bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adolescents’ Drawing and Divergent Thinking: Does Culture Matter?
Authors: Bottinelli Katherine , Kyeong Yena , Cheung Cecilia
Published: September 2018

The current study examined the association between adolescents’ divergent thinking and features of their drawings in the United States and China. A total of 321 American (n = 125) and Chinese (n = 196) adolescents completed a battery of assessments on divergent thinking and free drawing adapted from the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT). Central (e.g., focal object) and contextual (e.g., background) features characterizing adolescents’ drawings were coded. Results indicated that Chinese adolescents included more central features in their drawings compared to their American counterparts. Chinese, but not American, adolescents’ inclusion of contextual features was positively associated with their divergent thinking. Findings suggest the potential for culture to influence adolescents’ cognition, such that contextual features in drawings may be particularly conducive to the development of divergent thinking in cultures where contextual sensitivity is emphasized.
Estudo da fadiga muscular pela eletromiografia e força muscular, após dois protocolos de estimulação elétrica funcional
Authors: Silva Soraia Micaela , Corrêa João Carlos Ferrari , Amaral Tatiane Soares , Pereira Henrique Ângelo Nunes , Jerônimo Jéssica Cândido , Sampaio Luciana Maria Malosá , Corrêa Fernanda Ishida
Published: September 2018

Introdução: São necessários treino e parâmetros específicos a fim de evitar a fadiga no treinamento com estimulação elétrica funcional. Objetivo: Verificou-se o aparecimento da fadiga muscular em pacientes, pós AVE, para melhor compreender um parâmetro de estimulação elétrica, a frequência. Métodos: Analisou-se o comportamento da fadiga muscular usando-se a frequência mediana e avaliou-se a contração voluntária máxima isométrica do músculo bíceps braquial hemiparético de 18 indivíduos, em sete momentos. Utilizou-se uma corrente quadrada e bifásica, com t”on” de 10 s., e t”off” de 30 s., e frequência variável de 50 Hz (protocolo 1) e 2.000Hz (protocolo 2). Resultados: Foi observado que não houve diferença estatisticamente significante (p0,05) entre os protocolos 1 e 2; não sendo registrada diferença no período imediatamente pós-terapia. Conclusões: Pelas ferramentas de mensuração utilizadas, eletromiografia e força muscular, não foi possível detectar o aparecimento da fadiga muscular com os dois protocolos de estimulação elétrica funcional utilizados.
Avaliação do desconforto postural em manicures
Authors: Machado Daniela Chaves , Santos Maria Milene Adriano , Bachiega Joanna Carolina , Côrrea João Carlos Ferrari , Mesquita-Ferrari Raquel Agnelli , Fernandes Kristianne Porta Santos , Bussadori Sandra Kalil
Published: September 2018

Introdução: As desordens musculoesqueléticas encontram-se no topo das doenças ocupacionais e a manicure pertence a um grupo profissional exposto ao risco de adquirir algum tipo desses distúrbios. Objetivo: Descrever a frequência das queixas osteomusculares e os principais fatores associados em manicures. Método: Realizou-se um estudo de corte transversal e de caráter descritivo em cem manicures, utilizou-se o mapa de desconforto postural como instrumento de avaliação. Foram calculadas as frequências e porcentagens da idade, do tempo de profissão e das regiões com mais desconforto das voluntárias. Para as associações entre as regiões anatômicas e idade e tempo de profissão, usou-se o teste Qui-quadrado. Resultados: Houve associação de desconforto na mão esquerda com relação à idade das mulheres. Observou-se que 33% das manicures encontravam-se na faixa etária entre 21 a 30 anos e 56% tinham entre 1 a 10 anos de profissão. Conclusão: Não houve muito desconforto nas regiões anatômicas estatisticamente significantes.
Pomoc, opieka i ratownictwo w Polsce w latach wojny i okupacji (1939–1945). Szkic zagadnienia
Authors: Theiss Wiesław
Published: September 2018

W artykule została podjęta próba naszkicowania obrazu pomocy, opieki i ratowania dzieci w Polsce w czasie wojny i okupacji lat 1939–1945. Cel ten skupia się na takich czterech głównych obszarach tematycznych, jak: indywidualna trauma, straty ludnościowe Polski, sytuacja zagrożenia, solidarność społeczna i akcje pomocy dzieciom. Zostały ukazane główne obszary wojennych zagrożeń i zbrodni na dzieciach, a także zakres i formy pomocy dzieciom, w tym pomocy instytucjonalnej oraz osobowej. Obok celów informacyjno-porządkowych i interpretacyjnych, tekst ten sygnalizuje potrzebę pedagogiczno-historycznych badań nad historią dzieciństwa, widzianą przez pryzmat II wojny światowej i okupacji lat 1939–1945.
Testimony as Political Argument
Authors: Szalay Mátyás
Published: September 2018

On the one hand, when compared with the ‘original meaning’ of politics in the Classical or Christian thought, contemporary liberal democracies in general understand politics in a reduced sense. On the other hand, however, democratic debates constantly allow for opening new horizons of interpreting politics. One way to radically renew politics is accepting authentic testimonies as political arguments. To illustrate this point, I offer the reflective analysis of a concrete case concerning the hotly debated topic of migrants in Europe: a Benedictine monastery receives and hosts illegal migrants in Hungary. This example deserves our interest for – when not tendentiously misinterpreted – it can neither be classified as an argument of the conservative approach to migrants nor does it support the liberal reading of the events. It implies, at the same time, a positive and a negative critique to both approaches by simply going beyond the usual political categories. In order to see how testimony works as a political argument I undertake three steps: 1) Instead of defining testimony, I show through a phenomenological analysis three characteristics of the given example that are both, essential and relevant for political discourse: a) the essentially indeterminate meaning of testimony; b) self-exposure and self-sacrifice; c) the particular political message of authentic testimony. In the next step, I offer a brief analysis of contemporary political discourse to highlight those aspects concerning which authentic testimonies may transform the meaning of politics: a) mediatization; b) lack of authenticity and credibility; c) technical scientific language; d) impersonal approach to political issues. As a third step, I unite these two analysis by asking what counts as a political argument in general and whether and how testimonies can function as political arguments. In my conclusion, I distinguish two types of politics according to their attitude towards testimony: one that is open to authentic testimonies and one that rejects them. By showing some fatal consequences of the latter option I argue for recovering some of politics’ original meaning.
Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases in the Lower Respiratory Tract: A Cytopathologist's Perspective
Authors: Baldassarri Rebecca J. , Kumar Deepika , Baldassarri Stephen , Cai Guoping
Published: September 2018

Context.—

Respiratory cytology continues to play an important role in the diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infections. Prompt, accurate diagnosis of causative organisms is of paramount importance, particularly in immunosuppressed patients. In addition, a rapidly expanding arsenal of ancillary testing is now available, aiding tremendously in organism identification.

Objective.—

To provide an updated review on the cytomorphologic features of common organisms in lower respiratory tract infection. Relevant ancillary tests, differential diagnoses, and potential pitfalls of organism identification will also be discussed.

Data Sources.—

Data for this review were gathered from PubMed searches of infectious diseases of the lower respiratory tract, especially related to the diagnoses.

Conclusions.—

The lower respiratory tract is subject to infection by a wide variety of infectious agents. Pathologists should be familiar with common organisms, including their general clinical characteristics, cytomorphologic features, differential diagnoses, and ancillary methods of detection. Above all, correlation with microbiologic and clinical information is necessary to make a confident diagnosis of infection.
The Ballygiblins
Authors: Smith Laura J.
Published: September 2018

Drawing on interpretations and reactions to the violence of the 1824 Ballygiblin riot in the Bathurst District of Upper Canada, this article examines the local reception of assisted Irish Catholic immigrants to the region. In their reaction to the new arrivals, Bathurst District residents demonstrated the extent to which local priorities for settlement were at odds with that of British emigration policy. The reception of the Irish was conditioned by the legacy of the so-called “old world” in real and expected patterns of violence; by a local culture that prized loyalty, Protestantism, and pioneer manhood; and by the immediate context of British emigration policy and the process by which that policy was applied, interpreted, and experienced.
The Ontario Veterinary College and the Establishment of the University of Guelph
Authors: Woodger Kevin , Stone Elizabeth A.
Published: September 2018

This paper examines the creation of the University of Guelph in the early 1960s from the perspective of the Ontario Veterinary College, one of the University’s three founding colleges. We argue that although there were concerns that OVC would be overshadowed if it were to join a traditional university, the prospect of the creation of the University of Guelph was greeted largely with enthusiasm and the College benefitted from a close association with a traditional university. Nevertheless the faculty and alumni of OVC were genuinely concerned that joining a traditional university would hamper its ability to train veterinarians and divert much needed funding to other disciplines. In contrast, in its sister school the Ontario Agricultural College, any fears associated with joining a university came from politicians and administrators rather than from within Ontario’s agricultural community.
The Making of a Conservationist
Authors: Warecki George
Published: September 2018

Published accounts of the work of J.R. Dymond, a zoology professor at the University of Toronto, director of the Royal Ontario Museum, and a significant force for conservation in Ontario emphasize his contributions to the natural history movement, and his influence on scientific research and the protection of natural areas in provincial parks. Relatively little attention has been paid to his early life and the local environments that shaped his views of nature. This article uses the concept of “place” to explain how Dymond became a conservationist. His experiences in specific locations—a product of social relations and the landscapes themselves—gave those places meaning and shaped his values. Such environments included the family farm and surrounding countryside in southwestern Ontario’s Metcalfe Township, Strathroy Collegiate Institute, the University of Toronto and nearby natural areas, places in Ottawa, and various lakes in B.C. and Ontario.
“The varieties and unsettled habits of this new land”
Authors: Schuurs Erin Elizabeth
Published: September 2018

This article argues that Mary O’Brien’s journals highlight her family’s strategy to achieve economic and social security by establishing long-term goals, identifying an advantageous and socially superior position amongst neighbours, and making everyday choices which furthered these goals and advantages. Her account of her life in Upper Canada demonstrates the hidden workings of an agrarian household in a way that is much more personal than a census or tax record. The use of primary sources such as Mary’s journals enables location specific generalizations to be made while examining a larger historical experience. This article is, therefore, concerned with placing the experiences of a farm wife within the context of settlement, class, and labour in the first half of the nineteenth-century.
Upper Canadian Thermidor
Authors: McKim Denis
Published: September 2018

This article challenges the notion that the Family Compact was a self-interested clique who stunted Upper Canada’s political, social, and economic development. It argues, instead, that members of the group articulated a dynamic vision for the colony premised on the “balanced” British constitution, state-aided Anglicanism, and a vibrant agrarian economy led by a paternalistic elite. Of central importance to the Compact’s vision for Upper Canada was a longstanding conservative tradition that had its roots in late-seventeenth-century England, and was reinforced a century later by a multifaceted counter-revolutionary phenomenon that manifested on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
The Court & the Cataracts
Authors: Wentzell Tyler
Published: September 2018

The establishment of the Queen Victoria Niagara Falls Park involved an extensive expropriation by the Government of Ontario. The perceived social value of parks had been increasing in recent years, but this was the first time in Canada that private land had been expropriated in order to create a park. The majority of the land owners engaged in arbitration, while three land owners took their objections as far as the Ontario Court of Appeal. The enacting legislation along with these proceedings provide unique insight into life around the falls, the role of the Ontario Court of Appeal, and the nature of expropriation and the establishment of parks in late nineteenth century Ontario.
“A sparkling example of what aggressiveness, imagination, and skill can accomplish”
Authors: Commito Michael
Published: September 2018

This article argues that the brutal aftermath of the catastrophic Mississagi forest fire in 1948 enabled Dubreuil Brothers Limited (DBL), formerly of Quebec, to grow and develop while salvaging timber for the Crown. The Ontario government, so concerned with getting the project concluded, essentially tolerated sub-par performances from contractors such as DBL for the sake of expediency. The salvage shaped DBL’s formative years, but its success after 1952 was largely due to its drive and resolve. Part environmental history and part business history, the rise of Dubreuil Brothers Limited tells the distinctive story of a company that defied the stereotypical views of French-Canadian business. It may have been forged by fire but it remained viable through entrepreneurial spirit and ingenuity.
An Ecological Call to Arms
Authors: O’Connor Ryan
Published: September 2018

This article argues that the 22 October 1967 broadcast of The Air of Death was a central event in the emergence of environmental activism in Ontario. A production of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, The Air of Death examined air pollution’s adverse impact upon the environment. This documentary drew the ire of industrial interests as a result of its allegations of human fluorosis poisoning in Dunnville, Ontario. Subsequently, the film and the team behind it were subjected to two high-profile investigations, an Ontario ordered Royal Commission and a Canadian Radio-Television Commission hearing. This controversy resulted in the creation Ontario’s first two environmental activist organizations, most notably the highly influential Pollution Probe at the University of Toronto, which would play a key role in shaping the province’s nascent environmental community.
Underground Games: Surface Translation and the Grotesque
Authors: Fraser Ryan
Published: September 2018

Referenced by theory for seemingly contradictory purposes, the practice of “surface translation” has an ambivalent status within Translation Studies. This is not surprising, as the principle of ambivalence informs both its composition and its conversation with its reader. Nevertheless, a positive step toward a more productive conception of surface translation was accomplished by Jean-Jacques Lecercle (1990), who defined it as a formin extremisof linguistic interference or mixing. Guided by this conception, I would argue here that the practice is in all respects identifiable with the Classical and Medieval ornamental style known by art history as the “grotesque.” This is the first study to identify surface translation with the grotesque. Five specific points of comparison are leveraged here: 1) Both surface translation and grotesque art are created through the proscribed mixing of incompatible materials; 2) Both are peripheral art forms involving play with margins; 3) Both aspire toward the “perverse,” “comic,” and/or “monstrous” in their mixes; 4) Both tend to be explained as the product of impulsive thinking; 5) The experience that these mixtures are designed to produce is “ambivalence.”
Language and Quality Assurance: A Case Study Highlighting the Effects of Power, Resistance, and Countertactics in Academic Program Reviews
Authors: Bowker Lynne
Published: September 2018

Quality assurance has been recognized as being important in higher education; however, there are numerous reports that it is challenging to engage faculty members in quality assurance processes in a meaningful way. A frequently cited reason for faculty members’ resistance is that they find the process to be authoritarian and non-collegial. This paper presents a case study which shows that changing the tone of the language used to communicate with academics about the institutional quality assurance process—from a bureaucratic and authoritative tone to a more collegial one—can serve as a countertactic to help mitigate the resistance of faculty members to this process. Using corpus-based techniques, we investigate the language used in documents to communicate with faculty members about quality assurance. We then demonstrate that, following a linguistic revision to introduce a more collegial tone to these communications, faculty members appear to be more willing to engage in the quality assurance process in a meaningful way.
Strained Silicon Layer in CMOS Technology
Authors: Pešić-Brđanin Tatjana , Dokić Branko L.
Published: September 2018

Semiconductor industry is currently facing with thefact that conventional submicron CMOS technology isapproaching the end of their capabilities, at least when it comes toscaling the dimensions of the components. Therefore, muchattention is paid to device technology that use new technologicalstructures and new channel materials. Modern technologicalprocesses, which mainly include ultra high vacuum chemicalvapor deposition, molecular beam epitaxy and metal-organicmolecular vapor deposition, enable the obtaining of ultrathin,crystallographically almost perfect, strained layers of high purity.In this review paper we analyze the role that such layers have inmodern CMOS technologies. It’s given an overview of thecharacteristics of both strain techniques, global and local, withspecial emphasis on performance of NMOS biaxial strain andPMOS uniaxial strain. Due to the improved transport propertiesof strained layers, especially high mobility of charge carriers, theemphasis is on mechanisms to increase the charge mobility ofstrained silicon and germanium, in light of recent developments inCMOS technology.
Cost Effective Implementation of Fixed Point Adders for LUT based FPGAs using Technology Dependent Optimizations
Authors: Khurshid Burhan , Naaz Roohie
Published: September 2018

Modern day field programmable gate arrays(FPGAs) have very huge and versatile logic resources resulting inthe migration of their application domain from prototypedesigning to low and medium volume production designing.Unfortunately most of the work pertaining to FPGAimplementations does not focus on the technology dependentoptimizations that can implement a desired functionality withreduced cost. In this paper we consider the mapping of simpleripple carry fixed-point adders (RCA) on look-up table (LUT)based FPGAs. The objective is to transform the given RCABoolean network into an optimized circuit netlist that canimplement the desired functionality with minimum cost. Weparticularly focus on 6-input LUTs that are inherent in all themodern day FPGAs. Technology dependent optimizations arecarried out to utilize this FPGA primitive efficiently and theresult is compared against various adder designs. Theimplementation targets the XC5VLX30-3FF324 device fromXilinx Virtex-5 FPGA family. The cost of the circuit is expressedin terms of the resources utilized, critical path delay and theamount of on-chip power dissipated. Our implementation resultsshow a reduction in resources usage by at least 50%; increase inspeed by at least 10% and reduction in dynamic powerdissipation by at least 30%. All this is achieved without anytechnology independent (architectural) modification.
Vector-Controlled Induction Motor Drive with Minimal Number of Sensors
Authors: Adžić Evgenije M. , Porobić Vlado B. , Vekić Marko S. , Ivanović Zoran R. , Katić Vladimir A.
Published: September 2018

This paper proposes an improved and robustinduction motor drive control method which uses minimalnumber of sensors, providing only dc-link current measurementas a feedback signal. The proposed dc-link current samplingscheme and modified asymmetrical PWM pattern cancelcharacteristic waveform errors which exist in all threereconstructed line currents. In that way, proposed method issuitable for high-quality and high-performance drives.Comparison between conventional and proposed currentreconstruction method is performed using hardware-in-the-loop(HIL) test platform and digital signal processor (DSP).
Nonparabolic effects in multiple quantum well structures and influence of external magnetic field on dipole matrix elements
Authors: Demić Aleksandar , Radovanović Jelena , Milanović Vitomir
Published: September 2018

We present a method of modeling of nonparabolic effects (NPE) in quantum nanostructures by using second order perturbation theory. We apply this model on multiple quantum well structures and consider the influence of external magneticfield on dipole matrix element which is usually considered constant. The dipole matrix element directly influences the optical gain, and our model can provide a better insight to how NPE and magnetic field influence the gain of quantum nanostructures.
Joint Effect of Heterogeneous Intrinsic Noise Sources on Instability of MEMS Resonators
Authors: Jakšić Olga , Jokić Ivana , Frantlović Miloš , Randjelović Danijela , Tanasković Dragan , Lazić Žarko , Vasiljević-Radović Dana
Published: September 2018

This article's focus is on the numerical estimation of the overall instability of microelectromechanical-system-based (MEMS) resonators, caused by intrinsic noise mechanisms that are different in nature (electrical, mechanical or chemical). Heterogeneous intrinsic noise sources in MEMS resonators that have been addressed here are Johnson–Nyquist noise, 1/f noise, noise caused by temperature fluctuations and adsorptiondesorption induced noise. Their models are given first (based on analytical modeling or based on empirical expressions with experimentally obtained parameters). Then it is shown how each one contributes to the phase noise, a unique figure of merit of resonators instability. Material dependent constants  and knee position in noise spectrum, needed for empirical formulae referring to 1/f noise, have been obtained experimentally, by measurements of noise of MEMS components produced in the Centre of Microelectronic Technologies of the Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy in Belgrade. According to these measurements,  varies in the range from 0.776.10-4 to 2.26.10-4 and cut off frequency for 1/f noise varies from 147 Hz to 1 kHz. The determined values are then used for the modeling of micro-resonator phase noise with electrical origin and overall phase noise of a micro-resonator. Numerical example for calculation of overall phase noise is given for a micro-cantilever, produced by the same technology as measured components. The outlined noise analysis can be easily extended and applied to noise analysis of MEMS resonator of an arbitrary shape.
Preventive Thermographic Diagnostic of a HV Busbar Disconnector
Authors: Šaraba Predrag , Ljuboje Zoran , Popović Božidar , Krsmanović Dražan
Published: September 2018

For the purpose of increasing quality, continuity and, at the same time, of increasing reliability and decreasing the losses in an electric power system (EPS), there is an emerging need for preventive diagnostic testing. From the standpoint of an electric power system availability, it is desirable to perform as many tests as possible without a violation of operating conditions of the system itself. The paper presents the thermographic testing of a HV disconnector, as an online testing with the aim of preventive maintenance and condition diagnosis of particular elements, as well as the suggestions for taking adequate measures with the aim of removing potential malfunctions. For the testing results to be quality and to give a reliable information, the load of a facility must be bigger that 50% of the nominal power. On the basis of obtained thermograms, the analysis of the disconnector and its contacts is performed, as well as of the contacts towards other elements in the facility.
An Improved Design of Gallager Mapping for LDPC-coded BICM-ID System
Authors: Zhou Lin , Huang Weicheng , Peng Shengliang , Chen Yan , He Yucheng
Published: September 2018

Gallager mapping uses different signal points with different probabilities by assigning several labels for one signal point, and thus provides a promising approach to achieving shaping gains. An important issue in Gallager mapping is how to assign labels for signal points. In this paper, two optimized design rules for Gallager mapping of bit-interleaved coded modulation scheme with iterative decoding (BICM-ID) are proposed, where the Hamming distance among the labels for one signal point should be minimized. The extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) technique is utilized to design and analyze the proposed mapping patterns. Compared with conventional Gallager mapping, our proposed method provides extra shaping gain for the LDPC-coded BICM-ID system. And our proposed method supplies better performance than conventional uniform mapping with the same spectrum efficiency.
High Dimensional Electromagnetic Interference Signal Clustering Based On SOM Neural Network
Authors: Li Hongyi , Zhao Di , Xu Shaofeng , Wang Pidong , Chen Jiaxin
Published: September 2018

In this paper, we study the spectral characteristics and global representations of strongly nonlinear, non-stationary electromagnetic interferences (EMI), which is of great significance in analysing the mathematical modelling of electromagnetic capability (EMC) for a large scale integrated system. We firstly propose to use Self-Organizing Feature Map Neural Network (SOM) to cluster EMI signals. To tackle with the high dimensionality of EMI signals, we combine the dimension reduction and clustering approaches, and find out the global features of different interference factors, in order to finally provide precise mathematical simulation models for EMC design, analysis, forecasting and evaluation. Experimental results have demonstrated the validity and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Low Voltage Mixed-mode Multi Phase Oscillator Using Single FDCCII
Authors: Mohan J. , Chaturvedi B. , Maheshwari S.
Published: September 2018

In this paper a new low voltage mixed-mode multiphase quadrature oscillator employing a single fully differential second generation current conveyor, two resistors and two grounded capacitors is proposed. The proposed circuit provides two quadrature voltage outputs and three quadrature current outputs simultaneously. In addition, the proposed circuit has been made load insensitive so that it is capable of providing high output impedance current outputs without using additional current followers. Moreover, the proposed circuit of load insensitive quadrature oscillator provides four phase current outputs and two voltage outputs, simultaneously. Non ideal study is also included. Both the proposed circuits enjoy low active and passive sensitivities. This paper further presents an active-C multiphase oscillator with a single FDCCII and two grounded capacitors. The proposed structures are suitable for low voltage applications. Simulation results using PSPICE program on cadence tool are included.
Hardware Implementation of FTC of Induction Machine on FPGA
Authors: Boukadida S. , Gdaim S. , Mtibaa A.
Published: September 2018

In this paper, a new design method of Direct Torque Control using Space Vector Modulation (DTC-SVM) of an Induction Machine (IM), which is based on Fault Tolerant Control (FTC) is proposed. Due to its complexity, the FTC implemented on a microcontroller and a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) is characterized by a calculating delay. To solve this problem, an alternative digital solution is used, based on the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), which is characterized by a fast processing speed. However, as an FPGAs increase in size, there is a need for improved productivity, and this includes new design flows and tools. Xilinx System Generator (XSG) is a high-level block-based design tool that offers bit and cycle accurate simulation. This tool can automatically generate the Very High-Density Logic (VHDL) code without resorting to a tough programming, without being obliged to do approximations and more we can visualize the behavior of the machine before implementation which is very important for not damage our machine. Simulation and experimental results using Hardware In the Loop (HIL) of the FTC based DTC-SVM is compared with those of the conventional DTC. The comparison results illustrate the reduction in the torque and stator flux ripples. Our purpose is to reveal our algorithm efficiency and to show the Xilinx Virtex V FPGA performances in terms of execution time.
LUT Based Generalized Parallel Counters for State - of - art FPGAs
Authors: Khurshid Burhan
Published: September 2018

Generalized Parallel Counters (GPCs) are frequently used in constructing high speed compressor trees. Previous work has focused on achieving efficient mapping of GPCs on FPGAs by using a combination of general Look-up table (LUT) fabric and specialized fast carry chains. The  resulting structures are purely combinational and cannot be efficiently pipelined to achieve the potential FPGA performance. In this paper, we take an alternate approach and try to eliminate the fast carry chain from the GPC structure. We present a heuristic that maps GPCs on FPGAS using only general LUT fabric. The resultant GPCs are then easily re-timed by placing registers at the fan-out nodes of each LUT. We have used our heuristic on various GPCs reported in prior work. Our heuristic successfully eliminates the carry chain from the GPC structure with the same LUT count in most of the cases. Experimental results using Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGAs show a considerable reduction in critical path and dynamic power dissipation with same area utilization in most of the cases.
Efficient Computerized-Tomography Reconstruction Using Low-Cost FPGA-DSP Chip
Authors: Abo-Elftooh Bassam A. , El-Mahlawy Mohamed H. , Gadallah Mahmoud  E. A.
Published: September 2018

In this paper, filtered back-projection algorithm is optimally implemented using low-cost Spartan 3A-DSP 3400 chip. The optimization enables parallel implementation. The combination of the pixel parallelism and projection parallelism is presented to significantly reduce the total reconstruction time to produce the image. The applied data is presented in fixed point format to achieve efficient implementation with maximum speed. The selection of data bus-width is optimized with very little error and good visual quality required for medical images. Before implementation, the computer tomography ( CT ) reconstruction simulator is developed to provide a testing reference for the hardware implementation. Using the combination of the pixel parallelism and projection parallelism, the presented hardware design achieves image reconstruction of a 512-by-512 pixel image from 1024 projections in 134. 8ms using 50 MHz clock cycles. It achieves the reduction of the required number of clock cycles to form an image from projections by 60 % comparing to the state of the art of the reconstruction time using field programmable gate array ( FPGA ) design.
Modular Environment for Development and Characterization of Tunable Energy Harvesting Systems
Authors: Casatorres-Aguero Javier , Nieto-Taladriz Octavio
Published: September 2018

This paper presents the design and development process for an electromagnetic self-tuned vibrational energy harvester prototype. Most state-of-the-art publications present non-tunable or manually tunable vibrational energy harvesters, even the market provides some commercial models of these categories for specific applications. On the other hand, self-tuned energy harvesters are yet rarely seen on the research community. The presented work follows the complete process of designing a prototype to work as a second-order oscillatory system in the form of a cantilever. Three different approaches to tune the resonant frequency of the harvester were considered, each based in changing a property of the cantilever that modifies its resonant frequency. Firstly, it was changed the effective vibrating length of the cantilever. Secondly it was introduced an axial load to the system. Then, the use of a dual cantilever wishbone structure was studied as it allows changing the equivalent stiffness of the system. Finally a prototype based on the first strategy was built and tested, including control algorithms for the maximum electrical energy harvesting point tracking which are presented.
Guest Editorial - Special Issue on Recent Advances in Power Electronics and Internet of Things
Authors: Kalam Akhtar , R Anand , Kanagachidambaresan G. R.
Published: September 2018

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A review of adhesives for entomotaxy
Authors: Deans Andrew R
Published: September 2018

Insect specimens that are too small to be pinned safely are usually affixed to a piece of card on a pin or to the pin itself using an adhesive. This practice has been in place for more than two centuries, and >400,000 such mounts continue to be accessioned annually in collections. Entomologists appear to agree on the ideal properties of adhesives used in specimen preparation---that they remain (1) archival, (2) reversible, (3) easy to prepare and use, and (4) safe. There remains no consensus, however, regarding which adhesives satisfy these criteria. Entomologists continue to use fixatives they were taught to use (institutional inertia) or which have good initial working properties, even though their archivability and reversibility have never been tested or have been shown to be suspect. Museum professionals recently identified this topic, adhesives applied to natural history specimens, as one that could be informed by research and knowledge from other domains. This review includes a comprehensive list of adhesives used in entomotaxy, with brief summaries of their properties as examined in the contexts of archaeology, paleontology, art restoration, and polymer chemistry. The general conclusion is that no adhesive has the properties sought by entomologists, and several commonly used brands or classes of adhesive should never be used for entomotaxy, including most clear nail polishes, shellac, and certain polyvinyl acetate-based dispersions, like Elmer's Glue-All.
Seven simple suggestions to be a better teacher sooner: experiences of a nearly new lecturer
Authors: Etherington Thomas R
Published: September 2018

New lecturers are often put in the position of having to teach at short notice and with no formal teacher training. Therefore, it would seem prudent to try and provide some simple and easily achieved suggestions on teaching practice for new lecturers. This paper outlines my experiences of my first few years of teaching. As a nearly new lecturer myself, I feel I am in a good position to relate these experiences to other new lecturers. Therefore, I present seven simple suggestions that I remind myself of when teaching, and that I think would be of use to new lecturers in making them better teachers sooner.
Complete genome sequence of new virulent actinophages belonging to Streptomyces flavovirens
Authors: Sharaf Abdoallah , Mercati Francesco , Elmaghraby Ibrahim , Elbaz Reham , Marei Eman
Published: September 2018

Complete genome sequence of new virulent actinophages belonging to Streptomyces flavovirens We report biological and physiochemical features and use NGS to provide the complete annotated genomes for two new strains (Sf1 and Sf3) of the virulent phage Streptomyces flavovirens, isolated from Egyptian soil samples. The S. flavovirens phages (Sf1 and Sf3) show high adsorption rates (82 and 85 %, respectively), indicating a strong specificity to their host, and their burst sizes were 1.95 and 2.49 virions per mL. The phage genomes are parts of a singleton cluster with sizes of 43,150 bp and 60,934 bp, respectively. the assignment of possible functions to 19 and 28 putative ORFs were identified, which included phage structural proteins, lysis components and metabolic proteins. Comparative genomic analysis revealed significant homology between the two phages and the closest Streptomyces phage (VWB phages). However, the phylogenetic analysis highlighted that the isolated phages belong to the BG Streptomyces phage group but are clearly separated, representing a novel sub-cluster.
Doctors learning by research
Authors: Tissington Patrick , Senior Carl , Weickert Martin
Published: September 2018

The modern day medical professional needs to be able to work successfully in a team to ensure that the provision of a full range of care is provided to meet the wide needs of patients. However, traditional team skill training, that is much beloved of many Business School curricula, is expensive, time intensive and difficult to align alongside the clear mission statement of delivering patient care. Recent calls have highlighted the need for trainee doctors to engage with research practice. Being an active researcher improves the quality of care by doctors. The nature of modern research requires team working. This is the very same skill will benefit newly qualified doctors.
Recognition Method of Drinking-driving Behaviors Based on PCA and RBF Neural Network
Authors: Sun Yifan , Zhang Jinglei , Wang Xiaoyuan , Wang Zhangu , Yu Jie
Published: September 2018

Drinking-driving behaviors are important causes of road traffic injuries, which are serious threats to the lives and property of traffic participants. Therefore, reducing the occurrences of drinking-driving behaviors has become an important problem of traffic safety research. Forty-eight male drivers and six female drivers who could drink moderate alcohol were chosen as participants. The drivers’ physiological data, operation behavior data, car running data, and driving environment data were collected by designing various virtual traffic scenes and organizing drivers to conduct driving simulation experiments. The original variables were analyzed by the Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and seven principal components were extracted as the input vector of the Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural network. The principal component data was used to train and verify the RBF neural network. The Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) algorithm was chosen to train the parameters of the neural network and build a drinking-driving recognition model based on PCA and RBF  neural network to realize an accurate recognition of drinking-driving behaviors. The test results showed that the drinking-driving recognition model based on PCA and RBF neural network could identify drinking drivers accurately during driving process with a recognition accuracy of 92.01%, and the operation efficiency of the model was high. The research can provide useful reference for prevention and treatment of drinking and  driving and traffic safety maintenance.
Creating Infrastructure for Urban Mobility: Case Study of Skopje
Authors: Koltovska Nečoska Daniela , Ivanjko Edouard , Pavleski Daniel
Published: September 2018

In this paper, a methodology for creating and testing new proposed transport infrastructure is presented. It is based on microscopic traffic simulation of current and forecasted traffic demand and in-depth analysis of traffic flow. The most congested boulevard in Skopje has been chosen as a use case. Real-world traffic flow data was collected and used in the calibration and validation of a microscopic simulation model. Three possible configurations of new urban mobility infrastructure have been proposed and best one chosen using appropriately defined criteria. The proposed configurations were evaluated from the aspect of traffic performances, suitability for forecasted future traffic demand, and vehicle emissions. The obtained results prove the effectiveness of the presented methodology in reducing delays and vehicle emissions and significantly improving the level of service of the chosen use case.
A short, robust brain activation control task optimised for pharmacological fMRI studies
Authors: Harvey Jessica-Lily , Demetriou Lysia , McGonigle John , Wall Matthew B.
Published: September 2018

Background

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a popular method for examining pharmacological effects on the brain; however, the BOLD response is dependent on intact neurovascular coupling, and potentially modulated by a number of physiological factors. Pharmacological fMRI is therefore vulnerable to confounding effects of pharmacological probes on general physiology or neurovascular coupling. Controlling for such non-specific effects in pharmacological fMRI studies is therefore an important consideration, and there is an additional need for well-validated fMRI task paradigms that could be used to control for such effects, or for general testing purposes.

Methods

We have developed two variants of a standardized control task that are short (5 minutes duration) simple (for both the subject and experimenter), widely applicable, and yield a number of readouts in a spatially diverse set of brain networks. The tasks consist of four functionally discrete three-second trial types (plus additional null trials) and contain visual, auditory, motor and cognitive (eye-movements, and working memory tasks in the two task variants) stimuli. Performance of the tasks was assessed in a group of 15 subjects scanned on two separate occasions, with test-retest reliability explicitly assessed using intra-class correlation coefficients.

Results

Both tasks produced robust patterns of brain activation in the expected brain regions, and region of interest-derived reliability coefficients for the tasks were generally high, with four out of eight task conditions rated as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’, and only one out of eight rated as ‘poor’. Median values in the voxel-wise reliability measures were also >0.7 for all task conditions, and therefore classed as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. The spatial concordance between the most highly activated voxels and those with the highest reliability coefficients was greater for the sensory (auditory, visual) conditions than the other (motor, cognitive) conditions.

Discussion

Either of the two task variants would be suitable for use as a control task in future pharmacological fMRI studies or for any other investigation where a short, reliable, basic task paradigm is required. Stimulus code is available online for re-use by the scientific community.
Data challenges of biomedical researchers in the age of omics
Authors: Garcia-Milian Rolando , Hersey Denise , Vukmirovic Milica , Duprilot Fanny
Published: September 2018

Background

High-throughput technologies are rapidly generating large amounts of diverse omics data. Although this offers a great opportunity, it also poses great challenges as data analysis becomes more complex. The purpose of this study was to identify the main challenges researchers face in analyzing data, and how academic libraries can support them in this endeavor.

Methods

A multimodal needs assessment analysis combined an online survey sent to 860 Yale-affiliated researchers (176 responded) and 15 in-depth one-on-one semi-structured interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using NVivo 10 software according to the thematic analysis approach.

Results

The survey response rate was 20%. Most respondents (78%) identified lack of adequate data analysis training (e.g., R, Python) as a main challenge, in addition to not having the proper database or software (54%) to expedite analysis. Two main themes emerged from the interviews: personnel and training needs. Researchers feel they could improve data analyses practices by having better access to the appropriate bioinformatics expertise, and/or training in data analyses tools. They also reported lack of time to acquire expertise in using bioinformatics tools and poor understanding of the resources available to facilitate analysis.

Conclusions

The main challenges identified by our study are: lack of adequate training for data analysis (including need to learn scripting language), need for more personnel at the University to provide data analysis and training, and inadequate communication between bioinformaticians and researchers. The authors identified the positive impact of medical and/or science libraries by establishing bioinformatics support to researchers.
The dosimetric effect of electron density overrides in 3DCRT Lung SBRT for a range of lung tumor dimensions
Authors: Healy Grace E. A. , Marsh Steven H. , Cousins Andrew T.
Published: September 2018

The combined effects of lung tumor motion and limitations of treatment planning system dose calculations in lung regions increases uncertainty in dose delivered to the tumor and surrounding normal tissues in lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). This study investigated the effect on plan quality and accuracy when overriding treatment volume electron density values. The QUASAR phantom with modified cork cylindrical inserts, each containing a simulated spherical tumor of 15‐mm, 22‐mm, or 30‐mm diameter, was used to simulate lung tumor motion. Using Monaco 5.1 treatment planning software, two standard plans (50% central phase (50%) and average intensity projection (AIP)) were compared to eight electron density overridden plans that focused on different target volumes (internal target volume (ITV), planning target volume (PTV), and a hybrid plan (HPTV)). The target volumes were set to a variety of electron densities between lung and water equivalence. Minimal differences were seen in the 30‐mm tumor in terms of target coverage, plan conformity, and improved dosimetric accuracy. For the smaller tumors, a PTV override showed improved target coverage as well as better plan conformity compared to the baseline plans. The ITV plans showed the highest gamma pass rate agreement between treatment planning system (TPS) and measured dose (P < 0.040). However, the low electron density PTV and HPTV plans also showed improved gamma pass rates (P < 0.035, P < 0.011). Low‐density PTV overrides improved the plan quality and accuracy for tumor diameters less than 22 mm only. Although an ITV override generated the most significant increase in accuracy, the low‐density PTV plans had the additional benefit of plan quality improvement. Although this study and others agreed that density overrides improve the treatment of SBRT, the optimal density override and the conditions under which it should be applied were found to be department specific, due to variations in commissioning and calculation methods.