bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Burr Minimization in Drilling of Al6061/SiCp Metal Matrix Composite
Authors: Shankara Murthy A.G. , Mehta N.K. , Kumar Pradeep
Published: November 2019

Most machining processes produce burr as a result of plastic deformation. Exit burr strongly affect product quality during assembly and it is difficult to remove them easily. This work aims at minimizing burr produced in drilling of Al6061/SiCp composite fabricated through stir-casting process using HSCO drill. Analysis of experimental results using ANOVA indicated the influence of cutting conditions and drill geometry in reducing the thrust force as well as burr size. Keywords: Drilling, Al6061/SiCp, HSCO drill, ANOVA, Thrust force, Burr
Tribological Study of Vegetable Oil Based Lubricants - A Review
Authors: Deepak Deepak , Jeevan T.P. , Jayaram S.R.
Published: November 2019

Lubricants have a very crucial role in machinery industry for friction reduction and wear reduction between two relatively moving parts. The current study enlightens the works from various authors on evaluating the tribological behavior of environment friendly vegetable based oils as emerging biodegradable lubricants. The influences of the vegetable oils on friction and wear performance using different Tribometers were reported. The review focuses efforts on the development and commercialization of these vegetable based oils as industrial lubricants for manufacturing industries, mainly, metal forming and metal cutting. The review reveals that, many vegetable oils can be used as industrial lubricant, due to their exemplary attributes in terms of friction and wear reduction, which would help to decrease the universal demand of commercial lubricants which are based on petroleum resources to a great extent.
Preparation and Characterization of Transformer Oil Based Nano Fluids
Authors: Kishore N. , Vidyasagar H.N. , Ramesha D.K.
Published: November 2019

This paper is concerned with the preparation and characterization of transformer oil based nanofluids with the suspensions of Al2O3 and CuO nanoparticles . As a part of experimental study the transformer oil based nanofluids for heat exchangers in transformer cooling application, preparation and characterization has been performed. The preparation of nanofluids is the first key step in experimental studies with nanofluids. One step technique and two step technique are generally used for preparing the nanofluids. This work deals with the preparation methods of (Al2O3-Transformer oil ,CuO-Transformer oil) and characterizing the transformer oil based nanofluids of different volume concentrations (0.05%, 0.1%, 0. 5%, 1.0% and 1.5%).From the results it is revealed that increasing the volume concentration resulted in increase in thermal conductivity, viscosity of the nanofluid and decrease in density and specific heat of nanofluid.
Experimental Study on Mechanical Characteristics of PTFE Material
Authors: Nagaraju T. , Abhinanadhan K.S. , Anilkumar C. , Sathyanarayan S.
Published: November 2019

The present work is aimed to experimentally determine the mechanical properties such as Rockwell Hardness Number (RHN), tensile strength and two parameters of Weibull distribution curve (i.e. Weibull shape and characteristic life parameters) of fatigue life for the Poly Tetra Fluoro Ethylene (PTFE) material. The ultimate stress of PTFE specimen is determined using tensometer and its shape parameter and characteristic life are determined from rotary test bending machine. The PTFE specimen is also tested for wear and friction performance on pin-on-disc test rig. Based on the hardness test, RHN of PTFE was found to be 57 and its ultimate engineering stress was observed to be 20.5N/mm2. The Weibull shape parameter and characteristic life of PTFE specimen were observed to be 13.33 and 6734.5 cycles respectively. From the wear test result the sliding speed was found to have maximum influence on wear volume followed by sliding distance where as the load has least influence. .
Static and Dynamic Mechanical Performance of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polyethersulfone Composites
Authors: Harshavardhan B. , Ravishankar R. , Suresha Bheemappa , Srinivas S.
Published: November 2019

This study has been carried out to demonstrate the effect of short carbon fiber (SCF) loading on static and dynamic mechanical performance of polyethersulfone (PES) composites. Different combinations of SCF/PES composites were prepared by extrusion followed by injection molding. The static mechanical properties such as hardness, tensile and flexural properties of PES based composites were analyzed following ISO standards. As engineering materials, the polymer composites with high modulus as well as excellent damping properties are of great interest in aerospace and automotive industries for severe dynamic environment. Furthermore, in addition to static properties of composites, dynamic mechanical behaviour of PES based composites was evaluated. Mechanical test results showed that increasing the SCF wt. % in the composites increases the hardness, tensile and flexural properties. Furthermore, the optimal SCF loading was found to be 30 wt. % for significantly improving the overall composite mechanical performance. Upon the reinforcing of SCFs, an improvement in the storage modulus was found. Based on the fractographic analysis, orientation and aligned structure of carbon fibers, good bonding of fibers within the matrix and better fiber-matrix interaction were the primary reasons leading to the improvement of mechanical properties. The optimized composite (PES with 30 wt. % of SCF) could be used in automotive components like frames, flap covers and gears of printing machinery.
Mechanical Properties Evaluation of Friction Stir Welded AA6061-AA7075 Alloys for Different Tool pin Geometries
Authors: Raghavendra Rao R. , Bharath N. , Pradeep S. , Yogisha C.K.
Published: November 2019

The friction stir welding is a solid state welding in which welding takes place at a temperature below the melting point. This welding is also known as green technology welding as no harmful gases are generated, as well as fluxes are not formed. In this process joining of two dissimilar materials can be achieved. Through this welding one can overcome defects like porosity, solidification, cracks etc by selecting suitable wilding parameters. Present work investigates the effect of different tool pin geometries on mechanical properties of friction stir welded AA6061 and AA7075 alloys keeping the process parameters constant. The welding is carried with process parameters 1000rpm, 50mm/min and 5KN as tool rotational speed, welding speed and axial load respectively, and for four different pin geometries: (a) cylindrical pin, (B) triangular pin, (c) square pin and (d) hexagonal pin. The welded samples are characterized by mechanical properties like tensile strength and micro Vickers hardness test. By considering the both properties the hexagonal pin shown better characteristics under optimum process parameters.
Development of MATLAB Codes to Find the Natural Frequencies of a Composite Structure
Authors: Yashavantha Kumar G.A. , Kumar K.M. Sathish
Published: November 2019

Modal analysis is a method to describe the dynamic properties of structure such as natural frequency, mode shape and damping ratio. These properties are important for design and analysis of structure in dynamic condition. MATLAB is a high-performance numerical computation and visualization software package. It provides an interactive environment with hundreds of built-in functions for technical computation, graphics, and animation. In present analysis, use of MATLAB is done for finding the free vibrational characteristics of a structure made of composite material. The study involves finding the natural frequencies of structure made of Glass-epoxy, Carbon-epoxy and Graphite fiber reinforced polyamide materials. In this case Euler’s-Bernoulli beam theory is used for analytical solution and to construct MATLAB codes. The structure considered here is a beam with fixed-free condition. The results obtained from the MATLAB are accurate comparatively, the results obtained shows that the MATLAB can be further used to write programs which involve complicated iterations and cannot be done manually. The further work can be extended for writing the programs of much more complex equations in MATLAB and obtains exact solution.
Prediction of Material Removal in Extrusion Honing of Hastelloy C22 Using Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Devadath V.R. , Raju H.P.
Published: November 2019

The traditional finishing processes are incapable of producing required surface finish and other characteristics in difficult-to machine materials like Nickel based superalloys and also complex geometrical shapes of engineering components. Hence to achieve these goals non-traditional micro-machining processes have been developed. Extrusion honing (EH) is one of the non-traditional micro-machining process to debur, radius, polish, and remove recast layer of components in a wide range of applications. In this process material is removed from the work-piece by flowing abrasive laden medium under pressure through or past the work surface to be finished. Components made up of complex passages having surface/areas inaccessible to traditional methods can be finished to high quality and precision by this process. Hastelloy C22 offers resistance to both aqueous corrosion and attack at elevated temperatures and it is a difficult metal to machine using traditional techniques. In this study, micro finishing of internal surface of Hastelloy C22 material having predrilled passage diameters 7, 8, 9 and 10 mm have been performed in an indigenously built hydraulic operated one way extrusion honing setup. For the present EH process, patented polymer mixed with SiC abrasive at 35% volume concentration was used as carrier medium. The study was performed for 46, 54, and 60 grit sizes of SiC abrasive. The material removal in EH process varies with passage diameter and grit size of abrasives at each trial. A feed forward back propagation neural network model has been developed for the prediction of material removal and it has successfully predicted material removed in each trial of EH process.
Synthesis and Mechanical Property Evaluation of Hot Forged Aluminium Alloy Reinforced with Nano Alumina
Authors: Ghanaraja S. , Madhu R. , Ravikumar K.S. , Likith P.
Published: November 2019

Metal matrix composites with aluminium matrix and non-metallic reinforcements are popular candidates in automotive, aerospace, sports and military application because of their high strength-to-weight ratio, stiffness, wear resistance, high-temperature resistance, etc. often they are subjected to secondary manufacturing processes like extrusion, rolling, forging, etc. to suit the service requirements. Metal matrix composites reinforced by nanoparticles are very promising materials, suitable for a large number of applications. In the present investigation, nanocomposites have been synthesized by addition of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 1.25 wt% of nanoAl2O3 powder in to molten Al 1100-Mg alloy using stir casting method and then hot forged. The mechanical properties such as tensile strength, hardness and percentage elongations were studied for all the test specimens. The 0.75 wt% of nanoAl2O3 added forged nanocomposite exhibited higher hardness and 0.5 wt% of nanoAl2O3 added forged nanocomposite exhibited higher yield strength, tensile strength and percentage of elongation.
Predicting Prolonged Intensive Care Unit Stay Among Patients With Sepsis-Induced Hypotension
Authors: Murphy David L. , Johnson Nicholas J. , Hall M. Kennedy , Kim Mitchell L. , Shapiro Nathan I. , Henning Daniel J.
Published: November 2019

Background

Sepsis risk stratification tools typically predict mortality, although stays in the intensive care unit (ICU) of 24 hours or longer may be more clinically relevant for emergency department disposition.

Objective

To explore predictors of ICU stay of 24 hours or longer among infected, hypotensive emergency department patients.

Methods

A secondary analysis of 2 prospective, observational studies of adult patients with severe sepsis or an infection with a systolic blood pressure less than 90 mm Hg in 3 urban, academic emergency departments was performed. Patients with hypotension and infection were included. Patients with emergency department intubation, vasopressor administration, and/or death were excluded. The primary outcome was ICU stay of 24 hours or longer or death in less than 24 hours. Multivariable logistic regression was used to predict ICU stay of 24 hours or longer.

Results

Of 233 patients, 108 (46.4%) had ICU stays of 24 hours or longer. History of heart failure (odds ratio, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.5-8.3), bicarbonate level less than 20 mEq/L (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.8), respiratory rate greater than 20/min (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.7), and creatinine level greater than 2.0 mg/dL (odds ratio, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.9-6.7) were independent predictors of ICU stay of 24 hours or longer (area under curve, 0.74). The presence of 1 of these factors predicted ICU stay of 24 hours or longer (area under curve, 0.74) with 82.4% sensitivity and 49.6% specificity.

Conclusions

These exploratory results show that heart failure, bicarbonate level of less than 20 mEq/L, tachypnea, or creatinine level greater than 2.0 mg/dL increases the likelihood of an ICU stay of 24 hours or longer among infected, hypotensive emergency department patients.
From mid-plate to subduction zone: stratigraphy of the northeast Juan de Fuca Plate, offshore British Columbia
Authors: Rohr K M M , King H , Riedel M , Schmidt U
Published: November 2019

Quaternary sedimentary stratigraphy in Ocean Drilling Program site 1027 was tied to three regional multichannel seismic reflection profiles across the northeastern Juan de Fuca plate to the Cascadia subduction zone. A velocity gradient from a refraction study
provided a good fit to convert depth of stratigraphic horizons to two-way traveltime. Topography of basement ridges prevents correlating time horizons older than 0.76 Ma on a regional scale on seismic reflection sections. By that time sediments had filled almost to the top of basement ridges and
deposition of the Nitinat fan had begun. After 0.46 Ma, coarser sediments and debris flows were deposited from the fan into the seaward reaches of Cascadia Basin, and above the 0.28 Ma time horizon, the reflection character of deposits around the fan is that of poorly sorted mass-transport deposits
with intermittent layering. More than half of the sediments in the trench are from the Nitinat fan; they are approximately 2 Ma younger than previously thought. Growth faults created by bending stresses from the sediment load and subduction are primarily observed in intervals that predate the
Nitinat fan and accumulated at slower sedimentation rates. These faults appear to be utilizing extensional faults that are part of the original fabric of the igneous crust.
The impact of theological foundations of restorative justice for the human rights protections of North Korean stateless women as victims of human trafficking
Authors: Yoon I Sil
Published: October 2019

Restorative justice, with its most prominent characteristic being rebuilding social relationships among victims, perpetrators and the community that was damaged by a crime, has been proposed as an alternative to the traditional retributive justice model to treat criminal acts. Both secular and religious groundings exist for restorative justice, and religious theorists have developed theological groundings for restorative justice based on scripture and other sources. In this article, I will explore how a theologically grounded restorative justice model, focusing on Christopher Marshall’s theological exposition of restorative justice, can contribute to the thought and action of Christians and the larger public in the face of the moral injury caused by human trafficking. I will address how this model can also contribute to social structural change. In my analysis, I will employ a case study of North Korean stateless women who reside in China and who are victims of human trafficking.
Evaluation and Optimization of Agro-industrial Wastes for Conidial Production of Metarhizium anisopliae isolates under Solid State Fermentation
Authors: Abiy Tewelde , Tesfaye Alemu
Published: November 2019

Metarhizium anisopliae is known to cause high level of epizootics for more than 200 insect species in versatile agro-ecologies. Concerns on environmental pollution and resistance development to chemical insecticides need environmentally safe and economically viable approaches. Therefore, here we investigate a cheap and large scale industrial production of virulent enthomopathogenes on agricultural wastes. Three Metarhizium anisopliae isolates were grown on agricultural wastes to evaluate their conidia production potential under Solid state fermentation (SSF) technique. Coffee husk, tea waste, wheat bran and vegetable wastes were used as substrates to determine their capability for maximum conidiation of the isolates. Among these, vegetable wastes were the best media to yield 5.80 ±0.72 (107), 4.44±0.55 (107) and 5.58±0.66 (107) conidia/gram of substrate under quantitative assessment for isolate AUMI1, AUMI2 and AUMI3 respectively, at 60% moisture content.  Statistically on two sample t-test vegetable wastes shows significant difference in conidia production when compared to 2 mm and 4 mm sized coffee husk used as substrates. The optimization for temperature indicated that all substrates supported their maximum conidia yield within 27 – 300C range of temperature. The 3.5 pH value used in the present study for optimization was best favored only for coffee husk as substrate. The high conidia yielding substrates were best productive at pH 6.29, 6.63 and 5.4 for vegetable wastes, wheat bran and tea waste, respectively. All isolates incubated on wheat bran was highly productive under sufficient exposure to light. AUMI1 produced high conidia under exposure to light while the higher yield of AUMI2 and AUMI3 was produced under dark condition on vegetable wastes. Therefore, as successful microbial control of insect pests depends on large scale and cheap industrial productivity, cultivation on vegetable wastes and wheat bran under SSF can be a plausible solution.
Evaluation of Some Botanical Extracts Against Major Insect Pests (Leafminer, Armored scale and Woolly Whitefly) of Citrus Plants in Central Zone of Tigray, North Ethiopia
Authors: Ibrahim Fitiwy , Hadush Tsehaye , Abraha Gebretsadkan , Alemu Araya
Published: November 2019

Citrus fruit production is suffering from various yield-limiting factors particularly the sucking pests viz, citrus leafminer Phyllocnistis citrella, woolly whitefly, Aleurothrixus floccosus and scale insects especially armored scales Aonidiella auriantii. The present paper tries to identify the effective botanical insecticides against these insect pests on citrus orange. An experiment was conducted in the established citrus orange farm in Kolla Temben at two farmer’s fields, Adiha and Agibe during the off-season of 2018 under irrigation growing condition in a randomized complete block design with six treatments and replicated thrice. The findings in both experimental sites showed that the neem seed extract had a significantly (P=0.001) lower leafminer infestation levels compared to the untreated control which is on par to the insecticide treatment of dimethoate. On the other hand, in both areas, whitefly mortality of more than 81% on average was recorded from neem seed extract followed by Tree tobacco (70%) (P=0.001). For scale insects however, in both experimental sites, the highest mean percent mortality was recorded from the insecticide dimethoate 40% EC (86.9%, 87.2 & 86.0%on average) followed by neem seed and tree tobacco extracts,70.1 and 65.4% respectively. The botanicals particularly the neem seed extracts followed by tree tobacco are as effective as the chemical insecticide, dimethoate 40% EC, even superior in some cases, in controlling the target pests. Therefore, these botanicals could be used as an IPM component for against the target pests.
Cambridge Servicemen’s Memorial (Breuer, 1945): espacio público para el recuerdo
Authors: Sanchís Gisbert Salvador José , Ponce Gregorio Pedro , Peris Blat Ignacio
Published: October 2019

Marcel Breuer was in the first year of architectural technicians to graduate from Bauhaus School. The peculiar education he received there allowed him to explore the concept of design in its broadest sense. In his European stage we find, on the most private and small scale, unique solutions for furniture. In his first American stage we see a strong commitment with solutions related to the residential land and, when he earned international recognition, he developed large scale solutions for his public non-residential buildings and urban equipments in locations all over the world. It is strange to see that an architect like him did not have the opportunity to materialize any of his proposals associated with the public space. The 1945 Cambridge Servicemen’s Memorial project, also known as the Memorial War, is the most significant one he developed in his last years in Cambridge. Had it been built, it would have been a valuable example of modernity and contemporary reinterpretation of the monument in the public space.
SFMA, MoMA and the Codification of Bay Region Architecture (1935-1953)
Authors: Parra-Martínez José , Crosse John
Published: October 2019

This paper addresses the under-recognized implications of SFMA’s early architectural exhibition program. Conceived under founding director Grace Morley, a series of pioneering events first presented Bay Area architects’ work as interdependent with the region’s rich geographical and cultural context, offering new lens through which Eastern critics prompted to re-evaluate California modernism. Among these shows, the 1949 landmark exhibition Domestic Architecture of the San Francisco Bay Region would epitomize the postwar discussions upon the autonomy of American modern architecture. Correspondingly, by exploring SFMA-MoMA exchanges during Elizabeth Mock’s curatorship, this essay aims to examine the conflict of perceptions and intentions between the country’s two Coasts that brought about the 1949 show as part of a well-orchestrated campaign that had begun years before Lewis Mumford’s 1947 New Yorker piece triggered a controversy over the existence of a “Bay Region Style.” Contrary to prevailing assumptions that this exhibition was a delayed reaction to the 1948 MoMA symposium organized by Philip Johnson to refute Mumford’s arguments, it was the consequence of an effective regionalist agenda whose success was, precisely, that many influential actors in the United States were exposed, indoctrinated and/or seduced by the so-called Bay Region School’s emphasis on social, political and ecological concerns.
Carlo Scarpa: arquitectura, abstracción y museografía
Authors: Ros Campos Andrés
Published: October 2019

The last year that Carlo Scarpa taught at the IUAV, he proposed a civic museum as the topic of the course, in particular in the old Santa Caterina Convent in Treviso, which is currently the headquarters of the archive of the architect. The issue of the museology was developed during the lessons given at the University and dealt with several of his most recognised projects, in order to expose the guidelines of his museology approach. The message he conveyed in his classes did not describe precise details as much as acting strategies. But nevertheless, the approach to the work of Carlo Scarpa reveals a scale of museum detail that has never been experienced before. This care for the solutions of encounters and for the suitability of expositions constitutes a true contribution to the history of architecture and is, therefore, a model of the contemporary museology theory. The interest of the interventions of Scarpa, lies in the abstraction and refinement, both of his exhibition spaces and of the support elements of the works to be exhibited. This allows on occasions to be recreated in nuances that enrich the pieces with a delicacy that we could almost describe as a work of goldsmithing.
AVALIAÇÃO DA SUSCETIBILIDADE A MOVIMENTOS DE MASSA GRAVITACIONAIS EM MARGENS DE CURSOS D’ÁGUA DA CIDADE DE RIO BRANCO (AC).
Authors: Nascimento Ricardo Ribeiro , Simões Gustavo Ferreira
Published: November 2019

Este artigo apresenta os resultados do estudo de avaliação da suscetibilidade a movimentos de massa gravitacionais que foi realizado em duas áreas marginais da cidade de Rio Branco-AC. O estudo baseou-se na análise integrada de informações básicas do meio físico. Essas informações foram sistematizadas em um banco de dados georreferenciado e permitiram individualização dos terrenos em unidades fisiográficas, cujas características geológico-geotécnicas foram avaliadas frente aos processos geodinâmicos mapeados. Os resultados consistem principalmente na carta de suscetibilidade em escala 1:5.000, obtida como o resultado da inter-relação das unidades mapeadas e dos fatores indutores dos processos deflagrados.
VULNERABILIDADE AMBIENTAL À EROSÃO HÍDRICA NA SUB-BACIA DO CÓRREGO DO GUANABARA/ RESERVA DO CABAÇAL-MT BRASIL
Authors: CUIABANO Marcel do Nascimento , NEVES Sandra Mara Alves da Silva , NUNES Maria Cândida Moitinho , SERAFIM Milson Evaldo , NEVES Ronaldo José
Published: November 2019

Este estudo objetivou avaliar a suscetibilidade à erosão como indicador de vulnerabilidade ambiental da sub-bacia do Córrego do Guanabara no município de Reserva do Cabaçal–MT. O mapa de erodibilidade foi elaborado através da associação dos tipos solos com classes de erodibilidade. A combinação do mapa de erodibilidade com o do fator topográfico originou o mapa de susceptibilidade à erosão. O mapa do potencial à erosão foi obtido pela combinação do mapa de susceptibilidade à erosão com o de uso atual da terra. Foram coletadas amostras, deformadas e indeformadas, na camada de 0,0-0,1m e 0,1-0,2m, em ambientes considerados como degradado, moderadamente degradado e natural. A sub-bacia apresenta predominância de Neossolos Quartzarênicos (62,06%), sendo que 91,90% de sua área se apresentam extremamente susceptíveis à erosão hídrica e 8,10% muito susceptível à erosão hídrica. A textura do solo não se diferiu nos ambientes estudados, porém demonstrou a predominância da fração areia, o que é característico desse tipo de solo. O ambiente natural apresentou maior quantidade de macroagregados estáveis em água. A análise de vulnerabilidade se torna importante, pois fornece informações sobre a maior ou menor susceptibilidade de um ambiente ao processo de erosão, fornecendo ferramentas para o adequado planejamento, uso e ocupação do solo.
A ORIGEM DO ACAMAMENTO MAGMÁTICO NO GRANITO PEDRA BRANCA, MACIÇO DA PEDRA BRANCA, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRASIL
Authors: PORTO JUNIOR Rubem , TESSER Lucas Ramos , DUARTE Beatriz Paschoal
Published: November 2019

O Granito Pedra Branca está localizado na região oeste da cidade do Rio de Janeiro e corresponde a um dos corpos intrusivos mais importantes associados ao estágio tardi a pós tectônico no segmento central do Orógeno Ribeira. Em uma de suas faciologias, excepcionais estruturas de acamamento magmático são formadas pela intercalação bandas de rochas de composição monzograníticas e leucograníticas. A fim de compreender os processos físico-químicos e a forma de ocorrência dessas estruturas, foram realizados estudos de campo, petrográficos e litogeoquímicos. A análise dos resultados mostrou que o acamamento magmático é co-genético com as demais litologias encontradas no Granito Pedra Branca e sua forma de ocorrência é restrita à zonas de borda da intrusão. A sua diferenciação magmática foi atribuída a ascensão do magma próximo à borda dos condutos, favoreceram a cristalização “in situ”, que posteriormente, com cerca de 72% de material cristalizado, o crystal mush foi compactado pelo processo de filter pressing favorecendo a migração do líquido intercumulático para regiões de baixos gradientes de pressão, gerando uma estrutura de acamamento magmático.
Increases in body mass index and cardiovascular risk factors during methadone maintenance treatment
Authors: Sweeney, MS, PhD Mary M. , Antoine, MD Denis G. , Nanda, MS, CRNP Leticia , Géniaux, PharmD Hélène , Lofwall, MD Michelle R. , Bigelow, PhD George E. , Umbricht, MD Annie
Published: October 2019

Objective: This study describes changes in weight and cardiovascular risk factors over time among individuals enrolled in methadone maintenance treatment for opioid use disorder. Demographic and clinical predictors of weight gain were also evaluated.Design: This study was a retrospective chart review evaluating data over a period of 3 years.Setting: Medical records of individuals enrolled in an academic research outpatient methadone maintenance treatment program were reviewed. Patients: Seventy-four individuals who were admitted and retained in methadone maintenance treatment for at least 3 consecutive years were included. Outcome measures: Annual weight was assessed by calculating body mass index (BMI). Changes over time in cardiovascular risk factors of hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia were also assessed.Results: The percentage of patients categorized as overweight, obese, or morbidly obese BMI increased from 42 percent (n = 31) at admission to 76 percent (n = 56), 82 percent (n = 61), and 88 percent (n = 65) at 1, 2, and 3 years post-admission, respectively. Hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia also tended to increase following admission. BMI increases tended to be greater for those with a higher dose of methadone, as well as for females and Black/African American individuals. No other predictors of weight gain were identified.Conclusions: These data indicate that methadone maintenance treatment is associated with clinically meaningful weight gain and increases in cardiovascular risk factors. Given the importance of methadone maintenance for treatment of opioid use disorder, future research should examine additional predictors and potential mechanisms of weight gain among methadone patients and develop tailored interventions including nutritional knowledge and lifestyle recommendations.
Birth outcomes with prescribed chronic and acute opioid exposure during pregnancy
Authors: Delate, PhD, MS Thomas , Hodges, PharmD Megan , Swank, MD Morgan , Ota, PharmD Candidate Taylor , Pratt, PharmD Christy L.
Published: October 2019

Objectives: To assess the effects of no, any, and acute and chronic prescription opioid exposure for pain during pregnancy on maternal and fetal outcomes.Design: Retrospective cohort study.Setting: Integrated healthcare delivery system. Information on pregnancies and their outcomes were obtained from administrative data and verified via manual chart review.Participants: Women ≥ 18 years of age who were pregnant between January 1, 2012 and May 31, 2015 and had chronic, acute, and no opioid exposure; defined as an ambulatory dispensing(s) of > 30 (with a total of 225 morphine equivalents), 1-29, and 0 days supply of opioid, respectively, during pregnancy.Main outcome measure: Non-live birth.Results: A total 13,809 pregnancies for 13,131 women were included. Pregnancies with opioid exposure had higher risk scores and more comorbid conditions. A total of 1,319 (9.6 percent) pregnancies had any documented opioid exposure during pregnancy with 125 (1.0 percent) and 1,194 (8.7 percent) pregnancies having had chronic and acute opioid exposure, respectively. Pregnancies with acute opioid exposure had a higher percentage of non-live births (3.1 percent) compared to pregnancies (1.0 percent) with no opioid exposure (adjusted odds ratio = 3.46, 95% confidence interval 2.33-5.14) but no difference compared to pregnancies with chronic (1.6 percent) opioid exposure (p > 0.05 with adjustment).Conclusions: While a dose response of opioid exposure was not identified, these results add to existing evidence that opioid exposure during pregnancy is correlated with negative outcomes. Practitioners may better serve pregnant women and their fetuses by encouraging alternate pain relief treatments.
Effects of naltrexone exposure observed in two phase three studies with ALO-02, an extended-release oxycodone surrounding sequestered naltrexone
Authors: Gimbel, MD Joseph S. , Rauck, MD Richard L. , Bass, PharmD Almasa , Wilson, PharmD Jacquelyn , Pixton, MS Glenn , Malhotra, PhD Bimal , Wilson PhD Gary , Wolfram, MD Gernot
Published: October 2019

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effects of naltrexone following ALO-02 administration.Design: Two phase three studies: an open-label, single-arm safety study, and a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized withdrawal, efficacy study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT01428583, NCT01571362).Setting: Seventy US research centers.Patients: Eight hundred and five patients with moderate-to-severe chronic noncancer pain (n = 395) or moderate-to-severe chronic low back pain (n = 410).Interventions: Oral ALO-02 capsules (daily dose 20-160 mg oxycodone): openlabel titration followed by double-blind fixed dose ALO-02 or placebo (12 weeks) for the efficacy study; and open-label administration (≤12 months) for the safety study.Main outcome measures: Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-sf), withdrawal-related adverse events, Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS), and naltrexone plasma concentrations.Results: ALO-02 was received for > 30 days by 592 patients (73.5 percent), > 90 days by 348 patients (43.2 percent), and ≥361 days by 105 patients (13.0 percent). Maximum COWS scores were below the cutoff for mild withdrawal for the majority of patients: 86.6 percent of patients in the safety study, and for the efficacy study, 96.8 percent during titration and 95.0 percent during double-blind treatment. The frequency of quantifiable naltrexone plasma concentrations was similar between studies (18-23 percent of samples), and the levels were low, generally not exceeding 200 pg/mL. There was no apparent relationship between naltrexone plasma concentrations and COWS scores (total or change from baseline), or change from baseline in BPI-sf scores in the efficacy (R 2 = 0.0184, 0.0224, and 0.0173, respectively) or safety studies (R 2 = 0.0010, 0.0000, and 0.0122, respectively).Conclusions: Naltrexone plasma concentrations were low, not correlated with COWS or BPI-sf scores, and considered clinically insignificant.
2019 International Conference on Opioids Photos
Authors: Opioids International Conference on
Published: October 2019

Conference Photos from the 2019 International Conference On Opioids in Boston, MA, June 9-11, 2019
Decentralizing democracy: approaches to consensus within blockchain communities
Authors: Tozzi Christopher
Published: October 2019

Creating fair, transparent and genuinely democratic modes of decentralized decision-making has been a key concern for many developers and users of blockchains. This article evaluates several popular methods of maintaining consensus and achieving decentralized decision-making on blockchain networks in order to assess the extent to which blockchains challenge the norms of the liberal-democratic order. In particular, it compares and contrasts Proof-of-Work, Proof-of-Stake and Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance consensus mechanisms, assessing not just how they operate in a technical sense but also (and most important) the political, economic and social dimensions of these different blockchain governance strategies. This comparison highlights efforts by blockchain communities to redefine or push the bounds of democracy, as well as the challenges they have faced in their efforts to create digital democracies that do not reproduce the same economic and social inequalities present in traditional democratic systems.
The Influence of Police Training Programmes on Police Officers Participation in Environmental Sustainability Awareness in Uganda
Authors: Fredrick Sseggiriinya
Published: October 2019

This study sought to investigate the influence of police training programmes on police officers participation in the environmental sustainability awareness in Uganda. The investigation was provoked by the reportedly deteriorating performance of police officers in areas of environmental sustainability awareness despite of government’s effort to transform Uganda to a middle income country by 2040.The specific areas studied include influence of police training on their participation in community awareness in environmental sustainability awareness, police enforcement of environmental related laws and police officers participation in environmental sustainability. The study took an interpretive philosophical paradigm and was under pined by the Social learning theory and the Expectancy theory of Motivation. Data was collected using questionnaires, interviews, Focused Group Discussions, participant observation and documentary analysis. A total of 412 police officers and 80 non polices participated in the study. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS by use of descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, Regression analysis and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) while qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis by use of transcription, coding and themes development. The study findings showed a strong positive relationship between training programmes and police officers participation in environmental sustainability awareness, (r = 0.587, p = 0.000, n = 412). It further showed that police training programmes are predictors of police officers participation in environmental sustainability awareness, p - v < 0.050 (= 0.000). The relationship is statistically significant at 95 % confidence level. The researcher concluded that police training programmes influence police officers participation in environmental sustainability awareness in Uganda. Thus it was recommended that police management promote community awareness on environmental sustainability awareness by allocating enough funds to standardize training and other activities related to environmental sustainability awareness in Uganda.
Social Justice and Social Justice Leadership in Higher Education Institutions: The Perception of Women and Persons with Disabilities
Authors: Gedifew Matebe Tafere , Muluneh Girma Shimelis , Bitew Fentahun Mengistu
Published: October 2019

This qualitative research aimed at exploring prevailing scenarios related to social justice and social justice leadership as perceived by women and individuals with disabilities. To conduct the study, interpretive phenomenological research method was employed. In doing so, ten participants, including women and people with disabilities were selected using purposive sampling technique. Data were also collected via semi-structured interviews and focus-group discussions. Thus, the research result indicated that participants were not so strange for the concepts related to social justice and social justice leadership albeit their understanding differed. Moreover, participants pointed out that community perception towards women and persons with disabilities are not so fair and progressive, and tailored policies and strategies are not made available and being implemented in the study context. It was also indicated that different forms of sexual harassments, classroom buildings, toilets, shower rooms, dining rooms and distances between classrooms and dormitories were enumerated as major inconveniences and reflection of injustices encountering women and people with disabilities in the study context. On top of this, unfair and unjust practices in areas of staff recruitment and promotion in the study context were major challenges identified in this research.
C.R.A.P. Centre de Recerca d’Activitats Paranormals: una proposta gamificada per treballar la tecnologia a educació primària des d’una perspectiva maker
Authors: Sabaté Frank
Published: October 2019

El moviment maker i la gamificació són dues tendències a l’alça en el món de l’educació. En aquest article analitzarem els orígens i les característiques d’aquestes dos conceptes i en detallarem la seva aplicació mitjançant una experiència d’aula real. A partir d’un exemple pràctic realitzat el curs 2017-18 amb alumnat de quart de primària, anirem mostrant com aquestes dues tendències generen situacions i experiències d’aprenentatge significatiu.
Haematopoiesis and haematopoietic organs in fish
Authors: Kondera Elżbieta
Published: October 2019

Haematopoiesis is a complex process in which haematopoietic stem cells, the most immature elements of the haematopoietic hierarchy, proliferate and differentiate into various classes of haematopoietic progenitor cells. These progenitor cells have been shown to be able to differentiate into mature blood cells: erythrocytes, lymphocytes, thrombocytes, granulocytes, and monocytes. The pronephros, or head kidney, is a basic organ forming the blood elements, and is also a reservoir of blood cells. Basic haematopoietic structures and mechanisms in fish are similar to those functioning in other vertebrates, and all haematopoietic cell types are very similar to those of mammals.
Inheritance of different coat colours in Newfoundland dogs in Poland
Authors: Ziółkowski Maciej , Redlarska Agnieszka , Adamus-Fiszer Katarzyna , Kania-Gierdziewicz Joanna
Published: October 2019

The aim of the study was to present the manner in which coat colour genes are inherited in the Newfoundland dog breed and to estimate the number of dogs with various coat colours in the Polish Newfoundland dog population in 2017. This population numbered 656 dogs, including 248 males and 408 females. The estimated number of dogs of this breed also included all registered puppies, broken down by gender and coat colour. The genes determining coat colour are described, including more precisely the genes responsible for the coat colour of the Newfoundland breed. According to FCI regulations, the coat colours for Newfoundland dogs are black, brown and black-and-white. Other colours, such as brown-and-white or blue, are not recognized for breeding purposes in Europe. The study found that the dominant black coat was predominant in the Polish Newfoundland dog population in 2017. These dogs could be heterozygous at some other loci and have undesirable alleles. The second most common coat colour was chocolate, while the fewest dogs had spotted coats. The group with spotted coats contained more males than females, in contrast to the other two colour variants. There were also individuals with the blue coat colour, which is not accepted for breeding, as the result of mating of parents with proper coat colours. An understanding of how dog coat colours are inherited and the need for tests to determine coat colour genotypes would make it possible to foresee the occurrence of incorrect colours in subsequent generations, which is crucial for Newfoundland dog breeders, whose goal is to obtain dogs whose coat colour is in line with the FCI standard.
Frequency of meat quality classes in fatteners from the mass population
Authors: Sieczkowska Halina , Nurzyńska Agata , Tarczyński Krystian , Zybert Andrzej , Krzęcio-Nieczyporuk Elżbieta , Antosik Katarzyna
Published: October 2019

The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequencies of meat quality classes in pigs from the mass population. The study was carried out in the spring/summer season on 220 fatteners. The rearing and pre-slaughter handling conditions were the same for all animals. Slaughter and carcass handling were carried out according to the procedures used at the meat plant. The research material was similar in terms of hot carcass weight (85.27 ±3.06 kg) and lean meat content (58.02 ±2.76%). The results have shown that significant issues for the pork meat industry are acid meat (AM, with low suitability for processing) and exudative meat. The percentage of AM meat was as high as 25%, while 68% was exudative meat within the category of meat assessed as RFN (red, firm, normal). For accurate and detailed conclusions, studies must be conducted in fatteners of known origin (genotype).
Intrauterine fetal demise and late motherhood – a case study
Authors: Kiersnowska Iwona
Published: October 2019

Introduction: Intrauterine fetal death is a potential risk in each stage of pregnancy, regardless of the mother's age. In Poland in 2015, new standards of care were introduced for women with obstetric failure.
The objective: This study aimed to analyze intrauterine fetal demise in the context of late motherhood.
Materials and methodology: Medical documentation and a semi-structured interview were used.
Case study: A 41-year old primipara in 37 weeks of pregnancy, who had not felt fetal movements for 2 days, was diagnosed with intrauterine fetal demise. The pregnancy was uneventful before, but the patient suffered from hypertension and severe obesity. As a result of induced labor, a male neonate weighing 2260 g, 49 cm long, with no signs of vital functions, was born. After the birth, it was established that the child died due to an umbilical cord accident. The mother was given the appropriate time to see the child for the last time. During delivery and hospitalization, the patient’s privacy was ensured, she was isolated from other women in labor and new mothers and was assisted by her family. During the hospital stay, the patient was under the care of the obstetrician, midwife and clinical psychologist. She was discharged from the hospital after 6 days.
Conclusions: The loss of a child is one of the most traumatic experiences for a mother, particularly in the case of older mothers. A woman’s fertility declines with age, so getting pregnant again might prove extremely difficult for older women.
Czy prosument rozliczający energię elektryczną w systemie opustów jest podatnikiem podatku od towarów i usług?
Authors: Lewandowski Mateusz
Published: October 2019

Dnia 1 lipca 2016 r. weszła w życie nowelizacja ustawy z dnia 20 lutego 2015 r. o odnawialnych źródłach energii, wprowadzająca do polskiego porządku prawnego mechanizm wsparcia prosumentów (tzw. system opustów). Znowelizowane brzmienie ustawy wzbudziło jednak istotne wątpliwości interpretacyjne dotyczące podatkowych skutków rozliczeń energii elektrycznej w ramach systemu opustów oraz statusu prosumentów jako podatników VAT. Zgodnie z literalnym brzmieniem znowelizowanej ustawy o odnawialnych źródłach energii wprowadzanie energii elektrycznej do sieci oraz pobieranie energii z sieci przez prosumenta nie jest świadczeniem usług ani sprzedażą w rozumieniu ustawy z dnia 11 marca 2004 r. o podatku od towarów i usług.
Market-neutral trading with fuzzy inference, a new method for the pairs trading strategy
Authors: Bayram Mehmet , Akat Muzaffer
Published: October 2019

Financial pricing and prediction of stock markets is a specific and relatively narrow field, which have been mainly explored by mathematicians, economists and financial engineers. Prediction with the purpose of making profits in a martingale domain is a hard task. Pairs trading, a market neutral arbitrage strategy, attempts to resolve the drawback of unpredictability and yield market independent returns using relative pricing idea. If two securities have similar characteristics, so should their prices. Deviation from the acceptable similarity range in prices is considered an anomaly, and whenever noticed, trading is executed assuming the anomaly will correct itself.This work proposes a fuzzy inference model for the market-neutral pairs trading strategy. Fuzzy logic lets mimicking human decision-making in a complex trading environment and taking advantage of arbitrage opportunities that the crisp models may miss to acquire for the trade decision-making. Spread between two co-integrated stocks and volatility of the spread is used as decision-making inputs. Spread is a measure of the distance between two stocks and volatility is an indicator of how soon the spread would disappear. We conclude that fuzzy engine contributes to the profitability and efficiency of pairs trading type of strategies.