bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consumidor y mercado:
Authors: Fuentes Fernando , Saavedra Eduardo
Published: February 2020

El mensaje que acompaña al proyecto de Ley que reforma la Política de Protección al Consumidor en Chile deja en evidencia una clara debilidad institucional en la materia y la precariedad del SERNAC (Servicio Nacional del Consumidor) como ente fiscalizador. Lo que pretende el cambio propuesto es: fortalecer a dicho Servicio en materias de fiscalización, sanciones, interpretación de la ley, entre otras; poner fin a los Juzgados de Policía Local para resolver infracciones en materias de interés individual, traspasando las denuncias al SERNAC y las acciones de indemnización a los Tribunales Ordinarios de Justicia; Continuar leyendo...
Gratuidad en la educación superior: La revolución del status-quo
Authors: Giolito Eugenio
Published: February 2020

Aunque es muy difícil conocer con precisión los detalles del proyecto de gratuidad de la educación superior que el Gobierno enviará próximamente al Congreso, distintas fuentes coinciden en que la recaudación impositiva -fruto de la reforma tributariaserá insuficiente, por lo que probablemente se establezca un impuesto progresivo según capacidad contributiva a los estudiantes graduados con el fin de financiar (al menos parcialmente), esta política. Continuar leyendo...
Las dos caras de las normas de liquidez de Basilea III
Authors: Silva Buston Consuelo , Von Hausen Nicolás
Published: February 2020

La crisis financiera que se vivió la década recién pasada, dejó en evidencia la fragilidad de las fuentes de financiamiento de las instituciones financieras ya que elincremento de la incertidumbre generó el congelamiento de distintos mercados de financiamiento y la corrida en contra de un número considerable de bancos alrededor del mundo. Esta falta de liquidez provocó la quiebra de muchos de estos bancos y, con el fin de evitar un peor resultado, creó la necesidad de costosos salvatajes por parte de los gobiernos correspondientes. Continuar leyendo...
Excelencia o mediocridad: El rol del gobierno universitario
Authors: De Elejalde Ramiro , Ponce Carlos J.
Published: February 2020

El diseño de un sistema universitario de calidad es una de las metas más importantes de los países modernos. El avance científico y tecnológico requiere atraer y retener el talento necesario para generar nuevas ideas, empleos de calidad y una mejora en el bienestar social. Continuar leyendo...
Nada es Gratis: Reflexiones sobre la gratuidad en educación superior
Authors: De Elejalde Ramiro , Ponce Carlos
Published: February 2020

La propuesta de gratuidad en la educación universitaria ha sido tan polémica como poco debatida. En lugar de discutirse las principales ideas que subyacen a estapropuesta predominan ejes discursivos de alto contenido ideológico, pero de escasa racionalidad. El análisis que sigue pretende aclarar algunos aspectos centrales al proyecto de gratuidad. Continuar leyendo...
Subthalamic Gamma Knife Radiosurgery in Parkinson’s Disease: A Cautionary Tale
Authors: Drummond Patrick S. , Pourfar Michael H. , Hill Travis C. , Mogilner Alon Y. , Kondziolka Douglas S.
Published: February 2020

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting the subthalamic nucleus (STN) has been shown to reliably improve several symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in appropriately selected patients. Various factors may preclude patients from undergoing DBS and for them, non-invasive lesion-based therapies such as focused ultrasound and Gamma Knife (GK) radiosurgery may present a safer alternative. Materials and Methods: Based on preliminary positive reports of STN GK for PD, we conducted a prospective, open-label, single-center, pilot study in PD patients deemed potential candidates for unilateral DBS based on their disease characteristics, but contraindicated due to age >74, an irreversible bleeding diathesis, or significant comorbid medical disease. Stereotactic MRI-guided GK radiosurgery was performed using a single 110- or 120-Gy dose targeting the STN contralateral to the more symptomatic extremity. Clinical follow-up and imaging assessed the safety and efficacy of the procedure over a 12-month period. Results: Four PD patients with medication-refractory tremors and disabling dyskinesias underwent unilateral STN GK radiosurgery. Contraindications to DBS included high-risk comorbid cardiovas­cular disease in 3 patients and an irreversible bleeding diathesis in 1. There were no immediate post-procedural adverse events. One patient who underwent left STN GK radiosurgery developed right hemiparesis and dysarthria 7 months post-procedure followed by hospitalization at 9 months for bacterial endocarditis and liver failure from which he died. The remaining 3 patients were free of adverse events up to 12 months post-procedure and experienced a reduction in contralateral rigidity, bradykinesia, and tremor. Upon extended follow-up, 2 patients developed subacute worsening of gait. One died at 16 months due to complications of a fall whereas the other saw no change in gait up to 42 months post-procedure. All 3 patients with adverse events demonstrated a hyper-response in the targeted area on follow-up neuroimaging. Discussion/Conclusion: Despite the potential for clinical improvement, our results suggest that unilateral STN GK radiosurgery should be approached cautiously in medically frail PD patients who may be at higher risk of GK hyper-response and neurologic complications.
Parasite commonality at Swamp Deer (Mammalia: Artiodactyla: Cervidae: Rucervus duvaucelii duvaucelii) and livestock interface
Authors: Talukdar Animesh , Pandav Bivash , Nigam Parag
Published: February 2020

Interactions between wildlife and livestock have increased over time with increased anthropogenic pressure on limited available natural habitats.  These interactions have resulted in sharing of pathogens between the species resulting in impacting the wild animals’ fitness and reproduction and further influencing their abundance and diversity.  The spatial overlap between Swamp Deer and livestock was studied at Jhilmil Jheel Conservation Reserve (JJCR), Uttarakhand and Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary (KWLS), Uttar Pradesh in India, having different levels of interaction with livestock.  The prevalence, load and commonality of gastro-intestinal parasites in the species was studied through coprological examination. Parasitic ova of Strongyle sp., Trichostrongylus sp., Fasciola sp., and Moniezia sp. Amphistomes were encountered in swamp deer and livestock from both the sites. The parasitic species richness and prevalence however, varied between JJCR and KWLS.  The study recorded significant differences between the parasitic load in Swamp Deer with the eggs per gram of 487.5±46.30 at JJCR and 363.64±49.97 at KWLS at varying levels of livestock interactions.
Molecular detection of Murshidia linstowi in a free-ranging dead elephant calf
Authors: Hota Sourabh Ranjan , Sahoo Sonali , Dash Manojita , Pahari Avishek , Mohanty Bijayendranath , Sahoo Niranjana
Published: February 2020

Gastrointestinal helminths are ubiquitous in both domestic and wild animals. Infections are often sub-clinical except in circumstances of destabilization of host-parasite equilibrium by innate or environmental factors. The present case deals with microscopic and molecular diagnosis of Murshidia linstowi recovered from an elephant. A post-mortem examination of a free-ranging juvenile male elephant calf that had died of electrocution in Athagarh Wildlife Division revealed the presence of slender, whitish nematodes in the stomach. No gross lesions were noticed either in the site of predilection or any other internal organs. The average length of the parasites was 3.8cm.  These parasites were collected for further gross as well as microscopic examination following routine parasitological techniques. Temporary mounts prepared after cleaning the nematodes in lactophenol were observed under a microscope. Morphological features such as a well-developed mouth collar, large and globular buccal capsule with fine tubercles, cone shaped oesophageal funnel, short bursa having indistinctly divided lobes and closely apposed ventral rays and stout spicules with club shaped tips bent dorsally corroborated with that of M.linstowi (male). Amplification of the rDNA from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region using universal nematode primers NC2 and NC5 revealed a product size of 870bp. The PCR product was subjected to sequencing followed by NCBI-BLAST which revealed 98% homology with M. linstowi. A phylogenetic study showed a maximum similarity with M.linstowi recovered from elephants in Kenya. This particular nematode species belonging to the family Strongylidae and sub-family Cyathostominae appears to be the first documented report in India.
Gynochthodes cochinchinensis (DC.) Razafim. & B. Bremer (Morindeae: Rubioideae: Rubiaceae): an addition to the woody climbers of India
Authors: Kamila Pradeep Kumar , Das Prabhat Kumar , Mallia Madhusmita , Kalidass Chinnamadasamy , Pati Jagayandatta , Panda Pratap Chandra
Published: February 2020

Gynochthodes cochinchinensis (Rubiaceae), a woody climber, is reported here as a new addition to Indian flora from Similipal Biosphere Reserve, Odisha.  The species resembles its closely allied taxon Gynochthodes umbellata, but can be distinguished from it by a number of distinct morphological characters. A detailed description, notes on habitat, ecology and distribution are provided in this paper with color photographs for easy identification.
Diet ecology of tigers and leopards in Chhattisgarh, central India
Authors: Basak Krishnendu , Ahmed Moiz , Suraj M. , Reddy B.V. , Yadav O.P. , Mondal Krishnendu
Published: February 2020

Wild prey base is a potential regulatory parameter that supports successful propagation and secured long term survival of large predators in their natural habitats. Therefore, low wild prey availability with higher available livestock in or around forest areas often catalyzes livestock depredation by predators that eventually leads to adverse situations to conservation initiatives. Thus understanding the diet ecology of large predators is significant for their conservation in the areas with low prey base. The present study reports the diet ecology of tiger and leopard in Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve and Bhoramdeo Wildlife Sanctuary, in central India to know the effect of wild prey availability on prey predator relationship. We walked line transects to estimate prey abundance in the study areas where we found langur and rhesus macaque to be the most abundant species. Scat analysis showed that despite the scarcity of large and medium ungulates, tiger used wild ungulates including chital and wild pig along with high livestock utilization (39%). Leopards highly used langur (43–50 %) as a prime prey species but were observed to exploit livestock as prey (7–9 %) in both the study areas. Scarcity of wild ungulates and continuous livestock predation by tiger and leopard eventually indicated that the study areas were unable to sustain healthy large predator populations. Developing some strong protection framework and careful implementation of the ungulate augmentation can bring a fruitful result to hold viable populations of tiger and leopard and secure their long term survival in the present study areas in central India, Chhattisgarh.
The State of Wildlife and Protected Areas in Maharashtra: News and Information from the Protected Area Update 1996-2015
Authors: Singh L.A.K.
Published: February 2020

The State of Wildlife and Protected Areas in Maharashtra: News and Information from the Protected Area Update 1996-2015

ISBN: 978-81-923269-3-1 (First print 2019).

Edited by Pankaj Sekhsaria 

Published by the Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Trust, Kalpavriksh, and Rainfed Books. 

Pages: xii+235pp, 100 line-drawings; Price Rs. 400/-
First scolebythid wasp (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea, Scolebythidae) in the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

Authors: ZHANG QI , RASNITSYN ALEXANDR P. , OLMI MASSIMO , MARTYNOVA KATERYNA V. , PERKOVSKY EVGENY E.
Published: February 2020

Scolebythidae is a small relict family of ordinary looking small wasps with only four genera and six species in the contemporary fauna of Central and South America, South Africa, Madagascar, north China, Thailand, Australia and Fiji; and with 11 genera and 13 species in various Cretaceous, Eocene and Miocene ambers and rocks (Engel, 2015; present paper) ascribed to two subfamilies, one predominantly living and another mostly extinct (Engel et al., 2013). Biologically, Scolebythidae are known as gregarious parasites of xylophagous larvae of Cerambycidae and Ptinidae (Anobiinae) (summarized by Engel, 2015). Based on the morphology, the family is usually considered phylogenetically as the second most (after Plumariidae) basal one in Chrysidoidea (Brothers, 1975; Rasnitsyn, 1988, 2002; Brothers & Carpenter, 1993).
Clouds around the World: How a Simple Citizen Science Data Challenge Became a Worldwide Success
Authors: Colón Robles Marilé , Amos Helen M. , Dodson J. Brant , Bouwman Jeffrey , Rogerson Tina , Bombosch Annette , Farmer Lauren , Burdick Autumn , Taylor Jessica , Chambers Lin H.
Published: February 2020

Citizen science is often recognized for its potential to directly engage the public in science, and is uniquely positioned to support and extend participants’ learning in science. In March 2018, the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program, NASA’s largest and longest-lasting citizen science program about Earth, organized a month-long event that asked people around the world to contribute daily cloud observations and photographs of the sky (15 March–15 April 2018). What was considered a simple engagement activity turned into an unprecedented worldwide event that garnered major public interest and media recognition, collecting over 55,000 observations from 99 different countries, in more than 15,000 locations, on every continent including Antarctica. The event was called the “Spring Cloud Challenge” and was created to 1) engage the general public in the scientific process and promote the use of the GLOBE Observer app, 2) collect ground-based visual observations of varying cloud types during boreal spring, and 3) increase the number and locations of ground-based visual cloud observations collocated with cloud-observing satellites. The event resulted in roughly 3 times more observations than during the historic and highly publicized 2017 North American total solar eclipse. The dataset also includes observations over the Drake Passage in Antarctica and reports from intense Saharan dust events. This article describes how the challenge was crafted, outreach to volunteer scientists around the world, details of the data collected, and impact of the data.
Trusting Other Vehicles’ Automatic Emergency Braking Decreases Self-Protective Driving
Authors: Kinosada Yasunori , Kobayashi Takashi , Shinohara Kazumitsu
Published: February 2020

Objective

We focused on drivers in close proximity to vehicles with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). We examined whether the belief that an approaching vehicle is equipped with automatic emergency braking (AEB) influences behavior of those drivers.

Background

In addition to benefits of ADAS, previous studies have demonstrated negative behavioral adaptation, that is, behavioral changes after introduction of ADAS, by its users. However, little is known about whether negative behavioral adaptation can occur for nonusers in close proximity to vehicles with ADAS.

Method

Experienced (Experiment 1) and novice (Experiment 2) drivers drove a simulator vehicle without ADAS and tried to pass through intersections. We manipulated participants’ belief about whether an approaching vehicle had AEB and time-to-arrival of the approaching vehicle. Participants kept constant speed or pressed the brake pedal before entering each intersection. In Experiment 2, participants rated their trust in AEB by a questionnaire after driving.

Results

In both experiments, belief about the approaching vehicle’s AEB did not influence braking probability; however, belief delayed initiation of braking. The effect of belief on braking latency was only observed when trust in AEB was higher in Experiment 2.

Conclusion

Negative behavioral adaptation can occur for nonusers in close proximity to users of AEB, and trust in AEB plays an important role.

Application

When evaluating the effect of ADAS, the possible behavioral change of surrounding nonusers as well as users should be taken into account. To establish consumers’ trust accurately, advertisements (e.g., TV commercials) must carefully consider their messages.
Comprehensive equation-based design of photovoltaic module to investigate its physical parameters and operating conditions used for small application
Authors: Saleem Adeel , Liu Nain , Junjie Hu , Iqbal Atif , Waqar Ali
Published: February 2020

Solar photovoltaic is clean and green energy for renewable power generation, which plays a vital role to fulfil the power shortage for any region. Photovoltaic array is quite expensive and has non-linear characteristics. Under varying conditions, it takes much time to give operating curves. Before mount photovoltaic for any application or at any location, there is a vital phase of analysis, modelling, and simulation of the photovoltaic system, which helps to understand the actual behaviour in real conditions. This paper emphasizes on the stepwise procedure of modelling and simulation for the photovoltaic panel, which is proposed to use for the small application. The proposed system provides a reliable, accurate, and simple method to model the photovoltaic system. It takes a flexible solar panel of 180 W as a reference model. The I–V and P–V characteristics are further investigated at different operating conditions such as a variation of irradiance from 1000 to 400 W/m2, variation of temperature from 15 to 70 °C, and vary shunt resistance from higher to low values. The equation-based modelling of the photovoltaic system is built in the MATLAB/Simulink. This methodology allows investigating the photovoltaic system on different operating conditions (varying temperature and irradiance) and physical parameters (ideality factor, series and shunt resistance) along with partial shading effect.
Fabric wrinkle level classification via online sequential extreme learning machine based on improved sine cosine algorithm
Authors: Zhou Zhiyu , Zhang Ruoxi , Zhang Jianxin , Wang Yaming , Zhu Zefei , Liu Chengxia
Published: February 2020

Because it is difficulty to classify level of fabric wrinkle, this paper proposes a fabric winkle level classification model via online sequential extreme learning machine based on improved sine cosine algorithm (SCA). The SCA has excellent global optimization ability, can explore different search spaces, and effectively avoid falling into local optimum. Because the initial population of SCA will have an impact on its optimization speed and quality, the SCA is initialized by differential evolution (DE) to avoid local optimization, and then the output weight and hidden layer bias are optimized; that is, the improved SCA is used to select the optimal parameters of the online sequential extreme learning machine (OSELM) to improve the generalization performance of the algorithm. To verify the performance of the proposed model DE-SCA-OSELM, it will be compared with other algorithms using a fabric wrinkles dataset collected under standard conditions. The experimental results indicate that the proposed model can effectively find the optimal parameter value of OSELM. The average classification accuracy increased by 6.95%, 3.62%, 6.67%, and 3.34%, respectively, compared with the partial algorithms OSELM, SCAELM, RVFL and PSOSVM, which meets expectations.
Pyrexia of unknown origin in HIV-negative adults from Himachal Pradesh (India): will you suspect disseminated histoplasmosis?
Authors: Arora Navneet , Shukla Shubham , Vijaykumar Deeksha , Suri Vikas , Kumar Rajender , Pannu Ashok K
Published: February 2020

Histoplasmosis is usually clinically suspected only in people who reside in, are migrants from or are travelling to endemic areas such as North America. Immunocompetent patients with a low level of exposure typically have either subclinical or mild and self-limiting infection. The most common risk for the development of progressive disseminated form is HIV infection. We recently managed two patients with disseminated histoplasmosis, presenting with prolonged fever, significant weight loss, pallor and hepatosplenomegaly. Both were HIV-negative and lived in Himachal Pradesh (India), a region that was considered “ Histoplasma-free” until recently.
Parent-Adolescent Communication as a Protective Factor Against Adolescent Alcohol and Tobacco Use: Reported Narratives From Youth From Latinx Farmworker Families
Authors: Ruiz Yumary , Taylor Zoe E. , Cavin Rebecca
Published: February 2020

Due to high stressors and inequities, youth from Latinx migrant farmworker (LMFW) families may experience an elevated risk of early drinking and smoking. Parent-adolescent communication can protect against early initiation, but few researchers have explored this parenting practice in LMFW families. This qualitative study used youth-reported narratives to examine messages LMFW parents convey when discussing drinking and smoking, if these messages varied by age, youths’ feelings toward these discussions, and if these discussions promoted resilience against drinking and smoking among youth. Twenty-four LMFW youth (67% boys, Mage = 13.88, 79% born in the United States) were recruited from a summer Migrant Education Program in Indiana. Using thematic analysis, five themes were identified from youth interviews: (1) mostly older youth used substances, but nearly all youth stated that parent’s expressed disapproval toward underage drinking and smoking; (2) parent-adolescent discussions left youth feeling positive and confident; (3) parents used consejos to communicate about alcohol and tobacco; (4) parents were lenient toward drinking and smoking in older male teens; and (5) some parents did not offer reasons for why youth should avoid drinking and smoking or rules pertaining to these substances. Our findings have implications for research and interventions aimed at fostering parent-adolescent communication in LMFW families about alcohol and tobacco use.
A Spiritual Well-Being Model for the Healing Arts
Authors: Seaward Brian Luke , Lissard Christine
Published: February 2020

This article presents a theoretical model based on a synthesis of psychological (the word psyche means soul) theories regarding components of the human spirit, human spirituality, and the development of spiritual well-being, with a focus on the relationship between stress and human spirituality. These components include an insightful relationship with both oneself and others, a strong personal value system, and a meaningful purpose in one’s life. Additional aspects include a model for spiritual growth (seasons of the soul) and various aspects of one’s life experience that hinder or promote greater spiritual growth. Based on this model, holistic nurses may integrate these concepts into their world view of holistic healing and include the health of the human spirit as a greater part of the holistic wellness paradigm.
Implementation of a Volunteer Reiki Program at an Academic Medical Center in the Midwest
Authors: Jurkovich Priscilla , Watson Sara
Published: February 2020

Background: Reiki is a universal life-force energy that promotes healing and relaxation. Reiki requires no equipment or technology, is noninvasive, does not interfere with conventional treatments, is appropriate for all ages, and has no known medical contraindications. There is an emerging preference for nonopioid therapies for symptom management. Within an integrative person-centered holistic care model, nursing care plans include a patient’s whole narrative with physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual elements. The Evidence-Based Practice PICOT Question: Will hospitalized patients of any age (population) receiving one 20-minute session of Reiki (intervention) compared with usual care (comparison) report a change from prerating symptom score (outcome) at the completion of the 20-minute session (time frame)? Method: A total of 1,278 patients received a 20-minute Reiki session with volunteer, certified Reiki practitioners from September 2017 through October 2019. Results: The average symptom prescore was 5.52 and postscore was 2.25, thus showing an average change of −3.17. Conclusions: The authors presented the results that were consistent with research findings from the literature review suggesting that Reiki can decrease pain, general discomfort, anxiety, insomnia, and nausea.
Adaptive neural network control for stabilizing sphere of floated inertial platform using rotation vector
Authors: Bai Xibin , Zhang Lijun , Zhang Shifeng , Cai Hong , Yang Huabo , Li Anliang
Published: February 2020

This paper presents a neural network adaptive control scheme for the sphere three-dimensional stabilization of the floated inertial platform in consideration of the shell rotation and unknown attributions. Firstly, based on the analysis of the moments acting on the sphere, the dynamic model of the rotational sphere is established in view of the unknown attributions including mass distribution, hydrodynamic drag, electric brush friction, disturbances etc. Secondly, a radial basis function neural network is designed to identify the real dynamic model. Thirdly, the rotation vector from current attitude to the reference attitude is selected as the input of the controller according to the Euler rotation theorem. An updating law of the control parameters is derived from the radial basis function neural network. The adaptive controller is designed using this rotation vector and the updating law. This method addresses the problem of different dimensions between the two state variables of the dynamic model, which is derived from the sphere attitude expressed by a quaternion. Finally, simulation examples are provided to verify the effectiveness and robustness of the designed controller.
The patients have a story to tell: Informed consent for people who use illicit opiates
Authors: McCall Jane , Phillips J Craig , Estafan Andrew , Caine Vera
Published: February 2020

Background:

There is a significant discourse in the literature that opines that people who use illicit opiates are unable to provide informed consent due to withdrawal symptoms and cognitive impairment as a result of opiate use.

Aims:

This paper discusses the issues related to informed consent for this population.

Ethical considerations:

Ethical approval was obtained from both the local REB and the university. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Method:

This was a qualitative interpretive descriptive study. 22 participants were interviewed, including 18 nurses, 2 social workers and 2 clinic support workers. The findings were analyzed using thematic analysis, which is a way of systematically reducing the complexity of the information to arrive at generalized explanations.

Results:

The staff at the clinic were overwhelming clear in their judgment that people who use opiates can and should be able to participate in research and that their drug use is not a barrier to informed consent.

Conclusions:

It is important to involve people who use opiates in research. Protectionist concerns about this population may be overstated. Such concerns do not promote the interests of research participants. People who use heroin need to be able to tell their story.
RRI Beyond Its Comfort Zone: Initiating a Dialogue with Frugal Innovation by ‘the Vulnerable’
Authors: Bhaduri Saradindu , Talat Nazia
Published: February 2020

Responsible research and innovation (RRI) aims at mitigating the negative unintended consequences of technologies, developed by large business organisations, on society and environment. Scholars point out that the broader ethical underpinnings of RRI in terms of ‘transparency, interaction and mutual responsiveness’ are difficult to achieve in a typical business environment as conforming to these principles may erode the very competitive advantages the corporations seek to achieve through innovations. At the same time, the scholarship on frugal innovations by ‘the vulnerable’ puts forward an alternative narrative of innovations. Seeking to respond to the gap created by the apparatus of the mainstream market, and the State, these innovations reflect many pro-social motivations, and desire for inclusive development. The two discourses, however, remain isolated from each other. Our article is an attempt to initiate a dialogue between them. We intend to widen the scope and ambit of both RRI and the frugal innovation scholarships, which might help garner more policy and social support in favour of developing socially relevant, inclusive and context-specific innovations.
Study on behaviors of shape memory alloy materials under temperature cycling considering the damage
Authors: Liu Bingfei , Jin Shangyang , Li Xizi , Zhou Rui
Published: February 2020

This article studies the deformation behavior of shape memory alloy materials under a constant uniaxial tension stress and the cycling of temperature considering damage. In the theoretical research, the influence of damage on the material’s permanent maturity in a single cycle is fully considered. By introducing damage into material parameters such as the module of elasticity and maximum uniaxial transformation strain, a thermodynamic constitutive model that can simulate the cyclic deformation behavior of shape memory alloy materials considering damage is established and the numerical results are compared with experimental and theoretical simulation results of others to verify the correctness of the model.
Seeing the Best or Worst in Others: A Measure of Generalized Other-Perceptions
Authors: Rau Richard , Nestler Wiebke , Dufner Michael , Nestler Steffen
Published: February 2020

How positively or negatively people generally view others is key for understanding personality, social behavior, and psychopathology. Previous research has measured generalized other-perceptions by relying on either explicit self-reports or judgments made in group settings. With the current research, we overcome the limitations of these past approaches by introducing a novel measurement instrument for generalized other-perceptions: the Online-Tool for Assessing Perceiver Effects (O-TAPE). By assessing perceivers’ first impressions of a standardized set of target people displayed in social network profiles or short video sequences, the O-TAPE captures individual differences in the positivity of other-perceptions. In Study 1 ( n = 219), the instrument demonstrated good psychometric properties and correlations with related constructs. Study 2 ( n = 142) replicated these findings and also showed that the O-TAPE predicted other-perceptions in a naturalistic group setting. Study 3 ( n = 200) refined the nomological network of the construct and demonstrated that the O-TAPE is invulnerable to effects of social desirability.
An analytical method for determining the non-enclosed elastoplastic interface of a circular hole
Authors: Ma Yaocai , Lu Aizhong , Cai Hui
Published: February 2020

Based on the Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion, an analytical method is presented to determine the plastic zone in an infinite plate weakened by a circular hole and subjected to non-hydrostatic stresses at infinity. It is worth noting that this paper considers the more complicated case that the plastic zone cannot completely surround the hole, namely the elastoplastic interface is non-enclosed. Initially, the non-circular elastic zone in the physical plane is mapped onto the outer region of a unit circle in the image plane by the conformal transformation in the complex variable method. Thereby, determining the elastoplastic interface is equivalent to solving the mapping function coefficients. The nonlinear equations for solving the coefficients are established by considering both the stress continuity conditions along the elastoplastic interface and the stress boundary conditions along the elastic part of the hole. Naturally, the problem can be further transformed into an optimization problem, which is ultimately achieved by the differential-evolution algorithm; what is more, an analytical solution with high accuracy is obtained. Based on the programmed computing, the influences of various parameters on the shape and size of the plastic zone are given.
Nurturing the digital baby: Open innovation for development and optimization
Authors: Murphy Brendan Paul , O’Raghallaigh Paidi , Carr Michelle
Published: February 2020

The primary aim around developing and optimizing an electronic health record is to improve patient care and population health. The objective of this study is to design and evaluate an action research approach for the optimization of the design of a summary page artefact within an electronic health record for newborn healthcare. An action research approach was chosen for its participatory democratic process for developing practical knowledge and solutions. Collaborative workshops lead by an independent graphic facilitator with a ‘bottom up’ approach, involving self-selected motivated members from multidisciplinary healthcare teams, were designed and conducted. To evaluate this approach, insights were drawn from behavioural and design science paradigms to demonstrate that knowledge and understanding of the design problem and its solution were acquired in building the optimized summary page artefact. Information system development for healthcare requires consideration not just of what we do but how and why we do things. Our analysis demonstrates that action design research represents an agile and lean approach for successful optimization and implementation of information system development in healthcare.
The relationship between contract law and property law
Authors: Wolff Lutz-Christian
Published: February 2020

It is commonly understood that contract law and property law are different areas of law which address different issues. This article departs from this conventional position in a rather radical way by arguing that the conclusion, amendment, and termination of contracts are in fact property law transactions and that the strict divide between contract law and property law is therefore not justifiable. It demonstrates theoretical and practical implications as contract law must be redefined and aligned with the general property law framework to avoid inconsistencies and thus the violation of the notion of formal rationality.
Towards better lighting recommendations for open surgery
Authors: Hemphälä H , Osterhaus W , Larsson PA , Borell J , Nylén P
Published: February 2020

This study assesses the lighting requirements for operating theatres and the lighting conditions in a specific test case and proposes alternate ways of achieving a favourable visual environment. The hypothesis was that an increased illuminance level from general lighting and lower luminance contrasts between the essential task areas affect perceived lighting quality, visual ability and performance, as well as tiredness of medical staff performing surgical work. The investigation consisted of three parts: a laboratory study, followed by a field study and concluding with a retrospective study. In the laboratory study, each medical staff subject was exposed to four lighting scenarios with three illuminances from the operating light (12 lighting conditions), with no patients present. In the field and the retrospective study, the existing lighting scenario was compared to the highest-rated test lighting scenario (with illuminances more than double). The field study and the retrospective study took place with medical staff working under either the test general lighting condition or the existing general lighting condition. Increased illuminance from the general lighting and a higher correlated colour temperature did not improve the operating staff’s visual ability. However, medical staff rated the change in lighting quality resulting from the increased general illuminance as an improvement in the work environment, both in the laboratory study and in the field study. Medical staff subjects using the operating theatre rated both perceived visual ability and lighting quality higher under the test lighting scenario. Tiredness was also rated lower under that test scenario. Based on the results from this study, general lighting levels of 2000 lx in the periphery of the operating room, 4000 lx surrounding the operating table and 5500 lx on the operating table are recommended by the authors. With reference to the selections made by the surgeons for the illuminance in the operating cavity, it is suggested that the central beam illuminance from the surgical luminaires be between 50,000 lx and 100,000 lx.
Judicial Reform in the American States: The Chief Justice as Political Advocate
Authors: Wilhelm Teena , Vining Richard L. , Boldt Ethan D. , Black Bryan M.
Published: February 2020

The state courts of last resort are vital components of American judicial system, disposing of many important legal matters. The chief justices of these courts serve consequential roles in these institutions. Although scholars have examined the selection and duties of states’ chief justices, their interactions with the elected branches are understudied. We focus on how chief justices on state high courts use their roles to encourage judicial reform. Specifically, we examine the determinants of chief justices’ successes or failures as advocates for their justice systems. To analyze why chief justices succeed or fail as reform advocates, we analyze the fate of reform proposals offered in state of the judiciary addresses. Our results indicate that greater ideological similarity between the state legislature and chief justice or state supreme court median increases the odds of an agenda item being enacted. We also find that the scope of a policy request influences the likelihood it will be granted.
Effects of Preconditioning Local Vibrations on Subsequent Plantar Skin Blood Flow Response to Walking
Authors: Zhu Xiaotong , Wu Fu-Lien , Zhu Ting , Liao Fuyuan , Ren Yuanchun , Jan Yih-Kuen
Published: February 2020

Weight-bearing exercise such as walking may increase risk of foot ulcers in people with diabetes mellitus (DM) because of plantar ischemia due to repetitive, high plantar pressure. Applications of local vibrations on plantar tissues as a preconditioning intervention before walking may reduce plantar tissue ischemia during walking. The objective of this study was to explore whether preconditioning local vibrations reduce reactive hyperemia after walking. A double-blind, repeated-measures, and crossover design was tested in 10 healthy participants without DM. The protocol included 10-minute baseline, 10-minute local vibrations (100 Hz or sham), 10-minute walking, and 10-minute recovery periods. The order of local vibrations was randomly assigned. Skin blood flow (SBF) was measured over the first metatarsal head during baseline and recovery periods. SBF responses were characterized as peak SBF, total SBF, and recovery time of reactive hyperemia. SBF was expressed as a ratio of recovery to baseline SBF to quantify the changes. Peak SBF in the vibration protocol (6.98 ± 0.87) was significantly lower than the sham control (9.26 ± 1.34, P < .01). Total SBF in the vibration protocol ([33.32 ± 7.98] × 103) was significantly lower than the sham control ([48.09 ± 8.9] × 103, P < .05). The recovery time in the vibration protocol (166.08 ± 32.71 seconds) was not significantly different from the sham control (223.53 ± 38.85 seconds, P = .1). Local vibrations at 100 Hz could reduce walking-induced hyperemic response on the first metatarsal head. Our finding indicates that preconditioning local vibrations could be a potential preventive intervention for people at risk for foot ulcers.
Does Growth Affect Firms’ Leverage Adjustment Speed? A Study of Indian Firms
Authors: Ghose Biswajit , Kabra Kailash Chandra
Published: February 2020

The significance of firms’ growth opportunities as one of the determinants of leverage is documented in many prior studies. But, there are not enough studies which examine the impact of growth on leverage adjustment speed. In this backdrop, the present study investigates the relationship between growth and leverage adjustment speed. Second, the study also examines the moderating role of two dimensions of target deviation, that is, nature and level of deviation in the relationship between growth and leverage adjustment speed. Using partial adjustment model on a dataset of 28,532 firm-year observations comprising 2,718 listed Indian firms with 4–12 years data for each firm, the study observes faster leverage adjustment speed for high-growth firms (36%) than low-growth firms (24%). The results also confirm the moderating effect of target deviation in the relationship between growth and adjustment speed. Overall, the study concludes that firms’ growth opportunities cause asymmetries in target adjustment speed by altering the costs and benefits of adjustment, and nature and level of target deviation moderates the relationship between growth and adjustment speed. These findings are expected to have substantial practical implications for financial managers in their capital structure decisions.
Deterritorialising the Jungle: Understanding the Calais camp through its orderings
Authors: Ansaloni Francesca
Published: February 2020

Research on refugee camps and camp-like institutions has gained momentum over the last few decades, as camps have been spreading everywhere in Europe under the impact of the massive increase of migrants stuck at border zones. While early conceptualisations are based on the paradigm of the exception, some scholars have recently posited camps as socio-political spaces which are negotiated and reproduced by the everyday entanglements of the multiple bodies that contribute to their making. This article aims to make a contribution to this strand of literature by understanding camps as the temporary result of spatial and material processes of ordering. By grounding my reasoning on fieldwork in Calais, I explore the countless negotiations and the attunement of multiple rhythms that organised and segmented the Jungle. I focus on the territories built by aid groups, the state and stuff, namely the supplies that flew into the encampment, how their assembling produced orderings and control, and how those orderings shaped the political space of the camp. This territorial account aims to stress the role of the affective and the material in mediating encounters that may produce new orderings while opening up to lines of flight and the configuration of political matter.
Occurrence and removal of illicit drugs in different wastewater treatment plants with different treatment techniques
Authors: Deng Yanghui , Guo Changsheng , Zhang Heng , Yin Xingxing , Chen Like , Wu Daishe , Xu Jian
Published: February 2020

Background

As a class of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), illicit drugs should be taken into account in the water management because of their social and public health risks. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are usually considered as the source and sink of contaminants, and drug residues are observed in their effluents due to the inefficient removal of CECs. In this study, wastewater samples were collected from eight WWTPs in Changzhou City for assessment of the abuse of 12 illicit drugs in the city by wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) method.

Results

Drug concentrations ranged from < LOD-51.62 ng/L to < LOD-22.44 ng/L in influent and effluent samples, respectively. The highest removal rate of drugs was 79.0% in the WWTP which used sequencing batch reactor activated sludge (SBR) process method, while the lowest was found in the WWTP using anoxic oxic (A/O) process (47.0%), indicating that the drug removal rates were closely related to the treatment techniques. WBE method was applied to estimate the population normalized illicit drugs consumption. It demonstrated that methamphetamine (METH) was the most abused drug in Changzhou City, ranging from 0.16 to 20.65 mg/d/1000 inh, while other target drugs ranged from < LOD-1.52 mg/d/1000 inh. Consumption of cocaine (COC) and ecstasy was very low among the samples.

Conclusion

Overall, this research suggests that drug removal rates varied in different WWTPs and the SBR process is the best for removing illicit drugs. All target drugs were incompletely removed in wastewater treatment plants. WBE can be readily used to monitor the abuse of drugs in those regions, compared with traditional monitoring models.
The potential relationship between neurobehavioral toxicity and visual dysfunction of BDE-209 on zebrafish larvae: a pilot study
Authors: Zhang Bin , Xu Ting , Yin Daqiang , Wei Sheng
Published: February 2020

Background

Although listed in the Stockholm Convention, commercial Decabromodiphenyl ether (c-DecaBDE) is still being produced in many factories and used as a kind of flame retardants primarily in plastic polymers and textiles. Widespread use offered many exposure ways of its major ingredient, BDE-209, to humans and the environment. Most current studies of BDE-209 focused on the health effects and toxicity of thyroid disruption, oxidative stress, neurotoxicity, and reproductive function, but seldom spread light on the relationship between neurobehavioral toxicity and visual dysfunction. Using zebrafish larvae model, we hope to uncover the potential relationship between the neurobehavioral and visual effects after exposure to BDE-209.

Results

BDE-209 exposure could not induce the changes of locomotion and path angle in 5 days post fertilization (dpf) larvae; however, 5 μg/L BDE-209 exposure caused locomotor hyperactivity and more responsive turns at 7 dpf. The social activity of 50 μg/L exposure group was significantly higher than the control group at 6 dpf. Besides, 5 and 50 μg/L exposure caused the upregulation and downregulation of four cone opsin genes, respectively. The expression of rhodopsin gene was not influenced by both concentration exposures.

Conclusion

The neurobehavioral effects induced by 5 μg/L BDE-209 exposure were consistent with the upregulation of four cone opsins in 7 dpf larvae. The low concentration of BDE-209 exposure caused the hyperactivity and more responsive turns of larvae possibly contributing to the disruption on the cone opsin expressions of larvae. Our results would provide the mechanism cue of neurobehavioral toxicity after BDE-209 exposure and call for more attention on the ecotoxicology studies of BDE-209.
Skewed distribution of leaf color RGB model and application of skewed parameters in leaf color description model
Authors: Chen Zhengmeng , Wang Fuzheng , Zhang Pei , Ke Chendan , Zhu Yan , Cao Weixing , Jiang Haidong
Published: February 2020

Background

Image processing techniques have been widely used in the analysis of leaf characteristics. Earlier techniques for processing digital RGB color images of plant leaves had several drawbacks, such as inadequate de-noising, and adopting normal-probability statistical estimation models which have few parameters and limited applicability.

Results

We confirmed the skewness distribution characteristics of the red, green, blue and grayscale channels of the images of tobacco leaves. Twenty skewed-distribution parameters were computed including the mean, median, mode, skewness, and kurtosis. We used the mean parameter to establish a stepwise regression model that is similar to earlier models. Other models based on the median and the skewness parameters led to accurate RGB-based description and prediction, as well as better fitting of the SPAD value. More parameters improved the accuracy of RGB model description and prediction, and extended its application range. Indeed, the skewed-distribution parameters can describe changes of the leaf color depth and homogeneity.

Conclusions

The color histogram of the blade images follows a skewed distribution, whose parameters greatly enrich the RGB model and can describe changes in leaf color depth and homogeneity.