bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protocol for a prospective interventional trial to develop a diagnostic index test for stroke as a cause of vertigo, dizziness and imbalance in the emergency room (EMVERT study)
Authors: Möhwald Ken , Bardins Stanislavs , Müller Hans-Helge , Jahn Klaus , Zwergal Andreas
Published: October 2017

Introduction

Identifying stroke as a cause of acute vertigo, dizziness and imbalance in the emergency room is still a clinical challenge. Many patients are admitted to stroke units, but only a minority will have strokes. This imposes a heavy financial burden on the healthcare system. The aim of this study is to develop a diagnostic index test to identify patients with a high risk of having a stroke as the cause of acute vertigo and imbalance.

Methods and analysis

Patients with acute onset of vertigo, dizziness, postural imbalance or double vision within the last 24 hours lasting for at least 10 min are eligible to be included in the study. Patients with clinically proven peripheral or central aetiology will be excluded. In the emergency room, all enrolled patients will undergo standardised neuro-ophthalmological/physiological testing (including video-oculography, mobile posturography, measurement of subjective visual vertical) (EMVERT block 1). Within 10 days, standardised MRI will be performed as a reference test to identify stroke (EMVERT block 2). Data from EMVERT block 2 will be compared with results from block 1 in order to devise a diagnostic index test with a high specificity and sensitivity to predict the risk of stroke in the emergency room.

Ethics and dissemination

The study was approved by the ethics committee of the University of Munich and will be conducted according to the Guideline for Good Clinical Practice, the Federal Data Protecting Act and the Helsinki Declaration of the World Medical Association in its recent version. Study results are expected to be published in international peer-reviewed journals and will be presented at international conferences.

Trial registration number

German Clinical Trial Register: DRKS00008992; Universal trial number: U1111-1172-8719); pre-results.
Effectiveness of child restraints and booster legislation in Israel
Authors: Nazif-Munoz José I , Blank-Gommel Aharon , Shor Eran
Published: October 2017

Introduction

96 countries in the world have enacted child restraints and booster legislation (CRBL). Yet, findings regarding the effectiveness of CRBLs are mixed. The current study is the first to examine the association between Israel’s CRBL, implemented in November 2004, and the traffic injury and fatality rates among children aged 0–9 years. We extend on previous studies by accounting for risk exposure and by comparing populations of children affected by the legislation to those who were not.

Methods

We used an interrupted time series design of kilometre driven-based traffic injury rates for children aged 0–4 years and children aged 5–9 years using childred aged 10–14 years as a comparison group. We estimated the effects of Israel’s CRBL using monthly injury and fatality count data from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics. The sample includes all child vehicle occupants injured and killed in crashes in Israel between January 2003 and December 2011.

Results

Children aged 0–4 years experienced a 5.17% yearly reduction in traffic injury rate (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 0.94(95% CI 0.92 to 0.96); p=0.000), and the injury rate for children aged 5–9 years was associated with a 4.10% yearly reduction (IRR: 0.95(95% CI 0.93 to 0.98); p=0.001). The comprehensive CRBL implemented in Israel was associated with a 6.3% (95% CI −7.2% to5.5%; p=0.001) reduction in traffic injuries and fatalities for children aged 0–9 years.

Conclusion

This is the first study comparing traffic injury rates per kilometre driven for motor vehicle-occupant children before and after the implementation of the CRBL in Israel.
In defence of governance: ethics review and social research
Authors: Sheehan Mark , Dunn Michael , Sahan Kate
Published: October 2017

There is a growing body of literature that has sought to undermine systems of ethical regulation, and governance more generally, within the social sciences. In this paper, we argue that any general claim for a system of research ethics governance in social research depends on clarifying the nature of the stake that society has in research. We show that certain accounts of this stake—protecting researchers’ freedoms; ensuring accountability for resources; safeguarding welfare; and supporting democracy—raise relevant ethical considerations that are reasonably contested. However, these accounts cannot underpin a general claim in favour of, or against, a system of research ethics governance. Instead, we defend governance in social research on the grounds that research, as an institutionalised form of enquiry, is a constitutive element of human flourishing, and that society ought to be concerned with the flourishing of its members. We conclude by considering the governance arrangements that follow from, and are justified by, our arguments.
The use of the RenalGuard system in cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass: a first in man prospective, observational, feasibility pilot study
Authors: Luckraz Heyman , Giri Ramesh , Wrigley Benmjamin , Hennessy Anne-Marie , Nicholas Johann , Nevill Alan
Published: October 2017

Objectives

As proof of concept, this prospective, observational study assessed the feasibility and early clinical outcomes of performing on-pump cardiac surgery with the RenalGuard system.

Background

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is reported in up to 30% of patients undergoing cardiac surgery and is a recognised independent predictor of both morbidity and mortality. Forced diuresis with the RenalGuard system reduces the incidence of AKI during percutaneous coronary intervention procedures but its use in cardiac surgery has not been explored.

Methods

Ten consecutive patients who were at risk of developing AKI during cardiac surgery were selected. The RenalGuard system was used to facilitate forced diuresis using weight-adjusted intravenous furosemide while maintaining neutral fluid balance by matched intravenous fluid replacement. This regimen was initiated preoperatively in all patients and continued for 6–12 hours postoperatively. Serum creatinine, electrolytes and need for renal replacement were documented in all patients.

Results

The RenalGuard system functioned successfully in all patients and facilitated high perioperative urine outputs, even when patients were placed on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). There were no incidences of significant (A) electrolyte imbalance, (B) changes in haemoglobin levels or (C) pulmonary oedema. No patients developed AKI within 36 hours of surgery despite one patient developing cardiac tamponade 8 hours postoperatively and one patient developing paralytic ileus. One patient, however, was ‘electively’ haemofiltered on day 2 after developing acute right ventricular failure. The median intensive care stay was 1.5 (1, 5) days.

Conclusion

The RenalGuard system can be used successfully in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB and may reduce the incidence of AKI in at-risk patients.

Trial registration

NCT02974946; Pre-results.
Analysis of pp and p̄p elastic scatterings based on theoretical bounds in high-energy physics: An update
Authors: Okorokov V. A. , Campos S. D.
Published: October 2017

In a previous work a novel parametrization was proposed for the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] total cross-sections. Here, results are presented for the updated analysis with taking into account the recent data from accelerator experiments as well as from cosmic ray measurements. The analytic parametrizations suggested within axiomatic quantum field theory (AQFT) provide the quantitative description of energy dependence of global scattering observables with robust values of fit parameters. Based on the fit results the estimations are derived for the total cross-section and the [Formula: see text] parameter in elastic [Formula: see text] scattering at various [Formula: see text] up to energy frontier [Formula: see text] PeV which can be useful for present and future hadron colliders as well as for cosmic ray measurements at ultra-high energies.
Vibrational dynamics of alpha-quartz with neutral silicon vacancies
Authors: Kislov A.
Published: October 2017

The effects of neutrally charged silicon vacancies on the atomic structure and the lattice dynamics of [Formula: see text]-quartz were studied. This theoretical study focuses on modeling of the equilibrium local structure and the symmetrized local density of vibrational states. The frequencies of localized vibrations of A- and B-symmetries induced by silicon vacancies were obtained. The contribution of atoms located around silicon vacancies in the formation of localized symmetrized vibrations was analyzed.
A study of dynamical evolution of small two-dimensional Copper islands’ diffusion on Ag(111) surface and observed surface effects
Authors: Hayat Sardar Sikandar , Rehman Zakirur , Shah Zulfiqar Ali
Published: October 2017

We study the diffusion of two-dimensional [Formula: see text] islands on Ag(1[Formula: see text]1[Formula: see text]1) surface using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The work is the extension of calculations of monomer and dimer Hayat et al. [Phys. Rev. B 82 (2010) 085411] and trimer results Shah et al. [Phys. Lett. A 378 (2014) 1732]. Simulations carried out at three different temperatures — 300, 500, and 700 K — show the concerted motion to be dominant for the smaller islands (2- to 4-atoms), while the shape-changing multiple-atom processes are responsible for the diffusion of larger islands. Arrhenius plots of the diffusion coefficients reveal that the effective energy barrier is less than [Formula: see text] meV for the largest island size of Cu/Ag(1[Formula: see text]1[Formula: see text]1). There is a scaling of the effective energy barrier with size to some extent, but most notably it remains constant for islands with 4- to 6-atoms. The diffusion coefficient increases within a factor of 10 at the three temperatures 300, 500, and 700 K. The observed anharmonic features of the [Formula: see text] adislands (breakage and pop–up) at Ag(1[Formula: see text]1[Formula: see text]1) surface as well as the surface anharmonicity of the Ag-substrate (fissures, dislocations, vacancy generation, and atomic exchange), are also presented. These findings can serve as an input for kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations. For the smaller sized islands the variation in the effective energy barrier with the island size is in good agreement with the experimental findings.
Structural and electrical properties of Cu-doped Ni–Zn nanocrystalline ferrites for MLCI applications
Authors: Venkatesh D. , Ramesh K. V.
Published: October 2017

Polycrystalline Cu substituted Ni–Zn ferrites with chemical composition Ni[Formula: see text]Zn[Formula: see text]-Cu[Formula: see text]Fe2O4 (x = 0.00 to 0.25 in steps of 0.05) have been prepared by citrate gel autocombustion method. The samples for electrical properties have been sintered at 900[Formula: see text]C for 4 h. The X-ray diffraction patterns of all samples indicate the formation of single phase spinel cubic structure. The value of lattice parameter is decreases with increasing Cu concentration. The estimated cation distribution can be derived from X-ray diffraction intensity calculations and IR spectra. The tetrahedral and octahedral bond lengths, bond angles, cation–cation and cation–anion distances were calculated by using experimental lattice parameter and oxygen positional parameters. It is observed that Cu ions are distributed in octahedral site and subsequently Ni and Fe ions in tetrahedral site. The grain size of all samples has been calculated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images. The variations in DC electrical resistivity and dielectric constant have been explained on the basis of proposed cation distribution.
Effects of W on hydrogen transport property of Nb45Ti27.5Ni27.5 alloy membranes
Authors: Yang Yang , Liu Dongrong , Zhu Zhifei , Liu Guohuai
Published: October 2017

Alloying influences of tungsten (W) into Nb[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text]Ni[Formula: see text] on the microstructure, hydrogen solubility, diffusivity, permeability and resistance to hydrogen embrittlement have been investigated. Four experimental temperatures (673, 623, 573 and 523 K) have been used. It is found that the addition of W (5 at.% and 10 at.%) reduces the hydrogen solubility. The constitution of phases is not changed with W addition, whereas volume fraction of primary bcc-niobium (Nb) phase is distinctly reduced for the content of 10 at.% W. The hydrogen permeability and diffusivity increase for Nb[Formula: see text]W[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text]Ni[Formula: see text] only at lower temperatures such as 573 K and 523 K. Addition of 10 at.% W causes an obvious reduction in the permeability and diffusivity. The Nb[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text]Ni[Formula: see text] alloy membrane fractures at 125[Formula: see text]C, while Nb[Formula: see text]W[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text]Ni[Formula: see text] and Nb[Formula: see text]W[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text]Ni[Formula: see text] alloy membranes keep intact when temperature reaches to 100[Formula: see text]C. In comparison with Nb[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text]Ni[Formula: see text], the present research confirms that Nb[Formula: see text]W[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text]Ni[Formula: see text] exhibits an enhancement in hydrogen permeability at relatively lower temperatures and an improvement in embrittlement resistance.
Absorption and dispersion management of near-infrared probe light in the carbon nanotube quantum dot nanostructure with spin–orbit coupling
Authors: Solookinejad Gh. , Jabbari M. , Sangachin E. Ahmadi , Asadpour S. H.
Published: October 2017

We investigated the absorption–dispersion properties of near-infrared probe light in the carbon nanotube quantum dot (CNT-QD) nanostructure with spin–orbit (SO) coupling parameter based on quantum mechanical density matrix formalisms. We found that in the presence of SO parameter, the amplification of probe light can be achieved in the presence and lack of population inversion (lasing with and without inversion). Moreover, we realized that the normal and anomalous dispersion of probe light can occur by redacting the incoherent pumping and transverse magnetic fields.
Electronic and optical properties of 2H-perovskite related tantalum/niobium oxides
Authors: Yang H. Y. , Li Q. F. , Liu Z. H.
Published: October 2017

Quasi-one-dimensional oxides [Formula: see text] (A = Ba, Sr; [Formula: see text] = Na, Li and B = Ta, Nb) have been synthesized and found to display efficient photoluminescence. Their electronic and optical properties are calculated by using first-principles calculations. The modified Becke–Johnson exchange potential has been used to obtain accurate band gap. Our results reveal that alkali metal and alkaline-earth metal ions have very small contribution to the states around Fermi level, and for these compounds, the top valence bands and the conduction band bottom are dominated by O-2p and Nb/Ta-d states, respectively. All of these compounds have indirect band gap, with valence band maximum at K point and conduction band minimum at [Formula: see text] point. Optical absorption spectrum is characterized by two prominent peaks. The lower energy peak originates from electron transitions between Ta/Nb-[Formula: see text] and O-2p states, while the higher energy peak is determined by electron transitions between Ta/Nb-[Formula: see text] and O-2p. Despite the one-dimensional feature of the lattice structure, the electronic band structure and optical properties show three-dimensional character. We find that the band gap and optical absorption threshold are considerably larger than the energy of excitation light in the luminescence measurement. This indicates the important role of the in-gap states, which may be induced by the impurity or vacancy.
BUTHA: Boost Up Clock Terminal with Heuristic Approach for NoC
Authors: Sakthivel Erulappan , Malathi Veluchamy , Arunraja Muruganantham
Published: October 2017

In recent days, there has been a growing interest in network-on-chip (NoC), as it offers a promising architecture for future systems on-chip (SoC). The performance degradation is the major problem in designing NoC, due to the complexity in designing a traffic generator and traffic estimator (TE) modules. In the conventional NoC design, new traffic modules and low-power algorithms (LPAS) are introduced. A LPA with an NoC has given performance degradation in the transmission rate, end-to-end delay and overall energy consumption. To address this power issue, we modeled the Menger’s theorem (MT) (graph theory (GT))-based clock boosting mechanism to produce an effective frequency for the router. The following two methods are introduced to improve the performance of NoCs: (i) development of a real-time traffic generation module and software-based traffic estimator (STE) (ii) GT approach is introduced into a dynamic frequency scaling (DFS) LPA. In general, the frequency selection process during various traffic conditions in history-based dynamic voltage scaling algorithm (HDVS) and history-based DFS algorithm (HDFS) is more complex and it gives performance degradation. In the proposed method, MT-based DFS (MT-DFS) parameters are estimated under various conditions using both 65 and 90[Formula: see text]nm TSMC CMOS technology. In comparison with conventional HDFS, the evaluations show that MT-DFS interface achieves 67.7% energy saving, 85% dynamic power savings of the links in the on-chip network and 74.27% leakage power saving of the link.
A Dynamic Equilibrium Algorithm to Enhance Randomness in TRNG
Authors: Guo Chenyang , Zhou Yujie
Published: October 2017

In this paper, a new method is proposed for randomness enhancement. The approach is called the dynamic equilibrium algorithm (DEA). It is used to solve the problems existing in the true random number generator (TRNG). First, the advantages and defects of LFSR as a post-processing module are discussed. When sampling 1000 groups of data, only 517 groups can pass all 15 tests in SP800-22 with a pass rate of 0.981. DEA is actually a great solution to this problem. The essence of DEA is to guarantee the approximately uniform distribution of the overlapping template to improve the bit-entropy by the compression of the data. This method is easy to implement in both software and hardware. The pass rate increases more than 40% with a low compression rate.
Dynamics of f(R) gravity models and asymmetry of time
Authors: Verma Murli Manohar , Yadav Bal Krishna
Published: October 2017

We solve the field equations of modified gravity for [Formula: see text] model in metric formalism. Further, we obtain the fixed points of the dynamical system in phase-space analysis of [Formula: see text] models, both with and without the effects of radiation. The stability of these points is studied against the perturbations in a smooth spatial background by applying the conditions on the eigenvalues of the matrix obtained in the linearized first-order differential equations. Following this, these fixed points are used for analyzing the dynamics of the system during the radiation, matter and acceleration-dominated phases of the universe. Certain linear and quadratic forms of [Formula: see text] are determined from the geometrical and physical considerations and the behavior of the scale factor is found for those forms. Further, we also determine the Hubble parameter [Formula: see text], the Ricci scalar [Formula: see text] and the scale factor [Formula: see text] for these cosmic phases. We show the emergence of an asymmetry of time from the dynamics of the scalar field exclusively owing to the [Formula: see text] gravity in the Einstein frame that may lead to an arrow of time at a classical level.
Quantum van der Waals and Walecka models of nuclear matter
Authors: Poberezhnyuk R. V. , Vovchenko V. , Anchishkin D. V. , Gorenstein M. I.
Published: October 2017

A comparable study of the quantum van der Waals (QvdW) and Walecka models of nuclear matter is presented. Each model contains two parameters which characterize the repulsive and attractive interactions between nucleons. These parameters are fixed in order to reproduce the known properties of the nuclear ground state. Both models predict a first-order liquid-gas phase transition and a very similar behavior in the vicinity of the critical point. Critical exponents of the QvdW model are studied both analytically and numerically. There are important differences in the behavior of the thermodynamical functions of the considered models at large values of the nucleon number density. At the same time, both models fall into the universality class of mean-field theory.
THE EXCEPTIONAL SETS ON THE RUN-LENGTH FUNCTION OF β-EXPANSIONS
Authors: ZHENG LIXUAN , WU MIN , LI BING
Published: October 2017

Let [Formula: see text] and the run-length function [Formula: see text] be the maximal length of consecutive zeros amongst the first [Formula: see text] digits in the [Formula: see text]-expansion of [Formula: see text]. The exceptional set [Formula: see text] is investigated, where [Formula: see text] is a monotonically increasing function with [Formula: see text]. We prove that the set [Formula: see text] is either empty or of full Hausdorff dimension and residual in [Formula: see text] according to the increasing rate of [Formula: see text].
Contact-Point Response for Modal Identification of Bridges by a Moving Test Vehicle
Authors: Yang Y. B. , Zhang Bin , Qian Yao , Wu Yuntian
Published: October 2017

The response of the contact point of the vehicle with the bridge, rather than the vehicle itself, is proposed for modal identification of bridges by a moving test vehicle. To begin, approximate closed-form solutions were derived for the vehicle and contact-point responses, and they were verified by finite element solutions. The contact-point acceleration is born to be free of the vehicle frequency, an annoying effect that may overshadow the bridge frequencies in case of rough surface. From the frequency response function (FRF) of the vehicle with respect to the contact point, it was shown that the contact-point response generally outperforms the vehicle response in extracting the bridge frequencies because it could identify more frequencies. In the numerical simulations, the contact-point response was compared with the vehicle response for various scenarios. It is concluded that in each case, say, for varying vehicle speeds or frequencies, for smooth or rough road surfaces, with or without existing traffic, the contact-point response outperforms the vehicle response in extracting either the frequencies or mode shapes of the bridge.
PHOTOACOUSTIC CAVITATION OF NANODROPLETS: HIGH SPEED OBSERVATION AND ACOUSTIC SIGNAL ANALYSIS
Authors: FENG YI , QIN DUI , ZHANG LEI , WAN MINGXI
Published: October 2017

Perfluorocarbon (PFC) nanodroplet has a longer lifespan and small volume to circulate freely in blood microcirculation. Its phase transition has great potential in localized therapy. Photoacoustic cavitation, a new approach involving synergetic laser and ultrasound to achieve the phase transition of PFC nanodroplets, could improve the spatial and temporal resolution and reduce the energy threshold compared to individual use of either modalities. In this study, we present a confocal microscopic system to induce photoacoustic cavitation of nanodroplets and study its characteristics by high speed observation and acoustic detection. Upon excitation by laser and ultrasound pulses, the liquid–gas phase transition of PFC nanodroplets and subsequent bubble dynamics were demonstrated. Two distinct bubble formation patterns were observed. It is associated with the size distribution of the droplets within the confocal volume of laser and ultrasound. Moreover, the detected acoustic signals suggested the presence of stable cavitation. Due to the reduced energy threshold of phase transition, the proposed method enables the theranostic applications of PFC nanodroplets at lower and safer laser/ultrasound energies in tissues or cells. Detection of high amplitude signals also revealed the potential of this method to generate strong photoacoustic signals for the photoacoustic imaging.
An optimized rail crack detection algorithm based on population status
Authors: Zhao Jiao , Gao Ruipeng , Yang Yuxiang , Wang Bing
Published: October 2017

To improve efficiency and accuracy of wavelet packet decomposition method modified by simple genetic algorithm (SGA), a novel genetic algorithm, which is based on variance of population and population entropy, is proposed. And then wavelet packet decomposition method is optimized by this algorithm to detect rail cracks. In the optimized method, internal state of population and population diversity are linked up with evolutionary operations to adjust crossover-mutation operators of genetic algorithm. Further, a mathematical model describing fault signal is established, and its parameters are optimized to effectively extract information. The proposed algorithm was tested by test functions and simulated fault signals of rail cracks. The results about simulated fault signals show that convergence probability of proposed algorithm — at best — is 45% higher than that of SGA and 28% higher than that of improved adaptive genetic algorithm (IAGA), and accuracy of crack fault detection reaches above 92%. Meanwhile, the proposed algorithm isn’t prone to stagnation and has fast convergence speed and high accuracy of fault detection. This research not only improves performance of SGA, but also provides a new detection method for fault diagnosis of wheel-rail noise.
ATP induces PAD4 in renal proximal tubule cells via P2X7 receptor activation to exacerbate ischemic AKI
Authors: Rabadi May , Kim Mihwa , Li Hongmei , Han Sang Jun , Choi Yewoon , D’Agati Vivette , Lee H. Thomas
Published: October 2017

We previously demonstrated that renal tubular peptidylarginine deiminase-4 (PAD4) is induced after ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury and this induction of PAD4 exacerbates ischemic acute kidney injury (AKI) by promoting renal tubular inflammation and neutrophil infiltration. However, the mechanisms of renal tubular PAD4 induction after IR remain unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that ATP, a proinflammatory danger-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) ligand released from necrotic cells after IR injury, induces renal tubular PAD4 and exacerbates ischemic AKI via P2 purinergic receptor activation. ATP as well as ATPγS (a nonmetabolizable ATP analog) induced PAD4 mRNA, protein, and activity in human and mouse renal proximal tubule cells. Supporting the hypothesis that ATP induces renal tubular PAD4 via P2X7 receptor activation, A804598 (a selective P2X7 receptor antagonist) blocked the ATP-mediated induction of renal tubular PAD4 whereas BzATP (a selective P2X7 receptor agonist) mimicked the effects of ATP by inducing renal tubular PAD4 expression and activity. Moreover, ATP-mediated calcium influx in renal proximal tubule cells was blocked by A804598 and was mimicked by BzATP. P2X7 activation by BzATP also induced PAD4 expression and activity in mouse kidney in vivo. Finally, supporting a critical role for PAD4 in P2X7-mediated exacerbation of renal injury, BzATP exacerbated ischemic AKI in PAD4 wild-type mice but not in PAD4-deficient mice. Taken together, our studies show that ATP induces renal tubular PAD4 via P2X7 receptor activation to exacerbate renal tubular inflammation and injury after IR.
Running Changes the Brain: the Long and the Short of It
Authors: Vivar Carmen , van Praag Henriette
Published: October 2017

Exercise is a simple intervention that profoundly benefits cognition. In rodents, running increases neurogenesis in the hippocampus, a brain area important for memory. We describe the dynamic changes in new neuron number and afferent connections throughout their maturation. We highlight the effects of exercise on the neurotransmitter systems involved, with a focus on the role of glutamate and acetylcholine in the initial development of new neurons in the adult brain.
Hollow-Fibre-Supported Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction for Determination of Atrazine and Triclosan in Aqueous Samples
Authors: Letseka Thabiso , George Mosotho J.
Published: October 2017

We report the application of the dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled to hollow-fibre membrane-assisted liquid-phase microextraction and its application for extraction of atrazine and triclosan. Under optimum conditions, namely, 25 μL of a 1 : 4 chlorobenzene : ethyl acetate mixture dispersed in 1 mL of aqueous sample, 10% (m/v) NaCl, a magnetic stirrer speed at 600 rpm, and 10 minutes’ extraction time with toluene-filled fibre as the acceptor phase, the method demonstrates sufficient figures of merit. These include linearity (R2 ≥ 0.9975), intravial precision (%RSD ≤ 7.6), enrichment factors (127 and 142), limits of detection (0.0081 and 0.0169 µg/mL), and recovery from river water and sewerage (96–101%). The relatively high detection limits are attributed to the flame ionization detector which is less preferred than a mass spectrometer in trace analyses. This is the first report of a homogenous mixture of the dispersed organic solvent in aqueous solutions and its employment in extraction of organic compounds from aqueous solutions. It therefore adds yet another candidate in the pool of miniaturised solvent microextraction techniques.
Splenic Infarct and Pulmonary Embolism as a Rare Manifestation of Cytomegalovirus Infection
Authors: Rawla Prashanth , Vellipuram Anantha R. , Bandaru Sathyajit S. , Raj Jeffrey Pradeep
Published: October 2017

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a type of herpes infection that has a characteristic feature of maintaining lifelong latency within the host cell. CMV manifestations can cover a broad spectrum from fever to as severe as pancytopenia, hepatitis, retinitis, meningoencephalitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, pneumonia, and thrombosis. Multiple case reports of thrombosis associated with CMV have been reported. Deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism is more common in immunocompetent patients while splenic infarct is more common in immunocompromised patients. However, here we report a female patient on low-dose methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis who presented with both pulmonary embolism and splenic infarct.
iWordNet: A New Approach to Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Chang Mark , Chang Monica
Published: October 2017

One of the main challenges in artificial intelligence or computational linguistics is understanding the meaning of a word or concept. We argue that the connotation of the term “understanding,” or the meaning of the word “meaning,” is merely a word mapping game due to unavoidable circular definitions. These circular definitions arise when an individual defines a concept, the concepts in its definition, and so on, eventually forming a personalized network of concepts, which we call an iWordNet. Such an iWordNet serves as an external representation of an individual’s knowledge and state of mind at the time of the network construction. As a result, “understanding” and knowledge can be regarded as a calculable statistical property of iWordNet topology. We will discuss the construction and analysis of the iWordNet, as well as the proposed “Path of Understanding” in an iWordNet that characterizes an individual’s understanding of a complex concept such as a written passage. In our pilot study of 20 subjects we used a regression model to demonstrate that the topological properties of an individual’s iWordNet are related to his IQ score, a relationship that suggests iWordNets as a potential new methodology to studying cognitive science and artificial intelligence.
A Study of the Importance of Clonus Symptoms in Patients with Tramadol Poisoning
Authors: Najari Fares , Alizadeh-Ghamsari Anahita , Vahabzadeh Maryam , Dadpour Bita , Reza Mousavi Seyed , Baradaran Kayal Ideh
Published: October 2017

Objectives. Clinical studies to reduce the side effects of tramadol, such as seizure, are necessary. Owing to the high prevalence of tramadol consumption and subsequent complications that result from seizures, the aim of the present study was to find a relationship between clonus and prediction of seizure outcome in patients with tramadol overdose. This can be used to determine the need for essential actions if a significant indicator of preventive medical measures is observed.Methods. In this case-control study, three groups of patients poisoned with tramadol and with marked ankle clonus were evaluated. A sample size of 50 patients per group was calculated using the Cohen first method. The data were analyzed using SPSS16 software.Results. All patients with ankle clonus were evaluated. Seizures occurred most commonly in patients aged 21–25 years or younger. The patients who received the preventive medication of magnesium sulfate were seizure-free for 72 h after admission.Conclusion. It is recommended that, for all patients referred with tramadol poisoning who have symptoms of ankle clonus, the administration of magnesium sulfate should be considered in addition to medication for the prevention of seizures and arrhythmias.
On the Accuracy and Parallelism of GPGPU-Powered Incremental Clustering Algorithms
Authors: Chen Chunlei , He Li , Zhang Huixiang , Zheng Hao , Wang Lei
Published: October 2017

Incremental clustering algorithms play a vital role in various applications such as massive data analysis and real-time data processing. Typical application scenarios of incremental clustering raise high demand on computing power of the hardware platform. Parallel computing is a common solution to meet this demand. Moreover, General Purpose Graphic Processing Unit (GPGPU) is a promising parallel computing device. Nevertheless, the incremental clustering algorithm is facing a dilemma between clustering accuracy and parallelism when they are powered by GPGPU. We formally analyzed the cause of this dilemma. First, we formalized concepts relevant to incremental clustering like evolving granularity. Second, we formally proved two theorems. The first theorem proves the relation between clustering accuracy and evolving granularity. Additionally, this theorem analyzes the upper and lower bounds of different-to-same mis-affiliation. Fewer occurrences of such mis-affiliation mean higher accuracy. The second theorem reveals the relation between parallelism and evolving granularity. Smaller work-depth means superior parallelism. Through the proofs, we conclude that accuracy of an incremental clustering algorithm is negatively related to evolving granularity while parallelism is positively related to the granularity. Thus the contradictory relations cause the dilemma. Finally, we validated the relations through a demo algorithm. Experiment results verified theoretical conclusions.
Biomimetic Sonar for Electrical Activation of the Auditory Pathway
Authors: Menniti D. , Pullano S. A. , Bianco M. G. , Citraro R. , Russo E. , De Sarro G. , Fiorillo A. S.
Published: October 2017

Relying on the mechanism of bat’s echolocation system, a bioinspired electronic device has been developed to investigate the cortical activity of mammals in response to auditory sensorial stimuli. By means of implanted electrodes, acoustical information about the external environment generated by a biomimetic system and converted in electrical signals was delivered to anatomically selected structures of the auditory pathway. Electrocorticographic recordings showed that cerebral activity response is highly dependent on the information carried out by ultrasounds and is frequency-locked with the signal repetition rate. Frequency analysis reveals that delta and beta rhythm content increases, suggesting that sensorial information is successfully transferred and integrated. In addition, principal component analysis highlights how all the stimuli generate patterns of neural activity which can be clearly classified. The results show that brain response is modulated by echo signal features suggesting that spatial information sent by biomimetic sonar is efficiently interpreted and encoded by the auditory system. Consequently, these results give new perspective in artificial environmental perception, which could be used for developing new techniques useful in treating pathological conditions or influencing our perception of the surroundings.
Ulam Type Stability for a Coupled System of Boundary Value Problems of Nonlinear Fractional Differential Equations
Authors: Khan Aziz , Shah Kamal , Li Yongjin , Khan Tahir Saeed
Published: October 2017

We discuss existence, uniqueness, and Hyers-Ulam stability of solutions for coupled nonlinear fractional order differential equations (FODEs) with boundary conditions. Using generalized metric space, we obtain some relaxed conditions for uniqueness of positive solutions for the mentioned problem by using Perov’s fixed point theorem. Moreover, necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained for existence of at least one solution by Leray-Schauder-type fixed point theorem. Further, we also develop some conditions for Hyers-Ulam stability. To demonstrate our main result, we provide a proper example.
Using a Planar Array of MEMS Microphones to Obtain Acoustic Images of a Fan Matrix
Authors: del Val Lara , Izquierdo Alberto , Villacorta Juan José , Suárez Luis
Published: October 2017

This paper proposes the use of a signal acquisition and processing system based on an8×8planar array of MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems) microphones to obtain acoustic images of a fan matrix. A3×3matrix of PC fans has been implemented to perform the study. Some tests to obtain the acoustic images of the individual fans and of the whole matrix have been defined and have been carried out inside an anechoic chamber. The nonstationary signals received by each MEMS microphone and their corresponding spectra have been analyzed, as well as the corresponding acoustic images. The analysis of the acoustic signals spectra reveals the resonance frequency of the individual fans. The obtained results reveal the feasibility of the proposed system to obtained acoustic images of a fan matrix and of its individual fans, in this last case, in order to estimate the real position of the fan inside the matrix.
Taxonomy-Based Approaches to Quality Assurance of Ontologies
Authors: Halper Michael , Perl Yehoshua , Ochs Christopher , Zheng Ling
Published: October 2017

Ontologies are important components of health information management systems. As such, the quality of their content is of paramount importance. It has been proven to be practical to develop quality assurance (QA) methodologies based on automated identification of sets of concepts expected to have higher likelihood of errors. Four kinds of such sets (called QA-sets) organized around the themes of complex and uncommonly modeled concepts are introduced. A survey of different methodologies based on these QA-sets and the results of applying them to various ontologies are presented. Overall, following these approaches leads to higher QA yields and better utilization of QA personnel. The formulation of additional QA-set methodologies will further enhance the suite of available ontology QA tools.
Research on HILS Technology Applied on Aircraft Electric Braking System
Authors: Zhou Suying , Lin Hui , Li Bingqiang
Published: October 2017

On the basis of analyzing the real-time feature of hardware-in-the-loop simulation of aircraft braking system, a new simulation method based on MATLAB/RTW (Real-Time Workshop) and DSP is introduced. The purpose of this research is to develop a digital control unit with antilock brake system control algorithm for aircraft braking system using HILS. DSP is used as simulator. Using this method, a detailed mathematical modeling of system is proposed first. Studies on reducing sampling time with model simplification and modeling for applying to I/O interface of DSP and HILS are conducted. Compared with other methods, this method is low cost and convenient to implement. By using these methods, we can complete HIL simulation of aircraft braking under various experimental conditions, modify its control laws, and test its braking performance. The results have demonstrated that this platform has high reliability. The algorithm is verified by real-time closed loop test with HILS system and the results are presented.
Low-Rate DDoS Attack Detection Using Expectation of Packet Size
Authors: Zhou Lu , Liao Mingchao , Yuan Cao , Zhang Haoyu
Published: October 2017

Low-rate Distributed Denial-of-Service (low-rate DDoS) attacks are a new challenge to cyberspace, as the attackers send a large amount of attack packets similar to normal traffic, to throttle legitimate flows. In this paper, we propose a measurement—expectation of packet size—that is based on the distribution difference of the packet size to distinguish two typical low-rate DDoS attacks, the constant attack and the pulsing attack, from legitimate traffic. The experimental results, obtained using a series of real datasets with different times and different tolerance factors, are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed measurement. In addition, extensive experiments are performed to show that the proposed measurement can detect the low-rate DDoS attacks not only in the short and long terms but also for low packet rates and high packet rates. Furthermore, the false-negative rates and the adjudication distance can be adjusted based on the detection sensitivity requirements.
Mechanical Properties and Acoustic Emission Properties of Rocks with Different Transverse Scales
Authors: Yan Xi , Jun Li , Gonghui Liu , Xueli Guo
Published: October 2017

Since the stability of engineering rock masses has important practical significance to projects like mining, tunneling, and petroleum engineering, it is necessary to study mechanical properties and stability prediction methods for rocks, cementing materials that are composed of minerals in all shapes and sizes. Rocks will generate acoustic emission during damage failure processes, which is deemed as an effective means of monitoring the stability of coal rocks. In the meantime, actual mining and roadway surrounding rocks tend to have transverse effects; namely, the transverse scale is larger than the length scale. Therefore, it is important to explore mechanical properties and acoustic emission properties of rocks under transverse size effects. Considering the transverse scale effects of rocks, this paper employs the microparticle flow software PFC2D to explore the influence of different aspect ratios on damage mechanics and acoustic emission properties of rocks. The results show that (1) the transverse scale affects uniaxial compression strength of rocks. As the aspect ratio increases, uniaxial compression strength of rocks decreases initially and later increases, showing a V-shape structure and (2) although it affects the maximum hit rate and the strain range of acoustic emission, it has little influence on the period of occurrence. As the transverse scale increases, both damage degree and damage rate of rocks decrease initially and later increase.
Learning Processes to Predict the Hourly Global, Direct, and Diffuse Solar Irradiance from Daily Global Radiation with Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Loutfi Hanae , Bernatchou Ahmed , Raoui Younès , Tadili Rachid
Published: October 2017

This paper presents three different topologies of feed forward neural network (FFNN) models for generating global, direct, and diffuse hourly solar irradiance in the city of Fez (Morocco). Results from this analysis are crucial for the conception of any solar energy system. Especially, for the concentrating ones, as direct component is seldom measured. For the three models, the main input was the daily global irradiation with other radiometric and meteorological parameters. Three years of hourly data were available for this study. For each solar component’s prediction, different combinations of inputs as well as different numbers of hidden neurons were considered. To evaluate these models, the regression coefficient (R2) and normalized root mean square error (nRMSE) were used. The test of these models over unseen data showed a good accuracy and proved their generalization capability (nRMSE = 13.1%, 9.5%, and 8.05% and R = 0.98, 0.98, and 0.99) for hourly global, hourly direct, and daily direct radiation, respectively. Different comparison analyses confirmed that (FFNN) models surpass other methods of estimation. As such, the proposed models showed a good ability to generate different solar components from daily global radiation which is registered in most radiometric stations.
Interaction between Soil Physicochemical Parameters and Earthworm Communities in Irrigated Areas with Natural Water and Wastewaters
Authors: Ghanem Nadra Kourtel , Mohammed Kribaa , Mohammed El Hadef El Okki
Published: October 2017

Our objective is to study interaction between physical and chemical properties of soils and their earthworm community characteristics in different areas irrigated by wastewaters and well waters. The fields have different topography and agricultural practices conditions and are located in two regions of Batna department (Eastern Algeria). Both regions are characterized by a semiarid climate with cold winters and Calcisol soils. Nine fields were subject of this study. Three of these fields are located in Ouled Si Slimane region whose irrigation is effectuated by natural waters of Kochbi effluent. The other six fields are located at edges ﻿of Wed El Gourzi, effluent from Batna city, and partially treated through water treatment station. The best rates of water saturation and infiltration as well as abundance of earthworms were recorded at sites characterized by irrigation with wastewaters downstream of El Gourzi effluent. PCA characterizes two major groups: a group of hydrodynamic infiltration parameters and structural index stability of soil, explained by fields irrigated with wastewaters downstream of El Gourzi effluent. This group includes chemical characteristics: pH and electric conductivity. The second group is the characteristics of earthworms and includes organic matter content, active limestone levels, and Shannon Biodiversity Index.
miR-31 Functions as an Oncomir Which Promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition via Regulating BAP1 in Cervical Cancer
Authors: Wang Nan , Li Yong , Zhou Jianhong
Published: October 2017

MicroRNA-31 (miR-31) functions as tumor suppressors or oncogenes that are involved in tumor behavior. However, the function of miR-31 in cervical carcinogenesis remains unclear. The aim of this study was to validate the potential role of miR-31 and BRCA1-associated protein-1 (BAP1) on regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cervical cancer. In the present study, qRT-PCR assay revealed that the expression of miR-31 was upregulated in human cervical cancer cells and clinical tissues. Results of wound healing and cell migration assay revealed that knockdown of miR-31 inhibited cell metastasis and migration. Bioinformatic and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay showed that BAP1 was the direct target of miR-31. Furthermore, the results revealed that miR-31 promoted proliferation and EMT in cervical cancer cells and accelerated the development of tumor growth in vivo xenograft experiment by inhibiting BAP1 expression. Overall, these results highlight an important role of miR-31 functioning as an oncomir which could promote EMT in cervical cancer via downregulating BAP1 expression. Thus, downregulation of miR-31 could be a novel approach for the molecular treatment of cervical cancers and other malignancies.