bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methane and carbon dioxide emissions from thermokarst lakes on mineral soils
Authors: Matveev Alex , Laurion Isabelle , Vincent Warwick F.
Published: May 2018

Thermokarst lakes are known to emit methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), but little attention has been given to those formed from the thawing and collapse of lithalsas, ice-rich mineral soil mounds that occur in permafrost landscapes. The present study was undertaken to assess greenhouse gas stocks and fluxes in eight lithalsa lakes across a 200 km gradient of permafrost degradation in subarctic Québec. The northernmost lakes varied in their surface-water CO2 content from below to above saturation, but the southern lakes in this gradient had much higher surface concentrations that were well above air-equilibrium. Surface-water CH4 concentrations were at least an order of magnitude above air-equilibrium values at all sites, and the diffusive fluxes of both gases increased from north to south. Methane oxidation in the surface waters from a northern lake was only 10% of the emission rate, but at the southern end it was around 60% of the efflux to the atmosphere, indicating that methanotrophy can play a substantive role in reducing net emissions. Overall, our observations show that lithalsa lakes can begin emitting CH4 and CO2 soon after they form, with effluxes of both gases that persist and increase as the permafrost continues to warm and erode.
A numerical model study on Saint John River ice breakup
Authors: Knack Ian M. , Shen Hung Tao
Published: May 2018

Ice jam floods are frequent occurrences throughout the Saint John River. Spring ice breakup, due to the freshet, are the most common and damaging. A coupled two-dimensional hydro and ice dynamics model was used to study the breakup and jamming processes on the 64 km reach of the Saint John River between Grand Falls and the Beechwood Generation Station. The model simulated the evolution of the 2012 ice breakup and jamming event, which caused record high flooding. The simulated results compared well with observed data and provided detailed information on the breakup processes. The study showed that both failure due to accumulation of ice at the cover leading edge and failure due to high rates of water level change from surges were important ice breakup processes. It was also found that one of the most significant factors in the flooding at Perth–Andover was the release of ice from above Grand Falls.
Simulation of droplet impacting a square solid obstacle in microchannel with different wettability by using high density ratio pseudopotential multiple-relaxation-time (MRT) lattice Boltzmann method (LBM)
Authors: Zhao Wandong , Zhang Ying , Shang Wenqiang , Wang Zhaotai , Xu Ben , Jiang Shuisheng
Published: May 2018

In this paper, a pseudopotential high density ratio (DR) lattice Boltzmann model was developed by incorporating multi-relaxation-time collision matrix, large DR external force term, surface tension adjustment external force term, and solid–liquid pseudopotential force. It was found that the improved model can precisely capture the two-phase interface at high DR. Besides, the effects of initial Reynolds number, Weber number, solid wall contact angle (CA), ratio of obstacle size to droplet diameter (χ1), and ratio of channel width to droplet diameter (χ2) on the deformation and breakup of a droplet when impacting on a square obstacle were investigated. The results showed that with the Reynolds number increasing, the droplet will fall along the obstacle and then spread along both sides of the obstacle. Furthermore, by increasing Weber number, the breakup of the liquid film will be delayed and the liquid film will be stretched to form an elongated ligament. With decreasing of the wettability of solid particle (CA → 180°), the droplet will surround the obstacle and then detach from the obstacle. When χ1 is greater than 0.5, the droplet will spread along both sides of the obstacle quickly; otherwise, the droplet will be ruptured earlier. Furthermore, when χ2 decreases, the droplet will spread earlier and then fall along the wall more quickly; otherwise, the droplet will expand along both sides of the obstacle. Moreover, increasing the hydrophilicity of the microchannel, the droplet will impact the channel more rapidly and infiltrate the wall along the upstream and downstream simultaneously; on the contrary, the droplet will wet downstream only.
Compact stars
Authors: Estevez-Delgado Gabino , Estevez-Delgado Joaquin
Published: May 2018

An analysis and construction is presented for a stellar model characterized by two parameters (w, n) associated with the compactness ratio and anisotropy, respectively. The reliability range for the parameter w [Formula: see text] 1.97981225149 corresponds with a compactness ratio u [Formula: see text] 0.2644959374, the density and pressures are positive, regular and monotonic decrescent functions, the radial and tangential speed of sound are lower than the light speed, moreover, than the plausible stability. The behavior of the speeds of sound are determinate for the anisotropy parameter n, admitting a subinterval where the speeds are monotonic crescent functions and other where we have monotonic decrescent functions for the same speeds, both cases describing a compact object that is also potentially stable. In the bigger value for the observational mass M = 2.05 M[Formula: see text] and radii R = 12.957 Km for the star PSR J0348+0432, the model indicates that the maximum central density [Formula: see text] = 1.283820319 × 10[Formula: see text] Kg/m3 corresponds to the maximum value of the anisotropy parameter and the radial and tangential speed of the sound are monotonic decrescent functions.
Birefringence and hidden photons
Authors: Arza Ariel , Gamboa J.
Published: May 2018

We study a model where photons interact with hidden photons and millicharged particles through a kinetic mixing term. Particularly, we focus on vacuum birefringence effects and we find a bound for the millicharged parameter assuming that hidden photons are a piece of the local dark matter density.
Long-term evaluation of orbital dynamics in the Sun-planet system considering axial-tilt
Authors: Bakhtiari Majid , Daneshjou Kamran
Published: May 2018

In this paper, the axial-tilt (obliquity) effect of planets on the motion of planets’ orbiter in prolonged space missions has been investigated in the presence of the Sun gravity. The proposed model is based on non-simplified perturbed dynamic equations of planetary orbiter motion. From a new point of view, in this work, the dynamic equations regarding a disturbing body in elliptic inclined three-dimensional orbit are derived. The accuracy of this non-simplified method is validated with dual-averaged method employed on a generalized Earth–Moon system. It is shown that the neglected short-time oscillations in dual-averaged technique can accumulate and propel to remarkable errors in the prolonged evolution. After validation, the effects of the planet’s axial-tilt on eccentricity, inclination and right ascension of the ascending node of the orbiter are investigated. Moreover, a generalized model is provided to study the effects of third-body inclination and eccentricity on orbit characteristics. It is shown that the planet’s axial-tilt is the key to facilitating some significant changes in orbital elements in long-term mission and short-time oscillations must be considered in accurate prolonged evaluation.
Dark energy, scalar singlet dark matter and the Higgs portal
Authors: Landim Ricardo G.
Published: May 2018

One of the simplest extensions of the Standard Model (SM) comprises the inclusion of a massive real scalar field, neutral under the SM gauge groups, to be a dark matter candidate. The addition of a dimension-six term into the potential of the scalar dark matter enables the appearance of a false vacuum that describes the cosmic acceleration. We show that the running of the singlet self-interaction and the Higgs portal coupling differs from the standard scalar singlet dark matter model. If we maintain a positive quartic coupling, it is also possible to describe the accelerated expansion of the Universe through a false vacuum with the addition of a dimension-eight interaction term. In this case, where the potential remains bounded from below at low energies, the false vacuum decay is highly suppressed.
On multi-sensitivity with respect to a vector
Authors: Jiao Lixin , Wang Lidong , Li Fengquan , Liu Heng
Published: May 2018

Consider the surjective continuous map [Formula: see text]: [Formula: see text] defined on a compact metric space X. Let [Formula: see text] be the space of all non-empty compact subsets of X equipped with the Hausdorff metric and define [Formula: see text]: [Formula: see text] by [Formula: see text] for any [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we introduce several stronger versions of sensitivities, such as multi-sensitivity with respect to a vector, [Formula: see text]-sensitivity, strong multi-sensitivity. We obtain some basic properties of the concepts of these sensitivities and discuss the relationships with other sensitivities for continuous self-map on [0,[Formula: see text]1]. Some sufficient conditions for a dynamical system to be [Formula: see text]-sensitive are presented. Also, it is shown that the strong multi-sensitivity of f implies that [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text]-sensitive. In turn, the [Formula: see text]-sensitivity of [Formula: see text] implies that [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text]-sensitive. In particular, it is proved that if [Formula: see text] is a multi-transitive map with dense periodic sets, then f is [Formula: see text]-sensitive. Finally, we give a multi-sensitive example which is not [Formula: see text]-sensitive.
Fuzzy Clustering with Feature Weight Preferences for Load Balancing in Cloud
Authors: Huang Weihua , Ma Zhong , Dai Xinfa , Xu Mingdi , Gao Yi
Published: May 2018

Load balancing, which redistributes dynamic workloads across computing nodes within cloud to improve resource utilization, is one of the main challenges in cloud computing system. Most existing rule-based load balancing algorithms failed to effectively fuse load data of multi-class system resources. The strategies they used for balancing loads were far from optimum since these methods were essentially performed in a combined way according to load state. In this work, a fuzzy clustering method with feature weight preferences is presented to overcome the load balancing problem for multi-class system resources and it can achieve an optimal balancing solution by load data fusion. Feature weight preferences are put forward to establish the relationship between prior knowledge of specific cloud scenario and load balancing procedure. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively balance loads consisting of multi-class system resources.
Distributed Frequent Interactive Pattern-Based Complex Software Group Network Stability Measurement
Authors: Li Weina , Ren Jiadong
Published: May 2018

Interactive software can run not only independently but also often collaboratively to perform tasks thus forming a larger group of software networks. Hence the analysis of interactions is essential as a way to measure the stability of the entire software group network, i.e. the interactive patterns and frequency. However, current studies rarely investigate the performance of software as groups but as individuals thus omitting their interactions. Especially, the performance of some traditional measurement algorithms which execute in nondistributed runtime environments is poor. In this paper, we proposed a new software group stability model concentrating on software network level behaviors as a group. An algorithm is proposed to extract key nodes and critical interactive items based on frequent interaction pattern, then the stability of software group can be assessed based on the loss of connectivity caused by removing key nodes and key edges from the network, using the algorithm SG-StaMea. Furthermore, our algorithms can quantify the stability. To validate the efficacy of our model, the Spark and Hadoop platforms have been selected as targets systems. Both experiments and experimental data showed that our algorithms have significantly improved the accuracy of software stability measurement compared to classical algorithm such as Apriori of frequent pattern.
Entropy and geometry of quantum states
Authors: Shivam Kumar , Reddy Anirudh , Samuel Joseph , Sinha Supurna
Published: May 2018

We compare the roles of the Bures–Helstrom (BH) and Bogoliubov–Kubo–Mori (BKM) metrics in the subject of quantum information geometry. We note that there are two limits involved in state discrimination, which we call the “thermodynamic” limit (of [Formula: see text], the number of realizations going to infinity) and the infinitesimal limit (of the separation of states tending to zero). We show that these two limits do not commute in the quantum case. Taking the infinitesimal limit first leads to the BH metric and the corresponding Cramér–Rao bound, which is widely accepted in this subject. Taking limits in the opposite order leads to the BKM metric, which results in a weaker Cramér–Rao bound. This lack of commutation of limits is a purely quantum phenomenon arising from quantum entanglement. We can exploit this phenomenon to gain a quantum advantage in state discrimination and get around the limitation imposed by the Bures–Helstrom Cramér–Rao (BHCR) bound. We propose a technologically feasible experiment with cold atoms to demonstrate the quantum advantage in the simple case of two qubits.
Shoreline Change Analysis in Parts of the Barrier–Lagoon and Mud Sections of Nigeria Coast
Authors: Badru G. , Odunuga S. , Omojola A. , Oladipo E.
Published: May 2018

This study assesses the short- and long-term changing position of the shorelines along the barrier lagoon and mud section of the Nigeria coast using remote sensing techniques. Five shoreline positions, covering a 30-year period (1986–2016), were extracted from medium resolution multi-spectral Landsat satellite imageries using both manual and semi-automatic shoreline extraction methods. Approximately, 533 orthogonal transects were cast using DSAS at simple right angles along the entire coast at 250-m interval. The shoreline change analysis was calculated using the Net Shoreline Movement and the End Point Rate techniques. The results show that the shoreline is highly dynamic; with the average rate of erosion estimated to be 28.08[Formula: see text]m/year and the average rate of accretion estimated to be 20.56[Formula: see text]m/year. While the persistence of erosional tendencies was found mainly in the Okesiri-Abereke-Aiyetoro parts of the mud section of the shoreline, the accretional tendencies was found mainly in the Aboraji-Araromi (barrier lagoon) and the Ajegunle-Jinriwo-Awoye (mud section) parts of the shoreline. The high dynamism of the shoreline is mainly attributed to the increasing frequency of storm surges in the area with over 13 incidents experienced within this period. This study submits that addressing coastal erosion and flooding problems in Nigeria should be based on the system boundary model where the coastal process and dynamics are constantly monitored holistically rather than locally or regionally as it is currently being done. This will also ensure the incorporation of the extent, frequency and intensity of extreme event in the development of adaptation measures.
Paced breathing and phrenic nerve responses evoked by epidural stimulation following complete high cervical spinal cord injury in rats
Authors: Bezdudnaya Tatiana , Lane Michael A. , Marchenko Vitaliy
Published: May 2018

Spinal cord injury (SCI) at the level of cervical segments often results in life-threatening respiratory complications and requires long-term mechanical ventilator assistance. Thus restoring diaphragm activity and regaining voluntary control of breathing are the primary clinical goals for patients with respiratory dysfunction following cervical SCI. Epidural stimulation (EDS) is a promising strategy that has been explored extensively for nonrespiratory functions and to a limited extent within the respiratory system. The goal of the present study is to assess the potential for EDS at the location of the phrenic nucleus (C3–C5) innervating the diaphragm: the main inspiratory muscle following complete C1cervical transection. To avoid the suppressive effect of anesthesia, all experiments were performed in decerebrate, C1cervical transection, unanesthetized, nonparalyzed ( n = 13) and paralyzed ( n = 7) animals. Our results show that C4segment was the most responsive to EDS and required the lowest threshold of current intensity, affecting tracheal pressure and phrenic nerve responses. High-frequency (200–300 Hz) EDS applied over C4segment (C4-EDS) was able to maintain breathing with normal end-tidal CO2level and raise blood pressure. In addition, 100–300 Hz of C4-EDS showed time- and frequency-dependent changes (short-term facilitation) of evoked phrenic nerve responses that may serve as a target mechanism for pacing of phrenic motor circuits. The present work provides the first report of successful EDS at the level of phrenic nucleus in a complete SCI animal model and offers insight into the potential therapeutic application in patients with high cervical SCI.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The present work offers the first demonstration of successful life-supporting breathing paced by epidural stimulation (EDS) at the level of the phrenic nucleus, following a complete spinal cord injury in unanesthetized, decerebrate rats. Moreover, our experiments showed time- and frequency-dependent changes of evoked phrenic nerve activity during EDS that may serve as a target mechanism for pacing spinal phrenic motor networks.
Screening Test for At-Risk Drinking: Development of New Abbreviated Version of Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test for Young and Middle-Aged Adults
Authors: Lee Jae Hee , Jung Koo Young , Choi Yoon Hee
Published: May 2018

Several abbreviated versions of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) have been developed for use in high-volume clinical situations such as emergency departments. In this study, we developed a new abbreviated version of AUDIT called the Screening Tool for At-risk Drinking (STAD) for young and middle-aged adults, consisting of two questions that reflect the structure of the AUDIT questionnaire using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). To derive the abbreviated test considering AUDIT item structure, we performed confirmatory factor analysis on the 10 AUDIT questions in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) IV. To validate the new abbreviated test, we analyzed the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) on the KNHANES V-VI except for the KNHANES VI-2. Based on the two-factor structure of AUDIT, question (Q) 3 and Q7 were finally selected for STAD. In validation, AUROC was significantly wider for STAD than for AUDIT-QF, which has the same number of questions. There was no significant difference between AUDIT-C, consisting of three questions, and STAD. It can be used as a simple and reliable screening test in clinical settings.
Optimal Decision of Deferred Payment Supply Chain considering Bilateral Risk-Aversion Degree
Authors: Liang Liu , Futou Li
Published: May 2018

This paper aims to fill up the gap that the previous research has never explored, the deferred payment supply chain with a risk-averse supplier. To this end, the conditional value-at-risk (CVaR) was adopted as a criterion to measure the influence of retailer’s deferred payment on supply chain performance. According to this criterion, the retailer’s optimal order quantity and the supplier’s optimal wholesale price per unit product were investigated under decentralized decision-making. Then, the existence of a unique optimal strategy was discussed for risk-averse supplier and retailer, and the values of risk-averse, initial capital, and wholesale price were calculated in detail. Finally, the theoretical results were testified through a numerical example. It is concluded that retailer’s optimal order quantity is negatively correlated with the wholesale price, initial capital, and degree of risk aversion, so that the retailer can benefit through proper risk aversion; the supplier’s expected profit decreases with the increase in the degree of risk aversion, yet the optimal wholesale price is determined by the degree of risk aversion of supplier and retailer. The research findings shed valuable new light on how to manage a supply chain involving risk-averse supplier and retailer.
Improved Method for Predicting the Performance of the Physical Links in Telecommunications Access Networks
Authors: Lilik Ferenc , Nagy Szilvia , Kóczy László T.
Published: May 2018

A novel approach is presented which is able to predict the available maximal data transfer rate of SHDSL connections from measured frequency dependent electrical parameters of wire pairs. Predictions are made by a fuzzy inference system. The basis of the operable and tested method will be introduced, then an improved version is shown, in which the problems derived from sampling of continuous functions of electrical parameters are eliminated by wavelet transformation. Also possibilities for simplification of the problem and a way of reducing the dimensions of the applied rule bases are presented. As the set of the measured data leads to sparse rule bases, handling of sparseness is unavoidable. Two different ways—fuzzy interpolation and various membership functions—will be introduced. The presented methods were tested by measurements in real telecommunications access networks.
Prevalence and Distribution of Oral Mucosal Lesions by Sex and Age Categories: A Retrospective Study of Patients Attending Lebanese School of Dentistry
Authors: El Toum Sami , Cassia Antoine , Bouchi Nermine , Kassab Issam
Published: May 2018

Background. Prevalence and distribution of oral mucosal lesions in a sample of Lebanese population attending the School of Dentistry of Lebanese University is necessary to evaluate their oral health situation. Objectives. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of oral mucosal lesions of patients attending the School of Dentistry. Methods. A descriptive study was carried out by retrospectively examining a total of 231 medical and clinical examination record files of patients, attending the School of Dentistry Lebanese University for multidisciplinary dental treatments. 178 medical records were retained. Each medical and clinical examination record was done by an undergraduate student and then evaluated by a doctor. The record file included a civil status, chief complaint, medical history, and extraoral and intraoral clinical examination during the period between October 2014 and May 2015. Exclusion criteria were lack of written information in their medical and clinical examination record and being nonevaluated by a doctor. Data regarding age, gender, socioeconomic status, chief complaint, systemic diseases, and drugs intake were collected by using a questionnaire while the type of extraoral and oral mucosal lesions by clinical examination. Results. The sample consisted of 102 (57.3%) females and 76 (42.7%) males. The age ranged from 10 to 92 years with a mean age of 40.1 years. Among these subjects, 110 (61.8%) presented with one or more lesions. All patients were Lebanese. The most common lesion diagnosed was coated/hairy tongue affecting 17.4% of the subjects, followed by melanotic macule (11.2%), gingivitis (9.6), linea alba (6.2%), tongue depapillation (5.1), leukoplakia (5.1), traumatic fibroma (4.5), frictional keratosis (3.9%), fissured tongue (3.9%), hemangiomas (3.9%), Fordyce granules (3.9%), dry mucosa (3.4), angular cheilitis (2.2), gingival hyperplasia (2.2), and crenulated tongue (1.7%). Overall, the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions did not significantly differ between sex and age groups. Conclusions. The high prevalence of oral mucosal lesions necessitates adequate awareness and management of these lesions in the general population. Dental clinicians should be knowledgeable and familiar with the etiopathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of these lesions.
3D Variable Coefficient KdV Equation and Atmospheric Dipole Blocking
Authors: Ji Juanjuan , Guo Yecai , Zhang Lanfang , Zhang Lihua
Published: May 2018

A (2 + 1)-dimensional variable coefficient Korteweg-de Vries (3D VCKdV) equation is first derived in this paper by means of introducing 2-dimensional space and time slow-varying variables and the multiple-level approximation method from the well-known barotropic and quasi-geostrophic potential vorticity equation without dissipation. The exact analytical solution of the 3D VCKdV equation is obtained successfully by making use of CK’s direct method and the standard Zakharov–Kuznetsov equation. By some arbitrary functions and the analytical solution, a dipole blocking evolution process with twelve days’ lifetime is described, and the result illustrates that the central axis of the dipole is no longer perpendicular to the vertical direction but has a certain angle to vertical direction. The comparisons with the previous researches and Urals dipole blocking event demonstrate that 3D VCKdV equation is more suitable for describing the complex atmospheric blocking phenomenon.
Evaluation of Hepatoprotective Effect of Curcumin on Liver Cirrhosis Using a Combination of Biochemical Analysis and Magnetic Resonance-Based Electrical Conductivity Imaging
Authors: Kyung Eun Jung , Kim Hyun Bum , Hwang Eun Sang , Lee Seok , Choi Bup Kyung , Kim Jin Woong , Kim Hyung Joong , Lim Sang Moo , Kwon Oh In , Woo Eung Je
Published: May 2018

In oriental medicine, curcumin is used to treat inflammatory diseases, and its anti-inflammatory effect has been reported in recent research. In this feasibility study, the hepatoprotective effect of curcumin was investigated using a rat liver cirrhosis model, which was induced with dimethylnitrosamine (DMN). Together with biochemical analysis, we used a magnetic resonance-based electrical conductivity imaging method to evaluate tissue conditions associated with a protective effect. The effects of curcumin treatment and lactulose treatment on liver cirrhosis were compared. Electrical conductivity images indicated that liver tissues damaged by DMN showed decreased conductivity compared with normal liver tissues. In contrast, cirrhotic liver tissues treated with curcumin or lactulose showed increased conductivity than tissues in the DMN-only group. Specifically, conductivity of cirrhotic liver after curcumin treatment was similar to that of normal liver tissues. Histological staining and immunohistochemical examination showed significant levels of attenuated fibrosis and decreased inflammatory response after both curcumin and lactulose treatments compared with damaged liver tissues by DMN. The conductivity imaging and biochemical examination results indicate that curcumin’s anti-inflammatory effect can prevent the progression of irreversible liver dysfunction.
Characterizing Heterogeneity in Drivers’ Merging Maneuvers Using Two-Step Cluster Analysis
Authors: Li Gen , Sun Lu
Published: May 2018

In order to investigate the heterogeneity in merging behaviors on freeways, a novel data mining tool, called two-step cluster analysis, is applied to the merging maneuvers (namely, initial speed, merging speed, and merging position). Merging maneuvers of 370 drivers collected from the NGSIM dataset are automatically and optimally segmented into four clusters (Early Merging Drivers at High Speed, Early Merging Drivers at Low Speed, Late Merging Drivers at Low Speed, and Late Merging Drivers at High Speed) by the two-step cluster analysis. Hypothesis test confirms the significant differences in merging maneuvers between different clusters. The clustered data are used to find the best corresponding fitting distributions. Seven distributions (Normal, Log-normal, Student’s t, Logistic, Log-Logistic, Gamma, and Weibull) are considered for each cluster and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test statics are used to select the best fitted distributions. It is found that merging drivers may merge either early or late, under congestion or uncongested traffic condition. Further analysis of merging durations shows that Late Merging Drivers use significantly shorter time than Early Merging Drivers to finish the merging maneuver, no matter if they are at high or at low speed. Hypothesis test of accepted lead gaps and lag gaps indicate that merging drivers are more sensitive to the lag gaps under congestion. The proposed method can automatically identify the heterogeneity in merging drivers and the results obtained in this paper can be used to enhance the accuracy of the merge behavior models in microscopic simulation software.
Going Bone Deep: Osseous Rosai–Dorfman Disease in an Adult with Recurrent, Culture-Negative Osteomyelitis
Authors: DeFelice Dominick S. , Srinivas Megan L. , Wobker Sara E. , Parr Jonathan B.
Published: May 2018

A patient presented for medical care on three separate occasions over the course of two years with recurrent right knee pain attributed to chronic osteomyelitis. Careful assessment revealed that his symptoms were caused by osseous Rosai–Dorfman disease. This case presents an alternative diagnostic possibility for culture-negative chronic osteomyelitis.
HAC: Hybrid Access Control for Online Social Networks
Authors: Shan Fangfang , Li Hui , Li Fenghua , Guo Yunchuan , Niu Ben
Published: May 2018

The rapid development of communication and network technologies including mobile networks and GPS presents new characteristics of OSNs. These new characteristics pose extra requirements on the access control schemes of OSNs, which cannot be satisfied by relationship-based access control currently. In this paper, we propose a hybrid access control model (HAC) which leverages attributes and relationships to control access to resources. A new policy specification language is developed to define policies considering the relationships and attributes of users. A path checking algorithm is proposed to figure out whether paths between two users can fit in with the hybrid policy. We develop a prototype system and demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed model.
Determination of CO2 Content in the Headspace of Spoiled Yogurt Packages
Authors: Danilović Bojana , Savić Dragiša , Cocola Lorenzo , Fedel Massimo , Poletto Luca
Published: May 2018

The CO2 formation during food storage can often be correlated with the increase in yeast population. Yogurt and other dairy products are susceptible to yeast contamination. Accumulation of CO2 in the headspace of yogurt packages can lead to the eventual blowing off of the package. Therefore, determination of CO2 in the yogurt packages can indicate eventual unsafety of the product. The aim of this paper was to determine CO2 concentration in the headspace of different yogurt containers contaminated with yeast at the levels of 1 and 5 CFU/ml. Yeast Candida kefyr, previously isolated from spoiled yogurt, was used for contamination. Contaminated and control samples of yogurt were incubated at 30°C. A device based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy was used for the measurement of CO2 concentration. The CO2 content in all analysed samples changed in a similar manner with slow increase to the value of 6% during the first 30 h and, after that, rapid accumulation to 17–20%. The initial level of yeast contamination did not have significant influence to the CO2 content trend. The increase in the number of yeast was observed after 10 h of incubation, and the final value of 6-7 log·CFU/cm3 was reached after 40 h of incubation. The significant increase in the yeast number can be correlated with the CO2 content in a way that CO2 concentration of 6% can be considered as critical for microbial spoilage. Since the TDLAS technique is simple and nondestructive, it can be a promising possibility for detection of the microbial spoilage in food.
A Modified Priority-Based Encoding for Design of a Closed-Loop Supply Chain Network Using a Discrete League Championship Algorithm
Authors: Ghahremani Nahr Javid , Kian Ramez , Rezazadeh Hassan
Published: May 2018

In a closed-loop supply chain network, the aim is to ensure a smooth flow of materials and attaining the maximum value from returning and end-of-life goods. This paper presents a single-objective deterministic mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model for the closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) network design problem consisting of plants, collection centers, disposal centers, and customer zones. Our model minimizes the total costs comprising fixed opening cost of plants, collection, disposal centers, and transportation costs of products among the nodes. As supply chain network design problems belong to the class of NP-hard problems, a novel league championship algorithm (LCA) with a modified priority-based encoding is applied to find a near-optimal solution. New operators are defined for the LCA to search the discrete space. Numerical comparison of our proposed encoding with the existing approaches in the literature is indicative of the high quality performance of the proposed encoding.
A Riesz Representation Theorem for the Space of Henstock Integrable Vector-Valued Functions
Authors: Pérez Becerra Tomás , Escamilla Reyna Juan Alberto , Rodríguez Tzompantzi Daniela , Oliveros Oliveros Jose Jacobo , Aye Khaing Khaing
Published: May 2018

Using a bounded bilinear operator, we define the Henstock-Stieltjes integral for vector-valued functions; we prove some integration by parts theorems for Henstock integral and a Riesz-type theorem which provides an alternative proof of the representation theorem for real functions proved by Alexiewicz.
Feasibility, Safety, and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Home-Based Self-Managed High-Intensity Interval Training Program Offered to Long-Term Manual Wheelchair Users
Authors: Gauthier Cindy , Brosseau Rachel , Hicks Audrey L. , Gagnon Dany H.
Published: May 2018

Objectives. To investigate and compare the feasibility, safety, and preliminary effectiveness of home-based self-managed manual wheelchair high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) programs.Methods. Eleven manual wheelchair users were randomly assigned to the HIIT (n=6) or the MICT group (n=5). Both six-week programs consisted of three 40-minute propulsion training sessions per week. The HIIT group alternated between 30 s high-intensity intervals and 60 s low-intensity intervals, whereas the MICT group maintained a constant moderate intensity. Cardiorespiratory fitness, upper limb strength, and shoulder pain were measured before and after the programs. Participants completed a questionnaire on the programs that explored general areas of feasibility.Results. The answers to the questionnaire demonstrated that both training programs were feasible in the community. No severe adverse events occurred, although some participants experienced increased shoulder pain during HIIT. Neither program yielded a significant change in cardiorespiratory fitness or upper limb strength. However, both groups reported moderate to significant subjective improvement.Conclusion. Home-based wheelchair HIIT appears feasible and safe although potential development of shoulder pain remains a concern and should be addressed with a future preventive shoulder exercise program. Some recommendations have been proposed for a larger study aiming to strengthen evidence regarding the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of HIIT.
Meta-Analysis of the Changes of Peripheral Blood T Cell Subsets in Patients with Brucellosis
Authors: Zheng Rongjiong , Xie Songsong , Niyazi Shaniya , Lu Xiaobo , Sun Lihua , Zhou Yan , Zhang Yuexin , Wang Kai
Published: May 2018

Brucellosis is one of the most prevalent zoonotic diseases in the world, but its pathogenesis is not very clear. At present, it is thought that it may be related to the immunity of T cells. The conclusions of related studies are inconsistent, and its clinical significance is not explicit. We searched published articles in electronic databases up to December 2017 identified as relating to the clinical features of human brucellosis in China. Only eight studies had sufficient quality for data extraction. Meta-analysis showed a significantly decreased proportion of CD4+ T cells in human brucellosis patients compared to healthy subject individuals. The frequency of CD8+ T cells was significantly higher in human brucellosis patients than that in the healthy control group. The pooled analysis presented a significant decrease of the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in human brucellosis patients compared to healthy subjects. There is immunologic dysfunction of T lymphocyte in patients with human brucellosis, the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells might be the important factors affecting the progress of brucellosis.
Cyclic Alternating Pattern in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients with versus without Excessive Sleepiness
Authors: Korkmaz Selda , Bilecenoglu Nedime Tugce , Aksu Murat , Yoldas Tahir Kurtulus
Published: May 2018

Background.One of the main hypotheses on the development of daytime sleepiness (ES) is increased arousal in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Cyclic alternating pattern (CAP) is considered to be the main expression of sleep microstructure rather than arousal. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether there is any difference between OSA patients with versus without ES in terms of the parameters of sleep macro- and microstructure and which variables are associated with Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score.Methods.Thirty-eight male patients with moderate to severe OSA were divided into two subgroups by having been used to ESS as ES or non-ES.Results.There was no difference between two groups in clinical characteristics and macrostructure parameters of sleep. However, ES group had significantly higher CAP rate, CAP duration, number of CAP cycles, and duration and rate of the subtypes A2 (p=0.033, 0.019, 0.013, and 0.019, respectively) and lower mean phase B duration(p=0.028)compared with non-ES group. In correlation analysis, ESS score was not correlated with any CAP measure.Conclusions.OSA patients with ES have increased CAP measures rather than those without ES.
Ecotoxicological and Interactive Effects of Copper and Chromium on Physiochemical, Ultrastructural, and Molecular Profiling in Brassica napus L.
Authors: Li Lan , Zhang Kangni , Gill Rafaqat A. , Islam Faisal , Farooq Muhammad A. , Wang Jian , Zhou Weijun
Published: May 2018

Heavy metal accumulation causes huge environmental problems, particularly in agricultural ecosystems which have deteriorative effects on the yield and quality of crops. Individual copper (Cu) and chromium (Cr) effects have been investigated extensively in plants; however, co-contamination of Cu and Cr induced stress on Brassica napus L. is still unclear. In the present experiment, the interactive effects of Cu and Cr were studied in two B. napus cultivars (Zheda 622 and ZS 758). Results showed that the application of Cr was more toxic than Cu, and their combined stress had shown a significant adverse effect on plant growth. Biomass and photosynthetic pigment were decreased remarkably under all metal treatments. Individual treatments of Cu and Cr and their combination cause the accumulation of ROS and lipid peroxidation. Moreover, the activities of antioxidant enzymes and their mRNA transcription levels, such as catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase, were increased, especially when treated with Cr alone or under Cu+Cr combined treatment in both cultivars, except for the CAT activity which was decreased in both leaves and roots of sensitive cultivar Zheda 622 as compared with their respective controls. Additionally, nonenzymatic antioxidants like reduced and oxidized glutathione showed a differential activity pattern in roots and leaves of both cultivars. A more pronounced modification in chloroplast ultrastructure was observed in both cultivars under Cu+Cr treatment followed by Cr and Cu alone treatments. Furthermore, synergistic effects of Cu and Cr were prominent; this may be due to the enhanced metals uptake under combined treatment, which suggests that Cr and Cu interaction is not competitive but is rather additive and genotypic-dependent.
Protein Based Nanostructures for Drug Delivery
Authors: Verma Deepali , Gulati Neha , Kaul Shreya , Mukherjee Siddhartha , Nagaich Upendra
Published: May 2018

The key role of protein based nanostructures has recently revolutionized the nanomedicine era. Protein nanoparticles have turned out to be the major grounds for the transformation of different properties of many conventional materials by virtue of their size and greater surface area which instigates them to be more reactive to some other molecules. Protein nanoparticles have better biocompatibilities and biodegradability and also have the possibilities for surface modifications. These nanostructures can be synthesized by using protein like albumin, gelatin, whey protein, gliadin, legumin, elastin, zein, soy protein, and milk protein. The techniques for their fabrication include emulsification, desolvation, complex coacervation, and electrospray. The characterization parameters of protein nanoparticles comprise particle size, particle morphology, surface charge, drug loading, determination of drug entrapment, and particle structure and in vitro drug release. A plethora of protein nanoparticles applications via different routes of administration are explored and reported by eminent researchers which are highlighted in the present review along with the patents granted for protein nanoparticles as drug delivery carriers.
Exploring Factors Affecting the Emergency Specialists’ Decision-Making in Case of Emergencies in Patients
Authors: Ebrahimian Abbasali , Hashemi-Amrei Seyed-Hossein , Monesan Mohammadreza
Published: May 2018

Introduction. Appropriate decision-making is essential in emergency situations; however, little information is available on how emergency decision-makers decide on the emergency status of the patients shifted to the emergency department of the hospital. This study aimed at explaining the factors that influence the emergency specialists’ decision-making in case of emergency conditions in patients. Methods. This study was carried out with a qualitative content analysis approach. The participants were selected based on purposive sampling by the emergency specialists. The data were collected through semistructured interviews and were analyzed using the method proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. Results. The core theme of the study was “efforts to perceive the acute health threats of the patient.” This theme was derived from the main classes, including “the identification of the acute threats based on the patient’s condition” and “the identification of the acute threats based on peripheral conditions.” Conclusions. The conditions governing the decision-making process about patients in the emergency department differ from the conditions in other health-care departments at hospitals. Emergency specialists may have several approaches to decide about the patients’ emergency conditions. Therefore, notably, the emergency specialists’ working conditions and the others’ expectations from these specialists should be considered.
Abstract A27: Exploring the role of glycosylation in pancreatic disease
Authors: Engle Dannielle , Tiriac Hervé , Pommier Arnaud , Schoepfer Christina , Silva Brandon Da , Yao Melissa , Park Youngkyu , Hollingsworth Michael A. , Tuveson David
Published: May 2018

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is almost uniformly lethal and surgical intervention is the only cure. Unfortunately, most patients are ineligible for resection because of the advanced stage of disease by the time of diagnosis. This is due in part to the lack of diagnostic tools, especially for families with elevated risk. The PDA biomarker, CA19-9, is measured in the blood to follow tumor burden longitudinally, but is neither sensitive nor specific enough to be used for diagnosis. The use of CA19-9 in PDA diagnosis is problematic given the elevation of CA19-9 in benign pancreatic disease, such as pancreatitis.

While CA19-9 has been traditionally used as a diagnostic, retrospective studies reported that PDA patients who maintain a CA19-9 negative/low status have a significantly longer survival relative to those with higher CA19-9 levels in multivariate analyses. The functional significance of CA19-9 to PDA initiation, maintenance, and progression remains unclear due in part to the absence of this carbohydrate modification in mice. We found that expression of CA19-9 in the mouse pancreas is sufficient to induce pancreatitis, a benign proliferative condition that often confounds the diagnosis of PDA. Specifically, CA19-9 elevation resulted in rapid elevation of pancreatic enzymes in the blood, pancreatic infiltration of immune cells, acinar-to-ductal metaplasia and atrophy, as well as increased proliferation. Furthermore, we explored the utility of CA19-9 as a therapeutic target for both acute and chronic pancreatitis. This avenue of treatment strategy exhibits potential given that a pilot study demonstrated that turning off CA19-9 expression results in the normalization of pancreatic enzyme levels within four days following an acute episode of pancreatitis.

Future work will focus on how elevation of this glycosylation modification mediates the development of pancreatitis by identifying the signaling pathways that are altered upon CA19-9 expression. In addition, we will explore the efficacy of therapeutically targeting CA19-9 in both pancreatitis and PDA with a larger goal of delineating the role of CA19-9 in pancreatic disease.

Citation Format: Dannielle Engle, Hervé Tiriac, Arnaud Pommier, Christina Schoepfer, Brandon Da Silva, Melissa Yao, Youngkyu Park, Michael A. Hollingsworth, David Tuveson. Exploring the role of glycosylation in pancreatic disease [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Modeling Cancer in Mice: Technology, Biology, and Beyond; 2017 Sep 24-27; Orlando, Florida. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A27.
Abstract A39: Modeling organelle-specific O-glycosylation in driving liver tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis
Authors: Nguyen Anh Tuan , Bard Frederic
Published: May 2018

Cancer progression is driven by the ability of tumor cells to invade surrounding tissues. Invasiveness correlates with perturbation of a covalent modification of cell surface proteins: O-glycosylation. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unclear. Here, we show that O-glycosylation initiating enzymes are activated during liver tumor growth by intracellular relocation from Golgi to ER. In a Nras/shp53 mouse liver cancer model, coexpressing an ER-targeted glycosyl-transferase GALNT1 (ER-G1) massively increased tissue growth, invasion, and metastases. ER-G1, but not its Golgi-localized counterpart, strongly stimulates glycosylation of the key cancer matrix metalloprotease MT1-MMP, this modification being essential for collagenase activity. Conversely, expression of an ER-targeted inhibitor of GALNTs inhibits liver tumor progression in Nras/shp53-injected mice. In summary, our model comprehensively demonstrates the generation and analyses of the GALA (GALNTs Activation) pathway driving liver tumor invasiveness; thus, further characterization of glycosylation substrates will unveil mechanisms of tumor growth and help identify potential therapeutic targets in human liver cancer.

Citation Format: Anh Tuan Nguyen, Frederic Bard. Modeling organelle-specific O-glycosylation in driving liver tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Modeling Cancer in Mice: Technology, Biology, and Beyond; 2017 Sep 24-27; Orlando, Florida. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A39.