bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Depression among Adult HIV/AIDS Patients Attending ART Clinics at Aksum Town, Aksum, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Beyene Gebrezgiabher Berhe , Huluf Abraha Teklehaymanot , Hailu Etsay , Siyum Hailay , Mebrahtu Getachew , Gidey Berihu , Abay Mebrahtu , Hintsa Solomon , Angesom Teklit
Published: February 2019

Background. Depression is consistently associated with increased risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection and poor antiretroviral treatment adherence. Though many factors have been reported as determinant factors of depression, site-specific evidence is needed to identify factors associated with depression among adults on antiretroviral treatment. Methods. An institution based cross-sectional study was carried out from March to May 2015 among 411 adults HIV/AIDS patients on ART clinic follow-up. Participants were selected using systematic random sampling techniques. Data were collected using chart review and interviewer- administered techniques. Both bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to compute the statistical test associations by SPSS version-20. Variables with p value < 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Results. Four hundred eleven patients with a mean age ± Standard Deviation of 36.1±9.2 years and with a total response rate of 97.6% were enrolled in the study. The prevalence of depression was 14.6% (95% CI, 10.90-18.2). Factors independently associated with depression were nonadherence to ART, eating two meals per day or less, having side effect of ART medication, being in the WHO Stage II or above of HIV/AIDS, and living alone with AOR (95% CI) of 3.3 (1.436, 7.759), 2.8 (1.382, 5.794), 4.7 (1.317, 16.514), 2.8 (0.142, 0.786), and 2.4 (1.097, 5.429), respectively. Conclusion. Though the magnitude of depression was found relatively low, it was commonly observed as a mental health problem among adult patients with HIV/AIDS on ART. Programs on counseling and close follow-up of adherence to ART, drug side effects, and nutrition should be strengthened. Health facilities should link adult patients with HIV/AIDS who live alone to governmental and nongovernmental social supporter organizations.
From Whole-Brain Radiotherapy to Immunotherapy: A Multidisciplinary Approach for Patients with Brain Metastases from NSCLC
Authors: Protopapa Maria , Kouloulias Vassilis , Nikoloudi Styliani , Papadimitriou Christos , Gogalis Giannis , Zygogianni Anna
Published: February 2019

Non-small cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases have a multitude of treatment options, but there is currently no international and multidisciplinary consensus concerning their optimal treatment. Local therapies have the principal role, especially in symptomatic patients. Advances in surgery and radiation therapy manage considerable local control. Systemic treatments have shown effect in clinical trials and in real life clinical settings; yet, at present, this is restricted to patients with asymptomatic or stable intracranial lesions. Targeted agents can have a benefit only in patients with EGFR mutations or ALK rearrangement. Immunotherapy has shown impressive results in patients with PD-L1 expression in tumor cells. Its effects can be further enhanced by a synergy with radiotherapy, possibly by increasing the percentage of responders. The present review summarizes the need for more effective systemic treatments, so that the increased intracranial control achieved by local treatments can be translated in an increase in overall survival.
Identification of Bioactive Compounds and Analysis of Inhibitory Potential of the Digestive Enzymes fromSyzygiumsp. Extracts
Authors: Cavatão de Freitas Tuanny , Oliveira Ronaldo Junio de , Mendonça Ricardo José de , Candido Pamela Aparecida , Silva Pereira Luciana Lopes , Devienne Karina Ferrazzoli , Carolina da Silva Ana , Pereira Chrystian Araújo
Published: February 2019

Diabetes and obesity represent major public health problems worldwide. High cost of medicines and drug treatments propose the research for less expensive alternatives, such as enzymatic inhibitors present in medicinal plants from natural sources. An example of such medicinal plant is the jambolanSyzygiumsp., which is referred to be hypoglycemic and efficient in weight loss. With this in mind, we identified the bioactive compounds fromSyzygiumsp. commercial teas and evaluated the inhibitory potential and the antioxidant activity of digestive enzymes from a simulated gastric fluid.Syzygiumsp. samples showed low percentages of enzymatic inhibition at 1 : 200 dilution. Antioxidant activity was significant, although it was not expressive of the contents of total phenolic compounds, tannins, flavonoids, flavones, and alkaloids. Maldi-Tof spectroscopy suggested the presence of luteolin inSyzygiumsp. samples. Molecular docking predicted that luteolin binds at theα-amylase catalytic site in a similar manner as acarbose, the carbohydrate inhibitor from the enzyme crystallographic structure. The phytochemical content and biological activity were distinct among samples from commercial teas. Thus, additional studies should be conducted to elucidate efficacy and safety ofSyzygiumsp. extracts, especiallyin vivoexperiments.Syzygiumsp. might be in the near future recommended as a medicinal plant in low cost diabetes and obesity treatments.
Double-Blind, Randomized, Three-Armed, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Investigation to Evaluate the Benefit and Tolerability of Two Dosages of IQP-AE-103 in Reducing Body Weight in Overweight and Moderately Obese Subjects
Authors: Uebelhack Ralf , Bongartz Udo , Seibt Stephanie , Bothe Gordana , Chong Pee Win , De Costa Patricia , Wszelaki Natalia
Published: February 2019

Objective. This study was performed to determine the efficacy and tolerability/safety of IQP-AE-103 on body weight reduction in overweight to moderately obese adults.Methods. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involved one hundred and eight subjects (BMI between 25 and 35 kg/m2) that were randomly assigned to either the low-dose or the high-dose IQP-AE-103 group, or the placebo group. Following a 2-week run-in period, subjects received two capsules of investigational product after three daily main meals for 12 weeks. Subjects were instructed to maintain a nutritionally balanced hypocaloric diet according to the individual’s energy requirement. Body weight, body fat, and waist and hip circumference were measured at baseline, and after 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Subjects also rated their feelings of hunger and fullness using visual analogue scales, and food craving on a 5-point scale at the same time intervals. Blood samplings for safety laboratory parameters were taken before and at the end of the study.Results. After 12 weeks of intake, the high-dose IQP-AE-103 group had a significantly greater weight loss compared with the placebo (5.03 ± 2.50 kg vs. 0.98 ± 2.06 kg, respectively;p<0.001) and the low-dose group (3.01 ± 2.19 kg;p=0.001). The high-dose group experienced a decrease in body fat of 3.15 ± 2.41 kg compared with a decrease of 0.23 ± 2.74 kg for the placebo group (p<0.001). High-dose IQP-AE-103 also decreased the feeling of hunger in 66% subjects. A beneficial effect of IQP-AE-103 on the lipid metabolism was also demonstrated in the subgroup of subjects with baseline total cholesterol levels above 6.2 mmol/L. No side effects related to the intake of IQP-AE-103 were reported.Conclusions. These findings indicate that IQP-AE-103 could be an effective and safe weight loss intervention. This trial is registered withNCT03058367.
Effects of Milling Methods and Cultivars on Physicochemical Properties of Whole-Wheat Flour
Authors: Kang Min Jeong , Kim Mi Jeong , Kwak Han Sub , Kim Sang Sook
Published: February 2019

The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of milling methods (jet mill (JM) and hammer mill (HM)) and wheat cultivars (Keumkang (K), Jokyung (J), and Anzunbaengi (A)) on physicochemical and dough properties of whole-wheat flour (WWF). The color, particle size, starch damage (SD), falling number (FN), water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), pasting and Mixolab® properties, and dough extensibility of WWF were measured. Significant differences were observed in proximate compositions as well as in color, particle size, FN, and WAI between the distinct milling methods and cultivars (p<0.001). The particle sizes of each cultivar milled with a HM (K: 188.5 µm; J: 115.7 µm; A: 40.34 µm) were larger than those milled with a JM (K: 41.8 µm; J: 50.7 µm; A: 20.8 µm). The final viscosity of WWF milled with a HM (K: 1304 cP; J: 1249 cP; A: 1548 cP) was higher than that of cultivars milled with a JM (K: 1092 cP; J: 1062 cP; A: 994 cP). Dough extensibility and resistance to extension also differed among the cultivars, and the C2 Mixolab® parameter (an indicator of protein weakening) was influenced by the milling method. Overall, results from principal component analysis showed that, among the three cultivars, Keumkang WWF was the most affected by the milling method.
Consumption of Energy Drinks and Their Effects on Sleep Quality among Students at the Copperbelt University School of Medicine in Zambia
Authors: Mwape Richard Kalima , Mulenga David
Published: February 2019

Background. Good sleep quality is cardinal to good health, and research has shown that it plays a fundamental role in immunity, learning, metabolism, and other biological functions. Energy drink consumption is a popular practice among college students in the United States. There has been little research done on the consumption of energy drinks and its effects in Zambian universities. The main objective was to determine the effects of energy drinks on sleep quality among students at the Copperbelt University School of Medicine. A self-administered questionnaire was administered to 195 undergraduate students at the Copperbelt University School of Medicine in their second- and third-year of study. Energy drink consumption and sleep quality were assessed by univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses. 157 students were enrolled into the study. The prevalence of energy drink consumption was 27.4% among participants. Studying for an exam was the most common reason for drinking energy drinks (83.7% of energy drink users). The majority of participants were found to be have poor sleep quality (59.6%). There was a statistically significant association between energy drink consumption and poor sleep quality (p value < 0.01). The findings of our study show that energy drink consumption is not a common practice in the Zambian university setting as the prevalence was 27.4%. Furthermore, the prevalence of poor sleep quality among Zambian university students is high and is significantly associated with energy drink consumption, and there is a need to better understand the patterns of energy drink use as well as their effects on various aspects of health including sleep quality in the Zambian setting. Further research should assess the knowledge of nonmedical students on the effects of energy drinks.
Disposable Nonenzymatic Uric Acid and Creatinine Sensors Using μPAD Coupled with Screen-Printed Reduced Graphene Oxide-Gold Nanocomposites
Authors: Income Kamolwich , Ratnarathorn Nalin , Khamchaiyo Napassawan , Srisuvo Chanut , Ruckthong Leela , Dungchai Wijitar
Published: February 2019

Uric acid (UA) and creatinine are the imperative biological substance for clinical monitoring and diagnosis. Measuring the ratio between uric acid and creatinine in urine helps differentiate acute uric acid nephropathy from the hyperuricemia that secondarily occurs to renal failure. In general, the ratio is greater than 0.9 in acute uric acid nephropathy and less than 0.7 in hyperuricemia. In this work, disposable nonenzymatic screen-printed reduced graphene oxide-gold nanocomposites electrodes were firstly developed for the quantitative analysis of uric acid. Our sensors were also coupled with the paper-based colorimetric sensor of the determination of creatinine. Hence, an alternative high-throughput screening test for the uric acid to creatinine ratio with high sensitivity, specificity, simplicity, and rapidity was developed. Under the optimum conditions, our disposable nonenzymatic screen-printed electrode for the determination of uric acid shows the acceptable analytical performance in a wide range of linearity (2.5-1,000 μM) with a low detection limit of 0.74 μM. Our electrodes also showed no interference from common physiologic compound in urine. The determination of creatinine has been developed using Jaffé reaction between the creatinine and picric acid in alkaline condition. The alkaline picrate color on μPAD changed from yellow to orange in the presence of creatinine and the orange intensity is directly proportional to the creatinine amount in a linearity range of 0.20-6.0 mM as a detection limit of 180 μM. Finally, our device has been utilized to determine uric acid and creatinine simultaneously in control urine samples with acceptable result.
Combined DFT and Fuzzy Based Faulty Phase Selection and Classification in a Series Compensated Transmission Line
Authors: Mishra Praveen Kumar , Yadav Anamika
Published: February 2019

The conventional distance protection scheme malfunctions sometimes in case of a fixed series capacitor compensated transmission line due to the change in relaying impedance of the protected line during faulty conditions. In order to mitigate this problem, a combined discrete Fourier transform and fuzzy (CDFTF) based algorithm has been proposed in this paper. This method has been tested on a 400 km, 735 kV series compensated transmission line network and WSCC 3-machine 9-bus system for all fault types using MATLAB/Simulink and PSCAD platforms, respectively. A fixed series capacitor is located at the middle of the protected line. The fundamental components of phase currents, phase voltages, and zero-sequence current are fed as inputs to the proposed scheme. The fault detection, faulty phase selection, and fault classification are achieved within 1/2–1 cycle of power frequency. The proposed CDFTF-based scheme is less complex and is better than other data mining techniques which require huge training and testing time. Test results corroborate the proposed scheme reliability with wide variations in fault location, fault resistance, fault inception angle, evolving faults, compensation level, and heavy load interconnection. The results discussed in this work indicate that the proposed technique is resilient to wide variations in fault and system conditions.
Challenges in the Analysis of Longitudinal Pain Data: Practical Lessons from a Randomized Trial of Annular Closure in Lumbar Disc Surgery
Authors: Bouma Gerrit J. , Barth Martin , Miller Larry E. , Eustacchio Sandro , Flüh Charlotte , Bostelmann Richard , Jadik Senol
Published: February 2019

Purpose. To analyze leg pain severity data from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of lumbar disc surgery using integrated approaches that adjust pain scores collected at scheduled follow-up visits for confounding clinical events occurring between visits. Methods. Data were derived from an RCT of a bone-anchored annular closure device (ACD) following lumbar discectomy versus lumbar discectomy alone (Control) in patients with large postsurgical annular defects. Leg pain was recorded on a 0 to 100 scale at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years of follow-up. Patients with pain reduction ≥20 points relative to baseline were considered responders. Unadjusted analyses utilized pain scores reported at follow-up visits. Since symptomatic reherniation signifies clinical failure of lumbar discectomy, integrated analyses adjusted pain scores following a symptomatic reherniation by baseline observation carried forward for continuous data or classification as nonresponders for categorical data. Results. Among 550 patients (272 ACD, 278 Control), symptomatic reherniation occurred in 10.3% of ACD patients and in 21.9% of controls (p < 0.001) through 2 years. There was no difference in leg pain scores at the 2-year visit between ACD and controls (12 versus 14; p = 0.33) in unadjusted analyses, but statistically significant differences favoring ACD (19 versus 29; p < 0.001) in integrated analyses. Unadjusted nonresponder rates were 6.0% with ACD and 6.7% with controls (p = 0.89), but 15.7% and 27.8% (p = 0.001) in integrated analyses. The probability of nonresponse was 16.4% with ACD and 18.3% with controls (p = 0.51) in unadjusted analysis, and 23.7% and 31.2% (p = 0.04) in integrated analyses. Conclusion. In an RCT of lumbar disc surgery, an integrated analysis of pain severity that adjusted for the confounding effects of clinical failures occurring between follow-up visits resulted in different conclusions compared to an unadjusted analysis of pain scores reported at follow-up visits only.
Design Method to Structure Orthosis Design: Camptocormia Postural Brace Case Study
Authors: Duarte Ricardo , Nadeau Jean-Pierre , Ramos Antonio , Mesnard Michel
Published: February 2019

The orthosis is considered a class 1 medical device which often originates from a nonstructured development process. As these devices are mainly developed by small- and medium-sized enterprises, with no standard research method, the result can be an unadapted device which may not respond to the user’s needs and which in the short term may be abandoned. One way to solve this problem is to define and apply standard rules and procedures throughout the development/design process. Although methodologies may solve the “empiricism” in orthosis design problems, these design strategies are not applied during orthosis development due to the particularities of this field and the difficulties in linking the required knowledge and the actors that may be present during the orthosis development. The objective of this work is to develop a methodology to structure the orthosis design process that takes into account both the device life cycle and the different stakeholders involved in the design process. A case study was used to validate the proposed methodology. It was applied to the development of an orthosis to treat a specific postural disorder called camptocormia, also known as bent spine syndrome. This disorder is characterized by the anteroflexion of the trunk and especially affects elderly people. Contrary to scoliosis, the characteristics of camptocormia are not permanent, which means that the patient is able to straighten his posture. A postural brace is used to treat this disorder which enables the patient to redress and maintain the correct upright posture of the trunk.
An Improved Scheme of Frequency-Dependent AVO Inversion Method and Its Application for Tight Gas Reservoirs
Authors: Liu Jiong , Ning Jun-rui , Liu Xi-wu , Liu Chun-yuan , Chen Tian-sheng
Published: February 2019

AVO inversion is a seismic exploration methodology used to predict the earth’s elastic parameters and thus rocks and fluid properties. It is built up on elastic theory and does not consider the seismic dispersion in real strata. Recent experiments and theory of rock physics have shown that in hydrocarbon-bearing rocks, especially in gas-bearing ones, the change of seismic velocity with frequency may be pretty remarkable for fluid flow in pore space. Some scholars proposed methods about seismic dispersion, such as frequency-dependent AVO inversion, to forecast oil and gas reservoirs underground. In this paper, we demonstrate an improved scheme of frequency-dependent AVO inversion, which is based on conventional Smith-Gidlow’s AVO equation, to extract seismic dispersion and predict the hydrocarbon underground. A simple model with gas-bearing reservoir is devised to validate the inversion scheme, and further analysis indicates that our scheme is more accurate and reasonable than the previous scheme. Our new scheme applied to the tight gas reservoirs in Fenggu area of western Sichuan depression of China finds that regions with high dispersion gradients correlate well with regions with prolific gas. Analysis and case studies show that our scheme of frequency-dependent AVO inversion is an efficient approach to predict gas reservoirs underground.
Myenteric Denervation of the Gut with Benzalkonium Chloride: A Review of Forty Years of an Experimental Model
Authors: Garcia Sérgio Britto , Minto Stefânia Bovo , Marques Isabela de Souza , Kannen Vinicius
Published: February 2019

Experimental denervation of organs plays a key role in understanding the functional aspects of the normal innervation as well as the diseases related to them. In 1978 the experimental model of myenteric denervation of the rat gut by serosal application of benzalkonium chloride (BAC) was proposed. BAC is a positively charged surface-active alkylamine and is a powerful cationic detergent, which destroys bacteria after ionic attraction and for this reason is largely used as a surgical antiseptic. Since its initial report, the BAC-induced myenteric denervation model has been used to study many functional and pathological aspects of the enteric nervous system. So far this is the only pure method of myenteric denervation available for research in this area. Promising reports in the literature have shed light on the possibilities for the development of new uses of the BAC-denervation experimental model as a therapeutic tool in some pathological situations. This review aims to shed light on the main historical and recent findings provided by this experimental model.
Existence and Global Asymptotic Behavior of Singular Positive Solutions for Radial Laplacian
Authors: Bachar Imed , Mâagli Habib , Mesloub Said
Published: February 2019

The aim of this paper is to establish existence and uniqueness of a positive continuous solution to the following singular nonlinear problem. {-t1-ntn-1u′′=a(t)uσ,  t∈(0,1),  limt→0⁡tn-1u′(t)=0,  u(1)=0}, where n≥3,σ<1, and a denotes a nonnegative continuous function that might have the property of being singular at t=0 and /or t=1 and which satisfies certain condition associated to Karamata class. We emphasize that the nonlinearity might also be singular at u=0, while the solution could blow-up at 0. Our method is based on the global estimates of potential functions and the Schauder fixed point theorem.
High Scale Type-II Seesaw, Dominant Double Beta Decay within Cosmological Bound and LFV Decays in SU(‎5)
Authors: Parida M. K. , Satpathy Rajesh
Published: February 2019

Very recently novel implementation of type-II seesaw mechanism for neutrino mass has been proposed in SU(5) grand unified theory with a number of desirable new physical phenomena beyond the standard model. Introducing heavy right-handed neutrinos and extra fermion singlets, in this work we show how the type-I seesaw cancellation mechanism works in this SU(5) framework. Besides predicting verifiable LFV decays, we further show that the model predicts dominant double beta decay with normal hierarchy or inverted hierarchy of active light neutrino masses in concordance with cosmological bound. In addition a novel right-handed neutrino mass generation mechanism, independent of type-II seesaw predicted mass hierarchy, is suggested in this work.
An Examination of Ranking Quality for Simulated Pairwise Judgments in relation to Performance of the Selected Consistency Measure
Authors: Kazibudzki Paul Thaddeus
Published: February 2019

An overview of current debates and contemporary research devoted to modeling decision making processes and their facilitation directs attention to techniques based on pairwise judgments. At the core of these techniques are various judgment consistency measures which, in a sense, control the prioritization process which leads to the establishment of decision makers’ unknown preferences. If judgments expressed by decision makers were perfectly consistent (cardinally transitive), all available prioritization techniques would deliver the same solution. However, human judgments are consistently inconsistent, as it were; thus the preference estimation quality significantly varies. The scale of these variations depends, among others, on the chosen consistency measure of pairwise judgments. That is why it seems important to examine relations among various consistency measures and the preferences estimation quality. This research reveals that there are consistency measures whose performance may confuse decision makers with the quality of their ranking outcome. Thus, it introduces a measure which is directly related to the quality of the preferences estimation process. The main problem of the research is studied via Monte Carlo simulations executed in Wolfram Mathematica Software. The research results argue that although the performance of examined consistency measures deviates from the exemplary ones in relation to the estimation quality of decision makers preferences, solutions proposed in this paper can significantly improve that quality.
Shear Storage Capacity of Vertical Stiffener Joints between Concrete‐Filled Double Steel Tubular Columns and Steel Beams
Authors: Zhou Zhijun , Zhang Yufen , Wang Miao , Demoha Krushar
Published: February 2019

Based on the low cyclic loading test results of vertical stiffener joints between concrete‐filled double steel tubular (CFDST) columns and steel beams, the shear transfer mechanism and shear resistance were analyzed in this paper. A conceptual model formulated was presented in terms of equilibrium and stress‐strain relationships. The results calculated by the theoretical model and the available experimental data were compared, and then one new concept of shear storage coefficient was proposed for the determination of the shear storage capacity of the joint, which quantitatively explained the ductility failure progression of the joint specimens in the seismic performance test. It was concluded that the vertical stiffener joint had sufficient shear resistance, which met the seismic design principle of strong shear and weak bending. Results show that the ribbed joints have greater shear resistance than unribbed ones; lengthening the overhang of the vertical stiffener can both increase shear resistance and shear storage capacity of the joint; axial compression ratio can reduce the shear storage capacity. The paper also suggests that the joint design should ensure enough safety storage of shear resistance to improve the seismic performance.
Selection of Optimal Deployment and Routing Configurations in Underwater Acoustic Sensor Networks for Avoiding Energy Holes
Authors: Bouabdallah Fatma
Published: February 2019

Improving the energy efficiency of underwater acoustic sensor networks (UW-ASNs) is a crucial issue due to the reduced and nonrechargeable energy resource of the underwater sensor nodes. In this work, we address the energy sink hole problem in UW-ASNs while considering the unique and harsh characteristics of the underwater channel. Our goal is to determine the optimal deployment and routing settings that surmount the energy sink hole problem and hence maximize the network lifetime. We prove that sensors can evenly consume their initial battery power provided that first they adjust their transmission power when they transmit the route through traffic and second they are appropriately placed while deployed. Mainly, we propose a deployment scheme and the corresponding balanced routing strategy that lead to uniform energy consumption among all underwater sensors subject to a predefined reliability level at the sink. Specifically, we look for the optimal deployment settings especially in terms of nodes’ separation distances that help achieving uniform energy consumption in the network while satisfying the application requirement especially in terms of desired information reliability. Jointly, at the routing layer, we assume that each sensor is provided with the possibility of dynamically adjusting its transmission power up to a given number of levels N. To this goal, we mainly deal with two main cases: fixed and variable nodes separation distance. For the fixed case, we suppose that any two successive nodes in the network are equally spaced, and we strive for deriving the optimal distance as well as the optimal number of transmission power levels along with optimal load weight corresponding to every possible transmission power level for every sensor node. For the variable case, we deal with two subcases: first, we suppose that the distance separating successive nodes follows an arithmetic progression, and second, we assume that the distance separating successive nodes is following a geometric sequence. Note that for both cases, namely, fixed and variable, we succeed to determine the optimal distances separating successive nodes and the optimal number N of transmission power levels along with the corresponding optimal load weight that overcome the energy holes problem, and hence the network lifespan is maximized while respecting the desired reliability level.
Experimental and Analytical Study on Seismic Behavior of Strengthened Existing Single Frame Structures with Exterior Cantilevers
Authors: Hu Bo , Wei Xinyu , Lv Henglin , Kundu Tribikram , Li Ning
Published: February 2019

Three single reinforcement concrete (RC) frames, including 1 reference specimen and 2 specimens strengthened with shear walls, were fabricated and subjected to low cyclic loadings, in order to evaluate seismic performances of strengthened single frame structures with exterior cantilevers. Through comparison and analysis of failure mode, hysteretic behavior, skeleton curve, energy dissipation, strength, and stiffness degradation of the tested frames, the validity of the shear wall-based reinforcement method for single frames was verified. Test results indicate that the stiffness and load-bearing capacities of strengthened frames increased considerably in comparison with the reference frame. A “strong column-weak beam” failure pattern was observed on the cantilever side, and the failure of the shear wall was always prior to the column, which can increase the structural redundancy and improve the failure mechanism and seismic performance of an existing single frame.
Explicit GPC Control Applied to an Approximated Linearized Crane System
Authors: Fonseca Daniel Guerra Vale da , Dantas André Felipe O. de A. , Dórea Carlos Eduardo Trabuco , Maitelli André Laurindo
Published: February 2019

This paper proposes a MIMO Explicit Generalized Predictive Control (EGPC) for minimizing payload oscillation of a Gantry Crane System subject to input and output constraints. In order to control the crane system efficiently, the traditional GPC formulation, based on online Quadratic Programming (QP), is rewritten as a multiparametric quadratic programming problem (mp-QP). An explicit Piecewise Affine (PWA) control law is obtained and holds the same performance as online QP. To test effectiveness, the proposed method is compared with two GPC formulations: one that handle constraints (CGPC) and another that does not handle constraints (UGPC). Results show that both EGPC and CGPC have better performance, reducing the payload swing when compared to UGPC. Also both EGPC and CGPC are able to control the system without constraint violation. When comparing EGPC to CGPC, the first is able to calculate (during time step) the control action faster than the second. The simulations prove that the overall performance of EGPC is superior to the other used formulations.
An Adaptive MAC Protocol Based on IEEE802.15.6 for Wireless Body Area Networks
Authors: Yuan Deying , Zheng Guoqiang , Ma Huahong , Shang Jiaqing , Li Jishun
Published: February 2019

The application carrier of wireless body area network (WBAN) is human; due to changes in people’s sports status or physical health and other reasons, the business traffic fluctuates greatly, which requires the network to have good adaptability. In addition, the energy consumption problem is also a key factor restricting the applications of the WBAN. At present, the proposed MAC protocol is not highly adaptive and has low energy efficiency. To solve this problem, this paper proposes an adaptive MAC protocol based on IEEE802.15.6 for WBAN (A-MAC). The protocol sets the data to three priorities according to the type of service; the superframe structure of IEEE802.15.6 is improved and reorganized into four phases: the beacon phase, the contention access phase, the noncontention access phase, and the inactive phase. The length of the contention access phase and the noncontention access phase is adjusted according to the proportion of nodes that generate each priority data. The contention access phase is further divided into three subphases, and the length of the subphase is dynamically adjusted according to the data priority. In the contention access phase, all nodes compete for access channel according to the channel access policy. The random data that competes successfully transmits data directly, and the periodic data that competes successfully transmits data in the allocated time slots of the noncontention access phase. Finally through the simulation of the proposed A-MAC protocol and IEEE 802.15.6 MAC protocol and CA-MAC protocol in network performance which were compared, the results show that in terms of throughput, power consumption, and the network time delay, the network performance using A-mac protocol is better than the network performance using IEEE802.15.6 MAC and CA-MAC protocols.
On Fuzzy Ordered Hyperideals in Ordered Semihyperrings
Authors: Kazancı O. , Yılmaz Ş. , Davvaz B.
Published: February 2019

In this paper, we introduce the concept of fuzzy ordered hyperideals of ordered semihyperrings, which is a generalization of the concept of fuzzy hyperideals of semihyperrings to ordered semihyperring theory, and we investigate its related properties. We show that every fuzzy ordered quasi-hyperideal is a fuzzy ordered bi-hyperideal, and, in a regular ordered semihyperring, fuzzy ordered quasi-hyperideal and fuzzy ordered bi-hyperideal coincide.
Research on the Scheduling Problem of Movie Scenes
Authors: Liu Yulian , Sun Qiuji , Zhang Xiaotian , Wu Yiwei
Published: February 2019

The scheduling problem of movie scenes refers to the reasonable ordering of the shooting sequence of the scene, thereby minimizing the total cost of the movie scenes. This paper considers the factors affecting the cost of movie scenes shooting in the real world and constructs an integer linear programming model. A tabu search based method (TSBM) and a particle swarm optimization based method (PSOBM) are designed to solve larger-scale problems. Numerical experiments show that both TSBM and PSOBM are suitable for solving small-scale movie scenes scheduling problem. Moreover, through the comparison experiments between TSBM and PSOBM, it is verified that the TSBM can effectively solve the large-scale movie scenes scheduling problem.
Modelling the Spread of Botnet Malware in IoT-Based Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Acarali Dilara , Rajarajan Muttukrishnan , Komninos Nikos , Zarpelão B. B.
Published: February 2019

The propagation approach of a botnet largely dictates its formation, establishing a foundation of bots for future exploitation. The chosen propagation method determines the attack surface and, consequently, the degree of network penetration, as well as the overall size and the eventual attack potency. It is therefore essential to understand propagation behaviours and influential factors in order to better secure vulnerable systems. Whilst botnet propagation is generally well studied, newer technologies like IoT have unique characteristics which are yet to be thoroughly explored. In this paper, we apply the principles of epidemic modelling to IoT networks consisting of wireless sensor nodes. We build IoT-SIS, a novel propagation model which considers the impact of IoT-specific characteristics like limited processing power, energy restrictions, and node density on the formation of a botnet. Focusing on worm-based propagation, this model is used to explore the dynamics of spread using numerical simulations and the Monte Carlo method to discuss the real-life implications of our findings.
Hopf-Bifurcation Analysis of Pneumococcal Pneumonia with Time Delays
Authors: Mbabazi Fulgensia Kamugisha , Mugisha Joseph Y. T. , Kimathi Mark
Published: February 2019

In this paper, a mathematical model of pneumococcal pneumonia with time delays is proposed. The stability theory of delay differential equations is used to analyze the model. The results show that the disease-free equilibrium is asymptotically stable if the control reproduction ratioR0is less than unity and unstable otherwise. The stability of equilibria with delays shows that the endemic equilibrium is locally stable without delays and stable if the delays are under conditions. The existence of Hopf-bifurcation is investigated and transversality conditions are proved. The model results suggest that, as the respective delays exceed some critical value past the endemic equilibrium, the system loses stability through the process of local birth or death of oscillations. Further, a decrease or an increase in the delays leads to asymptotic stability or instability of the endemic equilibrium, respectively. The analytical results are supported by numerical simulations.
The Efficacy and Safety of a Herbal Toothpaste in Reducing Gingivitis: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Allocation Clinical Trial
Authors: He Jinfeng , Deng Yalan , Zhu Fangzhi , Zhong Ting , Luo Nanyu , Lei Lei , Cheng Li , Hu Tao
Published: February 2019

Aim. To examine the efficacy and safety of the toothpaste containing Rhizoma Chuanxiong and Rhizoma Imperatae extracts in reducing gingivitis. Method. A double-blind clinical trial was conducted, in which 120 volunteers were randomly assigned to the test group (N = 60) or the control group (N = 60). Tetramethylpyrazine, senkyunolide A, ferulic acid, and ligustilide are the main effective components of Rhizoma Chuanxiong and Rhizoma Imperatae contains the main components of cylindrin, carotene, 5-hydroxytryptamine, potassium, and calcium. The control group used placebo toothpaste containing neither Rhizoma Chuanxiong extract nor Rhizoma Imperatae extract. Plaque, gingivitis, and bleeding were assessed at the baseline, prior to the supragingival scaling, and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Results. During the trial, both test and control groups showed a decreasing trend compared to the baseline. At the end of 12 weeks, with respect to Gingival Index (GI), Bleeding Index (BI), and Bleeding on Probing percentage (BOP%) scores, there were significant differences between test and control groups (GI, P<0.001, BI, P<0.001, and BOP%, P<0.001, resp.). After 4 weeks of usage, there were no statistically significant differences in all of GI, BI, and BOP% scores between the two groups. However, the decrease became statistically significant at next two intervals (GI, P<0.001, BI, P<0.001, and BOP%, P<0.001, resp.) in the efficiency of GI, BI, and BOP% which was 8.04%, 11.02%, and 37.16%, respectively. There were no treatment-related adverse events reported. Conclusion. The toothpaste containing Rhizoma Chuanxiong and Rhizoma Imperatae extracts was well tolerated and significantly reduced gingivitis and bleeding after usage for 12 weeks. There was better improvement at molars, and the more serious the baseline status was, the better the efficacy was.
The Response of Common Bean to Sulphur and Molybdenum Fertilization
Authors: Głowacka Aleksandra , Gruszecki Tomasz , Szostak Bogdan , Michałek Sławomir
Published: February 2019

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of sulphur and molybdenum fertilization on the yield and chemical composition of common bean seeds. A field experiment was conducted in southeastern Poland in 2012–2014. The scheme of the study included the following treatments: O-control, Mo-molybdenum (100 g·ha−1), SBS-sulphur before sowing (50 kg·ha−1), SFA-sulphur foliar application (50 kg·ha−1), Mo + SBS-molybdenum (100 g·ha−1) and sulphur before sowing (50 kg·ha−1), and Mo + SFA-molybdenum (100 g·ha−1) and sulphur foliar application (50 kg·ha−1). After harvesting, the following determinations were made in bean seeds: content of nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, methionine, and cysteine. Application of Mo increased seed yield and protein and methionine content, as well as the content and uptake of P, Mg, and Ca in common bean seeds. Sulphur application had a positive effect on seed yield (13.6% increase) and protein content. Moreover, sulphur improved the biological value of protein by increasing the content of methionine, cysteine, and some macroelements. The most beneficial effects were obtained when both molybdenum and sulphur were used in fertilization. Considering the yield-producing effect and the impact on the biological quality of protein, sulphur fertilization should be included in the crop management for the common bean.
Processing of Super Tough Plasticized PLA by Rotational Molding
Authors: Greco Antonio , Ferrari Francesca , Maffezzoli Alfonso
Published: February 2019

This work is aimed at studying the suitability of polylactic acid (PLA) plasticized by two cardanol derivatives, i.e., cardanol and epoxidized cardanol acetate, in rotational molding, for the production of hollow items. For this purpose, plasticized PLA samples were obtained by melt mixing and then processed by a lab-scale rotational molding equipment. For comparison, poly(ethylene glycole), PEG, and plasticized PLA samples were also produced. Despite the very low cooling rates attained in rotational molding, completely amorphous samples were obtained with neat PLA and PLA plasticized by cardanol derivatives. In contrast, PEG plasticized PLA showed a very high degree of crystallinity, as highlighted by DSC and XRD analysis, which made the extraction of the rotomolded box-shaped specimens impossible. The plasticizing effectiveness of cardanol derivatives was proven by tensile testing of rotational molded prototypes, which highlighted the reduced modulus and strength and improved strain to break, compared to neat PLA. Therefore, efficient toughening of PLA can be attained by the use of the two cardanol derived plasticizers, which involves a significant reduction of the polymer glass transition, as well as a reduced increase of the crystallization kinetic. On the other hand, the reduction of the glass transition temperature due to the addition of plasticizer is responsible for significant crystallization effects even during ageing at room temperature, which involves significant embrittlement of the material.
Geochemical Characterization of Spring Waters in the Crati River Basin, Calabria (Southern Italy)
Authors: Gaglioti Simona , Infusino Ernesto , Caloiero Tommaso , Callegari Giovanni , Guagliardi Ilaria
Published: February 2019

The characterization of the spatial variation of geochemical parameters in spring waters, especially the ones used for drinking purpose, is essential to identify potential risks to humans. In this work, results of a qualitative analysis on 190 samples of spring waters collected in the largest catchment of the Calabria region (southern Italy) are shown. Several physical and chemical parameters were analysed and the Langelier-Ludwig diagram was built to evaluate the hydrochemical facies of the sampled waters. Additionally, the relationships between water temperature and altitude and electric conductivity (EC) and altitude were assessed. Geostatistical methods were used to map the physical and chemical parameters. Results showed a good quality status of the spring waters in the Crati basin, with a predominant Ca-Mg-type hydrochemical facies. Then, a connection between EC and temperature with elevation has been detected in some area of the basin. Finally, the spatial analysis allowed identifying the distribution of the concentration of the several parameters.
Dynamics Induced by Delay in a Nutrient‐Phytoplankton Model with Multiple Delays
Authors: Dai Chuanjun , Yu Hengguo , Guo Qing , Liu He , Wang Qi , Ma Zengling , Zhao Min
Published: February 2019

A nutrient‐phytoplankton model with multiple delays is studied analytically and numerically. The aim of this paper is to study how the delay factors influence dynamics of interaction between nutrient and phytoplankton. The analytical analysis indicates that the positive equilibrium is always globally asymptotically stable when the delay does not exist. On the contrary, the positive equilibrium loses its stability via Hopf instability induced by delay and then the corresponding periodic solutions emerge. Especially, the stability switches for positive equilibrium occur as the delay is increased. Furthermore, the numerical simulations show that periodic‐2 and periodic‐3 solutions can appear due to the existence of delays. Numerical results are consistent with the analytical results. Our results demonstrate that the delay has a great impact on the nutrient‐phytoplankton dynamics.
Study of Complexes of Tannic Acid with Fe(III) and Fe(II)
Authors: Fu Zhaofeng , Chen Rui
Published: February 2019

UV-Vis absorption spectra of tannic acid were gained at pH 1.0∼9.0. Due to the pH value dependence of complex, the stoichiometry of tannic acid with iron ions was tested in buffer solution by the mole ratio method. The result suggests that the complex ratio of tannic acid to Fe(III) is 1 : 1 and to Fe(II) 3 : 1 in the carbonate buffer solution, and the complex ratio of iron-tannic complexes is 1 : 1 at pH 2.2. Due to the different color changes of tannic acid with iron ions in the coordination reactions, a tannic acid test paper was designed. The concentrations of Fe(III) more than 5.000 × 10−6 mol/L and the concentrations of Fe(II) more than 1.000 × 10−5 mol/L in aqueous solution can be detected by this test paper.
Measurement of Peat Soil Shear Strength Using Wenner Four-Point Probes and Vane Shear Strength Methods
Authors: Ahmad Afip Irfan , Taib Siti Noor Linda , Jusoff Kamaruzaman , Afip Liyana Ahmad
Published: February 2019

The general objective of this research was to measure the peat soil shear strength using Wenner four-point probes and vane shear strength methods. Specifically, the objective of this study was two-fold, namely, (a) investigating the relationship between laboratory soil resistivity and undrained shear strength and (b) determineing the relationship between in-situ soil resistivity and undrained shear strength. Data were randomly collected over six locations in Meranek, Sarawak, for in-situ test and three repetitions for each data were set based on three parameters. The selected parameters were soil density, moisture content, and salinity for both laboratory and in-situ test using Wenner four-point probes and vane shear method. The soil resistivity and vane shear strength readings for laboratory test were correlated with soil salinity, moisture content, and density. The R2values showed a good correlation for soil salinity (R2=0.8468) and density (R2=0.9475), respectively. However, a weak correlation of R2=0.1205 was observed for soil moisture. The R2value for in-situ correlation between soil resistivity and three parameters (soil salinity, moisture content, and density) was R2=0.8916. It can be concluded that the peat soil shear strengths of the study area using Wenner four-point probes from in-situ were (4.38 ohm.m) and laboratory was (2.47 ohm.m) and when using the vane shear strength method, in-situ was (23 kPA) and laboratory was (5 kPA). This study implies that the peat soil of the study area can be categorized as texture (soft loamy soil) and it is suitable for agriculture instead of construction. The relationship established between Wenner four-point probes and vane shear method can be beneficial for ground engineering design to enhance investigation on site suitability. Future work on DUALEM-421 technique should be emphasised for better subsurface exploration accuracy and resolve peat depth for an in-situ test.