bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
STATISTICS OF LOW-FREQUENCY KERNEL (SUBORDINATING) MODELS OF THE VERBAL WORD-GROUPS IN THE TEXT CORPUS “RADIO ELECTRONICS”
Authors: Shapa Ludmila , Nevreva Maria , Tsinovaya Marina
Published: April 2019

The paper deals with one of the most widely used types of verbal word combinations, namely kernel (subordinating) models of the
verbal word-groups functioning in the “Radio electronics” text corpus, which refers to the technical and scientific discourse. The
text corpus was compiled on the basis of scientific and technical journals “Radio electronics” published in the USA by the method
of a continuous sampling. In order to select this kind of models a theoretical approach describing the problems of combinatorics and
valance is considered. This permits to take into account both contact and distance elements, which are necessarily connected with
the verb by grammatical (subordinating) bond and form a word-group with it. For compilation of the inventory of kernel models
of the subordinating verbal word-groups 10698 sentences are subjected to the distributive analysis. The models occurring with the
low frequency (below 180) are exclusively chosen. The total amount of low frequency model is 41 units. Except the distributive
methods the statistical ones are applied in the research. The quantitative analysis of kernel models used in the text corpus with a
low frequency has shown that the number of different models is much bigger as compared to the same units with a high frequency
of usage – 77, 4% and 22, 6%, respectively. But the total frequencies comparison goes in the favour of high frequency models –
0, 4% to 99, 6%. Besides quantitative characteristics the simplicity/complexity parameter of the model structures are analysed. In
studying the high frequency kernel models the direct dependence of frequency of usage on the model structure was observed – the
simpler the structure is the higher the frequency is. But the low frequency kernel models demonstrate more complex and contradictory
functioning as regard to this parameter. In most cases the tendency to indirect dependence is seen quite distinctly, i.e. the
simpler the structure is the lower the frequency is, and the chaotic distribution of frequencies occurs in the frequently highest among
low-frequency models.
THE INTERPRETATION OF MYTHOLOGEMES IN A. PUSHKIN’S WORKS: PSYCHOLINGUISTIC ASPECT
Authors: Iakovlieva Olga , Hryhorash Viktoriia
Published: April 2019

The article highlights the fact that at the present stage of the development of linguistics, linguistic and cultural studies are held at
an interdisciplinary level that involves the synthesis of data of ethnolinguistics, cultural linguistics and psycholinguistics as well.
Within the framework of the last discipline, the problem of interpreting the text is relevant, in the process of which the highest
measure of understanding is realized.
It is worth noticing that the problem, related to the theory of the picture of the world, remains relevant in the works of the linguists
of recent years. In Ukraine, such studies are conducted taking into account not only the peculiarities of the ethnic consciousness of
both Ukrainian-speaking and Russian-speaking population, but also traditions, rituals, beliefs and mythology.
The aim of the article is to describe at an interdisciplinary level, taking into account the knowledge of folk mythology, as well as
the beliefs of the Russians and the Ukrainians, polysemantics of the mythologemes of the Cat and the Mermaid in Pushkin’s works.
The attention is paid to the author’s interpretation of knowledge about mermaids, which is preserved in the memory of the Eastern
Slavs. The national peculiarity in the mythological picture of the world of the Russians and the Ukrainians is partially identified.
The presented information will contribute to the formation of the most complete ‘contents image of the Pushkin’s text’.
The authors have used the method of contextual-interpretation analysis and the method of reconstruction of ethnic stereotypes in
describing the national features of the mythological picture of the world of the Russians and the Ukrainians.
The results of the research might be useful for linguists when interpreting A. Pushkin’s works and researching the national peculiarities
of the linguistic picture of the world of different peoples.
Remittances and Labour Supply Revisited: New Evidence from the Macedonian Behavioural Tax and Benefit Microsimulation Model
Authors: Petreski Marjan
Published: April 2019

The objective of the paper is to revisit the role of remittances for labour-supply responses. Previous studies documented conflicting results, while the key methodological concern – remittances’ endogeneity about labour supply – has not been resolved convincingly. We construct behavioural tax and benefit microsimulation model and simulate labour-market responses of singles and couples had remittances not existed in their households. This is a novel methodological approach avoiding the usual trap of utilisation of inappropriate instruments to remittances. Our results suggest that remittances are prevalently associated with lower labour-market activity, especially for women. However, the labour-supply response is found quite feeble and only in single families. Hence, while previous findings are not entirely rebutted, they may have been overstated and are highly dependent on the construct of the receiving household.
Citizenship-for-Sale Schemes in Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Malta
Authors: Privara Andrej
Published: April 2019

Citizenship-for-sale schemes aimed at attracting wealthy and mobile individuals, so-called “high net worth individuals” (HNWIs) whose net assets are of US$1 million or more. A growing number of governments now seek to attract this category of migrants with abundant wealth. Many large and small states introduced various programmes and schemes to attract foreign investors. However, the European Commission has many concerns about these schemes regarding national security risks, ethics of nationality and can possible economic distortions. In a resolution adopted in January 2014, the European Parliament expressed its concern that the “outright sale of EU citizenship undermines the mutual trust upon which the Union is built”. It maintained that “EU citizenship implies the holding of a stake in the Union” and this “should never become a tradeable commodity”. This article explores citizenship for sale schemes in three new member states that joined the EU in 2004-2007 pointing out key areas of concern in the implementation of citizenship-for-sale schemes in the cases of Cyprus, Malta, and Bulgaria.
Book Reviews
Authors: Letters Migration
Published: April 2019

Human Security and Migration in Europe's Southern Borders by Susana Ferreira. Palgrave Macmillan: Springer Nature, 2018, xvii + 211 pp. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-77947-8Dr Diotima Chattoraj, University Brunei Darussalam, Brunei. Borders and Mobility in South Asia and Beyond by Reece Jones and Md. Azmeary Ferdoush  (eds.), Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, Netherlands, 2018. PP.277, Price: € 99,00 (Hardback), ISBN: 9789462984547Dr Saleh Shahriar, College of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, Yangling 712100, The People’s Republic of China.Migration, Refugees and Human Security in the Mediterranean and MENA edited by Marion Boulby and Kenneth Christie, Palgrave Macmillan (2018, ISBN: 978-3319707747).Dr Gül Oral, Kadir Has University, Turkey.21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2018, 372 pp. ISBN: 978-1787330672.Dr Uzi Rebhun, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
The Other Entrepreneurs - Migrant Economies as Spaces for Social Innovation?
Authors: Lintner Claudia
Published: April 2019

This article analyses the relationship between migrant entrepreneurship, marginalisation and social innovation. It does so, by looking how their ‘otherness’ is used on the one hand to reproduce their marginalised situation in society and on the other to develop new living and working arrangements promoting social innovation in society. The paper is based on a qualitative study, which was carried out from March 2014- 2016. In this period, twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with migrant entrepreneurs and experts. As the results show, migrant entrepreneurs are characterised by a false dichotomy of “native weakness” in economic self-organisation against the “classical strength” of majority entrepreneurs. It is shown that new possibilities of acting in the context of migrant entrepreneurship are mostly organised in close relation to the lifeworlds and specific needs deriving from this sphere. Social innovation processes initiated by migrant entrepreneurs through their economic activities thus develop on a micro level and are hence less apparent. Supportive networks are missing on a structural level, so it becomes difficult for single innovative initiatives to be long-lasting.
Universalist Rights and Particularist Duties: The Case of Refugees
Authors: Bauhn Per
Published: April 2019

The conflict between refugees’ human right to be admitted to a safe country and the right of states to exercise sovereign control of their borders, including the right to deny refugees entry, can be understood in terms of a normative conflict between two ethical systems, namely those of ethical universalism and ethical particularism. Here it is suggested that this conflict can be resolved by combining a universalist comparable cost argument with a particularist fair share argument. The comparable cost argument affirms that a state receiving refugees should allow at least the most basic rights of refugees to override less important rights of its own citizens. The fair share argument modifies the comparable cost argument by affirming that no state is morally obligated to sacrifice any of its citizens’ rights for the sake of protecting a larger share of refugees than what is fair, given its resources.
Promoting Health from Outside the State: La Comunidad, Migrants, and Hometown Associations
Authors: Munoz Jose , Collazo Jose
Published: April 2019

Migrants and organizational collectives, such as hometown associations (HTAs), have sent remittances to their countries of origin in an attempt to alleviate unmet health care needs. Additionally, migrants will use collective funds to rehabilitating roads; improving sewage systems and water quality; constructing recreational facilities; and refurbishing community buildings. All of these projects contribute to public health. The question explored in this paper is how remittances from abroad potentially contributes to the health of hometown communities. This focus on health and related issues allows for exploring HTA cross-border work as particularly informative in understanding state/society relations. In effect, we bring light to how a migrant transnational social movement can attempt to address health needs in its hometown. The Comparative Immigrant Organization Project (CIOP) is used to answer this question.  For this paper, the level of analysis for the CIOP is organizational.
Contributors or competitors? Complexity and variability of refugees’ economic ‘impacts’ within a Kenyan host community
Authors: Omata Naohiko
Published: April 2019

Drawing upon in-depth qualitative research with refugees and host populations in Kenya, this article offers a diverging viewpoint towards refugees’ economic impacts within a hosting area and sheds light on the complexity and variability of such impacts perceived by different members of a host community. Due to the unprecedented numbers of refugees worldwide, assessing the impacts of hosting refugees is currently a ‘hot topic’ in the international community. However, the primary complication for studies that attempt to measure economic impacts are the complex patterns of economic interactions that refugees have with host communities. This means that refugees’ economic impacts may be viewed, experienced and distributed unequally amongst the members of receiving society. Through a case-study in Nairobi’s outskirts, this article demonstrates different patterns of engagement between refugees and the local population in the context of a labour market, and reveals contrasting views towards refugees’ economic impacts within the host community.
Estudio de un Sistema de Tratamiento de Aguas Residuales Provenientes de una Industria de Papel
Authors: Merizalde Edgar , Montenegro Lucia , Cabrera Marcelo
Published: April 2019

El objetivo de la presente investigación es estudiar un sistema de tratamiento de aguas residuales provenientes de una industria de papel con base en un reactor biológico rotativo de contacto (RBC). Se caracterizó el agua residual llegando a la conclusión que dicho efluente no se puede descargar directamente debido a que incumple en las concentraciones establecidas en el Registro Oficial N° 387 del 4 de Noviembre del 2015 de la República del Ecuador en los parámetros de DBO, DQO, sólidos sedimentables, suspendidos y totales. Se inició el estudio con un tratamiento de sedimentación a escala de laboratorio sin la adición de floculantes y coagulantes lo que permitió la remoción de sólidos sedimentables. Luego pasó a un RBC cuyo volumen inicial fue de 3,0 L: 2,7 L de agua residual y 0,3 L de inóculo de microorganismos; el tiempo de estabilización de los microorganismos fue de 14 días. Posteriormente se tuvo un tratamiento por medio de un filtro abierto de arena y grava a escala de laboratorio con una altura de 55 cm de arena de sílice precipitada. Estos tratamientos permitieron el cumplimiento de la normativa ambiental para el control de descargas líquidas. Se diseñó el sistema de tratamiento para un flujo de 140 m3/día, el cual cuenta con un tanque de almacenamiento de 32,67 m3, un sedimentador de 30,00 m3, un RBC de 35,95 m3 con 150 discos de polietileno y dos filtros abiertos de arena y grava de 11,66 m3.
GLANSDORFF-PRIGOGINE THEOREM IN THE DESCRIPTION OF TREMOR CHAOTIC DYNAMICS IN COLD STRESS
Authors: Eskov V M , Zinchenko Y P , Filatov M A , Ilyashenko L K
Published: April 2019

The behavior dynamics of entropy E value in one man with multi repetition of tremor registration (N = 225 repetition) has been studied according to Eskov-Zinchenko theory effect in biomechanics. Almost full E coincidence according to 15-th series consisting of 15 tremorograms each proves the stable value of E for all 225 such registration (with repetition). It is like deterministic chaos. But the stress effect (2 min cooling of limb in water with t 4 °C does not show significant change of E value in tremorograms of three groups of test persons comparing with their initial state. There is a necessity to use another criteria for cold stress assessment (not stochastic approach) while creating special condition for cool adaptation (cold water treatment during 1 year and 2 years). Entropy E as a chaos measure is ineffective for assessment such adaptation procedures for the human body in the North. At the same time, matrix computation of paired comparison of tremorograms selection shows the lack of statistical stability in these samples, i. e., for two received samples, we are unable to obtain two identical statistical distribution functions. This effect was called Eskov-Zinchenko effect and now we prove that the values of entropy E of the obtained samples remain unchanged. Entropy stationarity for different states of homeostasis is one more proof of the systems' features of the third type in human ecology.
Representations of British Chinese Identities and British Television Drama: Mapping the Field
Authors: Knox Simone
Published: April 2019

While important scholarship exists on the television representations of Asian American identities, research in the UK has been focused on African Caribbean and South Asian identities. Very little scholarly attention has been paid to televisual representations of British Chinese identities, despite the British Chinese constituting one of the larger and fastest growing ethnic minority groups within contemporary Britain. Informed by an understanding of the complexity of the term ‘British Chinese’, this article explores the representation of British Chinese identities in British television drama. Despite the long-standing absence and invisibility of such identities in British television, as perceived within the popular imagination in Britain and in British Chinese discourses, the article shows that a larger number of British Chinese actors have found notable employment in British television than is commonly acknowledged or remembered within the popular imagination. The article draws on a database that deploys a range of research, including archive research at the BFI Reuben Library, to map the presence of British Chinese actors in British television drama since 1945. Through this historiographic focus, the article identifies some of the most significant trends in representations of British Chinese identities in British television drama. It then illustrates and provides more specific texture to these broader patterns through the close textual analysis of a case study, the BBC1 flagship series Sherlock. It concludes by reflecting on the contemporary period which has seen an influx of British Chinese actors into British television drama as well as high-profile diversity campaigning within Britain.
Tradição oral e memória dos povos de religiões afro-brasileiras: possibilidades de pesquisa em história
Authors: Pinheiro Lisandra Barbosa Macedo
Published: April 2019

Recebido:  07/05/2017 Aprovado:  20/10/2017Publicado: 10/12/2017Este artigo tem como objetivo compreender as expressões da oralidade das comunidades de religiões afro-brasileiras, enquanto fontes históricas. Entende-se como narrativas orais, transmissão de saberes, que se constituem a partir das experiências das populações de origem africana dispersas pelo Brasil, traduzidas principalmente em contos, rezas, gestos, dança e música. Como elemento-chave na constituição de uma tradição oral afro-brasileira, essas narrativas tornam-se relevantes para pesquisas históricas porque são entendidas como uma outra forma de expressar as memórias ancestrais, contribuindo, assim, para a produção e transmissão de experiências e práticas culturais entre diferentes gerações. A tradição oral afro-brasileira, enquanto fonte histórica, contribui para o enriquecimento das pesquisas historiográficas, pois revelam outras perspectivas epistemológicas, sobretudo a partir das tensões provocadas pelas percepções do mundo afro-diaspórico, em contraponto à hegemonia da cultura material e escrita, além de conceitos ligados à cultura, de base eurocêntrica, ainda predominantes na sociedade brasileira. Palavras-chave: Tradição oral, memória, religiões afro-brasileiras.
DELAYED SYMPTOM ONSET AFTER PEDIATRIC CAMPHOR INGESTION
Authors: L. Boland Lori
Published: April 2019

Introduction:
Camphor toxicity after ingestion often causes gastrointestinal symptoms, and in
serious cases often involves neurological effects. Symptoms typically occur
within 90 minutes of ingestion.  We
describe a pediatric patient with an atypical and unusually delayed
presentation of camphor toxicity.Case
Report: A 4-year-old female presented to the
emergency department (ED) via ambulance with altered mental status after a witnessed
postictal phase. The child had no history of seizures, no recent surgery or
trauma, and initial vitals and physical examination in the ED were normal. The
mother reported the child might have ingested an unknown quantity of Vicks®
VapoRub approximately 4+ hours prior to the apparent seizure and had been acting
normally at daycare in the interim. The girl was alert and maintained her
baseline neurologic function with no seizure activity for the duration of her
ED encounter, but three hours after ED arrival and seven hours after ingestion,
the child began vomiting, with Vicks® VapoRub evident in the emesis. She was
given oral ondansetron (Zofran®; GlaxoSmithKline, Middlesex, United Kingdom),
was able to per os challenge, and was
discharged.

Conclusion: This case illustrates the potential variability of
presentation in pediatric camphor toxicity, particularly the lack of
gastrointestinal upset as an initial symptom
Designing and Analysis of the TCA Parameters of a Bevel Gear Having Circular Tooth Direction in the Function of the Moment
Authors: Sándor Dr. Bodzás
Published: April 2019

The aim of this publication is the designing and the CAD modelling of the Gleason – type bevel gear pair and the analysis of the connecting teeth in case of different load moments. The main properties of this gear pair are the changing whole depth along the face width and the circular tooth direction which is created by a complicated cutting tool. Cutting edges are situated along the perimeter of the middle circle by equal circular pitches on the cutting tool. After the creation of the CAD model, which could be created by numerical way, TCA could be done in the function of the moment changing. The normal stress, normal elastic strain and normal deformation will be analyzed on the surface of the driven gear perpendicularly for the tooth surface. Knowing of the results correlations will be visualized based on the TCA results and the load moments. The behavior of the contact teeth will be analyzed.
Comparative Transcriptomics Reveal Key Sheep (Ovis aries) Hypothalamus LncRNAs that Affect Reproduction
Authors: Zhang Zhuangbiao , Tang Jishun , Di Ran , Liu Qiuyue , Wang Xiangyu , Gan Shangquan , Zhang Xiaosheng , Zhang Jinlong , Hu Wenping , Chu Mingxing
Published: April 2019

The diverse functions of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which execute their functions mainly through modulating the activities of their target genes, have been have been widely studied for many years (including a number of studies involving lncRNAs in the ovary and uterus). Herein, for the first time, we detect lncRNAs in sheep hypothalami with FecB++ through RNA Sequencing (RNA-Seq) and identify a number of known and novel lncRNAs, with 622 and 809 found to be differentially expressed in polytocous sheep in the follicular phase (PF) vs. monotocous sheep in the follicular phase (MF) and polytocous sheep in the luteal phase (PL) vs. monotocous sheep in the luteal phase (ML), respectively. Then, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed based on the predicted target genes. The most highly enriched GO terms (at the molecular function level) included carbonyl reductase (NADPH), 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (NADP+), and prostaglandin-E2 9-reductase activity in PF vs. MF, and phosphatidylinositol-3,5-bisphosphate binding in PL vs. ML was associated with sheep fecundity. Interestingly, the phenomena of valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation in PL vs. ML, and valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis in PF vs. MF, were present. In addition, the interactome of lncRNA and its targets showed that MSTRG.26777 and its cis-targets ENSOARG00000013744, ENSOARG00000013700, and ENSOARG00000013777, and MSTRG.105228 and its target WNT7A may participate in the sheep reproductive process at the hypothalamus level. Significantly, MSTRG.95128 and its cis-target Forkhead box L1 (FOXG1) were shown to be upregulated in PF vs. MF but downregulated in PL vs. ML. All of these results may be attributed to discoveries of new candidate genes and pathways related to sheep reproduction, and they may provide new views for understanding sheep reproduction without the effects of the FecB mutation.
Resonant Terahertz Light Absorption by Virtue of Tunable Hybrid Interface Phonon–Plasmon Modes in Semiconductor Nanoshells
Authors: Nika Denis , Pokatilov Evghenii , Fomin Vladimir , Devreese Josef , Tempere Jacques
Published: April 2019

Metallic nanoshells have proven to be particularly versatile, with applications in biomedical imaging and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Here, we theoretically demonstrate that hybrid phonon-plasmon modes in semiconductor nanoshells offer similar advantages in the terahertz regime. We show that, depending on tm,n,nhe doping of the semiconductor shells, terahertz light absorption in these nanostructures can be resonantly enhanced due to the strong coupling between interface plasmons and phonons. A threefold to fourfold increase in the absorption peak intensity was achieved at specific values of electron concentration. Doping, as well as adapting the nanoshell radius, allowed for fine-tuning of the absorption peak frequencies.
Evaluation of Sodium Omadine for Short-Term Preservation of Nitrate-N and Orthophosphate in Water Samples
Authors: Dunderman Lucia , Verma Siddhartha , Davidson Paul
Published: April 2019

Maintaining nitrate-N and orthophosphate (dissolved reactive phosphorus) concentrations in a water sample over time is critical for water quality research. This study investigated the ability of current preservation methods to maintain nitrate-N and orthophosphate concentrations in environmental water samples over a period of up to 14 days. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) currently recommends adding sulfuric acid for nitrate-N and filtering the water sample at the time of collection for orthophosphate. This study compared these recommended methods to baseline control concentrations in subsurface tile drainage water, pond water, and stream water. In addition, sodium omadine was tested as a potential alternative preservative. Across the three sources of water tested, sulfuric acid was the most reliable preservation method for both nitrate-N and orthophosphate, with percent changes from the baseline concentrations on Day 14 ranging from 2.30–3.27% for nitrate-N and 1.94–8.48% for orthophosphate. The control samples also maintained the baseline concentrations quite well, with percent changes on Day 14 ranging from 0.09–6.68% for nitrate-N and 2.63–11.87% for orthophosphate. When sodium omadine was added to the water samples, the nitrate-N concentrations had percent changes of 0.13–6.10% from the baseline concentration on Day 14. In contrast, sodium omadine was less effective for maintaining orthophosphate concentrations, with percent changes of 8.86–13.06% from the baseline concentration on Day 14. However, there were no significantly different orthophosphate concentrations when sodium omadine was added to stream water, showing a promising alternative for this scenario. Depending on the objective, researchers may need to consider the source water and length of storage of water samples to determine what, if any, preservative is necessary.
Experimental Study on Hysteretic Behavior of the Overlapped K-Joints with Concrete Filled in Chord
Authors: Yang Wenwei , Yan Ruhao , Suo Yaqi , Zhang Guoqing , Huang Bo
Published: April 2019

Due to the insufficient radial stiffness of the steel tube, the cracking of the weld and the plastic deformation of the string often occur under the cyclic loading of the hollow section pipe joint. In order to avoid such a failure, the overlapped K-joints were strengthened by pouring different concrete into the chords. Furthermore, to explore the detailed effect of filling different concrete in a chord on the hysteretic behavior of the overlapped K-joints, six full-scale specimens were fabricated by two forms, which included the circular chord and braces, the square chord and circular braces, and the low cyclic loading tests, which were carried out. The failure modes, hysteretic curves and skeleton curves of the joints were obtained, and the bearing capacity, ductility and energy dissipation of the joints were evaluated quantitatively. The results showed that plastic failure occurs on the surface of the chord of the joints without filling concrete, while the failure mode of the joints filled with concrete in the chords was the tensile failure of the chords at the weld of the brace toe, and the compressive braces had a certain buckling deformation; The strengthening measures of concrete filled with chord can effectively improve the mechanical properties of the K-joints, the delay of the plastic deformation of the chord, and improve the bearing capacity of the K-joints. Contrarily, the ductility coefficient and the energy dissipation ratio of K-joints decreased with the concrete filled in the chord. The hysteretic behavior of the K-joints with a circular chord and brace was slightly better than that of the K-joints with a square chord and circular brace, and the hysteretic behavior of the K-joints strengthened with fly ash concrete, which was better than that of the K-joints strengthened with ordinary concrete. The results of ANSYS (a large general finite element analysis software developed by ANSYS Company in the United States) analysis agreed well with the experimental results.
Energy-Aware Online Non-Clairvoyant Scheduling Using Speed Scaling with Arbitrary Power Function
Authors: Singh Pawan , Khan Baseem , Vidyarthi Ankit , Haes Alhelou Hassan , Siano Pierluigi
Published: April 2019

Efficient job scheduling reduces energy consumption and enhances the performance of machines in data centers and battery-based computing devices. Practically important online non-clairvoyant job scheduling is studied less extensively than other algorithms. In this paper, an online non-clairvoyant scheduling algorithm Highest Scaled Importance First (HSIF) is proposed, where HSIF selects an active job with the highest scaled importance. The objective considered is to minimize the scaled importance based flow time plus energy. The processor’s speed is proportional to the total scaled importance of all active jobs. The performance of HSIF is evaluated by using the potential analysis against an optimal offline adversary and simulating the execution of a set of jobs by using traditional power function. HSIF is 2-competitive under the arbitrary power function and dynamic speed scaling. The competitive ratio obtained by HSIF is the least to date among non-clairvoyant scheduling. The simulation analysis reflects that the performance of HSIF is best among the online non-clairvoyant job scheduling algorithms.
A Radiological Approach to Evaluate Bone Graft Integration in Reconstructive Surgeries
Authors: Grottoli Carlo F. , Ferracini Riccardo , Compagno Mara , Tombolesi Alessandro , Rampado Osvaldo , Pilone Lucrezia , Bistolfi Alessandro , Borrè Alda , Cingolani Alberto , Perale Giuseppe
Published: April 2019

(1) Background: Bone tissue engineering is a promising tool to develop new smart solutions for regeneration of complex bone districts, from orthopedic to oral and maxillo-facial fields. In this respect, a crucial characteristic for biomaterials is the ability to fully integrate within the patient body. In this work, we developed a novel radiological approach, in substitution to invasive histology, for evaluating the level of osteointegration and osteogenesis, in both qualitative and quantitative manners. (2) SmartBone®, a composite xeno-hybrid bone graft, was selected as the base material because of its remarkable effectiveness in clinical practice. Using pre- and post-surgery computed tomography (CT), we built 3D models that faithfully represented the patient’s anatomy, with special attention to the bone defects. (3) Results: This way, it was possible to assess whether the new bone formation respected the natural geometry of the healthy bone. In all cases of the study (four dental, one maxillo-facial, and one orthopedic) we evaluated the presence of new bone formation and volumetric increase. (4) Conclusion: The newly established radiological protocol allowed the tracking of SmartBone® effective integration and bone regeneration. Moreover, the patient’s anatomy was completely restored in the defect area and functionality completely rehabilitated without foreign body reaction or inflammation.
Improving Estimation of Cropland Evapotranspiration by the Bayesian Model Averaging Method with Surface Energy Balance Models
Authors: Sun Huaiwei , Yang Yong , Wu Ruiying , Gui Dongwei , Xue Jie , Liu Yi , Yan Dong
Published: April 2019

Evapotranspiration (ET) is one of the key components of the global hydrological cycle. Many models have been established to obtain an accurate estimation of ET, but the uncertainty of each model has not been satisfactorily addressed, and the weight determination in multi-model simulation methods remains unclear. In this study, the Bayesian model averaging (BMA) method was adopted to tackle this issue. We explored the combination of four surface energy balance (SEB) models (SEBAL, SSEB, S-SEBI and SEBS) with the BMA method by using Landsat 8 images over two study areas in China, the Huailai flux station (semiarid region) and the Sidaoqiao flux station (arid/semiarid region), and the data from two stations were used as validation for this method. The performances of SEB models and different BMA methods is revealed by three statistical parameters (i.e., the coefficient of determination (R2), root mean squared error (RMSE), and the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE)). We found the best performing SEB model was SEBAL, with an R2 of 0.609 (0.672), RMSE of 1.345 (0.876) mm/day, and NSE of 0.407 (0.563) at Huailai (Sidaoqiao) station. Compared with the four individual SEB models, each of the BMA methods (fixed, posterior inclusion probability, or random) can provide a more accurate and reliable simulation result. Similarly, in Huailai (Sidaoqiao) station, the best performing BMA random model provided an R2 of 0.750 (0.796), RMSE of 0.902 (0.602) mm/day, and NSE of 0.746 (0.793). We conclude that the BMA method outperformed the four SEB models alone and obtained a more accurate prediction of ET in two cropland areas, which provides important guidance for water resource allocation and management in arid and semiarid regions.
Why Has Breast Cancer Screening Failed to Decrease the Incidence of de Novo Stage IV Disease?
Authors: Heller Danielle R. , Chiu Alexander S. , Farrell Kaitlin , Killelea Brigid K. , Lannin Donald R.
Published: April 2019

Background: Despite screening mammography, the incidence of Stage IV breast cancer (BC) at diagnosis has not decreased over the past four decades. We previously found that many BCs are small due to favorable biology rather than early detection. This study compared the biology of Stage IV cancers with that of small cancers typically found by screening. Methods: Trends in the incidence of localized, regional, and distant female BC were compared using SEER*Stat. The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was then queried for invasive cancers from 2010 to 2015, and patient/disease variables were compared across stages. Biological variables including estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2), grade, and lymphovascular invasion were sorted into 48 combinations, from which three biological subtypes emerged: indolent, intermediate, and aggressive. The distributions of the subtypes were compared across disease stages. Multivariable regression assessed the association between Stage IV disease and biology. Results: SEER*Stat confirmed that the incidence of distant BC increased between 1973 and 2015 (annual percent change [APC] = 0.46). NCDB data on roughly 993,000 individuals showed that Stage IV disease at presentation is more common in young, black, uninsured women with low income/education and large, biologically aggressive tumors. The distribution of tumor biology varied by stage, with Stage IV disease including 37.6% aggressive and 6.0% indolent tumors, versus sub-centimeter Stage I disease that included 5.1% aggressive and 40.6% indolent tumors (p < 0.001). The odds of Stage IV disease presentation more than tripled for patients with aggressive tumors (OR3.2, 95% CI 3.0–3.5). Conclusions: Stage I and Stage IV breast cancers represent very different populations of biologic tumor types. This may explain why the incidence of Stage IV cancer has not decreased with screening.
Epoxidation of Karanja (Millettia pinnata) Oil Methyl Esters in the Presence of Hydrogen Peroxide over a Simple Niobium-Containing Catalyst
Authors: Scotti Nicola , Ravasio Nicoletta , Evangelisti Claudio , Psaro Rinaldo , Penso Michele , Niphadkar Prashant S. , Bokade Vijay V. , Guidotti Matteo
Published: April 2019

The synthesis, characterization and catalytic performance of a conceptually simple, novel NbOx-SiO2 catalyst are here described. The niobium(V)-silica catalyst was prepared starting from cheap and viable reactants, by alkaline deposition of NH4Nb(C2O4)2·H2O in the presence of fructose as a stabilizer and subsequent calcination. The NbOx-SiO2 solid (0.95 Nb wt.%) was tested in the liquid-phase epoxidation with aqueous hydrogen peroxide of methyl oleate, as a model substrate. It was then tested in the epoxidation of a mixture of methyl esters (FAMEs) obtained by transesterification with methanol and purification of karanja oil, extracted from the autochthonous Indian variety of Millettia pinnata tree. The catalyst showed a promising performance in terms of methyl oleate conversion (up to 75%) and selectivity to epoxide (up to 82%). It was then tested on the FAME mixture from karanja oil, where interesting conversion values were attained (up to 70%), although with lower selectivities and yields to the mixture of desired epoxidized FAMEs. The solid withstood four catalytic cycles overall, during which a non-negligible surface reorganization of the Nb(V) sites was observed. However, this restructuring did not negatively affect the performance of the catalysts in terms of conversion or selectivity.
The Importance of the Knee Joint Meniscal Fibrocartilages as Stabilizing Weight Bearing Structures Providing Global Protection to Human Knee-Joint Tissues
Authors: Melrose James
Published: April 2019

The aim of this study was to review aspects of the pathobiology of the meniscus in health and disease and show how degeneration of the meniscus can contribute to deleterious changes in other knee joint components. The menisci, distinctive semilunar weight bearing fibrocartilages, provide knee joint stability, co-ordinating functional contributions from articular cartilage, ligaments/tendons, synovium, subchondral bone and infra-patellar fat pad during knee joint articulation. The meniscus contains metabolically active cell populations responsive to growth factors, chemokines and inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha, resulting in the synthesis of matrix metalloproteases and A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease with ThromboSpondin type 1 repeats (ADAMTS)-4 and 5 which can degrade structural glycoproteins and proteoglycans leading to function-limiting changes in meniscal and other knee joint tissues. Such degradative changes are hall-marks of osteoarthritis (OA). No drugs are currently approved that change the natural course of OA and translate to long-term, clinically relevant benefits. For any pharmaceutical therapeutic intervention in OA to be effective, disease modifying drugs will have to be developed which actively modulate the many different cell types present in the knee to provide a global therapeutic. Many individual and combinatorial approaches are being developed to treat or replace degenerate menisci using 3D printing, bioscaffolds and hydrogel delivery systems for therapeutic drugs, growth factors and replacement progenitor cell populations recognising the central role the menisci play in knee joint health.
Beneficial Effects of Vitamins K and D3 on Redox Balance of Human Osteoblasts Cultured with Hydroxyapatite-Based Biomaterials
Authors: Ambrożewicz Ewa , Muszyńska Marta , Tokajuk Grażyna , Grynkiewicz Grzegorz , Žarković Neven , Skrzydlewska Elżbieta
Published: April 2019

Hydroxyapatite-based biomaterials are commonly used in surgery to repair bone damage. However, the introduction of biomaterials into the body can cause metabolic alterations, including redox imbalance. Because vitamins D3 and K (K1, MK-4, MK-7) have pronounced osteoinductive, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, it is suggested that they may reduce the adverse effects of biomaterials. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of vitamins D3 and K, used alone and in combination, on the redox metabolism of human osteoblasts (hFOB 1.19 cell line) cultured in the presence of hydroxyapatite-based biomaterials (Maxgraft, Cerabone, Apatos, and Gen-Os). Culturing of the osteoblasts in the presence of hydroxyapatite-based biomaterials resulted in oxidative stress manifested by increased production of reactive oxygen species and decrease of glutathione level and glutathione peroxidase activity. Such redox imbalance leads to lipid peroxidation manifested by an increase of 4-hydroxynonenal level, which is known to influence the growth of bone cells. Vitamins D3 and K were shown to help maintain redox balance and prevent lipid peroxidation in osteoblasts cultured with hydroxyapatite-based biomaterials. The strongest effect was observed for the combination of vitamin D3 and MK-7. Moreover, vitamins promoted growth of the osteoblasts, manifested by increased DNA biosynthesis. Therefore, it is suggested that the use of vitamins D3 and K may protect redox balance and support the growth of osteoblasts affected by hydroxyapatite-based biomaterials.
A Case Study of Ozone Diurnal Variation in the Convective Boundary Layer in the Southeastern United States Using Multiple Observations and Large-Eddy Simulation
Authors: Huang Guanyu , Newchurch M.J. , Kuang Shi , Ouwersloot Huug
Published: April 2019

We investigated the diurnal ozone variation on 6 September 2013 in a midsize urban environment using multiple in situ and remote-sensing measurements along with the Dutch atmospheric large-eddy simulation (DALES) model coupled with a chemical module and a dry deposition module that we added for this study. Our study area was Huntsville, Alabama, USA, a typical midsize city in the Southeastern United States. The ozone variation in the convective boundary layer (CBL) resulted mainly from local emissions and photochemical production stemming from weather conditions controlled by an anticyclonic system on that day. Local chemical production contributes approximately two thirds of the ozone enhancement in the CBL and, in this case, dynamical processes including ozone transport from the free troposphere (FT) to the CBL through the entrainment processes contributed the remainder. The numerical experiments performed by the large-eddy simulation (LES) model showed acceptable agreement with the TOLNet (The tropospheric ozone lidar network)/RO3QET (Rocket-city ozone quality evaluation in the troposphere) ozone DIAL (differential absorption lidar) observations. This study indicated the need for fine-scale, three-dimensional ozone observations with high temporal and spatial resolution for air quality studies at the urban scale and smaller.
Between Nonlinearities, Complexity, and Noises: An Application on Portfolio Selection Using Kernel Principal Component Analysis
Authors: Peng Yaohao , Albuquerque Pedro Henrique Melo , do Nascimento Igor Ferreira , Machado João Victor Freitas
Published: April 2019

This paper discusses the effects of introducing nonlinear interactions and noise-filtering to the covariance matrix used in Markowitz’s portfolio allocation model, evaluating the technique’s performances for daily data from seven financial markets between January 2000 and August 2018. We estimated the covariance matrix by applying Kernel functions, and applied filtering following the theoretical distribution of the eigenvalues based on the Random Matrix Theory. The results were compared with the traditional linear Pearson estimator and robust estimation methods for covariance matrices. The results showed that noise-filtering yielded portfolios with significantly larger risk-adjusted profitability than its non-filtered counterpart for almost half of the tested cases. Moreover, we analyzed the improvements and setbacks of the nonlinear approaches over linear ones, discussing in which circumstances the additional complexity of nonlinear features seemed to predominantly add more noise or predictive performance.
Difference between Learning Basic Form Generation and Automotive Exterior Design
Authors: Cheng Shih-Hung , Ma Yung-Chuan , Tseng Winger Sei-Wo
Published: April 2019

This study explores the correlation between learning about basic form factors and learning automotive exterior design (AED) for the first time. To help beginner AED students learn smoothly, we developed modular courses and proposed to teach basic form generation. Six modular assignments were developed for the courses on Form Theory and Transportation Design, and 22 and 20 students, respectively, completed all the assignments of each course. All students were guided to become familiar with the five form factors: proportion, contour, volume, surface, and detail. According to the student self-assessments and responses for the Form Theory course, students gained a statistically equivalent learning experience of form factors from the four assignments; however, they gained significantly different levels of understanding and confidence. There was also a significant difference in understanding form factors during AED clay modeling. Further, students considered that the last two assignments in the Form Theory course had a significantly stronger relationship with learning AED than the first two assignments did. These findings are conducive to ensuring improvements in the modular courses to help future students begin learning AED.
Stereo Matching in Address-Event-Representation (AER) Bio-Inspired Binocular Systems in a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)
Authors: Domínguez-Morales Manuel , Domínguez-Morales Juan P. , Jiménez-Fernández Ángel , Linares-Barranco Alejandro , Jiménez-Moreno Gabriel
Published: April 2019

In stereo-vision processing, the image-matching step is essential for results, although it involves a very high computational cost. Moreover, the more information is processed, the more time is spent by the matching algorithm, and the more inefficient it is. Spike-based processing is a relatively new approach that implements processing methods by manipulating spikes one by one at the time they are transmitted, like a human brain. The mammal nervous system can solve much more complex problems, such as visual recognition by manipulating neuron spikes. The spike-based philosophy for visual information processing based on the neuro-inspired address-event-representation (AER) is currently achieving very high performance. The aim of this work was to study the viability of a matching mechanism in stereo-vision systems, using AER codification and its implementation in a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Some studies have been done before in an AER system with monitored data using a computer; however, this kind of mechanism has not been implemented directly on hardware. To this end, an epipolar geometry basis applied to AER systems was studied and implemented, with other restrictions, in order to achieve good results in a real-time scenario. The results and conclusions are shown, and the viability of its implementation is proven.
An Analysis Model Combining Gamma-Type Stirling Engine and Power Converter
Authors: Shih Hua-Ju
Published: April 2019

Waste heat is a potential source for powering our living environment. It can be harvested and transformed into electricity. Ohmic heat is a common type of waste heat. However, waste heat has the following limitations: wide distribution, insufficient temperature difference (ΔT < 70 K) for triggering turbines, and producing voltage below the open voltage of the battery. This paper proposes an energy harvester model that combines a gamma-type Stirling engine and variable capacitance. The energy harvester model is different from Tavakolpour-Saleh’s free-piston-type engine [7.1 W at ΔT = 407 K (273–680 K)]. The gamma-type Stirling engine is a low-temperature-difference engine. It can be triggered by a minimum ΔT value of 12 K (293–305 K). The triggering force in the variable capacitance is almost zero. Furthermore, the gamma-type Stirling engine is suitable for harvesting waste heat at room temperature. This study indicates that 21 mW of energy can be produced at ΔT = 30 K (293–323 K) for a bias voltage of 70 V and volume of 103.25 cc. Because of the given bias voltage, the energy harvester can break through the open voltage of the battery to achieve energy storage at a low temperature difference.