bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patterns, Patterns, Patterns: Art and Meaning at the Crossroads between Two Opposing Forces
Authors: Ramirez Calle Olga
Published: March 2020

This article aims to defend the need to recognize the independent role of those cognitive abilities on whose behalf linguistic meaning is introduced from the proper institution of language. I call this capacity “private pattern recognition” (PPR) and argue that it plays an essential part not just in the instauration of linguistic meaning but also in other relevant cognitive phenomena such as artistic creation and understanding. Moreover, it is precisely the failure to separate both aspects that gives rise to important perplexities associated with the underdetermination of meaning. The first part of the article makes a case for this thesis and addresses its compatibility with Wittgenstein's private language argument. It then focuses on the example of art to illustrate the differing roles of private pattern recognition and shared linguistic meaning. The second part of the article focuses on the paradox of resemblance (RP). It (i) considers the difficulties of Williamson's response, (ii) illustrates how they instead support the current thesis, (iii) attempts to delineate how the role of meaning should be understood, and (iv) briefly revisits the rule‐following paradox (RFP).
Cantonese‐English code‐switching in Cantopop television drama theme songs
Authors: Ng Chi Wui
Published: March 2020

Popular music is a genre of text that has been prevalently studied in code‐switching research across the globe in recent decades. Following up Chan's (2009) study on Cantonese‐English code‐switching in Cantopop released between 1970s and 2003, the present study is a corpus‐assisted discourse analysis investigating linguistic‐pragmatic functions performed by code‐switching in Cantopop television drama theme songs released in the past decade. Lyrics of television theme songs released in Hong Kong between 2009 and 2018 with code‐switching were collected and analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Functions uncovered in the study were discovered to be akin to those unveiled in Chan (2009) save that motivations for incorporation of code‐switching into lyrics of television theme songs were found to be specific to themes or genres of television dramas.
Separate Time Integration Based on the Hilber, Hughes, Taylor Scheme for Flexible Bodies With a Large Number of Modes
Authors: Witteveen Wolfgang , Pichler Florian
Published: March 2020

In the current development of flexible multibody dynamics, the efficient and accurate consideration of distributed and nonlinear forces is an active area of research. Examples are, forces due to body-body contact or due to elastohydrodynamics (EHD). This leads to many additional modes for representing the local deformations in the areas on which those forces act. Recent publications show that these can be several hundred to several thousand additional modes. A conventional, monolithic numerical time integration scheme would lead to unacceptable computing times. This paper presents a method for an efficient time integration of such systems. The core idea is to treat the equations associated with modes representing local deformations separately. Using the Newmark formulas, a fixed point iteration is proposed for these separated equations, which can always be stabilized with decreasing step size. The concluding examples underline this property, as well as the fact that the proposed method massively outperforms the conventional, monolithic time integration with increasing number of modes.
Fast pH-mediated changes of the viscosity of protein solutions studied with a voltage-modulated quartz crystal microbalance
Authors: Gödde Alexander , Leppin Christian , Meyer Frederick S. , Langhoff Arne , Hartl Josef , Garidel Patrick , Johannsmann Diethelm
Published: March 2020

An electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance is described, which achieves a time resolution down to 100 μs. Accumulation and averaging over a few hours bring the noise down to about 30 mHz. The application examples are pH-driven viscosity changes in albumin solutions. The pH was switched with the electrode potential. The characteristic response time is in the millisecond range. The focus is on experimental aspects as well as advantages and limitations of the technique.
Achieving reproducible data: Examples from surface analysis in semiconductor technology
Authors: Conard Thierry , Vanleenhove Anja , van der Heide Paul
Published: March 2020

Repeatability and reproducibility in surface analysis in the semiconductor industry are key for supporting efficient process development and high volume manufacturing (HVM). Long-term repeatability is critically important when comparing to historical data, while reproducibility is required to support technology transfers when HVM of specific devices is to be carried out at multiple sites. This, however, introduces a number of unique challenges for running a characterization facility. In this work, the authors will describe several examples that can result in reproducibility issues. The examples will be taken in the areas of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry. The first and foremost origin of repeatability and reproducibility issues is instrumental variation. A second important contributor to reproducibility issues is sample variability. The authors will show that assessing long-term instrumental stability is potentially hindered by long-term variation of sample characteristics. The authors will also show that an understanding of characterization techniques is paramount to understand such issues. In addition to “pure” technical causes of repeatability and reproducibility issues, the human factor needs to be considered as well. This involves, for instance, decision making in data treatment during, for example, fitting procedures, statistical treatments, etc. Practical examples are given to illustrate this. With present day characterization depending more heavily on computational support/commercial software, potential detriments to characterization repeatability arising from software will again be made evident. Finally, the authors will illustrate with round-robin results that by combining all above-mentioned factors, widely varying results can be obtained on the same samples.
Decadal passive acoustics time series of St. Lawrence estuary beluga
Authors: Giard Samuel , Simard Yvan , Roy Nathalie
Published: March 2020

Passive acoustics is used to monitor the threatened St. Lawrence estuary beluga between 2007 and 2017 from a site downstream of the beluga summer habitat. Acoustic metrics of presence and occurrence based on beluga acoustic band activity (BABA) are extracted by a dedicated algorithm adapted for the shipping noise from the St. Lawrence Seaway. A formal optimization process is used to set the algorithm parameters. Results evidence a year-round occurrence of belugas in the region, seasonal and diel patterns, and significant inter-annual variations. This study shows how passive acoustics methodology can be applied to monitor a loquacious species over multi-year periods in a shipping-noise-dominated environment, in order to understand its use of the habitat over the continuum of ecologically significant time scales.
Experimental study of a compact piezoelectric micro-perforated panel absorber with adjustable acoustic property
Authors: Kong D. Y. , Xie D. Y. , Tang X. N. , Hu M. , Xu H. , Qian Y. J.
Published: March 2020

This work aims to investigate the acoustic characteristics of a piezoelectric micro-perforated panel (MPP) absorber, which is made of a perforated polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film with a backed airgap of 2 cm, as a combination of an active component and passive absorber. In addition to its inherent passive dissipation, as the PVDF-MPP was driven with proper voltages and oscillation frequencies, sound absorption coefficients of the absorber adjacent to the driving frequencies were significantly increased. Compared with mostly previous reported hybrid passive-active absorbers, this one is more compact, and its acoustic property is adjustable, it may provide an approach to achieve intelligent noise control.
Comparison of Clinical Outcomes among Intensive Care Unit Patients Receiving One or Two Grams of Ceftriaxone Daily
Authors: Ackerman Andrew , Zook Nathaniel R. , Siegrist Jeremy F. , Brummitt Charles F. , Cook Margaret M. , Dilworth Thomas J.
Published: March 2020

Intensive care unit (ICU) patients may experience ceftriaxone underexposure, but clinical outcomes data are lacking. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of ceftriaxone dosing on clinical outcomes among ICU patients without central nervous system (CNS) infection. A retrospective study of ICU patients receiving intravenous, empirical ceftriaxone for non-CNS infections was conducted. Patients ≥18 years of age who received ≤2 g of ceftriaxone daily for ≥72 h were included and categorized as receiving ceftriaxone 1 g or 2 g daily.
Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA) Mitigates the Host Inflammatory Response during Clostridioides difficile Infection by Altering Gut Bile Acids
Authors: Winston Jenessa A. , Rivera Alissa J. , Cai Jingwei , Thanissery Rajani , Montgomery Stephanie A. , Patterson Andrew D. , Theriot Casey M.
Published: March 2020

Clostridioides difficileinfection (CDI) is associated with increasing morbidity and mortality posing an urgent threat to public health. Recurrence of CDI after successful treatment with antibiotics is high, thus necessitating discovery of novel therapeutics against this enteric pathogen. Administration of the secondary bile acid ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA; ursodiol) inhibits the life cycles of various strains ofC. difficilein vitro, suggesting that the FDA-approved formulation of UDCA, known as ursodiol, may be able to restore colonization resistance againstC. difficilein vivo.
Disruption of Phosphate Homeostasis Sensitizes Staphylococcus aureus to Nutritional Immunity
Authors: Kelliher Jessica L. , Brazel Erin B. , Radin Jana N. , Joya Eliot S. , Párraga Solórzano Paola K. , Neville Stephanie L. , McDevitt Christopher A. , Kehl-Fie Thomas E.
Published: March 2020

To control infection, mammals actively withhold essential nutrients, including the transition metal manganese, by a process termed nutritional immunity. A critical component of this host response is the manganese-chelating protein calprotectin. While many bacterial mechanisms for overcoming nutritional immunity have been identified, the intersection between metal starvation and other essential inorganic nutrients has not been investigated. Here, we report that overexpression of an operon encoding a highly conserved inorganic phosphate importer, PstSCAB, increases the sensitivity of
Staphylococcus aureus
to calprotectin-mediated manganese sequestration.
Impact of Natural or Synthetic Singletons in the Capsid of Human Bocavirus 1 on Particle Infectivity and Immunoreactivity
Authors: Fakhiri Julia , Linse Kai-Philipp , Mietzsch Mario , Xu Man , Schneider Marc A. , Meister Michael , Schildgen Oliver , Schnitzler Paul , Soderlund-Venermo Maria , Agbandje-McKenna Mavis , Grimm Dirk
Published: March 2020

The family of
Parvoviridae
comprises a wide variety of members that exhibit a unique biology and that are concurrently highly interesting as a scaffold for the development of human gene therapy vectors. A most notable example is human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1), which we and others have recently harnessed to cross-package and deliver recombinant genomes derived from another parvovirus, the adeno-associated virus (AAV). Here, we expanded the repertoire of known HBoV1 variants by cloning 29 distinct HBoV1 capsid sequences from primary human samples and by analyzing their properties as AAV/HBoV1 gene transfer vectors. This led to our discovery of a mutational hot spot at HBoV1 capsid position 590 that accumulated in two patients during natural infection and that lowers viral loads but increases vector yields. Thereby, our study expands our current understanding of HBoV1 biology in infected human subjects and concomitantly provides avenues to improve AAV/HBoV1 gene transfer vectors.
Alix-Mediated Rescue of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Budding Differs from That Observed with Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Authors: Del Vecchio Claudia , Celestino Michele , Celegato Marta , Palù Giorgio , Parolin Cristina , Bouamr Fadila , Calistri Arianna
Published: March 2020

FIV is a nonprimate lentivirus that infects domestic cats and causes a syndrome that is reminiscent of AIDS in humans. Based on its similarity to HIV with regard to different molecular and biochemical properties, FIV represents an attractive model for the development of strategies to prevent and/or treat HIV infection. Here, we show that the Bro1 domain of the human cellular protein Alix is sufficient to rescue the budding of FIV mutants devoid of canonical L-domains. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the integrity of the CCHC motifs in the Gag NC domain is dispensable for Alix-mediated rescue of virus budding, suggesting the involvement of other regions of the Gag viral protein. Our research is pertinent to the identification of a conserved yet mechanistically divergent ESCRT-mediated lentivirus budding process in general, and to the role of Alix in particular, which underlies the complex viral-cellular network of interactions that promote late steps of the retroviral life cycle.
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Is Associated with Reduced Dynamics of Gut Microbiota during the First Half of Pregnancy
Authors: Zheng Wei , Xu Qian , Huang Wenyu , Yan Qi , Chen Yating , Zhang Li , Tian Zhihong , Liu Ting , Yuan Xianxian , Liu Cheng , Luo Jinying , Guo Cuimei , Song Wei , Zhang Lirui , Liang Xin , Qin Huanlong , Li Guanghui
Published: March 2020

GDM is one of the most common metabolic disorders during pregnancy and is associated with adverse short-term and long-term maternal and fetal outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the connection between dynamic variations in gut microbiota and development of GDM. Whereas shifts in gut microbiota composition and function have been previously reported to be associated with GDM, very little is known regarding the early microbial changes that occur before the diagnosis of GDM. This study demonstrated that the dynamics in gut microbiota during the first half of pregnancy differed significantly between GDM and normoglycemic women. Our findings suggested that gut microbiota may potentially serve as an early biomarker for GDM.
Paediatric empyema: worsening disease severity and challenges identifying patients at increased risk of repeat intervention
Authors: Haggie Stuart , Gunasekera Hasantha , Pandit Chetan , Selvadurai Hiran , Robinson Paul , Fitzgerald Dominic A
Published: March 2020

Objective

Empyema is the most common complication of pneumonia. Primary interventions include chest drainage and fibrinolytic therapy (CDF) or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). We describe disease trends, clinical outcomes and factors associated with reintervention.

Design/setting/patients

Retrospective cohort of paediatric empyema cases requiring drainage or surgical intervention, 2011–2018, admitted to a large Australian tertiary children’s hospital.

Results

During the study, the incidence of empyema increased from 1.7/1000 to 7.1/1000 admissions (p<0.001). We describe 192 cases (174 CDF and 18 VATS), median age 3.0 years (IQR 1–5), mean fever duration prior to intervention 6.2 days (SD ±3.3 days) and 50 (26%) cases admitted to PICU. PICU admission increased during the study from 18% to 34% (p<0.001). Bacteraemia occurred in 23/192 (12%) cases. A pathogen was detected in 131/192 (68%); Streptococcus pneumoniae 75/192 (39%), S. aureus 25/192 (13%) and group A streptococcus 13/192 (7%). Reintervention occurred in 49/174 (28%) and 1/18 (6%) following primary CDF and VATS. Comparing repeat intervention with single intervention cases, a continued fever postintervention increased the likelihood for a repeat intervention (OR 1.3 per day febrile; 95% CI 1.2 to 1.4, p<0.0001). Younger age, prolonged fever preintervention and previous antibiotic treatment were not associated with initial treatment failure (all p>0.05).

Conclusion

We report increasing incidence and severity of empyema in a large tertiary hospital. One in four patients required a repeat intervention after CDF. Neither clinical variables at presentation nor early investigations were able to predict initial treatment failure.
Subacute combined degeneration: a case of pernicious anaemia without haematological manifestations
Authors: Lavoie Matthew R , Cohen Nicolette C , Gregory Timothy A , Weber Peter V
Published: March 2020

Vitamin B12deficiency can be caused by a diverse group of aetiologies. One of the less common of these is an autoimmune condition pernicious anaemia, so named after the most common physiological manifestation of B12deficiency: anaemia. However, B12is also necessary for nervous system function and its depletion can lead to dysfunction of the posterior columns of the spinal cord resulting in subacute combined degeneration (SCD). This disease, while debilitating in its acute phase, can usually be mostly if not fully reversed if caught early and treated appropriately. Early detection can prove challenging if there are no haematological manifestations of B12deficiency and the only guidance is the high index of suspicion. We present a case of pernicious anaemia leading to SCD without any clinical or laboratory findings of anaemia in this report.
Maintaining quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by extending the maintenance phase of community-based pulmonary rehabilitation: protocol for a randomised controlled trial (ComEx3 Study)
Authors: Lopez Derrick , Cecins Nola , Cockram Joanne , Collins Anna , Landers Holly , Sanfilippo Frank , Briffa Tom , Brims Fraser , Geelhoed Elizabeth , Murray Kevin , Phillips Kirsten , Preen David , Jenkins Susan
Published: March 2020

Introduction

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a core component of the treatment of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); however, the benefits gained diminish in the ensuing months. The optimal strategy for maintaining the benefits is unclear with weekly supervised maintenance exercise programmes proposed as one strategy. However, the long-term future of maintenance programs is dependent on quality evidence.

Methods and analysis

The ComEx3 randomised controlled trial will investigate the efficacy of extending a weekly supervised maintenance programme for an additional 6 months following an initial 10-week maintenance programme (intervention) by comparing with a control group who receive the same 10-week maintenance programme followed by 6 months of usual care. 120 participants with COPD will be recruited. Primary objective is to determine health-related quality of life over 12 months. Secondary objectives are to determine functional exercise capacity trajectory and to perform an economic evaluation of the intervention to the health system. Outcomes will be analysed for superiority according to intention-to-treat and per-protocol approaches.

Ethics and dissemination

Approval has been received from the relevant ethics committees. Findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and conferences, targeting those involved in managing people with COPD as well as those who develop policies and guidelines.

Clinical trial registration

ANZCTR 12618000933257
Ambient air pollution is associated with airway inflammation in older women: a nested cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Abramson Michael J , Wigmann Claudia , Altug Hicran , Schikowski Tamara
Published: March 2020

Background

Air pollution is a risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) could be a useful biomarker for health effects of air pollutants. However, there were limited data from older populations with higher prevalence of COPD and other inflammatory conditions.

Methods

We obtained data from the German Study on the influence of Air pollution on Lung function, Inflammation and Ageing. Spirometry and FeNO were measured by standard techniques. Air pollutant exposures were estimated following the European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects protocols, and ozone (O3) measured at the closest ground level monitoring station. Multiple linear regression models were fitted to FeNO with each pollutant separately and adjusted for potential confounders.

Results

In 236 women (mean age 74.6 years), geometric mean FeNO was 15.2ppb. Almost a third (n=71, 30.1%) of the women had some chronic inflammatory respiratory condition. A higher FeNO concentration was associated with exposures to fine particles (PM2.5), PM2.5absorbanceand respirable particles (PM10). There were no significant associations with PMcoarse, NO2, NOx, O3or length of major roads within a 1 km buffer. Restricting the analysis to participants with a chronic inflammatory respiratory condition, with or without impaired lung function produced similar findings. Adjusting for diabetes did not materially alter the findings. There were no significant interactions between individual pollutants and asthma or current smoking.

Conclusions

This study adds to the evidence to reduce ambient PM2.5concentrations as low as possible to protect the health of the general population.
Cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes in early rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based study
Authors: Nikiphorou Elena , de Lusignan Simon , Mallen Christian D , Khavandi Kaivan , Bedarida Gabriella , Buckley Christopher D , Galloway James , Raza Karim
Published: March 2020

Objective

To assess the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) at and prior to diagnosis in people with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and subsequent CVD in these patients.

Methods

A retrospective case–control study using a large English primary care database. People with RA (n=6591) diagnosed between 2004 and 2016 (inclusive) were identified using a validated algorithm, matched 1:1 by age and gender to those without RA (n=6591) and followed for a median of 5.4 years. We assessed differences in CVD at, before and after diagnosis, and the impact of traditional and RA-related risk factors (C reactive protein, RA-related autoantibodies and medication use) on incident CVD (a composite of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke or heart failure).

Results

RA cases and their matched controls were both of mean age 58.7 (SD 15.5) at cohort entry, and 67.5% were female. Some CVD risk factors were more common at RA diagnosis including smoking and diabetes; however, total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were lower in patients with RA. CVD was more common in RA at cohort entry; stroke (3.9% vs 2.7%, p<0.001), heart failure (1.6% vs 1.0%, p=0.001), and non-significantly MI (3.1% vs 2.8%, p=0.092). Excess CVD developed in the 5 years preceding diagnosis. After adjustment for traditional and RA-related risk factors, RA was associated with greater risk of post-diagnosis CVD (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.65, p=0.010).

Conclusions

An excess of stroke and heart failure occurs before diagnosis of RA. There is excess risk for further cardiovascular events after diagnosis, which is not explained by differences in traditional CVD or RA-related risk factors at diagnosis.
Limitations of transoesophageal echocardiogram in acute ischaemic stroke
Authors: Rosol Zachary P , Kopecky Kathleen F , Minehart Bailey R , Tecson Kristen M , Vasudevan Anupama , McCullough Peter A , Grayburn Paul A , Schussler Jeffrey M
Published: March 2020

Objective

The role of transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) in identifying ischaemic stroke aetiology is debated. In 2018, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) issued class IIa recommendation for echocardiography, with the qualifying statement of use in cases where it will alter management. Hence, we sought to determine the rate at which TOE findings altered management in cases of confirmed ischaemic stroke.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed TOE cases with confirmed ischaemic stroke at our centre between April 2015 and February 2017. We defined a change in management as the initiation of anticoagulation therapy, antibiotic therapy or patent foramen ovale closure as a direct result of TOE findings.

Results

There were 185 patients included in this analysis; 19 (10%) experienced a change in management. However, only 7 of the 19 (4% of all subjects) experienced a change in management due to TOE findings. The remaining 12 were initiated on oral antigoagulation as a result of discoveries during routine workup, mainly atrial fibrillation on telemetry monitoring.

Conclusions

This work suggests an overuse of TOE and provides support for the 2018 AHA/ASA stroke guidelines, which recommend against the routine use of echocardiography in the work up of cerebrovascular accident due to a cardioembolic source.
An Efficient Kernel FCM and Artificial Fish Swarm Optimization-Based Optimal Resource Allocation in Cloud
Authors: Albert Pravin , Nanjappan Manikandan
Published: March 2020

Cloud computing model allows service-oriented system that fulfills the needs of the consumers. Capable resource management and task allocation are the important issues in cloud computing. Performance of the task scheduling method directly interrupts the utilization of cloud computing resources and the quality of experience of users. For that reason, reasonable virtual machine (VM) allocation and task scheduling are extremely important. In this paper, an efficient resource allocation model is proposed. Initially, the virtual machines are clustered with the help of Kernel Fuzzy [Formula: see text]-Means Clustering (KFCM) algorithm to reduce the complexity. After the clustering process, the user tasks are allocated to the particular VM using artificial fish swarm optimization (AFSO) algorithm. A multi-objective function is designed to achieve an optimal resource allocation. The performance of the suggested technique is tested in terms of different metrics.
S-semipermutability of subgroups of p-nilpotent residual and p-supersolubility of a finite group
Authors: Qiu Zhengtian , Qiao Shouhong
Published: March 2020

A subgroup [Formula: see text] of a finite group [Formula: see text] is said to be [Formula: see text]-semipermutable in [Formula: see text], if [Formula: see text] permutes with all Sylow [Formula: see text]-subgroups of [Formula: see text] for the primes [Formula: see text] not dividing [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we consider the [Formula: see text]-semipermutability of some [Formula: see text]-subgroups to investigate the [Formula: see text]-supersolubility of a finite group. Some interesting results are obtained which extend some known results.
On subprojectivity domains of g-semiartinian modules
Authors: Durğun Yılmaz , Çobankaya Ayşe
Published: March 2020

The aim of this paper is to reveal the relationship between the proper class generated projectively by g-semiartinian modules and the subprojectivity domains of g-semiartinian modules. A module [Formula: see text] is called g-semiartinian if every nonzero homomorphic image of [Formula: see text] has a singular simple submodule. It is proven that every g-semiartinian right [Formula: see text]-module has an epic projective envelope if and only if [Formula: see text] is a right PS ring if and only if every subprojectivity domain of any g-semiartinian right [Formula: see text]-module is closed under submodules. A g-semiartinian module whose domain of subprojectivity as small as possible is called gsap-indigent. We investigated the structure of rings whose (simple, coatomic) g-semiartinian right modules are gsap-indigent or projective. Furthermore, over right PS rings, necessary and sufficient condition to be gsap-indigent module was determined.
Enlarging local symmetries: A nonlocal Galilean model
Authors: Buoninfante Luca , Lambiase Gaetano , Yamaguchi Masahide
Published: March 2020

We consider the possibility to enlarge the class of symmetries realized in standard local field theories by introducing infinite order derivative operators in the actions, which become nonlocal. In particular, we focus on the Galilean shift symmetry and its generalization in nonlocal (infinite derivative) field theories. First, we construct a nonlocal Galilean model which may be UV finite, showing how the ultraviolet behavior of loop integrals can be ameliorated. We also discuss the pole structure of the propagator which has infinitely many complex conjugate poles, but satisfies tree level unitarity. Moreover, we will introduce the same kind of nonlocal operators in the context of linearized gravity. In such a scenario, the graviton propagator turns out to be ghost-free and the spacetime metric generated by a point-like source is non-singular.
Forensic Accounting
Authors: Honigsberg Colleen
Published: March 2020

Forensic accounting serves as a regulatory and investment tool that allows interested professionals to predict whether firms are engaged in financial reporting misconduct. Financial reporting misconduct has severe economic and personal consequences. Not only does such misconduct distort the allocation of economic resources, but investors and employees of these firms incur substantial financial and psychological harms. In essence, forensic accounting aims to mitigate these harms by predicting the likelihood a firm has committed financial reporting misconduct—thus allowing for early detection of such misconduct. In this review, I provide an overview of the most popular forensic accounting techniques in the literature and the effectiveness of such techniques. Although traditional forensic models tended to focus on behavioral characteristics of the executives who commit financial misconduct or to take a purely numerical approach based on financial data, more recent models combine big data analysis with psychological intuitions.
Effect of Changing Path on Pedestrian Traffic under the Cumulative Effect of Delay Time
Authors: Cen Bingling , Xue Yu , Wang Xue , Zhang Peng
Published: March 2020

In this paper, a lattice hydrodynamic model of two-dimensional bidirectional pedestrian traffic is proposed with consideration of altering path under the cumulative effect of delay time. The stability condition is acquired by linear analysis, and the mKdV equation to describe congestion evolution is derived by reductive perturbation technique. According to the result from the stability analysis, the stability region of pedestrian flow can be divided into stable region, unstable region, and metastable region. On the basis of stable condition, the unstable region is narrowed with the increase of delay time td and the path changing rate γ. It indicates that changing path can effectively improve the stability of the pedestrian flow under the cumulative effect of delay time td. For numerical simulation and analysis of density wave, it is found that the increase of path changing rate γ and the cumulative effect of delay time td are conducive to alleviate pedestrian congestion.
Cognition Deficits in Parkinson’s Disease: Mechanisms and Treatment
Authors: Fang Congcong , Lv Longqin , Mao Shanping , Dong Huimin , Liu Baohui
Published: March 2020

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common progressive neurodegenerative disorder mainly in middle-elderly population, which represents diverse nonmotor symptoms (NMS) besides such well-documented motor symptoms as bradykinesia, resting tremor, rigidity, and postural instability. With the advancement of aging trend worldwide, the global prevalence of PD is mounting up year after year. Nowadays, accumulating lines of studies have given a comprehensive and thorough coverage of motor symptoms in PD. Yet much less attention as compared has been paid to the nonmotor symptoms of PD, such as cognition deficits. Of note, a patient with PD who suffers from cognitive impairment may harbour a statistically significantly higher risk of progressing toward dementia, which negatively affects their life expectancy and daily functioning and overall lowers the global quality of life. Furthermore, it is a widely held view that cognitive dysfunction does not just occur in the late stage of PD. On the basis of numerous studies, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a harbinger of dementia in PD, which is observed as an intermediate state with considerable variability; some patients remain stable and some even revert to normal cognition. Considered that the timing, profile, and rate of cognitive impairment vary greatly among PD individuals, it is extremely urgent for researchers and clinicians alike to identify and predict future cognitive decline in this population. Simultaneously, early screening and canonical management of PD with cognitive deficits are very imperative to postpone the disease progression and improve the prognosis of patients. In our review, we focus on a description of cognitive decline in PD, expound emphatically the pathological mechanisms underlying cognition deficits in PD, then give a comprehensive overview of specific therapeutic strategies, and finally dissect what fresh insights may bring new exciting prospect for the subfield.
Gubenzhike Recipe Ameliorates Respiratory Mucosal Immunity in Mice with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease through Upregulation of the γδT Lymphocytes and KGF Levels
Authors: Wang Yue-qi , Liao Qiang , Tang Shi-huan , Cai Zhe , Zhang Hong-chun
Published: March 2020

Background. Gubenzhike recipe, a traditional Chinese herbal compound, was assumed to have a possible beneficial effect on COPD. This study was designed to elucidate the mechanism from the perspective of respiratory mucosal immunity. Methods. COPD model was induced by exposure to cigarette smoke and LPS instillation in mice for 12 weeks. Animals were administered solution of Gubenzhike recipe by intragastric gavage daily for 4 weeks. After that, mice were sacrificed for lung function test and histological examination of lung tissues. The levels of IL‐6 and IL‐13 in serum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and intestinal mucus were measured by ELISA. The KGF and KGFR in lung tissue were analysed by immunohistochemical staining, ELISA, and western blotting, and the mRNA expressions were assessed by PCR. γδT lymphocytes in the lungs were isolated and analysed by immunohistochemical staining and flow cytometry. Results. Gubenzhike recipe improved the structure of airway and damage of lung tissue and also the respiratory status and lung function, reduced the content of IL‐6 in serum and BALF and IL‐13 in BALF and intestinal mucus, increased the proportion of γδT cells in lung tissue, and promoted the secretion of KGF and KGFR (P < 0.05). Conclusion. We for the first time demonstrated an experimental procedure for the isolation of γδT lymphocytes from lung tissue. This study suggested that Gubenzhike recipe could enhance the respiratory mucosal immunity which provided experimental evidence for its effects of reinforcing “wei qi” by means of strengthening vital qi, tonifying spleen and kidney, relieving cough, and reducing phlegm in TCM.
First Age- and Gender-Matched Case-Control Study in Australia Examining the Possible Association between Toxoplasma gondii Infection and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: The Busselton Health Study
Authors: Molan Aus , Nosaka Kazunori , Hunter Michael , Zhang Jinxia , Meng Xiaoni , Song Manshu , Wang Wei
Published: March 2020

An emerging field of research is starting to examine the association of infectious pathogens with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). An understudied parasite of interest is Toxoplasma gondii. Globally, very few studies have been conducted to investigate this association. Additionally, very little data exists on the prevalence of T. gondii in the general Australian population. Our group sought to determine the prevalence, association, and risk factors between T. gondii infection and T2DM from a representative Australian human population. Through a cross-sectional, age- and gender-matched case-control study, 150 subjects with T2DM together with 150 control subjects from the Busselton Health Study cohort were investigated. Sera samples were tested for the presence of anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Survey-derived data were also analyzed to evaluate associated risk factors. The IgG seroprevalence was found to be 62% and 66% for the T2DM and control groups, respectively (OR:0.84; p=0.471). IgM antibodies were detected in 5% of the T2DM patients and in 10% of the controls (OR=0.51; p=0.135). There were no significant differences between male and female IgG seroprevalence rates for both groups (OR:0.88, 0.80; p=0.723). The IgG seropositivity rate increased significantly in T2DM patients aged 45-84 years in comparison to those aged 18-44 years (p<0.05), but this was not observed in the control subjects. No risk factors were associated with T. gondii seropositivity in both groups. The first Australian study of its kind found T. gondii infection in Western Australia to be highly prevalent. The results also showed that there is no serological evidence of an association between T. gondii infection and T2DM in the studied subjects. Australian health authorities should focus on raising awareness of toxoplasma infection and target T. gondii transmission control. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of T. gondii in T2DM.
Backstepping Sliding Mode Robust Control for a Wire-Driven Parallel Robot Based on a Nonlinear Disturbance Observer
Authors: Wang Yuqi , Lin Qi , Zhou Lei , Shi Xinxin , Wang Lei
Published: March 2020

Based on a nonlinear disturbance observer, a backstepping sliding mode robust control is proposed for a wire-driven parallel robot (WDPR) system used in the wind tunnel test to dominate the motion of the end effector. The control method combines both the merits of backstepping control and sliding mode robust control. The WDPR is subject to different types of disturbances, and these disturbances will affect the motion precision of the end effector. To overcome these problems, a nonlinear disturbance observer (NDO) is designed to reject such disturbances. In this study, the design method of the nonlinear disturbance observer does not require the reliable dynamic model of the WDPR. Moreover, the design method can be used not only in the WDPR but also in other parallel robots. Then, a backstepping design method is adopted and a sliding mode term is introduced to construct a desired controller, and the disturbances are compensated in the controller to reduce the switching gain and guarantee the robustness. For the sake of verifying the stabilization of the closed-loop system, the Lyapunov function is constructed to analyze the stabilization of the system. Finally, the feasibility and validity of the proposed control scheme are proved through both simulation and experimental results.
NSGA-II-Based Parameter Tuning Method and GM(1,1)-Based Development of Fuzzy Immune PID Controller for Automatic Train Operation System
Authors: Chu Pengzi , Yu Yi , Dong Danyang , Lin Hui , Yuan Jianjun
Published: March 2020

Automatic train operation (ATO) system is one of the important components in advanced train operation control systems. Ideal controllers are expected for the automatic driving function of ATO systems. Aiming at the intelligence requirements of the systems, an NSGA-II-based parameter tuning method for the fuzzy immune PID (FI-PID) controller and a grey model GM(1,1)-based fuzzy grey immune PID (FGI-PID) controller were proposed. Taking a maglev train’s model as the control object and a velocity-time curve as the input, the feasibility of the parameter tuning method for the FI-PID controller and the applicability of the FI-PID controller and the FGI-PID controller for the ATO system were tested. The results showed that the optimized parameters were ideal, the two controllers all showed good performance on the indicators of traceability and comfort level, and the FGI-PID controller performed better than the FI-PID controller. The results exhibited the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Meteorological Analysis of Floods in Ghana
Authors: Ansah S. O. , Ahiataku M. A. , Yorke C. K. , Otu-Larbi F. , Yahaya Bashiru , Lamptey P. N. L. , Tanu M.
Published: March 2020

The first episodes of floods caused by heavy rainfall during the major rainy season in 2018 occurred in Accra (5.6°N and 0.17°W), a coastal town, and Kumasi (6.72°N and 1.6°W) in the forest region on the 18th and 28th of June, respectively. We applied the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to investigate and examine the meteorological dynamics, which resulted in the extreme rainfall and floods that caused 14 deaths, 34076 people being displaced with damaged properties, and economic loss estimated at $168,289 for the two cities according to the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO). The slow-moving thunderstorms lasted for about 8 hours due to the weak African Easterly Wave (AEW) and Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ). Results from the analysis showed that surface pressures were low with significant amount of moisture influx aiding the thunderstorms intensification, which produced 90.1 mm and 114.6 mm of rainfall over Accra and Kumasi, respectively. We compared the rainfall amount from this event to the historical rainfall data to investigate possible changes in rainfall intensities over time. A time series of annual daily maximum rainfall (ADMR) showed an increasing trend with a slope of 0.45 over Accra and a decreasing trend and a slope of –0.07 over Kumasi. The 95th percentile frequencies of extreme rainfall with thresholds of 45.10 mm and 42.16 mm were analyzed for Accra and Kumasi, respectively, based on the normal distribution of rainfall. Accra showed fewer days with more heavy rainfall, while Kumasi showed more days with less heavy rainfalls.
Digital Instantaneous Frequency Measurement of a Real Sinusoid Based on Three Sub-Nyquist Sampling Channels
Authors: Su Yu , Jiang Defu
Published: March 2020

Multichannel sub-Nyquist sampling is an efficient technique to break through the limitation of the Nyquist sampling theorem for the wideband digital instantaneous frequency measurement (DIFM) receiver. The significant challenge is calculating the folding frequency and solving the ambiguity quickly and accurately. Usually, the researchers adopt a fast Fourier transform (FFT) to calculate the folding frequency and a Chinese remainder theorem (CRT) to solve the ambiguity caused by undersampling. However, these algorithms have the drawback of long response time. In this paper, we use a frequency deduction algorithm based on the total least-squares estimation to measure the folding frequency accurately within a few clocks. We propose a frequency-band division algorithm by dividing the measurable frequency range into a few sub-bands to solve the frequency ambiguity. This deblurring algorithm is more efficient and faster than CRT. We analyse the performance of our algorithms by numerical simulations and functional hardware simulations and compare them with FFT and CRT. We also conduct experiments on a hardware platform to confirm the effectiveness of our algorithms. The simulation results show that our algorithms have better performance than FFT and CRT in accuracy and response time. Board-level measurement results verify that the proposed DIFM technique can capture the frequency from 0 to 5,000 MHz with a maximum of 0.8 MHz root-mean-squared error in less than 200 ns.
Spontaneous Rupture of Leiomyoma Diagnosed Preoperatively with Noncontrast Computed Tomography
Authors: Shan Angel , Harjee Rahana , McLaughlin Patrick , Jones Edward C. , Bedaiwy Mohamed A.
Published: March 2020

Background. Spontaneous rupture of benign uterine fibroids is extremely rare and has been associated with fibroid degeneration. It can cause acute intraperitoneal bleeding requiring immediate surgical intervention. Case. A previously healthy 50-year-old, Caucasian, nullipara presented with syncope, hemodynamic instability, and an acute abdomen. Noncontrast computed tomography images showed a positive sentinel clot sign in the pelvis as well as a large uterine fibroid with internal hyperdense clot suggesting acute rupture. Urgent laparotomy and hysterectomy confirmed a ruptured, actively bleeding, uterine fibroid with final pathological diagnosis of a benign leiomyoma. Conclusion. Prompt diagnosis and emergency surgical intervention were necessary to control acute hemorrhage from a ruptured uterine fibroid. Noncontrast computed tomography is an important adjunct to contrast-enhanced computed tomography and was vital for diagnosis in this case.
Leverage Label and Word Embedding for Semantic Sparse Web Service Discovery
Authors: Sun Chengai , Lv Liangyu , Tian Gang , Wang Qibo , Zhang Xiaoning , Guo Lantian
Published: March 2020

Information retrieval-based Web service discovery approach suffers from the semantic sparsity problem caused by lacking of statistical information when the Web services are described in short texts. To handle this problem, external information is often utilized to improve the discovery performance. Inspired by this, we propose a novel Web service discovery approach based on a neural topic model and leveraging Web service labels. More specifically, words in Web services are mapped into continuous embeddings, and labels are integrated by a neural topic model simultaneously for embodying external semantics of the Web service description. Based on the topic model, the services are interpreted into hierarchical models for building a service querying and ranking model. Extensive experiments on several datasets demonstrated that the proposed approach achieves improved performance in terms of F-measure. The results also suggest that leveraging external information is useful for semantic sparse Web service discovery.
Synthesis, Biological Activity, and Molecular Modeling Studies of Pyrazole and Triazole Derivatives as Selective COX-2 Inhibitors
Authors: Assali Mohyeddin , Abualhasan Murad , Sawaftah Hadeel , Hawash Mohammed , Mousa Ahmed
Published: March 2020

Series of diaryl-based pyrazole and triazole derivatives were designed and synthesized in a facile synthetic approach in order to produce selective COX-2 inhibitor. These series of derivatives were synthesized by different reactions like Vilsmeier–Haack reaction and click reaction. In vitro COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition studies showed that five compounds were potent and selective inhibitors of the COX-2 isozyme with IC50values in 0.551–0.002 μM range. In the diarylpyrazole derivatives, compound4bshowed the best inhibitory activity against COX-2 with IC50 = 0.017 μM as one of theN-aromatic rings was substituted with sulfonamide and the other aromatic ring was unsubstituted. However, when theN-aromatic ring was substituted with sulfonamide and the other aromatic ring was substituted with sulfone (compound4d), best COX-2 selectivity was achieved (IC50 = 0.098 μM, SI = 54.847). In the diaryltriazole derivatives, compound15ashowed the best inhibitory activity in comparison to all synthesized compounds including the reference celecoxib with IC50 = 0.002 μM and SI = 162.5 as it could better fit the extra hydrophobic pocket which is present in the COX-2 enzyme. Moreover, the docking study supports the obtained SAR data and binding similarities and differences on both isozymes.