bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kinetic modeling study on the combustion treatment of cathode from spent lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Yao Zhitong , Yu Shaoqi , Su Weiping , Wu Daidai , Wu Weihong , Tang Junhong
Published: October 2019

Thermal treatment offers an alternative method for the separation of aluminum foil and cathode materials during spent lithium-ion batteries recycling. In this work, the combustion kinetic of cathode was studied based on six model-free (isoconversional) methods, namely Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO), Friedman, Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose, Starink, Tang, and Boswell methods. The possible decomposition mechanism was also probed using a master-plots method (Criado method). Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the whole thermal process could be divided into three stages with temperatures of 37–578°C, 578–849°C, and 849–1000°C. The activation energy ( Eα) derived from these model-free methods displayed the same trend, gradually increasing with a conversion range of 0.002–0.013, and significantly elevating beyond this range. The coefficients from the FWO method were larger, and the resulted Eα fell into the range of 10.992–40.298 kJ/mol with an average value of 20.228 kJ/mol. Comparing the theoretical master plots with an experimental curve, the thermal decomposition of cathode could be better described by the geometric contraction models.
Evaluation of the Autism Spectrum Rating Scales in a Diverse, Nonclinical Sample
Authors: McClain Maryellen Brunson , Harris Bryn , Schwartz Sarah E. , Golson Megan E.
Published: October 2019

Despite the changing racial/ethnic demographics in the United States, few studies exist that evaluate autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screening and diagnostic assessment measures for their cultural and linguistic responsiveness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the structure of the Autism Spectrum Rating Scales (ASRS) in a diverse sample of parents with children (nonclinical sample) between the ages of 6 and 18 years ( N = 405). Confirmatory factor analyses, factor correlations, and the evaluation of item loadings were used to examine the structure of the ASRS across cultural groups. Results yielded cross-cultural differences. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Will H. Moore’s enduring contribution to peace and conflict studies
Authors: Conrad Courtenay R , DeMeritt Jacqueline HR , Hill Daniel W , Welch Ryan M , Young Joseph K
Published: October 2019

This special issue is dedicated to Will H. Moore’s enduring influence on peace science research and the community of peace science scholars. The five pieces in this special issue exemplify Will’s dedication to the development of rigorous concepts and theories that generate testable hypotheses about political violence and are evaluated using novel, fine-grained data. Will’s pioneering contributions to the study of peace science were both direct—through his scholarship—and indirect—through the mentorship of his students. All of the articles in this special issue were written by former students or scholars directly influenced by Will’s research and mentorship.
Ambient fine particulate matter induces inflammatory responses of vascular endothelial cells through activating TLR-mediated pathway
Authors: Le Yifei , Hu Xiao , Zhu Ji , Wang Cui , Yang Zhen , Lu Dezhao
Published: October 2019

This study aims to investigate the role of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) on fine particulate matter (PM2.5)-induced inflammatory responses of vascular endothelial cells. Inflammatory factors and TLRs were examined in the aorta of mice after nonsurgical intratracheal instillation of PM2.5 as well as in the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with PM2.5. In addition, the effects of TLR2 and TLR4 inhibitors in the secretion of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IL-1β and the expression of TLRs were determined in the HUVECs. The results showed that PM2.5 could increase the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TLR2, and TLR4 in vitro and in vivo. Anti-TLR2 IgG or TAK242, an inhibitor of TLR4, decreased the secretion of IL-1β and IL-6 by HUVECs and reduced the expression of corresponding TLRs. In conclusion, we demonstrate that both TLR2 and TLR4 are involved in PM2.5-induced inflammatory responses of vascular endothelial cells. Inhibition of TLR2 and TLR4 expression has the potential to prevent PM2.5-induced cardiovascular diseases.
The Impact of Campus-Level Factors on Peers’ Perceived Ability to Support a Survivor
Authors: Cusano Julia , McMahon Sarah
Published: October 2019

Campus sexual violence is a complex issue that has led to a proliferation of federal legislation and best practices with the intent to better support student survivors. Despite these efforts, research suggests that many survivors do not disclose to formal resources on campus, but rather, to their peers. While there is growing theoretical and empirical support for the role of peer-level influences on both preventing and responding to sexual violence on college campuses, our understanding of students’ confidence in knowing how to respond is limited. Furthermore, disclosure research has yet to assess the impact of broader campus-level factors on students’ confidence in being able to support survivors. In the present exploratory study, undergraduate students responded to a survey, which included questions about receiving disclosures and perceived ability to respond as well as measures of individual-level correlates (gender, race, prior victimization) and campus community factors (perceptions of the university’s responsiveness, exposure to information, awareness of resources). Bivariate analyses were conducted to examine whether certain students were more likely to receive a disclosure on campus. To look at the impact of individual- and community-level factors, a series of hierarchical logistic regression models were estimated. Ability to respond to a disclosure was measured using three separate dichotomous variables. Findings show that 34% of our sample has received at least one disclosure of sexual violence from a peer since coming to campus. In addition, results show that above and beyond individual correlates, campus-level factors impacted students’ confidence in their roles as disclosure recipients. These results have significant implications for sexual violence programs on campus. Suggestions for future research are also discussed.
Listening to Bedouin Women Who Were Affected by Intimate Partner Violence and Sought Help From a Doctor
Authors: Manor-Binyamini Iris , Schreiber-Divon Michal
Published: October 2019

The purpose of this study was to examine how Bedouin women perceived and interpreted seeing a doctor for help in the aftermath of intimate partner violence. In the phenomenological study, 38 semi-structured interviews were conducted at two different points in time. The first interview took place before the first appointment with the doctor, and the second took place about 3 months after seeing the doctor. The findings revealed two main themes: an act of resistance against the prevailing social norms and empowerment out of crisis. The study found that doctors and other professionals working in the field of domestic violence in community clinics provide a reliable first source of support for women within a limiting social space. This brings into focus the centrality of the role of the doctor/health care professionals within the framework of the community clinic and is intended to direct, train, and deepen the insights of the medical staff that work with women affected by intimate partner violence and to create uniformity in the interventions for these women.
An experimental investigation of resonance sources and vibration transmission for a pure electric bus
Authors: Zeng Mengyuan , Tan Bohuan , Ding Fei , Zhang Bangji , Zhou Hongtao , Chen Yuanchang
Published: October 2019

Electric vehicles generally have a better noise, vibration, and harshness quality than traditional vehicles due to the relatively quiet electric motors. By contrast, the noise, vibration, and harshness issues of the driveline system become more outstanding and significant in the absence of the “masking effect” by the engine. The electrification of the powertrain has also brought many changes in the sources or transmission of vibration, which has led to some new noise, vibration, and harshness issues. Specifically, the intense vibration of the prototype bus appears when driving in third gear, which makes the passengers uncomfortable. This paper presents an efficient analytical strategy for identifying the resonance sources and vibration transmission for a pure electric bus. The strategy incorporates order analysis, operating deflection shape, and transfer path analysis. Order analysis shows that the resonance is primarily caused by the second-order excitation associated with the driveline, and the vibration sources are further identified using operating deflection shape analysis. Moreover, the vibration transfer paths from the driveline to the bus floor are quantitatively determined by the transfer path analysis method. The results show that the coupling vibration of the powertrain and the rear drive axle, which amplifies the resonance of the whole driveline, is transmitted to the bus floor primarily through powertrain mounts and V rods. Based on the results, the design and structure modifications of the driveline and transfer paths are recommended to handle this issue. The proposed identification strategy would be beneficial for accurate and efficient engineering troubleshooting on the vibration issues.
Targeted Memory Reactivation During Sleep Improves Next-Day Problem Solving
Authors: Sanders Kristin E. G. , Osburn Samuel , Paller Ken A. , Beeman Mark
Published: October 2019

Many people have claimed that sleep has helped them solve a difficult problem, but empirical support for this assertion remains tentative. The current experiment tested whether manipulating information processing during sleep impacts problem incubation and solving. In memory studies, delivering learning-associated sound cues during sleep can reactivate memories. We therefore predicted that reactivating previously unsolved problems could help people solve them. In the evening, we presented 57 participants with puzzles, each arbitrarily associated with a different sound. While participants slept overnight, half of the sounds associated with the puzzles they had not solved were surreptitiously presented. The next morning, participants solved 31.7% of cued puzzles, compared with 20.5% of uncued puzzles (a 55% improvement). Moreover, cued-puzzle solving correlated with cued-puzzle memory. Overall, these results demonstrate that cuing puzzle information during sleep can facilitate solving, thus supporting sleep’s role in problem incubation and establishing a new technique to advance understanding of problem solving and sleep cognition.
Away with the fairies: the psychopathology of visionary encounters in early modern Scotland
Authors: Goodare Julian
Published: October 2019

In early modern Scotland, several visionaries experienced vivid relationships with spirits. This paper analyses their experiences historically, with the aid of modern scholarship in medicine, psychology and social science. Most of the visionaries were women. Most of their spirit-guides were fairies or ghosts. There could be traumas in forming or maintaining the relationship, and visionaries often experienced spirit-guides as powerful, capricious and demanding. It is argued that some visionaries experienced psychotic conditions, including psychosomatic injuries, sleepwalking, mutism and catatonia. Further conditions related to visionary experience were not necessarily pathological, notably fantasy-proneness and hallucinations. Imaginary companions and parasocial relationships are discussed, as are normality, abnormality and coping strategies. There are concluding reflections on links between culture and biology.
Science, Technology, and Innovation Status in Iran: Main Challenges
Authors: Heshmati Ata , Dibaji Seyed Mehran
Published: October 2019

Announcing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a historic agreement dissolving international sanctions against Iran has raised hopes for Iranians to restore their role in the global economy, which could lead to a significant change in the status of the national science, technology, and innovation system. This article discusses the changes in policy structure and the impacts of the sanctions on Iran’s scientific performance. We shall also examine the past intensive increasing trend and some recent drawbacks in science and technology outputs of Iran in terms of various scientometric and innovation-oriented indicators. We aim to show how the emerging opportunities can transform Iran’s economy into a knowledge-based economy and what challenges this country is facing to reach this goal.
Assessment of anticancer activity of Pulicaria undulata on hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line
Authors: Emam Manal A , Khattab Hemmat I , Hegazy Marwa GA
Published: October 2019

Searching for new sources of safe nutraceuticals antitumor drugs is an important issue. Consequentially, this study designed to assess the antitumor activity of Pulicaria undulata extract in vitro in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line. Aerial parts of P. undulata plants were collected, used for phytochemical analysis, and assessed for anticancer activity. The antitumor activity was evaluated through studying the cell viability and apoptotic pathway. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry phytochemical analysis revealed that P. undulata is a promising new source of several known antioxidant and antitumor compounds which could participate in drug development and exploration of alternative strategies to the harmful synthetic antitumor drugs. P. undulata stifled HepG2 cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. Meanwhile, P. undulata tempted substantial apoptosis in HepG2 cells and enhanced the expression of miR-34a. However, the mRNA expression level of antiapoptotic B-cell lymphoma-2 was markedly decreased by P. undulata treatment. Moreover, P. undulata increased the protein expression of proapoptotic p53 and caspase 3/9 with reducing B-cell lymphoma-2 protein expression level. Thus, P. undulata induced apoptosis in the HepG2 cells by overexpression of miR-34a which regulates p53/B-cell lymphoma-2/caspases signaling pathway. These findings were well appreciated with morphological studies of cells treated with P. undulata. In conclusion, P. undulata could be a probable candidate agent for the initiation of cell apoptosis in HepG2 and thereby can serve as promising therapeutic agent for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma which should attract further studies.
Improving Classroom Management Issues by Building Connections with Families: Part 1
Authors: Robison Tiger
Published: October 2019

Experienced teachers often know the value of partnering with students’ families to help students gain the most out of their time in school. Elementary general music teachers occupy a unique place in this triangle among students, families, and teachers because, unlike their other elementary school colleagues, they often see hundreds of students each week, year after year. Such circumstances can lead early-career general music teachers to feel overwhelmed about making connections with families. This column, the fifth in a series about classroom management and the first of several about the particular topic of students’ families, contains three techniques for making meaningful connections with students’ families and its benefits toward preventing classroom management issues.
Characteristics of Effective School-Based, Teacher-Delivered Mental Health Services for Children
Authors: Park Sunyoung , Guz Samantha , Zhang Anao , Beretvas S. Natasha , Franklin Cynthia , Kim Johnny S.
Published: October 2019

Purpose:

The increasing need for school-based mental health services has altered teachers’ involvement in mental health services.

Methods:

This study presents a meta-analysis from a previous systematic review to identify which study characteristics result in effective treatment outcomes. Specific treatment characteristics analyzed in this study include type of intervention, treatment modality, length of treatment, and type of measurement. Effect sizes were coded by internalizing and externalizing disorders, depending on the symptoms the corresponding treatments were intended to address. A final sample size included 9 independent effect sizes of internalizing behaviors and 21 effect sizes of externalizing behaviors.

Results:

Internalizing disorders, social skill interventions, classroom modalities, and medium treatment length were moderating treatment characteristics. No significant effects were found for externalizing disorders.

Conclusions:

These results further add to the research on teacher’s role in school-based mental health services and provide important information for social workers who work in schools.
Mycobacterium Spindle Cell Pseudotumor Caused by Mycobacterium xenopi: A First Described Association of a Rare Entity Presenting in the Lung
Authors: Furlan Karina , Rohra Prih , Mir Fatima , Sethi Shenon , Almajnooni Abdullah , Gattuso Paolo , Moore Nicholas
Published: October 2019

Mycobacterial spindle cell pseudotumor (MSP) is a rare benign lesion characterized by a proliferation of bland spindle-shaped histiocytes with vague granulomatous formation, positive for acid-fast bacilli staining. This lesion is usually reported in the lymph nodes and skin of immunocompromised patients; only 6 cases primary in the lung have been reported in the English literature to this date. In this article, we present the case of a 42-year-old female status post failed kidney-pancreas transplant with subsequent multiple kidney transplants, on chronic immunosuppression, who developed a mass in the left lower lobe consistent with MSP. Mycobacterium xenopi was identified in lung tissue culture, an association never previously described in literature. This case report alerts for the possible association of this rare form of non-tuberculous mycobacteria in the pathogenesis of MSP and highlights the importance of this differential diagnosis in lung masses of immunocompromised patients.
Angiosarcoma in Collision With a Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Hacking Sean , Chavaria Hector , Khan Leonard , Das Kasturi
Published: October 2019

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare entity that most commonly arises from the skin. Angiosarcoma (AS) is a rare malignancy with a predilection for elderly males, has endothelial differentiation and a notoriously poor prognosis despite aggressive therapy. Herein, we report an angiosarcoma colliding with a MCC, in a patient with a past medical history of squamous cell carcinoma, status-post radiation therapy. More specifically, our case represents a collision tumor, a rare entity composed of two histologically distinct neoplasms which coincide together at the same location. This case represents the first documented report of such a presentation. With that being said, its clinical course, prognosis, pathogenesis, and molecular profile, currently remains unclear. Importantly, neoplasms are increasingly being found to be associated with radiation therapy, of which our patient had received. Ultimately, however, with the lack of c-MYC immunohistochemical staining, and a short duration between radiation exposure and presentation, the AS in our case was likely coincidental.
We Can Do That? Technological Advances in Interest Assessment
Authors: Tracey Terence J. G.
Published: October 2019

Technology holds the promise of greatly altering the conduct of interest assessment. I review five technological advances that currently exist and present how they can be incorporated into our interest measures and procedures: (a) dynamic assessment using item response theory, (b) adapting interpretations to individual users, (c) incorporating response latency, (d) gamification of interest measures, and (e) incorporating big data and machine learning. Using these advances in our assessments and procedures can structurally change what we do and enhance the precision of our measures.
Predicting Adolescent Substance Use in a Child Welfare Sample: A Multi-Indicator Algorithm
Authors: Menon Suvarna V. , Thakur Hena , Shorey Ryan C. , Cohen Joseph R.
Published: October 2019

Given the risk of substance use (SU) among adolescents in the child welfare system, identification of risk for prospective impairing SU behaviors is a significant public health priority. We sought to quantify the incremental validity of routine multi-informant assessments of adolescent psychological distress (i.e., the Child Behavior Checklist and Youth Self-Report) and a commonly used SU screening protocol (i.e., the CRAFFT) to predict SU at 18 and 36 months after baseline in a nationally representative child welfare sample ( N = 1,054; Mage = 13.72). We used receiver operator characteristics and reclassification analyses to develop our algorithms. We found that a battery consisting of baseline CRAFFT scores, self-reported delinquent behavior, and parent-reported rule-breaking behavior provided an incrementally valid prediction model for SU behavior among females, while baseline CRAFFT scores and self-reported delinquent behavior incrementally predicted SU for males. Results suggest that leveraging existing assessments within the child welfare system can improve forecasting of SU risk for this population.
How Different Forms of Social Capital Created Through Project Team Assignments Influence Employee Adoption of Sustainability Practices
Authors: Reddy Sheila M. W. , Torphy Kaitlin , Liu Yuqing , Chen Tingqiao , Masuda Yuta J. , Fisher Jonathan R. B. , Galey Sarah , Burford Kyle , Frank Kenneth A. , Montambault Jensen R.
Published: October 2019

Can social capital created through project assignments increase the diffusion of sustainability practices, and if so, what types of social ties and conditions are likely to be most effective in doing so? We use a mixture of survey and qualitative evidence from a social network at a large organization, The Nature Conservancy, to help answer these questions. Our analysis supports the argument that cross-organizational unit ties promote adoption of complex practices by having the benefits of both external and internal ties (i.e., exposure to novel practices and on-the-job social learning experiences, respectively). Specifically, staff learned new sustainability practices from project teammates in other organizational units who were already employing sustainability evidence-based practices. Thus, a practical and cost-effective way to promote organizational learning for sustainability may be to strategically form cross-organizational unit project teams that include sustainability practice innovators. Internal fellowships and short-term assignments may be other effective ways to do this.
Comparison of two eyelid speculums and their effect on intraocular pressure in clinically normal cats
Authors: Selk Ghaffari Masoud , Mohitmafi Soroush , Hajizadeh Sara
Published: October 2019

Objectives

The present study was undertaken to determine the possible effects of the placement two different types of eyelid speculum on intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement in clinically normal cats.

Methods

Thirty healthy cats were divided randomly into two groups of 15, group B (Barraquer wire speculum) and group W (Williams eye speculum). All cats were sedated with intramuscular medetomidine (Dorbene vet; 100 μg/kg) then placed in right lateral recumbency, and IOP was recorded in the left eye using a Tono-Pen Vet tonometer without and with an eyelid speculum in place in both groups.

Results

The without-speculum IOPs for cats in group B and group W were 13.8 ± 3.0 mmHg and 13.2 ± 3.6 mmHg, respectively, and did not differ significantly. A significant increase in IOP (19.8 ± 3.7 mmHg) was observed in group W in with-speculum measurements in comparison to the without-speculum values ( P <0.001).There was no significant difference between with- and without-speculum IOP values (13.8 ± 2.7 mmHg) in group B ( P = 1.0).

Conclusions and relevance

The Barraquer wire speculum has no effect on IOP compared with the Williams eye speculum in normal cats, and may be an appropriate choice in cats for intraocular surgeries that cannot tolerate acute increases in IOP.
A Commentary on TDP-43 and DNA Damage Response in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Mitra Joy , Hegde Muralidhar L
Published: October 2019

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating, motor neuron degenerative disease without any cure. About 95% of the ALS patients feature abnormalities in the RNA/DNA-binding protein, TDP-43, involving its nucleo-cytoplasmic mislocalization in spinal motor neurons. How TDP-43 pathology triggers neuronal apoptosis remains unclear. In a recent study, we reported for the first time that TDP-43 participates in the DNA damage response (DDR) in neurons, and its nuclear clearance in spinal motor neurons caused DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair defects in ALS. We documented that TDP-43 was a key component of the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway of DSB repair, which is likely the major pathway for repair of DSBs in post-mitotic neurons. We have also uncovered molecular insights into the role of TDP-43 in DSB repair and showed that TDP-43 acts as a scaffold in recruiting the XRCC4/DNA Ligase 4 complex at DSB damage sites and thus regulates a critical rate-limiting function in DSB repair. Significant DSB accumulation in the genomes of TDP-43-depleted, human neural stem cell-derived motor neurons as well as in ALS patient spinal cords with TDP-43 pathology, strongly supported a TDP-43 involvement in genome maintenance and toxicity-induced genome repair defects in ALS. In this commentary, we highlight our findings that have uncovered a link between TDP-43 pathology and impaired DNA repair and suggest potential possibilities for DNA repair-targeted therapies for TDP-43-ALS.
Synthesis of GO-Fe3O4-based ferrofluid and its lubrication performances
Authors: Sammaiah Arukali , Dai Qingwen , Huang Wei , Wang Xiaolei
Published: October 2019

As a thin material with a lamellar structure, graphene oxide (GO) may extend the already superior tribological properties of ferrofluids. For this purpose, magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles were fabricated on the GO surface with different compositions by the co-precipitation method. Then, the GO-Fe3O4 nanohybrids coated with a surfactant were dispersed in paraffin oil to achieve stable ferrofluids. The tribological results demonstrated that compared with paraffin oil, friction coefficient reduced by 19.4% and 25.8–35.5% when lubricated with ferrofluids containing 0.5 wt% of Fe3O4 nanoparticle and GO-Fe3O4 nanohybrids, respectively. The results also indicated that nanohybrids with the higher content of GO exhibited better lubrication behaviors. It can be concluded that the introduction of GO helps to further promote the lubricity of traditional Fe3O4-based ferrofluids. The excellent tribological behaviors of GO-Fe3O4-based ferrofluids were ascribed to the triboflim and the synergistic effects of GO and Fe3O4.
Party activism in the populist radical right: The case of the UK Independence Party
Authors: Whiteley Paul , Larsen Erik , Goodwin Matthew , Clarke Harold
Published: October 2019

Recent decades have seen an upsurge of interest in populist radical right (PRR) parties. Yet despite a large body of research on PRR voters, there are few studies of the internal life of these parties. In particular, there is a dearth of research about why people are active in them. This article uses data from a unique large-scale survey of United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) members to investigate if drivers of voting support for these parties are also important for explaining party activism. Analyses show that traditional models of party activism are important for understanding engagement in UKIP, but macro-level forces captured in an expanded relative deprivation model also stimulate participation in the party. That said macro-level forces are not the dominant driver of activism.
Doubt, surprise, and the ethical evaluator: Lessons from the work of Judith Tendler
Authors: Stame Nicoletta
Published: October 2019

This article discusses the work of Judith Tendler, a development economist, consultant, and evaluator from the perspective of her contribution to evaluation research. It argues for her role as a forerunner of many contemporary evaluative concerns and the enduring vitality of her unconventional views. Her reflective practice is built on the doubt and surprise that emerge during fieldwork. It aimed to surface what worked in adverse conditions, and the lessons that could be learned across development interventions and across different domains. The article hinges around the many consequences of searching for “how projects could have worked well”: from challenging accepted theories, to developing specific research methods, and being an ethically oriented evaluator.
Tourist preferences for package tour attributes in tourism destination design and development
Authors: Liao Chi-Shun , Chuang Hui-Kai
Published: October 2019

Package tours encourage the development of destinations by increasing their attractiveness to global visitors. This study examines the benefits of package tour designs that allow tourists to leverage multiple features to create their own destination experiences. It uses conjoint analysis, applied to package tours, to determine the relative importance of package tour attributes as perceived by Taiwanese tourists. The most important attributes that Taiwanese tourists consider when choosing package tours in Japan are ‘attraction’, followed by ‘accommodation’, ‘length of stay’, ‘price’, ‘cuisine’, ‘transport’, and ‘season’. By reflecting tourists’ preferences for certain attributes, tourism managers can expand their international tourism, improve resource utilization, enhance tourists’ experiences, and strengthen destination development.
Mood state and human evaluation of the thermal environment using virtual settings
Authors: Ibrahim Anwar , Ali Hikmat , Zghoul Aroub , Jaradat Suha
Published: October 2019

Many complaints about indoor conditions are related to unsatisfactory thermal environments. Most research on thermal comfort (TC) considered physical parameters for settings and users yet marginalized the influence of user’s psychological aspects in the process of thermal sensation. Immersive virtual reality (VR) has been used in the built environment to simulate real scenarios. This research examines the effect of mood states on human evaluation of the thermal environment in virtual settings. Forty-four university students from Jordan participated. The experiment followed the ‘Experimental Design Method’ using thermally controlled chamber and TC evaluation using psychological responses developed by Fanger. The participants completed the PANAS-X pre-mood test before watching a video that targeted eliciting predetermined mood states: anger and happiness. The participants were then immersed in two virtual environments and asked to complete ASHRAE 7-point scale of TC. General Linear model was used to analyse the data. The results revealed a relationship between TC, mood state and quality of the indoor environment. Humans’ judgment on TC is a variable mental reaction. The research presents differences between the evaluation of angry and happy people to their thermal environments. This study expands research on the indoor environment quality and develops TC evaluation strategies.
Integrating usability and social cognitive theories with the technology acceptance model to understand young users’ acceptance of a health information portal
Authors: Tao Da , Shao Fenglian , Wang Hailiang , Yan Mian , Qu Xingda
Published: October 2019

The past decade has seen the proliferation of health information portals; however, consumer acceptance of the portals has proven difficult and rate of use has been limited. This study developed a consumer acceptance model by integrating usability and social cognitive theories with the technology acceptance model to explain young Internet users’ acceptance of health information portals. Participants (n = 201) completed a self-report questionnaire measuring model constructs after attending a usability testing with a typical health information portal. Results showed that the hypothesized model accounted for 56 percent of the variance in behavioral intention to use the portal and explained consumer acceptance well. Both subjective usability and application-specific self-efficacy served as significant antecedents in the model, while application-specific self-efficacy also moderated the effect of subjective usability on perceived ease of use. The findings can help practitioners with the design and implementation of health information portals and other health informatics applications in support of consumer acceptance.
Analysis of quadcopter propeller vibration based on laser vibrometer
Authors: Kuantama Endrowednes , Moldovan Ovidiu Gheorghe , Ţarcă Ioan , Vesselényi Tiberiu , Ţarcă Radu
Published: October 2019

An unbalanced propeller can affect a quadcopter’s performance due to vibration, also decreasing its thrust’s yield. Analyses were conducted to determine the correlation between vibration in the dynamic movement of a balanced and an imbalanced propeller using a laser vibrometer (portable digital vibrometer) PDV-100, to determine the correlation between propeller rotational speed and its vibration, as well as to determine the propeller’s maximum rotational speed to avoid over-vibration. The vibration analysis was conducted on a carbon fiber 2-blade propeller by comparing the results of vibration tests with the propeller blade contour. The vibration response of the propeller has been analyzed at three points, respectively the hub, the center, and the tip of the blade, to determine the point having the largest value of the vibration on the propeller running at a maximum rotation speed of 7000 rpm. The same analysis was made on two propellers: the first one of type 1340 with a diameter of 13 inches and the second one of type 1447 with a diameter of 14 inches. The vibration was reduced by propeller’s static balancing, thus increasing the propeller stability. The result showed that an imbalanced propeller generated a decrease in the rotational speed and higher vibration values compared to the balanced propeller. The vibration values showed a linear dependency to the rotor speed; the higher the speed, the bigger the vibration. The limit of rotational speed for the balanced model of the 1340 type propeller was 5000 rpm whilst the corresponding value for the 1447 type propeller was 4500 rpm. Finally, the result was used to optimize the propeller’s overall performance.
Study on the influence of damping plates on structural vibration and radiation characteristics of the railway box girder
Authors: Luo Kun , Lei Xiaoyan , Ou Kaikuan
Published: October 2019

The influence of damping plates on structural vibration, noise and the contribution of the box girder bridge panels was analysed using the model test and numerical calculation methods. In this paper, a 1/10 scale box girder model test system was designed and constructed using a simply supported 32 m box girder from the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway as a prototype, and damping plates were laid on the box girder web side after the model was verified as being similar to the prototype by means of a series of model tests. The effects of the damping plates on the reduction of the structural vibration and noise were evaluated according to scaled model acoustic tests. In addition, the influence of the damping plates on the sound contribution of the panel was analysed based on the transient boundary element method. The study shows that the damping plates had an obvious vibration reducing effect on the concrete box girder, though their noise reduction properties were less than ideal. The vibration level reduction and time–history noise level reduction were kept within 10.2–29.5 dB and around 1.0 dB (A), respectively. The noise would decrease to its lowest value at 250 Hz – down to 4.0 dB. The damping plates were helpful in effectively reducing the sound power contribution and the sound pressure contribution of the concrete panel. At the peak frequencies of 17 Hz and 251 Hz, the sound power contributions of the panel on the damper side were reduced by 3.4 dB and 3.7 dB, respectively, compared with the normal side, while the sound pressure contributions on the panel decreased by 4.9 dB and 4.2 dB, respectively.
Dual-compression, dual-expansion piston engine assessment and optimization
Authors: Andruskiewicz Peter , Durrett Russell , Gopalakrishnan Venkatesh , Najt Paul
Published: October 2019

A dual-compression, dual-expansion engine concept utilizing thermal insulation, piston compressors and expanders is presented and analyzed to determine the potential for improved efficiency and performance. The engine design takes advantage of the ability to separate and optimize the different processes occurring in the cycle and to recover energy that otherwise would have been lost. Gains of approximately 10% over the baseline modern turbodiesel engine were realized at mid- to high loads due to more efficient pumping, expansion and heat transfer improvements. At low loads, the increased friction of the piston dual-compression, dual-expansion concept hurt the efficiency in comparison to the baseline.
Computational characterization of the secondary droplets formed during the impingement of a train of ethanol drops
Authors: Markt David , Pathak Ashish , Raessi Mehdi , Lee Seong-Young , Torelli Roberto
Published: October 2019

This article uniquely characterizes the secondary droplets formed during the impingement of a train of ethanol drops, using three-dimensional direct numerical simulations performed under conditions studied experimentally by Yarin and Weiss. Our numerical results have been previously validated against experimental data demonstrating the ability to accurately capture the splashing dynamics. In this work, the predictive ability of the model is leveraged to gain further insight into secondary droplet formation. We present a robust post-processing algorithm, which scrutinizes the liquid volume fraction field in the volume-of-fluid method and quantifies the number, volume and velocity of secondary droplets. The high-resolution computational simulations enable secondary droplet characterization within close proximity of the impingement point at small length and time scales, which is extremely challenging to achieve experimentally. By studying the temporal evolution of secondary droplet formation, direct connections are made between liquid structures seen in the simulation and the instantaneous distribution of secondary droplets, leading to detailed insight into the instability-driven breakup process of lamellae. Time-averaged secondary droplet characteristics are also studied to describe the global distribution of secondary droplets. Such analysis is vital to understanding fuel drop impingement in direct injection engines, facilitating the development of highly accurate spray–wall interaction models for use in Lagrangian solvers.
Analysis of the interaction of Spray G and in-cylinder flow in two optical engines for late gasoline direct injection
Authors: Geschwindner Christopher , Kranz Patrick , Welch Cooper , Schmidt Marius , Böhm Benjamin , Kaiser Sebastian A , De la Morena Joaquin
Published: October 2019

An investigation of the interaction between the in-cylinder flow and the spray topology in two spray-guided direct injection optical engines is reported. The bulk flow field in the combustion chamber is characterized using particle image velocimetry. Geometrical parameters such as the axial penetration and the spray angle of the liquid spray are measured using Mie scatter imaging and/or diffuse back-illumination. The measured parameters are compared with data from a constant volume chamber available in the literature. For a late injection strategy, the so-called ECN Spray G standard condition, the mean values of the spray penetration do not seem to be significantly perturbed by the in-cylinder flow motion until the plumes approach the piston surface. However, spray probability maps reveal that cycle-to-cycle fluctuations of the spatial distribution of the liquid spray are affected by the magnitude of the in-cylinder flow. Particle image velocimetry during injection shows that the flow field in the vicinity of the spray plumes is heavily influenced by air entrainment, and that an upward flow in-between spray plumes develops. Consistent with previous research that demonstrated the importance of the latter flow structure for the prevention of spray collapse, it is found that increased in-cylinder flow magnitudes due to increased intake valve lifts or engine speeds enhance the spray-shape stability. Compared with cases without injection, the influence of the spray on the in-cylinder flow field is still noticeable approximately 2.5 ms after the start of injection.
Understanding the significance of migrants’ material culture
Authors: Trabert Sarah
Published: October 2019

Archaeologists are increasingly moving past discussions of whether migration events occurred in the past to more nuanced discussions of the meaning surrounding the migrants’ belongings. Migrants used material culture as powerful memory objects, to create meaning and adapt to living in a new place and often with new people. There are relatively few archaeological examples of large-scale migration into the Great Plains in the wake of European invasion of North America. One exception to this is the migration of Puebloan peoples from northern New Mexico to the Central Great Plains during the Puebloan diaspora after 1600 CE. Sites attributed to this migration are discussed in context with recent work on meaning and materiality to reconsider the critical role that objects play in identity expression and cultural survival in new homelands.
The folk’ish heritage in Nordic democracy: Examples from Denmark and Norway
Authors: Nevers Jeppe , Skov Jesper Lundsby
Published: October 2019

Drawing on examples from Danish and Norwegian history, this article traces the ideological origins of Nordic democracy. It takes as its starting point the observation that constitutional theories of democracy were rather weak in the Nordic countries until the mid-twentieth century; instead, a certain Nordic tradition of popular constitutionalism rooted in a romantic and organic idea of the people was central to the ideological foundations of Nordic democracy. This tradition developed alongside agrarian mobilization in the nineteenth century, and it remained a powerful ideological reference-point through most of the twentieth century, exercising, for instance, an influence on debates about European integration in the 1960s and 1970s. However, this tradition was gradually overlaid by more institutional understandings of democracy from the mid-twentieth century onwards, with the consequence that the direct importance of this folk’ish heritage declined towards the late twentieth century. Nevertheless, clear echoes of this heritage remain evident in some contemporary Nordic varieties of populism, as well as in references to the concept of folkestyre as the pan-Scandinavian synonym for democracy.
Accurate binocular stereo underwater measurement method
Authors: Wu Xiaojun , Tang XingCan
Published: October 2019

Light changes its direction of propagation before entering a camera enclosed in a waterproof housing owing to refraction, which means that perspective imaging models in the air cannot be directly used underwater. In this article, we propose an accurate binocular stereo measurement system in an underwater environment. First, based on the physical underwater imaging model without approximation and Tsai’s calibration method, the proposed system is calibrated to acquire the extrinsic parameters, as the internal parameters can be pre-calibrated in air. Then, based on the calibrated camera parameters, an image correction method is proposed to convert the underwater images to air images. Thus, the epipolar constraint can be used to search the matching point directly. The experimental results show that the proposed method in this article can effectively eliminate the effect of refraction in the binocular vision and the measurement accuracy can be compared with the measurement result in air.
Effective R-value of enclosed reflective space for different building applications
Authors: Saber Hamed H , Maref Wahid , Hajiah Ali E
Published: October 2019

Many parts of the building envelopes contain enclosed airspaces. Also, the insulating glass units in fenestration systems, such as curtain walls, windows, and skylight devices, contain enclosed spaces that are normally filled with air or heavy gas such as argon, xenon, or krypton. The thermal resistance (R-value) of an enclosed space depends mainly on the type of the filling gas, emissivity of all surfaces that bound the space, the size and orientation of the space, the direction of heat flow through the space, and the respective temperatures of all surfaces that define the space. Assessing the energy performance of building envelopes and fenestration systems, subjected to different climatic conditions, requires accurate determination of the R-values of the enclosed spaces. In this study, a comprehensive review is conducted on the thermal performance of enclosed airspaces for different building applications. This review includes the computational and experimental methods for determining the effective R-value of enclosed reflective airspaces. Also, the different parameters that affect the thermal performance of enclosed airspaces are discussed. These parameters include the following: (a) dimensions, (b) inclination angles, (c) directions of heat flow, (d) emissivity of all surfaces that bound the space, and (e) operating conditions. Moreover, numerical simulations are conducted using a previously developed and validated model to investigate the effect of the inclination angle, direction of heat transfer, and the coating emissivity on the R-values of enclosed spaces when they are filled with different types of gases.
Identification of thermal parameters of a building envelope based on the cooling process of a building object
Authors: Pokorska-Silva Iwona , Nowoświat Artur , Fedorowicz Lidia
Published: October 2019

Thermal properties of building envelopes are often described using thermal conductivity or thermal resistance. And the opposite task involves the identification of thermal parameters of building envelopes based on the measurements of their cooling process. In this article, the authors proposed a method of identifying thermal parameters of a building envelope based on cooling measurements, using a multiple regression model for this purpose. To satisfy the research objectives, two basic experiments were carried out. The first experiment was performed in laboratory conditions. The research model was a cube of the dimensions of 1.1 m × 1.1 m × 1.1 m. The second experiment was carried out in semi-real conditions, and the used model was a small house of the dimensions of 6.0 m × 4.15 m × 5.2 m. The measurement results were also used to calibrate numerical models made in the ESP-r program. The research studies have demonstrated that the model can be used to identify thermal parameters of a building envelope. Based on the measurements and simulations, the cooling equations of the object were determined and the 95% confidence interval for the heat retention index was estimated. On that basis, using the multiple regression model, such parameters of the model as density, specific heat, and thermal conductivity were estimated. It turned out that using the Gauss–Newton approximation, we obtained the correlation of the measurement results and the analytical model with the correlation coefficient of 0.9971 (for the laboratory scale). And the multiple regression improved not only the correlation between the measurement and the analytical model, but it also allowed to obtain “almost identical” results. Similarly, promising results were obtained for the semi-real scale.