bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Crack Close to and Perpendicular to an Interface: Resolution of Anomalous Behavior With a Cohesive Zone
Authors: Adams George G.
Published: December 2018

In this investigation, we consider a crack close to and perpendicular to a bimaterial interface. If the crack tip is at the interface then, depending on material properties, the order of the stress singularity will be equal to, less than, or greater than one-half. However, if the crack tip is located any finite distance away from the interface the stress field is square-root singular. Thus, as the crack tip approaches the interface, the stress intensity factor approaches zero (for cases corresponding to a singularity of order less than one-half) or infinity (for a singularity of order greater than one-half). The implication of this behavior is that for a finite applied pressure the crack will either never reach the interface or will reach the interface with vanishing small applied pressure. In this investigation, a cohesive zone model is used in order to model the crack behavior. It is found that the aforementioned anomalous behavior for the crack without a cohesive zone disappears and that the critical value of the applied pressure for the crack to reach the interface is finite and depends on the maximum stress of the cohesive zone model, as well as on the work of adhesion and the Dundurs' parameters.
A New Finite Time Control Solution for Robotic Manipulators Based on Nonsingular Fast Terminal Sliding Variables and the Adaptive Super-Twisting Scheme
Authors: Anh Tuan Vo , Kang Hee-Jun
Published: December 2018

In this study, a new finite time control method is suggested for robotic manipulators based on nonsingular fast terminal sliding variables and the adaptive super-twisting method. First, to avoid the singularity drawback and achieve the finite time convergence of positional errors with a fast transient response rate, nonsingular fast terminal sliding variables are constructed in the position errors' state space. Next, adaptive tuning laws based on the super-twisting scheme are presented for the switching control law of terminal sliding mode control (TSMC) so that a continuous control law is extended to reject the effects of chattering behavior. Finally, a new finite time control method ensures that sliding motion will take place, regardless of the effects of the perturbations and uncertainties on the robot system. Accordingly, the stabilization and robustness of the suggested control system can be guaranteed with high-precision performance. The robustness issue and the finite time convergence of the suggested system are totally confirmed by the Lyapunov stability principle. In simulation studies, the experimental results exhibit the effectiveness and viability of our proposed scheme for joint position tracking control of a 3DOF PUMA560 robot.
A Product Family Design Method for Configuration and Spatial Layout Requirements
Authors: Hansen John-Travis , Rosen David W.
Published: December 2018

Product platforms allow companies to compete in the global marketplace by facilitating product variety and by adding, removing, or substituting components and features across a product family, while reducing costs and lead times. In many cases, developing a common platform involves determining which components are in a product family, their connections, and their spatial layouts. The development of product configurations and layouts is a complex problem and involves both discrete and continuous mathematical processes. This paper presents algorithms and an implementation to address the problem of configuring products and component layouts. The algorithms will describe the processes used to generate the product configurations based on constraints on combinations and the layout of components within the products. The implementation presents software developed to present the algorithms for the configuration and layout processes.
Railway noise annoyance modeling: Accounting for noise sensitivity and different acoustical features
Authors: Vallin P.-A. , Marquis-Favre C. , Bleuse J. , Gille L.-A.
Published: December 2018

Noise annoyance due to railway traffic is a growing issue in today's society. This annoyance may be predicted using noise-exposure relationships with mean energy-based index. However, there is room for improvement of models as other acoustical and non-acoustical factors also influence noise annoyance responses. In this paper, it is proposed to highlight annoying auditory sensations evoked by the railway noise and determine acoustical and psychoacoustical indices combined in a predictive model. A laboratory experiment involving railway pass-by noise in urban areas was carried out. Annoyance ratings, noise sensitivity ratings, and free verbalization data were gathered. The analysis underlined annoying auditory sensations caused by railway pass-by noises. Two indices were proposed to account for irregular amplitude fluctuation and noise event duration-related sensations. A multilevel regression analysis was conducted, leading to two annoyance models considering noise indices and noise sensitivity. These models were finally compared to a similarly obtained multilevel regression model related to tramway noise annoyance. The comparison was carried out as a cross-validation considering the models and the respective datasets collected in laboratory conditions for model construction. Results showed that the railway noise annoyance model led to a good prediction of tramway noise annoyance and vice versa.
Bone and Joint Tissue Penetration of the
Staphylococcus
-Selective Antibiotic Afabicin in Patients Undergoing Elective Hip Replacement Surgery
Authors: Menetrey Annick , Janin Annick , Pullman John , Overcash J. Scott , Haouala Amina , Leylavergne François , Turbe Laurent , Wittke Frederick , Nicolas-Métral Valérie
Published: December 2018

Afabicin (formerly Debio 1450, AFN-1720) is a prodrug of afabicin desphosphono (Debio 1452, AFN-1252), a novel antibiotic in development which targets the staphylococcal enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (FabI) and exhibits selective potent antibacterial activity against staphylococcal species, including methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
. As part of clinical development in bone and joint infections, a distribution study in bone was performed in 17 patients who underwent elective hip replacement surgery.
Mass Balance and Drug Interaction Potential of Intravenous Eravacycline Administered to Healthy Subjects
Authors: Newman Joseph V. , Zhou Jian , Izmailyan Sergey , Tsai Larry
Published: December 2018

Eravacycline is a novel, fully synthetic fluorocycline that is approved for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI) in adult patients. We report results from three studies in healthy subjects that investigated the distribution, metabolism, and excretion of intravenous (i.v.) eravacycline and the effect of a CYP3A4 inhibitor (itraconazole) and inducer (rifampin) on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of i.v.
Structure-Function Analysis of the Bifunctional CcsBA Heme Exporter and Cytochrome
c
Synthetase
Authors: Sutherland Molly C. , Tran Nathan L. , Tillman Dustin E. , Jarodsky Joshua M. , Yuan Jason , Kranz Robert G.
Published: December 2018

The movement or trafficking of heme is critical for cellular functions (e.g., oxygen transport and energy production); however, intracellular heme is tightly regulated due to its inherent cytotoxicity. These factors, combined with the transient nature of transport, have resulted in a lack of direct knowledge on the mechanisms of heme binding and trafficking. Here, we used the cytochrome
c
biogenesis system II pathway as a model to study heme trafficking. System II is composed of two integral membrane proteins (CcsBA) which function to transport heme across the membrane and stereospecifically position it for covalent attachment to apocytochrome
c
. We mapped two heme binding domains in CcsBA and suggest a path for heme trafficking. These data, in combination with metagenomic coevolution data, are used to determine a structural model of CcsBA, leading to increased understanding of the mechanisms for heme transport and the cytochrome
c
synthetase function of CcsBA.
An Infant Mouse Model of Influenza Virus Transmission Demonstrates the Role of Virus-Specific Shedding, Humoral Immunity, and Sialidase Expression by Colonizing Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Ortigoza Mila Brum , Blaser Simone B. , Zafar M. Ammar , Hammond Alexandria J. , Weiser Jeffrey N.
Published: December 2018

This study provides insight into the role of the virus strain, age, immunity, and URT flora on IAV shedding and transmission efficiency. Using the infant mouse model, we found that (i) differences in viral shedding of various IAV strains are dependent on specific hemagglutinin (HA) and/or neuraminidase (NA) proteins, (ii) host age plays a key role in the efficiency of IAV transmission, (iii) levels of IAV-specific immunoglobulins are necessary to limit infectiousness, transmission, and susceptibility to IAV, and (iv) expression of sialidases by colonizingS. pneumoniaeantagonizes transmission by limiting the acquisition of IAV in recipient hosts. Our findings highlight the need for strategies that limit IAV shedding and the importance of understanding the function of the URT bacterial composition in IAV transmission. This work reinforces the significance of a tractable animal model to study both viral and host traits affecting IAV contagion and its potential for optimizing vaccines and therapeutics that target disease spread.
Analysis of Whole-Genome Sequences for the Prediction of Penicillin Resistance and β-Lactamase Activity in
Bacillus anthracis
Authors: Gargis A. S. , McLaughlin H. P. , Conley A. B. , Lascols C. , Michel P. A. , Gee J. E. , Marston C. K. , Kolton C. B. , Rodriguez-R L. M. , Hoffmaster A. R. , Weigel L. M. , Sue D.
Published: December 2018

Determination of antimicrobial susceptibility of
B. anthracis
is essential for the appropriate distribution of antimicrobial agents for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) and treatment of anthrax. Analysis of WGS data allows for the rapid detection of mutations in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes in an isolate, but the presence of a mutation in an AMR gene does not always accurately predict resistance. As mutations in the anti-sigma factor RsiP have been previously associated with high-level penicillin resistance in a limited number of strains, we investigated WGS assemblies from 374 strains to determine the frequency of mutations and performed functional antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Of the five strains that contained mutations in
rsiP
, only four were PEN-R by functional antimicrobial susceptibility testing. We conclude that while sequence analysis of this region is useful for AMR prediction in
B. anthracis
, genetic analysis should not be used exclusively and phenotypic susceptibility testing remains essential.
Evaluation of Technical Competency in Healthcare Simulation (E-TeCHS) tool: a modified Delphi study
Authors: Hughes Patrick G , Atkinson Steven Scott , Brown Mira F , Jenkins Marjorie R , Ahmed Rami A
Published: December 2018

Background

Graduates of simulation fellowship programmes are expected to have the ability to perform a variety of simulation specific skills at the time of graduation. Currently, simulation fellowship directors have access to tools to assess the ability of a fellow to debrief learners. However, there is no tool to assess a simulation fellow’s competency in technical skills. The purpose of our manuscript was to develop and obtain content validation of a novel instrument designed to assess a simulation fellow’s ability to perform the five core simulation technical skills.

Methods

The study protocol was based on a methodology for content validation of curriculum consensus guidelines. This approach involves a three-step process, which includes the initial delineation of the curricular content. This was then followed by the validation of the curricular content using survey methodology and lastly obtaining consensus on modifications using Delphi methodology.

Results

Two rounds of modified Delphi methodology were performed. Seventy-four respondents provided feedback on the round 1 survey and 45 respondents provided feedback on round 2. The final assessment tool has five elements and 16 subitems with four optional subitems.

Conclusion

The Evaluation of Technical Competency in Healthcare Simulation tool provides an instrument developed from a national consensus of content experts. This tool provides simulation fellowship directors a method to evaluate fellows’ competency in technical skills.
Quantitative assessment of pericardial delayed hyperenhancement helps identify patients with ongoing recurrences of pericarditis
Authors: Kumar Arnav , Sato Kimi , Verma Beni Rai , Ala Chandra Kanth , Betancor Jorge , Yzeiraj Edlira , Lin Lin , Mohananey Divyanshu , Qamruddin Salima , Kontzias Apostolos , Bolen Michael A , Imazio Massimo M , Kwon Deborah H , Hachamovitch Rory , Klein Allan L
Published: December 2018

Objectives

Recurrences of pericarditis (RP) are often difficult to diagnose due to lack of clinical signs and symptoms during subsequent episodes. We aimed to investigate the value of quantitative assessment of pericardial delayed hyperenhancement (DHE) in diagnosing ongoing recurrences of pericarditis.

Methods

Quantitative DHE was measured in 200 patients with established diagnosis of RP using cardiac MRI. Conventional clinical criteria for diagnosis of pericarditis were ≥2 of the following: chest pain, pericardial rub, ECG changes and new or worsening pericardial effusion.

Results

A total of 67 (34%) patients were identified as having ongoing episode of recurrence at the time of DHE measurements. In multivariable analysis, chest pain (OR: 10.9, p<0.001) and higher DHE (OR: 1.32, p<0.001) were associated with ongoing recurrence of RP. Addition of DHE to conventional clinical criteria significantly increased the ability to diagnose ongoing recurrence (net reclassification improvement (NRI): 0.80, p<0.001; integrated discrimination improvement (IDI): 0.12, p<0.001). Among 150 patients with history of RP who presented with chest pain, higher DHE was still independently associated with ongoing recurrence (OR: 1.28, p<0.001), showed incremental value over clinical criteria (NRI: 0.76, p<0.001; IDI: 0.13, p<0.001) and demonstrated a sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 74%.

Conclusion

Among patients with RP, quantitative DHE provided incremental information to diagnose ongoing recurrences over conventional clinical criteria of pericarditis. Quantitative DHE demonstrated acceptable test characteristics to diagnose ongoing recurrence even in RP patients presenting with chest pain.
Patient-reported outcome measures in osteoarthritis: a systematic search and review of their use and psychometric properties
Authors: Lundgren-Nilsson Åsa , Dencker Anna , Palstam Annie , Person Gert , Horton Mike C , Escorpizo Reuben , Küçükdeveci Ayse A , Kutlay Sehim , Elhan Atilla H , Stucki Gerold , Tennant Alan , Conaghan Philip G
Published: December 2018

Introduction

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) or self-completed questionnaires have been used to report outcomes in osteoarthritis (OA) for over 35 years. Choices will always need to be made about what should be measured and, if relevant, what would be the most appropriate PROM to use. The current study aims to describe the available PROMs used in OA and their performance quality, so that informed choices can be made about the most appropriate PROM for a particular task.

Methods

The study included a systematic search for PROMs that have been in use over 17 years (period 2000–2016), and to catalogue their psychometric properties, and to present the evidence in a user-friendly fashion.

Results

78 PROMs were identified with psychometric evidence available. The domains of pain, self-care, mobility and work dominated, whereas domains such as cleaning and laundry and leisure, together with psychological and contextual factors, were poorly served. The most frequently used PROMs included the Western Ontario McMaster Osteoarthritis Index, the Short Form 36 and the Knee Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score which, between them, appeared in more than 4000 papers. Most domains had at least one PROM with the highest level of psychometric evidence.

Conclusion

A broad range of PROMs are available for measuring OA outcomes. Some have good psychometric evidence, others not so. Some important psychological areas such as self-efficacy were poorly served. The study provides a current baseline for what is available, and identifies the shortfall in key domains if the full biopsychosocial model is to be explored.
Using vertical distribution to separate fish from crustaceans in a mixed species trawl fishery
Authors: Karlsen Junita Diana , Krag Ludvig Ahm , Herrmann Bent , Lund Henrik Skaarup
Published: December 2018

A major challenge in mixed fisheries is achieving acceptable size selectivity for morphologically different species using the same fishing gear. Separator trawls can have different selective properties in the upper and lower compartments and provide successful separation of species. We used a horizontally divided codend with small square meshes (40 mm) and a simple frame to stimulate fish to swim into the upper compartment. The majority of the fish were separated successfully from Nephrops (Nephrops norvegicus), but their preference were uniform. Less than 10% of the Nephrops entered the upper compartment. Length-based analysis revealed three patterns of separation efficiency among nine commercial species: length-dependent separation and preference for the upper or lower compartments. The separation efficiency should be improved for small roundfish and flatfish. There was little diel effect on the separation efficiency. The preference of fish for a compartment, taking the relative height of that compartment into account, was established for this and similar previous studies to enable comparison of results. We recommend length-based analysis to account for the fished population when interpreting results.
Moving dipoles and the relativity of simultaneity
Authors: Redfern Francis
Published: December 2018

An observer moving parallel to a current-carrying wire detects an electric field due to the Lorentz transformation directed either toward or away from the wire, depending on the relative motion of observer and current. The accepted interpretation of this situation as viewed from the observer’s rest frame is that there is a net linear charge density on the wire. The Lorentz contraction of the separation of fixed ions and charge carriers is different due to their different speeds in the observer’s frame. The idea that a net charge exists on a wire in a reference frame moving parallel to the wire leads to the expectation that there is a charge separation seen on a moving current loop, resulting in paradoxes, such as that proposed by Mansuripur. I argue that the apparent charge on a current-carrying wire is due to a misinterpretation of the Lorentz transformation and is a consequence of the relativity of simultaneity. Given this insight, the nature of the fields of moving dipoles and the nature of the magnetization–polarization tensor are investigated.
Decomposition and nutrient release pattern of animal manures biodegraded by fly larvae in Acrisols
Authors: Bloukounon-Goubalan Adin Y. , Saïdou Aliou , Obognon Noël , Amadji Guillaume L. , Igué Attanda M. , Clottey Victor A. , Kenis Marc
Published: December 2018

This study aims to assess the decomposition of manure biodegraded by fly larvae and the nutrient mineralization rates to understand the efficiency of the biodegraded manures for further use as soil amendment. A litter bag experiment was carried out over 75 d in an Acrisol in Benin using poultry manure, pig manure, mixture of poultry and sheep manure, mixture of poultry and cow manure, and mixture of poultry and pig manure, biodegraded by Musca domestica larvae. Nutrients content in the manures during the different stages of decomposition was analyzed. The mono-component exponential model Yt = Y0 × e−kt best described the manure decomposition and nutrients mineralization. The manures decomposed fast in the soil, and their nutrients were released fast in the poultry manure, the mixture of poultry and pig manure, and the mixture of poultry and cow manure. Nutrient mineralization increased in the order of P < N < K or N < P < K. Biodegradation of animal manures by fly larvae produced high-quality organic fertilizer through fast N and P release. This could aid in reducing the quantities of these elements applied as mineral fertilizer by farmers for sustaining agricultural soil productivity.
The effects of three micro-catchment practices on erosion and runoff dynamics for a typical soil slope on the Loess Plateau of China
Authors: Sun Liquan , Wu Shufang , Hill Robert Lee , Guo Huili , Feng Hao
Published: December 2018

Three micro-catchment measures that are named fish-scale pits (FSPs), artificial digging (AD), and contour plowing (CP) for soil erosion prevention are widely used in the Loess Plateau. To clarify the effectiveness of these measures in intercepting runoff and reducing erosion and the mechanism of water flow movement, intermittent simulated rainfall events was carried out in the 15° slopes with FSPs, AD, CP, and control slope (CK). The results demonstrated the following. (1) For cumulative rainfall <83 mm, three measures effectively intercepted runoff and reduced sediment compared with the CK. The runoff and sediment reduction effect of three measures gradually disappeared when cumulative rainfall increased to 83, 99, and 108 mm, and the sediment generation of the three measures successively exceeded that of the CK and was more than two times higher. (2) Laminar or transition flow occurred for the CK, and the flow pattern changed from subcritical to supercritical at 101 mm of cumulative rainfall. For three measures, the flow patterns became turbulent within a short time but remained subcritical. (3) A correlation analysis showed that the soil detachment rate, hydraulic shear stress, and stream power in the micro-catchment measures can be described using linear functions, which reduced the rill erodibility and enhanced the soil’s resistance to concentrated flow erosion. This research has important guiding significance on the rational and effective implementation of micro-catchment practices to prevent severe soil erosion and increase water storage for crop production on the Loess Plateau of China.
Minimalist barcodes for sponges: a case study classifying African freshwater Spongillida
Authors: Erpenbeck Dirk , Steiner Markus , Schuster Astrid , Genner Martin J. , Manconi Renata , Pronzato Roberto , Ruthensteiner Bernhard , van den Spiegel Didier , van Soest Rob W.M. , Wörheide Gert
Published: December 2018

African sponges, particularly freshwater sponges, are understudied relative to demosponges in most other geographical regions. Freshwater sponges (Spongillida) likely share a common ancestor; however, their evolutionary history, particularly during their radiation into endemic and allegedly cosmopolitan groups, is unclear. Freshwater sponges of at least 58 species of 17 genera and four families are described from Central and Eastern Africa, but the diversity is underestimated due to limited distinguishable morphological features. The discovery of additional cryptic species is very likely with the use of molecular techniques such as DNA barcoding. The Royal Museum of Central Africa (MRAC, Tervuren, Belgium) hosts one of the largest collections of (Central) African freshwater sponge type material. Type specimens in theory constitute ideal targets for molecular taxonomy; however, the success is frequently hampered by DNA degradation and deamination, which are a consequence of suboptimal preservation techniques. Therefore, we genotyped African demosponge holotype material of the MRAC with specific short primers suitable for degenerated tissue and compare the results with the current, morphology-based classification. Our results demonstrate the utility of minimalistic barcodes for identification of sponges, potentially enabling efficient identification of individuals in taxonomic or metabarcoding studies, and highlight inconsistencies in the current freshwater sponge classification.
Investigations on the principle of full decoupling and type synthesis of 2R1T and 2R parallel mechanisms
Authors: Xu Yundou , Wang Bei , Wang Zhifeng , Zhao Yun , Liu Wenlan , Yao Jiantao , Zhao Yongsheng
Published: December 2018

Based on the relationship between constraint wrenches and rotational axes, the principle of full decoupling of two rotational degrees of freedom (DOFs) for a two-rotation and one-translation (2R1T) parallel mechanism and two-rotation (2R) parallel mechanism with three supporting branches is systematically analyzed. Two conditions for full decoupling of two rotational DOFs of such mechanisms are obtained. The relationship between the two rotational axes of the parallel mechanisms is classified into two cases: intersecting and different. Next, based on the two conditions, type synthesis of the 2R1T and 2R parallel mechanisms with fully decoupled two rotational DOFs is carried out. A series of novel 2R1T and 2R parallel mechanisms with fully decoupled two rotational DOFs are obtained, such as RPU–UPR–RPR. Several of these mechanisms contain only eight single-DOF passive joints, one fewer than in existing mechanisms of this type, and thus have broad applications.
Contact stress analysis of disc cutter peg-hole with interference fit
Authors: Li Jie , Ma Chao , Zhang Bin , Huang Yuanjun , Guo Jingbo
Published: December 2018

To study the relation of the interference fit between cutter body and cutter ring, a theoretical design of interference fit of the cutter peg-hole is carried out according to the theory of thick-walled cylinders. The finite element method is used to analyzed the mapping relationship between the contact stress of cutter ring and cutter body. Thermal expansion assembly of the cutter ring is simulated, and the temperature of the thermal expansion assembly of the cutter ring is determined. The result shows that the contact length between the cutter body and the cutter ring has little influence on the contact stress of the cutter ring, but with increasing contact length the stress concentration of the retaining ring will increase. The contact stress of the cutter ring is basically the same at the same amount of interference and temperature, but the contact stress of the ring decreases with increasing contact length at high temperature. When the contact length is the same, the contact stress and the radial force of the mating surface increase with increasing amount of interference. The reasonable temperature for thermal expansion assembly of the cutter ring is 160 °C.
A Fast Sample Adaptive Offset Algorithm for 360∘ Video
Authors: Zhang Mengmeng , Su Renbo , Liu Zhi , Mao Fuqi , Yue Wen
Published: December 2018

The increased demand for virtual reality brings more challenges to 360∘ video coding. 360∘ video needs to be projected as a planar video before encoding. This process will produce projection distortion. The degree of projection distortion depends on the location of the pixel. Traditional coding algorithms cannot respond to this feature efficiently enough. In this paper, a fast Sample Adaptive Offset (SAO) algorithm for 360∘ video is proposed. The proposed algorithm improves the SAO process. On the basis of retaining the whole SAO process, a simplified SAO process is added. First, the coding tree unit (CTU) of performing the simplified SAO process is filtered according to the rate distortion cost (RD-cost) of the intra- or inter-prediction and the location of the CTU. Subsequently, the CTU is sampled at intervals according to the equirectangular projection (ERP) characteristics, and the CTU of performing the simplified SAO process is determined. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm achieves 60% time of SAO process reduction, with only 0.29% luma Bjontegaard delta rate (BD-rate) increases on average.
A Fault Diagnosis Intelligent Algorithm Based on Improved BP Neural Network
Authors: Liu Pingfeng , Zhang Wang
Published: December 2018

The fault diagnosis intelligent algorithm makes full use of the associative memory and pattern recognition function of the neural network to compare the abnormal value of various parameters of the engine fault with the reference value of the known fault mode, which can shorten the fault diagnosis time and improve the diagnosis efficiency. BP neural network model as one of the most widely used neural network models in the world is of significance to solve nonlinear complex problems. Of course, there are also some deficiencies in it, such as long training time and ease to trap into local minimum. This paper utilized the global search advantage of genetic algorithm to optimize the optimal weight and threshold value of BP neural network. Furthermore, an improved BP neural network was put forward, which is greatly improved in stability, generalization and convergence rate. Taking fault diagnosis of automobile engine as an example, a simulation experiment was carried out on the established model. The research results indicate that improved neural network model owns a higher accuracy than pure GA model or BP neural network model (with an average accuracy improved by 19.04% than traditional model), and its effect is satisfactory.
A Low-Power, Sub-1-V All-MOSFET Subthreshold Voltage Reference Using Body Biasing
Authors: Pal Pratosh Kumar , Nagaria Rajendra Kumar
Published: December 2018

A low-voltage and low-power all-MOSFET voltage reference is presented having most of the transistors working in subthreshold region. The basic beta-multiplier with cascode transistor provides a supply-independent current utilized by the active load circuit to generate an output reference voltage using body biasing. The proposed circuit is simulated using standard SCL 180-nm CMOS technology for the supply voltage ranging from 0.75[Formula: see text]V to 1.8[Formula: see text]V. The simulation obtains an average output voltage reference of 450.4[Formula: see text]mV for the given supply range at room temperature. The minimum power dissipation at room temperature is 54.37[Formula: see text]nW. The temperature coefficient (TC) of 28.13[Formula: see text]ppm/∘C is achieved having the temperature range of [Formula: see text]10–87∘C for the minimum operating supply voltage. It has the PSRR values of [Formula: see text]39.4[Formula: see text]dB at 100[Formula: see text]Hz and [Formula: see text]12[Formula: see text]dB at 1[Formula: see text]MHz. Also, the active area of the proposed circuit is 0.014[Formula: see text]mm2.
Fast and Accurate System-Level Power Estimation Model for FPGA-Based Designs
Authors: Tripathi Abhishek N. , Rajawat Arvind
Published: December 2018

In this paper, we present an efficient and fast system-level power estimation model for the FPGA-based designs. To estimate the dynamic power early, first time, LLVM IR code analysis is employed at the C-level designs and then the neural network-based estimation model is built from the information obtained from this high-level profiling. The model accuracy is validated through designs of heterogeneous domains from the CHStone and MachSuite benchmarks. An insignificant relative error of 0.21–3.6% is observed for the analyzed benchmark designs with the exceptional increase in the estimation speed by 63 times of magnitude as compared to the Xilinx Vivado Design Suite. Moreover, the model eliminates the need for synthesis-based exploration. In addition, the effectiveness of proposed approach is also verified through a comparison with the other reported works.
Dynamic Epistemic Reasoning with Awareness and Its Legal Application
Authors: Goto Tetsuji , Hatano Ryo , Tojo Satoshi
Published: December 2018

Concerning a software tool of legal reasoning, it is important to describe the prediction about the result of a criminal action, because a crime is often caused by the unpredictability of the result of the defendant. In the court, the judge needs to investigate the predictability and the intention of the agent. Previously, we have formalized the reasoning process of judgment by action model in dynamic epistemic logic (DEL) and have attempted to describe the precedents. However, the prediction in legal cases depends not only on the states of knowledge but also on the limited degree of attention by agents. In this paper, we employ DEL with awareness for multi-agent to represent the predictability and model the typical criminal precedents. We propose a revised semantics of action model with awareness which can define each basic action model to reproduce the agent’s considering process. To describe the legal reasoning we introduce an extension of modeling program DEMO to include the awareness (we call it DEMO[Formula: see text]) and present a GUI in this extended program to calculate the updated epistemic model easily and to classify precedents according to the degree of prediction. In the end, we calculate the epistemic models of typical criminal precedents by this newly developed tool and estimate them.
Extracting Customer Reviews from Online Shopping and Its Perspective on Product Design
Authors: Anh Kieu Que , Nagai Yukari , Nguyen Le Minh
Published: December 2018

This paper presents a study on how we can extract helpful review from customers and its effect on the early phase when designing a product. We present a framework for analyzing the reviews from online shopping sites by detecting helpful reviews, aspects, and top reviews. We conduct a through analysis on review comments of the Amazon site and form a novel framework which can automatically extract useful information from review documents and it can also collaboratively work between designers and opinion customers. Experimental results on helpful review identification and sentiment classification showed that the proposed model achieved promising results. We also conduct an interview with designers to assert whether or not the proposed framework is effective. The results showed that the proposed framework is helpful for designers.
In Pursuit of Connectivity: China Invests in Southeast Asian Infrastructure
Authors: Zha Daojiong
Published: December 2018

This paper invites readers to view China’s invitation for participation in an envisioned Maritime Economic Silk Road by looking at China’s own history of engagement with the rest of the world economy in recent decades. In the 1980s, China began to benefit from foreign funding and companies sharing their expertise and knowledge in building energy and transportation infra-structure in China. Today, China offers to share its successful development experience with other countries through the Belt and Road Initiative. Rather than view the initiative as primarily extending China’s strategic and political influence, it is important to assess each project on its economic merits.

In other words, it is not just about building roads, railways or ports per se but more about how these infrastructure networks can serve as a catalyst to promote industrialization and urbanization in the host country. The Hambantota port is often portrayed as a classic example of China’s debt trap. Yet, the Chinese company involved could have easily terminated its involvement and walked away. Instead, it remained committed to developing not only the port but related projects such as industrial zones and logistical networks. Finally, the host country has to share responsibility together with China in the design and implementation of any Belt and Road project. They should insist on principles and processes like disciplined project financial governance, local labor usage and skills diffusion.
Seismotectonics of central and NW Himalaya: plate boundary–wedge thrust earthquakes in thin- and thick-skinned tectonic framework
Authors: Thakur V. C. , Jayangondaperumal R. , Joevivek V.
Published: December 2018

The tectonic framework of NW Himalaya is different from that of the central Himalaya with respect to the position of the Main Central Thrust and Higher Himalayan Crystalline and the Lesser and Sub Himalayan structures. The former is characterized by thick-skinned tectonics, whereas the thin-skinned model explains the tectonic evolution of the central Himalaya. The boundary between the two segments of Himalaya is recognized along the Ropar–Manali lineament fault zone. The normal convergence rate within the Himalaya decreases from
c.
18 mm a
−1
in the central to
c.
15 mm a
−1
in the NW segments. In the last 800 years of historical accounts of large earthquakes of magnitude M
w
≥ 7, there are seven earthquakes clustered in the central Himalaya, whereas three reported earthquakes are widely separated in the NW Himalaya. The earthquakes in central Himalaya are inferred as occurring over the plate boundary fault, the Main Himalayan Thrust. The wedge thrust earthquakes in NW Himalaya originate over the faults on the hanging wall of the Main Himalayan Thrust. Palaeoseismic evidence recorded on the Himalayan front suggests the occurrence of giant earthquakes in the central Himalaya. The lack of such an event reported in the NW Himalaya may be due to oblique convergence.
Exploiting Internal Parallelism for Address Translation in Solid-State Drives
Authors: Xie Wei , Chen Yong , Roth Philip C.
Published: December 2018

Solid-state Drives (SSDs) have changed the landscape of storage systems and present a promising storage solution for data-intensive applications due to their low latency, high bandwidth, and low power consumption compared to traditional hard disk drives. SSDs achieve these desirable characteristics using
internal parallelism
—parallel access to multiple internal flash memory chips—and a Flash Translation Layer (FTL) that determines where data are stored on those chips so that they do not wear out prematurely. However, current state-of-the-art cache-based FTLs like the Demand-based Flash Translation Layer (DFTL) do not allow IO schedulers to take full advantage of internal parallelism, because they impose a tight coupling between the logical-to-physical address translation and the data access. To address this limitation, we introduce a new FTL design called
Parallel-DFTL
that works with the DFTL to decouple address translation operations from data accesses. Parallel-DFTL separates address translation and data access operations into different queues, allowing the SSD to use concurrent flash accesses for both types of operations. We also present a Parallel-LRU cache replacement algorithm to improve the concurrency of address translation operations. To compare Parallel-DFTL against existing FTL approaches, we present a Parallel-DFTL performance model and compare its predictions against those for DFTL and an ideal page-mapping approach. We also implemented the Parallel-DFTL approach in an SSD simulator using real device parameters, and used trace-driven simulation to evaluate Parallel-DFTL’s efficacy. Our evaluation results show that Parallel-DFTL improved the overall performance by up to 32% for the real IO workloads we tested, and by up to two orders of magnitude with synthetic test workloads. We also found that Parallel-DFTL is able to achieve reasonable performance with a very small cache size and that it provides the best benefit for those workloads with large request size or with high write ratio.
Computing the Homology of Basic Semialgebraic Sets in Weak Exponential Time
Authors: Bürgisser Peter , Cucker Felipe , Lairez Pierre
Published: December 2018

We describe and analyze an algorithm for computing the homology (Betti numbers and torsion coefficients) of basic semialgebraic sets that works in weak exponential time. That is, of a set of exponentially small measure in the space of data, the cost of the algorithm is exponential in the size of the data. All algorithms previously proposed for this problem have a complexity that is doubly exponential (and this is so for almost all data).
SIROCCO 2018 Review
Authors: Miller Avery
Published: December 2018

The International Colloquium on Structural Information and Communication Complexity (SIROCCO) is devoted to the study of decentralized systems consisting of multiple communicating entities, with a special focus on better understanding how knowledge and communication a ect the feasibility and efficiency of solving tasks in such systems.

The conference turned 25 this year, and I am proud to say that I share its birthplace: Ottawa, Canada (unfortunately, 11-year-old Avery did not have a paper to submit to the rst one). Another milestone is that this was the rst SIROCCO to be held in Israel. The venue: a kibbutz called Ma'ale HaHamisha perched high up in the Judean Hills near Jerusalem.
Dynamic Behavior and Damage Mechanism of 3D Braided Composite Fan Blade under Bird Impact
Authors: Liu Lulu , Luo Gang , Chen Wei , Zhao Zhenhua , Huang Xiong
Published: December 2018

The three-dimensional braided composites, with intertwined fiber bundles in the through-thickness direction, have advantages of high interlaminar shear strength, fracture toughness, and excellent impact resistance, making them a promising material for applications in the field of aeroengine fan blades. As the bird impact behavior of the fan blade directly affects the safety of the aeroengines, it is of great significance to study the dynamic response and damage mechanism of 3D braided composites under bird strike load. In this paper, the bird impact tests on the 3D four-step braided composite targets were carried out using the gas gun system. The effects of impact velocity, impact location, and braiding angle on the bird impact behavior were studied. It is concluded that the damage and failure become more severe with the increasing impact velocity. The whole impact event could be divided into 3 stages, i.e., local deformation stage, postflow impact stage, and bending deflection stage. The braided composite presents flexible characteristics and could bear extraordinary deformation during the bird impact. One distinguishing feature of bird impact damage is the destruction of the clamping root due to bending load caused by cantilever construction. The internal damage form at the impact area was mainly the separation of the fiber bundles from the matrix while the breakage of the fiber bundles and the crushing of the matrix play the primary role at the root part. The target plate impacted at the 70% height had the largest bending angle and most serious damage, followed by those impacted at the 90% and 50% heights. Both the appearance damage and internal damage extent are smallest for 45° braiding composites.
Effects of Titanium Micro-Nanopermeable Structures on Osteogenic Differentiation
Authors: Liu Jiannan , Jin Mingjiang , Zhang Zhen , Wu Lihuang , Jin Xuejun , Zhang Chenping , Xing Yue
Published: December 2018

To evaluate the effects of different Ti surface micro-nanopermeable structures on osteoblast proliferation and differentiation and explore related mechanisms, hybrid technology of sandblast, acid etching, and hydrothermal (HT) was used to form the micro-nanopermeable surface of Ti. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), surface profiler, and contact angle meter were utilized to assess the surface morphology, roughness, and hydrophilicity. MTT, SEM, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay, and real-time PCR were performed to investigate proliferation, adhesion and spreading, and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells grown on polished Ti (control), sandblast + acid etching- (SLA-) treated Ti, and SLA + HT-treated Ti. MAPK signal pathway activity was evaluated by Western blotting. The results showed that SLA + HT could result in not only formation of microscale groove containing submicroscale and nanoscale porous structures in Ti samples but also rough and hydrophilic surface. SLA + HT treatment has the best effects on cell adhesion and spreading. Significantly increased levels of ALP activity and osteogenic genes including Alp, Ocn, Opn, Runx2, and Bsp, as well as p38 but not ERK phosphorylation, were found in the SLA + HT group. In conclusion, sandblast, acid etching, and hydrothermal treatment on Ti regulates osteoblast differentiation, while activation of the MAPK p38 signaling pathway served as the mechanism.
Effect of Airflow Temperature on the Formation of Initial Flame Kernel and the Propagation Characteristics of Flame
Authors: Li Jianzhong , Chen Jian , Yuan Li , Hu Ge
Published: December 2018

Using liquid RP-3 aviation kerosene as the fuel to study, the effect of airflow temperature on the formation of initial flame kernel during the ignition of spray combustion and on the propagation characteristics of flame was investigated. Combining high-speed camera and dynamic temperature acquisitions at the outlet of combustor, the internal triggering mode was used under a constant fuel flow rate and airflow velocity. This combined system simultaneously recorded the formation of initial flame kernel, flame propagation, and outlet temperature variation of combustor under different airflow temperatures. MATLAB software was used to obtain the reaction zones at different moments and to analyze the effects of airflow temperature on morphological characteristics such as flame area, perimeter-to-area ratio, maximum length-to-height ratio, equivalent mean length-to-height ratio, mass center, and centroid. According to the growth rate in flame area, the ignition process can be divided into three stages: formation of flame kernel, rapid development of flame, and stable development of flame. Airflow temperature not only affects the formation time of flame kernel but also affects the growth rate of flame area. During the development of flame, the movements of mass center and centroid are irregular, and their positions do not coincide with each other. However, the overall moving trends are consistent. With the increase of the airflow temperature, the position, where the flame kernel is gradually formed, moves closer to the center of the end face of spark plug. The force of airflow on flame is the main factor that increases the flame area and heat-release rate. Therefore, the folds around the flame edge mainly result from the stretching under the action of airflow. With the increase in airflow temperature, the heat release of the initial flame kernel increases, and the ratio of perimeter to area as a characterization parameter increases by 8%, 86%, and 33%, respectively. In addition, the maximum outlet temperature rise increased by about 53%, 73.5%, and 0.65%, respectively. Meanwhile, the maximum rate of temperature rise increased by about 42.8%, 57%, and 5.1%, respectively.
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Diagnosis of Cardiac Sarcoidosis: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhang Jianxiong , Li Yunxiao , Xu Qiufen , Xu Bo , Wang Haoyan
Published: December 2018

Background. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is an effective technique for the diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis (CS). The efficacy of CMR versus the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare (JMHW) guidelines considered as standard criterion for the diagnosis of CS remains to be elucidated.Methods. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed at assessing the diagnostic accuracy of CMR in cardiac sarcoidosis. We searched on PubMed from January 1, 1980, to March 28, 2018, on Embase from January 1, 1980, to March 29, 2018, and on the Cochrane Library from January 1, 1980, to April 1, 2018, using a strategy based on the search terms (sarcoidosis and magnetic resonance imaging) independently. We analyzed the data obtained with Revman 5.3 and Stata 14.0 software.Results. Eight studies with a total of 649 participants met the inclusion criteria, and data were extracted. CMR had an overall sensitivity of 0.93 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.87–0.97) and specificity of 0.85 (95% CI, 0.68–0.94) for the diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.93–0.97). The subgroup analysis via public year showed that studies between 2011 and 2017 had an overall sensitivity of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.88–0.98) and specificity of 0.92 (95% CI, 0.49–0.99), with an area under the SROC curve being 0.96.Conclusions. The results of this meta-analysis suggest that CMR could be used for the diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis and screening of patients suspected of CS. With the improvement of the technique, the diagnostic accuracy of MRI has improved.