bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A mathematical model to achieve sustainable forest management
Authors: Misra A. K. , Lata Kusum
Published: October 2015

Forest resources are important natural resources for all living beings but they are continuously depleting due to overgrowth of human population and their development activities. Therefore, conservation of forest resources is an important problem for sustainable development. In view of this, in this paper, we have proposed and analyzed a nonlinear mathematical model to study the effects of economic and technological efforts on the conservation of forest resources. In the modeling process, it is assumed that due to increase in population size, the demand of population (population pressure) for forest products, lands, etc., increases and to reduce this population pressure, economic efforts are employed proportional to the population pressure. Further, it is assumed that technological efforts in the form of genetically engineered plants are applied proportional to the depleted level of forest resources to conserve them. Model analysis reveals that increase in economic and technological efforts increases the density of forest resources but further increase in these efforts destabilizes the system. Numerical simulation is carried out to verify analytical findings and explore the effect of different parameters on the dynamics of model system.
A fuzzy time series forecasting method induced by intuitionistic fuzzy sets
Authors: Kumar Sanjay , Gangwar Sukhdev Singh
Published: October 2015

Intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IFSs) are well established as a tool to handle the hesitation in the decision system. In this research paper, fuzzy sets induced by IFS are used to develop a fuzzy time series forecasting model to incorporate degree of hesitation (nondeterminacy). To improve the forecasting accuracy, induced fuzzy sets are used to establish fuzzy logical relations. To verify the performance of the proposed model, it is implemented on one of the benchmarking time series data. Further, developed forecasting method is also tested and validated by applying it on a financial time series data. In order to show the accuracy in forecasting, the method is compared with other forecasting methods using different error measures.
TOWARD IMPACT FUNCTIONS FOR STOCHASTIC CLIMATE CHANGE
Authors: ESTRADA FRANCISCO , TOL RICHARD S. J.
Published: October 2015

Most functions of economic impact assume that climate change is smooth. We here propose impact functions that have stochastic climate change as an input. These functions are identical in shape and have similar parameters as do deterministic impact functions. The mean stochastic impacts are thus similar to deterministic impacts. Welfare effects are larger, and the stochasticity premium is larger than the risk premium. Results suggest that stochasticity is more important for past impacts than for future impacts. This outcome is partly caused by an underestimation of natural variability in the 21st century climate projections.
INCENTIVES, MARGINS, AND COST EFFECTIVENESS IN COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE POLICY FOR THE POWER SECTOR
Authors: PAUL ANTHONY , PALMER KAREN , WOERMAN MATTHEW
Published: October 2015

Substantially reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from electricity production will require a transformation of the resources used to produce power. Several different incentive-based policies have been proposed ranging from setting minimums for clean generation sources to maximum emission rate standards and caps on CO2emissions, all of which are allowed under the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. This paper analyzes the economic consequences of a suite of different flexible and comprehensive policies to reduce CO2emissions from the power sector, including a carbon tax, a tradable emissions rate performance standard, and two versions of a clean energy standard (CES). Modeling results suggest that policies that encourage emissions reductions along multiple margins can be substantially more cost-effective than less flexible policies. The margins are intra and inter fuel, and technology substitution, electricity demand, and generator fuel efficiency. Despite cost differences, all of the policies result in substantial increases in social welfare.
PREDICTING BY LEARNING: AN ADAPTIVE RATIONALE
Authors: DENG KAIHUA
Published: October 2015

The paper proposes a partial-adjustment mechanism for the learning process of economic agents and justify the use of past information in predicting stock returns from four different perspectives. By making a pair of mild assumptions about how rational investors learn about the fundamental values of returns and dividend yield over time, I show that for one-step-ahead forecast a stable and significant improvement in terms of short-horizon [Formula: see text] can be achieved by recasting the classical single-equation predictive regression in a differenced form and incorporating information from the recent past. For longer horizons, the relationship reduces to the standard form.
Exploring the Impact of Network Structure and Demand Collaboration on the Dynamics of a Supply Chain Network Using a Robust Control Approach
Authors: Wei Yongchang , Wang Hongwei , Chen Fangyu
Published: October 2015

A supply chain network might exhibit complex dynamics in the face of increasingly volatile and
uncertain environment. The impact of network structure and collaboration on the dynamics and robustness of supply chain network, however, remains to be explored. In this paper, a unified state space model for a two-layer supply chain network composed of multiple distributors and multiple retailers is developed. A robust control algorithm is advocated to reduce both order and demand fluctuations for unknown demand. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the robust control approach has the advantage to reduce both inventory and order fluctuations. In the simulation experiment, it is interesting to notice that complex network structure and collaborations might contribute to the reduction of inventory and order oscillations. This paper yields new insights into the overestimated bullwhip effect problem and helps us understand the complexities of supply chain networks.
An Improved Macro Model of Traffic Flow with the Consideration of Ramps and Numerical Tests
Authors: Shi Zhongke , Ai Wenhuan , Liu Dawei
Published: October 2015

We present an improved macro model for traffic flow based on the existing models. The equilibrium point equation of the model is obtained. The stop-and-go traffic phenomenon is described in phase plane and the relationship between traffic jams and system instability is clearly shown in the phase plane diagrams. Using the improved model, some traffic phenomena on a highway with ramps are found in this paper. The numerical simulation is carried out to investigate various nonlinear traffic phenomena with a single ramp generated by different initial densities and vehicle generation rates. According to the actual road sections of Xi’an-Baoji highways, the situations of morning peak with several ramps are also analyzed. All these results are consistent with real traffic, which shows that the improved model is reasonable.
Estimation of Symmetric Channels for Discrete Cosine Transform Type‐I Multicarrier Systems: A Compressed Sensing Approach
Authors: Domínguez-Jiménez María Elena , Luengo David , Sansigre-Vidal Gabriela
Published: October 2015

The problem of channel estimation for multicarrier communications is addressed. We focus on systems employing the Discrete Cosine Transform Type‐I (DCT1) even at both the transmitter and the receiver, presenting an algorithm which achieves an accurate estimation of symmetric channel filters using only a small number of training symbols. The solution is obtained by using either matrix inversion or compressed sensing algorithms. We provide the theoretical results which guarantee the validity of the proposed technique for the DCT1. Numerical simulations illustrate the good behaviour of the proposed algorithm.
Stochastic Stability of Discrete-Time Switched Systems with a Random Switching Signal
Authors: Liu Kai , Mu Xiaowu , Wei Jumei
Published: October 2015

Necessary and sufficient condition for stochastic stability of discrete-time linear switched system with a random switching signal is considered in this paper, assuming that the switching signal allows fixed dwell time before a Markov switch occurs. It is shown that the stochastic stability of the system is equivalent to that of an auxiliary system with state transformations at switching time, whose switching signal is a Markov chain. The stochastic stability is studied using a stochastic Lyapunov approach. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by a numerical example.
Credibility-Based Biobjective Fuzzy Optimization for Supplier Selection Problem with Disruption
Authors: Bai Xuejie
Published: October 2015

This paper addresses a supplier selection problem in which a buyer procures multiple products from multiple suppliers under disruption risk. The problem is formulated as a new credibility-based biobjective fuzzy optimization model. In the proposed model, cost, capacity, and demand are characterized by fuzzy variables with known possibility distributions. The objectives of our model are to maximize the total quality of purchased products and minimize the expected total cost. Two credibility constraints are used to guarantee that the chance about the supplier capacity and buyer demand can satisfy the predetermined levels. The main concern in solving the optimization model is to calculate the expected value of the objective function and the credibility in the constraints. When the key parameters are mutually independent triangular fuzzy variables, the expected cost objective and credibility constraints can be transformed into their equivalent forms. Taking advantage of the structural characteristics of the equivalent model, the goal programming method is employed to solve the supplier selection model, which can be solved by conventional optimization method. At last, some numerical experiments have been performed to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed model and solution strategy.
The Clinical Characteristics and Treatment of Cerebral Microarteriovenous Malformation Presenting with Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Series of 13 Cases
Authors: Hong Jing-Fang , Song Ying-Fang , Liu Hai-Bing , Liu Zheng , Wang Shou-Sen
Published: October 2015

Object. The aim of this report was to explore the clinical presentation, radiological features, treatment methods, and outcome of micro-AVMs presenting with intracerebral hemorrhage.Methods. The clinical data, radiological features, treatment, and follow-up results for a consecutive series of 13 cases with micro-AVMs were retrospectively analyzed.Results. All 13 patients presented with intracerebral hemorrhage. Ten cases were confirmed by enhanced thin layer CT scanning and CTA, and the other 3 cases were confirmed by DSA. Treatment consisted of surgical removal in 10 cases, endovascular embolization in 1, and radiosurgery in 2. The modified GOS score was achieved in the third month after discharge: 10 cases were rated with 5 points (good recovery), 1 case was rated with 4 points (mild disability), and 2 cases were rated with 3 points (severe disability). During follow-up, No case of rebleeding was reported.Conclusions. Intracerebral hemorrhage is the main clinical manifestation of micro-AVMs. It is beneficial to find a tiny nidus of dense vessels located on hematoma wall on enhanced thin layer CT scanning for a clear diagnosis and to detect any abnormal feeding artery or venous drainage for an indirect diagnostic evidence. Resection is the main method of treatment for micro-AVMs.
A Rare Differential Diagnosis of a Nasal Tumor: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Burkart S. , Schoenenberger U.
Published: October 2015

Vascular leiomyomas or angioleiomyomas are rare tumors that can be found in the nasal cavity. The etiology of angioleiomyoma remains poorly understood and there are several hypotheses to explain the origin of sinonasal leiomyoma. We here describe the clinical and histological findings in a case study along with the feasibility of surgical treatment using a radiofrequency instrument. In particular, we describe the case of an adult patient with recurrent epistaxis because of a nasal angioleiomyoma and the performed treatment in the form of complete surgical excision. Radiological imaging is a helpful tool to give an indication of the extension of the tumor, as well as for the proper planning of the surgical approach. Either MRI or CT scans are found to be best suited for this purpose. This case report recommends the complete surgical excision of the angioleiomyoma, by either an endoscopic or an open procedure. This can be safely performed using a radiofrequency instrument as shown in this case with no recurrence during a follow-up of 12 months.
Postdural Puncture Superior Sagittal Sinus Thrombosis in a Juvenile Case of Clinically Isolated Syndrome
Authors: Michel Miriam , Haberlandt Edda , Baumann Matthias , Entenmann Andreas , Wagner Michaela , Rostasy Kevin
Published: October 2015

Background. The causes of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) are manifold as is its clinical presentation.Case. We report the case of a CVT following lumbar puncture and intravenous glucocorticosteroid therapy in a female adolescent with a clinically isolated syndrome and risk factors for thrombosis.Conclusion. In adolescent patients with acute inflammatory disease undergoing lumbar puncture followed by intravenous high-dose glucocorticosteroid therapy, one should be aware of the elevated risk for thrombosis. A persistent headache with change in the headache pattern and loss of a postural component might be a sign for CVT, requiring emergency imaging of the brain.
Expression of Caspase-1 Gene Transcript Variant mRNA in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Patients with Primary Gout in Different TCM Syndromes
Authors: Dang Wan-Tai , Xu Dan , Xie Wen-Guang , Zhou Jing-Guo
Published: October 2015

A large number of studies have shown that cysteinyl aspartate specific protease-1 (CASP1) played an important role in the inflammatory response of primary gout, but the decreased expression of different CASP1 transcript variant could inhibit the activation of IL-1β. Our study mainly analyzed the expression level and function of CASP1 gene transcript variant mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with gout in different TCM syndromes. The expression of CASP1 gene transcript variant and IL-1βmRNA in PBMCs were detected in patients with PG [acute phase (AP: 44 cases); nonacute phase (NAP: 52 cases)] and healthy controls (HC: 30 cases) by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and/or real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The expressions of plasma IL-1βin patients with PG and HC were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Dysregulated expression of the CASP1 gene and its transcript variant, plasma proinflammatory cytokines in all patients with primary gout in different TCM syndromes, correlation analysis showed that there was negative correlation between the expression of CASP1-gamma gene transcript variant mRNA and IL-1βprotein in APPG group. The study suggested that CASP1 gene and its transcript variant may play a critical role in the inflammatory response of patients with PG in different phases and TCM syndromes.
H2/H∞Control Design of Detectable Periodic Markov Jump Systems
Authors: Hou Ting , Ma Hongji
Published: October 2015

An infinite horizonH2/H∞control problem is addressed for discrete-time periodic Markov jump systems with(x,u,v)-dependent noise. Above all, by use of the spectral criterion of detectability, an extended Lyapunov stability theorem is developed for the concerned dynamics. Further, based on a game theoretic approach, a state-feedbackH2/H∞control design is proposed. It is shown that under the condition of detectabilityH2/H∞feedback gain can be constructed through the solution of a group of coupled periodic difference equations.
An Effective Methodology with Automated Product Configuration for Software Product Line Development
Authors: Lee Scott Uk-Jin
Published: October 2015

The wide adaptation of product line engineering in software industry has enabled cost effective development of high quality software for diverse market segments. In software product line (SPL), a family of software is specified with a set of core assets representing reusable features with their variability, dependencies, and constraints. From such core assets, valid software products are configured after thoroughly analysing the represented features and their properties. However, current implementations of SPL lack effective means to configure a valid product as core assets specified in SPL, being high-dimensional data, are often too complex to analyse. This paper presents a time and cost effective methodology with associated tool supports to design a SPL model, analyse features, and configure a valid product. The proposed approach uses eXtensible Markup Language (XML) to model SPL, where an adequate schema is defined to precisely specify core assets. Furthermore, it enables automated product configuration by (i) extracting all the properties of required features from a given SPL model and calculating them with Alloy Analyzer; (ii) generating a decision model with appropriate eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation (XSLT) instructions embedded in each resolution effect; and (iii) processing XSLT instructions of all the selected resolution effects.
Effects of MAPP Compatibilization and Acetylation Treatment Followed by Hydrothermal Aging on Polypropylene Alfa Fiber Composites
Authors: Hamour Noura , Boukerrou Amar , Djidjelli Hocine , Maigret Jean-Eudes , Beaugrand Johnny
Published: October 2015

This work investigates the effect of hydrothermal aging on the properties of polypropylene/alfa fiber composites. Hydrothermal aging was induced in an environmental testing chamber at 65°C and 75% relative humidity (RH) over a 1000 h period. At the beginning (t=0 h), the results showed that Young’s moduli of the untreated alfa fibers and the acetylation-treated fibers increased by 21% and 36%, respectively, compared with the virgin polypropylene (PP). Additionally, Young’s moduli decreased by 7% for the compatibilized composites composed of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP). After 1000 h of aging, Young’s moduli decreased by 36% for untreated alfa fibers and 29% for the acetylation-treated alfa fibers and the compatibilized composites. Significant degradation was observed in the untreated alfa fiber samples. The Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) allows us to distinguish the characteristic absorption bands of the main chemical functions present in the composite material before and after aging. The thermal properties showed that the thermal stability and the degree of crystallinity of the composites decreased after hydrothermal aging; this result was corroborated by the dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) results.
Impact of Digital Panoramic Radiograph Magnification on Vertical Measurement Accuracy
Authors: El Hage Marc , Bernard Jean-Pierre , Combescure Christophe , Vazquez Lydia
Published: October 2015

Objectives.The purpose of this panoramic radiography study was to assess the impact of image magnification on the accuracy of vertical measurements in the posterior mandible.Methods.Six dental implants, inserted in the posterior segments of a resin model, were used as reference objects. Two observers performed implant length measurements using a proprietary viewer with two preset image magnifications: the low (1.9 : 1) and the medium (3.4 : 1) image magnifications. They also measured the implant lengths in two Digital Imaging Communications in Medicine viewers set at low (1.9 : 1), medium (3.4 : 1), and high (10 : 1) image magnifications.Results.The error between the measured length and the real implant length was close to zero for all three viewers and image magnifications. The percentage of measurements equal to the real implant length was the highest (83.3%) for the high image magnification and below 30% for all viewers with the low image magnification.Conclusions.The high and medium image magnifications used in this study allowed accurate vertical measurements, with all three imaging programs, in the posterior segments of a mandibular model. This study suggests that a low image magnification should not be used for vertical measurements on digital panoramic radiographs when planning an implant in the posterior mandible.
The Study of Operation Modes and Control Strategies of a Multidirectional MC for Battery Based System
Authors: Toosi Saman , Misron Norhisam , Hanamoto Tsuyoshi , Aris Ishak , Mohd Radzi Mohd Amran , Yamada Hiroaki
Published: October 2015

To enhance the performance of stand-alone battery based system and to achieve the continuous power transmission, the behavior of multidirectional matrix converter (MDMC) has been analyzed in different operation modes. A systematic method interfacing a renewable source, a storage battery, and a load is proposed for a stand-alone battery based power system (SABBPS) to utilize the MDMC as PWM converter, inverter, or PWM converter and inverter in different operation modes. In this study, the Extended Direct Duty Pulse Width Modulation (EDDPWM) technique has been applied to control the power flow path between the renewable source, load, and the battery. Corresponding to generator voltage, input frequency, and loads demands, several operating states and control strategies are possible. Therefore, the boundaries and distribution of operation modes are discussed and illustrated to improve the system performance. The mathematical equation of the EDDPWM under different operation modes has been derived to achieve the maximum voltage ratio in each mode. The theoretical and modulation concepts presented have been verified in simulation using MATLAB and experimental testing. Moreover, the THD, ripple, and power flow direction have been analyzed for output current to investigate the behavior of system in each operation mode.
Targeting Cellular Metabolism Chemosensitizes the Doxorubicin-Resistant Human Breast Adenocarcinoma Cells
Authors: Ma Shulan , Jia Rongfei , Li Dongju , Shen Bo
Published: October 2015

Metabolic energy preferentially produced by glycolysis was an advantageous metabolic phenotype of cancer cells. It is also an essential contributor to the progression of multidrug resistance in cancer cells. By developing human breast cancer MCF-7 cells resistant to doxorubicin (DOX) (MCF-7/MDR cells), the effects and mechanisms of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG), a glucose analogue, on reversing multidrug resistance were investigated. 2DG significantly inhibited the viability of MCF-7/MDR cells and enhanced DOX-induced apoptosis by upregulating protein expression of AMPKα, P53, and caspase-3. The study demonstrated that energy restriction induced by 2DG was relevant to the synergistic effect of 2DG and DOX. The proteins of multidrug gene (the MDR-related protein, MRP1) and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in MCF-7/MDR cells were downregulated after exposure to 2DG, accompanied with the suppression of the activity of ATP-dependent drug-efflux pump and transmembrane transporter, increasing the intracellular accumulation of DOX to reverse the chemoresistance in multidrug cancer cells.
A New Ensemble Method with Feature Space Partitioning for High-Dimensional Data Classification
Authors: Piao Yongjun , Piao Minghao , Jin Cheng Hao , Shon Ho Sun , Chung Ji-Moon , Hwang Buhyun , Ryu Keun Ho
Published: October 2015

Ensemble data mining methods, also known as classifier combination, are often used to improve the performance of classification. Various classifier combination methods such as bagging, boosting, and random forest have been devised and have received considerable attention in the past. However, data dimensionality increases rapidly day by day. Such a trend poses various challenges as these methods are not suitable to directly apply to high-dimensional datasets. In this paper, we propose an ensemble method for classification of high-dimensional data, with each classifier constructed from a different set of features determined by partitioning of redundant features. In our method, the redundancy of features is considered to divide the original feature space. Then, each generated feature subset is trained by a support vector machine, and the results of each classifier are combined by majority voting. The efficiency and effectiveness of our method are demonstrated through comparisons with other ensemble techniques, and the results show that our method outperforms other methods.
1,213 Cases of Treatment of Facial Acne Using Indocyanine Green and Intense Pulsed Light in Asian Skin
Authors: Park Kui Young , Kim Ji Young , Hyun Moo Yeol , Oh Won Jong , Jeong Se Yeong , Han Tae Young , Ahn Ji Young , Kim Beom Joon , Kim Myeung Nam
Published: October 2015

Background. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been used for acne, with various combinations of photosensitizers and light sources.Objective. We evaluated the effectiveness and safety of indocyanine green (ICG) and intense pulsed light (IPL) in the treatment of acne.Materials and Methods. A total of 1,213 patients with facial acne were retrospectively reviewed. Patients received three or five treatments of ICG and IPL at two-week intervals. Clinical response to treatment was assessed by comparing pre- and posttreatment clinical photographs and patient satisfaction scores.Results. Marked to excellent improvement was noted in 483 of 1,213 (39.8%) patients, while minimal to moderate improvement was achieved in the remaining 730 (60.2%) patients. Patient satisfaction scores revealed that 197 (16.3%) of 1,213 patients were highly satisfied, 887 (73.1%) were somewhat satisfied, and 129 (10.6%) were unsatisfied. There were no significant side effects.Conclusion. These results suggest that PDT with ICG and IPL can be effectively and safely used in the treatment of acne.
Logarithmic Slots Antennas Using Substrate Integrated Waveguide
Authors: Kachhia Jahnavi , Patel Amit , Vala Alpesh , Patel Romil , Mahant Keyur
Published: October 2015

This paper represents new generation of slotted antennas for satellite application where the loss can be compensated in terms of power or gain of antenna. First option is very crucial because it totally depends on size of satellite so we have proposed the high gain antenna creating number of rectangular, trapezoidal, and I shape slots in logarithm size in Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) structure. The structure consists of an array of various shape slots antenna designed to operate in C and X band applications. The basic structures have been designed over a RT duroid substrate with dielectric constant of 2.2 and with a thickness of 0.508 mm. Multiple slots array and shape of slot effects have been studied and analyzed using HFSS (High Frequency Structure Simulator). The designs have been supported with its return loss, gain plot, VSWR, and radiation pattern characteristics to validate multiband operation. All the proposed antennas give gain more than 9 dB and return loss better than −10 dB. However, the proposed structures have been very sensitive to their physical dimensions.
Optimal Contract Design for Cooperative Relay Incentive Mechanism under Moral Hazard
Authors: Zhao Nan , Wu Minghu , Xiong Wei , Liu Cong
Published: October 2015

Cooperative relay can effectively improve spectrum efficiency by exploiting the spatial diversity in the wireless networks. However, wireless nodes may acquire different network information with various users’ location and mobility, channels’ conditions, and other factors, which results in asymmetric information between the source and the relay nodes (RNs). In this paper, the relay incentive mechanism between relay nodes and the source is investigated under the asymmetric information. By modelling multiuser cooperative relay as a labour market, a contract model with moral hazard for relay incentive is proposed. To effectively incentivize the potential RNs to participate in cooperative relay, the optimization problems are formulated to maximize the source’s utility while meeting the feasible conditions under both symmetric and asymmetric information scenarios. Numerical simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed contract design scheme for cooperative relay.
Autophagy in RAW264.7 Cells Treated with Surface‐Functionalized Graphene Oxides
Authors: Park Chang Seok , Choi Kyoung Soon , Park In Won , Jung Jae Woo , Choi Jae Chol , Kim Jae Yeol , Choi Byoung Whui , Kim Yu Geun , Shin Jong Wook , Kim Soo Young
Published: October 2015

This study investigated cytotoxicity, particularly autophagy, in RAW264.7 cells exposed to graphene oxide (GO) and its derivatives (dodecylamine‐GO (DA‐GO), reduced GO (rGO), and sodium dodecyl sulfate‐rGO (SDS‐rGO)). Appearance of amine stretching bands, out‐of‐plane C‐H stretching vibrations, and S=O stretching bands in infrared spectra indicated the formation of DA‐GO, rGO, and SDS‐rGO, respectively. Light microscopy and microculture tetrazolium assay showed that all the GO types exerted cytotoxic effects on RAW264.7 cells in a concentration‐dependent manner. Higher concentrations of the GO types downregulated the expression of PU.1, a unique transcription factor in monocytes and macrophages, and decreased the conversion of LC3A/B‐I to LC3A/B‐II, suggesting that PU.1 was associated with autophagy in RAW264.7 cells. These results suggested that surface‐functionalized GOs exerted cytotoxic effects in a concentration‐dependent manner by changing the expression of critical genes and inducing autophagy in macrophages.
A New Hybrid Model Based on an Intelligent Optimization Algorithm and a Data Denoising Method to Make Wind Speed Predication
Authors: Jiang Ping , Dong Qingli
Published: October 2015

To mitigate the increase of anxiety resulting from the depletion of fossil fuels and destruction of the ecosystem, wind power, as the most common renewable energy, is a flourishing industry. Thus, accurate wind speed forecasting is critical for the efficient function of wind farms. However, affected by complicated influence factors in meteorology and volatile physical property, wind speed forecasting is difficult and challenging. Based on previous research efforts, an intelligent hybrid model was proposed in this paper in an attempt to tackle this difficult task. First, wavelet transform was utilized to extract the main components of the original wind speed data while eliminating noise. To make better use of the back-propagation artificial neural network, the initial parameters of the network are substituted with optimized ones, which are achieved by using the artificial fish swarm algorithm (AFSA), and the final combination model is employed to conduct wind speed forecasting. A series of data are collected from four different observation sites to test the validity of the proposed model. Through comprehensive comparison with the traditional models, the experiment results clearly indicate that the proposed hybrid model outperforms the traditional single models.
Robustness of SOC Estimation Algorithms for EV Lithium-Ion Batteries against Modeling Errors and Measurement Noise
Authors: Li Xue , Jiang Jiuchun , Zhang Caiping , Wang Le Yi , Zheng Linfeng
Published: October 2015

State of charge (SOC) is one of the most important parameters in battery management system (BMS). There are numerous algorithms for SOC estimation, mostly of model-based observer/filter types such as Kalman filters, closed-loop observers, and robust observers. Modeling errors and measurement noises have critical impact on accuracy of SOC estimation in these algorithms. This paper is a comparative study of robustness of SOC estimation algorithms against modeling errors and measurement noises. By using a typical battery platform for vehicle applications with sensor noise and battery aging characterization, three popular and representative SOC estimation methods (extended Kalman filter, PI-controlled observer, andH∞observer) are compared on such robustness. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate that deterioration of SOC estimation accuracy under modeling errors resulted from aging and larger measurement noise, which is quantitatively characterized. The findings of this paper provide useful information on the following aspects: (1) how SOC estimation accuracy depends on modeling reliability and voltage measurement accuracy; (2) pros and cons of typical SOC estimators in their robustness and reliability; (3) guidelines for requirements on battery system identification and sensor selections.
New Onset Diplopia in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma following Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy: Clinical Features and Etiology
Authors: Kau Hui-Chuan , Tsai Chieh-Chih
Published: October 2015

Purpose. To investigate the clinical features and etiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients with new onset diplopia after concurrent chemoradiotherapy.Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of NPC patients with new onset diplopia after concurrent chemoradiotherapy from 1998 to 2012 in a cancer center. Their clinical manifestations of ocular motor dysfunction in relation to etiology were investigated.Results. Twenty-three NPC patients with diplopia after concurrent chemoradiotherapy were enrolled in this study. Unilateral cranial VI palsy (91%) was the most common ocular motor dysfunction in these patients. The new onset diplopia in these patients was secondary to tumor recurrence in 12 cases (52%), radiation neuropathy in 8 cases (35%), and skull base osteoradionecrosis in 3 cases (13%). Patients with tumor recurrence and skull base osteoradionecrosis tended to present a rapid progression of the nerve palsy or severe ocular duction deficit. Patients with radiation neuropathy were often manifested by incomplete nerve palsy with insidious onset and slow progression. Patients with osteoradionecrosis were associated with poor prognosis.Conclusions. A new onset diplopia in NPC patients could be caused by tumor recurrence or treatment complications such as radiation neuropathy and osteoradionecrosis, and they show diverse clinical symptoms, course, and outcome.
Physicians Experience with and Expectations of the Safety and Tolerability of WHO-Step III Opioids for Chronic (Low) Back Pain: Post Hoc Analysis of Data from a German Cross-Sectional Physician Survey
Authors: Ueberall Michael A. , Eberhardt Alice , Mueller-Schwefe Gerhard H. H.
Published: October 2015

Objective. To describe physicians’ daily life experience with WHO-step III opioids in the treatment of chronic (low) back pain (CLBP). Methods. Post hoc analysis of data from a cross-sectional online survey with 4.283 Germany physicians. Results. With a reported median use in 17% of affected patients, WHO-step III opioids play a minor role in treatment of CLBP in daily practice associated with a broad spectrum of positive and negative effects. If prescribed, potent opioids were reported to show clinically relevant effects (such as ≥50% pain relief) in approximately 3 of 4 patients (median 72%). Analgesic effects reported are frequently related with adverse events (AEs). Only 20% of patients were reported to remain free of any AE. Most frequently reported AE was constipation (50%), also graded highest for AE-related daily life restrictions (median 46%). Specific AE countermeasures were reported to be necessary in approximately half of patients (median 45%); nevertheless AE-related premature discontinuation rates reported were high (median 22%). Fentanyl/morphine were the most/least prevalently prescribed potent opioids mentioned (median 20 versus 8%). Conclusion. Overall, use of WHO-step III opioids for CLBP is low. AEs, especially constipation, are commonly reported and interfere significantly with analgesic effects in daily practice. Nevertheless, beneficial effects outweigh related AEs in most patients with CLBP.
Community Clustering Algorithm in Complex Networks Based on Microcommunity Fusion
Authors: Qi Jin , Jiang Fei , Wang Xiaojun , Xu Bin , Sun Yanfei
Published: October 2015

With the further research on physical meaning and digital features of the community structure in complex networks in recent years, the improvement of effectiveness and efficiency of the community mining algorithms in complex networks has become an important subject in this area. This paper puts forward a concept of the microcommunity and gets final mining results of communities through fusing different microcommunities. This paper starts with the basic definition of the network community and appliesExpansionto the microcommunity clustering which provides prerequisites for the microcommunity fusion. The proposed algorithm is more efficient andhas higher solution qualitycompared with other similar algorithms through the analysis of test results based on network data set.
An Adaptive Observer-Based Algorithm for Solving Inverse Source Problem for the Wave Equation
Authors: Asiri Sharefa , Zayane-Aissa Chadia , Laleg-Kirati Taous-Meriem
Published: October 2015

Observers are well known in control theory. Originally designed to estimate the hidden states of dynamical systems given some measurements, the observers scope has been recently extended to the estimation of some unknowns, for systems governed by partial differential equations. In this paper, observers are used to solve inverse source problem for a one-dimensional wave equation. An adaptive observer is designed to estimate the state and source components for a fully discretized system. The effectiveness of the algorithm is emphasized in noise-free and noisy cases and an insight on the impact of measurements’ size and location is provided.
The Quantitative Assessment of Imaging Features for the Study of Hirayama Disease Progression
Authors: Shao Minghao , Yin Jun , Lu Feizhou , Zheng Chaojun , Wang Hongli , Jiang Jianyuan
Published: October 2015

Objective.To evaluate the forward shifting of cervical spinal cords in different segments of patients with Hirayama disease to determine whether the disease is self-limiting.Methods.This study was performed on 11 healthy subjects and 64 patients. According to the duration, the patients were divided into 5 groups (≤1 year, 1-2 years, 2-3 years, 3-4 years, and ≥4 years). Cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of flexion and conventional position was performed. The distances between the posterior edge of the spinal cord and the cervical spinal canal (X), the anterior and posterior wall of the cervical spinal canal (Y), and the anterior-posterior (A) and the transverse diameter (B) of spinal cord cross sections were measured at different cervical spinal segments (C4 to T1).Results.In cervical flexion position, a significant increase inX/Yof C4-5 segments was found in groups 2–5, the C5-6 and C6-7 segments in groups 1–5, and the C7-T1 segments in group 5 (P<0.05). The degree of the increasedX/Yand cervical flexionX/Yof C5-6 segments were different among the 5 groups (P<0.05), which was likely due to rapid increases inX/Yduring the course of Hirayama’s disease.Conclusion.TheX/Ychange progression indicates that Hirayama disease may not be self-limiting.
Effects of Damping Plate and Taut Line System on Mooring Stability of Small Wave Energy Converter
Authors: Liu Zhen , Cui Ying , Zhao Huanyu , Shi Hongda , Hyun Beom-Soo
Published: October 2015

Ocean wave energy can be used for electricity supply to ocean data acquisition buoys. A heaving buoy wave energy converter is designed and the damping plate and taut line system are used to provide the mooring stability for better operating conditions. The potential flow assumption is employed for wave generation and fluid structure interactions, which are processed by the commercial software AQWA. Effects of damping plate diameter and taut line linking style with clump and seabed weights on reduction of displacements in 6 degrees of freedom are numerically studied under different operating wave conditions. Tensile forces on taut lines of optimized mooring system are tested to satisfy the national code for wire rope utilization.
Back Analysis of Geomechanical Parameters Using Hybrid Algorithm Based on Difference Evolution and Extreme Learning Machine
Authors: Song Zhan-ping , Jiang An-nan , Jiang Zong-bin
Published: October 2015

Since the geological bodies where tunnels are located have uncertain and complex characteristics, the inverse problem plays an important role in geotechnical engineering. In order to improve the accuracy and speed of surrounding rock identification, the back analysis objective function with usage of the displacement and stress monitoring data has been constructed, with a hybrid algorithm proposed. An extreme learning machine (ELM) is employed with optimal architecture trained by the difference evolution (DE) arithmetic. First, the three-dimensional numerical simulation is used in the creation of training and testing samples for ELM model construction. Second, the nonlinear relationship between rock parameters and displacement is constructed by numerical simulation. Finally, the geophysics parameters are obtained by DE optimization arithmetic taking into consideration the monitoring data including both displacement and pressure. This method had been applied in the Fusong highway tunnel in Fusong City of China’s Jilin Province, with a good effect obtained. It takes full advantage of DE and ELM and has both calculation speed and precision in the back analysis.
Sensor Fusion for Accurate Ego-Motion Estimation in a Moving Platform
Authors: Yi Chuho , Cho Jungwon
Published: October 2015

With the coming of “Internet of things” (IoT) technology, many studies have sought to apply IoT to mobile platforms, such as smartphones, robots, and moving vehicles. An estimation of ego-motion in a moving platform is an essential and important method to build a map and to understand the surrounding environment. In this paper, we describe an ego-motion estimation method using a vision sensor that is widely used in IoT systems. Then, we propose a new fusion method to improve the accuracy of motion estimation with other sensors in cases where there are limits in using only a vision sensor. Generally, because the dimension numbers of data that can be measured for each sensor are different, by simply adding values or taking averages, there is still a problem in that the answer will be biased to one of the data sources. These problems are the same when using the weighting sum using the covariance of the sensors. To solve this problem, in this paper, using relatively accurate sensor data (unfortunately, low dimension), the proposed method was used to estimate by creating artificial data to improve the accuracy (even of unmeasured dimensions).
Study onH-Index of Stochastic Linear Continuous-Time Systems
Authors: Li Yan , Zhang Tianliang , Liu Xikui , Jiang Xiushan
Published: October 2015

This paper studies theH-index problem. We obtain a necessary and sufficient condition ofH-index larger thanγ>0. A generalized differential equation is introduced and it is proved that its solvability and the feasibility of theH-index are equivalent. We extend the deterministic cases to the stochastic models. Our results can be used to fault detection filter analysis. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed results is illustrated by an example.
Self-Assembling Multifunctional Peptide Dimers for Gene Delivery Systems
Authors: Ryu Kitae , Lee Gyeong Jin , Choi Ji-yeong , Kim Taewan , Kim Tae-il
Published: October 2015

Self-assembling multifunctional peptide was designed for gene delivery systems. The multifunctional peptide (MP) consists of cellular penetrating peptide moiety (R8), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) specific sequence (GPLGV), pH-responsive moiety (H5), and hydrophobic moiety (palmitic acid) (CR8GPLGVH5-Pal). MP was oxidized to form multifunctional peptide dimer (MPD) by DMSO oxidation of thiols in terminal cysteine residues. MPD could condense pDNA successfully at a weight ratio of 5. MPD itself could self-assemble into submicron micelle particles via hydrophobic interaction, of which critical micelle concentration is about 0.01 mM. MPD showed concentration-dependent but low cytotoxicity in comparison with PEI25k. MPD polyplexes showed low transfection efficiency in HEK293 cells expressing low level of MMP-2 but high transfection efficiency in A549 and C2C12 cells expressing high level of MMP-2, meaning the enhanced transfection efficiency probably due to MMP-induced structural change of polyplexes. Bafilomycin A1-treated transfection results suggest that the transfection of MPD is mediated via endosomal escape by endosome buffering ability. These results show the potential of MPD for MMP-2 targeted gene delivery systems due to its multifunctionality.
H∞Gain-Scheduled Control for LPV Stochastic Systems
Authors: Ku Cheung-Chieh , Chen Guan-Wei
Published: October 2015

A robust control problem for discrete-time uncertain stochastic systems is discussed via gain-scheduled control scheme subject toH∞attenuation performance. Applying Linear Parameter Varying (LPV) modeling approach and stochastic difference equation, the uncertain stochastic systems can be described by combining time-varying weighting function and linear systems with multiplicative noise terms. Due to the consideration of stochastic behavior, the stability in the sense of mean square is applied for the system. Furthermore, two kinds of Lyapunov functions are employed to derive their corresponding sufficient conditions to solve the stabilization problems of this paper. In order to use convex optimization algorithm, the derived conditions are converted into Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI) form. Via solving those conditions, the gain-scheduled controller can be established such that the robust asymptotical stability andH∞performance of the disturbed uncertain stochastic system can be achieved in the sense of mean square. Finally, two numerical examples are applied to demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed design method.
Ileocaecal Intussusception with a Lead Point: Unusual MDCT Findings of Active Crohn’s Disease Involving the Appendix
Authors: Ozan Ebru , Atac Gokce Kaan , Akincioglu Egemen , Keskin Mete , Gulpinar Kamil
Published: October 2015

Adult intussusception is a rare entity accounting for 1% of all bowel obstructions. Unlike intussusceptions in children, which are idiopathic in 90% of cases, adult intussusceptions have an identifiable cause (lead point) in the majority of cases. Crohn’s disease (CD) may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, including the appendix. It was shown to be a predisposing factor for intussusception. Here, we report a rare case of adult intussusception with a lead point, emphasizing diagnostic input of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in a patient with active CD that involves the appendix.
Improved Empirical Mode Decomposition Algorithm of Processing Complex Signal for IoT Application
Authors: Yang Xianzhao , Cheng Gengguo , Liu Huikang
Published: October 2015

Hilbert-Huang transform is widely used in signal analysis. However, due to its inadequacy in estimating both the maximum and the minimum values of the signals at both ends of the border, traditional HHT is easy to produce boundary error in empirical mode decomposition (EMD) process. To overcome this deficiency, this paper proposes an enhanced empirical mode decomposition algorithm for processing complex signal. Our work mainly focuses on two aspects. On one hand, we develop a technique to obtain the extreme points of observation interval boundary by introducing the linear extrapolation into EMD. This technique is simple but effective in suppressing the error-prone effects of decomposition. On the other hand, a novel envelope fitting method is proposed for processing complex signal, which employs a technique of nonuniform rational B-splines curve. This method can accurately measure the average value of instantaneous signal, which helps to achieve the accurate signal decomposition. Simulation experiments show that our proposed methods outperform their rivals in processing complex signals for time frequency analysis.