bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the Potential of Using Dual-Function Hydrogels for Brackish Water Desalination
Authors: Ali Wael , Gebert Beate , Altinpinar Sedakat , Mayer-Gall Thomas , Ulbricht Mathias , Gutmann Jochen S. , Graf Karlheinz
Published: May 2018

Although current desalination technologies are mature enough and advanced, the shortage of freshwater is still considered as one of the most pressing global issues. Therefore, there is a strong incentive to explore and investigate new potential methods with low energy consumption. We have previously reported that reversible thermally induced sorption/desorption process using polymeric hydrogels hold promise for water desalination with further development. In order to develop a more effective hydrogels architecture, polyelectrolyte moieties were introduced in this work as pendent chains and a thermally responsive polymer as network backbone using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerisation. The ability of the comb-type polymeric hydrogels to desalinate water was evaluated. These hydrogels were proved to absorb water with low salinity from brine solution of 2 g L − 1 NaCl and release the absorbed water at relatively low temperature conditions of 50 ∘ C. The fraction of the grafted polyacrylic acid and the comb-chain length were varied to understand their influence on the swelling/deswelling behaviour for these hydrogels. The ionic fraction in the hydrogels and the resulting hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance are crucial for the proposed desalination process. In contrast, the comb-chain length impacted the swelling behaviour of hydrogels but showed relatively little influence on the dewatering process.
Strain-Induced Martensitic Transformation and Texture Evolution in Cold-Rolled Co–Cr Alloys
Authors: Onuki Yusuke , Sato Shigeo , Nakagawa Maiko , Yamanaka Kenta , Mori Manami , Hoshikawa Akinori , Ishigaki Toru , Chiba Akihiko
Published: May 2018

Co–Cr alloys have been used in biomedical purposes such as stents and artificial hip joints. However, the difficulty of plastic deformation limits the application of the alloys. During the deformation, Co–Cr alloys often exhibit strain-induced martensitic transformation (SIMT), which is a possible reason for the low formability. The distinct increase in dislocation density in the matrix phase may also result in early fractures. Since these microstructural evolutions accompany the textural evolution, it is crucial to understand the relationship among the SIMT, the increase in dislocations, and the texture evolution. To characterize those at the same time, we conducted time-of-flight neutron diffraction experiments at iMATERIA beamline at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF), Ibaraki, Japan. The cold-rolled sheets of Co–29Cr–6Mo (CCM) and Co–20Cr–15W–10Ni (CCWN) alloys were investigated in this study. As expected from the different stacking fault energies, the SIMT progressed more rapidly in the CCM alloy. The dislocation densities of the matrix phases of the CCM and CCWN alloys increased similarly with an increase in the rolling reduction. These results suggest that the difference in deformability between the CCM and CCWN alloys originate not from the strain hardening of the matrix phase but from the growth behaviors of the martensitic phase.
Estimation of Vegetable Crop Parameter by Multi-temporal UAV-Borne Images
Authors: Moeckel Thomas , Dayananda Supriya , Nidamanuri Rama Rao , Nautiyal Sunil , Hanumaiah Nagaraju , Buerkert Andreas , Wachendorf Michael
Published: May 2018

3D point cloud analysis of imagery collected by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) has been shown to be a valuable tool for estimation of crop phenotypic traits, such as plant height, in several species. Spatial information about these phenotypic traits can be used to derive information about other important crop characteristics, like fresh biomass yield, which could not be derived directly from the point clouds. Previous approaches have often only considered single date measurements using a single point cloud derived metric for the respective trait. Furthermore, most of the studies focused on plant species with a homogenous canopy surface. The aim of this study was to assess the applicability of UAV imagery for capturing crop height information of three vegetables (crops eggplant, tomato, and cabbage) with a complex vegetation canopy surface during a complete crop growth cycle to infer biomass. Additionally, the effect of crop development stage on the relationship between estimated crop height and field measured crop height was examined. Our study was conducted in an experimental layout at the University of Agricultural Science in Bengaluru, India. For all the crops, the crop height and the biomass was measured at five dates during one crop growth cycle between February and May 2017 (average crop height was 42.5, 35.5, and 16.0 cm for eggplant, tomato, and cabbage). Using a structure from motion approach, a 3D point cloud was created for each crop and sampling date. In total, 14 crop height metrics were extracted from the point clouds. Machine learning methods were used to create prediction models for vegetable crop height. The study demonstrates that the monitoring of crop height using an UAV during an entire growing period results in detailed and precise estimates of crop height and biomass for all three crops (R2 ranging from 0.87 to 0.97, bias ranging from −0.66 to 0.45 cm). The effect of crop development stage on the predicted crop height was found to be substantial (e.g., median deviation increased from 1% to 20% for eggplant) influencing the strength and consistency of the relationship between point cloud metrics and crop height estimates and, thus, should be further investigated. Altogether the results of the study demonstrate that point cloud generated from UAV-based RGB imagery can be used to effectively measure vegetable crop biomass in larger areas (relative error = 17.6%, 19.7%, and 15.2% for eggplant, tomato, and cabbage, respectively) with a similar accuracy as biomass prediction models based on measured crop height (relative error = 21.6, 18.8, and 15.2 for eggplant, tomato, and cabbage).
Annual New Production of Phytoplankton Estimated from MODIS-Derived Nitrate Concentration in the East/Japan Sea
Authors: Joo Huitae , Lee Dabin , Son Seung Hyun , Lee Sang Heon
Published: May 2018

Our main objective in this study was to determine the inter-annual variation of the annual new production in the East/Japan Sea (EJS), which was estimated from MODIS-aqua satellite-derived sea surface nitrate (SSN). The new production was extracted from northern (>40° N) and southern (>40° N) part of EJS based on Sub Polar Front (SPF). Based on the SSN concentrations derived from satellite data, we found that the annual new production (Mean ± S.D = 85.6 ± 10.1 g C m−2 year−1) in the northern part of the EJS was significantly higher (t-test, p < 0.01) than that of the southern part of the EJS (Mean ± S.D = 65.6 ± 3.9 g C m−2 year−1). Given the relationships between the new productions and sea surface temperature (SST) in this study, the new production could be more susceptible in the northern part than the southern part of the EJS under consistent SST warming. Since the new production estimated in this study is only based on the nitrate inputs into the euphotic depths during the winter, new productions from additional nitrate sources (e.g., the nitrate upward flux through the MLD and atmospheric deposition) should be considered for estimating the annual new production.
Segment-Tube: Spatio-Temporal Action Localization in Untrimmed Videos with Per-Frame Segmentation
Authors: Wang Le , Duan Xuhuan , Zhang Qilin , Niu Zhenxing , Hua Gang , Zheng Nanning
Published: May 2018

Inspired by the recent spatio-temporal action localization efforts with tubelets (sequences of bounding boxes), we present a new spatio-temporal action localization detector Segment-tube, which consists of sequences of per-frame segmentation masks. The proposed Segment-tube detector can temporally pinpoint the starting/ending frame of each action category in the presence of preceding/subsequent interference actions in untrimmed videos. Simultaneously, the Segment-tube detector produces per-frame segmentation masks instead of bounding boxes, offering superior spatial accuracy to tubelets. This is achieved by alternating iterative optimization between temporal action localization and spatial action segmentation. Experimental results on three datasets validated the efficacy of the proposed method, including (1) temporal action localization on the THUMOS 2014 dataset; (2) spatial action segmentation on the Segtrack dataset; and (3) joint spatio-temporal action localization on the newly proposed ActSeg dataset. It is shown that our method compares favorably with existing state-of-the-art methods.
Automatic Identification of Alpine Mass Movements by a Combination of Seismic and Infrasound Sensors
Authors: Schimmel Andreas , Hübl Johannes , McArdell Brian W. , Walter Fabian
Published: May 2018

The automatic detection and identification of alpine mass movements such as debris flows, debris floods, or landslides have been of increasing importance for devising mitigation measures in densely populated and intensively used alpine regions. Since these mass movements emit characteristic seismic and acoustic waves in the low-frequency range (<30 Hz), several approaches have already been developed for detection and warning systems based on these signals. However, a combination of the two methods, for improving detection probability and reducing false alarms, is still applied rarely. This paper presents an update and extension of a previously published approach for a detection and identification system based on a combination of seismic and infrasound sensors. Furthermore, this work evaluates the possible early warning times at several test sites and aims to analyze the seismic and infrasound spectral signature produced by different sediment-related mass movements to identify the process type and estimate the magnitude of the event. Thus, this study presents an initial method for estimating the peak discharge and total volume of debris flows based on infrasound data. Tests on several catchments show that this system can detect and identify mass movements in real time directly at the sensor site with high accuracy and a low false alarm ratio.
Magnetorelaxometry in the Presence of a DC Bias Field of Ferromagnetic Nanoparticles Bearing a Viscoelastic Corona
Authors: Rusakov Victor , Raikher Yuriy
Published: May 2018

With allowance for orientational Brownian motion, the magnetorelaxometry (MRX) signal, i.e., the decay of magnetization generated by an ensemble of ferromagnet nanoparticles, each of which bears a macromolecular corona (a loose layer of polymer gel) is studied. The rheology of corona is modelled by the Jeffreys scheme. The latter, although comprising only three phenomenological parameters, enables one to describe a wide spectrum of viscoelastic media: from linearly viscous liquids to weakly-fluent gels. The “transverse” configuration of MRX is considered where the system is subjected to a DC (constant bias) field, whereas the probing field is applied perpendicularly to the bias one. The analysis shows that the rate of magnetization decay strongly depends on the state of corona and slows down with enhancement of the corona elasticity. In addition, for the case of “transverse” MRX, we consider the integral time, i.e., the characteristic that is applicable to relaxation processes with an arbitrary number of decay modes. Expressions for the dependence of the integral time on the corona elasticity parameter and temperature are derived.
Flying Real-Time Network to Coordinate Disaster Relief Activities in Urban Areas
Authors: Micheletto Matias , Petrucci Vinicius , Santos Rodrigo , Orozco Javier , Mosse Daniel , Ochoa Sergio , Meseguer Roc
Published: May 2018

While there have been important advances within wireless communication technology, the provision of communication support during disaster relief activities remains an open issue. The literature in disaster research reports several major restrictions to conducting first response activities in urban areas, given the limitations of telephone networks and radio systems to provide digital communication in the field. In search-and-rescue operations, the communication requirements are increased, since the first responders need to rely on real-time and reliable communication to perform their activities and coordinate their efforts with other teams. Therefore, these limitations open the door to improvisation during disaster relief efforts. In this paper, we argue that flying ad-hoc networks can provide the communication support needed in these scenarios, and propose a new solution towards that goal. The proposal involves the use of flying witness units, implemented using drones, that act as communication gateways between first responders working at different locations of the affected area. The proposal is named the Flying Real-Time Network, and its feasibility to provide communication in a disaster scenario is shown by presenting both a real-time schedulability analysis of message delivery, as well as simulations of the communication support in a physical scenario inspired by a real incident. The obtained results were highly positive and consistent, therefore this proposal represents a step forward towards the solution of this open issue.
Design of a Novel MEMS Microgripper with Rotatory Electrostatic Comb-Drive Actuators for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Velosa-Moncada Luis A. , Aguilera-Cortés Luz Antonio , González-Palacios Max A. , Raskin Jean-Pierre , Herrera-May Agustin L.
Published: May 2018

Primary tumors of patients can release circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to flow inside of their blood. The CTCs have different mechanical properties in comparison with red and white blood cells, and their detection may be employed to study the efficiency of medical treatments against cancer. We present the design of a novel MEMS microgripper with rotatory electrostatic comb-drive actuators for mechanical properties characterization of cells. The microgripper has a compact structural configuration of four polysilicon layers and a simple performance that control the opening and closing displacements of the microgripper tips. The microgripper has a mobile arm, a fixed arm, two different actuators and two serpentine springs, which are designed based on the SUMMiT V surface micromachining process from Sandia National Laboratories. The proposed microgripper operates at its first rotational resonant frequency and its mobile arm has a controlled displacement of 40 µm at both opening and closing directions using dc and ac bias voltages. Analytical models are developed to predict the stiffness, damping forces and first torsional resonant frequency of the microgripper. In addition, finite element method (FEM) models are obtained to estimate the mechanical behavior of the microgripper. The results of the analytical models agree very well respect to FEM simulations. The microgripper has a first rotational resonant frequency of 463.8 Hz without gripped cell and it can operate up to with maximum dc and ac voltages of 23.4 V and 129.2 V, respectively. Based on the results of the analytical and FEM models about the performance of the proposed microgripper, it could be used as a dispositive for mechanical properties characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs).
Strategies to Improve Activity Recognition Based on Skeletal Tracking: Applying Restrictions Regarding Body Parts and Similarity Boundaries
Authors: Gutiérrez-López-Franca Carlos , Hervás Ramón , Johnson Esperanza
Published: May 2018

This paper aims to improve activity recognition systems based on skeletal tracking through the study of two different strategies (and its combination): (a) specialized body parts analysis and (b) stricter restrictions for the most easily detectable activities. The study was performed using the Extended Body-Angles Algorithm, which is able to analyze activities using only a single key sample. This system allows to select, for each considered activity, which are its relevant joints, which makes it possible to monitor the body of the user selecting only a subset of the same. But this feature of the system has both advantages and disadvantages. As a consequence, in the past we had some difficulties with the recognition of activities that only have a small subset of the joints of the body as relevant. The goal of this work, therefore, is to analyze the effect produced by the application of several strategies on the results of an activity recognition system based on skeletal tracking joint oriented devices. Strategies that we applied with the purpose of improve the recognition rates of the activities with a small subset of relevant joints. Through the results of this work, we aim to give the scientific community some first indications about which considered strategy is better.
Transmitting Pulse Encoding for Beyond-PRT Retransmitting Deception Jamming Detection in Spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
Authors: Wang Ruijia , Bing Sun , Wang Xing , Cheng Siyi
Published: May 2018

Retransmitting deception jamming (RDJ) degrades and misleads the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image interpretation by forming false targets. The beyond-Pulse Repetition Time (PRT) RDJ enlarges the effective jamming area without constraining the jammer location to reduce the spaceborne SAR working effectiveness. In order to detect the beyond-PRT RDJ and enhance the working efficiency in electronic countermeasure environment, the transmitting pulse encoding method for use in spaceborne SAR is proposed based on the geometry and signal models of beyond-PRT RDJ. Optimum binary codes with maximum number of detection windows are determined by the encoding procedure. The detected area is found to be proportional to the code length and the encoding efficiencies of even and odd codes are analyzed. The simulation results validate the effectiveness of the transmitting pulse encoding method for beyond-PRT RDJ detection in spaceborne SAR.
Differentiation Between Organic and Non-Organic Apples Using Diffraction Grating and Image Processing—A Cost-Effective Approach
Authors: Jiang Nanfeng , Song Weiran , Wang Hui , Guo Gongde , Liu Yuanyuan
Published: May 2018

As the expectation for higher quality of life increases, consumers have higher demands for quality food. Food authentication is the technical means of ensuring food is what it says it is. A popular approach to food authentication is based on spectroscopy, which has been widely used for identifying and quantifying the chemical components of an object. This approach is non-destructive and effective but expensive. This paper presents a computer vision-based sensor system for food authentication, i.e., differentiating organic from non-organic apples. This sensor system consists of low-cost hardware and pattern recognition software. We use a flashlight to illuminate apples and capture their images through a diffraction grating. These diffraction images are then converted into a data matrix for classification by pattern recognition algorithms, including k-nearest neighbors (k-NN), support vector machine (SVM) and three partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA)- based methods. We carry out experiments on a reasonable collection of apple samples and employ a proper pre-processing, resulting in a highest classification accuracy of 94%. Our studies conclude that this sensor system has the potential to provide a viable solution to empower consumers in food authentication.
Multilayer Black Phosphorus Near-Infrared Photodetectors
Authors: Hou Chaojian , Yang Lijun , Li Bo , Zhang Qihan , Li Yuefeng , Yue Qiuyang , Wang Yang , Yang Zhan , Dong Lixin
Published: May 2018

Black phosphorus (BP), owing to its distinguished properties, has become one of the most competitive candidates for photodetectors. However, there has been little attention paid on photo-response performance of multilayer BP nanoflakes with large layer thickness. In fact, multilayer BP nanoflakes with large layer thickness have greater potential from the fabrication viewpoint as well as due to the physical properties than single or few layer ones. In this report, the thickness-dependence of the intrinsic property of BP photodetectors in the dark was initially investigated. Then the photo-response performance (including responsivity, photo-gain, photo-switching time, noise equivalent power, and specific detectivity) of BP photodetectors with relative thicker thickness was explored under a near-infrared laser beam (λIR = 830 nm). Our experimental results reveal the impact of BP’s thickness on the current intensity of the channel and show degenerated p-type BP is beneficial for larger current intensity. More importantly, the photo-response of our thicker BP photodetectors exhibited a larger responsivity up to 2.42 A/W than the few-layer ones and a fast response photo-switching speed (response time is ~2.5 ms) comparable to thinner BP nanoflakes was obtained, indicating BP nanoflakes with larger layer thickness are also promising for application for ultra-fast and ultra-high near-infrared photodetectors.
A General Cross-Layer Cloud Scheduling Framework for Multiple IoT Computer Tasks
Authors: Wu Guanlin , Bao Weidong , Zhu Xiaomin , Zhang Xiongtao
Published: May 2018

The diversity of IoT services and applications brings enormous challenges to improving the performance of multiple computer tasks’ scheduling in cross-layer cloud computing systems. Unfortunately, the commonly-employed frameworks fail to adapt to the new patterns on the cross-layer cloud. To solve this issue, we design a new computer task scheduling framework for multiple IoT services in cross-layer cloud computing systems. Specifically, we first analyze the features of the cross-layer cloud and computer tasks. Then, we design the scheduling framework based on the analysis and present detailed models to illustrate the procedures of using the framework. With the proposed framework, the IoT services deployed in cross-layer cloud computing systems can dynamically select suitable algorithms and use resources more effectively to finish computer tasks with different objectives. Finally, the algorithms are given based on the framework, and extensive experiments are also given to validate its effectiveness, as well as its superiority.
An Analysis of CO2 Emissions from International Transport and the Driving Forces of Emissions Change
Authors: Yoon Young , Yang Minyoung , Kim Jinsoo
Published: May 2018

As a consequence of globalization, increased international transport generates many pollutants. Pollution generation from other industries related to international transport also cannot be ignored. This paper thus aims to investigate the carbon emissions from international transport. We analyzed embodied carbon emissions of international transport using multi-region input output analysis, and identified the factors underlying changes in emissions using structural decomposition analysis. China was the world’s largest CO2-emitting country in international transport in terms of both production- and consumption-based standards. However, consumption-based emissions in that country were much lower than production-based emissions, while in the United States, with second largest emissions, the situation was the opposite. Major emission changes were contingent on demands for international transportation and emission efficiency. In the case of the European Union (EU), consumption-based emissions were higher, but CO2 emissions decreased gradually due to increased emission efficiency. The different information is provided by each standard, and reduction targets can change according to the standards employed. While discussions on emissions standards are still in progress, the results of this study suggest that CO2 emissions from international transport, and according to different emissions standards, should receive careful attention in energy policy design, in order to limit CO2 emissions globally.
Evaluation of Sustainable Energy Security and an Empirical Analysis of China
Authors: Fang Debin , Shi Shanshan , Yu Qian
Published: May 2018

Energy security and sustainability are crucial factors for the development of China. The creation of an evaluation theoretical system of the energy has theoretical and practical significance that is important for ensuring the safe and sustainable development of energy security that matches the national development phase and reflects the sustainable development of national energy. Sustainable energy security must not only take into account the security of energy supply–demand in the long-term and short-term, it must also focus on the coordinated development between energy, the environment, and the economy in China. This paper proposes five dimensions of energy security (availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability, and develop-ability) to construct China’s Sustainable Energy Security (CSES) evaluation index model. Based on the model, an empirical study of China’s energy security is carried out with data from 2005 to 2015, and dynamic changing trends are analyzed accordingly. The results indicate that availability and develop-ability are the most important weights in China’s Sustainable Energy Security index system, where availability shows a general downward trend, and develop-ability presents an inverted U-type trend, with its lowest point in 2011. From 2008 to 2012, China’s sustainable energy security had been at risk. Taking the year 2010 as the demarcation, two phases were obtained: before and after 2010, during which the level of China’s sustainable energy security first dropped, and then rose. However, compared with 2005, CSES level decreased by 28% in 2015 due to the decline of availability and accessibility. During 2005–2015, China’s energy security system had relative high scores in acceptability and develop-ability, while the sustained downward trend of availability is in need of more regulation.
An Information Framework for Facilitating Cost Saving of Environmental Impacts in the Coal Mining Industry in South Africa
Authors: Mbedzi Mashudu D. , Van der Poll Huibrecht M. , Van der Poll John A.
Published: May 2018

Coal-mining contributes much to the economic welfare of a country. Yet it brings along a number of challenges, notably environmental impacts which include water pollution in a water scarce country such as South Africa. This research is conducted in two phases. The first phase intends to establish environmental and other challenges brought about by the coal-mining industry through a comprehensive analysis of available literature. Combatting these challenges is costly; consequently, our work investigates how established management accounting tools and techniques such as Environmental Management Accounting (EMA), Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) may facilitate cost savings for the companies involved. These techniques promote increased transparency of material usage by tracing and quantifying the flows and inventories of materials within the coal-mining industry in physical and monetary terms, hence hidden costs are elicited. The researchers postulate that an Information Framework integrating these aspects may be the way forward. To this end existing frameworks in the literature are identified. A number of research questions embodying the above aspects are defined and the objective is to define a conceptual framework to facilitate cost savings for coal-mining companies. The main contribution of this work is an information framework presented towards the end of this article. The second phase of the research will involve fieldwork in the form of a survey among stakeholders in industry to validate the conceptual framework.
Analysis of Embodied Environmental Impacts of Korean Apartment Buildings Considering Major Building Materials
Authors: Roh Seungjun , Tae Sungho , Kim Rakhyun
Published: May 2018

Because the reduction in environmental impacts (EIs) of buildings using life-cycle assessment (LCA) has been emphasized as a practical strategy for the sustainable development of the construction industry, studies are required to analyze not only the operational environmental impacts (OEIs) of buildings, but also the embodied environmental impacts (EEIs) of building materials. This study aims to analyze the EEIs of Korean apartment buildings on the basis of major building materials as part of research with the goal of reducing the EIs of buildings. For this purpose, six types of building materials (ready-mixed concrete, reinforcement steel, concrete bricks, glass, insulation, and gypsum) for apartment buildings were selected as major building materials, and their inputs per unit area according to the structure types and plans of apartment buildings were derived by analyzing the design and bills of materials of 443 apartment buildings constructed in South Korea. In addition, a life-cycle scenario including the production, construction, maintenance, and end-of-life stage was constructed for each major building material. The EEIs of the apartment buildings were quantitatively assessed by applying the life-cycle inventory database (LCI DB) and the Korean life-cycle impact assessment (LCIA) method based on damage-oriented modeling (KOLID), and the results were analyzed.
Axisymmetric Arc Sliding Method of Basal Heave Stability Analysis for Braced Circular Excavations
Authors: Zhang Mingju , Zhang Zhenbo , Li Zheng , Li Pengfei
Published: May 2018

On the basis of the circular arc sliding model of the limit equilibrium method, an axisymmetric arc sliding method (AASM) is proposed to analyze the basal heave stability of braced circular excavations. The proposed method considers the stiffness of the enclosure structure and spatial effects. The AASM was applied to check basal heave stability in a design example and provided results that were more reasonable than those obtained using other methods. The radii effects in theory and numerical simulation, and the enclosure structure stiffness effects on the basal heave stability safety factor were discussed. Additionally, the effects of the embedded depth on the basal heave stability of a braced circular excavation were analyzed. The safety factor of basal heave stability for a braced circular excavation will be larger when calculated with the AASM than when calculated with the circular arc sliding method, and the optimized embedded depth of the enclosure structure may therefore be reduced by 4∼5 m to lower the cost of the enclosure structure.
Network Embedding via a Bi-Mode and Deep Neural Network Model
Authors: Fang Yang , Zhao Xiang , Tan Zhen , Xiao Weidong
Published: May 2018

Network embedding (NE) is an important method to learn the representations of a network via a low-dimensional space. Conventional NE models focus on capturing the structural information and semantic information of vertices while neglecting such information for edges. In this work, we propose a novel NE model named BimoNet to capture both the structural and semantic information of edges. BimoNet is composed of two parts; i.e., the bi-mode embedding part and the deep neural network part. For the bi-mode embedding part, the first mode—named the add-mode—is used to express the entity-shared features of edges and the second mode—named the subtract-mode—is employed to represent the entity-specific features of edges. These features actually reflect the semantic information. For the deep neural network part, we firstly regard the edges in a network as nodes, and the vertices as links, which will not change the overall structure of the whole network. Then, we take the nodes’ adjacent matrix as the input of the deep neural network, as it can obtain similar representations for nodes with similar structure. Afterwards, by jointly optimizing the objective function of these two parts, BimoNet could preserve both the semantic and structural information of edges. In experiments, we evaluate BimoNet on three real-world datasets and the task of relation extraction, and BimoNet is demonstrated to outperform state-of-the-art baseline models consistently.
Expanding Capd in Low-Resource Settings: A Distance Learning Approach
Authors: Rope Robert , Nanayakkara Nishantha , Wazil Abdul , Dickowita Sewmini , Abeyeskera Rajitha , Gunerathne Lishanthe , Adoosoriya Dinuka , Karunasena Nishamani , Rathnayake Chrarake , Anand Shuchi , Saxena Anjali
Published: May 2018

Background

Despite growing need, treatment for end-stage renal disease is limited in low- and middle-income countries due to resource restraints. We describe the development of an educational curriculum and quality improvement program to support continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) performed primarily by non-nephrology providers in Sri Lanka.

Methods

We developed a program of education, outcome tracking, and expert consultation to support providers in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Education included videos and in-person didactics covering core topics in CAPD. Event-tracking sheets recorded root causes and management of infections and hospitalizations. Conferences reviewed clinical cases and overall clinic management. We evaluated the patient census, peritonitis rates, and root causes and management of infections over 1 year.

Results

The curriculum was published through the International Society of Nephrology online academy. High provider turnover limited curriculum assessments. The CAPD patient census rose from 63 to 116 during the year. The peritonitis rate declined significantly, from 0.8 episodes per patient-year in the first 6 months to 0.4 in the latter 6 months, though the most common root causes of peritonitis, related to contamination events and hygiene, persisted. The appropriate ascertainment of culture data and prescription of antibiotics also increased.

Conclusions

Our project supported the expansion of a CAPD program in a resource-limited setting, while also improving peritonitis outcomes. Ongoing challenges include ensuring a durable educational system for rotating providers, tracking outcomes beyond peritonitis, and formalizing management protocols. Our program can serve as an example of how established dialysis programs can support the burgeoning work of providers in resource-limited setting.
Optical near-field mapping of plasmonic nanostructures prepared by nanosphere lithography
Authors: Kolhatkar Gitanjali , Merlen Alexandre , Zhang Jiawei , Dab Chahinez , Wallace Gregory Q , Lagugné-Labarthet François , Ruediger Andreas
Published: May 2018

We introduce a simple, fast, efficient and non-destructive method to study the optical near-field properties of plasmonic nanotriangles prepared by nanosphere lithography. Using a rectangular Fourier filter on the blurred signal together with filtering of the lower spatial frequencies to remove the far-field contribution, the pure near-field contributions of the optical images were extracted. We performed measurements using two excitation wavelengths (532.1 nm and 632.8 nm) and two different polarizations. After the processing of the optical images, the distribution of hot spots can be correlated with the topography of the structures, as indicated by the presence of brighter spots at the apexes of the nanostructures. This technique is validated by comparison of the results to numerical simulations, where agreement is obtained, thereby confirming the near-field nature of the images. Our approach does not require any advanced equipment and we suggest that it could be applied to any type of sample, while keeping the measurement times reasonably short.
Constraining the Molecular Complexity in the Interstellar Medium—The Formation of Ethyl Methyl Ether (CH3OCH2CH3) in Star-forming Regions
Authors: Bergantini Alexandre , Frigge Robert , Kaiser Ralf I.
Published: May 2018

We report the first confirmed synthesis of ethyl methyl ether (EME, CH3CH2OCH3) within astrophysical model ices containing water (H2O) and methane (CH4) exposed to ionizing radiation at ultra-low temperatures of 5 K. EME (also known as methoxyethane), was recently observed toward Orion KL and currently is the largest confirmed oxygen-bearing molecule found in the interstellar medium. Exploiting isomer-selective photoionization (PI) of the subliming molecules in the temperature-programmed desorption phase at 10.49, 9.92, and 9.70 eV, coupled with reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometry and isotopic substitution experiments (H2
18O–CH4), the detection of fragment ions of EME at m/z = 45 (C2H5O+) and m/z = 59 (C3H7O+), and probing the proton transfer in subliming ethanol–EME complexes via m/z = 61 (C3H9O+), the present study reveals that EME can be formed from suprathermal reactions initiated by cosmic rays and secondary electrons generated within astrophysical ices. The detection of EME in our experiments represents a significant advance in the understanding of formation pathways of complex organic molecules present in hot cores and helps to constrain astrochemical models on the formation of such species within molecular clouds.
Halo Profiles and the Concentration–Mass Relation for a ΛCDM Universe
Authors: Child Hillary L. , Habib Salman , Heitmann Katrin , Frontiere Nicholas , Finkel Hal , Pope Adrian , Morozov Vitali
Published: May 2018

Profiles of dark matter-dominated halos at the group and cluster scales play an important role in modern cosmology. Using results from two very large cosmological N-body simulations, which increase the available volume at their mass resolution by roughly two orders of magnitude, we robustly determine the halo concentration–mass (c−M) relation over a wide range of masses, employing multiple methods of concentration measurement. We characterize individual halo profiles, as well as stacked profiles, relevant for galaxy–galaxy lensing and next-generation cluster surveys; the redshift range covered is 0 ≤ z ≤ 4, with a minimum halo mass of M
200c
 ∼ 2 × 1011
M
⊙. Despite the complexity of a proper description of a halo (environmental effects, merger history, nonsphericity, relaxation state), when the mass is scaled by the nonlinear mass scale M
⋆(z), we find that a simple non-power-law form for the c–M/M
⋆ relation provides an excellent description of our simulation results across eight decades in M/M
⋆ and for 0 ≤ z ≤ 4. Over the mass range covered, the c–M relation has two asymptotic forms: an approximate power law below a mass threshold M/M
⋆ ∼ 500–1000, transitioning to a constant value, c
0 ∼ 3 at higher masses. The relaxed halo fraction decreases with mass, transitioning to a constant value of ∼0.5 above the same mass threshold. We compare Navarro–Frenk–White (NFW) and Einasto fits to stacked profiles in narrow mass bins at different redshifts; as expected, the Einasto profile provides a better description of the simulation results. At cluster scales at low redshift, however, both NFW and Einasto profiles are in very good agreement with the simulation results, consistent with recent weak lensing observations.
Mass Modeling of Frontier Fields Cluster MACS J1149.5+2223 Using Strong and Weak Lensing
Authors: Finney Emily Quinn , Bradač Maruša , Huang Kuang-Han , Hoag Austin , Morishita Takahiro , Schrabback Tim , Treu Tommaso , Schmidt Kasper Borello , Lemaux Brian C. , Wang Xin , Mason Charlotte
Published: May 2018

We present a gravitational-lensing model of MACS J1149.5+2223 using ultra-deep Hubble Frontier Fields imaging data and spectroscopic redshifts from HST grism and Very Large Telescope (VLT)/MUSE spectroscopic data. We create total mass maps using 38 multiple images (13 sources) and 608 weak-lensing galaxies, as well as 100 multiple images of 31 star-forming regions in the galaxy that hosts supernova Refsdal. We find good agreement with a range of recent models within the HST field of view. We present a map of the ratio of projected stellar mass to total mass (f
⋆) and find that the stellar mass fraction for this cluster peaks on the primary BCG. Averaging within a radius of 0.3 Mpc, we obtain a value of

, consistent with other recent results for this ratio in cluster environments, though with a large global error (up to δf
⋆ = 0.005) primarily due to the choice of IMF. We compare values of f
⋆ and measures of star formation efficiency for this cluster to other Hubble Frontier Fields clusters studied in the literature, finding that MACS1149 has a higher stellar mass fraction than these other clusters but a star formation efficiency typical of massive clusters.
Antiviral Combination Therapy for Cytomegalovirus Infection in High-Risk Infants
Authors: Vora Surabhi B , Brothers Adam W , Waghmare Alpana , Englund Janet A
Published: May 2018

Background

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a major risk factor for mortality in infants with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and other profound immune defects. Specific antiviral therapy must be initiated early and aggressively because of the potential for antiviral resistance, rapid dissemination and poor transplant outcomes. Combination antiviral therapy is routinely administered for some viral infections, but the value of this approach for the treatment of CMV is unclear. Here we explore a strategy of initial combination therapy for high-risk infants with CMV infection.

Methods

We reviewed medical records of infants ≤6 months of age hospitalized between 2007–2015 who received ganciclovir (GCV) or foscarnet (FOS) monotherapy or initial combination GCV + FOS for CMV disease. The combination therapy group consisted of severely immunocompromised infants being considered for haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT).

Results

Four patients received initial combination antiviral therapy and 26 patients received initial monotherapy during the study period. Combination antiviral recipients demonstrated initial improvement in viraemia and two of three who continued with this therapy survived the infection. Clinically significant resistance mutations did not emerge. Toxicity was common; neutropenia, thrombocy-topenia and electrolyte abnormalities were the most frequent adverse events in both groups. Creatinine elevation was uncommon in both groups.

Conclusions

Combination GCV + FOS therapy may be a safe alternative to monotherapy in high-risk infants, especially those who are pre-transplant with primary immune deficiency syndromes and high viral loads.
Quelles limites temporelles au désir de devenir père par assistance médicale à la procréation ? Les incertitudes du droit français
Authors: Brunet Laurence
Published: May 2018

Le droit français a posé des limites temporelles au désir des hommes infertiles de devenir père en recourant aux nouvelles techniques de procréation : il faut être vivant et en âge de procréer. La première limite ne prête pas à discussion, la seconde est beaucoup plus délicate à définir. Pourtant l’une comme l’autre sont aujourd’hui mises à l’épreuve. Trois configurations particulières permettent de le montrer, dans lesquelles l’incertitude sur les seuils légaux résulte de l’interprétation extensive ou dérogatoire qu’en font des juges ou bien d’une incohérence inhérente à la réglementation elle-même. Dans les trois hypothèses étudiées dans cet article, des paillettes de sperme congelé restaient à disposition alors même que l’homme était soit décédé, soit en fin de vie, soit d’un âge avancé.
Entre honte et culpabilité, la capacité d’être seule de la mère en présence de son enfant
Authors: Villecourt-Couchat Isabelle , Scotto di Vettimo Delphine
Published: May 2018

L’article s’appuie sur la recherche-action d’une psychologue exerçant en crèche à propos de la capacité d’être seule de la mère en présence de son enfant. La mise en lien des concepts de solitude, honte et culpabilité avec les processus de la maternalité, en situation clinique, dans ce lieu d’accueil, permet d’analyser les situations traumatisantes vécues par quelques mères fragilisées et de faciliter leur passage à leur nouvelle identité maternelle. En interrogeant autrement la honte, souvent considérée dans son versant déficitaire, on s’aperçoit qu’elle peut avoir une fonction bénéfique et salvatrice et permettre à la mère de se reconnaître comme sujet-mère. Le « moi maternel » transformé peut alors intégrer la solitude comme une instance de reconstruction et de subjectivation.
« Ce sont ceux qui en parlent le plus qui en font le moins ». Pratiques et normes de solidarité familiale chez les femmes et les hommes dans la France contemporaine
Authors: Le Pape Marie-Clémence , Tenret Élise , Véron Bérangère , Pietropaoli Karine , Duru-Bellat Marie
Published: May 2018

Cet article s’intéresse aux normes d’entraide (vis-à-vis des ascendant·e·s et des descendant·e·s), mesurées à partir des réponses issues de trois enquêtes menées sur des échantillons représentatifs de la population. Il décrit les différences entre les femmes et les hommes – que celles et ceux-ci soient concernés ou non par les activités du care – ainsi que l’hétérogénéité des situations observée pour chaque sexe. La première partie traite des différences normatives entre les femmes et les hommes, et met en évidence des attentes plus fortes des hommes en matière d’entraide familiale, notamment en ce qui concerne l’aide aux ascendant·e·s. La seconde partie montre que ces attentes sont liées au fait que ces derniers sont moins impliqués dans les contraintes matérielles et quotidiennes de l’aide familiale, mais également à leur attachement plus fort au caractère statutaire des relations familiales.
Non-paternalistic Benevolence, Consumption Externalities and the Liberal Social Contract
Authors: Mercier Ythier Jean
Published: May 2018

On étudie la régulation des externalités de consommation par le contrat social libéral. Les contrats sociaux libéraux de premier rang redistribuent la richesse privée et fixent le niveau de production des biens publics afin de réaliser une allocation des ressources Pareto-efficace unanimement préférée à une situation initiale hypothétique. Cette situation initiale est caractérisée notamment comme une situation de communication parfaite. Nous montrons que les fonctionnelles de bien-être social qui agrègent les préférences sociales des individus sous la forme d’une solution coopérative de Nash généralisée soutiennent le contrat social libéral si elles vérifient l’hypothèse de bienveillance non-tutélaire, c’est à dire si les fonctions de bien-être social induites sont strictement croissantes par rapport au bien-être privé de chaque individu. Cette propriété de soutenabilité implique l’existence d’un contrat social libéral comme simple corollaire. On interprète également le contrat social libéral comme un cas d’application des normes d’action communicative d’Habermas à l’allocation des ressources rares par le marché et le budget de l’État.
La critique génétique et l’herméneutique ricœurienne
Authors: Picardi Roberta
Published: May 2018

L’article envisage le rapport entre la génétique textuelle et l’œuvre de Ricœur dans une double perspective. D’une part, il s’agit de mettre à jour les convergences et les divergences entre la critique génétique et l’herméneutique ricœurienne du texte : si le principal point d’intersection réside dans l’identification entre écriture et création, les divergences relèvent par contre de la différence des notions de texte, sur lesquelles Ricœur et la critique génétique s’appuient ; d’autre part, l’article se concentre sur les spécificités de l’œuvre de Ricœur du point de vue génétique : la marque distinctive de l’écriture philosophique de Ricœur est à cerner dans l’ancrage de la rédaction dans un travail extraordinaire de documentation prérédactionnelle ; ce style d’écriture réfléchit à son tour la « voie longue » qui constitue notamment le trait distinctif de l’herméneutique ricœurienne par rapport à celle de Gadamer.