bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simulation Optimization of Search and Rescue in Disaster Relief Based on Distributed Auction Mechanism
Authors: Tang Jian , Zhu Kejun , Guo Haixiang , Liao Can , Zhang Shuwen
Published: November 2017

In this paper, we optimize the search and rescue (SAR) in disaster relief through agent-based simulation. We simulate rescue teams’ search behaviors with the improved Truncated Lévy walks. Then we propose a cooperative rescue plan based on a distributed auction mechanism, and illustrate it with the case of landslide disaster relief. The simulation is conducted in three scenarios, including “fatal”, “serious” and “normal”. Compared with the non-cooperative rescue plan, the proposed rescue plan in this paper would increase victims’ relative survival probability by 7–15%, increase the ratio of survivors getting rescued by 5.3–12.9%, and decrease the average elapsed time for one site getting rescued by 16.6–21.6%. The robustness analysis shows that search radius can affect the rescue efficiency significantly, while the scope of cooperation cannot. The sensitivity analysis shows that the two parameters, the time limit for completing rescue operations in one buried site and the maximum turning angle for next step, both have a great influence on rescue efficiency, and there exists optimal value for both of them in view of rescue efficiency.
Correction: Wendt, F.; et al. Auditory Distance Control Using a Variable-Directivity Loudspeaker. Appl. Sci. 2017, 7, 666
Authors: Wendt Florian , Zotter Franz , Frank Matthias , Höldrich Robert
Published: November 2017

We, the authors, wish to make the following corrections to our paper [...]
Recent Advances in the Synthesis of Graphene-Based Nanomaterials for Controlled Drug Delivery
Authors: Wang Zhuqing , Colombi Ciacchi Lucio , Wei Gang
Published: November 2017

Graphene-based nanomaterials have exhibited wide applications in nanotechnology, materials science, analytical science, and biomedical engineering due to their unique physical and chemical properties. In particular, graphene has been an excellent nanocarrier for drug delivery application because of its two-dimensional structure, large surface area, high stability, good biocompatibility, and easy surface modification. In this review, we present the recent advances in the synthesis and drug delivery application of graphene-based nanomaterials. The modification of graphene and the conjugation of graphene with other materials, such as small molecules, nanoparticles, polymers, and biomacromolecules as functional nanohybrids are introduced. In addition, the controlled drug delivery with the fabricated graphene-based nanomaterials are demonstrated in detail. It is expected that this review will guide the chemical modification of graphene for designing novel functional nanohybrids. It will also promote the potential applications of graphene-based nanomaterials in other biomedical fields, like biosensing and tissue engineering.
Nanostructured Networks for Energy Storage: Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes (VACNT) as Current Collectors for High-Power Li4Ti5O12(LTO)//LiMn2O4(LMO) Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Pawlitzek Fabian , Althues Holger , Schumm Benjamin , Kaskel Stefan
Published: November 2017

As a concept for electrode architecture in high power lithium ion batteries, self-supported nanoarrays enable ultra-high power densities as a result of their open pore geometry, which results in short and direct Li+-ion and electron pathways. Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNT) on metallic current collectors with low interface resistance are used as current collectors for the chemical solution infiltration of electroactive oxides to produce vertically aligned carbon nanotubes decorated with in situ grown LiMn2O4 (LMO) and Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) nanoparticles. The production processes steps (catalyst coating, VACNT chemical vapor deposition (CVD), infiltration, and thermal transformation) are all scalable, continuous, and suitable for niche market production to achieve high oxide loadings up to 70 wt %. Due to their unique transport structure, as-prepared nanoarrays achieve remarkably high power densities up to 2.58 kW kg−1, which is based on the total electrode mass at 80 C for LiMn2O4//Li4Ti5O12 full cells. The tailoring of LTO and LMO nanoparticle size (~20–100 nm) and VACNT length (array height: 60–200 µm) gives insights into the rate-limiting steps at high current for these kinds of nanoarray electrodes at very high C-rates of up to 200 C. The results reveal the critical structural parameters for achieving high power densities in VACNT nanoarray full cells.
Taxonomies of Death by Suicide: A Review, with Proposals for Research and Policy, and a Challenge for Suicidology
Authors: Bagley Christopher , Shahnaz Afroze
Published: November 2017

Background: The establishment of typologies of deaths by suicide using numerical taxonomy of valid and reliable parameters has potential for both understanding suicide and its antecedent circumstances, and as an aid to public health programs of prevention. Methods: We searched the published literature for reports of taxonomic studies of death by suicide, using the methods of cluster analysis, but were only able to locate 12 studies. Results: Published research is sparse, and has produced varied findings, but distinct types of death by suicide clearly exist. Typologies differ between cultures, perhaps because of the varying dominance of fatal methods (e.g., gunshot, jumping from heights). Limitations: The small number of studies located makes generalizations difficult. Conclusions: Taxonomic studies of death suicide need to be undertaken regularly, in all world countries in which valid and reliable data are available, in order to describe changing patterns of suicide and its correlates, and to establish priorities for public health interventions. This need for such research is a challenge for suicidology.
Mechanical and Spectroscopic Analysis of Retrieved/Failed Dental Implants
Authors: Daood Umer , Banday Ninette , Akram Zohaib , Tsoi James , Neelakantan Prasanaa , Omar Hanan , Abduljabbar Tariq , Vohra Fahim , Al-Hamoudi Nawwaf , Fawzy Amr
Published: November 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine surface alterations and bone formation on the surface of failed dental implants (Straumann [ST] and TiUnite [TiUn]) removed due to any biological reason. In addition, failure analysis was performed to test mechanical properties. Dental implants (n = 38) from two manufacturers were collected and subjected to chemical cleaning. The presence of newly formed hydroxyapatite bone around failed implants was evaluated using micro-Raman spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy was used to identify surface defects. Mechanical testing was performed using a Minneapolis servo-hydraulic system (MTS) along with indentation using a universal testing machine and average values were recorded. A statistical analysis of mechanical properties was done using an unpaired t test, and correlation between observed defects was evaluated using Chi-square (p = 0.05). Apatite-formation was evident in both implants, but was found qualitatively more in the ST group. No significant difference was found in indentation between the two groups (p > 0.05). The percentage of “no defects” was significantly lower in the ST group (71%). Crack-like and full-crack defects were observed in 49% and 39% of TiUn. The ST group showed 11,061 cycles to failure as compared with 10,021 cycles in the TiUnite group. Implant failure mechanisms are complex with a combination of mechanical and biological reasons and these factors are variable with different implant systems.
Practical Architectures for Deployment of Searchable Encryption in a Cloud Environment
Authors: Renwick Sarah , Martin Keith
Published: November 2017

Public cloud service providers provide an infrastructure that gives businesses and individuals access to computing power and storage space on a pay-as-you-go basis. This allows these entities to bypass the usual costs associated with having their own data centre such as: hardware, construction, air conditioning and security costs, for example, making this a cost-effective solution for data storage. If the data being stored is of a sensitive nature, encrypting it prior to outsourcing it to a public cloud is a good method of ensuring the confidentiality of the data. With the data being encrypted, however, searching over it becomes unfeasible. In this paper, we examine different architectures for supporting search over encrypted data and discuss some of the challenges that need to be overcome if these techniques are to be engineered into practical systems.
Synchrotron Radiation Maps from Relativistic MHD Jet Simulations
Authors: Millas Dimitrios , Porth Oliver , Keppens Rony
Published: November 2017

Relativistic jets from active galactic nuclei (AGN) often display a non-uniform structure and are, under certain conditions, susceptible to a number of instabilities. An interesting example is the development of non-axisymmetric, Rayleigh-Taylor type instabilities in the case of differentially rotating two-component jets, with the toroidal component of the magnetic field playing a key role in the development or suppression of these instabilities. We have shown that higher magnetization leads to stability against these non-axisymmetric instabilities. Using ray-casting on data from relativistic MHD simulations of two-component jets, we now investigate the effect of these instabilities on the synchrotron emission pattern from the jets. We recover many well known trends from actual observations, e.g., regarding the polarization fraction and the distribution of the position angle of the electric field, in addition to a different emitting region, depending on the stability of the jet.
Connecting Environmental Humanities: Developing Interdisciplinary Collaborative Method
Authors: Little Gavin
Published: November 2017

There is now a consensus that the potential contribution of the humanities to wider environmental debate is significant, although how to develop it effectively is still unclear. This paper therefore focusses on realizing the potential of the environmental humanities through building interdisciplinary collaboration. A four-stage research model is outlined for areas where there is limited humanities scholarship, based on ongoing experience of the humanities in action in the Royal Society of Edinburgh Research Network in the Arts and Humanities, Connecting with a low-carbon Scotland. The model has two key objectives: (1) to enable humanities disciplines to articulate their own contributions to pre-identified environmental research issues; and (2) to develop interdisciplinary humanities collaboration on these issues. It can be adapted to develop understanding in local, national and international contexts, depending on the number of scholars involved and the available resources. The knowledge which emerges can facilitate further interdisciplinary working between the humanities, STEM subjects and social sciences, and be of value to environmental policy-makers.
Forecasting the Water Demand in Chongqing, China Using a Grey Prediction Model and Recommendations for the Sustainable Development of Urban Water Consumption
Authors: Wu Hua’an , Zeng Bo , Zhou Meng
Published: November 2017

High accuracy in water demand predictions is an important basis for the rational allocation of city water resources and forms the basis for sustainable urban development. The shortage of water resources in Chongqing, the youngest central municipality in Southwest China, has significantly increased with the population growth and rapid economic development. In this paper, a new grey water-forecasting model (GWFM) was built based on the data characteristics of water consumption. The parameter estimation and error checking methods of the GWFM model were investigated. Then, the GWFM model was employed to simulate the water demands of Chongqing from 2009 to 2015 and forecast it in 2016. The simulation and prediction errors of the GWFM model was checked, and the results show the GWFM model exhibits better simulation and prediction precisions than those of the classical Grey Model with one variable and single order equation GM(1,1) for short and the frequently-used Discrete Grey Model with one variable and single order equation, DGM(1,1) for short. Finally, the water demand in Chongqing from 2017 to 2022 was forecasted, and some corresponding control measures and recommendations were provided based on the prediction results to ensure a viable water supply and promote the sustainable development of the Chongqing economy.
Enhancement of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Osteogenesis and New Bone Formation in Rats by Obtusilactone A
Authors: Lin Yi-Hsiung , Chen Chung-Yi , Chou Liang-Yin , Chen Chung-Hwan , Kang Lin , Wang Chau-Zen
Published: November 2017

The natural pure compound obtusilactone A (OA) was identified in Cinnamomum kotoense Kanehira & Sasaki, and shows effective anti-cancer activity. We studied the effect of OA on osteogenesis of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). OA possesses biocompatibility, stimulates Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) activity and facilitates mineralization of BMSCs. Expression of osteogenesis markers BMP2, Runx2, Collagen I, and Osteocalcin was enhanced in OA-treated BMSCs. An in vivo rat model with local administration of OA via needle implantation to bone marrow-residing BMSCs revealed that OA increased the new bone formation and trabecular bone volume in tibias. Micro-CT images and H&E staining showed more trabecular bone at the needle-implanted site in the OA group than the normal saline group. Thus, OA confers an osteoinductive effect on BMSCs via induction of osteogenic marker gene expression, such as BMP2 and Runx2 expression and subsequently elevates ALP activity and mineralization, followed by enhanced trabecular bone formation in rat tibias. Therefore, OA is a potential osteoinductive drug to stimulate new bone formation by BMSCs.
A Proposed Business Intelligent Framework for Recommender Systems
Authors: Venkatraman Sitalakshmi
Published: November 2017

In this Internet age, recommender systems (RS) have become popular, offering new opportunities and challenges to the business world. With a continuous increase in global competition, e-businesses, information portals, social networks and more, websites are required to become more user-centric and rely on the presence and role of RS in assisting users in better decision making. However, with continuous changes in user interests and consumer behavior patterns that are influenced by easy access to vast information and social factors, raising the quality of recommendations has become a challenge for recommender systems. There is a pressing need for exploring hybrid models of the five main types of RS, namely collaborative, demographic, utility, content and knowledge based approaches along with advancements in Big Data (BD) to become more context-aware of the technology and social changes and to behave intelligently. There is a gap in literature with a research focus in this direction. This paper takes a step to address this by exploring a new paradigm of applying business intelligence (BI) concepts to RS for intelligently responding to user changes and business complexities. A BI based framework adopting a hybrid methodology for RS is proposed with a focus on enhancing the RS performance. Such a business intelligent recommender system (BIRS) can adopt On-line Analytical Processing (OLAP) tools and performance monitoring metrics using data mining techniques of BI to enhance its own learning, user profiling and predictive models for making a more useful set of personalised recommendations to its users. The application of the proposed framework to a B2C e-commerce case example is presented.
An Investigation of Polyoxometalate Hybrid Materials as Patternable Dielectrics and Lithographic Resists
Authors: Hardie Brandon , Roll Mark
Published: November 2017

Polyoxometalate (POM) hybrid materials have shown potential as spin-coatable, patternable dielectric thin-films and components for lithographic resists. In particular, the octamolybdate cluster has been shown to possess good spin-coating properties and the patterning capabilities of hybrid octamolybdate thin-films were explored using a combination of broadband UV and electron beam lithography (EBL) techiniques. Dielectric properties of these films were determined by ellipsometry, and octamolybdate clusters were subsequently investigated as negative resists in various blends for potential uses in next-generation photolithography, where contrast, sensitivity, and line edge roughness characteristics were determined. Preliminary evidence for the suppression of the diffusion of photo-generated acids is presented.
Magnetic Material Assessment of a Novel Ultra-High Step-Up Converter with Single Semiconductor Switch and Galvanic Isolation for Fuel-Cell Power System
Authors: Shen Chih-Lung , Liou Heng
Published: November 2017

In this paper, a novel step-up converter is proposed, which has the particular features of single semiconductor switch, ultra-high conversion ratio, galvanic isolation, and easy control. Therefore, the proposed converter is suitable for the applications of fuel-cell power system. Coupled inductors and switched capacitors are incorporated in the converter to obtain an ultra-high voltage ratio that is much higher than that of a conventional high step-up converter. Even if the turns ratio of coupled inductor and duty ratio are only to be 1 and 0.5, respectively, the converter can readily achieve a voltage gain of up to 18. Owing to this outstanding performance, it can also be applied to any other low voltage source for voltage boosting. In the power stage, only one active switch is used to handle the converter operation. In addition, the leakage energy of the two couple inductors can be totally recycled without any snubber, which simplifies the control mechanism and improves the conversion efficiency. Magnetic material dominates the conversion performance of the converter. Different types of iron cores are discussed for the possibility to serve as a coupled inductor. A 200 W prototype with 400 V output voltage is built to validate the proposed converter. In measurement, it indicates that the highest efficiency can be up to 94%.
The Oxepane Motif in Marine Drugs
Authors: Barbero Héctor , Díez-Poza Carlos , Barbero Asunción
Published: November 2017

Oceans have shown to be a remarkable source of natural products. The biological properties of many of these compounds have helped to produce great advances in medicinal chemistry. Within them, marine natural products containing an oxepanyl ring are present in a great variety of algae, sponges, fungus and corals and show very important biological activities, many of them possessing remarkable cytotoxic properties against a wide range of cancer cell lines. Their rich chemical structures have attracted the attention of many researchers who have reported interesting synthetic approaches to these targets. This review covers the most prominent examples of these types of compounds, focusing the discussion on the isolation, structure determination, medicinal properties and total synthesis of these products.
Laser Welding of BTi-6431S High Temperature Titanium Alloy
Authors: Zeng Zhi , Oliveira J. P. , Bu Xianzheng , Yang Mao , Li Ruoxi , Wang Zhimin
Published: November 2017

A new type of high temperature titanium alloy, BTi-6431S, has recently become the focus of attention as a potential material for aircraft engine applications, which could be used up to 700 °C. Pulsed laser welding was used to butt join the BTi-6431S titanium alloy in order to understand the feasibility of using fusion-based welding techniques on this material. The effect of laser energy on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the joints was investigated. The microstructural features of the joints were characterized by means of microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Tensile testing was conducted at both room temperature and high temperature to simulate potential service conditions. The results show that the microstructure of the laser welded joints consists of primary α phase and needle α’ phase, while the microstructure of the heat affected zone consists of α, β, and needle α’ phases. The tensile strength of the welded joints at room temperature was similar to that of the base material, despite a reduction in the maximum elongation was observed. This was related to the unfavorable microstructure in the welded joints. Nonetheless, based on these results, it is suggested that laser welding is a promising joining technique for the new BTi-6431S titanium alloy for aerospace applications.
Capillary Electrophoresis Hyphenated with Mass Spectrometry for Determination of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Drugs in Clinical Urine Samples
Authors: Maráková Katarína , Piešťanský Juraj , Zelinková Zuzana , Mikuš Peter
Published: November 2017

Azathioprine is the main thiopurine drug used in the treatment of immune-based inflammations of gastrointestinal tract. For the purpose of therapy control and optimization, effective and reliable analytical methods for a rapid drug monitoring in biological fluids are essential. Here, we developed a separation method based on the capillary electrophoresis (CE) hyphenated with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for the simultaneous determination of azathioprine and its selected metabolites (6-thioguanine, 6-mercaptopurine, and 6-methylmercaptopurine) as well as other co-medicated drugs (mesalazine, prednisone, and allopurinol). The optimized CE-MS/MS conditions provided a very efficient and stable system for the separation and sensitive detection of these drugs in human urine matrices. The developed method was successfully applied for the assay of the targeted drugs and their selected metabolites in urine samples collected from patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and receiving azathioprine therapy. The developed CE-MS/MS method, due to its reliability, short analysis time, production of complex clinical profiles, and favorable performance parameters, evaluated according to FDA guidelines for bioanalytical method validation, is proposed for routine clinical laboratories to optimize thiopurine therapy, estimate enzymatic activity, and control patient compliance with medication and co-medication.
Effect of Abscisic Acid on Accumulation of Five Active Components in Root of Glycyrrhiza uralensis
Authors: Qiao Jing , Luo Zuliang , Li Yanpeng , Ren Guangxi , Liu Chunsheng , Ma Xiaojun
Published: November 2017

Licorice is one of the most generally used herbal medicines in the world; however, wild licorice resources have decreased drastically. Cultivated Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer are the main source of licorice at present, but the content of main active components in cultivated G. uralensis are lower than in wild G. uralensis. Therefore, the production of high-quality cultivated G. uralensis is an urgent issue for the research and production fields. In this study, the content of five active components and seven endogenous phytohormones in cultivated G. uralensis (two-year-old) were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Furthermore, different concentrations (25–200 mg/L) of exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) were sprayed on the leaves of G. uralensis in the fast growing period. Results showed that ABA, zeatin riboside (ZR), and dihydrozeatin riboside (DHZR) had strong correlation with active components. In addition, the content of five active components increased remarkably after ABA treatment. Our results indicate that ABA is significantly related to the accumulation of active components in G. uralensis, and the application of exogenous ABA at the proper concentration is able to promote the accumulation of main components in G. uralensis.
The Prevalence of Dietary Supplement Use among College Students: A Nationwide Survey in Japan
Authors: Kobayashi Etsuko , Sato Yoko , Umegaki Keizo , Chiba Tsuyoshi
Published: November 2017

To clarify the prevalence of dietary supplement use among college students, we conducted Internet-based nationwide questionnaire surveys with 157,595 Japanese college students aged between 18 to 24 years old who were registrants of Macromill Inc. (Tokyo, Japan). Among the 9066 respondents (response rate 5.8%), 16.8% were currently using dietary supplements. The prevalence of dietary supplement use did not differ significantly between males (17.1%) and females (16.7%). However, it increased according to their grade (13.1% to 20.5%), and it was higher in medical and pharmaceutical college students (22.0%) compared to others (16.7%). The main purpose of dietary supplement use was for the health benefits in both males and females. Other reasons were to build muscle in males, and as a beauty supplement and for weight loss in females. According to the purpose of dietary supplement use, the most commonly-used dietary supplements were vitamin/mineral supplements in both males and females, then protein and weight loss supplements in males and females, respectively. Although most students obtained information about dietary supplements via the Internet, they typically purchased the supplements from drug stores. Of the students surveyed, 7.5% who were currently using or used to use dietary supplements experienced adverse effects, with no significant difference between genders (8.8% in male, 7.0% in female). In conclusion, the prevalence of dietary supplement use increased with grade among college students in Japan. Some of them experienced adverse effects. Education may be important to prevent adverse effects resulting from supplement use in college.
Detection of Partial Discharge Sources Using UHF Sensors and Blind Signal Separation
Authors: Boya Carlos , Robles Guillermo , Parrado-Hernández Emilio , Ruiz-Llata Marta
Published: November 2017

The measurement of the emitted electromagnetic energy in the UHF region of the spectrum allows the detection of partial discharges and, thus, the on-line monitoring of the condition of the insulation of electrical equipment. Unfortunately, determining the affected asset is difficult when there are several simultaneous insulation defects. This paper proposes the use of an independent component analysis (ICA) algorithm to separate the signals coming from different partial discharge (PD) sources. The performance of the algorithm has been tested using UHF signals generated by test objects. The results are validated by two automatic classification techniques: support vector machines and similarity with class mean. Both methods corroborate the suitability of the algorithm to separate the signals emitted by each PD source even when they are generated by the same type of insulation defect.
Scene-Aware Adaptive Updating for Visual Tracking via Correlation Filters
Authors: Li Fan , Zhang Sirou , Qiao Xiaoya
Published: November 2017

In recent years, visual object tracking has been widely used in military guidance, human-computer interaction, road traffic, scene monitoring and many other fields. The tracking algorithms based on correlation filters have shown good performance in terms of accuracy and tracking speed. However, their performance is not satisfactory in scenes with scale variation, deformation, and occlusion. In this paper, we propose a scene-aware adaptive updating mechanism for visual tracking via a kernel correlation filter (KCF). First, a low complexity scale estimation method is presented, in which the corresponding weight in five scales is employed to determine the final target scale. Then, the adaptive updating mechanism is presented based on the scene-classification. We classify the video scenes as four categories by video content analysis. According to the target scene, we exploit the adaptive updating mechanism to update the kernel correlation filter to improve the robustness of the tracker, especially in scenes with scale variation, deformation, and occlusion. We evaluate our tracker on the CVPR2013 benchmark. The experimental results obtained with the proposed algorithm are improved by 33.3%, 15%, 6%, 21.9% and 19.8% compared to those of the KCF tracker on the scene with scale variation, partial or long-time large-area occlusion, deformation, fast motion and out-of-view.
Biosensors to Diagnose Chagas Disease: A Brief Review
Authors: Rocha-Gaso María-Isabel , Villarreal-Gómez Luis-Jesús , Beyssen Denis , Sarry Frédéric , Reyna Marco-Antonio , Ibarra-Cerdeña Carlos-Napoleón
Published: November 2017

Chagas disease (CD), which mostly affects those living in deprived areas, has become one of Latin America’s main public health problems. Effective prevention of the disease requires early diagnosis, initiation of therapy, and regular blood monitoring of the infected individual. However, the majority of the Trypanosoma cruzi infections go undiagnosed because of mild symptoms, limited access to medical attention and to a high variability in the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests. Consequently, more affordable and accessible detection technologies capable of providing early diagnosis and T. cruzi load measurements in settings where CD is most prevalent are needed to enable enhanced intervention strategies. This work analyzes the potential contribution of biosensing technologies, reviewing examples that have been tested and contrasted with traditional methods, both serological and parasitological (i.e., molecular detection by PCR), and discusses some emerging biosensing technologies that have been applied for this public health issue. Even if biosensing technologies still require further research efforts to develop portable systems, we arrive at the conclusion that biosensors could improve the accuracy of CD diagnosis and the follow-up of patients’ treatments in terms of the rapidity of results, small sample volume, high integration, ease of use, real-time and low cost detection when compared with current conventional technologies.
Current Research and Statistical Practices in Sport Science and a Need for Change
Authors: Bernards Jake , Sato Kimitake , Haff G. , Bazyler Caleb
Published: November 2017

Current research ideologies in sport science allow for the possibility of investigators producing statistically significant results to help fit the outcome into a predetermined theory. Additionally, under the current Neyman-Pearson statistical structure, some argue that null hypothesis significant testing (NHST) under the frequentist approach is flawed, regardless. For example, a p-value is unable to measure the probability that the studied hypothesis is true, unable to measure the size of an effect or the importance of a result, and unable to provide a good measure of evidence regarding a model or hypothesis. Many of these downfalls are key questions researchers strive to answer following an investigation. Therefore, a shift towards a magnitude-based inference model, and eventually a fully Bayesian framework, is thought to be a better fit from a statistical standpoint and may be an improved way to address biases within the literature. The goal of this article is to shed light on the current research and statistical shortcomings the field of sport science faces today, and offer potential solutions to help guide future research practices.
Evidence to Use Botulinum Toxin Injections in Tension-Type Headache Management: A Systematic Review
Authors: Wieckiewicz Mieszko , Grychowska Natalia , Zietek Marek , Wieckiewicz Gniewko , Smardz Joanna
Published: November 2017

Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common type of chronic recurring head pain. It can occur twice as often in women as in men. It is the most common type of headache. Its lifetime prevalence is 30% to 78% in the general population. TTH treatment should be multilevel. It often consists of taking pain medication, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, using biofeedback therapy, acupuncture, and attending behavioral therapy. Several clinical trials also suggest that botulinum toxin (BTX) may be an effective treatment option for such patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate if BTX can be used as a treatment method in TTH in the light of current medical literature. The authors searched the PubMed, EBSCOhost, OVID, Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Library and CINAHL databases to identify relevant publications. The authors finally included 11 papers—prospective and retrospective cohort studies. Among most of the selected studies, there was a significant correlation between using BTX and reduction of TTH pain intensity and severity. By analyzing qualified studies, it can be concluded that botulinum toxin seems to be effective in TTH management.
Effective Interactions and Prospects for Resolution of the Fundamental Cosmological Problems in Quantum Gravity
Authors: Arbuzov Boris
Published: November 2017

Wouldbe consequences of the existence of effective interactions in quantum gravitation theory are considered. In the framework of the approach, the example of a running gravitational coupling is presented, corresponding to an adequate description of effects, which nowadays are usually prescribed to dark matter and dark energy.
Point-of-care testing in primary care: needs and attitudes of Irish GPs
Authors: Varzgaliene Laima , Heerey Adrienne , Cox Charlie , McGuinness Tomas , McGuire Genevieve , Cals Jochen WL , O'Shea Eamonn , Kelly Maureen
Published: November 2017

Background

Studies outside of Ireland have demonstrated that GPs believe point-of-care tests (POCTs) are useful and would like to have more of these tests available in daily practice. This study establishes the views of Irish GPs on this topic for the first time and also explores GPs’ perceptions of barriers to having POCT devices in primary care.

Aim

To establish Irish GPs' perception of the benefits and barriers to POCT use.

Design & setting

A quantitative cross-sectional observational survey of Irish GPs attending continuing medical educational meetings (CME) in November 2015.

Method

Data was collected using an anonymous and confidential questionnaire.

Results

Out of a total of 250, 70% of GPs (n = 143) completed the questionnaire. Of these, 92% (n = 132) indicated they would like to have access to POCTs. Guidance in decision making 43% (n = 61), reduced referral rates 29% (n = 42), and diagnosis assistance 13% (n = 18) were the main benefits expressed. Cost 45% (n = 64) and time 34% (n = 48) were the main barriers identified.

Conclusion

This study proved that Irish GPs would also like increased access to POCTs. They feel that these tests would benefit patient care. Unsurprisingly, cost and time were two barriers identified to using POCT devices, which supports outcomes from studies. Radical changes would be required in primary care to facilitate implementation of POCTs and attention must be paid to how the costs of POCTs will be funded. This study may act as a prompt for future international research to further explore this area.
The Effect of Presentation Mode and Production Type on Word Memory for Hearing Impaired Signers
Authors: Taitelbaum-Swead Riki , Mama Yaniv , Icht Michal
Published: November 2017

Background:Production effect (PE) is a memory phenomenon referring to better memory for produced (vocalized) than for non-produced (silently read) items. Reading aloud was found to improve verbal memory for normal-hearing individuals, as well as for cochlear implant users, studying
visually and aurally presented material.Purpose:The present study tested the effect of presentation mode (written or signed) and production type (vocalization or signing) on word memory in a group of hearing impaired young adults, sign-language users.Research Design:A PE paradigm
was used, in which participants learned lexical items by two presentation modes, written or signed. We evaluated the efficacy of two types of productions: vocalization and signing, using a free recall test.Study Sample:Twenty hearing-impaired young adults, Israeli sign language (ISL)
users, participated in the study, ten individuals who mainly use manual communication (MC) (ISL as a first language), and ten who mainly use total communication (TC).Data Collection and Analysis:For each condition, we calculated the proportion of study words recalled. A mixed-design
analysis of variance was conducted, with learning condition (written-vocalize, written-signed, and manual-signed) and production type (production and no-production) as within-subject variables, and group (MC and TC) as a between-subject variable.Results:Production benefit was documented
across all learning conditions, with better memory for produced over non-produced words. Recall rates were higher when learning written words relative to signed words. Production by signing yielded better memory relative to vocalizing.Conclusions:The results are explained in light of
the encoding distinctiveness account, namely, the larger the number of unique encoding processes involved at study, the better the memory benefit.
Equilibrium Shapes of Large Trans-Neptunian Objects
Authors: Rambaux Nicolas , Baguet Daniel , Chambat Frederic , Castillo-Rogez Julie C.
Published: November 2017

The large trans-Neptunian objects (TNO) with radii larger than 400 km are thought to be in hydrostatic equilibrium. Their shapes can provide clues regarding their internal structures that would reveal information on their formation and evolution. In this paper, we explore the equilibrium figures of five TNOs, and we show that the difference between the equilibrium figures of homogeneous and heterogeneous interior models can reach several kilometers for fast rotating and low density bodies. Such a difference could be measurable by ground-based techniques. This demonstrates the importance of developing the shape up to second and third order when modeling the shapes of large and rapid rotators.
Uncertainties in Parameters Estimated with Neural Networks: Application to Strong Gravitational Lensing
Authors: Perreault Levasseur Laurence , Hezaveh Yashar D. , Wechsler Risa H.
Published: November 2017

In Hezaveh et al. we showed that deep learning can be used for model parameter estimation and trained convolutional neural networks to determine the parameters of strong gravitational-lensing systems. Here we demonstrate a method for obtaining the uncertainties of these parameters. We review the framework of variational inference to obtain approximate posteriors of Bayesian neural networks and apply it to a network trained to estimate the parameters of the Singular Isothermal Ellipsoid plus external shear and total flux magnification. We show that the method can capture the uncertainties due to different levels of noise in the input data, as well as training and architecture-related errors made by the network. To evaluate the accuracy of the resulting uncertainties, we calculate the coverage probabilities of marginalized distributions for each lensing parameter. By tuning a single variational parameter, the dropout rate, we obtain coverage probabilities approximately equal to the confidence levels for which they were calculated, resulting in accurate and precise uncertainty estimates. Our results suggest that the application of approximate Bayesian neural networks to astrophysical modeling problems can be a fast alternative to Monte Carlo Markov Chains, allowing orders of magnitude improvement in speed.
Effect of Glucocorticoids on the Clinical and Radiographic Efficacy of Tofacitinib in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Posthoc Analysis of Data from 6 Phase III Studies
Authors: Charles-Schoeman Christina , van der Heijde Désirée , Burmester Gerd R. , Nash Peter , Zerbini Cristiano A.F. , Connell Carol A. , Fan Haiyun , Kwok Kenneth , Bananis Eustratios , Fleischmann Roy
Published: November 2017

Objective.

Tofacitinib has been investigated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in phase III studies in which concomitant glucocorticoids (GC) were allowed. We analyzed the effect of GC use on efficacy outcomes in patients with RA receiving tofacitinib and/or methotrexate (MTX) or conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARD) in these studies.

Methods.

Our posthoc analysis included data from 6 phase III studies (NCT01039688; NCT00814307; NCT00847613; NCT00853385; NCT00856544; NCT00960440). MTX-naive patients or patients with inadequate response to csDMARD or biological DMARD received tofacitinib 5 or 10 mg twice daily alone or with csDMARD, with or without concomitant GC. Patients receiving GC (≤ 10 mg/day prednisone or equivalent) before enrollment maintained a stable dose throughout. Endpoints included the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20/50/70 response rates, rates of Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI)-defined low disease activity (LDA; CDAI ≤ 10) and remission (CDAI ≤ 2.8), and changes from baseline in CDAI, 28-joint count Disease Activity Score (DAS28-4)–erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Health Assessment Questionnaire–Disability Index (HAQ-DI), pain visual analog scale (VAS), and modified total Sharp score.

Results.

Of 3200 tofacitinib-treated patients, 1258 (39.3%) received tofacitinib monotherapy and 1942 (60.7%) received tofacitinib plus csDMARD; 1767 (55.2%) received concomitant GC. ACR20/50/70 response rates, rates of CDAI LDA and remission, and improvements in CDAI, DAS28-4-ESR, HAQ-DI, and pain VAS with tofacitinib were generally similar with or without GC in monotherapy and combination therapy studies. GC use did not appear to affect radiographic progression in tofacitinib-treated MTX-naive patients. MTX plus GC appeared to inhibit radiographic progression to a numerically greater degree than MTX alone.

Conclusion.

Concomitant use of GC with tofacitinib did not appear to affect clinical or radiographic efficacy. MTX plus GC showed a trend to inhibit radiographic progression to a greater degree than MTX alone.
Biomedical applications of voice and speech processing
Authors: Gómez Vilda Pedro
Published: November 2017

Neurological deterioration presents different variants depending on their classification criterion, which may be their anatomic localization or their disease clinical features, although there is not a clear cut between both. Anatomically this ample group of disorders may affect the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), or the peripheral nervous system. Clinically, the neurodegenerative disorders are classified as affecting cognitive functions or neuromotor capabilities. In the group of neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or Fronto-Temporal Dementia (FTD) are to be found, whereas in the second group certain pathologies as Parkinson’s Disease (PD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Huntington’s Disease (HD) or myasthenia gravis (MG) are among the most frequent ones, although “the number of neurodegenerative diseases is currently estimated to be a few hundred” (Przedborski et al., 2003). All these pathologies produce correlates in speech at different levels: in fluency, in prosody, in articulation or in phonation. Speech technologies offer computer solutions to evaluate objectively detected anomalies in each level, adding statistical robustness, which makes them suitable for their clinical and rehabilitative application. The present issue is devoted to briefly review the characteristics of the diseases mentioned before, defining the foundations of the correlate features present in each one. Some computer solutions available in detecting and monitoring illness progress are reviewed in the contributions of different research groups working in this field.
Advancing Global Business Ethics in China
Authors: Wolf Ruth , Thiel Monica
Published: November 2017

This chapter presents China's global business outlook within an analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to reduce poverty through human welfare improvement. The chapter examines human rights within China's social, environmental, and economic resources domestically and globally. Although China's economic acceleration has been substantial, its inability to consistently observe and enforce international human rights laws and norms detracts from its economic success. This is not something that China can easily achieve due to challenges of social instability and increasing demographic problems stemming from a large population with diverse needs. The authors suggest ways to enhance human rights conduct according to the UN Guiding Principles in China and in other countries through responsible management education.
Bribery and Its Implications on Entrepreneurship in the Informal Economy
Authors: Tu Phan Anh
Published: November 2017

This chapter argues that while informal entrepreneurship is important in transition economies (for economic growth, job generation, and welfare improvement), it opens informal entrepreneurs to bribery requests because of their non-official status. With empirical evidence from Vietnam, this chapter demonstrates that the likelihood of bribery is determined by a firm's attributes. Building on a unique dataset of 352 entrepreneurs in informal firms in Vietnam, this chapter is able to quantify bribery at the firm level and measure key concepts. The empirical findings confirm the key assumption that entrepreneurs operating in the informal sector of the same country may vary in their propensity to pay bribes due to pressure resulting from (a) factors that are specific to the firms, or (b) factors specific to their perceptions of the environment.
Psychological Maltreatment and Internet Addiction
Authors: Arslan Gökmen
Published: November 2017

Internet use enhances one's quality of life; yet, excessive use may lead to various problems for their healthy development and wellbeing. Understanding the risk and protective factors in internet addiction has importance to promote individuals' positive development and wellbeing. Therefore, the purpose of the present chapter is to explore the role of psychological maltreatment in the development of the internet addiction. Psychological maltreatment is a significant public health problems associated with a range of short and long–term undesirable mental health and wellbeing outcomes in childhood to adulthood. Considering the outcomes supporting the significant role of child maltreatment on the development of internet addiction, it is clear that maltreated individuals are at–risk to develop internet addiction, and psychological maltreatment, as a risk factor, has a crucial role in the development of internet addiction. However, evidences here are relatively limited, and there is need further research investigated long–term impacts of psychological maltreatment on internet addiction.
How Have Irish Parliamentarians Adapted to the Age of Web 2.0?
Authors: Collins Neil , Chen Julie Yu-Wen
Published: November 2017

This article explores the engagement of members of the Irish lower parliamentary chamber (TDs) with Web 2.0 technologies. While conducting the website-feature analysis, the authors looked at three dimensions of each TD's website: information content, interaction tools and politicians' activities on the web. They found that Irish parliamentarians' usage of the Internet is still largely based on the paradigm of Web 1.0. Perhaps more accurately, Irish politicians' Internet usage is in the mode of Web 1.5, in which some interactive and participatory space is generated with the idea that the cyberspace should encourage citizen participation. As conventional variables such as party affiliation and geographic variation still have an influence on TDs' website performance, one can conclude that information and communication technologies do not really change the way Irish politics are played. The Irish experience is in line with various other studies, such as in Italy and Finland.