bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of an intervention to stimulate physical activity in hard-to-reach physically disabled people and design of a pilot implementation: an intervention mapping approach
Authors: Krops Leonie A , Dekker Rienk , Geertzen Jan H B , Dijkstra Pieter U
Published: March 2018

Introduction

Physically disabled people are less physically active compared with healthy people. Existing physical activity (PA) interventions are limited in reach, since they are primarily rehabilitation or school based. The current study aims to develop a community-based intervention for stimulating PA in hard-to-reach physically disabled people.

Methods and analysis

To systematically develop a PA-stimulating intervention, intervention mapping (six steps) was applied. PA level and health-related quality of life of patients after rehabilitation was determined using questionnaires (step 1). Qualitative research was performed to study professionals’ and physically disabled people’s ideas about intervention objectives, determinants and design (steps 2 and 3). Since experts expressed no need for a new intervention, the existing intervention ‘Activity coach’ was adapted to the specific target population. The adapted intervention ‘Activity coach+’ composes a network of intermediate organisations that refers participants to an activity coach, who coaches participants during 1 year. After a preintervention physical assessment by a physiotherapist, participants will be individually guided to existing organised or non-organised activities. An activity tracker will be used to monitor and stimulate PA in daily life (step 4). To support adoption and implementation, meetings between involved parties are organised (step 5). ‘Activity coach+’ is implemented in community in March 2017, and will be evaluated using a mixed-method analysis. Quantitative evaluation of intervention effects on PA, health and social participation takes place after 0, 2, 4, 6 and 12 months. The implementation process and experiences with the intervention will be determined using qualitative research (step 6).

Ethics and dissemination

Insights from this study will be used for dissemination and further development of the intervention. The Medical Ethical Committee of the University Medical Center Groningen confirmed that formal ethical approval was not required (METc 2016/630).

Trial registration number

NTR6858.
Inter-rater and intrarater reliability of the South African Triage Scale in low-resource settings of Haiti and Afghanistan
Authors: Dalwai Mohammed , Tayler-Smith Katie , Twomey Michèle , Nasim Masood , Popal Abdul Qayum , Haqdost Waliul Haq , Gayraud Olivia , Cheréstal Sophia , Wallis Lee , Valles Pola
Published: March 2018

Objective

The South African Triage Scale (SATS) has demonstrated good validity in the EDs of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)-supported sites in Afghanistan and Haiti; however, corresponding reliability in these settings has not yet been reported on. This study set out to assess the inter-rater and intrarater reliability of the SATS in four MSF-supported EDs in Afghanistan and Haiti (two trauma-only EDs and two mixed (including both medical and trauma cases) EDs).

Methods

Under classroom conditions between December 2013 and February 2014, ED nurses at each site assigned triage ratings to a set of context-specific vignettes (written case reports of ED patients). Inter-rater reliability was assessed by comparing triage ratings among nurses; intrarater reliability was assessed by asking the nurses to retriage 10 random vignettes from the original set and comparing these duplicate ratings. Inter-rater reliability was calculated using the unweighted kappa, linearly weighted kappa and quadratically weighted kappa (QWK) statistics, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Intrarater reliability was calculated according to the percentage of exact agreement and the percentage of agreement allowing for one level of discrepancy in triage ratings. The correlation between years of nursing experience and reliability of the SATS was assessed based on comparison of ICCs and the respective 95% CIs.

Results

A total of 67 nurses agreed to participate in the study: In Afghanistan there were 19 nurses from Kunduz Trauma Centre and nine from Ahmed Shah Baba; in Haiti, there were 20 nurses from Martissant Emergency Centre and 19 from Tabarre Surgical and Trauma Centre. Inter-rater agreement was moderate across all sites (ICC range: 0.50–0.60; QWK range: 0.50–0.59) apart from the trauma ED in Haiti where it was moderate to substantial (ICC: 0.58; QWK: 0.61). Intrarater agreement was similar across the four sites (68%–74% exact agreement); when allowing for a one-level discrepancy in triage ratings, intrarater reliability was near perfect across all sites (96%–99%). No significant correlation was found between years of nursing experience and reliability.

Conclusion

The SATS has moderate reliability in different EDs in Afghanistan and Haiti. These findings, together with concurrent findings showing that the SATS has good validity in the same settings, provide evidence to suggest that SATS is suitable in trauma-only and mixed EDs in low-resource settings.
Nusinersen for SMA: expanded access programme
Authors: Farrar Michelle A , Teoh Hooi Ling , Carey Kate A , Cairns Anita , Forbes Robin , Herbert Karen , Holland Sandra , Jones Kristi J , Menezes Manoj P , Morrison Margot , Munro Kate , Villano Daniella , Webster Richard , Woodcock Ian R , Yiu Eppie M , Sampaio Hugo , Ryan Monique M
Published: March 2018

Background

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a devastating motor neuron disorder causing progressive muscle weakness and respiratory insufficiency. We present the initial Australian experiences implementing the expanded access programme (EAP) to enable preapproval access to nusinersen, the first disease-modifying therapy, for SMA type 1.

Methods

An Australian multicentre, open-label EAP for nusinersen enrolled patients with infantile-onset SMA type 1 from November 2016 to September 2017. Standard-of-care medical therapy and treatment with intrathecal nusinersen were provided to all patients. Clinical and diagnostic characteristics, molecular genetics, treatment administered, and functional motor outcomes were assessed.

Results

A total of 20 patients with SMA type 1 met the inclusion criteria, of whom 16 consented and received nusinersen treatment. Median time to diagnosis from symptom onset was 5.0 months and was correlated with age of onset (r=0.54, P<0.05). Management shifts included proactive nutritional and pulmonary support in all newly diagnosed patients with increased complexity of decision making. Supplemental nutrition with or without nocturnal non-invasive ventilation was implemented during follow-up in new diagnoses with age of onset <3 months and 2 SMN2 copies.

Conclusions

The nusinersen EAP highlights difficulties in achieving early diagnosis and/or prevention, the evolution of optimal clinical care in a time of uncertain prognostication, resource implications and ethical issues in clinical practice for SMA type 1. These challenges are broadly relevant to the realisation of all novel therapeutics in neurological disorders.
Brain microstructural injury occurs in patients with RRMS despite ‘no evidence of disease activity’
Authors: Harel Asaff , Sperling Dylan , Petracca Maria , Ntranos Achillefs , Katz-Sand Ilana , Krieger Stephen , Lublin Fred , Wang Zichen , Liu Yangbo , Inglese Matilde
Published: March 2018

Objectives

The accuracy of ‘no evidence of disease activity’ (NEDA) in predicting long-term clinical outcome in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is unproven, and there is growing evidence that NEDA does not rule out disease worsening. We used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to investigate whether ongoing brain microstructural injury occurs in patients with RRMS meeting NEDA criteria.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study to identify patients with RRMS visiting our centre over a 3-month period who had undergone prior longitudinal DTI evaluation at our facility spanning ≥2 years. Patients meeting NEDA criteria throughout the evaluation period were included in the NEDA group, and those not meeting NEDA criteria were included in an ‘evidence of disease activity’ (EDA) group. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) maps were created, and annual rates of change were calculated.

Results

We enrolled 85 patients, 39 meeting NEDA criteria. Both NEDA and EDA groups showed longitudinal DTI worsening. Yearly FA decrease was lower in the NEDA group (0.5%, p<0.0001) than in the EDA group (1.2%, p=0.003), while yearly MD increase was similar in both groups (0.8% for NEDA and EDA, both p<0.01). There was no statistical difference in deterioration within and outside of T2 lesions. DTI parameters correlated with disability scores and fatigue complaints.

Conclusions

White matter microstructural deterioration occurs in patients with RRMS over short-term follow-up in patients with NEDA, providing further evidence of the limitations of conventional measures and arguing for DTI in monitoring of the disease process.
Hemodynamic characteristics of stable and unstable vertebrobasilar dolichoectatic and fusiform aneurysms
Authors: Brinjikji Waleed , Chung Bongjae , Yong-Hong Ding , Wald John T , Mut Fernando , Kadirvel Ramanathan , Kallmes David F , Rouchaud Aymeric , Lanzino Giuseppe , Cebral Juan R
Published: March 2018

Background and purpose

Vertebrobasilar dolichoectatic and fusiform aneurysms (VBDAs) are known to have a poor natural history, with high rates of growth, rupture, and stroke. The purpose of this study was to identify hemodynamic characteristics that differ between VBDAs associated with growth, rupture, and stroke.

Materials and methods

VBDAs with CT angiography or MR angiography followed longitudinally without treatment were studied. Unstable aneurysms were defined as those that grew or ruptured during follow-up. Aneurysms associated with stroke were defined as those associated with posterior circulation infarct at follow-up. Baseline data, including demographics, comorbidities, and aneurysm morphology and size were collected. Image based computational fluid dynamics models were created and run under pulsatile flow conditions. Relevant hemodynamic and geometric variables were calculated and compared between groups (stable vs unstable and no stroke vs stroke) using the Wilcoxon test.

Results

A total of 37 VBDAs were included (24 stable, 13 unstable; 30 no stroke, 7 stroke). Unstable aneurysms had lower shear rates (P=0.05), blood flow velocity (P=0.03), and lower vorticity (P=0.049) than stable aneurysms. In addition, unstable aneurysms had higher mean oscillatory shear indices (P=0.001). There were no differences in the hemodynamic characteristics of aneurysms in the stroke group compared with the non-stroke group.

Conclusion

This small study suggests there may be hemodynamic differences between unstable and stable VBDAs. Unstable VBDAs appear to be under lower flow conditions with lower velocity, vorticity, and shear rates, and have more oscillatory flow. There was no difference in the hemodynamic characteristics of aneurysms in the stroke and no stroke group.
Inflammatory and structural changes in vertebral bodies and posterior elements of the spine in axial spondyloarthritis: construct validity, responsiveness and discriminatory ability of the anatomy-based CANDEN scoring system in a randomised placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Krabbe Simon , Sørensen Inge J , Jensen Bente , Møller Jakob M , Balding Lone , Madsen Ole R , Lambert Robert G W , Maksymowych Walter P , Pedersen Susanne J , Østergaard Mikkel
Published: March 2018

Background

The Canada-Denmark (CANDEN) definitions of spinal MRI lesions allow a detailed anatomy-based evaluation of inflammatory and structural lesions in vertebral bodies and posterior elements of the spine in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). The objective was to examine the reliability, responsiveness and discrimination of scores for spinal inflammation, fat, bone erosion and new bone formation based on the CANDEN system and to describe patterns of inflammatory and structural lesions and their temporal development.

Methods

49 patients with axSpA from an investigator-initiated, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of adalimumab underwent spinal MRI at weeks 0/6/24/48. MR images were scored according to the CANDEN system and the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) method. Total scores, and various subscores, were created by summing individual lesion scores.

Results

The CANDEN spine inflammation score had high responsiveness, similar to the SPARCC MRI spine index (Guyatt’s responsiveness index 1.88 and 1.67, respectively), and discriminated between adalimumab and placebo treatment already at 6 weeks’ follow-up (P=0.03). Anterior/posterior corner inflammation subscores showed similar responsiveness. Inter-reader reliability for the CANDEN spine inflammation and fat scores was good to very good for status and change scores (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)=0.71–0.92). Reliability for CANDEN new bone formation and erosion scores was good to very good for status scores (ICC=0.61–0.75) but, due to minimal progression, poor for change scores (ICC≤0.40).

Conclusions

The CANDEN spine inflammation score showed good responsiveness, discrimination between active treatment and placebo and reliability. The CANDEN spine structural scores had good cross-sectional reliability, but longer studies are needed to investigate their sensitivity to change.

Trial registration number

NCT01029847; Results.
Bifurcation analysis of a heterogeneous traffic flow model
Authors: Wang Yu-Qing , Yan Bo-Wen , Zhou Chao-Fan , Li Wei-Kang , Jia Bin
Published: March 2018

In this work, a heterogeneous traffic flow model coupled with the periodic boundary condition is proposed. Based on the previous models, a heterogeneous system composed of more than one kind of vehicles is considered. By bifurcation analysis, bifurcation patterns of the heterogeneous system are discussed in three situations in detail and illustrated by diagrams of bifurcation patterns. Besides, the stability analysis of the heterogeneous system is performed to test its anti-interference ability. The relationship between the number of vehicles and the stability is obtained. Furthermore, the attractor analysis is applied to investigate the nature of the heterogeneous system near its steady-state neighborhood. Phase diagrams of the process of the heterogeneous system from initial state to equilibrium state are intuitively presented.
Effect of [Li]/[Nb] ratio on composition and defect structure of Zr:Yb:Tm:LiNbO3 crystals
Authors: Liu Chunrui , Dai Li , Wang Luping , Shao Yu , Yan Zhehua , Xu Yuheng
Published: March 2018

Zr:Yb:Tm:LiNbO3 crystals with various [Li]/[Nb] ratios (0.946, 1.05, 1.20 and 1.38) were grown by the Czochralski technique. Distribution coefficients of Zr[Formula: see text], Yb[Formula: see text] and Tm[Formula: see text] ions were analyzed by the inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES). The influence of [Li]/[Nb] ratio on the composition and defect structure of Zr:Yb:Tm:LiNbO3 crystals was investigated by X-ray diffraction and IR transmission spectrum. The results show that as the [Li]/[Nb] ratio increases in the melt, the distribution coefficients of Yb[Formula: see text] and Tm[Formula: see text] ions both increase while that of Zr[Formula: see text] ion deceases. When the [Li]/[Nb] ratio increases to 1.20 in the melt, Zr:Yb:Tm:LiNbO3 crystal is nearly stoichiometric. In addition, when the [Li]/[Nb] ratio reaches up to 1.38, Nb[Formula: see text] are completely replaced and Li[Formula: see text] starts to impel the Zr[Formula: see text], Yb[Formula: see text] and Tm[Formula: see text] into the normal Li sites.
Amp-Phi: A CSI-Based Indoor Positioning System
Authors: Zhou Tao-Yun , Lian Bao-Wang , Zhang Yi , Liu Sen
Published: March 2018

With rapid growth in the demand of location-based services (LBS) in indoor environments, localizations based on fingerprinting have attracted significant interest due to their convenience. Until now, most such methods were based on received signal strength indicator (RSSI), which is vulnerable to non-line-of-sight (NLOS). In order to realize high-precision indoor positioning, we propose a channel state information (CSI)-based Amp-Phi indoor-positioning system which exploits the amplitude and phase information of CSI at the same time to establish a fingerprinting database. Firstly, according to the characteristics of the raw CSI information collected at different positions under different environments, we build an NLOS mitigation model and a phase error mitigation model, respectively, to process the amplitude and phase of CSI. Secondly, we analyze the statistical characteristics of CSI carefully, including maximum, minimum, mean and variance. After being processed with the models, the CSI features can be used to distinguish different positions clearly, which provides a theoretical basis for the indoor positioning based on fingerprinting. Finally, we build a fingerprinting database based on the features of amplitude and phase, realize to locate the target’s position with the K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) matching algorithm. Experiments implemented in different situations show that Amp-Pi system is reliable and robust, whose position accuracy is higher than that of PhaseFi, Horus and machine learning (ML) systems under the same condition. It can be used in many scenarios, such as the localization of robots in our daily life, by doctors or patients in the hospital, for people localization in large supermarkets or museums and so on.
Low Power High Speed MISTY1 Cryptography Approaches
Authors: Rjoub Abdoul , Ghabashneh Ehab M.
Published: March 2018

The demand for high performance, low power/secured handheld equipment increased the need for high speed/low energy and efficient encryption/decryption algorithms. Recently, efficient techniques were suggested to increase the standard of security as well as the speed of portable and handheld devices. Also, those techniques cause increment in the lifetime of battery by reducing the total silicon capacitance and minimizing the switching activity. This paper presents two approaches to reduce the number of logic gates at S7 and S9 of MISTY1 in order to reduce the total delay time, power dissipation and silicon area. The Logic Gate Reduction Approach (LGRA) reduces the number of logic gates by applying Boolean Algebra rules and simplifications, while the Duplicated Gate Reduction Approach (DGRA) removes the redundant XOR and AND logic gates which form the S7 and S9 blocks ciphers. The LGRA approach shows that the throughput enhanced by 21.1% compared to the conventional design, the silicon area reduced by 26.8%, while the dynamic power dissipation is reduced by 21.7% on average. The DGRA approach shows that the throughput enhanced by 3.8% compared to the conventional design, the silicon area reduced by 31.7%, while the dynamic power dissipation is reduced by 27% on average. As a result, the proposed approaches could be fit for next generation of handheld and portable devices.
Indecomposable branched coverings over the projective plane by surfaces M with χ(M) ≤ 0
Authors: Bedoya Natalia A. Viana , Gonçalves Daciberg Lima , Kudryavtseva Elena A.
Published: March 2018

In this work, we study the decomposability property of branched coverings of degree [Formula: see text] odd, over the projective plane, where the covering surface has Euler characteristic [Formula: see text]. The latter condition is equivalent to say that the defect of the covering is greater than [Formula: see text]. We show that, given a datum [Formula: see text] with an even defect greater than [Formula: see text], it is realizable by an indecomposable branched covering over the projective plane. The case when [Formula: see text] is even is known.
Rotating charged black hole spacetimes in quadratic f(R) gravitational theories
Authors: Nashed G. G. L.
Published: March 2018

Motivated by the substantial modifications of gravitational theories and by the models that come out of [Formula: see text], we apply the field equation of the charged [Formula: see text] as well as a general vector potential containing three unknown functions to two spherically symmetric spacetimes. We solve the output of the differential equations and derive a class of black holes that are electrically and magnetically rotating spacetimes. The asymptotic behavior of these black holes acts as anti-de Sitter spacetime. Moreover, these solutions have asymptotic curvature singularities as those of General Relativity. We investigate this by calculating the invariants of curvature. Also, we address the issue of the energy conditions and show that the strong energy condition is satisfied provided [Formula: see text]. Finally, we compute the conserved quantities like mass and angular momentum.
Investigation of exotic states of 13C at low energy
Authors: Burtebayev N. , Janseitov D. M. , Kerimkulov Zh. , Mukhamejanov Y. S. , Nassurlla M. , Demyanova A. S. , Danilov A. N. , Ogloblin A. A. , Aimaganbetov A. S.
Published: March 2018

The differential cross-sections of the elastic and inelastic [Formula: see text]C scattering have been measured at E[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]MeV. The radii of the exited states: 3.09 [Formula: see text] and 8.86 [Formula: see text] MeV were determined using the Modified Diffraction Model. The radii of these excited states are larger than that of the ground state of [Formula: see text]C, confirming the suggestion that the 8.86 [Formula: see text] MeV state could be an analog of the Hoyle state in [Formula: see text]C and the 3.09 [Formula: see text] MeV state has a neutron halo. The possibility of coexistence of various exotic states in the structure of the [Formula: see text]C nucleus is shown.
Isospin and symmetry structure in 22Ne
Authors: Li Xiao-Wei , Bai Hong-Bo , Wang Yin , Zhang Jin-Fu , Dong Hong-Fei
Published: March 2018

Band structure and electromagnetic transition properties of the low-lying states in the [Formula: see text]Ne nucleus were studied within the framework of interacting boson model (IBM) 3. The isospin excitation states, low-lying symmetry states, the main components of the eigen-state, isoscalar and isovector parts in the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] transitions for low-lying states have been investigated. According to this study, the calculated results are in agreement with experimental data, and the nucleus [Formula: see text]Ne is in transition from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text].
Spontaneous magnetization under a pseudovector interaction between quarks in high density quark matter
Authors: Morimoto Masatoshi , Tsue Yasuhiko , da Providência João , Providência Constança , Yamamura Masatoshi
Published: March 2018

Spontaneous magnetization and magnetic susceptibility originated from the pseudovector-type four-point interaction between quarks are calculated in quark matter with zero temperature and finite quark chemical potential by using the two-flavor Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model. It is shown that both the chiral condensate and spin polarized condensate coexist in a narrow region of the quark chemical potential. And then, it is also shown that, in this narrow region, the spontaneous magnetization appears. Also, the magnetic susceptibility due to quarks with the positive energy is evaluated in the spin polarized phase.
Deep Learning Techniques for Polarity Classification in Multimodal Sentiment Analysis
Authors: Mahendhiran P. D. , Kannimuthu S.
Published: March 2018

Contemporary research in Multimodal Sentiment Analysis (MSA) using deep learning is becoming popular in Natural Language Processing. Enormous amount of data are obtainable from social media such as Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Twitter and microblogs every day. In order to deal with these large multimodal data, it is difficult to identify the relevant information from social media websites. Hence, there is a need to improve an intellectual MSA. Here, Deep Learning is used to improve the understanding and performance of MSA better. Deep Learning delivers automatic feature extraction and supports to achieve the best performance to enhance the combined model that integrates Linguistic, Acoustic and Video information extraction method. This paper focuses on the various techniques used for classifying the given portion of natural language text, audio and video according to the thoughts, feelings or opinions expressed in it, i.e., whether the general attitude is Neutral, Positive or Negative. From the results, it is perceived that Deep Learning classification algorithm gives better results compared to other machine learning classifiers such as KNN, Naive Bayes, Random Forest, Random Tree and Neural Net model. The proposed MSA in deep learning is to identify sentiment in web videos which conduct the poof-of-concept experiments that proved, in preliminary experiments using the ICT-YouTube dataset, our proposed multimodal system achieves an accuracy of 96.07%.
A QFD-ANP Method for Supplier Selection with Benefits, Opportunities, Costs and Risks Considerations
Authors: Bottani Eleonora , Centobelli Piera , Murino Teresa , Shekarian Ehsan
Published: March 2018

This paper presents an original integrated procedure to evaluate and select suppliers for purchasing decisions. The procedure exploits the quality function deployment approach to define the suppliers’ characteristics, coupled with the analytic network process to capture the interrelations among the selection criteria and integrated with a benefits, opportunities, costs and risks (BOCR) analysis. As such, the proposed approach is more structured than the existing methods for supplier selection; in particular, it allows simultaneously to take into account the relevant criteria for supplier selection, to capture the situation in which the decision criteria are somehow dependent on one another and to evaluate the positive and negative aspects of the selection process. By using the proposed approach, companies can derive useful information to guide their partner selection process. An extensive case study is reported to show the application of the model to a selection process of a real Italian company. The application shows that the model is effective in identifying the most suitable supplier; moreover, a detailed sensitivity analysis highlights that the results of the ranking are very robust against possible changes in the relative importance of the BOCR perspectives.
Unsupervised Learning from Multi-Dimensional Data: A Fast Clustering Algorithm Utilizing Canopies and Statistical Information
Authors: Ozcan Giyasettin
Published: March 2018

In this study, we consider unsupervised learning from multi-dimensional dataset problem. Particularly, we consider [Formula: see text]-means clustering which require long duration time during execution of multi-dimensional datasets. In order to speed up clustering in an accurate form, we introduce a new algorithm, that we term Canopy[Formula: see text]. The algorithm utilizes canopies and statistical techniques. Also, its efficient initiation and normalization methodologies contributes to the improvement. Furthermore, we consider early termination cases of clustering computation, provided that an intermediate result of the computation is accurate enough. We compared our algorithm with four popular clustering algorithms. Results denote that our algorithm speeds up the clustering computation by at least 2X. Also, we analyzed the contribution of early termination. Results present that further 2X improvement can be obtained while incurring 0.1% error rate. We also observe that our Canopy[Formula: see text] algorithm benefits from early termination and introduces extra 1.2X performance improvement.
Molecular structure, spectroscopic and quantum chemical studies on benzoic acid and succinic acid co-crystals of 2-aminopyrimidine
Authors: Thangarasu S. , Siva V. , Athimoolam S. , Bahadur S. Asath
Published: March 2018

Organic nonlinear optical co-crystals 2-aminopyrimidine benzoic acid (2APB) and 2-aminopyrimidine succinic acid (2APS) have been successfully grown by slow solvent evaporation method at room temperature. The structural characterization of the grown crystals was carried out by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and FT-Raman spectra of the grown crystals are recorded and the observed vibrational frequencies are assigned. The hybrid computational calculations are carried out by Hartree–Fock (HF) and density functional theory (DFT) (3-parameter, Lee-Yang-Parr (B3LYP)) methods with 6-311[Formula: see text]G(d,p) basis sets and the corresponding results are tabulated. The geometrical parameters of the molecules also have been analyzed. The computed vibrational spectra were compared with experimental result which shows appreciable agreement. The chemical hardness, electronegativity, chemical potential and electrophilicity index were determined by highest occupied molecular orbital–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO–LUMO) plot. The grown crystals were subjected to population analysis, thermal, linear and nonlinear optical studies of materials. The calculated second-order hyperpolarizability values of these materials are nearly two to four times that of urea.
An SRGM for Multi-Release Open Source Software System
Authors: Nijhawan Nidhi , Aggarwal Anu G. , Dhaka Vikas
Published: March 2018

A number of software reliability growth models have been reported in the literature for open source software (OSS) systems but the effect of up-gradations on the reliability growth of multi-releases of such software systems has been discussed by a few. In this paper, the discrete modeling framework has been proposed to study the reliability growth process of OSS systems with multiple releases. The proposed model is based upon the assumption that during up-gradation some new faults are introduced in the code in addition to the left over fault content of the previous version. To validate our model, we have chosen two successful open source projects-Mozilla and Apache for its multi release failure datasets. Graphs representing goodness of fit of the proposed model have been drawn. The parameter estimates and measures of goodness of fit criteria suggest that the proposed software reliability growth model for multi-release OSS fits the actual datasets very well. An optimal release policy has been formulated by taking into account the cost of fault removal during testing and operational phases and reliability targets pre-specified by the decision makers. In addition, numerical example along with the sensitivity analysis has been provided to illustrate optimal release policy.
Towards a Better Understanding of the Relationship Between Authentic Leadership and its Positive Outcomes: A Theoretical Framework
Authors: Singh Aishwarya , Sengupta Santoshi , Sharma Swati
Published: March 2018

The rise of entrepreneurial spirit and rapid growth of Indian start-ups have given rise to the need to understand leadership behaviors and other factors such as cultural values and work engagement that plays a pivotal role in enhancing creativity. This paper, based on an extensive review of literature presents a conceptual model of creativity pointing to the significance of underlying mechanisms of individual cultural values and work engagement. The framework studies the significance of authentic leadership in augmenting creativity among the employees which is a sine qua non for a start-up to be successful.
Role of Management Control Systems in Quality, Innovation and Organizational Performance in Portugal SMES Companies
Authors: Antunes Marina Godinho , Quirós Joaquín Texeira , Justino Maria do Rosáirio Texeira Fernandes
Published: March 2018

The purpose of this research is to analyze the relationship between management control systems, total quality management (TQM) and innovation, and also the effects of management control systems in the organizational performance. The research was developed based on a conceptual model designed to analyze these dimensions. The data were obtained through an online questionnaire, sent to small and medium-sized Portuguese companies, having been conducted the study based on responses received from 287 valid questionnaires, and using a multivariate statistical analysis for the statistical development. The findings indicate that non-financial indicators provide innovation strategies of products and processes. However, the financial indicators only provide the innovation strategies of processes. It is also verified that only non-financial indicators provide equally the implementation of TQM practices. The results also show that financial indicators only provide an improvement in the financial results of the organization, while the non-financial indicators also improve its operational performance.
Social Innovation Adoption Behavior: The Case of Zumbara
Authors: Demirel Banu , Payne Ayça Kübra Hızarcı
Published: March 2018

Most of the studies investigating innovation adoption behavior focus on technological products and services. Considering the significant gap in the conceptualization and operationalization of social innovation adoption behavior in the literature, the aim of this study is to provide an insight to the adoption behavior of social innovations. The effects of perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, perceived ease of use and need for approval are investigated within the context of time bank activities in Turkey. The result of the analysis supported the significant effect of all independent variables with a higher impact of perceived enjoyment.
Innovation in the Local Context: A Case Study of BYD in China
Authors: Quan Xiaohong Iris , Loon Mark , Sanderson Jihong
Published: March 2018

In this paper, we have used the case of build your dream (BYD) to examine firm innovation in the context of China. From a historical perspective, with its strategic diversification from battery to mobile phone manufacturing to automobile manufacturing, we find that BYD has been innovative in its production method, vertical integration strategy, and design of product for local customers. The effective understanding and leveraging of local contextual factors including supply of labor (especially low cost-highly skilled labor), growing middle class, and local industry environments have played important roles in BYD's innovation in China.
An Exploratory Analysis on the Contextual Factors that Influence Disruptive Innovation: The Case of Uber
Authors: Urbinati Andrea , Chiaroni Davide , Chiesa Vittorio , Franzò Simone , Frattini Federico
Published: March 2018

In the last years, management scholars have looked into the phenomenon of disruptive innovation, mostly focusing on the characteristics that identify a disruptive innovation and on the managerial solutions that incumbent firms should adopt to respond to the threat of a disruptive innovation. However, studying the characteristics of the context in which a disruptive innovation unfolds remains an under-researched topic. To fill this gap, this exploratory study examines how the disruptive innovation phenomenon is influenced by a set of variables that shape the context in which it takes place. This is done through a historical analysis of Uber, a widely discussed example of disruptive innovation. The exploratory analysis suggests that the extant regulatory framework plays a key role in influencing the impact that Uber has had on the taxi industry. By doing so, the paper points to the importance — for future researchers — to study disruptive innovation by carefully placing it in the regulatory context in which it takes place, given the importance that this aspect plays in influencing the anatomy of the disruption phenomenon.
A Novel Approach of Weighted Support Vector Machine with Applied Chance Theory for Forecasting Air Pollution Phenomenon in Egypt
Authors: Eldakhly Nabil Mohamed , Aboul-Ela Magdy , Abdalla Areeg
Published: March 2018

The particulate matter air pollutant of diameter less than 10 micrometers (PM[Formula: see text]), a category of pollutants including solid and liquid particles, can be a health hazard for several reasons: it can harm lung tissues and throat, aggravate asthma and increase respiratory illness. Accurate prediction models of PM[Formula: see text] concentrations are essential for proper management, control, and making public warning strategies. Therefore, machine learning techniques have the capability to develop methods or tools that can be used to discover unseen patterns from given data to solve a particular task or problem. The chance theory has advanced concepts pertinent to treat cases where both randomness and fuzziness play simultaneous roles at one time. The main objective is to study the modification of a single machine learning algorithm — support vector machine (SVM) — applying the chance weight of the target variable, based on the chance theory, to the corresponding dataset point to be superior to the ensemble machine learning algorithms. The results of this study are outperforming of the SVM algorithms when modifying and combining with the right theory/technique, especially the chance theory over other modern ensemble learning algorithms.
A Simple Approach for Estimating the First Resonance Peak of Layered Soil Profiles
Authors: Zhang Haizhong , Zhao Yan-Gang
Published: March 2018

The first resonance peak, Gs1, represents the amplification ratio of seismic motion when resonance between input motion and the local site occurs. The Gs1is important for understanding amplification characteristics of local site, thus it has been adopted for evaluating site effects in the Japanese Seismic Code. Herein, a simple method for estimating the Gs1of layered soil profiles is proposed. By replacing a multi-layer soil profile on bedrock with an equivalent one-layer soil profile, the Gs1and fundamental period are easily obtained. To realize the one-layer profile, we develop a procedure to replace a two-layer soil profile on bedrock with an equivalent single-layer profile. This procedure is then applied successively to a multi-layer soil profile to obtain an equivalent single-layer soil profile. The validity of the proposed method is demonstrated by evaluating 67 representative sites. The results obtained using the proposed procedure agree well with those produced by the wave propagation method.
Investigation of Room Temperature Mössbauer Spectroscopy and Initial Permeability Properties of Al3+ Substituted Cobalt Ferrites
Authors: Pandit Rabia , Kaur Pawanpreet , Sharma K. K. , Hashim Mohd. , Kumar Ravi
Published: March 2018

In the present work, Al[Formula: see text] substituted cobalt ferrites (CoFe[Formula: see text]AlxO4, [Formula: see text], 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) have been synthesized via standard solid-state reaction technique. The incorporation of Al[Formula: see text] ions in cobalt ferrite has been shown to play an important role in modifying the magnetic properties. The room temperature (300[Formula: see text]K) [Formula: see text]Fe Mössbauer spectra reveals that the studied samples show two characteristic ferromagnetic zeeman sextets at A and B-sites at lower Al[Formula: see text] ion concentration (i.e., up to [Formula: see text]). However, a paramagnetic relaxation has been noted for higher Al[Formula: see text] substitution (for [Formula: see text] and 0.8) samples. The dependence of the Mössbauer parameters such as isomer shift, quadrupole splitting, line width and magnetic hyperfine field on Al[Formula: see text] ion concentration has also been noted. The variations in initial permeability over a wide frequency range (125[Formula: see text]kHz to 30[Formula: see text]MHz) at 300[Formula: see text]K have been recorded. The fairly constant values of initial permeability and the low values of the relative loss factor of the order of 10[Formula: see text] to 10[Formula: see text] over the wide frequency range are the important findings of the present work. The observed low values of relative loss factor at high frequencies suggest that the studied ferrites are promising materials to be used in microwave applications.
Sedimentary processes and facies on a high-latitude passive continental margin, Wilkes Land, East Antarctica
Authors: Passchier Sandra , Ciarletta Daniel J. , Henao Victor , Sekkas Vicky
Published: March 2018

The impact of high-latitude physical processes on the sedimentary geology of a passive continental margin is addressed using a sediment record from the Wilkes Land margin of Antarctica. We present sequence stratigraphic models based on analytical data and genetic interpretations of sedimentary facies assemblages observed in drill cores collected by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program. The examination of drill cores within a previously published seismostratigraphic context enhances the resolution of the sequence stratigraphic interpretations. Weaker tidal forcing, a stronger Coriolis effect and more pronounced seasonality are some of the physical processes that affect erosion and sedimentation at high latitudes, even if ice sheets are absent. In addition, the presence of an ice sheet affects erosion rates, crustal motion, and atmospheric and ocean circulation, with major implications for the development of depositional systems. As a result, high-latitude, ice-covered, passive margins show distinct sedimentary facies associations and their interpretation requires the application of a different suite of sequence stratigraphic models from those applied to low-latitude continental margins.
SERS Sensors: Recent Developments and a Generalized Classification Scheme Based on the Signal Origin
Authors: Gu Xin , Trujillo Michael J. , Olson Jacob E. , Camden Jon P.
Published: March 2018

Owing to its extreme sensitivity and easy execution, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) now finds application for a wide variety of problems requiring sensitive and targeted analyte detection. This widespread application has prompted a proliferation of different SERS-based sensors, suggesting the need for a framework to classify existing methods and guide the development of new techniques. After a brief discussion of the general SERS modalities, we classify SERS-based sensors according the origin of the signal. Three major categories emerge from this analysis: surface-affinity strategy, SERS-tag strategy, and probe-mediated strategy. For each case, we describe the mechanism of action, give selected examples, and point out general misconceptions to aid the construction of new devices. We hope this review serves as a useful tutorial guide and helps readers to better classify and design practical and effective SERS-based sensors.
Physics of Earthquake Disaster: From Crustal Rupture to Building Collapse
Authors: Uenishi Koji
Published: March 2018

Earthquakes of relatively greater magnitude may cause serious, sometimes unexpected failures of natural and human-made structures, either on the surface, underground, or even at sea. In this review, by treating several examples of extraordinary earthquake-related failures that range from the collapse of every second building in a commune to the initiation of spontaneous crustal rupture at depth, we consider the physical background behind the apparently abnormal earthquake disaster. Simple but rigorous dynamic analyses reveal that such seemingly unusual failures actually occurred for obvious reasons, which may remain unrecognized in part because in conventional seismic analyses only kinematic aspects of the effects of lower-frequency seismic waves below 1 Hz are normally considered. Instead of kinematics, some dynamic approach that takes into account the influence of higher-frequency components of waves over 1 Hz will be needed to anticipate and explain such extraordinary phenomena and mitigate the impact of earthquake disaster in the future.
Telomere uncapping and vascular aging
Authors: Morgan R. Garrett , Donato Anthony J. , Walker Ashley E.
Published: March 2018

Although most telomere biology research continues to focus on telomere shortening, there is increasing evidence that telomere deprotection, or “uncapping,” is more biologically and possibly clinically important. Telomeres form t-loops to prevent the chromosome ends from appearing as a double-stranded DNA break and initiating a DNA damage response. Breakdown of the t-loop structure, referred to as uncapping, can lead to cellular senescence, increased oxidative stress, and inflammation in tissues. In this review, we describe how telomere uncapping potentially leads to age-related vascular dysfunction and increased cellular senescence, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Importantly, we present evidence to argue that telomere uncapping is more biologically relevant than telomere shortening and a better marker of vascular aging and target for antiaging interventions.
Do platelets promote cardiac recovery after myocardial infarction: roles beyond occlusive ischemic damage
Authors: Walsh Tony G. , Poole Alastair W.
Published: March 2018

Our understanding of platelet function has traditionally focused on their roles in physiological hemostasis and pathological thrombosis, with the latter being causative of vessel occlusion and subsequent ischemic damage to various tissues. In particular, numerous in vivo studies have implicated causative roles for platelets in the pathogenesis of ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury to the myocardium. However, platelets clearly have more complex pathophysiological roles, particularly as a result of the heterogeneous nature of biologically active cargo secreted from their granules or contained within released microparticles or exosomes. While some of these released mediators amplify platelet activation and thrombosis through autocrine or paracrine amplification pathways, they can also regulate diverse cellular functions within the localized microenvironment and recruit progenitor cells to the damage site to facilitate repair processes. Notably, there is evidence to support cardioprotective roles for platelet mediators during I/R injury. As such, it is becoming more widely appreciated that platelets fulfill a host of physiological and pathological roles beyond our basic understanding. Therefore, the purpose of this perspective is to consider whether platelets, through their released mediators, can assume a paradoxically beneficial role to promote cardiac recovery after I/R injury.
GeneXX: an online tool for the exploration of transcript changes in skeletal muscle associated with exercise
Authors: Reibe Saskia , Hjorth Marit , Febbraio Mark A. , Whitham Martin
Published: March 2018

Exercise stimulates a wide array of biological processes, but the mechanisms involved are incompletely understood. Many previous studies have adopted transcriptomic analyses of skeletal muscle to address particular research questions, a process that ultimately results in the collection of large amounts of publicly available data that has not been fully integrated or interrogated. To maximize the use of these available transcriptomic exercise data sets, we have downloaded and reanalyzed them and formulated the data into a searchable online tool, geneXX. GeneXX is highly intuitive and free and provides immediate information regarding the response of a transcript of interest to exercise in skeletal muscle. To demonstrate its utility, we carried out a meta-analysis on the included data sets and show transcript changes in skeletal muscle that persist regardless of sex, exercise mode, and duration, some of which have had minimal attention in the context of exercise. We also demonstrate how geneXX can be used to formulate novel hypotheses on the complex effects of exercise, using preliminary data already generated. This resource represents a valuable tool for researchers with interests in human skeletal muscle adaptation to exercise.