bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrated crustal–geological cross-section of Ellesmere Island
Authors: Stephenson R. , Piepjohn K. , Schiffer C. , Von Gosen W. , Oakey G. N. , Anudu G.
Published: May 2017

The crustal seismic velocity model (based on receiver functions) of Ellesmere Island and the structural geological cross-section of Ellesmere Island, both documented and discussed elsewhere in this volume, are here integrated into a crustal-scale transect crossing all the main tectonic domains. The velocity model satisfies much of the observed gravity field, but implies minor modifications with potentially important implications for characterizing the lower crust over the transect. The crust of the Pearya Terrane includes a high-velocity and high-density lower crustal body, suggested to represent a mafic underplate linked to the emplacement of the High Arctic Large Igneous Province. A similar body also lies directly beneath the Hazen Plateau, but this is more likely to be inherited from earlier tectonic stages than to be linked to the High Arctic Large Igneous Province. A large-scale basement-involving thrust, possibly linked to a deep detachment of Ellesmerian age, lies immediately south of the Pearya Terrane and forms the northern backdrop to a crustal-scale pop-up structure that accommodates Eurekan-aged shortening in northern Ellesmere Island. The thickest crust and deepest Moho along the transect are below the Central Ellesmerian fold belt, where the Moho is flexured downwards to the north to a depth of about 48 km beneath the load of the structurally thickened supracrustal strata of the fold belt.
Generation of Transparent-Scan Sequences for Diagnosis of Scan Chain Faults
Authors: Pomeranz Irith
Published: May 2017

Diagnosis of scan chain faults is important for yield learning and improvement. Procedures that generate tests for diagnosis of scan chain faults produce scan-based tests with one or more functional capture cycles between a scan-in and a scan-out operation. The approach to test generation referred to as transparent-scan has several advantages in this context. (1) It allows functional capture cycles and scan shift cycles to be interleaved arbitrarily. This increases the flexibility to assign to the scan cells values that are needed for diagnosis. (2) Test generation under transparent-scan considers a circuit model where the scan logic is included explicitly. Consequently, the test generation procedure takes into consideration the full effect of a scan chain fault. It thus produces accurate tests. (3) For the same reason, it can also target faults inside the scan logic. (4) Transparent-scan results in compact test sequences. Compaction is important because of the large volumes of fail data that scan chain faults create. The cost of transparent-scan is that it requires simulation procedures for sequential circuits, and that arbitrary sequences would be applicable to the scan select input. Motivated by the advantages of transparent-scan, and the importance of diagnosing scan chain faults, this article describes a procedure for generating transparent-scan sequences for diagnosis of scan chain faults. The procedure is also applied to produce transparent-scan sequences for diagnosis of faults inside the scan logic.
Perceptual Comparison of Source-Code Plagiarism within Students from UK, China, and South Cyprus Higher Education Institutions
Authors: Cosma Georgina , Joy Mike , Sinclair Jane , Andreou Margarita , Zhang Dongyong , Cook Beverley , Boyatt Russell
Published: May 2017

Perspectives of students on what constitutes source-code plagiarism may differ based on their educational background. Surveys have been conducted with home students undertaking computing and joint computing subject degrees at higher education institutions throughout the UK, China, and South Cyprus, and a total of 984 responses have been statistically analysed to determine the common areas of understanding and misunderstanding among students on various topics related to source-code plagiarism. The study identifies those topics which are well understood, and those topics which are not properly understood across the different groups of students, and is the first study which specifically discusses Cypriot student perceptions on source-code plagiarism. This study provides useful information to educators (teaching home and international students) who wish to better inform their students on the issues of plagiarism and source-code plagiarism. Finally, the survey results revealed that although students who were informed about plagiarism better understood what actions constitute plagiarism, some topics were still unclear among students regardless of the students’ educational background and whether they had been previously informed about plagiarism.
Major Questions in the Study of Primate Origins
Authors: Silcox Mary T. , López-Torres Sergi
Published: May 2017

Numerous factors have stimulated new enthusiasm for understanding the process of primate origins, including new fossil discoveries, improvements to methods for analyzing molecular data, and technological advances. These novel approaches have led to a better appreciation of the complexities of early primate evolution. Eight fundamental questions provide a framework for thinking about these issues. Among these topics are the phylogenetic position of Primates in Mammalia and the membership of particular fossil groups in the order. Also of central interest are questions about early primate ecology and anatomy such as the ancestral body mass, diet, locomotor mode, interactions with predators, and brain size and form. And finally, considerations of the paleontological record need to be informed by the most relevant living models, which help flesh out the story that is being told by fossils. Although much is known about all of these areas, fundamental questions still remain.
Phencyclidine administration during neurodevelopment alters network activity in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in adult rats
Authors: Kjaerby Celia , Hovelsø Nanna , Dalby Nils Ole , Sotty Florence
Published: May 2017

We show that insults with a NMDA receptor antagonist during neurodevelopment lead to suppressed evoked theta oscillations in ventral hippocampus in adult rats, while evoked gamma oscillations are enhanced and hypersensitive to an acute challenge with a NMDA receptor antagonist in prefrontal cortex. These observations reveal the significance of neurodevelopmental disturbances in the evolvement of schizophrenia-like symptoms and contribute to the understanding of the functional deficits underlying aberrant behavior in this disease.
Automatic and intentional influences on saccade landing
Authors: Aagten-Murphy David , Bays Paul M.
Published: May 2017

When making an eye movement to a target location, the presence of a nearby distractor can cause the saccade to unintentionally terminate at the distractor itself or the average position in between stimuli. With probabilistic mixture models, we quantified how both unavoidable capture and goal-directed targeting were influenced by changing the task and the target-distractor separation. Using this novel technique, we could extract the time course over which automatic and intentional processes compete for control of saccades.
Optimal motor synergy extraction for novel actions and virtual environments
Authors: Reader Arran T.
Published: May 2017

Dimensionality reduction techniques such as factor analysis can be used to identify the smallest number of components (motor synergies) that explain motion. Lambert-Shirzad and Van der Loos ( J Neurophysiol 117: 290–302, 2017) compared dimensionality reduction techniques in bimanual hand movements, concluding that nonnegative matrix factorization was the optimal technique for extracting meaningful synergies. Their results provide a useful measure for examining how the motor system deals with novel motor tasks that allow the actor to engage with a virtual environment.
Variations on a theme: species differences in synaptic connectivity do not predict central pattern generator activity
Authors: Gunaratne Charuni A. , Sakurai Akira , Katz Paul S.
Published: May 2017

This research shows that the synaptic connectivity between homologous neurons exhibits species-specific variations on a basic theme. The neurons vary in the extent of electrical coupling and reciprocal inhibition. They also exhibit different patterns of activity during rhythmic motor behaviors that are not predicted by their circuitry. The circuitry does not map onto the phylogeny in a predictable fashion either. Thus neither neuronal homology nor species behavior is predictive of neural circuit connectivity.
A balance of outward and linear inward ionic currents is required for generation of slow-wave oscillations
Authors: Golowasch Jorge , Bose Amitabha , Guan Yinzheng , Salloum Dalia , Roeser Andrea , Nadim Farzan
Published: May 2017

Pacemaker neuron-generated rhythmic activity requires the activation of at least one inward and one outward current. We have previously shown that the inward current can be a linear current (with negative conductance). Using this simple mechanism, here we demonstrate that the inward current conductance must be in relative balance with the outward current conductances to generate oscillatory activity. Surprisingly, an excess of outward conductances completely precludes the possibility of achieving such a balance.
Approaching threatening stimuli cause an expansion of defensive peripersonal space
Authors: Bufacchi R. J.
Published: May 2017

When sudden environmental stimuli signaling threat occur in the portion of space surrounding the body (defensive peripersonal space), defensive responses are enhanced. Recently Bisio et al. (Bisio A, Garbarini F, Biggio M, Fossataro C, Ruggeri P, Bove M. J Neurosci 37: 2415–2424, 2017) showed that a marker of defensive peripersonal space, the defensive hand-blink reflex, is modulated by the motion of the eliciting threatening stimulus. These results can be parsimoniously explained by the continuous monitoring of environmental threats, resulting in an expansion of defensive peripersonal space when threatening stimuli approach.
Extruded and Injection Moulded Virgin PA 6/6 as Abrasion Resistant Material
Authors: Sukumaran J. , Keresztes R. , Kalácska G. , Almaliki H. , Neis P. D. , De Baets P.
Published: May 2017

Polyamide (PA6/6) is often used as a tribological pair in abrasion prevalent applications such as hinges and sliders. PA6/6 is frequently processed by injection moulding and extrusion process. It is known that these processes influence the polymers mechanical behaviour, but their influence on the polymers wear response has not been studied. Hence the present research attempts to study the influence of different manufacturing processes on tribological behaviour for PA6/6. Wear tests were performed on a pin abrading tester (DIN 50322). Abrasion resistance of both extruded and injection moulded PA6/6 were tested at different loads (20 and 35 N). Single-pass (nonoverlapping mode) and multipass testing (overlapping mode) were used to understand the influence of clogging of wear debris. It is evidenced that with increasing load the specific wear rate decreases; moreover, fine abrasives tend to reduce the wear rate. In multipass testing a transfer layer clogged on the counterface that acted as a protective agent and lowers wear rate. Poor mechanical strength of injection moulded polymers is apparently compensated by microstructural response for having a similar wear behaviour between extruded and injection moulded PA 6/6. Hence a proper balance between microstructural and mechanical characteristics is an absolute must in PA 6/6 for better wear performance.
Feeder Cell Type Affects the Growth of In Vitro Cultured Bovine Trophoblast Cells
Authors: Saadeldin Islam M. , Abdelfattah-Hassan Ahmed , Swelum Ayman Abdel-Aziz
Published: May 2017

Trophectoderm cells are the foremost embryonic cells to differentiate with prospective stem-cell properties. In the current study, we aimed at improving the current approach for trophoblast culture by using granulosa cells as feeders. Porcine granulosa cells (PGCs) compared to the conventional mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) were used to grow trophectoderm cells from hatched bovine blastocysts. Isolated trophectoderm cells were monitored and displayed characteristic epithelial/cuboidal morphology. The isolated trophectoderm cells expressed mRNA of homeobox protein (CDX2), cytokeratin-8 (KRT8), and interferon tau (IFNT). The expression level was higher on PGCs compared to MEFs throughout the study. In addition, primary trophectoderm cell colonies grew faster on PGCs, with a doubling time of approximately 48 hrs, compared to MEFs. PGCs feeders produced a fair amount of 17β-estradiol and progesterone. We speculated that the supplementation of sex steroids and still-unknown factors during the trophoblasts coculture on PGCs have helped to have better trophectoderm cell’s growth than on MEFs. This is the first time to use PGCs as feeders to culture trophectoderm cells and it proved superior to MEFs. We propose PGCs as alternative feeders for long-term culture of bovine trophectoderm cells. This model will potentially benefit studies on the early trophoblast and embryonic development in bovines.
Quantification of Antioxidant Phenolic Compounds in a New Chrysanthemum Cultivar by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection and Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Han Ah-Reum , Kim Hyo Young , So Yangkang , Nam Bomi , Lee Ik-Soo , Nam Joo-Won , Jo Yeong Deuk , Kim Sang Hoon , Kim Jin-Baek , Kang Si-Yong , Jin Chang Hyun
Published: May 2017

The flowers of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. have been used as an herbal tea and in traditional medicine, and the plant has been developed to produce horticultural cultivars of various colors and shapes. In this study, a new chrysanthemum cultivar with dark purple petals (C. morifolium cv. ARTI-Dark Chocolate; ADC) was developed by radiation-induced mutation breeding of its original cultivar with purple striped white petals (C. morifolium cv. Noble Wine, NW). The phenolic profile and antioxidant property of ADC were investigated and compared with NW and the commercially available medicinal herb, C. morifolium with yellow petals (CM), in order to find a scientific support to produce a new source of natural antioxidant. Flavonoid and phenolic acid profiles of the ethanol extracts of the three flowers were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESIMS), while antioxidant properties were evaluated using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging assay. Among the tested flowers, ADC possessed the strongest antioxidant capacity and the highest phenolic contents. Flavonoids (acacetin, apigenin, luteolin, acacetin-7-O-β-glucoside, apigenin-7-O-β-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-β-glucoside, and linarin) and phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid and mixture of 1,4-, 1,5-, and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acids) were identified and quantified.
Experimental Investigation on the Material Removal of the Ultrasonic Vibration Assisted Abrasive Water Jet Machining Ceramics
Authors: Wang Tao , Hou Rongguo , Lv Zhe
Published: May 2017

The ultrasonic vibration activated in the abrasive water jet nozzle is used to enhance the capability of the abrasive water jet machinery. The experiment devices of the ultrasonic vibration assisted abrasive water jet are established; they are composed of the ultrasonic vibration producing device, the abrasive supplying device, the abrasive water jet nozzle, the water jet intensifier pump, and so on. And the effect of process parameters such as the vibration amplitude, the system working pressure, the stand-off, and the abrasive diameter on the ceramics material removal is studied. The experimental result indicates that the depth and the volume removal are increased when the ultrasonic vibration is added on abrasive water jet. With the increase of vibration amplitude, the depth and the volume of material removal are also increased. The other parameters of the ultrasonic vibration assisted abrasive water jet also have an important role in the improvement of ceramic material erosion efficiency.
Isolation and Characterization of Isofraxidin 7‐O‐(6′‐O‐p‐Coumaroyl)‐β‐glucopyranoside from Artemisia capillaris Thunberg: A Novel, Nontoxic Hyperpigmentation Agent That Is Effective In Vivo
Authors: Yim Soon-Ho , Tabassum Nadia , Kim Woong-Hee , Cho Haaglim , Lee Ji-Hyung , Batkhuu Galzad J. , Kim Hyun Jung , Oh Won Keun , Jung Da-Woon , Williams Darren R.
Published: May 2017

Abnormalities in skin pigmentation can produce disorders such as albinism or melasma. There is a research need to discover novel compounds that safely and effectively regulate pigmentation. To identify novel modulators of pigmentation, we attempted to purify compounds from a bioactive fraction of the Korean medicinal plant Artemisia capillaris Thunberg. The novel compound isofraxidin 7‐O‐(6′‐O‐p‐coumaroyl)‐β‐glucopyranoside (compound 1) was isolated and its pigmentation activity was characterized in mammalian melanocytes. Compound 1 stimulated melanin accumulation and increased tyrosinase activity, which regulates melanin synthesis. Moreover, compound 1 increased the expression of tyrosinase and the key melanogenesis regulator microphthalmia‐associated transcription factor (MITF) in melanocytes. Compared to the parent compound, isofraxidin, compound 1 produced greater effects on these pigmentation parameters. To validate compound 1 as a novel hyperpigmentation agent in vivo, we utilized the zebrafish vertebrate model. Zebrafish treated with compound 1 showed higher melanogenesis and increased tyrosinase activity. Compound 1 treated embryos had no developmental defects and displayed normal cardiac function, indicating that this compound enhanced pigmentation without producing toxicity. In summary, our results describe the characterization of novel natural product compound 1 and its bioactivity as a pigmentation enhancer, demonstrating its potential as a therapeutic to treat hypopigmentation disorders.
Experimental and Numerical Evaluation of the Ablation Process of Carbon/Carbon Composites Using High Velocity Oxygen Fuel System
Authors: Fan Xueling , Jiang Peng , Li Biao , Jin Xiaochao , Zhao Yong
Published: May 2017

The ablation process of carbon/carbon (C/C) composites was tested under hypersonic flowing propane flame. The microstructures of C/C composites were characterized and the numerical analysis was performed. Two typical ablation morphologies of the carbon fibers, which are drum-like and needle-like shapes, were observed depending on the alignments of fibers to the flame directions. Temperature fields in the composites were analyzed using finite element method, and the mechanisms that govern the formation of different ablation behaviors were elucidated. For paralleled fiber bundles, the highest temperature situates in the middle parts underlying the ablation pits, where the drum-like shape is formed. For perpendicular fiber bundles, the highest temperature appears at the turning point between the transverse section and the surface of fiber, which leads to the gradual ablation from the fiber surface toward the axis, and eventually the formation of the needle-like shape.
Temperature Effects on the Friction and Wear Behaviors of SiCp/A356 Composite against Semimetallic Materials
Authors: Pan Like , Han Jianmin , Yang Zhiyong , Wang Jialin , Li Xiang , Li Zhiqiang , Li Weijing
Published: May 2017

Due to the low density and high temperature resistance, the SiCp/A356 composites have great potential for weight reduction and braking performance using the brake disc used in trains and automobiles. But the friction coefficient and braking performance are not stable in the braking process because of temperature rising. In this paper, friction and wear behaviors of SiCp/A356 composite against semimetallic materials were investigated in a ring-on-disc configuration in the temperature range of 30°C to 300°C. Experiments were conducted at a constant sliding speed of 1.4 m/s and an applied load of 200 N. Worn surface, subsurface, and wear debris were also examined by using SEM and EDS techniques. The third body films (TBFs) lubricated wear transferred to the third body abrasive wear above 200°C, which was a transition temperature. The friction coefficient decreased and weight of semimetallic materials increased with the increase of temperature and the temperature had almost no effect on the weight loss of composites. The dominant wear mechanism of the composites was microploughing and slight adhesion below 200°C, while being controlled by cutting grooves, severe adhesion, and delamination above the 200°C.
DRD4 Gene Polymorphisms as a Risk Factor for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Iranian Population
Authors: Tabatabaei Seyed Mahmoud , Amiri Shahrokh , Faghfouri Sara , Noorazar Seyed Gholamreza , AbdollahiFakhim Shahin , Fakhari Ali
Published: May 2017

Background and Objective. Dopamine dysfunction is known to be associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4) is one of the important genes in this pathway. This study intended to investigate the variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) in exon 3 of the DRD4 gene in Iranian children and adolescents. Materials and Methods. In this study, 130 children with ADHD, aged 6–14 years, and 130 healthy children, within the same age range, were enrolled. All children were selected from northwest of Iran which have Caucasian ethnic background and are of a Turkic ethnic group. VNTR polymorphisms of the DRD4 gene were evaluated by PCR using exon 3-specific primers followed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Findings. The Hardy-Weinberg principle and Chi-square test showed a significant difference in 4-repetition (4R) alleles between the ADHD (76.2%) and control (53.8%) groups (p=0.004; X2=17.39; df=5). The least percentage of repetition alleles in both groups was 2R. Conclusion. There is a significant correlation between the 4R alleles of DRD4 and ADHD in the northwest of Iran.
Modelling and Analysis on Emergency Evacuation from Metro Stations
Authors: Chen Shaokuan , Di Yue , Liu Shuang , Wang Baoshan
Published: May 2017

Efficient calculation on passenger evacuation performances under emergencies is crucial to the planning, design, and operation of metro systems as it is closely related to the safety of human lives. Four calculation methodologies including the China CDM, NFPA 130, control volume, and M/G/c/c models and a multiagent‐based simulation approach are employed to calculate the evacuation time under a given number of evacuees in different application backgrounds by investigating impact factors and strategies of evacuation as well as moving speed of evacuees. The M/G/c/c model and multiagent‐based simulation approach are also used to identify the bottleneck of evacuation in metro stations. A case study for the Xizhimen metro station in Beijing is carried out to validate the effectiveness of these methodologies to planners, designers, and operators in practice. The results show that the former two methodologies are concise quantitative methods while the latter ones are more capable of assessing the whole process and details of evacuation.
Finite‐Time Output Feedback Controller Based on Observer for the Time‐Varying Delayed Systems: A Moore‐Penrose Inverse Approach
Authors: Nguyen Cong-Trang , Tsai Yao-Wen
Published: May 2017

This study proposes a novel variable structure control (VSC) for the mismatched uncertain systems with unknown time‐varying delay. The novel VSC includes the finite‐time convergence sliding mode, invariance property, asymptotic stability, and measured output only. A necessary and sufficient condition guaranteeing the existence of sliding surface is given. A novel lemma is established to deal with the control design problem for a wider class of time‐delay systems. A suitable reduced‐order observer (ROO) is constructed to estimate unmeasured state variables of the systems. A novel finite‐time output feedback controller (FTOFC) is investigated, which is based on the ROO tool and the Moore‐Penrose inverse technique. Moreover, with the help of this lemma and the proposed FTOFC, restrictions on most existing works are also eliminated. In addition, an asymptotic stability analysis is implemented by means of the feasibility of the linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) and given desirable sliding mode dynamics. Finally, a MATLAB simulation result on a numerical example is performed to show the effectiveness and advantage of the proposed method.
A Pilot Study on Bioactive Constituents and Analgesic Effects of MyrLiq®, a Commiphora myrrha Extract with a High Furanodiene Content
Authors: Germano Antonio , Occhipinti Andrea , Barbero Francesca , Maffei Massimo E.
Published: May 2017

The analgesic properties of myrrh (Commiphora myrrha) have been known since ancient times and depend on the presence of bioactive sesquiterpenes with furanodiene skeletons. MyrLiq is a C. myrrha extract with a standardized content of curzerene, furanoeudesma-1,3-diene, and lindestrene (12.31±0.05 g kg−1, 18.84±0.02 g kg−1, and 6.23±0.01 g kg−1, resp.) and a high total furanodiene content (40.86±0.78 g kg−1). A balanced sample of 95 female and 89 male volunteers (with ages ranging from 18 to older than 60 years) exhibiting different pain pathologies, including headache, fever-dependent pain, joint pain, muscle aches, lower back pain, and menstrual cramps, was divided into two groups. The experimental group received 1 capsule/day containing either 200 mg or 400 mg of MyrLiq (corresponding to 8 mg and 16 mg of bioactive furanodienes, resp.) for 20 days, and the placebo group was given the same number of capsules with no MyrLiq. A score was recorded for all volunteers based on their previous experience with prescribed analgesics. For the male volunteers, pain alleviation was obtained with 400 mg of MyrLiq/day for almost all pathologies, whereas, for female volunteers, alleviation of lower back pain and fever-dependent pain was observed with only 200 mg of MyrLiq/day. These results indicate that MyrLiq has significant analgesic properties.
Robust L‐Isomap with a Novel Landmark Selection Method
Authors: Shi Hao , Yin Baoqun , Kang Yu , Shao Chao , Gui Jie
Published: May 2017

Isomap is a widely used nonlinear method for dimensionality reduction. Landmark‐Isomap (L‐Isomap) has been proposed to improve the scalability of Isomap. In this paper, we focus on two important issues that were not taken into account in L‐Isomap, landmark point selection and topological stability. At first, we present a novel landmark point selection method. It first uses a greedy strategy to select some points as landmark candidates and then removes the candidate points that are neighbours of other candidates. The remaining candidate points are the landmark points. The selection method can promote the computation efficiency without sacrificing accuracy. For the topological stability, we define edge density for each edge in the neighbourhood graph. According to the geometrical characteristic of the short‐circuit edges, we provide a method to eliminate the short‐circuit edge without breaking the data integrity. The approach that integrates L‐Isomap with these two improvements is referred to as Robust L‐Isomap (RL‐Isomap). The effective performance of RL‐Isomap is confirmed through several numerical experiments.
Less-Conventional Low-Consumption Galvanic Separated MOSFET-IGBT Gate Drive Supply
Authors: Bikorimana Jean Marie Vianney , Van den Bossche Alex
Published: May 2017

A simple half-bridge, galvanic separated power supply which can be short circuit proof is proposed for gate driver local supplies. The supply is made while hacking a common mode type filter as a transformer, as the transformer shows a good insulation, it has a very low parasitic capacitance between primary and secondary coils, and it is cost-effective. Very low standby losses were observed during lab experiments. This makes it compatible with energy efficient drives and solar inverters.
An Automatic Assembling System for Sealing Rings Based on Machine Vision
Authors: Gao Mingyu , Li Xiao , He Zhiwei , Yang Yuxiang
Published: May 2017

In order to grab and place the sealing rings of battery lid quickly and accurately, an automatic assembling system for sealing rings based on machine vision is developed in this paper. The whole system is composed of the light sources, cameras, industrial control units, and a 4-degree-of-freedom industrial robot. Specifically, the sealing rings are recognized and located automatically with the machine vision module. Then industrial robot is controlled for grabbing the sealing rings dynamically under the joint work of multiple control units and visual feedback. Furthermore, the coordinates of the fast-moving battery lid are tracked by the machine vision module. Finally the sealing rings are placed on the sealing ports of battery lid accurately and automatically. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system can grab the sealing rings and place them on the sealing port of the fast-moving battery lid successfully. More importantly, the proposed system can improve the efficiency of the battery production line obviously.
Solanum paranense Extracts and Solanine Present Anti‐Inflammatory Activity in an Acute Skin Inflammation Model in Mice
Authors: Piana Mariana , Camponogara Camila , Boligon Aline Augusti , Oliveira Sara Marchesan
Published: May 2017

The aim of the study was to evaluate the anti‐inflammatory activity of the S. paranense crude extract, S. paranense alkaloid fraction, and solanine alkaloid. These samples reduce the croton oil‐induced ear edema in a dose‐dependent manner and a maximum inhibition of 81%, 98%, and 80% in the doses of 1.0, 0.73, and 0.37 mg/ear, respectively. Moreover, the samples inhibit the MPO activity with an inhibition maximum of 51%, 40%, and 46% in the doses of 1.0, 0.73, and 0.37 mg/ear, respectively. Similar results were found for dexamethasone 0.10 mg/ear (positive control), which showed inhibitions of ear edema and MPO activity of 100% and 65%, respectively. These results found probably are related to the presence of solanine which is present in significant quantity in the alkaloid fraction and others as rutin and rosmarinic, chlorogenic, and gallic acids. These results support the use of S. paranense for the treatment of inflammatory skin disorders.
Development of Neurological Mouse Model for Toxoplasmosis Using Toxoplasma gondii Isolated from Chicken in Kenya
Authors: Mokua Mose John , Muchina Kamau David , Kagira John Maina , Maina Naomi , Ngotho Maina , Njuguna Adele , Karanja Simon Muturi
Published: May 2017

Animal models for the toxoplasmosis are scarce and have limitations. In this study, a neurological mouse model was developed in BALB/c mice infected intraperitoneally with 15 cysts of a Toxoplasma gondii isolate. The mice were monitored for 42 days and euthanized at different time points. Another group of mice were orally treated with dexamethasone (DXM: 2.66 mg/kg daily, 5.32 mg/kg daily) at 42 days after infection and monitored for a further 42 days. A mortality rate of 15% and 28.6% was observed in mice given 2.66 mg/kg/day and 5.32 mg/kg/day of DXM, respectively. The mean cyst numbers in the brain of DXM treated mice increased up to twofold compared with chronically infected untreated mice. Infections up to 42 days were associated with an increase in both IgM and IgG levels but following dexamethasone treatment, IgM levels declined but IgG levels continued on rising. The brain of toxoplasmosis infected mice showed mononuclear cellular infiltrations, neuronal necrosis, and cuffing. The severity of pathology was higher in mice treated with dexamethasone compared to the positive control groups. The findings of this study demonstrate that DXM-induced reactivation of chronic toxoplasmosis may be a useful development of laboratory animal model in outbred mice used for in vivo studies.
Clinical Applicability of Whole-Exome Sequencing Exemplified by a Study in Young Adults with the Advanced Cryptogenic Cholestatic Liver Diseases
Authors: Kulecka Maria , Habior Andrzej , Paziewska Agnieszka , Goryca Krzysztof , Dąbrowska Michalina , Ambrozkiewicz Filip , Walewska-Zielecka Bożena , Gabriel Andrzej , Mikula Michal , Ostrowski Jerzy
Published: May 2017

Background. The proper use of new medical tests in clinical practice requires the establishment of their value and range of diagnostic usefulness. While whole-exome sequencing (WES) has already entered the medical practice, recognizing its diagnostic usefulness in multifactorial diseases has not yet been achieved. Aims. The objective of this study was to establish usability of WES in determining genetic background of chronic cholestatic liver disease (CLD) in young patients. Methods. WES was performed on six young patients (between 17 and 22 years old) with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis due to CLD and their immediate families. Sequencing was performed on an Ion Proton sequencer. Results. On average, 19,673 variants were identified, of which from 7 to 14 variants of an individual were nonsynonymous, homozygous, recessively inherited, and considered in silico as pathogenic. Although monogenic cause of CLD has not been determined, several heterozygous rare variants and polymorphisms were uncovered in genes previously known to be associated with CLD, including ATP8B1, ABCB11, RXRA, and ABCC4, indicative of multifactorial genetic background. Conclusions. WES is a potentially useful diagnostic tool in determining genetic background of multifactorial diseases, but its main limitation results from the lack of opportunities for direct linkage between the uncovered genetic variants and molecular mechanisms of disease.
Evaluation of Dentin Defect Formation during Retreatment with Hand and Rotary Instruments: A Micro-CT Study
Authors: Yilmaz Ayca , Helvacioglu-Yigit Dilek , Gur Cansu , Ersev Handan , Kiziltas Sendur Gullu , Avcu Egemen , Baydemir Canan , Abbott Paul Vincent
Published: May 2017

The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence and longitudinal propagation of dentin defects after gutta-percha removal with hand and rotary instruments using microcomputed tomography. Twenty mandibular incisors were prepared using the balanced-force technique and scanned in a 19.9 μm resolution. Following filling with the lateral compaction technique, gutta-percha was removed with ProTaper Universal Retreatment (PTUR) or hand instruments. After rescanning, a total of 24,120 cross-sectional images were analyzed. The numbers, types, and longitudinal length changes of defects were recorded. Defects were observed in 36.90% of the cross sections. A total of 73 defects were comprised of 87.67% craze lines, 2.73% partial cracks, and 9.58% fractures. No significant difference in terms of new defect formation was detected between the retreatment groups. The apical and middle portions of the roots had more dentin defects than the coronal portions. Defects in three roots of the PTUR instrument group increased in length. Under the conditions of this in vitro study, gutta-percha removal seemed to not increase the incidence of dentin defect formation, but the longitudinal defect propagation finding suggests possible cumulative dentinal damage due to additional endodontic procedures. Hand and rotary instrumentation techniques caused similar dentin defect formation during root canal retreatment.
Oscillation-Based Test Applied to a Wideband CCII
Authors: Petrashin Pablo , Toledo Luis , Lancioni Walter , Osuch Piotr , Stander Tinus
Published: May 2017

Oscillation-based testing (OBT) has been proven to be a simple, yet effective VLSI test for numerous circuit types. This paper investigates, for the first time, the application of OBT verification for second generation current conveyors (CCIIs). The OBT is formed by connecting the CCII into a simple Wien bridge oscillator and monitoring both the amplitude and frequency of oscillation. The fault detection rate, taking into account both the open and short circuit fault simulation analyses, indicates 96.34% fault coverage using a combination of amplitude and frequency output sensing in all technology corners. The only nondetected faults are short circuits between VDD and VSS, which can be detected using other techniques such as IDDQ testing. This method is found to be sensitive to resistor and capacitor process variation in the Wien bridge oscillator, but mitigating test steps are proposed.
Cloud Model-Based Artificial Immune Network for Complex Optimization Problem
Authors: Wang Mingan , Feng Shuo , Li Jianming , Li Zhonghua , Xue Yu , Guo Dongliang
Published: May 2017

This paper proposes an artificial immune network based on cloud model (AINet-CM) for complex function optimization problems. Three key immune operators—cloning, mutation, and suppression—are redesigned with the help of the cloud model. To be specific, an increasing half cloud-based cloning operator is used to adjust the dynamic clone multipliers of antibodies, an asymmetrical cloud-based mutation operator is used to control the adaptive evolution of antibodies, and a normal similarity cloud-based suppressor is used to keep the diversity of the antibody population. To quicken the searching convergence, a dynamic searching step length strategy is adopted. For comparative study, a series of numerical simulations are arranged between AINet-CM and the other three artificial immune systems, that is, opt-aiNet, IA-AIS, and AAIS-2S. Furthermore, two industrial applications—finite impulse response (FIR) filter design and proportional-integral-differential (PID) controller tuning—are investigated and the results demonstrate the potential searching capability and practical value of the proposed AINet-CM algorithm.
Time Optimal Control of a Thermoelastic System
Authors: Liu Qiyu , Zhu Qunxiong , Geng Zhiqiang , Lv Longjin
Published: May 2017

This paper considers the numerical approximation for the time optimal control problem of a thermoelastic system with some control and state constraints. By the Galerkin finite element method (FEM), the original problem is projected into a semidiscrete optimal control problem governed by a system of ordinary differential equations. Then the optimal time and control parameterization method is applied to reduce the original system to an optimal parameter selection problem, in which both the optimal time and control are taken as decision variables to be optimized. This problem can be solved as a nonlinear optimization problem by a hybrid algorithm consisting of chaotic particle swarm optimization (CPSO) and sequential quadratic programming (SQP) algorithm. The numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed numerical approximation method.
Performance-Based Comparative Assessment of Open Source Web Vulnerability Scanners
Authors: Alsaleh Mansour , Alomar Noura , Alshreef Monirah , Alarifi Abdulrahman , Al-Salman AbdulMalik
Published: May 2017

The widespread adoption of web vulnerability scanners and the differences in the functionality provided by these tool-based vulnerability detection approaches increase the demand for testing their detection effectiveness. Despite the advantages of dynamic testing approaches, the literature lacks studies that systematically evaluate the performance of open source web vulnerability scanners. The main objectives of this study are to assess the performance of open source scanners from multiple perspectives and to examine their detection capability. This paper presents the results of a comparative evaluation of the security features as well as the performance of four web vulnerability detection tools. We followed this comparative assessment with a case study in which we evaluate the level of agreement between the results reported by two open source web vulnerability scanners. Given that the results of our comparative evaluation did not show significant performance differences among the scanners while the results of the conducted case study revealed high level of disagreement between the reports generated by different scanners, we conclude that the inconsistencies between the reports generated by different scanners might not necessarily correlate with their performance properties. We also present some recommendations for helping developers of web vulnerabilities scanners to improve their tools’ capabilities.
Skin Friction Reduction Characteristics of Nonsmooth Surfaces Inspired by the Shapes of Barchan Dunes
Authors: Song Xiao-wen , Zhang Ming-xiao , Lin Peng-zhe
Published: May 2017

A new type of nonsmooth surface inspired by the shape of barchan dunes has been proposed and is intended to reduce skin friction, a major cause of overall drag. Simulations were carried out to obtain skin friction reduction characteristics for the nonsmooth surface using the commercial computational fluid dynamics software Fluent. A realizable k‐ε model was employed to assess the influence of the nonsmooth structure on turbulent flow and velocity fields. The numerical simulation results showed that the new nonsmooth surface possesses the desired skin friction reduction effect and that the maximum skin friction reduction percentage reached 33.63% at a fluid speed of 30 m/s. Various aspects of the skin friction reduction mechanism were discussed, including the distribution of velocity vectors and shear stress contours and the variations in boundary layer thickness. The accuracy of the flow field for the nonsmooth unit was further verified by particle image velocimetry test results. The new bionic nonsmooth surface, which exceeds the limitations of existing nonsmooth bionic structures, can effectively reduce skin friction and should provide insights into engineering applications in the future.
Comparison of Antibacterial Activity ofLactobacillus plantarumStrains Isolated from Two Different Kinds of Regional Cheeses from Poland: Oscypek and Korycinski Cheese
Authors: Ołdak Aleksandra , Zielińska Dorota , Rzepkowska Anna , Kołożyn-Krajewska Danuta
Published: May 2017

Oscypek and korycinski are traditional Polish cheeses, exclusively produced in Tatra and in Podlasie region, respectively, produced from raw, unpasteurized milk. The 29Lactobacillus plantarumstrains were isolated on MRS agar from 12 cheese samples and used as a material for study. The main purpose of the work was to assess the antimicrobial properties and recognition of selected strains for the unique antagonistic activity and preservation role in food. It has been found that the highest antimicrobial activity was observed in the case ofL. monocytogenesstrains; however, the level of that activity was different depending on theLb. plantarumstrain. Strains from oscypek produced broad spectrum, and a few strains isolated from korycinski cheese produced a narrow spectrum of antimicrobial compounds, other than organic acids and hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, the antagonistic activity shown byLb. plantarumstrains is connected with the source from which a given strain was isolated. Strains isolated from oscypek cheese represented stronger activity againstL. monocytogenes, whereas strains isolated from korycinski cheese were more active againstE. coli. StrainsLb. plantarumOs13 and Kor14 could be considered as good candidates for protective cultures to extend durability of food products.
Analysis Bending Solutions of Clamped Rectangular Thick Plate
Authors: Zhong Yang , Xu Qian
Published: May 2017

The bending solutions of rectangular thick plate with all edges clamped and supported were investigated in this study. The basic governing equations used for analysis are based on Mindlin’s higher‐order shear deformation plate theory. Using a new function, the three coupled governing equations have been modified to independent partial differential equations that can be solved separately. These equations are coded in terms of deflection of the plate and the mentioned functions. By solving these decoupled equations, the analytic solutions of rectangular thick plate with all edges clamped and supported have been derived. The proposed method eliminates the complicated derivation for calculating coefficients and addresses the solution to problems directly. Moreover, numerical comparison shows the correctness and accuracy of the results.
Annular Beam Shaping in Multiphoton Microscopy to Reduce Out-of-Focus Background
Authors: Borglin Johan , Wang Danni , Durr Nicholas J. , Hanstorp Dag , Ben-Yakar Adela , Ericson Marica B.
Published: May 2017

Despite the inherent spatial confinement of multiphoton processes that arises from focusing through an objective, the maximum imaging depth in conventional multiphoton microscopy is ultimately limited by noise from out-of-focus fluorescence. This is particularly evident when imaging beyond shallow depths in highly scattering tissue as increased laser powers are necessary. The out-of-focus signal originates from multiphoton processes taking place primarily at shallow depths and deteriorates contrast and limits imaging depth. In this paper, annular laser beams are explored as a concept to reduce this background signal in multiphoton microscopy. The approach is theoretically verified by data from simulations and proof of principle is demonstrated on a custom-built experimental multiphoton microscopy platform. Annular laser beams were created by adopting wavefront control using a spatial light modulator and implemented for imaging tissue phantoms simulating turbid media and human skin ex vivo. The signal-to-background ratios were calculated and compared to images acquired with a traditional, filled-aperture Gaussian beam. Experiments in tissue phantom show an improvement in signal-to-background ratio of about 30% when using annular beam illumination in comparison to Gaussian illumination at specific depths. When laser power is not the limiting factor, this approach is expected to provide even greater benefits.
Urinalysis and Clinical Correlations in Patients withP. vivaxorP. falciparumMalaria from Colombia
Authors: Tobón-Castaño Alberto , Barrera Escobar Sebastián , Giraldo Castro Cecilia
Published: May 2017

Background. Urinalysis is a poorly reviewed diagnostic tool in malaria patients; its application can show the presence of severe malaria.Methods. Urinalysis was performed in a total of 620 patients diagnosed with malaria by thick blood smear; complications were classified according to WHO major criteria for severity and minor criteria according to the Colombian malaria guideline.Results. Severe or moderate clinical complications were diagnosed in 31.1% of patients, hepatic dysfunctions were diagnosed in 25.8%, anemia was diagnosed in 9.8%, thrombocytopenia was diagnosed in 7.7%, renal dysfunction was diagnosed in 4.8%, neurological and pulmonary complications were diagnosed in 2.1% and 2.4%, hypoglycemia was diagnosed in 1.1% of patients with blood glucose analysis, and acidosis was diagnosed in 10 of 25. Bilirubinuria was found in 24.3%, associated with urobilinuria, proteinuria, and increased specific gravity; urobilinuria was found in 30.6% associated with elevated serum bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase; 39.2% had proteinuria, associated with higher blood urea nitrogen, serum bilirubin, aspartate, alanine-transaminase, hematuria, and increased specific gravity. Severe or moderate liver and renal complications were associated with proteinuria and bilirubinuria. Urobilinuria was associated with thrombocytopenia and neurological and hepatic dysfunction. Ketonuria was associated with neurological dysfunctions.Conclusions. The most frequent alterations in the urinalysis were bilirubinuria, proteinuria, urobilinuria, and increased specific gravity, related to thrombocytopenia and liver, kidney, and neurological alterations.