bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quasi-Equilibrium Stress Zone with Residual Displacement Causing Permanent Slippage in Shrink-Fitted Sleeve Rolls
Authors: Noda Nao-Aki , Sakai Hiromasa , Sano Yoshikazu , Takase Yasushi , Shimoda Yutaro
Published: November 2018

Rolling back-up rolls require high fracture toughness, particularly in the shaft portion, and high-hardness in the sleeve portion. The rolls are classified into two types; one is an integrated type and the other is a shrink-fitted type consisting of a sleeve and a shaft. The shrink-fitted roll has several advantages, for example, suitable materials can be chosen and the shaft can be reused by replacing the damaged sleeve. However, during use if the residual permanent deflection occurs, the roll cannot be used anymore. In this paper, an elastic-contact finite element method FEM analysis is performed to explain the residual permanent deflection mechanism. It is found that the quasi-equilibrium stress zone with the residual displacement causes the permanent slippage in the axial direction. In a similar way, the interface creep in the circumferential direction can be also explained from the quasi-equilibrium stress zone with the residual displacement.
Microorganisms 2018 Best Paper Award
Authors:   Microorganisms Editorial Office
Published: November 2018

Microorganisms is instituting an annual award to recognize the outstanding papers published in the journal. [...]
Assessing Thallium Elemental Systematics and Isotope Ratio Variations in Porphyry Ore Systems: A Case Study of the Bingham Canyon District
Authors: Fitzpayne Angus , Prytulak Julie , Wilkinson Jamie J. , Cooke David R. , Baker Michael J. , Wilkinson Clara C.
Published: November 2018

The Bingham Canyon porphyry deposit is one of the world’s largest Cu-Mo-Au resources. Elevated concentrations of thallium (Tl) compared to average continental crust have been found in some brecciated and igneous samples in this area, which likely result from mobilization of Tl by relatively low temperature hydrothermal fluids. The Tl-enrichment at Bingham Canyon therefore provides an opportunity to investigate if Tl isotope ratios reflect hydrothermal enrichment and whether there are systematic Tl isotope fractionations that could provide an exploration tool. We present a reconnaissance study of nineteen samples spanning a range of lithologies from the Bingham district which were analysed for their Tl content and Tl isotope ratios, reported as parts per ten thousand (ε205Tl) relative to the NIST SRM997 international standard. The range of ε205Tl reported in this study (−16.4 to +7.2) is the largest observed in a hydrothermal ore deposit to date. Unbrecciated samples collected relatively proximal to the Bingham Canyon porphyry system have ε205Tl of −4.2 to +0.9, similar to observations in a previous study of porphyry deposits. This relatively narrow range suggests that high-temperature (>300 °C) hydrothermal alteration does not result in significant Tl isotope fractionation. However, two samples ~3–4 km away from Bingham Canyon have higher ε205Tl values (+1.3 and +7.2), and samples from more distal (~7 km) disseminated gold deposits at Melco and Barneys Canyon display an even wider range in ε205Tl (−16.4 to +6.0). The observation of large positive and negative excursions in ε205Tl relative to the mantle value (ε205Tl = −2.0 ± 1.0) contrasts with previous investigations of hydrothermal systems. Samples displaying the most extreme positive and negative ε205Tl values also contain elevated concentrations of Tl-Sb-As. Furthermore, with the exception of one sample, all of the Tl isotopic anomalies occur in hydrothermal breccia samples. This suggests that ε205Tl excursions are most extreme during the migration of low-temperature hydrothermal fluids potentially related to sediment-hosted gold mineralization. Future investigation to determine the host phase(s) for Tl in breccias displaying both chalcophile element enrichment and ε205Tl excursions can potentially provide new information about hydrothermal fluid composition and could be used to locate sites for future porphyry exploration.
Aluminates with Fluorinated Schiff Bases: Influence of the Alkali Metal–Fluorine Interactions in Structure Stabilization
Authors: García-Valle Francisco M. , Tabernero Vanessa , Cuenca Tomás , Cano Jesús , Mosquera Marta E. G.
Published: November 2018

New heterometallic aluminium-alkali metal compounds have been prepared using Schiff bases with electron withdrawing substituents as ligands. The synthesis of these new species was achieved via the reaction of AlMe3 with the freshly prepared alkali-metallated ligand. The derivatives formed were characterized by NMR in solution and by single crystal X-ray diffraction in the solid state. Aluminate derivatives with lithium and sodium were prepared and a clear influence of the alkali metal in the final outcome is observed. The presence of a Na···F interaction in the solid state has a stabilization effect and the species [NaAlMe3L]2 can de isolated for the first time, which was not possible when using Schiff bases without electron withdrawing substituents as ligands.
Synthesis and Characterization of a Bioartificial Polymeric System with Potential Antibacterial Activity: Chitosan-Polyvinyl Alcohol-Ampicillin
Authors: Bernal-Ballen Andres , Lopez-Garcia Jorge , Merchan-Merchan Martha-Andrea , Lehocky Marian
Published: November 2018

Bio-artificial polymeric systems are a new class of polymeric constituents based on blends of synthetic and natural polymers, designed with the purpose of producing new materials that exhibit enhanced properties with respect to the individual components. In this frame, a combination of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan, blended with a widely used antibiotic, sodium ampicillin, has been developed showing a moderate behavior in terms of antibacterial properties. Thus, aqueous solutions of PVA at 1 wt.% were mixed with acid solutions of chitosan at 1 wt.%, followed by adding ampicillin ranging from 0.3 to 1.0 wt.% related to the total amount of the polymers. The prepared bio-artificial polymeric system was characterized by FTIR, SEM, DSC, contact angle measurements, antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and antibiotic release studies. The statistical significance of the antibacterial activity was determined using a multifactorial analysis of variance with ρ < 0.05 (ANOVA). The characterization techniques did not show alterations in the ampicillin structure and the interactions with polymers were limited to intermolecular forces. Therefore, the antibiotic was efficiently released from the matrix and its antibacterial activity was preserved. The system disclosed moderate antibacterial activity against bacterial strains without adding a high antibiotic concentration. The findings of this study suggest that the system may be effective against healthcare-associated infections, a promising view in the design of novel antimicrobial biomaterials potentially suitable for tissue engineering applications.
Discovery of a Natural Syk Inhibitor from Chinese Medicine through a Docking-Based Virtual Screening and Biological Assay Study
Authors: Wang Xing , Guo Junfang , Ning Zhongqi , Wu Xia
Published: November 2018

Spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) is a critical target protein for treating immunoreceptor signalling-mediated allergies. In this study, a virtual screening of an in-house Chinese medicine database followed by biological assays was carried out to identify novel Syk inhibitors. A molecular docking method was employed to screen for compounds with potential Syk inhibitory activity. Then, an in vitro kinase inhibition assay was performed to verify the Syk inhibitory activity of the virtual screening hits. Subsequently, a β-hexosaminidase release assay was conducted to evaluate the anti-mast cell degranulation activity of the active compounds. Finally, tanshinone I was confirmed as a Syk inhibitor (IC50 = 1.64 μM) and exhibited anti-mast cell degranulation activity in vitro (IC50 = 2.76 μM). Docking studies showed that Pro455, Gln462, Leu377, and Lys458 were key amino acid residues for Syk inhibitory activity. This study demonstrated that tanshinone I is a Syk inhibitor with mast cell degranulation inhibitory activity. Tanshinone I may be a potential lead compound for developing effective and safe Syk-inhibiting drugs.
A Simple and Cost-Effective TLC-Densitometric Method for the Quantitative Determination of Acetylsalicylic Acid and Ascorbic Acid in Combined Effervescent Tablets
Authors: Pyka-Pająk Alina , Dołowy Małgorzata , Parys Wioletta , Bober Katarzyna , Janikowska Grażyna
Published: November 2018

A new, simple, and cost-effective TLC-densitometric method has been established for the simultaneous quantitative determination of acetylsalicylic acid and ascorbic acid in combined effervescent tablets. Separation was performed on aluminum silica gel 60F254 plates using chloroform-ethanol-glacial acid at a volume ratio of 5:4:0.03 as the mobile phase. UV densitometry was performed in absorbance mode at 200 nm and 268 nm for acetylsalicylic acid and ascorbic acid, respectively. The presented method was validated as per ICH guidelines by specificity, linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection, limit of quantification, and robustness. Method validations indicate a good sensitivity with a low value of LOD and LOQ of both examined active substances. The linearity range was found to be 1.50–9.00 μg/spot and 1.50–13.50 μg/spot for acetylsalicylic and ascorbic acid, respectively. A coefficient of variation that was less than 3% confirms the satisfactory accuracy and precision of the proposed method. The results of the assay of combined tablet formulation equal 97.1% and 101.6% in relation to the label claim that acetylsalicylic acid and ascorbic acid fulfill pharmacopoeial requirements. The developed TLC-densitometric method can be suitable for the routine simultaneous analysis of acetylsalicylic acid and ascorbic acid in combined pharmaceutical formulations. The proposed TLC-densitometry may be an alternative method to the modern high-performance liquid chromatography in the quality control of above-mentioned substances, and it can be applied when HPLC or GC is not affordable in the laboratory.
Effects of (S)-Carvone and Gibberellin on Sugar Accumulation in Potatoes during Low Temperature Storage
Authors: Xie Yajing , Onik Jakaria Chowdhury , Hu Xiaojia , Duan Yuquan , Lin Qiong
Published: November 2018

Potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum L.) are usually stored at low temperature, which can suppress sprouting and control the occurrence of diseases. However, low temperatures lead potatoes to easily suffer from cold-induced sweetening (CIS), which has a negative effect on food processing. The aim of this research was to investigate potential treatments on controlling CIS in potatoes during postharvest storage. “Atlantic” potatoes were treated with gibberellin and (S)-carvone, respectively, and stored at 4 °C for 90 days. The results showed that gibberellin can significantly accelerate sprouting and sugar accumulation by regulating expressions of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS), β-amylase (BAM1/2), UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGPase) and invertase inhibitor (INH1/2) genes. The opposite effects were found in the (S)-carvone treatment group, where CIS was inhibited by modulation of the expressions of GBSS and INH1/2 genes. In summary, gibberellin treatment can promote sugar accumulation while (S)-carvone treatment has some effects on alleviating sugar accumulation. Thus, (S)-carvone can be considered as a potential inhibitor of some of the sugars which are vital in controlling CIS in potatoes. However, the chemical concentration, treatment time, and also the treatment method needs to be optimized before industrial application.
Strontium Oxide Deposited onto a Load-Bearable and Porous Titanium Matrix as Dynamic and High-Surface-Contact-Area Catalysis for Transesterification
Authors: Lee Han , Liao Jiunn-Der , Lee Mu Hsuan , Liu Bernard Haochih , Fu Wei-En , Sivashanmugan Kundan , Juang Yung-Der
Published: November 2018

Strontium oxide (SrO) deposited onto a porous titanium (Ti)-based scaffold (P-Ti) is a promising and novel approach for high-throughput transesterification. Notably, a highly porous and calcinated scaffold provides a load-bearable support for a continuous process, while the calcinated SrO catalyst, as it is well distributed inside the porous matrix, can extend its surface contact area with the reactant. In this work, the formation of transesterification reaction with the conversion and production of olive oil to biodiesel inside the porous matrix is particularly examined. The as-designed SrO-coated porous titanium (Ti)-based scaffold with 55% porosity was prepared via a hydrothermal procedure, followed by a dip coating method. Mechanical tests of samples were conducted by a nanoindentator, whereas the physical and chemical structures were identified by IR and Raman Spectroscopies. The results implied that SrO catalysts can be firmly deposited onto a load-bearable, highly porous matrix and play an effective role for the transesterification reaction with the oil mass. It is promising to be employed as a load-bearable support for a continuous transesterification process, such as a process for batch or continuous biodiesel production, under an efficient heating source by a focused microwave system.
Novel Biocompatible and Biodegradable PCL-PLA/ Iron Oxide NPs Marker Clip Composite for Breast Cancer Biopsy
Authors: Hernandez-Martinez Angel R. , Molina Gustavo A. , Esparza Rodrigo , Luis Rodríguez Ángel , Cruz-Soto Martha , Rodríguez-de León Eloy , Rangel Domingo , Estévez Miriam
Published: November 2018

Strength and biocompatibility of composite materials (using a polymer matrix) are used in medicine for various devices such as prostheses and marker clips (biomarkers). Marker clips indicate the site of a lesion in the body, specifically for breast cancer diagnosis or treatment. In general, marker clips are made of steel or titanium, but lately, materials containing biodegradable polymers had been proposed. Our hypothesis is that a copolymer of polylactic acid and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PLA-PCL) could be used as marker clip material. After evaluating different polymer rates performance, metallic nanoparticles (NPs) were included to enhance the stability of the best copolymer and a marker clip prototype was proposed. Characterization of nanoparticles was made by dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and magnetic measurements. Mechanical, thermal and radiopacity properties were evaluated for composites formulation. In vitro, radiopaque experiments showed that BM-2 composite had the best performance. In vivo experiments showed that, after five months, the marker clip prototype maintained its shape, visibility and contrast properties. In consequence, a novel formulation of composite (PLA-PCL/metallic nanoparticles) is suitable for further studies as an alternative material for marker clips for breast cancer lesions.
Fluorinated and Bio-Based Polyamides with High Transparencies and Low Yellowness Index
Authors: Takada Kenji , Mae Yuko , Kaneko Tatsuo
Published: November 2018

Bio-based polyamides with high transparency and low yellowness were synthesized using 4,4′-bis(trifluoroacetamido)-α-truxillic acid (ATA-F1) and 4,4′-bis(pentafluoropropionamido)-α-truxillic acid (ATA-F2) as a fluoroalkylated aromatic dicarboxylic acid, and various aromatic diamines. The introduction of fluorine side chains improved the transparency of the polyamide film, and suppressed its yellowness. On the other hand, water repellency, which should be a general characteristic of the fluorinated polymers, was not observed. By using ATA-F1 and various aromatic diamines, aromatic and fluorinated polyamides were obtained. In addition, these also demonstrated a high transparency and a low yellowness index. The heat resistance properties of all the obtained polyamides was over 250 °C, and the characteristics of the bio-based polyamides from 4-aminocinnamic acid derivatives were retained.
Switchable Release of Bone Morphogenetic Protein from Thermoresponsive Poly(NIPAM-co-DMAEMA)/Cellulose Sulfate Particle Coatings
Authors: Müller Martin , Urban Birgit , Reis Berthold , Yu Xiaoqian , Grab Anna Luise , Cavalcanti-Adam Elisabetta Ada , Kuckling Dirk
Published: November 2018

Thermoresponsive coatings of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-DMAEMA)/cellulose sulfate (PNIPAM-DMAEMA/CS) complexes are reported eluting bone-morphogenetic-protein-2 (BMP-2) on demand relevant for implant assisted local bone healing. PNIPAM-DMAEMA/CS dispersions contained colloid particles with hydrodynamic radii RH = 170–288 nm at T = 25 °C shrinking to RH = 74–103 nm at T = 60 °C. Obviously, PNIPAM-DMAEMA/CS undergoes volume phase transition (VPT) analogously to pure PNIPAM, when critical VPT temperature (VPTT) is exceeded. Temperature dependent turbidity measurements revealed broad VPT and VPTT 47 °C for PNIPAM-DMAEMA/CS colloid dispersions at pH = 7.0. FTIR spectroscopy on thermoresponsive PNIPAM-DMAEMA/CS particle coatings at germanium model substrates under HEPES buffer indicated both wet-adhesiveness and VPT behavior based on diagnostic band intensity increases with temperature. From respective temperature courses empirical VPTT ≈ 42 °C for PNIPAM-DMAEMA/CS coatings at pH = 7.0 were found, which were comparable to VPTT found for respective dispersions. Finally, the PNIPAM-DMAEMA/CS coatings were loaded with BMP-2 and model protein papain (PAP). Time dependent FTIR spectroscopic measurements showed, that for T = 37 °C there was a relative protein release of ≈30% for PAP and ≈10% for BMP-2 after 24 h, which did not increase further. Heating to T = 42 °C for PAP and to 47 °C for BMP-2 further secondary protein release of ≈20% after 24 h was found, respectively, interesting for clinical applications. BMP-2 eluted even at 47 °C was found to be still biologically active.
Emerging Transitions in the Meaning of Religious Constructs: The Case of the Philippines
Authors: Baring Rito
Published: November 2018

Recent data from two local empirical studies on religion (Baring et al. 2018) and the sacred (Baring et al. 2017) show how an imminent shift in Filipino youth attitudes articulates new perspectives on religion, religiosity, and spirituality. This paper presents an analysis of three emerging peculiar characterizations of religious experience by young students culled from two previous empirical studies. These newfound descriptions indicate a departure from traditional binary religious categories (e.g., sacred–profane, religious–spiritual) typically employed in many studies. The first describes a peculiar interpretation of religious experience indicating an epistemological shift from an exclusive definition to a diffused interpretation of religious–spiritual categories: as “personal religiosity” and “institutional spirituality”. Personal religiosity reports an unexpected combination of personal ethical forms of de-institutionalized religious views of students. Institutional spirituality represents beliefs that honor institutional affiliation. The second describes the emergence of personal–communal poles discerned from their notions of religion and sacred. The third highlights the ethical orientation of students’ religious perceptions. These peculiar conceptual shifts may have pastoral and theological implications.
Learning a Multi-Branch Neural Network from Multiple Sources for Knowledge Adaptation in Remote Sensing Imagery
Authors: Al Rahhal Mohamad M. , Bazi Yakoub , Abdullah Taghreed , Mekhalfi Mohamed L. , AlHichri Haikel , Zuair Mansour
Published: November 2018

In this paper we propose a multi-branch neural network, called MB-Net, for solving the problem of knowledge adaptation from multiple remote sensing scene datasets acquired with different sensors over diverse locations and manually labeled with different experts. Our aim is to learn invariant feature representations from multiple source domains with labeled images and one target domain with unlabeled images. To this end, we define for MB-Net an objective function that mitigates the multiple domain shifts at both feature representation and decision levels, while retaining the ability to discriminate between different land-cover classes. The complete architecture is trainable end-to-end via the backpropagation algorithm. In the experiments, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method on a new multiple domain dataset created from four heterogonous scene datasets well known to the remote sensing community, namely, the University of California (UC-Merced) dataset, the Aerial Image dataset (AID), the PatternNet dataset, and the Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU) dataset. In particular, this method boosts the average accuracy over all transfer scenarios up to 89.05% compared to standard architecture based only on cross-entropy loss, which yields an average accuracy of 78.53%.
A Hardware Implemented Autocorrelation Technique for Estimating Power Spectral Density for Processing Signals from a Doppler Wind Lidar System
Authors: Abdelazim Sameh , Santoro David , Arend Mark , Moshary Fred , Ahmed Sam
Published: November 2018

A signal processing technique utilizing autocorrelation of backscattered signals was designed and implemented in a 1.5 µm all-fiber wind sensing Coherent Doppler Lidar (CDL) system to preprocess atmospheric signals. The signal processing algorithm’s design and implementation are presented. The system employs a 20 kHz pulse repetition frequency (PRF) transmitter and samples the return signals at 400 MHz. The logic design of the autocorrelation algorithm was developed and programmed into a field programmable gate array (FPGA) located on a data acquisition board. The design generates and accumulates real time correlograms representing average autocorrelations of the Doppler shifted echo from a series of adjustable range gates. Accumulated correlograms are streamed to a host computer for subsequent processing to yield a line of sight wind velocity. Wind velocity estimates can be obtained under nominal aerosol loading and nominal atmospheric turbulence conditions for ranges up to 3 km.
Detection of Defects in Reinforced Concrete Structures Using Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation with Piezoceramic Transducers and the Time Reversal Method
Authors: Zhao Guoqi , Zhang Di , Zhang Lu , Wang Ben
Published: November 2018

Reinforced concrete is of vital importance in many civil and industrial structural applications. The effective bonding between steel and concrete is the core guarantee of the safe operation of the structures. Corrosion or other interface debonding in steel-concrete is a typical failure mode during the long service period of the structures, which can severely reduce the load-bearing capacity. The Non-destructive Evaluation technique has been applied to civil engineering structures in recent years. This paper investigates the evaluation of reinforced concrete structures that have interface defects, including the cross-sectional loss and cracks, by using the piezoceramic induced ultrasonic wave and time reversal method. Ultrasonic wave is used as actuating wave to obtain the signals with defect information. Time reversal method is applied to localize and characterize defect along the interface of the steel-concrete and to image the defect through the cross-sectional scanning. Experiments were conducted to perform Nondestructive Evaluation by using six reinforced concrete components with different levels of defects. The invisible damages were made by the cutting part of the steel and embedding a table tennis ball inside concrete structures. The results show that the time reversed method can locate and evaluate the defects along the steel reinforced concrete, and the obtained defect images at the cross-section of the concrete structure are accurate.
V2O5 Thin Films as Nitrogen Dioxide Sensors †
Authors: Schneider Krystyna , Maziarz Wojciech
Published: November 2018

Vanadium pentoxide thin films were deposited onto insulating support by means of rf reactive sputtering from a metallic vanadium target. Argon-oxygen gas mixtures of different compositions controlled by the flow rates were used for sputtering. X-ray diffraction at glancing incidence (GIXD) and Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) were used for structural and phase characterization. Thickness of the films was determined by the profilometry. It has been confirmed by GIXD that the deposited films are composed of V2O5 phase. The gas sensing properties of V2O5 thin films were investigated at temperatures from range 410–617 K upon NO2 gas of 4–20 ppm. The investigated material exhibited good response and reversibility towards nitrogen dioxide. The effect of metal-insulator transition (MIT) on sensor performance has been observed and discussed for the first time. It was found that a considerable increase of the sensor sensitivity occured above 545 K, which is related to postulated metal-insulator transition.
Self-Organized Fast Routing Protocol for Radial Underwater Networks
Authors: Hyder Waheeduddin , Poncela Javier , Luque Miguel-Angel , Otero Pablo
Published: November 2018

An underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) is an emerging technology for environmental monitoring and surveillance. One of the side effects of the low propagation speed of acoustic waves is that routing protocols of terrestrial wireless networks are not applicable. To address this problem, routing strategies focused on different aspects have been proposed: location free, location based, opportunistic, cluster based, energy efficient, etc. These mechanisms usually require measuring additional parameters, such as the angle of arrival of the signal or the depth of the node, which makes them less efficient in terms of energy conservation. In this paper, we propose a cross-layer proactive routing initialization mechanism that does not require additional measurements and, at the same time, is energy efficient. The algorithm is designed to recreate a radial topology with a gateway node, such that packets always use the shortest possible path from source to sink, thus minimizing consumed energy. Collisions are avoided as much as possible during the path initialization. The algorithm is suitable for 2D or 3D areas, and automatically adapts to a varying number of nodes, allowing one to expand or decrease the networked volume easily.
Disaster Impact, National Aid, and Economic Growth: Evidence from the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake
Authors: Zhao Renjie , Zhong Shihu , He Aiping
Published: November 2018

How disasters have affected economic growth has often been a subject for economic debate, and empirical studies of the experience in China are clearly inadequate. Using the panel data from 181 county-level cities in Sichuan province from 2003 to 2013, this paper investigates the direct and dynamic effects of the Wenchuan earthquake disaster on economic growth, as well as how national rescue affected postdisaster economic recovery. The econometric results show that earthquakes significantly reduce real GDP in the affected areas after controlling for the national rescue variables, and this negative effect exists in the affected area over a long time. In addition, our empirical findings suggest that the postdisaster national rescue can promote economic recovery in the affected areas by increasing government expenditure, improving traffic conditions, and enhancing the urbanization process and the level of industrialization. Besides, state financial aid has no obvious effect on the development of tertiary industries and the accumulation of human capital in affected areas. These results were found to be robust after applying several approaches to alleviate the potential endogeneity problem. Findings in this study carry several important policy implications. As well as providing national rescue to promote postdisaster reconstruction, the government should also develop policies that will provide direct aid funding to tertiary industries and boost postdisaster economic reconstruction and human capital accumulation, thus improving the efficiency of relief funding and reducing the long-term adverse effects of the disaster on economic growth.
The Strategic Hybrids of Water Supply Companies as an Effective Management Tool
Authors: Kożuch Barbara , Jabłoński Adam
Published: November 2018

The mechanisms of water supply company management have been dynamically evolving recently. This is particularly related to factors that regulate the functioning of companies in this sector. This applies both to embedding such entities in the legal structure, and the management rules at both the strategic and tactical-operational levels. It is increasingly important how decisions are made in the conditions of pressure, limitations, opportunities and threats that these companies, which create value for stakeholders, face. This way of making decisions is determined by the adopted model of business, strategy, business processes and strategic projects that create a kind of a strategic hybrid. The hybrid determines the effectiveness of water supply companies that operate in accordance with the rules of the regulated market.
Developing Secure IoT Services: A Security-Oriented Review of IoT Platforms
Authors: Díaz López Daniel , Blanco Uribe María , Santiago Cely Claudia , Tarquino Murgueitio Daniel , Garcia Garcia Edwin , Nespoli Pantaleone , Gómez Mármol Félix
Published: November 2018

Undoubtedly, the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm has impacted on our every-day life, surrounding us with smart objects. Thus, the potentialities of this new market attracted the industry, so that many enterprises developed their own IoT platforms aiming at helping IoT services’ developers. In the multitude of possible platforms, selecting the most suitable to implement a specific service is not straightforward, especially from a security perspective. This paper analyzes some of the most prominent proposals in the IoT platforms market-place, performing an in-depth security comparison using five common criteria. These criteria are detailed in sub-criteria, so that they can be used as a baseline for the development of a secure IoT service. Leveraging the knowledge gathered from our in-depth study, both researchers and developers may select the IoT platform which best fits their needs. Additionally, an IoT service for monitoring commercial flights is implemented in two previously analyzed IoT platforms, giving an adequate detail level to represent a solid guideline for future IoT developers.
Head Loss Reduction in Surcharged Four-Way Junction Manholes
Authors: Kim Jung Soo , Jo Jun Beom , Yoon Sei Eui
Published: November 2018

Head loss in surcharged four-way junction manholes is a factor that increases damage due to urban inundation; thus, the flow characteristics of such manholes must be analyzed to reduce the head loss. In this study, a physical model was constructed; this model included a manhole and a connection pipe, fabricated on a 1/5 scale by applying sewer facility standards to perform a physical model investigation. Numerical simulations were performed using the Fluent model to derive efficient benching designs that can reduce head loss. Physical model investigations were performed by varying the ratio of the lateral influent flow rate to the effluent flow rate as well as by varying the effluent flow rate and benching designs. The result of physical model investigations showed that the installation of half rectangular benching reduced the head loss coefficients by 7% and 10% on average compared with square and circular manholes, respectively. The installation of full rectangular benching reduced the head loss coefficients by 28% and 17% on average compared with square and circular manholes, respectively. Thus, the benching proposed herein can be installed and used to improve the drainage capacity of urban stormwater conduit facilities.
Patterns of albitization in the Montgenèvre ophiolite, Western Alps
Authors: Martin Robert F.
Published: November 2018

On suppose, en général, que le produit principal de l'albitisation d'un plagioclase, réaction très répandue dans les roches des fonds océaniques, est de l' albite pure et bien ordonnée. Dans les roches feldspathiques du massif ophiolitique de Montgenèvre (Alpes occidentales), le produit est généralement de l'albite s.l. Les paramètres réticulaires permettent d'évaluer la teneur en An et l'écart à la forme ordonnée. En termes du diagramme β* - γ*, les roches gabbroïques et basaltiques contiennent une albite entre An₀ et An₁₀. La plupart des échantillons révèlent une variété légèrement désordonnée. Par contre, l'albite des roches filoniennes leucocrates (maintenant des albitites) se situe typiquement entre An₀ et An₃ tout en étant mieux ordonnée. L'albite idiomorphe, d'origine hydrothermale, provenant d'une fissure dans un shale rouge de la partie supérieure du massif, a une composition An₅ et non An₀, tel qu'attendu. Des gradients minéralogiques sont décelés dans le cas de lithologies juxtaposées. Peut-être à cause de la très grande quantité du réactif principal, les niveaux anorthositiques contiennent typiquement une albite calcique, implication possible aussi d'une circulation limitée d'eau de mer dans ces assemblages. Les deux groupes lithologiques principaux montrent donc les lignées d' albitisation différentes qui semblent déterminées par la composition du plagioclase primaire. Les cristaux à granulométrie fine sont davantage disposés à montrer l'assemblage d'équilibre. En général, l'équilibre ne semble pas avoir été atteint, ce qui fait penser que l'épisode de métamorphisme sous-marin dans le faciès schiste-vert (jurassique) a été éphémère. Le métamorphisme alpin (éocène à oligocène inférieur) n'aurait pas modifié sensiblement ces produits d' albitisation sous-marine.
The variation of 2θ angles in powder diffraction patterns of one- and two-step K-rich feldspars.
Authors: Blasi Achille
Published: November 2018

La distribution Si, Al parmi les sites tétraédriques des feldspaths potassiques peut être estimée par la géométrie de la maille en utilisant des formulations appropriées qui fournissent des résultats aussi bons que ceux obtenus par les distances . Ceci exige de connaître avec exactitude les dimensions de la maille qui doivent être affinées sur la base d'une indexation des diffractions de haute fiabilité. Malgré l'aide des programmes d'indexation par ordinateur, des guides pratiques pour indexer, et des diagrammes de poudre théoriques disponibles jusqu'à maintenant, une indexation univoque des pics de diffraction provenant des méthodes de poudre est difficile, comme le prouvent les paramètres réticulaires incorrectement affinés qui sont cités dans la littérature. La connaissance de la variation de 2θ avec l'état structural dans le nombre infini de chemins d'ordre-désordre suivis par les feldspaths potassiques est nécessaire afin d'éviter une dangereuse mauvaise indexation. La variation des angles 2θ avec t1o+t1m pour les diffractions relatives au chemin d'ordre à deux étapes plus amplement suivi par les feldspaths potassiques naturels est comparée avec celle pour les diffractions relatives au chemin de désordre plus proche de celui à une étape produit artificiellement au laboratoire. Le comportement observé permet de prévoir la variation des angles 2θ avec t1o+t1m dans les feldspaths potassiques appartenant à des tendances d'ordre-désordre quelconques et ainsi fournit un guide utile pour une indexation et un emploi corrects des diffractions impliquées dans les affinements de paramètres réticulaires.
Determination of modulated feldspars structures
Authors: Jagodzinski Heinz
Published: November 2018

Presque tous les travaux concernant les structures modulées du feldspath n'introduisent que quelques coefficients de Fourier des ondes de densité et de déplacement. Ce travail montre qu'il est nécessaire d'utiliser des ensembles de coefficients de Fourier complets, au moins pour un groupe d'atomes de sous-maille du feldspath. Comme dans la plupart des cas, les réflexions satellites d'ordre élevé ne sont pas observées, il faut trouver des modèles qui peuvent expliquer cette règle d'extinction. On montre la similarité des modèles proposés par Korekawa et Jagodzinski (1967) dans sa forme étendue (Jagodzinski et Korekawa, 1976), de Kitamura et Morimoto (1977) et de Kumao et al. (1981) utilisant les premiers coefficients de Fourier de modulations de densité et de déplacement. Il est montré de plus, que toutes les déterminations de structure, même les travaux récents de Horst et al. (1981) et de Yamamoto et al. (1983), pourraient être améliorées car elles ne tiennent pas compte de l'existence de satellites s, qui doivent être séparés de leurs réflexions principales afin d'obtenir des structures moyennes plus sûres.
Echanges entre plagioclases et solutions aqueuses de chlorures sodi-calciques à différentes pressions et températures (400 à 800 °C, 1 à 3 kilobars)
Authors: Dujon Saint-Clair , Lagache Martine
Published: November 2018

Pour mieux comprendre les réactions naturelles entre solutions et plagioclases, on a étudié expérimentalement la réaction

2NaAlSi3O8 + CaCl2 ⇌ CaAl2Si2O8 + 4SiO2 + 2NaCl

On approche l'équilibre en partant d'une solution purement calcique et d'un gel sodi-calcique, car la réaction est rapide dans le sens de la formation de quartz. La constante d'équilibre s'écrit

[formula]

si les X sont des fractions molaires et les γ des coefficients d'activité. On définit le coefficient de distribution

[formula]

C'est une grandeur mesurable expérimentalement, qui permet de calculer les γ. On peut ainsi montrer que la solution solide a un comportement idéal pour 0 < XAn ≤ XAn,1 si XAn est la fraction molaire d'anorthite et XAn,1 une valeur limite qui est de l'ordre de 0,5. Pour XAn,1 < XAn < 1, la solution solide cesse d'être idéale : KD varie exponentiellement. On présente les variations de KD et de XAn,1 entre 600 et 800 °C, 1,5 et 3 kbar. KD varie de 4 à 0,09.

Dans certaines expériences (600 et 700 °C, 1 kbar ; 800 °C, 2 kbar), KD varie avec la concentration de la solution, ce qu'on interprète comme une démixtion de la phase fluide. Â 400 et 500 °C, pour une composition moyenne du solide variant autour de XAn = 0,60, on observe un début de démixtion de la solution solide. Hors de ces domaines de démixtion, on peut calculer KT,P qui varie avec P et T entre 0,56 et 0,07. On peut alors prévoir dans le domaine étudié les compositions des solutions aqueuses et des plagioclases à l'équilibre. On les représente notamment par des isothermes de distribution, qui constituent une famille de courbes paramétriques, de paramètre K [formula], où XCl est la fraction molaire de chlorures en solution. Les faibles valeurs de k (basse température, basse pression, forte concentration) favorisent l'albite.

Pour souligner le rôle important de la démixtion des fluides, on donne, à titre d'exemples, deux modèles géologiques de métasomatose calcique provoquant des zonations minéralogiques à l'échelle du massif.
Systematic Labeling Bias in Galaxy Morphologies
Authors: Cabrera-Vives Guillermo , Miller Christopher J. , Schneider Jeff
Published: November 2018

We present a metric to quantify systematic labeling bias in galaxy morphology data sets stemming from the quality of the labeled data. This labeling bias is independent from labeling errors and requires knowledge about the intrinsic properties of the data with respect to the observed properties. We conduct a relative comparison of label bias for different low-redshift galaxy morphology data sets. We show our metric is able to recover previous de-biasing procedures based on redshift as biasing parameter. By using the image resolution instead, we find biases that have not been addressed. We find that the morphologies based on supervised machine learning trained over features such as colors, shape, and concentration show significantly less bias than morphologies based on expert or citizen-science classifiers. This result holds even when there is underlying bias present in the training sets used in the supervised machine learning process. We use catalog simulations to validate our bias metric and show how to bin the multi-dimensional intrinsic and observed galaxy properties used in the bias quantification. Our approach is designed to work on any other labeled multi-dimensional data set, and the code is publicly available (https://github.com/guille-c/labeling_bias).
The Araucaria Project: Multi-band Calibrations of the TRGB Absolute Magnitude
Authors: Górski Marek , Pietrzyński Grzegorz , Gieren Wolfgang , Graczyk Dariusz , Suchomska Ksenia , Karczmarek Paulina , Cohen Roger E. , Zgirski Bartłomiej , Wielgórski Piotr , Pilecki Bogumił , Taormina Mónica , Kołaczkowski Zbigniew , Narloch Weronika
Published: November 2018

We present new empirical calibrations of the absolute magnitude of the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) in the optical I and near-infrared J, H, and K bands in terms of the (V − K)0, (V − H)0, and (J − K)0 colors of the red giant branch (RGB). Our calibrations are based on the measurements in 19 fields in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, which span a wide (V − K)0 color range of the brightest part of the RGB. We use a simple edge detection technique based on the comparison of the star count difference in two adjacent bins with the estimated Poisson noise. Further, we include the reddening and geometrical corrections, as well as the distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud that is precise and accurate to within 2%. The calibration based on (V − K) colors can be a robust tool to calculate the absolute magnitude of the TRGB with great precision.
SCExAO/CHARIS Near-IR High-contrast Imaging and Integral Field Spectroscopy of the HIP 79977 Debris Disk
Authors: Goebel Sean , Currie Thayne , Guyon Olivier , Brandt Timothy D. , Groff Tyler D. , Jovanovic Nemanja , Kasdin N. Jeremy , Lozi Julien , Hodapp Klaus , Martinache Frantz , Grady Carol , Hayashi Masa , Kwon Jungmi , McElwain Michael W. , Yang Yi , Tamura Motohide
Published: November 2018

We present new, near-infrared (1.1–2.4 μm) high-contrast imaging of the bright debris disk surrounding HIP 79977 with the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics system (SCExAO) coupled with the CHARIS integral field spectrograph. SCExAO/CHARIS resolves the disk down to smaller angular separations of (0.″11; r ∼ 14 au) and at a higher significance than previously achieved at the same wavelengths. The disk exhibits a marginally significant east–west brightness asymmetry in H band that requires confirmation. Geometrical modeling suggests a nearly edge-on disk viewed at a position angle of ∼114.°6 east of north. The disk is best-fit by scattered-light models assuming strongly forward-scattering grains (g ∼ 0.5–0.65) confined to a torus with a peak density at r
0 ∼ 53–75 au. We find that a shallow outer density power law of α
out = −1 to −3 and flare index of β = 1 are preferred. Other disk parameters (e.g., inner density power law and vertical scale height) are more poorly constrained. The disk has a slightly blue intrinsic color and its profile is broadly consistent with predictions from birth ring models applied to other debris disks. While HIP 79977's disk appears to be more strongly forward-scattering than most resolved disks surrounding 5–30 Myr old stars, this difference may be due to observational biases favoring forward-scattering models for inclined disks versus lower inclination, ostensibly neutral-scattering disks like HR 4796A’s. Deeper, higher signal-to-noise SCExAO/CHARIS data can better constrain the disk’s dust composition.
The Relationship between Nurse’s Job Stress and Patient Safety
Authors: Safi Keykaleh Meysam , Safarpour Hamid , Yousefian Shiva , Faghisolouk Farshad , Mohammadi Ehsan , Ghomian Zohreh
Published: November 2018

BACKGROUND: Patient safety is a key element of the quality of health services. Nurses are the largest group that care for patients, observing safe in nursing care would reduce injuries, disability, morbidity and mortality. However, high stress can lead to a decline in the quality of nursing care.
AIM: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between job stress of the nurses and patient safety in a teaching hospital of Hamadan in 2017.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. The data was gathered by a questionnaire of Nurse’s job stress prepared by the researcher that after confirming the validity and reliability was completed by 198 nurses of three teaching hospitals of Hamadan city that were selected by simple random sampling and the checklist of patient safety that was collected by the researcher. Data analysis was done in the two levels of descriptive and analysis statistics.
RESULTS: The results showed that the job stress of the nurses and patient safety (mean = 1.75 and SD = 0.114) have been at an average level. There was no statistically significant relationship between Nurse’s job stress and patient safety because the Spearman correlation coefficient showed that r = 0.007 and p = 0.919. Among the demographic factors, there was only a significant relationship between marital status and Nurse’s job stress (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Because of nursing job stress is affected by different working conditions, further studies in the many hospitals are needed. Moderate levels of patient safety are not acceptable; Therefore, heath’s policymakers should focus on providing the safety of all patients at the optimal level, with more effort to reduce the stress of their nurses at the lowest level.
e optimal level, with more effort to reduce stress of their nurses at the lowest level.
Retained Surgical Items in Inguinal Canal: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Al Ani Amer Hashim , Hammami Mohammad Bakri , Adi Obaidah M. Mukhles
Published: November 2018

BACKGROUND: Retained surgical items (RSI) are rare medical challenges with serious complications and medicolegal implications. Knowledge and preventive measures for these rare events are currently not sufficient to limit their increasing incidence. Gauzes and sponges constitute most of RSI. Forceps, needles and pins may be found too. Diagnosis of these events is challenging and often missed due to nonspecific clinical findings.
PRESENTATION OF CASE: We present here a 49-year-old patient who presented to the clinic with a history of chronic scrotal sinus on the same side of a repeatedly repaired inguinal hernia 4 months before admission. He underwent exploration of the inguinal canal as elective surgery. Exploration of the inguinal canal revealed missed surgical gauze left during the previous hernia repair. The gauze was removed, and the inguinal canal was repaired. The postoperative period was uncomplicated.
CONCLUSION: Retained surgical items are completely preventable near-events. Although they are rare entities, clinicians must have a high index of suspicion for any postoperative, in patients presenting with pain, sinus or palpable masses.