FEA simulations of the as-built geometries with the experimental tests of actual FDM parts. A dogbone geometry with different infill patterns is tested under tensile loading. Further, as-built 3D models are simulated using FEA and the stress results are compared with experimental data. This study found that FEA results are not always an accurate or reliable means of predicting FDM part behaviors.
Towards Model Order Reduction for Uncertainty Propagation in Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Iliopoulos Athanasios P. , Michopoulos John G. , Avery Philip , Farhat Charbel , Teferra Kirubel , Qidwai Siddiq
Published: November 2017

The present work describes the initial steps of developing a computational framework aiming to facilitate uncertainty quantification and propagation in non-linear computational models capable of predicting the dynamic response of blast-impacted human head assemblies. This work is motivated by the need to address the effects that the variables participating in such events have with respect to the severity and type of traumatic brain injury. Since high dimensional models are computationally very expensive, we have decided to incorporate model hyperreduction to enable the solution of the problem using reasonable computational resources, for the purpose of sampling the uncertainty of the parameters associated with the physics of the problem. We present an application of the adopted method for a simplified head assembly under blast-induced shock conditions, and a comparison between the high dimensional and hyperreduced results.
Optimization of Lattice Infill Distribution in Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Campagna Francesco , Diaz Alejandro R.
Published: November 2017

A technique is presented to optimize the distribution of the lattice infill in regions inside load bearing structures manufactured using additive manufacturing techniques. Internal boundaries of solid material separate regions of infill of the same microstructural scale. This scale may vary from region to region in the domain. The goal is to find distributions that maximize structural stiffness. The method is based on a topology optimization scheme to position internal boundaries separating infill regions, and relies on effective properties of known lattice topologies. An example illustrates every step of the procedure. Only extruded shapes (2 ½ D) are considered.
Design and Fabrication of 3D Printed Tissue Scaffolds Informed by Mechanics and Fluids Simulations
Authors: Egan Paul F. , Gonella Veronica C. , Engensperger Max , Ferguson Stephen J. , Shea Kristina
Published: November 2017

Advances in additive manufacturing are enabling the fabrication of lattices with complex geometries that are potentially advantageous as tissue scaffolds. Scaffold design for optimized mechanics and tissue growth is challenging, due to complicated trade-offs among scaffold structural properties including porosity, pore size, surface-volume ratio, elastic modulus, shear modulus, and permeability. Here, a design for additive manufacturing approach is developed for tuning unit cell libraries as tissue scaffolds through (1) simulation, (2) design automation, and (3) fabrication. Finite element simulations are used to determine elastic and shear moduli of lattices as a function of porosity. Fluids simulations suggest that lattice permeability scales with porosity cubed over surface-volume ratio squared. The design automation approach uses simulation results to configure lattices with specified porosity and pore size. A cubic and octet lattice are fabricated with pore sizes of 1,000μm and porosities of 60%; these lattice types represent unit cells with high unidirectional elastic modulus/permeability and high shear modulus/surface-volume ratio, respectively. Imaging suggests the 3D printing process recreates the form accurately, but distorts microscale features. Future iterations are required to determine how lattices perform in comparison to computational predictions. The developed approach provides the foundations of a design automation approach for optimized 3D printed tissue scaffolds informed by simulation and experiments.
A Literature Survey for an Emerging Field of Formulating Assembly Procedures While Developing a Product
Authors: Young Li , Yu Zetao , Ting Kwun-Lon
Published: November 2017

This paper surveys studies of mechanical assembly for developing complicate products from various prospects, i.e., feature, constraint, mating, modeling, motion, and relationships. Firstly, a brief introduction is given on how to model features. Secondly, the types of relationships among assembly configurations are presented. Thirdly, choices of various model-structures for assembly information are surveyed. Finally, directions for further studies are suggested.