bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Big Data Analytics Embedded Smart City Architecture for Performance Enhancement through Real-Time Data Processing and Decision-Making
Authors: Nathali Silva Bhagya , Khan Murad , Han Kijun
Published: January 2017

The concept of the smart city is widely favored, as it enhances the quality of life of urban citizens, involving multiple disciplines, that is, smart community, smart transportation, smart healthcare, smart parking, and many more. Continuous growth of the complex urban networks is significantly challenged by real-time data processing and intelligent decision-making capabilities. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a smart city framework based on Big Data analytics. The proposed framework operates on three levels: (1) data generation and acquisition level collecting heterogeneous data related to city operations, (2) data management and processing level filtering, analyzing, and storing data to make decisions and events autonomously, and (3) application level initiating execution of the events corresponding to the received decisions. In order to validate the proposed architecture, we analyze a few major types of dataset based on the proposed three-level architecture. Further, we tested authentic datasets on Hadoop ecosystem to determine the threshold and the analysis shows that the proposed architecture offers useful insights into the community development authorities to improve the existing smart city architecture.
Peritoneal Dialysis Treatment Modality Option in Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Ponce Daniela , Gobo-Oliveira Mariele , Balbi Andre Luís
Published: January 2017

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) may be a feasible and safe alternative to haemodialysis not only in the chronic but also in the acute setting. It was previously widely accepted as a modality for acute kidney injury (AKI) treatment, but its practice declined in favor of other types of extracorporeal therapies. Summary: The interest in PD to manage AKI patients has been increased and PD is now frequently used in developing countries because of its lower cost and minimal infrastructural requirements. Studies from these countries have shown that, with careful thought and planning, critically ill patients can be successfully treated using PD. Some of the classic limitations of PD use in AKI, such as infectious and mechanical complications and poor metabolic control, have been decreased with the use of cyclers, flexible catheters, and a high volume of dialysate. The recent publication of the International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis guidelines for PD in AKI has tried to address these issues and provide an evidence-based standard by which to initiate therapy. Key Message: In this review, advances in technical aspects and the advantages and limitations of PD were discussed; it clearly showed that PD is a simple, safe, and efficient way to correct metabolic, electrolyte, acid - base, and volume disturbances generated by AKI and it can be used as a renal replacement therapy modality to treat AKI, both in and out of the intensive care unit setting.
Development of a Limb-Preservation Program
Authors: Neville Richard F. , Kayssi Ahmed
Published: January 2017

In the global scenario, as the prevalence of renal failure and diabetes increases, healing and limb preservation assume increasing clinical importance for patients and healthcare systems. Unfortunately, there continues to be variation in the care delivered to patients at risk of losing a limb based on geography, race, socioeconomic status, and insurance status. There are also a variety of therapeutic approaches to patients with limb-threatening ischemia; 25% undergo primary amputation, 25% undergo medical therapy, and only 50% undergo any attempt at revascularization. Nearly 50% of patients undergoing major amputation have not had a simple diagnostic arteriogram to assess the possibility of limb preservation. The Society of Vascular Surgery and the American Podiatric Medical Association have recognized the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach to limb preservation. Benefits to the patient include rapid assessment, improved healing, and enhanced revascularization. Advantages for the providers include the ability to efficiently manage complex patients with help from the appropriate specialties, an increase in referrals, enhanced identity of the institution, and clinical research and trials. Such a program requires the coordinated effort of physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, and administrators dedicated to the preservation of functional limbs. Beneficial components include identifiable space, a vascular laboratory, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and protocol-driven care involving diagnostic and therapeutic modalities such as endovascular revascularization, open bypass, and soft tissue reconstruction. Prosthetic expertise is also important to maintain function in those patients for whom amputation is appropriate. But, the key to a program is cooperation and communication among the participants who have a passion for limb preservation. Video Journal Club ‘Cappuccino with Claudio Ronco' at http://www.karger.com/?doi=452746.
Low-Molecular-Weight Hydrophilic and Lipophilic Antioxidants in Nonmelanoma Skin Carcinomas and Adjacent Normal-Looking Skin
Authors: Grammenandi Konstantina , Kyriazi Maria , Katsarou-Katsari Alexandra , Papadopoulos Othon , Anastassopoulou Ioanna , Papaioannou Georgios T. , Sagriotis Alexandros , Rallis Michail , Maibach Howard I.
Published: January 2017

Low-molecular-weight antioxidants are some of the most efficient agents of the skin defense mechanism against environmental factors, such as cosmic rays, smoke, and pollutants. The total skin concentrations of hydrophilic ascorbic and uric acids, as well as lipophilic α-tocopherol, β-carotene, and ubiquinol-10 antioxidants were determined by an HPLC-EC detector from 18 biopsies of human nonmelanoma skin carcinomas and 18 biopsies from skin areas adjacent to carcinomas. No significant differences in the concentrations of lipophilic antioxidants in both carcinomas and normal-looking skin areas adjacent to carcinomas were observed. On the contrary, ascorbic and uric acid concentrations were found to be 18 and 36% lower in carcinomas than in normal-looking skin areas, respectively. No statistical significance was observed between antioxidant concentrations and age, sex, phototype, profession, site of tumor, frequency, and time of UV light exposure either. Accordingly the antioxidant concentrations in both cancerous skin and adjacent normal-looking areas were found to be much higher than in normal skin, in contrast to literature data.
Dermoscopy of Granuloma Annulare: A Clinical and Histological Correlation Study
Authors: Errichetti Enzo , Lallas Aimilios , Apalla Zoe , Di Stefani Alessandro , Stinco Giuseppe
Published: January 2017

Background: Dermoscopy of granuloma annulare has been investigated by several studies, but none of them took into account the variability of dermoscopic findings according to clinical characteristics and/or histological subtype. Objective: To describe the dermoscopic features of classic granuloma annulare and seek possible dermoscopic clues related to specific clinical findings/histological subpatterns. Methods: A representative dermoscopic image of a target lesion (the most active lesion underwent histological examination) was retrospectively assessed for the presence of specific morphological findings, correlating them with clinical variables, i.e. disease duration and extension (localized or generalized) and clinical aspect (annular or non-annular) and localization (trunk or extremities) of the biopsied lesion, and with histological subtype. Results: A total of 25 lesions from 25 subjects were analysed; an “interstitial” histological variant was detected in 11 cases, while a “palisading granuloma” histological pattern was found in 14 instances. The most common dermoscopic findings included blurry vessels having variable appearance (dotted, linear-irregular, and branching) over a more or less evident pinkish-reddish background, followed by whitish and/or yellowish-orange areas. Additional findings were rosettes, crystalline structures, and whitish scaling. No difference (p > 0.05) in the frequency of dermoscopic features according to clinical findings was found, while we observed a strict association (p < 0.001) between the presence of yellowish-orange structureless areas on dermoscopy and “palisading granuloma” histology. Conclusion: The dermoscopic aspect of granuloma annulare is independent from clinical features but varies according to histological subtype, with the detection of yellowish-orange colour being indicative of the “palisading granuloma” variant.
A Novel Variant in the Endothelin-Converting Enzyme-Like 1 (ECEL1) Gene in an Emirati Child
Authors: Hamzeh Abdul Rezzak , Nair Pratibha , Mohamed Madiha , Saif Fatima , Tawfiq Nafisa , Khalifa Mohamed , Al-Ali Mahmoud Taleb , Bastaki Fatma
Published: January 2017

Objective: The aim of this work was to report a case of an Emirati child who presented with developmental delay and multiple congenital abnormalities that are consistent with distal arthrogryposis type 5D. Clinical Presentation and Intervention: The clinical presentation comprised contractures of the shoulders, elbows, and knees in addition to camptodactyly and neck pterygium. The facial dysmorphic features noted include ptosis and microretrognathia. Importantly, left orchidopexy was also observed and corrected surgically. Whole exome sequencing revealed that the patient is homozygous for the novel c.1184+1G>T variant in endothelin-converting enzyme-like 1 (ECEL1). Conclusion: This is a case of a novel homozygous splice site mutation in the ECEL1 gene in a child with a phenotype consistent with distal arthrogryposis type 5D. The child was born to consanguineous Emirati parents heterozygous for the novel ECEL1 mutation.
Multifunctional Mitochondrial Epac1 Controls Myocardial Cell Death
Authors: Fazal Loubina , Laudette Marion , Paula-Gomes Sílvia , Pons Sandrine , Conte Caroline , Tortosa Florence , Sicard Pierre , Sainte-Marie Yannis , Bisserier Malik , Lairez Olivier , Lucas Alexandre , Roy Jérôme , Ghaleh Bijan , Fauconnier Jérémy , Mialet-Perez Jeanne , Lezoualc’h Frank
Published: January 2017

Rationale:

Although the second messenger cyclic AMP (cAMP) is physiologically beneficial in the heart, it largely contributes to cardiac disease progression when dysregulated. Current evidence suggests that cAMP is produced within mitochondria. However, mitochondrial cAMP signaling and its involvement in cardiac pathophysiology are far from being understood.

Objective:

To investigate the role of MitEpac1 (mitochondrial exchange protein directly activated by cAMP 1) in ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Methods and Results:

We show that
Epac1
(exchange protein directly activated by cAMP 1) genetic ablation (
Epac1
−/−
) protects against experimental myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury with reduced infarct size and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. As observed in vivo, Epac1 inhibition prevents hypoxia/reoxygenation–induced adult cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Interestingly, a deleted form of
Epac1
in its mitochondrial-targeting sequence protects against hypoxia/reoxygenation–induced cell death. Mechanistically, Epac1 favors Ca
2+
exchange between the endoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondrion, by increasing interaction with a macromolecular complex composed of the VDAC1 (voltage-dependent anion channel 1), the GRP75 (chaperone glucose-regulated protein 75), and the IP3R1 (inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate receptor 1), leading to mitochondrial Ca
2+
overload and opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. In addition, our findings demonstrate that MitEpac1 inhibits isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 via the mitochondrial recruitment of CaMKII (Ca
2+
/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II), which decreases nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydrogen synthesis, thereby, reducing the antioxidant capabilities of the cardiomyocyte.

Conclusions:

Our results reveal the existence, within mitochondria, of different cAMP–Epac1 microdomains that control myocardial cell death. In addition, our findings suggest Epac1 as a promising target for the treatment of ischemia-induced myocardial damage.
An Attempt to Improve the Forecasting of Persistent Severe Rainfall Using the Spectral Nudging and Update Cycle Methods
Authors: Zhao Yanfeng , Wang Donghai , Xu Jianjun
Published: January 2017

Using the interior spectral nudging and update cycle (SN+UIC) methods in the regional Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model, the numerical predictions of four persistent severe rainfall (PSR) events during the preflood season in south China were investigated, based on the fact that the global model has an advantage in predicting the large-scale atmospheric variation and the regional model is better in terms of simulating small-scale changes. The simulation results clearly indicated that the SN+UIC improved the prediction of the PSR events’ daily precipitation for moderate, heavy, and torrential rains (10–100 mm day−1). It also improved the simulative forecasts of the two categories of rain with accumulated precipitation above 50 and 100 mm at lead times of 5–11 days. Moreover, the longer the forecast lead time is, the larger the decrease in the Brier score. Additionally, the SN+UIC method decreased the root-mean-square error for accumulated rainfall (6.2%) and relative humidity (5.67%).
The Legitimation of Income Inequality in State-socialist and Market Societies
Authors: Gijsberts Mérove
Published: January 2017

What attitudes relating to differences in occupational earnings did people in state-socialist societies hold before and after the transformation in 1989, compared with people in market-regulated societies? And, how can differences between and changes within these societies in attitudes towards income inequality be explained? To find out, hypotheses are tested using survey data from the International Social Survey Programme, comparing several state-socialist societies with several market societies both before (1987) and after (1992) the political and economic transformation. Before the transformation, the public in central and eastern Europe was much more egalitarian than in market-regulated societies. The results show that the amount of income inequality that people think legitimate has increased in all countries, but the increase was far more dramatic in former state-socialist than in market-regulated societies. Differences in the class and demographic composition of the population hardly explain variations in inequality attitudes between societies, but differences in perceptions of income inequality do.
Fields of Study, Acquired Skills and the Wage Benefit from a Matching Job
Authors: van de Werfhorst Herman G.
Published: January 2017

This paper analyses the effects of individual investments in four field-specific educational resources on wages in The Netherlands. Based on a survey on the Dutch population, scales are developed that measure the amount of cultural, economic, communicative and technical resources that fields of study supply to students. It was hypothesized, first, that having invested in any of these four types of resources should enhance entry possibilities into jobs that require related skills and knowledge. Secondly, economic resources are expected to affect wages positively. Thirdly, people whose educational resources match the type of job held are presumed to have a wage benefit from this match. Empirical analyses on two Dutch datasets ( n = 6,373) generally support the hypotheses, in that matches increased wages in three out of four branches: economic, communicative and technical types of jobs. People who invested in cultural field-specific resources did not have a wage benefit in corresponding types of work, which may be explained by the generic character of the skills obtained.
Surgery of Anterior Skull Base Lesions in Children
Authors: Hoffmann Thomas Karl , Scheithauer Marc Oliver , Sommer Fabian , Lindemann Jörg , Haberl Ernst-Johannes , Friebe-Hoffmann Ulrike , Theodoraki Marie-Nicole
Published: January 2017

Introduction:

Lesions affecting the anterior skull base represent a rare group of craniofacial pathologies. A tumor of the facial midline, meningitis, or rhinoliquorrhea may be indicative of malformations like dermoid cysts, gliomas, encephaloceles, or nasal fistulas.

Methods:

We present a case series of 13 children (4 months to 12 years; 8 males, 5 females) with lesions involving the anterior skull base, which were treated surgically in an interdisciplinary setting. This case series includes cases of nasal fistulae (n = 5), nasal cysts (n = 5), aneurysmal bone cyst, nasal glioma, and meningoencephalocele (n = 1).

Results:

All lesions were resected with a transnasal, transcutaneous, and/or transcranial approach with reconstruction of the anterior skull base if intracranial/intradural extension was detected. In 5 cases, a dura leakage was visible, which was sealed via Onlay-technique in 3 cases, whereas in 2 cases involving a greater dural defect, the GAP-CAS technique was performed. No complications occurred, and no recurrence was visible in a long-term follow-up. An algorithm for a systematic approach to these various pathologies is provided.

Conclusion:

Congenital pathologies of the anterior skull base are rare, challenging to diagnose, and present as clinical emergencies. An interdisciplinary surgical approach is needed for best functional and aesthetic results.
Analysis of Indium Tin Oxide Film Using Argon Fluroide (ArF) Laser-Excited Atomic Fluorescence of Ablated Plumes
Authors: Ho Sut Kam , Garcia Dario Machado
Published: January 2017

A two-pulse laser-excited atomic fluorescence (LEAF) technique at 193 nm wavelength was applied to the analysis of indium tin oxide (ITO) layer on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film. Fluorescence emissions from analytes were induced from plumes generated by first laser pulse. Using this approach, non-selective LEAF can be accomplished for simultaneous multi-element analysis and it overcomes the handicap of strict requirement for laser excitation wavelength. In this study, experimental conditions including laser fluences, times for gating and time delay between pulses were optimized to reveal high sensitivity with minimal sample destruction and penetration. With weak laser fluences of 100 and 125 mJ/cm2 for 355 and 193 nm pulses, detection limits were estimated to be 0.10% and 0.43% for Sn and In, respectively. In addition, the relation between fluorescence emissions and number of laser shots was investigated; reproducible results were obtained for Sn and In. It shows the feasibility of depth profiling by this technique. Morphologies of samples were characterized at various laser fluences and number of shots to examine the accurate penetration. Images of craters were also investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results demonstrate the imperceptible destructiveness of film after laser shot. With such weak laser fluences and minimal destructiveness, this LEAF technique is suitable for thin-film analysis.
School perspectives on bullying and preventative strategies: An exploratory study
Authors: Rigby Ken
Published: January 2017

Despite the continual rise in research into school bullying worldwide, comparatively little has been reported on actions that have been taken by schools to counter the problem. This article reports on a small-scale, exploratory study that was designed to provide an account of strategies that were being undertaken in 25 Australian government schools catering for mainstream students. It examines the reported use of both proactive and reactive strategies, and their frequency and perceived effectiveness. It reveals a wide diversity of practices. Strengths and limitations of teacher-directed activities are described, comparisons are made with anti-bullying strategies employed outside Australia, and suggestions are made to enhance the effectiveness of anti-bullying practices.
Naturalistic explanations of religion
Authors: Nielsen Kai
Published: January 2017

This article sets out a range of naturalistic explanations of religion. It maintains that what underlies religious symbols are facts about human beings and society which fulfil human social and psychological needs: understanding religion is incompatible with believing it.
A Short, Retarded Child with a Deletion of the Short Arm of Chromosome 18 (18p-)
Authors: Parker Charles E. , Donnell George N. , Mavalwala Jamshed , Hurst Nancy , Derencsenyi Anna
Published: January 2017

A small black girl with a deletion of chromosome 18 is described. She is mentally retarded and small for her age, and has severe dental decay, hypertelorism, and epicanthic folds. Her IgA is normal. Her bone age is retarded.
Toxicity from Lomotil: Accidental Ingestion by a 22-Month-Old Child
Authors: Snyder Richard , Mofenson Howard C. , Greensher Joseph
Published: January 2017

A case study is presented of Lomotil toxicity in a 22-month-old following ingestion of eight to ten tablets (20-25 mg of diphenoxylate and 0.20-0.25 mg of atropine). Early symptoms are those of atropinism, followed later by dangerous central nervous system depression from the second component. Hospitalization, watchful supervision, and intelligent use of opiate antagonists are the essentials of good management.
Urology; The Practical Management of Urinary Tract Infections in Children; Description of an Approach To Differentiate Surgical from Nonsurgical Cases
Authors: Amar Arjan D. , Chabra Kamla
Published: January 2017

It is practical to organize the management of urinary tract infections in children according to whether the infection is “serious” or “not serious.” A simple basis for this classification is the location of the infection in the urinary tract. Delay in recognizing serious disease may permit renal crippling. Where serious disease is suspected, the first goal is to determine the status of the urinary tract as a whole. The likelihood of functional success from modern urosurgical correction of abnormalities exceeds 90 to 95 per cent, whether treatment is medical or surgical. Cautious observation for years is essential.
Candida Endocarditis and Encephalitis in an Infant
Authors: Shapira Yehuda , Drucker Moshe , Russell Alex , Yarom Rena
Published: January 2017

A one-month-old infant with chronic diarrhea, staphylococcus septicemia, otitis, mastoiditis, and malnutrition was treated by intravenous alimentation and multiple antibiotics. He developed an abscess at the site of an intrajugular indwelling plastic catheter, from which Candida was grown. He died suddenly with signs of endocarditis with embolization. Autopsy revealed disseminated candidiasis, endocarditis with large candidal vegetations on all valves, with multiple granulomata and microabscesses in the brain. The possible role of indwelling plastic catheters, mastoiditis, malnutrition, and antibiotics in the pathogenesis of disseminated candidiasis in infants is discussed. Candida endocarditis is very rare in children, and this case is the fourth to be reported in the literature.
Disobedient Markets: Street Vendors, Enforcement, and State Intervention in Collective Action
Authors: Hummel Calla
Published: January 2017

At 50% of the global workforce, informal workers constitute a large, diffuse, and resource-poor group with high barriers to collective action. Contrary to scholars’ expectations, informal workers organize to varying degrees in most countries, and states often encourage them to do so. Why do some informal workers organize while others do not? I argue that states can intervene in informal workers’ collective action decisions: As enforcement costs increase, states may pay informal workers to organize, and then bargain with the resulting organization over self-regulation. I present a game theoretic model of state intervention in collective action and illustrate it with original ethnographic, survey, and interview evidence from street markets in La Paz, Bolivia. I suggest that informal workers interact strategically with states and conclude with implications for formalization policies.
Party Identification in the United States and Great Britain
Authors: Cain Bruce E. , Ferejohn John
Published: January 2017

Political scientists for some time have questioned the value of party identification in the British context. The most popular objection has been that party identification appears to be less stable and less independent from the vote in Great Britain than in the United States. We attempt to demonstrate that the first objection is based on strong assumptions about how to deal with minor party identifiers and independents while the second can be disputed by showing that short-term forces, and not just measurement error, cause party identification and the vote to covary imperfectly. The analysis is carried out with the original Butler and Stokes data.
Risk Management and Capital Adequacy Norms for Banks
Authors: Kumar Basu Udayan
Published: January 2017

The overall banking scenario has undergone a dramatic change in the wake of liberalization of markets and advent of the concept of universal banking. Commercial banks can now operate as veritable financial supermarkets offering all kinds of services under one roof. The various regulatory requirements and the presence of NPAs in banks' balance sheets introduce certain rigidities in their operating parameters. Besides, the investment options expose them to market and project risks, and brings the issue of financial fragility to the foreground.

In view of the new kinds of risk affecting banks and increasing global competition faced by them, their capitalization and the efficacy of the regulatory and supervisory norms assume a greater significance. The current article explores the impact of possible changes in CRR and SLR on a bank's cut-off risk, i.e. the maximum permissible risk without any default, as well as its dependence on interest rate and capital adequacy ratio. Basel II norms for taking market risk into account, the use of Value at Risk as its measure and the recent guideline by Reserve Bank of India to relate the overall market exposure to net worth, have been examined. A method towards selection of an appropriate capital adequacy ratio to cover market risks has also been proposed.
Reforming Indian Foreign Exchange Market: A Survey
Authors: Sharan Vyuptakesh
Published: January 2017

The process of economic reform in India embraced also the foreign exchange market. The present paper analyzes the reform measures and their impact in this context. The measures of reform included, inter alia, adoption of managed floating exchange rate arrangement, rationalization of the very structure of the market, introduction of variety of activities, such as options and swaps, etc., gradual move towards the capital account convertibility and infusion of stability in the market. The study finds the outcome very positive. The turnover of the transactions surged up more especially in the inter-bank segment. The foreign exchange market in India moved towards greater efficiency in view of reduced bid-ask spread, forward premia, being to a great extent, in line with the interest rate differentials and being, to a great deal, a predictor of future spot rate, and a lower degree of the RBIRBIâ€'s intervention giving way to the free play of market forces. Nevertheless, oscillations in foreign exchange transaction should be checked in order to transfuse greater stability in the Indian foreign exchange market.
Liberalization of Wheat: Production, Prices and Trade
Authors: Ramphul  , Neelam
Published: January 2017

The present study seeks to address the issues of opening-up of India's wheat imports as well as the relationship between production, government procurement, prices and imports of wheat. The authors find that the world wheat production has been continued to decline, while India's wheat production has been growing rapidly. The share of wheat in world total merchandise trade and in agricultural trade has been declining continuously. Further, results indicate that there is a strong and positive relationship between volume of GOI procurement of wheat and procurement price. Imports have failed to depress wheat prices substantially. Being a large country India's food security is more a function of harvest than that of volume of food imports. Thus, there is a strong case to devote more resources for increase in government procurement and production of wheat, in view of strengthening food security base of the country.
Measuring Protection in Indian Industries
Authors: Maurya Nagendra Kumar , Vaishampayan J.V.
Published: January 2017

Liberalization has been a key ingredient of recent economic policies in India and elsewhere, based upon the notion that removing restrictions on domestic economic activity as well as on the trade relations with other countries has a beneficial impact on the economy. Studies attempting to measure tariff and non-tariff barriers have shown gradual decline in tariff and non-tariff barriers [World Bank (1989), Aksoy & Ettori (1992), Goldar and Hasheem (1992), Gang and Pandey (1998), Hasheem (2001), Pandey (2004)]. In this paper, the authors have made an attempt to quantify the trade barriers operating in Indian industry in order to understand whether protection levels actually decrease following trade liberalization. The authors have also computed several measures of trade liberalization covering tariff barriers � effective rate of protection and import penetration rates under different phases of trade reforms.
SAFTA as An Instrument of Rejuvenating Indo-Pak Trade Relations
Authors: Swamy Raju Narayana
Published: January 2017

The history of Indo-Pak economic relations has perhaps been one of the most controversial and sensitive issue that has held the centrestage of South Asian politics. During 1997-2004, Pakistan�s actual imports from India were 4.8 per cent and India�s actual imports from Pakistan were 6.4 per cent only of the respective potential imports, on an average per annum. The establishment of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) in December 1985 has also played an important role in boosting the intra-trade ties between India and Pakistan. The agreement of South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA), effective from 1 January 2006 has also further improved trade between the two countries. SAFTA is a step forward in the right direction for fostering regional economic integration. But a major limitation of SAFTA is its narrow coverage. Different countries have kept a significant part of their imports out of the purview of the Tariff Liberalization Programme (TLP) by putting them on the sensitive or negative list. Apparently, 58.5 per cent of India�s exports to SAARC countries are subject to sensitive list (Pakistan 34%). Pakistan�s imports from India are still governed by a positive list as Pakistan has not provided Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India. Therefore, there is urgent need for extending the coverage of the Agreement to substantially all trade in the region, as per the WTO requirement. This paper looks deep into the problems and potentials of trade between India and Pakistan. The article analyzes how SAFTA has in fact given a fillip to a better understanding between the two countries; how the latter has contributed to the furthering of the two countries� relations notwithstanding the fact that the bilateral disputes are out of the purview of the SAARC agenda. The article also focuses on how the inclusion of bilateral problems would derail the SAARC process.
Differences between Indian Exporters and Non-Exporters of Engineering Consultancy Services
Authors: Chakravarty Anomitra , Kumar S.N.V. Siva , Faisal Mohd. Nishat
Published: January 2017

Export of engineering consultancy services represents a small but growing portion of India�s services exports. This paper seeks to understand major impediments that must be overcome to encourage more Indian professional services firms to enter foreign markets. It develops research propositions that may differentiate between exporters and non-exporters and empirically examines them through a survey of 167 Indian engineering consulting firms. Export motivations among exporters and different external support systems to help firms market their services in the international arena are also examined. Two-thirds of the firms surveyed were not exporting. It is found that exporting firms invest greater time and resources to develop international business relations with an eye on future business potential. Senior managers of exporting firms provide unique network connections through their personal / social contacts enabling the firm to exploit foreign business opportunities. Exporting firms are on an average larger, i.e. employ more number of professionals. It is also found that senior managers of exporting firms are positively inclined towards international activity and perceive lower barriers to exporting as compared to their nonexporting counterparts. Findings enhance knowledge about the key differences between exporters and non-exporters of knowledge intensive professional services like engineering consultancy.
Negotiations on Environmental Goods with WTO and Sustainable Development
Authors: Singh S. N. , Upadhyay Era , Sankar U.
Published: January 2017

Doha Round of negotiations on environmental goods and services are continuing without resulting in any gainful output. The basic challenge of negotiations on environment is emerged on definitional approach of environmental goods because neither internationally agreed definition of Environmental Goods (EGs) nor any agreed criteria for their classification is specified. However, suggested definitions have varied between limited primarily to “pollution prevention activities” to “extending beyond simple end-use criteria”. The paper attempted to examine various definitions of environmental goods developed from time to time besides estimating time series analysis of export and import data. The paper is also focused on environmental goods in which India has comparative advantage and elaborates the potential for negotiations on environmental goods in India.
Can We Study Autonomous Driving Comfort in Moving-Base Driving Simulators? A Validation Study
Authors: Bellem Hanna , Klüver Malte , Schrauf Michael , Schöner Hans-Peter , Hecht Heiko , Krems Josef F.
Published: January 2017

Objective:

To lay the basis of studying autonomous driving comfort using driving simulators, we assessed the behavioral validity of two moving-base simulator configurations by contrasting them with a test-track setting.

Background:

With increasing level of automation, driving comfort becomes increasingly important. Simulators provide a safe environment to study perceived comfort in autonomous driving. To date, however, no studies were conducted in relation to comfort in autonomous driving to determine the extent to which results from simulator studies can be transferred to on-road driving conditions.

Method:

Participants ( N = 72) experienced six differently parameterized lane-change and deceleration maneuvers and subsequently rated the comfort of each scenario. One group of participants experienced the maneuvers on a test-track setting, whereas two other groups experienced them in one of two moving-base simulator configurations.

Results:

We could demonstrate relative and absolute validity for one of the two simulator configurations. Subsequent analyses revealed that the validity of the simulator highly depends on the parameterization of the motion system.

Conclusion:

Moving-base simulation can be a useful research tool to study driving comfort in autonomous vehicles. However, our results point at a preference for subunity scaling factors for both lateral and longitudinal motion cues, which might be explained by an underestimation of speed in virtual environments.

Application:

In line with previous studies, we recommend lateral- and longitudinal-motion scaling factors of approximately 50% to 60% in order to obtain valid results for both active and passive driving tasks.
The Business of Human Factors
Authors: Bennett Corwin A.
Published: January 2017

The role of human factors in industry is discussed. Considerations determining size and location of a human factors group within an organization are examined.
Search Performance as a Function of Peripheral Acuity
Authors: Johnston Dorothy M.
Published: January 2017

This study was made to investigate the relationship between the size of visual fields of observers and time required to locate targets on static displays. The findings, which indicate that people with large visual fields can find targets more rapidly than observers with small fields, have practical selection and training application. Equations are presented which can be used to determine search time that can be expected as a function of the size of the visual field of the observer and the apparent size of the area being searched.
Assembly and Inspection of Microelectronic Systems
Authors: Teel Kenneth S. , Springer Robert M. , Sadler Ernest E.
Published: January 2017

Two experiments were performed to determine how human performance in the assembly and inspection of microelectronic devices might be improved. The first revealed that use of tools specifically designed to minimize the probability of human error resulted in significant reductions in errors in the handling of silicon wafers. The second indicated that providing the operator with a visual frame of reference resulted in detection of a significantly greater percentage of the defects present in photo masks of the type used in production of microelectronic circuits.
Ecology and Development
Authors: Lee Bruce C.
Published: January 2017

This paper stresses the ecologist's point of view in developing countries, in response to those papers which did not refer to the utilization of the life sciences. The human factors specialist must stress the systems approach involving reciprocity between man and his total environment. He must also acquaint himself with the cultures of the people of the area, estimating how these factors will jibe with any technological advance he may bring in. Many agencies, national and international, are currently engaged in natural resources activities. These agencies should be utilized in the maintenance and enhancement of the environment. The human factors specialist should integrate his plans and programs with other specialists in his own and related fields.
Manipulating the Conditions of Training in Time-Sharing Performance
Authors: Gopher Daniel , North Robert A.
Published: January 2017

A one-dimensional compensatory tracking task and a digit-processing, reaction time task were combined to assess three aspects of training under time-sharing conditions: (1) manipulation of desired levels of dual-task performance: (2) training under equal and unequal task priorities: and (3) repeated sequencing of single/dual-task presentations. Six groups of 10 subjects each participated in the experiment. Larger performance improvements under time-sharing conditions were observed when desired performance indicators were computed relative to a dual-task rather than a single-task reference. Training under unequal task priorities revealed that tracking was more sensitive than the digit-processing task to priority differences. Tracking performance continued to improve during repeated single-task presentation, whereas digit processing improved only in the time-sharing conditions. These findings suggest that improvement on the tracking task is in the specific skill of tracking, while digit-processing improvement results from improved time-sharing ability.
Cognitive and Emotional Factors Representative of Reinforcement Patterns among an Amateur Softball Team
Authors: Biersner Robert J. , McHugh William B. , Bennett Linda K.
Published: January 2017

Pre-game performance expectations, emotions, and post-game performance ratings were measured among members of an amateur Softball team. The results showed that pre-game performance expectations and reported happiness were at high levels and did not differ between won or lost games or between skilled and lesser skilled players. Reported depression was found to rise significantly among skilled players prior to lost games. Post-game performance ratings were significantly lower than pre-game performance expectations among both skilled and lesser skilled players. Post-game performance ratings of both the players and coach were significantly higher for games won than games lost, but the ratings of the coach after all games were significantly higher than those of the players. Post-game performance ratings by the coach of skilled and lesser skilled players did not differ significantly. These results indicate that cognitive (expectation) and emotional factors, as well as self-reported performance ratings, may be useful in determining reinforcement patterns among amateur players and coaches. In the present situation, uniform, positive reinforcement by the coach appears to be perceived differently among skilled and lesser skilled players depending on whether the game was won or lost.
A Quest to Revitalize Nostra Aetate for an Emerging World Church
Authors: Orji Cyril
Published: January 2017

This paper reflects on Philip Jenkins’s three-part work, The Next Christendom, The New Faces of Christianity, and Europe’s Religious Crisis and brings Jenkins into conversation with the Vatican II document, Nostra Aetate, with a view to mapping out new and meaningful ways of engaging Islam in dialogue as Christianity continues to make its inexorable movement southward. Using Jenkins’s work as an entry point for a new way of being Church in a contemporary global context, the paper argues that the new Christian expansion should be understood along the lines of Bernard Lonergan’s ‘achievement of common meaning.’ Because the transformation has been realized by the collaborative efforts of individuals and communities, what is needed is for the believing Christians to appropriate and engage Nostra Aetate in a way that meets the changing needs of our time.
Modeling of Transverse Mechanical Behavior of Continuous Fiber Reinforced Metal-Matrix Composites
Authors: Lee Y. S. , Gungor M. N. , Liaw P. K.
Published: January 2017

A simple mathematical model has been developed to explain the mechanical behavior of a mono-fiber reinforced metal-matrix composite subjected to transverse loading. It is assumed that the metal-matrix material behaves as an elastic material at room temperature, and as a power-law creep material at elevated temperatures. In the model, material responses (stress, strain and displacement) are quantitatively described. The model predicts the effect of fiber size on failure mechanisms. Decohesion of the fiber/matrix interface is predicted to be easier as the fiber diameter increases, irrespective of test temperature. The model also predicts the location of void initiation which occurs away from the fiber/matrix interface at elevated temperatures. In addition, elongation was found to increase with increasing fiber diameter. Some qualitative experimental evidence supporting the theoretical predictions is presented.
Elastic-Plastic Dynamic Response and Buckling of Laminated Thin Shells
Authors: Liaw D. G. , Yang Henry T. Y.
Published: January 2017

A 48 degree-of-freedom doubly-curved quadrilateral laminated thin shell element including the effect of anisotropic plasticity is formulated to study the static, dynamic response and buckling of thin shell structures. The effect of geometric nonlinearity is also included. The formulation is based on the Kirchhoff-Love thin shell theory and classical lamination theory. In the plastic range, the Huber-Mises yield criterion combined with the Prandtl-Reuss flow rule are used. The state of stresses and strains of each layer is calculated individually, and then integrated through the whole thickness of the shell to obtain the stress and moment resultants, and the stress-strain relation. The stress and strain components, the stress-strain relation, and the yield function which is used to identify the plastic surface are obtained in principal material directions of each layer and then transformed to those in local coordinate axes of the element. The formulation and solution procedure are evaluated by comparing results of two examples with existing alternative solutions. The practical applicability is demonstrated by performing a series of static and dynamic buckling analyses of laminated thin spherical and cylindrical shells.
On the Consistency of Complex Moduli for Transversely-Isotropic Viscoelastic Materials
Authors: Lesieutre George A.
Published: January 2017

The ability of advanced composite materials and structures to damp vibration is important in many applications. Use of the complex modulus approach to represent the dissipative properties of transversely-isotropic materials, such as unidirectional fiber-reinforced composites, requires the definition of a set of 5 (imaginary) loss moduli in addition to the 5 (real) storage moduli needed to describe the elastic behavior. In practice, designers of composite materials rarely have experimental data for all 5 loss moduli, and must assume values for the remaining moduli in their analyses. If values for these unknown loss moduli are specified arbitrarily, physically unreasonable behavior can result. This paper develops the conditions necessary for physical consistency of the complex moduli of transversely isotropic materials.
Endogenous Ethanol ‘Auto-Brewery Syndrome’ as a Drunk-Driving Defence Challenge
Authors: Logan B K , Jones A W
Published: January 2017

The concentration of ethanol in blood, breath or urine constitutes important evidence for prosecuting drunk drivers. For various reasons, the reliability of the results of forensic alcohol analysis are often challenged by the defence. One such argument for acquittal concerns the notion that alcohol could be produced naturally in the body, hence the term ‘auto-brewery’ syndrome. Although yeasts such as Candida albicans readily produce ethanol in-vitro, whether this happens to any measurable extent in healthy ambulatory subjects is an open question. Over the years, many determinations of endogenous ethanol have been made, and in a few rare instances (Japanese subjects with very serious yeast infections) an abnormally high ethanol concentration (<80 mg/dl) has been reported. In these atypical individuals, endogenous ethanol appeared to have been produced after they had eaten carbohydrate-rich foods. A particular genetic polymorphism resulting in reduced activity of enzymes involved in hepatic metabolism of ethanol and a negligible first-pass metabolism might explain ethnic differences in rates of endogenous ethanol production and clearance. Other reports of finding abnormally high concentrations of ethanol in body fluids from ostensibly healthy subjects suffer from deficiencies in study design and lack suitable control experiments or used non-specific analytical methods. With reliable gas chromatographic methods of analysis, the concentrations of endogenous ethanol in peripheral venous blood of healthy individuals, as well as those suffering from various metabolic disorders (diabetes, hepatitis, cirrhosis) ranged from 0–0.08 mg/dl. These concentrations are far too low to have any forensic or medical significance. The notion that a motorist's state of intoxication was caused by endogenously produced ethanol lacks merit.
Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay for the Detection of Drugs of Abuse in Human Whole Blood
Authors: Keller Thomas , Cta Andrea Schneider , Dirnhofer Richard , Jungo Regula , Meyer Wolfgang
Published: January 2017

Fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) is a technique which has been known for a number of years. Since the development of the fundamental principles of fluorescence polarization by Perrin in a series of papers beginning in 1926, immunological techniques using labelled reactants have gained an extraordinary importance in the field of medical research and in routine diagnosis. As one of the nonradioactive immunological techniques, FPIA has found broad application in clinical and forensic toxicology. The authors report a new method to quickly screen autopsy, police and hospital blood samples for opiates, benzodiazepines, benzoylecgonine, barbiturates and methadone after Extrelut extraction utilising the FPIA methodology.