bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ontologies for Platform as Service APIs Interoperability
Authors: Andročec Darko , Vrček Neven
Published: December 2016

Ontologies can be used to describe common cloud functionalities and enable common terminology to assist in cloud interoperability. In this work, we have developed the ontology for resources and operations and the ontology of interoperability problems. The aim is to clearly describe and categorize the existing functionalities, features and specificities of commercial platform asaservice offers. The first ontology also provides data type mappings among different Paa Sstorages and cross-Paa Sdata types used in inputs and outputs of the remote APIoperations to provideacommon layer for information exchange and data migration among different Paa Sproviders. The ontologies were evaluated by tools and by human experts. Furthermore, the ontologies were used in cloud interoperability prototype to show their practical applicability.
Iteration vs Recursion in Introduction to Programming Classes: An Empirical Study
Authors: Sulov Vladimir
Published: December 2016

In this article we have presented the results of an empirical study which was carried out on 130 students in Introduction to programming classes. Their initial preference, success rate, comprehension and subsequent preference were studied when dealing with programming tasks which could be solved using either iteration or recursion.
A Multi Route Rank Based Routing Protocol for Industrial Wireless Mesh Sensor Networks
Authors: Sarasvathi V. , Iyengar N.Ch.S.N.
Published: December 2016

Wireless Mesh Sensor nodes are deployed in harsh environments, like Industrial Wireless Mesh Sensor Networks (IWMSN). There the equipment is exposed to temperature and electrical noise, so providingareliable, interference free and efficient communication in this environment isachallenge. We proposea Multi Route Rank based Routing (MR3) protocol, which enhances the link dynamics for IWMSNand also provides interference free reliable packet delivery in harsh environments. The rank ofanode is estimated based on density, hop count, energy and Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR). The route discovery phase finds the rank value to forward the data packet inareliable path. Once the forwarding path is established, subsequently the data packets can be propagated towards the destination without using any location information. Our simulation results show that this method improves the packet delivery ratio and the throughput tremendously, and at the same time minimizes the packet delay, in heavy traffic condition.
Spectrum Allocation of Cognitive Radio Based on Autonomy Evolutionary Algorithm
Authors: Li Yongcheng , Shen Hai , Wang Manxi
Published: December 2016

Reasonable and effective allocation of cognitive radio spectrum resource according to user’s requirements is the key task of cognitive radio network. Cognitive radio spectrum allocation problem can be viewed as an optimization problem. This paper analyzes the application of bio-inspired intelligent algorithm in cognitive radio network spectrum allocation, and based on graph theory model of spectrum allocation, proposesaspectrum allocation algorithm based on autonomously evolutionary scheme. Three objective functions: Max-Min-Reward, Max-Sum- Reward and Max-Proportional-Fair are employed to evaluate the proposed algorithm capacity. The simulation result reveals that the proposed method can make the system user to obtain better network benefits and better embody the fairness between cognitive users. In the process of allocation, the proposed method was not restricted by user scale and the number of spectrums.
An empirical examination of the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis for carbon dioxide emissions in Ghana: an ARDL approach
Authors: Twerefou Daniel Kwabena , Adusah-Poku Frank , Bekoe William
Published: December 2016

The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis postulates an inverted U-shaped relationship between different pollutants and economic growth. In Ghana, as in many other developing countries, there exist scanty studies that confirm or otherwise the EKC hypothesis with regards to CO2 emissions as well as the factors that drive CO2 emissions. This work aims to bridge this knowledge gap by addressing these two major questions using data from 1970 to 2010 and the Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Bounds Testing approach. The results rather suggest a U-shaped relationship between per capita GDP and CO2 emissions per capita indicating the non-existence of the EKC hypothesis for CO2 in Ghana. This implies that further increase in per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will only be associated with increase in CO2 emissions as the income per capita turning point of about $624 at constant 2000 prices occurred between 1996 and 1997. Furthermore, our results reveal energy consumption and trade openness are positive long run drivers of CO2 emissions. It is therefore recommended that the enhancement of trade liberalization policies should ensure the use of cleaner technologies and products while investment in cleaner energy alternatives could help reduce CO2 emissions. We also recommend the implementation of the Low Carbon Development Strategy which integrates development and climate change mitigation actions.
The need for verification of the Polish lignite deposits owing to development and nature conservation protection on land at the surface
Authors: Naworyta Wojciech
Published: December 2016

Poland is a country rich in lignite. The area where the lignite occurs occupies approx. 22% of the total surface area of the country. Geological resources of Polish lignite deposits are estimated at 23.5 billion Mg, but in the majority (69%) the accuracy of their identification is poor. Nevertheless the amount of coal in Polish deposits allows - at least in theory - for mining and energy production at the current level for hundreds of years to come. It is an important raw material for the energy security of the country both currently and in the future. Because the vast majority of Polish and foreign mines use an open pit method for lignite extraction the actual amount of mineral available for the extraction depends not only on the properties of the deposit but to a large extent on the method of development of the surface land above the deposit, as well as on the sensitivity of the environment in the vicinity of any future mines. After careful analysis it can be stated that only a few of the lignite deposits may be subject to cost-effective mining operations. These deposits should be subjected to special protection as a future resource base which will ensure the energy security of the country. Some examples of domestic deposits have been presented where due to the conflict resulting from the development of the area should be deleted from the Balance Sheet of Mineral Deposits because their exploitation is irrational and uneconomic. Keeping such deposits in the Balance Sheet, and the use of large numbers in the context of their resource base leads to an unwarranted sense of wealth which consequently does not encourage the protection of these deposits which may actually be subject to rational exploitation in the near future. In summary there is a need to find a compromise in order to adequately protect all natural resources including mineral deposits.
An evaluation of the ecosystem services provided by urban trees: The role of Krasiński Gardens in air quality and human health in Warsaw (Poland)
Authors: Szkop Zbigniew
Published: December 2016

Trees remove air pollution by the interception of particulate matter on plant surfaces and the absorption of gaseous pollutants through leaf stomata. However, to date, we have rather few empirical studies on the magnitude and value of the effects of trees on air quality and human health, especially especially within the climatic conditions of Central Europe. To investigate the significance of urban trees from the point of view of air pollution removal, an i-Tree Eco model was implemented. The results indicate that the 932 trees in Krasiński Gardens (Warsaw, Poland) absorb 267.12 kg of pollutants per year: 149.9 kg of O3, 94.4 kg of NO2, 11.8 kg of SO2and 10.9 kg of PM2.5. That makes an average removal per tree (calculated by summarizing the values of all of the pollutants) of 0.287 kg/year. Furthermore, health values were used to estimate their pollution removal services in monetary terms. The total benefit of air purification by trees in Krasiński Gardens is estimated at 26250 PLN/year with an average value per tree of: 28 PLN. Although PM2.5removal is the lowest among the four air pollutants analysed, accounting for only 4% of the total mass reduction, it provides 69% of the total economic value. The benefit associated with absorption of O3provided 28% of the value, with the absorption of NO2and SO2at just 3%. The results also show that large tree species (with a crown diameter of 14-15m) can provide around 10 times higher benefits, than small ones (5-6m).
The new lobbyist rolodex: PR
Authors: Thomlinson Jennifer
Published: December 2016

AbstractDespite its long history and key role in the development of public policy, serving the needs of virtually every sector of society, lobbying is an underdeveloped area of academic research. This study aims to establish an understanding of lobbying at the federal level in Canada and its synergies with communications and public relations. Through a review of existing scholarly research, as well as in-depth interviews with 15 federally-registered lobbyists, five senior communications executives, and a survey of GR practitioners, this paper reveals that lobbying is very much aligned with public relations, especially as the online and social media landscapes continue to grow and evolve. It concludes that integration between the two fields is necessary, if not inevitable, and that greater public relations, marketing and social media expertise should be leveraged to position the government relations practice for a future that embraces the new digital rules of engagement.
Using Fractal Geometry to Recover the 3D Air Void, Scale-Independent, Microstructure Information From 2D Sections of Mortars
Authors: Mayercsik N. P. , Brisard S. , Vandamme M. , Kurtis K. E.
Published: December 2016

Advances in digital image analysis have allowed for rapid and detailed investigations of the microstructural topography of cementitious materials, and recent theoretical and analytical work have allowed for recovery of 3D information from 2D analyses. However, measurements of parameters such as the entrained air void size distribution and number density obtained from digital images of concrete are sensitive to the resolution of the image. To address this, an analytical model for recovering 3D information from 2D sections was applied to images of air-entrained mortar at different resolutions, and the results were interpreted in terms of fractal geometry. It is shown that there exists a “cutoff” resolution for scale independence, which is crucial for viewing stereological measurements in an absolute sense rather than relative to the resolution of the instrument used to acquire them. For the analysis of entrained air void structure, this cutoff resolution is around 3200 DPI; for such analyses, it is recommended that images be acquired at this resolution. Furthermore, the same analytical model was validated against full 3D X-ray microtomographic images.
Assessment of Heavy Metals in Leachate of Concrete Made With E-Waste Plastic
Authors: Senthil Kumar K. , Gandhimathi R. , Baskar K.
Published: December 2016

This experimental investigation employing leaching characteristics of concrete made with E-waste plastic [high-impact polystyrene (HIPS)] was carried out using the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP). The heavy metals, such as Cd, Cu, Zn, and Pb, were analyzed from concrete with varying percentages of HIPS (0 %, 10 %, 20 %, 30 %, 40 %, and 50 %) at various ages, such as 28, 60, and 90 days. The concentrations of Cd in the TCLP extracts of all the samples were found to be lower than the regulatory level of 1 mg/l at 28, 60, and 90 days. The Cu, Zn leachate content decreased with curing, and all samples were found well below the prescribed level of 100 mg/L and 500 mg/L, respectively. The concentrations of Pb in the TCLP extracts of all the samples were found to be lower than the regulatory level of 5 mg/L at 28, 60, and 90 days. The results are also compared with Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) prescribed limits for Cd, Cu, Zn, and Pb, which are 0.5 mg/L, 130 mg/L, 500 mg/L, and 1.5 mg/L, respectively, and which are within limits.
Effect of Pozzolanic Admixtures on the Fresh Properties of Cement-Based Foam
Authors: Batool F. , Bindiganavile V.
Published: December 2016

This experimental study was conducted to investigate the influence of pozzolanic admixtures on the fresh properties of cement-based foams. The cement-based foam mixes were tested at three different cast densities namely, 800, 600, and 400 kg/m3. Along with a reference mix, other series were prepared in which fly ash, silica fume, and metakaolin were added to the binder at up to 10 % and 20 % replacement by cement mass. The Marsh cone test and the flow cone test techniques were employed to measure the flowability and spreadability for 21 cement-based foam mixes. The results show that the addition of pozzolanic admixtures increases the flow time and the longest time recorded with metakaolin. A linear relationship of spread with the density of the mixes was found in this study. It was also found that with the addition of fly ash and silica fume, there was an increase in the demand for foam content. On the other hand, adding metakaolin reduced this demand. Based on the experimental results, an equation to predict the spreadability of the mixes with pozzolanic admixtures has been suggested.
A Critical Review of Methods for Measuring Mechanical Resistance to Aggregate Popouts
Authors: Driscoll M. T. , Hover K. C.
Published: December 2016

Five variants of a test intended to characterize the mechanical resistance offered by either mortar or concrete to coarse-aggregate popouts were compared. Popout resistance increased with depth-of-cover to the source of internal pressure and was inversely proportional to the size of the expansion site. Composition of the paste, content of supplementary cementing materials, curing, and type of surface finish significantly influence popout resistance; for a given size and depth, popout resistance can vary by more than a factor of two due to these factors. In one comparison with two-year performance in the field, measurements of popout resistance at a depth of 7 mm correlated well with the incidence of aggregate popout failures, and correlated well with scaling in one laboratory study. Measurements of popout resistance at a depth of 11 mm did not correlate with scaling behavior.
Potential of Uncultivated, Harmful and Abundant Weed as a Natural Geo-Reinforcement Material
Authors: Bordoloi S. , Garg A. , Sreedeep S.
Published: December 2016

Extensive research has been conducted to investigate the utility of agricultural products such as coir, jute, bamboo, and sisal as limited life geotextiles (LLG). These agricultural products have extensive use in automotive industry, paper industry, fishing nets, and shipping rigs. As an alternative, this study demonstrates the usefulness of an abundant, harmful (for environment, eco-tourism, and bio-diversity) weed species Eichhornia crassipes(Water hyacinth (WH)) for manufacturing LLG. Biochemical composition (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and ash content) of WH fiber as well as tensile strength of WH filaments and woven geotextiles were determined. It was found that the tensile strength of woven geotextiles made from WH is higher or comparable to those fibers from the agricultural products. The efficacy of WH geotextile for short term strength improvement was demonstrated by comparing the CBR value of geotextile reinforced soil with that of unreinforced soil. CBR values of soil reinforced with WH geotextile were found to be higher (8.48 ± 0.2 %) as compared to unreinforced soil (6.13 ± 0.07 %). The result obtained from this study is encouraging for promoting the utility of WH LLG in road infrastructure projects.
Measurement Method of Thermal Properties of Cementitious Bedding Materials and Unsaturated Soils: Hydraulic Influence on Thermal Parameters
Authors: Drefke C. , Schedel M. , Stegner J. , Balzer C. , Hinrichsen V. , Sass I.
Published: December 2016

Due to climate-induced variations, changes in the water content of the soil occur, and consequently its hydraulic and thermal properties change as well. Bedding materials for buried energy cables or geothermal installations are usually in capillary contact to the surrounding soil. Thus, they are subject to seasonal changes in the water content caused by natural climatic variations. For the design and construction of structures using thermal energy or dissipating waste heat in the shallow ground, it is important to be able to make reliable forecasts of the thermal and hydraulic properties of partially saturated bedding materials and soils. For this purpose, the climate-related changes of the thermal and hydraulic properties have to be investigated. In this technical note, an experimental setup is described, allowing for the simultaneous measurement of several hydraulic and thermal parameters during dewatering of a specimen. From the data, interrelations between thermal conductivity and water content, water retention characteristics and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity can be derived. This is why, a common evaporation test device was extended using a thermal needle probe. This setup enabled the examination of disturbed and undisturbed soils. A further method, which is also presented in this paper, provides the possibility of investigating cementitious bedding materials in this evaporation test for the first time. This experiment takes only a few days for cementitious bedding materials as well as for undisturbed soil samples. Thus, with only one single experiment, all the basic parameters required for unsaturated hydraulic modeling can be identified. Since thermal conductivity is measured along with the hydraulic parameters, it is possible to assign a value to the thermal conductivity for many hydraulic states of the soil or bedding material.
Assessment of Rainfall Runoff Based on the Field Measurements on an Embankment
Authors: An N. , Hemmati S. , Cui Y.-J. , Mercadier D.
Published: December 2016

When modeling soil/atmosphere interaction, it is of paramount importance to determine the rainfall runoff on a soil surface. Indeed, in the mass balance for bare soil, the rainfall transfers to runoff, infiltration, and evaporation. Knowing rainfall and runoff, the infiltration and evaporation terms can be determined, defining the hydraulic boundary conditions for soils. In practice, rainfall is measured through field measurements in weather stations; evaporation is often estimated using simple models, such as the Penman–Monteith model. Infiltration can then be calculated if runoff is known. However, estimating runoff is often a difficult task in practice. In this study, a runoff measurement method was developed using a collector system set up on a slope of an embankment with lime/cement treated silt. The runoff measurements were compared with the recorded rainfall, and a satisfactory agreement was obtained, showing the performance of the developed runoff measurement approach. A correlation between runoff and rainfall was thus proposed based on the hourly runoff and rainfall data. This correlation can be further used to estimate the rainfall runoff for similar embankments.
Statistical Modeling of Discrete Percentage Measurements With Application to Construction of Acceptance Bounds for Wood Failure in Structural Adhesive Testing
Authors: Loughin T. M. , Payne N. , Casilla R. , Lum C.
Published: December 2016

The goals of this paper are: (1) to provide a statistical analysis approach that is appropriate for data from an interlaboratory study where responses are measured in discrete percentages and are subject to multiple sources of random variability, and (2) to apply this model to data on wood-failure percentages from block-shear tests on structural wood adhesives. We treat percentage responses measured in 5-point intervals as having arisen from observing 20 independent binary responses on different parts of the observed wood blocks. The overdispersion that is likely to result from the practical inadequacy of this assumption is overcome empirically by the inclusion of a random effect for blocks. We propose an analysis based on a parametric bootstrap to provide sampling distributions for statistics that regulators might wish to use in setting standards for acceptance of wood adhesives. Similar computational methods are developed to assess the fit of the model. This model is shown to provide a reasonably good fit for actual data in many of the cases to which it was applied.
Predicting Dynamic Modulus of Asphalt Concrete From Binder Rheological Properties
Authors: Asifur Rahman A. S. M. , Mannan U. A. , Tarefder R. A.
Published: December 2016

This study proposes a completely new regression-based predictive model to estimate dynamic modulus (|E*|) of asphalt concrete (AC) from the dynamic shear modulus (|Gb*|) and binder phase angle (δb) of the asphalt binder used in the AC mix. Other parameters related to the aggregate gradation and volumetrics are also incorporated in the model. In this study, a total of ten AC mixes with four binders having different Performance Grades (PG) and sources were collected from the manufacturing plants. The AC mixes were compacted and cored to cylindrical specimens. After that, the samples were tested in the laboratory for |E*| and AC phase angle (ϕ) at different temperatures and loading frequencies. The collected binders were tested for |Gb*| and δb using dynamic shear rheometer (DSR). The statistical assessment showed that a fairly accurate estimation of |E*| and ϕ can be obtained by using these new predictive models.
Using Genetic Programming to Predict Plastic Strain in Subgrade Soils Under Repeated Loading
Authors: Yang S.-R. , Chang J.-R.
Published: December 2016

Accumulated plastic strain in subgrade soils under repeated loading is an important factor for the design and analysis of flexible pavement. Accurate prediction of the plastic strain is dependent on the constitution of a predictive model. This study discusses the plastic strain properties in subgrade soil under repeated loading and develops a predictive model using a genetic programming (GP) method. Repeated load triaxial tests were conducted under various confining pressures, stress levels, and moisture contents. To develop the predictive model, a total of 475 records were randomly divided into three datasets (159, 158, and 158 records) for training, validation, and application purposes. The results showed that the GP method was applied successfully to develop a predictive model that uses stress level, load repetition, dry unit weight, liquid limit, plastic index, and clay content as inputs and has plastic strain as the output. The R2 values for the training, validation, and applied datasets were 0.9551, 0.9494, and 0.9489, respectively. This study demonstrates and confirms the superior performance of GP over traditional prediction methods when applied to predict plastic strain in subgrade soils. The model and algorithms proposed in this study provide a good foundation for further development when more robust datasets of other types of soils are available.
Monitoring of the Internal Force of the Flexible Components by Vibration Method
Authors: Wang J. , Xiang H. , Wu X.
Published: December 2016

The vibration method is used widely to estimate the cable force based on its relationship to frequency. The accuracy and the applicability of the vibration method can be improved through a more robust incorporation of the influential factors and a precise measurement of the frequency. An advanced vibration method was proposed in this paper to minimize the error of the cable force in long-term monitoring. The influential parameters on the accuracy of the vibration method including the flexural stiffness, sag-span ratio, inclination, and the boundary conditions of the cable were analyzed. Then the factors resulting in the error of the frequency data acquisition were presented. Based on the results, the conditions when those influential factors should be taken into account were determined, and the range of the error caused by the inaccuracies of the frequency measurement was given. A comprehensive optimized approach was finally established to determine the cable force based on the previous analysis. The accuracy and the feasibility of the proposed method were confirmed by a successful monitoring of a cable stayed bridge and a special shaped steel arch bridge.
Performance Research of a New Stabilized Rubber Modified Asphalt and Sand Anti-Fracture Mix for Semi-Rigid Asphalt Pavement
Authors: Geng L. -T. , Xu Q. , Ren R. -B. , Chazallon C.
Published: December 2016

This paper presented the details of various investigations conducted for the laboratory evaluation of a sand anti-fracture mix (SAF) mixed with a newly developed stabilized rubber modified asphalt (NEW-SRMA), used for mitigating reflective cracking of semi-rigid asphalt pavement in Xinjiang. Two local asphalt binders, Karamay asphalt to Kuqa asphalt, were mixed as the base asphalt for the modification and their mixing ratio was obtained based on compositions analysis. Crumb rubber (CR) was devulcanized to improve its compatibility with asphalt phase. Continuous dense aggregate gradation for the 4.75 mm SAF was designed in the investigation. Compared to styrene-butadiene-styrene modified asphalt binder (SBS-asphalt), NEW SRMA was found to have better performance temperature range, fatigue resistance, and similar workability; corresponding mixes had improved permanent deformation, low-temperature cracking, and fatigue characteristics. Application in practical projects also proves the applicability of NEW-SRMA and corresponding SAF mix for purpose of mitigating reflective cracking in Xinjiang.
Impacts of Aggregate Morphological Characteristics on Asphalt-Mixture Performance During Mixing
Authors: Zhang J. , Bi Y. , Wang H. , Yang X. , Liu S.
Published: December 2016

This paper presents an experimental approach to investigate the influence of aggregate morphological characteristics on rheological properties of asphalt mixtures during mixing. Three different types of natural aggregates (limestone, gneiss, and basalt) and three types of glass aggregates (sphere, cuboid, and triangular prism shapes) were selected in the analysis. Digital image processing was applied to quantify geometrical features of aggregate, such as sieving diameter, shape index, and angularity. A mixing rheometer was developed for testing the rheological property of mixture during mixing period. The correlation between aggregate geometrical features and mixing rheological property was analyzed. Results show that the rank of average shape index value is limestone 2>basalt>limestone 1>gneiss for different types of natural aggregates with the same size, whereas the rank of average angularity value is limestone 1>basalt>limestone 2>gneiss. It was found that during the mixing period, the effect of sieving diameter or shape index of aggregate on the K value (the slope of the rotate speed-torque diagram line) is linear, which means K value increases as sieving diameter or shape index increases. For analyzing the effects of aggregate geometrical features on the rheological property of asphalt mixture during mixing, the gray relational analysis method was applied. The results show that the rheological property of asphalt mixture during mixing stage is more sensitive to sieving diameter and shape index, but less sensitive to angularity of aggregate.
Analysis of Vehicle-Force-Induced Dynamic Pore Pressure in Saturated Pavement With LSPM Drainage Base
Authors: Cui X. , Zhang J. , Huang D. , Xiao M. , Hou F. , Liu Z. , Li L.
Published: December 2016

Dynamic pore pressure caused by moving-vehicle forces may cause damage in asphalt pavement. However, few field data of dynamic pore pressure are available. This research aimed to study the time histories of dynamic stress and dynamic pore pressure in the drainage base of large stone porous asphalt mixes (LSPM) under moving-vehicle forces. To this end, heat-resistant dynamic stress and pore-pressure sensors were developed and used to measure the dynamic stresses and pore pressures in the field. A numerical fluid-solid coupling simulation method was used to analyze the response of pavement under moving wheel forces. Numerical simulation results matched well with in situ test data. The time histories of dynamic pore pressure in the pavement are quantitatively analyzed, and the hydraulic mechanism of moisture-induced damage is verified. This study provides a theoretical guide for pavement design.
Laboratory Testing and Numerical Simulation of a Strip Footing on Geosynthetically Reinforced Loose Sand
Authors: Lai J. , Yang B. -H.
Published: December 2016

The objective of this paper was to study the bearing capacity and loading behavior of strip footings on geosynthetically reinforced loose sand. Laboratory loading tests were conducted on a rigid steel strip footing in a 0.9 by 0.9 by 1.0m sand box. Woven geotextile was used as reinforcement material. A finite difference program was used to simulate the load-settlement behavior of this footing. Two constitutive (Mohr-Coulomb and Double-Yield) models were utilized for the loose sand. Direct shear tests were performed to obtain the parameters needed for numerical simulation. The unreinforced ultimate bearing capacity obtained from this study ranges between theoretical values calculated by assuming general and local shear failure conditions. The bearing capacity predicted by these two soil models match with values obtained from sand box tests. However, the Double-Yield model outperforms the traditional Mohr-Coulomb model in simulating the loading behavior of this strip footing.
Austempered Ductile Iron (ADI): A Review
Authors: Olawale J. O. , Oluwasegun K. M.
Published: December 2016

Austempered ductile iron (ADI) is a group of ductile irons offering the design engineers remarkable mechanical properties. It exhibits an excellent combination of high strength, ductility, toughness, fatigue strength, and exceptional wear resistance that is unavailable in other grades of cast iron. Austempered ductile iron is almost twice as strong as the regular ASTM grades of ductile iron, whilst still retaining high elongation and toughness characteristics. In addition to the exceptional wear resistance and fatigue strength, it enables designers to reduce a component's weight and costs for equivalent or improved performance. Therefore, ADI has become an attractive and economic substitute for forged steel and cast steel in many engineering applications. This led to marked interest in ADI in the past few years with considerable research work to understand the effect of processing parameters on its characteristics and mechanical properties. The objective of this paper was to review works that have been conducted over the past years on the effects of process variables, mechanical properties, benefits, and applications of ADI.
The Effect of Production Process Parameters on the Tensile Strength of Squeeze Cast Al2O3+SiC/Al6061 Hybrid Composites
Authors: Malomo B. O. , Owolabi H. A. , Ibitoye S. A. , Adekoya L. O.
Published: December 2016

This study investigated the conditions for the optimal performance of hybrid aluminum matrix composites produced by squeeze casting. The significant die casting parameters chosen for analysis were the squeeze pressure (50, 70, 90 MPa); die preheat temperature (100, 200, 300°C) and duration of pressurization (15, 30, 45 s). Composites containing 10 and 20 % volume fractions of reinforcements were synthesized by infiltrating molten aluminum alloy 6061 into prefabricated porous preforms composed of Al2O3+SiC microparticles. Experiments were conducted by implementing the L933 orthogonal design of Taguchi, where the objective function was to maximize the tensile strength of the castings by appropriate statistical analysis. The results suggested that the production process was successful as the microparticles were evenly distributed within the matrix alloy. The control parameters of squeeze pressure and duration of pressurization were found to be the most significant factors influencing the tensile strength of the castings. As the volume fraction of reinforcements increases in the composites, the duration of pressurization is the most critical factor to enhance the tensile strength. The optimal control settings required to maximize tensile strength were specified with respect to the volume fraction of reinforcements content. The data from statistical experimental design was compared with mathematical predictions and through verification tests, these results were found to be in close agreement.
On a complete topological inverse polycyclic monoid
Authors: Bardyla S.O. , Gutik O.V.
Published: December 2016

We give sufficient conditions when a topological inverse $\lambda$-polycyclic monoid $P_{\lambda}$ is absolutely $H$-closed in the class of topological inverse semigroups. For every infinite cardinal $\lambda$ we construct the coarsest semigroup inverse topology $\tau_{mi}$ on $P_\lambda$ and give an example of a topological inverse monoid $S$ which contains the polycyclic monoid $P_2$ as a dense discrete subsemigroup.
Analogues of Whittker's theorem for Laplace-Stieltjes integrals
Authors: Dobushovskyy M.S. , Sheremeta M.M.
Published: December 2016

For the maximum of the integrand of Laplace-Stieltjes integral the lower estimates on sequence are found. Using the estimates we obtained analogues of Whittaker's theorem for entire functions given by lacunary power series.
Coincidence point theorems for $\varphi$-$\psi$-contraction mappings in metric spaces involving a graph
Authors: Yolacan E. , Kiziltunc H. , Kir M.
Published: December 2016

Some new coupled coincidence and coupled common fixed point theorems for $\varphi$-$\psi$-contraction mappings are established. We have also an application to some integral system to support the results.
A Worpitzky boundary theorem for branched continued fractions of the special form
Authors: Kuchminska Kh.Yo.
Published: December 2016

For a branched continued fraction of a special form we propose the limit value set for the Worpitzky-like theorem when the element set of the branched continued fraction is replaced by its boundary.
Identification of virulence genes carried by bacteriophages obtained from clinically isolated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Karasartova Djursun , Cavusoglu Zeynep Burcin , Turegun Buse , Ozsan Murat T. , Şahin Fikret
Published: December 2016

Bacteriophages play an important role in the pathogenicity of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) either by carrying accessory virulence factors or several superantigens. Despite their importance, there are not many studies showing the actual distribution of the virulence genes carried by the prophages obtained from the clinically isolated Staphylococcus. In this study, we investigated prophages obtained from methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains isolated from hospital- and community-associated (HA-CA) infections for the virulence factors. In the study, 43 phages isolated from 48 MRSA were investigated for carrying toxin genes including the sak, eta, lukF-PV, sea, selp, sek, seg, seq chp, and scn virulence genes using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern blot. Restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to analyze phage genomes to investigate the relationship between the phage profiles and the toxin genes’ presence. MRSA strains isolated from HA infections tended to have higher prophage presence than the MRSA strains obtained from the CA infections (97% and 67%, respectively). The study showed that all the phages with the exception of one phage contained one or more virulence genes in their genomes with different combinations. The most common toxin genes found were sea (83%) followed by sek (77%) and seq (64%). The study indicates that prophages encode a significant proportion of MRSA virulence factors.
Fatal cases of disseminated nocardiosis: challenges to physicians and clinical microbiologists – Case report
Authors: Piukovics Klára , Bertalan Viktória , Terhes Gabriella , Báthori Ágnes , Hajdú Edit , Pokorny Gyula , Kovács László , Urbán Edit
Published: December 2016

Despite the development in the identification of Nocardia spp., common challenges exist in the laboratory diagnosis and management of nocardiosis. We report two cases of disseminated nocardiosis in a patient with hematologic disorder and in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus, where the cooperation between various specialists was essential to set up the adequate diagnosis of disseminated nocardiosis.
Optimization of desferrioxamine E production by Streptomyces parvulus
Authors: Gáll Tamás , Lehoczki Gábor , Gyémánt Gyöngyi , Emri Tamás , Szigeti Zsuzsa M. , Balla György , Balla József , Pócsi István
Published: December 2016

Siderophores are produced by a number of microbes to capture iron with outstandingly high affinity, which property also generates biomedical and industrial interests. Desferrioxamine E (DFO-E) secreted by streptomycetes bacteria can be an ideal candidate for iron chelation therapy, which necessitates its cost-effective production for in vitro and animal studies. This study focused on the optimization of DFO-E production by Streptomyces parvulus CBS548.68. Different combinations of various carbon and nitrogen sources as well as the addition of 3-morpholinopropane-1-sulfonic acid (MOPS) markedly affected DFO-E yields, which were attributed, at least in part, to the higher biomass productions found in MOPS-supplemented cultures. In MOPS-supplemented glucose and sodium glutamate medium, DFO-E productions as high as 2,009 ± 90 mg/l of culture medium were reached. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis demonstrated that a simple two-step purification process yielded DFO-E preparations with purities of ∼97%. Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry analysis showed that purified DFO-E always contained traces of desferrioxamine D2.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Survival of Children with ESRD
Authors: Ku Elaine , McCulloch Charles E. , Grimes Barbara A. , Johansen Kirsten L.
Published: December 2016

Observational studies have reported that black and Hispanic adults receiving maintenance dialysis survive longer than non–Hispanic white counterparts. Whether there are racial disparities in survival of children with ESRD is not clear. We compared mortality risk among non–Hispanic black, Hispanic, and non–Hispanic white children who started RRT between 1995 and 2011 and were followed through 2012. We examined all-cause mortality using adjusted Cox models. Of 12,123 children included for analysis, 1600 died during the median follow-up of 7.1 years. Approximately 25% of children were non-Hispanic black, and 26% of children were of Hispanic ethnicity. Non–Hispanic black children had a 36% higher risk of death (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.21 to 1.52) and Hispanic children had a 34% lower risk of death (95% CI, 0.57 to 0.77) than non–Hispanic white children. Adjustment for transplant as a time-dependent covariate abolished the higher risk of death in non–Hispanic black children (hazard ratio, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.88 to 1.12) but did not attenuate the finding of a lower risk of death in Hispanic children (hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.68). In conclusion, Hispanic children had lower mortality than non–Hispanic white children. Non–Hispanic black children had higher mortality than non–Hispanic white children, which was related to differences in access to transplantation by race. Parity in access to transplantation in children and improvements in strategies to prolong graft survival could substantially reduce disparities in mortality risk of non–Hispanic black children treated with RRT.
Turkish social studies teachers’ opinions about performance tasks in elementary education
Authors: Çalışkan Hüseyin , Sağlam Halil İbrahim
Published: December 2016

This study aims to reveal how Turkish social studies teachers regard performance projects in elementary education, to determine problems experienced and to find out their recommendations for them. The study is based on phenomenology, a qualitative study design. The population of the study is comprised of 20 social studies teachers working for schools located in the city of Sakarya. They were provided with the interview form designed by the researchers. The interview form consists of six questions designed in a way that will reveal how social studies teachers regard performance projects. The data were analyzed through descriptive analysis. The study concluded that the great majority of the teachers use performance projects for evaluation purposes. However, they do not believe that performance projects serve their purpose. They also stated that both teachers and students experience a number of problems during implementation and evaluation. According to the participants, both students and parents have a negative attitude towards performance projects.
Predictors of the Social Validity Judgments of Early Childhood Intervention Performance Checklists and Practice Guides
Authors: Dunst Carl , Hamby Deborah
Published: December 2016

Early childhood intervention practitioners (N = 42) reviewed three early intervention performance checklists and three intervention practice guides and made social validity judgments of the acceptability and importance of the products. Both the checklists and practice guides included evidence-based characteristics and indicators that are known to be related to improved child learning and development. Hierarchical regression analyses of the relationship between five predictor variables and the study participants’ social validity judgments and found that only practitioners’ cognitive appraisals of the checklists and practice guides accounted for significant amounts of variance in their social validity judgments beyond that accounted for by the other predictors (education, years of experience, primary role, and type of program). The importance of cognitive appraisals for understanding their influence on practitioner social validity judgments are described as are the limitations of the study.
Relations Of Peer-Victimization Exposure In Adolescents With The Perceived Social Support, Parental Attitude, School Success, School Change And Area Of Residence
Authors: Tura Gülşah
Published: December 2016

This study is made to determine the predictive powers of the perceived social support, parental attitude, school success, school change and living in different area of residences variables in the students of 8.grade who are exposed to peer-victimization. The data of the research has been procured from 550 students who are the eighth-grader in Diyarbakır and Kocaeli. The data related to the predicted variable has been collected by using Peer-victimization Scale (Mynard & Joseph, 2000) and the data related to the predictor variables has been gathered by using the Perceived Social Support Scale – Revised Form (Yıldırım, 2004), the Parental Attitude Scale (Lamborn, Mounts, Steinberg & Dornbush, 1991) and the Personal Information Form prepared by the researcher. The statistical analysis of the gathered data has been performed in computer by using SPSS 11.5 packaged software. Multiple Regression Analysis is used in determining the variables predicting peer-victimization exposure which is the purpose of the study. On the other hand, the Stepwise Regression Analysis is implemented in order to determine the explanatory variables having high correlation coefficient and the predicted variable. The findings obtained by the research can be summerized as the following: School success, perceived social support and authoritarian parental attitude are the variables predicting the peer-victimization exposure. It has been found out that the other variables in the analysis do not predict the exposure of the students to the peer-victimization. The findings obtained in the research are discussed and commented and suggestions have been made based on the facts.
Impa (adenosine 5'-phosphorimidazolide) Synthesis v1
Authors: YS Choi , Patena W not provided , Leavitt AD not provided , McManus MT not provided
Published: December 2016

Synthesis helps to facilitate the chemical production process. As a mature performance of synthesis technology, carbohydrate synthesis service and enzyme synthesis service are easily accessed. Here is the protocol of impa (adenosine 5'-phosphorimidazolide) synthesis.
HPLC Purification of Peptides v1
Authors: Frederick J.
Published: December 2016

Peptide purification counts after the synthesis, or other forms of making of it. For drug applied peptide like cell-penetrating peptides are supposed to ba paid speical attention as impurities may bring unwanted effects, as well as APIs peptides like pt-141.
Direito e Dever Constitucional Fundamental à Saúde e Responsabilidade Financeira e Criminal pelos Dinheiros Públicos:
Authors: Bandeira Gonçalo S. de Melo
Published: December 2016

A concretização do Direito Constitucional Fundamental Social à Saúde é fundamental. É necessário, adequado e proporcional, respeitar os princípios constitucionais da transparência e da responsividade às exigências da população, da prestação de contas e própria responsabilidade. Tudo isto também abarca o desenvolvimento de princípios constitucionais que sejam de anticorrupção. Também no direito constitucional à protecção da saúde. A responsabilidade financeira e criminal pode constituir um incentivo à melhoria da gestão dos dinheiros públicos e a uma melhor efectivação dos princípios constitucionais fundamentais. Nomeadamente no tema do direito à saúde. As áreas constitucional, administrativa, penal, de gestão pública e de ciência de administração e boa governança também no sector da saúde, devem ser articuladas numa só estratégia. Tanto em Portugal como no Brasil.
Acesso à inovação – investigação, ética médica, direitos dos doentes e recursos financeiros
Authors: Faria Maria Paula Leite Ribeiro de
Published: December 2016

Este artigo trata da identificação dos direitos dos doentes em sede de acesso à inovação na área da saúde, e à conciliação entre estes direitos e os direitos dos outros doentes e a sustentabilidade do sistema de saúde. É legítimo ao Estado condicionar o acesso de doentes a tratamentos inovadores que podem traduzir a sua única hipótese de cura, ou uma melhoria substancial do seu estado de saúde, em nome de critérios de natureza económica? E esses critérios e decisões podem ser sujeitos ao controlo dos tribunais? Podem ser utilizados nesta ponderação de custos e de benefícios, critérios como a idade do doente, excluindo de certos tratamentos os doentes terminais ou em fim de vida? E se utilizarmos o direito à vida como argumento decisivo do acesso à inovação, garantindo o medicamento ou a tecnologia mais recente e mais cara, sempre que estiver em causa a sobrevivência do doente, não existe o perigo de prejudicar os que ainda têm hipóteses de cura, beneficiando quem já não pode retirar qualquer vantagem da inovação, e do gasto a ela associado? Uma vez que os recursos são limitados, sobretudo em épocas de crise financeira, a questão da sua distribuição constitui um problema que diz respeito a toda a sociedade, e que obriga a ponderar critérios de natureza jurídica, médica, financeira e política, e ética.
Editorial
Authors: Delduque Maria Célia
Published: December 2016

Editorial