bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Low‐Dimensional Function Space for Efficient Spectral Upsampling
Authors: Jakob Wenzel , Hanika Johannes
Published: June 2019

We present a versatile technique to convert textures with tristimulus colors into the spectral domain, allowing such content to be used in modern rendering systems. Our method is based on the observation that suitable reflectance spectra can be represented using a low‐dimensional parametric model that is intrinsically smooth and energy‐conserving, which leads to significant simplifications compared to prior work. The resulting spectral textures are compact and efficient: storage requirements are identical to standard RGB textures, and as few as six floating point instructions are required to evaluate them at any wavelength. Our model is the first spectral upsampling method to achieve zero error on the full sRGB gamut. The technique also supports large‐gamut color spaces, and can be vectorized effectively for use in rendering systems that handle many wavelengths at once.
Clear Skies Ahead: Towards Real‐Time Automatic Sky Replacement in Video
Authors: Halperin Tavi , Cain Harel , Bibi Ofir , Werman Michael
Published: June 2019

Digital videos such as those captured by a smartphone often exhibit exposure inconsistencies, a poorly exposed sky, or simply suffer from an uninteresting or plain looking sky. Professionals may edit these videos using advanced and time‐consuming tools unavailable to most users, to replace the sky with a more expressive or imaginative sky. In this work, we propose an algorithm for automatic replacement of the sky region in a video with a different sky, providing nonprofessional users with a simple yet efficient tool to seamlessly replace the sky. The method is fast, achieving close to real‐time performance on mobile devices and the user's involvement can remain as limited as simply selecting the replacement sky.
Multi‐Pose Interactive Linkage Design
Authors: Nishida G. , Bousseau A. , Aliaga D. G.
Published: June 2019

We introduce an interactive tool for novice users to design mechanical objects made of 2.5D linkages. Users simply draw the shape of the object and a few key poses of its multiple moving parts. Our approach automatically generates a one‐degree‐of freedom linkage that connects the fixed and moving parts, such that the moving parts traverse all input poses in order without any collision with the fixed and other moving parts. In addition, our approach avoids common linkage defects and favors compact linkages and smooth motion trajectories. Finally, our system automatically generates the 3D geometry of the object and its links, allowing the rapid creation of a physical mockup of the designed object.
What's in a Face? Metric Learning for Face Characterization
Authors: Sendik O. , Lischinski D. , Cohen‐Or D.
Published: June 2019

We present a method for determining which facial parts (mouth, nose, etc.) best characterize an individual, given a set of that individual's portraits. We introduce a novel distinctiveness analysis of a set of portraits, which leverages the deep features extracted by a pre‐trained face recognition CNN and a hair segmentation FCN, in the context of a weakly supervised metric learning scheme. Our analysis enables the generation of a polarized class activation map (PCAM) for an individual's portrait via a transformation that localizes and amplifies the discriminative regions of the deep feature maps extracted by the aforementioned networks. A user study that we conducted shows that there is a surprisingly good agreement between the face parts that users indicate as characteristic and the face parts automatically selected by our method. We demonstrate a few applications of our method, including determining the most and the least representative portraits among a set of portraits of an individual, and the creation of facial hybrids: portraits that combine the characteristic recognizable facial features of two individuals. Our face characterization analysis is also effective for ranking portraits in order to find an individual's look‐alikes (Doppelgängers).
Influence of the fixed implant‐supported provisional phase on the esthetic final outcome of implant‐supported crowns: 3‐year results of a randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Furze David , Byrne Ashley , Alam Sonia , Brägger Urs , Wismeijer Daniel , Wittneben Julia‐Gabriela
Published: June 2019

Objectives

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate whether the use of a provisional implant‐supported crown improves the final esthetic outcome of implant crowns that are placed within esthetic sites.

Materials and Methods

Twenty endosseous implants were inserted in sites 13 to 23 (FDI) in 20 patients. Following the reopening procedure, a randomization process assigned them to either cohort group 1: a provisional phase with soft tissue conditioning using the “dynamic compression technique” or cohort group 2: without a provisional phase. Screw‐retained all ceramic crowns were inserted. Clinical follow‐up appointments were completed at 36 months evaluating clinical, radiographic outcomes, and implant success and survival.

Results

After 3 years, all implants survived; one implant‐supported crown was excluded from the study due to adjacent tooth failure replaced with a further implant supported crown. Modified pink esthetic score (ModPES) scores were significantly different between groups 1 and 2 (P = .018); white esthetic scores (WES) were not statistically different between both groups (P = .194). Mean values of combined modPES and WES were 15.6 for group 1, with a SD of 3.20. Group 2 had a mean combined modPES and WES of 12.2, with a SD of 3.86. Mean bone loss after 3 year was −0.05 and −0.04 mm for groups 1 and 2 respectively, without being statistically significant.

Conclusion

Fixed implant‐supported provisionals improve the final esthetic outcome of the peri‐implant mucosa.
Modelling species distributions to predict areas at risk of invasion by the exotic aquatic New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray 1843)
Authors: Alexandre da Silva Marcos Vinicios , Nunes Souza João Vitor , de Souza José Roberto Botelho , Vieira Leandro M.
Published: June 2019

The use of bioclimatic models to predict areas subject to invasion by exotic species has been important in the development of preventive conservation measures. The native New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum is an invasive mollusc, now with a worldwide distribution, that causes economic and ecological problems in invaded areas and has recently been designated as one of the 100 worst invasive species in Europe.

In this study we sought to determine the potential distribution of and areas susceptible to invasion by P. antipodarum in South America and worldwide, in present and future scenarios (2070), using MaxEnt models. The models were developed using georeferenced occurrence data and bioclimate and hydroclimate variables to predict scenarios of the geographical distribution of P. antipodarum. Possible routes of invasion into South America were predicted.

Present‐day scenario of the worldwide distribution (all known occurrences) of P. antipodarum, based on the bioclimatic and hydroclimatic models, are highly accurate, with area under curve higher than of 0.87. The models indicated that environmentally suitable areas exist in South America and in other regions of the world where the species has not yet been recorded. The predicted susceptibility includes approximately 80 protected areas in the South American continent.

Models projected in an optimistic and pessimistic future scenario, based on the worldwide distribution, show increased environmental suitability of regions outside the current species distribution, including Brazil (south‐west), Uruguay (near Mirim Lagoon), Nigeria, Ethiopia (lakes Tana and Chomen), Tanzania, Cameroon (bordering lakes Bamendjing, Bankim, and Mbakaou), Equatorial Guinea, Congo, Rwanda, Burundi (Lake Tanganyika environs), Uganda, Tanzania (Naivasha), and South Africa (surrounding Gordon's Bay).

The main vector for dispersal to South America would be ballast water coming from waterways and ports located in the predicted areas. Fish farming is also a possible route, since the mudsnail is resistant to the digestive tract of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Current records and predicted susceptible areas coincide with port areas and sites where this fish is farmed.

Geographical distribution modelling proved to be helpful in identifying environmentally suitable areas for the invasion of P. antipodarum. The model also suggests a future expansion of the species distribution, possibly affected by climate change.
Race, threat and workplace sexual harassment: The dynamics of harassment in the United States, 1997–2016
Authors: Cassino Dan , Besen‐Cassino Yasemin
Published: June 2019

Sexual harassment is a persistent problem for women in the workplace. Prior research has explored the effects of sexual harassment on the psychological, physical and economic wellbeing of the victims. Despite the extensive research exploring the causes, most studies focus on micro‐level factors, and few studies examine the role of macro‐level factors on sexual harassment in the workplace. Using public Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) data and a separate dataset of individual level workplace sexual harassment complaints, we test two hypotheses about sexual harassment in American workplaces. First, we show that the decline in workplace sexual harassment complaints has been uneven, with African‐American women experiencing an increased relative risk of sexual harassment in the workplace, even as overall reported harassment complaints are down. Second, we show that economic threat — operationalized in this case through unemployment rates — drives increases in sexual harassment of women in American workplaces. While the data on harassment complaints is limited, data strongly suggests that the changes are driven by shifts in underlying levels of harassment, rather than changes in the likelihood of reporting harassment.
Violence against nurses working in the health sector in five European countries—pilot study
Authors: Babiarczyk Beata , Turbiarz Agnieszka , Tomagová Martina , Zeleníková Renáta , Önler Ebru , Sancho Cantus David
Published: June 2019

Aim

To provide initial data regarding country‐specific evidence of workplace violence towards nurses working within the health sector in five European countries.

Methods

This is a descriptive and cross‐sectional pilot study, conducted in June 2016. The sample consisted of 260 nurses working in selected health care settings in five participating countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, and Spain). The questionnaire used was adapted from the International Labour Office/International Council of Nurses/World Health Organisation/Public Services International Workplace Violence in the Health Sector Country Case Study—Questionnaire.

Results

A large number of participants confirmed that they had been physically attacked or verbally abused in the workplace in the last 12 months. In most cases, the physical and verbal abuse was inflicted by patients and to a lesser degree by relatives of patients, staff members, or managers/supervisors. In the majority of cases, no action was taken to investigate the causes of the incidents. In most cases, participants believed there was no point in reporting the incidents. However, the reasons for not reporting or discussing incidents of workplace violence varied depending on the country.

Conclusion

Workplace violence towards nurses is a serious problem internationally, and violence prevention strategies need to be implemented.
Further discussion on the Eocene drowning of New Caledonia: Discordances from the point of view of zoology
Authors: Giribet Gonzalo , Baker Caitlin M.
Published: June 2019

We discuss the fauna of New Caledonia in the context of the prolonged submergence of Grande Terre until its re‐emergence around 37 million years ago and whether the resulting fauna can be entirely explained by over‐water dispersal. The current literature discussing the predominant neoendemism in New Caledonia is reviewed, questioning some of the discourse about how the fact that most animal and plant lineages are neoendemics should weigh in to disregard the fewer cases of paleoendemism (clades that have persisted and diversified in New Caledonia for over 37 million years). We argue that many of the examples used in the literature, selected for other purposes, were not chosen to test this particular hypothesis, but several old lineages of non‐vagile animals show that a non‐trivial number of clades have a history that predates the supposed emergence of New Caledonia. We conclude by posing the question of how much additional evidence should be needed to demonstrate a discordance between the geological history of the archipelago and the evolutionary history of its biota.
Judicial Educators’ Perspectives on Trauma Education for the Judiciary
Authors: Marsh Shawn C.
Published: June 2019

Trauma and its impact on human development and functioning in the context of legal systems has been an important topic in judicial education for well over a decade. This brief report reviews key components of this work since approximately 2005, and presents the results of a 2018 ‐ 2019 survey with 250 judicial educators on the topics of trauma education for the judiciary and preferred teaching models. Results suggest that trauma is and will likely remain an important topic in judicial education for the foreseeable future. Further, results indicate that there are some common criticisms about current trauma education that should be considered in curriculum design and delivery, and that there is a general preference for team teaching approaches that include a strong peer‐to‐peer discussion component. Recommendations and considerations for judicial educators on the topic of trauma are also presented.
The protective effects of Kava (Piper Methysticum) constituents in cancers: A systematic review
Authors: Celentano Antonio , Tran Andrew , Testa Claire , Thayanantha Krishen , Tan‐Orders William , Tan Stephanie , Syamal Mitali , McCullough Michael J. , Yap Tami
Published: June 2019

Background

Kava is a beverage made from the ground roots of the plant Piper Methysticum and has long‐held a significant place within Pacific island communities. Active compounds were extracted from kava, and secondary metabolites include kavalactones, chalcones, cinnamic acid derivatives and flavanones. It is thought that components of kava may exert an antiproliferative effect through cell cycle arrest and promotion of apoptosis.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review to summarize available evidence of the anticancer effects of kava components and investigate their potential use for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) treatment. Eligible studies were identified through a comprehensive search of OVID EMBASE, OVID MEDLINE and Web of Science, as at April 2018.

Results

Of 39 papers that met the inclusion criteria, 32 included in vitro models and 13 included animal studies. A total of 26 different cancers were assessed with 32 studies solely assessing epithelial cancers, 6 mesenchymal cancers and 1 study including both. There was only one report assessing an OSCC cell line. Antiproliferative properties were demonstrated in 32 out of 39 papers. The most researched constituent of kava was flavokavain B followed by flavokavain A. Both were associated with increased expression of pro‐apoptotic proteins and decreased expression of anti‐apoptotic proteins. Further, they were associated with a dose‐dependent reduction of angiogenesis.

Conclusion

There was heterogeneity of study models and methods of investigation across the studies identified. Components of kava appear to present an area of interest with chemotherapeutic potential in cancer prevention and treatment, particularly for epithelial neoplasms. To date, there is a paucity of literature of the utility of kava components in the prevention and treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma.
CDK4, CDK6, cyclin D1 and Notch1 immunocytochemical expression of oral brush liquid‐based cytology for the diagnosis of oral leukoplakia and oral cancer
Authors: Kujan Omar , Huang Gareth , Ravindran Ashwati , Vijayan Monisha , Farah Camile S.
Published: June 2019

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using oral liquid‐based brush cytology (OLBC) coupled with immunocytochemistry as a minimally invasive approach to stratify the cancer risk in patients with oral leukoplakia.

Methods

Fifty‐five patients diagnosed with either oral leukoplakia (OLK) or oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) were recruited. All patients underwent oral brush biopsy followed by surgical biopsy. 275 liquid‐based cytology preparations were made. Pap‐stained OLBC slides were assessed using the modified 2014 Bethesda Cytology system. The expression of CDK4, CDK6, cyclin D1, and Notch 1 was immunocytochemically analysed and compared against the histopathological diagnosis. A combined index score of OLBC grading and protein expression was calculated.

Results

A significant association was found between the definitive histopathological diagnosis and the cytological interpretation (P = 0.0005). The index scores of CDK4, CDK6, and cyclin D1 were significantly associated with the development of disease from non‐dysplastic epithelium to OSCC. No significant association was observed between the Notch 1 index score and disease stage. The diagnostic accuracy of OLBC showed the highest values of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy: 84.6%, 70.4%, 73.3%, 82.6%, and 78.8%, respectively, compared with the cumulative protein index, CDK4/6 index, and the combined OLBC grading and CDK4/6 index.

Conclusion

This study has also demonstrated the efficacy of the use of OLBC in the detection of OED and OSCC, and showed that the use of CDK4, CDK6, cyclin D1, and Notch 1 immunocytochemistry failed to improve the diagnostic accuracy of OLBC suggesting they are not useful in the early detection of OSCC.
Biopolymers interaction elaborating using viscoelastic relaxation spectra, network parameters, and thermodynamic properties
Authors: Alghooneh Ali , Razavi Seyed M. A. , Behrouzian Fataneh
Published: June 2019

Herein, oscillatory rheological measurements were performed to study the interaction behavior of xanthan gum‐sage seed gum blends at different ratios (SSG‐XG: 1–0, 3–1, 1–1, 1–3, 0–1), from the dynamic viscosity behavior, relaxation spectrum, fracture properties, network parameters, and thermodynamic points of view at the temperature range of 10–90°C. Then, the coefficient of the interaction of four parameters, which were obtained from the clustering technique and Han curves, were used to investigate the interaction behavior quantitatively. At 90°C, SSG showed 2.01 extent of loss modulus overshoot, which was the highest value among different gum dispersions at different temperatures, while XG showed strain softening behavior. At 10 and 90°C, SSG and 1–1 SSG‐XG showed the highest spreadability reflected by the slope of loss tangent after flow point stress (tan δAF) of 0.52 and 0.40, respectively. The high values of ψ parameter, which represented the Gibbs free energy change, of both 1–3 and 3–1 SSG‐XG blends and the lowest entropy value of 1–3 SSG‐XG, suggested that the role of entropy change in incompatibility behavior of 1–3 SSG‐XG was higher than that of 3–1 SSG‐XG blend. With the increase in temperature from 10 to 70°C, the XG Euclidean distance from SSG decreased, while it increased from 70 to 90°C and showed the highest Euclidean distance with XG at 10°C (3.92) and 90°C (4.05). Interaction coefficients and Han curves results showed that all blends were incompatible with the lowest antagonistic behavior for 1–1 SSG‐XG dispersion at 50°C. Often, a mixture of hydrocolloids, especially xanthan gum and a galactomannan, are employed in processed foods to modify their rheological properties and cut the cost. The synergistic/non‐synergistic effect of biopolymers mixture, which is invaluable from the practical and economical points of view, seems to be mainly induced by their thermodynamic status of interaction. Our former study showed that the thermodynamic indices of mixing could be probed by mechanical parameters. On the other hands, we found that the mechanical properties of materials are highly temperature dependent. Therefore, in this study, to better investigate the effect of temperature on the biopolymers interaction, first we classified all the thermodynamic and mechanical properties (relaxation spectrum, fracture properties, and network parameters) of hydrocolloids into four classes, then one parameter was selected randomly from each class. The selected parameters were employed to investigate the synergistic/non‐synergistic effect at all temperature ranges by determining the interaction coefficient and decide on the best interaction temperature.
First distribution record of the invasive copepod Oithona davisae Ferrari and Orsi, 1984, in the coastal waters of the Aegean Sea
Authors: Terbıyık Kurt Tuba , Beşiktepe Şengul
Published: June 2019

The occurrence of the invasive nonindigenous copepod Oithona davisae Ferrari and Orsi, 1984, is reported for the first time in the Aegean Sea. The data we collected in August 2017 from 14 stations along the Turkish coast of the Aegean Sea reveal the spatial distribution of O. davisae between the openning of the Dardanelles Strait in the north and the Izmir Bay in the south. The O. davisae individuals, in seven mesozooplankton samples collected from a single station, were consistently found in the inner part of the Izmir Bay from April 2015‐October 2016. The abundance of female O. davisae ranged from 4 ind./m3 in April 2015 to 31,524 ind./m3 in July 2016 and contributed to the total oithonid female population by 10.8% in April 2015 and 92.8% in September 2016. Our results show that this species is well established in the inner part of Izmir Bay and that it has become a permanent component of the copepod community in the area.
The combination of tamoxifen with amphotericin B, but not with fluconazole, has synergistic activity against the majority of clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Hai Trieu Phan , Van Anh Duong , Ngan Nguyen Thi Thuy , Nhat Le Thanh Hoang , Lan Nguyen Phu Huong , Vinh Chau Nguyen V. , Thwaites Guy E. , Krysan Damian , Day Jeremy N.
Published: June 2019

Background

Cryptococcal meningitis has fatality rates of 40%‐70%, resulting in 200 000 deaths each year. The best outcomes are achieved with amphotericin combined with flucytosine but flucytosine is expensive and unavailable where most disease occurs. More effective and affordable treatments are needed. Tamoxifen, a selective oestrogen receptor modulator frequently indicated for breast cancer, has been found to have synergistic activity against the Cryptococcus neoformans type strain when combined with amphotericin or fluconazole. It is cheap, off‐licence, widely available and well‐tolerated, and thus a pragmatic potential treatment for cryptococcal disease.

Objectives

We wanted to determine the susceptibility of clinical isolates of C. neoformans to tamoxifen alone and in combination with other antifungals, to determine whether there is sufficient evidence of activity to justify a clinical trial.

Methods

We used the CLSI broth microdilution protocol to test the susceptibility of 30 randomly selected clinical isolates of C. neoformans to tamoxifen, in dual combination with amphotericin, fluconazole or flucytosine, and in triple combination with amphotericin and fluconazole. Evidence of drug interactions was assessed using the fractional inhibitory concentration index.

Results

The MIC50 and MIC90 of tamoxifen were 4 and 16 mg/L, respectively. The combination of tamoxifen and amphotericin suggested a synergistic interaction in 20 of 30 (67%) isolates. There was no interaction between tamoxifen and either fluconazole or flucytosine. Synergy was maintained in 3‐Dimensional chequerboard testing. There was no evidence of antagonism.

Conclusions

Tamoxifen may be a useful addition to treatment with amphotericin and fluconazole for cryptococcal meningitis; a trial is justified.
Photocatalytic Degradation of a Chlorinated Organic Chemical Using Activated Carbon Fiber Coupled with Semiconductor
Authors: Gopinath Ashitha , Krishna Kadirvelu
Published: June 2019

Hydrothermal mediated synthesis was used to couple activated carbon fiber and semiconductor. Batch mode photocatalytic experiments were performed to investigate the efficacy of the developed photocatalyst in the degradation of 2, 4‐dichlorophenol. Operational parameters including initial concentration of 2, 4‐dichlorophenol and catalyst loading were optimized at natural pH conditions. Addition of inorganic anions during the degradation revealed that the presence of anions greatly affects the degradation efficiency. The significance of highly reactive radicals on the photocatalytic degradation was identified by the addition of radical scavengers such as isopropanol (OH˙), benzoquinone (˙) and potassium iodide (h+). Reusability of the photocatalyst was confirmed by conducting five cyclic studies. Further, the dissolution of Zn2+ in the solution was analyzed and determined to be 0.199 μg mL−1. Seed germination study was conducted to examine the toxicity nature of ZnO on growth and development of Vigna radiata.
Integrating Operational and Organizational Aspects in Interdependent Infrastructure Network Recovery
Authors: Gomez Camilo , González Andrés D. , Baroud Hiba , Bedoya‐Motta Claudia D.
Published: June 2019

Managing risk in infrastructure systems implies dealing with interdependent physical networks and their relationships with the natural and societal contexts. Computational tools are often used to support operational decisions aimed at improving resilience, whereas economics‐related tools tend to be used to address broader societal and policy issues in infrastructure management. We propose an optimization‐based framework for infrastructure resilience analysis that incorporates organizational and socioeconomic aspects into operational problems, allowing to understand relationships between decisions at the policy level (e.g., regulation) and the technical level (e.g., optimal infrastructure restoration). We focus on three issues that arise when integrating such levels. First, optimal restoration strategies driven by financial and operational factors evolve differently compared to those driven by socioeconomic and humanitarian factors. Second, regulatory aspects have a significant impact on recovery dynamics (e.g., effective recovery is most challenging in societies with weak institutions and regulation, where individual interests may compromise societal well‐being). And third, the decision space (i.e., available actions) in postdisaster phases is strongly determined by predisaster decisions (e.g., resource allocation). The proposed optimization framework addresses these issues by using: (1) parametric analyses to test the influence of operational and socioeconomic factors on optimization outcomes, (2) regulatory constraints to model and assess the cost and benefit (for a variety of actors) of enforcing specific policy‐related conditions for the recovery process, and (3) sensitivity analyses to capture the effect of predisaster decisions on recovery. We illustrate our methodology with an example regarding the recovery of interdependent water, power, and gas networks in Shelby County, TN (USA), with exposure to natural hazards.
Calculating the full leaky Lamb wave spectrum with exact fluid interaction
Authors: Kiefer Daniel A. , Ponschab Michael , Rupitsch Stefan J. , Mayle Michael
Published: June 2019

Lamb waves are elastodynamic guided waves in plates and are used for non-destructive evaluation, sensors, and material characterization. These applications rely on the knowledge of the dispersion characteristics, i.e., the frequency-dependent wavenumbers. The interaction of a plate with an adjacent fluid leads to a nonlinear differential eigenvalue problem with a square root term describing exchange of energy with the surrounding medium, e.g., via acoustic radiation. In this contribution, a spectral collocation scheme is applied to discretize the differential eigenvalue problem. A change of variable is performed to obtain an equivalent polynomial eigenvalue problem of fourth order, which is linear in state-space and can reliably be solved using modern numerical methods. Traditionally, the leaky Lamb wave problem has been solved by finding the roots of the characteristic equations, a numerically ill-conditioned problem. In contrast to root-finding, the approach described in this paper is inherently able to find all modes and naturally handles complex wavenumbers. The full phase velocity dispersion diagram and attenuation curves are presented and are shown to be in excellent agreement with solutions of the characteristic equation as well as computations made with a perturbation method. The procedure is applicable to anisotropic, viscoelastic, inhomogeneous, and layered plates coupled to an inviscid fluid.
Three-dimensional wave-domain acoustic contrast control using a circular loudspeaker array
Authors: Han Zerui , Wu Ming , Zhu Qiaoxi , Yang Jun
Published: June 2019

This paper proposes a three-dimensional wave-domain acoustic contrast control method to reproduce a multizone sound field using a circular loudspeaker array. In this method, sound field analysis is based on spherical harmonic decomposition, and the loudspeaker weights are obtained by maximizing the acoustic energy contrast between the predefined bright zone and dark zone. Simulation results show that the proposed method provides good multizone separation performance over a large spatial region and requires lower-order spherical harmonics, resulting in a much lower number of microphones required to measure the acoustic transfer functions.
Effects of Inspiratory Muscle Training With Progressive Loading on Respiratory Muscle Function and Sports Performance in High-Performance Wheelchair Basketball Athletes: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Antonelli Cristiane B.B. , Hartz Charlini S. , Santos Sileno da Silva , Moreno Marlene A.
Published: June 2019

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of inspiratory muscle training associated with interval training on respiratory muscle strength and fatigue and aerobic physical performance (PP) in high-performance wheelchair basketball athletes. Methods: Blinded, randomized clinical trial with 17 male wheelchair basketball players, randomized into control group (CG; n = 8) and training group (TG; n = 9). Respiratory muscle strength was evaluated by measuring maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP), aerobic PP by the Yo-Yo test for wheelchair, and recovery of inspiratory muscle fatigue was assessed at 1, 5, 10, and 15 minutes after exercise test. TG performed inspiratory muscle training protocol with incremental loading for 12 weeks with 50%, 60%, and 70% of MIP, while CG performed with load 15% of MIP. Results: After training period, CG presented a significant increase in MIP and MEP (P ≤ .05), with no change in aerobic PP (P ≥ .05). TG showed a significant increase for all variables (≤.05). MIP showed a large effect size for CG (1.00) and TG (1.35), while MEP showed a moderate effect for CG (0.61) and TG (0.73); distance covered had a moderate effect size for TG (0.70). For recovery of inspiratory muscle strength, CG did not present differences, while TG recovered in 10 minutes (≤.05), representing 87% of the pretest value. Positive and significant correlation between MIP and distance (.54; P ≤ .05) was observed. Conclusion: Inspiratory muscle training protocol with progressive loading was more effective for increasing aerobic PP and maximal inspiratory strength recovery.
Sociodemographic and Environmental Determinants of Indoor Versus Outdoor Active Play Among Children Living in the Washington, DC Area
Authors: Puett Robin C. , Huang Dina , Montresor-Lopez Jessica , Ray Rashawn , Roberts Jennifer D.
Published: June 2019

Background: Sociodemographic and environmental factors play important roles in determining both indoor and outdoor play activities in children. Methods: The Built Environment and Active Play Study assessed neighborhood playability for children (7–12 y), based on parental report of their children’s active play behaviors, neighborhood characteristics, and geographic locations. Simple logistic regression modeling tested the associations between sociodemographic characteristics and the frequency of and access to venues for indoor and outdoor play. Results: Children of higher socioeconomic status were almost 3 times more likely to live more than a 30-minute walk from indoor recreational facilities compared with their less affluent peers (odds ratio [OR] = 2.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2–6.8). Non-Hispanic black children were less likely to live more than 30 minutes from indoor facilities (OR = 0.21; 95% CI, 0.08–0.57) and more were likely to engage in indoor activity (OR = 3.40; 95% CI, 1.17–9.88) than were white children. Boys were substantially more likely to play outdoors at a playing fields compared with girls (OR = 5.37; 95% CI, 2.10–13.69). Conclusions: Findings from this study could be used to enhance indoor and outdoor activity spaces for children and to reduce disparities in access to such spaces.
Fifth-order time-domain Raman spectroscopy of photoactive yellow protein for visualizing vibrational coupling in its excited state
Authors: Kuramochi Hikaru , Takeuchi Satoshi , Kamikubo Hironari , Kataoka Mikio , Tahara Tahei
Published: June 2019

2D impulsive stimulated Raman spectroscopy unveiled couplings of low- and high-frequency vibrations of photoexcited PYP.
Doublon-holon pairing mechanism via exchange interaction in two-dimensional cuprate Mott insulators
Authors: Terashige T. , Ono T. , Miyamoto T. , Morimoto T. , Yamakawa H. , Kida N. , Ito T. , Sasagawa T. , Tohyama T. , Okamoto H.
Published: June 2019

An electron and a hole created in cuprate Mott insulators attract each other via spin-spin interactions similar to a Cooper pair.
Acid solvation versus dissociation at “stardust conditions”: Reaction sequence matters
Authors: Mani Devendra , de Tudela Ricardo Pérez , Schwan Raffael , Pal Nitish , Körning Saskia , Forbert Harald , Redlich Britta , van der Meer A. F. G. , Schwaab Gerhard , Marx Dominik , Havenith Martina
Published: June 2019

Chemistry, such as dissociation of acids, can even be triggered at ultracold “stardust conditions” in the absence of radiation.
Dynamic deformability of individual PbSe nanocrystals during superlattice phase transitions
Authors: Wang Yu , Peng Xinxing , Abelson Alex , Xiao Penghao , Qian Caroline , Yu Lei , Ophus Colin , Ercius Peter , Wang Lin-Wang , Law Matt , Zheng Haimei
Published: June 2019

Liquid-phase TEM study reveals the reversible giant deformation of a semiconductor nanocrystal during superlattice transitions.
Next stop: Perivasculature! ILC2s hitch a ride on the CCL8 express
Authors: Mindt Barbara C. , Fritz Jörg H.
Published: June 2019

CCL8-CCR8 axis and collagen-I regulate ILC2 cells during lung inflammation. (See the related Research Article by

Puttur
et al.

).
The Cell Wall of
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Vollmer Waldemar , Massidda Orietta , Tomasz Alexander
Published: June 2019

Streptococcus pneumoniae
has a complex cell wall that plays key roles in cell shape maintenance, growth and cell division, and interactions with components of the human host. The peptidoglycan has a heterogeneous composition with more than 50 subunits (muropeptides)—products of several peptidoglycan-modifying enzymes. The amidation of glutamate residues in the stem peptide is needed for efficient peptide cross-linking, and peptides with a dipeptide branch prevail in some beta-lactam-resistant strains. The glycan strands are modified by deacetylation of
N
-acetylglucosamine residues and
O
-acetylation of
N
-acetylmuramic acid residues, and both modifications contribute to pneumococcal resistance to lysozyme. The glycan strands carry covalently attached wall teichoic acid and capsular polysaccharide. Pneumococci are unique in that the wall teichoic acid and lipoteichoic acid contain the same unusually complex repeating units decorated with phosphoryl choline residues, which anchor the choline-binding proteins. The structures of lipoteichoic acid and the attachment site of wall teichoic acid to peptidoglycan have recently been revised. During growth, pneumococci assemble their cell walls at midcell in coordinated rounds of cell elongation and division, leading to the typical ovococcal cell shape. Cell wall growth depends on the cytoskeletal FtsA and FtsZ proteins and is regulated by several morphogenesis proteins that also show patterns of dynamic localization at midcell. Some of the key regulators are phosphorylated by StkP and dephosphorylated by PhpP to facilitate robust selection of the division site and plane and to maintain cell shape.
Clostridial Genetics: Genetic Manipulation of the Pathogenic Clostridia
Authors: Kuehne S. A. , Rood J. I. , Lyras D.
Published: June 2019

The past 10 years have been revolutionary for clostridial genetics. The rise of next-generation sequencing led to the availability of annotated whole-genome sequences of the important pathogenic clostridia:
Clostridium perfringens
,
Clostridioides
(
Clostridium
)
difficile
, and
Clostridium botulinum
, but also
Paeniclostridium
(
Clostridium
)
sordellii
and
Clostridium tetani
. These sequences were a prerequisite for the development of functional, sophisticated genetic tools for the pathogenic clostridia. A breakthrough came in the early 2000s with the development of TargeTron-based technologies specific for the clostridia, such as ClosTron, an insertional gene inactivation tool. The following years saw a plethora of new technologies being developed, mostly for
C. difficile
, but also for other members of the genus, including
C. perfringens
. A range of tools is now available, allowing researchers to precisely delete genes, change single nucleotides in the genome, complement deletions, integrate novel DNA into genomes, or overexpress genes. There are tools for forward genetics, including an inducible transposon mutagenesis system for
C. difficile
. As the latest addition to the tool kit, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-Cas9 technologies have also been adopted for the construction of single and multiple gene deletions in
C. difficile
. This article summarizes the key genetic technologies available to manipulate, study, and understand the pathogenic clostridia.
Pathogenicity Islands and Their Role in Staphylococcal Biology
Authors: Novick Richard P.
Published: June 2019

Pathogenicity islands are members of a vast collection of genomic islands that encode important virulence, antibiotic resistance and other accessory functions and have a critical role in bacterial gene transfer.Staphylococcus aureusis host to a large family of such islands, known as SaPIs, which encode super antigen and other virulence determinants, are mobilized by helper phages and transferred at extremely high frequencies. They benefit their host cells by interfering with phage predation and enhancing horizontal gene transfer. This chapter describes their life cycle, the bases of their phage interference mechanisms, their transfer system and their conversion to antibacterial agents for treatment ofstaphylococcal infections.
Future risk of cardiovascular disease risk factors and events in women after a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy
Authors: Benschop Laura , Duvekot Johannes J , Roeters van Lennep Jeanine E
Published: June 2019

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), such as gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia, affect up to 10% of all pregnancies. These women have on average a twofold higher risk to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life as compared with women with normotensive pregnancies. This increased risk might result from an underlying predisposition to CVD, HDP itself or a combination of both. After pregnancy women with HDP show an increased risk of classical cardiovascular risk factors including chronic hypertension, renal dysfunction, dyslipidemia, diabetes and subclinical atherosclerosis. The prevalence and onset of cardiovascular risk factors depends on the severity of the HDP and the coexistence of other pregnancy complications. At present, guidelines addressing postpartum cardiovascular risk assessment for women with HDP show a wide variation in their recommendations. This makes cardiovascular follow-up of women with a previous HDP confusing and non-coherent. Some guidelines advise to initiate cardiovascular follow-up (blood pressure, weight and lifestyle assessment) 6–8 weeks after pregnancy, whereas others recommend to start 6–12 months after pregnancy. Concurrent blood pressure monitoring, lipid and glucose assessment is recommended to be repeated annually to every 5 years until the age of 50 years when women will qualify for cardiovascular risk assessment according to all international cardiovascular prevention guidelines.
PREDICTIVE ANALYSIS OF SURFACE FINISH IN GAS-ASSISTED ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINING USING STATISTICAL AND SOFT COMPUTING TECHNIQUES
Authors: SINGH NISHANT K. , KUMAR SANJEEV , SINGH YASHVIR , SHARMA VARUN
Published: June 2019

This research attempts to explore the utilization of Gas-Assisted Electrical Discharge Machining (GAEDM) of die steel. High pressure inert gas (argon) in conventional electric discharge machining with constraint state was utilized to assess the surface roughness (SR). Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to find out the process parameters that notably affected the SR. In this study, a mathematical model has been investigated to know the SR by using Buckingham pie-theorem. The fit summary confirmed that the quadratic model is statistically appropriate and the lack of fit is insignificant. Root mean square error and absolute standard deviation, obtained through response surface method (RSM), were also used for developing the model and for predicting its abilities through ANN, ANFIS. The experiment and anticipated estimates of SR during the process, obtained by RSM, dimensional analysis, ANN and ANFIS, were found to be in accord with each other. However, the ANFIS technique proved to be more fitting to the response as compared to the ANN, dimensional analysis and the RSM.
Factorization of an adjontable Markov operator
Authors: Pandiscia Carlo
Published: June 2019

In this work, we propose a method to investigate the factorization property of a adjontable Markov operator between two algebraic probability spaces without using the dilation theory. Assuming the existence of an anti-unitary operator on Hilbert space related to Stinespring representations of our Markov operator, which satisfy some particular modular relations, we prove that it admits a factorization. The method is tested on the two typologies of maps which we know admits a factorization, the Markov operators between commutative probability spaces and adjontable homomorphism. Subsequently, we apply these methods to particular adjontable Markov operator between matrix algebra which fixes the diagonal.
TwitSenti: A Real-Time Twitter Sentiment Analysis and Visualization Framework
Authors: Murthy Jamuna S. , Siddesh G. M. , Srinivasa K. G.
Published: June 2019

Twitter is considered as one of the world’s largest social networking sites which allow users to customize their public profile, connect with others and interact with connected users. The proposed work introduces a distributed real-time twitter sentiment analysis and visualization framework by implementing novel algorithms for twitter sentiment analysis called Emotion-Polarity-SentiWordNet. The framework is applied to build an interactive web application called “TwitSenti” which can benefit companies and other organizations in knowing the people’s sentiment towards the aspects such as brands, current events, etc., which in turn helps in quick decision-making and planning marketing strategies. The algorithm is validated against three existing classifiers and hence proved that Emotion-Polarity-SentiWordNet provides highest accuracy value of 85%. Also, the framework showed best scalability results when evaluated through web app as four node clusters, proves to be fast and can scale well with massive data.
Preparation, characterization and dechlorination property of nano Pd-Ni/γ-Al2O3 bimetallic catalyst
Authors: Zhang Yu , Wang Yiyang , Liao Yalong , Guo Muyuan , Shi Gongchu
Published: June 2019

Nano Pd-Ni/[Formula: see text]-Al2O3 bimetallic catalyst was prepared by chemical precipitation method enhanced with ultrasonic wave. The influence of dosage of dispersant, ultrasonic intensity and mass ratio of Pd to Ni on the dechlorination property of the catalyst obtained was investigated in detail. The appearance morphology, composition and structure of the catalysts prepared were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and nitrogen adsorption, while the specific surface area was determined using the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) isotherm and the chemical composition of active gradients was tested with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Results indicate that the nano Pd-Ni/[Formula: see text]-Al2O3 bimetallic catalyst prepared has uniform distribution of active ingredients with an average particle size of 4.91[Formula: see text]nm, and the chlorine content of shellac dechlorinated with the catalyst obtained is 0.34[Formula: see text]wt.% which is lower than that reported in the literature, meaning the perfect dechlorination property of the catalyst.
A thermal maturity map based on vitrinite reflectance of British coals
Authors: Bullock L. , Parnell J. , Muirhead D. , Armstrong J. , Schito A. , Corrado S.
Published: June 2019

A compilation of new and previously published vitrinite reflectance (R
0
) data from Carboniferous coals constitutes the most comprehensive map of reflectance across Great Britain. Values of R
0
range from 0.38 to 3.29%, recording an ambient thermal maturity in the early oil window (standard reference point for reflectance studies), modified by elevated heat flow in northern England and along the Variscan orogenic front. The map provides a context for other geological datasets.

Supplementary material:
A statistical summary of vitrinite reflectance data is available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4529969