bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
POSSIBILITIES AND CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT ALONG PROPOSED BRT CORRIDOR IN AN ALREADY DEVELOPED AND EXISTING CITY – CASE STUDY DHAKA-GAZIPUR BRT LINE, BANGLADESH
Authors: Mukherjee Swarup , Bagui Swapan
Published: September 2018

Cities in the developing world are faced with a challenge from the transport intensive land use development focused on personalized modes. Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is considered to be one of the most promising alternative city development strategies focusing on use of public transport. However, most of the high capacity public transport projects in cities of developing countries are coming up at a stage where the city corridors are already developed. Success of a public transport system depends on accessibility of passengers to its nodes. Field data collected from Gazipur Bangladesh shows accessibility to proposed BRT stations depends majorly on access road widths, besides it also depends on road condition, distance of access roads from BRT stations. Potential access roads are ranked with a scoring system and in-situ improvements are proposed to yield achievable results. Retrofitting improvement measures can enhance accessibility and increase ridership. To retain a sustainable path in urban transport, a city needs to improve its accessibility to Public Transport nodes that will ensure a viable public transport system, which is a prerequisite to a successful TOD.
“Relativistic” particle dynamics without relativity
Authors: Walstad Allan
Published: September 2018

It is shown that the correct expressions for the momentum and kinetic energy of a particle moving at high speed were already implicit in physics going back to Maxwell. The demonstration begins with a thought experiment of Einstein by which he derived the inertial equivalence of energy, independently of the relativity postulates. A simple modification of the same experiment does the rest.
Random sequential adsorption and its long-time limit
Authors: Zhang G.
Published: September 2018

We discuss random sequential adsorption (RSA), a model of an irreversible adsorption process of large noninteracting molecules on a solid surface, and discuss an algorithm that efficiently simulates the RSA process in the long-time limit.
The dynamics of voiceless sibilant fricative production in children between 7 and 13 years old: An ultrasound and acoustic study
Authors: Zharkova Natalia , Hardcastle William J. , Gibbon Fiona E.
Published: September 2018

This study reports on dynamic tongue shape and spectral characteristics of sibilant fricatives /s/ and /ʃ/ in Scottish English speaking children aged between 7 and 13 years old. The sequences /əCa/ and /əCi/ were produced by 40 children, with ten participants in each age group, and two-year intervals between successive groups. Productions of the same sequences by ten adults were used for comparison with the children's data. Quantitative dynamic analyses were carried out on spectral information and on ultrasound imaging data on tongue shape. All age groups differentiated between the two consonants in the fricative centroid and in tongue shape. Vowel-on-consonant effects showed consonant-specific patterns across age groups without a consistent increase or decrease in the extent of coarticulation with increasing age. The extent of discriminability between the two fricatives increased with age on both acoustic and articulatory measures. Younger speakers were generally more variable than older speakers. Complementary findings from the centroid and tongue shape measures suggest that age-related differences are due to the ongoing maturation of controlling the tongue in coordination with other articulators, particularly the jaw, throughout childhood.
Powering the ABC multidrug exporter LmrA: How nucleotides embrace the ion-motive force
Authors: Agboh Kelvin , Lau Calvin H. F. , Khoo Yvonne S. K. , Singh Himansha , Raturi Sagar , Nair Asha V. , Howard Julie , Chiapello Marco , Feret Renata , Deery Michael J. , Murakami Satoshi , van Veen Hendrik W.
Published: September 2018

Researchers study how different forms of metabolic energy are coupled to drug extrusion by an ATP-binding cassette transporter.
Combating transnational organized crime by linking multiple large ivory seizures to the same dealer
Authors: Wasser Samuel K. , Torkelson Amy , Winters Misa , Horeaux Yves , Tucker Sean , Otiende Moses Y. , Sitam Frankie A.T. , Buckleton John , Weir Bruce S.
Published: September 2018

Genetically matching tusks from the same elephant in consecutive shipments links the same trafficker to multiple ivory seizures.
Crystal structure of rhodopsin in complex with a mini-G
o
sheds light on the principles of G protein selectivity
Authors: Tsai Ching-Ju , Pamula Filip , Nehmé Rony , Mühle Jonas , Weinert Tobias , Flock Tilman , Nogly Przemyslaw , Edwards Patricia C. , Carpenter Byron , Gruhl Thomas , Ma Pikyee , Deupi Xavier , Standfuss Jörg , Tate Christopher G. , Schertler Gebhard F. X.
Published: September 2018

The structure of the rhodopsin/mini-G
o
complex reveals new insights on G protein selectivity.
Axonal organization defects in the hippocampus of adult conditional BACE1 knockout mice
Authors: Ou-Yang Ming-Hsuan , Kurz Jonathan E. , Nomura Toshihiro , Popovic Jelena , Rajapaksha Tharinda W. , Dong Hongxin , Contractor Anis , Chetkovich Dane M. , Tourtellotte Warren G. , Vassar Robert
Published: September 2018

Conditional loss of BACE1 in adult mouse brain results in abnormalities in the hippocampal mossy fiber pathway, which is important for learning and memory.
Stroke prevention: Learning from the master (and COMMANDER)
Authors: Santulli Gaetano
Published: September 2018

Adding rivaroxaban to standard therapy in patients with heart failure and no atrial fibrillation did not show any beneficial effect on death risk.
Send in the decoys: Cell-like particles ameliorate inflammatory autoimmune arthritis
Authors: Singh Ankur
Published: September 2018

Neutrophil membrane–coated nanoparticles reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in mice.
Site-Directed Mutagenesis of the 1,3-β-Glucan Synthase Catalytic Subunit of
Pneumocystis jirovecii
and Susceptibility Assays Suggest Its Sensitivity to Caspofungin
Authors: Luraschi A. , Richard S. , Hauser P. M.
Published: September 2018

The echinocandin caspofungin inhibits the catalytic subunit Gsc1 of the enzymatic complex synthesizing 1,3-β-glucan, an essential compound of the fungal wall. Studies with rodents showed that caspofungin is effective against
Pneumocystis
asci.
Ascaris
Larval Infection and Lung Invasion Directly Induce Severe Allergic Airway Disease in Mice
Authors: Weatherhead Jill E. , Porter Paul , Coffey Amy , Haydel Dana , Versteeg Leroy , Zhan Bin , Gazzinelli Guimarães Ana Clara , Fujiwara Ricardo , Jaramillo Ana M. , Bottazzi Maria Elena , Hotez Peter J. , Corry David B. , Beaumier Coreen M.
Published: September 2018

Ascaris lumbricoides
(roundworm) is the most common helminth infection globally and a cause of lifelong morbidity that may include allergic airway disease, an asthma phenotype. We hypothesize that
Ascaris
larval migration through the lungs leads to persistent airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and type 2 inflammatory lung pathology despite resolution of infection that resembles allergic airway disease.
A Novel Chimeric Oncolytic Virus Vector for Improved Safety and Efficacy as a Platform for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Abdullahi Sarah , Jäkel Melanie , Behrend Sabine J. , Steiger Katja , Topping Geoffrey , Krabbe Teresa , Colombo Alessio , Sandig Volker , Schiergens Tobias S. , Thasler Wolfgang E. , Werner Jens , Lichtenthaler Stefan F. , Schmid Roland M. , Ebert Oliver , Altomonte Jennifer
Published: September 2018

The therapeutic efficacy of oncolytic viral therapy often comes as a tradeoff with safety, such that potent vectors are often associated with toxicity, while safer viruses tend to have attenuated therapeutic effects. Despite promising preclinical data, the development of VSV as a clinical agent has been substantially hampered by the fact that severe neurotoxicity and hepatotoxicity have been observed in rodents and nonhuman primates in response to treatment with wild-type VSV. Although NDV has been shown to have an attractive safety profile in humans and to have promising oncolytic effects, its further development has been severely restricted due to the environmental risks that it poses. The hybrid rVSV-NDV vector, therefore, represents an extremely promising vector platform in that it has been rationally designed to be safe, with respect to both the recipient and the environment, while being simultaneously effective, both through its direct oncolytic actions and through induction of immunogenic cell death.
Sindbis Virus Infection Causes Cell Death by nsP2-Induced Transcriptional Shutoff or by nsP3-Dependent Translational Shutoff
Authors: Akhrymuk Ivan , Frolov Ilya , Frolova Elena I.
Published: September 2018

Alphaviruses are a group of important human and animal pathogens with worldwide distribution. Their characteristic feature is a highly cytopathic phenotype in cells of vertebrate origin. The molecular mechanism of CPE remains poorly understood. In this study, by using Sindbis virus (SINV) as a model of the Old World alphaviruses, we demonstrated that SINV-specific CPE is redundantly determined by viral nsP2 and nsP3 proteins. NsP2 induces the global transcriptional shutoff, and this nuclear function can be abolished by the mutations of the small, surface-exposed peptide in the nsP2 protease domain. NsP3, in turn, determines the development of translational shutoff, and this activity depends on nsP3 macrodomain-associated mono-ADP-ribosylhydrolase activity. A combination of defined mutations in nsP2 and nsP3, which abolish SINV-induced transcription and translation inhibition, in the same viral genome does not affect SINV replication rates but makes it noncytopathic and a potent inducer of type I interferon.
Closed Genome Sequences and Antibiograms of 16
Pasteurella multocida
Isolates from Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex Cases and Apparently Healthy Controls
Authors: Harhay Gregory P. , Harhay Dayna M. , Bono James L. , Smith Timothy P. L. , Capik Sarah F. , DeDonder Keith D. , Apley Michael D. , Lubbers Brian V. , White Bradley J. , Larson Robert L.
Published: September 2018

Pasteurella multocida
is an animal-associated Gram-negative member of the
Pasteurellaceae
family. It is an opportunistic pathogen and is one of the principal bacterial species contributing to bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) in feedlot cattle.
Draft Genome Sequences of Two
Bacillus
sp. Strains and Four
Cellulomonas
sp. Strains Isolated from Heavy-Metal-Contaminated Soil
Authors: Brookshier A. M. , Santo Domingo J. W. , Kourtev P. S. , Learman D. R.
Published: September 2018

We present the draft genome sequence for
Bacillus
sp. strain PF3,
Bacillus
sp.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Type Strain Streptomyces armeniacus ATCC 15676
Authors: Labana Puneet , Gosse Jessica T. , Boddy Christopher N.
Published: September 2018

The
Streptomyces
genus represents a prolific and significant source for secondary metabolite discovery. Here, we report a
de novo
assembly and draft genome sequence for the type strain
Streptomyces armeniacus
ATCC 15676.
Draft Genome Sequences of Two Cystic Fibrosis Strains of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, AU30115 and AU32848
Authors: Eckstrom Korin , Willsey Graham G. , LiPuma John J. , Wargo Matthew J.
Published: September 2018

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
is an opportunistic pathogen causing airway infection in people with cystic fibrosis (CF). Here, we report the draft genome sequences of two
S. maltophilia
strains, AU30115 and AU32848, recovered from CF patients.
Partial mid-portion Achilles tear resulting in substantial improvement in pain and function in an amateur long-distance runner
Authors: Woyton Michal Marek , Kluzek Stefan , Wedatilake Thamindu , Davies Madeleine A M
Published: September 2018

This case presents symptom resolution for a long-distance runner with chronic Achilles tendinopathy (AT), following a partial tear of his Achilles tendon. The patient reported a sudden pain during a morning run, with preserved function. Three hours postinjury, he was reviewed in a musculoskeletal clinic. An ultrasound scan confirmed a partial Achilles tear, associated with significant Doppler activity. His index of AT severity The Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment - Achilles Questionnaire (VISA-A) 4 hours postinjury was markedly higher compared with 2 weeks preinjury, indicating reduced symptom severity. A follow-up scan 4 weeks postinjury showed minimal mid-portion swelling and no signs of the tear. His VISA-A score showed continued symptom improvement. This case represents resolution of tendinopathic symptomatology post partial Achilles tear. While the natural histories of AT and Achilles tears remain unknown, this case may indicate that alongside the known role of loading, inflammation may be a secondary mediator central to the successful resolution of AT pain.
A case of young diabetes and parasuicide
Authors: Lodha Sailesh , Das Liza , Ramchandani Ghanshyam das , Bhansali Anil
Published: September 2018

Wolfram syndrome is a rare monogenic cause of juvenile onset diabetes mellitus. It is a non-autoimmune, insulin-deficient state with concurrent or consequent optic atrophy. Here we depict the case of a 16-year-old young girl afflicted with this condition, who presented with parasuicide on a background of depressive disorder. The aetiology of this presentation was attributable to multiple physical ailments and a genetic predisposition conferred by the disease-causing mutation for which she tested positive. She was managed with intensive insulin therapy and specific psychotherapy. Her case highlights the importance of recognising and addressing these comorbidities associated with Wolfram syndrome, so as to curtail disastrous consequences.
Microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia with thrombocytopenia induced by vitamin B12 deficiency long term after gastrectomy
Authors: Harada Yukinori , Komori Itsumi , Morinaga Kouhei , Shimizu Taro
Published: September 2018

Microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia with thrombocytopenia, called pseudo-thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), is a clinically important complication in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency. We herein present a case of an 80-year-old woman with pseudo-TMA after gastrectomy. She was initially suspected with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura based on rapid progression of anaemia with schistocytes and thrombocytopenia; however, her anaemia and thrombocytopenia were improved by vitamin B12 supplementation alone, with a single session of plasma exchange. Vitamin B12 deficiency was finally confirmed by low vitamin B12 levels from the patient’s initial blood sample. In addition, normal ADAMTS13 activity was proven, lowering the likelihood of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Therefore, this patient was diagnosed with pseudo-TMA caused by vitamin B12 deficiency. Pseudo-TMA can occur in patients with vitamin B12 deficiency post-gastrectomy.
Acanthamoeba keratitis: confirmation of the UK outbreak and a prospective case-control study identifying contributing risk factors
Authors: Carnt Nicole , Hoffman Jeremy J , Verma Seema , Hau Scott , Radford Cherry F , Minassian Darwin C , Dart John K G
Published: September 2018

Background/aims

Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) is a chronic debilitating corneal infection principally affecting contact lens (CL) users. Studies were designed to test claims that the UK incidence may have increased in 2012–2014 and to evaluate potential causes.

Methods

Annualised incidence data were collected from January 1984 to December 2016. Case-control study subjects were recruited between 14 April 2011 and 05 June 2017. Reusable CL users with AK were recruited retrospectively and prospectively. Controls were reusable CL users, recruited prospectively, with any disorder other than AK. Multivariable analysis of questionnaire data measured independent risk factors for AK.

Results

The current outbreak of AK started in 2010–2011 with an incidence threefold higher than in 2004–2009. Risk factors for AK were: Oxipol disinfection, CLs made of group IV CL materials, poor CL hygiene, deficient hand hygiene, use of CLs while swimming or bathing, being white British, and for those in social classes 4–9.

Conclusion

AK is a largely preventable disease. The current outbreak is unlikely to be due to any one of the identified risk factors in isolation. Improving CL and hand hygiene, avoiding CLs contamination with water and use of effective CL disinfection solutions, or daily disposable CLs, will reduce the incidence of AK. In the longer-term, water avoidance publicity for CL users can be expected to reduce the incidence further. Ongoing surveillance of AK numbers will identify changes in incidence earlier. Evaluation of Acanthamoeba contamination in end-user drinking water would contribute to our understanding of regional variations in the risk of exposure.
Impact of radiology reports on timely tuberculosis diagnosis
Authors: Dicks Kristen V , Holland David P , Allen Myra G , Fortenberry Ellen R , Luffman Julie , Zeringue Elizabeth , Wheeler Jennifer , Stout Jason E
Published: September 2018

Purpose

As tuberculosis becomes less common in higher income countries, clinician familiarity with the disease is declining. Little is known about how chest radiograph interpretations affect tuberculosis care. We sought to determine how tuberculosis-related terminology in an initial chest radiograph reading impacted patient care.

Study design

We examined a retrospective cohort of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in North Carolina from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2014. Tuberculosis-related terminology was categorised into four mutually exclusive categories. The primary outcomes of interest were the time from the chest radiograph to (1) obtaining the first sputum specimen for acid-fast smear and mycobacterial culture, and (2) initiation of antituberculous treatment.

Results

Of 550 available chest radiograph reports, 175 (31.8%) contained the word ‘tuberculosis’, 30 (5.5%) contained the word ‘mycobacteria’ or ‘granulomatous’, 43 (7.8%) contained the word ‘cavity’, and 301 (54.7%) had none of the above terms mentioned. Patients with the word ‘tuberculosis’ in the radiology report had a significantly shorter time to collection of the initial sputum specimen for acid-fast smear and mycobacterial culture (median 2 days) and to the start of antituberculous treatment (median 4 days) than patients with none of the keywords. Use of the term ‘cavity’ in the report was associated with a shorter time to initiation of antituberculous treatment (median 4 days) than if none of the keywords were used.

Conclusion

Chest radiograph reports that contained keywords for pulmonary tuberculosis, such as ‘tuberculosis’ or ‘cavity’, were associated with less time to collection of sputum and antituberculous treatment.
Characterization and sequence analysis of potential biofertilizer and biocontrol agent Bacillus subtilis strain SEM-9 from silkworm excrement
Authors: Li Qingrong , Liao Sentai , Zhi Huyu , Xing Dongxu , Xiao Yang , Yang Qiong
Published: September 2018

Fusarium wilt is a devastating soil-borne disease caused mainly by highly host-specific formae speciales of Fusarium oxysporum. Antagonistic microorganisms play a very important role in Fusarium wilt control, and the isolation of potential biocontrol strains is becoming more and more important. We isolated a bacterial strain (SEM-9) from the high-temperature stage of silkworm excrement composting, which had a marked ability to solubilize phosphorus, promote the growth and increase the yield of the small Chinese cabbage, and which also exhibited considerable antagonistic effect towards Fusarium sambucinum and other fungi. The result of physiological and biochemical analyses, as well as genome sequencing, showed that SEM-9 was a strain of Bacillus subtilis. Through genome annotation and analysis, it was found that SEM-9 contained genes related to the regulation of biofilm formation, which may play an important role in colonization, and gene clusters encoding the biosynthesis of antimicrobials, such as surfactin, bacilysin, fengycin, and subtilosin-A. The production of such antifungal compounds may constitute the basis of the mode-of-action of SEM-9 against Fusarium spp. These data suggested that the SEM-9 strain has potential as both a biofertilizer and a biocontrol agent, with the potential to manage Fusarium wilt disease in crops.
Identifying Suitable Brain Regions and Trial Size Segmentation for Positive/Negative Emotion Recognition
Authors: Sorinas Jennifer , Grima Maria Dolores , Ferrandez Jose Manuel , Fernandez Eduardo
Published: September 2018

The development of suitable EEG-based emotion recognition systems has become a main target in the last decades for Brain Computer Interface applications (BCI). However, there are scarce algorithms and procedures for real-time classification of emotions. The present study aims to investigate the feasibility of real-time emotion recognition implementation by the selection of parameters such as the appropriate time window segmentation and target bandwidths and cortical regions. We recorded the EEG-neural activity of 24 participants while they were looking and listening to an audiovisual database composed of positive and negative emotional video clips. We tested 12 different temporal window sizes, 6 ranges of frequency bands and 60 electrodes located along the entire scalp. Our results showed a correct classification of 86.96% for positive stimuli. The correct classification for negative stimuli was a little bit less (80.88%). The best time window size, from the tested 1[Formula: see text]s to 12[Formula: see text]s segments, was 12[Formula: see text]s. Although more studies are still needed, these preliminary results provide a reliable way to develop accurate EEG-based emotion classification.
Intermediate planar algebra revisited
Authors: Bakshi Keshab Chandra
Published: September 2018

In this paper, we explicitly work out the subfactor planar algebra [Formula: see text] for an intermediate subfactor [Formula: see text] of an irreducible subfactor [Formula: see text] of finite index. We do this in terms of the subfactor planar algebra [Formula: see text] by showing that if [Formula: see text] is any planar tangle, the associated operator [Formula: see text] can be read off from [Formula: see text] by a formula involving the so-called biprojection corresponding to the intermediate subfactor [Formula: see text] and a scalar [Formula: see text] carefully chosen so as to ensure that the formula defining [Formula: see text] is multiplicative with respect to composition of tangles. Also, the planar algebra of [Formula: see text] can be obtained by applying these results to [Formula: see text]. We also apply our result to the example of a semi-direct product subgroup-subfactor.
Exact breather solutions of repulsive Bose atoms in a one-dimensional harmonic trap
Authors: Cheng Ze
Published: September 2018

Bose–Einstein condensates of repulsive Bose atoms in a one-dimensional harmonic trap are investigated within the framework of a mean field theory. We solve the one-dimensional nonlinear Gross–Pitaevskii (GP) equation that describes atomic Bose–Einstein condensates. As a result, we acquire a family of exact breather solutions of the GP equation. We numerically calculate the number density [Formula: see text] of atoms that is associated with these solutions. The first discovery of the calculation is that at the instant of the saddle point, the density profile exhibits a sharp peak with extremely narrow width. The second discovery of the calculation is that in the center of the trap ([Formula: see text] m), the number density is a U-shaped function of the time [Formula: see text]. The third discovery of the calculation is that the surface plot of the density [Formula: see text] likes a saddle surface. The fourth discovery of the calculation is that as the number [Formula: see text] of atoms increases, the Bose–Einstein condensate in a one-dimensional harmonic trap becomes stabler and stabler.
Radio astronomy and the rise of high-energy astrophysics two anniversaries
Authors: Longair Malcolm
Published: September 2018

This paper celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Martin Ryle and the 50th anniversary of the discovery of pulsars by Jocelyn Bell and Antony Hewish. Ryle and Hewish received the 1974 Nobel Prize in Physics, the first in the area of astrophysics. Their interests strongly overlapped, one of the key papers on the practical implementation of the technique of aperture synthesis being co-authored by Ryle and Hewish. The discovery of pulsars and the roles played by Hewish and Bell are described. These key advances were at the heart of the dramatic rise of high-energy astrophysics in the 1960s and led to the realization that general relativity is central to the understanding of high-energy astrophysical phenomena.
Building an Ecological Civilization in the New Era: Cognition, Development Paradigm and Strategic Measures
Authors: PAN Jiahua
Published: September 2018

According to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s report at the 19th CPC National Congress, realizing China’s great dream in the new era demands a great struggle, a great project, and a great cause. In terms of the construction of ecological civilization, entering a new era means China must ensure the harmony between man and nature, and undertake “a great struggle with many new contemporary features”, in response to major difficulties and challenges in nature. To realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation requires a clear understanding of the “Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the Basic Policy” introduced at the 19th CPC National Congress that involves such concepts as the vision for development, fundamental rules, environmental ethics, the rule of law, the model, objectives and driving forces of development, ways of life, and global governance. Based on the connotations of such concepts, the ecological civilization can systemically grasp the basic strategy for building a socialist ecological civilization with Chinese characteristics. This paper discusses the cognition of building an ecological civilization in the new era, examines the development paradigm of ecological civilization from the perspectives of ethical values, value theory and principles of growth, and specifies the strategic measures for building an ecological civilization in light of the new circumstances and demands.
ID'em
Authors: Chadalavada Perumal Varun , Palaniappan Goutham , Chandran Vimal Kumar , Truong Khai , Wigdor Daniel
Published: September 2018

We present ID'em, a novel tagging and localization method that employs an array of Inductive Sensors to 'image' patterns of electrically conductive dots that are embedded underneath the surfaces of materials that cover the environments that we inhabit. ID'em addresses drawbacks found with existing tagging/localization technologies, while drawing on some of their attributes and strengths, thus creating a cost-effective, scalable system that is robust enough to be deployed pervasively. We present a detailed description of the system, applications that leverage ID'em's unique affordances, and address ID'em's strengths and limitations. With ID'em, we envision a future where the materials that we use to cover and build our everyday environments come imbued with information that can provide valuable context for rich, diverse interactions and capabilities.
CapHarvester
Authors: Gulati Manoj , Parizi Farshid Salemi , Whitmire Eric , Gupta Sidhant , Ram Shobha Sundar , Singh Amarjeet , Patel Shwetak N.
Published: September 2018

Internet of Things (IoT) applications and platforms are becoming increasingly prevalent. Alongside this growth of smart devices comes added costs for deployment, maintenance, and the need to manage power consumption so as to reduce recurrent costs of replacing batteries. To alleviate recurrent battery replacement and maintenance, we propose a novel battery-free, stick-on capacitive energy harvester that harvests the stray electric field generated around AC power lines (110 V/230 V) without an ohmic connection to earth ground reference, thereby obviating the need for cumbersome scraping of paint on concrete walls or digging a earth ground plate. Furthermore, our harvester does not require any appliance or load to be operating on the power line and can continuously harvest power after deployment. In effect, end-users are expected to simply stick the proposed harvester onto any existing power-line cord in order to power a sensing platform. Our controlled lab measurements and real-world deployments demonstrate that our device can harvest 270.6 μJ of energy from a 14 cm long interface in 12 min. We also demonstrate several applications, such as distributed temperature monitoring, appliance state monitoring, and environmental parameter logging for indoor farming.
Handwritten Signature Verification Using Wrist-Worn Devices
Authors: Levy Alona , Nassi Ben , Elovici Yuval , Shmueli Erez
Published: September 2018

This paper suggests a novel verification system for handwritten signatures. The proposed system is based on capturing motion signals from the sensors of wrist-worn devices, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, during the signing process, to train a machine learning classifier to determine whether a given signature is genuine or forged. Our system can be used to: (1) Verify signatures written on paper documents, such as checks, credit card receipts and vote by mail ballots. Unlike existing systems for signature verification, our system obtains a high degree of accuracy, without requiring an ad hoc digital signing device. (2) Authenticate a user of a secure system based on "who you are" traits. Unlike existing "motion-based" authentication methods that commonly rely on long-term user behavior, writing a signature is a relatively short-term process. In order to evaluate our system, we collected 1,980 genuine and forged signature recordings from 66 different subjects, captured using a smartwatch device. Applying our signature verification system on the collected dataset, we show that it significantly outperforms two other state-of-the-art systems, obtaining an EER of 2.36% and an AUC of 98.52%.
Variability in Reactions to Instructional Guidance during Smartphone-Based Assisted Navigation of Blind Users
Authors: Ohn-Bar Eshed , Guerreiro João , Kitani Kris , Asakawa Chieko
Published: September 2018

'Turn slightly to the left' the navigational system announces, with the aim of directing a blind user to merge into a corridor. Yet, due to long reaction time, the user turns too late and proceeds into the wrong hallway. Observations of such user behavior in real-world navigation settings motivate us to study the manner in which blind users react to the instructional feedback of a turn-by-turn guidance system. We found little previous work analyzing the extent of the variability among blind users in reaction to different instructional guidance during assisted navigation. To gain insight into how navigational interfaces can be better designed to accommodate the information needs of different users, we conduct a data-driven analysis of reaction variability as defined by motion and timing measures. Based on continuously tracked user motion during real-world navigation with a deployed system, we find significant variability between users in their reaction characteristics. Specifically, the statistical analysis reveals significant variability during the crucial elements of the navigation (e.g., turning and encountering obstacles). With the end-user experience in mind, we identify the need to not only adjust interface timing and content to each user's personal walking pace, but also their individual navigation skill and style. The design implications of our study inform the development of assistive systems which consider such user-specific behavior to ensure successful navigation.
MindID
Authors: Zhang Xiang , Yao Lina , Kanhere Salil S. , Liu Yunhao , Gu Tao , Chen Kaixuan
Published: September 2018

Person identification technology recognizes individuals by exploiting their unique, measurable physiological and behavioral characteristics. However, the state-of-the-art person identification systems have been shown to be vulnerable, e.g., anti-surveillance prosthetic masks can thwart face recognition, contact lenses can trick iris recognition, vocoder can compromise voice identification and fingerprint films can deceive fingerprint sensors. EEG (Electroencephalography)-based identification, which utilizes the user's brainwave signals for identification and offers a more resilient solution, has recently drawn a lot of attention. However, the state-of-the-art systems cannot achieve similar accuracy as the aforementioned methods. We propose MindID, an EEG-based biometric identification approach, with the aim of achieving high accuracy and robust performance. At first, the EEG data patterns are analyzed and the results show that the Delta pattern contains the most distinctive information for user identification. Next, the decomposed Delta signals are fed into an attention-based Encoder-Decoder RNNs (Recurrent Neural Networks) structure which assigns varying attention weights to different EEG channels based on their importance. The discriminative representations learned from the attention-based RNN are used to identify the user through a boosting classifier. The proposed approach is evaluated over 3 datasets (two local and one public). One local dataset (EID-M) is used for performance assessment and the results illustrate that our model achieves an accuracy of 0.982 and significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art and relevant baselines. The second local dataset (EID-S) and a public dataset (EEG-S) are utilized to demonstrate the robustness and adaptability, respectively. The results indicate that the proposed approach has the potential to be widely deployed in practical settings.
Openness in Education: An Interview with Martin Weller
Authors: Koseoglu Suzan , Bozkurt Aras
Published: September 2018

This interview about openness in education was conducted with Martin Weller by Suzan Koseoglu and Aras Bozkurt. Weller is a Professor of Educational Technology at the Open University (UK) and the president of The Association for Learning Technology. A prominent figure in the move toward opening up education, Weller has published many articles and four books on topics related to open and online education, including The Digital Scholar and The Battle for Open.
A Mechanistic Framework for Explaining Audience Design in Language Production
Authors: Ferreira Victor S.
Published: September 2018

Audience design refers to the situation in which speakers fashion their utterances so as to cater to the needs of their addressees. In this article, a range of audience design effects are reviewed, organized by a novel cognitive framework for understanding audience design effects. Within this framework, feedforward (or one-shot) production is responsible for feedforward audience design effects, or effects based on already known properties of the addressee (e.g., child versus adult status) or the message (e.g., that it includes meanings that might be confusable). Then, a forward modeling approach is described, whereby speakers independently generate communicatively relevant features to predict potential communicative effects. This can explain recurrent processing audience design effects, or effects based on features of the produced utterance itself or on idiosyncratic features of the addressee or communicative situation. Predictions from the framework are delineated.
Impaired sensorimotor control of the hand in congenital absence of functional muscle spindles
Authors: Smith Lyndon J. , Norcliffe-Kaufmann Lucy , Palma Jose-Alberto , Kaufmann Horacio , Macefield Vaughan G.
Published: September 2018

Patients with hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type III (HSAN III) exhibit marked ataxia, including gait disturbances. We recently showed that functional muscle spindle afferents in the leg, recorded via intraneural microelectrodes inserted into the peroneal nerve, are absent in HSAN III, although large-diameter cutaneous afferents are intact. Moreover, there is a tight correlation between loss of proprioceptive acuity at the knee and the severity of gait impairment. We tested the hypothesis that manual motor performance is also compromised in HSAN III, attributed to the predicted absence of muscle spindles in the intrinsic muscles of the hand. Manual performance in the Purdue pegboard task was assessed in 12 individuals with HSAN III and 11 age-matched healthy controls. The mean (±SD) pegboard score (number of pins inserted in 30 s) was 8.1 ± 1.9 and 8.6 ± 1.8 for the left and right hand, respectively, significantly lower than the scores for the controls (15.0 ± 1.3 and 16.0 ± 1.1; P < 0.0001). Performance was not improved after kinesiology tape was applied over the joints of the hand. In 5 patients we inserted a tungsten microelectrode into the ulnar nerve at the wrist. No spontaneous or stretch-evoked muscle afferent activity could be identified in any of the 11 fascicles supplying intrinsic muscles of the hand, whereas touch-evoked activity from low-threshold cutaneous mechanoreceptor afferents could readily be recorded from 4 cutaneous fascicles. We conclude that functional muscle spindles are absent in the short muscles of the hand and most likely absent in the long finger flexors and extensors, and that this largely accounts for the poor manual motor performance in HSAN III.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY We describe the impaired manual motor performance in patients with hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type III (Riley-Day syndrome), who exhibit congenital insensitivity to pain, poor proprioception, and marked gait ataxia. We show that functional muscle spindles are absent in the intrinsic muscles of the hand, which we argue contributes to their poor performance in a task involving the precision grip.
Effects of swimming exercise on the extinction of fear memory in rats
Authors: Faria Rodolfo Souza , Bereta Álvaro Luiz Bianchim , Reis Guilherme Henrique Teixeira , Santos Lourdes Bethania Braga , Pereira Marcela Santos Gomes , Cortez Paulo José Oliveira , Dias Elayne Vieira , Moreira Dalmo Antônio Ribeiro , Trzesniak Clarissa , Sartori Cesar Renato
Published: September 2018

We investigated the relation between swimming exercise and fear memory extinction. Rats that performed regular swimming exercise over 6 wk underwent fear conditioning. Twenty-eight days later, they were submitted to extinction tests. Swimming rats had enhanced extinction process throughout the 5 days of the extinction test compared with sedentary rats. This suggests that the swimming exercise accelerated the process of aversive memory extinction, reducing the expression of conditioned fear behavior. These results encourage further studies addressing the anxiolytic effects of exercise, with potential implications for anxiety disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY We have shown that rats that performed regular swimming exercise over 6 wk had enhanced extinction process compared with sedentary animals. The swimming exercise may accelerate the process of aversive memory extinction, reducing the expression of conditioned fear behavior.
Sealing Behavior and Flow Mechanism of Expandable Material Slurry with High Water Content for Sealing Gas Drainage Boreholes
Authors: Hu Guozhong , He Wenrui , Lan Changjin
Published: September 2018

Predrainage of coalbed gas by underground drilling is one of the main approaches for eliminating gas disasters in coal mines. Owing to the unsatisfactory sealing effect of conventional sealing materials, coalbed gas drainage boreholes face serious air leakage, resulting in a relatively low concentration of the drained gas. This study presents a new grouting solidification method for sealing boreholes using expandable materials with high water content. An experimental test method was used to study the groutability, compression resistance, and gas permeability of the expandable materials with high water content, as well as their binding properties with coal mass at different water-cement ratios. On this basis, the governing equation for slurry permeation considering the viscosity time-varying characteristics of the expandable material with high water content was established and numerically calculated. The slurry permeation patterns of the expandable material with high water content under different grouting pressures and water-cement ratios were obtained. The results show the following: (1) the expandable material with high water content was better than cement to bind with coal mass; (2) the slurry of expandable material with high water content, with a water-cement ratio above 6 : 1, is groutable, and as the water-cement ratio increases, the groutability and penetrability of the expandable material with high water content increase; (3) the optimal grouting pressure for expandable slurry with high water content is 2-3 MPa; and (4) the higher the water-cement ratio, the greater the permeation range of expandable slurry with high water content, but the increase in the permeation range is relatively small, and the optimal water-cement ratio for expandable slurry with high water content is 7 : 1. Therefore, featuring strong groutability, good sealability, high compressive strength, microexpansion, and tight binding with coal mass, expandable materials with high water content are ideal for sealing coalbed gas drainage boreholes because of their efficiency in sealing fractures in coal and rock masses around the borehole.
Repeated Cycles of Binge‐Like Ethanol Intake in Adolescent Female Rats Induce Motor Function Impairment and Oxidative Damage in Motor Cortex and Liver, but Not in Blood
Authors: Fernandes Luanna Melo Pereira , Lopes Klaylton Sousa , Santana Luana Nazaré Silva , Fontes-Júnior Enéas Andrade , Ribeiro Carolina Heitmann Mares Azevedo , Silva Márcia Cristina Freitas , de Oliveira Paraense Ricardo Sousa , Crespo-López Maria Elena , Gomes Antônio Rafael Quadros , Lima Rafael Rodrigues , Monteiro Marta Chagas , Maia Cristiane Socorro Ferraz
Published: September 2018

Moderate ethanol consumption (MEC) is increasing among women. Alcohol exposure usually starts in adolescence and tends to continue until adulthood. We aimed to investigate MEC impacts during adolescence until young adulthood of female rats. Adolescent female Wistar rats received distilled water or ethanol (3 g/kg/day), in a 3 days on‐4 days off paradigm (binge drinking) for 1 and 4 consecutive weeks. We evaluate liver and brain oxidative damage, peripheral oxidative parameters by SOD, catalase, thiol contents, and MDA, and behavioral motor function by open‐field, pole, beam‐walking, and rotarod tests. Our results revealed that repeated episodes of binge drinking during adolescence displayed lipid peroxidation in the liver and brain. Surprisingly, such oxidative damage was not detectable on blood. Besides, harmful histological effects were observed in the liver, associated to steatosis and loss of parenchymal architecture. In addition, ethanol intake elicited motor incoordination, bradykinesia, and reduced spontaneous exploratory behavior in female rats.
Comparison of Rheological, Drug Release, and Mucoadhesive Characteristics upon Storage between Hydrogels with Unmodified or Beta-Glycerophosphate-Crosslinked Chitosan
Authors: Szymańska Emilia , Czajkowska-Kośnik Anna , Winnicka Katarzyna
Published: September 2018

The physicochemical characteristics of beta-glycerophosphate-crosslinked chitosan hydrogels were investigated upon long-term storage at ambient, accelerated, and refrigerated conditions and compared to unmodified chitosan formulations. Additionally, the impact of chitosan modification on the ex vivo mucoadhesive performance in contact with porcine vaginal mucosa and on the drug release profile from hydrogels was evaluated. Viscosity and mechanical properties of formulations with unmodified chitosan decreased significantly upon storage regardless of tested conditions as a result of hydrolytic depolymerization. Introduction of ion crosslinker exerted stabilizing effect on physicochemical performance of chitosan hydrogels but only upon storage at refrigerated conditions. Beta-glycerophosphate-modified chitosan formulations preserved organoleptic, rheological behavior, and hydrogel structure up to 3-month storage at 4 ± 2°C. Viscosity variations upon storage influenced markedly mucoadhesive properties and drug release rate from hydrogels.
Random Binary Local Patch Clustering Transforms Based Image Matching for Nonlinear Intensity Changes
Authors: Wang Han , Xu Zhihuo , Ko Hanseok
Published: September 2018

This paper presents a new feature descriptor that is suitable for image matching under nonlinear intensity changes. The proposed approach consists of the following three steps. First, a binary local patch clustering transform response is employed as the transform space. The value of the new space exhibits a high similarity after changes in intensity. Then, a random binary pattern coding method extracts raw feature histograms from the new space. Finally, the discrimination of the proposed feature descriptor is enhanced by using a multiple spatial support region-based binning method. Experimental results show that the proposed method is able to provide a more robust image matching performance under nonlinear intensity changes.
A Geometric Aspect of the Two-Parameter Planar Lorentzian Motions
Authors: Şentürk Gülsüm Yeliz , Yüce Salim
Published: September 2018

We examined the moving coordinate systems, the polar axes, the density invariance of the polar axis transformation, and the curve plotter points and the support function of the two-parameter planar Lorentzian motion. Furthermore, we were concerned with the determination of the motion using the polar axes and analyzed the motion when the density of the polar axes is zero.
Equivalent Description of Hom-Lie Algebroids
Authors: Xiong Zhen
Published: September 2018

We study representations of Hom-Lie algebroids, give some properties of Hom-Lie algebroids, and discuss equivalent statements of Hom-Lie algebroids. Then, we prove that two known definitions of Hom-Lie algebroids can be transformed into each other under some conditions.
Disturbances of Temperature-Depth Profiles by Surface Warming and Groundwater Flow Convection in Kumamoto Plain, Japan
Authors: Dong Linyao , Fu Congsheng , Liu Jigen , Wang Yifeng
Published: September 2018

Subsurface temperatures depend on climate and groundwater flow. A lack of observations of subsurface temperature collected over decades limits interpretation of the combined influences of surface warming and groundwater flow on subsurface thermal regimes. Subsurface temperature-depth profile data acquired for Kumamoto Plain, Japan, between 1987 and 2012 were collected and analyzed to elucidate regional groundwater and heat flows. The observed and simulated temperature-depth profiles showed the following: subsurface water flows from northeast to southwest in the study area; the combined influence of surface warming and water flow perturbation produces different temporal changes in thermal profiles in recharge, intermediate, and discharge areas; and aquifer thermal properties contribute more than hydraulic parameters to the perturbation of temperature-depth profiles. Spatial and temporal evolution features of subsurface thermal regimes may be utilized to investigate the influence of surface warming events on subsurface water and heat flows at the basin scale.