bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction Method of PV Output Power Based on Cloud Model
Authors: Chen Zhong , Che Songyang , Xu Yan , Yin Dapeng
Published: December 2017

The output of photo‐voltaic power generation is influenced by many factors, and the impacts of different factors are not the same. To establish a precise mathematical model and a stable prediction analysis is safe for power grid. This study, according to the factors of environmental temperature, environmental humidity and radiation intensity, proposed a PV output forecast model based on the cloud model in the short term, which defined a month as a cycle and an hour as a unit. Firstly, the cloud‐transformation model was established to transform factors into some concepts, and the concepts were combined to less by cloud‐combination model, then uncertain factors were achieved. Furthermore, the relationship between each factor was found. At last, the rule generator was established to predict the output of photo‐voltaic power generation. In this paper, we establish cloud model to expand the sample size and increase the number of cloud concepts to improve the accuracy of results effectively. It shows that the relative error is reduced compared with that of other prediction models, so cloud model will be of great value to prediction.
Extrinsic pinning of magnetic domain walls in CoFeB-MgO nanowires with perpendicular anisotropy
Authors: Zhang Xueying , Vernier Nicolas , Zhao Weisheng , Vila Laurent , Ravelosona Dafiné
Published: December 2017

In this work, we have studied the mechanism of domain wall motion in 0.2-1.5 μm wide nanowires based on Ta/CoFeB/MgO films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. We show that domain wall propagation can be completely stopped due to the presence of strong pinning sites along the nanowires. From the analysis of the distribution of the strongest depinning fields as a function of the wire width, we evidence the presence of extrinsic pinning sites in nanowires, probably induced by edge damages, that dominate over the intrinsic pinning of the magnetic films even for these large wire widths.
Combined Effects of a Valgus Knee Brace and Lateral Wedge Insole on Walking in Patients with Medial Compartment Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Mirzaei Fatemeh , Arazpour Mokhtar , Baghei Roodsari Roshanak , Bahramizadeh Mahmood , Mardani Mohammad Ali
Published: December 2017

Introduction

The use of a valgus knee brace and a lateral wedge foot orthosis in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) has been reported as a novel treatment strategy. The purpose of this study was to analyze the combined effect of laterally wedged inlay and knee brace on walking in volunteer subjects with medial compartment OA.

Materials and Methods

Eighteen subjects with symptomatic medial compartment knee OA participated in this study. Based on the treatment strategies, all subjects were divided into three groups: (1) lateral wedge insole, (2) valgus knee brace, and (3) both knee brace and foot orthosis. A Vicon digital motion capture system using eight cameras at a frequency of 100 Hz and two force platforms were used to capture data.

Results

In the lateral wedge group, a significant difference was observed in the knee adduction moment (KAM) with and without condition. In the valgus brace group, there was a significant difference in KAM, speed of walking, cadence, and knee joint range of motion (ROM) with and without intervention. In the valgus brace plus lateral wedge insole group, there was a significant difference in KAM and hip, knee, and ankle joints ROM.

Conclusions

The concurrent use of valgus knee brace and lateral wedge insole can produce a greater overall reduction in the KAM. The use of two types of orthoses, both separately and combined, did not improve the speed of walking, step length, and hip, knee, and ankle joints ROM in the affected side.
Developing the Clinical Nurse Leader Survey Instrument
Authors: Bender Miriam , Avolio Alice , Baker Patricia , Harris James L. , Hilton Nancy , Hites Lisle , Roussel Linda , Shirley Bobbi , Thomas Patricia L. , Williams Marjory
Published: December 2017

Clinical nurse leader (CNL)–integrated care delivery is an emerging nursing model, with growing adoption in diverse health systems. To generate a robust evidence base for this promising nursing model, it is necessary to measure CNL practice to explicitly link it to observed quality and safety outcome improvements. This study used a modified Delphi approach with an expert CNL panel to develop and test the face, content, and construct validity of the CNL Practice Survey instrument.
PICU Length of Stay: Factors Associated With Bed Utilization and Development of a Benchmarking Model
Authors: Pollack Murray M. , Holubkov Richard , Reeder Ron , Dean J. Michael , Meert Kathleen L. , Berg Robert A. , Newth Christopher J. L. , Berger John T. , Harrison Rick E. , Carcillo Joseph , Dalton Heidi , Wessel David L. , Jenkins Tammara L. , Tamburro Robert
Published: December 2017

Objectives:

ICU length of stay is an important measure of resource use and economic performance. Our primary aims were to characterize the utilization of PICU beds and to develop a new model for PICU length of stay.

Design:

Prospective cohort. The main outcomes were factors associated with PICU length of stay and the performance of a regression model for length of stay.

Setting:

Eight PICUs.

Patients:

Randomly selected patients (newborn to 18 yr) from eight PICUs were enrolled from December 4, 2011, to April 7, 2013. Data consisted of descriptive, diagnostic, physiologic, and therapeutic information.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

The mean length of stay for was 5.0 days (sd, 11.1), with a median of 2.0 days. The 50.6% of patients with length of stay less than 2 days consumed only 11.1% of the days of care, whereas the 19.6% of patients with length of stay 4.9–19 days and the 4.6% with length of stay greater than or equal to 19 days consumed 35.7% and 37.6% of the days of care, respectively. Longer length of stay was observed in younger children, those with cardiorespiratory disease, postintervention cardiac patients, and those who were sicker assessed by Pediatric Risk of Mortality scores receiving more intensive therapies. Patients in the cardiac ICU stayed longer than those in the medical ICU. The length of stay model using descriptive, diagnostic, severity, and therapeutic factors performed well (patient-level R-squared of 0.42 and institution-level R-squared of 0.76). Standardized (observed divided by expected) length of stay ratios at the individual sites ranged from 0.87 to 1.09.

Conclusions:

PICU bed utilization was dominated by a minority of patients. The 5% of patients staying the longest used almost 40% of the bed days. The multivariate length of stay model used descriptive, diagnostic, therapeutic, and severity factors and has potential applicability for internal and external benchmarking.
Alternative Fistula Risk Score for Pancreatoduodenectomy (a-FRS)
Authors: Mungroop Timothy H. , van Rijssen L. Bengt , van Klaveren David , Smits F. Jasmijn , van Woerden Victor , Linnemann Ralph J. , de Pastena Matteo , Klompmaker Sjors , Marchegiani Giovanni , Ecker Brett L. , van Dieren Susan , Bonsing Bert , Busch Olivier R. , van Dam Ronald M. , Erdmann Joris , van Eijck Casper H. , Gerhards Michael F. , van Goor Harry , van der Harst Erwin , de Hingh Ignace H. , de Jong Koert P. , Kazemier Geert , Luyer Misha , Shamali Awad , Barbaro Salvatore , Armstrong Thomas , Takhar Arjun , Hamady Zaed , Klaase Joost , Lips Daan J. , Molenaar I. Quintus , Nieuwenhuijs Vincent B. , Rupert Coen , van Santvoort Hjalmar C. , Scheepers Joris J. , van der Schelling George P. , Bassi Claudio , Vollmer Charles M. , Steyerberg Ewout W. , Abu Hilal Mohammed , Groot Koerkamp Bas , Besselink Marc G.
Published: December 2017

Objective:

The aim of this study was to develop an alternative fistula risk score (a-FRS) for postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after pancreatoduodenectomy, without blood loss as a predictor.

Background:

Blood loss, one of the predictors of the original-FRS, was not a significant factor during 2 recent external validations.

Methods:

The a-FRS was developed in 2 databases: the Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit (18 centers) and the University Hospital Southampton NHS. Primary outcome was grade B/C POPF according to the 2005 International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) definition. The score was externally validated in 2 independent databases (University Hospital of Verona and University Hospital of Pennsylvania), using both 2005 and 2016 ISGPS definitions. The a-FRS was also compared with the original-FRS.

Results:

For model design, 1924 patients were included of whom 12% developed POPF. Three predictors were strongly associated with POPF: soft pancreatic texture [odds ratio (OR) 2.58, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.80–3.69], small pancreatic duct diameter (per mm increase, OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.61–0.76), and high body mass index (BMI) (per kg/m2 increase, OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.04–1.11). Discrimination was adequate with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.71–0.78) after internal validation, and 0.78 (0.74–0.82) after external validation. The predictive capacity of a-FRS was comparable with the original-FRS, both for the 2005 definition (AUC 0.78 vs 0.75, P = 0.03), and 2016 definition (AUC 0.72 vs 0.70, P = 0.05).

Conclusion:

The a-FRS predicts POPF after pancreatoduodenectomy based on 3 easily available variables (pancreatic texture, duct diameter, BMI) without blood loss and pathology, and was successfully validated for both the 2005 and 2016 POPF definition. The online calculator is available at www.pancreascalculator.com.
Specificity of oral immune priming in the red flour beetle
Tribolium castaneum
Authors: Futo Momir , Sell Marie P. , Kutzer Megan A. M. , Kurtz Joachim
Published: December 2017

Immune specificity is the degree to which a host's immune system discriminates among various pathogens or antigenic variants. Vertebrate immune memory is highly specific due to antibody responses. On the other hand, some invertebrates show immune priming, i.e. improved survival after secondary exposure to a previously encountered pathogen. Until now, specificity of priming has only been demonstrated via the septic infection route or when live pathogens were used for priming. Therefore, we tested for specificity in the oral priming route in the red flour beetle,
Tribolium castaneum
. For priming, we used pathogen-free supernatants derived from three different strains of the entomopathogen,
Bacillus thuringiensis
, which express different Cry toxin variants known for their toxicity against this beetle. Subsequent exposure to the infective spores showed that oral priming was specific for two naturally occurring strains, while a third engineered strain did not induce any priming effect. Our data demonstrate that oral immune priming with a non-infectious bacterial agent can be specific, but the priming effect is not universal across all bacterial strains.
Mitochondrial Ca
2+
transport in the endothelium: regulation by ions, redox signalling and mechanical forces
Authors: Alevriadou B. Rita , Shanmughapriya Santhanam , Patel Akshar , Stathopulos Peter B. , Madesh Muniswamy
Published: December 2017

Calcium (Ca
2+
) transport by mitochondria is an important component of the cell Ca
2+
homeostasis machinery in metazoans. Ca
2+
uptake by mitochondria is a major determinant of bioenergetics and cell fate. Mitochondrial Ca
2+
uptake occurs via the mitochondrial Ca
2+
uniporter (MCU) complex, an inner mitochondrial membrane protein assembly consisting of the MCU Ca
2+
channel, as its core component, and the MCU complex regulatory/auxiliary proteins. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the molecular nature of the MCU complex and its regulation by intra- and extramitochondrial levels of divalent ions and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Intracellular Ca
2+
concentration ([Ca
2+
]
i
), mitochondrial Ca
2+
concentration ([Ca
2+
]
m
) and mitochondrial ROS (mROS) are intricately coupled in regulating MCU activity. Here, we highlight the contribution of MCU activity to vascular endothelial cell (EC) function. Besides the ionic and oxidant regulation, ECs are continuously exposed to haemodynamic forces (either pulsatile or oscillatory fluid mechanical shear stresses, depending on the precise EC location within the arteries). Thus, we also propose an EC mechanotransduction-mediated regulation of MCU activity in the context of vascular physiology and atherosclerotic vascular disease.
Spontaneous mirror symmetry breaking and origin of biological homochirality
Authors: Ribó Josep M. , Hochberg David , Crusats Joaquim , El-Hachemi Zoubir , Moyano Albert
Published: December 2017

Recent reports on both theoretical simulations and on the physical chemistry basis of spontaneous mirror symmetry breaking (SMSB), that is, asymmetric synthesis in the absence of any chiral polarizations other than those arising from the chiral recognition between enantiomers, strongly suggest that the same nonlinear dynamics acting during the crucial stages of abiotic chemical evolution leading to the formation and selection of instructed polymers and replicators, would have led to the homochirality of instructed polymers. We review, in the first instance, which reaction networks lead to the nonlinear kinetics necessary for SMSB, and the thermodynamic features of the systems where this potentiality may be realized. This could aid not only in the understanding of SMSB, but also the design of reliable scenarios in abiotic evolution where biological homochirality could have taken place. Furthermore, when the emergence of biological chirality is assumed to occur during the stages of chemical evolution leading to the selection of polymeric species, one may hypothesize on a tandem track of the decrease of symmetry order towards biological homochirality, and the transition from the simple chemistry of astrophysical scenarios to the complexity of systems chemistry yielding Darwinian evolution.
High-dimensional microbiome interactions shape host fitness
Authors: Gould Alison L. , Zhang Vivian , Lamberti Lisa , Jones Eric W. , Obadia Benjamin , Gavryushkin Alex , Korasidis Nikolaos , Carlson Jean M. , Beerenwinkel Niko , Ludington William B.
Published: December 2017

Gut bacteria can affect key aspects of host fitness, such as development, fecundity, and lifespan, while the host in turn shapes the gut microbiome. Microbiomes co-evolve with their hosts and have been implicated in host speciation. However, it is unclear to what extent individual species versus community interactions within the microbiome are linked to host fitness. Here we combinatorially dissect the natural microbiome of Drosophila melanogaster and reveal that interactions between bacteria shape host fitness through life history tradeoffs. We find that the same microbial interactions that shape host fitness also shape microbiome abundances, suggesting a potential evolutionary mechanism by which microbiome communities (rather than just individual species) may be intertwined in co-selection with their hosts. Empirically, we made germ-free flies colonized with each possible combination of the five core species of fly gut bacteria. We measured the resulting bacterial community abundances and fly fitness traits including development, reproduction, and lifespan. The fly gut promoted bacterial diversity, which in turn accelerated development, reproduction, and aging: flies that reproduced more died sooner. From these measurements we calculated the impact of bacterial interactions on fly fitness by adapting the mathematics of genetic epistasis to the microbiome. Host physiology phenotypes were highly dependent on interactions between bacterial species. Higher-order interactions (involving 3, 4, and 5 species) were widely prevalent and impacted both host physiology and the maintenance of gut diversity. The parallel impacts of bacterial interactions on the microbiome and on host fitness suggest that microbiome interactions may be key drivers of evolution.

Significance

All animals have associated microbial communities called microbiomes that can influence the physiology and fitness of their host. It is unclear to what extent individual microbial species versus ecology of the microbiome influences fitness of the host. Here we mapped all the possible interactions between individual species of bacteria with each other and with the host’s physiology. Our approach revealed that the same bacterial interactions that shape microbiome abundances also shape host fitness traits. This relationship provides a feedback that may favor the emergence of co-evolving microbiome-host units.
Study of mitotic chromatin supports a model of bookmarking by histone modifications and reveals nucleosome deposition patterns
Authors: Javasky Elisheva , Shamir Inbal , Gandhi Shashi , Egri Shawn , Sandler Oded , Rothbart Scott B. , Kaplan Noam , Jaffe Jacob D. , Goren Alon , Simon Itamar
Published: December 2017

Mitosis encompasses key molecular changes including chromatin condensation, nuclear envelope breakdown, and reduced transcription levels. Immediately after mitosis, the interphase chromatin structure is reestablished and transcription resumes. The reestablishment of the interphase chromatin is probably achieved by ‘bookmarking’,i.e., the retention of at least partial information during mitosis. Yet, while recent studies demonstrate that chromatin accessibility is generally preserved during mitosis and is only locally modulated, the exact details of the bookmarking process and its components are still unclear. To gain a deeper understanding of the mitotic bookmarking process, we merged proteomics, immunofluorescence, and ChIP-seq approaches to study the mitotic and interphase genomic organization of human cells. We focused on key histone modifications and employed HeLa-S3 cells as a model system. Generally, we observed a global concordance between the genomic organization of histone modifications in interphase and mitosis, yet the abundance of the two types of modifications we investigated was different. Whereas histone methylation patterns remain highly similar, histone acetylation patterns show a general reduction while maintaining their genomic organization. These results demonstrate that the epigenomic landscape can serve as a major component of the mitotic bookmarking process. Next, to further investigate mitosis-associated chromatin changes, we followed up on previous studies that showed that nucleosome depleted regions (NDRs) become occupied by a nucleosome during mitosis. Surprisingly, we observed that the nucleosome introduced into the NDR during mitosis encompasses a distinctive set of histone modifications, differentiating it from the surrounding nucleosomes. We show that the nucleosomes near the NDR appear to both shift into the NDR during mitosis and adopt a unique modification pattern. HDAC inhibition by the small molecule TSA reverts this pattern. These results provide evidence for a mitotic deposition and change in the modifications of the nucleosomes surrounding the NDR. Altogether, by merging multiple approaches, our study provides evidence to support a model where mitotic bookmarking is achieved by histone modifications and uncovers new insights into the deposition of nucleosomes during mitosis.
The landscape of actionable genomic alterations in cell-free circulating tumor DNA from 21,807 advanced cancer patients
Authors: Zill Oliver A. , Banks Kimberly C. , Fairclough Stephen R. , Mortimer Stefanie A. , Vowles James V. , Mokhtari Reza , Gandara David R. , Mack Philip C. , Odegaard Justin I. , Nagy Rebecca J. , Baca Arthur M. , Eltoukhy Helmy , Chudova Darya I. , Lanman Richard B. , Talasaz AmirAli
Published: December 2017

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) sequencing provides a non-invasive method for obtaining actionable genomic information to guide personalized cancer treatment, but the presence of multiple alterations in circulation related to treatment and tumor heterogeneity pose analytical challenges. We present the somatic mutation landscape of 70 cancer genes from cfDNA deep-sequencing analysis of 21,807 patients with treated, late-stage cancers across >50 cancer types. Patterns and prevalence of cfDNA alterations in major driver genes for non-small cell lung, breast, and colorectal cancer largely recapitulated those from tumor tissue sequencing compendia (TCGA and COSMIC), with the principle differences in alteration prevalence being due to patient treatment. This highly sensitive cfDNA sequencing assay revealed numerous subclonal tumor-derived alterations, expected as a result of clonal evolution, but leading to an apparent departure from mutual exclusivity in treatment-naïve tumors. To facilitate interpretation of this added complexity, we developed methods to identify cfDNA copy-number driver alterations and cfDNA clonality. Upon applying these methods, robust mutual exclusivity was observed among predicted truncal driver cfDNA alterations, in effect distinguishing tumor-initiating alterations from secondary alterations. Treatment-associated resistance, including both novel alterations and parallel evolution, was common in the cfDNA cohort and was enriched in patients with targetable driver alterations. Together these retrospective analyses of a large set of cfDNA deep-sequencing data reveal subclonal structures and emerging resistance in advanced solid tumors.
Islamic symbols in food packaging and purchase intention of Muslim consumers
Authors: Akbari Mohsen , Gholizadeh Mohammad Hasan , Zomorrodi Masoomeh
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Purchase intention of consumers depends on their perception of the extent to which his expectations will be met through the product. This issue, in the context of the products that are immediately purchased by consumer, depends on the extent of relationship in the point of sale. Packaging is one of the most significant factors influencing purchase decision in the point of sale. In this research, the purpose is evaluating the impact of using Islamic symbols in food packaging on the purchase intention of Muslim consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors surveyed Muslim consumers through a questionnaire and analyzed the gathered data through partial least squares (PLS).

Findings

The findings reveal the positive impact of Islamic symbols in food packaging on purchase intention of Muslim consumers. However, this effect was confirmed regarding people with high religiosity. The findings show that religious symbol in packaging increases perceived religious symbolic-value of the product among the customers with high religiosity.

Originality/value

Findings of this paper help marketers that are seeking to promote their products in Islamic markets identify the importance of religious symbols and understand when and how to use these symbols in packaging.
Analysis of a multi-echelon supply chain problem using revised multi-choice goal programming approach
Authors: Kayvanfar Vahid , S. Sajadieh Mohsen , Moattar Husseini S.M. , Karimi Behrooz
Published: December 2017

Purpose

In this paper, a multi-objective multi-echelon supply-distribution model is proposed to optimize interactions of entities located within an Industrial Cluster (IC) including small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), using a third-party logistics provider (3PL)-managed supply-demand hub in industrial cluster (SDHIC) as a specific public provider of warehousing and logistics services.

Design/methodology/approach

The three considered objectives are minimizing the total logistics costs, maximizing the rate of demand satisfaction and maximizing the quality of delivery. Because some parameters such as “demand of customers” are naturally fuzzy because of incompleteness and/or inaccessibility of the needed information, the triangular fuzzy number is applied for all fuzzy parameters to handle this difficulty. The proposed model is primarily changed into a correspondent supplementary crisp model. To solve such a model, a revised multi-choice goal programming (RMCGP) approach is then used with the purpose of finding a compromise solution.

Findings

Experimental results demonstrate that all enterprises involved in such a supply chain benefit with several advantages using SDHIC by consolidating shipments and merging the storage space of inventories. The applicability of the presented model is shown by conducting these experiments over an applied industrial case study.

Originality/value

The main contributions of this research are proposing a practical mathematical approach to the supply chain of ICs using a specific public warehouse managed by a 3PL, called SDHIC, bridging the existing gaps with respect to the already published researches in this area by applying real-world assumptions such as uncertainty; optimizing the interactions of involved entities in the supply chain of an IC, comprising suppliers, SMEs as manufacturers and customers; minimizing the total incurred logistics costs to such a system through optimum usage of lands, facilities, labors, etc. and boosting the satisfaction of customers through maximizing the service level criteria, illustrating the positive consequences of cooperation of 3PL with the SMEs/manufacturers in an IC, showing the applicability of the adopted approach by implementing it on an applied industrial instance.
Diagnostic criteria, severity classification and guidelines of eosinophilic fasciitis
Authors: Jinnin Masatoshi , Yamamoto Toshiyuki , Asano Yoshihide , Ishikawa Osamu , Sato Shinichi , Takehara Kazuhiko , Hasegawa Minoru , Fujimoto Manabu , Ihn Hironobu
Published: December 2017

We established diagnostic criteria and severity classification of eosinophilic fasciitis because there is no established diagnostic criteria or widely accepted severity classification of the disease. Also, there has been no clinical guideline for eosinophilic fasciitis, so we established its clinical guideline ahead of all over the world. In particular, the clinical guideline was established by clinical questions based on evidence‐based medicine according to the New Minds Clinical Practice Guideline Creation Manual (version 1.0). We aimed to make the guideline easy to use and reliable based on the newest evidence, and to present guidance as specific as possible for various clinical problems in treatment of eosinophilic fasciitis.
Influence of leaf age, irrigation and fertilization on leaf tensile strength of Cynodon dactylon and Zoysia japonica
Authors: Zhang Bing , Shi Jin‐Ang , Guo Hai‐Lin , Zong Jun‐Qin , Liu Jian‐Xiu
Published: December 2017

Leaf tensile strength is an important parameter for evaluating leaf mechanical strength, which is closely related to preference of forage grasses and feel quality of turfgrasses. Although the variance of leaf tensile strength in different forage grass species has been extensively studied, similar information concerning the leaf tensile strength in turfgrasses are still deficient. In this study, the leaf tensile strength of eight cultivars and wild accessions of Cynodon dactylon and Zoysia japonica were determined and compared for the first time. The results indicated that leaf tensile strength are highly variable in different C. dactylon and Z. japonica cultivars and wild accessions. Average value of leaf tensile strength of the eight C. dactylon cultivars and wild accessions are much lower than that of the eight Z. japonica cultivars and wild accessions, suggesting Z. japonica are generally tougher than C. dactylon. In an additional experiment, the effects of irrigation and fertilization on leaf tensile strength of C. dactylon cv. Yangjiang and Z. japonica cv. Crowne were also analyzed. The results indicated that less irrigation and excess fertilization treatment both resulted in a significant reduction of leaf tensile strength of the two turfgrass species, suggesting leaf tensile strength of the turfgrasses under investigation may be altered through a combination of different management measures. This information greatly improves our understanding of leaf mechanical strength of turfgrasses.
The rise of the Mosquito Kingdom in Central America's Caribbean borderlands: Sources, questions, and enduring myths
Authors: Mendiola Daniel
Published: December 2017

The Mosquito Kingdom was a confederation of Amerindian‐ and African‐descended people inhabiting the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua and Honduras. This confederation rose to prominence in the late seventeenth century, reaching the height of its power in the 1790s. The descendants of this confederation still inhabit Central America's Mosquito Coast, though today they are more commonly referred to by the ethnic and linguistic moniker Miskitu. This paper presents a historiographical analysis of the Mosquito Kingdom, evaluating the sources and methodologies that scholars have used to study the Mosquito people and their rise to power. Ultimately, this paper argues that despite recent advances demonstrating Mosquito agency and highlighting African contributions, several influential myths have continued in the historiography, such as the notion that the confederation's rise to power depended on access to European goods.
Molecular dynamics study on nano‐particles reinforced oxide glass
Authors: Urata Shingo , Ando Ryota , Ono Madoka , Hayashi Yasuo
Published: December 2017

Energy release rate and fracture toughness of amorphous aluminum nanoparticles reinforced soda‐lime silica glass (SLSG) were measured by performing fracture simulations of a single‐notched specimen via molecular dynamics simulations. The simulation procedure was first applied to conventional oxide glasses and the accuracy was verified with comparing to experimental data. According to the fracture simulations on three models of SLSG/‐Al2O3 composite, it was found that the crack propagation in the composites is prevented through following remarkable phenomena; one is that a‐Al2O3 nanoparticles increase fracture surface area by disturbing crack propagation. The other is that the deformation of a‐Al2O3 nanoparticle dissipates energy through cracking. Moreover, one of the models shows us that the crack cannot propagate if the initial notch is generated inside a‐Al2O3 nanoparticle. Such strengthening is partly due to the fact that the strength of the interface between nanoparticle and SLSG matrix is comparable to that of SLSG matrix, implying that their interface does not reduce crack resistance of the oxide glass.
50 Years of Loving: Interracial Romantic Relationships and Recommendations for Future Research
Authors: de Guzman Natalie S. , Nishina Adrienne
Published: December 2017

In honor of the 50th anniversary of Loving v. Virginia (1967), the landmark civil rights case that invalidated laws prohibiting interracial marriage in the United States, this review describes the field's past and future directions for studying interracial romantic relationships. We briefly present history, theories, and research about interracial and interethnic romantic relationships, and provide suggestions for future research. We also highlight the need for flexible racial and ethnic categories as demographics and distinctions shift in the United States by proposing the use of adaptable panethnic (a set of related ethnic groups that have been combined and collectively labeled) categories, rather than racial categories, or the use of more specific ethnic or nationality categories depending on a variety of factors. Finally, we discuss multiracial and multiethnic individuals in the research on romantic relationships, acknowledging that multiracial and multiethnic individuals are both the offspring of such unions and a rapidly growing demographic.
Discriminating movements of liquid and gas in the rabbit colon with impedance manometry
Authors: Mohd Rosli R. , Leibbrandt R. E. , Wiklendt L. , Costa M. , Wattchow D. A. , Spencer N. J. , Brookes S. J. , Omari T. I. , Dinning P. G.
Published: December 2017

Background

High‐resolution impedance manometry is a technique that is well established in esophageal motility studies for relating motor patterns to bolus flow. The use of this technique in the colon has not been established.

Methods

In isolated segments of rabbit proximal colon, we recorded motor patterns and the movement of liquid or gas boluses with a high‐resolution impedance manometry catheter. These detected movements were compared to video recorded changes in gut diameter. Using the characteristic shapes of the admittance (inverse of impedance) and pressure signals associated with gas or liquid flow we developed a computational algorithm for the automated detection of these events.

Key Results

Propagating contractions detected by video were also recorded by manometry and impedance. Neither pressure nor admittance signals alone could distinguish between liquid and gas transit, however the precise relationship between admittance and pressure signals during bolus flow could. Training our computational algorithm upon these characteristic shapes yielded a detection accuracy of 87.7% when compared to gas or liquid bolus events detected by manual analysis.

Conclusions & inferences

Characterizing the relationship between both admittance and pressure recorded with high‐resolution impedance manometry can not only help in detecting luminal transit in real time, but also distinguishes between liquid and gaseous content. This technique holds promise for determining the propulsive nature of human colonic motor patterns.
Object‐based classification of terrestrial laser scanning point clouds for landslide monitoring
Authors: Mayr Andreas , Rutzinger Martin , Bremer Magnus , Oude Elberink Sander , Stumpf Felix , Geitner Clemens
Published: December 2017

Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) is often used to monitor landslides and other gravitational mass movements with high levels of geometric detail and accuracy. However, unstructured TLS point clouds lack semantic information, which is required to geomorphologically interpret the measured changes. Extracting meaningful objects in a complex and dynamic environment is challenging due to the objects' fuzziness in reality, as well as the variability and ambiguity of their patterns in a morphometric feature space. This work presents a point‐cloud‐based approach for classifying multitemporal scenes of a hillslope affected by shallow landslides. The 3D point clouds are segmented into morphologically homogeneous and spatially connected parts. These segments are classified into seven target classes (scarp, eroded area, deposit, rock outcrop and different classes of vegetation) in a two‐step procedure: a supervised classification step with a machine‐learning classifier using morphometric features, followed by a correction step based on topological rules. This improves the final object extraction considerably.
Evaluation of Magnetostrictive Transducers for Guided Wave Monitoring of Pressurized Pipe at 200 °C
Authors: Vinogradov Sergey , Eason Thomas , Lozev Mark
Published: December 2017

Many piping networks in processing plants, such as refineries, chemical plants, and electric power generation plants, are operated at elevated temperatures (≥250 °F or 121 °C). Failure of these insulated high temperature pipes can cause a major disruption of plant operation. In addition to inspection during the regular plant shutdowns, processing industries are looking for ways to inspect and monitor these pipelines on-line to ensure safe operation of the plants. Permanent monitoring of high temperature structures would require addressing the following technical problems: supporting the sensor functionality at high temperatures, ensuring the probe durability, and maintaining good coupling of the probe to the structure. In this work, a probe utilizing magnetostrictive transduction was tested on a mockup at 200 °C and produced a steady high amplitude signal over a period of 270 days. Probe performance parameters such as signal to noise ratio, data reproducibility, and sensitivity to anomalies are discussed.
Subgingival Microbiome Colonization and Cytokine Production during Early Dental Implant Healing
Authors: Payne Jeffrey B. , Johnson Paul G. , Kok Car Reen , Gomes-Neto João C. , Ramer-Tait Amanda E. , Schmid Marian J. , Hutkins Robert W.
Published: December 2017

Dental implants are a common treatment option offered to patients for tooth replacement. However, little is known regarding initial colonization of the subgingival microbiome and simultaneous longitudinal cytokine production in humans during the early healing phase following implant placement. We report findings from an
in vivo
study that assessed initial colonization of the subgingival microbiome and concomitant early cytokine production in a newly formed anatomical space, namely, an implant sulcus. This approach may be useful in future interventional studies to influence dental implant success. Our data showed that the subgingival microbiome and cytokine profile were similar for control natural teeth and dental implants at both 4 and 12 weeks after implant placement. These data suggest that these profiles are driven by the patient and not by anatomical location (i.e., tooth versus dental implant).
Emissive and birefringent Hg(CN)2-based coordination polymer materials with very distorted coordination geometries
Authors: Guan David , Thompson John R. , Leznoff Daniel B.
Published: December 2017

New compounds and coordination polymers with highly polarizable metals (M = Hg, Pb) and 2,2′;6′2′-terpyridine (terpy) and 2,6-bis(benzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine (bbp) ligands have been synthesized and characterized for their photo-physical and optical properties. Hg(L)(CN)2(L = terpy, bbp) exhibit π-stacking interactions, which form a supramolecular alignment of the planar terpy and bbp units. Pb(terpy)X2[Hg(CN)2]0.5(X = Cl, Br) generate one-dimensional coordination polymers through bridging Hg(CN)2linkers and hydrogen-bonding interactions. All of the metal centres have very distorted coordination geometries. Hg(L)(CN)2(L = terpy, bbp) and Pb(terpy)Br2[Hg(CN)2]0.5show terpy or bbp based emission. The materials are very birefringent, with Δn ranging from 0.37(2) to 0.45(2). The magnitude of the observed birefringence depends on the orientation of the highly polarizable terpy and bbp units in relation to the viewing axis of the crystals. These materials represent rare examples of multifunctional emissive and birefringent systems.
Evaluation of Facial Expression Recognition by a Smart Eyewear for Facial Direction Changes, Repeatability, and Positional Drift
Authors: Masai Katsutoshi , Kunze Kai , Sugiura Yuta , Ogata Masa , Inami Masahiko , Sugimoto Maki
Published: December 2017

This article presents a novel smart eyewear that recognizes the wearer’s facial expressions in daily scenarios. Our device uses embedded photo-reflective sensors and machine learning to recognize the wearer’s facial expressions. Our approach focuses on skin deformations around the eyes that occur when the wearer changes his or her facial expressions. With small photo-reflective sensors, we measure the distances between the skin surface on the face and the 17 sensors embedded in the eyewear frame. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm is then applied to the information collected by the sensors. The sensors can cover various facial muscle movements. In addition, they are small and light enough to be integrated into daily-use glasses. Our evaluation of the device shows the robustness to the noises from the wearer’s facial direction changes and the slight changes in the glasses’ position, as well as the reliability of the device’s recognition capacity.

The main contributions of our work are as follows: (1) We evaluated the recognition accuracy in daily scenes, showing 92.8% accuracy regardless of facial direction and removal/remount. Our device can recognize facial expressions with 78.1% accuracy for repeatability and 87.7% accuracy in case of its positional drift. (2) We designed and implemented the device by taking usability and social acceptability into account. The device looks like a conventional eyewear so that users can wear it anytime, anywhere. (3) Initial field trials in a daily life setting were undertaken to test the usability of the device.

Our work is one of the first attempts to recognize and evaluate a variety of facial expressions with an unobtrusive wearable device.
An Insight into Creeping Electromagnetic Waves around the Human Body
Authors: Ivsic Branimir , Bonefacic Davor , Sipus Zvonimir , Bartolic Juraj
Published: December 2017

The electromagnetic wave propagation around human body torso is modelled by considering elementary electric and magnetic dipoles over an infinite muscle-equivalent cylinder. The poles in the spectral domain Green’s function with smallest imaginary part are found to correspond to creeping wave propagation coefficients which predict the general trend in propagation around human body. In addition, it was found that axial magnetic field component is crucial for communication via creeping waves since it generates modes with smaller field decay compared to axial electric field. The developed model may thus serve as a practical guideline in design of on-body wearable antennas. The theoretical considerations are verified with simulations and measurements on the prototype of PIFA antenna placed on the human body.
Maximum Power Plus RSSI Based Routing Protocol for Bluetooth Low Energy Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: Jung Changsu , Han Kijun
Published: December 2017

This paper proposes a novel energy-conserving multihop routing protocol to maximize network lifetime and consume the battery in a distributed manner during route discovery in energy-constrained Bluetooth Low Energy ad hoc networks. Furthermore, a flooding avoidance approach is adopted by the proposed scheme to minimize the number of route request packets flooded. In addition, the proposed scheme maximizes network lifetime by using residual battery and RSSI as a route metric. The simulation results confirm that our proposed scheme has a surpassing performance with regard to network lifetime, evenly distributed battery consumption, and route discovery latency compared with the traditional on-demand routing protocol.
Targeting CDK1 and MEK/ERK Overcomes Apoptotic Resistance in BRAF-Mutant Human Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Zhang Peng , Kawakami Hisato , Liu Weizhen , Zeng Xiangyu , Strebhardt Klaus , Tao Kaixiong , Huang Shengbing , Sinicrope Frank A.
Published: December 2017

The BRAFV600E mutation occurs in approximately 8% of human colorectal cancers and is associated with therapeutic resistance that is due, in part, to reactivation of MEK/ERK signaling cascade. Recently, pathway analysis identified cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) upregulation in a subset of human BRAFV600E colorectal cancers. Therefore, it was determined whether CDK1 antagonism enhances the efficacy of MEK inhibition in BRAFV600E colorectal cancer cells. BRAFV600E colorectal cancer cell lines expressing CDK1 were sensitized to apoptosis upon siRNA knockdown or small-molecule inhibition with RO-3306 (CDK1 inhibitor) or dinaciclib (CDK1, 2, 5, 9 inhibitors). Combination of RO-3306 or dinaciclib with cobimetinib (MEK inhibitor) cooperatively enhanced apoptosis and reduced clonogenic survival versus monotherapy. Cells isogenic or ectopic for BRAFV600E displayed resistance to CDK1 inhibitors, as did cells with ectopic expression of constitutively active MEK. CDK1 inhibitors induced a CASP8-dependent apoptosis shown by caspase-8 restoration in deficient NB7 cells that enhanced dinaciclib-induced CASP3 cleavage. CDK inhibitors suppressed pro-CASP8 phosphorylation at S387, as shown by drug withdrawal, which restored p-S387 and increased mitosis. In a colorectal cancer xenograft model, dinaciclib plus cobimetinib produced significantly greater tumor growth inhibition in association with a caspase-dependent apoptosis versus either drug alone. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) transcriptomic dataset revealed overexpression of CDK1 in human colorectal cancers versus normal colon. Together, these data establish CDK1 as a novel mediator of apoptosis resistance in BRAFV600E colorectal cancers whose combined targeting with a MEK/ERK inhibitor represents an effective therapeutic strategy.

Implications: CDK1 is a novel mediator of apoptosis resistance in BRAFV600E colorectal cancers whose dual targeting with a MEK inhibitor may be therapeutically effective. Mol Cancer Res; 16(3); 378–89. ©2017 AACR.
Effects of Early-Life Adversity on Hippocampal Structures and Associated HPA Axis Functions
Authors: Dahmen Brigitte , Puetz Vanessa B. , Scharke Wolfgang , von Polier Georg G. , Herpertz-Dahlmann Beate , Konrad Kerstin
Published: December 2017

Early-life adversity (ELA) is one of the major risk factors for serious mental and physical health risks later in life. ELA has been associated with dysfunctional neurodevelopment, especially in brain structures such as the hippocampus, and with dysfunction of the stress system, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Children who have experienced ELA are also more likely to suffer from mental health disorders such as depression later in life. The exact interplay of aberrant neurodevelopment and HPA axis dysfunction as risks for psychopathology is not yet clear. We investigated volume differences in the bilateral hippocampus and in stress-sensitive hippocampal subfields, behavior problems, and diurnal cortisol activity in 24 children who had experienced documented ELA (including out-of-home placement) in a circumscribed duration of adversity only in their first 3 years of life in comparison to data on 25 control children raised by their biological parents. Hippocampal volumes and stress-sensitive hippocampal subfields (Cornu ammonis [CA]1, CA3, and the granule-cell layer of the dentate gyrus [GCL-DG]) were significantly smaller in children who had experienced ELA, taking psychiatric diagnoses and dimensional psychopathological symptoms into account. ELA moderated the relationship between left hippocampal volume and cortisol: in the control group, hippocampal volumes were not related to diurnal cortisol, while in ELA children, a positive linear relationship between left hippocampal volume and diurnal cortisol was present. Our findings show that ELA is associated with altered development of the hippocampus, and an altered relationship between hippocampal volume and HPA axis activity in youth in care, even after they have lived in stable and caring foster family environments for years. Altered hippocampal development after ELA could thus be associated with a risk phenotype for the development of psychiatric disorders later in life.
Metabolic Profiling of Adiponectin Levels in Adults
Authors: Borges Maria Carolina , Barros Aluísio J.D. , Ferreira Diana L. Santos , Casas Juan Pablo , Horta Bernardo Lessa , Kivimaki Mika , Kumari Meena , Menon Usha , Gaunt Tom R. , Ben-Shlomo Yoav , Freitas Deise F. , Oliveira Isabel O. , Gentry-Maharaj Aleksandra , Fourkala Evangelia , Lawlor Debbie A. , Hingorani Aroon D.
Published: December 2017

Background—

Adiponectin, a circulating adipocyte-derived protein, has insulin-sensitizing, anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic, and cardiomyocyte-protective properties in animal models. However, the systemic effects of adiponectin in humans are unknown. Our aims were to define the metabolic profile associated with higher blood adiponectin concentration and investigate whether variation in adiponectin concentration affects the systemic metabolic profile.

Methods and Results—

We applied multivariable regression in ≤5909 adults and Mendelian randomization (using
cis
-acting genetic variants in the vicinity of the adiponectin gene as instrumental variables) for analyzing the causal effect of adiponectin in the metabolic profile of ≤37 545 adults. Participants were largely European from 6 longitudinal studies and 1 genome-wide association consortium. In the multivariable regression analyses, higher circulating adiponectin was associated with higher high-density lipoprotein lipids and lower very-low-density lipoprotein lipids, glucose levels, branched-chain amino acids, and inflammatory markers. However, these findings were not supported by Mendelian randomization analyses for most metabolites. Findings were consistent between sexes and after excluding high-risk groups (defined by age and occurrence of previous cardiovascular event) and 1 study with admixed population.

Conclusions—

Our findings indicate that blood adiponectin concentration is more likely to be an epiphenomenon in the context of metabolic disease than a key determinant.