bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and evaluation of food environment audit instrument: AUDITNOVA
Authors: Borges Camila Aparecida , Jaime Patricia Constante
Published: October 2019

OBJECTIVE: To develop and assess the reliability of an instrument that enables auditing information on consumer food environment indicators, such as availability, price, promotional and advertising strategies, and quantity of brands available, using the food recommendations adopted by the Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population as a theoretical basis. METHODS: This is a methodological study in two phases: 1. development of the audit instrument and 2. assessment of its reliability and reproducibility. The Content Validity Index was estimated for each instrument item (>0.80 satisfactory). Inter-rater and test-retest reliability were assessed by percentage agreement and Kappa coefficients. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and Scatter-plots were used to measure the degree of linear correlation between two quantitative variables. RESULTS: The Content Validity Index was 0.91. Inter-rater and test-retest reliability were mostly high (Kappa> 0.80), for food availability indicators. Among the items that measure advertising, Kappa values for inter-rater reliability ranged from 0.57 to 1.00 and for the test-retest ranged from 0.18 to 0.90. Prices and quantity of brands showed a positive linear correlation between measurements performed by researcher 1 and 2 and between visits 1 and 2. CONCLUSIONS: AUDITNOVA is reliable for measuring aspects such as availability, price, quantity of brands, and advertising of foods available in the consumer food environment.
Use of antibiotics in the health care unit: 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort
Authors: Bertoldi Andrea Dâmaso , Mielke Grégore Iven , Guttier Marília Cruz , Neumann Nelson Arns , Dalabona Caroline , Boing Alexandra Crispim , Silveira Mariângela Freitas
Published: October 2019

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the use of the first dose of antibiotics in the health care unit in children from the 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort at 24 months. METHODS: A total of 4,014 children were monitored. We used descriptive statistics and Poisson regression to analyze the association between socioeconomic and demographic variables, participation in daycare units, in the activities of the Pastoral da Criança and in the Primeira Infância Melhor program, low birth weight, hospitalization between 12 and 24 months, place of medical appointment, prevalence of medical appointment in the last 30 days, prescription of antibiotics, and administration of the first dose in the health care unit. RESULTS: A total of 1,044 children had medical appointments in the last 30 days, of which 45% were prescribed antibiotics and only 10.5% were administered the first dose of this medication in the health care unit. Children with brown, yellow or indigenous skin color were administered 2.5 times more antibiotics than white children. Children whose mothers had 12 years or more of education were administered 83.0% fewer antibiotics than those whose mothers had up to 4 years of education. Among those who were hospitalized for 12 to 24 months, the use of antibiotics was almost four times higher than among those who were not. Among the children served by the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), only 15.3% were administered the first dose of antibiotic in the health care unit. When compared with children served by private health care or health plan, administration of the first dose in the SUS was 76.0% higher. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the efforts related to the Pastoral da Criança campaign “Antibiotic: first dose immediately,” adherence to the provision of antibiotics in the health care unit is still low. Strategies are necessary and urgent so children have access to the first dose of antibiotics in the health care unit.
Most-cited public health articles of scientific journals from Brazil
Authors: Barbosa Milena Maria De Araújo Lima , Cuenca Angela Maria Belloni , Oliveira Karoline De , França Junior Ivan , Alvarez Maria do Carmo Avamilano , Omae Larissa Yuko
Published: October 2019

OBJECTIVE: To describe the most-cited articles in public health scientific journals edited in Brazil. METHODS: Articles published between 2008 and 2010 by public health journals edited in Brazil and indexed in the Scopus database were included, and citations received up to five years after publication were ranked. We studied a total of 105 articles, as the last seven articles shared the same number of citations and so were given the same rank. RESULTS: The most-cited articles received a median of 28 citations, and the distribution ranged from 22 to 95 citations. These articles describe advances in the areas of Epidemiology (74%), Health Policies, Planning and Administration (19%), and Social and Human Sciences in Health (7%). Only half mentioned that they have received funding. About 75% of the articles were written by three or more authors and 90%, by authors affiliated to public institutions such as universities and government organizations. Fifteen individuals were responsible for authoring or coauthoring three or more of the 105 articles studied. The journals Cadernos de Saúde Pública, Revista de Saúde Pública, and Ciência & Saúde Coletiva have published the vast majority of the most-cited articles in the area (94%). CONCLUSIONS: In Brazil, the most-cited articles in public health mainly report Epidemiology research, are written by groups of authors and by researchers affiliated to public institutions and are published in journals with a greater impact. Periodical analyses of these data can show potential changes in the characteristics of articles that most attract public health scientists.
Metformin Use Is Associated With a Lower Risk of Hospitalization for Heart Failure in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: a Retrospective Cohort Analysis
Authors: Tseng Chin‐Hsiao
Published: October 2019

Background

A beneficial effect of metformin on heart failure requires confirmation.

Methods and Results

Patients with new‐onset type 2 diabetes mellitus during 1999 to 2005 were enrolled from Taiwan's National Health Insurance database and followed up from January 1, 2006, until December 31, 2011. Main analyses were conducted in an unmatched cohort (172 542 metformin ever users and 43 744 never users) and a propensity score matched‐pair cohort (matched cohort I, 41 714 ever users and 41 714 never users). Hazard ratios were estimated by Cox hazard regression incorporated with the inverse probability of treatment weighting using the propensity score in the unmatched cohort and by naïve method in the matched cohort I. Results showed that the respective incidence rates of heart failure hospitalization in ever users and never users were 304.25 and 864.31 per 100 000 person‐years in the unmatched cohort (hazard ratio, 0.350; 95% CI, 0.329–0.373) and were 469.66 and 817.01 per 100 000 person‐years in the matched cohort I (hazard ratio, 0.571; 95% CI, 0.526–0.620). A dose‐response pattern was consistently observed while estimating hazard ratios for the tertiles of cumulative duration of metformin therapy. Findings were supported by another propensity score–matched cohort created after excluding 10 potential instrumental variables in the estimation of propensity score (matched cohort
II
). An approximately 40% lower risk was consistently observed among ever users in different models derived from the matched cohorts I and
II
, but models from the matched cohort
II
were less subject to model misspecification.

Conclusions

Metformin use is associated with a lower risk of heart failure hospitalization.
Does Information on Blood Heavy Metals Improve Cardiovascular Mortality Prediction?
Authors: Wang Xin , Mukherjee Bhramar , Park Sung Kyun
Published: October 2019

Background

To evaluate whether blood markers of lead, cadmium, and mercury can improve prediction for cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality when added individually, jointly, or as an integrative index/Environmental Risk Score (ERS), in a model with established risk factors.

Methods and Results

Our study sample comprised 16 028 adults aged ≥40 years who were enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2012 and followed up through December 31, 2015. The study sample was randomly split into training for the ERS construction (n=8043) and testing for the evaluation of prediction performance (n=7985). ERS was computed using elastic‐net penalized Cox's model based on the selected metal predictors predicting CVD mortality. During median follow‐up of 7.2 years, 517 died from CVD. In the training set, linear terms of cadmium and mercury, squared terms of lead and mercury, and all 3 pairwise interactions were selected by elastic‐net for ERS construction. In the testing set, the C‐statistic increased from 0.845 when only established CVD risk factors were in the model to 0.854 when the ERS was additionally added to the model. Addition of all linear, squared, and pairwise interaction terms of blood metals to the Cox's models improved C‐statistic from 0.845 to 0.857. The improvement remained significant when it was assessed by net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that blood markers of toxic metals can improve CVD risk prediction over the established risk factors and highlight their potential utility for CVD risk assessment, prevention, and precision health.
Doppler‐Derived Renal Venous Stasis Index in the Prognosis of Right Heart Failure
Authors: Husain‐Syed Faeq , Birk Horst‐Walter , Ronco Claudio , Schörmann Tanja , Tello Khodr , Richter Manuel J. , Wilhelm Jochen , Sommer Natascha , Steyerberg Ewout , Bauer Pascal , Walmrath Hans‐Dieter , Seeger Werner , McCullough Peter A. , Gall Henning , Ghofrani H. Ardeschir
Published: October 2019

Background

Persistent congestion with deteriorating renal function is an important cause of adverse outcomes in heart failure. We aimed to characterize new approaches to evaluate renal congestion using Doppler ultrasonography.

Methods and Results

We enrolled 205 patients with suspected or prediagnosed pulmonary hypertension (
PH
) undergoing right heart catheterization. Patients underwent renal Doppler ultrasonography and assessment of invasive cardiopulmonary hemodynamics, echocardiography, renal function, intra‐abdominal pressure, and neurohormones and hydration status. Four spectral Doppler intrarenal venous flow patterns and a novel renal venous stasis index (
RVSI
) were defined. We evaluated
PH
‐related morbidity using the Cox proportional hazards model for the composite end point of
PH
progression (hospitalization for worsening
PH
, lung transplantation, or
PH
‐specific therapy escalation) and all‐cause mortality for 1‐year after discharge. The prognostic utility of
RVSI
and intrarenal venous flow patterns was compared using receiver operating characteristic curves.
RVSI
increased in a graded fashion across increasing severity of intrarenal venous flow patterns (
P
<0.0001) and was significantly associated with right heart and renal function, intra‐abdominal pressure, and neurohormonal and hydration status. During follow‐up, the morbidity/mortality end point occurred in 91 patients and was independently predicted by
RVSI
(
RVSI
in the third tertile versus referent: hazard ratio: 4.72 [95% CI, 2.10–10.59;
P
<0.0001]). Receiver operating characteristic curves suggested superiority of
RVSI
to individual intrarenal venous flow patterns in predicting outcome (areas under the curve: 0.789 and 0.761, respectively;
P
=0.038).

Conclusions

We propose
RVSI
as a conceptually new and integrative Doppler index of renal congestion.
RVSI
provides additional prognostic information to stratify
PH
for the propensity to develop right heart failure.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL
:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/
. Unique identifier:
NCT
03039959.
Making Space for Politics: the Gift of Public Theology in the Work of John Webster
Authors: Brash Richard
Published: October 2019

The theologian John Webster (d. 2016) is sometimes criticized for having little to say about politics. This article seeks to demonstrate how Webster furnishes a set of conceptual resources that provide the theological and anthropological bases for a Christian public theology, as well as the rationale for the sort of moral reasoning that will give involvement in politics its appropriate shape and content. Webster understands humanity theologically, as creatures of God. The consequence of this position means we must appreciate the (protological and eschatological) givenness of our situation, rejecting the possibility of secular space, and accepting our teleologically-oriented vocation. Webster’s theological anthropology constitutes an indirect challenge, and a clear—and ultimately more compelling—alternative to the political liberalism proposed by John Rawls.
Conquering Megalomania and Despair: a Niebuhrian Response to the Politico-Economic Impasse
Authors: Ossewaarde-Lowtoo Roshnee
Published: October 2019

The works of Reinhold Niebuhr contain invaluable examples of how Christian resources can be fruitfully exploited to address urgent economic and political issues. The ideas of sin and continuous redemption, which arguably belong to the core of the Christian faith, are creatively translated by Niebuhr, so that they can be included in public debates and interdisciplinary dialogues. In this article, his conception of sin as the perversion of the will-to-live into the will-to-power is endorsed. Its counterforce, it is argued, is human love infused with divine love. Love is, therefore, not a simple possibility, which can be applied to our economic and political problems. Instead, it is the impossible possibility, the ultimate and critical perspective from which prevailing forms of justice and philanthropy are judged. Through the public theology of Niebuhr, the ideal of love becomes a universally valid alternative to the rationalist and naturalist approaches to human morality.
Hobbesian Sovereignty and the Rights of Subjects
Authors: Curran Eleanor
Published: October 2019

Hobbes, in his political writing, is generally understood to be arguing for absolutism. I argue that despite apparently supporting absolutism, Hobbes, in Leviathan, also undermines that absolutism in at least two and possibly three ways. First, he makes sovereignty conditional upon the sovereign’s ability to ensure the safety of the people. Second and crucially, he argues that subjects have inalienable rights, rights that are held even against the sovereign. When the subjects’ preservation is threatened they are no longer obliged to obey the sovereign. Third, there is also a possible limitation on the absolute power of the sovereign in the form of restrictions Hobbes puts in place on what laws he may legitimately make. Finally, Hobbesian absolutism is compared to the absolutism of Carl Schmitt. This exercise demonstrates the limitations that Hobbes places on the power and authority of the sovereign.
Natural Justice, Law, and Virtue in Hobbes’s Leviathan
Authors: Matthew Hoye J.
Published: October 2019

Scholars debate whether Hobbes held to a command theory of law or to a natural law theory, and to what extent they are compatible. Curiously, however, Hobbes summarizes his own teachings by claiming that it is “natural justice” that sovereigns should study, an idea that recalls ancient virtue ethics and which is seemingly incompatible with both command and natural law theory. The purpose of this article is to explicate the general significance of natural justice in Leviathan. It is argued that below the formal and ideological claims regarding the law’s legitimacy, the effective ground of the legitimacy of both the civil and natural laws is sovereign virtue. In turn, it is argued that the model for this idea was found in Aristotle. As such, this article constitutes a general recasting of Hobbes’s legal philosophy with a focus on the natural person of the sovereign.
The Evolution of the Principle of Non-intervention? R2P and Overt Assistance to Opposition Groups
Authors: Henderson Stacey
Published: October 2019

This paper analyses the overt provision of assistance to opposition groups in the contemporary conflicts in Libya and Syria. Applying an R2P lens to this new and emerging State practice, the paper argues that R2P has served as the inspiration for a re-aligned conceptualisation of the limits of State responses to atrocity crimes, charting a way forward for the international community which is at once sensitive to State sovereignty but also responsive to humanitarian imperatives.
The Responsibility to Protect and the Fate of the Rohingya
Authors: Adams Simon
Published: October 2019

The failure of the international community to adequately respond to patterns of discrimination against the ethnic Rohingya minority in Myanmar (Burma) eventually led to a genocide. The so-called “clearance operations” launched by Myanmar’s military in August 2017 tested the resilience of the international community’s commitment to defending human rights and upholding its Responsibility to Protect (R2P) populations from genocide, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Two years later the UN Security Council has still not adopted a single resolution to name the crime committed against the Rohingya, or to hold the perpetrators accountable. Nevertheless, Rohingya survivors and international civil society have continued to campaign for justice under international law, and to advocate for targeted sanctions to be imposed on those responsible for atrocities. Faced with an inert Security Council, some UN member states have adopted inventive diplomatic measures to uphold their responsibility to protect.
Multisensory Analysis of Consumer–Product Interaction During Ceramic Tile Shopping Experiences
Authors: Artacho Miguel Ángel , Alcántara Enrique , Martínez Natividad
Published: October 2019

The need to design products that engage several senses has being increasingly recognised by design and marketing professionals. Many works analyse the impact of sensory stimuli on the hedonic, cognitive, and emotional responses of consumers, as well as on their satisfaction and intention to purchase. However, there is much less information about the utilitarian dimension related to a sensory non-reflective analysis of the tangible elements of the experience, the sequential role played by different senses, and their relative importance. This work analyses the sensorial dimension of consumer interactions in shops. Consumers were filmed in two ceramic tile shops and their behaviour was analysed according to a previously validated checklist. Sequence of actions, their frequency of occurrence, and the duration of inspections were recorded, and consumers were classified according to their sensory exploration strategies. Results show that inspection patterns are intentional but shifting throughout the interaction. Considering the whole sequence, vision is the dominant sense followed by touch. However, sensory dominance varies throughout the sequence. The dominance differences appear between all senses and within the senses of vision, touch and audition. Cluster analysis classified consumers into two groups, those who were more interactive and those who were visual and passive evaluators. These results are very important for understanding consumer interaction patterns, which senses are involved (including their importance and hierarchy), and which sensory properties of tiles are evaluated during the shopping experience. Moreover, this information is crucial for setting design guidelines to improve sensory interactions and bridge sensory demands with product features.
China’s Military and the Belt and Road Initiative: a View from the Outside
Authors: Andresen Joshua
Published: October 2019

China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the largest investment in global infrastructure of all time, easily outpacing the United States’ Marshall Plan following World War II. Despite the BRI’s aspirations, it has been called into question from an increasing range of perspectives. This article focuses on security questions raised from the American perspective. By placing the BRI in historical and global perspective, I will critically evaluate the questions raised by American observers in order to separate the concerns we should take seriously from those that are overblown. The Belt and Road initiative and accompanying military buildup have been heralded as a fundamental change in the global order. Whether that is the case, of course, remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that the balance of regional economic and military power is undergoing a dramatic change.
India’s Approach to China’s Belt and Road Initiative—Opportunities and Concerns
Authors: Sharma Mala
Published: October 2019

China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a geoeconomic vision and geopolitical strategy is closely watched and scrutinised by Indian economists, diplomats, and strategists. Perspectives on India’s approach to the BRI can broadly be classified into three—the optimist, the sceptic and the cautionary. Whereas, economists generally appear optimistic, there is a sense of uneasiness within India’s strategic community that the BRI represents much more than China’s ambition to emerge as an economic leader in the region. This article argues that India’s approach to the BRI has largely been pragmatic, cautious and complex. Accordingly, India has taken an atomistic approach to the various components of the BRI depending on its security and economic needs, which explains why on the one hand India has become increasingly receptive of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM EC) and on the other continues to publicly oppose the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The Changing Perspectives of Chinese Law: Socialist Rule of Law, Emerging Case Law and the Belt and Road Initiative
Authors: Xu Lu
Published: October 2019

This article identifies and clarifies some of the miscommunication between Chinese and English in the discussion of rule of law or rule by law. “Rule by law” is not a concept readily understandable by a Chinese audience because there is no acceptable translation or equivalent in Chinese. At the same time, the historical and contextual significance of the different denotations of “rule of law” in Chinese is often overlooked in an English-speaking environment. Meanwhile, the abstraction in critical examination of Chinese law often masks significant changes taking place in China’s construction of a “socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics”, such as the emergence of a system of case law. The different components and aspects of such a system, ranging from the guidance cases system published by the Supreme People’s Court, to the largest database of judicial decisions in the world, and the newly established China International Commercial Court under the Belt and Road Initiative could fundamentally alter and structure, nature and principles of Chinese law as we know it.
Women and the Second World War
Authors: Dawson Sandra Trudgen
Published: October 2019

The Second World War in Europe continues to captivate the attention of scholars and the general public even as the generation that lived through and fought in the war passes. The military and political histories of the war reveal the contribution of the men who fought as well as the men who led. Less attention has been directed to the experiences of women during the conflict who also served alongside the men in the military as nurses or auxiliaries, or as wives of spies. The articles in this special issue illustrate some of the hidden roles and choices women made during the conflict despite additional hurdles created by racism, and gender expectations.
“My professional future can be lost in a minute”: Re-examining the Gender Dynamics of US Army Nursing during the Second World War
Authors: Richardson Ravenel
Published: October 2019

Celebrations of Second World War nurses as virtuous, angelic heroines have elided the complex realities of nurses’ lives during this time of extreme social upheaval. Nurses’ sexuality has remained a taboo subject in scholarly examinations of their wartime service, while the pregnancies of nurses – who were not allowed to marry – were intentionally omitted from the official military record. This article significantly revises our understanding of Second World War nursing by examining the letters of two American women who embarked on romantic relationships that resulted in pregnancy and their subsequent discharge from the US Army. Through critical feminist analysis, it investigates how both women navigated their personal lives and shifting gender roles during and post-war. An examination of their radical choices and experiences discloses the hidden history of unmarried, pregnant nurses returning from the Second World War and how the US military dealt with those nurses and their children.
Modelling, design and control of a light electric vehicle with hybrid energy storage system for Indian driving cycle
Authors: Vidhya S Devi , Balaji M
Published: October 2019

This paper presents the modelling, design and power management of a hybrid energy storage system for a three-wheeled light electric vehicle under Indian driving conditions. The hybrid energy storage system described in this paper is characterized by effective coupling of Li-ion battery (primary energy source) and ultracapacitor (auxiliary source) interfaced with an efficient bi-directional converter. A design methodology related to vehicle modelling, choice of motor rating, converter design, sizing of Li-ion battery and ultracapacitor pack for the Indian driving cycle are presented. An improved real-time power-split management control strategy is proposed for proper power flow control of the hybrid energy storage system under various operating modes. The hybridized energy storage system with proposed control strategy improves the life of the battery and helps in effective utilization of the ultracapacitor. Furthermore, a relative comparison of the hybrid energy storage system with the battery energy storage system based on battery parameters and capital cost is also presented. Simulations are carried out in MATLAB/Simulink environment to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy with modelled system components of three-wheeled light electric vehicle. A downscaled experimental prototype is built to validate the power-split between hybrid energy storage systems.
Design and implementation of a test setup for electric mobility scooter for the disabled
Authors: Akkaya Ramazan , Kazan Fatih Alpaslan
Published: October 2019

In this study, a test setup was designed for three- and/or four-wheeled electric mobility scooter models used by disabled or old people. This system is composed of a test platform that enables measurement of vehicular velocity, a data acquisition card, and an interface prepared in the C# program. Using the data acquisition card that was designed, seven quantities, namely, battery and motor currents, battery and motor terminal voltages, wheel speed in revolution per minute, and ambient and motor temperatures, were measured instantaneously during the test procedure and transferred to a computer via a USB device. Using these data that were transferred, motor speed in revolution per minute, torque generated by the motor, motor shaft power, motor and driver efficiency, instantaneous velocity of the vehicle, and total distance covered information obtained from the moment the vehicle began to be used were computed in real time throughout the experiment in the interface prepared in the C#, and their graphs were drawn and recorded. Thus, the faults in the battery, motor, or driver of electric mobility scooters became easily detectable in tests conducted under various conditions such as different ambient temperatures, different user weights, and roads with different slopes.
Last train timetable optimization considering detour routing strategy in an urban rail transit network
Authors: Yao Yu , Zhu Xiaoning , Shi Hua , Shang Pan
Published: October 2019

As an important means of transportation, urban rail transit provides effective mobility, sufficient punctuality, strong security, and environment-friendliness in large cities. However, this transportation mode cannot offer a 24-h service to passengers with the consideration of operation cost and the necessity of maintenance, that is, a final time should be set. Therefore, operators need to design a last train timetable in consideration of the number of successful travel passengers and the total passenger transfer waiting time. This paper proposes a bi-level last train timetable optimization model. Its upper level model aims to maximize the number of passengers who travel by the last train service successful and minimize their transfer waiting time, and its lower level model aims to determine passenger route choice considering the detour routing strategy based on the last train timetable. A genetic algorithm is proposed to solve the upper level model, and the lower level model is solved by a semi-assignment algorithm. The implementation of the proposed model in the Beijing urban rail transit network proves that the model can optimize not only the number of successful transfer directions and successful travel passengers but also the passenger transfer waiting time of successful transfer directions. The optimization results can provide operators detailed information about the stations inaccessible to passengers from all origin stations and uncommon path guides for passengers of all origin–destination pairs. These types of information facilitate the operation of real-world urban rail transit systems.
Energy performance analysis of GE-F5 gas turbines at off-design conditions by applying an innovative convergent–divergent system for the inlet air cooling
Authors: Arabi Seyed Mehdi , Ghadamian Hossein , Aminy Mohammad , Ozgoli Hassan Ali , Ahmadi Behzad , Khodsiani Milad
Published: October 2019

Ambient air temperature increase, in a gas power plant, causes the intake air mass flow rate to be decreased and can have a significant reducing effect on output power and efficiency. To compensate for this reduction, at different climate conditions, various systems can be used to cool the inlet air. To predict the performance of a gas turbine at off-design conditions (by changing surrounding conditions and/or the air cooling method), modeling of the unit performance is required. Due to the high consumption of water and electricity in the conventional cooling systems, in this paper, in addition to introducing an off-design algorithm, governing equations of each cycle elements were inferenced by their characteristic curve. By developing code in MATLAB software, the effect of applying a novel convergent–divergent system on GE-F5 gas units in Yazd Zanbagh power plants was studied. The results show that in a temperature range between 14 and 50 °C, for each degree decrease in ambient air temperature, an approximately 8.99 kW increase in output power can be obtained. The main advantage of this system is the capability of its application in both dry and humid regions. In addition, the refrigerant medium is not required, which makes this system desirable to use in arid areas.
Droplet movement control using fuzzy logic controller and image processing along with pin valves inside microfluidic device
Authors: Mehmood Faisal , Haider Zeeshan , Farooq Umar , Baoqun Yin
Published: October 2019

Most of the research studies nowadays are trying to bring automation to biomedical engineering and Lab on a Chip which is fast growing interdisciplinary field and has attracted researchers from various fields. The objective of this paper is to present an overall system to control droplet movement inside microfluidic channel using fuzzy logic controller, image processing algorithm, and microvalves installed within microfluidic channel. A state space model has been derived from circuit analogy approach to describe the microfluidic network. Furthermore, a COMSOL-based study is primed for device structure by means of droplet generation and controlling the droplet through fitted valves. Moreover, an image processing algorithm based on active contours has been proposed in this research to track the movement of the droplet through the channel. This droplet controlling method is utterly based on fuzzy controller as well as camera images to move the droplet at desired position by controlling flow rates inside the fluidic channel using valves installed inside the microfluidic device. The results indicate that the fuzzy logic controller performs much better in terms of stability and faster response as compared to conventional proportional–integral–derivative controller.
An efficient JPEG image compression based on Haar wavelet transform, discrete cosine transform, and run length encoding techniques for advanced manufacturing processes
Authors: Khan Sulaiman , Nazir Shah , Hussain Anwar , Ali Amjad , Ullah Ayaz
Published: October 2019

Image compression plays a key role in the transmission of an image and storage capacity. Image compression aims to reduce the size of the image with no loss of significant information and no loss of quality in the image. To reduce the storage capacity of the image, the image compression is proposed in order to offer a compact illustration of the information included in the image. Image compression exists in the form of lossy or lossless. Even though image compression mechanism has a prominent role for compressing images, certain conflicts still exist in the available techniques. This paper presents an approach of Haar wavelet transform, discrete cosine transforms, and run length encoding techniques for advanced manufacturing processes with high image compression rates. These techniques work by converting an image (signal) into half of its length which is known as “detail levels”; then, the compression process is done. For simulation purposes of the proposed research, the images are segmented into 8 × 8 blocks and then inversed (decoded) operation is performed on the processed 8 × 8 block to reconstruct the original image. The same experiments were done on two other algorithms, that is, discrete cosine transform and run length encoding schemes. The proposed system is tested by comparing the results of all the three algorithms based on different images. The comparison among these techniques is drawn on the basis of peak signal to noise ratio and compression ratio. The results obtained from the experiments show that the Haar wavelet transform outperforms very well with an accuracy of 97.8% and speeds up the compression and decompression process of the image with no loss of information and quality of image. The proposed study can easily be implemented in industries for the compression of images. These compressed images are suggested for multiple purposes like image compression for metrology as measurement materials in advanced manufacturing processes, low storage and bandwidth requirements, and compressing multimedia data like audio and video formats.
Sensitivity improvement of a new structure crack meter with angular adjustment
Authors: Hong Li , Wang Jiahui , Yao Zhenjing
Published: October 2019

In order to enhance the sensitivity improvement of crack meter in ruins rescue site, this paper proposes a novel crack meter with a V-shape structure. The mathematical analysis showed that there is a negative correlation between sensitivity of proposed crack and angle of V-shape structure. The finite element analysis using the ANSYS Workbench illustrates that sensitivity of proposed crack meter has rapid reduce with angle of V-shape structure of 14°–28°. Experimental findings show that the proposed V-shape structure crack meter has a higher sensitivity than the traditional one. With 14° V-shape structure crack meter, the sensitivity was enhanced to 1.16 mV/(mm/V), with an increase of 2.3 times over the traditional crack meter sensitivity of 0.35 mV/(mm/V).
Do Social Movements Encourage Young People to Run for Office? Evidence from the 2014 Sunflower Movement in Taiwan
Authors: Wang Austin Horng-En
Published: October 2019

The 2014 Sunflower Movement led to rising political participation among young Taiwanese. Hence, opposition parties and civic groups created programs to support young candidates running in the village chief elections. Compared with the 2010 election, however, fewer young challengers ran in 2014, and they received fewer votes and won fewer seats. Propensity score matching shows that the presence of young candidates on ballots did not increase turnout. However, young candidates affected the election indirectly: young, new candidates attracted more votes from incumbents than from challengers and therefore decreased the incumbent re-election rate.
Repressive agent defections: How power, costs, and uncertainty influence military behavior and state repression
Authors: Frugé Kimberly R
Published: October 2019

Leaders are incentivized to repress in the face of mobilized dissent. However, leaders are unable to repress alone and rely on repressive agents, who can shirk the order and weaken the leader’s control. I use a formal model to analyze when the leader can use repression strategically to avoid defection, based on leader type. Each type has incentives to repress to distort the leader’s risk of removal and thus deter defection. Power, cost, and uncertainty are important in both the leader’s and the agent’s decision to repress. Testable hypotheses reveal how executive power and punishment influence the level of repression.
Influence of conductive PEDOT:PSS in a hard tissue scaffold: In vitro and in vivo study
Authors: Fani N , Hajinasrollah M , Asghari Vostikolaee MH , Baghaban Eslaminejad M , Mashhadiabbas F , Tongas N , Rasoulianboroujeni M , Yadegari A , Ede KF , Tahriri M , Tayebi L
Published: October 2019

The presence of a conductive component in bone scaffolds can be helpful in facilitating the intracellular electrical signaling among cells as well as improving bone healing when electromagnetic stimulation is applied. In this study, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(4-styrene sulfonate) as a biocompatible conductive polymer was incorporated into a hard tissue scaffold made of gelatin (Gel) and bioactive glass. The in vitro results revealed that incorporation of an optimized amount of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(4-styrene sulfonate) into the scaffold composition enhanced cell viability more than four times after 14 days incubation, compared to the scaffold without poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(4-styrene sulfonate). The in vivo studies demonstrated the amount of new bone formation of Gel/bioactive glass/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(4-styrene sulfonate) scaffolds was significantly higher than the Gel/bioactive glass scaffolds.
Effect of material removal state on the selection of theoretical models when scratching single-crystal copper using the load modulation approach
Authors: Yan Yongda , Wang Yuzhang , Wang Jiqiang , Geng Yanquan
Published: October 2019

This article presents a constant force–controlled cutting approach with two different geometries of cutting tools. The methodologies for establishing two theoretical models were proposed to quantitatively predict the required applied normal forces at the expected machined depths, which were obtained with a solution to the horizontal projection of the sample–tip contact area and the multi-edge form tip based on a generalized cutting approach, respectively. The selection of the proposed theoretical models is dependent on the two material removal states, respectively, in which one is plowing for a regular triangular pyramid and the other one is cutting chips for a single-point diamond tip. To verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed theoretical models and cutting strategy, a constant normal force cutting of microgrooves was implemented on a single-crystal copper substrate, while realizing constant cutting depths. The difference between the setting normal forces and the theoretical normal forces was analyzed by comparing the experimental results and the model prediction results. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the geometry of the cutting tools on the material removal state and on the selection of the theoretical models.
Inclusive Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainable Growth: Role of Business Incubators, Academia and Social Enterprises in Asia
Authors: Baskaran Angathevar , Chandran VGR , Ng Boon-Kwee
Published: October 2019

Globally, entrepreneurship is expected to play a central role in achieving ‘inclusive growth’. This special issue draws on various developments related to the role of business incubators, academia and social enterprises towards achieving inclusive entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainable growth. A ‘successful entrepreneurship ecosystem’, which includes business incubation is fundamental for promoting economic growth. Over the years, business incubators are increasingly viewed as the facilitators of social inclusion and inclusive growth. Likewise, there has been an increasing focus on how society at large can gain benefit from the research activities of the academia and also how it can promote social and student entrepreneurship. Because of the positive contributions of the social enterprise sector in terms of gross domestic product (GDP), employment and positive social and environmental impacts, social entrepreneurship has gained recognition as a mainstream activity across the world. Consequently, many Asian countries have initiated a range of policies to support social entrepreneurship because of their perceived contributions towards inclusive growth.
Which Factors Influence India’s Intra-Industry Trade? Empirical Findings for Select Sectors
Authors: Aggarwal Sakshi , Chakraborty Debashis
Published: October 2019

The growing intra-sectoral trade among countries, reflected through simultaneous export and import in parts and components, intermediate products and final goods, is termed intra-industry trade (IIT). Over the past two decades, the multilateral tariff reforms under WTO and deepening of the bilateral preferences through the regional trade agreements (RTAs) have enhanced India’s IIT at both aggregate and sectoral levels. The ‘Make-in-India’ initiative, introduced in 2014 to further deepen India’s growing integration with the Asian international production networks (IPNs) across manufacturing sectors, is also enhancing sectoral IITs. The present article examines the patterns and determinants of India’s bilateral IIT in seven sectors with 25 major trading partners during 2001–2015, through a panel data analysis. The empirical results indicate that Vertical Intra-industry Trade (VIIT), efficiency, trade facilitation reforms, trade agreements and product differentiation dominate India’s IIT pattern at sectoral level. The analysis underlines the need for Indian firms to move up the value chain through innovation and skill upgradation.
Framing stories of national belonging: the case of an historical adventure-romance television series
Authors: Elder Catriona
Published: October 2019

This article explores the role of Australian 1970s and 1980s ‘quality’ historical television series and miniseries in engaging national audiences in discussions about their national history. These programmes – which had a corollary in the United States in the same period – were ‘blockbusters’. But the historical miniseries of this period were not designed just to make money for the television networks, rather they had ‘designs’ on their viewers. What this set of programmes have in common is a sense of their important contribution to debates about what, who and why of nations and citizens. The producers of these programmes, in a period of significant social change and the emergence of identity politics, sought to engage citizens with the complexities of national histories. This article focuses on one series, Luke’s Kingdom, and explores why and how it was possible for this television genre to reinvigorate and rethink ideas of national belonging.
Speech intelligibility and listening effort in university classrooms for native and non-native Italian listeners
Authors: Visentin Chiara , Prodi Nicola , Cappelletti Francesca , Torresin Simone , Gasparella Andrea
Published: October 2019

Listening effort describes the allocation of attentional and cognitive resources for successful listening. In adverse conditions, the mental demands for listening increase, interfering with other cognitive functions. This is especially relevant in learning spaces, where complex tasks that recruit more cognitive resources (e.g. memorization of information and comprehension) are performed by the students. This study focuses on the case of university classrooms and investigates the effects of different types of masking noise on both speech intelligibility and listening effort. Speech-in-noise tests in the Italian language were presented to 25 young adults with normal hearing (13 native and 12 non-native listeners) within an existing university classroom located in Bozen-Bolzano (Italy). The tests were presented in three listening conditions (quiet, stationary noise, and fluctuating noise), grouping the listeners around two locations within the classroom. The task performance was assessed using both speech intelligibility and two proxy measures of listening effort: response time and subjective ratings of effort. Longer response times and higher subjective ratings were taken to reflect increased listening effort. Results in noisy conditions were compared to the quiet condition. A disadvantage in task accuracy performance was found for non-native compared to native listeners; concerning response time, it was found that when the target signal is masked by a fluctuating noise, additional processing time is requested to non-native listeners compared to their native peers. The interaction was not pointed out by subjective ratings, supporting the hypothesis of a different sensitivity to listening conditions of the two proxy measures of listening effort.
Experimental investigation on the effects of inter-layer gaps on wind loads of cantilevered stadium roofs
Authors: Dai Yimin , Yuan Yangjin , Tao Lin , Chen Y Frank
Published: October 2019

To meet the ventilation requirement, an engineer needs to design the cantilevered roof of a stadium as a layered one with gaps between the layers. In order to further understand the wind resistance performance of such structures, a wind tunnel test was carried out on a 1:200 scaled stadium model considering two roof inter-layer cases: opened gaps and blocked gaps. The laws of lift force coefficients and net wind pressure coefficients were compared for these two gap conditions. The study results indicate that the roof experiences larger mean lift force on both top and bottom surfaces when the inter-layer gaps are blocked. However, the roof gaps can reduce the fluctuating lift force on top roof surface and the net fluctuating lift force, weakening the vibration of the flexible large-span roof. The negative pressures (suctions) in the inner and middle roof areas on the leeward side decrease for the blocked gap case. The positive pressure in the outer roof area generally increases along the windward direction, while the negative pressure decreases in other wind directions, when the roof inter-layer gaps are blocked. In the highest and transition roof areas, the fluctuating pressures increase for most wind directions, while in the lowest roof area, they decrease when the roof inter-layer gaps are blocked. The test and analysis results provide a valuable basis for the wind design of this kind of roof structures.