bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Elevator Risk and Code Requirements to Address These Hazards
Authors: Bress Thomas , Kennedy Eugenia , Sullivan MariAnne , Guttag Mark
Published: January 2020

The ASME A17.1 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators establishes safe practices in the design, construction, installation, operation, testing, inspection, and maintenance of elevators. This Code continues to be updated with new regulations to improve safety for elevator riders. The estimated number of elevators in service in the U.S. is approximately 1.1 million.1 Two of the most common injuries for elevator riders are associated with unexpected door closures and trips and falls when entering or leaving an elevator. A recent study reported that door-related incidents accounted for 40% of the total elevator related injuries [1]. This same study reported that another 40% of the total injuries were associated with trips and falls caused by elevator cars that were not level with the landing. These two hazards result in approximately 80% of the elevator-related injuries occurring at the entrance of the elevator. Other recent studies have concluded that older adults [2] and young children [3] are particularly impacted by these elevator-related hazards.

This paper will focus on identifying and analyzing the hazards associated with elevator door closures. In this study, the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reviewed from 1990 to 2017 to better understand the trends associated with door strikes, the affected body part and the age of those involved in the incidents. This study also explores and discusses the safety mechanisms currently available to address these hazards. An examination of updates to the ASME A17.1 Code along with improvements in door reopening technologies will be presented to guide the discussion.
Influence of Active Part Stiffness on Radiated Sound Power Level in Power Transformers
Authors: C. Linhares Cassiano , Costa João S. , Teixeira Ricardo E. R. , Coutinho Cristiano P. , Tavares Sérgio M. O. , Santo João P. A. E. , Mendes Hélder F. G.
Published: January 2020

Power transformers are associated with the radiation of unwanted noise in many circumstances due to its low frequency and relative high power, which reduction and mitigation is imperative. It is known that the main source of this noise are originated by the vibrations induced in the active part, namely the core, primarily due to electromagnetic forces and magnetomechanical effects. On the other hand, the laminated design of the core is indispensable in order to reduce the Foucault currents losses. Thus, in addition to the electrical requirements, the development of an appropriate model of the core dynamic behavior taking into account its segmented structure is urgent, in order to avoid resonances at any of the excitation frequencies. In the current proceeding, the influence of the core equivalent dynamic mechanical properties on a power transformer radiated noise was studied by performing a numerical parametric analysis. It was concluded that the active part stiffness properties, namely the directional component related to the out of lamination plane bending, ruled the vibroacoustic behavior of the transformer for the studied frequency range.
CFD Simulation of an Alfa-Stirling Engine to Study the Geometrical Parameters on the Engine Performance
Authors: Ferreira Ana C. , Teixeira Senhorinha F. C. F. , Oliveira Ricardo F. , Teixeira José C.
Published: January 2020

An alpha-Stirling configuration was modelled using a Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD), using ANSYS® software. A Stirling engine is an externally heated engine which has the advantage of working with several heat sources with high efficiencies. The working gas flows between compression and expansion spaces by alternate crossing of, a low-temperature heat exchanger (cooler), a regenerator and a high-temperature heat exchanger (heater). Two pistons positioned at a phase angle of 90 degrees were designed and the heater and cooler were placed on the top of the pistons. The motion of the boundary conditions with displacement was defined through a User Defined Function (UDF) routine, providing the motion for the expansion and compression piston, respectively. In order to define the temperature differential between the engine hot and the cold sources, the walls of the heater and cooler were defined as constant temperatures, whereas the remaining are adiabatic. The objective is to study the thermal behavior of the working fluid considering the piston motion between the hot and cold sources and investigate the effect of operating conditions on engine performance. The influence of regenerator matrix porosity, hot and cold temperatures on the engine performance was investigated through predicting the PV diagram of the engine. The CFD simulation of the thermal engine’s performance provided a Stirling engine with 760W of power output. It was verified that the Stirling engine can be optimized when the best design parameters combination are applied, mostly the regenerator porosity and cylinders volume, which variation directly affect the power output.
Design and Start-Up of an Automatic Paint Mixer
Authors: Maradey Lázaro Jessica Gissella , Cáceres Kevin , Garrido Gianina
Published: January 2020

In daily life, is very common to witness scenes in which it is necessary to obtain different ranges of colors in the paintings that are used either with water or oil. This range of colors comes from the fusion and homogenization of primary colors or tones. Frequently, the process of mixing and dosing are carried out by people who, by trial and error, determine the color desired by the user. Then, the quality and precision of the paint is affected and generate customer dissatisfaction, claims, waste, and low productivity.

This article shows the design and start up process of an automatic mixer prototype that doses and mixes paint to create complex color shades by implementing a human-machine interface and a control stage and verification.

Also, the results of this investigation shows the engineering process carried out to obtain a prototype of a functional, automatic, exact mixing machine and a homogenous and quality product that meets the customer’s requirements. Improvements that will can do and future work are included too.
The Evolution of Tridimensional Metrology: The Era of Computer Aided Metrology
Authors: Machado Michael , Silva João , Sousa João , Vale André Filipe Pinto
Published: January 2020

The use of Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) provides an accurate and versatile solution for industrial metrology, that is being in use for decades. Although the electromechanical components of these machines have not suffered a great evolution in the last decade, the software used for controlling the CMM have suffer a great development in the last years, making them more user friendly, offering more powerful solutions, such as better CAD support and a better degree of automation, resulting in a faster measuring process. Together with the implementation of new non-contact technologies, like optical sensors for measuring purposes. Overall this resulted in a step further in the functions of a CMM, the measuring process becomes more automatic for either calculations and machine control. The use of new technologies also offers the possibility to work with a bigger amount of data, and virtual data systems turning the process more versatile and able to satisfy the actual demand of the industry, reducing the overall time and price of the inspection process.
Effect of Moisture on the Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured PLA, ABS and PLA/SiC Composites
Authors: Kakanuru Padmalatha , Pochiraju Kishore
Published: January 2020

In this study the tensile properties of additively manufactured Polylactic Acid (PLA), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) particulate filled PLA composites were assessed after aging for 4.5 months at 50°C in distilled water. The maximum moisture gain in PLA was about 16% by weight, and ABS gained 0.65%. In PLA/SiC composites, the weight gain due to moisture absorption was inversely proportional to the weight percentage of SiC loading. The PLA specimens degraded completely during aging without measurable residual strength. While the addition of SiC to PLA increased the room temperature tensile strength at lower volume fractions of SiC, the degradation of aged strength was similar to that of the pure PLA. The PLA/SiC composites had no measurable strength after aging. The ABS specimens retained their strength and failure strain after aging.
Numerical Investigation on a Flat - Tube Heat Exchanger in Metal Foam
Authors: Buonomo Bernardo , Cascetta Furio , di Pasqua Anna , Ginetti Piera , Manca Oronzio
Published: January 2020

A numerical analysis on a heat exchanger in aluminum foam with flat tubes is accomplished. The flow equations in two-dimensional steady state regime are written considering the local volume averaging process. The foam considered as an open porous medium is modelled in local thermal non-equilibrium (LTNE) under the Darcy-Brinkman-Forchheimer hypothesis. The metal foam behaviors such as porosity and pore density (pore per inch, PPI) are assigned equal to 0.9353 and 20. Several configurations of the flat tube with different dimensions are considered. A fixed surface temperature on the flat tube is selected and several mass flow rates are examined. The numerical solutions are carried out by means of the Ansys-FLUENT code Pressure drop in the system and average heat transfer coefficient on the flat tube external surfaces are presented. Moreover, pressure and temperature fields are reported for the different configurations. At the end, a comparison with the same scheme characterized by a circular tube is accomplished.
Effect of Uvula Length on Airflow and Pressure Oscillation in a Human Pharynx Model
Authors: Zhao Xuanming , Wang Junshi , Han Pan , Xi Jinxiang , Dong Haibo
Published: January 2020

Unsteady uvula motions and the resultant pressure oscillations within the pharyngeal airway are critical for the pathology of snoring and sleeping apnea. In this paper, an immersed-boundary-method based direct numerical simulation flow solver was adopted to simulate the unsteady flows in an anatomically accurate pharynx model reconstructed from human magnetic resonance images (MRI) with prescribed uvula oscillation and airway obstruction. In order to study the influence of uvula length on the aerodynamics of pharyngeal airflow, simulations were conducted using various uvula models with scaled uvula lengths at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the original length, respectively. Analyses of vortex dynamics, pressure oscillations, and the aerodynamic force of uvula were conducted. It was found the length of uvula had significant impacts on vortex development as well as aerodynamic pressure/force. Shorter uvula induced weaker pressure oscillations and fewer vortices in the airway. Further fast Fourier transform analysis of pressures from different pressure probes showed higher-order harmonic waves other than the base frequency of uvula motion. This study is expected to bring understanding of snoring and sleep apnea and provide guidance for surgery.
A Capacity Planning Model for Microgrids in Rural India
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Arkasama , Ramirez-Meyers Katrina , Wikramanayake Enakshi D. , Leibowicz Benjamin D. , Webber Michael E. , Bahadur Vaibhav
Published: January 2020

In this study, we develop a load estimation method and an optimization tool for community-driven planning of rural electricity systems which aims to encourage stakeholder involvement in planning processes and reinforce the sustainability of small-scale electrification projects. Electricity demand is estimated through the bottom-up construction of load profiles based on devices used in three common rural end-use sectors. A cost minimization model is then implemented to determine the least-cost capacity composition that can be installed based on the load profile and energy availability. The energy sources modeled are small-scale wind, hydro, solar (photovoltaic), diesel, and battery. In the base case, which includes the three sectors equally, most of the optimal capacity (77%) is provided by renewable energy at an average levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of $0.05/kWh for a notional village with 500 houses. The base case results are compared to the results when each sector is respectively favored. The results show that backup dispatchable generation and batteries can both be solutions to intermittent renewables, and the choice between the two appears to depend on the load shape. We also find that the base case results are not very sensitive to the CO2 tax, suggesting that not only are renewables cost-competitive with or without the tax, but they also benefit economically from coupling with cheap fossil fuel generators.
Application of Extended Kalman Filter to Dynamic Tracking Problem in R-LATs
Authors: Su Wenjun , Jia Kang , Hong Jun , Liu Zhigang
Published: January 2020

Many applications requiring dynamic tracking have been needed in large-scale. As a novel distributed measurement system, RLATs is presented and the key techniques are shown in detail. Because of the intrinsical drawback of distributed measurement systems, the Extend Kalman Filter approach is introduced to eliminate the tracking error and improve the tracking accuracy. State space model of RLATs are formulated, and an analytical expression for the linearized measurement function is derived. Comparison with the method of LS simulated data which presented a considerable improvement and stability in accuracy and the proposed EKF method while target’s moving speed is less than 100 mm/s.
An Enhanced Hybrid Model for Teaching Mechanics of Structures Courses
Authors: Rodríguez-Paz Miguel X. , González-Mendivil Jorge A. , Zárate-García J. Asuncion , Zamora-Hernandez Israel
Published: January 2020

In this paper we show results on how a proposed enhanced model for the teaching of Applied Mechanics Courses, particularly Mechanics of Structures courses, facilitates the motivation of students and lecturers resulting in an overall improvement of student satisfaction and their grades. The use and design of new spaces for teaching of such engineering courses that make use of collaborative activities and the solution of specific challenges are also presented. The enhanced model presented in this paper includes the use of new technologies in teaching, namely offline video repositories, new facilities for the teaching that are no longer the classic lecture room and the combination of traditional techniques such as tutorials. The paper also shows how they are incorporated into the proposed teaching model resulting in an hybrid model. The model is applied to a number of courses at the undergraduate level taken by second-year Architecture and Civil Engineering students. The results show that all the factors mentioned above are well received by students and improve the overall satisfaction that students show for the selected courses and above all, the improvement in the passing rates for the courses. The conclusions and results presented in this paper could help in the design of new courses and spaces for teaching of courses that are considered difficult by students, such as Applied Mechanics Courses.
Study of the Effect of Carbon Nano-Tube Waviness and Volume Fraction on the Damping Property of a Polymer Composite
Authors: Kulkarni Shank S. , Tabarraei Alireza , Shukla Satyam
Published: January 2020

Composites including carbon nanotubes are of great value due to their thermal, electrical and mechanical properties. They have a wide range of uses in the structural and electrical/electronic industry due to their high strength to weight ratio and high conductivity. Here we study the effect of carbon nanotube waviness and volume fraction on the damping properties of a polymer composite. The analysis is done using the finite element method over a representative volume element which consists of carbon nanotubes as inclusions dispersed in a viscoelastic matrix. The carbon nanotubes are of similar density as the matrix but have a higher modulus of elasticity. This study analyzes the effect of change in volume fraction and waviness of the nanotubes on the damping properties when subjected to a range of vibration frequencies under mixed boundary conditions. This study also analyzes the effect of two different loading direction while keeping the boundary conditions the same. It has been observed that the damping capacity of the composite is greatly dependent on applied loading frequency. Also, the damping capacity of composite decreases significantly as the volume fraction of nanotubes increases. The waviness of nanotubes also has a similar effect on damping property of composite as of volume fraction of nanotubes.
Experimental Investigation of PolyJet 3D Printing Process: Effects of Finish Type and Material Color on Color Appearance
Authors: Wei Xingjian , Zeng Li , Pei Zhijian
Published: January 2020

The Stratasys J750 PolyJet printer is capable of printing full-color parts. However, little information is currently available about the effects of finish type and material color on color appearance of parts printed by the PolyJet process. In this study, the effects of finish type and material color on color appearance of PolyJet printed parts are investigated; two finish types (glossy and matte) and four material colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) are considered. The results suggest that the main effects of finish type and its interactions with material color are significant. Especially, the effects of finish type when material color is black are more significant among the material colors. These results would be valuable to users of the full-color PolyJet 3D printer.
Dependence of Measuring Instrument Eccentricity and Tilt Error on the Four Mathematical Methods of Circularity Form Errors
Authors: Ghosh Suhash , Sahay Chittaranjan , Malempati Poorna Pruthvi Chandra , Singh Swetabh
Published: January 2020

In precision machining of cylindrical parts, the measurement and evaluation of circularity is an indispensable component to quantify form tolerance. Of all the methods of measuring these form errors, the most precise is the one with accurate spindle/turntable type measuring instrument. On the instrument, the component is rotated on a highly accurate spindle which provides an imaginary circular datum. The workpiece axis is aligned with the axis of the spindle by means of a centering and tilt adjustment leveling table. Based on reference circles, this paper focuses on the four modeling methods of roundness, namely, (1) Least Squares Circle (LSC), (2) Maximum Inscribed Circle (MIC), (3) Minimum Circumscribed Circle (MCC) and (4) Minimum Zone or Minimum Radial Separation (MRS) Circles. These methods have been explained in author’s previous article in the context of their implications on design applications, advantages and disadvantages. In this article, the authors have investigated the dependence of these mathematical methods based circularity form error on instrument’s centering error (also known as eccentricity) and tilt error. Some intriguing results were observed for the highly nonlinear relationship of machine’s centering/tilt error with circularity results outside its useful linear region (50–600 μin for this specific machine used in this investigation). Further, the linear and nonlinear relationship was mapped within the effective boundaries of eccentricity settings to investigate the best and worst methods of circularity measurements that are susceptible to instrument errors. Very high and low machine eccentricity settings in its nonlinear regions were not accurately compensated by the machine in circularity results processing. In this study, a master part with different circular and cylindrical features was studied with varying levels of preset instrument eccentricity and tilt errors. Off the four methods, MRS reported the least circularity results. The other three methods didn’t provide any predictable trend. Circularity results were observed to differ up to 35% within these four methods. However, in this preliminary investigation, this maximum difference doesn’t appear to follow any predictable trend with varying machine eccentricities. This article also reinforces the significance of these parameters, and the way they should be understood and be incorporated into undergraduate and graduate engineering curriculum, and be taught as an improved toolkit to the aspiring engineers.
Transient Thermal Performance and Ground Temperature Variation for a Heat Pump System Using High Thermal Conductivity Energy Piles
Authors: Mwesigye Aggrey , Nguyen Hiep V. , Daneshazarian Reza , Bayomy Ayman , Atefrad Pedram , Dworkin Seth B.
Published: January 2020

To reduce the cost of ground source heat pump systems (GSHPs), the use of foundation piles as ground heat exchangers is a promising alternative. Unlike conventional systems, no additional drilling costs are incurred, greatly reducing the initial cost. In this study, the influence of varying pile sizes and grout backfill material thermal conductivity on the performance of a foundation pile ground heat exchanger is numerically modelled and optimized. Piles with diameters between 0.15 m and 2 m with a depth of 30 m, and backfill material with thermal conductivities of 2.0 W/mK and 3.6 W/mK have been considered. The study was accomplished using a thoroughly validated finite element model that determines the ground temperature distribution and energy transfer rates accurately. First, steady state performance was determined for different inlet temperatures in the range 0 to 45°C, then, using an actual heating and cooling load profile for a balanced building, the performance of the heat pump system was determined over a 4-year period. From the study, only the 2000 mm pile gives the most stable performance for the load used with COPs between 3.1 and 6.2 for the 2.0 W/mK backfill material. Smaller piles are shown to be unsuitable for the load, leading to malfunctioning of the heat pump in the cooling season. For a 1200 mm pile, the COP is in the range 0–6.0, but does not handle the cooling loads in the summer. Improving the thermal conductivity from 2.0 W/mK to 3.6 W/mK for the 1200 mm significantly improves the cooling performance and helps avoid failure of the heat pump. The cooling COP increases to about 2.0 from below zero values when the thermal conductivity is 2.0 W/mK for the 1200 mm pile.
Atomistic Investigation on Mechanical Properties of Sn-Ag-Cu Based Nanocrystalline Solder Material
Authors: Motalab Mohammad , Subad Rafsan A. S. I. , Ahmed Ayesha , Bose Pritom , Paul Ratul , Suhling Jeffrey C.
Published: January 2020

In order to develop light weight electrical components, the nano-sized lead free solders have been identified as potential materials to provide better mechanical properties as compared to the conventional solders. Sn–Ag–Cu (SAC) solders have been widely acknowledged as one of the most promising replacements for Sn-Pb solders. In our previous work, mechanical properties of single crystal SAC solder material were investigated through atomistic simulation studies. In this work, the mechanical properties of nanocrystalline SAC305 (nc-SAC305) (96.5Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu) solder have been investigated through molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. A set of modified embedded atom method (MEAM) potential parameters have been proposed for nc-SAC solder. Impact of grain size, strain rate and temperature on the uniaxial tensile properties have been studied. The results have revealed an inverse Hall-Petch relationship in the nc-SAC305 material, and grain boundary decohesion is observed as the dominating failure mechanism. The results also suggest that the ultimate tensile strength of SAC305 significantly increases with increasing strain rate. Moreover, increased ductility and decreased ultimate tensile strength are observed at elevated temperatures.
Vibration Performance of Axially Graded Polymeric Viscoelastic Beams
Authors: Heras Segura Mariona , Singh Kumar Vikram , Khan Fazeel
Published: January 2020

Structures having a non-homogenous axial distribution of geometrical and material parameters have shown marked improvements in their load carrying capacity, bucking and vibration characteristics. Viscoelastic polymeric materials inherently offer a combination of stiffness and damping which are dependent on frequency and temperature. Therefore, the vibration and dynamic behavior of such engineering structures can be manipulated by grading polymeric viscoelastic materials in a structure. In this research, the transverse vibration performance of an axially graded polymeric beam is considered through systematic modeling and optimization study. A piecewise continuous model has been developed for axially graded beams and their free vibration and frequency response characteristics were analyzed for different combination and grading schemes of polymeric materials. By spatially distributing the range of polymeric materials along the span, spectral characteristics (natural frequencies, modal damping) of graded beams are obtained. Numerical simulations are carried out with axially graded beams made of materials (PLA, ABS, Nylon and TPU) which are easily available for 3D printing. Their spectral characteristics were analyzed and it is demonstrated that frequency and damping characteristics can be manipulated with a prescribed axial distribution of viscoelastic materials. Hence they can be the basis for optimal structural design to achieve a desired dynamic performance.
The Vibration and Modal Power Flow Analysis of a Functionally Graded Material Beam With an Open Crack
Authors: Liang Xiaotian , Li Tianyun , Heng Xing , Hu Xiaofang , Zhu Xiang
Published: January 2020

The free vibration and modal power flow of a functionally graded material (FGM) beam with an open crack are studied. The crack is simulated by using the massless-rotational spring model. The natural frequencies and corresponding modal shapes of the cracked beam are obtained by the wave propagation method. A modal power flow formula of the FGM beam is deduced by Bernoulli-beam theory. A detailed parametric study is conducted to show the influences of crack location, crack depth, material property gradient, and boundary condition on the modal power flow characteristics based on a modal power flow damage index. Numerical examples show that the damage index based on the modal power flow can effectively identify the crack in the FGM beam, which provides the basis for the future study on the modal power flow based damage detection of functionally graded material structures.
Afterword
Authors: P. Bond A. Obermayer
Published: January 2020

Alois Vogel, Total Blackout
Preface
Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

John Graham, Letters to a Distant Cousin
Part 2
Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

John Graham, Letters to a Distant Cousin
German Studies in Australia: A Question of Interdisciplinarity
Authors: Mehigan Tim
Published: January 2020

New Directions in German Studies
Differenzanalysen: Gender-Forschung und interkulturelle Literaturwissenschaft in Deutschland
Authors: Gutjahr Ortrud
Published: January 2020

New Directions in German Studies
Teaching and Learning German as a Foreign Language: Two Competing Perspectives?
Authors: Schneider Britta
Published: January 2020

New Directions in German Studies
Best-practice Language Learning Online: A State-of-the-Art Review
References

Authors: Felix Uschi
Published: January 2020

New Directions in German
Vorwort
Einleitung

Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Alois Vogel, Romane
3.4. Stellung der beiden Großparteien zum Krieg und Nationalsozialismus

ÖVP

SPÖ

3.5. Die wissenschaftliche Auseinandersetzung mit den Jahren 1934-1945

3.6. Die Schriftsteller und die Vergangenheitsbewältigung

3.6.1. Die Schriftsteller und der Februar 1934

3.6.2. Die Schriftsteller und die nationalsozialistische Herrschaft in Österreich

Phasen der literarischen Vergangenheitsbewältigung

4. Das Echo der Veröffentlichung von Schlagschatten und Totale Verdunkelung

4.1. Geschichte der Veröffentlichung von Schlagschatten und Totale Verdunkelung

4.2. Zeitungsausschnitte

4.2.1. Humanität, die menschliche Komponente

4.2.2. Glaubwürdigkeit und Authentizität

4.2.3. Technik, ästhetische Lösungen

4.2.4. Vorbilder und Vergleiche mit anderen Autoren

4.2.5. Kritik

4.2.6. Fehler und Ungenauigkeiten

4.2.7. Wovon nur wenige schreiben

Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Alois Vogel, Romane
AUS DEM NACHLASS POSTHUMOUS POEMS
Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Alois Vogel, Lyrische Autobiogrphie
Gespräch 17. - 19. Oktober 1980
Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

S. Ryan - Gerhard Roth: Gespräche
9 OPG (A-W)
 1 ape 'Fluß' Angerapp, lit. upe, Absteinen, Aplenken up to 153 gorme 'Hitze'

Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

K. Brazaitis, J. Bobrowski, Pruzzische Vokabeln
154 gabawo 'Kröte' - 323 neikaut 'wandeln'

Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

K. Brazaitis, J. Bobrowski, Pruzzische Vokabeln
Animal Encounters and Ecological Anxiety in W. G. Sebald
Authors: Jones Emily
Published: January 2020

W. G. Sebald’s works engage deeply with the environment as the catalyst for historical meditation, as affectively laden places, as embodiment of his vision of the archive, as contested territory, and as projection screen for a variety of anxieties. However, his texts also deal with the environment itself, sometimes in the context of human dominance over ‘nature’ and sometimes on its own terms. In these situations, his unnamed first-person narrators collide with the material environment in ways that highlight the porousness of the boundary between nature and culture and between the human body and the supposedly external environment. These encounters with non-human matter and agency take the form of struggles against resistant plant matter, post-industrial toxic landscapes, global inorganic threats like storms and erosion, and encounters with animal life and death.The most famous examples of animal life in Sebald’s works are found in Die Ringe des Saturn, where the narrator muses at length over the herring fishing industry in Suffolk and the cultivation and killing of silkworms. However, many of his other works also feature encounters with animals both alive and dead. My essay, which is situated at the intersection of material ecocriticism and animal studies, and draws from theories in both of those fields, will interrogate the above as well as animals in captivity in Austerlitz and Die Ringe des Saturn, non-domesticated animals both dead and alive in Nach der Natur, and the taxidermied bodies of animals across his works.By studying these non-human bodies and agencies, I will demonstrate that the suffering and killing of animals by humans in Sebald are not just ciphers for the killing of humans, as some have argued. Instead, encounters with animals both alive and dead represent despair for the damage done to the environment by humans. Moreover, these encounters ultimately convey a nostalgia for a lost, perhaps imagined nature and the ability to interact with it. John Berger’s theory of the animal gaze, Rachel Poliquin’s study of taxidermy and ecological nostalgia, Donna Haraway’s theories of companion species, Jane Bennett’s vital materialism, and Timothy Morton’s theory of hyperobjects inform my approach to Sebald’s animal encounters. I also intend to interrogate the role of animal studies in Anthropocene studies and material ecocriticism. This is of particular interest in the field of German studies, where ecocriticism too often takes for granted the nature-culture divide and the existence of the wild. I hope to provoke a debate about the validity of those approaches to environmental humanities in the Anthropocene.Keywords: W. G. Sebald Ecocriticism Animals, Ecology
FOREWORD
Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Horváth
ABBREVIATIONS
Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Horváth
III. THE VOLKSSTÜCKE
1. Survey of Secondary Literature

1.1 Towards a Definition of the Volksstück

2. Die Bergbahn and the Critique of Heimatdichtung

2.1 Heimatdichtung and the Volksstück Tradition: Anzengruber, Schönherr, Zuckmayer

2.2 The Politisation of the Volksstück

3. "Volksfeste" and Eros

4. The 'Stadt-Land' Contrast

5. "Die kleinen Verbrechen" and Criticism of the Judiciary

6. The Happy-endings of the Volksstücke as Disappointed Utopias

Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Horváth Volksstücke
IV. THE EXILE COMEDIES
1. Die Unbekannte aus der Seine and Mit dem Kopf durch die Wand
1.1 Two versions of the L'inconnue de la Seine Legend and its Sources

1.1.2 Frank Wedekind's Musik

1.1.3 The Unbekannte and the Undine Legend

1.2 Die Unbekannte aus der Seine between Kitsch and Tragedy

1.3 Mit dem Kopf durch die Wand as Parody
Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Horvath comedy
II. DARSTELLUNGEN
1.Literaturkritische Essays, Werkanalysen, Interpretationen und Abhandlungen zu Einzelaspekten Nr. 296-349

2. Dissertationen und Diplomarbeiten Nr. 350-356

3. Artikel und Hinweise in Literaturlexika und literaturgeschichtlichen Handbüchern Nr. 357-373

4. Rezensionen in Tages- und Wochenzeitungen, Zeitschriften und Rundfunksendungen

die autobiographie des albert einstein Nr. 374-382

Der Ausbruch des Ersten Weltkriegs und andere Romane Nr. 383-388

Der Wille zur Krankheit Nr. 389-395

Lichtenberg Nr. 396-406

Herr Mantel und Herr Hemd Nr. 407-412

Der große Horizont Nr. 413-435

Ein neuer Morgen Nr. 436-455

Sehnsucht (Graz) Nr. 456-478

Sehnsucht (Basel) Nr. 479-490

Sehnsucht (Wien) Nr. 491-492

Sehnsucht (Berlin) Nr. 493-500

Sehnsucht (Saarbrücken) Nr. 501

Winterreise Nr. 502-535
Dämmerung Nr. 536-547

Menschen, Bilder, Marionetten - Prosa, Kurzromane, Stücke Nr. 548-556

Der stille Ozean Nr. 557-589

Bruno Kreisky Nr. 590-596

Circus Saluti Nr. 597-610

On the Boarderline/Grenzland Nr. 611-615

Die schönen Bilder beim Trabrennen Nr. 616

Das Töten des Bussards Nr. 617-619

 Landläufiger Tod u. Dorfchronik zum "Landläufigen Tod" Nr. 620-647

Erinnerungen an die Menschheit Nr. 648-688

Am Abgrund Nr. 689-708

Gsellmanns Weltmaschine Nr. 709-711

Franz Lindner und er selber Nr. 712-715

Der Untersuchungsrichter. Die Gechichte eines Entwurfs Nr. 716-731

 Über Bienen Nr. 732-737

Im tiefen Österreich Nr. 738-747

Über Bilder. Österreichische Malerei nach 1945 Nr. 748-752

Eine Reise in das Innere von Wien Nr. 753-770

Die Gechichte der Dunkelheit Nr. 771-794

 Die Archive des Schweigens Nr. 795-805

Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Gerhard  Roth, Bibliographie 1966-1994
5. Rezensionen und Kommentare zu Filmen und Verfilmungen Nr. 806-893
6. Kommentare zu Peisverleihungen

Der Literaturpreis des Landes Steiermark Nr. 894-900

Der Preis des Literaturmagazins des Südwestfunks N. 901

Das Stipendium des Förderungsprogramms 'Auswärtige Künstler zu Gast in Hamburg' Nr. 902-903

Der Würdigungspeis für Literatur des Bundesministeriums für Unterricht und Kunst Nr. 904-912

Der manuskripte-Preis Nr. 913-914

Großer Preis des Stadt Wien u. der Marie-Luise-Kaschnitz-Preis Nr. 915-919

7. Vermischte Kommentare und Beiträge zu Werk und Biographie in Zeitungen und Zeitschriften Nr. 920-1000

8. Rezensionen zu Fotoausstellungen Nr. 1001-1004

Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Gerhard Roth, Bibliographie 1966-1994
Personenregister
Authors: -- --
Published: January 2020

Gerhard Roth, Bibliographie 1966-1994
A comparison between two modal domain methods for personal audio reproduction
Authors: Zhu Qiaoxi , Qiu Xiaojun , Coleman Philip , Burnett Ian
Published: January 2020

Personal audio provides private and personalized listening experiences by generating sound zones in a shared space with minimal interference between zones. One challenge of the design is to achieve the best performance with a limited number of microphones and loudspeakers. In this paper, two modal domain methods for personal audio reproduction are compared. One is the spatial harmonic decomposition (SHD) based method and the other is the singular value decomposition (SVD) based method. It is demonstrated that the SVD based method provides a more efficient modal domain decomposition than the SHD method for 2.5 dimensional personal audio design. Simulation results show that the SVD based method outperforms the SHD one by up to 10 dB in terms of acoustic contrast and up to 17 dB in terms of reproduction error for a compact arc array with five loudspeakers, while requiring fewer microphones around the zone boundaries. The SVD based method retains the inherent efficiency of optimizing in a modal domain while avoiding the inherent geometric limitations of using SHD basis functions. Thus, this approach is advantageous for applications with flexible system geometries and a small number of loudspeakers and microphones.
Low-dose naltrexone as a treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome
Authors: Bolton Monica Jane , Chapman Bryan Paul , Van Marwijk Harm
Published: January 2020

Naltrexone is used as an off-label treatment in low doses for several chronic immune-modulated disorders in many countries. Although only small-scale clinical trials have been performed, these suggest efficacy in several diseases including Crohn’s disease, fibromyalgia and Gulf War Illness. Despite numerous internet reports of response to low-dose naltrexone (LDN), no clinical trials exist in people with chronic fatigue syndrome. This condition is characterised by chronic profound fatigue, postexertional malaise, pain and autonomic and neurocognitive disturbances. This series of three case reports compiled by people with long-term ill-health due to chronic fatigue syndrome shows the range of responses they observed when taking LDN, from life changing to a reduction in some symptoms only. Treatment doses ranged from 4 to 12 mg. Clinical trials may be warranted to explore the potential use of naltrexone in people with these debilitating illnesses which currently have no licensed treatments available.
Impact of blinding on estimated treatment effects in randomised clinical trials: meta-epidemiological study
Authors: Moustgaard Helene , Clayton Gemma L , Jones Hayley E , Boutron Isabelle , Jørgensen Lars , Laursen David R T , Olsen Mette F , Paludan-Müller Asger , Ravaud Philippe , Savović Jelena , Sterne Jonathan A C , Higgins Julian P T , Hróbjartsson Asbjørn
Published: January 2020

Objectives

To study the impact of blinding on estimated treatment effects, and their variation between trials; differentiating between blinding of patients, healthcare providers, and observers; detection bias and performance bias; and types of outcome (the MetaBLIND study).

Design

Meta-epidemiological study.

Data source

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2013-14).

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies

Meta-analyses with both blinded and non-blinded trials on any topic.

Review methods

Blinding status was retrieved from trial publications and authors, and results retrieved automatically from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Bayesian hierarchical models estimated the average ratio of odds ratios (ROR), and estimated the increases in heterogeneity between trials, for non-blinded trials (or of unclear status) versus blinded trials. Secondary analyses adjusted for adequacy of concealment of allocation, attrition, and trial size, and explored the association between outcome subjectivity (high, moderate, low) and average bias. An ROR lower than 1 indicated exaggerated effect estimates in trials without blinding.

Results

The study included 142 meta-analyses (1153 trials). The ROR for lack of blinding of patients was 0.91 (95% credible interval 0.61 to 1.34) in 18 meta-analyses with patient reported outcomes, and 0.98 (0.69 to 1.39) in 14 meta-analyses with outcomes reported by blinded observers. The ROR for lack of blinding of healthcare providers was 1.01 (0.84 to 1.19) in 29 meta-analyses with healthcare provider decision outcomes (eg, readmissions), and 0.97 (0.64 to 1.45) in 13 meta-analyses with outcomes reported by blinded patients or observers. The ROR for lack of blinding of observers was 1.01 (0.86 to 1.18) in 46 meta-analyses with subjective observer reported outcomes, with no clear impact of degree of subjectivity. Information was insufficient to determine whether lack of blinding was associated with increased heterogeneity between trials. The ROR for trials not reported as double blind versus those that were double blind was 1.02 (0.90 to 1.13) in 74 meta-analyses.

Conclusion

No evidence was found for an average difference in estimated treatment effect between trials with and without blinded patients, healthcare providers, or outcome assessors. These results could reflect that blinding is less important than often believed or meta-epidemiological study limitations, such as residual confounding or imprecision. At this stage, replication of this study is suggested and blinding should remain a methodological safeguard in trials.
Variation of effect estimates in the analysis of mortality and length of hospital stay in patients with infections caused by bacteria-producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Shamsrizi Parichehr , Gladstone Beryl Primrose , Carrara Elena , Luise Dora , Cona Andrea , Bovo Chiara , Tacconelli Evelina
Published: January 2020

Objective

To assess the variation of effect estimates in the analysis of mortality and length of stay (LOS) in patients with infections caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producingEnterobacteriaceae.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis

Methods

Literature search for clinical studies from 1 January 1960 to 1 October 2018 was conducted in PubMed. Primary outcomes were risk ratios (RRs) of all-cause and attributable mortality and weighted mean differences (WMDs) in LOS in patients with bloodstream infections (BSIs) and non-invasive infections. Any change in the effect estimates was assessed by grouping studies according to design, setting, economy-based country classification, reporting period, microbiological aetiology, infection type and adjustment for appropriateness of empirical treatment. The impact of ESBL production was calculated using random-effect meta-analysis and heterogeneity was evaluated by I2statistics and metaregression.

Results

Eighty-four studies including 22 030 patients and 149 outcome measures were included in the meta-analysis. Most studies were retrospective cohorts from high-income countries, providing unadjusted estimates. ESBL production in patients with BSIs (56 studies) increased the RR for all-cause mortality by a factor of 1.70 (95% CI 1.52 to 1.90; p<0.001), attributable mortality (16 studies) by 1.75 (95% CI 1.448 to 2.108; p<0.001) and WMD in the intensive care unit by 3.07 days (95% CI 1.61 to 4.54; p<0.001). WMD in hospital LOS was significantly higher in BSIs (4.41 days; 95% CI 3.37 to 5.46; p<0.001) and non-invasive (2.19 days; 95% CI 1.56 to 2.81; p<0.001). Subgroup analyses showed variation of estimates by study design, population, strain and assessment of appropriateness of empiric treatment. High heterogeneity was observed in all analyses.

Conclusions

Current evidence of the clinical burden of infections caused by ESBL-producing bacteria is highly heterogeneous and based mainly on unadjusted estimates derived from retrospective studies. Despite these limitations, ESBL production in strains causing BSIs seems associated with higher all-cause and attributable mortality and longer hospitalisation.
Epidemiology of knee osteoarthritis in general practice: a registry-based study
Authors: Spitaels David , Mamouris Pavlos , Vaes Bert , Smeets Miek , Luyten Frank , Hermens Rosella , Vankrunkelsven Patrik
Published: January 2020

Objectives

The present study investigated (1) trends in the prevalence and incidence of knee osteoarthritis over a 20-year period (1996–2015); (2) trends in multimorbidity and (3) trends in drug prescriptions.

Design

Registry-based study.

Setting

Primary healthcare, Flanders, Belgium.

Participants

Data were collected from Intego, a general practice-based morbidity registration network. In the study period between 1996 and 2015, data from 440 140 unique patients were available.

Outcome measures

Trends in prevalence and incidence rate of knee osteoarthritis were computed using joinpoint regression analysis. The mean disease count was calculated to assess trends in multimorbidity. In addition, the number of drug prescriptions was identified by the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification code and trends were equally recorded with joinpoint regression.

Results

The total age-standardised prevalence of knee osteoarthritis increased from 2.0% in 1996 to 3.6% in 2015. An upward trend was observed with an average annual percentage change (AAPC) of 2.5 (95% CI 2.2 to 2.9). In 2015, the prevalence rates in the 10 year age groups from the 45–54 years age group onwards were 3.1%, 5.6%, 9.0% and 13.9%, to reach 15.0% in people aged 85 years and older. The incidence remained stable with 3.75‰ in 2015 (AAPC=−0.5, 95% CI −1.4 to 0.5). The mean disease count significantly increased from 1.63 to 2.34 (p<0.001) for incident cases with knee osteoarthritis. Finally, we observed a significantly positive trend in the overall prescription of acetaminophen (AAPC=6.7, 95% CI 5.6 to 7.7), weak opioids (AAPC=4.0, 95% CI 0.9 to 7.3) and glucosamine (AAPC=8.6, 95% CI 2.4 to 15.1). Oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were most prescribed, with a prevalence rate of 29.8% in 2015, but remained stable during the study period (AAPC=0.0, 95% CI −1.1 to 1.1).

Conclusions

Increased prevalence, multimorbidity, and number of drug prescriptions confirm an increased burden of knee osteoarthritis. In future, these trends can be used to prioritise initiatives for improvement in care.
Study protocol for a nationwide questionnaire survey of physical activity among breast cancer survivors in Japan
Authors: Shimizu Yoichi , Tsuji Katsunori , Ochi Eisuke , Arai Hirokazu , Okubo Ryo , Kuchiba Aya , Shimazu Taichi , Sakurai Naomi , Narisawa Tomomi , Ueno Taro , Iwata Hiroji , Matsuoka Yutaka
Published: January 2020

Introduction

A major concern is that few cancer survivors meet the guidelines for recommended levels of physical activity. No studies have investigated physical activity among breast cancer survivors nationwide in Japan. Therefore, the aims of this study are to identify the levels of physical activity among breast cancer survivors, to examine factors-related physical activity among breast cancer survivors and to identify breast cancer survivors’ preferences for and interest in exercise programmes in order to inform the future programme development.

Methods and analysis

We will administer a cross-sectional survey using a self-report questionnaire to breast cancer survivors. At each of 50 facilities selected to include a variety of institutional backgrounds according to the population distribution of different regions throughout Japan, we will consecutively distribute the questionnaire to 30 outpatients who have completed initial treatments, except for hormone therapy. The target sample size is 1500 survivors. We will calculate descriptive statistics for each measurement item and perform univariate and multivariate analyses using outcome measures (eg, physical activity and quality of life) related to physical, psychological, social and environmental factors.

Discussion

This is the first nationwide survey of physical activity levels among breast cancer survivors in Japan. Identifying the factors associated with physical activity will help us to develop, disseminate and implement programmes that encourage more survivors to adhere to physical activity guidelines.

Ethics and dissemination

The protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the National Cancer Center on 11 January 2019 (ID: 2018–295). In addition, many of the participating facilities required ethical approval from their local IRBs, while others did not. Accordingly, approval from the local IRBs of individual facilities was obtained when required. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.