bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest by Emergency Medical Dispatchers: A Diagnostic Accuracy Study
Authors: Saberian Peyman , Sadeghi Mostafa , Hasani-Sharamin Parisa , Modabber Maryam , Baratloo Alireza
Published: September 2019

Introduction

This study was conducted to assess the diagnostic accuracy of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) made by emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs) in Tehran, Iran.

Methods

Patients more than 18 years of age who were suspected of having an OHCA by EMDs or emergency medical service (EMS) technicians at the patient's bedside were eligible for inclusion in the study. The initial diagnosis, results of primary assessment and monitoring, and the final outcome of the mission (gold standard) were all recorded. Related archived audios were extracted from the system and listened to by the researcher (MM). Other required data were extracted from EMS mission forms and recorded in a pre-prepared checklist. After statistical analysis the accuracy was calculated.

Results

A total of 4732 patients were included (mean age 68.1 ± 19.7 years) of which 2830 (59.8%) were men. These cases reported by 173 EMDs that the EMDs mean age was 27.7±3.7 years, and they were all women. Cardiac arrest prevalence based on final diagnosis (gold standard) was 37.4% (95% CI: 36.0–38.8). Sensitivity and specificity of OHCA diagnosis by EMDs was 78.6% and 92.4%, respectively. Positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy were 86.1% (95% CI: 84.5–87.6), 87.8% (95% CI: 86.8–88.8) and 87.3% (95% CI: 86.3–88.2), respectively. The sensitivity of diagnosis increased with increasing EMD's work experience and also increasing the number of reported OHCA cases.

Conclusion

Based on the results, accuracy of OHCA diagnosis by EMDs was almost 87%. It is likely that more experienced EMDs or those with more experience diagnosing OHCA are better at recognising OHCA.
Pattern of Injury in RTA Patients in Department of Neurosurgery, Rangpur Medical College Hospital
Authors: Roy Rajkumar , Rahman Habibur , Sultana Shamima , Bhuiyan Tofael Hossain
Published: September 2019

Background: Road traffic accident (RTA) is a common problem of neurosurgery department. It is one of the leading causes of death in Bangladesh; the World Health Organization estimated that it kills over 21,000 people in the country annually.
Aims: This study aims at to give special attention to RTA patients having head injury or spine injury rather than other injury.
Method: The data were collected using a set of structured questionnaires from January/2018 to December/2018.
Result: Maximum (93.3%) of RTA patients were managed conservatively and only a few number (6.7%) of patients needed surgery. Recovery was 83% and death was in 17% cases.
Conclusion: Head injuries remain the most common and serious type of trauma in RTA and demand good neurosurgical care for such patients. Immediate attention is needed to reduce preventable deaths and morbidities in rural Bangladesh.
Bang. J Neurosurgery 2019; 9(1): 22-25
Tecnologías para el uso de marketing de proximidad: un aporte teórico
Authors: Medina Chicaiza Ricardo Patricio , Sarzosa Rivera Estefanía Soledad , Morales Oñate Víctor Roberto
Published: September 2019

La investigación se centra en realizar una aproximación teórica sobre las tecnologías para el uso de marketing de proximidad; apoyándose en el método teórico de análisis-síntesis para el desarrollo de este estudio, así como, la herramienta Publish or Perish para la búsqueda de documentos. En este sentido, el marketing de proximidad apoya en la entrega de anuncios publicitarios que se personalizan de acuerdo al segmento de mercado, a través de herramientas tecnológicas (Bluetooth, WiFi, NFC, RFID, beacons, geofencing); con sus indicadores de medición que conlleve a un control, seguimiento y evaluación de la campaña publicitaria.
Carotenoid Analysis of Ripe Banana Flesh and Peel from Three Cultivars of Banana
Authors: Septiany Gabriela Johana , Putri Widya Dwi Rukmi , Panca Ida Nur , Heriyanto Heriyanto , Limantara Assoc. Prof. Dr. Leenawaty
Published: September 2019

Banana peel is a promising source to be utilized in fortification of food products due to the high content of carotenoids (Cars) which are active as provitamin A. Dominant, total and relative concentrations of Cars were determined from fresh flesh and peel in three cultivars of banana obtained from Raja, Ambon Kuning, and Kepok Kuning. To evaluate the difference in Car compositions principal component analysis (PCA) was also performed. Based on chromatographic, spectroscopic, and mass spectrometric analyses, dominant Cars were separated and identified to be lutein, α-carotene and β-carotene. Lutein was the major Car of fresh peel, while other two Cars were found in fresh flesh in addition to lutein. Raja banana had the highest total concentration of Cars among three banana samples used. PCA results generated from the absorption spectra showed three clusters of the different banana samples. PCA results are correlated to their Car compositions and this method might be applicable for the determination of dominant Cars.
Pengaruh jenis pelarut pada ekstrak daun kelor (Moringa oleifera) terhadap mortalitas larva Aedes aegypti
Authors: Harsanti Restiani Sih , Yasi Ratna Mustika
Published: September 2019

Innovation is needed using alternative ingredients as natural larvacide instead of temefos. One of the plants that can be used for making natural larvacide is Moringa (Moringa oleifera) which contains alkaloids and flavonoids. This study aims to determine the effect of the type of solvent on Moringa (M. oleifera) extract on the mortality of Aedes aegypti larvae and determine the most effective solvent in extracting Moringa leaves  as A. aegypti larvacide. This study uses a completely randomized design with 5 replications. Moringa leaf extract is obtained by maceration with aquades, ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, and n-hexane. Moringa leaf extracts were tested for phytochemistry and larvacidal power was tested for A. aegypti larvae. Mortality data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey tests. The results showed that the type of solvent in moringa leaf extract (M. oleifera) did not significantly influence the mortality of A. aegypti larvae and the most effective type of solvent for extraction of Moringa leaves were aquades and ethanol. Based on the research findings it can be concluded that the type of solvent in moringa leaf extract does not significantly influence the mortality of A. aegypti larvae. However, the most effective types of solvents for extraction of Moringa leaves are aquades and ethanol.
Kajian Archetype Karya Arsitektur Bangunan Kantor
Authors: Mojo Jordy , Wibowo Danang Harito
Published: September 2019

This study discusses the architectural work of an office named @Batubata, owned by the architectural firm Studio Air Putih. The object was chosen because it won two prestigious awards in the best office category and a lot of media coverage. It's just that there are no studies that discuss the office academically and in detail. So in this study review looking for the main characteristics of the Studio Air Putih office by dissecting and deciphering the building elements using the Archetype understanding of Thomas Thiis Evansen's thoughts. This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach where primary data is obtained through observation and interviews. Literature study was conducted to obtain secondary data.
Review Penerapan Konsep Kota Hijau Pada Perumahan Klaster
Authors: Waspodo Yosi Bruina , Khamdevi Muhammar
Published: September 2019

This study discusses the analysis of the application of the concept of green city in cluster dwellings in Gading Serpong. The selected case studies are Desa Menteng and Grand Amarillo. The selection of case study objects is based on awards obtained from property awards. This study tries to uncover the theory of the concept of a green city that is now used by P2KH (Green City Organizers' Alloy). Assessment uses indicators determined by P2KH Licenses; Green City Planning and Design, Green Open Space Planning, Efficient Energy Consumption (Green Energy), Effective Water Management (Green Water), Environmentally Friendly Waste Management (Green Waste), Green Buildings, Sustainable Transportation System Implementation (Transportation Green), Increasing the Role of Communities as Green Communities. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative method. The final results found by one cluster according to the specified criteria are not yet clustered.
Penerapan Prinsip Desain Garden City Pada Perancangan Central Business District
Authors: Sufian Safitri Dewi , Firzal Yohannes , Susilawati Mira Dharma
Published: September 2019

With its location in a strategic area of trade, economy, tourism and international industry, Batam City has to become a potential area to develop. For this reason, the city is targeted to be an industrial and trade city. The development of a new area such as the central business district (CBD) is an effort to increase this potential. Batam Central Business District is seen as a multifunctional economic area with residential and recreational facilities that is support by location in Batam Center. The design principles of the Garden City theory can be applied to this area. According to the theory, city development can environmentally and socially be oriented and supports the sustainability of a city and leads to the creation of a green city, apart from industrial development. The Garden City principles can be one of the foundations in developing Batam City's potential to become an economically and socially environmentally friendly region, while still paying attention to the arrangement of green areas, roads and building layouts based on the function of activities. The facilities in Batam CBD are divided into several zones such as commercial, residential, office, and recreation with the addition of public space into its design. Furthermore, by using the Garden City design principles, the design can make it easier for users to carry out activities and appear to be more developed and organized, while also adjusting to the environment and social, to attract the attention of investors in this city.
Ageing, old age and media: Critical appraisal of knowledge practices in academic research
Authors: Mosberg Iversen Sara , Wilinska Monika
Published: September 2019

This interpretative literature review discusses research published between 2000 and 2015 that focuses on the media representation of older adults. The key objective is to offer a critical discussion on the knowledge and assumptions underlying such studies. Specifically, the review examines how old age and media, respectively, are conceptualised in the research and the consequence this has for further research in the fields of ageing and media studies. The main finding from this review is that a large part of the research appears to say nothing about what old age and media are, as it either entirely fails to discuss what is meant by these terms or relies on common sense notions. The review concludes that research on older age and media suffers from a lack of dialogue over disciplinary borders and that this issue needs to be remedied. Likewise, for research to move on, it is imperative to take a more reflexive stance on the topics in order to avoid simplistic notions of both ageing and media.
A Test-Bed For Measuring UAS Servo Reliability
Authors: ElSaid AbdElRahman , Adjekum Daniel , Nordlie John , El Jamiy Fatima
Published: September 2019

Extant literature suggests minimal research on the reliability of Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components used in fabricating non-military Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). Stochastic failures of components during operational cycles over time poses a safety hazard to flight operations. The purpose of the study was to critically assess the operational performance standards (reliability) of a laboratory designed UAS component test-bed operated using real-world data collected from a Boeing Scan Eagle® UAS aileron servo unit via a flight data recorder. The study hypothesized that the test-bed’s reliability, in terms of a measured encoder output of commanded servo positions, will not be significantly different after double and triple periods of time for continuous operations compared to a base-line mean position. Results suggested that test-bed operated within reliability criteria for a baseline period but there were significant differences in the mean of the reliability after the operational cycles were doubled and tripled in time. This study adds to paucity of extant research on UAS COTS reliability and recommends further studies on reliability of other small UAS components within periods of time.
Thermal Numerical Analysis of the Primary Composite Structure of a CubeSat
Authors: Piedra Saul , Torres Mauricio , Ledesma Saul
Published: September 2019

A thermal computational analysis for the composite structure of a CubeSat is presented. The main purpose of this investigation is to study the thermal performance of carbon fibre/epoxy resin composite materials with Zinc Oxide nanoparticles in order to be used in the panels of the primary structure of a CubeSat. The radiative heat fluxes over each composite panel are computed according to the orbit trajectory and they are utilized as boundary conditions for the analysis. The direct solar, albedo and Earth infrared radiation fluxes are considered in this study. The model implementation, including the computation of the orthotropic thermal conductivity of the composite material is presented. The thermal simulations were performed for three different orbit inclination angles: the selected mission ( β = 57 ∘ ), the worst hot ( β = 90 ∘ ) and the worst cold ( β = 0 ∘ ). The temperature ranges in the electronic boards are analyzed in order to show that are into the operating limits of each electronic component.
Selected Scattering on Quasi-Ordered Hexagonal Close-Packed Al Nanodents for Tunable Output of White LEDs
Authors: Zhao Junfeng , Yu Xinxiang , Zhao Zhiguo , Dong Xiaoyan , Shi Dandan , Shi Xianli , Sun Jie , Zhang Mingfu , Dai Han
Published: September 2019

Quasi-ordered hexagonal close-packed Al nanodents, with depths of 30 nm and top-diameters of 300 nm prepared by electrochemical anodizing, are used to manage the output spectrum of white Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Significant short wavelength light, with a peak of 450 nm, displays significant scattering enhancements on these Al nanodents with the increment of the angle of the incidence, while long wavelength light, with a peak of 550 nm, shows weaker scattering on Al nanodents with the increment of theincidence angle. Near-field and far-field simulations reveal the effect of light coupling in the holes of Al nanodents on the selected scattering. This work could provide a striking new way to make use of cheap white LEDs.
Accumulative Roll Bonding—A Review
Authors: Ghalehbandi Seyed Mahmoud , Malaki Massoud , Gupta Manoj
Published: September 2019

Different manufacturing processes can be utilized to fabricate light-weight high-strength materials for their applications in a wide spectrum of industries such as aerospace, automotive and biomedical sectors among which accumulative roll bonding (ARB) is a promising severe plastic deformation (SPD) method capable of creating ultrafine grains (UFG) in the final microstructure. The present review discusses recent advancements in the ARB process starting with the ARB basics, intricacies of the underlying mechanisms and physics, different materials, surface and rolling parameters, and finally its key effects on different properties such as strength, ductility, fatigue, toughness, superplasticity, tribology and thermal characteristics. Moreover, results of recent computational investigations have also been briefed towards the end. It is believed that ARB processing is an emerging area with tremendous opportunities in the industrial sector and ample potential in tailoring microstructures for high-performance materials.
The Dynamic Characteristic of a Faulted Rotor System with Multi-Objective Optimization Designed SFD
Authors: Ma Liang , Wang Jun , Zhang Guichang
Published: September 2019

As an important part of the turbomachinery, the rotor–bearing system has been upgraded to provide a high rotating speed in order to meet the demand of high power production. With increasing demand for stability, the squeeze film damper (SFD) has been widely used in industrial machinery because it can reduce the vibration amplitude and suppress the external force. Usually, it shows inadaptability under the different working conditions where the SFD parameters didn’t change appropriately. Therefore, the reasonable choice of operational parameters of SFD is the key solution that can provide viscous damping effectively and restrain the nonlinear vibration generated by faults. In this paper, the mathematical model of a rotor-ball bearing-SFD system considering the misalignment fault and misalignment-rubbing coupling fault is built first. Then the dynamic characteristics under typical working conditions (ω = 1000 rad/s) of the faulted rotor are discussed. The vibration attenuation effects of the SFD parameters selected by using the multi-objective optimization method on the dynamic responses are analyzed. The results show that when the rotor system operates under different states, the value and the sensitivity of optimization parameters are altered. With no fault, the amplitude of fundamental frequency decrease 23%. With the misalignment fault, the amplitude of the fundamental frequency decreases by 43.4%, the amplitude of 2× fundamental frequency decreases by 27.5%, and the amplitude of 3× fundamental frequency decreases by 66.7%. With the misalignment-rubbing coupling fault, the amplitude of fundamental frequency reduces by 7.4%, the amplitude of 2× fundamental frequency drops by 51.5%, and the amplitude of 3× fundamental frequency drops by 16.8%. Overall, the feasibility of the optimization method of the variable-structured SFD operational parameters for the faulted rotor system is verified. These parametric analyses are very helpful in the development of a high-speed rotor system and provide a theoretical reference for the vibration control and optimal design of rotating machinery.
The Design and Optimization of an Interior, Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine Applied in an Electric Traction Vehicle Requiring a Low Torque Ripple
Authors: Zhang Gan , Yu Wenfei , Hua Wei , Cao Ruiwu , Qiu Hongbo , Guo Aili
Published: September 2019

An internal permanent magnet synchronous machine (IPMSM) was designed for heavy-load traction vehicles applied in port transportation. Based on finite element analysis (FEA), the rotor iron core topology was optimized with the most attention paid to cogging torque and torque ripple. The influences of the iron core on the air-gap magnetic flux density, the back electro-motive-force harmonic, the cogging torque and the torque ripple were investigated. The design scheme of minimizing cogging torque and output torque ripple was obtained. Focused on the relationship between the rotor parameters and the torque ripple, the relative sensitivity factor was proposed and analyzed. Finally, the torque ripple was reduced from 14.4% to 3.84%, after further optimization of the rotor design parameters. The reliability and stability of the IPMSM were also covered. Additionally, the experimental study of the prototype was carried out to verify the FEA results.
Using Earthworms Eisenia fetida (Sav.) for Utilization of Expansive Littoral Plants Biomass
Authors: Pączka Grzegorz , Mazur-Pączka Anna , Garczyńska Mariola , Podolak Agnieszka , Szura Renata , Butt Kevin R. , Kostecka Joanna
Published: September 2019

This paper presents the results of the process of vermicomposting waste biomass of littoral plants Typha latifolia, Iris pseudacorus, Ceratophyllum demersum in vermireactors, with the use of earthworms Eisenia fetida. It was observed that E. fetida may be used for rapid utilization of pure I. pseudacorus and C. demersum waste, but using the technology presented in this paper and the assumed observation time, it was not possible to recycle T. latifolia waste. Vermicomposts obtained were characterized by higher N, P, K, Ca, and Mg content compared to the initial plant biomass. The content of Cu, Mn, Zn, Cd, and Pb in vermicomposts did not exclude their application as a fertilizer. During vermicomposting of all littoral plants, the earthworm population was maintained up to day 70 of the experiment, with a slight decrease in their number (on average by 6%, p > 0.05), and since day 35, a significant loss in earthworm biomass was observed. The greatest loss of mean sum of biomass (49%, p < 0.05) was noted in a group of earthworms utilizing T. latifolia. The earthworms reproduced, with the greatest mean number (and the sum of biomass) of cocoons observed in a group of earthworms processing C. demersum. These values were greater by 32% and 38% respectively (p < 0.05), for the aforementioned characteristics of cocoons produced in the remaining experimental groups.
Study on an Optimal Strut-And-Tie Model for Concrete Deep Beams
Authors: Chen Haitao , Wang Lai , Zhong Jitao
Published: September 2019

The optimal strut-and-tie models (STMs) of two typical irregular concrete deep beams were constructed using evolutionary structural optimization and compared with those of previous studies. The reinforced concrete deep beam specimens were cast according to the reinforcement designs guided by different STMs. Eight irregular concrete deep beam specimens were experimentally investigated under stepped loading, and the differences in the amount of steel used, the load-carrying capacity, and the failure pattern of the different specimens were analyzed. The results show that the optimal STMs proposed in this study have significant advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness and can simultaneously ensure the load-carrying capacity, delay the crack propagation of irregular concrete deep beams, and reduce the amount of steel used in structural members. Therefore, they have an important engineering application value for the reinforcement design of irregular concrete deep beams.
Virtual Mechanical Product Disassembly Sequences Based on Disassembly Order Graphs and Time Measurement Units
Authors: Francia Daniela , Ponti Simone , Frizziero Leonardo , Liverani Alfredo
Published: September 2019

Recently, the approach that defines the total life cycle assessment (LCA) and the end of life (EoL) in the early design phases is becoming even more promising. Literature evidences many advantages in terms of the saving of costs and time and in the fluent organization of the whole design process. Design for disassembly (DfD) offers the possibility of reducing the time and cost of disassembling a product and accounts for the reusing of parts and of the dismantling of parts, joints, and materials. The sequence of disassembly is the ordered way to extract parts from an assembly and is a focal item in DfD because it can deeply influence times and operations. In this paper, some disassembly sequences are evaluated, and among them, two methods for defining an optimal sequence are provided and tested on a case study of a mechanical assembly. A further sequence of disassembly is provided by the authors based on experience and personal knowledge. All three are analyzed by the disassembly order graph (DOG) approach and compared. The operations evaluated have been converted in time using time measurement units (TMUs). As result, the best sequence has been highlighted in order to define a structured and efficient disassembly.
Segmentation of Severe Occupational Incidents in Agribusiness Industries Using Latent Class Clustering
Authors: Davoudi Kakhki Fatemeh , A. Freeman Steven , A. Mosher Gretchen
Published: September 2019

One of the principle objectives in occupational safety analysis is to identify the key factors that affect the severity of an incident. To identify risk groups of occupational incidents and the factors associated with them, statistical analysis of workers’ compensation claims data is performed using latent class clustering, for the segmentation of 1031 severe occupational incidents in agribusiness industries in the Midwest region of the United States between 2008–2016. In this study, severe incidents are those with workers’ compensation costs equal to or greater than $100,000 (USD). Based on the latent class clustering results, three risk groups are identified with injury nature as the most statistically distinctive classifier. The highest cost injuries include strain, tear, fracture, contusion, amputation, laceration, burn, concussion, and crushing. The most prevalent and statistically significant injury type is permanent partial disability. The study introduces a novel application of latent class clustering in the segmentation of high severity occupational incidents. The analytical approach and results of this study will aid safety practitioners in identifying occupational risk groups and analyzing injury patterns, and inform safety intervention plans to avoid the occurrence of similar incidents in agribusiness industries.
Effect of Stress–Strength Ratio on Creep Property of Sodium Silicate–Based Alkali-Activated Slag Concrete
Authors: Zhou Xianyu , Wang Ying , Zheng Wenzhong , Chen Pang , Zeng Yusheng
Published: September 2019

Alkali-activated materials have attracted increasing interest owing to their excellent properties and environmental protection. However, there have been few studies on their creep properties. The aim of this article is to investigate the effect of the stress–strength ratio on the creep property of sodium silicate–based alkali-activated slag (AAS) concrete. For this reason, five groups of AAS concrete with different stress–strength ratios (0.15, 0.3, 0.45, 0.6, and 0.75) were tested. The results indicate that the creep of AAS concrete has a convergent nonlinear stage and a non-convergent stage but not an obvious linear stage. The AAS concrete basically has a consistent creep coefficient and diverse specific creep under a stress–strength ratio of 0.15–0.6. The elasticity modulus of AAS is much smaller than that of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete, which is the reason for the greater creep compared to that in OPC concrete, and the inaccuracy of the model prediction. By applying the actual elastic modulus, the models can predict the specific creep and stress-dependent strain of AAS concrete with a 0.3 stress–strength ratio, except for the B3 model. The secant modulus of AAS concrete decreases linearly with an increase in the stress–strength ratio. Finally, we propose an improved creep model for AAS concrete with a wide stress–strength ratio based on the GL2000 model.
Locating the Epidemic Source in Complex Networks with Sparse Observers
Authors: Li Xiang , Wang Xiaojie , Zhao Chengli , Zhang Xue , Yi Dongyun
Published: September 2019

Epidemic source localization is one of the most meaningful areas of research in complex networks, which helps solve the problem of infectious disease spread. Limited by incomplete information of nodes and inevitable randomness of the spread process, locating the epidemic source becomes a little difficult. In this paper, we propose an efficient algorithm via Bayesian Estimation to locate the epidemic source and find the initial time in complex networks with sparse observers. By modeling the infected time of observers, we put forward a valid epidemic source localization method for tree network and further extend it to the general network via maximum spanning tree. The numerical analyses in synthetic networks and empirical networks show that our algorithm has a higher source localization accuracy than other comparison algorithms. In particular, when the randomness of the spread path enhances, our algorithm has a better performance. We believe that our method can provide an effective reference for epidemic spread and source localization in complex networks.
Better Word Representation Vectors Using Syllabic Alphabet: A Case Study of Swahili
Authors: Shikali Casper S. , Sijie Zhou , Qihe Liu , Mokhosi Refuoe
Published: September 2019

Deep learning has extensively been used in natural language processing with sub-word representation vectors playing a critical role. However, this cannot be said of Swahili, which is a low resource and widely spoken language in East and Central Africa. This study proposed novel word embeddings from syllable embeddings (WEFSE) for Swahili to address the concern of word representation for agglutinative and syllabic-based languages. Inspired by the learning methodology of Swahili in beginner classes, we encoded respective syllables instead of characters, character n-grams or morphemes of words and generated quality word embeddings using a convolutional neural network. The quality of WEFSE was demonstrated by the state-of-art results in the syllable-aware language model on both the small dataset (31.229 perplexity value) and the medium dataset (45.859 perplexity value), outperforming character-aware language models. We further evaluated the word embeddings using word analogy task. To the best of our knowledge, syllabic alphabets have not been used to compose the word representation vectors. Therefore, the main contributions of the study are a syllabic alphabet, WEFSE, a syllabic-aware language model and a word analogy dataset for Swahili.
Measuring On-Road Vehicle Emissions with Multiple Instruments Including Remote Sensing
Authors: Smit Robin , Kingston Phil
Published: September 2019

The objective of this paper is to use remote sensing to measure on-road emissions and to examine the impact and usefulness of additional measurement devices at three sites. Supplementing remote sensing device (RSD) equipment with additional equipment increased the capture rate by almost 10%. Post-processing of raw data is essential to obtain useful and accurate information. A method is presented to identify vehicles with excessive emission levels (high emitters). First, an anomaly detection method is applied, followed by identification of cold start operating conditions using infrared vehicle profiles. Using this method, 0.6% of the vehicles in the full (enhanced) RSD data were identified as high emitters, of which 35% are likely in cold start mode where emissions typically stabilize to low hot running emission levels within a few minutes. Analysis of NOx RSD data confirms that poor real-world NOx performance of Euro 4/5 light-duty diesel vehicles observed around the world is also evident in Australian measurements. This research suggests that the continued dieselisation in Australia, in particular under the current Euro 5 emission standards and the more stringent NO2 air quality criteria expected in 2020 and 2025, could potentially result in local air quality issues near busy roads.
Spatial Molecular AlO Temperature Distributions in Laser-Induced Plasma
Authors: Surmick David M. , Dagel Daryl J. , Parigger Christian G.
Published: September 2019

Spatially resolved, line-of-sight measurements of aluminum monoxide emission spectra in laser ablation plasma are used with Abel inversion techniques to extract radial plasma temperatures. Contour mapping of the radially deconvolved signal intensity shows a ring of AlO formation near the plasma boundary with the ambient atmosphere. Simulations of the molecular spectra were coupled with the line profile fitting routines. Temperature results are presented with simultaneous inferences from lateral, asymmetric radial, and symmetric radial AlO spectral intensity profiles. This analysis indicates that shockwave phenomena in the radial profiles, including a temperature drop behind the blast wave created during plasma initiation were measured.
Tumor-Targeted Drug Conjugates as an Emerging Novel Therapeutic Approach in Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)
Authors: Deneka Alexander Y. , Boumber Yanis , Beck Tim , Golemis Erica A.
Published: September 2019

There are few effective therapies for small cell lung cancer (SCLC), a highly aggressive disease representing 15% of total lung cancers. With median survival <2 years, SCLC is one of the most lethal cancers. At present, chemotherapies and radiation therapy are commonly used for SCLC management. Few protein-targeted therapies have shown efficacy in improving overall survival; immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are promising agents, but many SCLC tumors do not express ICI targets such as PD-L1. This article presents an alternative approach to the treatment of SCLC: the use of drug conjugates, where a targeting moiety concentrates otherwise toxic agents in the vicinity of tumors, maximizing the differential between tumor killing and the cytotoxicity of normal tissues. Several tumor-targeted drug conjugate delivery systems exist and are currently being actively tested in the setting of SCLC. These include antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), radioimmunoconjugates (RICs), small molecule-drug conjugates (SMDCs), and polymer-drug conjugates (PDCs). We summarize the basis of action for these targeting compounds, discussing principles of construction and providing examples of effective versus ineffective compounds, as established by preclinical and clinical testing. Such agents may offer new therapeutic options for the clinical management of this challenging disease in the future.
Papillary Renal Cell Carcinomas Rewire Glutathione Metabolism and Are Deficient in Both Anabolic Glucose Synthesis and Oxidative Phosphorylation
Authors: Ahmad Ayham Al , Paffrath Vanessa , Clima Rosanna , Busch Jonas Felix , Rabien Anja , Kilic Ergin , Villegas Sonia , Timmermann Bernd , Attimonelli Marcella , Jung Klaus , Meierhofer David
Published: September 2019

Papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) is a malignant kidney cancer with a prevalence of 7–20% of all renal tumors. Proteome and metabolome profiles of 19 pRCC and patient-matched healthy kidney controls were used to elucidate the regulation of metabolic pathways and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Glutathione (GSH), a main reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, was highly increased and can be regarded as a new hallmark in this malignancy. Isotope tracing of pRCC derived cell lines revealed an increased de novo synthesis rate of GSH, based on glutamine consumption. Furthermore, profound downregulation of gluconeogenesis and oxidative phosphorylation was observed at the protein level. In contrast, analysis of the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) papillary RCC cohort revealed no significant change in transcripts encoding oxidative phosphorylation compared to normal kidney tissue, highlighting the importance of proteomic profiling. The molecular characteristics of pRCC are increased GSH synthesis to cope with ROS stress, deficient anabolic glucose synthesis, and compromised oxidative phosphorylation, which could potentially be exploited in innovative anti-cancer strategies.
Design and Manufacture of a Novel Sunlight Guiding Panel
Authors: Hsu Wei-Hsuan , Xie Yi-Zhang
Published: September 2019

With technological advancement, energy consumption and lack of energy supply are inevitable. Approximately 20% of total energy consumption is used for artificial light in standard office buildings. To reduce energy consumption for illumination purposes, a sunlight guiding panel was used to increase the amount of sunlight available indoors. However, in most designs of a sunlight guiding panel, the panel has to be placed on the outdoor surface of a window glass. This type of design is inconvenient for assembling and cleaning. To enhance the practicality of a sunlight guiding panel, we attempted to place the sunlight guiding panel on the indoor surface of a window glass. The simulation results revealed that when the sunlight guiding panel was placed on the indoor surface of a window glass, the aspect ratio of the light-guiding structure of the sunlight guiding panel had to be increased for guiding the sunlight from outdoors so as to increase the amount of sunlight indoors. To fabricate the proposed sunlight guiding panel, UV nanoimprint lithography was applied to pattern the light-guiding structure of the sunlight guiding panel. Moreover, a mold with a high-precision light-guiding structure was used in UV nanoimprint lithography. The mold was fabricated using ultraprecision machining technology. Both analytical and experimental investigations were conducted to confirm the proposed design. The average light-guiding efficiency was 89.9% with a solar elevation angle range of 35° to 65°, and the experimental results agreed well with the simulation results. This study elucidates light-guiding efficiency when the sunlight guiding panel is placed on the indoor surface of a window glass, which can increase the usage convenience and application potential of sunlight guiding panels.
Soft-Switching Bidirectional Three-Level DC–DC Converter with Simple Auxiliary Circuit
Authors: Choi Woo-Young , Yang Min-Kwon
Published: September 2019

This paper suggests a soft-switching bidirectional three-level DC–DC converter with a simple auxiliary circuit. The proposed converter uses auxiliary LC resonant circuits so that the power switches operate under a soft-switching condition. The resonant operation of the LC circuits makes power switches turn on at zero voltage, eliminating the turn-on switching power losses. The proposed converter improves the power efficiency, not using complex power switching circuits, but using simple LC resonant circuits. The operation of the proposed converter is described according to its operation modes. Experimental results for a 1.0 kW prototype are discussed to verify its performance. The proposed converter achieved the power efficiencies of 97.7% in the step-up mode and 97.8% in the step-down mode, respectively, for the rated load condition.
Aerodynamics of Monolithic Matrices for Supporting Solid Reactant or Catalyst
Authors: Tesař Václav
Published: September 2019

Heterogeneous solid/fluid chemical reactions—as well as reactions dependent on solid catalysts—require spreading the active solid substance on the largest accessible area. The solution is a thin layer covering as much as possible convoluted surface of an inert support. This is nowadays the internal surface of narrow parallel passages. The supporting body is usually ceramic, its passages now mostly of square cross section. Reliable detailed knowledge of pressure drop across the set of passages has to be available, especially for flow control based on fluid property changes (e.g., with temperature or fluid composition). This paper presents results of laboratory measurements as well as numerical flowfield computations of the passage flows, with discovered universal law.
Forest Fire Susceptibility and Risk Mapping Using Social/Infrastructural Vulnerability and Environmental Variables
Authors: Ghorbanzadeh Omid , Blaschke Thomas , Gholamnia Khalil , Aryal Jagannath
Published: September 2019

Forests fires in northern Iran have always been common, but the number of forest fires has been growing over the last decade. It is believed, but not proven, that this growth can be attributed to the increasing temperatures and droughts. In general, the vulnerability to forest fire depends on infrastructural and social factors whereby the latter determine where and to what extent people and their properties are affected. In this paper, a forest fire susceptibility index and a social/infrastructural vulnerability index were developed using a machine learning (ML) method and a geographic information system multi-criteria decision making (GIS-MCDM), respectively. First, a forest fire inventory database was created from an extensive field survey and the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) thermal anomalies product for 2012 to 2017. A forest fire susceptibility map was generated using 16 environmental variables and a k-fold cross-validation (CV) approach. The infrastructural vulnerability index was derived with emphasis on different types of construction and land use, such as residential, industrial, and recreation areas. This dataset also incorporated social vulnerability indicators, e.g., population, age, gender, and family information. Then, GIS-MCDM was used to assess risk areas considering the forest fire susceptibility and the social/infrastructural vulnerability maps. As a result, most high fire susceptibility areas exhibit minor social/infrastructural vulnerability. The resulting forest fire risk map reveals that 729.61 ha, which is almost 1.14% of the study areas, is categorized in the high forest fire risk class. The methodology is transferable to other regions by localisation of the input data and the social indicators and contributes to forest fire mitigation and prevention planning.
Evaluation of the Oxidative Status of Salami Packaged with an Active Whey Protein Film
Authors: Andrade Mariana A. , Ribeiro-Santos Regiane , Guerra Manuela , Sanches-Silva Ana
Published: September 2019

Active packaging aims to prolong food’s shelf-life by directly interacting with the packaged food. This type of packaging is characterized by having the active agent incorporated into the package polymer, such as antioxidant additives, that will gradually migrate from the package polymer to the packed food and, consequently, delay food’s natural lipid oxidation. In this study, the efficiency of an active whey protein film incorporated with a rosemary extract on retarding the lipid oxidation of salami slices was evaluated. The lipid oxidation of the salami was measured by the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay and hexanal monitorization. Also, a sensory analysis on the salami packaged for 60 and 90 days was performed. The active film was able to delay the salami’s lipid oxidation for, at least, 30 days. The samples packaged with the active film revealed a bitter taste related to the rosemary extract and a bit sweet from the WP and the glycerol.
Fortified Blended Food Base: Effect of Co-Fermentation Time on Composition, Phytic Acid Content and Reconstitution Properties
Authors: Shevade Ashwini , O’Callaghan Yvonne , O’Brien Nora , O’Connor Tom , Guinee Timothy
Published: September 2019

Dehydrated blends of dairy-cereal combine the functional and nutritional properties of two major food groups. Fortified blended food base (FBFB) was prepared by blending fermented milk with parboiled wheat, co-fermenting the blend at 35 °C, shelf-drying and milling. Increasing co-fermentation time from 0 to 72 h resulted in powder with lower lactose, phytic acid and pH, and higher contents of lactic acid and galactose. Simultaneously, the pasting viscosity of the reconstituted base (16.7%, w/w, total solids) and its yield stress (σ0), consistency index (K) and viscosity on shearing decreased significantly. The changes in some characteristics (pH, phytic acid, η120) were essentially complete after 24 h co-fermentation while others (lactose, galactose and lactic acid, pasting viscosities, flowability) proceeded more gradually over 72 h. The reduction in phytic acid varied from 40 to 58% depending on the pH of the fermented milk prior to blending with the parboiled cereal. The reduction in phytic acid content of milk (fermented milk)-cereal blends with co-fermentation time is nutritionally desirable as it is conducive to an enhanced bioavailability of elements, such as Ca, Mg, Fe and Zn in milk-cereal blends, and is especially important where such blends serve as a base for fortified-blended foods supplied to food-insecure regions.
PredLnc-GFStack: A Global Sequence Feature Based on a Stacked Ensemble Learning Method for Predicting lncRNAs from Transcripts
Authors: Liu Shuai , Zhao Xiaohan , Zhang Guangyan , Li Weiyang , Liu Feng , Liu Shichao , Zhang Wen
Published: September 2019

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of RNAs with the length exceeding 200 base pairs (bps), which do not encode proteins, nevertheless, lncRNAs have many vital biological functions. A large number of novel transcripts were discovered as a result of the development of high-throughput sequencing technology. Under this circumstance, computational methods for lncRNA prediction are in great demand. In this paper, we consider global sequence features and propose a stacked ensemble learning-based method to predict lncRNAs from transcripts, abbreviated as PredLnc-GFStack. We extract the critical features from the candidate feature list using the genetic algorithm (GA) and then employ the stacked ensemble learning method to construct PredLnc-GFStack model. Computational experimental results show that PredLnc-GFStack outperforms several state-of-the-art methods for lncRNA prediction. Furthermore, PredLnc-GFStack demonstrates an outstanding ability for cross-species ncRNA prediction.
Role of Helicobacter pylori in Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Among Ischemic Stroke Hospitalizations: A Nationwide Study of Outcomes
Authors: Patel Urvish K. , Dave Mihir , Lekshminarayanan Anusha , Patel Nidhi , Lunagariya Abhishek , Jani Vishal , Dhamoon Mandip S.
Published: September 2019

Introduction: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a well-recognized risk factor for upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). The exposure to tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), anti-platelets, and anticoagulants increases the risk of UGIB in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients, the risk stratification of H. pylori infection is not known. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between H. pylori and GIB in patients hospitalized with AIS. Methods: In the nationwide data, hospitalization for AIS was identified by primary diagnosis using International Classification of Diseases, clinical modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. Subgroup of patients with GIB and H. pylori were identified in AIS cohort. A stepwise multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to evaluate the outcome of upper GIB and role of H. Pylori in UGIB. Results: Overall 4,224,924 AIS hospitalizations were identified, out of which 18,629 (0.44%) had UGIB and 3122 (0.07%) had H. pylori. The prevalence of H. pylori-induced UGIB among UGIB in AIS was 3.05%. The prevalence of UGIB was markedly elevated among the H. pylori infection group (18.23% vs. 0.43%; p < 0.0001) compared to the non-H. pylori group. In multivariable regression analysis, H. pylori was associated with markedly elevated odds of UGIB (aOR:27.75; 95%CI: 21.07–36.55; p < 0.0001). Conclusion: H. pylori infection had increased risk-adjusted occurrence of UGIB amongst the AIS hospitalized patients. H. pylori testing may improve risk stratification for UGIB and lower the health care cost burden in stroke hospitalization.
Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Pilgrims Regarding Heat-Related Illnesses during the 2017 Hajj Mass Gathering
Authors: Yezli Saber , Mushi Abdulaziz , Yassin Yara , Maashi Fuad , Khan Anas
Published: September 2019

The Hajj mass gathering attended by over two million Muslim pilgrims from around the world is a risk for heat-related illnesses (HRIs). We investigated the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of pilgrims attending the 2017 Hajj regarding HRIs and their prevention. Adult pilgrims (1801) from six countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Pilgrims had a mean age of 47.2 years (SD = 12.6) and a male:female ratio of 2.2:1. Over 83% declared having at least a secondary education. Pilgrims generally had good knowledge and above average attitude and practice according to our scoring criteria. Most pilgrims were aware of HRIs and preventive measures. However, poor hydration and reluctance to use certain preventive measures or to change Hajj activities’ schedule based on environmental temperature were noted. Age, nationality and level of education were significantly associated with a good knowledge of HRIs. Only nationality was significantly associated with good attitude, and good practice was significantly associated with gender, age and nationality. There were significant positive correlations between the KAP scores. These results can serve as baseline data to design effective general or targeted interventions to improve pilgrims’ knowledge and behavior and to reduce their risk of HRIs during Hajj.