bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating Differences and Similarities between Betaxolol Polymorphs
Authors: Rossi Patrizia , Paoli Paola , Milazzo Stella , Chelazzi Laura , Ienco Andrea , Conti Luca
Published: September 2019

Betaxolol belongs to the class of β1-adrenergic blocking agent. Several polymorphs of racemic betaxolol have been reported in the literature, but only one of them (BE_I) had the crystal structure determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Here, we present a new crystalline phase of betaxolol (BE_IV). Its solid-state structure has been obtained from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The molecular and crystal arrangements of betaxolol in BE_IV have been further investigated by molecular modelling, by Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) surveys and by Hirshfeld surface analysis. A comparison with the solid-state structure of BE_I have been carried out. In the two polymorphs the 2-hydroxy-3-(isopropylamino)-propoxy chain, which is common to other β-blocker drugs, adopts a different conformation. In addition, the rotational isomer found in BE_IV is different with respect to the four already observed in the solid-state structure of analogous compounds. In both the polymorphs, the most significant interaction is due to the H-bonds involving the OH group as donor and the NH as acceptor, while the interaction where OH works as acceptor (NH acts as donor) is definitely less important. The resulting H-bond patterns are however different: Alternate R2,2(10) a > a (OH donors) and R2,2(10) b > b (OH acceptors) in BE_I vs. alternate R4,4 (8) a > b > a > b (OH donors) and R2,2 (10) b > b (OH acceptor) in BE_IV.
Synthesis of Manganese Mononitride with Tetragonal Structure under Pressure
Authors: Huang Dajian , Niu Caoping , Yan Bingmin , Gao Bo , Wu Lailei , Zhang Dongzhou , Wang Xianlong , Gou Huiyang
Published: September 2019

The exploration of the vast phase space of transition metal nitrides is critical for discovering novel materials and potential technological applications. Manganese mononitride with a tetragonal structure (space group I4/mmm) was synthesized in a laser-heating diamond anvil cell, which could be quenched to ambient pressure. The bulk modulus of 173 GPa was measured using in situ high-pressure diffraction, and the axial compressibility shows that, under pressure, the a direction is much more compressible than the c direction in tetragonal MnN. DFT results with correction of the on-site repulsion (GGA + U) confirm that tetragonal MnN is energetically stable and antiferromagnetic. This study highlights the need to include on-site repulsion to understand 3d metal nitrides.
A Lack of “Environmental Earth Data” at the Microhabitat Scale Impacts Efforts to Control Invasive Arthropods That Vector Pathogens
Authors: Pascoe Emily L. , Pareeth Sajid , Rocchini Duccio , Marcantonio Matteo
Published: September 2019

We currently live in an era of major global change that has led to the introduction and range expansion of numerous invasive species worldwide. In addition to the ecological and economic consequences associated with most invasive species, invasive arthropods that vector pathogens (IAVPs) to humans and animals pose substantial health risks. Species distribution models that are informed using environmental Earth data are frequently employed to predict the distribution of invasive species, and to advise targeted mitigation strategies. However, there are currently substantial mismatches in the temporal and spatial resolution of these data and the environmental contexts which affect IAVPs. Consequently, targeted actions to control invasive species or to prepare the population for possible disease outbreaks may lack efficacy. Here, we identify and discuss how the currently available environmental Earth data are lacking with respect to their applications in species distribution modeling, particularly when predicting the potential distribution of IAVPs at meaningful space-time scales. For example, we examine the issues related to interpolation of weather station data and the lack of microclimatic data relevant to the environment experienced by IAVPs. In addition, we suggest how these data gaps can be filled, including through the possible development of a dedicated open access database, where data from both remotely- and proximally-sensed sources can be stored, shared, and accessed.
Detection of Lower Albuminuria Levels and Early Development of Diabetic Kidney Disease Using an Artificial Intelligence-Based Rule Extraction Approach
Authors: Hayashi Yoichi
Published: September 2019

The aim of the present study was to determine the lowest cut-off value for albuminuria levels, which can be used to detect diabetic kidney disease (DKD) using the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data for US adults were used, and participants were classified as having diabetes or prediabetes based on a self-report and physiological measures. The study dataset comprised 942 diabetes and 524 prediabetes samples. This study clarified the significance of the lower albuminuria (UACR) levels, which can detect DKD, using an artificial intelligence-based rule extraction approach. The diagnostic rules (15 concrete rules) for both samples were extracted using a recursive-rule eXtraction (Re-RX) algorithm with continuous attributes (continuous Re-RX) to discriminate between prediabetes and diabetes datasets. Continuous Re-RX showed high test accuracy (77.56%) and a large area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (75%), which derived the two cut-off values (6.1 mg/g Cr and 71.00 mg/g Cr) for the lower albuminuria level in the UACR to detect early development of DKD. The early cut-off values for normoalbuminuria (NA) and microalbuminuria (MA) will be determined to help detect CKD and DKD, and to detect diabetes before MA develop and to prevent diabetic complications.
Multivariate Comparison of Cytokine Profiles for Normal- and Low-Bone-Density Subjects
Authors: Dingle Kamaludin , Azizieh Fawaz
Published: September 2019

Osteoporosis is a serious worldwide public health concern. The role of the immune system in the onset of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women is an area of current research. Here we study data from a panel of 10 cytokines obtained from postmenopausal women, with both normal and low bone mineral density (BMD). Normal- and low-BMD groups are compared and contrasted, and further low-BMD participants are sub-classified into osteopenic and osteoporotic based on BMD levels, and compared to each other. Via the use of multivariate statistical tools, we examine contrasting groups in relation to: (a) the presence of subgroups/clusters; (b) whether groups have statistically different multivariate distributions; (c) how strongly groups differ (if at all), which relates to the practical/clinical significant of any differences; and (d) which cytokines contribute most to any differences between groups. We find that the normal- vs. low-BMD groups are markedly different (p-value = 0.00013), with IL-23, IL-12, TNF-α, IL-4 and IL-6 being the most important differentiating cytokines. No significant difference between the osteopenic and osteoporotic groups is found (p-value = 0.81). These findings may aid the development of cytokine therapies for osteoporosis, and suggest the use of certain cytokine profiles as biomarkers for osteoporosis risk factors, and ways to quantify the progress of treatment therapies.
Causal Heat Conduction Contravening the Fading Memory Paradigm
Authors: Herrera Luis
Published: September 2019

We propose a causal heat conduction model based on a heat kernel violating the fading memory paradigm. The resulting transport equation produces an equation for the temperature. The model is applied to the discussion of two important issues such as the thermohaline convection and the nuclear burning (in)stability. In both cases, the behaviour of the system appears to be strongly dependent on the transport equation assumed, bringing out the effects of our specific kernel on the final description of these problems. A possible relativistic version of the obtained transport equation is presented.
A Statistical Method for Estimating Activity Uncertainty Parameters to Improve Project Forecasting
Authors: Vanhoucke Mario , Batselier Jordy
Published: September 2019

Just like any physical system, projects have entropy that must be managed by spending energy. The entropy is the project’s tendency to move to a state of disorder (schedule delays, cost overruns), and the energy process is an inherent part of any project management methodology. In order to manage the inherent uncertainty of these projects, accurate estimates (for durations, costs, resources, …) are crucial to make informed decisions. Without these estimates, managers have to fall back to their own intuition and experience, which are undoubtedly crucial for making decisions, but are are often subject to biases and hard to quantify. This paper builds further on two published calibration methods that aim to extract data from real projects and calibrate them to better estimate the parameters for the probability distributions of activity durations. Both methods rely on the lognormal distribution model to estimate uncertainty in activity durations and perform a sequence of statistical hypothesis tests that take the possible presence of two human biases into account. Based on these two existing methods, a new so-called statistical partitioning heuristic is presented that integrates the best elements of the two methods to further improve the accuracy of estimating the distribution of activity duration uncertainty. A computational experiment has been carried out on an empirical database of 83 empirical projects. The experiment shows that the new statistical partitioning method performs at least as good as, and often better than, the two existing calibration methods. The improvement will allow a better quantification of the activity duration uncertainty, which will eventually lead to a better prediction of the project schedule and more realistic expectations about the project outcomes. Consequently, the project manager will be able to better cope with the inherent uncertainty (entropy) of projects with a minimum managerial effort (energy).
Pseudo-Random Number Generator Based on Logistic Chaotic System
Authors: Wang Luyao , Cheng Hai
Published: September 2019

In recent years, a chaotic system is considered as an important pseudo-random source to pseudo-random number generators (PRNGs). This paper proposes a PRNG based on a modified logistic chaotic system. This chaotic system with fixed system parameters is convergent and its chaotic behavior is analyzed and proved. In order to improve the complexity and randomness of modified PRNGs, the chaotic system parameter denoted by floating point numbers generated by the chaotic system is confused and rearranged to increase its key space and reduce the possibility of an exhaustive attack. It is hard to speculate on the pseudo-random number by chaotic behavior because there is no statistical characteristics and infer the pseudo-random number generated by chaotic behavior. The system parameters of the next chaotic system are related to the chaotic values generated by the previous ones, which makes the PRNG generate enough results. By confusing and rearranging the output sequence, the system parameters of the previous time cannot be gotten from the next time which ensures the security. The analysis shows that the pseudo-random sequence generated by this method has perfect randomness, cryptographic properties and can pass the statistical tests.
Mitigating ARP Cache Poisoning Attack in Software-Defined Networking (SDN): A Survey
Authors: Shah Zawar , Cosgrove Steve
Published: September 2019

Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is a widely used protocol that provides a mapping of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to Media Access Control (MAC) addresses in local area networks. This protocol suffers from many spoofing attacks because of its stateless nature and lack of authentication. One such spoofing attack is the ARP Cache Poisoning attack, in which attackers poison the cache of hosts on the network by sending spoofed ARP requests and replies. Detection and mitigation of ARP Cache Poisoning attack is important as this attack can be used by attackers to further launch Denial of Service (DoS) and Man-In-The Middle (MITM) attacks. As with traditional networks, an ARP Cache Poisoning attack is also a serious concern in Software Defined Networking (SDN) and consequently, many solutions are proposed in the literature to mitigate this attack. In this paper, a detailed survey on various solutions to mitigate ARP Cache Poisoning attack in SDN is carried out. In this survey, various solutions are classified into three categories: Flow Graph based solutions; Traffic Patterns based solutions; IP-MAC Address Bindings based solutions. All these solutions are critically evaluated in terms of their working principles, advantages and shortcomings. Another important feature of this survey is to compare various solutions with respect to different performance metrics, e.g., attack detection time, ARP response time, calculation of delay at the Controller etc. In addition, future research directions are also presented in this survey that can be explored by other researchers to propose better solutions to mitigate the ARP Cache Poisoning attack in SDN.
Energy-Saver Mobile Manipulator Based on Numerical Methods
Authors: Acosta Núñez Julio Francisco , Andaluz Ortiz Víctor Hugo , González-de-Rivera Peces Guillermo , Garrido Salas Javier
Published: September 2019

The work presents the kinematic and dynamic control of a mobile robotic manipulator system based on numerical methods. The proposal also presents the curvature analysis of a path not parameterized in time, for the optimization of energy consumption. The energy optimization considers two aspects: the velocity of execution in curves and the amount of movements generated by the robotic system. When a curve occurs on the predefined path, the execution velocity is analyzed throughout the system in a unified method to prevent skid effects from affecting the mobile manipulator, while the number of movements is limited by the redundancy presented by the robotic system to optimize energy use. The experimental results are shown to validate the mechanical and electronic construction of the system, the proposed controllers, and the saving of energy consumption.
Study of Deformation Law of Casing Local Lateral Collapse Based on the Principle of Virtual Work
Authors: Zhao Wanchun , Ge Jing , Pathegama Gamage Ranjith , Li Yuwei , Song Zhenlong , Wang Tingting
Published: September 2019

In view of the water swelling of mudstone and the creep induction function of formations in the process of oilfield water injection, the casing incurs collapse deformation under local lateral load. In this study, according to the actual collapse deformation characteristics of the casing in the second section of the Qing formation of the Songliao Basin in China, the yield surfaces of the casing collapse deformation are considered as plane plastic areas (half rhombus) with symmetric parabola shaped boundaries, and a mechanical model for the local lateral collapse deformation of casing is presented based on the principle of virtual work. Four types of casing, 4½″J55, 5½″J55, 4½″N80 and 5½″N80, are selected as examples. The relation of the casing intensity, the absolute reduction of intensity and the relative reduction ratio of intensity change with casing wall thickness, yield stress, radial maximum deformation, and deformation length are calculated and analyzed. The results show that the casing intensity of the casing is reduced under local lateral load, which is lower than the design standard value of the American Petroleum Association specification (API SPEC) 5CT. The relative reduction ratio declines linearly with the wall thickness of the casing wall as the yield stress increases, and increases linearly with increasing maximum deformation. In addition, the local lateral bearing capacity of the casing reaches the minimum value when the plastic deformation length reaches the critical value or the deformation quantity is less than the critical value. The conclusions provide scientific guidance for preventing casing failure accidents caused by deformation.
A Pore-Scale Investigation of Residual Oil Distributions and Enhanced Oil Recovery Methods
Authors: Guo Yaohao , Zhang Lei , Zhu Guangpu , Yao Jun , Sun Hai , Song Wenhui , Yang Yongfei , Zhao Jianlin
Published: September 2019

Water flooding is an economic method commonly used in secondary recovery, but a large quantity of crude oil is still trapped in reservoirs after water flooding. A deep understanding of the distribution of residual oil is essential for the subsequent development of water flooding. In this study, a pore-scale model is developed to study the formation process and distribution characteristics of residual oil. The Navier–Stokes equation coupled with a phase field method is employed to describe the flooding process and track the interface of fluids. The results show a significant difference in residual oil distribution at different wetting conditions. The difference is also reflected in the oil recovery and water cut curves. Much more oil is displaced in water-wet porous media than oil-wet porous media after water breakthrough. Furthermore, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) mechanisms of both surfactant and polymer flooding are studied, and the effect of operation times for different EOR methods are analyzed. The surfactant flooding not only improves oil displacement efficiency, but also increases microscale sweep efficiency by reducing the entry pressure of micropores. Polymer weakens the effect of capillary force by increasing the viscous force, which leads to an improvement in sweep efficiency. The injection time of the surfactant has an important impact on the field development due to the formation of predominant pathway, but the EOR effect of polymer flooding does not have a similar correlation with the operation times. Results from this study can provide theoretical guidance for the appropriate design of EOR methods such as the application of surfactant and polymer flooding.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Diffusion Behavior of CH4, CO2, and N2 in Mid-Rank Coal Vitrinite
Authors: Liu Jing , Li Shike , Wang Yang
Published: September 2019

The diffusion characteristics of CH4, CO2, and N2 in coal are important for the study of CO2-enhanced coalbed methane (CO2-ECBM) recovery, which has become the most potential method for carbon sequestration and natural gas recovery. However, quantitative research on the diffusion characteristics of CH4 and the invasive gases (CO2 and N2) in coal, especially those in micropores, still faces enormous challenges. In this paper, the self-, Maxwell’s, and transport diffusions of CO2, CH4, and N2 in mid-rank coal vitrinite (MRCV) macromolecules were simulated based on the molecular dynamics method. The effects of the gas concentration, temperature, and pressure on the diffusion coefficients were examined via the comparison of various ranks. The results indicated that the diffusion coefficients have the order of D(N2) > D(CO2) > D(CH4) in their saturated adsorption states. However, when MRCV adsorbed the same amounts of CH4, CO2, and N2, the self- and transport diffusion coefficients followed the order of DS(N2) > DS(CO2) > DS(CH4) and Dt(CO2) > Dt(N2) > Dt(CH4), respectively. Independent of the gas species, all these diffusion coefficients decreased with increasing gas concentration and increased with increasing temperature. In the saturated adsorption state, the diffusion activation energies of CH4, CO2, and N2 were ordered as CH4 (27.388 kJ/mol) > CO2 (11.832 kJ/mol) > N2 (10.396 kJ/mol), indicating that the diffusion processes of CO2 and N2 occur more easily than CH4. The increase of temperature was more conducive to the swelling equilibrium of coal. For the pressure dependence, the diffusion coefficients first increased until the peak pressure (3 MPa) and then decreased with increasing pressure. In contrast, the diffusion activation energy first decreased and then increased with increasing pressure, in which the peak pressure was also 3 MPa. The swelling rate changed more obviously in high-pressure conditions.
Life Prediction Based on D-S ELM for PEMFC
Authors: Zhang Xuexia , Yu Zixuan , Chen Weirong
Published: September 2019

The proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is an extremely clean and efficient power generation device. However, its limited lifespan has restricted the large-scale commercial development of PEMFCs. Life prediction is a promising solution for the further life extension of PEMFCs. In this paper, D-S ELM(DWT-SaDE ELM), define as, an enhanced extreme learning machine (ELM) optimized by discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and self-adaptive differential evolutionary algorithm (SaDE), is proposed to predict the remaining useful life (RUL) of PEMFCs. In D-S ELM, DWT is employed to extract available features from multi-input data with stochastic noise. Then, SaDE explores the optimal parameter configuration for the ELM neural network. Moreover, the influence of training data sizes on the prediction results is discussed. Simulations show that D-S ELM has obvious advantages in prediction accuracy. Furthermore, the superiority of D-S ELM in small sample applicability, prediction speed and robustness make it more suitable for the online prediction of PEMFCs.
Flexibility and Load-Bearing Capacity of Roof Bolting as Functions of Mounting Depth and Hole Diameter
Authors: Skrzypkowski Krzysztof , Korzeniowski Waldemar , Zagórski Krzysztof , Zagórska Anna
Published: September 2019

This paper presents the results of laboratory tensile testing of segmentally-installed glue-in roof bolting. We studied roof bolting of the type Olkusz-16A (Boltech Sp. z o.o., ZGH Bolesław S.A., Bukowno, Poland), additionally equipped with a steel rod coil, which was mounted in steel cylinders filled with a concrete mixture using multi-part resin cartridges with a diameter of 0.024 m and length of 0.045 m. The mounting depths were 0.1 m and 0.2 m, respectively. Our main purpose was to determine the effect of the bolt hole diameter, which assumed the values 0.028 m, 0.032 m, 0.035 m, and 0.037 m, respectively, on the load-bearing capacity of the roof bolting in relation to the mounting depth. We found that the mounting depth of 0.2 m was sufficient for the roof bolting to exhibit its full load and displacement properties for all four diameters of the bolt hole. To determine whether the roof bolting was capable of transferring the load in situ, we presented the results of the predicted load on the roof bolting applied in a room and pillar mining method in an underground mine of zinc and lead ore deposits. Our objective was to determine the influence of the room and pillar mining method geometry on the range of the fault zone of rocks around pits. We designed the deposit excavation model using the Examine3D numerical modeling software, which is based on the boundary element method. We created three-dimensional models for three variants of working space opening widths: featuring two, three, and four rows of rooms. The geometry of rooms and pillars corresponded to the mine conditions; the width, height, and length parameters were all 5 m. We determined the strength, strain, and structural parameters of the rock mass on the basis of laboratory studies of the drill core and rock forms collected from the room longwall. We used the strength factor to specify the maximum range of the fault zone of rocks around pits. In the last stage of research, we compared the load value obtained based on numerical testing with the maximum load obtained in the tensile strength tests of the roof bolting and determined the safety factor of the segmentally-installed roof bolting.
Intraspecific Competition Affects Crown and Stem Characteristics of Non-Native Quercus rubra L. Stands in Germany
Authors: Burkardt Katharina , Annighöfer Peter , Seidel Dominik , Ammer Christian , Vor Torsten
Published: September 2019

Accurate guidelines for silvicultural management of exotic tree species in Germany are sparse. For example, northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) is the most commonly planted exotic deciduous tree species in Germany, but its response to varying levels of competition intensity has not yet been adequately explored. Here, we used terrestrial laser scanning to non-destructively examine the responses of stem and crown characteristics of Quercus rubra to intraspecific competition. A total of 100 dominant red oak trees were investigated in ten pure red oak stands, located in five federal states of Germany. The external stem quality characteristics namely stem non-circularity and bark anomalies decreased with increasing tree competition. Also, the crown characteristics crown volume, crown surface area, maximum crown area, crown length, and branch length declined by the degree of individual tree competition. We conclude that individual tree properties can be controlled by competition intensity, resulting in improved timber quality as shown for other tree species.
Impact of Common Mistletoe (Viscum album L.) on Scots Pine Forests—A Call for Action
Authors: Szmidla Hanna , Tkaczyk Miłosz , Plewa Radosław , Tarwacki Grzegorz , Sierota Zbigniew
Published: September 2019

Common mistletoe is increasingly mentioned as contributing not only to the decline of deciduous trees at roadside and in city parks, but to conifers in stands. The presence of Viscum in fir stands has been known for many years, but since 2015 has also been the cause of damage to pine. In 2019, mistletoe was observed on 77.5 thousand hectares of Scots pine stands in southern and central Poland. Drought resulting from global climate change is implicated as an important factor conducive to weakening trees and making them more susceptible to the spread of mistletoe and other pests. This paper presents an overview of the latest information on the development of this semi-parasitic plant in Poland, its impact on tree breeding traits and raw material losses, as well as current options for its prevention and eradication.
Białowieża Forest—A Relic of the High Naturalness of European Forests
Authors: Jaroszewicz Bogdan , Cholewińska Olga , Gutowski Jerzy M. , Samojlik Tomasz , Zimny Marcelina , Latałowa Małgorzata
Published: September 2019

In Europe only some small isolated patches of forests with a high degree of naturalness still exist. These are forests, whose structure, composition and function has been shaped by natural dynamics without substantial anthropogenic influence over the long period. In this respect, Białowieża Forest is a unique location in Europe, with continuous forest cover for close to 12,000 years. The palynological, archaeological and historical data document only a weak anthropogenic fingerprint compared to other European lowland forests in Holocene history. Due to long-lasting protection, a large portion of the forest is still composed of stands originating from the pre-silvicultural period. Moreover, the stands of Białowieża Forest converted by silvicultural activities during the 20th century have the potential to recover owing to patches of stands with high naturalness, scattered throughout the forest. As conflict over management of the forest has recurred regularly for close to century, there is a need to summarize our knowledge on the forest history and natural assets, to help making scientifically informed decisions over its future. Expansion of a non-intervention approach to the Polish part of the forest is suggested to increase the stability of the entire ecosystem and enhance the chances for its successful adaptation to changing environmental conditions. This will increase the importance of Białowieża Forest as an open-door laboratory for biology, ecology, and forestry.
Vulnerability of Conifer Regeneration to Spruce Budworm Outbreaks in the Eastern Canadian Boreal Forest
Authors: Lavoie Janie , Montoro Girona Miguel , Morin Hubert
Published: September 2019

Spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) is the main defoliator of conifer trees in North American boreal forests, affecting extensive areas and causing marked losses of timber supplies. In 2017, spruce budworm affected more than 7 million ha of Eastern Canadian forest. Defoliation was particularly severe for black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.), one of the most important commercial trees in Canada. During the last decades, intensive forest exploitation practices have created vast stands of young balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) and black spruce. Most research focused on the impacts of spruce budworm has been on mature stands; its effects on regeneration, however, have been neglected. This study evaluates the impacts of spruce budworm on the defoliation of conifer seedlings (black spruce and balsam fir) in clearcuts. We measured the cumulative and annual defoliation of seedlings within six clearcut black spruce stands in Quebec (Canada) that had experienced severe levels of defoliation due to spruce budworm. For all sampled seedlings, we recorded tree species, height class, and distance to the residual forest. Seedling height and species strongly influenced defoliation level. Small seedlings were less affected by spruce budworm activity. As well, cumulative defoliation for balsam fir was double that of black spruce (21% and 9%, respectively). Distance to residual stands had no significant effect on seedling defoliation. As insect outbreaks in boreal forests are expected to become more severe and frequent in the near future, our results are important for adapting forest management strategies to insect outbreaks in a context of climate change.
Direct Method of Measuring the pH Value of Wood
Authors: Geffert Anton , Geffertova Jarmila , Dudiak Michal
Published: September 2019

A direct method of measuring the pH value of wood substance is proposed in the paper. The achieved results were completed by determining the pH value on the wood surface using the contact method. Moreover, the results were compared to the results achieved using the indirect methods to determine the pH value in cold water, as well as hot water, extract of wood. Using the direct method for measuring the pH value in drilled fresh sawdust, the pH value of beech was 5.11, of birch was 5.29, of alder was 4.88, and of maple was 4.65. Following the achieved results, the possibility to measure the pH value using a fast, accurate method useful in practice complying with the condition of the minimum free water in wood (moisture content of wood above the fibre saturation point) was presented. The results of measurements of the pH value using the contact method on the wood surface showed that this method can be used in the case of coniferous as well as broadleaved trees with heartwood. The value of pH measured on the surface of pine was 4.50, of spruce was 4.79, of the heartwood of oak was 3.46, and of the sapwood of oak 5.04. The measurement of pH values of water extracts confirmed great dependence of measured values on the conditions of wood extraction.
Partitioning Convolutional Neural Networks to Maximize the Inference Rate on Constrained IoT Devices
Authors: Martins Campos de Oliveira Fabíola , Borin Edson
Published: September 2019

Billions of devices will compose the IoT system in the next few years, generating a huge amount of data. We can use fog computing to process these data, considering that there is the possibility of overloading the network towards the cloud. In this context, deep learning can treat these data, but the memory requirements of deep neural networks may prevent them from executing on a single resource-constrained device. Furthermore, their computational requirements may yield an unfeasible execution time. In this work, we propose Deep Neural Networks Partitioning for Constrained IoT Devices, a new algorithm to partition neural networks for efficient distributed execution. Our algorithm can optimize the neural network inference rate or the number of communications among devices. Additionally, our algorithm accounts appropriately for the shared parameters and biases of Convolutional Neural Networks. We investigate the inference rate maximization for the LeNet model in constrained setups. We show that the partitionings offered by popular machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow or by the general-purpose framework METIS may produce invalid partitionings for very constrained setups. The results show that our algorithm can partition LeNet for all the proposed setups, yielding up to 38% more inferences per second than METIS.
The Selection and Validation of Reference Genes for mRNA and microRNA Expression Studies in Human Liver Slices Using RT-qPCR
Authors: Zárybnický Tomáš , Matoušková Petra , Ambrož Martin , Šubrt Zdeněk , Skálová Lenka , Boušová Iva
Published: September 2019

The selection of a suitable combination of reference genes (RGs) for data normalization is a crucial step for obtaining reliable and reproducible results from transcriptional response analysis using a reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. This is especially so if a three-dimensional multicellular model prepared from liver tissues originating from biologically diverse human individuals is used. The mRNA and miRNA RGs stability were studied in thirty-five human liver tissue samples and twelve precision-cut human liver slices (PCLS) treated for 24 h with dimethyl sulfoxide (controls) and PCLS treated with β-naphthoflavone (10 µM) or rifampicin (10 µM) as cytochrome P450 (CYP) inducers. Validation of RGs was performed by an expression analysis of CYP3A4 and CYP1A2 on rifampicin and β-naphthoflavone induction, respectively. Regarding mRNA, the best combination of RGs for the controls was YWHAZ and B2M, while YWHAZ and ACTB were selected for the liver samples and treated PCLS. Stability of all candidate miRNA RGs was comparable or better than that of generally used short non-coding RNA U6. The best combination for the control PCLS was miR-16-5p and miR-152-3p, in contrast to the miR-16-5b and miR-23b-3p selected for the treated PCLS. Our results showed that the candidate RGs were rather stable, especially for miRNA in human PCLS.
A Humanized Yeast Phenomic Model of Deoxycytidine Kinase to Predict Genetic Buffering of Nucleoside Analog Cytotoxicity
Authors: Santos Sean M. , Icyuz Mert , Pound Ilya , William Doreen , Guo Jingyu , McKinney Brett A. , Niederweis Michael , Rodgers John , Hartman John L.
Published: September 2019

Knowledge about synthetic lethality can be applied to enhance the efficacy of anticancer therapies in individual patients harboring genetic alterations in their cancer that specifically render it vulnerable. We investigated the potential for high-resolution phenomic analysis in yeast to predict such genetic vulnerabilities by systematic, comprehensive, and quantitative assessment of drug–gene interaction for gemcitabine and cytarabine, substrates of deoxycytidine kinase that have similar molecular structures yet distinct antitumor efficacy. Human deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) was conditionally expressed in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genomic library of knockout and knockdown (YKO/KD) strains, to globally and quantitatively characterize differential drug–gene interaction for gemcitabine and cytarabine. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that autophagy, histone modification, chromatin remodeling, and apoptosis-related processes influence gemcitabine specifically, while drug–gene interaction specific to cytarabine was less enriched in gene ontology. Processes having influence over both drugs were DNA repair and integrity checkpoints and vesicle transport and fusion. Non-gene ontology (GO)-enriched genes were also informative. Yeast phenomic and cancer cell line pharmacogenomics data were integrated to identify yeast–human homologs with correlated differential gene expression and drug efficacy, thus providing a unique resource to predict whether differential gene expression observed in cancer genetic profiles are causal in tumor-specific responses to cytotoxic agents.
Use of Macroseismic Intensity Data to Validate a Regionally Adjustable Ground Motion Prediction Model
Authors: Tang Yuxiang , Lam Nelson , Tsang Hing-Ho , Lumantarna Elisa
Published: September 2019

In low-to-moderate seismicity (intraplate) regions where locally recorded strong motion data are too scare for conventional regression analysis, stochastic simulations based on seismological modelling have often been used to predict ground motions of future earthquakes. This modelling methodology has been practised in Central and Eastern North America (CENA) for decades. It is cautioned that ground motion prediction equations (GMPE) that have been developed for use in CENA might not always be suited for use in another intraplate region because of differences in the crustal structure. This paper introduces a regionally adjustable GMPE, known as the component attenuation model (CAM), by which a diversity of crustal conditions can be covered in one model. Input parameters into CAM have been configured in the same manner as a seismological model, as both types of models are based on decoupling the spectral properties of earthquake ground motions into a generic source factor and a regionally specific path factor (including anelastic and geometric attenuation factors) along with a crustal factor. Unlike seismological modelling, CAM is essentially a GMPE that can be adapted readily for use in different regions (or different areas within a region) without the need of undertaking any stochastic simulations, providing that parameters characterising the crustal structure have been identified. In addressing the challenge of validating a GMPE for use in an area where instrumental data are scarce, modified Mercalli intensity (MMI) data inferred from peak ground velocity values predicted by CAM are compared with records of MMI of past earthquake events, as reported in historical archives. South-Eastern Australia (SEA) and South-Eastern China (SEC) are the two study regions used in this article for demonstrating the viability of CAM as a ground motion prediction tool in an intraplate environment.
Death Anxiety, Religious Doubt, and Depressive Symptoms across Race in Older Adults
Authors: Willis Kelcie D. , Nelson Tamara , Moreno Oswaldo
Published: September 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the direct and indirect relationships among death anxiety, religious doubt, and depressive symptoms in older adults. This study also investigates race as a moderator for these relationships. This study used data from the Religion, Aging, and Health Survey. Participants identified as Christian, identified as Black or White, lived in a non-institutionalized household within the U.S., were retired, and spoke English. Using PROCESS, results revealed that religious doubt partially mediated the relationship between death anxiety and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, moderated mediation models revealed that race moderated the relationship between religious doubt and depressive symptoms. Specifically, there was significant, positive relationship between religious doubt and depressive symptoms for participants who identified as Black but not White. Results highlight how religious doubt can influence depressive outcomes among the geriatric communities of color. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.
Estimation of Emissions at Signalized Intersections Using an Improved MOVES Model with GPS Data
Authors: Lin Ciyun , Zhou Xiangyu , Wu Dayong , Gong Bowen
Published: September 2019

Emissions from the transport sector are responsible for a large proportion of urban air pollution. Scientific and efficient measurements on traffic pollution emissions have already been a vital concern of decision makers in environmental protection. In China or other counties, many high-technology companies, such as Baidu, DiDi, have a large number of real-time GPS traffic data, but such data have not been fully exploited, especially in purpose of estimation of vehicle fuel consumption and emissions. In this paper, the traditional MOVES (Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator) model has been improved by adding the real-time GPS data and tested in representative signalized intersection in Changchun, China. The results showed that adding the GPS data sets in the MOVES model can effectively improve the estimation accuracy of traffic emissions and provide a strong scientific basis for environmental decision-making, planning and management.
The Role of Marketing Practices and Tobacco Control Initiatives on Smokeless Tobacco Sales, 2005–2010
Authors: Hrywna Mary , Grafova Irina B. , Delnevo Cristine D.
Published: September 2019

Background: Little is known about how policies and industry activities impact smokeless tobacco demand. We examined how tobacco control policies and retail promotion may affect smokeless tobacco sales. Methods: We used Nielsen market-level retail scanner data for smokeless tobacco sales in convenience stores in 30 US regions from 2005 to 2010. Tobacco policy variables, including excise taxes, state tobacco control program expenditures, and clean indoor air laws, were merged to Nielsen markets. We estimated regression models for per capita unit sales. Results: Higher cigarette tax was significantly associated with lower sales volume of smokeless tobacco. Sales of smokeless tobacco in markets with a weight-based SLT excise tax were higher than in markets with an ad valorem tax. A higher average product price was associated with decreased sales overall but results varied by package quantity and brand. Conclusions: This study observed that smokeless tobacco products were both complements and substitutes to cigarettes. Thus, smokeless tobacco may act as complements for some population segments and substitutes for others. A weight-based tax generally favors premium smokeless tobacco products.
The Health of Nepali Migrants in India: A Qualitative Study of Lifestyles and Risks
Authors: Regmi Pramod R. , van Teijlingen Edwin , Mahato Preeti , Aryal Nirmal , Jadhav Navnita , Simkhada Padam , Syed Zahiruddin Quazi , Gaidhane Abhay
Published: September 2019

Background: Most health research on Nepali migrant workers in India is on sexual health, whilst work, lifestyle and health care access issues are under-researched. Methods: The qualitative study was carried out in two cities of Maharashtra State in 2017. Twelve focus group discussions (FGDs) and five in-depth interviews were conducted with Nepali male and female migrant workers. Similarly, eight interviews were conducted with stakeholders, mostly representatives of organisations working for Nepali migrants in India using social capital as a theoretical foundation. Results: Five main themes emerged from the analysis: (i) accommodation; (ii) lifestyle, networking and risk-taking behaviours; (iii) work environment; (iv) support from local organisations; and (v) health service utilisation. Lack of basic amenities in accommodation, work-related hazards such as lack of safety measures at work or safety training, reluctance of employers to organise treatment for work-related accidents, occupational health issues such as long working hours, high workload, no/limited free time, discrimination by co-workers were identified as key problems. Nepali migrants have limited access to health care facilities due to their inability to prove their identity. Health system of India also discriminates as some treatment is restricted to Indian nationals. The strength of this study is the depth it offers, its limitations includes a lack of generalizability, the latter is a generic issue in such qualitative research. Conclusion: This study suggests risks to Nepali migrant workers’ health in India range from accommodation to workplace and from their own precarious lifestyle habit to limited access to health care facilities. We must conduct a quantitative study on a larger population to establish the prevalence of the above mentioned issues and risks. Furthermore, the effectiveness of Nepali migrant support organisations in mitigating these risks needs to be researched.
Computed Tomography Assessment of Brain Atrophy in Centenarians
Authors: Chrzan Robert , Gleń Agnieszka , Bryll Amira , Urbanik Andrzej
Published: September 2019

The aim of our study was to compare the degree of brain atrophy in centenarians and in seniors 70–99 years old. The study group consisted of 23 patients aged 100–106 years. The control group consisted of 90 patients, 30 in each age subgroup 90–99, 80–89, 70–79. In all the patients, the brain atrophy linear parameters were measured on computed tomography scans, in relation to both “subcortical atrophy”, evaluated as progressive widening of the ventricular system, and “cortical atrophy”, defined as widening of subarachnoid space. Secondary indices based on the parameters were calculated. Correlations between the above parameters/indices and age were tested. Significantly different values between the centenarians and the control group were found in the brain atrophy parameters: A, B, C, E, FI, ICR, ICL, SW, CFW, F/A ‘frontal horn index’, A/G ‘Evans index’, D/A ‘ventricular index’, H/E ‘cella media Schiersmann index’, A+B ‘Huckman number’. Correlations between parameter/index and age were found for: A, B, C, FI, ICR, ICL, SW, F/A ‘frontal horn index’, A/G ‘Evans index’, D/A ‘ventricular index’, H/E ‘cella media Schiersmann index’, A+B ‘Huckman number’. Brain atrophy associated with aging is a continuously advancing process, affecting centenarians even more than people before the “magic” threshold of 100 years.
The Relationship between Childhood Maltreatment and Risky Sexual Behaviors: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wang Zi-Yu , Hu Ming , Yu Tao-Lin , Yang Jun
Published: September 2019

Childhood maltreatment is associated with risky sexual behaviors (RSBs). Previous systematic reviews and meta-analysis focused only on the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and RSBs, thus the association between childhood maltreatment and RSBs has yet to be systematically and quantitatively reviewed. We aimed to provide a systematic meta-analysis exploring the effect of childhood maltreatment and its subtypes on subsequent RSBs in adolescence and adulthood. PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, Medline were searched for qualified articles up to April 2019. We calculated the pooled risk estimates using either the random-effect model or fixed-effect model. The potential heterogeneity moderators were identified by subgroup and sensitivity analysis. Overall, childhood maltreatment was significantly associated with an early sexual debut (odds ratio (OR) = 2.22; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.64–3.00), multiple sexual partners (OR = 2.22; 95% CI: 1.78–2.76), transactional sex (OR = 3.05; 95% CI: 1.92–4.86) and unprotected sex (OR = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.22-2.09). Additionally, different types of childhood maltreatment were also significantly associated with higher risk of RSBs. Relevant heterogeneity moderators have been identified by subgroup analysis. Sensitivity analysis yielded consistent results. Childhood maltreatment is significantly associated with risky sexual behaviors. The current meta-analysis indicates it is vital to protect children from any types of maltreatment and provide health education and support for maltreated individuals.