bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of colloidal gold‐based immunochromatographic strip test using two monoclonal antibodies for detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus
Authors: Ding Chengchao , Li Jianwu , Liu Xiao , Liu Qing
Published: April 2018

A rapid and sensitive colloidal gold‐based immunochromatographic test strip (ICTS) for the detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP) was developed. It was based on sandwich principle with two monoclonal antibodies (Mabs), namely H7 and C9. The Mab H7 gold nanoparticle (AuNPs‐Mab H7) conjugate was transferred onto a glass fiber pad as conjugate pad. Mab C9 containing 1% (M/V) bovine serum albumin and the goat anti‐mouse immunoglobulinG (IgG) antibody were sprayed onto a nitrocellulose membrane in strips at T and C line positions, respectively. The ICTS was assessed for the ability to detect VP, 50 μl aliquot of test sample was applied to the sample pad. The results were observable within 10 min after adding the sample. The sensitivity of the test was determined to be 104 CFU/ml. Detection of VP after 25‐week storage could be accomplished with similar sensitivities. The positive rate was 100% in seafood with the ICTS. The VP ICTS provided several advantages over other detection methods, including the short time, low cost, convenient to use, and not requiring sophisticated equipment. Furthermore, the results could be imaged and transformed into a two‐dimensional bar code by using a smart cell phone for more vividly, clearly and permanently being observed.

Practical applications

During the past two decades, Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP) has been one of the most common causes of the bacterial foodborne outbreaks, which caused abdominal cramps, vomiting, nausea, headaches, fever, and chills. Therefore, the detection of VP is crucial to public food safety. This study obtained two different monoclonal antibodies (Mabs; Mab H7 and C9) of VP with high specificity and no cross‐reactions were found with other foodborne pathogens. The AuNPs‐based immunochromatographic test strip (ICTS) was developed with the Mabs (Mab H7 and C9) and the ICTS was evaluated with high sensitivity, high specificity, low cost, and rapid speed for VP detection. The accuracy rate of immunochromatographic strip for detection VP was 100% in seafood samples.
Can ‘omics’ studies provide evidence for causal effects of coffee consumption on risk of type 2 diabetes?
Authors: van Dam R. M.
Published: April 2018

Click here to view the Original Article by M. C. Cornelis et al.
SIP1 participates in regulation of flowering time in rice by recruiting OsTrx1 to Ehd1
Authors: Jiang Pengfei , Wang Shiliang , Zheng Han , Li Hao , Zhang Fei , Su Yanhua , Xu Zuntao , Lin Haiyan , Qian Qian , Ding Yong
Published: April 2018

Flowering time (heading date) in rice (Oryza sativa) is an important agronomic trait that determines yield. The levels of histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) modulated by TRITHORAX‐like proteins regulate gene transcription, flowering time and environmental stress responses. However, plant TRITHORAX‐like proteins have no known DNA‐binding domain, and therefore the mechanism that gives sequence specificity to these proteins remains unclear.

Here, we show that the rice TRITHORAX‐like protein OsTrx1 is recruited to its target, Early heading date 1 (Ehd1), by the C2H2 zinc finger protein SDG723/OsTrx1/OsSET33 Interaction Protein 1 (SIP1).

SIP1 binds to the promoter of Ehd1 and interacts with OsTrx1. Mutations in SIP1 led to a late heading date under long‐day and short‐day conditions. Defects in OsTrx1 or SIP1 led to reduced H3K4me3 levels at Ehd1, thus reducing Ehd1 expression.

Together, our results show that the transcription factor SIP1 interacts with OxTrx1, allowing OsTrx1 to specifically target Ehd1, altering H3K4me3 levels, increasing Ehd1 expression and thereby promoting flowering.
Geographic information science and the analysis of place and health
Authors: Mennis Jeremy , Yoo Eun‐Hye Enki
Published: April 2018

The representation of place is a key theoretical advancement that geographic information science can offer to improve the understanding of environmental determinants of health, but developing robust computational representations of place requires a substantial departure from conventional notions of geographic representation in GIS. Unlike conventional GIS representations based on either objects or locations, we suggest that place representation should incorporate dynamic subjective, experiential, and relational aspects of place, as the influence of place on health behavior concerns not only the features that can be objectively observed at a particular location but also the environmental perceptions of the individual, as molded by biological, social, and experiential characteristics. In addition, assessments of environmental exposures on health outcomes should focus on individuals' time–activity patterns and microenvironment profiles, which form a potentially unique personalized exposure environment for each individual. Addressing these representational challenges via collaborative research has the potential to advance both geographic information science and health research.
URBAN HEAT ISLAND MITIGATION USING GREEN ROOF APPROACH
Authors: Sohaili Johan , Kar Yan Leong , Muniyandi Shantha Kumari , Mohamad Siti Suhaila
Published: April 2018

In urban environments, vegetation has largely been replaced by impervious and often dark surfaces. These conditions contribute to an Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. This phenomenon is demonstrated in many cities and produced effects such as higher atmospheric temperatures, intensive precipitation, excessive solar radiation and increasing air pollution. Therefore, reducing the surface temperature of roofs in a building may play an important role in improving the conventional roof surfaces with green roofs that offer much lower temperatures throughout a day to reach their thermal performance and reduce the absorption of solar radiation. Thus, this study is focused on determining the effectiveness of the existing green roof in reducing the ambient temperature and humidity of the air above it by comparison with conventional open roof top without vegetation. This study also aims to evaluate the potential of green roof to reduce the air pollutants in improving air quality in urban cities. As a result, by adopting green roof system, it has reduced temperature during the hottest hour in a day at 1230 hour (hr) by 4.3°C when compared to open roof. Green roof has also recorded higher percentage of humidity compared to open roof. Most importantly, it was proven through this study that green roof has the potential of absorbing pollutants in the air by reducing the concentrations of Sulphur dioxide (SO2), Ammonia (NH3), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), Ozone (O3) and Carbon monoxide (CO) compared to open roof. Thus, green roofs can be considered to be one of the effective methods to mitigate UHI effects in urban cities.
EFFECT OF PROCESS PARAMETERS ON THE SYNTHESIS OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES AND ITS EFFECTS ON MICROBES
Authors: Yusof Faridah , Chowdhury Silvia , Sulaiman Nadzril , Faruck Mohammad Omer
Published: April 2018

Metallic silver (Ag) and some Ag compounds have long being used to fight microbial infection even before the emergence of antibiotics in the form of drugs. But lately, one of the problems facing the medical world is the occurrence of drug resistance microbes.  Therefore, actions must be taken to overcome the problem, one of which is to continue studies to develop new drugs, either synthetic or natural. The ultimate goal is to offer appropriate and efficient antimicrobial drugs to patients. In this regard, with the advent of nanotechnology, it is now possible to synthesize nano scale Ag which can be used in diverse medical applications. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of some important parameters towards the production of high yield Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) from silver salts by making use of reducing agent. One-Factor-at-a-Time (OFAT) design of experiment was conducted, involving five important synthesis parameters. Based on the analyses of its yellow color, absorption by UV-vis in the range of 350 to 420 nm wavelength and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at 420 nm, AgNPs produced were estimated to be in the range of 5 to 50 nm in diameter.  Out of the five parameters tested, such as the concentration of silver nitrate (AgNO3), the initial pH of AgNO3 solution, the concentration of tri-sodium citrate (TSC), the reaction time between AgNO3 and TSC and stirring time (after reduction process), results showed that all factors except stirring time affect the production. Characterization of AgNPs, carried out using Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), showed that the synthesized AgNPs were spherical with diameters less than 15 nm. Antimicrobial activity assays of AgNPs, carried out against selected microbes, namely Aspergillus niger, Microsporum canis and Staphylococcus aureus showed various degree of potencies.
The Effects of Walking Workstations on Biomechanical Performance
Authors: Grindle Daniel M. , Baker Lauren , Furr Mike , Puterio Tim , Knarr Brian , Higginson Jill
Published: April 2018

Prolonged sitting has been associated with negative health effects. Walking workstations have become increasingly popular in the workplace. There is a lack of research on the biomechanical effect of walking workstations. This study analyzed whether walking while working alters normal gait patterns. A total of 9 participants completed 4 walking trials at 2.4 and 4.0 km·h−1: baseline walking condition, walking while performing a math task, a reading task, and a typing task. Biomechanical data were collected using standard motion capture procedures. The first maximum vertical ground reaction force, stride width, stride length, minimum toe clearance, peak swing hip abduction and flexion angles, peak swing and stance ankle dorsiflexion, and knee flexion angles were analyzed. Differences between conditions were evaluated using analysis of variance tests with Bonferroni correction (P ≤ .05). Stride width decreased during the reading task at both speeds. Although other parameters exhibited significant differences when multitasking, these changes were within the normal range of gait variability. It appears that for short periods, walking workstations do not negatively impact gait in healthy young adults.
Laboratory Evaluation of Low-Cost Wearable Sensors for Measuring Head Impacts in Sports
Authors: Tyson Abigail M. , Duma Stefan M. , Rowson Steven
Published: April 2018

Advances in low-cost wearable head impact sensor technology provide potential benefits regarding sports safety for both consumers and researchers. However, previous laboratory evaluations are not directly comparable and do not incorporate test conditions representative of unhelmeted impacts. This study addresses those limitations. The xPatch by X2 Biosystems and the SIM-G by Triax Technologies were placed on a National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) headform with a Hybrid III neck which underwent impact tests using a pendulum. Impact conditions included helmeted, padded impactor to bare head, and rigid impactor to bare head to represent long- and short-duration impacts seen in helmeted and unhelmeted sports. The wearable sensors were evaluated on their kinematic accuracy by comparing results to reference sensors located at the headform center of gravity. Statistical tests for equivalence were performed on the slope of the linear regression between wearable sensors and reference. The xPatch gave equivalent measurements to the reference in select longer-duration impacts, whereas the SIM-G had large variance leading to no equivalence. For the short-duration impacts, both wearable sensors underpredicted the reference. This error can be improved with increases in sampling rate from 1 to 1.5 kHz. Follow-up evaluations should be performed on the field to identify error in vivo.
Empowerment Discourses in Transnational Sporting Contexts: The Case of Sarah Attar, The First Female Saudi Olympian
Authors: Stevenson Paulette
Published: April 2018

This article starts with the occasion of the 2012 London Olympics as “The Women’s Olympics” and looks both backward and forward to situate this occasion within the global north’s discourses of global human rights and neoliberal feminism. The global north’s coverage of the 2012 Olympics and Oiselle’s branding campaigns of Sarah Attar acts as data. I use transnational feminist analysis in combination with Foucauldian discourse analysis to trace how the global north’s discourses of human rights and neoliberal feminism travel and operate in transnational sporting contexts. As such, I trace the female athlete’s representation as white, middle-class, and heterosexual as a regime of truth. The discourses of human rights and neoliberal feminism, when networked with commodified images of women from the middle east and the politics of US feminism and the middle east, uncovers the neoliberal feminist cultural logics surrounding the branding of Attar.
When an Ironman Triathlon Isn’t Hard Enough: The Beer Mile as a Subworld Ritual
Authors: Lamont Matthew , Fairley Sheranne
Published: April 2018

Rituals may organically manifest on the periphery of official sport event programs, yet scholars have primarily focused on understanding the meaning of and experiences of athletes participating in the focal event. This paper explores a subworld ritual that occurs the day after major triathlon events in Australia. Organized by members of a distinct subworld within the broader social world of triathletes, the Beer Mile is a quasi-devious ritual performed by this subworld to mark the completion of a period of regimentation. The ritual embraces fortitude expressed through demonstrations of physicality, ability to handle alcohol, and boisterousness. We demonstrate how this ritual is a form of calculated hedonism that is both congruent and convergent with traditional endurance sport practices and norms.
Sequence Type 273 Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Carrying
bla
NDM-1
and
bla
IMP-4
Authors: Liu Lu , Feng Yu , Long Haiyan , McNally Alan , Zong Zhiyong
Published: April 2018

A carbapenem-resistant
Klebsiella pneumoniae
isolate was recovered from human blood. Its whole-genome sequence was obtained using Illumina and long-read MinION sequencing. The strain belongs to sequence type 273 (ST273), which was found recently and caused an outbreak in Southeast Asia. It has two carbapenemase genes,
bla
NDM-1
(carried by an ST7 IncN self-transmissible plasmid) and
bla
IMP-4
(located on a self-transmissible IncHI5 plasmid). Non-KPC-producing ST237 may represent a lineage of carbapenem-resistant
K. pneumoniae
, which warrants further monitoring.
Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 and Interleukin-1R1 Signaling Contribute to Resistance to Coccidioides immitis
Authors: Viriyakosol Suganya , Walls Lorraine , Okamoto Sharon , Raz Eyal , Williams David L. , Fierer Joshua
Published: April 2018

Rodents are a natural host for the dimorphic pathogenic fungiCoccidioides immitisandCoccidioides posadasii, and mice are a good model for human infection. Humans and rodents both express Dectin-1 and Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) on myeloid cells, and those receptors collaborate to maximize the cytokine/chemokine responses to spherules (the tissue form of the fungi) and to formalin-killed spherules (FKS). We showed that Dectin-1 is necessary for resistance to pulmonary coccidioidomycosis, but the importance of TLR2in vivois uncertain. Myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) is the adapter protein for TLR2 and -4, interleukin-1R1 (IL-1R1), and IL-18R1. MyD88/TRIF−/−and MyD88−/−mice were equally susceptible toC. immitisinfection, in contrast to C57BL/6 (B6) controls. Of the four surface receptors, only IL-1R1 was required for resistance toC. immitis, partially explaining the susceptibility of MyD88−/−mice. We also found that FKS stimulated production of IL-1Ra by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs), independent of MyD88 and Dectin-1. There also was a very high concentration of IL-1Ra in the lungs of infected B6 mice, supporting the potential importance of this regulatory IL-1 family protein in the largely ineffective response of B6 mice to coccidioidomycosis. These results suggest that IL-1R1 signaling is important for defense againstC. immitisinfection.
Coping with an Essential Poison: a Genetic Suppressor Analysis Corroborates a Key Function of c-di-AMP in Controlling Potassium Ion Homeostasis in Gram-Positive Bacteria
Authors: Commichau Fabian M. , Stülke Jörg
Published: April 2018

Cyclic di-AMP (c-di-AMP) is an important second messenger in bacteria. In mostFirmicutes, the molecule is required for growth in complex media but also toxic upon accumulation. In an article on their current study, Zarrella and coworkers present a suppressor analysis of aStreptococcus pneumoniaestrain that is unable to degrade c-di-AMP (T. M. Zarrella, D. W. Metzger, and G. Bai, J Bacteriol 200:e00045-18, 2018,https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.00045-18). Their study identifies new links between c-di-AMP and potassium homeostasis and supports the hypothesis that c-di-AMP serves as a second messenger to report about the intracellular potassium concentrations.
Kaptive Web: User-Friendly Capsule and Lipopolysaccharide Serotype Prediction for Klebsiella Genomes
Authors: Wick Ryan R. , Heinz Eva , Holt Kathryn E. , Wyres Kelly L.
Published: April 2018

As whole-genome sequencing becomes an established component of the microbiologist's toolbox, it is imperative that researchers, clinical microbiologists, and public health professionals have access to genomic analysis tools for the rapid extraction of epidemiologically and clinically relevant information. For the Gram-negative hospital pathogens such as
Klebsiella pneumoniae
, initial efforts have focused on the detection and surveillance of antimicrobial resistance genes and clones. However, with the resurgence of interest in alternative infection control strategies targeting
Klebsiella
surface polysaccharides, the ability to extract information about these antigens is increasingly important. Here we present Kaptive Web, an online tool for the rapid typing of
Klebsiella
K and O loci, which encode the polysaccharide capsule and lipopolysaccharide O antigen, respectively. Kaptive Web enables users to upload and analyze genome assemblies in a web browser. The results can be downloaded in tabular format or explored in detail via the graphical interface, making it accessible for users at all levels of computational expertise. We demonstrate Kaptive Web's utility by analyzing >500
K. pneumoniae
genomes. We identify extensive K and O locus diversity among 201 genomes belonging to the carbapenemase-associated clonal group 258 (25 K and 6 O loci). The characterization of a further 309 genomes indicated that such diversity is common among the multidrug-resistant clones and that these loci represent useful epidemiological markers for strain subtyping. These findings reinforce the need for rapid, reliable, and accessible typing methods such as Kaptive Web. Kaptive Web is available for use at
http://kaptive.holtlab.net/
, and the source code is available at
https://github.com/kelwyres/Kaptive-Web
.
Nonenvelopment Role for the ESCRT-III Complex during Human Cytomegalovirus Infection
Authors: Streck Nicholas T. , Carmichael Jillian , Buchkovich Nicholas J.
Published: April 2018

Secondary envelopment of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) occurs through a mechanism that is poorly understood. Many enveloped viruses utilize the endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRTs) for viral budding and envelopment. Although there are conflicting reports on the role of the ESCRT AAA ATPase protein VPS4 in HCMV infection, VPS4 may act in an envelopment role similar to its function during other viral infections. Because VPS4 is normally recruited by the ESCRT-III complex, we hypothesized that ESCRT-III subunits would also be required for HCMV infection. We investigated the role of ESCRT-III, the core ESCRT scission complex, during the late stages of infection. We show that inducible expression of dominant negative ESCRT-III subunits during infection blocks endogenous ESCRT function but does not inhibit virus production. We also show that HCMV forms enveloped intracellular and extracellular virions in the presence of dominant negative ESCRT-III subunits, suggesting that ESCRT-III is not involved in the envelopment of HCMV. We also found that as with ESCRT-III, inducible expression of a dominant negative form of VPS4A did not inhibit the envelopment of virions or reduce virus titers. Thus, HCMV does not require the ESCRTs for secondary envelopment. However, we found that ESCRT-III subunits are required for efficient virus spread. This suggests a role for ESCRT-III during the spread of HCMV that is independent of viral envelopment.

IMPORTANCE
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a prevalent opportunistic pathogen in the human population. For neonatal and immunocompromised patients, HCMV infection can cause severe and possibly life-threatening complications. It is important to define the mechanisms of the viral replication cycle in order to identify potential targets for new therapies. Secondary envelopment, or acquisition of the membrane envelope, of HCMV is a mechanism that needs further study. Using an inducible fibroblast system to carefully control for the toxicity associated with blocking ESCRT-III function, this study determines that the ESCRT proteins are not required for viral envelopment. However, the study does discover a nonenvelopment role for the ESCRT-III complex in the efficient spread of the virus. Thus, this study advances our understanding of an important process essential for the replication of HCMV.
A preliminary investigation on the effects of a hot water shrink tunnel and chill tank following vacuum packaging on commercial pork quality and bacteria growth
Authors: Vargas H. , Bohrer B.M.
Published: April 2018

This research focused on establishing the effects of a hot water shrink tunnel and chill tank following vacuum packaging on pork quality and bacteria growth. These preliminary results showed advantages in water-holding capacity (as assessed with purge loss), yet minimal effects on bacterial growth of pork products when using a hot water shrink tunnel and chill tank following vacuum packaging.
Interrelationships among plasma metabolites, production, and ovarian follicular function in dairy cows
Authors: Macmillan K. , Hayirli A. , Doepel L. , Dyck B.L. , Subramaniam E. , Ambrose D.J. , Colazo M.G.
Published: April 2018

Associations of blood metabolites and production variables with ovarian function and parity, specifically, interval to first ovulation (IFO) and the incidence of ovarian cysts (OC) and multiple ovulation (MOV) at the first ovulation postpartum, were determined in lactating dairy cows. This retrospective study involved data on 169 Holstein cows from three studies on the same herd. Blood samples were taken weekly from week −1 to week 4, relative to calving, and transrectal ultrasonography was performed twice weekly from day 7 to day 60 postpartum. The overall IFO was 32.6 ± 1.9 d (mean ± SEM) and did not differ among lactations. Primiparous cows were at a greater risk of failing to ovulate before day 60 postpartum and cows in the third or greater lactation were at a higher risk for OC and MOV. Blood metabolites and production variables indicating a negative energy balance were associated with cows failing to ovulate before day 35 postpartum, but were not related with OC. Increased dry matter intake and milk yield, particularly in second lactation cows, were associated with a higher incidence of OC. While beta-hydroxybutyrate acid and insulin-like growth factor 1 were associated with MOV, the relationship was weak. Reducing negative energy balance is necessary to reduce IFO but may increase the incidence of MOV.
Multi-View Hierarchical Bidirectional Recurrent Neural Network for Depth Video Sequence Based Action Recognition
Authors: Liu Xueping , Li Yibo , Wang Qingjun
Published: April 2018

Human action recognition based on depth video sequence is an important research direction in the field of computer vision. The present study proposed a classification framework based on hierarchical multi-view to resolve depth video sequence-based action recognition. Herein, considering the distinguishing feature of 3D human action space, we project the 3D human action image to three coordinate planes, so that the 3D depth image is converted to three 2D images, and then feed them to three subnets, respectively. With the increase of the number of layers, the representations of subnets are hierarchically fused to be the inputs of next layers. The final representations of the depth video sequence are fed into a single layer perceptron, and the final result is decided by the time accumulated through the output of the perceptron. We compare with other methods on two publicly available datasets, and we also verify the proposed method through the human action database acquired by our Kinect system. Our experimental results demonstrate that our model has high computational efficiency and achieves the performance of state-of-the-art method.
Attitude Correction System and Cooperative Control of Tunnel Boring Machine
Authors: Zhang Zhihuan , Ma Longhua
Published: April 2018

Recently, trajectory misalignment of tunnel boring machine (TBM) has become a key research area. Although TBMs have been extensively applied in tunneling, hunting motion remains due to inhomogeneous ground encountered during tunneling, TBM structures and ambiguity in attitude correction mechanism. In this paper, TBM attitude correction and motion are studied, and optimized fuzzy rule is obtained by taking into account various TBM constraints and the universe of fuzzy control; then, cooperative control over cylinders in various sections is proposed to reduce TBM trajectory tracking deviation from designed tunnel axis; moreover, a cascade control system combining outer-loop trajectory tracking and inner-loop pressure control is developed to enable unmanned automatic tunneling of the TBM. The practical application results reveal that the proposed system demonstrated accurate TBM attitude correction, high stability, strong engineering applicability and feasible real-time control.
Design and Implementation of a Lattice-Based Public-Key Encryption Scheme
Authors: Lin Hui , Liu Dongsheng , Zhang Cong , Dong Yahui
Published: April 2018

Due to its advantage of quantum resistance and the provable security under some worst-case hardness assumptions, lattice-based cryptography is being increasingly researched. This paper tries to explore and present a novel lattice-based public key cryptography and its implementation of circuits. In this paper, the LWE (learning with error) cryptography is designed for circuit realization in a practical way. A strategy is proposed to dramatically reduce the stored public key size from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text], with only several additional linear feedback shift registers. The circuit design is implemented on Xilinx Spartan-3A FPGA and performs very well with limited resources. Only 125 slices and 8 BRAMs are occupied, and there are no complex operation devices such as multipliers or dividers, all the involved arithmetic operations are additions. This design is smaller than most hardware implementations of LWE or Ring-LWE cryptography in current state, while having an acceptable frequency at 111 MHz. Therefore, LWE cryptography can be practically realized, and its advantages of quantum resistance and simple implementation make the public key cryptography promising for some applications in devices such as smart cards.
THE RESEARCH OF QUENCHING EFFECT IN GRADIENT-BANDGAP CdSSe NANOWIRE
Authors: LIU DUNWEI , ZHOU WENJIE , ZHOU XIA , AN HUIYAO , CHENG YUHUA , ZHANG XIAOYU , XU ZHE , YU TAO
Published: April 2018

Quenching effect of photoconductive semiconductor material has important applications in areas like detecting semiconductor defect and infrared light. In this paper, vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) method is improved to grow nanowires by using a heat resisting quartz tube as the vessel. With the conditions of gold catalysis, appropriate temperature, and ease of handling, gradient-bandgap CdSSe nanowires were grown successfully. We study the quenching effect of different component parts of the nanowire, respectively, and find that the quenching degree increases with the increasing optical intensities of different bandgap nanowires when the power injection is below 10[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]W. However, since more recombination centers would turn into the trap energy level centers leading to more electrons to jump into the conduction band with the increasing density of CdS, the peak of quenched rate for 90% CdS proportion nanowire arrives earlier than 90% CdSe proportion, and the peak of quenched rate for CdSe still does not appear even when the optical intensity reaches 10[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]W. Our experiment provides an effective and convenient method for the defect-level detection of semiconductor materials, and can also develop high resolution infrared detectors under the material limitation conditions.
OPTION PRICING IN THE VARIANCE-GAMMA MODEL UNDER THE DRIFT JUMP
Authors: IVANOV ROMAN V.
Published: April 2018

This paper continues elements of the research direction of the work of Madan et al. [(1998) The variance gamma process and option pricing, European Finance Review 2, 79–105] and gives analytical expressions for the prices of digital and European call options in the variance-gamma model under the assumption that the linear drift rate of stock log-returns can suddenly jump downwards. The time of the jump is taken to be exponentially distributed. The formulas obtained require the computation of some generalized hyperbolic functions.
Mathematical Modeling and Scaling of the Friction Losses of a Mechanical Gyroscope
Authors: Pozzi Nicola , Bonfanti Mauro , Mattiazzo Giuliana
Published: April 2018

Friction is a complicated phenomenon that plays a central role in a wide variety of physical systems. An accurate modeling of the friction forces is required in the model-based design approach, especially when the efficiency optimization and system controllability are the core of the design. In this work, a gyroscopic unit is considered as case study: the flywheel rotation is affected by different friction sources that needs to be compensated by the flywheel motor. An accurate modeling of the dissipations can be useful for the system efficiency optimization. According to the inertial sea wave energy converter (ISWEC) gyroscope layout, friction forces are modeled and their dependency with respect to the various physical quantities involved is examined. The mathematical model of friction forces is validated against the experimental data acquired during the laboratory testing of the ISWEC gyroscope. Moreover, in the wave energy field, it is common to work with scale prototypes during the full-scale device development. For this reason, the scale effect on dissipations has been correlated based on the Froude scaling law, which is commonly used for wave energy converter scaling. Moreover, a mixed Froude–Reynolds scaling law is taken into account, in order to maintain the scale of the fluid-dynamic losses due to flywheel rotation. The analytical study is accompanied by a series of simulations based on the properties of the ISWEC full-scale gyroscope.
Impact Fatigue Life Prediction for Notched Specimen of Steel AerMet100 Subjected to High Strain Rate Loading
Authors: Sun Q. , Liu X. R. , Liang K.
Published: April 2018

In this study, the ultra-low cycle fatigue (ULCF) behavior of a high-strength-ductile steel AerMet100 exposed to repeated high strain rate impact loadings is investigated. Three types of coupon-level experiments were performed, in which a three-point bending (TPB) specimen with a through-thickness notch was employed for multi-impact test. A special ratchet effect associated with complex stress state, dynamic impact loading and other physical mechanisms was observed through measured principal strain variations with a specific decay rate at the notch root surface. An improved ULCF predictive model based on the continuum damage mechanics was developed to quantify the relationship between the fatigue damage and the input of localized impact energy to the notch root. The model expressed in terms of damage growth rate introduces a new exponential term for better predictive accuracy and reduced number of nonlinear dynamic response analysis. As a computational efficient tool, the proposed model can predict impact fatigue life in acceptable timeframe for multiple critical locations in a complex engineering component.
Cross-Sectional Design and Analysis of Multiscale Carbon Nanotubes-Reinforced Composite Beams and Blades
Authors: Rafiee M. , Nitzsche F. , Labrosse M. R.
Published: April 2018

The present work addresses with the cross-sectional design and analysis of fiber-reinforced multiscale composite beams of general cross-sectional shape and arbitrary anisotropic material properties and investigates the effect of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on their stiffness properties. The three-dimensional strain field was formulated in terms of one-dimensional strains and a three-dimensional warping displacement. The bulk material properties of the multiscale composite were predicted using Halpin–Tsai equations and fiber micromechanics. The carbon nanotubes were assumed to be uniformly distributed and randomly oriented throughout the polymer matrix. The variational asymptotic beam section (VABS) was used to numerically evaluate the stiffness and mass matrices of four test cases: strip, circular pipe, box beam and airfoil. The influence of CNTs weight percentage and volume fraction of fibers was investigated through a detailed parametric study. The numerical results indicate that the inclusion of a small weight percentage of carbon nanotubes in the polymer matrix is sufficient to induce a significant improvement in stiffness properties.
VN Quantum Dots Anchored Uniformly onto Nitrogen-Doped Graphene as Efficient Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Wang Jing , Wang Lan , Yang Shubin
Published: April 2018

A new type of vanadium nitride quantum dots anchored homogeneously onto nitrogen-doped graphene (VNQD-NG) is fabricated as nonprecious metal-based electrocatalysts for ORR via a combined hydrothermal and ammonia annealing process. The unique structural features of VNQD-NG including plentiful VN quantum dots with the sizes of 3–6[Formula: see text]nm, high surface area and multi-level pores afford considerable structural edges and defects as active sites, maximizing the exposed active sites and providing sufficient electron transport pathways for ORR. Hence, the optimized VNQD-NG exhibits high electrocatalytic activity, long durability and high selectivity for ORR, better than commercially available Pt-C.
Simple fabrication of UV photo-detector based on NiO/ZnO structure grown by hydrothermal process
Authors: Huang Shaoying , Yu Naisen , Wang Tiyun , Li Jinpeng
Published: April 2018

A simple two-step aqueous method was employed to grow NiO nanostructures on ZnO/sapphire at low temperature. The obtained NiO nanostructures were uniformly distributed on the surface of ZnO/sapphire substrates and showed sheet-like structures. Meanwhile, ultraviolet (UV) photodetector based on NiO/ZnO heterojunction was fabricated by a simple way. The obtained UV detector based on the NiO nanosheets/ZnO heterostructure showed excellent UV sensing properties due to the increased surface and local [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text] junction area. It will facilitate greatly the fabrication of large-scale NiO/ZnO heterostructure with relatively low cost at remarkably low temperature.
Effective Pneumothorax Detection for Chest X-Ray Images Using Local Binary Pattern and Support Vector Machine
Authors: Chan Yuan-Hao , Zeng Yong-Zhi , Wu Hsien-Chu , Wu Ming-Chi , Sun Hung-Min
Published: April 2018

Automatic image segmentation and feature analysis can assist doctors in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases more accurately. Automatic medical image segmentation is difficult due to the varying image quality among equipment. In this paper, the automatic method employed image multiscale intensity texture analysis and segmentation to solve this problem. In this paper, firstly, SVM is applied to identify common pneumothorax. Features are extracted from lung images with the LBP (local binary pattern). Then, classification of pneumothorax is determined by SVM. Secondly, the proposed automatic pneumothorax detection method is based on multiscale intensity texture segmentation by removing the background and noises in chest images for segmenting abnormal lung regions. The segmentation of abnormal regions is used for texture transformed from computing multiple overlapping blocks. The rib boundaries are identified with Sobel edge detection. Finally, in obtaining a complete disease region, the rib boundary is filled up and located between the abnormal regions.
Screening and Molecular Identification of Pectinase Producing Microbes from Coffee Pulp
Authors: Oumer Oliyad Jeilu , Abate Dawit
Published: April 2018

Application of enzymes in biotechnological process has expanded considerably in recent years. In food and related industry, major importance was being attached to the use of enzymes in upgrading quality, increasing yields of extractive processes, product stabilization, and improvement of flavor and byproduct utilization. Pectinases or pectinolytic enzymes are today one of the upcoming enzymes of the commercial sector. It has been reported that microbial pectinases account for 25% of the global food enzymes sales. For this reason, this study was undertaken with aims of screening microorganisms for the pectinase activity from coffee pulp samples and molecular identification of the potential pectinolytic isolates. In the present investigation, in total, ninety-five (95) isolates were identified from thirty coffee pulp samples. Based on characterization on the selective growth media, the isolates were grouped as actinomycete (21.06%), bacteria (65.26%), and fungi (13.68%). Among these, 31.58% showed colonies surrounded by clear zones which indicate the presence of pectinase activity. After rigorous screening steps, the isolates with high potential pectinase activity were identified molecularly by sequencing 16S rDNA region of the isolates. Based on the molecular identifications, about 70% of the isolates are under genus Bacillus.
The Synergy and Mode of Action of Cyperus rotundus L. Extract Plus Ampicillin against Ampicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Cheypratub Prairadda , Leeanansaksiri Wilairat , Eumkeb Griangsak
Published: April 2018

Cyperus rotundus L. has been used for pharmaceutical applications including antibacterial infections. Nevertheless, there is still no data regarding the mode of actions. This study aimed to determine the antibacterial activity and mode of actions of Cyperus rotundus extract (CRE) against ampicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ARSA) which poses a serious problem for hospitalized patients. The majority of chemical compounds of CRE were flavonoids and alkaloids. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for ampicillin and CRE against all ARSA strains were 64 μg/ml and 0.5 mg/ml, respectively. Checkerboard assay revealed synergistic activity in the combination of ampicillin and CRE at the lowest fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) at 0.27. The killing curve assay had confirmed the synergistic and bactericidal activity of the combination against ARSA. Electron microscopic results showed that these ARSA cells treated with this combination caused peptidoglycan and cytoplasmic membrane (CM) damage and average cell areas significantly smaller than control. Also, this combination caused an increase in CM permeability of ARSA. CRE revealed the inhibitory activity against β‐lactamase. It is normally known that some drugs are derived from flavonoids or alkaloids. So, this CRE proposes the potential to develop a novel adjunct phytopharmaceutical to ampicillin for the remedy of ARSA.
Newly Developed Polyglycolic Acid Reinforcement Unified with Sodium Alginate to Prevent Adhesion
Authors: Morita Shinichiro , Takagi Toshitaka , Abe Rie , Tsujimoto Hiroyuki , Ozamoto Yuki , Torii Hiroko , Hagiwara Akeo
Published: April 2018

Polyglycolic acid (PGA) mesh fabric is widely used for reinforcing injured tissues during surgeries. However, PGA induces chronic inflammation and adhesion. The purpose of this study is to develop PGA reinforcement “without PGA-induced adhesion.” We developed a reinforcement fabric unified with PGA mesh and alginate foam. The antiadhesive effects of sodium alginate foam and calcium alginate foam were evaluated in rats. Sodium alginate foam unified with PGA mesh fabric exhibited strong effects that limit the extent and severity of adhesion, whereas calcium alginate foam unified with PGA mesh was less effective in preventing adhesion. In the sodium alginate group, fibroblasts and collagen fibers around implanted sites were sparse and the material degraded rapidly by macrophage ingestion. Fibroblasts and collagen fibers play a major role in adhesion formation and their excessive proliferation results in postoperative adhesion. Thus, inhibiting their increase is the key in preventing PGA-induced adhesion. The reinforcement that is composed of PGA mesh unified with sodium alginate foam strongly inhibited PGA-induced adhesion and showed excellent handling during surgery and could be easily applied with a one-step procedure.
Optimized Blade Design of Counter-Rotating-Type Pump-Turbine Unit Operating in Pump and Turbine Modes
Authors: Kim Jin-Woo , Suh Jun-Won , Choi Young-Seok , Lee Kyoung-Yong , Kanemoto Toshiaki , Kim Jin-Hyuk
Published: April 2018

In this study, a counter-rotating-type pump-turbine unit was optimized to improve the pump and turbine mode efficiencies simultaneously. Numerical analysis was carried out by solving three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations using the shear stress turbulence model. The hub and tip blade angles of the rear impeller (in the pump mode) were selected as the design variables by conducting a sensitivity test. An optimization process based on steady flow analysis was conducted using a radial basis neural network surrogate model with Latin hypercube sampling. The pump and turbine mode efficiencies of the unit were selected as the objective functions and they combined into a single specific objective function with the weighting factors. Consequently, the pump and turbine mode efficiencies of the optimum design increased simultaneously at overall range of flow rate, except for low flow rate of turbine mode, compared to the reference design.
PositivePneumocystis jiroveciiSputum PCR Results with Negative Bronchoscopic PCR Results in Suspected Pneumocystis Pneumonia
Authors: Pennington Kelly , Wilson John , Limper Andrew H. , Escalante Patricio
Published: April 2018

Introduction. The diagnostic standard forPneumocystis jiroveciipneumonia (PCP) is direct microscopic identification; however, in recent years, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples to detectPneumocystisnucleic acids has proven to be more sensitive and specific. Sputum samples have been presumed inferior to bronchoscopic samples secondary to variability and adequacy of sample collection. We observed several cases of positive sputum PCP-PCR results with negative PCP-PCR BAL results. The aim of the current study was to further characterize the clinical setting and outcomes in patients with positive sputum PCP-PCR samples and negative BAL PCP-PCR samples.Methods. We identified all patients who underwentP. jirovecii-PCR testing at Mayo Clinic between 2011 and 2016. Patients with a positive sputum and negative BAL sample collected within a 14-day time frame were identified and underwent further chart review for demographics, immunocompromised state, and clinical outcome.Results. From 2011 to 2016, 4431 respiratory samples from 3021 unique patients were tested for the presence ofP. jiroveciiby PCR. Fifty-five samples (1.2% of all samples collected) belonging to 24 unique patients (0.79% of patients tested) were identified as having a positive and negative sample collected within 14 days. Of these 24 patients, 10 (46%) patients had a positive sputum or tracheal secretion sample with negative BAL or bronchial washings. Out of these 10 patients, 8 were immunocompromised and 9 underwent treatment for PCP with 6 patients improving.Conclusion. Our results suggest that discordantP. jirovecii-PCR testing results from sputum and bronchoscopic specimens are an infrequent occurrence. Patients with positiveP. jirovecii-PCR sputum/tracheal secretion samples and negative bronchoscopic samples appear to be clinically infected and respond to PCP treatment. SputumP. jirovecii-PCR testing may be a viable alternative to invasive testing.
Image Encryption Technique Combining Compressive Sensing with Double Random-Phase Encoding
Authors: Huang Huiqing , Yang Shouzhi
Published: April 2018

A new image compression-encryption method based on compressive sensing and double random-phase encoding is proposed, which can complete image compression and encryption simultaneously. We utilize the hyperchaotic system to generate a measurement matrix and two random-phase masks first. Then the original image is measured by measurement matrix to accomplish encryption and compression at the same time, next the compressed image is reencrypted by the double random-phase encoding technique with the two random-phase masks, and lastly the resulting image is confused and diffused by using hyperchaotic system simultaneously. Some numerical simulations verify the validity and the reliability of the proposed algorithm.
A Study on Crack Depth Measurement in Steel Structures Using Image‐Based Intensity Differences
Authors: Jung Ju-Yeong , Yoon Hyuk-Jin , Cho Hyun-Woo
Published: April 2018

This paper seeks to propose an image‐based noncontact testing method in crack depth measurement. To this end, it predicted the crack depth using the intensity values of cracks and verified its validity. To analyze the intensity values of cracks, eight stainless steel specimens with an increase in crack depths ranging from 0 to 17.5 mm at an average of 2.5 mm were fabricated, and a contrast index was attached to the center of the crack of the specimens painted with black matte spray for accurate analysis. Through various experiments, it was found that the intensity values of the cracks which decrease with the depth of the cracks were inductively formulated, and the average error was about 15% when the crack depth predicted by the empirical equation was compared with the actual crack depth. In addition, the validation of the intensity reduction equation obtained by the inductive method was verified, and it was confirmed that the crack depth can be predicted by the intensity value of the crack.
Using MOPSO for Optimizing Randomized Response Schemes in Privacy Computing
Authors: Gao Zhiqiang , Cui Xiaolong , Duan Yanyu , Jun Zhang , Peng Zhensheng
Published: April 2018

It is a challenging concern in data collecting, publishing, and mining when personal information is controlled by untrustworthy cloud services with unpredictable risks for privacy leakages. In this paper, we formulate an information-theoretic model for privacy protection and present a concrete solution to theoretical architecture in privacy computing from the perspectives of quantification and optimization. Thereinto, metrics of privacy and utility for randomized response (RR) which satisfy differential privacy are derived as average mutual information and average distortion rate under the information-theoretic model. Finally, a discrete multiobjective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) is proposed to search optimal RR distorted matrices. To the best of our knowledge, our proposed approach is the first solution to optimize RR distorted matrices using discrete MOPSO. In detail, particles’ position and velocity are redefined in the problem-guided initialization and velocity updating mechanism. Two mutation strategies are introduced to escape from local optimum. The experimental results illustrate that our approach outperforms existing state-of-the-art works and can contribute optimal Pareto solutions of extensive RR schemes to future study.