bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glycated haemoglobin A1c as a risk factor of cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality in diabetic and non-diabetic populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Cavero-Redondo Iván , Peleteiro Barbara , Álvarez-Bueno Celia , Rodriguez-Artalejo Fernando , Martínez-Vizcaíno Vicente
Published: August 2017

Objective

To examine the relationship between glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels and the risk of cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality based on data from observational studies and to determine the optimal levels of HbA1c for preventing cardiovascular events and/or mortality in diabetic and non-diabetic populations.

Review methods

We systematically searched Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Web of Science databases, from inception to July 2016, for observational studies addressing the association of HbA1c levels with mortality and cardiovascular outcomes. Random effects models were used to compute pooled estimates of HR and respective 95% CI for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and risk of cardiovascular events, separately for people with and without diabetes.

Results

Seventy-four published studies were included in the systematic review, but only 46 studies could be incorporated in the meta-analysis. In both diabetic and non-diabetic populations, there was an increase in the risk of all-cause mortality when HbA1c levels were over 8.0% and 6.0%, respectively. The highest all-cause mortality in people with diabetes was HbA1c above 9.0% (HR=1.69; 95% CI 1.09 to 2.66) and in those without diabetes was HbA1c above 6.0% (HR=1.74; 95% CI 1.38 to 2.20). However, both diabetic and non-diabetic populations with lower HbA1c levels (below 6.0% HR=1.57; 95% CI 1.14 to 2.17 and below 5.0% HR=1.19; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.36, respectively) had higher all-cause mortality. Similar pooled estimates were found when cardiovascular mortality was the outcome variable.

Conclusion

HbA1c is a reliable risk factor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in both diabetics and non-diabetics. Our findings establish optimal HbA1c levels, for the lowest all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, ranging from 6.0% to 8.0% in people with diabetes and from 5.0% to 6.0% in those without diabetes.
Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, correlates and interventions among Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Avery Jodie C , Bowden Jacqueline A , Dono Joanne , Gibson Odette R , Brownbill Aimee , Keech Wendy , Roder David , Miller Caroline L
Published: August 2017

Introduction

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities of Australia experience poorer health outcomes in the areas of overweight and obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Contributing to this burden of disease in the Australian community generally and in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, is the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). We have described a protocol for a review to systematically scope articles that document use of SSBs and interventions to reduce their consumption with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These results will inform future work that investigates interventions aimed at reducing harm associated with SSB consumption.

Methods and analysis

This scoping review draws on a methodology that uses a six-step approach to search databases including PubMed, SCOPUS, CINAHL, Informit (including Informit: Indigenous Peoples), Joanna Briggs Institute EBP Database and Mura, between January 1980 and February 2017. Two reviewers will be engaged to search for and screen studies independently, using formulated selection criteria, for inclusion in our review. We will include primary research studies, systematic reviews including meta-analysis or meta-synthesis, reports and unpublished grey literature. Results will be entered into a table identifying study details and characteristics, summarised using a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis chart and then critically analysed.

Ethics and dissemination

This review will not require ethics committee review. Results will be disseminated at appropriate scientific meetings, as well as through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
This Much Water: a qualitative study using behavioural theory to develop a community service video to prevent child drowning in Western Australia
Authors: Denehy Mel , Leavy Justine E , Jancey Jonine , Nimmo Lauren , Crawford Gemma
Published: August 2017

Objectives

Drowning in children under the age of 5 is a frequently occurring, yet preventable event. This research used behavioural theory to test the suitability and appropriateness of a drowning prevention message in a community service video.

Design

This qualitative study used content analysis of focus groups. Constructs from the Health Belief Model guided the data analysis.

Setting

Community organisations and playgrounds in Perth, Western Australia.

Participants

Participants were parents or carers of at least one child under 5 years residing in Western Australia. Seven focus groups (n=57) were conducted with eight participants in each group. Most participants were parents (96%), female (95%), aged between 25 and 34 years (63%) and were born in Australia (68%).

Results

Participants indicated the community service video was credible in communicating the message that young children were susceptible to drowning in shallow water and that various water hazards existed in and around the home. However, a range of external factors, such as the child's age, type of water hazard, presence of siblings and other environmental factors, influenced risk perceptions. Child drowning was seen as a serious issue. Controlling access to water and the role of supervision were understood to be important factors in preventing drowning.

Conclusions

The lack of published drowning prevention interventions shaped by behavioural theory limits the understanding of best practice. Using constructs from the Health Belief Model, this research confirmed the perceived seriousness, devastating and unforgettable consequence of drowning; however, findings were mixed regarding cues to action. Future development of drowning prevention media messages should test strategies to increase susceptibility and self-efficacy among the target group and explore the impact of different message senders. The findings provide a valuable understanding of possible messages and their execution for use in media campaigns, as one component of an effective public health intervention to prevent child drowning underpinned by behavioural theory.
Comparative transcriptomic analysis of porcine peripheral blood reveals differentially expressed genes from the cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction pathway related to health status
Authors: Ye M.H. , Bao H. , Meng Y. , Guan L.L. , Stothard P. , Plastow G.
Published: August 2017

While some research has looked into the host genetic response in pigs challenged with specific viruses or bacteria, few studies have explored the expression changes of transcripts in the peripheral blood of sick pigs that may be infected with multiple pathogens on farms. In this study, the architecture of the peripheral blood transcriptome of 64 Duroc sired commercial pigs, including 18 healthy animals at entry to a growing facility (set as a control) and 23 pairs of samples from healthy and sick pen mates, was generated using RNA-Seq technology. In total, 246 differentially expressed genes were identified to be specific to the sick animals. Functional enrichment analysis for those genes revealed that the over-represented gene ontology terms for the biological processes category were exclusively immune activity related. The cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction pathway was significantly enriched. Nine functional genes from this pathway encoding members (as well as their receptors) of the interleukins, chemokines, tumor necrosis factors, colony stimulating factors, activins, and interferons exhibited significant transcriptional alteration in sick animals. Our results suggest a subset of novel marker genes that may be useful candidate genes in the evaluation and prediction of health status in pigs under commercial production conditions.
Quantum mechanics on (anti)-de Sitter background
Authors: Chung Won Sang , Hassanabadi Hassan
Published: August 2017

In this paper, the quantum mechanics on the (anti) de Sitter background is investigated. the extended uncertainty principle and the deformed calculus are discussed for the quantum mechanics on the (anti)-de Sitter background. As examples one-dimensional box problem and one-dimensional harmonic oscillator problem are discussed.
Zn-doped SnO2 nanoparticles: Structural, optical, dielectric and magnetic properties
Authors: Zulfiqar  , Yuan Yuliang , Iqbal Zainab , Lu Jianguo
Published: August 2017

Zn-doped SnO2 nanoparticles have been synthesized by the chemical precipitation method with the Zn contents ([Formula: see text]) of 1, 2 and 4 wt.%. The nanoparticles are crystalline in all cases, with the average particle size decreasing from 13.4 nm to 7.71 nm as the Zn concentration increases. The visible photoluminescence emission is observed in Zn-doped SnO2 nanoparticles, with larger emission intensity at elevated Zn content. The dielectric constant has a strong doping dependence, which is evidently enhanced with increasing Zn content. Magnetization measurements reveal the enhancement in saturation magnetization and remanence magnetization, while the reduction in coercive field is observed with increasing amount of Zn dopant. The variation of optical, dielectric and magnetic properties is due to the incorporation of Zn in SnO2 with smaller particle size and higher defect density. The present study clearly reveals the doping-induced ferromagnetism in Zn-doped SnO2 nanoparticles, having applications in ultrahigh dielectric materials, high frequency devices and spintronics.
Stochastic resonance in FitzHugh–Nagumo neural system driven by correlated non-Gaussian noise and Gaussian noise
Authors: Guo Yong-Feng , Xi Bei , Wei Fang , Tan Jian-Guo
Published: August 2017

In this paper, the phenomenon of stochastic resonance in FitzHugh–Nagumo (FHN) neural system driven by correlated non-Gaussian noise and Gaussian white noise is investigated. First, the analytical expression of the stationary probability distribution is derived by using the path integral approach and the unified colored noise approximation. Then, we obtain the expression of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by applying the theory of two-state model. The results show that the phenomena of stochastic resonance and multiple stochastic resonance appear in FHN neural system under different values of parameters. The effects of the multiplicative noise intensity D and the additive noise intensity Q on the SNR are entirely different. In addition, the discharge behavior of FHN neural system is restrained when the value of Q is smaller. But, it is conducive to enhance signal response of FHN neural system when the values of Q and D are relatively larger.
Controlling measurement-induced nonlocality in the Heisenberg XX model by three-spin interactions
Authors: Xie Yu-Xia , Sun Yu-Hang , Li Zhao
Published: August 2017

We investigate the well-defined measures of measurement-induced nonlocality (MIN) for thermal states of the transverse field XX model, with the addition of three-spin interaction terms being introduced. The results showed that the MINs are very sensitive to system parameters of the chain. The three-spin interactions can serve as flexible parameters for enhancing MINs of the boundary spins, and the maximum enhancement achievable by varying strengths of the three-spin interactions are different for the chain with different number of spins.
SA-SOM algorithm for detecting communities in complex networks
Authors: Chen Luogeng , Wang Yanran , Huang Xiaoming , Hu Mengyu , Hu Fang
Published: August 2017

Currently, community detection is a hot topic. This paper, based on the self-organizing map (SOM) algorithm, introduced the idea of self-adaptation (SA) that the number of communities can be identified automatically, a novel algorithm SA-SOM of detecting communities in complex networks is proposed. Several representative real-world networks and a set of computer-generated networks by LFR-benchmark are utilized to verify the accuracy and the efficiency of this algorithm. The experimental findings demonstrate that this algorithm can identify the communities automatically, accurately and efficiently. Furthermore, this algorithm can also acquire higher values of modularity, NMI and density than the SOM algorithm does.
First-principles study of the electronic structure and thermoelectric properties of LaOBiCh2 (Ch=S, Se)
Authors: Wang Guangtao , Wang Dongyang , Shi Xianbiao , Peng Yufeng
Published: August 2017

We studied the crystal and electronic structures of LaOBiSSe and LaOBiSeS using first-principles calculations and confirmed that the LaOBiSSe (S atoms on the top of BiCh2 layer and Se atoms in the inner of it) is the stable structure. Then we calculate the thermoelectric properties of LaOBiSSe using the standard Boltzmann transport theory. The in-plane thermoelectric performance are better than that along the c-axis in this n-type material. The in-plane power factor [Formula: see text] of n-type LaOBiSSe is as high as 12 [Formula: see text]W/cmK2 at 900 K with figure of merit ZT = 0.53 and [Formula: see text]. The ZT maximum appears around [Formula: see text] in a wide temperature region. The results indicate that LaOBiSSe is a 2D material with good thermal performance in n-type doping.
Finger Vein ROI Extraction Based on Robust Edge Detection and Flexible Sliding Window
Authors: Wang Mingwen , Tang Dongming , Chen Zhangyou
Published: August 2017

An accurate region of interest extraction (ROI) plays an important role for both finger vein recognition systems and finger vein-based cryptography systems. In order to localize the rectangle ROI accurately, the edges of the finger and a line in the finger joint region should be detected accurately as a reference position. Because most of the existing finger edge detection methods do not work well, a robust finger edge detection method is proposed in this paper. An inner line of the finger is first detected to divide the finger vein image by two parts, after that two edge detection templates and a series of technologies such as interpolation, fit, etc. are used to detect and fix the wrong edges of the finger. Furthermore, considering that the shapes of the brighter finger joint region are irregular, multiple sliding windows including rectangle, disk, diamond and ellipse are generated, respectively to detect the reference line of the finger joint. Finally, a contour similarity distance-based method is introduced to evaluate the performance of various sliding windows. The experimental results show that the proposed edge detection method can 100% successfully detect the edges of the fingers in our finger vein image database. And for various detection windows, the ellipse window is more suitable for the detection of the finger joint reference line. So, the proposed ROI extraction method for finger vein images has a better overall performance compared with the other methods.
Observability Conditions for Switching Sensing Topology for Cooperative Localization
Authors: Chakraborty Anusna , Misra Sohum , Sharma Rajnikant , Taylor Clark. N.
Published: August 2017

In this paper, we solve a discrete-time bearing-only cooperative localization problem for a team of autonomous vehicles with a special focus on switching sensing topology. A centralized Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is used for jointly estimating position and heading of all the vehicles using local motion and relative bearing measurements. We derive discrete-time conditions for switching relative sensing topology. Furthermore, we use cooperative synchronization for generating vehicle paths that satisfy the observability conditions. The conditions are verified through simulation and experimental results.
Enhancing Semantic Expressivity in the Cultural Heritage Domain
Authors: Daquino Marilena , Mambelli Francesca , Peroni Silvio , Tomasi Francesca , Vitali Fabio
Published: August 2017

Describing cultural heritage objects from the perspective of Linked Open Data (LOD) is not a trivial task. The process often requires not only choosing pertinent ontologies but also developing new models that preserve the most information and express the semantic power of cultural heritage data. Indeed, data managed in archives, libraries, and museums are complex objects themselves, which require a deep reflection on even nonconventional conceptual models. Starting from these considerations, this article describes a research project: to expose the vastness of one of the most important collections of European cultural heritage, the Zeri Photo Archive, as LOD. We describe here the steps we undertook to this end. First, we developed two ad hoc ontologies for describing all issues not completely covered by existent models (the
F Entry
and the
OA Entry Ontology
). Then we mapped into RDF the descriptive elements used in the current Zeri Photo Archive catalog, converting into CIDOC CRM and into the two new aforementioned models the source data based on the Italian content standards Scheda F (
photography entry
, in English) and Scheda OA (
work of art entry
, in English). Finally, we created an RDF dataset of the output of the mapping that could show a result capable of demonstrating the complexity of our scenario.
DBSCAN Revisited, Revisited
Authors: Schubert Erich , Sander Jörg , Ester Martin , Kriegel Hans Peter , Xu Xiaowei
Published: August 2017

At SIGMOD 2015, an article was presented with the title “DBSCAN Revisited: Mis-Claim, Un-Fixability, and Approximation” that won the conference’s best paper award. In this technical correspondence, we want to point out some inaccuracies in the way DBSCAN was represented, and why the criticism should have been directed at the assumption about the performance of spatial index structures such as R-trees and not at an algorithm that can use such indexes. We will also discuss the relationship of DBSCAN performance and the indexability of the dataset, and discuss some heuristics for choosing appropriate DBSCAN parameters. Some indicators of bad parameters will be proposed to help guide future users of this algorithm in choosing parameters such as to obtain both meaningful results and good performance. In new experiments, we show that the new SIGMOD 2015 methods do not appear to offer practical benefits if the DBSCAN parameters are well chosen and thus they are primarily of theoretical interest. In conclusion, the original DBSCAN algorithm with effective indexes and reasonably chosen parameter values performs competitively compared to the method proposed by Gan and Tao.
Don’t Trust the Cloud, Verify
Authors: Brandenburger Marcus , Cachin Christian , Knežević Nikola
Published: August 2017

Cloud services have turned remote computation into a commodity and enable convenient online collaboration. However, they require that clients fully trust the service provider in terms of confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Toward reducing this dependency, this article introduces
VICOS
, a protocol for verification of integrity and consistency for cloud object storage that enables a group of mutually trusting clients to detect data integrity and consistency violations for a cloud object storage service. It aims at services where multiple clients cooperate on data stored remotely on a potentially misbehaving service. VICOS enforces the consistency notion of fork-linearizability, supports wait-free client semantics for most operations, and reduces the computation and communication overhead compared to previous protocols. VICOS is based on a generic authenticated data structure. Moreover, its operations cover the hierarchical name space of a cloud object store, supporting a real-world interface and not only a simplistic abstraction. A prototype of VICOS that works with the key-value store interface of commodity cloud storage services has been implemented, and an evaluation demonstrates its advantage compared to existing systems.
On the Hardness and Approximation of Euclidean DBSCAN
Authors: Gan Junhao , Tao Yufei
Published: August 2017

DBSCAN is a method proposed in 1996 for clustering multi-dimensional points, and has received extensive applications. Its computational hardness is still unsolved to this date. The original KDD‚96 paper claimed an algorithm of
O
(
n
log
n
) ”average runtime complexity„ (where
n
is the number of data points) without a rigorous proof. In 2013, a genuine
O
(
n
log
n
)-time algorithm was found in 2D space under Euclidean distance. The hardness of dimensionality
d
≥3 has remained open ever since.

This article considers the problem of computing DBSCAN clusters from scratch (assuming no existing indexes) under Euclidean distance. We prove that, for
d
≥3, the problem requires ω(
n
4/3
) time to solve, unless very significant breakthroughs—ones widely believed to be impossible—could be made in theoretical computer science. Motivated by this, we propose a relaxed version of the problem called ρ-
approximate DBSCAN
, which returns the same clusters as DBSCAN, unless the clusters are ”unstable„ (i.e., they change once the input parameters are slightly perturbed). The ρ-approximate problem can be settled in
O
(
n
) expected time regardless of the constant dimensionality
d
.

The article also enhances the previous result on the exact DBSCAN problem in 2D space. We show that, if the
n
data points have been pre-sorted on each dimension (i.e., one sorted list per dimension), the problem can be settled in
O
(
n
) worst-case time. As a corollary, when all the coordinates are integers, the 2D DBSCAN problem can be solved in
O
(
n
log log
n
) time deterministically, improving the existing
O
(
n
log
n
) bound.
A Comprehensive BIST Solution for Polar Transceivers Using On-Chip Resources
Authors: Jeong Jae Woong , Natarajan Vishwanath , Sen Shreyas , Mak Tm , Kitchen Jennifer , Ozev Sule
Published: August 2017

This article presents a Built-in self-test (BIST) solution for polar transceivers with low cost and high accuracy. Radio frequency (RF) Polar transceivers are desirable for portable devices due to higher power efficiency compared to traditional RF Cartesian transceivers. Unfortunately, their design is quite challenging due to substantially different signal paths that need to work coherently to ensure signal quality. In the receiver, phase and gain mismatches degrade sensitivity and error vector magnitude. In the transmitter, delay skew between the envelope and phase signals and the finite envelope bandwidth can create intermodulation distortion, which leads to violation of spectral mask requirements. Typically, these parameters are not directly measured but calibrated through spectral analysis using expensive RF equipment, leading to lengthy and costly measurement/calibration cycles. However, characterization and calibration of these parameters with analytical model would reduce the test time and cost considerably. In this article, we propose a technique to measure with the intent to calibrate impairments of the polar transceiver in the loop-back mode. Simulation and hardware measurement results show that the proposed technique can characterize the targeted impairments accurately.
Word- and Partition-Level Write Variation Reduction for Improving Non-Volatile Cache Lifetime
Authors: Wang Shuai , Duan Guangshan , Li Yupeng , Dong Qianhao
Published: August 2017

Non-volatile memory technologies are among the most promising technologies for implementing the main memories and caches in future microprocessors and replacing the traditional DRAM and SRAM technologies. However, one of the most challenging design issues of the non-volatile memory technologies is the limited write. In this article, we first propose to exploit the narrow-width values to improve the lifetime of non-volatile last-level caches with word-level write variation reduction. Leading zeros masking scheme is proposed to reduce the write stress to the upper half of the narrow-width data. To balance the write variations between the upper half and the lower half of the narrow-width data, two swapping schemes, the swap on write (SW) and swap on replacement (SRepl), are proposed. Two existing optimization schemes, the multiple dirty bit (MDB) and read before write (RBW), are adopted with our word-level swapping design. To further reduce the write variation on the partition level, we propose to exploit the cache partitioning design to improve the lifetime. Based on the observation that different applications demonstrate different cache access (write) behaviors, we propose to partition the last-level cache for different applications and balance the write variations by partition swapping. Both software-based and hardware-based partitioning and swapping schemes are proposed and evaluated for different situations. Our experimental results show that both our word- and partition-level designs can improve the lifetime of the non-volatile caches effectively with low performance and energy overheads.
Handmade Narrations
Authors: Mirri Silvia , Prandi Catia , Roccetti Marco , Salomoni Paola
Published: August 2017

This article describes a study of a digital multimedia system that allows people to enjoy a narrative experience focusing on food and gastronomic culture. With this multimedia application, termed
di Piazza in Piazza
, people have gotten in contact with several types of digital content about culinary traditions and local Italian products, simply using their hands. This design decision came after the acknowledgment that hands play a prominent role in the relationship between humans and food (think, for example, about the activities of eating and cooking). Studies of
di Piazza in Piazza
users have basically unveiled two results: (a) it was a really funny experience using hands and (b) narrations focusing on local products and traditions have mostly captivated the interest of visitors, thus confirming the strong cultural relationship among people, culinary traditions, and regional foods.
Warcbase
Authors: Lin Jimmy , Milligan Ian , Wiebe Jeremy , Zhou Alice
Published: August 2017

Web archiving initiatives around the world capture ephemeral Web content to preserve our collective digital memory. However, unlocking the potential of Web archives for humanities scholars and social scientists requires a scalable analytics infrastructure to support exploration of captured content. We present Warcbase, an open-source Web archiving platform that aims to fill this need. Our platform takes advantage of modern open-source “big data” infrastructure, namely Hadoop, HBase, and Spark, that has been widely deployed in industry. Warcbase provides two main capabilities: support for temporal browsing and a domain-specific language that allows scholars to interrogate Web archives in several different ways. This work represents a collaboration between computer scientists and historians, where we have engaged in iterative codesign to build tools for scholars with no formal computer science training. To provide guidance, we propose a process model for scholarly interactions with Web archives that begins with a question and proceeds iteratively through four main steps: filter, analyze, aggregate, and visualize. We call this the FAAV cycle for short and illustrate with three prototypical case studies. This article presents the current state of the project and discusses future directions.
Efficient Attack Graph Analysis through Approximate Inference
Authors: Muñoz-González Luis , Sgandurra Daniele , Paudice Andrea , Lupu Emil C.
Published: August 2017

Attack graphs provide compact representations of the attack paths an attacker can follow to compromise network resources from the analysis of network vulnerabilities and topology. These representations are a powerful tool for security risk assessment. Bayesian inference on attack graphs enables the estimation of the risk of compromise to the system’s components given their vulnerabilities and interconnections and accounts for multi-step attacks spreading through the system. While static analysis considers the risk posture at rest, dynamic analysis also accounts for evidence of compromise, for example, from Security Information and Event Management software or forensic investigation. However, in this context, exact Bayesian inference techniques do not scale well. In this article, we show how Loopy Belief Propagation—an approximate inference technique—can be applied to attack graphs and that it scales linearly in the number of nodes for both static and dynamic analysis, making such analyses viable for larger networks. We experiment with different topologies and network clustering on synthetic Bayesian attack graphs with thousands of nodes to show that the algorithm’s accuracy is acceptable and that it converges to a stable solution. We compare sequential and parallel versions of Loopy Belief Propagation with exact inference techniques for both static and dynamic analysis, showing the advantages and gains of approximate inference techniques when scaling to larger attack graphs.
Mixtape
Authors: Pontello Luciana Fujii , Holanda Pedro H. F. , Guilherme Bruno , Cardoso João Paulo V. , Goussevskaia Olga , Silva Ana Paula Couto Da
Published: August 2017

In this work, we explore the increasing demand for novel user interfaces to navigate large media collections. We implement a geometric data structure to store and retrieve item-to-item similarity information and propose a novel navigation framework that uses vector operations and real-time user feedback to direct the outcome. The framework is scalable to large media collections and is suitable for computationally constrained devices. In particular, we implement this framework in the domain of music. To evaluate the effectiveness of the navigation process, we propose an automatic evaluation framework, based on synthetic user profiles, which allows us to quickly simulate and compare navigation paths using different algorithms and datasets. Moreover, we perform a real user study. To do that, we developed and launched
Mixtape
, a simple web application that allows users to create playlists by providing real-time feedback through liking and skipping patterns.
Sparse Representation-Based Semi-Supervised Regression for People Counting
Authors: Zhang Hong-Bo , Zhong Bineng , Lei Qing , Du Ji-Xiang , Peng Jialin , Chen Duansheng , Ke Xiao
Published: August 2017

Label imbalance and the insufficiency of labeled training samples are major obstacles in most methods for counting people in images or videos. In this work, a sparse representation-based semi-supervised regression method is proposed to count people in images with limited data. The basic idea is to predict the unlabeled training data, select reliable samples to expand the labeled training set, and retrain the regression model. In the algorithm, the initial regression model, which is learned from the labeled training data, is used to predict the number of people in the unlabeled training dataset. Then, the unlabeled training samples are regarded as an over-complete dictionary. Each feature of the labeled training data can be expressed as a sparse linear approximation of the unlabeled data. In turn, the labels of the labeled training data can be estimated based on a sparse reconstruction in feature space. The label confidence in labeling an unlabeled sample is estimated by calculating the reconstruction error. The training set is updated by selecting unlabeled samples with minimal reconstruction errors, and the regression model is retrained on the new training set. A co-training style method is applied during the training process. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method has a low mean square error and mean absolute error compared with those of state-of-the-art people-counting benchmarks.
SIRT6 regulates metabolic homeostasis in skeletal muscle through activation of AMPK
Authors: Cui Xiaona , Yao Lu , Yang Xiaoying , Gao Yong , Fang Fude , Zhang Jun , Wang Qinghua , Chang Yongsheng
Published: August 2017

Because of the mass and functions in metabolism, skeletal muscle is one of the major organs regulating whole body metabolic homeostasis. SIRT6, a histone deacetylase, has been shown to regulate metabolism in liver and brain; however, its specific role in skeletal muscle is undetermined. In the present study we explored physiological function of SIRT6 in muscle. We generated a muscle-specific SIRT6 knockout mouse model. The mice with SIRT6 deficiency in muscle displayed impaired glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity, attenuated whole body energy expenditure, and weakened exercise performance. Mechanistically, deletion of SIRT6 in muscle decreased expression of genes involved in glucose and lipid uptake, fatty acid oxidation, and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in muscle cells because of the reduced AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity. In contrast, overexpression of SIRT6 in C2C12 myotubes activates AMPK. Our results from both gain- and loss-of-function experiments identify SIRT6 as a physiological regulator of muscle mitochondrial function. These findings indicate that SIRT6 is a potential therapeutic target for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Adjuvant Second-Dose Chemotherapy before Surgery for Patients with Locally Advanced Rectal Malignancy Is Not Beneficial: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chen Min , Song Xue , Chen Liang-zhou , Xu Lin , Lu Yi-pu , Zhang Jin-song
Published: August 2017

Background. Preoperative chemoradiotherapy is the standard treatment for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, although tumor responses vary widely; some patients may achieve a pathologic complete response rate (pCR) after chemoradiotherapy. Controversy exists with regard to the efficacy of different preoperative combination chemotherapy regimens and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, compared with chemoradiotherapy alone. Methods. PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase databases were searched for comparative studies of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer that were published between January 1991 and January 2016. Efficacies of different preoperative combination chemotherapy regimens and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (group A) were compared with chemoradiotherapy alone (group B) in a meta-analysis using Review Manager v5.2. Results. Three prospective randomized controlled trials and two prospective nonrandomized controlled trials comprising 444 cases were eligible for analysis. No significant difference was detected in the rate of pCR (50/223, 22.4% versus 35/223, 15.7%; relative risk, RR: 1.42 [95% confidence interval, CI: 0.97–2.09], p=0.07) between the two groups. The rate of tumor regression was similar for both groups (122/203, 60.1% versus 111/203, 54.7%; RR: 1.11 [95% CI: 0.94–1.29], p=0.22). Conclusions. Adjuvant chemotherapy with preoperative chemoradiotherapy did not significantly improve the rate of pCR nor the rate of T and N downstaging.
Solution of the Fractional Form of Unsteady Squeezing Flow through Porous Medium
Authors: Hemeda A. A. , Eladdad E. E. , Lairje I. A.
Published: August 2017

We propose two friendly analytical techniques called Adomian decomposition and Picard methods to analyze an unsteady axisymmetric flow of nonconducting, Newtonian fluid. This fluid is assumed to be squeezed between two circular plates passing through porous medium channel with slip and no‐slip boundary conditions. A single fractional order nonlinear ordinary differential equation is obtained by means of similarity transformation with the help of the fractional calculus definitions. The resulting fractional boundary value problems are solved by the proposed methods. Convergence of the two methods’ solutions is confirmed by obtaining various approximate solutions and various absolute residuals for different values of the fractional order. Comparison of the results of the two methods for different values of the fractional order confirms that the proposed methods are in a well agreement and therefore they can be used in a simple manner for solving this kind of problems. Finally, graphical study for the longitudinal and normal velocity profiles is obtained for various values of some dimensionless parameters and fractional orders.
Acute Elevated Glucose Promotes Abnormal Action Potential-Induced Ca2+Transients in Cultured Skeletal Muscle Fibers
Authors: Hernández-Ochoa Erick O. , Banks Quinton , Schneider Martin F.
Published: August 2017

A common comorbidity of diabetes is skeletal muscle dysfunction, which leads to compromised physical function. Previous studies of diabetes in skeletal muscle have shown alterations in excitation-contraction coupling (ECC)—the sequential link between action potentials (AP), intracellular Ca2+release, and the contractile machinery. Yet, little is known about the impact of acute elevated glucose on the temporal properties of AP-induced Ca2+transients and ionic underlying mechanisms that lead to muscle dysfunction. Here, we used high-speed confocal Ca2+imaging to investigate the temporal properties of AP-induced Ca2+transients, an intermediate step of ECC, using an acute in cellulo model of uncontrolled hyperglycemia (25 mM, 48 h.). Control and elevated glucose-exposed muscle fibers cultured for five days displayed four distinct patterns of AP-induced Ca2+transients (phasic, biphasic, phasic-delayed, and phasic-slow decay); most control muscle fibers show phasic AP-induced Ca2+transients, while most fibers exposed to elevated D-glucose displayed biphasic Ca2+transients upon single field stimulation. We hypothesize that these changes in the temporal profile of the AP-induced Ca2+transients are due to changes in the intrinsic excitable properties of the muscle fibers. We propose that these changes accompany early stages of diabetic myopathy.
p‐Adaptive Refinement Based on Stress Recovery Technique Considering Ordinary Kriging Interpolation in L‐Shaped Domain
Authors: Woo Kwang S. , Ahn Jae S.
Published: August 2017

The primary objectives of this study are twofold. Firstly, the original SPR method of stress recovery has been modified by incorporating the kriging interpolation technique to fit a polynomial to the derivatives recovered at the Gauss points. For this purpose, the p‐version of finite element analysis is performed to produce the stresses at the fixed 10 × 10 Gauss points where the integrals of Legendre polynomials are used as a basis function. In contrast to the conventional least square method for stress recovery, the weight factor is determined by experimental and theoretical variograms for interpolation of stress data, unlike the conventional interpolation methods that use an equal weight factor. Secondly, an adaptive procedure for hierarchical p‐refinement in conjunction with a posteriori error based on the modified SPR (superconvergent patch recovery) method is proposed. Thirdly, a new error estimator based on the limit value approach is proposed by predicting the exact strain energy to verify the kriging‐based SPR method. The validity of the proposed approach has been tested by analyzing two‐dimensional plates with a rectangular cutout in the presence of stress singularity.
An Efficient Code-Based Threshold Ring Signature Scheme with a Leader-Participant Model
Authors: Zhou Guomin , Zeng Peng , Yuan Xiaohui , Chen Siyuan , Choo Kim-Kwang Raymond
Published: August 2017

Digital signature schemes with additional properties have broad applications, such as in protecting the identity of signers allowing a signer to anonymously sign a message in a group of signers (also known as a ring). While these number-theoretic problems are still secure at the time of this research, the situation could change with advances in quantum computing. There is a pressing need to design PKC schemes that are secure against quantum attacks. In this paper, we propose a novel code-based threshold ring signature scheme with a leader-participant model. A leader is appointed, who chooses some shared parameters for other signers to participate in the signing process. This leader-participant model enhances the performance because every participant including the leader could execute the decoding algorithm (as a part of signing process) upon receiving the shared parameters from the leader. The time complexity of our scheme is close to Courtois et al.’s (2001) scheme. The latter is often used as a basis to construct other types of code-based signature schemes. Moreover, as a threshold ring signature scheme, our scheme is as efficient as the normal code-based ring signature.
Phenolics in Primula veris L. and P. elatior (L.) Hill Raw Materials
Authors: Bączek Katarzyna , Przybył Jarosław L. , Mirgos Małgorzata , Kosakowska Olga , Szymborska-Sandhu Izabela , Węglarz Zenon
Published: August 2017

Primula veris L. and Primula elatior (L.) Hill represent medicinal plants used for the production of herbal teas and preparations with antioxidant and expectorant activity. Flowers and roots of both species possess the same biological activity. In the presented study, raw materials of wild growing P. veris and P. elatior were compared in terms of the content and composition of phenolic compounds using a fast and simple HPLC-DAD method. The study showed that flowers of both species were rich in flavonoids. However, P. veris flowers were characterized with a distinctly higher content of isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, astragalin, and (+)-catechin, whereas P. elatior occurred to be a richer source of rutoside and isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside. Hyperoside was found exclusively in P. elatior flowers. Phenolic glycosides (primverin and primulaverin) were identified only in the roots. Their content was about ten times higher in P. veris in comparison with P. elatior underground organs. The obtained results clearly show that both Primula species differ distinctly in terms of the content and composition of phenolic compounds. The compounds differentiating both species to the highest degree (hyperoside, in flowers, as well as primverin and primulaverin, in the roots) may be useful chemical markers in the identification and evaluation of both species.
Expansion of the Metrological Visualization Capability by the Implementation of Acoustic Emission Analysis
Authors: Bergmann Philipp , Grün Florian , Summer Florian , Gódor István , Stadler Gabriel
Published: August 2017

The acquisition and evaluation of acoustic emissions (AE) in tribology have proven to be a meaningful tool for condition monitoring and offer possibilities to deepen the understanding of tribological processes. The authors used this technology with the aim of expanding existing test methodologies towards increased visualization capability of tribological processes and investigated the correlation between tribological processes and acoustic emissions on a Ring-on-Disc and a close-to-component journal bearing test setting. The results of this study include the description of friction as well as wear processes and prove the usability of several AE evaluation parameters whereby a close correlation between AE and tribological processes can be shown. Consequently, it was possible to expand the visualization and evaluation capabilities of the test settings offering additional insights by making use of AE.
Oxidation Behavior of Matrix Graphite and Its Effect on Compressive Strength
Authors: Zhou Xiangwen , Contescu Cristian I. , Zhao Xi , Lu Zhenming , Zhang Jie , Katoh Yutai , Wang Yanli , Liu Bing , Tang Yaping , Tang Chunhe
Published: August 2017

Matrix graphite (MG) with incompletely graphitized binder used in high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) is commonly suspected to exhibit lower oxidation resistance in air. In order to reveal the oxidation performance, the oxidation behavior of newly developed A3-3 MG at the temperature range from 500 to 950°C in air was studied and the effect of oxidation on the compressive strength of oxidized MG specimens was characterized. Results show that temperature has a significant influence on the oxidation behavior of MG. The transition temperature between Regimes I and II is ~700°C and the activation energy (Ea) in Regime I is around 185 kJ/mol, a little lower than that of nuclear graphite, which indicates MG is more vulnerable to oxidation. Oxidation at 550°C causes more damage to compressive strength of MG than oxidation at 900°C. Comparing with the strength of pristine MG specimens, the rate of compressive strength loss is 77.3% after oxidation at 550°C and only 12.5% for oxidation at 900°C. Microstructure images of SEM and porosity measurement by Mercury Porosimetry indicate that the significant compressive strength loss of MG oxidized at 550°C may be attributed to both the uniform pore formation throughout the bulk and the preferential oxidation of the binder.
Using the Maturity Method in Predicting the Compressive Strength of Vinyl Ester Polymer Concrete at an Early Age
Authors: Jin Nan Ji , Yeon Kyu-Seok , Min Seung-Ho , Yeon Jaeheum
Published: August 2017

The compressive strength of vinyl ester polymer concrete is predicted using the maturity method. The compressive strength rapidly increased until the curing age of 24 hrs and thereafter slowly increased until the curing age of 72 hrs. As the MMA content increased, the compressive strength decreased. Furthermore, as the curing temperature decreased, compressive strength decreased. For vinyl ester polymer concrete, datum temperature, ranging from −22.5 to −24.6°C, decreased as the MMA content increased. The maturity index equation for cement concrete cannot be applied to polymer concrete and the maturity of vinyl ester polymer concrete can only be estimated through control of the time interval Δt. Thus, this study introduced a suitable scaled-down factor (n) for the determination of polymer concrete’s maturity, and a factor of 0.3 was the most suitable. Also, the DR-HILL compressive strength prediction model was determined as applicable to vinyl ester polymer concrete among the dose-response models. For the parameters of the prediction model, applying the parameters by combining all data obtained from the three different amounts of MMA content was deemed acceptable. The study results could be useful for the quality control of vinyl ester polymer concrete and nondestructive prediction of early age strength.
Male Partners of Infertile Couples with Seminal Infections of Human Papillomavirus Have Impaired Fertility Parameters
Authors: Damke Edilson , Kurscheidt Fábio A. , Balani Valério A. , Takeda Karen I. , Irie Mary M. T. , Gimenes Fabrícia , Consolaro Marcia E. L.
Published: August 2017

Several studies have addressed the impact of viral infections on male infertility. However, it is still unknown whether human papillomavirus (HPV) can alter seminal parameters. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HPV in the semen of male partners of couples seeking fertility evaluation. Additionally, we assessed the possibility that HPV infections affect seminal parameters. A total of 229 semen samples were collected from men in the Sperm Analysis Section of São Camilo Laboratory of Maringá, Brazil, between October 2015 and March 2016. Basic seminal parameters were analyzed, and HPV was detected and genotyped by polymerase chain reaction. HPV DNA was detected in 16.6% of samples. Of these, 10.5% had single type HPV infections, 6.1% had multiple HPV infections, 5.7% had exclusively high-risk HPV, and 6.1% had exclusively low-risk HPV. Samples positive for single and multiple types of HPV were associated with abnormal viscosity, and samples positive for multiple HPV types were also associated with hypospermia, higher pH, and increased leukocyte numbers. These findings suggest that the male partners of infertile couples with seminal HPV infections may have prostate disturbances indicative of glandular dysfunction, which may influence fertility.