bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non‐Isothermal Crystallization Kinetics of Mold Fluxes Containing Li2O for High Aluminum Steel Casting
Authors: Yang Changlin , Wen Guanghua , Tang Ping
Published: October 2015

When continuously casting high Al steels, CaO–SiO2 based mold fluxes can be easier for sequence casting, but due to the significant reactions of the Al in the metal with SiO2, slab surface quality is not desirable. When increasing basicity of CaO–SiO2 based mold fluxes, slab surface quality can be improved, but thick slag rim can easily be formed during cooling process. Therefore, non‐isothermal crystallization kinetics of mold fluxes used for high Al steels are studied to optimize the crystallization behavior of “working” fluxes. Results indicate that the addition of Li2O can decrease crystallization temperature and crystallization rate within the range of Na2O studied. The Avrami exponent determined by Avrami equation indicates that disk‐like growth type and spherulitic‐like growth type are the main mechanisms in crystallization, which is consistent with results observed under SEM. When mold flux contains 8% Na2O and 4.5% Li2O, the effective activation energy is between −299 and −488 KJ mol−1. When mold flux contains no Na2O and 6.5% Li2O, the effective activation energy is between −266 and −414 KJ mol−1, which indicates that Na2O‐free mold fluxes containing high Li2O is beneficial for improving crystallization characteristics and realizing sufficient lubrication.
Study on the Effect of Aging on the Ability of Calcium Carbide for Hot Metal Desulfurization
Authors: Condo Adolfo Firmino Timoteo , Lindström David , Kojola Niklas , Sichen Du
Published: October 2015

Industrial trials and laboratory study are carried out to investigate the effect of aging on the ability of CaC2 in hot metal desulfurization. The industrial trials indicate that the time of storage of calcium carbide within the limit of industrial practice has no appreciable effect on its ability of desulfurization. In the laboratory, samples of CaC2 are prepared by exposing them in air for different times to promote formation of a Ca(OH)2 outer layer. The thickness of Ca(OH)2 increases with exposing time. Thereafter, the aged CaC2 samples are employed for desulfurization at 1673 and 1773 K for 8 min. For all the samples after desulfurization, layers of graphite and CaO are found between the remaining CaC2 particles and the outer CaS layer. The desulfurization using CaC2 is found to proceed by the diffusion of calcium vapor through the product layers and then its reaction with dissolved sulfur in the hot metal at the surface. No appreciable difference in the thickness of the CaS layer is found with the samples exposed to air for different times. This finding explains well the industrial results.
Parasites modulate within-colony activity and accelerate the temporal polyethism schedule of a social insect, the honey bee
Authors: Natsopoulou Myrsini E. , McMahon Dino P. , Paxton Robert J.
Published: October 2015

Task allocation in social insect colonies is generally organised into an age-related division of labour, termed the temporal polyethism schedule, which may in part have evolved to reduce infection of the colony’s brood by pests and pathogens. The temporal polyethism schedule is sensitive to colony perturbations that may lead to adaptive changes in task allocation, maintaining colony homeostasis. Though social insects can be infected by a range of parasites, little is known of how these parasites impact within-colony behaviour and the temporal polyethism schedule. We use honey bees (Apis mellifera) experimentally infected by two of their emerging pathogens, Deformed wing virus (DWV), which is relatively understudied concerning its behavioural impact on its host, and the exotic microsporidianNosema ceranae. We examined parasite effects on host temporal polyethism and patterns of activity within the colony. We found that pathogens accelerated the temporal polyethism schedule, but without reducing host behavioural repertoire. Infected hosts exhibited increased hyperactivity, allocating more time to self-grooming and foraging-related tasks. The strength of behavioural alterations we observed was found to be pathogen specific; behavioural modifications were more pronounced in virus-treated hosts versusN. ceranae-treated hosts, with potential benefits for the colony in terms of reducing within-colony transmission. Investigating the effects of multiple pathogens on behavioural patterns of social insects could play a crucial role in understanding pathogen spread within a colony and their effects on colony social organisation.
A study of English majors in a Chinese university as dictionary users
Authors: Ding Jun
Published: October 2015

This study describes the natural dictionary-using behaviors of a group of first-year English majors at Fudan University, Shanghai. It aims to gain some insights into how Chinese students as competent English learners actually use and view their dictionaries in the highly digitalized era, as well as the most common problems they encounter in finding contextual meanings for the looked-up words and the possible causes. The students were set a dictionary consultation assignment which was a near replication of Nesi and Haill’s (Int J Lexicogr 15(4):277–305, 2002) study of the dictionary-using habits of international students at a British university. Observations are made on what types of dictionaries and which dictionaries these Chinese students normally use, revealing a general tendency among the students to use multiple dictionaries in the digital medium. The outcomes of dictionary consultation are closely examined to map out the dictionary look-up patterns by the Chinese students and to identify various look-up problems. The findings demonstrate a preference of reading L1 translations over L2 definitions for the looked-up word, certain unrealistic expectations for L1 translations offered in the dictionaries, and the consequent difficulty experienced in identifying the dictionary sub-entry appropriate for the word’s contextual meaning. Also manifest is the growing confidence of a younger generation of dictionary users regarding the critical opinions they have formed of dictionaries despite a minimum exposure to dictionary teaching. These firsthand data on dictionary use under natural conditionswill also be applied in the design of an introductory course on lexicography for undergraduates at the English department, Fudan University.
Filling box flows in porous media
Authors: Sahu Chunendra K. , Flynn M. R.
Published: October 2015

We report upon a theoretical and experimental investigation of a porous medium ‘filling box’ flow by specifically examining the details of the laminar descending plume and its outflow in a control volume having an impermeable bottom boundary and sidewalls. The plume outflow initially comprises a pair of oppositely directed gravity currents. The gravity currents propagate horizontally until they reach the lateral sidewalls at $y=\pm L$. The flow then becomes of filling box type, with a vertically ascending ‘first front’ separating discharged plume fluid below from ambient fluid above. The flow details are described analytically by first deriving a new similarity solution for Darcy plumes with $\mathit{Pe}>O(1)$, where $\mathit{Pe}$ is the Péclet number. From the similarity solution so obtained, we then derive expressions for the plume volume flux and mean reduced gravity as functions of the vertical distance from the source. Regarding the plume outflow, a similarity solution adopted from Huppert & Woods (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 292, 1995, pp. 55–69) describes the height and front speed of the gravity currents, whereas a semi-implicit finite difference scheme is used to predict the first front elevation versus time and horizontal distance. As with high-Reynolds-number filling box flows, that studied here is an example of a coupled problem: the gravity current source conditions are prescribed by the plume volume flux and mean reduced gravity. Conversely, discharged plume fluid may be re-entrained into the plume, be it soon or long after reaching the bottom impermeable boundary. To corroborate our model predictions, analogue laboratory experiments are performed with fresh water and salt water as the working fluids. Our experiments consider as independent variables the porous medium bead diameter and the plume source volume flux and reduced gravity. Predictions for the gravity current front position and height compare favourably against analogue measured data. Good agreement is likewise noted when considering either the mean elevation or the profile of the first front. Results from this study may be adopted in modelling geological plumes. For example, our equations can be used to predict the time required for discharged plume fluid to return to the point of injection in the case of aquifers closed on the sides and below by impermeable boundaries.
Regional Interaction Networks in Southern Papua New Guinea During the Late Holocene: Evidence from the Chemical Characterisation of Chert Artefacts
Authors: Sutton Nicholas , Summerhayes Glenn , Ford Anne
Published: October 2015

Over 40 years of archaeological investigations along the south coast of Papua New Guinea has identified a rapid succession of cultural changes during the late Holocene. The so-called ‘Papuan Hiccup’ (c. 1200–800 cal bp) is a poorly understood period of socio-economic upheaval along the coast, identified mainly from changes in archaeological ceramic styles and settlement patterns. During this period, the region-wide Early Papuan Pottery (EPP) tradition diverges into separate, localised ceramic sequences that have generic associations with local ethnographic wares. A correspondence between the timing of the Papuan Hiccup and a period of peak El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) activity implies a link between cultural and climate change. This paper explores this relationship further by examining changes in interaction networks along the south coast of Papua New Guinea, specifically focusing on chert artefacts. Chemical characterisation (portable X-Ray Fluorescence; pXRF) and technological analysis are used to map changes in lithic technology over time, including access to raw materials and technological organisation, at the site of Taurama, a prehistoric coastal village site that was occupied both prior to and after the Papuan Hiccup. Although the sample sizes are small and the interpretations necessarily circumscribed, it is argued that changes in the number of chert sources being exploited and in the intensity of core reduction at Taurama may be related to climate change in the region.
Overweight/Obesity-Related Attitudes and Self-Care Behaviours: Evaluation and Comparison of the Protection Motivation Model and Theory of Planned Behaviour
Authors: Ho Robert Tack Kwei , Sun Xiao Yuan
Published: October 2015

The present study identified, evaluated, and compared two health belief/attitudinal models (protection motivation theory and the theory of planned behaviour) that explain the decision-making processes associated with both the intention for and engagement in self-care overweight/obesity-reducing behaviours. Multi-model analysis with a sample of 1,100 participants indicated that the theory of planned behaviour offered a better representation of, and provided a more potent theoretical framework than the protection motivation model in explaining the decision-making processes underlying both the intention for and engagement in self-care overweight/obesity-reducing behaviours. Employment of multi-group analysis yielded no significant gender differences in the adoption of overweight/obesity-reducing behaviours, which suggest similar decision-making processes for males and females. The implications of these findings with regard to the role that health beliefs and attitudes play as key predictors of the decision of whether or not to engage in self-care overweight/obesity-related behaviours are discussed.
Modulation of intestinal calcium and phosphate transport in young goats fed a nitrogen- and/or calcium-reduced diet
Authors: Elfers Kristin , Wilkens Mirja R. , Breves Gerhard , Muscher-Banse Alexandra S.
Published: October 2015

Feeding ruminants a reduced N diet is a common approach to reduce N output based on rumino-hepatic circulation. However, a reduction in N intake caused massive changes in Ca and inorganic phosphate (Pi) homoeostasis in goats. Although a single dietary Ca reduction stimulated intestinal Ca absorption in a calcitriol-dependent manner, a concomitant reduction of Ca and N supply led to a decrease in calcitriol, and therefore a modulation of intestinal Ca and Pi absorption. The aim of this study was to examine the potential effects of dietary N or Ca reduction separately on intestinal Ca and Pi transport in young goats. Animals were allocated to a control, N-reduced, Ca-reduced or combined N- and Ca-reduced diet for about 6−8 weeks, whereby N content was reduced by 25 % compared with recommendations. In Ussing chamber experiments, intestinal Ca flux rates significantly decreased in goats fed a reduced N diet, whereas Pi flux rates were unaffected. In contrast, a dietary Ca reduction stimulated Ca flux rates and decreased Pi flux rates. The combined dietary N and Ca reduction withdrew the stimulating effect of dietary Ca reduction on Ca flux rates. The expression of Ca-transporting proteins decreased with a reduced N diet too, whereas Pi-transporting proteins were unaffected. In conclusion, a dietary N reduction decreased intestinal Ca transport by diminishing Ca-transporting proteins, which became clear during simultaneous N and Ca reduction. Therefore, N supply in young ruminant nutrition is of special concern for intestinal Ca transport.
Specters of the Pacific: Salt Fish Drag and Atomic Hauntologies in the Era of Genetic Modification
Authors: BAHNG AIMEE
Published: October 2015

In part an examination of the speculative arena of genomics, particularly through the historical context of US nuclear detonations in the Pacific in the mid-twentieth century, this essay traces a rhetorical shift in scientific interest in “mutation” to “regeneration.” This shift marks how the financialization of scientific research brokers a profitable conversion of the devastations of the atomic age to the promissory therapies of the Human Genome Project. Against this backcloth, I turn to Larissa Lai's speculative fiction Salt Fish Girl, which resurrects these specters of the Pacific to haunt the HGP's projections and tether transpacific futurity to an irradiated past.
Capital as Artificial Intelligence
Authors: CANAVAN GERRY
Published: October 2015

This article examines science-fictional allegorizations of Soviet-style planned economies, financial markets, autonomous trading algorithms, and global capitalism writ large as nonhuman artificial intelligences, focussing primarily on American science fiction of the Cold War period. Key fictional texts discussed include Star Trek, Isaac Asimov's Machine stories, Terminator, Kurt Vonnegut's Player Piano (1952), Charles Stross's Accelerando (2005), and the short stories of Philip K. Dick. The final section of the article discusses Kim Stanley Robinson's novel 2312 (2012) within the contemporary political context of accelerationist anticapitalism, whose advocates propose working with “the machines” rather than against them.
Fiction Is Liquid: States of Money in The Sopranos and Breaking Bad
Authors: LA BERGE LEIGH CLAIRE
Published: October 2015

In this article, I read the television shows The Sopranos and Breaking Bad to explore how an illegitimate economy represents a legitimate one. I argue that what holds these shows together in some proto-generic organization is that money functions as both a criminal outside to capital and a structural assertion that capital has no outside. Thus I claim that capital is best represented by its own double, that legitimate enterprise is best represented by illegitimate enterprise, but that representation is only efficacious because ultimately there is no capitalist activity that, for the right price, cannot become legitimate. I suggest we might best see fiction itself as a kind of liquidity, one of the forms that circulating capital takes, and thus representation and the potential for accumulation become theoretical cognates.
‘WE CAN’T GET WORMS FROM COW DUNG’: REPORTED KNOWLEDGE OF PARASITISM AMONG PASTORALIST YOUTH ATTENDING SECONDARY SCHOOL IN THE NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA, TANZANIA
Authors: Henderson Rita Isabel , Hatfield Jennifer , Kutz Susan , Olemshumba Saningo , Van Der Meer Frank , Manyama Mange , Bastien Sheri
Published: October 2015

Records at the Endulen Hospital in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), Tanzania, reveal that soil-transmitted helminth infections and protozoa are consistently in the top ten diagnoses for Maasai pastoralists, indicating a significant public health concern. Nevertheless, Maasai pastoralist adaptations to life in close proximity to livestock and to unreliable access to water raise important questions about experiences of, and resiliency to, parasitic infections. Though these infections are particularly prevalent among youth in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), a focus on resiliency highlights local capacity to recover from and prevent illness. For instance, how is human parasitism perceived and experienced among communities displaying behaviours that studies have associated with transmission of diarrhoeal diseases, such as open defecation? Among these communities, how is parasitism seen to impact the health and development of children? And, what resources are available to endure or mitigate this heavy disease burden among affected communities? This study draws on formative research carried out in May 2014 in anticipation of an innovative school-based and youth-driven water, sanitation and hygiene education intervention rolled out in two boarding schools in the NCA in subsequent months. The initiative is grounded in a One Health approach to health promotion, drawing on partnerships in medicine, public health and veterinary medicine to appreciate the unique interactions between humans, animals and the environment that shape well-being among pastoralist communities. Qualitative data generated through group discussions with secondary school youth (n=60), Maasai teachers (n=6) and a women’s group (n=8) in the NCA convey existing knowledge of the prevalence, prevention and treatment of human parasitism. An underlying principle of the larger initiative is to engage youth as creative agents of change in developing and sustaining locally relevant health promotion strategies. Findings highlight practical knowledge around certain ‘neglected tropical diseases’, namely helminths, among pastoralist communities in the NCA, in turn feeding into the development of the science fair and related interventions.
Risk factors forEchinococcuscoproantigen positivity in dogs from the Alay valley, Kyrgyzstan
Authors: Mastin A. , van Kesteren F. , Torgerson P.R. , Ziadinov I. , Mytynova B. , Rogan M.T. , Tursunov T. , Craig P.S.
Published: October 2015

Echinococcosis, caused by the zoonotic cestodesEchinococcus granulosus(sensu lato) andEchinococcus multilocularis,is highly endemic in the Central Asian Republic of Kyrgyzstan, and is being identified increasingly as a public health problem, especially amongst pastoral communities. As domestic dogs are considered to be the main source of human infection, the identification of potential transmission pathways is of relevance when considering implementing an echinococcosis control scheme. The current report describes the results of an analytical study of canineEchinococcuscoproantigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) prevalence in the Alay valley of southern Kyrgyzstan prior to the commencement of regular praziquantel dosing of dogs. A logistic regression model using a form of Bayes modal estimation was used to identify possible risk factors for coproantigen positivity, and the output was interpreted in a Bayesian context (posterior distributions of the coefficients of interest). The study found that sheepdogs had lower odds of coproantigen positivity, as did dogs in households with donkeys, where owners had knowledge of echinococcosis, and households which engaged in home slaughtering. Surprisingly, there was no evidence of an association between free roaming or previous praziquantel dosing and coproantigen positivity, as has been found in previous studies. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed in the context of the epidemiology of echinococcosis and potential intervention approaches.
Anthelmintic efficacy of cinnamaldehyde and cinnamic acid from cortex cinnamon essential oil againstDactylogyrus intermedius
Authors: LING FEI , JIANG CHAO , LIU GUANGLU , LI MINGSHUANG , WANG GAOXUE
Published: October 2015

Utilization of chemical pesticide to control monogenean diseases is often restricted in many countries due to the development of pesticide resistance and concerns of chemical residues and environmental contamination. Thus, the use of antiparasitic agents from plants has been explored as a possible way for controlling monogenean infections. Extracts fromCinnamomum cassiawere investigated underin vivoconditions againstDactylogyrus intermediusin goldfish. The two bioactive compounds, cinnamaldehyde and cinnamic acid, were identified using nuclear magnetic resonance and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The 48 h median effective concentrations (EC50) for these compounds againstD. intermediuswere 0·57 and 6·32 mg L−1, respectively. The LD50of cinnamaldehyde and cinnamic acid were 13·34 and 59·66 mg L−1to goldfish in 48 h acute toxicity tests, respectively. These data confirm that cinnamaldehyde is effective againstD. intermedius, and the cinnamaldehyde exhibits potential for the development of a candidate antiparasitic agent.
Long-term spatiotemporal stability and dynamic changes in helminth infracommunities of bank voles (Myodes glareolus) in NE Poland
Authors: GRZYBEK MACIEJ , BAJER ANNA , BEDNARSKA MAŁGORZATA , AL-SARRAF MOHAMMED , BEHNKE-BOROWCZYK JOLANTA , HARRIS PHILIP D. , PRICE STEPHEN J. , BROWN GABRIELLE S. , OSBORNE SARAH-JANE , SIŃSKI EDWARD , BEHNKE JERZY M.
Published: October 2015

Parasites are considered to be an important selective force in host evolution but ecological studies of host-parasite systems are usually short-term providing only snap-shots of what may be dynamic systems. We have conducted four surveys of helminths of bank voles at three ecologically similar woodland sites in NE Poland, spaced over a period of 11 years, to assess the relative importance of temporal and spatial effects on helminth infracommunities. Some measures of infracommunity structure maintained relative stability: the rank order of prevalence and abundance ofHeligmosomum mixtum, Heligmosomoides glareoliandMastophorus murischanged little between the four surveys. Other measures changed markedly: dynamic changes were evident inSyphacia petrusewicziwhich declined to local extinction, while the capillariidAonchotheca annulosafirst appeared in 2002 and then increased in prevalence and abundance over the remaining three surveys. Some species are therefore dynamic and both introductions and extinctions can be expected in ecological time. At higher taxonomic levels and for derived measures, year and host-age effects and their interactions with site are important. Our surveys emphasize that the site of capture is the major determinant of the species contributing to helminth community structure, providing some predictability in these systems.
Functional evaluation of gene silencing on macrophages derived from U937 cells using interference RNA (shRNA) in a model of macrophages infected withLeishmania(Viannia)braziliensis
Authors: OVALLE-BRACHO CLEMENCIA , LONDOÑO-BARBOSA DIANA A. , FRANCO-MUÑOZ CARLOS , CLAVIJO-RAMÍREZ CARLOS
Published: October 2015

Leishmaniasis development is multifactorial; nonetheless, the establishment of the infection, which occurs by the survival and replication of the parasite inside its main host cell, the macrophage, is mandatory. Thus, the importance of studying the molecular mechanisms involved in the Leishmania–macrophage interaction is highlighted. The aim of this study was to characterize a cellular model of macrophages derived from U937 cells that would allow for the identification of infection phenotypes induced by genetic silencing with interference RNA in the context of macrophages infected withLeishmania(Viannia)braziliensis. The model was standardized by silencing an exogenous gene (gfp), an endogenous gene (lmna) and a differentially expressed gene between infected and non-infected macrophages (gro-β). The silencing process was successful for the three genes studied, obtaining reductions of 88·9% in the GFP levels, 87·5% in LMNA levels and 74·4% for Gro-β with respect to the corresponding control cell lines. The cell model revealed changes in the infection phenotype of the macrophages in terms of number of amastigotes per infected macrophage, number of amastigotes per sampled macrophage and percentage of infected macrophages as a result of gene silencing. Thus, this cell model constitutes a research platform for the study of parasite–host interactions and for the identification of potentially therapeutic targets.
You can't always get what you want: actual and preferred ages of retirement in Europe
Authors: STEIBER NADIA , KOHLI MARTIN
Published: October 2015

Using data from the European Social Survey fielded in 2010/11, this study presents new evidence on retirement preferences in Europe. It investigates retirees'preferred and actual ages of retirement, focusing on the retirement window 1995–2011. Moreover, it reports on the prevalence of mismatch in the form ofinvoluntary retirement(retiring earlier than preferred) andinvoluntary work(retiring later than preferred). The study identifies substantial shares of retirees who are affected by a mismatch between their preferred and actual ages of retirement. In the majority of the countries analysed, at least 30 per cent of retirees would have preferred to continue working past the age at which they retired, while in a number of countries sizeable shares of retirees report involuntary work. The risk factors for involuntary retirement include the experience of late-career job loss, unemployment, job exits for health reasons and, in the case of women, working in higher-status occupations. The risk factors for involuntary work include fatherhood and, in the case of women, part-time work. As a result of rising actual ages of retirement, the risk of involuntary retirement has decreased for more recent retirement cohorts, while due to pension reforms that have tightened eligibility rules for early retirement, men's risk of involuntary work has increased. However, involuntary retirement is still more prevalent than involuntary work.
Canopy gaps promote selective stem-cutting by small mammals of two dominant tree species in an African lowland forest: the importance of seedling chemistry
Authors: Norghauer Julian M. , Röder Gregory , Glauser Gaëtan
Published: October 2015

Small mammals can impede tree regeneration by injuring seedlings and saplings in several ways. One fatal way is by severing their stems, but apparently this type of predation is not well-studied in tropical rain forest. Here, we report on the incidence of ‘stem-cutting’ to new, wild seedlings of two locally dominant, canopy tree species monitored in 40 paired forest understorey and gap-habitat areas in Korup, Cameroon following a 2007 masting event. In gap areas, which are required for the upward growth and sapling recruitment of both species, 137 seedlings of the long-lived, light-demanding, fast-growing large tropical tree (Microberlinia bisulcata) were highly susceptible to stem-cutting (83% of deaths) — it killed 39% of all seedlings over a c. 2-y period. In stark contrast, seedlings of the more shade-tolerant, slower-growing tree species (Tetraberlinia bifoliolata) were hardly attacked (4.3%). In the understorey, however, stem-cutting was virtually absent. Across the gap areas, the incidence of stem-cutting of M. bisulcata seedlings showed significant spatial variation that could not be explained significantly by either canopy openness or Janzen–Connell type effects (proximity and basal area of conspecific adult trees). To examine physical and chemical traits that might explain the species difference to being cut, bark and wood tissues were collected from a separate sample of seedlings in gaps (i.e. not monitored for stem-cutting). These analyses suggested that, compared with T. bifoliolata, the lower stem density, higher Mg and K and fatty acid concentrations in bark, and fewer phenolic and terpene compounds in M. bisulcata seedlings made them more palatable and attractive to small-mammal predators, likely rodents. We conclude that selective stem-cutting is a potent countervailing force to the current local canopy dominance of the grove-forming M. bisulcata by limiting the recruitment and abundance of its saplings. Given the ubiquity of gaps and ground-dwelling rodents in pantropical forests, it would be surprising if this form of lethal browsing was restricted to Korup.
Are interspecific associations of primates in the Western Ghats a matter of chance? A case study of the lion-tailed macaque
Authors: Erinjery Joseph J. , Kumara Honnavalli N. , Kavana T. S. , Singh Mewa
Published: October 2015

When animals or groups of animals in their wild habitats come close to each other within a defined distance, it is termed as an association. Observing two groups of the lion-tailed macaque at Nelliyampathy and Andiparai forests of the Western Ghats of India, we asked whether the lion-tailed macaque associations with the sympatric Nilgiri langur and bonnet macaque were by chance or had any biological significance. Employing ‘all occurrences’ sampling, we recorded an association if a group of another primate species came within 30 m of the focal group of the lion-tailed macaque. Date, time, associating species, activity of the study species and of the associating species, type of interaction, aggressor and the recipient, species displaced and duration of the association were recorded. We used the Waser gas model to calculate the expected frequency and duration of associations and compared them with the observed associations. The lion-tailed macaque spent less time in associations than expected. The lion-tailed macaque and the Nilgiri langur initiated associations less often, and remained in association for less time, than expected by chance. Whereas the expected and observed initiation of associations between the lion-tailed macaque and the Nilgiri langur in Nelliyampathy was significantly different (expected rate = 153; observed rate = 64), in Andiparai, it was not (expected rate = 55.5; observed rate = 61). The expected and observed association duration was significantly different in Nelliyampathy (expected duration = 54 min; observed duration = 15 min) and Andiparai (expected duration = 48 min; observed duration = 19 min). In contrast, we detected few differences between observed and expected association frequency for the lion-tailed macaque and the bonnet macaque. Aggressive interactions were common in areas where density of the Nilgiri langur groups was high. This is the first study on Asian primates using the ideal gas approach to show that primates do not form active associations with each other.
A CONTINUOUS REVIEW MODEL WITH GENERAL SHELF AGE AND DELAY-DEPENDENT INVENTORY COSTS
Authors: Federgruen Awi , Wang Min
Published: October 2015

We analyze a continuous review inventory model with the marginal carrying cost of a unit of inventory given by an increasing function of its shelf age and the marginal delay cost of a backlogged demand unit by an increasing function of its delay duration. We show that, under a minor restriction, an (r, q)-policy is optimal when the demand process is a renewal process, and a state dependent (r, q)-policy is optimal when the demand is a Markov-modulated renewal process. We also derive various monotonicity properties for the optimal policy parametersr* andr* +q*.
Investigating the multiplicity and concentration behaviour of solutions for a quasi-linear Choquard equation via the penalization method
Authors: Alves Claudianor O. , Yang Minbo
Published: October 2015

We study the multiplicity and concentration behaviour of positive solutions for a quasi-linear Choquard equation

where Δp is the p-Laplacian operator, 1 < p < N, V is a continuous real function on ℝN, 0 < μ < N, F(s) is the primitive function of f(s), ε is a positive parameter and * represents the convolution between two functions. The question of the existence of semiclassical solutions for the semilinear case p = 2 has recently been posed by Ambrosetti and Malchiodi. We suppose that the potential satisfies the condition introduced by del Pino and Felmer, i.e.V has a local minimum. We prove the existence, multiplicity and concentration of solutions for the equation by the penalization method and Lyusternik–Schnirelmann theory and even show novel results for the semilinear case p = 2.
Adaptive kinetic structural behavior through machine learning: Optimizing the process of kinematic transformation using artificial neural networks
Authors: Kontovourkis Odysseas , Phocas Marios C. , Lamprou Ifigenia
Published: October 2015

Nowadays, on the basis of significant work carried out, architectural adaption structures are considered to be intelligent entities, able to react to various internal or external influences. Their adaptive behavior can be examined in a digital or physical environment, generating a variety of alternative solutions or structural transformations. These are controlled through different computational approaches, ranging from interactive exploration ones, producing alternative emergent results, to automate optimization ones, resulting in acceptable fitting solutions. This paper examines the adaptive behavior of a kinetic structure, aiming to explore suitable solutions resulting in final appropriate shapes during the transformation process. A machine learning methodology that implements an artificial neural networks algorithm is integrated to the suggested structure. The latter is formed by units articulated together in a sequential composition consisting of primary soft mechanisms and secondary rigid components that are responsible for its reconfiguration and stiffness. A number of case studies that respond to unstructured environments are set as examples, to test the effectiveness of the proposed methodology to be used for handling a large number of input data and to optimize the complex and nonlinear transformation behavior of the kinetic system at the global level, as a result of the units’ local activation that influences nearby units in a chaotic and unpredictable manner.
Determining the cost optimum among a discrete set of building technologies to satisfy stringent energy targets
Authors: Simmons Brian , Tan Matthias H.Y. , Wu C.F. Jeff , Augenbroe Godfried
Published: October 2015

This paper presents the development of an optimization methodology for selecting the lowest monetary cost combinations of building technologies to meet set operational energy reduction targets. The new optimization algorithm introduced in this paper departs from the notion that optimal design choices over a large set of design parameters and properties can be driven by energy targets. We assume that design parameters are determined by many concurrent considerations fighting over the attention span of the design team. Our approach starts from a design outcome and asks the question, which set of discrete technologies are the right mix to reach an energy target in the cost optimal way? Such an approach has to face the challenge that the properties of market-available building technologies have a discrete nature that makes their optimal selection a combinatorial problem. The optimization algorithm searches the discrete combinatoric space by maximizing the following objective function: calculated energy savings divided by premium cost, where cost is defined as the additional cost over a baseline solution. The algorithm is codified into a custom MATLAB script and when compared to prescriptive methodologies is shown to be more cost effective and generically applicable given a palette of building technology alternatives and their corresponding cost data.
Dexen: A scalable and extensible platform for experimenting with population-based design exploration algorithms
Authors: Janssen Patrick
Published: October 2015

A platform for experimenting with population-based design exploration algorithms is presented, calledDexen. The platform has been developed in order to address the needs of two distinct groups of users loosely labeled asresearchersanddesigners. Whereas the researchers group focuses on creating and testing customized toolkits, the designers group focuses on applying these toolkits in the design process. A platform is required that is scalable and extensible: scalable to allow computationally demanding population-based exploration algorithms to be executed on distributed hardware within reasonable time frames, and extensible to allow researchers to easily implement their own customized toolkits consisting of specialized algorithms and user interfaces. In order to address these requirements, a three-tier client–server system architecture has been used that separates data storage, domain logic, and presentation. This separation allows customized toolkits to be created for Dexen without requiring any changes to the data or logic tiers. In the logic tier, Dexen uses a programming model in which tasks only communicate through data objects stored in a key-value database. The paper ends with a case study experiment that uses a multicriteria evolutionary algorithm toolkit to explore alternative configurations for the massing and façade design of a large residential development. The parametric models for developing and evaluating design variants are described in detail. A population of design variants are evolved, a number of which are selected for further analysis. The case study demonstrates how evolutionary exploration methods can be applied to a complex design scenario without requiring any scripting.
Toward a visual approach in the exploration of shape grammars
Authors: Strobbe Tiemen , Pauwels Pieter , Verstraeten Ruben , De Meyer Ronald , Van Campenhout Jan
Published: October 2015

The concept of shape grammars has often been proposed to improve or support creative design processes. Shape grammar implementations have the potential to both automate parts of the design process and allow exploration of design alternatives. In many of the existing implementations, the main focus is either on capturing the rationale of a particular existing grammar or on allowing designers to develop a new grammar. However, little attention is typically given to the actual representation of the design space that can be explored in the interface of the implementation. With such representation, a shape grammar implementation could properly support designers who are still in the process of designing and may not yet have a clear shape grammar in mind. In this article, an approach and a proof-of-concept software system is proposed for a shape grammar implementation that provides a visual and interactive way to support design space exploration in a creative design process. We describe the method by which this software system can be used and focus on how designers can interact with the exploration process. In particular, we point out how the proposed approach realizes several important amplification strategies to support design space exploration.
Representativeness of the German National Register for Congenital Heart Defects: a clinically oriented analysis
Authors: Helm Paul C. , Koerten Marc-André , Abdul-Khaliq Hashim , Baumgartner Helmut , Kececioglu Deniz , Bauer Ulrike M. M.
Published: October 2015

Background

Approximately 6000 children are born with CHD in Germany each year. It is increasingly rare that these children die from their chronic illness. In the present study, data recorded in the National Register for Congenital Heart Defects with respect to the prevalence of specific lesions and sex distribution are compared with that recorded in a published German prevalence study (Prevalence Study) and with the meta-analysis by van der Linde et al.

Methods

A descriptive data analysis was performed using a minimal data set. The demographic data included sex and birth year; the medical data comprised the cardiovascular diagnosis according to the short list of the International Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Code.

Results

As the data analysis shows, the National Register is a clinical register including primarily clinical cases/cases relevant to healthcare. The prevalence values and sex ratios recorded in the register are closer to the values given in the literature than those determined by the Prevalence Study. Severe CHD was slightly over-represented in the National Register compared with the van der Linde et al meta-analysis. The deviations with respect to prevalence values are within an acceptable range.

Conclusion

With its 48,000 patients, the National Register plays a unique and important role for research in the field of CHD. Samples from the National Register can be used as a gold standard for future studies, as the patient population registered in it can be considered representative of CHD in Germany and Europe.
Anxiety and depression in patients after surgery for head and neck cancer in Japan
Authors: Suzuki Miho , Deno Minako , Myers Mie , Asakage Takahiro , Takahashi Koji , Saito Kenichi , Mori Yoshiyuki , Saito Hiroto , Ichikawa Yuji , Yamamoto-Mitani Noriko , Miyashita Mitsunori
Published: October 2015

Objective:

The present study sought to examine the impact of physical symptoms, facial disfigurement, adequacy of preoperative information, and social support on anxiety and depression in Japanese patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) who had undergone surgery.

Method:

A cross-sectional study with 194 patients was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire. This instruments included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Head and Neck cancer module (QLQ–H&N35), and a Social Support Scale developed by Okabayashi et al. (1997).

Results:

The majority (56.7%) had surgery two or more years before completing the questionnaire. More than 25% of respondents showed anxiety or depression. Higher levels of perceived social support were associated with lower rates of anxiety and depression (p < 0.01). Sensory problems were associated with anxiety, and reduced sexuality was associated with depression (p < 0.01). Perceived disfigurement and adequacy of preoperative information were not associated with anxiety or depression.

Significance of Results:

Survivors of HNC experience anxiety and depression for an extended period of time. Social support may alleviate the severity of these disorders. More research is needed to confirm the impact of facial disfigurement and that of the preoperative information provided by surgeons on psychological distress in HNC patients.
Ouabain rescues rat nephrogenesis during intrauterine growth restriction by regulating the complement and coagulation cascades and calcium signaling pathway
Authors: Chen L. , Yue J. , Han X. , Li J. , Hu Y.
Published: October 2015

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with a reduction in the numbers of nephrons in neonates, which increases the risk of hypertension. Our previous study showed that ouabain protects the development of the embryonic kidney during IUGR. To explore this molecular mechanism, IUGR rats were induced by protein and calorie restriction throughout pregnancy, and ouabain was delivered using a mini osmotic pump. RNA sequencing technology was used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of the embryonic kidneys. DEGs were submitted to the Database for Annotation and Visualization and Integrated Discovery, and gene ontology enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were conducted. Maternal malnutrition significantly reduced fetal weight, but ouabain treatment had no significant effect on body weight. A total of 322 (177 upregulated and 145 downregulated) DEGs were detected between control and the IUGR group. Meanwhile, 318 DEGs were found to be differentially expressed (180 increased and 138 decreased) between the IUGR group and the ouabain-treated group. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that maternal undernutrition mainly disrupts the complement and coagulation cascades and the calcium signaling pathway, which could be protected by ouabain treatment. Taken together, these two biological pathways may play an important role in nephrogenesis, indicating potential novel therapeutic targets against the unfavorable effects of IUGR.
Why Seismic Networks Need Digital Object Identifiers
Authors: Evans Peter , Strollo Angelo , Clark Adam , Ahern Tim , Newman Robert , Clinton John , Pedersen Helle , Pequegnat Catherine
Published: October 2015

In a move to give credit where it's due, the International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks will link digital object identifiers to data from seismic networks and project deployments.
Metal-to-insulator switching in quantum anomalous Hall states
Authors: Kou Xufeng , Pan Lei , Wang Jing , Fan Yabin , Choi Eun Sang , Lee Wei-Li , Nie Tianxiao , Murata Koichi , Shao Qiming , Zhang Shou-Cheng , Wang Kang L.
Published: October 2015

After decades of searching for the dissipationless transport in the absence of any external magnetic field, quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) was recently achieved in magnetic topological insulator films. However, the universal phase diagram of QAHE and its relation with quantum Hall effect (QHE) remain to be investigated. Here, we report the experimental observation of the giant longitudinal resistance peak and zero Hall conductance plateau at the coercive field in the six quintuple-layer (Cr0.12Bi0.26Sb0.62)2Te3 film, and demonstrate the metal-to-insulator switching between two opposite QAHE plateau states up to 0.3 K. Moreover, the universal QAHE phase diagram is confirmed through the angle-dependent measurements. Our results address that the quantum phase transitions in both QAHE and QHE regimes are in the same universality class, yet the microscopic details are different. In addition, the realization of the QAHE insulating state unveils new ways to explore quantum phase-related physics and applications.
Large cooperativity and microkelvin cooling with a three-dimensional optomechanical cavity
Authors: Yuan Mingyun , Singh Vibhor , Blanter Yaroslav M. , Steele Gary A.
Published: October 2015

In cavity optomechanics, light is used to control mechanical motion. A central goal of the field is achieving single-photon strong coupling, which would enable the creation of quantum superposition states of motion. Reaching this limit requires significant improvements in optomechanical coupling and cavity coherence. Here we introduce an optomechanical architecture consisting of a silicon nitride membrane coupled to a three-dimensional superconducting microwave cavity. Exploiting their large quality factors, we achieve an optomechanical cooperativity of 146,000 and perform sideband cooling of the kilohertz-frequency membrane motion to 34±5 μK, the lowest mechanical mode temperature reported to date. The achieved cooling is limited only by classical noise of the signal generator, and should extend deep into the ground state with superconducting filters. Our results suggest that this realization of optomechanics has the potential to reach the regimes of ultra-large cooperativity and single-photon strong coupling, opening up a new generation of experiments.