bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Practical IMP Performance Metrics
Authors: Konell Jeremiah P. , Van Schenck Jack , Bratton Joseph P. , Polasik Steven J.
Published: January 2019

Annually or as events occur, operators submit data to various regulatory agencies about the operation, maintenance and extent of their assets. Many of these figures are used by the public, non-profit organizations and private companies to independently conduct assessments about operators, ranging from safety to quality assurance to scope and nature of product deliveries.

The Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the National Energy Board (NEB), and other industry organizations have recently put an emphasis on more meaningful metrics by releasing guidelines and leading discussions at industry conferences and workshops.

In order to derive more strategic accuracy and pertinence, Explorer Pipeline Company (Explorer) and Det Norske Veritas (U.S.A.), Inc. (DNV GL) have developed a procedural effort to develop meaningful metrics. Several derivative benefits come from this effort such as support for calculating cost-benefit / ROI figures for maintenance projects, justification for compliance-plus activities and, most importantly, a more informed perspective of operational risk.

A renewed approach to this effort is to organize the more meaningful factors into three categories: (1) Metrics of job roles and tasks within Explorer’s Asset Integrity staff, (2) Other existing influential metrics (3) Regulatory metrics.

Using this approach, Explorer defined well-targeted, unitized metrics, each with a meaningful basis. Explorer anticipates the development of these more meaningful metrics to support the transparency sought by regulators and other stakeholders, benchmark and continually evaluate our Asset Integrity program and possibly support the development of practical metrics for the pipeline industry.
A Comparative Study Between Lateral and Upward Anchor-Soil and Pipe-Soil Interaction in Dense Sand
Authors: Roy Kshama , Hawlader Bipul , Kenny Shawn , Moore Ian
Published: January 2019

Buried pipelines are extensively used in onshore and offshore environments for transportation of hydrocarbons. On the other hand, buried anchors have been used for many years to stabilize various structures. In the development of design guidelines for pipelines, theoretical and experimental studies on buried anchors are sometimes used assuming that pipeline-soil and anchor-soil interaction are similar. In the present study, finite element (FE) modeling is performed to simulate the response of pipeline and anchor buried in dense sand subjected to lateral and uplift forces. The similarities and differences between the responses of these two types of structures are examined to justify the application of anchor theory to pipeline behaviour. The stress-strain behaviour of dense sand is modeled using a Modified Mohr-Coulomb (MMC) model, which considers the pre-peak hardening, post-peak softening, density and confining pressure dependent friction and dilation angles. A considerable difference is found between the lateral resistance of pipeline and vertical strip anchor of similar size. Progressive development of shear bands (shear strain concentrated zone) can explain the load-displacement behaviour for both lateral and upward loading.
Deploying Mobile Construction Inspection Forms as a Case Study for Technology Adoption
Authors: Vogt Brett D. , Belcher Raymond “Buddy” E.
Published: January 2019

Within pipeline construction field inspection data collection relies mostly on archaic systems and processes. For almost all projects, paper-based or at best word processor and spreadsheet reports are manually collected, reviewed, aggregated and archived. The effort and error in this typical process is reduced using a mobile inspection form system that simplifies the field data collection workflow, increases data accuracy and quality, and can be used to generate dynamic project management dashboards. An evaluation of two case study projects provides insight to overcoming technology adoption for pipeline construction as well as performance, quality and forecasting benefits witnessed during these projects. The use of a mobile inspection form system creates the ability for improved analytics such as detailed construction tracking, dynamic forecasting and spatial overlays of construction progress. Improved data standardization and data integrity from the use of tablet forms produces detailed and functional key performance indicators (KPIs) delivered on-demand through a project dashboard. When both field data quality is improved and project managers are provided timely KPIs, projects have the opportunity to be delivered safer, faster and with higher quality, which is a win for the entire pipeline industry.
Unlocking the Power of Incident Investigation: Building a Strong Pipeline Safety Management System From a Solid Foundation
Authors: Weichel Megan
Published: January 2019

As many pipeline operators embark on the journey of developing a Pipeline Safety Management System (PSMS), the first question is typically, “Where do we begin?” Management systems can be intimidating, and the thought of taking on the task of developing one can seem overwhelming. Companies want to know if it is necessary to start from scratch, if they can use existing processes or programs, and which step to take first for a successful PSMS. There are many ways to begin, but one of the most effective ways is to first ask two questions, “What do we already have?” and “What are our biggest problems?” Armed with these answers, a path forward can be developed, and the foundation for the management system can begin to take shape.

One effective way to choose where to begin when developing the PSMS is to determine which elements have been related to the root causes of incidents and near misses in the past. Likewise, continuing to determine and monitor the causes of incidents after the implementation of the PSMS will provide guidance for continual improvement of the management system. Using the elements and sub-elements of existing management system standards or practices, such as API RP 1173, Pipeline Safety Management System Requirements [1], as a starting point for determining root causes is a good way to break down, categorize, and trend the causes of each incident. Combining these with a gap analysis of both the undocumented and documented processes and procedures will provide a basis for determining the priorities for development and implementation of each management system element.
Area-selective atomic layer deposition of cobalt oxide to generate patterned cobalt films
Authors: Zhang Zizhuo , Dwyer Tobias , Sirard Stephen M. , Ekerdt John G.
Published: January 2019

The authors report the area-selective deposition of cobalt (II) oxide on polystyrene-patterned SiO2/Si and MgO(001) substrates at 180 °C by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using bis(N-tert butyl, N′-ethylpropionamidinato) cobalt (II) and water as coreactants. The patterned CoO films are carbon-free, smooth, and were reduced with atomic deuterium at 220 °C to produce Co metal patterns without shape deformation. CoO ALD is facile on starting surfaces that features hydroxyl groups favoring CoO nucleation and growth. Polystyrene (PS) is very effective in blocking ALD of CoO. The PS is patterned using UV-crosslinked 40 nm-thick PS films to generate μm-size features or using self-assembled 40 nm-thick polystyrene-block-polymethylmethacrylate (PS-b-PMMA) films to generate nm-size features. The unexposed PS in UV-crosslinked PS films is dissolved away with toluene, or the PMMA component in self-assembled PS-b-PMMA films is selectively removed by a plasma etch to expose the underlying oxide surface. The magnetic properties of the Co metal patterns grown by area-selective atomic layer deposition are presented.
Viral RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Inhibitor 7-Deaza-2′-
C
-Methyladenosine Prevents Death in a Mouse Model of West Nile Virus Infection
Authors: Eyer Luděk , Fojtíková Martina , Nencka Radim , Rudolf Ivo , Hubálek Zdeněk , Ruzek Daniel
Published: January 2019

West Nile virus (WNV) is a medically important emerging arbovirus causing serious neuroinfections in humans and against which no approved antiviral therapy is currently available. In this study, we demonstrate that 2′-
C
-methyl- or 4′-azido-modified nucleosides are highly effective inhibitors of WNV replication, showing nanomolar or low micromolar anti-WNV activity and negligible cytotoxicity in cell culture.
Distinct Roles of Extracellular Domains in the Epstein-Barr Virus-Encoded BILF1 Receptor for Signaling and Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Downregulation
Authors: Fares Suzan , Spiess Katja , Olesen Emma T. B. , Zuo Jianmin , Jackson Sarah , Kledal Thomas N. , Wills Mark R. , Rosenkilde Mette M.
Published: January 2019

G protein-coupled receptors constitute the largest family of membrane proteins. As targets of >30% of the FDA-approved drugs, they are valuable for drug discovery. The receptor is composed of seven membrane-spanning helices and intracellular and extracellular domains. BILF1 is a receptor encoded by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which evades the host immune system by various strategies. BILF1 facilitates the virus immune evasion by downregulating MHC class I and is capable of inducing signaling-mediated tumorigenesis. BILF1 homologs from primate viruses show highly conserved extracellular domains. Here, we show that conserved residues in the extracellular domains of EBV-BILF1 are important for downregulating MHC class I and that the receptor signaling and immune evasion can be inhibited by drug-like small molecules. This suggests that BILF1 could be a target to inhibit the signaling-mediated tumorigenesis and interfere with the MHC class I downregulation, thereby facilitating virus recognition by the immune system.
CO
2
Signaling through the Ptc2-Ssn3 Axis Governs Sustained Hyphal Development of Candida albicans by Reducing Ume6 Phosphorylation and Degradation
Authors: Lu Yang , Su Chang , Ray Shatarupa , Yuan Yuncong , Liu Haoping
Published: January 2019

The capacity to sense and adapt to changing carbon dioxide levels is crucial for all organisms. In fungi, CO
2
is a key determinant involved in fundamental biological processes, including growth, morphology, and virulence. In the pathogenic fungus
Candida albicans
, high CO
2
is directly sensed by adenylyl cyclase to promote hyphal growth. However, little is known about the mechanism by which hyphal development is maintained in response to physiological levels of CO
2
. Here we report that a signal transduction system mediated by a phosphatase-kinase pair controls CO
2
-responsive Ume6 phosphorylation and stability that in turn dictate hyphal elongation. Our results unravel a new regulatory mechanism of CO
2
signaling in fungi.
N-methyl-bacillithiol, a Novel Thiol from Anaerobic Bacteria
Authors: Newton Gerald L. , Rawat Mamta
Published: January 2019

J. Hiras, S. V. Sharma, V. Raman, R. A. J. Tinson, et al. (mBio 9:e01603-18, 2018,
https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.01603-18
) report on the identification of a novel thiol, N-methyl-bacillithiol (N-Me-BSH), in the green sulfur bacterium
Chlorobium tepidum
. In N-methyl-bacillithiol, the amine of the cysteine is methylated by a novel
S
-adenosylmethioneine transferase designated N-methyl-bacillithiol synthase A (NmbA). The Hiras et al. study is significant because it is the first report of the presence of N-Me-BSH in anaerobic bacteria.
Rescue therapy for acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura unresponsive to conventional treatment
Authors: Reynolds Samuel Benjamin , Hashmi Hamza , Ngo Phuong , Kloecker Goetz
Published: January 2019

A 61-year-old woman with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, with Richter’s transformation to a diffuse, large, B-cell lymphoma, treated with six cycles of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone and in complete remission, presented to the hospital after her platelets were found to be 2×10³/µL in outpatient laboratory studies. She initially underwent a platelet transfusion without improvement. This was followed by 4 days of high-dose dexamethasone and intravenous immunoglobulin, which again yielded no meaningful effect. Even a single-dose rituximab failed to achieve a platelet increase after 5 days of monitoring. The patient was then given 2 mg of intravenous vincristine along with a high-dose of dexamethasone and IVIG and demonstrated substantial recovery in platelets to >50×10³/µL within 48 hours. This case study provides an overview of the current management strategies for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura that is unresponsive to conventional medical therapy and particularly sheds light on their therapeutic benefits and potential adverse effects.
Impact of perioperative pain management on cancer recurrence: an ASRA/ESRA special article
Authors: Missair Andres , Cata Juan Pablo , Votta-Velis Gina , Johnson Mark , Borgeat Alain , Tiouririne Mohammed , Gottumukkala Vijay , Buggy Donal , Vallejo Ricardo , Marrero Esther Benedetti de , Sessler Dan , Huntoon Marc A , Andres Jose De , Casasola Oscar De Leon
Published: January 2019

Cancer causes considerable suffering and 80% of advanced cancer patients experience moderate to severe pain. Surgical tumor excision remains a cornerstone of primary cancer treatment, but is also recognized as one of the greatest risk factors for metastatic spread. The perioperative period, characterized by the surgical stress response, pharmacologic-induced angiogenesis, and immunomodulation results in a physiologic environment that supports tumor spread and distant reimplantation.In the perioperative period, anesthesiologists may have a brief and uniquewindow of opportunity to modulate the unwanted consequences of the stressresponse on the immune system and minimize residual disease. This reviewdiscusses the current research on analgesic therapies and their impact ondisease progression, followed by an evidence-based evaluation of perioperativepain interventions and medications.
Long-term efficacy of 1–1.2 kHz subthreshold spinal cord stimulation following failed traditional spinal cord stimulation: a retrospective case series
Authors: Kapural Leonardo , Harandi Shervin
Published: January 2019

Background and objective

We investigated whether an effective long-term pain relief could be achieved using subthreshold 1–1.2 kHz spinal cord stimulation (SCS) among patients who were initially implanted with traditional paresthesia-based SCS but who failed to maintain an adequate pain relief.

Methods

Retrospective chart review was conducted of patients’ electronic records who underwent a trial of subthreshold 1–1.2 kHz SCS. One hundred and nine patients implanted and programmed at traditional paresthesia-based frequencies 40–90 Hz (low-frequency SCS) with unsatisfactory pain relief or unpleasant paresthesias were identified. Patients’ settings were switched to 1–1.2 kHz and 60–210 µs, and variable amplitude adjusted to subthreshold. Pain scores and medication usage were collected. Complete data are presented on 95 patients.

Results

Data were collected from 36 men and 59 women who were converted from above-threshold 40–90 Hz SCS to 1–1.2 kHz SCS, with a minimum follow-up of 12  months. Nearly a third (63/95 or 66.3%) of the subjects deemed 1–1.2 kHz SCS ineffective and returned to low-frequency SCS within 1 week after switch, and one-sixth (16/95 or 16.8%) of the subjects returned to low-frequency SCS within 1 month. Only 13 (13.7%) subjects continued using 1–1.2 kHz subthreshold SCS for 3 months or longer and 2.1% (2/95) of subjects continued using it at 12 months. A comparison of their pain scores and opioid use before and during the time we used 1–1.2 kHz SCS revealed no significant difference.

Conclusion

The results from our single center failed to show additional long-term clinical benefit of 1–1.2 kHz subthreshold SCS in patients with chronic pain failing traditional low-frequency SCS.
Efficacy of the ketamine metabolite (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine in mice models of pain
Authors: Kroin Jeffrey S , Das Vaskar , Moric Mario , Buvanendran Asokumar
Published: January 2019

Background and objectives

Ketamine has been shown to reduce chronic pain; however, the adverse events associated with ketamine makes it challenging for use outside of the perioperative setting. The ketamine metabolite (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine ((2R,6R)-HNK) has a therapeutic effect in mice models of depression, with minimal side effects. The objective of this study is to determine if (2R,6R)-HNK has efficacy in both acute and chronic mouse pain models.

Methods

Mice were tested in three pain models: nerve-injury neuropathic pain, tibia fracture complex regional pain syndrome type-1 (CRPS1) pain, and plantar incision postoperative pain. Once mechanical allodynia had developed, systemic (2R,6R)-HNK or ketamine was administered as a bolus injection and compared with saline control in relieving allodynia.

Results

In all three models, 10 mg/kg ketamine failed to produce sustained analgesia. In the neuropathic pain model, a single intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg (2R,6R)-HNK elevated von Frey thresholds over a time period of 1–24hours compared with saline (F=121.6, p<0.0001), and three daily (2R,6R)-HNK injections elevated von Frey thresholds for 3 days compared with saline (F=33.4, p=0.0002). In the CRPS1 model, three (2R,6R)-HNK injections elevated von Frey thresholds for 3 days and then an additional 4 days compared with saline (F=116.1, p<0.0001). In the postoperative pain model, three (2R,6R)-HNK injections elevated von Frey thresholds for 3 days and then an additional 5 days compared with saline (F=60.6, p<0.0001).

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that (2R,6R)-HNK is superior to ketamine in reducing mechanical allodynia in acute and chronic pain models and suggests it may be a new non-opioid drug for future therapeutic studies.
Evaluation of the B-Smart manometer and the CompuFlo computerized injection pump technology for accurate needle-tip injection pressure measurement during peripheral nerve blockade
Authors: Weisman Robyn S , Bhavsar Nirav P , Schuster Kathleen A , Gebhard Ralf E
Published: January 2019

Background and Objectives

The exact mechanism of peripheral nerve blocks causing/leading to nerve injury remains controversial. Evidence from animal experiments suggests that intrafascicular injection resulting in high injection pressure has the potential to rupture nerve fascicles and may consequently cause permanent nerve injury and neurological deficits. The B-Smart (BS) in-line manometer and the CompuFlo (CF) computerized injection pump technology are two modalities used for monitoring pressure during regional anesthesia. This study sought to explore the accuracy of these two technologies in measuring needle-tip pressures in a simulated environment.

Methods

In seven simulated needle–syringe combinations, the BS and the CF devices were connected in series through a closed system and attached to a digital manometer at the tip of various needles. The pressures were evaluated in three trials per needle-syringe combination. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy (F1 Score) were determined for each needle type and overall.

Results

For pressures ≥15 psi and ≥20 psi, respectively, the CF device demonstrated a sensitivity of 100%, 100%; specificity of 96%, 98%; positive predictive value 93%, 93%; and negative predictive value of 100%, 100%. The BS device demonstrated a sensitivity of 60%, 100%; specificity of 99%, 95%; positive predictive value of 96%, 85%; and negative predictive value of 85%, 100%. Accuracy, as measured by the F1 Score, for detecting a pressure of ≥15 psi was 0.96 for the CF and 0.74 for the BS.

Conclusions

Future research is needed to explore in-vivo performance and evaluate whether either of these devices can impact on clinical outcomes.
Risk factors for severe acute pain and persistent pain after surgery for breast cancer: a prospective observational study
Authors: Habib Ashraf S , Kertai Miklos D , Cooter Mary , Greenup Rachel A , Hwang Shelley
Published: January 2019

Background and objectives

There are few prospective studies providing comprehensive assessment of risk factors for acute and persistent pain after breast surgery. This prospective observational study assessed patient-related, perioperative, and genetic risk factors for severe acute pain and persistent pain following breast cancer surgery.

Methods

Women presenting for elective breast cancer surgery completed State Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Pain Catastrophizing Scale questionnaires preoperatively. Diffuse noxious inhibitory control and mechanical temporal summation were assessed. A blood sample was obtained for genetic analysis. Analgesic consumption and pain scores were collected in the post-anesthesia care unit, and at 24 and 72 hours. Patients were contacted at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months to assess persistent pain. Primary outcome was maximum acute pain score in first 72 hours and secondary outcome was persistent pain.

Results

One hundred twenty-four patients were included in analysis. Increased duration of surgery, surgeon, and higher pain catastrophizing scores were associated with increased severity of acute pain, while preoperative radiotherapy was associated with reduced severity. Persistent pain was reported by 57.3% of patients. Postdischarge chemotherapy (OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.13 to 5.82), postdischarge radiation (OR 3.39, 95% CI 1.24 to 10.41), severe acute pain (OR 5.39, 95% CI 2.03 to 15.54), and moderate acute pain (OR 5.31, 95% CI 1.99 to 15.30) were associated with increased likelihood of persistent pain.

Conclusions

Increased duration of surgery, higher pain catastrophizing score, and surgeon were associated with increased severity of acute pain. Preoperative radiation was associated with lower acute pain scores. Postsurgery radiation, chemotherapy, and severity of acute pain were associated with increased likelihood of persistent pain.

Trial registration

NCT03307525.
Enhanced susceptibility to apoptosis and growth arrest of human breast carcinoma cells treated with silica nanoparticles loaded with monohydroxy flavone compounds
Authors: Abo El-Maali Nagwa , Badr Gamal , Sayed Douaa , Adam Randa , Abd El Wahab Gamal
Published: January 2019

The treatment of drug-resistant cancer is a clinical challenge, hence screening for novel anticancer drugs is critically important. In this study, we investigated the anti-tumor potential of three plant-derived flavone compounds: 3-hydroxy flavone (3-HF), 6-hydroxy flavone (6-HF), and 7-hydroxy flavone (7-HF), either alone or combined with silica nanoparticles (3-HF + NP, 6-HF + NP, and 7-HF + NP), on the human breast carcinoma cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, as well as on non-tumorigenic normal breast epithelial cells (MCF-10). The IC50values of these flavone compounds loaded with NP (flavones + NP) in these cell lines were determined to be 1.5 μg/mL without affecting the viability of normal MCF-10 cells. Additionally, using annexin V – propidium iodide double-staining followed by flow cytometry analysis, we found that the combination of flavones with NP significantly induced apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells. Furthermore, flavones + NP increased the expression of cytochrome c and caspase-9, mediating the growth arrest of these cancer cells. Most importantly, the combination of flavones with NP significantly abolished the expression of ATF-3, which is responsible for the proliferation and invasion of bone-metastatic breast cancer cells. Our data revealed the potential therapeutic effects of these flavones in fighting breast cancer cells, and provide the first insights concerning the underlying molecular mechanisms.
PANE
Authors: Ved Sneha N. , Singh Sarabjeet , Mekie Joycee
Published: January 2019

Communication between different IP cores in MPSoCs and HMPs often results in clock domain crossing. Asynchronous network on chip (NoC) support communication in such heterogeneous set-ups. While there are a large number of tools to model NoCs for synchronous systems, there is very limited tool support to model communication for multi-clock domain NoCs and analyse them. In this article, we propose the
P
luggable
A
synchronous
NE
twork on Chip (PANE) simulator, which allows system-level simulation of asynchronous network on chip (NoC). PANE allows design space exploration of synchronous, asynchronous, and mixed synchronous-asynchronous(heterogeneous) NoC for various system-level NoC parameters such as packet latencies, throughput, network saturation point and power analysis. PANE supports a large range of NoC configurations—routing algorithms, topologies, network sizes, and so on—for both synthetic and real traffic patterns. We demonstrate the application of PANE by using synchronous routers, asynchronous routers, and a mix of asynchronous and synchronous routers. One of the key advantages of PANE is that it allows a seamless transition from synchronous to asynchronous NoC simulators while keeping pace with the developments in synchronous NoC tools as they can be integrated with PANE.
Understanding Event Organization at Scale in Event-Based Social Networks
Authors: Zhang Jason Shuo , Lv Qin
Published: January 2019

Understanding real-world event participation behavior has been a subject of active research and can offer valuable insights for event-related recommendation and advertisement. The emergence of event-based social networks (EBSNs), which attracts online users to host/attend offline events, has enabled exciting new research in this domain. However, most existing works focus on understanding or predicting individual users’ event participation behavior or recommending events to individual users. Few studies have addressed the problem of event popularity from the event organizer’s point of view.

In this work, we study the latent factors for determining event popularity using large-scale datasets collected from the popular Meetup.com EBSN in five major cities around the world. We analyze and model four contextual factors: spatial factor using location convenience, quality, popularity density, and competitiveness; group factor using group member entropy and loyalty; temporal factor using temporal preference and weekly event patterns; and semantic factor using readability, sentiment, part of speech, and text novelty. In addition, we have developed a group-based social influence propagation network to model group-specific influences on events. By combining the COntextual features and Social Influence NEtwork, our integrated prediction framework COSINE can capture the diverse influential factors of event participation and can be used by event organizers to predict/improve the popularity of their events. Detailed evaluations demonstrate that our COSINE framework achieves high accuracy for event popularity prediction in all five cities with diverse cultures and user event behaviors.
Transfer to Rank for Heterogeneous One-Class Collaborative Filtering
Authors: Pan Weike , Yang Qiang , Cai Wanling , Chen Yaofeng , Zhang Qing , Peng Xiaogang , Ming Zhong
Published: January 2019

Heterogeneous one-class collaborative filtering is an emerging and important problem in recommender systems, where two different types of one-class feedback, i.e., purchases and browses, are available as input data. The associated challenges include ambiguity of browses, scarcity of purchases, and heterogeneity arising from different feedback. In this article, we propose to model purchases and browses from a new perspective, i.e., users’ roles of mixer, browser and purchaser. Specifically, we design a novel transfer learning solution termed
role-based transfer to rank
(RoToR), which contains two variants, i.e., integrative RoToR and sequential RoToR. In integrative RoToR, we leverage browses into the preference learning task of purchases, in which we take each user as a sophisticated customer (i.e.,
mixer
) that is able to take different types of feedback into consideration. In sequential RoToR, we aim to simplify the integrative one by decomposing it into two dependent phases according to a typical shopping process. Furthermore, we instantiate both variants using different preference learning paradigms such as pointwise preference learning and pairwise preference learning. Finally, we conduct extensive empirical studies with various baseline methods on three large public datasets and find that our RoToR can perform significantly more accurate than the state-of-the-art methods.
Inferring Online Social Ties from Offline Geographical Activities
Authors: Hsieh Hsun-Ping , Li Cheng-Te
Published: January 2019

As mobile devices are becoming ubiquitous nowadays, the geographical activities and interactions of human beings can be easily recorded and accessed. Each mobile individual can belong to an online social network. Unfortunately, the underlying online social relationships are hidden and only available to service providers. Acquiring the social network of mobile users would enrich lots of mobile applications, such as friend recommendation and energy-saving mobile database management. In this work, we propose to infer online social ties using purely offline geographical activities of users, such as check-in records and spatial meeting events. To tackle the problem, we devise a novel inference framework, O2O-I
nf
, which consists of two components,
Feature Modeling
and
Link Inference
. Feature modeling is to characterize both direct and indirect geographical interactions between nodes from co-location and graph features. Link inference aims to infer the social ties based on a small set of observed social links, and the idea is that pairs of nodes sharing similar geographical behaviors have the same tendency of linkage (i.e., either being friends or non-friends). Experiments conducted on a G
owalla
location-based social network and a M
eetup
event-based social network exhibit a satisfying performance in comparison to state-of-the-art prediction methods under the settings of offline-to-online network inference and geo-link prediction.
Peer Influence and Delinquency
Authors: McGloin Jean Marie , Thomas Kyle J.
Published: January 2019

Peer influence occupies an intriguing place in criminology. On the one hand, there is a long line of theorizing and empirical work highlighting it as a key causal process for delinquency. On the other, there is a group of theoretical skeptics who view it as one of the most notorious examples of a spurious link. After discussing these perspectives, this review takes stock of our intellectual advancements in understanding peer influence over decades' worth of research toward this endeavor. We conclude that although there have been important gains, essential questions and gaps remain. Toward this aim, we offer some lines of future work that we believe offer pathways to yielding the greatest added value to the discipline.
Taking the “Girl” Out of Gender-Responsive Programming in the Juvenile Justice System
Authors: Irvine-Baker Angela , Jones Nikki , Canfield Aisha
Published: January 2019

Since the early 2000s, state and local policy makers, practitioners, and advocates accelerated existing federal efforts to reform the youth justice system and dramatically reduce the number of youth detained in the juvenile justice system. States across the country achieved these drops through policy changes that created fiscal disincentives and legal roadblocks to state custody. Yet recent research shows that youth of color and LGBQ-GNCT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning, gender-nonconforming, and transgender) youth continue to be overrepresented in many juvenile justice systems throughout the country. In this review, we interrogate these disparities more deeply in an effort to ( a) advocate for continued and increased efforts to reduce racial disparities in the juvenile justice system; ( b) break the silence around the experiences of LGBQ-GNCT youth in the system, which are overwhelmingly youth of color; and ( c) encourage a deeper appreciation of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression and how they intersect with race when it comes to serving youth in the justice system.
Absence of Posterior Vitreous Detachment Is a Risk Factor of Severe Bleb-Related Endophthalmitis
Authors: Umazume Kazuhiko , Suzuki Jun , Usui Yoshihiko , Maruyama Katsuhiko , Wakabayashi Yoshihiro , Goto Hiroshi
Published: January 2019

Purpose. Bleb-related endophthalmitis (BRE) after glaucoma surgery is an infection caused by bacteria in the avascular bleb gaining access into the eye. We report the clinical features and outcome of 10 consecutive eyes with severe BRE treated at our hospital. Methods. Ten patients (10 eyes) with stage IIIb BRE after trabeculectomy diagnosed and treated at the Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Medical University, between April 2013 and May 2015, were studied. Patient background, type of glaucoma, interval from the first trabeculectomy, pretreatment bleb findings, causative microorganisms, surgical methods, status of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), and postoperative visual acuity were examined. Results. The 10 patients comprised 8 males and 2 females, with mean age of 70.6 years at BRE onset. The types of glaucoma were open-angle glaucoma in 7 patients, neovascular glaucoma in 2, and secondary glaucoma in 1. All eyes underwent trabeculectomy combined with mitomycin C prior to the development of BRE. The interval from the first glaucoma surgery to onset of endophthalmitis was 8.5 ± 4.1 years. Examination of the bleb revealed leakage of aqueous humor from the avascular bleb in all eyes. Bacteria were isolated from intraocular samples of 8 eyes; namely, Viridans streptococci in 5 eyes, Staphylococcus epidermidis in 1, Branhamella catarrhalis in 1, and coagulase-negative Staphylococci in 1. BRE was treated by vitrectomy in 9 eyes and enucleation in 1 eye. PVD was produced intentionally during vitrectomy in 6 eyes. Histopathological examination of the enucleated eye showed no PVD. Visual acuity improved by 3 lines or more in 6 patients, while decimal visual acuity remained lower than 0.1 in 4 patients. Conclusion. BRE developed frequently in eyes with no PVD. The absence of PVD may be a risk factor of severe BRE.
Research on Simulation and Performance Optimization of Mach 4 Civil Aircraft Propulsion Concept
Authors: Chen Min , Jia Zihao , Tang Hailong , Xiao Yi , Yang Yonghang , Yin Feijia
Published: January 2019

Supersonic civil aircraft is of a promising area in the development of future civil transport, and aircraft propulsion system is one of the key issues which determine the success of the aircraft. To get a good conceptual design and performance investigation of the supersonic civil aircraft engine, in this article, a fast, versatile as well as trust-worthy numerical simulation platform was established to analyze the Mach 4 turbine-based combined cycle (TBCC) engine concept so as to be applied to the supersonic civil aircraft. First, a quick and accurate task requirement analysis module was newly established to analyze the mission requirement of the Mach 4 supersonic civil aircraft. Second, the TBCC engine performance simulation model was briefly presented and the number of engines on the supersonic civil aircraft was analyzed, considering single engine inoperative. Third, the Stone model and the DLR method were investigated to estimate the engine jet noise and the NOx emission of the Mach 4 supersonic civil aircraft. Finally, a multiobjective optimization tool made up of a response surface method and a genetic algorithm was developed to optimize the design parameters and the control law of the TBCC engine, in order to make the Mach 4 supersonic civil aircraft engine with better performance, lower noise, and lower emissions. The uniqueness of the developed analysis tool lies in that it affords a numerical simulation platform capable of investigating the task requirement analysis module of the supersonic civil aircraft, engine jet noise prediction model, and the NOx emission prediction model, as well as a multiobjective performance optimization tool, which is beneficial for the conceptual design and performance research of Mach 4 supersonic civil aircraft’s propulsion system.
The Optimization Algorithm for CR System Based on Optimal Wavelet Filter
Authors: Liu Miao , Sun Zhenxing , Liu Yan-chang , Zhao Cun
Published: January 2019

5G network is a heterogeneous large-scale network. Cognitive Radio (CR) technology can be used to realize selection based on the communication time, communication resources, and communication requirement so as to improve the system performance of the whole communication system. Cognitive Radio (CR) system based on wavelet packet owns better flexibility and bandwidth efficiency. The optimal wavelet packet filter optimization algorithm is proposed in the paper for guaranteeing un-licensed user’s (un-LU) data transmission rate and optimizing the performance of system. The intelligent search algorithm is used to obtain the optimal wavelet filter. The simulation results show that the Intercarrier Interference (ICI) and bit error rate (BER) performance of the new optimal wavelet filter algorithm without sacrificing any un-LU’s subcarriers is better than other three masking subcarriers algorithms.
Computational Modeling of Biosynthesized Gold Nanoparticles in Black Camellia sinensis Leaf Extract
Authors: Shabanzadeh Parvaneh , Yusof Rubiyah , Shameli Kamyar , Hajalilou Abdollah , Goudarzi Shidrokh
Published: January 2019

In this research, gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) are biosynthesized from tetrachloroaurate (AuCl4−) aqueous solution through a simple and ecofriendly route using water extract of black Camellia sinensis leaf (C. sinensis L.) which acted as a reductant and stabilizer simultaneously. The prepared gold nanoparticles are characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Also, determination of the accurate predictor model for chemical reactions is particularly important because of high cost of the chemical materials and measurement devices. While the artificial neural networks (ANNs) are one of the appropriate tools to forecast any phenomena, due to the low number of data set related to chemical experimental was caused to provide appropriate model is a time-consuming iterative process. With the aim to improve the accuracy of the ANN model and overcome the local convergence of this problem, a global search technique, biogeography-based optimization (BBO) method which integrated by chaotic map is employed. The improved model showed minimum mean squared error (MSE) of 0.0134 and maximum coefficient of determination (R2) equal to 0.9822 compared with several other famous ANN training algorithm, utilizing output experimental data obtained from biosynthesis proceeding.
A Spatial‐Temporal Hybrid Model for Short‐Term Traffic Prediction
Authors: Lin Fei , Xu Yudi , Yang Yang , Ma Hong
Published: January 2019

Accurate and timely short‐term traffic prediction is important for Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) to solve the traffic problem. This paper presents a hybrid model called SpAE‐LSTM. This model considers the temporal and spatial features of traffic flow and it consists of sparse autoencoder and long short‐term memory (LSTM) network based on memory units. Sparse autoencoder extracts the spatial features within the spatial‐temporal matrix via full connected layers. It cooperates with the LSTM network to capture the spatial‐temporal features of traffic flow evolution and make prediction. To validate the performance of the SpAE‐LSTM, we implement it on the real‐world traffic data from Qingyang District of Chengdu city, China, and compare it with advanced traffic prediction models, such as models only based on LSTM or SAE. The results demonstrate that the proposed model reduces the mean absolute percent error by more than 15%. The robustness of the proposed model is also validated and the mean absolute percent error on more than 86% road segments is below 20%. This research provides strong evidence suggesting that the proposed SpAE‐LSTM effectively captures the spatial‐temporal features of the traffic flow and achieves promising results.
Risk of Dengue Transmission in Cocody (Abidjan, Ivory Coast)
Authors: Fofana Diakarida , Beugré Jean Michel Vianney , Yao-Acapovi Genevieve Lydie , Lendzele Sevidzem Silas
Published: January 2019

In recent years, an upsurge of vector-borne diseases has been reported in several parts of the world. Among these is dengue fever, the first arbovirus transmitted by mosquitoes of the genusAedes. After the detection of the dengue virus serological types (type 1, 2, and 3) in the health district of Cocody-Bingerville in Ivory Coast, entomological investigations were carried out in the city of Cocody (host of most cases) to evaluate the risk of transmission of the disease in view of an effective vector control. Larval prospection together with the pitching of emergence traps was carried out in Caféier 5, Sideci-Coteau, Danga, Ecole de police, Gobelet village, Laurier 9, Lemania, Perles, 7èmetranche, and 12èmearrondissement. Entomological prospections revealed the predominance ofAedes aegypti(97.38%) as the main vector species of dengue viruses in Cocody. The Kruskall-Wallis test showed no statistically significant difference (KW = 1.8, p = 0.407) in the proportions of the vector species collected from the sampled sites. The risk of an outbreak of dengue fever in Cocody and other municipalities in the city of Abidjan is very certain insofar as the larval epidemic risk indices (Habitat Index, HI = 70.9; Container Index, CI = 40.26; and Breteau Index, BI= 21.3) reflect a very high epidemic risk (4 to 9) on the WHO density scale. The occurrence ofAedes aegyptiin Cocody indicates the risk of transmission of the Dengue fever virus.
A Survey on Pollution Monitoring Using Sensor Networks in Environment Protection
Authors: Luo Xu , Yang Jun
Published: January 2019

Detecting pollution timely and locating the pollution source is of great importance in environmental protection. Considering advantages of the sensor network technology, sensor networks have been adopted in pollution monitoring works. In this paper, a survey on researches of pollution monitoring using sensor networks in environment protection is given. Firstly, sensors and pollution monitoring network systems are studied. Secondly, different pollution detection methods are analyzed and compared. Thirdly, an overview of state-of-art technologies on pollution source localization is given. Finally, challenges on pollution monitoring using sensor networks are presented.
Detection of Active Caspase-3 in Mouse Models of Stroke and Alzheimer’s Disease with a Novel Dual Positron Emission Tomography/Fluorescent Tracer [68Ga]Ga-TC3-OGDOTA
Authors: Ostapchenko Valeriy G. , Snir Jonatan , Suchy Mojmir , Fan Jue , Cobb M. Rebecca , Chronik Blaine A. , Kovacs Michael , Prado Vania F. , Hudson Robert H. E. , Pasternak Stephen H. , Prado Marco A. M. , Bartha Robert
Published: January 2019

Apoptosis is a feature of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), yet there is no accepted method to detect or follow apoptosis in the brain in vivo. We developed a bifunctional tracer [68Ga]Ga-TC3-OGDOTA containing a cell-penetrating peptide separated from fluorescent Oregon Green and 68Ga-bound labels by the caspase-3 recognition peptide DEVD. We hypothesized that this design would allow [68Ga]Ga-TC3-OGDOTA to accumulate in apoptotic cells. In vitro, Ga-TC3-OGDOTA labeled apoptotic neurons following exposure to camptothecin, oxygen-glucose deprivation, and β-amyloid oligomers. In vivo, PET showed accumulation of [68Ga]Ga-TC3-OGDOTA in the brain of mouse models of stroke or AD. Optical clearing revealed colocalization of [68Ga]Ga-TC3-OGDOTA and cleaved caspase-3 in brain cells. In stroke, [68Ga]Ga-TC3-OGDOTA accumulated in neurons in the penumbra area, whereas in AD mice [68Ga]Ga-TC3-OGDOTA was found in single cells in the forebrain and diffusely around amyloid plaques. In summary, this bifunctional tracer is selectively associated with apoptotic cells in vitro and in vivo in brain disease models and represents a novel tool for apoptosis detection that can be used in neurodegenerative diseases.
The Influence of Carrier Oils on the Antimicrobial Activity and Cytotoxicity of Essential Oils
Authors: Orchard Ané , Kamatou Guy , Viljoen Alvaro M. , Patel Namita , Mawela Patricia , Vuuren Sandy F. van
Published: January 2019

The topical use of essential oils requires dilution into a carrier oil; however, scientific evidence regarding the antimicrobial efficacy and cytotoxicity when a carrier oil is combined with an essential oil is lacking. This study sets out to determine the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of 23 essential oils combined with six known carrier oils. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/flame ionization detector (GC-MS/FID) was used to characterize the methyl esters of the carrier oils. The antimicrobial activity of the carrier oils alone and in combination with the essential oils was investigated using the broth microdilution assay against 11 skin pathogens and the cytotoxicity was determined using the brine shrimp lethality assay. The interactive profiles of the combinations for both antimicrobial activity and the cytotoxicity were analysed and calculated using the fractional inhibitory concentration index (ΣFIC). The carrier oils demonstrated no antimicrobial antagonism when combined with the essential oils and the overall cytotoxicity of the majority of the combinations was decreased. The carrier oils that could be identified as enhancing the antimicrobial activity and decreasing the cytotoxicity were Aloe vera Mill. and Simmondsia chinensis C.K.Schneid (Jojoba oil), with an overall reduction in essential oil cytotoxicity of 87.5% at 24 hrs and 85% at 48 hrs by A. vera. Five of the essential oils (when diluted in A. vera and S. chinensis carrier oils) demonstrated enhanced antimicrobial activity against pathogens such as Brevibacterium epidermidis, B. linens, and P. aeruginosa with MIC values ranging from 0.09 to 0.50 mg/mL (and ΣFIC 0.14-0.39). The study could conclude that the carrier oils are complementary to essential oil formulations, mostly reducing cytotoxicity and in some cases enhancing the antimicrobial activity.
Fully Convolutional DenseNet with Multiscale Context for Automated Breast Tumor Segmentation
Authors: Hai Jinjin , Qiao Kai , Chen Jian , Tan Hongna , Xu Jingbo , Zeng Lei , Shi Dapeng , Yan Bin
Published: January 2019

Breast tumor segmentation plays a crucial role in subsequent disease diagnosis, and most algorithms need interactive prior to firstly locate tumors and perform segmentation based on tumor-centric candidates. In this paper, we propose a fully convolutional network to achieve automatic segmentation of breast tumor in an end-to-end manner. Considering the diversity of shape and size for malignant tumors in the digital mammograms, we introduce multiscale image information into the fully convolutional dense network architecture to improve the segmentation precision. Multiple sampling rates of atrous convolution are concatenated to acquire different field-of-views of image features without adding additional number of parameters to avoid over fitting. Weighted loss function is also employed during training according to the proportion of the tumor pixels in the entire image, in order to weaken unbalanced classes problem. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can achieve automatic tumor segmentation and has high segmentation precision for various size and shapes of tumor images without preprocessing and postprocessing.