bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconsidering the Geddesian Concepts of Community and Space through the Paradigm of Smart Cities
Authors: Garau Chiara , Zamperlin Paola , Balletto Ginevra
Published: September 2016

The 100th anniversary of Geddes’ book “Cities in Evolution” has just passed, and the authors of this paper present a contribution towards understanding “how” Geddes might address the paradigm of the “smart city”. Geddesian concepts have greatly revolutionized the design and building of modern cities around the world. As a botanist and a scientist, Geddes incorporated the concept of the appearance of gardens when designing towns. His success in pioneering the planning of his city of residence in Scotland inspired further involvement in designing towns and the renovation of old structures and buildings. His concepts regarding the planning and development of towns and cities have created a foundation of interest in research, professionalism, and educational development. This study analyses the concepts of space, communities, and smart cities, and repositions Geddesian ideas in contemporary learning strategies in relation to the wider political spectrum associated with the paradigm of smart cities. The authors explore the relevance of his thoughts and perspectives in the current design environment geared towards the creation of smart cities. The study also evaluates the challenges of developing smart cities in relation to Patrick Geddes’s ideas.
A Reflection on Low Energy Renovation of Residential Complexes in Southern Europe
Authors: Corvacho Helena , Brandão Alves Fernando , Rocha Cecília
Published: September 2016

The transformation of European existing building stock towards very low energy buildings requires a new approach. In this context, it seems reasonable to think that buildings should no longer be renovated individually but as part of a global energy system. Focusing on larger urban units may present some scale advantages and may constitute an opportunity to change the urban environment in a smart energy way. Specificities of Southern European countries are addressed. Due either to the climate or the life style, there are large differences in energy consumption per dwelling among southern and northern European countries. How much heating energy will be saved by over-insulating building envelopes if people do not feel the need to heat their houses in the first place? In addition, real energy use in buildings frequently shows major differences with respect to the predicted consumption. The definition of realistic solutions demands the availability of realistic predictions. A case of a residential complex in Portugal is used to illustrate the main questions and to conclude that moving from a building to a group of buildings scale may be an interesting challenge for policy makers to look closer in the near future.
Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Evaluation of Space and Water Heating in Urban Residential Buildings of the Hot Summer and Cold Winter Zone in China
Authors: Chen Xiao , Wen Yongquan , Li Nanyang
Published: September 2016

With the urbanization process of the hot summer and cold winter (HSCW) zone in China, the energy consumption of space and water heating in urban residential buildings of the HSCW zone has increased rapidly. This study presents the energy efficiency and sustainability evaluation of various ways of space and water heating taking 10 typical cities in the HSCW zone as research cases. Two indicators, primary energy efficiency (PEE) and sustainability index based on exergy efficiency, are adopted to perform the evaluation. Models for the energy and total exergy efficiencies of various space and water heating equipment/systems are developed. The evaluation results indicate that common uses of electricity for space and water heating are the most unsustainable ways of space and water heating. In terms of PEE and sustainability index, air-source heat pumps for space and water heating are suitable for the HSCW zone. The PEE and sustainability index of solar water heaters with auxiliary electric heaters are greatly influenced by local solar resources. Air-source heat pump assisted solar hot water systems are the most sustainable among all water heating equipment/systems investigated in this study. Our works suggest the key potential for improving the energy efficiency and the sustainability of space and water heating in urban residential buildings of the HSCW zone.
Structural and Functional Elucidation of Peptide Ts11 Shows Evidence of a Novel Subfamily of Scorpion Venom Toxins
Authors: Cremonez Caroline , Maiti Mohitosh , Peigneur Steve , Cassoli Juliana , Dutra Alexandre , Waelkens Etienne , Lescrinier Eveline , Herdewijn Piet , De Lima Maria , Pimenta Adriano , Arantes Eliane , Tytgat Jan
Published: September 2016

To date, several families of peptide toxins specifically interacting with ion channels in scorpion venom have been described. One of these families comprise peptide toxins (called KTxs), known to modulate potassium channels. Thus far, 202 KTxs have been reported, belonging to several subfamilies of KTxs (called α, β, γ, κ, δ, and λ-KTxs). Here we report on a previously described orphan toxin from Tityus serrulatus venom, named Ts11. We carried out an in-depth structure-function analysis combining 3D structure elucidation of Ts11 and electrophysiological characterization of the toxin. The Ts11 structure is highlighted by an Inhibitor Cystine Knot (ICK) type scaffold, completely devoid of the classical secondary structure elements (α-helix and/or β-strand). This has, to the best of our knowledge, never been described before for scorpion toxins and therefore represents a novel, 6th type of structural fold for these scorpion peptides. On the basis of their preferred interaction with voltage-gated K channels, as compared to all the other targets tested, it can be postulated that Ts11 is the first member of a new subfamily, designated as ε-KTx.
Optimizing Hollow Fibre Nanofiltration for Organic Matter Rich Lake Water
Authors: Keucken Alexander , Wang Yuan , Tng Keng , Leslie Greg , Spanjer Tom , Köhler Stephan
Published: September 2016

Over the years, various technologies have been utilized for Natural Organic Matter (NOM) removal with varying degrees of success. Conventional treatment methods comprising of coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, or filtration are widely used to remove NOM. An alternative to these conventional methods is to use spiral wound membranes. These membranes tend to remove too much hardness whilst being ineffective in disinfection. They also have a low tolerance to chlorine and thus, have limited chemical cleaning options. In this study, we investigated how an alternative and new innovative filtration concept, based on capillary NF membranes from modified polyethersulfone (PES), may be used to treat soft but humus-rich surface waters. Comprehensive performance tests, with a fully automated membrane pilot equipped with a full-scale sized test module (40 m2 membrane surface), were conducted at WTP Görvälnverket, which is operated by the water utility Norrvatten, providing drinking water from Mälaren (SUVA = 2.7–3.3, TOC = 7.0–10.0 mg·L−1) for about 500,000 people in the northern part of the Swedish capital of Stockholm. The removal of both UV and DOC was modeled using a solution diffusion approach. The optimized parameters allow deducing optimal operation conditions with respect to energy, water consumption, and permeate water quality. Optimal cross flow velocity was determined to be 0.75 m·s−1 at 80% recovery and a flux of 12–18 L·m−2·h−1. Under these conditions, 80% of the UV, 75% of the Humic Substances (MW = 600) and 70% of TOC were removed (from 8 to below 2 mg·L−1). A higher cross flow velocity led to marginal improvement (+2%) while both higher and lower membrane fluxes degraded permeate water quality. Apparent optimized diffusion coefficients for UV and TOC were around 1.2–2.4 × 10−10·m2·s−1 and were similar to values found in the literature. Due to their higher diffusion coefficients and higher permeability coefficient, only 40% of the low molecular weight acids (MW = 300–400) were retained. Approximately 30%–40% of the low molecular weight acids in the permeate can be further removed using GAC post NF. The resulting energy consumption of a hypothetical four-stage design, at average operating temperature of 5.73 °C, was calculated to be around 0.6 kWh·m−3 produced water.
Using the RESC Model and Diversity Indexes to Assess the Cross-Scale Water Resource Vulnerability and Spatial Heterogeneity in the Huai River Basin, China
Authors: Chen Junxu , Xia Jun , Zhao Zhifang , Hong Si , Liu Hong , Zhao Fei
Published: September 2016

Performing a multiscale assessment of water resource vulnerability on the basis of political boundaries and watersheds is necessary for adaptive water resources management. Using the Risk-Exposure-Sensitivity-Adaptability model (RESC model), the water resource vulnerability of the Huai River Basin was assessed using four scales, namely, Class II, Class III, Province-Class II, and Municipality-Class III WRR (Water Resources Region). Following this, the spatial heterogeneity of the vulnerability of the above four scales was evaluated with the Theil and the Shannon-Weaver index. The results demonstrate that, instead of moving towards convergence, water resource vulnerability presents different grades which change together with the change in scale, and in turn, tend to weaken from east to west. Of the four scales, the scale of Municipality-Class III WRR shows the most significant spatial diversity, whereas that of Class II WRR shows the least diversity. With spatial downscaling, the vulnerability demonstrates high spatial heterogeneity and diversity. Herein, an innovative cross-scales vulnerability assessment is proposed and the RESC model characteristics and uncertainties as well as the employment of cross-scale water resource vulnerability are discussed.
Characterizing Changes in Streamflow and Sediment Supply in the Sacramento River Basin, California, Using Hydrological Simulation Program—FORTRAN (HSPF)
Authors: Stern Michelle , Flint Lorraine , Minear Justin , Flint Alan , Wright Scott
Published: September 2016

A daily watershed model of the Sacramento River Basin of northern California was developed to simulate streamflow and suspended sediment transport to the San Francisco Bay-Delta. To compensate for sparse data, a unique combination of model inputs was developed, including meteorological variables, potential evapotranspiration, and parameters defining hydraulic geometry. A slight decreasing trend of sediment loads and concentrations was statistically significant in the lowest 50% of flows, supporting the observed historical sediment decline. Historical changes in climate, including seasonality and decline of snowpack, contribute to changes in streamflow, and are a significant component describing the mechanisms responsible for the decline in sediment. Several wet and dry hypothetical climate change scenarios with temperature changes of 1.5 °C and 4.5 °C were applied to the base historical conditions to assess the model sensitivity of streamflow and sediment to changes in climate. Of the scenarios evaluated, sediment discharge for the Sacramento River Basin increased the most with increased storm magnitude and frequency and decreased the most with increases in air temperature, regardless of changes in precipitation. The model will be used to develop projections of potential hydrologic and sediment trends to the Bay-Delta in response to potential future climate scenarios, which will help assess the hydrological and ecological health of the Bay-Delta into the next century.
Les boucles d'oreilles, bijoux masculins à Chypre et en Méditerranée orientale (VIIe-IVe siècles avant J.-C.)
Authors: Hermary Antoine , Markou Évangéline
Published: September 2016

À l'époque archaïque le port par des hommes de boucles d'oreilles est loin d'être réservé aux peuples barbares orientaux et africains, comme le laisseraient croire les textes grecs et latins. Au VIIe s. et dans la première moitié du VIe s., cette mode est attestée en Grèce de l'Est et surtout à Chypre, où elle connaît un succès considérable (présence très fréquente de ces bijoux sur les statuettes en terre cuite et les sculptures en calcaire, aussi bien pour des personnages barbus qu'imberbes). Elle disparaît du monde grec proprement dit avant la fin de l'époque archaïque et ne subsiste à Chypre, sous la domination achéménide, que pour des enfants ou des jeunes gens : il est donc d'autant plus intéressant de constater qu'à partir d'Évagoras II, les rois de Salamine ont représenté sur certaines de leurs émissions un buste portant une boucle d'oreille qui est presque certainement celui d'un homme.
À propos de l'organisation des pouvoirs dans la région de Potamia aux XIIIe-XVIe siècles
Authors: Grivaud Gilles
Published: September 2016

Despite the lack of written sources before the Frankish period, we may assert that the Byzantine tradition structures in depth the organization of the Cypriote countryside under the Lusignan as well as during the Venetian domination. This tradition enabled the Lusignan to install a centralized monarchy, the foundation of which was laid on a powerful administrative instrument, the Secrète, whose task was to control the royal domain (the régale ) and the feuds, granted to knights in certain circonstances, such as civil wars and epidemics. The Franks were clustered at Nicosia, what raises the question of the seigniorial domains' organization : in every case, a bailli, appointed by the lord, directly managed the exploitation, with the assistance of Greek or Syrian secretaries who paid the domain's tax to Nicosia. The economical structure thus perfectly reflects the hierarchical organization of the political and administrative powers : it highlights Nicosia as the main outlet for the products of the neighbouring areas which were redistributed and consumed there. Under those circonstances, the fate of the settlements established in the medium Gialias Valley was closely linked to Nicosia, and this for the whole period of Latine domination on the island.
Zyprische Bronzeschalen der geometrischen und archaischen Periode. Ein Nachtrag
Authors: Matthäus Hartmut
Published: September 2016

La redécouverte, dans les réserves du Musée de Chypre, d'un bol en bronze mis au jour à Tavrou (péninsule du Karpass) donne l'occasion à l'auteur de revenir sur une forme de l'Âge du Fer, de production chypriote, sur sa chronologie et sa diffusion. Il identifie ainsi un nouvel exemplaire dans le «trésor de Sinda », provenant vraisemblablement d'une tombe et certainement distinct du reste du matériel du Bronze Récent. Il propose également de dater du Chypro-Géométrique III le bol de la tombe 33 de Lefkandi-Toumba, qu'il a pu examiner directement.
Les silences d’Homère
Authors: Daix David-Artur
Published: September 2016

L’Iliade et l’Odyssée gardent souvent le silence : l’une sur l’autre d’abord ; mais aussi sur de très nombreux épisodes de la guerre de Troie que nous connaissons par ce qui survit des poèmes du Cycle et ce que nous en apprend le reste de la littérature grecque ancienne ; sur les traits les plus merveilleux et fantastiques de ces histoires et de leurs protagonistes ; sur les leçons, enfin, qui constituent le coeur de la tradition hésiodique, mais qui semblent curieusement absentes, sous une forme explicite, des compositions homériques. Pour expliquer ces silences d’Homère, de nombreux interprètes invoquent l’ignorance du poète. Prenant parti, peu ou prou, dans les querelles qui continuent aujourd’hui encore d’entourer la «question homérique » et fixant dans le temps à la fois le monde peint par les épopées et la création même de ces oeuvres, ils déterminent ce que le poème d’Achille savait ou ne savait pas de Mémnon, de Penthésilée ou de Néoptolème ; ce que l’Odyssée connaissait de l’Iliade et vice versa ; ce que « valent » et comment interviennent les poèmes du Cycle dans ce cadre ; ce qu’Homère et ses héros comprenaient de l’idée de justice et de morale ; quelle sophistication, enfin, on est en droit d’attendre, ou non, de compositions élaborées de telle ou telle manière à telle ou telle époque. Or il est une autre explication possible à tous ces silences. Loin de les tenir pour le produit des ignorances supposées d’Homère, pourquoi ne pas envisager plutôt qu’ils puissent être délibérés et procéder de raisons essentiellement « littéraires » ? Cette explication, qui, sans renier l’origine orale et traditionnelle des compositions homériques, repose sur leur originalité profonde, tant sur le fond que pour la forme, permet en outre de mieux comprendre les liens qu’elles entretiennent entre elles, mais aussi avec les épopées du Cycle comme avec les poèmes hésiodiques.
[ARTICLE WITHDRAWN] MicroRNA-16-1 Inhibits Tumor Cell Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis in A549 Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Wang Weihua , Chen Jie , Dai Jinhua , Zhang Burong , Wang Feng , Sun Yizhe
Published: September 2016

THIS ARTICLE WAS WITHDRAWN BY THE PUBLISHER IN NOVEMBER 2020
A CATALOG OF KEPLER HABITABLE ZONE EXOPLANET CANDIDATES
Authors: Kane Stephen R. , Hill Michelle L. , Kasting James F. , Kopparapu Ravi Kumar , Quintana Elisa V. , Barclay Thomas , Batalha Natalie M. , Borucki William J. , Ciardi David R. , Haghighipour Nader , Hinkel Natalie R. , Kaltenegger Lisa , Selsis Franck , Torres Guillermo
Published: September 2016

The NASA Kepler mission ha s discovered thousands of new planetary candidates, many of which have been confirmed through follow-up observations. A primary goal of the mission is to determine the occurrence rate of terrestrial-size planets within the Habitable Zone (HZ) of their host stars. Here we provide a list of HZ exoplanet candidates from the Kepler Q1–Q17 Data Release 24 data-vetting process. This work was undertaken as part of the Kepler HZ Working Group. We use a variety of criteria regarding HZ boundaries and planetary sizes to produce complete lists of HZ candidates, including a catalog of 104 candidates within the optimistic HZ and 20 candidates with radii less than two Earth radii within the conservative HZ. We cross-match our HZ candidates with the stellar properties and confirmed planet properties from Data Release 25 to provide robust stellar parameters and candidate dispositions. We also include false-positive probabilities recently calculated by Morton et al. for each of the candidates within our catalogs to aid in their validation. Finally, we performed dynamical analysis simulations for multi-planet systems that contain candidates with radii less than two Earth radii as a step toward validation of those systems.
STELLAR POPULATIONS AND STAR FORMATION HISTORY OF THE METAL-POOR DWARF GALAXY DDO 68∗
Authors: Sacchi E. , Annibali F. , Cignoni M. , Aloisi A. , Sohn T. , Tosi M. , Marel R. P. van der , Grocholski A. J. , James B.
Published: September 2016

We present the star formation history (SFH) of the extremely metal-poor dwarf galaxy DDO 68, based on our photometry with the Advanced Camera for Surveys. With a metallicity of only

and a very isolated location, DDO 68 is one of the most metal-poor galaxies known. It has been argued that DDO 68 is a young system that started forming stars only ∼0.15 Gyr ago. Our data provide a deep and uncontaminated optical color–magnitude diagram (CMD) that allows us to disprove this hypothesis since we find a population of at least ∼1 Gyr old stars. The star formation activity has been fairly continuous over all the look-back time. The current rate is quite low, and the highest activity occurred between 10 and 100 Myr ago. The average star formation rate over the whole Hubble time is ≃0.01 M
⊙ yr−1, corresponding to a total astrated mass of ≃1.3 × 108
M
⊙. Our photometry allows us to infer the distance from the tip of the red giant branch, D = 12.08 ± 0.67 Mpc; however, to let our synthetic CMD reproduce the observed ones, we need a slightly higher distance, D = 12.65 Mpc, or (m − M)0 = 30.51, still inside the errors of the previous determination, and we adopt the latter. DDO 68 shows a very interesting and complex history, with its quite disturbed shape and a long tail, probably due to tidal interactions. The SFH of the tail differs from that of the main body mainly for enhanced activity at recent epochs likely triggered by the interaction.
Reflex threshold of signal-to-cut-off ratios of the Elecsys anti-HCV II assay for hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Pan Jie , Li Xin , He Guowei , Yuan Shuai , Feng Pingfeng , Zhang Xiuming , Qiu Yurong
Published: September 2016

Introduction: Fast screening tests for hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody often give false-positive results. Signal-to-cut-off (S/Co) ratios were suggested to be used as reflex confirmation of anti-HCV. The Elecsys Anti-HCV II assay is an effective test for the detection of hepatitis C, but no S/Co cutoff has been reported. The aim of this study was to determine the S/Co ratio threshold of anti-HCV test using Elecsys Anti-HCV II screening and supplemental recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) test results as the gold standard. Methodology: A total of 36,341 serum samples were tested for HCV antibody using the Elecsys Anti-HCV II assay and 276 positive samples were then tested with supplemental RIBA (Mikrogen recomLine HCV IgG strip immunoassay). Receiver operation curve (ROC) analysis was used to determine the cutoff, sensitivity, and specificity of the optimal S/Co ratio. Results: The Elecsys Anti-HCV II assay was positive (S/Co ratio ≥ 1) in 288 of the 36,341 samples (0.79%). RIBA testing on 276 of these 288 positive samples showed that all but one of 44 samples with an S/Co ratio of ≥ 1 and < 10 were negative, whereas the vast majority of samples (223/232, 96.1%) with an S/Co ratio ≥ 10 were positive. ROC analysis revealed that an optimal S/Co ratio cut-off value was 12.27. Conclusions: An S/Co ratio of 12.27 obtained with the Elecsys Anti-HCV II assay could be used as reflex confirmation of anti-HCV tests.
Public knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS in Bahrain: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Janahi Essam Mohammed , Mustafa Sakina , Alsari Sajeda , Al-Mannai Mariam , Farhat Ghada N.
Published: September 2016

Introduction: HIV/AIDS is one of the major health problems worldwide. Despite the low prevalence of HIV in Bahrain, educational and awareness programs remain highly important in controlling and preventing the spread of the disease. This study aimed to assess the public’s knowledge, risk perceptions, and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS in Bahrain. Methodology: A self-administered questionnaire-based survey was administered to and completed by 1,038 Bahraini adults. Results: Although the average general awareness among participants was good (63%), some misconceptions and erroneous beliefs were common, including knowledge of mode of transmission and high risk groups. Participants’ attitudes towards HIV/AIDS patients varied but were mostly negative; 60% of respondents agreed to isolating HIV/AIDS patients in workplaces and schools, and 52.4% of them thought that HIV is a divine punishment. The vast majority of the participants (84.4%) believed in the role of religion in limiting the spread of the disease. Though the local media was the least utilized source of information, the general opinion of the participants about the role of Bahraini government agencies and organizations in combating HIV/AIDS was positive. Conclusions: Though the Bahraini public had good knowledge about HIV/AIDS, there were misconceptions that need to be addressed. A major finding of this study was the negative attitudes towards HIV/AIDS patients. To have successful HIV control programs, negative attitudes towards HIV patients and the disease should be minimized. Existing and newly proposed health education and awareness program in Bahrain should address the issue of negative attitudes towards HIV/AIDS observed in this study.
Molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases in São Miguel Island (Azores, Portugal): A hospital-based descriptive study
Authors: Silva Ana , Moniz Raquel M , Pereirinha Tânia , Brilhante Maria J , Bulhões Sara , Cabral Rita , Branco Claudia C. , Mota-Vieira Luisa
Published: September 2016

Introduction: We performed a descriptive analysis of molecular diagnosis of infectious agents in the São Miguel Island population, in order to address questions like what is the frequency of clinical requests, is it observable seasonality of pathogens, and what is the positive rate for the clinical diagnosis. Methodology: This was a retrospective and descriptive study based on 878 individuals suspected of harboring infectious diseases during two consecutive years, 2012–2013. More than 25 different pathogens were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods. The individuals were stratified into gender, occupation, and age groups. Results: The pathogen with more clinical requests was hepatitis C virus, investigated in 225 individuals (30.0%), followed by Leptospira spp., in 187 (24.9%). Overall, data demonstrated a gender distribution bias, where 72.9% of cases were males. The age group of 25 to 44 years was the class with more clinical requests. Regarding occupation, a predominance of construction workers (12.0%) was observed, followed by retired workers (11.0%). Patient distribution per year showed a higher number of patients in the fall months. Diagnoses of leptospirosis and respiratory virus infections presented seasonality. Conclusions: The present study provides a valid contribution to the knowledge of the epidemiology of infectious diseases in the São Miguel Island (Azores, Portugal) population.
Monitoring of genotypic resistance profile in chronic hepatitis B patients receiving nucleos(t)ide analogues in Huzhou, China
Authors: Qian Fuchu , Qin Jiqu , Li Dongli , Ma Zhihong , Zhang Hairong , Jin Fang , Wang Weihong
Published: September 2016

Introduction: Antiviral drug-resistance patterns of hepatitis B virus (HBV) mutants are complex and currently partly understood. The aim of this study was to monitor the genotypic resistance profile in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) receiving nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) in Huzhou, eastern China. Methodology: Serum samples of 139 CHB patients undergoing NA treatment were obtained from Huzhou Central Hospital. The full-length HBV reverse transcriptase regions were amplified and sequenced. The NA resistance mutation positions, including rtL80, rtI169, rtV173, rtL180, rtA181, rtT184, rtA194, rtS202, rtM204, rtI233, rtN236, and rtM250 were analyzed. Results: Genotypic resistance mutations were detected in 41.72% (58/139) of patients with CHB. Drug resistance mutations were detected at positions rt80, rt173, rt180, rt181, rt194, rt202, rt204, rt236, and rt250, but were not observed at positions rt169, rt184, and rt233. The prevalence of mutations at rtM204 was 54.44% in 90 patients who were treated with lamivudine (LAM) or telbivudine (LDT). RtN236 mutations were detected in 7.14% (2/28) of the patients receiving adefovir (ADV) therapy. Additionally, rtA181 mutations were observed in 4 patients with LAM, ADV, and LDT-based therapy, but not in those patients treated with entecavir (ETV). Among patients who harbored rtM204 combination mutations, rtM204I and rtM204V were significantly associated with rtL80I/V and rtL180M, respectively. Conclusions: The mutation patterns of NA-resistant HBV are complicated in CHB patients in the current clinical setting. Thus, it is necessary to persistently monitor the resistance mutations of HBV for optimizing antiviral therapy strategy and for preventing an outbreak of clinical resistance.
Περίς, πηρίς y περίναιος
Authors: Simkin Oliver
Published: September 2016

En este artículo se discute la etimología de gr. περίναιος (con varientes περίναιον, περίνεος, περίνεον) ‘perineo’. Los diccionarios etimológicos aprueban la derivación de Meister del término médico ἰνάω ‘evacuar, purgar’, pero esta es poco convincente. En cambio se intenta demostrar que es un derivativo de περίς ‘pene’, quizá con contaminación semántica de πηρίς ‘escroto’.
Big Data in Operation Management
Authors: Jain Arushi , Bhatnagar Vishal
Published: September 2016

The word big data analytics have been increased substantially these days, one of the most prominent reasons is to predict the behavior of the customer purchase. This analysis helps to understand what customer wants to purchase, where they want to go, what they want to eat etc. So that valuable insights can be converted into actions. The knowledge thus gained helps in understanding the needs of every customer individually so that it becomes easier to do the business with them. This is the revolutionary change to build a customer-centric business. To build a customer centric business an organization must be observant about what customer is doing, must keep a record about what customer is purchasing and lastly should discover the insights to maximum the profit for customer. In this chapter we discussed about various approaches to big data management and the use cases where these approaches can be applied successfully.
Management of SME's Semi Structured Data Using Semantic Technique
Authors: Singh Saravjeet , Singh Jaiteg
Published: September 2016

Management of data for an organization is crucial task but when data goes to its complex form then it becomes multifaceted as well as vital. In today era most of the organizations generating semi structured or unstructured data that requires special techniques to handle and manage. With the needs to handle unstructured data, semantic web technology provides a way to come up with the effective solution. In this chapter Synthetic Semantic Data Management (SSDM) is explained that is based semantic web technique and will helps to manage data of small and Midsized Enterprise (SME). SSDM provide the procedure to handle, store, manages and retrieval of semi structured data.
The Relationship between Entrepreneurial Competencies, Competitive Intelligence, and Innovative Performance among SMEs from an Emerging Country
Authors: Abdul-Mohsin Ainul
Published: September 2016

Competitive intelligence is vital to an organisation because it emphasises on understanding and measuring an organisation's competitive environment and the unstructured information that influence an organisation's strategic decision making. In fact, it also assists in creation of ideas and innovation. Yet, research on competitive intelligence practice among entrepreneurs is quite scanty. There is a need to investigate if entrepreneurial competencies and innovative performance is influenced by competitive intelligence. Thus, this study aims to analyse the relationship between entrepreneurial competencies, innovative performance and if competitive intelligence is the missing link among the entrepreneurs within the Malaysian SME context.
Influence of Gypsum Additive on the Formation of Tobermorite in Autoclaved Aerated Concrete
Authors: Helanová Ester , Drochytka Rostislav , Černý Vit
Published: September 2016

The quality of the aerated concrete strongly depends on the chemical composition of the raw materials, as well as the process of the hydrothermal reaction during autoclaving. Due to the variable chemical composition of fly ashes, it is necessary to identify the effect of each ion on the formation of the microstructure of aerated concrete. This paper examines the process of formation of tobermorite with the addition of sulphates in various percentage representation. The microstructure of aerated concrete is assessed using SEM images and the mineralogical by means of X-ray analysis.
Quasicontinuum Simulation of Nanotextile Based on the Microplane Model
Authors: Mikeš Karel , Jirásek Milan
Published: September 2016

The quasicontinuum (QC) method is a relatively new computational technique, which combines fast continuum and exact atomistic approaches. The key idea of QC is to reduce the computational cost by reducing degrees of freedom of the fully atomistic approach. In this work, a material model based on the idea of microplanes is used to realize the QC simplification. A formulation convenient for numerical simulation of materials with the structure similar to nanotextile is proposed. The relations between microscopic and macroscopic parameters are derived. Numerical tests show that the proposed model can reach a significant reduction of computational cost for the price of an acceptable error.
Influence of the Oxygen Plasma Treatments on Surface Wettability of Glass Micro Fibers Used as Reinforcement in any Mortars
Authors: Trejbal Jan , Kopecký Lubomír , Tesárek Pavel , Prošek Zdeněk
Published: September 2016

Presented work deals with the surface treatments and its effect on micro fibers using as randomly dispersed reinforcement in many types of composite materials. Cool oxygen plasma was used to surface wettability modification of chopped glass fibers having diameter equal to 14 μm. Plasma treatments were carried out at three different times of exposition equal to 4 min, 8 min and 16 min. The influence of executed treatments was observed by the horizontal direct optical method enabling static contact angle measurements on micro fibers which were submerged in a distilled water. The identified differences between the contact angles size of original fibers and the treated fibers were equal to several tens of percent.
Diagnosis of Myslinka Stone Railway Bridge
Authors: Bittner Tomáš , Hrabánek Milan , Nenadálová Šárka , Kolisko Jiří
Published: September 2016

Within the solution of the research project GAČR P105/12/G059 a detailed diagnosis of the stone railway bridge on the railway line Plzeň - Tachov was performed. The bridge is created by two parallel vaulted tubes made from sandstone where a frequented road of second category goes through under one of them and Myslinsky brook flows under the second. The bridge was built approximately in 1978 and in 2006 a reinforced concrete frame structure was built to the bridge portal. Length of both tubes is about 45.5 m, width about 5.7 m, height of the tube above the road is about 6.0 m and above the brook 7.8 m. The arch is made as an annular vault. On the basis of the diagnostic works the structure is evaluated from the point of view of moisture, amount of water soluble salts, strengths of sandstone and there is also a visual observation of a condition of the structure itself performed. In the end there recommendations for a consequent procedure in case of the revitalization are stated.
Measuring of Equivalent Air Layer Thickness of Nanofibre Textiles
Authors: Černohorský Martin , Semerák Petr , Tichá Petra
Published: September 2016

This article deals with selecting the appropriate method of measurement water vapour diffusion through nanofibre textiles. Parameter for comparison of different sheet materials for its ability to brake the water vapour is a equivalent air layer thickness value Sd. The equivalent air layer thickness Sd [m] expresses the equivalent air layer thickness of the air layer, which would have the same diffusion resistance as the thickness of the measured material. It is necessary to choose the appropriate measurement method for determining the value Sd with diffusion open materials such as nanofibre materials. This article compares the outcomes of two measurement methods – Dry Cup Method and Tube Method. The measurements were carried out on a sample from nanofibre textiles based on PVDF.
Long Term Measuring of Expansions and Contractions of Pre-Stressed Concrete Bridge Structure
Authors: Vokáč Miroslav , Bittner Tomáš , Bouška Petr , Klimeš Petr , Šafář Roman
Published: September 2016

The presented paper considers approx. 5 years measurement on concrete railway bridge. The span is 39.875 + 34.877 + 37.000 + 9 x 31.500 m. The total length of the bridge is 443 m. Structure possesses typical three-box cross section. Monitoring was focused on temperature of concrete, temperature of atmosphere in the shade and mainly on measurement of movements of several bearings. Because the monitoring period of bridge structure was approx. 5 year, the probability p = 0.2 (5 years returning period) was chosen in order to compare measured data with standard values according to EN 1991-1-5. Of course, the standard value was assumed without any safety factor for this purpose. The maximal difference of measured and standard values was only 25 mm. This was achieved on the pillar where measured value of displacement range was 135 mm, standard value 160 mm and the dilatation length was 332 m. On the other hand, the minimal difference was only 3 mm on the pillar where measured value was 33 mm, standard value 36 mm and the dilatation length was 75 m. If the approx. 5 years measurement is compared with theoretical value of 5 years return period, the standard procedure cannot be classified as very conservative. It was shown that the long-time measurement is very important for the further development and improvement of the Eurocodes as well as statistical approach, i.e., returning time which shall be taken into account.
Influence of Different Nanoparticles in Stone Silicon-Based Consolidant
Authors: Peterová Adéla , Mayo Susana Garcia , Polonský Jakub , Knotek Vítězslav , Kotlík Petr
Published: September 2016

Weathering and air pollution compromise the preservation of historic buildings made of stone. The concept of the consolidation of materials is introduced to overcome this problem, or at least to reduce its severity. The consolidation consists of introducing a chemical substance into damaged stone for restoring its original mechanical properties, or into undamaged stone for preserving it. Silicon compounds, such as tetraethoxysilane, are frequently used for this purpose. Here, we present a time domain study of the sol-gel process using Dynasylan 40 with the addition of the nanoparticles of SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2 and CaCO3.
Measuring Behavior of Impactor Penetrating through Polymer Sheet Based on Electromagnetic Induction
Authors: Adachi Tadaharu , Osada Masashi , Watanabe Keiko
Published: September 2016

In the paper, the behavior of an impactor penetrating through a polymer sheet was measured using electromagnetic induction phenomena. First, electromotive forces generated in a coil were measured to decide the relation between the impactor velocity and the electromotive force when the impactor with an embedded neodymium magnet passed through a coil at several constant velocities. The intensity of the electromotive force was found to be proportional to the impactor velocity at each impactor position. The relation was used as the calibration data to calculate the velocity and position of the impactor. Next, penetration tests of polyvinyl chloride sheets were conducted with the coil set at the front of the sheet. The electromotive force generated in the coil was measured when the impactor penetrated through the sheet. The impactor velocity and position were calculated from the electromotive force with the calibration data. The validity of the measuring method was confirmed because the calculated results from the measured electromotive force agreed with the observed results by using a high speed video camera.
Velocity Control of Diaphragmless Vertical Gas Gun for Low Pressure Ranges
Authors: Yano Takahiroi , Gardiner Peter A. , Egawa Yuya , Watanabe Keiko
Published: September 2016

In the field of impact engineering, high-speed impact phenomena are simulated using a projectile accelerator. At the Impact Engineering Laboratory in Ritsumeikan University, a single-stage gas gun was designed to investigate the high-speed penetration phenomena of impacts in sand, which is known to show fluid-like behavior. The gas gun consists of a 2 m launch tube that can achieve projectile muzzle velocities of up to around 500 m/s. The theoretical muzzle velocity of the projectile can be calculated by considering the speed of sound and the specific heat ratio of propellant gases. A performance evaluation for high-pressure ranges of 1 MPa and higher in a high-pressure vessel has been conducted. When fitting parameters are introduced to the theoretical formula, good agreement is obtained with the experimental results. In this study, experiments for low pressure ranges were conducted to predict the projectile velocity and to investigate the minimum velocity limit of the projectile. By introducing fitting parameters to the theoretical formula, the projectile velocity could be predicted accurately for pressure ranges less than 1 MPa. Furthermore, the minimum velocity limit of this equipment was found to be around 30 m/s.
Improved Model for Impact of Viscoplastic Bodies
Authors: Ahmad Masniezam , Ismail Khairul Azwan , Mat Fauziah , Stronge William James
Published: September 2016

This study proposes an improved viscoplastic impact model that calculates impact response for direct impact between two compact bodies. The proposed model employs spring and viscous elements that represent the energy loss due to plastic deformation and stress wave propagation, respectively. The impact response is calculated by solving differential equations through analytical and numerical methods. This model can accurately predict impact response for low, moderate and high impact speeds.
Evaluation of Dynamic Properties of Wood-Plastic Composites Using Split Hopkinson Bar Methods
Authors: Nishida Masahiro , Furuya Shun , Ito Hirokazu , Makise Rie , Okamoto Masaki
Published: September 2016

Wood-plastic composites (WPCs) which consist of wood flour and plastics have been widely used as architectural materials for a long time. However, the impact resistance is not always high and basic mechanical properties at high strain rate are not fully understood. In order to clarify the tensile behavior at high strain rates, split Hokinson pressure bar method was used for WPCs consisting of polypropylene. The effects of mixing ratio on the maximum stress and elongation at break were examined at high strain rates.
Synthesis of Hexagonal Diamond under Shock Loading Using Single Stage Powder Gun
Authors: Tanigaki Kenichi , Nakahara Akihiro , Horikawa Keitaro , Kobayashi Hidetoshi
Published: September 2016

Hexagonal diamond is considered to be a metastable high-pressure phase of carbon. In previous ab-initio studies, elastic constants of hexagonal diamond were suggested to be higher than those of cubic diamond, which is the stiffest known material. However, the elastic constants of hexagonal diamond have not been investigated experimentally because the size of hexagonal diamond single crystal ever synthesized is not more than 0.5 μm. In this study, we synthesized hexagonal diamond with the size of more than 50 μm in order to measure the elastic constants accurately. Kish graphite powder was used as a starting material and a green compact of kish graphite and copper powder was fabricated as a target. The target was placed into a container made of stainless steel and shock-compressed by a copper projectile accelerated using a single stage powder gun with the velocity of approximately 800 m/s. The estimated shock pressure and temperature were 22 GPa and 1200 °C, respectively. After the shock compression, copper component of the target was dissolved in nitric acid for 24 hours and only carbon component was recovered. A clear (100) peak of hexagonal diamond was observed by a XRD result of the recovered carbon. No peak of cubic diamond was observed. Opaque particles including hexagonal diamond with the size of approximately 100 μm were separated from the graphite and SiO2 contaminations using heavy-liquid separation method with sodium polytungstate aqueous solution.
Experimental Techniques and Measurements in Impact Engineering Using Hopkinson Bar Technique
Authors: Kruszka Leopold
Published: September 2016

In the paper, experimental analysis of dynamic plastic behaviour of different structural materials at high and very high strain rates up to 105 s-1 in various modes at lowered, room and elevated temperatures, is presented. The paper describes laboratory set ups for testing material specimens, based on various modifications of the Hopkinson bar technique. The paper focuses the attention on experimental tests and their interpretation. The results reported here will be useful for the designers working on the dynamic behaviour of building and mechanical protective structures made of different materials such as steels, aluminium alloys, ceramic and sand bricks, mortars, woods (pine, birch and aspen), ceramics and concrete fireproof and soils (sand, clay and sandy soil clay).
Welding Current Dependence of Dynamic Mechanical Properties for Spot-Welded Electric Arc Furnace Steel Sheet
Authors: Itabashi Masaaki
Published: September 2016

In 2012, a novel production line was developed to produce electric arc furnace steel sheet for automotive structure, as a national project in Japan. From the viewpoint of crashworthiness, the evaluation of joint strength under dynamic loading is essential. In this study, single-lap spot-welded joint specimens are prepared with the variation of welding current. The specimen sheet is 980-MPa grade electric arc furnace steel and 1.0 mm in thickness, which is supplied by Tokyo Steel Co., Ltd. Nugget diameter is recommended by a well-known empirical equation, , where is sheet thickness. The nugget diameter can be adjusted mainly by welding current. In order to find the optimum nugget diameter under dynamic tensile-shear, five values of welding current, 6.1, 6.4, 6.7, 7.0 and 7.3 kA are tried. The values are set for the recommended nugget diameter 5.00 mm, and ±5% and ±10% of the recommended diameter. Experimental results of quasi-static (loading velocity: 2.0 mm/min = 3.3×10-5 m/s) and dynamic (initial loading velocity: 7 m/s) tensile-shear tests shows that, despite of loading velocity and welding current (equivalent to nugget diameter), tensile-shear strengths are almost constant. Absorbed energies up to the strength give complicated tendencies. At the recommended welding current (equivalent to mm), the most stable strengths and energies are obtained.
Tensile Behavior of Semi-Solid C38 LTT Steel
Authors: Traidi Khalil , Favier Véronique , Lestriez Philippe , Debray Karl , Langlois Laurent , Ranc Nicolas , Saby Michel , Mangin Philippe
Published: September 2016

The high temperature range for steel semi-solid state makes the experiments particularly challenging. While the response under shear or compression loadings was studied, few results concerned the response under tensile loading. In this paper, an experimental protocol was determined to characterize the uniaxial tensile response of the so-called C38 LTT steel with a Gleeble simulator. The specimen was heated by the Joule heating effect at around 10°C/s. The temperature was measured during the tests using an ultraviolet pyrometer. The variation in both ductility and strength of the material with temperature has been identified. The solidus-liquidus range was found to be shifted to lower temperatures.
Application of Multiphase Modelling in Semi-Solid Die Casting: Blister Prediction
Authors: Hu Xiao Gang , Zhu Qiang , Atkinson Helen V. , Luo Min , Zhang Fan , Qu Wen Ying
Published: September 2016

One-phase modelling is widely used as an optimization and design tool for semi-solid casting process. By this approach, semi-solid alloy is taken as a homogeneous fluid and flow behaviours are represented by using the rheological properties of the mixture. A single set of conservation equations is solved to simulate the mould filling, without considering the different motilities between the liquid and the solid phase. Therefore, defects due to phase segregation cannot be predicted and particle tracking cannot be carried out. This study is focused on multiphase (i.e. a liquid-particle-air system) modelling during the semi-solid filling process of a thin-walled component. By using this approach, the solid phase is treated as a power law fluid and the phase interactions among the phases are introduced for the semi-solid alloy system. Practical semi-solid die casting is carried out for verification of phase segregation. The final distribution of air is calculated and proved by practical blistering examination. The simulation results are verified to be accurate in a reasonable range, indicating an approach for modelling semi-solid filling including the formation (and avoidance) of blisters.