bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Bio-Based Plasticizers on the Properties of NBR Materials
Authors: Rahman Md Mahbubur , Oßwald Katja , Reincke Katrin , Langer Beate
Published: May 2020

A high number of technical elastomer products contain plasticizers for tailoring material properties. Some additives used as plasticizers pose a health risk or have inadequate material properties. Therefore, research is going on in this field to find sustainable alternatives for conventional plasticizers. In this paper, two modified bio-based plasticizers (epoxidized esters of glycerol formal from soybean and canola oil) are of main interest. The study aimed to determine the influence of these sustainable plasticizers on the properties of acrylonitrile–butadiene rubber (NBR). For comparison, the influence of conventional plasticizers, e.g., treated distillate aromatic extract (TDAE) and Mesamoll® were additionally investigated. Two types of NBR with different ratios of monomers formed the polymeric basis of the prepared elastomers. The variation of the monomer ratio results in different polarities, and therefore, compatibility between the NBR and plasticizers should be influenced. The mechanical characteristics were investigated. In parallel, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were performed and filler macro-dispersion was determined. Bio-based plasticizers were shown to have better mechanical and thermal properties compared to conventional plasticizers. Further, thermo-oxidative aging was realized for 500 h, and afterwards, mechanical characterizations were done. It was observed that bio-based plasticizers have almost the same aging properties compared to conventional plasticizers.
An Optimal Decision Rule for a Multiple Selling Problem with a Variable Rate of Offers
Authors: Sofronov Georgy
Published: May 2020

An asset selling problem is one of well-known problems in the decision making literature. The problem assumes a stream of bidders who would like to buy one or several identical objects (assets). Offers placed by the bidders once rejected cannot be recalled. The seller is interested in an optimal selling strategy that maximizes the total expected revenue. In this paper, we consider a multi-asset selling problem when the seller wants to sell several identical assets over a finite time horizon with a variable number of offers per time period and no recall of past offers. We consider the problem within the framework of the optimal stopping theory. Using the method of backward induction, we find an optimal sequential procedure which maximizes the total expected revenue in the selling problem with independent observations.
A Study on the

X
¯

and S Control Charts with Unequal Sample Sizes
Authors: Park Chanseok , Wang Min
Published: May 2020

The control charts based on X ¯ and S are widely used to monitor the mean and variability of variables and can help quality engineers identify and investigate causes of the process variation. The usual requirement behind these control charts is that the sample sizes from the process are all equal, whereas this requirement may not be satisfied in practice due to missing observations, cost constraints, etc. To deal with this situation, several conventional methods were proposed. However, some methods based on weighted average approaches and an average sample size often result in degraded performance of the control charts because the adopted estimators are biased towards underestimating the true population parameters. These observations motivate us to investigate the existing methods with rigorous proofs and we provide a guideline to practitioners for the best selection to construct the X ¯ and S control charts when the sample sizes are not equal.
Bi-Material Micro-Part of Stainless Steel and Zirconia by Two-Component Micro-Powder Injection Molding: Rheological Properties and Solvent Debinding Behavior
Authors: Basir Al , Sulong Abu Bakar , Jamadon Nashrah Hani , Muhamad Norhamidi
Published: May 2020

From the micro-powder injection molding (μPIM) process, a two-component micro-powder injection molding (2C-μPIM) process has evolved due to the growing demand for multi-functional micro-components in avant-garde applications. 2C-μPIM technology provides the opportunity to conjugate distinct materials within one part. Stainless steel (SS 17-4PH) and 3 mol.% yttria-stabilized zirconia (3YSZ) are characteristically recognized for their corrosion resistance and high hardness. In this work, the obtained critical powder volume concentration (CPVC) of SS 17-4PH and 3YSZ powders were 71.7 and 47.1 vol.%, respectively. Solid loadings of 2 and 3 vol.% less than the CPVC were considered as the optimal content for both powders. Feedstocks were obtained by mixing SS 17-4PH and 3YSZ powders with a binder system comprised of palm stearin (PS) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The rheological behaviors of the prepared feedstocks were assessed to figure out the feedstocks having the best rheological properties. The feedstocks of SS 17-4PH and 3YSZ with powder loadings of 69 and 44 vol.% were eventually injected to produce bi-material micro-parts. The optimal solvent debinding temperature of the green bi-material micro-part was then investigated, and it was found that 73.3% soluble binder was removed when bi-material was immersed in acetone at 70 °C for 40 min.
Iron-Based Superconducting Nanowires: Electric Transport and Voltage-Noise Properties
Authors: Pagano Sergio , Martucciello Nadia , Enrico Emanuele , Monticone Eugenio , Iida Kazumasa , Barone Carlo
Published: May 2020

The discovery of iron-based superconductors paved the way for advanced possible applications, mostly in high magnetic fields, but also in electronics. Among superconductive devices, nanowire detectors have raised a large interest in recent years, due to their ability to detect a single photon in the visible and infrared (IR) spectral region. Although not yet optimal for single-photon detection, iron-based superconducting nanowire detectors would bring clear advantages due to their high operating temperature, also possibly profiting of other peculiar material properties. However, there are several challenges yet to be overcome, regarding mainly: fabrication of ultra-thin films, appropriate passivation techniques, optimization of nano-patterning, and high-quality electrical contacts. Test nanowire structures, made by ultra-thin films of Co-doped BaFe2As2, have been fabricated and characterized in their transport and intrinsic noise properties. The results on the realized nanostructures show good properties in terms of material resistivity and critical current. Details on the fabrication and low temperature characterization of the realized nanodevices are presented, together with a study of possible degradation phenomena induced by ageing effects.
Ultrafast Laser Processing of Nanostructured Patterns for the Control of Cell Adhesion and Migration on Titanium Alloy
Authors: Klos Antoine , Sedao Xxx , Itina Tatiana E. , Helfenstein-Didier Clémentine , Donnet Christophe , Peyroche Sylvie , Vico Laurence , Guignandon Alain , Dumas Virginie
Published: May 2020

Femtosecond laser texturing is a promising surface functionalization technology to improve the integration and durability of dental and orthopedic implants. Four different surface topographies were obtained on titanium-6aluminum-4vanadium plates by varying laser processing parameters and strategies: surfaces presenting nanostructures such as laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) and ‘spikes’, associated or not with more complex multiscale geometries combining micro-pits, nanostructures and stretches of polished areas. After sterilization by heat treatment, LIPSS and spikes were characterized to be highly hydrophobic, whereas the original polished surfaces remained hydrophilic. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) grown on simple nanostructured surfaces were found to spread less with an increased motility (velocity, acceleration, tortuosity), while on the complex surfaces, hMSCs decreased their migration when approaching the micro-pits and preferentially positioned their nucleus inside them. Moreover, focal adhesions of hMSCs were notably located on polished zones rather than on neighboring nanostructured areas where the protein adsorption was lower. All these observations indicated that hMSCs were spatially controlled and mechanically strained by the laser-induced topographies. The nanoscale structures influence surface wettability and protein adsorption and thus influence focal adhesions formation and finally induce shape-based mechanical constraints on cells, known to promote osteogenic differentiation.
Study of Physico-Chemical Changes of CdTe QDs after Their Exposure to Environmental Conditions
Authors: Hosnedlova Bozena , Vsetickova Michaela , Stankova Martina , Uhlirova Dagmar , Ruttkay-Nedecky Branislav , Ofomaja Augustine , Fernandez Carlos , Kepinska Marta , Baron Mojmir , Ngoc Bach Duong , Nguyen Hoai Viet , Thu Ha Pham Thi , Sochor Jiri , Kizek Rene
Published: May 2020

The irradiance of ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a physical parameter that significantly influences biological molecules by affecting their molecular structure. The influence of UV radiation on nanoparticles has not been investigated much. In this work, the ability of cadmium telluride quantum dots (CdTe QDs) to respond to natural UV radiation was examined. The average size of the yellow QDs was 4 nm, and the sizes of green, red and orange QDs were 2 nm. Quantum yield of green CdTe QDs-MSA (mercaptosuccinic acid)-A, yellow CdTe QDs-MSA-B, orange CdTe QDs-MSA-C and red CdTe QDs-MSA-D were 23.0%, 16.0%, 18.0% and 7.0%, respectively. Green, yellow, orange and red CdTe QDs were replaced every day and exposed to daily UV radiation for 12 h for seven consecutive days in summer with UV index signal integration ranging from 1894 to 2970. The rising dose of UV radiation led to the release of cadmium ions and the change in the size of individual QDs. The shifts were evident in absorption signals (shifts of the absorbance maxima of individual CdTe QDs-MSA were in the range of 6–79 nm), sulfhydryl (SH)-group signals (after UV exposure, the largest changes in the differential signal of the SH groups were observed in the orange, green, and yellow QDs, while in red QDs, there were almost no changes), fluorescence, and electrochemical signals. Yellow, orange and green QDs showed a stronger response to UV radiation than red ones.
Filtering Characteristics of Phonon Polaritons Waves Based on Dielectric-h-BN-Dielectric Structure in Mid-Infrared Band
Authors: Cai Ming , Wang Shulong , Liu Zhihong , Wang Yindi , Han Tao , Liu Hongxia
Published: May 2020

Hyperbolic materials can be used to excite hyperbolic phonon polaritons in specific frequency bands, which causes abrupt interfaces with fluctuations of permittivity and different transmission characteristics at different incident wavelengths. Using the quasi-static approximation, the filtering characteristics of hexagonal Boron nitride (h-BN) and the transmission characteristics of phonon polaritons waves on a dielectric-h-BN-dielectric structure were studied in the paper. The results show that a smaller relative permittivity of the materials above and below h-BN and a thicker h-BN (ε1 = 1 (air), ε2 = 3.9 (SiO2), d = 100 nm) will lead to better filtering characteristics for different wavenumbers’ incident waves (propagation length from 0.0028 μm to 1.9756 μm). Simulation results in COMSOL validated the previous theoretical calculations. Moreover, the transmissivity and 3dB bandwidth of the type-II band were calculated with different structure widths. The maximum transmissivity of ~99% appears at a width of 100 nm, and the minimum 3dB bandwidth reaches 86.35 cm−1 at a structure width of 1300 nm. When the structure width meets or exceeds 1700 nm, the 3dB bandwidth is equal to 0, and its structure length is the limit for the filter application. These characteristics reveal the excellent filtering characteristics of the dielectric-h-BN-dielectric structure, and reveal the great potential of using the dielectric-h-BN-dielectric structure to design optical filter devices with excellent performance in mid-infrared bands.
Coercivity and Magnetic Anisotropy of (Fe0.76Si0.09B0.10P0.05)97.5Nb2.0Cu0.5 Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Alloy Produced by Gas Atomization Process
Authors: Alvarez Kenny L. , Martín José Manuel , Burgos Nerea , Ipatov Mihail , Domínguez Lourdes , González Julián
Published: May 2020

We present the evolution of magnetic anisotropy obtained from the magnetization curve of (Fe0.76Si0.09B0.10P0.05)97.5Nb2.0Cu0.5 amorphous and nanocrystalline alloy produced by a gas atomization process. The material obtained by this process is a powder exhibiting amorphous character in the as-atomized state. Heat treatment at 480 °C provokes structural relaxation, while annealing the powder at 530 °C for 30 and 60 min develops a fine nanocrystalline structure. Magnetic anisotropy distribution is explained by considering dipolar effects and the modified random anisotropy model.
Motion Signal Processing for a Remote Gas Metal Arc Welding Application
Authors: Ebel Lucas Christoph , Zuther Patrick , Maass Jochen , Sheikhi Shahram
Published: May 2020

This article covers the signal processing for a human–robot remote controlled welding application. For this purpose, a test and evaluation system is under development. It allows a skilled worker to weld in real time without being exposed to the associated physical stress and hazards. The torch movement of the welder in typical welding tasks is recorded by a stereoscopic sensor system. Due to a mismatch between the speed of the acquisition and the query rate for data by the robot control system, a prediction has to be developed. It should generate a suitable tool trajectory from the acquired data, which has to be a C 2 -continuous function. For this purpose, based on a frequency analysis, a Kalman-Filter in combination with a disturbance observer is applied. It reproduces the hand movement with sufficient accuracy and lag-free. The required algorithm is put under test on a real-time operating system based on Linux and Preempt_RT in connection to a KRC4 robot controller. By using this setup, the welding results in a plane are of good quality and the robot movement coincides with the manual movement sufficiently.
Monitoring of Processing Conditions of an Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Ball-Burnishing Process
Authors: Estevez-Urra Aida , Llumà Jordi , Jerez-Mesa Ramón , Travieso-Rodriguez Jose Antonio
Published: May 2020

Although numerous references present the beneficial effects on surface integrity of ultrasonic vibration-assisted ball burnishing (UVABB), nothing has been reported about the dynamic behavior of the UVABB tool, workpiece, and machine triad during the process. In this paper, a dynamic monitorization through a set of 5 accelerometers is tested to analyze the interactions between the tool–workpiece–machine mechanical assembly. A UVABB tool attached to a milling machine and equipped with a piezoelectric stack that is able to assist the process with a 40-kHz vibration is tested on a milled C45 steel surface. First, the natural frequencies of the mechanical system are obtained through hammer impact tests. Then, the vibratory signals transmitted during the execution of the process are monitored and compared to those: two feed velocities and two burnishing preloads, all with and without vibration-assistance. Results show that the proposed accelerometer set is valid to assess the behavior of a UVABB process. The system’s natural frequencies are not varied by vibration-assistance and are not excited when the piezoelectric is functioning. It is confirmed that UVABB is safe for the machine and the tool, and there is no unexpected excited frequencies due to the piezoelectric excitation.
Radiometric Calibration and Uncertainty Analysis of KOMPSAT-3A Using the Reflectance-Based Method
Authors: Jin Cheonggil , Ahn Hoyong , Seo Doochun , Choi Chuluong
Published: May 2020

In recent years, Korea has sustained consistent access to remote sensed data by launching Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite-3A (KOMPSAT-3A, K3A)—an updated version of the high-resolution KOMPSAT series. This KOMPSAT-3A required calibration and validation (Cal/Val) before and after its launch to enable proper functional characterization and to maintain the veracity of data collected. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) executed the initial prelaunch calibration in the laboratory and we performed the Cal/Val of KOMPSAT-3A during the Launch and Early Operation Phase (LEOP) in the field. Two suitable sites in Korea and Mongolia with stable weather, almost uniform terrain, and near Lambertian diffusion, provided the necessary tarp reflectance to calculate the absolute radiometric calibration coefficients. The surface reflectance was determined using 12 and four well-calibrated reference reflectance tarps employing the FieldSpec® 3(Analytical Spectral Devices Inc., Boulder, CO, USA) Spectroradiometer. Subsequently, the top of atmosphere (TOA) radiance was estimated using radiative transfer code (RTC) software based on the Atmospheric and Topographic Correction (ATCOR). In addition, cross calibration was simultaneously performed at the Libya-4 pseudo invariant calibration site (PICS) for KOMPSAT-3A TOA radiance, using the spectral band adjustment factor (SBAF) compensated Landsat 8 reflectance and the Second Simulation of Satellite Signal in the Solar Spectrum (6S) to compute cross calibration coefficients. The results of the KOMPSAT-3A absolute calibration coefficient show that the R2 values were over 0.99, implying a significant correlation for almost all bands between the TOA radiance and the KOMPSAT-3A spectral band response at both campaign sites. However, this study reveals a difference of less than 5% calibration gains for all bands compared to the prelaunch values, while the cross calibration gain is below 5% in visible bands and above 5% in the near infrared band. An effort to optimize the reliability of the absolute calibration coefficients resorted to the rigorous quantification of uncertainties amongst atmospheric conditions, the digital number (DN), the reflectance tarp, the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), and ozone levels. Therefore, we presumed that the total uncertainty was 4.27%, which conforms to some published results.
Representations and Benchmarking of Modern Visual SLAM Systems
Authors: Cao Yuchen , Hu Lan , Kneip Laurent
Published: May 2020

Simultaneous Localisation And Mapping (SLAM) has long been recognised as a core problem to be solved within countless emerging mobile applications that require intelligent interaction or navigation in an environment. Classical solutions to the problem primarily aim at localisation and reconstruction of a geometric 3D model of the scene. More recently, the community increasingly investigates the development of Spatial Artificial Intelligence (Spatial AI), an evolutionary paradigm pursuing a simultaneous recovery of object-level composition and semantic annotations of the recovered 3D model. Several interesting approaches have already been presented, producing object-level maps with both geometric and semantic properties rather than just accurate and robust localisation performance. As such, they require much broader ground truth information for validation purposes. We discuss the structure of the representations and optimisation problems involved in Spatial AI, and propose new synthetic datasets that, for the first time, include accurate ground truth information about the scene composition as well as individual object shapes and poses. We furthermore propose evaluation metrics for all aspects of such joint geometric-semantic representations and apply them to a new semantic SLAM framework. It is our hope that the introduction of these datasets and proper evaluation metrics will be instrumental in the evaluation of current and future Spatial AI systems and as such contribute substantially to the overall research progress on this important topic.
Crosstalk Analysis of a CMOS Single Membrane Thermopile Detector Array
Authors: Dai Ying , Ali Syed Zeeshan , Hopper Richard , Falco Claudio , Pandey Prakash , Oxley Chris , Popa Daniel , Udrea Florin
Published: May 2020

We present a new experimental technique to characterise the crosstalk of a thermopile-based thermal imager, based on bi-directional electrical heating of thermopile elements. The new technique provides a significantly simpler and more reliable method to determine the crosstalk, compared to a more complex experimental setup with a laser source. The technique is used to characterise a novel single-chip array, fabricated on a single dielectric membrane. We propose a theoretical model to simulate the crosstalk, which shows good agreement with the experimental results. Our results allow a better understanding of the thermal effects in these devices, which are at the center of a rising market of industrial and consumer applications.
Mitigation of Single-Event Effects in SiGe-HBT Current-Mode Logic Circuits
Authors: Sarker Md Arifur R. , Jung Seungwoo , Ildefonso Adrian , Khachatrian Ani , Buchner Stephen P. , McMorrow Dale , Paki Pauline , Cressler John D. , Song Ickhyun
Published: May 2020

It has been known that negative feedback loops (internal and external) in a SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT) DC current mirrors improve single-event transient (SET) response; both the peak transient current and the settling time significantly decrease. In the present work, we demonstrate how radiation hardening by design (RHBD) techniques utilized in DC bias blocks only (current mirrors) can also improve the SET response in AC signal paths of switching circuits (e.g., current-mode logic, CML) without any additional hardening in those AC signal paths. Four CML circuits both with and without RHBD current mirrors were fabricated in 130 nm SiGe HBT technology. Two existing RHBD techniques were employed separately in the current mirrors of the CML circuits: (1) applying internal negative feedback and (2) adding a large capacitor in a sensitive node. In addition, these methods are also combined to analyze the overall SET performance. The single-event transients of the fabricated circuits were captured under the two-photon-absorption laser-induced single-event environment. The measurement data clearly show significant improvements in SET response in the AC signal paths of the CML circuits by using the two radiation hardening techniques applied only in DC current mirrors. The peak output transient current is notably reduced, and the settling time upon a laser strike is shortened significantly.
Hysteresis Modelling and Feedforward Control of Piezoelectric Actuator Based on Simplified Interval Type-2 Fuzzy System
Authors: Li Peng-Zhi , Zhang De-Fu , Hu Jun-Yan , Lennox Barry , Arvin Farshad
Published: May 2020

The piezoelectric actuator is indispensable for driving the micro-manipulator. In this paper, a simplified interval type-2 (IT2) fuzzy system is proposed for hysteresis modelling and feedforward control of a piezoelectric actuator. The partial derivative of the output of IT2 fuzzy system with respect to the modelling parameters can be analytically computed with the antecedent part of IT2 fuzzy rule specifically designed. In the experiments, gradient based optimization was used to identify the IT2 fuzzy hysteresis model. Results showed that the maximum error of model identification is 0.42% with only 3 developed IT2 fuzzy rules. Moreover, the model validation was conducted to demonstrate the generalization performance of the identified model. Based on the analytic inverse of the developed model, feedforward control experiment for tracking sinusoidal trajectory of 20 Hz was carried out. As a result, the hysteresis effect of the piezoelectric actuator was reduced with the maximum tracking error being 4.6%. Experimental results indicated an improved performance of the proposed IT2 fuzzy system for hysteresis modelling and feedforward control of the piezoelectric actuator.
A Wireless Angle and Position Tracking Concept for Live Data Control of Advanced, Semi-Automated Manufacturing Processes
Authors: Lipka Melanie , Meinel David , Müller Stefan , Sippel Erik , Franke Jörg , Vossiek Martin
Published: May 2020

Despite recent industrial automation advances, small series production still requires a considerable amount of manual work, and training, and monitoring of workers is consuming a significant amount of time and manpower. Adopting live monitoring of the stages in manual production, along with the comprehensive representation of production steps, may help resolve this problem. For ergonomic live support, the overall system presented in this paper combines localization, torque control, and a rotation counter in a novel approach to monitor of semi-automated manufacturing processes. A major challenge in this context is tracking, especially hand-guided tools, without the disruptions and restrictions necessary with rigid position encoders. In this paper, a promising measurement concept involving wireless wave-based sensors for close-range position tracking in industrial surroundings is proposed. By using simple beacons, the major share of processing is transferred to fixed nodes, allowing for reduced hardware size and power consumption for the wireless mobile units. This requires designated localization approaches relying on only relative phase information, similar to the proposed Kalman-filter-based-beam-tracking approach. Measurement results show a beam-tracking accuracy of about 0.58 ∘ in azimuth and 0.89 ∘ in elevation, resulting in an overall tracking accuracy of about 3.18 cm.
Recognition of Patient Groups with Sleep Related Disorders using Bio-signal Processing and Deep Learning
Authors: Jarchi Delaram , Andreu-Perez Javier , Kiani Mehrin , Vysata Oldrich , Kuchynka  Jiri , Prochazka Ales , Sanei Saeid
Published: May 2020

Accurately diagnosing sleep disorders is essential for clinical assessments and treatments. Polysomnography (PSG) has long been used for detection of various sleep disorders. In this research, electrocardiography (ECG) and electromayography (EMG) have been used for recognition of breathing and movement-related sleep disorders. Bio-signal processing has been performed by extracting EMG features exploiting entropy and statistical moments, in addition to developing an iterative pulse peak detection algorithm using synchrosqueezed wavelet transform (SSWT) for reliable extraction of heart rate and breathing-related features from ECG. A deep learning framework has been designed to incorporate EMG and ECG features. The framework has been used to classify four groups: healthy subjects, patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), patients with restless leg syndrome (RLS) and patients with both OSA and RLS. The proposed deep learning framework produced a mean accuracy of 72% and weighted F1 score of 0.57 across subjects for our formulated four-class problem.
Sparse Analyzer Tool for Biomedical Signals
Authors: Vujović Stefan , Draganić Andjela , Lakičević Žarić Maja , Orović Irena , Daković Miloš , Beko Marko , Stanković Srdjan
Published: May 2020

The virtual (software) instrument with a statistical analyzer for testing algorithms for biomedical signals’ recovery in compressive sensing (CS) scenario is presented. Various CS reconstruction algorithms are implemented with the aim to be applicable for different types of biomedical signals and different applications with under-sampled data. Incomplete sampling/sensing can be considered as a sort of signal damage, where missing data can occur as a result of noise or the incomplete signal acquisition procedure. Many approaches for recovering the missing signal parts have been developed, depending on the signal nature. Here, several approaches and their applications are presented for medical signals and images. The possibility to analyze results using different statistical parameters is provided, with the aim to choose the most suitable approach for a specific application. The instrument provides manifold possibilities such as fitting different parameters for the considered signal and testing the efficiency under different percentages of missing data. The reconstruction accuracy is measured by the mean square error (MSE) between original and reconstructed signal. Computational time is important from the aspect of power requirements, thus enabling the selection of a suitable algorithm. The instrument contains its own signal database, but there is also the possibility to load any external data for analysis.
FMCW Laser Fuze Multiple Scattering Model and Accurate Fixed-Distance Algorithm in a Smoke Environment
Authors: Song Chengtian , Cui Ying , Liu Bohu
Published: May 2020

In a smoke environment, suspended particles can scatter and absorb laser photons, making target echo signals extremely weak and difficult to extract and identify, which causes obvious difficulty in fixed-distance of laser fuze. In this paper, the multiple scattering model of frequency-modulated-continuous-wave (FMCW) laser fuze in a smoke environment was established. This model simulates multi-path propagation and multiple scattering of photons. At the same time, we use the correntropy spectral density (CSD) algorithm for accurate fixed-distance of FMCW laser fuze. The absolute error of distance does not exceed 0.15 m in smoke interference environment.
Fiber Coupled Transceiver with 6.5 THz Bandwidth for Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy in Reflection Geometry
Authors: Kohlhaas Robert B. , Liebermeister Lars , Breuer Steffen , Amberg Marcel , Felipe David de , Nellen Simon , Schell Martin , Globisch Björn
Published: May 2020

We present a fiber coupled transceiver head for terahertz (THz) time-domain reflection measurements. The monolithically integrated transceiver chip is based on iron (Fe) doped In0.53Ga0.47As (InGaAs:Fe) grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Due to its ultrashort electron lifetime and high mobility, InGaAs:Fe is very well suited as both THz emitter and receiver. A record THz bandwidth of 6.5 THz and a peak dynamic range of up to 75 dB are achieved. In addition, we present THz imaging in reflection geometry with a spatial resolution as good as 130 µm. Hence, this THz transceiver is a promising device for industrial THz sensing applications.
Real-Time Stripe Width Computation Using Back Propagation Neural Network for Adaptive Control of Line Structured Light Sensors
Authors: Zhou Jingbo , Pan Laisheng , Li Yuehua , Liu Peng , Liu Lijian
Published: May 2020

A line structured light sensor (LSLS) is generally constituted of a laser line projector and a camera. With the advantages of simple construction, non-contact, and high measuring speed, it is of great perspective in 3D measurement. For traditional LSLSs, the camera exposure time is usually fixed while the surface properties can be varied for different measurement tasks. This would lead to under/over exposure of the stripe images or even failure of the measurement. To avoid these undesired situations, an adaptive control method was proposed to modulate the average stripe width (ASW) within a favorite range. The ASW is first computed based on the back propagation neural network (BPNN), which can reach a high accuracy result and reduce the runtime dramatically. Then, the approximate linear relationship between the ASW and the exposure time was demonstrated via a series of experiments. Thus, a linear iteration procedure was proposed to compute the optimal camera exposure time. When the optimized exposure time is real-time adjusted, stripe images with the favorite ASW can be obtained during the whole scanning process. The smoothness of the stripe center lines and the surface integrity can be improved. A small proportion of the invalid stripe images further proves the effectiveness of the control method.
Accessibility and Street Network Characteristics of Urban Public Facility Spaces: Equity Research on Parks in Fuzhou City Based on GIS and Space Syntax Model
Authors: Huang Bo-Xun , Chiou Shang-Chia , Li Wen-Ying
Published: May 2020

Urban green spaces are conducive to people’s physical, mental, and social health; however, in many cases, these benefits are unevenly distributed in cities. This study explored the equity of urban green spaces in terms of accessibility and spatial morphology, specifically, (1) applied the geographic information system (GIS) accessibility index to the equity of parks in Fuzhou City; (2) discussed the accessibility of parks and the spatial morphological characteristics of streets from a space syntax analysis; (3) examined the correlation between the accessibility of parks in Fuzhou City and the spatial morphology of streets. The results provide a valuable reference for sustainable urban design and planning.
Efficacy of Bacillus thuringiensis Treatment on Aedes Population Using Different Applications at High-Rise Buildings
Authors: Ahmad Zaki Zuhainy , Che Dom Nazri , Ahmed Alhothily Ibrahim
Published: May 2020

Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) is an effective biological insecticide for killing mosquito larvae. However, choosing the suitable application method for larviciding is critical in increasing its effectiveness. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Bti (VectoBac®) WG using various applications at high-rise buildings. Three different applications of Bti treatment were applied at three high-rise buildings in Bandar Saujana Putra. The ULV machine is used for Pangsapuri Impian, a mist blower for Pangsapuri Seri Saujana and a pressured sprayer for BSP 21. BSP Skypark does not undergo treatment and acts as a control. The efficacy of Bti treatment was measured by analyzing the ovitrap surveillance data collected (POI and MLT) for pre and post-treatment. Post-treatment ovitrap surveillance indicates that the Aedes sp. mosquito density was lower than the density at the time of pre-treatment surveillance. Overall, the Aedes albopictus species in both an indoor and outdoor environment setting had shown a reduction. The highest Aedes sp. density reduction is seen through the use of mist blowers in outdoor settings for Aedes albopictus, (%POI reduction = 87.4%; %MLT reduction = 93.8%). The mist blower yielded results that is significantly higher compared to other larviciding applications; the order from greatest to the least was mist blower > pressured sprayer > ULV. It can be concluded that each application produces different degrees of effectiveness in reducing the Aedes sp. density in different environmental settings.
A Systematic Review of Human Infections by Pseudomonas mendocina
Authors: Ioannou Petros , Vougiouklakis Georgios
Published: May 2020

Pseudomonas mendocina is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, aerobic bacterium that belongs in the family Pseudomonadaceae and has been isolated from water and soil. Even though it is thought to cause infections quite rarely in humans, it can cause severe infections even in immunocompetent individuals. The aim of this study was to systemically review all cases of human infection by P. mendocina in the literature and describe their epidemiology, microbiology, antimicrobial susceptibility, treatment and outcomes. Thus, a systematic review of PubMed for studies providing epidemiological, clinical, microbiological as well as treatment data and outcomes of Pseudomonas mendocina infections was conducted. In total, 12 studies, containing data of 16 patients, were included. The commonest P. mendocina infections were infective endocarditis, central nervous system infections and skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). Fever was the main presenting symptom, while sepsis was evident in almost half the patients. Pseudomonas mendocina was susceptible to most antibiotics tested. Mortality was low in all different infection types. Third or fourth generation cephalosporins and quinolones are the commonest agents used for treatment, irrespectively of the infection site.
Tracking the Migraine Cycle Using Visual Tasks
Authors: Shepherd A.J.
Published: May 2020

There are a number of reports that perceptual, electrophysiological and imaging measures can track migraine periodicity. As the electrophysiological and imaging research requires specialist equipment, it has few practical applications. This study sought to track changes in performance on four visual tasks over the migraine cycle. Coherence thresholds were measured for two motion and two orientation tasks. The first part of the study confirmed that the data obtained from an online study produced comparable results to those obtained under controlled laboratory conditions. Thirteen migraine with aura, 12 without aura, and 12 healthy controls participated. The second part of the study showed that thresholds for discriminating vertical coherent motion varied with the migraine cycle for a majority of the participants who tested themselves multiple times (four with aura, seven without). Performance improved two days prior to a migraine attack and remained improved for two days afterwards. This outcome is as expected from an extrapolation of earlier electrophysiological research. This research points to the possibility of developing sensitive visual tests that patients can use at home to predict an impending migraine attack and so take steps to try to abort it or, if it is inevitable, to plan their lives around it.
Jono Basanavičiaus požiūris į lietuvių tautos tyrimus, 1879–1927
Authors: Savoniakaitė Vida
Published: May 2020

How did the Lithuanian patriarch Jonas Basanavičius inspire the nation with his scientific research? The idea as a movement and development of science fits into the problem of nationalism in the history of the Russian Empire and European science. My aim is to analyse Basanavičius’ studies, ideas and research into the Lithuanian nation in the fields of anthropology, ethnology and ethnography from 1879 to 1927. I argue that German ethnology may have influenced Basanavičius’ theoretical concept of nation studies. In my analysis, I focus on the following issues: (1) the projects of the Science Society in Lietuviška Ceitunga, Aušra, Varpas and other publications; (2) research in biological anthropology; (3) studies of ethnology and ethnography; (4) collecting antiques; (5) ‘ethnographic’ fellowship; (6) the national research programme; and (7) studies of the Lithuanian nation. Key words: cultural nationalism, Europe, Jonas Basanavičius, Lithuanian Science Society, Russian Empire, Völkerkunde.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS OF A TWO-PHASE MEDIUM FLOW FROM THE DISINTEGRATOR GRINDING CHAMBER IN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE ROTORS INTO A TANGENTIAL SEMI-INFINITE BRANCH PIPE
Authors: Semikopenko I. , Belyaev D. , Voronov V.
Published: May 2020

In recent decades, disintegrator type mills have become widely used for grinding, activating and mixing construction materials. The efficiency of these mills is largely influenced by the design parameters of the working chamber, loading and unloading units, as well as some technological parameters, such as the speed of rotation of the rotors. In this article, an attempt is made to determine the conditions for the departure of material particles from the disintegrator grinding chamber into the tangential discharge pipe and the geometric parameters of this pipe, based on the conditions for the flow of a two-phase medium from the external row of shock elements to the discharge zone. Figure 1 shows the flow diagram of the two-phase medium from the disintegrator grinding chamber to the tangential discharge pipe. It is assumed that the speed of movement of the two-phase medium in this section does not change modulo and the length of the tangential branch pipe is significantly greater than its width. The formula (26) shows the density of the unit volume of kinetic energy of a two-phase medium along the "oy" axis, as well as the change in the density of the unit volume of energy spent on the rotation of the velocity vector relative to the "oy"axis. As a result of theoretical calculations, the obtained formula (15) allows to determine the diameter of particles entering the tangential discharge pipe from a circular trajectory (11), and formulas (36) and (37) describe the process of rotation of the velocity vector of a two-phase medium when the disintegrator flows into the tangential discharge pipe. Figure 2 shows a graph based on the intersection of expression (15), which allows to determine the range of diameters of particles entering the tangential branch pipe, depending on the specified conditions, design and technological parameters. Figures 3 and 4 show graphs in accordance with the analytical expression (35) describing the change in the rotation angle of the velocity vector of a two-phase medium. The results of this article can be used to design the discharge unit of the disintegrator with a tangentially located discharge pipe.
Optimization of Coagulation-Flocculation Process of Landfill Leachate by Tin (IV) Chloride Using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Hamidi Abdul Aziz , Sharifah Farah Fariza Syed Zainal , Motasem Y.D Alazaiza
Published: May 2020

Landfill leachate is highly polluted and generated as a result of water infiltration through solid waste produced domestically and industrially. This study investigated the applicability of the response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize the removal performances of chemical oxygen demand (COD), color, and suspended solids (SS) from landfill leachate by coagulation process using Tin tetrachloride pentahydrate. The leachate samples were collected from Alor Pongsu Landfill (APLS) in Perak, Malaysia. Before starting the experiments, general characterization was carried out for raw leachate samples to investigate their physical and chemical properties. The effects of the dosage and pH of SnCl4 on the removal performances were evaluated as well. An ideal experimental design was performed based on the central composite design (CCD) by RSM. In addition, this RSM was used to evaluate the effects of process variables and their interaction toward the attainment of their optimum conditions. The statistical design of the experiments and data analysis was resolved using the Design-Expert software. Further, the range of coagulant dosage and pH was selected based on a batch study which was conducted at 13000 mg/L to 17000 mg/L of SnCl4 and pH ranged from 6 to 10. The results showed that the optimum pH and dosage of SnCl4 were 7.17 and 15 g/L, respectively, where the maximum removal efficiency was 67.7% for COD and 100% for color and SS. The results were in agreement with the experimental data with a maximum removal efficiency of 67.84 %, 98.6 %, and 99.3%, for COD, color, and SS, respectively. Overall, this study verified that the RSM method was viable for optimizing the operational condition of the coagulation-flocculation process.
Duration of Hospital Stay in Alcohol/Substance Addictions and Psychiatric Disorders: A 12-Year Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Geniş Bahadir , Cosar Behcet
Published: May 2020

Background: Mental disorders are generally a significant reason for increased morbidity. They constitute a serious disease burden. One of the main reasons for this disease burden is long hospitalization periods. Objective: The current study investigated the length of hospital stay and the variables affecting it in patients treated in the Gazi University Hospital Psychiatry Department between 2005-2016. Methods: Patient diagnoses were analyzed according to the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10). Data was obtained for 7027 hospitalizations over a 12-year period. Records of repeated hospitalizations, non-psychiatric primary diagnoses, and missing data were not included in the analysis. As a result, data from 5129 hospitalizations were included in the analysis. Results: Mean age of the sample was 45.27±14.69, and 62.5% (n=3204) of the patients were male. Mean hospitalization period was 28.66±17.25 days. Schizophrenia and depressive disorder significantly prolonged hospital stay, while substance addiction shortened the duration of hospitalization (P<0.001). It was found that the duration of hospitalization decreased significantly over the years (P<0.001). Advanced age (P<0.001), recurrent admission (P<0.001), and female gender (P=0.029) were other variables affecting this period. Conclusion: Schizophrenia and depression are the most common psychiatric disorders in the inpatient service, and these disorders prolong hospitalization periods. The duration of hospital stay is considerably less in substance addiction than in other psychiatric disorders. Non-clinical variables, such as year of hospitalization, may affect the length of hospital stay.
Predictors of Health Promoting Lifestyle Among Midwives Employed in Hospitals and Health Centres of Qazvin, Iran
Authors: Alimoardi Zainab , Shirazi Haji Miriha Narges , Astrologo Lisa , Bahrami Nasim
Published: May 2020

Background and aims: Midwives experience a high level of stress due to heavy workloads, which has been shown to have adverse effects on well-being. Accordingly, the main goal of this study was to assess the predictors associated with a healthy lifestyle in a sample of midwives working in hospitals and health centers of Qazvin, Iran. Methods: A total of 200 midwives were recruited using convenience sampling method. Each subject completed a demographic questionnaire, the Farsi version of the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile Questionnaire, and Perceived Social Support Questionnaire. A multivariate linear regression model was used to assess the predictors of health promoting lifestyle (HPL). Results: Spiritual growth (2.78±0.53) and nutrition (2.79±0.45) had the highest scores among HPL subscales. Conversely, subjects had the lowest score in physical activity (2.02±0.64). Multivariate regression analyses showed that workplace (β=-0.19, P=0.03), involving in professional sports (β=0.2, P=0.01), and perception of an adequate social support network (β=0.47, P<0.001) were the strongest predictors of HPL. These predictors accounted for 27% of the variance in the model. Conclusion: Considering the predictive role of three variables including workplace, involving in professional sport, and having adequate social support, HPL interventions can be designed and implemented. Improving working conditions, strengthening social support networks, and increasing physical activity might be beneficial measures to improve midwives’ HPL.
Investigation of the Necessity of Urodynamic Test in Patients with Urinary Stress Incontinence for TOT Surgery
Authors: Poordast Tahereh , Askari Elham , Najib Fatemeh Sadat , Moradialamdarloo Shaghayegh , Naghizadeh Najmeh
Published: May 2020

Background and aims: Stress urinary incontinence is one of the most common diseases which can reduce the quality of life in women. Urodynamic test is a common method of diagnosis of this disease. This study is designed for investigating the necessity of urodynamic test in patients with urinary stress incontinency before transobturator tape (TOT) surgery. Urodynamic test before surgery can affect the quality of life in patients. Methods: This study was a randomized clinical trial. The sample size was 48 patients divided into two groups of 24 women in January 2018. Women with urinary incontinence complaints were randomly divided into two groups. For the first group, the urodynamic test was done. Both groups were evaluated one month and six months after TOT surgery based on the results of the I-QOL questionnaire. Results: The mean I-QOL score was 83.9±3.3 in questionnaire group and 81.6±4.6 in urodynamic group one month after surgery with no statistically significant (P=0.052) difference. The quality of life score after 6 months was 87.2±4 in the questionnaire group and 85.4±3 in the urodynamic group with no statistically significant differences with each other (P=0.084). Conclusion: In this study, the urodynamic test only had additional information related to lower urinary tract symptoms and it did not have effects on improving the outcome of the surgery. The test only imposes economic burden. Therefore, the urodynamic test is not required before surgery in patients with urinary stress incontinence