bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-Sensor Optimization Scheduling for Target Tracking Based on PCRLB and a Novel Intercept Probability Factor
Authors: Xu Gongguo , Pang Ce , Duan Xiusheng , Shan Ganlin
Published: January 2019

In order to improve the survivability of active sensors, the problem of low probability of intercept (LPI) for a multi-sensor network system is studied in this paper. Two kinds of operational requirements are taken into account, the first of which is to ensure the survivability of sensors and the second is to improve the tracking accuracy of targets as much as possible. Firstly, the sensor tracking model and the posterior Carmér-Rao lower bound (PCRLB) of the target are presented to evaluate the sensor tracking benefits in next time. Then, a novel intercept probability factor (IPF) is proposed for multi-sensor multi-target tracking scenarios. At the basis of PCRLB and IPF, a myopic multi-sensor scheduling model for target tracking is set up to control the intercepted probability of sensors and improve the target tracking accuracy. At last, a fast solution algorithm based on an improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is given to obtain the optimal scheduling actions. Simulation of experimental results show that the proposed model can effectively control the intercepted risk of every sensor, which can also obtain better target tracking performance than existing multi-sensor scheduling methods.
Experimental Research of Transmissions on Electric Vehicles’ Energy Consumption
Authors: Spanoudakis Polychronis , Tsourveloudis Nikolaos C. , Doitsidis Lefteris , Karapidakis Emmanuel S.
Published: January 2019

The growth of electric vehicles share of total passenger-vehicle sales is evident and is expected to be a very big market segment by 2030. Range of travel and pricing are the most influencing factors that affect their gain in market share. As so, powertrain development is a key technology factor researched by the automotive industry. To explore, among others, how the energy consumption of zero emission vehicles is affected by different transmissions, we developed, built and installed a variety of them on a custom hydrogen fuel cell powered urban vehicle. In this work we present a comparison of the effect, on the energy consumption of the proposed testbed, of a prototype custom build 2-speed gearbox and a single stage transmission. Results presented show a reduction of the overall energy consumption with the use of the 2-speed gearbox, compared to single stage, as well as the effect of gear change speed, related to speed, in energy consumption. Finally, a correlation of experimental results using a custom build CVT is conducted compared to single stage transmission. A comparison to simulation results found in literature is performed for all the transmissions tested on road.
Research on Magnetic Field Distribution and Characteristics of a 3.7 kW Wireless Charging System for Electric Vehicles under Offset
Authors: Zhai Li , Zhong Guangyuan , Cao Yu , Hu Guixing , Li Xiang
Published: January 2019

A 3.7 kW resonant wireless charging system (WCS) is proposed to realize the energy transmission for electric vehicles. In addition to designing the electrical modules functionally, coupling coils are designed and verified by physical prototype, which guarantees the accuracy of coils and subsequent simulations. Then, we focus on the magnetic field distribution of coupling coils in the vehicle environment. Four points (A1, A2, A3, A4) in different regions and three points (the head B1, chest B2 and cushion B3) in the driving seat are helped to measure the magnetic field strength. The magnetic field distribution of coils under five offsets of 60 mm, 120 mm, 180 mm, 240 mm and 300 mm are analyzed theoretically and simulated correspondingly. The simulation results indicate that the magnetic field strength of test points are within the limits, but the strength at A3 is larger than 30.4 A/m required by SAE J2954 at 40% offset and 50% offset. Taking into account the composition of the actual magnetic field, the magnetic field distribution due to side-band and odd harmonic current are also obtained. An experimental bench for the proposed 3.7 kW WCS is built to validate the rightness and feasibility of the simulated scheme. The results of simulation and experiments of magnetic field distribution have less error and are often in good agreement.
Is Ghana Ready to Attain Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Number 7?—A Comprehensive Assessment of Its Renewable Energy Potential and Pitfalls
Authors: Acheampong Michael , Yu Qiuyan , Cansu Ertem Funda , Deba Enomah Ebude Lucy , Tanim Shakhawat , Eduful Michael , Vaziri Mehrdad , Ananga Erick
Published: January 2019

Ghana has declared support for the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number seven which most importantly target ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services. This target presents a formidable challenge to Ghana because the country still relies mainly on traditional biomass as its primary source of energy coupled with a chronically fragile hydropower sector. In this study, we assess Ghana’s potential in achieving sustainable goal number seven. Specifically, we comprehensively review the breakthroughs and impediments Ghana has experienced in its efforts towards improving its renewable energy potential. We note that while Ghana has made significant stride toward attaining energy efficiency, its effort at large-scale biofuel development hit a snag due to issues of “land grabbing” emanating both from local and foreign entities. In another breadth, several pilot studies and research initiatives have demonstrated the possibility of diversifying the energy sector with other renewable energy options including solar, wind, and small hydro. In spite of challenges encountered with the development of biofuels, our review concludes that Ghana retains vast reserves of renewable energy potential, which can be harnessed with the constantly improving technological advancements as it pursues SDG number seven.
Effect of A-/B-site Doping on Oxygen Non-Stoichiometry, Structure characteristics, and O2 Releasing Behavior of La1−xCaxCo1−yFeyO3−δ Perovskites
Authors: Shen Qiuwan , Li Shian , Yang Guogang , Sunden Bengt , Yuan Jinliang
Published: January 2019

Oxy-fuel combustion is one of the proposed technologies with the potential to achieve zero CO2 emission. La1−xCaxCo1−yFeyO3−δ (LCCF) perovskites are promising materials with high selectively for oxygen. In this study, the oxygen non-stoichiometry of perovskites LCCF was investigated by means of iodometric titration. LCCF was prepared using the liquid citrate method, and the phase structures were identified by X-ray diffraction. Fixed-bed experiments were performed to study the oxygen desorption performance of LCCF. The oxygen deficiency of LCCF increased with increasing Ca molar content of A site, but the value of δ of LCCF with increasing Fe molar content in B site is nearly constant. Experimental observation demonstrated that the O2 release amount of LCCF does not depend on oxygen non-stoichiometry δ generated from A-site doping. At the same time, doping Fe in B site has an obvious impact on the oxygen desorption amount.
System Analysis of Biogas Production—Part II Application in Food Industry Systems
Authors: Lindkvist Emma , Karlsson Magnus , Ivner Jenny
Published: January 2019

Biogas production from organic by-products is a way to recover energy and nutrients. However, biogas production is not the only possible conversion alternative for these by-products, and hence there is interest in studying how organic by-products are treated today and which alternatives for conversion are the most resource efficient from a systems perspective. This paper investigates if biogas production is a resource efficient alternative, compared to business as usual, to treat food industry by-products, and if so, under what circumstances. Five different cases of food industries were studied, all with different prerequisites. For all cases, three different scenarios were analysed. The first scenario is the business as usual (Scenario BAU), where the by-products currently are either incinerated, used as animal feed or compost. The second and third scenarios are potential biogas scenarios where biogas is either used as vehicle fuel (Scenario Vehicle) or to produce heat and power (Scenario CHP). All scenarios, and consequently, all cases have been analysed from three different perspectives: Economy, energy, and environment. The environmental perspective was divided into Global Warming Potential (GWP), Acidification Potential (AP), and Eutrophication Potential (EP). The results show, in almost all the systems, that it would be more resource efficient to change the treatment method from Scenario BAU to one of the biogas scenarios. This paper concludes that both the perspective in focus and the case at hand are vital for deciding whether biogas production is the best option to treat industrial organic by-products. The results suggest that the food industry should not be the only actor involved in deciding how to treat its by-products.
Numerical Study on Heat Transfer Performance in Packed Bed
Authors: Wang Shicheng , Xu Chenyi , Liu Wei , Liu Zhichun
Published: January 2019

Packed beds are widely used in industries and it is of great significance to enhance the heat transfer between gas and solid states inside the bed. In this paper, numerical simulation method is adopted to investigate the heat transfer principle in the bed at particle scale, and to develop the direct enhanced heat transfer methods in packed beds. The gas is treated as continuous phase and solved by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), while the particles are treated as discrete phase and solved by the Discrete Element Method (DEM); taking entransy dissipation to evaluate the heat transfer process. Considering the overall performance and entransy dissipation, the results show that, compared with the uniform particle size distribution, radial distribution of multiparticle size can effectively improve the heat transfer performance because it optimizes the velocity and temperature field, reduces the equivalent thermal resistance of convection heat transfer process, and the temperature of outlet gas increases significantly, which indicates the heat quality of the gas has been greatly improved. The increase in distribution thickness obviously enhances heat transfer performance without reducing the equivalent thermal resistance in the bed. The result is of great importance for guiding practical engineering applications.
The Determination of the Theoretical Stroke Volume of Hydrostatic Positive Displacement Pumps and Motors from Volumetric Measurements
Authors: Toet Gijsbert , Johnson Jack , Montague John , Torres Ken , Garcia-Bravo José
Published: January 2019

This document presents a revised translation to the English language work developed more than 40 years ago by the first author. It further summarizes a common misinterpretation of the method and succinctly describes a graphical procedure to correctly determine the derived displacement volume of a pump or a motor. The original work contains a directive for the determination of the derived displacement volume of hydrostatic positive displacement pumps and motors, from volumetric (flow and speed) measurements. The procedure is based on the definition of the derived displaced volume, defined as: The volumetric flow pushed or admitted by hydrostatic positive displacement pumps and motors per (shaft) revolution, at zero internal and external leakage flow conditions.
Opportunities to Optimize the Palm Oil Supply Chain in Sumatra, Indonesia
Authors: Harahap Fumi , Leduc Sylvain , Mesfun Sennai , Khatiwada Dilip , Kraxner Florian , Silveira Semida
Published: January 2019

Significant amounts of biomass residues were generated in Indonesia. While untreated, residues emit greenhouse gases during the decomposition process. On the other hand, if efficiently utilized, these residues could be used to produce value-added products. This study investigates opportunities for harnessing the full potential of palm oil residues (i.e., empty fruit bunches, kernel shells, fiber, and mill effluent). As far as we are aware, the study is the first attempt to model the palm oil supply chain in a geographically explicit way while considering regional infrastructures in Sumatra Island, Indonesia. The BeWhere model, a mixed integer linear programming model for energy system optimization, was used to assess the costs and benefits of optimizing the regional palm oil supply chain. Different scenarios were investigated, considering current policies and new practices leading to improved yields in small-scale plantations and power grid connectivity. The study shows that a more efficient palm oil supply chain can pave the way for the country to meet up to 50% of its national bioenergy targets by 2025, and emission reductions of up to 40 MtCO2eq/year. As much as 50% of the electricity demand in Sumatra could be met if residues are efficiently used and grid connections are available. We recommend that system improvements be done in stages. In the short to medium term, improving the smallholder plantation yield is the most optimal way to maximize regional economic gains from the palm oil industry. In the medium to long term, improving electricity grid connection to palm oil mills could bring higher economic value as excess electricity is commercialized.
Optimization of an Industrial Medium from Molasses for Bioethanol Production Using the Taguchi Statistical Experimental-Design Method
Authors: Darvishi Farshad , Abolhasan Moghaddami Nooshin
Published: January 2019

The production of bioethanol as a clean liquid fuel in a cost-effective way is highly desired by global energetics. Sugar beet molasses is a renewable and cheap substrate for the production of biotechnological products. Therefore, the aim of the current study was the optimization of an industrial medium from molasses for bioethanol production using the Taguchi statistical experimental-design method. First, the growth rate of yeast cells and the amount of ethanol produced by the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain sahand 101 were investigated in aerobic and aerobic–anaerobic conditions. The yeast strain produced 8% (v/v) bioethanol in a medium containing molasses with 18% Brix in aerobic–anaerobic conditions. The main factors of the medium, including molasses, ammonium sulfate, urea, and pH, were optimized for the increase of bioethanol production by the Taguchi method. Bioethanol production reached 10% (v/v) after optimization of the medium in flask culture. The yeast strain produced 11% (v/v) bioethanol in the bioreactor culture containing the optimized medium, which is an acceptable amount of bioethanol produced from molasses at the industrial scale. The results showed that the Taguchi method is an effective method for the design of experiments aiming to optimize the medium for bioethanol production by reducing the number of experiments and time.
Supramolecular Tripeptide Hydrogel Assembly with 5-Fluorouracil
Authors: Parisi Evelina , Garcia Ana M. , Marson Domenico , Posocco Paola , Marchesan Silvia
Published: January 2019

In this work, we present Thioflavin T fluorescence, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), circular dichroism (CD), Fourier-transformed infrared (FT-IR), and oscillatory rheometry studies applied to an antineoplastic drug, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), embedded in a heterochiral tripeptide hydrogel to obtain a drug delivery supramolecular system. The release of 5-fluorouracil was monitored over time by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and its interaction with the tripeptide assemblies was probed by all-atom molecular dynamics simulations.
Innovative Monitoring Tools and Early Warning Systems for Risk Management: A Case Study
Authors: Segalini Andrea , Carri Andrea , Valletta Alessandro , Martino Maurizio
Published: January 2019

During recent years, the availability of innovative monitoring instrumentation has been a fundamental component in the development of efficient and reliable early warning systems (EWS). In fact, the potential to achieve high sampling frequencies, together with automatic data transmission and elaboration are key features for a near-real time approach. This paper presents a case study located in Central Italy, where the realization of an important state route required a series of preliminary surveys. The monitoring system installed on site included manual inclinometers, automatic modular underground monitoring system (MUMS) inclinometers, piezometers, and geognostic surveys. In particular, data recorded by innovative instrumentation allowed for the detection of major slope displacements that ultimately led to the landslide collapse. The implementation of advanced tools, featuring remote and automatic procedures for data sampling and elaboration, played a key role in the critical event identification and prediction. In fact, thanks to displacement data recorded by the MUMS inclinometer, it was possible to forecast the slope failure that was later confirmed during the following site inspection. Additionally, a numerical analysis was performed to better understand the mechanical behavior of the slope, back-analyze the monitored event, and to assess the stability conditions of the area of interest.
Methane in Gas Shows from Boreholes in Epigenetic Permafrost of Siberian Arctic
Authors: Kraev Gleb , Rivkina Elizaveta , Vishnivetskaya Tatiana , Belonosov Andrei , van Huissteden Jacobus , Kholodov Alexander , Smirnov Alexander , Kudryavtsev Anton , Teshebaeva Kanayim , Zamolodchikov Dmitrii
Published: January 2019

The gas shows in the permafrost zone represent a hazard for exploration, form the surface features, and are improperly estimated in the global methane budget. They contain methane of either surficial or deep-Earth origin accumulated earlier in the form of gas or gas hydrates in lithological traps in permafrost. From these traps, it rises through conduits, which have tectonic origin or are associated with permafrost degradation. We report methane fluxes from 20-m to 30-m deep boreholes, which are the artificial conduits for gas from permafrost in Siberia. The dynamics of degassing the traps was studied using static chambers, and compared to the concentration of methane in permafrost as analyzed by the headspace method and gas chromatography. More than 53 g of CH4 could be released to the atmosphere at rates exceeding 9 g of CH4 m−2 s−1 from a trap in epigenetic permafrost disconnected from traditional geological sources over a period from a few hours to several days. The amount of methane released from a borehole exceeded the amount of the gas that was enclosed in large volumes of permafrost within a diameter up to 5 meters around the borehole. Such gas shows could be by mistake assumed as permanent gas seeps, which leads to the overestimation of the role of permafrost in global warming.
Time Decomposition and Short-Term Forecasting of Hydrometeorological Conditions in the South Baltic Coastal Zone of Poland
Authors: Tylkowski Jacek , Hojan Marcin
Published: January 2019

This article presents an analysis of time-series for hydrometeorological conditions determining the behavior of the natural environment in the South Baltic coastal zone of Poland. The analysis is based on monthly data for average air temperature, total atmospheric precipitation, and average sea level during the 50-year period from 1966–2015 for three coastal stations in Hel, Ustka, and Świnoujście. Time decomposition of these hydrometeorological conditions and formulation of short-term forecasts were carried out using ARIMA modelling. This study identifies the seasonal and non-seasonal parameters that determine both current and future hydrometeorological conditions. Moreover, it indicates the spatial differences among features of the analyzed time-series, estimated parameters of the selected models, and forecasts. The ARIMA models used for the Polish Baltic coastal zone are somewhat spatially homogenous. This is especially true of the models for average monthly air temperature, which are identical across the entire coastal zone (2,0,1)(2,1,0)12. Very similar are the models for average monthly sea level across the central and west coast (1,0,0)(1,1,0)12. The model for the east coast, however, was determined to be slightly different (2,0,2)(2,1,0)12. In contrast to those for air temperature and sea level, the models used for atmospheric precipitation were different for each site. Among the parameters modelled, the effect of AR(p) processes was greater than that of MA(q) processes. The monthly models for Ustka are an example of this: average air temperature (2,0,1)(2,1,0)12, atmospheric precipitation (0,0,3)(2,1,0)12, and average sea level (1,0,0)(1,1,0)12. Time decomposition of extreme hydrometeorological conditions has an important utilitarian significance. The climate of the Polish Baltic coastal zone is getting warmer, the sea level is rising, and the frequency of extreme hydrometeorological events is increasing. Time decomposition of hydrometeorological conditions based on monthly data did not reveal long-term trends. In the last half-century, hydrometeorological conditions have been conducive to erosion of coastal dunes and cliffs. These factors determine changes in the natural environment and limit the development potential of the coastal zone. The time decomposition, modelling, and forecasting of hydrometeorological conditions are thus very important for many areas of human activity, especially those related to management, protection, and development of the coast.
Mexico’s Tradition and Culture Entering the Digital Age: The Mexican Cultural Heritage Repository Project
Authors: Morales-del-Castillo José M. , Ángeles Jiménez Pedro , Molina Salinas Claudio
Published: January 2019

Mexico is a country with a vast and extraordinary cultural heritage, which is the result of a rich history of cultural exchange, syncretism and transculturation. This rich culture has been materialized through the consolidation of a long and prestigious museum tradition, which at the same time is sadly characterized by an endemic lack of technological resources rather than professional skills. As a result, we have found that Mexican museums produce very heterogeneous forms of documentation, which are often not even managed using information technologies. Furthermore, most museums deploy ad hoc solutions that directly limit the usefulness and value of the documentation process itself. In response, the recently founded Mexican Ministry of Culture is undertaking the development of the Mexican cultural heritage data model (Modelo de Datos México), which is aimed at contributing to the cultural heritage domain of our country through the correct characterization and documentation of its cultural objects. It is the first documented experience in Mexico of a large-scale data model inspired by CIDOC-CRM, which is complemented by a set of terminological tools that attempt to capture the singularities and idiosyncrasies of the Mexican cultural sector. In the present paper, we will describe the motivations and decisions made so far to optimize the data model to the Mexican reality and the development of the project that will define a set of local terminologies built on the expertise of linguists, information architects, developers and especially, museum professionals.
Using Negative Muons as a Probe for Depth Profiling Silver Roman Coinage
Authors: Hampshire Bethany V. , Butcher Kevin , Ishida Katsu , Green George , Paul Don M. , Hillier Adrian D.
Published: January 2019

Debasement of silver Roman coins is a well-known phenomenon and understanding the quality of ancient silver coinages can provide an idea about the underlying fiscal condition of the issuing states. These coins are made from a silver-copper alloy, the surfaces of which were deliberately enhanced at the mints by a process of surface-enrichment to give them the appearance of being made of pure silver. Therefore, any surface analysis would provide a composition of the silver-copper alloy that would not be representative of the original alloy from which the coin blank was made; the result would be too high in silver. However, the bulk of the sample, the interior, should provide a composition that is true to the original alloy. Elemental analysis using negative muons has been used to provide a depth dependent compositional, completely non-destructive analysis of a silver-copper alloy denarius of the empress Julia Domna datable to 211–217 CE. The composition of the coin, beyond the surface enrichment layer, is 51 ± 1.8 % copper and 49 ± 1.9% silver, taken at a muon depth of 402 ± 61 µm. The surface enrichment layer is approximately 190 µm thick.
The Waiting Time of Prostate Cancer Patients in Poland
Authors: Osowiecka Karolina , Nawrocki Sergiusz , Kurowicki Marcin , Rucinska Monika
Published: January 2019

Background: Prostate cancer is the second most common reason of mortality due to cancer among men in Poland. The study aimed to determine the waiting time for diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. Methods: The study was carried out on patients treated for prostate cancer from May 2014 to February 2015 at five oncological centres in Poland. The median waiting time was measured from the time cancer was suspected to the histopathological diagnosis (SDI), from the cancer suspicion to the start of treatment (STI) and from the diagnosis to the start of treatment (DTI). Results: 123 males treated for prostate cancer were included for analysis. The median time for SDI, STI and DTI was 7.7, 18.7 and 8.7 weeks, respectively. Place of residence was the only factor which influenced STI (p = 0.003). For patients, who started treatment with radiation therapy DTI was longer than for other patients (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Median times of STI, SDI and DTI for prostate cancer patients in Poland are similar to the intervals described in other countries. Patients, who lived further from an oncology centre waited longer for treatment. The impact of waiting time in the case of prostate cancer on improving the prognosis is still unclear.
Effect of 12-Week Swimming Training on Body Composition in Young Women
Authors: Charmas Malgorzata , Gromisz Wilhelm
Published: January 2019

Background: Systematic physical activity can permanently prevent disadvantageous developments in the human body. This is very important especially for women, for whom the maintenance of a lean body in good shape is sometimes a primary consideration. However, in most cases, this activity is taken randomly and does not produce the desired effects such as reducing body fat. The purpose of the study was to evaluate changes in female body composition induced by 12 weeks of swimming training compared to sedentary controls. Methods: Training sessions occurred three times per week (60 min/session). Height, body mass, and waist/hip circumference and waist/hips ratio (WHR) were measured. Body cell mass (BCM), total body water (TBW), extracellular (ECW) and intracellular water (ICW), fat mass (FM), lean mass (FFM), and muscle mass (MM) were measured using bioelectrical impedance (pre/post). Results: Training elicited decreases in hip circumference and increase in WHR. No changes were recorded in BCM, TBW, ECW, ICW, FM, FFM, and MM. Controls experienced decreases in values of BCM, ICW, and MM and increases in ECW. Conclusion: The applied swimming training did not significantly affect the body composition parameters. Inactivity also triggered a tendency toward unhealthy movement of water from the intracellular to extracellular space.
Utilization of the Maryland Environmental Justice Screening Tool: A Bladensburg, Maryland Case Study
Authors: Driver Aubree , Mehdizadeh Crystal , Bara-Garcia Samuel , Bodenreider Coline , Lewis Jessica , Wilson Sacoby
Published: January 2019

Maryland residents’ knowledge of environmental hazards and their health effects is limited, partly due to the absence of tools to map and visualize distribution of risk factors across sociodemographic groups. This study discusses the development of the Maryland EJSCREEN (MD EJSCREEN) tool by the National Center for Smart Growth in partnership with faculty at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. The tool assesses environmental justice risks similarly to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) EJSCREEN tool and California’s tool, CalEnviroScreen 3.0. We discuss the architecture and functionality of the tool, indicators of importance, and how it compares to USEPA’s EJSCREEN and CalEnviroScreen. We demonstrate the use of MD EJSCREEN through a case study on Bladensburg, Maryland, a town in Prince George’s County (PG) with several environmental justice concerns including air pollution from traffic and a concrete plant. Comparison reveals that environmental and demographic indicators in MD EJSCREEN most closely resemble those in EPA EJSCREEN, while the scoring is most similar to CalEnviroScreen. Case study results show that Bladensburg has a Prince George’s environmental justice score of 0.99, and that National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) air toxics cancer risk is concentrated in communities of color.
Assessing the Impact of the Twin Track Socio-Economic Intervention on Reducing Leprosy-Related Stigma in Cirebon District, Indonesia
Authors: Dadun Dadun , Peters Ruth M. H. , van Brakel Wim H. , Bunders Joske G. F. , Irwanto Irwanto , Regeer Barbara J.
Published: January 2019

The consequences of leprosy go beyond the physical, social and psychological, as leprosy can drive persons affected and their families into poverty, stigmatization and disability. This paper describes the impact of a socio-economic development (SED) intervention that uses a twin-track approach (two micro-credit models) to reduce leprosy-related stigma in Cirebon District, Indonesia. A randomized-controlled mixed-methods study design was used to test the effectiveness of the SED intervention. Three scales were used to measure stigma and participation restrictions among 30 SED clients and 57 controls, 20 in-depth interviews with SED clients and seven Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with key persons were held and 65 profiles of the clients were written up and analysed. The qualitative data shows the socio-economic status of 44 out of 65 SED clients (67%) improved. The median family income increased by 25%, more clients reported higher self-esteem, better interaction with neighbours and less stigma than before, although disclosure concerns remained an issue. The scales indicate a positive effect of the intervention on reducing stigma (e.g., Stigma Assessment and Reduction of Impact (SARI) stigma scale mean difference total score of pre and post assessment for SED clients versus the control group was 8.5 versus 5.6). A twin track socio-economic intervention, if embedded and integrated, can increase participation, and be constructive in reducing leprosy-related stigma.
A Look at Culture and Stigma of Suicide: Textual Analysis of Community Theatre Performances
Authors: Keller Sarah , McNeill Vanessa , Honea Joy , Paulson Miller Lani
Published: January 2019

Stigma against suicidal ideation and help-seeking is a significant barrier to prevention. Little detail is provided on what types of stigma interfere with help-seeking, how stigma is expressed, and how to reduce it. Five groups of two ethnically diverse community theatre programs were formed to analyze differences in Eastern Montana Caucasian and Native American adolescents and young adults’ experiences with stigma about mental illness and mental health treatment that affect help-seeking for suicidal thoughts and experiences. Over a ten-week period, a grassroots theatre project was used to recruit members from the same population as the audience to write and perform a play on suicide and depression (n = 33; 10 males, 23 females; 12 Native American, 21 Caucasian, ages 14–24). Using textual analysis, the community- and campus-based performance scripts were coded for themes related to stigma. Both ethnic groups reported that stigma is a barrier to expressing emotional vulnerability, seeking help, and acknowledging mental illness. We found that Caucasians’ experiences were more individually oriented and Native Americans’ experiences were more collectively oriented. Understanding the cultural bases of experiences with stigma related to mental health treatment for suicide is necessary to create educational programs to reduce stigma for diverse groups of adolescents and young adults.
Prevalence, Perception, and Predictors of Advance Directives among Hong Kong Chinese: A Population-Based Survey
Authors: Chan Carmen W. H. , Wong Martin M. H. , Choi Kai Chow , Chan Helen Y. L. , Chow Amy Y. M. , Lo Raymond S. K. , Sham Michael M. K.
Published: January 2019

Advance directives (AD) can be used for the communication of healthcare decisions that may be required in the future when individuals have lost their capacity to make such decisions. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence, perception, and predictors of AD completion in the Hong Kong general population with a diverse culture. Through random-digit dialing, a population-based telephone survey was conducted with participants aged 18 or above. Socio-demographic characteristics, self-perception and health status, prevalence of AD, and perceptions related to AD were assessed. The acceptance on completing AD was measured by the summed score on the level of agreement in making AD. In total, 2002 participants completed the survey, with only 0.5% having made AD. However, the majority of those who had heard about AD had made or intended to make AD (80.2%). Multivariable regression analysis showed that being religious, being optimistic, and agreeing to respect patients’ wishes are independently associated with higher AD acceptance. Being a student is associated with lower AD acceptance. The extremely low completion rate of AD, but high acceptance of AD urges for more active promotion of AD to the public and education on end-of-life care among university students.
The Influence of Physical Fitness on Reasons for Academy Separation in Law Enforcement Recruits
Authors: Lockie Robert G. , Balfany Katherine , Bloodgood Ashley M. , Moreno Matthew R. , Cesario Karly A. , Dulla Joseph M. , Dawes J. Jay , Orr Robin M.
Published: January 2019

This study analyzed the effects physical fitness may have on reasons for academy separation in law enforcement recruits. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 401 recruits; 330 recruits graduated (GRAD), and 71 recruits separated at various times during academy. Twenty-eight recruits separated for personal reasons (SEPPR); 18 due to physical training failures (i.e., poor fitness) or injury (SEPFI); and 25 due to academic or scenario failures (SEPAS). Fitness testing occurred prior to academy, and included: Push-ups and sit-ups in 60s; a 75-yard pursuit run (75PR); vertical jump; medicine ball throw; and multistage fitness test (MSFT). A one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc compared between-group fitness test performance. A multiple stepwise regression calculated whether recruit characteristics or fitness could predict separation. The GRAD group was younger than the SEPAS group (p < 0.01), faster in the 75PR than the SEPFI group (p = 0.02), and completed more MSFT shuttles than the SEPPR and SEPFI groups (p = 0.01). Age predicted GRAD and SEPAS group inclusion; MSFT predicted GRAD, SEPPR, and SEPFI group inclusion. Recruits who had superior high-intensity running capacity (75PR) and aerobic fitness (MSFT) should have a better chance of completing academy. However, this could be influenced by training practices adopted during academy.
Roadside Exposure and Inflammation Biomarkers among a Cohort of Traffic Police in Kathmandu, Nepal
Authors: Shakya Kabindra M. , Peltier Richard E. , Zhang Yimin , Pandey Basu D.
Published: January 2019

Air pollution is a major environmental problem in the Kathmandu Valley. Specifically, roadside and traffic-related air pollution exposure levels were found at very high levels exceeding Nepal air quality standards for daily PM2.5. In an exposure study involving traffic police officers, we collected 78 blood samples in a highly polluted spring season (16 February 2014–4 April 2014) and 63 blood samples in the less polluted summer season (20 July 2014–22 August 2014). Fourteen biomarkers, i.e., C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukins (IL1-β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) were analyzed in collected blood samples using proinflammatory panel 1 kits and vascular injury panel 2 kits. All the inflammatory biomarker levels were higher in the summer season than in the spring season, while particulate levels were higher in the spring season than in the summer season. We did not find significant association between 24-hour average PM2.5 or black carbon (BC) exposure levels with most of analyzed biomarkers for the traffic volunteers working and residing near busy roads in Kathmandu, Nepal, during 2014. Inflammation and vascular injury marker concentrations were generally higher in females, suggesting the important role of gender in inflammation biomarkers. Because of the small sample size of female subjects, further investigation with a larger sample size is required to confirm the role of gender in inflammation biomarkers.
The Association between Lead and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review
Authors: Donzelli Gabriele , Carducci Annalaura , Llopis-Gonzalez Agustin , Verani Marco , Llopis-Morales Agustin , Cioni Lorenzo , Morales-Suárez-Varela María
Published: January 2019

The etiology of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is complex and multifactorial. Although the development of ADHD symptoms remains to be elucidated, in recent years, epigenetic processes have emerged as candidate mechanisms. Lead is one of the most dangerous environmental pollutants, and it is suspected to be associated with ADHD. The aim of the present study was to review the epidemiological literature currently available on the relation between lead exposure and the diagnosis of ADHD. The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched from 1 July 2018 up to 31 July 2018. The authors included observational studies (cohort, case–control and cross-sectional studies) published in English carried out on children within the last 5 years, measuring lead exposure and health outcomes related to ADHD. Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria: 5 of these studies found no association between lead exposure and ADHD whereas the remaining 12 studies showed positive associations, even though not all of them were homogeneous in terms of exposure periods considered or ADHD diagnosis. To conclude, the evidence from the studies allowed us to establish that there is an association between lead and ADHD and that even low levels of lead raise the risk. However, there is still a lack of longitudinal studies about the relationship between lead exposure and the development of ADHD. Given the potential importance for public health, further research that includes the entire potential risk factors for ADHD in children must be encouraged.
Dataset Reduction Techniques to Speed Up SVD Analyses on Big Geo-Datasets
Authors: Bogaardt Laurens , Goncalves Romulo , Zurita-Milla Raul , Izquierdo-Verdiguier Emma
Published: January 2019

The Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) is a mathematical procedure with multiple applications in the geosciences. For instance, it is used in dimensionality reduction and as a support operator for various analytical tasks applicable to spatio-temporal data. Performing SVD analyses on large datasets, however, can be computationally costly, time consuming, and sometimes practically infeasible. However, techniques exist to arrive at the same output, or at a close approximation, which requires far less effort. This article examines several such techniques in relation to the inherent scale of the structure within the data. When the values of a dataset vary slowly, e.g., in a spatial field of temperature over a country, there is autocorrelation and the field contains large scale structure. Datasets do not need a high resolution to describe such fields and their analysis can benefit from alternative SVD techniques based on rank deficiency, coarsening, or matrix factorization approaches. We use both simulated Gaussian Random Fields with various levels of autocorrelation and real-world geospatial datasets to illustrate our study while examining the accuracy of various SVD techniques. As the main result, this article provides researchers with a decision tree indicating which technique to use when and predicting the resulting level of accuracy based on the dataset’s structure scale.
Comparative Evaluation of the Spectral and Spatial Consistency of Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 OLI Data for Igneada Longos Forest
Authors: Arekhi Maliheh , Goksel Cigdem , Balik Sanli Fusun , Senel Gizem
Published: January 2019

This study aims to test the spectral and spatial consistency of Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 OLI data for the potential of monitoring longos forests for four seasons in Igneada, Turkey. Vegetation indices, including Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), were generated for the study area in addition to the five corresponding bands of Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 OLI Images. Although the spectral consistency of the data was interpreted by cross-calibration analysis using the Pearson correlation coefficient, spatial consistency was evaluated by descriptive statistical analysis of investigated variables. In general, the highest correlation values were achieved for the images that were acquired in the spring season for almost all investigated variables. In the spring season, among the investigated variables, the Red band (B4), NDVI and EVI have the largest correlation coefficients of 0.94, 0.92 and 0.91, respectively. Regarding the spatial consistency, the mean and standard deviation values of all variables were consistent for all seasons except for the mean value of the NDVI for the fall season. As a result, if there is no atmospheric effect or data retrieval/acquisition error, either Landsat-8 or Sentinel-2 can be used as a combination or to provide the continuity data in longos monitoring applications. This study contributes to longos forest monitoring science in terms of remote sensing data analysis.
Integrated Multiscale Method for Obtaining Accurate Forest Surface Area Statistics over Large Areas
Authors: Kang Shilun , Zheng Xinqi , Lv Yongqiang
Published: January 2019

Forest surface area is a fundamental input for forest-related research, such as carbon balance, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem functioning and services. However, an accurate assessment of the area of forestland in China is not available because the forested area is usually calculated as a 2D projected area rather than a 3D surface area, and the impact of changes in the surface terrain on the area is ignored. In this study, we propose an integrated multiscale method that combines geomorphic regionalization and surface area algorithms to calculate the forest surface area in China. The results show that (1) China’s forested area is approximately 4.91% larger than the conventional estimates and corresponds to a carbon storage estimate that is approximately 383.72 million tons higher; (2) the integrated multiscale method exhibits good adaptability and high precision for large-scale surface area calculations; and (3) the calculation results of this method are superior to those of remote sensing data or single surface area algorithms, and the calculation efficiency is high.
A Knowledge-Based Filtering Method for Open Relations among Geo-Entities
Authors: Yu Li , Qiu Peiyuan , Gao Jialiang , Lu Feng
Published: January 2019

Knowledge graphs (KGs) are crucial resources for supporting geographical knowledge services. Given the vast geographical knowledge in web text, extraction of geo-entity relations from web text has become the core technology for construction of geographical KGs; furthermore, it directly affects the quality of geographical knowledge services. However, web text inevitably contains noise and geographical knowledge can be sparsely distributed, both of which greatly restrict the quality of geo-entity relationship extraction. We propose a method for filtering geo-entity relations based on existing knowledge bases (KBs). Accordingly, ontology knowledge, fact knowledge, and synonym knowledge are integrated to generate geo-related knowledge. Then, the extracted geo-entity relationships and the geo-related knowledge are transferred into vectors, and the maximum similarity between vectors is the confidence value of one extracted geo-entity relationship triple. Our method takes full advantage of existing KBs to assess the quality of geographical information in web text, which is helpful to improve the richness and freshness of geographical KGs. Compared with the Stanford OpenIE method, our method decreased the mean square error (MSE) from 0.62 to 0.06 in the confidence interval [0.7, 1], and improved the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) from 0.51 to 0.89.
3D Landform Modeling to Enhance Geospatial Thinking
Authors: Carbonell-Carrera Carlos , Hess-Medler Stephany
Published: January 2019

Geospatial thinking is essential to the visualization–interpretation processes of three-dimensional geographic information. The design of strategies for the interpretation of the Earth’s surface which allow the development of students’ geospatial thinking poses a challenge in higher education. In geospatial education, we often see a practical approach where students are trained in specific GIS and/or geotechnologies. However, in the first stages of geospatial education, geographic literacy and geospatial thinking processes can be supported better through easy-to-use technologies. In this paper we show the results of two workshops performed with engineering students using visuospatial displays in an easy-to-use 3D software environment. This teaching approach improved students’ geospatial thinking, measured using the Topographic Map Assessment (TMA) test—a battery of seven tasks related to relief interpretation along with 18 exercises. Participants also completed a questionnaire relating to the following usability topics: operation (application), improvement, implications for education, and understanding of the concepts related to relief interpretation. The results showed mean gains between 10.7% and 12.6% of the highest score for the TMA. This, together with the results of the questionnaire, confirms the usefulness of this teaching approach using easy-to-use 3D technologies for developing geospatial thinking.