bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of a continuous positive airways pressure device for awake open shoulder surgery in a patient with obstructive sleep apnoea
Authors: Chhaniyara Puja , Hewson David , Bedforth Nigel
Published: September 2016

A 59‐year‐old male with severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a body mass index (BMI) of 46, and a predicted difficult airway was scheduled for open left shoulder rotator cuff repair. After preoperative multidisciplinary discussion, and with the patient's informed consent, surgery was performed awake under an interscalene block. We anticipated our patient would develop dyspnoea due to ipsilateral phrenic nerve palsy following the nerve block and therefore applied his own continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device intra‐operatively. We provided effective postoperative analgesia by using a continuous infusion of local anaesthetic through an interscalene peri‐neural catheter.

Open shoulder surgery can be safely performed on patients with multiple co‐morbidities using carefully employed regional anaesthesia. The dyspnoea created by phrenic nerve block can be compensated for by applying CPAP.
Temperature phased anaerobic digestion of municipal sewage sludge: a Bardenpho treatment plant study
Authors: Akgul D. , Cella M. A. , Eskicioglu C.
Published: September 2016

The disposal of waste sludge generated from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is a growing problem worldwide, and contributes to over 50% of the operating costs of current WWTPs. In this study, temperature-phased anaerobic digestion (TPAD) and conventional (single-stage) mesophilic anaerobic digestion were investigated in order to determine the most beneficial process for the intended digester facility to be constructed for the fermented primary and secondary sludge from a Bardenpho type biological nutrient removal plant. This was accomplished by considering several operational control parameters for three different sludge retention times. This study has shown that the TPAD system had significant improvement in biogas and methane production; solids and organic removal; pathogen reduction and dewaterability over the conventional digestion. In terms of overall volatile sulphur compounds formation normalized per volatile solids added, no significant effects were observed between TPAD and control digester.
The coagulation–ultrafiltration process from pilot testing to full-scale design for the achievement of ultra-low phosphorus limit
Authors: Sun Yuedi , Lin Shoumin , Wang Dongqi , Kestel Steven , Lee George
Published: September 2016

Lake water from a Shanghai theme park faces restrictive phosphorus discharge limits (≤0.02 mg/L) that are technically challenging. Laboratory bench top and pilot plant testing were conducted. The results show that a coagulation–ultrafiltration (UF) hybrid process is able to reliably achieve the objective, while a coagulation–sand filter process cannot meet the requirement. Therefore, mature technologies such as Veolia Actiflo® and GE Zeeweed® are preferred for full-scale design. In addition, alum performs better than poly alum chloride on phosphorus removal. It was also suggested the efficiency of anion polyacrylamide for the filtered samples was reduced compared with non-filtered samples. Simultaneously, soluble PO4-P was also eliminated by UF resulting from the flocs and precipitates with greater surface area and the agglomeration of residual aluminum ions and orthophosphate. Membrane filtration helps reduce chemical dosage and 6 mg/L Al3+ (alum) concentration was enough to meet the requirement for the influent TP around 0.3 mg/L. Finally, several considerations were given to future scale-up design, such as treatment target of coagulation precipitation system, species of coagulant aid, flocculants, and online analyzers.
Potability analysis of raw water from Bospoort dam, South Africa
Authors: Nyende-Byakika S. , Ndambuki J. M. , Onyango M. S. , Morake L.
Published: September 2016

This paper discusses raw water quality results for the raw water from Bospoort dam in South Africa. A time series analysis was conducted for various parameters over a prolonged period of time. It was revealed that apart from conductivity, hardness, and high coliform counts, most parameters were below their recommended threshold levels for the greatest part of the study period.
Person–organization fit and turnover intention: Professional identity as a moderator
Authors: Wen Yueran , Zhu Fei , Liu Liu
Published: September 2016

The significance of the role of person–organization (PO) fit in forming employees' work attitudes, such as turnover intention, has been established. We examined whether or not Chinese employees' professional identity can be both an additional predictor of, and moderate the effect
of PO fit on, turnover intention. The results of a survey that we conducted among 256 Chinese civil servants showed that employees' professional identity and perceived PO fit each made a unique contribution to predicting their turnover intention. Moreover, the established relationship between
PO fit and turnover intention was significantly stronger among people with lower professional identity than among those with higher professional identity. Theoretical and practical implications for organizational management are discussed.
How does ethical leadership influence employees' whistleblowing intention? Evidence from China
Authors: Wen Peng , Chen Cheng
Published: September 2016

We investigated the relationship between ethical leadership and employees' whistleblowing intention, along with the mediating role of moral identity and the moderating role of power distance orientation. We conducted a 2-wave survey with 172 participant managers in China. Results indicated
that ethical leadership was positively related to employees' whistleblowing intention and this relationship was mediated by moral identity. Moreover, employee power distance orientation positively moderated the relationship between ethical leadership and moral identity, such that the relationship
was stronger for high power distance orientation employees than for those with a low power distance orientation. Theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.
Religious orientation and its relationship with spiritual intelligence
Authors: Albursan Ismael S. , AlQudah Mohammad F. , Bakhiet Salaheldin F. , Alzoubi Ahmad M. , Abduljabbar Adel S. , Alghamdi Michaeel A.
Published: September 2016

We explored the relationship between religious orientation and spiritual intelligence. Specifically, we examined differences in spiritual intelligence by grade, type of school, and student achievement level. Participants were 142 students in the 7th and 10th grades, who were randomly
selected from Al-Taif schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. For data collection, we used Al-Ruwaitea's Religious Orientation Scale with its 4 dimensions of religiousness: personal extrinsic, social extrinsic, intrinsic, and quest, and we also developed a scale of spiritual intelligence (SI)
for use in this study. Data analysis revealed statistically significant differences in SI by type of school, in favor of religious schools. There was no difference in SI by grade. Multiple regression analysis results showed that extrinsic socially oriented religiousness was the only religious
orientation that was a significant predictor of SI.
Why Taiwanese people do not comply with Facebook's real name policy
Authors: Wu Ming-Shian
Published: September 2016

I explored the naming practices adopted by Taiwanese users of Facebook in relation to the website's real name policy, with the aim of identifying the underlying reasons for choosing not to comply with this policy. For this investigation, I surveyed 993 user accounts and conducted 40
interviews, with the results revealing that there are 4 main types of naming methods that are most commonly encountered in a Taiwanese cultural context: official name in Chinese, Romanized official name, English name with Romanized surname, and nickname. I uncovered 5 underlying reasons for
choosing usernames: expecting to connect with friends and acquaintances, using a previous name, attempting to hide from individuals, intending not to use a real name online, and following globalization trends. The results indicated that 42.70% of users surveyed did not rigorously adhere to
the real name policy, and that naming practices differed between university students and working professionals. My findings have implications for practitioners seeking to effectively develop and manage their online social network.
How do cognitive and affective trust impact process?outcome interaction?
Authors: Wu Xuan-Na , Wu Xue , Wang Wei
Published: September 2016

Procedural justice interacts with outcome favorability to influence people's beliefs and behaviors. However, different patterns of process–outcome interaction have been observed. In this study, we proposed that cognitive trust in authority and affective trust in authority would
determine the pattern of process–outcome interaction in the field of public policy. A scenario designed to assess acceptance of public policy was used to examine our hypotheses. Participants were 373 Chinese undergraduate students. Results showed that cognitive trust moderated the process–outcome
interaction, but affective trust did not. When participants had strong cognitive trust in authority, procedural justice reduced the negative effect of an unfavorable outcome (low–low interactive pattern); when participants had little cognitive trust in authority, procedural justice heightened
the positive effect of a favorable outcome (high–high interactive pattern). The implications of our findings and possible avenues to explore in future research are discussed.
Decolorization of crystal violet over TiO2 and TiO2 doped with zirconia photocatalysts
Authors: Vasic Marija , Randjelovic Marjan , Mitrovic Jelena , Stojkovic Nikola , Matovic Branko , Zarubica Aleksandra
Published: September 2016

Titania based catalyst and TiO2 doped with zirconia were prepared by modified sol?gel method. The synthesized catalysts samples were characterized by BET, XRD, SEM and FTIR techniques. Photocatalytic activity was tested in the reaction of crystal violet (CV) dye decolorization/decomposition under UV light irradiation. The effect of several operational parameters, such as catalyst dosage, initial dye concentrations, duration of UV irradiation treatment and number of reaction cycles were also considered. The obtained results indicated faster dye decolorization with the increase of the catalyst amount and a decrease of initial CV concentrations. An influence of doping with zirconia on the physico-chemical properties of bare titania was studied. The doping procedure had affected photocatalytic properties of the final catalytic material, and had improved photocatalytic performances of doped catalyst on crystal violet decolorization/degradation in comparison to bare titania.
Transport properties of binary liquid mixtures - candidate solvents for optimized flue gas cleaning processes
Authors: Stanimirovic Andrej , Zivkovic Emila , Majstorovic Divna , Kijevcanin Mirjana
Published: September 2016

Thermal conductivities and viscosities of three pure chemicals, monoethanol
amine (MEA), tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME) and polyethylene
glycol 200 (PEG 200) and two binary mixtures (MEA + + TEGDME and MEA + PEG
200) were measured at six temperatures: 298.15, 303.15, 308.15, 313.15,
318.15 and 323.15 K and atmospheric pressure. Measurement of thermal
conductivities was based on a transient hot wire measurement setup, while
viscosities were measured with a digital Stabinger SVM 3000/G2 viscometer.
From these data, deviations in thermal conductivity and viscosity were
calculated and fitted to the Redlich-Kister equation. Thermal conductivities
of mixtures were correlated using Filippov, Jamieson, Baroncini and Rowley
models, while viscosity data were correlated with the Eyring-UNIQUAC, Eyring-NRTL
and McAlistermodels.
Soluble CD93 Is Involved in Metabolic Dysregulation but Does Not Influence Carotid Intima-Media Thickness
Authors: Strawbridge Rona J. , Hilding Agneta , Silveira Angela , Österholm Cecilia , Sennblad Bengt , McLeod Olga , Tsikrika Panagiota , Foroogh Fariba , Tremoli Elena , Baldassarre Damiano , Veglia Fabrizio , Rauramaa Rainer , Smit Andries J. , Giral Phillipe , Kurl Sudhir , Mannarino Elmo , Grossi Enzo , Syvänen Ann-Christine , Humphries Steve E. , de Faire Ulf , Östenson Claes-Göran , Maegdefessel Lars , Hamsten Anders , Bäcklund Alexandra ,   on behalf of the IMPROVE Study Group
Published: September 2016

Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are complex disorders involving metabolic and inflammatory mechanisms. Here we investigated whether sCD93, a group XIV c-type lectin of the endosialin family, plays a role in metabolic dysregulation or carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). Although no association was observed between sCD93 and IMT, sCD93 levels were significantly lower in subjects with type 2 diabetes (n = 901, mean ± SD 156.6 ± 40.0 ng/mL) compared with subjects without diabetes (n = 2,470, 164.1 ± 44.8 ng/mL, P < 0.0001). Genetic variants associated with diabetes risk (DIAGRAM Consortium) did not influence sCD93 levels (individually or combined in a single nucleotide polymorphism score). In a prospective cohort, lower sCD93 levels preceded the development of diabetes. Consistent with this, a cd93-deficient mouse model (in addition to apoe deficiency) demonstrated no difference in atherosclerotic lesion development compared with apoe−/− cd93-sufficient littermates. However, cd93-deficient mice showed impaired glucose clearance and insulin sensitivity (compared with littermate controls) after eating a high-fat diet. The expression of cd93 was observed in pancreatic islets, and leaky vessels were apparent in cd93-deficient pancreases. We further demonstrated that stress-induced release of sCD93 is impaired by hyperglycemia. Therefore, we propose CD93 as an important component in glucometabolic regulation.
Differences in Regional Brain Responses to Food Ingestion After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and the Role of Gut Peptides: A Neuroimaging Study
Authors: Hunt Katharine F. , Dunn Joel T. , le Roux Carel W. , Reed Laurence J. , Marsden Paul K. , Patel Ameet G. , Amiel Stephanie A.
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE

Improved appetite control, possibly mediated by exaggerated gut peptide responses to eating, may contribute to weight loss after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). This study compared brain responses to food ingestion between post-RYGB (RYGB), normal weight (NW), and obese (Ob) unoperated subjects and explored the role of gut peptide responses in RYGB.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Neuroimaging with [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography was performed in 12 NW, 21 Ob, and 9 RYGB (18 ± 13 months postsurgery) subjects after an overnight fast, once FED (400 kcal mixed meal), and once FASTED, in random order. RYGB subjects repeated the studies with somatostatin infusion and basal insulin replacement. Fullness, sickness, and postscan ad libitum meal consumption were measured. Regional brain FDG uptake was compared using statistical parametric mapping.

RESULTS

RYGB subjects had higher overall fullness and food-induced sickness and lower ad libitum consumption. Brain responses to eating differed in the hypothalamus and pituitary (exaggerated activation in RYGB), left medial orbital cortex (OC) (activation in RYGB, deactivation in NW), right dorsolateral frontal cortex (deactivation in RYGB and NW, absent in Ob), and regions mapping to the default mode network (exaggerated deactivation in RYGB). Somatostatin in RYGB reduced postprandial gut peptide responses, sickness, and medial OC activation.

CONCLUSIONS

RYGB induces weight loss by augmenting normal brain responses to eating in energy balance regions, restoring lost inhibitory control, and altering hedonic responses. Altered postprandial gut peptide responses primarily mediate changes in food-induced sickness and OC responses, likely to associate with food avoidance.
A Consistent Implementation of Inelastic Material Models into Steady State Rolling
Authors: Garcia Mario A. , Kaliske Michael , Wang Jin , Bhashyam Grama
Published: September 2016

Rolling contact is an important aspect in tire design, and reliable numerical simulations are required in order to improve the tire layout, performance, and safety. This includes the consideration of as many significant characteristics of the materials as possible. An example is found in the nonlinear and inelastic properties of the rubber compounds.

For numerical simulations of tires, steady state rolling is an efficient alternative to standard transient analyses, and this work makes use of an Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) formulation for the computation of the inertia contribution. Since the reference configuration is neither attached to the material nor fixed in space, handling history variables of inelastic materials becomes a complex task. A standard viscoelastic material approach is implemented. In the inelastic steady state rolling case, one location in the cross-section depends on all material locations on its circumferential ring. A consistent linearization is formulated taking into account the contribution of all finite elements connected in the hoop direction. As an outcome of this approach, the number of nonzero values in the general stiffness matrix increases, producing a more populated matrix that has to be solved.

This implementation is done in the commercial finite element code ANSYS. Numerical results confirm the reliability and capabilities of the linearization for the steady state viscoelastic material formulation. A discussion on the results obtained, important remarks, and an outlook on further research conclude this work.
A Computational Fluid Dynamics Model for Investigating Air-Pumping Mechanisms in Air-Borne Tire Noise
Authors: Gautam Prashanta , Chandy Abhilash J.
Published: September 2016

The reduction in power train noise over the past decade has led to an increased focus in reducing tire/road noise, largely due to the environmental concerns related to road traffic noise in industrial countries. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations conducted using ANSYS FLUENT are presented here with the objective of understanding air-pumping noise-generation mechanisms due to tire/road interaction. The CFD model employs a large eddy simulation turbulence modeling approach, in which the filtered compressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved to obtain temporally and spatially accurate near-field pressure fluctuations for a two-dimensional (2D) tire geometry with (1) one groove and (2) two grooves. In addition, the Ffowcs-Williams and Hawkings (FW-H) acoustic model is used to predict far-field acoustics. The deformation of the grooves, as the tire rotates, is represented by prescribed sidewall movements. Consequently, the solution to the numerical problem is obtained through a single process, thereby enabling the prediction of small-scale air pumping, horn effect, and far-field acoustics in a single simulation. The acoustic characteristics associated with air pumping are studied through spectral analysis tools, and comparisons show that the additional groove on the horn geometry alters the spectral characteristics of air pumping. Validation of the model is conducted through qualitative and quantitative comparisons with previous studies. These simulations are intended to provide a deeper understanding about the small-scale noise generation as well as the near-field and far-field acoustics, thereby paving the way for the automotive manufacturer to compare a variety of air-related tire noise characteristics without spending time and money for vehicle pass-by tests.
Landuse Pattern and Its Change in the Eastern Churiya Hills of Nepal Himalaya
Authors: Bhuju Dinesh Raj , Yonjan Pralad B. , Baidya Bidur M.
Published: September 2016

Available with full text.Key words: Churiya range; Climate; forest Degardation; GIS; Himalaya; Soil typeEcoprint An International Journal of Ecology Vol. 14, 2007 Page: 65-71 Uploaded date: 31 May, 2011
Spirogyra Link and Sirogonium Kutzing Species: New to Algal Flora of Nepal
Authors: Rai S. K. , Mishra P. K.
Published: September 2016

Available with fulltext.Key words: Algae; Spirogyra; SirogoniumEcoprint An International Journal of Ecology Vol. 14, 2007 Page: 89-96 Uploaded date: 31 May, 2011
Some Fresh Water Red and Yellow-Green Algae fom North-Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India
Authors: Srivastava Anand Kumar , Mishra P. K.
Published: September 2016

Available with fulltext.Key words: Algae; Rhodophyceae; Xanthophyyceae; N.E.U.P.EcoprintAn International Journal of EcologyVol. 14, 2007Page: 97-100Uploaded date: 1 June, 2011
Energy-Efficient Speed Profile Approximation: An Optimal Switching Region-Based Approach with Adaptive Resolution
Authors: Yang Jie , Jia Limin , Lu Shaofeng , Fu Yunxiao , Ge Ji
Published: September 2016

Speed profile optimization plays an important role in optimal train control. Considering the characteristics of an electrical locomotive with regenerative braking, this paper proposes a new algorithm for target speed profile approximation. This paper makes the following three contributions: First, it proves that under a certain calculation precision, there is an optimal coast-brake switching region—not just a point where the train should be switched from coasting mode to braking mode. This is very useful in engineering applications. Second, the paper analyzes the influence of regenerative braking on the optimal coast-brake switching region and proposes an approximate linear relationship between the optimal switching region and the regeneration efficiency. Third, the paper presents an average speed equivalent algorithm for local speed profile optimization in steep sections. In addition, this paper simplifies the proof of the optimality of smooth running on a non-steep track in two steps. The effects on energy consumption from two important factors (optimal coast and running time) are systematically analyzed. Extensive simulations verify these points of view and demonstrate that the proposed approximation approach is computationally efficient and achieves sufficient engineering accuracy.
Energy Consumption and Saving Analysis for Laser Engineered Net Shaping of Metal Powders
Authors: Liu Zhichao , Ning Fuda , Cong Weilong , Jiang Qiuhong , Li Tao , Zhang Hongchao , Zhou Yingge
Published: September 2016

With the increasing awareness of environmental protection and sustainable manufacturing, the environmental impact of laser additive manufacturing (LAM) technology has been attracting more and more attention. Aiming to quantitatively analyze the energy consumption and extract possible ways to save energy during the LAM process, this investigation studies the effects of input variables including laser power, scanning speed, and powder feed rate on the overall energy consumption during the laser deposition processes. Considering microhardness as a standard quality, the energy consumption of unit deposition volume (ECUDV, in J/mm3) is proposed as a measure for the average applied energy of the fabricated metal part. The potential energy-saving benefits of the ultrasonic vibration–assisted laser engineering net shaping (LENS) process are also examined in this paper. The experimental results suggest that the theoretical and actual values of the energy consumption present different trends along with the same input variables. It is possible to reduce the energy consumption and, at the same time, maintain a good part quality and the optimal combination of the parameters referring to Inconel 718 as a material is laser power of 300 W, scanning speed of 8.47 mm/s and powder feed rate of 4 rpm. When the geometry shaping and microhardness are selected as evaluating criterions, American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) 4140 powder will cause the largest energy consumption per unit volume. The ultrasonic vibration–assisted LENS process cannot only improve the clad quality, but can also decrease the energy consumption to a considerable extent.
Template-Free Fabrication of Bi2WO6 Hierarchical Hollow Microspheres with Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Zhou Yuxue , Meng Xiangdong , Tong Ling , Zeng Xianghua , Chen Xiaobing
Published: September 2016

Highly hierarchical hollow bismuth tungstate (Bi2WO6) microspheres self-assembled by thin nanoplates have been fabricated via a facile template-free solvothermal route. The possible growth pattern and formation mechanism of hierarchical hollow Bi2WO6 microspheres was investigated. The excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance on rhodamine B (RhB) degradation was displayed by hierarchical hollow Bi2WO6 microspheres. Such well-organized hierarchical hollow Bi2WO6 microspheres show potential application in water treatment fields by full use of solar energy.
A Novel Method to Balance and Reconfigure Series-Connected Battery Strings
Authors: Xu Jun , Cao Binggang , Wang Junping
Published: September 2016

Cell failure and imbalance are critical problems in battery storage systems, especially in series-connected battery strings. The reconfiguration function and the balancing function are both of great importance, but it is very challenging and problematic to own both functions simultaneously. This paper attempts to make contributions on realizing both functions through new circuits and new control strategies. Firstly, a reconfigurable balancing circuit is proposed, which is able to simultaneously balance and reconfigure the battery string. In the circuits, a new way to achieve passive balancing with no bleeding resistor is realized, and the failure cells in the battery string can be bypassed with the same circuits. By taking advantage of fewer switches in the circuits, the method owns the merits of low cost and low system complexity. Secondly, to efficiently balance and reconfigure the battery string, a control strategy is proposed according to the unique structure of the circuits. Thirdly, the reconfigurable balancing circuits are fabricated and an experimental test workbench is established. The reconfigurable balancing circuits and the control strategy are validated in the experimental test workbench. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method is able to realize both the balancing function and the reconfiguration function well, and the performance of the battery string can be maintained and improved significantly. The improvements are 13% and 34% for 4 cell- and 100 cell- series-connected battery strings, respectively.
Symptom Management in Patients with Stage 5 CKD Opting for Conservative Management
Authors: Johnston Sheila
Published: September 2016

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3–5 now affects 8.5% of adults in the United Kingdom; with 4% of patients expected to reach stage 5 CKD. Increasing numbers of older patients are contributing to the growth of demand of kidney services. With the exception of transplantation, dialysis has been the main form of renal replacement therapy (RRT) for advanced CKD. This elderly population is usually too frail and has many other co-existing medical complaints or co morbidities to undergo transplantation. Dialysis is an invasive treatment, and some frail elderly patients can experience many dialysis related symptoms. An alternative option for these patients is to choose conservative management (CM) of their stage 5 CKD. These patients often have complex supportive and palliative care needs. The frequency, severity and distress caused by symptoms related to stage 5 CKD are often under recognized and under treated. There is a need for early identification and management of symptoms as they present in patients with stage 5 CKD being managed conservatively. Symptom assessment should be focused on anticipating, identifying and alleviating any symptoms. This needs to be incorporated into the regular practice of those managing CM patients.
Exploring Typical and Atypical Safety Climate Perceptions of Practitioners in the Repair, Maintenance, Minor Alteration and Addition (RMAA) Sector in Hong Kong
Authors: Hon Carol , Liu Yulin
Published: September 2016

The safety of repair, maintenance, minor alteration and addition (RMAA) work is an under-explored area. This study explored the typical and atypical safety climate perceptions of practitioners in the RMAA sector in Hong Kong, based on a self-administered questionnaire survey of 662 local practitioners in the industry. Profile analysis, via multidimensional scaling of the respondents’ scores of three safety climate scales, identified one typical perception: high in management commitment to occupational health and safety (OHS) and employee involvement, low in applicability for safety rules and regulations, and low in responsibility for OHS. The respondents were clustered into typical and atypical perception groups according to their safety climate scores’ match to the typical perception. A comparison of demographics between the two groups with logistic regression found that work level and direct employer significantly affect their classification. A multivariate analysis of variance of safety performance measures between the two groups indicated that the typical group had a significantly higher level of safety compliance than the atypical group, with no significant difference in safety participation or injury. The significance of this study lies in revealing the typical safety climate perception profile pattern of RMAA works and offering a new perspective of safety climate research.
Vitamin D-Related Gene Polymorphisms, Plasma 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin D, Cigarette Smoke and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Risk
Authors: Wu Xiayu , Cheng Jiaoni , Yang Kaiyun
Published: September 2016

Epidemiological studies regarding the relationship between vitamin D, genetic polymorphisms in the vitamin D metabolism, cigarette smoke and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) risk have not been investigated comprehensively. To search for additional evidence, the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique and radioimmunoassay method were utilized to evaluate 5 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in vitamin D receptor (VDR), 6 SNPs in 24-hydroxylase (CYP24A1), 2 SNPs in 1α-hydroxylase (CYP27B1) and 2 SNPs in vitamin D-binding protein (group-specific component, GC) and plasma vitamin D levels in 426 NSCLC cases and 445 controls from China. Exposure to cigarette smoke was ascertained through questionnaire information. Multivariable linear regressions and mixed effects models were used in statistical analysis. The results showed that Reference SNP rs6068816 in CYP24A1, rs1544410 and rs731236 in VDR and rs7041 in GC were statistically significant in relation to reduction in NSCLC risk (p < 0.001–0.05). No significant connection was seen between NSCLC risk and overall plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations, regardless of smoking status. However, the mutation genotype of CYP24A1 rs6068816 and VDR rs1544410 were also significantly associated with increased 25(OH)D levels only in both the smoker and non-smoker cases (p < 0.01–0.05). Meanwhile, smokers and non-smokers with mutated homozygous rs2181874 in CYP24A1 had significantly increased NSCLC risk (odds ratio (OR) = 2.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.47–3.43; p = 0.031; OR = 3.57, 95% CI 2.66–4.74; p = 0.019, respectively). Smokers with mutated homozygous rs10735810 in VDR had significantly increased NSCLC risk (OR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.41–2.76; p = 0.015). However, smokers with mutated homozygous rs6068816 in CYP24A1 had significantly decreased NSCLC risk (OR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.27–1.02; p = 0.006); and smokers and non-smokers with mutated homozygous rs1544410 in VDR had significantly decreased NSCLC risk (OR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.34–1.17; p = 0.002; OR = 0.26, 95% CI 0.20–0.69; p = 0.001, respectively). There are significant joint effects between smoking and CYP24A1 rs2181874, CYP24A1 rs6068816, VDR rs10735810, and VDR rs1544410 (p < 0.01–0.05). Smokers with mutated homozygous rs10735810 in VDR had significantly increased NSCLC risk (OR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.41–2.76; p = 0.015). In summary, the results suggested that the lower the distribution of vitamin D concentration, the more the genetic variations in CYP24A1, VDR and GC genes may be associated with NSCLC risk. In addition, there are significant joint associations of cigarette smoking and vitamin D deficiency on NSCLC risk.
Protein/CaCO3/Chitin Nanofiber Complex Prepared from Crab Shells by Simple Mechanical Treatment and Its Effect on Plant Growth
Authors: Aklog Yihun , Egusa Mayumi , Kaminaka Hironori , Izawa Hironori , Morimoto Minoru , Saimoto Hiroyuki , Ifuku Shinsuke
Published: September 2016

A protein/CaCO3/chitin nanofiber complex was prepared from crab shells by a simple mechanical treatment with a high-pressure water-jet (HPWJ) system. The preparation process did not involve chemical treatments, such as removal of protein and calcium carbonate with sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid, respectively. Thus, it was economically and environmentally friendly. The nanofibers obtained had uniform width and dispersed homogeneously in water. Nanofibers were characterized in morphology, transparency, and viscosity. Results indicated that the shell was mostly disintegrated into nanofibers at above five cycles of the HPWJ system. The chemical structure of the nanofiber was maintained even after extensive mechanical treatments. Subsequently, the nanofiber complex was found to improve the growth of tomatoes in a hydroponics system, suggesting the mechanical treatments efficiently released minerals into the system. The homogeneous dispersion of the nanofiber complex enabled easier application as a fertilizer compared to the crab shell flakes.
Keratinocyte Growth Factor Combined with a Sodium Hyaluronate Gel Inhibits Postoperative Intra-Abdominal Adhesions
Authors: Wei Guangbing , Zhou Cancan , Wang Guanghui , Fan Lin , Wang Kang , Li Xuqi
Published: September 2016

Postoperative intra-abdominal adhesion is a very common complication after abdominal surgery. One clinical problem that remains to be solved is to identify an ideal strategy to prevent abdominal adhesions. Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) has been proven to improve the proliferation of mesothelial cells, which may enhance fibrinolytic activity to suppress postoperative adhesions. This study investigated whether the combined administration of KGF and a sodium hyaluronate (HA) gel can prevent intra-abdominal adhesions by improving the orderly repair of the peritoneal mesothelial cells. The possible prevention mechanism was also explored. The cecum wall and its opposite parietal peritoneum were abraded after laparotomy to induce intra-abdominal adhesion formation. Animals were randomly allocated to receive topical application of HA, KGF, KGF + HA, or normal saline (Control). On postoperative day 7, the adhesion score was assessed with a visual scoring system. Masson’s trichrome staining, picrosirius red staining and hydroxyproline assays were used to assess the magnitude of adhesion and tissue fibrosis. Cytokeratin, a marker of the mesothelial cells, was detected by immunohistochemistry. The levels of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) in the abdominal fluid were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Western blotting was performed to examine the expression of the TGF-β1, fibrinogen and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) proteins in the rat peritoneal adhesion tissue. The combined administration of KGF and HA significantly reduced intra-abdominal adhesion formation and fibrin deposition and improved the orderly repair of the peritoneal mesothelial cells in the rat model. Furthermore, the combined administration of KGF and HA significantly increased the tPA levels but reduced the levels of IL-6, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and TGF-β1 in the abdominal fluid. The expression levels of TGF-β1, fibrinogen and α-SMA protein and mRNA in the rat peritoneum or adhesion tissues were also down-regulated following the combined administration of KGF and HA. The combined administration of KGF and HA can significantly prevent postoperative intra-abdominal adhesion formation by maintaining the separation of the injured peritoneum and promoting mesothelial cell regeneration. The potential mechanism may be associated with rapid mesothelial cell repair in the injured peritoneum. This study suggests that combined administration of KGF and HA may be a promising pharmacotherapeutic strategy for preventing abdominal adhesions, which is worth further study, and has potential value in clinical applications.
Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid Attenuates Renal Tubular Injury in a Mouse Model of Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Zhang Jing , Fan Ying , Zeng Chuchu , He Li , Wang Niansong
Published: September 2016

Renal tubular injury is a critical factor in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is involved in diabetic nephropathy. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is an effective inhibitor of ER stress. Here, we investigated the role of TUDCA in the progression of tubular injury in DN. For eight weeks, being treated with TUDCA at 250 mg/kg intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) twice a day, diabetic db/db mice had significantly reduced blood glucose, albuminuria and attenuated renal histopathology. These changes were associated with a significant decreased expression of ER stress markers. At the same time, diabetic db/db mice had more TUNEL-positive nuclei in the renal tubule, which were attenuated by TUDCA treatment, along with decreases in ER stress–associated apoptotic markers in the kidneys. In summary, the effect of TUDCA on tubular injury, in part, is associated with inhibition of ER stress in the kidneys of diabetic db/db mice. TUDCA shows potential as a therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of DN.
Secure Nearest Neighbor Query on Crowd-Sensing Data
Authors: Cheng Ke , Wang Liangmin , Zhong Hong
Published: September 2016

Nearest neighbor queries are fundamental in location-based services, and secure nearest neighbor queries mainly focus on how to securely and quickly retrieve the nearest neighbor in the outsourced cloud server. However, the previous big data system structure has changed because of the crowd-sensing data. On the one hand, sensing data terminals as the data owner are numerous and mistrustful, while, on the other hand, in most cases, the terminals find it difficult to finish many safety operation due to computation and storage capability constraints. In light of they Multi Owners and Multi Users (MOMU) situation in the crowd-sensing data cloud environment, this paper presents a secure nearest neighbor query scheme based on the proxy server architecture, which is constructed by protocols of secure two-party computation and secure Voronoi diagram algorithm. It not only preserves the data confidentiality and query privacy but also effectively resists the collusion between the cloud server and the data owners or users. Finally, extensive theoretical and experimental evaluations are presented to show that our proposed scheme achieves a superior balance between the security and query performance compared to other schemes.
Performance Evaluation of Analog Beamforming with Hardware Impairments for mmW Massive MIMO Communication in an Urban Scenario
Authors: Gimenez Sonia , Roger Sandra , Baracca Paolo , Martín-Sacristán David , Monserrat Jose , Braun Volker , Halbauer Hardy
Published: September 2016

The use of massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) techniques for communication at millimeter-Wave (mmW) frequency bands has become a key enabler to meet the data rate demands of the upcoming fifth generation (5G) cellular systems. In particular, analog and hybrid beamforming solutions are receiving increasing attention as less expensive and more power efficient alternatives to fully digital precoding schemes. Despite their proven good performance in simple setups, their suitability for realistic cellular systems with many interfering base stations and users is still unclear. Furthermore, the performance of massive MIMO beamforming and precoding methods are in practice also affected by practical limitations and hardware constraints. In this sense, this paper assesses the performance of digital precoding and analog beamforming in an urban cellular system with an accurate mmW channel model under both ideal and realistic assumptions. The results show that analog beamforming can reach the performance of fully digital maximum ratio transmission under line of sight conditions and with a sufficient number of parallel radio-frequency (RF) chains, especially when the practical limitations of outdated channel information and per antenna power constraints are considered. This work also shows the impact of the phase shifter errors and combiner losses introduced by real phase shifter and combiner implementations over analog beamforming, where the former ones have minor impact on the performance, while the latter ones determine the optimum number of RF chains to be used in practice.
Analysis of Uncertainty in a Middle-Cost Device for 3D Measurements in BIM Perspective
Authors: Sánchez Alonso , Naranjo José-Manuel , Jiménez Antonio , González Alfonso
Published: September 2016

Medium-cost devices equipped with sensors are being developed to get 3D measurements. Some allow for generating geometric models and point clouds. Nevertheless, the accuracy of these measurements should be evaluated, taking into account the requirements of the Building Information Model (BIM). This paper analyzes the uncertainty in outdoor/indoor three-dimensional coordinate measures and point clouds (using Spherical Accuracy Standard (SAS) methods) for Eyes Map, a medium-cost tablet manufactured by e-Capture Research & Development Company, Mérida, Spain. To achieve it, in outdoor tests, by means of this device, the coordinates of targets were measured from 1 to 6 m and cloud points were obtained. Subsequently, these were compared to the coordinates of the same targets measured by a Total Station. The Euclidean average distance error was 0.005–0.027 m for measurements by Photogrammetry and 0.013–0.021 m for the point clouds. All of them satisfy the tolerance for point cloud acquisition (0.051 m) according to the BIM Guide for 3D Imaging (General Services Administration); similar results are obtained in the indoor tests, with values of 0.022 m. In this paper, we establish the optimal distances for the observations in both, Photogrammetry and 3D Photomodeling modes (outdoor) and point out some working conditions to avoid in indoor environments. Finally, the authors discuss some recommendations for improving the performance and working methods of the device.
A MoS2 Nanosheet-Based Fluorescence Biosensor for Simple and Quantitative Analysis of DNA Methylation
Authors: Xiao Le , Xu Li , Gao Chuan , Zhang Yulin , Yao Qunfeng , Zhang Guo-Jun
Published: September 2016

MoS2 nanomaterial has unique properties, including innate affinity with ss-DNA and quenching ability for fluorescence dyes. Here, we present the development of a simple fluorescence biosensor based on water-soluble MoS2 nanosheets and restriction endonuclease BstUI for methylation analysis of p16 promoter. The biosensing platform exhibited excellent sensitivity in detecting DNA with a linear range of 100 pM~20 nM and a detection limit of 140 pM. More importantly, our method could distinguish as low as 1% difference in methylation level. Compared with previous methylation analysis, our design is both time saving and simple to operate, avoiding the limitations of PCR-based assays without compromising performance.
Indoor-Outdoor Detection Using a Smart Phone Sensor
Authors: Wang Weiping , Chang Qiang , Li Qun , Shi Zesen , Chen Wei
Published: September 2016

In the era of mobile internet, Location Based Services (LBS) have developed dramatically. Seamless Indoor and Outdoor Navigation and Localization (SNAL) has attracted a lot of attention. No single positioning technology was capable of meeting the various positioning requirements in different environments. Selecting different positioning techniques for different environments is an alternative method. Detecting the users’ current environment is crucial for this technique. In this paper, we proposed to detect the indoor/outdoor environment automatically without high energy consumption. The basic idea was simple: we applied a machine learning algorithm to classify the neighboring Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication cellular base station’s signal strength in different environments, and identified the users’ current context by signal pattern recognition. We tested the algorithm in four different environments. The results showed that the proposed algorithm was capable of identifying open outdoors, semi-outdoors, light indoors and deep indoors environments with 100% accuracy using the signal strength of four nearby GSM stations. The required hardware and signal are widely available in our daily lives, implying its high compatibility and availability.
Strain Sharing Assessment in Woven Fiber Reinforced Concrete Beams Using Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors
Authors: Montanini Roberto , Recupero Antonino , De Domenico Fabrizio , Freni Fabrizio
Published: September 2016

Embedded fiber Bragg grating sensors have been extensively used worldwide for health monitoring of smart structures. In civil engineering, they provide a powerful method for monitoring the performance of composite reinforcements used for concrete structure rehabilitation and retrofitting. This paper discusses the problem of investigating the strain transfer mechanism in composite strengthened concrete beams subjected to three-point bending tests. Fiber Bragg grating sensors were embedded both in the concrete tensioned surface and in the woven fiber reinforcement. It has been shown that, if interface decoupling occurs, strain in the concrete can be up to 3.8 times higher than that developed in the reinforcement. A zero friction slipping model was developed which fitted very well the experimental data.
Estimation of Energy Expenditure Using a Patch-Type Sensor Module with an Incremental Radial Basis Function Neural Network
Authors: Li Meina , Kwak Keun-Chang , Kim Youn
Published: September 2016

Conventionally, indirect calorimetry has been used to estimate oxygen consumption in an effort to accurately measure human body energy expenditure. However, calorimetry requires the subject to wear a mask that is neither convenient nor comfortable. The purpose of our study is to develop a patch-type sensor module with an embedded incremental radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) for estimating the energy expenditure. The sensor module contains one ECG electrode and a three-axis accelerometer, and can perform real-time heart rate (HR) and movement index (MI) monitoring. The embedded incremental network includes linear regression (LR) and RBFNN based on context-based fuzzy c-means (CFCM) clustering. This incremental network is constructed by building a collection of information granules through CFCM clustering that is guided by the distribution of error of the linear part of the LR model.
Review: The Application of Liquid Chromatography Electrochemical Detection for the Determination of Drugs of Abuse
Authors: Honeychurch Kevin
Published: September 2016

This review (4 tables, 88 references) describes current developments in the design and application of liquid chromatography electrochemical detection (LC ED) based approaches for the determination of drugs of abuse. Specific emphasis is placed on operating details and performance characteristics for selected applications. LC ED has been shown to be highly sensitive and specific as well being a more economic option. A wide range of abused substances have been determined using this approach, including: cannabinoids, ethanol, opiates, morphine, mushroom toxins, benzodiazepines and several legal highs. Reverse-phase liquid chromatography with either amperometric or coulometric determination has been the most commonly reported applications. However, coulometric arrays have been also reported. Detection limits in the ng/mL region have been reported for most target analytes.