bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design and Application of a High-G Piezoresistive Acceleration Sensor for High-Impact Application
Authors: Hu Xiaodong , Mackowiak Piotr , Bäuscher Manuel , Ehrmann Oswin , Lang Klaus-Dieter , Schneider-Ramelow Martin , Linke Stefan , Ngo Ha-Duong
Published: May 2018

In this paper, we present our work developing a family of silicon-on-insulator (SOI)–based high-g micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) piezoresistive sensors for measurement of accelerations up to 60,000 g. This paper presents the design, simulation, and manufacturing stages. The high-acceleration sensor is realized with one double-clamped beam carrying one transversal and one longitudinal piezoresistor on each end of the beam. The four piezoresistors are connected to a Wheatstone bridge. The piezoresistors are defined to 4400 Ω, which results in a width-to-depth geometry of the pn-junction of 14 μm × 1.8 μm. A finite element method (FEM) simulation model is used to determine the beam length, which complies with the resonance frequency and sensitivity. The geometry of the realized high-g sensor element is 3 × 2 × 1 mm3. To demonstrate the performance of the sensor, a shock wave bar is used to test the sensor, and a Polytec vibrometer is used as an acceleration reference. The sensor wave form tracks the laser signal very well up to 60,000 g. The sensor can be utilized in aerospace applications or in the control and detection of impact levels.
Experimental Investigation of Evolution of Pore Structure in Longmaxi Marine Shale Using an Anhydrous Pyrolysis Technique
Authors: Xi Zhaodong , Wang Jing , Hu Jingang , Tang Shuheng , Xiao Heqi , Zhang Zhongyao , Xing Yanan
Published: May 2018

To better understanding the evolutionary characteristics of pore structure in marine shale with high thermal maturity, a natural Longmaxi marine shale sample from south China with a high equivalent vitrinite reflectance value (Ro = 2.03%) was selected to conduct an anhydrous pyrolysis experiment (500–750 °C), and six artificial shale samples (pyrolysis products) spanning a maturity range from Ro = 2.47% to 4.87% were obtained. Experimental procedures included mercury intrusion, nitrogen adsorption, and carbon dioxide adsorption, and were used to characterize the pore structure. In addition, fractal theory was applied to analyze the heterogeneous pore structure. The results showed that this sample suite had large differences in macropore, mesopore, and micropore volume (PV), as well as specific surface area (SSA) and pore size distributions (PSD), at different temperatures. Micropore, mesopore, and macropore content increased, from being unheated to 600 °C, which caused the pore structure to become more complex. The content of small diameter pores (micropores and fine mesopores, <10 nm) decreased and pores with large diameters (large mesopores and macropores, >10 nm) slightly increased from 600 to 750 °C. Fractal analysis showed that larger pore sizes had more complicated pore structure in this stage. The variance in pore structure for samples during pyrolysis was related to the further transformation of organic matter and PSD rearrangement. According to the data in this study, two stages were proposed for the pore evolution for marine shale with high thermal maturity.
Induced Photonic Response of ZnO Nanorods Grown on Oxygen Plasma-Treated Seed Crystallites
Authors: Khan Waqar , Ajmal Hafiz Muhammad Salman , Khan Fasihullah , Huda Noor Ul , Kim Sam-Dong
Published: May 2018

We examined the influence of O2 plasma treatment for the ZnO seed layer (SL) crystallites on the material characteristics of ZnO nanorods (NRs) synthesized by the hydrothermal method. Diode photocurrent and photo-response transient characteristics of the p-Si/n-ZnO-NR heterojunction-based ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors were also examined according to the plasma treatment for the SLs. The superior optical properties of NRs were measured from the photoluminescence by exhibiting 4.6 times greater near-band edge emission when grown on the O2-plasma-treated SL. The degree of (002) orientation of the NR crystals was improved from 0.67 to 0.95, as revealed by X-ray diffraction analysis, and a higher NR surface density of ~80 rods/μm2 with a smaller mean diameter of 65 nm were also observed by the SL modification using plasma-treatment. It was shown by X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy that this improvement of NR crystalline quality was due to the recovery of stoichiometric oxygen with significant reduction of oxygenated impurities in the SL crystals and the subsequent low-energy growth mode for the NRs. UV PDs fabricated by the proposed SL plasma treatment technique showed significantly enhanced UV-to-dark current ratio from 2.0 to 83.7 at a forward bias of +5 V and faster photo-response characteristics showing the reduction in recovery time from 16 s to 9 s.
Challenges for the Self-Assembly of Poly(Ethylene Glycol)–Poly(Lactic Acid) (PEG-PLA) into Polymersomes: Beyond the Theoretical Paradigms
Authors: Apolinário Alexsandra Conceição , Magoń Monika S. , Pessoa Jr. Adalberto , Rangel-Yagui Carlota de Oliveira
Published: May 2018

Polymersomes (PL), vesicles formed by self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers, have been described as promising nanosystems for drug delivery, especially of biomolecules. The film hydration method (FH) is widely used for PL preparation, however, it often requires long hydration times and commonly results in broad size distribution. In this work, we describe the challenges of the self-assembly of poly (ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic acid) (PEG-PLA) into PL by FH exploring different hydrophilic volume fraction (f) values of this copolymer, stirring times, temperatures and post-FH steps in an attempt to reduce broad size distribution of the nanostructures. We demonstrate that, alongside f value, the methods employed for hydration and post-film steps influence the PEG-PLA self-assembly into PL. With initial FH, we found high PDI values (>0.4). However, post-hydration centrifugation significantly reduced PDI to 0.280. Moreover, extrusion at higher concentrations resulted in further improvement of the monodispersity of the samples and narrow size distribution. For PL prepared at concentration of 0.1% (m/v), extrusion resulted in the narrower size distributions corresponding to PDI values of 0.345, 0.144 and 0.081 for PEG45-PLA69, PEG114-PLA153 and PEG114-PLA180, respectively. Additionally, we demonstrated that copolymers with smaller f resulted in larger PL and, therefore, higher encapsulation efficiency (EE%) for proteins, since larger vesicles enclose larger aqueous volumes.
Theoretical Study of Aluminum Hydroxide as a Hydrogen-Bonded Layered Material
Authors: Kim Dongwook , Jung Jong Hyun , Ihm Jisoon
Published: May 2018

In many layer-structured materials, constituent layers are bound through van der Waals (vdW) interactions. However, hydrogen bonding is another type of weak interaction which can contribute to the formation of multi-layered materials. In this work, we investigate aluminum hydroxide [Al(OH) 3 ] having hydrogen bonding as an interlayer binding mechanism. We study the crystal structures and electronic band structures of bulk, single-layer, and multi-layer Al(OH) 3 using density functional theory calculations. We find that hydrogen bonds across the constituent layers indeed give rise to interlayer binding stronger than vdW interactions, and a reduction of the band gap occurs for an isolated layer as compared to bulk Al(OH) 3 which is attributed to the emergence of surface states. We also consider the alkali-halide intercalation between layers and examine how the intercalated atoms affect the atomic and electronic structures of Al(OH) 3 .
Possible Synergistic Effects of Glutathione and C-Reactive Protein in the Progression of Liver Cirrhosis
Authors: Lai Chia-Yu , Cheng Shao-Bin , Lee Teng-Yu , Liu Hsiao-Tien , Huang Shih-Chien , Huang Yi-Chia
Published: May 2018

Liver cirrhosis is often associated with increased inflammatory responses and changes of glutathione (GSH) status. The possible interactions between these two factors in mediating damages of liver function remain unclear. Here, we measured the inflammatory responses and GSH status in liver cirrhotic patients and compared them with healthy subjects. In addition, we assessed the relationship of the GSH status and levels of inflammatory markers with the severity of the disease. This was a cross-sectional study. In total, we recruited 63 liver cirrhotic patients with Child–Turcotte–Pugh class A scores, and 12 patients with class B–C scores, together with 110 healthy subjects. Patients with class B–C scores showed the highest level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) when compared with class A patients or healthy subjects. Patients in class A group had significantly higher GSH levels when compared with class B–C group or healthy subjects. After adjusting for potential confounders and each other, serum hs-CRP levels showed positive association with the Child–Turcotte–Pugh scores, while GSH levels showed negative association with Child–Turcotte–Pugh scores. Interactions were found between levels of plasma GSH and serum hs-CRP (β = 0.004, p = 0.016). CRP and GSH levels, which had showed interactions, were associated with the severity of liver cirrhosis.
Vitamin D Status and Immune Health Outcomes in a Cross-Sectional Study and a Randomized Trial of Healthy Young Children
Authors: Brett Neil R. , Lavery Paula , Agellon Sherry , Vanstone Catherine A. , Goruk Susan , Field Catherine J. , Weiler Hope A.
Published: May 2018

In young children, the relationship between vitamin D and biomarkers of immune function is not well elucidated. The objective was to investigate relationships between vitamin D and immune function in young children. Data were from a cross-sectional study (study 1) of healthy children 1.8–5.9 years (n = 457) and a 12 weeks trial using vitamin D fortified foods (study 2) in healthy 1.8–8.7 years old (n = 77) in Montreal, Canada. Vitamin D status and ex vivo immune function were assessed. In study 1 (male: n = 242; 53%), plasma IL-6, TNFα and CRP were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in children with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) ≥ 75 nmol/L compared to <50 nmol/L. In study 2 (male: n = 40; 52%), there were no differences in illness outcomes (duration, number of reported illnesses, etc.) among groups. In a 6–8 years old sub-group, only the peripheral blood lymphocytes were higher in the 600 IU/day vitamin D group compared to control (percent of white blood cells; control: 41.6 ± 8.0%, 600 IU/d: 48.6 ± 8.5%). IL-6 production (but not other cytokines) by isolated mononuclear cells, after ex vivo mitogen stimulation, was lower in the intervention groups compared to the control group at 12 weeks. In conclusion, in healthy young children with sufficient vitamin D status, increasing vitamin D intakes does not confer additional advantage to immune function.
Dietary Nutrients and Bioactive Substances Modulate Heat Shock Protein (HSP) Expression: A Review
Authors: Moura Carolina Soares , Lollo Pablo Christiano Barboza , Morato Priscila Neder , Amaya-Farfan Jaime
Published: May 2018

Interest in the heat shock proteins (HSPs), as a natural physiological toolkit of living organisms, has ranged from their chaperone function in nascent proteins to the remedial role following cell stress. As part of the defence system, HSPs guarantee cell tolerance against a variety of stressors, including exercise, oxidative stress, hyper and hypothermia, hyper and hypoxia and improper diets. For the past couple of decades, research on functional foods has revealed a number of substances likely to trigger cell protection through mechanisms that involve the induction of HSP expression. This review will summarize the occurrence of the most easily inducible HSPs and describe the effects of dietary proteins, peptides, amino acids, probiotics, high-fat diets and other food-derived substances reported to induce HSP response in animals and humans studies. Future research may clarify the mechanisms and explore the usefulness of this natural alternative of defense and the modulating mechanism of each substance.
Solubility Improvement of Benexate through Salt Formation Using Artificial Sweetener
Authors: Dwichandra Putra Okky , Umeda Daiki , Fujita Eriko , Haraguchi Tamami , Uchida Takahiro , Yonemochi Etsuo , Uekusa Hidehiro
Published: May 2018

Benexate, a drug used clinically as a defensive type anti-ulcer agent, has poor solubility and a bitter taste. To improve its solubility, a crystal engineering approach was proposed with the formation of novel salts using an artificial sweetener as a salt co-former. This was also expected to address the bitter taste of the drug. In this work, we report on the preparation and evaluation of the physicochemical properties of the novel salts benexate saccharinate monohydrate and benexate cyclamate whose crystal structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray structure analysis. These novel salts showed higher solubility and faster dissolution profiles that were associated with the occurrence of local layered-like structures. They also showed better moisture uptake profiles and were classified as non-hygroscopic materials. Therefore, benexate saccharinate monohydrate and benexate cyclamate expedited the development of sweet pharmaceutical salts of benexate with improved performances.
One-Stop Dispensing: Hospital Costs and Patient Perspectives on Self-Management of Medication
Authors: Houlind Morten Baltzer , McNulty Helle Bach Ølgaard , Treldal Charlotte , Andersen Signe Lindgaard , Huneck Haupt Thomas , Petersen Janne , Andersen Ove , Kjeldsen Lene Juel
Published: May 2018

(1) Objective: To assess hospital medication costs and staff time between One-Stop Dispensing (OSD) and the Traditional Medication System (TMS), and to evaluate patient perspectives on OSD. (2) Methods: The study was conducted at Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark in an elective gastric surgery and acute orthopedic surgery department. This study consists of three sub-studies including adult patients able to self-manage medication. In Sub-study 1, staff time used to dispense and administer medication in TMS was assessed. Medication cost and OSD staff time were collected in Sub-study 2, while patient perspectives were assessed in Sub-study 3. Medication costs with two days of discharge medication were compared between measured OSD cost and simulated TMS cost for the same patients. Measured staff time in OSD was compared to simulated staff time in TMS for the same patients. Patient satisfaction related to OSD was evaluated by a questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale (‘very poor’ (1) to ‘very good’ (5)). (3) Results: In total, 78 elective and 70 acute OSD patients were included. Overall, there was no significant difference between OSD and TMS in medication cost per patient ($2.03 [95% CI −0.57–4.63]) (p = 0.131). Compared with TMS, OSD significantly reduced staff time by an average of 12 min (p ≤ 0.001) per patient per hospitalization. The patients’ satisfaction for OSD was high with an average score of 4.5 ± 0.7. (4) Conclusion: There were no differences in medication costs, but staff time was significantly lower in OSD and patients were overall satisfied with OSD.
Uncertainty and Motivation to Seek Information from Pharmacy Automated Communications
Authors: Bones Michelle , Nunlee Martin
Published: May 2018

Pharmacy personnel often answer telephones to respond to pharmacy customers (subjects) who received messages from automated systems. This research examines the communication process in terms of how users interact and engage with pharmacies after receiving automated messages. No study has directly addressed automated telephone calls and subjects’ interactions. The purpose of this study is to test the interpersonal communication (IC) process of uncertainty in subjects in receipt of automated telephone calls ATCs from pharmacies. Subjects completed a survey of validated scales for Satisfaction (S); Relevance (R); Quality (Q); Need for Cognitive Closure (NFC). Relationships between S, R, Q, NFC, and subject preference to ATCs were analyzed to determine whether subjects contacting pharmacies display information seeking behavior. Results demonstrated that seeking information occurs if subjects: are dissatisfied with the content of the ATC; perceive that the Q of ATC is high and like receiving the ATC, or have a high NFC and do not like receiving ATCs. Other interactions presented complexities amongst uncertainty and tolerance of NFC within the IC process.
Effect of Xanthan–Chitosan Microencapsulation on the Survival of Lactobacillus acidophilus in Simulated Gastrointestinal Fluid and Dairy Beverage
Authors: Shu Guowei , He Yunxia , Chen Li , Song Yajuan , Cao Jili , Chen He
Published: May 2018

Lactobacillus acidophilus was encapsulated in xanthan–chitosan (XC) and xanthan–chitosan–xanthan (XCX) polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) gels by extrusion method. The obtained capsules were characterized by X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy. The effects of microencapsulation on the changes in survival and release behavior of the Lactobacillus acidophilus during exposure to simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) were studied. Encapsulated Lactobacillus acidophilus exhibited a significantly higher resistance to SGF and SIF than non-encapsulated samples. In addition, the viability of free and immobilized cells of Lactobacillus acidophilus incorporated into dairy beverages was assessed for 21 days both at room temperature and in refrigerated storage. The results indicated that xanthan–chitosan–xanthan (XCX) and xanthan–chitosan (XC) significantly (p < 0.05) improved the cell survival of Lactobacillus acidophilus in yogurt during 21 days of storage at 4 and 25 °C, when compared to free cells.
Erratum: Synergistic Effect of Binary Mixed-Pluronic Systems on Temperature Dependent Self-Assembly Process and Drug Solubility. Polymers 2018, 10, 105.
Authors: Lee Chin-Fen , Tseng Hsueh-Wen , Bahadur Pratap , Chen Li-Jen
Published: May 2018

The authors wish to make changes to the above-mentioned published paper [1].[...]
Potential Alternative Strategy against Drug Resistant Tuberculosis: A Proteomics Prospect
Authors: Sharma Divakar , Bisht Deepa , Khan Asad U.
Published: May 2018

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is one of the deadliest human pathogen of the tuberculosis diseases. Drug resistance leads to emergence of multidrug-resistant and extremely drug resistant strains of M. tuberculosis. Apart from principal targets of resistance, many explanations have been proposed for drug resistance but some resistance mechanisms are still unknown. Recently approved line probe assay (LPA) diagnostics for detecting the resistance to first and second line drugs are unable to diagnose the drug resistance in M. tuberculosis isolates which do not have the mutations in particular genes responsible for resistance. Proteomics and bioinformatic tools emerged as direct approaches for identification and characterization of novel proteins which are directly and indirectly involved in drug resistance that could be used as potential targets in future. In future, these novel targets might reveal new mechanism of resistance and can be used in diagnostics or as drug targets.
Negotiating Gender Justice between State, Religion, and NGOs: A Lebanese Case
Authors: Grung Anne Hege
Published: May 2018

This article explores part of the process of passing a law in the Lebanese Parliament on 1 April 2014 called “Law on the protection of women and other members of the family from domestic violence,” also known as the ‘Protection Law’ or Law 293. In a United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) project on Religion, Politics and Gender Equality, the theorists José Casanova and Anne Phillips are engaged in establishing a transnational perspective on religious gender politics. The article then draws on written documentation regarding the discourse connected to the draft law at that time and on field interviews. The interviews were conducted in the period 2013–2016 with religious leaders and resource persons in Christian, Sunni, and Shi’a communities in Lebanon, and with key persons in the NGOs KAFA and ABAAD. An analysis of the arguments for and against the law before it was passed displays the larger field of intersection between feminism and religious practices and the consequences of the Lebanese dual court system. As a study from the Lebanese context when Law 293 was being intensively discussed, the article shows both the authority and the vulnerability of the religious leaders associated with the dual court system. The article also reveals the ambiguity of feminist activists and NGOs toward the role of the religious communities and leaders in Lebanon.
Classifying the Built-Up Structure of Urban Blocks with Probabilistic Graphical Models and TerraSAR-X Spotlight Imagery
Authors: Novack Tessio , Stilla Uwe
Published: May 2018

Up-to-date maps of a city’s urban structure types (USTs) are very important for effective planning, as well as for different studies and applications. We present an approach for the classification of USTs at the level of urban blocks based on high-resolution spaceborne radar imagery. Images obtained at the satellite’s ascending and descending orbits were used for extracting line and polygon features from each block. Most of the attributes considered in the classification concern the geometry of these features, as well as their spatial disposition inside the blocks. Furthermore, assuming the UST classes of neighboring blocks are probabilistically dependent, we explored the framework of probabilistic graphical models and propose different context-based classification models. These models differ with respect to (i) their type, i.e., Markov or conditional random fields, (ii) their parameterization and (iii) the criterion applied for establishing pairwise neighboring relationships between blocks. In our experiments, 1,695 blocks from the city of Munich (Germany) and five representative UST classes were considered. A standard classification performed with the Random Forest algorithm achieved an overall accuracy of nearly 70%. All context-based classifications achieved overall accuracies up to 7% higher than that. The results indicate that denser pairwise block-neighborhood structures lead to better results and that the accuracy improvement is higher when the strength of the contextual influences is proportional to the similarity of the neighboring blocks attributes.
Health Monitoring of Bolted Spherical Joint Connection Based on Active Sensing Technique Using Piezoceramic Transducers
Authors: Xu Jing , Wang Chenyu , Li Hongnan , Zhang Chunwei , Hao Jiajia , Fan Shuli
Published: May 2018

Bolted spherical joints are widely used to form space steel structures. The stiffness and load capacity of the structures are affected by the looseness of bolted spherical joint connections in the structures. The looseness of the connections, which can be caused by fabrication error, low modeling accuracy, and “false twist” in the installation process, may negatively impact the load capacity of the structure and even lead to severe accidents. Furthermore, it is difficult to detect bolted spherical joint connection looseness from the outside since the bolts connect spheres with rods together from the inside. Active sensing methods are proposed in this paper to monitor the tightness status of the bolted spherical connection using piezoceramic transducers. A triangle-on-triangle offset grid composed of bolted spherical joints and steel tube bars was fabricated as the specimen and was used to validate the active sensing methods. Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) patches were used as sensors and actuators to monitor the bolted spherical joint tightness status. One PZT patch mounted on the central bolted sphere at the upper chord was used as an actuator to generate a stress wave. Another PZT patch mounted on the bar was used as a sensor to detect the propagated waves through the bolted spherical connection. The looseness of the connection can impact the energy of the stress wave propagated through the connection. The wavelet packet analysis and time reversal (TR) method were used to quantify the energy of the transmitted signal between the PZT patches by which the tightness status of the connection can be detected. In order to verify the effectiveness, repeatability, and consistency of the proposed methods, the experiments were repeated six times in different bolted spherical connection positions. The experimental results showed that the wavelet packet analysis and TR method are effective in detecting the tightness status of the connections. The proposed active monitoring method using PZT transducers can monitor the tightness levels of bolted spherical joint connections efficiently and shows its potential to guarantee the safety of space steel structures in construction and service.
Miniaturized Sensors Registering the Long-Term Course of Suture Tension In Vivo under Varying Intra-Abdominal Pressure
Authors: Höer Jörg , Wetter Oliver
Published: May 2018

Background: Failure of laparotomy closure develops after up to 20% of abdominal operations. Suture tension has an influence on the quality of tissue regeneration. No sensors are available to register suture tension dynamics in vivo. Methods: In a series of animal experiments, the effect of suture tension on the ultrastructure of the healing incision was examined. Surgeons’ ability to suture with target tension was tested. An implantable sensor and data logger were developed and tested experimentally in sutures closing midline laparotomies in pigs both under normal and elevated intra-abdominal pressure. Results: High suture tension has a negative influence on the regeneration of laparotomy incisions. Running sutures for laparotomy closure lose 45% of their initial tension over periods of 23 h. Intermittent elevation of intra-abdominal pressure to 30 mm Hg leads to a near total loss of suture tension after 23 h. Conclusion: Surgeons are not able to control and reproduce suture tension. Suture tension dynamics can be measured in vivo by the sensor developed. Further research is needed to define a tissue-specific suture tension optimum to reduce the incidence of complications after laparotomy. Techniques for laparotomy closure need to be modified.
An Unambiguous Delay-And-Multiply Acquisition Scheme for GPS L1C Signals
Authors: Shim Duk-Sun , Jeon Jin-Seok
Published: May 2018

The GPS provides positioning information almost anytime and anywhere on Earth, regardless of the weather conditions, and has become an essential technology for positioning and navigation. As a modernization program, the fourth civil GPS signal, denoted as L1C, will be transmitted from Block III satellites. One distinction of the L1C signal from the former signals is the use of binary offset carrier (BOC) modulation, which is necessary for compatibility and the reduction of interference between the legacy L1 signal and L1C signal, despite their use of the same carrier frequency. One drawback of using BOC modulation is the ambiguity problem, which comes from the multiple peaks in the correlation function and causes difficulties finding the code phase in the acquisition process. In this paper we suggest two delay-and-multiply (DM) methods for the L1C signal to solve the ambiguity problem. For the DM acquisition schemes we suggest the optimal delay time for the delay signal, and prove that the correlation function of the received DM signal and the generated DM signal has a triangular shape, as seen in the legacy GPS L1 signal. The noise characteristics of the decision variable are obtained and the performance of the DM acquisition scheme is given in terms of the probability of detection, and compared with that of the conventional method. We provide the procedure to find the Doppler frequency after obtaining the code phase through the proposed DM method.
Two-Dimensional Direction-of-Arrival Fast Estimation of Multiple Signals with Matrix Completion Theory in Coprime Planar Array
Authors: Xu Haiyun , Zhang Yankui , Ba Bin , Wang Daming , Li Xiangzhi
Published: May 2018

In estimating the two-dimensional (2D) direction-of-arrival (DOA) using a coprime planar array, the main issues are the high complexity of spectral peak search and the limited degree of freedom imposed by the number of sensors. In this paper, we present an algorithm based on the matrix completion theory in coprime planar array that reduces the computational complexity and obtains a high degree of freedom. The algorithm first analyzes the covariance matrix of received signals to estimate the covariance matrix of a virtual uniform rectangular array, which has the same aperture as the coprime planar array. Matrix completion theory is then applied to estimate the missing elements of the virtual array covariance matrix. Finally, a closed-form DOA solution is obtained using the unitary estimation signal parameters via rotational invariance techniques (Unitary-ESPRIT). Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm has a high degree of freedom, enabling the estimation of more signal DOAs than the number of sensors. The proposed algorithm has reduced computational complexity because the spectral peak search is replaced by Unitary-ESPRIT, but attains similarly high levels accuracy to those of the 2D multiple signal classification algorithm.
Waveform Optimization for Target Estimation by Cognitive Radar with Multiple Antennas
Authors: Yao Yu , Zhao Junhui , Wu Lenan
Published: May 2018

A new scheme based on Kalman filtering to optimize the waveforms of an adaptive multi-antenna radar system for target impulse response (TIR) estimation is presented. This work aims to improve the performance of TIR estimation by making use of the temporal correlation between successive received signals, and minimize the mean square error (MSE) of TIR estimation. The waveform design approach is based upon constant learning from the target feature at the receiver. Under the multiple antennas scenario, a dynamic feedback loop control system is established to real-time monitor the change in the target features extracted form received signals. The transmitter adapts its transmitted waveform to suit the time-invariant environment. Finally, the simulation results show that, as compared with the waveform design method based on the MAP criterion, the proposed waveform design algorithm is able to improve the performance of TIR estimation for extended targets with multiple iterations, and has a relatively lower level of complexity.
The Role of Parental Maltreatment and Parental Social Control on Self-Reported Violent Offending in Indonesia and the U.S.: Does Gender Make a Difference?
Authors: Kokkalera Stuti S. , Marshall Chris E. , Haen Marshall Ineke
Published: May 2018

In this article, we examine the role of parental maltreatment and parental social control in violent delinquency in two different countries: Indonesia and the U.S. but we go further by asking if gender makes a difference. We use a sample of Indonesian and U.S. youths from ISRD3 data, a self-reported survey instrument administered across multiple countries. We use logistic regressions to examine the associations between parental maltreatment, parental social control and self-reported violent delinquency and test whether gender and country modifies these associations. We find that both gender and country are significant predictors of violent delinquency. Further, there are differences between Indonesian and U.S. youths in terms of the predictors that are associated with violent delinquent offending. Specifically, parental maltreatment in the form of direct exposure to parental violence is a significant predictor for U.S. youths but not Indonesian youths whereas parental supervision is a significant deterrent of violent offending for both. We also find that girls are more likely to report violent offending than males when indirectly exposed to violence. Thus, our findings reiterate that both gender and context matter.
Scoring Strategies Differentiating between Winning and Losing Teams during FIBA EuroBasket Women 2017
Authors: Conte Daniele , Lukonaitiene Inga
Published: May 2018

This study aimed to examine the scoring strategies differentiating between winning and losing teams during FIBA EuroBasket Women 2017 in relation to different game scores. Data were gathered for all games of FIBA EuroBasket Women 2017 from the official website. The investigated scoring strategies were fast break points (FBP); points in the paint (PP); points from turnover (PT); second chance points (SCP); and points from the bench (PB). Games were classified with cluster analysis based on their score difference as close, balanced, and unbalanced and the differences in the scoring strategies between winning and losing teams were assessed using magnitude-based statistics. Results revealed no substantial differences in FBP in any investigated cluster. Furthermore, winning teams showed a substantially higher number of PP and PT (in close and unbalanced games) and SCP (in balanced and unbalanced games) compared to losing teams. Finally, winning teams scored substantially lower and higher number of BPs in close games and unbalanced games, respectively, compared to losing teams. In conclusion, all the investigated scoring strategies discriminate between winning and losing teams in elite women’s basketball except for FBP. These results provide useful information for basketball coaches to optimize their training sessions and game strategies.
A Smartphone Application for Personalized and Multi-Method Interventions toward Energy Saving in Buildings
Authors: Inyim Peeraya , Batouli Mostafa , Reyes Maria Presa , Carmenate Triana , Bobadilla Leonardo , Mostafavi Ali
Published: May 2018

Occupant behavior is a significant contributor to energy waste in buildings. This research introduces an advanced smartphone application, developed based on the theoretical underpinnings of situational awareness theory, to effectively implement multi-method and personalized intervention to encourage energy conservation behaviors of building occupants. The new smart application provides several innovative features, such as energy saving points, customized feedback, and visualized user interface, which are implemented in the application to support multi-method interventions. The application was created using the Java language for Android devices. With the use of the Android platform, the app takes advantage of hardware technology from the user’s mobile device. Measurement of occupancy behavior is accomplished by making use of the device’s positional sensors. Orientation and geomagnetic field sensors serve to provide an accurate location of an occupant inside the building. The application can determine energy waste in a zone by using occupancy behavior. Moreover, the application offers real-time and projected future energy consumption based on occupants’ behaviors. This novel feature can significantly improve communication that can lead to prompt action for building energy reduction. Results show how the app can compile raw data on energy behavior and make it easy to understand for the user through the use of visuals and statistical algorithms.
Socioeconomic Indicators to Monitor the EU’s Bioeconomy in Transition
Authors: Ronzon Tévécia , M’Barek Robert
Published: May 2018

The monitoring of the European bioeconomy is hampered by a lack of statistics on emergent and partially bio-based sectors. In this study, we complete the picture of the bioeconomy in the European Union (EU) by first estimating a set of socioeconomic indicators in missing sectors. Second, we identify four broad bioeconomy patterns within the EU that differ according to the specialisation of Member States’ labour markets in the bioeconomy (location quotient) and according to the apparent labour productivity of their bioeconomies. The patterns are geographically distributed in (i) Eastern Member States and Greece and Portugal; (ii) Central and Baltic Member States; (iii) Western Member States; and (iv) Northern Member States. They are strongly related to the level of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in Member States, and to their political histories (e.g., their year of accession to the EU, and the existence and maturity of their bioeconomy strategies). Within each group, diversity exists in terms of sectoral bioeconomy development. Third, we examine temporal dynamics over the period 2008–2015, stressing with the cases of Slovenia, Portugal, Greece and Finland that a transition from one group to another is possible. Finally, we take a closer look at the East–West bioeconomy disparities within Europe and suggest measures to promote EU bioeconomies.
The Status of the Local Community in Mining Sustainable Development beyond the Triple Bottom Line
Authors: Que Sisi , Wang Liang , Awuah-Offei Kwame , Chen Yao , Yang Wei
Published: May 2018

Mineral products provide essential fuels and raw materials for industrialization and our daily life, but their influences on other aspects of life need to be taken into consideration. While the whole world benefits from mining’s contributions, most of the resulting detrimental impacts on the environment and society fall on the local communities. The participation of the local community is one solution to decrease the risks from community-related problems. Subsequently, the requirements of mining sustainable development can be met. A literature review was conducted on mining sustainability and stakeholder participation, and the shortcomings of existing research and difficulties of further study were discussed in detail. This study covers a broad understanding of mining sustainability from a mining community’s perspective. In addition, it offers a new mining sustainability scope based on the literature review. Besides the balance of economic, environmental, and social aspects, the mine owner and local community have to be engaged in the new mining sustainability scope. This literature review could improve community engagement and help mining companies to better understand local mining communities.
Digital Labour in the Platform Economy: The Case of Facebook
Authors: Fumagalli Andrea , Lucarelli Stefano , Musolino Elena , Rocchi Giulia
Published: May 2018

The aim of the paper is to analyse the features of the digital labour connected with the so-called platform economy. Many platform-based business models rely on a new composition of capital capable of capturing personal information and transforming it into big data. Starting with the example of the Facebook business model, we explain the valorisation process at the core of platform capitalism, stressing the relevance of digital labour, to clarify the crucial distinction between labour and work. Our analysis differs from Fuchs and Sevignani’s thesis about digital work and digital labour and seems consistent with the idea that Facebook extracts a rent from the information produced by the free labour of its users.
Integrating Irrigation and Drainage Management to Sustain Agriculture in Northern Iran
Authors: Darzi-Naftchali Abdullah , Ritzema Henk
Published: May 2018

In Iran, as in the rest of the world, land and water for agricultural production is under pressure. Integrating irrigation and drainage management may help sustain intensified agriculture in irrigated paddy fields. This study was aimed to investigate the long-term effects of such management strategies in a newly subsurface drained paddy field in a pilot area in Mazandaran Province, northern Iran. Three strategies for managing subsurface drainage systems were tested, i.e., free drainage (FD), midseason drainage (MSD), and alternate wetting and drying (AWD). The pilot area consisted of subsurface drainage systems, with different combinations of drain depth (0.65 and 0.90 m) and spacing (15 and 30 m). The traditional surface drainage of the region’s consolidated paddy fields was the control. From 2011 to 2017, water table depth, subsurface drainage system outflow and nitrate, total phosphorous, and salinity levels of the drainage effluent were monitored during four rice- and five canola-growing seasons. Yield data was also collected. MSD and AWD resulted in significantly lower drainage rates, salt loads, and N losses compared to FD, with MSD having the lowest rates. Phosphorus losses were low for all three practices. However, AWD resulted in 36% higher rice yields than MSD. Subsurface drainage resulted in a steady increase in canola yield, from 0.89 ton ha−1 in 2011–2012 to 2.94 ton ha−1 in 2016–2017. Overall, it can be concluded that managed subsurface drainage can increase both water productivity and crop yield in poorly drained paddy fields, and at the same time reduce or minimize negative environmental effects, especially the reduction of salt and nutrient loads in the drainage effluent. Based on the results, shallow subsurface drainage combined with appropriate irrigation and drainage management can enable sustained agricultural production in northern Iran’s paddy fields.
Predicting Ground Settlement Due to Symmetrical Tunneling through an Energy Conservation Method
Authors: Liu Xiang , Fang Qian , Zhou Qiushuang , Liu Yan
Published: May 2018

This paper presents an analytical method using the energy conservation principle to predict ground settlement due to symmetrically shaped tunnel construction in elastic ground conditions. Ground settlement is calculated by balancing the energy in shearing the soil, the work done by gravity, and the negative work done along the tunnel boundary. The proposed method was validated by finite-difference numerical simulations. According to the simulations, it was found that the direction of maximum shear stress under shear strain extension (SSE) was opposite to that under shear strain compression (SSC). The energy in shearing the soil can be obtained by using both the differential of ground displacement, and the fitted expression of maximum shear strain. Subsequently, ground deformation was predicted by the proposed method under three different conditions, and then compared with numerical results. Specific cases of ground settlement due to tunneling can be predicted by the proposed method, using the differential of the proposed empirical solutions. Ground settlements calculated by fitted expressions of maximum shear strain were closer to numerical results than those calculated by differentials. Deriving an empirical equation of maximum engineering shear strain from fitted expressions may be an innovative way for the proposed method to predict ground settlement.
The Development of 1Balance: A Connected Medical Device for Measuring Human Balance
Authors: Sjöman Heikki , Kalasniemi Jani , Vartiainen Matti , Steinert Martin
Published: May 2018

Prototyping (iterative loops of design–build–test) is a proven method of efficiently developing new products. Developing products not only quickly, but that are also fit for purpose, implies engaging the end users and iterating the technology at hand. However, there is currently little research on how engineering design can approach developing connected devices. The purpose of this paper is to distinguish and discuss design approaches that are suitable for connected devices. Internet of Things devices consist of both the physical products themselves and the data that is coming out of the products, which we define as the external and internal data, respectively. They both can be prototyped separately, but since the data acquired can influence the design of the device and vice versa, we propose to link these two together in the product development process. This issue becomes more apparent when designing networks of sensors, e.g., for complex artificial intelligence (AI) databases. We explain the principle by describing the development of 1Balance through six different prototypes for human balance measurement. Technologically quantifying balance is an underused approach for objectively evaluating the state of a human’s performance. The authors have developed a mobile application for monitoring balance as a physiological signal (amount of sway) via a compact wireless inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor strapped to the body of the subject for the duration of the measurement. We describe the design process for developing this connected medical device, as well as how the acquired data was used to improve the design of the product. In conclusion, we propose conceptually connecting the external and internal data prototyping loops.
Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Induced Oxidative DNA Damage, Inflammation and Apoptosis in Rat’s Brain after Oral Exposure
Authors: Attia Hala , Nounou Howaida , Shalaby Manal
Published: May 2018

Growing evidences demonstrated that zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) could reach the brain after oral ingestion; however, the “neurotoxicity of” ZnONPs after oral exposure has not been fully investigated. This study aimed to explore the “neurotoxicity of” ZnONPs (<100 nm) after oral exposure to two doses; 40 and 100 mg/kg for 24 h and 7 days. The exposure to 40 and 100 mg/kg of ZnONPs for 24 h did not elicit “neurotoxicity” compared to normal control. However, the daily exposure to both doses for 7 days caused oxidative stress in brain tissue as detected by the elevation of the levels of malondialdehyde, the main product of lipid peroxidation and nitrite as an index of nitric oxide with concomitant decline in the concentrations of antioxidants. In addition, both doses resulted in DNA fragmentation which was confirmed by increased percentage of tailed DNA, DNA tail intensity and length and tail moment particularly with the dose 100 mg/kg. Moreover, both doses led to the elevation of the inflammatory cytokines along with increased apoptotic markers including caspase-3 and Fas. Heat shock protein-70 levels were also elevated possibly as a compensatory mechanism to counteract the ZnONPs-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis. The present results indicate the “neurotoxicity of” ZnONPs after recurrent oral exposure via oxidative stress, genotoxicity, inflammatory response and apoptosis.
Incobotulinumtoxin A for Sialorrhea in Neurological Disorders: A Real-Life Experience
Authors: Martínez-Poles Javier , Nedkova-Hristova Velina , Escribano-Paredes José Bernardo , García-Madrona Sebastián , Natera-Villalba Elena , Estévez-Fraga Carlos , López-Sendón Moreno José Luis , Avilés-Olmos Icíar , Sánchez Díaz Gema , Martínez Castrillo Juan Carlos , Alonso-Canovas Araceli
Published: May 2018

Botulinum toxin type A is one of the most useful treatments of sialorrhea in neurological disorders. Evidence for the use of incobotulinumtoxin A (inco-A) in the treatment of sialorrhea is limited. Thirty-six patients with sialorrhea were treated with infiltrations of inco-A into both parotid glands. The severity of sialorrhea was evaluated by the Drooling Severity Scale (DSS), and the Drooling Frequency Scale (DFS). Patients’ perceptions of clinical benefit were recorded via the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) scale. Following treatment, there was a significant difference in both the DFS and the DSS (p < 0.001). Clinical benefits on the basis of the PGI-I were present in up to 90% of patients.