bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Power Allocation of Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access Based on Dynamic User Priority for Indoor QoS-Guaranteed Visible Light Communication Networks
Authors: Tao Siyu , Yu Hongyi , Li Qing , Bai Xiangwei , Tang Yanqun
Published: July 2018

Non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) simultaneously provides multi-user access over the same frequency band or time period, which can significantly improve system throughput in visible light communication (VLC) networks. However, the different interference components of NOMA and the diversified user requirements in VLC are difficult to coordinate. To guarantee both throughput enhancement and quality of service (QoS) satisfaction, this paper presents a power allocation scheme based on dynamic user priority in indoor NOMA-VLC networks. We introduce fuzzy logic (FL) to flexibly analyse user priority and assign signal power using multi-dimensional user features. The experimental results show that our method achieves the best performance in terms of user fairness and satisfaction. In indoor VLC, which has small cells with a high user density, our method outperforms contrastive schemes in terms of the average user data rate (AUDR). Therefore, in comparisons between static and dynamic user priority, our study indicates the fairness advantages of FL for the dynamic evaluation of user priority. In comparisons between NOMA and orthogonal multiple access, our study reflects the AUDR advantages of non-orthogonal methods. Furthermore, in comparisons of user satisfaction, our method outperforms existing methods, indicating the achievement of the QoS guarantee.
Development of Novel Test Specimens for Characterization of Multi-Material Parts Manufactured by Material Extrusion
Authors: Watschke Hagen , Waalkes Lennart , Schumacher Christian , Vietor Thomas
Published: July 2018

Multi-material additive manufacturing (AM) offers new design opportunities for functional integration and opens new possibilities in innovative part design, for example, regarding the integration of damping or conductive structures. However, there are no standardized test methods, and thus test specimens that provide information about the bonding quality of two materials printed together. As a result, a consideration of these new design potentials in conceptual design is hardly possible. As material extrusion (ME) allows easily combination of multiple polymeric materials in one part, it is chosen as an AM technique for this contribution. Based on a literature review of commonly used standards for polymer testing, novel test specimens are developed for the characterization of the bonding quality of two ME standard materials printed together. The proposed specimen geometries are manufactured without a variation of process parameters. The load types investigated in the course of this study were selected as examples and are tensile, lap-shear, and compression-shear. The conducted tests show that the proposed test specimens enable a quantification of the bonding quality in the material transition. Moreover, by analyzing the fracture pattern of the interface zone, influencing factors that probably affect the interface strength are identified, which can be further used for its optimization.
Solar Tower Power Plants of Molten Salt External Receivers in Algeria: Analysis of Direct Normal Irradiation on Performance
Authors: Rouibah Abdelkader , Benazzouz Djamel , Kouider Rahmani , Al-Kassir Awf , García-Sanz-Calcedo Justo , Maghzili K.
Published: July 2018

The increase of solar energy production has become a solution to meet the demand of electricity and reduce the greenhouse effect worldwide. This paper aims to determine the performance and viability of direct normal irradiation of three solar tower power plants in Algeria, to be installed in the highlands and the Sahara (Béchar, El Oued, and Djelfa regions). The performance of the plants was obtained through a system advisor model simulator. It used real data gathered from appropriate meteorological files. A relationship between the solar multiple (SM), power generation, and thermal energy storage (TES) hours was observed. The results showed that the optimal heliostat field corresponds to 1.8 SM and 2 TES hours in Béchar, 1.2 SM and 2 TES hours for El Oued, and 1.5 SM and 4 TES hours for Djelfa. This study shows that there is an interesting relationship between the solar multiple, power generation, and storage capacity.
Numerical Investigation of the Dynamics of ‘Hot Spots’ as Models of Dissipative Rogue Waves
Authors: Chan Hiu Ning , Chow Kwok Wing
Published: July 2018

In this paper, the effect of gain or loss on the dynamics of rogue waves is investigated by using the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation as a framework. Several external energy input mechanisms are studied, namely, constant background or compact Gaussian gains and a ‘rogue gain’ localized in space and time. For linear background gain, the rogue wave does not decay back to the mean level but evolves into peaks with growing amplitude. However, if such gain is concentrated locally, a pinned mode with constant amplitude could replace the time transient rogue wave and become a sustained feature. By restricting such spatially localized gain to be effective only for a finite time interval, a ‘rogue-wave-like’ mode can be recovered. On the other hand, if the dissipation is enhanced in the localized region, the formation of rogue wave can be suppressed. Finally, the effects of linear and cubic gain are compared. If the strength of the cubic gain is large enough, the rogue wave may grow indefinitely (‘blow up’), whereas the solution under a linear gain is always finite. In conclusion, the generation and dynamics of rogue waves critically depend on the precise forms of the external gain or loss.
Label-Free Monitoring of Human IgG/Anti-IgG Recognition Using Bloch Surface Waves on 1D Photonic Crystals
Authors: Sinibaldi Alberto , Occhicone Agostino , Munzert Peter , Danz Norbert , Sonntag Frank , Michelotti Francesco
Published: July 2018

Optical biosensors based on one-dimensional photonic crystals sustaining Bloch surface waves are proposed to study antibody interactions and perform affinity studies. The presented approach utilizes two types of different antibodies anchored at the sensitive area of a photonic crystal-based biosensor. Such a strategy allows for creating two or more on-chip regions with different biochemical features as well as studying the binding kinetics of biomolecules in real time. In particular, the proposed detection system shows an estimated limit of detection for the target antibody (anti-human IgG) smaller than 0.19 nM (28 ng/mL), corresponding to a minimum surface mass coverage of 10.3 ng/cm2. Moreover, from the binding curves we successfully derived the equilibrium association and dissociation constants (KA = 7.5 × 107 M−1; KD = 13.26 nM) of the human IgG–anti-human IgG interaction.
Acute Administration of Caffeine: The Effect on Motor Coordination, Higher Brain Cognitive Functions, and the Social Behavior of BLC57 Mice
Authors: Almosawi Sayed , Baksh Hasan , Qareeballa Abdulrahman , Falamarzi Faisal , Alsaleh Bano , Alrabaani Mallak , Alkalbani Ali , Mahdi Sadiq , Kamal Amer
Published: July 2018

Excessive caffeine consumption causes adverse health effects. The effects of moderate and high doses of caffeine consumption on the motor coordination, cognitive brain functions, and the social behavior in mice were studied. Animals were divided into three groups: control group, moderate dose group (Ac MD), and high dose group (Ac HD). The animals were tested after 7 days of caffeine administration. A rotarod test for motor coordination showed that the mice of the moderate dose group could stay on the rotating rod longer before falling in comparison to the control group and the high dose group. A water maze test for learning and memory showed better performance of mice receiving the moderate dose of caffeine compared to the other groups. Animals that were administered moderate as well as high doses of caffeine showed no sociability and no preference for social novelty in the three-chamber test used to test social behavior. In an elevated plus maze test, control animals showed no anxiety-like behavior while mice from both of the groups administered with caffeine showed anxiety-like behaviors. Our data conclude that the effects of caffeine on higher brain functions depend on the administration dose. When caffeine was given in moderate doses, it resulted in enhancement of memory and motor coordination functions. However, high doses caused defects in memory and learning. The social behavior of the mice, as determined by the level of anxiety and sociability, was affected negatively by moderate as well as high dose caffeine administration.
Approaches of School Administrators toward Teachers with Different Types of Human Nature: The Cyprus Case
Authors: Karasel Ayda Nedime , Kaşot Nazım , Güneyli Ahmet
Published: July 2018

This study seeks answers to the questions regarding the types of human nature that primary school teachers possess from the perspective of primary school administrators and what their approaches are toward teachers with different types of human nature. The study is prepared using a case study model with the qualitative method. “Scenario analysis” is used to obtain data, and eight different scenarios prepared within this context were presented to school administrators. In total, 25 administrators during the 2017–2018 scholar year were selected based on purposive sampling and were contacted accordingly. In terms of the conclusions of the study, it can be seen that school administrators defined self-actualizing teachers with social human nature using positive adjectives, while they had different opinions in regard to defining teachers with a rational-economic human nature, and they defined teachers with a complex human nature with negative adjectives. In terms of the findings related to the attitudes of administrators toward different human natures, it was found that there are some administrators who display positive administrative behaviors (appreciating, rewarding, respecting, motivating etc.) as well as administrators who display negative administrative behaviors (punishing, being indifferent to incidents, imposing by using legal powers, etc.).
Activation of ERBB4 in Glioblastoma Can Contribute to Increased Tumorigenicity and Influence Therapeutic Response
Authors: Donoghue Jacqueline F. , Kerr Lauren T. , Alexander Naomi W. , Greenall Sameer A. , Longano Anthony B. , Gottardo Nicholas G. , Wang Rong , Tabar Viviane , Adams Timothy E. , Mischel Paul S. , Johns Terrance G.
Published: July 2018

Glioblastoma (GBM) is often resistant to conventional and targeted therapeutics. ErbB2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinase 4 (ERBB4) is expressed throughout normal brain and is an oncogene in several pediatric brain cancers; therefore, we investigated ERBB4 as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target in GBM. Using RT-qPCR, we quantified mRNA encoding total ERBB4 and known ERBB4 variants in GBM and non-neoplastic normal brain (NNB) samples. Using immunohistochemistry, we characterized the localization of total and phosphorylated ERBB4 (p-ERBB4) and EGFR protein in archived GBM samples and assessed their association with patient survival. Furthermore, we evaluated the effect of ERBB4 phosphorylation on angiogenesis and tumorigenicity in GBM xenograft models. Total ERBB4 mRNA was significantly lower in GBM than NNB samples, with the juxtamembrane JM-a and cytoplasmic CYT-2 variants predominating. ERBB4 protein was ubiquitously expressed in GBM but was not associated with patient survival. However, high p-ERBB4 in 11% of archived GBM samples, independent of p-EGFR, was associated with shorter patient survival (12.0 ± 3.2 months) than was no p-ERBB4 (22.5 ± 9.5 months). Increased ERBB4 activation was also associated with increased proliferation, angiogenesis, tumorigenicity and reduced sensitivity to anti-EGFR treatment in xenograft models. Despite low ERBB4 mRNA in GBM, the functional effects of increased ERBB4 activation identify ERBB4 as a potential prognostic and therapeutic target.
Broad-Range Hydrogel-Based pH Sensor with Capacitive Readout Manufactured on a Flexible Substrate
Authors: Hammarling Krister , Engholm Magnus , Andersson Henrik , Sandberg Mats , Nilsson Hans-Erik
Published: July 2018

Environmental monitoring of land, water and air, is an area receiving greater attention because of human health and safety concerns. Monitoring the type of pollution and concentration levels is vital, so that appropriate contingency plans can be determined. To effectively monitor the environment, there is a need for new sensors and sensor systems that suits these type of measurements. However, the diversity of sensors suitable for low, battery powered- and large area sensor systems are limited. We have manufactured and characterized a flexible pH sensor using laser processing and blade coating techniques that is able to measure pH between 2.94 and 11.80. The sensor consists of an interdigital capacitance with a pH sensitive hydrogel coating. Thin sensors can reach 95% of their final value value within 3 min, and are stable after 4 min. Good repeatability was achieved in regard to cycling of the sensor with different pH and multiple measurements from dry state. We have also studied the relation between an interdigital capacitance penetration depth and hydrogels expansion. We believe that our passive sensor is suitable to be used in low power and large area sensor networks.
Prevention of Periodontitis by the Addition of a Bactericidal Particulate Glass/Glass-Ceramic to a Dental Resin: A Pilot Study in Dogs
Authors: López-Píriz Roberto , Díaz Luis A. , Cabal Belén , Fernández Adolfo , Suárez Marta , Díaz Raquel , Torrecillas Ramón , Moya José S.
Published: July 2018

The aim of the study is to evaluate, in a ligature-induced periodontitis model, the efficacy of a commercially available dental resin containing different antimicrobial glass/glass-ceramic additions (0–26 wt.%). It has been proved that a 26 wt.% glass addition to a conventional dental resin matrix does not alter neither its workability nor its adhesion to the surface of teeth; however, it does confer notable antimicrobial properties when tested in vitro. Moreover, in vivo tests in Beagle dogs demonstrated the prevention of bone loss in ligature-induced plaque accumulation around teeth. Particularly, the glass-ceramic filler resin composite has shown excellent antimicrobial control since it displays the same bone loss as that of the negative control. The results obtained in the present investigation have shown that a conventional dental resin containing a fraction of glass/glass-ceramic (≥26 wt.%) can prevent periodontitis, which is considered to be a most serious dental disease.
Why Do Secondary Cracks Preferentially Form in Hot-Rolled ODS Steels in Comparison with Hot-Extruded ODS Steels?
Authors: Das Aniruddh , Viehrig Hans-Werner , Altstadt Eberhard , Bergner Frank , Hoffmann Jan
Published: July 2018

Secondary cracks are known to absorb energy, retard primary crack propagation and initiate at lower loads than primary cracks. They are observed more often in hot-rolled than in hot-extruded ODS steels. In this work, the microstructural factors responsible for this observation are investigated. Better understanding of these factors can lead to tailoring of improved ODS steels. Fracture toughness testing of two batches of 13Cr ODS steel, one hot-rolled and the other hot-extruded, was carried out. The fracture behaviour of secondary cracks was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Crystallographic texture and grain morphology play a predominant role in preventing secondary cracks in hot-extruded ODS steels. At lower temperatures, secondary cracks occur predominantly via transgranular cleavage. The fracture mode changes to ductile and intergranular at higher temperatures.
The Mechanical Properties and Elastic Anisotropies of Cubic Ni3Al from First Principles Calculations
Authors: Luan Xinghe , Qin Hongbo , Liu Fengmei , Dai Zongbei , Yi Yaoyong , Li Qi
Published: July 2018

Ni3Al-based superalloys have excellent mechanical properties which have been widely used in civilian and military fields. In this study, the mechanical properties of the face-centred cubic structure Ni3Al were investigated by a first principles study based on density functional theory (DFT), and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) was used as the exchange-correlation function. The bulk modulus, Young’s modulus, shear modulus and Poisson’s ratio of Ni3Al polycrystal were calculated by Voigt-Reuss approximation method, which are in good agreement with the existing experimental values. Moreover, directional dependences of bulk modulus, Young’s modulus, shear modulus and Poisson’s ratio of Ni3Al single crystal were explored. In addition, the thermodynamic properties (e.g., Debye temperature) of Ni3Al were investigated based on the calculated elastic constants, indicating an improved accuracy in this study, verified with a small deviation from the previous experimental value.
Computer-Aided Diagnosis Scheme for Determining Histological Classification of Breast Lesions on Ultrasonographic Images Using Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Hizukuri Akiyoshi , Nakayama Ryohei
Published: July 2018

It can be difficult for clinicians to accurately discriminate among histological classifications of breast lesions on ultrasonographic images. The purpose of this study was to develop a computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) scheme for determining histological classifications of breast lesions using a convolutional neural network (CNN). Our database consisted of 578 breast ultrasonographic images. It included 287 malignant (217 invasive carcinomas and 70 noninvasive carcinomas) and 291 benign lesions (111 cysts and 180 fibroadenomas). In this study, the CNN constructed from four convolutional layers, three batch-normalization layers, four pooling layers, and two fully connected layers was employed for distinguishing between the four different types of histological classifications for lesions. The classification accuracies for histological classifications with our CNN model were 83.9–87.6%, which were substantially higher than those with our previous method (55.7–79.3%) using hand-crafted features and a classifier. The area under the curve with our CNN model was 0.976, whereas that with our previous method was 0.939 (p = 0.0001). Our CNN model would be useful in differential diagnoses of breast lesions as a diagnostic aid.
Evaluation of Fast Charging Efficiency under Extreme Temperatures
Authors: Trentadue Germana , Lucas Alexandre , Otura Marcos , Pliakostathis Konstantinos , Zanni Marco , Scholz Harald
Published: July 2018

Multi-type fast charging stations are being deployed over Europe as electric vehicle adoption becomes more popular. The growth of an electrical charging infrastructure in different countries poses different challenges related to its installation. One of these challenges is related to weather conditions that are extremely heterogeneous due to different latitudes, in which fast charging stations are located and whose impact on the charging performance is often neglected or unknown. The present study focused on the evaluation of the electric vehicle (EV) charging process with fast charging devices (up to 50 kW) at ambient (25 °C) and at extreme temperatures (−25 °C, −15 °C, +40 °C). A sample of seven fast chargers and two electric vehicles (CCS (combined charging system) and CHAdeMO (CHArge de Move)) available on the commercial market was considered in the study. Three phase voltages and currents at the wall socket, where the charger was connected, as well as voltage and current at the plug connection between the charger and vehicle have been recorded. According to SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) J2894/1, the power conversion efficiency during the charging process has been calculated as the ratio between the instantaneous DC power delivered to the vehicle and the instantaneous AC power supplied from the grid in order to test the performance of the charger. The inverse of the efficiency of the charging process, i.e., a kind of energy return ratio (ERR), has been calculated as the ratio between the AC energy supplied by the grid to the electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) and the energy delivered to the vehicle’s battery. The evaluation has shown a varied scenario, confirming the efficiency values declared by the manufacturers at ambient temperature and reporting lower energy efficiencies at extreme temperatures, due to lower requested and, thus, delivered power levels. The lowest and highest power conversion efficiencies of 39% and 93% were observed at −25 °C and ambient temperature (+25 °C), respectively.
Experimental Research on Hydraulic Collecting Spherical Particles in Deep Sea Mining
Authors: Zhao Guocheng , Xiao Longfei , Peng Tao , Zhang Mingyuan
Published: July 2018

Hydraulic collecting is the key technology in deep sea mining and dredging engineering. It determines economic benefits of the project and environmental issues. However, mechanistic studies of hydraulic collecting are rarely described. In this study, the mechanism of collecting spherical particles is researched by dimensional analysis and experimental study. The experimental system is established to carry out three kinds of tests including 253 different test cases. The empirical model of collecting performance prediction is established by the tests of vertical force characteristics and vertical incipient motion characteristics of particles in suction flow field. The results show that the vertical suction force coefficient (Cvs) decreases exponentially with the ratio of bottom clearance to diameter of the particle (h/d), increases linearly with the ratio of diameter of the suction pipe to diameter of the particle (D/d), and is nearly independent of Reynolds number (Re). The empirical formula of vertical force and criterion-formula of vertical incipient motion of particles are obtained with the maximum tolerance less than 15%. The phenomenon that the vortex could help strengthen the suction force was observed in the tests. In addition, the characteristics of suction flow field were obtained by flow visualization tests, and applied to explain the force characteristics of particles in the suction flow field.
Tradeoffs in Timber, Carbon, and Cash Flow under Alternative Management Systems for Douglas-Fir in the Pacific Northwest
Authors: Diaz David D. , Loreno Sara , Ettl Gregory J. , Davies Brent
Published: July 2018

Forest management choices offer significant potential to mitigate global climate change and biodiversity loss. To illuminate tradeoffs relevant to policymakers, forest sector stakeholders, and consumers of forest products, we utilize three Key Performance Indicators—average carbon storage in the forest and wood products; cumulative timber output; and discounted cash flow—to compare four alternative management scenarios for Douglas-fir forests on 64 parcels across western Oregon and Washington. These scenarios are designed to meet one of two alternative management objectives: (i) maximize Net Present Value; or (ii) maximize sustained timber yield; according to one of two alternative sets of forest practice constraints: (i) compliance with minimum Oregon/Washington Forest Practices Act (FPA) rules; or (ii) two key requirements (increased green tree retention and wider riparian buffers) of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. Improved performance in terms of carbon storage for these alternatives generally also corresponded with reduced Net Present Value and timber yields. The gap between FSC and FPA performance indicators was wider in Oregon than Washington, which is primarily attributed to the higher level of stream protection required under Washington versus Oregon FPA rules. We observed consistently higher average carbon storage per cumulative timber output among FSC scenarios relative to business-as-usual, indicating FSC-certified wood carries an embedded carbon benefit. Our findings highlight options for targeted policies to incentivize management that increases carbon storage and minimizes disruptions in timber output, as well as for narrowing the financial gap (or opportunity cost) that would be involved in a transition away from contemporary common practice on industrial timberlands in the coastal Douglas-fir forests of the Pacific Northwest.
Hydraulic Constraints to Whole-Tree Water Use and Respiration in Young Cryptomeria Trees under Competition
Authors: Ferrio Juan Pedro , Kurosawa Yoko , Wang Mofei , Mori Shigeta
Published: July 2018

Although extensive studies have focused on carbon and water balance from aboveground measurements, the link between the belowground and aboveground processes deserves greater attention. In this context, the aim of this work was to assess the bi-directional feedback between whole-plant respiration and transpiration. The study was performed on 25 saplings of Sugi (Japanese cedar, Cryptomeria japonica D. Don), including dominant and suppressed individuals (total fresh weight ranging between 0.2 and 8.0 kg). During one week, the integrated water use (WU) was determined using the Deuterium dilution method. After this, the trees were uprooted and the root, stem, and leaf respiration were measured using incubation chambers and CO2 infrared sensors. The stem and root respiration followed a power response to mass (power exponent b < 1), implying a decline in mass-specific respiration with size. Conversely, the leaf respiration followed a near-linear increase with size (power exponent b ≈ 1), but was negatively affected by the stem density, indicating the hydraulic limitations of the leaf metabolism. The water use followed a power response with the tree size (b < 1), showing a decline in the transpiration per leaf mass with the tree size, but was also negatively correlated with the stem density. Our results indicate that dominant trees are more efficient in the use of water, and highlight the role of hydraulic limitations to leaf metabolism in suppressed trees.
Investigation of a New Strengthening Technique for RC Deep Beams Using Carbon FRP Ropes as Transverse Reinforcements
Authors: Chalioris Constantin , Kosmidou Parthena-Maria , Papadopoulos Nikos
Published: July 2018

The effectiveness of a new retrofitting technique to upgrade the structural behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) deep beams without steel stirrups using carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) ropes as the only transverse shear reinforcement is experimentally investigated. Five shear-critical beams with rectangular and T-shaped cross-section are tested under monotonic loading. The strengthening schemes include (a) one vertical and one diagonal single-link CFRP rope that are internally applied through the web of the rectangular beam using an embedded through-section (ETS) system and (b) two vertical U-shaped double-link ropes that are applied around the perimeter of the web of the flanged beam using a near-surface-mounted (NSM) system. In both cases, the free lengths of the CFRP ropes have been properly anchored using epoxy bonded lap splices of the rope as NSM at (a) the top and the bottom of the web of the rectangular beam and (b) the top of the slab of the T-beam. Promising results have been derived, since the proposed strengthening technique enhanced the strength and altered the brittle shear failure to a ductile flexural one. The experimental results of this study were also used to check the validity of an analytical approach to predict the strength of shear strengthened deep beams using FRP ropes as transverse link reinforcement.
Ethanol Measurement Using Hetero-Core Structured Optical Fiber Covered with Layer-By-Layer Thin Film
Authors: Kimura Yuko , Seki Atsushi , Watanabe Kazuhiro
Published: July 2018

Ethanol measurements are performed in an ethanol/water solution utilizing an ethanol sensor based on a hetero-core structured optical fiber covered with a layer-by-layer thin film. The layer-by-layer (LbL) thin film was prepared using poly (allylamine hydrochloride) and poly styrene sulfonate. When the sensor was immersed in water, the propagating light intensity decreased with increasing ethanol concentration. This behavior suggested that the LbL film contracted due to the presence of ethanol, and the refractive index of the film increased, resulting in increasing propagating light leaks at the hetero-core of the fiber. The ethanol sensor was applied to a variety of spirits, and the propagating light intensity decreased with increasing ethanol concentration.
The Belgian Repository of Fundamental Atomic Data and Stellar Spectra (BRASS) Identifying Fruitful Methods for Producing Atomic Data
Authors: Laverick Mike , Lobel Alex , Royer Pierre , Martayan Christophe , Merle Thibault , Van Hoof Peter A. M. , Van de Swaelmen Mathieu , David Marc , Hensberge Herman , Thienpont Emmanuel
Published: July 2018

The Belgian repository of fundamental atomic data and stellar spectra (BRASS) aims to provide the largest systematic and homogeneous quality assessment to-date of input atomic data required for stellar spectral synthesis. In addition to quality-assessed atomic data, BRASS shall also provide of a range of extremely high-quality benchmark stellar spectra spanning late B-type stars to early K-type stars. In this paper, we summarise the project’s progress and available results to-date. We provide a brief comparison between our results and the BRASS project’s compiled and cross-matched atomic literature, with the goal of providing useful feedback to the atomic community on which methods may produce more reliable and accurate atomic data. We hope that the examples presented here stimulate further investigation by the atomic physics community.
Powerful Adversaries
Authors: McWhorter Ladelle
Published: July 2018

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 contains yet another assault on higher education in its unprecedented tax on private university endowment income. This paper argues, first, that this and other attacks should not be seen as anti-intellectual efforts to dismantle higher education but rather as intellectually elitist efforts to rid universities of certain programs and personnel and, second, that viewing these efforts as motivated primarily by racism and (hetero)sexism is an analytical and political mistake. Women’s, gender, and sexualities studies programs undermine basic assumptions that ground contemporary right-wing political and economic policy—namely, individualism and economism—by presenting empirical evidence and developing theoretical frameworks focused on historical formations of power networks that produce subjects, preferences, and systems of oppression. The main goal of the radical right is not to purge women and people of color from academia, but to prevent analysis and discussion that reveals the inadequacy of right-wing ontological commitments and neoliberal social theory.
Impact of Quality Improvement on Care of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients in an Internal Medicine Resident Clinic
Authors: Burkes Robert M. , Mkorombindo Takudzwa , Chaddha Udit , Bhatt Alok , El-Kersh Karim , Cavallazzi Rodrigo , Kubiak Nancy
Published: July 2018

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Guideline-discordant care of COPD is not uncommon. Further, there is a push to incorporate quality improvement (QI) training into internal medicine (IM) residency curricula. This study compared quality of care of COPD patients in an IM residents’ clinic and a pulmonary fellows’ clinic and, subsequently, the results of a quality improvement program in the residents’ clinic. Pre-intervention rates of quality measure adherence were compared between the IM teaching clinic (n = 451) and pulmonary fellows’ clinic (n = 177). Patient encounters in the residents’ teaching clinic after quality improvement intervention (n = 119) were reviewed and compared with pre-intervention data. Prior to intervention, fellows were significantly more likely to offer smoking cessation counseling (p = 0.024) and document spirometry showing airway obstruction (p < 0.001). Smoking cessation counseling, pneumococcal vaccination, and diagnosis of COPD by spirometry were targets for QI. A single-cycle, resident-led QI project was initiated. After, residents numerically improved in the utilization of spirometry (66.5% vs. 74.8%) and smoking cessation counseling (81.8% vs. 86.6%), and significantly improved rates of pneumococcal vaccination (p = 0.024). One cycle of resident-led QI significantly improved the rates of pneumococcal vaccination, with numerical improvement in other areas of COPD care.
Seasonal and Basinal Influences on the Formation and Transport of Dissolved Trace Metal Forms in a Mining-Impacted Riverine Environment
Authors: Langman Jeff B. , Torso Kathleen , Moberly James G.
Published: July 2018

The release of nanophase metal particles from sulfide mineral decomposition in mining-impacted environments is a growing concern because of the potential for the transport of nanoscale particles that could increase the distribution of the metals and their environmental impact. An analysis of total (unfiltered) and dissolved (450-nm filtered) metal concentrations in the mining-impacted Coeur d’Alene River indicates the leaching of dissolved metal forms from sediments and transport to and within the river. The distribution of metals between total and dissolved forms is driven by seasonal temperatures, hydraulic gradients, and ligand availability. Cd and Zn were the least influenced by changes in gradient and biological productivity between the upper and lower basins. Cd and Zn primarily travel as dissolved forms, with the lowest ratio of dissolved-to-total concentrations in spring and the highest in summer. Fe and Pb primarily travel as suspended particles, but their dissolved forms were greater during all seasons in the lower basin. A principal components analysis of upper basin data indicates that temperature and conductivity were correlated with dissolved Cd and Zn, and total Fe and Pb were correlated with streamflow. In the lower basin, dissolved Cd and Zn, conductivity, and temperature were correlated, and suspended sediment, total metals, and dissolved Pb, but not streamflow, were correlated. The correlation of metals and sediment in the lower basin is not from erosion but the availability of organic matter and Fe that form a range of dissolved to suspended metal particles. The summer decrease in surface water levels releases sediment porewater containing nanoscale-to-microscale metal particles that are transported to open water, where they may impact human and wildlife health. Such releases are unmitigated with current remediation strategies of sediment stabilization.
In-Person Interpreter Use and Hospital Length of Stay among Infants with Low Birth Weight
Authors: Eneriz-Wiemer Monica , Sanders Lee M. , McIntyre Mary , Mendoza Fernando S. , Do D. Phuong , Wang C. Jason
Published: July 2018

To ensure timely appropriate care for low-birth-weight (LBW) infants, healthcare providers must communicate effectively with parents, even when language barriers exist. We sought to evaluate whether non-English primary language (NEPL) and professional in-person interpreter use were associated with differential hospital length of stay for LBW infants, who may incur high healthcare costs. We analyzed data for 2047 infants born between 1 January 2008 and 30 April 2013 with weight <2500 g at one hospital with high NEPL prevalence. We evaluated relationships of NEPL and in-person interpreter use on length of stay, adjusting for medical severity. Overall, 396 (19%) had NEPL parents. Fifty-three percent of NEPL parents had documented interpreter use. Length of stay ranged from 1 to 195 days (median 11). Infants of NEPL parents with no interpreter use had a 49% shorter length of stay (adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.43–0.61) compared to English-speakers. Infants of parents with NEPL and low interpreter use (<25% of hospital days) had a 26% longer length of stay (adjusted IRR 1.26, 95% CI 1.06–1.51). NEPL and high interpreter use (>25% of hospital days) showed a trend for an even longer length of stay. Unmeasured clinical and social/cultural factors may contribute to differences in length of stay.
Aeroallergens in Canada: Distribution, Public Health Impacts, and Opportunities for Prevention
Authors: Sierra-Heredia Cecilia , North Michelle , Brook Jeff , Daly Christina , Ellis Anne K. , Henderson Dave , Henderson Sarah B. , Lavigne Éric , Takaro Tim K.
Published: July 2018

Aeroallergens occur naturally in the environment and are widely dispersed across Canada, yet their public health implications are not well-understood. This review intends to provide a scientific and public health-oriented perspective on aeroallergens in Canada: their distribution, health impacts, and new developments including the effects of climate change and the potential role of aeroallergens in the development of allergies and asthma. The review also describes anthropogenic effects on plant distribution and diversity, and how aeroallergens interact with other environmental elements, such as air pollution and weather events. Increased understanding of the relationships between aeroallergens and health will enhance our ability to provide accurate information, improve preventive measures and provide timely treatments for affected populations.
A Recommendation System Regarding Meeting Places for Groups during Events
Authors: Asukai Shota , Yamamoto Kayoko
Published: July 2018

The present study aimed to design, develop, operate, and evaluate a recommendation system for meeting places targeting groups of two or more people during events. The system was designed and developed by integrating an accessibility database, as well as a recommendation system, and linking with Google Maps and social networking services (SNSs, Twitter and LINE). Additionally, the system was operated for 5 weeks with people mainly in the Tokyo metropolitan area, with Japan as the target, and the total number of users was 59. Based on the results of the web questionnaire survey, it was made evident that the system is useful for groups when meeting up, and the entry function for the nearest station to one’s home, as well as the recommendation function for meet-up stations, which was the original functions of the system, received generally good reviews. From the results of access analysis of the users’ log data, it was made evident that the system was used regardless of the type of device, just as the system was designed for, and that the system was used in harmony with the aim of the present study, which is to recommend meet-up stations for groups.
Grid-Based Crime Prediction Using Geographical Features
Authors: Lin Ying-Lung , Yen Meng-Feng , Yu Liang-Chih
Published: July 2018

Machine learning is useful for grid-based crime prediction. Many previous studies have examined factors including time, space, and type of crime, but the geographic characteristics of the grid are rarely discussed, leaving prediction models unable to predict crime displacement. This study incorporates the concept of a criminal environment in grid-based crime prediction modeling, and establishes a range of spatial-temporal features based on 84 types of geographic information by applying the Google Places API to theft data for Taoyuan City, Taiwan. The best model was found to be Deep Neural Networks, which outperforms the popular Random Decision Forest, Support Vector Machine, and K-Near Neighbor algorithms. After tuning, compared to our design’s baseline 11-month moving average, the F1 score improves about 7% on 100-by-100 grids. Experiments demonstrate the importance of the geographic feature design for improving performance and explanatory ability. In addition, testing for crime displacement also shows that our model design outperforms the baseline.
Are the Effects of the Cholera Toxin and Isoproterenol on Human Keratinocytes’ Proliferative Potential Dependent on Whether They Are Co-Cultured with Human or Murine Fibroblast Feeder Layers?
Authors: Cortez Ghio Sergio , Cantin-Warren Laurence , Guignard Rina , Larouche Danielle , Germain Lucie
Published: July 2018

Human keratinocyte culture has provided the means to treat burns, wounds and skin pathologies. To date, to efficiently culture keratinocytes, cells are cultured on an irradiated feeder layer (iFL), either comprising human (iHFL) or murine (i3T3FL) fibroblasts, and the culture medium is supplemented with a cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation inducing agent such as isoproterenol (ISO) or cholera toxin (CT). Previous studies have characterized how the feeder layer type and the cAMP inducer type influence epithelial cells’ phenotype independently from one another, but it is still unknown if an optimal combination of feeder layer and cAMP inducer types exists. We used sophisticated statistical models to search for a synergetic effect of feeder layer and cAMP inducer types on human keratinocytes’ proliferative potential. Our data suggests that, when culturing human keratinocytes, using iHFL over i3T3FL increases population doublings and colony-forming efficiency through signaling pathways involving Ak mouse strain thymoma (Akt, also known as protein kinase B) isoforms 1 to 3, signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5), p53, and adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase α1 (AMPKα1). Both tested cAMP inducers ISO and CT yielded comparable outcomes. However, no significant synergy between feeder layer and cAMP inducer types was detected. We conclude that, to promote human keratinocyte growth in the early passages of culture, co-culturing them with a human feeder layer is preferable to a murine feeder layer.
Editorial for the Special Issue on “Love & Hate in the Time of Social Media and Social Networks”
Authors: Iglesias Carlos A. , Patti Viviana
Published: July 2018

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The “Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology” Journal Club Series: Highlights on Recent Papers in Exercise-Induced Immune Response
Authors: Luchetti Francesca , Nasoni Maria Gemma , Falcieri Elisabetta , Mendes Alexandrina Ferreira
Published: July 2018

We are glad to introduce the ninth Journal Club. This edition is focused on several relevant studies published in the last few years in the field of Exercise-Induced Immune Response, chosen by our Editorial Board members and their colleagues. We hope to stimulate your curiosity in this field and to share with you the passion for sport seen also from the scientific point of view. The Editorial Board members wish you an inspiring lecture.
Tool Wear Mechanism in Cutting of Stack CFRP/UNS A97075
Authors: Fernandez-Vidal Severo Raul , Fernandez-Vidal Sergio , Batista Moises , Salguero Jorge
Published: July 2018

The aeronautics industry’s competitiveness has led to the need to increase productivity with one shot drilling (OSD) systems capable of drilling stacks of dissimilar materials (fibre/metal laminates, FML) in order to reduce riveting times. Among the materials that constitute the current aeronautical models, composite materials and aluminium (Al) and titanium (Ti) alloys stand out. These one-pass machining techniques produce high-quality holes, especially when all the elements that have to be joined are made of the same material. This work has followed a conventional OSD strategy and the same cutting conditions applied to CFRP (carbo-fibre-reinforced polymer), Al and CFRP/Al stacked sheets to know the wear mechanisms produced. With this purpose, results were obtained by using current specific techniques, such as microstructural analysis, monitoring of the shear forces and analysis of macrogeometric deviations. It has been determined that when these drilling techniques are applied under the same cutting conditions to stacks of materials of a different nature, the results of the wear mechanisms acting on the tool differ from those obtained when machining each material separately. This article presents a comparison between the effects of tool wear during dry drilling of CFRP and UNS A97075 plates separately and when machined as stacks.
Study on Near-Net Forming Technology for Stepped Shaft by Cross-Wedge Rolling Based on Variable Cone Angle Billets
Authors: Han Sutao , Shu Xuedao , Shu Chang
Published: July 2018

Considering problems about concaves at the stepped shaft ends, this paper established the plastic flow kinetic theories about metal deforming during the cross-wedge rolling (CWR) process. By means of the DEFORM-3D finite element software and the point tracing method, the forming process of stepped shafts and the forming mechanism of concaves at shaft ends were studied. Based on the forming features of stepped shafts, rolling pieces were designed using variable cone angle billets. Single-factor tests were conducted to analyze the influence law of the shape parameters of billet with variable cone angle on end concaves, and rolling experiments were performed for verification. According to the results, during the rolling process of stepped shafts, concaves will come into being in stages, and the increasing tendency of its depth is due to the wave mode, the parameters of cone angle α, the first cone section length n. Furthermore, the total cone section length m has an increasingly weaker influence on the end concaves. Specifically, cone angle α has the most significant influence on the quality of shaft ends, which is about twice the influence of the total cone section length m. The concave depth will decrease at the beginning, and then increase with the increasing of the cone angle α and the first cone section length n, and it will decrease with the increasing of the total cone section length m. Finite element numerical analysis results are perfectly consistent with experimental results, with the error ratio being lower than 5%. The results provide a reliable theoretical basis for effectively disposing of end concave problems during CWR, rationally confirming the shape parameters of billets with a variable cone angle, improving the quality of stepped shaft ends, and realizing the near-net forming process of cross-wedge rolling without a stub bar.
Porous Silk Fibroin Microspheres Sustainably Releasing Bioactive Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor
Authors: Qu Jing , Wang Lu , Niu Longxing , Lin Jiaming , Huang Qian , Jiang Xuefeng , Li Mingzhong
Published: July 2018

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays a significant role in stimulating cell proliferation. It remains a challenge in the field of biomaterials to develop a carrier with the capacity of continuously releasing bioactive bFGF. In this study, porous bFGF-loaded silk fibroin (SF) microspheres, with inside-out channels, were fabricated by high-voltage electrostatic differentiation, and followed by lyophilization. The embedded bFGF exhibited a slow release mode for over 13 days without suffering burst release. SEM observations showed that incubated L929 cells could fully spread and produce collagen-like fibrous matrix on the surface of SF microspheres. CLSM observations and the results of cell viability assay indicated that bFGF-loaded microspheres could significantly promote cell proliferation during five to nine days of culture, compared to bFGF-unloaded microspheres. This reveals that the bFGF released from SF microspheres retained obvious bioactivity to stimulate cell growth. Such microspheres sustainably releasing bioactive bFGF might be applied to massive cell culture and tissue engineering as a matrix directly, or after being combined with three-dimensional scaffolds.