bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study of collaborative PRM business model for sustainability
Authors: Ray Ankita , Mondal Sandeep
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Sustainable development comprises three bottom line concepts, i.e. protect environment, improve economic performance, and social performance. Business organization with only profitability as the primary objective may lead to a highly competitive market which mainly focuses on financial performance and pay less attention to environmental and social performance. Companies that adopt the product recovery activities also select economic performance as the prime priority of their business objectives. The purpose of this paper is to give a brief idea about a different kind of business model other than conventional business models. Here, the authors aim to represent collaboration among firms, companies, and players within a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) to build a leading business model that establishes three basic concepts of sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

From literature the authors identified that the primary objective of establishing a sustainable business model is environmental issues but achieving economic performance and gaining market share increase competition among companies. The authors also identified that increasing financial performance results in the development of a competitive business model. This literature review helps to represent the concept of collaborative business model, its benefit, and its mechanism and also helps to compare it with competitive business model in terms of sustainability.

Findings

In case of the collaborative business model, the authors found that collaboration is better than competition to sustain in the market. The authors described the collaborative business model and mechanism of both competitive and collaborative business strategies in a CLSC. The authors gave an idea to adopt some well-known business model and pricing policies for the collaborating firms. The authors presented a comparison between the collaborative and competitive business model and also identified different types of collaborative and completive relationship among the players within a CLSC.

Originality/value

Government legislations, e-waste rules, and environmental rules involve original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for taking back its end-of-life (EOL)/end-of-use products. A collaborative business model helps OEM to manage those huge amounts of used products by involving third parties within the supply chain. Here, in this paper the authors represent different collaborative parties and their purpose for collaboration, and also represent a strong belief that collaborative business model is the recent trend for establishing sustainability than competitive business model.
Measuring the supply chain risk in offshoring countries using data envelopment analysis and the analytic hierarchy process
Authors: Min Hokey , Park Heekeon , Ahn Seung Bum
Published: August 2017

Purpose

An indiscreet strategy of offshoring from low-cost countries (LCCs) can do more harm than good, since invisible supply chain risks may increase hidden costs and subsequently more than offset cost-saving opportunities. Considering the potential impact of these risks on offshoring, the purpose of this paper is to identify risk factors that significantly hinder the efficiency of offshoring and then measure specific risks associated with offshoring in foreign countries.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper develops performance metrics for gauging the offshoring attractiveness of potential sourcing countries using data envelopment analysis and then identifies the benchmark sourcing country using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP).

Findings

This study reveals that, defying the conventional wisdom, LCCs are not necessarily the most desirable offshoring destinations. This study also discovers that LCCs tend to be less business friendly, less logistically efficient, and riskier to source than their high-income country counterparts.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the first to introduce the concept of wealth creation efficiency for an offshoring decision and consider a host of key determinants such as wealth creation efficiency, logistics efficiency, business friendliness, and various supply chain risks for selecting the most desirable offshoring destination.
Testing the market efficiency by mean absolute deviation
Authors: Ren Louie , Ren Peter
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Numerous articles have been written to prove or to disapprove the hypothesis of market efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to apply the forecast accuracy measure, mean absolute deviation (MAD), to check the validity of the hypothesis.

Design/methodology/approach

Forecast accuracies from applying different simple moving average methods to independently identically distributed (i.i.d.) or near i.i.d. normal time series are assessed by MAD. When moving period n is greater than m, then the mean of the MADs from the MA with n moving periods will be smaller than the mean of the MADs from the MA with m moving periods.

Findings

In this study, when different MAs are applied to four near i.i.d. finance time series from Fama’s papers, the MAD cannot distinguish the differences among MA methods with various moving periods. This contradiction implies that the four finance time series in Fama’s papers may not be i.i.d and implies that the market is not efficient.

Research limitations/implications

The finding is only based on simulation and four near i.i.d. time series studied in Fama’s papers in 1965 and 1970.

Practical implications

The study shows that that the differences of the rates of returns from Johns Manville, Goodyear, Owens Illinois, and General Electric studied are not i.i.d. and that the market is not efficient. It refutes what Fama (1965, 1970) has claimed.

Social implications

When the market is not efficient, investors may gain profit from the market.

Originality/value

Based on the literature review, this is the first study to use the forecast accuracy measure, MAD, for market efficiency.
A social norms approach to changing school children’s perceptions of tobacco usage
Authors: Sheikh Afzal , Vadera Sunil , Ravey Michael , Lovatt Gary , Kelly Grace
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Over 200,000 young people in the UK embark on a smoking career annually, thus continued effort is required to understand the types of interventions that are most effective in changing perceptions about smoking amongst teenagers. Several authors have proposed the use of social norms programmes, where correcting misconceptions of what is considered normal behaviour lead to improved behaviours. There are a limited number of studies showing the effectiveness of such programmes for changing teenagers’ perception of smoking habits, and hence this paper reports on the results from one of the largest social norms programmes that used a variety of interventions aimed at improving teenagers’ perceptions of smoking. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

A range of interventions were adopted for 57 programmes in year nine students, ranging from passive interventions such as posters and banners to active interventions such as student apps and enterprise days. Each programme consisted of a baseline survey followed by interventions and a repeat survey to calculate the change in perception. A clustering algorithm was also used to reveal the impact of combinations of interventions.

Findings

The study reveals three main findings: the use of social norms is an effective means of changing perceptions, the level of interventions and change in perceptions are positively correlated, and that the most effective combinations of interventions include the use of interactive feedback assemblies, enterprise days, parent and student apps and newsletters to parents.

Originality/value

The paper presents results from one of the largest social norm programmes aimed at improving young people’s perceptions and the first to use clustering methods to reveal the impact of combinations of intervention.
An empirical examination of the ecological and cognitive active commuting framework
Authors: Pang Bo , Rundle-Thiele Sharyn Robyn , Kubacki Krzysztof
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Evidence indicates that active school travel (AST) including walking can effectively lower levels of obesity among school-age children. Yet Queensland has been identified as one of the most inactive states in Australia where only 5 per cent of Years 1 and 5 children engaged in AST on a daily basis. The purpose of this paper is to explain walking to school behaviour among Queensland children by investigating the explanatory potential of the ecological and cognitive active commuting (ECAC) model.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey of 537 carers in Queensland, Australia was conducted to collect data about demographics and the variables in the ECAC model. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the ECAC model and the pathways between variables.

Findings

The results indicate that the ECAC model explained 53.4 per cent of the variance in walking to school. Social norms are the dominating factor in the model. Distance to school affects how the ECAC model works by moderating the associations among walking to school behaviours, perceived risks, and social norms.

Practical implications

Changing carers’ social norms and lowering the perceived risks they associate with walking to school should increase the incidence of walking to school in Queensland.

Originality/value

Although the ECAC model was proposed as a comprehensive framework to explain walking to school behaviour, to date, it has not been tested empirically. Informed by a modified ECAC framework this study aims to empirically explore the factors that may be preventing or facilitating Queensland children from walking to school.
Corporate governance and corporate social disclosures: a meta-analytical review
Authors: Majumder Md. Tofael Hossain , Akter Aklima , Li Xiaojing
Published: August 2017

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the association between corporate governance and corporate social disclosures (CSD).

Design/methodology/approach

Data analysis has been conducted on 29 prior studies published between 2004 and 2016 for the purpose of integrating the findings across studies. The study uses the meta-analysis instrument developed by Hunter et al. (1982).

Findings

The investigation finds a significant positive association between board size, the frequency of board meetings and auditors’ credibility with CSD. Both the managerial and concentrated ownership have a significant but negative association with CSD. In contrast, board independence, board gender diversity, the composition of non-executive directors, government ownership, foreign ownership and institutional ownership are insignificantly and positively associated with CSD. CEO duality is also insignificant with CSD but indicates a negative association. The study further investigates that the association between board gender diversity and CSD affected by the differences of the country of study.

Originality/value

This paper adds significance to the extant academic literature as well as assists the appropriate policy maker in assessing the determinants of CSD from the viewpoints of corporate governance. It further aims to reconcile the findings of the previous studies around the world, and also for the developed and developing countries separately.
Measuring user’s influence in the Yelp recommender system
Authors: Bejarano Andres , Jindal Agrima , Bhargava Bharat
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Recommender systems collect information about users and businesses and how they are related. Such relation is given in terms of reviews and votes on reviews. User reviews gather opinions, rating scores and review influence. The latter component is crucial for determining which users are more relevant in a recommender system, that is, the users whose reviews are more popular than the average user’s reviews.

Design/methodology/approach

A model of measure of user influence is proposed based on review and social attributes of the user. User influence is also used for determining how influenced has been a business being based on popular reviews.

Findings

Results indicate there is a connection between social attributes and user influence. Such results are relevant for marketing, credibility estimation and Sybil detections, among others.

Originality/value

The proposed model allows search parameterization based on the social attribute weights of users, reviews and businesses. Such weights defines the relevance on each attribute, which can be adjusted according to the search needs. Popularity results are then a function of weight preferences on user, reviews and businesses data join.
Hierarchy grey relational analysis using DEA and AHP
Authors: Pakkar Mohammad Sadegh
Published: August 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to apply an integrated data envelopment analysis (DEA) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach to a multi-hierarchy grey relational analysis (GRA) model. Consistent with the most real-life applications, the authors focus on a two-level hierarchy in which the attributes of similar characteristics can be grouped into categories. Nevertheless, the proposed approach can be easily extended to a three-level hierarchy in which attributes might also belong to different sub-categories and further be linked to categories.

Design/methodology/approach

The procedure of incorporating the DEA and AHP methods in a two-level GRA may be broken down into a series of steps. The first three steps are under the heading of attributes and the latter three steps are under the heading of categories as follows: computing the grey relational coefficients of attributes for each alternative using the basic GRA model which further provides the required (output) data for an additive DEA model; computing the priority weights of attributes and categories using the AHP method which provides a priori information on the adjustments of attributes and categories in additive DEA models; computing the grey relational grades of attributes in each category for alternatives using an additive DEA model; converting the grey relational grades of attributes to the grey relational coefficients of categories; computing the grey relational grades of categories for alternatives using an additive DEA model; computing the dissimilarity grades of categories for the tied alternatives using an additive DEA exclusion model.

Findings

The proposed approach provides a more reasonable and encompassing measure of performance in a hierarchy GRA, based on which the overall ranking position of alternatives is obtained. A case study of a wastewater treatment technology selection verifies the effectiveness of this approach.

Originality/value

This research is a step forward to overcome the current shortcomings in a hierarchy GRA by extracting the benefits from both the objective and subjective weighting methods.
Nano-beams under torsion: a stress-driven nonlocal approach
Authors: Barretta Raffaele , Feo Luciano , Luciano Raimondo , Marotti de Sciarra Francesco , Penna Rosa
Published: August 2017

Purpose

This study aims to model scale effects in nano-beams under torsion.

Design/methodology/approach

The elastostatic problem of a nano-beam is formulated by a novel stress-driven nonlocal approach.

Findings

Unlike the standard strain-driven nonlocal methodology, the proposed stress-driven nonlocal model is mathematically and mechanically consistent. The contributed results are useful for the design of modern devices at nanoscale.

Originality/value

The innovative stress-driven integral nonlocal model, recently proposed in literature for inflected nano-beams, is formulated in the present submission to study size-dependent torsional behavior of nano-beams.
Fatwāshopping and trust: towards effective consumer protection regulations in Islamic finance
Authors: Oseni Umar A.
Published: August 2017

Purpose

This study aims to examine the phenomenon ofFatwāshopping, its effect on consumer trust in Islamic finance products and the need for effective consumer protection regulations in the Islamic finance industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used in this study is qualitative research which draws significantly from relevant regulations on financial consumer protection through analytical method to identify common themes onFatwāshopping and consumer trust in the relevant literature.

Findings

This study finds that the increasing practice ofFatwāshopping through clandestine searches by some Islamic banks to get their new products endorsed by leadingSharī‘ahscholars requires proper legal regulation to avoid a total erosion of trust in the entire Islamic finance industry.

Research limitations/implication

ThoughFatwāshopping is practiced in the Islamic finance industry, it is always difficult to get some desperate Islamic bankers to agree to this; hence, this study does not portend to examine the evidence onFatwāshopping, but it seeks to bring to the fore the effect ofFatwāshopping on consumer trust in Islamic financial services, and the need for effective consumer protection regulations.

Practical implications

This study is expected to provide an invaluable guide and policy framework for emerging and promising jurisdictions on the need to regulateFatwāshopping through an effective legal framework based on some best practices identified in the study.

Originality/value

Though there have been a number of studies relating toFatwāshopping, focusing on the need for effective consumer protection regulations in the Islamic finance industry will enrich the existing literature and have significant implications for the future of the industry.
Building trust in Islamic finance products and services
Authors: Ali Syed Nazim
Published: August 2017

Purpose

With the increasing instances of malfeasance and frauds coming to light in the financial services industry, trust has become a key concern for customers. Fortunately, in the case of Islamic Finance, trust is a central tenet, and its importance can be seen through the emphasis of Amanah or trustworthiness that should be present in every financial transaction. However, it has been argued that the principle of trust has not been truly realized in Islamic Finance, or that there are still issues of distrust regarding anything which is obtrusively branded as “Islamic”. In this paper, the author will analyze the reasons for gaps between the expectations and reality of the finance industry today by looking at the main factors contributing to distrust among the different stakeholders and the perceived impact of the distrust on the industry and the general public. It then focuses on the past and ongoing efforts by academia to bridge these gaps between the different stake holder groups with the help of illustrative case studies as well as recommends future steps to be taken to ensure a stronger foundation of trust within the Islamic Finance community.
The Manipulation Potential of Libor and Euribor
Authors: Eisl Alexander , Jankowitsch Rainer , Subrahmanyam Marti G.
Published: August 2017

The London Interbank Offered Rate (Libor) and the Euro Interbank Offered Rate (Euribor) are two key benchmark interest rates used in a plethora of financial contracts. The integrity of the rate‐setting processes has been under intense scrutiny since 2007. We analyse Libor and Euribor submissions by the individual banks and shed light on the underlying manipulation potential for the actual and several alternative rate‐setting procedures. We find that such alternative fixings could significantly reduce the effect of manipulation. We also explore related issues such as the sample size and the particular questions asked of the banks in the rate‐setting process.
Poorly differentiated chordoma with loss of SMARCB1/INI1 expression in pediatric patients: A report of two cases and review of the literature
Authors: Cha Yoon Jin , Hong Chang‐Ki , Kim Dong‐Seok , Lee Seung‐Koo , Park Hyeon Jin , Kim Se Hoon
Published: August 2017

Identification of loss of SMARCB1/INI1 expression in poorly differentiated (PD) chordoma in pediatric patients suggests that PD chordoma is an entity molecularly distinct from conventional chordoma or atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor, which is also characterized by loss of SMARCB1/INI1 expression by inactivating mutation of the SMARCB1/INI gene. So far, around 20 cases of pediatric PD chordoma with loss of SMARCB1/INI1 expression have been reported. Here, we report two cases of pediatric PD chordoma with loss of SMARCB1/INI1 expression, which is very rare among the pediatric chordoma types. Both patients presented clival masses on preoperative MRI. Histologically, both tumors had nonclassic histologic features for conventional chordoma: sheets of large epithelioid to spindle cells with vesicular nuclei and prominent nucleoli. Both cases revealed nuclear expression of brachyury, loss of SMARCB1/INI1 expression and lack of embryonal, neuroectodermal, or epithelial component. One case showed heterozygous loss of EWSR1 gene by break‐apart fluorescence in situ hybridization that reflected loss of SMARCB1/INI1 gene. Based on the clival location and histologic findings along with the loss of SMARCB1/INI1 expression and positivity for nuclear brachyury staining, the final pathologic diagnosis for both cases was PD chordoma.
Barber‐led sexual health education intervention for Black male adolescents and their fathers
Authors: Randolph Schenita D. , Pleasants Terrence , Gonzalez‐Guarda Rosa M.
Published: August 2017

Objective

To explore barbers' attitudes and beliefs regarding the feasibility and acceptability of a barber‐ led STI/HIV risk reduction intervention for fathers and their preadolescent and adolescent sons.

Design and Sample

A qualitative descriptive design was used. Twenty‐two barbers were recruited from barbershops and a barber school in central North Carolina.

Measures

A combination of five focus groups and two key informant interviews were conducted.

Results

The following themes were generated: (1) The barbershop was embraced as a venue for an adolescent sexual health father–son intervention, (2) Barbers desired more information about STIs and HIV among Black male youth, (3) The use of incentives to engage barbers and fathers was important, and (4) Time commitment of barbers for a barber‐led intervention varied.

Conclusion

The trust established between barbers and the Black community presents an opportunity for pre‐adolescent and adolescent STI/HIV risk reduction programs that include the role of fathers. Intervention programs can be tailored to address this important intervention opportunity.
Proof of de Smit’s conjecture: a freeness criterion
Authors: Brochard Sylvain
Published: August 2017

Let $A\rightarrow B$ be a morphism of Artin local rings with the same embedding dimension. We prove that any $A$-flat $B$-module is $B$-flat. This freeness criterion was conjectured by de Smit in 1997 and improves Diamond’s criterion [The Taylor–Wiles construction and multiplicity one, Invent. Math. 128 (1997), 379–391, Theorem 2.1]. We also prove that if there is a nonzero $A$-flat $B$-module, then $A\rightarrow B$ is flat and is a relative complete intersection. Then we explain how this result allows one to simplify Wiles’s proof of Fermat’s last theorem: we do not need the so-called ‘Taylor–Wiles systems’ any more.
A Characterization of Process–Surface Texture Interactions in Micro-Electrical Discharge Machining Using Multiscale Curvature Tensor Analysis
Authors: Bartkowiak Tomasz , Brown Christopher A.
Published: August 2017

The objectives of this work are to demonstrate the use of multiscale curvature tensor analysis for characterizing surfaces of stainless steel created by micro-electrical discharge machining (μEDM), and to study the strengths of the correlations between discharge energies and resulting surface curvatures (i.e., principal, Gaussian, or mean curvatures) and how they change with scale. Surfaces were created by μEDM techniques using energies from 18 nJ to 16,500 nJ and measured by confocal microscope. The curvature tensor T is calculated using three proximate unit vectors normal to the surface. The multiscale effect is achieved by changing the size of the sampling interval for the estimation of the normals. Normals are estimated from regular meshes by applying a covariance matrix method. Strong correlations (R2 > 0.9) are observed between calculated principal maximal and minimal as well as mean and Gaussian curvatures and discharge energies. This method allows detailed analysis of the nature of surface topographies and suggests that different formation processes governed the creation of surfaces created by higher energies.
A Cohesive Zone Model for the Stamping Process Encountered During Three-Dimensional Printing of Fiber-Reinforced Soft Composites
Authors: Spackman Clayson C. , Nowak James F. , Mills Kristen L. , Samuel Johnson
Published: August 2017

Fiber-reinforced soft composites (FrSCs) are seeing increasing use in applications involving soft actuators, four-dimensional printing, biomimetic composites, and embedded sensing. The three-dimensional (3D) printing of FrSCs is a layer-by-layer material deposition process that alternates between inkjet deposition of an ultraviolet (UV) curable polymer layer and the stamping of electrospun fibers onto the layer, to build the final part. While this process has been proven for complex 3D geometries, it suffers from poor fiber transfer efficiencies (FTEs) that affect the eventual fiber content in the printed part. In order to address this issue, it is critical to first understand the mechanics of the fiber transfer process. To this end, the objective of this paper is to develop a cohesive zone-based finite element model that captures the competition between the “fiber–carrier substrate” adhesion and the “fiber–polymer matrix” adhesion, encountered during the stamping process used for 3D printing FrSCs. The cohesive zone model (CZM) parameters are first calibrated using independent microscale fiber peeling experiments involving both the thin-film aluminum carrier substrate and the UV curable polymer matrix. The predictions of the calibrated model are then validated using fiber transfer experiments. The model parametric studies suggest the use of a roller-based stamping unit design to improve the FTE of the FrSC 3D printing process. Preliminary experiments confirm that for a 0.5 in diameter roller, this new design can increase the FTE to ∼97%, which is a substantial increase from the 55% efficiency value seen for the original flat-plate stamping platen design. The model has broader applications for the transfer-printing of soft material constructs at the submicron scale.
An Experimental and Simulation Study for Powder Injection Multitrack Laser Cladding of P420 Stainless Steel on AISI 1018 Steel for Selected Mechanical Properties
Authors: Nazemi Navid , Urbanic Jill
Published: August 2017

Laser cladding is a rapid physical metallurgy process with a fast heating–cooling cycle, which is used to coat a surface of a metal to enhance the metallurgical properties of the substrate's surface. A fully coupled thermal–metallurgical–mechanical finite element (FE) model was developed to simulate the process of coaxial powder-feed laser cladding for selected overlap conditions and employed to predict the mechanical properties of the clad and substrate materials, as well as distortions and residual stresses. The numerical model is validated by comparing the Vickers microhardness measurements, melt pool dimensions, and heat-affected zone (HAZ) geometry from experimental specimens' cross sectioning. The study was conducted to investigate the temperature field evolution, thermal cycling characteristics, and the effect of deposition directions and overlapping conditions on the microhardness properties of multitrack laser cladding. This study employed P420 stainless steel clad powder on a medium carbon structural steel plate substrate. The study was carried out on three case studies of multitrack bead specimens with 40%, 50%, and 60% overlap. The results provide relevant information for process planning decisions and present a baseline to the downstream process planning optimization.
Partial/Parallel Disassembly Sequence Planning for Complex Products
Authors: Tao Fei , Bi Luning , Zuo Ying , Nee A. Y. C.
Published: August 2017

Disassembly is a very important step in recycling and maintenance, particularly for energy saving. However, disassembly sequence planning (DSP) is a challenging combinatorial optimization problem due to complex constraints of many products. This paper considers partial and parallel disassembly sequence planning for solving the degrees-of-freedom in modular product design, considering disassembly time, cost, and energy consumption. An automatic self-decomposed disassembly precedence matrix (DPM) is designed to generate partial/parallel disassembly sequence for reducing complexity and improving efficiency. A Tabu search-based hyper heuristic algorithm with exponentially decreasing diversity management strategy is proposed. Compared with the low-level heuristics, the proposed algorithm is more efficient in terms of exploration ability and improving energy benefits (EBs). The comparison results of three different disassembly strategies prove that the partial/parallel disassembly has a great advantage in reducing disassembly time, and improving EBs and disassembly profit (DP).
Continuous Closed-Loop Transonic Linear Cascade for Aerothermal Performance Studies in Microturbomachinery
Authors: Yakirevich Eli , Miezner Ron , Leizeronok Boris , Cukurel Beni
Published: August 2017

The present work summarizes the design process of a new continuous closed-loop hot transonic linear cascade. The facility features fully modular design which is intended to serve as a test bench for axial microturbomachinery components in independently varying Mach and Reynolds numbers ranges of 0–1.3 and 2 × 104–6 × 105, respectively. Moreover, for preserving heat transfer characteristics of the hot gas section, the gas to solid temperature ratio (up to 2) is retained. This operational environment has not been sufficiently addressed in prior art, although it is critical for the future development of ultra-efficient high power or thrust devices. In order to alleviate the dimension specific challenges associated with microturbomachinery, the facility is designed in a highly versatile manner and can easily accommodate different geometric configurations (pitch, ±20 deg stagger angle, and ±20 deg incidence angle), absence of any alterations to the test section. Owing to the quick swap design, the vane geometry can be easily replaced without manufacturing or re-assembly of other components. Flow periodicity is achieved by the inlet boundary layer suction and independently adjustable tailboard mechanisms. Enabling test-aided design capability for microgas turbine manufacturers, aerothermal performance of various advanced geometries can be assessed in engine relevant environments.
Digitalization of Human Operations in the Age of Cyber Manufacturing: Sensorimotor Analysis of Manual Grinding Performance
Authors: Bales Gregory L. , Das Jayanti , Tsugawa Jason , Linke Barbara , Kong Zhaodan
Published: August 2017

This paper presents new techniques to analyze and understand the sensorimotor characteristics of manual operations such as grinding, and links their influence on process performance. A grinding task, though simple, requires the practitioner to combine elements from the large repertoire of his or her skillset. Based on the joint gaze, force, and velocity data collected from a series of manual grinding experiments, we have compared operators with different levels of experience and quantitatively described characteristics of human manual skill and their effects on manufacturing process parameters such as cutting energy, surface finish, and material removal rate (MRR). For instance, we find that an experienced subject performs the task in a precise manner by moving the tool in complex paths, with lower applied forces and velocities, and short fixations compared to a novice. A detailed understanding of gaze-motor behavior broadens our knowledge of how a manual task is executed. Our results help to provide this extra insight, and impact future efforts in workforce training as well as the digitalization of manual expertise, thereby facilitating the transformation of raw data into product-specific knowledge.
Design of a Compact Gravity Equilibrator With an Unlimited Range of Motion
Authors: Bijlsma Bob G. , Radaelli Giuseppe , Herder Just L.
Published: August 2017

A gravity equilibrator is a statically balanced system which is designed to counterbalance a mass such that any preferred position is eliminated and thereby the required operating effort to move the mass is greatly reduced. Current spring-to-mass gravity equilibrators are limited in their range of motion as a result of constructional limitations. An increment of the range of motion is desired to expand the field of applications. The goal of this paper is to present a compact one degree-of-freedom mechanical gravity equilibrator that can statically balance a rotating pendulum over an unlimited range of motion. Static balance over an unlimited range of motion is achieved by a coaxial gear train that uses noncircular gears. These gears convert the continuous rotation of the pendulum into a reciprocating rotation of the torsion bars. The pitch curves of the noncircular gears are specifically designed to balance a rotating pendulum. The gear train design and the method to calculate the parameters and the pitch curves of the noncircular gears are presented. A prototype is designed and built to validate that the presented method can balance a pendulum over an unlimited range of motion. Experimental results show a work reduction of 87% compared to an unbalanced pendulum and the hysteresis in the mechanism is 36%.
Toward plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition of oxides on graphene: Understanding plasma effects
Authors: Trimble Christie J. , Van Engelhoven Trevor , Zaniewski Anna M. , Benipal Manpuneet K. , Nemanich Robert J.
Published: August 2017

Integration of dielectrics with graphene is essential for the fulfillment of graphene based electronic applications. While many dielectric deposition techniques exist, plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) is emerging as a technique to deposit ultrathin dielectric films with superior densities and interfaces. However, the degree to which PEALD on graphene can be achieved without plasma-induced graphene deterioration is not well understood. In this work, the authors investigate a range of plasma conditions across a single sample, characterizing both oxide growth and graphene deterioration using spectroscopic analysis and atomic force microscopy. Investigation of graphene and film quality produced under these conditions provides insight into plasma effects. Using their method, the authors achieve ultrathin (<1 nm) aluminum oxide films atop graphene.
Instantaneous Bayesian regularization applied to real-time near-field acoustic holography
Authors: Le Magueresse Thibaut , Thomas Jean-Hugh , Antoni Jérôme , Paillasseur Sébastien
Published: August 2017

Real-time near-field acoustic holography (RT-NAH) is used to recover non-stationary sound sources using a planar microphone array. Direct propagation is described by the convolution of the wavenumber spectrum of the source under study with a known impulse response. The deconvolution operation is achieved by a singular value decomposition of the propagator and Tikhonov regularization is performed to stabilize the solution. The inverse problem has an innate ill-posed characteristic, and the regularization process is the key factor in obtaining acceptable results. The purpose of this paper is to present the instantaneous regularization process applied to RT-NAH method. Bayesian estimation of the regularization parameter is introduced from prior knowledge of the problem. The computation of the regularization parameter is updated for each block of constant time interval allowing one to take into account the fluctuating properties of the sound field. The superiority of Bayesian regularization, compared to state-of-the art methods, is observed numerically and experimentally for reconstruction of non-stationary sources. RT-NAH is also enhanced to allow the reconstruction of long signals. Updating the regularization parameter accordingly to the fluctuations of the SNR is revealed to be a necessary effort to reconstruct highly non-stationary sources.
Numerical evaluation of the backward propagating acoustic field in healing long bones
Authors: Potsika Vassiliki T. , Protopappas Vasilios C. , Grivas Konstantinos N. , Gortsas Theodoros V. , Raum Kay , Polyzos Demosthenes K. , Fotiadis Dimitrios I.
Published: August 2017

The propagation of ultrasound in healing long bones induces complex scattering phenomena due to the interaction of an ultrasonic wave with the composite nature of callus and osseous tissues. This work presents numerical simulations of ultrasonic propagation in healing long bones using the boundary element method aiming to provide insight into the complex scattering mechanisms and better comprehend the state of bone regeneration. Numerical models of healing long bones are established based on scanning acoustic microscopy images from successive postoperative weeks considering the effect of the nonhomogeneous callus structure. More specifically, the scattering amplitude and the acoustic pressure variation are calculated in the backward direction to investigate their potential to serve as quantitative and qualitative indicators for the monitoring of the bone healing process. The role of the excitation frequency is also examined considering frequencies in the range 0.2–1 MHz. The results indicate that the scattering amplitude decreases at later stages of healing compared to earlier stages of healing. Also, the acoustic pressure could provide supplementary qualitative information on the interaction of the scattered energy with bone and callus.
Tangential annular (Couette) flow of a viscoplastic microgel with wall slip
Authors: Medina-Bañuelos Esteban F. , Marín-Santibáñez Benjamín M. , Pérez-González José , Malik Moinuddin , Kalyon Dilhan M.
Published: August 2017

The tangential annular or Couette flow of a viscoplastic microgel, i.e., 0.12 wt. % aqueous solution of poly(acrylic acid), Carbopol® 940, under isothermal and creeping flow conditions was investigated by simultaneous particle image velocimetry and rheometrical measurements (Rheo-PIV). A wide range of ratios of the inner over the outer radii of the annuli, i.e., κ = 0.329, 0.749, and 0.933, were used. The PIV measurements revealed the viscoplasticity of the microgel in Couette flow via the formation of plug flow (rigid body motion) and slip at the two walls. A procedure that relied on the characterization of the wall slip behavior was developed for the determination of the yield stress of the microgel, in turn leading to other parameters of the shear viscosity of the viscoplastic fluid. The wall slip velocity versus wall shear stress behavior of the microgel was overall consistent with the mechanism of apparent slip for all three gaps. However, the apparent slip layer thicknesses were dependent on the wall shear stress and were generally greater under deformation conditions, in comparison to those under which plug flow occurred. For all three Couette gaps, the experimental velocity distributions compared favorably with the predictions of the analytical solutions of the equation of motion for the tangential annular flow of the Herschel–Bulkley fluid subject to apparent wall slip.
mGlu
7
potentiation rescues cognitive, social, and respiratory phenotypes in a mouse model of Rett syndrome
Authors: Gogliotti Rocco G. , Senter Rebecca K. , Fisher Nicole M. , Adams Jeffrey , Zamorano Rocio , Walker Adam G. , Blobaum Anna L. , Engers Darren W. , Hopkins Corey R. , Daniels J. Scott , Jones Carrie K. , Lindsley Craig W. , Xiang Zixiu , Conn P. Jeffrey , Niswender Colleen M.
Published: August 2017

mGlu
7
positive allosteric modulation rescues long-term potentiation, learning, and memory phenotypes and prevents apneas in a mouse model of Rett syndrome.
Metabolic differentiation of early Lyme disease from southern tick–associated rash illness (STARI)
Authors: Molins Claudia R. , Ashton Laura V. , Wormser Gary P. , Andre Barbara G. , Hess Ann M. , Delorey Mark J. , Pilgard Mark A. , Johnson Barbara J. , Webb Kristofor , Islam M. Nurul , Pegalajar-Jurado Adoracion , Molla Irida , Jewett Mollie W. , Belisle John T.
Published: August 2017

Metabolic profiling provides a biochemical signature to objectively differentiate two illnesses with nearly identical clinical presentations, early Lyme disease and STARI.
Direct detection of early-stage cancers using circulating tumor DNA
Authors: Phallen Jillian , Sausen Mark , Adleff Vilmos , Leal Alessandro , Hruban Carolyn , White James , Anagnostou Valsamo , Fiksel Jacob , Cristiano Stephen , Papp Eniko , Speir Savannah , Reinert Thomas , Orntoft Mai-Britt Worm , Woodward Brian D. , Murphy Derek , Parpart-Li Sonya , Riley David , Nesselbush Monica , Sengamalay Naomi , Georgiadis Andrew , Li Qing Kay , Madsen Mogens Rørbæk , Mortensen Frank Viborg , Huiskens Joost , Punt Cornelis , van Grieken Nicole , Fijneman Remond , Meijer Gerrit , Husain Hatim , Scharpf Robert B. , Diaz Luis A. , Jones Siân , Angiuoli Sam , Ørntoft Torben , Nielsen Hans Jørgen , Andersen Claus Lindbjerg , Velculescu Victor E.
Published: August 2017

Noninvasive liquid biopsy analysis of circulating tumor DNA permits direct detection of early-stage cancers.
Resistance is futile
Authors: Jewell Christopher M.
Published: August 2017

Combining tandem peptides that localize toxins to bacterial membranes with scaffolds that target these payloads to the lungs combats drug resistant bacteria without off-target effects.
Wounds getting the royal treatment
Authors: Lev-Tov Hadar
Published: August 2017

Insect defensin-1 improves wound healing by inducing production of matrix metalloproteinase-9.
Painful marks of childhood abuse
Authors: Michopoulos Vasiliki
Published: August 2017

Adverse childhood experiences epigenetically regulate expression of kappa opioid receptors.
Heritable Bovine Rumen Bacteria Are Phylogenetically Related and Correlated with the Cow’s Capacity To Harvest Energy from Its Feed
Authors: Sasson Goor , Kruger Ben-Shabat Sheerli , Seroussi Eyal , Doron-Faigenboim Adi , Shterzer Naama , Yaacoby Shamay , Berg Miller Margret E. , White Bryan A. , Halperin Eran , Mizrahi Itzhak
Published: August 2017

Ruminants sustain a long-lasting obligatory relationship with their rumen microbiome dating back 50 million years. In this unique host-microbiome relationship, the host’s ability to digest its feed is completely dependent on its coevolved microbiome. This extraordinary alliance raises questions regarding the dependent relationship between ruminants’ genetics and physiology and the rumen microbiome structure, composition, and metabolism. To elucidate this relationship, we examined the association of host genetics with the phylogenetic and functional composition of the rumen microbiome. We accomplished this by studying a population of 78 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows, using a combination of rumen microbiota data and other phenotypes from each animal with genotypic data from a subset of 47 animals. We identified 22 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) whose abundances were associated with rumen metabolic traits and host physiological traits and which showed measurable heritability. The abundance patterns of these microbes can explain high proportions of variance in rumen metabolism and many of the host physiological attributes such as its energy-harvesting efficiency. Interestingly, these OTUs shared higher phylogenetic similarity between themselves than expected by chance, suggesting occupation of a specific ecological niche within the rumen ecosystem. The findings presented here suggest that ruminant genetics and physiology are correlated with microbiome structure and that host genetics may shape the microbiome landscape by enriching for phylogenetically related taxa that may occupy a unique niche.

IMPORTANCE
Dairy cows are an essential nutritional source for the world’s population; as such, they are extensively farmed throughout our planet and subsequently impact our environment. The microbial communities that reside in the upper digestive tract of these animals in a compartment named the rumen degrade and ferment the plant biomass that the animal ingests. Our recent efforts, as well as those of others, have shown that this microbial community’s composition and functionality are tightly linked to the cow’s capacity to harvest energy from its feed, as well as to other physiological traits. In this study, we identified microbial groups that are heritable and also linked to the cow’s production parameters. This finding could potentially allow us to apply selection programs on specific rumen microbial components that are linked to the animal’s physiology and beneficial to production. Hence, it is a steppingstone toward microbiome manipulation for increasing food availability while lowering environmental impacts such as methane emission.
Type III Interferon-Mediated Signaling Is Critical for Controlling Live Attenuated Yellow Fever Virus Infection
In Vivo
Authors: Douam Florian , Soto Albrecht Yentli E. , Hrebikova Gabriela , Sadimin Evita , Davidson Christian , Kotenko Sergei V. , Ploss Alexander
Published: August 2017

Yellow fever virus (YFV) is an arthropod-borne flavivirus, infecting ~200,000 people worldwide annually and causing about 30,000 deaths. The live attenuated vaccine strain, YFV-17D, has significantly contributed in controlling the global burden of yellow fever worldwide. However, the viral and host contributions to YFV-17D attenuation remain elusive. Type I interferon (IFN-α/β) signaling and type II interferon (IFN-γ) signaling have been shown to be mutually supportive in controlling YFV-17D infection despite distinct mechanisms of action in viral infection. However, it remains unclear how type III IFN (IFN-λ) integrates into this antiviral system. Here, we report that while wild-type (WT) and IFN-λ receptor knockout (λR
−/−
) mice were largely resistant to YFV-17D, deficiency in type I IFN signaling resulted in robust infection. Although IFN-α/β receptor knockout (α/βR
−/−
) mice survived the infection, mice with combined deficiencies in both type I signaling and type III IFN signaling were hypersusceptible to YFV-17D and succumbed to the infection. Mortality was associated with viral neuroinvasion and increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). α/βR
−/−
λR
−/−
mice also exhibited distinct changes in the frequencies of multiple immune cell lineages, impaired T-cell activation, and severe perturbation of the proinflammatory cytokine balance. Taken together, our data highlight that type III IFN has critical immunomodulatory and neuroprotective functions that prevent viral neuroinvasion during active YFV-17D replication. Type III IFN thus likely represents a safeguard mechanism crucial for controlling YFV-17D infection and contributing to shaping vaccine immunogenicity.

IMPORTANCE
YFV-17D is a live attenuated flavivirus vaccine strain recognized as one of the most effective vaccines ever developed. However, the host and viral determinants governing YFV-17D attenuation and its potent immunogenicity are still unknown. Here, we analyzed the role of type III interferon (IFN)-mediated signaling, a host immune defense mechanism, in controlling YFV-17D infection and attenuation in different mouse models. We uncovered a critical role of type III IFN-mediated signaling in preserving the integrity of the blood-brain barrier and preventing viral brain invasion. Type III IFN also played a major role in regulating the induction of a potent but balanced immune response that prevented viral evasion of the host immune system. An improved understanding of the complex mechanisms regulating YFV-17D attenuation will provide insights into the key virus-host interactions that regulate host immune responses and infection outcomes as well as open novel avenues for the development of innovative vaccine strategies.