bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heating Characteristics and Induced Healing Efficiencies of Asphalt Mixture via Induction and Microwave Heating
Authors: Liu Quantao , Chen Cheng , Li Bin , Sun Yihan , Li Hechuan
Published: May 2018

This paper investigates the heating characteristics and induced healing efficiencies of asphalt mixture containing steel fiber under induction heating and microwave heating. The heating characteristics of an asphalt mixture with different heating methods were studied with an infrared camera. The healing performance of the asphalt mixture specimens in different healing conditions were investigated by observing the crack closure and testing the fracture resistance recovery after healing. The results showed that the heating speed at the surface of asphalt mixture with induction heating was much higher than that with microwave machine heating, under a similar output power and the same method of radiation. While the temperature distribution within the asphalt mixture under induction heating was quite uneven, microwave heating resulted in a more uniform temperature distribution. The effective heating depth of microwave heating is much higher than that of induction heating. Gradient healing occurred within the sample heated with induction healing, while a uniform healing effect can be achieved with microwave heating.
Influence of Homogenization on Microstructural Response and Mechanical Property of Al-Cu-Mn Alloy
Authors: Wang Jian , Lu Yalin , Zhou Dongshuai , Sun Lingyan , Li Renxing , Xu Wenting
Published: May 2018

The evolution of the microstructures and properties of large direct chill (DC)-cast Al-Cu-Mn alloy ingots during homogenization was investigated. The results revealed that the Al-Cu-Mn alloy ingots had severe microsegregation and the main secondary phase was Al2Cu, with minimal Al7Cu2Fe phase. Numerous primary eutectic phases existed in the grain boundary and the main elements were segregated at the interfaces along the interdendritic region. The grain boundaries became discontinuous, residual phases were effectively dissolved into the matrix, and the segregation degree of all elements was reduced dramatically during homogenization. In addition, the homogenized alloys exhibited improved microstructures with finer grain size, higher number density of dislocation networks, higher density of uniformly distributed θ′ or θ phase (Al2Cu), and higher volume fraction of high-angle grain boundaries compared to the nonhomogenized samples. After the optimal homogenization scheme treated at 535 °C for 10 h, the tensile strength and elongation% were about 24 MPa, 20.5 MPa, and 1.3% higher than those of the specimen without homogenization treatment.
Comparison of the Microtensile Bond Strength of a Polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) Tooth Post Cemented with Various Surface Treatments and Various Resin Cements
Authors: Song Chan-Hong , Choi Jae-Won , Jeon Young-Chan , Jeong Chang-Mo , Lee So-Hyoun , Kang Eun-Sook , Yun Mi-Jung , Huh Jung-Bo
Published: May 2018

The aim of this in-vitro research was to evaluate the microtensile bond strength in the newly introduced PEKK tooth post with various surface treatments and resin cements. A fiberglass tooth post was included in order to compare it with PEKK as a possible post material. The microtensile bond strengths of the fiberglass post (FRC Postec Plus) and the PEKK post (Pekkton®) were tested using three kinds of self-adhesive resin cements (G-CEM LinkAce, Multilink Speed, and RelyX U200) and one self-etching resin cement (PANAVIA F2.0). The surface treatments of the fiberglass posts were processed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations (F1, application of 37% phosphoric acid etching gel and silanization). For the PEKK post groups, various surface treatments were performed like no surface treatment (P1), sandblasting (P2), silica-coating and silanization (P3), and sandblasting with a composite primer (P4). In the surface treatment, PEKK posts with silica coating and silane treatment (P3) showed a significantly higher microtensile bond strength (mean MPa: 18.09, p < 0.05). The highest microtensile bond strength was shown when the PEKK posts were treated with a silica coating and silane treatment and cemented with RelyX U200 (mean MPa: 22.22). The PEKK posts with surface treatments of silica-coating and silanization or sandblasting displayed superior microtensile bond strengths (mean MPa: 18.09 and 16.25, respectively) compared to the conventional fiberglass posts (mean MPa: 14.93, p < 0.05).
Seebeck Coefficient of Thermocouples from Nickel-Coated Carbon Fibers: Theory and Experiment
Authors: Hardianto Hardianto , De Mey Gilbert , Ciesielska-Wrόbel Izabela , Hertleer Carla , Van Langenhove Lieva
Published: May 2018

Thermocouples made of etched and non-etched nickel-coated carbon yarn (NiCCY) were investigated. Theoretic Seebeck coefficients were compared to experimental results from measurements of generated electric voltage by these thermocouples. The etching process for making thermocouples was performed by immersion of NiCCY in the solution containing a mixture of hydrochloric acid (HCl) (37% of concentration), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in three different concentrations—3%, 6%, and 10%. Thirty minutes of etching to remove Ni from NiCCY was followed by washing and drying. Next, the ability to generate electrical voltage by the thermocouples (being a junction of the etched and the non-etched NiCCY) was measured in different ranges of temperatures, both a cold junction (291.15–293.15 K) and a hot junction (293.15–325.15 K). A formula predicting the Seebeck coefficient of this thermocouple was elaborated, taking into consideration resistance values of the tested samples. It was proven that there is a good agreement between the theoretical and experimental data, especially for the yarns etched with 6% and 10% peroxide (both were mixed with HCl). The electrical resistance of non-fully etched nickel remaining on the carbon fiber surface ( R 1 ) can have a significant effect on the thermocouples’ characteristics.
Degradation of Glaukonite Sandstone as a Result of Alkali-Silica Reactions in Cement Mortar
Authors: Czapik Przemysław
Published: May 2018

The mechanism of concrete degradation as a result of an alkali-silica reaction (ASR) largely depends on the mineral composition and microstructure of the reactive aggregate. This paper shows the reactivity results of quartz-glaukonitic sandstone, which is mainly responsible for the reactivity of some post-glacial gravels, available in Poland. After initial petrographic observations under a light microscope, the mode of sandstone degradation triggered by the reaction with sodium and potassium hydroxides was identified using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It has been found that chalcedony agglomerates present in sandstone are separated from the rock matrix and subsequently cause the cracks formation in this matrix. Additionally, microcrystalline and potentially reactive silica is also dispersed in sandstone cement.
Comparison of the Different Treatment Strategies for Patients with Rectus Sheath Haematoma
Authors: Gradauskas Audrius , Venclauskas Linas , Pažusis Matas , Karpavičius Andrius , Maleckas Almantas
Published: May 2018

Background and objective: Rectus sheath haematoma (RSH) is an uncommon condition that may vary from contained haematoma to life-threatening bleeding. Timely diagnosis and treatment is crucial in this patient population. The aim of the current study was to investigate the results of the different RSH treatment strategies among patients admitted to a surgery department. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of 29 patients treated for RSH in surgery departments of two medical centres from 1 January 2007 to 30 September 2017 was conducted. The patient’s age, sex, ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists; physical status classification system), use of anticoagulants, cause of haematoma, radiological data, vital signs, blood investigations, and type of treatment were extracted. The results were analysed according to the type of treatment. Results: The patients’ mean age was 67.6 ± 14.3 years, and the mean duration of in-hospital stay was 10.7 ± 6.7 days. All patients were on anticoagulant treatment, and 82.8% of them had spontaneous haematoma. Nine patients (31%) needed transfusion of packed red blood cells with an average of 2.6 units (range: 1–4). Five patients (17.2%) presented with symptoms and signs of hypovolemic shock, and four of them underwent embolisation. Embolisation was successful in all cases. Open surgery was performed in 6 patients, 8 patients underwent percutaneous drainage, and 10 patients were treated conservatively. Two patients (6.7%) died in our series. Both of these patients had type III RSH. Patients in the conservatively treated group had the shortest hospital stay. There were no readmissions due to repeated haematoma or infection. Conclusions: Embolisation of epigastric arteries is a useful tool to stop bleeding into RSH in patients with unstable haemodynamics. Conservative treatment is comparable to ultrasound (US) drainage of RSH but results in a shorter hospital stay. Type III RSH is associated with a higher death rate.
Artificial Intelligence Monitoring of Hardening Methods and Cutting Conditions and Their Effects on Surface Roughness, Performance, and Finish Turning Costs of Solid-State Recycled Aluminum Alloy 6061 Сhips
Authors: Abbas Adel Taha , Pimenov Danil Yurievich , Erdakov Ivan Nikolaevich , Taha Mohamed Adel , El Rayes Magdy Mostafa , Soliman Mahmoud Sayed
Published: May 2018

Aluminum Alloy 6061 components are frequently manufactured for various industries—aeronautics, yachting, and optical instruments—due to their excellent physical and mechanical properties, including corrosion resistance. There is little research on the mechanical tooling of AA6061 and none on its structure and properties and their effects on surface roughness after finish turning. The objective of this comprehensive study is, therefore, to ascertain the effects of both the modern method of hardening AA6061 shafts and the finish turning conditions on surface roughness, Ra, and the minimum machining time for unit-volume removal, Tm, while also establishing the cost price of processing one part, C. The hardening methods improved both the physical and the mechanical material properties processed with 2, 4, and 6 passes of equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) at room temperature, using an ECAP-matrix with a channel angle of 90°. The reference workpiece sample was a hot extruded chip under an extrusion ratio (ER) of 5.2 at an extrusion temperature of 500 °С (ET = 500 °C). The following results were obtained: grain size in ECAP-6 decreased from 15.9 to 2.46 μm, increasing both microhardness from 41 Vickers hardness value (HV) to 110 HV and ultimate tensile strength from 132.4 to 403 MPa. The largest decrease in surface roughness, Ra—70%, was obtained turning a workpiece treated with ECAP-6. The multicriteria optimization was computed in a multilayer perceptron-based artificial neural network that yielded the following optimum values: the minimal length of the three-dimensional estimates vector with the coordinates Ra = 0.800 μm, Tm = 0.341 min/cm3, and С = 6.955 $ corresponded to the optimal finish turning conditions: cutting speed vc = 200 m/min, depth of cut ap = 0.2 mm, and feed per revolution fr = 0.103 mm/rev (ET-500 extrusion without hardening).
Galvanic Leaching of Seafloor Massive Sulphides Using MnO2 in H2SO4-NaCl Media
Authors: Kowalczuk Przemyslaw B. , Manaig Dan Oliric , Drivenes Kristian , Snook Ben , Aasly Kurt , Kleiv Rolf Arne
Published: May 2018

This paper reports the leaching of seafloor massive sulphides (SMS) from the Loki’s Castle area at the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge in sulphuric acid with manganese dioxide and sodium chloride. The results presented are of various leaching experiments conducted under different conditions in order to optimise the dissolution of copper and silver. It was shown that the main copper bearing minerals in the SMS were chalcopyrite and isocubanite, while silver could occur as an admixture in the crystallographic lattice of sulphides or as disseminated micro inclusions. Based on the results, the leaching mechanism was discussed and elucidated. It was shown that the dissolution of the SMS was mainly due to galvanic interactions between the primary marine minerals of SMS and manganese dioxide. Addition of sodium chloride promoted the extraction mechanism.
Flavor Compounds in Pixian Broad-Bean Paste: Non-Volatile Organic Acids and Amino Acids
Authors: Lin Hongbin , Yu Xiaoyu , Fang Jiaxing , Lu Yunhao , Liu Ping , Xing Yage , Wang Qin , Che Zhenming , He Qiang
Published: May 2018

Non-volatile organic acids and amino acids are important flavor compounds in Pixian broad-bean paste, which is a traditional Chinese seasoning product. In this study, non-volatile organic acids, formed in the broad-bean paste due to the metabolism of large molecular compounds, are qualitatively and quantitatively determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Amino acids, mainly produced by hydrolysis of soybean proteins, were determined by the amino acid automatic analyzer. Results indicated that seven common organic acids and eighteen common amino acids were found in six Pixian broad-bean paste samples. The content of citric acid was found to be the highest in each sample, between 4.1 mg/g to 6.3 mg/g, and malic acid were between 2.1 mg/g to 3.6 mg/g ranked as the second. Moreover, fumaric acid was first detected in fermented bean pastes albeit with a low content. For amino acids, savory with lower sour taste including glutamine (Gln), glutamic acid (Glu), aspartic acid (Asp) and asparagines (Asn) were the most abundant, noted to be 6.5 mg/g, 4.0 mg/g, 6.4 mg/g, 4.9 mg/g, 6.2 mg/g and 10.2 mg/g, and bitter taste amino acids followed. More importantly, as important flavor materials in Pixian broad-bean paste, these two groups of substances are expected to be used to evaluate and represent the flavor quality of Pixian broad-bean paste. Moreover, the results revealed that citric acid, glutamic acid, methionine and proline were the most important flavor compounds. These findings are agreat contribution for evaluating the quality and further assessment of Pixian broad-bean paste.
MAO-A Inhibitory Potential of Terpene Constituents from Ginger Rhizomes—A Bioactivity Guided Fractionation
Authors: Kukula-Koch Wirginia , Koch Wojciech , Czernicka Lidia , Głowniak Kazimierz , Asakawa Yoshinori , Umeyama Akemi , Marzec Zbigniew , Kuzuhara Takashi
Published: May 2018

Background: In the search for novel antidepressive drug candidates, bioguided fractionation of nonpolar constituents present in the oleoresin from ginger rhizomes (Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Zingiberaceae) was performed. This particular direction of the research was chosen due to the existing reports on the antidepressive properties of ginger total extract. The search for individual metabolites acting as MAO-A inhibitors, which correspond to the apparent effect of the total extract, is the subject of this work. Methods: Hexane extracts from ginger rhizomes were fractionated by using column chromatography (including silica gel impregnated with silver nitrate) and semi-preparative high-performance chromatography. For the activity assessment, an in vitro monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibition luminescence assay was performed on 10 purified terpenes: 1,8-cineole, α-citronellal, geraniol, β-sesquiphellandrene, γ-terpinen, geranyl acetate, isobornyl acetate, terpinen-4-ol, (E,E)-α-farnesene, and α-zingiberene. Results: Geraniol and (−)-terpinen-4-ol were found to be the strongest enzyme inhibitors with inhibition of 44.1% and 42.5%, respectively, at a concentration of 125 µg/mL. No differences in the inhibition potential were observed for the different groups of terpenes: sesquiterpenes, monoterpenes, or sesquiterpene alcohols; however, the two most active compounds contained a hydroxyl moiety. Conclusions: Terpene constituents from ginger’s extract were found to exhibit moderate inhibitory properties against the MAO-A enzyme in in vitro tests.
The Effect of Light Exposure at Night (LAN) on Carcinogenesis via Decreased Nocturnal Melatonin Synthesis
Authors: Giudice Aldo , Crispo Anna , Grimaldi Maria , Polo Andrea , Bimonte Sabrina , Capunzo Mario , Amore Alfonso , D’Arena Giovanni , Cerino Pellegrino , Budillon Alfredo , Botti Gerardo , Costantini Susan , Montella Maurizio
Published: May 2018

In mammals, a master clock is located within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, a region that receives input from the retina that is transmitted by the retinohypothalamic tract. The SCN controls the nocturnal synthesis of melatonin by the pineal gland that can influence the activity of the clock’s genes and be involved in the inhibition of cancer development. On the other hand, in the literature, some papers highlight that artificial light exposure at night (LAN)-induced circadian disruptions promote cancer. In the present review, we summarize the potential mechanisms by which LAN-evoked disruption of the nocturnal increase in melatonin synthesis counteracts its preventive action on human cancer development and progression. In detail, we discuss: (i) the Warburg effect related to tumor metabolism modification; (ii) genomic instability associated with L1 activity; and (iii) regulation of immunity, including regulatory T cell (Treg) regulation and activity. A better understanding of these processes could significantly contribute to new treatment and prevention strategies against hormone-related cancer types.
Manipulation of Innate and Adaptive Immunity by Staphylococcal Superantigens
Authors: Tuffs Stephen , Haeryfar S. , McCormick John
Published: May 2018

Staphylococcal superantigens (SAgs) constitute a family of potent exotoxins secreted by Staphylococcus aureus and other select staphylococcal species. SAgs function to cross-link major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules with T cell receptors (TCRs) to stimulate the uncontrolled activation of T lymphocytes, potentially leading to severe human illnesses such as toxic shock syndrome. The ubiquity of SAgs in clinical S. aureus isolates suggests that they likely make an important contribution to the evolutionary fitness of S. aureus. Although the apparent redundancy of SAgs in S. aureus has not been explained, the high level of sequence diversity within this toxin family may allow for SAgs to recognize an assorted range of TCR and MHC class II molecules, as well as aid in the avoidance of humoral immunity. Herein, we outline the major diseases associated with the staphylococcal SAgs and how a dysregulated immune system may contribute to pathology. We then highlight recent research that considers the importance of SAgs in the pathogenesis of S. aureus infections, demonstrating that SAgs are more than simply an immunological diversion. We suggest that SAgs can act as targeted modulators that drive the immune response away from an effective response, and thus aid in S. aureus persistence.
Thermal Stability of Allyl-Functional Phthalonitriles-Containing Benzoxazine/Bismaleimide Copolymers and Their Improved Mechanical Properties
Authors: Xu Mingzhen , Lei Yangxue , Ren Dengxun , Chen Lin , Li Kui , Liu Xiaobo
Published: May 2018

Copolymerization is the typical method to obtain the high-performance resin composites, due to its universality and regulation performance. It can be employed among various resin matrices with active groups to obtain the desired structures, and subsequently, the outstanding properties. In this work, the copolymerization between the allyl-functional phthalonitrile-containing benzoxazine resin (DABA-Ph) and 4,4′-bis(Maleimidodiphenyl)methane (BMI) were monitored. The interactions among the active groups including allyl moieties, maleimide, benzoxazine rings and nitrile groups were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic rheological analysis (DRA) were used to study the curing behaviors and the processing properties. The possible curing processes were proposed and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Then, glass fiber-reinforced DABA-Ph/BMI composites were designed, and their thermal-mechanical properties were studied. Results indicated that all the composites exhibited outstanding flexural strength, flexural modulus, and high glass-transition temperatures (Tg > 450 °C). The thermal stability of the composites was studied by thermogravimetry (TGA) and evaluated by the integral program decomposition temperature (IPDT). it is believed that the excellent thermal mechanical properties and outstanding Tg as well as good thermal stability would enable the reinforced copolymer-based laminates to be applied in wider fields.
Flow Behavior of Chain and Star Polymers and Their Mixtures
Authors: Srivastva Deepika , Nikoubashman Arash
Published: May 2018

Star-shaped polymers show a continuous change of properties from flexible linear chains to soft colloids, as the number of arms is increased. To investigate the effect of macromolecular architecture on the flow properties, we employ computer simulations of single chain and star polymers as well as of their mixtures under Poiseuille flow. Hydrodynamic interactions are incorporated through the multi-particle collision dynamics (MPCD) technique, while a bead-spring model is used to describe the polymers. For the ultradilute systems at rest, the polymers are distributed uniformly in the slit channel, with a weak dependence on their number of arms. Once flow is applied, however, we find that the stars migrate much more strongly towards the channel center as the number of arms is increased. In the star-chain mixtures, we find a flow-induced separation between stars and chains, with the stars located in the channel center and the chains closer to the walls. In order to identify the origin of this flow-induced partitioning, we conduct additional simulations without hydrodynamic interactions, and find that the observed cross-stream migration originates from a combination of wall-induced hydrodynamic lift forces and viscoelastic effects. The results from our study give valuable insights for designing microfluidic devices for separating polymers based on their architecture.
Synthesis and Performances of Phase Change Microcapsules with a Polymer/Diatomite Hybrid Shell for Thermal Energy Storage
Authors: Sun Yanli , Wang Rui , Liu Xing , Dai Erqing , Li Bo , Fang Shu , Li Danyang
Published: May 2018

The mechanical behavior of phase-change microcapsules (microPCMs) is of vital significance for practical applications in thermal energy storage. Hence, a new type of microPCMs based on an n-octadecane (C18) core and a melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF)/diatomite hybrid shell was developed through in situ polymerization. Based on SEM micrographs, most microPCMs exhibited a nearly spherical and smooth microstructure, with broadened particle size distributions. It was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) that successful polymerization of diatomite into the microPCMs occurred, and that additional diatomite had no effect on the core coated by the shell. In addition, the results of the differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) demonstrated that the mechanical properties of the microPCMs were remarkably improved by the addition of a moderate amount of diatomite, but that the heat enthalpy and encapsulated efficiency (η) decreased slightly. The incorporation of 2 wt % diatomite resulted in the average Young’s modulus of microPCMs, which was 1.64 times greater than those of microPCMs without diatomite. Furthermore, the melting and crystallization enthalpies and the encapsulated efficiency of the microPCMs were as high as 237.6 J/g, 234.4 J/g and 77.90%, respectively. The microPCMs with a polymer/diatomite hybrid shell may become the potential materials in the application of thermal energy storage.
Scratching Beneath the Surface: A Model to Predict the Vertical Distribution of Prochlorococcus Using Remote Sensing
Authors: Lange Priscila K. , Brewin Robert J. W. , Dall’Olmo Giorgio , Tarran Glen A. , Sathyendranath Shubha , Zubkov Mikhail , Bouman Heather A.
Published: May 2018

The unicellular cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus is the most dominant resident of the subtropical gyres, which are considered to be the largest biomes on earth. In this study, the spatial and temporal variability in the global distribution of Prochlorococcus was estimated in the Atlantic Ocean using an empirical model based on data from 13 Atlantic Meridional Transect cruises. Our model uses satellite-derived sea surface temperature (SST), remote-sensing reflectance at 443 and 488 nm, and the water temperature at a depth of 200 m from Argo data. The model divides the population of Prochlorococcus into two groups: ProI, which dominates under high-light conditions associated with the surface, and ProII, which favors low light found near the deep chlorophyll maximum. ProI and ProII are then summed to provide vertical profiles of the concentration of Prochlorococcus cells. This model predicts that Prochlorococcus cells contribute 32 Mt of carbon biomass (7.4 × 1026 cells) to the Atlantic Ocean, concentrated mainly within the subtropical gyres (35%) and areas near the Equatorial Convergence Zone (30%). When projected globally, 3.4 × 1027 Prochlorococcus cells represent 171 Mt of carbon biomass, with 43% of this global biomass allocated to the upper ocean (0–45 m depth). Annual cell standing stocks were relatively stable between the years 2003 and 2014, and the contribution of the gyres varies seasonally as gyres expand and contract, tracking changes in light and temperature, with lowest cell abundances during the boreal and austral winter (1.4 × 1013 cells m−2), when surface cell concentrations were highest (9.8 × 104 cells mL−1), whereas the opposite scenario was observed in spring–summer (2 × 1013 cells m−2). This model provides a three-dimensional view of the abundance of Prochlorococcus cells, revealing that Prochlorococcus contributes significantly to total phytoplankton biomass in the Atlantic Ocean, and can be applied using either in situ measurements at the sea surface (r2 = 0.83) or remote-sensing observables (r2 = 0.58).
A Multisensor Approach to Global Retrievals of Land Surface Albedo
Authors: Riihelä Aku , Manninen Terhikki , Key Jeffrey , Sun Qingsong , Sütterlin Melanie , Lattanzio Alessio , Schaaf Crystal
Published: May 2018

Satellite-based retrievals offer the most cost-effective way to comprehensively map the surface albedo of the Earth, a key variable for understanding the dynamics of radiative energy interactions in the atmosphere-surface system. Surface albedo retrievals have commonly been designed separately for each different spaceborne optical imager. Here, we introduce a novel type of processing framework that combines the data from two polar-orbiting optical imager families, the Advanced Very High-Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The goal of the paper is to demonstrate that multisensor albedo retrievals can provide a significant reduction in the sampling time required for a robust and comprehensive surface albedo retrieval, without a major degradation in retrieval accuracy, as compared to state-of-the-art single-sensor retrievals. We evaluated the multisensor retrievals against reference in situ albedo measurements and compare them with existing datasets. The results show that global land surface albedo retrievals with a sampling period of 10 days can offer near-complete spatial coverage, with a retrieval bias mostly comparable to existing single sensor datasets, except for bright surfaces (deserts and snow) where the retrieval framework shows degraded performance because of atmospheric correction design compromises. A level difference is found between the single sensor datasets and the demonstrator developed here, pointing towards a need for further work in the atmospheric correction, particularly over bright surfaces, and inter-sensor radiance homogenization. The introduced framework is expandable to include other sensors in the future.
Adaptive Obstacle Detection for Mobile Robots in Urban Environments Using Downward-Looking 2D LiDAR
Authors: Pang Cong , Zhong Xunyu , Hu Huosheng , Tian Jun , Peng Xiafu , Zeng Jianping
Published: May 2018

Environment perception is important for collision-free motion planning of outdoor mobile robots. This paper presents an adaptive obstacle detection method for outdoor mobile robots using a single downward-looking LiDAR sensor. The method begins by extracting line segments from the raw sensor data, and then estimates the height and the vector of the scanned road surface at each moment. Subsequently, the segments are divided into either road ground or obstacles based on the average height of each line segment and the deviation between the line segment and the road vector estimated from the previous measurements. A series of experiments have been conducted in several scenarios, including normal scenes and complex scenes. The experimental results show that the proposed approach can accurately detect obstacles on roads and could effectively deal with the different heights of obstacles in urban road environments.
Dynamic Analysis of Meteorological Parameters in Košice Climatic Station in Slovakia
Authors: Zeleňáková Martina , Jothiprakash Vinayakam , Arjun Sasi , Káposztásová Daniela , Hlavatá Helena
Published: May 2018

Evaporation and precipitation are often considered the most important processes in the water cycle. Recent studies have turned to chaotic analysis and short-term prediction for analyzing and forecasting the time series of such phenomena. However, even with chaos theory, the accurate forecasting of pan evaporation is not a straightforward business, as it involves a number of variables whose changes directly and/or indirectly affect the scale and amount of pan evaporation. In this study, the use of the false nearest neighbour method for the chaotic analysis of pan evaporation and related metrological parameters is discussed. A literature review is presented on chaos theory and its applications in modelling physical systems. Also, a review of the literature on multivariate analysis and the presence of chaos in meteorology are presented. A detailed procedure for finding the presence of chaos in a time series using false nearest neighbour (FNN) is discussed. The possible lag time to be considered in the FNN analysis is estimated using the autocorrelation function (ACF) and average mutual information (AMI) apart from the time-step of the measurement. Thus, FNN is studied with three different lag times of the time series. Six meteorological parameters: average temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, sunshine hours, dew point temperature, and pan evaporation are measured at the observation station Kosice in Slovakia for a period of 20 years. Thus, the available time series are analysed using ACF, AMI, and FNN methods, and the results obtained are analysed in the study. Nonlinear behaviour is seen in all of the observed parameters. Pan evaporation, average temperature, and dew point temperature are found to exhibit clear chaotic behaviour, while relative humidity, sunshine hours, and wind speed show stochastic behaviour.
The Relationship between Body Mass Index and Organism-Specific Peritonitis
Authors: Jegatheesan Dev , Johnson David W. , Cho Yeoungjee , Pascoe Elaine M. , Darssan Darsy , Htay Htay , Hawley Carmel , Clayton Philip A. , Borlace Monique , Badve Sunil V. , Sud Kamal , Boudville Neil , McDonald Stephen P. , Nadeau-Fredette Annie-Claire
Published: May 2018

Background

Obesity is increasingly prevalent worldwide, and a greater number of patients initiate renal replacement therapy with a high body mass index (BMI). This study aimed to evaluate the association between BMI and organism-specific peritonitis.

Methods

All adult patients who initiated peritoneal dialysis (PD) in Australia between January 2004 and December 2013 were included. Data were accessed through the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant (ANZDATA) Registry. The co-primary outcomes of this study were time to first organism-specific peritonitis episode, specifically gram-positive, gram-negative, culture-negative, and fungal. Secondary outcomes were individual rates of organism-specific peritonitis for the same 4 microbiological categories.

Results

There were 7,381 peritonitis episodes among the 8,343 incident PD patients evaluated. After multivariable adjustment, obese patients (BMI 30 – 34.9 kg/m2) had an increased risk of fungal peritonitis (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18 – 2.42), very obese patients (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) had a significantly higher risk of gram-positive peritonitis (HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02 – 1.30), while both obese and very obese patients experienced significantly higher risks of gram-negative peritonitis (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.11 – 1.50 and HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.08 – 1.57, respectively) compared with patients with normal BMI (20 – 24.9 kg/m2). Obesity and severe obesity were independently associated with increased incidence rate ratios of all forms of organism-specific peritonitis with a non-significant trend for severe obesity and gram-negative peritonitis association.

Conclusion

Among Australian patients, obesity and severe obesity are associated with significantly increased rates of gram-positive, gram-negative, fungal, and culture-negative peritonitis.
THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS IN THE CREDIT RISK MANAGEMENT OF SME
Authors: BELAS Jaroslav , SMRCKA Lubos , GAVUROVA Beata , DVORSKY Jan
Published: May 2018

Numerous research studies deal with the issue of researching the impacts on credit risk determinants in the SME segment. The study of economic factors that are easier to quantify from methodological point of view, and which prevent complex evaluation of causality of interest rate risk and the discovery of various social barriers dominate. This consistent fact forms a platform in designing the research to introduce a model of dependency of effective credit risk management in the SME segment on significant social and economic factors. Empirical research was carried out in the Czech business environment in 2017 on a sample of 352 enterprises. The structural analysis modeling (SEM) was the main analytical method. The research results confirmed the fact that an effective approach to managing the SME’s credit risk is determined by a number of factors of a noneconomic nature. The most important are education and family environment. These are followed by economic factors, such as a relationship with banks, financial knowledge in the area of capital and payment discipline. The multi-spectral dimension of the findings and causality also opened up a wide discussion and prepared a high-quality data research base for further deeper exploration of this issue.
A comparative study of external female genitalia (including the 8 th and 9 th abdominal segments) in the family Megalopodidae and other related families of Chrysomeloidea
Authors: Li Kaiqin , Liang Hongbin
Published: May 2018

The external female genitalia of 29 species belonging to three genera of Megalopodidae and 80 species belonging to 61 genera of another four families in Chrysomeloidea were studied. The external female genitalia within the superfamily Chrysomeloidea can be divided into a cerambycid type and a chrysomelid type. The comparative study of external female genitalia shows Megalopodidae is more closely related to the family Cerambycidae than to the family Chrysomelidae s.l. Among five subfamilies of Cerambycidae we studied, the subfamily Lamiinae is most closely allied to Megalopodidae. An evolutionary path is proposed for the spiculum gastrale in Chrysomeloidea: the characteristic state of the spiculum gastrale without a joint is primary, and that with a joint is secondary. The family Orsodacnidae has probably evolved in isolation from the early chrysomelids, due to their shared external female genitalia (cerambycid type). In the family Chrysomelidae, the structure of external female genitalia and ovipositing behavior show that the subfamily Synetinae is closer to the Camptosomata than the subfamily Eumolpinae. In general, the shape of the terminal ovipositor is palp-like in the Chrysomeloidea. Terminal ovipositors are generally palp-shaped in Chrysomeloidea except for those that are lamellate in the genus Callispa and the subfamily Cassidinae who produce egg-sheaths.
Leading and Participating in International Medical Service Trips
Authors: Riner Mary E.
Published: May 2018

In communities around the world, health professionals and students preparing for health careers are increasingly responding to global health needs stemming from natural disasters, infectious disease outbreaks, and inadequate resources. This has resulted in a wide range of faith-based and nonfaith-based health care organizations establishing international medical service programs. This article provides guidance for nursing professional development educators and faculty on leading and participating in these programs. The emphasis is on using best practice guidelines while engaging with the community and providing culturally appropriate and sustainable health care services within an international context.
J Contin Educ Nurs.
2018;49(6):251–253.
Effectiveness of Peripheral Intravenous Skill Continuing Education Using Low-Fidelity Simulation Among Nurses in India
Authors: Garner Shelby L. , Prater Lyn S. , Raj Leena , Leena G. Veda , Anitha A.J. Joyce
Published: May 2018

Background:

Many nurses have limited opportunities to practice peripheral intravenous (IV) skill access until they begin their nursing career, particularly in limited resource settings. Continuing nursing education is needed for practicing nurses to build nurse capacity and skill accuracy in IV access globally.

Method:

A pretest–posttest design was used to measure effectiveness of peripheral IV continuing education among 180 nurses in India. A skills checklist was used to observe for skill accuracy using low-fidelity simulation.

Results:

A statistically significant improvement in knowledge regarding peripheral IV skill access and care was found (
p
< .001), and 95% of nurse participants successfully simulated IV access accuracy after the continuing education intervention.

Conclusion:

Findings support the need for continuing nursing education to improve peripheral IV access and care knowledge and skill among nurses, particularly in low- and middle-income countries or other settings where hands-on experience is limited during undergraduate nursing education programs.

J Contin Educ Nurs.
2018;49(6):255–261.
Value of Nurse Residency Programs in Retaining New Graduate Nurses and Their Potential Effect on the Nursing Shortage
Authors: Ackerson Kelly , Stiles Kristy A.
Published: May 2018

Background:

More than 1 million nurses are expected to retire in the next 10 to 15 years. Retaining new nurses is important to help decrease turnover, vacancies, and organizational cost. The objective of this review was to explore what the literature informs us regarding nurse residency programs implementation in acute care settings and their ability to retain nurses.

Method:

Through a search of the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Ovid Nursing Journals, and ProQuest Health and Medical Complete databases, 42 articles were selected for full review.

Results:

Twenty-six articles met the inclusion criteria; most studies were descriptive. Established programs with at least a 12-month time frame were slightly more effective at retention. However, retention was not sustained at year two.

Conclusion:

Future research should focus on the issues of sustaining retention in year two. If using proxy measurement tools, reliability and validity of those tools must be conducted. In addition, robust studies are needed to explore the effect of nurse residency programs on retention.

J Contin Educ Nurs.
2018;49(6):282–288.
Formal Service Use by African American Individuals With Dementia and Their Caregivers: An Integrative Review
Authors: Bonds Kalisha , Lyons Karen S.
Published: May 2018

Dementia is a predominant problem in older adults, affecting African American individuals at higher rates than other ethnic groups; yet, African American older adults use fewer formal services. To identify factors influencing formal service use by African American individuals with dementia and their caregivers, an integrative review of the literature was performed using four databases from 1990 to July 2017. Fourteen articles (nine quantitative, five qualitative) describing formal service use were included in the review. Three main themes were identified:
Formal Service Need
,
Expectations of Formal Service Providers
, and
Formal Service Use
. Recommendations to improve formal service use are suggested. [
Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 44
(6), 33–39.]
The Value of Simulation for Learning Project Management
Authors: Reed April H. , Angolia Mark G.
Published: May 2018

This chapter will explore the value of using computerized simulation case studies to enhance learning in project management education at the undergraduate and graduate college levels. Traditional teaching methods of textbook reading and lectures provide students with a vast number of concepts, processes, tools, and procedures for managing projects. However, it is difficult for students to translate that learning into use in real-life project management situations. Simulations are filling that gap by offering a low-risk environment with lifelike scenarios where students must determine the appropriate project management concept to employ and how to execute it. Simulations allow students to use their newly learned concepts and critical thinking for decision making while receiving immediate feedback which allows the student to make adjustments. This chapter will also discuss the value of these simulations based on the timing of when to introduce them to students during the semester.
Virtual Organizations and IT Project Management
Authors: Maranga Kennedy
Published: May 2018

The rise of the internet has instilled a new dimension into project management. This chapter explores literature that evaluates virtual organization management and determines the extent new technologies contributed to task completion in dispersed locations. New channels of communication offer opportunities for participation, but there are still more challenges that project managers face in a virtual team setting than on-site teams. With global organization, talent spread across time zones and dispersed through various nations can be easily tapped by organizations. With advanced technology, companies are now effectively completing tasks and are growing new revenue in expanding markets in different parts of the world that were often merely islands with little interaction as they were limited to phone, fax, mail, or personal visits. However, the introduction of the virtual world of organizations demands that the leader and players be well trained and put forth the extra effort to overcome communication barriers.
Social-Architectural Design of Community-Based Embedded Comprehensive Elderly Centers in China
Authors: Ma Yuanhong , Zou Guangtian , Siu Kin Wai Michael , Wong Yi Lin
Published: May 2018

The community-based embedded comprehensive elderly center (CECEC) was proposed in 2015 to address ageing population issues in China in existing communities. However, there is as yet no satisfactory solution for how to design the CECEC to properly integrate resources and create social inclusion. Synthesizing the social design and architectural design literature, this study proposes a CECEC architectural design that incorporates the approach, content, and design steps of social design. This study argues that social-architectural CECEC design goes beyond traditional architectural design. It is not limited to the construction of material space; it also focuses on the participation of different stakeholders. Considering the needs of the people and the potential of existing communities, the proposed social-architectural CECEC design process involves architectural-social problem definition, project establishment, architectural programming, design ordering, strategy confirmation, and architectural design.
Play Safe?
Authors: Lo Angelina K. Y.
Published: May 2018

Playgrounds in Hong Kong have been boring to children, as elements of risk and fun have been removed for parents' concern for safety. The government resorted to homogenous plastic play facilities to extinguish any liability and complaints. While adults wanted to play safe, children's opportunities for balanced physical, sensory, and social development diminished. A play consultant organization, Playright, came forward with social design initiatives that brought all the stakeholders—government departments, professionals, schools, and families—together to reach a common goal—better playgrounds. The Children's Playground Design Workshops and Junior Playground Commissioner Incubation Programme, in which children participated as the designer, allowed their ideas to inform the actual design of the pilot project at Tuen Mun Park Playground, which is due to complete by the end of 2017 by the Architectural Services Department. The aim of this chapter is to document and discuss how the co-designing of all the stakeholders, especially children, could make social change together.
The Knowledge Vehicle (K-Yan)
Authors: Reddy R. C. M. , Shah Tamanna M.
Published: May 2018

The world today is in a state of digital flux where the rapid spread of technology demands young people to stay au courant with new skills and approaches. India, set to become a young nation by 2030, will face the digital challenge if policies are not steered to realize the bottom-up approach to progress that clubs traditional teaching methods with technology. As a user-centered social design, K-Yan transforms a mix of products and services to a sustainable device, while still being economically successful. It captures the valorization of existing social resources/knowledge and its digitization under K-Yan. K-Yan exhibits a sustainability shift from a technological and product-related innovation to a broader techno-socio-cultural innovation. This chapter explores K-Yan as a design for social inclusion and equality that combines the triple bottom line approach with ICT to generate sustainable value.
Educating a Socially Responsible Designer
Authors: Anay Meltem Ozten
Published: May 2018

Between user and environment, the main responsibility of a designer is to conceive user as part of design understanding. Design education is one of the important stages to provide required bottom-up change in prevalent design perspectives by equipping student with necessary skills and tools towards a socially responsible designer. Addressing this issue, the chapter aims to provide a framework to contribute education of socially responsible designer. Focusing on Donald Schön's notion of “on-the-spot inquiry,” a framework for the organization of user learning in design studio is discussed to provide design students a way to understand real user with its complex dimensions and lead them to define their design problem with this user-informed perspective. The critical tools of this approach are underlined as real user-student interaction, on-the-spot user inquiry, and user case in design studio. This framework is exemplified with a user case involving a design studio experience.