bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stability analysis of three-dimensional (3-D) systems using a wave advanced model (WAM)
Authors: Tofighi SaeedReza , Shafiee Masoud , Alavinia Sayyid Mehdi
Published: December 2015

In this paper, the problem of three-dimensional (3-D) system stability is studied. In order to investigate the stability of 3-D systems, a new representation scheme is introduced based on the local state model proposed by Givone–Roesser for 3-D systems. This representation is obtained from the extended expression of the 1-D wave model proposed by Porter–Aravena. Then, according to the obtained model a new criteria for the stability of 3-D systems is stated. This criteria provides a simpler way to investigate asymptotic stability. Furthermore, an algorithm is performed to illustrate the procedure of analysing stability. Finally, some examples are performed and verified using numerical simulations in order to illustrate the given criteria for the stability.
Energy benchmarking in UK commercial kitchens
Authors: Mudie Samantha
Published: December 2015

Commercial kitchens are some of the most profligate users of gas and electricity in the UK and can leave a large carbon footprint. Categorising these types of establishments is challenging. New datasets of pub and restaurant energy performance metrics are presented. A preliminary study analyses annual electricity use data from automated meter readings from a large UK operator for the purpose of benchmarking and discusses it in terms of factors such as premises size and food output. The study finds that currently published benchmarks require updating. A wider subsequent study then applies the most useful benchmarking methodology to the majority of the UK’s managed pub and restaurant estate. From the analysed results, consumption is found to be much larger than previous sector estimates; 7.52 TWh compared with 0.02 TWh per year. Recommendations are made to further improve the current benchmarks in order to attain robust, reliable and transparent figures, such as the introduction of performance indicators to include number of meals, kitchen size (m2) and kWh per pound turnover. A new universal energy use benchmark of 0.37 kWh/£(turnover) is established for commercial kitchens.

Practical application: The methods and results outlined in this publication enable operators within the hospitality sector to compare their energy efficiency against the wider sector and understand how and where to improve their energy performance. The results allow building service engineers and designers at the design phase of new builds to take more accurate account of the projected energy use of the premises in its use phase by using more modern and relevant benchmarks. This in turn should assist in reducing the current performance gap. A modern and large sample size is used in forming the benchmarks, making this work very applicable to modern industrial practice.
Negotiating Authorship in Chinese Universities
Authors: Shen Subrina Xirong
Published: December 2015

Authorship, as a form of professional recognition, is an important topic in the study of reward systems in science. Empirical studies have shown that reward systems in science vary by historical periods and institutional contexts. Yet existing theoretical perspectives prove inadequate in explaining these variations. This study extends existing literature by investigating organizational mechanisms that shape “cycles of credit” in science and local institutional logics of authorship practices. Qualitative analysis is primarily based on in-depth interviews with thirty-one life scientists from an elite and a provincial university in China, a country that has undergone unparalleled growth in scientific productivity in the past decade. I identify two different institutional logics of authorship. In the elite university, a logic of “autonomy” prevails. Researchers tend to remain independent and equal in negotiated coalitions and give coauthorship credit based on individuals’ scientific contributions to each paper. By contrast, in the provincial university, a logic of “dependence” prevails. Research teams assign coauthorship credit based on members’ long-term contributions regardless of whether they are scientific or not. Organizational factors, including historical development path, resource distribution pattern, and incentive scheme, are crucial in shaping and maintaining these divergent logics.
Discovery channel’s Jungle Gold in Ghana: hegemonic globalization sparks resistance and policy action
Authors: Ofori-Parku S Senyo , Steeves H Leslie
Published: December 2015

Discovery Channel’s Jungle Gold follows two American real estate moguls who lost their fortunes in the 2008 economic collapse to the Ashanti region of Ghana, West Africa, where they unabashedly engage in illegal gold mining (galamsey). This article examines the dialectic between the forces of hegemonic globalization and resistance by critically examining the content of the television series, the ensuing discourse, and policy actions in Ghana. Borrowing the concept of interlocalization, this article argues that Jungle Gold, although a hegemonic global form, amplifies a serious development challenge, sparking a debate, leading to mobilization, policy actions, and potential for social change and development. We also examine the role of local television co-producers, social media, and activists in the interlocalization process.
Time sensitive blog retrieval using temporal properties of queries
Authors: Zahedi MohammadSadegh , Aleahmad Abolfazl , Rahgozar Maseud , Oroumchian Farhad , Bozorgi Arastoo
Published: December 2015

Blogs are one of the main user-generated contents on the web and are growing in number rapidly. The characteristics of blogs require the development of specialized search methods which are tuned for the blogosphere. In this paper, we focus on blog retrieval, which aims at ranking blogs with respect to their recurrent relevance to a user’s topic. Although different blog retrieval algorithms have already been proposed, few of them have considered temporal properties of the input queries. Therefore, we propose an efficient approach to improving relevant blog retrieval using temporal property of queries. First, time sensitivity of each query is automatically computed for different time intervals based on an initially retrieved set of relevant posts. Then a temporal score is calculated for each blog and finally all blogs are ranked based on their temporal and content relevancy with regard to the input query. Experimental analysis and comparison of the proposed method are carried out using a standard dataset with 45 diverse queries. Our experimental results demonstrate that, using different measurement criteria, our proposed method outperforms other blog retrieval methods.
Inpatient Pediatric Tonsillectomy
Authors: Raol Nikhila , Zogg Cheryl K. , Boss Emily F. , Weissman Joel S.
Published: December 2015

Objective

To ascertain whether hospital type is associated with differences in total cost and outcomes for inpatient tonsillectomy.

Study Design

Cross‐sectional analysis of the 2006, 2009, and 2012 Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID).

Subjects and Methods

Children ≤18 years of age undergoing tonsillectomy with/without adenoidectomy were included. Risk‐adjusted generalized linear models assessed for differences in hospital cost and length of stay (LOS) among children managed by (1) non–children’s teaching hospitals (NCTHs), (2) children’s teaching hospitals (CTHs), and (3) nonteaching hospitals (NTHs). Risk‐adjusted logistic regression compared the odds of major perioperative complications (hemorrhage, respiratory failure, death). Models accounted for clustering of patients within hospitals, were weighted to provide national estimates, and controlled for comorbidities.

Results

The 25,685 tonsillectomies recorded in the KID yielded a national estimate of 40,591 inpatient tonsillectomies performed in 2006, 2009, and 2012. The CTHs had significantly higher risk‐adjusted total cost and LOS per tonsillectomy compared with NCTHs and NTHs ($9423.34/2.8 days, $6250.78/2.11 days, and $5905.10/2.08 days, respectively; P <. 001). The CTHs had higher odds of complications compared with NCTHs (odds ratio [OR], 1.48; 95% CI, 1.15‐1.91; P =. 002) but not when compared with NTHs (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.89‐1.59; P =. 23). The CTHs were significantly more likely to care for patients with comorbidities (P <. 001).

Conclusion

Significant differences in costs, outcomes, and patient factors exist for inpatient tonsillectomy based on hospital type. Although reasons for these differences are not discernable using isolated claims data, findings provide a foundation to further evaluate patient, institutional, and system‐level factors that may reduce cost of care and improve value for inpatient tonsillectomy.
Laryngeal Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma
Authors: Marchiano Emily , Chin Oliver Y. , Fang Christina H. , Park Richard Chan , Baredes Soly , Eloy Jean Anderson
Published: December 2015

Objective

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a malignant minor salivary gland tumor that represents <1% of all laryngeal tumors. The submucosal location of laryngeal adenoid cystic carcinoma (LACC) results in delayed presentation. Here, we present the first systematic review of reported cases of LACC to determine trends in presentation, diagnostic and treatment modalities, and patient outcome.

Data Sources

PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases.

Methods

A search of the above databases was done to identify articles reporting cases of LACC. The variables included in the analysis were patient demographics, presenting symptoms, tumor location, imaging, treatment, follow‐up time, recurrence, and outcome.

Results

A total of 50 articles and 120 cases were included in the review. The most common presenting symptom was dyspnea (48.8%), followed by hoarseness (43.9%). LACC arose most frequently from the subglottis (56.7%). At presentation, 14.6% (13 of 89) of patients had regional disease. The average follow‐up time was 54.0 months. At follow‐up, distant metastasis was reported in 30 cases (33.3%). Surgery alone (43.3%) and surgery with radiotherapy (43.3%) were used most frequently and resulted in 57.1% and 55.3% of patients alive with no evidence disease at follow‐up, respectively.

Conclusion

LACC was most often located in the subglottis. Patients commonly presented with dyspnea and hoarseness. In this systematic review, surgery with radiotherapy and surgery alone were the most commonly employed treatment modalities, and both resulted in slightly more than 50% of patients alive with no evidence of disease at follow‐up.
Family Board: A new means for people with visual impairment to communicate inner pictures of social relations
Authors: Schmidt Heike , Kunnig André
Published: December 2015

Visual impairment often entails changes in social relations. In order to identify supportive needs and provide tailored support, it is helpful to analyse these changes. Non-verbal methods have proven useful to facilitate this process but had so far not been available for visually impaired people. The Family Board, an established method of depicting social relations, was adapted for use by blind people and pilot-tested in this study. After adaptation and pretest, seven visually impaired adults undergoing rehabilitative treatment volunteered to participate in this qualitative pilot-study. Results showed that the method of the Family Board was well accepted and that the adapted board provides a feasible new non-verbal medium of communication for visually impaired people. The Family Board could be used to complement qualitative methods in further research on changes of social relations due to the loss of eyesight, to follow changes during coping and adaptation and to monitor effects of counselling.
Rehabilitation staff perspectives on training for problem-solving therapy for primary care in a low vision service
Authors: Sturrock Bonnie Adele , Holloway Edith , Keefe Jill , Hegel Mark , Casten Robin , Mellor David , Rees Gwyneth
Published: December 2015

Vision rehabilitation staff were trained to deliver problem-solving therapy for primary care (PST-PC) over the telephone to adults with depressive symptoms and low vision. Training was a 2-day workshop, completion of training cases, and assessment of treatment fidelity. Staff perspectives of training and challenges in PST-PC delivery were explored. Telephone-administered semi-structured interviews were conducted pre- and post-workshop and following PST-PC competency. In all, 14 staff (mean age = 47.64 years, SD = 12.68 years, 93% females) achieved competency and 6 withdrew. Results showed an increased understanding of PST-PC from pre- to post-workshop ( Z = −2.71, p = .007) and pre-workshop to post-competency ( Z = −3.09, p = .002). A high level of satisfaction with training was reported. Staff challenges included the clients’ ability to define problems and brainstorm solutions. Training enabled staff to competently deliver PST-PC and may serve as a model for integrating depression care into vision rehabilitation services recommended by international guidelines.
An exploratory study of college and university students with visual impairment in Canada: Grades and graduation
Authors: Fichten Catherine S , Nguyen Mai N , Asuncion Jennison , Martiniello Natalie , Jorgensen Mary , Budd Jillian , Amsel Rhonda , Libman Eva
Published: December 2015

The purpose of this investigation was to explore predictors and correlates of grades and intention to graduate among junior/community college and university students with visual impairments in Canada, and to compare students with low vision to students who are blind on variables related to academic success. In all, 66 junior/community college and university students with visual impairments (17 blind, 49 with low vision) in Canada completed an online questionnaire inquiring about grades, intention to graduate, and demographic, school-related, and personal aspects. Stepwise regression, discriminant, and correlational analyses of the data revealed that the following variables were associated with better grades and stronger intention to graduate: higher course self-efficacy expectations, greater perceived behavioral control over graduation, reporting a single rather than multiple disabilities, and more favorable attitude toward graduation. Students who are blind and those with low vision did not differ on most variables studied although a much larger proportion of students with low vision reported having additional disabilities. Recommendations are made to enhance course self-efficacy beliefs which include, providing a campus atmosphere that is welcoming, and ensuring that students with visual impairments have adequate opportunities to dialogue with faculty and fellow students. Postsecondary student services professionals need to ensure that workshops which teach study, research, and time management skills are inclusive and accessible to students with visual impairments.
Language test as boundary object: Perspectives from test users in the healthcare domain
Authors: Macqueen Susy , Pill John , Knoch Ute
Published: December 2015

Objects that sit between intersecting social worlds, such as Language for Specific Purposes (LSP) tests, are boundary objects – dynamic, historically derived mechanisms which maintain coherence between worlds (Star & Griesemer, 1989). They emerge initially from sociopolitical mandates, such as the need to ensure a safe and efficient workforce or to control immigration, and they develop into standards (i.e. stabilized classifying mechanisms). In this article, we explore the concept of LSP test as boundary object through a qualitative case study of the Occupational English Test (OET), a test which assesses the English proficiency of healthcare professionals who wish to practise in English-speaking healthcare contexts. Stakeholders with different types of vested interest in the test were interviewed (practising doctors and nurses who have taken the test, management staff, professional board representatives) to capture multiple perspectives of both the test-taking experience and the relevance of the test to the workplace. The themes arising from the accumulated stakeholder perceptions depict a ‘boundary object’ that encompasses a work-readiness level of language proficiency on the one hand and aspects of communication skills for patient-centred care on the other. We argue that the boundary object metaphor is useful in that it represents a negotiation over the adequacy and effects of a test standard for all vested social worlds. Moreover, the test should benefit the worlds it interconnects, not just in terms of the impact on the learning opportunities it offers candidates, but also the impact such learning carries into key social sites, such as healthcare workplaces.
Modifying UTAUT and innovation diffusion theory to reveal online shopping behavior
Authors: Chang Hsin Hsin , Fu Chen Su , Jain Hsiou Ting
Published: December 2015

This study adapted the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and innovation diffusion to show how virtual community building, website performance expectancy, effort expectancy, trialability, and two mediators (familiarity and perceived risk) interact and affect online shopping intention. A total of 430 valid participants were collected, all of whom had the goal of buying a smart phone. The results of the structural equation model analysis show that performance expectancy and effort expectancy positively affect website familiarity; virtual community building and trialability positively influence product familiarity; and perceived risk negatively affects purchase intention. In addition to the effects demonstrated by the regression results, website familiarity and product familiarity also have mediation effects. Finally, this study suggests that managers should provide a complete community to consumers in order to enable them to share information; furthermore, they should also provide details of product trials on the website, so that consumers can increase their familiarity with both the website and the products, as this can then raise consumer purchase intention.
Source(s) of syntactic cross-linguistic influence (CLI): The case of L3 acquisition of English possessives by Mazandarani–Persian bilinguals
Authors: Fallah Nader , Jabbari Ali Akbar , Fazilatfar Ali Mohammad
Published: December 2015

This study investigates the role of previously acquired linguistic systems, Mazandarani and Persian, in the acquisition of third language (L3) English at the initial stages. The data have been obtained from 31 students (age 13–14 years), testing the placement of attributive possessives in a grammaticality judgment task, an element rearrangement task and an elicited oral imitation task. The participants consist of three groups: The first two groups have Mazandarani as the first language (L1) and Persian as the second language (L2), but differ from each other with respect to the language of communication, Mazandarani and Persian, respectively. The third group has Persian as the L1 and Mazandarani as the L2, with Persian as the language of communication. English and Mazandarani pattern similarly in the target structures. That is to say, possessors precede possessed nouns and possessive adjectives come before nouns. In contrast, in Persian, possessives occur post-nominally. The results of this study reveal that none of the proposals tested (e.g. the L1 Factor, Hermas, 2010, 2014a, 2014b; the L2 Status Factor, Bardel and Falk, 2007; Falk and Bardel, 2011; the Cumulative Enhancement Model (CEM), Flynn et al., 2004; the Typological Proximity Model (TPM), Rothman, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015) could account for the results obtained. This study provides support that at the initial stages of L3 acquisition, syntactic transfer originates from the language of communication, irrespective of order of acquisition.
Management of the in situ HeartMate II left ventricular assist device during non-transplant, non-exchange cardiac reoperations
Authors: Balsam Leora B , Reyentovich Alex , Son Andre Y , DeAnda Abe
Published: December 2015

Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass may be necessary in patients with pre-existing, continuous-flow, left ventricular assist devices. Heart transplantation or exchange of a malfunctioning left ventricular assist device are the most common scenarios. However, reoperation may also be needed for acquired valvular disease or device malposition. In these cases, operative strategies that enable safe conduct of cardiopulmonary bypass and, if needed, cardioplegic arrest while the left ventricular assist device remains in situ, are essential. Such strategies would avoid unnecessary replacement of working components of the left ventricular assist device and, importantly, avoid damage to them during the period of cardiopulmonary bypass. Adequate anticoagulation, avoidance of regurgitant flow into the device, prevention of blood stagnation in the hardware and careful deairing after periods of pump stoppage are key principles. We present a stepwise algorithm for the management of the HeartMate II device during such cases.
Does Stress-Related Growth Really Matter for Adolescents’ Day-to-Day Adaptive Functioning?
Authors: Mansfield Cade D. , Diamond Lisa M.
Published: December 2015

Adolescent stress-related growth refers to enhancement in an adolescent’s cognitive-affective or social resources as a result of experiencing stressors. We tested whether adolescents reporting high levels of stress-related growth showed superior adaptation outcomes on a day-to-day basis. Participants ( n = 91; females = 46, age = 14) completed a questionnaire measure of stress-related growth and kept a diary of emotional and interpersonal functioning for 10 consecutive days. Individual differences in cognitive-affective stress-related growth moderated associations between daily stress levels and adaptive coping behaviors, whereas individual differences in social stress-related growth moderated associations between daily mother-child conflict and end-of-day negative affect. This study provides the first empirical demonstration of domain-specific forms of stress-related growth during adolescence.
Strategies for increasing the intensity of upper limb task-specific practice after acquired brain impairment: A secondary analysis from a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Ross Leo F , Harvey Lisa A , Lannin Natasha A
Published: December 2015

Introduction

Patients with acquired brain impairments require intensive, task-specific training to maximise upper limb recovery. Current evidence suggests, however, that they rarely achieve this. The purpose of this study was to describe the amount of practice that can be achieved by patients with acquired brain impairment during intensive upper limb treatment within a public hospital, and to examine the strategies used by therapists to maximise practice.

Method

A secondary analysis was conducted using data from a previously published randomised trial. The training received by 20 people with acquired brain impairment over the 6-week trial period was recorded. The strategies used by therapists to maximise practice were also noted.

Results

Over the 6-week period, 45 hours of upper limb training was provided. The median (interquartile range) amount of actual practice achieved by patients was 59 (54–63) minutes per day, with a median (interquartile range) of 186 (50–330) repetitions of active movement. Patients’ practice was maximised through the use of task-specific feedback, practice books, counters, environmental cues and stopwatches. In addition, therapists provided coaching as well as ensuring tasks were goal-oriented, measurable and patient-driven.

Conclusion

Described strategies enabled patients with acquired brain impairment to practise upper limb tasks at intensities greater than currently reported in the literature.
Polanyi and Foucault on the Issue of Market in Classical Political Economy
Authors: Guizzo Danielle , Vigo de Lima Iara
Published: December 2015

Studies have pointed out that the value of markets is related to their impact on the character of a society. Karl Polanyi’s thesis about social disembeddedness attributed to 19th century economic liberalism the responsibility for consolidating the process of separating markets from society, which changed the dynamics between the state and population when economic rationality began dictating their connections. However, Polanyi only suggested analyses regarding power relations between these three elements and their effects on the social context. This paper argues that Michel Foucault’s writings concerning technologies of power and biopolitics complement Polanyi’s considerations insofar as they provide an understanding about how biopolitics emerged and how this led to a new posture of the state regarding population care and economic environment regulation.
Uncertainty and Contradiction: An Essay on the Business Cycle
Authors: Nikiforos Michalis
Published: December 2015

The paper develops a model of economic fluctuations in the medium run and their relation with the short-run macroeconomic equilibrium. The business cycle is the result of two separate forces. On the one hand, there is Harrodian instability. On the other hand, this instability is contained by the inherent contradictions of capitalism. I focus on two of these contradictions: the profit-squeeze that results from the tightening of the labor market as employment and utilization increase, and the financial instability hypothesis as formulated by Hyman Minsky. With the inclusion of overhead labor, the model can explain the U-shaped behavior of the wage share along the business cycle (wage share decreases for low levels of utilization and increases for higher levels) that prevailed in most of the post-WWII period, as well as the decrease in the wage share as utilization increases that has been observed in the most recent cycles.
Job Quality Complexities
Authors: Roncolato Leanne , Willoughby John
Published: December 2015

This paper draws on feminist and Marxist traditions to develop a framework for analyzing job quality, which incorporates context, social relations, and power. Job quality among small business owners in low-income communities surrounding Cape Town, South Africa is analyzed using data from semi-structured, time-intensive interviews. The results reveal a complicated story of self-employment being a means of expressing creativity, forming identity and community, while simultaneously being characterized by insecurity and harsh constraints.
Connecting words, following the Presentations of Eduardo Souto de Moura (Portugal) and Giacomo Rizolatti (Italy)
Authors: Noack Amélie
Published: December 2015

Following the presentations of the Portuguese architect Souto de Moura and the Italian specialist in neuroscience Giacomo Rizolatti, this short talk attempts to connect architectural and psychological terms and references by describing them in relation to psychotherapy in general and group analysis in particular.
The Role of Present Time Perspective in Predicting Early Adolescent Violence
Authors: Kruger Daniel J. , Carrothers Jessica , Franzen Susan P. , Miller Alison L. , Reischl Thomas M. , Stoddard Sarah A. , Zimmerman Marc A.
Published: December 2015

This study investigated the role of present and future time perspectives, and their relationships with subjective norms and beliefs regarding violence, in predicting violent behaviors among urban middle school students in the Midwestern United States. Although present time perspective covaried with subjective norms and beliefs, each made a unique prediction of self-reported violent behaviors. Future time perspective was not a significant predictor when accounting for these relationships. In addition, present orientation moderated the relationship between subjective norms and beliefs and rates of violent behaviors; those with higher present orientations exhibited stronger associations. We replicated this pattern of results in data from new participants in a subsequent wave of the study. Interventions that explicitly address issues related to time perspective may be effective in reducing early adolescent violence.
A WORM type polymer electrical memory based on polyethersulfone with carbazole derivatives
Authors: Fang Jiyong , Wang Qinhong , Yue Xigui , Wang Guibin , Jiang Zhenhua
Published: December 2015

A series of high-performance polyethersulfone, which had pendent carbazole moieties (Cz-PES 1–3), have been designed and successfully synthesized for an application in a write-once read-many type memory device as the active polymer layer. The memory performance can be tuned by changing the substituent in the Cz derivatives units. Cz-PES 3 with excellent thermal properties ( Tg = 185°C and Td = 378°C) exhibits the best memory performance. For Cz-PES 3-based device indium tin oxide/Cz-PES 3/aluminum, the turn-on voltage is 2.5 V and the ON/OFF current ratio is higher than 106. Moreover, the data can be maintained for longer than 3 × 105 s once written and can be read for more than 450 cycles under a reading voltage of 1.0 V at ambient conditions. Thus Cz-PES 3 can serve as an excellent memory material in the data storage field of next generation.
Synthesis, characterization, and thermal properties of benzoxazine monomers containing allyl groups
Authors: Wang Yiqun , Kou Kaichang , Li Ziyu , Wu Guanglei , Zhang Yu , Feng Ailing
Published: December 2015

The polymerization mechanism of allyl-functional benzoxazine (Bz) monomers is reported in this article. Following the traditional route of Bz synthesis, a series of monofunctional Bz monomers were synthesized via allylamine and amine condensation reaction with 2,2′-diallyl bisphenol-A and paraformaldehyde. Resulting chemical structures of the synthesized monomers were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. The polymerization behavior of the prepared allyl-functional monomers was studied using differential scanning calorimetry and FTIR. Three reactions were observed in the curing process: polymerization reaction of N-allyl groups in the oxazine ring, ring-opening polymerization of Bz, and polymerization reaction of allyl groups in benzene. Compared to a typical polybenzoxazine (PBz), higher cross-linking density in PBz-allyl-2 leads to a higher glass transition temperature and 5% weight loss temperature, which indicates improved thermal stability in PBz-allyl-2 as well as superior thermal conductivity compared to 2,2′-bis(3-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2 H-1,3-benzoxazinyl)propane. Data on dielectric properties also show that PBz-allyl-2 outperforms typical PBzs. This work focuses on the manipulation of Bz monomer structures to alter their ring-opening polymerization mechanism, as well as cross-linking, in order to derive a PBz with improved properties.
Accuracy evaluation of rotary axes of five-axis machine tools with a single setup of a double ball bar
Authors: Jiang Xiaogeng , Cripps Robert J
Published: December 2015

A double ball bar (DBB) is used extensively to evaluate the geometric and dynamic performance of three-axis machine tools by means of the XY, YZ and XZ planar circular tests. However, research using a DBB to test the rotary axes of five-axis machine tools simply, quickly and effectively is scarce. In this paper, a method having two steps to identify the imprecision of the rotary axes caused by the position-independent geometric errors (PIGEs) is presented for a tilting rotary type five-axis machine tool using a DBB. The first step is designed to evaluate two rotary axes with one setup. Its advantage of fast diagnosis effectively reduces the machine down time, and thus can be employed as a quick testing approach of the machine tool. However, if some of the diagnosed errors fall outside their tolerances, a more accurate but slower check needs to be carried out due to the limitation of the first step. The second step aims to test the two rotary axes separately, each in two sub-steps. By means of varying the position of the pivot, the A- and C-axes can be tested individually. Both steps are performed with only one axis moving, thus simplifying the error analysis. Implementation of the proposed methods was carried out on a Hermle C600U five-axis machine tool. To show the validity of the method, the identified PIGEs are compensated for in each step, which suggests that the first step can be used as a fast and preliminary indication of a five-axis machine tool’s performance, whilst the second can be carried out if a more thorough evaluation is needed.
An experimental investigation on cutting-induced damage when drilling high-strength T800S/250F carbon fiber–reinforced polymer
Authors: Xu Jinyang , An Qinglong , Chen Ming
Published: December 2015

In modern manufacturing sectors, mechanical drilling of high-strength carbon fiber–reinforced polymer represents the most challenging task as compared to conventional low-strength carbon fiber–reinforced polymer drilling due to the extremely superior mechanical/physical properties involved. The poor machinability of the composite usually results in serious geometric imperfection and physical damage in drilling and hence leads to a large amount of part rejections. In this article, an experimental investigation concerning the cutting-induced damage when drilling high-strength carbon fiber–reinforced polymer laminates was presented. The studied composite specimen was a newly developed high-strength T800S/250F carbon fiber–reinforced polymer composite. A special concentration was made to inspect and characterize the phenomena of various cutting-induced damage promoted in the material drilling. The work focused on the study of the influence of cutting parameters on the distribution and extent of hole damage formation. The experimental results highlighted the most influential factor of feed rate and tool wear in affecting the final extent of induced hole damage when drilling high-strength T800S/250F carbon fiber–reinforced polymer. For minimizing the various damage formation, optimal cutting parameters (high spindle speed and low feed rate) and rigorous control of tool wear should be seriously taken when drilling this material.
Equivalent matching model of a regulated two-stage turbocharging system for the plateau adaptability
Authors: Li Hualei , Zhang Guozheng , Zhang Huiyan , Shi Lei , Yang Mingyang , Deng Kangyao
Published: December 2015

The matching problem becomes much more difficult between a regulated two-stage turbocharging system and a diesel engine when they are required to work at different altitudes. This is mainly because there are three or even four main variables to be determined for a regulated two-stage turbocharging system, and the change in the operating altitude also extends the matching problem from a two-dimensional problem of the speed and the load to a three-dimensional problem of the speed, the load and the operating altitude. An optimal scheme for a regulated two-stage turbocharging system should be determined to optimize the plateau adaptability based on the relationship between the matching point, the desirable pressure ratio distribution and the operating altitude. Therefore, a theoretical study on matching a regulated two-stage turbocharging system to a diesel engine at different altitudes is conducted in this paper. The turbine equivalent area of a regulated two-stage turbocharging system is derived on the basis of the turbine flow characteristic model with the thermodynamics equations and the mass and energy conservation of the turbocharging system. The speed and altitude ranges are discussed with the results calculated by the proposed matching model in MATLAB software. Then the simulations with GT-Power software are carried out to validate the application of the equivalent matching model. The calculated results show that the problem of the speed range of the regulated two-stage turbocharging system at different altitudes can be converted to the speed range of a matching scheme based on different pressure ratio distributions at a constant altitude. The altitude range of the regulated two-stage turbocharging system is mainly affected by the matching speed and the bypass flow rate ratio. The validation results of the GT-Power model show that the plateau adaptability of the matched regulated two-stage turbocharging system can be investigated effectively using the equivalent matching model. Therefore, the equivalent matching model can be utilized to achieve a reasonable selection of the matching speed and it can simplify the matching problem of the regulated two-stage turbocharging system at different altitudes.
Simulation study on modeling for design parameters analysis of free-piston tunnels
Authors: Feng Shuo , Chang Juntao , Yang Qingchun , Bao Wen
Published: December 2015

A dynamic model was designed and developed using thermodynamic mass conservation equation, energy conservation equation, flow equation of nozzle and motion equation for moving piston and design parameter analysis of free-piston tunnels was proposed. The proposed model was validated by comparing the predictions made with the dynamic model established with the experimental data reported in some of the references and used to run simulation. Simulation results indicated that the target pressure and temperature could be quickly obtained by selecting and adjusting design parameters with the proposed model while the pressure and temperature output of the reservoir were kept long stable with a pneumatic hydraulic driving device. The time domain conditions of free-piston wind tunnel could be established through numerical study at different gas source pressure. The pressure and temperature of reservoir could be obtained by adjusting the valve opening of gas source. The variable specific heat ratio has a remarkable effect on the performance of free-piston wind tunnel. For the variable specific heat ratio, the temperature and pressure of reservoir was lower than the constant specific heat ratio. It was therefore concluded that the proposed model was suitable for performing the design parameter analysis of free-piston wind tunnels, and so, it could be used to facilitate the design of free-piston wind tunnels for long working at high Mach number.
The Mach number prediction based on the feature subsets ensemble in transonic wind tunnel
Authors: Wang Xiaojun , Yuan Ping , Mao Zhizhong , Du Ning
Published: December 2015

In the wind tunnel, the Mach number in the test section is an important parameter that cannot be calculated accurately. Several mechanism models have been used to estimate it based on the aerodynamics laws in the past decades. However, the accuracy of estimation cannot satisfy measurements. An alternative approach is to design data-driven models. Unfortunately, the high-dimensional input features and the large-scale data sampled from measurements make it difficult to predict the Mach number. To solve the two issues, based on the multivariate fuzzy Taylor theorem, the feature subsets ensemble (FSE) method is proposed in this paper. An FSE is developed on the basis of the set of direct, exhaustive, independent subdivisions of the feature space. Learning on substantially lower dimension feature subsets, the FSE is characterized by low complexity. The FSE models are examined by data of measurements from the wind tunnel of China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center. Experiments show that the FSE speeds up the testing time that would otherwise be infeasible for the individual BP, Bagging and Random Forest. The FSE models meet the requirements of forecasting speed, accuracy and generalization of the Mach number prediction.
Assessing urban vulnerability to flood hazard in Brazilian municipalities
Authors: Rasch Rebecca Joan
Published: December 2015

The rise in extreme weather events, coupled with the acknowledgement by policymakers that vulnerable populations are disproportionately at risk, has led to an increase in demand for vulnerability assessments, and particularly composite vulnerability indices. This paper presents a flood hazard vulnerability index that incorporates socioeconomic, built environment and natural environment data, and that was used to measure the vulnerability of 1,276 municipalities in Brazil. Findings show that 83 of these municipalities (with 22 per cent of the Brazilian population) are at risk. Vulnerability stemming from lower levels of socioeconomic status is concentrated in the Northern regions; that related to poor governance is widespread across all regions. This analysis highlights the dangers of assessing vulnerability using aggregate measures of socioeconomic status in middle-income countries with high levels of inequality, where the presence of vulnerable populations in informal settlements within highly developed municipalities may be obscured.
The Evaluative Advantage of Novel Alternatives
Authors: Le Mens Gaël , Kareev Yaakov , Avrahami Judith
Published: December 2015

New products, services, and ideas are often evaluated more favorably than similar but older ones. Although several explanations of this phenomenon have been proposed, we identify an overlooked asymmetry in information about new and old items that emerges when people seek positive experiences and learn about the qualities of (noisy) alternatives by experiencing them. The reason for the asymmetry is that people avoid rechoosing alternatives that previously led to poor outcomes; hence, additional feedback on their qualities is precluded. Negative quality estimates, even when caused by noise, thus tend to persist. This negative bias takes time to develop, and affects old alternatives more strongly than similar but newer alternatives. We analyze a simple learning model and demonstrate the process by which people would tend to evaluate a new alternative more positively than an older alternative with the same payoff distribution. The results from two experimental studies ( Ns = 769 and 805) support the predictions of our model.
Nonlinear adaptive trajectory control of multi-input multi-output submarines with input constraints
Authors: Lee Keum W , Singh Sahjendra N
Published: December 2015

The paper presents a new nonlinear adaptive control system for the dive-plane control of multi-input multi-output submarine models with input constraints, in the presence of external disturbances. It is assumed that all the system parameters, except the signs of the principal minors of the input matrix, are unknown. The objective is to design an adaptive control law for the tracking of reference depth and pitch angle trajectories, despite constraints on the rotation angles of the bow and stern hydroplanes. For the derivation of a singularity-free adaptation law, the decomposition of the input matrix as a product of a positive-definite symmetric matrix, a diagonal matrix, and an upper triangular matrix (termed SDU decomposition) is obtained. Then an adaptive control system is designed which accomplishes uniform ultimate boundedness of the closed-loop system trajectories. The control system includes an auxiliary dynamic system to counter the effect of control input saturation. Simulation results show that the designed adaptive law accomplishes precise depth and pitch angle trajectory control, despite symmetric and non-symmetric input constraints, parametric uncertainties and external disturbance inputs. These results also show that the designed saturating adaptive controller can accomplish certain dive-plane maneuvers using either of the hydroplanes; but the bow hydroplane can execute larger maneuvers than the stern hydroplane. The robust performance of the controller, despite non-symmetric input constraints, is useful in situations in which partial failure of actuators causes rotation of the hydroplanes in unequal ranges.
Systemic lupus erythematosus patients with past neuropsychiatric involvement are associated with worse cognitive impairment: a longitudinal study
Authors: Gao Y , Lau E Y Y , Wan J H Y , Lau C S , Mok M Y
Published: December 2015

Longitudinal studies on cognitive impairment in patients with past history of neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE) are scant. In this study, NPSLE patients and matched disease and healthy controls were examined with a full battery of neuropsychological tests that covered eight cognitive domains at two time-points 12 months apart. Confounders, including depressive and anxiety symptoms, were measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Eighteen NPSLE, 18 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who had no previous cerebral involvement (non-NPSLE) and 16 healthy subjects were recruited. NPSLE patients consistently reported more cognitive and anxiety symptoms than non-NPSLE patients over both time-points. NPSLE patients had significantly worse memory, simple and complex attention compared to non-NPSLE patients, among which memory remained significantly impaired after adjustment for confounders. NPSLE patients demonstrated a trend of higher raw scores of some neurocognitive tests upon re-evaluation over 12 months, but NPSLE patients did not demonstrate any practice effect. In conclusion, NPSLE patients had significantly worse and persistently impaired memory and learning deficits compared to non-NPSLE patients over the 12-month re-assessment period.
Democracy as Civil Religion: Reading Alexis De Tocqueville in India
Authors: Chakrabarti Anindita
Published: December 2015

The article explores Alexis de Tocqueville’s explication of democracy as ‘civil religion’ or the new sacred of modern times. In Democracy in America, Tocqueville analyzed democracy as a political system as well as a moral value. The article begins with Tocqueville’s analysis of the religious roots of American democracy. Dissociated from the affairs of the state through the principle of ‘disestablishment’, religion became secure in civil society, whereas the concept of democracy became inviolable and ‘set apart’ as sacred. He noted that the power of the majority acquires an inviolable character in democracy that had the potential to turn against the very principles that it upholds. In the Indian context, the debate around a uniform civil code (UCC) is one such issue that captures this predicament. Working out a roadmap for Indian pluralism signposted with a constitutional commitment to equality, liberty and fraternity has proved to be a task fraught with moral and political complexities, if not impasse. The article argues that Tocqueville’s discovery of the role of religion in civil society, his mistrust of democratic majoritarianism and his emphasis on understanding the ‘practice’ of democracy have something to offer to the polarized UCC debate in India.
The Nostalgia of Values: Popular Depictions of Care Crisis towards Ageing Parents in India
Authors: Dey Deblina
Published: December 2015

Popular depictions of values around care for the elderly in the media generate nostalgia for a value-rich past, in which caring practices were considered a family affair. The physical absence of family members for providing care is portrayed as a pathological symptom of contemporary society. The study, through analysis of cinematic representations, explains the cultural need for the nostalgia of virtuous intergenerational relations. Such nostalgia instils a need to reaffirm values yet at the same time in the shadows of the nostalgic trope in films, possibilities for a new value system and alternate forms of care can be gauged. These possibilities would eventually bridge the dichotomy between ‘traditional’ and ‘modern’ values related to ageing parents. The relevance of such a ‘nostalgic gaze’ becomes important in the context of rising elderly abuse. Society reflexively evaluates the situation of value transformation. Through the nostalgia, used in this study as an analytical tool, new definitions and practices of care, new kinds of socialities and relations are seen to emerge. In this scenario, the substance of values asserts itself in a malleable form awaiting constant, rapid modification in present times.