bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prenatal exercise (including but not limited to pelvic floor muscle training) and urinary incontinence during and following pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Davenport Margie H , Nagpal Taniya S , Mottola Michelle F , Skow Rachel J , Riske Laurel , Poitras Veronica J , Jaramillo Garcia Alejandra , Gray Casey E , Barrowman Nick , Meah Victoria L , Sobierajski Frances , James Marina , Nuspl Megan , Weeks Ashley , Marchand Andree-Anne , Slater Linda G , Adamo Kristi B , Davies Gregory A , Barakat Ruben , Ruchat Stephanie-May
Published: October 2018

Objective

To examine the relationships between prenatal physical activity and prenatal and postnatal urinary incontinence (UI).

Design

Systematic review with random effects meta-analysis and meta-regression.

Data sources

Online databases were searched up to 6 January 2017.

Study eligibility criteria

Studies of all designs were included (except case studies) if they were published in English, Spanish or French and contained information on the Population (pregnant women without contraindication to exercise), Intervention (subjective or objective measures of frequency, intensity, duration, volume or type of exercise, alone [“exercise-only”] or in combination with other intervention components [e.g., dietary; “exercise + co-intervention”]), Comparator (no exercise or different frequency, intensity, duration, volume and type of exercise) and Outcome (prenatal or postnatal UI).

Results

24 studies (n=15 982 women) were included. ‘Low’ to ‘moderate’ quality evidence revealed prenatal pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) with or without aerobic exercise decreased the odds of UI in pregnancy (15 randomised controlled trials (RCTs), n=2764 women; OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.68, I2=60%) and in the postpartum period (10 RCTs, n=1682 women; OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.51, 0.79, I2=0%). When we analysed the data by whether women were continent or incontinent prior to the intervention, exercise was beneficial at preventing the development of UI in women with continence, but not effective in treating UI in women with incontinence. There was ‘low’ quality evidence that prenatal exercise had a moderate effect in the reduction of UI symptom severity during (five RCTs, standard mean difference (SMD) −0.54, 95% CI −0.88 to –0.20, I2=64%) and following pregnancy (three RCTs, ‘moderate’ quality evidence; SMD −0.54, 95% CI −0.87 to –0.22, I2=24%).

Conclusion

Prenatal exercise including PFMT reduced the odds and symptom severity of prenatal and postnatal UI. This was the case for women who were continent before the intervention. Among women who were incontinent during pregnancy, exercise training was not therapeutic.
Is supine exercise associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes? A systematic review
Authors: Mottola Michelle F , Nagpal Taniya S , Bgeginski Roberta , Davenport Margie H , Poitras Veronica J , Gray Casey E , Davies Gregory A , Adamo Kristi B , Slater Linda G , Barrowman Nick , Barakat Ruben , Ruchat Stephanie-May
Published: October 2018

Objective

Theoretical concerns regarding the supine position at rest due to the gravid uterus obstructing aorta and vena caval flow may impinge uterine blood flow (UBF) to the fetus and maternal venous return.

Design

Systematic review.

Data sources

Online databases up to 11 December 2017.

Study criteria

Eligible population (pregnant without contraindication to exercise), intervention (frequency, intensity, duration, volume or type of supine exercise), comparator (no exercise or exercise in left lateral rest position, upright posture or other supine exercise), outcomes (potentially adverse effects on maternal blood pressure, cardiac output, heart rate, oxygen saturation, fetal movements, UBF, fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns; adverse events such as bradycardia, low birth weight, intrauterine growth restriction, perinatal mortality and other adverse events as documented by study authors), and study design (except case studies and reviews) published in English, Spanish, French or Portuguese.

Results

Seven studies (n=1759) were included. ‘Very low’ to ‘low’ quality evidence from three randomised controlled trials indicated no association between supervised exercise interventions that included supine exercise and low birth weight compared with no exercise. There was ‘very low’ to ‘low’ quality evidence from four observational studies that showed no adverse events in the mother; however, there were abnormal FHR patterns (as defined by study authors) in 20 of 65 (31%) fetuses during an acute bout of supine exercise. UBF decreased (13%) when women moved from left lateral rest to acute dynamic supine exercise.

Conclusion

There was insufficient evidence to ascertain whether maternal exercise in the supine position is safe or should be avoided during pregnancy.
2019 Canadian guideline for physical activity throughout pregnancy
Authors: Mottola Michelle F , Davenport Margie H , Ruchat Stephanie-May , Davies Gregory A , Poitras Veronica J , Gray Casey E , Jaramillo Garcia Alejandra , Barrowman Nick , Adamo Kristi B , Duggan Mary , Barakat Ruben , Chilibeck Phil , Fleming Karen , Forte Milena , Korolnek Jillian , Nagpal Taniya , Slater Linda G , Stirling Deanna , Zehr Lori
Published: October 2018

The objective is to provide guidance for pregnant women and obstetric care and exercise professionals on prenatal physical activity. The outcomes evaluated were maternal, fetal or neonatal morbidity, or fetal mortality during and following pregnancy. Literature was retrieved through searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Child Development & Adolescent Studies, Education Resources Information Center, SPORTDiscus, ClinicalTrials.gov and the Trip Database from inception up to 6 January 2017. Primary studies of any design were eligible, except case studies. Results were limited to English-language, Spanish-language or French-language materials. Articles related to maternal physical activity during pregnancy reporting on maternal, fetal or neonatal morbidity, or fetal mortality were eligible for inclusion. The quality of evidence was rated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. The Guidelines Consensus Panel solicited feedback from end users (obstetric care providers, exercise professionals, researchers, policy organisations, and pregnant and postpartum women). The development of these guidelines followed the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II instrument. The benefits of prenatal physical activity are moderate and no harms were identified; therefore, the difference between desirable and undesirable consequences (net benefit) is expected to be moderate. The majority of stakeholders and end users indicated that following these recommendations would be feasible, acceptable and equitable. Following these recommendations is likely to require minimal resources from both individual and health systems perspectives.
CELEB trial: Comparative Effectiveness of Lung volume reduction surgery for Emphysema and Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with valve placement: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Buttery Sara , Kemp Samuel V , Shah Pallav L , Waller David , Jordan Simon , Lee John T , Banya Winston , Steiner Michael C , Hopkinson Nicholas S
Published: October 2018

Introduction

Although lung volume reduction surgery and bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with endobronchial valves have both been shown to improve lung function, exercise capacity and quality of life in appropriately selected patients with emphysema, there are no direct comparison data between the two procedures to inform clinical decision-making.

Methods and analysis

We describe the protocol of the CELEB study, a randomised controlled trial which will compare outcomes at 1 year between the two procedures, using a composite disease severity measure, the iBODE score, which includes body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnoeaand exercise capacity (incremental shuttle walk test).

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval to conduct the study has been obtained from the Fulham Research Ethics Committee, London (16/LO/0286). The outcome of this trial will provide information to guide treatment choices in this population and will be presented at national and international meetings and published in peer-reviewed journals. We will also disseminate the main results to all participants in a letter.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN19684749; Pre-results.
‘Making the Invisible Visible’: an audience response to an art installation representing the complexity of congenital heart disease and heart transplantation
Authors: Biglino Giovanni , Layton Sofie , Lee Matthew , Sophocleous Froso , Hall Susannah , Wray Jo
Published: October 2018

The arts can aid the exploration of individual and collective illness narratives, with empowering effects on both patients and caregivers. The artist, partly acting as conduit, can translate and re-present illness experiences into artwork. But how are these translated experiences received by the viewer—and specifically, how does an audience respond to an art installation themed around paediatric heart transplantation and congenital heart disease? The installation, created by British artist Sofie Layton and titledMaking the Invisible Visible, was presented at an arts-and-health event. The piece comprised three-dimensional printed medical models of hearts with different congenital defects displayed under bell jars on a stainless steel table reminiscent of the surgical theatre, surrounded by hospital screens. The installation included a soundscape, where the voice of a mother recounting the journey of her son going through heart transplantation was interwoven with the voice of the artist reading medical terminology. A two-part survey was administered to capture viewers’ expectations and their response to the piece. Participants (n=125) expected to acquire new knowledge around heart disease, get a glimpse of patients’ experiences and be surprised by the work, while after viewing the piece they mostly felt empathy, surprise, emotion and, for some, a degree of anxiety. Viewers found the installation more effective in communicating the experience of heart transplantation than in depicting the complexity of cardiovascular anatomy (p<0.001, z=7.56). Finally, analysis of open-ended feedback highlighted the intimacy of the installation and the privilege viewers felt in sharing a story, particularly in relation to the soundscape, where the connection to the narrative in the piece was reportedly strengthened by the use of sound. In conclusion, an immersive installation including accurate medical details and real stories narrated by patients can lead to an empathic response and an appreciation of the value of illness narratives.
The Hexoskin physiological monitoring shirt does not impair whole-body heat loss during exercise in hot-dry conditions
Authors: D’Souza Andrew W. , Notley Sean R. , Brown Erin K. , Poirier Martin P. , Kenny Glen P.
Published: October 2018

Using direct calorimetry, we determined if the Hexoskin shirt (Carré Technologies Inc., Que., Canada), a wearable device for monitoring physiological strain, would compromise whole-body heat loss and exacerbate body heat storage during moderate-intensity activity in hot-dry conditions. The shirt did not impair heat dissipation and resulted in similar body heat storage when worn alone relative to a semi-nude condition (214 vs. 211 kJ) or when worn underneath a work uniform compared with a cotton undershirt (307 vs. 318 kJ).
The contribution of genetics and genomics to understanding the ecology of the mountain pine beetle system
Authors: Cullingham Catherine I. , Janes Jasmine K. , Hamelin Richard C. , James Patrick M.A. , Murray Brent W. , Sperling Felix A.H.
Published: October 2018

Environmental change is altering forest insect dynamics worldwide. As these systems change, they pose significant ecological, social, and economic risk through, for example, the loss of valuable habitat, green space, and timber. Our understanding of such systems is often limited by the complexity of multiple interacting taxa. As a consequence, studies assessing the ecology, physiology, and genomics of each key organism in such systems are increasingly important for developing appropriate management strategies. Here we summarize the genetic and genomic contributions made by the TRIA project — a long-term study of the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) system encompassing beetle, fungi, and pine. Contributions include genetic and genomic resources for species identification, sex determination, detection of selection, functional genetic analysis, mating system confirmation, hybrid stability tests, and integrated genetic studies of multiple taxa. These resources and subsequent findings have accelerated our understanding of the mountain pine beetle system, facilitating improved management strategies (e.g., enhancements to stand susceptibility indices and predictive models) and highlighting mechanisms for promoting resilient forests. Further, work from the TRIA project serves as a model for the increasing number and severity of invasive and native forest insect outbreaks globally (e.g., Dutch elm disease and thousand cankers disease).
On the inadequate equilibrium accomplished in mass asymmetric reactions at intermediate energies
Authors: Deepshikha  , Kumar Suneel
Published: October 2018

The isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics model has been employed to explore the participant–spectator matter. Simulations have been carried out over the whole colliding geometry for mass asymmetric reactions. The degree of nuclear stopping depends strongly on the mass of the projectile, incident energy as well as on the colliding geometry of the reaction. It has been predicted that effect of mass asymmetry can be compensated by varying the colliding geometry.
A Systematic Approach for Improving the Software Management Process
Authors: Birgün Semra , Çerkezoğlu Burcu Tanrikut
Published: October 2018

Information technology is an indispensable element in applications in today’s industrial era. In addition to modern management approaches, software just as well as hardware is of great importance to ensure competitive advantage if the company needs to keep pace with industrial requirements. Information sector can be seen as a competition opportunity for emerging countries. To be able to exploit this opportunity, companies need to be agile and innovative. In this paper, we suggest a process innovation which is intended to be a new model for designing an efficient and effective software process. The model was applied at a software company, and the results of this study are reported here. Lean and agile approaches were used, and as a result, the firm achieved significant improvements in cost, time, labor force, quality, internal and external customer satisfaction, speed, reliability and productivity.
Customer’s Intention to Adopt Mobile Banking Services: The Moderating Influence of Demographic Factors
Authors: Alkhaldi Ayman N. , Kharma Qasem M.
Published: October 2018

The variance in users’ characteristics, according to demographic factors, is crucial in segmenting retail banking customers and making marketing decisions. Therefore, the effects of these factors should be examined to help IT providers enhance m-banking services. This study seeks to build a conceptual model that determines the moderating influence of demographic factors on the customer’s intention to adopt m-banking. A questionnaire was distributed in Saudi Arabia and the responses were analyzed through a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. The study finds that users’ demographic characteristics, such as age, education, and income, but not gender, played a moderating role in their adoption of m-banking services.
The Diet, Health, and Environment Trilemma
Authors: Clark Michael , Hill Jason , Tilman David
Published: October 2018

As populations become more affluent and urbanized, diets are shifting such that they are becoming higher in calories and include more highly processed foods and animal products. These dietary shifts are driving increases in diet-related diseases and are also causing environmental degradation. These linked impacts pose a new key issue for global society—a diet, health, and environment trilemma. Recent dietary shifts have contributed to increasing diet-related health and environmental impacts, including an 80% increase in global diabetes prevalence and an 860% increase in global nitrogen fertilizer use. Furthermore, if current dietary trajectories were to continue for the next several decades, diet-related diseases would account for three-quarters of the global burden of disease and would also lead to large increases in diet-related environmental impacts. We discuss how shifts to healthier diets—such as some Mediterranean, pescetarian, vegetarian, and vegan diets—could reduce incidence of diet-related diseases and improve environmental outcomes. In addition, we detail how other interventions to food systems that use known technologies and management techniques would improve environmental outcomes.
China's Environment on a Metacoupled Planet
Authors: Liu Jianguo , Viña Andrés , Yang Wu , Li Shuxin , Xu Weihua , Zheng Hua
Published: October 2018

China has emerged as a global economic powerhouse after four decades of unprecedented growth. Such growth has generated many environmental challenges with enormous ecological, socioeconomic, and health consequences in China and beyond. Although the overall quality of air and water is starting to improve, both are still below national and international standards. Water shortages are widespread. Biodiversity continues to decline. China is the world's top CO2emitter, although per capita emissions are much lower than those of developed counties. On the positive side, large national conservation programs have been implemented, including the Natural Forest Conservation Program, the Grain-to-Green Program, Ecosystem Functional Conservation Areas, and Ecological Protection Redlines. More than 2,750 nature reserves have been established and a new national park system is being constructed. Some endangered and threatened species, such as the giant panda, are showing signs of recovery, and forest cover and some ecosystem services have increased. These mixed environmental outcomes result from human-nature interactions within China as well as between China and adjacent and distant countries. These include increasing rapid economic growth, resource consumption, land use change, trade and investment, and conservation and development policies. We suggest systems approaches such as nexus approaches and flow-centered governance to help China achieve ecological civilization and become an environmental leader on a metacoupled planet.
Abdominal organ perfusion and inflammation in experimental sepsis: a magnetic resonance imaging study
Authors: Marchesi Silvia , Ortiz Nieto Francisco , Ahlgren Kerstin M. , Roneus Agneta , Feinstein Ricardo , Lipcsey Miklos , Larsson Anders , Ahlström Håkan , Hedenstierna Göran
Published: October 2018

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) uses water as contrast and enables the study of perfusion in many organs simultaneously in situ. We used DW-MRI in a hypodynamic sepsis model, comparing abdominal organ perfusion with global hemodynamic measurements and inflammation. Sixteen anesthetized piglets were randomized into 3 groups: 2 intervention (sepsis) groups: HighMAP (mean arterial pressure, MAP > 65 mmHg) and LowMAP (MAP between 50 and 60 mmHg), and a Healthy Control group (HC). Sepsis was obtained with endotoxin and the desired MAP maintained with norepinephrine. After 6 h, DW-MRI was performed. Acute inflammation was assessed with IL-6 and TNFα in abdominal organs, ascites, and blood and by histology of intestine (duodenum). Perfusion of abdominal organs was reduced in the LowMAP group compared with the HighMAP group and HC. Liver perfusion was still reduced by 25% in the HighMAP group compared with HC. Intestinal perfusion did not differ significantly between the intervention groups. Cytokine concentrations were generally higher in the LowMAP group but did not correlate with global hemodynamics. However, cytokines correlated with regional perfusion and, for liver and intestine, also with intra-abdominal pressure. Histopathology of intestine worsened with decreasing perfusion. In conclusion, although a low MAP (≤60 mmHg) indicated impeded abdominal perfusion in experimental sepsis, it did not predict inflammation, nor did other global measures of circulation. Decreased abdominal perfusion partially predicted inflammation but intestine, occupying most of the abdomen, and liver were also affected by intra-abdominal pressure.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The study increases the knowledge of abdominal perfusion during sepsis. We used diffusion weighted imaging to assess perfusion simultaneously and noninvasively in different abdominal organs. The technique has not been used in a sepsis model before. Cytokine concentrations were measured in different abdominal organs and vascular beds and related to regional perfusion. Decreased abdominal perfusion, but not global measures of circulation, predicted inflammation. Intestine, occupying most of the abdomen, and liver were also affected by intra-abdominal pressure.
Crohn’s disease IRGM risk alleles are associated with altered gene expression in human tissues
Authors: Ajayi Teminioluwa A. , Innes Cynthia L. , Grimm Sara A. , Rai Prashant , Finethy Ryan , Coers Jörn , Wang Xuting , Bell Douglas A. , McGrath John A. , Schurman Shepherd H. , Fessler Michael B.
Published: October 2018

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory gastrointestinal disorder. Genetic association studies have implicated dysregulated autophagy in CD. Among risk loci identified are a promoter single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)( rs13361189 ) and two intragenic SNPs ( rs9637876 , rs10065172 ) in immunity-related GTPase family M ( IRGM) a gene that encodes a protein of the autophagy initiation complex. All three SNPs have been proposed to modify IRGM expression, but reports have been divergent and largely derived from cell lines. Here, analyzing RNA-Sequencing data of human tissues from the Genotype-Tissue Expression Project, we found that rs13361189 minor allele carriers had reduced IRGM expression in whole blood and terminal ileum, and upregulation in ileum of ZNF300P1, a locus adjacent to IRGM on chromosome 5q33.1 that encodes a long noncoding RNA. Whole blood and ileum from minor allele carriers had altered expression of multiple additional genes that have previously been linked to colitis and/or autophagy. Notable among these was an increase in ileum of LTF (lactoferrin), an established fecal inflammatory biomarker of CD, and in whole blood of TNF, a key cytokine in CD pathogenesis. Last, we confirmed that risk alleles at all three loci associated with increased risk for CD but not ulcerative colitis in a case-control study. Taken together, our findings suggest that genetically encoded IRGM deficiency may predispose to CD through dysregulation of inflammatory gene networks. Gene expression profiling of disease target tissues in genetically susceptible populations is a promising strategy for revealing new leads for the study of molecular pathogenesis and, potentially, for precision medicine.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Single nucleotide polymorphisms in immunity-related GTPase family M ( IRGM), a gene that encodes an autophagy initiation protein, have been linked epidemiologically to increased risk for Crohn’s disease (CD). Here, we show for the first time that subjects with risk alleles at two such loci, rs13361189 and rs10065172 , have reduced IRGM expression in whole blood and terminal ileum, as well as dysregulated expression of a wide array of additional genes that regulate inflammation and autophagy.
Characterization of human PDGFR-β-positive pericytes from IPF and non-IPF lungs
Authors: Wilson Carole L. , Stephenson Sarah E. , Higuero Jean Paul , Feghali-Bostwick Carol , Hung Chi F. , Schnapp Lynn M.
Published: October 2018

Pericytes are key regulators of the microvasculature through their close interactions with the endothelium. However, pericytes play additional roles in tissue homeostasis and repair, in part by transitioning into myofibroblasts. Accumulation of myofibroblasts is a hallmark of fibrotic diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). To understand the contribution and role of pericytes in human lung fibrosis, we isolated these cells from non-IPF control and IPF lung tissues based on expression of platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β (PDGFR-β), a common marker of pericytes. When cultured in a specialized growth medium, PDGFR-β+ cells retain the morphology and marker profile typical of pericytes. We found that IPF pericytes migrated more rapidly and invaded a basement membrane matrix more readily than control pericytes. Exposure of cells to transforming growth factor-β, a major fibrosis-inducing cytokine, increased expression of α-smooth muscle actin and extracellular matrix genes in both control and IPF pericytes. Given that pericytes are uniquely positioned in vivo to respond to danger signals of both systemic and tissue origin, we stimulated human lung pericytes with agonists having pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) or damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Both control and IPF lung pericytes increased expression of proinflammatory chemokines in response to specific PAMPs and DAMPs released from necrotic cells. Our results suggest that control and IPF lung pericytes are poised to react to tissue damage, as well as microbial and fibrotic stimuli. However, IPF pericytes are primed for migration and matrix invasion, features that may contribute to the function of these cells in lung fibrosis.
Noninvasive measurement of pulmonary gas exchange: comparison with data from arterial blood gases
Authors: West John B. , Wang Daniel L. , Prisk G. Kim , Fine Janelle M. , Bellinghausen Amy , Light Matthew , Crouch Daniel R.
Published: October 2018

A new noninvasive method was used to measure the impairment of pulmonary gas exchange in 34 patients with lung disease, and the results were compared with the traditional ideal alveolar-arterial Po2 difference (AaDO2) calculated from arterial blood gases. The end-tidal Po2 was measured from the expired gas during steady-state breathing, the arterial Po2 was derived from a pulse oximeter if the [Formula: see text] was 95% or less, which was the case for 23 patients. The difference between the end-tidal and the calculated Po2 was defined as the oxygen deficit. Oxygen deficit was 42.7 mmHg (SE 4.0) in this group of patients, much higher than the means previously found in 20 young normal subjects measured under hypoxic conditions (2.0 mmHg, SE 0.8) and 11 older normal subjects (7.5 mmHg, SE 1.6) and emphasizes the sensitivity of the new method for detecting the presence of abnormal gas exchange. The oxygen deficit was correlated with AaDO2 ( R2 0.72). The arterial Po2 that was calculated from the noninvasive technique was correlated with the results from the arterial blood gases ( R2 0.76) and with a mean bias of +2.7 mmHg. The Pco2 was correlated with the results from the arterial blood gases (R2 0.67) with a mean bias of −3.6 mmHg. We conclude that the oxygen deficit as obtained from the noninvasive method is a very sensitive indicator of impaired pulmonary gas exchange. It has the advantage that it can be obtained within a few minutes by having the patient simply breathe through a tube.
Phase Transitions of GUP-Corrected Charged AdS Black Hole
Authors: Ma Meng-Sen , Liu Yan-Song
Published: October 2018

We study the thermodynamic properties and critical behaviors of the topological charged black hole in AdS space under the consideration of the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP). It is found that only in the spherical horizon case there are Van der Waals-like first-order phase transitions and reentrant phase transitions. From the equation of state we find that the GUP-corrected black hole can have one, two, and three apparent critical points under different conditions. However, it is verified by the Gibbs free energy that in either case there is at most one physical critical point.
A Facility Location Model for Air Pollution Detection
Authors: Lancia G. , Rinaldi F. , Serafini P.
Published: October 2018

We describe mathematical models and practical algorithms for a problem concerned with monitoring the air pollution in a large city. We have worked on this problem within a project for assessing the air quality in the city of Rome by placing a certain number of sensors on some of the city buses. We cast the problem as a facility location model. By reducing the large number of data variables and constraints, we were able to solve to optimality the resulting MILP model within minutes. Furthermore, we designed a genetic algorithm whose solutions were on average very close to the optimal ones. In our computational experiments we studied the placement of sensors on 187 candidate bus routes. We considered the coverage provided by 10 up to 60 sensors.
An Improved Permission Management Scheme of Android Application Based on Machine Learning
Authors: Niu Shaozhang , Huang Ruqiang , Chen Wenbo , Xue Yiming
Published: October 2018

The Android permission mechanism prevents malicious application from accessing the mobile multimedia data and invoking the sensitive API. However, there are still lots of deficiencies in the current permission management, which results in the permission mechanism being unable to protect users’ private data properly. In this paper, a dynamic management scheme of Android permission based on machine learning is proposed to solve the problem of the existing permission mechanism. In order to accomplish the dynamic management, the proposed scheme maintains a dynamic permission management database which records the state of permissions for each application. Only the permission which is granted state in the database can be used in this application. In the whole process, the scheme first classifies the application by means of machine learning, then retrieves the corresponding permission information from databases, and issues the dangerous permission warning to users. Finally, the scheme updates the dynamic management database according to the users’ decisions. Through this scheme, users can prevent malicious behaviour of accessing private data and invoking sensitive API in time. The solution increases the flexibility of permission management and improves the security and reliability of multimedia data in Android devices.
Control of a Robot Arm Using Decoded Joint Angles from Electrocorticograms in Primate
Authors: Shin Duk , Kambara Hiroyuki , Yoshimura Natsue , Koike Yasuharu
Published: October 2018

Electrocorticogram (ECoG) is a well-known recording method for the less invasive brain machine interface (BMI). Our previous studies have succeeded in predicting muscle activities and arm trajectories from ECoG signals. Despite such successful studies, there still remain solving works for the purpose of realizing an ECoG-based prosthesis. We suggest a neuromuscular interface to control robot using decoded muscle activities and joint angles. We used sparse linear regression to find the best fit between band-passed ECoGs and electromyograms (EMG) or joint angles. The best coefficient of determination for 100 s continuous prediction was 0.6333 ± 0.0033 (muscle activations) and 0.6359 ± 0.0929 (joint angles), respectively. We also controlled a 4 degree of freedom (DOF) robot arm using only decoded 4 DOF angles from the ECoGs in this study. Consequently, this study shows the possibility of contributing to future advancements in neuroprosthesis and neurorehabilitation technology.
A Rollercoaster to Model Touch Interactions during Turbulence
Authors: Alapetite Alexandre , Møllenbach Emilie , Stockmarr Anders , Minakata Katsumi
Published: October 2018

We contribute to a project introducing the use of a large single touch-screen as a concept for future airplane cockpits. Human-machine interaction in this new type of cockpit must be optimised to cope with the different types of normal use as well as during moments of turbulence (which can occur during flights varying degrees of severity). We propose an original experimental setup for reproducing turbulence (not limited to aviation) based on a touch-screen mounted on a rollercoaster. Participants had to repeatedly solve three basic touch interactions: a single click, a one-finger drag-and-drop, and a zoom operation involving a 2-finger pinching gesture. The completion times of the different tasks as well as the number of unnecessary interactions with the screen constitute the collected user data. We also propose a data analysis and statistical method to combine user performance with observed turbulence, including acceleration and jerk along the different axes. We then report some of the implications of severe turbulence on touch interaction and make recommendations as to how this can be accommodated in future design solutions.
An Analytical Solution for Stress and Displacement Field for Arbitrarily Positioned Twin-Tunnel Excavation at Great Depth
Authors: Lin Luobin , Lu Yanping , Chen Fuquan
Published: October 2018

In this study, an analytical solution for the stress and displacement field for arbitrarily positioned twin-tunnel excavation at great depth is proposed. The twin-tunnel is subjected to equivalent loads on the tunnel periphery and uniform loads at infinity. The analytical continuation of the complex variable method is used for stress “stair”, owing to the equivalent loads of the tunnel support. Subsequently, the Schwarz alternating method and Cauchy integral formula are used. The redundant surface forces on the periphery are expanded into Laurent series in the sequence of iterations, and a reasonable series truncation is adopted. Comparing with several existing solutions covering special cases from different perspectives, it is found that the proposed solution meets accuracy requirements for tunnel center distance greater than 2.2 times tunnel radius after 1.5 iterations. The proposed solution is fast and yields reference value to tunnel engineering.
Experimental Study of Environmental Effects: Leaf Traits of JuvenileFagus sylvatica,Acer pseudoplatanus, andCarpinus betulusAre Comparable to Leaves of Mature Trees in Upper Canopies
Authors: Stiegel Stephanie , Mantilla-Contreras Jasmin
Published: October 2018

Morphological and functional leaf traits like leaf toughness and nutrient content are essentially influenced by the environment, especially through light and climatic conditions. Varying light conditions have been identified as a significant predictor for the variation of many leaf traits. However, the leaf acclimation to light is suggested to be of secondary importance. The aim of the experimental study was to analyse environmental effects (microclimate and soil moisture), which are present in upper canopies of forest stands, on leaf traits of juvenileFagus sylvaticaL. (European beech; Fagaceae),Acer pseudoplatanusL. (sycamore maple; Sapindaceae), andCarpinus betulusL. (hornbeam; Betulaceae). The experimental design managed to imitate two distinct microclimates causing different temperature and air humidity conditions. Furthermore, the irrigation treatment with different levels of applied water caused distinct soil moisture conditions in the trial pots. As a result of the treatments, leaves ofC. betulusshowed a tendency of decreased specific leaf area (SLA) caused by the treatment with warmer and drier microclimate. The environmental effect on SLA was even stronger with lower soil moisture conditions. Chlorophyll content showed lower values in treatments with higher soil moisture conditions in both greenhouses forF. sylvaticaandA. pseudoplatanus. The trends are in accordance with combined effects of temperature, air humidity, and soil moisture on SLA, and increased leaf chlorophyll content caused by slight drought stress. Plants in the greenhouses were exposed to full sunlight indicating a microclimatic environment comparable to upper canopies in forest stands. The comparable SLA and chlorophyll content between leaves of matureF. sylvaticatrees in upper canopies and juvenile trees of the greenhouses suggest similar environmental conditions instead of ontogenetic effects that are responsible for the formation of leaf trait characteristics.
A Novel Net Weighting Algorithm for Power and Timing-Driven Placement
Authors: Chentouf Mohamed , Alaoui Ismaili Zine El Abidine
Published: October 2018

Nowadays, many new low power ASICs applications have emerged. This new market trend made the designer’s task of meeting the timing and routability requirements within the power budget more challenging. One of the major sources of power consumption in modern integrated circuits (ICs) is the Interconnect. In this paper, we present a novel Power and Timing-Driven global Placement (PTDP) algorithm. Its principle is to wrap a commercial timing-driven placer with a nets weighting mechanism to calculate the nets weights based on their timing and power consumption. The new calculated weight is used to drive the placement engine to place the cells connected by the critical power or timing nets close to each other and hence reduce the parasitic capacitances of the interconnects and, by consequence, improve the timing and power consumption of the design. This approach not only improves the design power consumption but facilitates also the routability with only a minor impact on the timing closure of a few designs. The experiments carried on 40 industrial designs of different nodes, sizes, and complexities and demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is able to achieve significant improvements on Quality of Results (QoR) compared with a commercial timing driven placement flow. We effectively reduce the interconnect power by an average of 11.5% that leads to a total power improvement of 5.4%, a timing improvement of 9.4%, 13.7%, and of 3.2% in Worst Negative Slack (WNS), Total Negative Slack (TNS), and total wirelength reduction, respectively.
The Effect of Long-Term Frozen Storage on the Quality of Meat (Longissimus thoracis et Lumborum) from Female Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus L.)
Authors: Daszkiewicz Tomasz , Kubiak Dorota , Panfil Agata
Published: October 2018

The objective of this study was to determine the quality of meat (Longissimus thoracis et lumborum) from 10 female roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.), which was vacuum-packaged, frozen-stored (−26°C) for 6, 10, and 12 months, and compared with fresh, nonfrozen meat. Roe deer (aged 3 to 5 years) were hunter-harvested in north-eastern Poland in December and January during the same hunting season. Frozen storage did not affect the proximate chemical composition of meat (except for ash content). An analysis of the physicochemical properties of meat revealed that frozen-stored meat was characterized by a darker color, a higher hue angle, lower ability to bind its own and added water, and lower cooking loss compared with nonfrozen meat. The values noted for meat samples that were stored in the freezer for 12 months (increase in pH, considerable decrease in water-holding capacity, and first symptoms of flavor deterioration) indicate that frozen roe deer meat should be stored for no more than 10 to 12 months to maintain its high quality.
Scaling Laws of Droplet Coalescence: Theory and Numerical Simulation
Authors: Khodabocus M. Irshad , Sellier Mathieu , Nock Volker
Published: October 2018

When two Newtonian liquid droplets are brought into contact on a solid substrate, a highly curved meniscus neck is established between the two which transforms the bihemispherically shaped fluid domain to a hemispherically shaped domain. The rate at which such topological transformation, called coalescence phenomenon, evolves results from a competition between the inertial force which resists the transformation, the interfacial force which promotes the rate, and the viscous force which arrests it. Depending on the behaviour of these forces, different scaling laws describing the neck growth can be observed, predicted theoretically, and proved numerically. The twofold objective of the present contribution is to propose a simple theoretical framework which leads to an Ordinary Differential Equation, the solution of which predicts the different scaling laws in various limits, and to validate these theoretical predictions numerically by modelling the phenomenon in the commercial Finite Element software COMSOL Multiphysics.
A Secure Multimedia Data Sharing Scheme for Wireless Network
Authors: Fang Liming , Liu Liang , Xia Jinyue , Sun Maosheng
Published: October 2018

A large number of wireless devices like WiFi cameras and 4G robots have been deployed in the rapidly growing wireless network such as Internet of Things. All of the devices (sensors) are collecting and analyzing multimedia data all the time while they are actively working, and it is also required to share data among these the sensors. Typically, the wireless data is transmitted through the network gateway or the cloud platforms. In such a wireless environment, if there is no appropriate protection to the data, it is easy to cause potential data leakage. In reality, the owner of the sensor might only want to share the multimedia data stored in the sensor with a trusted third party (e.g., a family member or a coworker) through an internet gateway or the cloud platform. Ideally, the gateway or the cloud platform in the wireless network should transform one user’s encrypted data (wireless multimedia data) directly into another ciphertext under a set of new users (e.g., a trusted third party) without accessing the user’s plaintext data. In this work, a new secure notion called fuzzy-conditional proxy broadcast re-encryption (FC-PBRE) is presented to address the concern. In a FC-PBRE scheme, the proxy (the gateway or cloud server) uses a broadcast re-encryption key to re-encrypt the encrypted wireless multimedia data which can be decrypted by a set of delegatees if and only if the broadcast key’s conditional set W is close to the conditional set W′ of the ciphertext. With the FC-PBRE scheme, the wireless multimedia data is not disclosed and cannot be learnt by the proxy (the gateway or cloud server). In this paper, we first present the definition of security against chosen-ciphertext attacks for FC-PBRE. Second, we propose an efficient fuzzy-conditional proxy broadcast re-encryption scheme. Third, we prove that our FC-PBRE scheme is CCA-secure in the random oracle model based on the Decisional nBDHE assumption.
N‐Acetylcysteine (NAC) Ameliorates Lipid‐Related Metabolic Dysfunction in Bone Marrow Stromal Cells‐Derived Adipocytes
Authors: Raffaele Marco , Barbagallo Ignazio , Licari Maria , Carota Giuseppe , Sferrazzo Giuseppe , Spampinato Mariarita , Sorrenti Valeria , Vanella Luca
Published: October 2018

Recent experimental data suggest that fatty acids and lipotoxicity could play a role in the initiation and evolution of metabolic bone diseases such as osteoporosis. A functional bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) may provide support to surrounding cells and tissues or may serve as a lipid reservoir that protects skeletal osteoblasts from lipotoxicity. The present study examined the effect of N‐acetylcysteine (NAC), a powerful antioxidant and precursor of glutathione, commonly used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, on triglycerides accumulation in bone marrow stromal cells‐derived adipocytes. Quantification of Oil Red O stained cells showed that lipid droplets decreased following NAC treatment. Additionally, exposure of bone marrow stromal cells (HS‐5) to NAC increased adiponectin, PPARγ, HO‐1, and SIRT‐1 and increased beta‐oxidation markers such as PPARα and PPARδ mRNA levels. As there is now substantial interest in alternative medicine, the observed therapeutic value of NAC should be taken into consideration in diabetic patients.
A Two-Step Neural Dialog State Tracker for Task-Oriented Dialog Processing
Authors: Kim A-Yeong , Song Hyun-Je , Park Seong-Bae
Published: October 2018

Dialog state tracking in a spoken dialog system is the task that tracks the flow of a dialog and identifies accurately what a user wants from the utterance. Since the success of a dialog is influenced by the ability of the system to catch the requirements of the user, accurate state tracking is important for spoken dialog systems. This paper proposes a two-step neural dialog state tracker which is composed of an informativeness classifier and a neural tracker. The informativeness classifier which is implemented by a CNN first filters out noninformative utterances in a dialog. Then, the neural tracker estimates dialog states from the remaining informative utterances. The tracker adopts the attention mechanism and the hierarchical softmax for its performance and fast training. To prove the effectiveness of the proposed model, we do experiments on dialog state tracking in the human-human task-oriented dialogs with the standard DSTC4 data set. Our experimental results prove the effectiveness of the proposed model by showing that the proposed model outperforms the neural trackers without the informativeness classifier, the attention mechanism, or the hierarchical softmax.
Sheng‐Di‐Da‐Huang Decoction Inhibited Inflammation Expressed in Microglia after Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Rats
Authors: Cai Min , Yu Zhonghai , Zhang Wen , Yang Li , Xiang Jun , Zhang Jingsi , Zhang Zhennian , Wu Ting , Li Xiangting , Fu Maodong , Bao Xuxia , Yu Xiaofei , Cai Dingfang
Published: October 2018

Objects. Sheng‐Di‐Da‐Huang Decoction was used as an effective hemostatic agent in ancient China. However, its therapeutic mechanism is still not clear. Inflammatory injury plays a critical role in ICH‐induced secondary brain injury. After hemolysis, hematoma components are released, inducing microglial activation via TLR4, which initiates the activation of transcription factors (such as NF‐κB) to regulate expression of proinflammatory cytokine genes. This study aimed to verify the anti‐inflammatory effects of Sheng‐Di‐Da‐Huang Decoction on ICH rats. Materials and Methods. Intracerebral hemorrhage was induced by injection of bacterial collagenase (0.2 U) in rats. Neurological deficits, brain water content, Evans blue extravasation, expression of TLR4, NF‐κB, Iba‐1 positive cells (activated microglia), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), and interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) were examined 1, 3, 7, and 14 days after collagenase injection. MR images were also studied. Results. Sheng‐Di‐Da‐Huang Decoction remarkably improved neurological function, reduced brain water content as well as Evans blue extravasation, downregulated expression of TLR4, NF‐κB, TNF‐α, and IL‐1β, and inhibited microglial activation. Conclusions. Sheng‐Di‐Da‐Huang Decoction reduced inflammation reaction after ICH through inhibited inflammation expressed in microglia.
A Practical Method to Design Reflector-Based Light-Emitting Diode Luminaire for General Lighting
Authors: Yan Jinren
Published: October 2018

A reflector-based light-emitting diode (LED) luminaire structure that can achieve a large cut-off angle for general lighting is presented in this work. The proposed lighting unit mainly consists of a spherical reflector and a primary packaging lens that contains an aspheric surface and a spherical surface. The light rays emitted from the LED light source are well controlled by the spherical reflector and the aspheric surface of the lens for the purpose of obtaining a uniform illumination on the target surface. Both the ideal Lambertian LED and non-Lambertian LED light sources were employed to validate the proposed structure and the performance of the designed lighting units was analyzed by optical simulation. The results show that the light utilization efficiencies and the estimated uniformities are 92.96% and 91.11% for ideal Lambertian LED-based lighting unit and 93.31% and 91.64% for non-Lambertian LED-based lighting unit, respectively. Further analysis shows that the tolerances of horizontal, vertical, and rotational deviation of the both lighting units were about 2.0 mm, 1.0 mm, and 1.0°, respectively.