bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The High-Temperature Creep Behavior of In-Situ TiB2 Particulate Reinforced Al12Si4Cu2NiMg Composite
Authors: Dai Shihan , Bian Zeyu , Wang Mingliang , Wu Yi , Chen Dong , Li Hongping , Wang Haowei
Published: November 2018

In the present work, the in-situ TiB2/Al12Si4Cu2NiMg (denoted as ‘Al-12Si’) composites were successful synthesized through the salt-metal reaction route. The influences of weight fraction (0, 4, and 9 wt.%) and heat treatment (T5 and T7) on the tensile creep deformation were studied at ≥623 K under constant load in air. At the investigated temperature and stress condition, TiB2 particles increased creep deformation resistance, as compared to the unreinforced alloy, while the composites presented similar strength when the weight fraction of reinforcement increased from 4% to 9%. It was found that the steady-state creep rate was lower in the 4 wt.% TiB2/Al-12Si composite (T5), as compared with that in the 4 wt.% TiB2/Al-12Si composite (T7). The result has been rationalized by using the load-partitioning model and relative to the evolution of the rigid phase. The creep deformation of the 4 wt.% TiB2/Al-12Si composite was controlled by the climb of dislocations in the aluminum alloy matrix.
Immobilized Cells of Bacillus circulans ATCC 21783 on Palm Curtain for Fermentation in 5 L Fermentation Tanks
Authors: Wang Jinpeng , Hu Yao , Qiu Chao , Fan Haoran , Yue Yan , Jiao Aiquan , Xu Xueming , Jin Zhengyu
Published: November 2018

Palm curtain was selected as carrier to immobilize Bacillus circulans ATCC 21783 to produce β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). The influence for immobilization to CGTase activity was analyzed to determine the operation stability. 83.5% cyclodextrin glycosyltransferases (CGTase) of the 1st cycle could be produced in the 7th cycle for immobilized cells, while only 28.90% CGTase was produced with free cells. When palm curtain immobilized cells were reused at the 2th cycle, enzyme activities were increased from 5003 to 5132 U/mL, which was mainly due to physical adsorption of cells on palm curtain with special concave surface structure. Furthermore, conditions for expanded culture of immobilized cells in a 5 L fermentation tank were optimized through specific rotation speed procedure (from 350 r/min to 450 r/min with step size of 50 r/min) and fixed ventilation capacity (4.5 L/min), relations between biomass, enzyme activity, pH, and oxygen dissolution was investigated, and the fermentation periods under the two conditions were both 4 h shorter. Compared with free cell, immobilized cell was more stable, effective, and had better application potential in industries.
An Accurate and Effective Method for Measuring Osimertinib by UPLC-TOF-MS and Its Pharmacokinetic Study in Rats
Authors: Dong Song-Tao , Li Ying , Yang Hao-Tian , Wu Yin , Li Ya-Jing , Ding Cong-Yang , Meng Lu , Dong Zhan-Jun , Zhang Yuan
Published: November 2018

Osimertinib, a new-generation inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor, has been used for the clinical treatment of advanced T790M mutation-positive tumors. In this research, an original analysis method was established for the quantification of osimertinib by ultra-performance liquid chromatography with time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS) in rat plasma. After protein precipitation with acetonitrile and sorafinib (internal standard, IS), they were chromatographed through a Waters XTerra MS C18 column. The mobile phase was acetonitrile and water (including 0.1% ammonia). The relative standard deviation (RSD) of the intra- and inter-day results ranged from 5.38 to 9.76% and from 6.02 to 9.46%, respectively, and the extraction recovery and matrix effects were calculated to range from 84.31 to 96.14% and from 91.46 to 97.18%, respectively. The results illustrated that the analysis method had sufficient specificity, accuracy and precision. Meanwhile, the UPLC-TOF-MS method for osimertinib was successfully applied into the pharmacokinetics of SD rats.
Chiral Separation of the Phenylglycinol Enantiomers by Stripping Crystallization
Authors: Shiau Lie-Ding
Published: November 2018

Stripping crystallization (SC) is introduced in this work for chiral purification of R-phenylglycinol from the enantiomer mixture with an initial concentration ranging from 0.90 to 0.97. As opposed to the solid–liquid transformation in melt crystallization, the three-phase transformation occurs in SC at low pressures during the cooling process. SC combines melt crystallization and vaporization to produce a crystalline product and mixture vapor from a mixture melt due to the three-phase transformation. Thermodynamic calculations were applied to determine the operating pressure for the three-phase transformation during the cooling process in the SC experiments. To consider the possible deviations between the calculated and the actual three-phase transformation conditions, the product purity and the recovery ratio of R-phenylglycinol were investigated within a range of operating pressures during the cooling process.
Exploring the Perceived Barriers to Following a Mediterranean Style Diet in Childbearing Age: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Kretowicz Harriet , Hundley Vanora , Tsofliou Fotini
Published: November 2018

A considerable amount of research has focused on interventions in pregnancy to promote health in current and future generations. This has yielded inconsistent results and focus has turned towards improving health in the preconception period. Promotion of healthy dietary patterns similar to a Mediterranean diet in the preconception years has been suggested as a dietary strategy to prevent maternal obesity and optimize offspring health. However, it is uncertain whether adoption is acceptable in women of childbearing age. This qualitative study aims to investigate the perceived barriers to following a Mediterranean diet in women of childbearing age. Semi-structured focus groups were used to generate deep insights to be used to guide the development of a future intervention. Nulliparous women aged between 20 and 47 years were recruited (n = 20). Six focus groups were digitally audio recorded and transcribed verbatim by the researcher. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data, which occurred in parallel with data collection to ascertain when data saturation was reached. Five core themes were identified: Mediterranean diet features, perceived benefits, existing dietary behavior and knowledge, practical factors, and information source. The present study highlights that a Mediterranean diet is acceptable to childbearing-aged women, and the insights generated will be helpful in developing an intervention to promote Mediterranean diet adoption.
Depressive Symptoms and Vegetarian Diets: Results from the Constances Cohort
Authors: Matta Joane , Czernichow Sébastien , Kesse-Guyot Emmanuelle , Hoertel Nicolas , Limosin Frédéric , Goldberg Marcel , Zins Marie , Lemogne Cedric
Published: November 2018

The association between depressive symptoms and vegetarian diets is controversial. This study examines the cross-sectional association between depressive symptoms and vegetarian diets while controlling for potential confounders. Among 90,380 subjects from the population-based Constances cohort, depressive symptoms were defined by a score ≥19 on the Centre of Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale and diet types (omnivorous, pesco-vegetarian, lacto-ovo-vegetarian and vegan) were determined with a food frequency questionnaire. Associations between depressive symptoms and diet were estimated through logistic regressions adjusting for socio-demographics, other foods, alcohol and tobacco consumption, physical activity and health-related concerns; specificity analyses considered the exclusion of any other food group. Depressive symptoms were associated with pesco-vegetarian and lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets in multivariable analyses (Odds-Ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.43 [1.19–1.72] and 1.36 [1.09–1.70], respectively), especially in case of low legumes intake (p for interaction < 0.0001), as well as with the exclusion of any food group (e.g., 1.37 [1.24–1.52], 1.40 [1.31–1.50], 1.71 [1.49–1.97] for meat, fish and vegetables exclusion, respectively). Regardless of food type, the Odds-Ratio of depressive symptoms gradually increased with the number of excluded food groups (p for trend < 0.0001). Depressive symptoms are associated with the exclusion of any food group from the diet, including but not restricted to animal products.
A Pilot Clinical Study of Liquid Ubiquinol Supplementation on Cardiac Function in Pediatric Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Chen Fong-Lin , Chang Po-Sheng , Lin Yi-Chin , Lin Ping-Ting
Published: November 2018

Background: Pediatric dilated cardiomyopathy (PDCM) is a life-threatening type of cardiac muscle dysfunction in children. Ubiquinone is a lipid-soluble nutrient that participates in energy synthesis. Recently, a novel hydrophilic ubiquinol supplement was developed. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of liquid ubiquinol supplementation (10 mg/kg body weight/day) on cardiac function in children with PDCM. Methods: Ten children diagnosed with PDCM were recruited to this study and administered with liquid ubiquinol for 24 weeks. The cardiac function was measured by echocardiography. The New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification was used to assess symptoms of heart failure. Plasma coenzyme Q10 levels were measured during the study. Results: Ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) were significantly higher than the baseline values until week 16 of supplementation. Subjects who had higher plasma coenzyme Q10 concentration had significantly better EF and FS values. In addition, 30% of the subjects showed improvement in the NYHA classification after 24 weeks of supplementation. Conclusion: Liquid ubiquinol supplementation is associated with an increase the level of coenzyme Q10 to complementary improve cardiac function (particularly EF and FS) and ameliorate the symptoms of heart failure in children with PDCM.
ChREBP Reciprocally Regulates Liver and Plasma Triacylglycerol Levels in Different Manners
Authors: Iizuka Katsumi , Takao Ken , Kato Takehiro , Horikawa Yukio , Takeda Jun
Published: November 2018

Carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP) has an important role in the carbohydrate-mediated regulation of hepatic de novo lipogenesis, but the mechanism for how it regulates plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) levels has not been established. This study aimed to clarify the role of ChREBP in regulation of plasma TAG levels. We analyzed the metabolic changes in mice infected with an adenovirus expressing ChREBP Δ196 (Ad-ChREBP). Compared with adenovirus harboring green fluorescent protein infected mice, Ad-ChREBP-infected mice had higher plasma free fatty acid levels and paradoxically lower plasma 3-hydroxybutyrate levels through decreased fatty acid oxidation, rather than ketogenesis. Consistent with their hepatomegaly and increased lipogenic gene expression, the liver TAG contents were much higher. Regarding lipid composition, C16:0 was much lower and C18:1n-9 was much higher, compatible with increased stearoyl CoA desaturase-1 and ELOVL fatty acid elongase 6 expression. Furthermore, Ad-ChREBP-infected mice had decreased plasma TAG and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)-TAG levels, consistent with decreased Angiopoietin-like protein 3 (Angptl3) and increased fibroblast growth factor (Fgf21) mRNA and protein levels. Finally, Ad-ChREBP infection increased white adipose tissue Ucp1 mRNA levels with increased plasma Fgf21 levels. Because Fgf21 and Angptl3 are known to activate and suppress lipolysis in adipose tissues and oxidative tissues, ChREBP appears to regulate plasma TAG levels by modulating Fgf21 and Angptl3 levels. Thus, ChREBP overexpression led to dissociation of hepatic steatosis from hyperlipidemia.
Supplementation of Abelmoschus manihot Ameliorates Diabetic Nephropathy and Hepatic Steatosis by Activating Autophagy in Mice
Authors: Kim Hwajin , Dusabimana Theodomir , Kim So Ra , Je Jihyun , Jeong Kyuho , Kang Min Cheol , Cho Kye Man , Kim Hye Jung , Park Sang Won
Published: November 2018

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a diabetic complication marked by albuminuria and a decline of the glomerular filtration rate. Diabetic kidneys are defective in the autophagy process and mitochondrial function and their enhancement of activity alleviates the pathology. In this paper, we developed a mouse model of DN by a combined treatment of a high-fat diet and streptozotocin after unilateral nephrectomy and supplementation with flower or leaf extracts of Abelmoschus manihot (AM) were tested. The preventive effects of the extracts on DN pathology and changes on autophagy and mitochondrial proteins were investigated. DN mice showed a significant increase in fasting blood glucose, plasma creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and urinary albumin levels. Periodic acid–Schiff and Sirius red staining of the diabetic kidney presented a significant change in glomerular and tubular structures that was associated with podocyte loss and fibrotic protein accumulation. These changes were attenuated by AM extract treatment in DN mice. In addition, hepatic injury, proinflammatory cytokines, and lipid accumulation were decreased by AM extracts in DN mice. As a protective mechanism, AM extracts significantly increased the expression of proteins by regulating autophagy and mitochondrial dynamics, which potentially prevented the kidney and liver from accumulating pathogenic proteins and dysfunctional mitochondria, which alleviated the progression of DN.
Exosomes and Exosome-Inspired Vesicles for Targeted Drug Delivery
Authors: Antimisiaris Sophia G. , Mourtas Spyridon , Marazioti Antonia
Published: November 2018

The similarities between exosomes and liposomes, together with the high organotropism of several types of exosomes, have recently prompted the development of engineered-exosomes or exosome-mimetics, which may be artificial (liposomal) or cell-derived vesicles, as advanced platforms for targeted drug delivery. Here, we provide the current state-of-the-art of using exosome or exosome-inspired systems for drug delivery. We review the various approaches investigated and the shortcomings of each approach. Finally the challenges which have been identified to date in this field are summarized.
Effects of Achyranthes bidentata Polysaccharides on Intestinal Morphology, Immune Response, and Gut Microbiome in Yellow Broiler Chickens Challenged with Escherichia coli K88
Authors: Liu Zhuying , Wang Xiaolong , Ou Shuqi , Arowolo Muhammed , Hou De-Xing , He Jianhua
Published: November 2018

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary Achyranthes bidentata polysaccharide (ABPS) supplementation on performance, immune response, intestinal mucosal morphology, and gut microbiome in yellow-feathered broilers challenged with Escherichia coli K88. A 2 × 2 factorial design was used for the trial. Two hundred and forty one-day-old female broilers were randomly assigned to four treatments: (1) negative-control broilers were fed by a basal diet and saline (NG); (2) positive-control broilers were fed by a basal diet and orally challenged with 108 CFU E. coli K88 (CNG); (3) ABP group broilers were fed by a basal diet containing ABPS (500 mg/kg of feed) and saline; (4) CABP group broilers were fed by a basal diet containing ABPS (500 mg/kg of feed) and orally challenged with 108 CFU E. coli K88. Growth performance, serum biochemical indexes, immune responses, intestinal mucosal morphology, and cecal microbial community structure were evaluated. The ABP group had greatest body weight (BW), average daily body weight gain (ADG), and intestinal villus height compared to other treatments (p < 0.05). The CABP group had a higher villus height/crypt depth ratio (V/C) compared with other treatments (p < 0.05). The expression levels of NF-κB were lower in the ABP group. The CNG group had higher Escherichia coli and Enterococcus contents in cecal samples compared to other treatments (p < 0.05). Serum glucose, uric acid, TNF-α, and Secretory Immunoglobulin A (S-IgA) levels were higher in broilers challenged with E. coli (p < 0.001) than that with saline. Broilers challenged with E. coli had reduced taxa richness in the cecal samples. Sequencing of 16S rRNA genes in cecal samples revealed that a lower proportion of Firmicutes and a higher proportion of Proteobacteria were detected in the broilers challenged with E. coli. Compared with the controls, dietary ABPS supplementation increased serum total protein, albumin, and S-IgA levels, but decreased serum glucose, uric acid, and TNF-α levels in broilers (p < 0.05). Diet supplemented with ABPS increased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and the abundance of Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae, and altered cecal microbiota community structure. These results suggest that ABPS can promote growth performance and improve intestinal morphology and microbiota community structure in broilers challenged with E. coli K88.
Synthesis of Linseed Oil-Based Waterborne Urethane Oil Wood Coatings
Authors: Chang Chia-Wei , Chang Jing-Ping , Lu Kun-Tsung
Published: November 2018

The linseed oil glyceride (LOG) was synthesized by using a transesterification process with a glycerol/linseed oil molar ratio of 1.0. The waterborne urethane oil (WUO) wood coating was prepared by acetone process. First, dimethylolpropionic acid was reacted with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) or isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), followed by adding LOG at various NCO/OH molars of 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9, respectively, and the COOH-containing prepolymer was obtained. Then, the ionomer which was prepared by neutralizing prepolymer with trimethylamine, was dispersed by adding deionized water, and the water–acetone dispersion was obtained. Finally, the acetone was removed by vacuum distillation. In the whole synthesized process, the LOG and COOH-containing prepolymer could be steadily synthesized by FTIR analysis, and the weight-average molecular weight and polydispersity of COOH-containing prepolymer increased with an increase of NCO/OH molar ratios. During the water dispersion process of the ionomer acetone solution, the point of phase inversion was prolonged, meaning the solid content decreased with an increase of NCO/OH molar ratios. After acetone was removed, the color of WUO was milky-white, and it was weakly alkaline and possessed a pseudoplastic fluid behavior. The particle size of WUO increased with increasing of NCO/OH molar ratios, however, the storage stability was extended for HDI and shortened for IPDI synthesized with increasing of NCO/OH molar ratios.
Generation of High Resolution Vegetation Productivity from a Downscaling Method
Authors: Yu Tao , Sun Rui , Xiao Zhiqiang , Zhang Qiang , Wang Juanmin , Liu Gang
Published: November 2018

Accurately estimating vegetation productivity is important in the research of terrestrial ecosystems, carbon cycles and climate change. Although several gross primary production (GPP) and net primary production (NPP) products have been generated and many algorithms developed, advances are still needed to exploit multi-scale data streams for producing GPP and NPP with higher spatial and temporal resolution. In this paper, a method to generate high spatial resolution (30 m) GPP and NPP products was developed based on multi-scale remote sensing data and a downscaling method. First, high resolution fraction photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) and leaf area index (LAI) were obtained by using a regression tree approach and the spatial and temporal adaptive reflectance fusion model (STARFM). Second, the GPP and NPP were estimated from a multi-source data synergized quantitative algorithm. Finally, the vegetation productivity estimates were validated with the ground-based field data, and were compared with MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and estimated Global LAnd Surface Satellite (GLASS) products. Results of this paper indicated that downscaling methods have great potential in generating high resolution GPP and NPP.
Rapid Separation of Enantiomeric Impurities in Chiral Molecules by a Self-Referential Weak Measurement System
Authors: Xu Yang , Shi Lixuan , Guan Tian , Zhong Suyi , Zhou Xuesi , Li Dongmei , Guo Cuixia , Yang Yuxuan , Wang Xiangnan , Li Zhangyan , He Yonghong , Xie Luyuan , Gan Zonghan
Published: November 2018

We propose a self-referential fast detection scheme for a frequency domain weak measurement system for the detection of enantiomeric impurities in chiral molecules. In a transmissive weak measurement system, the optical rotation (OR) is used to modify the pre-selected polarization state and the post-selection polarization state. We obtained the sum and difference of the optical rotations produced by the sample and the standard by rotating the quarter wave plate in the system. Then, we estimate the ratio of chiral molecules to enantiomeric impurities using the ratio of the central wavelength shifts caused by the addition and subtraction states described above. In this paper, our system has an optical resolution of 1.88 × 10−5°. At the same time, we completed the detection of the ratio of the two substances in the mixture of L-proline and D-proline in different proportions, which proved that our system can quickly detect the content of enantiomeric impurities in chiral molecules.
Enhanced Sensitivity of a Hydrogen Sulfide Sensor Based on Surface Acoustic Waves at Room Temperature
Authors: Liu Xueli , Wang Wen , Zhang Yufeng , Pan Yong , Liang Yong , Li Junhong
Published: November 2018

In this contribution, a new surface acoustic wave (SAW)-based sensor was proposed for sensing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) at room temperature (30 °C), which was composed of a phase discrimination circuit, a SAW-sensing device patterned with delay line, and a triethanolamine (TEA) coating along the SAW propagation path of the sensing device. The TEA was chosen as the sensitive interface for H2S sensing, owing to the high adsorption efficiency by van der Waals’ interactions and hydrogen bonds with H2S molecules at room temperature. The adsorption in TEA towards H2S modulates the SAW propagation, and the change in the corresponding phase was converted into voltage signal proportional to H2S concentration was collected as the sensor signal. A SAW delay line patterned on Y-cut quartz substrate with Al metallization was developed photographically, and lower insertion and excellent temperature stability were achieved thanks to the single-phase unidirectional transducers (SPUDTs) and lower cross-sensitivity of the piezoelectric substrate. The synthesized TEA by the reaction of ethylene oxide and ammonia was dropped into the SAW propagation path of the developed SAW device to build the H2S sensor. The developed SAW sensor was characterized by being collecting into the phase discrimination circuit. The gas experimental results appear that fast response (7 s at 4 ppm H2S), high sensitivity (0.152 mV/ppm) and lower detection limit (0.15 ppm) were achieved at room temperature. It means the proposed SAW sensor will be promising for H2S sensing.
Indoor Air Quality Real-Time Monitoring in Airport Terminal Areas: An Opportunity for Sustainable Management of Micro-Climatic Parameters
Authors: Zanni Sara , Lalli Francesco , Foschi Eleonora , Bonoli Alessandra , Mantecchini Luca
Published: November 2018

Indoor air quality (IAQ) management in public spaces is assuming a remarkable importance. Busy environments, like airport terminals, are currently regarded as possible hotspots and IAQ is a crucial element for passengers and staff protection, as well as a key aspect of airport passenger experience. A one-month monitoring period has been performed on IAQ in the airport of Bologna (Italy), as prototypal example of large regional airport. Four strategic areas within the airport have been equipped with electronic monitoring platforms, including different contaminants and two microclimatic sensors. Data suggest that daily variation in IAQ parameters typically follow the activity pattern of the different environments under study (i.e., passengers’ flows) for gaseous contaminants, where particulate matter counts oscillate in a definite range, with a significant role played by ventilation system. Gaseous contaminants show a correlation between indoor and outdoor concentrations, mainly due to airside activities. Micro-climatic comfort parameters have been tested to match with standards for commercial environments. As results appears in line with typical households IAQ values, the current air ventilation system appears to be adequate. Nevertheless, an integrated air management system, based on real-time monitoring, would lead to optimization and improvement in environmental and economical sustainability.
A New Dataset for Source Identification of High Dynamic Range Images
Authors: Shaya Omar , Yang Pengpeng , Ni Rongrong , Zhao Yao , Piva Alessandro
Published: November 2018

Digital source identification is one of the most important problems in the field of multimedia forensics. While Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) images are commonly analyzed, High Dynamic Range (HDR) images are a less common research subject, which leaves space for further analysis. In this paper, we present a novel database of HDR and SDR images captured in different conditions, including various capturing motions, scenes and devices. As a possible application of this dataset, the performance of the well-known reference pattern noise-based source identification algorithm was tested on both kinds of images. Results have shown difficulties in source identification conducted on HDR images, due to their complexity and wider dynamic range. It is concluded that capturing conditions and devices themselves can have an impact on source identification, thus leaving space for more research in this field.
Application of Improved Singular Spectrum Decomposition Method for Composite Fault Diagnosis of Gear Boxes
Authors: Du Wenhua , Zhou Jie , Wang Zhijian , Li Ruiqin , Wang Junyuan
Published: November 2018

Aiming at the problem that the composite fault signal of the gearbox is weak and the fault characteristics are difficult to extract under strong noise environment, an improved singular spectrum decomposition (ISSD) method is proposed to extract the composite fault characteristics of the gearbox. Singular spectrum decomposition (SSD) has been proved to have higher decomposition accuracy and can better suppress modal mixing and pseudo component. However, noise has a great influence on it, and it is difficult to extract weak impact components. In order to improve the limitations of SSD, we chose the minimum entropy deconvolution adjustment (MEDA) as the pre-filter of the SSD to preprocess the signal. The main function of the minimum entropy deconvolution adjustment is to reduce noise and enhance the impact component, which can make up for the limitations of SSD. However, the ability of MEDA to reduce noise and enhance the impact signal is greatly affected by its parameter, the filter length. Therefore, to improve the shortcomings of MEDA, a parameter adaptive method based on Cuckoo Search (CS) is proposed. First, construct the objective function as the adaptive function of CS to optimize the MEDA algorithm. Then, the pre-processed signal is decomposed into singular spectral components (SSC) by SSD, and the meaningful components are selected by Correlation coefficient. For the existing modal mixing phenomenon, the SSC component is reconstructed to eliminate the misjudgment of the result. Then, the frequency spectrum analysis is performed to obtain the frequency information for fault diagnosis. Finally, the effectiveness and superiority of ISSD are validated by simulation signals and applying to compound faults of a Gear box test rig.
D2R-TED: Data—Domain Reduction Model for Threshold-Based Event Detection in Sensor Networks
Authors: Leon-Garcia Fernando , Palomares Jose Manuel , Olivares Joaquin
Published: November 2018

The reduction of sensor network traffic has become a scientific challenge. Different compression techniques are applied for this purpose, offering general solutions which try to minimize the loss of information. Here, a new proposal for traffic reduction by redefining the domains of the sensor data is presented. A configurable data reduction model is proposed focused on periodic duty–cycled sensor networks with events triggered by threshold. The loss of information produced by the model is analyzed in this paper in the context of event detection, an unusual approach leading to a set of specific metrics that enable the evaluation of the model in terms of traffic savings, precision, and recall. Different model configurations are tested with two experimental cases, whose input data are extracted from an extensive set of real data. In particular, two new versions of Send–on–Delta (SoD) and Predictive Sampling (PS) have been designed and implemented in the proposed data–domain reduction for threshold–based event detection (D2R-TED) model. The obtained results illustrate the potential usefulness of analyzing different model configurations to obtain a cost–benefit curve, in terms of traffic savings and quality of the response. Experiments show an average reduction of 76 % of network packages with an error of less than 1%. In addition, experiments show that the methods designed under the proposed D2R–TED model outperform the original event–triggered SoD and PS methods by 10 % and 16 % of the traffic savings, respectively. This model is useful to avoid network bottlenecks by applying the optimal configuration in each situation.
A Mobile Cough Strength Evaluation Device Using Cough Sounds
Authors: Umayahara Yasutaka , Soh Zu , Sekikawa Kiyokazu , Kawae Toshihiro , Otsuka Akira , Tsuji Toshio
Published: November 2018

Although cough peak flow (CPF) is an important measurement for evaluating the risk of cough dysfunction, some patients cannot use conventional measurement instruments, such as spirometers, because of the configurational burden of the instruments. Therefore, we previously developed a cough strength estimation method using cough sounds based on a simple acoustic and aerodynamic model. However, the previous model did not consider age or have a user interface for practical application. This study clarifies the cough strength prediction accuracy using an improved model in young and elderly participants. Additionally, a user interface for mobile devices was developed to record cough sounds and estimate cough strength using the proposed method. We then performed experiments on 33 young participants (21.3 ± 0.4 years) and 25 elderly participants (80.4 ± 6.1 years) to test the effect of age on the CPF estimation accuracy. The percentage error between the measured and estimated CPFs was approximately 6.19%. In addition, among the elderly participants, the current model improved the estimation accuracy of the previous model by a percentage error of approximately 6.5% (p < 0.001). Furthermore, Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated no systematic error between the measured and estimated CPFs. These results suggest that the developed device can be applied for daily CPF measurements in clinical practice.
A Unified Deep-Learning Model for Classifying the Cross-Country Skiing Techniques Using Wearable Gyroscope Sensors
Authors: Jang Jihyeok , Ankit Ankit , Kim Jinhyeok , Jang Young Jae , Kim Hye Young , Kim Jin Hae , Xiong Shuping
Published: November 2018

The automatic classification of cross-country (XC) skiing techniques using data from wearable sensors has the potential to provide insights for optimizing the performance of professional skiers. In this paper, we propose a unified deep learning model for classifying eight techniques used in classical and skating styles XC-skiing and optimize this model for the number of gyroscope sensors by analyzing the results for five different configurations of sensors. We collected data of four professional skiers on outdoor flat and natural courses. The model is first trained over the flat course data of two skiers and tested over the flat and natural course data of a third skier in a leave-one-out fashion, resulting in a mean accuracy of ~80% over three combinations. Secondly, the model is trained over the flat course data of three skiers and tested over flat course and natural course data of one new skier, resulting in a mean accuracy of 87.2% and 95.1% respectively, using the optimal sensor configuration (five gyroscope sensors: both hands, both feet, and the pelvis). High classification accuracy obtained using both approaches indicates that this deep learning model has the potential to be deployed for real-time classification of skiing techniques by professional skiers and coaches.
When Academic Technology Fails: Effects of Students’ Attributions for Computing Difficulties on Emotions and Achievement
Authors: Maymon Rebecca , Hall Nathan C. , Goetz Thomas
Published: November 2018

As education experiences are increasingly mediated by technology, the present research explored how causal attributions for academic computing difficulties impacted emotions and achievement in two studies conducted with post-secondary students in North America and Germany. Study 1 (N = 1063) found ability attributions for computer problems to be emotionally maladaptive (more guilt, helplessness, anger, shame, regret, anxiety, and boredom), with strategy attributions being more emotionally adaptive (more hope, pride, and enjoyment). Study 2 (N = 788) further showed ability attributions for computer problems to predict poorer academic achievement (grade percentage) over and above effects of attributions for poor academic performance. Across studies, the effects of effort attributions for computer problems were mixed in corresponding to more negative computing-related emotions despite academic achievement benefits. Implications for future research on students’ academic computing attributions are discussed with respect to domain-specificity, intervention, and technical support considerations.
Off-Training Levels of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Young Athletes: Preliminary Results during a Typical Week
Authors: Exel Juliana , Mateus Nuno , Travassos Bruno , Gonçalves Bruno , Gomes Isabel , Leite Nuno , Sampaio Jaime
Published: November 2018

The level of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SED) off-training of young athletes may reveal the quality of recovery from training and highlight health related issues. Thus, the aim was to identify and describe young athletes’ PA and SED off-training, according to daily life activities. Eight athletes (15.7 ± 2 years, 1.72 ± 0.6 m height, 62.9 ± 10.2 kg) of a sport talent program wore on their waist a tri-axial accelerometer (ActiGraph® wGT9X-link, Shalimar, FL, USA) at 30 Hz for 15 consecutive days, and reported their schedule. A two-step cluster analysis classified three groups according to sedentary PA and MVPA. The Sedentary (56.9%), presented the highest sedentary PA (mean [CI], 37.37 [36.45–38.29] min/hour); The Hazardous (19.4%) had the lowest values of sedentary and MVPA (10.07 [9.41–10.36] min/hour and 8.67 [7.64–9.70] min/hour, respectively). Balanced (23.7%) had the highest MVPA (28.61 [27.16–30.07] min/hour). Sedentary had the lowest count of home time associated (20%) and higher school (26%) time when compared to the Hazardous (13%). The Balanced showed the highest count of school (61%) and home time (47%). Different profiles for young athletes revealed alarming behavior in the associations with sedentary PA, sitting and SED breaks, which may influence performance and health.
The Relationship between Running Power and Running Economy in Well-Trained Distance Runners
Authors: Austin Casey , Hokanson James , McGinnis Peter , Patrick Steve
Published: November 2018

A novel running wearable called the Stryd Summit footpod fastens to a runner’s shoe and estimates running power. The footpod separates power output into two components, Stryd power and form power. The purpose of this study was to measure the correlations between running economy and power and form power at lactate threshold pace. Seventeen well-trained distance runners, 9 male and 8 female, completed a running protocol. Participants ran two four-minute trials: one with a self-selected cadence, and one with a target cadence lowered by 10%. The mean running economy expressed in terms of oxygen cost at self-selected cadence was 201.6 ± 12.8 mL·kg−1·km−1, and at lowered cadence was 204.5 ± 11.5 mL·kg−1·km−1. Ventilation rate and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were not significantly different between cadence conditions with one-tailed paired t-test analysis (ventilation, p = 0.77, RPE, p = 0.07). Respiratory exchange ratio and caloric unit cost were significantly greater with lower cadence condition (respiratory exchange ratio, p = 0.03, caloric unit cost, p = 0.03). Mean power at self-selected cadence was 4.4 ± 0.5 W·kg−1, and at lowered cadence was 4.4 ± 0.5 W·kg−1. Mean form power at self-selected cadence was 1.1 ± 0.1 W·kg−1, and at lowered cadence was 1.1 ± 0.1 W·kg−1. There were positive, linear correlations between running economy and power (self-selected cadence and lower cadence, r = 0.6; the 90% confidence interval was 0.2 to 0.8); running economy and form power (self-selected cadence and lower cadence r = 0.5; the 90% confidence interval was 0.1 to 0.8). The findings suggest running economy is positively correlated with Stryd’s power and form power measures yet the footpod may not be sufficiently accurate to estimate differences in the running economy of competitive runners.
Does the Expansion of Urban Construction Land Promote Regional Economic Growth in China? Evidence from 108 Cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt
Authors: Xie Hualin , Zhu Zhenhong , Wang Bohao , Liu Guiying , Zhai Qunli
Published: November 2018

Since the reform and opening up, China’s economy has maintained rapid growth. At the same time, the process of urbanization in China has been accelerating and the scale of urban construction land has expanded accordingly. The purpose of the research is to explore whether there is an inevitable connection between the expansion of urban construction land and economic growth. This study uses 108 prefecture-level cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt as an example. Considering panel data from 2005 to 2015, the spatial econometric model was used to explore the impact of urban construction land expansion on regional economic growth. The results are as follows: (1) The expansion of construction land in cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt has a significant impact on economic growth but the extent of the impact is not as great as that of capital stock. (2) In the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the expansion of urban construction land in a certain area has not only a positive effect on the local economic growth but also a certain spillover effect and it can promote the economic development level of the adjacent areas in the economic belt. (3) Although the expansion of urban construction land along the Yangtze River Economic Belt promotes economic growth, there are obvious differences between regions. The expansion of urban construction land in the central region of the Yangtze River Economic Belt has a significant driving effect on economic growth. However, the expansion of urban construction land in the eastern and western regions has no significant effect on the economic growth of the respective regions. Finally, based on the above conclusions, this paper proposes corresponding policy recommendations for economic development in different regions. These research conclusions will also facilitate the follow-up of other researchers to further explore the driving factors of the economic development of many prefecture-level cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the related mechanisms for the expansion of construction land to promote economic growth.
Feasibility Study and Impact of Daylight on Illumination Control for Energy-Saving Lighting Systems
Authors: Bunjongjit Sulee , Ngaopitakkul Atthapol
Published: November 2018

The main goal of energy conservation should be reducing the consumption of energy resources. Due to energy and environmental concerns in recent years, to reduce energy consumption in a lighting system, which has been one of the prime targets of energy saving, daylighting has been investigated and has become one of the energy-efficiency techniques widely applied in buildings. This paper presents an analysis of T5 fluorescent luminaire lighting control using daylight in a building. The study is conducted in two parts; simulation of a lecture room using the daylighting function of the DIALux program is performed to estimate the effect of daylighting on a task area (workplane). Another part is an experimental setup to evaluate the performance of a lighting control unit that is installed for a T5 fluorescent luminaire with a dimmable electronic ballast. The efficiency of the lighting control in term of illumination on the task area and energy consumption are also evaluated and compared with the standard case. The simulation results show that daylighting increases illuminance on a task area, especially on the window side, so the lighting system can significantly reduce its power consumption compared with a standard case (without lighting control). The experimental result shows that upon installing the lighting control with daylighting, both the average illuminance and the energy consumption in each time period are decreased compared with in the standard case. Lighting control with daylighting tries to set the average illuminance on a task area to less than 500 lux, corresponding to the amount of daylight passing through window shutters. The obtained results are useful for the design of a T5 fluorescent luminaire with lighting control using daylighting in a building lighting system for energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption, including the average illuminance on the task area, according to a relevant standard.
Influence of Congruency between Ideal Self and Brand Image on Sustainable Happiness
Authors: Han Jeongsoo , Jun Mina , Kim Miyea , Key Sookyoung
Published: November 2018

Building on the Sustainable Happiness Model, this study examines how congruency between ideal self-concepts and brand image influences a sense of happiness. The findings show that when the ideal self-image and the ideal social self-image are congruent with brand image, a sense of happiness can be enhanced through brand identification and positive emotions. An additional two-mediation analysis confirms that there are full mediation effects of brand identification and positive emotions between ideal self/ideal social self-brand congruency and happiness. This study contributes to the literature as it reveals the mechanism of how congruency between ideal self-concepts and brand image positively affects happiness. In addition, this study also provides useful insights for business practitioners as previous studies suggest that enhancing consumer well-being helps increase firms’ long-term sustainability in many ways.
A Symmetry Motivated Link Table
Authors: Witte Shawn , Flanner Michelle , Vazquez Mariel
Published: November 2018

Proper identification of oriented knots and 2-component links requires a precise link nomenclature. Motivated by questions arising in DNA topology, this study aims to produce a nomenclature unambiguous with respect to link symmetries. For knots, this involves distinguishing a knot type from its mirror image. In the case of 2-component links, there are up to sixteen possible symmetry types for each link type. The study revisits the methods previously used to disambiguate chiral knots and extends them to oriented 2-component links with up to nine crossings. Monte Carlo simulations are used to report on writhe, a geometric indicator of chirality. There are ninety-two prime 2-component links with up to nine crossings. Guided by geometrical data, linking number, and the symmetry groups of 2-component links, canonical link diagrams for all but five link types (9 5 2, 9 34 2, 9 35 2, 9 39 2, and 9 41 2) are proposed. We include complete tables for prime knots with up to ten crossings and prime links with up to nine crossings. We also prove a result on the behavior of the writhe under local lattice moves.
Improvement of Speech/Music Classification for 3GPP EVS Based on LSTM
Authors: Kang Sang-Ick , Lee Sangmin
Published: November 2018

The competition of speech recognition technology related to smartphones is now getting into full swing with the widespread internet of thing (IoT) devices. For robust speech recognition, it is necessary to detect speech signals in various acoustic environments. Speech/music classification that facilitates optimized signal processing from classification results has been extensively adapted as an essential part of various electronics applications, such as multi-rate audio codecs, automatic speech recognition, and multimedia document indexing. In this paper, we propose a new technique to improve robustness of a speech/music classifier for an enhanced voice service (EVS) codec adopted as a voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) speech codec using long short-term memory (LSTM). For effective speech/music classification, feature vectors implemented with the LSTM are chosen from the features of the EVS. To overcome the diversity of music data, a large scale of data is used for learning. Experiments show that LSTM-based speech/music classification provides better results than the conventional EVS speech/music classification algorithm in various conditions and types of speech/music data, especially at lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than conventional EVS algorithm.
Maximum Detour–Harary Index for Some Graph Classes
Authors: Fang Wei , Liu Wei-Hua , Liu Jia-Bao , Chen Fu-Yuan , Hong Zhen-Mu , Xia Zheng-Jiang
Published: November 2018

The definition of a Detour–Harary index is ω H ( G ) = 1 2 ∑ u , v ∈ V ( G ) 1 l ( u , v | G ) , where G is a simple and connected graph, and l ( u , v | G ) is equal to the length of the longest path between vertices u and v. In this paper, we obtained the maximum Detour–Harary index about unicyclic graphs, bicyclic graphs, and cacti, respectively.
A Fuzzy Classifier with Feature Selection Based on the Gravitational Search Algorithm
Authors: Bardamova Marina , Konev Anton , Hodashinsky Ilya , Shelupanov Alexander
Published: November 2018

This paper concerns several important topics of the Symmetry journal, namely, pattern recognition, computer-aided design, diversity and similarity. We also take advantage of the symmetric and asymmetric structure of a transfer function, which is responsible to map a continuous search space to a binary search space. A new method for design of a fuzzy-rule-based classifier using metaheuristics called Gravitational Search Algorithm (GSA) is discussed. The paper identifies three basic stages of the classifier construction: feature selection, creating of a fuzzy rule base and optimization of the antecedent parameters of rules. At the first stage, several feature subsets are obtained by using the wrapper scheme on the basis of the binary GSA. Creating fuzzy rules is a serious challenge in designing the fuzzy-rule-based classifier in the presence of high-dimensional data. The classifier structure is formed by the rule base generation algorithm by using minimum and maximum feature values. The optimal fuzzy-rule-based parameters are extracted from the training data using the continuous GSA. The classifier performance is tested on real-world KEEL (Knowledge Extraction based on Evolutionary Learning) datasets. The results demonstrate that highly accurate classifiers could be constructed with relatively few fuzzy rules and features.