Virtual Axle Detector Based on Analysis of Bridge Acceleration Measurements by Fully Convolutional Network.

In the practical application of the Bridge Weigh-In-Motion (BWIM) methods, the position of the wheels or axles during the passage of a vehicle is a prerequisite in most cases. To avoid the use of conventional axle detectors and bridge type-specific methods, we propose a novel method for axle detection using accelerometers placed arbitrarily on a bridge. In order to develop a model that is as simple and comprehensible as possible, the axle detection task is implemented as a binary classification problem instead of a regression problem. The model is implemented as a Fully Convolutional Network to process signals in the form of Continuous Wavelet Transforms. This allows passages of any length to be processed in a single step with maximum efficiency while utilising multiple scales in a single evaluation. This allows our method to use acceleration signals from any location on the bridge structure and act as Virtual Axle Detectors (VADs) without being limited to specific structural types of bridges. To test the proposed method, we analysed 3787 train passages recorded on a steel trough railway bridge of a long-distance traffic line. Results of the measurement data show that our model detects 95% of the axles, which means that 128,599 out of 134,800 previously unseen axles were correctly detected. In total, 90% of the axles were detected with a maximum spatial error of 20 cm, at a maximum velocity of vmax=56.3m/s. The analysis shows that our developed model can use accelerometers as VADs even under real operating conditions.

Selective Catalytic Isomerization of ß-Pinene Oxide to Perillyl Alcohol Enhanced by Protic Tetraimidazolium Nitrate.

A series of tetraimidazolium salts with different anions was prepared and applied in the isomerization of ß-pinene oxide. After examining the activity of different catalysts, a remarkable enhancement of the selectivity of perillyl alcohol (47 %) was obtained over [PEimi][HNO3 ]4 under mild reaction conditions and using DMSO as the solvent. Furthermore, noncovalent interactions between solvent molecules and the catalyst were found by FT-IR spectroscopy and confirmed by computational chemistry. The homogeneous catalyst showed excellent stability and was reused up to six times without significant loss.

Draft Genome Sequence of Halomonas sp. Strain ML-15, a Haloalkaliphilic, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-Degrading Bacterium.

Halomonas sp. strain ML-15 is an aerobic, haloalkaliphilic bacterium capable of degrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The draft genome sequence of the isolate contains 19 contigs encompassing 4.8 Mb and a G+C content of 65.38%. This sequence will provide essential information for future studies of PAH degradation, particularly under haloalkaliphilic conditions.

Endoscopic approach to gastric remnant outlet obstruction after gastric bypass: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Acute gastric remnant bleeding is a rare complication of bariatric surgery. Furthermore, acute bleeding from the gastric remnant resulting in gastric remnant outlet obstruction has not been described previously. Endoscopic management of gastric remnant bleed has been challenging due to difficulty accessing the excluded stomach. Traditionally, this necessitates surgical intervention. Recently, however, the adoption of endoscopic ultrasound-directed transgastric intervention provides an alternative approach to management. CASE SUMMARY: A 65-year-old male with a prior gastric bypass presented with the sudden onset of progressive abdominal distension, nausea, and melena of two days duration. His imaging illustrated a massively distended stomach. A nasogastric tube did not result in drainage of fluid or decompression of his abdomen. His endoscopy revealed a normal-appearing gastro-jejunal anastomosis and confirmed the distended "fluid"-filled gastric remnant. An endoscopic ultrasound-directed gastrogastrostomy was created to decompress the gastric remnant. Two liters of blood was suctioned before a large adherent clot was visualized in the gastric antrum. The patient underwent emergent angiography with embolization of the gastroduodenal artery. He was discharged with a stable hemoglobin level and resolution of symptoms. Healing superficial gastric ulcers were visualized on a follow-up endoscopy. Gastric biopsies were consistent with Helicobacter pylori infection for which the patient was treated, and successful eradication was achieved. CONCLUSION: This patient benefited from a timely diagnosis and effective therapy of an acute gastric remnant obstruction from a bleeding ulcer with endoscopic ultrasound-directed transgastric intervention.

Direct cyclohexanone oxime synthesis via oxidation-oximization of cyclohexane with ammonium acetate.

An unexpected cascade reaction for oxidation-oximization of cyclohexane with ammonium acetate was developed for the first time to access cyclohexanone oxime with 50.7% selectivity (13.6% conversion). Tetrahedral Ti sites in Ni-containing hollow titanium silicalite can serve as bifunctional catalytic centers in the reaction. This methodology not only provides a direct approach to prepare cyclohexanone oxime, but also simplifies process chemistry. Various available nitrogen sources, such as ammonium salt and even ammonia can be used as starting materials.

Anatomic Two-dimensional and Three-dimensional Models for Cyclic Fatigue Testing of Endodontic Instruments.

Introduction: In this study, new devices were developed and evaluated for cyclic fatigue testing (CTF) of endodontic instruments in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) replicas of the internal anatomy of a mesial root of a mandibular molar. Methods and Materials: The trajectories of both curved mesial canals of the same root were outlined from computed tomographic scans and exported to a computer assisted drawing (CAD) software. In the CAD program, the canals were virtually enlarged to a size 25/0.06. The CTF devices were then prototyped in stainless steel. The 2D models represented the bucco-lingual (BL) and mesio-distal (MD) views of the canals, while the original trajectory was kept in the 3D model. Vortex Blue 25/0.06 instruments were tested for fatigue in the six canals (n=12). The number of cycles to failure (NCF) and fragment length (mm) were recorded. Data was statistically analyzed (ANOVA and post-hoc Games-Howell test) with the level of significance set at 5%. Results: The mean NCF was significantly different among all the canals (P<0.05). The lifespan of the files was greater in the 2D-BL models, followed by the 2D-MD and 3D. The mean fragment length was also different among the tested models (P<0.05). Conclusions: The tested 2D and 3D representations of the same canal trajectory resulted in significant differences both in the amount of stress (seen from NCF) and localization of the maximum stress (seen from fragment length). Further investigations are required to better understand the effects of different 3D curvatures on the cyclic fatigue of endodontic instruments.

Chirality-Helicity Equivalence in the S and R Stereoisomers: A Theoretical Insight.

We located the unknown chirality-helicity equivalence in molecules with a chiral center, and as a consequence, the degeneracy of the S and R stereoisomers of lactic acid was lifted. An agreement was found with the naming schemes of S and R stereoisomers from optical experiments. This was made possible by the construction of the stress tensor trajectories in a non-Cartesian space defined by the variation of the position of the torsional bond critical point upon a structural change, along the torsion angle, θ, involving a chiral carbon atom. This was undertaken by applying a torsion θ, -180.0° ≤ θ ≤ +180.0° corresponding to clockwise and counterclockwise directions. We explain why scalar measures can at best only partially lift the degeneracy of the S and R stereoisomers, as opposed to vector-based measures that can fully lift the degeneracy. We explained the consequences for stereochemistry in terms of the ability to determine the chirality of industrially relevant reaction products.

Comparison of lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) with open versus percutaneous screw fixation for adult degenerative scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective Review. OBJECTIVES: Compare clinical outcomes and radiographic correction of adult degenerative scoliosis (ADS) patients treated with lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF), combined either with percutaneous (no laminectomy) versus open laminectomy/pedicle screw instrumentation. METHODS: Twenty-two ADS patients undergoing combined LLIF and posterior instrumentation were divided into two groups: thirteen patients underwent LLIF with open laminectomy and posterior pedicle instrumentation (Group-1, six revision); nine patients underwent LLIF with percutaneous pedicle instrumentation (no decompression) (Group-2). Radiographs, CT/MRI, peri-operative complications, VAS, SF-12, and ODI were measured. RESULTS: Average follow up was 22 months. In Group-1 and Group-2, respectively: Mean coronal Cobb angle corrected 12.6° and 5.8°; Mean regional lumbar lordosis improved 11.1° and 3.8°; Pelvic incidence minus lumbar lordosis mismatch corrected to within +/-9° in 46% and 0% of patients; Mean VAS improved from 5.4 to 2.8 and 6.3 to 1; Mean ODI improved 19% and 22%. Improvements were found in SF-12 PCS and MCS scores. CONCLUSIONS: Both open and percutaneous posterior techniques following LLIF significantly improved clinical outcomes. Open procedures resulted in significantly better radiographic improvements but also higher complication rates. LLIF with percutaneous posterior fixation, without decompression, should be considered part of the algorithm in select ADS patients with remaining compensatory mechanisms and understanding that greater degrees of correction may require an open, more extensive approach.

Imidazolyl activated carbon refluxed with ethanediamine as reusable heterogeneous catalysts for Michael addition.

Imidazolyl activated carbon, denoted as AC-N, was prepared via oxidation of AC with HNO3 (AC-O) and then refluxed with ethanediamine under mild conditions. The results showed that the N content of AC-N was 10.3%, and the surface alkali group density of AC-N was 0.96 mmol g-1 from 0.78 mmol g-1 carboxy group of AC-O by Boehm titration. It was revealed that the basic functional groups on the AC-N surface included imidazole and amine groups, from XPS and FT-IR. Evaluated with Michael addition of furfural, the catalytic performance of AC-N showed higher conversion and selectivity than that of commonly used base catalyst such as 2-methylimidazole and KOH. Very remarkably, AC-N showed extraordinary recyclability, in that there was no decline of conversion and selectivity after being recycled 5 times.

Is arthroscopic videotape a reliable tool for describing early joint tissue pathology of the knee?

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the reliability of the videotape scoring system collected during knee arthroscopy for meniscal tears, and to test the consistency with intra-operative findings. METHODS: Fifty-seven patients undergoing arthroscopic treatment of meniscal tears were included in the analysis. The cartilage damage was assessed intra-operatively, at six sites, using the Outerbridge scoring system. The meniscal tears were graded according to the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (ISAKOS) classification. The presence of synovial inflammation was scored, at four different sites, according to the macro-score method. The total cartilage, meniscal and synovial scores were calculated for each knee by the sum of the maximum grade of the lesions at each anatomic site. In order to assess the reliability of the arthroscopic scoring system, the videotapes recorded during the arthroscopy were reviewed by two independent observers one year after the surgery and compared with the scores completed by the surgeon during the operation. RESULTS: The total cartilage score showed substantial inter-rater and intra-rater reliability, and moderate consistency with the intra-operative score provided by the surgeon. The total meniscal score showed substantial inter-rater and intra-rater reliability, and good consistency with the intra-operative findings. The total synovial score showed substantial inter-rater agreement, substantial intra-rater reliability, and moderate consistency with intra-operative findings. CONCLUSIONS: The videotape scoring system provided a reliable and reproducible system for recording the intra-operative state of the whole joint pathology in patients undergoing arthroscopic treatment of meniscal tears.

Structure and variation of CRISPR and CRISPR-flanking regions in deleted-direct repeat region Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains.

BACKGROUND: CRISPR and CRISPR-flanking genomic regions are important for molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) strains, and potentially for adaptive immunity to phage and plasmid DNA, and endogenous roles in the bacterium. Genotyping in the Israel National Mycobacterium Reference Center Tel-Aviv of over 1500 MTBC strains from 2008-2013 showed three strains with validated negative 43-spacer spoligotypes, that is, with putatively deleted direct repeat regions (deleted-DR/CRISPR regions). Two isolates of each of three negative spoligotype MTBC (a total of 6 isolates) were subjected to Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). As positive controls, NGS was performed for three intact-DR isolates belonging to T3_Eth, the largest multiple-drug-resistant (MDR)-containing African-origin cluster in Israel. Other controls consisted of NGS reads and complete whole genome sequences from GenBank for 20 intact-DR MTBC and for 1 deleted-DR MTBC strain recognized as CAS by its defining RD deletion. RESULTS: NGS reads from negative spoligotype MTBC mapped to reference H37Rv NC_000962.3 suggested that the DR/CRISPR regions were completely deleted except for retention of the middle IS6110 mobile element. Clonally specific deletion of CRISPR-flanking genes also was observed, including deletion of at least cas2 and cas1 genes. Genomic RD deletions defined lineages corresponding to the major spoligotype families Beijing, EAI, and Haarlem, consistent with 24 loci MIRU-VNTR profiles. Analysis of NGS reads, and analysis of contigs obtained by manual PCR confirmed that all 43 gold standard DR/CRISPR spacers were missing in the deleted-DR genomes. CONCLUSIONS: Although many negative spoligotype strains are recorded as spoligotype-international-type (SIT) 2669 in the SITVIT international database, this is the first time to our knowledge that it has been shown that negative spoligotype strains are found in at least 4 different 24 loci MIRU-VNTR and RD deletion families. We report for the first time negative spoligotype-associated total loss of CRISPR region spacers and repeats, with accompanying clonally specific loss of flanking genes, including at least CRISPR-associated genes cas2 and cas1. Since cas1 deleted E.coli shows increased sensitivity to DNA damage and impaired chromosomal segregation, we discussed the possibility of a similar phenotype in the deleted-DR strains and Beijing family strains as both lack the cas1 gene.

Finger Thickening during Extra-Heavy Oil Waterflooding: Simulation and Interpretation Using Pore-Scale Modelling.

Although thermal methods have been popular and successfully applied in heavy oil recovery, they are often found to be uneconomic or impractical. Therefore, alternative production protocols are being actively pursued and interesting options include water injection and polymer flooding. Indeed, such techniques have been successfully tested in recent laboratory investigations, where X-ray scans performed on homogeneous rock slabs during water flooding experiments have shown evidence of an interesting new phenomenon-post-breakthrough, highly dendritic water fingers have been observed to thicken and coalesce, forming braided water channels that improve sweep efficiency. However, these experimental studies involve displacement mechanisms that are still poorly understood, and so the optimization of this process for eventual field application is still somewhat problematic. Ideally, a combination of two-phase flow experiments and simulations should be put in place to help understand this process more fully. To this end, a fully dynamic network model is described and used to investigate finger thickening during water flooding of extra-heavy oils. The displacement physics has been implemented at the pore scale and this is followed by a successful benchmarking exercise of the numerical simulations against the groundbreaking micromodel experiments reported by Lenormand and co-workers in the 1980s. A range of slab-scale simulations has also been carried out and compared with the corresponding experimental observations. We show that the model is able to replicate finger architectures similar to those observed in the experiments and go on to reproduce and interpret, for the first time to our knowledge, finger thickening following water breakthrough. We note that this phenomenon has been observed here in homogeneous (i.e. un-fractured) media: the presence of fractures could be expected to exacerbate such fingering still further. Finally, we examine the impact of several system parameters, including core length, wettability and injection rate, on the extent and efficiency of the finger swelling phenomenon.

π-Extended "Earring" Porphyrins with Multiple Cavities and Near-Infrared Absorption.

ß,ß-tripyrrin-bridged earring porphyrins were synthesized through Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling reactions. These porphyrinoids have multiple cavities and can accommodate two or three metal ions per molecule. The structures of the porphyrins have been elucidated by x-ray diffraction analysis, and feature curved π planes. The electronic spectra of the porphyrins exhibit near-infrared (NIR) absorptions and metal insertion leads to red-shifted and intensified absorption features. Electrochemical analysis and transient absorption measurements indicated that the porphyrins exhibit effective electronic communication between their central and peripheral moieties.

Immunophenotypic Profiling of Erythroid Progenitor-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Diamond-Blackfan Anaemia: A New Diagnostic Strategy.

Diamond-Blackfan Anaemia (DBA) is a rare inherited anaemia caused by heterozygous mutations in one of 13 ribosomal protein genes. Erythroid progenitors (BFU-E and CFU-E) in bone marrow (BM) show a proapoptotic phenotype. Suspicion of DBA is reached after exclusion of other forms of BM failure syndromes. To improve DBA diagnosis, which is confirmed by mutation analysis, we tested a new approach based on the study of extracellular vesicles (EVs) isolated from plasma by differential centrifugations and analysed by flow cytometry. We chose CD34, CD71 and CD235a markers to study erythroid EVs. We characterised the EVs immunophentoypic profiles of 13 DBA patients, 22 healthy controls and 16 patients with other haematological diseases. Among the three EVs clusters we found, only the CD34+/CD71low population showed statistically significant differences between DBA patients and controls (p< 0.05). The absence of this cluster is in agreement with the low levels of BFU-E found in DBA patients. The assessment of ROC curves demonstrated the potential diagnostic value of this population. We suggest that this assay may be useful to improve DBA diagnosis as a quicker and less invasive alternative to BM BFU-E culture analysis.

Azobenzene-Bridged Porphyrin Nanorings: Syntheses, Structures, and Photophysical Properties.

Azobenzene-bridged ß-to-ß and meso-to-meso porphyrin nanorings were successfully synthesized by a palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction in a logical synthesis. The dimeric structure was confirmed by XRD analysis. The azo linkages in di- and tetramers are in the all-trans conformation, whereas in the trimers one azo linkage can be interconverted between cis and trans under external stimulation. When trimeric isomers are heated to 333 K or higher, the azo linkages will be in the all-trans configurations: the pure all-trans trimer can be kept in the dark for several months. Fluorescence anisotropy and pump-power-dependent decay results revealed excitation energy transfer for azobenzene-bridged zinc-porphyrin nanorings. The distances between porphyrin units of these azobenzene-bridged porphyrin arrays are almost the same, but the exciton energy hopping (EEH) times for each wheel are markedly different. The dimer and meso-to-meso tetramer possess relatively short excitation energy transfer (EET) times (1.28 and 2.48 ps, respectively) due to their good planarity and rigidity. In contrast, the EET time for the trimeric zinc(II)-porphyrin array (6.9 ps) is relatively long due to its nonradiative decay pathway (i.e., cis/trans isomerization of azobenzene). Both di- and tetramers exhibit relatively high fluorescence quantum yields, whereas the trimers show weak emission because of structural differences.

Hybrid QTAIM and electrostatic potential-based quantum topology phase diagrams for water clusters.

The topological diversity of sets of isomers of water clusters (W = H2O)n, 7 ≤ n ≤ 10, is analyzed employing the scalar fields of total electronic charge density ρ(r) and the molecular electrostatic potential (MESP). The features uncovered by the MESP are shown to be complementary to those revealed by the theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) analysis. The MESP is known to exhibit the electron localizations such as lone pairs that are central to water cluster behavior. Therefore, a 'hybrid' QTAIM and MESP quantum topology phase diagram (QTPD) for Wn, 7 ≤ n ≤ 10, is introduced in addition to the QTPD. The 'spanning' QTPD with upper and lower bounds is constructed from the solutions of the Poincaré-Hopf relation involving the non-degenerate critical points. The changing subtle balance between the planar and three dimensional character of the growing water clusters Wn, 4 ≤ n ≤ 10, is revealed. Characterization of the structure of the QTPDs, possible with new tools, demonstrated the migration of the position of the global minimum on the spanning QTPD from the lower bound to upper bound as the Wn, 4 ≤ n ≤ 10, cluster grows in size. Differences in the structure of the QTPD are found between the clusters containing even versus odd monomers for Wn, n = 7-10. The energetic stability of the clusters which possess even number of monomers viz. n = 8, 10 is higher than that of the n = 7, 9 clusters due to relatively higher numbers of hydrogen-bond BCPs in the n = 8, 10 clusters, in agreement with energetic results reported in the literature. A 'hybrid' QTPD is created from a new chemical relation bHB + l ≥ 2n for Wn that relates the number of hydrogen-bond bond critical points (bHB) with the number of oxygen lone pairs exclusively specified by the negative valued MESP (3,+3) critical points (l). The topologies of the subset bHB + l = 2n for Wn, point the way to the discovery of unknown 'missing' lower energy isomers. A discussion of the relative merits and range of applicability of the QTAIM and hybrid-QTPD analyses is included and concludes that the hybrid-QTPD analysis for Wn, is more useful for the association with the energy minima on the potential energy surface.