bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bound states of Newton’s equivalent finite square well
Authors: Tita Amornthep , Vanichchapongjaroen Pichet
Published: October 2018

In this paper, a one-parameter family of Newton’s equivalent Hamiltonians (NEH) for finite square well potential is analyzed in order to obtain bound state energy spectrum and wave functions. For a generic potential, each of the NEH is classically equivalent to one another and to the standard Hamiltonian yielding Newton’s equations. Quantum mechanically, however, they are expected to be different from each other. The Schrödinger’s equation coming from each NEH with finite square well potential is an infinite order differential equation. The matching conditions, therefore, demand the wave functions to be infinitely differentiable at the well boundaries. To handle this, we provide a way to consistently truncate these conditions. It turns out as expected that bound state energy spectrum and wave functions are dependent on the parameter [Formula: see text] which is used to characterize different NEH. As [Formula: see text], the energy spectrum coincides with that from the standard quantum finite square well.
Dynamics of heavy quarkonia in memory-dependent dissipative environment from Bohmian trajectory perspective
Authors: Al-Jamel Ahmed
Published: October 2018

In this work, we study the dynamics of particles coupled to a dissipative environment from Bohmian trajectory perspective. The dissipation is modeled using the concept of memory-dependent derivative (MDD), which is characterized by its time-delay constant [Formula: see text] and nonsingular kernel [Formula: see text] of two parameters [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]. By assuming a Gaussian packet wave function, we derived a MDD-Langevin equation (MDDLE). The general behavioral solution [Formula: see text] of the MDDLE is investigated for the case of Gaussian fluctuation force. Based on the miscellaneous choices of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], the findings are that [Formula: see text] can exhibit distinct behaviors, such as monotonic and nonmonotonic decay without zero crossings, oscillatory-like without zero and with zero crossing. Therefore, we have either diffusion or oscillatory dominate based on the problem parameters. For a harmonically bound heavy quarkonium, characterized by the angular frequency [Formula: see text], the position correlation function [Formula: see text] is then obtained and analyzed numerically. The analysis shows that this correlation function is also sensitive to the various choices of [Formula: see text] and kernel parameters. Based on these choices, the correlation function exhibits distinct behaviors: oscillation without damping, damping, and enhanced. This wide range of behavior coverage increases the versatility to fit nonlinear or memory-dependent experimental findings. The results are compared with the fractional Langevin equation.
High-precision nonrelativistic polarizabilities of the nS state of helium
Authors: Xiang Shao-Hui , Ma Ke-Jie , Qiao Hao-Xue
Published: October 2018

The static dipole polarizabilities of the 1 1S [Formula: see text] 51S, 23S [Formula: see text] 63S states of helium are presented. Our results are accurate up to at least eight digits. The majority of [Formula: see text]He (infinite mass helium) data are better than the data derived by Yan with Hylleraas coordinates,[Formula: see text] and close to the newest results achieved by another method.[Formula: see text] We demonstrate the results of 4He besides.
Molecular dynamics simulation of infinite dilution diffusivity of carbon dioxide in supercritical water
Authors: Cai Shengjia , Hu Zhan-Chao , Li Jiawei , Zhang Yan-Ling , Zhang Xin-Rong
Published: October 2018

We apply equilibrium molecular dynamic simulations for investigating the infinite dilution diffusivity of carbon dioxide in near- and supercritical water (SCW) over the wide temperature ranging from 647 to 973 K at 115, 217, 426 and 663 kg/m3. The diffusion coefficients of SCW and infinite dilution diffusion coefficients (IDDCs) of carbon dioxide are calculated by using the Einstein mean-square displacement method. It is observed that the IDDCs of carbon dioxide in SCW are approximately 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than that in normal water. The analysis of the temperature dependence of the IDDCs of carbon dioxide reveals that they do not conform to the Arrhenius equation. In the near critical region, the IDDCs of carbon dioxide do not exhibit a monotonic change with a variation in temperature, but increase gradually with an increase in the temperature in a region far from the critical state. The anomaly of the temperature dependence of the diffusion of carbon dioxide in SCW can be explained using the microstructure features of the different states of the water. In addition, we observe that the IDDCs of oxygen are slightly larger than those of carbon dioxide under the same conditions.
Image Hybrid Encryption Based on Matrix Nonlinear Operation and Generalized Arnold Transformation
Authors: Liang Xikun , Tan Xiao , Tao Limin , Hu Bin
Published: October 2018

In this paper, we propose a scheme to implement hybrid encryption of images using generalized Arnold transformation and matrix nonlinear operations. This scheme consists of two stages. In the first stage, the pixels scrambling encryption is achieved by using generalized Arnold transformation. In the second stage, the pixels sequence encryption is carried out by a nonlinear matrix operation based on the key stream generated by a random matrix. Accordingly, the decryption process is completed by two steps inverse transformations. The hybrid encryption algorithm is one-time pad, and therefore has good anti-attack performance. The algorithm is featured by good confidentiality, low computational complexity, and easy-to-program processing. Moreover, the effectiveness, security and robustness of the algorithm are demonstrated by an image encryption simulation and the encryption performance analysis. Compared with the traditional Arnold scrambling encryption scheme and the chaotic encryption method based on the generalized standard mapping, the superiority of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated.
N-Net: 3D Fully Convolution Network-Based Vertebrae Segmentation from CT Spinal Images
Authors: Zhou Wenhui , Lin Lili , Ge Guangtao
Published: October 2018

Accurate vertebrae segmentation from CT spinal images is crucial for the clinical tasks of diagnosis, surgical planning, and post-operative assessment. This paper describes an [Formula: see text]-shaped 3D fully convolution network (FCN) for vertebrae segmentation: [Formula: see text]-net. In this network, a global structure guidance pathway is designed for fusing the high-level semantic features with the global structure information. Moreover, the residual structure and the skip connection are introduced into traditional 3D FCN framework. These schemes can significantly improve the accuracy of vertebrae segmentation. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of our method. A high average DICE score of 0.9499 [Formula: see text] 0.02 can be obtained, which is better than those of existing methods.
Power–Delay-Error-Efficient Approximate Adder for Error-Resilient Applications
Authors: Kumar Vinay , Singh Ankit , Upadhyay Shubham , Kumar Binod
Published: October 2018

Power dissipation has been the prime concern for CMOS circuits. Approximate computing is a potential solution for addressing this concern as it reduces power consumption resulting in improved performance in terms of power–delay product (PDP). Decrease of power consumption in approximate computing is achieved by approximating the demand of accuracy as per the error tolerance of the system. This paper presents a new approach for designing approximate adder by introducing inexactness in the existing logic gate(s). Approximated logic gates provide flexibility in designing low power error-resilient systems depending on the error tolerance of the applications such as image processing and data mining. The proposed approximate adder (PAA) has higher accuracy than existing approximate adders with normalized mean error distance of 0.123 and 0.1256 for 16-bit and 32-bit adder, respectively, and lower PDP of 1.924E[Formula: see text]18[Formula: see text]J for 16-bit adder and 5.808E[Formula: see text]18[Formula: see text]J for 32-bit adder. The PAA also performs better than some of the recent approximate adders reported in literature in terms of layout area and delay. Performance of PAA has also been evaluated with an image processing application.
Non-Gaussianity of inflationary gravitational waves from the field equation
Authors: Agrawal Aniket
Published: October 2018

We demonstrate equivalence of the in–in formalism and Green’s function method for calculating the bispectrum of primordial gravitational waves generated by vacuum fluctuations of the metric. The tree-level bispectrum from the field equation, [Formula: see text], agrees with the results obtained previously using the in–in formalism exactly. Characterizing non-Gaussianity of the fluctuations using the ratio [Formula: see text] in the equilateral configuration, where [Formula: see text] is the power spectrum of scale-invariant gravitational waves, we show that it is much weaker than in models with spectator gauge fields. We also calculate the tree-level bispectrum of two right-handed and one left-handed gravitational wave using Green’s function, reproducing the results from in–in formalism, and show that it can be as large as the bispectrum of three right-handed gravitational waves.
Efficient quantum algorithms for state measurement and linear algebra applications
Authors: Patel Apoorva , Priyadarsini Anjani
Published: October 2018

We present an algorithm for measurement of [Formula: see text]-local operators in a quantum state, which scales logarithmically both in the system size and the output accuracy. The key ingredients of the algorithm are a digital representation of the quantum state, and a decomposition of the measurement operator in a basis of operators with known discrete spectra. We then show how this algorithm can be combined with (a) Hamiltonian evolution to make quantum simulations efficient, (b) the Newton–Raphson method based solution of matrix inverse to efficiently solve linear simultaneous equations, and (c) Chebyshev expansion of matrix exponentials to efficiently evaluate thermal expectation values. The general strategy may be useful in solving many other linear algebra problems efficiently.
On Mindlin’s isotropic strain gradient elasticity: Green tensors, regularization, and operator-split
Authors: Lazar Markus , Po Giacomo
Published: October 2018

The theory of Mindlin’s isotropic strain gradient elasticity of form II is reviewed. Three-dimensional and two-dimensional Green tensors and their first and second derivatives are derived for an unbounded medium. Using an operator-split in Mindlin’s strain gradient elasticity, three-dimensional and two-dimensional regularization function tensors are computed, which are the three-dimensional and two-dimensional Green tensors of a tensorial Helmholtz equation. In addition, a length scale tensor is introduced, which is responsible for the characteristic material lengths of strain gradient elasticity. Moreover, based on the Green tensors of Mindlin’s strain gradient elasticity, point, line and double forces are studied.
Inferring Smart Schedules for Dumb Thermostats
Authors: Iyengar Srinivasan , Kalra Sandeep , Ghosh Anushree , Irwin David , Shenoy Prashant , Marlin Benjamin
Published: October 2018

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) accounts for over 50% of a typical home’s energy usage. A thermostat generally controls HVAC usage in a home to ensure user comfort. In this article, we focus on making existing “dumb” programmable thermostats smart by applying energy analytics on smart meter data to infer home occupancy patterns and compute an optimized thermostat schedule. Utilities with smart meter deployments are capable of immediately applying our approach, called iProgram, to homes across their customer base. iProgram addresses new challenges in inferring home occupancy from smart meter data where (i) training data is not available and (ii) the thermostat schedule may be misaligned with occupancy, frequently resulting in high power usage during unoccupied periods. iProgram translates occupancy patterns inferred from opaque smart meter data into a custom schedule for existing types of programmable thermostats, e.g., 1-day, 7-day, and so on. We implement iProgram as a web service and show that it reduces the mismatch time between the occupancy pattern and the thermostat schedule by a median value of 44.28min (out of 100 homes) when compared to a default 8am-6pm weekday schedule, with a median deviation of 30.76min off the optimal schedule. Further, iProgram yields a daily energy savings of 0.42kWh on average across the 100 homes. Moreover, the schedules generated from iProgram converge to optimal schedules within a couple of weeks for most homes. We also show that homeowners having multiple HVAC zones can utilize iProgram and potentially increase unconditioned times of less occupied parts of their homes by 70%. Utilities may use iProgram to recommend thermostat schedules to customers and provide them estimates of potential energy savings in their energy bills.
Polyhedral Search Space Exploration in the ExaStencils Code Generator
Authors: Kronawitter Stefan , Lengauer Christian
Published: October 2018

Performance optimization of stencil codes requires data locality improvements. The polyhedron model for loop transformation is well suited for such optimizations with established techniques, such as the PLuTo algorithm and diamond tiling. However, in the domain of our project ExaStencils, stencil codes, it fails to yield optimal results. As an alternative, we propose a new, optimized, multi-dimensional polyhedral search space exploration and demonstrate its effectiveness: we obtain better results than existing approaches in several cases. We also propose how to specialize the search for the domain of stencil codes, which dramatically reduces the exploration effort without significantly impairing performance.
Student engagement in a Human Anatomy and Physiology course: a New Zealand perspective
Authors: Brown Stephen J. , Power Nicola , Bowmar Alex , Foster Shannon
Published: October 2018

The population diversity of New Zealand is due to the unique fusion of indigenous peoples of Polynesian origin (Māori), western European colonization (Pākehā), and more recent (20th century) immigration from the Pacific region (Pasifika). However, disparities in tertiary education indicate that Māori and Pasifika students are more likely to drop out during their first year of study and are less likely to complete their qualification than their Pākehā peers. Higher levels of course engagement may increase first-year grades, elevate academic performance, and encourage persistence between the first and second years of study. Therefore, a Student Course Engagement Questionnaire was used to quantify engagement in a compulsory first-year undergraduate Human Anatomy and Physiology course in a New Zealand university. A data mining technique was used to assign students into a low-engagement/low-achievement cluster, and a high-engagement/high-achievement cluster. The skills, emotional, and participation-interaction components of engagement were lower in Pasifika students: these students’ academic grade was lower than those of both Māori and Pākehā students. The strongest predictors of cluster membership were skills engagement and emotional engagement, suggesting that these components outweighed other aspects of course engagement. Māori and Pasifika students were overrepresented in the low-engagement/low-achievement cluster, and underrepresented in the high-engagement/high-achievement cluster. We suggest that embedding study skills within course delivery, and constantly emphasizing their importance, would likely increase student course engagement. Also, we report that both Māori and Pasifika students remain more disengaged than their Pākehā peers.
Elevated resting blood pressure augments autonomic imbalance in posttraumatic stress disorder
Authors: Fonkoue Ida T. , Norrholm Seth D. , Marvar Paul J. , Li Yunxiao , Kankam Melanie L. , Rothbaum Barbara O. , Park Jeanie
Published: October 2018

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by increased sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity, blunted parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity, and impaired baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), which contribute to accelerated cardiovascular disease. Patients with PTSD also have chronic stress-related elevations in resting blood pressure (BP), often in the prehypertensive range; yet, it is unclear if elevated resting blood pressure (ERBP) augments these autonomic derangements in PTSD. We hypothesized that compared with normotensive PTSD (N-PTSD), those with ERBP (E-PTSD) have further increased SNS, decreased PNS activity, and impaired BRS at rest and exaggerated SNS reactivity, PNS withdrawal, and pressor responses during stress. In 16 E-PTSD and 17 matched N-PTSD, we measured continuous BP, ECG, muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), and heart rate variability (HRV) markers reflecting cardiac PNS activity [standard deviation of R-R intervals (SDNN), root mean square of differences in successive R-R intervals (RMSSD), and high frequency power (HF)] during 5 min of rest and 3 min of mental arithmetic. Resting MSNA ( P = 0.943), sympathetic BRS ( P = 0.189), and cardiovagal BRS ( P = 0.332) were similar between groups. However, baseline SDNN (56 ± 6 vs. 78 ± 8 ms, P = 0.019), RMSSD (39 ± 6 vs. 63 ± 9 ms, P = 0.018), and HF (378 ± 103 vs. 693 ± 92 ms2, P = 0.015) were lower in E-PTSD versus N-PTSD. During mental stress, the systolic blood pressure response ( P = 0.011) was augmented in E-PTSD. Although MSNA reactivity was not different ( P > 0.05), the E-PTSD group had an exaggerated reduction in HRV during mental stress ( P < 0.05). PTSD with ERBP have attenuated resting cardiac PNS activity, coupled with exaggerated BP reactivity and PNS withdrawal during stress.
A direct effect of the autonomic nervous system on somatic stem cell proliferation?
Authors: Davis Elizabeth A. , Dailey Megan J.
Published: October 2018

Regulation of somatic stem cell proliferation is critical for the maintenance of tissue and organ function throughout the body. Modulators of this process include nutrients and peptides, but the role of an autonomic neural influence on stem cell proliferation has been neglected. This article describes the literature in support of autonomic nervous system (ANS) influence on somatic stem cells, with emphasis on intestinal epithelial stem cells (IESCs) as a representative somatic stem cell. Based on the current available data, models for the direct influence of both branches of the ANS (the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems) on IESCs are outlined. Finally, the prospect of treatments derived from ANS influence on somatic stem cells is explored.
Loss of Ovarian Hormones and Accelerated Somatic and Mental Aging
Authors: Rocca Walter A. , Gazzuola Rocca Liliana , Smith Carin Y. , Grossardt Brandon R. , Faubion Stephanie S. , Shuster Lynne T. , Kirkland James L. , LeBrasseur Nathan K. , Schafer Marissa J. , Mielke Michelle M. , Kantarci Kejal , Stewart Elizabeth A. , Miller Virginia M.
Published: October 2018

Bilateral oophorectomy in premenopausal women is a unique condition causing the abrupt and premature loss of ovarian hormones, primarily estrogen. Bilateral oophorectomy causes an alteration of several fundamental aging processes at the cellular, tissue, organ, and system levels, leading to multimorbidity, frailty, and reduced survival. However, many questions remain unanswered.
Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced DNA Damage and Repair through the Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Valverde Mahara , Lozano-Salgado Jonathan , Fortini Paola , Rodriguez-Sastre Maria Alexandra , Rojas Emilio , Dogliotti Eugenia
Published: October 2018

Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADMSCs) are recognized as a potential tool in cell tissue therapy because of their capacity to proliferate and differentiate in vitro. Several studies have addressed their use in regenerative medicine; however, little is known regarding their response to DNA damage and in particular to the reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are present in the microenvironment of implantation. In this study, we used the ROS-inducing agent hydrogen peroxide to explore the responses of (1) hADMSCs and (2) derived terminally differentiated adipocytes to oxidatively generated DNA damage. Using single cell gel electrophoresis, a dose-related increase was found for both DNA breaks and oxidative lesions (formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase-sensitive sites) upon exposure of hADMSCs to hydrogen peroxide. DNA repair capacity of hADMSCs was affected in cells exposed to 150 and 200 μM of hydrogen peroxide. An increase in the basal levels of DNA breaks and oxidative DNA lesions was observed through adipocyte differentiation. In addition, hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage increased through adipocyte differentiation; DNA repair capacity also decreased. This study is the first follow-up report on DNA repair capacity during adipogenic differentiation. Remarkably, in terminally differentiated adipocytes, DNA breakage repair is abolished while the repair of DNA oxidative lesions remains efficient.
Identifying Usability Issues in Instant Messaging Apps on iOS and Android Platforms
Authors: Caro-Alvaro Sergio , Garcia-Lopez Eva , Garcia-Cabot Antonio , de-Marcos Luis , Martinez-Herraiz Jose-Javier
Published: October 2018

With the rise of mobile devices and the high number of instant messaging applications available in the stores, it is necessary to evaluate the usability of such applications to provide a more satisfying user experience. To this end, this paper presents a methodical usability evaluation of instant messaging applications both in iOS and Android platforms. A predefined evaluation was used, which was created to detect the main usability issues of mobile applications, regardless of the device used and the evaluated applications. Consequently, two methods were used: the keystroke level model and the mobile heuristic evaluation. Also, the results suggest that the main problems of this type of applications are difficulties in performing tasks (some of them were not agile nor easy to complete), lack of element cohesion (some icons and buttons did not follow the style of the operating system, bad translations, and too much information on the screen), problems with the user interface (pop-ups overlapping the status bar, clipped elements, sometimes the interface did not rotate, and, in other cases, the interface changed considerably when the device was rotated), and lack of information about privacy and security features. Finally, based on the results, we propose a set of recommendations that will be helpful for developers of this kind of applications.
Critical Effects of Smoking Parameters on the Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Traditionally Smoked Fish and Meat Products in Finland
Authors: Hokkanen Mirja , Luhtasela Ulla , Kostamo Pirkko , Ritvanen Tiina , Peltonen Kimmo , Jestoi Marika
Published: October 2018

Eighty fish products and 62 meat products were sampled and analysed in Finland, in the year of 2012 for four marker polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH4) with an accredited gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. In general, the determined PAH4 levels were relatively low and below the maximum levels. The mean concentrations of smoked fish samples were 0.7 μg·kg−1for benzo[a]pyrene and 3.9 μg·kg−1for the PAH4 sum, whereas in smoked meat samples, mean benzo[a]pyrene and PAH4 sum levels were 2.2 μg·kg−1and 11 μg·kg−1, respectively. However, PAH4 sum concentrations ranged from not detected to 200 µg·kg−1particularly among meat products, underlining the importance of controlling the smoking process. In this study, the effect of selected smoking parameters, i.e., smoking technique (direct/indirect), smoking time (less than five hours/more than five hours), smoke generation temperature (optimised/nonoptimised), and the distance (less than five metres/more than five metres) between the food and the smoke source, confirmed the linkage between the smoking factors and the PAH4 levels formed in fish and meat products. As guidance for a safe smoking process, it was demonstrated that an indirect smoking technique, a shorter smoking time, an optimised smoke generation temperature, and a longer distance from the smoke source generated lower PAH concentrations in food products. However, while a shorter smoking time generated lower PAH levels in meat products, the levels in fish products were unexpectedly higher than in those smoked for a longer time. Other factors, such as the smoking type (cold smoking/warm or hot smoking) and the fish size, may have affected this result.
Adipsin, MIP-1b, and IL-8 as CSF Biomarker Panels for ALS Diagnosis
Authors: Gonzalez-Garza Maria Teresa , Martinez Hector Ramon , Cruz-Vega Delia E. , Hernandez-Torre Martin , Moreno-Cuevas Jorge E.
Published: October 2018

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an aggressive neurodegenerative disorder that selectively attacks motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Despite important advances in the knowledge of the etiology and progression of the disease, there are still no solid grounds in which a clinician could make an early objective and reliable diagnosis from which patients could benefit. Diagnosis is difficult and basically made by clinical rating scales (ALSRs and El Escorial). The possible finding of biomarkers to aid in the early diagnosis and rate of disease progression could serve for future innovative therapeutic approaches. Recently, it has been suggested that ALS has an important immune component that could represent either the cause or the consequence of the disease. In this report, we analyzed 19 different cytokines and growth factors in the cerebrospinal fluid of 77 ALS patients and 13 controls by decision tree and PanelomiX program. Results showed an increase of Adipsin, MIP-1b, and IL-6, associated with a decrease of IL-8 thresholds, related with ALS patients. This biomarker panel analysis could represent an important aid for diagnosis of ALS alongside the clinical and neurophysiological criteria.
Monte Carlo-Based Finite Element Method for the Study of Randomly Distributed Vacancy Defects in Graphene Sheets
Authors: Chu Liu , Shi Jiajia , Souza de Cursi Eduardo , Xu Xunqian , Qin Yazhou , Xiang Hongliang
Published: October 2018

This paper proposed an effective stochastic finite element method for the study of randomly distributed vacancy defects in graphene sheets. The honeycomb lattice of graphene is represented by beam finite elements. The simulation results of the pristine graphene are in accordance with literatures. The randomly dispersed vacancies are propagated and performed in graphene by integrating Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) with the beam finite element model (FEM). The results present that the natural frequencies of different vibration modes decrease with the augment of the vacancy defect amount. When the vacancy defect reaches 5%, the regularity and geometrical symmetry of displacement and rotation in vibration behavior are obviously damaged. In addition, with the raise of vacancy defects, the random dispersion position of vacancy defects increases the variance in natural frequencies. The probability density distributions of natural frequencies are close to the Gaussian and Weibull distributions.
N6-Methyladenosine in RNA and DNA: An Epitranscriptomic and Epigenetic Player Implicated in Determination of Stem Cell Fate
Authors: Ji Pengfei , Wang Xia , Xie Nina , Li Yujing
Published: October 2018

Vast emerging evidences are linking the base modifications and determination of stem cell fate such as proliferation and differentiation. Among the base modification markers extensively studied, 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) and its oxidative derivatives (5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5-fC), and 5-carboxylcytosine (5-caC)) dynamically occur in DNA and RNA and have been acknowledged as important epigenetic markers involved in regulation of cellular biological processes. N6-Methyladenosine modification in DNA (m6dA), mRNA (m6A), tRNA, and other noncoding RNAs has been defined as another important epigenetic and epitranscriptomic marker in eukaryotes in recent years. The mRNA m6A modification has been characterized biochemically, molecularly, and phenotypically, including elucidation of its methyltransferase complexes (m6A writer), demethylases (m6A eraser), and direct interaction proteins (readers), while limited information on the DNA m6dA is available. The levels and the landscapes of m6A in the epitranscriptomes and epigenomes are precisely and dynamically regulated by the fine-tuned coordination of the writers and erasers in accordance with stages of the growth, development, and reproduction as naturally programmed during the lifespan. Additionally, progress has been made in appreciation of the link between aberrant m6A modification in stem cells and diseases, like cancers and neurodegenerative disorders. These achievements are inspiring scientists to further uncover the epigenetic mechanisms for stem cell development and to dissect pathogenesis of the multiple diseases conferred by development aberration of the stem cells. This review article will highlight the research advances in the role of m6A methylation modifications of DNA and RNA in the regulation of stem cell and genesis of the closely related disorders. Additionally, this article will also address the research directions in the future.
Nano–Bio Interactions of Extracellular Vesicles with Gold Nanoislands for Early Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: Bathini S. , Raju D. , Badilescu S. , Kumar A. , Ouellette R. J. , Ghosh A. , Packirisamy M.
Published: October 2018

Extracellular vesicles or exosomes are membrane encapsulated biological nanometric particles secreted virtually by all types of cells throughout the animal kingdom. They carry a cargo of active molecules to proximal and distal cells of the body as mechanism of physiological communication, to maintain natural homeostasis as well as pathological responses. Exosomes carry a tremendous potential for liquid biopsy and therapeutic applications. Thus, there is a global demand for simple and robust exosome isolation methods amenable to point-of-care diagnosis and quality control of therapeutic exosome manufacturing. This can be achieved by molecular profiling of the exosomes for use with specific sets of molecular-markers for diagnosis and quality control. Liquid biopsy is undoubtedly the most promising diagnosis process to advance “personalized medicine.” Currently, liquid biopsy is based on circulating cancer cells, cell free-DNA, or exosomes. Exosomes potentially provide promise for early-stage diagnostic possibility; in order to facilitate superior diagnosis and isolation of exosomes, a novel platform is developed to detect and capture them, based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of gold nanoislands, through strong affinity between exosomes and peptide called Venceremin or Vn96. Physical modeling, based on the characteristics of the gold nanoislands and the bioentities involved in the sensing, is also developed to determine the detection capability of the platform, which is optimized experimentally at each stage. Preliminary results and modeling present a relationship between the plasmonic shift and the concentration of exosomes and, essentially, indicate possibilities for label-free early diagnosis.
Oscillatory and Asymptotic Behavior of a First-Order Neutral Equation of Discrete Type with Variable Several Delay under Δ Sign
Authors: Rath Radhanath , Behera Chittaranjan
Published: October 2018

We obtain necessary and sufficient conditions so that every solution of neutral delay difference equation Δyn-∑j=1kpnjyn-mj+qnG(yσ(n))=fn oscillates or tends to zero as n→∞, where {qn} and {fn} are real sequences and G∈C(R,R), xG(x)>0, and m1,m2,…,mk are positive integers. Here Δ is the forward difference operator given by Δxn=xn+1-xn, and {σn} is an increasing unbounded sequences with σn≤n. This paper complements, improves, and generalizes some past and recent results.
Pattern Matching Based Sensor Identification Layer for an Android Platform
Authors: Min Hong , Kim Taesik , Heo Junyoung , Cerny Tomas , Sankaran Sriram , Ahmed Bestoun S. , Jung Jinman
Published: October 2018

As sensor‐related technologies have been developed, smartphones obtain more information from internal and external sensors. This interaction accelerates the development of applications in the Internet of Things environment. Due to many attributes that may vary the quality of the IoT system, sensor manufacturers provide their own data format and application even if there is a well‐defined standard, such as ISO/IEEE 11073 for personal health devices. In this paper, we propose a client‐server‐based sensor adaptation layer for an Android platform to improve interoperability among nonstandard sensors. Interoperability is an important quality aspect for the IoT that may have a strong impact on the system especially when the sensors are coming from different sources. Here, the server compares profiles that have clues to identify the sensor device with a data packet stream based on a modified Boyer‐Moore‐Horspool algorithm. Our matching model considers features of the sensor data packet. To verify the operability, we have implemented a prototype of this proposed system. The evaluation results show that the start and end pattern of the data packet are more efficient when the length of the data packet is longer.
Image Restoration Based on Adaptive Dual-Domain Filtering
Authors: He Ruiqiang , Feng Xiangchu , Zhao Chenping , Chen Huazhu , Zhu Xiaolong , Xu Chen
Published: October 2018

Image restoration is a long-standing problem in low-level computer vision. In this paper, we offer a simple but effective estimation paradigm for various image restoration problems. Specifically, we first propose a model-based Gaussian denoising method Adaptive Dual-Domain Filtering (ADDF) by learning the optimal confidence factors which are adjusted adaptively with Gaussian noise standard deviation. In addition, by generalizing this learning approach to Laplace noise, the learning algorithm of the optimum confidence factors in Laplace denoising is presented. Finally, the proposed ADDF is tactfully plugged into the method frameworks of off-the-shelf image deblurring and single image super-resolution (SISR). The approach, coining the name Plug-ADDF, achieves promising performance. Extensive experiments validate that the proposed ADDF for Gaussian and Laplace noise removals indeed results in visual and quantitative improvements over some existing state-of-the-art methods. Moreover, our Plug-ADDF for image deblurring and SISR also demonstrates superior performance objectively and subjectively.
Experiment on Natural Frequency Change of Reinforced Concrete Members under Low Cycle Loading
Authors: Zhang Zhenhao , Cao Feng , Yang Jianyu , He Zhigang
Published: October 2018

The natural frequency change of reinforced concrete (RC) members during damage when subjected to low cycle loading was studied through horizontal cyclic loading experiments. Three groups of RC flexural members were subjected to horizontal, harmonic, low cycle loading to simulate earthquake conditions. The relation of instantaneous load, instantaneous displacement, and instantaneous natural frequency during loading was deduced. Using the resulting equation, the test members’ natural frequencies at any moment during loading could be calculated accurately. Then the natural frequency change curves and their fitting equations were also obtained. The impact of loading period T and loading amplitude A on a test member’s damage rate V was analyzed, which showed that the impact of T on V was quadratic, and the relation between A and V was linear. Finally, by fitting experimental data of number of loading cycles N, loading amplitude A, loading period T, and natural frequency ω, a three‐variable function, ω(N, A, T), was determined, revealing the change process of test members’ frequencies under arbitrary harmonic vibrations.
On Vibration Joint Time‐Frequency Investigations of CNC Milling Machines for Tool Trajectory Task Conformity Estimation
Authors: Nastac Silviu
Published: October 2018

This study deals with estimation of milling shape accuracy and trajectory conformity for small CNC 3D milling machines, based on vibration monitoring during the regular working cycles. The author made a large number of experimental tests, acquiring the acceleration signals, both on the milling tool‐holder and on the bed frame. In order to evaluate the appropriate spectral characteristics of different machine parts and their weights on equipment dynamics, it was analyzed both the complete and the partial working cycle (such as forward tool motion, with or without effective milling, with or without tool driving, exclusively the milling cutter transitory/stabilized regime) for different basic milling shapes. The acceleration signals were jointly time‐frequency investigated in order to evaluate specific spectral indicators related to the real motion characteristic of milling tool. It was used short time fast Fourier transform (STFFT) and Hough transform (HT) algorithms, along with stochastic evaluation of signal parameters, within time and frequency domains. The results reveal an accurate correlation between the specific transitory dynamics of the machine and the imposed milling shape. Main implications of the results within this analysis involve the noninvasive and facile investigation for milling errors of the CNC machine, conformity of tool head trajectory, identification of potential failure source, or damaged machine part.
Viscoelastic Boundary Conditions for Multiple Excitation Sources in the Time Domain
Authors: Xia Chen , Qi Chengzhi , Li Xiaozhao
Published: October 2018

Transmitting boundaries are important for modeling the wave propagation in the finite element analysis of dynamic foundation problems. In this study, viscoelastic boundaries for multiple seismic waves or excitations sources were derived for two-dimensional and three-dimensional conditions in the time domain, which were proved to be solid by finite element models. Then, the method for equivalent forces’ input of seismic waves was also described when the proposed artificial boundaries were applied. Comparisons between numerical calculations and analytical results validate this seismic excitation input method. The seismic response of subway station under different seismic loads input methods indicates that asymmetric input seismic loads would cause different deformations from the symmetric input seismic loads, and whether it would increase or decrease the seismic response depends on the parameters of the specific structure and surrounding soil.
Trends in Lung Cancer and Cigarette Smoking: California Compared to the Rest of the United States
Authors: Pierce John P. , Shi Yuyan , McMenamin Sara B. , Benmarhnia Tarik , Trinidad Dennis R. , Strong David R. , White Martha M. , Kealey Sheila , Hendrickson Erik M. , Stone Matthew D. , Villaseñor Adriana , Kwong Sandy , Zhang Xueying , Messer Karen
Published: October 2018

Three cigarette smoking behaviors influence lung cancer rates: how many people start, the amount they smoke, and the age they quit. California has reduced smoking faster than the rest of the United States and trends in these three smoking behaviors should inform lung cancer trends. We examined trends in smoking behavior (initiation, intensity, and quitting) in California and the rest of United States by regression models using the 1974–2014 National Health Interview Surveys (n = 962,174). Lung cancer mortality data for 1970–2013 was obtained from the National Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Among those aged 18 to 35 years, California had much larger declines than the rest of the United States in smoking initiation and intensity, and increased quitting. In 2012–2014, among this age group, only 18.6% [95% confidence interval (CI), 16.8%–20.3%] had ever smoked; smokers consumed only 6.3 cigarettes/day (95% CI, 5.6–7.0); and 45.7% (95% CI, 41.1%–50.4%) of ever-smokers had quit by age 35. Each of these metrics was at least 24% better than in the rest of the United States. There was no marked California effect on quitting or intensity among seniors. From 1986 to 2013, annual lung cancer mortality decreased more rapidly in California and by 2013 was 28% lower (62.6 vs. 87.5/100,000) than in the rest of the United States. California's tobacco control efforts were associated with a major reduction in cigarette smoking among those under age 35 years. These changes will further widen the lung cancer gap that already exists between California and the rest of the United States.
Lung Ultrasound for the Differential Diagnosis of Respiratory Distress in Neonates
Authors: Corsini Iuri , Parri Niccolò , Gozzini Elena , Coviello Caterina , Leonardi Valentina , Poggi Chiara , Giacalone Martina , Bianconi Tommaso , Tofani Lorenzo , Raimondi Francesco , Dani Carlo
Published: October 2018

Background: Respiratory distress (RD) is the most common neonatal illness. Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a technique previously tested in neonatal studies on RD, but literature regarding its routine clinical applicability is still lacking. Objective: To assess the concordance between LUS performed by neonatologists with different training levels and chest X-ray (CXR) for the diagnosis of RD in newborns during the first 24 h of life. Methods: We enrolled newborns with RD during the first 24 h of life. Patients underwent LUS and CXR. LUS and CXR diagnosis were compared to evaluate concordance. Twenty percent of patients received two LUS (one from an experienced and one from a novice sonographer) to calculate the interobserver agreement. The difference in time needed to reach a diagnosis with LUS and CXR, and from novice and expert operators, was measured. Results: We studied 124 patients; 134 diagnoses were reported. The concordance between LUS and CXR diagnosis was 91% (95% CI 86–96%) with a κ statistic of 0.88 (95% CI 0.81–0.94). The median time to diagnosis was shorter for LUS (9.5 min, IQR 5–15) than for CXR (50 min, IQR 33–64) (p < 0.0001). In 25/124 patients, LUS was performed by both novice and experienced sonographers with complete concordance. The median time to diagnosis was shorter for expert (9 min, IQR 5–15) than novice operators (15 min, IQR 10–20) (p < 0.0002). Conclusion: LUS and CXR have a high concordance in the differential diagnosis of neonatal RD in the first 24 h of life. LUS has a shorter operation time than CXR.
Prognostic Value of Inflammatory Biomarkers in Gastric Cancer Patients and the Construction of a Predictive Model
Authors: Ma Mingzhe , Wang Jun , Hu YiRen , Weng Mingzhe , Liu Xiaowen , Wang YaNong
Published: October 2018

Background: It is known that inflammation promotes cancer development. However, a few studies have evaluated the prognostic significance of inflammatory biomarkers in gastric cancer (GC). Methods: In this study, 2,334 patients who underwent gastrectomy for GC at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center between 2003 and 2007 were retrospectively analyzed, and 1,227 patients were found to be eligible. The preoperative serum neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and albumin/globulin ratio (AGR) levels were analyzed. A nomogram was constructed with the Cox proportional hazards regression model in the training set (n = 818) to predict the probability of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). The predictive accuracy and discriminative ability were determined using the concordance index (C-index) and calibration curve. Results: We found that lower AGR and LMR values were correlated with decreased OS, lower LMR values, and higher NLR values with a decreased DFS. Other significant factors were included to construct the nomogram. The discriminative ability of the nomogram was higher than that of the eighth American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system (0.746 for TNM v.s. 0.654 for the nomogram, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The nomogram yielded a more accurate prognostic prediction in GC patients after gastrectomy, suggesting great clinical value.
Different Genetic Expression Profiles of Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis-Related Genes in Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Iborra Marisa , Moret Inés , Rausell Francisco , Busó Enrique , Cerrillo Elena , Sáez-González Esteban , Nos Pilar , Beltrán Belén
Published: October 2018

Background/Aims: Increased oxidative stress and decreased immune cell apoptosis have been reported to be important factors in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease (CD). Our aim was to characterize the genetic expression of molecules implicated in the regulation of oxidative stress and apoptosis in peripheral white mononuclear cells of 18 healthy volunteers (controls) and 20 patients at the onset of CD (active CD [aCD]): 10 who achieved remission (inactive CD [iCD]) and 10 who did not present a complete and deep response to treatment (aCD-T). Methods: mRNA expression was measured by the Agena MassARRAY quantitative gene expression analysis application. The genes analyzed were Fas-receptor (FASR), Fas-ligand (FASL), signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-­enhancer of activated B cells (NFKB1), apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), serine/threonine-protein kinase H1 (PSKH1), ATP-binding cassette sub-family B1 (ABCB1) and peptidylprolyl isomerase D (PPID). Results: During a CD flare, we found specific upregulated expression of the genes STAT1 and PSKH1, whereas ABCB1 and FASL were downregulated. In the patients with iCD, FASR and NFKB1 were upregulated. The expression levels of NFKB1, STAT1 and ABCB1 did not show any difference in patients with aCD at the onset of the disease and after treatment (aCD-T). The expression levels of PPID and ASK1 did not show any differences in the patients with aCD, iCD and the controls. We have also reviewed the cellular function and role of these genes in CD. Conclusions: These findings contribute to improving the understanding of the pathogenesis of CD and highlight potential genes involved.