bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consolidation in Urban Freight Transportation — Cost Allocation Models
Authors: Dahlberg Joen , Engevall Stefan , Göthe-Lundgren Maud
Published: June 2018

In this paper, the focus is on the role of the municipality, as an enabler of a collaboration between freight forwarders and the municipality in which the consolidation of goods is considered as a means for goods flow improvement in urban freight transportation. We present a cost allocation model that is based on solution concepts from cooperative game theory, for allocating the operational costs associated with the collaboration. It is assumed that the municipality is willing to carry some cost to ensure a stable collaboration for the potential benefits received, e.g., reduced traffic congestion in the city. The model is applied to some illustrative examples, and the cost allocation results are discussed. It is shown that the role of the municipality may be decisive in achieving a stable collaboration between the freight forwarders, and further that the municipality does not necessarily need to contribute to covering the costs.
Linear Time Optimal Approaches for Max-Profit Inverse 1-Median Location Problems
Authors: Afrashteh Esmaeil , Alizadeh Behrooz , Baroughi Fahimeh , Nguyen Kien Trung
Published: June 2018

This paper is concerned with a new variant of the inverse 1-median location problem in which the aim is to modify the customer weights such that a predetermined facility location becomes a 1-median location and the total profit obtained via the weight improvements is maximized. We develop novel combinatorial approaches with linear time complexities for solving the problem on tree networks and in the plane under the rectilinear and Chebyshev norms.
A macroscopic model for VOC emissions process complemented by real data
Authors: Wang Yu-Qing , Zhou Chao-Fan , Zhu Zi-Ang , Wang Jia-Wei , Wang Zi-Meng , Fang Chen-Hao , Jia Bin
Published: June 2018

Based on tremendous real data, a macroscopic model is established, which can depict the process of volatile organic compound (namely, VOC) emissions. Different from previous work, a complete set of sources is taken into account rather than only an isolated source. These data have been processed to support the sample set in order to prove the validity of the theoretical analyses. Besides, the relationship between the industrial production and VOC emissions of industrial source is discussed and depicted. Furthermore, the relationship between the electronic industrial production and VOC emissions is emphasized and calculated. VOC emissions per unit production is investigated. Additionally, the relationship between the number of sample points in the sample set and VOC emissions is illustrated. Then, the control strategy of VOC emissions is proposed by calculating the optimal solutions of each sample set. It is found that the lower the slope of optimal solutions, the lower the average VOC emissions, the better the VOC emissions control effect.
Non-Markovian effect of the fractional damping environment and Newton’s second law of motion
Authors: Wang Chun-Yang , Sun Zhao-Peng , Qin Ming , Xu Yu-Qing , Lv Shu-Qin , Yi Ming
Published: June 2018

We report, in this paper, a recent study on the dynamical mechanism of Brownian particles diffusing in the fractional damping environment, where several important quantities such as the mean square displacement (MSD) and mean square velocity are calculated for dynamical analysis. A particular type of backward motion is found in the diffusion process. The reason of it is analyzed intrinsically by comparing with the diffusion in various dissipative environments. Results show that the diffusion in the fractional damping environment obeys the Langevin dynamics which is quite different form what is expected.
Prioritizing and Optimizing Disaster Recovery Solution using Analytic Network Process and Multi Attribute Utility Theory
Authors: Gupta Viral , Kapur P. K. , Kumar Deepak
Published: June 2018

Selection of a suitable disaster recovery solution is an essential activity performed in an enterprise to facilitate recovery of critical business functions and Information Technology (IT) systems within a tolerable time limit known as disaster recovery time (DRT). The estimation of optimal DRT plays a significant role in IT as it influences overall costs required to ensure business continuity. The estimation of optimal DRT depends upon the capabilities of a chosen disaster recovery solution and multiple conflicting attributes. This paper presents an integrated approach to selecting the best disaster recovery solution using analytic network process (ANP) and estimating optimal DRT using Multi-Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT). ANP is applied to determine the best disaster recovery solution using seven criteria: people, recovery objectives, security, technology, cost, site infrastructure, and regulatory. MAUT estimates the optimal DRT for the best disaster recovery solution based on three conflicting attributes: cost, reliability, and processed backlog transactions. The proposed approach applies to an enterprise application in the banking sector and this paper tests its effectiveness by comparing the results from four different enterprises. This study offers valuable insights to the disaster recovery practitioner to select the best disaster recovery solution and to estimate optimal DRT.
Website Structure Improvement Based on the Combination of Selected Web Structure and Web Usage Mining Methods
Authors: Kapusta Jozef , Munk Michal , Drlik Martin
Published: June 2018

The different web mining methods and techniques can help to solve some typical issues of the contemporary websites, contribute to more effective personalization, improve a website structure and reorganize its web pages. However, only several papers tried to combine web structure and web usage mining (WUM) methods with this aim. The paper researches if and how the combination of selected web structure and WUM methods can identify misplaced web pages and how they can contribute to improving the website structure. The paper analyzes the relationship between the estimated importance of the web page from the web page creator’s point of view using the web structure mining method based on PageRank and visitors’ real perception of the importance of that individual web page using the WUM method based on sequence patterns analysis, which eliminates the problem with repeated visits of the same web page during one session. The results prove that the expected probability of accesses to the individual web page correlates with the observed visit rate obtained from the log files using the WUM method. Furthermore, the website can be improved based on the consequent application of the residual analysis on the obtained results. The applicability of the proposed combination of the web structure and WUM methods is presented on two case studies from different application domains of the contemporary web. As a result, the web pages, which are underestimated or overestimated by the web page creators, are successfully identified in both cases.
Molecular structure of gold 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octabromo-5,10,15-tris(4′-pentafluorosulfanylphenyl)corrole: Potential insights into the insolubility of gold octabromocorroles
Authors: Thomas Kolle E. , Gagnon Kevin J. , MCormick Laura J. , Ghosh Abhik
Published: June 2018

X-ray structures of gold corroles, which are still rather uncommon, afford significant insights into intermolecular interactions involving Au(III), a subject that has been much less studied than aurophilic and metallophilic interactions involving Au(I). The X-ray structure of gold [Formula: see text]-octabromo-meso-tris(para-pentafluorosulfanylphenyl)corrole, reported herein, has revealed two Au···Br interactions (∼4.2 Å) per Au atom. We suggest that analogous but somewhat stronger Au···Br interactions are a key factor underlying the remarkable insolubility of gold octabromocorrole derivatives.
Drop-Down Menu Widget Identification Using HTML Structure Changes Classification
Authors: Antonelli Humberto Lidio , Igawa Rodrigo Augusto , Fortes Renata Pontin De Mattos , Rizo Eduardo Henrique , Watanabe Willian Massami
Published: June 2018

Widgets have been deployed in rich internet applications for more than 10 years. However, many of the widgets currently available on the web do not implement current accessibility design solutions standardized in ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) specification, hence are not accessible to disabled users. This article sets out an approach for automatically identifying widgets on the basis of machine-learning algorithms and the classification of mutation records; it is an HTML5 technology that logs all changes that occur in the structure of a web application. Automatic widget identification is an essential component for the elaboration of automatic ARIA evaluation and adaptation strategies. Thus, the aim of this article is to take steps toward easing the software-engineering process of ARIA widgets. The proposed approach focuses on the identification of drop-down menu widgets. An experiment with real-world web applications was conducted and the results showed evidence that this approach is capable of identifying these widgets and can outperform previous state-of-the-art techniques based on an F-measure analysis conducted during the experiment.
Design Guideline for Developing Safe Systems that Apply Electricity to the Human Body
Authors: Kono Michinari , Takahashi Takumi , Nakamura Hiromi , Miyaki Takashi , Rekimoto Jun
Published: June 2018

The human body has unique electrical characteristics. These characteristics have been investigated in various studies in human-computer interaction (HCI) and related research fields. Such studies include applications for using the body as a conductive lead for transmission or electric field sensing and activating human muscles or organs. However, electricity is not completely safe for the human body; therefore, to avoid harming users, careful consideration is essential when developing such devices. The knowledge required for such consideration is spread throughout a large number research fields, and it can be difficult for researchers in the HCI field to comprehend all of them. The purpose of this article is to support researchers in developing systems that apply electricity to the human body and to serve as a basis for further research. This article reviews previous research pertaining to HCI in which users come into contact with electricity. In addition, considerations of how and where this type of research can be expanded, along with guidelines grounded in other fields for designing systems safely and addressing ethical concerns, are presented. An understanding of the field and of the related safety issues will enhance the understanding of limitations and potential and can clarify the design space.
A Self-Stabilizing Publish/Subscribe Middleware for IoT Applications
Authors: Siegemund Gerry , Turau Volker
Published: June 2018

This article presents a middleware that provides a communication and data dissemination infrastructure suitable for the operation environment of the Internet of Things (IoT). The middleware realizes the channel-based publish/subscribe paradigm that has been identified as a valid means to asynchronously disseminate data in IoT applications. The novelty lies in the routing algorithm PSVR that greatly reduces the path lengths to deliver publications and its suitability for scenarios with a high subfluctuation rate. The middleware is self-stabilizing and eventually provides safety and liveness properties such as the guaranteed delivery of all published messages to all subscribers and the correct handling of subscriptions and unsubscriptions, while no error occurs. The evaluation of the middleware, based on simulations and a real deployment, shows that it has a low memory footprint and scales well with the number of nodes.
Evasion-Robust Classification on Binary Domains
Authors: Li Bo , Vorobeychik Yevgeniy
Published: June 2018

The success of classification learning has led to numerous attempts to apply it in adversarial settings such as spam and malware detection. The core challenge in this class of applications is that adversaries are not static, but make a deliberate effort to evade the classifiers. We investigate both the problem of modeling the objectives of such adversaries, as well as the algorithmic problem of accounting for rational, objective-driven adversaries. We first present a general approach based on mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) with constraint generation. This approach is the first to compute an optimal solution to adversarial loss minimization for two general classes of adversarial evasion models in the context of binary feature spaces. To further improve scalability and significantly generalize the scope of the MILP-based method, we propose a principled iterative retraining framework, which can be used with arbitrary classifiers and essentially arbitrary attack models. We show that the retraining approach, when it converges, minimizes an upper bound on adversarial loss. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the mixed-integer programming approach significantly outperforms several state-of-the-art adversarial learning alternatives. Moreover, the retraining framework performs nearly as well, but scales significantly better. Finally, we show that our approach is robust to misspecifications of the adversarial model.
Collective Privacy Management in Social Media
Authors: Cho Hichang , Knijnenburg Bart , Kobsa Alfred , Li Yao
Published: June 2018

If one wants to study privacy from an intercultural perspective, one must first validate whether there are any cultural variations in the concept of “privacy” itself. This study systematically examines cultural differences in collective privacy management strategies, and highlights methodological precautions that must be taken in quantitative intercultural privacy research. Using survey data of 498 Facebook users from the US, Singapore, and South Korea, we test the validity and cultural invariance of the measurement model and predictive model associated with collective privacy management. The results show that the measurement model is only partially culturally invariant, indicating that social media users in different countries interpret the same instruments in different ways. Also, cross-national comparisons of the structural model show that causal pathways from collective privacy management strategies to privacy-related outcomes vary significantly across countries. The findings suggest significant cultural variations in privacy management practices, both with regard to the conceptualization of its theoretical constructs, and with respect to causal pathways.
Long-Term Event Processing over Data Streams in Cyber-Physical Systems
Authors: Wang Ping , Ma Meng , Chu Chao-Hsien
Published: June 2018

Event processing is a crucial cornerstone supporting the revolution of Internet of Things (IoT) and Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) by integrating physical-layer networking and providing intelligent computation and real-time control abilities. In various IoT and CPS application scenarios, the event processing systems are required to detect complex event patterns using large time window, namely long-term events. The detection of long-term event usually leads to a large number of redundant runtime instances and calculations that significantly deteriorates the system efficiency. In this article, we propose an efficient long-term event processing model, named Long-Term Complex Event Processing (LTCEP). It leverages the semantic constraints calculus to split long-term event into sub-models. We establish a long-term query and intermediate result buffering mechanism to optimize the real-time response ability and throughput performance. Experimental results show that LTCEP can effectively reduce more than 50% redundant runtime states, which provides over 60% faster response performance and around 30% higher system throughput comparing to other selected benchmarks. The results also imply that LTCEP model has better stability and scalability in large-scale event processing applications.
The Barberry Eradication Program in Minnesota for Stem Rust Control: A Case Study
Authors: Peterson Paul D.
Published: June 2018

The Barberry Eradication Program was an unprecedented federal and state cooperative plant disease control campaign between 1918 and the late 1970s to remove common barberry ( Berberis vulgaris), the alternate host of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, from the major centers of wheat production in the United States. Eradication of barberry has been credited with helping to reduce stem rust of wheat to a minor problem in the United States by the end of the campaign. The Barberry Eradication Program has also been viewed as a model for successful eradication based on its robust leadership, effective publicity and public cooperation, forceful quarantine laws, and adaptive eradication methods and procedures employed in its field operations. The Barberry Eradication Program was particularly successful because of its leaders’ ability to adapt to changing internal and external conditions over time. The program lasted nearly a century, extending through two world wars and the Great Depression, with each period producing unique challenges. Because of its central role, barberry eradication in Minnesota offers an excellent case study to examine how the program developed over time and ultimately achieved success.
Securing Cloud Hypervisors: A Survey of the Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Countermeasures
Authors: Barrowclough John Patrick , Asif Rameez
Published: June 2018

The exponential rise of the cloud computing paradigm has led to the cybersecurity concerns, taking into account the fact that the resources are shared and mediated by a ‘hypervisor’ that may be attacked and user data can be compromised or hacked. In order to better define these threats to which a cloud hypervisor is exposed, we conducted an in-depth analysis and highlighted the security concerns of the cloud. We basically focused on the two particular issues, i.e., (a) data breaches and (b) weak authentication. For in-depth analysis, we have successfully demonstrated a fully functional private cloud infrastructure running on CloudStack for the software management and orchestrated a valid hack. We analyzed the popular open-source hypervisors, followed by an extensive study of the vulnerability reports associated with them. Based on our findings, we propose the characterization and countermeasures of hypervisor’s vulnerabilities. These investigations can be used to understand the potential attack paths on cloud computing and Cloud-of-Things (CoT) applications and identify the vulnerabilities that enabled them.
An Optimized Computational Framework for Isolation Forest
Authors: Liu Zhen , Liu Xin , Ma Jin , Gao Hui
Published: June 2018

Isolation Forest or iForest is one of the outstanding outlier detectors proposed in recent years. Yet, in the model setting, it is mainly based on the technique of randomization and, as a result, it is not clear how to select a proper attribute and how to locate an optimized split point on a given attribute while building the isolation tree. Aiming to the two issues, we propose an improved computational framework which allows us to seek the most separable attributes and spot corresponding optimized split points effectively. According to the experimental results, the proposed model is able to achieve overall better performance in the accuracy of outlier detection compared with the original model and its related variants.
Adaptive Finite-Time Control for Formation Tracking of Multiple Nonholonomic Unmanned Aerial Vehicles with Quantized Input Signals
Authors: Hu Jinglin , Sun Xiuxia , He Lei
Published: June 2018

Signal quantization can reduce communication burden in multiple unmanned aerial vehicle (multi-UAV) system, whereas it brings control challenge to formation tracking of multi-UAV system. This study presents an adaptive finite-time control scheme for formation tracking of multi-UAV system with input quantization. The UAV model contains nonholonomic kinematic model and autopilot model with uncertainties. The nonholonomic states of the UAVs are transformed by a transverse function method. For input quantization, hysteretic quantizers are used to reduce the system chattering and new decomposition is introduced to analyze the quantized signals. Besides, a novel transformation of the control signals is designed to eliminate the quantization effect. Based on the backstepping technique and finite-time Lyapunov stability theory, the adaptive finite-time controller is established for formation tracking of the multi-UAV system. Stability analysis proves that the tracking error can converge to an adjustable small neighborhood of the origin within finite time and all the signals in closed-loop system are semiglobally finite-time bounded. Simulation experiment illustrates that the system can track the reference trajectory and maintain the desired formation shape.
Discrete Event Simulation-Based Reliability Evaluation of a Traffic Signal Controller
Authors: Jang Joong Soon , Park Sang C.
Published: June 2018

A mission reliability evaluation methodology for a signal traffic controller is presented in this paper. To develop the new evaluation methodology, this paper combines the Discrete Event System Specification (DEVS) formalism which has been popular in manufacturing area for three reasons: (1) its features compatible with the object-oriented modeling; (2) its rigorous formal definition; and (3) its support for the specifications of discrete event models in a hierarchical and modular manner. By using the DEVS formalism, we construct a simulation model which takes into account not only the characteristics of a traffic signal controller but also the operating environment. Once a model is constructed, it is possible to perform simulation experiments. The proposed methodology computes the mission reliability of a traffic signal controller by using a simulation record, and this information plays a vital role in preparing optimized maintenance policies that maximize availability or minimize life cycle costs.
Multisource Data-Driven Modeling Method for Estimation of Intercity Trip Distribution
Authors: Li Yilin , Wang Haiquan , Zhao Jiejie , Du Bowen
Published: June 2018

Traditional intercity trip distribution modeling methods are merely derived from household travel survey due to its limitation to partial or inaccurate information. With the development of information construction, reliable historical data can be easily collected from different sources, such as sensor and statistical data. In this study, a data-driven method based on Poisson distribution theory is proposed to estimate intercity trip distribution using sensor data and various city features. A Poisson model, which reveals the deep correlation between city feature variables and trip distribution, is initially formulated. The L1-norm approach and the coordinate descent algorithm are then adopted in selecting related features and estimating model parameters, respectively, to reduce the complexity of the model. Finally, a k-means clustering method is used to analyze the latent correlation between city features and improve the availability of the model. The methodology is tested on a realistic dataset containing the highway trips of 17 cities in Shandong Province, China. The city feature variables have 66 dimensions, including economic index and population indicator. In comparison with traditional gravity model, which regards population as the most important factor affecting city attraction, our result shows that one of the core positive factors is the economic feature, such as gross regional domestic product. Moreover, the dimension of city features in the developed model decreases from 66 to 13 dimensions. The model developed in this study performs well in replicating the observed intercity origin-destination matrix.
An Efficient Security System for Mobile Data Monitoring
Authors: Liu Likun , Zhang Hongli , Yu Xiangzhan , Xin Yi , Shafiq Muhammad , Ge Mengmeng
Published: June 2018

During the last decade, rapid development of mobile devices and applications has produced a large number of mobile data which hide numerous cyber‐attacks. To monitor the mobile data and detect the attacks, NIDS/NIPS plays important role for ISP and enterprise, but now it still faces two challenges, high performance for super large patterns and detection of the latest attacks. High performance is dominated by Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) mechanism, which is the core of security devices. A new TTL attack is just put forward to escape detecting, such that the adversary inserts packet with short TTL to escape from NIDS/NIPS. To address the above‐mentioned problems, in this paper, we design a security system to handle the two aspects. For efficient DPI, a new two‐step partition of pattern set is demonstrated and discussed, which includes first set‐partition and second set‐partition. For resisting TTL attacks, we set reasonable TTL threshold and patch TCP protocol stack to detect the attack. Compared with recent produced algorithm, our experiments show better performance and the throughput increased 27% when the number of patterns is 106. Moreover, the success rate of detection is 100%, and while attack intensity increased, the throughput decreased.
Anti-PSMA/CD3 Bispecific Antibody Delivery and Antitumor Activity Using a Polymeric Depot Formulation
Authors: Leconet Wilhem , Liu He , Guo Ming , Le Lamer-Déchamps Sophie , Molinier Charlotte , Kim Sae , Vrlinic Tjasa , Oster Murielle , Liu Fang , Navarro Vicente , Batra Jaspreet S. , Noriega Adolfo Lopez , Grizot Sylvestre , Bander Neil H.
Published: June 2018

Small therapeutic proteins represent a promising novel approach to treat cancer. Nevertheless, their clinical application is often adversely impacted by their short plasma half-life. Controlled long-term delivery of small biologicals has become a challenge because of their hydrophilic properties and in some cases their limited stability. Here, an in situ forming depot-injectable polymeric system was used to deliver BiJ591, a bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE) targeting both prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and the CD3 T-cell receptor in prostate cancer. BiJ591 induced T-cell activation, prostate cancer–directed cell lysis, and tumor growth inhibition. The use of diblock (DB) and triblock (TB) biodegradable polyethylene glycol–poly(lactic acid; PEG-PLA) copolymers solubilized in tripropionin, a small-chain triglyceride, allowed maintenance of BiJ591 stability and functionality in the formed depot and controlled its release. In mice, after a single subcutaneous injection, one of the polymeric candidates, TB1/DB4, provided the most sustained release of BiJ591 for up to 21 days. Moreover, the use of BiJ591-TB1/DB4 formulation in prostate cancer xenograft models showed significant therapeutic activity in both low and high PSMA–expressing tumors, whereas daily intravenous administration of BiJ591 was less efficient. Collectively, these data provide new insights into the development of controlled delivery of small therapeutic proteins in cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(9); 1927–40. ©2018 AACR.
Carotid Revascularization with and without the Use of an Embolic Protection Device: A Single-Center Experience from Pakistan
Authors: Bashir Qasim , Baig Ammad Anwar
Published: June 2018

Background: To assess the safety and clinical efficacy of carotid artery stenting with and without an embolic protection device (EPD) in both symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid disease cases. Methods: Retrospective data of 55 symptomatic (≥50% occlusion by digital subtraction angiography [DSA], ≥70% by ultrasound, computed tomography angiography [CTA], and magnetic resonance angiography [MRA]) and asymptomatic (≥60% by DSA, ≥70% by ultrasound, ≥80% by CTA and MRA) carotid disease cases undergoing carotid stenting/angioplasty revascularization from February 2014 to October 2017 was reviewed. All symptomatic patients either experienced recurrent transient ischemic attacks or one or more stroke attacks. An EPD protocol was designed for its selective use based on plaque morphologies and working diameters. The primary end points at 30 days of follow-up were a periprocedural incidence of any stroke, myocardial infarction or death, and ipsilateral stroke during the follow-up period. Results: Of the 55 cases, 39 were males and 16 females; mean age was 64.8 years. Fifty-one patients (92.7%) were symptomatic, with a mean stenosis of 80.1%. EPD was used in only 11 cases (20%). Minor stroke rate during the first 30 postoperative days was 1.8% (1 case) with EPD; no myocardial infarction or mortality. No stroke occurred during the median 1.5 years’ follow-up. Conclusion: Based on our single-center experience and findings of a relatively small sample size, carotid revascularization with stenting and angioplasty without EPD in experienced hands was found to be safe and efficacious. In addition, it proves cost-effective for patients by limiting the use of unnecessary disposables. These results are comparable to those reported in major trials and are well within the complication thresholds suggested in current guidelines. These results also show promise and illustrate the need for a larger, randomized controlled trial in order to thoroughly address this aspect of carotid revascularization.
Expression and Implication of Clusterin in Left Ventricular Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Turkieh Annie , Fertin Marie , Bouvet Marion , Mulder Paul , Drobecq Hervé , Lemesle Gilles , Lamblin Nicolas , de Groote Pascal , Porouchani Sina , Chwastyniak Maggy , Beseme Olivia , Amouyel Philippe , Mouquet Frédéric , Balligand Jean-Luc , Richard Vincent , Bauters Christophe , Pinet Florence
Published: June 2018

Background:

Left ventricular remodeling (LVR) after myocardial infarction is associated with an increased risk of heart failure and death. In spite of a modern therapeutic approach, LVR remains relatively frequent and difficult to predict in clinical practice. Our aim was to identify new biomarkers of LVR and understand their involvement in its development.

Methods and Results:

Proteomic analysis of plasma from the REVE-2 study (Remodelage Ventriculaire)—a study dedicated to the analysis of LVR which included 246 patients after a first anterior myocardial infarction—identified increased plasma levels of CLU (clusterin) in patients with high LVR. We used a rat model of myocardial infarction to analyze CLU expression in the LV and found a significant increase that was correlated with LVR parameters. We found increased CLU expression and secretion in primary cultures of rat neonate cardiomyocytes hypertrophied by isoproterenol. Silencing of CLU in hypertrophied neonate cardiomyocytes induced a significant decrease in cell size, ANP (atrial natriuretic peptide), and BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide) expression, associated with a decreased ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) 1/2 activity, suggesting a prohypertrophic role of CLU. We then confirmed a significant increase of both intracellular p-CLU (precursor form of CLU) and m-CLU (mature form of CLU) in failing human hearts. Finally, the circulating levels of CLU (secreted form) were increased in patients with chronic heart failure who died from cardiovascular cause during a 3-year follow-up (n=99) compared with survivors (n=99).

Conclusions:

Our results show for the first time that plasma CLU levels are associated with LVR post–myocardial infarction, have in part a cardiac origin, and are a predictor of early death in heart failure patients.
Saxagliptin Prevents Increased Coronary Vascular Stiffness in Aortic-Banded Mini Swine
Authors: Fleenor Bradley S. , Ouyang An , Olver T. Dylan , Hiemstra Jessica A. , Cobb Melissa S. , Minervini Gianmaria , Emter Craig A.
Published: June 2018

Increased peripheral conduit artery stiffness has been shown in patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction. However, it is unknown whether this phenomenon extends to the coronary vasculature. HF with preserved ejection fraction may be driven, in part, by coronary inflammation, and inhibition of the enzyme DPP-4 (dipeptidyl-peptidase 4) reduces inflammation and oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of saxagliptin—a DPP-4 inhibitor—on coronary stiffness in aortic-banded mini swine. We hypothesized saxagliptin would prevent increased coronary artery stiffness in a translational swine model with cardiac features of HF with preserved ejection fraction by inhibiting perivascular adipose tissue inflammation. Yucatan mini swine were divided into 3 groups: control, aortic-banded untreated HF, and aortic-banded saxagliptin-treated HF. Ex vivo mechanical testing was performed on the left circumflex and right coronary arteries, and advanced glycation end product, NF-κB (nuclear factor-κB), and nitrotyrosine levels were measured. An increase in the coronary elastic modulus of HF animals was associated with increased vascular advanced glycation end products, NF-κB, and nitrotyrosine levels compared with control and prevented by saxagliptin treatment. Aortas from healthy mice were treated with media from swine perivascular adipose tissue culture to assess its role on vascular stiffening. Conditioned media from HF and saxagliptin-treated HF animals increased mouse aortic stiffness; however, only perivascular adipose tissue from the HF group showed increased advanced glycation end products and NF-κB levels. In conclusion, our data show increased coronary conduit vascular stiffness was prevented by saxagliptin and associated with decreased advanced glycation end products, NF-κB, and nitrotyrosine levels in a swine model with potential relevance to HF with preserved ejection fraction.
Open Repair of Mycotic Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms With Biological Grafts: An International Multicenter Study
Authors: Heinola Ivika , Sörelius Karl , Wyss Thomas R. , Eldrup Nikolaj , Settembre Nicla , Setacci Carlo , Mani Kevin , Kantonen Ilkka , Venermo Maarit
Published: June 2018

Background

The treatment of mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysm requires surgery and antimicrobial therapy. Since prosthetic reconstructions carry a considerable risk of reinfection, biological grafts are noteworthy alternatives. The current study evaluated the durability, infection resistance, and midterm outcome of biological grafts in treatment of mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Methods and Results

All patients treated with biological graft in 6 countries between 2006 and 2016 were included. Primary outcome measures were 30‐ and 90‐day survival, treatment‐related mortality, and reinfection rate. Secondary outcome measures were overall mortality and graft patency. Fifty‐six patients (46 males) with median age of 69 years (range 35–85) were included. Sixteen patients were immunocompromised (29%), 24 (43%) had concomitant infection, and 12 (21%) presented with rupture. Bacterial culture was isolated from 43 (77%). In‐situ aortic reconstruction was performed using autologous femoral veins in 30 patients (54%), xenopericardial tube‐grafts in 12 (21%), cryopreserved arterial/venous allografts in 9 (16%), and fresh arterial allografts in 5 (9%) patients. During a median follow‐up of 26 months (range 3 weeks–172 months) there were no reinfections and only 3 patients (5%) required assistance with graft patency. Thirty‐day survival was 95% (n=53) and 90‐day survival was 91% (n=51). Treatment‐related mortality was 9% (n=5). Kaplan–Meier estimation of survival at 1 year was 83% (95% confidence interval, 73%–94%) and at 5 years was 71% (52%–89%).

Conclusions

Mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysm repair with biological grafts is a durable option for patients fit for surgery presenting an excellent infection resistance and good overall survival.
Prognostic Utility of Soluble TREM‐1 in Predicting Mortality and Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Wang Yun Kai , Tang Jia Ni , Shen Yun Li , Hu Bo , Zhang Chun Yu , Li Ming Hui , Chen Rui Zhen , Ge Jun Bo , Liu Xue Bo
Published: June 2018

Background

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells‐1 (TREM‐1) is thought to be critical for inflammatory signal amplification and involved in the development of atherosclerosis.
TREM
‐1 is significantly increased in patients with myocardial infarction. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between soluble TREM‐1 (
sTREM
‐1) and mortality and cardiovascular events in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Methods and Results

We included 838 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction from October 7, 2012 to December 5, 2014. Blood samples were collected from patients with acute myocardial infarction immediately after diagnosis. During follow‐up, 88 patients died, and 180 patients reached the combined end points of major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE). Patients with high
sTREM
‐1 (higher than the median) had increased risk of all‐cause mortality and
MACE
compared with those with low
sTREM
‐1 (log‐rank test,
P
<0.001). After adjustment for confounding risk factors by Cox regression analysis, high
sTREM
‐1 remained an independent predictor of all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.978; 95% confidence interval, 1.462–2.675;
P
<0.001) and
MACE
(hazard ratio, 2.413; 95% confidence interval, 2.022–2.879;
P
<0.001). After the addition of
sTREM
‐1 to the reference model, the C‐statistic for all‐cause mortality increased from 0.86 to 0.89, and the difference was 0.023 (95% confidence interval, 0.0009–0.0477), and the C‐statistic for
MACE
increased from 0.71 to 0.80, and the difference was 0.087 (95% confidence interval, 0.053–0.122).
sTREM
‐1 levels were consistently positively associated with risks of all‐cause mortality and
MACE
in various subpopulations, and there was no significant interaction among prespecified subgroups.

Conclusions

sTREM
‐1 was significantly associated with all‐cause mortality and
MACE,
independent of established conventional risk factors in patients with acute myocardial infarction.
Can Incidental Vascular Calcifications at Mammography be Used as a Screening Biomarker for Heart and Kidney Disease?
Authors: Erbil Damla , Onal Emine M. , Demirel Cagri , Sag Alan A. , Dagel Tuncay , Afsar Baris , Covic Adrian , Kanbay Mehmet
Published: June 2018

Mammography is a screening test with extensive international application and financial infrastructure promoting accessibility and affordability. Designed specifically to detect microcalcifications, mammography is powered to detect calcifications in vessel walls. Breast arterial calcifications (BAC) are one of the most common incidental findings documented by mammography. This review considers the literature regarding BAC in relation to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors. The aim is to assess the possibility of using BAC as an early surrogate imaging biomarker of CVD.
Leading at the .05 Level: Reflections on Psychologists and Leadership
Authors: Shullman Sandra L.
Published: June 2018

This article presents the 2017 Leona Tyler Address given by the author. The address is a call to action for counseling psychologists to take on the self-identity as learning leaders in preparation for the issues and challenges emerging in the digital age. In this article, I describe the role of learning leader and define eight learning leader skills. Critical future trends, challenges and opportunities for counseling psychologists as learning leaders are presented.
Betrayal Trauma and Barriers to Forming New Intimate Relationships Among Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: St. Vil Noelle M. , Carter Takisha , Johnson Susan
Published: June 2018

Many survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) experience betrayal trauma, which affects future intimate relationships. Yet many services extended to victims of IPV focus on keeping the victim safe, not helping survivors establish new healthy intimate relationships. Using betrayal trauma as a lens, this phenomenological study incorporates semistructured interviews to explore the various ways betrayal trauma manifests itself and acts as barriers to forming new healthy intimate relationships among survivors of IPV. Thematic analysis with nine survivors of IPV revealed four ways betrayal trauma manifests and acts as barriers to establishing new healthy intimate relationships: (a) vulnerability/fear, (b) relationship expectations, (c) shame/low self-esteem, and (d) communications issues. This article has implications for those working with survivors of IPV.
Depressive Symptom Trajectories Among Sexually Abused Youth: Examining the Effects of Parental Perpetration and Age of Abuse Onset
Authors: Carlson Matthew W. , Oshri Assaf
Published: June 2018

Researchers found that sexual abuse in childhood leads to increased adolescent depressive symptomatology, though this link may vary due to the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator as well as the age of the child when the abuse began. A sample of 444 sexually abused youth provided data for the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being I. Growth mixture modeling was used to identify trajectories of depressive symptoms and test the effects of parental perpetration and age of abuse onset. Results supported the following three growth trajectories of depressive symptoms in adolescence: falling, rising, and flat. Youth who were sexually abused by a parent were more likely to follow the rising and falling trajectories. Also, youth who experienced sexual abuse at a younger age were more likely to be classified in the falling trajectory. Findings can inform intervention programming on the links between sexual abuse characteristics and subsequent patterns of adolescent depressive symptomology.
The effect of interface debonding on flexural behaviour of composite sandwich beams
Authors: Mansourinik Mohsen , Taheri-Behrooz Fathollah
Published: June 2018

In the current article, the behaviour of sandwich beams with and without initial core–skin debonding is studied under flexural loads through numerical and experimental procedures. Sandwich beams with three different lengths of 100, 180 and 280 mm and two types of composite skin layups of [0/90]2 and [45/–45]2 are fabricated. An initial artificial debonding is created between core and face sheets during manufacturing the flawed sandwich beams. Numerical simulations and experiments of the short- and medium-sized intact beams revealed that the dominant failure mode is foam yielding and crushing. Thus, the composite skins layup sequence has almost no effect on the failure initiation and growth of those beams. However, in the long-sized sandwich beams, the layup sequence changed the load–displacement response of the beams. Moreover, ignoring the nonlinear behaviour of the composite skins caused a remarkable deviation from the experiment. It is shown that sandwich beams with initial debonding placed in tension side had a negligible effect on the loading capacity of the beams, while those on the compression side had remarkable effects. For instance, the ultimate load of the long-sized beam decreased by 56% compared to the intact sandwich beam. Similarly, in the medium-sized beam, the core–skin debonding in the compressive side caused near 20% reduction in the loading capacity compared to the corresponding intact beam. The cohesive zone model and the extended finite element method were utilized successfully to capture crack initiation and propagation between the core–skin interfaces as well as inside the foam core. Acceptable agreement was observed between the experiment and numerical results.
Food Access and Its Relationship to Perceived Walkability, Safety, and Social Cohesion
Authors: Calise Tamara Vehige , Chow Wendy , Ryder Amanda , Wingerter Chloe
Published: June 2018

Understanding social inequalities in terms of neighborhood characteristics and the context to which individuals belong is important for reducing disparities. This article describes how perceptions of food access are related to three physical and social environmental factors: perceived neighborhood walkability, safety, and social cohesion. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a random sample of 1,500 households in Springfield, Missouri. The main outcome measures were ease of purchase; availability of a large selection and quality; and affordability of fresh fruits and vegetables (FVs) and low-fat products (LFPs). Overall, 63% of respondents reported consuming <5 servings of FVs daily in the past month. Most agreed it was easy to purchase FVs (70%) and LFPs (76%) in their neighborhood and felt there was a large selection available (70% and 71%, respectively). High walkability (odds ratio [OR]: 1.8), low crime (OR: 1.6), and high social cohesion (OR: 1.7) were significantly associated with having greater selection of FVs. High walkability (OR: 1.6) and low crime (OR: 1.6) were associated with greater access to FVs. Given that healthy food access is an important component to improving health outcomes, understanding how to alter environmental features that influence behaviors like eating is important.
Childhood Vaccine Attitudes and Information Sources Among Oregon Parents and Guardians
Authors: Deas Jessica , Bean Sandra J. , Sokolovska Iva , Fautin Charlie
Published: June 2018

We sought to examine parent vaccine information sources and to understand vaccine beliefs and concerns of a representative sample of Oregon parents from an area where low vaccination levels occur. We hoped to understand how these beliefs affect pediatric vaccine uptake and to inform efforts to shift vaccine-hesitant habits toward a norm of full vaccination. Oregon still permits nonmedical exemptions. We passively recruited parents of children ages 0 to 13 years, then divided them into focus groups by stance—whether vaccine-accepting or -hesitant. Because of recruitment challenges, we supplemented focus group data from 33 participants with six individual parent interviews. In focus groups and interviews, we probed for vaccine information sources perceived as credible as well as perceptions about vaccines and their utility, benefit, and safety, using constructs of the health belief model. The information sources included medical providers, family, and peers or social networks. We found that vaccine beliefs are not dichotomous but fall along a continuum from full acceptance to full opposition. Most parents who participated inclined toward flexible vaccination scheduling. Another new finding was that most participants, regardless of vaccine stance, acknowledged the tension between social responsibility and individual choice regarding vaccination; vaccine-accepters supported social responsibility and vaccine-hesitant participants stressed individual choice. In addition, parents across the spectrum expressed skepticism about the reliability of social media.
Parallel noise eliminate: A parallel noise elimination algorithm for massive text categorization
Authors: Hu Xiaojuan , Liu Lei , Qiu Ningjia , Li Meng
Published: June 2018

Noise data in text are one of the main factors affecting the quality of text categorization. A parallel noise data elimination algorithm based on principal component analysis method and term frequency-inverse document frequency method for the noise data issue of massive text categorization is proposed. Five types of noise data which may occur during text categorization process are analyzed and summarized in this paper. Before text categorization, a redundant noise elimination algorithm based on key feature selection is presented for redundant noise features. During the process of text categorization, the error noise detection algorithm is given for inaccurate noise features. The proposed method is compared with other four typical noise processing methods in different noise ratios on two common corpora. The results show that the proposed method is feasible and can maintain more stable and excellent classification performance and lower running time.