bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Presence of atopy increases the risk of asthma relapse
Authors: Teoh Laurel , Mackay Ian M , Van Asperen Peter P , Acworth Jason P , Hurwitz Mark , Upham John W , Siew Weng Hou , Wang Claire Y T , Sloots Theo P , Neeman Teresa , Chang Anne B
Published: October 2017

Objectives

To describe the point prevalence of respiratory viruses/atypical bacteria using PCR and evaluate the impact of respiratory viruses/atypical bacteria and atopy on acute severity and clinical recovery in children with hospitalised and non-hospitalised asthma exacerbations.

Design

This was a prospective study performed during 2009–2011.

Setting

The study was performed in the emergency departments of two hospitals.

Patients

244 children aged 2–16 years presenting with acute asthma to the emergency departments were recruited. A nasopharyngeal aspirate and allergen skin prick test were performed.

Main outcome measures

The outcomes were divided into (1) acute severity outcomes (Australian National Asthma Council assessment, hospitalisation, Functional Severity Scale, Acute Asthma Score, asthma quality of life questionnaires for parents (PACQLQ) on presentation, asthma diary scores (ADS) on presentation and length of hospitalisation) and (2) recovery outcomes (PACQLQ for 21 days, ADS for 14 days and representation for asthma for 21 days).

Results

PCR for viruses/atypical bacteria was positive in 81.7% of children (75.1% human rhinovirus, codetection in 14.2%).Mycoplasma pneumoniaeandChlamydophila pneumoniaewere rarely detected. The presence of micro-organisms had little impact on acute asthma or recovery outcomes. Children with atopy were significantly more likely to relapse and represent for medical care by day 14 (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.23).

Conclusions

The presence of any viruses is associated with asthma exacerbations but does not appear to influence asthma recovery. In contrast, atopy is associated with asthma relapse.M. pneumoniaeandC. pneumoniaeare rare triggers of acute asthma in young children.
Discrepancies between ClinicalTrials.gov recruitment status and actual trial status: a cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Jones Christopher W , Safferman Michelle R , Adams Amanda C , Platts-Mills Timothy F
Published: October 2017

Objectives

To determine the accuracy of the recruitment status listed on ClinicalTrials.gov as compared with the actual trial status.

Design

Cross-sectional analysis.

Setting

Random sample of interventional phase 2–4 clinical trials registered between 2010 and 2012 on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Primary outcome measure

For each trial which was listed within ClinicalTrials.gov as ongoing, two investigators performed a comprehensive literature search for evidence that the trial had actually been completed. For each trial listed as completed or terminated early by ClinicalTrials.gov, we compared the date that the trial was actually concluded with the date the registry was updated to reflect the study’s conclusion status.

Results

Among the 405 included trials, 92 had a registry status indicating that study activity was either ongoing or the recruitment status was unknown. Of these, published results were available for 34 (37%). Among the 313 concluded trials, the median delay between study completion and a registry update reflecting that the study had ended was 141 days (IQR 48–419), with delays of over 1 year present for 29%. In total, 125 trials (31%) either had a listed recruitment status which was incorrect or had a delay of more than 1 year between the time the study was concluded and the time the registry recruitment status was updated.

Conclusions

At present, registry recruitment status information in ClinicalTrials.gov is often outdated or wrong. This inaccuracy has implications for the ability of researchers to identify completed trials and accurately characterise all available medical knowledge on a given subject.
Ectopic pregnancy: exploration of its global research architecture using density-equalising mapping and socioeconomic benchmarks
Authors: Brüggmann Dörthe , Kollascheck Jana , Quarcoo David , Bendels Michael H , Klingelhöfer Doris , Louwen Frank , Jaque Jenny M , Groneberg David A
Published: October 2017

Objective

About 2% of all pregnancies are complicated by the implantation of the zygote outside the uterine cavity and termed ectopic pregnancy. Whereas a multitude of guidelines exists and related research is constantly growing, no thorough assessment of the global research architecture has been performed yet. Hence, we aim to assess the associated scientific activities in relation to geographical and chronological developments, existing research networks and socioeconomic parameters.

Design

Retrospective, descriptive study.

Setting

On the basis of the NewQIS platform, scientometric methods were combined with novel visualising techniques such as density-equalising mapping to assess the scientific output on ectopic pregnancy. Using the Web of Science, we identified all related entries from 1900 to 2012.

Results

8040 publications were analysed. The USA and the UK were dominating the field in regard to overall research activity (2612 and 723 publications), overall citation numbers and country-specific H-Indices (US: 80, UK: 42). Comparison to economic power of the most productive countries demonstrated that Israel invested more resources in ectopic pregnancy-related research than other nations (853.41 ectopic pregnancy-specific publications per 1000 billlion US$ gross domestic product (GDP)), followed by the UK (269.97). Relation to the GDP per capita index revealed 49.3 ectopic pregnancy-specific publications per US$1000 GDP per capita for the USA in contrast to 17.31 for the UK. Semiqualitative indices such as country-specific citation rates ranked Switzerland first (24.7 citations per ectopic pregnancy-specific publication), followed by the Scandinavian countries Finland and Sweden. Low-income countries did not exhibit significant research activities.

Conclusions

This is the first in-depth analysis of global ectopic pregnancy research since 1900. It offers unique insights into the global scientific landscape. Besides the USA and the UK, Scandinavian countries and Switzerland can also be regarded as leading nations with regard to their relative socioeconomic input.
Protocol for a pilot, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of prophylactic use of tranexamic acid for preventing postpartum haemorrhage (TAPPH-1)
Authors: Alam Asim , Bopardikar Ameya , Au Shelly , Barrett Jon , Callum Jeannie , Kiss Alex , Choi Stephen
Published: October 2017

Introduction

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the availability of multiple uterotonic agents, the incidence of PPH continues to rise. Tranexamic acid (TXA) has been shown to be a safe, effective and inexpensive therapeutic option for the treatment of PPH, however, its use prophylactically in mitigating the risk of PPH is unknown. This pragmatic randomised prospective trial assesses the feasibility and safety of administering TXA at the time of delivery for the prevention of PPH.

Methods and analysis

A pilot pragmatic randomised double-blinded placebo-controlled trial will be performed. 58 singleton parturients at term >32 weeks, undergoing either spontaneous vaginal delivery, or caesarean section will be randomised to receive 1 g of TXA or placebo (0.9% saline) intravenously. The primary outcome assessed will be the feasibility of administrating TXA, along with collecting data regarding safety of drug administration. The groups will also be analysed on efficacy of mitigating the onset of PPH and clinically relevant variables. Demographic, feasibility, safety and clinical endpoints will be summarised and the appropriate measures of central tendency and dispersion will be presented.

Ethics and dissemination

This protocol was approved by the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Research Ethics Board (number: 418-2016). The results will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal and at scientific meetings.

Trial registration number

NCT03069859; Pre-results.
Timing of onset of symptoms in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Hewson Thomas , McKeever Tricia M , Gibson Jack E , Navaratnam Vidya , Hubbard Richard B , Hutchinson John P
Published: October 2017

Little is known about when symptoms of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis first develop. We identified incident cases of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis-clinical syndrome (IPF-CS) from a UK primary care database and assessed the frequency of consultations for common symptoms in the 5 years prior to diagnosis. 1671 cases were identified with 5 years of data prior to diagnosis. Breathlessness was the most common symptom, followed by cough. Cases were significantly more likely than controls to experience these symptoms (p<0.001), even 4–5 years before diagnosis (OR for breathlessness for this period 2.79, 95% CI 2.13 to 3.65). This suggests that some patients with IPF may be symptomatic for more than 5 years before diagnosis.
Liver X receptor α is targeted by microRNA-1 to inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis through a ROS-mediated mitochondrial pathway
Authors: Cheng Yongxia , Zhang Dawei , Zhu Min , Wang Ying , Guo Sufen , Xu Biao , Hou Guangyu , Feng Yukuan , Liu Guibo
Published: October 2017

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is defined as ventricular dysfunction occurring independently of a recognized cause such as hypertension or coronary artery disease. Liver X receptor α (LXRα), a subtype of ligand-activated transcription factors LXRs, has been considered as a potential pharmacological target in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. However, the potential mechanism of how LXRα is regulated in cardiomyocytes is still unclear. This study investigated the effect of activating LXRα with GW3965 on cardiomyocyte apoptosis and its upstream regulator in glucose-induced H9C2 cells. Our data indicated that GW3965 up-regulated the expression of LXRα, inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and altered the apoptosis-related proteins in glucose-induced H9C2 cells. In addition, GW3965 restored the mitochondrial membrane potential level and decreased the ROS production induced by glucose. Moreover, LXRα was confirmed as a direct target of microRNA-1 (miR-1) that was involved in cardiomyocyte apoptosis of DCM, and overexpression of miR-1 abrogated the inhibiting effect of GW3965 on glucose-induced apoptosis in H9C2 cells. This study highlights an important role of LXRα in the development of DCM and brings new insights into the complex mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of DCM.
The pressure dependence of physical properties of (W2/3Ti1/3)3AlC2 and its counterpart W3AlC2 by first-principles calculations
Authors: Li Yefei , Sun Liang , Xing Jiandong , Ma Shengqiang , Zheng Qiaoling , Liu Yangzhen
Published: October 2017

First-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) were used to investigate the mechanical properties, elastic anisotropy, electronic structure, optical properties and thermodynamic properties of a new quaternary MAX phase (W[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text])[Formula: see text]AlC[Formula: see text] and its counterpart W[Formula: see text]AlC[Formula: see text] under hydrostatic pressure. The results indicate that the volumetric shrinkage of (W[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text])[Formula: see text]AlC[Formula: see text] is faster than that of axial shrinkage under hydrostatic pressure. The stress–strain method and Voigt–Reuss–Hill approximation were used to calculate elastic constants and moduli, respectively. These compounds are mechanically stable under hydrostatic pressure. Moreover, the moduli of (W[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text])[Formula: see text]AlC[Formula: see text] and W[Formula: see text]AlC[Formula: see text] increase with an increase in pressure. The anisotropic indexes and surface constructions of bulk and Young’s moduli were used to illustrate the mechanical anisotropy under hydrostatic pressure. Electronic structure and optical property of (W[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text])[Formula: see text]AlC[Formula: see text] and W[Formula: see text]AlC[Formula: see text] have also been discussed. The results of Debye temperature reveal that the covalent bonds among atoms in (W[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text])[Formula: see text]AlC[Formula: see text] may be stronger than that of W3AlC[Formula: see text]. The heat capacity, [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text], and thermal expansion coefficient of (W[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text])[Formula: see text]AlC[Formula: see text] and W[Formula: see text]AlC[Formula: see text] were discussed in the ranges of 0–30 GPa and 0–2000 K using quasi-harmonic Debye model considering the phonon effects.
The Error Bound of Timing Domain in Model Order Reduction by Krylov Subspace Methods
Authors: Wang Xinsheng , Yu Mingyan
Published: October 2017

In this paper, we present four different error bound estimates of timing domain in model order reduction by Krylov subspace methods. Firstly, we give integral method based on the impulse response in time domain. The second method is to use small sample statistical method to estimate the error bound based on an error system. The error induced by model order reduction process is constructed by an independent system output. We next present the error bound based on frequency domain error bound transformed into time domain method. The final method is reconstructing an error system, which is factorized to the sum of two parts, resulting from model order reduction by Krylov subspace. It is shown that the first factor is of the reduced order system except for subtracting an auxiliary variable, while the second factor is of the original system except for adding an auxiliary variable. In addition, we also give the analysis of the four methods. A few numerical examples are used to show the efficiency of the four different error bound estimate methods.
Security Analysis of Some Diffusion Mechanisms Used in Chaotic Ciphers
Authors: Zhang Leo Yu , Zhang Yushu , Liu Yuansheng , Yang Anjia , Chen Guanrong
Published: October 2017

As a variant of the substitution–permutation network, the permutation–diffusion structure has received extensive attention in the field of chaotic cryptography over the last three decades. Because of the high implementation speed and nonlinearity over GF([Formula: see text]), the Galois field of two elements, mixing modulo addition/multiplication and Exclusive OR becomes very popular in various designs to achieve the desired diffusion effect. This paper reports that some diffusion mechanisms based on modulo addition/multiplication and Exclusive OR are not resistant to plaintext attacks as claimed. By cracking several recently proposed chaotic ciphers as examples, it is demonstrated that a good understanding of the strength and weakness of these crypto-primitives is crucial for designing more practical chaotic encryption algorithms in the future.
A quantum window onto early inflation
Authors: Hardwick Robert J. , Vennin Vincent , Wands David
Published: October 2017

Inflation in the early universe is one of the most promising probes of gravity in the high-energy regime. However, observable scales give access to a limited window in the inflationary dynamics. In this paper, we argue that quantum corrections to the classical dynamics of cosmological fields allow us to probe much earlier epochs of the inflationary phase and extend this window by many orders of magnitude. We point out that both the statistics of cosmological fluctuations at observable scales, and the field displacements acquired by spectator fields that play an important role in many post-inflationary processes, are sensitive to a much longer phase of the inflationary epoch.
MULTIFRACTAL CROSS WAVELET ANALYSIS
Authors: JIANG ZHI-QIANG , GAO XING-LU , ZHOU WEI-XING , STANLEY H. EUGENE
Published: October 2017

Complex systems are composed of mutually interacting components and the output values of these components usually exhibit long-range cross-correlations. Using wavelet analysis, we propose a method of characterizing the joint multifractal nature of these long-range cross correlations, a method we call multifractal cross wavelet analysis (MFXWT). We assess the performance of the MFXWT method by performing extensive numerical experiments on the dual binomial measures with multifractal cross correlations and the bivariate fractional Brownian motions (bFBMs) with monofractal cross correlations. For binomial multifractal measures, we find the empirical joint multifractality of MFXWT to be in approximate agreement with the theoretical formula. For bFBMs, MFXWT may provide spurious multifractality because of the wide spanning range of the multifractal spectrum. We also apply the MFXWT method to stock market indices, and in pairs of index returns and volatilities we find an intriguing joint multifractal behavior. The tests on surrogate series also reveal that the cross correlation behavior, particularly the cross correlation with zero lag, is the main origin of cross multifractality.
A NEW NONLINEAR FRACTAL INTERPOLATION FUNCTION
Authors: RI SONGIL
Published: October 2017

In this paper, we propose a new nonlinear fractal interpolation function by using the Matkowski’s fixed point theorem and Rakotch contraction. The aim of this paper is to create a method that is accurate and suitable for practical applications such as shape representation. Our technique is different from the methods presented in the previous literatures.
Opt
Authors: Devito Zachary , Mara Michael , Zollhöfer Michael , Bernstein Gilbert , Ragan-Kelley Jonathan , Theobalt Christian , Hanrahan Pat , Fisher Matthew , Niessner Matthias
Published: October 2017

Many graphics and vision problems can be expressed as non-linear least squares optimizations of objective functions over visual data, such as images and meshes. The mathematical descriptions of these functions are extremely concise, but their implementation in real code is tedious, especially when optimized for real-time performance on modern GPUs in interactive applications. In this work, we propose a new language, Opt,
1
for writing these objective functions over image- or graph-structured unknowns concisely and at a high level. Our compiler automatically transforms these specifications into state-of-the-art GPU solvers based on Gauss-Newton or Levenberg-Marquardt methods. Opt can generate different variations of the solver, so users can easily explore tradeoffs in numerical precision, matrix-free methods, and solver approaches.

In our results, we implement a variety of real-world graphics and vision applications. Their energy functions are expressible in tens of lines of code and produce highly optimized GPU solver implementations. These solvers are competitive in performance with the best published hand-tuned, application-specific GPU solvers, and orders of magnitude beyond a general-purpose auto-generated solver.
AI events
Authors: Rovatsos Michael
Published: October 2017

This section features information about up-coming events relevant to the readers of AI Matters, including those supported by SIGAI. We would love to hear from you if you are are organizing an event and would be interested in cooperating with SIGAI, or if you have announcements relevant to SIGAI. For more information about conference support visit sigai.acm.org/activities/requesting_sponsorship.html.
The ethics of automated behavioral microtargeting
Authors: Wilson Dennis G
Published: October 2017

One day AM woke up and knew who he was, and he linked himself, and he began feeding all the killing data, until everyone was dead, except for the five of us, and AM brought us down here.

I
was the only one still sane and whole.
Really!
AM had not tampered with my mind.
Not at all.

I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream
Ellison
(
1967
)
The anatomy of the anyplace indoor navigation service
Authors: Zeinalipour-Yazti Demetrios , Laoudias Christos
Published: October 2017

The pervasiveness of smartphones is leading to the uptake of a new class of Internet-based Indoor Navigation (IIN) services, which might soon diminish the need of Satellite-based localization technologies in urban environments. These services rely on geo-location databases that store spatial models along with wireless, light and magnetic signals used to localize users and provide better power efficiency and wider coverage than predominant approaches. In this article we overview Anyplace, an open, modular, extensible and scalable navigation architecture that exploits crowdsourced Wi-Fi data to develop a novel navigation service that won several international research awards for its utility and accuracy (i.e., less than 2 meters). Our MIT-licenced open-source software stack has to this date been used by thaousands of researchers and practitioners around the globe, with the public Anyplace service reaching over 100,000 real user interactions.
Using integrity constraints to guide the interpretation of RFID-trajectory data
Authors: Fazzinga Bettina , Flesca Sergio , Furfaro Filippo , Parisi Francesco
Published: October 2017

We discuss an approach for interpreting RFID data in the context of object tracking. It consists in translating the readings generated by RFID-tracked moving objects into semantic locations over a map, by exploiting some integrity constraints. Our approach performs a probabilistic conditioning: it starts from an a-priori probability assigned to the possible trajectories, discards the trajectories that are inconsistent with the constraints, and assigns to the others a suitable probability of being the actual one.
Limits of quotients of polynomial functions in three variables
Authors: Velez Juan D. , Hernandez Juan P. , Cadavid Carlos A.
Published: October 2017

A method for computing limits of quotients of real analytic functions in two variables was developed in [4]. In this article we generalize the results obtained in that paper to the case of quotients
q = f
(
x, y, z
)/
g
(
x, y, z
) of polynomial functions in three variables with rational coefficients. The main idea consists in examining the behavior of the function
q
along certain real variety
X
(
q
) (the
discriminant variety associated to q
). The original problem is then solved by reducing to the case of functions of two variables. The inductive step is provided by the key fact that any algebraic curve is birationally equivalent to a plane curve. Our main result is summarized in Theorem 2.

In Section 4 we describe an effective method for computing such limits. We provide a high level description of an algorithm that generalizes the one developed in [4], now available in
Maple
as the limit/multi command.
On the Optimality of Reflection Control, with Production--Inventory Applications
Authors: Yang Jiankui , Yao David D. , Ye Heng-Qing
Published: October 2017

We study the control of a Brownian motion (BM) with a negative drift, so as to minimize a long--run average cost objective. We show the optimality of a class of reflection controls that prevent the BM from dropping below some negative level r, by cancelling out from time to time part of the negative drift; and this optimality is established for any holding cost function h(x) that is increasing in |x|. Furthermore, we show the optimal reflection level can be derived as the fixed point that equates the long--run average cost to the holding cost. We also show the asymptotic optimality of this reflection control when it is applied to production--inventory systems driven by discrete counting processes.
Large Deviations for Increasing Subsequences of Permutations and a Concurrency Application
Authors: Baryshnikov Yuliy , Magner Abram
Published: October 2017

The study of concurrent processes with conflict points is connected with the geometry of increasing subsequences of permutations -- a permutation encodes the transactions of two processes that conflict (i.e., must be executed serially), and a given increasing subsequence encodes one particular serialization of the executions of two processes. This motivates the study of random increasing subsequences of random permutations. Here, we give a large deviation principle which implies that such a subsequence never deviates too far from the identity permutation: a random serialization of two concurrent processes will not favor either process too much at any given time. We then give an efficient exact algorithm for uniform random sampling of an increasing subsequence from a given permutation.
Join-Idle-Queue system with general service times
Authors: Foss Sergey , Stolyar Alexander L.
Published: October 2017

A parallel server system with n identical servers is considered. The service time distribution has a finite mean 1/μ, but otherwise is arbitrary. Arriving customers are to be routed to one of the servers immediately upon arrival. Join- Idle-Queue routing algorithm is studied, under which an arriving customer is sent to an idle server, if such is available, and to a randomly uniformly chosen server, otherwise. We consider the asymptotic regime where n→∞ and the customer input flow rate is λn. Under the condition λ/μ < 1/2, we prove that, as n → ∞, the sequence of (appropriately scaled) stationary distributions concentrates at the natural equilibrium point, with the fraction of occupied servers being constant equal λ/μ. In particular, this implies that the steady-state probability of an arriving customer having to wait for service vanishes.
Phase Balancing in Power Distribution Network with Data Center
Authors: Wang Wei , Yu Nanpeng
Published: October 2017

High degree of unbalance in electric distribution feeders can significantly affect power quality, damage electrical equipment, and result in tripping of protective devices. If not properly managed, integration of new data center and distributed energy resources into the power distribution network will exacerbate the problem. This paper proposes a new paradigm which coordinates the operation of data center and distributed energy resources to reduce phase unbalance and improve the reliability and efficiency of electric distribution networks. The coordination scheme is implemented within the framework of a distribution system operator managed electricity market. The proposed phase balancing algorithm with data center is validated using a modified IEEE distribution test feeder. The simulation results show the proposed data center and distributed energy resources coordination scheme not only significantly reduces the degree of unbalance of distribution feeders but also results in sizable reduction in data center electricity costs.
Phrenic motoneurons: output elements of a highly organized intraspinal network
Authors: Ghali Michael George Zaki
Published: October 2017

pontomedullary respiratory network generates the respiratory pattern and relays it to bulbar and spinal respiratory motor outputs. The phrenic motor system controlling diaphragm contraction receives and processes descending commands to produce orderly, synchronous, and cycle-to-cycle-reproducible spatiotemporal firing. Multiple investigators have studied phrenic motoneurons (PhMNs) in an attempt to shed light on local mechanisms underlying phrenic pattern formation. I and colleagues (Marchenko V, Ghali MG, Rogers RF. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 308: R916–R926, 2015.) recorded PhMNs in unanesthetized, decerebrate rats and related their activity to simultaneous phrenic nerve (PhN) activity by creating a time-frequency representation of PhMN-PhN power and coherence. On the basis of their temporal firing patterns and relationship to PhN activity, we categorized PhMNs into three classes, each of which emerges as a result of intrinsic biophysical and network properties and organizes the orderly contraction of diaphragm motor fibers. For example, early inspiratory diaphragmatic activation by the early coherent burst generated by high-frequency PhMNs may be necessary to prime it to overcome its initial inertia. We have also demonstrated the existence of a prominent role for local intraspinal inhibitory mechanisms in shaping phrenic pattern formation. The objective of this review is to relate and synthesize recent findings with those of previous studies with the aim of demonstrating that the phrenic nucleus is a region of active local processing, rather than a passive relay of descending inputs.
Modeling the Influence of the Penetration Channel’s Shape on Plasma Parameters When Handling Highly Concentrated Energy Sources
Authors: Trushnikov Dmitriy N. , Salomatova Ekaterina S. , Bezukladnikov Igor I. , Sinani Igor L. , Karunakaran K. P.
Published: October 2017

In our work to formulate a scientific justification for process control methods when processing materials using concentrated energy sources, we develop a model that can calculate plasma parameters and the magnitude of the secondary waveform of a current from a non-self-sustained discharge in plasma as a function of the geometry of the penetration channel, thermal fields, and the beam’s position within the penetration channel. We present the method and a numeric implementation whose first stage involves the use of a two-dimensional model to calculate the statistical probability of the secondary electrons’ passage through the penetration channel as a function of the interaction zone’s depth. Then, the discovered relationship is used to numerically calculate how the secondary current changes as a distributed beam moves along a three-dimensional penetration channel. We demonstrate that during oscillating electron beam welding the waveform has the greatest magnitude during interaction with the upper areas of the penetration channel and diminishes with increasing penetration channel depth in a way that depends on the penetration channel’s shape. When the surface of the penetration channel is approximated with a Gaussian function, the waveform decreases nearly exponentially.
Flexural‐Torsional Flutter and Buckling of Braced Foil Beams under a Follower Force
Authors: Ferretti Manuel , D’Annibale Francesco , Luongo Angelo
Published: October 2017

The flutter and buckling behavior of a cantilever foil beam, loaded at the tip by a follower force, are addressed in this paper. The beam is internally and externally damped and braced at the tip by a linear spring‐damper device, which is located in an eccentric position with respect to beam axis, thus coupling the flexural and torsional behaviors. An exact linear stability analysis is carried out, and the linear stability diagram of the trivial rectilinear configuration is built up in the space of the follower load and spring’s stiffness parameters. The effects of the flexural‐torsional coupling, as well as of the damping, on the flutter and buckling critical loads are discussed.
Neuroprotective and Cognitive‐Enhancing Effects of Microencapsulation of Mulberry Fruit Extract in Animal Model of Menopausal Women with Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Kawvised Supannika , Wattanathorn Jintanaporn , Thukham-mee Wipawee
Published: October 2017

Currently, the neuroprotectant and memory‐enhancing agent for menopausal women with metabolic syndrome is required. Based on the advantages of polyphenolics on numerous changes observed in menopause with metabolic syndrome and the encapsulation method, we hypothesized that microencapsulated mulberry fruit extract (MME) could protect brain damage and improve memory impairment in an animal model of menopause with metabolic syndrome. To test this hypothesis, MME at doses of 10, 50, and 250 mg/kg was given to female Wistar rats which were induced experimental menopause with metabolic syndrome by bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) and fed with high‐carbohydrate high‐fat (HCHF) diet for 8 weeks. Spatial memory together with neuron density, oxidative stress status, acetylcholinesterase, and phosphorylation of Erk in the hippocampus was assessed at the end of the study. It was found that MME decreased memory impairment, oxidative stress status, and AChE activity but increased neuron density and Erk phosphorylation in the hippocampus. Therefore, the neuroprotective and memory‐enhancing effects of MME might partly involve the enhanced cholinergic function and Erk phosphorylation but decreased oxidative stress status in hippocampus. Therefore, MME is the potential novel neuroprotectant and memory‐enhancing agent for menopause with metabolic syndrome. However, further research especially clinical trial is still necessary.
Improved Health Status and Life Satisfaction among Older People following Self-Help Group Intervention in Jakarta
Authors: Sahar Junaiti , Riasmini Ni Made , Kusumawati Dwi Nurviyandari , Erawati Erna
Published: October 2017

Although self-help group for older people gains the effectiveness, the effect of a nursing intervention using a self-help group model as a guideline for self-monitoring and intervention on the health status and life satisfaction among older people still remains. To determine the effectiveness of this nursing intervention, an experimental design using multistage sampling method was used for this study. The self-help intervention included a single 50–70-minute session once a week for 12 weeks done, using the Life Satisfaction Inventory-A (LSI-A) questionnaire, and SF-36 shows a significant difference. Self-help intervention could be implemented by nurses for older people in the community to improve health and well-being.
Providing Definitive Learning Direction for Relation Classification System
Authors: Qin Pengda , Xu Weiran , Guo Jun
Published: October 2017

Deep neural network has adequately revealed its superiority of solving various tasks in Natural Language Processing, especially for relation classification. However, unlike traditional feature-engineering methods that targetedly extract well-designed features for specific task, the diversity of input format for deep learning is limited; word sequence as input is the frequently used setting. Therefore, the input of neural network, to some extent, lacks pertinence. For relation classification task, it is not uncommon that, without specific entity pair, a sentence contains various relation types; therefore, entity pair indicates the distribution of the crucial information in input sentence for recognizing specific relation. Aiming at this characteristic, in this paper, several strategies are proposed to integrate entity pair information into the application of deep learning in relation classification task, in a way to provide definitive learning direction for neural network. Experimental results on the SemEval-2010 Task 8 dataset show that our method outperforms most of the state-of-the-art models, without external linguistic features.
A Novel Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-graphene Oxide/Titanium Dioxide Composites Counter Electrode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell
Authors: Mustafa Muhammad Norhaffis , Shafie Suhaidi , Zainal Zulkarnain , Sulaiman Yusran
Published: October 2017

PEDOT-based material counter electrodes (CEs) are recently given an enormous attention as new renewable energy sources due to their cost-effectiveness and accessibility, coupled with the simplicity of production. The existing dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are expensive because they are made using platinum-based glass electrode. In this work, a new CE, that is, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-graphene oxide/titanium dioxide (PEDOT-GO/TiO2) with a low charge transfer resistance (Rct=9.0 Ω), was fabricated. In addition, PEDOT-GO/TiO2 CE possesses a good electrocatalytic activity (ECA) toward the tri-iodide ions reduction and an improved efficiency of 1.166% was reached in DSSC.
Effects of Nanosilica on Early Age Stages of Cement Hydration
Authors: Torabian Isfahani Forood , Redaelli Elena , Li Weiwen , Sun Yaru
Published: October 2017

Effects of nanosilica on cement hydration have been broadly investigated in the literature and early age cement hydration, as a whole, has been mainly considered, disregarding the substages of the hydration. The hydration of cement is characterized by different substages and nanosilica effect on the hydration could be a result of diverse, even contradictory, behavior of nanosilica in individual stages of the hydration. In this study, effects of nanosilica on different substages of cement hydration are investigated. Isothermal calorimetry results show that at early ages (initial 72 hours) the effects of nanosilica depend on the phenomenon by which the hydration is governed: when the hydration is chemically controlled, that is, during initial reaction, dormant period, and acceleratory period, the hydration rate is accelerated by adding nanosilica; when the hydration is governed by diffusion process, that is, during postacceleratory period, the hydration rate is decelerated by adding nanosilica. The Thermal Gravimetric Analysis on the samples at the hardened state (after 28 days of curing) reveals that, after adding nanosilica, the hydration degree slightly increased compared to the plain paste.
Sinusoidal Frequency Modulation Fourier‐Bessel Series for Multicomponent SFM Signal Estimation and Separation
Authors: He Qi-fang , Zhang Qun , Luo Ying , Sun Li
Published: October 2017

Multicomponent sinusoidal frequency modulated (SFM) signals are widely used in radar, acoustics, and biomedicine. The instantaneous frequency (IF) characterizes important physical parameters of the real applications. In this paper, a sinusoidal frequency modulation Fourier‐Bessel (SFMFB) series is defined for IF estimation. It provides the signal decomposition on the Bessel function basis with a finer resolution, which proposes an extension of the performance and the applicability of the classic Fourier‐Bessel transform (FBT). Based on the property analysis of the SFMFB series, an algorithm of IF estimation and signal separation is introduced. Unlike the existing estimation methods which apply sliding windows to make an instantaneous approximation, the proposed method uses the global data, which provides a longer period gain, therefore achieving a better estimation performance. Moreover, considering that most estimation methods are invalid in multicomponent separation, the individual signals are well separated by the proposed algorithm, which facilitates the further monocomponent analysis. A performance comparison between the proposed method, the FBT, and another recently proposed sinusoidal frequency modulation Fourier transform (SFMFT) is also provided. Simulation results indicate that the proposed method outperforms the existing methods in estimation precision and computation load, and it is free of interference which exists in SFMFT.
Maximum Likelihood Inference for Univariate Delay Differential Equation Models with Multiple Delays
Authors: Mahmoud Ahmed A. , Dass Sarat C. , Muthuvalu Mohana S. , Asirvadam Vijanth S.
Published: October 2017

This article presents statistical inference methodology based on maximum likelihoods for delay differential equation models in the univariate setting. Maximum likelihood inference is obtained for single and multiple unknown delay parameters as well as other parameters of interest that govern the trajectories of the delay differential equation models. The maximum likelihood estimator is obtained based on adaptive grid and Newton-Raphson algorithms. Our methodology estimates correctly the delay parameters as well as other unknown parameters (such as the initial starting values) of the dynamical system based on simulation data. We also develop methodology to compute the information matrix and confidence intervals for all unknown parameters based on the likelihood inferential framework. We present three illustrative examples related to biological systems. The computations have been carried out with help of mathematical software: MATLAB® 8.0 R2014b.
Noninvasive Evaluation of Portal Hypertension Using a Supervised Learning Technique
Authors: Marozas Mindaugas , Zykus Romanas , Sakalauskas Andrius , Kupčinskas Limas , Lukoševičius Arūnas
Published: October 2017

Portal hypertension (PHT) is a key event in the evolution of different chronic liver diseases and leads to the morbidity and mortality of patients. The traditional reliable PHT evaluation method is a hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement, which is invasive and not always available or acceptable to patients. The HVPG measurement is relatively expensive and depends on the experience of the physician. There are many potential noninvasive methods to predict PHT, of which liver transient elastography is determined to be the most accurate; however, even transient elastography lacks the accuracy to be a perfect noninvasive diagnostic method of PHT. In this research, we are focusing on noninvasive PHT assessment methods that rely on selected best-supervised learning algorithms which use a wide set of noninvasively obtained data, including demographical, clinical, laboratory, instrumental, and transient elastography measurements. In order to build the best performing classification meta-algorithm, a set of 21 classification algorithms have been tested. The problem was expanded by selecting the best performing clinical attributes using algorithm-specific filtering methods that give the lowest error rate to predict clinically significant PHT. The suggested meta-algorithm objectively outperforms other methods found in literature and can be a good substitute for invasive PHT evaluation methods.
Variation in Flavonoid Composition and Radical-Scavenging Activity inGinkgo bilobaL. due to the Growth Location and Time of Harvest
Authors: Rimkiene Laura , Kubiliene Asta , Zevzikovas Andrejus , Kazlauskiene Daiva , Jakstas Valdas
Published: October 2017

The aim of our research is to investigate the qualitative and quantitative composition and antioxidant activity of flavonoids in leaf samples ofGinkgo bilobaL.(G. biloba)growing in Lithuania and also to provide practical recommendations for the pharmaceutical industry to determine the optimum harvesting time and growth location ofG. bilobaleaves. The obtained results indicate that the growth location and time of sample collection have a significant influence (p≤0.05) on the content of active compounds. July and August are the best months to harvestG. bilobaleaves for industry. To ensure the rational collection ofG. bilobaraw material, the location of plantations is recommended in the western and southwestern phytoregions. The obtained results also indicate that the flavonoid content inG. bilobaleaf has a significantly positive correlation (r=0.952,p≤0.001) with antioxidant activity. The aqueous acetonic extracts from green leaves scavenge radicals to a greater degree than those from yellowGinkgoleaves. The results of this investigation provide information regarding the most suitable Lithuanian growing location to produceG. bilobawith an optimized content of health-promoting compounds.
Estimation of Poisson‐Dirichlet Parameters with Monotone Missing Data
Authors: Zhou Xueqin , Huang Jinlong , Wu Xianyi
Published: October 2017

This article considers the estimation of the unknown numerical parameters and the density of the base measure in a Poisson‐Dirichlet process prior with grouped monotone missing data. The numerical parameters are estimated by the method of maximum likelihood estimates and the density function is estimated by kernel method. A set of simulations was conducted, which shows that the estimates perform well.
A Pan‐Sharpening Method Based on Evolutionary Optimization and IHS Transformation
Authors: Chen Yingxia , Zhang Guixu
Published: October 2017

In many remote sensing applications, users usually prefer a multispectral image with both high spectral and high spatial information. This high quality image could be obtained by pan‐sharpening techniques which fuse a high resolution panchromatic (PAN) image and a low resolution multispectral (MS) image. In this paper, we propose a new technique to do so based on the adaptive intensity‐hue‐saturation (IHS) transformation model and evolutionary optimization. The basic idea is to reconstruct the target image through a parameterized adaptive IHS transformation. An optimization objective is thus introduced by considering the relations between the fused image and the original PAN and MS images. The control parameters are optimized by an evolutionary algorithm. Experimental results show that our new approach is practical and performs much better than some state‐of‐the‐art techniques according to the performance metrics.
Nonlinear Complex Dynamics of Carbon Emission Reduction Cournot Game with Bounded Rationality
Authors: Zhao LiuWei
Published: October 2017

Based on the hypothesis of participant’s bounded rationality, our study formulated a novel Cournot duopoly game model of carbon emission reduction and, subsequently, analyzed the dynamic adjustment mechanism of emission reduction for enterprises. The existence and stability of the equilibrium solution of game are further discussed by the nonlinear dynamics theory. Our findings revealed that the parameters have key significance on the dynamic properties of the system. However, when the adjustment speed gets too large, the system loses the original stability and vividly demonstrates complex chaos phenomenon. Higher market prices in carbon trading have an outstanding impact on the stability of the system, which easily leads to system instability. Our study further controlled the chaos behavior of the power system by the delay feedback control. The results of the numerical analysis depict that the unstable behavior of the dynamic system can be controlled efficiently and quickly, in the quest to restore back a stable and orderly market. Our novel method is proved to have provided decision makers with effective solution to market instability.
Pairwise Multiple Comparison Adjustment Procedure for Survival Functions with Right-Censored Data
Authors: Colak Ertugrul , Ozen Hulya , Emir Busra , Oner Setenay
Published: October 2017

The aim of this study is to propose a new pairwise multiple comparison adjustment procedure based on Genz’s numerical computation of probabilities from a multivariate normal distribution. This method is applied to the results of two-sample log-rank and weighted log-rank statistics where the survival data contained right-censored observations. We conducted Monte Carlo simulation studies not only to evaluate the familywise error rate and power of the proposed procedure but also to compare the procedure with conventional methods. The proposed method is also applied to the data set consisting of 815 patients on a liver transplant waiting list from 1990 to 1999. It was found that the proposed method can control the type I error rate, and it yielded similar power as Tukey’s and high power with respect to the other adjustment procedures. In addition to having a straightforward formula, it is easy to implement.
A Model-Based Virtual Sensor for Condition Monitoring of Li-Ion Batteries in Cyber-Physical Vehicle Systems
Authors: Sánchez Luciano , Couso Inés , Otero José , Echevarría Yuviny , Anseán David
Published: October 2017

A model-based virtual sensor for assessing the health of rechargeable batteries for cyber-physical vehicle systems (CPVSs) is presented that can exploit coarse data streamed from on-vehicle sensors of current, voltage, and temperature. First-principle-based models are combined with knowledge acquired from data in a semiphysical arrangement. The dynamic behaviour of the battery is embodied in the parametric definition of a set of differential equations, and fuzzy knowledge bases are embedded as nonlinear blocks in these equations, providing a human understandable reading of the State of Health of the CPVS that can be easily integrated in the fleet through-life management.