bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consumer Wisdom: A Theoretical Framework of Five Integrated Facets
Authors: Luchs Michael Gerhard , Mick David Glen
Published: February 2018

We establish a parsimonious theoretical framework of consumer wisdom based on five mutually reinforcing psychological facets. Our research draws from wisdom literature and a set of 31 phenomenological interviews with informants who were identified through a multi‐stage nomination process. The five facets of consumer wisdom that emerged are Intentionality, Contemplation, Emotional Mastery, Openness, and Transcendence. Together, they comprise a data‐grounded, aspirational model of consumer wisdom—for researchers as well as consumers—to understand, maintain, and improve personal and collective well‐being. We discuss the implications of the framework and directions for future research.
Synthesis, Characterization and Properties of Ureido‐Furazan Derivatives
Authors: Hermann Tobias S. , Klapötke Thomas M. , Krumm Burkhard , Stierstorfer Jörg
Published: February 2018

The reaction of a variety of amino‐furazans with chlorosulfonyl isocyanate was carried out to synthesize ureido‐furazans. The nitration to nitro‐ureido‐furazan was successful in the case of 3‐nitro‐4‐nitroureido‐furazan and 3,4‐dinitroureido‐furazan. Furthermore, furazan derivatives linked to a second amino‐oxadiazole were synthesized. All compounds were intensively characterized by X‐ray diffraction measurements, NMR spectroscopy, vibrational spectroscopy (IR, Raman), BAM sensitivity tests and differential thermal analysis. The energetic properties were calculated using Explo5 6.03.
Synthesis of New N‐alkyl‐5‐formyl‐2‐methylpyrrole Derivatives from Glucosamine
Authors: Tao Tao , Zhao Hua Xin , Ji Xiao Ming , Lai Miao , Zhao Ming Qin
Published: February 2018

Glucosamine hydrochloride 1 was treated with 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds to obtain 2‐methyl‐5‐(1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroxy‐butyl) pyrrole 2a and 2b, respectively. Under the role of NaIO4, 2a and 2b were successfully transformed into the related 5‐formal pyrrole derivative 3a and 3b, respectively. Compounds 4a–4d and 5a–5e were obtained by reacting 3a and 3b with chlorinated hydrocarbons by alkylation reactions, respectively. The structures of all new products were confirmed by IR, NMR, and HRMS spectra.
Three‐dimensional printing in congenital heart disease: A systematic review
Authors: Lau Ivan , Sun Zhonghua
Published: February 2018

Three‐dimensional (3D) printing has shown great promise in medicine with increasing reports in congenital heart disease (CHD). This systematic review aims to analyse the main clinical applications and accuracy of 3D printing in CHD, as well as to provide an overview of the software tools, time and costs associated with the generation of 3D printed heart models. A search of different databases was conducted to identify studies investigating the application of 3D printing in CHD. Studies based on patient's medical imaging datasets were included for analysis, while reports on in vitro phantom or review articles were excluded from the analysis. A total of 28 studies met selection criteria for inclusion in the review. More than half of the studies were based on isolated case reports with inclusion of 1–12 cases (61%), while 10 studies (36%) focused on the survey of opinion on the usefulness of 3D printing by healthcare professionals, patients, parents of patients and medical students, and the remaining one involved a multicentre study about the clinical value of 3D printed models in surgical planning of CHD. The analysis shows that patient‐specific 3D printed models accurately replicate complex cardiac anatomy, improve understanding and knowledge about congenital heart diseases and demonstrate value in preoperative planning and simulation of cardiac or interventional procedures, assist surgical decision‐making and intra‐operative orientation, and improve patient‐doctor communication and medical education. The cost of 3D printing ranges from USD 55 to USD 810. This systematic review shows the usefulness of 3D printed models in congenital heart disease with applications ranging from accurate replication of complex cardiac anatomy and pathology to medical education, preoperative planning and simulation. The additional cost and time required to manufacture the 3D printed models represent the limitations which need to be addressed in future studies.
Inflammatory and degenerative phases resulting from anterior cruciate rupture in a non‐invasive murine model of post‐traumatic osteoarthritis
Authors: Gilbert Sophie J. , Bonnet Cleo S. , Stadnik Paulina , Duance Victor C. , Mason Deborah J. , Blain Emma J.
Published: February 2018

Joint injury is the predominant risk factor for post‐traumatic osteoarthritis development (PTOA). Several non‐invasive mouse models mimicking human PTOA investigate molecular mechanisms of disease development; none have characterized the inflammatory response to this acute traumatic injury. Our aim was to characterize the early inflammatory phase and later degenerative component in our in vivo non‐invasive murine model of PTOA induced by anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. Right knees of 12‐week‐old C57Bl6 mice were placed in flexion at a 30° offset position and subjected to a single compressive load (12N, 1.4 mm/s) to induce ACL rupture with no obvious damage to surrounding tissues. Tissue was harvested 4 h post‐injury and on days 3, 14, and 21; contralateral left knees served as controls. Histological, immunohistochemical, and gene analyzes were performed to evaluate inflammatory and degenerative changes. Immunohistochemistry revealed time‐dependent expression of mature (F4/80 positive) and inflammatory (CD11b positive) macrophage populations within the sub‐synovial infiltrate, developing osteophytes, and inflammation surrounding the ACL in response to injury. Up‐regulation of genes encoding acute pro‐inflammatory markers, inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin‐6 and interleukin‐17, and the matrix degrading enzymes, ADAMTS‐4 and MMP3 was detected in femoral cartilage, concomitant with extensive cartilage damage and bone remodelling over 21‐days post‐injury. Our non‐invasive model describes pathologically distinct phases of the disease, increasing our understanding of inflammatory episodes, the tissues/cells producing inflammatory mediators and the early molecular changes in the joint, thereby defining the early phenotype of PTOA. This knowledge will guide appropriate interventions to delay or arrest disease progression following joint injury. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research® Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the Orthopaedic Research Society. J Orthop Res 36:2118–2127, 2018.
Fingerprinting sediment sources in a large agricultural catchment under no‐tillage in Southern Brazil (Conceição River)
Authors: Tiecher Tales , Minella Jean Paolo Gomes , Evrard Olivier , Caner Laurent , Merten Gustavo Henrique , Capoane Viviane , Didoné Elizeu Jonas , dos Santos Danilo Rheinheimer
Published: February 2018

Brazil is a leader in the adoption of conservation agriculture practices and technologies. However, the impact of these practices on sediment sources at the catchment scale has not been quantified yet, particularly in grain growing regions, where a conservationist no‐tillage system is implemented to protect soils. To address this knowledge gap, a sediment fingerprinting study based on elemental geochemistry was carried out in a large agricultural catchment (804 km2) of Southern Brazil where no‐tillage practices dominate. A total of 156 soil samples were taken to characterize the three main potential sediment sources: cropland (n = 79), unpaved roads (n = 41), and channel banks (n = 36). Sediment sampling was performed using a time‐integrated sampler (n = 33) and by collecting fine‐bed material (n = 34) at five locations across the catchment. Sediment was also sampled during flood events at the catchment outlet (n = 20). Sediment source contributions were calculated using an optimal suite of geochemical properties and a mixing model. Results showed that although the catchment is not particularly sensitive to soil erosion (i.e., deep clayey soils with gentle slopes), the amount of sediment supplied by cropland to the river network remains very high (up to 1.63 Mg·ha−1·year−1). Sediment fingerprinting results showed that even when no‐tillage is implemented, cropland remains an important source of sediment, supplying up to 70% of the material transiting the Conceição River. Accordingly, the current conservation farming system in this catchment needs to be improved to further reduce soil erosion and sediment yield.
Probiotics Affect One‐Carbon Metabolites and Catecholamines in a Genetic Rat Model of Depression
Authors: Tillmann Sandra , Awwad Hussain M. , Eskelund Amanda R. , Treccani Giulia , Geisel Juergen , Wegener Gregers , Obeid Rima
Published: February 2018

Scope

Probiotics may influence one‐carbon (C1) metabolism, neurotransmitters, liver function markers, or behavior.

Methods and results

Male adult Flinders Sensitive Line rats (model of depression, FSL; n = 22) received Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum R0175 (109 or 1010 colony‐forming units per day) or vehicle for 10 weeks. The controls, Flinders Resistant Line rats (FRL, n = 8), only received vehicle. C1‐related metabolites were measured in plasma, urine, and different tissues. Monoamine concentrations were measured in plasma, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. Vehicle‐treated FSL rats had higher plasma concentrations of betaine, choline, and dimethylglycine, but lower plasma homocysteine and liver S‐adenosylmethionine (SAM) than FRLs. FSL rats receiving high‐dose probiotics had lower plasma betaine and higher liver SAM compared to vehicle‐treated FSL rats. FSLs had higher concentrations of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin than FRLs across various brain regions. Probiotics decreased plasma dopamine in FSLs in a dose‐dependent manner. There were no detectable changes in liver function markers or behavior.

Conclusions

Probiotics reduced the flow of methyl groups via betaine, increased liver SAM, and decreased plasma dopamine and norepinephrine. Since these changes in methylation and catecholamine pathways are known to be involved in several diseases, future investigation of the effect of probiotics is warranted.
Protein Turnover in Aging and Longevity
Authors: Basisty Nathan , Meyer Jesse G. , Schilling Birgit
Published: February 2018

Progressive loss of proteostasis is a hallmark of aging that is marked by declines in various components of proteostasis machinery, including: autophagy, ubiquitin‐mediated degradation, protein synthesis, and others. While declines in proteostasis have historically been observed as changes in these processes, or as bulk changes in the proteome, recent advances in proteomic methodologies have enabled the comprehensive measurement of turnover directly at the level of individual proteins in vivo. These methods, which utilize a combination of stable‐isotope labeling, mass spectrometry, and specialized software analysis, have now been applied to various studies of aging and longevity. Here we review the role of proteostasis in aging and longevity, with a focus on the proteomic methods available to conduct protein turnover in aging models and the insights these studies have provided thus far.
Atomic structures of corkscrew‐forming segments of SOD1 reveal varied oligomer conformations
Authors: Sangwan Smriti , Sawaya Michael R. , Murray Kevin A. , Hughes Michael P. , Eisenberg David S.
Published: February 2018

The aggregation cascade of disease‐related amyloidogenic proteins, terminating in insoluble amyloid fibrils, involves intermediate oligomeric states. The structural and biochemical details of these oligomers have been largely unknown. Here we report crystal structures of variants of the cytotoxic oligomer‐forming segment residues 28–38 of the ALS‐linked protein, SOD1. The crystal structures reveal three different architectures: corkscrew oligomeric structure, nontwisting curved sheet structure and a steric zipper proto‐filament structure. Our work highlights the polymorphism of the segment 28–38 of SOD1 and identifies the molecular features of amyloidogenic entities.
Development and Pilot Testing of a Decision Aid for Genomic Research Participants Notified of Clinically Actionable Research Findings for Cancer Risk
Authors: Willis Amanda M. , Smith Sian K. , Meiser Bettina , Ballinger Mandy L. , Thomas David M. , Tattersall Martin ,   the International Sarcoma Kindred Study (ISKS),   the Kathleen Cuningham National Consortium for Research into Familial Breast Cancer (kConFab), Young Mary‐Anne
Published: February 2018

Germline genomic testing is increasingly used in research to identify genetic causes of disease, including cancer. However, there is evidence that individuals who are notified of clinically actionable research findings have difficulty making informed decisions regarding uptake of genetic counseling for these findings. This study aimed to produce and pilot test a decision aid to assist participants in genomic research studies who are notified of clinically actionable research findings to make informed choices regarding uptake of genetic counseling. Development was guided by published literature, the International Patient Decision Aid Standards, and the expertise of a steering committee of clinicians, researchers, and consumers. Decision aid acceptability was assessed by self‐report questionnaire. All 19 participants stated that the decision aid was easy to read, clearly presented, increased their understanding of the implications of taking up research findings, and would be helpful in decision‐making. While low to moderate levels of distress/worry were reported after reading the booklet, a majority of participants also reported feeling reassured. All participants would recommend the booklet to others considering uptake of clinically actionable research findings. Results indicate the decision aid is acceptable to the target audience, with potential as a useful decision support tool for genomic research participants.
Systemic Treatment of Patients with Advanced, Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Emergence of Therapies
Authors: Sun Weijing , Cabrera Roniel
Published: February 2018

To date, sorafenib, a multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is the only systemic agent approved by the FDA in the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Several other tyrosine kinase-inhibiting agents have been investigated in the first-line setting, either alone (sunitinib, brivanib, linifanib, and lenvatinib) or in combination with sorafenib (erlotinib and doxorubicin) in phase 3 trials. However, none of these studies demonstrated an improvement in survival over sorafenib. Many agents have also been tested in patients with HCC whose disease has progressed on sorafenib, but regorafenib is the only one to have demonstrated efficacy in this setting in a randomized, phase 3 trial. There were no clear survival benefits shown with everolimus, brivanib, or ramucirumab as second-line therapy. Nivolumab has also shown promising efficacy in patients with HCC who progressed on sorafenib, which was recently granted approval by the FDA, although larger confirmative trials may be considered. The treatment landscape for patients with advanced unresectable hepatocellular tumors has remained fairly static for the past 10 years, with multiple failed trials yield little change in the way these patients might be treated. However, recent findings for regorafenib, lenvatinib, and nivolumab have led to the most significant changes in the treatment paradigm in years.
Sexual Self-Schema Scale for Women—Validation and Psychometric Properties of the Polish Version
Authors: Nowosielski Krzysztof , Jankowski Konrad S. , Kowalczyk Robert , Kurpisz Jacek , Normantowicz-Zakrzewska Małgorzata , Krasowska Aleksandra
Published: February 2018

Introduction

The sexual self-schema is a part of a broader concept of the self that is believed to be crucial for intrapersonal and interpersonal sexual relationships.

Aim

To develop and perform psychometric validation of the Polish version of the Sexual Self-Schema Scale for Women (SSSS-W-PL).

Methods

561 women 18 to 55 years old were included in the final analysis. Linguistic validation was performed in 4 steps in line with the MAPI Institute guidelines. Convergent validity was calculated using the Pearson r product-moment coefficient between different measures of sexuality (attitudes and experience, behavior, arousal, romantic relationship) and SSSS-W-PL total and factor scores. To test discriminant validity, we applied hierarchical regression analyses predicting the number of lifetime sexual partners, self-rating as a sexual person (1 item, “I feel sexually attractive”; on a 5-point Likert scale), and arousability, with independent variables being extraversion (Ten-Item Personality Inventory), self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), and the SSSS-W-PL (total and factor scores).

Main Outcomes Measures

Sexual self-schema was measured by the SSSS-W-PL, whereas arousability was measured by the arousal/excitement scale of the Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire.

Results

The mean age of the study population was 29.0 ± 7.6 years. The final scale consisted of 24 adjectives grouped within 4 factors: romantic, passionate, direct, and embarrassed. The 4-factor model accounted for 39% of the variance. The Cronbach α was 0.74 for the SSSS-W-PL total score and 0.61 to 0.84 for individual factors. Test-retest reliability of the scale after 2- to 8-week intervals was 0.87 (95% CI = 0.82–0.86, P < .001). The increment variances were statistically significant and ranged from 3.8% to 11.6%.

Conclusion

The analysis showed good psychometric properties and internal validity of the SSSS-W-PL. The SSSS-W-PL might be helpful in consulting and/or providing sexual therapy to gynecologic cancer survivors or women with a history of childhood sexual abuse.
Poorly Controlled Homocystinuria: A Rare Cause of Ischemic Priapism?
Authors: Johnson Mark , Murphy Elaine , Raheem Amr , Ralph David
Published: February 2018

We report on the 1st case of ischemic priapism secondary to poorly controlled homocystinuria. Homocystinuria is a rare, autosomal recessive, inherited disorder of metabolism that is caused by a deficiency of cystathionine synthase, leading to marked hyperhomocysteinemia. Arterial and/or venous thromboemboli are a major cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with homocystinuria. Untreated patients have a 50% chance of having a vascular event by 30 years of age. Increased homocysteine levels have been reported to upregulate prothrombotic factors and downregulate antithrombotic factors; in particular, increased homocystinuria has been found to downregulate nitric oxide (NO). Mice that are deficient in NO synthase in the cavernosal smooth muscles have a higher incidence of priapism. Decrease in NO synthase causes downregulation of cyclic guanosine monophosphate, phosphodiesterase type 5A, and Rho A/Rho-kinase. Because persistently increased homocysteine also downregulates NO, a similar mechanism could be proposed for priapism secondary to homocystinuria. In patients presenting with priapism, specific features of homocystinuria should be sought; in selected patients, screening with plasma total homocysteine might be appropriate. Ischemic priapism secondary to homocystinuria appears to respond well to the standard treatment options of aspiration, intracavernosal injection with phenylephrine, and, if required, a shunting procedure.

Johnson M, Murphy E, Raheem A, Ralph D. Poorly Controlled Homocystinuria: A Rare Cause of Ischemic Priapism? Sex Med 2018;6:171–173.
Microvesicles as Emerging Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Cardiometabolic Diseases
Authors: Chen Yan , Li Guangping , Liu Ming-Lin
Published: February 2018

Microvesicles (MVs, also known as microparticles) are small vesicles that originate from plasma membrane of almost all eukaryotic cells during apoptosis or activation. MVs can serve as extracellular vehicles to transport bioactive molecules from their parental cells to recipient target cells, thereby serving as novel mediators for intercellular communication. Importantly, more and more evidence indicates that MVs could play important roles in early pathogenesis and subsequent progression of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Elevated plasma concentrations of MVs, originating from red blood cells, leukocytes, platelets, or other organs and tissues, have been reported in various cardiometabolic diseases. Circulating MVs could serve as potential biomarkers for disease diagnosis or therapeutic monitoring. In this review, we summarized recently-published studies in the field and discussed the role of MVs in the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic diseases. The emerging values of MVs that serve as biomarker for non-invasive diagnosis and prognosis, as well as their roles as novel therapeutic targets in cardiometabolic diseases, were also described.
A cirurgia precoce nas fraturas do fêmur proximal em idosos reduz a taxa de mortalidade?
Authors: Pinto Igor Pellucci , Ferres Luis Felipe Brandt , Boni Guilherme , Falótico Guilherme Guadagnini , Moraes Maurício de , Puertas Eduardo Barros
Published: February 2018

Objetivo Analisar se a redução no tempo de espera para cirurgia ortopédica nos pacientes idosos com fratura da extremidade proximal do fêmur impacta na redução da mortalidade intra-hospitalar, da mortalidade em 6 meses de seguimento, e na redução do tempo de internação hospitalar.

Métodos Trabalho de coorte retrospectiva fundamentado na análise de prontuários de 81 pacientes internados com diagnóstico de fratura transtrocanteriana ou subtrocanteriana do fêmur, e submetidos a tratamento cirúrgico em 2015 e 2016 em um hospital de referência no atendimento ao trauma, antes e após a implantação de protocolo para cirurgia em até 48 horas.

Resultados Observou-se redução do tempo médio de internação de 17 para 11 dias após a implantação do protocolo. Com relação à mortalidade intra-hospitalar, cinco pacientes faleceram antes da implantação do protocolo, e cinco, após a implantação do protocolo. Referente à mortalidade extra-hospitalar, avaliada em 6 meses de pós-operatório, observou-se uma redução de 26,7% para 19,4%. Os resultados não apresentaram significância estatística.

Conclusão O presente estudo demonstrou que existe uma tendência à redução do tempo de internação hospitalar e da mortalidade em 6 meses quando a cirurgia para tratamento de fraturas do fêmur proximal no idoso é feita em até 48 horas de internação hospitalar.
Ferimentos penetrantes no membro superior – prevalência e etiologia
Authors: Erazo Jaime Piccaro , Sabongi Rodrigo Guerra , Moares Vinicius Ynoe de , Santos João Baptista Gomes dos , Faloppa Flávio , Belloti João Carlos
Published: February 2018

Objetivo Definir as principais características epidemiológicas dessas lesões, bem como identificar a causa e a frequência de ferimentos penetrantes no membro superior atendidos no Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia da nossa instituição.

Métodos O estudo se baseou em uma amostra de pacientes consecutivos atendidos no Instituto de Ortopedia e Traumatologia dessa instituição, de maio de 2014 a maio de 2016. Os dados foram coletados por contato telefônico, aplicou-se um questionário pré-estruturado sobre os dados e as características das lesões. A análise estatística foi feita de forma descritiva e a comparação das proporções através do teste de qui-quadrado, associado ao valor de p, com significância < 5%.

Resultados Foram considerados 1.648 registros inicialmente e, após aplicados os critérios de exclusão e excluídos os duplicados, 598 pacientes foram incluídos na análise final. A maioria dos pacientes era do gênero masculino (77,80%), destros (95,82%), com média no momento do trauma de 37,27 anos. Os trabalhadores manuais foram os mais lesionados (50,00%) e a topografia mais acometida foram os dedos (51,84%). Dentre os agentes etiológicos, destaque para o vidro (33,77%). A prevalência de pacientes com amputação foi maior nos ferimentos por máquinas industriais (p < 0,05) quando comparada com outros agentes etiológicos. Pacientes com menos de 18 anos apresentaram maior frequência de ferimentos ocasionadas por vidro (p < 0,05). Já os pacientes com 60 anos ou mais apresentaram maior prevalência de ferimentos por máquina de corte (p < 0,05). Mulheres apresentaram maior frequência de ferimentos por lâmina e por vidro (p < 0,05). Os trabalhadores manuais apresentaram maior prevalência de ferimentos por máquinas de corte e industriais (p < 0,05) e maior prevalência de amputações (p < 0,05).

Conclusão O agente etiológico mais frequente é o vidro, com relevância maior em menores de 18 anos. Em mulheres e idosos, há grande frequência de lesões causadas por lâminas e máquinas de corte, respectivamente. Lesões de maior gravidade são causadas por máquinas, associadas a atividade laboral.
Novel and interesting Ophiocordyceps spp. (Ophiocordycipitaceae, Hypocreales) with superficial perithecia from Thailand
Authors: Luangsa-ard J. , Tasanathai K. , Thanakitpipattana D. , Khonsanit A. , Stadler M.
Published: February 2018

Ophiocordyceps is a heterogeneous, species-rich genus in the order Hypocreales (Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota) that includes invertebrate-pathogenic taxa. In this study, seven new species in Ophiocordyceps producing superficial perithecia infecting various
insect hosts (Lepidoptera, Hemiptera) are described from Thailand – Ophiocordyceps brunneinigra, O. brunneiperitheciata, O. geometridicola, O. multiperitheciata, O. pauciovoperitheciata, O. pseudoacicularis and O. spataforae. Phylogenetic analyses based on multigene
loci comprising the large subunit of the ribosomal DNA (LSU), partial sequences of elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF) and the largest and second largest subunit of the RNA polymerase (RPB1, PRB2) strongly support these new species of Ophiocordyceps in the Ophiocordycipitaceae. They
differ from species previously described species Ophiocordyceps acicularis, O. atewensis, O. cochlidiicola, and O. crinalis, in the shape and sizes of distinguishing characters such as perithecia, ascospores and conidia. We also report a new record of O. macroacicularis
in Thailand.
CCTV: an open door into enterprise and national infrastructure
Authors: Wickes James
Published: February 2018

CCTV cameras are ubiquitous in today's UK and are trusted to protect people, premises and vital national infrastructure. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the systems we trust to improve security may not themselves be secure. Some risks can be prevented by understanding the nature of the threat and taking appropriate security precautions, while others are in-built by manufacturers.

CCTV cameras are ubiquitous today and are trusted to protect people, premises and vital national infrastructure.

However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the systems we trust to improve security may not themselves be secure. As cameras are often outside the scope of an organisation's IT department, it is all too easy for even basic security precautions to be overlooked. However, some insecurities are built-in and organisations may need to review their CCTV strategies, explains James Wickes of Cloudview.
Securing robot communication using packet encryption distribution
Authors: Al-Azzam Saad , Sharieh Ahmad , Sleit Azzam , Al-Azzam Nedaa
Published: February 2018

With the widespread deployment of mobile networks, wireless communications are increasingly preferred both by ordinary users and researchers working on mobile applications communication. Securing a wireless connection is essential since an eavesdropper might interrupt a connection to collect data illegitimately, or interfere with the transmission by adding misleading data, eliminating critical information, or altering transmitted messages.

With the widespread deployment of mobile networks, wireless communications are increasingly important to both ordinary users and researchers.

Securing a wireless connection is essential since an eavesdropper might interrupt a connection to collect data, or interfere with the transmission. Saad Al-Azzam, Ahmad Sharieh and Azzam Sleit of the University of Jordan and Nedaa Al-Azzam of Al-Dammam University propose an algorithm that secures both the message itself by employing a multi-level encryption technique and secures the transmission by broadcasting it over multiple interfaces.
Open source and the Internet of Things
Authors: Mansfield-Devine Steve
Published: February 2018

The Internet of Things (IoT) is gaining a reputation for insecurity. Researchers have revealed dangerous flaws in everything from baby monitors to power stations. And much of the problem stems from an attitude of ‘innovate now, secure later’. In this interview with Tim Mackey, technical evangelist at Black Duck Software by Synopsys, we look at what the IoT encompasses, why so much of it appears to be flaky or downright dangerous and how the unquestioning and promiscuous use of readymade solutions, including open source code libraries, can have serious consequences.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is gaining a reputation for insecurity. Researchers have revealed dangerous flaws in everything from baby monitors to power stations.

Much of the problem stems from an attitude of ‘innovate now, secure later’. In this interview with Tim Mackey of Black Duck Software, we look at what the IoT encompasses, why so much of it appears to be flaky or downright dangerous and how the promiscuous use of readymade solutions, including open source code libraries, can have serious consequences.
Douglas D. Davis (1940–2016)
Authors: Crawford Jim , Chen Gao , Ravishankara A.
Published: February 2018

In labs on the ground and aboard aircraft, Davis shed light on chemical processes in the atmosphere and showed how humans contributed to these processes.
Synthesis of silyl iron hydride via Si–H activation and its dual catalytic application in the hydrosilylation of carbonyl compounds and dehydration of benzamides
Authors: Ren Shishuai , Xie Shangqing , Zheng Tingting , Wang Yangyang , Xu Shilu , Xue Benjing , Li Xiaoyan , Sun Hongjian , Fuhr Olaf , Fenske Dieter
Published: February 2018

A silyl iron hydride as a dual catalyst was synthesized for the reduction of carbonyl compounds and the dehydration of amides.
RNA-stabilization factors in chloroplasts of vascular plants
Authors: Manavski Nikolay , Schmid Lisa-Marie , Meurer Jörg
Published: February 2018

In contrast to the cyanobacterial ancestor, chloroplast gene expression is predominantly governed on the post-transcriptional level such as modifications of the RNA sequence, decay rates, exo- and endonucleolytic processing as well as translational events. The concerted function of numerous chloroplast RNA-binding proteins plays a fundamental and often essential role in all these processes but our understanding of their impact in regulation of RNA degradation is only at the beginning. Moreover, metabolic processes and post-translational modifications are thought to affect the function of RNA protectors. These protectors contain a variety of different RNA-recognition motifs, which often appear as multiple repeats. They are required for normal plant growth and development as well as diverse stress responses and acclimation processes. Interestingly, most of the protectors are plant specific which reflects a fast-evolving RNA metabolism in chloroplasts congruent with the diverging RNA targets. Here, we mainly focused on the characteristics of known chloroplast RNA-binding proteins that protect exonuclease-sensitive sites in chloroplasts of vascular plants.
Neutron macromolecular crystallography
Authors: Blakeley Matthew P. , Podjarny Alberto D.
Published: February 2018

Neutron diffraction techniques permit direct determination of the hydrogen (H) and deuterium (D) positions in crystal structures of biological macromolecules at resolutions of ∼1.5 and 2.5 Å, respectively. In addition, neutron diffraction data can be collected from a single crystal at room temperature without radiation damage issues. By locating the positions of H/D-atoms, protonation states and water molecule orientations can be determined, leading to a more complete understanding of many biological processes and drug-binding. In the last ca. 5 years, new beamlines have come online at reactor neutron sources, such as BIODIFF at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum and IMAGINE at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and at spallation neutron sources, such as MaNDi at ORNL and iBIX at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex. In addition, significant improvements have been made to existing beamlines, such as LADI-III at the Institut Laue-Langevin. The new and improved instrumentations are allowing sub-mm3 crystals to be regularly used for data collection and permitting the study of larger systems (unit-cell edges >100 Å). Owing to this increase in capacity and capability, many more studies have been performed and for a wider range of macromolecules, including enzymes, signalling proteins, transport proteins, sugar-binding proteins, fluorescent proteins, hormones and oligonucleotides; of the 126 structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank, more than half have been released since 2013 (65/126, 52%). Although the overall number is still relatively small, there are a growing number of examples for which neutron macromolecular crystallography has provided the answers to questions that otherwise remained elusive.
MIMO antenna with built‐in circular shaped isolator for sub‐6 GHz 5G applications
Authors: Saxena S. , Kanaujia B.K. , Dwari S. , Kumar S. , Tiwari R.
Published: February 2018

A four‐port MIMO antenna design focused on the sub‐6 GHz fifth generation wireless communication application is presented. The design does not need any other decoupling structure for achieving isolation between multiple ports. A combination of four single wideband antenna units results in the formation of a circular‐shaped metallic disc in the ground plane of the proposed antenna. This disc acts as a pool of current with 180° phase difference leading to isolation between various ports. Diversity performance of the antenna is shown with the help of an envelope correlation coefficient using both S‐parameter and far‐field data. The radiation pattern of the proposed antenna has four lobes in four quadrants for proper reception of signals from different directions. A prototype of the designed antenna is fabricated and measured successfully.
Efficient Doppler ambiguity resolver for video SAR
Authors: Ding Jinshan , Xu Zhong , Wang Tianhe , Xing Mengdao
Published: February 2018

The attitude of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) antenna cannot be fully controlled or precisely measured, which causes the ambiguity of Doppler centroid and thus degrades the image quality. A few Doppler ambiguity resolvers (DARs) have been developed by evaluating image quality, which focus on the data with all possible ambiguity numbers until the maximum image contrast or the minimum image entropy is found. Despite of their robustness on various cases, these approaches rely on repeatedly focusing the data, resulting in a heavy computational load. A new DAR that successfully employs the property of range profiles is proposed, and this approach greatly improves the efficiency while keeping robustness.
Cogging torque minimisation in FSPM machines by right‐angle‐based tooth chamfering technique
Authors: Zhu Xiaofeng , Hua Wei , Wu Zhongze
Published: February 2018

Cogging torque in flux‐switching permanent magnet (FSPM) machines dominates the whole torque ripples due to its special doubly salient structure and high air‐gap PM flux density. In this study, the chamfering method of right angles is utilised in both stator and rotor sides of FSPM machines to suppress the cogging torque. First, an analytical expression of cogging torque, taking the influence of the introduced right angles into consideration, is derived. On the basis of the derived model, the optimal dimensions of right angles are obtained and verified by both finite element analysis and experiments. Besides, the impacts of the proposed technique on phase electro‐motive force and electromagnetic torque are also evaluated. The predicted results indicate that the proposed technique can significantly reduce cogging torque in FSPM machines with negligible reduction of average torque.
Contribution of acoustic harmonics to sound quality of pure electric powertrains
Authors: Fang Yuan , Chen Huicui , Zhang Tong
Published: February 2018

A novel method based on contribution estimation for sound quality evaluation and improvement of electric powertrain is presented in this study. Firstly, the noise samples of an electric powertrain for electric vehicles are collected in a semi‐anechoic chamber. Then the subjective evaluation of an electric powertrain is conducted. Through the correlation analysis between the acoustic energy of powertrain noise in each frequency band and subjective perception, the sensitive frequency ranges of electric powertrain noise which human hearing is susceptible to are determined. Subsequently, the acoustic harmonics of electric powertrain noise in sensitive frequency are distinguished by order tracking. After that, the contribution of sensitive harmonics to both psycho‐acoustical parameters and subjective perception is estimated. Finally, the gear train model for optimisation of gear tooth micro‐geometry is built to improve the sound quality of electric powertrain. The results of psycho‐acoustical parameters and subjective rating of acoustic noise radiated by electric powertain after optimisation show that it is possible for the electric powertrain to improve the sound quality.
Automated spectral domain approach of quasi‐periodic denoising in natural images using notch filtration with exact noise profile
Authors: Chakraborty Debolina , Chakraborty Anirban , Banerjee Ayan , Bhadra Chaudhuri Sekhar R.
Published: February 2018

The domain of noise fading from digital images, by virtue of its enormous appellation amongst the researchers, stands out uniquely in the recent research field of image processing over the last few decades. Periodic noises are unintended spurious signals which often agitate an image during acquisition/transmission, thereby resulting in repetitive patterns having spatial dependency and extensively demeaning visual excellence of the image. However, high amplitude noisy spectral components are clearly noticeable from the remaining uncorrupted ones in the corresponding Fourier transformed corrupted image spectrum. Hence, it is easier to distinguish and minimise those noisy components using an appropriate thresholding and filtration technique. Therefore, to start with, a simple yet elegant model of the noise‐free natural image has been developed from the corrupted one followed by a proper thresholding method to get the noisy bitmap. Finally, an elegant adaptive sinc restoration filter with the concept of extracting the exact shape of a noise spectrum profile has been applied in the filtration phase. The performance of the proposed algorithm has been assessed both visually and statistically with other state‐of‐the‐art algorithms in the literature in terms of various performance measurement attributes, providing evidence of achieving more effective restoration with considerable lower computational time.
Image completion using multispectral imaging
Authors: Bousefsaf Frédéric , Tamaazousti Mohamed , Said Souheil Hadj , Michel Rémi
Published: February 2018

Here, the authors explore the potential of multispectral imaging applied to image completion. Snapshot multispectral cameras correspond to breakthrough technologies that are suitable for everyday use. Therefore, they correspond to an interesting alternative to digital cameras. In their experiments, multispectral images are acquired using an ultracompact snapshot camera‐recorder that senses 16 different spectral channels in the visible spectrum. Direct exploitation of completion algorithms by extension of the spectral channels exhibits only minimum enhancement. A dedicated method that consists in a prior segmentation of the scene has been developed to address this issue. The segmentation derives from an analysis of the spectral data and is employed to constrain research area of exemplar‐based completion algorithms. The full processing chain takes benefit from standard methods that were developed by both hyperspectral imaging and computer vision communities. Results indicate that image completion constrained by spectral presegmentation ensures better consideration of the surrounding materials and simultaneously improves rendering consistency, in particular for completion of flat regions that present no clear gradients and little structure variance. The authors validate their method with a perceptual evaluation based on 20 volunteers. This study shows for the first time the potential of multispectral imaging applied to image completion.
Cooperative localisation over small world WSN using optimal allocation of heterogeneous nodes
Authors: Pandey Om Jee , Hegde Rajesh M.
Published: February 2018

Localisation of sensor nodes in a wireless sensor network (WSN) is an important problem in various applications like cyber‐physical systems, Internet of things and context aware pervasive systems. Cooperative localisation using multidimensional scaling (MDS) has been used successfully in many localisation applications. A primary requirement in MDS is the computation of accurate distance estimates between pairs of nodes in a WSN. However, the estimated distances are erroneous in MDS especially for node pairs that are connected using multiple hops. This leads to an overall increase in error of location estimates. A recent development in social networks called small world phenomena can be introduced in a WSN leading to small world WSN (SW‐WSN). SW‐WSN exhibits low average path length and high average clustering coefficient and yields accurate distance estimates between pairs of nodes. In this work, a novel cooperative localisation method that uses heterogeneous nodes (H‐nodes) is proposed over SW‐WSN. In addition, two optimal H‐node allocation methods are also developed for the cooperative localisation method. The significance of the proposed method in reducing localisation error, energy consumption, and bandwidth requirement is illustrated by simulations and extensive experiments on a real WSN testbed.
Device‐free indoor localisation with small numbers of anchors
Authors: Potortì Francesco , Cassarà Pietro , Barsocchi Paolo
Published: February 2018

Device‐free indoor localisation based on received signal strength (RSS) is unobtrusive and cheap. In a world where most environments are rich in ubiquitous small radio transmitters, it has the potential of being used in a ‘parasitic’ way, by exploiting the transmissions for localisation purposes without any need for additional hardware installation. Starting from state of the art, several steps are needed to reach this aim, the first of which are tackled in this study. The most promising algorithms from the literature are used to experiment in a real‐world environment and with a rigorous measurement and analysis framework. Their positioning error performance is analysed versus number and position of devices. The original results obtained show that the currently available RSS‐based device‐free indoor localisation methods may be well suited to serve as a basis for providing a cheap localisation service in smart environments rich in Internet of things radio devices.
The convective photosphere of the red supergiant CE Tauri
Authors: Montargès M. , Norris R. , Chiavassa A. , Tessore B. , Lèbre A. , Baron F.
Published: February 2018

Context. Red supergiant stars are one of the latest stages in the evolution of massive stars. Their photospheric convection may play an important role in the launching mechanism of their mass loss; however, its characteristics and dynamics are still poorly constrained.

Aims. By observing red supergiant stars with near infrared interferometry at different epochs, we expect to reveal the evolution of bright convective features on their stellar surface.

Methods. We observed the M2Iab-Ib red supergiant star CE Tau with the VLTI/PIONIER instrument in the H band at two different epochs separated by one month.

Results. We derive the angular diameter of the star and basic stellar parameters, and reconstruct two reliable images of its H-band photosphere. The contrast of the convective pattern of the reconstructed images is 5 ± 1% and 6 ± 1% for our two epochs of observation.

Conclusions. The stellar photosphere shows few changes between the two epochs. The contrast of the convective pattern is below the average contrast variations obtained on 30 randomly chosen snapshots of the best matching 3D radiative hydrodynamics simulation: 23 ± 1% for the original simulation images and 16 ± 1% for the maps degraded to the reconstruction resolution. We offer two hypotheses to explain this observation. CE Tau may be experiencing a quiet convective activity episode or it could be a consequence of its warmer effective temperature (hence its smaller radius) compared to the simulation.
Molecular gas in AzTEC/C159: a star-forming disk galaxy 1.3 Gyr after the Big Bang
Authors: Jiménez-Andrade E. F. , Magnelli B. , Karim A. , Jones G. C. , Carilli C. L. , Romano-Díaz E. , Gómez-Guijarro C. , Toft S. , Bertoldi F. , Riechers D. A. , Schinnerer E. , Sargent M. , Michałowski M. J. , Fraternali F. , Staguhn J. G. , Smolčić V. , Aravena M. , Harrington K. C. , Sheth K. , Capak P. L. , Koekemoer A. M. , van Kampen E. , Swinbank M. , Zirm A. , Magdis G. E. , Navarrete F.
Published: February 2018

We studied the molecular gas properties of AzTEC/C159, a star-forming disk galaxy at z = 4.567, in order to better constrain the nature of the high-redshift end of the submillimeter-selected galaxy (SMG) population. We secured 12CO molecular line detections for the J = 2 →1 and J = 5 →4 transitions using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and the NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) interferometer. The broad (FWHM ~ 750 km s−1) and tentative double-peaked profiles of the two 12CO lines are consistent with an extended molecular gas reservoir, which is distributed in a rotating disk, as previously revealed from [CII] 158 μm line observations. Based on the 12CO(2 →1) emission line, we derived L′CO=(3.4±0.6)×1010 K km s−1 pc2, which yields a molecular gas mass of MH2(αCO/4.3)=(1.5±0.3)×1011 M⊙ and unveils a gas-rich system with μgas(αCO/4.3)≡MH2/M⋆=3.3±0.7. The extreme star formation efficiency of AzTEC/C159, parametrized by the ratio LIR/L′CO=(216±80) L⊙ (K km s−1 pc2)−1, is comparable to merger-driven starbursts such as local ultra-luminous infrared galaxies and SMGs. Likewise, the 12CO(5 →4)/CO(2 →1) line brightness temperature ratio of r52 = 0.55 ± 0.15 is consistent with high-excitation conditions as observed in SMGs. Based on mass budget considerations, we constrained the value for the L′CO – H2 mass conversion factor in AzTEC/C159, that is, αCO=3.9−1.3+2.7 M⊙ K−1 km−1 s pc−2, which is consistent with a self-gravitating molecular gas distribution as observed in local star-forming disk galaxies. Cold gas streams from cosmological filaments might be fueling a gravitationally unstable gas-rich disk in AzTEC/C159, which breaks into giant clumps and forms stars as efficiently as in merger-driven systems and generates high gas excitation. These results support the evolutionary connection between AzTEC/C159-like systems and massive quiescent disk galaxies at z ~ 2.