bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Anti‐thymocyte globulin improves survival free from relapse and graft‐versus‐host disease after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in patients with Philadelphia‐negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia: An analysis by the Acute Leukemia Working Party of theEBMT
Authors: Czerw Tomasz , Labopin Myriam , Giebel Sebastian , Socié Gérard , Volin Liisa , Fegueux Nathalie , Masszi Tamás , Blaise Didier , Chaganti Sridhar , Cornelissen Jan J. , Passweg Jakob , Maertens Johan , Itälä‐Remes Maija , Wu Depei , Mohty Mohamad , Nagler Arnon 
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUNDMobilized peripheral blood stem cells are currently the predominant source of grafts for allogeneic transplantation (allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation [allo‐PBSCT]), although, in comparison with bone marrow, their use is associated with an increased risk of chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (cGVHD). Attempts to reduce the incidence of cGVHD include the addition of anti‐thymocyte globulin (ATG) to the pretransplant conditioning regimen.METHODSThe goal of this retrospective study was to analyze the effect of ATG on allo‐PBSCT outcomes for adults with Philadelphia‐negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph‐neg ALL). The primary endpoint was survival free from relapse, grade 3 to 4 acute graft‐versus‐host disease (aGVHD), and cGVHD (ie, graft‐versus‐host disease–free/relapse‐free survival [GRFS]). Nine‐hundred twenty‐four patients who underwent unmanipulated allo‐PBSCT in their first complete remission between 2007 and 2016 were included. ATG was used in 97 of the 494 transplants from matched sibling donors (20%) and in 307 of the 430 transplants from human leukocyte antigen–matched (8 of 8 loci) unrelated donors (71%).RESULTSThe use of ATG was an independent factor for an improved chance of GRFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.70;P = .0009). Furthermore, it was associated with a reduced risk of both grade 2 to 4 (HR, 0.66;P = .005) and grade 3 to 4 aGVHD (HR, 0.58;P = .03). Similarly, its addition reduced the incidence of both total (HR, 0.45;P < 10−5) and extensive cGVHD (HR, 0.30;P < 10−5) as well as nonrelapse mortality (HR, 0.58;P = .01). No significant effect was found with respect to leukemia‐free or overall survival. However, an increased risk of relapse was noted for those who received ATG (HR, 1.40;P = .04).CONCLUSIONSPatients with Ph‐neg ALL treated with allo‐PBSCT benefit from the use of ATG in terms of improved GRFS. Its use may, therefore, be considered in this setting.Cancer2018;124:2523‐33.©2018 American Cancer Society.
Caudal mesopallial neurons in female songbirds bridge sensory and motor brain regions
Authors: Dunning Jeffery L. , Maze Sarah E. , Atwood Ethan J. , Prather Jonathan F. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractFemale songbirds use male song as an indicator of fitness and use that information to select their mate. Investigations of the female auditory system have provided evidence that the neurons within the caudal mesopallium (CM) are involved in the processing of songs that a female finds attractive, however, it is not clear how CM may exert its influence on behavioral indicators of mate choice. In the present study, anterograde tracing revealed the efferent connections of the female songbird CM. The results demonstrate connections to other auditory regions previously described in males, as well as novel connections to brain regions implicated in motor control. As in males, CM neurons in females project robustly to the lateral and medial extents of the caudal nidopallium, and to the ventral intermediate arcopallium. In a novel finding that is not present in males, CM neurons also project to the robust nucleus of the arcopallium and to the caudal striatum. Calling behavior and the expression of copulation solicitation displays are key indicators of female mate choice, and the projections found here bridge critical gaps necessary to understand how auditory perception can influence circuits related to the expression of those affiliative behaviors in female songbirds.
Cellular composition and organization of the spinal cord central canal during metamorphosis of the frog Xenopus laevis
Authors: Edwards‐Faret Gabriela , Cebrián‐Silla Arantxa , Méndez‐Olivos Emilio E. , González‐Pinto Karina , García‐Verdugo José Manuel , Larraín Juan 
Published: March 2018

AbstractStudying the cellular composition and morphological changes of cells lining the central canal during Xenopus laevis metamorphosis could contribute to understand postnatal development and spinal cord regeneration. Here we report the analysis of central canal cells at different stages during metamorphosis using immunofluorescence for protein markers expression, transmission and scanning electron microscopy and cell proliferation assays. The central canal was regionalized according to expression of glial markers, ultrastructure, and proliferation in dorsal, lateral, and ventral domains with differences between larvae and froglets. In regenerative larvae, all cell types were uniciliated, have a radial morphology, and elongated nuclei with lax chromatin, resembling radial glial cells. Important differences in cells of nonregenerative froglets were observed, although uniciliated cells were found, the most abundant cells had multicilia and revealed extensive changes in the maturation and differentiation state. The majority of dividing cells in larvae corresponded to uniciliated cells at dorsal and lateral domains in a cervical‐lumbar gradient, correlating with undifferentiated features. Neurons contacting the lumen of the central canal were detected in both stages and revealed extensive changes in the maturation and differentiation state. However, in froglets a very low proportion of cells incorporate 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine (EdU), associated with the differentiated profile and with the increase of multiciliated cells. Our work showed progressive changes in the cell types lining the central canal of Xenopus laevis spinal cord which are correlated with the regenerative capacities.
Numerical investigation of the effect of bone cement porosity on osteoporotic femoral augmentation
Authors: Santana Artiles María E. , Venetsanos Demetrios T. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractFemoroplasty is the injection of bone cement into the proximal femur, enhances the bone load capacity, and is typically applied to osteoporotic femora. To minimize the required injected volume of bone cement and maximize the load capacity enhancement, an optimization problem must be solved, where the modulus of elasticity of the augmented bone is a key element. This paper, through the numerical investigation of a fall on the greater trochanter of an osteoporotic femur, compares different ways to calculate this modulus and introduces an approach, based on the concept of bone cement porosity, which provides results statistically similar to those obtained with other considerations. Based on this approach, the present paper quantifies the correlation between degree of osteoporosis and optimum volume of bone cement. It concludes with an exhaustive search that reveals the effect of the bone cement porosity on the optimum volume of PMMA, for various combinations of the frontal and transverse angles of the fall on the greater trochanter.
A comparative CFD study of four inferior vena cava filters
Authors: López Josep M. , Fortuny Gerard , Puigjaner Dolors , Herrero Joan , Marimon Francesc 
Published: March 2018

AbstractComputational fluid dynamics was used to simulate the flow of blood within an inferior vena cava (IVC) geometry model that was reconstructed from computed tomography images obtained from a real patient. The main novelty of the present work is that we simulated the implantation of 4 different filter models in this realistic IVC geometry. We considered different blood flow rates in the range between Vin=20 and Vin=80 cm3/s, and all simulations were performed with both the Newtonian and a non‐Newtonian model for the blood viscosity. We compared the hemodynamics performance of the different filter models, and we paid a special attention to the total drag force, Fd, exerted by the blood flow on the filter surface. This force is the sum of 2 contributions: the viscous skin friction force, which was found to be roughly proportional to the filter surface area, and the pressure force, which depended on the particular filter geometry design. The Fd force is relevant because it must be balanced by the total force exerted by the filter hooks/struts on the IVC wall at the attachment locations. For the highest Vin value investigated, the variation in Fd among filters was from 116 to 308 dyne. We also showed how the present results can be extrapolated to obtain good estimates of the drag forces if the blood viscosity levels change, ie, if the patient with a filter implanted is treated with anticoagulant therapy.
A novel method for assessing the chromatic integration of architecture in theKsourianlandscape of M'zab Valley, Algeria
Authors: Gouaich Yacine , Mebrouki Abdelkader , Ghariri Racha , Mebarki Abdelkhaliq , Belabbas Akila , Manav Banu , Serra Juan , Llopis Jorge , Torres Ana 
Published: March 2018

AbstractKsourare original architectural models of fortified villages located in the north of Africa. They offer, through their urban and natural visual sceneries, specific visible features that we name themKsourian Landscapes. The present research, accordingly, addresses an investigation; relying on a new methodic perspective, of the chromatic character of theKsourianlandscape of M'zab valley in Algeria which is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Using the Natural Color System (NCS), a natural palette (NP) has been conducted; encapsulating 12 representative colors from the natural landscape of the site in congruence with a second palette (human settlements palette), which includes around 16 colors from the urban landscape of the MozabiteKsour. The primary purpose of this research article aims at identifying perceptual similarities between the two palettes after comparison; which relies upon the NCS nominal identities (blackness [s], whiteness [w], chromaticness [c], yellowness [y], and redness [r]); and the NCS relation identities (hue [φ], saturation [m], delta [δ], and beta [β]). Graphical representations of these comparisons are demonstrated in the NCS triangle and the NCS 3D color space. We have demonstrated through our experimental outcomes the strong chromatic integration of the urban settlements in their natural landscape, the original chromatic character as being a constituent of the heritage values of the MozabiteKsourianlandscape, as well as its possible use in the urban restoration processes.
A predictive Decision Support System (DSS) for a microalgae production plant based on Internet of Things paradigm
Authors: Giannino Francesco , Esposito Serena , Diano Marcello , Cuomo Salvatore , Toraldo Gerardo 
Published: March 2018

SummaryThe production of microalgae represents a large and rapidly expanding market with several applications in the fields of food, pharmaceutics, cosmetics, and energy. Microalgae are photosynthetic aquatic microorganisms whose growth is mainly controlled by a few environmental parameters: temperature, light, pH, and nutrient availability. For this reason, monitoring and controlling such parameters is crucial for their production. At the same time, the development of mathematical models to simulate the behavior of biological systems has become a major predictive and control tool of production processes. In this paper, we present an Internet of Things (IoT) system that can couple sensor data collected directly by biotechnological cultivations with a predictive simulation model. The IoT system constitutes the core of a Decision Support System developed to help the end‐user in the management of industrial production processes.
Reliability, failure detection and prevention in cyber‐physical systems (CPSs) with agents
Authors: Sanislav Teodora , Zeadally Sherali , Mois George Dan , Fouchal Hacène 
Published: March 2018

SummaryThe complexity of cyber‐physical systems (CPSs) opens up several challenges regarding the assurance of high levels of reliability. Therefore, we need to develop a new data quality analysis and new CPS components/subsystems for the detection, isolation, recovery, and prevention of failures and intrusion events. Furthermore, we have to develop new reliability assessment models and metrics in order to properly evaluate CPSs. Agent technologies, through their characteristics such as autonomy, social ability, reactivity, and proactivity, have the potential to address these challenges and requirements. We propose a multi‐agent based solution, namely ReliaCPS, for detecting and preventing the failures of the system components of CPSs. We also use a case study of a CPS for monitoring ambient parameters to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach. Our results indicate improvements in terms of reliability metrics (32.69% for the mean time between failures and mean time to failure, 50% for the mean time to repair and 0.94% for reliability function over time).
Multimethod optimization in the cloud: A case‐study in systems biology modelling
Authors: González Patricia , Penas David R. , Pardo Xoan C. , Banga Julio R. , Doallo Ramón 
Published: March 2018

SummaryOptimization problems appear in many different applications in science and engineering. A large number of different algorithms have been proposed for solving them; however, there is no unique general optimization method that performs efficiently across a diverse set of problems. Thus, a multimethod optimization, in which different algorithms cooperate to outperform the results obtained by any of them in isolation, is a very appealing alternative. Besides, as real‐life optimization problems are becoming more and more challenging, the use of HPC techniques to implement these algorithms represents an effective strategy to speed up the time‐to‐solution. In addition, a parallel multimethod approach can benefit from the effortless access to q large number of distributed resources facilitated by cloud computing. In this paper, we propose a self‐adaptive cooperative parallel multimethod for global optimization. This proposal aims to perform a thorough exploration of the solution space by means of multiple concurrent executions of a broad range of search strategies. For its evaluation, we consider an extremely challenging case‐study from the field of computational systems biology. We also assess the performance of the proposal on a public cloud, demonstrating both the potential of the multimethod approach and the opportunity that the cloud provides for these problems.
Multi‐dimensional lock‐free arrays for multithreaded mode‐directed tabling in Prolog
Authors: Areias Miguel , Rocha Ricardo 
Published: March 2018

SummaryThis work proposes a new design for the supporting data structures used to implement multithreaded tabling in Prolog systems. Tabling is an implementation technique that improves the expressiveness of traditional Prolog systems in dealing with recursion and redundant computations. Mode‐directed tabling is an extension to the tabling technique that supports the definition of alternative criteria for specifying how answers are aggregated, thus being very suitable for problems where the goal is to dynamically calculate optimal or selective answers. In this work, we leverage the intrinsic potential that mode‐directed tabling has to express dynamic programming problems by creating a new design that improves the representation of multi‐dimensional arrays in the context of multithreaded tabling. To do so, we introduce a new mode for indexing arguments in mode‐directed tabled evaluations, nameddim, where eachdimargument features a uni‐dimensional lock‐free array. Experimental results using well‐known dynamic programming problems on a 32‐core machine show that the new design introduces less overheads and clearly improves the execution time for sequential and multithreaded tabled evaluations.
A grouping approach based on non‐uniform binary grid partitioning for crowd evacuation simulation
Authors: Liu Hong , Li Yan , Li Wenhao , Lu Dianjie , Zhang Guijuan 
Published: March 2018

SummarySmall social groups based on kinship or friendships are ubiquitous in human crowds. Therefore, the effect of social groups on crowd evacuations and that of crowd evacuations on social groups must be investigated. To simulate the group phenomenon when an emergency occurs, we propose an improved social force model that takes into account the social group relationship among the population, and based on our proposed model, a novel grouping algorithm predicated on non‐uniform binary grid partitioning is put forward. The approach initially maps the individuals into the plane space, and then it adopts top‐down binary grid partitioning iteratively until the divided grid contains only the individuals with relations; then, the values of the relation and density of the non‐empty grid cells are calculated, and the grids are sorted according to these values. After sorting, selecting, merging, and forming the core grids, the other grids are merged to the core grids. We have compared the algorithm with the hierarchical classification algorithm and the grid‐based algorithm. The results show that the accuracy, speed, and scalability are all advantages. We also establish a simulation platform to illustrate the proposed grouping algorithm and the improved social force model for crowd evacuation simulation.
Elucidating the Polymeric Binder Distribution within Lithium‐Ion Battery Electrodes Using SAICAS
Authors: Kim Kyuman , Byun Seoungwoo , Choi Jaecheol , Hong Seungbum , Ryou Myung‐Hyun , Lee Yong Min 
Published: March 2018

AbstractPolymeric binder distribution within electrodes is crucial to guarantee the electrochemical performance of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) for their long‐term use in applications such as electric vehicles and energy‐storage systems. However, due to limited analytical tools, such analyses have not been conducted so far. Herein, the adhesion properties of LIB electrodes at different depths are measured using a surface and interfacial cutting analysis system (SAICAS). Moreover, two LiCoO2 electrodes, dried at 130 and 230 °C, are carefully prepared and used to obtain the adhesion properties at every 10 μm of depth as well as the interface between the electrode composite and the current collector. At high drying temperatures, more of the polymeric binder material and conductive agent appears adjacent to the electrode surface, resulting in different adhesion properties as a function of depth. When the electrochemical properties are evaluated at different temperatures, the LiCoO2 electrode dried at 130 °C shows a much better high‐temperature cycling performance than does the electrode dried at 230 °C due to the uniform adhesion properties and the higher interfacial adhesion strength.
Kinetics‐Controlled Degradation Reactions at Crystalline LiPON/LixCoO2 and Crystalline LiPON/Li‐Metal Interfaces
Authors: Leung Kevin , Pearse Alexander J. , Talin A. Alec , Fuller Elliot J. , Rubloff Gary W. , Modine Normand A. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractDetailed understanding of solid–solid interface structure–function relationships is critical for the improvement and wide deployment of all‐solid‐state batteries. The interfaces between lithium phosphorous oxynitride (LiPON) solid electrolyte material and lithium metal anode, and between LiPON and LixCoO2 cathode, have been reported to generate solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI)‐like products and/or disordered regions. Using electronic structure calculations and crystalline LiPON models, we predict that LiPON models with purely P−N−P backbones are kinetically inert towards lithium at room temperature. In contrast, transfer of oxygen atoms from low‐energy LixCoO2(104) surfaces to LiPON is much faster under ambient conditions. The mechanisms of the primary reaction steps, LiPON structural motifs that readily reacts with lithium metal, experimental results on amorphous LiPON to partially corroborate these predictions, and possible mitigation strategies to reduce degradations are discussed. LiPON interfaces are found to be useful case studies for highlighting the importance of kinetics‐controlled processes during battery assembly at moderate processing temperatures.
Reductive Cleavage Method for Quantitation of Monolignols and Low‐Abundance Monolignol Conjugates
Authors: Regner Matt , Bartuce Allison , Padmakshan Dharshana , Ralph John , Karlen Steven D. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractAs interest in biomass utilization has grown, the manipulation of lignin biosynthesis has received significant attention, such that recent work has demanded more robust lignin analytical methods. As the derivatization followed by reductive cleavage (DFRC) method is particularly effective for structurally characterizing natively acylated lignins, we used an array of synthetic β‐ether γ‐acylated model compounds to determine theoretical yields for all monolignol conjugates currently known to exist in lignin, and we synthesized a new set of deuterated analogs as internal standards for quantification using GC–MS/MS. Yields of the saturated ester conjugates ranged from 40 to 90 %, and NMR analysis revealed the presence of residual unsaturated conjugates in yields of 20 to 35 %. In contrast to traditional selected‐ion‐monitoring, we demonstrated the superior sensitivity and accuracy of multiple‐reaction‐monitoring detection methods, and further highlighted the inadequacy of traditional standards relative to isotopically labeled analogs.
Differential equation description and Chebyshev approximation of linear time‐invariant circuits
Authors: Huang Liang , Yao Chang 
Published: March 2018

SummaryThe approximation technology of analogue circuit functions is crucial to the computer‐aided simulation, analysis, and design automation of electronic circuits. Chebyshev polynomials and various differential equations are proposed in this paper to approximate the functions of linear time‐invariant circuits. The coefficient calculation methods of the Chebyshev expansion and the differential equation matrices are thoroughly deduced, and the construction methods employed in the functions and the actual time mapping of the linear time‐invariant circuits are presented in this paper. An example of an analogue filter verifies the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed approximation algorithm and elaborates on the selection process of the order number and the time step length of the Chebyshev expansion according to the demanded truncation error.
Performance of cognitive relay network with energy harvesting relay under imperfect CSI
Authors: Prasad Binod , Dhar Roy Sanjay , Kundu Sumit 
Published: March 2018

SummaryThis paper evaluates the performance of an underlay cognitive relay network under imperfect channel state information (CSI) where a secondary user (SU) transmits using a secondary relay (SR) based on decode and forward scheme. The outage probability (OP) of SU is investigated in a scenario where the decode and forward relay harvests energy from radio frequency signal of SU. The relay uses a fraction of time for harvesting in time switching–based relaying (TSR) while a fraction of received power is used for harvesting in power splitting–based relaying (PSR) scheme. The SU and relay control their transmit power using a scaling factor, based on CSI of the interfering links (ie, links from SU transmitter and SR to the primary user [PU] receiver) to protect the quality of service of PU. The available CSI at the SU and SR are imperfect due to practical limitation. Analytical expressions of the OP are derived for TSR‐ and PSR‐based schemes. The impact of harvesting time, power splitting ratio, imperfect CSI, PU outage constraint and interference threshold on the OP of the SU network, and average transmit power of SR is indicated. Further, the impact of multiple SRs is also shown.