bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Case study
Authors: Yang Tsung-Han , Ku Cheng-Yuan , Liu Man-Nung
Published: April 2016

Purpose

– In recent years, many development projects of the medical systems encounter difficulties and eventually fail. Failure is often due to very complicated and changeable medical procedures and the inconsistent understanding between system stakeholders, especially the healthcare providers, and information technology staff. Many research results also indicate that poor communication easily results in negative consequences during the implementation of the medical information system. To effectively overcome this obstacle, the purpose of this paper is to propose an enhanced Delphi method to assist in reaching consensus during the software development with some additional steps.

Design/methodology/approach

– As an alternative to the traditional way to elicit pertinent feedback from respondents, the enhanced Delphi method stresses the systematic, flexible, and cyclic stages to construct a questionnaire with viewpoints from different types of panelists and a self-assessment procedure as a validating step to measure the improvements in the system implementation.

Findings

– The better communication between the members of project team does increase the comprehensive assessment of a project.

Originality/value

– Based on a practical case, the enhanced Delphi method really demonstrates good performance and effectiveness.
Posture labeling based gesture classification for Turkish sign language using depth values
Authors: Saykol Ediz , Türe Halit Talha , Sirvanci Ahmet Mert , Turan Mert
Published: April 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper to classify a set of Turkish sign language (TSL) gestures by posture labeling based finite-state automata (FSA) that utilize depth values in location-based features. Gesture classification/recognition is crucial not only in communicating visually impaired people but also for educational purposes. The paper also demonstrates the practical use of the techniques for TSL.

Design/methodology/approach

– Gesture classification is based on the sequence of posture labels that are assigned by location-based features, which are invariant under rotation and scale. Grid-based signing space clustering scheme is proposed to guide the feature extraction step. Gestures are then recognized by FSA that process temporally ordered posture labels.

Findings

– Gesture classification accuracies and posture labeling performance are compared to k-nearest neighbor to show that the technique provides a reasonable framework for recognition of TSL gestures. A challenging set of gestures is tested, however the technique is extendible, and extending the training set will increase the performance.

Practical implications

– The outcomes can be utilized as a system for educational purposes especially for visually impaired children. Besides, a communication system would be designed based on this framework.

Originality/value

– The posture labeling scheme, which is inspired from keyframe labeling concept of video processing, is the original part of the proposed gesture classification framework. The search space is reduced to single dimension instead of 3D signing space, which also facilitates design of recognition schemes. Grid-based clustering scheme and location-based features are also new and depth values are received from Kinect. The paper is of interest for researchers in pattern recognition and computer vision.
Numerical Simulation of Fiber Spinning Process with Structure Evolution of Polymer Chains
Authors: Zheng Hong , Zhou Chixing , Yu Wei , Zhang Hongbin
Published: April 2016

Numerical simulation of the high-speed fiber spinning process was carried out based on a two-phase microstructure model. Calculation predicts not only the variation of parameters along the spinline, but also the radially distribution of flow field variables, such as temperature, crystallinity and molecular structure. Considering the combined effects on the process such as flow-induced crystallization, viscoelasticity, filament cooling, air drag, inertia, surface tension and gravity, the simulated material flow behaviors are consistent with those observed for semi-crystalline polymer under various spinning conditions. The structural change of polymer coils in the necking region described by the evolution of conformation tensor is also investigated. Moreover, a three-dimensional (3D) simulation approach was also established to predict the complex fiber shape given the spinneret geometry under the actual processing conditions. The influences of surface tension and the take-up velocity on the final fiber shape are predicted numerically.
Relationship Between Anti-Felting Properties and Physicochemical Properties of Wool Treated with Low-Temperature Plasma
Authors: Mori Masukuni , Inagaki Norihiro
Published: April 2016

Low-temperature plasma treatment, which offers an alternative to the existing treatment using chlorine, has been drawing worldwide attention as an eco-friendly technology for the anti-felting of wool. However, the reason why that plasma-treated wool does not shrink even after repeated aqueous laundry has still not been elucidated, though a number of related papers have been published. The aim of this study is to explore the reason by analyzing the surface of Ar-plasma treat wool using FT-IR and also XPS and by examining the changes of physicochemical properties of plasma-treated wool. It is suggested that intermediate cystine oxides(i.e., -S(O)-S- and -S(O)2-S- groups generated on the wool fiber surface) have a strong affinity with water. Subsequently, cohesive force is exerted between fiber surfaces and this results in a decrease of the flexibility of the individual fiber in assembly. Therefore, any entanglements between fibers are suppressed, and the felting is controlled. This is an important anti-felting property plasma treatment provided. In addition, carboxyl and sulphonic acid groups produced on the fiber surface play some part in the felting behavior of wool probably due to an increase in the hydration of the fiber surface.
Measurement of Garment Bagging Deformation Using a 3D Laser Scanning Method
Authors: Chan Laikuen , Wong Mansang , Dong Zhenge , Hu Jinlian , Chung Siuping
Published: April 2016

Garment bagging is considered as a 3D distortion happened over cyclic movement and/or prolonged stretching of fabric materials. In this study, a laser scanning system was proposed for a 3D measurement of garment bagging and the advantages of this technique over conventional methods were revealed. A surface inspection method for garment bagging was developed; simple boundary filter, pick peaks tool, 5 point FFT smoothing and polynomial fit were applied to detect and measure the borderline of bagging deformation conditions. The 3D information of bagging shape, including bagging height, could be obtained through this technique.
Development of Phase Change Materials Treated Thermostatic Fabric by Screen Printing Method
Authors: Choi Kyeyoun , Cho Gilsoo
Published: April 2016

The objectives of this study are to examine the conditions of finishing on the cotton fabrics after synthesizing melamine formaldehyde (M/F) microcapsules containing octadecane by the interfacial polymerization method for commercial use as active sportswear. For this, a cotton fabric was coated with the mixture of microcapsules and polyurethane binder under the various conditions such as curing temperature/time and concentration by Screen Printing Method (SPM). The thermal storage/release properties, launderability, mechanical properties, and physical properties of the fabrics were evaluated. And for examining the prior adhesive method, the cotton fabric was also coated by Knife-Over-Roll (KOR). The mean diameter of synthesized microcapsules ranged 1 to 1.5 μm; the shape was spherical, and their heat of fusion/crystallization were 140.55J/g and 133.16J/g respectively. The optimum treatment temperature/time combination to obtain the best thermal storage/release properties from microcapsules treated fabrics was 110°C/1 min. The thermal storage/release properties of treated fabrics increased as microcapsules concentration increased. The thermal properties decreased after 5 times of laundering. Bending, shear rigidities, and mean deviation of surface roughness of treated fabric increased, and the coated fabrics by KOR were stiffer and harder to bend and shear than by SPM. And the treated fabrics by KOR exhibited lower air resistance and higher moisture absorption than by SPM.
Personality Factors and Dress Style Tribes of Undergraduate Students
Authors: Johnson Tricia Widner , Francis Sally K.
Published: April 2016

Consumers become members of style tribes when a specific style of dress is adopted. Personality may be one variable related to consumers' personal style of dress. Students in a fashion trend analysis course identified and described eleven style tribes on a university campus in the United States. Eight of the eleven style tribe descriptions’ were associated with designer names, brands, and/or specific retailers. The style tribe data were used to develop a questionnaire for the present study.

Data were then collected from 277 undergraduate college students who completed two questionnaires: 1) the NEO PI-R, an instrument designed to measure the five personality factors of the Five Factor Model and 2) a questionnaire with eleven style tribe descriptions.

Data were analyzed using canonical correlation. The major finding from the present study was that although personality was related to dress style, subjects reportedly adopted multiple dress styles. The findings of this investigation have theoretical implications regarding the social/psychological aspects of appearance and dress, and the marketing and retailing of appearance management products associated with designer names, brands, and/or retailers.
Studies on the Properties of Sisal Fibre/Phenol Formaldehyde Resin In-situ Composites
Authors: Lü JIAN , ZHONG JIN-BIAO , WEI CHUN
Published: April 2016

In this paper sisal fibre (SF) was pretreated by alkali, KH-550, and steam explosion. Then sisal fibre/phenol formaldehyde (SF/PF) composites were prepared through compression molding. The effects of the sisal fibre addition mode and sisal/glass (SF/GF) hybrid phenol formaldehyde composites with glass/sisal weight ratio on mechanical properties, thermal properties, water absorption properties and electrically insulating properties were studied. Meanwhile, the effects of sisal treatments were also examined. Results indicate that polymerization-filling is a novel synthesizing method and KH-550 treatment is an ideal method for the modification of SF. The SF/PF composites made by the polymerization-filling method increased by 17.61%, 7.16% and 12.25% in impact strength, bending strength and bending modulus respectively compared with using the conventional physical blending method. SF/GF/PF composites showed higher mechanical properties when SF/GF was 1/1, and thermal properties improved with the addition of GF; sisal fibre and glass fibre exhibited positive hybrid effect in water absorption properties while negative hybrid effect in insulating properties. A study of fibre-matrix interaction and fracture behavior of the fractured surfaces of the composites was also made by scanning electron micrographs.
Standards in The Visual and Linguistic Language of An Online Historic Costume Collection
Authors: Martin Kathi
Published: April 2016

In a quest to increase access to and conserve their collections many institutions are creating websites that do more than advertise the physical collection but provide images and data for selected pieces from their collection. Libraries and archives, some with digital images, are implementing the standards for metadata harvesting and image capture created to facilitate the use of the internet, beyond its use as a tool for resource discovery, to a tool for “distributed custodianship” of resources. Small museums and collections may have trouble justifying the expending of the resources to implement these standards.

This paper describes an evolutionary prototype for an archiving project for Historic Costume that is developing a process to incorporate these standards into an online searchable database for the Collection, http://digimuse.cis.drexel.edu. The evolution of the prototype includes the retrospective conversion of collection data from 3“x5” paper file card to a relational database that includes images. All aspects of standardized data structure from naming conventions, data structure, and image capture have been considered.
Antimicrobial Cellulose: Preparation and Application of 5-Methyl-5-Aminomethylhydantoin
Authors: Kou L. , Liang J. , Worley S.D. , Lee J. , Broughton R.M. , Huang T.S.
Published: April 2016

A new N-halamine precursor, 5-methyl-5-aminomethylhydantoin (AH), was synthesized. This N-halamine precursor can be coated onto cotton surfaces with the addition of the crosslinking agent butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) and rendered biocidal by exposure to halogen solutions either before or after curing the coating or material. Standard washing tests show that covalently bound AH/BTCA on the cotton swatches can survive repeated washing cycles. After 50 washing cycles, chlorinated cotton swatches had lost 98.7 % of oxidative Cl+, but after rechlorination, almost 43.5 % of Cl+ was regained. Biocidal tests indicated that the cotton swatches coated with chlorinated AH/BTCA were effective against Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram negative Escherichia coli.
Environmental, Cost and Product Issues Related to Reusable Healthcare Textiles
Authors: Zins Howard M.
Published: April 2016

The subject of reusable and disposable textiles has been reviewed for some time. This report offers some views in the matter by comparing certain critical factors of reusable and disposable healthcare textiles. Environmental, health, cost and product factors will be evaluated through an examination of the advantages and disadvantages for each product group.
Antimicrobial Acrylic Fiber
Authors: Lee Jaewoong , Broughton R.M. , Liang J. , Worley S.D. , Huang T.S.
Published: April 2016

Fibers have been produced from a blend of poly(acrylonitrile) and poly(styrene hydantoin). The fibers were extruded from a single solvent, dimethyl acetamide. The fiber properties from the blended polymers were somewhat poorer than those from the unmodified acrylic fiber, but were still acceptable. The fibers from the polymer blend could be chlorinated to produce halamines and thus rendered antimicrobial. Antimicrobial test results showed efficacy against S. aureus. The ability to regenerate the halamines (and the antimicrobial functionality) lasted through 50 home laundry washings. The chlorine absorption was shown to be proportional to the specific surface area (m2/g) of the fibers, as might be expected for hydrophobic materials which can react with aqueous reagents only on the fiber surface. Although the fibers produced here were rather larger than those typically used in clothing, the data suggest that a typical diameter fiber of the composition produced here would have a specific surface area to allow chlorine absorption approaching 0.5 %. This level of retained chlorine would certainly produce a highly satisfactory antimicrobial effect - substantially better than the experimental data shown herein.
Floquet-Based Analysis of General Responses of the Mathieu Equation
Authors: Acar Gizem , Feeny Brian F.
Published: April 2016

Solutions to the linear unforced Mathieu equation, and their stabilities, are investigated. Floquet theory shows that the solution can be written as a product between an exponential part and a periodic part at the same frequency or half the frequency of excitation. In the current work, an approach combining Floquet theory with the harmonic balance method is investigated. A Floquet solution having an exponential part with an unknown exponential argument and a periodic part consisting of a series of harmonics is assumed. Then, performing harmonic balance, frequencies of the response are found and stability of the solution is examined over a parameter set. The truncated solution is consistent with an existing infinite series solution for the undamped case. The truncated solution is then applied to the damped Mathieu equation and parametric excitation with two harmonics.
‘Because we are in an emergency situation, we are unable to meet with you’: Negotiating civic and government ‘playing spaces’ during the 2011 Christchurch Earthquake
Authors: Bourk Michael , Holland Kate , Blood Warwick
Published: April 2016

In February 2011 a severe earthquake devastated Christchurch, New Zealand and surrounding Canterbury region, killing 185 people, injuring hundreds, and severely damaging the city. One prominent disaster response, the Christchurch Recovery Map (CRM), modelled on the concept of a crisis commons, was populated by social network users drawing upon their immediate local knowledge of the disaster site. This paper draws on in-depth interviews with government officials, an IT professional involved in advising government about crises, and a key organizer of the CRM. A key aim of the interviews was to understand how these actors perceived CRM, the value they attached to it and the challenges it posed for government agencies. Our analysis identified the following interrelated themes: Information and identity control; Generalized versus localized information; Transparency and trust; and Blurring the lines of expertise. CRM provides an example of the important role volunteer, citizen-led initiatives using new technologies can play in assisting official efforts to inform communities during and after a disaster.  The government rebuffed CRM’s key organizer, Tim McNamara, when he requested a meeting to discuss government concerns about the trustworthiness of CRM information. The paper explores what can be learned for future disaster preparedness from this clash by interviewing McNamara and key government officials.
Diversity, Inclusivity, and the News: Coverage of the 2014 New Zealand General Election
Authors: Rupar Verica , Owen Thomas , Baker Sarah
Published: April 2016

Upon winning his third term as Prime Minister, John Key announced that he would lead a government for “all New Zealanders.”  This study takes this statement of inclusivity as its point of departure for an analysis of diversity issues within the 2014 General Election news coverage.  Conducting a content analysis of 575 New Zealand Herald, Morning Report, and One News at 6pm news stories from the four weeks leading up to Election Day 2014, the study examines who gets to speak in the coverage, and who and what gets spoken about.  News media provide a crucial function in democratic societies, one never so indispensable during election times.  For a cosmopolitan and diverse contemporary nation-state such as New Zealand, issues of inclusivity and representation become critical considerations for news media tasked with providing all citizens the information they require to participate in democratic governance.  This study finds that despite the initial appearance of an election out of the ordinary, dominated by scandal, surprise, and the influence of minor parties, the statistical data on the election coverage presents a picture of a traditional status quo - dominated by male, white, major party, affluent voices, in a media gaze consumed with political process over political issues.
Anti-ideological Ideology: Sean Phelan’s critique of journalism in Neoliberalism, Media and the Political
Authors: Nicholls Brett
Published: April 2016

Review Article
Normal mode solutions for seismo-acoustic propagation resulting from shear and combined wave point sources
Authors: Nealy Jennifer L. , Collis Jon M. , Frank Scott D.
Published: April 2016

Normal mode solutions to range-independent seismo-acoustic problems are benchmarked against elastic parabolic equation solutions and then used to benchmark the shear elastic parabolic equation self-starter [Frank, Odom, and Collis, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 133, 1358–1367 (2013)]. The Pekeris waveguide with an elastic seafloor is considered for a point source located in the ocean emitting compressional waves, or in the seafloor, emitting both compressional and shear waves. Accurate solutions are obtained when the source is in the seafloor, and when the source is at the interface between the fluid and elastic layers.
Phase separation of signaling molecules promotes T cell receptor signal transduction
Authors: Su Xiaolei , Ditlev Jonathon A. , Hui Enfu , Xing Wenmin , Banjade Sudeep , Okrut Julia , King David S. , Taunton Jack , Rosen Michael K. , Vale Ronald D.
Published: April 2016

Phase separation organizes signaling

In T cell receptors, signaling molecules reorganize into tiny phase-separated droplets—like oil in water. Su
et al.
used an in vitro system with artificial membranes and 12 components of the T cell receptor signaling system to closely monitor the role of these molecular clusters (see the Perspective by Dustin and Muller). The clusters formed through phosphorylation-dependent association of the linker protein LAT (linker for activation of T cells) with other proteins. These clusters also managed to exclude an inactivating phosphatase and increased the specific activity of enzymes controlling actin polymerization.

Science
, this issue p.
595
; see also p.
516
On-chip noninterference angular momentum multiplexing of broadband light
Authors: Ren Haoran , Li Xiangping , Zhang Qiming , Gu Min
Published: April 2016

A twist on optical multiplexing

Information can be encoded using various properties of light. Optical multiplexing frequency, brightness, and polarization have played crucial roles in information technologies, high-capacity data storage, high-speed communications, and biological sensing. Angular momentum is another degree of freedom that could increase capacity further. Typically, however, the bulk optical elements used to determine the angular momentum of light limit possible on-chip processing. Ren
et al.
take a nanophotonics approach to measure and sort light co-propagating with different states of angular momentum (see the Perspective by Molina-Terriza). The approach is promising for on-chip multiplex processing of optical signals.

Science
, this issue p.
805
; see also p.
774
Draft Genome Sequence of a Vancomycin-Resistant and Vancomycin-Dependent
Enterococcus faecium
Isolate
Authors: Blaschitz Marion , Lepuschitz Sarah , Wagner Laura , Allerberger Franz , Indra Alexander , Ruppitsch Werner , Huhulescu Steliana
Published: April 2016

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci have emerged as major nosocomial pathogens worldwide. While antimicrobial pressure promotes nosocomial colonization with these enterococci, prolonged exposure to vancomycin may foster the transition from vancomycin resistance to vancomycin dependence. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of a vancomycin-dependent
Enterococcus faecium
isolate showing partial teicoplanin dependence.
Draft Genome Sequences of 18 Strains of
Pseudomonas
Isolated from Kiwifruit Plants in New Zealand and Overseas
Authors: Visnovsky Sandra B. , Fiers Mark , Lu Ashley , Panda Preetinanda , Taylor Robert , Pitman Andrew R.
Published: April 2016

In this paper, we present the draft sequences of 18 genetically diverse
Pseudomonas
strains isolated from kiwifruit plants in New Zealand and overseas, including a number that are currently not fully characterized. These sequences will aid in the diagnosis of
Pseudomonas
on kiwifruit for future pest management and border security decision-making.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Campylobacter jejuni
Bf, an Atypical Strain Able To Grow under Aerobiosis
Authors: Bronnec Vicky , Haddad Nabila , Cruveiller Stéphane , Hernould Mathieu , Tresse Odile , Zagorec Monique
Published: April 2016

In this study, we describe the draft genome sequence of a
Campylobacter jejuni
clinical isolate issued from a French patient suffering from severe campylobacteriosis. This atypical strain is characterized by an unusual resistance to oxygen and the ability to grow under an aerobic atmosphere, a characteristic as-of-yet unique to this species.
Complete Genome Sequence of a
Salivirus
in Respiratory Specimens from a Child with Adenovirus Infection
Authors: Pei Na , Ma Jinmin , Li Liqiang , Ji Jingkai , Li Jiandong , Deng Jikui , Liu Xin
Published: April 2016

Salivirus
is a new member of the family
Picornaviridae
and is associated with diarrhea, especially in children, being often found in feces. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a
Salivirus
strain in respiratory specimens from a child with adenovirus infection.
Genome Sequence of a Clinical
Staphylococcus aureus
Strain from a Prosthetic Joint Infection
Authors: Marquès Claire , Franceschi Christine , Collin Valérie , Laurent Frédéric , Chatellier Sonia , Forestier Christiane
Published: April 2016

Here, we report the genome sequence of
Staphylococcus aureus
LYO-S2, an isolate with sequence type (ST) 45 that was isolated in 2001 from a prosthetic joint infection.
Genome Sequence of the Piezophilic, Mesophilic Sulfate-Reducing Bacterium
Desulfovibrio indicus
J2
T
Authors: Cao Junwei , Maignien Lois , Shao Zongze , Alain Karine , Jebbar Mohamed
Published: April 2016

The complete genome sequence of
Desulfovibrio indicus
J2
T
, a member of the family
Desulfovibrionaceae
, consists of 3,966,573-bp in one contig and encodes 3,461 predicted genes, 5 noncoding RNAs, 3 rRNAs operons, and 52 tRNA-encoding genes. The genome is consistent with a heterotrophic, anaerobic lifestyle including the sulfate reduction pathway.
Complete Genome Sequence of a γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane-Degrading Bacterium,
Sphingobium
sp. Strain MI1205
Authors: Tabata Michiro , Ohhata Satoshi , Nikawadori Yuki , Sato Takuya , Kishida Kouhei , Ohtsubo Yoshiyuki , Tsuda Masataka , Nagata Yuji
Published: April 2016

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH)-degrading bacterium,
Sphingobium
sp. strain MI1205. The genome of MI1205 consists of two chromosomes and four plasmids with sizes of 33 to 292 kb. All the
lin
genes for γ-HCH metabolism are dispersed on the four plasmids.
Complete Genome Sequence of a γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane Degrader,
Sphingobium
sp. Strain TKS, Isolated from a γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane-Degrading Microbial Community
Authors: Tabata Michro , Ohhata Satoshi , Kawasumi Toru , Nikawadori Yuki , Kishida Kouhei , Sato Takuya , Ohtsubo Yoshiyuki , Tsuda Masataka , Nagata Yuji
Published: April 2016

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH) degrader,
Sphingobium
sp. strain TKS, which was isolated from a γ-HCH-degrading microbial community. The genome of TKS consists of two chromosomes and nine plasmids. The
lin
genes for conversion of γ-HCH to β-ketoadipate are dispersed on chromosome 1 and three out of the nine plasmids.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Streptococcus mitis
Strain SVGS_061 Isolated from a Neutropenic Patient with Viridans Group Streptococcal Shock Syndrome
Authors: Petrosyan Varduhi , Holder Michael , Ajami Nadim J. , Petrosino Joseph F. , Sahasrabhojane Pranoti , Thompson Erika J. , Kalia Awdhesh , Shelburne Samuel A.
Published: April 2016

Streptococcus mitis
frequently causes invasive infections in neutropenic cancer patients, with a subset of patients developing viridans group streptococcal (VGS) shock syndrome. We report here the first complete genome sequence of
S. mitis
strain SVGS_061, which caused VGS shock syndrome, to help elucidate the pathogenesis of severe VGS infection.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Bacillus subtilis
Strain CU1050, Which Is Sensitive to Phage SPβ
Authors: Johnson Christopher M. , Grossman Alan D.
Published: April 2016

The Gram-positive bacterium
Bacillus subtilis
is used as a model organism to study cellular and molecular processes. Here, we announce the complete genomic sequence of
B. subtilis
strain CU1050, derived from
B. subtilis
strain 168. CU1050 has historically been used to study suppressor mutations and phage biology, especially the lysogenic phage SPβ.
Genome Sequence of
Lactobacillus brevis
Strain D6, Isolated from Smoked Fresh Cheese
Authors: Kant Ravi , Uroić Ksenija , Hynönen Ulla , Kos Blaženka , Šušković Jagoda , Palva Airi
Published: April 2016

The autochthonous
Lactobacillus brevis
strain D6, isolated from smoked fresh cheese, carries a 45-kDa S-layer protein. Strain D6 has shown adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins and to Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells, as well as immunomodulatory potential and beneficial milk technological properties. Hence, it could be used as a potential probiotic starter culture for cheese production.
Indigenous ultra low cost technology for spinning haemodialysis grade hollow fibre membranes
Authors: Roy Anirban , Vincent Lloyd , De Sirshendu
Published: April 2016

Background

The present paper is about developing an indigenous technology to spin ultra low-cost hemodialysis fibres. It presents a complete engineering design and specific operating conditions to spin dialysis grade, hollow fibre membranes.

Methods

Simple, lab-made, disposable needle assemblies have been used to extrude fibres, replacing the conventional spinneret-based technique. A complete arrangement of spinning paraphernalia has been designed and discussed to make the process less energy intensive. Biocompatible polymer such as polysulfone (PSf) has been used as base material, along with biocompatible additives such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyethylene glycol (PEG-200).

Results

Three grades of hollow fibres have been spun (6, 12 and 16 kDa molecular weight cut-off) and are characterised in terms of surface morphology and molecular weight cut-off. In vitro clearances and the transient permeation of uremic toxins has also been evaluated in diffusion governed dialysis mode.

Conclusions

An ultra low cost technology was developed and optimised to spin dialysis fibres of clinical specifications, with inner diameter of 220 µ and thickness of 35–40 μ. 6 kDa fibres are found to be high efficiency dialysis grade, whereas 12 and 16 kDa are potential high performance membranes.
Changing the environment to improve population health: a framework for considering exposure in natural experimental studies
Authors: Humphreys David K , Panter Jenna , Sahlqvist Shannon , Goodman Anna , Ogilvie David
Published: April 2016

There is renewed optimism regarding the use of natural experimental studies to generate evidence as to the effectiveness of population health interventions. Natural experimental studies capitalise on environmental and policy events that alter exposure to certain social, economic or environmental factors that influence health. Natural experimental studies can be useful for examining the impact of changes to ‘upstream’ determinants, which may not be amenable to controlled experiments. However, while natural experiments provide opportunities to generate evidence, they often present certain conceptual and methodological obstacles. Population health interventions that alter the physical or social environment are usually administered broadly across populations and communities. The breadth of these interventions means that variation in exposure, uptake and impact may be complex. Yet many evaluations of natural experiments focus narrowly on identifying suitable ‘exposed’ and ‘unexposed’ populations for comparison. In this paper, we discuss conceptual and analytical issues relating to defining and measuring exposure to interventions in this context, including how recent advances in technology may enable researchers to better understand the nature of population exposure to changes in the built environment. We argue that when it is unclear whether populations are exposed to an intervention, it may be advantageous to supplement traditional impact assessments with observational approaches that investigate differing levels of exposure. We suggest that an improved understanding of changes in exposure will assist the investigation of the impact of complex natural experiments in population health.
PTPN22R620W minor allele is a genetic risk factor for giant cell arteritis
Authors: Lester Susan , Hewitt Alex W , Ruediger Carlee D , Bradbury Linda , De Smit Elisabeth , Wiese Michael D , Black Rachel , Harrison Andrew , Jones Graeme , Littlejohn Geoffrey O , Merriman Tony R , Shenstone Bain , Smith Malcolm D , Rischmueller Maureen , Brown Matthew A , Hill Catherine L
Published: April 2016

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is one of the commonest forms of vasculitis in the elderly, and may result in blindness and stroke. The pathogenesis of GCA is not understood, although environmental, infectious and genetic risk factors are implicated. One gene of interest isPTPN22, encoding lymphoid protein tyrosine phosphatase (Lyp), expressed exclusively in immune cells, which is proposed to be an ‘archetypal non-HLA autoimmunity gene’. The minor allele of a functionalPTPN22single nucleotide polymorphism (rs2476601, R620W), which disrupts an interaction motif in the protein, was originally reported to be associated with biopsy-proven GCA in Spanish patients, with supporting data from three replicate Northern European studies. Recently, this observation was extended with additional patients and controls, and studies encompassing European, Scandinavian, UK and American patients. The aim of our study was to determine the association betweenPTPN22rs2476601 (R620W) and biopsy-proven GCA in an Australian case cohort.
Suspected anaphylaxis following intravenous amoxicillin clavulanate administration under general anaesthesia in nine dogs
Authors: Norgate Daisy , Bruniges Natalie
Published: April 2016

Nine dogs undergoing general anaesthesia for various procedures between April and May 2015 at the University of Liverpool Small Animal Teaching Hospital experienced suspected anaphylaxis following intravenous administration of 20 mg/kg amoxicillin clavulanate. Common clinical signs, which developed during or immediately after antibiotic administration, included periorbital and muzzle oedema, erythematous wheals and moderate to severe hypotension. Each of these cases was anaesthetised by different people so a standardised intervention protocol was not employed. However, treatment generally consisted of discontinuation of antibiotic administration, anti‐histamine administration, intravenous crystalloid fluid therapy and sympathomimetic drugs depending on severity of hypotension. All nine dogs recovered uneventfully from general anaesthesia although some mild dermatological signs persisted for several hours after recovery. No long‐term complications have been reported. The two most severely affected cases are described in detail in this report and the rest are summarised in Table 1.
Entanglement temperature for black branes with hyperscaling violation
Authors: Xu Xiao-Bao , Li Gu-Qiang , Mo Jie-Xiong
Published: April 2016

Entanglement temperature is an interesting quantity which relates the increased amount of entanglement entropy to that of energy for a weakly excited state in the first-law of entanglement entropy, it is proportional to the inverse of the size of entanglement subsystem and only depends on the shape of the entanglement region. We find the explicit formula of entanglement temperature for the general hyperscaling violation backgrounds with a strip-subsystem. We then investigate the entanglement temperature for a round ball-subsystem, we check that the entanglement temperature has a universal form when the hyperscaling violation exponent is near zero.
Towards Semantic Biomedical Problem Solving
Authors: Wang Charles C. N. , Sheu Phillip C.-Y. , Tsai Jeffrey J. P.
Published: April 2016

Biological and medical intelligence (BMI) has been studied in solos, lacking a systematic methodology. In this paper, we describe how Semantic Computing can enhance biological and medical intelligence. Specifically, we show how Structured Natural Language (SNL) can express many problems in BMI with a finite number of sentence patterns, and show how biological tools, OLAP, data mining tools and statistical analysis tools may be linked to solve problems related to biomedical data.
A Knowledge Driven Agent-Based Semantic Model for Epidemic Surveillance
Authors: Sahar Madiha , Guizani Nadra , Basalamah Saleh M. , Ayyaz Muhammad N. , Ahmad Maaz , Mustafa Tajammal , Ghafoor A.
Published: April 2016

In this paper we propose a probabilistic approach to synthesize an agent-based heterogeneous semantic model depicting population interaction and analyzing the spatio-temporal dynamics of an airborne epidemic, such as influenza, in a metropolitan area. The methodology is generic in nature and can generate a baseline population for cities for which detailed population summary tables are not available. The joint probabilities of population demographics are estimated using the International Public Use Microsimulation Data (IPUMS) sample set. Agents are assigned various activities based on several characteristics. The agent-based model for the city of Lahore, Pakistan is synthesized and a rule based disease spread model of influenza is simulated. The simulation results are visualized to produce semantic analysis for the spatio-temporal dynamics of the epidemic. The results show that the proposed model can be used by officials and medical experts to simulate an outbreak.
KSOS — An Operating System for Knowledge Societies
Authors: Hao Ke , Sheu Phillip C.-Y. , Yamaguchi Hiroshi , Tsai Jeffery J. P.
Published: April 2016

One may expect the Internet to evolve from being information centric to knowledge centric. This paper introduces the concept of a Knowledge Society Operating System (KSOS) that allows users to form knowledge societies in which members can search, create, manipulate and connect geographically distributed knowledge resources (including data, documents, tools, people, devices, etc.) based on semantics (“meaning”, “intention”) in order to solve problems of mutual interest. Built on top of the current Internet infrastructure, a KSOS can take advantage of existing resources to enable the use of applications or services through a web browser. This paper discusses some crucial aspects of a KSOS.
Disrupted vegetation as a response to Jurassic volcanism in southern Sweden
Authors: Vajda Vivi , Linderson Hans , McLoughlin Stephen
Published: April 2016

Central Skåne (Scania) in southern Sweden hosts evidence of extensive Jurassic volcanism in the form of mafic volcanic plugs and associated volcaniclastic deposits that entomb well-preserved macro-plant and spore–pollen assemblages. Palynological assemblages recovered from the Höör Sandstone are of Hettangian–Pliensbachian age and those from the overlying lahar deposits are dated as Pliensbachian–early Toarcian (?). Palynomorph assemblages from these units reveal significantly different ecosystems, particularly with respect to the gymnospermous components that represented the main canopy plants. Both palynofloras are dominated by osmundacean, marattiacean and cyatheacean fern spore taxa but, whereas the Höör Sandstone hosts abundant
Chasmatosporites
spp. pollen produced by plants related to cycadophytes, the volcanogenic deposits are dominated by cypress family pollen (
Perinopollenites
) with an understorey component rich in putative Erdtmanithecales (or possibly Gnetales), and collectively representing vegetation of disturbed habitats. Permineralized conifer wood attributed to
Protophyllocladoxylon
sp., belonging to plants that probably produced the abundant
Perinopollenites
grains, is abundant in the volcanigenic strata, and shows sporadic intraseasonal and multi-year episodes of growth disruption. Together with the relatively narrow but marked annual growth rings, and the annual and mean sensitivity values that span the complacent–sensitive domains, these features suggest growth within Mediterranean-type biomes subject to episodic disturbance.
Automatic Storage Optimization for Arrays
Authors: Bhaskaracharya Somashekaracharya G. , Bondhugula Uday , Cohen Albert
Published: April 2016

Efficient memory allocation is crucial for data-intensive applications, as a smaller memory footprint ensures better cache performance and allows one to run a larger problem size given a fixed amount of main memory. In this article, we describe a new automatic storage optimization technique to minimize the dimensionality and storage requirements of arrays used in sequences of loop nests with a predetermined schedule. We formulate the problem of intra-array storage optimization as one of finding the right storage partitioning hyperplanes: each storage partition corresponds to a single storage location. Our heuristic is driven by a dual-objective function that minimizes both the dimensionality of the mapping and the extents along those dimensions. The technique is dimension optimal for most codes encountered in practice. The storage requirements of the mappings obtained also are asymptotically better than those obtained by any existing schedule-dependent technique. Storage reduction factors and other results that we report from an implementation of our technique demonstrate its effectiveness on several real-world examples drawn from the domains of image processing, stencil computations, high-performance computing, and the class of tiled codes in general.
Thinking Inside the Box
Authors: Wagner Gregor , Larsen Per , Brunthaler Stefan , Franz Michael
Published: April 2016

The web browser is the “new desktop.” Not only do many users spend most of their time using the browser, the browser has also become host to rich and dynamic applications that were previously tailored to each individual operating system. The lingua franca of web scripting, JavaScript, was pivotal in this development.

Imagine that all desktop applications allocated memory from a single heap managed by the operating system. To reclaim memory upon application shutdown, all processes would then be garbage collected—not just the one being quit. While operating systems improved upon this approach long ago, this was how browsers managed memory until recently.

This article explores
compartmentalized
memory management, an approach tailored specifically to web browsers. The idea is to partition the JavaScript heap into compartments and allocate objects to compartments based on their origin. All objects in the same compartment reference each other direct, whereas cross-origin references go through wrapper objects.

We carefully evaluate our techniques using Mozilla’s Firefox browser—which now ships with our enhancements—and demonstrate the benefits of collecting each compartment independently. This simultaneously improves runtime performance (up to 36%) and reduces garbage collection pause times (up to 75%) as well as the memory footprint of the browser. In addition, enforcing the same-origin security policy becomes simple and efficient with compartments.
ThisType for Object-Oriented Languages
Authors: Ryu Sukyoung
Published: April 2016

In object-oriented programs, objects often provide methods whose parameter types or return types are the object types themselves. For example, the parameter types of binary methods are the types of their receiver objects, and the return types of some factory methods are the types of their enclosing objects. However, most object-oriented languages do not support such methods precisely because their type systems do not support explicit recursive types, which lead to a mismatch between subclassing and subtyping. This mismatch means that an expression of a subclass may not always be usable in a context where an expression of a superclass is expected, which is not intuitive in an object-oriented setting. Researchers have proposed various type-sound approaches to support methods with types of their enclosing object types denoted by some variants of ThisType, but they reject reasonable and useful methods due to unpermissive type systems or they use less precise declared inexact types rather than runtime exact types.

In this article, we present a thorough approach to support methods with ThisTypes: from a new encoding of objects in a typed lambda calculus that allows subtyping by subclassing to an open-source implementation as an extension of the Java programming language. We first provide real-world examples that motivate the need for ThisTyped methods to precisely describe desired properties of programs. We define a new object encoding that enables subtyping by subclassing even in the presence of negative occurrences of type recursion variables by distinguishing object types from existential object types. Based on this object encoding, we formalize language features to support ThisTyped methods with a core calculus CoreThisJava, and prove its type soundness. Finally, we provide ThisJava, a prototype implementation of the calculus, to show its backward compatibility, and we make it publicly available. We believe that our approach theoretically expands the long pursuit of an object-oriented language with ThisTypes to support more useful methods with more precise types.
The Pluto+ Algorithm
Authors: Bondhugula Uday , Acharya Aravind , Cohen Albert
Published: April 2016

Affine transformations have proven to be powerful for loop restructuring due to their ability to model a very wide range of transformations. A single multidimensional affine function can represent a long and complex sequence of simpler transformations. Existing affine transformation frameworks such as the Pluto algorithm, which include a cost function for modern multicore architectures for which coarse-grained parallelism and locality are crucial, consider only a subspace of transformations to avoid a combinatorial explosion in finding transformations. The ensuing practical trade-offs lead to the exclusion of certain useful transformations: in particular, transformation compositions involving loop reversals and loop skewing by negative factors. In addition, there is currently no proof that the algorithm successfully finds a tree of permutable loop bands for all affine loop nests. In this article, we propose an approach to address these two issues (1) by modeling a much larger space of practically useful affine transformations in conjunction with the existing cost function of Pluto, and (2) by extending the Pluto algorithm in a way that allows a proof for its soundness and completeness for all affine loop nests. We perform an experimental evaluation of both, the effect on compilation time, and performance of generated codes. The evaluation shows that our new framework, Pluto+, provides no degradation in performance for any benchmark from Polybench. For the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) simulations with periodic boundary conditions, it provides a mean speedup of 1.33 × over Pluto. We also show that Pluto+ does not increase compilation time significantly. Experimental results on Polybench show that Pluto+ increases overall polyhedral source-to-source optimization time by only 15%. In cases in which it improves execution time significantly, it increased polyhedral optimization time by only 2.04 × .