bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fault Tolerance of a Reconfigurable Tilt-Rotor Quadcopter Using Sliding Mode Control
Authors: Sridhar Siddharth , Kumar Rumit , Cohen Kelly , Kumar Manish
Published: November 2018

Tilt-rotor quadcopters are a novel class of quadcopters with a servo motor attached on each arm that assist the quadcopter’s rotors to tilt to a desired angle thereby enabling thrust vectoring. Using these additional tilt angles, this type of a quadcopter can be used to achieve desired trajectories with faster maneuvering and can handle external disturbances better than a conventional quadcopter. In this paper, a non-linear controller has been designed using sliding mode technique for the pitch, roll, yaw motions and the servo motor tilt angles of the quadcopter. The dynamic model of the tilt-rotor quadcopter is presented, based on which sliding surfaces were designed to minimize the tracking errors. Using the control inputs derived from these sliding surfaces, the state variables converge to their desired values in finite-time. Further, the non-linear sliding surface coefficients are obtained by stability analysis. The robustness of this proposed sliding mode control technique is shown when a faulty motor scenario is introduced. The quadcopter transforms into a T-copter design upon motor failure thereby abetting the UAV to cope up with the instabilities experienced in yaw, pitch and roll axes and still completing the flight mission. The dynamics of the T-copter design and the derivation of the switching surface coefficients for this reconfigurable system are also presented.
Vision Based Surface Slope Estimation for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Perching
Authors: Zhang Haijie , Zhao Jianguo
Published: November 2018

Unmanned aerial vehicles are applied to many different fields such as surveillance, search, and monitoring. However, a critical issue for unmanned aerial vehicles is that they suffer from short flight time. To address this, perching becomes a new necessary capability for unmanned aerial vehicles. However, before perching on the desired surface, usually the orientation of the UAV needs to be adjusted to make the perching mechanism to firmly attach to the surface. In this paper, a vision algorithm is introduced to estimate the surface slope of the perching object. Equipped with a distance sensor and a monocular camera, the surface slopes in both X and Y directions can be estimated simultaneously. A bunch of experiments with different slope combinations are carried out. Combined with a Kalman Filter, the experiment results show this algorithm is much better compared with the previous algorithms especially when the main movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle is along the camera optical axis.
Hierarchical Control for Electro-Thermal Power Management of an Electric Vehicle Powertrain
Authors: Docimo Donald J. , Pangborn Herschel C. , Alleyne Andrew G.
Published: November 2018

This paper develops a hierarchical control framework to manage both the electrical and thermal domains of an automotive electric vehicle (EV). Batteries, electric machines, and power electronics all have desired thermal operating ranges, with operation outside these limits leading to reduced component performance and lifespan. Previous studies present various component- and high-level energy management algorithms that seek to maintain desired temperatures. However, the literature contains limited efforts to develop comprehensive control approaches that coordinate the electrothermal dynamics within the vehicle, ensuring that electrical systems do not generate more thermal energy than can be managed within temperature constraints. To address this gap, this paper presents a hierarchical control framework that governs electrical and thermal states across multiple timescales while meeting operational requirements, such as tracking a desired vehicle velocity and cabin temperature. To develop this framework, a network of communicating model predictive controllers coordinates the system dynamics, with significant reduction in computational complexity over a centralized control approach. A graph-based model of the candidate EV powertrain is developed and then decomposed to generate models used in each controller of the hierarchical framework. Through the case study of this paper, it is demonstrated that the hierarchical controller can make important trade-offs between tracking desired operational references and maintaining temperatures within constraints.
Towards Integrated Planning and Control of Autonomous Vehicles Using Nested MPCs
Authors: Maitland Anson , McPhee John
Published: November 2018

This paper presents a strategy to integrate the planning and control for autonomous vehicles. The aim of this work is to provide a method that can yield controller feasible reference paths, i.e. paths that are not only dynamically feasible but are feasible under the action of a low-level feedback controller. The method is designed to find a control feasible parameterization of a collision-free path provided by a path generation scheme, e.g. rapidly-exploring random trees or one of its many variants. This parameterization is found such that the vehicle under the action of the low-level controller will be able to follow that path within a specified tolerance. The design is based on a feedback strategy with nested MPCs for planning and control. The results presented here are preliminary but hint at the benefits of such a strategy and suggest avenues for future work.
Exploring the Optimality of a Limited View Angle in the Two-Dimensional Vicsek Model
Authors: Shirazi Masoud Jahromi , Abaid Nicole
Published: November 2018

Collective behavior emerges from local interactions in a group, has been observed in many natural systems, and is of significant interests for engineering applications. The Vicsek model is a mathematical tool to study collective alignment in a group of self-propelled particles based on local interaction, which has been well-studied in the literature for its simple algorithm and complex global behaviors. Several studies show that particles reach alignment faster when the directionality of particle interaction is restricted by an optimal view angle. This result seems counterintuitive, since each particle is expected to get more information through omnidirectional interaction. This work seeks to explore the possible causes of this optimal view angle by studying interaction dynamics in Vicsek model with restricted view angle through numerical simulation.
Towards Automated Bicycles: Achieving Self-Balance Using Steering Control
Authors: Deng Wenhao , Moore Skyler , Bush Jonathan , Mabey Miles , Zhang Wenlong
Published: November 2018

In recent years, researchers from both academia and industry have worked on connected and automated vehicles and they have made great progress toward bringing them into reality. Compared to automated cars, bicycles are more affordable to daily commuters, as well as more environmentally friendly. When comparing the risk posed by autonomous vehicles to pedestrians and motorists, automated bicycles are much safer than autonomous cars, which also allows potential applications in smart cities, rehabilitation, and exercise. The biggest challenge in automating bicycles is the inherent problem of staying balanced. This paper presents a modified electric bicycle to allow real-time monitoring of the roll angles and motor-assisted steering. Stable and robust steering controllers for bicycle are designed and implemented to achieve self-balance at different forward speeds. Tests at different speeds have been conducted to verify the effectiveness of hardware development and controller design. The preliminary design using a control moment gyroscope (CMG) to achieve self-balancing at lower speeds are also presented in this work. This work can serve as a solid foundation for future study of human-robot interaction and autonomous driving.
Acoustic interactions for robot audition: A corpus of real auditory scenes
Authors: Rascon Caleb , Meza Ivan V. , Millan-Gonzalez Aldo , Velez Ivette , Fuentes Gibran , Mendoza Dennis , Ruiz-Espitia Oscar
Published: November 2018

The Acoustic Interactions for Robot Audition corpus is introduced for research on sound source localization and separation, and for multi-user speech recognition. Its aim is to evaluate and train Robot Audition techniques, as well as Auditory Scene Analysis in general. It was recorded in six real-life environments with different noise presence and reverberation time, using two array configurations: an equilateral triangle, and a three-dimensional 16-microphone array set over a hollow plastic body. It includes clean speech data for static sources and tracking information for mobile sources. It is freely available at https://aira.iimas.unam.mx/.
Posttranscriptional Regulation of HIV-1 Gene Expression during Replication and Reactivation from Latency by Nuclear Matrix Protein MATR3
Authors: Sarracino Ambra , Gharu Lavina , Kula Anna , Pasternak Alexander O. , Avettand-Fenoel Veronique , Rouzioux Christine , Bardina Maryana , De Wit Stéphane , Benkirane Monsef , Berkhout Ben , Van Lint Carine , Marcello Alessandro
Published: November 2018

The life cycle of HIV-1 requires integration of a DNA copy into the genome of the host cell. Transcription of the viral genes generates RNAs that are exported to the cytoplasm with the contribution of viral and cellular factors to get translated or incorporated in the newly synthesized virions. It has been observed that highly effective antiretroviral therapy, which is able to reduce circulating virus to undetectable levels, cannot fully eradicate the virus from cellular reservoirs that harbor a transcriptionally latent provirus. Thus, persistence of latently infected cells is the major barrier to a cure for HIV-1 infection. In order to purge these reservoirs of latently infected cells, it has been proposed to activate transcription to stimulate the virus to complete its life cycle. This strategy is believed to unmask these reservoirs, making them vulnerable to the immune system. However, limited successes of this approach may indicate additional posttranscriptional restrictions that need to be overcome for full virus reactivation. In this work we identify the cellular protein MATR3 as an essential cofactor of viral RNA processing. Reactivation of HIV-1 transcription
per se
is not sufficient to allow completion of a full life cycle of the virus if MATR3 is depleted. Furthermore, MATR3 is poorly expressed in quiescent CD4
+
T lymphocytes that are the major reservoir of latent HIV-1. Cells derived from aviremic HIV-1 patients under antiretroviral therapy didn’t express MATR3, and most importantly, latency-reversing agents proposed for the rescue of latent provirus were ineffective for MATR3 upregulation. To conclude, our work identifies a cellular factor required for full HIV-1 reactivation and points to the revision of the current strategies for purging viral reservoirs that focus only on transcription.
Clinical and radiological findings in a severe case of cleidocranial dysplasia
Authors: Lotlikar Priti P , Creanga Adriana G , Singer Steven R
Published: November 2018

Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) is a rare congenital autosomal dominant condition, causing hypoplasia of the clavicle, abnormal formation of teeth, skeletal and craniofacial bones. CCD is caused by the mutation of RUNX2/CBFA1 present in the short arm of chromosome 6 at position 21.1, a transcription factor essential for the formation of teeth, cartilage and bone. Patients with CCD show the classical features of excessive mobility of the shoulder bone, lack of resorption of the deciduous teeth, failure to erupt permanent teeth, multiple impacted and supernumerary teeth, and open fontanelle and sutures of the skull. In this article we report a case of CCD in a 16-year-old male patient, with an aim to highlight the clinical, radiological and recommended treatment guidelines.
Advances in optimizing the prescription of antibiotics in outpatient settings
Authors: King Laura M , Fleming-Dutra Katherine E , Hicks Lauri A
Published: November 2018

The inappropriate use of antibiotics can increase the likelihood of antibiotic resistance and adverse events. In the United States, nearly a third of antibiotic prescriptions in outpatient settings are unnecessary, and the selection of antibiotics and duration of treatment are also often inappropriate. Evidence shows that antibiotic prescribing is influenced by psychosocial factors, including lack of accountability, perceived patient expectations, clinician workload, and habit. A varied and growing body of evidence, including meta-analyses and randomized controlled trials, has evaluated interventions to optimize the use of antibiotics. Interventions informed by behavioral science—such as communication skills training, audit and feedback with peer comparison, public commitment posters, and accountable justification—have been associated with improved antibiotic prescribing. In addition, delayed prescribing, active monitoring, and the use of diagnostics are guideline recommended practices that improve antibiotic use for some conditions. In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship, which provides a framework for implementing these interventions in outpatient settings. This review summarizes the varied evidence on drivers of inappropriate prescription of antibiotics in outpatient settings and potential interventions to improve their use in such settings.
How well do national and local policies in England relevant to maternal and child health meet the international standard for non-communicable disease prevention? A policy analysis
Authors: Penn-Newman Daniel , Shaw Sarah , Congalton Donna , Strommer Sofia , Morris Taylor , Lawrence Wendy , Chase Debbie , Cooper Cyrus , Barker Mary , Baird Janis , Inskip Hazel , Vogel Christina
Published: November 2018

Objectives

(1) To identify national policies for England and local policies for Southampton City that are relevant to maternal and child health. (2) To quantify the extent to which these policies meet the international standards for nutrition and physical activity initiatives set out in the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (WHO Action Plan).

Design

The policy appraisal process involved three steps: (1) identifying policy documents relevant to maternal and infant health, (2) developing a policy appraisal framework from the WHO Action Plan, and (3) analysing the policies using the framework.

Setting

England and Southampton City.

Participants

57 national and 10 local policies.

Results

Across both national and local policies, priority areas supporting public health processes, such as evidence-based practice, were adopted more frequently than the action-oriented areas targeting maternal and child dietary and physical activity behaviours. However, the policy option managing conflicts of interest was rarely considered in the national policies (12%), particularly in white papers or evidence-based guidelines. For the action-oriented priority areas, maternal health policy options were more frequently considered than those related to child health or strengthening health systems. Complementary feeding guidance (9%) and workforce training in empowerment skills (14%) were the least frequent action-oriented policy options adopted among the national policies. The maternal nutrition-focused and workforce development policy options were least frequent among local policies adopted in 10% or fewer. Macroenvironmental policy options tended to have a lower priority than organisational or individual options among national policies (p=0.1) but had higher priority among local policies (p=0.02).

Conclusions

Further action is needed to manage conflicts of interest and adopt policy options that promote a system-wide approach to address non-communicable diseases caused by poor diet and physical inactivity.
Stopping 5-aminosalicylates in patients with ulcerative colitis starting biologic therapy does not increase the risk of adverse clinical outcomes: analysis of two nationwide population-based cohorts
Authors: Ungaro Ryan C , Limketkai Berkeley N , Jensen Camilla Bjørn , Allin Kristine Højgaard , Agrawal Manasi , Ullman Thomas , Colombel Jean-Frederic , Jess Tine
Published: November 2018

Objective

The benefit of continuing 5-aminosalicylate (5-ASA) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) who initiate anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF) biologics is unknown. We aimed to compare clinical outcomes in patients with UC already on 5-ASA who started anti-TNF and then either stopped or continued 5-ASA.

Design

Our primary outcome was any adverse clinical event defined as a composite of new corticosteroid use, UC-related hospitalisation or surgery. We used two national databases: the United States (US) Truven MarketScan health claims database and the Danish health registers. Patients with UC who started anti-TNF after having been on oral 5-ASA for at least 90 days were included. Patients were classified as stopping 5-ASA if therapy was discontinued within 90 days of starting anti-TNF. We performed multivariable Cox regression models controlling for demographics, clinical factors and healthcare utilisation. Adjusted HRs (aHR) with 95% CI are reported comparing stopping 5-ASA with continuing 5-ASA.

Results

A total of 3589 patients with UC were included (2890 US and 699 Denmark). Stopping 5-ASA after initiating anti-TNF was not associated with an increased risk of adverse clinical events in the U.S. cohort (aHR 1.04; 95% CI 0.90 to 1.21, p=0.57) nor in the Danish cohort (aHR 1.09; 95% CI 0.80 to 1.49, p=0.60). Results were similar in sensitivity analyses investigating concomitant immunomodulator use and duration of 5-ASA treatment before initiating anti-TNF.

Conclusion

In two national databases, stopping 5-ASA in patients with UC starting anti-TNF therapy did not increase the risk of adverse clinical events. These results should be validated in a prospective clinical trial.
Leptonic dark matter with scalar dilepton mediator
Authors: Ma Ernest
Published: November 2018

A simple and elegant mechanism is proposed to resolve the problem of having a light scalar mediator for self-interacting dark matter and the resulting disruption to the cosmic microwave background (CMB) at late times by the former’s enhanced Sommerfeld production and decay. The crucial idea is to have Dirac neutrinos with the conservation of U(1) or [Formula: see text] lepton number extended to the dark sector. The simplest scenario consists of scalar or fermion dark matter with unit lepton number accompanied by a light scalar dilepton mediator, which decays to two neutrinos.
Statistical properties of the mutual transfer network among global football clubs
Authors: Li Ming-Xia , Xiao Qiao-Li , Wang Yue , Zhou Wei-Xing
Published: November 2018

Football is the most popular sport in the world, and one of the most interesting events is the transferring of football players among various clubs. Based on 470,792 transfer records among 23,605 football clubs in 206 countries and regions, we construct a mutual transfer network and investigate its basic topological characteristics related to node degree k, edge weight w and node strength s. We find that the distributions can be well fitted by bimodal distributions for k and s or a power-law tail distribution for w. By studying the features of neighbor nodes or edges, we find that the mutual transfer network exhibits assortative mixing for most nodes or clubs but disassortative for clubs with very large degrees. We also observe nonlinear correlations among the different types of measures. Our work sheds new lights into the investigation of the characteristics of football transfer activities.
Sub-wavelength focusing based on all-dielectric polarization-independent metalens
Authors: Zhao Wei , Li Xingyi , Li Siqi , Ge Zhiqiang , Liu Mulong , Li Zhongyu , Du Shujian
Published: November 2018

We have proposed an all-dielectric polarization-independent metalens, which can be used for sub-wavelength focusing. The phase discontinuity of transmission light is produced by varying the diameter of the nanopillar. In this way, the incident light can be focused into sub-wavelength spot. Besides, finite-difference time-domain results show that near diffraction limit focusing is realized for the wavelength from 580 nm to 750 nm, which means the proposed metalens possesses a broad operation bandwidth. This all-dielectric metalens features polarization independent and broad bandwidth, and thus promises great potential for the applications of nanolithography, dense storage and biophotonics.
Electronic structures and optical properties of IV A elements-doped 3C-SiC from density functional calculations
Authors: Lu Xuefeng , Zhao Tingting , Guo Xin , Chen Meng , Ren Junqiang , La Peiqing
Published: November 2018

Electronic structures and optical properties of IV A elements (Ge, Sn and Pb)-doped 3C-SiC are investigated by means of the first-principles calculation. The results reveal that the structure of Ge-doped system is more stable with a lower formation energy of 1.249 eV compared with those of Sn- and Pb-doped 3C-SiC systems of 3.360 eV and 5.476 eV, respectively. Doping of the IV A elements can increase the band gap, and there is an obvious transition from an indirect band gap to a direct band gap. Furthermore, charge difference density analysis proves that the covalent order of bonding between the doping atoms and the C atoms is Ge–C [Formula: see text] Sn–C [Formula: see text] Pb–C, which is fully verified by population values. Due to the lower static dielectric constant, the service life of 3C-SiC dramatically improved in production practice. Moreover, the lower reflectivity and absorption peak in the visible region, implying its wide application foreground in photoelectric devices.
Influence factors and adjusting method of refractive indices of solid media
Authors: Zhang Tao
Published: November 2018

It is of great significance to explore changing behavior and adjustment method of the refractive index. Expression of the refractive index, which was derived from the electron-cloud conductor model, contains the equivalent volume V of the electron clouds and the molecular density [Formula: see text]. The expression shows that the refractive index increases with V and [Formula: see text]. Based on this expression, main factors influencing the refractive index of solid medium are analyzed and summarized: the Nephelauxetic Effect, number of bonding electrons in the molecule, chemical bond property, number of nonbonding electrons in outermost layer of the molecule, and molecular density of the medium (electromagnetic wave factor is not considered). The relationship between the refractive index and the Nephelauxetic Effect is established. The calculations show that the Nephelauxetic Effect helps to increase the refractive index. Some viewpoints related to the Nephelauxetic Effect are supplemented. Characteristics of the solid medium that has a high refractive index are proposed: (1) Covalent bond component is high, and number of covalent bonds in one molecule is large. (2) Periodic number is as large as possible without increasing the ionic bond component. (3) Molecular density is high. According to these characteristics, method of adjusting the refractive index is discussed, and the results are consistent with the real situations.
Characterization of density oscillations in confined and degenerate Fermi gases
Authors: Firat Coskun , Sisman Altug , Aydin Alhun
Published: November 2018

Friedel oscillations appear in density of Fermi gases due to Pauli exclusion principle and translational symmetry breaking nearby a defect or impurity. In confined Fermi gases, this symmetry breaking occurs also near to boundaries. Here, density oscillations of a degenerate and confined Fermi gas are considered and characterized. True nature of density oscillations are represented by analytical formulas for degenerate conditions. Analytical characterization is first done for completely degenerate case, then temperature effects are also incorporated with a finer approximation. Envelope functions defining the upper and lower bounds of these oscillations are determined. It is shown that the errors of obtained expressions are negligible as long as the system is degenerate. Numbers, amplitudes, averages and spatial coordinates of oscillations are also given by analytical expressions. The results may be helpful to efficiently predict and easily calculate the oscillations in density and density-dependent properties of confined electrons at nanoscale.
The Modeling Method of a Vibrating Screen Efficiency Prediction Based on KPCA and LS-SVM
Authors: Chen Bingsan , Huang Dicheng , Zhang Fujiang
Published: November 2018

A vibrating screen efficiency prediction modeling method based on autoregressive (AR) model and least square support vector machine (LS-SVM) was proposed. The vibration signals of a self-synchronized vibrating screen were collected to establish the AR model. Nonlinear principal components of the signals were extracted by the kernel principal component analysis (KPCA), followed by the regression model reconstruction using LS-SVM to accomplish reduced complexity of the prediction model from AR coefficients and improved generalization capacity and learning speed. The results show that the model predictions are consistent with the experimental data, which indicates that the modeling method is applicable and feasible in adjusting the design and process parameters of vibrating screens. Furthermore, the work condition monitoring method in the experiment is feasible for faults diagnosis of mechanical equipment.
Investigation and Analysis of Ultrasound Imaging Based on Linear CMUT Array
Authors: Wang Hongliang , Qu Jiao , Wang Xiangjun , He Changde , Xue Chenyang
Published: November 2018

In the next generation of ultrasound imaging systems, Capacitive micromachined ultasonic transducer (CMUT) based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is a promising research direction of transducers, which has wide application prospects. In this paper, based on the study of three imaging methods, including classical phased array (CPA) imaging, classical synthetic aperture (CSA) imaging and phased subarray (PSA) imaging, several different imaging schemes are designed for linear CMUT array, after that the performances of these imaging schemes are compared and analyzed. The effects of the three imaging methods are verified and analyzed based on the linear CMUT array. Through analysis, it is found that the image quality of the classical phased array imaging method is the best, the imaging quality of the above three imaging methods can be effectively improved by adopting the amplitude apodization and dynamic focusing method. The research results in this paper will provide theoretical basis and application reference for the design of ultrasonic imaging system based on linear CMUT array in the future.
Calculation of Evolutionary Power Spectral Density of Bridge Response to Earthquakes by Convolution Summation
Authors: Du Xianting , Qiao Hong , Xia Chaoyi , Xia He
Published: November 2018

This paper presents a method for calculating the evolutionary power spectral density (EPSD) of the seismic response of bridges using the convolution summation. With zero initial values, a formula for the dynamic component of the response of bridges to spatially varying seismic ground motions is derived as the convolution summation, by assuming the seismic acceleration to vary linearly between two adjacent time stations. The convolution summation is used for calculating the convolution integral of the dynamic component response factor in the EPSD, in which the constant coefficients are independent of the harmonically modulated excitation. The constant coefficients are obtained by the time-history analysis using triangular unit impulse acceleration excitations. The computational cost of the EPSD depends mainly on the amount of degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) numbers of bridge supports in contact. The corresponding computational scheme is proposed, and its validity is indirectly verified with a single DOF system, by comparing the results obtained with those of the existing methods. Finally, a three-span continuous rigid-frame bridge is taken as a case study to illustrate the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Effects of Fe and Ni Co-Doping on the Optical Properties of TiO2 Thin Films
Authors: Yeganeh Mahboubeh , Mousavi Maliheh
Published: November 2018

In this work, the effects of Fe/Ni co-doping on structural and optical properties of TiO2 thin films were investigated by the X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and UV-visible spectroscopy. The optical properties of transmittance, extinction coefficient, refractive index, real and imaginary parts of dielectric constant of the thin films, prepared by spray pyrolysis, revealed that the absorption in visible region increases due to the influence of Fe/Ni co-doping. The widening of the gap energies is observed as a result of doping. The increased optical gap as a consequence of doping can be explained by decreasing the size of nanoparticles, as confirmed by SEM and increasing the formation of oxygen vacancies as a result of Ni[Formula: see text] substitution to Ti[Formula: see text] and appearance of the Burstein–Moss effect.
New Insights on Intermediary Metabolism for a Better Understanding of Nutrition in Teleosts
Authors: Panserat S. , Marandel L. , Seiliez I. , Skiba-Cassy S.
Published: November 2018

The rapid development of aquaculture production throughout the world over the past few decades has led to the emergence of new scientific challenges to improve fish nutrition. The diet formulations used for farmed fish have been largely modified in the past few years. However, bottlenecks still exist in being able to suppress totally marine resources (fish meal and fish oil) in diets without negatively affecting growth performance and flesh quality. A better understanding of fish metabolism and its regulation by nutrients is thus mandatory. In this review, we discuss four fields of research that are highly important for improving fish nutrition in the future: ( a) fish genome complexity and subsequent consequences for metabolism, ( b) microRNAs (miRNAs) as new actors in regulation of fish metabolism, ( c) the role of autophagy in regulation of fish metabolism, and ( d) the nutritional programming of metabolism linked to the early life of fish.
Mediators of Inflammation – A Potential Source of Biomarkers in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Tampa Mircea , Mitran Madalina Irina , Mitran Cristina Iulia , Sarbu Maria Isabela , Matei Clara , Nicolae Ilinca , Caruntu Ana , Tocut Sandra Milena , Popa Mircea Ioan , Caruntu Constantin , Georgescu Simona Roxana
Published: November 2018

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common tumour of the oral cavity, associated with significant morbidity and mortality. It is a multifactorial condition, both genetic and environmental factors being involved in its development and progression. Its pathogenesis is not fully elucidated, but a pivotal role has been attributed to inflammation, strong evidence supporting the association between chronic inflammation and carcinogenesis. Moreover, an increasing number of studies have investigated the role of different mediators of inflammation in the early detection of OSCC. In this review, we have summarized the main markers of inflammation that could be useful in diagnosis and shed some light in OSCC pathogenesis.
Preparation and Characteristics of Starch Esters and Its Effects on Dough Physicochemical Properties
Authors: Tian Shuangqi , Chen Yimei , Chen Zhicheng , Yang Yingqi , Wang Yanbo
Published: November 2018

As a recyclable natural material, starch is an important raw material in food and other fields. The native starch by esterification could improve the performance of the original starch and expand its range of application. This article reviews the preparation process of acetylated distarch adipate, starch sodium octenylsuccinate, starch acetate, hydroxypropyl starch, and starch phosphate and research into the influence of starch esters on dough. At the same time, it forecasts the trend of starch esters and application prospect in the future research.
Multiobjective Personalized Recommendation Algorithm Using Extreme Point Guided Evolutionary Computation
Authors: Lin Qiuzhen , Wang Xiaozhou , Hu Bishan , Ma Lijia , Chen Fei , Li Jianqiang , Coello Coello Carlos A.
Published: November 2018

Recommender systems suggest items to users based on their potential interests, and they are important to alleviate the search and selection pressures induced by the increasing item information. Classical recommender systems mainly focus on the accuracy of recommendation. However, with the increase of the diversified demands of users, multiple metrics which may conflict with each other have to be considered in modern recommender systems, especially for the personalized recommender system. In this paper, we design a personalized recommendation system considering the three conflicting objectives, i.e., the accuracy, diversity, and novelty. Then, to let the system provide more comprehensive recommended items, we present a multiobjective personalized recommendation algorithm using extreme point guided evolutionary computation (called MOEA‐EPG). The proposed MOEA‐EPG is guided by three extreme points and its crossover operator is designed for better satisfying the demands of users. The experimental results validate the effectiveness of MOEA‐EPG when compared to some state‐of‐the‐art recommendation algorithms in terms of accuracy, diversity, and novelty on recommendation.
Changes of Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness after Cataract Surgery: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zeng Shaoxue , Liang Chen , He Yueqing , Chen Yingying , Zhao Qing , Dai Shuiping , Cheng Fengrui , Zhang Junjun , Jiang Xiaoshuang
Published: November 2018

Purpose. To investigate the effect of cataract surgery on subfoveal choroid thickness (SFCT) using enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT). Materials and Methods. Relevant publications were searched systematically through various databases from inception to March 2018. The unit of choroidal thickness measurements is micrometers. Studies comparing SFCT before and after cataract surgery were retrieved. All qualified articles were analyzed using RevMan 5.3. Results. A total of 13 studies with 802 eyes from 646 patients were identified for inclusion. There was a significant increase of SFCT at 1 week (MD = 6.62, 95% CI: 1.20–12.05, P=0.02, I2 = 0%), 1 month (MD = 8.30, 95% CI: 3.20–13.39, P=0.001, I2 = 0%), and 3 months (MD = 8.28, 95% CI: 1.84–14.73, P=0.01, I2 = 0%) after cataract surgery. In subgroup analysis, SFCT in Asians and patients without nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in postoperative medication was significantly thicker (P<0.05). No statistically significant increase of SFCT was found in diabetic mellitus (DM) patients for 1 day (P=0.89), 1 week (P=0.59), 1 month (P=0.52), and 3 months (P=0.42) after cataract surgery. Conclusions. This meta-analysis suggested that SFCT increased since 1 week after the cataract surgery and the increase lasted for at least 3 months. Asians and patients without NSAIDs in postoperative medication were more likely to have a thicker SFCT after cataract surgery, whereas DM patients were less likely to increase in SFCT.
Layout Optimization of Flexible Manufacturing Cells Based on Fuzzy Demand and Machine Flexibility
Authors: Zhang Xiaodong , Zhou Hongli , Zhao Dongfang
Published: November 2018

Layout flexibility is critical for the performance of flexible manufacturing cells, especially in dynamic production environment. To improve layout flexibility, layout optimization should consider more flexible factors based on existed models. On the one hand, not only should the current production demands be covered, but also the future uncertain demands should be considered so that the cell can adapt to the dynamic changes in a long term. On the other hand, the flexibility of machines should be balanced in the layout in order to guarantee that the cell can deal with dynamic new product introduction. Starting from these two points, we formulate a layout optimization model based on fuzzy demand and machine flexibility and then develop a genetic algorithm with bilayer chromosome to solve the model. We apply this new model to a flexible cell of shell products and test its performance by comparing it with the classical two-stage model. The total logistics path of the new model is shown to be significantly shorter than the classical model. Then we carry out adaptability experiments to test the flexibility of the new model. For the dynamic situation of both the fluctuation of production demands and the introduction of new products, the new model shows obvious advantages to the classical model. The results indicate that this advantage becomes greater as the dynamics becomes greater, which implies that considering fuzzy demand and machine flexibility is necessary and reasonable in layout optimization, especially when the dynamics of the production environment is dramatic.
Design of a Logistics Nonlinear System for a Complex, Multiechelon, Supply Chain Network with Uncertain Demands
Authors: Guerrero Campanur Aaron , Olivares-Benitez Elias , Miranda Pablo A. , Perez-Loaiza Rodolfo Eleazar , Ablanedo-Rosas Jose Humberto
Published: November 2018

Industrial systems, such as logistics and supply chain networks, are complex systems because they comprise a big number of interconnected actors and significant nonlinear and stochastic features. This paper analyzes a distribution network design problem for a four‐echelon supply chain. The problem is represented as an inventory‐location model with uncertain demand and a continuous review inventory policy. The decision variables include location at the intermediate levels and product flows between echelons. The related safety and cyclic inventory levels can be computed from these decision variables. The problem is formulated as a mixed integer nonlinear programming model to find the optimal design of the distribution network. A linearization of the nonlinear model based on a piecewise linear approximation is proposed. The objective function and nonlinear constraints are reformulated as linear formulations, transforming the original nonlinear problem into a mixed integer linear programming model. The proposed approach was tested in 50 instances to compare the nonlinear and linear formulations. The results prove that the proposed linearization outperforms the nonlinear formulation achieving convergence to a better local optimum with shorter computational time. This method provides flexibility to the decision‐maker allowing the analysis of scenarios in a shorter time.
Study and Application of Roof Cutting Pressure Releasing Technology in Retracement Channel Roof of Halagou 12201 Working Face
Authors: Xingen Ma , Manchao He , Yajun Wang , Yong Zhang , Jiabin Zhang , Yuxing Liu
Published: November 2018

The retracement channel roof cutting (RCRC) technology can change the overburden structure actively by cutting off the roof of channel along the direction of working face tendency and make use of the gangue collapsing from roof cutting range to fill the goaf and weaken the mining pressure during the retracement process of working face. In order to solve the problems of high stress in surrounding rock and serious deformation of retracement channel in Halagou coal mine, it is the first time that the pressure releasing test is carried out on the 12201 working face by the method of the directional presplitting roof cutting in retracement channel. First, according to statics theory and energy theory, the stress state of hydraulic support and roof deformation mechanism of retracement channel are analyzed. Then the roof cutting design of retracement channel is determined according to the geological conditions of 12201 working face, and the cutting effect is analyzed by numerical simulation. Finally, the field test is carried out on the 12201 working face to verify the effect of pressure releasing by roof cutting. The result shows that, with the roof cutting design including the roof cutting height being 8m and roof cutting angle being 45°, the roof subsidence of the 12201 working face retracement channel in Halagou mine is reduced to 132.5mm, and the hydraulic support resistance is maintained at 1361KN. And there is no hydraulic support crushed; the deformation of the retracement channel is also small; namely, the effect of roof cutting for pressure releasing is obvious.
Zhuang Gu Guan Jie Wan: Reasonable Application Can Alleviate the Liver Injury for Osteoarthritis Treatment
Authors: Liu Bin , Fan Danping , Sun Wen , Zheng Kang , Pang Guoming , He Xiaojuan , Xiao Cheng , Lu Cheng
Published: November 2018

The potential toxicity of herbal drugs, particularly drug‐induced liver injury (DILI), has received extensive attention as the use of Chinese herbal medicine has rapidly increased globally. As a classic Chinese patent medicine, Zhuang Gu Guan Jie Wan (ZGGJW) has been brought into focus recently because of its satisfactory therapeutic effects on osteoarthritis (OA) as well as its unanticipated side effects. This study aimed to decipher the puzzling phenomenon of liver injury developing in response to ZGGJW that varies by the subtype of OA. Normal, anterior cruciate ligament transaction (ACLT) and partial medial meniscectomy (MMx) induced OA and ovariectomy combined with ACLT and partial MMx induced rat models were used and treated orally with ZGGJW or distilled water for 30 days. The results from histopathology, biochemistry, and immunohistochemistry showed that ZGGJW induced liver injury, increased the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), and decreased the levels of total antioxidation capability (T‐AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), interleukin‐22 (IL‐22), and signal transducer and activator of transcription factor 3 (STAT3) in the liver of normal rats, while liver injury was alleviated and showed different tendencies in the above markers for ACLT and partial MMx induction rats and ovariectomy combined with ACLT and partial MMx induction rats after ZGGJW treatment. In the OA disease states, hepatic injury induced by ZGGJW could be associated with an impairment in antioxidant capacity and the high levels of IL‐22 and STAT3 after ZGGJW treatment may be responsible for the slight hepatic injury of ZGGJW based on the subtype of OA. This study provides a novel approach to better understanding of the risks and limitations when using potentially toxic Chinese patent medicine in clinical applications.
Successfully Treated Norovirus- and Sapovirus-Associated Diarrhea in Three Renal Transplant Patients
Authors: Ghusson Noha , Vasquez Gustavo
Published: November 2018

Objectives. To examine the burden of norovirus- and sapovirus-related diarrhea in renal transplant patients and to propose the use of nitazoxanide as a therapeutic option for treatment. Methods. We reviewed three renal transplant patients with viral diarrhea requiring hospitalization due to acute renal failure and signs of graft rejection. All three patients were treated with nitazoxanide. We examined their clinical courses after therapy and compared time to resolution of symptoms and viral shedding. Results. In all three renal transplant patients, improvement of diarrheal illness was witnessed within one week of nitazoxanide initiation. Conclusions. Infectious diarrhea remains an underestimated yet significant cause of morbidity in solid organ transplant patients. Norovirus and sapovirus are often responsible for this presentation. Nitazoxanide was used as a treatment modality with success in reduction of symptoms, decreased duration of illness, and cessation of viral shedding.
Metaheuristic Optimized Edge Detection for Recognition of Concrete Wall Cracks: A Comparative Study on the Performances of Roberts, Prewitt, Canny, and Sobel Algorithms
Authors: Hoang Nhat-Duc , Nguyen Quoc-Lam
Published: November 2018

Crack detection is a crucial task in the periodic survey of high‐rise buildings and infrastructure. Manual survey is notorious for low productivity. This study is aimed at establishing an image processing‐based method for detecting cracks on concrete wall surfaces in an automatic manner. The Roberts, Prewitt, Canny, and Sobel algorithms are employed as the edge detection methods for revealing the crack textures appearing in concrete walls. The median filtering and object cleaning operations are used to enhance the image and facilitate the crack recognition outcome. Since the edge detectors, the median filter, and the object cleaning operation all require the appropriate selection of tuning parameters, this study relies on the differential flower pollination algorithm as a metaheuristic to optimize the image processing‐based crack detection model. Experimental results point out that the newly constructed approach that employs the Prewitt algorithm can achieve a good prediction outcome with classification accuracy rate = 89.95% and area under the curve = 0.90. Therefore, the proposed metaheuristic optimized image processing approach can be a promising alternative for automatic recognition of cracks on the concrete wall surface.
The Analysis of Correlative Factors of Visual Acuity with Intravitreal Conbercept Injection in Macular Edema Associated with Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion
Authors: Luo Wenjuan , Jia Fengjiao , Liu Min , Wang Yunxiao , Zhang Ting
Published: November 2018

Purpose. To evaluate the correlative factors of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) with intravitreal conbercept injection in macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Methods. This is a self-controlled retrospective study. 35 eyes of 35 patients with macular edema secondary to BRVO were enrolled. After an initial intravitreal injection of conbercept (0.5 mg/0.05 ml) monthly up to 3 months, a pro re nata (PRN) strategy was adopted based on the increase in central foveal thickness (CFT). Data collected at various time points include BCVA, CFT, photoreceptor layer thickness (PLT), and outer nuclear layer thickness (ONLT) on optical coherence tomography. The correlation between CFT, PLT, ONLT, and BCVA before and after injections was analyzed. Results. Compared with baseline, in months 1, 3, and 6 after injection, the improvement of BCVA was 20.63, 22.94, and 21.06 ETDRS letters, respectively (F=195.843, P<0.01), and the decrease of CFT was 217.37 μm, 224.57 μm, and 224.06 μm, respectively (F=148.522, P<0.01). The PLT in months 1, 3, and 6 after therapy has significant improvement of 11.14 μm, 13.03 μm, and 13.49 μm (F=64.116, P<0.01), while the ONLT has a significant decrease of 225.29 μm, 237.66 μm, and 239.11 μm, respectively (F=145.231, P<0.01). The changes in the treatment group were significant in different periods. The mean number of injections was 3.26 ± 0.50 from baseline to month 6. Conclusions. Intravitreal injection of conbercept provides an effective treatment for macular edema due to BRVO. With six-month treatment, there were a positive correlation between BCVA and PLT (r=0.592, P<0.001), a negative correlation between BCVA and ONLT (r=−0.480, P=0.005), and no correlation between BCVA and CFT (P=0.506).