bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Compositional and Mineralogical Effects on Ice Nucleation Activity of Volcanic Ash
Authors: Genareau Kimberly , Cloer Shelby M. , Primm Katherine , Tolbert Margaret A. , Woods Taylor W.
Published: June 2018

Volcanic ash produced during explosive eruptions may serve as ice nuclei in the atmosphere, contributing to the occurrence of volcanic lightning due to tribocharging from ice–ice or ice–ash collisions. Here, different ash samples were tested using deposition-mode and immersion-mode ice nucleation experiments. Results show that bulk composition and mineral abundance have no measurable effect on depositional freezing at the temperatures tested, as all samples have similar ice saturation ratios. In the immersion mode, there is a strong positive correlation between K2O content and ice nucleation site density at −25 °C and a strong negative correlation between MnO and TiO2 content at temperatures from −35 to −30 °C. The most efficient sample in the immersion mode has the highest surface area, smallest average grain size, highest K2O content, and lowest MnO content. These results indicate that although ash abundance—which creates more available surface area for nucleation—has a significant effect on immersion-mode freezing, composition may also contribute. Consequently, highly explosive eruptions of compositionally evolved magmas create the necessary parameters to promote ice nucleation on grain surfaces, which permits tribocharging due to ice–ice or ice–ash collisions, and contribute to the frequent occurrence of volcanic lightning within the eruptive column and plume during these events.
A New Implementation of the STA Method for the Calculation of Opacities of Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium Plasmas
Authors: Krief Menahem , Feigel Alexander , Gazit Doron
Published: June 2018

We present opacity calculations with the newly developed STAR code, which implements the Super-Transition-Array (STA), with various improvements. The model is used to calculate and analyze local thermodynamic equilibrium opacities of mid and high Z elements and of the solar interior plasma. We briefly review the underlying computational model and present calculations for iron and neodymium over a wide range of temperature and density.
Human Oncoviruses and p53 Tumor Suppressor Pathway Deregulation at the Origin of Human Cancers
Authors: Tornesello Maria Lina , Annunziata Clorinda , Tornesello Anna Lucia , Buonaguro Luigi , Buonaguro Franco Maria
Published: June 2018

Viral oncogenesis is a multistep process largely depending on the complex interplay between viruses and host factors. The oncoviruses are capable of subverting the cell signaling machinery and metabolic pathways and exploit them for infection, replication, and persistence. Several viral oncoproteins are able to functionally inactivate the tumor suppressor p53, causing deregulated expression of many genes orchestrated by p53, such as those involved in apoptosis, DNA stability, and cell proliferation. The Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) BZLF1, the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) E6, and the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5 proteins have shown to directly bind to and degrade p53. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) HBx and the human T cell lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1) Tax proteins inhibit p53 activity through the modulation of p300/CBP nuclear factors, while the Kaposi’s sarcoma herpesvirus (HHV8) LANA, vIRF-1 and vIRF-3 proteins have been shown to destabilize the oncosuppressor, causing a decrease in its levels in the infected cells. The large T antigen of the Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) does not bind to p53 but significantly reduces p53-dependent transcription. This review describes the main molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction between viral oncoproteins and p53-related pathways as well as in the development of therapeutic strategies targeting such interactions.
Distributional Patterns and Ecological Determinants of Bat Occurrence Inside Caves: A Broad Scale Meta-Analysis
Authors: De Oliveira Hernani Fernandes Magalhães , Oprea Monik , Dias Raphael Igor
Published: June 2018

Caves are important bat roosts worldwide that are used as shelters, maternity roosts, and to help in thermoregulation. Bat abundances, species richness, and association patterns inside caves can be affected by large-scale environmental variation. However, few studies have analyzed the effect of latitudinal and altitudinal variations on these patterns. Here, we conducted a large literature review about cave occupation by bats in Brazil. We investigated the effects of elevation and latitude on bat richness and abundance, the effect of Brazilian biomes on bats’ abundance and richness, the dependence between feeding guilds and biomes, and the effects of the number of studies conducted and the number of caves per region on bat species richness. A total of 72 studies with 9666 bats from 72 species were registered in 247 caves. We found that species richness increases toward the equator and reaches its limit at low and intermediate altitudes. Reported richness was influenced by the number of studies conducted in each region. Both latitude and elevation explained the variation in abundance and were significantly affected by biome type. The latitudinal and elevational gradient for species’ richness and abundance may be explained by the creation of stable thermal conditions in roosts at high elevations and low latitudes.
Relating Vertex and Global Graph Entropy in Randomly Generated Graphs
Authors: Tee Philip , Parisis George , Berthouze Luc , Wakeman Ian
Published: June 2018

Combinatoric measures of entropy capture the complexity of a graph but rely upon the calculation of its independent sets, or collections of non-adjacent vertices. This decomposition of the vertex set is a known NP-Complete problem and for most real world graphs is an inaccessible calculation. Recent work by Dehmer et al. and Tee et al. identified a number of vertex level measures that do not suffer from this pathological computational complexity, but that can be shown to be effective at quantifying graph complexity. In this paper, we consider whether these local measures are fundamentally equivalent to global entropy measures. Specifically, we investigate the existence of a correlation between vertex level and global measures of entropy for a narrow subset of random graphs. We use the greedy algorithm approximation for calculating the chromatic information and therefore Körner entropy. We are able to demonstrate strong correlation for this subset of graphs and outline how this may arise theoretically.
Non-Commutative Worlds and Classical Constraints
Authors: Kauffman Louis
Published: June 2018

This paper reviews results about discrete physics and non-commutative worlds and explores further the structure and consequences of constraints linking classical calculus and discrete calculus formulated via commutators. In particular, we review how the formalism of generalized non-commutative electromagnetism follows from a first order constraint and how, via the Kilmister equation, relationships with general relativity follow from a second order constraint. It is remarkable that a second order constraint, based on interlacing the commutative and non-commutative worlds, leads to an equivalent tensor equation at the pole of geodesic coordinates for general relativity.
Effect of Co and Gd Additions on Microstructures and Properties of FeSiBAlNi High Entropy Alloys
Authors: Zhai Sicheng , Wang Wen , Xu Juan , Xu Shuai , Zhang Zitang , Wang Yan
Published: June 2018

FeSiBAlNi (W5), FeSiBAlNiCo (W6-Co), and FeSiBAlNiGd (W6-Gd) high entropy alloys (HEAs) were prepared using a copper-mold casting method. Effects of Co and Gd additions combined with subsequent annealing on microstructures and magnetism were investigated. The as-cast W5 consists of BCC solid solution and FeSi-rich phase. The Gd addition induces the formation of body-centered cubic (BCC) and face-centered cubic (FCC) solid solutions for W6-Gd HEAs. Whereas, the as-cast W6-Co is composed of the FeSi-rich phase. During annealing, no new phases arise in the W6-Co HEA, indicating a good phase stability. The as-cast W5 has the highest hardness (1210 HV), which is mainly attributed to the strengthening effect of FeSi-rich phase evenly distributed in the solid solution matrix. The tested FeSiBAlNi-based HEAs possess soft magnetism. The saturated magnetization and remanence ratio of W6-Gd are distinctly enhanced from 10.93 emu/g to 62.78 emu/g and from 1.44% to 15.50% after the annealing treatment, respectively. The good magnetism of the as-annealed W6-Gd can be ascribed to the formation of Gd-oxides.
Mediation in a Socio-Cognitive Approach to Writing for Elementary Students: Instructional Scaffolding
Authors: Ng Chiew Hong , Cheung Yin Ling
Published: June 2018

This research investigates how elementary teachers mediate the learning of writing through a socio-cognitive approach. The study reveals how in effective instructions for writing development, teachers can build narrative knowledge in a socio-cognitive approach through these types of instructional scaffolding: explicit outcomes and expectations, modelling, bridging, contextualizing, schema building, re-presenting text and developing metacognition. The study also illustrates through examples, the use of the instructional scaffolding functions by two teachers mediating between students’ current knowledge levels in writing in English and the requisite expert understandings of the narrative genre in actual classroom practice. The adapted instructional scaffolding functions proposed in this article enrich the field of learning and teaching of writing by providing a means for teachers to mediate the learning of writing. The study also highlights the value of qualitative interpretive approaches in contributing to the domain of pedagogical approaches in writing for elementary students.
A Review and Analysis of Trends Related to Demand Response
Authors: Arias Luis Alejandro , Rivas Edwin , Santamaria Francisco , Hernandez Victor
Published: June 2018

This paper provides a review and analysis of trends related to demand response (DR). The authors have considered six different topics for the analysis of DR trends: Users, Network Services, Markets, Complementary Programs and Distributed Energy Resources (DER). A brief summary of the consulted articles is included and the behavior of the different DR trend-related topics is shown up to the year 2017 and their projections for 2020. As a result, the characterization of the main DR topics is obtained as well as its current and future trends. Based on the results of the study, it is concluded that the topic of complementary programs is a trendsetter for current trends and it is expected that there is a future change of focus towards the users and new services.
A Wide Input Range Buck-Boost DC–DC Converter Using Hysteresis Triple-Mode Control Technique with Peak Efficiency of 94.8% for RF Energy Harvesting Applications
Authors: Thi Kim Nga Truong , Park Seong-Mun , Park Young-Jun , Park Sang-Hyuk , Kim SangYun , Van Cong Thuong Truong , Lee Minjae , Hwang Keum Cheol , Yang Youngoo , Lee Kang-Yoon
Published: June 2018

This paper presents a wide range buck-boost direct current to direct current (DC–DC) converter for wireless power transfer (WPT) systems. To implement the wide range DC–DC converter, a Hysteresis triple-mode selector is proposed and designed to effectively adjust the DC–DC converter to operate in one of the three modes: buck, boost or buck-boost, according to the input voltage level. Hysteresis control technique eliminates the unstable state at the mode transition. An output soft start-up circuit is proposed to reduce the inrush current in the switch transistor. A min-max duty generator is introduced to improve the accuracy of DC–DC converter. When the output voltage is too low or too high in comparison to the desired value. The min-max duty generator can control the DC component of the error signal to eliminate the unwanted dead state of the pulse width modulation signal. In addition, only one external inductor is shared between two power stages, thus minimizing the system cost by reducing the external components. The proposed buck-boost DC–DC converter is implemented using 180 nm Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) technology. The output voltage is regulated to 5 V when the input voltage ranges 3–8 V, and output load current ranges 100–500 mA. The die area is 1.55 mm × 1.14 mm (1.767 mm2). The measured peak efficiency of the buck-boost DC–DC converter is 94.8%.
SOC Estimation of Multiple Lithium-Ion Battery Cells in a Module Using a Nonlinear State Observer and Online Parameter Estimation
Authors: Tran Ngoc-Tham , Khan Abdul Basit , Nguyen Thanh-Tung , Kim Dae-Wook , Choi Woojin
Published: June 2018

In recent years, electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) have become very popular. Therefore, the use of secondary batteries exponentially increased in EV systems. Battery fuel gauges determine the amount of charge inside the battery, and how much farther the vehicle can drive itself under specific operating conditions. It is very important to provide accurate state-of-charge (SOC) information of the battery module to the driver, since inaccurate fuel gauges will not be tolerated. In this paper, a model-based approach is proposed to estimate the SOCs of multiple lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery cells, connected in a module in series, by using a nonlinear state observer (NSO) and an online parameter identification algorithm. A simple method of estimating the impedance and SOC of each cell in a module is also presented in this paper, by employing a ratio vector with respect to the reference value. A battery model based on an autoregressive model with exogenous input (ARX) was used with recursive least squares (RLS) for parameter identification, in an effort to guarantee reliable estimation results under various operating conditions. The validity and feasibility of the proposed algorithm were verified by an experimental setup of six Li-ion battery cells connected in a module in series. It was found that, when compared with a simple linear state observer (LSO), an NSO can further reduce the SOC error by 1%.
Dice-Like Nanostructure of a CuS@PbS Composite for High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrode Applications
Authors: Kanaka Durga Ikkurthi , Srinivasa Rao S. , Ahn Jin-Woo , Park Tae-Yong , Jin-Soo Bak , Ho Cho-In , Prabakar K. , Kim Hee-Je
Published: June 2018

A cost-effective and uniform crystal with different structures was fabricated using a facile chemical bath deposition technique for electrochemical supercapacitor (SC) applications. In this study, CuS, PbS, and CuS@PbS composite electrodes were fabricated for SCs. The morphology and structure of the electrodes were analyzed by field emission–scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The CuS@PbS composite electrode delivered outstanding electrochemical performance in SCs with a high specific capacitance of 1004.42 F g−1 at a current density of 2.85 A g−1, good cycling stability (only 2.9% loss after 3000 cycles at 2.85 A g−1), higher energy density of 33.89 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 714.28 W kg−1, and an excellent rate capability compared to other electrodes. These results show that the CuS@PbS composite can be used to improve the surface morphology and is a promising positive electrode material for SC applications.
Theoretical and Empirical Differences between Diagonal and Full BEKK for Risk Management
Authors: Allen David E. , McAleer Michael
Published: June 2018

The purpose of the paper is to explore the relative biases in the estimation of the Full BEKK model as compared with the Diagonal BEKK model, which is used as a theoretical and empirical benchmark. Chang and McAleer et al., 2017 show that univariate GARCH is not a special case of multivariate GARCH, specifically, the Full BEKK model, and demonstrate that Full BEKK, which, in practice, is estimated almost exclusively, has no underlying stochastic process, regularity conditions, or asymptotic properties. Diagonal BEKK (DBEKK) does not suffer from these limitations, and hence provides a suitable benchmark. We use simulated financial returns series to contrast estimates of the conditional variances and covariances from DBEKK and BEKK. The results of non-parametric tests suggest evidence of considerable bias in the Full BEKK estimates. The results of quantile regression analysis show there is a systematic relationship between the two sets of estimates as we move across the quantiles. Estimates of conditional variances from Full BEKK, relative to those from DBEKK are relatively lower in the left tail and higher in the right tail. The BEKK model is a commonly applied multivariate volatility model frequently used in modelling and forecasting volatilities in financial applications. Our results suggest that it is subject to considerable bias and this should be considered by potential users.
The Value of Day-Ahead Coordination of Power and Natural Gas Network Operations
Authors: Pambour Kwabena Addo , Sopgwi Rostand Tresor , Hodge Bri-Mathias , Brancucci Carlo
Published: June 2018

The operations of electricity and natural gas transmission networks in the U.S. are increasingly interdependent, due to the growing number of installations of gas fired generators and the penetration of renewable energy sources. This development suggests the need for closer communication and coordination between gas and power transmission system operators in order to improve the efficiency and reliability of the combined energy system. In this paper, we present a co-simulation platform for examining the interdependence between natural gas and electricity transmission networks based on a direct current unit-commitment and economic dispatch model for the power system and a transient hydraulic gas model for the gas system. We analyze the value of day-ahead coordination of power and natural gas network operations and show the importance of considering gas system constraints when analyzing power systems operation with high penetration of gas generators and renewable energy sources. Results show that day-ahead coordination contributes to a reduction in curtailed gas during high stress periods (e.g., large gas offtake ramps) and a reduction in energy consumption of gas compressor stations.
Gaussian Process Operational Curves for Wind Turbine Condition Monitoring
Authors: Pandit Ravi , Infield David
Published: June 2018

Due to the presence of an abundant resource, wind energy is one of the most promising renewable energy resources for power generation globally, and there is constant need to reduce operation and maintenance costs to make the wind industry more profitable. Unexpected failures of turbine components make operation and maintenance (O&M) expensive, and because of transport and availability issues, the O&M cost is much higher in offshore wind farms (typically 30% of the levelized cost). To overcome this, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) based predictive condition monitoring can be applied to remotely identify early failures and limit downtime, boost production and decrease the cost of energy (COE). A Gaussian Process is a nonlinear, nonparametric machine learning approach which is widely used in modelling complex nonlinear systems. In this paper, a Gaussian Process algorithm is proposed to estimate operational curves based on key turbine critical variables which can be used as a reference model in order to identify critical wind turbine failures and improve power performance. Three operational curves, namely, the power curve, rotor speed curve and blade pitch angle curve, are constructed using the Gaussian Process approach for continuous monitoring of the performance of a wind turbine. These developed GP operational curves can be useful for recognizing failures that force the turbines to underperform and result in downtime. Historical 10-min SCADA data are used for the model training and validation.
A New Single-Phase Transformerless Current Source Inverter for Leakage Current Reduction
Authors: Guo Xiaoqiang , Zhang Jianhua , Zhou Jiale , Wang Baocheng
Published: June 2018

A new single-phase transformerless current source inverter is proposed in this paper. The proposed inverter can achieve leakage current reduction, which is crucial for the conventional current source inverter. The basic concept of the proposed solution is to develop the new inverter by the duality principle from the voltage source inverter. The theoretical analysis is carried out to determine the switching states of the proposed inverter for the leakage current reduction. Also, a new modulation strategy is presented to achieve the optimized switching states. Finally, the experimental results are presented. Comparing with conventional single-phase current source inverter, the leakage current can be significantly reduced by the proposed inverter, which verifies the effectiveness of the proposed solution.
Design and Implementation of the Permanent- Magnet Synchronous Generator Drive in Wind Generation Systems
Authors: Chang Yuan-Chih , Chang Hao-Chin , Huang Chien-Yu
Published: June 2018

The design and implementation of the permanent-magnet synchronous generator drive in wind generation systems is presented in this paper. The permanent-magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) can converse the alternating current (AC) power of the wind turbine to direct current (DC) power. In this paper, the dynamic model of a PMSG is first introduced. The current controller is designed based on T-S fuzzy models of the PMSG. The stability of the proposed PMSG drive system is analyzed and proved. The proposed T-S fuzzy current control possesses a disturbance suppression ability. Compared with the traditional fuzzy logic system, its stability can be proved and verified. Finally, the control performance of the PMSG drive is verified by experimental results.
A Coordinated DC Power Support Strategy for Multi-Infeed HVDC Systems
Authors: Zhang Chunlei , Chu Xiaodong , Zhang Bing , Ma Linlin , Li Xin , Wang Xiaobo , Wang Liang , Wu Cheng
Published: June 2018

A DC power support strategy utilizes the flexibility of a High-voltage direct-current (HVDC) system in power modulation to optimize the operating point or compensate the power imbalance caused by a disturbance. The major impediment to the strategy is the difficulty in maintaining DC voltage values at converter stations during the process of DC power support. To overcome the difficulty, a coordinated DC power support strategy for multi-infeed HVDC systems is proposed in this paper. Synchronous condensers are employed to provide dynamic reactive power compensation in sustaining DC voltage values at converter stations. Models are built for the optimal leading phase operation and adjusting excitation voltage reference value of synchronous condensers. Multiple HVDC links are coordinated to participate by using the DC power support factor to rank and select the links. Optimal DC power support values of the participating HVDC links are obtained with a comprehensive stability margin index that accounts for transient stability of the sending-end systems and frequency security of the receiving-end systems. An optimal load shedding model is used to ensure the frequency security of receiving-end systems. Case study results of a provincial power system in China demonstrate the effectiveness and performance of the proposed DC power support strategy.
Short-Term Wind Speed Forecasting Based on Low Redundancy Feature Selection
Authors: Huang Nantian , Xing Enkai , Cai Guowei , Yu Zhiyong , Qi Bin , Lin Lin
Published: June 2018

Wind speed forecasting is an indispensable part of wind energy assessment and power system scheduling. In the modeling of wind speed forecasting, there are problems of insufficiency of the high input feature dimension, weak pertinence of the model and a lack of consideration about the redundancy between features. To address these problems, a short-term wind speed forecast method based on low redundancy feature selection is proposed. Firstly, complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition (CEEMD) is used to pretreat the wind speed data to reduce the randomness and fluctuation of wind speed data. Secondly, conditional mutual information (CMI) is used to analyze the correlation between the input features on different predicted days and wind speed series. The feature order based on conditional mutual information is used to reduce the redundancy between candidate features and establish subsets with candidate features. After that, according to different candidate feature subsets of different predicted days, the outlier-robust extreme learning machine (ORELM) is used to carry out the forward feature selection and obtain optimal feature subsets for different predicted days. Finally, the optimal prediction model is constructed by using the optimal feature subset and the short-term wind speed forecasting is carried out. The validity and advance of the new method are verified by measured data through comparison experiments.
Transient Stability Enhancement Using a Wide-Area Controlled SVC: An HIL Validation Approach
Authors: Esparza Aaron , Segundo Juan , Nuñez Ciro , Visairo Nancy , Barocio Emilio , García Héctor
Published: June 2018

This paper presents a control scheme of a wide-area controlled static VAr compensator (WAC-SVC) and its real-time implementation in a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation scheme with three control objectives: (1) to increase the critical clearing time, (2) to damp the power oscillations, and (3) to minimize the maximum line current. The proposed control scheme considers a correction strategy to compensate the delays up to 200 ms. In addition to this, a generator tripping scheme based on synchrophasor measurements to determine the proximity to the loss of synchronism is proposed. A delay compensation algorithm based on polynomial approximations is also developed. The proposed WAC-SVC is experimentally validated using a Real-Time Digital Simulator platform (RTDS), industrial communication protocols, a commercial device for PMU-based control implementations, and digital relays with PMU capability. The real-time simulation results confirm its effectiveness and feasibility in real industrial applications. Furthermore, practical guidelines to implement this kind of control schemes are provided.
Sustainability Assessment of Alternative Thinning Operations in Mediterranean Softwood Plantations
Authors: Schweier Janine , Spinelli Raffaele , Magagnotti Natascia , Wolfslehner Bernhard , Lexer Manfred J.
Published: June 2018

Mediterranean pines account for 14,000 ha in Tuscany alone, where they form large and homogeneous stands and represent an important resource for the forest economy. Among the harvesting systems applied to thinning operations, the most popular are whole-tree and cut-to-length harvestings. Both systems can be deployed with different levels of mechanization. The decision about which system might be the best option in a specific case possibly leads to conflicts due to different management goals, for instance when the shift from cut-to-length to whole-tree harvesting systems results in a decrease of costs and an increase of environmental burdens. Thus, an accurate determination of economic, environmental and social indicators is crucial to make balanced decisions. With that in mind, we carried out a sustainability impact assessment of typical forest-wood chain alternatives applied to young Mediterranean pine plantations and made a comparative evaluation by means of multi-criteria analyses. Trials were carried out in umbrella pine (Pinus pinea L.) plantations in Tuscany. The analyzed cases considered four thinning operations and included the processes of harvesting, extraction and chipping. In the analysis, 12 indicators were considered (e.g., global warming potential, fatal accidents). Results of the investigation allow quantifying possible sustainability impacts and, thus, supporting management decisions.
Big Data Perspective and Challenges in Next Generation Networks
Authors: Sultan Kashif , Ali Hazrat , Zhang Zhongshan
Published: June 2018

With the development towards the next generation cellular networks, i.e., 5G, the focus has shifted towards meeting the higher data rate requirements, potential of micro cells and millimeter wave spectrum. The goals for next generation networks are very high data rates, low latency and handling of big data. The achievement of these goals definitely require newer architecture designs, upgraded technologies with possible backward support, better security algorithms and intelligent decision making capability. In this survey, we identify the opportunities which can be provided by 5G networks and discuss the underlying challenges towards implementation and realization of the goals of 5G. This survey also provides a discussion on the recent developments made towards standardization, the architectures which may be potential candidates for deployment and the energy concerns in 5G networks. Finally, the paper presents a big data perspective and the potential of machine learning for optimization and decision making in 5G networks.
Use of Sourdough in Low FODMAP Baking
Authors: Loponen Jussi , Gänzle Michael G.
Published: June 2018

A low FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) diet allows most irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients to manage their gastrointestinal symptoms by avoiding FODMAP-containing foods, such as onions, pulses, and products made from wheat or rye. The downside of a low FODMAP diet is the reduced intake of dietary fiber. Applying sourdoughs—with specific FODMAP-targeting metabolic properties—to wholegrain bread making can help to remarkably reduce the content of FODMAPs in bread without affecting the content of the slowly fermented and well-tolerated dietary fiber. In this review, we outline the metabolism of FODMAPs in conventional sourdoughs and outline concepts related to fructan and mannitol metabolism that allow development of low FODMAP sourdough bread. We also summarize clinical studies where low FODMAP but high fiber, rye sourdough bread was tested for its effects on gut fermentation and gastrointestinal symptoms with very promising results. The sourdough bread-making process offers a means to develop natural and fiber-rich low FODMAP bakery products for IBS patients and thereby help them to increase their dietary fiber intake.
A Survey on the Design of Gamified Systems for Energy and Water Sustainability
Authors: Albertarelli Spartaco , Fraternali Piero , Herrera Sergio , Melenhorst Mark , Novak Jasminko , Pasini Chiara , Rizzoli Andrea-Emilio , Rottondi Cristina
Published: June 2018

In a world affected by the constant growth and concentration of the population in urban areas, the problem of preserving natural resources has become a priority. A promising approach to resource conservation is demand management, i.e., the ability to positively influence the behaviour of the population towards more sustainable consumption. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools have shown a great potential in influencing consumers’ behaviour, which could be exploited for the common good. However, the design of so-called persuasive systems for environmental purposes is a challenging task, because it cannot be based solely on the utilitarian motivation of users, but must be able to trigger a broader range of engagement factors deeply rooted in the human psychology. In this paper, we review the main design principles and models at the base of a class of persuasive system that exploits gamification and Games with a Purpose (GWAPs) to engage users towards sustainability; we identify the most commonly used incentive mechanisms for inducing behavioural changes; and present a selection of gamified systems for energy and water conservation. From such a survey, we distill design guidelines to be applied in the design of demand management socio-technical systems.
An Abstraction-Refinement Methodologyfor Reasoning about Network Games†
Authors: Avni Guy , Guha Shibashis , Kupferman Orna
Published: June 2018

Network games (NGs) are played on directed graphs and are extensively used in network design and analysis. Search problems for NGs include finding special strategy profiles such as a Nash equilibrium and a globally-optimal solution. The networks modeled by NGs may be huge. In formal verification, abstraction has proven to be an extremely effective technique for reasoning about systems with big and even infinite state spaces. We describe an abstraction-refinement methodology for reasoning about NGs. Our methodology is based on an abstraction function that maps the state space of an NG to a much smaller state space. We search for a global optimum and a Nash equilibrium by reasoning on an under- and an over-approximation defined on top of this smaller state space. When the approximations are too coarse to find such profiles, we refine the abstraction function. We extend the abstraction-refinement methodology to labeled networks, where the objectives of the players are regular languages. Our experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the methodology.
Dynamic Behaviors of Solvent Molecules Restricted in Poly (Acryl Amide) Gels Analyzed by Dielectric and Diffusion NMR Spectroscopy
Authors: Saito Hironobu , Kato Shunpei , Matsumoto Keisuke , Umino Yuya , Kita Rio , Shinyashiki Naoki , Yagihara Shin , Fukuzaki Minoru , Tokita Masayuki
Published: June 2018

Dynamics of solvent molecules restricted in poly (acryl amide) gels immersed in solvent mixtures of acetone–, 1,4-dioxane–, and dimethyl sulfoxide–water were analyzed by the time domain reflectometry method of dielectric spectroscopy and the pulse field gradient method of nuclear magnetic resonance. Restrictions of dynamic behaviors of solvent molecules were evaluated from relaxation parameters such as the relaxation time, its distribution parameter, and the relaxation strength obtained by dielectric measurements, and similar behaviors with polymer concentration dependences for the solutions were obtained except for the high polymer concentration in collapsed gels. Scaling analyses for the relaxation time and diffusion coefficient respectively normalized by those for bulk solvent suggested that the scaling exponent determined from the scaling variable defined as a ratio of the size of solvent molecule to mesh size of polymer networks were three and unity, respectively, except for collapsed gels. The difference in these components reflects characteristic molecular interactions in the rotational and translational diffusions, and offered a physical picture of the restriction of solvent dynamics. A universal treatment of slow dynamics due to the restriction from polymer chains suggests a new methodology of characterization of water structures.
A Similarity Regression Fusion Model for Integrating Multi-Omics Data to Identify Cancer Subtypes
Authors: Guo Yang , Zheng Jianning , Shang Xuequn , Li Zhanhuai
Published: June 2018

The identification of cancer subtypes is crucial to cancer diagnosis and treatments. A number of methods have been proposed to identify cancer subtypes by integrating multi-omics data in recent years. However, the existing methods rarely consider the biases of similarity between samples and weights of different omics data in integration. More accurate and flexible integration approaches need to be developed to comprehensively investigate cancer subtypes. In this paper, we propose a simple and flexible similarity fusion model for integrating multi-omics data to identify cancer subtypes. We consider the similarity biases between samples in each omics data and predict corrected similarities between samples using a generalized linear model. We integrate the corrected similarity information from multi-omics data according to different data-view weights. Based on the integrative similarity information, we cluster patient samples into different subtype groups. Comprehensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed approach obtains more significant results than the state-of-the-art integrative methods. In conclusion, our approach provides an effective and flexible tool to investigate subtypes in cancer by integrating multi-omics data.
OGC-to-W3C Services: A Wrapper-Based Solution for Geospatial Metadata Exchange
Authors: Giovanni Pasquale Di , Bertolotto Michela , Sebillo Monica , Vitiello Giuliana
Published: June 2018

When trying to compose services that are developed according to different standards, interoperability issues arise that are often faced by developing ad-hoc solutions. A typical example is represented by the composition of W3C and OGC services, which were developed more or less concurrently by independent organizations. In such a context, developing a wrapper that abstracts as much as possible the inner details and logic of a wrapped service well embraces the low-coupled nature of the general Service Oriented Computing paradigm. This paper focuses on the proper management of geospatial metadata into a W3C-based environment and is based on the development of a wrapper that exposes OGC functionality in a W3C-compliant way, thus overcoming the technical differences between the two types of services. To efficiently accomplish this task, a flexible, wrapper-based, and standard-compliant mechanism for metadata retrieval is proposed that avoids the use of third-party entities. The proposal exploits the scalable and adaptable nature of the WS-Metadata (Web Services Metadata) specification.
Gender and Age Differences in Social Inequality on Adolescent Life Satisfaction: A Comparative Analysis of Health Behaviour Data from 41 Countries
Authors: Zaborskis Apolinaras , Grincaite Monika
Published: June 2018

This study examined the gender and age differences in social inequality on life satisfaction among adolescents in 41 countries. Representative samples of adolescents aged 11–15 years from 41 countries were surveyed using the Health Behaviour Study among School-aged Children 2013/2014 (HBSC) questionnaire and research protocol. A Relative Index of Inequality (RII) estimated from the Poisson regression was employed to measure the level of social inequality. Family affluence was significantly positively associated with higher adolescent life satisfaction in nearly all countries (RII = 1.344; 95% confidence interval: 1.330–1.359). The average RII values for boys and girls were almost equal (1.318) and did not differ significantly across 11-, 13- and 15-year-old groups (1.373, 1.324 and 1.342, respectively). However, the gender and age differences in this association were controversial across countries. An analysis of data by countries revealed that among students from Israel, Italy and Ireland (in seven countries altogether), social inequality in life satisfaction (LS) was significantly greater for girls, while among students from Norway, the Republic of Moldova and the Czech Republic (in 20 countries altogether), social inequality in LS was significantly greater among boys; in 14 countries, the RII value did not significantly differ between boys and girls. Comparing social inequality in LS between 11- and 15-year-olds, in nine countries (e.g., Belgium-Flemish, Czech Republic, Netherlands) the RII was significantly greater among 15-year-olds, in 16 countries (e.g., Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Spain) the RII was significantly greater among 11-year-olds, and in 16 countries there were no significant differences in RII values. In conclusion, social inequality in adolescent LS differs between boys and girls and between age groups, providing substantial variation in these differences across countries.
dB/dt Evaluation in MRI Sites: Is ICNIRP Threshold Limit (for Workers) Exceeded?
Authors: Acri Giuseppe , Inferrera Patrizia , Denaro Lucia , Sansotta Carlo , Ruello Elisa , Anfuso Carmelo , Salmeri Francesca Maria , Garreffa Girolamo , Vermiglio Giuseppe , Testagrossa Barbara
Published: June 2018

The Directive 2013/35/EU establishes standards for workers exposed to static and time varying magnetic fields. These limits are based on ICNIRP guidelines expressed in terms of the electric field induced in the body. The complexity of this measurement led to theoretical models being developed. In this study, the experimental evaluation included varying magnetic field exposures for two classes of MRI workers. The measurements are conducted on four different MRI Systems including one 0.35 T, two 1.5 T, and one 3.0 T. Pocket magnetic dosimeters were used and it was carried out during routine conditions, emergency conditions, and cold-head maintenance/substitution. The acquired data has been processed and the corresponding dB/dt curves have been computed as the first time derivative of the dataset. The weighted peak approach was also implemented for the compliance assessment with regulatory limits. The dB/dt peak values have been compared with the reference level (RL) proposed by ICNIRP. The results show that the RL always exceeds during measurements on the 3.0 T scanner and sometimes on 1.5 T. In light of the foregoing, the diffusion of ultra-high field MRI scanners involves the introduction of behavioral rules that could be more useful than a numerical action level.
Aspects of Additional Psychiatric Disorders in Severe Depression/Melancholia: A Comparison between Suicides and Controls and General Pattern
Authors: Heu Ulrika , Bogren Mats , Wang August G. , Brådvik Louise
Published: June 2018

Objective: Additional and comorbid diagnoses are common among suicide victims with major depressive disorder (MDD) and have been shown to increase the suicide risk. The aim of the present study was first, to investigate whether patients with severe depression/melancholia who had died by suicide showed more additional psychiatric disorders than a matched control group. Second, general rates of comorbid and additional diagnoses in the total group of patients were estimated and compared with literature on MDD. Method: A blind record evaluation was performed on 100 suicide victims with severe depression/melancholia (MDD with melancholic and/or psychotic features: MDD-M/P) and matched controls admitted to the Department of Psychiatry, Lund, Sweden between 1956 and 1969 and monitored to 2010. Diagnoses in addition to severe depression were noted. Results: Less than half of both the suicides and controls had just one psychiatric disorder (47% in the suicide and 46% in the control group). The average number of diagnoses was 1.80 and 1.82, respectively. Additional diagnoses were not related to an increased suicide risk. Anxiety was the most common diagnosis. Occurrence of suspected schizophrenia/schizotypal or additional obsessive-compulsive symptoms were more common than expected, but alcohol use disorders did not appear very frequent. Conclusions: The known increased risk of suicide in MDD with comorbid/additional diagnoses does not seem to apply to persons with MDD-M/P (major depressive disorder-depression/Melancholia). Some diagnoses, such as schizophrenia/schizotypal disorders, were more frequent than expected, which is discussed, and a genetic overlap with MDD-M/P is proposed.
Psychiatric Emergencies of Asylum Seekers; Descriptive Analysis and Comparison with Immigrants of Warranted Residence
Authors: Schoretsanitis Georgios , Eisenhardt Sarah , Ricklin Meret E. , Srivastava David S. , Walther Sebastian , Exadaktylos Aristomenis
Published: June 2018

Background: The aim of our study was to assess utilization patterns of psychiatric services by asylum seekers. Methods: We included 119 adults who presented themselves at the University Emergency Department between 1 March 2012 and 1 January 2017 for psychiatric consultation. Descriptive data were compared with a control group of non-Swiss individuals with warranted residence permits using Mann-Whitney-U and chi square (χ2) tests. Results: Patients were mainly single, male, residing in reception centers, and presented themselves most frequently due to suicidal ideation. Almost 60% of the patients were assigned to inpatient treatments, with 28 involuntary cases. Compared to the control group, asylum seekers were younger and more often men (p < 0.001 for both). Further, they less often had family in Switzerland (χ2 = 9.91, p = 0.007). The proportion of patients coming in as walk-ins was significantly higher in the control group than in asylum seekers (χ2 = 37.0, p < 0.001). Asylum seekers were more frequently referred due to suicidal ideation and aggressive behavior than participants in the control group (χ2 = 80.07, p < 0.001). Diagnoses for asylum seekers infrequently included mood, as they often reported stress-related disorders (χ2 = 19.6, p = 0.021) and they were infrequently released home (χ2 = 9.19, p = 0.027). Conclusion: Asylum seekers more frequently demonstrated severe symptoms such as suicidal ideation and aggressive behavior and they were mainly treated as inpatients, potentially due to minimal social resources.
Changes of Ecosystem Service Value in a Coastal Zone of Zhejiang Province, China, during Rapid Urbanization
Authors: Cao Luodan , Li Jialin , Ye Mengyao , Pu Ruiliang , Liu Yongchao , Guo Qiandong , Feng Baixiang , Song Xiayun
Published: June 2018

Gains and losses in ecosystem service values (ESV) in coastal zones in Zhejiang Province during rapid urbanization were analyzed in terms of land-use changes. Decision-making on coastal development based on ESV estimation is significant for the sustainable utilization of coastal resource. In this study, coastal land-use changes in Zhejiang Province during rapid urbanization were discussed based on remote-sensing derived land-use maps created in the years 1990, 2000 and 2010. The ESV changes in coastal zones in Zhejiang Province from 1990 to 2010 were estimated by using the established ESV estimation model. The analysis results demonstrate the following: (1) with the continuous acceleration of urbanization, land-use types in coastal zones in Zhejiang Province changed significantly from 1990 to 2010, demonstrated by considerable growth of urban construction land and reduction of forest land and farmland; (2) in the study period, the total ESV in coastal zones in Zhejiang Province continuously decreased in value from RMB 35.278 billion to 29.964 billion, a reduction of 15.06%; (3) in terms of the spatial distribution of ESV, the ESVs in coastal zones in Zhejiang Province were generally converted from a higher ESV to a lower ESV; (4) estimates of ESV for the three years 1990, 2000 and 2010 appear to be relatively stable; and (5) land-use intensity in coastal zones in Zhejiang Province continuously increased during the 20 years. The spatial distribution of land-use intensity was consistent with that of the ESV change rate. Disordered land-use changes from forestland and farmland to urban construction land was a major cause of ESV loss.