bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Challenges associated with the treatment of Buruli ulcer
Authors: Aboagye Sammy Yaw , Kpeli Grace , Tuffour Joseph , Yeboah-Manu Dorothy
Published: August 2018

Buruli ulcer (BU), caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU), is the third most important mycobacterial diseases after tuberculosis and leprosy in immunocompetent individuals. Although the mode of transmission remains an enigma, disease incidence has been strongly linked to disturbed environment and wetlands. The blunt of the diseases is recorded in West African countries along the Gulf of Guinea, and children 15 years and below account for about 48% of all cases globally. Prior to 2004, wide surgical excisions and debridement of infected necrotic tissues followed by skin grafting was the accepted definitive treatment of BU. However, introduction of antibiotic therapy, daily oral rifampicin (10 mg/kg) plus intramuscular injection of streptomycin (15 mg/kg), for 8 weeks by the WHO in 2004 has reduced surgery as an adjunct for correction of deformities and improved wound healing. An all-oral regimen is currently on clinical trial to replace the injectable. It is thought that a protective cloud of the cytotoxic toxin mycolactone kills infiltrating leucocytes leading to local immunosuppression and down-regulation of the systemic immune system. Our studies of lesions from BU patients treated with SR have demonstrated treatment-associated initiation of vigorous immune responses and the development of ectopic lymphoid tissue in the BU lesions. Despite these interventions, there are still challenges that bedevil the management of BU including paradoxical reactions, evolution of lesions after therapy, prolong viability of MU in BU lesions, and development of secondary bacterial infection. In this paper, we will mainly focus on the critical and pertinent challenges that undermine BU treatment toward effective control of BU.

Review on the critical and pertinent challenges that undermine BU treatment toward effective control of Buruli ulcer.
Noncontrast Breast MRI During Pregnancy Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Nissan Noam , Furman‐Haran Edna , Allweis Tanir , Menes Tehillah , Golan Orit , Kent Varda , Barsuk Daphna , Paluch‐Shimon Shani , Haas Ilana , Brodsky Malka , Bordsky Asia , Granot Liat Friedman , Halshtok‐Neiman Osnat , Faermann Renata , Shalmon Anat , Gotlieb Michael , Konen Eli , Sklair‐Levy Miri
Published: August 2018

Background

Pregnancy‐associated breast cancer (PABC) is often a delayed diagnosis and contrast‐enhanced MRI is contraindicated because gadolinium agents are known to cross the placenta.

Purpose

To investigate the feasibility and clinical utility of noncontrast breast MRI using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in the diagnostic workup of PABC.

Study Type

Prospective.

Population

Between November 2016 and January 2018, 25 pregnant participants (median gestational age: 17 weeks) were recruited from eight referral breast‐care centers nationwide. Imaging indications included: newly‐diagnosed PABC (n = 10, with 11 lesions), palpable mass/mastitis (n = 4), high‐risk screening (n = 10), and monitoring neoadjuvant‐chemotherapy response (n = 1).

Field Strength/Sequence

1.5T, T2‐weighted, and DTI sequences, prone position, with a scan duration of ∼12 minutes.

Assessment

DTI parametric maps were generated and analyzed at pixel resolution, with reference to ultrasound (US) and pathology.

Statistical Tests

Two‐tailed Student's t‐test was applied for evaluating differences between DTI parameters of PABC vs. healthy fibroglandular tissue. Pearson's correlation test was applied to measure the agreements between λ1‐based longest tumor diameter, US, and pathology.

Results

All scans were technically completed and reached diagnostic quality, except one with notable motion artifacts due to positional discomfort, which was excluded. Nine out of 11 known PABC lesions and one newly‐diagnosed lesion were visible on λ1, λ2, λ3, mean diffusivity (MD), and λ1–λ3 maps, with substantial parametric contrast compared with the apparently normal contralateral fibroglandular tissue (P < 0.001 for all). Two lesions of 0.7 cm were not depicted by the diffusivity maps. Tumor diameter measured on a thresholded λ1 map correlated well with US (r = 0.97) and pathology (r = 0.95). Malignancy was excluded by DTI parametric maps in scans of symptomatic and high‐risk patients, in agreement with US follow‐up, except for one false‐positive case.

Data Conclusion

Noncontrast breast MRI is feasible and well‐tolerated during pregnancy. Further studies with a larger and homogeneous cohort are required to validate DTI's additive diagnostic value, albeit this study suggests a potential adjunct role for this noninvasive approach in breast evaluation during pregnancy.

Level of Evidence: 2

Technical Efficacy: Stage 1

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;49:508–517.
Molecular characterization of Coxsackievirus A16 strains isolated from children with severe hand, foot, and mouth disease in Yunnan, Southwest China, during 2009‐2015
Authors: Zhang Ming , Zhao Yilin , Zhang Haihao , Lin Keqin , Liu Hongbo , Zhang Jie , Ding Lisha , Huang Xiaoqin , Yang Zhaoqing , Ma Shaohui
Published: August 2018

Coxsackievirus A16 (CV‐A16) commonly causes mild symptoms, but severe diseases, such as aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, and even fatal cases, have been reported. Thirteen CV‐A16 strains were isolated from patients with severe hand, foot, and mouth disease in Yunnan, Southwest China, from 2009 to 2015. Subgenotype B1a and B1b of CV‐A16 were predominantly circulating the region with B1b the predominant strain in recent years. The mean rate of nucleotide substitution based on the VP1 gene sequence was 4.545 × 10
−3 substitution per site per year from 2009 to 2015. These results may help in understanding the genetic diversity of CV‐A16 and develop a CV‐A16 vaccine.
Hepatitis E seroprevalence in the United States: Results for immunoglobulins IGG and IGM
Authors: Cangin Causenge , Focht Brian , Harris Randall , Strunk Julie A.
Published: August 2018

Background

Previous research identified a decline in hepatitis E virus (HEV) seroprevalence in US in 1988‐1994 and 2009‐2010. We investigated most recent HEV epidemiology.

Method

Using a nationally representative sample (7656 persons in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES] 2013‐2014 and 7124 persons in NHANES 2015‐2016), we compared the weighted seroprevalence of HEV (immunoglobulin G [IgG]/immunoglobulin M [IgM]) among people from the US (aged ≧ 6 years) between these two time periods. Sampling‐weighted multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with HEV seropositivity.

Results

The median participant age was 37 years (interquartile range = 17‐58 years); 51.17% of them were female. Among US‐born individuals, HEV seropositivity (IgG/IgM) increased from 4.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.5%‐5.5%) in 2013‐2014 to 8.1% (95%CI = 6.5%‐9.7%) in 2015‐2016. Recent HEV infection (IgM) has nearly doubled in all US‐born people. For participants born in and outside of the US, the overall weighted HEV (IgG/IgM) seropositivity increased from 5% (95%CI = 3.9%‐6.1%) during 2013‐2014 to 7.7% (95%CI = 7.2%‐10.5%) during 2015‐2016. In “non‐Hispanic Asian” females, HEV seropositivity (IgG/IgM) rose from 8.4% (95%CI = 5.6%‐11.1%) during 2013‐2014 to 20.7% (95%CI = 15.8%‐25.7%) during 2015‐2016. In “non‐Hispanic Asian” males, HEV seropositivity (IgG/IgM) increased from 9.3% (95%CI = 6.9%‐11.8%) during 2013‐2014 to 16.8% (95%CI = 12.5%‐21.2%) during 2015‐2016. HEV (IgG/IgM) seropositivity was significantly associated with “non‐Hispanic Asian” ethnicity (odds ratio [OR] = 1.69; CI = 1.12‐2.56), female (OR = 1.2, CI = 1.06‐1.38), and age (OR = 1.058, CI = 1.05‐1.06). No clear etiologic agent was found.

Conclusion

The combined and strata‐specific HEV weighted seroprevalence increased from 2013‐2014 to 2015‐2016. Although prior studies had found increasing age as the only significant factor associated with HEV, the attribute of “non‐Hispanic Asian” had a stronger association with HEV seropositivity than the age factor alone.
Gustatory pathway in humans: A review of models of taste perception and their potential lateralization
Authors: Iannilli Emilia , Gudziol Volker
Published: August 2018

The focus of this review is to interpret recent advances in human gustatory pathways with respect to the laterality of gustatory responses. Psychophysical, neuroimaging, and clinical anatomical studies published in peer reviewed scientific journals were examined. From the anatomical and neuroimaging studies a total of six models are outlined and discussed in the light of some recent psychophysical and clinical results. In the specific of the salt condition and right preferred hand the outcomes have revealed a predominant left ipsilateral pathway with evidences of ipsilateral projection from the left primary gustatory cortex (PGC) to the orbitofrontal cortex, while a bilateral projection from the right oral cavity to the left and right insula seems to be more consistent. Also, the right side predominance of the chemosensory perception is objected. Additionally, the gustatory response appears to be dependent on the taste quality, supporting the idea of a chemotopical organization of the PGC as well as the Labelled‐Line Model theory of peripheral taste quality encoding. However, where the fibers branch along the ascending pathway is not unequivocally established. Interestingly, factors like handedness appear to be remarkable when studying the lateralization of brain functions. Finally we suggest that further studies must include handedness and taste quality as distinctive factors that can help to interpret the results in a unique way.
Personality traits affect the influences of intensity perception and emotional responses on hedonic rating and preference rank toward basic taste solutions
Authors: Samant Shilpa S. , Seo Han‐Seok
Published: August 2018

This study aimed at determining, based on independent predictors of taste intensity and emotional response, whether individual personality traits could affect prediction models of overall liking and preference rank toward basic taste solutions. Sixty‐seven participants rated taste intensities (TI) of four basic‐taste solutions at both low and high concentrations, and of plain water. Emotional responses toward each sample were measured using a self‐reported emotion questionnaire (SE), facial expressions (FE), and/or autonomic nervous system responses (ANS). Participants rated overall liking of the samples and ranked their preferences. Based on the results of a hierarchical cluster analysis of five personality traits measured using the Big Five Inventory, participants were classified into two clusters: cluster N (high neuroticism) and cluster E (high extraversion). Results showed that the SE measure for both clusters N and E was better than the TI, FE, and ANS measures in explaining variances of overall liking or preference rank. A measurement of effect size found that using FE and/or taste intensity measures, along with self‐reported emotion measure, could enhance model predictability of overall liking or preference rank toward taste samples for cluster N, while the contribution to the prediction model for cluster E was minimal. ANS measures showed little contribution to the prediction model of overall liking for either cluster. In conclusion, this study shows that personality traits, in particular traits of extraversion and neuroticism, affect not only optimum measures of emotional responses, but also modulate predicting overall liking and preference rank toward basic taste solutions.
Physiological background of the remarkably high Cd2+ tolerance of the Aspergillus fumigatus Af293 strain
Authors: Kurucz Vivien , Kiss Beáta , Szigeti Zsuzsa M. , Nagy Gábor , Orosz Erzsébet , Hargitai Zoltán , Harangi Sándor , Wiebenga Ad , de Vries Ronald P. , Pócsi István , Emri Tamás
Published: August 2018

The physiological background of the unusually high cadmium tolerance (MIC50 > 2 mM) of Aspergillus fumigatus Af293 was investigated. The cadmium tolerance of the tested environmental and clinical A. fumigatus strains varied over a wide range (0.25 mM < MIC50 < 1 mM). Only the Af293 strain showed a MIC50 value of >2 mM, and this phenotype was accompanied by increased in vivo virulence in mice. A strong correlation was found between the cadmium tolerance and the transcription of the pcaA gene, which encodes a putative cadmium efflux pump. The cadmium tolerance also correlated with the iron tolerance and the extracellular siderophore production of the strains. In addition to these findings, Af293 did not show the synergism between iron toxicity and cadmium toxicity that was detected in the other strains. Based on these results, we suggest that the primary function of PcaA should be acting as a ferrous iron pump and protecting cells from iron overload. Nevertheless, the heterologous expression of pcaA may represent an attractive strain improvement strategy to construct fungal strains for use in biosorption or biomining processes or to prevent accumulation of this toxic metal in crops.
The role of the Madden–Julian oscillation on the Amazon Basin intraseasonal rainfall variability
Authors: Mayta Victor C. , Ambrizzi Tércio , Espinoza Jhan Carlo , Silva Dias Pedro L.
Published: August 2018

The relationship between the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) and the seasonal cycle of the intraseasonal rainfall variability in the Amazon Basin (AB) are analysed using band‐pass‐filtered gauge‐based gridded rainfall data for the 1980–2009 period. Intraseasonal events (IE) have been defined and selected based on extreme values of the first principal component (PC1) time series, which comes from the empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis applied to the filtered rainfall data over the AB. A total of 132 IEs were identified with an average of approximately five events per year. About 25% of the total IEs in the Amazon region are not restricted to the eastwards propagating equatorially confined MJO and other mechanisms (e.g., through Rossby wave trains in the Southern Hemisphere) might play an important role. In addition, we find that the incomplete IEs (events that do not evolve through a complete life cycle) are associated with suppressed rainfall conditions over tropical South America. The development of the IEs over the AB, when compared with the different phases of the MJO index, shows a coherent relationship, where convective‐based indices are able to better account their evolution. On a global scale, the upper‐tropospheric patterns and the rainfall composites based on the PC1 time series show that the MJO is one of the main atmospheric modulator mechanisms of the intraseasonal rainfall variability over the Amazon region throughout the annual cycle. It is found that the intraseasonal variability is particularly important during the austral winter, when the percentage contribution with respect to the mean daily seasonal precipitation over some Amazon regions can reach 50%.
Intelligent business transformation through market‐specific value network analysis: Structured interventions and process bootstrapping in geomarketing
Authors: Kaar Claudia , Stary Christian
Published: August 2018

When organizations aim to expand their market share by positioning a product that is well established in a certain customer segment by positioning that product in another market segment, they may need to adjust their processes accordingly. Implementing such a strategic move for growth while accounting for existing product and process knowledge requires stakeholder‐centered and constructive interventions. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of value network analysis for this transformation process, reporting an example case of a telecommunications provider, which approached private households based on the customer experience in the business customer segment. Value network analysis not only enabled the removal of communication‐based resentments by opening acceptance to organizational change but also helped define core processes in order to reach business objectives.
Metal Nanoparticle Foundry with Redox Responsive Hydrogels
Authors: Feng Xueling , Hempenius Mark A. , Vancso Gyula J.
Published: August 2018

A redox‐active, organometallic hydrogel is successfully formed from the reaction of poly[ferrocenyl(3‐bromopropyl)methylsilane] with a multifunctional amine cross‐linker, N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine. When the poly(ferrocenylsilane) (PFS) hydrogel is charged with noble metal salts, corresponding noble metal nanoparticles are formed. Interestingly, the nanoparticles are well dispersed in the hydrogel matrix and little or no aggregates are observed. The noble metal nanoparticles, which include Au, Ag, Pd, Pt, Ir, and Rh, are characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The concept of using a redox‐active hydrogel for fabricating noble metal nanoparticles, where the PFS network chains provide confinement, and where no external reducing agents or ligands are required, is demonstrated to be effective.
Elliptic differential‐difference operators with degeneration and the Kato square root problem
Authors: Skubachevskii A. L.
Published: August 2018

We prove correctness of the Kato square root conjecture for elliptic differential‐difference operators with degeneration.
Retailer's optimal ordering policy in the EOQ model with imperfect‐quality items under limited storage capacity and permissible delay
Authors: Liao Jui‐Jung , Huang Kuo‐Nan , Chung Kun‐Jen , Lin Shy‐Der , Ting Pin‐Shou , Srivastava H. M.
Published: August 2018

With a view to reducing inventory and increase sales, a supplier frequently offers its buyers a permissible delay in payment to attract new retailers for bulk purchase, and so extra storage spaces are needed for the buyers. Moreover, in a real environment, some defective items are produced because not only the production processes but also the inspection processes are not perfect, thereby generating defects then resulting in extra costs. Keeping these facts in mind, this article proposes a profit‐maximizing economic order quantity model that incorporates both imperfect production quality and permissible delay in payments in the case when the own warehouse with limited capacity is not sufficient to store the ordered quantity and, therefore, a rented warehouse is needed to store the excess units over the capacity of the owned warehouse. Mathematical model and solution procedures are developed with major insight into its functional characteristics. Numerical examples and sensitivity analysis are provided to illustrate and analyze the model performances. It is observed that our model has significant impacts on the optimal lot size and the optimal profit of the mathematical model, which is considered in this article.
Uniform stabilization of Kirchhoff problems without damping
Authors: Clark Haroldo Rodrigues , Guardia Ronald Ramos
Published: August 2018

This paper deals with the existence and uniqueness of global solutions and uniform stabilization of the energy of initial‐boundary value problems for quasilinear equations of the Kirchhoff type. The asymptotic stabilization of the solutions of these problems are obtained without any dissipative mechanism acting on the displacement variable.
Certain positive linear operators with better approximation properties
Authors: Raţiu Augusta , Acu Ana‐Maria , Acar Tuncer , Sofonea Daniel Florin
Published: August 2018

The present paper deals with a new positive linear operator which gives a connection between the Bernstein operators and their genuine Bernstein‐Durrmeyer variants. These new operators depend on a certain function τ defined on [0,1] and improve the classical results in some particular cases. Some approximation properties of the new operators in terms of first and second modulus of continuity and the Ditzian‐Totik modulus of smoothness are studied. Quantitative Voronovskaja–type theorems and Grüss‐Voronovskaja–type theorems constitute a great deal of interest of the present work. Some numerical results that compare the rate of convergence of these operators with the classical ones and illustrate the relevance of the theoretical results are given.
Existence and hölder continuity of solutions for time‐fractional Navier‐Stokes equations
Authors: Zhou Yong , Peng Li , Huang Yunqing
Published: August 2018

The purpose of this work is to investigate the problem of solutions to the time‐fractional Navier‐Stokes equations with the Caputo derivative operators. The existence, uniqueness, and Hölder continuity of the local mild solutions are established.
“Patient‐specific validation of deformable image registration in radiation therapy: Overview and caveats”
Authors: Paganelli Chiara , Meschini Giorgia , Molinelli Silvia , Riboldi Marco , Baroni Guido
Published: August 2018

Over the last few decades, deformable image registration (DIR) has gained popularity in image‐guided radiation therapy for a number of applications, such as contour propagation, dose warping, and accumulation. Although this raises promising perspectives for the improvement of treatment outcomes and quality of radiotherapy clinical practice, the variety of proposed DIR algorithms, combined with the lack of an effective quantitative quality control metric of the registration, is slowing the transfer of DIR into the clinical routine. Recently, a task group (AAPM TG132) report was published outlining the essential aspects of DIR for image guidance in radiotherapy. However, an accurate and efficient patient‐specific validation is not yet defined, and appropriate metrics should be identified to achieve the definition of both geometric and dosimetric accuracy. In this respect, the use of a dense set of anatomical landmarks, along with additional evaluations on contours or deformation field analysis, are likely to drive patient‐specific DIR validation in clinical image‐guided radiotherapy applications to account for geometric inaccuracies. Automatic and efficient strategies able to provide spatial information of DIR uncertainties and to evaluate monomodal and multimodal image registration, as well as to describe homogenous and un‐contrasted regions are believed to represent the future direction in DIR validation. But especially in the case of DIR applications for dose mapping and accumulation, the need of accurate patient‐specific validation is not only limited to the evaluation of geometric accuracy. In fact, the need to account for dosimetric inaccuracies due to DIR represents another important area in the field of adaptive treatments. Different approaches are currently being investigated to quantify the effect of DIR error on dose analysis, mainly relying on clinically relevant dose metrics, or on the study of deformation field properties for a voxel‐by‐voxel evaluation. However, novel research is required for the definition of dedicated and personalized measures capable to relate the geometric and dosimetric inaccuracies, thus bearing useful information for a safe use of DIR by clinical end users. In this paper we provide insights on DIR results evaluation on a patient‐specific basis, facing the issues of both geometric and dosimetric paradigms. Challenges on DIR validation are overviewed and discussed, in order to push preliminary clinical guidelines forward on this fundamental topic and boost the implementation of more robust and reliable patient‐specific evaluation metrics.
Nonhuman primate model of persistent erectile and urinary dysfunction following radical prostatectomy: Feasibility of minimally invasive therapy
Authors: Zambon Joao P. , Patel Manish , Hemal Ashok , Badlani Gopal , Andersson Karl‐Erik , Magalhaes Renata S. , Lankford Shannon , Dean Ashley , Williams James Koudy
Published: August 2018

Objective

Persistent urinary incontinence (UI) and/or erectile dysfunction (ED) occur in 30‐50% of post‐radical prostatectomy patients regardless of nerve sparing approaches. Identification of potential treatment options for these patients will require testing in an animal model that develops these chronic conditions. The objective was to characterize a nonhuman primate (NHP) model of persistent post‐prostatectomy ED and UI and then test the feasibility of periurethral injection of the chemokine CXCL‐12.

Methods

Ten adult male cynomolgus monkeys were used. Two were used for study of normal male nonhuman primate genitourinary anatomy. Five were used for measures of sexual behavior, peak intra‐corporal pressure (ICP), abdominal leak point pressures (ALPP) 3 and 6‐months post open radical prostatectomy (ORP). Three additional ORP animals received ultrasound‐guided peri‐urethral injection of chemokine CXCL12 6 weeks after ORP, and UI/ED evaluated for up to 3 months.

Results

The anatomy, innervation, and vascular supply to the prostate and surrounding tissues of these male NHPs are substantially similar to those of human beings. ORP resulted in complete removal of the prostate gland along with both neurovascular bundles and seminal vesicles while permitting stable restoration of vesico‐urethral patency. ORP produced sustained (6 months) decreases in ALPP, ICP's, and sexual function. Transurethral injection of chemokine CXCL12 was feasible and had beneficial effects on erectile and urinary function.

Conclusions

ORP in NHPs produced persistent erectile and urinary tract dysfunction. Periurethral injection of CXCL‐12 was feasible and improved both urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction and suggests that this model can be used to test new approaches for both conditions.
On the design and performance evaluation of automatic traffic report generation systems with huge data volumes
Authors: Vega Moreno Carlos , Miravalls Sierra Eduardo , Julián Moreno Guillermo , López de Vergara Jorge E. , Magaña Eduardo , Aracil Javier
Published: August 2018

In this paper, we analyze the performance issues involved in the generation of automated traffic reports for large IT infrastructures. Such reports allow the IT manager to proactively detect possible abnormal situations and roll out the corresponding corrective actions. With the ever‐increasing bandwidth of current networks, the design of automated traffic report generation systems is very challenging. In a first step, the huge volumes of collected traffic are transformed into enriched flow records obtained from diverse collectors and dissectors. Then, such flow records, along with time series obtained from the raw traffic, are further processed to produce a usable report. As will be shown, the data volume in flow records turns out to be very large as well and requires careful selection of the key performance indicators (KPIs) to be included in the report. In this regard, we discuss the use of high‐level languages versus low‐level approaches, in terms of speed and versatility. Furthermore, our design approach is targeted for rapid development in commodity hardware, which is essential to cost‐effectively tackle demanding traffic analysis scenarios. Actually, the paper shows feasibility of delivering a large number of KPIs, as will be detailed later, for several TBytes of traffic per day using a commodity hardware architecture and high‐level languages.
Fuzzy‐stochastic FEM–based homogenization framework for materials with polymorphic uncertainties in the microstructure
Authors: Pivovarov Dmytro , Oberleiter Thomas , Willner Kai , Steinmann Paul
Published: August 2018

Uncertainties in the macroscopic response of heterogeneous materials result from two sources: the natural variability in the microstructure's geometry and the lack of sufficient knowledge regarding the microstructure. The first type of uncertainty is denoted aleatoric uncertainty and may be characterized by a known probability density function. The second type of uncertainty is denoted epistemic uncertainty. This kind of uncertainty cannot be described using probabilistic methods. Models considering both sources of uncertainties are called polymorphic. In the case of polymorphic uncertainties, some combination of stochastic methods and fuzzy arithmetic should be used. Thus, in the current work, we examine a fuzzy‐stochastic finite element method–based homogenization framework for materials with random inclusion sizes. We analyze an experimental radii distribution of inclusions and develop a stochastic representative volume element. The stochastic finite element method is used to obtain the material response in the case of random inclusion radii. Due to unavoidable noise in experimental data, an insufficient number of samples, and limited accuracy of the fitting procedure, the radii distribution density cannot be obtained exactly; thus, it is described in terms of fuzzy location and scale parameters. The influence of fuzzy input on the homogenized stress measures is analyzed.
An algorithm for triangulating smooth three‐dimensional domains immersed in universal meshes
Authors: Rangarajan Ramsharan , Kabaria Hardik , Lew Adrian
Published: August 2018

We describe an algorithm to recover a boundary‐fitting triangulation for a bounded C2‐regular domain
immersed in a nonconforming background mesh of tetrahedra. The algorithm consists in identifying a polyhedral domain ωh bounded by facets in the background mesh and morphing ωh into a boundary‐fitting polyhedral approximation Ωh of Ω. We discuss assumptions on the regularity of the domain, on element sizes and on specific angles in the background mesh that appear to render the algorithm robust. With the distinctive feature of involving just small perturbations of a few elements of the background mesh that are in the vicinity of the immersed boundary, the algorithm is designed to benefit numerical schemes for simulating free and moving boundary problems. In such problems, it is now possible to immerse an evolving geometry in the same background mesh, called a universal mesh, and recover conforming discretizations for it. In particular, the algorithm entirely avoids remeshing‐type operations and its complexity scales approximately linearly with the number of elements in the vicinity of the immersed boundary. We include detailed examples examining its performance.
Distributed model predictive control for continuous‐time nonlinear systems based on suboptimal ADMM
Authors: Bestler Anja , Graichen Knut
Published: August 2018

This paper presents a distributed model predictive control (DMPC) scheme for continuous‐time nonlinear systems based on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM). A stopping criterion in the ADMM algorithm limits the iterations and therefore the required communication effort during the DMPC solution at the expense of a suboptimal solution. Stability results are presented for the suboptimal DMPC scheme under two different ADMM convergence assumptions. In particular, it is shown that the required iterations in each ADMM step are bounded, which is also confirmed in simulation studies.
CDtoolX, a downloadable software package for processing and analyses of circular dichroism spectroscopic data
Authors: Miles Andrew J. , Wallace B. A.
Published: August 2018

Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy is a highly used method for the examination and characterization of proteins, including, amongst other features, their secondary and tertiary structures, thermal stability, comparisons of wildtype and mutant proteins, and monitoring the binding of small molecules, folding/unfolding pathways, and formation of macromolecular complexes. This article describes CDtoolX, a new, user‐friendly, free‐to‐download‐and‐use software program that enables processing, displaying, archiving, calibrating, comparisons, and analyses of CD and synchrotron radiation circular dichroism spectroscopic data.
Polarization Mechanisms in P(VDF‐TrFE) Ferroelectric Thin Films
Authors: Choi Andrew C. , Pramanick Abhijit , Misture Scott T. , Paterson Alisa R. , Jones Jacob L. , Borkiewicz Olaf C. , Ren Yang
Published: August 2018

Ferroelectric polymers have gained tremendous attention due to several attractive properties including high breakdown strength, low dielectric loss, relatively fast charge/discharge rates and greater flexibility than their ceramic counterparts. In order to achieve enhanced energy efficiency in high‐energy storage capacitor applications, it is desirable to obtain slim polarization hysteresis loops for ferroelectric polymer films. Here, it has been demonstrated that promotion of large crystallites and γ phase content through thermal annealing provides a cost‐effective way to obtain a quasi‐linear polarization response in a PVDF co‐polymer thin film. The polarization mechanisms underlying a thin hysteresis loop in the thermally annealed film are elucidated using direct experimental insights from in situ synchrotron diffraction with two‐dimensional detection. It has been demonstrated that the susceptibility for electric‐field‐induced structural changes is higher in the defective ferroelectric phase γ than the polar phase β, due to a higher flexibility for accommodation of gauche bond along the carbon chain. In addition, the polymer chains in the γ phase also exhibit a range of different responses depending on their orientations with respect to the electric field. These results are broadly significant as they provide a fundamental basis for rational design of phase assemblages to obtain tailor‐made properties in ferroelectric polymer films.
Labyrinth Metasurface Absorber for Ultra‐High‐Sensitivity Terahertz Thin Film Sensing
Authors: Jáuregui‐López Irati , Rodríguez‐Ulibarri Pablo , Urrutia Aitor , Kuznetsov Sergei A. , Beruete Miguel
Published: August 2018

In this work, a labyrinth metasurface sensor operating at the low‐frequency edge of the THz band is presented. Its intricate shape leads to a high electric field confinement on the surface of the structure, resulting in ultrasensitive performance, able to detect samples of the order of tens of nanometers at a wavelength of the order of millimeters (i.e., five orders of magnitude larger). The sensing capabilities of the labyrinth metasurface are evaluated numerically and experimentally by covering the metallic face with tin dioxide (SnO2) thin films with thicknesses ranging from 24 to 345 nm. A redshift of the resonant frequency is observed as the analyte thickness increases, until reaching a thickness of 20 μm, where the response saturates. A maximum sensitivity of more than 800 and a figure of merit near 4500 nm−1 are achieved, allowing discriminating differences in the SnO2 thickness of less than 25 nm, and improving previous works by a factor of 35. This result can open a new paradigm of ultrasensitive devices based on intricate metageometries overcoming the limitations of classical metasurface sensor designs based on periodic metaatoms.
On the Spheroidizing Annealing Behavior in Cr/Nb Microalloyed Medium Carbon Steels
Authors: Jia Tao , Li Meiying , Pei Xinhua , Wang Zhaodong
Published: August 2018

The industrial process for the production of fine‐blanking steels, which includes hot‐rolling, cold‐rolling, and spheroidizing annealing, is simulated at a laboratory scale using two medium carbon steels, respectively, microalloyed with Cr and Nb. Two types of hot‐rolled microstructures, that is, “ferrite + pearlite” and bainite are obtained by varying the interrupted cooling temperature (ICT). The microstructure and property evolution during spheroidizing annealing are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD), and micro‐hardness tester. In Cr microalloyed steel, the dual partitioning of Cr and Mn and slowed growth kinetics of cementite particle are correlated to explain the suppression of ferrite recrystallization. Contrarily, a fast spheroidizing annealing behavior, which led to uniform distribution of cementite particle and fully recrystallized ferritic matrix, is observed in Nb microalloyed steel especially from the hot‐rolled bainite microstructure.
The regulation and function of the Hippo pathway in heart regeneration
Authors: Liu Shijie , Martin James F.
Published: August 2018

Heart failure caused by cardiomyocyte loss and fibrosis is a leading cause of death worldwide. Although current treatments for heart failure such as heart transplantation and left ventricular assist device implantation have obvious value, new approaches are needed. Endogenous adult cardiomyocyte renewal is measurable but inefficient and inadequate in response to extensive acute heart damage. Stimulating self‐renewal of endogenous cardiomyocytes holds great promise for heart repair. Uncovering the genetic mechanisms underlying cardiomyocyte renewal is a critical step in developing new approaches to repairing the heart. Recent studies have revealed that the inhibition of the Hippo pathway is sufficient to promote the proliferation of endogenous cardiomyocytes, indicating that the manipulation of the Hippo pathway in the heart may be a promising treatment for heart failure in the future. We summarize recent findings that have shed light on the function of the Hippo pathway in heart regeneration. We also discuss the mechanisms by which Hippo pathway inhibition promotes heart regeneration and how the Hippo pathway responds to different types of injury or stress during the regenerative process.

This article is categorized under:

Adult Stem Cells, Tissue Renewal, and Regeneration > Regeneration
Patterns of nocturnal activity in captive greater flamingos
Authors: Rose Paul E. , Lloyd Imogen , Brereton James E. , Croft Darren P.
Published: August 2018

Wild flamingos are known to forage overnight, but little is known of their nocturnal activity patterns in captivity. Captive flamingos can show daytime inactivity, reflecting natural periods of resting and loafing documented in wild birds. Assessment of behavior outside of normal zoo opening hours can provide more detailed information on how animals use the space provided to them, and highlights how enclosure areas not commonly occupied during the day may still be important for inhabitants at other times. We examine whether captive flamingos at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre change their enclosure usage and behavior overnight compared to that observed during daylight. Using three night‐vision remote cameras, the behavior and enclosure usage of a flock of over 270 greater flamingos was recorded from March to July 2016. Results show that these flamingos had higher rates of foraging at certain points during the night, and had a more even enclosure usage when compared to daylight hours. Change in pool use is apparent throughout the course of the day and night, suggesting that different areas of water depth are used by these flamingos at different times. Flamingos increased nocturnal foraging in their pool during the breeding season. The large enclosure size and range of different land and water areas may have enabled these flamingos to follow daily activity patterns similar to those observed in wild birds. Captive flamingos clearly show a difference between daytime and nocturnal behavior patterns and this should be considered when designing enclosures and general management routines for these birds.
Middle Pleistocene seismically induced clay diapirism in an intraplate zone, western Brittany, France
Authors: van Vliet-Lanoë Brigitte , Authemayou Christine , Molliex Stéphane , Field Michael Hugh , Frechen Manfred , Le Roy Pascal , Perrot Julie , Andrieu-Ponel Valérie , Grégoire Gwendoline , Hallégouët Bernard
Published: August 2018

The Brittany region of France is located in a low seismicity intraplate zone. Most of the instrumented earthquakes are limited to a shallow crustal depth without surface rupture. A paleoseismological analysis was performed on deposits on the Crozon Peninsula and in the Elorn estuary. We highlight hydroplastic deformations induced by liquefaction leading to clay diapirism, which were likely triggered by past earthquakes. This diapirism seems to be frequent in continental nonconsolidated sediments and to develop on the inherited tectonic structures, when a shallow water table and confining layers exist. Timing of deformation is dated using paleoenvironmental data, and electron spin resonance and infrared-stimulated luminescence dating methods. Two seismic periods were identified in western Europe during early Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 10 (~380 ka) and early MIS 8 (~280–265 ka). The lack of similar deformations affecting the Holocene tidal deposits in the Bay of Brest suggests that the magnitude of the triggering paleoearthquakes is probably higher (Mw~6) than the recent events (Mw5.4). These unusual intraplate major paleoearthquakes need specific factors affecting the far-field crustal stress loading to be triggered, such as a brief acceleration of the Africa-Eurasia lithospheric plate convergence, glacio-isostatic stress perturbations associated with the onset of major glaciations in northern Europe, or other processes induced by orbital forcing.
Amplification and aural rehabilitation in resource-constrained environments
Authors: Rutherford C , Petersen L
Published: August 2018

Objectives

This article attempts to highlight the challenges and possibilities for hearing healthcare through technology and aural rehabilitation in a resource-constrained setting, using South Africa as an example.

Results and conclusion

The authors argue that it is possible to enhance service delivery by using free resources and maximising the limited existing resources. In order to provide a sustainable hearing healthcare service in developing countries, it is pertinent to understand the context where the services are needed, and not just adopt an approach developed for a different context. Audiologists in such settings need to employ strategies to develop context-specific tools, and adapt existing tools to serve the needs of the local population. Some examples, although not exhaustive, are provided in the article.
Stance and the construction of authentic celebrity persona
Authors: Valentinsson Mary-Caitlyn
Published: August 2018

The American performance artist Lady Gaga has earned great notoriety in the mainstream media through artistic and personal performance, as well as for her relationships both with her fandom and the media. In this article, I discuss the linguistic stance-taking moves that Lady Gaga uses in two different communicative media in order to construct an authentic celebrity persona. Through references to intimate relationships, inclusive plural pronouns, and demonstration of attention to fan conversations, Lady Gaga's Twitter posts create a stance of alignment with the ‘ordinary’ people in her fan base. Conversely, by using combative and corrective rhetorical strategies in interviews with journalists, she creates a stance of disalignment with mass media establishment. Together, these linguistic strategies allow Lady Gaga's claims to authenticity to be seen as morally credible. This work highlights the central role that language plays in constructing an authentic-seeming public persona. (Authenticity, stance, celebrity, Lady Gaga, media, interview, Twitter)*
Solving nonlinear optimal path tracking problem using a new closed loop direct–indirect optimization method: application on mechanical manipulators
Authors: Rahaghi M. Irani , Barat F.
Published: August 2018

The purpose of this study is to determine the dynamic load carrying capacity (DLCC) of a manipulator that moves on the specified path using a new closed loop optimal control method. Solution methods for designing nonlinear optimal controllers in a closed-loop form are usually based on indirect methods, but the proposed method is a combination of direct and indirect methods. Optimal control law is given by solving the nonlinear Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) partial differential equation. This equation is complex to solve exactly for complex dynamics, so it is solved numerically using the Galerkin procedure combined with a nonlinear optimization algorithm. To check the performance of the proposed algorithm, the simulation is performed for a fixed manipulator. The results represent the efficiency of the method for tracking the pre-determined path and determining the DLCC. Finally, an experimental test has been done for a two-link manipulator and compare with simulation results.
Dimension approximation of attractors of graph directed IFSs by self-similar sets
Authors: FARKAS ÁBEL
Published: August 2018

We show that for the attractor (K1, . . ., Kq) of a graph directed iterated function system, for each 1 ⩽ j ⩽ q and ϵ > 0 there exists a self-similar set K ⊆ Kj that satisfies the strong separation condition and dimHKj − ϵ < dimHK. We show that we can further assume convenient conditions on the orthogonal parts and similarity ratios of the defining similarities of K. Using this property as a ‘black box’ we obtain results on a range of topics including on dimensions of projections, intersections, distance sets and sums and products of sets.
Laying Foundations: New Deal Public Works and Aviation Infrastructure
Authors: Johnson V M. Houston
Published: August 2018

This article examines New Deal public works agencies’ pivotal contributions to American aeronautical development, arguing that their creation of aviation-related infrastructure offers powerful evidence of the New Deal’s success in remaking the American landscape and fostering economic growth. Organizations such as the Civil Works Agency, the Public Works Administration, and the Works Progress Administration built or improved almost every contemporary U.S. airport, funding improvements that created the foundations of America’s modern air transport network. Much more than make-work endeavors, these efforts reflected New Dealers’ desire to use public works to create worthwhile products. These policies highlight the sophistication with which the New Deal promoted economic development, and belie the image of public works agencies privileging short-term employment to the detriment of economic gain. Airport terminals, runways, hangers, and countless other aviation-related improvements represent some of the New Deal’s most significant physical legacies, highlighting the Roosevelt administrations’ vital contributions to aeronautical development.
Polygenic risk, family cohesion, and adolescent aggression in Mexican American and European American families: Developmental pathways to alcohol use
Authors: Elam Kit K. , Chassin Laurie , Pandika Danielle
Published: August 2018

Poor family cohesion and elevated adolescent aggression are associated with greater alcohol use in adolescence and early adulthood. In addition, evocative gene–environment correlations (rGEs) can underlie the interplay between offspring characteristics and negative family functioning, contributing to substance use. Gene–environment interplay has rarely been examined in racial/ethnic minority populations. The current study examined adolescents’ polygenic risk scores for aggression in evocative rGEs underlying aggression and family cohesion during adolescence, their contributions to alcohol use in early adulthood (n = 479), and differences between Mexican American and European American subsamples. Results suggest an evocative rGE between polygenic risk scores, aggression, and low family cohesion, with aggression contributing to low family cohesion over time. Greater family cohesion was associated with lower levels of alcohol use in early adulthood and this association was stronger for Mexican American adolescents compared to European American adolescents. Results are discussed with respect to integration of culture and racial/ethnic minority samples into genetic research and implications for alcohol use.