bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Image Segmentation Method Using an Active Contour Model Based on Improved SPF and LIF
Authors: Sun Lin , Meng Xinchao , Xu Jiucheng , Tian Yun
Published: December 2018

Inhomogeneous images cannot be segmented quickly or accurately using local or global image information. To solve this problem, an image segmentation method using a novel active contour model that is based on an improved signed pressure force (SPF) function and a local image fitting (LIF) model is proposed in this paper, which is based on local and global image information. First, a weight function of the global grayscale means of the inside and outside of a contour curve is presented by combining the internal gray mean value with the external gray mean value, based on which a new SPF function is defined. The SPF function can segment blurred images and weak gradient images. Then, the LIF model is introduced by using local image information to segment intensity-inhomogeneous images. Subsequently, a weight function is established based on the local and global image information, and then the weight function is used to adjust the weights between the local information term and the global information term. Thus, a novel active contour model is presented, and an improved SPF- and LIF-based image segmentation (SPFLIF-IS) algorithm is developed based on that model. Experimental results show that the proposed method not only exhibits high robustness to the initial contour and noise but also effectively segments multiobjective images and images with intensity inhomogeneity and can analyze real images well.
Between-Limb Symmetry during Double-Leg Vertical Hop Landing in Males an Average of Two Years after ACL Reconstruction is Highly Correlated with Postoperative Physiotherapy Supervision Duration
Authors: Królikowska Aleksandra , Czamara Andrzej , Reichert Paweł
Published: December 2018

This study investigates whether double-leg and single-leg vertical hops (VH) landing between-limb symmetry in males, an average of two years after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR), is associated with postoperative physiotherapy supervision duration. Thirty-eight healthy controls and thirty-eight males after primary unilateral ACLR, with the use of ipsilateral semitendinosus and gracilis tendon autograft, on average two years before, underwent bilateral peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) measurements during double-leg and single-leg VH landing, using two force plates. The vGRF was normalized to the body mass (vGRF BM). The vGRF BM limb symmetry index (LSI) was calculated. Tests for dependent and independent samples and linear Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) calculations were performed. There were significant between-leg differences in the double-leg (p < 0.001) vGRF BM values. The longer the postoperative physiotherapy supervision duration was, the higher the double-leg VH LSI values (r = 0.727; p < 0.001). There was also a significant but weak positive association between the single-leg VH landing LSI value and the physiotherapy supervision duration (r = 0.333; p = 0.041). Between-limb symmetry during double-leg VH landing in males, an average of two years after ACLR, was correlated with postoperative physiotherapy supervision duration. Fully supervised postoperative physiotherapy for a minimum of six months is more effective for improving VH landing limb symmetry in patients after ACLR.
Fast Path Planning for Autonomous Ships in Restricted Waters
Authors: Lyu Hongguang , Yin Yong
Published: December 2018

Presently, there is increasing interest in autonomous ships to reduce human errors and support intelligent navigation, where automatic collision avoidance and path planning is a key problem, especially in restricted waters. To solve this problem, a path-guided hybrid artificial potential field (PGHAPF) method is first proposed in this paper. It is essentially a reactive path-planning algorithm that provides fast feedback in a changeable environment, including dynamic target ships (TSs) and static obstacles, for steering an autonomous ship safely. The proposed strategy, which is a fusion of the potential field and gradient methods, consists of potential-based path planning for arbitrary static obstacles, gradient-based decision-making for dynamic TSs, and their combination with consideration of the prior path and waypoint selection optimization. A three-degree-of-freedom dynamic model of a Mariner class vessel and a low-level controller have been incorporated together in this method to ensure that the vessel’s positions are updated at each time step in order to acquire a more applicable and reliable trajectory. Simulations show that the PGHAPF method has the potential to rapidly generate adaptive, collision-free and International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS)-constrained trajectories in restricted waters by deterministic calculations. Furthermore, this method has the potential to perform path planning on an electronic chart platform and to overcome some drawbacks of traditional artificial potential field (APF) methods.
A 20 W, Less-Than-1-kHz Linewidth Linearly Polarized All-Fiber Laser
Authors: Xue Mingyuan , Gao Cunxiao , Niu Linquan , Zhu Shaolan , Sun Chuandong , Zhang Jian , He Haodong
Published: December 2018

We report a continuous-wave high-output power and narrow-linewidth all-fiber laser at 1550 nm with the master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) configuration. An all-fiber distributed feedback seed laser was boosted by three cascaded fiber amplifiers. In the experiment, we adopted a large-mode-area (LMA) Er3+:Yb3+-co-doped polarization-maintaining fiber to increase nonlinear thresholds and avoided the broadening of the laser linewidth. A linear-polarization fiber laser with average output power of 20 W, linewidth of 0.88 kHz, and power jitter less than 2% was finally achieved.
Experimental Setup to Validate the Effects of Major Environmental Parameters on the Performance of FSO Communication Link in Qatar
Authors: Khandakar Amith , Touati Abir , Touati Farid , Abdaoui Abderrazak , Bouallegue Ammar
Published: December 2018

Weather conditions and chemical composition of the atmosphere are the most uncontrollable challenges for free-space optical (FSO) communications. Environmental parameters contribute directly in the characterization of atmospheric turbulence. Thus, it is very interesting to prepare a test setup to study the effect of such parameters on FSO transmissions especially in a region like Qatar, which is arid and has harsh climate. Unlike that of Europe and USA, Qatar’s climate is characterized by high temperatures throughout the year, exceeding 14 °C even in winter. The experiment was carried at Qatar University (QU) using a system that comprises of two Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) boards and two FSO terminals installed at 600 m apart from each other. Each terminal operates at 1550 nm and had a capacity of 1 Gb/s. On the other hand, the environment parameters were recorded using a weather station installed near the transmitter. To have a wider set of data for analysis, parameters from four different seasons were recorded and analyzed. We present a comparison between the FSO performances for the different seasons in terms of Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR). We notice a significant difference in the behavior of FSO during summer and winter seasons. Furthermore, using statistics on the data collected from the weather station and based on Blaunstein model (BKB), we correlate the FSO behavior to the variation of refractive index (Cn2) in winter. Also a closed form expression, estimated from the statistical data, has been derived to relate the PDR with environmental parameters for the summer season.
Sustainable Water Resources Using Corner Pivot Lateral, A Novel Sprinkler Irrigation System Layout for Small Scale Farms
Authors: Rad Saeed , Gan Lei , Chen Xiaobing , You Shaohong , Huang Liangliang , Su Shihua , Taha Mohd Raihan
Published: December 2018

Sprinkler irrigation systems are widely used in medium and large scale farms in different forms. However less types are available to apply in small farms due to their high costs. The current study was done according to a novel cost effective design for a semi-permanent sprinkler irrigation system for small farm owners. The new layout known as Corner Pivot Lateral (CPL) was examined in irrigation test center at Lijian Scientific and Technological Demonstration Park, at Nanning city, China. CPL was implemented without a main/sub mainline pipe, by applying a single pivoting lateral at the corner of the plot that directly connected to the resource to convey water from the pump. The lateral moves around the corner using a rotating elbow in a quadrant pattern manually to cover the entire farm. A conventional semi-permanent system was applied for the same farm as reference. A cost analysis on the required components as well as annual operational costs was carried out for comparison and control. Results showed that a lower system component would be needed for the CPL method. Overall, more than a 15% capital cost reduction with 7% annual cost decrement was achieved for CPL in this experiment comparatively. The Catch can technique was applied to examine the CPL system’s efficiency and 79% water distribution uniformity around the sprinkler was obtained. This new method can encourage small estate holders to switch from traditional to pressurized systems which optimizes water application costs.
Thermal Properties of PEG/Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNPs) Composite Phase Change Materials with Enhanced Thermal Conductivity and Photo-Thermal Performance
Authors: He Lihong , Wang Hao , Zhu Hongzhou , Gu Yu , Li Xiaoyan , Mao Xinbo
Published: December 2018

This paper mainly concentrates on the thermal conductivity and photo-thermal conversion performance of polyethylene glycol (PEG)/graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) composite phase change materials (PCMs). The temperature-assisted solution blending method is used to prepare PCM with different mass fraction of GNPs. According to the scanning electron microscope (SEM), GNPs are evenly distributed in the PEG matrix, forming a thermal conduction pathway. The Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show that the composites can still inherit the crystallization structure of PEG, moreover, there are only physical reactions between PEG and GNPs rather than chemical reactions. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermal conductivity analysis results indicate that it may be beneficial to add a low loading ration of GNPs to obtain the suitable latent heat as well as enhance the thermal conductivity of composites. To investigate the change in the rheological behavior due to the effect of GNPs, the viscosity of the composites was measured as well. The photo-thermal energy conversion experiment indicates that the PEG/GNPs composites show better performance in photothermal energy conversion, moreover, the Ultraviolet-visible-Near Infrared spectroscopy is applied to illustrate the reasons for the higher absorption efficiency of PEG/GNPs for solar irradiation.
Considering the Life-Cycle Cost of Distributed Energy-Storage Planning in Distribution Grids
Authors: Xu Tao , Meng He , Zhu Jie , Wei Wei , Zhao He , Yang Han , Li Zijin , Ren Yi
Published: December 2018

In the face of the radical revolution of energy systems, there is a gradually held consensus regarding the adoption of distributed renewable energy resources, represented by Photovoltaic (PV) and wind generation. Consequently, the distributed Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) have become increasingly important in the distribution networks, as they provide the arbitrage and ancillary services. Determining the optimal installation site and the capacity of the distributed ESSs will defer the network reinforcements, reduce the investment of ESSs, and improve the reliability, flexibility, and efficiency of distribution grids. In order to investigate the optimal ESS configuration and to solve voltage fluctuations brought by the increased penetration of PV, in this study a two-stage heuristic planning strategy has been proposed, which considers both the economic operation and the lifetime of the distributed ESSs, to determine the optimal sitting and sizing of the ESSs, in the distribution grids. The first stage decides the optimal installation site and the economic scheduling of the ESSs, aiming to minimize the fabricating cost of the distributed ESSs and the network losses. Based on the output of the first stage, the second stage planning is further delivered to achieve the optimal ESS capacity, considering the Life-Cycle Cost (LCC) minimization. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method is verified on a typical distribution case study network.
Mixed Metal Oxide Systems Applied to Thermochemical Storage of Solar Energy: Benefits of Secondary Metal Addition in Co and Mn Oxides and Contribution of Thermodynamics
Authors: André Laurie , Abanades Stéphane , Cassayre Laurent
Published: December 2018

Thermochemical energy storage is promising for the long-term storage of solar energy via chemical bonds using reversible redox reactions. The development of thermally-stable and redox-active materials is needed, as single metal oxides (mainly Co and Mn oxides) show important shortcomings that may delay their large-scale implementation in solar power plants. Drawbacks associated with Co oxide concern chiefly cost and toxicity issues while Mn oxide suffers from slow oxidation kinetics and poor reversibility. Mixed metal oxide systems could alleviate the above-mentioned issues, thereby achieving improved materials characteristics. All binary oxide mixtures of the Mn-Co-Fe-Cu-O system are considered in this study, and their properties are evaluated by experimental measurements and/or thermodynamic calculations. The addition of Fe, Cu or Mn to cobalt oxide decreased both the oxygen storage capacity and energy storage density, thus adversely affecting the performance of Co3O4/CoO. Conversely, the addition of Fe, Co or Cu (with added amounts above 15, 40 and 30 mol%, respectively) improved the reversibility, re-oxidation rate and energy storage capacity of manganese oxide. Computational thermodynamics was applied to unravel the governing mechanisms and phase transitions responsible for the materials behavior, which represents a powerful tool for predicting the suitability of mixed oxide systems applied to thermochemical energy storage.
Robust Stabilization of Linear Switched Systems with Unstable Subsystems
Authors: Rodríguez-Licea Martín-Antonio , Perez-Pinal Francisco-J. , Prado Olivares Juan
Published: December 2018

This paper deals with the robust stability of a class of uncertain switched systems with possibly unstable linear subsystems. In particular, conditions for global uniform exponential stability are presented. In addition, a procedure to design a mode dependent average dwell time switching signal that stabilizes a switched linear system composed of diagonalizable subsystems is established, even if all of them are stable/unstable and time-varying (within design bounds). An illustrative example of the stabilizing switching law design and numerical results are presented.
An Approach to Predicting Sediment Microbial Fuel Cell Performance in Shallow and Deep Water
Authors: Richter Kenneth E. , Ayers Jennifer M.
Published: December 2018

Here we present an approach to predicting sediment microbial fuel cell performance based on environmental conditions. Sediment total organic carbon and water temperature were found to be important determinants in predicting the power output from microbial fuel cells in shallow sediments (<100 m) in San Diego. We extrapolated data from the in situ San Diego experiments to predict MFC performance in shallow sediments in other locations, namely the Gulf of Mexico and the Yellow Sea. Finally, using laboratory data of MFC performance in deep water (~1000 m) sediment samples, we extend our predictions to ocean sediments worldwide. We predict low power output from the deep sea (microwatts) relative to the shallow sediments (milliwatts), and attribute that to a possible lack of electrogenic bacteria in the sediments, lower sediment permeability, or a greater proportion of refractory organic matter reaching the bottom.
A Metric for Finite Power Multisets of Positive Real Numbers Based on Minimal Matching
Authors: Chen Ray-Ming
Published: December 2018

In this article, we show how to define a metric on the finite power multisets of positive real numbers. The metric, based on the minimal matching, consists of two parts: the matched part and the mismatched part. We also give some concrete applications and examples to demonstrate the validity of this metric.
State of Charge Estimation of Power Battery Using Improved Back Propagation Neural Network
Authors: Zhang Chuan-Wei , Chen Shang-Rui , Gao Huai-Bin , Xu Ke-Jun , Yang Meng-Yue
Published: December 2018

Accurately estimating the state of charge (SOC) of power batteries in electric vehicles is of great significance to the measurement of the endurance mileage of electric vehicles, as well as the safety protection of the power battery. In view of lithium ion batteries’ nonlinear relation between SOC estimation and current, voltage, and temperature, the improved Back Propagation (BP) neural network method is proposed to accurately estimate the SOC of power batteries. To address the inherent limitations of BP neural network, particle swarm algorithm is adopted to modify the relevant weighting coefficients. In this paper, the lithium iron phosphate battery (3.2 V/20 Amper-Hour) was studied. Charge and discharge experiments were conducted under a constant temperature. The training data were used to construct the surrogate model using the improved BP neural network. It is noted that the accuracy of the developed algorithm is increased by 2% as compared to that of conventional BP. Finally, an actual vehicle condition experiment was designed to further verify the accuracy of these two algorithms. The experimental results show that the improved algorithm is more suitable for real vehicle operating conditions than the traditional algorithm, and the estimation accuracy can meet the industry standards to a greater extent.
Preserved Microarrays for Simultaneous Detection and Identification of Six Fungal Potato Pathogens with the Use of Real-Time PCR in Matrix Format
Authors: Nikitin Maksim , Deych Ksenia , Grevtseva Inessa , Girsova Natalya , Kuznetsova Maria , Pridannikov Mikhail , Dzhavakhiya Vitaly , Statsyuk Natalia , Golikov Alexander
Published: December 2018

Fungal diseases of plants are of great economic importance causing 70–80% of crop losses associated with microbial plant pathogens. Advanced on-site disease diagnostics is very important to maximize crop productivity. In this study, diagnostic systems have been developed for simultaneous detection and identification of six fungal pathogens using 48-well microarrays (micromatrices) for qPCR. All oligonucleotide sets were tested for their specificity using 59 strains of target and non-target species. Detection limit of the developed test systems varied from 0.6 to 43.5 pg of DNA depending on target species with reproducibility within 0.3−0.7% (standard deviation). Diagnostic efficiency of test systems with stabilized and freeze-dried PCR master-mixes did not significantly differ from that of freshly prepared microarrays, though detection limit increased. Validation of test systems on 30 field samples of potato plants showed perfect correspondence with the results of morphological identification of pathogens. Due to the simplicity of the analysis and the automated data interpretation, the developed microarrays have good potential for on-site use by technician-level personnel, as well as for high-throughput monitoring of fungal potato pathogens.
The Genetic Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Therapeutic Perspectives
Authors: García Julio-César , Bustos Rosa-Helena
Published: December 2018

Genetics has led to a new focus regarding approaches to the most prevalent diseases today. Ascertaining the molecular secrets of neurodegenerative diseases will lead to developing drugs that will change natural history, thereby affecting the quality of life and mortality of patients. The sequencing of candidate genes in patients suffering neurodegenerative pathologies is faster, more accurate, and has a lower cost, thereby enabling algorithms to be proposed regarding the risk of neurodegeneration onset in healthy persons including the year of onset and neurodegeneration severity. Next generation sequencing has resulted in an explosion of articles regarding the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases involving exome sequencing or sequencing a whole gene for correlating phenotypical expression with genetic mutations in proteins having key functions. Many of them occur in neuronal glia, which can trigger a proinflammatory effect leading to defective proteins causing sporadic or familial mutations. This article reviews the genetic diagnosis techniques and the importance of bioinformatics in interpreting results from neurodegenerative diseases. Risk scores must be established in the near future regarding diseases with a high incidence in healthy people for defining prevention strategies or an early start for giving drugs in the absence of symptoms.
Mitochondrial Hyperactivation and Enhanced ROS Production are Involved in Toxicity Induced by Oncogenic Kinases Over-Signaling
Authors: Ceccon Monica , Mauri Mario , Massimino Luca , Giudici Giovanni , Piazza Rocco , Gambacorti-Passerini Carlo , Mologni Luca
Published: December 2018

Targeted therapy is an effective, rational, and safe approach to solid and hematological tumors treatment. Unfortunately, a significant fraction of patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) relapses mainly because of gene amplification, mutations, or other bypass mechanisms. Recently a growing number of papers showed how, in some cases, resistance due to oncogene overexpression may be associated with drug addiction: cells able to proliferate in the presence of high TKI doses become also TKI dependent, undergoing cellular stress, and apoptosis/death upon drug withdrawal. Notably, if a sub-cellular population survives TKI discontinuation it is also partially re-sensitized to the same drug. Thus, it is possible that a subset of patients relapsing upon TKI treatment may benefit from a discontinuous therapeutic schedule. We focused on two different hematologic malignancies, chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), both successfully treatable with TKIs. The two models utilized (LAMA and SUP-M2) differed in having oncogene overexpression as the sole cause of drug resistance (CML), or additionally carrying kinase domain mutations (ALCL). In both cases drug withdrawal caused a sudden overload of oncogenic signal, enhanced mitochondria activity, induced the release of a high amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and caused genotoxic stress and massive cell death. In LAMA cells (CML) we could rescue the cells from death by partially blocking downstream oncogenic signaling or lowering ROS detrimental effect by adding reduced glutathione.
Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution via Water Splitting: A Short Review
Authors: Zhang Yifan , Heo Young-Jung , Lee Ji-Won , Lee Jong-Hoon , Bajgai Johny , Lee Kyu-Jae , Park Soo-Jin
Published: December 2018

Photocatalytic H2 generation via water splitting is increasingly gaining attention as a viable alternative for improving the performance of H2 production for solar energy conversion. Many methods were developed to enhance photocatalyst efficiency, primarily by modifying its morphology, crystallization, and electrical properties. Here, we summarize recent achievements in the synthesis and application of various photocatalysts. The rational design of novel photocatalysts was achieved using various strategies, and the applications of novel materials for H2 production are displayed herein. Meanwhile, the challenges and prospects for the future development of H2-producing photocatalysts are also summarized.
Post-Translational Modification and Subcellular Distribution of Rac1: An Update
Authors: Abdrabou Abdalla , Wang Zhixiang
Published: December 2018

Rac1 is a small GTPase that belongs to the Rho family. The Rho family of small GTPases is a subfamily of the Ras superfamily. The Rho family of GTPases mediate a plethora of cellular effects, including regulation of cytoarchitecture, cell size, cell adhesion, cell polarity, cell motility, proliferation, apoptosis/survival, and membrane trafficking. The cycling of Rac1 between the GTP (guanosine triphosphate)- and GDP (guanosine diphosphate)-bound states is essential for effective signal flow to elicit downstream biological functions. The cycle between inactive and active forms is controlled by three classes of regulatory proteins: Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs), and guanine-nucleotide-dissociation inhibitors (GDIs). Other modifications include RNA splicing and microRNAs; various post-translational modifications have also been shown to regulate the activity and function of Rac1. The reported post-translational modifications include lipidation, ubiquitination, phosphorylation, and adenylylation, which have all been shown to play important roles in the regulation of Rac1 and other Rho GTPases. Moreover, the Rac1 activity and function are regulated by its subcellular distribution and translocation. This review focused on the most recent progress in Rac1 research, especially in the area of post-translational modification and subcellular distribution and translocation.
Proteogenomic Analysis of Burkholderia Species Strains 25 and 46 Isolated from Uraniferous Soils Reveals Multiple Mechanisms to Cope with Uranium Stress
Authors: Agarwal Meenakshi , Pathak Ashish , Rathore Rajesh Singh , Prakash Om , Singh Rakesh , Jaswal Rajneesh , Seaman John , Chauhan Ashvini
Published: December 2018

Two Burkholderia spp. (strains SRS-25 and SRS-46) were isolated from high concentrations of uranium (U) from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-managed Savannah River Site (SRS). SRS contains soil gradients that remain co-contaminated by heavy metals from previous nuclear weapons production activities. Uranium (U) is one of the dominant contaminants within the SRS impacted soils, which can be microbially transformed into less toxic forms. We established microcosms containing strains SRS-25 and SRS-46 spiked with U and evaluated the microbially-mediated depletion with concomitant genomic and proteomic analysis. Both strains showed a rapid depletion of U; draft genome sequences revealed SRS-25 genome to be of approximately 8,152,324 bp, a G + C content of 66.5, containing a total 7604 coding sequences with 77 total RNA genes. Similarly, strain SRS-46 contained a genome size of 8,587,429 bp with a G + C content of 67.1, 7895 coding sequences, with 73 total RNA genes, respectively. An in-depth, genome-wide comparisons between strains 25, 46 and a previously isolated strain from our research (Burkholderia sp. strain SRS-W-2-2016), revealed a common pool of 3128 genes; many were found to be homologues to previously characterized metal resistance genes (e.g., for cadmium, cobalt, and zinc), as well as for transporter, stress/detoxification, cytochromes, and drug resistance functions. Furthermore, proteomic analysis of strains with or without U stress, revealed the increased expression of 34 proteins from strain SRS-25 and 52 proteins from strain SRS-46; similar to the genomic analyses, many of these proteins have previously been shown to function in stress response, DNA repair, protein biosynthesis and metabolism. Overall, this comparative proteogenomics study confirms the repertoire of metabolic and stress response functions likely rendering the ecological competitiveness to the isolated strains for colonization and survival in the heavy metals contaminated SRS soil habitat.
MicroRNA Expression is Associated with Sepsis Disorders in Critically Ill Polytrauma Patients
Authors: Rogobete Alexandru Florin , Sandesc Dorel , Bedreag Ovidiu Horea , Papurica Marius , Popovici Sonia Elena , Bratu Tiberiu , Popoiu Calin Marius , Nitu Razvan , Dragomir Tiberiu , I. M. AAbed Hazzaa , Ivan Mihaela Viviana
Published: December 2018

A critically ill polytrauma patient is one of the most complex cases to be admitted to the intensive care unit, due to both the primary traumatic complications and the secondary post-traumatic interactions. From a molecular, genetic, and epigenetic point of view, numerous biochemical interactions are responsible for the deterioration of the clinical status of a patient, and increased mortality rates. From a molecular viewpoint, microRNAs are one of the most complex macromolecular systems due to the numerous modular reactions and interactions that they are involved in. Regarding the expression and activity of microRNAs in sepsis, their usefulness has reached new levels of significance. MicroRNAs can be used both as an early biomarker for sepsis, and as a therapeutic target because of their ability to block the complex reactions involved in the initiation, maintenance, and augmentation of the clinical status.
Interactive Dyadic Physical Activity and Spatial Proximity Patterns in 2-Year-Olds and Their Parents
Authors: McCullough Aston K. , Duch Helena , Garber Carol Ewing
Published: December 2018

This study aimed to characterize daily physical activity (PA) behaviors in 2-year-old girls and boys and their parents, with and without an objective measure of dyadic spatial proximity. Urban-dwelling parent–toddler dyads (N = 110) wore accelerometers for 7 days, and parents completed a sociodemographic questionnaire. Accelerometers were initialized to collect PA and Bluetooth-based proximity data. After applying wear-time algorithms, n = 65 dyads were further analyzed using a dyadic analysis statistical methodology. Toddler–parent sedentary and light PA time were respectively interdependent, conditional on child sex and child-parent proximity, but moderate–vigorous physical activity (MVPA) time was not. Toddlers were significantly more active on weekdays and weekends than their parents, and no differences were found in daily PA volumes between girls and boys. In dyads with proximity data (n = 34), analyses of joint (i.e., proximal and mutual) PA time showed that girls participated in significantly more joint PA with their mothers than boys. Children who engaged in ≥60 min of MVPA/day participated in ~2 h of joint PA/day, on average, while children with <60 min of MVPA/day engaged in ~30 min less joint-PA time with their mothers. Boys and girls who participated in higher daily MVPA volumes engaged in joint PA with their mothers across greater relative distances, as compared to less active boys who engaged in joint PA at closer relative distances to their mothers. Toddlers who engaged in ≥60 min of daily MVPA participated in joint PA with their mothers at greater relative distances and for longer durations than less active children. Further research on the dyadic activity–proximity relationship is needed across early childhood development.
Analysis of the Impact of Values and Perception on Climate Change Skepticism and Its Implication for Public Policy
Authors: Wang Jaesun , Kim Seoyong
Published: December 2018

Climate change is an unprecedented risk that humans have not previously experienced. It is accepted that people are generally worried about global warming. However, it is also a fact that there is a small but increasing number of climate change skeptics. These skeptics do not believe that there is any risk, nor are they concerned with other worrisome facts related to climate change. Skeptics regard the present scientific findings supporting climate change as false artefacts. Our study aimed to explore the factors that influence climate skepticism. In this work, to make a regression model, we established environmental skepticism as a dependent variable and included sociodemographic factors, values, and perception factors as the three independent variables. Also, to examine their roles indirectly, we regarded values as moderators. The results show that, in terms of values, ideology, environmentalism, religiosity, two kinds of cultural biases, and science and technology (S&T) optimism influence skepticism at the individual level, whereas, in terms of perception factors, perceived risk, perceived benefit, and negative affect have an impact. Also, values such as ideology, religiosity, environmentalism, and cultural biases play a moderating role that facilitates, buffers, or changes the effect of psychometric variables on an individual’s skepticism.
Surface Preparation and Treatment for Large-Scale 3D-Printed Composite Tooling Coating Adhesion
Authors: Sauerbier Philipp , Anderson James , Gardner Douglas J.
Published: December 2018

Recent advances in large-scale thermoplastic additive manufacturing (AM), using fused deposition modelling (FDM), have shown that the technology can effectively produce large aerospace tools with common feed stocks, costing 2.3 $/kg, such as a 20% carbon-filled acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Large-scale additive manufacturing machines have build-volumes in the range of cubic meters and use commercially available pellet feedstock thermoplastics, which are significantly cheaper (5–10 $/kg) than the filament feedstocks for desktop 3D printers (20–50 $/kg). Additionally, large-scale AM machines have a higher material throughput on the order of 50 kg/h. This enables the cost-efficient tool production for several industries. Large-scale 3D-printed tooling will be computerized numerical control (CNC)-machined and -coated, to provide a surface suitable for demolding the composite parts. This paper outlines research undertaken to review and improve the adhesion of the coating systems to large, low-cost AM composite tooling, for marine or infrastructure composite applications. Lower cost tooling systems typically have a lower dimensional accuracy and thermal operating requirements than might be required for aerospace tooling. As such, they can use lower cost commodity grade thermoplastics. The polymer systems explored in the study included polypropylene (PP), styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA), and polylactic acid (PLA). Bio-based filler materials were used to reduce cost and increase the strength and stiffness of the material. Fillers used in the study included wood flour, at 30% by weight and spray-dried cellulose nano-fibrils, at 20% by weight. Applicable adhesion of the coating was achieved with PP, after surface treatment, and untreated SMA and PLA showed desirable coating adhesion results. PLA wood-filled composites offered the best properties for the desired application and, furthermore, they have environment-friendly advantages.
Bacterial Inactivation by Using Plastic Materials Activated with Combinations of Natural Antimicrobials
Authors: Ortega Blázquez Irene , Grande Burgos María José , Pérez Pulido Rubén , Gálvez Antonio , Lucas Rosario
Published: December 2018

Natural antimicrobials have gained interest as possible inhibitors of biofilm formation. The aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy of antimicrobials derived from essential oils (carvacrol, thymol) plus bacteriocin AS-48 immobilized on two plastic supports (low density polyethylene and polyethylene–polyamide films) on bacterial inactivation. The polyethylene–polyamide vacuum-packaging plastic film activated with a combination of thymol plus enterocin AS-48 was the most effective in reducing the concentrations of viable planktonic and sessile cells for Listeria innocua, Lactobacillus fructivorans, Bacillus coagulans, and Bacillus licheniformis. Results from the study highlight the potential of polyethylene–polyamide film activated with thymol plus enterocin AS-48 for reducing the viable cell concentrations of spoilage Gram-positive bacteria and Listeria in both planktonic and sessile states.
Effects of Cr and Nb Additions on Sliding Wear Behaviors of the FePSiB Coatings
Authors: Feng Yuan , Cheng Jiangbo , Liu Dan , Liang Xiubing
Published: December 2018

The tribological properties of the FePSiB amorphous/nanocrystalline coatings with Cr and Nb additions were investigated in reciprocating mode against tungsten carbide friction coupling with different dry sliding conditions. The wear rates of the FePSiB-based coatings increase linearly with the normal load and sliding speed. The coatings with Cr and Nb promote the formation of successive and compact oxide film on friction surface, which decreases significantly wear rate of the coating. Nano-mechanical characterization done to map the correlation between the elastic properties and wear resistance. The main damage mechanisms of the FePSiB-based coatings under dry friction conditions are abrasion wear, delamination failure and oxidation wear.
Sentence Level Domain Independent Opinion and Targets Identification in Unstructured Reviews
Authors: Khan Kahirullah , Khan Wahab
Published: December 2018

User reviews, blogs, and social media data are widely used for various types of decision-making. In this connection, Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing techniques are employed to automate the process of opinion extraction and summarization. We have studied different techniques of opinion mining and found that the extraction of opinion target and opinion words and the relation identification between them are the main tasks of state-of-the-art techniques. Furthermore, domain-independent features extraction is still a challenging task, since it is costly to manually create an extensive list of features for every domain. In this study, we tested different syntactic patterns and semantic rules for the identification of evaluative expressions containing relevant target features and opinion. We have proposed a domain-independent framework that consists of two phases. First, we extract Best Fit Examples (BFE) consisting of short sentences and candidate phrases and in the second phase, pruning is employed to filter the candidate opinion targets and opinion words. The results of the proposed model are significant.
Morphological and Crystallographic Characteristics of α Structure in a Low-Carbon Iron–Nickel Alloy
Authors: Mao Gaojun , Cayron Cyril , Mao Xiuli , Cao Rui , Logé Roland , Chen Jianhong
Published: December 2018

The features of α (body-centered cubic) structures were investigated in a low-carbon multicomponent alloy from morphological and crystallographic perspectives. In addition to apparent features of granular bainite and lamellar martensite, a morphological similarity can be found between lath martensite and lath bainite. Therefore, it is of interest to explore possible discrepancies between lath martensite and lath bainite from a crystallographic perspective. These microstructures were obtained by various cooling rates (i.e., water quenching, 5 °C/s, and 0.05 °C/s) and then were characterized by a combination of scanning electron microscopy and electron backscattered diffraction techniques. It is shown that: (1) Lath martensite (LM) formed in the samples that were water-quenched, and a mixture of LM and lath bainite (LB) and granular bainite (GB) formed in the samples cooled at rates of 5 °C/s and 0.05 °C/s, respectively; (2) A Kurdjumov-Sachs relationship was mostly found in as-quenched martensite, while a Greninger-Troiano relationship represented the orientation relationship of LB and GB; (3) As the cooling rate decreased, the dislocation densities in corresponding microstructures were reduced, while the tendency of variant grouping was enhanced.
Gut Microbiota, Fusobacteria, and Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Kelly Dervla , Yang Liying , Pei Zhiheng
Published: December 2018

The gut microbiota has emerged as an environmental contributor to colorectal cancer (CRC) in both animal models and human studies. It is now generally accepted that bacteria are ubiquitous colonizers of all exposed human body surfaces, including the entire alimentary tract (5). Recently, the concept that a normal bacterial microbiota is essential for the development of inflammation-induced carcinoma has emerged from studies of well-known colonic bacterial microbiota. This review explores the evidence for a role of fusobacteria, an anaerobic gram-negative bacterium that has repeatedly been detected at colorectal tumor sites in higher abundance than surrounding histologically normal tissue. Mechanistic studies provide insight on the interplay between fusobacteria, other gut microbiota, barrier functions, and host responses. Studies have shown that fusobacteria activate host inflammatory responses designed to protect against pathogens that promote tumor growth. We discuss how future research identifying the pathophysiology underlying fusobacteria colon colonization during colorectal cancer may lead to new therapeutic targets for cancer. Furthermore, disease-protective strategies suppressing tumor development by targeting the local tumor environment via bacteria represent another exciting avenue for researchers and are highlighted in this review.
Some Order Preserving Inequalities for Cross Entropy and Kullback–Leibler Divergence
Authors: Sbert Mateu , Chen Min , Poch Jordi , Bardera Anton
Published: December 2018

Cross entropy and Kullback–Leibler (K-L) divergence are fundamental quantities of information theory, and they are widely used in many fields. Since cross entropy is the negated logarithm of likelihood, minimizing cross entropy is equivalent to maximizing likelihood, and thus, cross entropy is applied for optimization in machine learning. K-L divergence also stands independently as a commonly used metric for measuring the difference between two distributions. In this paper, we introduce new inequalities regarding cross entropy and K-L divergence by using the fact that cross entropy is the negated logarithm of the weighted geometric mean. We first apply the well-known rearrangement inequality, followed by a recent theorem on weighted Kolmogorov means, and, finally, we introduce a new theorem that directly applies to inequalities between K-L divergences. To illustrate our results, we show numerical examples of distributions.
Application of Bayesian Networks and Information Theory to Estimate the Occurrence of Mid-Air Collisions Based on Accident Precursors
Authors: Arnaldo Valdés Rosa María , Liang Cheng Schon Z.Y. , Gómez Comendador Victor Fernando , Sáez Nieto Francisco Javier
Published: December 2018

This paper combines Bayesian networks (BN) and information theory to model the likelihood of severe loss of separation (LOS) near accidents, which are considered mid-air collision (MAC) precursors. BN is used to analyze LOS contributing factors and the multi-dependent relationship of causal factors, while Information Theory is used to identify the LOS precursors that provide the most information. The combination of the two techniques allows us to use data on LOS causes and precursors to define warning scenarios that could forecast a major LOS with severity A or a near accident, and consequently the likelihood of a MAC. The methodology is illustrated with a case study that encompasses the analysis of LOS that have taken place within the Spanish airspace during a period of four years.
Landauer’s Principle as a Special Case of Galois Connection
Authors: Kycia Radosław A.
Published: December 2018

It is demonstrated how to construct a Galois connection between two related systems with entropy. The construction, called the Landauer’s connection, describes coupling between two systems with entropy. It is straightforward and transfers changes in one system to the other one, preserving ordering structure induced by entropy. The Landauer’s connection simplifies the description of the classical Landauer’s principle for computational systems. Categorification and generalization of the Landauer’s principle opens the area of modeling of various systems in presence of entropy in abstract terms.
State-Space Models on the Stiefel Manifold with a New Approach to Nonlinear Filtering
Authors: Yang Yukai , Bauwens Luc
Published: December 2018

We develop novel multivariate state-space models wherein the latent states evolve on the Stiefel manifold and follow a conditional matrix Langevin distribution. The latent states correspond to time-varying reduced rank parameter matrices, like the loadings in dynamic factor models and the parameters of cointegrating relations in vector error-correction models. The corresponding nonlinear filtering algorithms are developed and evaluated by means of simulation experiments.
High-Linearity Self-Biased CMOS Current Buffer
Authors: Martínez-Nieto Javier Alejandro , Sanz-Pascual María Teresa , Medrano-Marqués Nicolás , Calvo-López Belén , Sarmiento-Reyes Arturo
Published: December 2018

A highly linear fully self-biased class AB current buffer designed in a standard 0.18 μ m CMOS process with 1.8 V power supply is presented in this paper. It is a simple structure that, with a static power consumption of 48 μ W, features an input resistance as low as 89 Ω , high accuracy in the input–output current ratio and total harmonic distortion (THD) figures lower than −60 dB at 30 μ A amplitude signal and 1 kHz frequency. Robustness was proved through Monte Carlo and corner simulations, and finally validated through experimental measurements, showing that the proposed configuration is a suitable choice for high performance low voltage low power applications.
Compressed Sensing-Based DOA Estimation with Unknown Mutual Coupling Effect
Authors: Chen Peng , Cao Zhenxin , Chen Zhimin , Liu Linxi , Feng Man
Published: December 2018

The performance of a direction-finding system is significantly degraded by the imperfection of an array. In this paper, the direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation problem is investigated in the uniform linear array (ULA) system with the unknown mutual coupling (MC) effect. The system model with MC effect is formulated. Then, by exploiting the signal sparsity in the spatial domain, a compressed-sensing (CS)-based system model is proposed with the MC coefficients, and the problem of DOA estimation is converted into that of a sparse reconstruction. To solve the reconstruction problem efficiently, a novel DOA estimation method, named sparse-based DOA estimation with unknown MC effect (SDMC), is proposed, where both the sparse signal and the MC coefficients are estimated iteratively. Simulation results show that the proposed method can achieve better performance of DOA estimation in the scenario with MC effect than the state-of-the-art methods, and improve the DOA estimation performance about 31.64 % by reducing the MC effect by about 4 dB.
Design of an Highly Efficient AC-DC-AC Three-Phase Converter Using SiC for UPS Applications
Authors: Alves Wendell C. , Morais Lenin M. F. , Cortizo Porfirio C.
Published: December 2018

With the constant increase of energy consumption in the world, the efficiency of systems and equipment is becoming more important. Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) is an equipment that provides safe and reliable supply for critical load systems, that is, systems where a supply interruption can lead to economical or even human losses. The Double Conversion UPS is the most complete UPS class in terms of load protection, regulation, performance, and reliability, however, it has lower efficiency and higher cost because of its high number of power converters. Silicon Carbide devices are emerging as an opportunity to construct power converters with higher efficiency and higher power density. The main purpose of this work is to design a three-phase AC-DC-AC converter using Silicon Carbide for Double Conversion UPS applications. The aim is to maximize efficiency and minimize volume and mass. The methodologies to size and choose the main hardware components are described in detail. Experimental results obtained with the prototype prove the high efficiency and high power density achievable with Silicon Carbide Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFETs).