bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous Training for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Parents with a Focus on Social Skills Enhancement
Authors: Okuno Hiroko , Yamamoto Tomoka , Tatsumi Aika , Mohri Ikuko , Taniike Masako
Published: June 2016

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of simultaneous training for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their parents, with a focus on social skills enhancement (STSSE) by evaluating behavioral changes in children with ASD and changes in family functioning. STSSE was conducted on 17 children of elementary school age with ASD and their parents. Changes in scores on the social skills scale for education (SS-scale), the child behavior checklist, the Feetham Family Functioning Survey (FFFS), and the confidence degree questionnaire for families (CDQ) were used to assess the effectiveness of STSSE. Improvements were seen for “Communication Skills” on the children’s SS-scale (p = 0.029). Significant improvements were seen in the mothers’ FFFS scores for “The 4th factor: illness and worries” (p = 0.016) and in the median CDQ scores for one of 18 items after STSSE (p = 0.01). Although additional studies with larger sample sizes will be necessary before these findings are generalizable, the positive changes seen in both parents and children as a result of STSSE are promising.
Towards Narrowing the Curation Gap—Theoretical Considerations and Lessons Learned from Decades of Practice
Authors: Sesartić Ana , Fischlin Andreas , Töwe Matthias
Published: June 2016

Research as a digital enterprise has created new, often poorly addressed challenges for the management and curation of research to ensure continuity, transparency, and accountability. There is a common misunderstanding that curation can be considered at a later point in the research cycle or delegated or that it is too burdensome or too expensive due to a lack of efficient tools. This creates a curation gap between research practice and curation needs. We argue that this gap can be narrowed if curators provide attractive support that befits research needs and if researchers consistently manage their work according to generic concepts consistently from the beginning. A rather uniquely long-term case study demonstrates how such concepts have helped to pragmatically implement a research practice intentionally using only minimalist tools for sustained, self-contained archiving since 1989. The paper sketches the concepts underlying three core research activities. (i) handling of research data, (ii) reference management as part of scholarly publishing, and (iii) advancing theories through modelling and simulation. These concepts represent a universally transferable best research practice, while technical details are obviously prone to continuous change. We hope it stimulates researchers to manage research similarly and that curators gain a better understanding of the curation challenges research practice actually faces.
WiGeR: WiFi-Based Gesture Recognition System
Authors: Al-qaness Mohammed , Li Fangmin
Published: June 2016

Recently, researchers around the world have been striving to develop and modernize human–computer interaction systems by exploiting advances in modern communication systems. The priority in this field involves exploiting radio signals so human–computer interaction will require neither special devices nor vision-based technology. In this context, hand gesture recognition is one of the most important issues in human–computer interfaces. In this paper, we present a novel device-free WiFi-based gesture recognition system (WiGeR) by leveraging the fluctuations in the channel state information (CSI) of WiFi signals caused by hand motions. We extract CSI from any common WiFi router and then filter out the noise to obtain the CSI fluctuation trends generated by hand motions. We design a novel and agile segmentation and windowing algorithm based on wavelet analysis and short-time energy to reveal the specific pattern associated with each hand gesture and detect duration of the hand motion. Furthermore, we design a fast dynamic time warping algorithm to classify our system’s proposed hand gestures. We implement and test our system through experiments involving various scenarios. The results show that WiGeR can classify gestures with high accuracy, even in scenarios where the signal passes through multiple walls.
Morphological Operations to Extract Urban Curbs in 3D MLS Point Clouds
Authors: Rodríguez-Cuenca Borja , García-Cortés Silverio , Ordóñez Celestino , Alonso María
Published: June 2016

Automatic curb detection is an important issue in road maintenance, three-dimensional (3D) urban modeling, and autonomous navigation fields. This paper is focused on the segmentation of curbs and street boundaries using a 3D point cloud captured by a mobile laser scanner (MLS) system. Our method provides a solution based on the projection of the measured point cloud on the XY plane. Over that plane, a segmentation algorithm is carried out based on morphological operations to determine the location of street boundaries. In addition, a solution to extract curb edges based on the roughness of the point cloud is proposed. The proposed method is valid in both straight and curved road sections and applicable both to laser scanner and stereo vision 3D data due to the independence of its scanning geometry. The proposed method has been successfully tested with two datasets measured by different sensors. The first dataset corresponds to a point cloud measured by a TOPCON sensor in the Spanish town of Cudillero. The second dataset corresponds to a point cloud measured by a RIEGL sensor in the Austrian town of Horn. The extraction method provides completeness and correctness rates above 90% and quality values higher than 85% in both studied datasets.
Toxicological Considerations, Toxicity Assessment, and Risk Management of Inhaled Nanoparticles
Authors: Bakand Shahnaz , Hayes Amanda
Published: June 2016

Novel engineered nanoparticles (NPs), nanomaterial (NM) products and composites, are continually emerging worldwide. Many potential benefits are expected from their commercial applications; however, these benefits should always be balanced against risks. Potential toxic effects of NM exposure have been highlighted, but, as there is a lack of understanding about potential interactions of nanomaterials (NMs) with biological systems, these side effects are often ignored. NPs are able to translocate to the bloodstream, cross body membrane barriers effectively, and affect organs and tissues at cellular and molecular levels. NPs may pass the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and gain access to the brain. The interactions of NPs with biological milieu and resulted toxic effects are significantly associated with their small size distribution, large surface area to mass ratio (SA/MR), and surface characteristics. NMs are able to cross tissue and cell membranes, enter into cellular compartments, and cause cellular injury as well as toxicity. The extremely large SA/MR of NPs is also available to undergo reactions. An increased surface area of the identical chemical will increase surface reactivity, adsorption properties, and potential toxicity. This review explores biological pathways of NPs, their toxic potential, and underlying mechanisms responsible for such toxic effects. The necessity of toxicological risk assessment to human health should be emphasised as an integral part of NM design and manufacture.
Effect of a Prebiotic Formulation on Frailty Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial
Authors: Buigues Cristina , Fernández-Garrido Julio , Pruimboom Leo , Hoogland Aldert , Navarro-Martínez Rut , Martínez-Martínez Mary , Verdejo Yolanda , Mascarós Mari , Peris Carlos , Cauli Omar
Published: June 2016

Aging can result in major changes in the composition and metabolic activities of bacterial populations in the gastrointestinal system and result in impaired function of the immune system. We assessed the efficacy of prebiotic Darmocare Pre® (Bonusan Besloten Vennootschap (BV), Numansdorp, The Netherlands) to evaluate whether the regular intake of this product can improve frailty criteria, functional status and response of the immune system in elderly people affected by the frailty syndrome. The study was a placebo-controlled, randomized, double blind design in sixty older participants aged 65 and over. The prebiotic product was composed of a mixture of inulin plus fructooligosaccharides and was compared with placebo (maltodextrin). Participants were randomized to a parallel group intervention of 13 weeks’ duration with a daily intake of Darmocare Pre® or placebo. Either prebiotic or placebo were administered after breakfast (between 9–10 a.m.) dissolved in a glass of water carefully stirred just before drinking. The primary outcome was to study the effect on frailty syndrome. The secondary outcomes were effect on functional and cognitive behavior and sleep quality. Moreover, we evaluated whether prebiotic administration alters blood parameters (haemogram and biochemical analysis). The overall rate of frailty was not significantly modified by Darmocare Pre® administration. Nevertheless, prebiotic administration compared with placebo significantly improved two frailty criteria, e.g., exhaustion and handgrip strength (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). No significant effects were observed in functional and cognitive behavior or sleep quality. The use of novel therapeutic approaches influencing the gut microbiota–muscle–brain axis could be considered for treatment of the frailty syndrome.
Voltage-Activated Calcium Channels as Functional Markers of Mature Neurons in Human Olfactory Neuroepithelial Cells: Implications for the Study of Neurodevelopment in Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Authors: Solís-Chagoyán Héctor , Flores-Soto Edgar , Reyes-García Jorge , Valdés-Tovar Marcela , Calixto Eduardo , Montaño Luis , Benítez-King Gloria
Published: June 2016

In adulthood, differentiation of precursor cells into neurons continues in several brain structures as well as in the olfactory neuroepithelium. Isolated precursors allow the study of the neurodevelopmental process in vitro. The aim of this work was to determine whether the expression of functional Voltage-Activated Ca2+ Channels (VACC) is dependent on the neurodevelopmental stage in neuronal cells obtained from the human olfactory epithelium of a single healthy donor. The presence of channel-forming proteins in Olfactory Sensory Neurons (OSN) was demonstrated by immunofluorescent labeling, and VACC functioning was assessed by microfluorometry and the patch-clamp technique. VACC were immunodetected only in OSN. Mature neurons responded to forskolin with a five-fold increase in Ca2+. By contrast, in precursor cells, a subtle response was observed. The involvement of VACC in the precursors’ response was discarded for the absence of transmembrane inward Ca2+ movement evoked by step depolarizations. Data suggest differential expression of VACC in neuronal cells depending on their developmental stage and also that the expression of these channels is acquired by OSN during maturation, to enable specialized functions such as ion movement triggered by membrane depolarization. The results support that VACC in OSN could be considered as a functional marker to study neurodevelopment.
Inhibition of Advanced Glycation End-Product Formation and Antioxidant Activity by Extracts and Polyphenols from Scutellaria alpina L. and S. altissima L.
Authors: Grzegorczyk-Karolak Izabela , Gołąb Krzysztof , Gburek Jakub , Wysokińska Halina , Matkowski Adam
Published: June 2016

Methanolic extracts from the aerial parts and roots of two Scutellaria species, S. alpina and S. altissima, and five polyphenols from these plants demonstrated a significant ability to inhibit the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGE) in vitro. S. alpina, which is richer in polyphenolic compounds, had strong antiglycation properties. These extracts demonstrated also high activity in the FRAP (ferric-reducing antioxidant power), antiradical (DPPH) and lipid peroxidation inhibition assays. Among the pure compounds, baicalin was the strongest glycation inhibitor (90.4% inhibition at 100 μg/mL), followed by luteolin (85.4%). Two other flavone glycosides had about half of this activity. Verbascoside was similar to the reference drug aminoguanidine (71.2% and 75.9%, respectively). The strong correlation observed between AGE inhibition and total flavonoid content indicated that flavonoids contribute significantly to antiglycation properties. A positive correlation was also observed between antiglycative and antioxidant activities. The studied skullcap species can be considered as a potential source of therapeutic agents for hyperglycemia-related disorders.
Metabolomic Profiles of Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens During Rice Koji Fermentation
Authors: Lee Da , Lee Sunmin , Jang Eun , Shin Hye , Moon Byoung , Lee Choong
Published: June 2016

Rice koji, used early in the manufacturing process for many fermented foods, produces diverse metabolites and enzymes during fermentation. Using gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS), ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography linear trap quadrupole ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-IT-MS/MS), and multivariate analysis we generated the metabolite profiles of rice koji produced by fermentation with Aspergillus oryzae (RK_AO) or Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (RK_BA) for different durations. Two principal components of the metabolomic data distinguished the rice koji samples according to their fermenter species and fermentation time. Several enzymes secreted by the fermenter species, including α-amylase, protease, and β-glucosidase, were assayed to identify differences in expression levels. This approach revealed that carbohydrate metabolism, serine-derived amino acids, and fatty acids were associated with rice koji fermentation by A. oryzae, whereas aromatic and branched chain amino acids, flavonoids, and lysophospholipids were more typical in rice koji fermentation by B. amyloliquefaciens. Antioxidant activity was significantly higher for RK_BA than for RK_AO, as were the abundances of flavonoids, including tricin, tricin glycosides, apigenin glycosides, and chrysoeriol glycosides. In summary, we have used MS-based metabolomics and enzyme activity assays to evaluate the effects of using different microbial species and fermentation times on the nutritional profile of rice koji.
Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Buchu Plant Extracts and Their Analgesic Properties
Authors: Chiguvare Herbert , Oyedeji Opeoluwa , Matewu Reuben , Aremu Olukayode , Oyemitan Idris , Oyedeji Adebola , Nkeh-Chungag Benedicta , Songca Sandile , Mohan Sneha , Oluwafemi Oluwatobi
Published: June 2016

We herein report for the first time the synthesis and analgesic properties of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) using buchu plant extract. The as-synthesised Ag-NPs at different temperatures were characterised by UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) and transmission transform microscopy (TEM) to confirm the formation of silver nanoparticles. Phytochemical screening of the ethanolic extract revealed the presence of glycosides, proteins, tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids and saponins. The absorption spectra showed that the synthesis is temperature and time dependent. The TEM analysis showed that the as-synthesised Ag-NPs are polydispersed and spherical in shape with average particle diameter of 19.95 ± 7.76 nm while the FTIR results confirmed the reduction and capping of the as-synthesised Ag-NPs by the phytochemicals present in the ethanolic extract. The analgesic study indicated that the combined effect of the plant extract and Ag-NPs is more effective in pain management than both the aspirin drug and the extract alone.
Erratum: Mustafa, R.; Luo, Y.; Wu, Y.; Guo, R.; Shi, X. Dendrimer-Functionalized Laponite® Nanodisks as a Platform for Anticancer Drug Delivery. Nanomaterials 2015, 5, 1716–1731
Authors:   Nanomaterials Editorial Office
Published: June 2016

It has been brought to our attention that Laponite® is a trademark of BYK Additives, however the trademark symbol is missing in [1].[...]
Detecting Different Types of Directional Land Cover Changes Using MODIS NDVI Time Series Dataset
Authors: Xu Lili , Li Baolin , Yuan Yecheng , Gao Xizhang , Zhang Tao , Sun Qingling
Published: June 2016

This study proposed a multi-target hierarchical detection (MTHD) method to simultaneously and automatically detect multiple directional land cover changes. MTHD used a hierarchical strategy to detect both abrupt and trend land cover changes successively. First, Grubbs’ test eliminated short-lived changes by considering them outliers. Then, the Brown-Forsythe test and the combination of Tomé’s method and the Chow test were applied to determine abrupt changes. Finally, Sen’s slope estimation coordinated with the Mann-Kendall test detection method was used to detect trend changes. Results demonstrated that both abrupt and trend land cover changes could be detected accurately and automatically. The overall accuracy of abrupt land cover changes was 87.0% and the kappa index was 0.74. Detected trends of land cover change indicated high consistency between NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), change trends from LTS (Landsat Thematic Mapper and Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus time series dataset), and MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) time series datasets with the percentage of samples indicating consistency of 100%. For cropland, trends of millet yield per unit and average NDVI of cropland indicated high consistency with a linear regression determination coefficient of 0.94 (p < 0.01). Compared with other multi-target change detection methods, the changes detected by the MTHD could be related closely with specific ecosystem changes, reducing the risk of false changes in the area with frequent and strong interannual fluctuations.
A Comparative Study of Urban Expansion in Beijing, Tianjin and Tangshan from the 1970s to 2013
Authors: Zhang Zengxiang , Li Na , Wang Xiao , Liu Fang , Yang Linping
Published: June 2016

Although the mapping of spatiotemporal patterns of urban expansion has been widely studied, relatively little attention has been paid to detailed comparative studies on spatiotemporal patterns of urban growth at the regional level over a relatively longer timeframe. This paper was based on multi-sensor remote sensing image data and employs several landscape metrics and the centroid shift model to conduct a multi-angle quantitative analysis on urban expansion in Beijing, Tianjin and Tangshan (Jing-Jin-Tang) in the period from 1970–2013. In addition, the impact analysis of urban growth on land use was adopted in this research. The results showed that Beijing, Tianjin and Tangshan all experienced rapid urbanization, with an average annual urban growth rate of 7.28%, 3.9%, and 0.97%, respectively. Beijing has especially presented a single choropleth map pattern, whereas Tianjin and Tangshan have presented a double surface network pattern in orientation analysis. Furthermore, urban expansion in Beijing was mainly concentrated in Ring 4 to Ring 6 in the northwest and southeast directions, whereas the major expansion was observed in the southeast in Tianjin, primarily affected by dramatic development of Binhai New Area and Tianjin South Railway Station. Naturally, the urban expansion in Tangshan was significantly influenced by the expansion of Beijing and was primarily southwestward. The hot-zones of urbanization were observed within the ranges of 7–25 km, 6–18 km, and 0–15 km, accounting for 93.49%, 89.44% and 72.44% of the total expansion area in Beijing, Tianjin and Tangshan, respectively. The majority of the newly developed urban land was converted from cultivated land and integrated from other built-up land over the past four decades. Of all new urban land in the Beijing, Tianjin and Tangshan, more than 50% was converted from cultivated land, and there was a general tendency for smaller cities to have higher percentages of converted land, accounting for 50.84%, 51.19%, and 51.58%, respectively. The study revealed significant details of the temporal and spatial distributions of urban expansion in Beijing, Tianjin and Tangshan and provided scientific support for the collaborative development of the Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji) regions.
Reference Information Based Remote Sensing Image Reconstruction with Generalized Nonconvex Low-Rank Approximation
Authors: Lu Hongyang , Wei Jingbo , Wang Lizhe , Liu Peng , Liu Qiegen , Wang Yuhao , Deng Xiaohua
Published: June 2016

Because of the contradiction between the spatial and temporal resolution of remote sensing images (RSI) and quality loss in the process of acquisition, it is of great significance to reconstruct RSI in remote sensing applications. Recent studies have demonstrated that reference image-based reconstruction methods have great potential for higher reconstruction performance, while lacking accuracy and quality of reconstruction. For this application, a new compressed sensing objective function incorporating a reference image as prior information is developed. We resort to the reference prior information inherent in interior and exterior data simultaneously to build a new generalized nonconvex low-rank approximation framework for RSI reconstruction. Specifically, the innovation of this paper consists of the following three respects: (1) we propose a nonconvex low-rank approximation for reconstructing RSI; (2) we inject reference prior information to overcome over smoothed edges and texture detail losses; (3) on this basis, we combine conjugate gradient algorithms and a single-value threshold (SVT) simultaneously to solve the proposed algorithm. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm improves several dBs in terms of peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) and preserves image details significantly compared to most of the current approaches without reference images as priors. In addition, the generalized nonconvex low-rank approximation of our approach is naturally robust to noise, and therefore, the proposed algorithm can handle low resolution with noisy inputs in a more unified framework.
A New Cellular Architecture for Information Retrieval from Sensor Networks through Embedded Service and Security Protocols
Authors: Shahzad Aamir , Landry René , Lee Malrey , Xiong Naixue , Lee Jongho , Lee Changhoon
Published: June 2016

Substantial changes have occurred in the Information Technology (IT) sectors and with these changes, the demand for remote access to field sensor information has increased. This allows visualization, monitoring, and control through various electronic devices, such as laptops, tablets, i-Pads, PCs, and cellular phones. The smart phone is considered as a more reliable, faster and efficient device to access and monitor industrial systems and their corresponding information interfaces anywhere and anytime. This study describes the deployment of a protocol whereby industrial system information can be securely accessed by cellular phones via a Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) server. To achieve the study goals, proprietary protocol interconnectivity with non-proprietary protocols and the usage of interconnectivity services are considered in detail. They support the visualization of the SCADA system information, and the related operations through smart phones. The intelligent sensors are configured and designated to process real information via cellular phones by employing information exchange services between the proprietary protocol and non-proprietary protocols. SCADA cellular access raises the issue of security flaws. For these challenges, a cryptography-based security method is considered and deployed, and it could be considered as a part of a proprietary protocol. Subsequently, transmission flows from the smart phones through a cellular network.
RTM Production Monitoring of the A380 Hinge Arm Droop Nose Mechanism: A Multi-Sensor Approach
Authors: Chiesura Gabriele , Lamberti Alfredo , Yang Yang , Luyckx Geert , Van Paepegem Wim , Vanlanduit Steve , Vanfleteren Jan , Degrieck Joris
Published: June 2016

This research presents a case study of production monitoring on an aerospace composite component: the hinge arm of the droop nose mechanism on the Airbus A380 wing leading edge. A sensor network composed of Fibre Bragg Gratings, capacitive sensors for cure monitoring and thermocouples was embedded in its fibre reinforced lay-up and measurements were acquired throughout its Resin Transfer Moulding production process. Two main challenges had to be overcome: first, the integration of the sensor lines in the existing Resin Transfer Moulding mould without modifying it; second, the demoulding of the component without damaging the sensor lines. The proposed embedding solution has proved successful. The wavelength shifts of the Fibre Bragg Gratings were observed from the initial production stages, over the resin injection, the complete curing of the resin and the cooling-down prior to demoulding. The sensors proved to be sensitive to detecting the resin flow front, vacuum and pressure increase into the mould and the temperature increase caused by the resin curing. Measurements were also acquired during the post-curing cycle. Residual strains during all steps of the process were derived from the sensors’ wavelength shift, showing values up to 0.2% in compression. Moreover, the capacitive sensors were able to follow-up the curing degree during the production process. The sensors proved able to detect the resin flow front, whereas thermocouples could not measure an appreciable increase of temperature due to the fact that the resin had the same temperature as the mould.
Calibration of the Hall Measurement System for a 6-DOF Precision Stage Using Self-Adaptive Hybrid TLBO
Authors: Chen Zhenyu , Liu Yang , Fu Zhenxian , Song Shenmin , Tan Jiubin
Published: June 2016

To determine the planar motion of a 6-DOF precision stage, a measurement system based on three Hall sensors is adopted to obtain the X, Y, Rz motions of the stage. The machining and assembly errors in the actual mechanical system, which are difficult to measure directly, cause the parameters in the model of the Hall measurement system to deviate from their designed values. Additionally, the vertical movement of the stage will render the measurement model nonlinear. To guarantee the accuracy of the measurement, the parameters in the measurement model should be estimated and the nonlinearity compensated. In this paper, a novel approach based on self-adaptive hybrid TLBO (teaching-learning-based-optimization) is proposed to estimate the parameters in the Hall measurement model. The influences of zero deviations and vertical movements on the measurement accuracy are analyzed and compensated. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by experimental results obtained on a 6-DOF precision stage. Thanks to parameter estimation and calibration, the measurement error of the Hall sensor array is reduced to 6 micrometers.
Using the Fingerprinting Method to Customize RTLS Based on the AoA Ranging Technique
Authors: Jachimczyk Bartosz , Dziak Damian , Kulesza Wlodek
Published: June 2016

Real-time Locating Systems (RTLSs) have the ability to precisely locate the position of things and people in real time. They are needed for security and emergency applications, but also for healthcare and home care appliances. The research aims for developing an analytical method to customize RTLSs, in order to improve localization performance in terms of precision. The proposed method is based on Angle of Arrival (AoA), a ranging technique and fingerprinting method along with an analytically defined uncertainty of AoA, and a localization uncertainty map. The presented solution includes three main concerns: geometry of indoor space, RTLS arrangement, and a statistical approach to localization precision of a pair of location sensors using an AoA signal. An evaluation of the implementation of the customized RTLS validates the analytical model of the fingerprinting map. The results of simulations and physical experiments verify the proposed method. The research confirms that the analytically established fingerprint map is the valid representation of RTLS’ performance in terms of precision. Furthermore, the research demonstrates an impact of workspace geometry and workspace layout onto the RTLS’ performance. Moreover, the studies show how the size and shape of a workspace and the placement of the calibration point affect the fingerprint map. Withal, the performance investigation defines the most effective arrangement of location sensors and its influence on localization precision.
Activity Recognition Using Community Data to Complement Small Amounts of Labeled Instances
Authors: Garcia-Ceja Enrique , Brena Ramon
Published: June 2016

Human Activity Recognition (HAR) is an important part of ambient intelligence systems since it can provide user-context information, thus allowing a greater personalization of services. One of the problems with HAR systems is that the labeling process for the training data is costly, which has hindered its practical application. A common approach is to train a general model with the aggregated data from all users. The problem is that for a new target user, this model can perform poorly because it is biased towards the majority type of users and does not take into account the particular characteristics of the target user. To overcome this limitation, a user-dependent model can be trained with data only from the target user that will be optimal for this particular user; however, this requires a considerable amount of labeled data, which is cumbersome to obtain. In this work, we propose a method to build a personalized model for a given target user that does not require large amounts of labeled data. Our method uses data already labeled by a community of users to complement the scarce labeled data of the target user. Our results showed that the personalized model outperformed the general and the user-dependent models when labeled data is scarce.
A Novel Combined Model Based on an Artificial Intelligence Algorithm—A Case Study on Wind Speed Forecasting in Penglai, China
Authors: Zhang Feiyu , Dong Yuqi , Zhang Kequan
Published: June 2016

Wind speed forecasting plays a key role in wind-related engineering studies and is important in the management of wind farms. Current forecasting models based on different optimization algorithms can be adapted to various wind speed time series data. However, these methodologies cannot aggregate different hybrid forecasting methods and take advantage of the component models. To avoid these limitations, we propose a novel combined forecasting model called SSA-PSO-DWCM, i.e., particle swarm optimization (PSO) determined weight coefficients model. This model consisted of three main steps: one is the decomposition of the original wind speed signals to discard the noise, the second is the parameter optimization of the forecasting method, and the last is the combination of different models in a nonlinear way. The proposed combined model is examined by forecasting the wind speed (10-min intervals) of wind turbine 5 located in the Penglai region of China. The simulations reveal that the proposed combined model demonstrates a more reliable forecast than the component forecasting engines and the traditional combined method, which is based on a linear method.
Welcome to Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease—A New Era in Open Access Publication
Authors: Leggat Peter , Frean John
Published: June 2016

Historically, tropical medicine emerged from a multidisciplinary background as a result of progress in the areas of public health and hygiene, travel and exploration, biology and evolution, and the germ theory of disease [1].[...]
Ferrets as a Novel Animal Model for Studying Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections in Immunocompetent and Immunocompromised Hosts
Authors: Stittelaar Koert , De Waal Leon , Van Amerongen Geert , Veldhuis Kroeze Edwin , Fraaij Pieter , Van Baalen Carel , Van Kampen Jeroen , Van der Vries Erhard , Osterhaus Albert , De Swart Rik
Published: June 2016

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is an important cause of severe respiratory tract disease in immunocompromised patients. Animal models are indispensable for evaluating novel intervention strategies in this complex patient population. To complement existing models in rodents and non-human primates, we have evaluated the potential benefits of an HRSV infection model in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo). Nine- to 12-month-old HRSV-seronegative immunocompetent or immunocompromised ferrets were infected with a low-passage wild-type strain of HRSV subgroup A (105 TCID50) administered by intra-tracheal or intra-nasal inoculation. Immune suppression was achieved by bi-daily oral administration of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisolone. Throat and nose swabs were collected daily and animals were euthanized four, seven, or 21 days post-infection (DPI). Virus loads were determined by quantitative virus culture and qPCR. We observed efficient HRSV replication in both the upper and lower respiratory tract. In immunocompromised ferrets, virus loads reached higher levels and showed delayed clearance as compared to those in immunocompetent animals. Histopathological evaluation of animals euthanized 4 DPI demonstrated that the virus replicated in the respiratory epithelial cells of the trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles. These animal models can contribute to an assessment of the efficacy and safety of novel HRSV intervention strategies.
The Effect of Energy Constraints on Water Allocation Decisions: The Elaboration and Application of a System-Wide Economic-Water-Energy Model (SEWEM)
Authors: Bekchanov Maksud , Lamers John
Published: June 2016

Worldwide, demand for water, energy, and food are on the rise due to population and industrial growth. Because of such increasing demands and in spite of the limitedness of key resources, more efficient ways to meet these demands become obligatory. Especially considering the multiple interlinkages between water, energy, and food/livelihood systems, an integrated management of key resources such as water, land, and energy deems essential for realizing synergetic efficiencies, for consistent policy decisions, and for sustainable development, in particular across the river basins of the world. Therefore, the general framework of a system-wide economic-water-energy model (SEWEM), which is applicable across river basins and adjustable to different spatial scales such as sub-catchments, is presented here to meet the demands for an effective analytical tool in dealing with water-energy-food/livelihood nexus challenges. Previous hydro-economic models often ignored energy requirements, for instance, for irrigation water supply, as well as energy supply constraints, which recurrently might have led to an overestimation of the optimal levels of ground and surface water uses. The SEWEM was developed to address this gap and analyze how optimal levels of surface and groundwater uses, as well as on irrigation and power production benefits, change in response to the consideration of energy supply constraints and energy requirements for water pumping and other agricultural production operations. This is illustrated for the case of the Aral Sea Basin (ASB) in Central Asia, where surface and groundwater supplies heavily depend on pumping and thus on energy availability. The findings underlined the overestimations of optimal water uses by a hydro-economic model that neglects energy constraints. Moreover, geographical conditions have affected the changes in optimal ratios of surface and groundwater uses and water distributions across the river basin when energy restrictions are taken into account. The results confirmed the importance of the consideration of energy constraints for the assessment of optimal water and land uses, and the essential role of an integrated analysis of water, energy, and food/livelihood systems for better-informed policy-making. Despite the added value of the SEWEM that can consider energy system constraints, further fine-tunings would make it even more relevant for addressing additional questions related to basin management. For example, improvements can be expected through considering the system dynamics, ecological aspects, income distribution effects, trade relationships, and institutional restrictions.
Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci in Selliera radicans (Goodeniaceae)
Authors: Pilkington Kay M. , Symonds V. Vaughan
Published: June 2016

Premise of the study:

Microsatellite markers were developed for species in the genus Selliera (Goodeniaceae) for future investigations of population genetic structure and interspecific hybridization within the genus.

Methods and Results:

Using 454 pyrosequencing, 15 new markers were developed from microsatellite loci isolated from S. radicans. Primers for the new markers amplify di‐ and trinucleotide repeat loci from the three Selliera species screened. Ten of the new markers are polymorphic in S. radicans and six of those 10 loci were found to be polymorphic within each congener. For the focal species, S. radicans, the average number of alleles per locus is 3.7 (SE = 0.60) and the average observed and expected heterozygosities are 0.23 (SE = 0.07) and 0.47 (SE = 0.08), respectively.

Conclusions:

The new markers provide an important resource for future investigations in the genus Selliera for both population genetics and research into hybridization between species.
Semantic Models of Sentences with Verbs of Motion in Standard Language and in Scientific Language Used in Biology
Authors: Banionytė Vita
Published: June 2016

The semantic models of sentences with verbs of motion in German standard language and in scientific language used in biology are analyzed in the article. In its theoretic part it is affirmed that the article is based on the semantic theory of the sentence. This theory, in its turn, is grounded on the correlation of semantic predicative classes and semantic roles. The combination of semantic predicative classes and semantic roles is expressed by the main semantic formula – proposition. In its practical part the differences between the semantic models of standard and scientific language used in biology are explained. While modelling sentences with verbs of motion, two groups of semantic models of sentences are singled out: that of action (Handlung) and process (Vorgang). The analysis shows that the semantic models of sentences with semantic action predicatives dominate in the text of standard language while the semantic models of sentences with semantic process predicatives dominate in the texts of scientific language used in biology. The differences how the doer and direction are expressed in standard and in scientific language are clearly seen and the semantic cases (Agens, Patiens, Direktiv1) help to determine that. It is observed that in scientific texts of high level of specialization (biology science) in contrast to popular scientific literature models of sentences with moving verbs are usually seldom found. They are substituted by denominative constructions. In conclusions it is shown that this analysis can be important in methodics, especially planning material for teaching professional-scientific language.
Application of New Information and Computer Technologies in the Teaching of Foreign Languages
Authors: Miculevičienė Irena
Published: June 2016

The paper describes the up-to-date methods of teaching or learning foreign languages, which are conditioned by the integration of information technologies in the teaching process. Internet gives a perfect opportunity to enliven the lectures of foreign languages, to improve their quality and effectiveness. The main advantage of internet is its authentic material in an authentic context. The examples of such authentic material can be Web 2.0 (website of second generation), Wiki, blogs and podcasts. The second advantage of internet is that it helps the learners to cooperate together. The teachers can lead the learners more effectively, consult each learner individually. It diversifies the teaching process, encourages the activity of students, who have learning difficulties.
USING KEPLER CANDIDATES TO EXAMINE THE PROPERTIES OF HABITABLE ZONE EXOPLANETS
Authors: Adams Arthur D. , Kane Stephen R.
Published: June 2016

An analysis of the currently known exoplanets in the habitable zones (HZs) of their host stars is of interest both in the wake of the NASAKeplermission and with prospects for expanding the known planet population through future ground- and space-based projects. In this paper, we compare the empirical distributions of the properties of stellar systems with transiting planets to those with transiting HZ planets. This comparison includes two categories: confirmed/validated transiting planet systems, andKeplerplanet and candidate planet systems. These two categories allow us to present quantitative analyses on both a conservative data set of known planets and a more optimistic and numerous sample ofKeplercandidates. Both are subject to similar instrumental and detection biases, and are vetted against false positive detections. We examine whether the HZ distributions vary from the overall distributions in theKeplersample with respect to planetary radius as well as stellar mass, effective temperature, and metallicity. We find that while the evidence is strongest in suggesting a difference between the size distributions of planets in the HZ and the overall size distribution, none of the statistical results provide strong empirical evidence for HZ planets or HZ planet-hosting stars being significantly different from the fullKeplersample with respect to these properties.
CATACLYSMIC VARIABLES OBSERVED DURING K2 CAMPAIGNS 0 AND 1
Authors: Dai Zhibin , Szkody Paula , Garnavich Peter M. , Kennedy Mark
Published: June 2016

There are 15 cataclysmic variables (CVs) observed in the first two campaigns of the K2 mission. In this paper, the eight CVs showing distinct features are analyzed in detail. Among these eight, modulations during quiescence are evident at the known orbital periods in the SU UMa stars QZ Vir and RZ Leo, and at our newly determined orbital periods for 1RXS J0632+2536 and WD 1144+011. The periodogram analysis for the quiescent light curve of QZ Vir reveals multi-period modulations and the coexistence of orbital and superhump periods. The phased orbital light curves for the other three CVs in quiescence display wide (about half cycle) and shallow (<0.5 mag) eclipse features. Besides these modulations, their quiescent light curves reveal several transient events: a sudden decrease of system light in 1RXS J0632+2536, a low-level flare-like event in QZ Vir, a short brightening event in RZ Leo, and a temporary disappearance of the orbital modulation in WD 1144+011. The two known dwarf novae UV Gem and TW Vir and the CVs USNO-B1.01144-00115322 and CSS 130516:111236:111236.7+002807 show outbursts, including one complete and three incomplete normal outbursts and two complete superoutbursts. An incomplete but typical normal outburst confirms the dwarf nova identification of the USNO-B1.01144-00115322. The one complete normal outburst in UV Gem may provide the orbital period, since its modulations are shorter than the previously observed superhump period. The superoutburst of CSS 130516:111236.7+002807, along with the corresponding superhump period, indicates that this object is an SU UMa star. The derived superhump period of CSS 130516:111236:111236.7+002807 is 1.44 hr, implying that this new SU UMa star is close to the period minimum.
THE APPEARANCE OF SPICULES IN HIGH RESOLUTION OBSERVATIONS OF Ca ii H AND Hα
Authors: Pereira Tiago M. D. , Voort Luc Rouppe van der , Carlsson Mats
Published: June 2016

Solar spicules are chromospheric fibrils that appear everywhere on the Sun, yet their origin is not understood. Using high resolution observations of spicules obtained with the Swedish 1 m Solar Telescope, we aim to understand how spicules appear in filtergrams and Dopplergrams, how they compare in Ca ii H and Hα filtergrams, and what can make them appear and disappear. We find that spicules display a rich and detailed spatial structure, and show a distribution of transverse velocities that, when aligned with the line of sight, can make them appear at different Hα wing positions. They become more abundant at positions closer to the line core, reflecting a distribution of Doppler shifts and widths. In Hα width maps they stand out as bright features both on disk and off limb, reflecting their large Doppler motions and possibly higher temperatures than in the typical Hα formation region. Spicule lifetimes measured from narrowband images at only a few positions will be an underestimate because Doppler shifts can make them disappear prematurely from such images; for such cases, width maps are a more robust tool. In Hα and Ca ii H filtergrams, off-limb spicules essentially have the same properties, appearance, and evolution. We find that the sudden appearance of spicules can be explained by Doppler shifts from their transverse motions, and does not require other convoluted explanations.
A NEW SIMPLE DYNAMO MODEL FOR STELLAR ACTIVITY CYCLE
Authors: Yokoi N. , Schmitt D. , Pipin V. , Hamba F.
Published: June 2016

A new simple dynamo model for stellar activity cycle is proposed. By considering an inhomogeneous flow effect on turbulence, it is shown that turbulent cross helicity (velocity–magnetic-field correlation) enters the expression of turbulent electromotive force as the coupling coefficient for the mean absolute vorticity. This makes the present model different from the current α–Ω-type models in two main ways. First, in addition to the usual helicity (α) and turbulent magnetic diffusivity (β) effects, we consider the cross-helicity effect as a key ingredient of the dynamo process. Second, the spatiotemporal evolution of cross helicity is solved simultaneously with the mean magnetic fields. The basic scenario is as follows. In the presence of turbulent cross helicity, the toroidal field is induced by the toroidal rotation. Then, as in usual models, the α effect generates the poloidal field from the toroidal one. This induced poloidal field produces a turbulent cross helicity whose sign is opposite to the original one (negative production). With this cross helicity of the reversed sign, a reversal in field configuration starts. Eigenvalue analyses of the simplest possible model give a butterfly diagram, which confirms the above scenario and the equatorward migrations, the phase relationship between the cross helicity and magnetic fields. These results suggest that the oscillation of the turbulent cross helicity is a key for the activity cycle. The reversal of the cross helicity is not the result of the magnetic-field reversal, but the cause of the latter. This new model is expected to open up the possibility of the mean-field or turbulence closure dynamo approaches.
THE INFLUENTIAL EFFECT OF BLENDING, BUMP, CHANGING PERIOD, AND ECLIPSING CEPHEIDS ON THE LEAVITT LAW
Authors: García-Varela A. , Muñoz J. R. , Sabogal B. E. , Domínguez S. Vargas , Martínez J.
Published: June 2016

The investigation of the nonlinearity of the Leavitt law (LL) is a topic that began more than seven decades ago, when some of the studies in this field found that the LL has a break at about 10 days. The goal of this work is to investigate a possible statistical cause of this nonlinearity. By applying linear regressions to OGLE-II and OGLE-IV data, we find that to obtain the LL by using linear regression, robust techniques to deal with influential points and/or outliers are needed instead of the ordinary least-squares regression traditionally used. In particular, by using M- and MM-regressions we establish firmly and without doubt the linearity of the LL in the Large Magellanic Cloud, without rejecting or excluding Cepheid data from the analysis. This implies that light curves of Cepheids suggesting blending, bumps, eclipses, or period changes do not affect the LL for this galaxy. For the Small Magellanic Cloud, when including Cepheids of this kind, it is not possible to find an adequate model, probably because of the geometry of the galaxy. In that case, a possible influence of these stars could exist.