bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Computing Offloading Game for Mobile Devices and Edge Cloud Servers
Authors: Li Meiwen , Wu Qingtao , Zhu Junlong , Zheng Ruijuan , Zhang Mingchuan
Published: December 2018

Computing offloading of mobile devices (MDs) through cloud is a greatly effective way to solve the problem of local resource constraints. However, cloud servers are usually located far away from MDs leading to a long response time. To this end, edge cloud servers (ECSs) provide a shorter response time due to being closer to MDs. In this paper, we propose a computing offloading game for MDs and ECSs. We prove the existence of a Stackelberg equilibrium in the game. In addition, we propose two algorithms, F‐SGA and C‐SGA, for delay‐sensitive and compute‐intensive applications, respectively. Moreover, the response time is reduced by F‐SGA, which makes decisions quickly. An optimal decision is obtained by C‐SGA, which achieves the equilibrium. Both algorithms above proposed can adjust the computing resource and utility of system users according to parameters control in computing offloading. The simulation results show that the game significantly saves the computing resources and response time of both the MD and the ECSs during the computing offloading process.
Experimental Study and Simulation Analysis on Electromagnetic Characteristics and Dynamic Response of a New Miniature Digital Valve
Authors: Yang Meisheng , Zhang Junhui , Xu Bing
Published: December 2018

In order to get the better electromagnetic characteristics of the micro digital valve, the larger electromagnetic force should be obtained in the smaller electromagnetic structure. The electromagnetic force directly determines the electromagnetic properties of the miniature digital valve. The electromagnetic force test is studied in the paper. The results of electromagnetic simulation results are basically consistent with the experimental results. The simulation model is reliable and accurate. The dynamic simulation results show that the dynamic characteristics of the miniature digital valve meet the requirements of the digital hydraulic technology. Design of the new micro digital valve is reasonable.
Localization of Large‐Scale Wireless Sensor Networks Using Niching Particle Swarm Optimization and Reliable Anchor Selection
Authors: Cui Huanqing , Liang Yongquan , Zhou Chuanai , Cao Ning
Published: December 2018

Due to uneven deployment of anchor nodes in large‐scale wireless sensor networks, localization performance is seriously affected by two problems. The first is that some unknown nodes lack enough noncollinear neighbouring anchors to localize themselves accurately. The second is that some unknown nodes have many neighbouring anchors to bring great computing burden during localization. This paper proposes a localization algorithm which combined niching particle swarm optimization and reliable reference node selection in order to solve these problems. For the first problem, the proposed algorithm selects the most reliable neighbouring localized nodes as the reference in localization and using niching idea to cope with localization ambiguity problem resulting from collinear anchors. For the second problem, the algorithm utilizes three criteria to choose a minimum set of reliable neighbouring anchors to localize an unknown node. Three criteria are given to choose reliable neighbouring anchors or localized nodes when localizing an unknown node, including distance, angle, and localization precision. The proposed algorithm has been compared with some existing range‐based and distributed algorithms, and the results show that the proposed algorithm achieves higher localization accuracy with less time complexity than the current PSO‐based localization algorithms and performs well for wireless sensor networks with coverage holes.
Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System Based Path Planning for Excavator Arm
Authors: Vu Nga Thi-Thuy , Tran Nam Phuong , Nguyen Nam Hoai
Published: December 2018

This paper presents a scheme based on Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference Systems (ANFIS) to generate trajectory for excavator arm. Firstly, the trajectory is predesigned with some specific points in the work space to meet the requirements about the shape. Next, the inverse kinematic is used and optimization problems are solved to generate the via-points in the joint space. These via-points are used as training set for ANFIS to synthesis the smooth curve. In this scheme, the outcome trajectory satisfies the requirements about both shape and optimization problems. Moreover, the algorithm is simple in calculation as the numbers of via-points are large. Finally, the simulation is done for two cases to test the effect of ANFIS structure on the generated trajectory. The simulation results demonstrate that, by using suitable structure of ANFIS, the proposed scheme can build the smooth trajectory which has the good matching with desired trajectory even that the desired trajectory has the complicated shape.
Commutators of Square Functions Related to Fractional Differentiation for Second-Order Elliptic Operators
Authors: Wu Xiongtao , Tao Wenyu , Chen Yanping , Zhu Kai
Published: December 2018

Let L=-div(A∇) be a second-order divergence form elliptic operator, where A is an accretive n×n matrix with bounded measurable complex coefficients in Rn. In this paper, we mainly establish the Lp boundedness for the commutators generated by b∈Iα(BMO) and the square function related to fractional differentiation for second-order elliptic operators.
Improving I/O Efficiency in Hadoop-Based Massive Data Analysis Programs
Authors: Lee Kyong-Ha , Kang Woo Lam , Suh Young-Kyoon
Published: December 2018

Apache Hadoop has been a popular parallel processing tool in the era of big data. While practitioners have rewritten many conventional analysis algorithms to make them customized to Hadoop, the issue of inefficient I/O in Hadoop-based programs has been repeatedly reported in the literature. In this article, we address the problem of the I/O inefficiency in Hadoop-based massive data analysis by introducing our efficient modification of Hadoop. We first incorporate a columnar data layout into the conventional Hadoop framework, without any modification of the Hadoop internals. We also provide Hadoop with indexing capability to save a huge amount of I/O while processing not only selection predicates but also star-join queries that are often used in many analysis tasks.
Performance Evaluation of a Micro Off-Grid Solar Energy Generator for Islandic Agricultural Farm Operations Using HOMER
Authors: Querikiol Edward M. , Taboada Evelyn B.
Published: December 2018

A study was conducted to evaluate the performance of a 1.5 kW micro off-grid solar power generator in a 2-hectare area of a 23-hectare agricultural farm located in Camotes Island, Cebu, Philippines (10°39.4′ N, 124°20.9′ E). The area requires at least 3000 liters of water every day to irrigate its plantation of passion fruit and dragon fruit; however, there is no water source within the immediate vicinity that can support such requirement. A 1/2 horsepower water pump was installed to provide the required irrigation. A 1.5 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system consisting of 6 units of 250-watts solar PV panel with corresponding 6 units of 200 ampere-hour deep cycle batteries managed by a 3-kW industrial grade inverter provided the power for the water pump and supplied for the electricity demand of the farm. The actual energy usage of the farm was measured from the built-in monitoring of the charge controller and the installed system was analyzed to determine its efficiency in meeting the actual load demand. The HOMER optimization tool was used to determine the optimal configuration for the micro off-grid system based on the actual load demand. Simulation results showed that the optimum configuration that could supply the actual load is a 2.63 kW all-PV system with 8 kWh batteries. Sensitivity analysis was done to consider (1) possible increase in electrical load when the current plantation expands either in progression or outright to its full-scale size of 23 hectares and (2) variations in fuel cost. This study can be considered a good model in assessing renewable energy needs of farms in the country, which can be operationalized for agricultural purposes.
Combining DBN and FCM for Fault Diagnosis of Roller Element Bearings without Using Data Labels
Authors: Xu Fan , Fang Yan jun , Wang Dong , Liang Jia qi , Tsui Kwok Leung
Published: December 2018

Because deep belief networks (DBNs) in deep learning have a powerful ability to extract useful information from the raw data without prior knowledge, DBNs are used to extract the useful feature from the roller bearings vibration signals. Unlike classification methods, the clustering method can classify the different fault types without data label. Therefore, a method based on deep belief networks (DBNs) in deep learning (DL) and fuzzy C‐means (FCM) clustering algorithm for roller bearings fault diagnosis without a data label is presented in this paper. Firstly, the roller bearings vibration signals are extracted by using DBN, and then principal component analysis (PCA) is used to reduce the dimension of the vibration signal features. Secondly, the first two principal components (PCs) are selected as the input of fuzzy C‐means (FCM) for roller bearings fault identification. Finally, the experimental results show that the fault diagnosis of the method presented is better than that of other combination models, such as variation mode decomposition‐ (VMD‐) singular value decomposition‐ (SVD‐) FCM, and ensemble empirical mode decomposition‐ (EEMD‐) fuzzy entropy‐ (FE‐) PCA‐FCM.
The Content Validity of the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI)
Authors: Shariati Behnam , Keshavarz-Akhlaghi Amir-Abbas , Mohammadzadeh Arash , Seddigh Ruohollah
Published: December 2018

Aims. The present study investigates content validity of the open-ended items in Cultural Formulation Interview in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Methods. After translating into Persian and assessing the content validity of the items and their modification by psychiatrists, the questionnaire was translated back into English by two translators and then retranslated into Persian. The final Persian version and its back-translation were submitted for approval to the DSM-5 design workshop in the United States. After obtaining the group’s approval on the back-translation and permission to use the questionnaire, samples were distributed among panel members and the content validity of the questionnaire was thus examined. Results. The content validity index (CVI) of cultural formulation interview was 0.51 and all the items were acceptable although some, especially those on the cultural perception of the context and the cultural factors affecting current help-seeking, had lower content validity ratios (CVR). Conclusion. The cultural formulation interview seems to have an overall acceptable content validity although it is weak and thus needs further studies in relation to the two domains of the cultural perception of the context and the cultural factors affecting help-seeking in the Iranian population.
Zirconium‐Porphyrin PCN‐222: pH‐responsive Controlled Anticancer Drug Oridonin
Authors: Leng Xin , Huang Hongliang , Wang Wenping , Sai Na , You Longtai , Yin Xingbin , Ni Jian
Published: December 2018

Drug delivery carriers with a high drug loading capacity and biocompatibility, especially for controlled drug release, are urgently needed due to the side effects and frequent dose in the traditional therapeutic method. Guided by nanomaterials, we have successfully synthesized zirconium‐based metal−organic frameworks, Zr‐TCPP (TCPP: tetrakis (4‐carboxyphenyl) porphyrin), namely, PCN‐222, which is synthesized by solvothermal method. And it has been designed as a drug delivery system (DDS) with a high drug loading of 38.77 wt%. In our work, PCN‐222 has achieved pH‐sensitive drug release and showed comprehensive SEM, TEM, PXRD, DSC, FTIR, and N2 adsorption‐desorption. The low cytotoxicity and good biocompatibility of PCN‐222 were certificated by the in vitro results from an MTT assay, DAPI staining, and Annexin V/PI double‐staining even cultivated L02 cells and HepG2 cells for 48h. Furthermore, Oridonin, a commonly used cancer chemotherapy drug, is adsorbed into PCN‐222 via the solvent diffusion technique. Based on an analysis of the Oridonin release profile, results suggest that it can last for more than 7 days in vitro. And cumulative release rate of Ori at the 7 d was about 86.29% and 63.23% in PBS (pH 5.5 and pH 7.2, respectively) at 37°C. HepG2 cells were chosen to research the cytotoxicity of PCN‐222@Ori and free Oridonin. The results demonstrated that the PCN‐222@Ori nanocarrier shows higher cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells compared to Oridonin.
Long-Term Optical and Spectral Variability of FSRQ 3C454.3
Authors: Yuan Yu-Hai , Chen Ze-Xuan , He Yong-Xuan
Published: December 2018

3C454.3 is a widely studied and monitored flat spectrum radio quasar. We use the observations from the Small and Moderate Aperture Research Telescope System (SMARTS) to analyze the long-term optical and spectral variabilities of 3C454.3 at B, V, R, J, and K (BVRJK) bands. Based on the relation: Fν∝ν-α, we calculate the multiband spectral indices (α) and analyze the relations between α and Fν, where Fν is the flux density at ν band (ν=B, V, R, J, K). Main results are as follows. (1) The largest variations at BVRJK bands are ΔB = 3.37±0.08 mag, with the timescale ΔTB≈ 1015 days, at B band; ΔV = 3.31±0.07 mag, with the timescale ΔTV≈ 1014 days, at V band; ΔR = 3.62±0.12 mag, with the timescale ΔTR≈ 679 days, at R band; ΔJ = 4.08±0.01 mag, with the timescale ΔTJ≈ 763 days, at J band; and ΔK = 5.03±0.03 mag, with the timescale ΔTK≈ 2715 days, at K band. (2) We analyze the long-term BVRJK lightcurves and obtain the quasiperiodicities: P1=86.92±2.21 days, P2=204±8.1 days, and P3=1.24±0.19 years. (3) Multiband lightcurves show time delays: τVB = 0.15±0.12 days, τRB = 0.37±0.28 days, τJB = 0.58±0.40 days, and τKB = 1.02±0.47 days. (4) The relations between α and Fν show strong correlations, which are typical RWB behaviors; when the source turns to be brighter, the spectral indices turn to be redder.
Understanding the Influence of Wireless Communications and Wi‐Fi Access on Customer Loyalty: A Behavioral Model System
Authors: Reyes-Menendez Ana , Palos-Sanchez Pedro R. , Saura Jose Ramon , Martin-Velicia Felix
Published: December 2018

New technologies offer new possibilities to better understand complex consumer behavior points of sale. The data obtained using wireless communications and Wi‐Fi services available in restaurants and catering companies make it possible to acquire in‐depth knowledge on consumer behavior complexity. In the present study, the PLS‐SEM analysis was used to analyze the impact of free wireless communications and Wi‐Fi access on customer loyalty. Our results demonstrate that client satisfaction with wireless communications and Wi‐Fi access networks services has a direct impact on customer loyalty. Therefore, wireless communications and Wi‐Fi networks and technologies available at the points of sale should be updated in order to better meet customers’ expectations.
Clinical Pharmacology of Citrus aurantium and Citrus sinensis for the Treatment of Anxiety
Authors: Mannucci Carmen , Calapai Fabrizio , Cardia Luigi , Inferrera Giuseppina , D’Arena Giovanni , Di Pietro Martina , Navarra Michele , Gangemi Sebastiano , Ventura Spagnolo Elvira , Calapai Gioacchino
Published: December 2018

Objective. The aim of this review is to analyze preclinical and clinical studies investigating the anxiety effects of Citrus aurantium or Citrus sinensis essential oils (EOs). Design. The bibliographic research was made on the major scientific databases. Analysis included only articles written in English and published on peer‐reviewed scientific journals describing preclinical experiments and clinical trials carried out to investigate the antianxiety effects of Citrus aurantium or Citrus sinensis EOs on anxiety disorders. Clinical studies reporting the antianxiety effects of products containing Citrus aurantium or Citrus sinensis EOs in combination with other active substances, including medicinal plants, were excluded. Nine clinical studies fulfilled the criteria adopted for analysis. Results. Data show that Citrus aurantium or Citrus sinensis EOs produce anxiolytic effects both in preclinical experiments and in different clinical conditions. Citrus aurantium EO aromatherapy reduced anxiety level in the great part of stress conditions studied (subjects affected by chronic myeloid leukemia and preoperative patients) except for a sample of patients subjected to colonoscopy. Exposition to Citrus sinensis EO in clinical studies shows to be positive in reducing anxiety level in patients waiting for dental treatment as well as in healthy volunteers submitted to an anxiogenic situation. Conclusions. Overview of clinical trials conducted with Citrus aurantium or Citrus sinensis on people with anxiety showed that inhalation or oral administration of Citrus aurantium and inhalation of Citrus sinensis can exert beneficial effects on anxiety; however, because of incomplete accuracy in the reporting of methodology, further more complete clinical studies are warranted.
Might the Mothers of Premature Babies Feed Them and Devote Some Milk to the Milk Bank?
Authors: Quitadamo Pasqua Anna , Palumbo Giuseppina , Cianti Liliana , Napolitano Matteo Luigi , Coviello Ciro , Lurdo Paola , Copetti Massimiliano , Gentile Maria Assunta , Cristalli Pierpaolo
Published: December 2018

The breast milk is the gold standard food for the feeding of the premature baby: it is the natural way to provide excellent nutritional, immunological, and biological nutriment so as to facilitate a healthy growth and the development of the infants. When the breast milk is not available, the alternative is represented by the donated milk. The mothers of premature infants are important opportunity if we consider the fact that they could devote some milk both because they provide a food which is closer to the needs of the vulnerable category of newborns and because it is, for the mothers, a way to overcome the detachment and the psychological trauma of a premature birth. There are no data on this kind of donation. The aim of the study is to evaluate the contribution of the milk donation to the HMB of CSS by women who gave birth to premature infants of gestational age <35 weeks and to analyze the macronutrient composition of the “preterm” donated milk. The CSS HMB has recruited 659 donors totalling 2236 liters of donated milk over a period of 7 years. 38 donors (5.7%) gave birth to a gestational age <35 weeks. Almost 20% of the donated milk comes from mothers of premature babies and this is a very important fact because it shows the huge potential belonging to this category of mothers. Taking into account the parameter regarding the birth weight, it was found that VLBW mothers contributed for 56% to preterm donation while ELBW mothers contributed for 41%. By evaluating the variable gestational age, about 40% of the average total donation derives from mothers who gave birth before the 25 weeks, while a contribution of 46% is attributable to the category of newborns with a GA between 25 and 32 weeks. Besides, some other exceptional examples can be outlined. Regarding the correlation analysis DM resulted in negative correlation with GA weeks (r=-0.31, p=0.058) and with BW g (r=-0.30, p=0.068) achieving values which are very close to the significance. The comparison between the donor volume averages of the preterm and full-term groups is statistically significant. The composition data are in line with the literature: there is an increase by 18 % in the protein component of the milk deriving from the mothers of the premature infants; the gap in carbohydrates is less significant (5-6%) and the gap in calories is similarly low being only 2% higher than the single donor milk and 11% more than the pooled milk. The data on the lipids line up to single donor term milk, while it grows by 24% compared to the pooled one. The study shows that even at very low or extreme gestational age it is possible to obtain an appropriate production of breast milk. This awareness becomes a fundamental starting point for the activation in a standardized way of all the strategies of promotion and support of food that have proven effective with the HM in NICU.
Algebra Properties in Fourier-Besov Spaces and Their Applications
Authors: Zhou Xuhuan , Xiao Weiliang
Published: December 2018

We estimate the norm of the product of two scale functions in Fourier-Besov spaces. As applications of these algebra properties, we establish the global well-posedness for small initial data and local well-posedness for large initial data of the generalized Navier-Stokes equations. Particularly, we give a blow-up criterion of the solutions in Fourier-Besov spaces as well as a space analyticity of Gevrey regularity.
School Choice in a Market Environment: Individual versus Social Expectations
Authors: Canals Catalina , Goles Eric , Mascareño Aldo , Rica Sergio , Ruz Gonzalo A.
Published: December 2018

School choice is a key factor connecting personal preferences (beliefs, desires, and needs) and school offer in education markets. While it is assumed that preferences are highly individualistic forms of expectations by means of which parents select schools satisfying their internal moral standards, this paper argues that a better matching between parental preferences and school offer is achieved when individuals take into account their relevant network vicinity, thereby constructing social expectations regarding school choice. We develop two related models (individual expectations and social expectations) and prove that they are driven by a Lyapunov function, obtaining that both models converge to fixed points. Also, we assess their performance by conducting computational simulations. While the individual expectations model shows a probabilistic transition and a critical threshold below which preferences concentrate in a few schools and a significant amount of students is left unattended by the school offer, the social expectations model presents a smooth dynamics in which most of the schools have students all the time and no students are left out. We discuss our results considering key topics of the empirical research on school choice in educational market environments and conclude that social expectations contribute to improve information and lead to a better matching between school offer and parental preferences.
Diagnosis and Treatment in a Tertiary Hospital of a Series of Complex Genital Malformations Corresponding to Double Uterus with Obstructed Hemivagina and Ipsilateral Renal Agenesis
Authors: Troncon Júlia Kefalás , Rosa-e-Silva Júlio César , Miranda Rayssa , Candido-dos-Reis Francisco José , Poli-Neto Omero Benedicto , Nogueira Antônio Alberto
Published: December 2018

Aim. To evaluate the clinical features, diagnostic routine, treatment, and prognosis of patients with double uterus with obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis at a University Hospital. Methods. A retrospective study analyzing the medical charts of outpatients with similar complex genital malformations seen at the University Hospital of the Ribeirão Preto Medical School from 1994 to 2015. Results. Fourteen patients were included in this retrospective study, all presenting with double uterus with obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis. The main symptom was dysmenorrhea occurring shortly after menarche, and pelvic ultrasound was the examination of choice. The treatment consisted of resection of the vaginal septum, complemented by an abdominal approach in 5 cases. Complications of the syndrome observed in this case series included severe endometriosis, pelvic abscess, need for hysterectomy, and salpingectomy. Conclusions. Severe dysmenorrhea shortly after menarche is a typical symptom of this kind of malformation, even though the diagnosis of patients who present with fistulization of the vaginal septum can be delayed due to milder clinical features. Pelvic ultrasound can be considered the first-choice examination in diagnostic routine. Relief of pain and prevention of complications can be achieved successfully in most cases by resection of the vaginal septum.
Development of a New Sequential Extraction Procedure of Nickel Species on Workplace Airborne Particulate Matter: Assessing the Occupational Exposure to Carcinogenic Metal Species
Authors: Simona Catalani , Jacopo Fostinelli , Maria Enrica Gilberti , Francesca Orlandi , Riccardo Magarini , Matteo Paganelli , Egidio Madeo , Giuseppe De Palma
Published: December 2018

Nickel (Ni) compounds and metallic Ni have many industrial and commercial applications, including their use in the manufacturing of stainless steel. Due to the specific toxicological properties of the different Ni species, there is a growing interest about the availability of analytical methods that allow specific risk assessment, particularly related to exposure to the Ni species classified as carcinogenic. In this paper, we described a speciation method of inorganic Ni compounds in airborne particulate matter, based on selective sequential extractions. The analytical method described in this paper allows the determination of soluble, sulfidic, metallic, and oxide Ni by a simple sequential extraction procedure and determination by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy using small volumes of solutions and without long evaporation phases. The method has been initially set up on standard laboratory mixtures of known concentrations of different Ni salts. Then it has then been tested on airborne particulate matter (powder and filters) collected in different workstations of a large stainless steel production facility. The method has occurred effectively in the comparison of the obtained results with occupational exposure limit values set by the main international scientific and regulatory agencies for occupational safety and health, in order to prevent both toxic and carcinogenic effects in humans.
Internal Structure of a Jet Nozzle for Coalbed Methane Mining Based on Airfoil Curves
Authors: Chen Jian , Guo Liwen , Hu Yanwei , Chen Yong
Published: December 2018

Based on airfoil curves that can effectively balance the rectification and drag reduction effects in flight hydrodynamics, we designed an internal streamline structure of jet nozzle for coalbed methane (CBM) mining. The three types of nozzles originating from three typical airfoil curves are compared with the conical nozzle. Results showed that the thin‐type streamlined nozzle had the largest effective shock range and least radial divergence and was thus selected as the best nozzle. Moreover, the pressure distribution at the outlet of the nozzle was found to be related to the range and number of small‐pressure fluctuations near the wall. A larger number of small‐pressure fluctuations and a larger range caused faster pressure of the jet water column to decay along the axial direction. Rectification with a concentrated effect also slowed down the attenuation velocity of the jet‐water‐column pressure between the concentration point and the nozzle. The variation rule of shock pressure with range was further determined experimentally. We found that the shock pressure of jet water column initially increased within a short distance and then decreased rapidly. The effective shock range of the thin‐type streamlined nozzle in air was 1.417 times that of the conical nozzle, and the effective reaming area was 1.104 times greater. Thus, the effect of reaming was effectively improved. The length of the water column at high pressure was larger than that of the conical nozzle, and the shock efficiency was relatively high.
Oxidative Stress in Women Treated with Atosiban for Impending Preterm Birth
Authors: Grzesiak Mariusz , Gaj Zuzanna , Kocyłowski Rafał , Suliburska Joanna , Oszukowski Przemysław , Horzelski Wojciech , von Kaisenberg Constantin , Banach Maciej
Published: December 2018

Preterm birth is defined as delivery before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy, and it is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Oxidative stress is recognized as an important factor in the pathogenesis of premature labor. We conducted this analysis to investigate the safety of administration of the tocolytic drug Atosiban—a reversible, competitive antagonist of the oxytocin receptor in the treatment of preterm birth and its impact on the level of oxidative stress in pregnant women after 48 hours of tocolytic treatment. This prospective study was conducted between March 2016 and August 2017 at the Obstetric Clinic of the Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital Research Institute. Total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) values as well as 3‐nitrotyrosine, carbonyl, and thiol group levels were measured using an ELISA test in serum and plasma of 56 pregnant women before and after 48 hours of continuous administration of Atosiban. We found that TAS levels decreased almost twice after the 48‐hour drug administration (0.936 ± 0.360 mmol/L vs. 0.582 ± 0.305 mmol/L, P < 0.001) while TOS increased from 18.217 ± 16.093 μmol/L to 30.442 ± 30.578 μmol/L (P < 0.001). We also found a significant increase in OSI index—almost a threefold increase from 0.022 ± 0.022 to 0.075 ± 0.085, P < 0.001. In addition, statistically significant differences in the level of carbonyl groups were found. It increased from 65.358 ± 31.332 μmol/L to 97.982 ± 38.047 μmol/L (P < 0.001), which indicates increased oxidation of plasma proteins. Furthermore, patients who gave birth prematurely had higher levels of TOS after a 48‐hour drug administration than the second group with labor after 37 weeks of pregnancy (42.803 ± 34.683 μmol/L vs. 25.792 ± 27.821 μmol/L, P < 0.031). The obtained results clearly indicate that pregnant women during tocolytic treatment with Atosiban are in a state of increased oxidative stress and occurrence of preterm birth can be associated with this phenomenon. This trial is registered with NCT03570294.
Development and Complex Dynamics at School Environment
Authors: Fuentes Miguel Angel , Cárdenas Juan Pablo , Carro Natalia , Lozada Mariana
Published: December 2018

In this work we use complex systems methodologies to analyze quantitatively the impact of an intervention involving cooperative and self‐awareness activities on social interactions in children. The aim of this study is to evaluate behavioral plasticity of social relationships between peers in 6‐7 year‐olds who participated in the intervention conducted in a school context. The intervention consisted of 8 one‐hour long sessions comprising mindfulness‐based practices, collaborative activities that required cooperation, and perspective‐taking instances in which children shared feelings, perceptions, and needs felt during the activities. We used complex network and game theory to evaluate pre‐post‐intervention variations. Social relationship was analyzed with a sociogram in both the intervention group and a control group which continued with regular classes. By means of the sociometric questionnaire we asked each child to mention which classmates he/she would choose as playmates and which he/she would not. Changes in the number of peers selected and rejected reflected changes in the pattern of social relationships pre‐post‐intervention. Our findings show that participating in the intervention positively modulated social interactions since we found an increase in the diversity and quality of positive links and a reduction in negative ones; a higher level of integration, indicated by enhanced positive networks where children with many positive connections tended to connect with those with few links; and more positive interactions between genders. These findings were not observed in the control group. Through the use of the mentioned methodologies, the current investigation provides new quantitative evidence of social network plasticity in children, an important topic which, to our knowledge, has been little studied. Results from this work indicate that positive transformations in social relationships can be fostered through the performance of this kind of intervention.
Intraoperative Blood Loss during Induced Abortion: A Comparison of Anesthetics
Authors: Clare Camille A. , Hatton Gabrielle E. , Shrestha Neela , Girshin Michael , Broumas Andre , Carmel Danielle , Inchiosa Mario A.
Published: December 2018

Objective. To determine whether there is a difference in intraoperative bleeding with inhalational versus noninhalational anesthetic agents for patients undergoing suction dilatation and curettage for first-trimester induced abortion.Methods. This is an IRB-approved retrospective chart review of the electronic medical records of patients undergoing induced abortion at gestational ages between 5 0/7 and 14 0/7 weeks of pregnancy at the New York City Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan. The records of 138 patients who underwent suction dilatation and curettage for induced abortion between June 2012 and June 2014 were reviewed for an association between anesthetic technique and intraoperative hemorrhage. Twenty patients received inhalational anesthetic agents, while 118 received intravenous anesthetics. Blood loss was estimated by the operating gynecologists.Results. The mean intraoperative blood loss for inhalational anesthetics (113.6 ml) was significantly higher than with noninhalational agents (40.2 ml) (p=0.007). Age, body mass index, and gestational age were not statistically different between the groups; the number of methylergonovine doses at induced abortion trended higher with inhalation anesthetics.Conclusions. The difference in blood loss between the two types of anesthetic techniques was statistically significant. These findings may be important for patients with significant anemia or at an increased risk of bleeding, such as those with unrecognized coagulopathies.
Assessing Customer Satisfaction of Urban Rail Transit Network in Tianjin Based on Intuitionistic Fuzzy Group Decision Model
Authors: Wang Yuning , Zhang Zhe , Sun Hui
Published: December 2018

Urban rail transit has played an important role in big and crowded cities. Providing services with high levels of customer satisfaction is essential in order to increase the sharing rate of urban rail transit and to reduce traffic congestion by shifting people away from private car use. Therefore, it is of great significance to improve the customer satisfaction of urban rail transit. This paper presents an intuitionistic fuzzy group decision model to evaluate the customer satisfaction of urban rail transit. An evaluation indicator system including seven categories of indicators is established to measure passengers’ satisfaction. The overall customer satisfaction level of the urban rail transit lines is obtained by the intuitionistic fuzzy entropy and intuitionistic fuzzy weighted average (IFWA) operator. The intuitionistic fuzzy entropy is used to solve attribute weights and IFWA operator is used to solve the information aggregation. Drawing on Tianjin urban rail transit lines as a case study, the detailed analyses were conducted to evaluate the overall customer satisfaction level of five urban rail transit lines and as such suggesting remedy strategies. The results can help urban rail transit operation company to improve the service quality of urban rail transit.
A Method for Estimating Dominant Acoustic Backscatter Mechanism of Water-Seabed Interface via Relative Entropy Estimation
Authors: Zou Bo , Zhai Jingsheng , Xu Jian , Li Zhaoxing , Gao Sunpei
Published: December 2018

It is important to distinguish the dominant mechanism of seabed acoustic scattering for the quantitative inversion of seabed parameters. An identification scheme is proposed based on Bayesian inversion with the relative entropy used to estimate dominant acoustic backscatter mechanism. DiffeRential Evolution Adaptive Metropolis is used to obtain samples from posterior probability density in Bayesian inversion. Three mechanisms for seabed scattering are considered: scattering from a rough water-seabed interface, scattering from volume heterogeneities, and mixed scattering from both interface roughness and volume heterogeneities. Roughness scattering and volume scattering are modelled based on Fluid Theories using Small-Slope Approximation and Small-Perturbation Fluid Approximation, respectively. The identification scheme is applied to three simulated observation data sets. The results indicate that the scheme is promising and appears capable of distinguishing sediment volume from interface roughness scattering and can correctly identify the dominant acoustic backscatter mechanism.
Study on Catastrophe Instability of Support System in Gypsum Goaf Based on Energy Dissipation Theory
Authors: Zhou Yuejin , Xu Xiaoding , Li Xiaotong , Li Meng , Yang Yugui
Published: December 2018

The stability of the goaf support system is the key to safe production in gypsum mines. Therefore, this study constructed a pillar‐beam support system which contained pillar plastic zones. In this support system, the beam and pillar were taken as energy releaser and energy dissipater, respectively. Through establishing a cusp catastrophe model based on energy theory, the new criterion for instability was obtained which is related with geometric stiffness and system energy dissipation. The results indicate the instability of the support system is caused by the incompatibility of energy release, dissipation, and geometric deformation. When K > 1, the energy released by the support system is compatible with geometric deformation. The support system experiences a quasistatic process from the static state in bottom page to the static state in top page along Path I. When K < 1, the energy released by the support system cannot be in tune with geometric deformation. The support system experiences a catastrophe process along Path II. The evolution from the static state in bottom page to the static state in top page is not progressive, but catastrophic. The redundant energy released in this process leads to mechanical instability of the support system. This study provided theoretical foundation for the mining and treatment of mines. Based on actual engineering examples, the sensitivity of the geometric parameters of the support system was analyzed as well. These parameters are ranked by their sensitivity from high to low, as is shown below: beam thickness, plastic zone width, room span, pillar width, and pillar height. Then, the goaf was classified according to the geometric parameters. Energy catastrophe theory was applied to analyze the stability of the support system in different classes of goaf. The analysis results showed that Class D goaf should be labeled as the unstable zone, which was consistent with the result of field research. To conclude, energy catastrophe theory can be used to demonstrate the nonlinear mechanical mechanism of support system instability in room‐pillar mining goaf.
Structural and Optical Studies of Cadmium Sulfide Quantum Dot-Graphene Oxide-Chitosan Nanocomposite Thin Film as a Novel SPR Spectroscopy Active Layer
Authors: Saleviter Silvan , Fen Yap Wing , Omar Nur Alia Sheh , Daniyal Wan Mohd Ebtisyam Mustaqim Mohd , Abdullah Jaafar , Zaid Mohd Hazani Mat
Published: December 2018

The aim of this study is to prepare and study the cadmium sulfide quantum dot-graphene oxide-chitosan composite thin film. This composite material was coated on top of the gold layer by a spin-coating technique as a modification of the active layer for metal ion sensing using surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPR). The composite material was prepared using a simple wet solution mixing method. An atomic force microscope (AFM) shows that the addition of GO increased the roughness of the composite thin film and the presence of CdS QDs cannot be observed as the size of the QDs are very small. The morphology of the nanocomposite material was observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). From the TEM images, it is observed that the materials mixed to form a nanocomposite material. The optical properties of the thin film via UV-Vis spectroscopy shows that the absorbance peaks of the thin film can be observed around 220 nm to near 300 nm, and the band gaps are around 4.0 eV. Lastly, the prepared thin film was tested as an active layer for metal ion detection via surface plasmon resonance (SPR), where the angle shift was observed to show that the prepared thin film has high potential for Co2+ ion detection.
Role of Plasmapheresis and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in the Treatment of Leptospirosis Complicated with Pulmonary Hemorrhages
Authors: Fonseka C. L. , Lekamwasam S.
Published: December 2018

Introduction. Leptospirosis is an emerging infectious disease associated with multiorgan involvement and significant morbidity and mortality. Although pulmonary hemorrhage due to leptospirosis has a high fatality, specific treatment options are limited and their efficacy is not adequately proven. We opted to find out the current evidence on plasmapheresis and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in pulmonary hemorrhages due to leptospirosis. Methods. The first search was conducted in PubMed, OVID, Google Scholar, and Cochrane clinical trial registry using keywords “leptospirosis” OR “Leptospira” OR “Weil’s disease” AND “plasmapheresis” OR “plasma exchange” AND “pulmonary hemorrhage” OR “alveolar hemorrhage” OR “lung hemorrhage” and the second search was done using keyword “leptospirosis” OR “Leptospira” OR “Weil’s disease” AND “ECMO” OR “Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.” The searches were not limited by study design or the date of publication. Only articles written in English were reviewed. Although we intended to include only clinical trials, it was decided later to include other information such as case reports and case series which addressed these treatment modalities. Two authors selected articles independently in a blinded manner using a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria and discrepancies were solved after discussions. Results. The information found was very limited. This included one clinical trial which showed a significant survival benefit with plasmapheresis but the study design had many limitations. Two case reports described the benefit of plasmapheresis in severe leptospirosis with pulmonary hemorrhages. There were eight case reports where ECMO was performed and out of all only one patient has died. One retrospective study on patients with severe leptospirosis mentioned that four out of five patients with pulmonary hemorrhages survived after being treated with ECMO. Conclusions. Current evidence is insufficient to recommend the routine use of plasmapheresis or ECMO for patients presenting with pulmonary hemorrhages due to leptospirosis. ECMO may be a promising mode of treatment in acute respiratory failure in leptospirosis related pulmonary hemorrhages. These treatment modalities, however, can be applied based on the availability of resources and expertise at the discretion of the clinician in charge, considering patient related factors such as cardiovascular stability and derangement of coagulation profile. Clinical trials conducted adhering to standard procedures are urgently required to establish the efficacy of these treatment modalities.
Probability‐Based Sensitivity of Service Life of Chloride‐Attacked Concrete Structures with Multiple Cover Concrete Repairs
Authors: Petcherdchoo Aruz
Published: December 2018

This paper presents probabilistic and sensitivity analysis of service life (or time to repairs) for attaining corrosion‐free condition of concrete structures under chloride attack. Four groups of probabilistic parameters are determined, i.e., (1) time‐dependent chloride content, (2) mean and median of corrosion initiation and repair application times, (3) percent confidence of repairs, and (4) total expected number of repairs. To achieve this, this paper proposes a computational approach and probabilistic data. The proposed approach, which combined the Latin Hypercube technique with the Crank–Nicolson‐based finite difference approach, is developed for predicting probabilistic chloride diffusion in concrete with repairs by cover concrete replacement. Probabilistic data of four governing random variables (surface chloride, diffusion coefficient, concrete cover depth, and critical chloride) and six repair strategies for corrosion‐free condition are introduced. Numerical assessment is then shown. From the study, it is revealed that the reduction of the amount of chloride ions at the threshold depth due to using higher depth of cover concrete repairs is better than that using higher quality of repair materials. However, the excessive depth of repairs is not always recommended due to another control factor, such as the immediate amount of chloride ions at the repair depth, cost of repairs, etc. From the sensitivity analysis, the cover depth is found to be the most important parameter in the design of chloride‐attacked concrete structures to extend the corrosion initiation and repair application times and to reduce the total expected number of repairs.
Vegetation Effects on Bacteria and Denitrifier Abundance in the Soils of Two Tidal Freshwater Wetlands in Virginia
Authors: Morina Joseph C. , Morrissey Ember M. , Franklin Rima B.
Published: December 2018

This study examined the abundance of bacteria and nirS-type denitrifiers associated with the rhizospheres of three emergent macrophyte species (Juncus effusus, Typha latifolia, and Peltandra virginica) to gain a greater understanding of plant-microbe interactions in wetland soils. Sampling of plant and soil properties was performed during the growing season (June) and following plant senescence (November) at two tidal freshwater wetlands. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the abundance of bacteria (16S rRNA) and nirS-type denitrifier genes from the rhizosphere and rhizoplane of each plant species and from nearby unvegetated soils. For bacteria, there was a positive rhizosphere effect that did not differ significantly across plant species. In contrast, significant differences in the abundance of nirS-type denitrifiers were observed across the plant species. Rhizosphere abundance was ∼2-fold greater in Peltandra virginica and 4-fold greater in Typha latifolia compared to Juncus effusus. For both bacteria and nirS-type denitrifiers, plant effects were greater during the growing season, and abundance was highly correlated with soil pH, moisture, and organic matter content. Overall, these results demonstrate plant effects on the rhizosphere microbial community can be species‐specific and that there is a synergistic relationship between plant species and environmental conditions.
Commercial Value Assessment of “Grey Space” under Overpasses: Analytic Hierarchy Process
Authors: Sheng Jiafei , Xu Hong , Zheng Junyan , Luo Mandi , Zhou Xuan
Published: December 2018

Although the rise of urban overpasses has optimized the urban transport system and improved the spatial structure of the city, the use of space under overpasses has many problems, and they can be dark, short, unpleasant, and abandoned spaces which are full of girders and include ill‐shaped areas in some places. This study aims at the recent study of space utilization under overpasses. Taking the Xudong district in Wuhan as an example, the multistandards weight analysis was conducted to evaluate the value of the commercial form of the “grey space” under overpasses and analyzed the feasibility of commercial forms.