bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards Agile Scalability Engineering
Authors: Brataas Gunnar , Hanssen Geir Kjetil , Ræder Georg
Published: May 2018

Scalability engineering is currently not well integrated into agile development techniques. This paper extends agile development techniques so that scalability can be handled in an incremental and iterative development process. By scalability we mean the ability of a system to handle increasing workload. We propose the ScrumScale Method which includes scalability engineering in Scrum. This extension should also be applicable to other agile techniques. For scalability testing, we indicate how quality thresholds should be scaled up or down according to the degree of completeness of the product, test hardware, test software, test data and test workload. Using action research, we have conducted three pilots in three Norwegian software organizations. These three pilots have different architectures and operate in different markets yet have in common scalability challenges.
Automated Acceptance Tests as Software Requirements: An Experiment to Compare the Applicability of Fit Tables and Gherkin Language
Authors: dos Santos Ernani César , Vilain Patrícia
Published: May 2018

It is estimated that 85% of the defects in the developed software are originated from ambiguous, incomplete and wishful thinking software requirements. Natural language is often used to write software requirements specifications as well as user requirements. However, natural language specifications can be confusing and hard to understand. Some agile methodologists consider that acceptance tests are more precise and accurate sources of information about the customer’s needs than descriptions in natural language. Several studies have addressed the use of acceptance tests as software requirements specification. Therefore, none of the previous studies has performed experiments to compare the applicability of different acceptance testing techniques in order to support an organization in the selection of one technique over another. This paper addresses this problem reporting an experiment conducted with undergraduate students in Computer Science. This experiment compares the applicability of two acceptance testing techniques (Fit tables and Gherkin language) as software requirements specification. This research tries to answer three questions: (a) Which technique is the easiest to learn in order to specify acceptance test scenarios? (b) Which technique requires less effort to specify acceptance tests? (c) Which technique is the best one to communicate software requirements? The results show that there is no sufficient evidence to affirm that one technique is easier to specify test scenarios or better to communicate software requirements. Whereas, the comparison of effort in terms of time to specify acceptance testing shows that the mean time to specify test scenarios using Gherkin language is lower than Fit tables.
Early universe with modified scalar-tensor theory of gravity
Authors: Mandal Ranajit , Sarkar Chandramouli , Sanyal Abhik Kumar
Published: May 2018

Abstract

Scalar-tensor theory of gravity with non-minimal coupling is a fairly good candidate for dark energy, required to explain late-time cosmic evolution. Here we study the very early stage of evolution of the universe with a modified version of the theory, which includes scalar curvature squared term. One of the key aspects of the present study is that, the quantum dynamics of the action under consideration ends up generically with de-Sitter expansion under semiclassical approximation, rather than power-law. This justifies the analysis of inflationary regime with de-Sitter expansion. The other key aspect is that, while studying gravitational perturbation, the perturbed generalized scalar field equation obtained from the perturbed action, when matched with the perturbed form of the background scalar field equation, relates the coupling parameter and the potential exactly in the same manner as the solution of classical field equations does, assuming de-Sitter expansion. The study also reveals that the quantum theory is well behaved, inflationary parameters fall well within the observational limit and quantum perturbation analysis shows that the power-spectrum does not deviate considerably from the standard one obtained from minimally coupled theory.
Wavefront control of laser beam using optically addressed liquid crystal modulator
Authors: Huang Dajie , Fan Wei , Cheng He , Xia Gang , Pei Lili , Li Xuechun , Lin Zunqi
Published: May 2018

An optically addressed liquid crystal modulator for wavefront control of 1053 nm laser beam is reported in this paper. Its working principle, control method and spatial phase modulation capability are mainly introduced. A new method of measuring the relationship between gray level and phase retardation is proposed. The rationality of the curve is further confirmed by designing special experiments. According to the curve, several spatial phase distributions have been realized by this home-made device. The results show that, not only the maximum phase retardation is larger than $2\unicode[STIX]{x03C0}$ for 1053 nm wavelength, but also the control accuracy is high. Compared with the liquid crystal on silicon type spatial light modulator, this kind of modulator has the advantages of generating smooth phase distribution and avoiding the black-matrix effect.
Host community heterogeneity and the expression of host specificity in avian haemosporidia in the Western Cape, South Africa
Authors: Jones Sharon M. , Cumming Graeme S. , Peters Jeffrey L.
Published: May 2018

Similar patterns of parasite prevalence in animal communities may be driven by a range of different mechanisms. The influences of host heterogeneity and host–parasite interactions in host community assemblages are poorly understood. We sampled birds at 27 wetlands in South Africa to compare four hypotheses explaining how host community heterogeneity influences host specificity in avian haemosporidia communities: the host-neutral hypothesis, the super-spreader hypothesis, the host specialist hypothesis and the heterogeneity hypothesis. A total of 289 birds (29%) were infected with Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and/or Leucocytozoon lineages. Leucocytozoon was the most diverse and generalist parasite genus, and Plasmodium the most conservative. The host-neutral and host specialist hypotheses received the most support in explaining prevalence by lineage (Leucocytozoon) and genus (Plasmodium and Haemoproteus), respectively. We observed that haemosporidian prevalence was potentially amplified or reduced with variation in host and/or parasitic taxonomic levels of analysis. Our results show that Leucocytozoon host abundance and diversity was influential to parasite prevalence at varying taxonomic levels, particularly within heterogeneous host communities. Furthermore, we note that prevalent mechanisms of infection can potentially act as distinct roots for shaping communities of avian haemosporidia.
A Spatial, Temporal Complexity Metric for Tactical Air Traffic Control
Authors: Wee Hong Jie , Lye Sun Woh , Pinheiro Jean-Philippe
Published: May 2018

Tactical monitoring and controlling of air traffic is becoming increasingly difficult to manage for Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs) owing to an increasingly complex traffic flow. A dynamic tactical complexity model, herein known as Conflict Activity Level (CAL), has been developed and is presented in this paper. This can be achieved either by establishing an overall score for an entire region or sub-regions of interest as specified by user's input location and time. This is done by evaluating the likely aircraft flight shape profile based on its current and projected position and trajectory. From the flight shape profile, CAL values are computed based on instantaneous existing traffic numbers in the overall region or sub-regions of interest. The proposed complexity approach shows good agreement with other methods in terms of ranking the order of complexity of various air traffic scenarios and the key influencing factors contributing to conflict.
Non-autonomous higher-order Moreau's sweeping process: Well-posedness, stability and Zeno trajectories
Authors: BROGLIATO BERNARD
Published: May 2018

In this article, we study the higher-order Moreau's sweeping process introduced in [1], in the case where an exogenous time-varying functionu(·) is present in both the linear dynamics and in the unilateral constraints. First, we show that the well-posedness results (existence and uniqueness of solutions) obtained in [1] for the autonomous case, extend to the non-autonomous case whenu(·) is smooth and piece-wise analytic, after a suitable state transformation is done. Stability issues are discussed. The complexity of such non-smooth non-autonomous dynamical systems is illustrated in a particular case named the higher-order bouncing ball, where trajectories with accumulations of jumps are exhibited. Examples from mechanics and circuits illustrate some of the results. The link with complementarity dynamical systems and with switching differential-algebraic equations is made.
Symptomatic myocardial bridging: a frequently occurring coronary variation can cause severe myocardial ischaemia in affected children with underlying cardiac conditions
Authors: Kiess Alexandra , Vollroth Marcel , Bakhtiary Farhad , Seki Hiroshi , Kostelka Martin , Djukic Milan , Daehnert Ingo , Wagner Robert
Published: May 2018

Myocardial bridging is a congenital coronary artery anomaly in which the coronary artery has a partly “tunnelled” intramyocardial course. This tunnelling leads to compression of the affected vessel segment during ventricular systole. It is considered to be a benign variation of the norm in about 25% of the population caused by an aberrancy of embryologic coronary development. The bridging is also thought to cause severe cardiac conditions in a few of those affected. The series of six young patients presented here is the largest series so far to report on symptomatic myocardial bridging in children with different underlying heart diseases. All patients recently presented to our centre with signs of myocardial ischaemia. They subsequently underwent coronary angiography, which revealed myocardial bridging of the ramus interventricularis anterior. In all patients, therapy with β blockers was started to reduce heart rate and myocardial contractility. β Blocker treatment was also given in order to prolong diastole and improve coronary artery blood flow. Two patients underwent surgical exposure of the involved coronary segment: a 2-year-old boy because of recurrent, severe myocardial ischaemia in combination with a reduction of general health, changes in ST-segments, and the presence of a dilative cardiomyopathy; and a 13-year-old girl because of evidence of myocardial ischaemia during exercise testing after surviving sudden cardiac death. Surgery was successful and recovery was complete and uneventful. The presented series shows that myocardial bridging can be symptomatic and may require urgent treatment and even surgical intervention in early childhood in rare cases.
Nitrogen and Phosphorus Loads to Temperate Seepage Lakes Associated With Allochthonous Dissolved Organic Carbon Loads
Authors: Corman J. R. , Bertolet B. L. , Casson N. J. , Sebestyen S. D. , Kolka R. K. , Stanley E. H.
Published: May 2018

Terrestrial loads of dissolved organic matter (DOM) have increased in recent years in many north temperate lakes. While much of the focus on the “browning” phenomena has been on its consequences for carbon cycling, much less is known about how it influences nutrient loading to lakes. We characterize potential loads of nitrogen and phosphorus to seepage lakes in northern Wisconsin, USA, based on a laboratory soil leaching experiment and a model that includes landscape cover and watershed area. In these seepage lakes, nutrient concentrations are positively correlated with dissolved organic carbon concentrations (nitrogen: r = 0.68, phosphorus: r = 0.54). Using long‐term records of browning, we found that dissolved organic matter‐associated nutrient loadings may have resulted in substantial increases in nitrogen and phosphorus in seepage lakes and could account for currently observed nutrient concentrations in the lake. “Silent” nutrient loadings to brown‐water lakes may lead to future water‐quality concerns.
Responses of Lower Thermospheric Temperature to the 2013 St. Patrick's Day Geomagnetic Storm
Authors: Liu Xiao , Yue Jia , Wang Wenbin , Xu Jiyao , Zhang Yongliang , Li Jingyuan , Russell James M. , Hervig Mark E. , Bailey Scott , Nakamura Takuji
Published: May 2018

The altitude‐ and latitude‐dependent responses of neutral temperature in the lower thermosphere to the 2013 St. Patrick's Day geomagnetic storm have been studied using neutral temperature measurements from the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument onboard the TIMED satellite and the Solar Occultation For Ice Experiment (SOFIE) instrument onboard the AIM satellite. Both SABER and SOFIE observations revealed that both temperature increase (having peaks of ~15–25 K) and decrease (having peak of ~15 K), which were associated with the storm, occurred in the two hemispheres. The magnitudes of temperature variations changed with latitude, altitude, and the phase of the storm. The peaks of the temperature increase occurred 0.5–1.5 days later than the peak of the AE index, depending on latitude and height. Global circulation changes initiated due to heating and ion drag in the auroral region are likely responsible for the temperature increases or decreases in the lower thermosphere.
Contributions of Ice Thickness to the Atmospheric Response From Projected Arctic Sea Ice Loss
Authors: Labe Zachary , Peings Yannick , Magnusdottir Gudrun
Published: May 2018

A large ensemble of simulations from a high‐top atmospheric general circulation model are conducted to compare the atmospheric responses from loss of Arctic sea ice thickness and sea ice concentration. The response to projected sea ice thickness loss indicates substantial surface warming over the Arctic Ocean and up to 1°C of cooling in Eurasia. While the dynamic circulation response from sea ice thickness loss is smaller in magnitude, it has a similar spatial anomaly pattern as that due to sea ice concentration loss. This pattern resembles the negative phase of the Northern Annular Mode. The simulations reveal that sea ice thickness loss enhances the thermodynamic and large‐scale circulation response from sea ice anomalies. These results stress the importance of considering a realistic sea ice thickness distribution in future atmospheric general circulation model sea ice perturbation experiments.
Evaluation of direct and indirect effects of seasonal malaria chemoprevention in Mali
Authors: Druetz Thomas
Published: May 2018

Randomized controlled trials have established that seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) in children is a promising strategy to reduce malaria transmission in Sahelian West Africa. This strategy was recently introduced in a dozen countries, and about 12 million children received SMC in 2016. However, evidence on SMC effectiveness under routine programme conditions is sparse. We aim to measure the effects of the nationwide SMC programme in Mali on the prevalence of malaria and anemia in children 6–59 months. We used data from the 2015 nationally representative malaria indicator survey. A post-test only with non-randomized control group study was designed. We fitted a generalized structural equation model that controlled for potential bias on observed and non-observed variables (endogenous treatment effect model). Having received SMC reduced by 44% (95% CI [0.39–0.49]) the risk of having a positive rapid diagnostic test for malaria. In addition, the programme indirectly reduced by 18% the risk of moderate-to-severe anemia (95% CI [0.15–0.21]). SMC in Mali has substantial protective effects under routine nationwide programme conditions. Endogenous treatment effects analyses can contribute to rigorously measuring the effectiveness of health programmes and to bridging a widening gap in evaluation methods to measure progress towards achieving malaria elimination.
Donor–acceptor-type supramolecular polymers on the basis of preorganized molecular tweezers/guest complexation
Authors: Han Yifei , Tian Yukui , Li Zijian , Wang Feng
Published: May 2018

Recent advances on the tweezering directed formation of donor–acceptor-type supramolecular polymers have been summarized in this tutorial review.
Synthesis, characterization and properties of aryl-fused bis-BN dihydropyrenes
Authors: Zhang Jinyun , Liu Fude , Sun Zhe , Li Chenglong , Zhang Qian , Zhang Chen , Liu Zhiqiang , Liu Xuguang
Published: May 2018

A series of aryl-fused bis-BN dihydropyrenes are synthesized, their photophysical properties are fully investigated by experimental and theoretical calculations.
Inorganic Janus nanosheets bearing two types of covalently bound organophosphonate groups via regioselective surface modification of K4Nb6O17·3H2O
Authors: Suzuki Ryoko , Sudo Mitsuhito , Hirano Megumi , Idota Naokazu , Kunitake Masashi , Nishimi Taisei , Sugahara Yoshiyuki
Published: May 2018

Inorganic Janus nanosheets bearing covalently bound were successfully prepared from K4Nb6O17·3H2O and two organophosphonic acid.
The blocking effect of surface dislocations on oxygen tracer diffusion in SrTiO3
Authors: Schraknepper Henning , Weirich Thomas E. , De Souza Roger A.
Published: May 2018

Polishing-induced damaged zone in single-crystal SrTiO3 exploited in diffusion studies to investigate the interaction between oxygen vacancies and dislocations.
Hydrosoluble Cu(i)-DAPTA complexes: synthesis, characterization, luminescence thermochromism and catalytic activity for microwave-assisted three-component azide–alkyne cycloaddition click reaction
Authors: Mahmoud Abdallah G. , Guedes da Silva M. Fátima C. , Sokolnicki Jerzy , Smoleński Piotr , Pombeiro Armando J. L.
Published: May 2018

Hydrosoluble and air-stable Cu(i)-halide-DAPTA compounds were prepared under mild conditions.
Supramolecular assemblies based on amphiphilic Mn2+-complexes as high relaxivity MRI probes
Authors: Rolla Gabriele , De Biasio Valeria , Giovenzana Giovanni B. , Botta Mauro , Tei Lorenzo
Published: May 2018

The Mn2+ complexes of amphiphilic derivatives of EDTA and 1,4-DO2A ligands show a strong increase in relaxivity upon micellar aggregation and human serum albumin binding.
Hard-magnetic cell microscaffolds from electroless coated 3D printed architectures
Authors: Bernasconi Roberto , Cuneo Federico , Carrara Elena , Chatzipirpiridis George , Hoop Marcus , Chen Xiangzhong , Nelson Bradley J. , Pané Salvador , Credi Caterina , Levi Marinella , Magagnin Luca
Published: May 2018

We report the application of 3D printing and wet metallization to the fabrication of magnetically driven microscaffolds for cell delivery.
A novel functional polyurethane as a dielectric layer for organic thin-film transistors
Authors: Wang Xuesong , Wang He , Li Yao , Xu Ting , Wang Wei , Cheng Jian , Shi Zuosen , Yan Donghang , Cui Zhanchen
Published: May 2018

A polyurethane material with a high dielectric constant was used to regulate the grain size of p-6P.
Cs2CO3-promoted methylene insertion into disulfide bonds using acetone as a methylene source
Authors: Chen Qian , Yu Guodian , Wang Xiaofeng , Huang Yulin , Yan Yan , Huo Yanping
Published: May 2018

A practical route to dithioacetals has been achieved via methylene insertion into disulfide bonds using acetone as a methylene source.
Anti-staphylococcal biofilm activity of miconazoctylium bromide
Authors: Tessier Jérémie , Golmohamadi Mahmood , Wilkinson Kevin J. , Schmitzer Andreea R.
Published: May 2018

Alkylmiconazolium salts possess a high potency to disrupt bacterial biofilms.
Correction: Functional human 3D microvascular networks on a chip to study the procoagulant effects of ambient fine particulate matter
Authors: Li Yan , Pi Qing-Meng , Wang Peng-Cheng , Liu Lie-Ju , Han Zheng-Gang , Shao Yang , Zhai Ying , Zuo Zheng-Yu , Gong Zhi-Yong , Mak Michael , Yang Xu , Wu Yang
Published: May 2018

Correction for ‘Functional human 3D microvascular networks on a chip to study the procoagulant effects of ambient fine particulate matter’ by Yan Li et al., RSC Adv., 2017, 7, 56108–56116.
Dimensional control of supramolecular assemblies of diacetylene-derived peptide gemini amphiphile: from spherical micelles to foamlike networks
Authors: Jiang Hao , Ehlers Martin , Hu Xiao-yu , Zellermann Elio , Schmuck Carsten
Published: May 2018

A peptide gemini amphiphile DA2P-Fmoc assembles into multidimensional nanostructures depending on solute concentration, solvent polarity and time-dependent evolution.
The long noncoding RNA lncPARP1 contributes to progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through up-regulation of PARP1
Authors: Qi Heqiang , Lu Yuyan , Lv Jie , Wu Huita , Lu Jing , Zhang Changmao , Zhang Sheng , Bao Qing , Zhang Xiuming , Xie Chengrong , Yin Zhenyu
Published: May 2018

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for a large proportion of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. The functional impact of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in human cancer is not fully understood. Here, we identified a novel oncogenic lncRNA termed as lncPARP1, which was significantly up-regulated in HCC. Increase in lncPARP1 expression was associated with age, α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, tumor size, recurrence, and poor prognosis of HCC patients. Loss-of-function approaches showed that knockdown of lncPARP1 inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion, while induced apoptosis in HCC cells. Moreover, mechanistic investigation demonstrated that PARP1 was an underlying target of lncPARP1 in HCC. In summary, we provide the first evidence that lncPARP1 exerts an oncogene to promote HCC development and progression, at least in part, by affecting poly (ADP-ribose) (PAR) polymerase 1 (PARP1) expression.
Non‐orthogonal frequency division multiplexing based on sparse representation
Authors: Fu Xiaomei , Chen Li , Yang Jingyu
Published: May 2018

This study proposes a sparse non‐orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (S‐NOFDM) based on sparse representation to improve the spectral efficiency of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). The subcarriers of S‐NOFDM are generated from a subset of OFDM orthogonal subcarriers, which therefore requires less spectral resource. Each selected OFDM subcarrier is shifted into a group of overlapping subcarriers with different time delays. The modulated signal is produced by solving the sparse representation of the input signal under the generated set of subcarriers. The demodulation is simply a linear combination of generated subcarriers with the recovered modulated signal. Simulation results show that the proposed S‐NOFDM can achieve better bit error rate performance in an additive white Gaussian noise channel and a little worse than OFDM in a Rayleigh channel, with less frequency resources required.
Driver identification in intelligent vehicle systems using machine learning algorithms
Authors: Li Zhengping , Zhang Kai , Chen Bokui , Dong Yuhan , Zhang Lin
Published: May 2018

This study proposes an applicable driver identification method using machine learning algorithms with driving information. The driving data are collected by a 3‐axis accelerometer, which records the lateral, longitudinal and vertical accelerations. In this research, a data transformation way is developed to extract interpretable statistics features from raw 3‐axis sensor data and utilise machine learning algorithms to identify drivers. To eliminate the bias caused by the sensor installation and ensure the applicability of their approach, they present a data calibration method which proves to be necessary for a comparative test. Four basic supervised classification algorithms are used to perform on the data set for comparison. To improve classification performance, they propose a multiple classifier system, which combines the outputs of several classifiers. Experimental results based on real‐world data show that the proposed algorithm is effective on solving driver identification problem. Among the four basic algorithms, random forests (RFs) algorithm has the greatest performance on accuracy, recall and precision. With the proposed multiple classifier system, a greater performance can be achieved in small number of drivers’ groups. RFs algorithm takes the lead in running speed. In their experiment, ten drivers are involved and over 5,500,000 driving records per driver are collected.
Planets, candidates, and binaries from the CoRoT/Exoplanet programme
Authors: Deleuil M. , Aigrain S. , Moutou C. , Cabrera J. , Bouchy F. , Deeg H. J. , Almenara J.-M. , Hébrard G. , Santerne A. , Alonso R. , Bonomo A. S. , Bordé P. , Csizmadia Sz. , Dìaz R. F. , Erikson A. , Fridlund M. , Gandolfi D. , Guenther E. , Guillot T. , Guterman P. , Grziwa S. , Hatzes A. , Léger A. , Mazeh T. , Ofir A. , Ollivier M. , Pätzold M. , Parviainen H. , Rauer H. , Rouan D. , Schneider J. , Titz-Weider R. , Tingley B. , Weingrill J.
Published: May 2018

The CoRoT space mission observed 163 665 stars over 26 stellar fields in the faint star channel. The exoplanet teams detected a total of 4123 transit-like features in the 177 454 light curves. We present the complete re-analysis of all these detections carried out with the same softwares so that to ensure their homogeneous analysis. Although the vetting process involves some human evaluation, it also involves a simple binary flag system over basic tests: detection significance, presence of a secondary, difference between odd and even depths, colour dependence, V-shape transit, and duration of the transit. We also gathered the information from the large accompanying ground-based programme carried out on the planet candidates and checked how useful the flag system could have been at the vetting stage of the candidates. From the initial list of transit-like features, we identified and separated 824 false alarms of various kind, 2269 eclipsing binaries among which 616 are contact binaries and 1653 are detached ones, 37 planets and brown dwarfs, and 557 planet candidates. We provide the catalogue of all these transit-like features, including false alarms. For the planet candidates, the catalogue gives not only their transit parameters but also the products of their light curve modelling: reduced radius, reduced semi-major axis, and impact parameter, together with a summary of the outcome of follow-up observations when carried out and their current status. For the detached eclipsing binaries, the catalogue provides, in addition to their transit parameters, a simple visual classification. Among the planet candidates whose nature remains unresolved, we estimate that eight (within an error of three) planets are still to be identified. After correcting for geometric and sensitivity biases, we derived planet and brown dwarf occurrences and confirm disagreements with Kepler estimates, as previously reported by other authors from the analysis of the first runs: small-size planets with orbital period less than ten days are underabundant by a factor of three in the CoRoT fields whereas giant planets are overabundant by a factor of two. These preliminary results would however deserve further investigations using the recently released CoRoT light curves that are corrected of the various instrumental effects and a homogeneous analysis of the stellar populations observed by the two missions.
EXOGAM at the ILL: the EXILL campaign
Authors: de France Gilles , Blanc Aurélien , Jentschel Michael , Köster Ulli , Leoni Silvia , Mutti Paolo , Simpson Gary , Soldner Torsten , Urban Waldemar
Published: May 2018

Radiative capture reactions on rare targets and prompt spectroscopy of neutron-rich nuclei produced in the neutron-capture induced-fission of 235U and 241Pu have been performed at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL). The high efficiency germanium (Ge) EXOGAM array has been used, complemented with Ge detectors from GASP and the ILL. LaBr3 detectors from the FATIMA collaboration have also been coupled to EXOGAM to measure lifetimes of lowlying excited states. The measured characteristics indicate very good performances of the overall setup. Some recent results will be discussed.
Neutron capture on short-lived nuclei via the surrogate (d,pγ) reaction
Authors: A. Cizewski Jolie , Ratkiewicz Andrew
Published: May 2018

Rapid r-process nucleosynthesis is responsible for the creation of about half of the elements heavier than iron. Neutron capture on shortlived nuclei in cold processes or during freeze out from hot processes can have a significant impact on the final observed r-process abundances. We are validating the (d,pγ) reaction as a surrogate for neutron capture with measurements on 95Mo targets and a focus on discrete transitions. The experimental results have been analyzed within the Hauser-Feshbach approach with non-elastic breakup of the deuteron providing a neutron to be captured. Preliminary results support the (d,pγ) reaction as a valid surrogate for neutron capture. We are poised to measure the (d,pγ) reaction in inverse kinematics with unstable beams following the development of the experimental techniques.
Control chart applications in healthcare: a literature review
Authors: Suman Gaurav , Prajapati DeoRaj
Published: May 2018

The concept of Statistical process control (SPC) was given by the physicist Walter Shewhart in order to improve the industrial manufacturing. The SPC was firstly applied in laboratory and after then shifted to patient level in hospitals. As there is more involvement of human in healthcare, the chances of errors are also more. SPC i.e., control chart can help in determining the source of errors by identifying the special and common causes of variations. This paper presents the review of literature on the application of SPC and control chart in healthcare sector. Forty articles are selected out of 142 potentially relevant searched studies. Selected studies are categorised into eight departments. Literature survey shows that most of work on control chart applications in healthcare is carried out in Surgery, Emergency and Epidemiology departments. US, UK and Australia are the main customers where maximum amount of work was done. The US is the country where control chart in healthcare sector have been used at regular interval. This shows the gap of deploying control chart in different departments and different countries as well. The CUSUM and EWMA chart came into picture in healthcare sector after 2008 and are used at regular interval.
Study on Thermal Contact Resistance Estimation in Planar Medium
Authors: Wen Jingjing , Li Leitao , Liu Chengwu , Wu Bin
Published: May 2018

Thermal contact resistance(TCR) is one of the important parameters in heat transfer problems of engineering, and it is necessary to estimate the value of TCR effectively in many engineering fields. Considering the limitation of current estimation methods of TCR such as only focusing on one-dimensional thermal conduction, getting a single value of TCR merely, and the temperature measuring points only being placed in temperature gradient direction of mediums, boundary element method(BEM) and conjugate gradient method are combined to estimate the TCR in planar mediums. The value of TCR in relation to the position of contact interface line is estimated with this method, and the positions of temperature measuring points can be selected randomly because of the characteristic of BEM that there is no necessity to discrete the inner area and it is sufficient to discrete the boundary. The analysis of calculation examples base on heat transfer model of planar medium demonstrates that:this method can estimate the TCR effectively, but the ill-posedness is also existed in this method which is one of the inverse problems, and the calculation error of TCR is increased with the distance from temperature measuring points to contact interface, the estimation precision and stability can be improved after optimization with least square method.
Experimental Research on the Neutralizer of Micro ECR Ion Thruster
Authors: Meng Haibo , Yang Juan , Zhu Kangwu , Sun Jun , Huang Yizhi , Jin Yizhou , Liu Xianchuang
Published: May 2018

As the key component of micro electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion thruster, the initial gas discharge and electron beam extraction performance of ECR neutralizer plays an important role in the whole performance of ECR ion thruster. The experiment on the neutralizer is completed to study the influence of the antenna structure, cavity length and electronic extraction board on the performance. The experimental results show that, within a certain range, as the length of the cavity is longer, the annular segment of antenna is slightly higher than ECR zone and the width of annular segment is smaller, the performance of the neutralizer is better. There is a reasonable structure for the electronic extraction board to make the performance of the neutralizer better. According to the experimental results, the optimal structure of the neutralizer is determined. For Xe gas, when the microwave power is 2.0W and the gas flow rate is 0.2sccm, the best performances of the optimal neutralizer are that extracted electron beam and coupling voltage is 4mA and 31.5V respectively.
Dark Channel Constraint and Alternated Direction Multiplier Optimization of Turbulence Degraded Image Blind Restoration
Authors: Li Huihui , Yu Lun , Zhang Liang , Yang Ning
Published: May 2018

In order to improve the effect of turbulence degraded image restoration, aiming at the problem that the fuzzy solution is easy to be obtained by using the prior information constraint of gradient distribution under the framework of maximum a posteriori probability of blind restoration algorithm, this paper proposes a dark channel constraint and alternated direction multiplier optimization of turbulence degraded image blind restoration method.First, based on the idea of multi-scale, a dark channel prior constraint is imposed on the image and non-negative constraints and energy constraints are imposed on the point spread function at each level.Then, the kernel and image of the current scale are estimated by alternating iterations of coordinate descent method. When the maximum scale is reached, the final estimated blur kernel is obtained.Last, combined with the total variational model, the image details are quickly restored using the alternate direction optimization method. The experimental results show that the prior information constraint used in the proposed algorithm is advantageous to obtain a clear solution, and can converge to the global optimal solution in the total variational model, which can effectively suppress the artifacts produced in the image restoration process and recover a better target image detail.
A Novel Single Cell Culture Chip Based on One-Step Method
Authors: Ye Fang , He Meiying , Xie Jin , Xie Li , Chang Honglong , Yuan Weizheng
Published: May 2018

More and more basic biology research focus on the single cell level. However, the way to fabricate a chemically patterned surface exist some questions such as complex fabrication process, graphic quality puzzle and so on. In this paper, we present a One-Step method based on Poly 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (PolyHEMA) and micromolding in capillaries (MIMIC) technology to fabricate single cell culture chip. Experimental evidence indicates that the integrity and stability of the PolyHEMA pattern can perfectly satisfy the need of long-term cell culture.
Diego: ein Leben mit zystischer Fibrose
Authors: Wettstein Markus
Published: May 2018

Die Geschichte von Diego ist erfunden, könnte aber genauso gut real sein. Sie steht stellvertretend für die Menschen, die mit zystischer Fibrose geboren werden
und ihr Leben lang mit dieser Erkrankung umgehen müssen. Eine gute ärztliche und therapeutische Begleitung während aller Lebensphasen ist essenziell, um die
Motivation für die Therapie nicht zu verlieren. Die geschilderten Erlebnisse sind fiktiv und stehen nicht in Zusammenhang mit dem jungen Mann auf den Fotos.
Anti-inflammatory Flavanones and Flavanols from the Roots of Pongamia pinnata
Authors: Wen Ran , Lv Haining , Jiang Yong , Tu Pengfei
Published: May 2018

A phytochemical study of the roots of Pongamia pinnata afforded 29 flavanones and flavanols, including 7 previously undescribed compounds. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectroscopy data. The absolute configurations of the compounds were assigned via analysis of the specific rotations and electronic circular dichroism spectra, application of Mosherʼs method, and by comparing the calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism spectra. The isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells. All of the isolated compounds exhibited inhibitory effects against nitric oxide production, and most of them showed obvious anti-inflammatory activities (IC50 < 20 µM), among which 26 was the most active compound with an IC50 of 9.6 µM.
Hérnia medular idiopática atípica — relato de caso
Authors: Vieira Heber , Amaral Rodrigo , Marchi Luis , Pokorny Gabriel , Marcelino Fernando , Rosa Fabio , Guarçoni Netto Angelo , Faulhaber Nicholai , Jensen Rubens , Pimenta Luiz
Published: May 2018

A hérnia medular idiopática (HMI) é uma causa rara de mielopatia progressiva que afeta principalmente mulheres de meia idade com apresentação clínica típica com a Síndrome de Brown-Sequard. Possui etiologia incerta, sendo a teoria mais aceita a de ser um defeito congênito na dura-máter que leva a uma herniação lenta e progressiva da medula que ocasiona uma lesão evolutiva, podendo levar a um déficit irreversível quando subdiagnosticado e não tratado da forma ideal. A realização da ressonância magnética é fundamental para o diagnóstico, e a cirurgia é o tratamento de escolha para reverter e cessar os sintomas mielopáticos. O presente artigo mostra um caso de uma apresentação atípica da localização do defeito dural e da herniação, não descrita ainda na literatura, levando a uma apresentação neurológica e anatômica incomum para esta patologia, obrigando a realizar um planejamento cirúrgico específico para tal caso.
Interprofessionelle Ausbildungsstation – Besprechen, beraten, behandeln
Authors: Bonno Isabelle
Published: May 2018

Ein Team aus Medizinstudierenden, Physio- und Pflegeschülern versorgt 12 Patienten auf einer internistisch-infektiologischen Station. Was zunächst abenteuerlich klingt, macht die Universitätsmedizin Mannheim erfolgreich vor. Unsere Redakteurin Isabelle Bonno hat einen Tag auf der MIA verbracht und war begeistert, wie eine Zusammenarbeit zwischen den Berufsgruppen laufen kann.
Misleading “New Insights into the Chrysotile Debate”
Authors: Woitowitz H.-J. , Baur X.
Published: May 2018

Although there is no dispute among independent scientists about the carcinogenic and fibrogenic effects of chrysotile, the asbestos industry has been continuously and successfully acting to cast doubts on its harm. Another approach including asbestos insurance entities is to refuse compensation by raising the bar and fight criminal prosecution for asbestos-related diseases by the help of paid scientists. A recent publication on asbestos fibre burden in human lungs fits well in this context. The claim that chrysotile fibres are biopersistent in human lung is not based on the data provided by these authors, and, additionally, exhibits serious inconsistencies and obvious mismeasurements and significant methodological problems. The conclusion of the authors that fibre analysis of workersʼ lungs “is of high significance for differential diagnosis, risk assessment and occupational compensation” is unfounded and reprehensible. Also the available literature, the statements of the WHO, IARC, other decisive independent international organizations, and all our experience provide abundant evidence to the contrary. Note, the method is generally restricted to research only and is not recognized for diagnostic purpose and compensation in any other country. In conclusion, fibre counting in lung tissues should not be used to estimate former exposure to chrysotile comprising c. 94 % of applied asbestos in Germany. The authors claim that the analyses can improve the compensation rates in Germany. However, the opposite has been the case; it significantly worsens the non-justified denial of well-substantiated compensation claims.
Intersubband polaritons at λ ∼ 2 μm in the InAs/AlSb system
Authors: Laffaille P. , Manceau J.-M. , Laurent T. , Bousseksou A. , Le Gratiet L. , Teissier R. , Baranov A. N. , Colombelli R.
Published: May 2018

We demonstrate intersubband polaritons at very short wavelengths, down to λ ∼ 2 μm, using a mature semiconductor material system InAs/AlSb and a metal-insulator-metal resonator architecture. The demonstration is given for intersubband transitions centered at 350 meV (λ = 3.54 μm) and 525 meV (λ = 2.36 μm). The polaritonic dispersions are measured at room-temperature and minimum splittings (Rabi splitting) of ≈50 meV are observed. We also quantitatively show that non-parabolicity effects limit the Rabi energy that can be obtained and must be crucially taken into account to correctly model these devices. Intersubband polaritons operating in the short-wave infrared region could enable the use of extremely effective pump laser sources in the quest for an intersubband polariton laser.
Prediction of the phase equilibria for island-type asphaltenes via HMC-WL simulations
Authors: Desgranges Caroline , Delhommelle Jerome
Published: May 2018

Recent force microscopy experiments have shed light on new possible molecular structures for asphaltenes, which are key compounds for the oil industry. These studies have revealed the significance of asphaltenes with an island molecular architecture, i.e., composed of a large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) core and alkyl side chains. In this work, we carry out molecular simulations based on a Wang-Landau sampling of the isothermal-isobaric ensemble to determine the thermodynamic properties of island-type asphaltenes at the vapor-liquid coexistence. We first parameterize a coarse-grained force field for these systems, focusing on compounds with a PAH core containing fluorene, fluoranthene, and dibenzothiophene motifs. Then, using this coarse-grained force field, we predict the entire phase envelope, including the boiling points and the critical parameters for a series of island-type asphaltenes.
Acceleration of biomolecular kinetics in Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics
Authors: Miao Yinglong
Published: May 2018

Recent studies demonstrated that Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics (GaMD) is a robust computational technique, which provides simultaneous unconstrained enhanced sampling and free energy calculations of biomolecules. However, the exact acceleration of biomolecular dynamics or speedup of kinetic rates in GaMD simulations and, more broadly, in enhanced sampling methods, remains a challenging task to be determined. Here, the GaMD acceleration is examined using alanine dipeptide in explicit solvent as a biomolecular model system. Relative to long conventional molecular dynamics simulation, GaMD simulations exhibited ∼36–67 times speedup for sampling of the backbone dihedral transitions. The acceleration depended on level of the GaMD boost potential. Furthermore, Kramers’ rate theory was applied to estimate GaMD acceleration using simulation-derived diffusion coefficients, curvatures and barriers of free energy profiles. In most cases, the calculations also showed significant speedup of dihedral transitions in GaMD, although the GaMD acceleration factors tended to be underestimated by ∼3–96 fold. Because greater boost potential can be applied in GaMD simulations of systems with increased sizes, which potentially leads to higher acceleration, it is subject to future studies on accelerating the dynamics and recovering kinetic rates of larger biomolecules such as proteins and protein-protein/nucleic acid complexes.
Explicit ions/implicit water generalized Born model for nucleic acids
Authors: Tolokh Igor S. , Thomas Dennis G. , Onufriev Alexey V.
Published: May 2018

The ion atmosphere around highly charged nucleic acid molecules plays a significant role in their dynamics, structure, and interactions. Here we utilized the implicit solvent framework to develop a model for the explicit treatment of ions interacting with nucleic acid molecules. The proposed explicit ions/implicit water model is based on a significantly modified generalized Born (GB) model and utilizes a non-standard approach to define the solute/solvent dielectric boundary. Specifically, the model includes modifications to the GB interaction terms for the case of multiple interacting solutes—disconnected dielectric boundary around the solute-ion or ion-ion pairs. A fully analytical description of all energy components for charge-charge interactions is provided. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated by calculating the potential of mean force for Na+–Cl− ion pair and by carrying out a set of Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of mono- and trivalent ions interacting with DNA and RNA duplexes. The monovalent (Na+) and trivalent (CoHex3+) counterion distributions predicted by the model are in close quantitative agreement with all-atom explicit water molecular dynamics simulations used as reference. Expressed in the units of energy, the maximum deviations of local ion concentrations from the reference are within kBT. The proposed explicit ions/implicit water GB model is able to resolve subtle features and differences of CoHex distributions around DNA and RNA duplexes. These features include preferential CoHex binding inside the major groove of the RNA duplex, in contrast to CoHex biding at the “external” surface of the sugar-phosphate backbone of the DNA duplex; these differences in the counterion binding patters were earlier shown to be responsible for the observed drastic differences in condensation propensities between short DNA and RNA duplexes. MC simulations of CoHex ions interacting with the homopolymeric poly(dA·dT) DNA duplex with modified (de-methylated) and native thymine bases are used to explore the physics behind CoHex-thymine interactions. The simulations suggest that the ion desolvation penalty due to proximity to the low dielectric volume of the methyl group can contribute significantly to CoHex-thymine interactions. Compared to the steric repulsion between the ion and the methyl group, the desolvation penalty interaction has a longer range and may be important to consider in the context of methylation effects on DNA condensation.