bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Rhizobiales-Specific Unipolar Polysaccharide Adhesin Contributes to Rhodopseudomonas palustris Biofilm Formation across Diverse Photoheterotrophic Conditions
Authors: Fritts Ryan K. , LaSarre Breah , Stoner Ari M. , Posto Amanda L. , McKinlay James B.
Published: December 2016

Bacteria predominantly exist as members of surfaced-attached communities known as biofilms. Many bacterial species initiate biofilms and adhere to each other using cell surface adhesins. This is the case for numerous ecologically diverse
Alphaprotebacteria
, which use polar exopolysaccharide adhesins for cell-cell adhesion and surface attachment. Here, we show that
Rhodopseudomonas palustris
, a metabolically versatile member of the alphaproteobacterial order
Rhizobiales
, contains a functional unipolar polysaccharide (UPP) biosynthesis gene cluster. Deletion of genes predicted to be critical for UPP biosynthesis and export abolished UPP production. We also found that
R. palustris
uses UPP to mediate biofilm formation across diverse photoheterotrophic growth conditions, wherein light and organic substrates are used to support growth. However, UPP was less important for biofilm formation during photoautotrophy, where light and CO
2
support growth, and during aerobic respiration with organic compounds. Expanding our analysis beyond
R. palustris
, we examined the phylogenetic distribution and genomic organization of UPP gene clusters among
Rhizobiales
species that inhabit diverse niches. Our analysis suggests that UPP is a conserved ancestral trait of the
Rhizobiales
but that it has been independently lost multiple times during the evolution of this clade, twice coinciding with adaptation to intracellular lifestyles within animal hosts.

IMPORTANCE
Bacteria are ubiquitously found as surface-attached communities and cellular aggregates in nature. Here, we address how bacterial adhesion is coordinated in response to diverse environments using two complementary approaches. First, we examined how
Rhodopseudomonas palustris
, one of the most metabolically versatile organisms ever described, varies its adhesion to surfaces in response to different environmental conditions. We identified critical genes for the production of a unipolar polysaccharide (UPP) and showed that UPP is important for adhesion when light and organic substrates are used for growth. Looking beyond
R. palustris
, we performed the most comprehensive survey to date on the conservation of UPP biosynthesis genes among a group of closely related bacteria that occupy diverse niches. Our findings suggest that UPP is important for free-living and plant-associated lifestyles but dispensable for animal pathogens. Additionally, we propose guidelines for classifying the adhesins produced by various
Alphaprotebacteria
, facilitating future functional and comparative studies.
Detection of Salmonella enterica in Meat in Less than 5 Hours by a Low-Cost and Noncomplex Sample Preparation Method
Authors: Fachmann M. S. R. , Löfström C. , Hoorfar J. , Hansen F. , Christensen J. , Mansdal S. , Josefsen M. H.
Published: December 2016

Salmonella
is recognized as one of the most important foodborne bacteria and has wide health and socioeconomic impacts worldwide. Fresh pork meat is one of the main sources of
Salmonella
, and efficient and fast methods for detection are therefore necessary. Current methods for
Salmonella
detection in fresh meat usually include >16 h of culture enrichment, in a few cases <12 h, thus requiring at least two working shifts. Here, we report a rapid (<5 h) and high-throughput method for screening of
Salmonella
in samples from fresh pork meat, consisting of a 3-h enrichment in standard buffered peptone water and a real-time PCR-compatible sample preparation method based on filtration, centrifugation, and enzymatic digestion, followed by fast-cycling real-time PCR detection. The method was validated in an unpaired comparative study against the Nordic Committee on Food Analysis (NMKL) reference culture method 187. Pork meat samples (
n
= 140) were either artificially contaminated with
Salmonella
at 0, 1 to 10, or 10 to 100 CFU/25 g of meat or naturally contaminated. Cohen's kappa for the degree of agreement between the rapid method and the reference was 0.64, and the relative accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for the rapid method were 81.4, 95.1, and 97.9%, respectively. The 50% limit of detections (LOD
50
s) were 8.8 CFU/25 g for the rapid method and 7.7 CFU/25 g for the reference method. Implementation of this method will enable faster release of
Salmonella
low-risk meat, providing savings for meat producers, and it will help contribute to improved food safety.

IMPORTANCE
While the cost of analysis and hands-on time of the presented rapid method were comparable to those of reference culture methods, the fast product release by this method can provide the meat industry with a competitive advantage. Not only will the abattoirs save costs for work hours and cold storage, but consumers and retailers will also benefit from fresher meat with a longer shelf life. Furthermore, the presented sample preparation might be adjusted for application in the detection of other pathogenic bacteria in different sample types.
Complete Genome Sequence of Dehalococcoides mccartyi Strain WBC-2, Capable of Anaerobic Reductive Dechlorination of Vinyl Chloride
Authors: Molenda Olivia , Tang Shuiquan , Edwards Elizabeth A.
Published: December 2016

Dehalococcoides mccartyi
strain WBC-2 dechlorinates carcinogen vinyl chloride to ethene in the West Branch Canal Creek (WBC-2) microbial consortium used for bioaugmentation. We assembled and closed the complete genome sequence of this prokaryote using metagenomic sequencing from an enrichment culture.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Lymantria dispar multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus
Isolated in Southwestern Poland
Authors: Krejmer-Rabalska Martyna , Rabalski Lukasz , Skrzecz Iwona , Szewczyk Boguslaw
Published: December 2016

We report here the complete genomic sequence of Polish alphabaculovirus isolated from dead gypsy moth caterpillars. Its genome structure and G+C content indicate that it is a
Lymantria dispar multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus
(LdMNPV) strain which possesses the shortest sequence among eight other (similar to reference sequence AF081810) LdMNPV sequences available in GenBank; it is 159,729 bp long.
Metagenomics Analysis of Microorganisms in Freshwater Lakes of the Amazon Basin
Authors: Toyama Danyelle , Kishi Luciano Takeshi , Santos-Júnior Célio Dias , Soares-Costa Andrea , de Oliveira Tereza Cristina Souza , de Miranda Fernando Pellon , Henrique-Silva Flávio
Published: December 2016

The Amazon Basin is the largest hydrographic basin on the planet, and the dynamics of its aquatic microorganisms strongly impact global biogeochemical cycles. However, it remains poorly studied. This metagenome project was performed to obtain a snapshot of prokaryotic microbiota from four important lakes in the Amazon Basin.
Streptococcus oralis Neuraminidase Modulates Adherence to Multiple Carbohydrates on Platelets
Authors: Singh Anirudh K. , Woodiga Shireen A. , Grau Margaret A. , King Samantha J.
Published: December 2016

Adherence to host surfaces is often mediated by bacterial binding to surface carbohydrates. Although it is widely appreciated that some bacterial species express glycosidases, previous studies have not considered whether bacteria bind to multiple carbohydrates within host glycans as they are modified by bacterial glycosidases.
Streptococcus oralis
is a leading cause of subacute infective endocarditis. Binding to platelets is a critical step in disease; however, the mechanisms utilized by
S. oralis
remain largely undefined. Studies revealed that
S. oralis
, like
Streptococcus gordonii
and
Streptococcus sanguinis
, binds platelets via terminal sialic acid. However, unlike those organisms,
S. oralis
produces a neuraminidase, NanA, which cleaves terminal sialic acid. Further studies revealed that following NanA-dependent removal of terminal sialic acid,
S. oralis
bound exposed β-1,4-linked galactose. Adherence to both these carbohydrates required Fap1, the
S. oralis
member of the serine-rich repeat protein (SRRP) family of adhesins. Mutation of a conserved residue required for sialic acid binding by other SRRPs significantly reduced platelet binding, supporting the hypothesis that Fap1 binds this carbohydrate. The mechanism by which Fap1 contributes to β-1,4-linked galactose binding remains to be defined; however, binding may occur via additional domains of unknown function within the nonrepeat region, one of which shares some similarity with a carbohydrate binding module. This study is the first demonstration that an SRRP is required to bind β-1,4-linked galactose and the first time that one of these adhesins has been shown to be required for binding of multiple glycan receptors.
Collateral Damage: Detrimental Effect of Antibiotics on the Development of Protective Immune Memory
Authors: Benoun Joseph M. , Labuda Jasmine C. , McSorley Stephen J.
Published: December 2016

Antibiotic intervention is an effective treatment strategy for many bacterial infections and liberates bacterial antigens and stimulatory products that can induce an inflammatory response. Despite the opportunity for bacterial killing to enhance the development of adaptive immunity, patients treated successfully with antibiotics can suffer from reinfection. Studies in mouse models ofSalmonellaandChlamydiainfection also demonstrate that early antibiotic intervention reduces host protective immunity to subsequent infection. This heightened susceptibility to reinfection correlates with poor development of Th1 and antibody responses in antibiotic-treated mice but can be overcome by delayed antibiotic intervention, thus suggesting a requirement for sustained T cell stimulation for protection. Although the contribution of memory T cell subsets is imperfectly understood in both of these infection models, a protective role for noncirculating memory cells is suggested by recent studies. Together, these data propose a model where antibiotic treatment specifically interrupts tissue-resident memory T cell formation. Greater understanding of the mechanistic basis of this phenomenon might suggest therapeutic interventions to restore a protective memory response in antibiotic-treated patients, thus reducing the incidence of reinfection.
Evaluation of recombinant protein superoxide dismutase ofHaemophilus parasuisstrain SH0165 as vaccine candidate in a mouse model
Authors: Guo Ling , Xu Lei , Wu Tao , Fu Shulin , Qiu Yinsheng , Hu Chien-An Andy , Ren Xinglong , Liu Rongrong , Ye Mengdie
Published: December 2016

Haemophilus parasuis can cause a severe membrane inflammation disorder. It has been documented that superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a potential target to treat systemic inflammatory diseases. Therefore, we constructed an experimental H. parasuis subunit vaccine SOD and determined the protective efficacy of SOD using a lethal dose challenge against H. parasuis serovar 4 strain MD0322 and serovar 5 strain SH0165 in a mouse model. The results demonstrated that SOD could induce a strong humoral immune response in mice and provide significant immunoprotection efficacy against a lethal dose of H. parasuis serovar 4 strain MD0322 or serovar 5 strain SH0165 challenge. IgG subtype analysis indicated SOD protein could trigger a bias toward a Th1-type immune response and induce the proliferation of splenocytes and secretion of IL-2 and IFN-γ of splenocytes. In addition, serum in mice from the SOD-immunized group could inhibit the growth of strain MD0322 and strain SH0165 in the whole-blood killing bacteria assay. This is the first report that immunization of mice with SOD protein could provide protective effect against a lethal dose of H. parasuis serovar 4 and serovar 5 challenge in mice, which may provide a novel approach against heterogeneous serovar infection of H. parasuis in future.
Kollár-type effective freeness for quasi-log canonical pairs
Authors: Fujino Osamu
Published: December 2016

We prove Kollár-type effective basepoint-free theorems for quasi-log canonical pairs.
Semi-continuity for total dimension divisors of étale sheaves
Authors: Hu Haoyu , Yang Enlin
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we extend an inequality that compares the pull-back of the total dimension divisor of an étale sheaf and the total dimension divisor of the pull-back of the sheaf due to Saito. Using this formula, we generalize Deligne and Laumon’s lower semi-continuity property for Swan conductors of étale sheaves on relative curves to higher relative dimensions in a geometric situation.
Asynchronous Logic Implementation Based on Factorized DIMS
Authors: Lemberski Igor
Published: December 2016

One of the popular methods of asynchronous logic implementation is based on so called Delay-Insensitive-Minterm-System (DIMS), where a sum-of-minterms (SOM) function is given and each minterm is represented using a state-holding (C-) element. However, such implementation is rather expensive since minterm minimization is not allowed. In the paper, structure called factorized DIMS is proposed. It is shown that under realistic delay limitation, instead of SOM, strong indication can be ensured for the sum of mutually orthogonal product terms resolved into factorized form. It reduces significant implementation complexity.
Ensemble Method of Effective AdaBoost Algorithm for Decision Tree Classifiers
Authors: Dinakaran S. , Thangaiah P. Ranjit Jeba
Published: December 2016

This article introduces a novel ensemble method named eAdaBoost (Effective Adaptive Boosting) is a meta classifier which is developed by enhancing the existing AdaBoost algorithm and to handle the time complexity and also to produce the best classification accuracy. The eAdaBoost reduces the error rate when compared with the existing methods and generates the best accuracy by reweighing each feature for further process. The comparison results of an extensive experimental evaluation of the proposed method are explained using the UCI machine learning repository datasets. The accuracy of the classifiers and statistical test comparisons are made with various boosting algorithms. The proposed eAdaBoost has been also implemented with different decision tree classifiers like C4.5, Decision Stump, NB Tree and Random Forest. The algorithm has been computed with various dataset, with different weight thresholds and the performance is analyzed. The proposed method produces better results using random forest and NB tree as base classifier than the decision stump and C4.5 classifiers for few datasets. The eAdaBoost gives better classification accuracy, and prediction accuracy, and execution time is also less when compared with other classifiers.
Enhancing Effectiveness of Dimension Reduction in Text Classification
Authors: Seyyedi Seyyed Hossein , Minaei-Bidgoli Behrouz
Published: December 2016

Nowadays, text is one prevalent forms of data and text classification is a widely used data mining task, which has various application fields. One mass-produced instance of text is email. As a communication medium, despite having a lot of advantages, email suffers from a serious problem. The number of spam emails has steadily increased in the recent years, leading to considerable irritation. Therefore, spam detection has emerged as a separate field of text classification. A primary challenge of text classification, which is more severe in spam detection and impedes the process, is high-dimensionality of feature space. Various dimension reduction methods have been proposed that produce a lower dimensional space compared to the original. These methods are divided mainly into two groups: feature selection and feature extraction. This research deals with dimension reduction in the text classification task and especially performs experiments in the spam detection field. We employ Information Gain (IG) and Chi-square Statistic (CHI) as well-known feature selection methods. Also, we propose a new feature extraction method called Sprinkled Semantic Feature Space (SSFS). Furthermore, this paper presents a new hybrid method called IG_SSFS. In IG_SSFS, we combine the selection and extraction processes to reap the benefits from both. To evaluate the mentioned methods in the spam detection field, experiments are conducted on some well-known email datasets. According to the results, SSFS demonstrated superior effectiveness over the basic selection methods in terms of improving classifiers’ performance, and IG_SSFS further enhanced the performance despite consuming less processing time.
Equivariant Jones polynomials of periodic links
Authors: Politarczyk Wojciech
Published: December 2016

This paper studies equivariant Jones polynomials of periodic links. Namely, to every [Formula: see text]-periodic link and any divisor [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text], we associate a polynomial that is a graded Euler characteristic of [Formula: see text]-graded equivariant Khovanov homology. The first main result shows that certain linear combinations of these polynomials, called the difference Jones polynomials, satisfy an appropriate version of the skein relation. This relation is used to generalize Przytycki’s periodicity criterion. We also provide an example showing that the new criterion is indeed stronger. The second main result gives a state-sum formula for the difference Jones polynomials. This formula is used to give an alternative proof of the periodicity criterion of Murasugi.
Five lectures on Khovanov homology
Authors: Turner Paul
Published: December 2016

These five lectures — written for a summer school in 2006 — provide an introduction to Khovanov homology covering the basic definitions, important properties, a number of variants and some applications. At the end of each lecture the reader is referred to the relevant literature for further reading.
THE ABRASION RESISTANCE AND ADHESION OF HFCVD BORON AND SILICON-DOPED DIAMOND FILMS ON WC–Co DRAWING DIES
Authors: WANG LIANG , LIU JINFEI , TANG TANG , SUN FANGHONG , XIE NAN
Published: December 2016

Diamond films have been deposited on the interior hole surface of cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide (WC–Co) drawing dies from acetone, trimethyl borate (C3H9BO3), tetraethoxysilane (C8H[Formula: see text]O4Si, TEOS) and hydrogen mixture by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) method. The structures and quality of as-deposited diamond films are characterized with field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The abrasion ratio and the adhesive strength of as-deposited diamond films are evaluated by copper wire drawing tests and ultrasonic lapping tests, respectively. The results suggest that diamond films with small grain size and high growth rate can be obtained due to the mutual effects of boron and silicon impurities in the gas phases. The results of ultrasonic lapping tests show that diamond films doped with boron and/or silicon can bear the severe erosion of the large diamond powder. Diamond films peeling off within the reduction zone of the drawing dies cannot be observed after testing of 2[Formula: see text]h. The abrasion ratio of boron and silicon-added diamond films is five times that of diamond films without any addition. Adding boron and/or silicon in the diamond films is proved to be an efficient way to obtain high-adhesive-strength and high-abrasion-resistance diamond-coated drawing dies.
TRIBOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR OF Al–Cr COATING OBTAINED BY DGPSM AND IIP COMPOSITE TECHNOLOGY
Authors: LUO XIXI , YAO ZHENGJUN , ZHANG PINGZE , ZHOU KEYIN , CHEN YU , TAO XUEWEI
Published: December 2016

An Al–Cr composite alloyed layer composed of an Al enriched layer, a Cr enriched layer and a transition layer from the surface to the bulk along the cross-section was deposited on a 45# steel substrate by composite technology, where Cr was deposited using double glow plasma surface metallurgy (DGPSM), and Al was then implanted by ion implantation (IIP) to achieve higher micro-hardness and excellent abrasive resistance. The composite alloyed layer is approximately 5[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m, and as metallurgical adherence to the substrate. The phases are Al8Cr5, Fe2AlCr, Cr[Formula: see text]C6, Cr (Al) and Fe (Cr, Al) solid solution. The wear resistance tests were performed under various rotational speed (i.e. 280, 560 and 840[Formula: see text]r/min) with silicon nitride balls as the counterface material at ambient temperature. The Al–Cr composite alloyed layer exhibits excellent wear resistance when the speed is 280[Formula: see text]r/min with a friction coefficient as low as 0.3, which is attributed to Al8Cr5 in the Al implanted layer that withstands abrasive wear. Better wear resistance (friction coefficient: 0.254) at 560[Formula: see text]r/min is resulted from the formation of a high micro-hardness zone, and an oxidation layer with lubrication capacity. In addition, the composite alloyed layer suffers severe oxidative wear and adhesive wear at 840[Formula: see text]r/min due to the increment of the frictional heating. When compared to the 45# steel substrate, the enhanced wear resistance of the Al–Cr composite alloyed layer demonstrates the viable method developed in this work.
The Lusztig automorphism of Uq(𝔰𝔩2) from the equitable point of view
Authors: Terwilliger Paul
Published: December 2016

We consider the quantum algebra [Formula: see text] in the equitable presentation. From this point of view, we describe the Lusztig automorphism and the corresponding Lusztig operator.
A study of structural properties of gene network graphs for mathematical modeling of integrated mosaic gene networks
Authors: Petrovskaya Olga V. , Petrovskiy Evgeny D. , Lavrik Inna N. , Ivanisenko Vladimir A.
Published: December 2016

Gene network modeling is one of the widely used approaches in systems biology. It allows for the study of complex genetic systems function, including so-called mosaic gene networks, which consist of functionally interacting subnetworks. We conducted a study of a mosaic gene networks modeling method based on integration of models of gene subnetworks by linear control functionals. An automatic modeling of 10,000 synthetic mosaic gene regulatory networks was carried out using computer experiments on gene knockdowns/knockouts. Structural analysis of graphs of generated mosaic gene regulatory networks has revealed that the most important factor for building accurate integrated mathematical models, among those analyzed in the study, is data on expression of genes corresponding to the vertices with high properties of centrality.
Arik–Coon q-oscillator cat states on the noncommutative complex plane ℂq−1 and their nonclassical properties
Authors: Fakhri H. , Sayyah-Fard M.
Published: December 2016

The normalized even and odd [Formula: see text]-cat states corresponding to Arik–Coon [Formula: see text]-oscillator on the noncommutative complex plane [Formula: see text] are constructed as the eigenstates of the lowering operator of a [Formula: see text]-deformed [Formula: see text] algebra with the left eigenvalues. We present the appropriate noncommutative measures in order to realize the resolution of the identity condition by the even and odd [Formula: see text]-cat states. Then, we obtain the [Formula: see text]-Bargmann–Fock realizations of the Fock representation of the [Formula: see text]-deformed [Formula: see text] algebra as well as the inner products of standard states in the [Formula: see text]-Bargmann representations of the even and odd subspaces. Also, the Euler’s formula of the [Formula: see text]-factorial and the Gaussian integrals based on the noncommutative [Formula: see text]-integration are obtained. Violation of the uncertainty relation, photon antibunching effect and sub-Poissonian photon statistics by the even and odd [Formula: see text]-cat states are considered in the cases [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text].
Generalized Monge gauge
Authors: Mazharimousavi S. Habib , Forghani S. Danial , Abtahi S. Niloufar
Published: December 2016

Monge Gauge (MG) in differential geometry is generalized. The original MG is based on a surface defined as a height function [Formula: see text] above a flat reference plane. The total curvature and the Gaussian curvature are found in terms of the height function. Getting benefits from our mathematical knowledge of general relativity, we shall extend the MG toward more complicated surfaces. Here, in this study, we consider the height function above a curved surface, namely a sphere of radius [Formula: see text]. The proposed height function is a function of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] on a closed interval. We find the first, second fundamental forms and the total and Gaussian curvatures in terms of the new height function. Some specific limits are discussed and two illustrative examples are given.
BV Solutions to 1D isentropic Euler equations in the zero mach number limit
Authors: Colombo Rinaldo M. , Guerra Graziano
Published: December 2016

Two compressible immiscible fluids in 1D and in the isentropic approximation are considered. The first fluid is surrounded and in contact with the second one. As the Mach number of the first fluid vanishes, we prove the rigorous convergence for the fully nonlinear compressible to incompressible limit of the coupled dynamics of the two fluids. A key role is played by a suitably refined wave front tracking algorithm, which yields precise [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and weak* convergence estimates, either uniform or explicitly dependent on the Mach number.
Generalized Multi-Symplectic Integrator for Vibration of a Damping String with the Driving Force
Authors: Zhang Yu , Deng Zichen , Hu Weipeng
Published: December 2016

Based on multi-symplectic theory, a generalized multi-symplectic formulation is used to simulate the vibration of a string with damping and driving forces. First, by introducing the canonical momenta, the generalized multi-symplectic form for the governing equation of a damping string is derived. Then, two multi-symplectic Box schemes are developed to obtain the discretization schemes for the generalized multi-symplectic form. Finally, numerical examples are carried out to verify the effectiveness of proposed schemes. Numerical results show that the proposed schemes can directly preserve the dynamic characteristics of the system, especially the non-conservative properties caused by damping and driving forces. The research can give a different approach when dealing with the non-conservative dynamics problems.
Instability of Viscoelastic Plates with Longitudinally Variable Speed and Immersed in Ideal Liquid
Authors: Wang Yan Qing , Zu Jean W.
Published: December 2016

The instability of longitudinally variable speed viscoelastic plates in contact with ideal liquid is studied for the first time. The effect of free surface waves is taken into account in the present study. The viscoelasticity is considered by using the Kelvin–Voigt viscoelastic constitutive relations. The classical theory of thin plate is utilized to derive the governing equation of variable speed plates. The fluid is assumed to be incompressible, inviscid and irrotational. Additionally, the velocity potential and Bernoulli’s equation are utilized to describe the fluid pressure acting on the vibrating plates. The fluid effect on the vibrational plates is described as the added mass of the plates which can be formulated by the kinematic boundary conditions at the structure–fluid interfaces. Parametric instability is analyzed by directly applying the method of multiple scales to the governing partial-differential equations and boundary conditions. The unstable boundaries are derived from the solvability conditions and the Routh–Hurwitz criterion for principal parametric, sum-type and difference-type combination resonances. Based on the numerical simulation, the effects of some key parameters on the unstable boundaries are illustrated in the excitation frequency and excitation amplitude plane in detail.
New complexity analysis of a full Nesterov–Todd step interior-point method for semidefinite optimization
Authors: Kheirfam Behrouz
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we propose a new primal-dual path-following interior-point method for semidefinite optimization based on a new reformulation of the nonlinear equation of the system which defines the central path. The proposed algorithm takes only full Nesterov and Todd steps and therefore no line-searches are needed for generating the new iterations. The convergence of the algorithm is established and the complexity result coincides with the best-known iteration bound for semidefinite optimization problems.
Positive solutions of nth-order impulsive eigenvalue problems with an advanced argument
Authors: Lu Gaoli , Feng Meiqiang
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we study a [Formula: see text]th-order impulsive eigenvalue problem with an advanced argument. We shall establish several criteria for the optimal intervals of the parameter [Formula: see text] so as to ensure existence of single or many positive solutions. Our methods are based on transformation technique, Hölder’s inequality and the eigenvalue theory.
On dimension of Schur multiplier of nilpotent Lie algebras II
Authors: Saeedi F. , Arabyani H. , Niroomand P.
Published: December 2016

Let [Formula: see text] be a non-abelian nilpotent Lie algebra of dimension [Formula: see text] and put [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] denotes the Schur multiplier of [Formula: see text]. Niroomand and Russo in 2011 proved that [Formula: see text] and that [Formula: see text] if and only if [Formula: see text], in which [Formula: see text] is the Heisenberg algebra of dimension [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] is the abelian [Formula: see text]-dimensional Lie algebra. In the same year, they also classified all nilpotent Lie algebras [Formula: see text] satisfying [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we obtain all nilpotent Lie algebras [Formula: see text] provided that [Formula: see text].
A new three-phase heterocrystal catalysts and their superior treatment efficiency for tetracycline
Authors: Wang Feng-Rui , Sun Hui-Ping , Wang Yan , Liu Jin-Ku , Fang Yi , Wang Jian-Dong
Published: December 2016

An easy recyclable and interesting Ag3PO4@Pt@TiO2 (APTP) three-phase heterocrystal chains were self-assembled by the cohesive action and chemical construction of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). We found that a new electron–hole transmission path has been built via the rematch of the band structure of Ag3PO4, Pt and TiO2 which extends the light absorption and promoted the electron–hole separation to treat the antibiotic residues in the water. Based on the thorough investigations, a new catalytic material was provided for antibiotics degradation. The catalytic activity of APTP toward the degradation of tetracycline solution was enhanced by 166.67% and the stability increased remarkably compared with pure Ag3PO4 through the integration of different functional components.
Anatase TiO2/cellulose hybrid paper: Synthesis, characterizations, and photocatalytic activity for degradation of indigo carmine dye
Authors: Jiao Yue , Wan Caichao , Li Jian
Published: December 2016

We report a facile easy method to deposit anatase titania (TiO[Formula: see text] on cellulose paper. The anatase TiO2/cellulose paper (ATCP) was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. This hybrid paper with the anatase TiO2 content of around 13.86[Formula: see text]wt.% can serve as an eco-friendly flexible photocatalyst, which can rapidly degrade blue indigo carmine dye into a colorless solution within 30[Formula: see text]min under UV radiation. Moreover, compared to commercially available TiO2 P25 and anatase TiO2 powder, a faster decomposition rate of indigo carmine dye was acquired when using ATCP. These results suggest that this hybrid paper might be useful in the treatment of organic dye wastewater.
Enhanced afterglow property of BaAl2O4:Eu2+, Dy3+ phosphors by adding Li2CO3
Authors: Ma Junfeng , Fan Dongxiao , Niu Bingbing , Lan Xuena
Published: December 2016

BaAl2O4:Eu2+, Dy3+ phosphors with a good long lasting property can be easily obtained via a solid state reaction assisted with Li2CO3. The influence of Li2CO3 quantity on the lattice structure of BaAl2O4:Eu2+, Dy3+ phosphors, their photoluminescence (PL) property, and decaying process was studied by XRD, PL, and afterglow decay measurement, respectively. The results show that incorporating Li2CO3 in preparing process would obviously affect their lattice structure, accompanied by the variation of their luminescent property. With the increase of Li2CO3, their fluorescence property would gradually increase, at [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] reach their maximum emission intensity, and then decrease; but their phosphorescence property would continue to strengthen whether in brightness and decaying time up to [Formula: see text], and then decrease.
On the significance of short-duration regional metamorphism
Authors: Viete Daniel Ricardo , Lister Gordon Stuart
Published: December 2016

Short-duration regional metamorphism is a recently observed and poorly understood phenomenon in metamorphic geology. In this review, it is defined as metamorphism on time scales that limit length scales (of the associated thermal anomaly) to significantly less than the thickness of the orogenic crust (<10 myr) or subducted oceanic lithosphere (<5 myr). Without appealing to exceptional heat sources, thermal models have been unable to account for peak metamorphic temperature during collisional orogenesis and subduction. This observation, combined with restricted time scales for regional metamorphism, suggests that metamorphic facies series can record atypical and transient thermal conditions (related to punctuated and localized heat advection and/or production), rather than normal, ambient conditions for the tectonic setting to which they are allied. High-precision geochronology can resolve short-duration metamorphic estimates of 1 – 10 myr. However, diffusion geospeedometry typically yields extremely short metamorphic durations (<1 myr); tools in metamorphic geology may have matured to the point that the discipline is beginning to recognize episodicity and criticality in deep processes. New, very high-precision petrochronology techniques offer great potential to probe the veracity of extremely short metamorphic durations being obtained from diffusion geospeedometry. Benchmarking of these new very high-precision petrochronology techniques must become a priority for metamorphic geology.
‘Not used to be worn as a Jewel’: The wearing of precious stones in early modern England – ornaments or medicine?
Authors: Blaen Tom
Published: December 2016

Precious stones played an important role in early modern medicine. These widespread medicinal objects could be administered in a variety of ways and, most importantly, by wearing. It is here that these medicinal jewels overlap with the famous desire of the gentry of the period to partake in opulent displays of gemstones on their person. This paper examines whether it is possible to tease apart these intersecting motivations for ornamenting the body with gemstones: was it for health or was it for beauty? The wearing of stones for cures is often found in printed material of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Britain, including Nicholas Culpeper's famous
Pharmacopoeia
, but tracing records of actual medical use is complicated. Amulets and astrological sigils are an obvious source of jewellery worn for curative rather than primarily ornamental purposes, although these trod a perilous and blurred line between legitimate medicine and diabolic magic. The clearest examples are the wearing of stones with little or no aesthetic value (e.g. like the fabulous, to an extent fictional, toad-stone) which ultimately, it is argued, are of most use in determining the motivations for the wearing of medicinal stones.
Coral in Petrus Hispanus’ ‘Treasury of the Poor’
Authors: Barroso Maria Do Sameiro
Published: December 2016

Coral features among the
naturalia
in the Cabinets of Curiosities in which, from the sixteenth century onwards, nobles and wealthy people exhibited their exotic riches and jewels. Petrus Hispanus (
c.
1215–77), consecrated Pope John XXI, was also a doctor. This paper surveys the importance of coral as an amulet and a medicine in Petrus Hispanus’ work within the folklore and the medical traditions of the time and in the framework of ancient lithotherapy, bringing the therapeutic use of coral into relationship with its chemical compound calcium carbonate.
Measuring the Quality of Experience of Web users
Authors: Bocchi Enrico , De Cicco Luca , Rossi Dario
Published: December 2016

Measuring quality of Web users experience (WebQoE) faces the following trade-off. On the one hand, current practice is to resort to metrics, such as the document completion time (onLoad), that are simple to measure though knowingly inaccurate. On the other hand, there are metrics, like Google’s SpeedIndex, that are better correlated with the actual user experience, but are quite complex to evaluate and, as such, relegated to lab experiments. In this paper, we first provide a comprehensive state of the art on the metrics and tools available for WebQoE assessment. We then apply these metrics to a representative dataset (the Alexa top-100 webpages) to better illustrate their similarities, differences, advantages, and limitations. We next introduce novel metrics, inspired by Google’s SpeedIndex, that offer significant advantage in terms of computational complexity, while maintaining a high correlation with the SpeedIndex. These properties make our proposed metrics highly relevant and of practical use.
CliMB
Authors: Laufer Rafael , Gallo Massimo , Perino Diego , Nandugudi Anandatirtha
Published: December 2016

Click has significant advantages for middlebox development, including modularity, extensibility, and reprogrammability. Despite these features, Click still has no native TCP support and only uses nonblocking I/O, preventing its applicability to middleboxes that require access to application data and blocking I/O. In this paper, we attempt to bridge this gap by introducing Click middleboxes (CliMB). CliMB provides a full-fledged modular TCP layer supporting TCP options, congestion control, both blocking and nonblocking I/O, as well as socket and zero-copy APIs to applications. As a result, any TCP network function may now be realized in Click using a modular L2-L7 design. As proof of concept, we develop a zero-copy SOCKS proxy using CliMB that shows up to 4x gains compared to an equivalent implementation using the Linux in-kernel network stack.
Report from the 6th PhD School on Traffic Monitoring and Analysis (TMA)
Authors: Drago Idilio , Ricciato Fabio , Sadre Ramin
Published: December 2016

This is a summary report by the organizers of the 6th TMA PhD school held in Louvain-la-Neuve on 5-6 April 2016. The insight and feedback received about the event might turn useful for the organization of future editions and similar events targeting students and young researchers.
Muscle metabolic and neuromuscular determinants of fatigue during cycling in different exercise intensity domains
Authors: Black Matthew I. , Jones Andrew M. , Blackwell Jamie R. , Bailey Stephen J. , Wylie Lee J. , McDonagh Sinead T. J. , Thompson Christopher , Kelly James , Sumners Paul , Mileva Katya N. , Bowtell Joanna L. , Vanhatalo Anni
Published: December 2016

Lactate or gas exchange threshold (GET) and critical power (CP) are closely associated with human exercise performance. We tested the hypothesis that the limit of tolerance (Tlim) during cycle exercise performed within the exercise intensity domains demarcated by GET and CP is linked to discrete muscle metabolic and neuromuscular responses. Eleven men performed a ramp incremental exercise test, 4–5 severe-intensity (SEV; >CP) constant-work-rate (CWR) tests until Tlim, a heavy-intensity (HVY; GET) CWR test until Tlim, and a moderate-intensity (MOD;  0.05) muscle metabolic milieu (i.e., low pH and [PCr] and high [lactate]) was attained at Tlim (approximately 2–14 min) for all SEV exercise bouts. The muscle metabolic perturbation was greater at Tlim following SEV compared with HVY, and also following SEV and HVY compared with MOD (all P < 0.05). The normalized M-wave amplitude for the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle decreased to a similar extent following SEV (−38 ± 15%), HVY (−68 ± 24%), and MOD (−53 ± 29%), ( P > 0.05). Neural drive to the VL increased during SEV (4 ± 4%; P < 0.05) but did not change during HVY or MOD ( P > 0.05). During SEV and HVY, but not MOD, the rates of change in M-wave amplitude and neural drive were correlated with changes in muscle metabolic ([PCr], [lactate]) and blood ionic/acid-base status ([lactate], [K+]) ( P < 0.05). The results of this study indicate that the metabolic and neuromuscular determinants of fatigue development differ according to the intensity domain in which the exercise is performed.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The gas exchange threshold and the critical power demarcate discrete exercise intensity domains. For the first time, we show that the limit of tolerance during whole-body exercise within these domains is characterized by distinct metabolic and neuromuscular responses. Fatigue development during exercise greater than critical power is associated with the attainment of consistent “limiting” values of muscle metabolites, whereas substrate availability and limitations to muscle activation may constrain performance at lower intensities.
Application of Optical Spectrophotometry for Analysis of Radiation Spectrum Emitted by Electric Arc in the Air
Authors: Kozioł Michał , Wotzka Daria , Boczar Tomasz , Frącz Paweł
Published: December 2016

This paper presents the results of measurement and analysis of optical radiation emitted by a free burning electric arc. The aim was to determine the application possibilities of optical spectrophotometry for detection of electric arcs. The research works considered electric arc generated with a constant voltage supply between two copper electrodes in the air, carried out under laboratory conditions. A high resolution optical spectrophotometer was used for registration of optical radiation. The analyses involved determination of two dimensionless descriptors obtained for the gathered spectra. Moreover, for each of the registered intensity distributions, the energy values were calculated for three frequency ranges. Based on the measured signals, the possibility of application of spectrophotometry for the optical radiation analysis was confirmed. The analysis indicated that the most energy of optical radiation is detected for the range of 200–780 nm, while above 780 nm almost no optical energy is emitted. Spectrophotometric studies performed in the UV-NIR range are of interest since one can obtain information about the structural defects (at lower wavebands) or impurities and/or point defects (at low energies bands). It was also stated that the obtained descriptors may be applied for diagnosis and identification of electric arc purposes.
Bayesian Inference for Step-Stress Partially Accelerated Competing Failure Model under Type II Progressive Censoring
Authors: Shi Xiaolin , Liu Fen , Shi Yimin
Published: December 2016

This paper deals with the Bayesian inference on step-stress partially accelerated life tests using Type II progressive censored data in the presence of competing failure causes. Suppose that the occurrence time of the failure cause follows Pareto distribution under use stress levels. Based on the tampered failure rate model, the objective Bayesian estimates, Bayesian estimates, and E-Bayesian estimates of the unknown parameters and acceleration factor are obtained under the squared loss function. To evaluate the performance of the obtained estimates, the average relative errors (AREs) and mean squared errors (MSEs) are calculated. In addition, the comparisons of the three estimates of unknown parameters and acceleration factor for different sample sizes and different progressive censoring schemes are conducted through Monte Carlo simulations.
Delay-Aware Program Codes Dissemination Scheme in Internet of Everything
Authors: Xu Yixuan , Liu Anfeng , Huang Changqin
Published: December 2016

Due to recent advancements in big data, connection technologies, and smart devices, our environment is transforming into an “Internet of Everything” (IoE) environment. These smart devices can obtain new or special functions by reprogramming: upgrade their soft systems through receiving new version of program codes. However, bulk codes dissemination suffers from large delay, energy consumption, and number of retransmissions because of the unreliability of wireless links. In this paper, a delay-aware program dissemination (DAPD) scheme is proposed to disseminate program codes with fast, reliable, and energy-efficient style. We observe that although total energy is limited in wireless sensor network, there exists residual energy in nodes deployed far from the base station. Therefore, DAPD scheme improves the performance of bulk codes dissemination through the following two aspects. (1) Due to the fact that a high transmitting power can significantly improve the quality of wireless links, transmitting power of sensors with more residual energy is enhanced to improve link quality. (2) Due to the fact that performance of correlated dissemination tends to degrade in a highly dynamic environment, link correlation is autonomously updated in DAPD during codes dissemination to maintain improvements brought by correlated dissemination. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that, compared with previous work, DAPD scheme improves the dissemination performance in terms of completion time, transmission cost, and the efficiency of energy utilization.
Functional and Aesthetic Tragal Reconstruction in the Age of Mobile Electronic Devices
Authors: Perez Colleen F. , Gaball Curtis W.
Published: December 2016

We present a method to create a tragus using the patient’s conchal cartilage. It is a simplified, single-stage technique with well-hidden incisions, yet it maintains the rigidity of a natural tragus. This patient did not have a history of radiation to the area, which may compromise healing with this technique. The cosmetic importance of the tragus has been described, but its functionality in accommodating modern technology has not been previously discussed. The main treatment goal for this patient was to gain the ability to wear earphones (clinical question/level of evidence: therapeutic, V).
Bilateral Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma of the Temporal Bone: A Rare and Unusual Presentation
Authors: Vaid Sanjay , Jadhav Jyoti , Chandorkar Aparna , Vaid Neelam
Published: December 2016

Primary lymphoma of the temporal bone is an unusual finding in clinical practice and bilateral affection is even more rare. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reports of bilateral primary temporal bone lymphoma without middle ear involvement in the English medical literature so far. We report, for the first time, a case of primary lymphoma involving both temporal bones which presented with left-sided infranuclear facial palsy. A combination of contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was used to characterize and to map the extent of the lesion, as well as to identify the exact site of facial nerve affection. An excision biopsy and immunohistochemistry revealed diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (DLBCL). Whole body fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography study (PET-CT) was performed to stage the disease. The patient was treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy and is now on regular follow-up. The patient is alive and asymptomatic without disease progression for the last twenty months after initial diagnosis.