bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hands-on Workshops as An Effective Means of Learning Advanced Technologies Including Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics
Authors: Reisdorph Nichole , Stearman Robert , Kechris Katerina , Phang Tzu Lip , Reisdorph Richard , Prenni Jessica , Erle David J. , Coldren Christopher , Schey Kevin , Nesvizhskii Alexey , Geraci Mark
Published: December 2013

Genomics and proteomics have emerged as key technologies in biomedical research, resulting in a surge of interest in training by investigators keen to incorporate these technologies into their research. At least two types of training can be envisioned in order to produce meaningful results, quality publications and successful grant applications: (1) immediate short-term training workshops and (2) long-term graduate education or visiting scientist programs. We aimed to fill the former need by providing a comprehensive hands-on training course in genomics, proteomics and informatics in a coherent, experimentally-based framework. This was accomplished through a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)-sponsored 10-day Genomics and Proteomics Hands-on Workshop held at National Jewish Health (NJH) and the University of Colorado School of Medicine (UCD). The course content included comprehensive lectures and laboratories in mass spectrometry and genomics technologies, extensive hands-on experience with instrumentation and software, video demonstrations, optional workshops, online sessions, invited keynote speakers, and local and national guest faculty. Here we describe the detailed curriculum and present the results of short- and long-term evaluations from course attendees. Our educational program consistently received positive reviews from participants and had a substantial impact on grant writing and review, manuscript submissions and publications.
See‐and‐treat management of high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions in a resource‐constrained African setting
Authors: Chigbu Chibuike O. , Onyebuchi Azubuike K.
Published: December 2013

Objective

To compare the treatment outcomes of women with high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) who underwent immediate loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) and those who had directed biopsies prior to subsequent LEEP.

Methods

Women who were referred for HSIL to 2 centers in southeast Nigeria were examined via colposcopy. Those with positive colposcopic findings were randomized to receive either immediate LEEP (see‐and‐treat group) or directed biopsies (3‐step group). Women with directed biopsy‐confirmed results underwent follow‐up LEEP. Overtreatment rate, cost, default rate, and cytology–treatment interval were compared between the 2 groups.

Results

In total, 314 women were included in the study. The overtreatment rate was similar between the groups. Treatment cost and cytology–treatment interval were significantly higher in the 3‐step group (P = 0.0001). The default rate was significantly lower in the see‐and‐treat group (P = 0.0001). Most (219 [69.7%]) participants preferred the see‐and‐treat approach.

Conclusion

Immediate see‐and‐treat LEEP for women with HSIL in southeast Nigeria is cheaper, less time‐consuming, and associated with better patient compliance than the 3‐step management procedure. Furthermore, it does not lead to significantly higher overtreatment. The immediate see‐and‐treat approach may be ideal for the management of women with HSIL in low‐resource countries.
Short‐term outcomes after second‐trimester genetic amniocentesis in Siriraj Hospital
Authors: Anuwutnavin Sanitra , Chanprapaph Pharuhas , Ruangvutilert Pornpimol , Eammatta Mukarin , Tontisirin Pornpen
Published: December 2013

Objective

To determine the short‐term outcomes of second‐trimester genetic amniocentesis at Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.

Methods

In a retrospective descriptive study, data were assessed from women with a singleton pregnancy who underwent genetic amniocentesis between 16 and 21 gestational weeks at the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Siriraj Hospital, from May 2007 to June 2012. The amniocentesis records and medical data of all women were analyzed statistically.

Results

During the 5‐year period, complete data were collected for 3307 pregnant women. The rate of total pregnancy loss within 4 weeks of testing was 7 out of 3307 (0.2%; 95% confidence interval, 0.1%–0.4%). Advanced maternal age (≥ 35 years) was the most common indication for amniocentesis (94.6%). The culture failure rate was 0.2%. Chromosomal abnormalities were detected in 109 pregnancies (3.3%); trisomy 21 was the most prevalent abnormality (0.8%). The possible risk factors of fetal loss were early amniocentesis (gestational age, < 18 weeks) (P = 0.013), abnormal fetal sonography (P = 0.004), culture failure (P = 0.015), and old‐blood‐ or murky‐stained amniotic fluid (P = 0.036).

Conclusion

Second‐trimester genetic amniocentesis resulted in 0.2% of total pregnancy loss within 4 weeks of testing. This information is essential for patient counseling before amniocentesis.
Mutuality in Acculturation
Authors: Horenczyk Gabriel , Jasinskaja-Lahti Inga , Sam David L. , Vedder Paul
Published: December 2013

This paper focuses on processes and consequences of intergroup interactions in plural societies, focusing primarily on majority-minority mutuality in acculturation orientations. We examine commonalities and differences among conceptualizations and models addressing issues of mutuality. Our review includes the mutual acculturation model ( Berry, 1997 ), the Interactive Acculturation Model (IAM – Bourhis et al., 1997 ), the Concordance Model of Acculturation (CMA – Piontkowski et al., 2002 ); the Relative Acculturation Extended Model (RAEM – Navas et al., 2005 ), and the work on acculturation discrepancies conducted by Horenczyk (1996 , 2000 ). We also describe a trend toward convergence of acculturation research and the socio-psychological study of intergroup relations addressing issues of mutuality in attitudes, perceptions, and expectations. Our review has the potential to enrich the conceptual and methodological toolbox needed for understanding and investigating acculturation in complex modern societies, where majorities and minorities, immigrants and nationals, are engaged in continuous mutual contact and interaction, affecting each other’s acculturative choices and acculturative expectations.
Unusual pore structure and sorption behaviour in a hexanodal zinc–organic framework material
Authors: Qian Jinjie , Jiang Feilong , Zhang Linjie , Su Kongzhao , Pan Jie , Li Qipeng , Yuan Daqiang , Hong Maochun
Published: December 2013

A highly porous metal–organic framework structurally consists of three topological kinds of 3-connected 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate ligands, Zn2(COO)4, Zn3O(COO)6 and Zn4O(COO)6 SBUs, featuring a new 3,3,3,4,4,6-c hexanodal topology.
Super-resolution imaging of SERS hot spots
Authors: Willets Katherine A.
Published: December 2013

Super-resolution imaging defeats the diffraction-limit of light, allowing the spatial origin and intensity of SERS signals to be determined with <5 nm resolution.
Enhancement of nonlinear optical properties in late group 15 tetrasubstituted cubanes
Authors: Milne Bruce F.
Published: December 2013

Relativistic TD-CAM-B3LYP calculations indicate that 1,3,5,7-tetraazacubane substituted with heavy group 15 elements can be expected to yield significantly increased first hyperpolarisabilities.
Carbene formation upon reactive dissolution of metal oxides in imidazolium ionic liquids
Authors: Wellens Sil , Brooks Neil R. , Thijs Ben , Meervelt Luc Van , Binnemans Koen
Published: December 2013

Imidazolium ionic liquids with a hydrogen atom in the C2 position were found to dissolve Ag2O, CuO, ZnO and NiOviaa reactive dissolution process with carbene formation.
A quinoxaline-fused tetrathiafulvalene derivative and its semiconducting charge-transfer salt: synthesis, crystal structures and physical properties
Authors: Geng Yan , Fiolka Christoph , Krämer Karl , Hauser Jürg , Laukhin Vladimir , Decurtins Silvio , Liu Shi-Xia
Published: December 2013

A quinoxaline-fused tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) derivative 1 has been synthesized to form a compact and planar π-conjugated donor–acceptor (D–π–A) ensemble, and its single crystal structure has been determined by X-ray diffraction.
Promote potential applications of nanoparticles as respiratory drug carrier: insights from molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Lin Xubo , Bai Tingting , Zuo Yi Y. , Gu Ning
Published: December 2013

Understanding the interactions between nanoparticles and pulmonary surfactant can help promote the nanoparticle-based respiratory drug carrier systems.
A fast operation of nanometer-scale metallic memristors: highly transparent conductance channels in Ag2S devices
Authors: Geresdi Attila , Csontos Miklós , Gubicza Agnes , Halbritter András , Mihály György
Published: December 2013

We demonstrate Ag2S memristive devices optimized for high speed operation. Andreev reflection spectroscopy reveals highly transparent, atomic scale conducting channels.
The interplay between mechanics and stability of viral cages
Authors: Hernando-Pérez Mercedes , Pascual Elena , Aznar María , Ionel Alina , Castón José R. , Luque Antoni , Carrascosa José L. , Reguera David , de Pablo Pedro J.
Published: December 2013

The association of stability and stiffness may be a false friend for viral cages. We found that two kinds of particles with similar stiffness present different stabilities under aggressive environments. Fracture analysis and coarse-grained simulations provide a correct interpretation of virus mechanics in terms of stability.
The synthesis of new calix[n]arene quaternary ammonium salts and investigation of their catalytic affinities for three component Mannich-type reactions in water
Authors: Sayin Serkan , Yilmaz Mustafa
Published: December 2013

Two new calix[n]arenes and a non-cyclic analogue substituted with 1-(2-furoyl)piperazine have been synthesized.
Hydrogen atom abstraction reactions independent of C–H bond dissociation energies of organic substrates in water: significance of oxidant–substrate adduct formation
Authors: Ishizuka Tomoya , Ohzu Shingo , Kotani Hiroaki , Shiota Yoshihito , Yoshizawa Kazunari , Kojima Takahiko
Published: December 2013

Adduct formation between Ru(iv)–oxo complexes and substrates with hydrogen bonding affords condensed transition states for substrate oxidations in water.
The synergic regulation of conductivity and Seebeck coefficient in pure polyaniline by chemically changing the ordered degree of molecular chains
Authors: Yao Qin , Wang Qun , Wang Liming , Wang Yan , Sun Jing , Zeng Huarong , Jin Zhiyue , Huang Xianliang , Chen Lidong
Published: December 2013

Pure polyaniline (PANI) films with different molecular chain packing states were successfully prepared by simply tuning the m-cresol content in the solvent.
i‐vector representation based on bottleneck features for language identification
Authors: Song Yan , Jiang Bing , Bao YeBo , Wei Si , Dai Li‐Rong
Published: December 2013

An i‐vector representation based on bottleneck (BN) features is presented for language identification (LID). In the proposed system, the BN features are extracted from a deep neural network, which can effectively mine the contextual information embedded in speech frames. The i‐vector representation of each utterance is then obtained by applying a total variability approach on the BN features. The resulting performance of LID has been significantly improved with the proposed BN feature based i‐vector representation. Compared with the state‐of‐the‐art techniques, the equal error rate is relatively reduced by about 40% on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 2009 evaluation sets.
Multiple near‐field source localisation with uniform circular array
Authors: Wu Yuntao , Wang Hai , Zhang Yanbin , Wang Yang
Published: December 2013

A subspace‐based method is considered to deal with multiple near‐field source localisation with a uniform circular array. The property of the centro‐symmetric circular array configuration is employed and a matrix which is free of range is constructed. Then, the two‐dimensional (2D)‐MUSIC method is used to search the 2D angles after the range parameters are separated. After the 2D angles are estimated, a 1D‐MUSIC method is used to estimate the corresponding ranges when the estimated 2D angles are substituted into the original form of the received data. It is shown that the proposed method can deal with the case of multiple near‐field sources, but with lower computational complexity than that of the available 3D MUSIC method; moreover, the 3D parameters are automatically paired.
Fabric based frequency selective surfaces using weaving and screen printing
Authors: Seager R.D. , Chauraya A. , Bowman J. , Broughton M. , Philpott R. , Nimkulrat N.
Published: December 2013

Two examples of fabric based frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) are presented. The FSSs are produced by using screen printing and weaving. Both measured and simulated data are presented showing excellent agreement and performance for the FSSs when compared with the simulated data. The performance of these samples points towards a useful screening technique using fabric hangings and wall coverings in a range of applications where temporary electromagnetic wave ingress or egress needs to be controlled.
Low complexity sparse noise reduction method for Loran‐C skywave delay estimation
Authors: Lei Wenying , Chen Baixiao
Published: December 2013

A sparse noise reduction method applied to Loran‐C skywave delay estimation is presented, which is both simple and practicable. Signal sparsity is utilised to reduce the noise inside the Loran frequency band and significant improvement in the performance of estimation is achieved. The proposed method shows increased estimation accuracy with reduced computational complexity owing to no matrix inversion in the computation process.
Spectral eigendecomposition‐based algorithm for cavity estimation in fibre‐optic Fabry‐Pérot pressure sensors
Authors: Tosi D. , Poeggel S. , Leen G. , Lewis E.
Published: December 2013

A novel signal processing‐based approach for the real‐time estimation of air‐gap length in fibre optic extrinsic Fabry‐Pérot pressure sensors is presented; the algorithm is based on eigendecomposition of the spectrum mutual correlation matrix. A pressure accuracy of 6.1 Pa (0.045 mmHg) is achieved in a pressure probe with 1.13 nm/kPa sensitivity, highlighting a 6.4 times improvement over standard quadrature point amplitude tracking by just acting on signal processing.
High‐selective wideband bandpass filter with adjustable notched‐band using stub‐loaded resonator
Authors: Wang Y.X. , Zhu L. , Zhang S.B.
Published: December 2013

A high‐selective microstrip wideband bandpass filter (BPF) with an adjustable notched‐band is proposed. First, a pair of open‐ended stubs is tap‐connected to a λ/2 uniform impedance resonator at two symmetrical locations with respect to its centre, and they are further electrically connected by a microstrip line section. Such an arrangement leads to the emergence of a notched‐band owing to the out‐of‐phase cancellation of two dissimilar signal paths in a wide passband. Secondly, the electrical path connecting the two open‐ended stubs is gradually tuned so as to adjust the notched‐band to the desired frequency location. Finally, a prototype filter is designed and fabricated, and its measured results are provided to verify the predicted frequency response.
Improved inverter‐based read‐out scheme for low‐power ISFET sensing array
Authors: Do A.T. , Minkyu J. , Yeo K.S.
Published: December 2013

The digital read‐out scheme in an ion‐sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET) sensing array is more advantageous when compared with the analogue counterpart because of its lower power consumption, smaller area and less susceptibility to environmental noise and parasitics. An improved read‐out scheme is proposed in which each ISFET is stacked with a CMOS inverter to form a pH‐to‐time converter. The pH level of the solution regulates the strength of the ISFET, which in turn modulates the delay of the stacked inverter and hence the pulse width of the output signal. Simulation results using the 0.18 µm/2.5 V CMOS process show that the modulated pulse width changes linearly over a wide range of pH. The design achieves five orders of magnitude smaller leakage and 40% lower dynamic power consumption, while it requires only 50% of silicon area when compared with the conventional design. It is therefore more suitable for large ISFET arrays implemented in nano‐scale CMOS technologies.
Asynchronous sigma–delta modulator with noise shaping
Authors: Chen Wei , Papavassiliou C.
Published: December 2013

A novel architecture of an asynchronous sigma–delta modulator with noise shaping is introduced. Compared with the conventional solution, the proposed modulator achieves first‐order noise shaping without an additional loop filter. With the same sampling frequency, the improvement of the SNDR of the asynchronous sigma–delta modulator can be over 20 dB.
Energy and cost implications of a traffic aware and quality‐of‐service constrained sleep mode mechanism
Authors: Wang Siyi , Guo Weisi
Published: December 2013

This study considers the theoretical and realistic performance of a traffic aware sleep mode mechanism in the cellular network. The study devises a sleep mode mechanism that maximises the energy saving of the network, while maintaining both the user throughput and reliability performance. The analysis combines recent developments in stochastic geometry and packet data modelling, as well as a simulation of a real cellular network. The main contribution is to show that accurate theoretical modelling of realistic network data can allow deterministic sleep mode triggers to be devised. This is shown to be highly applicable to a real network, reducing energy consumption by 15–60% throughout a day and the annual operational expenditure by 4%.
Exact bit‐error‐rate analysis of underlay decode‐and‐forward multi‐hop cognitive networks with estimation errors
Authors: Ho‐Van Khuong , Sofotasios Paschalis C.
Published: December 2013

This work is devoted to the error rate analysis of underlay multi‐hop cognitive networks with arbitrary number of hops in the presence of multipath fading. Novel analytic expressions are derived in closed‐form for the case of Rayleigh fading, which are validated extensively through extensive comparisons with results from computer simulations. In addition, the corresponding asymptotic performance for large maximum transmit power or large maximum interference power is investigated in detail. The derived expressions provide useful insights on the behaviour of the network performance under different operation parameters and include several previous works as special cases. Furthermore, their algebraic representation is relatively simple which renders them convenient to handle both analytically and numerically. The offered results also demonstrate that underlay multi‐hop cognitive networks suffer significantly from the error floor phenomenon, the channel estimation error and the order of locating unlicensed users of different maximum transmit power levels, whereas for the linear network model their performance is highly dependant on the number of hops. Moreover, it is shown that optimum positioning of helpers in underlay multi‐hop cognitive networks depends on numerous factors and differs substantially from those in traditional multi‐hop networks.
Interference alignment in K‐user multiple‐input–multiple‐output interference channels with partially coordinated receivers
Authors: Razavi S. Morteza , Ratnarajah Tharmalingam
Published: December 2013

In a K‐user multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) interference channel where each N‐antenna transmitter communicates with its corresponding M‐antenna receiver by using d degrees of freedom (DoF), the feasibility condition for conventional interference alignment (IA) implies that M + N > d(K + 1). In this paper, we consider a K‐user MIMO interference channel where averagely half of the total decoded data can be shared by receive nodes via partial coordination. We propose IA algorithms such that first, their feasibility condition can now be expressed as M + N > d(K + 4)/2, which further implies less number of antennas is needed in comparison with conventional IA techniques to achieve the same number of DoF; and second, even with this reduced number of antennas, their throughput is still comparable to that of conventional IA methods. This is particularly pronounced for asymptotically large K where the required number of antennas for the proposed IA schemes can be half of that of conventional IA techniques to secure the same number of DoF. Moreover, we also examine the performance of the proposed IA algorithms in the presence of both error propagations and channel estimation errors. Simulation results show that in these cases, the throughput of the proposed algorithms can be comparable to that of conventional IA techniques.
Face recognition based on the fusion of global and local HOG features of face images
Authors: Tan Hengliang , Yang Bing , Ma Zhengming
Published: December 2013

Histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) descriptor was initially applied to human detection and achieved great success. In recent years, HOG descriptor has also been applied to face recognition. However, comparing with other sophisticated feature descriptors such as LBP, Gabor and so on, there are still considerable research space on the application of HOG features for face recognition. There are two main contributions. On one hand, the main parameters are statistically analysed characterising HOG descriptor for face recognition, which seems to be not discussed clearly in literatures so far. On the other hand, a novel framework for face recognition based on the fusion of global and local HOG features has been proposed. Face images are first illumination normalised by the DoG filter. Secondly, global and local HOG features are extracted by PCA + LDA or LDA with different framework. Finally, in decision level, global and local classifiers are built by the nearest neighbour classifier, after that, two classifiers are fused by a weighted sum rule. Experimental results on two large‐scale face databases FERET and CAS‐PEAL‐R1 show that, in comparison with 12 state‐of‐the‐art approaches of face recognition, the proposed method achieves the highest average recognition rate.
Multi‐objective optimal design of an axial‐flux permanent‐magnet wheel motor for electric scooters
Authors: Yang Yee‐Pien , Lee Chung‐Han , Hung Po‐Chang
Published: December 2013

This study proposes a systematic process of a multi‐objective optimal design of an axial‐flux permanent‐magnet motor for electric scooters. The preliminary design uses a zero‐dimensional (0D) model to determine the number of slots and poles and initial sizes of the motor according to the driving requirements of the scooter. The optimal design process uses a 1D magnetic circuit model with an effective air‐gap distribution function, whereas searching for a set of motor parameters that minimise or maximise motor performance indices such as torque, torque density and torque ripple. The final design is verified and refined by the 3D finite element method. The resulting prototype motor features high torque density of 8.94 Nm/kg and electronic gearshifts between low and high gears. According to their efficiency maps, the driving‐cycle efficiency is estimated as 57% for the electric scooter to operate on the driving cycle ECE‐40.
Energy storage application in low‐voltage microgrids for energy management and power quality improvement
Authors: Wasiak Irena , Pawelek Ryszard , Mienski Rozmyslaw
Published: December 2013

The study deals with the application of energy storage connected to the low‐voltage microgrid by coupling inverter for simultaneous energy management and ancillary services that include the compensation of power quality disturbances. The usefulness of storage equipment as a solution to various problems that accompany microgrid development is discussed. Then, the idea is presented to join different tasks the storage can perform in one application. Control algorithm is presented for storage inverter, which enables storage unit to be charged or discharged according to assumed schedule and to contribute to power quality improvement through the compensation of reactive power, current harmonics and unbalance. Effectiveness of compensation is examined on the simulation model of test microgrid. Moreover, the results of tests performed in real test microgrid configured in the Laboratory of Distributed Generation at the Lodz University of Technology are presented in the study.
Icing load accretion prognosis for power transmission line with modified hidden semi‐Markov model
Authors: Wu Xin , Li Lin , Rui Xiaoming
Published: December 2013

Ice accretion on power transmission lines is one of the major causes for cable failure in Zhaotong area, Yunnan Province, South China. This study proposes a method to predict the remaining‐dangerous time (RDT) of the icing load accretion on an interval of the power transmission lines with modified hidden semi‐Markov model (HSMM). Based on the predicted RDT of the cables during ice accretion, the appropriate preventative measures can be scheduled in advance by electric power companies. The estimation model with the learning algorithm of support vector machine for icing load accretion is built through historical icing load accretion data and meteorological conditions first. Then, the estimated icing load accretion sequence can be obtained through the estimation model by forecasting the meteorological conditions. The modified HSMM method can eliminate the possible underflow issue during computation, and be used to build the RDT prognosis model. With the estimated icing load accretion sequence and RDT prognosis model, the authors can predict RDT of the icing load accretion on an interval of the power transmission lines. The developed prognosis algorithm is verified through collected meteorological conditions and icing load accretion data on the Dazheng 73# power transmission line in Zhaotong area, Yunnan Province, South China.
Adaptive sequential importance sampling technique for short‐term composite power system adequacy evaluation
Authors: Wang Yue , Guo Chuangxin , Wu Qinghua , Dong Shufeng
Published: December 2013

The well‐known sequential Monte Carlo simulation is a powerful tool to analyse short‐term reliability of complicated composite power system. However, the corresponding computational burden is tremendous when applied to a highly reliable system. Aiming at improving the simulation efficiency, an adaptive importance sampling technology is proposed in this study. The proposed method, on the basis of component state duration sampling technique combined with cross‐entropy method, is able to provide reliability evaluation of highly reliable non‐homogeneous Markov system. The Weibull and lognormal distributions are considered to describe repair time of individual components comprising a system. Through the case studies conducted on a reinforced Roy Billinton reliability test system, it is validated that the proposed method is effective and of high efficiency and the efficiency gain against the crude sequential Monte Carlo simulation is robust to variation of load level and lead timescale. The proposed method is useful and efficient to timely monitor the system operating pressure under different lead timescales.
Identification and estimation of equivalent area parameters using synchronised phasor measurements
Authors: Vahidnia Arash , Ledwich Gerard , Palmer Edward , Ghosh Arindam
Published: December 2013

A new approach is proposed for obtaining a non‐linear area‐based equivalent model of power systems to express the inter‐area oscillations using synchronised phasor measurements. The generators that remain coherent for inter‐area disturbances over a wide range of operating conditions define the areas, and the reduced model is obtained by representing each area by an equivalent machine. The parameters of the reduced system are identified by processing the obtained measurements, and a non‐linear Kalman estimator is then designed for the estimation of equivalent area angles and frequencies. The simulation of the approach on a two‐area system shows substantial reduction of non‐inter‐area modes in the estimated angles. The proposed methods are also applied to a ten‐machine system to illustrate the feasibility of the approach on larger and meshed networks.
Quantifying the reliability level of system integrity protection schemes
Authors: Panteli Mathaios , Crossley Peter A. , Fitch John
Published: December 2013

System integrity protection schemes (SIPS) are a widely used solution to the challenges in operating electrical power transmission systems during the last few decades. Since these protection schemes have become an integral part of the system, it must be ensured that their performance satisfies the reliability requirements of electrical utilities, when expressed in terms of dependability and security. This study proposes a method based on Markov modelling and fault tree analysis for assessing the reliability of a generic SIPS, but it is illustrated using the Dinorwig intertrip scheme, located in North Wales and operated by National Grid (Great Britain system operator). In addition, two reliability indices, widely used in the process control industry, are suggested for quantifying the reliability level of SIPS: (i) safety integrity level and (ii) spurious trip level. Many operators tend to have SIPS permanently in service; this reduces the probability of a ‘failure to operate’ because of a problem in the arming software or an error by a human operator that prevented the scheme being armed when required. Therefore, the impact of having SIPS always armed on SIPS reliability is compared with the impact of switching IN the scheme only when the arming conditions are fulfilled.
Study of intelligent load analysis system using genetic algorithm
Authors: Jo Byung‐Wan , Yoon Kwang‐Won , Lee Yun‐Sung , Choi Ji‐Sun
Published: December 2013

Roads play a crucial role in societal infrastructure as a main artery for the economy and lives of people. However, numerous deformations are caused by an increasing number of overloaded vehicles. Accordingly, an efficient managing system for preventing overloaded vehicles could be organised by using the road as a scale by applying a genetic algorithm to analyse the load and drive information of vehicles. First, accurate analysis of loads by using the behaviour of the road itself is needed to solve illegal axle manipulation problems of overloaded vehicles and to install intelligent embedded load analysis systems. Accordingly, to use the road behaviour, the transformation in this way was measured by installing an underground box‐type indoor model, and an indoor experiment was conducted by using a genetic algorithm. After five driving sessions with each vehicle, 50 sets of dynamic responding data were attained. The recognition variables were calculated to be within the error range of 10%.
Architecture for parking management in smart cities
Authors: Barone Rosamaria Elisa , Giuffrè Tullio , Siniscalchi Sabato Marco , Morgano Maria Antonietta , Tesoriere Giovanni
Published: December 2013

Parking is becoming an expensive resource in almost any major city in the world, and its limited availability is a concurrent cause of urban traffic congestion, and air pollution. In old cities, the structure of the public parking space is rigidly organised and often in the form of on‐street public parking spots. Unfortunately, these public parking spots cannot be reserved beforehand during the pre‐trip phase, and that often lead to a detriment of the quality of urban mobility. Addressing the problem of managing public parking spots is therefore vital to obtain environmentally friendlier and healthier cities. Recent technological progresses in industrial automation, wireless network, sensor communication along with the widespread of high‐range smart devices and new rules concerning financial transactions in mobile payment allow the definition of new intelligent frameworks that enable a convenient management of public parking in urban area, which could improve sustainable urban mobility. In such a scenario, the proposed intelligent parking assistant (IPA) architecture aims at overcoming current public parking management solutions. This study discusses the conceptual architecture of IPA and the first prototype‐scale simulations of the system.
Compressed sensing approach for pattern synthesis of maximally sparse non‐uniform linear array
Authors: Zhao Xiaowen , Yang Qingshan , Zhang Yunhua
Published: December 2013

Compressed sensing (CS) has been successfully applied to the synthesis of maximally sparse non‐uniform linear array with the synthesised pattern matching the reference pattern very well by using as few elements as possible. According to the CS theory, a sparse or compressible high‐dimensional signal can be first projected onto a low‐dimensional space through a measurement matrix, and then recovered accurately by using a variety of practical algorithms based on the low‐dimensional information. The proposed approach can synthesise the sparse linear arrays fitting the desired patterns with a minimum number of elements. Numerical simulations validate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed synthesis method. Moreover, compared with the existing sparse‐array synthesis methods, the author's method is more robust and accurate, while maintaining the advantage of easy implementation.
Target detection in non‐stationary clutter background and Riemannian geometry
Authors: Fan Haiyan , Jiang Yongmei , Kuang Gangyao
Published: December 2013

This study combines a smooth prior long autoregressive (SLAR) model and Riemannian geometry method to realise target detection in the presence of non‐stationary clutter. First, SLAR is used for parameterisation of the signal. Then, the signal is mapped to a parameter vector space which can be described as a complex Riemannian manifold. Each point of this manifold is identified by a vector of AR coefficients. The principle of detection is that if a location has an enough Riemannian distance from the Riemannian median estimated by its neighbouring locations, targets are supposed to appear at this location. Numeric experiments and real radar target detection within sea clutter are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed targets detection method.
Optimisation of quality‐factor for in‐plane free‐free nanoelectromechanical resonators
Authors: Hassani Faezeh Arab , Tsuchiya Yoshishige , Mizuta Hiroshi
Published: December 2013

The performance of nanoelectromechanical (NEM) resonators is destructively affected by mechanical damping that requires more careful designs of the resonators, along with the improvement of their working environments to be overcome. In this Letter, various sources of damping are studied theoretically for the in‐plane clamped‐clamped (CC) NEM resonator and compared with the equivalent values for the designed alternative free‐free (FF) resonator. The in‐plane FF NEM resonator shows higher quality factor compared with its CC counterpart, that is about four orders of magnitude higher for the vacuum‐ and low temperature‐working environments and a six times larger value for the working environment of air and room temperature based on the numerical results. The successful fabrication of the FF NEM resonator proves the feasibility of fabrication for the structure with the presented design. The authors show that by optimising the position of the support beams of the FF NEM resonator, the anchor dissipation, that is, the main restrictive source on the total quality factor for the vacuum‐ and low temperature‐working environments, is minimised to its smallest value.
Perspectives of Indigenous people in the Pilbara about the delivery of healthcare services
Authors: Walker Bruce F. , Stomski Norman J. , Price Anne , Jackson-Barrett Elizabeth
Published: December 2013

Aim To identify Indigenous people’s views about gaps and practical solutions for the delivery of healthcare services in the Pilbara. Methods A structured guide was used to interview three Indigenous language groups from the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The responses were analysed with the use of content analysis. In the first stage, codes were developed by assigning names to small sections of the interview transcripts. Next, the most salient incisive codes were identified and developed into themes that captured the most important issues. Results Many respondents said that there were insufficient health professionals near country, which was compounded by a lack of adequate transport to reach healthcare services. Moreover, respondents commonly indicated that they would be unable to secure adequate accommodation for themselves and any carer when needing to leave country to undergo medical care. The importance of secondary healthcare interventions was highlighted, particularly health promotion initiatives that improved diet and exercise levels and reduced substance abuse. Assuming responsibility for one’s own health was seen as integral to improving the overall health of communities. The respondents saw role models as the most important influence in leading people to take responsibility for improving their own health. Conclusion This study provides Indigenous perspectives about gaps and solutions in healthcare service delivery in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Although initiatives have commenced to address the shortfall in health professionals and inadequate transport to healthcare, there are still gaps in service provision. Mobile health services were strongly supported as an integral measure to address these gaps. What is known about this topic? About two out of every three Indigenous adults in the Pilbara experience a chronic health condition. Moreover, compared with non-Indigenous people in the region, Indigenous people experience a significantly higher mortality rate for numerous chronic health conditions. Although some information is available about the provision of health services for Indigenous people in the Pilbara, little is known about Indigenous people’s perspectives about its adequacy or how it should be delivered. What does this paper add? This study details three local language groups’ views about the gaps and solutions to delivery of healthcare for Indigenous people in the Pilbara. It highlights the need for secondary healthcare interventions given difficulties around providing adequate primary care in remote settings. What are the implications for practitioners? Health promotion initiatives need to be prioritised to improve the health of Australian Indigenous people in the Pilbara and the initiatives should be delivered with the involvement of the local communities. Innovative solutions are required to improve the continuity of healthcare in the Pilbara, including increased use of mobile services.
Horizontal or vertical? Camera trap orientations and recording modes for detecting potoroos, bandicoots and pademelons
Authors: Taylor Brendan D. , Goldingay Ross L. , Lindsay John M.
Published: December 2013

Camera traps can detect rare and cryptic species, and may enable description of the stability of populations of threatened species. We investigated the relative performance of cameras oriented horizontally or vertically, and recording mode (still and video) to detect the vulnerable long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) as a precursor to population monitoring. We established camera traps for periods of 13–21 days across 21 sites in Richmond Range National Park in north-east New South Wales. Each camera trap set consisted of three KeepGuard KG680V cameras directed at a bait container – one horizontal and one vertical camera in still mode and one horizontal camera in video mode. Potoroos and bandicoots (Perameles nasuta and Isoodon macrourus) were detected at 14 sites and pademelons (Thylogale stigmatica and T. thetis) were detected at 19 sites. We used program Presence to compare detection probabilities for each camera category. The detection probability for all three taxa groups was lowest for the vertical still and similar for the horizontal cameras. The detection probability (horizontal still) was highest for the potoroos (0.43) compared with the bandicoots (0.16) and pademelons (0.25). We estimate that the horizontal stills camera could achieve a 95% probability of detection of a potoroo within 6 days compared with 8 days using a vertical stills camera. This suggests that horizontal cameras in still mode have great potential for monitoring the dynamics of this potoroo population.
Dysferlin stabilizes stress-induced Ca
2+
signaling in the transverse tubule membrane
Authors: Kerr Jaclyn P. , Ziman Andrew P. , Mueller Amber L. , Muriel Joaquin M. , Kleinhans-Welte Emily , Gumerson Jessica D. , Vogel Steven S. , Ward Christopher W. , Roche Joseph A. , Bloch Robert J.
Published: December 2013

Significance

Muscular dystrophies linked to the genetic absence or mutations of dysferlin are currently without a relevant therapy. Dysferlin is thought to mediate membrane repair in skeletal muscle, but its localization and specific functions remain controversial. Here we show that dysferlin is enriched in the transverse tubule membrane of skeletal muscle and demonstrate that, in its absence, mechanical stress leads to calcium-dependent muscle injury. Furthermore, we demonstrate that treatment of dysferlin-deficient muscle with the calcium channel blocker diltiazem reduces in vitro experimental and in vivo contraction-induced muscle damage. As diltiazem is approved for clinical use, our results suggest a potential new therapeutic avenue for patients diagnosed with dysferlinopathies.
Shear shocks in fragile networks
Authors: Ulrich Stephan , Upadhyaya Nitin , Opheusden Bas van , Vitelli Vincenzo
Published: December 2013

Significance

In ordinary solids, shocks are extreme mechanical phenomena: they occur when rigid materials are subjected to violent impacts. However, weakly connected amorphous solids, such as glasses and polymer networks, can be prepared in a state of vanishing rigidity in which even the tiniest (shear) perturbations elicit an extreme mechanical response. When that happens, these materials are not just soft but they become fragile. In our theoretical and computational study, we elucidate the exotic mechanisms whereby nonlinear sound propagates in fragile materials composed of a disordered network of beads connected by springs. Furthermore, we propose a unique approach to infer the fascinating properties of these fragile materials from acoustic experiments that measure the speed and width of strongly nonlinear shock waves.
Estimating the Political Center from Aggregate Data: An Item Response Theory Alternative to the Stimson Dyad Ratios Algorithm
Authors: McGann Anthony J.
Published: December 2013

This article provides an algorithm to produce a time-series estimate of the political center (or median voter) from aggregate survey data, even when the same questions are not asked in most years. This is compared to the existing Stimson dyad ratios approach, which has been applied to various questions in political science. Unlike the dyad ratios approach, the model developed here is derived from an explicit model of individual behavior—the widely used item response theory model. I compare the results of both techniques using the data on public opinion from the United Kingdom from 1947 to 2005 from Bartle, Dellepiane-Avellaneda, and Stimson. Measures of overall model fit are provided, as well as techniques for testing model's assumptions and the fit of individual items. Full code is provided for estimation with free software WinBUGS and JAGS.
Grinding and Nutritional Properties of Six Spelt (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta L.) Cultivars
Authors: Świeca Michał , Dziki Dariusz , Gawlik‐Dziki Urszula , Różyło Renata , Andruszczak Sylwia , Kraska Piotr , Kowalczyk Dariusz , Pałys Edward , Baraniak Barbara
Published: December 2013

Some physical, technological, nutritional, and nutraceutical determinants of six spelt varieties were evaluated. The grains were characterized by similar grain hardness and gave similar breakage patterns on a hammer mill and relatively low grinding energy requirements. The highest protein content was determined for Spelt I.N.Z. and Schwabenkorn (155 mg/g db), whereas the lowest was for Ceralio (98 mg/g db). The total starch content in tested cultivars averaged about 500 mg/g db; however, significant differences were observed for resistant and potentially bioavailable starch. The highest starch digestibility was observed for Ostro, Schwabenspelz, and Spelt I.N.Z. (about 45%), whereas the lowest was for Ceralio (about 33%). Chemically extractable total phenolic compounds content did not differ between cultivars. When flavonoids contents were compared, however, significant differences were observed; their contents ranged from 0.61 to 2.12 mg/g db (Spelt I.N.Z. and Schwabenkorn, respectively). The ability to inhibit xanthine oxidase activity (XOI) differed significantly between studied cultivars. The results, correlated with flavonoids content (r = 0.522), were found in the order Schwabenspelz > Schwabenkorn ≈ Oberkulmer Rotkorn > Ostro ≈ Ceralio > Spelt I.N.Z.). Simulated digestion significantly released phenolics and flavonoids from all samples; however, no simple relationships between phenolics and XOI were found.
Nondestructive Imaging of Plant-Parasitic Nematode Development and Host Response to Nematode Pathogenesis
Authors: Dinh Phuong T. Y. , Knoblauch Michael , Elling Axel A.
Published: December 2013

The secluded lifestyle of endoparasitic plant nematodes hampers progress toward a comprehensive understanding of plant–nematode interactions. A novel technique that enables nondestructive, long-term observations of a wide range of live nematodes in planta is presented here. As proof of principle, Pratylenchus penetrans, Heterodera schachtii, and Meloidogyne chitwoodi were labeled fluorescently with PKH26 and used to infect Arabidopsis thaliana grown in microscopy rhizosphere chambers. Nematode behavior, development, and morphology were observed for the full duration of each parasite's life cycle by confocal microscopy for up to 27 days after inoculation. PKH26 accumulated in intestinal lipid droplets and had no negative effect on nematode infectivity. This technique enabled visualization of Meloidogyne gall formation, nematode oogenesis, and nematode morphological features, such as the metacorpus, vulva, spicules, and cuticle. Additionally, microscopy rhizosphere chambers were used to characterize plant organelle dynamics during M. chitwoodi infection. Peroxisome abundance strongly increased in early giant cells but showed a marked decrease at later stages of feeding site development, which suggests a modulation of plant peroxisomes by root-knot nematodes during the infection process. Taken together, this technique facilitates studies aimed at deciphering plant–nematode interactions at the cellular and subcellular level and enables unprecedented insights into nematode behavior in planta.