bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Experimental Channel Capacity Analysis of Cooperative Networks Using Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP)
Authors: Tanoli Shujaat Ali Khan , Rehman Mubashir , Khan Muhammad Bilal , Jadoon Ihtesham , Ali Khan Farman , Nawaz Faiza , Shah Syed Aziz , Yang Xiaodong , Nasir Ali Arshad
Published: June 2018

Cooperative communication (CC) is one of the best solutions to overcome channel fading and to improve channel capacity. However, most of the researchers evaluate its performance based on mathematical modeling or by simulations. These approaches are often unable to successfully capture many real-world radio signal propagation problems. Hardware based wireless communication test-bed provides reliable and accurate measurements, which are not attainable through other means. This research work investigates experimental performance analysis of CC over direct communication (DC) in the lab environment. The experimental setup is built using Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) and Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench (LabVIEW). A text message is transmitted by using Phase Shift Keying (PSK) modulation schemes. The setup uses amplify and forward (AF) relaying mode and two time slot transmission protocols. The maximum ratio combining (MRC) technique is used for combining SNR at the receiver. Channel capacity analysis is performed in order to evaluate the performance of CC over DC with and without obstacle. Moreover, optimal position of the relay is also analyzed by varying the position of the relay. Extensive experiments are carried out in the lab environment to evaluate the performance of the system for different hardware setups. The results reveal that cooperative communication attains significant improvement in terms of channel capacity of the system.
Applying Blockchain Technology: Evidence from Norwegian Companies
Authors: Gausdal Anne H. , Czachorowski Karen V. , Solesvik Marina Z.
Published: June 2018

The aim of this study is to develop a theoretical framework for blockchain, operations in particular. Furthermore, we aim to identify the main drivers and barriers of digital innovation and explore the general possibilities of blockchain applications within the maritime industry. A case study approach is applied: the Norwegian offshore industry. Primary data is collected through interviews, while secondary data is collected from industrial and company reports, the Internet, and national and international media reports. We have discovered that cost reduction intentions, the high level of regulation in the maritime industry, and the large amount of data that maritime companies should process, along with the intention to work more effectively, are the main drivers of digital innovation. On the other hand, the high cost of implementation, the bad quality of Internet connections offshore, the old age of decision-makers, the technology-oriented culture, the lack of investment initiatives, the low level of blockchain diffusion through the supply chain, and risk aversion are the main barriers. The results of the qualitative study show that some of the barriers and motives of digital innovation and the introduction to blockchain technology were pointed out by earlier studies. However, we have identified several unique drivers and barriers specific to the industry. Finally, the blockchain process framework is developed.
Willingness to Comply with Corporate Law: An Interdisciplinary Teaching Method in Higher Education
Authors: Robina Ramirez Rafael , Palos-Sanchez Pedro R.
Published: June 2018

Using an innovation training project, an interdisciplinary cross-sectional teaching strategy was developed to enhance students’ willingness to comply with the law. Thirty-five business, finance and accounting teachers examined the effects of ethical education on 484 university students’ willingness to comply with corporate law. Ethical education was based on building students’ ethical decisions on three court judgments in the new Spanish Corporate Governance Code. The ethical training was carried out by developing and applying social justice counter arguments. This perspective allowed students to imagine what decisions other person could have taken if they had managed the company ethically. The results suggest that ethics education in higher education can improve the willingness to comply the law. This methodology can be applied to interdisciplinary departments teaching ethics in business, finance and accounting.
A Predictive Analytics Understanding of Cooperative Membership Heterogeneity and Sustainability
Authors: Elliott Matthew , Elliott Lisa , Sluis Evert Van der
Published: June 2018

Recent advances in cooperative theory have focused on membership heterogeneity as being a significant challenge for cooperative sustainability. We use predictive analytics to forecast U.S. farmer cooperative sustainability at an aggregate level and include multiple dimensions of membership heterogeneity. We report the importance and shape of the effect of membership heterogeneity when predicting and forecasting cooperative sustainability in the near-term. We also report forecasts of cooperative sustainability given expected changes to membership heterogeneity. The data this study used are from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Economic Research Service (ERS) Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) joined with USDA-Rural Development cooperative financial data at the state level. Membership heterogeneity was found to be less relevant than other variables included in the model for predicting cooperative business volume and number of cooperatives headquartered per state, and an estimate of cooperative sustainability. Membership heterogeneity effects were mostly offsetting given expected changes to member heterogeneity, and/or were offset due to changes to other macro factors. Consequently, we conclude membership heterogeneity may affect the number of cooperatives and extent consistent with theoretical literature at a micro level; however, we also expect a similar level of sustainability of cooperatives at an aggregate level in the near-term despite changes to membership heterogeneity.
Evaluation of Preferences for Alternative Transportation Services and Loyalty towards Active Transportation during a Major Transportation Infrastructure Disruption
Authors: Khan Nazmul Arefin , Habib Muhammad Ahsanul
Published: June 2018

This paper investigates active transportation mode users’ preferences for alternative services during the temporary closure event of a bridge and its active transportation (AT) lanes. It also evaluates the loyalty of AT users during the event. The study uses data from a travel survey distributed to cyclists and pedestrians, who are the regular AT lane users of the Macdonald Bridge in Halifax, Canada. Random parameter logit models are developed in this study that examine the effects of socio-demographic, travel and neighborhood characteristics on active transportation users’ preferences. Four alternative transportation services are considered in this study: free shuttle services, frequent ferry services, frequent bus services and other services. Results suggest that higher-income individuals are more likely to prefer frequent ferry services during the AT lane closure event. Transit commuters are found to prefer frequent bus services. Probability of preferring free shuttle services increases if individuals use AT lanes for cost savings. Loyalty towards AT is explored in this study by means of anticipated modal shift. For instance, higher mixed land use area dwellers tend to be loyal towards AT during the disruption event, as demonstrated by their lower probability to shift from current AT mode. This study offers critical behavioral insights, which would assist transportation planning and policies that aim to adopt sustainable transportation planning measures to retain current users’ loyalty towards active transportation and prevent a long-term behavioral shift.
Assessment of Energy Sustainable Operations on a Historical Building. The Dante Alighieri High School in Florence
Authors: Balocco Carla , Colaianni Alessandro
Published: June 2018

Italy has a huge cultural heritage, most of which consists of historical buildings that have changed their original function and use over time. The complex question of building and plant system refurbishment and retrofitting mainly derives from this crucial aspect. The aim of this paper is to provide a simple provisional tool useful for the assessment of efficient, energy sustainable refurbishment solutions for historical buildings and their plant systems. The Dante Alighieri high school (with an important music department) in Florence was the case study. We proposed a method based on dynamic simulations that allows plant design guarantying indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort, as well as energy efficiency, but, at the same time offering reversibility and mobility as well as ease of management and maintenance. Transient simulations of building-plant system were specifically addressed dynamic control and adaptive proportional regulation, so as to ensure that the plant adapts to the change of building and indoor environment thermo-physics and thermo-hygrometric parameters. Results showed that important refurbishment and retrofitting operations for energy saving are possible and effective for historical buildings if they are oriented to sustainability—i.e., low environmental impact, indoor thermo-hygrometric conditions, ventilation, air quality, and user wellbeing improvement—in compliance with preventive protection constraints.
Impact of Climate Change on Daily Streamflow and Its Extreme Values in Pacific Island Watersheds
Authors: Leta Olkeba Tolessa , El-Kadi Aly I. , Dulai Henrietta
Published: June 2018

The integration of hydrology and climate is important for understanding the present and future impact of climate on streamflow, which may cause frequent flooding, droughts, and shortage of water supply. In view of this, we assessed the impact of climate change on daily streamflow duration curves as well as extreme peak and low flow values. The objectives were to assess how climate change impacts watershed-wide streamflow and its extreme values and to provide an overview of the impacts of different climate change scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5) on streamflow and hydrological extremes when compared with the baseline values. We used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model for daily streamflow and its extreme value modeling of two watersheds located on the Island of Oahu (Hawaii). Following successful calibration and validation of SWAT at three USGS flow gauging stations, we simulated the impact of climate change by the 2050s (2041–2070) and the 2080s (2071–2100). We used climate change perturbation factors and applied the factors to the historical time series data of 1980–2014. SWAT adequately reproduced observed daily streamflow with Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) values of greater than 0.5 and bracketed >80% of observed streamflow data at 95% model prediction uncertainty at all flow gauging stations, indicating the applicability of the model for future daily streamflow prediction. We found that while the considered climate change scenarios generally show considerable negative impacts on daily streamflow and its extreme values, the extreme peak flows are expected to increase by as much as 22% especially under the RCP 8.5 scenario. However, a consistent decrease in extreme low flows by as much as 60% compared to the baseline values is projected. Larger negative changes of low flows are expected in the upstream part of the watersheds where higher groundwater contributions are expected. Consequently, severe problems, such as frequent hydrological droughts (groundwater scarcity), reduction in agricultural crop productivity, and increase in drinking water demand, are significantly expected on Oahu. Furthermore, the extreme values are more sensitive to rainfall change in comparison to temperature and solar radiation changes. Overall, findings generally indicated that climate change impacts will be amplified by the end of this century and may cause earlier occurrence of hydrological droughts when compared to the current hydrological regime, suggesting water resources managers, ecosystem conservationists, and ecologists to implement mitigation measures to climate change in Hawaii and similar Islands.
Evaluating Power Reliability Dedicated for Sudden Disruptions: Its Application to Determine Capacity on the Basis of Energy Security
Authors: Kosai Shoki , Tan Chia Kwang , Yamasue Eiji
Published: June 2018

Given that a continuous power supply is fundamental to the economy and human well-being, development of a self-sustained electrical system that can withstand sudden disturbances by employing both renewable energy and storage technology is of significant importance. Most of the existing reliability approaches hardly represent a particular method of analyzing system adapting ability to remain self-sufficient in the short-term after the occurrence of sudden disruptions. In addition, existing reliability indexes are developed based on past experience, hardly covering the prediction of disruption risks. As such, a new electricity reliability quantification approach dedicated for sudden disruptions was established and the newly proposed electricity reliability prediction index was evaluated. The developed index was applied to determine optimal capacity sizing in the context of energy security. The availability of such electricity reliability predictions will allow the facility engineer to make wiser decisions to maintain a continuous power supply even after the occurrence of sudden disturbances. The developed algorithm can be readily implemented in any electrical system network including microgrid and rural electrification.
Contrasted Effects of Relative Humidity and Precipitation on Urban PM2.5 Pollution in High Elevation Urban Areas
Authors: Zalakeviciute Rasa , López-Villada Jesús , Rybarczyk Yves
Published: June 2018

Levels of urban pollution can be influenced largely by meteorological conditions and the topography of the area. The impact of the relative humidity (RH) on the daily average PM2.5 concentrations was studied at several sites in a mid-size South American city at a high elevation over the period of nine years. In this work, we show that there is a positive correlation between daily average urban PM2.5 concentrations and the RH in traffic-busy central areas, and a negative correlation in the outskirts of the city in more industrial areas. While in the traffic sites strong events of precipitation (≥9 mm) played a major role in PM2.5 pollution removal, in the city outskirts, the PM2.5 concentrations decreased with increasing RH independently of rain accumulation. Increasing PM2.5 concentrations are to be expected in any highly motorized city where there is high RH and a lack of strong precipitation, especially in rapidly growing and developing countries with high motorization due to poor fuel quality. Finally, two models, based on a logistic regression algorithm, are proposed to describe the effect of rain and RH on PM2.5, when the source of pollution is traffic-based vs. industry-based.
The Toxic Effect of Lanthanum on Planaria Is Mediated by a Variety of Ion Channels
Authors: Briner Wayne
Published: June 2018

The effect of toxic concentrations of La3+ on the Ca, K, Na, Mg, and Cl channels of planaria was investigated through the use of various agonists and antagonists to those channels. It was demonstrated that La exerts its toxic effects through L-type, but not T-type, Ca channels. La also demonstrated activity at Na, K, Mg, and Cl channels, but, these effects were most likely mediated by other effects of La on Ca activity. However, these interactions appear to be very complex and confounded by oxidative stresses. The study also introduces a planaria stress scale which allows the effects of toxic substances to be examined on a continuum.
Bordetella Pertussis Adenylate Cyclase Toxin Does Not Possess a Phospholipase A Activity; Serine 606 and Aspartate 1079 Residues Are Not Involved in Target Cell Delivery of the Adenylyl Cyclase Enzyme Domain
Authors: Bumba Ladislav , Masin Jiri , Osickova Adriana , Osicka Radim , Sebo Peter
Published: June 2018

The adenylate cyclase toxin-hemolysin (CyaA, ACT, or AC-Hly) plays a crucial role in virulence and airway colonization capacity of the whooping cough agent Bordetella pertussis. The toxin penetrates target cell membranes and exhibits three distinct biological activities. A population of CyaA conformers forms small cation-selective pores that permeabilize the cell membrane for potassium efflux, which can provoke colloid-osmotic (oncotic) cell lysis. The other two activities are due to CyaA conformers that transiently form calcium influx conduits in the target cell membrane and translocate the adenylate cyclase (AC) enzyme into cytosol of cells. A fourth putative biological activity has recently been reported; an intrinsic phospholipase A (PLA) activity was claimed to be associated with the CyaA polypeptide and be involved in the mechanism of translocation of the AC enzyme polypeptide across cell membrane lipid bilayer. However, the conclusions drawn by the authors contradicted their own results and we show them to be erroneous. We demonstrate that highly purified CyaA is devoid of any detectable phospholipase A1 activity and that contrary to the published claims, the two putative conserved phospholipase A catalytic residues, namely the Ser606 and Asp1079 residues, are not involved in the process of membrane translocation of the AC domain of CyaA across target membranes.
Production of Bacteriophages by Listeria Cells Entrapped in Organic Polymers
Authors: Roy Brigitte , Philippe Cécile , Loessner Martin J. , Goulet Jacques , Moineau Sylvain
Published: June 2018

Applications for bacteriophages as antimicrobial agents are increasing. The industrial use of these bacterial viruses requires the production of large amounts of suitable strictly lytic phages, particularly for food and agricultural applications. This work describes a new approach for phage production. Phages H387 (Siphoviridae) and A511 (Myoviridae) were propagated separately using Listeria ivanovii host cells immobilised in alginate beads. The same batch of alginate beads could be used for four successive and efficient phage productions. This technique enables the production of large volumes of high-titer phage lysates in continuous or semi-continuous (fed-batch) cultures.
Efficient Transduction and Expansion of Ovine Macrophages for Gene Therapy Implementations
Authors: Karponi Garyfalia , Kritas Spyridon , Petridou Evanthia , Papanikolaou Eleni
Published: June 2018

A number of bacteria provoking zoonotic diseases present intracellular survival and a host cell tropism limited to the monocyte/macrophage lineage. Thus, infection is rendered difficult to eradicate, causing chronic inflammatory reactions to the host and widespread prevalence. Although self-inactivating lentiviral vectors have been successfully tested in the clinic against virally-induced human infectious diseases, little is known about the transduction susceptibility of ruminant animal phagocytes that play a critical role in the outbreak of zoonotic diseases such as brucellosis. In view of the development of a lentiviral vector-based platform targeting and inactivating specific genetic features of intracellular bacteria, we have tested the transducibility of ovine macrophages in terms of transgene expression and vector copy number (VCN). We show that ovine macrophages are relatively resistant to transduction even at a high multiplicity of infection with a conventional lentiviral vector expressing the green fluorescence protein and that addition of transduction enhancers, such as polybrene, increases transgene expression even after a one-week culture of the transduced cells in vitro. Overall, we demonstrate that ovine macrophages may be efficiently expanded and transduced in culture, thus providing the benchmark for gene therapy applications for zoonotic diseases.
EmiStatR: A Simplified and Scalable Urban Water Quality Model for Simulation of Combined Sewer Overflows
Authors: Torres-Matallana Jairo Arturo , Leopold Ulrich , Klepiszewski Kai , Heuvelink Gerard B. M.
Published: June 2018

Many complex urban drainage quality models are computationally expensive. Complexity and computing times may become prohibitive when these models are used in a Monte Carlo (MC) uncertainty analysis of long time series, in particular for practitioners. Computationally scalable and fast “surrogate” models may reduce the overall computation time for practical applications in which often large data sets would be needed otherwise. We developed a simplified semi-distributed urban water quality model, EmiStatR, which brings uncertainty and sensitivity analyses of urban drainage water quality models within reach of practitioners. Its lower demand in input data and its scalability allow for simulating water volume and pollution loads in combined sewer overflows in several catchments fast and efficiently. The scalable code implemented in EmiStatR reduced the computation time significantly (by a factor of around 24 when using 32 cores). EmiStatR can be applied efficiently to test hypotheses by using MC uncertainty studies or long-term simulations.
Importance of accessibility and opening hours to overall patient experience of general practice: analysis of repeated cross-sectional data from a national patient survey
Authors: Cowling Thomas E , Majeed Azeem , Harris Matthew J
Published: June 2018

Background

The UK government aims to improve the accessibility of general practices in England, particularly by extending opening hours in the evenings and at weekends. It is unclear how important these factors are to patients’ overall experiences of general practice.

Aim

To examine associations between overall experience of general practice and patient experience of making appointments and satisfaction with opening hours.

Design and setting

Analysis of repeated cross-sectional data from the General Practice Patient Surveys conducted from 2011–2012 until 2013–2014. These covered 8289 general practice surgeries in England.

Method

Data from a national survey conducted three times over consecutive years were analysed. The outcome measure was overall experience, rated on a five-level interval scale. Associations were estimated as standardised regression coefficients, adjusted for responder characteristics and clustering within practices using multilevel linear regression.

Results

In total, there were 2 912 535 responders from all practices in England (n = 8289). Experience of making appointments (β 0.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.24 to 0.25) and satisfaction with opening hours (β 0.15, 95% CI = 0.15 to 0.16) were modestly associated with overall experience. Overall experience was most strongly associated with GP interpersonal quality of care (β 0.34, 95% CI = 0.34 to 0.35) and receptionist helpfulness was positively associated with overall experience (β 0.16, 95% CI = 0.16 to 0.17). Other patient experience measures had minimal associations (β≤0.06). Models explained ≥90% of variation in overall experience between practices.

Conclusion

Patient experience of making appointments and satisfaction with opening hours were only modestly associated with overall experience. Policymakers in England should not assume that recent policies to improve access will result in large improvements in patients’ overall experience of general practice.
An Accurate Centroiding Algorithm for PSF Reconstruction
Authors: Lu Tianhuan , Luo Wentao , Zhang Jun , Zhang Jiajun , Li Hekun , Dong Fuyu , Li Yingke , Liu Dezi , Fu Liping , Li Guoliang , Fan Zuhui
Published: June 2018

In this work, we present a novel centroiding method based on Fourier space Phase Fitting (FPF) for Point Spread Function (PSF) reconstruction. We generate two sets of simulations to test our method. The first set is generated by GalSim with an elliptical Moffat profile and strong anisotropy that shifts the center of the PSF. The second set of simulations is drawn from CFHT i band stellar imaging data. We find non-negligible anisotropy from CFHT stellar images, which leads to ∼0.08 scatter in units of pixels using a polynomial fitting method (Vakili & Hogg). When we apply the FPF method to estimate the centroid in real space, the scatter reduces to ∼0.04 in S/N = 200 CFHT-like sample. In low signal-to-noise ratio (S/N; 50 and 100) CFHT-like samples, the background noise dominates the shifting of the centroid; therefore, the scatter estimated from different methods is similar. We compare polynomial fitting and FPF using GalSim simulation with optical anisotropy. We find that in all S/N (50, 100, and 200) samples, FPF performs better than polynomial fitting by a factor of ∼3. In general, we suggest that in real observations there exists anisotropy that shifts the centroid, and thus, the FPF method provides a better way to accurately locate it.
Retired A Stars Revisited: An Updated Giant Planet Occurrence Rate as a Function of Stellar Metallicity and Mass
Authors: Ghezzi Luan , Montet Benjamin T. , Johnson John Asher
Published: June 2018

Exoplanet surveys of evolved stars have provided increasing evidence that the formation of giant planets depends not only on stellar metallicity ([Fe/H]) but also on the mass (

). However, measuring accurate masses for subgiants and giants is far more challenging than it is for their main-sequence counterparts, which has led to recent concerns regarding the veracity of the correlation between stellar mass and planet occurrence. In order to address these concerns, we use HIRES spectra to perform a spectroscopic analysis on a sample of 245 subgiants and derive new atmospheric and physical parameters. We also calculate the space velocities of this sample in a homogeneous manner for the first time. When reddening corrections are considered in the calculations of stellar masses and a −0.12

offset is applied to the results, the masses of the subgiants are consistent with their space velocity distributions, contrary to claims in the literature. Similarly, our measurements of their rotational velocities provide additional confirmation that the masses of subgiants with

M
☉ (the “retired A stars”) have not been overestimated in previous analyses. Using these new results for our sample of evolved stars, together with an updated sample of FGKM dwarfs, we confirm that giant planet occurrence increases with both stellar mass and metallicity up to 2.0 M
⊙. We show that the probability of formation of a giant planet is approximately a one-to-one function of the total amount of metals in the protoplanetary disk

. This correlation provides additional support for the core accretion mechanism of planet formation.
The Dearth of Difference between Central and Satellite Galaxies. I. Perspectives on Star Formation Quenching and AGN Activities
Authors: Wang Enci , Wang Huiyuan , Mo Houjun , Lim S. H. , van den Bosch Frank C. , Kong Xu , Wang Lixin , Yang Xiaohu , Chen Sihan
Published: June 2018

We investigate the quenching properties of central and satellite galaxies, utilizing the halo masses and central–satellite identifications from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey galaxy group catalog of Yang et al. We find that the quenched fractions of centrals and satellites of similar stellar masses have similar dependence on host halo mass. The similarity of the two populations is also found in terms of specific star formation rate and 4000 Å break. The quenched fractions of centrals and satellites of similar masses show similar dependencies on bulge-to-total light ratio, central velocity dispersion, and halo-centric distance in halos of given halo masses. The prevalence of optical/radio-loud active galactic nuclei is found to be similar for centrals and satellites at given stellar masses. All these findings strongly suggest that centrals and satellites of similar masses experience similar quenching processes in their host halos. We discuss implications of our results for the understanding of galaxy quenching.
Scalar Resonant Relaxation of Stars around a Massive Black Hole
Authors: Bar-Or Ben , Fouvry Jean-Baptiste
Published: June 2018

In nuclear star clusters, the potential is governed by the central massive black hole (MBH), so that stars move on nearly Keplerian orbits and the total potential is almost stationary in time. Yet, the deviations of the potential from the Keplerian one, due to the enclosed stellar mass and general relativity, will cause the stellar orbits to precess. Moreover, as a result of the finite number of stars, small deviations of the potential from spherical symmetry induce residual torques that can change the stars’ angular momentum faster than the standard two-body relaxation. The combination of these two effects drives a stochastic evolution of orbital angular momentum, a process named “resonant relaxation” (RR). Owing to recent developments in the description of the relaxation of self-gravitating systems, we can now fully describe scalar resonant relaxation (relaxation of the magnitude of the angular momentum) as a diffusion process. In this framework, the potential fluctuations due to the complex orbital motion of the stars are described by a random correlated noise with statistical properties that are fully characterized by the stars’ mean field motion. On long timescales, the cluster can be regarded as a diffusive system with diffusion coefficients that depend explicitly on the mean field stellar distribution through the properties of the noise. We show here, for the first time, how the diffusion coefficients of scalar RR, for a spherically symmetric system, can be fully calculated from first principles, without any free parameters. We also provide an open source code that evaluates these diffusion coefficients numerically.
Influence of Impact Velocity and Steel Armour Hardness on Breakage of Projectile 14.5 × 114 API/B32
Authors: Mikulikova R. , Ridky R. , Rolc S. , Krestan J.
Published: June 2018

The goal of this article was focused on the study of projectile breakage after impact on steel armour depending on projectile impact velocity and steel armour hardness. Steel armour samples of hardness HBW500 and HBW600 were impacted by steel core projectile 14.5×114 API/B32 using three different impact velocities. The depth of the projectile penetration into steel armour of hardness HBW400, which was placed 65 mm behind the steel armour samples, was measured. The projectile remains after each impact were searched for their evaluation. For better visualization of the projectile breaking process after the impact on steel armour, the numerical simulations were performed. Experimental and numerical results were compared and combined in a graph showing the dependence of the depth of penetration on the projectile impact velocity for two different steel armour hardnesses and with indication of projectile coherence after impact.
Labels, Ledgers, Scribbles and Scraps: Uncertain Historical Data
Authors: Crane Rosi
Published: June 2018

Varying quality of legacy data is found on specimen labels, in accounts ledgers, and in registers dating from the origins of the Otago Museum in 1868. A recently re-discovered ledger book that lists the Museum’s first acquisitions brings its own frustrations and more questions are raised than can be answered by the knowledge it contains.

Differing curatorial practices and record keeping over time have produced their own uncertainties of interpretation. In this sense the historical record is dynamic.

The legibility and reliability of scribbled notes, meaningful only to the writer perhaps, compound the known problems of fragmentary historical evidence. Whilst handwritten data is faithfully transcribed its meaning is not always clearly understood. Institutional knowledge is easily lost making once obvious comments on a record puzzling.

Despite the vagaries of historical record keeping a picture is emerging of the early history of the Otago Museum and the often overlooked role that it held in the small scientific community of late-nineteenth century New Zealand.

We should be thankful that some curators had a mania for list making. Inventory of New Zealand’s weird fauna became the prime objective of Captain FW Hutton FRS (1836-1905) and he wrote many catalogues, culminating in his Index Faunae Novae Zealandiae published in 1904. His inveterate list-making also included books as well as the objects that he acquired during his tenure. His successor, TJ Parker FRS (1850-1897) introduced a formal registration scheme across the various departments in 1893, after a trip ‘home’ to London where he had seen the latest methods.

Maintaining these records was a chore for subsequent curators. So that by the 1920s the ethnographer HD Skinner CBE (1886-1978) played a game of catch-up as he oversaw a data deluge associated with ever-increasing numbers of artefacts. A deluge that signified a change in emphasis from zoology towards anthropology and archaeology.

This paper contributes to the growing literature on the history of record keeping and archival practices. In turn this sub-field provides a way to reconsider the impact of changes in cultures of information gathering as we grapple with our own twenty-first century technological constraints. The present-day electronic information explosion has brought the problems of collecting, organizing, and disseminating data to the forefront of scholarly dialogues.
Museum, Library and Archives Partnership: Leveraging Digitized Data from Historical Sources
Authors: Rinaldo Constance , Ford Linda , deVeer Joseph
Published: June 2018

The Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University (MCZ), founded in 1859, has approximately 20 million extant and fossil invertebrate and vertebrate specimens. These historical collections continue to be a focus of research and teaching for the MCZ, Harvard and outside researchers.

The Ernst Mayr Library/Archives (EMLA) of the MCZ is a founding member of the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), an international consortium with a mission to make biodiversity literature openly available for use. Meeting the needs of the MCZ is a priority for EML

Museum/library and achives collaboration

One collaborative Museum/Library project was the digitization of approximately 81,000 MCZ specimen ledger pages/cards associated with various collections. These historical items, once digitized and deposited in the Harvard Digital Repository Service (DRS), were linked to the relevant specimen records in MCZbase, the museum-wide database. Over 1.2 million specimen records are now linked with digitized sources which benefit all users by adding to the provenance of the specimen data and allowing direct referral to the primary collection source.

The EMLA holds an extensive collection of field notes, letters and manuscripts of researchers associated with the MCZ. Collector records are a gold mine of unpublished observations, notes, sketches, specimen lists and narratives. They are primary source data at its most personal, and may be the only documentation of a scientist’s thought processes and observations, particularly for unpublished materials.

William Brewster was a prominent late 19th, early 20th century naturalist associated with the MCZ Ornithology Department until his death in 1919. Brewster provided authoritative and novel additions to the knowledge of birds, and his detailed, long-term observations are the key to his published contributions. Brewster’s unpublished scientific legacy is being digitized and deposited in the Harvard DRS and BHL by the EMLA. Transcribed notebook pages will be attached to images in BHL thus improving data discovery.

Brewster deposited over 45,000 specimens in the MCZ Ornithology Collection. Combining specimens and unpublished notes is an opportunity to link hidden data and enhance research capabilities. Next steps for this collaborative project include finely grained cross-linking of specific pages, correspondence and photographs to and from the MCZ’s specimen database and BHL.

We show how MCZ has leveraged data in digital repositories to enhance and directly relate to MCZbase, with citations to notes, transcriptions and published literature. These collaborations enhance discoverability of hidden data while promoting cross-discipline research to interrelated historical sources.
Why are our Jar Lids Crumbling?
Authors: Trimble Jennifer
Published: June 2018

Glass jars and lids used to house fluid preserved specimens in Natural History Museums are arguably one of the most important factors needed to ensure the long term conservation of the specimens in their collections. Additionally these jars are used to display specimens in exhibits, and are the first, and often the only line of defense against damage caused by evaporation of the fluids used to preserve specimens. The Harvard Museum of Natural History (HMNH) was established as the public face of the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) which opened its doors in 1859. Often, the Museum of Comparative Zoology loans fluid preserved invertebrates to the Museum of Natural History at Harvard for display. Of specific interest to this project is a permanent arthropod exhibit displaying a variety of specimens in jars ranging from 4 oz to 1 gallon in size. During a 7-year public exhibition loan, lids began to deteriorate while on display. Visually, these lids became cracked and webbed, and upon physical manipulation the plastic crumpled into pieces. Notably, this problem has not been observed in research collections where the specimens are permanently stored. Possible factors affecting lid stability include temperature and light, and other unknowns. Given the potential impact of this issue on all collections we investigated the possible causes of lid degradation and wish to bring attention to this issue. Photography was used to document the physical problem and MicroCT was used to investigate both cracked and new lids. The resulting images are displayed here. Although the composition of lids are explored, and other jar methods outlined, flint jars remain the most consistent, and sturdy option for a student oriented museum.
A Rapid Method for an Initial Registration of a Large Entomology Collection
Authors: Lillywhite Peter
Published: June 2018

One of the key goals in museums is to register their collections. Ideally to register to a database everything known about each object. In natural history a typical dataset would include identification, date of collection, collector, location of collection, perhaps date of donation, identification history and name and date of whoever made the identification(s). The data may then be enhanced with things such as geolocation, altitude, biography, bibliography etc. This data is then available for researchers, can be uploaded to data aggregation sites and can be used to build maps etc. However, when faced with this enormous task many of us have to admit, not in my lifetime.

We sometimes overlook that it is just as important for a catalogue to simply allow us to know what we have and where it is, as it is to record all of the details about each and every one these items. Obviously fully registering each specimen does both but time may mean that we won’t have that catalogue for many years, decades or more even. This quick method provides no individual detail about the specimens but does record how many of each species (or lowest taxonomic group where this is unknown) there are and where in the collection they are located.

Initial estimates suggest that this method can be up to 30 times quicker than full registration. It is being done in tandem with the more comprehensive registration process. Eventually the full registration program will catch up to the rapid program and items registered only by species and physical location will be re-registered fully and the old registration number retired.
La Syrie : construction et ruine d’un territoire national
Authors: Hanne Olivier
Published: June 2018

Le territoire syrien est le produit de compromis entre les communautés locales et les pressions des grandes puissances entre 1914 et 1939. Malgré l’autoritarisme et le jeu des pouvoirs, un sentiment patriotique s’est développé dans le pays et a traversé la guerre depuis 2011. Du chaos, une identité nationale et territoriale pourrait émerger.
L’impasse syrienne du Qatar
Authors: Lazar Mehdi
Published: June 2018

Le Qatar est un acteur important du conflit syrien. Adversaire résolu de Damas dès les débuts, l’échec de sa stratégie, combiné aux rivalités qui l’opposent à l’Arabie séoudite, l’ont conduit à changer de politique et à se rapprocher de l’Iran. Le petit émirat pourrait revenir à un rôle plus traditionnel d’acteur neutre et de médiateur dans conflits régionaux.
Que font les Kurdes de Syrie à Raqqa ?
Authors: Hussain Fawaz
Published: June 2018

Pour l’écrivain kurde de langue française, les Kurdes de Syrie, malgré leur courage face à l’organisation État islamique, ont commis plusieurs erreurs politiques qui risquent de leur attacher pour longtemps la haine tenace des Arabes. Pris en étau entre la Turquie et Damas, ils n’ont rien à gagner et seront – encore – les grands perdants de ce conflit.
Retrouver la mémoire effondrée
Authors: Seigne Jacques , Deslandes Bruno
Published: June 2018

Les dégâts subis par le patrimoine syrien ont paradoxalement révélé au monde son immense richesse. Parmi les priorités de l’aide internationale, quelle place pour le patrimoine culturel ? Une entreprise française, Art Graphique et Patrimoine, relève le défi depuis deux ans en Syrie en réalisant un état des lieux des destructions.
L’ ikhtilâf : l’éthique du désaccord en islam
Authors: de Luca Anne
Published: June 2018

Dès les premiers temps de la révélation, le message coranique a promu la tolérance comme valeur cardinale et, au-delà, a reconnu la diversité comme une richesse et non comme un incident avec lequel il faudrait composer. Une perspective historique montre que l’ ikhtilâf (désaccord ou divergence) garde toute sa pertinence et pourrait constituer l’espace de créativité indispensable à une évolution des sociétés islamiques.
Publicité ciblée en ligne, protection des données à caractère personnel et ePrivacy : un ménage à trois délicat
Authors: Dubois Lorette , Gaullier Florence
Published: June 2018

Cette contribution, extrêmement fouillée et très pratique, fait le point sur la réglementation applicable à la publicité ciblée, potentiellement attentatoire à la vie privée des internautes. Ce risque d’atteinte est encadré par deux textes européens, l’un visant la protection des données à caractère personnel, l’autre protégeant la vie privée ( privacy ). Le cumul de ces deux corps de règles rend l’encadrement de la publicité ciblée relativement complexe. Cette complexité s’accroit du fait des interprétations divergentes des textes et de leur évolution prochaine. L’analyse de ces deux textes permet de se pencher en filigrane sur la question du consentement, l’un des points phare concentrant l’attention en vue de l’entrée en vigueur du RGPD. L’application combinée de ces règles aux pratiques de la publicité ciblée n’est pas toujours aisée, également au regard de la multitude d’acteurs opérant dans ce secteur et de l’intrication de nombreux flux de données entre les acteurs. Ces pratiques font d’ailleurs régulièrement l’objet de l’attention des autorités de contrôle nationales, comme la CNIL, et des juridictions nationales comme européennes. Outre les implications de ces règles du jeu, cette étude présente des ébauches de solutions afin de remédier à l’insécurité juridique pesant sur les acteurs du secteur.
Lateralized Center of Rotation and Lower Neck-Shaft Angle Are Associated With Lower Rates of Scapular Notching and Heterotopic Ossification and Improved Pain for Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty at 1 Year
Authors: Nelson Ryan , Lowe Jeremiah T. , Lawler Sarah M. , Fitzgerald Megan , Mantell Matthew T. , Jawa Andrew
Published: June 2018

Heterotopic ossification and scapular notching are common following reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. Compared with the original Grammont-style prosthesis with a medialized center of rotation (COR) and a 155° neck-shaft angle, lateralization of COR and reduction of neck-shaft angle have been associated with decreased incidence of scapular notching. The authors hypothesized that these design features may also be effective in reducing heterotopic ossification after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. Ninety-seven consecutive patients who underwent reverse total shoulder arthroplasty performed by a single surgeon were included in the study. Forty-eight patients received a Grammont-style prosthesis, and 49 received a prosthesis with either 6 mm or 10 mm of lateral COR offset and a 135° neck-shaft angle. Radiographs at 1-year follow-up were reviewed by 2 surgeons for notching and heterotopic ossification. Patient-reported outcome scores and range of motion were also compared between the groups. More patients in the Grammont-style group showed scapular notching (Grammont, 35.4%; lateral COR, 12.2%;
P
=.018) and heterotopic ossification (Grammont, 47.9%; lateral COR, 22.4%;
P
=.009). The lateralized COR group reported lower pain on the visual analog scale (Grammont mean, 1.1; lateral COR mean, 0.5;
P
=.01) and trended toward better American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores (Grammont mean, 77.2; lateral COR mean, 83.4;
P
=.05). However, range of motion was similar between the 2 groups. Compared with the Grammont-style prosthesis, the lateralized COR prosthesis with a decreased neck-shaft angle resulted in a lower incidence of both scapular notching and heterotopic ossification as well as better pain scores and a trend toward improved function at 1 year after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. [
Orthopedics
. 2018; 41(4):230–236.]
Arthroscopic Treatment of a Groin Mass Caused by a Paralabral Cyst
Authors: Ganokroj Phob , Lertwanich Pisit
Published: June 2018

A groin mass is an unusual presentation of hip-related problems. Paralabral cysts are common radiographic findings that are often associated with intraarticular pathology. The authors describe a 57-year-old woman who presented with a left groin mass for 6 months. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an acetabular paralabral cyst at the anterior aspect of the hip joint. Arthroscopic paralabral cyst decompression was performed. An associated degenerative anterosuperior labrum and partial tear of the ligamentum teres were also identified and treated with arthroscopic debridement. Postoperative imaging showed complete resolution of the cyst. There was no recurrence at the 2-year follow-up. [
Orthopedics
. 2018; 41(5):e724–e726.]