bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Imaging microglial activation and amyloid burden in amnestic mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Knezevic Dunja , Verhoeff Nicolaas Paul LG , Hafizi Sina , Strafella Antonio P , Graff-Guerrero Ariel , Rajji Tarek , Pollock Bruce G , Houle Sylvain , Rusjan Pablo M , Mizrahi Romina
Published: November 2017

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is defined as a transitional state between normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Given the replicated finding of increased microglial activation in AD, we sought to investigate whether microglial activation is also elevated in aMCI and whether it is related to amyloid beta (Aβ) burden in-vivo . Eleven aMCI participants and 14 healthy volunteers completed positron emission tomography (PET) scans with [18F]-FEPPA and [11C]-PIB. Given the known sensitivity in affinity of second-generation TSPO radioligands, participants were genotyped for the TSPO polymorphism and only high-affinity binders were included. Dynamic [18F]-FEPPA PET images were analyzed using the 2-tissue compartment model with arterial plasma input function. Additionally, a supplementary method, the standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR), was explored. [11C]-PIB PET images were analyzed using the Logan graphical method. aMCI participants had significantly higher [11C]-PIB binding in the cortical regions. No significant differences in [18F]-FEPPA binding were observed between aMCI participants and healthy volunteers. In the aMCI group, [18F]-FEPPA and [11C]-PIB bindings were correlated in the hippocampus. There were no correlations between our PET measures and cognition. Our findings demonstrate that while Aβ burden is evident in the aMCI stage, microglial activation may not be present.
Cerebral artery myogenic reactivity: The next frontier in developing effective interventions for subarachnoid hemorrhage
Authors: Lidington Darcy , Kroetsch Jeffrey T , Bolz Steffen-Sebastian
Published: November 2017

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a devastating cerebral event that kills or debilitates the majority of those afflicted. The blood that spills into the subarachnoid space stimulates profound cerebral artery vasoconstriction and consequently, cerebral ischemia. Thus, once the initial bleeding in SAH is appropriately managed, the clinical focus shifts to maintaining/improving cerebral perfusion. However, current therapeutic interventions largely fail to improve clinical outcome, because they do not effectively restore normal cerebral artery function. This review discusses emerging evidence that perturbed cerebrovascular “myogenic reactivity,” a crucial microvascular process that potently dictates cerebral perfusion, is the critical element underlying cerebral ischemia in SAH. In fact, the myogenic mechanism could be the reason why many therapeutic interventions, including “Triple H” therapy, fail to deliver benefit to patients. Understanding the molecular basis for myogenic reactivity changes in SAH holds the key to develop more effective therapeutic interventions; indeed, promising recent advancements fuel optimism that vascular dysfunction in SAH can be corrected to improve outcome.
Depression following traumatic brain injury in mice is associated with down-regulation of hippocampal astrocyte glutamate transporters by thrombin
Authors: Piao Chun-Shu , Holloway Ashley L , Hong-Routson Sue , Wainwright Mark S
Published: November 2017

Depression after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common but the mechanisms by which TBI causes depression are unknown. TBI decreases glutamate transporters GLT-1 and GLAST and allows extravasation of thrombin. We examined the effects of thrombin on transporter expression in primary hippocampal astrocytes. Application of a PAR-1 agonist caused down-regulation of GLT-1, which was prevented by inhibition of Rho kinase (ROCK). To confirm these mechanisms in vivo, we subjected mice to closed-skull TBI. Thrombin activity in the hippocampus increased one day following TBI. Seven days following TBI, expression of GLT-1 and GLAST was reduced in the hippocampus, and this was prevented by administration of the PAR-1 antagonist SCH79797. Inhibition of ROCK attenuated the decrease in GLT-1, but not GLAST, after TBI. We measured changes in glutamate levels in the hippocampus seven days after TBI using an implanted biosensor. Stress-induced glutamate levels were significantly increased following TBI and this was attenuated by treatment with the ROCK inhibitor fasudil. We quantified depressive behavior following TBI and found that inhibition of PAR-1 or ROCK decreased these behaviors. These results identify a novel mechanism by which TBI results in down-regulation of astrocyte glutamate transporters and implicate astrocyte and glutamate transporter dysfunction in depression following TBI.
Spatial Bias Induced by Simple Addition and Subtraction: From Eye Movement Evidence
Authors: Zhu Rongjuan , Luo Yangmei , You Xuqun , Wang Ziyu
Published: November 2017

The associations between number and space have been intensively investigated. Recent studies indicated that this association could extend to more complex tasks, such as mental arithmetic. However, the mechanism of arithmetic-space associations in mental arithmetic was still a topic of debate. Thus, in the current study, we adopted an eye-tracking technology to investigate whether spatial bias induced by mental arithmetic was related with spatial attention shifts on the mental number line or with semantic link between the operator and space. In Experiment 1, participants moved their eyes to the corresponding response area according to the cues after solving addition and subtraction problems. The results showed that the participants moved their eyes faster to the leftward space after solving subtraction problems and faster to the right after solving addition problems. However, there was no spatial bias observed when the second operand was zero in the same time window, which indicated that the emergence of spatial bias may be associated with spatial attention shifts on the mental number line. In Experiment 2, participants responded to the operator (operation plus and operation minus) with their eyes. The results showed that mere presentation of operator did not cause spatial bias. Therefore, the arithmetic–space associations might be related with the movement along the mental number line.
Psychosis and Sexual Offending: A Review of Current Literature
Authors: Lewis E. Thomas , Dwyer R. Gregg
Published: November 2017

Sexual offending is a public health concern and societal risk requiring a multi-disciplinary approach. While current data give an indication of the frequency of sexual victimization, these figures likely underestimate the severity of the concern as many of these incidents go unreported. And while sex offender research has increased over the past several decades, particular attention to those offenders with severe mental illness remains limited. In this descriptive review, literature describing sex offenders with psychotic disorders is explored with a focus on recent research. Important considerations are described, including theories surrounding psychosis and sexual offending, hospitalization rates, recidivism, not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI), female offenders, and treatment considerations. By exploring these important aspects of sex offenders with psychosis, conclusions are drawn and future directions are proposed, with a particular emphasis on clinical application for the mental health treatment provider.
Prediction of Recidivism With the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (Reduced Version) in a Sample of Young Spanish Offenders
Authors: Cuervo Keren , Villanueva Lidón
Published: November 2017

Intervention in youth recidivism is critical in helping prevent young people from continuing their criminal career into adulthood, on a life-course-persistent trajectory. Andrews and Bonta attempt to provide an explanation of risk and protective factors using a conversion of the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI), which predicts recidivism. In this study, scores have been obtained from 382 adolescents ( M age = 16.33 years) from the juvenile court, to check the ability of a reduced version of the YLS/CMI, to predict recidivism. The outcome variables for recidivism were examined in the 2-year follow-up period, after their first assessment in the court. The risk factors showed good levels of recidivism prediction. Recidivists obtained significant higher mean total risk scores than nonrecidivists in the reduced ( M = 6.54, SD = 2.44; M = 3.66, SD = 2.85), with areas under the curve (AUCs) ranging from .601 to .857. The factors that emerged as the most discriminative were education/employment, criminal friends, and personality. All the protective factors differentiated between recidivists and nonrecidivists. The results, therefore, showed that this reduced version would be capable of predicting youth recidivism in a reliable way.
Return to Play After Hip Arthroscopic Surgery for Femoroacetabular Impingement in Professional Soccer Players
Authors: Locks Renato , Utsunomiya Hajime , Briggs Karen K. , McNamara Shannen , Chahla Jorge , Philippon Marc J.
Published: November 2017

Background:

Arthroscopic hip surgery has been shown to be effective in returning professional athletes back to play at a high level of performance in different sports. Limited information exists regarding professional soccer players and their return to play.

Purpose:

To determine the rate and time to return to sport for professional soccer players after hip arthroscopic surgery for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and to identify possible risk factors associated with a delay in returning to play.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Professional soccer players who underwent hip arthroscopic surgery for FAI by a single surgeon between 2005 and 2015 were evaluated. Data retrieved from www.mlssoccer.com , www.fifa.com , www.transfermarkt.co.uk , and www.wikipedia.org included information on each player’s professional career, participation on the national team, length of professional career before surgery, number of appearances (games) before surgery, time between surgery and first appearance in a professional game, and number of appearances after surgery. Other data were obtained from the patient’s medical records.

Results:

Twenty-four professional soccer players (26 hips) were included. The mean age at surgery was 25.0 ± 4.0 years (range, 19-32 years). A total of 96% of patients were able to return to play at the professional level. The mean time between surgery and the first professional game played was 9.2 months (range, 1.9-24.0 months). On average, players played in 70 games after surgery (range, 0-224). National team players were able to return to play significantly earlier than the rest of the players (median, 5.7 months vs 11.6 months, respectively; P = .018). Severe chondral damage and microfracture did not interfere with return to play.

Conclusion:

The arthroscopic management of FAI in symptomatic professional soccer players allowed 96% of them to return to play. Players with national team experience were able to return to play earlier than those without it. Severe chondral damage and microfracture did not interfere with return to play.
Effects of the New York State Concussion Management and Awareness Act (“Lystedt Law”) on Concussion-Related Emergency Health Care Utilization Among Adolescents, 2005-2015
Authors: Baker David R. , Kulick Erin R. , Boehme Amelia K. , Noble James M.
Published: November 2017

Background:

All states have enacted legislation addressing the management of sports-related concussions (SRCs) in adolescent athletes. The effect of these laws on health care utilization is uncertain.

Hypothesis/Purpose:

The purpose was to evaluate the effects of New York’s 2011 Concussion Management and Awareness Act (“Lystedt Law”) on emergency department (ED) concussion health care visits (EDCHVs) and brain imaging utilization. It was hypothesized that New York concussion legislation would have a significant temporal effect on EDCHVs.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

Using the New York State Department of Health Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) database, trends in EDCHVs from 2005 to 2015 were identified among 12- to 18-year-old patients, comprising 5,740,403 total ED visits.

Results:

Overall, 208,024 EDCHVs, including 54,669 for an SRC, occurred during the study period. EDCHVs increased from 13,664 (2.74% of all ED visits) in 2005 to a peak of 21,374 (4.26%) in 2013, with greatest relative increases from 2008 to 2013. SRCs followed a similar trend: 3213 (0.64%) in 2005 to a peak of 6197 (1.24%) in 2013. Brain imaging utilization decreased by 5.3% for EDCHVs and 15.4% for SRCs (all comparisons year-by-year and for trends; P < .001).

Conclusion:

The period of greatest increases in EDCHVs and decreases in brain imaging utilization for SRCs preceded New York concussion legislation by several years, suggesting a minimal direct effect on emergency care–seeking behavior for concussions. Instead, increased public awareness of SRCs and imaging guidelines may have driven EDCHV trends and imaging practices.
Effect of three pretreatment techniques on the chemical composition and on the methane yields of Opuntia ficus-indica (prickly pear) biomass
Authors: Calabrò PS , Catalán E , Folino A , Sánchez A , Komilis D
Published: November 2017

Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) is an emerging biomass that has the potential to be used as substrate in anaerobic digestion. The goal of this work was to investigate the effect of three pretreatment techniques (thermal, alkaline, acidic) on the chemical composition and the methane yield of OFI biomass. A composite experimental design with three factors and two to three levels was implemented, and regression modelling was employed using a total of 10 biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests. The measured methane yields ranged from 289 to 604 NmL/gVSadded; according to the results, only the acidic pretreatment (HCl) was found to significantly increase methane generation. However, as the experimental values were quite high with regards to the theoretical methane yield of the substrate, this effect still needs to be confirmed via further research. The alkaline pretreatment (NaOH) did not noticeably affect methane yields (an average reduction of 8% was recorded), despite the fact that it did significantly reduce the lignin content. Thermal pretreatment had no effect on the methane yields or the chemical composition. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed changes in the chemical structure after the addition of NaOH and HCl. Modelling of the cumulated methane production by the Gompertz modified equation was successful and aided in understanding kinetic advantages linked to some of the pretreatments. For example, the alkaline treatment (at the 20% dosage) at room temperature resulted to a μmax (maximum specific methane production rate [NmLCH4/(gVSadded·d)]) equal to 36.3 against 18.6 for the control.
Introduction to the Special Issue on Single-Case Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
Authors: Maggin Daniel M. , Lane Kathleen Lynne , Pustejovsky James E.
Published: November 2017

This special issue provides an update on recent conceptual and methodological developments for conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of single-case research. In this introductory article, we (a) describe the important role of systematic reviews and meta-analyses within special education; (b) discuss several methodological issues authors must consider when planning and conducting a rigorous single-case review; and (c) summarize current approaches for addressing each of these issues. Following this overview, we describe each article in the special issue, paying particular attention to the methodological areas highlighted. We conclude with recommendations for continued research and development in several areas.
Issues and Advances in the Systematic Review of Single-Case Research: A Commentary on the Exemplars
Authors: Manolov Rumen , Guilera Georgina , Solanas Antonio
Published: November 2017

The current text comments on three systematic reviews published in the special section Issues and Advances in the Systematic Review of Single-Case Research: An Update and Exemplars. The commentary is provided in relation to the need to combine the assessment of the methodological quality of the studies included in systematic reviews, the assessment of the presence of functional relations via visual analysis following objective rules, and the quantification of the magnitudes of effect, providing meaningful information. Although it was not required that the exemplars follow specific guidelines for conduct and reporting, we applied an existing methodological quality checklist for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Finally, we point at specific signs of advance in the field of performing systematic reviews of single-case design studies, as identified in the three exemplars, and we also suggest some issues requiring further research and discussion.
Risk factors for non-fatal occupational injuries among construction workers: A case–control study
Authors: Khashaba E , El-Helaly M , El-Gilany AH , Motawei SM , Foda S
Published: November 2017

Background:

Substance abuse is a serious problem, because it affects both workers and young people. Prevalence and consequences of cannabis abuse among construction workers in particular are not well studied in Egypt.

Objectives:

To determine the association between non-fatal occupational injuries among construction workers and their demographic and occupational factors and to assess the frequency of cannabis abuse and its relationship to injury severity and workdays lost.

Subjects and methods:

A case–control study was conducted at Mansoura Emergency Hospital. Cases were 100 acutely injured male workers. A control group of 90 healthy age-matched workers was selected from 8 construction sites. Workers were interviewed, and a questionnaire was completed that included socio-demographic data, full occupational history, and causes and type of injury. Injury outcome measures included lost workdays and the injury severity score (ISS). Cannabis abuse in injured workers was monitored by preliminary testing of urine and confirmatory testing of blood.

Results:

Logistic regression analysis revealed that the independent predictors of occupational injuries were rural residence, being a carpenter or painter and past history of injuries. The most common accidents were slipping falls (62%). Confirmed cannabis test was positive in 51.1% of the injured workers. Median days away from work were greater among cannabis users than non-users. The ISS was significantly higher among users compared to non-users ( p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Cannabis abuse can increase injury severity and prolong workdays lost. Drug testing is recommended for at-risk construction workers with inadequate safety measures.
Taurine-loaded poly (ε-caprolactone)/gelatin electrospun mat as a potential wound dressing material: In vitro and in vivo evaluation
Authors: Farzamfar Saeed , Naseri-Nosar Mahdi , Samadian Hadi , Mahakizadeh Simin , Tajerian Roksana , Rahmati Majid , Vaez Ahmad , Salehi Majid
Published: November 2017

In this study, taurine (2-aminoethane sulfonic acid), an amino acid found in large amounts in most mammalian tissues, was incorporated with poly (ε-caprolactone) and gelatin in order to develop a drug-loaded composite wound dressing material. The composite mats from poly (ε-caprolactone)/gelatin (1:1 (w/w)) solution incorporated with 3%, 5%, and 10% (w/w) of taurine were produced by electrospinning. The electrospun mats were evaluated regarding their morphology, wettability, water uptake capacity, water vapor transmission rate, tensile strength, and cellular response with L929 cell line. The mat containing 5% of taurine was chosen as the optimum dressing for in vivo study on the full-thickness excisional wounds of Wistar rats. The results showed that after 2 weeks, the wounds treated with the taurine-loaded dressing achieved a significant closure to nearly 92% compared with the sterile gauze, as control, which showed nearly 68% of wound closure. The histological examination of the wounds revealed that the wounds treated with the taurine-loaded dressing had densely packed collagen fibers with parallel alignment. Whereas, the sterile gauze–treated wounds had loosely packed collagen fibers with an irregular arrangement. Our results provided evidence supporting the possible applicability of the taurine-loaded wound dressings for successful wound treatment.
Nanomicelle drug with acid-triggered doxorubicin release and enhanced cellular uptake ability based on mPEG-graft-poly(N-(2-aminoethyl)-L-aspartamide)-hexahydrophthalic acid copolymers
Authors: Cao Li , Xiao Yi , Lu Wei , Liu Shiyuan , Gan Lin , Yu Jiahui , Huang Jin
Published: November 2017

In order to achieve the passive tumor targeting and acid-triggered drugs release in lysosomes, optimized delivery system for doxorubicin based on pH-sensitive complex nanomicelles with suitable particle size was developed in this research. Particularly, poly(L-succinimide) was thoroughly ring-opened by ethylenediamine to give the poly(N-(2-aminoethyl)-L-aspartamide). Then, graft copolymer mPEG-graft-poly(N-(2-aminoethyl)-L-aspartamide)-hexahydrophthalic acid (mPEG-g-P(ae-Asp)-Hap) was synthesized by grafting mPEG-2000 and hexahydrophthalic anhydride onto poly(N-(2-aminoethyl)-L-aspartamide). In vitro studies revealed that mPEG-g-P(ae-Asp)-Hap copolymer was stable in neutral solutions but tend to be hydrolyzed under acidic condition, which was attributed to the acid-sensitive properties of hexahydrophthalic amides (β-carboxylic amides). MPEG-g-P(ae-Asp)-Hap copolymer with critical aggregation concentration of 0.166 mg·mL−1 could self-assemble into stable blank nanomicelles with an average particle hydrodynamic diameter of 98.1 nm, but the hydrodynamic diameter of doxorubicin-loaded nanomicelles (mPEG-g-P(ae-Asp)-Hap·Dox) was smaller and approximately 77.5 nm. MPEG-g-P(ae-Asp)-Hap·Dox nanomicelles showed sustained drug release profiles over 34 h, and the cumulative drug release showed a tendency to increase from 25% to 62% with the pH value decreasing from 7.4 to 5.0 due to the acid-triggered disassembly of nanomicelles. The cytotoxicity of mPEG-g-P(ae-Asp)-Hap·Dox nanomicelles against A549 treated with 40 mM NH4Cl (lysosomotropic weak bases) was decreased significantly than that without NH4Cl treatment, further confirmed the drug release from the nanomicelles was triggered by the low pH value of lysosome (pH 5.0). Compared with doxorubicin HCl, mPEG-g-P(ae-Asp)-Hap·Dox nanomicelle drug showed enhanced cellular uptake ability during 2 or 4 h of incubation due to the endocytosis mechanism of nanomicelle drug. In summary, the cleavage of pH-sensitive β-carboxylic amides bonds on the hydrophobic branch of mPEG-g-P(ae-Asp)-Hap copolymer triggered the disassembly of the nanomicelles and release of doxorubicin in the acidic lysosomal compartments of cancer cells. These nanomicelles exhibited excellent potential for drug delivery due to their smart properties-PEGylation, suitable size, and acid-triggered drug release.
Using a Triple Helix approach to examine interactions and dynamics of innovation in less-favoured regions
Authors: Natário Manuela , Braga Ascensão , Daniel Ana , Rosa Cecília , Salgado Miguel
Published: November 2017

Using the Triple Helix model, this article examines the contribution of a higher education institution, the Polytechnic of Guarda (PG), located in an inland, a less-favoured region of Portugal, to territorial innovation dynamics. The main goal is to explore how the interaction and cooperation between the three helices of the Guarda region (PG, companies and local governance institutions) fosters innovation and development in a less-favoured region in a sustainable way, generating new patterns of collaboration among the helices. The study investigates the behaviour of the three helices through an online survey. The results suggest that PG has a key role in building a knowledge-based society, in advancing innovation and the development of the region. Its role in business dynamics and community development through knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship training is reflected mainly in the high proportion of businesses and institutions of the local governance system that have workers trained in this institution, and in the satisfaction (medium and high) with the work performed by professionals trained at PG. Although the other helices (companies and local governance institutions) are also involved in innovation to different degrees, the innovation performance of the region remains low because of weak interactions between companies and PG, and between companies and local governance institutions. However, a closer relationship is identified between local governance institutions and PG.
The perpetual becoming of humanity
Authors: Aidnik Martin
Published: November 2017

Growing interest has been shown toward humanism in the 21st century after decades of critique and rejection. Posthumanism and transhumanism have redefined the topic primarily through developments in technology and by focusing on relations of interconnectedness between humans and the environment. A different concern with ‘being human’ can be found in the writings of Zygmunt Bauman and Ernst Bloch. The leitmotif of Bauman’s sociology and of Bloch’s utopian philosophy is their assertion that humans have the distinct capacity to transcend necessity and inevitability. Their works share the concern for a good society that would ameliorate social fragmentation and disintegration. Following this, the article seeks to theorize the meaning of humanism in the contemporary era. Taking up Bauman’s notion of interregnum, the article will argue that the contemporary importance of humanism is social in the sense of redeeming the currently casualized human condition, i.e. diminished life-chances, inequality and alienation. Interregnum marks a historical epoch where the old order has decayed, but the new one is not yet present. In interregnum, or in what Bloch calls Mischzeit, humanism is about a human being-in-the-world which contains the possibility to do better.
Investigating the effect of engine noise on power management strategy of a hybrid electric vehicle
Authors: Delkhosh Mojtaba , Aliramezani Masoud , Khadem Nahvi Mahdi
Published: November 2017

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) have been developed as a promising way to decrease the fuel consumption and emissions of conventional vehicles. Although the noise emission of HEVs is generally lower than that of conventional vehicles, it is still an issue, especially in urban transportation. In this paper, a power management strategy is developed to minimize the annoying noise of the engine for an HEV. This is a modified version of the strategy that was originally established based on the speed ratio of continuously variable transmission (CVT) as the control parameter (CVT-based strategy). The engine combustion noise is assessed using the experimental data of the in-cylinder pressure. Also, the engine brake specific fuel consumption (bsfc) is defined from the experiments. The bsfc and noise data are implemented in the power management strategy. The proposed strategy offers a better performance in terms of reducing engine noise and fuel consumption in comparison with an electric assist control strategy (EACS). On the other hand, the proposed strategy results in a lower level of engine noise than the original CVT-based strategy at the expense of slightly increasing the fuel consumption. For instance, the noise level (dB) in an urban dynamometer driving cycle using the proposed strategy is 49% lower than the case of CVT-based strategy, while the vehicle FC is about 1.1% more than the CVT-based case.
Model-based calibration of reaction-based diesel combustion dynamics
Authors: Men Yifan , Haskara Ibrahim , Wang Yue-Yun , Chang Chen-Fang , Zhu Guoming
Published: November 2017

This paper presents a control-oriented, reaction-based diesel combustion model that predicts the time-based rate of combustion, in-cylinder gas temperature, and pressure over one engine cycle. The model, based on the assumption of a homogeneous thermodynamic combustion process, uses a two-step chemical reaction mechanism that consists of six species: diesel fuel (C10.8H18.7), oxygen (O2), carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), nitrogen (N2), and carbon monoxide (CO). The temperature variation rate is calculated based on the rate of change of species concentrations; the heat loss correlation is also used to study the model performance. The accuracy of the model is evaluated using test data from a GM 6.6 L, eight-cylinder Duramax engine. The main contribution is the model calibration under different key operational conditions over a large engine speed and load range as well as different injection timings and exhaust gas recirculation rates by solving the optimal calibration problem. The calibrated reaction-based model accurately predicts the indicated mean effective pressure, while keeping the errors of in-cylinder pressure and temperature small, and, at the same time, significantly reduces the calibration effort, especially when the engine is operated under multiple fuel injection operations compared with Wiebe-based combustion models. The calibrated model parameters have a strong correlation to engine speed, load, and injection timings, and, as a result, a universal parameter calibration structure is proposed for entire operational conditions.
An experimental investigation of exhaust waste heat recycling by thermoelectric generators under different thermal conditions for internal combustion engines
Authors: Kunt M Akif
Published: November 2017

Almost 70% of heat power produced by pistons in internal combustion engines is lost due to exhaust and cooling. In the course of the heating process, 25% of useful energy transfers to the exit shaft. There have been a lot of studies on recycling waste heat of internal combustion engines, especially on cooling and exhaust systems. A thermoelectric generator is an important way to recycle waste energy in exhaust systems of internal combustion engines. In this study, an air-cooled thermoelectric generator was designed to recycle waste heat energy in exhaust systems of internal combustion engines and its performance was tested. Waste heat recycling tests were conducted by measuring voltage, current, and power values under different thermal conditions depending on the change in load resistance. The results obtained were compared with the results of analyses and experiments. Maximum voltage value at RI = 45Ω load resistance was obtained as 11.03 V (experiment) and 11.22 V (analysis), and maximum current value at RI = 5Ω load resistance as 0.42 A (experiment) at Th = 250°C, Δ T = 40°C.
Effect of road gradient on regenerative braking energy in a pure electric vehicle
Authors: Bian Jindong , Qiu Bin
Published: November 2017

A regenerative brake system significantly improves the energy efficiency of electric vehicles, but road gradient can adversely affect fuel economy and vehicle control. This study seeks to explore the effects of road gradient on the regenerative brake system on the basis of driving information collected by global positioning systems (GPS) and inertial sensors, including road gradient and vehicle speed. Then optimization is made of conventional parallel control strategy, serial control strategy with fixed front–rear brake force allocation, and serial control strategy with optimal energy recovery. By calculating the contribution ratio to energy consumption reduction in each of the three strategies based on a model of pure electric vehicle’s energy flow, the roles that road gradient plays are carefully investigated. Simulation results show that our proposal for taking road gradient into account helps to design more efficient strategies of regenerative braking systems.
Determination of critical operating and geometrical parameters in diesel injectors through one dimensional modelling, design of experiments and an analysis of variance
Authors: Salvador Francisco J , Carreres Marcos , Crialesi-Esposito Marco , Plazas Alejandro H
Published: November 2017

In this paper, a design of experiments and a statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) are performed to determine the parameters that have more influence on the mass flow rate profile in diesel injectors. The study has been carried out using a one dimensional model previously implemented by the authors. The investigation is split into two different parts. First, the analysis is focused on functional parameters such as the injection and discharge pressures, the energizing time and the fuel temperature. In the second part, the influence of 37 geometrical parameters, such as the diameters of hydraulic lines, calibrated orifices and internal volumes, among others, are analysed. The objective of the study is to quantify the impact of small variations in the nominal value of these parameters on the injection rate profile for a given injector operating condition. In the case of the functional parameters, these small variations may be attributed to possible undesired fluctuations in the conditions that the injector is submitted to. As far as the geometrical and flow parameters are concerned, the small variations studied are representative of manufacturing tolerances that could influence the injected mass flow rate.

As a result, it has been noticed that the configuration of the inlet and outlet orifices of the control volume, together with the discharge coefficient of the inlet orifice, among a few others, play a remarkable role in the injector performance. The reason resides in the fact that they are in charge of controlling the behaviour of the pressure in the control volume, which importantly influences injector dynamics and therefore the injection process. Variations of only 5% in the diameter of these orifices strongly modify the shape of the rate of injection curve, influencing both the injection delay and the duration of the injection process, consequently changing the total mass delivered.
Robust adaptive finite-time attitude tracking and synchronization control for multi-spacecraft with actuator saturation
Authors: Zhu Zhihao , Guo Yu
Published: November 2017

This paper studies a novel robust adaptive finite-time attitude tracking and synchronization control problem for multi-spacecraft with leader-following architecture, actuator saturation, unknown time-varying inertia and disturbance. Aiming at rejecting the influence of uncertainties and disturbances, an adaptive algorithm is proposed with no prior knowledge of inertia. Meanwhile, based on finite-time control, consensus algorithm and graph theory, a robust adaptive and synchronized attitude tracking control law with a dynamic adjustment function is presented to regulate the attitude to a common time-varying desired state in finite time and improve the dynamic property of system. The effectiveness and performance of the designed control approach are demonstrated through numerical simulation results.
Dynamic characteristics of multifunctional structure for spacecraft
Authors: Hao Dong , Zhang Lin , Yu Jing , Mao Daiyong
Published: November 2017

The minimum cost is an important aspect of the spacecraft design. A proposed approach is the multifunctional structure technology, which fully integrates subassemblies and performs both structural and other functions for spacecraft. By combining the structural and functional subsystems into a single unit, the mass and volume savings can be realized. In order to investigate the dynamical properties of the multifunctional structure, which contains viscoelastic components, sine-sweep tests and random vibrations are carried out in present paper. The experimental results show that the multifunctional structure could survive the vibration environment. The first resonance frequency decreases with increment of the testing levels, and the base frequency of the multifunctional structure is larger than 100 Hz for all tested loading cases, meeting the frequency requirement for most spacecraft platforms. The multifunctional structure in this paper has successfully combined the structural and battery function, indicating potential for future lightweight and cost-saving spacecraft application.
Mothers’ Neural and Behavioral Responses to Their Infants’ Distress Cues: The Role of Secure Base Script Knowledge
Authors: Groh Ashley M. , Haydon Katherine C.
Published: November 2017

This research examined mothers’ secure base script knowledge—reflected in the ability to generate narratives in which attachment-relevant problems are recognized, competent help is offered, and problems are resolved—and its significance for early-stage processing of infants’ distress cues, using event-related potentials in an emotion oddball task. Mothers with lower secure base script knowledge exhibited (a) a heightened P3b response—reflective of greater allocation of cognitive resources—to their infants’ distressed (but not happy) target facial expressions; (b) a larger P3b response to their infants’ distressed (compared with happy) target facial expressions, which is indicative of allocating disproportional attentional resources to processing their infants’ distress; and (c) poorer accuracy in identifying their infants’ distressed target facial expressions. Findings suggest that mothers’ attachment-relevant biases in processing their infants’ emotion cues are especially tied to infant distress and shed light on underlying mechanisms linking mothers’ attachment representations with sensitive responding to infant distress.
Do Celebrities Have It All? Context Collapse and the Networked Publics
Authors: Kaul Asha , Chaudhri Vidhi
Published: November 2017

With the advent of social media and increase in networked publics, context collapse has emerged as a critical topic in the discussion of imagined audiences and blurring of the private and the public. The meshing of social contexts portends problematic issues as messages inadvertently reach unimagined audiences causing shame and leading to loss of ‘face’. In this article, we specifically study the impact of context collapse on some celebrities ‘who had it all’ yet, lost ‘it some’ to the world of networked public. The article examines celebrities sharing identity information across multiple contexts and explores situations of lost fame when ‘face’ is threatened, usage falters and breaks some of the well-established norms of interactivity. It concludes that lack of prudence in separating social contexts, loss of ‘face’ and social approval can dampen online celebrity presence. It proposes the use of ‘polysemy’ to simultaneously appeal to audiences from different contexts.
Where River Meets the Sea
Authors: Buisson Marie-Charlotte , Das Arijit , Mukherji Aditi
Published: November 2017

Regular supply of maintenance fund for water infrastructures in costal Bangladesh is a necessary condition for the existence of river embankments. This article reviews a number of efforts to identify rules and conditions helping the regular supply of maintenance fund. A number of studies have used experimental games to replicate a real-life situation. The experimental results show that participants from Local Government Engineering Department polders significantly contribute more than players from Bangladesh Water Development Board polders which indicate importance of institutional environment. Also, our study finds significant importance of economic homogeneity in the group as well as proportional sharing of benefits increases the level of contribution.

JEL: C93, Z13, D74
Equal Relations and Appropriate Expertise in India’s South-South Co-operation? Discourse and Practice of the Pan-African e-Network
Authors: Bruyn Tom De
Published: November 2017

This article examines the implementation of India’s South-South Co-operation (SSC) principles in the health component of one of its flagship project: the Pan-African e-Network. Data are combined from the few available studies as well as from fieldwork in Mozambique, including interviews and policy documents. After scrutinizing the capacity building approach and the conception, design and implementation phases, the conclusion drawn is that the governmental discourse does not match with practice. Despite an efficient implementation of the infrastructure, the top-down, stand-alone and one-size-fits-all approach limits the agency in and appropriation of the project by its end users as well as an effective transfer of Indian expertise to other contexts.
Learning from history and acting politically: The threats and opportunities facing the sociology of the sport community
Authors: Malcolm Dominic
Published: November 2017

This article reflects on the history of the International Sociology of Sport Association and the International Review for the Sociology of Sport, and the words and deeds of previous editors, to illustrate both the perennial challenges and future prospects facing the sociology of sport. In light of neoliberal higher educational trends, and the interplay of the politics of language and knowledge in ‘post-truth’ societies, it explores how the sociology of sport may respond to the contemporaneous crisis in sociology. It argues that despite notable challenges ahead, there is considerable scope for sociologists of sport to exert agency and thus build on the opportunities presented to, and the many existing strengths of, the field.
Design and experimental research of a magnetorheological elastomer isolator working in squeeze/elongation–shear mode
Authors: Tao Yu , Rui Xiaoting , Yang Fufeng , Chen Gangli , Bian Leixiang , Zhu Wei , Wei Min
Published: November 2017

Due to the properties of controllable stiffness and damping, a novel isolator based on magnetorheological elastomers is introduced in this article. According to the experimental results, the initial vertical stiffness and damping coefficient of the magnetorheological elastomer isolator are 1.14 × 106 N/m and 495.8 N s/m, respectively. The relative increase in stiffness and damping is 66.57% and 45.55%, respectively. The isolation transmissibility and root mean square of acceleration response are reduced by 41.2% and 65.3%, respectively. To describe the magnetic-induced stress–strain relationship of the anisotropic magnetorheological elastomers, a theoretical model is presented as magnetorheological elastomers working in squeeze/elongation and shear modes simultaneously. Then, the stiffness formula relating to the magnetic field, strain, and the other demanding parameters is deduced. The analytical results of the stiffness formula are fairly in agreement with the experimental data.
A novel velocity self-sensing magnetorheological damper: Design, fabricate, and experimental analysis
Authors: Guan Xinchun , Ru Yi , Huang Yonghu
Published: November 2017

This article presents the development of a novel magnetorheological damper with velocity self-sensing capability. The velocity self-sensing mechanism, based on the optical tracking technology and numerical circuit technology, was adopted. The configuration and work principle of the velocity self-sensing magnetorheological damper were presented. The self-sensing circuits, built with optical mouse sensor and microcontrollers, were integrated into the hollow upper lid. The hollow upper lid provides a suitable place for the self-sensing circuits, can be installed and disassembled easily, and can be maintained efficiently. The velocity self-sensing magnetorheological damper prototype with 10 kN capacity was theoretically analyzed, fabricated, and investigated. Finally, the damping performance, self-sensing performance, and self-sensing control capability were tested and analyzed. The results indicated that self-sensing velocity unit has high accurate monitoring capability over a wide range of working conditions. The velocity self-sensing magnetorheological damper–based control system has sufficient ability to control the magnetorheological damper.
Energy harvesting from a piezoelectric slipper during walking
Authors: Cha Youngsu , Seo Jiyeon
Published: November 2017

In this article, we study energy harvesting during human walking from a slipper that hosts a piezoelectric energy transducer. Specifically, we demonstrate the feasibility of energy harvesting when a human wearing a slipper without a heel counter walks on a treadmill. In contrast to other work, we focus on the bending of the slipper instead of the heel strike and foot pressure as an energy source. We analyze the deflection and electrical behavior of the slipper through video analysis and voltage output measurement, respectively. We observe the oscillation of the slipper after its toe-off and the effect of high harmonics on the slipper bending. Additionally, we predict the harvested power delivery to load resistances from the piezoelectric slipper using a model and compare it with the experimental results. We find that the harvested power increases and optimal load resistance decreases with walking speed.
Effect of various factors on the design of control algorithm of semi-active base isolation systems
Authors: Dadkhah Hamed , Noruzvand Mahsa , Khiavi Aydin Forghani
Published: November 2017

In this article, the effect of various factors, such as earthquake characteristics, base isolation system properties, and dynamic model of isolated structure, on the design of control algorithm of the semi-active base isolation systems composed of a magneto-rheological damper and a base isolation system is studied. The weighting parameters defined in the control algorithm are the design variables that are determined for various design objectives. For numerical simulation, a six-story base isolated shear frame has been subjected to different earthquakes while different values have been considered for the dynamic parameters of both base isolation system and isolated structure. The results show that to design the control algorithm proportionally with each design objective, an appropriate range to select the weighting parameter can be determined instead of a specific value, which these ranges are almost similar under different earthquake records. Hence, when the control algorithm is designed under an earthquake, the designed control algorithm satisfies the considered design objective under other earthquake records. Also, because the appropriate ranges to select the weighting parameter are independent of the dynamic properties of both the base isolation system and the isolated structure, the company that produces the magneto-rheological damper can propose the appropriate range for designing the weighting parameters of control algorithm which is compatible with both different structures and earthquakes.
Perceptions and Uses of Public and Private Health Care in a Brazilian Favela
Authors: Castiglione Débora , Lovasi Gina S. , Carvalho Marilia S.
Published: November 2017

Since 1988, Brazil has reorganized and expanded its public health care system, defining access to health care as a right of every citizen. In parallel, the private health care sector grew rapidly to become one of the largest in the world. We explore the use of public and private health care by a low-income population living in a favela, Rio das Pedras, in Rio de Janeiro. At the time of data collection, only part of the community was covered by the primary health care program. We conducted semistructured interviews with 14 adults, both with and without access to the public primary care program. Regardless of program coverage, participants noted barriers and negative experiences while accessing public health care. The perceived inability of health professionals to deal compassionately with a low-income population was prominent in their narratives, and in the expressed motivation for pursuing private sector health care alternatives. We explore the tension arising from the more recent rights-based health care provision and historic social control and assistentialist framing of state intervention in Brazilian favelas.