bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of printing speed on production of embossing tools using fdM 3d printing technology
Authors:   University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Graphic Engineering and Design, Novi Sad, Serbia, Žarko Jelena , Vladić Gojko ,   University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Graphic Engineering and Design, Novi Sad, Serbia, Pál Magdolna ,   University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Graphic Engineering and Design, Novi Sad, Serbia, Dedijer Sandra ,   University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Department of Graphic Engineering and Design, Novi Sad, Serbia
Published: July 2017

Manufacturing of the embossing tools customary implies use of metals such as zinc, magnesium, copper, and brass. In the case of short run lengths, a conventional manufacturing process and the material itself represent a significant cost, not only in the terms of material costs and the need for using complex technological systems which are necessary for their production, but also in the terms of the production time. Alternatively, 3D printing can be used for manufacturing similar embossing tools with major savings in production time and costs. However, due to properties of materials used in the 3D printing technology, expected results of embossing by 3D printed tools cannot be identical to metal ones. This problem is emphasized in the case of long run lengths and high accuracy requirement for embossed elements. The objective of this paper is primarily focused on investigating the influence of the printing speed on reproduction quality of the embossing tools printed with FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) technology. The obtained results confirmed that printing speed as a process parameter affects the reproduction quality of the embossing tools printed with FDM technology: in the case of deposition rate of 90 mm/s was noted the poorest dimensional accuracy in relation to the 3D model, which is more emphasised in case of circular and square elements. Elements printed with the highest printing speed have a greater dimensional accuracy, but with evident cracks on the surface.
examination of printability parameters of �Pa free offset printing
Authors:   Marmara University, School of Applied Sciences, Department of Printing Technologies, Istanbul, Turkey, Ozcan Arif
Published: July 2017

Fountain solution system in offset printing system has significant impacts on the printing quality and fountain is the indispensable part of this system. The most important chemical added into the fountain solution is isopropyl alcohol. Fundamental features of isopropyl alcohol are reducing surface tension and adjusting and stabilizing pH. However, in the course of time, the disadvantages of using alcohol have emerged. In the present study, the quality levels of IPA-based and IPA-free offset prints were compared. Specially designed test scale printing was carried out after IPA-based and IPA-free fountain solutions were prepared with the same ink on matt-coated paper under optimal printing conditions. Densitometric and spectrophotometric measurements were carried out on the prints and it was ensured that they were printed in accordance with ISO-12647-2:2013 offset printing standards. Special test scales that were printed were read through scale readers and colour profiles were obtained. Comparisons were carried out on the obtained IPA-free and IPA- based printing colour gamut. Microscopic images of the smallest dots were taken and edge sharpening was examined. Print brightness measurements were carried out for the selected areas on the test scale. The study practically demonstrated that printing performed by using IPA-free fountain solution produced a better and wider colour gamut, edge sharpening was better in the IPA-free systems as the number of prints increased and the prints made by using IPA-free fountain solution were brighter.
Entre rios, dunas, lagoas e o mar
Authors: Santos Josiel dos , Guedes Milheira Rafael , Campos Juliano Bitencourt
Published: July 2017

Este artigo trata da ocupação Guarani no litoral sul de Santa Catarina, na região entre os rios Mampituba e Urussanga, cujo contexto ambiental é caracterizado por uma dinâmica cambiante de dunas, paleodunas, rios de pequeno e médio porte, lagoas quaternárias e o oceano Atlântico. A partir do estudo de 36 sítios arqueológicos, em uma perspectiva ecológica e sistêmica, apontamos as evidências materiais que indicam as diferentes estratégias de organização do espaço (aldeias, acampamentos e áreas funerárias) dentro de um território de domínio. Buscamos, ainda, refletir sobre o processo de ocupação e abandono desses assentamentos tardios, inseridos no contexto altamente conflitivo do aprisionamento de indígenas no início da colonização europeia no século XVI.
Arqueologias Indígenas, os Laklãnõ Xokleng e os objetos do pensar
Authors: Machado Juliana Salles
Published: July 2017

A pergunta “a quem interessa o passado?”, realizada há alguns anos, levou-nos a repensar que o conhecimento produzido sobre o passado era compartilhado para além dos muros científicos, incitando a inclusão de vozes, por vezes dissonantes, sobre o que, durante muito tempo, chamamos de “nosso” problema de pesquisa. Contudo, ao descentralizarmos os lugares de fala, também escapa-nos a decisão sobre os objetos de pesquisa, suportes preferenciais de nosso pensar. Pretendo tratar da minha experiência recente de compartilhamento de interesse sobre o passado entre os Laklãnõ Xokleng no estado de Santa Catarina. Ao longo do artigo, trarei exemplos das múltiplas ações e esferas nas quais essa busca contemporânea do passado pelos Laklãnõ Xokleng tem se manifestado, e, afinal, como esta Arqueologia no presente pode permear-se por novos nexos e assim engajar neste processo social.
A Arqueologia dos grupos indígenas em contextos históricos
Authors: Souza Marcos André Torres de
Published: July 2017

Este texto busca identificar alguns dos problemas que cercam o estudo dos indígenas que viveram à época da colonização brasileira e em períodos posteriores, bem como encontrar caminhos possíveis para a análise e interpretação dos vestígios materiais a eles associados. Pretende, com isso, contribuir para o incremento das investigações feitas sobre esses indivíduos, cujas trajetórias e experiências ainda são muito pouco conhecidas na perspectiva da Arqueologia.
Geofísica arqueológica no ambiente da Arqueologia Urbana
Authors: Allen Scott Joseph , Porsani Jorge Luís , Poluha Bruno
Published: July 2017

A reforma e a requalificação de centros históricos — como construção, saneamento, pavimentação, entre outras — requerem que uma pesquisa arqueológica seja realizada antes de qualquer intervenção. Nesse contexto, busca-se um equilíbrio entre o que pode sofrer impactos negativos e o que deve ser estudado e preservado arqueologicamente, sempre buscando atender à necessidade do melhoramento dos locais públicos. O Largo da Igreja Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, Marechal Deodoro, Alagoas, ofereceu oportunidade de empregar o método geofísico GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar ou Georadar) para orientar escavações, identificar áreas para preservação e informar engenheiros civis sobre possíveis desafios para a execução do projeto civil. Os resultados foram interessantes, proporcionando um bom argumento para a incorporação de metodologias geofísicas em projetos de Arqueologia Urbana similares.
A Morte enfeitada
Authors: Saladino Alejandra
Published: July 2017

Os estudos sobre os sambaquis e os grupos que os construíram mesclam-se à própria história da Arqueologia brasileira. Diversas foram as abordagens e questões a fundamentar as interpretações acerca desse tema. Origem, função, modo de subsistência, tecnologia, processo construtivo dos concheiros, relações com outros grupos culturais e regularidades e especificidades culturais e regionais são alguns dos temas tratados na literatura especializada. Para o desenvolvimento de todos eles, são preciosos os dados recuperados das estruturas funerárias. O objetivo central desta pesquisa foi analisar as práticas mortuárias dos construtores de Cabeçuda, a partir de uma baliza, especificamente os adornos de conchas de um sepultamento infantil, e à luz de registros sobre tais artefatos associados a estruturas recuperadas de outros sambaquis e sítios litorâneos de Santa Catarina e Rio de Janeiro. Partiu-se do levantamento, organização, sistematização e processamento dos dados disponíveis na literatura especializada – fontes primárias e secundárias – sobre as sepulturas de Cabeçuda e outros sambaquis e sítios litorâneos de Santa Catarina e Rio de Janeiro. Os dados levantados nas arqueografias foram interpretados problematizando as premissas da teoria do reflexo e da natureza conservativa das práticas mortuárias.
Crítica feminista, arqueologia e descolonialidade
Authors: Ribeiro Loredana
Published: July 2017

O texto discute a intrínseca relação entre colonialismo, ciência e dicotomia de gênero. A partir de temas e problemas das (ditas) arqueologias pré-histórica e histórica, enfatiza a participação da disciplina na legitimação e naturalização das concepções modernas de sexo e gênero. Discute também a institucionalização dessas assimetrias na arqueologia brasileira, defendendo a necessidade de uma arqueologia feminista e descolonial que expresse as particularidades da disciplina e sujeitos nela envolvidos.
Pelaksanaan FETP Sampai Pemunculan ETMP di Indonesia
Authors: Lapau Buchari
Published: July 2017

Makalah ini menjelaskan FETP yang berasal dari Amerika Serikat telah dilaksanakan di Indonesia, tetapi tak sepenuhnya dilaksanakan seperti aslinya sehingga tidak diakui secara internasional. Dari pengalaman dalam pelaksanaan FETP dalam Proyek ICDC (Intensified Communicable Disease Control), anak bangsa sendiri dapat menciptakan kurikulum untuk Program Magister Kesehatan Masyarakat Peminatan Epidemiologi Terapan untuk Manajemen Pelayanan/Program (ETMP). Kemudian anak bangsa sendiri dapat pula menciptakan Standar Profesi Epidemiolog Kesehatan yang merupakan standar untuk pendidikan profesi satu tahun setelah SKM (Sarjana Kesehatan Masyarakat). Diharapkan supaya PAEI, Kolegium Epidemiologi, Majelis Kolegium Kesehatan Masyarakat Indonesia (MKKMI) dan Universitas melakukan pendekatan kepada BPSDM Depkes, Menko Kesra, Dit Jen. Pendidikan Tinggi, BNSP (Badan Nasional Sertifikasi Profesi), dan lain-lain sedemikian rupa sehingga pemerintah mengabulkan berdirinya Pendidikan Profesi Epidemiolog Kesehatan dan lulusannya dapat melanjutkan pendidikan ke Program Studi Magister Kesehatan Masyarakat Peminatan ETMP dan FETP. Kurikulum Peminatan FETP yang sudah ada perlu ditambah dengan epidemiologi dan penanggulangan bencana. Kata Kunci : FETP, Standar Profesi Epidemiologi, ETMP
Estado del recurso langosta verde Panulirusgracilis, y percepción de pescadores sobre las pesquerías de Anconcito, Provincia de Santa Elena
Authors: Murillo Juan , Oviedo Magali , Loor Abigail , Candell Jimmy
Published: July 2017

Los muestreos fueron realizados en el área costera de la zona de Anconcito, en un radio de hasta 6 millas del Puerto. Se midieron 707 langostas (Panulirus gracilis) correspondientes a trece viajes de pesca. Se analizaron relaciones biométricas, estructuras de talla, talla de madurez sexual en langostas. También se entrevistaron a 286 pescadores con el objetivo de conocer el estado de algunos recursos desde su percepción. Los resultados sostienen que la langosta P. gracilis madura sexualmente a los 23 cm  de longitud total (± 1 cm), equivalente a 8 cm de longitud estándar (± 0,3 cm). Se determinó que existe una marcada sobrepesca por crecimiento en esta especie, y la ausencia de individuos adultos evidencian también sobrepesca por reclutamiento. Según opinión de los pescadores, recursos como la langosta (P. gracilis), camarón (Litopenaeus spp.), corvina de roca (Brotula clarkae) y perela (paralabrax callaensis) han decrecido significativamente en los últimos diez años debido a la sobrepesca y a la falta de control. Se recomienda la implementación de un sistema de co-manejo pesquero, en donde el pescador sea el centro del modelo, aportando protagónicamente con su experiencia y conocimiento ecológico empírico al manejo de los recursos pesqueros
Generación del modelo matemático basados en la adquisición de datos de humedad utilizando la plataforma Labview Y Matlab
Authors: Bustos Samuel , Gómez Daniel
Published: July 2017

El presente trabajo aplica el modelaje matemático enfocado a objetivos específicos como es el análisis, la simulación y el pronóstico de los factores de humedad del suelo. La investigación tiene como base el análisis matemático – estadístico de los factores de humedad del suelo para generar un modelo matemático que permita determinar el comportamiento de las diferentes variables de humedad que proporcione la información necesaria sobre la evolución de la humedad en los suelos en la Península de Santa Elena.AbstractThis paper applies the mathematical modeling focused on specific objectives such as analysis, simulation and prediction of soil moisture factors. The research is based on the mathematical and statistical analysis of the factors of soil moisture to generate a mathematical model to determine the behavior of the different moisture variables provide the necessary information on the evolution of soil moisture on the Peninsula Santa Elena.
Estándares y competencias en la enseñanza de inglés para las carreras de la UPSE
Authors: Pinoargote Glenda , González Sara , Villarreal María , Jarrín Carlos
Published: July 2017

A raíz de la socialización del informe del resultado de la evaluación del CONEA a nuestra Universidad, Mandato 14 (UNOPAC, 2010) el Centro de Idiomas se impuso la tarea y el compromiso de no solamente de mejorar los indicadores, sino también de hacer innovaciones para la formación de los estudiantes de la Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena en el área del idioma Inglés. Algunos cambios que se produjeron fueron la implementación del sistema modular para el programa de Inglés en todas las carreras, la división del año académico en semestres, incremento de la frecuencia de clases presenciales y el mejoramiento del currículo.
Incidencia del dinero electrónico en el proceso de las actividades económicas
Authors: Valencia Adrián , Caamaño Libi
Published: July 2017

El nuevo sistema de dinero electrónico es una tendencia innovadora del sistema monetario que favorece las políticas bancarias que tienen como objetivo suministrar los medios de pago necesarios para que el sistema económico opere con eficiencia, por eso es de mayor importancia analizar la incidencia de este, frente al procesos de la actividades económicas en las diferentes áreas comerciales, a partir de dos técnicas de estudio utilizadas, las encuestas realizadas a la población del cantón La Libertad provincia de Santa Elena, y las entrevistas de profundidad realizadas a los representantes de los entes de acuerdo a las inversiones realizadas por el Econ. Mateo Villalba, gerente del Banco Central del Ecuador y el Econ. César Robalino Gonzaga, director de la Asociación de Bancos Privados del Ecuador. En base al estudio, obtuvimos como resultados que cuando entre en vigencia este sistema monetario en las actividades económicas, incidirá en los siguientes procesos, con un 33% en la vida cotidiana de las personas, debido al cambio, seguido con un 20% se menciona dos procesos; incidiendo de manera positiva que se agilizaran las transacciones comerciales y de manera negativa afectaría la economía familiar.

Abstract

The new electronic money system is an innovative trend of the monetary management, that favors banking policies that are intended to provide the means a payment way; necessary for the economic system for efficient operations, so it is more important to analyze the impact of this, comparing the processes of economic activities in different business areas, from two study techniques used, surveys the population of La Libertad province of Santa Elena, and in-depth interviews conducted to two important entities of the economy the economist Mateo Villalba, manager of the Central Bank of Ecuador and the economist César Robalino Gonzaga, director of the Association of Private Banks of Ecuador. Based on the study, we obtained as results that the effect in monetary system of economic activities, will affect the following processes; with a 33% in the daily lives of people, because of the change, along with 20% in two mentioned processes: impacting positively the commercial transactions and affect negatively the family finances.
Reguladores de la brotación, alternativos a la cianamida hidrogenada, para suplir la falta de horas de frío en viñedos tropicales del litoral ecuatoriano
Authors: Herranz Raquel
Published: July 2017

La cianamida hidrogenada (CH) es un eficaz estimulante de la brotación de las yemas habitualmente utilizado en viticultura tropical, pero manipular esta materia activa conlleva un alto riesgo por su elevada toxicidad. Según algunos estudios tratamientos alternativos podrían llegar a producir sobre las yemas efectos similar a la CH, compensado la falta de horas de frío en viñedos situados en zonas tropicales, como los ubicados en la costa sur ecuatoriana. De entre todos los tratamientos evaluados destacan los efectos producidos por la aplicación directa sobre las yemas de peróxido de hidrógeno al 5%. Este tratamiento consigue estimular la brotación de la práctica totalidad de las yemas, adelantando e incrementando el desarrollo vegetativo y duplicando el rendimiento de las cepas, sin mermar la calidad de los racimos producidos. Por tanto podemos afirmar que los tratamientos con peróxido de hidrógeno son una alternativa viable, más económica y sostenible, a las aplicaciones de CH en estas condiciones de cultivo AbstractHydrogen cyanamide (CH) is an effective stimulant bud breaking usually used in tropical viticulture, but handling this active substance carries a high risk because of their high toxicity. According to some studies alternative treatments could potentially produce a similar effect on the buds to CH, offset the lack of chilling hours in vineyards located in areas without a sufficient period of chilling hours, such as those located on the southern coast of Ecuador. Among all treatments evaluated the effects include direct application to the buds of hydrogen peroxide 5%. This treatment gets stimulate bud breaking of almost all of the buds, advancing and increasing vegetative growth and doubling the performance of the strains, without compromising the quality of the grapes produced. Therefore we can say that the hydrogen peroxide treatments are a viable, economical and sustainable, alternative to CH applications in these culture conditions.
The Microstructure and Properties of Sr-Modified Al-3Si-0.45Mg-0.45Cu-0.2Sc-0.2Zr Cast Alloy
Authors: Sheng Z. , Du X. , Li Y. , Zhang Y. , Zhang Z. , Wu Y. , Su H.
Published: July 2017

In the present work, six specimens of hypo-eutectic Al-3Si-0.45Mg-0.45Cu-0.2Sc-0.2Zr cast alloys were made by a traditional casting process. The changes in microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloys at different Sr concentrations were studied using metallographic observation, tensile strength testing, and SEM analysis. The results show that, when the Sr content increased, the grain morphology underwent significant changes, from dendrites to isometric grains, and the Si phase in the eutectic region was greatly transformed and its grain sizes became smaller. However, over-modification, in excessive Sr content samples affected the mechanical performance overall. The best morphology with regards grain size and the silicon phase appeared in 0.06 % and 0.08 % Sr concentration specimens. The mechanical properties of the alloy were maximised and then decreased with increasing Sr concentration. The tensile test results indicated that the alloy with the best mechanical properties was that at 0.08 % Sr addition as evinced by its optimal morphological parameters.
Potential Roles of Antiphospholipid Antibodies in Generating Platelet-C4d in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Liu Chau-Ching , Schofield Travis , Tang Amy , Manzi Susan , Ahearn Joseph M.
Published: July 2017

Premature, accelerated onset of atherothrombotic disease is prevalent in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Most, if not all, atherothrombotic diseases are likely to involve platelets and complement. Previously, we discovered that platelets bearing complement activation product C4d (P-C4d) are present in SLE patients, and are significantly associated with antiphospholipid (aPL) antibody positivity and stroke in SLE patients. The goal of the present study was to further elucidate the role of aPL and other platelet-reactive autoantibodies in the generation of P-C4d. To determine the association between P-C4d and aPL antibodies, the serum levels of aPL antibodies and P-C4d of 180 SLE patients were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassays and flow cytometry, respectively. To investigate the role of aPL antibodies, and possibly other autoantibodies as well, in mediating the generation of P-C4d, in vitro 2-step P-C4d induction experiments were performed. The results showed that the presence and levels of aPL antibodies in the serum were specifically elevated in SLE patients with positive P-C4d. The plasma and immunoglobulins purified from SLE patients who were positive for P-C4d and aPL were capable of inducing C4d deposition on normal platelets in vitro. The capacity of SLE plasma in inducing P-C4d appeared to correlate proportionately to the serum aPL levels. Collectively, the results demonstrate that both aPL and other platelet-reactive autoantibodies may participate in mediating the generation of P-C4d in SLE patients.
Data Mining Approaches for Landslide Susceptibility Mapping in Umyeonsan, Seoul, South Korea
Authors: Lee Sunmin , Lee Moung-Jin , Jung Hyung-Sup
Published: July 2017

The application of data mining models has become increasingly popular in recent years in assessments of a variety of natural hazards such as landslides and floods. Data mining techniques are useful for understanding the relationships between events and their influencing variables. Because landslides are influenced by a combination of factors including geomorphological and meteorological factors, data mining techniques are helpful in elucidating the mechanisms by which these complex factors affect landslide events. In this study, spatial data mining approaches based on data on landslide locations in the geographic information system environment were investigated. The topographical factors of slope, aspect, curvature, topographic wetness index, stream power index, slope length factor, standardized height, valley depth, and downslope distance gradient were determined using topographical maps. Additional soil and forest variables using information obtained from national soil and forest maps were also investigated. A total of 17 variables affecting the frequency of landslide occurrence were selected to construct a spatial database, and support vector machine (SVM) and artificial neural network (ANN) models were applied to predict landslide susceptibility from the selected factors. In the SVM model, linear, polynomial, radial base function, and sigmoid kernels were applied in sequence; the model yielded 72.41%, 72.83%, 77.17% and 72.79% accuracy, respectively. The ANN model yielded a validity accuracy of 78.41%. The results of this study are useful in guiding effective strategies for the prevention and management of landslides in urban areas.
Preparation of Self-Assembled Chitin Nanofiber-Natural Rubber Composite Sheets and Porous Materials
Authors: Kawano Akito , Yamamoto Kazuya , Kadokawa Jun-ichi
Published: July 2017

We previously reported the preparation of a self-assembled chitin nanofiber (CNF) film via regeneration from an ion gel with an ionic liquid, followed by sonication and filtration. Based on the finding that CNFs were redispersed in a mixture of the film with ammonia aqueous solution (aq.), in this study, CNF-natural rubber (NR) composite sheets were fabricated by mixing redispersed CNF with NR latex stabilized by ammonia, followed by drying under reduced pressure. Tensile testing of the sheets indicated the reinforcing effect of CNFs. Further, CNF-NR composite porous materials were fabricated by evaporating ammonia from the CNF-NR dispersion, followed by lyophilization. The mechanism for the formation of porous structures was evaluated.
Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: What Is the Mechanism in Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease?
Authors: Dunavin Neil , Dias Ajoy , Li Meizhang , McGuirk Joseph
Published: July 2017

After more than a decade of preclinical and clinical development, therapeutic infusion of mesenchymal stromal cells is now a leading investigational strategy for the treatment of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). While their clinical use continues to expand, it is still unknown which of their immunomodulatory properties contributes most to their therapeutic activity. Herein we describe the proposed mechanisms, focusing on the inhibitory activity of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) at immunologic checkpoints. A deeper understanding of the mechanism of action will allow us to design more effective treatment strategies.
P300 Source Localization Contrasts in Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors and Tic Disorders
Authors: Sauvé Geneviève , Morand-Beaulieu Simon , O’Connor Kieron , Blanchet Pierre , Lavoie Marc
Published: July 2017

Tic disorders (TD) and body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB) have similar phenotypes that can be challenging to distinguish in clinical settings. Both disorders show high rates of comorbid psychiatric conditions, dysfunctional basal ganglia activity, atypical cortical functioning in the prefrontal and motor cortical regions, and cognitive deficits. Clinicians frequently confound the two disorders and it is important to find reliable objective methods to discriminate TD and BFRB. Neuropsychological tests and event-related potential (ERP) studies have yielded inconsistent results regarding a possible context updating deficit in TD and BFRB patients. However, most previous studies did not control for the presence of comorbid psychiatric condition and medication status, which might have confounded the findings reported to date. Hence, we aimed to investigate the psychophysiology of working memory using ERP in carefully screened TD and BFRB patients excluding those with psychiatric comorbidity and those taking psychoactive medication. The current study compared 12 TD patients, 12 BRFB patients, and 15 healthy control participants using a motor oddball task (button press). The P300 component was analyzed as an index of working memory functioning. Results showed that BFRB patients had decreased P300 oddball effect amplitudes over the right hemisphere compared to the TD and control groups. Clinical groups presented different scalp distributions compared to controls, which could represent a potential endophenotype candidate of BFRB and TD.
Incidence of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Critically Ill Children Undergoing Mechanical Ventilation in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Amanati Ali , Karimi Abdollah , Fahimzad Alireza , Shamshiri Ahmad Reza , Fallah Fatemeh , Mahdavi Alireza , Talebian Mahshid
Published: July 2017

Background: Among hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in children, ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common after blood stream infection (BSI). VAP can prolong length of ventilation and hospitalization, increase mortality rate, and directly change a patient’s outcome in Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU). Objectives: The research on VAP in children is limited, especially in Iran; therefore, the identification of VAP incidence and mortality rate will be important for both clinical and epidemiological implications. Materials and Methods: Mechanically ventilated pediatric patients were assessed for development of VAP during hospital course on the basis of clinical, laboratory and imaging criteria. We matched VAP group with control group for assessment of VAP related mortality in the critically ill ventilated children. Results: VAP developed in 22.9% of critically ill children undergoing mechanical ventilation. Early VAP and late VAP were found in 19.3% and 8.4% of VAP cases, respectively. Among the known VAP risk factors that were investigated, immunodeficiency was significantly greater in the VAP group (p = 0.014). No significant differences were found between the two groups regarding use of corticosteroids, antibiotics, PH (potential of hydrogen) modifying agents (such as ranitidine or pantoprazole), presence of nasogastric tube and total or partial parenteral nutrition administration. A substantial number of patients in the VAP group had more than four risk factors for development of VAP, compared to those without VAP (p = 0.087). Mortality rate was not statistically different between the VAP and control groups (p = 0.477). Conclusion: VAP is still one of the major causes of mortality in PICUs. It is found that altered immune status is a significant risk factor for acquiring VAP. Also, occurrence of VAP was high in the first week after admission in PICU.
An Overview of the Top Ten Detergents Used for Membrane Protein Crystallization
Authors: Stetsenko Artem , Guskov Albert
Published: July 2017

To study integral membrane proteins, one has to extract them from the membrane—the step that is typically achieved by the application of detergents. In this mini-review, we summarize the top 10 detergents used for the structural analysis of membrane proteins based on the published results. The aim of this study is to provide the reader with an overview of the main properties of available detergents (critical micelle concentration (CMC) value, micelle size, etc.) and provide an idea of what detergents to may merit further study. Furthermore, we briefly discuss alternative solubilization and stabilization agents, such as polymers.
Trajectory Shape Analysis and Anomaly Detection Utilizing Information Theory Tools
Authors: Guo Yuejun , Xu Qing , Li Peng , Sbert Mateu , Yang Yu
Published: July 2017

In this paper, we propose to improve trajectory shape analysis by explicitly considering the speed attribute of trajectory data, and to successfully achieve anomaly detection. The shape of object motion trajectory is modeled using Kernel Density Estimation (KDE), making use of both the angle attribute of the trajectory and the speed of the moving object. An unsupervised clustering algorithm, based on the Information Bottleneck (IB) method, is employed for trajectory learning to obtain an adaptive number of trajectory clusters through maximizing the Mutual Information (MI) between the clustering result and a feature set of the trajectory data. Furthermore, we propose to effectively enhance the performance of IB by taking into account the clustering quality in each iteration of the clustering procedure. The trajectories are determined as either abnormal (infrequently observed) or normal by a measure based on Shannon entropy. Extensive tests on real-world and synthetic data show that the proposed technique behaves very well and outperforms the state-of-the-art methods.
On Extractable Shared Information
Authors: Rauh Johannes , Banerjee Pradeep , Olbrich Eckehard , Jost Jürgen , Bertschinger Nils
Published: July 2017

We consider the problem of quantifying the information shared by a pair of random variables X 1 , X 2 about another variable S. We propose a new measure of shared information, called extractable shared information, that is left monotonic; that is, the information shared about S is bounded from below by the information shared about f ( S ) for any function f. We show that our measure leads to a new nonnegative decomposition of the mutual information I ( S ; X 1 X 2 ) into shared, complementary and unique components. We study properties of this decomposition and show that a left monotonic shared information is not compatible with a Blackwell interpretation of unique information. We also discuss whether it is possible to have a decomposition in which both shared and unique information are left monotonic.
Dynamics of Entanglement in Jaynes–Cummings Nodes with Nonidentical Qubit-Field Coupling Strengths
Authors: Shen Li-Tuo , Shi Zhi-Cheng , Wu Huai-Zhi , Yang Zhen-Biao
Published: July 2017

How to analytically deal with the general entanglement dynamics of separate Jaynes–Cummings nodes with continuous-variable fields is still an open question, and few analytical approaches can be used to solve their general entanglement dynamics. Entanglement dynamics between two separate Jaynes–Cummings nodes are examined in this article. Both vacuum state and coherent state in the initial fields are considered through the numerical and analytical methods. The gap between two nonidentical qubit-field coupling strengths shifts the revival period and changes the revival amplitude of two-qubit entanglement. For vacuum-state fields, the maximal entanglement is fully revived after a gap-dependence period, within which the entanglement nonsmoothly decreases to zero and partly recovers without exhibiting sudden death phenomenon. For strong coherent-state fields, the two-qubit entanglement decays exponentially as the evolution time increases, exhibiting sudden death phenomenon, and the increasing gap accelerates the revival period and amplitude decay of the entanglement, where the numerical and analytical results have an excellent coincidence.
Direct Coal Liquefaction with Fe3O4 Nanocatalysts Prepared by a Simple Solid-State Method
Authors: Li Yizhao , Cao Yali , Jia Dianzeng
Published: July 2017

Fe3O4 nanoparticles were prepared by a simple solid-state method under ambient conditions. The obtained nanoparticles, with small size and large surface area, were used as a catalyst for direct coal liquefaction (DCL). The results display that high conversion and oil yield were achieved with the nanocatalysts in direct liquefaction of two kinds of coals, i.e., Heishan coal and Dahuangshan coal. The effects of the temperature, initial H2 pressure, and holding time on conversion and product distribution have been investigated in the catalytic hydrogenation of Dahuangshan coal. The optimal reaction condition for DCL in which conversion and oil yield are 96.6 and 60.4 wt % was determined with Fe3O4 nanocatalysts. This facile solid-state route is beneficial for scale-up synthesis of iron-based catalysts with good performance for DCL.
Diagnosis and Early Warning of Wind Turbine Faults Based on Cluster Analysis Theory and Modified ANFIS
Authors: Zhou Quan , Xiong Taotao , Wang Mubin , Xiang Chenmeng , Xu Qingpeng
Published: July 2017

The construction of large-scale wind farms results in a dramatic increase of wind turbine (WT) faults. The failure mode is also becoming increasingly complex. This study proposes a new model for early warning and diagnosis of WT faults to solve the problem of Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, given that the traditional threshold method cannot provide timely warning. First, the characteristic quantity of fault early warning and diagnosis analyzed by clustering analysis can obtain in advance abnormal data in the normal threshold range by considering the effects of wind speed. Based on domain knowledge, Adaptive Neuro-fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) is then modified to establish the fault early warning and diagnosis model. This approach improves the accuracy of the model under the condition of absent and sparse training data. Case analysis shows that the effect of the early warning and diagnosis model in this study is better than that of the traditional threshold method.
Hydropyrolysis of n-Hexane and Toluene to Acetylene in Rotating-Arc Plasma
Authors: Ma Jie , Zhang Ming , Wu Jianhua , Yang Qiwei , Wen Guangdong , Su Baogen , Ren Qilong
Published: July 2017

Thermal plasma pyrolysis is a powerful technology for converting waste or low-value materials to valuable gaseous hydrocarbons. This paper presents for the first time the hydropyrolysis of n-hexane and toluene in a rotating-arc plasma reactor. Effects of the mole ratio of H/C in the feed, power input and magnetic induction were investigated to evaluate the reaction performance. A lower H/C ratio could lead to a lower yield of C2H2 and lower specific energy consumption, and there existed an optimum range of power input for both n-hexane and toluene pyrolysis within the investigated range. The yield of C2H2 in n-hexane and toluene pyrolysis could reach 85% and 68%, respectively, with respective specific energy consumption (SEC) of 13.8 kWh/kg·C2H2 and 19.9 kWh/kg·C2H2. Compared with the results reported in literature, the rotating-arc plasma process showed higher C2H2 yield and lower energy consumption, which is attributed to the better initial mixing of the reactant with the hot plasma gas and the more uniform temperature distribution.
A New Miniature Wind Turbine for Wind Tunnel Experiments. Part I: Design and Performance
Authors: Bastankhah Majid , Porté-Agel Fernando
Published: July 2017

Miniature wind turbines, employed in wind tunnel experiments to study the interaction of turbines with turbulent boundary layers, usually suffer from poor performance with respect to their large-scale counterparts in the field. Moreover, although wakes of wind turbines have been extensively examined in wind tunnel studies, the proper characterization of the performance of wind turbines has received relatively less attention. In this regard, the present study concerns the design and the performance analysis of a new three-bladed horizontal-axis miniature wind turbine with a rotor diameter of 15 cm. Due to its small size, this turbine, called WiRE-01, is particularly suitable for studies of wind farm flows and the interaction of the turbine with an incoming boundary-layer flow. Especial emphasis was placed on the accurate measurement of the mechanical power extracted by the miniature turbine from the incoming wind. In order to do so, a new setup was developed to directly measure the torque of the rotor shaft. Moreover, to provide a better understanding on the connection between the mechanical and electrical aspects of miniature wind turbines, the performance of three different direct-current (DC) generators was studied. It is found that electrical outputs of the tested generators can be used to provide a rather acceptable estimation of the mechanical input power. Force and power measurements showed that the thrust and power coefficients of the miniature turbine can reach 0.8 and 0.4 , respectively, which are close to the ones of large-scale turbines in the field. In Part II of this study, the wake structure and dynamic flow characteristics are studied for the new miniature turbine immersed in a turbulent boundary-layer flow.
Gelation Behavior Study of a Resorcinol–Hexamethyleneteramine Crosslinked Polymer Gel for Water Shut-Off Treatment in Low Temperature and High Salinity Reservoirs
Authors: Sun Yongpeng , Fang Yanchao , Chen Ang , You Qing , Dai Caili , Cheng Rui , Liu Yifei
Published: July 2017

Mature oilfields usually encounter the problem of high watercut. It is practical to use chemical methods for water-shutoff in production wells, however conventional water-shutoff agents have problems of long gelation time, low gel strength, and poor stability under low temperature and high salinity conditions. In this work a novel polymer gel for low temperature and high salinity reservoirs was developed. This water-shutoff agent had controllable gelation time, adjustable gel strength and good stability performance. The crosslinking process of this polymer gel was studied by rheological experiments. The process could be divided into an induction period, a fast crosslinking period, and a stable period. Its gelation behaviors were investigated in detail. According to the Gel Strength Code (GSC) and vacuum breakthrough method, the gel strength was displayed in contour maps. The composition of the polymer gel was optimized to 0.25~0.3% YG100 + 0.6~0.9% resorcinol + 0.2~0.4% hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) + 0.08~0.27% conditioner (oxalic acid). With the concentration increase of the polymer gel and temperature, the decrease of pH, the induction period became shorter and the crosslinking was more efficient, resulting in better stability performance. Various factors of the gelation behavior which have an impact on the crosslinking reaction process were examined. The relationships between each impact factor and the initial crosslinking time were described with mathematical equations.
Polymeric Hydrogels as Technology Platform for Drug Delivery Applications
Authors: Sosnik Alejandro , Seremeta Katia
Published: July 2017

Hydrogels have become key players in the field of drug delivery owing to their great versatility in terms of composition and adjustability to various administration routes, from parenteral (e.g., intravenous) to non-parenteral (e.g., oral, topical) ones. In addition, based on the envisioned application, the design of bioadhesive or mucoadhesive hydrogels with prolonged residence time in the administration site may be beneficial. For example, hydrogels are used as wound dressings and patches for local and systemic therapy. In a similar way, they can be applied in the vaginal tract for local treatment or in the nasal cavity for a similar goal or, conversely, to target the central nervous system by the nose-to-brain pathway. Overall, hydrogels have demonstrated outstanding capabilities to ensure patient compliance, while achieving long-term therapeutic effects. The present work overviews the most relevant and recent applications of hydrogels in drug delivery with special emphasis on mucosal routes.
PM2.5, Population Exposure and Economic Effects in Urban Agglomerations of China Using Ground-Based Monitoring Data
Authors: Shen Yonglin , Yao Ling
Published: July 2017

This paper adopts the PM2.5 concentration data obtained from 1497 station-based monitoring sites, population and gross domestic product (GDP) census data, revealing population exposure and economic effects of PM2.5 in four typical urban agglomerations of China, i.e., Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH), the Yangtze River delta (YRD), the Pearl River delta (PRD), and Chengdu-Chongqing (CC). The Cokriging interpolation method was used to estimate the PM2.5 concentration from station-level to grid-level. Next, an evaluation was conducted mainly at the grid-level with a cell size of 1 × 1 km, assisted by the urban agglomeration scale. Criteria including the population-weighted mean, the cumulative percent distribution and the correlation coefficient were applied in our evaluation. The results showed that the spatial pattern of population exposure in BTH was consistent with that of PM2.5 concentration, as well as changes in elevation. The topography was also an important factor in the accumulation of PM2.5 in CC. Moreover, the most polluted urban agglomeration based on the population-weighted mean was BTH, while the least was PRD. In terms of the cumulative percent distribution, only 0.51% of the population who lived in the four urban agglomerations, and 2.33% of the GDP that was produced in the four urban agglomerations, were associated with an annual PM2.5 concentration smaller than the Chinese National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 35 µg/m3. This indicates that the majority of people live in the high air polluted areas, and economic development contributes to air pollution. Our results are supported by the high correlation between population exposure and the corresponding GDP in each urban agglomeration.
A Novel Semantic Matching Method for Indoor Trajectory Tracking
Authors: Guo Sheng , Xiong Hanjiang , Zheng Xianwei
Published: July 2017

The rapid development of smartphone sensors has provided rich indoor pedestrian trajectory data for indoor location-based applications. To improve the quality of these collected trajectory data, map matching methods are widely used to correct trajectories. However, these existing matching methods usually cannot achieve satisfactory accuracy and efficiency and have difficulty in exploiting the rich information contained in the obtained trajectory data. In this study, we proposed a novel semantic matching method for indoor pedestrian trajectory tracking. Similar to our previous work, pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) and human activity recognition (HAR) are used to obtain the raw user trajectory data and the corresponding semantic information involved in the trajectory, respectively. To improve the accuracy and efficiency for user trajectory tracking, a semantic-rich indoor link-node model is then constructed based on the input floor plan, in which navigation-related semantics are extracted and formalized for the following trajectory matching. PDR and HAR are further utilized to segment the trajectory and infer the semantics (e.g., “Turn left”, “Turn right”, and “Go straight”). Finally, the inferred semantic information is matched with the semantic-rich indoor link-node model to derive the correct user trajectory. To accelerate the matching process, the semantics inferred from the trajectory are also assigned weights according to their relative importance. The experiments confirm that the proposed method achieves accurate trajectory tracking results while guaranteeing a high matching efficiency. In addition, the resulting semantic information has great application potential in further indoor location-based services.
Assessing Performance of Three BIM-Based Views of Buildings for Communication and Management of Vertically Stratified Legal Interests
Authors: Atazadeh Behnam , Rajabifard Abbas , Kalantari Mohsen
Published: July 2017

Multistorey buildings typically include stratified legal interests which provide entitlements to a community of owners to lawfully possess private properties and use communal and public properties. The spatial arrangements of these legal interests are often defined by multiplexing cognitively outlined spaces and physical elements of a building. In order to support 3D digital management and communication of legal arrangements of properties, a number of spatial data models have been recently developed in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) domains. While some data models, such as CityGML, IndoorGML or IFC, provide a merely physical representation of the built environment, others, e.g., LADM, mainly rely on legal data elements to support a purely legal view of multistorey buildings. More recently, spatial data models integrating legal and physical notions of multistorey buildings have been proposed to overcome issues associated with purely legal models and purely physical ones. In previous investigations, it has been found that the 3D digital data environment of BIM has the flexibility to utilize either only physical elements or only legal spaces, or an integrated view of both legal spaces and physical elements to represent spatial arrangements of stratified legal interests. In this article, the performance of these three distinct BIM-based representations of legal interests defined inside multistorey buildings is assessed in the context of the Victorian jurisdiction of Australia. The assessment metrics are a number of objects and geometry batches, visualization speed in terms of frame rate, query time, modelling legal boundaries, and visual communication of legal boundaries.