bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Boundary Conditions, Vessel Geometry, and Simulant Materials on the Heat Transfer of Volumetrically Heated Melt in a Light Water Reactor Lower Head
Authors: Gaus-Liu X. , Miassoedov A.
Published: February 2017

This study investigates heat transfer characters of a volumetrically heated melt pool in LWR lower plenum. Experimental restrictions on prediction reliability are discussed. These restrictions include cooling boundary conditions, vessel geometries, and simulant melt selection on general and localized heat transfer. A survey of existing heat transfer correlations derived from individual experimental definitions is presented. The inconsistency in parameter definitions in Nu–Ra correlations is discussed. Furthermore, the discrepancy of upward Nu depending on the existence of crust is stressed. Several serials of experiments with different combinations boundary condition of external cooling and top cooling were performed in LIVE3D and LIVE2D facilities. The experiments were conducted with simulants with and without crust formation. The influences of cooling boundary conditions, the vessel geometry, and the simulant material on overall heat transfer as well as on heat flux distribution are analyzed. This paper provides own explanations about the discrepancies among the exiting heat transfer correlations and recommends the most suitable descriptions of melt pool heat transfer under different accident management strategies.
Numerical Re-examination of Chilton–Colburn Analogy for Variable Thermophysical Fluid Properties
Authors: Kumar Rajan , Mahulikar Shripad P.
Published: February 2017

The Chilton–Colburn analogy is very helpful for evaluating the heat transfer in internal forced flows. The Chilton–Colburn analogy between the Chilton–Colburn j-factor for heat transfer, jH (St·Pr2/3) and the Fanning friction factor (cf) is popularly considered to hold when St·Pr2/3 equals to cf/2, for constant fluid properties. The physical fluid properties, namely, viscosity and thermal conductivity, are generally a function of temperature for microconvective water flow due to a quite steep temperature gradient. Therefore, in present investigation, the validity of Chilton–Colburn analogy between St·Pr2/3 and cf is re-examined for laminar microconvective flow with variable thermophysical fluid properties. It is observed that the Chilton–Colburn analogy is valid only for that portion of the flow regime, where St·Pr2/3 decreases with decreasing cf. The validity of Chilton–Colburn analogy is also verified by the inverse dependence of Reynolds number (Re) with cf. Two modified nondimensional parameters “ΠSμ and ΠSk” are emerged from the nondimensional form of 2D, steady-state, incompressible, pure continuum-based, laminar conservation of momentum and energy equations, respectively. These modified nondimensional parameters show the significance of variable fluid properties in momentum transport and energy transport. Additionally, the role of ΠSμ and ΠSk in flow friction is also investigated. The higher values of ΠSμ and ΠSk indicate the stronger influence on microconvection due to large variations in fluid properties.
Dynamic Analysis of an Elevator Traveling Cable Using a Singularity-Free Beam Formulation
Authors: Fan W. , Zhu W. D.
Published: February 2017

A round elevator traveling cable is modeled using a singularity-free beam formulation. Equilibria of the traveling cable with different elevator car positions are studied. Natural frequencies and the corresponding mode shapes of the traveling cable are calculated and they are in excellent agreement with those calculated by abaqus. In-plane natural frequencies of the traveling cable do not change much with the car position compared with its out-of-plane ones. Dynamic responses of the traveling cable are calculated and they are in good agreement with those from commercial multibody dynamics software recurdyn. Effects of vertical motion of the car on free responses of the traveling cable and those of in-plane and out-of-plane building sways on forced responses are investigated.
Finding optimal geometries for noise barrier tops using scaled experiments
Authors: Voropayev Sergey I. , Ovenden Nicholas C. , Fernando Harindra J. S. , Donovan Paul R.
Published: February 2017

Scaled acoustic laboratory experiments are used to develop a methodology for obtaining the acoustic characteristics of different barrier top designs and for identifying geometries that may have advantages over the traditional thin vertical screen. The idea is to use a short impulsive spherical sound pulse possessing a broad frequency spectrum. If the duration of the pulse is sufficiently short, the entire primary signal, which travels by the shortest direct route diffracting at the top of the barrier, arrives at the receiver much earlier than any secondary signals reflected from the surroundings. Secondary signals may therefore be ignored and only the information from the primary signal can be analyzed. When the typical frequency band of the sound pulse is about an order of magnitude higher than typical traffic noise spectra, then scaled acoustic modeling using the same scaling factor for lengths and distances is possible. The results of such experiments are reported here for barriers with six different geometries. Using spectral analysis, insertion losses as functions of frequency were calculated for different source-receiver positions and barrier tops. The results were then rescaled for full-size traffic barriers and, using a typical traffic noise spectrum, single number ratings of barrier performance were obtained.
Fluctuations of the peak pressure level of man-made impulsive sound signals propagating in the ocean
Authors: Galindo-Romero Marta , Gavrilov Alexander , Duncan Alec J.
Published: February 2017

The theory of wave propagation and fluctuations in random media has been broadly studied; however the works studying the influence of a changing underwater acoustic environment on the spatial decay and fluctuations of the peak pressure in broadband and impulsive signals are limited. Using a method based on the formulation developed by Dyer and Makris to estimate intensity fluctuations of sound signals in the ocean in conditions of saturated multipath propagation, this paper presents an approach to model peak pressure fluctuations of transient signals propagating underwater. In contrast to the formulation of Dyer and Makris, the approach presented in this work applies extreme value theory using the properties of the peak pressure as a maximum value taken from a Rayleigh distributed amplitude. The location and scale parameters obtained from the best fit to a Gumbel distribution are used to estimate the probability of the peak pressure level staying below a certain threshold. The theory was applied to measurements of signals from an airgun array and offshore impact pile driving, resulting in good agreement in both cases.
Strategies for Fostering a Quality Physical Activity-Based Mentoring Program for Female Youth: Lessons Learned and Future Directions
Authors: Bean Corliss , Forneris Tanya
Published: February 2017

The current case outlines practical strategies used by youth leaders to implement a female-only physical activity-based mentoring program. This program was selected as the case for the current paper as it scored the highest on program quality out of 26 different sport and physical activity-based youth programs within a larger project. The two program leaders were interviewed to understand what practical strategies they used to foster a high-quality program within this context. The leaders discussed how they: (a) focused on developing individualized relationships with youth, (b) balanced structure with flexibility to allow for youth voice, (c) intentionally integrated life skills, and (d) combined engaging activities with downtime to differentiate the program from school. This case provides a practical account of how front-line workers in youth mentoring programs, specifically within sport and physical activity contexts, can deliver a quality program. Reflection on areas for future work within the field of sport psychology, including ways to bridge the gap between research and practice and the need to develop communities of practice for youth programmers, are presented.
Tumor-homing cytotoxic human induced neural stem cells for cancer therapy
Authors: Bagó Juli R. , Okolie Onyi , Dumitru Raluca , Ewend Matthew G. , Parker Joel S. , Werff Ryan Vander , Underhill T. Michael , Schmid Ralf S. , Miller C. Ryan , Hingtgen Shawn D.
Published: February 2017

Human skin cells directly converted to induced neural stem cells seek out cancer foci and deliver therapeutic agents that inhibit glioblastoma progression.
Fingolimod treatment abrogates chikungunya virus–induced arthralgia
Authors: Teo Teck-Hui , Chan Yi-Hao , Lee Wendy W. L. , Lum Fok-Moon , Amrun Siti Naqiah , Her Zhisheng , Rajarethinam Ravisankar , Merits Andres , Rötzschke Olaf , Rénia Laurent , Ng Lisa F. P.
Published: February 2017

Abrogation of pathogenic CD4
+
T cells to the joints with fingolimod (FTY720) treatment prevents chikungunya virus–induced joint pathology.
Frequency of TV viewing and prevalence of overweight and obesity among adult women in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ghose Bishwajit
Published: February 2017

Background

Research in developed countries has demonstrated an association of varying degrees between watching TV and the risk of being overweight and obese. However, there is no evidence of such an association in the context of the South Asian population.

Objective

To investigate whether watching TV increases the risk of being overweight and obese among women in Bangladesh.

Setting

Rural and urban areas in Bangladesh.

Participants

Participants were 16 624 non-pregnant women aged between 15 and 49 years.

Methods

The study was based on cross-sectional data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) conducted in 2014. The main outcome variables were overweight and obesity measured by body mass index. Data were analysed by using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation and multivariable logistic regression models.

Results

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the sample population were, respectively, 4.5% (4.18% to 4.82%) and 20% (95% CI 19.39% to 20.61%). In the multivariable analysis, no statistically significant association was found between watching TV and being overweight. However, the odds of being obese among rural women were 63% higher (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.625, 95% CI 1.179 to 2.241) among those who watched less than once a week, and 68% (AOR 1.683, 95% CI 1.029 to 2.751) higher among women who watched TV at least once a week compared to those who did not watch TV at all. Urban women who watched TV at least once a week were 67% more likely to be obese (AOR 1.665, 95% CI 1.079 to 2.568) compared to those who did not watch at all.

Conclusions

Prevalence of overweight and obesity has risen considerably among women aged between 15 and 49 years since the previous estimates based on BDHS data. Frequent TV watching was associated with a higher risk of being obese among adult women in rural areas.
Call for joint informed consent in athletes with inherited cardiac conditions
Authors: Providencia Rui , Teixeira Carina , Segal Oliver R , Ullstein Augustus , Lambiase Pier D
Published: February 2017

Informed consent is of the utmost importance, especially in complex clinical situations where patients may be exposed to a life-threatening risk. A particularly complex example is the eligibility of competitive athletes with inherited cardiac conditions on medical grounds, especially when the risk is low or unquantifiable. The rationale and benefits of a joint informed consent for athletes to compete with potentially life-threatening cardiac conditions are discussed in this manuscript.
Wormhole in 5D Kaluza–Klein cosmology
Authors: Biswas Gargi , Modak B.
Published: February 2017

We present wormhole as a solution of Euclidean field equations as well as the solution of the Wheeler–deWitt (WD) equation satisfying Hawking–Page wormhole boundary conditions in (4 + 1)-dimensional Kaluza–Klein cosmology. The wormholes are considered in the cases of pure gravity, minimally coupled scalar (imaginary) field and with a positive cosmological constant assuming dynamical extra-dimensional space. In above cases, wormholes are allowed both from Euclidean field equations and WD equation. The dimensional reduction is possible.
The origins and evolutionary history of human non-coding RNA regulatory networks
Authors: Sherafatian Masih , Mowla Seyed Javad
Published: February 2017

The evolutionary history and origin of the regulatory function of animal non-coding RNAs are not well understood. Lack of conservation of long non-coding RNAs and small sizes of microRNAs has been major obstacles in their phylogenetic analysis. In this study, we tried to shed more light on the evolution of ncRNA regulatory networks by changing our phylogenetic strategy to focus on the evolutionary pattern of their protein coding targets. We used available target databases of miRNAs and lncRNAs to find their protein coding targets in human. We were able to recognize evolutionary hallmarks of ncRNA targets by phylostratigraphic analysis. We found the conventional 3′-UTR and lesser known 5′-UTR targets of miRNAs to be enriched at three consecutive phylostrata. Firstly, in eukaryata phylostratum corresponding to the emergence of miRNAs, our study revealed that miRNA targets function primarily in cell cycle processes. Moreover, the same overrepresentation of the targets observed in the next two consecutive phylostrata, opisthokonta and eumetazoa, corresponded to the expansion periods of miRNAs in animals evolution. Coding sequence targets of miRNAs showed a delayed rise at opisthokonta phylostratum, compared to the 3′ and 5′ UTR targets of miRNAs. LncRNA regulatory network was the latest to evolve at eumetazoa.
Neutrosophic Cubic Sets
Authors: Jun Young Bae , Smarandache Florentin , Kim Chang Su
Published: February 2017

The aim of this paper is to extend the concept of cubic sets to the neutrosophic sets. The notions of truth-internal (indeterminacy-internal, falsity-internal) neutrosophic cubic sets and truth-external (indeterminacy-external, falsity-external) neutrosophic cubic sets are introduced, and related properties are investigated.
CEO Social Status and Risk-Taking
Authors: Shemesh Joshua
Published: February 2017

I examine whether changes in CEO status affect risk-related business decisions. I use prestigious awards as shocks to CEO status relative to other CEOs. Firms with award-winning CEOs decrease their idiosyncratic volatility, and their industry betas converge towards one. These firms also reduce their spending on research and development, while increasing investment in fixed assets relative to a matched sample of firms with non-winning CEOs. The evidence suggests that CEOs who reach higher status become more concerned about poor relative performance. By conforming to other firms in their industry, CEOs with the highest reputation can lock-in their relative advantage.
A Decade of Developing Radio-Astronomy Instrumentation using CASPER Open-Source Technology
Authors: Hickish Jack , Abdurashidova Zuhra , Ali Zaki , Buch Kaushal D. , Chaudhari Sandeep C. , Chen Hong , Dexter Matthew , Domagalski Rachel Simone , Ford John , Foster Griffin , George David , Greenberg Joe , Greenhill Lincoln , Isaacson Adam , Jiang Homin , Jones Glenn , Kapp Francois , Kriel Henno , Lacasse Rich , Lutomirski Andrew , MacMahon David , Manley Jason , Martens Andrew , McCullough Randy , Muley Mekhala V. , New Wesley , Parsons Aaron , Price Daniel C. , Primiani Rurik A. , Ray Jason , Siemion Andrew , Van Tonder Vereesé , Vertatschitsch Laura , Wagner Mark , Weintroub Jonathan , Werthimer Dan ,   on behalf of the CASPER collaboration
Published: February 2017

The Collaboration for Astronomy Signal Processing and Electronics Research (CASPER) has been working for a decade to reduce the time and cost of designing, building and deploying new digital radio-astronomy instruments. Today, CASPER open-source technology powers over 45 scientific instruments worldwide, and is used by scientists and engineers at dozens of academic institutions. In this paper, we catalog the current offerings of the CASPER collaboration, and instruments past and present built by CASPER users and developers. We describe the ongoing state of software development, as CASPER looks to support a broader range of programming environments and hardware and ensure compatibility with the latest vendor tools.
Trade-Offs Between Plant Growth and Defense Against Insect Herbivory: An Emerging Mechanistic Synthesis
Authors: Züst Tobias , Agrawal Anurag A.
Published: February 2017

Costs of defense are central to our understanding of interactions between organisms and their environment, and defensive phenotypes of plants have long been considered to be constrained by trade-offs that reflect the allocation of limiting resources. Recent advances in uncovering signal transduction networks have revealed that defense trade-offs are often the result of regulatory “decisions” by the plant, enabling it to fine-tune its phenotype in response to diverse environmental challenges. We place these results in the context of classic studies in ecology and evolutionary biology, and propose a unifying framework for growth–defense trade-offs as a means to study the plant's allocation of limiting resources. Pervasive physiological costs constrain the upper limit to growth and defense traits, but the diversity of selective pressures on plants often favors negative correlations at intermediate trait levels. Despite the ubiquity of underlying costs of defense, the current challenge is using physiological and molecular approaches to predict the conditions where they manifest as detectable trade-offs.
Evolution of Stored-Product Entomology: Protecting the World Food Supply
Authors: Hagstrum David W. , Phillips Thomas W.
Published: February 2017

Traditional methods of stored-product pest control were initially passed from generation to generation. Ancient literature and archaeology reveal hermetic sealing, burning sulfur, desiccant dusts, and toxic botanicals as early control methods. Whereas traditional nonchemical methods were subsequently replaced by synthetic chemicals, other traditional methods were improved and integrated with key modern pesticides. Modern stored-product integrated pest management (IPM) makes decisions using knowledge of population dynamics and threshold insect densities. IPM programs are now being fine-tuned to meet regulatory and market standards. Better sampling methods and insights from life histories and ecological studies have been used to optimize the timing of pest management. Over the past 100 years, research on stored-product insects has shifted from being largely concentrated within 10 countries to being distributed across 65 countries. Although the components of IPM programs have been well researched, more research is needed on how these components can be combined to improve effectiveness and assure the security of postharvest food as the human population increases.
Coherent Light Sources at the Nanoscale
Authors: Yang Ankun , Wang Danqing , Wang Weijia , Odom Teri W.
Published: February 2017

This review focuses on coherent light sources at the nanoscale, and specifically on lasers exploiting plasmonic cavities that can beat the diffraction limit of light. Conventional lasers exhibit coherent, intense, and directional emission with cavity sizes much larger than their operating wavelength. Plasmon lasers show ultrasmall mode confinement, support strong light–matter interactions, and represent a class of devices with extremely small sizes. We discuss the differences between plasmon lasers and traditional ones, and we highlight advances in directionality and tunability through innovative cavity designs and new materials. Challenges and future prospects are also discussed.
Chronic hyperinsulinemia contributes to insulin resistance under dietary restriction in association with altered lipid metabolism in Zucker diabetic fatty rats
Authors: Morita Ippei , Tanimoto Keiichi , Akiyama Nobuteru , Naya Noriyuki , Fujieda Kumiko , Iwasaki Takanori , Yukioka Hideo
Published: February 2017

Hyperinsulinemia is widely thought to be a compensatory response to insulin resistance, whereas its potentially causal role in the progression of insulin resistance remains to be established. Here, we aimed to examine whether hyperinsulinemia could affect the progression of insulin resistance in Zucker fatty diabetic (ZDF) rats. Male ZDF rats at 8 wk of age were fed a diet ad libitum (AL) or dietary restriction (DR) of either 15 or 30% from AL feeding over 6 wk. Insulin sensitivity was determined by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp. ZDF rats in the AL group progressively developed hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia by 10 wk of age, and then plasma insulin rapidly declined to nearly normal levels by 12 wk of age. Compared with AL group, DR groups showed delayed onset of hyperglycemia and persistent hyperinsulinemia, leading to weight gain and raised plasma triglycerides and free fatty acids by 14 wk of age. Notably, insulin sensitivity was significantly reduced in the DR group rather than the AL group and inversely correlated with plasma levels of insulin and triglyceride but not glucose. Moreover, enhanced lipid deposition and upregulation of genes involved in lipogenesis were detected in liver, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissues of the DR group rather than the AL group. Alternatively, continuous hyperinsulinemia induced by insulin pellet implantation produced a decrease in insulin sensitivity in ZDF rats. These results suggest that chronic hyperinsulinemia may lead to the progression of insulin resistance under DR conditions in association with altered lipid metabolism in peripheral tissues in ZDF rats.
Herpes Simplex Virus Latency: The DNA Repair-Centered Pathway
Authors: Brown Jay C.
Published: February 2017

Like all herpesviruses, herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1) is able to produce lytic or latent infections depending on the host cell type. Lytic infections occur in a broad range of cells while latency is highly specific for neurons. Although latency suggests itself as an attractive target for novel anti-HSV1 therapies, progress in their development has been slowed due in part to a lack of agreement about the basic biochemical mechanisms involved. Among the possibilities being considered is a pathway in which DNA repair mechanisms play a central role. Repair is suggested to be involved in both HSV1 entry into latency and reactivation from it. Here I describe the basic features of the DNA repair-centered pathway and discuss some of the experimental evidence supporting it. The pathway is particularly attractive because it is able to account for important features of the latent response, including the specificity for neurons, the specificity for neurons of the peripheral compared to the central nervous system, the high rate of genetic recombination in HSV1-infected cells, and the genetic identity of infecting and reactivated virus.
Potential Usefulness of Streptococcus pneumoniae Extracellular Membrane Vesicles as Antibacterial Vaccines
Authors: Choi Chi-Won , Park Edmond Changkyun , Yun Sung Ho , Lee Sang-Yeop , Kim Seung Il , Kim Gun-Hwa
Published: February 2017

The secretion of extracellular membrane vesicles (EMVs) is a common phenomenon that occurs in archaea, bacteria, and mammalian cells. The EMVs of bacteria play important roles in their virulence, biogenesis mechanisms, and host cell interactions. Bacterial EMVs have recently become the focus of attention because of their potential as highly effective vaccines that cause few side effects. Here, we isolated the EMVs of Streptococcus pneumoniae and examined their potential as new vaccine candidates. Although the S. pneumoniae bacteria were highly pathogenic in a mouse model, the EMVs purified from these bacteria showed low pathological activity both in cell culture and in mice. When mice were injected intraperitoneally with S. pneumoniae EMVs and then challenged, they were protected from both the homologous strain and another pathogenic serotype of S. pneumoniae. We also identified a number of proteins that may have immunogenic activity and may be responsible for the immune responses by the hosts. These results suggest that S. pneumoniae EMVs or their individual immunogenic antigens may be useful as new vaccine agents.
Brain Emotional Learning Based Intelligent Decoupler for Nonlinear Multi‐Input Multi‐Output Distillation Columns
Authors: El-Saify M. H. , El-Garhy A. M. , El-Sheikh G. A.
Published: February 2017

The distillation process is vital in many fields of chemical industries, such as the two‐coupled distillation columns that are usually highly nonlinear Multi‐Input Multi‐Output (MIMO) coupled processes. The control of MIMO process is usually implemented via a decentralized approach using a set of Single‐Input Single‐Output (SISO) loop controllers. Decoupling the MIMO process into group of single loops requires proper input‐output pairing and development of decoupling compensator unit. This paper proposes a novel intelligent decoupling approach for MIMO processes based on new MIMO brain emotional learning architecture. A MIMO architecture of Brain Emotional Learning Based Intelligent Controller (BELBIC) is developed and applied as a decoupler for 4 input/4 output highly nonlinear coupled distillation columns process. Moreover, the performance of the proposed Brain Emotional Learning Based Intelligent Decoupler (BELBID) is enhanced using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) technique. The performance is compared with the PSO optimized steady state decoupling compensation matrix. Mathematical models of the distillation columns and the decouplers are built and tested in simulation environment by applying the same inputs. The results prove remarkable success of the BELBID in minimizing the loops interactions without degrading the output that every input has been paired with.
Macrophages as Key Drivers of Cancer Progression and Metastasis
Authors: Nielsen Sebastian R. , Schmid Michael C.
Published: February 2017

Macrophages are one of the most abundant immune cells in the tumour microenvironment of solid tumours and their presence correlates with reduced survival in most cancers. Macrophages are present at all stages of tumour progression and stimulate angiogenesis, tumour cell invasion, and intravasation at the primary site. At the metastatic site, macrophages and monocytes prepare for the arrival of disseminated tumour cells and promote their extravasation and survival by inhibiting immune-mediated clearance or by directly engaging with tumour cells to activate prosurvival signalling pathways. In addition, macrophages promote the growth of disseminated tumour cells at the metastatic site by organising the formation of a supportive metastatic niche. The development of agents inhibiting the recruitment or the protumorigenic effector functions of macrophages in both the primary tumour and at the metastatic site is a promising strategy to improve cancer survival in the future.
Effect of Temperature-Force Factors and Concentrator Shape on Impact Fracture Mechanisms of 17Mn1Si Steel
Authors: Panin S. V. , Maruschak P. O. , Vlasov I. V. , Moiseenko D. D. , Berto F. , Vinogradov A.
Published: February 2017

The influence of the notch shape on the impact fracture of 17Mn1Si steel is investigated at different temperatures with the focus placed on the low-temperature behavior. An approach towards fracture characterization has been suggested based on the description of elastic-plastic deformation of impact loaded specimens on the stage of crack initiation and growth at ambient and lower temperatures. The analysis of the impact loading diagrams and fracture energy values for the pipe steel 17Mn1Si revealed the fracture mechanisms depending on the notch shape. It was found that the testing temperature reduction played a decisive role in plastic strain localization followed by dynamic fracture of the specimens with differently shaped notches. A classification of fracture macro- and microscopic mechanisms for differently notched specimens tested at different temperatures was proposed which enabled a self-consistent interpretation of impact test results.
Comparison of DSTATCOM Performance for Voltage Sag Alleviation
Authors: Prasad Miska , Akella Ashok Kumar
Published: February 2017

This paper describes the comparative analysis of three different control techniques of distributed flexible AC transmission system (DFACTS) controller called as distributed static synchronous compensator (DSTATCOM), aimed at power quality (PQ) enhancement in terms of voltage sag mitigation in a three-phase four-wire (3p4w) distribution system. A DSTATCOM is one of the major power quality improvement devices which consist of a DC energy source, a voltage source inverter (VSI), a filter, a coupling transformer and the control system. The control strategy based on synchronous reference frame (SRF) theory, instantaneous active and reactive current (IARC) theory and propositional-integral (PI) controller has been used for reference current generation of voltage source inverter (VSI) based DSTATCOM. The SRF, IARC and PI control based DSTATCOM is validated through dynamic simulation in a MATLAB\SIMULINK environment under linear as well as nonlinear loads.
RMBI or RMBR? Is the Renminbi Destined to Become a Global or Regional Currency?
Authors: Eichengreen Barry , Lombardi Domenico
Published: February 2017

Previous studies have focused on when the renminbi will play a significant role as an international currency, but less attention has been paid to where. We fill this gap by contrasting two answers to the question. One is that the renminbi will assume the role of a global currency similar to the U.S. dollar. Supporters point to China's widely diversified trade and financial flows and to its institutional initiatives, not just in Asia but around the world. The other is that the renminbi will play a regional role in Asia equivalent to that of the euro in Greater Europe. Proponents of this view argue that China has a natural advantage in leveraging regional supply chains and deepening its links with other Asian countries as well as in developing regional institutions. Asia, they argue on these grounds, will become the natural habitat for the renminbi.
Learning to Deter: Deterrence Failure and Success in the Israel-Hezbollah Conflict, 2006–16
Authors: Sobelman Daniel
Published: February 2017

What are the sources of deterrence stability and under what conditions can weak actors deter stronger adversaries? To deter a superior adversary, the weak actor must convince it that if conflict breaks out, the weak actor would be capable of rendering its opponent's strategic capabilities tactical and its own tactical capabilities strategic. The deterrence relationship that has evolved between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah in the decade since—and as a result of—the 2006 Lebanon War (a.k.a. the Second Lebanon War or the July War) confirms this observation. A comparison of these two actors’ deterrence behavior in the years preceding the war and in its aftermath shows that one of the leading explanations for the ongoing stability along the Israeli-Lebanese border is that Israel and Hezbollah have learned to apply deterrence in a manner that meets the prerequisites of rational deterrence theory.
Deterrence and Dissuasion in Cyberspace
Authors: Nye Joseph S.
Published: February 2017

Understanding deterrence and dissuasion in cyberspace is often difficult because our minds are captured by Cold War images of massive retaliation to a nuclear attack by nuclear means. The analogy to nuclear deterrence is misleading, however, because many aspects of cyber behavior are more like other behaviors, such as crime, that states try (imperfectly) to deter. Preventing harm in cyberspace involves four complex mechanisms: threats of punishment, denial, entanglement, and norms. Even when punishment is used, deterrent threats need not be limited to cyber responses, and they may address general behavior as well as specific acts. Cyber threats are plentiful, often ambiguous, and difficult to attribute. Problems of attribution are said to limit deterrence and dissuasion in the cyber domain, but three of the major means—denial by defense, entanglement, and normative taboos—are not strongly hindered by the attribution problem. The effectiveness of different mechanisms depends on context, and the question of whether deterrence works in cyberspace depends on “who and what.” Not all cyberattacks are of equal importance; not all can be deterred; and not all rise to the level of significant national security threats. The lesson for policymakers is to focus on the most important attacks and to understand the context in which such attacks may occur and the full range of mechanisms available to prevent them.
The Significance of Habit
Authors: Matthews Steve
Published: February 2017

Analysis of the concept of habit has been relatively neglected in the contemporary analytic literature. This paper is an attempt to rectify this lack. The strategy begins with a description of some paradigm cases of habit which are used to derive five features as the basis for an explicative definition. It is argued that habits are social, acquired through repetition, enduring, environmentally activated, and automatic. The enduring nature of habits is captured by their being dispositions of a certain sort. This is a realist account of habits insofar as the dispositions put forward must fit into some recognizable underlying system – in the case of humans a biological system – to fill the role as set out by the definition. This role is wide-ranging; in addition to the familiar cases of habitual behavior, habitual activities also include thinking, perceiving, feeling, and willing.
Orthodox Communities on Russia’s Frontiers
Authors: Romaniello Matthew P.
Published: February 2017

This essay is a brief comment on the preceding essays, highlighting two issues of significance raised by these authors. The first is whether the frontier itself influenced the evolution of Orthodox belief. Did distance create an opportunity to expand the faith? The second question considers the impact of the Russian Empire on its religious communities, and examines the way in which religion can reveal the tension between center and periphery. To address these issues, this comment adds a reflection on the conversion mission among the Muslim and animist communities in and around Kazan in the early modern period.
Regime and Leader Instability Under Two Forms of Military Rule
Authors: Kim Nam Kyu , Kroeger Alex M.
Published: February 2017

The finding that military regimes are more fragile than other authoritarian regimes represents one of the few stylized facts in comparative politics. However, the existing literature contains substantial differences in the theoretical explanations for military regime instability and operationalizations of military rule. To assess competing explanations, we examine regime and leader instability after distinguishing between collegial and personalist military rule. We show that regime and leader insecurity characterize only collegial military regimes. Particularly, the fragility of collegial military regimes comes from a heightened likelihood of democratization, not more frequent transitions to alternative autocratic regimes. In addition, leaders of collegial military regimes face higher risks of both regular and irregular turnovers than other autocrats. Also, irregular exits of collegial military leaders tend to occur through reshuffling, rather than regime-changing, coups. The results strongly support theories focusing on military officers’ preference for unity over other explanations.
Intuitive Cognition and Models of Human–Automation Interaction
Authors: Patterson Robert Earl
Published: February 2017

Objective:

The aim of this study was to provide an analysis of the implications of the dominance of intuitive cognition in human reasoning and decision making for conceptualizing models and taxonomies of human–automation interaction, focusing on the Parasuraman et al. model and taxonomy.

Background:

Knowledge about how humans reason and make decisions, which has been shown to be largely intuitive, has implications for the design of future human–machine systems.

Method:

One hundred twenty articles and books cited in other works as well as those obtained from an Internet search were reviewed. Works were deemed eligible if they were published within the past 50 years and common to a given literature.

Results:

Analysis shows that intuitive cognition dominates human reasoning and decision making in all situations examined. The implications of the dominance of intuitive cognition for the Parasuraman et al. model and taxonomy are discussed. A taxonomy of human–automation interaction that incorporates intuitive cognition is suggested.

Application:

Understanding the ways in which human reasoning and decision making is intuitive can provide insight for future models and taxonomies of human–automation interaction.
The Neuroergonomics of Vigilance
Authors: Funke Matthew E. , Warm Joel S. , Matthews Gerald , Funke Gregory J. , Chiu Peter Y. , Shaw Tyler H. , Greenlee Eric T.
Published: February 2017

Objective:

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of uncertainty about where in the field of view critical signals for detection appear during a vigilance task (spatial uncertainty) on cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) and oculomotor fatigue.

Background:

Neuroergonomics is a dimension of human factors founded by Raja Parasuraman that studies brain functions underlying performance at work. Neuroergonomic studies have shown that observers in vigilance tasks lose information-processing resources over time and experience oculomotor fatigue as indexed by a temporal decline in CBFV and elevation in eye closure as reflected in the PERCLOS metric. Because spatial uncertainty increases an observer’s need for visual scanning relative to a spatial certainty condition, it was anticipated that spatial uncertainty would result in a greater temporal decline in CBFV and increased eye closure in a vigilance session.

Method:

Observers performed a simulated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control task wherein collision flight paths were the events to be detected. UAV images could appear at random in any one of five locations on the controller’s display (spatial uncertainty) or only in a fixed location (spatial certainty).

Results:

Signal detection was poorer in the spatial-uncertain relative to the certain condition, and predictions regarding CBFV and eye closure were confirmed.

Conclusion:

Vigilance tasks involving spatial uncertainty are more neurophysiologically taxing than those in which spatial uncertainty is not a factor.

Application:

The neuroergonomic approach helps in understanding the effects of psychophysical factors in vigilance and to signify when performance aiding is needed.
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism; and the Vodou Ethic and the Spirit of Communism
Authors: Mocombe Paul C
Published: February 2017

This work explores and highlights how the African religion of Vodou and its ethic (i.e. syncretism, materialism, holism, communalism) gave rise to the Haitian spirit of communism in the provinces, mountains and urban slums of Haiti, which would be juxtaposed against the Catholic/Protestant Ethic and the spirit of capitalism of the white, mulatto and petit-bourgeois classes (i.e. the Affranchis of the island). This latter worldview, I go on to argue, exercised by the free bourgeois blacks and mulatto elites on the island undermined the revolutionary and independence movement of Haiti, and made it an apartheid state.
Unthinking Capital: Conceptual and Terminological Landmarks
Authors: Ascione Gennaro
Published: February 2017

In this article I take issues with some Eurocentric limits of the two contradictions of capital: capital/labour and capital/nature. These limits are exposed by elaborating on two theoretical insights from researches in critical race studies and indigenous political ecologies: respectively thingification and uncommon. These insights produce a tension between colonialism and capitalism, which calls for a post-Eurocentric process of concept formation. This reconceptualization of capital is pursued through the notion of muri, which the Japanese thinker Uno Kōzō deployed to designate a bold non-western pathway to reading Capital. The article elaborates and formulates three conceptual and terminological landmarks to unthinking capital for a global social theory.
Extremely low-income households, housing affordability and the Great Recession
Authors: Lens Michael C
Published: February 2017

The effects of the Great Recession on housing equity and homeownership have been well-documented. However, we know little about how rental households fared and the efficacy of housing subsidies in addressing affordability gaps. This paper examines the extent to which rental housing became less affordable for Extremely Low-Income (ELI) households – those earning less than 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI). I then run regression models to determine the local characteristics most strongly associated with larger affordability gaps, with a focus on whether housing subsidies are effective at combating such gaps. Rental affordability gaps became more pronounced during the Great Recession. In nearly 70% of the counties in my sample, there was an increase from 2007 to 2010 in the number of ELI households per affordable rental unit. Across the country, the increase was 17%, a dramatic increase in only three years. There is considerable variation across the country, with acute affordability crises often concentrated in the South, particularly Florida. Regression models provide compelling evidence that housing vouchers, public housing, and project-based Section 8 subsidies play an important role in limiting the extent to which large numbers of ELI households are competing for a shortage of low-cost rental units. However, these programmes do not respond quickly to local needs – such as those brought about by the Great Recession. A pilot study where local housing authorities had funding to be more agile and responsive would be an important step toward crafting better policy.
The Effects of the Courtroom Context on Children's Memory and Anxiety
Authors: Nathanson Rebecca , Saywitz Karen J.
Published: February 2017

Modifications of the courtroom environment have been proposed to enhance the ability of child witnesses to offer complete and accurate testimony and reduce system-induced stress. However, these interventions have often been conceived without the benefit of empirical data demonstrating intervention efficacy. The present study examines the effects of the courtroom context on children's memory and anxiety. Eighty-one eight- to ten-year-olds participated in a staged event involving bodily touch, and two weeks later their memory for the event was tested. Half of the children were questioned in a mock courtroom in a university law school, and half were questioned in a small, private room adjacent to the courtroom. Children's heart rate was monitored throughout questioning. Results indicated that children questioned in the courtroom showed impaired memory performance and greater heart rate variability, indicative of a stress response, when compared with children interviewed in the small, private room.
The Impact of Angry Versus Sad Victim Impact Statements on Mock Jurors’ Sentencing Decisions in a Capital Trial
Authors: Nuñez Narina , Myers Bryan , Wilkowski Benjamin M. , Schweitzer Kimberly
Published: February 2017

The present study tested the effects of angry and sad victim impact statements (VIS) on jury eligible participants’ decisions. Death qualified participants ( N = 581) watched the penalty phase of a capital trial that varied the presence and emotional content of the VIS (angry, sad, or no VIS) along with the strength of mitigating evidence (weak or strong). Results revealed that Angry VIS led to an increase in death sentences, whereas Sad VIS did not. Furthermore, participants who reported becoming angry during the trial were more likely to render a death sentence, but participants who became sad during the trial were not. No interaction was found between VIS and strength of mitigating evidence, but participants exposed to the angry VIS did rate the mitigating evidence as less important to their decisions. The results indicate that VIS are not inherently biasing, nor are all emotions equally impactful on sentencing decisions.
Active coupling suppression and real-time control system design and implementation for three-axis electronic flight motion simulator
Authors: Miao Zhonghua , Wei Chenglei , Gao Zhiyuan , Wang Xuyong
Published: February 2017

Modelling of a three-axis electronic flight motion simulator with U-O-O structure is achieved in this paper, based on recursive Newton–Euler equations. To overcome the shortcomings of passive decoupling control methods, an active coupling torque suppression method is proposed using velocity internal feedback by analysing the influence of the coupling torque. Detailed control software and hardware implementation is given for the real-time control system. Experimental tests show the designed flight motion simulator system performs good dynamic and static performances.
New algorithm for the design of robust PI controller for plants with parametric uncertainty
Authors: Srinivasa Rao Danaboyina , Siva Kumar Mangipudi , Ramalinga Raju Manyala
Published: February 2017

This paper proposes a new algorithm for the design of robust PI controller for plants with parametric uncertainty using new necessary and sufficient stability conditions. Most of the control systems operate under large uncertainty causing degradation of system performance and destabilization. In order to compensate these shortcomings, a robust PI controller is designed based on new necessary and sufficient conditions for stability of a plant with parametric uncertainty, a class of interval polynomial. New necessary and sufficient conditions for the determination of robust stability of interval polynomials have been developed using the results of Routhe’s theorem and Karitonov theorem. A set of inequalities are derived based on these developed new necessary and sufficient conditions to obtain robust controller parameters. The proposed method is simple and involves less computational complexity compared with the available methods in the literature. The efficacy of the proposed methodology is demonstrated with a numerical example for successful implementation.
Non-governmental organizations and economic sanctionsi
Authors: Kim Youngwan , Whang Taehee
Published: February 2017

How do non-governmental organizations (NGOs) affect sanction policies? Using two datasets of sanctions and NGOs, we study whether and how US-based NGOs working in a target state can influence the threat and implementation of sanctions initiated by the USA. At the threat stage, the sender government tends to perceive NGOs as a signaling device such that NGOs increase the probability of sanction threat. At the imposition stage, the presence of NGOs in a target state also increases the likelihood of a sender state imposing sanctions. In addition, the sender state tends to implement costly sanctions when NGOs have more field operations in target states. This study provides a systematic explanation of the relationship between NGOs and sanction threat and implementation.