bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome Analysis of Fimbriiglobus ruber SP5T, a Planctomycete with Confirmed Chitinolytic Capability
Authors: Ravin Nikolai V. , Rakitin Andrey L. , Ivanova Anastasia A. , Beletsky Alexey V. , Kulichevskaya Irina S. , Mardanov Andrey V. , Dedysh Svetlana N.
Published: January 2018

Members of the bacterial orderPlanctomycetaleshave often been observed in associations with Crustacea. The ability to degrade chitin, however, has never been reported for any of the cultured planctomycetes although utilization ofN-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) as a sole carbon and nitrogen source is well recognized for these bacteria. Here, we demonstrate the chitinolytic capability of a member of the familyGemmataceae,Fimbriiglobus ruberSP5T, which was isolated from a peat bog. As revealed by metatranscriptomic analysis of chitin-amended peat, the pool of 16S rRNA reads fromF. ruberincreased in response to chitin availability. Strain SP5Tdisplayed only weak growth on amorphous chitin as a sole source of carbon but grew well with chitin as a source of nitrogen. The genome ofF. ruberSP5Tis 12.364 Mb in size and is the largest among all currently determined planctomycete genomes. It encodes several enzymes putatively involved in chitin degradation, including two chitinases affiliated with the glycoside hydrolase (GH) family GH18, GH20 family β-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and the complete set of enzymes required for utilization of GlcNAc. The gene encoding one of the predicted chitinases was expressed inEscherichia coli, and the endochitinase activity of the recombinant enzyme was confirmed. The genome also contains genes required for the assembly of type IV pili, which may be used to adhere to chitin and possibly other biopolymers. The ability to use chitin as a source of nitrogen is of special importance for planctomycetes that inhabit N-depleted ombrotrophic wetlands.

IMPORTANCEPlanctomycetes represent an important part of the microbial community inSphagnum-dominated peatlands, but their potential functions in these ecosystems remain poorly understood. This study reports the presence of chitinolytic potential in one of the recently described peat-inhabiting members of the familyGemmataceae,Fimbriiglobus ruberSP5T. This planctomycete uses chitin, a major constituent of fungal cell walls and exoskeletons of peat-inhabiting arthropods, as a source of nitrogen in N-depleted ombrotrophicSphagnum-dominated peatlands. This study reports the chitin-degrading capability of representatives of the orderPlanctomycetales.
Deterioration-Associated Microbiome of Stone Monuments: Structure, Variation, and Assembly
Authors: Li Qiang , Zhang Bingjian , Yang Xiaoru , Ge Qinya
Published: January 2018

Research on the microbial communities that colonize stone monuments may provide a new understanding of stone biodeterioration and microbe-induced carbonate precipitation. This work investigated the seasonal variation of microbial communities in 2016 and 2017, as well as its effects on stone monuments. We determined the bacterial and fungal compositions of 12 samples from four well-separated geographic locations by using 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer gene amplicon sequencing.
Cyanobacteria
and Ascomycota were the predominant bacterial and fungal phyla, respectively, and differences in species abundance among our 12 samples and 2 years showed no consistent temporal or spatial trends. Alpha diversity, estimated by Shannon and Simpson indices, revealed that an increase or decrease in bacterial diversity corresponded to a decrease or increase in the fungal community from 2016 to 2017. Large-scale association analysis identified potential bacteria and fungi correlated with stone deterioration. Functional prediction revealed specific pathways and microbiota associated with stone deterioration. Moreover, a culture-dependent technique was used to identify microbial isolates involved in biodeterioration and carbonatogenesis; 64% of 85 bacterial isolates caused precipitation of carbonates in biomineralization assays. Imaging techniques including scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and fluorescence imaging identified CaCO
3
crystals as calcite and vaterite. Although CaCO
3
precipitation induced by bacteria often has esthetically deleterious impacts on stone monuments, this process may potentially serve as a novel, environmentally friendly bacterial self-inoculation approach to the conservation of stone.

IMPORTANCE
Comprehensive analyses of the microbiomes associated with the deterioration of stone monuments may contribute to the understanding of mechanisms of deterioration, as well as to the identification of potentially beneficial or undesirable microbial communities and their genomic pathways. In our study, we demonstrated that
Cyanobacteria
was the predominant bacterial phylum and exhibited an increase from 2016 to 2017, while
Proteobacteria
showed a decreasing trend. Apart from esthetic deterioration caused by cyanobacteria and fungi, white plaque, which is composed mainly of CaCO
3
and is probably induced by
Crossiella
and
Cyanobacteria
, was also considered to be another threat to stone monuments. We showed that there was no significant correlation between microbial population variation and geographic location. Specific functional genes and pathways were also enriched in particular bacterial species. The CaCO
3
precipitation induced by an indigenous community of carbonatogenic bacteria also provides a self-inoculation approach for the conservation of stone.
Targeting Bacteria and Methanogens To Understand the Role of Residual Slurry as an Inoculant in Stored Liquid Dairy Manure
Authors: Habtewold Jemaneh , Gordon Robert , Sokolov Vera , VanderZaag Andrew , Wagner-Riddle Claudia , Dunfield Kari
Published: January 2018

Microbial communities in residual slurry left after removal of stored liquid dairy manure have been presumed to increase methane emission during new storage, but these microbes have not been studied. While actual manure storage tanks are filled gradually, pilot- and farm-scale studies on methane emissions from such systems often use a batch approach. In this study, six pilot-scale outdoor storage tanks with (10% and 20%) and without residual slurry were filled (gradually or in batch) with fresh dairy manure, and methane and methanogenic and bacterial communities were studied during 120 days of storage. Regardless of filling type, increased residual slurry levels resulted in higher abundance of methanogens and bacteria after 65 days of storage. However, stronger correlation between methanogen abundance and methane flux was observed in gradually filled tanks. Despite some variations in the diversity of methanogens or bacteria with the presence of residual slurry, core phylotypes were not impacted. In all samples, the phylumFirmicutespredominated (∼57 to 70%) bacteria: >90% were members ofClostridia.Methanocorpusculumdominated (∼57 to 88%) archaeal phylotypes, whileMethanosarcinagradually increased with storage time. During peak flux of methane,Methanosarcinawas the major player in methane production. The results suggest that increased levels of residual slurry have little impact on the dominant methanogenic or bacterial phylotypes, but large population sizes of these organisms may result in increased methane flux during the initial phases of storage.

IMPORTANCEMethane is the major greenhouse gas emitted from stored liquid dairy manure. Residual slurry left after removal of stored manure from tanks has been implicated in increasing methane emissions in new storages, and well-adapted microbial communities in it are the drivers of the increase. Linking methane flux to the abundance, diversity, and activity of microbial communities in stored slurries with different levels of residual slurry can help to improve the mitigation strategy. Mesoscale and lab-scale studies conducted so far on methane flux from manure storage systems used batch-filled tanks, while the actual condition in many farms involves gradual filling. Hence, this study provides important information toward determining levels of residual slurry that result in significant reduction of well-adapted microbial communities prior to storage, thereby reducing methane emissions from manure storage tanks filled under farm conditions.
CpxR-Dependent Thermoregulation of Serratia marcescens PrtA Metalloprotease Expression and Its Contribution to Bacterial Biofilm Formation
Authors: Bruna Roberto E. , Molino María Victoria , Lazzaro Martina , Mariscotti Javier F. , García Véscovi Eleonora
Published: January 2018

PrtA is the major secreted metalloprotease of
Serratia marcescens
. Previous reports implicate PrtA in the pathogenic capacity of this bacterium. PrtA is also clinically used as a potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug, and its catalytic properties attract industrial interest. Comparatively, there is scarce knowledge about the mechanisms that physiologically govern PrtA expression in
Serratia
. In this work, we demonstrate that PrtA production is derepressed when the bacterial growth temperature decreases from 37°C to 30°C. We show that this thermoregulation occurs at the transcriptional level. We determined that upstream of
prtA
, there is a conserved motif that is directly recognized by the CpxR transcriptional regulator. This feature is found along
Serratia
strains irrespective of their isolation source, suggesting an evolutionary conservation of CpxR-dependent regulation of PrtA expression. We found that in
S. marcescen
s, the CpxAR system is more active at 37°C than at 30°C. In good agreement with these results, in a
cpxR
mutant background,
prtA
is derepressed at 37°C, while overexpression of the NlpE lipoprotein, a well-known CpxAR-inducing condition, inhibits PrtA expression, suggesting that the levels of the activated form of CpxR are increased at 37°C over those at 30°C. In addition, we establish that PrtA is involved in the ability of
S. marcescens
to develop biofilm. In accordance, CpxR influences the biofilm phenotype only when bacteria are grown at 37°C. In sum, our findings shed light on regulatory mechanisms that fine-tune PrtA expression and reveal a novel role for PrtA in the lifestyle of
S. marcescens
.

IMPORTANCE
We demonstrate that
S. marcescens
metalloprotease PrtA expression is transcriptionally thermoregulated. While strongly activated below 30°C, its expression is downregulated at 37°C. We found that in
S. marcescens
, the CpxAR signal transduction system, which responds to envelope stress and bacterial surface adhesion, is activated at 37°C and able to downregulate PrtA expression by direct interaction of CpxR with a binding motif located upstream of the
prtA
gene. Moreover, we reveal that PrtA expression favors the ability of
S. marcescens
to develop biofilm, irrespective of the bacterial growth temperature. In this context, thermoregulation along with a highly conserved CpxR-dependent modulation mechanism gives clues about the relevance of PrtA as a factor implicated in the persistence of
S. marcescens
on abiotic surfaces and in bacterial host colonization capacity.
Simultaneous Immunodetection of Anthrax, Plague, and Tularemia from Blood Cultures by Use of Multiplexed Suspension Arrays
Authors: Mechaly Adva , Vitner Einat , Levy Haim , Weiss Shay , Bar-David Elad , Gur David , Koren Michal , Cohen Hila , Cohen Ofer , Mamroud Emanuelle , Fisher Morly
Published: January 2018

Multiplexed detection technologies are becoming increasingly important given the possibility of bioterrorism attacks, for which the range of suspected pathogens can vary considerably. In this work, we describe the use of Luminex MagPlex magnetic microspheres for the construction of two multiplexed diagnostic suspension arrays, enabling antibody-based detection of bacterial pathogens and their related disease biomarkers directly from blood cultures. The first 4-plex diagnostic array enabled the detection of both anthrax and plague infections using soluble disease biomarkers, including protective antigen (PA) and anthrax capsular antigen for anthrax detection and the capsular F1 and LcrV antigens for plague detection. The limits of detection (LODs) ranged between 0.5 and 5 ng/ml for the different antigens. The second 2-plex diagnostic array facilitated the detection of
Yersinia pestis
(LOD of 1 × 10
6
CFU/ml) and
Francisella tularensis
(LOD of 1 × 10
4
CFU/ml) from blood cultures. Inoculated, propagated blood cultures were processed (15 to 20 min) via 2 possible methodologies (Vacutainer or a simple centrifugation step), allowing the direct detection of bacteria in each sample, and the entire assay could be performed in 90 min. While detection of bacteria and soluble markers from blood cultures using PCR Luminex suspension arrays has been widely described, to our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate the utility of the Luminex system for the immunodetection of both bacteria and soluble markers directly from blood cultures. Targeting both the bacterial pathogens as well as two different disease biomarkers for each infection, we demonstrated the benefit of the multiplexed developed assays for enhanced, reliable detection. The presented arrays could easily be expanded to include antibodies for the detection of other pathogens of interest in hospitals or labs, demonstrating the applicability of this technology for the accurate detection and confirmation of a wide range of potential select agents.
Location-based planning and scheduling of highway construction projects in hilly terrain using GIS
Authors: Sharma Sunil , Bansal V.K.
Published: January 2018

Traditional construction planning methods like bar charts and critical path method have been found inefficient for repetitive projects like highways. Location-based planning has the ability to simplify a large network of repetitive activities into an easy to understand graphical format. Highway construction projects in hilly terrain involve a variety of spatial and non-spatial information. Availability of all information in a single platform like geographic information system (GIS) has the ability to significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy of developing the execution plan. In the present study, a GIS-based location-based planning methodology is proposed for highway construction projects in hilly terrain. To demonstrate the capabilities of GIS, a location-based plan was developed for a highway project being constructed in hilly terrain. The study concludes that GIS can be utilized as a standalone system for developing a comprehensive location-based plan for highway construction projects in hilly terrain.
Leaf-level physiology in four subalpine plants in tephra-impacted forests during drought
Authors: Watt Abby J. , Fischer Dylan G. , Antos Joseph A. , Zobel Donald B.
Published: January 2018

Ecological impacts of climate change in the Pacific Northwest may hinge on acclimation to drier summers, highlighting the importance of plant physiological studies in forests. Evaluating dominant forest plant species under old-growth and managed forest conditions is similarly important as timber harvest might change microclimates and alter drought effects on plants. We examined water potential and gas exchange rates of four dominant plant species in understories of subalpine forests of the Pacific Northwest region of the United States during 2015 — a year with drought conditions representative of future climate projections. We examined two conifer species (Abies amabilis Douglas ex J. Forbes and Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) and two huckleberry species (Vaccinium membranaceum Douglas ex Torr. and Vaccinium ovalifolium Sm.) in old-growth and formerly clear-cut forests at two elevations. Contrary to expectations, we found no evidence of hydraulic stress, and there were no significant differences between old-growth and clear-cut stands, consistent with an edaphic buffering effect in this volcanic landscape. Variation in stem elongation rates among years also indicated the lack of a strong drought response in 2015. Water potential, photosynthesis, and stomatal conductance varied among species and among elevations. In combination, our results help constrain expected physiological activity of understory species in subalpine forests and emphasize the importance of the edaphic context (e.g., tephra deposits) in framing expectations for the responses to drought.
Growth rate and condition of walleye (Sander vitreus), sauger (Sander canadensis), and dwarf walleye in a large Canadian lake
Authors: Sheppard K.T. , Hann B.J. , Davoren G.K.
Published: January 2018

The second largest inland walleye (Sander vitreus (Mitchill, 1818)) and sauger (Sander canadensis (Griffith and Smith, 1834)) fishery in Canada is found in Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba. To manage the fishery for a sustainable future, the growth and condition of these fish must be understood. Objectives were to (1) examine baseline growth and condition of walleye and sauger in Lake Winnipeg, (2) evaluate variation between the North and South basins, and (3) contribute observational findings on the distribution of dwarf walleye. Gill nets were set to catch walleye, sauger, and dwarf walleye throughout both basins at various locations and in all seasons during 2010 and 2011. North Basin walleye and sauger had higher growth rates and condition relative to the South Basin. This may be due to differential exploitation rates or diets such as the consumption of invasive rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax (Mitchell, 1814)) in the North Basin and not in the South Basin. Dwarf walleye were observed more frequently in the South Basin than in the North Basin. Overall, this study provides important baseline data on the growth and condition of walleye and sauger populations prior to invasion of the spiny waterflea (Bythotrephes longimanus Leydig, 1860) and zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771)).
Phase Shadows: An Enhanced Representation of Nonlinear Dynamic Systems
Authors: Luque Amalia , Barbancho Julio , Cañete Javier Fernández , Córdoba Antonio
Published: January 2018

Many nonlinear dynamic systems have a rotating behavior where an angle defining its state may extend to more than 360[Formula: see text]. In these cases the use of the phase portrait does not properly depict the system’s evolution. Normalized phase portraits or cylindrical phase portraits have been extensively used to overcome the original phase portrait’s disadvantages. In this research a new graphic representation is introduced: the phase shadow. Its use clearly reveals the system behavior while overcoming the drawback of the existing plots. Through the paper the method to obtain the graphic is stated. Additionally, to show the phase shadow’s expressiveness, a rotating pendulum is considered. The work exposes that the new graph is an enhanced representational tool for systems having equilibrium points, limit cycles, chaotic attractors and/or bifurcations.
Topological Conjugacy Classification of Elementary Cellular Automata with Majority Memory
Authors: Xu Haiyun , Chen Fangyue , Jin Weifeng
Published: January 2018

The topological conjugacy classification of elementary cellular automata with majority memory (ECAMs) is studied under the framework of symbolic dynamics. In the light of the conventional symbolic sequence space, the compact symbolic vector space is identified with a feasible metric and topology. A slight change is introduced to present that all global maps of ECAMs are continuous functions, thereafter generating the compact dynamical systems. By exploiting two fundamental homeomorphisms in symbolic vector space, all ECAMs are furthermore grouped into 88 equivalence classes in the sense that different mappings in the same global equivalence are mutually topologically conjugate.
A Tribute to J. C. Sprott
Authors: Nazarimehr Fahimeh , Jafari Sajad , Chen Guanrong , Kapitaniak Tomasz , Kuznetsov Nikolay V. , Leonov Gennady A. , Li Chunbiao , Wei Zhouchao
Published: January 2018

In honor of his 75th birthday, we review the prominent works of Professor Julien Clinton Sprott in chaos and nonlinear dynamics. We categorize his works into three important groups. The first and most important group is identifying new dynamical systems with special properties. He has proposed different chaotic maps, flows, complex variable systems, nonautonomous systems, partial differential equations, fractional-order systems, delay differential systems, spatiotemporal systems, artificial neural networks, and chaotic electrical circuits. He has also studied dynamical properties of complex systems such as bifurcations and basins of attraction. He has done work on generating fractal art. He has examined models of real-world systems that exhibit chaos. The second group of his works comprise control and synchronization of chaos. Finally, the third group is extracting dynamical properties of systems using time-series analysis. This paper highlights the impact of Sprott’s work on the promotion of nonlinear dynamics.
Query Expansion via Intent Predicting
Authors: Huang Qing , Yang Yangrui , Wang Xudong , Wan Hongyan , Wang Rui , Wu Guoqing
Published: January 2018

To make the code search (CS) become more effective, a novel query expansion with intents (QEI) is proposed, in which the intent refers to the common subsequent modifications of the search results. The intent is extracted from the modification history. Within the intent scope, the CS is speeded up based on the semantic and structural matches. The precision of the search results is also increased by expanding the query with the intent. Compared with CodeHow and Google CS, QEI outperforms them by 28.5% with a precision score of 0.846. (i.e. 84.6% of the first results are accepted directly by users).
illiad
Authors: Muralidhar Nikhil , Wang Chen , Self Nathan , Momtazpour Marjan , Nakayama Kiyoshi , Sharma Ratnesh , Ramakrishnan Naren
Published: January 2018

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) are today ubiquitous in urban environments. Such systems now serve as the backbone to numerous critical infrastructure applications, from smart grids to IoT installations. Scalable and seamless operation of such CPSs requires sophisticated tools for monitoring the time series progression of the system, dynamically tracking relationships, and issuing alerts about anomalies to operators. We present an online monitoring system (
illiad
) that models the state of the CPS as a function of its relationships between constituent components, using a combination of model-based and data-driven strategies. In addition to accurate inference for state estimation and anomaly tracking,
illiad
also exploits the underlying network structure of the CPS (wired or wireless) for state estimation purposes. We demonstrate the application of
illiad
to two diverse settings: a wireless sensor motes application and an IEEE 33-bus microgrid.
Comparative Analysis of Sequence Clustering Methods for Deduplication of Biological Databases
Authors: Chen Qingyu , Wan Yu , Zhang Xiuzhen , Lei Yang , Zobel Justin , Verspoor Karin
Published: January 2018

The massive volumes of data in biological sequence databases provide a remarkable resource for large-scale biological studies. However, the underlying data quality of these resources is a critical concern. A particular challenge is duplication, in which multiple records have similar sequences, creating a high level of redundancy that impacts database storage, curation, and search. Biological database deduplication has two direct applications: for database curation, where detected duplicates are removed to improve curation efficiency, and for database search, where detected duplicate sequences may be flagged but remain available to support analysis.

Clustering methods have been widely applied to biological sequences for database deduplication. Since an exhaustive all-by-all pairwise comparison of sequences cannot scale for a high volume of data, heuristic approaches have been recruited, such as the use of simple similarity thresholds. In this article, we present a comparison between CD-HIT and UCLUST, the two best-known clustering tools for sequence database deduplication. Our contributions include a detailed assessment of the redundancy remaining after deduplication, application of standard clustering evaluation metrics to quantify the cohesion and separation of the clusters generated by each method, and a biological case study that assesses intracluster function annotation consistency to demonstrate the impact of these factors on a practical application of the sequence clustering methods. Our results show that the trade-off between efficiency and accuracy becomes acute when low threshold values are used and when cluster sizes are large. This evaluation leads to practical recommendations for users for more effective uses of the sequence clustering tools for deduplication.
Ontological Multidimensional Data Models and Contextual Data Quality
Authors: Bertossi Leopoldo , Milani Mostafa
Published: January 2018

Data quality assessment and data cleaning are context-dependent activities. Motivated by this observation, we propose the
Ontological Multidimensional Data Model
(OMD model), which can be used to model and represent contexts as logic-based ontologies. The data under assessment are mapped into the context for additional analysis, processing, and quality data extraction. The resulting contexts allow for the representation of
dimensions
, and multidimensional data quality assessment becomes possible. At the core of a multidimensional context, we include a generalized multidimensional data model and a Datalog
±
ontology with provably good properties in terms of
query answering
. These main components are used to represent dimension hierarchies, dimensional constraints, and dimensional rules and define predicates for quality data specification. Query answering relies on and triggers navigation through dimension hierarchies and becomes the basic tool for the extraction of quality data. The OMD model is interesting
per se
beyond applications to data quality. It allows for a logic-based and computationally tractable representation of multidimensional data, extending previous multidimensional data models with additional expressive power and functionalities.
Scalable Methods for Measuring the Connectivity and Quality of Large Numbers of Linked Datasets
Authors: Mountantonakis Michalis , Tzitzikas Yannis
Published: January 2018

Although the ultimate objective of Linked Data is linking and integration, it is not currently evident how
connected
the current Linked Open Data (LOD) cloud is. In this article, we focus on methods, supported by special indexes and algorithms, for performing measurements related to the connectivity of more than two datasets that are useful in various tasks including (a)
Dataset Discovery
and
Selection
; (b)
Object Coreference
, i.e., for obtaining
complete information
about a set of entities, including provenance information; (c)
Data Quality Assessment and Improvement
, i.e., for assessing the connectivity between any set of datasets and monitoring their evolution over time, as well as for estimating data veracity; (d)
Dataset Visualizations
; and various other tasks. Since it would be prohibitively expensive to perform all these measurements in a naïve way, in this article, we introduce indexes (and their construction algorithms) that can speed up such tasks. In brief, we introduce (i) a namespace-based prefix index, (ii) a sameAs catalog for computing the symmetric and transitive closure of the owl:sameAs relationships encountered in the datasets, (iii) a semantics-aware element index (that exploits the aforementioned indexes), and, finally, (iv) two lattice-based incremental algorithms for speeding up the computation of the intersection of URIs of any set of datasets. For enhancing scalability, we propose parallel index construction algorithms and parallel lattice-based incremental algorithms, we evaluate the achieved speedup using either a single machine or a cluster of machines, and we provide insights regarding the factors that affect efficiency. Finally, we report measurements about the connectivity of the (billion triples-sized) LOD cloud that have never been carried out so far.
ACM policy against discrimination and harassment
Authors: Settle Amber
Published: January 2018

ACM has a policy on discrimination and harassment at ACM events, including conferences for all of its SIGS. The full policy can be found here. The policy applies to all attendees at SIGCSE conferences and prohibits both general harassment and sexual harassment.
NCWIT
Authors: Bradshaw Eva
Published: January 2018

NCWIT (National Center for Women & Information Technology) was chartered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 2004. We were founded by a trio of techies; Telle Whitney, Robert (Bobby) Schnabel and Lucy Sanders. Lucy is our fearless, feisty co-founder and CEO.

NCWIT convenes, equips, and unites change-leader organizations to increase the meaningful participation of all women in the field of computing, particularly in terms of innovation and development.
Management Strategies for Posttransplant Diabetes Mellitus after Heart Transplantation: A Review
Authors: Cehic Matthew G. , Nundall Nishant , Greenfield Jerry R. , Macdonald Peter S.
Published: January 2018

Posttransplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a well-recognized complication of heart transplantation and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have yielded wide ranging estimates in the incidence of PTDM due in part to variable definitions applied. In addition, there is a limited published data on the management of PTDM after heart transplantation and a paucity of studies examining the effects of newer classes of hypoglycaemic drug therapies. In this review, we discuss the role of established glucose-lowering therapies and the rationale and emerging clinical evidence that supports the role of incretin-based therapies (glucagon like peptide- (GLP-) 1 agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase- (DPP-) 4 inhibitors) and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in the management of PTDM after heart transplantation. Recently published Consensus Guidelines for the diagnosis of PTDM will hopefully lead to more consistent approaches to the diagnosis of PTDM and provide a platform for the larger-scale multicentre trials that will be needed to determine the role of these newer therapies in the management of PTDM.
Assessment of the Real Estate Market Value in the European Market by Artificial Neural Networks Application
Authors: Ćetković Jasmina , Lakić Slobodan , Lazarevska Marijana , Žarković Miloš , Vujošević Saša , Cvijović Jelena , Gogić Mladen
Published: January 2018

Using an artificial neural network, it is possible with the precision of the input data to show the dependence of the property price from variable inputs. It is meant to make a forecast that can be used for different purposes (accounting, sales, etc.), but also for the feasibility of building objects, as the sales price forecast is calculated. The aim of the research was to construct a prognostic model of the real estate market value in the EU countries depending on the impact of macroeconomic indicators. The available input data demonstrates that macroeconomic variables influence determination of real estate prices. The authors sought to obtain correct output data which show prices forecast in the real estate markets of the observed countries.
Effect of Electromagnetic Waves from Mobile Phones on Spermatogenesis in the Era of 4G-LTE
Authors: Oh Jong Jin , Byun Seok-Soo , Lee Sang Eun , Choe Gheeyoung , Hong Sung Kyu
Published: January 2018

Objective. To investigate the effect of long duration exposure to electromagnetic field from mobile phones on spermatogenesis in rats using 4G-LTE. Methods. Twenty Sprague-Dawley male rats were placed into 4 groups according to the intensity and exposure duration: Group 1 (sham procedure), Group 2 (3 cm distance + 6 h exposure daily), Group 3 (10 cm distance + 18 h exposure daily), and Group 4 (3 cm distance + 18 h exposure daily). After 1 month, we compared sperm parameters and histopathological findings of the testis. Results. The mean spermatid count (×106/ml) was 398.6 in Group 1, 365.40 in Group 2, 354.60 in Group 3, and 298.60 in Group 4 (p=0.041). In the second review, the mean count of spermatogonia in Group 4 (43.00) was significantly lower than in Group 1 (57.00) and Group 2 (53.40) (p<0.001 and p=0.010, resp.). The sum of the germ cell counts was decreased in Group 4 compared to Groups 1, 2, and 3 (p=0.032). The mean Leydig cell count was significantly decreased in Group 4 (p<0.001). Conclusions. The longer exposure duration of electromagnetic field decreased the spermatogenesis. Our findings warrant further investigations on the potential effects of EMF from mobile phones on male fertility.
Feasibility of Reduced Lap‐Spliced Length in Polyethylene Fiber‐Reinforced Strain‐Hardening Cementitious Composite
Authors: Choi Wonchang , Jang Seok-Joon , Yun Hyun-Do
Published: January 2018

This research investigates the interfacial behavior between polyethylene (PE) fiber‐reinforced strain‐hardening cement composite (PE‐SHCC) and reinforcing bars that are spliced in the tension region to determine feasibility of reduced lap‐spliced length in PE‐SHCC. Twenty test specimens were subjected to monotonic and cyclic tension loads. The variables include the replacement levels of an expansive admixture (0% and 10%), the compressive strength of the SHCC mixtures (40 MPa and 80 MPa), and the lap‐spliced length in the tension region (40% and 60% of the splice length recommended by ACI 318). The PE‐SHCC mixture contains polyethylene fiber to enhance the tensile strength, control the widths of the cracks, and increase the bond strength of the lap splice reinforcement and the calcium sulfo‐aluminate‐ (CSA‐) based expansive admixture to improve the tension‐related performance in the lap splice zone. The results have led to the conclusion that SHCC mixtures can be used effectively to reduce the development length of lap splice reinforcement up to 60% of the splice length that is recommended by ACI 318. The addition of the calcium sulfo‐aluminate‐based expansive admixture in the SHCC mixtures improved the initial performance and mitigated the cracking behavior in the lap splice region.
Bargaining Power Choices with Moral Hazard in a Supply Chain
Authors: Guo Hongmei , Gu Shuiliang , Su Yingsheng
Published: January 2018

A supply chain contract is established using a dynamic, Nash bargaining game which determines the optimal bargaining power allocation for the manufacturer, retailer, and society in an environment affected by moral hazard and irreversible investment. The results found that the manufacturer’s choice was to hold all bargaining power; however, due to the remaining information problem, the retailer still had a profit; in contrast, the retailer was only willing to give up bargaining power if the manufacturer’s profit was reserved. The optimal bargaining power allocation was found to be strongly related to the ability to convert and monitor technology, with the bargaining power gradually shifting to the manufacturer as the technology improved. A numerical simulation is given to examine the theoretical results.
Quantitative Motion Analysis of Tai Chi Chuan: The Upper Extremity Movement
Authors: Ho Tsung-Jung , Chou Kuei-Ting , Li Cheng-Hsuan , Kuo Bor-Chen , Huang Tzung-Chi
Published: January 2018

The quantitative and reproducible analysis of the standard body movement in Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) was performed in this study. We aimed to provide a reference of the upper extremities for standardizing TCC practice. Microsoft Kinect was used to record the motion during the practice of TCC. The preparation form and eight essential forms of TCC performed by an instructor and 101 practitioners were analyzed in this study. The instructor completed an entire TCC practice cycle and performed the cycle 12 times. An entire cycle of TCC was performed by practitioners and images were recorded for statistics analysis. The performance of the instructor showed high similarity (Pearson correlation coefficient (r)=0.71~0.84) to the first practice cycle. Among the 9 forms, lay form had the highest similarity (rmean=0.90) and push form had the lowest similarity (rmean=0.52). For the practitioners, ward off form (rmean=0.51) and roll back form (rmean=0.45) had the highest similarity with moderate correlation. We used Microsoft Kinect to record the spatial coordinates of the upper extremity joints during the practice of TCC and the data to perform quantitative and qualitative analysis of the joint positions and elbow joint angle.
Current Perspectives Regarding Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Liver Cirrhosis
Authors: Kwak Kyeong-Ah , Cho Hyun-Jae , Yang Jin-Young , Park Young-Seok
Published: January 2018

Liver cirrhosis is a major cause of mortality and a common end of various progressive liver diseases. Since the effective treatment is currently limited to liver transplantation, stem cell-based therapy as an alternative has attracted interest due to promising results from preclinical and clinical studies. However, there is still much to be understood regarding the precise mechanisms of action. A number of stem cells from different origins have been employed for hepatic regeneration with different degrees of success. The present review presents a synopsis of stem cell research for the treatment of patients with liver cirrhosis according to the stem cell type. Clinical trials to date are summarized briefly. Finally, issues to be resolved and future perspectives are discussed with regard to clinical applications.
Detecting P2P Botnet in Software Defined Networks
Authors: Su Shang-Chiuan , Chen Yi-Ren , Tsai Shi-Chun , Lin Yi-Bing
Published: January 2018

Software Defined Network separates the control plane from network equipment and has great advantage in network management as compared with traditional approaches. With this paradigm, the security issues persist to exist and could become even worse because of the flexibility on handling the packets. In this paper we propose an effective framework by integrating SDN and machine learning to detect and categorize P2P network traffics. This work provides experimental evidence showing that our approach can automatically analyze network traffic and flexibly change flow entries in OpenFlow switches through the SDN controller. This can effectively help the network administrators manage related security problems.
Variability in Ultrasound Backscatter Induced by Trabecular Microstructure Deterioration in Cancellous Bone
Authors: Chou Xingxing , Xu Feng , Li Ying , Liu Chengcheng , Ta Dean , Le Lawrence H.
Published: January 2018

To determine the relationship between the ultrasonic backscatter parameters and trabecular microstructural variations in cancellous bone, three erosion procedures were performed to simulate various changes in the cancellous bone microstructure. The finite difference time domain (FDTD) method was used to simulate the backscatter signal in cancellous bone. Ultrasonic backscatter properties were derived as functions of the porosity when the ultrasound incident directions were perpendicular and parallel to the major trabeculae direction (MTD), respectively. The variability in the apparent backscatter coefficient (ABC) and apparent integrated backscatter (AIB) due to the trabecular microstructure was revealed. Significant negative correlations between the backscatter parameters (ABC and AIB) and the porosity of the cancellous bone were observed. The simulations showed that the ABC and AIB were influenced by the direction of the trabecular microstructural variations. The linear regressions between the ultrasonic backscatter parameters (ABC and AIB) and the porosity showed significantly different slopes for three erosion procedures when they are ultrasonically perpendicular (for ABC, −1.22 dB, −0.98 dB, and −0.46 dB; for AIB, −0.74 dB, −0.69 dB, and −0.25 dB) and parallel (for ABC, −1.87 dB, −0.69 dB, and −0.51 dB; for AIB, −0.9 dB, −0.5 dB, and −0.34 dB) to the MTD. This paper investigated the relationship between ultrasonic backscatter and cancellous bone microstructure deterioration and indicated that the ultrasonic backscatter could be affected by cancellous bone microstructure deterioration direction.
Clinical, Histological, and Immunohistochemical Findings in Inclusion Body Myositis
Authors: Camargo Leonardo Valente de , Carvalho Mary Souza de , Shinjo Samuel Katsuyuki , Oliveira Acary Souza Bulle de , Zanoteli Edmar
Published: January 2018

Sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) is considered the most common acquired myopathy aged over 50 years. The disease is characterized by a particular process of muscle degeneration characterized by abnormal deposit of protein aggregates in association with inflammation. The aim of this study was to present clinical and muscle histopathological findings, including immunostaining for LC3B, p62, α-synuclein, and TDP-43, in 18 patients with sIBM. The disease predominated in males (61%) and European descendants, with onset of clinical manifestations around 59 years old. The most common symptoms were muscle weakness, falls, dysphagia, and weight loss. Hypertension was the main comorbidity. Most of the cases presented with paresis predominantly proximal in lower limbs and distal in upper limbs. Immunosuppressive treatment showed to be not effective. Muscle histological findings included dystrophic changes, endomysial inflammation, increased lysosomal activity, and presence of rimmed vacuoles and of beta-amyloid accumulation, in addition to high frequency of mitochondrial changes. There was increased expression of LC3B, p62, α-synuclein, and TDP-43 in muscle biopsies. The sIBM has characteristic clinical and histological findings, and the use of degeneration and autophagic markers can be useful for the diagnosis.
A Model for the Evaluation of Brazilian Road Transport: A Sustainable Perspective
Authors: Wolff Mariana Gonçalves de Carvalho , Caldas Marco Antonio Farah
Published: January 2018

Freight transportation in Brazil is heavily based on the road mode bringing heavy dependence of this mode to the country and some consequences such as high operating costs and high air emissions. For these reasons, it was considered the necessity of evaluating new investments made in this mode from a sustainable perspective, taking into account not only economic but also social and environmental concepts. Towards this purpose, the study develops an evaluation model of road transport infrastructure, the TIM, which will help decision making in situations of choice between different alternatives of road projects. The model includes ten variables that count from the initial investment in the road to air emissions of carbon dioxide. All are monetarized individually and then consolidated into a single equation. The result of applying the model is innovative when considering the three spheres of sustainability to evaluate future road transport projects and rank them.
Maximum Wind Power Tracking of Doubly Fed Wind Turbine System Based on Adaptive Gain Second-Order Sliding Mode
Authors: Sun Hongchang , Han Yaozhen , Zhang Lvyuan
Published: January 2018

This paper proposes an adaptive gain second-order sliding mode control strategy to track optimal electromagnetic torque and regulate reactive power of doubly fed wind turbine system. Firstly, wind turbine aerodynamic characteristics and doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) modeling are presented. Then, electromagnetic torque error and reactive power error are chosen as sliding variables, and fixed gain super-twisting sliding mode control scheme is designed. Considering that uncertainty upper bound is unknown and is hard to be estimated in actual doubly fed wind turbine system, a gain scheduled law is proposed to compel control parameters variation according to uncertainty upper bound real-time. Adaptive gain second-order sliding mode rotor voltage control method is constructed in detail and finite time stability of doubly fed wind turbine control system is strictly proved. The superiority and robustness of the proposed control scheme are finally evaluated on a 1.5 MW DFIG wind turbine system.
Stochastic Seismic Analysis and Comparison of Alternative External Dissipative Systems
Authors: Gioiella Laura , Tubaldi Enrico , Gara Fabrizio , Dezi Luigino , Dall’Asta Andrea
Published: January 2018

This paper deals with the seismic retrofit of existing frames by means of external passive dissipative systems. Available in different configurations, these systems allow high flexibility in controlling the structural behaviour and are characterized by some feasibility advantages with respect to dissipative devices installed within existing frames. In particular, this study analyzes and compares the performances of two external solutions using linear viscous dampers. The first is based on the coupling of the building with an external fixed‐based steel braced frame by means of dampers placed horizontally at the floor levels. The second is an innovative one, based on coupling the building with a “dissipative tower,” which is a steel braced frame hinged at the foundation level, and activating the dampers through its rocking motion. The effectiveness of the two solutions is evaluated and compared by considering a benchmark existing reinforced concrete building, employing a stochastic dynamic approach, under the assumption of linear elastic behaviour for the seismic performance evaluation. This allows efficiently estimating the statistics of many response parameters of interest for the performance assessment and thus carrying out extensive parametric analyses for different properties of the external systems. The study results provide useful information regarding the design and the relative efficiency of the proposed retrofit solutions.
Mesenteric Panniculitis Presenting as Fever of Unknown Etiology in a Patient with History of Abdominal Surgery
Authors: Irwin Christopher P. , Lee Joo B. , Kim Andrew , Eme Ijagha , Schofield Christina , Mount George
Published: January 2018

Mesenteric panniculitis is characterized by nonspecific fibrous inflammation of the small bowel mesentery, appendix, and mesoappendix. Clinical course is usually benign and outcome is favorable. We report a case of mesenteric panniculitis presenting as fever of unknown etiology in a patient with history of abdominal surgery.
Dynamic Evolution Analysis of Stock Price Fluctuation and Its Control
Authors: Xu Yuhua , Ke Zhongyi , Xie Chengrong , Zhou Wuneng
Published: January 2018

This paper studies a simple dynamical system of stock price fluctuation time series based on the rule of stock market. When the stock price fluctuation system is disturbed by external excitations, the system exhibits obviously chaotic phenomena, and its basic dynamic properties are analyzed. At the same time, a new fixed‐time convergence theorem is proposed for achieving fixed‐time control of stock price fluctuation system. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is verified by numerical simulation.
SVM‐Based Dynamic Reconfiguration CPS for Manufacturing System in Industry 4.0
Authors: Shin Hyun-Jun , Cho Kyoung-Woo , Oh Chang-Heon
Published: January 2018

CPS is potential application in various fields, such as medical, healthcare, energy, transportation, and defense, as well as Industry 4.0 in Germany. Although studies on the equipment aging and prediction of problem have been done by combining CPS with Industry 4.0, such studies were based on small numbers and majority of the papers focused primarily on CPS methodology. Therefore, it is necessary to study active self‐protection to enable self‐management functions, such as self‐healing by applying CPS in shop‐floor. In this paper, we have proposed modeling of shop‐floor and a dynamic reconfigurable CPS scheme that can predict the occurrence of anomalies and self‐protection in the model. For this purpose, SVM was used as a machine learning technology and it was possible to restrain overloading in manufacturing process. In addition, we design CPS framework based on machine learning for Industry 4.0, simulate it, and perform. Simulation results show the simulation model autonomously detects the abnormal situation and it is dynamically reconfigured through self‐healing.