bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Motive für das zweite Kind. Eine qualitative Sekundäranalyse problemzentrierter Interviews
Authors: Holubek Stefan
Published: December 2017

The two-child family is a widespread ideal. It is, however, not a matter of course. Based on Miller’s Traits-Desires-Intentions-Behavior model, this paper investigates the motives of people for desiring a second child and how these motives may influence the progression towards intending this first family extension. The study uses secondary analyses of problem-centered interviews that are based on grounded theory methodology. As a result, four types of motives are identified. The second child may be interpreted as (a) a necessary component of the traditional family setting, as (b) a matter of course, (c) as a first sibling, and as (d) a “doubled” first child. Each of these motives has been scrutinized with regard to the specific circumstances causing people to intend having a second child. It is shown that identifying the respective motives for having a second child leads to a better understanding of the circumstances upon which particular actors start planning to actually have a second child.

Zusammenfassung

Zwei Kinder zu haben ist ein weit verbreitetes Ideal, aber keine Selbstverständlichkeit. Ziel dieses Beitrages ist es, orientiert am „Traits-Desires- Intention-Behaviour“-Modell nach Miller, Motive für den Wunsch nach einem zweiten Kind und ihre Rolle für den Übergang zur Intention zu untersuchen. Dafür werden problemzentrierte Interviews auf Grundlage der Grounded-Theory-Methodologie sekundär ausgewertet. Als Ergebnis werden vier Motive vorgestellt. Zweite Kinder werden als Teil eines traditionalen Familienbildes, als dispositionelle Selbstverständlichkeit, als „erstes Geschwisterkind“ und als „wiederholtes“ erstes Kind gedeutet. Die Motivlagen werden jeweils danach befragt, welche Informationen über Voraussetzungen für den Übergang in die Planungsphase sie enthalten. Dabei wird gezeigt, dass das Wissen über die Motivlagen dabei hilft, zu konkretisieren, unter welchen Bedingungen bestimmte Akteure dazu übergehen, das zweite Kind zu planen.
Effect of Nitrogen Levels and Weed Management on Yield Performance of BRRI Hybrid Dhan3 Under AWD Irrigation System
Authors: Bhuiyan MKA , Mahbub Md Mostofa , Nahar Lutfun , Baki Md Zakaria Ibne
Published: December 2017

Experiment was carried out at the Agronomy field of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur, during the period from December 2014 to May 2015 to investigate the response of different levels of N and methods of weeding on weed abundance and grain yield of BRRI hybrid dhan3 under alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation condition. The treatments consisted of five N levels viz.,0, 60, 120,180 and 240 kg N ha-1 and four different weed control methods viz., Pre-emergence herbicide followed by 1HW, Pre-emergence followed by post emergence herbicide, Weed free by 3 hand weedings and Unweeded (control). The experiment was laid out in factorial RCB design with three replication. Pre-emergence application of prefer 18WP (Bensulfuran Methyl + Acetachlor) and post emergence herbicide Dhaman 300wp (Bispyribac sodium 18% + Bensulfuran methyl 12%) followed by one hand weeding effectively control all weeds (78-93%). In the experimental field, sedges and grass weeds were highly dominant over treatments. Based on summed dominance ratio (SDR), the most dominant weed species could be arranged in the order of Echinochloa crus-galli > Scirpus juncoides > Cynodon dactylon > Cyperus difformis > Marselia minuta > Monochoria vaginalis. Interaction of nitrogen levels and weeding methods had significant response on yield and yield components of hybrid rice. The highest (7.61 t ha-1) grain yield was obtained from the combination @ 180 kg N ha-1 with weed free treatments. Comparable higher grain yield was obtained from the combination of pre emergence herbicide of bensulfuranm methyl + acetachlor) + one hand weeding with 180 kg N ha (7.48 t ha-1) and the combination of pre + post-emergence herbicide (Bispyribac sodium 18% + Bensulfuran methyl 12%) with 180 kg N ha-1 (7.56t ha-1). The estimated optimum dose of nitrogen for Pre EH, Post EH and 3HW (weed free) were 173, 189.1 and 189.4 kg N ha-1 respectively for BRRI hybrid dhan3 under AWD irrigation system.Bangladesh Agron. J. 2017, 20(1): 13-24
Growth and Yield Performance of Potato Varieties Under Different Planting Dates
Authors: Ahmed B , Sultana M , Chowdhury MAH , Akhter S , Alam MJ
Published: December 2017

An experiment was conducted during 20 November 2015 through March 20I6 to assess the effect of planting dates on growth and yield performance of three potential varieties of potato at Plant Physiology research field, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur. Three planting dates (November 20, December 5 and December 29) and three varieties (var. BARI Alu-35, BARI Alu-40 and BARI Alu-41) were the treatment variables. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Maximum plant height (42.3 cm) was observed in 5 December sowing in var. BARI Alu-40. Highest number of tuber/plant (13) was recorded from December 5 sowing in var. BARI Alu-41. The highest leaf area was found in December 5 sowing of BARI Alu-40 while the lowest leaf area in November 20 sowing in var. BARI Alu-35. The highest tuber weight/plant (97.25 g) was observed in var. BARI Alu-5 at December 5 sowing and the lowest tuber weight/plant (25.58 g) in var. BARI Alu-35 at November 20 sowing. The maximum potato yield (42.12 t/ha) was obtained at December 5 sowing of BARI Alu-35 followed by same date of var. BARIAlu- 41. From the experiment it was revealed that the first decade of December is the optimum date for planting of potato due to the physiological maturity and tuber yield.Bangladesh Agron. J. 2017, 20(1): 25-29
Integrated Nutrient Management on Soybean in a Coastal Charland of Bangladesh
Authors: Farhad ISM , Rahman MA , Jahan E , Azam MG , Khan NR
Published: December 2017

A field experiment was conducted at Char Jangalia under MLT site, Laxmipur, a coastal district of southern Bangladesh, during Rabi season of 2015-16 to evaluate the effect of integrated nutrient management on growth and yield performance of soybean (var. Glycine max L.). Six treatment combinations, viz. T1= Control, T2= Farmers practice (25-15 Kg NP ha-1, T3= 100% recommended dose (30-25-55 Kg NP ha-1, K), T4= 50 % recommended dose + 1.5 t ha-1 vermi compost, T5= 50 % recommended dose + 5 t ha-1compost and T6=50 % recommended dose + 1.2 kg ha-1 bio fertilizer were tested. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with 3 replications. There were significant differences among the different treatment combinations in terms of yield and yield contributing characters. Integrated nutrient management with application of 50% of the recommended doses of urea, TSP, MoP, and biofertilizer (Bradyrhizobium) at the rate of 1.2 kg ha-1 significantly increased most of the parameters, such as the plant height, number of nodule per plant, pods per plant, seeds per pod and seed yield. The highest seed yield (2.93 t ha-1) was recorded from T6 while the lowest seed yield (1.83 t ha-1) was obtained from T1. The highest gross return (Tk.117200 ha-1) and gross margin (Tk. 71840 ha-1) was obtained from T6, whereas the lowest gross return (Tk. 70400 ha-1) and gross margin (Tk.27880 ha-1) was obtained from T1. The overall results indicated that the application of integrated nutrient management of a combination of bio fertilizer with 50% N-P-K (15- 12.5-27.5 Kg ha-1) of the recommended dose produced the maximum nodulation and seed yield of soybean in the southern coastal char land.Bangladesh Agron. J. 2017, 20(1): 77-83
Effect of Different Doses of Herbicide (Metro 70WG) on Weed Control in Maize Field
Authors: Paul Santosh Kumar , Akther Shamima , Mujahidi Towhidi Almas , Kundu Subarna
Published: December 2017

Abstract not available Bangladesh Agron. J. 2017, 20(1): 109-111
Clinical profile and outcomes of childhood poisoning
Authors: Ahmed Farzana , Rahman Md. Masudur , Tawfiq Muhammad
Published: December 2017

The patterns of accidental poisoning in children usually differ from country to country and from one region to another within the same country. This retrospective study was performed from January 2012 to December 2014 to determine the trends of childhood poisoning in urban area of Bangladesh. A total of 32 cases were analyzed completely; intention of poisoning was classified as accidental, suicidal and homicidal. The commonest age range for accidental poisoning was 1-5 years (64.7%). Suicidal poisoning was prevalent among mid adolescence group. The overall male to female ratio was 1:1; in case of accidental poisoning male to female ratio among preschooler was 2.66:1. All the patients were from urban background and drug overdose was the commonest cause of poisoning. Accidental poisoning was found in 53% of patients, suicidal 41% and homicidal 6% cases. The mortality was 3%. This study showed that boys at pre-school age group were at greater risk for accidental poisoning. Drug over dosage was the most common poisoning in this study. Alarmingly, accidental introduction of per rectal analgesic was the most common cause of acute poisoning during infancy in this study.
Efficacy of an asynchronous electronic curriculum in emergency medicine education in the United States
Authors: Wray Alisa , Bennett Kathryn , Boysen-Osborn Megan , Wiechmann Warren , Toohey Shannon
Published: December 2017

Purpose: The aim of this study was to measure the effect of an iPad-based asynchronous curriculum on emergency medicine resident performance on the in-training exam (ITE). We hypothesized that the implementation of an asynchronous curriculum (replacing 1 hour of weekly didactic time) would result in non-inferior ITE scores compared to the historical scores of residents who had participated in the traditional 5-hour weekly didactic curriculum.Methods: The study was a retrospective, non-inferiority study. conducted at the University of California, Irvine Emergency Medicine Residency Program. We compared ITE scores from 2012 and 2013, when there were 5 weekly hours of didactic content, with scores from 2014 and 2015, when 1 hour of conference was replaced with asynchro-nous content. Examination results were compared using a non-inferiority data analysis with a 10% margin of difference.Results: Using a non-inferiority test with a 95% confidence interval, there was no difference between the 2 groups (before and after implementation of asynchronous learning), as the confidence interval for the change of the ITE was −3.5 to 2.3 points, whereas the 10% non-inferiority margin was 7.8 points.Conclusion: Replacing 1 hour of didactic conference with asynchronous learning showed no negative impact on resident ITE scores.
On choosing the energy–momentum tensor in electrodynamics and on the Abraham force
Authors: Spirichev Yu A
Published: December 2017

The highly debated problem of choosing the energy–momentum tensor in electrodynamics is examined. Electromagnetic forces in a continuum medium that follow from the Minkowski and Abraham tensors are considered. It is shown that the conservation equations for both Minkowski’s momentum density and Abraham’s momentum simultaneously follow from the Minkowski tensor and that they are the components of a composite electromagnetic momentum in the medium. It is shown that choosing canonical matter equations reduces the Abraham force to zero. We argue in favor of choosing the Minkowski tensor and show the incompleteness of the Abraham tensor.
Investigation of Numerical Dissipation in Classical and Implicit Large Eddy Simulations
Authors: El Rafei Moutassem , Könözsy László , Rana Zeeshan
Published: December 2017

The quantitative measure of dissipative properties of different numerical schemes is crucial to computational methods in the field of aerospace applications. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to examine the resolving power of Monotonic Upwind Scheme for Conservation Laws (MUSCL) scheme with three different slope limiters: one second-order and two third-order used within the framework of Implicit Large Eddy Simulations (ILES). The performance of the dynamic Smagorinsky subgrid-scale model used in the classical Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach is examined. The assessment of these schemes is of significant importance to understand the numerical dissipation that could affect the accuracy of the numerical solution. A modified equation analysis has been employed to the convective term of the fully-compressible Navier–Stokes equations to formulate an analytical expression of truncation error for the second-order upwind scheme. The contribution of second-order partial derivatives in the expression of truncation error showed that the effect of this numerical error could not be neglected compared to the total kinetic energy dissipation rate. Transitions from laminar to turbulent flow are visualized considering the inviscid Taylor–Green Vortex (TGV) test-case. The evolution in time of volumetrically-averaged kinetic energy and kinetic energy dissipation rate have been monitored for all numerical schemes and all grid levels. The dissipation mechanism has been compared to Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) data found in the literature at different Reynolds numbers. We found that the resolving power and the symmetry breaking property are enhanced with finer grid resolutions. The production of vorticity has been observed in terms of enstrophy and effective viscosity. The instantaneous kinetic energy spectrum has been computed using a three-dimensional Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). All combinations of numerical methods produce a k − 4 spectrum at t * = 4 , and near the dissipation peak, all methods were capable of predicting the k − 5 / 3 slope accurately when refining the mesh.
Automatic Transcription of Polyphonic Vocal Music
Authors: McLeod Andrew , Schramm Rodrigo , Steedman Mark , Benetos Emmanouil
Published: December 2017

This paper presents a method for automatic music transcription applied to audio recordings of a cappella performances with multiple singers. We propose a system for multi-pitch detection and voice assignment that integrates an acoustic and a music language model. The acoustic model performs spectrogram decomposition, extending probabilistic latent component analysis (PLCA) using a six-dimensional dictionary with pre-extracted log-spectral templates. The music language model performs voice separation and assignment using hidden Markov models that apply musicological assumptions. By integrating the two models, the system is able to detect multiple concurrent pitches in polyphonic vocal music and assign each detected pitch to a specific voice type such as soprano, alto, tenor or bass (SATB). We compare our system against multiple baselines, achieving state-of-the-art results for both multi-pitch detection and voice assignment on a dataset of Bach chorales and another of barbershop quartets. We also present an additional evaluation of our system using varied pitch tolerance levels to investigate its performance at 20-cent pitch resolution.
A Novel Fractional Fourier Transform-Based ASK-OFDM System for Underwater Acoustic Communications
Authors: Ashri Rami , Shaban Heba , El-Nasr Mohamad
Published: December 2017

A key research area in wireless transmission is underwater communications. It has a vital role in applications such as underwater sensor networks (UWSNs) and disaster detection. The underwater channel is very unique as compared to other alternatives of transmission channels. It is characterized by path loss, multipath fading, Doppler spread and ambient noise. Thus, the bit error rate (BER) is increased to a large extent when compared to its counterpart of cellular communications. Acoustic signals are the current best solution for underwater communications. The use of electromagnetic or optical waves obviously entails a much higher data rate. However, they suffer from high attenuation, absorption or scattering. This paper proposes a novel fractional fast Fourier transform (FrFT)—orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (FrFT-OFDM) system for underwater acoustic (UWA) communication—which employs the amplitude shift keying (ASK) modulation technique (FrFT-ASK-OFDM). Specifically, ASK achieves a better bandwidth efficiency as compared to other commonly used modulation techniques, such as quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) and phase shift keying (PSK). In particular, the system proposed in this article can achieve a very promising BER performance, and can reach higher data rates when compared to other systems proposed in the literature. The BER performance of the proposed system is evaluated numerically, and is compared to the corresponding M-ary QAM system in the UWA channel for the same channel conditions. Moreover, the performance of the proposed system is compared to the conventional fast Fourier transform (FFT)-OFDM (FFT-OFDM) system in the absence and presence of the effect of carrier frequency offset (CFO). Numerical results show that the proposed system outperforms the conventional FFT-based systems for UWA channels, even in channels dominated by CFO. Moreover, the spectral efficiency and data rate of the proposed system are approximately double the values of the corresponding conventional OFDM systems for the same parameters.
Stereotactically Standard Areas: Applied Mathematics in the Service of Brain Targeting in Deep Brain Stimulation
Authors: Mavridis Ioannis
Published: December 2017

The concept of stereotactically standard areas (SSAs) within human brain nuclei belongs to the knowledge of the modern field of stereotactic brain microanatomy. These are areas resisting the individual variability of the nuclear location in stereotactic space. This paper summarizes the current knowledge regarding SSAs. A mathematical formula of SSAs was recently invented, allowing for their robust, reproducible, and accurate application to laboratory studies and clinical practice. Thus, SSAs open new doors for the application of stereotactic microanatomy to highly accurate brain targeting, which is mainly useful for minimally invasive neurosurgical procedures, such as deep brain stimulation.
A Comparison of the Social-Adaptive Perspective and Functionalist Perspective on Guilt and Shame
Authors: Dempsey Heidi
Published: December 2017

Within the field of guilt and shame two competing perspectives have been advanced. The first, the social-adaptive perspective, proposes that guilt is an inherently adaptive emotion and shame is an inherently maladaptive emotion. Thus, those interested in moral character development and psychopathology should work to increase an individual’s guilt-proneness and decrease an individual’s shame-proneness. The functionalist perspective, in contrast, argues that both guilt and shame can serve a person adaptively or maladaptively—depending on the situational appropriateness, duration, intensity, and so forth. This paper reviews the research conducted supporting both positions; critiques some issues with the most widely used guilt- and shame-proneness measure in the social-adaptive research (the TOSCA) and discusses the differences in results found when assessing guilt and shame at the state versus trait level. The conclusion drawn is that although there is broad support for the functionalist perspective across a wide variety of state and trait guilt/shame studies, the functionalist perspective does not yet have the wealth of data supporting it that has been generated by the social-adaptive perspective using the TOSCA. Thus, before a dominant perspective can be identified, researchers need to (1) do more research assessing how the social-adaptive perspective compares to the functionalist perspective at the state level and (2) do more trait research within the functionalist perspective to compare functionalist guilt- and shame-proneness measures with the TOSCA.
Design Oriented Model for the Assessment of T-Shaped Beam-Column Joints in Reinforced Concrete Frames
Authors: Bossio Antonio , Fabbrocino Francesco , Lignola Gian , Prota Andrea , Manfredi Gaetano
Published: December 2017

Beam-column joints represent very important elements of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. In fact, beams and columns, at the boundary, generate internal forces acting on concrete core and on reinforcement bars with a very high gradient. To fully understand the seismic performances and the failure modes of T-shaped beam-column joints (external corner-positioned) in RC structures, a simplified analytical model of joint behaviour is proposed and theoretical simulations have been performed. The model is based on the solution of a system of equilibrium equations of cracked joint portions designed to evaluate internal stresses at different values of column shear forces. The main aim of the proposed model is to identify the strength hierarchy. Limit values of different internal stresses allow us to detect the occurrence of different failure modes (namely the failure of the cracked joint, the bond failure of passing through bars, and the flexural/shear failures of columns or beams) associated with column shear forces; the smaller one represents the capacity of the joint. The present work, focusing on T-shaped joints, could represent a useful tool for designers to quantify the performance of new structures or of existing ones. In fact, such a tool allows us to push an initial undesired failure mode to a more appropriate one to be evaluated. Finally, some experimental results of tests available in literature are reported, analysed, and compared to the predictions of the proposed model (by means of a worked example) and of some international codes. The outcomes confirm that failure modes and corresponding joint capacities require an analytical model, like the proposed one, to be accurately predicted.
Hydrodeoxygenation of Methyl Laurate over Ni Catalysts Supported on Hierarchical HZSM-5 Zeolite
Authors: Li Nana , Bi Yadong , Xia Xiaoqiang , Chen Hui , Hu Jianli
Published: December 2017

The hierarchical HZSM-5 zeolite was prepared successfully by a simple NaOH treatment method. The concentration of NaOH solution was carefully tuned to optimal the zeolite acidity and pore structure. Under NaOH treatment conditions, a large number of mesopores, which interconnected with the retained micropores, were created to facilitate mass transfer performance. There are very good correlations between the decline of the relative zeolite crystallinity and the loss of micropores volume. The Ni nanoclusters were uniformly confined in the mesopores of hierarchical HZSM-5 by the excessive impregnation method. The direct deoxygenation in N2 and hydrodeoxygenation in H2 of the methyl laurate were compared respectively over the Ni/HZSM-5 catalysts. In the N2 atmosphere, the deoxygenation rate of the methyl laurate on the Ni/HZSM-5 catalyst is relatively slow. In the presence of H2, the synergistic effect between the hydrogenation function of the metal and the acid function of the zeolite supports can make the deoxygenation level more obvious. The yield of hydrocarbon products gradually reached the maximum with the appropriate treatment concentration of 1M NaOH, which could be attributed to the improved mass transfer in the hierarchical HZSM-5 supports.
FPGA Implementation of a Cryptographically-Secure PUF Based on Learning Parity with Noise
Authors: Jin Chenglu , Herder Charles , Ren Ling , Nguyen Phuong , Fuller Benjamin , Devadas Srinivas , Van Dijk Marten
Published: December 2017

Herder et al. (IEEE Transactions on Dependable and Secure Computing, 2017) designed a new computational fuzzy extractor and physical unclonable function (PUF) challenge-response protocol based on the Learning Parity with Noise (LPN) problem. The protocol requires no irreversible state updates on the PUFs for security, like burning irreversible fuses, and can correct for significant measurement noise when compared to PUFs using a conventional (information theoretical secure) fuzzy extractor. However, Herder et al. did not implement their protocol. In this paper, we give the first implementation of a challenge response protocol based on computational fuzzy extractors. Our main insight is that “confidence information” does not need to be kept private, if the noise vector is independent of the confidence information, e.g., the bits generated by ring oscillator pairs which are physically placed close to each other. This leads to a construction which is a simplified version of the design of Herder et al. (also building on a ring oscillator PUF). Our simplifications allow for a dramatic reduction in area by making a mild security assumption on ring oscillator physical obfuscated key output bits.
Improvement in the Photorefractive Response Speed and Mechanism of Pure Congruent Lithium Niobate Crystals by Increasing the Polarization Current
Authors: Tian Tian , Yan Xiaodong , Kong Yongfa , Liu Hongde , Zheng Dahuai , Liu Shiguo , Chen Shaolin , Xu Jingjun , Xu Jiayue
Published: December 2017

A series of pure congruent lithium niobate (LiNbO3, CLN) crystals were grown and directly polarized under different electric currents in the growth furnace. Their holographic properties were investigated from the ultraviolet to the visible range. The response time shortened, whereas the diffraction efficiency increased incrementally with the electric current. In particular, the response time of CLN polarized under 100 mA can be reduced by a factor of 10 with a still high saturation diffraction efficiency of about 40.8% at 351 nm. Moreover, its response speed improved by 60 times and 10 times for 473 and 532 nm laser, respectively. The light erasing behavior implies that at least two kinds of photorefractive centers exist in the crystals. Increasing the polarization current induces two pronounced UV absorption peaks and a wide visible absorption peak in CLN crystals. The diffusion effect dominates the photorefractive process and electrons are the dominant carriers. The possible mechanism for the fast photorefractive response is discussed. Increasing the polarization electric current is an effective method to improve the photorefractive response of LN crystal.
Hydrophobic Calcium Carbonate for Cement Surface
Authors: Atla Shashi , Huang Yi-Hsun , Yang James , Chen How-Ji , Kuo Yi-Hao , Hsu Chun-Mei , Lee Wen-Chien , Chen Chien-Cheng , Hsu Duen-Wei , Chen Chien-Yen
Published: December 2017

This report describes a novel way to generate a highly effective hydrophobic cement surface via a carbonation route using sodium stearate. Carbonation reaction was carried out at different temperatures to investigate the hydrophobicity and morphology of the calcium carbonate formed with this process. With increasing temperatures, the particles changed from irregular shapes to more uniform rod-like structures and then aggregated to form a plate-like formation. The contact angle against water was found to increase with increasing temperature; after 90 °C there was no further increase. The maximum contact angle of 129° was obtained at the temperature of 60 °C. It was also found that carbonation increased the micro hardness of the cement material. The micro hardness was found to be dependent on the morphology of the CaCO3 particles. The rod like structures which caused increased mineral filler produced a material with enhanced strength. The 13C cross polarization magic-angle spinning NMR spectra gave plausible explanation of the interaction of organic-inorganic moieties.
Investigating the Evolution of Linkage Dynamics among Equity Markets Using Network Models and Measures: The Case of Asian Equity Market Integration
Authors: Bhattacharjee Biplab , Shafi Muhammad , Acharjee Animesh
Published: December 2017

The state of cross-market linkage structures and its stability over varying time-periods play a key role in the performance of international diversified portfolios. There has been an increasing interest of global investors in emerging capital markets in the Asian region. In this setting, an investigation into the temporal dynamics of cross-market linkage structures becomes significant for the selection and optimal allocation of securities in an internationally-diversified portfolio. In the quest for this, in the current study, weighted network models along with network metrics are employed to decipher the underlying cross-market linkage structures among Asian markets. The study analyses the daily return data of fourteen major Asian indices for a period of 14 years (2002–2016). The topological properties of the network are computed using centrality measures and measures of influence strength and are investigated over temporal scales. In particular, the overall influence strengths and India-specific influence strengths are computed and examined over a temporal scale. Threshold filtering is also performed to characterize the dynamics related to the linkage structure of these networks. The impacts of the 2008 financial crisis on the linkage structural patterns of these equity networks are also investigated. The key findings of this study include: a set of central and peripheral indices, the evolution of the linkage structures over the 2002–2016 period and the linkage dynamics during times of market stress. Mainly, the set of indices possessing influence over the Asian region in general and the Indian market in particular is also identified. The findings of this study can be utilized in effective systemic risk management and for the selection of an optimally-diversified portfolio, resilient to system-level shocks.
Automated Detection of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Using an Information-Based Similarity Approach
Authors: Cui Xingran , Chang Emily , Yang Wen-Hung , Jiang Bernard C. , Yang Albert C. , Peng Chung-Kang
Published: December 2017

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an abnormal rhythm of the heart, which can increase heart-related complications. Paroxysmal AF episodes occur intermittently with varying duration. Human-based diagnosis of paroxysmal AF with a longer-term electrocardiogram recording is time-consuming. Here we present a fully automated ensemble model for AF episode detection based on RR-interval time series, applying a novel approach of information-based similarity analysis and ensemble scheme. By mapping RR-interval time series to binary symbolic sequences and comparing the rank-frequency patterns of m-bit words, the dissimilarity between AF and normal sinus rhythms (NSR) were quantified. To achieve high detection specificity and sensitivity, and low variance, a weighted variation of bagging with multiple AF and NSR templates was applied. By performing dissimilarity comparisons between unknown RR-interval time series and multiple templates, paroxysmal AF episodes were detected. Based on our results, optimal AF detection parameters are symbolic word length m = 9 and observation window n = 150, achieving 97.04% sensitivity, 97.96% specificity, and 97.78% overall accuracy. Sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy vary little despite changes in m and n parameters. This study provides quantitative information to enhance the categorization of AF and normal cardiac rhythms.
The Consequences of Corruption on Inflation in Developing Countries: Evidence from Panel Cointegration and Causality Tests
Authors: Özşahin Şerife , Üçler Gülbahar
Published: December 2017

Up until the 1980s, studies on corruption were dominated by disciplines of public administration and sociology. In the following years, however, economists have also provided a good amount of research on this issue. According to Transparency International Agency, corruption, which has a negative impact on most macroeconomic indicators, is “the abuse of entrusted power for private gain”. Even though the disruption of corruption causing weak growth and investment rates has long been examined, there is little evidence regarding its impact on inflation. In this study, the nexus between corruption and inflation was investigated for 20 countries over the period 1995–2015. Estimation results indicated that high corruption increased inflation rates, and that there was a unidirectional causal relationship from corruption to inflation for ten countries in the sample.
LED Uniform Illumination Using Double Linear Fresnel Lenses for Energy Saving
Authors: Vu Ngoc , Pham Thanh , Shin Seoyong
Published: December 2017

We present a linear Fresnel lens design for light-emitting diode (LED) uniform illumination applications. The LED source is an array of LEDs. An array of collimating lens is applied to collimate output from the LED array. Two linear Fresnel lenses are used to redistribute the collimated beam along two dimensions in the illumination area. Collimating lens and linear Fresnel lens surfaces are calculated by geometrical optics and nonimaging optics. The collimated beam output from the collimating lens array is divided into many fragments. Each fragment is refracted by a segment of Fresnel lens and distributed over the illumination area, so that the total beam can be distributed to the illumination target uniformly. The simulation results show that this design has a compact structure, high optical efficiency of 82% and good uniformity of 76.9%. Some consideration of the energy savings and optical performance are discussed by comparison with other typical light sources. The results show that our proposed LED lighting system can reduce energy consumption five-times in comparison to using a conventional fluorescent lamp. Our research is a strong candidate for low cost, energy savings for indoor and outdoor lighting applications.
State-Of-The-Art and Prospects for Peer-To-Peer Transaction-Based Energy System
Authors: Jogunola Olamide , Ikpehai Augustine , Anoh Kelvin , Adebisi Bamidele , Hammoudeh Mohammad , Son Sung-Yong , Harris Georgina
Published: December 2017

Transaction-based energy (TE) management and control has become an increasingly relevant topic, attracting considerable attention from industry and the research community alike. As a result, new techniques are emerging for its development and actualization. This paper presents a comprehensive review of TE involving peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading and also covering the concept, enabling technologies, frameworks, active research efforts and the prospects of TE. The formulation of a common approach for TE management modelling is challenging given the diversity of circumstances of prosumers in terms of capacity, profiles and objectives. This has resulted in divergent opinions in the literature. The idea of this paper is therefore to explore these viewpoints and provide some perspectives on this burgeoning topic on P2P TE systems. This study identified that most of the techniques in the literature exclusively formulate energy trade problems as a game, an optimization problem or a variational inequality problem. It was also observed that none of the existing works has considered a unified messaging framework. This is a potential area for further investigation.
Lithium-Ion Battery Storage for the Grid—A Review of Stationary Battery Storage System Design Tailored for Applications in Modern Power Grids
Authors: Hesse Holger , Schimpe Michael , Kucevic Daniel , Jossen Andreas
Published: December 2017

Battery energy storage systems have gained increasing interest for serving grid support in various application tasks. In particular, systems based on lithium-ion batteries have evolved rapidly with a wide range of cell technologies and system architectures available on the market. On the application side, different tasks for storage deployment demand distinct properties of the storage system. This review aims to serve as a guideline for best choice of battery technology, system design and operation for lithium-ion based storage systems to match a specific system application. Starting with an overview to lithium-ion battery technologies and their characteristics with respect to performance and aging, the storage system design is analyzed in detail based on an evaluation of real-world projects. Typical storage system applications are grouped and classified with respect to the challenges posed to the battery system. Publicly available modeling tools for technical and economic analysis are presented. A brief analysis of optimization approaches aims to point out challenges and potential solution techniques for system sizing, positioning and dispatch operation. For all areas reviewed herein, expected improvements and possible future developments are highlighted. In order to extract the full potential of stationary battery storage systems and to enable increased profitability of systems, future research should aim to a holistic system level approach combining not only performance tuning on a battery cell level and careful analysis of the application requirements, but also consider a proper selection of storage sub-components as well as an optimized system operation strategy.
Tropical and Highland Temperate Forest Plantations in Mexico: Pathways for Climate Change Mitigation and Ecosystem Services Delivery
Authors: Guerra-De la Cruz Vidal , Galicia Leopoldo
Published: December 2017

Forest plantations are a possible way of increasing forest productivity in temperate and tropical forests, and therefore also increasing above- and belowground carbon pools. In the context of climate change, monospecific plantations might become an alternative to mitigate global warming; however, their contribution to the structural complexity, complementarity, and biodiversity of forests has not been addressed. Mixed forest plantations can ensure that objectives of climate change mitigation are met through carbon sequestration, while also delivering anticipated ecosystem services (e.g., nutrient cycling, erosion control, and wildlife habitat). However, mixed forest plantations pose considerable operational challenges and research opportunities. For example, it is essential to know how many species or functional traits are necessary to deliver a set of benefits, or what mixture of species and densities are key to maintaining productive plantations and delivering multiple ecosystem services. At the same time, the establishment of forest plantations in Mexico should not be motivated solely by timber production. Forest plantations should also increase carbon sequestration, maintain biodiversity, and provide other ecosystem services. This article analyzes some matters that affect the development of planted forests in the Mexican national context, and presents alternatives for forest resources management through the recommendation of mixed forest plantations as a means of contributing to climate change mitigation and the delivery of ecosystem services.
Green Biorefinery of Giant Miscanthus for Growing Microalgae and Biofuel Production
Authors: Xiu Shuangning , Zhang Bo , Boakye-Boaten Nana , Shahbazi Abolghasem
Published: December 2017

In this study, an innovative green biorefinery system was successfully developed to process the green biomass into multiple biofuels and bioproducts. In particular, fresh giant miscanthus was separated into a solid stream (press cake) and a liquid stream (press juice) using a screw press. The juice was used to cultivate microalga Chlorella vulgaris, which was further thermochemically converted via thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) analysis, resulting in an approximately 80% conversion. In addition, the solid cake of miscanthus was pretreated with dilute sulfuric acid and used as the feedstock for bioethanol production. The results showed that the miscanthus juice could be a highly nutritious source for microalgae that are a promising feedstock for biofuels. The highest cell density was observed in the 15% juice medium. Sugars released from the miscanthus cake were efficiently fermented to ethanol using Saccharomyces cerevisiae through a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process, with 88.4% of the theoretical yield.
Approximate Networking for Universal Internet Access
Authors: Qadir Junaid , Sathiaseelan Arjuna , Farooq Umar , Usama Muhammad , Imran Muhammad , Shafique Muhammad
Published: December 2017

Despite the best efforts of networking researchers and practitioners, an ideal Internet experience is inaccessible to an overwhelming majority of people the world over, mainly due to the lack of cost-efficient ways of provisioning high-performance, global Internet. In this paper, we argue that instead of an exclusive focus on a utopian goal of universally accessible “ideal networking” (in which we have a high throughput and quality of service as well as low latency and congestion), we should consider providing “approximate networking” through the adoption of context-appropriate trade-offs. In this regard, we propose to leverage the advances in the emerging trend of “approximate computing” that rely on relaxing the bounds of precise/exact computing to provide new opportunities for improving the area, power, and performance efficiency of systems by orders of magnitude by embracing output errors in resilient applications. Furthermore, we propose to extend the dimensions of approximate computing towards various knobs available at network layers. Approximate networking can be used to provision “Global Access to the Internet for All” (GAIA) in a pragmatically tiered fashion, in which different users around the world are provided a different context-appropriate (but still contextually functional) Internet experience.
Lactobacillus plantarum with Broad Antifungal Activity as a Protective Starter Culture for Bread Production
Authors: Russo Pasquale , Fares Clara , Longo Angela , Spano Giuseppe , Capozzi Vittorio
Published: December 2017

Bread is a staple food consumed worldwide on a daily basis. Fungal contamination of bread is a critical concern for producers since it is related to important economic losses and safety hazards due to the negative impact of sensorial quality and to the potential occurrence of mycotoxins. In this work, Lactobacillus plantarum UFG 121, a strain with characterized broad antifungal activity, was analyzed as a potential protective culture for bread production. Six different molds belonging to Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., and Fusarium culmorum were used to artificially contaminate bread produced with two experimental modes: (i) inoculation of the dough with a commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain (control) and (ii) co-inoculation of the dough with the commercial S. cerevisiae strain and with L. plantarum UFG 121. L. plantarum strain completely inhibited the growth of F. culmorum after one week of storage. The lactic acid bacterium modulated the mold growth in samples contaminated with Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Penicillium expansum, while no antagonistic effect was found against Aspergillus niger and Penicillium roqueforti. These results indicate the potential of L. plantarum UFG 121 as a biocontrol agent in bread production and suggest a species- or strain-depending sensitivity of the molds to the same microbial-based control strategy.
The Genome of the Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas)
Authors: Jones Steven , Taylor Gregory , Chan Simon , Warren René , Hammond S. , Bilobram Steven , Mordecai Gideon , Suttle Curtis , Miller Kristina , Schulze Angela , Chan Amy , Jones Samantha , Tse Kane , Li Irene , Cheung Dorothy , Mungall Karen , Choo Caleb , Ally Adrian , Dhalla Noreen , Tam Angela , Troussard Armelle , Kirk Heather , Pandoh Pawan , Paulino Daniel , Coope Robin , Mungall Andrew , Moore Richard , Zhao Yongjun , Birol Inanc , Ma Yussanne , Marra Marco , Haulena Martin
Published: December 2017

The beluga whale is a cetacean that inhabits arctic and subarctic regions, and is the only living member of the genus Delphinapterus. The genome of the beluga whale was determined using DNA sequencing approaches that employed both microfluidic partitioning library and non-partitioned library construction. The former allowed for the construction of a highly contiguous assembly with a scaffold N50 length of over 19 Mbp and total reconstruction of 2.32 Gbp. To aid our understanding of the functional elements, transcriptome data was also derived from brain, duodenum, heart, lung, spleen, and liver tissue. Assembled sequence and all of the underlying sequence data are available at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) under the Bioproject accession number PRJNA360851A.
The Alteration of Nasopharyngeal and Oropharyngeal Microbiota in Children with MPP and Non-MPP
Authors: Lu Zhiwei , Dai Wenkui , Liu Yanhong , Zhou Qian , Wang Heping , Li Dongfang , Yang Zhenyu , Li Yinhu , Xie Gan , Li Shuaicheng , Zheng Yuejie
Published: December 2017

Background: In recent years, the morbidity of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) has increased significantly in China. A growing number of studies indicate that imbalanced respiratory microbiota is associated with various respiratory diseases. Methods: We enrolled 119 children, including 60 pneumonia patients and 59 healthy children. Nasopharyngeal (NP) and oropharyngeal (OP) sampling was performed for 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene analysis of all children. Sputum and OP swabs were obtained from patients for pathogen detection. Results: Both the NP and OP microbiota of patients differ significantly from that of healthy children. Diseased children harbor lower microbial diversity and a simpler co-occurrence network in NP and OP. In pneumonia patients, NP and OP microbiota showed greater similarities between each other, suggesting transmission of NP microbiota to the OP. Aside from clinically detected pathogens, NP and OP microbiota analysis has also identified possible pathogens in seven cases with unknown infections. Conclusion: NP and OP microbiota in MPP and non-MPP are definitely similar. Respiratory infection generates imbalanced NP microbiota, which has the potential to transmit to OP. Microbiota analysis also promises to compliment the present means of detecting respiratory pathogens.
An Expanded Multi-Organ Disease Phenotype Associated with Mutations in YARS
Authors: Tracewska-Siemiątkowska Anna , Haer-Wigman Lonneke , Bosch Danielle , Nickerson Deborah , Bamshad Michael ,   University of Washington Center for Mendelian Genomics, Van de Vorst Maartje , Rendtorff Nanna , Möller Claes , Kjellström Ulrika , Andréasson Sten , Cremers Frans , Tranebjærg Lisbeth
Published: December 2017

Whole exome sequence analysis was performed in a Swedish mother–father-affected proband trio with a phenotype characterized by progressive retinal degeneration with congenital nystagmus, profound congenital hearing impairment, primary amenorrhea, agenesis of the corpus callosum, and liver disease. A homozygous variant c.806T > C, p.(F269S) in the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase gene (YARS) was the only identified candidate variant consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance. Mutations in YARS have previously been associated with both autosomal dominant Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome and a recently reported autosomal recessive multiorgan disease. Herein, we propose that mutations in YARS underlie another clinical phenotype adding a second variant of the disease, including retinitis pigmentosa and deafness, to the spectrum of YARS-associated disorders.