bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of the extension of conductive filaments, a simulation approach
Authors: Villena Marco A. , Roldán Juan B. , García-Fernández Pedro , Jiménez-Molinos Francisco
Published: December 2016

A simulation study to characterize the influence of an elongation of the conductive filament in resistive switching devices is presented. A previously developed simulation tool has been used for this purpose. This simulator accounts for ohmic conduction through conductive filaments and for quantum conduction through a barrier (the last resulting in a nonlinear I–V curve, that it is the case of the samples studied in this work). For modeling the quantum conduction, the quantum point contact model is used. The conductive filament length has been swept from a reference value to a value increased in 20%. The influence of the elongation on the reset current and voltage depends on the relative value of the quantum and ohmic resistances, and, therefore, it is not too high in most of the cases studied here. That is because the quantum resistance predominates over the ohmic resistance (the only resistive component affected by the elongation of the filament when the quantum point contact parameters are maintained). However, actually a filament extension could also cause a change in the quantum conduction parameters. Therefore, in order to complete this study, the effect of this change on the I–V curve and reset currents and voltages has also been analyzed.
Geoacoustic inversion for the seabed transition layer using a Bernstein polynomial model
Authors: Quijano Jorge E. , Dosso Stan E. , Dettmer Jan , Holland Charles
Published: December 2016

This paper develops an inversion method for the seabed transition layer at the water-sediment interface, often found in muddy sediments, which provides density and sound-speed profiles that were previously not resolvable. The resolution improvements are achieved by introducing a parametrization that captures general depth-dependent gradients in geoacoustic parameters with a small number of parameters. In particular, the gradients are represented by a sum of Bernstein basis functions, weighted by unknown coefficients. Compared to previous forms found in the literature, the Bernstein-based parametrization can represent a wider range of depth-dependent geoacoustic profiles using fewer parameters which leads to reduced uncertainty and improved resolution. In addition, the Bernstein basis is the most stable polynomial representation in that small perturbations to the unknown coefficients result in small, localized perturbations to the geoacoustic profile, thereby providing an efficient exploration of the parameter space using Markov-chain methods in nonlinear inversion. Geoacoustic profiles at four mud sites on the Malta Plateau are studied with the proposed approach. Results show exceptional resolution of density profiles, estimated with low uncertainty and clear sensitivity to sediment features of centimeter scale.
Relative salience of spectral and temporal features in auditory long-term memory
Authors: Yin Pingbo , Shamma Shihab A. , Fritz Jonathan B.
Published: December 2016

In order to explore the representation of sound features in auditory long-term memory, two groups of ferrets were trained on Go vs Nogo, 3-zone classification tasks. The sound stimuli differed primarily along the spectral and temporal dimensions. In Group 1, two ferrets were trained to (i) classify tones based on their frequency (Tone-task), and subsequently learned to (ii) classify white noise based on its amplitude modulation rate (AM-task). In Group 2, two ferrets were trained to classify tones based on correlated combinations of their frequency and AM rate (AM-Tone task). Both groups of ferrets learned their tasks and were able to generalize performance along the trained spectral (tone frequency) or temporal (AM rate) dimensions. Insights into stimulus representations in memory were gained when the animals were tested with a diverse set of untrained probes that mixed features from the two dimensions. Animals exhibited a complex pattern of responses to the probes reflecting primarily the probes' spectral similarity with the training stimuli, and secondarily the temporal features of the stimuli. These diverse behavioral decisions could be well accounted for by a nearest-neighbor classifier model that relied on a multiscale spectrotemporal cortical representation of the training and probe sounds.
Head orientation benefit to speech intelligibility in noise for cochlear implant users and in realistic listening conditions
Authors: Grange Jacques A. , Culling John F.
Published: December 2016

Cochlear implant (CI) users suffer from elevated speech-reception thresholds and may rely on lip reading. Traditional measures of spatial release from masking quantify speech-reception-threshold improvement with azimuthal separation of target speaker and interferers and with the listener facing the target speaker. Substantial benefits of orienting the head away from the target speaker were predicted by a model of spatial release from masking. Audio-only and audio-visual speech-reception thresholds in normal-hearing (NH) listeners and bilateral and unilateral CI users confirmed model predictions of this head-orientation benefit. The benefit ranged 2–5 dB for a modest 30° orientation that did not affect the lip-reading benefit. NH listeners' and CI users' lip-reading benefit measured 3 and 5 dB, respectively. A head-orientation benefit of ∼2 dB was also both predicted and observed in NH listeners in realistic simulations of a restaurant listening environment. Exploiting the benefit of head orientation is thus a robust hearing tactic that would benefit both NH listeners and CI users in noisy listening conditions.
More tornadoes in the most extreme U.S. tornado outbreaks
Authors: Tippett Michael K. , Lepore Chiara , Cohen Joel E.
Published: December 2016

Blowing harder and more often

The frequency of tornado outbreaks (clusters of tornadoes) and the number of extremely powerful tornado events have been increasing over nearly the past half-century in the United States. Tippett
et al.
found that tornado outbreaks have become more common since the 1970s. This increase seems to have been driven by consistent changes in the meteorological environment that make tornadoes more likely to form. However, the changes are not necessarily those that one would expect from climate change, which makes it difficult to predict whether this trend will continue.

Science
, this issue p.
1419
Draft Genome Sequences of Campylobacter jejuni Strains That Cause Abortion in Livestock
Authors: Weis Allison M. , Clothier Kristin A. , Huang Bihua C. , Kong Nguyet , Weimer Bart C.
Published: December 2016

Campylobacter jejuniis an intestinal bacterium that can cause abortion in livestock. This publication announces the public release of 15Campylobacter jejunigenome sequences from isolates linked to abortion in livestock. These isolates are part of the 100K Pathogen Genome Project and are from clinical cases at the University of California (UC) Davis.
Effect of L-amino acids on Mucor rouxii dimorphism
Authors: Leija A , Ruiz-Herrera J , Mora J
Published: December 2016

Mucor rouxii organisms growing aerobically and exponentially on a well-defined minimal medium are able to differentiate as yeasts or as mycelia, depending on the amino acid as the nitrogen source. When certain amino acids were used as the nitrogen source, spores differentiated only as hyphae, whereas other amino acids gave rise to other morphological forms having different ratios of yeasts to hyphae. In both hyphal and yeast cultures, an aerobic metabolism was predominant, as shown by determining several metabolic parameters such as oxygen tension, glucose consumption, ethanol production, and CO2 release. A complete conversion of yeasts to hyphae was obtained by the appropriate change in the amino acid used as nitrogen source. By preparing spheroplasts from mycelial cultures and transferring them to media with amino acids that induce yeast formation, a 50% yield in the reverse transformation was achieved. A correlation between the change in pH of the medium and cell morphology was observed in different growth conditions. Decrease in the pH of the medium preceded the appearance of hyphae. Also, when the initial pH of the medium was increased, aspartate-containing cultures developed mainly as mycelia, instead of yeasts, with a corresponding decrease in the final pH.
Traumatic haemopneumothorax and ‘whole-body’ subcutaneous emphysema: successful use of a small-bore chest drain
Authors: Hardy Benjamin , Sunderland Nicholas , Perera Mevan , Channing Kathryn
Published: December 2016

A 56-year-old man presented having had two falls at home. He had a background of multiple sclerosis. After his second fall, during which he had fallen onto the toilet injuring his right chest, he was brought into the emergency department reporting pleuritic chest discomfort. Immediately evident was extensive swelling from his forehead to his thighs, which on palpation was found to be subcutaneous emphysema. A chest X-ray showed a large right-sided pneumothorax for which a chest drain was inserted. A CT revealed extensive surgical emphysema, pneumomediastinum, pneumoperitoneum and gas within the spinal canal. It also showed right-sided rib fractures and associated haemothorax. He was managed conservatively with a 12-French (F), small-bore, chest drain and made a complete recovery without complication. This case challenges the widely held, but poorly evidenced, opinion that traumatic haemopneumothorax needs to be managed with a large-bore surgical chest drain.
Copenhagen five-second squeeze: a valid indicator of sports-related hip and groin function
Authors: Thorborg K , Branci S , Nielsen M P , Langelund M T , Hölmich P
Published: December 2016

Background

No simple clinical measure exits to evaluate groin pain and its severity in athletes. The aim was to investigate the validity, reliability and responsiveness of a five-second hip-adduction squeeze test for football players designed to assess sports-related hip and groin function, pain and severity.

Methods

Construct validity was assessed in 667 subelite male football players with a mean age (±SD) of 24±4 in the beginning of the season. Responsiveness and reliability were evaluated during the season in 52 and 10 players, respectively. Players answered the Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS) and performed the Copenhagen five-second squeeze assessed on a Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NRS) ranging from 0 to 10.

Results

As hypothesised higher pain scores during the Copenhagen five-second squeeze correlated significantly (Spearman's rho=−0.61, p<0.01) with a lesser HAGOS (Sport) Score. The change scores in the Copenhagen five-second squeeze also correlated significantly (Spearman's rho=−0.51, p<0.01), with HAGOS (Sport) change scores in the responsiveness analysis, and test–retest reliability (concordance correlation coefficient) was 0.90. Moreover, significant (p<0.01) between-group differences existed for HAGOS (Sport) Scores in players reporting groin pain intensity at one of the 3 different pain levels: NRS (0–2), NRS (3–5) and NRS (6–10). The NRS (6–10) group had the lowest median (IQR) HAGOS (Sport) Score of 47 (31–61).

Conclusions

The Copenhagen five-second squeeze is a valid indicator of sports-related hip and groin function in football players. Players reporting groin pain intensity as 6 of 10 or more in the Copenhagen five-second squeeze experience substantially impaired sports-related hip and groin function.
Predicting sport and occupational lower extremity injury risk through movement quality screening: a systematic review
Authors: Whittaker Jackie L , Booysen Nadine , de la Motte Sarah , Dennett Liz , Lewis Cara L , Wilson Dave , McKay Carly , Warner Martin , Padua Darin , Emery Carolyn A , Stokes Maria
Published: December 2016

Background

Identification of risk factors for lower extremity (LE) injury in sport and military/first-responder occupations is required to inform injury prevention strategies.

Objective

To determine if poor movement quality is associated with LE injury in sport and military/first-responder occupations.

Materials and methods

5 electronic databases were systematically searched. Studies selected included original data; analytic design; movement quality outcome (qualitative rating of functional compensation, asymmetry, impairment or efficiency of movement control); LE injury sustained with sport or military/first-responder occupation. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. 2 independent authors assessed the quality (Downs and Black (DB) criteria) and level of evidence (Oxford Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine model).

Results

Of 4361 potential studies, 17 were included. The majority were low-quality cohort studies (level 4 evidence). Median DB score was 11/33 (range 3–15). Heterogeneity in methodology and injury definition precluded meta-analyses. The Functional Movement Screen was the most common outcome investigated (15/17 studies). 4 studies considered inter-relationships between risk factors, 7 reported diagnostic accuracy and none tested an intervention programme targeting individuals identified as high risk. There is inconsistent evidence that poor movement quality is associated with increased risk of LE injury in sport and military/first-responder occupations.

Conclusions

Future research should focus on high-quality cohort studies to identify the most relevant movement quality outcomes for predicting injury risk followed by developing and evaluating preparticipation screening and LE injury prevention programmes through high-quality randomised controlled trials targeting individuals at greater risk of injury based on screening tests with validated test properties.
Decision tree-based modelling for identification of potential interactions between type 2 diabetes risk factors: a decade follow-up in a Middle East prospective cohort study
Authors: Ramezankhani Azra , Hadavandi Esmaeil , Pournik Omid , Shahrabi Jamal , Azizi Fereidoun , Hadaegh Farzad
Published: December 2016

Objective

The current study was undertaken for use of the decision tree (DT) method for development of different prediction models for incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and for exploring interactions between predictor variables in those models.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS).

Methods

A total of 6647 participants (43.4% men) aged >20 years, without T2D at baselines ((1999–2001) and (2002–2005)), were followed until 2012. 2 series of models (with and without 2-hour postchallenge plasma glucose (2h-PCPG)) were developed using 3 types of DT algorithms. The performances of the models were assessed using sensitivity, specificity, area under the ROC curve (AUC), geometric mean (G-Mean) and F-Measure.

Primary outcome measure

T2D was primary outcome which defined if fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was ≥7 mmol/L or if the 2h-PCPG was ≥11.1 mmol/L or if the participant was taking antidiabetic medication.

Results

During a median follow-up of 9.5 years, 729 new cases of T2D were identified. The Quick Unbiased Efficient Statistical Tree (QUEST) algorithm had the highest sensitivity and G-Mean among all the models for men and women. The models that included 2h-PCPG had sensitivity and G-Mean of (78% and 0.75%) and (78% and 0.78%) for men and women, respectively. Both models achieved good discrimination power with AUC above 0.78. FPG, 2h-PCPG, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) were the most important factors to incidence of T2D in both genders. Among men, those with an FPG≤4.9 mmol/L and 2h-PCPG≤7.7 mmol/L had the lowest risk, and those with an FPG>5.3 mmol/L and 2h-PCPG>4.4 mmol/L had the highest risk for T2D incidence. In women, those with an FPG≤5.2 mmol/L and WHtR≤0.55 had the lowest risk, and those with an FPG>5.2 mmol/L and WHtR>0.56 had the highest risk for T2D incidence.

Conclusions

Our study emphasises the utility of DT for exploring interactions between predictor variables.
Algorithm for predicting death among older adults in the home care setting: study protocol for the Risk Evaluation for Support: Predictions for Elder-life in the Community Tool (RESPECT)
Authors: Hsu Amy T , Manuel Douglas G , Taljaard Monica , Chalifoux Mathieu , Bennett Carol , Costa Andrew P , Bronskill Susan , Kobewka Daniel , Tanuseputro Peter
Published: December 2016

Introduction

Older adults living in the community often have multiple, chronic conditions and functional impairments. A challenge for healthcare providers working in the community is the lack of a predictive tool that can be applied to the broad spectrum of mortality risks observed and may be used to inform care planning.

Objective

To predict survival time for older adults in the home care setting. The final mortality risk algorithm will be implemented as a web-based calculator that can be used by older adults needing care and by their caregivers.

Design

Open cohort study using the Resident Assessment Instrument for Home Care (RAI-HC) data in Ontario, Canada, from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013.

Participants

The derivation cohort will consist of ∼437 000 older adults who had an RAI-HC assessment between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2012. A split sample validation cohort will include ∼122 000 older adults with an RAI-HC assessment between 1 January and 31 December 2013.

Main outcome measures

Predicted survival from the time of an RAI-HC assessment. All deaths (n≈245 000) will be ascertained through linkage to a population-based registry that is maintained by the Ministry of Health in Ontario.

Statistical analysis

Proportional hazards regression will be estimated after assessment of assumptions. Predictors will include sociodemographic factors, social support, health conditions, functional status, cognition, symptoms of decline and prior healthcare use. Model performance will be evaluated for 6-month and 12-month predicted risks, including measures of calibration (eg, calibration plots) and discrimination (eg, c-statistics). The final algorithm will use combined development and validation data.

Ethics and dissemination

Research ethics approval has been granted by the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Review Board. Findings will be disseminated through presentations at conferences and in peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

NCT02779309, Pre-results.
Association between organisational and workplace cultures, and patient outcomes: systematic review protocol
Authors: Braithwaite J , Herkes J , Ludlow K , Lamprell G , Testa L
Published: December 2016

Introduction

Despite widespread interest in the topic, no current synthesis of research is available analysing the linkages between organisational or workplace cultures on the one hand, and patient outcomes on the other. This protocol proposes a systematic review to analyse and synthesise the literature to date on this topic. The resulting review will discuss characteristics of included studies in terms of the type of healthcare settings researched, the measurements of organisational and workplace culture, patient outcomes measured and the influence of these cultures on patient outcomes.

Methods and analysis

A systematic review will be conducted aiming to examine the associations between organisational and workplace cultures, and patient outcomes, guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement. An English language search of abstracts will be executed using the following academic databases: CINAHL, EMBASE, Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Science and PsycINFO. The review will include relevant peer-reviewed articles from randomised controlled trials (RCTs), non-RCTs, controlled before and after studies, interrupted time series studies, cross-sectional analyses, qualitative studies and mixed-method studies. Multiple researchers will be involved in assessing the quality of articles for inclusion in the review. This protocol documents a detailed search strategy, including terms and inclusion criteria, which will form the basis of the subsequent systematic review.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval is not required as no primary data will be collected. Results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and conference presentations.
How Australian general practitioners engage in discussions about alcohol with their patients: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Miller Emma R , Ramsey Imogen J , Tran Ly Thi , Tsourtos George , Baratiny Genevieve , Manocha Ramesh , Olver Ian N
Published: December 2016

Objective

This study aimed to investigate factors that inhibit and facilitate discussion about alcohol between general practitioners (GPs) and patients.

Design

Data analysis from a cross-sectional survey.

Setting and participants

894 GP delegates of a national health seminar series held in five capital cities of Australia in 2014.

Main outcome measures

Likelihood of routine alcohol enquiry; self-assessed confidence in assessing and managing alcohol issues in primary healthcare.

Results

Most GPs (87%) reported that they were likely to routinely ask patients about their alcohol consumption and had sufficient skills to manage alcohol issues (74%). Potential barriers to enquiring about alcohol included perceptions that patients are not always honest about alcohol intake (84%) and communication difficulties (44%). ‘I usually ask about alcohol’ was ranked by 36% as the number one presentation likely to prompt alcohol discussion. Altered liver function test results followed by suspected clinical depression were most frequently ranked in the top three presentations. Suspicious or frequent injuries, frequent requests for sickness certificates and long-term unemployment were ranked in the top three presentations by 20% or less. Confidence in managing alcohol issues independently predicted likelihood to ‘routinely ask’ about alcohol consumption. Lack of time emerged as the single most important barrier to routinely asking about alcohol. Lack of time was predicted by perceptions of competing health issues in patients, fear of eliciting negative responses and lower confidence in ability to manage alcohol-related issues.

Conclusions

Improving GPs' confidence and ability to identify, assess and manage at-risk drinking through relevant education may facilitate greater uptake of alcohol-related enquiries in general practice settings. Routine establishment of brief alcohol assessments might improve confidence in managing alcohol issues, reduce the time burden in risk assessment, decrease potential stigma associated with raising alcohol issues and reduce the potential for negative responses from patients.
Does place of death vary by deprivation for patients known to specialist palliative care services?
Authors: Macfarlane Michael , Carduff Emma
Published: December 2016

Objectives

Referral to, and usage of, specialist palliative care (SPC) services are not equitable and social deprivation may be a contributory factor in this. Deprivation may also affect the place of death of patients with cancer. No study, however, has investigated whether inequalities persist following referral to SPC services. This study investigates whether place of death varies by deprivation for patients known to SPC services.

Methods

Place of death and postcode were obtained for 485 consecutive patients known to SPC services within NHS Lothian who died in 2014–2015. From this information, deprivation quintile (DQ) was derived using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) database and place of death compared between DQs and analysed statistically.

Results

Across all DQs, patients known to SPC services were more likely to die in the hospice than at home or in hospital. There was, however, a small but statistically significant difference in the ratio of hospital deaths compared to hospice deaths between the DQs, with higher death rates in hospital for the most deprived compared to the least deprived and higher death rates in the hospice for the least deprived compared to the most deprived.

Conclusions

This study suggests that even after referral to specialist palliative care services variation in place of death by deprivation persists. Greater deprivation is associated with increased likelihood of dying in hospital and decreased likelihood of dying in a hospice, although no difference was noted for home deaths.
Spontaneous destructive periodontitis and skeletal bone damage in transgenic mice carrying a human shared epitope-codingHLA-DRB1allele
Authors: Gehlot Prashasnika , Volk Sarah L , Rios Hector F , Jepsen Karl J , Holoshitz Joseph
Published: December 2016

Objective

Shared epitope (SE)-codingDRB1alleles are associated with bone erosion in several diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontal disease (PD), but the underlying mechanism is unknown. We have recently identified the SE as an osteoclast-activating ligand. To better understand the biological effects of the SE in vivo, here we sought to determine whether it can facilitate spontaneous bone damage in naïve mice.

Methods

3-month old naïve transgenic mice that carry the human SE-coding alleleDRB1*04:01, or a SE-negative alleleDRB1*04:02were studied.Bone tissues were analysed by micro-CT, and the tooth-supporting tissues were studied by histology, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Serum biomarkers were determined by ELISA.

Results

Transgenic mice expressing the SE-codingDRB1*04:01 allele, but not mice carrying the SE-negative alleleDRB1*04:02, showed spontaneous PD associated with interleukin (IL)-17 overabundance and periostin disruption. Mandibular bone volumetric and mineralisation parameters were significantly lower in SE-positive mice, and alveolar bone resorption was significantly increased in these mice. SE-positive mice also had more slender tibiae, and their marrow, cortical and total areas were lower than those of SE-negative mice. Additionally, significantly increased serum IL-17, tumour necrosis factor-α and osteoprotegrin levels were found in SE-positive mice, while their receptor activator of nuclear factor κ-B ligand levels were significantly lower.

Conclusions

A human SE-coding allele increases the propensity to spontaneous bone-destructive periodontal inflammation and skeletal bone damage in transgenic mice. These findings provide new insights into the previously documented but poorly understood association of the SE with accelerated bone erosion in RA and several other human diseases.
ThemalS-5′UTR regulateshisG, a key gene in the histidine biosynthetic pathway inSalmonella entericaserovar Typhi
Authors: Zhang Ying , Yan Dongmei , Xia Lin , Zhao Xin , Osei-Adjei George , Xu Shungao , Sheng Xiumei , Huang Xinxiang
Published: December 2016

Bacterial noncoding RNAs (ncRNA) regulate diverse cellular processes, including virulence and environmental fitness. The malS 5′ untranslated region (named malS-5′UTR) was identified as a regulatory ncRNA that increases the invasive capacity of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. An IntaRNA search suggested base pairing between malS-5′UTR and hisG mRNA, a key gene in the histidine biosynthetic pathway. Overexpression of malS-5′UTR markedly reduced bacterial growth in minimal medium without histidine. Overexpression of malS-5′UTR increased mRNA from his operon genes, independently of the bax gene, and decreased HisG protein in Salmonella Typhi. RNA structure analysis showed base pairing of the malS-5′UTR RNA with the hisG mRNA across the ribosome binding site. Thus, we propose that malS-5′UTR inhibited hisG translation, probably by base pairing to the Shine–Dalgarno sequence.
Quantum discord and quantum phase transition in the XXZ spin chain with three-site interaction
Authors: Yang Jing , Cong Mei-Yan , Huang Yan-Xia
Published: December 2016

Pairwise quantum discord (QD) and entanglement of the three-qubit XXZ Heisenberg spin chain with two types of three-site interactions and an external magnetic field are investigated. Our study found that both entanglement and quantum discord could detect the quantum critical phenomena of this model. We were able to obtain a nonzero value of quantum discord even at high temperature with the increase of XZX[Formula: see text]YZY or XZY[Formula: see text]YZX three-site interaction, however, the cooperative effect of XZX[Formula: see text]YZY and XZY[Formula: see text]YZX interactions is more ideal. Furthermore, in contrast to XZY[Formula: see text]YZX and XZX[Formula: see text]YZY interactions, the cooperative effect of XZX[Formula: see text]YZY and XZY[Formula: see text]YZX three-site interactions is more efficient to enhance the maximum value of quantum discord. Likewise, the cooperative effect of XZX[Formula: see text]YZY and XZY[Formula: see text]YZX interactions is the most optimal to increase the range of magnetic field or anisotropy parameter where quantum discord maintains the maximum value.
Effects of prefabricated hole structure on cold-pressing joining reliability between dissimilar sheets
Authors: Jin Cheng Chuang , Li Feng , Wang Mo Nan , Bao Ze Ping
Published: December 2016

The structural form of prefabricated holes is one of the important factors to determine the quality and reliability of cold-pressing joining between dissimilar sheets. Different numbers of holes with the same area will lead to different wall thickness distributions and joining strengths. This paper takes the cold-pressing joining between AA1100 pure aluminum sheet and SS304 stainless steel sheet as an example, the further study results show that the end of aluminum sheet has an increasing tendency along the directions of length and width in the process of cold-pressing joining. The wall thickness of joints shows a symmetrical distribution on both sides and the joining thickness decreases from the center to both sides sequentially. With the continuous increase of the punch loading pressure, the average thinning ratio of the joints becomes larger. By contrast, when the other parameters are all the same, the joining strength is the most ideal when the punch loading pressure is 250 kN. The loading pressure which is too small or large is easy to cause an insufficient joining strength or defects. This paper provides a scientific basis in this aspect for optimizing the cold-pressing joining plan and designing a reasonable joint structure. It can also promote the existing cold-pressing joining technologies to be mature, and enrich the existing solid-state joining technology.
Three-dimensional extremely-short optical pulses in carbon nanotube arrays in the presence of an external magnetic field
Authors: Zhukov Alexander V. , Bouffanais Roland , Belonenko Mikhail B. , Galkina Elena N.
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we study the behavior of three-dimensional extremely-short optical pulses propagating in a system made of carbon nanotubes in the presence of an external magnetic field applied perpendicular both to the nanotube axis and to the direction of propagation of the pulse. The evolution of the electromagnetic field is classically derived on the basis of the Maxwell’s equations. The electronic system of carbon nanotubes is considered in the low-temperature approximation. Our analysis reveals the novel and unique ability of controlling the shape of propagating short optical pulses by tuning the intensity of the applied magnetic field. This effect paves the way for the possible development of innovative applications in optoelectronics.
Thermal, structural and optical investigation of Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles
Authors: Chithra Maruthanayagam Jay , Pushpanathan Kuppusamy
Published: December 2016

Well-dispersed undoped and copper-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (Zn[Formula: see text]Cu[Formula: see text]O, [Formula: see text] = 0, 1, 5 and 10 wt.%) have been synthesized by precipitation method at room temperature. X-ray diffraction data revealed that the undoped and copper-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles are in phase pure wurtzite structure and the crystallite size increases from 24 nm to 36 nm with increase in dopant concentration. The optical band gap was found to decrease with increasing dopant concentration, which clearly indicates the blue shift. High-resolution scanning electron microscope image shows that the synthesized samples consist of an assembly of nanopetals. Transmission electron microscope image also confirmed the average particle size of 20–50 nm. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum shows that the prepared samples are free from impurities. Photoluminescence spectra exposed that copper ions are doped into the lattice positions of ZnO. A simultaneous differential scanning calorimeter/thermogravimetric analysis combination was used to study the phase variations.
Shadow of the rotating black hole with quintessential energy in the presence of plasma
Authors: Abdujabbarov Ahmadjon , Toshmatov Bobir , Stuchlík Zdeněk , Ahmedov Bobomurat
Published: December 2016

We study the shadow of the rotating black hole with quintessential energy (i) in vacuum, (ii) in the presence of plasma with radial power-law density. For the vacuum case, the quintessential field parameter of the rotating black hole significantly changes the shape of the shadow. With increasing quintessential field parameter, the radius of the shadow also increases. With the increase of the radius of the shadow of the rotating black hole, the quintessential field parameter causes decrease of the distortion of the shadow shape: in the presence of the quintessential field parameter, the shadow of the fast rotating black hole becomes too close to the circle. We assume the distant observer of the black hole shadow to be located near the so-called static radius where the gravitational attraction of the black hole is just balanced by the cosmic repulsion. The shape and size of the shadow of quintessential rotating black hole surrounded by plasma depends on (i) plasma parameters, (ii) black hole spin and (iii) quintessential field parameter. With the increase of the plasma refraction index, the apparent radius of the shadow increases. However, for the large values of the quintessential field parameter, the change of the black hole shadow shape due to the presence of plasma is not significant, i.e. the effect of the quintessential field parameter dominates over the plasma effect.
Hurwitz–Lerch zeta and Hurwitz–Lerch type of Euler–Zagier double zeta distributions
Authors: Nakamura Takashi
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we give Hurwitz–Lerch zeta distributions with [Formula: see text] by using the Gamma function. Moreover, we define Hurwitz–Lerch type of Euler–Zagier double zeta distributions not only in the region of absolute convergence but also outside the region of absolute convergence.
Navigation Method of the Transportation Robot Using Fuzzy Line Tracking and QR Code Recognition
Authors: Truc Nguyen Thanh , Kim Yong-Tae
Published: December 2016

In this paper, a navigation method using fuzzy line tracking, QR code recognition and path planning algorithm is proposed for the transportation robot. We build a grid map by attaching QR codes on a floor and using lines that are gaps between tiles. The transportation robot is developed with a camera to capture floor images that is used to detect QR code and extract lines’ parameters by applying linear equation and FIR filter. A fuzzy decision-maker is designed to solve the deviation problem occurring during a navigation process between QR codes. The QR code is used to get the current position and recognize the direction to neighbor QR codes. Finally, the D*Lite algorithm is applied to search for an optimal path from the robot position to a goal position on the grid map using QR codes. The proposed method is verified by the navigation experiments of the transportation robot in the real environment. The robot can follow the optimal path obtained from planning algorithm with high stability and accuracy.
Synthesis and anion binding properties of porphyrins and related compounds
Authors: Figueira Flávio , Rodrigues João M.M. , Farinha Andreia A.S. , Cavaleiro José A.S. , Tomé João P.C.
Published: December 2016

Over the last two decades the preparation of pyrrole-based receptors for anion recognition has attracted considerable attention. In this regard porphyrins, phthalocyanines and expanded porphyrins have been used as strong and selective receptors while the combination of those with different techniques and materials can boost their applicability in different applications as chemosensors and extracting systems. Improvements in the field, including the synthesis of this kind of compounds, can contribute to the development of efficient, cheap, and easy-to-prepare anion receptors. Extensive efforts have been made to improve the affinity and selectivity of these compounds and the continuous expansion of related research makes this chemistry even more promising. In this review, we summarize the most recent developments in anion binding studies while outlining the strategies that may be used to synthesize and functionalize these type of macrocycles.
What’s in a name? The MacDonald condensation
Authors: Lash Timothy D.
Published: December 2016

In 1960, MacDonald and coworkers introduced a new method for porphyrin synthesis that involved the acid-catalyzed condensation of dipyrrylmethane dialdehydes with [Formula: see text],[Formula: see text]-diunsubstituted dipyrrylmethanes or the related dicarboxylic acids, followed by an air oxidation. The key bond forming steps entail electrophilic substitution at two pyrrole units with the aldehyde moieties to generate, following elimination of water, a 5,15-dihydroporphyrin or porphodimethene intermediate. Following addition of sodium acetate, or in later procedures zinc acetate, the dihydroporphyrins readily air oxidize to the fully aromatic porphyrin system. This strategy, which parallels chemistry contemporaneously developed by R. B. Woodward at Harvard for the total synthesis of chlorophyll [Formula: see text], demonstrated that dipyrrylmethanes were sufficiently stable to be utilized as intermediates in porphyrin syntheses and that porphodimethene formation circumvented acidolytic scrambling reactions that might lead to isomeric porphyrin products. This type of chemistry was later adapted by Johnson, Woodward and others to prepare porphyrin-type systems by a “3 + 1” strategy, or expanded porphyrins by “3 + 2” or other combinations of oligopyrrolic precursors. In recent years, the term “MacDonald condensation” has been increasingly used to describe other types of chemistry involving oligopyrrolic intermediates. Following on from a historical review of this area, guidelines for the identification of MacDonald-type reactions are proposed.
Selective recognition of cyanide ions by amphiphilic porphyrins in aqueous medium
Authors: Paul Albish K. , Karunakaran Suneesh C. , Jayaram Dhanya T. , Adarsh Nagappanpillai , Joseph Joshy , Ramaiah Danaboyina
Published: December 2016

Herein, we report the synthesis of two amphiphilic porphyrins having pyridinium moieties and their anion recognition properties in aqueous medium. The study of their interactions with various anions reveals that these porphyrins exhibit unique and selective interactions with CN- ions when compared to the other anions. The addition of CN- ions to an aqueous solution of the butyl porphyrin resulted in a hypochromicity of ca. 78% at 419 nm with a concomitant band formation at 449 nm in the absorption spectrum. Similarly, we observed ca. 82% quenching in the emission intensity by the addition of 12.5 M of CN- ions in the fluorescence spectrum of the porphyrin mediated through aggregation. The limit of detection of CN- ions was found to be ca. 49 ppb and the nature of interactions has been studied through various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. These studies have confirmed 1,4-addition of CN- ions to the pyridinium moiety of the porphyrin system, which led to the aggregation induced self-assembly resulting in the sensitive detection of CN- ions through changes in absorbance and fluorescence intensity in aqueous medium.
Ground Motion at a Semi-Cylindrical Valley Partially Filled with a Crescent-Shaped Soil Layer Under Incident Plane SH Waves
Authors: Zhang Ning , Gao Yufeng , Dai Denghui
Published: December 2016

To elucidate the ground motion amplification due to soil and topographic effects, an analytical formulation based on wavefunction expansion is derived for the scattering of plane SH waves by a semi-cylindrical valley partially filled with a crescent-shaped soil layer. The site responses consisting of both soil and topographic effects from the partially filled alluvial valley and the pure topographic contribution from the homogeneous valley of the same geometry are calculated and compared. It is found that the soil amplification effects are usually larger than the topographic amplification effects within the alluvial valley, while the topographic effects dominate the amplification pattern of ground motions outside the alluvial valley. Generally, the maximum soil amplification generally far outweighs the maximum topographic amplification. The material parameters and filling degree of the soil layer are found to affect the magnitude and the pattern of ground motion amplitude on the valley surface depending on the irregular topography, the frequency content and obliquity of the wave incidence.
A Reconfiguration Algorithm for Power-Aware Parallel Applications
Authors: De Sensi Daniele , Torquati Massimo , Danelutto Marco
Published: December 2016

In current computing systems, many applications require guarantees on their maximum power consumption to not exceed the available power budget. On the other hand, for some applications, it could be possible to decrease their performance, yet maintain an acceptable level, in order to reduce their power consumption. To provide such guarantees, a possible solution consists in changing the number of cores assigned to the application, their clock frequency, and the placement of application threads over the cores. However, power consumption and performance have different trends depending on the application considered and on its input. Finding a configuration of resources satisfying user requirements is, in the general case, a challenging task.

In this article, we propose Nornir, an algorithm to automatically derive, without relying on historical data about previous executions, performance and power consumption models of an application in different configurations. By using these models, we are able to select a close-to-optimal configuration for the given user requirement, either performance or power consumption. The configuration of the application will be changed on-the-fly throughout the execution to adapt to workload fluctuations, external interferences, and/or application’s phase changes. We validate the algorithm by simulating it over the applications of the Parsecbenchmark suit. Then, we implement our algorithm and we analyse its accuracy and overhead over some of these applications on a real execution environment. Eventually, we compare the quality of our proposal with that of the optimal algorithm and of some state-of-the-art solutions.
Memory Access Scheduling Based on Dynamic Multilevel Priority in Shared DRAM Systems
Authors: Xiong Dongliang , Huang Kai , Jiang Xiaowen , Yan Xiaolang
Published: December 2016

Interapplication interference at shared main memory severely degrades performance and increasing DRAM frequency calls for simple memory schedulers. Previous memory schedulers employ a per-application ranking scheme for high system performance or a per-group ranking scheme for low hardware cost, but few provide a balance. We propose DMPS, a memory scheduler based on dynamic multilevel priority. First, DMPS uses “memory occupancy” to measure interference quantitatively. Second, DMPS groups applications, favors latency-sensitive groups, and dynamically prioritizes applications by employing a per-level ranking scheme. The simulation results show that DMPS has 7.2% better system performance and 22% better fairness over FRFCFS at low hardware complexity and cost.
STAT1 Promotes KRAS Colon Tumor Growth and Susceptibility to Pharmacological Inhibition of Translation Initiation Factor eIF4A
Authors: Wang Shuo , Darini Cedric , Désaubry Laurent , Koromilas Antonis E.
Published: December 2016

The transcription factor STAT1 displays antitumor functions for certain forms of cancer via immunoregulatory and cell-autonomous pathways. Paradoxically, STAT1 can promote the survival of different tumor types treated with chemotherapeutic drugs through mechanisms that are not clearly defined. Herein, we demonstrate that STAT1 displays prosurvival effects in human KRAS colon tumor cells by regulating pathways that converge on the initiation of mRNA translation. Specifically, STAT1 increases PI3K class IB signaling and promotes the downregulation of the programmed cell death protein 4 (PDCD4), a protein with tumor-suppressive properties. PDCD4 downregulation by STAT1 increases the activity of the translation initiation factor eIF4A, which facilitates the cap-independent translation of mRNAs encoding for the antiapoptotic XIAP and BCL-XL in colon tumors with mutated but not normal KRAS. Genetic inactivation of STAT1 impairs the tumorigenic potency of human KRAS colon tumor cells and renders them resistant to the antitumor effects of the pharmacologic inhibition of eIF4A in culture and immunodeficient mice. Our data demonstrate an important connection between mRNA translation and KRAS tumorigenesis under the control of STAT1, which can determine the susceptibility of KRAS tumors to pharmacologic inhibition of mRNA translation initiation. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(12); 3055–63. ©2016 AACR.
Long-Term Follow-Up of Patients with Spasmodic Dysphonia and Improved Voice despite Discontinuation of Treatment
Authors: Geneid Ahmed , Lindestad Per-Åke , Granqvist Svante , Möller Riitta , Södersten Maria
Published: December 2016

Objective: To evaluate voice function in patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia (AdSD) who discontinued botulinum toxin (BTX) treatment because they felt that their voice had improved sufficiently. Patients and Methods: Twenty-eight patients quit treatment in 2004, of whom 20 fulfilled the inclusion criteria for the study, with 3 subsequently excluded because of return of symptoms, leaving 17 patients (11 males, 6 females) included in this follow-up study. A questionnaire concerning current voice function and the Voice Handicap Index were completed. Audio-perceptual voice assessments were done by 3 listeners. The inter- and intrarater reliabilities were r > 0.80. Results: All patients had a subjectively good stable voice, but with differences in their audio-perceptual voice assessment scores. Based on the pre-/posttreatment auditory scores on the overall degree of AdSD, patients were divided into 2 subgroups showing more and less improvement, with 10 and 7 patients, respectively. The subgroup with more improvement had shorter duration from the onset of symptoms until the start of BTX treatment, and included 7 males compared to only 4 males in the subgroup with less improvement. Conclusion: It seems plausible that the symptoms of spasmodic dysphonia may decrease over time. Early intervention and male gender seem to be important factors for long-term reduction of the voice symptoms of AdSD.
Rapid Brain Shift with Remote-Site Haemorrhage after Arachnoid Cyst Excision: Treatment Dilemmas
Authors: Ramachandran Girish M. , Nair Rajesh P. , Kongwad Lakshman I. , Shanthakumar G.
Published: December 2016

Sylvian arachnoid cysts pose considerable management dilemmas. Surgical options include cyst fenestration, either endoscopically or microsurgically, and cysto-peritoneal shunt. One of the rare complications after rapid decompression of the arachnoid cysts is haemorrhage in the surrounding brain as well as in remote areas. We describe a case of multiple remote-site intra-parenchymal haemorrhage as a rare complication after surgical decompression of a sylvian fissure arachnoid cyst.