bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distributed adaptive output consensus control of a class of uncertain nonlinear multiagents systems
Authors: Yang Yang , Tan Jie
Published: June 2018

This paper addresses the leader‐follower output consensus problem for a class of uncertain nonlinear multiagent systems in a directed communication topology. By employing the backstepping method, the dynamic surface control technique, neutral networks, and the graph theory, a distributed adaptive control scheme is developed recursively for each follower using its own and neighbors' information. The key features of this strategy are that it reduces the computational burden by introducing the dynamic surface control approach and there is no requirement for a priori knowledge about uncertain dynamics of the system. Moreover, in theory, it is proved that the designed control approach can steer the output signals of followers in a directed graph to track the desired trajectory of the leader and guarantee all signals in the closed‐loop system cooperatively semiglobally uniformly ultimately bounded. Furthermore, two examples are included, and the simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
Determining the Dielectric Constants of Organic Photovoltaic Materials Using Impedance Spectroscopy
Authors: Hughes Michael P. , Rosenthal Katie D. , Ran Niva A. , Seifrid Martin , Bazan Guillermo C. , Nguyen Thuc‐Quyen
Published: June 2018

The photovoltaic and electrical properties of organic semiconductors are characterized by their low dielectric constant, which leads to the formation of polarons and Frenkel excitons. The low dielectric constant of organic semiconductors has been suggested to be significantly influential in geminate and bimolecular recombination losses in organic photovoltaics (OPVs). However, despite the critical attention that the dielectric constant has received in literature discussions, there has not yet been a thorough study of the dielectric constant in common organic semiconductors and how it changes when blended. In fact, there have been some inconsistent and contradictory reports on such dielectric constants, making it difficult to identify trends. Herein, at first a detailed explanation of a specific methodology to determine the dielectric constant in OPV materials with impedance spectroscopy is provided, including guidelines for possible experimental pitfalls. Using this methodology, the analysis for the dielectric constant of 17 common neat organic semiconductors is carried out. Furthermore, the relationship between the dielectric constant and blend morphology are studied and determined. It is found that the dielectric constant of a blend system can be very accurately predicted solely based on the dielectric constants of the neat materials, scaled by their respective weight ratios in the blend film.
Hydrophilic/Oleophilic Magnetic Janus Particles for the Rapid and Efficient Oil–Water Separation
Authors: Song Yongyang , Zhou Jiajia , Fan Jun‐Bing , Zhai Wenzhong , Meng Jingxin , Wang Shutao
Published: June 2018

The separation of microsized oil droplets from water is strongly required by the environmental protection and petroleum industry. However, the separation of microsized oil droplets from water is often ignored. Herein, magnetic Janus particles are reported with a convex hydrophilic surface/concave oleophilic surface by emulsion interfacial polymerization and selective surface assembly, realizing the rapid and efficient separation of microscaled tiny oil droplets from water. These magnetic Janus particles exhibit significant abilities to separate microscaled oil droplets from water, which usually occurs within 120 s with a separation efficiency >99%. Theoretical and experimental results demonstrate that these magnetic Janus particles can capture tiny oil droplets to make them coalesce into larger ones during the process of separation. Further studies reveal that these Janus particles can self‐assemble and closely pack onto the interface of larger oil droplets, acting as surfactants to stabilize them. Moreover, the shape effect of the Janus particle is demonstrated on the coalescence of the oil droplets.
A Simply Modified Lymphocyte for Systematic Cancer Therapy
Authors: Zheng Di‐Wei , Fan Jin‐Xuan , Liu Xin‐Hua , Dong Xue , Pan Pei , Xu Lu , Zhang Xian‐Zheng
Published: June 2018

Cytotherapy has received considerable attention in the field of cancer therapy, and various chemical or genetic methods have been applied to remold natural cells for improved therapeutic outcome of cytotherapy. A simple method to modify lymphocytes for cancer treatment by using a clinically used molecule, δ‐aminolevulinic acid (δ‐ALA), is reported here. After incubation with this molecule, tumor‐targeted lymphocytes spontaneously synthesize anti‐neoplastic drug protoporphyrin X (PpIX), and specifically accumulate in cancer tissue. Under periodic 630 nm laser irradiation, lymphocytes generate vesicle‐like apoptotic body (Ab) containing the above‐produced PpIX, and the facilitated delivery of PpIX from Ab makes an excellent therapeutic effect for Ras‐mutated cancer cells under a second irradiation. Importantly, a microfluidic device is further fabricated to simplify cell sorting and drug synthesis with a one‐step operation, which could promote generalization of this strategy. In vitro and in vivo studies confirm the success of such an easy‐operated and global‐regulated strategy for cancer therapy.
Side‐Chain Impact on Molecular Orientation of Organic Semiconductor Acceptors: High Performance Nonfullerene Polymer Solar Cells with Thick Active Layer over 400 nm
Authors: Luo Zhenghui , Sun Chenkai , Chen Shanshan , Zhang Zhi‐Guo , Wu Kailong , Qiu Beibei , Yang Changduk , Li Yongfang , Yang Chuluo
Published: June 2018

A new n‐type organic semiconductor (n‐OS) acceptor IDTPC with n‐hexyl side chains is developed. Compared to side chains with 4‐hexylphenyl counterparts (IDTCN), such a design endows the acceptor of IDTPC with higher electron mobility, more ordered face‐on molecular packing, and lower band gap. Therefore, the IDTPC‐based polymer solar cells (PSCs) with a newly developed wide bandgap polymer PTQ10 as donor exhibit the maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.2%, a near 65% improvement in PCE relative to the IDTCN‐based control device. Most importantly, the IDTPC‐based device is insensitive to the thickness of the active layer from 70 to 505 nm, which still gives a PCE of 10.0% with the active‐layer thickness of 400 nm. To the best of the authors' knowledge, a PCE of 10.0% is the highest value for the nonfullerene PSCs with an active layer thicker than 400 nm. These results reveal that the blend of PTQ10 and IDTPC exhibits great potential for highly efficient nonfullerene PSCs and large‐area device fabrication.
Rational Design of a Dual‐Function Hybrid Cathode Substrate for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Luo Liu , Chung Sheng‐Heng , Manthiram Arumugam
Published: June 2018

A unique 3D hybrid sponge with chemically coupled nickel disulfide‐reduced graphene oxide (NiS2‐RGO) framework is rationally developed as an effective polysulfide reservoir through a biomolecule‐assisted self‐assembly synthesis. An optimized amount of NiS2 (≈18 wt%) with porous nanoflower‐like morphology is uniformly in situ grown on the RGO substrate, providing abundant active sites to adsorb and localize polysulfides. The improved polysulfide adsorptivity from sulfiphilic NiS2 is confirmed by experimental data and first‐principle calculations. Moreover, due to the chemical coupling between NiS2 and RGO formed during the in situ synthesis, the conductive RGO substrate offers a 3D electron pathway to facilitate charge transfer toward the NiS2‐polysulfide adsorption interface, triggering a fast redox kinetics of polysulfide conversion and excellent rate performance (C/20–4C). Therefore, the self‐assembled hybrid structure simultaneously promotes static polysulfide‐trapping capability and dynamic polysulfide‐conversion reversibility. As a result, the 3D porous sponge enables a high sulfur content (75 wt%) and a remarkably high sulfur loading (up to 21 mg cm−2) and areal capacity (up to 16 mAh cm−2), exceeding most of the reported values in the literature involving either RGO or metal sulfides/other metal compounds (sulfur content of <60 wt% and sulfur loading of <3 mg cm−2).
Austausch der Proteinkontaktflächen in der homodimeren tRNA‐Guanin‐Transglycosylase: ein Weg der funktionellen Regulation
Authors: Ehrmann Frederik Rainer , Kalim Jorna , Pfaffeneder Toni , Bernet Bruno , Hohn Christoph , Schäfer Elisabeth , Botzanowski Thomas , Cianférani Sarah , Heine Andreas , Reuter Klaus , Diederich François , Klebe Gerhard
Published: June 2018

tRNA‐Guanin‐Transglycosylase, ein Target zur Therapie der Shigellen‐Ruhr, erkennt tRNA nur als Homodimer und führt einen kompletten Nucleobasen‐Austausch an dessen Wobble‐Position durch. Inhibitoren des aktiven Zentrums blockieren die Enzymfunktion durch kompetitive Verdrängung der tRNA. In Lösung dissoziiert der homodimere Wildtyp nur geringfügig, während mutierte Varianten eine erhebliche Monomerisierung in Lösung aufzeigen. Ein Inhibitor transformiert das Protein in einen verdrehten Zustand, wobei eine Monomereinheit um etwa 130° rotiert. In dieser veränderten Geometrie ist das Enzym nicht länger in der Lage, die tRNA zu binden und zu prozessieren. Drei Zucker‐basierte Inhibitoren wurden entworfen und synthetisiert, die das Protein sowohl im funktionell kompetenten als auch im verdrehten inaktiven Zustand binden. Beide Zustände kristallisieren unter identischen Bedingungen nebeneinander im selben Kristallisationsgefäß. Möglicherweise entspricht die verdrehte inaktive Form mit einem Ruhezustand des Enzyms, der wichtig für dessen funktionelle Regulation sein könnte.
Radikalische Trifluormethoxylierung aromatischer Verbindungen durch photochemische N‐O‐Bindungsaktivierung
Authors: Jelier Benson J. , Tripet Pascal F. , Pietrasiak Ewa , Franzoni Ivan , Jeschke Gunnar , Togni Antonio
Published: June 2018

Eine einfache Methode für die Trifluormethoxylierung nicht funktionalisierter C‐H‐Bindungen bietet Zugang zu aromatischen Trifluoromethylethern. Die lichtgetriebene Reaktion unterscheidet sich von herkömmlichen Prozessen, indem das OCF3‐Radikal durch eine photoredoxkatalytische N‐O‐Bindungsfragmentierung generiert wird. Das entsprechende Pyridinium‐basierte Reagenz ist stabil und ermöglicht einen einfachen Zugang zu verschiedenen Verbindungen der oben genannten Klasse.
A new xanthene‐based two‐photon fluorescent probe for the imaging of 1,4‐dithiothreitol (DTT) in living cells
Authors: Wang Chao , Dong Baoli , Kong Xiuqi , Zhang Nan , Song Wenhui , Lin Weiying
Published: June 2018

1,4‐Dithiothreitol (DTT) has wide applications in cell biology and biochemistry. Development of effective methods for monitoring DTT in biological systems is important for the safe handling and study of toxicity to humans. Herein, we describe a two‐photon fluorescence probe (Rh‐DTT) to detect DTT in living systems for the first time. Rh‐DTT showed high selectivity and sensitivity to DTT. Rh‐DTT can be successfully used for the two‐photon imaging of DTT in living cells, and also can detect DTT in living tissues and mice.
Harness community resources to prepare for emergencies
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: June 2018

Sandi Schnorenberg graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato, in 1986 with a bachelor of science in law enforcement, when it was known as Mankato State University. She didn't realize upon graduating that she'd one day be returning to MNSU Mankato as the director of campus security. When Schnorenberg was considering retiring from the Mankato Department of Public Safety, she came upon the listing for the job at MNSU Mankato. She was hired in 2016. Schnorenberg shared how her experience and education in emergency management have come in handy on campus and in her career.
Work with administrators to create a concealed‐carry policy
Authors: Hope Joan
Published: June 2018

DALLAS — Concealed carry on campus: It's a hotly contested topic both at colleges and universities and in state legislatures. If your institution doesn't have a policy in place, or needs to revise its policy based on changes in state law, you're likely to be involved in discussions about the policy and how to word it.
Batch versus Continuous Flow Performance of Supported Mono‐ and Bimetallic Nickel Catalysts for Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of Furfural in Isopropanol
Authors: Wang Yantao , Prinsen Pepijn , Triantafyllidis Konstantinos S. , Karakoulia Stamatia A. , Yepez Alfonso , Len Christophe , Luque Rafael
Published: June 2018

Furfural takes an important position in hemicelluloses biorefinery platforms. It can be converted into a wide range of chemicals. One important valorization route is the catalytic hydrogenation. Whereas molecular hydrogen is mostly used in industrial hydrogenation processes, recent studies also showed that alcohols can be used as reductants from which hydrides can be transferred catalytically to furfural. This process is often assisted by the formation of significant amounts of side products, in despite of high yields to the hydrogenolysis product 2‐methylfuran. The present work explores the catalytic behavior in batch and continuous flow of mono‐ and bimetallic nickel catalysts supported on activated carbon for the catalytic transfer hydrogenation of furfural in isopropanol.
Preparation of MOF Confined Ag Nanoparticles for the Highly Active, Size Selective Hydrogenation of Olefins
Authors: Chen Wen‐Jing , Cheng Bin‐Hai , Sun Qing‐Ting , Jiang Hong
Published: June 2018

Catalysts with both high activity and good selectivity for hydrogenation of olefins to alkanes are of interest. Herein, MOF confined ultrafine Ag NPs (Ag@HKUST‐1) were synthesized by double‐solvent approach using HKUST‐1 as the template and support. HKUST‐1 with narrow cage size distribution (0.5 to 0.9 nm) confined the growth of Ag NPs, while the uniform pores prohibited the entrance of olefins with the molecular size lager than 5.0 Å, which endow the Ag@HKUST‐1 with high catalytic activity and size selectivity for hydrogenation reaction. The hydrogenation of eight kinds of olefins with different molecular size (1‐hexene, cyclohexene, 1‐octene, cyclooctene, styrene, 1‐decene, 1, 1‐diphenylethylene, and 1‐dodecene) catalyzed by Ag@HKUST‐1 confirmed this hypothesis. The olefins with molecular smaller than 5.0 Å were efficiently converted to the corresponding alkanes, whereas those greater than 5.0 Å exhibited extremely low conversation. The catalyst also exhibited high recycle stability in the hydrogenation of styrene.
Effects of Instrumental Filters on Electrochemical Measurement of Single‐Nanoparticle Collision Dynamics
Authors: Robinson Donald A. , Edwards Martin A. , Ren Hang , White Henry S.
Published: June 2018

We discuss herein present‐day instrumental limitations to the electrochemical measurement of fast processes occurring at the single‐entity scale. We focus on the effect of filters on potentiostatic experiments in which the monitored current results from partial oxidations of an individual Ag nanoparticle undergoing repeated high‐frequency collisions with an electrode. From analysis of the resulting peak‐shaped current‐time events, we conclude that the average timescale of a single Ag nanoparticle/electrode collision is too short to resolve at the temporal limitations of current instrumentation. These findings are consistent with previously reported random walk model that predicts nanoparticle/electrode interactions at nanosecond timescales.
Aqueous Isolation of 17‐Nuclear Zr/Hf Oxide Clusters during the Hydrothermal Synthesis of ZrO2/HfO2
Authors: Sun Qing , Liu Caiyun , Zhang Guanyun , Zhang Jian , Tung Chen‐Ho , Wang Yifeng
Published: June 2018

Novel 17‐nuclear Zr/Hf oxide clusters ({Zr17} and {Hf17}) are isolated from aqueous systems. In the clusters, Zr/Hf ions are connected through μ3‐O, μ3‐OH, and μ2‐OH linkages into a pinwheel core which is wrapped with SO42−, HCOO−, and aqua ligands. Octahedral hexanuclear Zr/Hf oxide clusters ({Zr6}oct and {Hf6}oct) are also isolated from the same hydrothermal system by decreasing the synthesis temperature. Structures, synthetic conditions, vibrational spectra, and ionic conductivity of the clusters are studied. Structural studies and synthesis inspection suggest that formation of {Zr6}oct and {Zr17} involves assembly of the same transferable building blocks, but the condensation degree and thermodynamic stability of the products increase with hydrothermal temperature. The role of {Zr6}oct and {Zr17} in the formation of ZrO2 nanocrystals are then discussed in the scenario of nonclassical nucleation theory. In addition, the Zr oxide clusters exhibit ionic conductivity owing to the mobility of protons. This study not only adds new members to the Zr/Hf oxide cluster family, but also establishes a connection from Zr4+ ions to ZrO2 in the hydrothermal preparation of zirconium oxide nanomaterials.
Selective Synthesis of Unsymmetrical Aliphatic Acyloins through Oxidation of Iridium Enolates
Authors: Sanz‐Marco Amparo , Martinez‐Erro Samuel , Martín‐Matute Belén
Published: June 2018

The first method to access unsymmetrical aliphatic acyloins is presented. The method relies on a fast 1,3‐hydride shift mediated by an IrIII complex in allylic alcohols followed by oxidation with TEMPO+. The direct conversion of allylic alcohols into acyloins is achieved in a one‐pot procedure. Further functionalization of the Cα′ of the α‐amino‐oxylated ketone products gives access to highly functionalized unsymmetrical aliphatic ketones, which further highlights the utility of this transformation.
Zero‐dimensional lumped approach to incorporate the dynamic part of the pressure at vessel junctions in a 1D wave propagation model
Authors: van den Boom Tim , Stevens Raoul , Delhaas Tammo , van de Vosse Frans , Huberts Wouter
Published: June 2018

A benchmark study by Boileau et al tested 6 commonly used numerical schemes for 1D wave propagation, for their ability to capture the main features of pressure, flow, and area waveforms in large arteries. While all numerical schemes showed good agreement in pressure and flow waveforms for smaller arterial networks, the simplified trapezium rule method proposed by Kroon et al showed an overestimation for the systolic pressure of 1% in proximal regions and an underestimation of 3% in distal regions in comparison with the 5 other schemes when using a larger arterial network, published as the ADAN56 model. The authors attributed this difference to the neglection of the dynamic part of the pressure at vessel junctions. Carson et al resolved these differences by proposing 2 methods to implement the dynamic part of the pressure in the simplified trapezium rule method scheme. In the present study, an alternative method is introduced extending the work by Kroon et al. This alternative method consists of a new 0D element, which is placed at vessel junctions. The strength of this new element is the ease of implementation and its flexible coupling with other elements, without introducing additional degrees of freedom or the need of a penalty function. This new approach is compared with 5 other numerical schemes, which already have the dynamic part of the pressure incorporated. The new method shows excellent agreement with these schemes for the ADAN56 model.
Enhancement of Stability and Photocatalytic Performance on Hybrid Perovskite with Aniline
Authors: Wang Yidi , Luo Liangfeng , Chen Lei , Ng Pui Fai , Lee Ka I , Fei Bin
Published: June 2018

Aniline was introduced into the synthesis of methylammonium lead bromide MAPbBr3 (M‐PE) as a capping ligand. With the appropriate steric hindrance, aniline effectively bound to the surface of M‐PE particles and exposed hydrophobic phenyl groups, which were greatly beneficial for the enhancement of stability. M‐PE and aniline‐capped M‐PE (AM‐PE) were characterized by XRD, photoluminescence, UV/Vis spectroscopy, SEM and TEM. AM‐PE showed more uniform morphology and much higher stability in polar solvents. AM‐PE was almost unchanged in acetone within 100 hours while M‐PE completely decomposed within 24 hours. Light harvesting in the visible region was also enhanced by aniline, so that AM‐PE had much better performance for photodegradation of malachite green (MaG) than M‐PE. In addition, the decomposition process of M‐PE and AM‐PE was also investigated in detail.
Density Functional Theory – Machine Learning Approach to Analyze the Bandgap of Elemental Halide Perovskites and Ruddlesden‐Popper Phases
Authors: Allam Omar , Holmes Colin , Greenberg Zev , Kim Ki Chul , Jang Seung Soon
Published: June 2018

In this study, we have developed a protocol for exploring the vast chemical space of possible perovskites and screening promising candidates. Furthermore, we examined the factors that affect the band gap energies of perovskites. The Goldschmidt tolerance factor and octahedral factor, which range from 0.98 to 1 and from 0.45 to 0.7, respectively, are used to filter only highly cubic perovskites that are stable at room temperature. After removing rare or radioactively unstable elements, quantum mechanical density functional theory calculations are performed on the remaining perovskites to assess whether their electronic properties such as band structure are suitable for solar cell applications. Similar calculations are performed on the Ruddlesden‐Popper phase. Furthermore, machine learning was utilized to assess the significance of input parameters affecting the band gap of the perovskites.
Plasma diagnostic and microstructural study of WCN coatings growth by pulsed vacuum arc discharge
Authors: Restrepo‐Parra Elisabeth , Escobar Daniel , Ospina Rogelio , Quintero Jorge Hernán , Londoño Ricardo M.
Published: June 2018

In this work, we present a study of the plasma evolution during tungsten carbon nitride (WCN) coatings production using the repetitive pulsed arc technique. For the coatings production, a tungsten carbide (WC) target, and a mixture of argon and nitrogen as the filled gas were used. The study was carried out for discharges generated with one, two, three, and four pulses. The WCN coatings were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) to identify the phases present in this material. The plasma was experimentally studied by optical emission spectroscopy (OES). A correlation was found between the spectral lines behavior and the material composition evolution. As the number of pulses increased, the intensity of the spectral lines also increased, especially in the case of the atomic lines of nitrogen, NI. The results were analysed to obtain information regarding the reactions in the plasma, as well as the electron temperature and density.
Interaction of magnetoacoustic solitons in plasmas with dispersion effects through electron inertia
Authors: Parveen Shahida , Mahmood Shahzad , Qamar Anisa , Hussain Sajjad , Adnan Muhammad
Published: June 2018

The head‐on collision between two magnetoacoustic solitons is investigated in a magnetized plasma containing inertial cold ions and warm electrons. A two‐fluid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model is used to study the magnetoacoustic solitons interaction in plasmas. The magnetoacoustic wave dispersion effects appearing through electron inertial length (skin depth) are also included in the model. By using the extended Poincaré–Lighthill–Kuo (PLK) method, the Korteweg–de Vries (KdV) equations are derived for the low amplitude left and right moving magnetoacoustic solitons, their trajectories, and corresponding phase shifts after their elastic collisions are obtained analytically and examined numerically as well. It is found that only positive polarity (compressive) soliton structures of magnetoacoustic waves are formed. The profiles of head‐on collision and the time evolution of two compressive interacting magnetoacoustic solitons are also presented for illustration. The effect of plasma beta, which depends on plasma density, electron temperature, and magnetic field intensity, on the phase shift of the interacting magnetoacoustic solitons is also examined.
Path integral approach for Stark broadening of Lyman lines in hydrogen plasma
Authors: Bedida N. , Difallah M. , Meftah M.T. , Reinholz H. , Röpke G.
Published: June 2018

New results for Lyman lines from hydrogen plasmas are presented using the path integral approach. The influence of plasma components (electrons and ions) on the radiator is analysed separately. The ionic contribution is treated within the path integral approach, while the electronic contribution is estimated by the standard collision operator. The Stark effect, including the ion quadrupole contribution, is considered. The time‐dependent ionic microfield is treated within the path integral approximation using the model microfield method (MMM). The comparison with the quantum statistical approach is performed using a wide range of temperatures (T = 104–107 K) and electron densities (Ne = 1023–1026 m−3). Good agreement is mainly obtained for low density and high temperature.
A cooperative Bayesian and lower bound estimation in dynamic framed slotted ALOHA algorithm for RFID systems
Authors: Benssalah Mustapha , Djeddou Mustapha , Dahou Brahim , Drouiche Karim , Maali Abdelmadjid
Published: June 2018

A novel estimation scheme that combines Bayesian and lower bound estimating radio frequency identification tag population size is proposed. The developed methodology is based on the fusion between the Bayesian and lower bound estimating techniques. It turns out that the fusion rule is built up thanks to an existing linear relationship between the cited techniques. Simulation results show that the developed technique significantly improves the accuracy of the estimating tag quantity and presents less estimation error. Also, the resulting advanced dynamic framed slotted ALOHA protocol considerably improves the performance and efficiency of the radio frequency identification anti‐collision compared with the most recent protocols using others estimating methods.
Joint spectrum sensing and resource allocation optimization using genetic algorithm for frequency hopping–based cognitive radio networks
Authors: Yoo Sang‐Jo , Shrestha Anish Prasad , Seo Myunghwan , Han Chul‐Hee , Park Minho , Lee Kwang‐Eog
Published: June 2018

In cognitive radio (CR) networks, secondary users should effectively use unused licensed spectrums, unless they cause any harmful interference to the primary users. Therefore, spectrum sensing and channel resource allocation are the 2 main functionalities of CR networks, which play important roles in the performance of a CR system. To maximize the CR system utility, we propose a joint out‐of‐band spectrum sensing and operating channel allocation scheme based on genetic algorithm for frequency hopping–based CR networks. In this paper, to effectively sense the primary signal on hopping channels at each hopping slot time, a set of member nodes sense the next hopping channel, which is called out‐of‐band sensing. To achieve collision‐free cooperative sensing reporting, the next channel detection notification mechanism is presented. Using genetic algorithm, the optimum sensing and data transmission schedules are derived. It selects a sensing node set that participate the spectrum sensing for the next expected hopping channel during the current channel hopping time and another set of nodes that take opportunity for transmitting data on the current hopping channel. The optimum channel allocation is performed in accordance with each node's individual traffic demand. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme can achieve reliable spectrum sensing and efficient channel allocation.
Children’s autonomic functioning moderates links between maternal rejecting attitudes and preschool aggressive behaviors
Authors: Wagner Nicholas J. , Hastings Paul D. , Rubin Kenneth H.
Published: June 2018

Substantial theoretical and empirical literature suggests that the extent to which children's early experiences contribute to the development of aggressive behaviors may depend on the psychophysiological regulatory capacities of the child. This study adds to this literature by examining the relations between mothers’ rejecting child‐rearing attitudes and children's aggressive behaviors, as well as whether children's parasympathetic regulation, both at rest and in response to anger‐inducing films, moderate these links. Using the data collected from 88 preschoolers (mage = 51 months), the results revealed that the positive association between mothers’ rejecting child‐rearing attitudes and children's aggressive behaviors was moderated by respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity to anger. More rejecting child‐rearing attitudes predicted more aggressive behaviors only for children who showed mild RSA suppression to RSA augmentation. Conversely, and consistent with the differential‐susceptibility model, children who showed mild RSA suppression to RSA augmentation had the fewest aggressive behaviors when mothers reported less rejecting child‐rearing attitudes.
Gut microbiome in type 1 diabetes: A comprehensive review
Authors: Zheng Peilin , Li Zhixia , Zhou Zhiguang
Published: June 2018

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease, which is characterized by the destruction of islet β cells in the pancreas triggered by genetic and environmental factors. In past decades, extensive familial and genome‐wide association studies have revealed more than 50 risk loci in the genome. However, genetic susceptibility cannot explain the increased incidence of T1D worldwide, which is very likely attributed by the growing impact of environmental factors, especially gut microbiome. Recently, the role of gut microbiome in the pathogenesis of T1D has been uncovered by the increasing evidence from both human subjects and animal models, strongly indicating that gut microbiome might be a pivotal hub of T1D‐triggering factors, especially environmental factors. In this review, we summarize the current aetiological and mechanism studies of gut microbiome in T1D. A better understanding of the role of gut microbiome in T1D may provide us with powerful prognostic and therapeutic tools in the near future.
The influence of conopid flies on bumble bee colony productivity under different food resource conditions
Authors: Malfi Rosemary L. , Walter Jonathan A. , Roulston T'ai H. , Stuligross Clara , McIntosh Sarah , Bauer Lewis
Published: June 2018

Floral resources and natural enemies are considered important drivers of wild bee population dynamics, yet there is little information on how these factors, either independently or in combination, influence the demographic performance of bees. Bumble bees (Bombus spp.), ecologically important social insects, have long colony cycles lasting many weeks. Food shortfalls during the colony lifetime can result in smaller colony sizes and lower reproductive output. Conopid flies (Conopidae, Diptera) are prevalent endoparasitoids of bumble bees, often infecting high percentages of free‐flying individuals. Conopids can reduce worker life span and foraging efficiency; consequently, they may negatively affect colony success. In this study, we evaluated how seasonal variability in food resources and conopid parasitism together influence the productivity of bumble bee colonies through construction of a simulation model. In addition to simulating colony performance in relation to a defined food environment and conopid‐induced worker mortality, we evaluated how daily background mortality risk and the timing of colony initiation affected growth and reproductive outcomes of colonies, as well as the degree of influence exerted by conopids. Model parameters were largely informed by field data collected from Bombus impatiens colonies at our study site (Blandy Experimental Farm, Boyce, Virginia, USA), including data on forager risk of conopid parasitism as assessed using radio‐frequency identification (RFID) technology. In spite of the high probability of parasitism (4% per hour of flight during seasonal peak) incorporated into our model simulations, lethal parasitism by conopids generally had a modest influence on colony productivity, reducing reproductive output by 15% or less across most tested scenarios. However, conopids were more influential under very low resource conditions, reducing reproductive output by 21–28%. Inclusion of sublethal effects of conopids on foraging activity further reduced colony performance in all scenarios, but had a greater impact on colony performance under the poorest resource conditions. This work emphasizes that the importance of natural enemies to the demographic performance of bees can increase under certain environmental conditions and highlights the value of using models to consider multiple stressors that are difficult to evaluate simultaneously in field experiments.
Regional ground‐motion prediction equations for amplitude‐, frequency response‐, and duration‐based parameters for Greece
Authors: Chousianitis Konstantinos , Del Gaudio Vincenzo , Pierri Pierpaolo , Tselentis G.‐Akis
Published: June 2018

Although all of the main properties of a ground motion cannot be captured through a single parameter, a number of different engineering parameters has been proposed that are able to reflect either one or more ground‐motion characteristics concurrently. For many of these parameters, especially regarding Greece, there are relatively few or no predictive models. In this context, we present a set of new regionally‐calibrated equations for the prediction of the geometric mean of the horizontal components of 10 amplitude‐, frequency response‐, and duration‐based parameters for shallow crustal earthquakes. These equations supersede previous empirical relationships for Greece since their applicability range for magnitude, and epicentral distance has been extended down to Mw 4 and up to 200 km, respectively, the incorporation of a term accounting for anelastic attenuation has been investigated, while their development was based on a ground‐motion dataset spanning from 1973 to 2014. For all ground‐motion parameters, we provide alternative optimal equations relative to the availability of information on the different explanatory variables. In all velocity‐based and contrary to the acceleration‐based parameters, the anelastic attenuation coefficient was found statistically insignificant when it was combined with the geometric decay and the coefficient accounting for saturation with distance. In the regressions where the geometric decay coefficient simultaneously incorporated the contribution of anelastic attenuation, its increase was found to be much less considerable in the velocity‐based than in the acceleration‐based parameters, implying a stronger effect of anelastic attenuation on the parameters that are defined via the acceleration time history.
Childhood body mass index and development of eating disorder traits across adolescence
Authors: Wiklund Camilla A. , Kuja‐Halkola Ralf , Thornton Laura M. , Bälter Katarina , Welch Elisabeth , Bulik Cynthia M.
Published: June 2018

Objective

Understanding the role of premorbid body mass index (BMI) in the emergence of eating disorders may be key to identifying effective prevention strategies. We explore relations between BMI and eating disorders traits in young twins.

Method

The effect of BMI at age 9/12 and 15 on eating disorder traits measured using the Eating Disorders Inventory‐2 (EDI) at ages 15 and 18 was examined using bivariate modelling in a longitudinal population sample of Swedish twins.

Results

The correlation between BMI and EDI within individuals was stable across all ages and remained significant after adjusting for later BMI. Bivariate analysis indicated significant positive genetic correlations between BMI ages 9/12 and 15 and subsequent EDI scores. The relationship remained significant for BMI age 9/12 and EDI age 15 in the adjusted model, indicating a longitudinal association.

Conclusion

Our results have implications for conceptualizing the interrelation of BMI and eating disorders across childhood and adolescence.
Exploring microservices for enhancing internet QoS
Authors: Bhamare Deval , Samaka Mohammed , Erbad Aiman , Jain Raj , Gupta Lav
Published: June 2018

With the enhancements in the field of software‐defined networking and virtualization technologies, novel networking paradigms such as network function virtualization and the Internet of Things are rapidly gaining ground. The development of Internet of Things and 5G networks and explosion in online services has resulted in an exponential growth of devices connected to the network. As a result, application service providers and Internet service providers are being confronted with the unprecedented challenge of accommodating increasing service and traffic demands from the geographically distributed users. To tackle this problem, many and ISPs, such as Netflix, Facebook, and AT&T, are increasingly adopting microservices application architecture. Despite the success of microservices in the industry, there is no specific standard or research work for service providers as guidelines, especially from the perspective of basic microservice operations. In this work, we aim to bridge this gap between the industry and the academia and discuss different microservice deployment, discovery, and communication options for service providers as a means to forming complete service chains. In addition, we address the problem of scheduling microservices across multiple clouds, including microclouds. We consider different user‐level service level agreements, such as latency and cost, while scheduling such services. We aim to reduce the overall turnaround time and costs for the deployment of complete end‐to‐end service. In this work, we present a novel affinity‐based fair weighted scheduling heuristic to solve this problem. We also compare the results of the proposed solution with standard greedy scheduling algorithms presented in the literature and observe significant improvements.
International comparisons of disparities in access to care for people with mental health conditions
Authors: Corscadden Lisa , Callander Emily J. , Topp Stephanie M.
Published: June 2018

Objective

Relatively little is known about experiences of barriers in access to overall care for people with mental health conditions (MHCs), or disparities between people with and without MHCs, or how patterns vary across countries.

Data and method

The 2016 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey of adults was used to compare access barriers for people with MHCs across 11 countries, and disparities within countries between people with and without an MHC, using normalized scores. Disparities were also assessed by using multivariable models adjusting for age, sex, immigrant status, income, and self‐rated health.

Result

On average, people with MHCs had a higher prevalence of barriers, with a gap of 7 percentage points between people with and without MHCs. The gap ranged from 5 to 9% across countries. For people with an MHC, the most common access barriers were skipping care due to cost (26%) and receiving conflicting information from providers (26%). For all countries, having an MHC was associated with higher odds of experiencing barriers of access to care on several measures, with at least 1 case where the adjusted odds were greater than 2.

Conclusion

There is an imperative to improve monitoring of access to overall health care for people with MHCs and an opportunity learn from countries with fewer barriers and disparities in access to care.
Personal trust extends cooperation beyond trustees: A Mexican study
Authors: Acedo‐Carmona Cristina , Gomila Antoni
Published: June 2018

We studied 2 groups of workers from Oaxaca (Mexico) with different levels of income and education to investigate the role that the affective‐based psychological mechanism of personal trust, as evolutionarily acquired, plays on group cooperation. We measured trust levels through some questionnaires and cooperative behaviour through an iterated prisoner's dilemma under different conditions and analysed trust networks of group members. While these groups did not differ in trust levels or cooperation among trustees, they did differ in terms of cooperation with other group members. Such differences are related to dissimilarities in the trust network topology—as a measure of group cohesion. These results suggest that some personal trust networks extend cooperation within a group beyond trustees in a way that complements the role of the reputation for indirect reciprocity.
Proving in Geometry: A Sociocultural Approach to Constructing Mathematical Arguments Through Multimodal Literacies
Authors: Taylor Christine
Published: June 2018

Multimodal literacies have been incorporated as social learning practices in content areas, but research regarding multimodality within secondary mathematics instruction has often lacked the sociocultural lens. The author describes practitioner action research in the form of a case study (with one focal participant) from a public high school. The author explored the use of multimodal literacies through geometry students’ projects, work samples, classroom videos, and interviews. Students created and presented arguments (through PowerPoint, Word, videos, and storybooks) on court cases in efforts to relate proving and justifying in geometry to evidence and claims in court. Findings reveal ways that multimodal literacies served as a vehicle for students to engage with their social context of learning in a mathematics classroom, demonstrating that sociocultural approaches to multimodal literacies can apprentice students into disciplinary literacy practices of mathematics. Moreover, these sociocultural perspectives toward multimodal literacies pose possible instructional applications in multiple content areas.
Prevalence of combined and noncombined dyslipidemia in an Iranian population
Authors: Darroudi Susan , Saberi‐Karimian Maryam , Tayefi Maryam , Arekhi Soheil , Motamedzadeh Torghabeh Ali , Seyedzadeh Sani Seyed Mohammad Reza , Moohebati Mohsen , Heidari‐Bakavoli Alireza , Ebrahimi Mahmoud , Azarpajouh Mahmoud Reza , Safarian Mohammad , A. Ferns Gordon , Esmaeili Habibollah , Parizadeh Mohammad Reza , Mokhber Naghme , Mahdizadeh Adeleh , Mahmoudi Ali Asghar , Sahebkar Amir Hossein , Ghayour‐Mobarhan Majid
Published: June 2018

Background

Combination of dyslipidemic phenotypes, including elevated plasma levels of low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), elevated plasma triglycerides (TG), and decreased low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) concentrations, is important because of the association of individual phenotypes with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We investigated the prevalence of combined dyslipidemias and their effects on CVD risk in an Iranian large population.

Method

A total of 9847 individuals were recruited as part of the Mashhad Stroke and Heart Atherosclerotic Disorders (MASHAD) cohort study. Anthropometric parameters and biochemical indices were measured in all of the subjects. Different types of combined dyslipidemias including high TG + low HDL‐C, high TG + low HDL‐C + high LDL‐C, low HDL‐C + high LDL‐C, high TG + high LDL‐C, and finally high TG + high LDL‐C + low HDL‐C were considered. Ten‐year CVD risk was calculated using the QRISK2 risk algorithm and adjustments were made as suggested by the Joint British Societies’ (JBS2). Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the association between different combined dyslipidemias and categorical QRISK.

Results

A total of 3952 males and 5895 females were included in this current study. Among the included subjects, 83.4% had one form of dyslipidemia, and 16.6% subjects were not dyslipidemic. The mean age was 48.88 ± 7.9 and 47.02 ± 8.54 years for dyslipidemic and nondyslipidemic groups, respectively. The results showed that the frequency of dyslipidemia was 98%, 87.1%, and 90% in subjects with metabolic syndrome, CVD, and diabetes, respectively. Our results suggested that around 15.7% of study population were at 10 years CVD risk (high ≥20) and it was higher in men than women (P < .001). Moreover, risk of CVD was higher in TG↑ & HDL↓ & LDL↑ group than other groups.

Conclusion

Prevalence of dyslipidemia was 83.4% among Iranian adults. The results showed that individuals with increased plasma TG and LDL‐C, and low HDL‐C levels had the highest 10 years CVD risk compared to other combined dyslipidemic phenotypes.
Significant association of PRMT6 hypomethylation with colorectal cancer
Authors: Pan Ranran , Yu Hang , Dai Jie , Zhou Cong , Ying Xiuru , Zhong Jie , Zhao Jun , Zhang Yihan , Wu Boyi , Mao Yiyi , Wu Dongping , Ying Jieer , Duan Shiwei
Published: June 2018

Background

Protein arginine N‐methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6) was deemed to be indispensable in the variety of biological processes. Upregulated PRMT6 was found in various human diseases including cancer. Herein, we investigated the performance of PRMT6 methylation in the diagnosis for CRC.

Methods

A quantitative methylation‐specific polymerase chain reaction (qMSP) method was used to measure PRMT6 promoter methylation. The percentage of methylated reference (PMR) was applied to represent gene methylation level.

Results

Our data indicated that PRMT6 promoter methylation levels were significantly lower in CRC tissues than those in paired nontumor tissues (median PMR: 36.93% vs 63.12%, P = 1E‐6) and normal intestinal tissues (median PMR: 36.93% vs 506.55%, P = 8E‐12). We further examined the potential role of PRMT6 hypomethylation by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Our results showed that the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.644 (95% CI = 0.596‐0.733) between CRC tissues and paired nontumor tissues, 0.958 (95% CI = 0.919‐0.998) between CRC tissues and normal intestinal tissues, and 0.899 (95% CI = 0.825‐0.972) between paired nontumor tissues and normal intestinal tissues.

Conclusion

Our study firstly indicated that the hypomethylation of PRMT6 promoter could be a novel diagnostic biomarker for CRC.
Purification, characterization and potential applications of a novel halotolerant metalloprotease from marine bacterium Vibrio sp. LA‐05
Authors: Zhang Hong , Li Hui , Lang Dietmar A , Xu Hai , Zhu Hu
Published: June 2018

BACKGROUND

Many reported proteases showed low activity and stability under harsh operating conditions, e.g. high pH, salinity and surfactants, which hinders expansion of their applications in industry. Here, a novel halotolerant metalloprotease from marine bacterium Vibrio sp. LA‐05 endowed with superior properties was purified and characterized, and its industrial application also evaluated.

RESULTS

The protease was active and stable at 25–40°C and pH 6.0–10.0. Moreover, it was remarkably stable in high salt solution, tolerant to denaturing agents, organic solvents, surfactants and bleaching agents, and quite compatible and stable with many commercial detergents. Its residual activities were above 22% even after co‐incubation with 20% NaCl for 480 h. Except Ariel and Tide, the residual activities were all above 55% after co‐incubation with five other liquid detergents for 240 h. The corresponding theoretical analyses show that it is a metalloprotease containing 1 mol of zinc ion per mole of protease, the mature active protease predominantly in α‐helix form consists of 321 amino acids, and the central zinc ion along with 11 other conserved and crucial amino acid residues forms the catalytic domain.

CONCLUSION

These excellent properties indicated that the protease has considerable potential as a bio‐additive in the application of detergent formulations. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Thyroid follicular carcinoma in a teenager: A case report
Authors: Oka Kosuke , Shien Tadahiko , Otsuka Fumio
Published: June 2018

A 19‐year‐old girl complained of an enlarged cervical mass. Based on clinical and cytological assessments, it was diagnosed as thyroid follicular carcinoma and left thyroidectomy was performed. Although thyroid neoplasms are rare in young people, differentiation is needed when the rapid growth of a goiter is detected.