bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation and Implementation of a Highly Sensitive and Efficient Newborn Screening Assay for Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II
Authors: Bilyeu Heather , Washburn Jon , Vermette Lacey , Klug Tracy
Published: October 2020

Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II (MPS II), also known as Hunter syndrome, is a lysosomal storage disorder (LSD) caused by a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme iduronate-2-sulfatase (IDS). MPS II satisfies all criteria defined by the Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children (ACHDNC) for inclusion in the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP) for newborn screening, apart from the fact that only minimal prospective population screening data are available. This report details the analytical validation, clinical validation, and implementation of a fluorometric assay for measurement of IDS activity in newborn dried blood spot (DBS) specimens at the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory (MSPHL). The assay is performed in a microwell plate format requiring approximately 15 min of hands-on time per plate and an incubation time of two hours. The analytical validation of this assay included linearity, analytical sensitivity, precision, and carry-over testing. Clinical validation was completed using more than 5000 deidentified presumptive normal newborn DBS specimens as well as seven specimens from patients known to be affected with MPS II. Following validation, MSPHL began prospective screening using the IDS assay on 1 November 2018. In the first 18 months of screening (to 30 June 2020), 146,954 specimens were prospectively screened using the method. Two newborns were identified with severe Hunter syndrome and the assay had a presumptive positive rate of 0.022%.
A Survey of Deep Learning for Data Caching in Edge Network
Authors: Wang Yantong , Friderikos Vasilis
Published: October 2020

The concept of edge caching provision in emerging 5G and beyond mobile networks is a promising method to deal both with the traffic congestion problem in the core network, as well as reducing latency to access popular content. In that respect, end user demand for popular content can be satisfied by proactively caching it at the network edge, i.e., at close proximity to the users. In addition to model-based caching schemes, learning-based edge caching optimizations have recently attracted significant attention, and the aim hereafter is to capture these recent advances for both model-based and data-driven techniques in the area of proactive caching. This paper summarizes the utilization of deep learning for data caching in edge network. We first outline the typical research topics in content caching and formulate a taxonomy based on network hierarchical structure. Then, many key types of deep learning algorithms are presented, ranging from supervised learning to unsupervised learning, as well as reinforcement learning. Furthermore, a comparison of state-of-the-art literature is provided from the aspects of caching topics and deep learning methods. Finally, we discuss research challenges and future directions of applying deep learning for caching.
Experimental and Computational Analysis of Low-Velocity Impact on Carbon-, Glass- and Mixed-Fiber Composite Plates
Authors: AlOmari Ahmed S. , Al-Athel Khaled S. , Arif Abul Fazal M. , Al-Sulaiman Faleh. A.
Published: October 2020

One of the problems with composites is their weak impact damage resistance and post-impact mechanical properties. Composites are prone to delamination damage when impacted by low-speed projectiles because of the weak through-thickness strength. To combat the problem of delamination damage, composite parts are often over-designed with extra layers. However, this increases the cost, weight, and volume of the composite and, in some cases, may only provide moderate improvements to impact damage resistance. The selection of the optimal parameters for composite plates that give high impact resistance under low-velocity impact loads should consider several factors related to the properties of the materials as well as to how the composite product is manufactured. To obtain the desired impact resistance, it is essential to know the interrelationships between these parameters and the energy absorbed by the composite. Knowing which parameters affect the improvement of the composite impact resistance and which parameters give the most significant effect are the main issues in the composite industry. In this work, the impact response of composite laminates with various stacking sequences and resins was studied with the Instron 9250G drop-tower to determine the energy absorption. Three types of composites were used: carbon-fiber, glass-fiber, and mixed-fiber composite laminates. Also, these composites were characterized by different stacking sequences and resin types. The effect of several composite structural parameters on the absorbed energy of composite plates is studied. A finite element model was then used to find an optimized design with improved impact resistance based on the best attributes found from the experimental testing.
Advanced Thermoplastic Composite Manufacturing by In-Situ Consolidation: A Review
Authors: Martin Isabel , Saenz del Castillo Diego , Fernandez Antonio , Güemes Alfredo
Published: October 2020

This article provides an overview of the evolution of the in-situ consolidation (ISC) process over time. This evolution is intimately linked with the advancements in each of the steps of the ISC manufacturing process, is additive in nature, and is limited by the orthotropic nature of composite materials and the physicochemical behavior of the thermoplastic matrix. This review covers four key topics: (a) Thermal models—simulation tools are critical to understand a process with such large spatial gradients and fast changes. Heating systems once marked a turning point in the development of industrial ISC systems. Today, lasers are the most recent trend, and there are three key issues being studied: The absorption of energy of light by the material, the laser profile, and the laser focusing. Several approaches have been proposed for the distributed temperature measurements, given the strong temperature gradients. (b) Adhesion—this refers to two subsequent mechanisms. In the first place, the process of intimate contact is one by which two surfaces of thermoplastic pre-impregnated composite materials are brought into contact under pressure and temperature. This enables closure of the existing gaps between the two microscopic irregular surfaces. This process is then followed by the healing or diffusion of polymer molecules across the interface. (c) Crystallinity—mostly influenced by the cooling rate, and strongly affects the mechanical properties. (d) Degradation—this refers to the potential irreversible changes in the polymer structure caused by the high temperatures required for the process. Degradation can be avoided through adequate control of the process parameters. The end goal of the ISC manufacturing process is to achieve a high product quality with a high deposition rate through an industrial process competitive with the current manufacturing process for thermoset composites.
Correction: The Mechanical and Material Designs of Composite Ju|’hoansi Arrowheads
Authors: Archer Courtney , Campbell Iain , Cheyne Fraser , Meng Amos Lim Jun , Senanszky Csongor , Mamalis Dimitrios , Robert Colin , Alam Parvez
Published: October 2020

The authors would like to highlight the following correction to their published paper [...]
The “Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology” Journal Club Series: Highlights on Recent Papers in Corrective Exercise
Authors: Bianco Antonino , Lorenzetti Silvio , Seiler Jan , Fontana Heiliane de Brito , Herzog Walter , Silvano Gessica Aline , Medeiros Heron Baptista de Oliveira , Musumeci Giuseppe
Published: October 2020

We are glad to introduce the Journal Club of Volume Five, fourth Issue. This edition is focused on relevant studies published in the last few years in the field of corrective exercise, chosen by our Editorial Board members and their colleagues. We hope to stimulate your curiosity in this field and to share a passion for sport with you, seen also from the scientific point of view. The Editorial Board members wish you an inspiring lecture.
Novel Insights into the Biotechnological Production of Haematococcus pluvialis-Derived Astaxanthin: Advances and Key Challenges to Allow Its Industrial Use as Novel Food Ingredient
Authors: Jannel Samuel , Caro Yanis , Bermudes Marc , Petit Thomas
Published: October 2020

Astaxanthin shows many biological activities. It has acquired a high economic potential and its current market is dominated by its synthetic form. However, due to the increase of the health and environmental concerns from consumers, natural forms are now preferred for human consumption. Haematococcus pluvialis is artificially cultured at an industrial scale to produce astaxanthin used as a dietary supplement. However, due to the high cost of its cultivation and its relatively low biomass and pigment productivities, the astaxanthin extracted from this microalga remains expensive and this has probably the consequence of slowing down its economic development in the lower added-value market such as food ingredient. In this review, we first aim to provide an overview of the chemical and biochemical properties of astaxanthin, as well as of its natural sources. We discuss its bioavailability, metabolism, and biological activities. We present a state-of-the-art of the biology and physiology of H. pluvialis, and highlight novel insights into the biotechnological processes which allow optimizing the biomass and astaxanthin productivities. We are trying to identify some lines of research that would improve the industrial sustainability and economic viability of this bio-production and to broaden the commercial potential of astaxanthin produced from H. pluvialis.
ISO 15016:2015-Based Method for Estimating the Fuel Oil Consumption of a Ship
Authors: Kim Ki-Su , Roh Myung-Il
Published: October 2020

Recently, interest in the design and construction of smart ships has been widely increasing. Optimal route planning is a widely studied essential aspect of smart ship technology. Planning an optimal route requires an accurate estimation of the fuel oil consumption of a ship. Various studies have suggested methods for theoretically estimating the fuel oil consumption. However, the calculation methodology and accuracy are different for each method. In addition, in commercial software, a statistical model based mainly on operating data has been used. Therefore, in this study, we propose a method based on ISO 15016:2015 for estimating the fuel oil consumption of a ship by improving the ISO 15016:2002 method—which has been predominantly used in existing studies. Moreover, the accuracy of the proposed method is examined by comparing it with a gray box model based on operating data. The results confirm that the proposed method can be used for estimating the fuel oil consumption of a ship.
Influence of Bending Stiffness on Snap Loads in Marine Cables: A Study Using a High-Order Discontinuous Galerkin Method
Authors: Palm Johannes , Eskilsson Claes
Published: October 2020

Marine cables are primarily designed to support axial loads. The effect of bending stiffness on the cable response is therefore often neglected in numerical analysis. However, in low-tension applications such as umbilical modelling of ROVs or during slack events, the bending forces may affect the slack regime dynamics of the cable. In this paper, we present the implementation of bending stiffness as a rotation-free, nested local Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method into an existing Lax–Friedrichs-type solver for cable dynamics based on an hp-adaptive DG method. Numerical verification shows exponential convergence of order P and P+1 for odd and even polynomial orders, respectively. Validation of a swinging cable shows good comparison with experimental data, and the importance of bending stiffness is demonstrated. Snap load events in a deep water tether are compared with field-test data. The bending forces affect the low-tension response for shorter lengths of tether (200–500 m), which results in an increasing snap load magnitude for increasing bending stiffness. It is shown that the nested LDG method works well for computing bending effects in marine cables.
Fluctuations of the Sea Level, Caused by Gravitational and Infra–Gravitational Sea Waves
Authors: Dolgikh Grigory , Budrin Sergey , Dolgikh Stanislav
Published: October 2020

In the article we analyzed the results of processing experimental data of the range of surface gravity sea wind waves (2–20 s) and the range of infra-gravitational sea waves (30 s–10 min), obtained on the laser meter of hydrosphere pressure variations. The laser meter of hydrosphere pressure variations was installed for a long time on the bottom at different points of the Sea of Japan shelf. This paper presents the results of the analysis of swell waves caused by the KOMPASU typhoon, which passed over the Sea of Japan on 2–3 September 2010. Several mechanisms of the generation and propagation of waves with different periods during the typhoon movement are considered. In the course of the analysis, we studied the connection between variations of the main periods of gravitational sea waves with the dispersion and the Doppler effect, variations of speed and direction of the wind in a typhoon zone. The nonlinearity of the process of wave period change caused by dispersion is estimated. In the combined analysis of variations of hydrosphere pressure in the ranges of gravitational and infra-gravitational sea waves, we studied their energy relationships and determined regional infra-gravitational sea waves, which make a significant contribution to the energy of the infra-gravitational range.
Multiple Non-Species-Specific Pathogens Possibly Triggered the Mass Mortality in Pinna nobilis
Authors: Scarpa Fabio , Sanna Daria , Azzena Ilenia , Mugetti Davide , Cerruti Francesco , Hosseini Sepideh , Cossu Piero , Pinna Stefania , Grech Daniele , Cabana David , Pasquini Viviana , Esposito Giuseppe , Cadoni Nicoletta , Atzori Fabrizio , Antuofermo Elisabetta , Addis Piero , Sechi Leonardo Antonio , Prearo Marino , Peletto Simone , Mossa Marianna A. , Saba Tiziana , Gazale Vittorio , Casu Marco
Published: October 2020

The fan mussel, Pinna nobilis, represents the largest bivalve endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. Since 2016, dramatic mass mortality of this species has been observed in several areas. The first surveys suggested that Haplosporidium pinnae (currently considered species-specific) was the main etiological agent, but recent studies have indicated that a multifactorial disease may be responsible for this phenomenon. In this study, we performed molecular diagnostic analyses on P. nobilis, P. rudis, and bivalve heterologous host species from the island of Sardinia to shed further light on the pathogens involved in the mass mortality. The results support the occurrence of a multifactorial disease and that Mycobacterium spp. and H. pinnae are not necessarily associated with the illness. Indeed, our analyses revealed that H. pinnae is not species-specific for P. nobilis, as it was present in other bivalves at least three years before the mass mortality began, and species of Mycobacterium were also found in healthy individuals of P. nobilis and P. rudis. We also detected the species Rhodococcus erythropolis, representing the first report in fan mussels of a bacterium other than Mycobacterium spp. and Vibrio spp. These results depict a complicated scenario, further demonstrating how the P. nobilis mass mortality event is far from being fully understood.
Superior Microwave Absorption Properties Derived from the Unique 3D Porous Heterogeneous Structure of a CoS@Fe3O4@rGO Aerogel
Authors: Liu Hui , Li Ling , Wang Xinxin , Cui Guangzhen , Lv Xuliang
Published: October 2020

A novel CoS@Fe3O4@rGO aerogel with a unique 3D porous heterostructure was prepared via the solvothermal method, in which cobalt sulfide (CoS) microspheres embedded with Fe3O4 nanoparticles were randomly scattered on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) flakes. The introduction of magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles and rGO regulated the impedance matching, and the excellent electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption capability of the CoS@Fe3O4@rGO aerogel could be attributed to optimal dielectric loss and abundant conductive networks. The results demonstrated that the minimum reflection loss (RL) value of CoS@Fe3O4@rGO aerogel was −60.65 dB at a 2.5 mm coating thickness with an ultra-wide bandwidth of 6.36 GHz (10.24–16.6 GHz), as the filler loading was only 6 wt%. Such a lightweight CoS@Fe3O4@rGO aerogel with an outstanding absorbing intensity and an ultra-wide effective absorption bandwidth could become a potential EMW absorber.
On the Stability of Linear Incommensurate Fractional-Order Difference Systems
Authors: Djenina Noureddine , Ouannas Adel , Batiha Iqbal M. , Grassi Giuseppe , Pham Viet-Thanh
Published: October 2020

To follow up on the progress made on exploring the stability investigation of linear commensurate Fractional-order Difference Systems (FoDSs), such topic of its extended version that appears with incommensurate orders is discussed and examined in this work. Some simple applicable conditions for judging the stability of these systems are reported as novel results. These results are formulated by converting the linear incommensurate FoDS into another equivalent system consists of fractional-order difference equations of Volterra convolution-type as well as by using some properties of the Z-transform method. All results of this work are verified numerically by illustrating some examples that deal with the stability of solutions of such systems.
A Comparative Performance Assessment of Ensemble Learning for Credit Scoring
Authors: Li Yiheng , Chen Weidong
Published: October 2020

Extensive research has been performed by organizations and academics on models for credit scoring, an important financial management activity. With novel machine learning models continue to be proposed, ensemble learning has been introduced into the application of credit scoring, several researches have addressed the supremacy of ensemble learning. In this research, we provide a comparative performance evaluation of ensemble algorithms, i.e., random forest, AdaBoost, XGBoost, LightGBM and Stacking, in terms of accuracy (ACC), area under the curve (AUC), Kolmogorov–Smirnov statistic (KS), Brier score (BS), and model operating time in terms of credit scoring. Moreover, five popular baseline classifiers, i.e., neural network (NN), decision tree (DT), logistic regression (LR), Naïve Bayes (NB), and support vector machine (SVM) are considered to be benchmarks. Experimental findings reveal that the performance of ensemble learning is better than individual learners, except for AdaBoost. In addition, random forest has the best performance in terms of five metrics, XGBoost and LightGBM are close challengers. Among five baseline classifiers, logistic regression outperforms the other classifiers over the most of evaluation metrics. Finally, this study also analyzes reasons for the poor performance of some algorithms and give some suggestions on the choice of credit scoring models for financial institutions.
Comparing Built-in Power Banks for a Smart Backpack Design Using an Auto-Weighting Fuzzy-Weighted-Intersection FAHP Approach
Authors: Wu Hsin-Chieh , Chen Tin-Chih Toly , Huang Chin-Hau , Shih Yun-Cian
Published: October 2020

Smart backpacks are a prevalent application of smart technologies, with functions such as motion recording, navigation, and energy harvesting and provision. Selecting a suitable built-in power bank is a critical task for a smart backpack design, which has rarely been investigated in the past. To fulfill this task, an auto-weighting fuzzy-weighted-intersection fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) approach is proposed in this study. When decision makers lack an overall consensus, the auto-weighting fuzzy-weighted-intersection FAHP approach specifies decision makers’ authority levels according to the consistency ratios of their judgments. In this way, the consensus among all decision makers can be sought. The auto-weighting fuzzy-weighted-intersection FAHP approach has been applied to compare six mobile power banks for a smart backpack design.
Evaluation of Enterprise Production Based on Spherical Cubic Hamacher Aggregation Operators
Authors: Ayaz Tehreem , Al-Shomrani Mohammad M. , Abdullah Saleem , Hussain Amjad
Published: October 2020

In the age of the information-based economy and the rapid advancements of data schemes, business management has been faced with extraordinary difficulties and has entered into a reasonable period where the board’s conventional enterprise execution assessment centers around the interests of investors. Speculators accept money-related information as their basis and focus on the investigation of material fascination, and in the event of the off chance that they do not, they cannot confirm the next economy period. In this way, enterprise execution reflects the interests of investors and business strategists for the needs of partners, which is significant for the forthcoming rivalry. Given that, the collection of data is a significant research tool that has lately been considered by researchers for data examination. In this paper, we have established multi-criteria decision-making methods for the assessment of business execution with spherical fuzzy information. We have applied Hamacher aggregation operators such as the spherical cubic fuzzy Hamacher weighted averaging (SCFHWA) operator, the spherical cubic fuzzy Hamacher ordered weighted averaging (SCFHOWA) operator, the spherical cubic fuzzy Hamacher hybrid averaging (SCFHHA) operator, the spherical cubic fuzzy Hamacher weighted geometric (SCFHWG) operator, the spherical cubic fuzzy Hamacher ordered weighted geometric (SCFHOWG) operator, and the spherical cubic fuzzy Hamacher hybrid geometric (SCFHHG) operator for the appraisal of the best choice of enterprise. We ultimately defend the proposed approach with the existing strategies for possibility and adequacy.
Prime Geodesic Theorems for Compact Locally Symmetric Spaces of Real Rank One
Authors: Gušić Dženan
Published: October 2020

Our basic objects will be compact, even-dimensional, locally symmetric Riemannian manifolds with strictly negative sectional curvature. The goal of the present paper is to investigate the prime geodesic theorems that are associated with this class of spaces. First, following classical Randol’s appraoch in the compact Riemann surface case, we improve the error term in the corresponding result. Second, we reduce the exponent in the newly acquired remainder by using the Gallagher–Koyama techniques. In particular, we improve DeGeorge’s bound Oxη, 2ρ − ρn ≤ η < 2ρ up to Ox2ρ−ρnlogx−1, and reduce the exponent 2ρ − ρn replacing it by 2ρ − ρ4n+14n2+1 outside a set of finite logarithmic measure. As usual, n denotes the dimension of the underlying locally symmetric space, and ρ is the half-sum of the positive roots. The obtained prime geodesic theorem coincides with the best known results proved for compact Riemann surfaces, hyperbolic three-manifolds, and real hyperbolic manifolds with cusps.
Modeling of Artificial Groundwater Recharge by Wells: A Model Stratified Porous Medium
Authors: Fuentes Carlos , Chávez Carlos , Quevedo Antonio , Trejo-Alonso Josué , Fuentes Sebastián
Published: October 2020

In recent years, groundwater levels have been decreasing due to the demand in agricultural and industrial activities, as well as the population that has grown exponentially in cities. One method of controlling the progressive lowering of the water table is the artificial recharge of water through wells. With this practice, it is possible to control the amount of water that enters the aquifer through field measurements. However, the construction of these wells is costly in some areas, in addition to the fact that most models only simulate the well as if it were a homogeneous profile and the base equations are restricted. In this work, the amount of infiltrated water by a well is modeled using a stratified media of the porous media methodology. The results obtained can help decision-making by evaluating the cost benefit of the construction of wells to a certain location for the recharge of aquifers.
Capital City as a Factor of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis—Application on Transport Companies in the Czech Republic
Authors: Vavrek Roman , Bečica Jiří
Published: October 2020

The manuscript applied multi-criteria analysis using several indicators to evaluate 18 transport companies established on the level of the Czech statutory towns during period of 2001–2016 that provided for a mass commuting system. Transport companies were chosen for evaluation in the towns being company establishers in the area of mass commuting systems. Based on the prepared analysis outcomes, we suppose that transport companies in big Czech cities and towns using combination of various transport means within the mass commuting system reached lower effectiveness. The Transport Company of the Czech capital city Prague only one operates subway, i.e., it works with specific requirements laid on assurance of this public transport type. Nevertheless, its inclusion in the analysis didn’t affect total results, thus we are able to work with a complete group of transport companies in the Czech Republic when evaluating their economic effectiveness.
Existence and Uniqueness of Solutions for the p(x)-Laplacian Equation with Convection Term
Authors: Wang Bin-Sheng , Hou Gang-Ling , Ge Bin
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we consider the existence and uniqueness of solutions for a quasilinear elliptic equation with a variable exponent and a reaction term depending on the gradient. Based on the surjectivity result for pseudomonotone operators, we prove the existence of at least one weak solution of such a problem. Furthermore, we obtain the uniqueness of the solution for the above problem under some considerations. Our results generalize and improve the existing results.
On Semi-Analytical Solutions for Linearized Dispersive KdV Equations
Authors: Appadu Appanah Rao , Kelil Abey Sherif
Published: October 2020

The most well-known equations both in the theory of nonlinearity and dispersion, KdV equations, have received tremendous attention over the years and have been used as model equations for the advancement of the theory of solitons. In this paper, some semi-analytic methods are applied to solve linearized dispersive KdV equations with homogeneous and inhomogeneous source terms. These methods are the Laplace-Adomian decomposition method (LADM), Homotopy perturbation method (HPM), Bernstein-Laplace-Adomian Method (BALDM), and Reduced Differential Transform Method (RDTM). Three numerical experiments are considered. As the main contribution, we proposed a new scheme, known as BALDM, which involves Bernstein polynomials, Laplace transform and Adomian decomposition method to solve inhomogeneous linearized dispersive KdV equations. Besides, some modifications of HPM are also considered to solve certain inhomogeneous KdV equations by first constructing a newly modified homotopy on the source term and secondly by modifying Laplace’s transform with HPM to build HPTM. Both modifications of HPM numerically confirm the efficiency and validity of the methods for some test problems of dispersive KdV-like equations. We also applied LADM and RDTM to both homogeneous as well as inhomogeneous KdV equations to compare the obtained results and extended to higher dimensions. As a result, RDTM is applied to a 3D-dispersive KdV equation. The proposed iterative schemes determined the approximate solution without any discretization, linearization, or restrictive assumptions. The performance of the four methods is gauged over short and long propagation times and we compute absolute and relative errors at a given time for some spatial nodes.
Resilient Custody of Crypto-Assets, and Threshold Multisignatures
Authors: Di Nicola Vincenzo , Longo Riccardo , Mazzone Federico , Russo Gaetano
Published: October 2020

Ensuring safe custody of crypto-assets, while at the same time allowing a user to easily access and transfer them, is one of the biggest challenges of this nascent industry. This is even harder considering also the multiple technological implementations behind each crypto-asset. Here we present a survey of the various solutions for this custody problem, comparing advantages and disadvantages. Then we delve deeper into some interesting schemes based on secure multiparty computation, which give a blockchain-agnostic solution that balances security, safety, and transactional ease of use, and in particular, a protocol that enhances practicality by exploiting a party that may stay offline during the key generation.
A Generator of Bivariate Distributions: Properties, Estimation, and Applications
Authors: Franco Manuel , Vivo Juana-María , Kundu Debasis
Published: October 2020

In 2020, El-Morshedy et al. introduced a bivariate extension of the Burr type X generator (BBX-G) of distributions, and Muhammed presented a bivariate generalized inverted Kumaraswamy (BGIK) distribution. In this paper, we propose a more flexible generator of bivariate distributions based on the maximization process from an arbitrary three-dimensional baseline distribution vector, which is of interest for maintenance and stress models, and expands the BBX-G and BGIK distributions, among others. This proposed generator allows one to generate new bivariate distributions by combining non-identically distributed baseline components. The bivariate distributions belonging to the proposed family have a singular part due to the latent component which makes them suitable for modeling two-dimensional data sets with ties. Several distributional and stochastic properties are studied for such bivariate models, as well as for its marginals, conditional distributions, and order statistics. Furthermore, we analyze its copula representation and some related association measures. The EM algorithm is proposed to compute the maximum likelihood estimations of the unknown parameters, which is illustrated by using two particular distributions of this bivariate family for modeling two real data sets.
On the Strong Equitable Vertex 2-Arboricity of Complete Bipartite Graphs
Authors: Tao Fangyun , Jin Ting , Tu Yiyou
Published: October 2020

An equitable partition of a graph G is a partition of the vertex set of G such that the sizes of any two parts differ by at most one. The strong equitable vertexk-arboricity of G, denoted by vak≡(G), is the smallest integer t such that G can be equitably partitioned into t′ induced forests for every t′≥t, where the maximum degree of each induced forest is at most k. In this paper, we provide a general upper bound for va2≡(Kn,n). Exact values are obtained in some special cases.
Marine Antithrombotics
Authors: Dwivedi Rohini , Pomin Vitor H.
Published: October 2020

Thrombosis remains a prime reason of mortality worldwide. With the available antithrombotic drugs, bleeding remains the major downside of current treatments. This raises a clinical concern for all patients undergoing antithrombotic therapy. Novel antithrombotics from marine sources offer a promising therapeutic alternative to this pathology. However, for any potential new molecule to be introduced as a real alternative to existing drugs, the exhibition of comparable anticoagulant potential with minimal off-target effects must be achieved. The relevance of marine antithrombotics, particularly sulfated polysaccharides, is largely due to their unique mechanisms of action and lack of bleeding. There have been many investigations in the field and, in recent years, results have confirmed the role of potential marine molecules as alternative antithrombotics. Nonetheless, further clinical studies are required. This review covers the core of the data available so far regarding the science of marine molecules with potential medical applications to treat thrombosis. After a general discussion about the major biochemical steps involved in this pathology, we discuss the key structural and biomedical aspects of marine molecules of both low and high molecular weight endowed with antithrombotic/anticoagulant properties.
Applying a Chemogeographic Strategy for Natural Product Discovery from the Marine Cyanobacterium Moorena bouillonii
Authors: Leber Christopher A. , Naman C. Benjamin , Keller Lena , Almaliti Jehad , Caro-Diaz Eduardo J. E. , Glukhov Evgenia , Joseph Valsamma , Sajeevan T. P. , Reyes Andres Joshua , Biggs Jason S. , Li Te , Yuan Ye , He Shan , Yan Xiaojun , Gerwick William H.
Published: October 2020

The tropical marine cyanobacterium Moorena bouillonii occupies a large geographic range across the Indian and Western Tropical Pacific Oceans and is a prolific producer of structurally unique and biologically active natural products. An ensemble of computational approaches, including the creation of the ORCA (Objective Relational Comparative Analysis) pipeline for flexible MS1 feature detection and multivariate analyses, were used to analyze various M. bouillonii samples. The observed chemogeographic patterns suggested the production of regionally specific natural products by M. bouillonii. Analyzing the drivers of these chemogeographic patterns allowed for the identification, targeted isolation, and structure elucidation of a regionally specific natural product, doscadenamide A (1). Analyses of MS2 fragmentation patterns further revealed this natural product to be part of an extensive family of herein annotated, proposed natural structural analogs (doscadenamides B–J, 2–10); the ensemble of structures reflect a combinatorial biosynthesis using nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) and polyketide synthase (PKS) components. Compound 1 displayed synergistic in vitro cancer cell cytotoxicity when administered with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). These discoveries illustrate the utility in leveraging chemogeographic patterns for prioritizing natural product discovery efforts.
Complement Activation on Endothelial Cell-Derived Microparticles—A Key Determinant for Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus?
Authors: Martin Naomi , Tu Xiaodie , Egan Alicia J. , Stover Cordula
Published: October 2020

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a classical systemic autoimmune disease that overactivates complement and can affect all organs. Early diagnosis and effective management are important in this immune-complex-mediated chronic inflammatory disease, which has a strong component of vasculitis and carries an increased risk of thrombosis, even in the absence of antiphospholipid antibodies. Development of lupus nephritis can be life limiting but is managed with dialysis and renal transplantation. Therefore, data have become available that cardiovascular risk poses a serious feature of systemic lupus erythematosus that requires monitoring and prospective treatment. Cell-derived microparticles circulate in plasma and thereby intersect the humoral and cellular component of inflammation. They are involved in disease pathophysiology, particularly thrombosis, and represent a known cardiovascular risk. This viewpoint argues that a focus on characteristics of circulating microparticles measured in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus may help to classify certain ethnic groups who are especially at additional risk of experiencing cardiovascular complications.
Atypical Enostoses—Series of Ten Cases and Literature Review
Authors: Bedard Thomas , Mohammed Mujtaba , Serinelli Serenella , Damron Timothy A.
Published: October 2020

Bone islands (BI; enostoses) may be solitary or occur in the setting of osteopoikilosis (multiple bone islands) and are sometimes associated with Gardner’s Syndrome (osteopoikilosis and colonic polyposis). Characteristic features of bone islands are (1) absence of pain or local tenderness, (2) typical radio dense central appearance with peripheral radiating spicules (rose thorn), (3) Mean CT (computerized tomography) attenuation values above 885 Hounsfield units (HU) (4) absence of uptake on bone scan and (5) radiographic stability over time. However, when enostoses display atypical features of pain, unusual radiographic appearance, aberrant HU, increased radiotracer uptake, and/or enlargement, they can be difficult to differentiate from more sinister bony lesions such as osteoblastic metastasis, low grade central osteosarcoma, osteoid osteoma and osteoblastoma. In this retrospective case series, the demographic, clinical, radiographic, treatment and outcome for ten patients with eleven atypical bone islands (ABI) are presented, some showing associated pain (5), some with atypical radiographic appearance (3), some with increased activity on BS (4), some with documented enlargement over time (7), one with abnormal CT attenuation value, some in the setting of osteopoikilosis (2), one in the setting of Gardner’s Syndrome and one osteoid osteoma simulating a bone island. This series represents the spectrum of presentations of ABI. Comprehensive review of the literature reveals that the previous largest series of ABI showing enlargement as the atypical feature was in younger patients with jaw BI. Hence, this represents one of the largest series reported of ABI of all types in adults.
The Influence of Warm-Up on Body Temperature and Strength Performance in Brazilian National-Level Paralympic Powerlifting Athletes
Authors: Resende Marcelo de Aquino , Vasconcelos Resende Roberta Barreto , Reis Gracielle Costa , Barros Layanne de Oliveira , Bezerra Madson Rodrigo Silva , Matos Dihogo Gama de , Marçal Anderson Carlos , Almeida-Neto Paulo Francisco de , Cabral Breno Guilherme de Araújo Tinoco , Neiva Henrique P. , Marinho Daniel A. , Marques Mário C. , Reis Victor Machado , Garrido Nuno Domingos , Aidar Felipe J.
Published: October 2020

Background and Objectives: The effects of warm-up in athletic success have gained strong attention in recent studies. There is, however, a wide gap in awareness of the warm-up process to be followed, especially in Paralympic powerlifting (PP) athletes. This study aimed to analyze different types of warm-up on the physical performance of PP athletes. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 12 elite Brazilian PP male athletes (age, 24.14 ± 6.21 years; bodyweight, 81.67 ± 17.36 kg). The athletes performed maximum isometric force (MIF), rate of force development (RFD), and speed test (Vmax) in three different methods of warm-up. Tympanic temperature was used to estimate the central body temperature. Results: A significant difference was observed for MIF in the without warm-up (WW) condition in relation to the traditional warm-up (TW) and stretching warm-up (SW) (p = 0.005, η2p = 0.454, high effect). On the contrary, no significant differences were observed in RFD, fatigue index (FI) and time in the different types of warm up (p > 0.05). Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in relation to the maximum repetition (p = 0.121, η2p = 0.275, medium effect) or the maximum speed (p = 0.712, η2p = 0.033, low effect) between the different types of warm up. In relation to temperature, significant differences were found for the TW in relation to the “before” and “after” conditions. In addition, differences were found between WW in the “after” condition and SW. In addition, WW demonstrated a significant difference in relation to TW in the “10 min later” condition (F = 26.87, p = 0.05, η2p = 0.710, high effect). Conclusions: The different types of warm-up methods did not seem to provide significant differences in the force indicators in elite PP athletes.
The Impact of Time-Restricted Diet on Sleep and Metabolism in Obese Volunteers
Authors: Kim Hyeyun , Jang Bong Jin , Jung A Ram , Kim Jayoung , Ju Hyo jin , Kim Yeong In
Published: October 2020

Background and objectives: A time-restricted diet is one of the various ways to improve metabolic condition and weight control. However, until now, there have been few pieces of evidence and research to verify the methods and effectiveness of time-restricted diets on metabolic improvement and health promoting. We designed this study to make a healthy diet program and to verify the effectiveness of a time-restricted diet on general health, including sleep and metabolism, in healthy volunteers. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in healthy adults who are obese but do not have related metabolic disease. Fifteen participants were recruited. Before and after this program, serologic tests including ketone level, questionnaires—daytime sleepiness evaluation such as the Epworth sleepiness scale and the Stanford sleepiness scale, the Korean version of the Pittsburgh sleep questionnaire index, STOP BANG to evaluate sleep apnea, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale for emotion/sleep—and polysomnography (PSG) were conducted to evaluate the effects on sleep of the program. They were divided into two groups based on ketone levels that could reflect the constancy of participation in this study. We analyzed the before and after results of each group. Results: Fifteen participants (nine males and six females) completed this program without significant adverse events. Body weight after this program decreased to 78.2 ± 14.1 from 82.0 ± 15.6 kg (p = 0.539), and BMI decreased to 27.9 ± 3.8 from 29.3 ± 4.6 kg/m2 (p = 0.233). Weight loss was observed in 14 subjects except 1 participant. The results from questionnaires before and after this were not significant changes. They were classified into high/low-ketone groups according to the ketone level of the participants. In the results of the PSG, the apnea hypopnea index (25.27 ± 12.67→15.11 ± 11.50/hr, p = 0.25) and oxygen desaturation (18.43 ± 12.79→10.69 ± 10.0/hr, p = 0.004), which are indicators of sleep apnea, also improved in the high-ketone group, compared with the low-ketone group. Satisfaction interviews for this restricted diet program showed that 86% of the participants were willing to participate in the same program again. Conclusion: The time-restricted diet was successful in weight loss for a period of 4 weeks in obese participants, which did not affect the efficiency and architecture of sleep. In addition, successful weight loss and significant improvement of sleep apnea were showed in the high-ketone group. Further research is needed to demonstrate mechanisms for weight loss, sleep apnea, and time-restricted diets.
Investigation of Effects of Strip Metals and Relative Sliding Speeds on Friction Coefficients by Reversible Strip Friction Tests
Authors: Hwang Yeong-Maw , Chen Chiao-Chou
Published: October 2020

Friction at the interface between strips and dies is an important factor influencing the formability of strip or sheet forming. In this study, the frictional behaviors of strips at variant speeds were investigated using a self-developed strip friction test machine with a dual tension mechanism. This friction test machine, stretching a strip around a cylindrical friction wheel, was used to investigate the effects of various parameters, including sliding speeds, contact angles, strip materials, and lubrication conditions on friction coefficients at the strip–die interface. The friction coefficients at the strip–die interface were calculated from the drawing forces at the strip on both ends and the contact angle between the strip and die. A series of friction tests using carbon steel, aluminum alloy, and brass strips as the test piece were conducted. From the friction test results, it is known that the friction coefficients can be reduced greatly with lubricants on the friction wheel surface and the friction coefficients are influenced by the strip roughness, contact area, relative speeds between the strip and die, etc. The friction coefficients obtained under various friction conditions can be applied to servo deep drawing or servo draw-bending processes with variant speeds and directions.
Microfluidic Viscometer Using a Suspending Micromembrane for Measurement of Biosamples
Authors: Liu Lelin , Hu Dinglong , Lam Raymond
Published: October 2020

The viscosity of biofluids such as blood and saliva can reflect an individual’s health conditions, and viscosity measurements are therefore considered in health monitoring and disease diagnosis. However, conventional viscometers can only handle a larger liquid volume beyond the quantity that can be extracted from a person. Though very effective, micro-sensors based on electrokinetic, ultrasonic, or other principles often have strict requirements for the supporting equipment and complicated procedures and signal processing. Sample contamination is always an important issue. In this paper, we report a microfluidic viscometer requiring a small volume of biosamples (<50 µL) and straightforward operation procedures. It is fabricated with low-cost and biocompatible polymeric materials as one-time-use devices, such that contamination is no longer the concern. It contains a suspending micromembrane located along a microchannel. Under a steady driving pressure, the membrane displacement is a function of viscosity of the liquid sample being tested. We derived a simple analytical relation and perform a simulation for converting the membrane displacement to the sample viscosity. We conducted experiments with liquids (water and mineral oil) with defined properties to verify such a relation. We further applied the micro-viscometer to measure bovine blood samples with different hematocrit levels. It can be concluded that the microfluidic viscometer has a high compatibility with a broad range of biomedical applications.
Inter- and Intra-Species Diversity of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Apis mellifera ligustica Colonies
Authors: Iorizzo Massimo , Pannella Gianfranco , Lombardi Silvia Jane , Ganassi Sonia , Testa Bruno , Succi Mariantonietta , Sorrentino Elena , Petrarca Sonia , De Cristofaro Antonio , Coppola Raffaele , Tremonte Patrizio
Published: October 2020

Lactic acid bacteria could positively affect the health of honey bees, including nutritional supplementation, immune system development and pathogen colonization resistance. Based on these considerations the present study evaluated predominant Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) species from beebread as well as from the social stomach and midgut of Apis mellifera ligustica honey bee foragers. In detail, for each compartment, the diversity in species and biotypes was ascertained through multiple culture-dependent approaches, consisting of Polymerase Chain Reaction-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), 16S rRNA gene sequencing and Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR). The study of a lactic acid bacteria community, performed with PCR-DGGE and sequence analysis targeting the V1–V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene (rDNA), highlighted the presence of a few species, including Apilactobacillus kunkeei, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Fructobacillus fructosus, Levilactobacillus brevis and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis. Depending on the different compartments, diverse levels of biodiversity in species were found. Particularly, a very low inter-species biodiversity was detected in the midgut that was prevalently dominated by the presence of Apilactobacillus kunkeei. On the other hand, the beebread was characterized by a reasonable biodiversity showing the presence of five species and the predominance of Apilactobacillus kunkeei, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Fructobacillus fructosus. The RAPD-PCR analysis performed on the three predominant species allowed the differentiation into several biotypes for each species. Moreover, a relationship between biotypes and compartments has been detected and each biotype was able to express a specific biochemical profile. The biotypes that populated the social stomach and midgut were able to metabolize sugars considered toxic for bees while those isolated from beebread could contribute to release useful compounds with functional properties. Based on this knowledge, new biotechnological approaches could be developed to improve the health of honey bees and the quality of bee products.