bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CD33 (Siglec-3) Inhibitory Function: Role in the NKG2D/DAP10 Activating Pathway
Authors: Hernández-Caselles Trinidad , Miguel Rubén Corral-San , Ruiz-Alcaraz Antonio José , García-Peñarrubia Pilar
Published: April 2019

CD33 (siglec-3), a well-known target in leukemia therapy, is an inhibitory sialoadhesin expressed in human leukocytes of the myeloid lineage and some lymphoid subsets, including NK cells. It may constitute a control mechanism of the innate immune system; nevertheless, its role as an inhibitory receptor remains elusive. Using human NK cells as a cellular model, we analyzed CD33 inhibitory function upon different activating receptors. In high-cytotoxicity NKL cells, CD33 displayed a prominent inhibition on cytotoxicity triggered by the activating receptors NKG2D and, in a lower extent, 2B4, whereas it did not inhibit NKp46-induced cytotoxicity. NKp46 was partially inhibited by CD33 only when low-cytotoxicity NKL cells were tested. CD33 triggering did not inhibit IFN-γsecretion, contrasting with ILT-2 and CD94/NKG2A inhibitory receptors that inhibited cytotoxicity and IFN-γsecretion induced by all activating receptors tested. CD33-mediated inhibition of NKG2D-induced triggering involved Vav1 dephosphorylation. Our results support the role of CD33 as an inhibitory receptor preferentially regulating the NKG2D/DAP10 cytotoxic signaling pathway, which could be involved in self-tolerance and tumor and infected cell recognition.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Nordic Walking Training in Improving the Gait of Persons with Down Syndrome
Authors: Skiba Agnieszka , Marchewka Jakub , Skiba Amadeusz , Podsiadło Szymon , Sulowska Iwona , Chwała Wiesław , Marchewka Anna
Published: April 2019

People with Down syndrome (DS) show dysfunction of gait, expressed by disturbed character of angular changes and values of the spatiotemporal parameters as compared to the physiological norm. It is known that exercises and various activities have positive effect on balance and gait, but there are only a few scientific proofs concerning above-mentioned in people with DS. Furthermore, the effect of Nordic Walking (NW) training on gait in people with DS is unexplored. We enrolled 22 subjects with DS, aged 25-40 years, with moderate intellectual disability. Participants were randomly divided into 2 groups: NW training group which underwent 10 weeks of training at a frequency of 3 times a week and control group with no specific intervention. Subjects were examined twice: 1 week before training and a week immediately after intervention. Gait was evaluated by the Vicon 250: a computerized system of three-dimensional analysis of motion, connected to 5 infrared video cameras. We conducted mixed-design ANOVA model to assess the effects of time and type of training on spatiotemporal parameters. We found significant favorable time by group interaction in the following parameters: step length in right leg: F(1,15) =14,47, p=0.002; left leg accordingly F(1,15) =5,15, p=0.038, cycle length in right leg: F(1,15) =14,48, p=0.002; left leg accordingly F(1,15) =15,09, p=0.001; and gait standardised speed F(1,15) =5,35, p=0.035. Statistically significant changes were observed in numerous kinematic parameters of ankle, knee, pelvis, and shoulder in NW group. Regular NW training has positive influence on selected spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters in people with Down Syndrome and may be an attractive and safe form of rehabilitation.
Improving the Color Stability of Naturally Colored Silk by Cross-Linking the Sericin with Phytic Acid
Authors: Ma Mingbo , Ayaz Pirah , Jin Wanhui , Zhou Wenlong
Published: April 2019

The color of naturally colored silk (NCS) fades easily during home washing due to the loss of pigment accompanied by dissolution of the sericin. In this study, phytic acid was used to cross-link the sericin of NCS and reduce its solubility, aiming at improving the color fastness of NCS to repeated washing. It was found that the sericin-fixing effect increased as the concentration of phytic acid to 1.0 wt% and the cross-linking time to 5 h increased and then reached a constant level. Cross-linking at pH 7.0-8.5 and temperature 30-40°C could obtain relatively good sericin-fixing effects. The cross-linked NCS showed low sericin loss during the degumming and had much better color fastness to repeated washing as compared with the samples before cross-linking. The cross-linking method proposed in this study may be not only a kind of solution for improving the color fastness of NCS with high practicality but also an alternative for cross-linking sericin-based materials in the biomedical field.
A Method of Modal Parameter Identification for Wind Turbine Blade Based on Binocular Dynamic Photogrammetry
Authors: Wang Wenyun , Li Xuejun , Chen Anhua
Published: April 2019

The identification of operational modal parameters of a wind turbine blade is fundamental for online damage detection. In this paper, we use binocular photogrammetry technology instead of traditional contact sensors to measure the vibration of blade and apply the advanced stochastic system identification technique to identify the blade modal frequencies automatically when only output data are available. Image feature extraction and target point tracking (PT) are carried out to acquire the displacement of labeled targets on the wind turbine blade. The vibration responses of the target points are obtained. The data‐driven stochastic subspace identification (SSI‐Data) method based on the Kalman filter prediction sequence is explored to extract modal parameters from vibration response under unknown excitation. Hankel matrixes are reconstructed with different dimensions, so different modal parameters are produced. Similarity of these modal parameters is compared and used to cluster modes into groups. Under appropriate tolerance thresholds, spurious modes can be eliminated. Experiment results show that good effects and stable accuracy can also be achieved with the presented photogrammetry vibration measurement and automatic modal identification algorithm.
On the Resolution of an Inverse Problem by Shape Optimization Techniques
Authors: Timimoun Chahnaz Zakia
Published: April 2019

In this work, we want to detect the shape and the location of an inclusion ω via some boundary measurement on ∂Ω. In practice, the body ω is immersed in a fluid flowing in a greater domain Ω and governed by the Stokes equations. We study the inverse problem of reconstructing ω using shape optimization methods by defining the Kohn-Vogelius cost functional. We aim to study the inverse problem with Neumann and mixed boundary conditions.
Flows on Classes of Regular Semigroups and Cauchy Categories
Authors: Wazzan Suha Ahmed
Published: April 2019

We consider the structure of the flow monoid for some classes of regular semigroups (which are special case of flows on categories) and for Cauchy categories. In detail, we characterize flows for Rees matrix semigroups, rectangular bands, and full transformation semigroups and also describe the Cauchy categories for some classes of regular semigroups such as completely simple semigroups, Brandt semigroups, and rectangular bands. In fact, we obtain a general structure for the flow monoids on Cauchy categories.
A Shot That Hits the Tumor: Incidental Finding of Early Colon Cancer in a Gunshot Wound Specimen—The Role of Pathologic Examination
Authors: Soleimani Neda , Pakbaz Sara
Published: April 2019

This report presents incidental finding of early colorectal cancer in an adult patient with gunshot injury. The patient was a 41 y/o man, transferred to our center due to gunshot wound to his abdomen and back. A well differentiated adenocarcinoma, stage I, was incidentally identified during pathologic examination on his segmental proctectomy specimen. This singular case highlights the necessity of caring for all removed tissues, indicating how important they are for both clinicians and pathologists.
An Optimization Method for the Main Influence Factors on the Performance of Aerostatic Spindle
Authors: Chen Dongju , Zhao You , Pan Ri , Fan Jinwei
Published: April 2019

This paper proposes a novel optimization method to improve the performance of aerostatic spindle. The optimization process is based on the main factors affecting the load and stiffness of aerostatic spindle, which are determined by cross‐correlation analysis. The maximum values of load capacity and stiffness are obtained from the relationship between the optimization function and the main influence factors. After optimization, the corresponding natural frequency has been improved, which indicates that the optimization method proposed in this paper is more efficient and reliable in the field of precision machining. The results will enforce the industrial application of aerostatic spindle system.
Machine Learning Readmission Risk Modeling: A Pediatric Case Study
Authors: Wolff Patricio , Graña Manuel , Ríos Sebastián A. , Yarza Maria Begoña
Published: April 2019

Background. Hospital readmission prediction in pediatric hospitals has received little attention. Studies have focused on the readmission frequency analysis stratified by disease and demographic/geographic characteristics but there are no predictive modeling approaches, which may be useful to identify preventable readmissions that constitute a major portion of the cost attributed to readmissions.Objective. To assess the all-cause readmission predictive performance achieved by machine learning techniques in the emergency department of a pediatric hospital in Santiago, Chile.Materials. An all-cause admissions dataset has been collected along six consecutive years in a pediatric hospital in Santiago, Chile. The variables collected are the same used for the determination of the child’s treatment administrative cost.Methods. Retrospective predictive analysis of 30-day readmission was formulated as a binary classification problem. We report classification results achieved with various model building approaches after data curation and preprocessing for correction of class imbalance. We compute repeated cross-validation (RCV) with decreasing number of folders to assess performance and sensitivity to effect of imbalance in the test set and training set size.Results. Increase in recall due to SMOTE class imbalance correction is large and statistically significant. The Naive Bayes (NB) approach achieves the best AUC (0.65); however the shallow multilayer perceptron has the best PPV and f-score (5.6 and 10.2, resp.). The NB and support vector machines (SVM) give comparable results if we consider AUC, PPV, and f-score ranking for all RCV experiments. High recall of deep multilayer perceptron is due to high false positive ratio. There is no detectable effect of the number of folds in the RCV on the predictive performance of the algorithms.Conclusions. We recommend the use of Naive Bayes (NB) with Gaussian distribution model as the most robust modeling approach for pediatric readmission prediction, achieving the best results across all training dataset sizes. The results show that the approach could be applied to detect preventable readmissions.
Pricing Chinese Convertible Bonds with Default Intensity by Monte Carlo Method
Authors: Luo Xin , Zhang Jinlin
Published: April 2019

This article proposes a new way to price Chinese convertible bonds by the Longstaff-Schwartz Least Squares Monte Carlo simulation. The default intensity and the volatility are the two important parameters, which are difficultly obtained in the emerging market, in pricing convertible bonds. By developing the Merton theory, we find a new effective method to get the theoretical value of the two parameters. In the pricing method, the default risk is described by the default intensity, and a default on a bond is triggered by the bottom Q(T) (default probability) percentile of the simulated stock prices at the maturity date. In the present simulation, a risk-free interest rate is used to discount the cash flows. So, the new pricing model is considered to tally with the general pricing rule under martingale measure. The empirical results of the CEB and the XIG convertible bonds by the proposed method are compared with those obtained by the credit spreads method. It is also found that the theoretical prices calculated by the method proposed in the article fit the market prices well, especially, in the long run tendency.
Strong Law of Large Numbers of Pettis-Integrable Multifunctions
Authors: Oulghazi Hamid , Ezzaki Fatima
Published: April 2019

Using reversed martingale techniques, we prove the strong law of large numbres for independent Pettis-integrable multifunctions with convex weakly compact values in a Banach space. The Mosco convergence of reversed Pettis-integrable martingale of the form (EBnX)n≥1, where (Bn)n≥1 is a decreasing sequence of the sub σ-algebra of F is provided.
Distinct Effects of Carrageenan and High-Fat Consumption on the Mechanisms of Insulin Resistance in Nonobese and Obese Models of Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Bhattacharyya Sumit , Feferman Leo , Tobacman Joanne K.
Published: April 2019

Exposure to low concentration of the common food additive carrageenan (10 mg/L) for only six days led to glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in the C57BL/6J mouse. Longer exposure produced fasting hyperglycemia but with no increase in weight, in contrast to the HFD. Glucose intolerance was attributable to carrageenan-induced inflammation and to increased expression of GRB10. Both HFD and carrageenan increased p(Ser32)-IκBαand p(Ser307)-IRS1, and the increases were greater following the combined exposure. The effects of carrageenan were inhibited by the combination of the free radical inhibitor Tempol and BCL10 siRNA, which had no impact on the HFD-mediated increase. In contrast, the PKC inhibitor sotrastaurin blocked the HFD-induced increases, without an effect on the carrageenan-mediated effects. HFD had no impact on the expression of GRB10. Both carrageenan and high fat increased hepatic infiltration by F4/80-positive macrophages. Serum galectin-3 and galectin-3 binding to the insulin receptor increased by carrageenan and by HFD. Tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor declined following either exposure and was further reduced by their combination. Carrageenan reduced the activity of the enzyme N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulfatase (ARSB; arylsulfatase B), which was unchanged following HFD. Dietary exposure to both high fat and carrageenan can impair insulin signaling through both similar and distinct mechanisms.
Lulling the Cancer Cell into an Eternal Sleep
Authors: Farrington Caroline C. , Narla Goutham
Published: April 2019

A hallmark of metastasis is the ability of cancer cells to undergo the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition to invade and disseminate to distal sites. More recently, the case has been made that the critical last step in metastasis is dependent on the ability to undergo reversion to an epithelial phenotype in a process known as the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET). It is this transition in the metastatic cascade that researchers are focusing on clinically to treat disseminated disease. Shinde and colleagues identified spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) as a critical mediator of MET that facilitated the removal of P-bodies during autophagy. Remarkably, pharmacologic inhibition of SYK inhibited the clearance of P-bodies and autophagy in preclinical models of metastasis, arresting cancer cells in an indefinite dormant state and preventing tumor cell colonization and thus the establishment of aggressive metastatic disease.

See related article by Shinde et al., p. 1831
Detection of NRG1 Gene Fusions in Solid Tumors
Authors: Jonna Sushma , Feldman Rebecca A. , Swensen Jeffrey , Gatalica Zoran , Korn Wolfgang M. , Borghaei Hossein , Ma Patrick C. , Nieva Jorge J. , Spira Alexander I. , Vanderwalde Ari M. , Wozniak Antoinette J. , Kim Edward S. , Liu Stephen V.
Published: April 2019

Purpose:

NRG1 gene fusions are rare but potentially actionable oncogenic drivers that are present in some solid tumors. Details regarding the incidence of these gene rearrangements are lacking. Here, we assessed the incidence of NRG1 fusions across multiple tumor types and described fusion partners.

Experimental Design:

Tumor specimens submitted for molecular profiling at a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)–certified genomics laboratory and that underwent fusion testing by anchored multiplex PCR for targeted RNA sequencing were retrospectively identified. The overall and tumor-specific incidence was noted, as was the specific fusion partner.

Results:

Out of 21,858 tumor specimens profiled from September 2015 to December 2018, 41 cases (0.2%) harbored an NRG1 fusion. Multiple fusion partners were identified. Fusion events were seen across tumor types. The greatest incidence was in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, 25), though this represented only 0.3% of NSCLC cases tested. Other tumor types harboring an NRG1 fusion included gallbladder cancer, renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, neuroendocrine tumor, sarcoma, and colorectal cancer.

Conclusions:

NRG1 fusions can be detected at a low incidence across multiple tumor types with significant heterogeneity in fusion partner.

See related commentary by Dimou and Camidge, p. 4865
GATAD2B Gene Microdeletion Causing Intellectual Disability Autosomal Dominant Type 18: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Trubnykova Milana , Bazalar Montoya Jeny , La Serna-Infantes Jorge , Vásquez Sotomayor Flor , Castro Mujica María del Carmen , Abarca Barriga Hugo Hernán
Published: April 2019

Pathogenic variants of the GATAD2B gene (1q21.3) are linked to intellectual disability autosomal dominant type 18 (MRD18; MIM 615074), characterized by dysmorphic features, psychomotor and language delay. We present an 11-year-old female patient with intellectual disability and typical clinical characteristics of MRD18. Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) revealed a novel CNV, approximately 200 kb in size and showed that the INTS3 and SLC27A3 genes are completely deleted along with the first 10 exons of the GATAD2B gene. INTS3 encodes the integrator complex subunit 3 and is part of the complex that maintains genome stability; SLC27A3 encodes a fatty acid transporter and has been associated with autism spectrum disorder. GATAD2B haploinsufficiency is associated with the phenotype. Furthermore, the girl had other clinical characteristics not previously described, such as emotional instability, calf hypotrophy, hypoplastic digit pads, tapered thumbs, and anterior earlobe crease. This study highlights the importance of the phenotype-genotype correlation using molecular diagnostic techniques, such as CMA, and its impact on precise diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and genetic counseling for patients and their families.
Mortality Outcomes With Intensive Blood Pressure Targets in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients
Authors: Aggarwal Rahul , Petrie Benjamin , Bala Wasif , Chiu Nicholas
Published: April 2019

Hypertension is highly prevalent and morbid in the chronic kidney disease population, and blood pressure (BP) targets for this population are unclear. We aimed to compare all-cause mortality outcomes with intensively targeting systolic BP to <130 mm Hg versus a standard of <140 mm Hg. Individual patient data from 4983 chronic kidney disease patients with hypertension were pooled from 4 multicenter randomized control trials—AASK (African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension), ACCORD (Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes), MDRD (Modification of Diet in Renal Disease), and the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial). Patients were assigned their trial-assigned randomized intervention group—standard (n=2474) versus intensive (n=2509) BP targets. Additional analyses included excluding patients with a glomerular filtration rate ≥60 mL/min per 1.73 m
2
along with those undergoing intensive glycemic control. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Average achieved BP was 125.0 mm Hg in the intensive group and 136.9 mm Hg in the standard group. In the primary analysis, the all-cause mortality rate trended towards improved outcomes with intensive treatment but was not statistically significant (hazard ratio: 0.87 [0.69–1.08];
P
=0.21). One hundred seventy-three of 2474 patients (1.95% per year) in the standard group and 153 of 2509 patients (1.71% per year) in the intensive group died. After excluding patients with higher glomerular filtration rate values and those undergoing intensive glycemic control, there was a statistically significant decrease in all-cause mortality rate (hazard ratio: 0.79 [0.63–1.00];
P
=0.048). An intensive BP target of <130 mm Hg decreases all-cause mortality when compared with a standard target of <140 mm Hg in patients with chronic kidney disease stage 3 or greater who are not undergoing intensive glycemic therapy.
Time‐ and Dose‐Dependent Association of Statin Use With Risk of Clinically Relevant New‐Onset Diabetes Mellitus in Primary Prevention: A Nationwide Observational Cohort Study
Authors: Ko Min Jung , Jo Ae Jeong , Kim Yun Jung , Kang Shin Hee , Cho Songhee , Jo Sang‐Ho , Park Cheol‐Young , Yun Sung‐Cheol , Lee Woo Je , Park Duk‐Woo
Published: April 2019

Background

Given that statins are increasingly being used for primary‐prevention, the public concerns regarding the risk of new‐onset diabetes mellitus associated with statin use may be an issue.

Methods and Results

Using healthcare data from the national health insurance examinees, our study comprised a cohort of adults aged ≥40 years with hypercholesterolemia who would be eligible for statin therapy for primary prevention from 2005 to 2012. The primary outcome was the occurrence of clinically relevant new‐onset diabetes mellitus requiring medical therapy. Among 2 162 119 adults with hypercholesterolemia who might be eligible for statin therapy, 638 625 (29.5%) ever used statins and 1 523 494 (70.5%) never used statins. In the propensity‐matched cohort of 518 491 pairs, during mean follow‐up of 3.9 years, being an ever‐user of statin was significantly associated with diabetes mellitus risk compared with being a never‐user of statin (13.4 versus 6.9 per 1000 person‐years; adjusted hazard ratio [
HR
], 1.88; 95%
CI
, 1.85–1.93). With increasing duration of statin use, the risk of diabetes mellitus was proportionally increased (
HR
1.25 <1 year,
HR
2.22 for 1–2 years, and
HR
2.62 >2 years). An excess risk of diabetes mellitus was also associated with a higher intensity (
HR
1.75 for low‐to‐moderate potency and
HR
2.31 for high potency) and a cumulative dosing of statin (
HR
1.06 for low‐tertile,
HR
1.74 for middle‐tertile, and
HR
2.52 for high‐tertile of defined‐daily‐disease).

Conclusions

In patients receiving statin therapy for primary prevention, there was a time‐ and dose‐dependent association of statin use with an increasing risk of new‐onset diabetes mellitus.
Observations on the biology of Afrotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera) principally from Kenya. Part 4. Hesperiinae: Aeromachini and Baorini
Authors: COCK MATTHEW J. W. , CONGDON T. COLIN E.
Published: April 2019

Partial life histories for two Afrotropical Aeromachini and seven Afrotropical Baorini (Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae) are described and illustrated: Ampittia capenas (Hewitson), A. kilombero Larsen & Congdon, Zenonia zeno (Trimen), Pelopidas mathias mathias (Fabricius), P. thrax (Hübner), Borbo borbonica borbonica (Boisduval), B. fatuellus fatuellus (Hopffer), B. lugens (Hopffer) and Gegenes niso brevicornis (Plötz).  Distinctive features of the pupa of Ampittia spp. (Aeromachini) are noted.  Amongst Baorini, the pupae of Pelopidas spp., Borbo spp., Gegenes spp. and Zenonia spp. are all similar, being elongate, green, with a frontal spike, while the pupae of Parnara spp. are brown, rounded, and have no frontal spike.  We hypothesise that the pupae of the first four genera reflect a common need for camouflage in an open or partially open shelter made from a single leaf of grass, while the pupa of Parnara spp. are formed in a closed shelter using several leaves as needed.  This may also explain the similarity of the camouflaged pupae to those of many other genera in other tribes, which also feed on grasses, palms etc., and pupate in partially or completely open situations.
A new ectoparasitic Aulacothrips (Thysanoptera: Heterothripidae) from Amazon rainforest and the significance of variation in antennal sensoria
Authors: CAVALLERI ADRIANO , KAMINSKI LUCAS A. , MENDONÇA JR. MILTON S.
Published: April 2019

Aulacothrips amazonicus sp.n. is described from Northern Brazil, with larvae and adults ectoparasitic on ant-tended Membracidae (Hemiptera) on Solanum shrubs. This new taxon differs from its congeners by (i) body distinctively paler; (ii) sensoria on antennal segments III & IV much less convoluted; (iii) male tergite IX posterior margin straight and with several long and stout setae. The possible biological significance of interspecific differences in antennal sensoria among Aulacothrips species is discussed.
Trichobothrial morphology of Theraphosidae and Barychelidae spiders (Araneae, Mygalomorphae)
Authors: GUADANUCCI JOSÉ PAULO LEITE
Published: April 2019

Clavate trichobothria are present on tarsi of all Theraphosidae and some Barychelidae spiders. They are also here reportedon the tibiae of some theraphosids. A comparative analysis of their occurrence is presented. Representatives of allsubfamilies of Barychelidae and Theraphosidae were studied. The following morphological patterns were recognized:filiform, thickened, and clavate. The surface of these trichobothria can be plumose or non-plumose. Five patterns in thedisposition of clavate trichobothria on tarsi, were recognized: 1—two parallel rows; 2—two diverging rows; 3—onenarrow, long median row; 4—one wide central row, intermixed with short covering setae; 5—a short row, restricted to thedistal half of the tarsus. The disposition of trichobothria on tibiae did not differ among the taxa examined, except for thoseon lateral surfaces, where they can form a row or be grouped. Some patterns of morphology and distribution can be usedas diagnoses of subfamilies and genera (e.g., Aviculariinae, Ischnocolus, Heterothele). The significance of such patterns in systematics is discussed and the usage in phylogeny is proposed.
Liopropoma randalli, a new serranid (Teleostei: Perciformes) fish from the Indian Ocean
Authors: AKHILESH K. V. , BINEESH K. K. , WHITE WILLIAM T.
Published: April 2019

A new serranid fish, Liopropoma randalli n. sp. is described from four specimens collected from the Indian Ocean offsouthwestern India and eastern Indonesia. It differs from all other species in the genus in its striking color pattern, a broadblack band from behind the eye to the caudal peduncle, semicircular dark-brown to black spots that cover the pink to red-dish body, and a combination of the following characters: 46 to 49 lateral line scales; 1–2 (4 as rudiments) + 12–13 (4–5as rudiments) gill rakers on the first arch (total 17–19); longest dorsal soft ray 2.1–2.3 in head length; 1st anal-fin spine10.4–12.2 in head length; 2nd anal-fin spine 4.4–4.9 in head length; pelvic fin relatively short, 5.1–5.7 in SL; and body depth 3.2–3.6 in SL.
Description of the tadpole of Hylarana darlingi Boulenger 1902 (Anura: Ranidae) from the Mulanje Area, Malawi
Authors: CONRADIE WERNER , TWEDDLE DENIS , MÄKINEN TUULI , BILLS ROGER
Published: April 2019

The generic placement of the African Hylarana is still under debate (Frost 2011). We follow the latest taxonomy (Frost 2011) and refer to the genus as Hylarana. Of the eleven African species, only H. darlingi and H. galamensis have been recorded from Malawi (Mercurio 2011). We report the second confirmed record of H. darlingi in Malawi. Tadpoles of African Hylarana species are poorly known: descriptions are available for H. lemairei (Schmidt & Inger 1959; Channing 2001), H. albolabris (Channing & Howell 2006) and H. galamensis (Rödel 2000; Channing & Howell 2006; Du Preez & Carruthers 2009).
An overlooked earlier name for the bird blow fly genus Protocalliphora Hough (Diptera: Calliphoridae)
Authors: EVENHUIS NEAL L.
Published: April 2019

Protocalliphora, a genus-group name of calliphorid flies proposed by Hough (1899) is a well-known blood-feeding obligate parasite of a number of species of birds throughout the Nearctic and Palaearctic Regions where the larvae attack young birds in their nests sometimes causing death. An excellent comprehensive work on the taxonomy and biologies of the species of the genus was published by Sabrosky et al. (1989). Their work treated 26 species in the genus and gave records of more than 140 species of birds recorded as hosts.
Amnestus raunoi J. A. Lis, the only representative of the Amnestinae in the Old World: a synonym of Amnestus pusillus Uhler (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Cydnidae)
Authors: MARTINEZ CRISTINA MAYORGA , PEREDO LUIS CERVANTES , LIS JERZY A.
Published: April 2019

The genus Amnestus was described by Dallas in 1851, as a New World genus, and it was ratified by Froeschner (1960) in his revision for the Western Hemisphere Cydnidae.
Eriophyoid mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Eriophyoidea) on palms (Arecaceae) from the Brazilian Amazon: a new genus and four new species
Authors: REIS ALEUNY C. , GONDIM JR. MANOEL G. C. , NAVIA DENISE , FLECHTMANN CARLOS H. W.
Published: April 2019

A new genus and four new species of eriophyoid mites associated with native palm trees (Arecaceae) are described andillustrated from the Brazilian Amazon in the State of Roraima, Brazil. They include a new genus and two new species inthe family Eriophyidae, namely, Reginesus n. gen. et macuxi n. sp. from Bactris aff. maraja Mart. and Nasuchus socratean. sp. from Socratea exorrhiza (Mart.) H. Wendl. and Bactris gasipaes Kunth. Two new species were also described inthe family Phytoptidae: Propilus bactris n. sp. from Bactris maraja Mart. and Retracrus pupunha n. sp. from Bactris gasipaes Kunth.
A checklist of the extant species of ophiuroids (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from Brazilian waters
Authors: DE MOURA BARBOZA CARLOS ALBERTO , BORGES MICHELA
Published: April 2019

Species of ophiuroids in Brazilian waters were last compiled over a decade ago. Since that time, there have been manyimportant contributions with additional diversity and species distribution data. An updated review of the number of records isnecessary, as well as an identification of the gaps related to the taxonomy. We list a total of 133 species that belong to 54genera and 16 families. This number corresponds to approximately 6% of the species described worldwide. All families havebeen registered, and the majority of species belongs to the family Amphiuridae (50spp), which have primarily been recoveredduring surveys of the shallow waters of the continental shelf. On the other hand, numerous new records (e.g. species belongingto the families Ophiacanthidae and Ophiuridae) have been registered in recent years from the deeper margins of Brazil. Asophiuroids are an abundant component of the benthic fauna, increasing occupation of coastal areas and the exploration of energy and mineral resources in the deep sea call for a better knowledge about the diversity and biogeography of the group.
Microgobius urraca (Teleostei: Gobiidae), a new species of goby from the tropical eastern Pacific
Authors: TORNABENE LUKE , VAN TASSELL JAMES L. , ROBERTSON D. ROSS
Published: April 2019

A new species of goby in the genus Microgobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae: Gobiosomatini) is described from the Pacific coastof Panama. It is morphologically similar to M. erectus, but differs from that species in possessing fewer lateral scale rows,lacking a patch of ctenoid scales under the pectoral fin, having unpigmented epaxial myosepta, having a distinct oval-shaped dark blotch on the first dorsal fin, and possessing three blue-white stripes on a dark caudal fin. Differences in boththe number and type of scales, dorsal and anal fin ray counts, the poor development of a fleshy dorsal crest, and overallcolor patterns further distinguish this species from the remaining eastern Pacific congeners. Photographs of all Pacific species of Microgobius and a dichotomous key to the Pacific members of the genus are provided.
The Second Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP2): Observational Field Campaign
Authors: Wilczak James M. , Stoelinga Mark , Berg Larry K. , Sharp Justin , Draxl Caroline , McCaffrey Katherine , Banta Robert M. , Bianco Laura , Djalalova Irina , Lundquist Julie K. , Muradyan Paytsar , Choukulkar Aditya , Leo Laura , Bonin Timothy , Pichugina Yelena , Eckman Richard , Long Charles N. , Lantz Kathleen , Worsnop Rochelle P. , Bickford Jim , Bodini Nicola , Chand Duli , Clifton Andrew , Cline Joel , Cook David R. , Fernando Harindra J. S. , Friedrich Katja , Krishnamurthy Raghavendra , Marquis Melinda , McCaa Jim , Olson Joseph B. , Otarola-Bustos Sebastian , Scott George , Shaw William J. , Wharton Sonia , White Allen B.
Published: April 2019

The Second Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP2) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)- and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-funded program, with private-sector and university partners, which aims to improve the accuracy of numerical weather prediction (NWP) model forecasts of wind speed in complex terrain for wind energy applications. A core component of WFIP2 was an 18-month field campaign that took place in the U.S. Pacific Northwest between October 2015 and March 2017. A large suite of instrumentation was deployed in a series of telescoping arrays, ranging from 500 km across to a densely instrumented 2 km × 2 km area similar in size to a high-resolution NWP model grid cell. Observations from these instruments are being used to improve our understanding of the meteorological phenomena that affect wind energy production in complex terrain and to evaluate and improve model physical parameterization schemes. We present several brief case studies using these observations to describe phenomena that are routinely difficult to forecast, including wintertime cold pools, diurnally driven gap flows, and mountain waves/wakes. Observing system and data product improvements developed during WFIP2 are also described.
Verification of Postprocessed Summer Temperature Forecasts at U.K. Sites Using Observed Climate-Based Thresholds
Authors: Sharpe Michael , Stewart Emily
Published: April 2019

The full range of ensemble forecast members, expressed in percentile format, can give additional valuable information to users compared to a deterministic solution. This study contains the first rigorous assessment of the operational U.K. site-specific percentile forecast generated by the Met Office. Maximum meteorological summer daytime temperature forecasts issued between 2014 and 2016 are analyzed using the ranked probability score (RPS), ranked probability skill score (RPSS), categorized mean squared error (MSE), quantile skill score (QSS), and relative economic value (REV). Site-specific observed climatology is used to define the temperature threshold for each category (where applicable) thereby ensuring identical categorical event base rates across all 99 sites considered. Forecast ranges between 6 and 120 h are assessed, with the RPS decomposition indicating no perceivable change in the reliability yet an almost linear decrease with forecast range solely due to a near-linear increase in the resolution. Using the categorized MSE (the deterministic equivalent to the RPS), the probabilistic forecast is shown to possess more skill than its deterministic counterpart and the disparity between these scores increases with the forecast range. This finding is reinforced by a REV assessment; this indicates that the economic value associated with the probabilistic envelope is greater than that associated with the deterministic solution at the majority of cost–loss ratios. The QSS appears to be well correlated with the RPSS (rs = 0.852 at T + 24) and identifies the outlying quantiles of the probabilistic forecast as being the least skillful.
Method of improving large-scale measurement accuracy of laser tracker based on photogrammetry
Authors: Zhang Chengyang , Jing Xishuang , Chen Siyu , Ling Xuanzhe , Zou Jiarong , Zhao Gang
Published: April 2019

Background: When performing the spatial large-scale measurements, the measurement accuracy of laser tracker would decreased with the increase of the measurement distances due to the refraction difference of most optical digital measurement devices. Therefore, this paper proposed a method based on photogrammetry system to improve the large-scale measurement accuracy of the laser tracker. Purpose: The purpose of this method is to improve the large-scale measurement accuracy of the laser tracker by considering the advantages of photogrammetry system such as high measurement accuracy and good portability. Methods: The measurement data from the photogrammetry system would be used as a reference to do correction on measurement results from laser tracker. The coordinate correction method based on Rodrigues’ rotation formula has been discussed. The measurement accuracy of the long-distance point of laser tracker can be significantly improved through the coordinate correction method. Conclusion: Based on the advantages of using photogrammetry system, the proposed method can achieve higher accuracy when measuring the common points at a closer distance than the laser tracker can do when measuring objects far away from instrument. The feasibility of the proposed method has been demonstrated by experiment.
A robust-adaptive linearizing control method for sensorless high precision control of induction motor
Authors: Uyulan Caglar
Published: April 2019

Even if there exists remarkable applications of induction machines in variable speed drives and also in speed sensorless control in the low–high speed region, open/closed loop estimators in the literature utilized on induction machine sensorless position control vary regarding to their accuracies, sensitivity, and robustness with respect to the variation of model parameter. The deterioration of dynamic performance depends on the lack of estimation techniques which provide trustable information on the flux or speed/position over a wide speed range. An effective estimator should handle the high number of parameter and model uncertainties inherent to induction machines and also torque ripple, the compensation of which is crucial for a satisfactory decoupling and linearizing control to provide the accuracy and precision requirements of demanding motion control in the field of robotics/unmanned vehicle. In this study, to address all of the above-mentioned problems, robust-adaptive linearizing schemes for the sensorless position control of induction machines based on high-order sliding modes and robust differentiators to improve performance were designed. The control schemes based on direct vector control and direct torque control are capable of torque ripple attenuation taking both space and current harmonics into account. The simulation results comprise both the estimation and sensorless speed control of induction machines over a wide operation range, especially at low and zero speed, all of which are promising and indicate significant superiority over existing solutions in the literature for the high precision, direct-drive, speed/position sensorless control of squirrel-cage induction machines.
A new optimization-driven path planning method with probabilistic completeness for wheeled mobile robots
Authors: You Bo , Li Zhi , Ding Liang , Gao Haibo , Xu Jiazhong
Published: April 2019

Wheeled mobile robots are widely utilized for environment-exploring tasks both on earth and in space. As a basis for global path planning tasks for wheeled mobile robots, in this study we propose a method for establishing an energy-based cost map. Then, we utilize an improved dual covariant Hamiltonian optimization for motion planning method, to perform point-to-region path planning in energy-based maps. The method is capable of efficiently handling high-dimensional path planning tasks with non-convex cost functions through applying a robust active set algorithm, that is, non-monotone gradient projection algorithm. To solve the problem that the path planning process is locked in weak minima or non-convergence, we propose a randomized variant of the improved dual covariant Hamiltonian optimization for motion planning based on simulated annealing and Hamiltonian Monte Carlo methods. The results of simulations demonstrate that the final paths generated can be time efficient, energy efficient and smooth. And the probabilistic completeness of the method is guaranteed.
An improved constrained dynamic matrix control for temperature in an industrial coke furnace
Authors: Zou Hongbo , Wang Limin
Published: April 2019

In order to derive the feasible control law of the constrained model predictive control scheme, quadratic programming has been introduced as an effective method. It is known that the typical performance index for model predictive control strategies under various constraints can be converted into a standard quadratic programming problem; however, there may be no feasible solutions for the corresponding quadratic programming problem when the working conditions are too bad or constraints are too rigorous, the real-time control law cannot be updated and the system performance may be deteriorated. To cope with such problems, an improved quadratic programming problem in which relaxations are employed to increase the possibility of successful solutions is proposed for the constrained dynamic matrix control approach in this paper. By adopting the introduced relaxations, more degrees of relaxations are provided for the optimization process under the case of over-constrained, such that the control law is easier to yield. Case study on the temperature regulation of the coke furnace demonstrates the validity of the improved quadratic programming structure–based dynamic matrix control strategy. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme yields improved control performance.
‘From my point of view, my wife has recovered’: A qualitative investigation of caregivers’ perceptions of recovery and peer support services for people with bipolar disorder in a Chinese community
Authors: Yuen Winnie WY , Tse Samson , Murray Greg , Davidson Larry
Published: April 2019

Background:

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic mental disorder, and family members play a key role in taking care of the affected individuals. The recovery movement has gradually transformed mental health services, for example, through the introduction of peer support services (sharing of expert-by-experience knowledge), and it has challenged the prevailing view that people with mental illness cannot recover.

Aims:

Through this study, the researchers explored how family caregivers in a Chinese context conceptualise recovery, how caregivers interact with peer support workers (PSWs) and how they perceive peer support services.

Methods:

Fourteen family caregivers from community settings participated in individual semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed through thematic analysis.

Results:

Family caregivers had multifaceted definitions of recovery and had various degrees of contact with PSWs. The views and experiences shared by PSWs were hope-instilling for caregivers and changed their perception of BD and their loved ones. Some limitations of PSWs were also identified.

Conclusion:

Social connectedness and functional outcomes were important indicators of recovery among Chinese family caregivers. Caregivers began to understand the benefits of PSWs after experiencing their services. Peer-led services could be a helpful support for both service users and family caregivers.
In the Service of Science: Veteran-Led Research in the Investigation of a Theatre-Based Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatment
Authors: Ali Alisha , Wolfert Stephan , Homer Bruce D.
Published: April 2019

Research data have consistently shown that military veterans are more likely than the general U.S. population to experience mental health problems, as well as homelessness and unemployment. Additionally, data show exceptionally high attrition rates from mainstream mental health treatments for veterans. While several emerging, alternative programs have great potential to support veterans in dealing with trauma and with the transition to civilian life, there is a paucity of research documenting the effectiveness of these programs. This lack of data prevails partly because of biases within the scientific community, which remains largely ignorant of the pervasive difficulties confronting veterans. Our antidote to this problem is a model of veteran-led research. In this article, we outline a set of principles of veteran-led research that we have developed through our ongoing empirical investigation of the DE-CRUIT treatment program, which uses theatre to address traumatic stress and related problems encountered by veterans. We describe the challenges involved in prioritizing the veteran perspective in conducting research within a mainstream scientific context as well as ways of meeting these challenges in order to use the tools of science to better serve our nation’s veterans.
Migrant labour and low-quality work: A persistent relationship
Authors: Wright Chris F , Clibborn Stephen
Published: April 2019

The marginalisation of migrants at work, especially those in industries and occupations characterised by low wages and low-skilled jobs, is a critical issue for scholarship, policy and practice. While the bulk of migration-related research and theory comes from other disciplines, the insights of employment relations perspectives are particularly valuable in explaining why vulnerability to marginalisation and mistreatment is so persistent for these groups of migrants. We explore this issue by reviewing the reasons why migrant workers, especially newly arrived and temporary migrants, are more vulnerable than other groups of workers, examining worker-focused, employer-focused and state-focused scholarship on this issue. After providing an overview of the articles published in the Journal of Industrial Relations special issue on ‘Migration and Work’, which relate to the theme of the persistent relationship between migrant labour and low-quality work, this introductory article uses insights drawn from our review to propose an agenda for future research.
Simulation of Quality Death Spirals based on Human Resources Dynamics
Authors: Alizadeh-Zoeram Ali , Pooya Alireza , Naji-Azimi Zahra , Vafaee-Najar Ali
Published: April 2019

Although the hospital managers always try to improve the quality of the medical services, sometimes their efforts might affect reversely and push the system in what is so commonly called as “the death spirals of quality.” The most important reason of falling into these spirals is the lack of a systemic thought that considers the feedback relationships between the numerous effective variables in the system performance, such as human resources service capacity. In this regard, the purpose of the present research is to design and simulate a dynamic human resources service capacity–based model to demonstrate the death spirals of quality phenomenon based on the service time per service and the possibility of error generation along with identifying the policies to cope with them. The system dynamics simulation approach is used to show the dynamics of the capacity of service from the standpoint of human resources. A model is simulated for the services of a hospital clinic as a case study. The simulation results of the designed dynamic model express that applying the desired policies for the case study can provide a good basis for fighting these spirals in a dynamic situation.