bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CMD: A Multichannel Coordination Scheme for Emergency Message Dissemination in IEEE 1609.4
Authors: Steven Eyobu Odongo , Joo Jhihoon , Han Dong Seog
Published: November 2018

The IEEE 1609.4 legacy standard for multichannel communications in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs), specifies that the control channel (CCH) is dedicated to broadcast safety messages, while the service channels (SCHs) are dedicated to transmit infotainment service content. However, the SCHs can be used as an alternative to transmit high priority safety messages in the event that they are invoked during the service channel interval (SCHI). This implies that there is a need to transmit safety messages across multiple available utilized channels to ensure that all vehicles receive the safety message. Transmission across multiple SCHs using the legacy IEEE 1609.4 requires multiple channel switching and therefore introduces further end-to-end delays. Given that safety messaging is a life critical application, it is important that optimal end-to-end delay performance is derived in multichannel VANET scenarios to ensure reliable safety message dissemination. To tackle this challenge, three primary contributions are in this article: first, a cooperative multichannel coordinator (CMD) selection approach based on the least average separation distance (LAD) to the vehicles that expect to tune to other SCHs and operates during the control channel interval (CCHI) is proposed. Second, a model to determine the optimal time intervals in which CMD operates during the CCHI is proposed. Third, a contention back-off mechanism for safety message transmission during the SCHI is proposed. Computer simulations and mathematical analysis show that CMD performs better than the legacy IEEE 1609.4 and a selected state-of-the-art multichannel message dissemination scheme in terms of end-to-end delay and packet reception ratio.
GALAD Score for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Detection in Comparison with Liver Ultrasound and Proposal of GALADUS Score
Authors: Yang Ju Dong , Addissie Benyam D. , Mara Kristin C. , Harmsen William S. , Dai Jianliang , Zhang Ning , Wongjarupong Nicha , Ali Hawa M. , Ali Hamdi A. , Hassan Fatima A. , Lavu Sravanthi , Cvinar Jessica L. , Giama Nasra H. , Moser Catherine D. , Miyabe Katsuyuki , Allotey Loretta K. , Algeciras-Schimnich Alicia , Theobald J. Paul , Ward Melissa M. , Nguyen Mindie H. , Befeler Alex S. , Reddy K. Rajender , Schwartz Myron , Harnois Denise M. , Yamada Hiroyuki , Srivastava Sudhir , Rinaudo Jo Ann , Gores Gregory J. , Feng Ziding , Marrero Jorge A. , Roberts Lewis R.
Published: November 2018

Background:

The GALAD score is a serum biomarker–based model that predicts the probability of having hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic liver disease. We aimed to assess the performance of the GALAD score in comparison with liver ultrasound for detection of HCC.

Methods:

A single-center cohort of 111 HCC patients and 180 controls with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis B and a multicenter cohort of 233 early HCC and 412 cirrhosis patients from the Early Detection Research Network (EDRN) phase II HCC Study were analyzed.

Results:

The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the GALAD score for HCC detection was 0.95 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.93–97], which was higher than the AUC of ultrasound (0.82, P <0.01). At a cutoff of −0.76, the GALAD score had a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 85% for HCC detection. The AUC of the GALAD score for early-stage HCC detection remained high at 0.92 (95% CI, 0.88–0.96; cutoff −1.18, sensitivity 92%, specificity 79%). The AUC of the GALAD score for HCC detection was 0.88 (95% CI, 0.85–0.91) in the EDRN cohort. The combination of GALAD and ultrasound (GALADUS score) further improved the performance of the GALAD score in the single-center cohort, achieving an AUC of 0.98 (95% CI, 0.96–0.99; cutoff −0.18, sensitivity 95%, specificity 91%).

Conclusions:

The performance of the GALAD score was superior to ultrasound for HCC detection. The GALADUS score further enhanced the performance of the GALAD score.

Impact:

The GALAD score was validated in the United States.
Phototoxic Reaction Induced by Pazopanib
Authors: Udompanich Siriorn , Chanprapaph Kumutnart , Rajatanavin Natta
Published: November 2018

Multikinase inhibitors (MKIs) are a novel target therapy that offers promising long-term survival for patients with advanced-stage cancer. However, they cause a wide range of adverse reactions, skin and skin appendage being the most prevalent. Photosensitivity reactions are well-recognized effects from certain MKIs such as sunitinib and vandetanib. However, phototoxic reaction induced by pazopanib has never been reported. We present here the first case of pazopanib-induced phototoxic drug reaction in a patient with renal cell carcinoma.
Physical Activity, Physical Function, and Quadriceps Muscle Thickness in Male Patients with Sub-Acute Stroke during Hospitalization: A Pilot Study
Authors: Nozoe Masafumi , Kubo Hiroki , Furuichi Asami , Kanai Masashi , Yamamoto Miho , Kobayashi Miki , Shimada Shinichi , Mase Kyoshi
Published: November 2018

Increasing physical activity (PA) is an important rehabilitation target for patients with sub-acute stroke during hospitalization in order to recover physical function and prevent stroke recurrence. However, the characteristics of low PA in stroke patients during hospitalization who were targets for increased intervention have not been reported. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the daily number of steps and physical function and quadriceps muscle thickness (QMT) in patients with sub-acute stroke during hospitalization for convalescence rehabilitation. Twenty-nine patients with ischemic or haemorrhagic stroke (mean age, 69 ± 11 years) hospitalized for inpatient convalescent rehabilitation were included. PA was measured using a three-dimensional accelerometer that calculates the daily number of steps taken. Physical function was measured by a short physical performance battery (SPPB; 0–12 points) and the leg motor selectivity score (6 motor stages defined by Brunnstrom), and the QMT of both legs was measured using ultrasonography. PA was significantly correlated with the SPPB score (r = 0.63, p = 0.0002), QMT on the paretic side (r = 0.41, p = 0.02), and QMT on non-paretic side (r = 0.56, p = 0.002). There were no significant effects of the leg motor selectivity score on daily PA (F = 1.37, p = 0.27). In the multiple regression analysis, only the SPPB score showed significant linear regression (β = 0.44, p = 0.02). PA in male patients with sub-acute stroke during hospitalization was related to physical function and QMT and not with the severity of paresis.
The Designer Antimicrobial Peptide A-hBD-2 Facilitates Skin Wound Healing by Stimulating Keratinocyte Migration and Proliferation
Authors: Mi Bobin , Liu Jing , Liu Yi , Hu Liangcong , Liu Yukun , Panayi Adriana C. , Zhou Wu , Liu Guohui 
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Antimicrobial peptides are effective promoters of wound healing but are susceptible to degradation. In this study, we replaced the GIGDP unit on the N-terminal of the endogenous human antimicrobial peptide hBD-2 with APKAM to produce A-hBD-2 and analyzed the effect on wound healing both in vitro and in vivo. Methods: The effects of A-hBD-2 and hBD-2 on cytotoxicity and proliferation in keratinocytes were assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. The structural stability and antimicrobial activity of hBD-2 and A-hBD-2 were evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus. RNA and proteins levels were evaluated by real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively. Cell migration was evaluated using a transwell assay. Cell cycle analysis was performed by flow cytometry. Wound healing was assessed in Sprague-Dawley rats. Epidermal thickness was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results: We found that hBD-2 exhibited cytotoxicity at high concentrations and decreased the structural stability in the presence of high sodium chloride concentrations. A-hBD-2 exhibited increased structural stability and antimicrobial activity, and had lower cytotoxicity in keratinocytes. A-hBD-2 increased the migration and proliferation of keratinocytes via phosphorylation of EGFR and STAT3 and suppressed terminal differentiation of keratinocytes. We also found that A-hBD-2 elicited mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ and stimulated keratinocytes to produce pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines via phospholipase C activation. Furthermore, A-hBD-2 promoted wound healing in vivo. Conclusion: Our data suggest that A-hBD-2 may be a promising candidate therapy for wound healing.
Curcumin Protects an SH-SY5Y Cell Model of Parkinson’s Disease Against Toxic Injury by Regulating HSP90
Authors: Sang Qiuling , Liu Xiaoyang , Wang Libo , Qi Ling , Sun Wenping , Wang Weiyao , Sun Yajuan  , Zhang Haina
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: We aimed to explore the protective role of curcumin (Cur) in a cell model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and its underlying mechanism. Methods: In this study, genes concerned with PD-related keywords were screened within DiGSeE database. The association network between Cur and selected genes was downloaded from STITCH, with the interactions analyzed by STRING. We built a mitochondrial toxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+)-induced SH-SY5Y cell model of PD. Cell morphology was observed under an electron microscope. MTT assay was applied to detect cell proliferation rate. Western blot assay was conducted to determine the level of apoptotic markers, including cleaved caspase 3, Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and B-cell lymphoma-extra-large (Bcl-xl). Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine transporter (DAT) protein levels and dopamine (DA) concentration were identified as dopaminergic neuron markers and measured by western blotting or Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Cur rescued the toxicity effects of MPP+ on SH-SY5Y cells, by controlling morphological change, promoting cell proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis. Of all PD-related genes, HSP90 played an important role in Cur-gene network. HSP90 protein level was elevated by MPP+, whereas Cur could reverse this effect. Silencing of HSP90 significantly attenuated the curative effect introduced by Cur, while HSP90 overexpression enhanced the impact of Cur on PD. Conclusion: Cur can effectively inhibit the toxic effect of MPP+ on SH-SY5Y cells and significantly reduce the adverse effects of MPP+ on dopaminergic neurons via up-regulation of HSP90.
Cardinal Numbers: Changing Patterns of Malaria and Mortality in Rome, 494–1850
Authors: Reilly Benjamin
Published: November 2018

The use of demographic data about cardinal mortality drawn from Salvador Miranda’s “Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church” archive confirms and quantifies the greater vulnerability of northern Europeans to Rome’s malarial fevers relative to their Roman counterparts. Non-Italian visitors to Rome suffered about three times the rate of malaria deaths as did Italians and Greeks, who had acquired various defenses against malaria. Northern Italians were far less susceptible than expected to Rome’s malarial fevers, however, whereas Iberian visitors to Rome were far more so. The eventual decline of malaria in Rome was not so much a function of climate change as of Rome’s steady post-1600 population growth.
Land Use and the Human Impact on the Environment in Medieval Italy
Authors: Schoolman Edward M. , Mensing Scott , Piovesan Gianluca
Published: November 2018

Modern narratives about changes in the Italian landscape during the early Middle Ages have often been based on assumptions about changing demography; the loss and replacement of complex Roman economic, political and agricultural systems; and broader changes in climate. Using fossil pollen taken from lake cores in the Rieti basin to reconstruct local ecological conditions, close examinations of two discreet periods offer new insights into the changes from small-scale agriculture to silvo-pastoralism that began during the late sixth and early seventh centuries. The deforestation of the ninth century, accompanied by an increase in cultivation, was the result of a long-term accumulation of territory under monastic control. The fact that these changes in the landscape run counter to the prevailing climatic conditions underscores the success of human management of the environment.
Dual Neural Network Method for Solving Multiple Definite Integrals
Authors: Li Haibin , Li Yangtian , Li Shangjie
Published: November 2018

This study, which examines a calculation method on the basis of a dual neural network for solving multiple definite integrals, addresses the problems of inefficiency, inaccuracy, and difficulty in finding solutions. First, the method offers a dual neural network method to construct a primitive function of the integral problem; it can approximate the primitive function of any given integrand with any precision. On this basis, a neural network calculation method that can solve multiple definite integrals whose upper and lower bounds are arbitrarily given is obtained with repeated applications of the dual neural network to construction of the primitive function. Example simulations indicate that compared with traditional methods, the proposed algorithm is more efficient and precise in obtaining solutions for multiple integrals with unknown integrand, except for the finite input-output data points. The advantages of the proposed method include the following: (1) integral multiplicity shows no influence and restriction on the employment of the method; (2) only a finite set of known sample points is required without the need to know the exact analytical expression of the integrand; and (3) high calculation accuracy is obtained for multiple definite integrals whose integrand is expressed by sample data points.
Decoding of Neural Data Using Cohomological Feature Extraction
Authors: Rybakken Erik , Baas Nils , Dunn Benjamin
Published: November 2018

We introduce a novel data-driven approach to discover and decode features in the neural code coming from large population neural recordings with minimal assumptions, using cohomological feature extraction. We apply our approach to neural recordings of mice moving freely in a box, where we find a circular feature. We then observe that the decoded value corresponds well to the head direction of the mouse. Thus, we capture head direction cells and decode the head direction from the neural population activity without having to process the mouse's behavior. Interestingly, the decoded values convey more information about the neural activity than the tracked head direction does, with differences that have some spatial organization. Finally, we note that the residual population activity, after the head direction has been accounted for, retains some low-dimensional structure that is correlated with the speed of the mouse.
Fixed Points of Competitive Threshold-Linear Networks
Authors: Curto Carina , Geneson Jesse , Morrison Katherine
Published: November 2018

Threshold-linear networks (TLNs) are models of neural networks that consist of simple, perceptron-like neurons and exhibit nonlinear dynamics determined by the network's connectivity. The fixed points of a TLN, including both stable and unstable equilibria, play a critical role in shaping its emergent dynamics. In this work, we provide two novel characterizations for the set of fixed points of a competitive TLN: the first is in terms of a simple sign condition, while the second relies on the concept of domination. We apply these results to a special family of TLNs, called combinatorial threshold-linear networks (CTLNs), whose connectivity matrices are defined from directed graphs. This leads us to prove a series of graph rules that enable one to determine fixed points of a CTLN by analyzing the underlying graph. In addition, we study larger networks composed of smaller building block subnetworks and prove several theorems relating the fixed points of the full network to those of its components. Our results provide the foundation for a kind of graphical calculus to infer features of the dynamics from a network's connectivity.
Taraxacum mariae, a new species of T. section Palustria (Asteraceae) from Poland
Authors: MARCINIUK JOLANTA , MARCINIUK PAWEŁ , MUSIAŁ KRYSTYNA
Published: November 2018

Taraxacum mariae J. Marciniuk & P. Marciniuk is a new triploid species of T. sect. Palustria. In terms of morphology it is closest to the group of T. brandenburgicum and T. bibulum. In the presented paper, the description of the new species, its distribution, diagnostic characters and habitat requirements are provided.
Utricularia biceps (Lentibulariaceae), a new carnivorous species endemic to the campos rupestres of Brazil
Authors: GONELLA PAULO MINATEL , BALEEIRO PAULO CÉSAR
Published: November 2018

Utricularia biceps (Lentibulariaceae), a new species belonging to U. sect. Foliosa, is here described and illustrated. This new species is endemic to the campos rupestres of eastern Brazil, an extremely biodiverse and endangered vegetation. Notes on phenology, ecology, habitat, and conservation are provided, along with a discussion on the features that distinguish this species from the other taxa of the genus. The recent discovery of this and many other new species in the Botumirim region, in northern Minas Gerais, highlight this area as a priority for biodiversity conservation and emphasize the importance of extensive studies on the flora of the region.
Steudnera hoanglienica (Colocasieae—Araceae), a new species from northern Vietnam
Authors: DU NGUYEN VAN , QUANG BUI HONG , TIEN TRAN VAN , BOGNER JOSEF
Published: November 2018

Steudnera hoanglienica is described as a new species from Lai Chau province of Vietnam. The characters of the new species are compared with the three known closely related species in Indochina.
A systematic review of the genus Parapsectra Reiss (Diptera: Chironomidae: Tanytarsini) with description of a new species from Poland
Authors: GIŁKA WOJCIECH , JAŻDŻEWSKA NATALIA
Published: November 2018

Adult males of the genus Parapsectra Reiss are diagnosed, illustrated in detail and keyed. Parapsectra bumasta sp. n., collected from Pomerania (N Poland) is described and compared with two similar species: P. chionophila (Edwards) and P. nana (Meigen). Systematic relationships between the species included in Parapsectra and close genera are discussed. Data on biology of Parapsectra from new European sites are provided.
The genus Phthinia Winnertz (Diptera, Mycetophilidae) in the Neotropical region, with the first records from Brazil
Authors: OLIVEIRA SARAH SIQUEIRA , DE SOUZA AMORIM DALTON
Published: November 2018

Three Neotropical species of Phthinia Winnertz have been described to date. The genus is known from Chile and southern Argentina. Four new species are herein described for the genus in the region, two from Brazil—Phthinia theresae, sp.n., from the State of Espírito Santo, and Phithinia urubici, sp.n., from the State of Santa Catarina—and two from Chile—Phthinia freemani, sp.n., and Phthinia parafurcata, sp.n. Comments are made about the relationships between the Neotropical species. Some notes are added about P. furcata Freeman, P. flagellata Freeman, and P. fasciata Freeman, from Chile and southern Argentina. Attention is called for the fact that Phthinia has two species in Brazil disjunct from the other temperate species of the genus in South America, differently from most similar cases, that have a single known representative in Brazil.
Synopsis of the genus Paraleuctra (Plecoptera: Leuctridae) from China
Authors: LI WEIHAI , WANG YUNBING , YANG DING
Published: November 2018

A species of the family Leuctridae, Paraleuctra tianmushana sp. nov., is described from Zhejiang and Henan, China. Its relationship with closely related species is discussed and a key to Chinese species of Paraleuctra is presented.
Review of the Australian genus Desudaboides Musgrave with descriptions of four new species (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Fulgoridae)
Authors: CONSTANT JEROME
Published: November 2018

Four new species of Desudaboides Musgrave, 1927, e.g. D. fletcheri n. sp., D. melindae n. sp., D. nigrifrons n. sp. and D. rentzi n. sp. are described from Australia. A key to the species, distribution maps and colour illustrations of the five species of Desudaboides are given. Male genitalia are illustrated for D. fuscomaculata Musgrave, 1927, D. melindae and D. nigrifrons.
Five new species of Axiidae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Axiidea) from deep-water off Taiwan, with description of a new genus
Authors: KOMAI TOMOYUKI , LIN FENG-JIAU , CHAN TIN-YAM
Published: November 2018

One new genus and five new species of axiid burrowing shrimps are described from deep-waters around Taiwan: Formosaxius dorsum n. gen., n. sp.; Ambiaxius propinquus n. sp., Calastacus formosus n. sp.; Eiconaxius rubrirostris n. sp. and E. kensleyi n. sp. The new genus, Formosaxius, appears closest to Bouvieraxius Sakai & de Saint Laurent, 1989 in the arrangement and armature of the gastric carinae on the carapace and the possession of pleurobranchs, but the presence of appendices internae on the third to fifth pleopods readily separates the new genus from Bouvieraxius. Affinities of the other four new species are also discussed. This study raises the number of species of Axiidae known from Taiwan to 13.
New records of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from Malaysia, with descriptions of three new species
Authors: PESIC VLADIMIR , SMIT HARRY
Published: November 2018

New records of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from Malaysia are presented. Three species new to science, Torrenticola haliki, Monatractides cameronensis and Atractides cameronensis are described; first records are given for Monatractides parviventris (K. Viets, 1935) and M. roseus (Lundblad, 1941).
Taxonomic and bionomic notes on Agriosphodrus dohrni (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Harpactorinae)
Authors: LUO XINYU , ZHOU DAKANG , LI HU , CHENG WEI , CAI WANZHI
Published: November 2018

Agriosphodrus dohrni is redescribed. The male genitalia is described and illustrated for the first time. Some biological characters of this reduviid, such as the predatory behavior, mating, oviposition, hatching, molting, emergence, colonization, and cannibalism, are noted.
Taxonomic status of Nimbocera Reiss, 1972, a junior synonym of Tanytarsus van der Wulp, 1874 (Diptera: Chironomidae)
Authors: SANSEVERINO ANGELA M. , TRIVINHO-STRIXINO SUSANA , NESSIMIAN JORGE L.
Published: November 2018

In the past, the Nearctic Tanytarsus limneticus Sublette, 1964, as well as the Neotropical T. rhabdomantis (TrivinhoStrixino & Strixino, 1991) and Caladomyia ortoni Säwedal, 1981 were erroneously placed in Nimbocera Reiss, 1972 due to the annulated Lauterborn organ pedicels of the larvae, a feature first thought to be unique to this genus. In the present paper, the systematic position of T. limneticus, T. patagonicus and T. rhabdomantis is discussed in detail. Complete morphological diagnoses of the adult males, pupae and larvae of T. patagonicus and T. limneticus are given, in addition to descriptions and drawings of the adult males and pupae of both species. As a result, Nimbocera patagonica Reiss, 1972, recorded from southern Chile and Argentina, is transferred to the genus Tanytarsus van der Wulp, 1874. The monotypic genus Nimbocera becomes a junior subjective synonym of Tanytarsus.
Neolithodes flindersi, a new species of king crab from southeastern Australia (Crustacea: Decapoda: Lithodidae)
Authors: AHYONG SHANE T.
Published: November 2018

A new species of king crab (Lithodidae) is described from southeastern Australia, Neolithodes flindersi sp. nov. It is the twelfth known species of Neolithodes, the first to be described and the largest lithodid known from Australia. Neolithodes flindersi sp. nov. most closely resembles N. brodiei Dawson & Yaldwyn, 1970, from New Zealand and N. nipponensis Sakai, 1971, from Japan and Taiwan. The new species differs from N. nipponensis chiefly in being less prominently spinose: the secondary spines covering the surfaces of the walking legs are distinctly shorter, and the antennal peduncle is only sparsely granulate or spinulate, rather than prominently spinulate. Neolithodes flindersi sp. nov. is most easily distinguished from N. brodiei by patterns of spination: the ventral surfaces of the coxae of the walking legs in males and juvenile female N. flindersi sp. nov. are covered in short conical spines, rather than low, blunt tubercles as in N. brodiei, and the meral extensor spines of the walking legs are of similar size rather than markedly uneven. Two specimens of N. flindersi sp. nov. were collected on gorgonacean corals, representing the first records of a gorgonaceanlithodid association.
New species of Osmylus Latreille from Henan, China (Neuroptera: Osmylidae)
Authors: WANG YONGJIE , LIU ZHIQI
Published: November 2018

Four new species of Osmylus Latreille are described from China: Osmylus biangulus sp. nov., O. lucalatus sp. nov., O. bipapillatus sp. nov. and O. pachycaudatus sp. nov. Parosmylus elegantissimus (Kozhanchikov, 1951) comb. nov. is transferred is transferred from Osmylus. A key is given to differentiate species of Osmylus in China.
A review of the Australian genera of the planthopper family Issidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) with description of an unusual new species of Chlamydopteryx Kirkaldy
Authors: GNEZDILOV VLADIMIR M. , FLETCHER MURRAY J.
Published: November 2018

A new species of the planthopper family Issidae, with a feature which appears to mimic small salticid spiders, is described as Chlamydopteryx mammoides sp. nov., from Queensland, Australia. Phaeopteryx Kirkaldy, 1907 is placed in synonymy under Chlamydopteryx Kirkaldy, 1907, creating the new combination Chlamydopteryx sidnicus (Kirkaldy). Tetrica scapularis Jacobi, 1928 is transferred to the genus Orinda Kirkaldy as Orinda scapularis comb. nov. and Orinda bimaculifrons Jacobi, 1928 to the genus Chlamydopteryx as Chlamydopteryx bimaculifrons comb. nov. Some new records for Australian Issidae are given. A key to the described Australian issid genera is given, along with a checklist of described species.
Redescription of Garra turcica from southern Anatolia (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)
Authors: BAYÇELEBİ ESRA , KAYA CÜNEYT , TURAN DAVUT , ERGÜDEN SİBEL ALAGÖZ , FREYHOF JÖRG
Published: November 2018

Garra turcica, from the rivers Kızıl, Seyhan, Ceyhan and Arsuz, is re-diagnosed and re-described. The species was treated as a synonym of G. rufa but molecular data strongly suggest that G. turcica represent an own species. It is distinguished from G. rufa by being more slender bodied, having a blunt snout and usually a short rostral cap. Based on COI sequence data, G. turcica is closely related to a group of species from the Persian Gulf basin, all having very small distribution areas nested in or adjacent to the range of G. rufa. The closest relatives of G. turcica are G. elegans, G. mondica and G. amirhosseini from which G. turcica differs by having a free posterior edge of the mental disc, the predorsal back covered by scales and the scales on the chest about as large as on the belly as well as by a minimum K2P distance of 2.2% in its COI barcode region.
Saltzman’s Model. Part I: Complete Characterization of Solution Properties
Authors: Lakshmivarahan S. , Lewis John M. , Hu Junjun
Published: November 2018

In Saltzman’s seminal paper from 1962, the author developed a framework based on the spectral method for the analysis of the solution to the classical Rayleigh–Bénard convection problem using low-order models (LOMs), LOM (n) with n ≤ 52. By way of illustrating the power of these models, he singled out an LOM (7) and presented a very preliminary account of its numerical solution starting from one initial condition and for two values of the Rayleigh number, λ = 2 and 5. This paper provides a complete mathematical characterization of the solution of this LOM (7), herein called the Saltzman LOM (7) [S-LOM (7)]. Historically, Saltzman’s examination of the numerical solution of this low-order model contained two salient characteristics: 1) the periodic solution (in the physical 3D space and time) that expand on Rayleigh’s classical study and 2) a nonperiodic solution (in the temporal space dealing with the evolution of Fourier amplitude) that served Lorenz in his fundamental study of chaos in the early 1960s. Interestingly, the presence of this nonperiodic solution was left unmentioned in Saltzman’s study in 1962 but explained in detail in Lorenz’s scientific biography in 1993. Both of these fundamental aspects of Saltzman’s study are fully explored in this paper and bring a sense of completeness to the work.
Tropopause Evolution in a Rapidly Intensifying Tropical Cyclone: A Static Stability Budget Analysis in an Idealized Axisymmetric Framework
Authors: Duran Patrick , Molinari John
Published: November 2018

Upper-level static stability (N2) variations can influence the evolution of the transverse circulation and potential vorticity in intensifying tropical cyclones (TCs). This paper examines these variations during the rapid intensification (RI) of a simulated TC. Over the eye, N2 near the tropopause decreases and the cold-point tropopause rises by up to 4 km at the storm center. Outside of the eye, N2 increases considerably just above the cold-point tropopause and the tropopause remains near its initial level. A budget analysis reveals that the advection terms, which include differential advection of potential temperature θ and direct advection of N2, are important throughout the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. These terms are particularly pronounced within the eye, where they destabilize the layer near and above the cold-point tropopause. Outside of the eye, a radial–vertical circulation develops during RI, with strong outflow below the tropopause and weak inflow above. Differential advection of θ near the outflow jet provides forcing for stabilization below the outflow maximum and destabilization above. Turbulence induced by vertical wind shear on the flanks of the outflow maximum also modifies the vertical stability profile. Meanwhile, radiative cooling tendencies at the top of the cirrus canopy generally act to destabilize the upper troposphere and stabilize the lower stratosphere. The results suggest that turbulence and radiation, alongside differential advection, play fundamental roles in the upper-level N2 evolution of TCs. These N2 tendencies could have implications for both the TC diurnal cycle and the tropopause-layer potential vorticity evolution in TCs.
New Statistical Methods for Precipitation Bias Correction Applied to WRF Model Simulations in the Antisana Region, Ecuador
Authors: Heredia María Belén , Junquas Clémentine , Prieur Clémentine , Condom Thomas
Published: November 2018

The Ecuadorian Andes are characterized by a complex spatiotemporal variability of precipitation. Global circulation models do not have sufficient horizontal resolution to realistically simulate the complex Andean climate and in situ meteorological data are sparse; thus, a high-resolution gridded precipitation product is needed for hydrological purposes. The region of interest is situated in the center of Ecuador and covers three climatic influences: the Amazon basin, the Andes, and the Pacific coast. Therefore, regional climate models are essential tools to simulate the local climate with high spatiotemporal resolution; this study is based on simulations from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model. The WRF Model is able to reproduce a realistic precipitation variability in terms of the diurnal cycle and seasonal cycle compared to observations and satellite products; however, it generated some nonnegligible bias in the region of interest. We propose two new methods for precipitation bias correction of the WRF precipitation simulations based on in situ observations. One method consists of modeling the precipitation bias with a Gaussian process metamodel. The other method is a spatial adaptation of the cumulative distribution function transform approach, called CDF-t, based on Voronoï diagrams. The methods are compared in terms of precipitation occurrence and intensity criteria using a cross-validation leave-one-out framework. In terms of both criteria, the Gaussian process metamodel approach yields better results. However, in the upper parts of the Andes (>2000 m), the spatial CDF-t method seems to better preserve the spatial WRF physical patterns.
Spread and Skill in Mixed- and Single-Physics Convection-Allowing Ensembles
Authors: Loken Eric D. , Clark Adam J. , Xue Ming , Kong Fanyou
Published: November 2018

Spread and skill of mixed- and single-physics convection-allowing ensemble forecasts that share the same set of perturbed initial and lateral boundary conditions are investigated at a variety of spatial scales. Forecast spread is assessed for 2-m temperature, 2-m dewpoint, 500-hPa geopotential height, and hourly accumulated precipitation both before and after a bias-correction procedure is applied. Time series indicate that the mixed-physics ensemble forecasts generally have greater variance than comparable single-physics forecasts. While the differences tend to be small, they are greatest at the smallest spatial scales and when the ensembles are not calibrated for bias. Although differences between the mixed- and single-physics ensemble variances are smaller for the larger spatial scales, variance ratios suggest that the mixed-physics ensemble generates more spread relative to the single-physics ensemble at larger spatial scales. Forecast skill is evaluated for 2-m temperature, dewpoint temperature, and bias-corrected 6-h accumulated precipitation. The mixed-physics ensemble generally has lower 2-m temperature and dewpoint root-mean-square error (RMSE) compared to the single-physics ensemble. However, little difference in skill or reliability is found between the mixed- and single-physics bias-corrected precipitation forecasts. Overall, given that mixed- and single-physics ensembles have similar spread and skill, developers may prefer to implement single- as opposed to mixed-physics convection-allowing ensembles in future operational systems, while accounting for model error using stochastic methods.
Artificial Intelligence as a Growth Engine for Health Care Startups: Emerging Business Models
Authors: Garbuio Massimo , Lin Nidthida
Published: November 2018

The future of health care may change dramatically as entrepreneurs offer solutions that change how we prevent, diagnose, and cure health conditions, using artificial intelligence (AI). This article provides a timely and critical analysis of AI-driven health care startups and identifies emerging business model archetypes that entrepreneurs from around the world are using to bring AI solutions to the marketplace. It identifies areas of value creation for the application of AI in health care and proposes an approach to designing business models for AI health care startups.
Effects of Drug Concentration, Rate of Infusion, and Flush Volume on G-CSF Drug Loss When Administered Intravenously
Authors: Saelue Pirun , Sripakdee Warunsuda , Suknuntha Krit
Published: November 2018

Purpose: This study evaluated factors that affect granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) adsorption in the infusion tube by measuring the G-CSF concentration, rate of G-CSF infusion, and volume of flush solution. Methods: The concentrations of G-CSF in all samples were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using human G-CSF Quantikine® ELISA kits. The concentration of G-CSF, the rate of administration, and the volume of flush solution were studied respectively. The concentration of G-CSF and the rate of administration that had a significantly lower G-CSF percent recovery after the infusion via the infusion set were used for further investigation in the study. All samples were diluted with 5% dextrose in water (D5W) to the final concentration within the standard concentration range. All experiments were performed in triplicate. Results: The concentration of G-CSF that was administered through the infusion tube at 20 µg/mL was a significantly higher G-CSF percent recovery compared with the G-CSF concentrations of 5, 10, and 15 µg/mL. The infusion rate of 15 and 20 mL/h percent recovery of G-CSF adsorption was significantly higher than the infusion rates of 30 and 40 mL/h. The concentration of G-CSF at 15 µg/mL and an infusion rate of 30 mL/h were selected to investigate the flush volumes of D5W on G-CSF adsorption. The D5W flush volume of 40 mL dramatically decreased the G-CSF adsorption with a recovery of 103 ± 1.73%. Conclusion: The G-CSF concentration of 20 µg/mL with an infusion rate of 20 mL/h, using a 40 mL D5W flush, was appropriate for intravenous G-CSF administration.
A novel discrete method of shear angle measurement for in-plane shear properties of thermoset prepreg using a point-tracking algorithm
Authors: Pasco Corentin , Khan Muhammad , Kendall Kenneth
Published: November 2018

Determining accurate in-plane shear properties of dry and prepreg fabrics is dependent upon the correct measurement of actual shear angle values. This paper presents a novel discrete method of shear angle measurement for in-plane shear properties of thermoset prepreg using a point-tracking algorithm. Two different reinforcement forms of woven and unidirectional with the same rapid-cure resin system are used in this study. In-plane shear tests of picture-frame and bias-extension are employed to evaluate the new discrete method under conditions representative of high-volume manufacturing, i.e. fast deformation rate and elevated temperature. This study demonstrates that the proposed discrete method is capable of measuring the shear angle correctly until large shear deformation, unlike traditional methods such as digital image correlation and the pin-jointed network approach. Furthermore, the normalised shear force data presents a better correlation of the two tests based on the actual shear angle measurement obtained from this novel discrete method.
Spillover Effects of Mission Activities on Revenues in Nonprofit Health Care: The Case of Aravind Eye Hospitals, India
Authors: Gupta Sachin , Palsule-Desai Omkar D. , Gnanasekaran C. , Ravilla Thulasiraj
Published: November 2018

Nonprofit health care organizations in low- and middle-income countries often pursue a cross-subsidization business model wherein services are offered to poor patients for free through surpluses generated by serving some patients at market prices. This approach allows such organizations to fulfill their mission-oriented and revenue-generation goals. Conventional wisdom holds that mission activities need financial subsidies from revenue-generating activities. The authors examine this dependence in the context of Aravind Eye Hospitals, which delivers eye care services in India. They measure whether the marketing activities (outreach camps) of Aravind that are targeted only to poor patients produce the spillover benefit of attracting paying patients to its hospitals. Using nine years of patient-level historical data, the authors find that camps increase the flow of paying patients. These effects are comparable to the camps acting as advertising for Aravind. Using model estimates, the authors compute the incremental revenue accruing to Aravind from a camp and find that it exceeds the incremental cost of a camp. The findings challenge conventional beliefs about the subsidies required by mission activities.
Psychometric Properties of the Expanded Version of the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in a Turkish Population
Authors: Irak Metehan , Albayrak Ece Oral
Published: November 2018

The study examined psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms-II (IDAS-II) in a Turkish sample. The sample consisted of nonclinical ( N = 931) and clinical ( N = 208) individuals. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that Turkish IDAS-II was similar to the original IDAS-II and supported the construct validity of the test. The Turkish IDAS-II showed good internal consistency, significant acceptable retest correlations, and was sensitive to changes over time. The Turkish IDAS-II also showed good convergent and discriminant validity in relation to the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Mood Disorder Questionnaire, the Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Inventory, the Panic Agoraphobia Scale, and the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian Version. Discriminant analyses revealed that the subscales of the Turkish IDAS-II significantly differentiated healthy controls from outpatients. The Turkish IDAS-II is a reliable and valid measure for assessing symptoms of depression and anxiety in Turkish-speaking participants.
Scheduling elective patients based on sequence-dependent setup times in an open-heart surgical department using an optimization and simulation approach
Authors: Hamid Mahdi , Hamid Mojtaba , Musavi MirMohammad , Azadeh Ali
Published: November 2018

The surgery ward is the most expensive and profitable section of a hospital. The decisions made in this section therefore produce significant effects on the overall performance of the hospital. Planning and scheduling of the surgeries in the operating rooms would obviously lead to the enhancement of the performance of the operating rooms. The setup time of the operating rooms is a very important factor in initiating next surgeries and consequently in the scheduling of elective patients. The preparation time is usually affected by the sequence of the surgeries, especially in critical and longer surgeries, such as open-heart surgeries. In this study, a two-stage procedure is applied to improve the performance of the open-heart surgical department. In the first stage, a mathematical model is proposed for planning and scheduling of the surgeries in the open-heart surgery ward, considering the sequence-dependent setup times. In the next stage, an estimation of the optimum number of intensive care unit beds is provided using the discrete event simulation method. Finally, using a real-life example, the applicability of the proposed model is demonstrated and an analysis of the effect of the recommended number of intensive care unit beds—extracted from the simulation model—on the performance of the surgical theater is performed.
Speaking Truth to Power: How Black/African Psychology Changed the Discipline of Psychology
Authors: Cokley Kevin , Garba Ramya
Published: November 2018

Black/African psychology is a distinct disciplinary field of psychology that includes a community of scholars and a history of scholarly inquiry. Black psychologists grounded in a Black/African psychology tradition have long challenged the hegemonic paradigms and racist beliefs perpetuated by Eurocentric approaches to psychology. However, in the absence of teaching about the important contributions of Black/African psychology, many individuals remain unaware of its historical and contemporary impact on the discipline of psychology. Using the three methodological approaches of deconstruction, reconstruction, and construction as a framework, the authors identify the many ways in which Black/African psychology has challenged prevailing beliefs in psychology about Black behavior and culture and forever changed psychological research on Black people.
Real-time solid flow velocity measurement based on a microwave sensor
Authors: Zou Jing , Wang Haigang , Liu Chengguo , He Daping , Wu Zhi Peng
Published: November 2018

Measurement and control of bulk solid flows become increasingly important in industries, such as large-scale production, coal transportation and food processing, although rapid and accurate velocity measurement is still a challenging task in these applications. This paper presents a new velocity measurement method based on a microwave sensor operated at 10.525 GHz and investigates the factors that affect velocity of bulk solid flows and the velocity of the solid particles in order to quantify the flow and improve the efficiency of transportation. In this method, a microwave Doppler Signal Analyser is adopted to calculate the average velocity of bulk solid flows and obtain the instantaneous velocity of a single solid flow. The influence of air friction, pipe collision and particle interactions is also analysed with experiments. The measurement results show that the average velocities of bulk solid flows range from 0.6 to 1.6 m/s, and the interaction between solids play a major effect on solid movements. The effect of pipe wall friction should also be considered. Besides, the mass flow rate and the total mass of bulk solid flow can be calculated. The mass flow rate ranges from 0 kg/s to 0.21 kg/s in the entire experiment.
Three types of biconjugate residual method for general periodic matrix equations over generalized bisymmetric periodic matrices
Authors: Hajarian Masoud
Published: November 2018

As is well known, periodic matrix equations have wide applications in many areas of control and system theory. This paper is devoted to a study of the numerical solutions of a general type of periodic matrix equations. We present three types of biconjugate residual (BCR) method to find the generalized bisymmetric periodic solutions [Formula: see text] of general periodic matrix equations

[Formula: see text]

The main theorems of this paper show that the presented methods can compute the generalized bisymmetric periodic solutions in a finite number of steps in the absence of round-off errors. We give two numerical examples to illustrate and interpret the theoretical results.
Prescribed performance-based distributed fault-tolerant cooperative control for multi-UAVs
Authors: Yu Ziquan , Zhang Youmin , Qu Yaohong
Published: November 2018

In this paper, a prescribed performance-based distributed neural adaptive fault-tolerant cooperative control (FTCC) scheme is proposed for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (multi-UAVs). A distributed sliding-mode observer (SMO) technique is first utilized to estimate the leader UAV’s reference. Then, by transforming the tracking errors of follower UAVs with respect to the estimated references into a new set, a distributed neural adaptive FTCC protocol is developed based on the combination of dynamic surface control (DSC) and minimal learning parameters of neural network (MLPNN). Moreover, auxiliary dynamic systems are exploited to deal with input saturation. Furthermore, the proposed control scheme can guarantee that all signals of the closed-loop system are bounded, and tracking errors of follower UAVs with respect to the estimated references are confined within the prescribed bounds. Finally, comparative simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed distributed neural adaptive FTCC scheme.
Characterization of 5-Fluorouracil Daily Oral Dosing versus Dietary Restriction on Femoral Growth Plates in Rats
Authors: Noguchi Chihiro , Matsue Kenta , Nakanishi Yutaka , Asanuma Fumiko , Miyata Hiroto , Sasaki Minoru
Published: November 2018

We evaluated the growth plates (GPs) of rats after a 14-day reduction in food consumption caused by either daily oral dosing with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU: a positive control reducing food consumption and affecting the GPs) or a direct reduction in food consumption to determine whether the observed changes were attributable to a direct effect of drug toxicity. Histomorphometric analyses of the femoral GP were performed for a nontreated (NT) control group, three groups treated with 5-FU (12, 15, and 18 mg/kg/day) and three groups with food intake restricted to levels corresponding to those consumed by the rats in the three 5-FU-treated groups. Compared with the NT group, the GP widths and the number of chondrocytes in the proliferative zone decreased significantly in all the 5-FU-treated groups and the dietary restriction groups. Importantly, no significant differences between the 5-FU-treated groups and the groups with matched dietary restrictions were seen for most parameters. Thus, the 14-day dietary restriction caused significant changes in the proliferative zone of the GP, and similar changes observed in the 5-FU-treated groups were presumed to result from the comparable reduction in food intake rather than being a direct toxic effect of the drug.