bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on safety evaluation of civil aircraft based on the grey clustering model
Authors: Su Bentao , Xie Naiming
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to construct a grey clustering model based on the nonlinear whitenization weight function and to assess the safety of civil aircraft by using a quantitative method.

Design/methodology/approach

According to the running stage of civil aircraft safety assessment issues, first the civil aircraft safety evaluation index system is constructed by using a qualitative method. Taking the information duplication between indicators, the grey relational analysis method is used to filter the key indicators, then the grey clustering evaluation model of nonlinear whitening right function is built to evaluate the safety of civil aircraft and the algorithm steps of the evaluation model are given. Finally, the model is validated by collecting the parameters of nine different civil aircrafts at home and abroad.

Findings

The results show that the safety level of different types of aircraft is different due to the different index parameters, and to some extent, explain the rationality and scientificity of the method proposed in this paper to solve the problem.

Practical implications

This paper gives a complete set of security assessment methods, which can be used to evaluate the security of civil aircraft in the operational phase quantitatively, scientifically and reasonably. Furthermore, it can be extended to other complex system security or stability assessment issues.

Originality/value

It not only provides the supplement and perfection of the safety assessment method in the theoretical system to a certain extent, but also provides a theoretical guidance to solve the problem of civil aircraft system safety assessment of civil aircraft manufacturing enterprise all over the world. At the same time, the nonlinear grey clustering evaluation model constructed in this paper is an improvement of the traditional model, which is, to some extent, the improvement of the grey clustering evaluation theory.
A multidimensional longitudinal meta-analysis of quality costing research
Authors: Chatzipetrou Evrikleia , Moschidis Odysseas
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the longitudinal evolution of quality costs measurement, depicted in 99 real data studies of the last 30 years. A meta-analysis of these articles is conducted, in order to highlight the evolution of the variables that have been used for the study of quality costing, in relation to the date of publication, business sector and geographical origin of each paper.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis of the cost components has been conducted with the use of multiple correspondence analysis, which is a useful tool for the exploration of the interrelations among all elements, aiming at the identification of the dominant and most substantial tendencies in their structure.

Findings

The findings suggest that the level of analysis of quality costs is related to the date of publication, the business sector and the origin of each research. Furthermore, it is pointed out that the most prominent prevention costs are related to suppliers’ assurance, internal audit and new product’s design and development. Appraisal costs are mostly defined by quality audits and procurement costs, while failure costs by defect/failure analysis, low quality losses, complaint investigation and concessions and warranty claims.

Originality/value

The present paper is a longitudinal meta-analysis of 99 quality cost papers that have been published in the last 30 years. It explores the evolution of research in quality costing, not only in relation to the cost components in use, but also in terms of date of publication, business sector and geographical origin of the studies.
Prediction of fatigue limit improvement in needle peened welded joints containing crack-like defects
Authors: Fueki Ryutaro , Takahashi Koji
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the acceptable defect size amax after needle peening (NP) and predict the fatigue limit improvement through the use of NP for an austenitic stainless steel welded joint containing an artificial semi-circular slit on a weld toe.

Design/methodology/approach

Residual stress and hardness distribution were measured. Microstructures around the weld toe were observed to clarify the cause for the change in hardness after NP. Finite element method analysis was used to analyze the change in the stress concentration following NP. Fracture mechanics was used to evaluate amax after NP. The fatigue limits before and after NP were predicted by determining amax for several levels of stress amplitude.

Findings

The tensile residual stress induced at the surface of the weld toe prior to NP changed to a compressive residual stress after NP. The residual stress near the surface layer after NP exceeded the yield stress prior to NP due to the increase in yield stress as a result of work hardening as well as the generation of a deformation-induced martensitic structure. The stress concentration was reduced due to the shape improvement caused by NP. The estimation value of amax after NP and the prediction results of fatigue limits were in good agreement with the fatigue test results.

Practical implications

The proposed method is useful in improving the reliability of welded joints used in large steel structures, transportation equipments and industrial machines.

Originality/value

From an engineering perspective, it is essential to estimate amax and the fatigue limit of welded joints with crack-like defects. However, it is unclear as to whether it is possible to predict amax and the effects of NP on the fatigue limit for stainless steel welded joints.
An investigation of undergraduate-level academic performance mediators
Authors: Rowtho Vikash
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating roles of absenteeism and continuous assessments on the overall academic performance at undergraduate level using structural equation modelling (SEM).

Design/methodology/approach

Pragmatic worldview with a mixed-method approach was used in this study. Data were collected using a variety of tools. Subsequent analyses used both qualitative and quantitative techniques. Interviews and documentary analyses were used to identify the dimensions of student disengagement while SEM was used to determine mediation among selected variables.

Findings

The results of this study showed that absence rates mediated the relationship between performance on continuous assessments and grade point average (GPA). Absence rates also mediated the relationship between personal circumstances and GPA and finally, course selection impacted on GPA with performance on continuous assessments as the mediator.H3were not supported and the implications are discussed.

Research limitations/implications

The research was conducted in a single institution, was cross-sectional in nature and the variables used were contextualised. However, the tools used in this study can be adapted to identify the risk factors leading to poor student performance in other settings and to address them.

Practical implications

The outcomes of the current study can be useful to policymakers and practitioners in in addressing student performance-related issues.

Social implications

On a broader perspective, societal challenges associated with student dropouts resulting from poor academic performance can be minimised.

Originality/value

This study shows academic performance in a different perspective where mediators reveal the complex nature of the determinants of academic performance.
Applying importance-performance analysis to assess student employability in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Yu-Chuan
Published: December 2017

Purpose

In Taiwan, higher education institutions formulate and implement employment policies and strategies. The purpose of this paper is to examine university students’ employment performance in Taiwan. Importance-performance analysis (IPA) provides resource managers with easy-to-understand student preferences and employability performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the IPA method, the author can establish guidelines for employability strategies for higher education institutions. The research was carried out in spring 2017 at 16 universities in Taiwan, and the findings were drawn from 723 respondents. Data were entered and analyzed by using the SPSS statistical software package version 22.0, and the raw data from each participant’s responses were coded numerically. Three types of quantitative data analysis were conducted: descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, and IPA.

Findings

Through IPA, the author concluded that the factor considered most important for student performance in higher education institutions was “professional attitude.” The factors of career planning and professional knowledge were considered less important for performance.

Originality/value

By confirmatory factor analysis, various goodness-of-fit indices were obtained from this data. The data are analyzed through IPA. It can help school managers to identify which attributes or factors should be improved to increase student satisfaction.
Entrepreneurial leadership in a developing economy: a skill-based analysis
Authors: Harrison Christian , Burnard Kevin , Paul Stuart
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine entrepreneurial leadership and to determine the entrepreneurial leadership skills which are important for success in a developing economy environment. Specifically, the focus of this research was on entrepreneurial leadership within the retail pharmacy sector in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was guided by an interpretivist-constructionist perspective. By adopting a qualitative approach, the lived experiences of the retail pharmacy entrepreneurs could be understood. In total, 51 semi-structured interviews were the mode of data collection, and data were triangulated via three sources: entrepreneurs, employees, and literature.

Findings

From the study results, a vivid picture of entrepreneurial leadership was formed, which in turn provides the basis for an empirical skill-based model of this phenomenon in a developing economy. This study identifies four distinct entrepreneurial leadership skill categories. These include technical/business skills, interpersonal skills, conceptual skills, and entrepreneurial skills. The findings of this study also show the factors and conditions necessary for entrepreneurial leadership in a developing economy.

Originality/value

The findings of this study have implications in theory and practice. Its results provide an empirical, skill-based framework on entrepreneurial leadership in a developing economy, a subject area for which there exists a lack of background literature. In practice, the findings of this study serve as a useful reference for practitioners and policy makers of the skills and other factors required for people to succeed as entrepreneurial leaders.
Factors affecting the presence, genetic diversity and antimicrobial sensitivity of Escherichia coli in poultry meat samples collected from Canberra, Australia
Authors: Vangchhia Belinda , Blyton Michaela D. J. , Collignon Peter , Kennedy Karina , Gordon David M.
Published: December 2017

To investigate the factors determining the clonal composition of Escherichia coli in poultry meat samples, 306 samples were collected from 16 shops, representing three supermarket chains and an independent butchery located in each of the four town centers of Canberra, Australia, during the summer, autumn and winter. A total of 3415 E. coli isolates were recovered and assigned to a phylogenetic group using the Clermont quadruplex PCR method, fingerprinted using repetitive element palindromic (REP) PCR and screened for their antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. The probability of detecting E. coli and the number of fingerprint types detected per sample, as well as the phylogroup membership of the isolates and their antimicrobial sensitivity profiles varied, with one or more of retailer, store, meat type, season and husbandry. The results of this study demonstrate that poultry meat products are likely to be contaminated with a genetically diverse community of E. coli and suggest that factors relating to the nature of the meat product and distribution chain are determinants of the observed diversity.
Dietary habits and semen parameters: a systematic narrative review
Authors: Ricci E. , Al‐Beitawi S. , Cipriani S. , Alteri A. , Chiaffarino F. , Candiani M. , Gerli S. , Viganó P. , Parazzini F.
Published: December 2017

Semen quality and male fertility are declining worldwide. As it was observed that physiologic and pathologic processes of spermatogenesis can be influenced by diet, the relation between dietary habits and semen parameters has been the focus of much interest. To review the human observational studies on this issue, we performed a systematic literature search, up to November 2016 (MEDLINE and EMBASE). We included all observational full‐text papers reporting the relation between dietary habits and semen parameters. Article selection was carried out in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses. Twenty‐three observational studies were included. Overall, 8477 healthy men and 1204 men presenting at Fertility Clinics were included in the selected studies. Even if some inconsistencies are present, possibly due to the different effect of nutrients in fertile and infertile men, results support the hypothesis that diets including fruit and vegetables, for their contents in vitamins, and fish or low‐fat dairy products as the main source of proteins, are associated with better semen quality. Recommendations may be confidently provided because of the many beneficial effects of a healthy diet, although further studies are needed to clarify the currently inconsistent findings and to shed light on the underlying mechanisms.
Variation in the species richness of parasitoid wasps (Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae and Rhyssinae) across sites on different continents
Authors: Gómez Isrrael C. , Sääksjärvi Ilari E. , Mayhew Peter J. , Pollet Marc , Rey del Castillo Carmen , Nieves‐Aldrey Jose‐Luis , Broad Gavin R. , Roininen Heikki , Tuomisto Hanna
Published: December 2017

The old idea that parasitoid wasps (Ichneumonidae) show an inverse latitudinal diversity gradient has recently been challenged, but how ichneumonid species richness varies across the globe is still not well understood. We carried out field inventories in 21 sites on three continents to clarify this question, focusing on the subfamilies Pimplinae and Rhyssinae. Our total sampling effort was 628 Malaise trap months and the total catch exceeded 65 000 individuals. Our main focus was in two intensively inventoried areas in Amazonia, together yielding 257 Malaise trap months and 26 390 ichneumonid individuals.

To expand the scope and assess global species diversity patterns of the Pimplinae and Rhyssinae, we compiled published species lists from a total of 97 study localities around the world. The highest observed species richness in any locality, 105 species, was found in one of our field sites in Peruvian Amazonia. None of the other localities reported more than 70 species, even the ones with a sampling effort comparable to ours.

Despite the local thoroughness of our field inventories in Amazonia, data analyses indicated that a substantial proportion of the parasitoid wasp species occurring in each site remained unobserved.

The highest local species richness values were reported from the tropics. Nevertheless parasitoid wasps are still too sparsely sampled to draw solid conclusions about whether or not their species richness follows a particular latitudinal trend, and if so, where their richness peaks.
Ultrahigh‐temperature metamorphism in the Tuguiwula area, Khondalite Belt, North China Craton
Authors: Li Xianwei , Wei Chunjing
Published: December 2017

In this study, sapphirine‐bearing granulites and sapphirine‐absent garnet–sillimanite gneisses from the Tuguiwula area in the eastern segment of the Khondalite Belt, North China Craton (NCC) are interpreted to show a P–T evolution involving cooling at pressures of 8–9 kbar from >960°C to the solidus (~820°C) and late subsolidus decompression. This interpretation is based on the sequence of mineral appearance and thermodynamic modelling of phase equilibria. Sapphirine is observed to coexist with spinel within the peak assemblages. This observation conflicts with the traditional view that spinel generally appears prior to sapphirine and thus indicates pre‐Tmax compression. For ultrahigh‐temperature (UHT) metapelites at Tuguiwula, a clockwise P–T path may be more likely, which would be consistent with the clockwise P–T evolution of the extensive “normal” granulites (Tmax <900°C) and UHT granulites at other localities in the eastern segment of the Khondalite Belt. At Tuguiwula, for UHT metapelites with low bulk‐rock Mg/(Mg+FeT), the oxidation state/Fe3+ content is interpreted to be a significant factor in controlling the mineral assemblages. We find that these compositions tend to contain sapphirine under oxidized conditions but spinel (without sapphirine) under reduced conditions. This difference may account for the simultaneous presence of both sapphirine‐bearing UHT granulites and sapphirine‐absent garnet–sillimanite UHT gneisses at Tuguiwula. LA‐ICP‐MS U–Pb dating of metamorphic zircon in the UHT metapelites yields mean 207Pb/206Pb ages of c. 1.92 Ga (two samples), which are interpreted to record the timing of cooling of the UHT rocks to the solidus. The UHT metamorphism is interpreted to have been generated by mantle upwelling and emplacement of mafic magmas within a post‐orogenic setting.
Paediatric advance care planning: Physician experience and education in initiating difficult discussions
Authors: Basu Shreerupa , Swil Kevin
Published: December 2017

Aim

Our study aimed to assess physicians' experiences and education regarding advance care planning (ACP) in paediatrics. We aimed to assess barriers to ACP initiation, including the adequacy of exposure and education regarding ACP and whether practitioners would deem improved education and resource provision useful.

Methods

A 25‐question survey was designed following literature review. Paediatricians, intensivists and advanced trainees at Sydney Children's Hospital were invited to complete the online survey. Ninety‐two responses were obtained over a 10‐week period.

Results

Patients with life‐limiting conditions are encountered frequently, with 57% of respondents caring for at least 10 such patients during the last 2 years. In total, 64% of respondents felt that ACP discussions should occur early around the time of diagnosis or during a period of stability; however, 57% observed discussions occurring late in illness after multiple acute, severe deteriorations. In total, 46% felt that multidisciplinary teams were the most appropriate to initiate ACP discussions. Prognostic uncertainty was the most common barrier to ACP initiation. Lack of experience and education were identified as barriers by 43 and 32%, respectively. The majority of respondents regarded exposure to ACP and education during training as inadequate.

Conclusions

ACP discussions are being initiated later than physicians deem optimal. Of concern, clinicians prefer ACP discussions to be initiated by multidisciplinary teams, which may create a barrier to timely initiation. Barriers due to lack of education and experience could be overcome with improvements in training. Provision of education and resources would be welcomed and improve clinician skills in this area.
Surveillance Studies and Literature of the Long 18th Century
Authors: Vareschi Mark
Published: December 2017

This essay begins with a general survey of current work in surveillance studies with a particular emphasis on the work in literary studies; it moves then to show the centrality of the 18th century to any account of surveillance or surveillance culture. It concludes with suggestions of how scholars of the literature of the long 18th century might contribute to the field surveillance studies and expand its historical and methodological scope.
Pathophysiology of swallowing following oropharyngeal surgery for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
Authors: Schar M. , Woods C. , Ooi E. H. , Athanasiadis T. , Ferris L. , Szczesniak M. M. , Cock C. , Omari T.
Published: December 2017

Background

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) and coblation channeling of the tongue (CCT) are oropharyngeal surgeries used to treat obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The extent to which UPPP and CCT affect pharyngeal swallow has not been determined. We therefore conducted a novel case series study employing high‐resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) to quantify the swallowing‐related biomechanics following UPPP and/or CCT surgery.

Methods

Twelve patients who underwent UPPP+CCT or CCT only were assessed an average 2.5 years postsurgery. Swallow function data were compared with ten healthy controls. All patients completed the Sydney swallow questionnaire (SSQ). Pharyngeal pressure‐flow analysis of HRIM recordings captured key distension, contractility and pressure‐flow timing swallow parameters testing 5, 10, and 20 mL volumes of thin and thick fluid consistencies.

Key Results

Postoperative patients had more dysphagia symptoms with five returning abnormal SSQ scores. Swallowing was biomechanically altered compared to controls, consistent with diminished swallowing reserve, largely driven by elevated hypopharyngeal intrabolus pressure due to a reduced capacity to open the upper esophageal sphincter to accommodate larger volumes.

Conclusions & Inferences

Patients who have undergone UPPP and/or CCT surgery appear to have a deficiency in normal modulation of the swallowing mechanism and a reduced swallowing functional reserve. We speculate that these changes may become relevant in later life with the onset of age‐related stressors to the swallowing mechanism. This case series strikes a note of caution that further studies are needed to determine the role of preoperative swallow assessment in patients undergoing UPPP and/or CCT surgery.
Perioperative experiences of anesthesia reported by children and parents
Authors: Perrott Claire , Lee Clover‐Ann , Griffiths Sian , Sury Michael R. J.
Published: December 2017

Background

The Sprint National Anaesthesia Project reported feedback from adults but not from children. We developed questionnaires for children and parents, and conducted a survey of perioperative anesthetic experiences in a large pediatric hospital.

Methods

Patients undergoing elective general anesthesia were selected randomly each weekday over 10 weeks. Parents and children were approached within 4 hours after awakening, and were asked to complete a short questionnaire. Personal or patient identifiable data were not collected. Questionnaires were processed by optical mark reading technology and descriptive data analysis was performed.

Results

Seven hundred and forty parents and 250 children completed questionnaires. The most common symptoms reported by parents were thirst and hunger (76%), drowsiness (75%), sore throat (41%), and pain of the surgery (38%). Sixty‐four percent of children felt worried or scared about something before the procedure: common worries were about the “anesthetic,” “procedure,” or “needles/cannula.” Fifty‐five percent reported postoperative pain. Thirty‐nine children (15.6%) remembered something between going to sleep and waking up although distress was not reported; of these, the most common experiences remembered included hearing voices (34%), feeling sore (20%), and being worried (14%). Twenty‐two parents (2.9%) had any complaint and most were about fasting instructions. Only 3 parents would not recommend the anesthetic service.

Conclusion

This study shows that the experiences of children and their parents are similar to those of adults reported by the Sprint National Anaesthesia Project. Thirst (and hunger), anxiety, and pain continue to be common problems for many children. This feedback may help direct interventions and research to improve the pediatric patient and parent experience with anesthesia.
Influence of Roasting Temperature on Electrochemical Performance of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 Cathode for Lithium-Ion Battery
Authors: Niu Lei , Geng Shan , Li Hongliang , Du Songli , Cui Xiaoling , Li Shiyou
Published: December 2017

Nanomicro spheres of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 materials are prepared by carbonate coprecipitation method. The effect of calcination temperatures on morphology and electrochemical property is explored. Results show that the structure of the material becomes more compact with the increase of the temperature, which is propitious to the improvement of electrical conductivity and activation level of the material. The charge–discharge tests show that the sample obtained at 850 °C (LNMO850) exhibits optimal rate capability and cyclic stability, due to the fact that LNMO850 has a high diffusion coefficient, which is propitious to the improvement of electrical conductivity and activation level of the material.
Determination of intrinsic attenuation in the oceanic lithosphere-asthenosphere system
Authors: Takeuchi Nozomu , Kawakatsu Hitoshi , Shiobara Hajime , Isse Takehi , Sugioka Hiroko , Ito Aki , Utada Hisashi
Published: December 2017

Determining damping of our plates

For plate tectonics to operate, a weaker layer called the asthenosphere must underlie the rigid lithospheric plates. Quantifying the difference in strength comes down to how much each layer attenuates energy. Takeuchi
et al.
exploited an ocean-bottom seismic network and seismic energy from the 2011 Japanese Tohoku-oki earthquake to quantify the attenuation in each layer (see the Perspective by Dalton). The attenuation of energy in the asthenosphere lined up with previous estimates, but the lithospheric attenuation was roughly one-fifth as strong as that predicted by some previous models.

Science
, this issue p.
1593
; see also p.
1536
Supercooled water reveals its secrets
Authors: Gallo Paola , Stanley H. Eugene
Published: December 2017

Experiments provide evidence for two liquid phases in supercooled water droplets
Nigrograna mackinnonii, Not Trematosphaeria grisea (syn., Madurella grisea), Is the Main Agent of Black Grain Eumycetoma in Latin America
Authors: Ahmed Sarah A. , González Gloria M. , Tirado-Sánchez Andrés , Moreno-López Luis Miguel , de Hoog Sybren , Bonifaz Alexandro
Published: December 2017

Mycetoma, a chronic and mutilating subcutaneous infection recognized by the WHO as a neglected tropical disease, has been reported in >25 countries in Africa, Asia, and South America. In Latin America,
Trematosphaeria grisea
is assumed to be the prevalent fungal agent. Recent molecular studies have shown that this is an environmental saprobe in Europe, where it is rarely implicated in human diseases. The aim of the present paper is to establish the identity of Latin American cases ascribed to
Trematosphaeria grisea
. Three cases analyzed were caused by
Nigrograna mackinnonii
. Data on an additional 21 strains in the literature revealed that
N. mackinnonii
rather than
T. grisea
is responsible for most cases of black grain eumycetoma in Latin America.
Point-of-care C reactive protein to identify serious infection in acutely ill children presenting to hospital: prospective cohort study
Authors: Verbakel Jan Y , Lemiengre Marieke B , De Burghgraeve Tine , De Sutter An , Aertgeerts Bert , Bullens Dominique M A , Shinkins Bethany , Van den Bruel Ann , Buntinx Frank
Published: December 2017

Objective

Acute infection is the most common presentation of children to hospital. A minority of these infections are serious, but early recognition and adequate management are essential. We aimed to develop improved tools to assess children attending ambulatory hospital care, integrating clinical features with point-of-care C reactive protein (CRP).

Design

Prospective observational diagnostic study.

Setting and patients

5517 acutely ill children (1 month–16 years) presenting to 106 paediatricians at six outpatient clinics and six emergency departments in Belgium.

Index test

Point-of-care CRP alongside vital signs and objective symptoms measurements.

Main outcome

Hospital admission for >24 hours with a serious infection <5 days after presentation.

Results

An algorithm was developed consisting of clinical features and CRP. This achieved 97.1% (95% CI 94.3% to 98.7%) sensitivity and 99.6% (95% CI 99.2% to 99.8%) negative predictive value, excluding serious infections in 36.4% of children. It stratifies patients into three groups based on CRP level: high-risk group with CRP >75 mg/L (26.8% risk of infection), intermediate-risk group with CRP 20–75 mg/L and at least one of seven clinical features (8.1%), and lower risk group with CRP <20 mg/L with at least one of the 11 features (3.8%). Children in intermediate-risk or low-risk groups with normal clinical assessment have 0.6% and 0.4% risk of serious infections, respectively.

Conclusions

Conducting a CRP test may first enable children to be stratified into three risk groups, guiding assessment of clinical features that could be performed by junior doctors or nurses. In one-third of acutely ill children, the algorithm could exclude serious infection. Prospective validation of the algorithm is needed.

Clinical trial registration

NCT02024282(post-results).
Study of ingredients and nutrient composition of commercially available treats for dogs
Authors: Morelli Giada , Fusi Eleonora , Tenti Sandro , Serva Lorenzo , Marchesini Giorgio , Diez Marianne , Ricci Rebecca
Published: December 2017

Forty‐one dog treats were selected from the market with the aim of providing more insight into supplemental pet food composition. Thirty‐two products (four biscuits, nine tender treats, two meat‐based strips, five rawhides, eight chewable sticks, four dental care sticks) were analysed for proximate nutrient composition and quantification of minerals, hydroxyproline (Hyp), starch, glucose, fructose and sucrose. Labelled ingredients were often expressed as non‐specific categories. A treat supplied a mean of 332.0±39.2 kcal metabolisable energy (ME)/100 g, and the most energy‐dense product was a tender treat (475.0 kcal ME/100 g). Small dogs receive the highest percentage of maintenance energy requirement when producers’ feeding instructions are followed. Treat categories revealed variability in dry matter, crude protein, ash, Hyp and starch. Rawhides showed the highest Hyp content. Simple sugars were identified in most treats, and sucrose was the most prevalent. Results of the study suggest treat labelling should include more information on the ingredients used, and the varying nutrient and caloric density of treats should be considered. Specific attention should be given to the use of treats in dogs with specific ingredient sensitivities or nutrient considerations.
Ecosystem classification and mapping of the Laurentian Great Lakes
Authors: Riseng Catherine M. , Wehrly Kevin E. , Wang Li , Rutherford Edward S. , McKenna James E. , Johnson Lucinda B. , Mason Lacey A. , Castiglione Christian , Hollenhorst Thomas P. , Sparks-Jackson Beth L. , Sowa Scott P.
Published: December 2017

Owing to the enormity and complexity of the Laurentian Great Lakes, an ecosystem classification is needed to better understand, protect, and manage this largest freshwater ecosystem in the world. Using a combination of statistical analyses, published knowledge, and expert opinion, we identified key driving variables and their ecologically relevant thresholds and delineated and mapped aquatic systems for the entire Great Lakes. We identified and mapped 77 aquatic ecological units (AEUs) that depict unique combinations of depth, thermal regime, hydraulic, and landscape classifiers. Those 77 AEU types were distributed across 1997 polygons (patches) ranging from 1 to >48 000 km2in area and were most diverse in the nearshore (35 types), followed by the coastal margin (26), and then the offshore (16). Our classification and mapping of ecological units captures gradients that characterize types of aquatic systems in the Great Lakes and provides a geospatial accounting framework for resource inventory, status and trend assessment; research for ecosystem questions; and management and policy-making.
On the thermally-driven gas flow through divergent micro/nanochannels
Authors: Mozaffari Mohammad Sajjad , Roohi Ehsan
Published: December 2017

A detailed study on thermally driven flows through divergent micro/nanochannels is presented. Rarefied gas flow behavior and thermal mass flow rate were investigated with different divergence angles ranging between 0[Formula: see text] and 7[Formula: see text] at two aspect ratios ([Formula: see text]) using particle-based direct simulation Monte-Carlo (DSMC) method. We compare our DSMC solutions for normalized thermal mass flow rate with the numerical solution of the Boltzmann–Krook–Walender (BKW) model and Bhatnagar–Gross–Krook (BGK) model and asymptotic theory over a wide range of Knudsen number in the transition regime. The flow field properties including Mach number, pressure, overall temperature and magnitude of shear stress are examined in detail. Based on our analysis, we observed an approximately constant velocity and pressure distribution at a microchannel with a small opening angle. Our results also demonstrate that the heat lines from weakly nonlinear form of Sone constitutive law and DSMC show good agreement at low Knudsen numbers. Moreover, we show that the effect of divergence angle is influential in increasing normalized thermal mass flow rate at early transition regime.
The order on the light cone and its induced topology
Authors: Papadopoulos Kyriakos , Acharjee Santanu , Papadopoulos Basil K.
Published: December 2017

In this paper, we first correct a recent misconception about a topology that was suggested by Zeeman as a possible alternative to his fine topology. This misconception appeared while trying to establish the causality in the ambient boundary-ambient space cosmological model. We then show that this topology is actually the intersection topology (in the sense of Reed [The intersection topology w.r.t. the real line and the countable ordinals, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 297(2) (1986) 509–520]) between the Euclidean topology on [Formula: see text] and the order topology whose order, namely horismos, is defined on the light cone and we show that the order topology from horismos belongs to the class of Zeeman topologies. These results accelerate the need for a deeper and more systematic study of the global topological properties of spacetime manifolds.
Sublinear-Time Maintenance of Breadth-First Spanning Trees in Partially Dynamic Networks
Authors: Henzinger Monika , Krinninger Sebastian , Nanongkai Danupon
Published: December 2017

We study the problem of maintaining a
breadth-first spanning tree
(BFS tree) in
partially dynamic
distributed networks modeling a sequence of either failures or additions of communication links (but not both). We present deterministic (1+ϵ)-approximation algorithms whose amortized time (over some number of link changes) is
sublinear
in
D
, the
maximum diameter
of the network.

Our technique also leads to a deterministic (1+ϵ)-approximate incremental algorithm for single-source shortest paths in the sequential (usual RAM) model. Prior to our work, the state of the art was the classic
exact
algorithm of Even and Shiloach (1981), which is optimal under some assumptions (Roditty and Zwick 2011; Henzinger et al. 2015). Our result is the first to show that, in the incremental setting, this bound can be beaten in certain cases if some approximation is allowed.
Estimating Spatial Averages of Environmental Parameters Based on Mobile Crowdsensing
Authors: Koukoutsidis Ioannis
Published: December 2017

Mobile crowdsensing can facilitate environmental surveys by leveraging sensor-equipped mobile devices that carry out measurements covering a wide area in a short time without bearing the costs of traditional field work. In this article, we examine statistical methods to perform an accurate estimate of the mean value of an environmental parameter in a region based on such measurements. The main focus is on estimates produced by considering the mobile device readings at a random instant in time. We compare stratified sampling with different stratification weights to sampling without stratification as well as an appropriately modified version of systematic sampling. Our main result is that stratification with weights proportional to stratum areas can produce significantly smaller bias for a moderate number of strata and gets arbitrarily close to the true area average as the number of mobiles increases. The performance of the methods is evaluated for an application scenario where we estimate the mean area temperature in a linear region that exhibits the so-called
Urban Heat Island
effect, with mobile users moving in the region according to the Random Waypoint Model.
Boundary Node Detection and Unfolding of Complex Non-Convex Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: Cheong Se-Hang , Si Yain-Whar
Published: December 2017

Complex non-convex ad hoc networks (CNCAH) contain intersecting polygons and edges. In many instances, the layouts of these networks are not entirely convex in shape. In this article, we propose a Kamada-Kawai-based algorithm called W-KK-MS for boundary node detection problems, which is capable of aligning node positions while achieving high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in producing a visual drawing from the input network topology. The algorithm put forward in this article selects and assigns weights to top-
k
nodes in each iteration to speed up the updating process of nodes. We also propose a novel approach to detect and unfold stacked regions in CNCAH networks. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithms can achieve fast convergence on boundary node detection in CNCAH networks and are able to successfully unfold stacked regions. The design and implementation of a prototype system called ELnet for analyzing CNCAH networks is also described in this article. The ELnet system is capable of generating synthetic networks for testing, integrating with force-directed algorithms, and visualizing and analyzing algorithms’ outcomes.
Partition of capillary blood flow in rumen, reticulum, and omasum of sheep.
Authors: Von Engelhardt W , Hales J R
Published: December 2017

Using radioactive microspheres, mucosal and muscular capillary blood flow have been measured in the rumen, reticulum, and omasum of conscious sheep. Total forestomach capillary blood flow (7.7 ml min(-1) kg body wt(-1)) was about 7% of cardiac output; 95% of the flow was in the mucosa and only 5% in muscle layers. Blood flow in the rumen was 6 times higher than in the reticulum and 4.4 times higher than in the omasum. Mucosal capillary flow per unit area of mucosal epithelium in the omassum (disregarding the increment in area due to papillae) was only one-third of that in the ventral rumen (long papillae); flow in the dorsal rumen (short papillae) was about half the flow in the ventral rumen. Mucosal flow seems to provide a convenient, indirect estimate of the increase in mucosal surface due to papillae and, thereby, of the functional forestomach surface area. Heat stimuli resulted in decreased capillary blood flow--primarily in mucosa during exposure to a warm environment and, also, in muscle during hypothalamic or spinal cord heating.
Abnormalities in taste preference in hypothyroid rats.
Authors: Rivlin R S , Osnos M , Rosenthal S , Henkin R I
Published: December 2017

Rats made hypothyroid by administration of radioactive iodine and age-matched controls were individually caged and offered a choice between either water or varying concentraions of sweet (sucrose), bitter (quinine sulfate), salty (NaCl) or sour HCl solutions to drink ad libitum for 48 h periods. Comparative measurements were made of the volume of test solution consumed to that of total volume consumed and were expressed as taste preferences. Throughout a wide range of concentrations, taste preferences for sucrose were significantly lower (P less than 0.001) and those for quinine sulfate and NaCl significantly higher (P less than 0.001) in hypothyroid animals than in controls. Taste preferences for HCl were generally similar in both groups. Daily intraperitoneal injections of thyroxine, 10 mug/100 g body wt. to hypothyroid rats for 18-24 days eliminated completely the difference between hypothyroid and control rats in taste preference for quinine sulfate. These studies show that significant and reversible changes in taste preferences occur in rats rendered hypothyroid with radioactive iodine.
Activation of the Cori cycle by epinephrine.
Authors: Kusaka M , Ui M
Published: December 2017

The effect of epinephrine on Cori cycle activity has been studied by a tracer kinetic technique. The subcutaneous injection of epinephrine into fasted adrenodemedullated rats activated gluconeogenesis and increased glucose utilization. Most of the glucose utilized in epinephrine-treated rats was converted to lactate, and the conversion to the metabolites other than lactate was markedly suppressed by epinephrine. As a result, not only hyperglycemia and hyperlactacidemia developed, but also the contribution of the Cori cycle to glucose metabolism increased after epinephrine. The glucose-alanine cycle, which is roughly one-third as active as the Cori cycle, was only slightly activated by epinephrine. No evidence was obtained, in vivo and in vitro, for the increased formation of lactate from muscle glycogen which decomposed in response to epinephrine. It is suggested that, in epinephrine-treated rats, blood glucose was converted to blood lactate predominantly while muscle glycogen selectively yielded the metabolites other than blood lactate. This suggests compartmentalization of glycolytic pathway in the peripheral tissues of epinephrine-treated rats.
Influence of vagal cooling on esophageal function.
Authors: Ryan J P , Snape W J , Cohen S
Published: December 2017

Experiments were performed on adult opossums to determine the effect of decreased vagal activity on the esophageal peristalsis and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxation associated with pharyngeal stimulation (PS) and esophageal balloon distension (ED). The cervical vagi were exposed and cooled (individually and bilaterally) to 3 degrees C using Dry Ice and alcohol-chilled saline. Unilateral vagal cooling had no effect on the esophageal peristalsis or LES relaxation associated with PS or ED. Similarly, bilateral vagal cooling did not alter the peristalsis and sphincter relaxation induced by ED. Bilateral vagal cooling, on the other hand, significantly decreased the incidence of peristalsis and the sphincter relaxation associated with PS. Studies were also performed to examine the effect of unilateral and bilateral vagotomy of esophageal function. Neither right nor left cervical vagotomy affected esophageal peristalsis or LES relaxation, regardless of the model of stimulation. Bilateral vagotomy, however, diminished the esophageal response to PS but was without effect on the peristalsis and LES relaxation produced in response to ED. From the studies we condlude: 1) the vagus nerve is of primary importance in regulating the esophageal response to PS, and 2) local neuromuscular factors within the esophageal wall appear sufficient to initiate and maintain an esophageal response to distension.
Gastric emptying and secretion in the rhesus monkey.
Authors: Dubois A , Natelson B H , van Eerdewegh P , Gardner J D
Published: December 2017

The volume and composition of the gastric contents as well as the rates of gastric emptying and secretion were determined simultaneously in conscious chair-adapted monkeys. These determinations were made during fasting and after a liquid meal, thereby allowing studies of the physiologic variables which regulate gastric emptying and gastric secretion. Administration of a water meal is followed by a complex pattern of changes in rates of secretion as well as the fractional rate of emptying. During administration of a 100-ml water meal (pH 7.4), intragastric volume increased while acid concentration decreased; both then returned to fasting values 50 min later. The fractional rate of emptying increased fivefold during administration of the water meal, returned to basal values after 30 min, and then increased again, indicating that gastric emptying cannot be characterized as a simple first-order process with a constant coefficient. The pattern of the change in the rate of water secretion was similar to that for fractional gastric emptying. In contrast, after the meal, gastric acid secretion increased steadily and did not become maximal until 20 min.
Insulin secretion in hypoglycemia after adrenal vein ligature or splachnicotomy.
Authors: Sando H , Miki E , Kosaka K
Published: December 2017

During bonito insulin-induced hypoglycemia in dogs, pancreatic venous dog insulin concentration (IRI), radioimmunoassayed differentially from bonito insulin, was progressively diminished in response to local glucose infusion (0.6 mg/kg - min) for 4 min into the superior pancreaticoduodenal artery. Basal arterial plasma glucose was significantly lower after bilateral splanchnicotomy (BSNC) than after bilateral adrenal vein ligature (BAVL). During local glucose infusion in both normoglycemia and hypoglycemia, the increment of pancreatic venous IRI was significantly greater after BAVL or BSNC than in the controls, and the increment of pancreatic venous glucose was also significantly greater after BAVL than in the controls or after BSNC. It is suggested that under the stress of major surgery the splanchnic nerves partially suppress insulin secretion in normoglycemia as well as in hypoglycemia, and epinephrine released from the adrenal medulla may interfere with glucose-mediated insulin secretion in profound hypoglycemia.
Electrogenic HCl theory in light of effects of SCN- and Ba2+ on frog stomach.
Authors: Sanders S S , Shoemaker R L , Rehm W S
Published: December 2017

It has been previously shown that a) thiocyanate (15 mM) inhibits H+ secretion and increases the resistance and potential difference (PD) which is explained on the basis of separate electrogenic mechanisms for H+ and Cl- and b) barium (1 mM) added to the nutrient side produces a large increase in the resistance and little change in the H+ rate and PD, and the site of the increased resistance is the nutrient membrane of the tubular cells. In the present paper we show that a) with Ba2+ on the nutrient side, addition of thiocyanate to the secretory side decreases the H+ rate to about zero and also decreases the resistance; and b) if the site of the decrease in resistance is the secretory membrane of the tubular cells, in which the HCl is produced, then these findings would be contrary to the predictions on the basis of the electrogenic theory. However, the transmucosal resistance is a function of the resistance across the surface epithelial cells and the resistance of the secretory and nutrient membranes of the tubular cells. With a 79 mM K+ pulse technique, the findings indicate that the resistance of the secretory membrane increases, and the decrease in the resistance is due to changes in the resistance of the surface cells and/or the nutrient membrane of the tubular cells.