bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis and Design of a Permanent Magnet Bi-Stable Electro-Magnetic Clutch Unit for In-Wheel Electric Vehicle Drives
Authors: Cai Wanli , Gu Chenglin , Hu Xiaodong
Published: June 2015

Clutches have been used in internal combustion vehicles and concentrated electric vehicles (EVs) to smoothen impulsion while starting and shifting. This paper proposes a permanent magnet bi-stable electromagnetic clutch unit (PMBECU) which is specially introduced into in-wheel EVs to make the rigid connection between hub and wheel more flexible. Firstly, the operation principle of the PMBECU is illustrated. Then, the basic magnetic circuit model is presented and analyzed, followed by optimal design of the main structural parameters by investigating the PM leakage flux coefficient. Further, according to the basic electromagnetic characteristics of the PMBECU, the current pulse supply is put forward, and the minimum pulse width which enables the operation of the PMBECU and its dynamic characteristics are analyzed by an improved finite element method. Finally, a prototype machine is manufactured and tested to validate all the analysis results.
Sulfated Galactan from Palisada flagellifera Inhibits Toxic Effects of Lachesis muta Snake Venom
Authors: Da Silva Ana , Ferreira Luciana , Duarte Maria , Noseda Miguel , Sanchez Eladio , Fuly André
Published: June 2015

In Brazil, snakebites are a public health problem and accidents caused by Lachesis muta have the highest mortality index. Envenomation by L. muta is characterized by systemic (hypotension, bleeding and renal failure) and local effects (necrosis, pain and edema). The treatment to reverse the evolution of all the toxic effects is performed by injection of antivenom. However, such therapy does not effectively neutralize tissue damage or any other local effect, since in most cases victims delay seeking appropriate medical care. In this way, alternative therapies are in demand, and molecules from natural sources have been exhaustively tested. In this paper, we analyzed the inhibitory effect of a sulfated galactan obtained from the red seaweed Palisada flagellifera against some toxic activities of L. muta venom. Incubation of sulfated galactan with venom resulted in inhibition of hemolysis, coagulation, proteolysis, edema and hemorrhage. Neutralization of hemorrhage was also observed when the galactan was administered after or before the venom injection; thus mimicking a real in vivo situation. Moreover, the galactan blocked the edema caused by a phospholipase A2 isolated from the same venom. Therefore, the galactan from P. flagellifera may represent a promising tool to treat envenomation by L. muta as a coadjuvant for the conventional antivenom.
Comparative Evaluation of Different Extraction Techniques and Solvents for the Assay of Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activity of Hashemi Rice Bran
Authors: Ghasemzadeh Ali , Jaafar Hawa , Juraimi Abdul , Tayebi-Meigooni Amin
Published: June 2015

Secondary metabolite contents (total phenolic, flavonoid, tocopherol, and tocotrienol) and antioxidant activities of Hashemi rice bran extracts obtained by ultrasound-assisted and traditional solvent (ethanol and 50:50 (v/v) ethanol-water) extraction techniques were compared. Phenolic and, flavonoid compounds were identified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and method validation was performed. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed among the different extraction techniques upon comparison of phytochemical contents and antioxidant activities. The extracts obtained using the ethanol-water (50:50 v/v) ultrasonic technique showed the highest amounts of total phenolics (288.40 mg/100 g dry material (DM)), total flavonoids (156.20 mg/100 g DM), and total tocotrienols (56.23 mg/100 g DM), and the highest antioxidant activity (84.21% 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 65.27% β-carotene-linoleic bleaching and 82.20% nitric oxide scavenging activity). Secondary metabolite contents and antioxidant activities of the rice bran extracts varied depending of the extraction method used, and according to their effectiveness, these were organized in a decreasing order as follows: ethanol-water (50:50 v/v) ultrasonic, ethanol-water (50:50 v/v) maceration, ethanol ultrasonic and ethanol maceration methods. Ferulic, gallic and chlorogenic acids were the most abundant phenolic compounds in rice bran extracts. The phytochemical constituents of Hashemi rice bran and its antioxidant properties provides insights into its potential application to promote health.
Application of Microwave Irradiation and Heat to Improve Gliadin Detection and Ricin ELISA Throughput with Food Samples
Authors: Garber Eric , Thole Joseph
Published: June 2015

The utility of microwave irradiation to accelerate the onset of equilibrium and improve ELISA performance was examined using ELISAs for the detection of the plant toxin ricin and gliadin. The ricin ELISA normally requires several one hour incubations at 37 °C, a total assay time of approximately five hours, and employs a complex buffer containing PBS, Tween-20®, and non-fat milk. Different energy levels and pulse designs were compared to the use of abbreviated incubation times at 37 °C for the detection of ricin in food. The use of microwave irradiation had no significant advantage over the application of heat using an oven incubator and performed worse with some foods. In contrast, a gliadin ELISA that relied on 30 min incubation steps at room temperature and a salt-based buffer performed better upon irradiation but also displayed improvement upon incubating the microtiter plate at 37 °C. Whether microwave irradiation was advantageous compared to incubation in an oven was inconclusive. However, by abbreviating the incubation time of the ricin ELISA, it was possible to cut the assay time to less than 2 hours and still display LOD values < 10 ppb and recoveries of 78%–98%.
EFFECTS OF TRANSVERSE AIR FLOW ON MASS LOSS RATE OF ALCOHOL POOL FIRES IN AN INCLINED WIND TUNNEL
Authors: Tao Changfa , Wang Xishi , Zhang Xiaonan
Published: June 2015

In order to study the effects of inclined wind direction on combustion characteristics of alcohol pool fires, an inclinable wind tunnel was developed and used for providing venting wind with different directions. The wind tunnel can be sloped from 0° to 30° while the fuel pan is kept horizontal inside the tunnel. The wind speed can be altered from 0 to 3.0 m/s. The mass burning rate of square, rectangular and circular alcohol pool fires under different wind direction have been studied experimentally. The results show that the mass burning rate increases faster with increasing the slope angle of the wind tunnel and increasing the downstream edge length of the pool.
Health IT
Authors: Onwubiko Cyril
Published: June 2015

Health IT is the use of Information Technology (IT) in healthcare to improve patients' experience, enable quality care, efficiency, speed, and security of the collection, exchange, sharing, and storage of sensitive personal information. But Health IT faces a number of notable challenges ranging from privacy risks to trust and confidence in the use of EHRs. In this chapter, a framework for conducting Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) of Health IT projects is discussed. Privacy impact assessment is a process through which privacy risks are assessed. The chapter includes recommendations for mitigating identified risks and ensuring compliance to policy and processes for handling and processing of highly sensitive and Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
Social Media as Technologies for Asynchronous Formal Writing and Synchronous Paragraph Writing in the South African Higher Education Context
Authors: Chaka Chaka
Published: June 2015

This chapter reports on a study—conducted in 2011—that employed two social media networks, Facebook and MXit, as educational tools at one university in South Africa. MXit is a South African-based social networking application. The study involved a cohort of second year Bachelor of Education in English undergraduate students at this university as its participants. The latter were required to utilize Facebook and MXit to engage in both asynchronous formal writing and synchronous paragraph writing, respectively. All this took place outside participants' tutorial class schedule. In this study, participants were able to produce asynchronous formal writing samples in varying degrees using Facebook. Similarly, they were also able to produce synchronous written paragraphs using MXit even though some paragraphs displayed a high degree of linguistic textisms. Other affordances that these two social media technologies offered the participants in this study are: anytime, any day, and anywhere asynchronous and synchronous learning; asynchronous and synchronous feedback; virtual incidental learning; socially situated online learning; and Presence Awareness Learning (PAL). In conclusion, the study suggests that there are further affordances that these two social media technologies can offer higher education. These are: supplemental teaching and learning; cloud storage for teaching and learning materials (in the case of Facebook); virtual platforms for revision; digital platforms for micro-teaching and micro-learning (in respect of MXit); and value-added platforms for just-in-time mobile teaching and learning.
Social Media Usage and Adoption
Authors: Olsen Line L. , Andreassen Tor W.
Published: June 2015

Social media is in vogue, but managers need to know their customers' social media readiness to help them overcome any resistance to adopting the new benefits that social media offers and to secure customer satisfaction with the services offered through these channels. In this chapter, the authors present findings from two studies. In the first study, general technology readiness is investigated and pockets of users are identified. This study works as a backdrop for the second study, in which consumers' social media readiness, the construct and its drivers are investigated. Overall, the authors find that customers seem to be ready for social media, as social media readiness has a positive, indirect effect on attitudes toward interaction in social media. Moreover, the effect is mediated through ease of use and usefulness.
Developing a New Revenue Business Model in Social Network
Authors: Chen Te Fu
Published: June 2015

This chapter focuses on a new business model in social networking, uses platform strategy to discuss possible business models, evaluates the optimal model for partnering with social networking service providers. This research develops a new revenue business model in social networking with a case study and discusses its potential monetization business model. The chapter reviews five business models including: 1) social media startups; 2) challenges social networks face: must monetize or die; 3) a case study of the new effective social business model – Facebook; 4) monetization: Facebook revenue and business model; and 5) a discussion of monetizing social networks: the four dominant business models and how you should implement them in the future. Through a comprehensive review, the chapter proposes a social media monetization model as the reference for firms to implement new business models of social networking.
European drought trends
Authors: Gudmundsson L. , Seneviratne S. I.
Published: June 2015

Abstract. Recent climate projections suggest pronounced changes in European drought frequency. In the north, increased precipitation volumes are likely to reduce drought occurrence, whereas more frequent droughts are expected for southern Europe. To assess whether this pattern of changes in drought frequency can already be identified for the past decades, we analyse trends in a recently developed pan-European drought climatology that is based on the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI). The index is derived on multiple time scales, ranging from 1 to 36 months, which allows the assessment of trends in both short term and multi-year droughts. Trends are quantified using the Theil-Sen trend estimator combined with an extension of the Mann–Kendal test (p < 0.05) that accounts for serial correlation. Field significance is assessed on the basis of techniques that control the false discovery rate in a multiple testing setting. The trend analysis indicates that changes in drought frequency are more pronounced on time scales of one year and longer. The analysis also reveals that there has been a tendency for decreased drought frequency in northern Europe in the past decades, whereas droughts have likely become more frequent in selected southern regions.
Dynamics of the flood response to slow-fast landscape-climate feedbacks
Authors: Perdigão R. A. P. , Blöschl G.
Published: June 2015

Abstract. The dynamical evolution of the flood response to landscape-climate feedbacks is evaluated in a joint nonlinear statistical-dynamical approach. For that purpose, a spatiotemporal sensitivity analysis is conducted on hydrological data from 1976–2008 over 804 catchments throughout Austria, and a general, data-independent nonlinear dynamical model is built linking floods with climate (via precipitation), landscape (via elevation) and their feedbacks. These involve nonlinear scale interactions, with landform evolution processes taking place at the millennial scale (slow dynamics), and climate adjusting in years to decades (fast dynamics). The results show that floods are more responsive to spatial (regional) than to temporal (decadal) variability. Catchments from dry lowlands and high wetlands exhibit similarity between the spatial and temporal sensitivities (spatiotemporal symmetry) and low landscape-climate codependence, suggesting they are not coevolving significantly. However, intermediate regions show differences between those sensitivities (symmetry breaks) and higher landscape-climate codependence, suggesting undergoing coevolution. The break of symmetry is an emergent behaviour from nonlinear feedbacks within the system. A new coevolution index is introduced relating spatiotemporal symmetry with relative characteristic celerities, which need to be taken into account in hydrological space-time trading. Coevolution is expressed here by the interplay between slow and fast dynamics, represented respectively by spatial and temporal characteristics. The dynamical model captures emerging features of the flood dynamics and nonlinear landscape-climate feedbacks, supporting the nonlinear statistical assessment of spatiotemporally asymmetric flood change. Moreover, it enables the dynamical estimation of flood changes in space and time from the given knowledge at different spatiotemporal conditions. This study ultimately brings to light emerging signatures of change in floods arising from nonlinear slow-fast feedbacks in the landscape-climate dynamics, and contributes towards a better understanding of spatiotemporal flood changes and underlying nonlinearly interacting drivers.
Integration of uncertainties in water and flood risk management
Authors: Höllermann B. , Evers M.
Published: June 2015

Abstract. Water management is challenged by hydrological and socio-economic change and hence often forced to make costly and enduring decisions under uncertainty. Thus, thinking beyond current acknowledged and known limits is important to consider these changes and the dynamic of socio-hydrological interactions. For example, reservoir management aiming at flood reduction and mitigation has to cope with many different aspects of uncertainty. The question is to what extent can, do and should these uncertainties have implications on planning and decision-making? If practice recognises uncertainties they frequently use risk based decision approaches to acknowledge and handle them by e.g. relating them to other decision relevant factors, while science is mostly preoccupied in reducing these uncertainties. Both views are of relevance and a risk focused approach is needed to bridge the different perspectives covering all significant aspects of uncertainty. Based on a review of various characteristics and perceptions of uncertainty, this paper proposes a new analytical framework where the various aspects of uncertainty are condensed and a risk perspective is added. It thus goes beyond a pure typology and provides an overview of neuralgic points and their location and appearance during the decision-making process. Moreover this paper supports a structured and evaluated knowledge assessment and knowledge transfer for informed decision-making and points out potential fields of action and uncertainty reduction. Reservoir management targeting at flood prevention is used as an illustration to present the analytical framework, which is also amended by the needs and demands of practitioners, using first results of expert interviews.
Flood protection effect of the existing and projected reservoirs in the Amur River basin: evaluation by the hydrological modeling system
Authors: Motovilov Y. , Danilov-Danilyan V. , Dod E. , Kalugin A.
Published: June 2015

Abstract. Hydrological modeling system was developed as a tool addressed supporting flood risk management by the existing and projected reservoirs in the Amur River basin. The system includes the physically-based semi-distributed model of runoff generation ECOMAG coupled with a hydrodynamic MIKE-11 model to simulate channel flow in the main river. The case study was carried out for the middle part of the Amur River where large reservoirs are located on the Zeya and Bureya Rivers. The models were calibrated and validated using streamflow measuruments at the different gauges of the main river and its tributaries. Numerical experiments were carried out to assess the effect of the existing Zeya and Bureya reservoirs regulation on 850 km stretch of the middle Amur River stage. It was shown that in the absence of the reservoirs, the water levels downstream of the Zeya and Bureya Rivers would be 0.5–1.5 m higher than the levels measured during the disastrous flood of 2013. Similar experiments were carried out to assess possible flood protection effect of new projected reservoirs on the Zeya and Bureya Rivers.
Tillitens mange ansikter
Authors: Åm Trond
Published: June 2015

Harald Grimen: Hva er tillit. Universitetsforlaget, 2009. 151 sider.
Living with the extreme demand
Authors: Eskelinen Teppo
Published: June 2015

Most of the ethical literature on extreme poverty suggests, that some, if not most, of the incomes of the residents of rich countries ought to be donated to the global poor. Yet complying with this ethical demand becomes increasingly more difficult as the changes in lifestyle in the (post)industrial north demand ever more consumption in order to obtain the necessities for survival in such societies. In this article, I will discuss Peter Singer's famous arguments for the ethical duty to donate one's possessions, and elaborate the conception of needs prevalent in both Singer's theory and the theories of many of his critics. My argument is that we have to recognise a category of needs called 'social necessities' that are neither luxuries nor basic needs. This leads to two main conclusions: first, the space for ethical deliberation on whether to donate to life-saving purposes is socially conditioned; and second, ethical strategies of redistribution ought to be accompanied with institutional changes, which also concern the conditions in wealthy countries.
Environmental pollution impact on radiation properties of atmosphere, snow and ice cover: Study from Barentsburg (Spitsbergen Archipelago)
Authors: Sviashchennikov Pavel N. , Ivanov Boris V. , Govorina Irina A.
Published: June 2015

The value of the albedo of snow and ice surface is associated with the texture and structure of the surface layer of snow or ice (sea ice, glaciers), the peculiarities of the vertical redistribution of contaminations in this layer (mineral or organic particles of various concentrations, the size and shape), temperature regime of the surface layer of the atmosphere. Identifying links with the albedo characteristics of natural and artificial contamination is very important. For example, the results of mathematic modeling the evolution of ice sheets, sea ice and snow cover demonstrate the high sensitivity of the model to this parameter. Original results in the framework of this problem were obtained by researches from AARI and St. Petersburg State University during the 2010-2012 years on Svalbard in the vicinity of the Russian mining settlement Barentsburg. We present original results showing the relationship of "albedo-contaminations" and the influence of anthropogenic factors. The estimation of solar radiation that penetrates deep into the snow, and the impact of contamination on its redistribution in the snow thickness were obtained.
Polymer Solar Cells Based on the Copolymers of Naphtho[1,2‐c:5,6‐c]bis(1,2,5‐thiadiazole) and Alkoxylphenyl Substituted Benzodithiophene with High Open‐Circuit Voltages
Authors: Liu Liqian , Zhang Guichuan , He Baitian , Huang Fei
Published: June 2015

Two novel naphtho[1,2‐c:5,6‐c]bis(1,2,5‐thiadiazole) and alkoxylphenyl substituted benzodithiophene based copolymers were developed as the donor materials for polymer solar cells. The resulting copolymers exhibit broad absorption bands in the range of 500–800 nm in thin films and deep highest occupied molecular orbital energy levels of −5.39 eV and −5.36 eV, respectively. The best device performance was achieved by P1, with an open‐circuit voltage of 0.85 V, a short‐circuit current density of 8.65 mA·cm−2, a fill factor of 37.8%, and a power conversion efficiency of 2.78%.
Musical Tastes in Popular Dance Practices
Authors: Fogarty Mary
Published: June 2015

This paper explores the relationship between musical tastes and dance practices in popular dance practices. It is based on ideas that emerged from a multisited ethnography involving the participation in and observation of the practices of breaking, as well as interviews with individual b-boys and b-girls, who often traveled between cities as part of their practices. Although there were many interesting and contradictory observations and participant responses provided by this multigenerational, multicultural scene, one theme emerged as central.
A process model of prosocial behavior: The interaction of emotion and the need for justice
Authors: Knoche Harry “Trip” , Waples Ethan P.
Published: June 2015

Research on prosocial behavior has tended to focus on the positive consequences of prosocial behavior. This paper draws on attribution, emotion and justice motive literature to expand the discussion of prosocial behavior in organizations. Specifically, an expanded definition of prosocial behavior is offered and a process-oriented process model of prosocial behavior is introduced. The process model of prosocial behavior is used to discuss the idea that prosocial behavior might have negative consequences. This paper contributes to the literature on prosocial behavior in organizations by (1) accounting for the effects of emotion and the need for justice on decisions to engage in prosocial actions and (2) identifying negative consequences of specific prosocial actions.
A comparison of the acute toxicities using moderate hypo-fractionated intensity-modulated radiation therapy or volumetric modulated arc therapy for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer
Authors: Elith Craig A. , Dempsey Shane E. , Warren-Forward Helen M.
Published: June 2015

Aim

This study compared the acute toxicities reported during radiotherapy treatment using either intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) or volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) to deliver a moderate hypo-fractionated treatment for early-stage prostate cancer.

Material and methods

Acute toxicities are routinely reported at the clinical site for all patients using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Toxicity assessment is performed on day 1 of treatment, then once weekly thereafter. The recorded toxicities of 40 cases treated with five-field IMRT, and 32 cases treated using VMAT were retrospectively compared. All cases were prescribed 73·68 Gy in 28 fractions. Eight symptoms were assessed; diarrhoea, proctitis, fatigue, pain, dermatitis, urinary frequency, urinary retention and urinary tract pain.

Results

In terms of the overall toxicity recorded, VMAT was shown to reduce the toxicities of dermatitis, fatigue, pain and urinary frequency (p<0·05). Using IMRT, grade 2 toxicities were reported for proctitis, pain, urinary frequency, urinary retention and urinary tract pain. Using VMAT, grade 2 toxicities were reported for urinary frequency and urinary retention.

Findings

The research reported here is one of the first publications to demonstrate that VMAT is associated with decreased toxicities compared with IMRT for the treatment of early-stage prostate cancer.
Deformable fibrous carbon supported ultrafine nano-SnO2 as a high volumetric capacity and cyclic durable anode for Li storage
Authors: Hu Renzong , Zhang Hanyin , Liu Jiangwen , Chen Dongchang , Yang Lichun , Zhu Min , Liu Meilin
Published: June 2015

A free-standing anode was fabricated by filling SnO2 nanocrystals (NCs) into multidimensional carbonized filter paper (CFP). The SnO2NC@CFP hybrid demonstrated excellent rate capability and long cycling life, attributed to the deformable fibrous carbon scaffolds.
The geometric β-function in curved space-time under operator regularization
Authors: Agarwala Susama
Published: June 2015

In this paper, I compare the generators of the renormalization group flow, or the geometric β-functions, for dimensional regularization and operator regularization. I then extend the analysis to show that the geometric β-function for a scalar field theory on a closed compact Riemannian manifold is defined on the entire manifold. I then extend the analysis to find the generator of the renormalization group flow to conformally coupled scalar-field theories on the same manifolds. The geometric β-function in this case is not defined.
Prolegomena to Economics as an African Science
Authors: Eboussi Boulaga Fabien
Published: June 2015

This chapter highlights the rational mechanics that underlines the formulation of propositions in conformity with the logic of linking economic production to a geographic location. It starts with a discussion of the relationships between the general dynamics of economics, history, and society and explores the ways in which economic ideas and proposition are received in the specific context of Africa, what interactions and transformations take place (i.e., according to what principles of selection), and what arguments and dynamic justifications are used to reinterpret and even “recreate” the continent as an economic entity. From this will progressively emerge some characteristic traits describing and specifying the “African reference,” as both contingent and necessary—an a posteriori necessity. The chapter also examines the philosophical foundations of development economics and discusses the autonomy of the pragmatics of development. Finally it stresses the need for conceptual reconstructions.
The influence of aesthetic investments on employees
Authors: Bjerke Rune , Ind Nicholas
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore new constructs related to organizations, art and physical environment. Further, an intention was to explain and discuss whether investments in the physical environment in the form of art, design and architecture do have an effect on employees.

Design/methodology/approach

– To conclude whether aesthetics had an impact on employees in terms of job satisfaction, motivation and their self-perception of their own ability to provide customer service, the authors undertook a quantitative study of 222 employees in seven companies. The authors subsequently commenced five in-depth, semi-structured interviews with four accessible corporate art buyers and one curator to identify the main motivations for purchasing art and placing it in the work place.

Findings

– With regard to perceptions of art, design and architecture, the physical environment is perceived as a whole and seems to play a significant role in organizational life for employees in companies that have invested in art. The research implies, however, that the companies that invested in art, design and architecture, despite the positive influence on employees’ self-perceived service ability, did not accumulate benefits on service ability relative to employees in companies without art.

Practical implications

– Managers should cautiously reflect on their motivations for investing in art, design and architecture. Useful motivations might include projecting a desired external image or decoration or expressing connection to a community. Investing in art, design and architecture independent of what the organization is trying to do strategically will create cosmetic solutions that lack any wider purpose.

Originality/value

– Despite increased corporate interest in aesthetics, little research has been done to determine the effect on employees. The research shortage may be due to the challenge of understanding the meaning of the visible expressions. This paper is a contribution to strengthen the knowledge of the impact of workspace aesthetics on employees (the authors subsequently undertook five in-depth, semi-structured interviews with four accessible corporate art buyers at Storebrand (insurance and banking corporation), Telenor (mobile operator), Hydro (aluminium company), Nordic Choice Hotels and one curator).
Benchmark results for natural and mixed convection heat transfer in a cavity
Authors: Yapici Kerim , Obut Salih
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to numerically investigate steady, laminar natural and mixed convection heat transfer in a two-dimensional cavity by using a finite volume method with a fourth-order approximation of convective terms, with and without the presence of nanoparticles. Highly accurate benchmark results are also provided.

Design/methodology/approach

– A finite volume method on a non-uniform staggered grid is used for the solution of two-dimensional momentum and energy conservation equations. Diffusion terms, in the momentum and energy equations, are approximated using second-order central differences, whereas a non-uniform four-point fourth-order interpolation (FPFOI) scheme is developed for the convective terms. Coupled mass and momentum conservation equations are solved iteratively using a semi-implicit method for pressure-linked equation method.

Findings

– For the case of natural convection problem at high-Rayleigh numbers, grid density must be sufficiently high in order to obtain grid-independent results and capture reality of the physics. Heat transfer enhancement for natural convection is observed up to a certain value of the nanoparticle volume fraction. After that value, heat transfer deterioration is found with increasing nanoparticle volume fraction.

Originality/value

– Developed a non-uniform FPFOI scheme. Highly accurate benchmark results for the heat transfer of Al2O3-water nanofluid in a cavity are provided.
Entropy generation and second law analysis of pulsed impinging jet
Authors: Esmailpour Kazem , Bozorgmehr Behnam , Hosseinalipour Seyed Mostafa , Mujumdar Arun S.
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine entropy generation rate in the flow and temperature ﬁeld due pulsed impinging jet on to a flat plate. Heat transfer of pulsed impinging jets has been investigated by many researchers. Entropy generation is one of the parameters related to the second law of thermodynamics which must be analyzed in processes with heat transfer and fluid flow in order to design efficient systems. Effect of velocity profile parameters and various nozzle to plate distances on viscous and thermal entropy generation are investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this study, the flow and temperature field of a pulsed turbulent impinging jet are simulated numerically by the finite volume method with appropriate boundary conditions. Then, flow and temperature results are used to calculate the rate of entropy generation due to heat transfer and viscous dissipation.

Findings

– Results show that maximum viscous and thermal entropy generation occurs in the lowest nozzle to plate distance and entropy generation decreases as the nozzle to plate distance increases. Entropy generation in the two early phase of a period in the most frequencies is more than steady state whereas a completely opposite behavior happens in the two latter phase. Increase in the pulsation frequency and amplitude leads to enhancement in entropy generation because of larger temperature and velocity gradients. This phenomenon appears second and even third peaks in entropy generation plots in higher pulsation frequency and amplitude.

Research limitations/implications

– The predictions may be extended to include various pulsation signal shape, multiple jet configuration, the radiation effect and phase difference between jets.

Practical implications

– The results of this paper are a valuable source of information for active control of transport phenomena in impinging jet configurations which is used in different industrial applications such as cooling, heating and drying processes.

Originality/value

– In this paper the entropy generation of pulsed impinging jet was studied for the first time and a comprehensive discussion on numerical results is provided.
Stigma, tensions, and apprehension
Authors: Maringe Felix , Jenkins Jennifer
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper examines the experiences of engaging with academic writing of international doctoral students in the schools of humanities and education at a UK university. The purpose of this paper is to uncover the real accounts of international students whose cultural and language backgrounds are often marginalised and considered, not as facilitators, but as barriers to academic writing in the western context of universities.

Design/methodology/approach

– Developed broadly within an interpretive post-positivistic paradigm, the study utilised Harré and van Lagenhove, 1999 Positioning theory and Goffman’s theory of Stigma to interrogate accounts of 12 students from the two schools in a year-long project involving three focus group discussions, questionnaire responses and personal reflective summaries by the students.

Findings

– The paper highlights the notions of stigma associated with their foreign writing conventions and how students experience tensions and apprehensions about their ability as they painfully negotiate the new academic writing conventions of the institution. International students position themselves as vulnerable outsiders working within an ill-defined but highly valued language environment.

Research limitations/implications

– The research is limited to the extent that it utilises a very small number of students as its key source of evidence. However, the study was not aimed at providing generalisation as much as it sought to explore issues associated with the use of language by international studying in UK universities.

Practical implications

– The study has practical implications for the professionals in HE to develop clear guidelines about what constitutes good English and to provide greater support to international students who see themselves as vulnerable outsiders in an environment which marginalises their linguistic and cultural identities.

Social implications

– The study has implications for the social, cultural, and academic integration of international students in HE institutions.

Originality/value

– The paper signals a need for diverse writing frameworks which seek to promote rather than silence and marginalise potentially rich sources of knowledge and understanding in an increasingly globalising world.
Distributing leadership in English Sixth Form Colleges
Authors: Stoten David William
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the distribution of leadership practices in Sixth Form Colleges (SFCs). This is an area where very little research has been undertaken and the intention was to investigate the topic from a critical perspective using social constructionist methodology.

Design/methodology/approach

– The research methodology was based on social constructionism. The research took place over two years at four SFCs and involved a range of teachers. An initial questionnaire was followed up with co-constructed discussions in which participants were able to express their views and develop the trajectory of the discussion.

Findings

– The findings indicated that SFCs have been under pressure to distribute work roles in order to maximise efficiency and this has led to both opportunities for career advancement and work overload.

Research limitations/implications

– This is a limited research exercise. As a social constructionist research project, it was deliberately aimed at providing a deep insight into a few colleges rather than making generalisable observations about the nature of the sector as a whole.

Originality/value

– There is very little research undertaken into the SFC sector. This research places an important concept such as distributed leadership into this niche sector. It also challenges the idea that distributed leadership is inherently positive in nature.
Criminal social identity and suicide ideation among Pakistani young prisoners
Authors: Shagufta Sonia , Boduszek Daniel , Dhingra Katie , Kola-Palmer Derrol
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– Suicidal behaviour is a common in prisoners, yet little is known about the factors that may protect against thoughts of ending one’s life. The purpose of this paper is to specify and test a structural model to examine the relationship between three criminal social identity (CSI) dimensions (in-group affect, in-group ties, and cognitive centrality) and suicide ideation while controlling for period of confinement, age, criminal friends, and offense type (violent vs non-violent).

Design/methodology/approach

– Participants were 415 male juvenile offenders incarcerated in prisons in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. A structural model was specified and tested using Mplus to examine the relationships between the three factors of CSI and suicidal thoughts, while controlling for age, offender type, period of confinement, and substance dependence.

Findings

– The model provided an adequate fit for the data, explaining 22 per cent of variance in suicidal thoughts. In-group affect (the level of personal bonding with other criminals) was found to exert a strong protective effect against suicide ideation.

Originality/value

– The research contributes important information on suicide ideation in Pakistan, an Islamic country in which suicide is considered a sin and subsequently a criminal offence. Results indicate that Juvenile offenders’ sense of shared identity may help to prevent the development of thoughts of death by suicide. Consequently, separating and isolating young prisoners may be ill advised.
Seeking attention: an eye tracking study of in-store merchandise displays
Authors: Huddleston Patricia , Behe Bridget K. , Minahan Stella , Fernandez R. Thomas
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the role that visual measures of attention to product and information and price display signage have on purchase intention. The authors assessed the effect of visual attention to the product, information or price sign on purchase intention, as measured by likelihood to buy.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors used eye-tracking technology to collect data from Australian and US garden centre customers, who viewed eight plant displays in which the signs had been altered to show either price or supplemental information (16 images total). The authors compared the role of visual attention to price and information sign, and the role of visual attention to the product when either sign was present on likelihood to buy.

Findings

– Overall, providing product information on a sign without price elicited higher likelihood to buy than providing a sign with price. The authors found a positive relationship between visual attention to price on the display sign and likelihood to buy, but an inverse relationship between visual attention to information and likelihood to buy.

Research limitations/implications

– An understanding of the attention-capturing power of merchandise display elements, especially signs, has practical significance. The findings will assist retailers in creating more effective and efficient display signage content, for example, featuring the product information more prominently than the price. The study was conducted on a minimally packaged product, live plants, which may reduce the ability to generalize findings to other product types.

Practical implications

– The findings will assist retailers in creating more effective and efficient display signage content. The study used only one product category (plants) which may reduce the ability to generalize findings to other product types.

Originality/value

– The study is one of the first to use eye-tracking in a macro-level, holistic investigation of the attention-capturing value of display signage information and its relationship to likelihood to buy. Researchers, for the first time, now have the ability to empirically test the degree to which attention and decision-making are linked.
Establishment and value assessment of efficacy prediction model about transurethral prostatectomy
Authors: Huang Tao , Yu Yong Jiang , Qi Jun , Xu Ding , Duan Liu Jian , Ding Jie , Zhu Yu Ping
Published: June 2015

Objectives

To establish and to evaluate discriminant models to predict the outcomes of transurethral prostatectomy.

Methods

Clinical data of patients treated with transurethral prostatectomy between January and December 2013 were collected, including medical history, symptoms, biochemical tests, ultrasonography and urodynamics. Surgical efficacy was evaluated at 6‐month follow up. Predictive models were constructed by logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic curve and diagnostic tests were used to test the accuracy of models before the predictive value between models was compared.

Results

A total of 182 patients were included, with 73.6% having an effective outcome. History of recurrent urinary tract infection (OR 1.33), score of storage phase (OR 2.58), maximum flow rate (OR 2.11) and detrusor overactivity (OR 3.13) were found to be risk factors. International Prostate Symptom Score (OR 0.13), transitional zone index (OR 0.58), resistive index of prostatic artery (OR 0.46), bladder wall thickness (OR 0.78), ultrasonic estimation of bladder weight (OR 0.28), bladder outlet obstruction index (OR 0.20) and bladder contractility index (OR 0.83) were found to be protective factors. The areas under the curve of models using factors from ultrasonography and urodynamics were 0.792 and 0.829 respectively, with no significant difference being found between them (P = 0.348).

Conclusions

Surgical efficacy of transurethral prostatectomy is positively correlated to severe voiding phase symptoms, outlet obstruction and better detrusor contractility, and negative correlated with urinary infection, severe storage phase symptoms and excessive detrusor contractibility. Ultrasonography might replace urodynamics in selecting patients for whom transurethral prostatectomy is more likely to be beneficial.
Disimpaction of children with severe constipation in 3–4 days in a suburban clinic using polyethylene glycol with electrolytes and sodium picosulphate
Authors: Jordan‐Ely Julie , Hutson John M , Southwell Bridget R
Published: June 2015

Aim

Constipation is a common cause of admission to hospital for disimpaction, as oral laxatives are often inadequate. High‐dose oral laxative protocols are used for complete bowel clearance prior to colonoscopy, but have not been reported for treating faecal impaction. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a high‐dose oral protocol using polyethylene glycol with electrolytes (PEG + E) (Movicol Rx) combined with sodium picosulphate (SP) (Dulcolax SP Rx) in faecal impaction in children presenting to a suburban clinic.

Methods

Forty‐four children presented with acute/chronic faecal impaction were given six to eight sachets of PEG + E were given on day 1, with decreasing doses on subsequent 3 days, while 15–20 SP drops were given on days 2 and 3. Compliance with medication was achieved using a simple method of motivation, with the child drinking the laxatives in a race. On day 4, PEG + E was reduced to one sachet and SP to 10 drops as an ongoing maintenance dose. Defecation, soiling, diet and water intake was monitored daily for 7 days in a diary.

Results

Forty‐four children (aged 2–17 years) seen over 8 months were reviewed retrospectively. Children began defecating within 10–12 h reaching a maximum volume of stool/day (four cups) on day 2. All patients were disimpacted successfully and in the week following disimpaction there was no reported faecal soiling or complications.

Conclusions

A high‐dose oral protocol combining PEG + E sachets and SP drops successfully and safely disimpacted a cohort of children with acute/chronic constipation presenting to a suburban continence clinic. This protocol appears to be useful to control faecal disimpaction in an outpatient setting, thereby avoiding hospital admission.
Late presentation of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis following renal transplantation and the potential under‐reporting of the incidence and prevalence of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis
Authors: Davenport Andrew
Published: June 2015

Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis is an infrequent but potentially devastating complication of peritoneal dialysis. The reported incidence and prevalence of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis vary markedly between countries. Currently, peritoneal dialysis vintage remains the major risk factor for encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis, and dialysis vintage differs between countries due to the relative competing risks of transplantation, availability of haemodialysis and peritonitis. However, the diagnosis of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis is often only established when patients have transferred modality to transplantation or haemodialysis. Switching treatment modality may potentially lead to an under‐reporting of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis, as many countries which collect data on dialysis patients in national registries often have separate registries for dialysis and transplant patients, and this may potentially lead to under‐reporting of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis in patients presenting after renal transplantation. Secondly, the question arises as to how long former peritoneal dialysis patients should be followed before a diagnosis of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis can be confidently excluded. To highlight this point, we present four cases that developed symptomatic encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis more than 5 years, and in once case more than 10 years after the discontinuation of peritoneal dialysis. Delayed or late presentation may not only delay the diagnosis, but also risk surgical interventions by non‐specialists.

A more robust system is required to record cases of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis to determine the incidence and prevalence, and so provide accurate information to both patients and clinicians as to the risks of long‐term peritoneal dialysis therapy.