bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HRCE: Detecting Food Security Events in Social Media
Authors: Gao Wang , Fang Yuan , Wang Yuwei , Zhang Fan
Published: January 2020

Analyzing food security events shared on social networks not only helps people deepen their understanding of food security events, but also helps managers cope with these events. In this paper, we propose a model that utilizes task-specific features and a deep learning model to detect food security events from tweets, called HRCE. Specifically, the proposed model leverages a hierarchical Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) with Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) that takes word embeddings as inputs, and combines contextual embeddings to identify food security events from social media. We collected a novel food security related dataset from Twitter, and manually annotated 2,418 tweets. We conducted experiments on this dataset and concluded that HRCE outperforms baseline methods in terms of precision, recall and F1-score.
Research On Production Classification Of Coalbed Methane Well Based On MATLAB
Authors: Tang Yifang , Zhang Tianxiang , Guo Zixi , Zhu Weiping , He Pengbo
Published: January 2020

China’s coalbed methane resources are very rich, but the coalbed methane mining effect is not good. Fracturing is an important means of coalbed methane mining. It is very important to select coalbed methane wells with mining value before fracturing. For most fracturing wells in China, CBM wells are selected according to the experience of the site and workers. It has blindness and increases the cost of coalbed methane mining. In order to reduce the loss, this paper proposes a prediction model based on support vector machine coal fracturing effect. First, pretreatment studies of fracturing well data are performed to ensure the quality of fracturing well data. Secondly, the gray correlation analysis is carried out on the pre-processed fracturing well data, and eight main controlling factors affecting the coal cracking effect are extracted. Finally, using the support vector machine classifier, the coalbed methane wells are divided into three categories: low-yield wells, middle-production wells and high-yield wells. At the same time, the support vector machine nonlinear regression model is used to predict the stable production of coalbed methane wells. Using the support vector machine model to predict, predict the stable production value of coalbed methane wells is basically consistent with the field data, which has important guiding significance for on-site coalbed methane mining.
The Affecting Factors Analysis of Adolescents’ Acknowledgement of Personal Data in China
Authors: Sun Tianjian
Published: January 2020

The swift development of information technology brings people to the big data era and puts the issue of personal data privacy on the agenda. This research focus on the affective factors(gender, age, living environment, school type) of adolescents’ acknowledgement of personal data privacy in China. The samples were selected from five different schools in Shaanxi province, China. Descriptive statistics are used to analyze the result from the questionnaires. T-test and multiple linear regression analysis are applied to test the hypotheses, and it is examined that hypotheses involving age, region and school type are supported by both tests.
Design of Quality Management and Inspection Platform for Industrial Control Integration Based on AI
Authors: Lin Lin , Wang Libo , Li Hui
Published: January 2020

With the application and development of industrial internet, the third-party software testing is facing new problems. In order to solve the problem of multi-region, distributed, multi-role and dynamic testing in third-party testing and realize the functions of centralized control, distributed management, traceability, resource sharing, paperless and networked office, this paper designs an integrated quality management testing platform based on AI for industrial control. The establishment of this platform will fill the gaps in the technology of integrated testing platform for third-party software testing and evaluation of China’s industrial Internet, and further promote the construction of testing capability and quality management level of China’s industrial Internet enterprises.
Study on the decision considering imperfect maintenance of multiple components based on the exponential distribution
Authors: Pang Guoying , Liu Jia , Liu Jun , Guo Yan , Yuan Xuemei
Published: January 2020

The real-time monitoring and the high reliability system of multiple components are studied in the mechanical system as background information. The characteristics of copula among multiple component of different systems are considered. The information of affected components is monitoring as covariate. With the prediction model of remaining useful life (RUL)based on stochastic filtering theory, and the strategy of opportunity maintenance, the maintenance decision model of dynamic is studied on the prediction information of remaining useful life. Lastly, the relevant theories are verified by simulation.
Loan risk assessment based on Pythagorean fuzzy analytic hierarchy process
Authors: Song Peng , Li Li , Huang Ding , Wei Qingjie , Chen Xue
Published: January 2020

Risk assessments are increasingly being applied to financial institutions and banks, especially on loan risk assessments. When deciding to approve the applicant’s loan or not, financial institutions or banks need to assess whether the lender has the loan conditions. Usually this is a very difficult decision. In this paper, a new integrated approach Fuzzy Pythagoras Scoring (FPS) model, including Pythagorean fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (PFAHP) and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE), is used for personal loan risk assessment. The risks of decision analysis in loans are assessed by the proposed method. Comparing the results of the traditional analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and PFAHP, it shows that the method can obtain reliable evaluation results and evaluate personal loans more accurately.
Design and Development of High School Curriculum Learning System Based on the Core Quality of Mathematics
Authors: Chen Jie-chao
Published: January 2020

Mathematics plays a unique and irreplaceable role in forming human rational thinking, scientific spirit and promoting human intellectual development. It is worth studying how to cultivate the core quality of high school students. Under the background of Internet +, many Internet education service industries have further developed, and efforts have been made to study the effective integration of subject knowledge and information technology to improve students’ learning effectiveness. Mathematics, as one of the core courses of high school education, highlights its importance. Based on the core quality of mathematics, this paper constructs a new model of high school mathematics knowledge, and designs and implements the framework of high school curriculum learning system. Teachers adjust teaching content and strategies according to the actual situation of students, improve classroom efficiency, gradually achieve high-level teaching goals, and train new talents who can adapt to the needs of the new era in modern teaching.
Improvement of sphericity test for large-dimensional covariance matrix
Authors: Yuan Shoucheng , Ma Zhengqi
Published: January 2020

This paper discusses the problem of testing the sphericity of population covariance matrix when the sample size n and the dimensionality p both tend to infinity with p / n → c ∈ (0,1). A new test statistic is presented by utilizing an inequality, and asymptotic properties of the proposed statistic are derived for generally distributed population under the null hypothesis. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the proposed statistic has a significant improvement on test powers under the alternative hypothesis by comparing with some congeneric statistics.
A Solution to Defend Cloud Auditing Protocols from A Potential Attack
Authors: Lv Jiaxian , Wang Yi , Liu Jinze
Published: January 2020

PRISM, a monitoring plan carried out by American government and revealed to the public in 2013, brought subversion attack back to the centre of cryptography research. In this work, we propose a kind of subversion attack on the cloud auditing protocols, where the cloud server plays the role of subversion attacker, manages to recover the secret message stored by the users of the auditing protocol. Then we propose a general frame of defence solutions with experiments to evaluate the practicability of our theme.
Research on the Breach of Relationship Norms by Opportunistic behavior in the Context of Big Data
Authors: Chen Dai-fen , Zou Fang , Zhang Li , Yi Jiao
Published: January 2020

In this paper, psychological contract violation is introduced as a mediate variable to study the breach of relationship norms by opportunistic behavior of e-commerce platform. Based on the data analysis of 400 B2C e-commerce platform consumers, the results show that the opportunistic behavior of the platform has a negative impact on relationship norms, and psychological contract violation will reduce consumers’ willingness to follow the relationship. It plays a mediate role between platform opportunistic behavior and relationship norms, and user stickiness can reduce the negative impact of psychological contract violation on relationship norms. However, opportunistic behavior and psychological contract violation have no negative influence on conflict resolution norms. The findings provide theoretical guidance for e-commerce platform managers to make up for the destruction of relationship norms caused by opportunistic behavior through the realization of consumer psychological contract.
Stratum Differences in Health Behaviour of Elderly Group—An empirical research based on harmonized CHARLS
Authors: Hua Jie
Published: January 2020

Based on the harmonized CHARLS data, this paper discussed the impact of social class on the health behaviour of the elderly. Through negative binomial panel regression and logit panel regression with fixed effect, the study found that older people with higher social strata pay more attention to maintaining their health and thus tend to avoid health risk behaviours. Among them, education has a specially significant impact on the choice of health behaviour, and elder people with higher education have a healthier behaviour. In addition, retirement also has a significant impact on the health of the elderly, mainly reflected in the possibility of their exercise habits disappearing after retirement.
Optimize Logistics cost model for shared logistics platform based on time-driven activity-based costing
Authors: Xu Sheng , Niu Jingjing , Cai Xin
Published: January 2020

Transportation cost management plays an important role in both traditional logistics management and supply chain logistics management. Time-driven activity-based costing bypasses the expensive, time-consuming and subjective activity investigation and is more suitable for the intermediate link of enterprise cost accounting. Linear programming is a mathematical theory and method to study the extreme value problem of objective function under linear constraints, and the optimal decision is made by using limited human, material and financial resources. Based on the concept of Shared logistics, this paper studies transport enterprises to solve problems such as information asymmetry in the process of transport. By establishing a linear programming time-driven activity-based costing accounting model, the allocation of scarce resources in transport enterprises can be reasonably solved, and the efficiency of cost accounting can be improved to achieve considerable cost savings.
Analysis of Influence of Family Status on Dietary Behavior of Preschool Children through Data Samples: A Case Study of Eating Frequency of Western Fast Food
Authors: Tan Fang , Zhao Xin , Yi Ruokun , Xu Nanxin , Zhang Jiaqiong
Published: January 2020

Children’s eating habits are closely related to not only their own growth and development, but also their psychological development. In order to explore the influence of family status on the frequency of Western fast food eating for preschool children, this study selected five aspects of preschool education, including the cognitive level of adopters and family income, as the research dimension, and used SPSS software to analyze nearly 2000 groups of data. The study found that the low cognitive level of adopters in Western fast food behavior caused children to eat Western fast food more frequently. Children with high family income, decent parents, high educational level of parents and family living conditions had higher frequency of eating Western fast food. Finally, it is proposed to improve children’s dietary behavior by improving their dietary education, education ability and their own dietary behavior, developing diversified and interesting dietary health, health education activities, and strengthening the publicity of dietary education in kindergartens.
Modeling on Financial Revenue via Data Mining
Authors: Liu Lijun , Ding Yongmei , Wang Huan
Published: January 2020

As a new first-tier city of core force in the central region, Wuhan plays a vital role in the development of the mid-regional economy of China, which arises our rich interest about the powerful factors for rapid economic improvement. In this paper, we select 12 factors of financial revenue from 2002 to 2018, and try to find out the significant elements through the Adaptive-Lasso algorithm, then predict the future financial revenue by combining with the grey and neural network model. Real example shows the model is efficient to provide a feasible way to predict the financial market in the future.
The impact of economic growth on PM2.5 concentrations in China’s Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration: Analysis based on Spatial Durbin Model
Authors: Zhu Weiwei
Published: January 2020

In the wake of China’s rapid economic development, the contradiction between economic growth and atmospheric environment protection has intensified. Taking Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration (YDUA) as its study area, this paper adopts the prefecture-level data during the period 2003-2016, and employs Spatial Durbin Model to detect spatial autocorrelations of PM2.5 concentrations globally and locally and explore the impact of economic growth on PM2.5 concentrations in YDUA. Results verified the existence of spatial dependence of PM2.5 concentrations in YDUA, and show that there is a N-shaped relationship between the economic growth and PM2.5 concentrations in YDUA. Besides, the economic development in local city would impact the PM2.5 concentrations in neighbouring cities, the influence trend also making up a N-shaped curve. Policy implications are put forward based on these findings.
Circuit Design Method to Improve Cryogenic Buffer Amplifiers Dynamic Parameters on CJFETs
Authors: Nikitina E P , Bugakova A V , Zhuk A A
Published: January 2020

We consider a circuit design method to increase a slew rate increase and transient process setting time decrease in buffer amplifiers (BAs), intended for operation in analog interfaces of physical values sensors and automatic devices at low temperatures. Differentiating transient correction circuits are introduced into the classical circuits of the BAs on complementary field-effect transistors (CJFETs) to improve these dynamic parameters. We investigated two buffer amplifier’s topologies: single-ended and balanced ones. The article shows the practical use of the proposed BA in the output and input stages of the high-speed operational amplifiers.
SiC- and Ti3SiC2-Based Ceramics Synthesis by Spark Plasma Sintering of Preceramic Paper
Authors: Sedanova E P , Kashkarov E B , Lider A M , Abdullina K R , Mingazova Y R , Travitzky N
Published: January 2020

This paper is devoted to proposing a new approach to the synthesis of SiC- and Ti3SiC2-based ceramics by using of preceramic paper as a feedstock. A preceramic paper with SiC and Ti3SiC2 powder fillers were sintered by spark plasma sintering (SPS) method for holding time 10 minutes under pressure 20-100 MPa. The temperature for the sintering of SiC- and Ti3SiC2-filled paper was 2073-2373 K and 1373-1473 K respectively. The influence of sintering parameters on the materials microstructure was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. It was revealed that with an increase in pressure from 20 to 100 MPa, the microstructure of the materials becomes denser. It agrees with the results of measuring the density of the sintering materials by the hydrostatic weighting. The determination of Young`s modulus by the acoustic method demonstrates that with the increase of the applied pressure during SPS, Young’s modulus of the synthesized SiC- and Ti3SiC2-ceramics increase.
Magnetic Isotopes of 25Mg and 67Zn and Magnetic Fields Influence on Adenosine Triphosphate Content in Escherichia Coli
Authors: Letuta U G
Published: January 2020

Studies on the magnetic isotopes effect of zinc 67Zn and magnesium 25Mg on the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration in living organisms were held in this work on the example of E. coli bacteria. External static magnetic fields 0-100 mT were used to enhance the effect of magnetic isotopes on intracellular processes. Enrichment of microorganisms with magnesium or zinc isotopes during growth changes the ATP concentration in cells depending on the type of isotope – magnetic or non-magnetic. The effect of weak magnetic fields of 0-10 mT stimulates the bacterial cell growth and the intracellular ATP concentration change. The maximum concentration of ATP was achieved by using a magnetic isotope of magnesium 25Mg and exposure of bacteria to the static magnetic fields 70-90 mT. Non-magnetic isotopes of magnesium or zinc and magnetic fields other than the ranges 0-10 and 70-90 mT can be used to decrease the rate of ATP synthesis.
Simulation Biomechanical Modeling of Human Walking
Authors: Avilov A V , Avilova N V , Krivtsov I A
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this paper is simulation parameters of human walking in normal and pathological conditions. Modeling does possible to determine dynamic characteristics of motion and to optimize designs of walking mechanisms, prostheses, orthoses, implants and more. In developing the model of human walking, we used a special case of the Lagrange equation of the second kind. The experiment was conducted by video analysis of real gait of people of different ages and sex. As a result of the simulation the speeds and accelerations of all links of the model, moments in joints, and peak values of moments are determined. Simulation of human walking makes it possible to develop technical specifications for the design of walking mechanisms, prostheses, implants and more.
Investigation of the Interaction of Palladium with Potassium Tetrafluorobromate
Authors: Mamatova A M , Shakimova A M , Merkel K I , Malin A V , Ostvald R V
Published: January 2020

In this investigation, the interaction of metallic palladium with potassium tetrafluorobromate was examined in open system, the reaction products were identified using X-ray phase analysis. A thermogram of the interaction of Pd with KBrF4 was obtained, the temperature range of the reaction (187.9-328°C) and the thermal effect (431.31 J/g) were determined. It was found that the fluorination process is a multi-stage process. The solubility of the obtained K2PdF6 compound in nitric and hydrochloric acids was investigated. The process of extraction of palladium from nitric acid solutions with tributyl phosphate was carried out and the influence of the concentration of palladium and the acidity of the initial solution on the distribution coefficient was investigated.
Hydrodynamic methods for reducing concentration polarization during beer processing by membranes
Authors: Klyuchnikov A I , Ovsyannikov V Yu , Lobacheva N N , Berestovoy A A , Klyuchnikova D V
Published: January 2020

The use of baromembrane processes, in particular, microfiltration, allowed us to form a whole area consisting in the development of beer clarification technologies with qualitatively new properties. The microfiltration process, in comparison with classical pasteurization with the help of immobilized enzymes, with adsorbing agents, has indisputable advantages, because phase transformations are completely absent, low processing temperatures are used, the process can be carried out in several stages, the processing time and energy consumption are reduced, the conditions of microbiological resistance are increased. The decisive role in the course of the microfiltration process is played by the movement mode of the initial solution, physicochemical properties and the geometry of the membrane channel. It is known that the diffusion coefficient can be significantly increased by increasing the temperature of the solution to be separated, which is not always technologically possible, and in some cases, simply unacceptable, therefore, the above parameters are the most promising options for increasing the mass transfer coefficient.
Accounting and analytical support of financial analysis of agricultural enterprises
Authors: Vasileva N O , Astrakhantseva I A , Polyakova I A , Korkina N I
Published: January 2020

The development of analytical tools for financial analysis of the organization at the stage of economical growth is considered in this article. Reorientation of the methodology for financial stability evaluation, in accordance with the functional approach, is most relevant for the processes of distribution and redistribution of in-house financial resources. By the example of the report of the enterprise it is shown that both economically significant information and effective solutions to financial problems, including the tasks of maintaining investment attractiveness, can be obtained only with the appropriate accounting system.
Thermal analysis of carbon fibre reinforced polymer decomposition
Authors: Yatim Norazlina Mohamad , Shamsudin Zurina , Shaaban Azizah , Sani Nurhernida Abdullah , Jumaidin Ridhwan , Shariff Emy Aqila
Published: January 2020

The increasing number of carbon fibers reinforced polymer (CFRP) waste disposed of in landfills is creating environmental concerns due to the potential release of toxic by-products and the need for recycling. This research work investigates the influence of atmosphere (single and combination of nitrogen and oxygen) and heating rate (5 and 10 °C min−1) on the thermal decomposition of CFRP to recover the reclaimed-cf The samples were heated up to 420 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere followed by heating in the oxygen atmosphere from 420 °C until the final heating temperature at different heating rates. The thermal decomposition behavior of the CFRP waste was compared by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Morphological, chemical and structural analysis of reclaimed-CF was performed using SEM, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy respectively. A nitrogen atmosphere was significance at the early temperature (<420 °C) to decompose smaller molecules of epoxy resin components, while oxygen atmosphere is needed to achieve a complete separation of reclaimed-CF from their matrix. Thermal decomposition at lower heating rate (5 °C min−1) was found efficiently to eliminate the complex epoxy resin and retain the structure of reclaimed-cf The particular thermal decomposition technique that leads to a lower final heating temperature (540 °C) is present to recover valuable reclaimed-CF from complex CFRP industrial waste.
Hybrid bio-based composites from blends of epoxy and soybean oil resins reinforced with jute woven fabrics
Authors: Ozkur Semih , Sezgin Hande , Akay Erdem , Yalcin-Enis Ipek
Published: January 2020

In our world, where environmental factors are taken into consideration more and more, the interest in biomaterials leaves its place to the need and this leads the researchers to search for new materials. The aim of this study is to produce an environmentally friendly, sustainable material with the use of a plant oil-based bio-resin (acrylated epoxidized soybean oil). In this context, bio-composites containing different proportions (from 0 to 100 wt%, in 10% increments) of acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) and epoxy resin are reinforced with four-ply jute woven fabric and produced by the vacuum infusion method. The bio-composites produced within the scope of the study analyzed physically (fiber weight ratio), mechanically (tensile strength, flexural strength, drop-weight impact resistance, and Charpy impact strength), instrumentally (differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) and morphologically (scanning electron microscopy). According to the results, the tensile and flexural strength values of the composites containing more than 30 wt% AESO resin decrease due to the ductility of the structure; subsequently, composites with AESO content above 50 wt% are found to exhibit superior impact resistance. Composites with pure AESO resin absorb 7 J energy which is almost 3 times higher than pure epoxy composites. The maximum tensile strength (63 MPa) of composites are achieved for 30 wt% AESO content indicating the newly formed hydrogen bonding leading to enhanced fiber-matrix interface. The bio-composites designed and produced in the project have been a promising alternative for various end-use areas, from construction elements to the automotive sector and sports equipment, where human health and environmental elements are considered.
Preparation and characterization of graphene oxide from tea waste and it’s photocatalytic application of TiO2/graphene nanocomposite
Authors: Amir Faiz M S , Che Azurahanim C A , Yazid Y , Suriani A B , Siti Nurul Ain M J
Published: January 2020

In the present study, the conversion of tea waste biomass was carried via carbonization at high temperature and further used as starting material to produce graphene oxide (GO). The oxidation and exfoliation of graphitized carbon was successfully achieved using modified Hummer’s method. The as synthesized GO have been loaded with titanium dioxide (TiO2) using hydrothermal method to produce nanocomposite of rGO/TIO2. The prepared nanocomposites were characterized by means of XRD, FTIR, Raman and FESEM analysis. The evaluation for rGO/TIO2 nanocomposite photocatalytic activity was carried out based on degradation of methyl orange (MO) under the ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. Results obtained using FTIR results revealed the successful oxidation of graphitized carbon with the presence of carboxyl and hydroxyl group. FESEM images suggested the changes of surface morphology from graphite flakes structure into few layers of graphene sheets. Therefore, it can be indicated that tea waste suitable to be sustainable alternative of graphite for the synthesis of GO. Moreover, GO obtained has immense potential for degradation of various water pollutions. Photocatalytic activity experiment inferred that the importance of optimum ratio between reduce GO to TiO2 materials which can resulted in difference in the degradation efficiency; rGO/TiO2 1:8 > rGO/TiO2 1:4 > TiO2 > rGO/TiO2 1:6 > rGO/TiO2 1:10.
Synthesis and characterization of electro-spun TiO2and TiO2-SnO2composite nano-fibers for application in advance generation solar cells
Authors: Akhlaq Maham , Khan Zuhair S
Published: January 2020

Due to rapid progressive research in the field of nano-technology, nanostructures are attaining tremendous deliberation. Precisely, among these, nano-fibers have accumulated unprecedented attention over the last few years owing to their superior properties such as large surface area to volume ratio. For advance generation solar cells, nano-fibers of metal oxides such as TiO2have been widely employed as a working anode but due to the disadvantages of recombination of electrons, their coupling with other metal oxides is necessary to render them useful. This work reports the successful fabrication of TiO2, TiO2/SnO2nano-fibers based film and study of the effect of polymer concentration upon it. The crystal structure of synthesized fibers was investigated using XRD, the morphology and chemical composition was analyzed using SEM and EDX, optical properties and chemical properties were studied using UV-VIS spectrophotometer and FT-IR while the electrical properties were studied using Hall Effect measurement system. It was revealed that the prepared TiO2-SnO2nano-fibers exhibit enhanced conductivity, larger band-gap with enhanced photo voltaic properties than TiO2nano-fibers. The prepared TiO2/SnO2nano-fibers based solar cells provide an improved efficiency of 4.81% as compared to 1.8% efficiency of bare TiO2nano-fibers.
Message in a Bottle: Scenic Presentation of the Unsayable
Authors: Busch Brigitta
Published: January 2020

Linguistic studies related to trauma are primarily interested in how traumatic events can be verbalized. This article, in contrast, focusses on ways of translating a traumatic experience into forms of symbolization that do not report on what happened but rather foreground the bodily and emotional sensations linked to (re)living such experiences. In discussing such forms of scenic presentation and condensation, I will build, inter alia, on Wittgenstein’s (1919/1997) distinction between saying and showing as well as on Langer’s (1948) distinction between discursive and presentational forms of meaning making. The close reading of a multimodal text authored by an eight-year-old schoolgirl in the context of a creative-writing activity allows us to identify poetic and artistic means that suggest a reading of the text as a ‘bottled message’ about intense feelings of fear and helplessness. In concluding I argue that Bruner’s (1986) dichotomous distinction between the paradigmatic and the narrative mode of meaning making needs to be extended by recognizing a third mode, which might be termed the presentational mode.
Connecting the dots: avian eggshell pigmentation, female condition and paternal provisioning effort
Authors: Hodges Kara E , Mortimer Nathan T , Vrailas-Mortimer Alysia D , Sakaluk Scott K , Thompson Charles F
Published: January 2020

Differences in avian eggshell pigmentation could be an honest signal of female quality that males use to inform their nestling provisioning effort. We investigated whether among-individual variation in protoporphyrin-based eggshell pigmentation in house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) reflects female fitness-associated traits and whether males use that information. Females laying lighter clutches were older and larger than females laying darker clutches. Nestlings hatching from lighter clutches had greater size-corrected mass on post-hatch day 11, a measure that strongly predicts survival and recruitment to the breeding population. To test whether male provisioning effort responds to clutch pigmentation, we used a reciprocal clutch cross-fostering design, swapping dark with light clutches and light with dark; in controls, we swapped light with light clutches and dark with dark. Shortly before hatching, clutches were returned to their original nest to avoid confounding effects of nestling quality on male provisioning. Contrary to the sexual selection hypothesis, clutch pigmentation had no effect on male provisioning. Males were probably able to observe eggshell pigmentation and thus had information about female quality, but they did not use this information to modulate their nestling provisioning. This may be because of constraints on species-specific reproductive opportunities, or because variation in eggshell protoporphyrin serves other functions.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Early Fungicidal Activity as a Surrogate Endpoint for Cryptococcal Meningitis Survival in Clinical Trials
Authors: Pullen Matthew F , Hullsiek Katherine Huppler , Rhein Joshua , Musubire Abdu K , Tugume Lillian , Nuwagira Edwin , Abassi Mahsa , Ssebambulidde Kenneth , Mpoza Edward , Kiggundu Ruben , Akampurira Andrew , Nabeta Henry W , Schutz Charlotte , Evans Emily E , Rajasingham Radha , Skipper Caleb P , Pastick Katelyn A , Williams Darlisha A , Morawski Bozena M , Bangdiwala Ananta S , Meintjes Graeme , Muzoora Conrad , Meya David B , Boulware David R
Published: January 2020

Background

In cryptococcal meningitis phase 2 clinical trials, early fungicidal activity (EFA) of Cryptococcus clearance from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is used as a surrogate endpoint for all-cause mortality. The Food and Drug Administration allows for using surrogate endpoints for accelerated regulatory approval, but EFA as a surrogate endpoint requires further validation. We examined the relationship between rate of CSF Cryptococcus clearance (EFA) and mortality through 18 weeks.

Methods

We pooled individual-level CSF data from 3 sequential cryptococcal meningitis clinical trials conducted during 2010–2017. All 738 subjects received amphotericin + fluconazole induction therapy and had serial quantitative CSF cultures. The log10-transformed colony-forming units (CFUs) per mL CSF were analyzed by general linear regression versus day of culture over the first 10 days.

Results

Mortality through 18 weeks was 37% for EFA > = 0.60 (n = 170), 36% for 0.40–0.59 (n = 182), 39% for 0.30–0.39 (n = 112), 35% for 0.20–0.29 (n = 87), and 50% for those with EFA < 0.20 CFU/mL/day (n = 187). The hazard ratio for 18-week mortality, comparing those with EFA < 0.20 to those with EFA > = 0.20, was 1.60 (95% confidence interval, 1.25, 2.04; P = .002). The lowest EFA group had lower median CD4 T-cell counts (P < .01) and lower proportion of patients with CSF pleocytosis (P < .001).

Conclusions

EFA is associated with all-cause mortality in cryptococcal meningitis. An EFA threshold of > = 0.20 log10 CFU/mL/day was associated with similar 18-week mortality (37%) compared to 50% mortality with EFA < 0.20. This EFA threshold may be considered a target for a surrogate endpoint. This builds upon existing studies to validate EFA as a surrogate endpoint.
Evaluation of Phylogenetic Methods for Inferring the Direction of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Transmission: HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 052
Authors: Zhang Yinfeng , Wymant Chris , Laeyendecker Oliver , Grabowski M Kathryn , Hall Matthew , Hudelson Sarah , Piwowar-Manning Estelle , McCauley Marybeth , Gamble Theresa , Hosseinipour Mina C , Kumarasamy Nagalingeswaran , Hakim James G , Kumwenda Johnstone , Mills Lisa A , Santos Breno R , Grinsztejn Beatriz , Pilotto Jose H , Chariyalertsak Suwat , Makhema Joseph , Chen Ying Q , Cohen Myron S , Fraser Christophe , Eshleman Susan H
Published: January 2020

Background

Phylogenetic analysis can be used to assess human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission in populations. We inferred the direction of HIV transmission using whole-genome HIV sequences from couples with known linked infection and known transmission direction.

Methods

Complete next-generation sequencing (NGS) data were obtained for 105 unique index–partner sample pairs from 32 couples enrolled in the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 052 study (up to 2 samples/person). Index samples were obtained up to 5.5 years before partner infection; partner samples were obtained near the time of seroconversion. The bioinformatics method, phyloscanner, was used to infer transmission direction. Analyses were performed using samples from individual sample pairs, samples from all couples (1 sample/person; group analysis), and all available samples (multisample group analysis). Analysis was also performed using NGS data from defined regions of the HIV genome (gag, pol, env).

Results

Using whole-genome NGS data, transmission direction was inferred correctly (index to partner) for 98 of 105 (93.3%) of the individual sample pairs, 99 of 105 (94.3%) sample pairs using group analysis, and 31 of the 32 couples (96.9%) using multisample group analysis. There were no cases where the incorrect transmission direction (partner to index) was inferred. The accuracy of the method was higher with greater time between index and partner sample collection. Pol region sequences performed better than env or gag sequences for inferring transmission direction.

Conclusions

We demonstrate the potential of a phylogenetic method to infer the direction of HIV transmission between 2 individuals using whole-genome and pol NGS data.
Stoichiometric and stable isotope ratios of wild lizards in an urban landscape vary with reproduction, physiology, space and time
Authors: Durso Andrew M , Smith Geoffrey D , Hudson Spencer B , French Susannah S
Published: January 2020

Spatial and temporal variation in stoichiometric and stable isotope ratios of animals contains ecological information that we are just beginning to understand. In both field and lab studies, stoichiometric or isotopic ratios are related to physiological mechanisms underlying nutrition or stress. Conservation and ecosystem ecology may be informed by isotopic data that can be rapidly and non-lethally collected from wild animals, especially where human activity leaves an isotopic signature (e.g. via introduction of chemical fertilizers, ornamental or other non-native plants or organic detritus). We examined spatial and temporal variation in stoichiometric and stable isotope ratios of the toes of Uta stansburiana (side-blotched lizards) living in urban and rural areas in and around St. George, Utah. We found substantial spatial and temporal variation as well as context-dependent co-variation with reproductive physiological parameters, although certain key predictions such as the relationship between δ15N and body condition were not supported. We suggest that landscape change through urbanization can have profound effects on wild animal physiology and that stoichiometric and stable isotope ratios can provide unique insights into the mechanisms underlying these processes.
Fixed the gap, solved the problem? Eating skills in esophageal atresia patients at 3 years
Authors: Bevilacqua Francesca , Ragni Benedetta , Conforti Andrea , Gentile Simonetta , Zaccara Antonio , Dotta Andrea , Bagolan Pietro , Aite Lucia
Published: January 2020

Although eating problems have been described as long-term morbidities of esophageal atresia (EA), there have been few studies exploring eating outcomes in children born with EA as primary aim. Parents of children operated on for EA in our Institution from January 2012 to January 2016, answered a telephone structured interview developed specifically to conduct the present study, assessing eating skills at 3 years of age. Clinical data were collected from children’s medical records. Parents (45 mothers and 6 fathers) of 51 children (male = 34; female = 17) with a median age of 3.5 years form the object of the study. Considering eating problems, parents reported that 23 children (45%) still have episodes of choking during meals at 3 years of age, 9 (45%) of these have more than one episode a week, and 19 parents (39%) reported higher levels of anxiety during mealtimes. Forty-four children (86%) were described by their parents as able to eat alone, 32 (65%) accepted all food textures and 45 (90%) was described as curious about food (3 years). Forty-three (86%) parents let their children eat with other people. Correlations showed that weaning age was significantly associated with number of dilatations (rs = 0.35, P = 0.012), days of mechanical ventilation (rs = 0.40, P < 0.001), and presence of gastrostomy tube at discharge (rs = 0.45, P < 0.001). Chewing age resulted associated with number of dilatations (rs = 0.34, P < 0.01) and days of mechanical ventilation (rs = 0.38, P < 0.01). Presence of choking episodes was associated with curiosity about food (rs = 0.29, P < 0.05), while frequent choking episodes were associated with higher parental anxiety during mealtimes (rs = 0.45, P < 0.05). In order to prevent delay in the achievement of eating developmental milestones in children operated on of EA, we advocate a dedicated preventive intervention from birth to follow-up.
Improving headgear wear: why force level and direction of traction matter
Authors: Stocker Larissa Olivia , Patcas Raphael , Schätzle Marc Andreas
Published: January 2020

Background

Empiric data on headgear wear are scarce. The aim was to examine a possible discrepancy between the duration of wearing and force application, and whether such a difference is influenced by force level or direction of traction.

Materials and methods

In this retrospective analysis, 122 consecutive patients were included. All were treated with headgear (three subgroups: high-pull headgear [n = 60], cervical-pull headgear [n = 32], and high-pull headgear in combination with an activator [n = 30]) and were monitored for three successive months using an electronic module. The device recorded chronographically the measured force magnitude and temperature, allowing to differentiate between the duration of headgear wear (recorded body temperature) and actual force application (recorded force).

Results

For all subgroups, the average recorded force application was lower than wear time (mean inactivity during wear: 15.9 ± 22.8 minutes/night). The direction of traction significantly influenced the extent and length of wear time without force application (P < 0.001): patients with cervical-pull headgear were more prone to inactive wear time (27.7 minutes/night) than patients with high-pull headgear (13.7 minutes/night) or with headgear–activator (7.8 minutes/night). The observed inter-individual variability of inactive wear time was considerable (0–134 minutes/night). The mean applied force was highly significantly associated with inactive wear time (correlation coefficient: −0.575; P < 0.001), and force levels below 250 g seem particularly related to episodes of inactivity.

Conclusions

There is a clear incongruity between the duration of headgear wear and the duration of force application. Inactive wear time is influenced by the direction of traction and force level applied. Clinicians should be aware of the likelihood of periods of inactive wear time and researchers should search for options to reduce or even eliminate these periods.
Sex differences in catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: results from AXAFA-AFNET 5
Authors: Kloosterman Mariëlle , Chua Winnie , Fabritz Larissa , Al-Khalidi Hussein R , Schotten Ulrich , Nielsen Jens C , Piccini Jonathan P , Di Biase Luigi , Häusler Karl Georg , Todd Derick , Mont Lluis , Van Gelder Isabelle C , Kirchhof Paulus ,   for the AXAFA-AFNET 5 investigators
Published: January 2020

Aims

Study sex-differences in efficacy and safety of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation.

Methods and results

We assessed first AF ablation outcomes on continuous anticoagulation in 633 patients [209 (33%) women and 424 (67%) men] in a pre-specified subgroup analysis of the AXAFA-AFNET 5 trial. We compared the primary outcome (death, stroke or transient ischaemic attack, or major bleeding) and secondary outcomes [change in quality of life (QoL) and cognitive function] 3 months after ablation. Women were older (66 vs. 63 years, P < 0.001), more often symptomatic, had lower QoL and a longer history of AF. No sex differences in ablation procedure were found. Women stayed in hospital longer than men (2.1 ± 2.3 vs. 1.6 ± 1.3 days, P = 0.004). The primary outcome occurred in 19 (9.1%) women and 26 (6.1%) men, P = 0.19. Women experienced more bleeding events requiring medical attention (5.7% vs. 2.1%, P = 0.03), while rates of tamponade (1.0% vs. 1.2%) or intracranial haemorrhage (0.5% vs. 0%) did not differ. Improvement in QoL after ablation was similar between the sexes [12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) physical 5.1% and 5.9%, P = 0.26; and SF-12 mental 3.7% and 1.6%, P = 0.17]. At baseline, mild cognitive impairment according to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was present in 65 (32%) women and 123 (30%) men and declined to 23% for both sexes at end of follow-up.

Conclusion

Women and men experience similar improvement in QoL and MoCA score after AF ablation on continuous anticoagulation. Longer hospital stay, a trend towards more nuisance bleeds, and a lower overall QoL in women were the main differences observed.
Biodegradation of propanil by Acinetobacter baumannii DT in a biofilm-batch reactor and effects of butachlor on the degradation process
Authors: Oanh Nguyen Thi , Duc Ha Danh , Ngoc Dau Thi Hong , Thuy Nguyen Thi Dieu , Hiep Nguyen Huu , Van Hung Nguyen
Published: January 2020

The herbicide, propanil, has been extensively applied in weed control, which causes serious environmental pollution. Acinetobacter baumannii DT isolated from soil has been used to determine the degradation rates of propanil and 3,4-dichloroaniline by freely suspended and biofilm cells. The results showed that the bacterial isolate could utilize both compounds as sole carbon and nitrogen sources. Edwards's model could be fitted well to the degradation kinetics of propanil, with the maximum degradation of 0.027 ± 0.003 mM h−1. The investigation of the degradation pathway showed that A. baumannii DT transformed propanil to 3,4-dichloroaniline before being completely degraded via the ortho-cleavage pathway. In addition, A. baumannii DT showed high tolerance to butachlor, a herbicide usually mixed with propanil to enhance weed control. The presence of propanil and butachlor in the liquid media increased the cell surface hydrophobicity and biofilm formation. Moreover, the biofilm reactor showed increased degradation rates of propanil and butachlor and high tolerance of bacteria to these chemicals. The obtained results showed that A. baumannii DT has a high potential in the degradation of propanil.
Progress in the use of detection dogs for emerald ash borer monitoring
Authors: Hoyer-Tomiczek Ute , Hoch Gernot
Published: January 2020

Early detection of infestation by the emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis is extremely difficult; hence developing additional methods is desirable. We built on the successful use of canine scent detection for the invasive long-horned beetles Anoplophora glabripennis and Anoplophora chinensis and trained six dogs in detection of EAB. A first test series was performed to evaluate detection accuracy of five of these dogs. Seven different experimental settings were tested under single blind conditions: (1) forest nursery, (2) piles of firewood, (3) firewood on the ground, (4) ash logs on the ground, (5) old urban ash trees, (6) urban forest with ash trees and (7) natural forest with ash trees. In total, 214 positive samples were presented to the dogs, out of which 20 remained undetected. The experiments ascertained sensitivity (correct positives of all positives) ranging from 73.3 to 100 percent and specificity (correct negatives of all negatives) from 88.9 to 99.8 percent in the tested settings. This initial study demonstrates that trained dogs are able to detect EAB scent from sources such as larval galleries in bark/wood, frass, living or dead larvae or dead dry beetles. The numbers of tested dogs and test series were limited, and further studies are needed to confirm the initial results. However, the preliminary findings demonstrate the potential of the method particularly for inspection of wood or plants at entry points.
Crohn’s Disease and Immunosupressive Treatment: Hepatosplenic Lesions as an Atypical Case of Bartonella henselae
Authors: García María José , Armiñanzas Carlos , Rivero Montserrat , Ramos Martín
Published: January 2020

Anti–tumor necrosis factor is a frequently used therapy in Crohn’s disease. We describe a patient with Crohn’s disease who presented fever and hepatosplenic lesions due to an opportunistic infection caused by Bartonella henselae.
Halfway to Rota’s Basis Conjecture
Authors: Bucić Matija , Kwan Matthew , Pokrovskiy Alexey , Sudakov Benny
Published: January 2020

In 1989, Rota made the following conjecture. Given $n$ bases $B_{1},\dots ,B_{n}$ in an $n$-dimensional vector space $V$, one can always find $n$ disjoint bases of $V$, each containing exactly one element from each $B_{i}$ (we call such bases transversal bases). Rota’s basis conjecture remains wide open despite its apparent simplicity and the efforts of many researchers (e.g., the conjecture was recently the subject of the collaborative “Polymath” project). In this paper we prove that one can always find $\left (1/2-o\left (1\right )\right )n$ disjoint transversal bases, improving on the previous best bound of $\Omega \left (n/\log n\right )$. Our results also apply to the more general setting of matroids.