bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Free-Chlorine Disinfection as a Selection Pressure on Norovirus
Authors: Rachmadi Andri Taruna , Kitajima Masaaki , Watanabe Kozo , Yaegashi Sakiko , Serrana Joeselle , Nakamura Arata , Nakagomi Toyoko , Nakagomi Osamu , Katayama Kazuhiko , Okabe Satoshi , Sano Daisuke
Published: April 2018

Human noroviruses are excreted in feces from infected individuals and included in wastewater. It is critical to remove/inactivate them in wastewater treatment processes, particularly in the disinfection step, before release to aquatic environments. However, the high mutation rates of human noroviruses raise concerns about the emergence of strains that are less susceptible to disinfectants and can survive even after wastewater treatment. This study aimed to demonstrate the strain-dependent susceptibility of norovirus to free chlorine. A population originated from the murine norovirus strain S7-PP3, a surrogate for human noroviruses in environmental testing, was exposed to free chlorine and then propagated in a host cell. This cycle of free chlorine exposure followed by propagation in cells was repeated 10 times, and populations with lower susceptibility to free chlorine were obtained from two independent trials of chlorine exposure cycles. Open reading frame 2 (ORF2) and ORF3 of the murine norovirus genome were analyzed by next-generation sequencing, and a unique nonsynonymous mutation (corresponding to a change from phenylalanine to serine) at nucleotide (nt) 7280 in ORF3, which encodes the minor capsid protein VP2, was found in chlorine-exposed populations from both trials. It was confirmed that all of the clones from the chlorine-treated population had lower susceptibility to free chlorine than those from the control population. These results indicate that exposure to free chlorine and dilution exert different driving forces to form murine norovirus (MNV) quasispecies, and that there is a selective force to form MNV quasispecies under free chlorine exposure.

IMPORTANCE
This study showed that free chlorine disinfection exerted a selection pressure for murine norovirus (MNV). The strain-dependent viral susceptibility to the disinfectant elucidated in this study highlights the importance of employing less susceptible strains as representative viruses in disinfection tests, because the disinfection rate values obtained from more susceptible strains would be less useful in predicting the virus inactivation efficiency of circulating strains under practical disinfection conditions.
Guanine Limitation Results in CodY-Dependent and -Independent Alteration of Staphylococcus aureus Physiology and Gene Expression
Authors: King Alyssa N. , Borkar Samiksha A. , Samuels David J. , Batz Zachary , Bulock Logan L. , Sadykov Marat R. , Bayles Kenneth W. , Brinsmade Shaun R.
Published: April 2018

In
Staphylococcus aureus
, the global transcriptional regulator CodY modulates the expression of hundreds of genes in response to the availability of GTP and the branched-chain amino acids isoleucine, leucine, and valine (ILV). CodY DNA-binding activity is high when GTP and ILV are abundant. When GTP and ILV are limited, CodY's affinity for DNA drops, altering expression of CodY-regulated targets. In this work, we investigated the impact of guanine nucleotides (GNs) on
S. aureus
physiology and CodY activity by constructing a
guaA
null mutant (Δ
guaA
strain).
De novo
biosynthesis of guanine monophosphate is abolished due to the
guaA
mutation; thus, the mutant cells require exogenous guanosine for growth. We also found that CodY activity was reduced when we knocked out
guaA
, activating the Agr two-component system and increasing secreted protease activity. Notably, in a rich, complex medium, we detected an increase in alternative sigma factor B activity in the Δ
guaA
mutant, which results in a 5-fold increase in production of the antioxidant pigment staphyloxanthin. Under biologically relevant flow conditions, Δ
guaA
cells failed to form robust biofilms when limited for guanine or guanosine. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis of the
S. aureus
transcriptome during growth in guanosine-limited chemostats revealed substantial CodY-dependent and -independent alterations of gene expression profiles. Importantly, these changes increase production of proteases and δ-toxin, suggesting that
S. aureus
exhibits a more invasive lifestyle when limited for guanosine. Further, gene products upregulated under GN limitation, including those necessary for lipoic acid biosynthesis and sugar transport, may prove to be useful drug targets for treating Gram-positive infections.

IMPORTANCE
Staphylococcus aureus
infections impose a serious economic burden on health care facilities and patients because of the emergence of strains resistant to last-line antibiotics. Understanding the physiological processes governing fitness and virulence of
S. aureus
in response to environmental cues is critical for developing efficient diagnostics and treatments.
De novo
purine biosynthesis is essential for both fitness and virulence in
S. aureus
since inhibiting production cripples
S. aureus
's ability to cause infection. Here, we corroborate these findings and show that blocking guanine nucleotide synthesis severely affects
S. aureus
fitness by altering metabolic and virulence gene expression. Characterizing pathways and gene products upregulated in response to guanine limitation can aid in the development of novel adjuvant strategies to combat
S. aureus
infections.
Evaluation of the illumigene Mycoplasma Direct DNA Amplification Assay
Authors: Kanwar Neena , Pence Morgan A. , Mayne Donna , Michael Jeffrey , Selvarangan Rangaraj
Published: April 2018

Mycoplasma pneumoniae
is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia. The
illumigene
Mycoplasma Direct (iMD) DNA amplification assay is a qualitative
in vitro
test utilizing loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technology for the direct detection of
M. pneumoniae
DNA in respiratory specimens. The iMD assay does not require the preextraction of nucleic acids from specimens, which is a prerequisite step for the previously approved
illumigene
Mycoplasma (iM) assay. The aim of this prospective multicenter study was to evaluate the performance characteristics of the newly developed iMD assay, compared with the iM assay. Subjects with symptoms of upper respiratory illnesses suggesting
M. pneumoniae
infection were enrolled at three sites in the United States. Respiratory specimens were obtained using dual throat swabs. One swab was tested with the iMD assay at each enrollment site. Reference testing with the iM assay was performed by the manufacturer. Among 456 specimens tested, the iM reference method detected
M. pneumoniae
in 25 specimens (5.5%), while the iMD assay identified 34 specimens (7.5%) as
M. pneumoniae
positive. There were 10 false-positive results and 1 false-negative result with the iMD assay. The overall positive and negative agreement rates were 96.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 80.5 to 99.3%) and 97.7% (95% CI, 95.8 to 98.7%), respectively. The overall agreement rate was determined to be 97.6% (95% CI, 95.7 to 98.6%). We conclude that the iMD test results were comparable to the iM assay results. The removal of the DNA extraction step for the iMD assay simplifies testing, saves time, and reduces the costs of detecting
M. pneumoniae
from throat swabs, compared to the iM assay.
A systematic analysis of UK cancer research funding by gender of primary investigator
Authors: Zhou Charlie D , Head Michael G , Marshall Dominic C , Gilbert Barnabas J , El-Harasis Majd A , Raine Rosalind , O’Connor Henrietta , Atun Rifat , Maruthappu Mahiben
Published: April 2018

Objectives

To categorically describe cancer research funding in the UK by gender of primary investigator (PIs).

Design

Systematic analysis of all open-access data.

Methods

Data about public and philanthropic cancer research funding awarded to UK institutions between 2000 and 2013 were obtained from several sources. Fold differences were used to compare total investment, award number, mean and median award value between male and female PIs. Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to determine statistically significant associations between PI gender and median grant value.

Results

Of the studies included in our analysis, 2890 (69%) grants with a total value of £1.82 billion (78%) were awarded to male PIs compared with 1296 (31%) grants with a total value of £512 million (22%) awarded to female PIs. Male PIs received 1.3 times the median award value of their female counterparts (P<0.001). These apparent absolute and relative differences largely persisted regardless of subanalyses.

Conclusions

We demonstrate substantial differences in cancer research investment awarded by gender. Female PIs clearly and consistently receive less funding than their male counterparts in terms of total investment, the number of funded awards, mean funding awarded and median funding awarded.
Risk stratification tools in emergency general surgery
Authors: Havens Joaquim Michael , Columbus Alexandra B , Seshadri Anupamaa J , Brown Carlos V R , Tominaga Gail T , Mowery Nathan T , Crandall Marie
Published: April 2018

The use of risk stratification tools (RST) aids in clinical triage, decision making and quality assessment in a wide variety of medical fields. Although emergency general surgery (EGS) is characterized by a comorbid, physiologically acute patient population with disparately high rates of perioperative morbidity and mortality, few RST have been explicitly examined in this setting. We examined the available RST with the intent of identifying a tool that comprehensively reflects an EGS patients perioperative risk for death or complication. The ideal tool would combine individualized assessment with relative ease of use. Trauma Scoring Systems, Critical Care Scoring Systems, Surgical Scoring Systems and Track and Trigger Models are reviewed here, with the conclusion that Emergency Surgery Acuity Score and the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Programme Universal Surgical Risk Calculator are the most applicable and appropriate for EGS.
Permanent percutaneous endoscopic gastrotomy tube placement in a Hermann’s tortoise
Authors: Reid Siuna Ann
Published: April 2018

The patient had been diagnosed with renal insufficiency and hepatic lipidosis. A method had to be found to support the patient, providing fluids, nutrition and drug therapies. Standard oesophagostomy tube placement was not tolerated by the patient1. The tortoise kept removing the tube. An alternative method of delivering nutritional support, fluids and medical treatment was sought. No references were found indicating this is a novel method. The tube was fitted under general anaesthetic, through a 4‐mm‐diameter hole that was created in the second pleural scute above the bridge on the left side of the carapace. The hole in the carapace was filled using dental acrylic (Centri Base, WHW Plastics) and has only had to be replaced once in 18 months after placement.
THE STUDY TO APPLY FUZZY WEIGHTED INPUT ESTIMATION FOR THE PREDICTION OF TARGET TRAJECTORY IN A FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM
Authors: Chen Yi-Wei , Lee Yung-Lung , Chen Yen-Bin
Published: April 2018

The fuzzy weighted input estimation (FWIE) is proposed in this paper to solve the problem of noise disturbance and combined with the three-dimensional motion equation of target trajectory to construct the tracking rule of fire control system. FWIE can estimate effectively the input data of maneuvering target acceleration to obtain the precise target state and solve the problems from the traditional Kalman filter which cannot compute the precise estimation of target state because of the input information in the system. Simulation results show that FWIE can estimate the change of target state rapidly and precisely compared with the extended Kalman filter and the proposed tracking rule can improve the fire control system to figure out the target intercepting points with shorter miss distance.
OPTIMAL DESIGN PARAMETERS OF RECONFIGURABLE ROBOTS WITH LOCKABLE JOINTS
Authors: Zeinoun Gabriel , Sedaghati Ramin , Aghili Farhad
Published: April 2018

This paper presents a global optimization methodology to find the optimal Denavit–Hartenberg parameters of a serial reconfigurable manipulator minimizing a cost function over a pre-specified workspace volume and given lower and upper bounds on the design parameters. Different cost functions such as the manipulability measure, maximum force capability of the manipulator’s end-effector, and maximum velocity capability of the manipulator within the operating workspace of the manipulator are considered to optimize the kinematic design. Based on a combination of genetic algorithm (GA) and sequential quadratic programming (SQP), a modified global and posture-independent parameter of singularity (MPIPS) is presented. Finally, a weighted objective function is proposed to balance between the conflicting requirements for manipulator’s force and velocity capabilities.
STABILIZED MIXED FINITE ELEMENT METHOD FOR TRANSIENT DARCY FLOW
Authors: Ansari Shahab U. , Hussain Masroor , Ahmad Sarvat. M. , Rashid Ahmar , Mazhar Suleman
Published: April 2018

Darcy flow is a steady-state model for laminar flow of a fluid through a porous medium. The present work proposes an extended model of laminar Darcy flow by introducing dynamic pressure and velocity to the classical formulation. The solution of the proposed time-space model is attained by discretizing the problem with a stabilized mixed Galerkin method in space and a forward Euler method in time. The resulting matrix equation is well-posed and is solved using the conjugate gradient (CG) method. The error analysis of the numerical solutions confirms convergence to the actual model.
VIBRATION OF ROAD BRIDGES UNDER MOVING VEHICLES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN SINGLE CONTACT POINT AND TWO CONTACT POINT MODELS
Authors: Vaidya Tanuja , Chatterjee Animesh
Published: April 2018

The study of dynamic response of bridges under the action of moving vehicles provides a tool for structural designing as well as damage identification. Bridge-vehicle interaction is generally modelled through single contact point for mathematical simplicity, although the interaction actually takes place through front and rear wheels. In the present work, dynamic deflection of the bridge modelled through two contact points is investigated for a range of vehicle velocity and wheel to wheel distance. It is observed that for wheelbase to bridge span ratio greater than a certain limit, two contact point model gives significantly different results particularly at higher velocity range. The results, presented in terms of non-dimensional parameters, can be used as a design monograph for any bridge-vehicle-velocity combination.
A CAM-GEARED MECHANISM FOR RIGID BODY GUIDANCE
Authors: Soong Ren-Chung
Published: April 2018

A cam-geared mechanism, consisting of a disk cam with a radially translating roller follower, a disk cam with an oscillating roller follower and an elementary planetary gear train is proposed for rigid body guidance. A design method of cam profile based on inverse kinematic analysis was also proposed. An example is provided to show the feasibility and effectiveness of this proposed method. The advantages of the new design include its simple, compact structure and simple design procedure.
SURFACE AZIMUTHAL ANCHORING ENERGY BETWEEN THE GRATING SURFACE AND NEMATIC LIQUID CRYSTAL LAYER STUDIED BY USING A GEOMETRIC MODEL
Authors: Lin Chin-Lung , Chen Tei-Chen
Published: April 2018

A simple geometric model is proposed for estimating the azimuthal anchoring energy between the sinusoidal relief grating surface and nematic liquid crystal layer of a liquid crystal display (LCD) device as a function of the grating height and grating pitch. The model parameters are determined experimentally, and the model is then used to predict the surface azimuthal anchoring energy for gratings with various pitches and heights. It is shown that a good agreement exists between the predicted results for the surface azimuthal anchoring energy and the experimental data. Moreover, a good agreement is also observed between the estimated results and those obtained from Berreman’s expression and finite element method (FEM) simulations, respectively. Overall, the experimental and numerical results show that for the nematic liquid crystal considered in the present study (4-n-pentyl-4’-cyanobiphenyl (5CB)), the surface azimuthal anchoring energy increases with an increasing grating height or a reducing grating pitch.
EFFECT OF PRE- AND POST-WELD SHOT PEENING ON THE MECHANICAL & TRIBOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF TIG WELDED ALUMINUM 6061-T6 ALLOY
Authors: Atieh Anas M. , Allaf Rula M. , AlHazaa Abdulaziz , Barghash Mahmoud , Mubaydin Hasan
Published: April 2018

In this paper, the effects of shot peening on the performance of TIG welded 6061-T6 Al alloy are investigated. Six different scenarios are evaluated utilizing two levels of high/low shot peening intensities. The hardness profiles demonstrate a “W” shaped distribution, with low hardness values in heat affected zone, implying coarsening of precipitates. Except for ductility, the results indicate that all shot peening scenarios enhance the tensile properties of the welded specimens with respect to the unpeened control, with enhancements ranging from approximately 3 to 35%. Pre-weld low intensity shot peening results in the highest increase of tensile strength. The coefficient of friction ranges from approximately 0.4 to 0.9 compared to the unpeened control with a coefficient of approximately 0.6.
DEVELOPMENT AND OPTIMIZATION OF A LINEAR-MOTOR-DRIVEN WATER HYDRAULIC PISTON PUMP
Authors: Ye-qing Huang , Song-lin Nie , Hui Ji , Shuang Nie
Published: April 2018

This research develops a new piston pump driven by four double-action linear motors (abbr. FDLMP). The working principle of FDLMP is introduced, and the theoretical models of flow rates, effects of motion planning, and hysteresis of flat valve on pulsation ratio of combination flow rate of the piston pump are investigated systematically. The simulation and test results showed that the key design parameters such as the clearance of piston sector, spring preloading and stiffness of suction valve play important roles in the improvement of volumetric efficiency and flow pulsation rate of FDLMP. These research works lay the foundation for the further development of FDLMP.
THERMAL BARRIER COATING AND TURBULENCE INTENSITY EFFECTS ON LEADING EDGE COOLING USING CONJUGATE HEAT TRANSFER ANALYSIS
Authors: Prapamonthon Prasert , Xu Huazhao , Ke Zhaoqing , Yang Wenshuo , Wang Jianhua
Published: April 2018

This is a numerical study of thermal barrier coating (TBC) and turbulence on leading edge (LE) cooling of a guide vane. Numerical results were carried out using 3D CFD with conjugate heat transfer analysis. Important phenomena were revealed. (1) TBC is effective in the LE region especially when free stream turbulence (Tu) increases. (2) At each Tu, TBC near the hub of the vane provides the most effective protection and at the highest Tu, TBC improves overall cooling effectiveness there by about 25%. (3) Near the exits of film hole, TBC may have negative effect, because of heat transfer impedance from the solid structure into the mixing fluid between mainstream and cooling air emitted from film holes.
INFLUENCE OF EXTERNAL PARTICLES ON HETEROGENEOUS CONDENSATION FLOW IN CASCADES
Authors: Han Xu , Han Zhonghe , Li Peng
Published: April 2018

The wet steam nucleation zone is usually concentrated in the lower part of the throat. A double fluid numerical model and a shear stress transport (SST) k-ω-kd two-phase turbulence model were derived for the heterogeneous condensation flow of wet steam. The effect of the particle parameters on the condensation flow and the varying patterns of the nucleation rate and degree of super-cooling were investigated. The results show that external particles have a significant influence on the condensation flow, which weakens the condensation wave, restrains the development of thermodynamic imbalance and improves the flow conditions in the cascade.
THE EFFECTS OF INLET AIR QUANTITY AND INLET OXYGEN MOLE FRACTION ON THE COMBUSTION AND FLUID FLOW IN A SULFUR RECOVERY UNIT THERMAL REACTOR
Authors: Yeh Chun-Lang
Published: April 2018

Owing to the high temperature inside a sulfur recovery unit (SRU) thermal reactor, detailed experimental measurements are difficult. In the author’s previous studies, several methods have been assessed to resolve the abnormality of the SRU thermal reactor under high temperature operation. This paper presents a new easier and more economical method. The effects of inlet air quantity and inlet O2 mole fraction on the combustion and fluid flow in a SRU thermal reactor are investigated numerically. The flow field temperature, S2 recovery, H2S mole fraction, and SO2 emissions are analyzed. This paper provides a guideline for adjusting the inlet air quantity and the inlet O2 mole fraction to reduce the high temperature inside a thermal reactor and to ensure an acceptable sulfur recovery.
INVESTIGATION OF SURFACE INTEGRITY DURING TURNING INCONEL 718
Authors: Xavior M. Anthony , Manohar M. , Patil Mahesh Madhukar , Jeyapandiarajan P.
Published: April 2018

Surface roughness and residual stress are considered to be major surface integrity issues that directly affect the quality and life of the components. The current research work highlights surface quality and residual stresses induced while machining Inconel 718 with a range of cutting parameters and cutting environments. Further, the study aimed to determine the optimal parameters/conditions in terms of cutting speeds, tool materials and cutting conditions to achieve better surface quality and minimum residual stress values. Minimum quantity lubrication resulted in minimum residual values for all cutting inserts and cutting velocities. The minimum surface roughness was obtained while machining at 100 m/min using a carbide insert under flood cooling condition.
ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOUNDED JACOBIAN AND LIPSCHITZ OBSERVERS FOR NONLINEAR ESTIMATION APPLICATIONS
Authors: Phanomchoeng Gridsada , Rajamani Rajesh
Published: April 2018

This paper examines the performance of bounded Jacobian and Lipschitz observer design techniques for nonlinear estimation applications. The bounded Jacobian observer technique utilizes the mean value theorem to express the nonlinear estimation error dynamics as a convex combination of known matrices with time varying coefficients. The Lipschitz based observers are the most popular observer design technique used for nonlinear systems. But they are derived from more conservative Lipschitz conditions on the nonlinearity. Both observers are evaluated for longitudinal velocity estimation, vehicle roll angle estimation, and estimation in a polynomial nonlinear system with a large Lipschitz constant. The results show that the bounded Jacobian observer is the more appropriate observer for these problems.
ANCIENT CHINESE MAZE LOCKS
Authors: Shi Kan , Zhang Yang , Lin Jian-Liang , Hsiao Kuo-Hung
Published: April 2018

There are many types of ancient Chinese locks that were designed using thin pieces of barbed springs in the locks. The geometric relativity and the elasticity effect between the key and the barbed springs were the main mechanisms for locking and opening. For some special locks, it is very difficult to insert the key-head into the keyhole. In the operation, the key-head must contact the keyhole in the right position and the right orientation in order to enter the keyhole. Discovering how to insert the key-head is similar to steering a maze, so such locks are named “maze locks” or “fixed-orientation locks”. This paper introduces the structures of maze locks, which were widely used in ancient China. The historical development of ancient Chinese locks is briefly introduced first. Then, the basic characteristics of the barbed-springs lock are presented. Finally, three examples are provided to illustrate the opening processes of maze locks.
STUDY OF HOLLOW STEMMED HIP BONE FORMING
Authors: Chen Dyi-Cheng , Lin Jheng-Guang
Published: April 2018

This study investigated hollow stemmed hip forging for enhancing the biocompatibility of Ti-6AL-4V titanium alloys. Instead of using the expensive titanium billet, this study applied DEFORMTM 3D finite element analysis software to simulate and analyze stem forming with respect to different die temperatures, friction factors, punch types, forging velocities, and billet temperatures. On the basis of its shape, a punch can be classified as flat head, ladder shaped, spherical, and conical. These differences affect the effective stress and punch load after stem formation. The experiment parameters were determined using the Taguchi L16 (45) orthogonal table. Both the simulated and experimental results indicated that the error for the size of the bone stem was less than 2%.
ANALYTICAL APPROACH TO ROTATING COMPRESSION OF A POROUS CYLINDER CONSIDERING CONSTANT SHEAR FRICTION
Authors: Tzou Gow-Yi , Hwang Yeong-Maw , Pan Sai-Chih
Published: April 2018

The volume of the porous material in forming cannot be constant. However, the mass of the porous material remains constant; thereby making the derivations more complicated. A plastic mechanics analytical model with constant shear friction based on the slab method in this study is to explore the characteristics of the rotating compression of a porous cylinder. The effects of the frictional factor and frictional angle on the vertical stress, radial stress, average pressure, compression force, and rotating torque are systematically studied. The analytical results could be advantageous to the industries related to the forging of porous materials.
INVESTIGATION OF CO2 ABSORPTION PERFORMANCE IN A GAS-LIQUID TWO-PHASE FLOW ATOMIZER ON THE BASIS OF A GAS DIFFUSION MODEL
Authors: Yao Jiafeng , Yu Minghao , Zhao Tong , Kawahara Akimaro , Sadatomi Michio
Published: April 2018

Experimental and analytical studies of CO2 absorption performance are carried out in a gas-liquid two-phase flow atomizer on the basis of a gas diffusion model. The gas-liquid two-phase flow atomizer with high spray efficiency and low power consumption has been applied to CO2 absorption. Experiments for the CO2 absorption were conducted in an isolated room and the results showed that, the mist sprayed by the improved atomizer can effectively reduce the CO2 concentration. Furthermore, a CO2 diffusion model was developed to predict the absorption process. This model was validated through a comparison between calculation and experiment. Comparison results showed that the proposed model could predict the time-variations of CO2 concentration well in the test room.
TRADE INTEGRATION AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INTEGRATION: EVIDENCE FROM ASIA
Authors: VO XUAN VINH
Published: April 2018

This paper investigates the relationship between international trade integration and international financial integration in Asia using a dataset covering the period from 2001 to 2015. Using a simultaneous equations system, this paper sheds further light into international trade integration and international financial integration processes of Asian countries. We account for the bidirectional causality between these two variables by employing a system of simultaneous equations. Utilizing the two-stage least squares estimator, we find a positive and significant bidirectional relationship between international trade integration and international financial integration. This result has strong policy implication relating to the liberalization process in these Asian countries.
Parametric Study of Wet Electrostatic Precipitator Applied to Ducted Heat Pump System
Authors: Song Chan Ho , Woo Chang Gyu , Han Bangwoo , Kim Hak-Joon , Kim Yong-Jin , Kim Ook-Joong , Yoon Seok Ho
Published: April 2018

In this paper, parametric study of wet electrostatic precipitator applied to ducted heat pump system was conducted. For the experiment, a dust collecting module was designed and a prototype was manufactured. The airflow rate, the applied voltages of the charging and collecting part were selected as the main parameters in the limited condition. The dust collection efficiency was measured according to the change of the parameter values and the influence of each parameter was analyzed. As a result, the contribution of each parameter on the dust collection efficiency was analyzed as 22.7% airflow rate, 6.6% applied voltage in charging part and 69.9% applied voltage in collecting part. And it was found that the applied voltage of the dust collecting part had the greatest influence on the dust collection efficiency. The correlation equation was derived using the parameters and the product design was made considering this. This design and analysis process will be helpful in future large-scale design.
Seismostratigraphic analysis of Paleozoic sequences of the Midlands Microcraton
Authors: Butler Malcolm
Published: April 2018

A regional review of publicly available seismic reflection lines and wells enables the identification across the Midlands Microcraton (MMC) of four Paleozoic seismostratigraphic megasequences, bounded by the Shelveian, Acadian, Symon and Variscan unconformities. The southern boundary of the MMC is drawn at a line of major change in pre-Permian subcrop, and most of central southern England is considered underlain by Paleozoic rocks of MMC character. The Lower Silurian Shelveian Unconformity cuts down through Ordovician and Cambrian rocks to the Precambrian and largely defines the distribution of these rocks in the region. However, more than 2500 m of Tremadoc shales are preserved SW of Swindon. Above the Shelveian, a characteristic shallow-marine Silurian is overlain by up to 3000 m of Old Red Sandstone facies, preserved in a north–south-orientated syncline. The Acadian Unconformity cuts down through folded Lower Paleozoic rocks, with the Frasnian transgression overlying Precambrian in places. Little Carboniferous was deposited across the MMC until uppermost Westphalian–Stephanian Warwickshire Group sandstones and coals were laid down across the erosion surface of the Symon Unconformity. The northern boundary of thin-skinned Variscan thrusting can be interpreted on seismic data but appears to have had little effect on the regional pre-Permian subcrop.
Effects of stress on failure behaviour of shallow-marine muds from the northern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Dugan Brandon , Zhao Xin
Published: April 2018

Direct simple shear experiments on mud samples from 0 to 15 mbsf (metres below seafloor) in the Ursa Basin (northern Gulf of Mexico) document that stress level impacts shear strength and pore pressure during failure. As burial depth increased (from 7.35 to 13.28 mbsf), cohesion decreased (from 12.3 to 6.5 kPa) and the internal friction angle increased (from 18° to 21°). For a specimen from 11.75 mbsf, an increase in maximum consolidation stress (from 45 to 179 kPa) resulted in an increase in the shear-induced pore pressure (from 29 to 150 kPa); however, the normalized peak shear stress decreased (from 0.37 to 0.25). Our results document that consolidation at shallow depths induces a positive feedback on pore-pressure genesis. For resedimented samples, which lack a stress history, cohesion was 3.6 kPa and the internal friction angle was 24°. As the maximum consolidation stress increased (from 40 to 254 kPa) on resedimented samples, the shear-induced pore pressure increased (from 22 to 203 kPa), whereas the normalized peak shear stress decreased (from 0.32 to 0.25). Our experiments showed that resedimented samples have similar strength and failure behaviour to intact samples. By constraining pore pressure, strength and initial stress state, we gain a better insight into slope-failure dynamics. Therefore, our experiments provide constraints on strength and shear-induced pore pressure at the onset of shallow failure that could be included in slope-failure and hazard models.
Computational thinking for all
Authors: Heintz Fredrik , Mannila Linda
Published: April 2018

The Swedish government has recently introduced digital competence including programming in the Swedish K-9 curriculum starting no later than fall 2018. This means that 100 000 teachers need to learn programming and digital competence in less than a year. In this paper we report on our experience working with professional teacher training in Sweden's fifth largest city. The city has about 150 000 inhabitants and about 50 schools with about 14 000 students in primary education. The project has been carried out in close cooperation with the municipality.
The January 2018 issue
Authors: Bonaventure Olivier
Published: April 2018

The January 2018 issue of SIGCOMM's Computer Communication Review.
ex uno pluria
Authors: Ammar Mostafa
Published: April 2018

In this article I will first argue that a {\em Service-Infrastructure Cycle} is fundamental to networking evolution. Networks are built to accommodate certain services at an expected scale. New applications and/or a significant increase in scale require a rethinking of network mechanisms which results in new deployments. Four decades-worth of iterations of this process have yielded the Internet as we know it today, a common and shared global networking infrastructure that delivers almost all services. I will further argue, using brief historical case studies, that success of network mechanism deployments often hinges on whether or not mechanism evolution follows the iterations of this Cycle. Many have observed that this network, the Internet, has become ossified and unable to change in response to new demands. In other words, after decades of operation, the Service-Infrastructure Cycle has become stuck. However, novel service requirements and scale increases continue to exert significant pressure on this ossified infrastructure. The result, I will conjecture, will be a fragmentation, the beginnings of which are evident today, that will ultimately fundamentally change the character of the network infrastructure. By ushering in a ManyNets world, this fragmentation will lubricate the Service-Infrastructure Cycle so that it can continue to govern the evolution of networking. I conclude this article with a brief discussion of the possible implications of this emerging ManyNets world on networking research.
Aerobic Exercise Intervention Alters Executive Function and White Matter Integrity in Deaf Children: A Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Xiong Xuan , Zhu Li-Na , Dong Xiao-xiao , Wang Wei , Yan Jun , Chen Ai-Guo
Published: April 2018

This study examined the effects of an 11-week aerobic exercise intervention on executive function (EF) and white matter integrity (WMI). In total, 28 deaf children (aged 9–13 years) were randomly assigned to either an 11-week exercise intervention or the control group. All the children had behavioral assessment and diffusion tensor imaging prior to and following the exercise intervention. The behavioral performance results demonstrated that EF was enhanced by exercise. Relative to the control group, WMI of the exercise intervention group showed (1) lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in the pontine crossing tract (PCT) and right cingulum (hippocampus) (CH), genu of the corpus callosum (gCC), right inferior cerebellar peduncle (ICP), left superior corona radiata (SCR), and left superior frontooccipital fasciculus (SFOF); (2) higher mean diffusivity (MD) in the gCC, right CH, right inferior frontooccipital fasciculus (IFOF), and left anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC); and (3) lower MD in the left ICP and left tapetum (TAP). Furthermore, the lower FA in gCC showed a significant negative correlation with improvement in behavioral performance, but the correlation was not significant after FDR correction. These results suggest that exercise can effectively improve deaf children’s EF and reshape the WMI in deaf children. The improved EF by exercise is not related to a reshaping of WMI, but more studies on the relationship between EF and WMI by exercise may be needed.
Lung Interstitial Macrophages: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Schyns Joey , Bureau Fabrice , Marichal Thomas
Published: April 2018

For a long time, investigations about the lung myeloid compartment have been mainly limited to the macrophages located within the airways, that is, the well-known alveolar macrophages specialized in recycling of surfactant molecules and removal of debris. However, a growing number of reports have highlighted the complexity of the lung myeloid compartment, which also encompass different subsets of dendritic cells, tissue monocytes, and nonalveolar macrophages, called interstitial macrophages (IM). Recent evidence supports that, in mice, IM perform important immune functions, including the maintenance of lung homeostasis and prevention of immune-mediated allergic airway inflammation. In this article, we describe lung IM from a historical perspective and we review current knowledge on their characteristics, ontogeny, and functions, mostly in rodents. Finally, we emphasize some important future challenges for the field.
Cyanidin-3-glucoside Alleviates 4-Hydroxyhexenal-Induced NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation via JNK-c-Jun/AP-1 Pathway in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells
Authors: Jin Xiaolu , Wang Chengtao , Wu Wei , Liu Tingting , Ji Baoping , Zhou Feng
Published: April 2018

Recently, the NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the eyes has been known to be associated with the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), an important anthocyanin with great potential for preventing eye diseases, against 4-hydroxyhexenal- (HHE-) induced inflammatory damages in human retinal pigment epithelial cells, ARPE-19. We noticed that C3G pretreatment to the ARPE-19 cells rescued HHE-induced antiproliferative effects. Cell apoptosis ratio induced by HHE was also decreased by C3G, measured by flow cytometry. The activation of NLRP3 inflammasome induced by HHE was found with increases of caspase-1 activity, proinflammatory cytokine releases (IL-1β and IL-18), and NLRP3 inflammasome-related gene expressions (NLRP3, IL-1β, IL-18, and caspase-1). The C3G showed potent inhibitive effects on these NLRP3 inflammasome activation hallmarks induced by HHE. Moreover, we noticed that the C3G’s pretreatment leads to a delayed and a decreased JNK activation in HHE-challenged ARPE-19 cells. Finally, using a luciferase reporter gene assay system, we demonstrated that HHE-induced activation protein- (AP-) 1 transcription activity was abolished by C3G pretreatment in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these data showed that HHE leads to inflammatory damages to ARPE-19 cells while C3G has great protective effects, highlighting future potential applications of C3G against AMD-associated inflammation.
Multiple‐Fault Diagnosis Method Based on Multiscale Feature Extraction and MSVM_PPA
Authors: Zhang Min , Cai Zhenyu , Cheng Wenming
Published: April 2018

Identification of rolling bearing fault patterns, especially for the compound faults, has attracted notable attention and is still a challenge in fault diagnosis. In this paper, a novel method called multiscale feature extraction (MFE) and multiclass support vector machine (MSVM) with particle parameter adaptive (PPA) is proposed. MFE is used to preprocess the process signals, which decomposes the data into intrinsic mode function by empirical mode decomposition method, and instantaneous frequency of decomposed components was obtained by Hilbert transformation. Then, statistical features and principal component analysis are utilized to extract significant information from the features, to get effective data from multiple faults. MSVM method with PPA parameters optimization will classify the fault patterns. The results of a case study of the rolling bearings faults data from Case Western Reserve University show that (1) the proposed intelligent method (MFE_PPA_MSVM) improves the classification recognition rate; (2) the accuracy will decline when the number of fault patterns increases; (3) prediction accuracy can be the best when the training set size is increased to 70% of the total sample set. It verifies the method is feasible and efficient for fault diagnosis.
The Carotenogenic Dunaliella salina CCAP 19/20 Produces Enhanced Levels of Carotenoid under Specific Nutrients Limitation
Authors: Saha Sushanta Kumar , Kazipet Naresh , Murray Patrick
Published: April 2018

Dunaliella salina is the popular microalga for β-carotene production. There is still a growing demand for the best strain identification and growth conditions optimization for maximum carotenoids production. Some strains are noncarotenogenic while other strains may respond differently to applied growth conditions and produce enhanced carotenoid levels. This study tested the carotenogenic ability of Dunaliella salina CCAP 19/20 under sixteen stress conditions and certain biochemical changes in response to specific stress were investigated. This study identified the above strain as carotenogenic, which produces maximum carotenoids under high light (240 μmol photons m−2 sec−1) when combined nitrogen and micronutrients (Cu or CuMn) were limited. Based on the intensity of extracted ions chromatograms, lutein (m/z 568.4357) appears as the major carotenoid followed by β-carotene (m/z 536.4446) and α-carotene (m/z 536.4435). A polypeptide of 28.3 kDa appeared while another polypeptide of 25.5 kDa disappeared in stress cells as compared to noncarotenogenic cells. Expression levels of antioxidative-enzyme superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1, H2O2-resistant) remained identical, while the prominent H2O2-sensitive isoforms SOD2 and SOD3 were downregulated during carotenogenic conditions. Overall, increased carotenoids levels might be due to the response of differential expression of specific polypeptides and retention of H2O2-resistant SOD, which eventually might help the organism to thrive in the tested stress conditions.
All-Trans Retinoic Acid Induces CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Regulatory T Cells by Increasing FOXP3 Demethylation in Systemic Sclerosis CD4+ T Cells
Authors: Sun Xiaohong , Xiao Yangfan , Zeng Zhuotong , Shi Yaqian , Tang Bingsi , Long Hai , Kanekura Takuro , Wang Jiucun , Wu Haijing , Zhao Ming , Lu Qianjin , Xiao Rong
Published: April 2018

Background. Retinoic acid (RA) is an active metabolite of vitamin A and has been reported to improve the clinical symptoms of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, the mechanism of RA in the prevention of SSc remains unclear. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a subpopulation of T cells with immunosuppressive activity. The quantitative and functional defects of Tregs may mediate the immune dysfunction in SSc. The addition of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) to human naïve CD4+ cells could promote the maturation of Tregs and increase the stable expression of Foxp3. In this study, we explored the role of RA on Tregs in SSc CD4+ T cells and its possible epigenetic mechanisms, so as to further understand the mechanisms of RA on SSc. Methods. CD4+ T cells were isolated from peripheral blood of SSc and treated with or without ATRA and/or transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). The percentage of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Tregs was counted by flow cytometry. FOXP3 mRNA and protein levels were measured by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively. Bisulfite sequencing was performed to determine the methylation status of the FOXP3 proximal promoter sequences. Results. The expression of Tregs and FOXP3 in CD4+ T cells from patients with SSc increased in response to ATRA. Moreover, combined stimulation with ATRA and TGF-β resulted in the enhancement of these effects. Further studies revealed that stimulation with ATRA increased the expression of FOXP3 in SSc CD4+ T cells by downregulating FOXP3 promoter methylation levels. Conclusions. ATRA acts as an inducer of Treg response in SSc CD4+ T cells via demethylation of the FOXP3 promoter and activation of FOXP3 expression. This may be one of the molecular mechanisms for ATRA, and therefore, RA can be used for the treatment of SSc.
High Performance Damage‐Resistant Seismic Resistant Structural Systems for Sustainable and Resilient City: A Review
Authors: Wang Junhua , Zhao Hua
Published: April 2018

This paper presents a review of high performance damage‐resistant seismic resistant structural (DRSRS) systems for the sustainable and resilient city. Firstly, the motivation and the basic principle as well as methodology of the developing DRSRS system are briefly illustrated. Then, the structural detailing and the seismic behaviors of three types of existing DRSRS systems, namely, the replaceable structural element (RSE), rocking seismic resisting structural (RSRS) system, and self‐centering seismic resisting structural (SCSRS) system, are summarized in detail. The theoretical and extensive experimental study results indicated that the three existing types of DRSRS system can minimize the postdamage after loading. Types of energy dissipation devices and dampers, as well as fuse sections, can largely enhance the energy dissipation capacity of the proposed structural system. Many numerical and finite element models have been proposed to analyze the dynamic and static cyclic responses of them. The residual deformation after the dynamic response is smaller compared to that following the cyclic response. Then, the current research challenges of DRSRS system are illustrated, and the new research highlights that emerged in recent years are stated. Finally, the conclusions of this paper are summarized; furthermore, the recommendations for the future studies are pointed out at the end of the paper.
Cerebral Responses to Acupuncture at GV24 and Bilateral GB13 in Rat Models of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Cui Shaoyang , Xu Mingzhu , Huang Jianting , Wang Qing Mei , Lai Xinsheng , Nie Binbin , Shan Baoci , Luo Xun , Wong John , Tang Chunzhi
Published: April 2018

Acupuncture has been widely used in China to treat neurological diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, its mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, eighty healthy Wistar rats were divided into a normal control group (n=15) and premodel group (n=65). Forty-five rats that met the criteria for the AD model were then randomly divided into the model group (MG), the nonacupoint group (NG), and the acupoint group (AG). All rats received positron emission tomography (PET) scanning, and the images were analyzed with Statistical Parametric Mapping 8.0. MG exhibited hypometabolism in the olfactory bulb, insular cortex, orbital cortex, prelimbic cortex, striatum, parietal association cortex, visual cortex, cingulate gyrus, and retrosplenial cortex. AG exhibited prominent and extensive hypermetabolism in the thalamus, hypothalamus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, cerebral peduncle, midbrain tegmentum, and pontine tegmentum compared to NG. These results demonstrated that acupuncturing at GV24 and bilateral GB13 acupoints may improve the learning and memory abilities of the AD rats, probably via altering cerebral glucose metabolism (CGM) in the hypothalamus, thalamus, and brain stem. The observed effects of acupuncture may be caused by regulating the distribution of certain kinds of neurotransmitters and enhancing synaptic plasticity.