bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Convergence of Gallego’s Iterative Method for Distribution-Free Inventory Models
Authors: Hu Ting-Chen , Hung Kuo-Chen , Yang Kuo-Lung
Published: May 2019

For inventory models with unknown distribution demand, during shortages, researchers used the first and the second moments to derive an upper bound for the worst case, that is the min-max distribution-free procedure for inventory models. They applied an iterative method to generate a sequence to obtain the optimal order quantity. A researcher developed a three-sequence proof for the convergence of the order quantity sequence. We directly provide proof for the original order quantity sequence. Under our proof, we can construct an increasing sequence and a decreasing sequence that both converge to the optimal order quantity such that we can obtain the optimal solution within the predesigned threshold value.
Finite Strain Homogenization Using a Reduced Basis and Efficient Sampling
Authors: Kunc Oliver , Fritzen Felix
Published: May 2019

The computational homogenization of hyperelastic solids in the geometrically nonlinear context has yet to be treated with sufficient efficiency in order to allow for real-world applications in true multiscale settings. This problem is addressed by a problem-specific surrogate model founded on a reduced basis approximation of the deformation gradient on the microscale. The setup phase is based upon a snapshot POD on deformation gradient fluctuations, in contrast to the widespread displacement-based approach. In order to reduce the computational offline costs, the space of relevant macroscopic stretch tensors is sampled efficiently by employing the Hencky strain. Numerical results show speed-up factors in the order of 5–100 and significantly improved robustness while retaining good accuracy. An open-source demonstrator tool with 50 lines of code emphasizes the simplicity and efficiency of the method.
Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery System (SNEDDS) for Improved Oral Bioavailability of Chlorpromazine: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation
Authors: Baloch Jeand , Sohail Muhammad Farhan , Sarwar Hafiz Shaib , Kiani Maria Hassan , Khan Gul Majid , Jahan Sarwat , Rafay Muhammad , Chaudhry Muhammad Tausif , Yasinzai Masoom , Shahnaz Gul
Published: May 2019

Background and Objectives: Lipid-based self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) have resurged the eminence of nanoemulsions by modest adjustments and offer many valuable opportunities in drug delivery. Chlorpromazine, an antipsychotic agent with poor aqueous solubility—with extensive first-pass metabolism—can be a suitable candidate for the development of SNEDDS. The current study was designed to develop triglyceride-based SNEDDS of chlorpromazine to achieve improved solubility, stability, and oral bioavailability. Materials and Methods: Fifteen SNEDDS formulations of each short, medium, and long chain, triglycerides were synthesized and characterized to achieve optimized formulation. The optimized formulation was characterized for several in vitro and in vivo parameters. Results: Particle size, zeta potential, and drug loading of the optimized SNEDDS (LCT14) were found to be 178 ± 16, −21.4, and 85.5%, respectively. Long chain triglyceride (LCT14) showed a 1.5-fold increased elimination half-life (p < 0.01), up to 6-fold increased oral bioavailability, and 1.7-fold decreased plasma clearance rate (p < 0.01) compared to a drug suspension. Conclusion: The findings suggest that SNEDDS based on long-chain triglycerides (LCT14) formulations seem to be a promising alternative for improving the oral bioavailability of chlorpromazine.
Evaluation of the Salivary Level of Cortisol in Patients with Oral Lichen Planus: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Lopez-Jornet Pia , Zavattaro Elisa , Mozaffari Hamid Reza , Ramezani Mazaher , Sadeghi Masoud
Published: May 2019

Background and objective: Cortisol, as the main human glucocorticoid, is considered to be a biological marker of stress and anxiety. Since it is known that oral lichen planus (OLP) can appear and worsen during stressful events, cortisol levels have been previously studied in OLP patients. The present meta-analysis aims to assess the salivary concentration of cortisol in OLP patients compared to healthy controls. Materials and methods: Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases were searched up to October 2018. The RevMan 5.3 software was used with the mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The CMA 2.0 Software was used to evaluate the publication bias, sensitivity analysis, and meta-regression as possible sources of heterogeneity. Results: 10 studies were analyzed and a total of 269 OLP patients and 268 controls were included. The pooled MD of the salivary levels of cortisol in OLP patients compared with controls was 4.27 ng/mL (95% CI: 2.33, 6.21; P < 0.0001), thus, the salivary level of cortisol in OLP patients was significantly higher than in controls. In Indian-based population studies, a significant difference in the salivary cortisol levels in OLP patients compared with controls was detected (MD = 5.62 ng/mL; 95% CI: 2.67, 8.56; P = 0.0002). In addition, a significant difference in the salivary cortisol levels in the OLP patients compared with the controls was obtained in studies performed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method (MD = 5.33 ng/mL; 95% CI: 2.72, 7.93; P < 0.0001). Conclusion: We suggest that supportive psychological treatment together with the conventional therapy could increase patients’ capability to prevent stress, anxiety, and depression.
Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Quercetin-3-methoxy-4′-glucosyl-7-glucoside Isolated from Indian Medicinal Plant Melothria heterophylla
Authors: Mondal Arijit , Maity Tapan Kumar , Bishayee Anupam
Published: May 2019

Background: Melothria heterophylla (family: Cucurbitaceae), commonly known as kudari, is used in the Indian traditional medicine to treat various inflammation-associated diseases, such as asthma, arthritis and pain. However, the anti-inflammatory active components of this plant have not been identified yet. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of a compound, quercetin-3-methoxy-4′-glucosyl-7-glucoside, isolated from M. heterophylla. Methods: The anti-inflammatory activity was determined using carrageenan- and dextran-induced rat paw edema as well as cotton pellet-induced granuloma in rats, whereas the analgesic activity was analyzed using acetic acid-induced writhing, hot plate and tail flick response in mice. The test compound was orally administered at a dose of 5, 10 or 15 mg/kg. The cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1)- and COX-2-inhibitory capacity of the test compound was studied by enzyme immunosorbent assay. Results: Quercetin-3-methoxy-4′-glucosyl-7-glucoglucoside at 15 mg/kg exhibited a maximum inhibition of carrageenan-induced inflammation (50.3%, p < 0.05), dextran (52.8%, p < 0.05), and cotton pellets (41.4%, p < 0.05) compared to control animals. At the same dose, it showed a 73.1% inhibition (p < 0.05) of the pain threshold in acetic acid-induced writhing model. It also exhibited a considerable analgesic activity by prolonging the reaction time of the animals based on hot plate as well as tail flick response. The test compound was found to inhibit COX-1 (IC50 2.76 µg/mL) and more efficiently, COX-2 (IC50 1.99 µg/mL). Conclusions: Quercetin-3-methoxy-4′-glucosyl-7-glucoside possessed substantial analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities possibly due to inhibition of prostaglandin production, supporting the ethnomedicinal application of M. heterophylla to treat various inflammatory disorders.
Improved Positive Predictive Performance of Listeria Indicator Broth: A Sensitive Environmental Screening Test to Identify Presumptively Positive Swab Samples
Authors: Olstein Alan D. , Feirtag Joellen M.
Published: May 2019

PDX-LIB, Listeria Indicator Broth, was developed as a proprietary sensitive screening test to identify presumptively positive environmental swab samples for Listeria sp. The original formulation, while sensitive, initially proved to exhibit acceptable levels of false positive test results. Paradigm Diagnostics has been undertaken to modify the medium formulation to render it more selective while not sacrificing its sensitivity. After identification of a candidate formulation through laboratory studies, a field trial was conducted to validate the test performance parameters, including the true positive frequency and false positive frequency in several different food-processing facilities. Identical swab samples were enriched in both the original medium formulation and the new formulation. Presumptive positive samples were confirmed by plating on selective differential agar and qPCR analysis. The field trial data demonstrate that the new formulation significantly reduces the frequency of false positive samples compared to the original Listeria Indicator Broth formulation, without compromising the sensitivity of the original formulation. The new medium formulation resulted in no false positive samples compared to the 54% increased presumptive positive samples obtained with the original medium formulation.
Trace Element Geochemistry in Quartz in the Jinqingding Gold Deposit, Jiaodong Peninsula, China: Implications for the Gold Precipitation Mechanism
Authors: Chen Binghan , Deng Jun , Wei Hantao , Ji Xingzhong
Published: May 2019

Lots of studies on gold precipitation mechanisms have focused on fluid inclusions within quartz. However, the trace elements in quartz reflect the properties of the ore fluid, and a comparison of the trace element content in different types of quartz can reveal the precipitation mechanism. The Jinqingding gold deposit is the largest gold deposit in the Muping–Rushan gold belt and contains the largest single sulfide–quartz vein type orebody in the gold belt. This study distinguished four types of quartz in this orebody through field work and investigations of the mineralogy and cathodoluminescence (CL) of the quartz and crosscutting relationships as seen under a microscope. In situ studies via electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) were used to determine the trace element content of the different quartz types. Type Qa displayed a comb structure in the field and zoning under the microscope and in CL. Milky white and smoke grey Qb was the most common quartz type and hosted the most sulfide and gold. Qc was Qa and Qb quartz that recrystallized around pyrite or overgrew and appeared different from Qa and Qb in CL images. Qd occurred within fractures in pyrite. Qa formed prior to the mineralization of gold, and Qd formed post-mineralization. Qb and Qc provided information regarding the ore fluid during mineralization. Sericites occurred with pyrite in fractures in the quartz, and some, along with free gold, filled in fractures in pyrite. Free gold occurred within Qa, Qb, Qc, and in brittle fractures in pyrite. Qc had the lowest Al content of all of the quartz types. As Al content is related to the acidity of the ore fluid in previous study, this indicated an acidity decrease during mineralization, which could be attributed to the sericitization. Sericitization could indicate a potential gold occurrence. The Ti content decreased from Qb to Qc, indicating a decrease in temperature during quartz overgrowth formation. Change in acidity and cooling can therefore be identified as possible causes of gold precipitation in the sulfide–quartz vein type in the Jinqingding gold deposit.
Exploring African Medicinal Plants for Potential Anti-Diabetic Compounds with the DIA-DB Inverse Virtual Screening Web Server
Authors: Pereira Andreia S.P. , den Haan Helena , Peña-García Jorge , Moreno Marién M. , Pérez-Sánchez Horacio , Apostolides Zeno
Published: May 2019

Medicinal plants containing complex mixtures of several compounds with various potential beneficial biological effects are attractive treatment interventions for a complex multi-faceted disease like diabetes. In this study, compounds identified from African medicinal plants were evaluated for their potential anti-diabetic activity. A total of 867 compounds identified from over 300 medicinal plants were screened in silico with the DIA-DB web server (http://bio-hpc.eu/software/dia-db/) against 17 known anti-diabetic drug targets. Four hundred and thirty compounds were identified as potential inhibitors, with 184 plants being identified as the sources of these compounds. The plants Argemone ochroleuca, Clivia miniata, Crinum bulbispermum, Danais fragans, Dioscorea dregeana, Dodonaea angustifolia, Eucomis autumnalis, Gnidia kraussiana, Melianthus comosus, Mondia whitei, Pelargonium sidoides, Typha capensis, Vinca minor, Voacanga africana, and Xysmalobium undulatum were identified as new sources rich in compounds with a potential anti-diabetic activity. The major targets identified for the natural compounds were aldose reductase, hydroxysteroid 11-beta dehydrogenase 1, dipeptidyl peptidase 4, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta. More than 30% of the compounds had five or more potential targets. A hierarchical clustering analysis coupled with a maximum common substructure analysis revealed the importance of the flavonoid backbone for predicting potential activity against aldose reductase and hydroxysteroid 11-beta dehydrogenase 1. Filtering with physiochemical and the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET) descriptors identified 28 compounds with favorable ADMET properties. The six compounds—crotofoline A, erythraline, henningsiine, nauclefidine, vinburnine, and voaphylline—were identified as novel potential multi-targeted anti-diabetic compounds, with favorable ADMET properties for further drug development.
Effects of Diethyl Phosphate, a Non-Specific Metabolite of Organophosphorus Pesticides, on Serum Lipid, Hormones, Inflammation, and Gut Microbiota
Authors: Yang Fangwei , Li Jinwang , Pang Guofang , Ren Fazheng , Fang Bing
Published: May 2019

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) can be metabolized to diethyl phosphate (DEP) in the gut environment, which may affect the immune and endocrine systems and the microbiota. Correlations between OPs and diseases have been established by epidemiological studies, mainly based on the contents of their metabolites, including DEP, in the serum or urine. However, the effects of DEP require further study. Therefore, in this study, adult male rats were exposed to 0.08 or 0.13 mg/kg DEP for 20 weeks. Serum levels of hormones, lipids, and inflammatory cytokines as well as gut microbiota were measured. DEP significantly enriched opportunistic pathogens, including Paraprevotella, Parabacteroides, Alloprevotella, and Helicobacter, leading to a decrease in interleukin-6 (IL-6). Exposure to the high dose of DEP enriched the butyrate-producing genera, Alloprevotella and Intestinimonas, leading to an increase in estradiol and a resulting decrease in total triglycerides (TGs) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C); meanwhile, DEP-induced increases in peptide tyrosine‒tyrosine (PYY) and ghrelin were attributed to the enrichment of short-chain fatty acid-producing Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Lactobacillus. These findings indicate that measuring the effects of DEP is not a proxy for measuring the effects of its parent compounds.
Danggui Buxue Decoction Sensitizes the Response of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer to Gemcitabine via Regulating Deoxycytidine Kinase and P-glycoprotein
Authors: Sun Xiyang , Xu Xin , Chen Yanfei , Guan Rong , Cheng Tingting , Wang Ye , Jin Rui , Song Min , Hang Taijun
Published: May 2019

This study aimed to investigate whether the anti-tumor effect of gemcitabine (GEM) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment was affected by Danggui Buxue decoction (DBD), and explore the potential mechanisms. The combined use of GEM and DBD showed an enhanced tumor growth inhibition effect in a murine Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) model. LC-MS/MS results showed that the pharmacokinetic behaviors of a GEM active metabolite, gemcitabine triphosphate (dFdCTP), were found to be altered remarkably in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of DBD co-administration rats. In addition, after co-administration of DBD with GEM, Western Blot and qPCR results confirmed that the expression of deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) in tumor tissues of LLC-bearing mice were markedly increased. DBD co-administration also reversed the upregulation of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in tumor tissues induced by GEM. Moreover, DBD could notably up-regulate the IL-12p70 and GM-CSF expression in mice serum, suggesting potential immunomodulatory activities in tumor-bearing mice. Meanwhile, DBD inhibited the P-gp efflux activity in A549 cells. Therefore, the regulation of dCK and P-gp played important roles in the alternation of GEM pharmacokinetics and the enhancement of the anti-tumor effect of GEM. DBD being a potential dCK promoter could work as an adjuvant agent to boost the anticancer effect of GEM.
Benefits of the Hydrophobic Surface for CH3NH3PbI3 Crystalline Growth towards Highly Efficient Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Li Yang , Xu Zheng , Zhao Suling , Song Dandan , Qiao Bo , Zhu Youqin , Meng Juan
Published: May 2019

In inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs), high-quality perovskite film grown on hole-transporting material (HTM) with pinhole-free coverage and a large grain size is crucial for high efficiency. Here, we report on the growth of pinhole-free and large grain CH3NH3PbI3 crystals favored by a hydrophobic small molecular HTM, namely, 4,4′-Bis(4-(di-p-toyl)aminostyryl)biphenyl (TPASBP). The hydrophobic surface induced by TPASBP suppressed the density of the perovskite nuclei and heterogeneous nucleation, thus promoting the perovskite to grow into a dense and homogeneous film with a large grain size. The CH3NH3PbI3 deposited on the TPASBP exhibited better crystallization and a lower trap density than that on the hydrophilic surface of indium tin oxide (ITO), resulting in a significant reduction in carrier recombination. Combined with the efficient hole extraction ability of TPASBP, a high efficiency of 18.72% in the inverted PSCs fabricated on TPASBP was achieved.
Hyaluronic Acid Nanocapsules as a Platform for Needle-Free Vaccination
Authors: Bussio Juan I. , Molina-Perea Carla , González-Aramundiz José Vicente
Published: May 2019

Vaccination faces many challenges nowadays, and among them the use of adjuvant molecules and needle-free administration are some of the most demanding. The combination of transcutaneous vaccination and nanomedicine through a rationally designed new-formulation could be the solution to this problem. This study focuses on this rational design. For this purpose, new hyaluronic acid nanocapsules (HA-NCs) have been developed. This new formulation has an oily nucleus with immunoadjuvant properties (due to α tocopherol) and a shell made of hyaluronic acid (HA) and decorated with ovalbumin (OVA) as the model antigen. The resulting nanocapsules are smaller than 100 nm, have a negative superficial charge and have a population that is homogeneously distributed. The systems show high colloidal stability in storage and physiological conditions and high OVA association without losing their integrity. The elevated interaction of the novel formulation with the immune system was demonstrated through complement activation and macrophage viability studies. Ex vivo studies using a pig skin model show the ability of these novel nanocapsules to penetrate and retain OVA in higher quantities in skin when compared to this antigen in the control solution. Due to these findings, HA-NCs are an interesting platform for needle-free vaccination.
Nonlinear Dynamics of Exclusive Excited-State Emission Quantum Dot Lasers Under Optical Injection
Authors: Jiang Zai-Fu , Wu Zheng-Mao , Jayaprasath Elumalai , Yang Wen-Yan , Hu Chun-Xia , Xia Guang-Qiong
Published: May 2019

We numerically investigate the nonlinear dynamic properties of an exclusive excited-state (ES) emission quantum dot (QD) laser under optical injection. The results show that, under suitable injection parameters, the ES-QD laser can exhibit rich nonlinear dynamical behaviors, such as injection locking (IL), period one (P1), period two (P2), multi-period (MP), and chaotic pulsation (CP). Through mapping these dynamic states in the parameter space of the frequency detuning and the injection coefficient, it can be found that the IL occupies a wide region and the dynamic evolution routes appear in multiple forms. Via permutation entropy (PE) calculation to quantify the complexity of the CP state, the parameter range for acquiring the chaos with high complexity can be determined. Moreover, the influence of the linewidth enhancement factor (LEF) on the dynamical state of the ES-QD laser is analyzed. With the increase of the LEF value, the chaotic area shrinks (expands) in the negative (positive) frequency detuning region, and the IL region gradually shifts towards the negative frequency detuning.
Characterization of Electrical Heating Textile Coated by Graphene Nanoplatelets/PVDF-HFP Composite with Various High Graphene Nanoplatelet Contents
Authors: Kim Hyelim , Lee Sunhee
Published: May 2019

We prepared a horseshoe-pattern type electrical heating textile that was coated with high graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) content (32 wt% to 64 wt%) of graphene nanoplatelet/poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) composite. Silver-coated conductive yarn is used as electrode in the sample to improve its flexibility and applicability as wearable textile. These graphene nanoplatelet/PVDF-HFP coated samples with various high-contents of graphene were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), sheet resistance analysis, and electrical heating performance analysis. Graphene nanoplatelet/PVDF-HFP coated cotton fabric improved the crystallinity and thermal stability with increasing thw high-content of GNP. With an increasing of the high-content of graphene nanoplatelet in the PVDF-HFP composite solution, the sheet resistance of samples tended to gradually decrease. That of, 64 wt% graphene nanoplatelet/PVDF-HFP composite coated sample (64 GR/cotton) was 44 Ω/sq. The electrical heating performance of graphene nanoplatelet/PVDF-HFP composite coated cotton fabric was improved with increasing the high-content of graphene nanoplatelet. When 5 V was applied to 64 GR/cotton, its surface temperature has been indicated to be about 48 °C and it could be used at a low voltage (<10 V). Thus, a horseshoe-pattern type electrical heating textile that is coated by high content of graphene nanoplatelet/PVDF-HFP composite solution sewn with silver-coated conductive yarn is expected to be applied to glove, shoes, jacket, and so on to improve its wearability and applicability.
Effects of Intensity-Specific Acute Exercise on Paired-Associative Memory and Memory Interference
Authors: Crawford Lindsay , Loprinzi Paul
Published: May 2019

The improvement of memory performance is an ever-growing interest in research, with implications in many fields. Thus, identifying strategies to enhance memory and attenuate memory interference is of great public health and personal interest. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the role of intensity-specific acute exercise on improving paired-associative memory function and attenuating memory interference. A counterbalanced, randomized controlled, within-subject experimental design was employed. The three counterbalanced visits included a control visit, moderate-intensity exercise (50% of HRR; heart rate reserve) and vigorous-intensity exercise (80% of HRR), all of which occurred prior to the memory assessment. To evaluate memory interference, an AB/AC paired-associative task was implemented for each laboratory visit. The number of correctly recalled words from List 1 (AB–DE) was statistically significantly (F = 4.63, p = 0.01, η2p = 0.205) higher for the vigorous-intensity condition (M = 6.53, SD = 1.54) as compared to moderate-intensity (M = 6.11, SD = 1.59) and control (M = 5.00, SD = 2.56) conditions. No statistical significance was found between proactive interference or retroactive interference across the experimental conditions. This experiment provides evidence for an intensity-specific effect of acute exercise on short-term, paired-associative memory, but not memory interference.
Data2paper: Giving Researchers Credit for Their Data
Authors: Jefferies Neil , Murphy Fiona , Ranganathan Anusha , Murray Hollydawn
Published: May 2019

Initially funded as part of the Jisc Data Spring Initiative, a team of stakeholders (publishers, data repository managers, coders) has developed a simple workflow to streamline data paper submission. Metadata about a dataset in a data repository is combined with ORCID metadata about the author to automate and thus greatly reduce the friction of the submission process. Funders are becoming more interested in good data management practice, and institutions are developing repositories to hold the data outputs of their researchers, reducing the individual burden of data archiving. However, to date only a subset of the data produced is associated with publications and thus reliably archived, shared and re-used. This represents a loss of knowledge, leading to the repetition of research (especially in the case of negative observations) and wastes resources. It is laborious for time-poor researchers to fully describe their data via an associated article to maximise its utility to others, and there is little incentive for them to do so. Filling out diverse submission forms, for the repository and journal(s), makes things even lengthier. The app makes the process of associating and publishing data with a detailed description easier, with corresponding citation potential and credit benefits.
What Is an Institutional Repository to Do? Implementing Open Access Harvesting Workflows
Authors: Smart Rachel
Published: May 2019

In 2016, Florida State University adopted an institutional Open Access policy, and the library staff were tasked with implementing an outreach plan to contact authors and collect publication post-prints. In 2018, I presented at Open Repositories in Bozeman to share our workflow, methods, and results with the repository community. This workflow utilizes both restricted and open source methods of obtaining and creating research metadata and reaching out to authors to make their work more easily accessible and citable. Currently, post-print deposits added using this workflow are still in the double digits for each year since 2016. Like many institutions before us, participation rates of article deposit in the institutional repository are low and it may be too early in the implementation of this workflow to expect a real change in faculty participation.
Deconversion, Sport, and Rehabilitative Hope
Authors: Shoemaker Terry
Published: May 2019

This article, based on qualitative interviews and ethnographic research, explores three types of on-the-ground rehabilitative hope supplied by sport for many post-evangelicals within the upper Bible Belt region traversing through the process of deconversion. First, sport is an often-cited space that is identified as broadening social networks, leading to initial questioning of inherited religiosity. Second, sport offers a level of amelioration of relational fissures caused by religious shifts away from evangelicalism. Last, this research indicates that post-evangelicals highly value spaces for discussions of social justice, and athletic activism offers symbolic solidarity. Thus, sport and deconversion can be intertwined for Southern post-evangelicals. In the end, I argue that the triangulation of deconversion, hope, and sport within a Southern context creates a way of understanding the changing Southern ethos and pathos demarcated by a shifting away from a conservative Protestantism historically dominant in the region.
SmartFire: Intelligent Platform for Monitoring Fire Extinguishers and Their Building Environment
Authors: Garcia-Martin Roberto , González-Briones Alfonso , Corchado Juan M.
Published: May 2019

Due to fire protection regulations, a minimum number of fire extinguishers must be available depending on the surface area of each building, industrial establishment or workplace. There is also a set of rules that establish where the fire extinguisher should be placed: always close to the points that are most likely to be affected by a fire and where they are visible and accessible for use. Fire extinguishers are pressure devices, which means that they require maintenance operations that ensure they will function properly in the case of a fire. The purpose of manual and periodic fire extinguisher checks is to verify that their labeling, installation and condition comply with the standards. Security seals, inscriptions, hose and other seals are thoroughly checked. The state of charge (weight and pressure) of the extinguisher, the bottle of propellant gas (if available), and the state of all mechanical parts (nozzle, valves, hose, etc.) are also checked. To ensure greater safety and reduce the economic costs associated with maintaining fire extinguishers, it is necessary to develop a system that allows monitoring of their status. One of the advantages of monitoring fire extinguishers is that it will be possible to understand what external factors affect them (for example, temperature or humidity) and how they do so. For this reason, this article presents a system of soft agents that monitors the state of the extinguishers, collects a history of the state of the extinguisher and environmental factors and sends notifications if any parameter is not within the range of normal values.The results rendered by the SmartFire prototype indicate that its accuracy in calculating pressure changes is equivalent to that of a specific data acquisition system (DAS). The comparative study of the two curves (SmartFire and DAS) shows that the average error between the two curves is negligible: 8% in low pressure measurements (up to 3 bar) and 0.3% in high pressure (above 3 bar).
Data Storage Mechanism Based on Blockchain with Privacy Protection in Wireless Body Area Network
Authors: Ren Yongjun , Leng Yan , Zhu Fujian , Wang Jin , Kim Hye-Jin
Published: May 2019

Wireless body area networks (WBANs) are expected to play a vital role in the field of patient-health monitoring shortly. They provide a convenient way to collect patient data, but they also bring serious problems which are mainly reflected in the safe storage of the collected data. The privacy and security of data storage in WBAN devices cannot meet the needs of WBAN users. Therefore, this paper adopts blockchain technology to store data, which improves the security of the collected data. Moreover, a storage model based on blockchain in WBAN is proposed in our solution. However, blockchain storage brings new problems, for example, that the storage space of blockchain is small, and the stored content is open to unauthorized attackers. To solve the problems above, this paper proposed a sequential aggregate signature scheme with a designated verifier (DVSSA) to ensure that the user’s data can only be viewed by the designated person and to protect the privacy of the users of WBAN. In addition, the new signature scheme can also compress the size of the blockchain storage space.
Logarithmic-Domain Array Interpolation for Improved Direction of Arrival Estimation in Automotive Radars
Authors: Lee Seongwook , Kim Seong-Cheol
Published: May 2019

In automotive radar systems, a limited number of antenna elements are used to estimate the angle of the target. Therefore, array interpolation techniques can be used for direction of arrival (DOA) estimation to achieve high angular resolution. In general, to generate interpolated array elements from original array elements, the method of linear least squares (LLS) is used. When the LLS method is used, the amplitudes of the interpolated array elements may not be equivalent to those of the original array elements. In addition, through the transformation matrix obtained from the LLS method, the phases of the interpolated array elements are not precisely generated. Therefore, we propose an array transformation matrix that generates accurate phases for interpolated array elements to improve DOA estimation performance, while maintaining constant amplitudes of the array elements. Moreover, to enhance the effect of our interpolation method, a power calibration method for interpolated received signals is also proposed. Through the simulation, we confirm that the array interpolation accuracy and DOA estimation performance of the proposed method are improved compared to those of the conventional method. Moreover, the performance and effectiveness of our proposed method are also verified using data obtained from the commercial radar system. Because the proposed method exhibits better performance when applied to actual measurement data, it can be utilized in commercial automotive radar systems.
A Multi-Antenna Scheme for Early Detection and Mitigation of Intermediate GNSS Spoofing
Authors: Magiera Jaroslaw
Published: May 2019

This article presents a method for detecting and mitigating intermediate GNSS spoofing. In this type of attack, at its early stage, a spoofer transmits counterfeit signals which have slight time offsets compared to true signals arriving from satellites. The anti-spoofing method proposed in this article fuses antenna array processing techniques with a multipath detection algorithm. The latter is necessary to separate highly correlated true and counterfeit GNSS signals. Spoofing detection is based on comparison of steering vectors related to received spatial components. Whereas mitigation is achieved by means of adaptive beamforming which excises interferences arriving from common direction and preserves undistorted signals from GNSS satellites. Performance of proposed method is evaluated through simulations, results of which prove the usefulness of this method for protecting GNSS receivers from intermediate spoofing interference.
Periodic Nonlinear Error Analysis and Compensation of a Single-Excited Petal-Shaped Capacitive Encoder to Achieve High-Accuracy Measurement
Authors: Hou Bo , Zhou Bin , Li Xiang , Xing Bowen , Yi Luying , Wei Qi , Zhang Rong
Published: May 2019

The measurement results of a single-excitation petal-shaped capacitive encoder show strong periodic characteristics for nonlinear errors. This paper presents the analysis of periodic nonlinear errors in a single-excitation petal-shaped encoder in terms of three main aspects—sensitive structure processing error, circuit demodulation error, and installation error. Analytical and simulation results confirm that the first-, second-, and fourth-periodic electrical errors are caused by the misalignment of circuit parameters, non-uniform segmentation of the processing error, and cross interference of the electric field, respectively. Further experimental investigation reveals that the mechanical periodic error is caused by installation misalignment. Based on these analytical, simulation, and experimental results, the design of the capacitive encoder was optimized and a method based on harmonic components was applied to compensate the periodic nonlinear error of the encoder. Measurement results shows that the prototype which has 180 petal-shaped numbers can achieve a reduction of periodic nonlinear errors to less than 0.02° and its accuracy can be improved to 0.0006° after compensation over the full measurement range.
Full-Duplex MAC Protocol for CSMA/CA-Based Single-Hop Wireless Networks
Authors: Song Yu , Qi Wangdong , Zhao Weiwei , Cheng Wenchi
Published: May 2019

Full-duplex (FD) communication provides new opportunities for improving the throughputs of networks. However, this condition means that the number of senders increases from one to two within a certain range. We have to arrange the two nodes to send frames simultaneously in the media access control (MAC) layer. For the single-hop network model, using the FD features of the nodes and the cut-through mechanism, we propose an FD MAC protocol. The protocol improves the throughput of the network from the following two aspects. On the one hand, during the transmission of each node, based on the information of the received frame’s header, the protocol can detect collisions in the network, preventing the channel from being ineffectively occupied for a long time. On the other hand, the protocol can provide the FD with as many opportunities as possible for the nodes. According to the working process of the protocol, we modeled the states (“active” and “passive” transmission, back-off) of each node and their transitions to a Markov chain. We solved the “active” transmission probability of the node and further modeled the analytical performance of the protocol. The simulation results showed that the system throughput produced by our protocol was at least twice that of the conventional CSMA/CA protocol used in the half-duplex networks.
A Fully Integrated Bluetooth Low-Energy Transceiver with Integrated Single Pole Double Throw and Power Management Unit for IoT Sensors
Authors: Kim Sung Jin , Kim Dong Gyu , Oh Seong Jin , Lee Dong Soo , Pu Young Gun , Hwang Keum Cheol , Yang Youngoo , Lee Kang Yoon
Published: May 2019

This paper presents a low power Gaussian Frequency-Shift Keying (GFSK) transceiver (TRX) with high efficiency power management unit and integrated Single-Pole Double-Throw switch for Bluetooth low energy application. Receiver (RX) is implemented with the RF front-end with an inductor-less low-noise transconductance amplifier and 25% duty-cycle current-driven passive mixers, and low-IF baseband analog with a complex Band Pass Filter(BPF). A transmitter (TX) employs an analog phase-locked loop (PLL) with one-point GFSK modulation and class-D digital Power Amplifier (PA) to reduce current consumption. In the analog PLL, low power Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) is designed and the automatic bandwidth calibration is proposed to optimize bandwidth, settling time, and phase noise by adjusting the charge pump current, VCO gain, and resistor and capacitor values of the loop filter. The Analog Digital Converter (ADC) adopts straightforward architecture to reduce current consumption. The DC-DC buck converter operates by automatically selecting an optimum mode among triple modes, Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), Pulse Frequency Modulation (PFM), and retention, depending on load current. The TRX is implemented using 1P6M 55-nm Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor (CMOS) technology and the die area is 1.79 mm2. TRX consumes 5 mW on RX and 6 mW on the TX when PA is 0-dBm. Measured sensitivity of RX is −95 dBm at 2.44 GHz. Efficiency of the DC-DC buck converter is over 89% when the load current is higher than 2.5 mA in the PWM mode. Quiescent current consumption is 400 nA from a supply voltage of 3 V in the retention mode.
Heavy-Flavor Measurements with the ALICE Experiment at the LHC
Authors: Vértesi Róbert
Published: May 2019

Heavy quarks (charm and beauty) are produced early in the nucleus–nucleus collisions, and heavy flavor survives throughout the later stages. Measurements of heavy-flavor quarks thus provide us with means to understand the properties of the Quark–Gluon Plasma, a hot and dense state of matter created in heavy-ion collisions. Production of heavy-flavor in small collision systems, on the other hand, can be used to test Quantum-chromodynamics models. After a successful completion of the Run-I data taking period, the increased luminosity from the LHC and an upgraded ALICE detector system in the Run-II data taking period allows for unprecedented precision in the study of heavy quarks. In this article we give an overview of selected recent results on heavy-flavor measurements with ALICE experiments at the LHC.
Slim Accretion Disks: Theory and Observational Consequences
Authors: Czerny Bozena
Published: May 2019

The concept of slim accretion disks emerged over 30 years ago as an answer to several unsolved problems. Since that time there has been a tremendous increase in the amount of observational data where this model applies. However, many critical issues on the theoretical side remain unsolved, as they are inherently difficult. This is the issue of the disk stability under radiation pressure, the role of the magnetic field in the energy transfer inside the disk, the formation (or not) of a warm corona, and outflows. Thus the progress has to be done both through further developments of the model and through careful comparison with the observational data.
Electrical Steels and Their Evaluation for Automobile Motors
Authors: Senda Kunihiro , Uesaka Masanori , Yoshizaki Soichiro , Oda Yoshihiko
Published: May 2019

Achieving high efficiency and high torque is an important target in EV motors. This paper describes the effect of the magnetic properties of electrical steels used as core materials for synchronous motors with permanent magnets, which are commonly used as the EV traction motors. It was confirmed that electrical steels, which have high flux density and low iron loss properties can realize high motor efficiency and torque. When PWM excitation is considered, thinner electrical steels are advantageous to suppress increased loss due to higher harmonics. Based on these results, electrical steels having high flux densities and low iron losses at high frequencies were developed.
IMPACTO DEL REUSO DE FRECUENCIA FRACCIONAL EN LA REDUCCIÓN DE INTERFERENCIA INTERCELDA EN LTE.
Authors: Fernández Campo Betty Nayibe , González Camacho Lesly Alejandra , Hernández Bonilla Claudia Milena
Published: May 2019

La Interferencia Inter-Celda (ICI, Inter-Cell Interference) es un problema que desafía el desempeño de las redes Evolución a Largo Término (LTE, Long Term Evolution), sin embargo existen técnicas de Coordinación de Interferencia Inter-Celda (ICIC, Inter-Cell Interference Coordination) como el Reuso de Frecuencia Fraccional (FFR, Fractional Frequency Reuse) que permiten mitigar dicha interferencia y mejorar el desempeño de los Equipos de Usuario (UE, User Equipment), especialmente aquellos terminales situados en el borde de la celda. Este artículo analiza el desempeño de la técnica Reuso de Frecuencia Fraccional (FFR) en LTE, en función de dos parámetros de configuración: Umbral de Relación Señal a Ruido más Interferencia (SINR, Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio) y partición de Ancho de Banda (BW, Band Width). Se evalúa la capacidad e interferencia mediante diagramas de dispersión, curvas de Función de Probabilidad Acumulada Empírica (ECDF, Empirical Cumulative Density Function) y cálculos estadísticos.
DISEÑO DE UN SISTEMA PARA EL ANÁLISIS CINEMÁTICO DE LA TRAYECTORIA DE LA BARRA EN LA MODALIDAD DE ARRANQUE EN HALTEROFILIA
Authors: Salgado Osvaldo , Morales Jheison Alejandro
Published: May 2019

En este trabajo se describe el proceso de diseño e implementación de un sistema de bajo costo que permite medir cuantitativamente algunas variables de trayectoria involucradas en la ejecución de los movimientos propios de la halterofilia en la modalidad de arranque. Inicialmente se explora el aspecto teórico del análisis biomecánico de la modalidad y, por otro lado, se analizan las diferentes técnicas para la detección y seguimiento de objetos en escena. La captura de movimiento se realiza a través de una cámara de video estándar y el procesamiento de las imágenes se realiza con la librería OpenCV sobre la plataforma Raspberry Pi; los datos se muestran en una interfaz gráfica basada en wxWidgets que permite observar en video el movimiento realizado además de la trayectoria y de la información cinemática de velocidad y aceleración. En el proceso de diseño y planeación se utiliza el método de Estructura de Desglose del Trabajo (WBS por su nombre en inglés Work Breakdown Structure) el cual identifica elementos del software, hardware, servicios y demás componentes necesarios para la realización del prototipo. Una vez implementado el prototipo, se efectúan pruebas de desempeño en la tarima para validar el diseño. Este sistema intenta suplir las necesidades del entrenador para evaluar objetivamente las posiciones importantes que son difíciles de percibir a simple vista debido a la alta velocidad de ejecución así como por la subjetividad o memoria visual del observador. Con esta información es posible identificar deficiencias para fortalecer al deportista y mejorar su desempeño.
USO DE POTENCIALES DE ESTADO ESTABLE EVOCADOS VISUALMENTE PARA LA IMPLEMENTACIÓN DE UN SISTEMA DE INTERFAZ CEREBRO COMPUTADOR
Authors: Caicedo Bravo Eduardo Francisco , Cardona Aristizábal Jaiber Evelio
Published: May 2019

Los sistemas de Interfaz Cerebro Computador (BCI) permiten la comunicación directa entre el cerebro y el computador, presentándose como una opción de interacción para pacientes con daños neuromusculares severos.Una de las principales variantes de los sistemas BCI se basa en los potenciales de estado estable evocados visualmente (SSVEP), donde se presentan varios estímulos visuales consistentes en luces que oscilan a diferentes frecuencias. El usuario debe entonces prestar atención a la luz que corresponde al comando que quiere seleccionar, lo cual produce una señal de frecuencia igual a la del estímulo, y de sus primeros múltiplos, en la parte occipital del cerebro y que pueden ser medidas a través de un equipo de electroencefalografía (EEG); con lo cual se puede determinar la intención del usuario de activar un comando específico.En este trabajo se presenta un primer prototipo de un BCI basado en SSVEP planteado como tecnología de apoyo a la discapacidad, contando con la ventaja de usar un equipo de relativo bajo costo y el uso de electrodos secos, reduciendo el tiempo necesario para su instalación y puesta en marcha. Los datos provenientes de 8 electrodos ubicados en la parte occipital del cerebro se procesan con el método de combinación de mínima energía (MEC). El sistema fue probado en un voluntario adulto de 37 años logrando una precisión del 87% en la identificación de 5 estímulos visuales con un tiempo promedio de 4.5sg para detectar un comando y una rata de transferencia de información de 20bits por minuto.