bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Output-Boundary Regulation for Nonlinear Nonminimum-Phase Systems
Authors: Boekfah Arom , Devasia Santosh
Published: February 2017

Exact output tracking requires preview information of the desired output for nonminimum-phase systems. For situations when preview information is not available, this article proposes an output-boundary regulation (OBR) approach that maintains the output-tracking error within prescribed bounds for nonlinear nonminimum-phase systems. OBR transitions the output-tracking error to zero whenever the output error reaches a set magnitude using polynomial output trajectories for each transition. The main contribution is to show that an output-transition-based OBR (O-OBR, which uses post-actuation input to transition the system state after the output-error transition is completed) can enable OBR of more aggressive output trajectories when compared to a state-transition-based OBR (S-OBR) that transitions the full system state and therefore achieves the output transition as well. Results from an example simulation system is used to illustrate the proposed OBR approach and comparatively evaluate the S-OBR and O-OBR approaches, which show that, for the example system, the O-OBR can track 3 times faster desired output trajectory than the S-OBR approach.
State Estimation for an Electrochemical Model of Multiple-Material Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Camacho-Solorio Leobardo , Krstic Miroslav , Klein Reinhardt , Mirtabatabaei Anahita , Moura Scott J.
Published: February 2017

This paper presents state estimation for a system of diffusion equations coupled in the boundary appearing in reduced electrochemical models of lithium-ion batteries with multiple active materials in single electrodes. The observer is synthesized from a single particle model and is based on the backstepping method for partial differential equations. The observer is suitable for state of charge estimation in battery management systems and is an extension of existing backstepping observers which were derived only for cells with electrodes of single active materials. Observer gains still can be computed analytically in terms of Bessel and modified Bessel functions. This extension is motivated by the trend in cell manufacturing to use multiple active materials to combine power and energy characteristics or reduce degradation.
Output Feedback Control for Fuzzy Systems Subject to Actuator Saturation Based on Fuzzy Lyapunov Functions
Authors: Ban Xiaojun , Liu Yang , Huang Xianlin , Wu Fen
Published: February 2017

In this paper, a novel fuzzy gain-scheduling output feedback control method is presented for T-S fuzzy systems subject to actuator saturation. To deal with saturation nonlinearity, the dead-zone function of control input is treated as an additional controller input. With the help of set conclusion condition, the controller can be synthesised based on fuzzy Lyapunov functions to guarantee the exponential stability of the closed-loop system in a larger region and a better L2 gain performance. Moreover, the full block S-procedure, which is widely used in robust control theory, is introduced to relax the synthesis conditions for T-S fuzzy systems to reduce the conservatism caused by quadratic terms in the conditions. Finally, a numerical example is provided to illustrates the effectiveness of the proposed control method.
Nonlinear Coupled Transverse and Axial Vibration of Variable Cross-Section Beam Flexures Interconnecting Rigid Body
Authors: Malaeke Hasan , Moeenfard Hamid , Ghasemi Amir H.
Published: February 2017

The objective of this paper is to analytically study the nonlinear behavior of variable cross-section beam flexures interconnecting an eccentric rigid body. Hamilton’s principle is utilized to obtain the partial differential equations governing the nonlinear vibration of the system as well as the corresponding boundary conditions. Using a single mode approximation, the governing equations are reduced to a set of two nonlinear ordinary differential equations in terms of end displacement components of the beam which are coupled due to the presence of the transverse eccentricity. The method of multiple scales are employed to obtain parametric closed-form solutions. The obtained analytical results are compared with the numerical ones and excellent agreement is observed. These analytical expressions provide design insights for modeling and optimization of more complex flexure mechanisms for improved dynamic performances.
Structural Analysis-Based Fault Diagnosis of Pneumatic Systems
Authors: Rahman Brian M. , Busch Greg T. , Ahmed Qadeer , Rizzoni Giorgio
Published: February 2017

A significant cost in industrial fluid systems is associated with system maintenance and unexpected downtime due to the troubleshooting and repair of system faults. In large complex systems, faults are often difficult to identify and predict, but recent advances in technology have enabled low-cost wireless-capable sensors, which can provide an unprecedented amount of data to system owners. Combining this data with knowledge of the system dynamics, and a methodical structural analysis-based fault diagnosis approach, provides new opportunities in the field of fault diagnostics. The goal of the project described in this paper is to develop methods to detect and diagnose faults in industrial fluid systems in order to minimize downtime costs and energy losses, with minimum system capital cost in mind.

This paper summarizes a portion of the first phase of this project, which focuses on fault modeling of a small-scale compressed-air test bench. Specifically, the design of the test bench, creation and validation of a flow model used to understand the test bench system dynamics, fault and structural analysis of an element of the test bench (an orifice-pipe combination), and the generation of a sensor installation guide that indicates what type and where to place sensors to detect and isolate faults that may occur. The sensor installation guide provided insight that all faults in the orifice-pipe element were detectable and isolable to the desired level with only a pressure sensor in the orifice and pipe. Orifice and orifice pressure sensor faults were uniquely isolable, but pipe and pipe pressure sensor faults were only isolable.
On the Effect of Different Splines on Way-Point Navigation of Quad-Copters
Authors: Radmanesh Mohammadreza , Kumar Manish , Sarim Mohammad
Published: February 2017

Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) have become more applicable in several military and civilian domains during the last decade due to their enhanced capabilities. For outdoor environments, one of the most reliable methods for navigation is waypoint following. Usually, the path or trajectory to be followed is decided based on the behavior of the vehicle during path following such as time and energy consumption. However, feasibility of the trajectory is based on the vehicle dynamics and the ability of UAV to follow the path generated based on the way-point setup. Moreover, the paths obtained from minimizing time or energy consumption are often contradictory. This paper investigates two cases where the objective of the path planning based on the Continuous Cubic C1 Bezier Curve (C1CBC) method and 4 other first degree Bezier curves is: i) minimizing the time consumption, and ii) minimizing the energy consumption. At the end, the quad-copters were simulated through the generated path to reveal the effects of the path UAV follows to reach to the goal position.
Detection and Analysis of Combustion Instability From Hi-Speed Flame Images Using Dynamic Mode Decomposition
Authors: Ghosal Sambuddha , Ramanan Vikram , Sarkar Soumalya , Chakravarthy Satyanarayanan R. , Sarkar Soumik
Published: February 2017

Flame dynamics and combustion instability is a complex problem involving different non-linearities. Combustion instability has several detrimental effects on flight-propulsion dynamics and structural integrity of gas turbines and any such spaces where combustion takes places internally, primarily in internal combustion engines. The description of coherent features of fluid flow in such cases is essential to our understanding of the flame dynamics and propagation processes. A method that is able to extract dynamic information from flow fields that are generated by a direct numerical simulation or visualized in a physical experiment (like in the case discussed in this paper) is Dynamic Mode Decomposition. This paper presents such a feature extraction and stability analysis of hi-speed combustion flames using Dynamic Mode Decomposition and it’s sparsity promoting variant. Extensive experimental data was collected in a swirl-stabilized dump combustor at various operating conditions (e.g. premixing level and flow velocity) for analysing the flame stability conditions.
Production as a Service: Optimizing Utilization in Manufacturing Systems
Authors: Porter Matthew , Raghavan Vikram , Lin Yikai , Mao Z. Morley , Barton Kira , Tilbury Dawn
Published: February 2017

While advances in technology have greatly improved the process of mass production, producing small batches or one-offs in an efficient manner has remained challenging for the manufacturing industry. Additionally, in both large and small companies, there are often available manufacturing resources that sit idle between projects. In this paper we present a Production as a Service framework for providing manufacturing options to designers of new products based on available manufacturing resources. The designed framework aims to bridge the gap between the theoretical work that has been done on Service Oriented Architectures in manufacturing, and what is required for implementation. An industrial use case is provided as an example of the framework.
Variations on the Role of Principal Connections in Robotic Locomotion
Authors: Dear Tony , Kelly Scott David , Choset Howie
Published: February 2017

Diverse problems in robotic locomotion have previously been modeled in terms of connections on principal bundles. Ordinarily, one identifies points in the base manifold of such a bundle with different internal configurations of a robot, identifies points in the fiber over a given base point with different positions and orientations of the robot in its environment, and assumes control to be applied in the former but not the latter. We examine ways in which the ordinary application of this theory may be adapted to problems in aquatic and terrestrial locomotion that fail to accommodate the preceding description.
Hysteresis Compensation for Ground Contact Force Measurement With Shoe-Embedded Air Pressure Sensors
Authors: Chinimilli Prudhvi Tej , Wachtel Sean Wolfgang , Polygerinos Panagiotis , Zhang Wenlong
Published: February 2017

This paper reviews the design of smart shoes, a wearable device that measures ground contact forces (GCFs) for gait analysis. Smart shoes utilize four coils of silicone tubes adhered directly underneath the shoe insole at key points of interest. Air pressure sensors connect to each tube coil to measure pressure changes caused by compression. This paper presents static and dynamic calibration performed on each sensing coil to establish a model of internal pressure and the GCF. Based on the model, a phase lead filter is designed to account for the hysteresis effect and visco-elastic properties of the silicone tube in order to provide accurate GCF measurements. To design this filter, the air bladder is modeled using a standard linear solid (SLS) model. The prediction error minimization (PEM) algorithm is then implemented to identify the continuous-time transfer function of this SLS model, which is then transformed to discrete time domain to implement in a digital processor. Mechanical characterization and testing on a healthy subject are performed to validate the model and its capability to compensate for hysteresis in GCF measurement.
Pyramid Codes, Playacting, and Veiled Israelite Histories: Pre-Critical Biblical Interpretation and Victorian Archaeology
Authors: McGeough Kevin
Published: February 2017

Biblical archaeology is often thought to have emerged as a positivist hybrid of Victorian Near Eastern studies and the new critical approach to biblical studies. When the results of this emerging field were applied to biblical studies, rather than solely helping focus critical approaches along historical lines, the newly discovered Near Eastern materials opened up interpretation beyond the academy. The enterprise gave pre-critical biblical studies a new life for now there were different and charismatic sources. This paper examines some of the new pre-critical readings of the Bible inspired by archaeology offered by artists, playwrights, showmen, and new religious leaders.
Realizing Calvin's Radical Potential: Interpreting Jeremiah 48:10 during the English Revolution
Authors: Lyons William John
Published: February 2017

In his Political Grace: The Revolutionary Theology of John Calvin (2009), Roland Boer asks “what if we let loose the revolutionary strain of Calvin’s theology and politics?” This article examines the impact of Calvin’s ideas on the English Revolution (1642--51), as exemplified in a sermon by Stephen Marshall on Judg 5:23. His much-repeated Meroz Cursed was first delivered to Parliament in 1641 and called for the execution of the King’s councillor, the Earl of Strafford. Picking up on Calvin’s written comments on Jer 48:10, the article examines Marshall's use of that text to argue that Parliament's choice was between taking divinely approved action or being judged for their inaction, echoing Calvin's usage. Calvin’s “revolutionary strain” was thus loosed to tumultuous effect in seventeenth-century England, culminating in the execution of Charles 1.
Towards measuring the Speech Transmission Index in fluctuating noise: Accuracy and limitations
Authors: van Schoonhoven Jelmer , Rhebergen Koenraad S. , Dreschler Wouter A.
Published: February 2017

In the field of room acoustics, the modulation transfer function (MTF) can be used to predict speech intelligibility in stationary noise and reverberation and can be expressed in one single value: the Speech Transmission Index (STI). One drawback of the classical STI measurement method is that it is not validated for fluctuating background noise. As opposed to the classical measurement method, the MTF due to reverberation can also be calculated using an impulse response measurement. This indirect method presents an opportunity for STI measurements in fluctuating noise, and a first prerequisite is a reliable impulse response measurement. The conditions under which the impulse response can be measured with sufficient precision were investigated in the current study. Impulse response measurements were conducted using a sweep stimulus. Two experiments are discussed with variable absorption, different levels of stationary and fluctuating background noise, and different sweep levels. Additionally, simulations with different types of fluctuating noise were conducted in an attempt to extrapolate the experimental findings to other acoustical conditions. The experiments and simulations showed that a minimum impulse-to-noise ratio of +25 dB in fluctuating noise was needed.
The effect of hearing loss on source-distance dependent speech intelligibility in rooms
Authors: Westermann A. , Buchholz J. M.
Published: February 2017

Westermann and Buchholz [(2015). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 137(2), 757–767] found substantial improvements in speech reception thresholds (SRTs) for normal hearing listeners in a reverberant auditorium when the target talker was separated in distance from a two-talker masker. This study applied similar methodology, but tested listeners with a hearing impairment. On average, the participants received a 7 dB benefit in SRTs when the target was fixed at 0.5 m and the masker was moved from 0.5 to 10 m. But when the target was moved away, the SRTs increased by 5 dB. This indicates that hearing impaired listeners have difficulties suppressing nearby maskers while focusing attention on a far target.
Repair of a Bacterial Small β-Barrel Toxin Pore Depends on Channel Width
Authors: von Hoven Gisela , Rivas Amable J. , Neukirch Claudia , Meyenburg Martina , Qin Qianqian , Parekh Sapun , Hellmann Nadja , Husmann Matthias
Published: February 2017

Membrane repair emerges as an innate defense protecting target cells against bacterial pore-forming toxins. Here, we report the first paradigm of Ca
2+
-dependent repair following attack by a small β-pore-forming toxin, namely, plasmid-encoded phobalysin of
Photobacterium damselae
subsp.
damselae
. In striking contrast,
Vibrio cholerae
cytolysin, the closest ortholog of phobalysin, subverted repair. Mutational analysis uncovered a role of channel width in toxicity and repair. Thus, the replacement of serine at phobalysin´s presumed channel narrow point with the bulkier tryptophan, the corresponding residue in
Vibrio cholerae
cytolysin (W318), modulated Ca
2+
influx, lysosomal exocytosis, and membrane repair. And yet, replacing tryptophan (W318) with serine in
Vibrio cholerae
cytolysin enhanced toxicity. The data reveal divergent strategies evolved by two related small β-pore-forming toxins to manipulate target cells: phobalysin leads to fulminant perturbation of ion concentrations, closely followed by Ca
2+
influx-dependent membrane repair. In contrast,
V. cholerae
cytolysin causes insidious perturbations and escapes control by the cellular wounded membrane repair-like response.

IMPORTANCE
Previous studies demonstrated that large transmembrane pores, such as those formed by perforin or bacterial toxins of the cholesterol-dependent cytolysin family, trigger rapid, Ca
2+
influx-dependent repair mechanisms. In contrast, recovery from attack by the small β-pore-forming
Staphylococcus aureus
alpha-toxin or aerolysin is slow in comparison and does not depend on extracellular Ca
2+
. To further elucidate the scope of Ca
2+
influx-dependent repair and understand its limitations, we compared the cellular responses to phobalysin and
V. cholerae
cytolysin, two related small β-pore-forming toxins which create membrane pores of slightly different sizes. The data indicate that the channel width of a small β-pore-forming toxin is a critical determinant of both primary toxicity and susceptibility to Ca
2+
-dependent repair.
Granulocytic sarcoma: a rare cause of sciatica
Authors: Valsamis Epaminondas Markos , Glover Thomas Edward
Published: February 2017

We describe a case report of a man aged 56 years with a 4-month history of right-sided sciatica-type pain with subclinical disc prolapse evident on MRI. Worsening pain together with the appearance of a tender mass in his right buttock prompted further imaging, which demonstrated an infiltrative mass engulfing the lumbosacral plexus. This was later shown to be a granulocytic sarcoma on biopsy. Intervertebral disc herniation can be an incidental finding and is not always the cause of sciatica.
Association between community management of pneumonia and diarrhoea in high-burden countries and the decline in under-five mortality rates: an ecological analysis
Authors: Boschi-Pinto Cynthia , Dilip Thandassery Ramachandran , Costello Anthony
Published: February 2017

Objective

The objective of the paper is to explore if the adoption of national policies to use community-based health providers for the management of pneumonia and diarrhoea is associated with the decline in under-five mortality, including achievement of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG)4 target, in high-burden countries.

Setting

This country level analysis covers 75 high-burden low-income and middle-income countries which accounted for 98% of the 5.9 million global under-five deaths in 2015. One-fourth of these deaths were due to pneumonia and diarrhoea.

Methods

χ2tests and multiple regression analysis were used to examine the association between reduction in under-five mortality rates and community case management of pneumonia and diarrhoea by adjusting for the influence of other possible determinants.

Participants

No patient or population interviewed/examined for this analysis. Countries were the unit of analysis.

Interventions

Community case management (CCM) of pneumonia and diarrhoea policies.

Outcome measures

Changes in under-five mortality rates over time.

Results

Countries that had adopted both CCM policies were three times more likely to achieve the MDG4 target than countries that did not have both policies in place. This association was further confirmed by the multivariate analysis (β-coefficient=10.4; 95% CI 2.4 to 18.5; p value=0.012).

Discussion

There is a statistically significant association between adoption of CCM policies for treatment of pneumonia and diarrhoea and the rate of decline in child mortality levels. It is important to promote CCM in countries lagging behind to achieve the new target of 25 or fewer deaths per 1000 live births by 2030.
Prevalence and patterns of congenital heart diseases in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol
Authors: Tankeu Aurel T , Bigna Jean Joel R , Nansseu Jobert Richie N , Aminde Leopold Ndemnge , Danwang Celestin , Temgoua Mazou N , Noubiap Jean Jacques N
Published: February 2017

Introduction

Congenital heart diseases (CHD) are common causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among young children and adolescents living in Africa. Accurate epidemiological data are needed in order to evaluate and improve preventive strategies. This review aims to determine the prevalence of CHD and their main patterns in Africa.

Methods and analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis will include cross-sectional, case–control and cohort studies of populations residing inside African countries, which have reported the prevalence of CHD, confirmed by an echocardiographic examination and/or describing different patterns of these abnormalities in Africa. Relevant abstracts published without language restriction from 1 January 1986 to 31 December 2016 will be searched in PubMed, Exerpta Medica Database and online African journals as well as references of included articles and relevant reviews. Two review authors will independently screen, select studies, extract data and assess the risk of bias in each study. The study-specific estimates will be pooled through a random-effects meta-analysis model to obtain an overall summary estimate of the prevalence of CHD across studies. Clinical and statistical heterogeneity will be assessed, and we will pool studies judged to be clinically homogeneous. On the other hand, statistical heterogeneity will be evaluated by the χ2 test on Cochrane's Q statistic. Funnel-plots analysis and Egger's test will be used to detect publication bias. Results will be presented by geographic region (central, eastern, northern, southern and western Africa).

Ethics and dissemination

The current study will be based on published data, and thus ethical approval is not required. This systematic review and meta-analysis is expected to serve as a base which could help in estimating and evaluating the burden of these abnormalities on the African continent. The final report of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Trial registration number

PROSPERO CRD42016052880.
Management of chronic hepatitis B before and after liver transplantation
Authors: Wang B , Agarwal K , Joshi D
Published: February 2017

Chronic hepatitis B infection is a global public health problem associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Persistent infection may evolve to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and hepatitis B-related liver disease is a common indication for liver transplantation. Patients with advanced liver disease should be treated with antiviral therapy which may result in clinical improvement. The management of patients after liver transplant then focuses on preventing hepatitis B recurrence in the graft. With the introduction of prophylactic treatment, patient and graft survival has improved significantly. In this review, we will discuss the management of patients with hepatitis B-related cirrhosis, both compensated and decompensated. We also review the management of hepatitis B after liver transplantation.
Are patients in the IBD clinic at risk of proctitis secondary to sexually transmitted infections?
Authors: Groome Maximillian , Robinson Emma M , Mowat Craig , Morieux Alix M L , Allstaff Sarah
Published: February 2017

Objective

To gauge the potential risk of sexually transmitted infection (STI) as a cause of proctitis in a cohort of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to gauge whether this cohort could benefit from STI testing in the future.

Design

Patients attending the IBD clinic were given an anonymous questionnaire recording demographics, sexual behaviour, rectal symptoms, history of receptive anal intercourse (RAI), STIs and attitudes towards sexual health screening.

Setting

A gastroenterology teaching hospital IBD clinic.

Patients

280 consecutive patients attending a teaching hospital IBD clinic over a consecutive 6-week period. All patients had an endoscopic, radiological and/or histological diagnosis of IBD.

Results

280 questionnaires were distributed and 274 analysed (3 incomplete, 2 not returned, 1 no sexual activity). 167 female (median: 46 years, range 17–81 years) and 107 males. Two males disclosed RAI and were used as a control. Of the 167 females, 96% were heterosexual, 2.4% were same-sex partners and 1.2% were bisexual. 14% had a history of RAI—this group had more previous STIs (40%) versus those with no history RAI (5%) (p<0.0001; relative risk (RR) 13.41). Chronic rectal pain was more frequent in women with RAI (RR 2.4; p≤0.03). No difference in rectal discharge (RR 1.75; p=0.72) or bleeding (p=0.3).

Conclusions

This is the first report of sexual behaviours in a non-genitourinary medicine clinic; giving a unique insight into sexual practices in a cohort of patients with IBD. A past history of STI and RAI can identify risk and we propose testing for those with a history of STI, RAI, men who have sex with men and women aged under 25 years.
Flow diversion of bifurcation aneurysms is more effective when the jailed branch is occluded: an experimental study in a novel canine model
Authors: Fahed R , Gentric J C , Salazkin I , Gevry G , Raymond J , Darsaut T E
Published: February 2017

Background

Flow diverters (FDs) are increasingly used for bifurcation aneurysms. Failure of aneurysm occlusion may be caused by residual flow maintaining patency of the jailed branch along with the aneurysm. Our aim was to test whether endovascular occlusion of the jailed branch could improve efficacy of flow diversion of bifurcation aneurysms.

Materials and methods

Sixteen wide-necked lingual–carotid artery bifurcation aneurysms were created in eight canines. Patent aneurysms were randomly allocated 4 weeks later to flow diversion combined with jailed branch occlusion using coils and/or Onyx (n=6) or flow diversion alone (n=8). Angiographic results of aneurysm occlusion at 3 months were scored using an ordinal scale. Pathology specimens were photographed and neointimal coverage estimated using a semiquantitative scoring system.

Results

Fourteen aneurysms were patent at 1 month. FD deployment was successful in all cases but, at 3-month follow-up, three devices had prolapsed into the aneurysm. None of the bifurcation aneurysms treated with FD alone were occluded at 3 months. Endovascular branch occlusion combined with flow diversion significantly improved aneurysm occlusion rates compared with flow diversion alone (median angiographic scores 2 vs 0: p=0.0137). Flow-limiting parent vessel stenosis was not observed in any arteries. Devices were covered with thick neointima in most cases, but patent aneurysms were associated with leaks or holes in the neointima covering the aneurysm neck.

Conclusions

Treatment failures following flow diversion of bifurcation aneurysms can be caused by persistent flow to the jailed branch. Branch occlusion combined with flow diversion may improve angiographic occlusion scores of a canine bifurcation aneurysm model.
Screening for asymptomatic neurosyphilis in HIV patients after treatment of early syphilis: an observational study
Authors: Tomkins Andrew , Ahmad Shazaad , Cousins Darren E , Thng Caroline M , Vilar Francisco Javier , Higgins Stephen P
Published: February 2017

Objective

To determine the prevalence of asymptomatic neurosyphilis (ANS) in HIV-positive individuals after treatment of early syphilis with single-dose benzathine penicillin G (BPG) or oral antibiotic alternatives.

Methods

Patients at high risk of neurosyphilis (defined by serum rapid plasma reagin (RPR) titre ≥1:32 and/or peripheral blood CD4 lymphocyte count ≤350/μL) underwent lumbar puncture (LP) at a median time of 8.2 months post treatment. ANS was diagnosed by a reactive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) RPR test or CSF white blood cells (WBC) >20/μL plus a reactive CSF Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) ≥1:640.

Results

Of 133 eligible patients, all were men who have sex with men. Of these, 64 consented to LP. Full CSF results were available for 59 patients. Inclusion criteria were serum RPR (21/59), CD4 count (22/59) and combined RPR and CD4 (16/59). The LP patients were white British (82%), median age 40. Syphilis stages were primary (17%) secondary (43%) and early latent (41%). Syphilis was treated with BPG (47/59), doxycycline 100 mg two times per day for 14 days (10/59) and for 21 days (1/59). Azithromycin 500 mg one time per day for 10 days was given to 1/59. At the time of LP, 100% of patients had achieved serological cure, and 66% were taking antiretroviral treatment. Only 1/59 was diagnosed with ANS. The CSF showed: RPR non-reactive (59/59); TPPA non-reactive in 54/59; WBC ≤5/μL in 51/59.

Conclusions

Although the number of patients in our study is modest, single-dose BPG appears to be highly effective even in patients at high risk of neurosyphilis.
Stability of anisotropic compact objects in f(T) gravity
Authors: Bhatti M. Zaeem-ul-Haq , Yousaf Z. , Hanif Sonia
Published: February 2017

We exhibit the dynamical instability of cylindrical compact object in the gravitational field of f(T) gravity, which is the simplest modification of teleparallel theory (TPT). We explore the field equations and conservation laws to provide the extra degrees of freedom governed by f(T) gravity. We investigate the behavior of small perturbations on geometric and material profile in the background of collapsing fluid configuration. The un/stable eras are studied under Newtonian (N) and post-Newtonian (pN) approximations. Our results show that the stiffness parameter has major role in determining the un/stable epochs of cylindrical object. The dark source terms of f(T) gravity lead to relatively more unstable configuration during its evolutionary process.
A hybrid queuing strategy for network traffic on scale-free networks
Authors: Cai Kai-Quan , Yu Lu , Zhu Yan-Bo
Published: February 2017

In this paper, a hybrid queuing strategy (HQS) is proposed in traffic dynamics model on scale-free networks, where the delivery priority of packets in the queue is related to their distance to destination and the queue length of next jump. We compare the performance of the proposed HQS with that of the traditional first-in-first-out (FIFO) queuing strategy and the shortest-remaining-path-first (SRPF) queuing strategy proposed by Du et al. It is observed that the network traffic efficiency utilizing HQS with suitable value of parameter h can be further improved in the congestion state. Our work provides new insights for the understanding of the networked-traffic systems.
Dislocation dynamics in polycrystals with atomistic-informed mechanisms of dislocation - grain boundary interactions
Authors: Burbery N. B. , Po G. , Das R. , Ghoniem N. , Ferguson W. G.
Published: February 2017

In polycrystalline materials, dislocations can interact with grain boundaries (GBS) through a number of mechanisms including dislocation absorption, pile-up formation, dissociation reactions within the GB plane and (possibly) dislocation nucleation from the interface itself. The effects of dislocation pile-ups contribute significantly to the mechanical behavior of polycrystalline materials by creating back-stresses that inactivate the primary slip systems in the vicinity of the interface, corresponding with the celebrated Hall–Petch relationship between size and strength. However, dislocation pile-ups cannot be contained within the small grain sizes that can be accommodated by molecular dynamics simulations, which to-date remain the primary computational method used to study the discrete structure of GBs.

Dislocation dynamics (DD) simulations are a promising framework for computational modeling that are used to provide insights about phenomena that can only be explained from the intermediate scale between atomistic and macro scales. However, a robust framework for modeling dislocation interactions with internal microstructure such as grain boundaries (GBs) has yet to be achieved for 3D models of DD. Furthermore, this is the first implementation which explicitly includes the dislocation content of the interface. The framework described in this paper is effective for studying GB-dislocation interactions (including inter-granular effects) and the approach for partitioning the DD simulation domain. To achieve a robust method to differentiate between crystal regions, the present framework utilizes a mesh-based partitioning system. Within each grain, slip systems are determined by the grain orientation. The versatile construction described, allows modeling of an arbitrary crystallography, size and grain geometry. Extrinsic dislocations that intersect the interface are constrained to glide on the line of intersection between the glide plane and GB plane. Atomistically informed criteria for slip transmission are implemented, based on the geometrically optimal outgoing glide plane which shares a common line of intersection on the GB plane. Slip transmission is only initiated when the resolved shear stress in one of the compatible outgoing slip directions exceeds an approximate threshold resolved shear stress, which is based on observations made with molecular dynamics studies.

The primary aim of the present study was to establish a sufficiently ‘generic’ framework to enable the modelling of various GB structures, polycrystal geometries and crystallographic orientations. The framework described in the present work provides a means to study multi-grain deformation processes governed by dislocations pile-ups at GBs, in detail beyond feasible limits of experiments or atomistic simulation approaches.
Dietary nitrite reverses features of postmenopausal metabolic syndrome induced by high-fat diet and ovariectomy in mice
Authors: Ohtake Kazuo , Ehara Nobuyuki , Chiba Hiroshige , Nakano Genya , Sonoda Kunihiro , Ito Junta , Uchida Hiroyuki , Kobayashi Jun
Published: February 2017

Menopausal women are at greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome with reduced endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity. Hormone replacement therapy increases eNOS activity and normalizes some characteristics of metabolic syndrome. We hypothesized that nitric oxide (NO) supplementation should have a therapeutic effect on this syndrome. We examined the effect of dietary nitrite in a mouse model with postmenopausal metabolic syndrome induced by ovariectomy (OVX) and a high fat diet (HF). C57BL/6 female mice were divided into five groups, sham+normal fat diet (NF), sham+ HF, OVX+HF with or without sodium nitrite (50 mg and 150 mg/l) in the drinking water. Daily food intake and weekly body weight were monitored for 18 wk. OVX and HF significantly reduced plasma levels of nitrate/nitrite (NOx), and mice developed obesity with visceral hypertrophic adipocytes and increased transcriptional levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, TNF-α, and IL-6 in visceral fat tissues. The proinflammatory state in the adipocytes provoked severe hepatosteatosis and insulin resistance in OVX+HF group compared with sham+NF group. However, dietary nitrite significantly suppressed adipocyte hypertrophy and transcriptions of proinflammatory cytokines in visceral fat in a dose-dependent manner. The improvement of visceral inflammatory state consequently reversed the hepatosteatosis and insulin resistance observed in OVX+HF mice. These results suggest that an endogenous NO defect might underlie postmenopausal metabolic syndrome and that dietary nitrite provides an alternative source of NO, subsequently compensating for metabolic impairments of this syndrome.
Oscillation patterns are enhanced and firing threshold is lowered in medullary respiratory neuron discharges by threshold doses of a μ-opioid receptor agonist
Authors: Lalley Peter M. , Mifflin Steve W.
Published: February 2017

μ-Opioid receptors are distributed widely in the brain stem respiratory network, and opioids with selectivity for μ-type receptors slow in vivo respiratory rhythm in lowest effective doses. Several studies have reported μ-opioid receptor effects on the three-phase rhythm of respiratory neurons, but there are until now no reports of opioid effects on oscillatory activity within respiratory discharges. In this study, effects of the μ-opioid receptor agonist fentanyl on spike train discharge properties of several different types of rhythm-modulating medullary respiratory neuron discharges were analyzed. Doses of fentanyl that were just sufficient for prolongation of discharges and slowing of the three-phase respiratory rhythm also produced pronounced enhancement of spike train properties. Oscillation and burst patterns detected by autocorrelation measurements were greatly enhanced, and interspike intervals were prolonged. Spike train properties under control conditions and after fentanyl were uniform within each experiment, but varied considerably between experiments, which might be related to variability in acid-base balance in the brain stem extracellular fluid. Discharge threshold was shifted to more negative levels of membrane potential. The effects on threshold are postulated to result from opioid-mediated disinhibition and postsynaptic enhancement of N-methyl-d- aspartate receptor current. Lowering of firing threshold, enhancement of spike train oscillations and bursts and prolongation of discharges by lowest effective doses of fentanyl could represent compensatory adjustments in the brain stem respiratory network to override opioid blunting of CO2/pH chemosensitivity.
Effect of food deprivation or short-term Western diet feeding on BDNF protein expression in the hypothalamic arcuate, paraventricular, and ventromedial nuclei
Authors: Gilland Kaitlyn E. , Fox Edward A.
Published: February 2017

Mutations in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene are associated with human obesity, and BDNF has potent inhibitory effects on eating and body weight. Little is known about the effects of energy balance manipulations on BDNF protein in the hypothalamus, though this brain region is critical for regulation of feeding and body weight and has high levels of BDNF. Here we investigated the effects of negative and positive energy status on BDNF protein levels in the arcuate (ARC), paraventricular, and ventromedial (VMH) hypothalamic nuclei and the ectorhinal cortex. To achieve this, mice were food deprived for 48 h or fed a Western diet (WD), a restricted amount of WD, or chow for 6 h, 48 h, 1 wk, or 3 wk. BDNF protein levels were estimated as the number of neurons in each brain region that exhibited BDNF-like immunoreactivity. Food deprivation decreased BDNF protein (and mRNA) expression in the ARC compared with fed mice (32%). In contrast, 1 wk of WD consumption increased BDNF protein expression in the VMH compared with chow or restricted WD feeding (40%) and, unexpectedly, increased BDNF protein in the ectorhinal cortex (20%). Furthermore, of the diet conditions and durations tested, only 1 wk of WD consumption was associated with both hyperphagia and excess weight, suggesting that effects of one or both contributed to the changes in BDNF levels. The decrease in ARC BDNF may support increased feeding in food-deprived mice, whereas the increase in the VMH may moderate overeating in WD-fed mice.
Models of utricular bouton afferents: role of afferent-hair cell connectivity in determining spike train regularity
Authors: Holmes William R. , Huwe Janice A. , Williams Barbara , Rowe Michael H. , Peterson Ellengene H.
Published: February 2017

Vestibular bouton afferent terminals in turtle utricle can be categorized into four types depending on their location and terminal arbor structure: lateral extrastriolar (LES), striolar, juxtastriolar, and medial extrastriolar (MES). The terminal arbors of these afferents differ in surface area, total length, collecting area, number of boutons, number of bouton contacts per hair cell, and axon diameter (Huwe JA, Logan CJ, Williams B, Rowe MH, Peterson EH. J Neurophysiol 113: 2420–2433, 2015). To understand how differences in terminal morphology and the resulting hair cell inputs might affect afferent response properties, we modeled representative afferents from each region, using reconstructed bouton afferents. Collecting area and hair cell density were used to estimate hair cell-to-afferent convergence. Nonmorphological features were held constant to isolate effects of afferent structure and connectivity. The models suggest that all four bouton afferent types are electrotonically compact and that excitatory postsynaptic potentials are two to four times larger in MES afferents than in other afferents, making MES afferents more responsive to low input levels. The models also predict that MES and LES terminal structures permit higher spontaneous firing rates than those in striola and juxtastriola. We found that differences in spike train regularity are not a consequence of differences in peripheral terminal structure, per se, but that a higher proportion of multiple contacts between afferents and individual hair cells increases afferent firing irregularity. The prediction that afferents having primarily one bouton contact per hair cell will fire more regularly than afferents making multiple bouton contacts per hair cell has implications for spike train regularity in dimorphic and calyx afferents.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Bouton afferents in different regions of turtle utricle have very different morphologies and afferent-hair cell connectivities. Highly detailed computational modeling provides insights into how morphology impacts excitability and also reveals a new explanation for spike train irregularity based on relative numbers of multiple bouton contacts per hair cell. This mechanism is independent of other proposed mechanisms for spike train irregularity based on ionic conductances and can explain irregularity in dimorphic units and calyx endings.
A Population-Based Study of Sociodemographic and Geographic Variation in HPV Vaccination
Authors: Finney Rutten Lila J. , Wilson Patrick M. , Jacobson Debra J. , Agunwamba Amenah A. , Radecki Breitkopf Carmen , Jacobson Robert M. , St. Sauver Jennifer L.
Published: February 2017

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates in the United States remain low and lag behind other recommended adolescent vaccines. Studies evaluating the association of geographic and area-level characteristics with HPV vaccination rates provide a valuable resource for public health planning.

Method: We used the Rochester Epidemiology Project data linkage system to ascertain HPV vaccination rates between 2010 and 2015 in a 7-county region of southern Minnesota. Geocoded individual patient data were spatially linked to socioeconomic data from the American Community Survey at the census block group level. Bayesian hierarchical logistic regression was used to model incident vaccination rates, adjusting for individual- and area-level sociodemographic characteristics, and geolocation. Geolocation was modeled as an approximated Gaussian field using a Stochastic Partial Differential Equations approach. All models were estimated using Integrated Nested Laplace Approximations.

Results: In adjusted models, increasing age and female sex were associated with increased HPV vaccination. Lower socioeconomic status was associated with decreased rates of initiation [adjusted odds ratio (AOR); 95% confidence interval = 0.90 (0.86–0.95)], completion of the second dose [AOR = 0.88 (0.83–0.93)], and completion of the third dose [AOR = 0.85 (0.80–0.92)]. Geographic spatial analysis demonstrated increased odds of vaccination for the eastern region and in the greater Rochester metropolitan area, showing significant spatial variation not explained by individual level characteristics and ACS block group-level data.

Conclusions: HPV vaccination rates varied geographically and by individual and geographically indexed sociodemographic characteristics.

Impact: Identifying geographic regions with low HPV vaccination rates can help target clinical and community efforts to improve vaccination rates. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(4); 533–40. ©2017 AACR.

See all the articles in this CEBP Focus section, “Geospatial Approaches to Cancer Control and Population Sciences.”
Housing Discrimination, Residential Racial Segregation, and Colorectal Cancer Survival in Southeastern Wisconsin
Authors: Zhou Yuhong , Bemanian Amin , Beyer Kirsten M.M.
Published: February 2017

Background: Residential racial segregation is still neglected in contemporary examinations of racial health disparities, including studies of cancer. Even fewer studies examine the processes by which segregation occurs, such as through housing discrimination. This study aims to examine relationships among housing discrimination, segregation, and colorectal cancer survival in southeastern Wisconsin.

Methods: Cancer incidence data were obtained from the Wisconsin Cancer Reporting System for two southeastern Wisconsin metropolitan areas. Two indices of mortgage discrimination were derived from Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data, and a measure of segregation (the location quotient) was calculated from U.S. census data; all predictors were specified at the ZIP Code Tabulation Area level. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to examine associations between mortgage discrimination, segregation, and colorectal cancer survival in southeastern Wisconsin.

Results: For all-cause mortality, racial bias in mortgage lending was significantly associated with a greater hazard rate among blacks [HR = 1.37; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.06–1.76] and among black women (HR = 1.53; 95% CI, 1.06–2.21), but not black men in sex-specific models. No associations were identified for redlining or the location quotient. Additional work is needed to determine whether these findings can be replicated in other geographical settings.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate that black women in particular experience poorer colorectal cancer survival in neighborhoods characterized by racial bias in mortgage lending, a measure of institutional racism. These findings are in line with previous studies of breast cancer survival.

Impact: Housing discrimination and institutional racism may be important targets for policy change to reduce health disparities, including cancer disparities. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(4); 561–8. ©2017 AACR.

See all the articles in this CEBP Focus section, “Geospatial Approaches to Cancer Control and Population Sciences.”