bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Street mirrors, surveillance, and urban communities in early modern Finland
Authors: Ylimaunu Timo , Symonds James , Mullins Paul R , Salmi Anna-Kaisa , Nurmi Risto , Kallio-Seppä Titta , Kuokkanen Tiina , Tranberg Annemari
Published: February 2014

This article discusses street mirrors or ‘gossip mirrors’, in terms of urban social relations and surveillance. Street mirrors were introduced to coastal towns in Sweden and Finland in the 18th and early 19th centuries and may still be found in well-preserved towns with historic wooden centres. The authors argue that the introduction of monitoring and spying devices, such as street mirrors, occurred in the 18th century due to increased urban populations and feelings of insecurity caused by greater regional and transnational mobility. Mirrors, in this sense, were one material mechanism in the process of modernization and the development of individuality.
Long-term stability of guided wave structural health monitoring using distributed adhesively bonded piezoelectric transducers
Authors: Attarian Vatche A , Cegla Frederic B , Cawley Peter
Published: February 2014

Industrial interest in structural health monitoring of safety-critical assets is increasing. Guided wave structural health monitoring shows potential for practical use as it allows detection of small defects (1.5% reflection changes) in the presence of environmental changes. Guided wave structural health monitoring systems use bonded piezoelectric sensors to monitor wave propagation patterns and subtraction between signals and baselines from the “healthy” structure for robust discrimination of damage. Long-term stability of structural health monitoring using these techniques has been investigated in this article as this is essential for industrial deployment of a system. Plates that were exposed to thermal cycling in an environmental chamber were monitored using bonded S0 mode sensors operating in pitch catch. Analysis of structural health monitoring data revealed drifts in baseline subtraction results corresponding to progressive reduction in defect sensitivity levels. These drifts were correlated with increases in coherent variability and suspected to be due to variations in the adhesive properties of the bonds between the sensors and the structure. Finite element analysis and further experimental results confirmed that changes in adhesive properties were a likely cause of the degradation in monitoring capability with time.
Structural damage detection method using frequency response functions
Authors: Bandara Rupika P , Chan Tommy HT , Thambiratnam David P
Published: February 2014

Structural damage detection using measured dynamic data for pattern recognition is a promising approach. These pattern recognition techniques utilize artificial neural networks and genetic algorithm to match pattern features. In this study, an artificial neural network–based damage detection method using frequency response functions is presented, which can effectively detect nonlinear damages for a given level of excitation. The main objective of this article is to present a feasible method for structural vibration–based health monitoring, which reduces the dimension of the initial frequency response function data and transforms it into new damage indices and employs artificial neural network method for detecting different levels of nonlinearity using recognized damage patterns from the proposed algorithm. Experimental data of the three-story bookshelf structure at Los Alamos National Laboratory are used to validate the proposed method. Results showed that the levels of nonlinear damages can be identified precisely by the developed artificial neural networks. Moreover, it is identified that artificial neural networks trained with summation frequency response functions give higher precise damage detection results compared to the accuracy of artificial neural networks trained with individual frequency response functions. The proposed method is therefore a promising tool for structural assessment in a real structure because it shows reliable results with experimental data for nonlinear damage detection which renders the frequency response function–based method convenient for structural health monitoring.
What It Takes and Costs To Be an Ambidextrous Manager
Authors: Keller Tobias , Weibler Jürgen
Published: February 2014

We contribute to the undeveloped understanding of ambidexterity at the individual level by studying how leadership is related to individual ambidexterity and how this is related to cognitive strain. Data from 179 managers indicate a positive interrelation between superiors’ transformational leadership and individual ambidexterity. We also find a manager’s level of ambidexterity to be positively related to cognitive strain. This relationship is positively moderated by a manager’s level of conscientiousness and negatively moderated by a manager’s level of openness to experience.
Commonalities and specificities of authentic leadership in Ghana and New Zealand
Authors: Owusu-Bempah Justice , Addison Ramzi , Fairweather John
Published: February 2014

The authentic leadership literature suggests that there are three critical elements that precede the bestowal of authentic leadership: first, the espoused values and actions of authentic leaders must be congruent; second, the expectation of the leaders and the followers must be congruent; and, third, the leaders must behave with high moral integrity for the good of their subordinates, the organization and the community. These features of authentic leadership involve subjective interpretation, and therefore evaluations of it may vary in different settings. This study used the Q method to compare leaders’ and followers’ constructs of authentic leadership in Ghana and New Zealand. Thirty leaders and followers in each of the organizations studied in Ghana and New Zealand sorted selected statements about authentic leadership. Three factors or types of authentic leadership were identified and named for each of the four settings. While these results suggest that authentic leadership is idiosyncratic, further analysis showed that some attributes of authentic leadership were common to the organizations, and some were common to the countries. These findings confirmed that in order to encourage and support authentic leadership, it is necessary to consider an ‘employee-centric’ approach in which followers’ viewpoints are given full recognition. Further, effective leadership training programmes needed to be tailored to specific organizations in specific contexts to achieve desirable outcomes for organizations.
Measurement of infiltration heat recovery in a test cell with high flow rates
Authors: Brownell Cody J
Published: February 2014

Infiltration heat recovery is the process that occurs when a building envelope acts as a heat exchanger for infiltrating air. This heat recovery process results in a reduced heat loss compared to predictions that use only flow rate and the total difference in enthalpy between inside and outside air. A series of experiments show the relationship between infiltration flow rate and heat loss in a test cell, with an emphasis on the high flow rate regime. A 3.5-m3 test cell was built with standard light-frame construction and one removable panel, to allow testing of wall sections with different engineered flow path lengths. Experiments were conducted with two different wall sections and at six different infiltration flow rates. Experimentally determined heat recovery factors are compared to computational fluid dynamics and agree to within approximately 15%.
Rapid thermomechanical tempering of iron–carbon martensite
Authors: Cvetkovski K. , Ahlström J. , Persson C.
Published: February 2014

Tempering of martensite under simultaneous compressive stress has been studied within the temperature range of 20–400°C. Resistive heating was utilised to obtain rapid heating and cooling cycles of a few seconds. Material was obtained from a medium carbon pearlitic railway wheel steel, quench hardened to obtain martensitic structure. Greater than ∼150°C dilatation effects where observed below the global yielding point of the material. Microstraining around dislocations in the body centred tetragonal crystallographic structure or viscous flow at higher temperatures was a probable explanation to this material behaviour. Hence, external stress may have an important influence on the tempering progression of martensitic steel. The trials also showed that tempering of martensite progresses fast, is near instantaneous and is independent of the presence of external stress or not.
Austenite stability for quenching and partitioning treated steel revealed by colour tint-etching method
Authors: Zhao H. S. , Zhu X. , Li W. , Jin X. J. , Wang L. , Jiao H. , Jiang D. M.
Published: February 2014

The complex microstructures of quenching and partitioning treated (QP980) steel have been investigated using two-step colour tint-etching method and further verified by X-ray diffraction, electron backscattering diffraction, magnetisation measurements and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The colour tint-etching method can quantitatively discriminate the ferrite, martensite and retained austenite by obviously colour differences. It is found that retained austenite was observed inside both martensite and ferrite, and the fraction of retained austenite in martensite was statistically higher but more scattering than that in ferrite. Moreover, the retained austenite in martensite is a little bit more stable than that in ferrite by comparing the change of volume fraction retained austenite in both phases after tension.
High risk and rapid appearance of multidrug resistance during tuberculosis treatment in Moldova
Authors: Jenkins Helen E. , Crudu Valeriu , Soltan Viorel , Ciobanu Ana , Domente Liliana , Cohen Ted
Published: February 2014

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a serious problem in the former Soviet Union and may appear during TB treatment. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of, timing of and factors associated with MDR-TB diagnosis during TB treatment in Moldova, which was part of the former Soviet Union.

We analysed data on 3 754 confirmed non-MDR-TB cases (between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2010) in the Moldovan TB surveillance database, where patients provided sputum specimens for drug-susceptibility testing, multiple times, during treatment. We estimated the percentage of individuals with confirmed baseline non-MDR-TB that were diagnosed with MDR-TB during treatment, documented the time at which MDR-TB was diagnosed, and used a failure-time model to identify factors associated with MDR-TB diagnosis.

Between 7.2% and 9.2% of initially non-MDR-TB cases were diagnosed with MDR-TB during treatment. Half of these MDR-TB diagnoses occurred with 3 months of the initial diagnosis. An increased MDR-TB risk during treatment was associated with baseline resistance to first-line TB drugs (linear increase in risk per additional drug), previous incarceration and HIV co-infection.

MDR can appear rapidly during TB treatment. Policy considerations should emphasise management during early treatment by increasing ambulatory TB treatment to prevent nosocomial transmission, and ensuring universal rapid diagnostics access to prevent acquisition and transmission of drug resistance.
Evaluation of copy number variation detection for a SNP array platform
Authors: Zhang Xin , Du Renqian , Li Shilin , Zhang Feng , Jin Li , Wang Hongyan
Published: February 2014

Background

Copy Number Variations (CNVs) are usually inferred from Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) arrays by use of some software packages based on given algorithms. However, there is no clear understanding of the performance of these software packages; it is therefore difficult to select one or several software packages for CNV detection based on the SNP array platform.

We selected four publicly available software packages designed for CNV calling from an Affymetrix SNP array, including Birdsuite, dChip, Genotyping Console (GTC) and PennCNV. The publicly available dataset generated by Array-based Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH), with a resolution of 24 million probes per sample, was considered to be the “gold standard”. Compared with the CGH-based dataset, the success rate, average stability rate, sensitivity, consistence and reproducibility of these four software packages were assessed compared with the “gold standard”. Specially, we also compared the efficiency of detecting CNVs simultaneously by two, three and all of the software packages with that by a single software package.

Results

Simply from the quantity of the detected CNVs, Birdsuite detected the most while GTC detected the least. We found that Birdsuite and dChip had obvious detecting bias. And GTC seemed to be inferior because of the least amount of CNVs it detected. Thereafter we investigated the detection consistency produced by one certain software package and the rest three software suits. We found that the consistency of dChip was the lowest while GTC was the highest. Compared with the CNVs detecting result of CGH, in the matching group, GTC called the most matching CNVs, PennCNV-Affy ranked second. In the non-overlapping group, GTC called the least CNVs. With regards to the reproducibility of CNV calling, larger CNVs were usually replicated better. PennCNV-Affy shows the best consistency while Birdsuite shows the poorest.

Conclusion

We found that PennCNV outperformed the other three packages in the sensitivity and specificity of CNV calling. Obviously, each calling method had its own limitations and advantages for different data analysis. Therefore, the optimized calling methods might be identified using multiple algorithms to evaluate the concordance and discordance of SNP array-based CNV calling.
Evaluation of an early step-down strategy from intravenous anidulafungin to oral azole therapy for the treatment of candidemia and other forms of invasive candidiasis: results from an open-label trial
Authors: Vazquez Jose , Reboli Annette C , Pappas Peter G , Patterson Thomas F , Reinhardt John , Chin-Hong Peter , Tobin Ellis , Kett Daniel H , Biswas Pinaki , Swanson Robert
Published: February 2014

Background

Hospitalized patients are at increased risk for candidemia and invasive candidiasis (C/IC). Improved therapeutic regimens with enhanced clinical and pharmacoeconomic outcomes utilizing existing antifungal agents are still needed.

Methods

An open-label, non-comparative study evaluated an intravenous (IV) to oral step-down strategy. Patients with C/IC were treated with IV anidulafungin and after 5 days of IV therapy had the option to step-down to oral azole therapy (fluconazole or voriconazole) if they met prespecified criteria. The primary endpoint was the global response rate (clinical + microbiological) at end of treatment (EOT) in the modified intent-to-treat (MITT) population (at least one dose of anidulafungin plus positive Candida within 96 hours of study entry). Secondary endpoints included efficacy at other time points and in predefined patient subpopulations. Patients who stepped down early (≤ 7 days’ anidulafungin) were identified as the "early switch" subpopulation.

Results

In total, 282 patients were enrolled, of whom 250 were included in the MITT population. The MITT global response rate at EOT was 83.7% (95% confidence interval, 78.7–88.8). Global response rates at all time points were generally similar in the early switch subpopulation compared with the MITT population. Global response rates were also similar across multiple Candida species, including C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis. The most common treatment-related adverse events were nausea and vomiting (four patients each).

Conclusions

A short course of IV anidulafungin, followed by early step-down to oral azole therapy, is an effective and well-tolerated approach for the treatment of C/IC.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00496197
Functional modelling of a novel mutation in BBS5
Authors: Al-Hamed Mohamed H , van Lennep Charles , Hynes Ann Marie , Chrystal Paul , Eley Lorraine , Al-Fadhly Fatimah , El Sayed Riham , Simms Roslyn J , Meyer Brian , Sayer John A
Published: February 2014

Background

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is an autosomal recessive ciliopathy disorder with 18 known causative genes (BBS1-18). The primary clinical features are renal abnormalities, rod-cone dystrophy, post-axial polydactyly, learning difficulties, obesity and male hypogonadism.

Results

We describe the clinical phenotype in three Saudi siblings in whom we have identified a novel mutation in exon 12 ofBBS5(c.966dupT; p.Ala323CysfsX57). This single nucleotide duplication creates a frame shift results in a predicted elongated peptide. Translation blocking Morpholino oligonucleotides were used to create zebrafishbbs5morphants. Morphants displayed retinal layering defects, abnormal cardiac looping and dilated, cystic pronephric ducts with reduced cilia expression. Morphants also displayed significantly reduced dextran clearance via the pronephros compared to wildtype embryos, suggesting reduced renal function in morphants. The eye, kidney and heart defects reported in morphant zebrafish resemble the human phenotype ofBBS5mutations. The pathogenicity of the novelBBS5mutation was determined. Mutant mRNA was unable to rescue pleiotropic phenotypes ofbbs5morphant zebrafish and in cell culture we demonstrate a mislocalisation of mutant BBS5 protein which fails to localise discretely with the basal body.

Conclusions

We conclude that this novelBBS5mutation has a deleterious function that accounts for the multisystem ciliopathy phenotype seen in affected human patients.
Cross-country variation in additive effects of socio-economics, health behaviors, and comorbidities on subjective health of patients with diabetes
Authors: Assari Shervin
Published: February 2014

Purpose

This study explored cross-country differences in the additive effects of socio-economic characteristics, health behaviors and medical comorbidities on subjective health of patients with diabetes.

Methods

The study analyzed data from the Research on Early Life and Aging Trends and Effects (RELATE). The participants were 9,179 adults with diabetes who were sampled from 15 countries (i.e. China, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, United States, Mexico, Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Uruguay, India, Ghana, South Africa, and Russia). We fitted three logistic regressions to each country. Model I only included socio-economic characteristics (i.e. age, gender, education and income). In Model II, we also included health behaviors (i.e. smoking, drinking, and exercise). Model III included medical comorbidities (i.e. hypertension, respiratory disease, heart disease, stroke, and arthritis), in addition to the previous blocks.

Results

Our models suggested cross-country differences in the additive effects of socio-economic characteristics, health behaviors and comorbidities on perceived health of patients with diabetes. Comorbid heart disease was the only condition that was consistently associated with poor subjective health regardless of country.

Conclusion

Countries show different profiles of social and behavioral determinants of subjective health among patients with diabetes. Our study suggests that universal programs that assume that determinants of well-being are similar across different countries may be over-simplistic. Thus instead of universal programs that use one protocol for health promotion of patients in all countries, locally designed interventions should be implemented in each country.
Implementation of Ramadan-specific diabetes management recommendations: a multi-centered prospective study from Pakistan
Authors: Ahmedani Muhammad Yakoob , Alvi Syed Faraz Danish , haque Muhammad Saif Ul , Fawwad Asher , Basit Abdul
Published: February 2014

Background

To observe the outcome of implementation of Ramadan-specific diabetes management recommendations in fasting individuals with diabetes through health care providers.

Methods

This multi-centered prospective study was conducted at nine diabetes specialist centers in four provinces of Pakistan. The study was carried out in two phases; pre-Ramadan recruitment interview (visit A) and post-Ramadan follow up interview (visit B) of the same patients. Pre-Ramadan individual counseling was given and educational material provided to each patient by health care providers during visit A.

Results

Out of 388 patients with diabetes, blood glucose level was checked by all patients with type 1 and 71.43% patients with type 2 diabetes when they developed hypoglycemic symptoms during Ramadan. Of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, 33.33% and 48% discontinued their fast when they felt hypoglycemic symptoms, respectively. None of the patient with type 1, while 18.87% patients with type 2 diabetes discontinued fast on the development of hyperglycemic symptoms. Drug dosage and timing were altered in 80% patients with type 1 and 90.5% patients with type 2 diabetes during Ramadan. Majority of the patients with type 2 diabetes changed from moderate/severe levels of physical activity before Ramadan to light physical activity during Ramadan (p<0.000). None of the patients required hospitalization when they developed symptomatic hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia and none developed diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state during Ramadan.

Conclusion

We observed that it is practicable to implement Ramadan-specific diabetes management recommendations through health care providers.
Remission in rheumatoid arthritis: benefit over low disease activity in patient-reported outcomes and costs
Authors: Radner Helga , Smolen Josef S , Aletaha Daniel
Published: February 2014

Introduction

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes a considerable burden for the patient and society. It is not clear yet whether aiming for remission (REM) is worthwhile, especially when compared with low disease activity (LDA).

Methods

In 356 consecutive RA patients, we obtained data on physical function (health assessment questionnaire (HAQ)), health-related quality of life (HRQoL: Short Form 36 (SF36), Short Form 6 dimensions (SF-6D), Euro QoL 5D (EQ-5D)), work productivity (work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire (WPAI)), as well as estimation of direct and indirect costs. Cross-sectionally, data were compared in patients within different levels of disease activity according to the simplified disease activity index (SDAI; remission (REM ≤3.3); n = 87; low disease activity (LDA: 3.3 < SDAI ≤11); n = 103; moderate to high disease activity (MDA/HDA) >11 n = 119) by using analyses of variance (ANOVA). Longitudinal investigations assessed patients who changed from LDA to REM and vice versa.

Results

We found differences in patients achieving REM compared with LDA for HAQ (0.39 ± 0.58 versus 0.72 ± 68), WPAI (percentage impairment while working 11.8% ± 18.7% versus 26.8% ± 23.9%; percentage of overall activity impairment, 10.8% ± 14.1% versus 29.0% ± 23.6%)), EQ-5D (0.89 ± 0.12 versus 0.78 ± 0.6) and SF-36 (physical component score (PCS): 46.0 ± 8.6 versus 38.3 ± 10.5; mental component score (MCS): 49.9 ± 11.1 versus 47.9 ± 12.3) (P < 0.01 for all, except for SF36 MCS). Regarding costs, we found significant differences of direct and indirect costs (P < 0.05) within different levels of disease activity, with higher costs in patients with higher states of disease activity. Longitudinal evaluations confirmed the main analyses.

Conclusion

Patients with REM show better function, HRQoL, and productivity, even when compared with another good state, such as LDA. Also from a cost perspective, REM appears superior to all other states.
Reading the Lumpenproletariat: Zoe Leonard’s Kampala Photographs
Authors: Scribner Charity
Published: February 2014

Whereas Karl Marx saw the Lumpenproletariat as lacking class consciousness and doubted that it could help advance the struggle for revolutionary freedom, Frantz Fanon identified a uniquely subversive potential in this group of dispossessed agents. This article revisits the question of the Lumpenproletariat in our current moment of global capital. It takes up Zoe Leonard’s Analogue series (2007) and focuses on a sequence of photographs within it that represent the transnational traffic in used clothing— a circuit that links Shenzhen to Brooklyn to Kampala. With a close analysis of Leonard’s photographs, the article argues that this American–African economy works two effects. As a commodity dump, it factors into the ruin of Ugandan textile traditions. Yet as consumers select their wares from the jumbled mass of castoffs, they fashion new styles and invent new meanings.
Analog Girls in a Digital World: Fatimah Tuggar’s Afrofuturist Intervention in the Politics of “Traditional” African Art
Authors: Hamilton Elizabeth
Published: February 2014

Fatimah Tuggar creates computer montages that confront technological disparities by presenting rural Nigerian women and children juxtaposed with useless and fantasy-based technological devices. While several scholars contextualize Tuggar’s digital methods and her work’s relevance to Afrofuturism, I present her work from the perspective of an Africanist art historian by examining Tuggar’s theoretical and aesthetic relationship to Afrofuturism as a strategy that subverts ideas of “traditional” African art and culture.
Postcolonial Grotesque: Jane Alexander’s Poetic Monsters
Authors: Mercer Kobena
Published: February 2014

The hybrid combination of human and animal lies at the heart of the figurative vocabulary through which Jane Alexander’s sculptural tableaux summon us into the imaginative domain of the “humanimal”—a domain where the boundaries by which religion, philosophy and science have separated men, gods and beasts are torn apart, and where the rules and conventions that ordinarily seek to impose order over our world take a tumble. Alexander’s poetic monsters eat away at the rigid polarity of “self” and “other” in colonial discourse by revisiting the ontological boundary between human and animal that during Enlightenment thought was metaphorically converted into an intrahuman distinction of insurmountable differences among diverse “races.” If her achievement is remarkable for the quiet way its terrible and horrifying content is put forward without judgment or finger-pointing, it is all the more unique in the optimism it invests in the monstrous and grotesque as “imaginative universals” of the fragile human soul.
A yeast-based assay identifies drugs that interfere with Epstein-Barr virus immune evasion
Authors: Voisset Cécile , Daskalogianni Chrysoula , Contesse Marie-Astrid , Mazars Anne , Arbach Hratch , Le Cann Marie , Soubigou Flavie , Apcher Sébastien , Fåhraeus Robin , Blondel Marc
Published: February 2014

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is tightly associated to certain human cancers but there is of today no specific treatment against EBV-related diseases. The EBV-encoded EBNA1 protein is essential to maintain viral episomes and for viral persistence. EBNA1 is expressed in all EBV infected cells and is highly antigenic. All infected individuals, including cancer patients, have CD8+ T cells directed towards EBNA1 epitopes, yet the immune system fails to detect and destroy cells harboring the virus. EBV's immune evasion depends on the capacity of the Gly-Ala repeat (GAr) domain of EBNA1 to inhibit the translation of its own mRNA in cis, thereby limiting the production of EBNA1-derived antigenic peptides presented by the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class I pathway. Here we establish a yeast-based assay for monitoring GAr-dependent inhibition of translation. Using this assay we identify doxorubicin (DXR) as a compound that specifically interferes with the GAr effect on translation in yeast. DXR targets the topoisomerase II/DNA complexes and thereby causes genomic damage. We show, however, that the genotoxic effect of DXR and various analogues thereof is uncoupled from the effect on GAr-mediated translation control. This is further supported by the observation that etoposide and teniposide, representing another class of topoisomerase II/DNA targeting drugs, have no effect on GAr-mediated translation control. DXR and active analogues stimulate in a GAr-dependent manner EBNA1 expression in mammalian cells and overcome GAr-dependent restriction of MHC class I antigen presentation. These results validate our approach as an effective high-throughput screening assay to identify drugs that interfere with EBV immune evasion and, thus, constitute candidates for treating EBV-related diseases, in particular EBV-associated cancers.
Entrapment of Tyre Crumb Rubber in Calcium-Alginate Beads for Triclosan Removal
Authors: López-Morales J. , Sánchez-Rivera D. , Luna-Pineda T. , Perales-Pérez O. , Román-Velázquez F.
Published: February 2014

The adsorption of triclosan (TCS) from aqueous media using tyre crumb rubber entrapped in calcium-alginate beads (TCR/CaAG beads) was investigated through batch experiments. In addition, the effect of solution pH on removal efficiency was also investigated. The maximum adsorption of TCS onto TCR/CaAG beads was approximately 83% at pH 7. The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models were used to depict the sorption process. Adsorbent reusability was investigated by performing a series of sorption/desorption experiments. The experimental results suggest that the TCR/CaAG beads are effective agents for the removal of TCS from an aqueous medium.
A Simplified Approach for Predicting Bridge Pier Responses Subjected to Barge Impact Loading
Authors: Sha Yanyan , Hao Hong
Published: February 2014

Bridge piers are often designed to resist barge impact loads according to empirical equations given in various design codes based primarily on equivalent static analyses. Although these analyses can give useful guidance in design practice, they neglect dynamic effects which can have significant influence on barge-bridge structure interactions. It is necessary to develop an efficient and accurate method that takes into consideration of dynamic effect, material nonlinearity and structural damage in predicting impact loads and structural responses. In this study, empirical equations based on intensive numerical simulation results proposed in a previous study are used to estimate dynamic impact loads on bridge piers. The bridge structure is simplified as a nonlinear single degree of freedom system to calculate its dynamic response. As compared to detailed finite element simulation, this simplified approach is straightforward and gives reasonably accurate prediction of bridge responses. It can be used in the preliminary analysis and design of bridge structures against barge impact.
Investigation of Spatial Coherences of Aerodynamic Loads on a Streamlined Bridge Deck in an Actively-Controlled Wind Tunnel
Authors: Xu Kun , Zhao Lin , Cao Shu-Yang , Yoshida Akihito , Tamura Yukio , Ge Yao-Jun
Published: February 2014

Two-dimensional flow fields were simulated in an actively-controlled wind tunnel by using multiple fans and active-vibration grids. On coming flow features and aerodynamic loads on a streamlined bridge deck section model were measured simultaneously. Experimental result shows that the spatial coherences of on coming flows and aerodynamic loads are both influenced by on coming flow features. Longitudinal and vertical flow features have different effects on spatial coherence of aerodynamic loads. The shape of the spatial coherence function versus frequency curve does not always satisfy an exponential law, but sometimes shows an inverse form in the low-frequency region. A new empirical model is proposed and compared with the traditional exponential one. This new model shows good performance in reflecting spatial coherences of both oncoming flows and aerodynamic forces under different flow conditions.
A Robust Computational Method for Ultimate Strength Analysis of Arbitrary Reinforced Concrete and Composite Sections Subjected to Axial Force and Biaxial Bending
Authors: Guan Zhongguo , Zhang Juhui , Li Jianzhong
Published: February 2014

This work proposes a robust method for the computation of the ultimate strength of reinforced concrete and composite sections of arbitrary polygonal shapes subjected to axial force and biaxial bending. In this method, universal constitutive relationships are allowed for all section materials, including unconfined and confined concrete, reinforcements, structural steel, and other composite materials. Mathematical equations are presented to calculate the section's internal forces; therefore, no numerical integration needs to be performed in the calculation of the internal forces of the concrete sections. In addition, a transfer function is constructed that allows a searching of the depth of the neutral axis to be performed over an infinite interval by the bisection search method. This method can be conveniently coded into a computer program. Several numerical examples were implemented and the results were compared with those given by the classic fiber method. It shows that the proposed method presents efficient computation, stable converge, and accurate results.
A Simplified Probabilistic Method for Reliability Evaluation of Design Codes: Applied for Railway Bridges Designed by Eourocode
Authors: Ali Pouryousef , Saeed Mohammadzadeh
Published: February 2014

Reliability methods are known as strong tools for safety evaluation of structures. Since mean value and standard deviation are two of the main inputs in these methods and depend on structural design, so for reliability evaluation of a design limit state, lots of structures should be designed. In this article a methodology is applied for reliability evaluation of design codes which in a mathematical procedure replaces mean value and standard deviation with bias and coefficient of variation. Since these two parameters do not vary with changes in structural design, this replacement results in a great reduction in structural calculations. This methodology can also evaluate reliability of a specific design limit state for different modes of failure. Using this methodology, reliability of fatigue and strength limit states in Eurocode have been evaluated for Railway truss bridges. The results show that fatigue design provides more safety than strength design.
Opposing Propagation Characteristics of Methane-Air Deflagrations in an End-to-End Pipe
Authors: Jiang Bing-You , Lin Bai-Quan , Zhu Chuan-Jie , Zhai Cheng , Liu Qian
Published: February 2014

Propagation characteristics of methane-air deflagrations through an end-to-end pipe were investigated using the AutoReaGas software. The results indicate that the maximum overpressure first decreases and then increases with increasing distance from ignition source, and the overpressure minimum occurs at approximately 3.4 m. When shockwaves from the intake and return airways meet, a positive superposition effect forms, generating maximum overpressure, density, and combustion rate values that are larger than the same values at adjacent points. The explosion parameters along the intake airway are similar to the parameters along the return airway. A 50% filling ratio causes nearly the same level of explosion violence as a 100% filling ratio. The characteristics of explosion propagation are similar whether the ignition source is located at the upper corner of the coal face or at the centre of the coal face. Some preventive measures may be taken to reduce the losses caused by gas explosions near superposition areas in underground coal mines.
Linear Stability Analysis of Laminar Premixed Fuel-Rich Double-Spray Flames
Authors: Weinberg Noam , Greenberg J. Barry
Published: February 2014

This paper considers the stability of a double-spray premixed flame formed when both fuel and oxidizer are initially present in the form of sprays of evaporating liquid droplets. To simplify the inherent complexity that characterizes the analytic solution of multi-phase combustion processes, the analysis is restricted to fuel-rich laminar premixed double-spray flames, and assumes a single-step global chemical reaction mechanism. Steady-state solutions are obtained and the sensitivity of the flame temperature and the flame propagating velocity to the initial liquid fuel and/or oxidizer loads are established. The stability analysis revealed an increased proneness to cellular instability induced by the presence of the two sprays, and for the fuel-rich case considered here the influence of the liquid oxidizer was found to be more pronounced than that of the liquid fuel. Similar effects were noted for the neutral pulsating stability boundaries. The impact of unequal latent heats of vaporization is also investigated and found to be in keeping with the destabilizing influence of heat loss due to droplet evaporation. It should be noted that as far as the authors are aware no experimental evidence is available for (at least) validation of the predictions. However, they do concur in a general and reasonable fashion with independent experimental evidence in the literature of the behavior of single fuel spray laminar premixed flames.
On the Numerical and Experimental Study of Spray Cooling
Authors: Guechi M.R. , Desevaux P. , Baucour P.
Published: February 2014

The spraying of an impinging jet is an effective way to cool heated surfaces. The objective of this study is to develop a numerical model to predict the heat transfer with phase change between a hot plate surface and a two-phase impinging jet. Different two-phase modeling approaches (Lagrangian and Eulerian methods) are compared. The influence of the spray nozzle operating conditions and of the distance between the nozzle exit and the surface impact is analyzed. The numerical results are compared with measurements obtained on an experimental test bench. The confrontation numerical/experimental is carried out by comparing the distribution of temperature at the surface of the plate and the heat transfer coefficient. This comparison shows that it is the Eulerian model which seems most capable to take into account the evaporation of the droplets in contact with the heated plate. However, the simulation performed with this model show a strong dependence of the results to the turbulence model used.
Wax plants (Hoya, Apocynaceae) evolution: Epiphytism drives successful radiation
Authors: Wanntorp Livia , Grudinski Melanie , Forster Paul I. , Muellner-Riehl Alexandra N. , Grimm Guido W.
Published: February 2014

Hoya, a species‐rich, mostly epiphytic genus within tribe Marsdenieae (Apocynaceae), occurs in tropical and subtropical forests of the Indo‐Australian Archipelago (IAA). Previous molecular phylogenetic studies based on a restricted taxon sample have provided a first phylogenetic framework for the genus. Questions remain, however, about the evolution and relationships among the over 300 species of the genus. Here, we (1) present the first well‐resolved phylogenetic tree based on sequences of the plastid spacer regions trnH‐psbA, trnT‐trnL, and of the nuclear‐encoded ITS and 5′‐ETS regions, for 154 species covering all proposed sections and (2) we discuss the evolution of epiphytism and its possible role in the successful radiation of Hoya in the tropical forests of the IAA in light of the new phylogenetic results. According to our results, species of Hoya group into six major lineages (Clades I–VI) with widespread geographic distribution. The earliest‐diverging epiphytic lineages of Clade I are restricted to subtropical continental Asia or tropical to subtropical Australasia (Clade IV), whereas their non‐epiphytic relatives are limited to the tropical Indomalayan (Clade II/III) and Australasian (Clade II) parts of the IAA. Clade V (tropical Indomalaya and Australasia) and Clade VI, with outposts in the Himalayas, Japan, and throughout Australasia, represent the second phase of diversification within Hoya. We hypothesise that Hoya is of tropical to subtropical Indo‐Burma/Himalayan origin and that the common trait epiphytism is connected with the onset of monsoon climates during the Himalayan uplift. The subsequent dispersal of Hoya into the many subareas of the IAA region and eventually Australia and the Southwest Pacific, and its success‐ ful radiation there, are proposed to be linked to its epiphytic life style, a trait that is today only found in 10% of angiosperms.
The nomenclatural history of Salsola sedoides L. and Salsola sedoides Pall. (Suaedoideae and Camphorosmoideae, Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae)
Authors: Sennikov Alexander , Freitag Helmut
Published: February 2014

The original circumscriptions and nomenclatural history of the homonyms Salsola sedoides L. 1759 and Salsola sedoides Pall. 1771 are discussed, and lectotypes or neotypes are designated for both names and their synonyms. Two species were involved in the protologue of Salsola sedoides L.; its earliest history, the latest material and the proposed lectotype correspond to its current interpretation as Suaeda maritima from the North Sea coasts, whereas its validating statement is referable to Suaeda splendens from the Mediterranean. The unused name Salsola cinerea Waldst. & Kit. is the earliest legitimate name for the later homonym Salsola sedoides Pall. To avoid creating a new transfer of this epithet to Sedobassia, the name Salsola sedoides Pall. is proposed for conservation against its earlier homonym S. sedoides L.
Social Aspects of the Gonorrhea in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania during 1999-2012
Authors: Бетрозов  , Betrozov V. , Беликова  , Belikova Z. , Фидаров  , Fidarov A.
Published: February 2014

Morbidity with gonorrhea in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania during 1999-2012 has been analyzed. The highest incidence of gonorrhea in the RNO was marked in 2002-2003 (correspondingly 161, 3 and 154, 7 per 100 000 of population). During next 2004-2012 years gonorrhea morbidity has been gradually decreasing and in 2012 it made up 48,4. Among patients with gonorrhea in 1999-2005 and in 2007 the number of female patients prevailed (52,0-55,5%) and in 2006 and in 2008-2012 male patients had gonorrhea more often (52,5-72,5 %). More often occurred at the age of 20-29 (38,7% in 2000 and 55,1% in 2011) and then at the age of 30-39 (21,9% in 2000 and 30,0% in 2011), and in 2012 at the age of 18-19 (55,0%). Among 86 children with gonorrhea revealed in the North-Ossetia Republican dermatovenerological hospital in 2001-2004 were 83 (96,5%) girls and 3 (3,5%) boys. And only one girl was infected sexually (being raped), other children were infected in a common way. 71 (82, 6%) of these children have been revealed actively, it being known that obstetricians and gynecologists revealed gonorrhea in 46 (53, 5%) girls.
Risk Preferences Around the World
Authors: Rieger Marc Oliver , Wang Mei , Hens Thorsten
Published: February 2014

We present results from a large-scale international survey on risk preferences conducted in 53 countries. In all countries, we find, on average, an attitude of risk aversion in gains and of risk seeking in losses. The degree of risk aversion shows significant cross-country differences. Moreover, risk attitudes in our sample depend not only on economic conditions but also on cultural factors, as measured by the Hofstede dimensions individualism and uncertainty avoidance. The data may also serve as an interesting starting point for further research on cultural differences in behavioral economics.

Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2013.1869 .

This paper was accepted by Peter Wakker, decision analysis.
The Impact of Stakeholder Power on Corporate Reputation: A Cross-Country Corporate Governance Perspective
Authors: Soleimani Abrahim , Schneper William D. , Newburry William
Published: February 2014

Corporate reputation has roots in national beliefs about the role of the business corporation in society; these beliefs are constructed in accordance with the preferences of powerful stakeholders. Building on a stakeholder-power approach to corporate governance, we investigate whether differences in the legal rights and protections of shareholders, creditors, and workers across countries affect the general public’s reputation assessments of business corporations. Using a sample of 593 of the largest publicly traded companies in the world from 32 countries during 2007 to 2011, we find that in societies where shareholders enjoy a high degree of legal rights, the impact of stock market returns on corporate reputation becomes more positive. Likewise, the negative relationship between earnings volatility and reputation becomes greater when creditor rights are stronger. Contrary to expectations, we found no evidence of an interaction effect between labor rights and corporate social performance on corporate reputation.
Analytic Investigation of a Reaction-diffusion Brusselator Model with the Time-space Fractional Derivative
Authors: Aslan İsmail
Published: February 2014

It is well known that many models in nonlinear science are described by fractional differential equations in which an unknown function appears under the operation of a derivative of fractional order. In this study, we propose a reaction-diffusion Brusselator model from the viewpoint of the Jumarie's modified Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative. Based on the (G′/G)-expansion method, various kinds of exact solutions are obtained. Our results could be used as a starting point for numerical procedures as well.
The Fate of Chromosomes and Alleles in an AllohexaploidBrassicaPopulation
Authors: Mason Annaliese S , Nelson Matthew N , Takahira Junko , Cowling Wallace A , Alves Gustavo Moreira , Chaudhuri Arkaprava , Chen Ning , Ragu Mohana E , Dalton-Morgan Jessica , Coriton Olivier , Huteau Virginie , Eber Frédérique , Chèvre Anne-Marie , Batley Jacqueline
Published: February 2014

Production of allohexaploid Brassica (2n = AABBCC) is a promising goal for plant breeders due to the potential for hybrid heterosis and useful allelic contributions from all three of the Brassica genomes present in the cultivated diploid (2n = AA, 2n = BB, 2n = CC) and allotetraploid (2n = AABB, 2n = AACC, and 2n = BBCC) crop species (canola, cabbages, mustards). We used high-throughput SNP molecular marker assays, flow cytometry, and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) to characterize a population of putative allohexaploids derived from self-pollination of a hybrid from the novel cross (B. napus × B. carinata) × B. juncea to investigate whether fertile, stable allohexaploid Brassica can be produced. Allelic segregation in the A and C genomes generally followed Mendelian expectations for an F2 population, with minimal nonhomologous chromosome pairing. However, we detected no strong selection for complete 2n = AABBCC chromosome complements, with weak correlations between DNA content and fertility (r2 = 0.11) and no correlation between missing chromosomes or chromosome segments and fertility. Investigation of next-generation progeny resulting from one highly fertile F2 plant using FISH revealed general maintenance of high chromosome numbers but severe distortions in karyotype, as evidenced by recombinant chromosomes and putative loss/duplication of A- and C-genome chromosome pairs. Our results show promise for the development of meiotically stable allohexaploid lines, but highlight the necessity of selection for 2n = AABBCC karyotypes.