bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mapping the Leaf Economic Spectrum across West African Tropical Forests Using UAV-Acquired Hyperspectral Imagery
Authors: Thomson Eleanor R. , Malhi Yadvinder , Bartholomeus Harm , Oliveras Imma , Gvozdevaite Agne , Peprah Theresa , Suomalainen Juha , Quansah John , Seidu John , Adonteng Christian , Abraham Andrew J. , Herold Martin , Adu-Bredu Stephen , Doughty Christopher E.
Published: September 2018

The leaf economic spectrum (LES) describes a set of universal trade-offs between leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf nitrogen (N), leaf phosphorus (P) and leaf photosynthesis that influence patterns of primary productivity and nutrient cycling. Many questions regarding vegetation-climate feedbacks can be addressed with a better understanding of LES traits and their controls. Remote sensing offers enormous potential for generating large-scale LES trait data. Yet so far, canopy studies have been limited to imaging spectrometers onboard aircraft, which are rare, expensive to deploy and lack fine-scale resolution. In this study, we measured VNIR (visible-near infrared (400–1050 nm)) reflectance of individual sun and shade leaves in 7 one-ha tropical forest plots located along a 1200–2000 mm precipitation gradient in West Africa. We collected hyperspectral imaging data from 3 of the 7 plots, using an octocopter-based unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), mounted with a hyperspectral mapping system (450–950 nm, 9 nm FWHM). Using partial least squares regression (PLSR), we found that the spectra of individual sun leaves demonstrated significant (p < 0.01) correlations with LMA and leaf chemical traits: r2 = 0.42 (LMA), r2 = 0.43 (N), r2 = 0.21 (P), r2 = 0.20 (leaf potassium (K)), r2 = 0.23 (leaf calcium (Ca)) and r2 = 0.14 (leaf magnesium (Mg)). Shade leaf spectra displayed stronger relationships with all leaf traits. At the airborne level, four of the six leaf traits demonstrated weak (p < 0.10) correlations with the UAV-collected spectra of 58 tree crowns: r2 = 0.25 (LMA), r2 = 0.22 (N), r2 = 0.22 (P), and r2 = 0.25 (Ca). From the airborne imaging data, we used LMA, N and P values to map the LES across the three plots, revealing precipitation and substrate as co-dominant drivers of trait distributions and relationships. Positive N-P correlations and LMA-P anticorrelations followed typical LES theory, but we found no classic trade-offs between LMA and N. Overall, this study demonstrates the application of UAVs to generating LES information and advancing the study and monitoring tropical forest functional diversity.
A Multi-Objective Demand Response Optimization Model for Scheduling Loads in a Home Energy Management System
Authors: Veras Jaclason M. , Silva Igor Rafael S. , Pinheiro Plácido R. , Rabêlo Ricardo A. L. , Veloso Artur Felipe S. , Borges Fábbio Anderson S. , Rodrigues Joel J. P. C.
Published: September 2018

Demand Response (DR) aims to motivate end consumers to change their energy consumption patterns in response to changes in electricity prices or when the reliability of the electrical power system (EPS) is compromised. Most of the proposals found in the literature only aim at reducing the cost for end consumers. However, this article proposes a home energy management system (HEMS) that aims to schedule the use of each home appliance based on the price of electricity in real-time (RTP) and on the consumer satisfaction/comfort level in order to guarantee the stability and the safety of the EPS. Thus, this paper presents a multi-objective DR optimization model which was formulated as a multi-objective nonlinear programming problem subjected to a set of constraints and was solved using the Non-Dominated Sorted Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II), in order to determine the scheduling of home appliances for the time horizon. The multi-objective DR optimization model not only to minimize the cost of electricity consumption but also to reduce the level of inconvenience for residential consumers. Moreover, a priori, it is expected to obtain a more uniform demand with fewer peaks in the system and, potentially, achieving a more reliable and safer EPS operation. Thus, the energy management controller (EMC) within the HEMS determines an optimized schedule for each home appliance through the multi-objective DR model presented in this article, and ensures a more economic scenario for end consumers. In this paper, a performance evaluation of HEMS in 15 Brazilian families between 1 January and 31 December 2016 is presented with different electric energy consumption patterns in the cities of Belém—PA, Teresina—PI, Cuiabá—MT, Florianópolis—SC and São Paulo—SP, with three families per city, located in the regions north, northeast, central west, south and the southeast of Brazil, respectively. In addition, a total of 425 home appliances were used in the simulations. The results show that the HEMS achieved reductions in the cost of electricity for all the Scenarios used while minimally affecting the satisfaction/comfort of the end consumers as well as taking into account all the restrictions. The largest reduction in the total cost of electricity occurred for the couple without children, resident in the city of Teresina—PI; with a drop from US$ 99.31 to US$ 90.72 totaling 8.65% savings in the electricity bill. Therefore, the results confirm that the proposed HEMS effectively improves the operating efficiency of home appliances and reduces electricity costs for end consumers.
Domain Correction Based on Kernel Transformation for Drift Compensation in the E-Nose System
Authors: Tao Yang , Xu Juan , Liang Zhifang , Xiong Lian , Yang Haocheng
Published: September 2018

This paper proposes a way for drift compensation in electronic noses (e-nose) that often suffers from uncertain and unpredictable sensor drift. Traditional machine learning methods for odor recognition require consistent data distribution, which makes the model trained with previous data less generalized. In the actual application scenario, the data collected previously and the data collected later may have different data distributions due to the sensor drift. If the dataset without sensor drift is treated as a source domain and the dataset with sensor drift as a target domain, a domain correction based on kernel transformation (DCKT) method is proposed to compensate the sensor drift. The proposed method makes the distribution consistency of two domains greatly improved through mapping to a high-dimensional reproducing kernel space and reducing the domain distance. A public benchmark sensor drift dataset is used to verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed DCKT method. The experimental result shows that the proposed method yields the highest average accuracies compared to other considered methods.
Band Ratios Matrix Transformation (BRMT): A Sedimentary Lithology Mapping Approach Using ASTER Satellite Sensor
Authors: Askari Ghasem , Pour Amin Beiranvand , Pradhan Biswajeet , Sarfi Mehdi , Nazemnejad Fatemeh
Published: September 2018

Remote sensing imagery has become an operative and applicable tool for the preparation of geological maps by reducing the costs and increasing the precision. In this study, ASTER satellite remote sensing data were used to extract lithological information of Deh-Molla sedimentary succession, which is located in the southwest of Shahrood city, Semnan Province, North Iran. A robust and effective approach named Band Ratio Matrix Transformation (BRMT) was developed to characterize and discriminate the boundary of sedimentary rock formations in Deh-Molla region. The analysis was based on the forward and continuous division of the visible-near infrared (VNIR) and the shortwave infrared (SWIR) spectral bands of ASTER with subsequent application of principal component analysis (PCA) for producing new transform datasets. The approach was implemented to ASTER spectral band ratios for mapping dominated mineral assemblages in the study area. Quartz, carbonate, and Al, Fe, Mg –OH bearing-altered minerals such as kaolinite, alunite, chlorite and mica were appropriately mapped using the BRMT approach. The results match well with geology map of the study area, fieldwork data and laboratory analysis. Accuracy assessment of the mapping result represents a reasonable kappa coefficient (0.70%) and appropriate overall accuracy (74.64%), which verified the robustness of the BRMT approach. This approach has great potential and capability for mapping sedimentary succession with diverse local–geological–physical characteristics around the world.
Overlay Virtualized Wireless Sensor Networks for Application in Industrial Internet of Things: A Review
Authors: Nkomo Malvin , Hancke Gerhard P. , Abu-Mahfouz Adnan M. , Sinha Saurabh , Onumanyi Adeiza. J.
Published: September 2018

In recent times, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are broadly applied in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in order to enhance the productivity and efficiency of existing and prospective manufacturing industries. In particular, an area of interest that concerns the use of WSNs in IIoT is the concept of sensor network virtualization and overlay networks. Both network virtualization and overlay networks are considered contemporary because they provide the capacity to create services and applications at the edge of existing virtual networks without changing the underlying infrastructure. This capability makes both network virtualization and overlay network services highly beneficial, particularly for the dynamic needs of IIoT based applications such as in smart industry applications, smart city, and smart home applications. Consequently, the study of both WSN virtualization and overlay networks has become highly patronized in the literature, leading to the growth and maturity of the research area. In line with this growth, this paper provides a review of the development made thus far concerning virtualized sensor networks, with emphasis on the application of overlay networks in IIoT. Principally, the process of virtualization in WSN is discussed along with its importance in IIoT applications. Different challenges in WSN are also presented along with possible solutions given by the use of virtualized WSNs. Further details are also presented concerning the use of overlay networks as the next step to supporting virtualization in shared sensor networks. Our discussion closes with an exposition of the existing challenges in the use of virtualized WSN for IIoT applications. In general, because overlay networks will be contributory to the future development and advancement of smart industrial and smart city applications, this review may be considered by researchers as a reference point for those particularly interested in the study of this growing field.
A Concurrent and Hierarchy Target Learning Architecture for Classification in SAR Application
Authors: Touafria Mohamed , Yang Qiang
Published: September 2018

This article discusses the issue of Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images. Through learning the hierarchy of features automatically from a massive amount of training data, learning networks such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) has recently achieved state-of-the-art results in many tasks. To extract better features about SAR targets, and to obtain better accuracies, a new framework is proposed: First, three CNN models based on different convolution and pooling kernel sizes are proposed. Second, they are applied simultaneously on the SAR images to generate image features via extracting CNN features from different layers in two scenarios. In the first scenario, the activation vectors obtained from fully connected layers are considered as the final image features; in the second scenario, dense features are extracted from the last convolutional layer and then encoded into global image features through one of the commonly used feature coding approaches, which is Fisher Vectors (FVs). Finally, different combination and fusion approaches between the two sets of experiments are considered to construct the final representation of the SAR images for final classification. Extensive experiments on the Moving and Stationary Target Acquisition and Recognition (MSTAR) dataset are conducted. Experimental results prove the capability of the proposed method, as compared to several state-of-the-art methods.
Recognition of Sedentary Behavior by Machine Learning Analysis of Wearable Sensors during Activities of Daily Living for Telemedical Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk
Authors: Kańtoch Eliasz
Published: September 2018

With the recent advancement in wearable computing, sensor technologies, and data processing approaches, it is possible to develop smart clothing that integrates sensors into garments. The main objective of this study was to develop the method of automatic recognition of sedentary behavior related to cardiovascular risk based on quantitative measurement of physical activity. The solution is based on the designed prototype of the smart shirt equipped with a processor, wearable sensors, power supply and telemedical interface. The data derived from wearable sensors were used to create feature vector that consisted of the estimation of the user-specific relative intensity and the variance of filtered accelerometer data. The method was validated using an experimental protocol which was designed to be safe for the elderly and was based on clinically validated short physical performance battery (SPPB) test tasks. To obtain the recognition model six classifiers were examined and compared including Linear Discriminant Analysis, Support Vector Machines, K-Nearest Neighbors, Naive Bayes, Binary Decision Trees and Artificial Neural Networks. The classification models were able to identify the sedentary behavior with an accuracy of 95.00% ± 2.11%. Experimental results suggested that high accuracy can be obtained by estimating sedentary behavior pattern using the smart shirt and machine learning approach. The main advantage of the developed method to continuously monitor patient activities in a free-living environment and could potentially be used for early detection of increased cardiovascular risk.
Linkage Analysis among China’s Seven Emissions Trading Scheme Pilots
Authors: Li Xuedi , Ma Jie , Chen Zhu , Zheng Haitao
Published: September 2018

This paper focuses on the time-varying correlation among China’s seven emissions trading scheme markets. Correlation analysis shows a weak connection among these markets for the whole sample period, which spans from 9 June 2014 to 30 June 2017. The return rate series of the seven markets show the characteristics of a fat-tailed and skewed distribution, and the Vector Autoregression (VAR) residuals present a significant Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (ARCH) effect. Therefore, we adopt Vector Autoregression Generalized ARCH model with Dynamic Conditional Correlation (VAR-DCC-GARCH) to capture the time-varying correlation coefficients. The results of the VAR-DCC-GARCH show that the conditional correlation coefficients fluctuate fiercely over time. At some points, the different markets present a significant correlation with the value of the even peaks of the coefficient at 0.8, which indicates that these markets are closely connected. However, the connection between each market does not last long. According to the actual situation of China’s regional carbon emission markets, policy factors may explain most of the temporary, significant co-movement among markets.
The Regulation of Genetically Modified Organisms on a Local Level: Exploring the Determinants of Cultivation Bans
Authors: Hartung Ulrich , Schaub Simon
Published: September 2018

This study investigates municipalities’ regulatory activities in the field of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) for agricultural use. To explore the determinants of these activities, the case of Germany was selected as in this country, municipalities have legal possibilities to impose local GMO cultivation bans. Using data from 131 local council resolutions, the combination of qualitative and quantitative content analysis shows that, in most cases, no single factors, but a variety of factors lead to regulatory activity. The study reveals that functional motivations to prevent negative socio-economic effects or impacts on the environment or human health are decisive for municipalities’ decisions to regulate. Furthermore, the results of the quantitative analysis unveil that municipalities often refer to both socio-economic reasons and risks for the environment and human health when justifying their decisions. Moreover, the results indicate that local policymakers impose popular cultivation bans to promote their own political success. Finally, the horizontal diffusion of regulations between municipalities, but also vertical diffusion from higher political levels can be observed. Overall, the results of this study on GMOs on a local level further emphasize the importance of analyzing the interdependencies between agroecosystems and socio-economic systems in their full complexity.
Rural Governance against Eucalyptus Expansion in Galicia (NW Iberian Peninsula)
Authors: Cidrás Diego , Lois-González Rubén-Camilo , Paül Valerià
Published: September 2018

Researchers, planners, and decision makers admit the need to take into account the social conflicts inherent to invasive species management in order to minimize controversy. These conflicts are mainly based on differences in values systems, thus causing antithetical policies in environmental management. On the topic of Eucalyptus plantations, this paper studies two cases in Galicia, a region under an emerging social fight between advocates and opponents: firstly, we analyze a local community that is progressively eradicating Eucalyptus through the principles of ecological restoration; and secondly, a planning initiative led by a local government with a common goal. In order to set the spatial and social dimensions of the conflict, the methodological approach is based on the components of cognitive hierarchy theory and risk perception theory. The results are discussed with the purpose of examining to what extent the case studies imply a new model of rural governance, and in this respect, are transferrable to other situations. We conclude that institutional non-interference in Eucalyptus management facilitates the emergence of diverse new governance practices in the local scale but endures the conflict in its regional dimension.
Some Linguistic Neutrosophic Cubic Mean Operators and Entropy with Applications in a Corporation to Choose an Area Supervisor
Authors: Gulistan Muhammad , Wahab Hafiz Abdul , Smarandache Florentin , Khan Salma , Shah Sayed Inayat Ali
Published: September 2018

In this paper, we combined entropy with linguisti neutrosophic cubic numbers and used it in daily life problems related to a corporation that is going to choose an area supervisor, which is the main target of our proposed model. For this, we first develop the theory of linguistic neutrosophic cubic numbers, which explains the indeterminate and incomplete information by truth, indeterminacy and falsity linguistic variables (LVs) for the past, present, as well as for the future time very effectively. After giving the definitions, we initiate some basic operations and properties of linguistic neutrosophic cubic numbers. We also define the linguistic neutrosophic cubic Hamy mean operator and weighted linguistic neutrosophic cubic Hamy mean (WLNCHM) operator with some properties, which can handle multi-input agents with respect to the different time frame. Finally, as an application, we give a numerical example in order to test the applicability of our proposed model.
Erianin against Staphylococcus aureus Infection via Inhibiting Sortase A
Authors: Ouyang Ping , He Xuewen , Yuan Zhong-Wei , Yin Zhong-Qiong , Fu Hualin , Lin Juchun , He Changliang , Liang Xiaoxia , Lv Cheng , Shu Gang , Yuan Zhi-Xiang , Song Xu , Li Lixia , Yin Lizi
Published: September 2018

With continuous emergence and widespread of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections, common antibiotics have become ineffective in treating these infections in the clinical setting. Anti-virulence strategies could be novel, effective therapeutic strategies against drug-resistant bacterial infections. Sortase A (srtA), a transpeptidase in gram-positive bacteria, can anchor surface proteins that play a vital role in pathogenesis of these bacteria. SrtA is known as a potential antivirulent drug target to treat bacterial infections. In this study, we found that erianin, a natural bibenzyl compound, could inhibit the activity of srtA in vitro (half maximal inhibitory concentration—IC50 = 20.91 ± 2.31 μg/mL, 65.7 ± 7.2 μM) at subminimum inhibitory concentrations (minimum inhibitory concentrations—MIC = 512 μg/mL against S. aureus). The molecular mechanism underlying the inhibition of srtA by erianin was identified using molecular dynamics simulation: erianin binds to srtA residues Ile182, Val193, Trp194, Arg197, and Ile199, forming a stable bond via hydrophobic interactions. In addition, the activities of S. aureus binding to fibronectin and biofilm formation were inhibited by erianin, when co-culture with S. aureus. In vivo, erianin could improve the survival in mice that infected with S. aureus by tail vein injection. Experimental results showed that erianin is a potential novel therapeutic compound against S. aureus infections via affecting srtA.
An Introduction to the Toxins Special Issue on the Adenylate Cyclase Toxin
Authors: Chenal Alexandre
Published: September 2018

n/a
The Vacuum State of Primordial Fluctuations in Hybrid Loop Quantum Cosmology
Authors: Elizaga Navascués Beatriz , Martín de Blas Daniel , Mena Marugán Guillermo A.
Published: September 2018

We investigate the role played by the vacuum of the primordial fluctuations in hybrid Loop Quantum Cosmology. We consider scenarios where the inflaton potential is a mass term and the unperturbed quantum geometry is governed by the effective dynamics of Loop Quantum Cosmology. In this situation, the phenomenologically interesting solutions have a preinflationary regime where the kinetic energy of the inflaton dominates over the potential. For these kind of solutions, we show that the primordial power spectra depend strongly on the choice of vacuum. We study in detail the case of adiabatic states of low order and the non-oscillating vacuum introduced by Martín de Blas and Olmedo, all imposed at the bounce. The adiabatic spectra are typically suppressed at large scales, and display rapid oscillations with an increase of power at intermediate scales. In the non-oscillating vacuum, there is power suppression for large scales, but the rapid oscillations are absent. We argue that the oscillations are due to the imposition of initial adiabatic conditions in the region of kinetic dominance, and that they would also be present in General Relativity. Finally, we discuss the sensitivity of our results to changes of the initial time and other data of the model.
Interplay between Cellular Metabolism and Cytokine Responses during Viral Infection
Authors: Zhang Shu , Carriere Jessica , Lin Xiaoxi , Xie Na , Feng Pinghui
Published: September 2018

Metabolism and immune responses are two fundamental biological processes that serve to protect hosts from viral infection. As obligate intracellular pathogens, viruses have evolved diverse strategies to activate metabolism, while inactivating immune responses to achieve maximal reproduction or persistence within their hosts. The two-way virus-host interaction with metabolism and immune responses choreograph cytokine production via reprogramming metabolism of infected cells/hosts. In return, cytokines can affect the metabolism of virus-infected and bystander cells to impede viral replication processes. This review aims to summarize our current understanding of the cross-talk between metabolic reprogramming and cytokine responses, and to highlight future potential research topics. Although the focus is placed on viral pathogens, relevant findings from other microbes are integrated to provide an overall picture, particularly when corresponding information on viral infection is lacking.
Performance of Earthworm-Enhanced Horizontal Sub-Surface Flow Filter and Constructed Wetland
Authors: Singh Rajendra , Fu Dafang , Jia Jing , Wu Jiaguo
Published: September 2018

In this study, the performance of the horizontal sub-surface flow filter (HSSFF) and constructed wetland (HSSFCW) experimental units enhanced with earthworms was investigated for the treatment of construction camp sewage wastewater. All the experimental units (filter and constructed wetland) were filled with the same filler except Eisenia foetida earthworms and Lolium perenne Linn plants. The performance of the earthworm-enhanced filter (EEF) and the earthworm-enhanced constructed wetland (EECW) was compared to that of the blank filter (BF) units. The results revealed that the removal efficiencies for chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium-nitrogen (NH4+-N), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in EEF were higher than the BF unit. In order to optimize the operating conditions, the experiments were conducted in three different water levels. The results revealed that the removal efficiencies of EEF for these pollutants are the highest in experimental conditions no. 2 (water level ~30 cm; HRT ~3 days; hydraulic load ~4.05 cm/day; and Inflow discharge ~0.27 L/h). Compared to the EEF and BF units, the EECW has higher removal efficiency for COD and TN and has more stable performance than the filters. This work will aid the design and improvement of filters and CWs for treatment of effluent wastewater from construction camps. The selection of appropriate hydraulic parameters and experimental conditions could be very beneficial in achieving the goal of implantation of low impact development (LID).
Modified U-Tube for Ruling out Naked DNA Transfer during Conjugation and Application in Antibiotic Resistance Genes Transfer Research
Authors: Zhang Ning , Liu Xiang , Li Bing , Han Limei , Ma Xuejiao , Meng Fanbin , Li Miao
Published: September 2018

Antibiotic resistance is currently a major global public health issue. In particular, the emergence and transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is a matter of primary concern. This study presented a method for ruling out the transfer of naked DNA (plasmid RP4 lysed from donor cells) during the cell-to-cell conjugation, using a modified “U-tube”. A series of gene transfer assays was conducted in both flask and modified U-tube, using Pseudomonas putida KT2440 (P. putida (RP4)) harboring the RP4 plasmid as the donor strain, Escherichia coli (E. coli, ATCC 25922) in pure culture as sole recipient, and bacteria from reclaimed water microcosms as multi-recipients. The verification experiments showed that the U-tube device could prevent direct contact of bacteria without affecting the exchange of free plasmid. In the experiments involving a sole recipient, the transconjugants were obtained in flask samples, but not in modified U-tube. Furthermore, in experiments involving multi-recipients, transfer of naked DNA in the modified U-tube accounted for 5.18% in the transfer frequency of the flask transfer experiment. The modified U-tube proved to be useful for monitoring the interference of naked DNA in the research of conjugative transfer and calculating the exact conjugative transfer rate. This device is identified as a promising candidate for distinguishing different gene transfers in practical application because of its convenient use and easy and simple manufacture.
Greener Method for the Removal of Toxic Metal Ions from the Wastewater by Application of Agricultural Waste as an Adsorbent
Authors: Baby Shaikh Rabia , Saifullah Bullo , Rehman Fawad ur
Published: September 2018

The presence of inorganic pollutants such as metal ions (Ni2+, Pb2+, Cr6+) in water, probably by long-term geochemical changes and from the effluents of various industries, causes diseases and disorders (e.g., cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, muscular dystrophy, hepatitis, and multiple sclerosis). Conventional methods for their removal are limited by technical and economic barriers. In biosorption, low-cost and efficient biomaterials are used for this purpose. In this study, Brassica Campestris stems from the agriculture waste and has been used for the removal of Ni2+, Cr6+ and Pb2+ ions from an aqueous solution containing all the ions. Effect of different parameters, e.g., pH, contact time, metal ion initial concentration, adsorbent dose, agitation rate and temperature were analyzed and optimized. The adsorbent worked well for removal of the Pb2+ and Cr6+ as compared to Ni2+. The atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) and FTIR investigation of adsorbent before and after shows a clear difference in the adsorbent capability. The highest adsorption percentage was found at 98%, 91%, and 49% respectively, under the optimized parameters. Furthermore, the Langmuir isotherm was found better in fitting to the experimental data than that of the Freundlich isotherm.
Long Term Hydrodynamic Effects in a Semi-Arid Mediterranean Multilayer Aquifer: Campo de Cartagena in South-Eastern Spain
Authors: Domingo-Pinillos Juan Carlos , Senent-Aparicio Javier , García-Aróstegui José Luis , Baudron Paul
Published: September 2018

The Mediterranean basin contains many semi-arid environments where aquifers are subject to intensive exploitation, generally to meet irrigation demands. The Campo de Cartagena aquifer is a clear example from such a semi-arid environment, and its hydrodynamic effects have aroused great scientific interest. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the hydrodynamic effects that have occurred in the last century of anthropogenic activity in this aquifer system. This aquifer is subject to intensive exploitation and shows clear deficits in times of drought, with recharge by irrigation playing an important role. This study’s methodology includes groundwater modelling to reconstruct the transient evolution of the aquifer system during the last century, to generate water balances and to illustrate how the evolution of irrigation has, in many ways, changed the aquifer’s groundwater flow pattern. The results delineate the hydraulic communication of the aquifer stratums through specific geological structures, as well as the flow transfer from the Quaternary layer to the Mar Menor and the Mediterranean Sea. The reconstruction of the entire system’s temporal evolution shows a fragile water balance that is supported by surface-water contributions.
Is Multiclass Automatic Text De-Identification Worth the Effort?
Authors: Bui Duy Duc An , Redden David T. , Cimino James J.
Published: September 2018

Objectives: Automatic de-identification to remove protected health information (PHI) from clinical text can use a “binary” model that replaces redacted text with a generic tag (e.g., “”), or can use a “multiclass” model that retains more class information (e.g., “”). Binary models are easier to develop, but result in text that is potentially less informative. We investigated whether building a multiclass de-identification is worth the extra effort.

Methods: Using the 2014 i2b2 dataset, we compared the accuracy and impact on document readability of two models. In the first experiment, we generated one binary and two multiclass versions trained with the same machine-learning algorithm Conditional Random Field (CRF). Accuracy (recall, precision, f-score) and secondary metrics (e.g, training time, testing time, minimum memory required) were measured. In the second experiment, three reviewers accessed the readability of two redacted documents using the binary and multiclass methods. We estimated a pooled Kappa to estimate the inter-rater agreement.

Results: The multiclass model did not demonstrate a clear accuracy advantage, with lower recall (−1.9%) and only slightly better precision (+0.6%), despite requiring additional computing resources. Three raters reached a very high agreement (Kappa = 0.975, 95% Confidence Interval (0.946, 1.00), p < 0.0001) that both binary and multiclass models have the same impact on document readability.

Conclusions: This study suggests that the development of more sophisticated classification of PHI may not be worth the effort in terms of both system accuracy and the usefulness of the output.
Synthesis of a leopolic acid-inspired tetramic acid with antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria
Authors: Mattio Luce , Musso Loana , Scaglioni Leonardo , Pinto Andrea , Martino Piera Anna , Dallavalle Sabrina
Published: September 2018

The increasing emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens is one of the biggest threats to human health and food security. The discovery of new antibacterials, and in particular the finding of new scaffolds, is an imperative goal to stay ahead of the evolution of antibiotic resistance. Herein we report the synthesis of a 3-decyltetramic acid analogue of the ureido dipeptide natural antibiotic leopolic acid A. The key step in the synthetic strategy is an intramolecular Lacey–Dieckmann cyclization reaction of a linear precursor to obtain the desired 3-alkyl-substituted tetramic acid core. The synthesized analogue is more effective than the parent leopolic acid A against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus pseudintermedius) and Gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria (MIC 8 µg/mL and 64 µg/mL, respectively). Interestingly, the compound shows a significant activity against Staphylococcus pseudintermedius strains expressing a multidrug-resistant phenotype (average MIC 32 µg/mL on 30 strains tested). These results suggest that this molecule can be considered a promising starting point for the development of a novel class of antibacterial agents active also against resistant strains.
Handling the Qualitative Side of Mixed Methods Research: A Multisite, Team-Based High School Education Evaluation Study
Authors: Dempsey Terri L.
Published: September 2018

Attention to mixed methods studies research has increased in recent years, particularly among funding agencies that increasingly require a mixed methods approach for program evaluation. At the same time, researchers operating within large-scale, rapid-turnaround research projects are faced with the reality that collection and analysis of large amounts of qualitative data typically require an intense amount of project resources and time. However, practical examples of efficiently collecting and handling high-quality qualitative data within these studies are limited. More examples are also needed of procedures for integrating the qualitative and quantitative strands of a study from design to interpretation in ways that can facilitate efficiencies. This paper provides a detailed description of the strategies used to collect and analyze qualitative data in what the research team believed to be an efficient, high-quality way within a team-based mixed methods evaluation study of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) high-school education. The research team employed an iterative approach to qualitative data analysis that combined matrix analyses with Microsoft Excel and the qualitative data analysis software program ATLAS.ti. This approach yielded a number of practical benefits. Selected preliminary results illustrate how this approach can simplify analysis and facilitate data integration.
The Remarkable Be+sdOB Binary HD 55606. I. Orbital and Stellar Parameters*
Authors: Chojnowski S. Drew , Labadie-Bartz Jonathan , Rivinius Thomas , Gies Douglas , Panoglou Despina , Fernandes Marcelo Borges , Wisniewski John P. , Whelan David G. , Mennickent Ronald E. , McMillan Russet , Dembicky Jack M. , Gray Candace , Rudyk Ted , Stringfellow Guy S. , Lester Kathryn , Hasselquist Sten , Zharikov Sergey , Levenhagen Ronaldo , Souza Tiago , Leister Nelson , Stassun Keivan , Siverd Robert J. , Majewski Steven R.
Published: September 2018

Prompted by peculiar spectroscopic variability observed in SDSS/APOGEE H-band spectra, we monitored the Be star HD 55606 using optical spectroscopy and found that it is an exotic double-lined spectroscopic binary (SB2) consisting of a Be star and a hot, compact companion that is probably an OB subdwarf (sdOB) star. The motion of the sdOB star is traced by its impact on the strong He i lines, observed as radial velocity (V

r
) variable, double-peaked emission profiles with narrow central absorption cores. Weak He ii 4686 Å absorption associated with the companion star is detected in most spectra. Use of the emission peaks of low-ionization emission lines to trace the Be star V

r
and the He i lines to trace the companion star V

r
yields a circular orbital solution with a 93.8 day period and masses of M
Be = 6.2 M
⊙ and M
sdOB = 0.9 M
⊙ in the case of i = 80°. HD 55606 exhibits a variety of phase-locked variability, including the development of shell lines twice per orbit. The shell phases coincide with variation in the double emission peak separations, and both forms of variability are likely caused by a two-armed spiral density perturbation in the Be disk. The intensity ratios of the double emission peaks are also phase-locked, possibly indicating heating by the sdOB star of the side of the Be disk facing it. HD 55606 is a new member of the growing sample of Be+sdOB binaries, in which the Be star’s rapid rotation and ability to form a disk can be attributed to past mass-transfer.
The Cosmic Ray Energy Spectrum between 2 PeV and 2 EeV Observed with the TALE Detector in Monocular Mode
Authors: Abbasi R. U. , Abe M. , Abu-Zayyad T. , Allen M. , Azuma R. , Barcikowski E. , Belz J. W. , Bergman D. R. , Blake S. A. , Cady R. , Cheon B. G. , Chiba J. , Chikawa M. , Di Matteo A. , Fujii T. , Fujita K. , Fukushima M. , Furlich G. , Goto T. , Hanlon W. , Hayashi M. , Hayashi Y. , Hayashida N. , Hibino K. , Honda K. , Ikeda D. , Inoue N. , Ishii T. , Ishimori R. , Ito H. , Ivanov D. , Jeong H. M. , Jeong S. M. , Jui C. C. H. , Kadota K. , Kakimoto F. , Kalashev O. , Kasahara K. , Kawai H. , Kawakami S. , Kawana S. , Kawata K. , Kido E. , Kim H. B. , Kim J. H. , Kim J. H. , Kishigami S. , Kitamura S. , Kitamura Y. , Kuzmin V. , Kuznetsov M. , Kwon Y. J. , Lee K. H. , Lubsandorzhiev B. , Lundquist J. P. , Machida K. , Martens K. , Matsuyama T. , Matthews J. N. , Mayta R. , Minamino M. , Mukai K. , Myers I. , Nagasawa K. , Nagataki S. , Nakamura R. , Nakamura T. , Nonaka T. , Nozato A. , Oda H. , Ogio S. , Ogura J. , Ohnishi M. , Ohoka H. , Okuda T. , Omura Y. , Ono M. , Onogi R. , Oshima A. , Ozawa S. , Park I. H. , Pshirkov M. S. , Rodriguez D. C. , Rubtsov G. , Ryu D. , Sagawa H. , Sahara R. , Saito K. , Saito Y. , Sakaki N. , Sakurai N. , Scott L. M. , Seki T. , Sekino K. , Shah P. D. , Shibata F. , Shibata T. , Shimodaira H. , Shin B. K. , Shin H. S. , Smith J. D. , Sokolsky P. , Stokes B. T. , Stratton S. R. , Stroman T. A. , Suzawa T. , Takagi Y. , Takahashi Y. , Takamura M. , Takeda M. , Takeishi R. , Taketa A. , Takita M. , Tameda Y. , Tanaka H. , Tanaka K. , Tanaka M. , Thomas S. B. , Thomson G. B. , Tinyakov P. , Tkachev I. , Tokuno H. , Tomida T. , Troitsky S. , Tsunesada Y. , Tsutsumi K. , Uchihori Y. , Udo S. , Urban F. , Wong T. , Yamamoto M. , Yamane R. , Yamaoka H. , Yamazaki K. , Yang J. , Yashiro K. , Yoneda Y. , Yoshida S. , Yoshii H. , Zhezher Y. , Zundel Z. ,   (Telescope Array Collaboration)
Published: September 2018

We report on a measurement of the cosmic ray energy spectrum by the Telescope Array Low-Energy Extension (TALE) air fluorescence detector (FD). The TALE air FD is also sensitive to the Cherenkov light produced by shower particles. Low-energy cosmic rays, in the PeV energy range, are detectable by TALE as Cherenkov events. Using these events, we measure the energy spectrum from a low energy of ∼2 PeV to an energy greater than 100 PeV. Above 100 PeV, TALE can detect cosmic rays using air fluorescence. This allows for the extension of the measurement to energies greater than a few EeV. In this paper, we describe the detector, explain the technique, and present results from a measurement of the spectrum using ∼1000 hr of observation. The observed spectrum shows a clear steepening near 1017.1 eV, along with an ankle-like structure at 1016.2 eV. These features present important constraints on the origin of galactic cosmic rays and on propagation models. The feature at 1017.1 eV may also mark the end of the galactic cosmic ray flux and the start of the transition to extragalactic sources.
The Gould’s Belt Distances Survey (GOBELINS). V. Distances and Kinematics of the Perseus Molecular Cloud
Authors: Ortiz-León Gisela N. , Loinard Laurent , Dzib Sergio A. , Galli Phillip A. B. , Kounkel Marina , Mioduszewski Amy J. , Rodríguez Luis F. , Torres Rosa M. , Hartmann Lee , Boden Andrew F. , Evans Neal J. , Briceño Cesar , Tobin John J.
Published: September 2018

We derive the distance and structure of the Perseus molecular cloud by combining trigonometric parallaxes from Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations, taken as part of the GOBELINS survey and Gaia Data Release 2. Based on our VLBA astrometry, we obtain a distance of 321 ± 10 pc for IC 348. This is fully consistent with the mean distance of 320 ± 26 measured by Gaia. The VLBA observations toward NGC 1333 are insufficient to claim a successful distance measurement to this cluster. Gaia parallaxes, on the other hand, yield a mean distance of 293 ± 22 pc. Hence, the distance along the line of sight between the eastern and western edges of the cloud is ∼30 pc, which is significantly smaller than previously inferred. We use Gaia proper motions and published radial velocities to derive the spatial velocities of a selected sample of stars. The average velocity vectors with respect to the LSR are

= (−6.1 ± 1.6, 6.8 ± 1.1, −0.9 ± 1.2) and (−6.4 ± 1.0, 2.1 ± 1.4, −2.4 ± 1.0) km s−1 for IC 348 and NGC 1333, respectively. Finally, our analysis of the kinematics of the stars has shown that there is no clear evidence of expansion, contraction, or rotational motions within the clusters.
Post-Newtonian Corrections to Toomre's Criterion
Authors: Kazemi Ali , Roshan Mahmood , Nazari Elham
Published: September 2018

The gravitational stability of a two-dimensional self-gravitating and differentially rotating gaseous disk in the context of post-Newtonian (PN) theory is studied. Using the perturbative method and applying the second iterated equations of PN approximation, the relativistic version of the dispersion relation for the propagation of small perturbations is found. We obtain the PN version of Toomre’s local stability criterion by utilizing this PN dispersion relation. In other words, we find relativistic corrections to Toomre’s criterion in the first PN approximation. Two stability parameters, η and μ, related to gravity and pressure are introduced. We illustrate how these parameters determine the stability of the Newtonian and PN systems. Moreover, we show that, in general, the differentially rotating fluid disk is more stable in the context of PN theory relative to the Newtonian one. Also, we explicitly show that although the relativistic PN corrections destabilize nonrotating systems, they have the stabilizing role in the rotating thin disks. Finally, we apply the results to the relativistic disks around hypermassive neutron stars and find that although Newtonian description predicts the occurrence of local fragmentations, PN theory remains in agreement with the relevant simulations and rules out the existence of local fragmentations.
La forma industrial del hormigón pretensado. Una investigación histórica sobre el diseño estructural de Aldo Favini y Angelo Mangiarotti (1950-1980)
Authors: Giannetti I.
Published: September 2018

En junio de 1966, la «Iglesia Parroquial de Baranzate», diseñada por Angelo Mangiarotti en colaboratión con Aldo Favini y construida en los alrededores de Milán, se publicó en «Informes de la Construcción»: la «brillante estructura» del edificio, que está compuesta por elementos prefabricados de hormigón pretensado, es testigo de una arquitectura estructural que se formó, a lo largo de la Postguerra en el norte de Italia, en sinergia con el desarrollo de la industria y del diseño industrial.

En el horizonte común del hormigón armado, plasmado y adiestrado por la resistencia en forma y pretensado, la estructura de luz intermedio – con respecto a la rápida reconstrucción de la edificación no residencial – vuelve a diseñarse a través de elementos prefabricados: entre los años ‘50 y ‘70, bovedas, losas, vigas se modelan en la búsqueda de la forma (estructural y arquitectónica) ideal para la dimensión «artesanal» de la industrialización italiana.
Influence of Catteneo-Christov Heat Flux Model on Mixed Convection Flow of Third Grade Nanofluid over an Inclined Stretched Riga Plate
Authors: Nayak Manoj Kumar , Hakeem A.K. Abdul , Makinde Oluwole Daniel
Published: September 2018

Nature of the very idea of Cattaneo-Christov heat flux model and its influence on the mixed convection flow of third grade nanofluid subject to inclined stretched Riga plate has been studied. The study furthers the case for introducing temperature dependent viscosity modeled by Reynolds. A numerical solution of the transformed boundary layer equations has been accomplished by fourth order R-K and shooting methods. The study itself has pointed out that buoyancies (thermal as well as solutal) and viscosity parameters augment the fluid velocity while increase in Deborah number yields unperturbed diminishing trend of non-linear temperature profiles.
MHD Flow of Dusty Fluid Past a Stretching Sheet with Slip Effect Using Carreau Model
Authors: Mahesha  , Upadhya S.M. , Ramesh G.K. , Makinde Oluwole Daniel
Published: September 2018

This examination manages the impact of magnetic field on the flow and heat transport of an incompressible Carreau liquid over an extending sheet with particle fluid suspension. The significant conditions are first improved under regular boundary layer suppositions, and afterward changed into conventional differential conditions by reasonable transformations. The changed conventional nonlinear differential conditions which are explained numerically by Matlab bvp4c package. The impacts of specific parameters on the dimensionless velocity and temperature are exhibited in graphical structures.
Heat Transfer in Plane with Temperature Dependent Thermal Variables
Authors: Lourenco Marcio , Moitsheki Raseelo Joel , Fareo Adewunmi Gideon , Makinde Oluwole Daniel
Published: September 2018

In this paper we consider heat transfer in a wall with temperature dependent heat conductivity and internal heat generation. It turns out the model considered is non-linear. We employ the classical Lie point symmetry analysis to determine the exact solutions. A number of cases for thermal conductivity and internal heat generation are considered. In some cases the exact solutions are not possible to construct. However, we first use the obtained exact solution as a bench mark for the quasilinear method. Since confidence is established, we then use the quasilinear method to solve some other applicable problem.
Entropy Analysis of a Radiating Variable Viscosity EG/Ag Nanofluid Flow in Microchannels with Buoyancy Force and Convective Cooling
Authors: Monaledi R.L. , Makinde Oluwole Daniel
Published: September 2018

The inherent irreversibility of a variable viscosity ethylene glycol/silver (EG/Ag) nanofluid single-phase Poiseuille flow in a vertical microchannel with convective cooling under the combined influence of buoyancy force, nonlinear thermal radiation, nanoparticles shape and volume fraction is investigated. The nonlinear model equations are obtained and numerically solved via shooting method with Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg integration scheme. Pertinent results with respect to the effects of emerging thermophysical parameters on the nanofluid velocity, temperature, skin friction, Nusselt number, thermal stability criteria, entropy generation rate and Bejan number are presented graphically and discussed. It is observed that thermal radiation, Biot number and buoyancy force boost the release of heat energy thereby cooling the flow system. Meanwhile, an increase in nanoparticles volume fraction lessens the entropy generation rate which augment the exergetic effectiveness and thermal stability of the flow system.