bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A superlinear convergence scheme for nonlinear fractional differential equations and its fast implement
Authors: Gong Haobo , Zhang Jingna , Guo Hao , Huang Jianfei
Published: September 2018

In this paper, we first construct an efficient scheme for nonlinear Caputo fractional differential equations with the initial value and the fractional degree [Formula: see text]. Then, the unconditional stability and the superlinear convergence with the order [Formula: see text] of the proposed scheme are strictly proved and discussed. Due to the nonlocal property of fractional operators, the new scheme is time-consuming for long-time simulations. Thus, a fast implement of the proposed scheme is presented based on the sum-of-exponentials (SOE) approximation for the kernel [Formula: see text] on the interval [Formula: see text] in the Riemann–Liouville integral, where [Formula: see text] is the stepsize. Some numerical experiments are provided to support the theoretical results of the new scheme and demonstrate the computational performance of its fast implement.
Doping effect of SrZrO3 on KNLN ceramics structure and their dielectric properties
Authors: Ewais Emad , Mahani Ragab , Mostafa Samy , Ahmed Adel
Published: September 2018

In this work, lead-free systems; ([Formula: see text]) (K[Formula: see text]Na[Formula: see text]Li0.07) NbO3–[Formula: see text]SrZrO3 ([Formula: see text], 0.005, 0.050, 0.095 and 0.14) were synthesized by the conventional solid-state reaction technique. XRD, SEM, densification parameter as well as dielectric parameters of the obtained KNLN ceramics were investigated. XRD analysis showed the formation of orthorhombic perovskite structure in all investigated specimens. SrZrO3 (SZ) inhibited the grain growth and increased the distribution of grains uniformly in the microstructure. In addition, SZ changed the crystalline system of KNLN ceramics abnormally. As a consequence, the permittivity, dielectric loss as well as AC conductivity decreased remarkably. The ceramics of [Formula: see text] are characterized by low conductivity (10[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]S/cm), low dielectric loss (0.005) and relatively high permittivity (34). They can be useful for the electrical capacitors fabrication and filtering out noise from signals in resonant circuits. At frequencies lower than 105[Formula: see text]Hz, DC conductivity and separation of the charges at the interfaces were found to dominate the electrical behavior of ceramics, whereas at higher frequencies, a faster or dipole polarization may become more dominated. A broad peak has been observed in the imaginary part of electric modulus revealing to the non-Debye dielectric relaxation behavior. Quantum mechanical tunneling (QMT) was found to be the most suitable to characterize the electrical conduction mechanism in the ceramic compounds.
Fractional kinetics of photocatalytic degradation
Authors: Wang C. L.
Published: September 2018

In this paper, photocatalytic degradation processes of different materials are fitted to the first-order kinetic model, second-order kinetic model and fractional first-order kinetic model. Deterministic coefficients are calculated for the evaluation of the validity of these models. The fitting results show clearly that the degradation process can fit the fractional first-order kinetic model in a very good manner. In this way, two material parameters can be well defined. One is the degradation time, which can be used to describe the photocatalytic degradation process quantitatively. Another is the order of the derivative, which could be related to the material’s microstructure.
Do competition and development indicators heterogeneously affect risk and capital? Evidence from Asian banks
Authors: Yesmin Afsana
Published: September 2018

The global crisis and increased competition have become increasingly essential issues in the risk and capital concern of banks. This study delves the effect of development indicators and market competition over the Asian banking industry. The robust generalized methods of moments (GMM) and two-stage least square (TSLS) estimated results of 191 Asian banks for 2000–2014 depict the significant impact of development indicators and competition over risk and capital of Asian banks. The findings of the study also show the substantial positive effect of inflations in regulatory capital, whereas the risk of banks is significantly reduced in the economic progression. Increase risk level act as a striking force of capital escalation which is consistent with the Basel accord and capitalized banks provokes managerial efficiency in managing risk than low capitalized counterparts.
Pricing in-arrears caps and ratchet caps under LIBOR market model with multiplicative basis
Authors: Zhong Yangfan , Mi Yanhui
Published: September 2018

In Zhong (2018), LIBOR market model with multiplicative basis, International Journal of Financial Engineering, 5(2), we proposed a LIBOR market model with multiplicative basis, namely, the LMM-MB model, to model the joint evolution of the LIBOR rates and the OIS forward rates. This model leads to tractable pricing formulas for the standard interest rate derivatives such as the (vanilla) caplet, swaption and futures. In this paper, we study the pricing of some non-standard interest rate derivatives under the LMM-MB model, specifically the in-arrears (IA) cap and the ratchet cap. Similar to the vanilla caplet, we show that the pricing of the IA caplet can be readily computed by a proper integral of real-valued functions. We then derive an analytical approximation for the ratchet cap. In the case of non-zero spread, the ratchet cap can be approximated by using a two-dimensional fast Fourier transform method. In the case of zero spread, the ratchet cap can be computed from a proper integral of a single variable function. Numerical results reveal a good match of our close-form formulas with the Monte Carlo simulation method.
A synopsis of Late Ordovician brachiopod diversity in the Anti-Atlas, Morocco
Authors: Colmenar J. , Villas E. , Rasmussen C. M. Ø.
Published: September 2018

A detailed overview of the taxonomical composition and diversity of the Late Ordovician brachiopod faunas in Morocco is presented. In addition, based on new brachiopod collections, the lower boundary of the Hirnantian Stage in the Anti-Atlas is constrained. A new, prolonged range of the
Hirnantia
Fauna in the Anti-Atlas region permits comparison between known Late Ordovician climatic excursions and changes in brachiopod diversity. Despite the late Katian Boda warming event, the Moroccan brachiopod associations remained notably endemic with low diversities throughout the studied interval. Contrary to what is seen in other high-latitude peri-Gondwanan terranes, species richness decreased during the Boda Event. This suggests that the Moroccan shelves experienced a more persistent, colder climate, favouring well-adapted, incumbent faunas that did not respond to this climatic optimum. Lastly, the two phases of Hirnantian extinctions, which globally are correlated with the growth and melting of ice caps, are expressed differently from elsewhere: the first pulse only caused minor disruption, followed by a radiation of the
Hirnantia
Fauna, whereas the second pulse, related to the subsequent warming phase in the uppermost Hirnantian, caused severe extinctions in Morocco among the opportunistic
Hirnantia
Fauna.
New Upper Ordovician edrioasteroids from Morocco
Authors: Sumrall Colin D. , Zamora Samuel
Published: September 2018

Edrioasteroids from the Katian, Lower Ktaoua and Upper Tiouririne formations provide new data on several previously described species and two new species of edrioasteroids. Ontogenetic and palaeoecological data are provided for
Moroccopyrgus matacarros
. Well-preserved oral areas and internal views of the oral frame show
Euryeschatia reboulorum
to be an unusual lebetodiscinid rather than an isorophinid. The pyrgocystid
Spinadiscus lefebvrei
n. gen. and sp. and the highly inflated isorophinid
Panidiscus tamiformis
n. gen. and sp. are described. Specimens of
Moroccopyrgus matacarros
and
Euryeschatia reboulorum
are only found attached to echinosphaeritid rhombiferans and conulariids, respectively, suggesting commensal relationships. Other species attach to a variety of different surfaces.
Examination of Dysglycaemia among Newly Diagnosed Tuberculosis Patients in Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Yorke Ernest , Boima Vincent , Dey Ida Dzifa , Atiase Yacoba , Akpalu Josephine , Yawson Alfred Edwin , Ganu Vincent , Forson Audrey , Mate-Kole C. Charles
Published: September 2018

The burden of both tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus in developing countries including Ghana is high; often, the two coexist and impact each other negatively.Objective. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and predictive factors of dysglycaemia among newly diagnosed smear positive tuberculosis patients at a tertiary tuberculosis treatment centre in Ghana.Methods. Dysglycaemia at diagnosis was determined by the use of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), while sputum smear microscopy was used to assess the sputum status. Only smear positive patients were included in the study. Information on sociodemographic, anthropometrical, clinical, and medication history was also obtained.Results. In all, 146 participants, aged 18 to 75 years with a mean age of 38.7 years comprising 115 (78.8%) males and 31 (21.2%) females, were involved in the analysis. Upon initial screening, using fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 91.1 % had normal fasting level, 5.5 % had impaired fasting, and 3.4% were diagnosed with diabetes. Using 2-hour postprandial values (2HPP), 59.6% had normal plasma glucose, 28.8 % had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and 11.6 % were diagnosed with diabetes. Overall, the prevalence of dysglycaemia (i.e., impaired fasting and diabetes) was 8.9% (95% CI: 5.21–14.82%) with FPG test and 40.4% (95% CI: 32.68–48.65%) with 2HPP test. The analysis revealed that 2HPP was associated with high mean age compared to FPG (36.67 ± 13.97 versus 41.69 ± 13.97, p-value = 0.033). In addition, marital status was significantly associated with FPG status of patients(p=0.028).Conclusion. The prevalence of dysglycaemia was high among smear positive TB patients in Ghana. Higher mean age and marital status were associated with abnormal glucose tolerance and fasting plasma glucose, respectively. Clinical management of patients with tuberculosis should include screening for diabetes.
Performance of Face Recognition System Using Gradient Laplacian Operators and New Features Extraction Method Based on Linear Regression Slope
Authors: Alazzawi Abdulbasit , Ucan Osman N. , Bayat Oguz
Published: September 2018

Recent research proves that face recognition systems can achieve high-quality results even in non-ideal environments. Edge detection techniques and feature extraction methods are popular mechanisms used in face recognition systems. Edge detection can be used to construct the face map in the image efficiently, in which feature extraction techniques generate the most suitable features that can identify human faces. In this study, we present a new and efficient face recognition system that uses various gradient-and Laplacian-based operators with a new feature extraction method. Different edge detection operators are exploited to obtain the best image edges. The new and robust method based on the slope of the linear regression, called SLP, uses the estimated face lines in its feature extraction step. Artificial neural network (ANN) is used as a classifier. To determine the best scheme that gives the best performance, we test combinations of various techniques such as (Sobel filter (SF), SLP/principal component analysis (PCA), ANN), (Prewitt filter(PF), SLP/PCA, ANN), (Roberts filter (RF), SLP/PCA, ANN), (zero cross filter (ZF), SLP/PCA, ANN), (Laplacian of Gaussian filter (LG), SLP/PCA, ANN), and (Canny filter(CF), SLP/PCA, ANN). The BIO ID dataset is used in the training and testing phases for the proposed face recognition system combinations. Experimental results indicate that the proposed schemes achieve satisfactory results with high-accuracy classification. Notably, the combinations of (SF, SLP, ANN) and (ZF, SLP, ANN) gain the best results and outperform all the other algorithm combinations.
5G Visualization: The METIS-II Project Approach
Authors: Martín-Sacristán David , Herranz Carlos , Monserrat Jose F. , Szczygiel Andrzej , Kuruvatti Nandish P. , Garcia-Roger David , Prado Danaisy , Boldi Mauro , Belschner Jakob , Schotten Hans D.
Published: September 2018

One of the main objectives of the METIS-II project was to enable 5G concepts to reach and convince a wide audience from technology experts to decision makers from non-ICT industries. To achieve this objective, it was necessary to provide easy-to-understand and insightful visualization of 5G. This paper presents the visualization platform developed in the METIS-II project as a joint work of researchers and artists, which is a 3D visualization tool that allows viewers to interact with 5G-enabled scenarios, while permitting simulation driven data to be intuitively evaluated. The platform is a game-based customizable tool that allows a rapid integration of new concepts, allows real-time interaction with remote 5G simulators, and provides a virtual reality-based immersive user experience. As a result, the METIS-II visualization platform has successfully contributed to the dissemination of 5G in different fora and its use will be continued after METIS-II.
Compressed Detection for Pulse‐Based Communications in the Terahertz Band
Authors: Singh Pankaj , Kim Byung-Wook , Jung Sung-Yoon
Published: September 2018

Terahertz (THz) band (0.1‐10 THz)‐based electromagnetic communications are envisioned as a key technology to enable future high‐data‐rate short‐range ultrabroadband communications. However, one of the fundamental bottlenecks is the efficiency of the analog‐to‐digital converters (ADCs) considering the formidable challenge of sampling the signal at the Nyquist rate eventually increasing transceiver design complexity. The Compressed sensing (CS) framework enables the successful reconstruction of sparse signals from a small set of projections onto a random vector which would lead to sub‐Nyquist rate sampling. In this paper, THz band channel estimation based on the theory of CS is developed. The proposed approach exploits the fact that transmitting an ultrashort pulse through a multipath THz channel leads to a received THz signal that can be approximated by a linear combination of a few atoms from a predefined dictionary, yielding thus a sparse representation of the received signal. The fundamental idea is in the design of the dictionary of atoms that closely matches the transmitted pulse leading thus to a higher probability of CS reconstruction. The Orthogonal Matching Pursuit (OMP) algorithm is used to identify the strongest atoms in the projected signal. This reconstructed signal is subsequently used as a reference template in a correlator‐based detector. The bit error rate (BER) performance of the proposed detector is analyzed and compared with the conventional CS‐based channel estimation and reconstruction approach. Extensive simulations show that, for different design parameters, our proposed detector outperforms the traditional CS‐based correlator receiver for the same sampling rate leading thus to a much‐reduced use of analog‐to‐digital resources. Moreover, the proposed detector has been shown to reduce the hardware complexity of the receiver by significantly reducing the number of parallel mixer‐integration branches.
Towards Accurate Deceptive Opinions Detection Based on Word Order-Preserving CNN
Authors: Zhao Siyuan , Xu Zhiwei , Liu Limin , Guo Mengjie , Yun Jing
Published: September 2018

Convolutional neural network (CNN) has revolutionized the field of natural language processing, which is considerably efficient at semantics analysis that underlies difficult natural language processing problems in a variety of domains. The deceptive opinion detection is an important application of the existing CNN models. The detection mechanism based on CNN models has better self-adaptability and can effectively identify all kinds of deceptive opinions. Online opinions are quite short, varying in their types and content. In order to effectively identify deceptive opinions, we need to comprehensively study the characteristics of deceptive opinions and explore novel characteristics besides the textual semantics and emotional polarity that have been widely used in text analysis. In this paper, we optimize the convolutional neural network model by embedding the word order characteristics in its convolution layer and pooling layer, which makes convolutional neural network more suitable for short text classification and deceptive opinions detection. The TensorFlow-based experiments demonstrate that the proposed detection mechanism achieves more accurate deceptive opinion detection results.
Simultaneous Identification of Model Structure and the Associated Parameters for Linear Systems Based on Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Chun Semin , Kim Tae-Hyoung
Published: September 2018

In this study, a novel easy‐to‐use meta‐heuristic method for simultaneous identification of model structure and the associated parameters for linear systems is developed. This is achieved via a constrained multidimensional particle swarm optimization (PSO) mechanism developed by hybridizing two main methodologies: one for negating the limit for fixing the particle’s dimensions within the PSO process and another for enhancing the exploration ability of the particles by adopting a cyclic neighborhood topology of the swarm. This optimizer consecutively searches the dimensional optimum of particles and then the positional optimum in the search space, whose dimension is specified by the explored optimal dimension. The dimensional optimum provides the optimal model structure, while the positional optimum provides the optimal model parameters. Typical numerical examples are considered for evaluation purposes, which clearly demonstrate that the proposed PSO scheme provides novel and powerful impetus with remarkable reliability toward simultaneous identification of model structure and unknown model parameters. Furthermore, identification experiments are conducted on a magnetic levitation system and a robotic manipulator with joint flexibility to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy in practical applications.
Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 Antibody Therapy for Pretreated Advanced or Metastatic Nonsmall Cell Lung Carcinomas and the Correlation between PD-L1 Expression and Treatment Effectiveness: An Update Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials
Authors: Zhao Qiuling , Xie Ruixiang , Lin Shen , You Xiang , Weng Xiuhua
Published: September 2018

Purpose. This meta-analysis systematically evaluated the efficacy and safety of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies for pretreated advanced or metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and investigated the correlation between PD-L1 expression levels and effectiveness of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody. Methods. The methodology was based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) and the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. Results. Our research included five randomized-controlled trials involving 3,025 patients. We compared anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies (nivolumab, pembrolizumab, and atezolizumab) with docetaxel in pretreated patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) was 0.69 (95%CI: 0.63-0.75, P<0.0001, and Ph=0.67) and 0.87 (95%CI: 0.81-0.94, P=0.0004, and Ph=0.11), respectively. Meanwhile, the pooled risk ratio (RR) for objective response rate (ORR) was 1.53 (95% CI: 1.16-2.01, P=0.003, and Ph=0.03) in all patients. Subgroup analyses showed that anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment significantly improved OS in patients with PD-L1 expression at any level, even in patients with PD-L1<1%. The RR for occurrence of grades 3 to 5 treatment-related adverse effects was 0.23 (95% CI: 0.15–0.36, and P<0.001). Conclusion. OS, PFS, and ORR were significantly more improved for patients treated with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies than for those treated with docetaxel. Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy resulted in longer OS than docetaxel, regardless of PD-L1 expression; however, higher PD-L1 levels were likely to correlate with better outcome. Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies also had a better safety profile than docetaxel.
Coastal Zone Classification Based on Multisource Remote Sensing Imagery Fusion
Authors: Li Jiahui , Zhao Youxin , Dai Jiguang , Zhu Hong
Published: September 2018

The main objective of this paper was to assess the capability of multisource remote sensing imagery fusion for coastal zone classification. Five scenes of Gaofen- (GF-) 1 optic imagery and four scenes of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) (C-band Sentinel-1 and L-band ALOS-2) imagery were collected and matched. Note that GF-1 is the first satellite of the China high-resolution earth observation system, which acquires multispectral data with decametric spatial resolution, high temporal resolution, and wide coverage. The results showed that based on the comparison of C- and L-band SAR for coastal coverage, it is verified that C band is superior to L band and parameter subsets of σvv0, σvh0, and Dcross can be effectively used for coastal classification. A new fusion method based on the wavelet transform (WT) was also proposed and used for imagery fusion. Statistical values for the mean, entropy, gradient, and correlation coefficient of the proposed method were 67.526, 7.321, 6.440, and 0.955, respectively. We therefore conclude that the result of our proposed method is superior to GF-1 imagery and traditional HIS fusion results. Finally, the classification output was determined along with an assessment of classification accuracy and kappa coefficient. The kappa coefficient and overall accuracy of the classification were 0.8236 and 85.9774%, respectively, so the proposed fusion method had a satisfying performance for coastal coverage mapping.
Trajectory Design and Tracking Control for Nonlinear Underactuated Wheeled Inverted Pendulum
Authors: Gong Shuli , Zhang Ancai , She Jinhua , Zhang Xinghui , Liu Yuanyuan
Published: September 2018

An underactuated wheeled inverted pendulum (UWIP) is a nonlinear mechanical system that has two degrees of freedom and has only one control input. The motion planning problem for this nonlinear system is difficult to solve because of the existence of an uncontrollable manifold in the configuration space. In this paper, we present a method of designing motion trajectory for this underactuated system. The design of trajectory is based on the dynamic properties of the UWIP system. Furthermore, the tracking control of the UWIP for the constructed trajectory is also studied. A tracking control law is designed by using quadratic optimal control theory. Numerical simulation results verify the effectiveness of the presented theoretical results.
The Impact of Pain Invisibility on Patient-Centered Care and Empathetic Attitude in Chronic Pain Management
Authors: Paul-Savoie Emilie , Bourgault Patricia , Potvin Stéphane , Gosselin Emilie , Lafrenaye Sylvie
Published: September 2018

Objectives. The use of interdisciplinary patient-centered care (PCC) and empathetic behaviour seems to be a promising avenue to address chronic pain management, but their use in this context seems to be suboptimal. Several patient factors can influence the use of PCC and empathy, but little is known about the impact of pain visibility on these behaviours. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of visible physical signs on caregiver’s patient-centered and empathetic behaviours in chronic pain context. Methods. A convenience sample of 21 nurses and 21 physicians participated in a descriptive study. PCC and empathy were evaluated from self-assessment and observer’s assessment using a video of real patients with chronic pain. Results. The results show that caregivers have demonstrated an intraindividual variability: PCC and empathetic behaviours of the participants were significantly higher for patients who have visible signs of pain (rheumatoid arthritis and complex regional pain syndrome) than for those who have no visible signs (Ehler–Danlos syndrome and fibromyalgia) (p<0.001). Participants who show a greater difference in their patient-centered behaviour according to pain visibility have less clinical experience. Discussion. The pain visibility in chronic pain patients is an important factor contributing to an increased use of PCC and empathy by nurses and physicians, and clinical experience can influence their behaviours. Thus, pain invisibility can be a barrier to quality of care, and these findings reinforce the relevance to educating caregivers to these unconscious biases on their behaviour toward chronic pain patients.
A Therapeutic Educational Program in Oral Health for Persons with Schizophrenia: A Qualitative Feasibility Study
Authors: Peteuil Audrey , Rat Corinne , Moussa-Badran Sahar , Carpentier Maud , Pelletier Jean-François , Denis Frederic
Published: September 2018

Objective. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of a therapeutic educational program in oral health (TEPOH) for persons with schizophrenia (PWS). Design. In a qualitative study, we explored the representation of oral health before and after a TEPOH. Clinical Setting: PWS are at greater risk of decayed and missing teeth and periodontal diseases. In a previous publication, we described the different steps in building a TEPOH by taking into account the experiences of PWS concerning oral health quality of life. This TEPOH aimed at promoting a global health approach. Participants: Voluntary PWS and their caregivers were recruited during face-to-face interviews at “Les Boisseaux” (a psychiatric outpatient centre) in Auxerre (France) and were included in the study between November and December 2016. Intervention: We explored the experiences of participants and their perceptions of oral health before and after the TEPOH with focus group meetings. Results. Four females and three males participated in the study, and the mean age was 29.4 ± 5. Before the TEPOH, the PWS produced 28 ideas about oral health perception and 37 after the TEPOH. After the TEPOH, elements relating to the determinants of oral health (smoking and poor diet) emerged. Conclusions. These results show an evolution in oral health representation, and after some adjustments to the TEPOH, the second step will be to test this program in a large sample to generate a high level of evidence of the impact of TEPOH in the long term.
Detecting Depression Using an Ensemble Logistic Regression Model Based on Multiple Speech Features
Authors: Jiang Haihua , Hu Bin , Liu Zhenyu , Wang Gang , Zhang Lan , Li Xiaoyu , Kang Huanyu
Published: September 2018

Early intervention for depression is very important to ease the disease burden, but current diagnostic methods are still limited. This study investigated automatic depressed speech classification in a sample of 170 native Chinese subjects (85 healthy controls and 85 depressed patients). The classification performances of prosodic, spectral, and glottal speech features were analyzed in recognition of depression. We proposed an ensemble logistic regression model for detecting depression (ELRDD) in speech. The logistic regression, which was superior in recognition of depression, was selected as the base classifier. This ensemble model extracted many speech features from different aspects and ensured diversity of the base classifier. ELRDD provided better classification results than the other compared classifiers. A technique for identifying depression based on ELRDD, ELRDD-E, was here suggested and tested. It offered encouraging outcomes, revealing a high accuracy level of 75.00% for females and 81.82% for males, as well as an advantageous sensitivity/specificity ratio of 79.25%/70.59% for females and 78.13%/85.29% for males.
Image Restoration by a Mixed High-Order Total Variation and l1 Regularization Model
Authors: Zhu Jianguang , Li Kai , Hao Binbin
Published: September 2018

Total variation regularization is well-known for recovering sharp edges; however, it usually produces staircase artifacts. In this paper, in order to overcome the shortcoming of total variation regularization, we propose a new variational model combining high-order total variation regularization and l1 regularization. The new model has separable structure which enables us to solve the involved subproblems more efficiently. We propose a fast alternating method by employing the fast iterative shrinkage-thresholding algorithm (FISTA) and the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM). Compared with some current state-of-the-art methods, numerical experiments show that our proposed model can significantly improve the quality of restored images and obtain higher SNR and SSIM values.
A Nonhomogeneous Multivariable Grey Prediction NMGM Modeling Mechanism and Its Application
Authors: Wang Haixia , Zhao Lingdi
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this paper is to explore modeling mechanism of a nonhomogeneous multivariable grey prediction NMGM(1, m, kα) model and its application. Although multi-variable grey prediction MGM(1, m) model has been employed in many fields, its prediction results are not always satisfactory. Traditional MGM(1, m) model is constructed on the hypothesis that original data sequences are in accord with homogeneous index trend; however, the nonhomogeneous index data sequences are the most common data existing in all systems, and how to handle multivariable nonhomogeneous index data sequences is an urgent problem. This paper proposes a novel nonhomogeneous multivariable grey prediction model termed NMGM(1, m, kα) to deal with those data sequences that are not in accord with homogeneous index trend. Based on grey prediction theory, by least square method and solutions of differential equations, the modeling mechanism and time response function of the proposed model are expounded. A case study demonstrates that the novel model provides preferable prediction performance compared with traditional MGM(1, m) model. This work is an extension of the multivariable grey prediction model and enriches the study of grey prediction theory.
Development and Application of Ancient Timber Buildings Structural Condition Assessment Model Based on a Fuzzy Matter-Element Model that Includes Asymmetric Proximity
Authors: Gao Zhongwei , Ma Donghui , Wang Wei , Guo Xiaodong , Ge Qingzi
Published: September 2018

To properly protect ancient buildings, it is vitally important to determine the health status of these structures in a timely manner. To easily, quickly, reliably, and quantitatively assess the structure health of ancient timber buildings, this paper proposes a structure health assessment method based on fuzzy matter-element theory improved by asymmetric proximity, and the specific assessment steps are given. First, a fuzzy matter-element model is constructed; then, to effectively solve the failure problem of the maximum membership principle, the fuzzy matter-element assessment model is improved by using the theory of asymmetric proximity. The weights determined by the entropy weight and clustering methods are then combined through the game theory combination weighting concept and, finally, the structural condition of the ancient timber buildings is classified into five grades: I favorable, II ordinary, III poor, IV inferior, and V dangerous. Ten evaluation factors were chosen: bearing capacity of the foundation soil, subbase deformation, foundation damage, column and foundation connection, bearing capacity of members, connection construction, member deformation, crack slope, crack depth, and decayed/insect attacked. Taking a building built in the Republican Period in Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li, Chengdu, as an example, this model was used to assess the building’s structural condition. The results show that this method is feasible to quantitatively assess the structural condition of ancient timber buildings. It is a simple and practical assessment method that can provide a decision-making basis for maintenance, protection, and reinforcement of ancient timber buildings.
Clinical Predictors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteremia in Emergency Department
Authors: Choi Yongsoon , Paik Jin Hui , Kim Ji Hye , Han Seung Baik , Durey Areum
Published: September 2018

Objectives. Pseudomonas aeruginosa shows higher mortality rate compared to other bacterial infections and is susceptible to a limited number of antimicrobial agents. Considering inadequate empirical treatment of Pseudomonas bacteremia has been associated with increased mortality, it is important for emergency physicians to identify infections by P. aeruginosa. Methods. This was a single-center retrospective case-control study to investigate the clinical predictors of patients diagnosed as Pseudomonas bacteremia in the emergency department (ED) from June 2012 to December 2016. Patients with blood culture positive for Escherichia coli in the same period were chosen as the control group, and type of infection was matched for each patient. Results. A total of 54 cases with Pseudomonas bacteremia and 108 controls with E. coli bacteremia were included. In the case group, 76% was community-acquired infection, 44% received inappropriate empirical treatment in the ED, and in-hospital mortality was 30%. Multiple logistic regression showed that respiratory tract infection was an independent risk factor for Pseudomonas bacteremia (OR 6.56, 95% CI 1.78-23.06; p = 0.004), whereas underlying diabetes mellitus (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.07-0.61; p = 0.004) and presentation as urinary tract infection (OR 0.06, 95% CI 0.02-0.18; p < 0.001) were negative clinical predictors. Conclusions. We suggest that antipseudomonal antibiotics should be considered beyond simple coverage of Gram-negative bacteria in the ED, especially if the patient is likely to have pneumonia. Having diabetes or presenting with urinary tract infection could be clinical factors unfavorable to use of antipseudomonal antibiotics.
Energy-Efficient Cloudlet Management for Privacy Preservation in Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks
Authors: Xu Xiaolong , Huang Rui , Dou Ruihan , Li Yuancheng , Zhang Jie , Huang Tao , Yu Wenbin
Published: September 2018

Currently, cloudlet based wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN) is emerging as an effective paradigm to extend the performance of mobile devices, which enables the execution of computational intensive mobile applications. But the normal operation of cloudlets consumes a large amount of energy, which brings about carbon dioxide emissions, aggravation of the greenhouse effect, etc. Meanwhile the data transmission of various mobile users among cloudlets would cause leakage of personal privacy. In view of this challenge, we propose an energy-efficient cloudlet management method, named ECM, for privacy preservation in WMAN. Technically, an optimization model is designed to formalize our problem. Then, based on live virtual machine (VM) migration technique, a corresponding privacy-aware VM scheduling method for energy saving is designed to determine which VMs should be migrated and where they should be migrated. Finally, experimental data demonstrate that the proposed method is both efficient and effective.
Magnetoacoustic Heating in Nonisentropic Plasma Caused by Different Kinds of Heating-Cooling Function
Authors: Perelomova Anna
Published: September 2018

The nonlinear phenomena which associate with magnetoacoustic waves in a plasma are analytically studied. A plasma is an open system with external inflow of energy and radiation losses. A plasma’s flow may be isentropically stable or unstable. The nonlinear phenomena occur differently in dependence on stability or instability of a plasma’s flow. The nonlinear instantaneous equation which describes dynamics of nonwave entropy mode in the field of intense magnetoacoustic perturbations is the result of special projecting of the conservation equations in the differential form. It is analyzed in some physically meaningful cases; those are periodic magnetoacoustic perturbations and particular cases of heating-cooling function. A plasma is situated in the straight magnetic field with constant equilibrium magnetic strength which form constant angle with the direction of wave propagation. A plasma is initially uniform and equilibrium. The conclusions concern nonlinear effects of fast and slow magnetoacoustic perturbations and may be useful in direct and inverse problems.
Observer‐Based Fuzzy Control for Memristive Circuit Systems
Authors: Ye Qian , Lou Xuyang
Published: September 2018

This paper proposes an observer‐based fuzzy control scheme for a class of memristive chaotic circuit systems. First, the Takagi‐Sugeno fuzzy model is adopted to reconstruct the nonlinear chaotic circuit system. Next, based on the proposed fuzzy model, an observer‐based fuzzy controller is developed to estimate the states and stabilize the origin. Third, the results are extended to explore the L∞‐gain observer‐based fuzzy control for the chaotic system with disturbances. Finally, simulation results are also addressed to show the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Determinants of Anemia among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in Public Health Facilities at Durame Town: Unmatched Case Control Study
Authors: Weldekidan Fekede , Kote Mesfin , Girma Meseret , Boti Negussie , Gultie Teklemariam
Published: September 2018

Background. Anemia among pregnant women is one of the most common public health problems in developing country. World health organization (WHO) estimate shows nearly half of pregnant women were affected by anemia. High burden of anemia is observed in Africa particularly in Ethiopia. However, the factors that contribute to the occurrence of anemia were not exhaustively studied. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify determinant factors of anemia among pregnant women in Durame Town, southern Ethiopia. Method. An institutional based unmatched case control study was conducted among 111 cases and 222 controls in Durame Town from 16th February to 8th May 2017 using interviewer administered questionnaires. Controls were pregnant women whose hemoglobin level was 11 g/dl and above at their first antenatal care clinics and cases were pregnant women whose hemoglobin level was less than 11 g/dl. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression model was used to see the determinants of anemia. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) and p-value were used to identify the significant association. Result. A total of 333 women (111 cases and 222 controls) participated in the study. The major determinant factors were parasitic infection (AOR: 3.67, 95% CI: 1.72-7.86), not taking additional diet during pregnancy (AOR: 2.49, 95% CI: 1.22-5.08), consuming tea/coffee immediately after food (AOR: 3.58, 95% CI: 1.72-7.42), not eating meat (AOR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.03-4.15), previous heavy menstrual blood flow (AOR: 2.62, 95% CI: 1.18-5.84), and being housewife (AOR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.02-5.57). Conclusion. Parasitic infection, additional diet during pregnancy, consuming tea/coffee immediately after food, meat consumption, previous heavy menstrual blood flow, and occupational status of women were significant factors associated with anemia among pregnant women. Therefore, anemia prevention strategy should include promotion of counseling on additional diet during pregnancy, preventing parasitic infection, and increasing employment opportunities for women.
Adaptation and Constraint in the Atypical Chemokine Receptor Family in Mammals
Authors: Pan Li , Lv Jianliang , Zhang Zhongwang , Zhang Yongguang
Published: September 2018

Atypical chemokine receptors (ACKRs) are a subclass of G protein-coupled receptors characterized by promiscuity of ligand binding and an obvious inability to signal after ligand binding. Although some discoveries regarding this family inHomo sapiensand other species have been reported in some studies, the evolution and function of multiple ACKR in mammals have not yet been clearly understood. We performed an evolutionary analysis ofACKRgenes (ACKR1,ACKR2,ACKR3, andACKR4) in mammals. Ninety-two full-lengthACKRgenes from 27 mammal species were retrieved from the Genbank and Ensemble databases. Phylogenetic analysis showed that there were four well-conserved subfamilies in mammals. Synteny analysis revealed thatACKRgenes formed conserved linkage groups with their adjacent genes across mammalian species, facilitating the identification ofACKRsin as yet unannotated genome datasets. Analysis of the site-specific profiles established by posterior probability revealed the positive-selection sites to be distributed mainly in the ligand binding region of ACKR1. This study highlights the molecular evolution of theACKRgene family in mammals and identifies the critical amino acid residues likely to be relevant to ligand binding. Further experimental verification of these findings may provide valuable information regarding the ACKR’s biochemical and physiological functions.
Improved Stochastic Gradient Matching Pursuit Algorithm Based on the Soft-Thresholds Selection
Authors: Liquan Zhao , Yunfeng Hu
Published: September 2018

The preliminary atom set exits redundant atoms in the stochastic gradient matching pursuit algorithm, which affects the accuracy of the signal reconstruction and increases the computational complexity. To overcome the problem, an improved method is proposed. Firstly, a limited soft-threshold selection strategy is used to select the new atoms from the preliminary atom set, to reduce the redundancy of the preliminary atom set. Secondly, before finding the least squares solution of the residual, it is determined whether the number of columns of the measurement matrix is smaller than the number of rows. If the condition is satisfied, the least squares solution is calculated; otherwise, the loop is exited. Finally, if the length of the candidate atomic index set is less than the sparsity level, the current candidate atom index set is the support atom set. If the condition is not satisfied, the support atom index set is determined by the least squares solution. Simulation results indicate that the proposed method is better than other methods in terms of the reconstruction probability and shorter running time than the stochastic gradient matching pursuit algorithm.
Stress‐Strain Relation of Steel‐Polypropylene‐Blended Fiber‐Reinforced Concrete under Uniaxial Cyclic Compression
Authors: Xu Lihua , Li Biao , Chi Yin , Li Changning , Huang Biao , Shi Yuchuan
Published: September 2018

This paper investigates the cyclic stress‐strain behavior of steel‐polypropylene‐blended fiber‐reinforced concrete (BFRC) under uniaxial cyclic compression. A total of 48 prism specimens were tested for different fiber volume fractions and aspect ratios. The results show that the introduction of blended fibers has synergetic effects on improving the cyclic behavior of concrete in terms of peak strength, postpeak ductility, hysteretic energy dissipation, and stiffness degradation. Moreover, the increase in the volume fractions of both steel and polypropylene fibers can lead to a remarkable decrease in plastic strain accumulation. Furthermore, the stiffness degradation ratio as well as the stress deterioration ratio of BFRC can be significantly alleviated in comparison with those of plain concrete, notwithstanding that the degradation amount is insensitive to the variations of fiber parameters. Subsequently, based on the test results, a constitutive model is developed to generalize the cyclic stress‐strain responses of BFRC, with the contributions of blended fibers taken into account. The developed model is then verified by independent experimental results and other test data reported in the literature. It is observed that the prediction yields a close estimation of the cyclic compressive behavior of BFRC with varying fiber parameters.
Practical Approach to Predicting the K0 Behavior of In Situ Sandy Gravel
Authors: Jiang Ming-Jie , Zhu Jun-Gao , Ji En-yue , Wei Ying-qi , Geng Zhi-zhou
Published: September 2018

To investigate the scale effect on at‐rest earth pressure coefficient K0 for sandy gravel, a number of K0 tests for sandy gravel were performed by using a new‐developed large‐size K0 apparatus. The test samples with different maximum particle size dM are prepared by different techniques, and the scale effect on K0 behavior of sandy gravels is investigated. It is found that the vertical stress , preparation technique and dM all have some influence on the value of K0 for the tested sandy gravels. Since different dM or preparation techniques all induce the scale effect, the scale effect on K0 of sandy gravel can not be ignored. Based on the test data of sandy gravel, a description of K0 considering scale effect as well as is proposed and an approach to predict the K0 behavior of sandy gravel in situ is obtained. Furthermore, the accuracy and applicability of the approach is verified.
The Association between Red Blood Cell Distribution Width and Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Wang Benji , Lu Huaya , Gong Yuqiang , Ying Binyu , Cheng Bihuan
Published: September 2018

Background.Several investigators have sought risk factors for mortality in acute kidney injury (AKI). However, no epidemiological studies have investigated the impact of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) on prognosis for critically ill patients with AKI. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of RDW with mortality in these patients.Methods.We analyzed data from the MIMIC-III. RDW was measured upon ICU admission. The association between RDW and mortality of AKI was determined using a multivariate logistic regression and was expressed as the adjusted odds ratio with associated 95% confidence interval (CI). We also conducted subgroup analyses to determine the consistency of this association.Results.A total of 14,078 critically ill patients with AKI were eligible for this analysis. In multivariate analysis, adjusted for age and gender and compared with the reference group (RDW 11.1-13.4%) related to hospital mortality, the adjusted ORs (95% CIs) for RDW levels 13.5-14.3%, 14.4-15.6%, and 15.7-21.2% were 1.22 (1.05, 1.43), 1.56 (1.35, 1.81), and 2.66 (2.31, 3.06), respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, with high RDW linked to an increase in mortality (RDW 15.7-21.2% versus 11.1-13.4%: OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.22 to 2.01;Ptrend <0.0001). A similar trend was observed for 30-day mortality.Conclusions.RDW appeared to be an independent prognostic marker in critically ill patients with AKI and higher RDW was associated with increased risk of mortality in these patients.