bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a pre‐exposure prophylaxis programme for men who have sex with men and transgender women in Thailand: learning through the HIV prevention cascade lens
Authors: Ramautarsing Reshmie A , Meksena Ratchadaporn , Sungsing Thanthip , Chinbunchorn Tanat , Sangprasert Theeranat , Fungfoosri Orawan , Meekrua Dusita , Sumalu Saman , Pasansai Thapana , Bunainso Witwasin , Wongsri Tashada , Mainoy Nuttakrit , Colby Donn , Avery Matthew , Mills Stephen , Vannakit Ravipa , Phanuphak Praphan , Phanuphak Nittaya
Published: June 2020

Introduction

Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) are two key populations (KPs) in Thailand at high risk for HIV. Uptake and scale‐up of pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among them has been slow. We used data from Princess PrEP, Thailand’s largest KP‐led PrEP programme, to operationalize PrEP service cascades. We identified gaps and pointed out where additional data are needed to inform a larger HIV prevention cascade.

Methods

Numbers of people tested for HIV, tested HIV negative, eligible for PrEP (defined as any of the following in the past three months: condomless sex with partners of unknown/uncertain HIV status or antiretroviral treatment or viral load status, multiple partners, engaging in sex work, sexually transmitted infections, injecting drugs, using amphetamine‐type stimulants, or repeated use of post‐exposure prophylaxis), offered PrEP and accepted PrEP during January to November 2019 were retrieved from Princess PrEP database to inform PrEP service cascades for MSM and TGW. Reasons for not accepting PrEP were documented.

Results

Of 6287 MSM who received HIV testing in Princess PrEP, 92.3% were HIV negative and 70.2% of them were eligible for PrEP. PrEP was offered to 94.7% of those eligible and 48.0% of those offered accepted it. Among 900 TGW who had HIV testing, 95.3% tested HIV negative and 64.8% of them met PrEP eligibility criteria. Of these, 95.0% were offered PrEP and 43.9% of them accepted it. Among MSM and TGW who met PrEP eligibility criteria, no or low‐HIV‐risk perception was the most common reason provided (46.7% of 2007 MSM and 41.9% of 296 TGW) for not accepting PrEP.

Conclusions

PrEP service cascades from the Princess PrEP programme identified no or low‐risk perception as key barrier to PrEP acceptance among MSM and TGW who met PrEP eligibility criteria. More implementation research studies are needed to explore PrEP motivation and access in larger communities outside of clinical services. This is to identify gaps and strategies to address them within motivation, access and effective use domains of the HIV prevention cascade.
Reduced Flow in Delayed Graft Function as Assessed by IVIM Is Associated With Time to Recovery Following Kidney Transplantation
Authors: Hashim Eyesha , Yuen Darren A. , Kirpalani Anish
Published: June 2020

Background

Delayed graft function (DGF), defined as the need for dialysis in the first week after kidney transplantation, frequently complicates posttransplantation care. The most common cause of DGF is ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI). To date, no clinical tools can accurately estimate its severity, nor the time required for recovery of kidney function.

Purpose

To investigate if parameters related to directed flow and diffusion of water, as determined by intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion‐weighted imaging (IVIM‐DWI), could be used to differentiate DGF from normal graft function posttransplantation, predict time to recovery from DGF, and hence serve as a surrogate measure of IRI severity.

Study Type

Prospective, cross‐sectional cohort study.

Population

Fifty consecutive kidney transplant recipients within 3–10 days posttransplantation at our hospital.

Field Strength/Sequence

3.0T/IVIM‐DWI.

Assessment

The following IVIM‐DWI parameters were studied: flow‐fraction (f), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and total‐ADC (ADCT). Mean intrarenal resistive index (R.I.) from Doppler ultrasound was also included for a comparison of IVIM‐DWI with the clinical standard of care.

Statistical Tests

Welch's t‐test, Spearman's correlation, and linear regression.

Results

f was significantly reduced in DGF compared to non‐DGF patients in the cortex, medulla, and whole renal parenchyma (P < 0.05). Time to recovery with respect to MRI correlated negatively with f (P < 0.05; rho = −0.52 (cortex), and −0.65 [parenchyma]), ADC (P < 0.05; rho = −0.59 [cortex], 0.59 [medulla], and −0.59 [parenchyma]) and ADCT (P < 0.05; rho = −0.54 [cortex], and −0.52 [medulla]). Whole renal parenchymal f predicted time to recovery relative to MRI (P < 0.05, adjusted r‐squared = 0.36). R.I. was significantly different between the groups but did not correlate with time to recovery with respect to MRI (rho = 0.43, P = 0.096).

Data Conclusion

Quantification of renal flow using IVIM‐DWI has the potential to serve as a surrogate measure of IRI severity to estimate the degree of and recovery from DGF.

Level of Evidence

2

Technical Efficacy Stage

3
Asymmetric rectilinear ion trap with unidirectional ion ejection capability
Authors: Huo Xinming , Chen Dong , Tian Yuan , Li Man , Yu Quan , Guo Cheng'an , Wang Xiaohao
Published: June 2020

In this paper, the shapes of the electrodes are modified based on a rectilinear ion trap to achieve unidirectional ejection of ions. The designed asymmetric rectilinear ion trap (ARIT) analyzer adds convex and concave circular structures with a height of 0.5 mm on the two X‐electrodes, so that the electric field center of the ion trap is inclined to the concave side. The electric field lines of the convex side are compressed to the concave side. Both simulations and experimental results show that ions are more likely to emit from the slit on the concave side plate when performing ion resonance ejection. The mass spectrum signal intensity can reach more than twice that of the original rectilinear trap when using only one detector. Calculations of the electric field components in the trap show that the even‐order higher field proportion in the ion trap has not been significantly affected. Combined with the experimental test results, the study further confirmed that the developed ARIT has no significant loss in mass resolution, tandem mass spectrometry capability, and quantitative analysis capability. The proposed asymmetric structure modification scheme can achieve single‐side ejection without significantly affecting other performances of the analyzer, which provides a new idea for the structural optimization of the subsequent ion trap analyzers.
Shorebird Abundance Estimates in Interior Alaska
Authors: Martin Ellen C. , Jochum Kim A. , Bagley Calvin F. , Doherty Paul F.
Published: June 2020

Interior Alaska, USA, is the least‐studied region in Alaska for breeding shorebirds because of challenging accessibility and expectations of low densities and abundances. We estimated lowland and upland shorebird population sizes on 370,420 ha of military lands in interior Alaska boreal forest from May–July 2016 and 2017. We modified the Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (PRISM) protocol used elsewhere in Alaska and incorporated a probability‐based sampling design and dependent double‐observer methods. We pooled all lowland shorebird and all upland shorebird observations and estimated abundance using Huggins closed captures models in Program MARK. Estimated abundances of all lowland and upland shorebirds were 42,239 ± 13,431 (SE) and 3,523 ± 494, respectively. The survey area is important for shorebirds in Alaska. We estimate that military lands in interior Alaska support 45,762 ± 13,925 shorebirds, including 7 species of conservation concern. Higher abundance of lowland shorebirds was best explained by lower elevation, lower percent scrub canopy, and higher percent water on plots. Higher abundance of upland shorebirds was best explained by higher elevation and increased distance to wetland. Our modified Arctic PRISM protocol was effective for surveys in the boreal forest and we recommend continued use of method modifications for future shorebird surveys in boreal forests. Identifying baseline abundances of shorebirds using interior Alaska is an important step in monitoring distributional shifts and potential future population declines. © 2020 The Authors. TheJournal of Wildlife Managementpublished by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Wildlife Society.
Graphenated Ceramic Particles as Functional Fillers for Nonisocyanate Polyhydroxyurethane Composites
Authors: Yang Yuan , Pössel Burkhardt , Mülhaupt Rolf
Published: June 2020

Graphenation of corundum and silicon carbide filler particles simultaneously improves mechanical properties and electrical conductivity of nonisocyanate polyhydroxyurethanes (NIPU) composites prepared by amine cure of polyfunctional cyclic carbonates. Typically, the ceramic fillers coated with either glucose, polydopamine, or graphite oxide (GO) are thermolyzed to produce an ultrathin graphene shell around the ceramic core, as verified by transmission electron microscopy. As compared to a blend of corundum particles with the thermally reduced graphite oxide (TRGO) nanofiller, graphenation of corundum with GO at a similar total carbon content significantly improves the Young’s modulus (7000 MPa, +184%) of trimethylolpropane glycidylether carbonate (TMPGC) cured with diethylenetriamine (DETA). Moreover, up to 30 wt% of the graphenated corundum filler is uniformly dispersed, whereas a few percent of neat TRGO account for intolerable high viscosity. Furthermore, NIPU composites containing graphenated ceramic fillers exhibit electrical conductivities of up 2.58 × 10−5 S m−1 well below the percolation threshold of neat TRGO in the same NIPU matrix. Hence, the graphenation of inorganic particles represents a facile and universal synthetic route toward tailoring functional fillers and combines the two worlds of functionalized graphene and inorganic fillers in an economic way by eliminating the tedious syntheses and handling typical for graphene nanofillers.
Lysine‐Functionalized Gibbsite Nanoplatelet Dispersions for Nonisocyanate Polyhydroxyurethane Nanocomposites and Translucent Coatings
Authors: Pössel Burkhardt , Mülhaupt Rolf
Published: June 2020

The lysine functionalization of ultrathin γ‐Al(OH)3 single‐crystal nanoplatelets (ly‐gibbsite) having an average thickness below 100 nm and a width ranging between 0.5 and 1.5 µm renders them organophilic and enables their agglomerate‐free dispersion in nonisocyanate polyhydroxyurethane (NIPU) thermosets prepared by amine cure of polyfunctional cyclic carbonates. Whereas most other nanoparticles drastically increase viscosity even at very low content, NIPU processing tolerates up to 40 wt% ly‐gibbsite without impairing its uniform dispersion. The amine groups of ly‐gibbsite can react with cyclic carbonate groups of NIPU to afford interfacial coupling. Contrary to the NIPU composites containing corundum and spherical gibbsite particles, ly‐gibbsite/NIPU nanocomposites exhibit substantially higher stiffness as reflected by high Young’s modulus up to 9500 MPa. Moreover, ly‐gibbsite/NIPU coatings remain translucent even at high ly‐gibbsite content when the nanoplatelet length is below 1 µm. As verified by transmission electron microscopic imaging of coatings, the ly‐gibbsite nanoplatelets are aligned parallel to the surface. At high ly‐gibbsite content, NIPU thermosets are rendered flame retardant in the absence of halogen and other flame retardants. The NIPU coatings tolerate the addition of aluminum flakes to produce metallic NIPU varnishes.
ADR‐Net: Context extraction network based on M‐Net for medical image segmentation
Authors: Ji Lingyu , Jiang Xiaoyan , Gao Yongbin , Fang Zhijun , Cai Qingping , Wei Ziran
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Medical image segmentation is an essential component of medical image analysis. Accurate segmentation can assist doctors in diagnosis and relieve their fatigue. Although several image segmentation methods based on U‐Net have been proposed, their performances have been observed to be suboptimal in the case of small‐sized objects. To address this shortcoming, a novel network architecture is proposed in this study to enhance segmentation performance on small medical targets.

Methods

In this paper, we propose a joint multi‐scale context attention network architecture to simultaneously capture higher level semantic information and spatial information. In order to obtain a greater number of feature maps during decoding, the network concatenates the images of side inputs by down‐sampling during the encoding phase. In the bottleneck layer of the network, dense atrous convolution (DAC) and multi‐scale residual pyramid pooling (RMP) modules are exploited to better capture high‐level semantic information and spatial information. To improve the segmentation performance on small targets, the attention gate (AG) block is used to effectively suppress feature activation in uncorrelated regions and highlight the target area.

Results

The proposed model is first evaluated on the public dataset DRIVE, on which it performs significantly better than the basic framework in terms of sensitivity (SE), intersection‐over‐union (IOU), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). In particular, the SE and IOU are observed to increase by 7.46% and 5.97%, respectively. Further, the evaluation indices exhibit improvements compared to those of state‐of‐the‐art methods as well, with SE and IOU increasing by 3.58% and 3.26%, respectively. Additionally, in order to demonstrate the generalizability of the proposed architecture, we evaluate our model on three other challenging datasets. The respective performances are observed to be better than those of state‐of‐the‐art network architectures on the same datasets. Moreover, we use lung segmentation as a comparative experiment to demonstrate the transferability of the advantageous properties of the proposed approach in the context of small target segmentation to the segmentation of large targets. Finally, an ablation study is conducted to investigate the individual contributions of the AG block, the DAC block, and the RMP block to the performance of the network.

Conclusions

The proposed method is evaluated on various datasets. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model performs better than state‐of‐the‐art methods in medical image segmentation of small targets.
Prescription patterns in patients with schizophrenia in Japan: First‐quality indicator data from the survey of “Effectiveness of Guidelines for Dissemination and Education in psychiatric treatment (EGUIDE)” project
Authors: Ichihashi Kayo , Hori Hikaru , Hasegawa Naomi , Yasuda Yuka , Yamamoto Tomoya , Tsuboi Takashi , Iwamoto Kunihiro , Kishimoto Taishiro , Horai Tadasu , Yamada Hiroki , Sugiyama Nobuhiro , Nakamura Toshinori , Tsujino Naohisa , Nemoto Kiyotaka , Oishi Satoru , Usami Masahide , Katsumoto Eiichi , Yamamori Hidenaga , Tomita Hiroaki , Suwa Taro , Furihata Ryuji , Inagaki Takahiko , Fujita Junichi , Onitsuka Toshiaki , Miura Kenichiro , Matsumoto Junya , Ohi Kazutaka , Matsui Yuki , Takaesu Yoshikazu , Hashimoto Naoki , Iga Junichi , Ogasawara Kazuyoshi , Yamada Hisashi , Watanabe Koichiro , Inada Ken , Hashimoto Ryota
Published: June 2020

Background

Guideline for Pharmacological Therapy for Schizophrenia was published by the Japanese Society of Neuropsychopharmacology in 2015. “Effectiveness of Guidelines for Dissemination and Education in psychiatric treatment (EGUIDE)” project aimed to standardize medical practice using quality indicators (QIs) as indices to evaluate the quality of medical practice. In this study, we have reported the quality indicator values of prescription before the beginning of the guideline lectures in the EGUIDE project to ascertain the baseline status of treating patients with schizophrenia.

Methods

A cross‐sectional, retrospective case record survey was conducted, involving 1164 patients with schizophrenia at the time of discharge. We checked all types and dosage of psychotropic drugs.

Results

Forty‐three percent of patients had antipsychotic polypharmacy, and substantial concomitant medication was observed (antidepressants; 8%, mood stabilizers: 37%, anxiolytics or hypnotics: 68%).

Conclusions

In the results obtained in this study, we plant to report changes in the effectiveness of education in the EGUIDE project near the future.
Optimal control of earth pressure balance of shield tunneling machine based on dual‐heuristic dynamic programming
Authors: Liu Xuanyu , Xu Sheng , Shao Cheng
Published: June 2020

Earth pressure balance (EPB) shield tunneling machine has been widely used in underground construction. To avoid the catastrophic accidents caused by earth pressure imbalance, the earth pressure on excavation face must be controlled balance to that in chamber. To solve this problem better, a multi‐variable data‐driven optimal control method for shield machine based on dual‐heuristic programming (DHP) is proposed. The DHP controller is constructed with action network, model network, and critic network based on back‐propagation neural networks (BPNNs). Following Bellman's principle of optimality, a cost function of DHP controller for the chamber's earth pressure is presented, which simplifies a multi‐level optimization to a single‐level optimization. To minimize the cost function, the action network utilizes the critic network's error to achieve multi‐variable optimization, and the optimal control parameters for the tunneling process are obtained at last. The simulation results show that the method can effectively control the earth pressure balance. Even in case of disturbance, the system has strong anti‐interference ability and the control process is also quicker and steadier.
A case of anti‐laminin 332 mucous membrane pemphigoid manifesting as desquamative gingivitis
Authors: Maeda Sahoko Imai , Fujiwara Kumiko , Tomihara Kei , Yamazaki Manabu , Imaue Shuichi , Noguchi Makoto
Published: June 2020

Anti‐laminin 332 mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) is characterized by circulating anti‐laminin 332 autoantibodies, with a high risk of concurrent malignant neoplasms. We report a case of anti‐laminin 332 MMP manifesting as a desquamative gingivitis. A 45‐year‐old woman experienced painful erythema and occasional bullous lesions on the gingiva despite good oral hygiene and plaque control. Intraoral examination revealed gingival inflammation with desquamation. Biopsy showed subepithelial cleft formation suggesting a subepidermal blister. Direct immunofluorescence revealed the deposition of IgG and IgA in the epithelium. Accordingly, we diagnosed anti‐laminin 332 MMP and treated with systemic corticosteroids. The oral lesion resolved after 3 months.
The effects of individual characteristics on women intention to become social entrepreneurs?
Authors: Polas Mohammad Rashed Hasan , Afshar Jahanshahi Asghar
Published: June 2020

Which individual‐level factors motivate women to become a social entrepreneur? To answer this question, we examined the direct impact of problem‐solving skills, networking ability, and entrepreneurial knowledge with social entrepreneurial intention. Furthermore, we tested the indirect effects of these three factors through self‐efficacy. The study hypotheses were tested using a sample of 234 Bangladeshi women. In this research, Smart PLS 3.0 has been used to assess the study hypotheses. Our findings confirmed a positive and significant relation among problem‐solving skills, networking ability, and entrepreneurial knowledge with social entrepreneurial intention. Moreover, our data confirmed that self‐efficacy mediates the relationship among problem‐solving skills, networking ability, and entrepreneurial knowledge with social entrepreneurial intention.
Fabrication of conductive cross‐linked polyaniline/G‐MWCNTS core‐shell nanocomposite: A selective sensor for trace determination of chlorophenol in water samples
Authors: Katowah Dina F. , Mohammed Gharam I. , Al‐Eryani Dyab A. , Osman Osman I. , Sobahi Tariq R. , Hussein Mahmoud A.
Published: June 2020

The nanocomposites (NCs) of cross‐linked polyaniline (CPA) with a variety of carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) (CPA/CNMs NCs) was prepared by the chemical oxidative copolymerization of PANI and p‐phenylenediamine (PPDA) with triphenylamine (TPA) in the presence of CNMs. The results of XRD, FTIR and Raman indicated that the CPA/CNMs NCs were effectively synthesized with strong interactions among the constituents. The morphology study demonstrated that CNMs were well coated by CPA and produce a well‐aligned nanorod core‐shell structure with the large surface area which may be more beneficial to electrical conductivity when used as electrode materials. Differential thermal analysis techniques (TGA‐DTG) were used to characterize the thermal stability of NCs. The heat of formation of CPA monomer from TPA, PPDA and aniline (ANI) were computed using Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. The NCs of G‐MWCNTs demonstrate higher affinity to oxidation of Chlorophenols (CPHs) than glassy carbon electrode (GCE), CPA/GCE and the other NCs. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was used for the trace determination of 2,4‐dichlorophenol (2,4‐DCP). Under the optimum conditions, the peak current of 2,4‐DCP was proportional to its concentration in the range of 0.05‐0.6 μmol/L. The detection limit was 7.6 nmol/L. The method was successfully applied for the determination of 2,4‐DCP in fish farm water with satisfactory recoveries. The suggested method has an advantage to be used for water samples due to its short analytical time, rapid response, high sensitivity, and excellent selectivity with good reproducibility.
Successful use of transarterial radioembolization with yttrium‐90 (TARE‐Y90) in two children with hepatoblastoma
Authors: Aguado Allison , Dunn Stephen P. , Averill Lauren W. , Chikwava Kudakwashe R. , Gresh Renee , Rabinowitz Deborah , Katzenstein Howard M.
Published: June 2020

Primary malignant liver tumors are rare but all require surgical resection as part of therapy with curative intent. A minority of patients have resectable tumors at diagnosis. Chemotherapy has a therapeutic role in hepatoblastoma but only one‐third of patients have resectable disease at diagnosis. Two children with hepatoblastoma and suboptimal responses to initial chemotherapy received therapy with transarterial radioembolization utilizing yttrium‐90 (TARE‐Y90) and had significant response leading to resection and remission. The role of TARE‐Y90 needs to be studied further to define its use in primary pediatric liver neoplasms.
Development of a novel plasma probe for the investigation and control of plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition coating processes
Authors: Kasashima Yuji , Brenner Thorben , Vissing Klaus
Published: June 2020

A plasma probe and measuring method were developed to simultaneously determine both the electron density, ne, and floating potential in plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) coating processes within low‐pressure plasmas. The functionality of the probe with a high deposition rate is demonstrated on the basis of examples using hexamethyldisiloxane as a precursor gas. The results show that the developed probe can determine both the ne (∼1015 m−3) and the time‐varying floating potential. The results also indicate that the probe is effective for monitoring the changes in the plasma condition caused by the pressure and the gas flow rate during the coating process. This method can contribute to confirm the process and chamber conditions in PECVD processes.
Quantification and characterization of bull trout annually entrained in the major irrigation canal on the St. Mary River, Montana, United States, and identification of operations changes that would reduce that loss
Authors: Kaeding Lynn R. , Mogen Jim T.
Published: June 2020

The entrainment of fish in irrigation canals has long been a management concern in western North America. In north‐central Montana, United States, the presumed but unexamined entrainment of the “threatened” bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus Suckley) in the St. Mary Canal was considered a major impediment to the species' Federal Endangered Species Act recovery. Between April and September, 2002–2006, we systematically netted fish entrained at four canal gates. Among the total 9,981 fish caught during 21,064 net hours, 207 were bull trout mainly 120–200 mm total length (91%) and age 2 (60%) or age 3 (38%). Because catch per unit sampling effort was small and positive values few, the data were pooled among years. Monte Carlo simulation was used to estimate entrainment within months, hours of the day, and individual nets, as well as total annual entrainment. Bull trout entrainment was lowest during daylight and highest during darkness. Seasonally, entrainment was highest in spring, lowest in summer, and of moderate size in early fall. We estimated 140–274 (95% prediction bounds) bull trout were entrained annually under current canal operations; a 90% reduction in that entrainment if there were no April–May operations; and an 80% reduction if operations were limited to daylight hours. That final result suggested bull trout entrainment may be reduced by operation of non‐physical barriers (e.g., artificial illumination of the river) near the canal gates at night. Our approach provided a tool that could be used to reduce bull trout entrainment while potentially meeting water‐delivery needs.
A Self‐Assembled Hetero‐Structured Inverse‐Spinel and Anti‐Perovskite Nanocomposite for Ultrafast Water Oxidation
Authors: Ma Nana , Chen Gao , Zhu Yanping , Sun Hainan , Dai Jie , Chu Hang , Ran Ran , Zhou Wei , Cai Rui , Shao Zongping
Published: June 2020

Spinel and perovskite with distinctive crystal structures are two of the most popular material families in electrocatalysis, which, however, usually show poor conductivity, causing a negative effect on the charge transfer process during electrochemical reactions. Herein, a highly conductive inverse spinel (Fe3O4) and anti‐perovskite (Ni3FeN) hetero‐structured nanocomposite is reported as a superior oxygen evolution electrocatalyst, which can be facilely prepared based on a one‐pot synthesis strategy. Thanks to the strong hybridization between Ni/Fe 3d and N 2p orbitals, the Ni3FeN is easily transformed into NiFe (oxy)hydroxide as the real active species during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) process, while the Fe3O4 component with low O‐p band center relative to Fermi level is structurally stable. As a result, both high surface reactivity and bulk electronic transport ability are reached. By directly growing Fe3O4/Ni3FeN heterostructure on freestanding carbon fiber paper and testing based on the three‐electrode configuration, it requires only 160 mV overpotential to deliver a current density of 30 mA cm−2 for OER. Also, negligible performance decay is observed within a prolonged test period of 100 h. This work sheds light on the rational design of novel heterostructure materials for electrocatalysis.
Extremum‐seeking control for energy‐harvesting enhancement of wind turbines with hydromechanical drivetrains
Authors: Ibrahim Mahmoud E. , Shaltout Mohamed L. , Kassem Saad A.
Published: June 2020

Efficiency and reliability enhancement of distributed wind energy systems have been the subject of extensive research effort for the purpose of energy cost reduction and power availability. This work investigates the integration of a hydromechanical power split transmission into the drivetrain of a stall‐regulated wind turbine with a fixed‐speed generator to enhance the overall system efficiency without compromising its reliability. The proposed drivetrain configuration introduces a variable transmission ratio capability, thus enabling the turbine rotor to cope with varying wind speeds independent of the fixed generator speed. An extremum‐seeking control approach is adopted to maximize energy harvesting by controlling a variable geometric volume hydraulic pump without the need for wind speed measurement. Compared with a stall‐regulated fixed‐speed wind turbine, the performance of the proposed wind turbine configuration is evaluated in simulation environment under different wind speed conditions. The results demonstrate the ability of the proposed wind turbine configuration to significantly improve the system overall efficiency in partial and full‐load regions of operation. Consequently, the proposed wind turbine configuration with extremum‐seeking control can be considered as an efficient and reliable possible alternative for future distributed and isolated wind energy systems.
Optimal Lagrange and Hermite finite elements for Dirichlet problems in curved domains with straight‐edged triangles
Authors: Ruas Vitoriano
Published: June 2020

One of the reasons for the success of the finite element method in Solid Mechanics, among other Applied Sciences, is its versatility to deal with bodies of arbitrary shape. In case the problem at hand is modeled by second‐order partial differential equations with Dirichlet conditions prescribed on a curvilinear boundary, method's isoparametric version for meshes consisting of curved triangles or tetrahedra has been mostly employed to recover the optimal approximation properties known to hold for polygonal or polyhedral domains and methods of order greater than one based on standard straight‐edged elements. However, besides algebraic and geometric inconveniences, the isoparametric technique is limited in scope, since its extension to degrees of freedom other than function values is not straightforward. In previous work the author introduced a simple alternative, which bypasses the above drawbacks without eroding qualitative approximation properties. Among other advantages, it can do without curved elements and is based only on polynomial Algebra. The purpose of this paper is two‐fold: On the one hand the mathematical foundations of this method are established, in the framework of a model Poisson problem solved with Lagrange elements; in particular optimal‐rate error estimates both in energy norm and in the mean‐square sense are demonstrated and a numerical comparison with the isoparametric technique is carried out. On the other hand this study is extended to Hermite elements with normal‐derivative degrees of freedom for solving the equation modeling the bending of clamped thin plates with a curvilinear edge.
The concept of direct approach to lateral tibial plateau fractures and stepwise extension as needed
Authors: Frosch Karl-Heinz , Korthaus Alexander , Thiesen Darius , Frings Jannik , Krause Matthias
Published: June 2020

Malreduction after tibial plateau fractures mainly occurs due to insufficient visualization of the articular surface. In 85% of all C-type fractures an involvement of the posterolateral-central segment is observed, which is the main region of malreduction. The choice of the approach is determined (1) by the articular area which needs to be visualized and (2) the positioning of the fixation material. For simple lateral plateau fractures without involvement of the posterolateral-central segment an anterolateral standard approach in supine position with a lateral plating is the treatment of choice in most cases. For complex fractures the surgeon has to consider, that the articular surface of the lateral plateau only can be completely visualized by extended approaches in supine, lateral and prone position. Anterolateral and lateral plating can also be performed in supine, lateral and prone position. A direct fixation of the posterolateral-central segment by a plate or a screw from posterior can be only achieved in prone or lateral position, not supine. The posterolateral approach includes the use of two windows for direct visualization of the fracture. If visualization is insufficient the approach can be extended by lateral epicondylar osteotomy which allows exposure of at least 83% of the lateral articular surface. Additional central subluxation of the lateral meniscus allows to expose almost 100% of the articular surface. The concept of stepwise extension of the approach is helpful and should be individually performed as needed to achieve anatomic reduction and stable fixation of tibial plateau fractures.
Review on additive manufacturing of tooling for hot stamping
Authors: Chantzis Dimitrios , Liu Xiaochuan , Politis Denis J. , El Fakir Omer , Chua Teun Yee , Shi Zhusheng , Wang Liliang
Published: June 2020

Sustainability is a key factor in an automotive OEMs’ business strategy. Vehicle electrification in particular has received increased attention, and major manufacturers have already undertaken significant investments in this area. However, in order to fully confront the sustainability challenge in the automotive industry, lightweight design in additional to alternative propulsion technologies is also required. Vehicle weight is closely correlated with fuel consumption and range for internal combustion and electrified vehicles, respectively, and therefore, weight reduction is a primary objective. Over the past decades, advanced steel and aluminium-forming technologies have seen considerable development, resulting in significant weight reduction of vehicle components. Hot stamping is one of the most established processes for advanced steel and aluminium alloys. The process offers low-forming loads and high formability as well as parts with high strength and minimal springback. However, the high temperatures of the formed materials over numerous cycles and the significant cooling required to ensure desirable component properties necessitate advanced tooling designs. Traditionally, casting and machining are used to manufacture tools; although in recent years, additive manufacturing has gained significant interest due to the design freedom offered. In this paper, a comprehensive review is performed for the state-of-the-art hot-forming tooling designs in addition to identifying the future direction of Additive Manufactured (AM) tools. Specifically, material properties of widely used tooling materials are first reviewed and selection criteria are proposed which can be used for the transition to AM tools. Moreover, key variables affecting the success of hot stamping, for example cooling rate of the component, are reviewed with the various approaches analysed by analytical and numerical techniques. Finally, a number of future directions for adopting additive manufacturing in the production of hot stamping tools are proposed, based on a thorough analysis of the literature.
Mobility characteristics of debris slides and flows triggered by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico
Authors: Bessette-Kirton Erin K. , Coe Jeffrey A. , Schulz William H. , Cerovski-Darriau Corina , Einbund Mason M.
Published: June 2020

Mobility is an important element of landslide hazard and risk assessments yet has been seldom studied for shallow landslides and debris flows in tropical environments. In September 2017, Hurricane Maria triggered > 70,000 landslides across Puerto Rico. Using aerial imagery and a lidar digital elevation model (DEM), we mapped and characterized the mobility of debris slides and flows in four different geologic materials: (1) mudstone, siltstone, and sandstone; (2) submarine basalt and chert; (3) marine volcaniclastics; and (4) granodiorite. We used the ratio of landslide-fall height (H) to travel length (L), H/L, to assess the mobility of landslides in each material. Additionally, we differentiated between landslides with single and multiple source areas and landslides that either did or did not enter drainages. Overall, extreme rainfall contributed to the mobility of landslides during Hurricane Maria, and our results showed that the mobility of debris slides and flows in Puerto Rico increased linearly as a function of the number of source areas that coalesced. Additionally, landslides that entered drainages were more mobile than those that did not. We found that landslides in soils developed on marine volcaniclastics were the most mobile and landslides in soils on submarine basalt and chert were the least mobile. While landslides were generally small (< 100 m2) and displayed a wide range of H/L values (0.1–2), coalescence increased the mobility of landslides that transitioned to debris flows. The high but variable mobility of landslides that occurred during Hurricane Maria and the associated hazards highlight the importance of characterizing and understanding the factors influencing landslide mobility in Puerto Rico and other tropical environments.
Energy-based industrial symbiosis: a literature review for circular energy transition
Authors: Fraccascia Luca , Yazdanpanah Vahid , van Capelleveen Guido , Yazan Devrim Murat
Published: June 2020

Nowadays, industrial symbiosis (IS) is recognized as a key strategy to support the transition toward the circular economy. IS deals with the (re)use of wastes produced by a production process as a substitute for traditional production inputs of other traditionally disengaged processes. In this context, this paper provides a systematic literature review on the energy-based IS approach, i.e., IS synergies aimed at reducing the amount of energy requirement from outside industrial systems or the amount of traditional fuels used in energy production. This approach is claimed as effective aimed at reducing the use of traditional fuels in energy production, thus promoting a circular energy transition. 682 papers published between 1997 and 2018 have been collected, and energy-based IS cases have been identified among 96 of these. As a result of the literature review, three categories of symbiotic synergies have been identified: (1) energy cascade; (2) fuel replacement; and (3) bioenergy production. Through the review, different strategies to implement energy-based IS synergies are highlighted and discussed for each of the above-mentioned categories. Furthermore, drivers, barriers, and enablers of business development in energy-based IS are discussed from the technical, economic, regulatory, and institutional perspective. Accordingly, future research directions are recommended.
Transforming our world? Discursive representation in the negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Sénit Carole-Anne
Published: June 2020

Calls to advance the democratization of sustainable development negotiations have recently proliferated. However, the participatory schemes set up by international organizations and governments have fallen short of answering to academic and empirical demands for global democracy, in particular by excluding the most marginalized actors from policymaking. Deliberative democrats argue that discursive representation may, in some contexts, overcome the shortcomings of actor-based representation and advance global democracy. To what extent, then, does discursive representation effectively contribute to the democratization of global policymaking by representing diverse interests, including those of marginalized actors? By performing a qualitative–quantitative discourse analysis of 122 primary documents issued during the formal sessions of negotiations of the Open Working Group on the Sustainable Development Goals, this article explores the extent to which different sustainability discourses that evolve in the public space got represented within authoritative circles of decision-making. While the negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals involved more than ten million civil society voices and resulted in an agreement that claims to “transform our world” and “leave no-one behind,” the study shows that discursive representation was biased toward a progressive sustainability discourse, depicting a state-centric orientation of equity and responsibilities to address global sustainable development challenges. Besides, the coalitions that emerged between state and non-state actors on alternative sustainability discourses failed to increase the saliency of the interests of marginalized actors in the shaping of the goals. As the understandings of transformation and inclusiveness conveyed in the negotiations were biased toward the interests of the most represented actors in the Open Working Group, the article reveals that in the context of the negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals the effectiveness of discursive representation in democratizing global policymaking was eventually limited.
Fiscal equalization as a driver of tax increases: empirical evidence from Germany
Authors: Buettner Thiess , Krause Manuela
Published: June 2020

This paper exploits the devolution of taxing powers in the German federation to study the effects of fiscal equalization on subnational governments’ tax policy. Based on an analysis of the system of fiscal equalization transfers, we argue that the redistribution of revenues provides incentives for states to raise rather than to lower their tax rates. The empirical analysis exploits differences in fiscal redistribution among the states and over time. Using a comprehensive simulation model, the paper computes the tax-policy incentives faced by each state over the years and explores their empirical effects on tax policy. The results support a robust and strong incentive effect that works through the tax-base. When facing full equalization, a state is predicted to set the rate of the real estate transfer tax at about 1.3 percentage points higher than without. Our analysis also shows that the incentive to raise tax rates has proliferated because individual states’ decisions to raise their tax rates have intensified fiscal redistribution over time.
“I’m Proud to be a Little Bit Different”: The Effects of Autistic Individuals’ Perceptions of Autism and Autism Social Identity on Their Collective Self-esteem
Authors: Cooper Rosalind , Cooper Kate , Russell Ailsa J. , Smith Laura G. E.
Published: June 2020

This study aimed to identify the attributes that autistic people perceive as positively and negatively impacting on their identity and wellbeing. In Study 1, we recruited 140 autistic participants for an online survey. Participants completed autism social identification and collective self-esteem measures and listed attributes they associated with autism. In Study 2, we conducted focus groups with 15 autistic people to explore how positively they perceived the attributes of autism. Participants then discussed the autism attributes in relation to their own experiences and identity. We found a positive relationship between the number of positive attributes participants associated with autism, and their collective self-esteem, to the extent that they identified with other autistic people.
New integrable two-centre problem on sphere in Dirac magnetic field
Authors: Veselov A. P. , Ye Y.
Published: June 2020

We present a new family of integrable versions of the Euler two-centre problem on two-dimensional sphere in the presence of the Dirac magnetic monopole of arbitrary charge. The new systems have very special algebraic potential and additional integral quadratic in momenta, both in classical and quantum versions.
Site-specific nitrogen management in winter wheat supported by low-altitude remote sensing and soil data
Authors: Argento F. , Anken T. , Abt F. , Vogelsanger E. , Walter A. , Liebisch F.
Published: June 2020

Site-specific nitrogen (N) management in precision agriculture is used to improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) at the field scale. The objective of this study has been (i) to better understand the relationship between data derived from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform and the crop temporal and spatial variability in small fields of about 2 ha, and (ii) to increase knowledge on how such data can support variable application of N fertilizer in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum). Multi-spectral images acquired with a commercially available UAV platform and soil available mineral N content (Nmin) sampled in the field were used to evaluate the in-field variability of the N-status of the crop. A plot-based field experiment was designed to compare uniform standard rate (ST) to variable rate (VR) N application. Non-fertilized (NF) and N-rich (NR) plots were placed as positive and negative N-status references and were used to calculate various indicators related to NUE. The crop was monitored throughout the season to support three split fertilizations. The data of two growing seasons (2017/2018 and 2018/2019) were used to validate the sensitivity of spectral vegetation indices (SVI) suitable for the sensor used in relation to biomass and N-status traits. Grain yield was mostly in the expected range and inconsistently higher in VR compared to ST. In contrast, N fertilizer application was reduced in the VR treatments between 5 and 40% depending on the field heterogeneity. The study showed that the methods used provided a good base to implement variable rate fertilizer application in small to medium scale agricultural systems. In the majority of the case studies, NUE was improved around 10% by redistributing and reducing the amount of N fertilizer applied. However, the prediction of the N-mineralisation in the soil and related N-uptake by the plants remains to be better understood to further optimize in-season N-fertilization.
Abnormal inventory and performance in manufacturing companies: evidence from the trade credit channel
Authors: Afrifa Godfred Adjapong , Alshehabi Ahmad , Tingbani Ishmael , Halabi Hussein
Published: June 2020

This paper examines the value of abnormal inventory and the channels through which firms decrease abnormally high inventory or increase abnormally low inventory for a sample of 976 United Kingdom manufacturing firms over the period from 2006 to 2015. Using GMM regressions, the results show that (i) an optimal inventory policy exists; and (ii) firms that are able to converge at this optimal inventory level by either decreasing abnormally high inventory or increasing abnormally low inventory to improve operational and stock performance. Importantly, the results show that trade receivables and trade payables are the channels through which firms achieve efficient inventory management.
The Entropy-Limit (Conjecture) for $$\Sigma _2$$-Premisses
Authors: Landes Jürgen
Published: June 2020

The application of the maximum entropy principle to determine probabilities on finite domains is well-understood. Its application to infinite domains still lacks a well-studied comprehensive approach. There are two different strategies for applying the maximum entropy principle on first-order predicate languages: (i) applying it to finite sublanguages and taking a limit; (ii) comparing finite entropies of probability functions defined on the language as a whole. The entropy-limit conjecture roughly says that these two strategies result in the same probabilities. While the conjecture is known to hold for monadic languages as well as for premiss sentences containing only existential or only universal quantifiers, its status for premiss sentences of greater quantifier complexity is, in general, unknown. I here show that the first approach fails to provide a sensible answer for some$$\Sigma _2$$Σ2-premiss sentences. I discuss implications of this failure for the first strategy and consequences for the entropy-limit conjecture.
Optimal Feedback Control of Nonlinear Variable-Speed Marine Current Turbine Using a Two-Mass Model
Authors: Gaamouche Rajae , Redouane Abdelbari , El harraki Imad , Belhorma Bouchra , El Hasnaoui Abdennebi
Published: June 2020

This paper presents a contribution related to the control of nonlinear variable-speed marine current turbine (MCT) without pitch operating below the rated marine current speed. Given that the operation of the MCT can be divided into several operating zones on the basis of the marine current speed, the system control objectives are different for each zone. To deal with this issue, we develop a new control approach based on a linear quadratic regulator with variable generator torque. Our proposed approach enables the optimization of the rotational speed of the turbine, which maximizes the power extracted by the MCT and minimizes the transient loads on the drivetrain. The novelty of our study is the use of a real profile of marine current speed from the northern coasts of Morocco. The simulation results obtained using MATLAB Simulink indicate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed control approach on the electrical and mechanical parameters with the variations of marine current speed.