bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Multiagent Transfer Function Neuroapproach to Solve Fuzzy Riccati Differential Equations
Authors: Shahrir Mohammad Shazri , Kumaresan N. , Ratnavelu Kuru , Kamali M. Z. M.
Published: May 2014

A numerical solution of fuzzy quadratic Riccati differential equation is estimated using a proposed new approach for neural networks (NN). This proposed new approach provides different degrees of polynomial subspaces for each of the transfer function. This multitude of transfer functions creates unique “agents” in the structure of the NN. Hence it is named as multiagent neuroapproach (multiagent NN). Previous works have shown that results using Runge-Kutta 4th order (RK4) are reliable. The results can be achieved by solving the 1st order nonlinear differential equation (ODE) that is found commonly in Riccati differential equation. Multiagent NN shows promising results with the advantage of continuous estimation and improved accuracy that can be produced over Mabood et al. (2013), RK-4, and the existing neuromethod (NM). Numerical examples are discussed to illustrate the proposed method.
Use Dose Bricks Concept to Implement Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Treatment Planning
Authors: Wu Jia-Ming , Yu Tsan-Jung , Yeh Shyh-An , Chao Pei-Ju , Huang Chih-Jou , Lee Tsair-Fwu
Published: May 2014

Purpose. A “dose bricks” concept has been used to implement nasopharyngeal carcinoma treatment plan; this method specializes particularly in the case with bell shape nasopharyngeal carcinoma case.Materials and Methods. Five noncoplanar fields were used to accomplish the dose bricks technique treatment plan. These five fields include (a) right superior anterior oblique (RSAO), (b) left superior anterior oblique (LSAO), (c) right anterior oblique (RAO), (d) left anterior oblique (LAO), and (e) superior inferior vertex (SIV). Nondivergence collimator central axis planes were used to create different abutting field edge while normal organs were blocked by multileaf collimators in this technique.Results. The resulting 92% isodose curves encompassed the CTV, while maximum dose was about 115%. Approximately 50% volume of parotid glands obtained 10–15% of total dose and 50% volume of brain obtained less than 20% of total dose. Spinal cord receives only 5% from the scatter dose.Conclusions. Compared with IMRT, the expenditure of planning time and costing, “dose bricks” may after all be accepted as an optional implementation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma conformal treatment plan; furthermore, this method also fits the need of other nonhead and neck lesions if organ sparing and noncoplanar technique can be executed.
Recent Research and Applications of Numerical Simulation for Dynamic Response of Long-Span Bridges Subjected to Multiple Loads
Authors: Chen Zhiwei , Chen Bo
Published: May 2014

Many long-span bridges have been built throughout the world in recent years but they are often subject to multiple types of dynamic loads, especially those located in wind-prone regions and carrying both trains and road vehicles. To ensure the safety and functionality of these bridges, dynamic responses of long-span bridges are often required for bridge assessment. Given that there are several limitations for the assessment based on field measurement of dynamic responses, a promising approach is based on numerical simulation technologies. This paper provides a detailed review of key issues involved in dynamic response analysis of long-span multiload bridges based on numerical simulation technologies, including dynamic interactions between running trains and bridge, between running road vehicles and bridge, and between wind and bridge, and in the wind-vehicle-bridge coupled system. Then a comprehensive review is conducted for engineering applications of newly developed numerical simulation technologies to safety assessment of long-span bridges, such as assessment of fatigue damage and assessment under extreme events. Finally, the existing problems and promising research efforts for the numerical simulation technologies and their applications to assessment of long-span multiload bridges are explored.
Neighboring and Connectivity-Aware Routing in VANETs
Authors: Ghafoor Huma , Koo Insoo , Gohar Nasir-ud-Din
Published: May 2014

A novel position-based routing protocol anchor-based connectivity-aware routing (ACAR) for vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) is proposed in this paper to ensure connectivity of routes with more successfully delivered packets. Both buses and cars are considered as vehicular nodes running in both clockwise and anticlockwise directions in a city scenario. Both directions are taken into account for faster communication. ACAR is a hybrid protocol, using both the greedy forwarding approach and the store-carry-and-forward approach to minimize the packet drop rate on the basis of certain assumptions. Our solution to situations that occur when the network is sparse and when any (source or intermediate) node has left its initial position makes this protocol different from those existing in the literature. We consider only vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication in which both the source and destination nodes are moving vehicles. Also, no road-side units are considered. Finally, we compare our protocol with A-STAR (a plausible connectivity-aware routing protocol for city environments), and simulation results in NS-2 show improvement in the number of packets delivered to the destination using fewer hops. Also, we show that ACAR has more successfully-delivered long-distance packets with reasonable packet delay than A-STAR.
Atg6/UVRAG/Vps34-Containing Lipid Kinase Complex Is Required for Receptor Downregulation through Endolysosomal Degradation and Epithelial Polarity duringDrosophilaWing Development
Authors: Lőrincz Péter , Lakatos Zsolt , Maruzs Tamás , Szatmári Zsuzsanna , Kis Viktor , Sass Miklós
Published: May 2014

Atg6 (Beclin 1 in mammals) is a core component of the Vps34 PI3K (III) complex, which promotes multiple vesicle trafficking pathways. Atg6 and Vps34 form two distinct PI3K (III) complexes in yeast and mammalian cells, either with Atg14 or with UVRAG. The functions of these two complexes are not entirely clear, as both Atg14 and UVRAG have been suggested to regulate both endocytosis and autophagy. In this study, we performed a microscopic analysis of UVRAG, Atg14, or Atg6 loss-of-function cells in the developingDrosophilawing. Both autophagy and endocytosis are seriously impaired and defective endolysosomes accumulate upon loss of Atg6. We show that Atg6 is required for the downregulation of Notch and Wingless signaling pathways; thus it is essential for normal wing development. Moreover, the loss of Atg6 impairs cell polarity. Atg14 depletion results in autophagy defects with no effect on endocytosis or cell polarity, while the silencing of UVRAG phenocopies all but the autophagy defect of Atg6 depleted cells. Thus, our results indicate that the UVRAG-containing PI3K (III) complex is required for receptor downregulation through endolysosomal degradation and for the establishment of proper cell polarity in the developing wing, while the Atg14-containing complex is involved in autophagosome formation.
A Pilot Project of Early Integrated Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation in Singapore
Authors: Lui Siew Kwaon , Ng Yee Sien , Nalanga Annie Jane , Tan Yeow Leng , Bok Chek Wai
Published: May 2014

Objective.Document acute neurosurgical and rehabilitation parameters of patients of all traumatic brain injury (TBI) severities and determine whether early screening along with very early integrated TBI rehabilitation changes functional outcomes.Methods. Prospective study involving all patients with TBI admitted to a neurosurgical department of a tertiary hospital. They were assessed within 72 hours of admission by the rehabilitation team and received twice weekly rehabilitation reviews. Patients with further rehabilitation needs were then transferred to the attached acute inpatient TBI rehabilitation unit (TREATS) and their functional outcomes were compared against a historical group of patients. Demographic variables, acute neurosurgical characteristics, medical complications, and rehabilitation outcomes were recorded.Results.There were 298 patients screened with an average age of61.8±19.1years. The most common etiology was falls (77.5%). Most patients were discharged home directly (67.4%) and 22.8% of patients were in TREATS. The TREATS group functionally improved (P<0.001). Regression analysis showed by the intervention of TREATS, that there was a statistically significant FIM functional gain of 18.445 points (95% CI −30.388 to −0.6502,P=0.03).Conclusion.Our study demonstrated important epidemiological data on an unselected cohort of patients with TBI in Singapore and functional improvement in patients who further received inpatient rehabilitation.
Increasing Thermal Stability of Gelatin by UV-Induced Cross-Linking with Glucose
Authors: Masutani Evan M. , Kinoshita Christopher K. , Tanaka Travis T. , Ellison Andrew K. D. , Yoza Brandon A.
Published: May 2014

The effects of ultraviolet (254 nm) radiation on a hydrated gelatin-glucose matrix were investigated for the development of a physiologically thermostable substrate for potential use in cell scaffold production. Experiments conducted with a differential scanning calorimeter indicate that ultraviolet irradiation of gelatin-glucose hydrogels dramatically increases thermal stability such that no melting is observed at temperatures of at least 90°C. The addition of glucose significantly increases the yield of cross-linked product, suggesting that glucose has a role in cross-link formation. Comparisons of lyophilized samples using scanning electron microscopy show that irradiated materials have visibly different densities.
A new genus and species of Mantoididae (Mantodea) from the Brazilian and Venezuelan Amazon, with remarks on Mantoida Newman, 1838
Authors: AGUDELO R. ANTONIO A.
Published: May 2014

Paramantoida amazonica n. gen. & n. sp. is described from North Amazon. The new genus is characterized by having anterior femora without postero-ventral spines or with 1–2 spinules (small spines) at most. Additional remarks on the genus Mantoida, following the examination of several primary types, are also presented. As a result, the identity of Manti-llica beieri Kaltenbach, 1957 as a member of Mantoida is herein confirmed, whereas other synonyms previously established for other species of Mantillica in relation to Mantoida are discarded.
A revision of Miobantia Giglio-Tos, 1917 (Mantodea: Thespidae, Miobantiinae), with molecular association of dimorphic sexes and immature stages
Authors: SCHERRER MARCUS V.
Published: May 2014

The Neotropical praying mantis genus Miobantia Giglio-Tos, 1917 currently includes six species with a complex taxonomic history. Although frequently found in the atlantic forest of Brazil, little is known about these species. Several obstacles make it difficult identifying these mantids, including high levels of sexual dimorphism and both sexes known only for one of the six currently known species. The taxonomic boundaries among the species of Miobantia are proposed in this work, through a cladistic analysis using 99 morphological characters, and the analysis of sequence variation of approximately 700 bp of the mithocondrial gene COI for association of dimorphic sexes and nymphs. Additionally, an investigation of intraspecific variation is conducted based on a large number of specimens of M. fuscata (Giglio-Tos) in oder to choose the most relevant features for the separation of the species to be used in taxonomic descriptions and identification keys. The male of M. aptera Giglio-Tos, and the females of M. ciliata (Stål) and M. fuscata are described for the first time, and redescription of the males of these and the female of M. aptera, are provided based on additional data. Miobantia nebulosa (Giglio-Tos) is herein redescribed (male genitalia included) and proposed as a junior synonym of M. rustica (Fabr.). Additionally, four new species are here described, totaling nine species for the genus: M. immanis n. sp. (Espírito Santo, Brazil), M. arctissima n. sp. (Espírito Santo, Brazil), M. sulista n. sp. (Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; San Bernardino, Paraguay), and M. nordestina n. sp. (Bahia, Brazil); both sexes of all new species are described, except for M. arctissima, which remain known by males only. Identification keys and figures of diagnostic features are provided for both males and females of all valid species. The species distribution is mapped according to literature data and 50 new records.
Web-Based Reanalysis Intercomparison Tools (WRIT) for Analysis and Comparison of Reanalyses and Other Datasets
Authors: Smith Catherine A. , Compo Gilbert P. , Hooper Don K.
Published: May 2014

While atmospheric reanalysis datasets are widely used in climate science, many technical issues hinder comparing them to each other and to observations. The reanalysis fields are stored in diverse file architectures, data formats, and resolutions. Their metadata, such as variable name and units, can also differ. Individual users have to download the fields, convert them to a common format, store them locally, change variable names, regrid if needed, and convert units. Even if a dataset can be read via the Open-Source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol (commonly known as OPeNDAP) or a similar protocol, most of this work is still needed. All of these tasks take time, effort, and money. Our group at the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado and affiliated colleagues at the NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory Physical Sciences Division have expertise both in making reanalysis datasets available and in creating web-based climate analysis tools that have been widely used throughout the meteorological community. To overcome some of the obstacles in reanalysis intercomparison, we have created a set of web-based Reanalysis Intercomparison Tools (WRIT) at www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/data/writ/. WRIT allows users to easily plot and compare reanalysis datasets, and to test hypotheses. For standard pressure-level and surface variables there are tools to plot trajectories, monthly mean maps and vertical cross sections, and monthly mean time series. Some observational datasets are also included. Users can refine date, statistics, and plotting options. WRIT also facilitates the mission of the Reanalyses.org website as a convenient toolkit for studying the reanalysis datasets.
Treatment of Auricular Seroma
Authors: Nemade Sanjana V. , Naik Chetana S.
Published: May 2014

Objective:

Auricular seroma is a cystic swelling filled with serous fluid. It occurs spontaneously or following trauma. Successful treatment of the seroma remains a challenge because this disease has a high propensity for recurrence. The aim was to study the results of the Plaster of Paris (POP) cast in treatment of seroma in terms of complete resolution of swelling, recurrence, and auricular aesthesis.

Study Design:

Prospective.

Setting:

Smt. Kashibai Navale Medical College and General Hospital.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 48 patients with auricular seroma were studied. They were treated with aspiration of the cyst followed by compression dressing with a POP cast, taking the contour of the pinna. The POP cast was kept for 3 days. The patients were followed up for 6 months for recurrence.

Results:

Out of 48 patients, 43 patients had complete resolution of the swelling in a single application of the POP cast. Five patients needed 2 applications of the POP cast. Not a single patient had recurrence. Temporary discoloration or thickening of the pinna was noted in 8 patients. No major complications like perichondritis were noted.

Conclusion:

Aspiration and contour dressing using POP is an innovative and effective treatment for management of auricular seroma as it prevents surgical trauma and recurrence and gives cosmetically excellent results.
Mullitization of aluminosilicate diphasic gel in the presence of nickel oxide additive
Authors: Roy Jagannath , Maitra Saikat
Published: May 2014

Aluminosilicate diphasic gel was synthesized by using inorganic salts and characterized by chemical analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectroscopic studies and surface area and bulk density measurements. The gel powder was compacted with nickel oxide additive in three different ratios (wt/wt). Differential thermal analysis of gel samples with additive and without additive was carried out at four different heating rates and for each sample, the activation energy of mullitization was calculated using Kissinger equation. The microstructure and phase analysis were carried out by scanning electron microscopic and X-ray diffraction studies. Observation showed that nickel oxide favored the mullitization process.
Fabrication and properties of tungsten-copper alloy reinforced by titanium-coated silicon carbide whiskers
Authors: Xu Zengshi , Shi XiaoLiang , Zhai Wenzheng , Wang Yufu , Zhang Song
Published: May 2014

Titanium-coated silicon carbide whiskers were prepared by vacuum slow vapor deposition process. W-20Cu composite powder was fabricated by spray drying and calcining-continuous reduction technology. The paper adopted hot-press sintering to prepare titanium-coated silicon carbide whiskers/W-20Cu composites. Effects of addition amount of titanium-coated silicon carbide whiskers on the phases, microstructures, and properties of the composites were investigated. Titanium-coated silicon carbide whiskers/W-20Cu composites with improved mechanical properties and thermal conductivities were fabricated by hot-press sintering at 1350℃ under a pressure of 30 MPa for 2 h in pure Ar atmosphere. The transverse rupture strength and thermal conductivity of the 0.6 wt% titanium-coated silicon carbide whiskers/W-20Cu composite when compared with W-20Cu-based alloy were enhanced by 22% and 26%, respectively. With reasonable addition amount of titanium-coated silicon carbide whiskers, the composites without graphite, tungsten carbide, and silicon phases were obtained.
Sudden death due to coronary artery insufficiency as a result of massive cardiomegaly – a case report
Authors: Hugar Basappa S , Praveen S , Vinay J , Shetty Akshith Raj S
Published: May 2014

Forensic pathologists encounter a wide range of deaths due to natural causes. Natural deaths can be sudden and unexpected, occurring in apparently healthy people. All such cases have to be investigated and a medico-legal autopsy should be conducted to ascertain the cause of death, and to rule out any criminal cause of death. Here, we report a case of a 46-year-old male who collapsed at his workplace and died. There was no history of significant natural disease. The case was investigated due to the suddenness of his death and absence of a history of significant medical illness. An autopsy revealed that the death was due to coronary artery insufficiency as a result of massive cardiomegaly, although there was absence of significant occlusion of the coronary arteries.
The Science and Practice of Micronutrient Supplementations in Nutritional Anemia
Authors: Chan Lingtak‐Neander , Mike Leigh Ann
Published: May 2014

Nutritional anemia is the most common type of anemia, affecting millions of people in all age groups worldwide. While inadequate access to food and nutrients can lead to anemia, patients with certain health status or medical conditions are also at increased risk of developing nutritional anemia. Iron, cobalamin, and folate are the most recognized micronutrients that are vital for the generation of erythrocytes. Iron deficiency is associated with insufficient production of hemoglobin. Deficiency of cobalamin or folate leads to impaired synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid, proteins, and cell division. Recent research has demonstrated that the status of copper and zinc in the body can significantly affect iron absorption and utilization. With an increasing number of patients undergoing bariatric surgical procedures, more cases of anemia associated with copper and zinc deficiencies have also emerged. The intestinal absorption of these 5 critical micronutrients are highly regulated and mediated by specific apical transport mechanisms in the enterocytes. Health conditions that persistently alter the histology of the upper intestinal architecture, expression, or function of these substrate‐specific transporters, or the normal digestion and flow of these key micronutrients, can lead to nutritional anemia. The focus of this article is to review the science of intestinal micronutrient absorption, discuss the clinical assessment of micronutrient deficiencies in relation to anemia, and suggest an effective treatment plan and monitoring strategies using an evidence‐based approach.
Do AAO‐HNSF CORE Grants Predict Future NIH Funding Success?
Authors: Eloy Jean Anderson , Svider Peter F. , Kanumuri Vivek V. , Folbe Adam J. , Setzen Michael , Baredes Soly
Published: May 2014

Objective

To determine (1) whether academic otolaryngologists who have received an American Academy of Otolaryngology— Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO‐HNSF) Centralized Otolaryngology Research Efforts (CORE) grant are more likely to procure future National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding; (2) whether CORE grants or NIH Career Development (K) awards have a stronger association with scholarly impact.

Study Design and Setting

Historical cohort.

Methods

Scholarly impact, as measured by the h‐index, publication experience, and prior grant history, were determined for CORE‐funded and non–CORE‐funded academic otolaryngologists. All individuals were assessed for NIH funding history.

Results

Of 192 academic otolaryngologists with a CORE funding history, 39.6% had active or prior NIH awards versus 15.1% of 1002 non–CORE‐funded faculty (P <. 0001). Higher proportions of CORE‐funded otolaryngologists have received K‐series and R‐series grants from the NIH (P‐values <. 05). K‐grant recipients had higher h‐indices than CORE recipients (12.6 vs 7.1, P <. 01). Upon controlling for rank and experience, this difference remained significant among junior faculty.

Conclusions

A higher proportion of academic otolaryngologists with prior AAO‐HNSF CORE funding have received NIH funding relative to their non–CORE‐funded peers, suggesting that the CORE program may be successful in its stated goals of preparing individuals for the NIH peer review process, although further prospective study is needed to evaluate a “cause and effect” relationship. Individuals with current or prior NIH K‐grants had greater research productivity than those with CORE funding history. Both cohorts had higher scholarly impact values than previously published figures among academic otolaryngologists, highlighting that both CORE grants and NIH K‐grants awards are effective career development resources.
Exploring the association between volition and participation in daily life activities with older adults living in the community
Authors: Pritchard Elizabeth K , Brown G Ted , Barker Anna L , Haines Terry P
Published: May 2014

Objective:

To explore the association between volition and participation in daily activities with older adults living in the community.

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

Community-dwelling, residing in Victoria (Australia).

Participants:

A total of 244 adults, of 70 years and older, drawn from a convenience sample, living in their own homes.

Main measures:

Individuals’ participation in daily activities was obtained via phone interviews, from the completion of the Phone-FITT survey. Levels of volition (identified under three items; personal causation, values and interests) were collected using the Volition Scale. Analyses were completed through linear regression.

Results:

The participants’ mean age was 77.5 years (SD 5.7) with 60% being female. Higher levels of participation were associated with higher levels of volition in light housework ( n = 225, p = 0.008), shopping ( n = 239, p = 0.018), lifting weights to strengthen legs ( n = 23, p = 0.031), walking for exercise ( n = 163, p < 0.001) and gardening ( n = 183, p = 0.001).

Conclusions:

Increased volition is associated with increased participation in physical activities with community-dwelling older adults.
Succession of Property, Sales of Meação, and the Economic Empowerment of Widows of African Descent in Colonial Minas Gerais, Brazil
Authors: Dantas Mariana L. R.
Published: May 2014

Although Portuguese laws protected women’s right to property, the process of succession that followed a husband’s death in colonial Minas Gerais often threatened women’s economic well-being. Widows of African descent, moreover, were regularly denied custody of their children, having to defer to court-appointed guardians in matters regarding their property and education. In this context, some couples contracted the sale of the dying spouse’s meação to the surviving spouse. This understudied strategy of transmission of property empowered widows of African descent to act as heads of household and guardians to their children in ways that were not guaranteed by law.
Estimating the Impact of Oral Diabetes Medication Adherence on Medical Costs in VA
Authors: Wong Edwin S. , Bryson Chris L. , Hebert Paul L. , Liu Chuan-Fen
Published: May 2014

Background. Despite evidence demonstrating clinical benefits of oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs), adherence to OHAs is generally poor. The economic benefit of OHA adherence among patients in the Veterans Affairs Health System (VA) is unknown. Objective. This study assessed the impact of OHA adherence on medical costs and hospitalization probability in a VA population. Methods. This retrospective cohort study included 26 051 VA patients with diabetes who completed the 2006 Survey of Health Care Experiences of Patients. We calculated total costs in fiscal year (FY) 2007 from the VA perspective as the sum of costs for all inpatient and outpatient services provided by VA. We measured adherence using the medication possession ratio (MPR), which reflected the proportion of days covered in FY2007. Patients were classified as adherent if MPR ≥80%. Analyses using instrumental variables (IVs) addressed potential biases from unobserved confounding. Results. On average, adherent patients incurred lower total medical costs ($4051 vs $5133, P < 0.001) and were less likely to be hospitalized (4.6% vs 7.2%, P < 0.001) compared with nonadherent patients. After covariate adjustment, adherence was associated with a $170 reduction in total costs ( P < 0.011) and a 1.5 percentage point decrease ( P < 0.001) in hospitalization probability. IV estimates indicated that the impacts of OHA adherence were larger in magnitude. Conclusion. On average, OHA adherence was associated with lower medical costs of at least $170 per patient over a 1-year period. Results from this study are important for informing policy decisions to broadly disseminate programs to promote diabetes medication adherence, particularly in a VA setting.
Laughing in the Face of Climate Change? Satire as a Device for Engaging Audiences in Public Debate
Authors: Bore Inger-Lise Kalviknes , Reid Grace
Published: May 2014

Satire has long offered social and political commentary while entertaining audiences. Focusing on a Canadian stage play and its local reception, this article considers some of the key benefits and challenges of using satire to promote public engagement with climate change science. It demonstrates that satire can promote active and positive engagement with climate change debates. However, using satire risks confining representations to the humorous realm and requires communicators to consider the humor preferences of different publics. The article proposes recommendations for using satire in science communications.
Vibration-based delamination detection in composite beams through frequency changes
Authors: Zhang Zhifang , Shankar Krishna , Morozov Evgeny V , Tahtali Murat
Published: May 2014

Delamination is a common damage in fibre reinforced composite laminates, usually hidden from external view, that can substantially reduce the structural stiffness which changes the dynamic response of the structures such as natural frequencies. Natural frequencies are the most reliable parameters for detecting damage while they do not directly provide information regarding its location and severity. To determine the location and severity of damage, it is necessary to solve the inverse problem using frequency shifts in multiple modes. In this paper, the graphical approach, which was previously employed for estimating two variables of crack (location and size) in isotropic beams, is extended in the current work to estimate the three variables of delamination (interface, span-wise location and size) in anisotropic composite beams from measured frequency shifts. Compared to the use of optimisation or neural network for detection, graphical technique is computationally inexpensive and quick since it solves the inverse problem without iterations or network training. The present approach has been validated using numerical simulation as well as experimental data from modal testing conducted on quasi-isotropic simply supported and cantilever beams. Results show that the proposed graphical technique can be used to assess the location and severity of delamination in composite beams with a high degree of accuracy.
Robust penalty adaptive model predictive control (PAMPC) of constrained, underdamped, noncollocated systems
Authors: Dutta Abhishek , Ionescu Clara , Loccufier Mia , De Keyser Robin
Published: May 2014

This paper investigates the control challenges posed by noncollocated mechatronic systems and motivates the need for a model-based control technique towards such systems. A novel way of online constraint handling by penalty adaptation (PAMPC) is proposed and shown to be of particular relevance towards robust control of underdamped, noncollocated systems by exploiting the structure of such systems. Further, a new tunneling approach is proposed for PAMPC to maintain feasibility under uncertainty. The PAMPC is shown to be optimal for control of a benchmark mass–spring–damper system, which poses all the mentioned challenges.
The building performance model for evaluating bioaerosol data from suspect indoor environments
Authors: Spicer R. C. , Gangloff H. J.
Published: May 2014

The lack of numerical health based standards for airborne fungi has resulted in a variety of heuristically determined criteria to subjectively interpret data. Bioaerosol sampling utilizing spore trap methodology (direct microscopy of total non culturable spores) at three different facilities in September through October 2011 provided a bank of data to mathematically evaluate a standard mean-based numerical criterion and a widely utilized test of medians relative to a direct calculation of probability of population differences. Thirteen to 20 Air-o-Cell™ spore trap samples of 4 min duration were collected in each control zone and test zone from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm of the same day. Differences in fungal populations across control and test zones were evaluated using Student’s t test and the Mann–Whitney U test, and were compared to the directly calculated probability (significance) associated with observed differences in relative detection frequency (Δ fd) equal to or greater than an appropriate reference value (i.e. combined median). Results were consistent with earlier studies indicating directly calculated significance associated with Δ fd was consistent with water history, visible fungal growth, and/or building operational parameters, and serves as the basis for evaluating bioaerosol data within a building performance model.
Neighbourhood parks and reduction in stress among adolescents: Results from Buffalo, New York
Authors: Feda D. M. , Seelbinder A. , Baek S. , Raja S. , Yin L. , Roemmich J. N.
Published: May 2014

Planners and landscape architects have long recognized the critical role of green space in urban environments. This cross-sectional field study of 68 adolescents determined the association between percent neighbourhood park area and perceived stress among adolescents, while controlling for physical activity. This study is the first to examine this association using objective measures of park area and adolescents’ physical activity. A multivariate regression model indicated that percentage of park area ( β = −62.573, p < 0.03) predicts perceived stress among adolescents. Access to neighbourhood parks buffers adolescents against perceived stress after controlling for socio-economic status and physical activity. Policy recommendations for incorporating parks into neighbourhood design are given.
Queer sex vignettes from a Brazilian favela: An ethnographic striptease
Authors: Silva Moises Lino e
Published: May 2014

This article presents episodes of gay sex in the daily lives of people from a Brazilian shantytown (favela). It does so through a writing genre I call ‘ethnographic striptease’, which offers a picture of sexuality that is less ‘clinical’ and more similar to the form of an ‘erotic art’. This is based on the Foucauldian proposed distinction between two forms of knowledge discussed in History of Sexuality, Volume I: ‘scientia sexualis’ and ‘ars erotica’. I ask what an understanding of sexuality based more on the latter would look like. The result is presented in six concrete examples of this ethnographic form, which are provided in the article. These are followed by some personal commentaries, rather than by a ‘scientific analysis’ of them. By disrupting the boundaries of established narrative genres, the article offers a contribution towards the expansion of the ways in which human sexuality can be addressed and communicated. In a game of hiding and revealing, an ethnographic striptease offers a different look at queer sex life emerging from a large favela in Rio de Janeiro.
New directions for early literacy in a digital age: The iPad
Authors: Flewitt Rosie , Messer David , Kucirkova Natalia
Published: May 2014

In this paper, we discuss how iPads offer innovative opportunities for early literacy learning but also present challenges for teachers and children. We lent iPads to a Children’s Centre nursery (3- to 4-year-olds), a primary school reception class (4- to 5-year-olds) and a Special School (7- to 13-year-olds), discussed their potential uses with staff in pre- and post-interviews and observed how they were integrated into practice over a two-month period. We found variability in the ways iPads were used across the settings, but a commonality was that well-planned; iPad-based literacy activities stimulated children’s motivation and concentration. They also offered rich opportunities for communication, collaborative interaction, independent learning, and for children to achieve high levels of accomplishment. In some cases, this led teachers favourably to re-evaluate the children’s literacy competence, and enabled children to construct positive images of themselves in the literacy classroom. Practitioners particularly valued the opportunities iPads afforded to deliver curriculum guidelines in new ways, and to familiarise all students with touch-screen technologies.
Inversions of service-dominant logic
Authors: Vargo Stephen L. , Lusch Robert F.
Published: May 2014

Value creation, both its nature and scope, can be better and more accurately understood by inverting six characteristics of goods-dominant logic, or what is also known as “old enterprise logic” or “neoclassical economics,” into a service-dominant-informed perspective. These six inversions include (1) entrepreneurship and the view that value creation is an unfolding, emergent process seen as superordinate to management, (2) effectual processes understood as primary in relation to predictive processes and better for informing actors about the interactive, resource-integrating, collaborate nature of value creation, (3) marketing being fundamental to value creation and taking primacy over manufacturing, (4) innovation as more fundamental to, and descriptive of, value creation than invention, (5) a focus on effectiveness as captured by value in use and value in context for beneficial actors taking precedence over efficiency, which is inherently a firm-centric lens, and finally (6) the the predominant reliance on heuristics rather than rational, calculative decision making.
Institutional logics matter when coordinating resource integration
Authors: Edvardsson Bo , Kleinaltenkamp Michael , Tronvoll Bård , McHugh Patricia , Windahl Charlotta
Published: May 2014

Resource integration has become an important concept in marketing literature. However, little is known about the systemic nature of resource integration and the ways the activities of resource integrators are coordinated and adjusted to each other. Therefore, we claim that institutions are the coordinating link that have impact on value cocreation efforts and are the reference base for customers’ value assessment. When conceptualizing the systemic nature of resource integration, we include the regulative, normative, and cognitive institutions and institutional logics. This article provides a framework and a structure for identifying and analyzing the influence of institutional logics on resource integration in service systems.
Featured Article: Beta cell specific pyruvate dehydrogenase alpha gene deletion results in a reduced islet number and β-cell mass postnatally
Authors: Patel Mulchand S , Srinivasan Malathi , Strutt Brenda , Mahmood Saleh , Hill David J
Published: May 2014

The ability of pancreatic β-cells to undertake glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) depends on the generation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) within the mitochondria from pyruvate, a major rate-limiting enzyme being pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex (PDC). However, glucose metabolism also controls β-cell mass. To examine the role of PDC in the regulation of pancreatic β-cell development and maturation, we generated β-cell-targeted PDHα subunit knock-out male mice (β-PDHKO) and compared these with control males (β-PDHCT) from birth until 6–8 weeks age. Pancreas morphology, transcription factor expression, pancreatic insulin content, and circulating glucose and insulin values were compared. Compared to β-PDHCT male mice, β-PDHKO animals had significantly reduced pancreatic insulin content from birth, a lower serum insulin content from day 15, and relative hyperglycemia from day 30. Isolated islets from β-PDHKO mice demonstrated a reduced GSIS. The number of islets per pancreatic area, mean islet area, and the proportion of islet cells that were β-cells were all reduced in β-PDHKO animals. Similarly the number of insulin-immunopositive, extra-islet small endocrine cell clusters, a possible source of β-cell progenitors, was lower in β-PDHKO mice. Analysis of pancreatic expression of transcription factors responsible for β-cell lineage commitment, proliferation, and maturation, Pdx1, Neurogenin3, and NeuroD1 showed that mRNA abundance was reduced in the β-PDHKO. This demonstrates that PDC is not only required for insulin expression and glucose-stimulated secretion, but also directly influences β-cell growth and maturity, and positions glucose metabolism as a direct regulator of β-cell mass and plasticity.
Consumers’ propensity to resist: A contribution to the study of the Disposition to oppose market influence attempts
Authors: Banikema Annie Stéphanie , Roux Dominique
Published: May 2014

The purpose of this article is to propose a dispositional approach to consumers’ propensity to resist (CPR) that could predict critical behaviors in the marketplace. A literature review and a qualitative study are used to delineate the construct and its two dimensions – self-affirmation and self-protection. A measurement scale is then developed using four samples, two of which are representative. This data collection from 1721 individuals enables us to construct a final model that validates the relationships between the two dimensions of the CPR scale, its psychological antecedents and its effects on various consumption behaviors and critical orientations toward the market.
A sight on the current nanoparticle-based gene delivery vectors
Authors: Dizaj Solmaz Maleki , Jafari Samira , Khosroushahi Ahmad Yari
Published: May 2014

Nowadays, gene delivery for therapeutic objects is considered one of the most promising strategies to cure both the genetic and acquired diseases of human. The design of efficient gene delivery vectors possessing the high transfection efficiencies and low cytotoxicity is considered the major challenge for delivering a target gene to specific tissues or cells. On this base, the investigations on non-viral gene vectors with the ability to overcome physiological barriers are increasing. Among the non-viral vectors, nanoparticles showed remarkable properties regarding gene delivery such as the ability to target the specific tissue or cells, protect target gene against nuclease degradation, improve DNA stability, and increase the transformation efficiency or safety. This review attempts to represent a current nanoparticle based on its lipid, polymer, hybrid, and inorganic properties. Among them, hybrids, as efficient vectors, are utilized in gene delivery in terms of materials (synthetic or natural), design, and in vitro/in vivo transformation efficiency.
Possible benefits of singing to the mental and physical condition of the elderly
Authors: Sakano Katsuhisa , Ryo Koufuchi , Tamaki Yoh , Nakayama Ryoko , Hasaka Ayaka , Takahashi Ayako , Ebihara Shukuko , Tozuka Keisuke , Saito Ichiro
Published: May 2014

Background

The evaluation and management of stress are important for the prevention of both depression and cardiovascular disease. In addition, the maintenance of the oral condition of the elderly is essential to enable them to stay healthy, especially to prevent aspiration pneumonia and improve mental health in an aging society. Therefore, we examined the efficacy of singing on the oral condition, mental health status, and immunity of the elderly to determine if singing could contribute to the improvement of their physical condition.

Methods

Forty-four subjects (10 men, 34 women), aged 60 years or older, participated in this study. The efficacy of singing on mental health status and immunocompetence was examined by swallowing function, oral condition, blood, and saliva tests, as well as through questionnaires taken before and after singing.

Results

The results showed that the amount of saliva increased and the level of cortisol, a salivary stress marker, decreased after singing. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores for feeling refreshed, comfortable, pleasurable, light-hearted, relieved, and relaxed; the tension and confusion subscale score; and the total mood disturbance (TMD) score of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) all showed improvements. Furthermore, the same tendencies were shown regardless of whether or not the subjects liked singing.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that singing can be effective in improving the mental health and oral condition of the elderly.
A Framework for the Integration of Performance Based Design and Life Cycle Assessment to Design Sustainable Structures
Authors: Zhao X.L. , Li W. , Stanbrook J.
Published: May 2014

Sustainability is an issue that has become of key importance to the engineering industry. An important definition for sustainability is True Sustainability: a concept often termed the Triple Bottom Line Approach, which involves the balance of Economic, Social and Environmental sustainability. At present the focus on sustainable design within the engineering profession is on Environmental Sustainability and Green Design. This focus is too narrow with engineering systems not considering the other components of sustainability emphasizing the need for sustainable design to have a broader scope. This paper presents a framework attempting to overcome this narrow focus through the integration of two separate engineering design techniques, Performance Based Design and Life Cycle Assessment. The framework is a 6-step process that combines these two techniques through establishment of common goals. This integration presents a logical methodology that may be adopted by engineering professionals to design engineering systems to achieve True Sustainability. This framework will have several implications for the engineering field including changes to the current design-construction process and education of engineers. The framework is a base for continued research on how to implement design techniques into the engineering industry to enhance the sustainability of constructed systems.
Optimization Method and Experimental Study on the Shear Strength of Externally Prestressed Concrete Beams
Authors: Wang Jingquan , Qi Jianan , Zhang Jian
Published: May 2014

This paper presents a performance-based evolutionary topology optimization method for externally prestressed concrete(EPC) beams in automatically generating optimal strut-and-tie models using the finite element method. The concrete and steel bar elements with least contribution to the stiffness of the EPC beam are removed by calculating the element virtual strain energy. Load transfer mechanism of EPC beam is characterized by remaining elements. The optimal strut-and-tie model is determined from the topology history. A theoretical formula of the shear strength is derived from optimal strut-and-tie model for EPC beams. The model predicts possible modes of failure, which may be broadly classified into shear-type failure and flexural-type failure. 9 EPC beams were casted in place to evaluate the validation of the proposed method. The predictions of the method are compared with the 9 specimen and other available test results of EPC beams from literatures. Case studies are conducted and compared with the results of the ACI 318–11 Code and AASHTO specification equations to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed method. It is shown that the proposed method can be used in practice, especially in the design of complex externally prestressed concrete members where no previous experience is available.
Being there from afar: The media event relocated to the public viewing area
Authors: Becker Karin , Widholm Andreas
Published: May 2014

This article examines the media event as relocated to public viewing areas (PVAs) erected in cities across the globe, where people gather to watch the events together live on-screen. The study is based on ethnographic research carried out in PVAs located in selected cities during the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2012 Summer Olympics. We examine the relationships between these events, as reconstituted in these different locations through media networks, and the public’s participation via the event on-screen. The PVA emerges as a new location of experience and participation, with its own histories as a place of attraction for the local public and for visitors from afar, in what D. Massey would describe as an ‘intersection of local and global social relations’. The host city arena is no longer the self-evident ‘centre’ for this event, which has been pluralized through the complex web of media structures and the activities of participants who come to experience the event in these other, dispersed locations.