bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Motivation trajectory of attending performing arts: the role of knowledge
Authors: Obaidalahe Zakia , Steils Nadia
Published: March 2018

Purpose

This study concerns the attendance motivations for cultural services based on the audience’s level of knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to define the role played by general knowledge (e.g. cultural education) and specific knowledge (e.g. communication around a cultural product) in the attendance motivation trajectory of a cultural service.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses in-depth interviews with 20 visitors to two public theatres, one in Belgium and one in France.

Findings

The results identify a tripartite motivation in the decision to attend a performance, corresponding to four visitor segments defined according to their level of general and specific knowledge.

Originality/value

The recommendations arising from the study are that potential audience members be targeted according to their particular profile and that their cultural tastes be developed by raising their level of general knowledge, an element that goes beyond the suggested motivation trajectory.
Measuring compression caused by garments
Authors: Ellis Brett , Kirkpatrick Erin , Kothari Phan Sonal , Imler Stacy , Beckham Haskell
Published: March 2018

Purpose

Stretch fabrics are employed to create compression in garments for medical, sports, and fitness applications. Although potential correlations between wearing compression garments and physiological or performance metrics have been studied, such correlations require knowledge of the actual compression caused by garments. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate, compare, and contrast different methods for measuring compression delivered by an exemplar compression garment.

Design/methodology/approach

The exemplar compression garment is a plain jersey knit maternity band. The compression delivered by this garment was determined via three different methods – Tekscan pressure mapping system, Hohenstein Measurement System (HOSY), and a fabric-based analytical model employing uniaxial fabric tensile data.

Findings

HOSY and the fabric-based model, assuming a circular cross section for the garment, provided comparable results for compression versus garment height. However, these methods did not capture the varying compression delivered at different transverse locations when the subject was noncircular in cross section. Assuming an elliptical cross section, the fabric-based model predicted results that were comparable to those measured by the Tekscan system: for example, compressions were approximately 130-160 percent greater at the hip, and approximately 60-100 percent lower at the posterior, than HOSY revealed. Further, the Tekscan system allows the effect of movement on compression to be captured.

Originality/value

This paper compares and contrasts three compression measurement methods and demonstrates the importance of angular position and height dependencies. Further, the fabric-based model is presented as a tool to assist design of compression garments.
Assessing primary care data quality
Authors: Lim Yvonne Mei Fong , Yusof Maryati , Sivasampu Sheamini
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess National Medical Care Survey data quality.

Design/methodology/approach

Data completeness and representativeness were computed for all observations while other data quality measures were assessed using a 10 per cent sample from the National Medical Care Survey database; i.e., 12,569 primary care records from 189 public and private practices were included in the analysis.

Findings

Data field completion ranged from 69 to 100 per cent. Error rates for data transfer from paper to web-based application varied between 0.5 and 6.1 per cent. Error rates arising from diagnosis and clinical process coding were higher than medication coding. Data fields that involved free text entry were more prone to errors than those involving selection from menus. The authors found that completeness, accuracy, coding reliability and representativeness were generally good, while data timeliness needs to be improved.

Research limitations/implications

Only data entered into a web-based application were examined. Data omissions and errors in the original questionnaires were not covered.

Practical implications

Results from this study provided informative and practicable approaches to improve primary health care data completeness and accuracy especially in developing nations where resources are limited.

Originality/value

Primary care data quality studies in developing nations are limited. Understanding errors and missing data enables researchers and health service administrators to prevent quality-related problems in primary care data.
The different impact of personal social capital and intra-organizational SC
Authors: Ben-Hador Batia , Eckhaus Eyal
Published: March 2018

Purpose

This study relates to two levels of organization social capital (SC): personal SC and intra-organizational SC. Personal SC is the utility derived from the person’s relationship, and his positioning in networks, inside and out of the organization. Intra-organizational SC is the benefit derived from interactions within, and between groups in the organization, and is based on trust, reciprocity, common goals, sharing information and knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to examine the difference between the SC levels by their connections to employee energy and success, before and after crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to test the hypotheses, the authors used the Enron e-mails corpus, the texts were analyzed using SQL.

Findings

The findings suggest that the impact of personal SC and intra-organizational SC, on employee energy and success is different. Personal SC was found to have a higher impact on those two variables, than intra-organizational SC. After crisis, this gap became larger.

Originality/value

The importance of the findings is in the distinction between the SC levels, and their different impact on the employees. However, the situation of Enron employees at that time implies that the more important level of SC is the intra-organizational SC.
Whither competition in Malaysia’s banking industry ex post a restructuring
Authors: Chung Tinfah , Mohd Ariff
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report how banking competition has fared ex post a major consolidation exercise completed during 2002-2004, which led to a complete restructuring of the sector in Malaysia. Nothing is known about the competitiveness of banking system ex post a major consolidation of banks in any country including Malaysia, a middle-income economy.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors apply two models, the Panzar and Rosse (1997) and the Lerner index (1934). The two competitiveness measures are quite refined, well received by researchers, but has yet been applied to measure banking sector competitiveness of a middle-income country to characterize post-merger behavior using post-global-crisis data set. The data were complemented by documentary analysis, including brand documents, descriptions of internal processes and copies of employee magazine articles.

Findings

The results indicate that, after 11 years of consolidation, the banking sector is not operating under perfect or monopolistic competition. Malaysia’s banking industry continues to benefit the charter holders at increasingly lower level because a cartel-like environment still provides trade-off of competition costs before 2002/2004 with the costs from a cartel-like industry structures now. There is only a weak evidence that, in recent years, the banking sector is moving toward more competition.

Research limitations/implications

The chosen area of research is to test the response of the banking sector ex post consolidation after a crisis. It enables researcher to compare results with those of other countries and may not be generalizable.

Practical implications

The findings reported in this study using corroborating measures for the first time, appear to suggest increasing concentration from consolidation may lead to the undesirable cartel-like industry structure where the exercise of market power in the name of stability may not be welfare promoting.

Originality/value

This paper fulfills an identified need to study how the banking sector has performed ex post consolidation after a crisis.
Tax evasion in Brazil: the case of specialists
Authors: Clemente Felippe , Lírio Viviani Silva
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use the instrumental game theory to understand the behavior of the front agents tax evasion and tax authority in Brazil.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to analyze the taxpayer’s behavior before the Brazilian tax system and tax actions aimed at reducing tax evasion, the authors developed a theoretical model based on the payoffs of Graetz et al. (1986) and increased with situations proposed by Siqueira (2004), Lipatov (2006) and Oliveira (2011).

Findings

Considering the cases with and without specialists, the main results show that in high dropout situation, penalize taxpayers with high fines or deprivations of liberty may not be as effective. Another result of the analysis is that the audit and inspection costs played an important role in driving the equilibrium system.

Research limitations/implications

One limitation of this study is to consider how the exogenous tax authorities earnings (Federal Revenue of Brazil and Federal Police) and not as a function of the goals and certain enforcement policies for each public body.

Practical implications

The authors suggest the following policy: investing in tax inspectors and unbureaucratic the authorities of the cost structure become a more effective tool to combat non-compliance with tax obligations that the intensity of the penalties imposed by the act of evading.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature insofar as it models for the first time, using game theory, the behavior of the evading agent and the tax authority in Brazil.
Collaboration in a competitive healthcare system: negotiation 101 for clinicians
Authors: Clay-Williams Robyn , Johnson Andrew , Lane Paul , Li Zhicheng , Camilleri Lauren , Winata Teresa , Klug Michael
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of negotiation training delivered to senior clinicians, managers and executives, by exploring whether staff members implemented negotiation skills in their workplace following the training, and if so, how and when.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a qualitative study involving face-to-face interviews with 18 senior clinicians, managers and executives who completed a two-day intensive negotiation skills training course. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and inductive interpretive analysis techniques were used to identify common themes. Research setting was a large tertiary care hospital and health service in regional Australia.

Findings

Participants generally reported positive affective and utility reactions to the training, and attempted to implement at least some of the skills in the workplace. The main enabler was provision of a Negotiation Toolkit to assist in preparing and conducting negotiations. The main barrier was lack of time to reflect on the principles and prepare for upcoming negotiations. Participants reported that ongoing skill development and retention were not adequately addressed; suggestions for improving sustainability included provision of refresher training and mentoring.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations include self-reported data, and interview questions positively elicited examples of training translation.

Practical implications

The training was well matched to participant needs, with negotiation a common and daily activity for most healthcare professionals. Implementation of the skills showed potential for improving collaboration and problem solving in the workplace. Practical examples of how the skills were used in the workplace are provided.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first international study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of an integrative bargaining negotiation training program targeting executives, senior clinicians and management staff in a large healthcare organization.
The impact of social media on international student recruitment: the case of Lebanon
Authors: Vrontis Demetris , El Nemar Sam , Ouwaida Ammar , Shams S.M. Riad
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand and accentuate the value of social media in international student recruitment in Lebanese higher education institutions (HEIs). This study analyses the significance of social media and the changes occurring in the means of communicating with the potential international students, with an aim to understand how the HEIs could adapt with the changes to implement a model of engagement to include social media as a fundamental constituent of the Lebanese HEIs’ international student recruitment strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

The researchers carried out a study through quantitative descriptive approach by using a probabilistic simple random sample and a self-administered questionnaire on 230 international students from several universities and colleges in Lebanon as a data collection method.

Findings

The findings demonstrated a certain level of engagement in social media networks from the part of the students during their search for college or university and course information. Research showed that international students still prefer the traditional sources, apart from social media, during their search. Among traditional media sources, friend, family and university website were the highest in ranking. Among social media sources, Facebook, Instagram, Google+ and YouTube showed the highest ranks. Most students have, indeed, contacted a friend or a university staff for university course information by using social media sites.

Practical implications

For managerial practice, this is an incentive for institutions of higher education to re-evaluate and assess the effective impact of social media on the recruitment of international students and to regulate their social media marketing strategies. For research in international education, the insights of this study are useful to explore further research avenues in the area of capacity building for business innovation, marketing and quality assurance in higher education in the cross-cultural context.

Originality/value

This study offers insights on the implications of social media for international student recruitment strategies in a particular Lebanese context of HEIs.
Change in supply networks: a case study in the automotive components industry
Authors: Eiriz Vasco , Carreiras José
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the evolution of a supply network and the causes of network change and stability. It presents the study of a supply network of Delphi Braga (Portugal), one of the largest European plants producing car-radios, navigation system and other related products, in order to understand how it changed over time. The paper contributes to the understanding of network management.

Design/methodology/approach

The case study was carried out on a network of five suppliers of Delphi Braga adopting a relational view of networks meaning that both parties of the relationships were studied. Data and results are based on document sources and interviews with managers both from Delphi and the studied suppliers.

Findings

The causes of network change and stability are both exogenous and endogenous. They are multiple and have different impacts on network structures and processes. The paper analyses several causes of network change and their impact on the studied supplier network.

Research limitations/implications

The research is based on a single case study. Although the studied supplier network comprises several firms, it should be pointed out that each network has its own dynamics and structures. Therefore, though the paper makes a relevant contribution for network management, the results cannot be generalized for other networks and firms.

Practical implications

Managers should be aware of the dynamics of their supplier networks and understand the different impacts of both their firm’s decisions as well as the environment changes. By doing this, managers can anticipate changes in the structure and dynamics of their supplier networks.

Originality/value

This case study contributes to our current understanding of relationship development both at the dyadic and network level by analyzing the case of a supply network in a major European plant of car-radios and navigation systems. It discusses implications and proposes further research to advance knowledge on the topic of network change.
Initiating, challenging and improving knowledge in organizational contexts
Authors: Mariano Stefania
Published: March 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate how organizational knowledge interacts with artifacts and what determinants, driving processes and outcomes govern these interactions in organizational contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study is used and data collected is from a US engineering and consulting company.

Findings

Findings suggested three major driving processes specifically initiating, challenging and improving and several related determinants and outcomes that governed the interaction between organizational knowledge and artifacts over time.

Research limitations/implications

This study has limitations related to the nature and dimension of the case selected.

Practical implications

This study provides a means to explain how organizations hold existing knowledge and what determinants, driving processes and outcomes govern the interactions between knowledge and artifacts to assist managerial practices and improve performance.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the current debate on organizational knowledge and provides some empirical evidence of how knowledge interacts with artifacts in organizational contexts.
The Development of Children's Gender‐Science Stereotypes: A Meta‐analysis of 5 Decades of U.S. Draw‐A‐Scientist Studies
Authors: Miller David I. , Nolla Kyle M. , Eagly Alice H. , Uttal David H.
Published: March 2018

This meta‐analysis, spanning 5 decades of Draw‐A‐Scientist studies, examined U.S. children's gender‐science stereotypes linking science with men. These stereotypes should have weakened over time because women's representation in science has risen substantially in the United States, and mass media increasingly depict female scientists. Based on 78 studies (N = 20,860; grades K‐12), children's drawings of scientists depicted female scientists more often in later decades, but less often among older children. Children's depictions of scientists therefore have become more gender diverse over time, but children still associate science with men as they grow older. These results may reflect that children observe more male than female scientists in their environments, even though women's representation in science has increased over time.
Discussion of “A Review of Thickness-Accommodation Techniques in Origami-Inspired Engineering” (Lang, R. J., Tolman, K. A., Crampton, E. B., Magleby, S. P., and Howell, L. L., 2018, ASME Appl. Mech. Rev., 70(1), p. 010805
Authors: McAdams Daniel A.
Published: March 2018

Origami is a traditional art form that realizes three-dimensional shapes by folding paper sheets. Origami designers use mathematical theorems to support their design efforts. These theorems require a condition of a flat fold on folded sheets. When working with paper, the paper is essentially zero thickness and folds flat. Thus, to access the power of flat-foldability theorems for origami-inspire design, nonzero thickness stiff sheet crease patterns must still be flat foldable. For nonzero thickness sheets as would be used in practical engineering applications, special fold designs are required to allow an effectively flat fold. In this issue of ASME Applied Mechanics Reviews, Lang and co-authors present a review of fold design techniques to enable effectively flat folding of nonzero thickness sheets. In this discussion, the impact of the author's work is highlighted. As well, the contributions of the authors work is situated in the context of origami-inspired systems design. The integration of their work into a systems construct clarifies and motivates the need for further origami-inspired design research.
A Mechanics Model of Soft Network Materials With Periodic Lattices of Arbitrarily Shaped Filamentary Microstructures for Tunable Poisson's Ratios
Authors: Liu Jianxing , Zhang Yihui
Published: March 2018

Soft network materials that incorporate wavy filamentary microstructures have appealing applications in bio-integrated devices and tissue engineering, in part due to their bio-mimetic mechanical properties, such as “J-shaped” stress–strain curves and negative Poisson's ratios. The diversity of the microstructure geometry as well as the network topology provides access to a broad range of tunable mechanical properties, suggesting a high degree of design flexibility. The understanding of the underlying microstructure-property relationship requires the development of a general mechanics theory. Here, we introduce a theoretical model of infinitesimal deformations for the soft network materials constructed with periodic lattices of arbitrarily shaped microstructures. Taking three representative lattice topologies (triangular, honeycomb, and square) as examples, we obtain analytic solutions of Poisson's ratio and elastic modulus based on the mechanics model. These analytic solutions, as validated by systematic finite element analyses (FEA), elucidated different roles of lattice topology and microstructure geometry on Poisson's ratio of network materials with engineered zigzag microstructures. With the aid of the theoretical model, a crescent-shaped microstructure was devised to expand the accessible strain range of network materials with relative constant Poisson's ratio under large levels of stretching. This study provides theoretical guidelines for the soft network material designs to achieve desired Poisson's ratio and elastic modulus.
Weak Instability of Chen–Ricles Explicit Method for Structural Dynamics
Authors: Chang Shuenn-Yih
Published: March 2018

Although the Chen–Ricles (CR) explicit method (CRM) (proposed by Chen and Ricles) has been claimed to have desired numerical properties, such as unconditional stability, explicit formulation, and second-order accuracy, it also shows some unusual properties, such as a less accuracy of solving highly nonlinear systems, a high-frequency overshoot in steady-state responses, and a weak instability. A correction scheme by adjusting the displacement difference equation with a loading term can be employed to extinguish the high-frequency overshoot in steady-state responses. However, there is still no way to get rid of the weak instability and to improve the less accuracy of solving highly nonlinear systems. It is recognized that a weak instability might result in inaccurate solutions or numerical explosions. Hence, the practical applications of CRM are strictly limited.
Buckling of Multilayer Graphene Sheets Subjected to Axial Compression Based on a Continuum Mechanics Model
Authors: Kim Moonhong , Im Seyoung
Published: March 2018

Buckling of multilayer graphene sheets (MLGSs) subjected to an axial compressive load in plane-strain condition is studied. Closed-form solutions for buckling load of MLGSs are obtained based on a continuum model for MLGSs. Two different kinematic assumptions, which lead to MLGS beam, which was recently proposed by the authors, and the Euler beam, are used to obtain the buckling loads. The obtained solutions yield significantly different buckling loads when the axial length is small. To validate obtained results, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are conducted, and they show that the MLGS beam model well captures the buckling load of MLGSs. The buckling solution of MLGS beam model provides two interesting facts. First, the buckling load of MLGSs coincides with the Euler buckling load when the length is large. Second, when the number of layers is large, the buckling strain converges to a finite value, and could be expressed as a linear combination of the buckling strain of single-layer graphene and the ratio between the shear rigidity of interlayer and the tensile rigidity of graphene layer. We validate the asymptotic behavior of buckling strain through MD simulations and show that buckling occurs even when the overall thickness is larger than the axial length. Finally, we present a diagram that contains buckling strain of MLGSs according to the boundary conditions, the number of layers, and the axial length.
Experimental Investigation of Embedded Micropin-Fins for Single-Phase Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop
Authors: Kharangate Chirag R. , Wook Jung Ki , Jung Sangwoo , Kong Daeyoung , Schaadt Joseph , Iyengar Madhusudan , Malone Chris , Lee Hyoungsoon , Asheghi Mehdi , Goodson Kenneth E.
Published: March 2018

Three-dimensional (3D) stacked integrated circuit (IC) chips offer significant performance improvement, but offer important challenges for thermal management including, for the case of microfluidic cooling, constraints on channel dimensions, and pressure drop. Here, we investigate heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of a microfluidic cooling device with staggered pin-fin array arrangement with dimensions as follows: diameter D = 46.5 μm; spacing, S ∼ 100 μm; and height, H ∼ 110 μm. Deionized single-phase water with mass flow rates of m˙ = 15.1–64.1 g/min was used as the working fluid, corresponding to values of Re (based on pin fin diameter) from 23 to 135, where heat fluxes up to 141 W/cm2 are removed. The measurements yield local Nusselt numbers that vary little along the heated channel length and values for both the Nu and the friction factor do not agree well with most data for pin fin geometries in the literature. Two new correlations for the average Nusselt number (∼Re1.04) and Fanning friction factor (∼Re−0.52) are proposed that capture the heat transfer and pressure drop behavior for the geometric and operating conditions tested in this study with mean absolute error (MAE) of 4.9% and 1.7%, respectively. The work shows that a more comprehensive investigation is required on thermofluidic characterization of pin fin arrays with channel heights Hf < 150 μm and fin spacing S = 50–500 μm, respectively, with the Reynolds number, Re < 300.
In Situ Visualization Measurement of Flat Plate Ablation in High-Temperature Gas Flow
Authors: Qu Zhe , Wang Xian , Tang Yunlong , Su Honghong , Chen Lianzhong , Gao He , Feng Xue
Published: March 2018

In this work, we develop an optoelectronic system for in situ observation and measurement in hypervelocity flows. The system has the advantages of strong radiation resistance and self-adaptive exposure time of the cameras. Thermal ablation test using flat plate thermal protection system material was carried out in an arc jet. Real-time ablation images were captured and analyzed to understand the thermal ablation mechanism. Through the modified algorithms of particle image velocity (PIV) and image feature detection, the surface recession rate and the velocity distribution of the melted droplets flowing on the sample surface were obtained. The experimental results demonstrate vast potential for using this in situ measuring technique in various engineering applications. Finally, the formation and merging of the melted droplets was analyzed based on energy theory, and the numerical simulation results showed good agreement with the actual experimental results.
Energy Efficient Thermoelectric Generator-Powered Localized Air-Conditioning System Applied in a Heavy-Duty Vehicle
Authors: Ran Yuan , Deng Yadong , Hu Tao , Su Chuqi , Liu Xun
Published: March 2018

Thermoelectric technology applied in vehicle has become significantly essential due to the global energy crisis and the environmental protection issues. A novelty energy efficient technology called localized air-conditioning (LAC) powered by thermoelectric generator (TEG), i.e., TEG-powered LAC, is proposed in order to better utilize the generated power of TEG, only then will the fuel economy improvement be achieved. This system which has little impact on the original automotive electrical system is basically comprised of LAC, TEG, converter, and battery. The TEG can directly convert thermal energy to electrical energy to power the novelty energy-efficient air-conditioning system called LAC. The submodels of LAC and TEG are built and integrated into a heavy-duty vehicle to quantitatively assess its performance by simulation analysis. The results indicate that the novelty TEG-powered LAC system can work normally with high efficiency and improve the fuel economy by 3.7%. Therefore, this system resolves the problem of proper use of the TEG's power and provides a fully new perspective to substitute the mechanical loads to engine with electrical loads powered by TEG to improve the fuel economy with much more practicality and rationality.
Heat Transfer to Supercritical Water in Advanced Power Engineering Applications: An Industrial Scale Test Rig
Authors: Schatte Gerrit A. , Kohlhepp Andreas , Gschnaidtner Tobias , Wieland Christoph , Spliethoff Hartmut
Published: March 2018

Heat transfer to supercritical water in heated tubes and channels is relevant for steam generators in conventional power plants and future concepts for supercritical nuclear and solar-thermal power plants. A new experimental facility, the high pressure evaporation rig, setup at the Institute for Energy Systems (Technische Universität München) aims to provide heat transfer data to fill the existing knowledge gaps at these conditions. The test rig consists of a closed-loop high pressure cycle, in which de-ionized water is fed to an instrumented test section heated by the application of direct electrical current. It is designed to withstand a maximum pressure of 380 bar at 580 °C in the test section. The maximum power rating of the system is 1 MW. The test section is a vertical tube (material: AISI A213/P91) with a 7000 mm heated length, a 15.7 mm internal diameter, and a wall thickness of 5.6 mm. It is equipped with 70 thermocouples distributed evenly along its length. It enables the determination of heat transfer coefficients in the supercritical region at various steady-state or transient conditions. In a first series of tests, experiments are conducted to investigate normal and deteriorated heat transfer (DHT) under vertical upward flow conditions. The newly generated data and literature data are used to evaluate different correlations available for modeling heat transfer coefficients at supercritical pressures.
Material Properties of Rat Middle Cerebral Arteries at High Strain Rates
Authors: David Bell E. , Converse Matthew , Mao Haojie , Unnikrishnan Ginu , Reifman Jaques , Monson Kenneth L.
Published: March 2018

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), resulting from either impact- or nonimpact blast-related mechanisms, is a devastating cause of death and disability. The cerebral blood vessels, which provide critical support for brain tissue in both health and disease, are commonly injured in TBI. However, little is known about how vessels respond to traumatic loading, particularly at rates relevant to blast. To better understand vessel responses to trauma, the objective of this project was to characterize the high-rate response of passive cerebral arteries. Rat middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) were isolated and subjected to high-rate deformation in the axial direction. Vessels were perfused at physiological pressures and stretched to failure at strain rates ranging from approximately 100 to 1300 s−1. Although both in vivo stiffness and failure stress increased significantly with strain rate, failure stretch did not depend on rate.
A Decentralized Neuro-Adaptive Control Scheme to Suppress Chaotic/Hyperchaotic Dynamics of Smart Valves Network
Authors: Naseradinmousavi Peiman , Ashrafiuon Hashem , Bagheri Mostafa
Published: March 2018

In this effort, we utilize a decentralized neuro-adaptive scheme in extinguishing both the chaotic and hyperchaotic dynamics of the so-called “Smart Valves” network. In particular, a network of two dynamically interconnected bidirectional solenoid actuated butterfly valves undergoes the harmful chaotic/hyperchaotic dynamics subject to some initial conditions and critical parameters. Crucial trade-offs, including robustness, computational burden, and practical feasibility of the control scheme, are thoroughly investigated. The advantages and shortcomings of the decentralized neuro-adaptive method are compared with those of the direct decentralized adaptive one to yield a computationally efficient, practically feasible, and robust scheme in the presence of the coupled harmful responses.
Interferometry of plasma bursts in helium atmospheric-pressure plasma jets
Authors: Samara Vladimir , Ptasinska Sylwia
Published: March 2018

The main objective of this work is to explore the possibility of applying an interferometry technique as an alternative tool for characterization of an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ). Thus, the authors imaged plasma discharge of He gas flow in the APPJ using a Michelson interferometer and compared results with schlieren photography. Both cases showed that the plasma discharge followed the He flow in the open atmosphere; however, the plasma discharge also affected the gas flow, indicating a transition from laminar to turbulent flow. The authors believe that the implementation of this new, potentially quantitative, diagnostic tool maybe helpful for understanding plasma phenomena.
On the optical path length in refracting media
Authors: Hasbun Javier E.
Published: March 2018

The path light follows as it travels through a substance depends on the substance's index of refraction. This path is commonly known as the optical path length (OPL). In geometrical optics, the laws of reflection and refraction are simple examples for understanding the path of light travel from source to detector for constant values of the traveled substances' refraction indices. In more complicated situations, the Euler equation can be quite useful and quite important in optics courses. Here, the well-known Euler differential equation (EDE) is used to obtain the OPL for several index of refraction models. For pedagogical completeness, the OPL is also obtained through a modified Monte Carlo (MC) method, versus which the various results obtained through the EDE are compared. The examples developed should be important in projects involving undergraduate as well as graduate students in an introductory optics course. A simple matlab script (program) is included that can be modified by students who wish to pursue the subject further.
Sinking bubbles in stout beers
Authors: Lee W. T. , Kaar S. , O'Brien S. B. G.
Published: March 2018

A surprising phenomenon witnessed by many is the sinking bubbles seen in a settling pint of stout beer. Bubbles are less dense than the surrounding fluid so how does this happen? Previous work has shown that the explanation lies in a circulation of fluid promoted by the tilted sides of the glass. However, this work has relied heavily on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Here, we show that the phenomenon of sinking bubbles can be predicted using a simple analytic model. To make the model analytically tractable, we work in the limit of small bubbles and consider a simplified geometry. The model confirms both the existence of sinking bubbles and the previously proposed mechanism.
Genetic Determinants of High-Level Oxacillin Resistance in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Pardos de la Gandara Maria , Borges Vitor , Chung Marilyn , Milheiriço Catarina , Gomes João Paulo , de Lencastre Herminia , Tomasz Alexander
Published: March 2018

Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) strains carry either a
mecA
- or a
mecC
-mediated mechanism of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics, and the phenotypic expression of resistance shows extensive strain-to-strain variation. In recent communications, we identified the genetic determinants associated with the stringent stress response that play a major role in the antibiotic resistant phenotype of the historically earliest “archaic” clone of MRSA and in the
mecC
-carrying MRSA strain LGA251. Here, we sought to test whether or not the same genetic determinants also contribute to the resistant phenotype of highly and homogeneously resistant (H*R) derivatives of a major contemporary MRSA clone, USA300. We found that the resistance phenotype was linked to six genes (
fruB
,
gmk
,
hpt
,
purB
,
prsA
, and
relA
), which were most frequently targeted among the analyzed 20 H*R strains (one mutation per clone in 19 of the 20 H*R strains). Besides the strong parallels with our previous findings (five of the six genes matched), all but one of the repeatedly targeted genes were found to be linked to guanine metabolism, pointing to the key role that this pathway plays in defining the level of antibiotic resistance independent of the clonal type of MRSA.
Cross Talk between Nitric Oxide and Calcium-Calmodulin Regulates Ganoderic Acid Biosynthesis in Ganoderma lucidum under Heat Stress
Authors: Liu Rui , Shi Liang , Zhu Ting , Yang Tao , Ren Ang , Zhu Jing , Zhao Ming-wen
Published: March 2018

We previously reported that high temperature impacts ganoderic acid (GA) biosynthesis inGanoderma lucidumvia Ca2+. Therefore, to further understand the signal-regulating network of the organism's response to heat stress (HS), we examined the role of nitric oxide (NO) under HS. After HS treatment, the NO level was significantly increased by 120% compared to that under the control conditions. The application of a NO scavenger resulted in a 25% increase in GA compared with that found in the sample treated only with HS. Additionally, the application of a NO donor to increase NO resulted in a 30% lower GA content than that in the sample treated only with HS. These results show that the increase in NO levels alleviates HS-induced GA accumulation. Subsequently, we aimed to detect the effects of the interaction between NO and Ca2+on GA biosynthesis under HS inG. lucidum. Our pharmacological approaches revealed that the NO and Ca2+signals promoted each other in response to HS. We further constructed the silenced strain of nitrate reductase (NR) and calmodulin (CaM), and the results are in good agreement with the silenced strain and pharmacological experiment. The cross-promotion between NO and Ca2+signals is involved in the regulation of HS-induced GA biosynthesis inG. lucidum, and this finding is supported by studies with NR-silenced (NRi) and CaM-silenced (CaMi) strains. However, Ca2+may have a more direct and significant effect on the HS-induced GA increase than NO. These data indicate that NO functions in signaling and has a close relationship with Ca2+in HS-induced GA biosynthesis.

IMPORTANCEHS is an important environmental stress affecting the growth and development of organisms. We previously reported that HS modulates GA biosynthesis inG. lucidumvia Ca2+. However, the signal-regulating network of the organism's response to HS has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we found that NO relieved HS-induced GA accumulation, and NO and Ca2+could exert promoting effects on each other in response to HS. Further research on the effect of NO and Ca2+on the production of GAs in response to HS indicated that Ca2+has a notably more direct and significant effect on the HS-induced GA increase than NO. Our results improve our understanding of the mechanism of HS signal transduction in fungi. A greater understanding of the regulation of secondary metabolism in response to environmental stimuli will provide clues regarding the role of these products in fungal biology.
Human Antibody Responses to Emerging Mayaro Virus and Cocirculating Alphavirus Infections Examined by Using Structural Proteins from Nine New and Old World Lineages
Authors: Smith Jessica L. , Pugh Christine L. , Cisney Emily D. , Keasey Sarah L. , Guevara Carolina , Ampuero Julia S. , Comach Guillermo , Gomez Doris , Ochoa-Diaz Margarita , Hontz Robert D. , Ulrich Robert G.
Published: March 2018

Mayaro, chikungunya, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses are closely related alphaviruses that are spread by mosquitos, causing diseases that produce similar influenza-like symptoms or more severe illnesses. Moreover, alphavirus infection symptoms can be similar to those of dengue or Zika disease, leading to underreporting of cases and potential misdiagnoses. New methods that can be used to detect antibody responses to multiple alphaviruses within the same assay would greatly aid disease surveillance efforts. However, possible antibody cross-reactivity between viruses can reduce the quality of laboratory results. Our results demonstrate that antibody responses to multiple alphaviruses can be specifically quantified within the same assay by using selected recombinant protein antigens and further show that Mayaro virus infections result in unique responses to viral envelope proteins.
Talaromyces marneffei simA
Encodes a Fungal Cytochrome P450 Essential for Survival in Macrophages
Authors: Boyce Kylie J. , De Souza David P. , Dayalan Saravanan , Pasricha Shivani , Tull Dedreia , McConville Malcolm J. , Andrianopoulos Alex
Published: March 2018

This study in a dimorphic fungal pathogen uncovered a role for a yeast-specific cytochrome P450 (CYP)-encoding gene in the ability of
T. marneffei
to grow as yeast cells within the host macrophages. This report will inspire further research into the role of CYPs and secondary metabolite synthesis during fungal pathogenic growth.
BET 2: NSAIs and chickenpox
Authors: Stone Karen , Tackley Emma , Weir Sandra
Published: March 2018

A shortcut review was carried out to establish whether non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is safe to prescribe in patients with chicken pox. 66 unique papers were found in CINAHL, Medline, Embase and Cochrane using the reported searches of which 6 presented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The author, date and country of publication; patient group studied; study type; relevant outcomes; results and study weaknesses of these best papers are tabulated. It is concluded that, pending further research, it is advisable to avoid NSAID use in cases of primary varicella due to the potential increased risk of severe bacterial skin infections. Paracetamol should be given instead.
Abstracts from international Emergency Medicine journals
Authors: Weber Ellen J
Published: March 2018

Editor’s note: EMJ has partnered with the journals of multiple international emergency medicine societies to share from each a highlighted research study, as selected by their editors. This edition will feature an abstract from each publication.
Epidemic dynamics on weighted networks by adaptive rewiring
Authors: Chen Liang
Published: March 2018

We study epidemic dynamics in weighted networks, where the susceptible nodes can change their infected neighbors by rewiring the edge. Two kinds of edges with different weights are considered and the effects of the edge density and the rewiring process on the epidemic properties are studied. The simulation results show that a fraction of infected nodes in the equilibrium state exhibit a nonmonotonic or monotonic behavior with the increase of the fraction of heavier weighted edges or the rewiring probability. Under the rewiring process, the system can evolve to a lower infected state in comparison with the result obtained in static network. The effect of rewiring different weighted edges on the epidemic behavior is also discussed.
Asymmetric doping dependence of superconductivity between hole- and electron-doped triangular-lattice superconductors
Authors: Lan Yu , Ma Xixiao , Qin Ling , Wang Yongjun , Feng Shiping
Published: March 2018

Within the framework of kinetic-energy-driven superconductivity, the asymmetric doping dependence of superconductivity between the hole- and electron-doped triangular-lattice superconductors has been studied. It is shown that although the superconducting transition temperature has a dome-shaped doping dependence for both the hole- and electron-doped triangular-lattice superconductors, superconductivity appears over a wide range of doping in the hole-doped case, while it only exists in a narrow range of doping in the electron-doped case. Moreover, the maximum superconducting transition temperature around optimal doping in the electron-doped triangular-lattice superconductors is lower than that of the hole-doped counterparts. The theory also shows that the asymmetric doping dependence of superconductivity between the hole- and electron-doped cases may be a common feature for a doped Mott insulator.
A Communication Probability-Based Mapping Algorithm for Mesh-Based Network-on-Chip Systems
Authors: Sun Jin , Zhang Yi
Published: March 2018

Network-on-chip (NoC) mapping algorithms significantly affect NoC system performance in terms of communication cost and energy consumption. For a specific application represented by a task graph, this paper proposes an energy-efficient mapping algorithm that searches for the mapping decision with best communication locality and therefore lowest energy consumption. To this end, we formulate the concerned mapping problem as an optimization model, and propose an effective meta-heuristic algorithm to solve the formulated optimization model. During the mapping procedure, we employ a simulation-free, communication probability-based energy model to evaluate the quality of each candidate mapping. By iteratively updating the best explored mapping decision using a meta-heuristic search strategy, the mapping procedure can eventually identify an mapping decision with optimal energy efficiency in the search space. The proposed mapping algorithm has been verified on NoC systems of different sizes using a variety of benchmark applications. Simulation results demonstrate that the mapping decision produced by this algorithm achieves an up to 23% energy reduction compared with the traditional round-robin strategy.