bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychological and physiological effects of laughter yoga sessions in Japan: A pilot study
Authors: Tanaka Aiko , Tokuda Nobuko , Ichihara Kiyoshi
Published: August 2018

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine and evaluate the psychological and physiological effects of multiple sessions of laughter yoga on community members. Participants took part in a 45 min laughter yoga session once per month for 6 months. Before and after all sessions, participants completed the Profile of Mood States–Brief Japanese Version (J‐POMS‐B) questionnaire to assess their mood, and had blood drawn for the measurement of stress indicators and immune function. Serial changes in J‐POMS‐B scores were tested by three way analysis of variance, and changes in laboratory results per session were evaluated with a paired t‐test. The results showed that repeated sessions of laughter yoga had psychologically beneficial effects, especially on the aspects of tension–anxiety, and vigor. Adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol values related to the participants' stress levels were significantly decreased after the fourth laughter yoga session. These results indicated that multiple laughter yoga sessions appeared to be effective in improving the psychological and physiological status of healthy adults.
Diversity and conservation of desmids in Bornholm, Denmark – revisiting after 130 years
Authors: Hansen Gert , Stastny Jan , Moestrup Øjvind , Lundholm Nina
Published: August 2018

Desmids are unicellular green algae dominating habitats that are vulnerable and highly threatened, like raised bogs, mires and fens. Here, we studied the desmid diversity in four different localities on the Danish island Bornholm. A total of 186 species, 58 of which not previously recorded from Denmark, were observed. The species composition of the locality ‘Kohullet’ was compared to more than 130 year‐old records. In the 1880s this locality contained 65 species vs 70 in in the present study. The species composition has changed towards more oligo‐mesotrophic and more acidophilic species. The reasons for these changes may be the 1960‒1970s’ increase in atmospheric deposition of nitrous‐ and sulphurous oxides leading to a pH‐decrease, and the possible use of Kohullet in the 1880s for cattle drinking leading to more mesotrophic conditions than present days conditions. We used an empirical system developed by Coesel for classifying the trophic state or ‘conservation value’ of freshwater habitats using desmids as indicator organisms. All localities studied had maximum scores, i.e. represented highly structured and well‐balanced ecosystems. Thirty of the recorded species were potential Red List species, using the Dutch Red List criteria for desmids. We suggest that Kohullet should be considered an Important Plant Area (IPA), as it has a high diversity of desmids, a long history of algal records including desmids and may be considered a threatened habitat of major significance to desmids. Furthermore, it is suggested that several desmids are considered Red List species.
Dealing with multi‐source and multi‐scale information in plant phenomics: the ontology‐driven Phenotyping Hybrid Information System
Authors: Neveu Pascal , Tireau Anne , Hilgert Nadine , Nègre Vincent , Mineau‐Cesari Jonathan , Brichet Nicolas , Chapuis Romain , Sanchez Isabelle , Pommier Cyril , Charnomordic Brigitte , Tardieu François , Cabrera‐Bosquet Llorenç
Published: August 2018

Phenomic datasets need to be accessible to the scientific community. Their reanalysis requires tracing relevant information on thousands of plants, sensors and events.

The open‐source Phenotyping Hybrid Information System (PHIS) is proposed for plant phenotyping experiments in various categories of installations (field, glasshouse). It unambiguously identifies all objects and traits in an experiment and establishes their relations via ontologies and semantics that apply to both field and controlled conditions. For instance, the genotype is declared for a plant or plot and is associated with all objects related to it. Events such as successive plant positions, anomalies and annotations are associated with objects so they can be easily retrieved.

Its ontology‐driven architecture is a powerful tool for integrating and managing data from multiple experiments and platforms, for creating relationships between objects and enriching datasets with knowledge and metadata. It interoperates with external resources via web services, thereby allowing data integration into other systems; for example, modelling platforms or external databases.

It has the potential for rapid diffusion because of its ability to integrate, manage and visualize multi‐source and multi‐scale data, but also because it is based on 10 yr of trial and error in our groups.
Ectopic activation of cortical cell division during the accommodation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
Authors: Russo Giulia , Carotenuto Gennaro , Fiorilli Valentina , Volpe Veronica , Chiapello Marco , Van Damme Daniel  , Genre Andrea
Published: August 2018

Arbuscular mycorrhizas (AMs) between plants and soil fungi are widespread symbioses with a major role in soil nutrient uptake.

In this study we investigated the induction of root cortical cell division during AM colonization by combining morphometric and gene expression analyses with promoter activation and protein localization studies of the cell‐plate‐associated exocytic marker TPLATE.

Our results show that TPLATE promoter is activated in colonized cells of the root cortex where we also observed the appearance of cells that are half the size of the surrounding cells. Furthermore, TPLATE‐green fluorescent protein recruitment to developing cell plates highlighted ectopic cell division events in the inner root cortex during early AM colonization. Lastly, transcripts of TPLATE, KNOLLE and Cyclinlike 1 (CYC1) are all upregulated in the same context, alongside endocytic markers Adaptor‐Related Protein complex 2 alpha 1 subunit (AP2A1) and Clathrin Heavy Chain 2 (CHC2), known to be active during cell plate formation. This pattern of gene expression was recorded in wild‐type Medicago truncatula roots, but not in a common symbiotic signalling pathway mutant where fungal colonization is blocked at the epidermal level.

Altogether, these results suggest the activation of cell‐division‐related mechanisms by AM hosts during the accommodation of the symbiotic fungus.
The role of plant epigenetics in biotic interactions
Authors: Alonso Conchita , Ramos‐Cruz Daniela , Becker Claude
Published: August 2018

Plants are hubs of a wide range of biotic interactions with mutualist and antagonist animals, microbes and neighboring plants. Because the quality and intensity of those relationships can change over time, a fast and reversible response to stress is required. Here, we review recent studies on the role of epigenetic factors such as DNA methylation and histone modifications in modulating plant biotic interactions, and discuss the state of knowledge regarding their potential role in memory and priming. Moreover, we provide an overview of strategies to investigate the contribution of epigenetics to environmentally induced phenotypic changes in an ecological context, highlighting possible transitions from whole‐genome high‐resolution analyses in plant model organisms to informative reduced representation analyses in genomically less accessible species.
Traumatic Spino‐pelvic Dissociation with Bilateral Triangular Fixation
Authors: Tian Wei , Chen Wen‐huan , Jia Jian
Published: August 2018

Objective

To evaluate the clinical outcomes of traumatic spino‐pelvic dissociation (TSD) treated with modified bilateral triangular fixation.

Methods

Eighteen consecutive patients of TSD were included in the study from March 2011 to March 2015, and the medical records of patients were reviewed retrospectively. There were 14 men and 4 women with an average age of 33.1 ± 1.4 years (range, 18–55 years). A total of 16 cases were caused by falling, and 2 cases were caused by traffic accident. All sacral fractures had associated injuries. According to the morphology of sacral fracture, U‐shaped fractures were present in 10 cases, H‐shaped fractures in 6 cases, and Y‐shaped fractures in 2 cases. According to Roy–Camille classification, there were 12 cases of type II and 6 cases of type III. All patients received surgical treatment with modified bilateral triangular fixation, and the sacral plexus decompression was performed simultaneously on 6 cases whose scores were more than 2 according to Gibbons classification and were found having traumatic canal stenosis or sacral nerve compression detected by preoperative imaging examination. Mears’ radiological evaluation criterion was applied to evaluate the reduction quality of fractures; Gibbons score was applied as the index of neurological deficiency healing, and the clinical outcome of fracture was evaluated with Majeed function assessment at last follow‐up.

Results

All patients were followed up continuously within an average of 32.4 ± 3.6 months (range, 22–48 months). All sacral fractures were healed in an average time of 11.3 ± 2.8 months (range, 8–28 months). According to the Majeed function evaluation, 12 cases were classified as excellent, 4 cases as good, and 2 cases as fair. Meanwhile, the anatomical reduction was obtained in 11 cases, satisfactory reduction in 6 cases, and unsatisfactory reduction in 1 case according to Mears’ radiological evaluation criterion. The average Gibbons score changed from 2.5 ± 0.2 preoperatively to 1.4 ± 0.5 24 months postoperatively, which had a significant difference (t = 2.15, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Modified triangular fixation combined with internal fixations shows satisfactory clinical outcomes in the treatment of TSD, which is recommended as an effective and advanced surgical choice.
Assessment of Change of Shoulder Balance in Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis after Correctional Surgery
Authors: Jian Yu‐Ming , Yang Shu‐Hua , Hu Ming‐Hsiao
Published: August 2018

Objective

To identify factors that influence shoulder balance and to determine whether a model can be made to predict shoulder balance after corrective surgery.

Methods

This is a retrospective study in which we examined the records of with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients who underwent single posterior spinal correction and fusion using all pedicle screws with derotation in our institution between January 2008 and June 2010. For the radiographic outcome measurement, we measured the preoperative lumbar curve, the main thoracic curve, and their difference (L_TH_D), and the degree of correction of the lumbar curve, the main thoracic curve, and their difference (c_L_TH_D) to evaluate their influence on postoperative shoulder balance. The preoperative flexibility of the proximal non‐fusion curve on the immediate postoperative tilt of the upper endplate of the uppermost vertebra of fusion segments (Up_FuS) was used to evaluate and predict the shoulder balance at follow‐up.

Results

For patients who had shoulder balance at follow‐up, the average balance time was 7.1 months, and in most of them, balance was detected within 12 months. The main thoracic curve has the greatest influence on preoperative shoulder tilt and correction of the main thoracic curve has the greatest influence on the postoperative alteration in shoulder balance. To evaluate the influence on the preoperative shoulder tilt, the lumbar curve must be larger than the main thoracic curve both pre operatively and postoperatively. If the preoperative flexibility of the proximal non‐fusion curve on the immediate postoperative Up_FuS includes the horizontal line (With Horizontal group), shoulder balance can be ensured. The postoperative Up_FuS can be evaluated based on the preoperative Up_FuS and the degree of correction of the lumbar and main thoracic curves.

Conclusion

Shoulder balance can be ensured in patients in the With Horizontal group after surgery. If the preoperative Up_FuS and the degree of correction of the main thoracic curve and the lumbar curve are considered in the preoperative plan, the desired postoperative Up_FuS can be achieved, ensuring shoulder balance at follow‐up.
Superimposed linear atopic dermatitis
Authors: López‐Cedeño Angella , Noguera‐Morel Lucero , Hernández‐Martín Angela , Happle Rudolf , Torrelo Antonio
Published: August 2018

Superimposed linear atopic dermatitis is rarely manifested in polygenic disease as a counterpart to type 2 segmental mosaicism of monogenic skin diseases. Linear arrangement following Blaschko lines represents more severe disease on a generalized background of atopic dermatitis, perhaps reflecting clonal loss of heterozygosity. Only three cases of superimposed linear atopic dermatitis have been reported; we describe three additional cases.
A slime of the times: Two cases of acute irritant contact dermatitis from homemade slime
Authors: Heller Elizabeth , Murthy Aditi S. , Jen Melinda V.
Published: August 2018

We describe two cases of acute‐onset erythema, peeling, and pruritus or tenderness isolated to the palmar surface of the hands. A detailed exposure history revealed significant periods of contact with homemade slime; given the clinical findings and timing of exposure, acute contact dermatitis of the hands was suspected. Symptoms and clinical findings resolved after avoidance of the suspected causative contactants. There are few if any reported cases of contact dermatitis to homemade slime in the literature; this serves to highlight the importance of a thorough exposure history in the evaluation of hand dermatitis.
Use of “natural” oils for moisturization: Review of olive, coconut, and sunflower seed oil
Authors: Karagounis Theodora K. , Gittler Julia K. , Rotemberg Veronica , Morel Kimberly D.
Published: August 2018

Despite the availability of effective medications for the management of atopic dermatitis and xerosis, patients may use nonconventional therapies such as topical oils. Patients choose these treatments because of the perceived lower risk of natural products and the fear of potential adverse effects of topical steroids. We review the use of topical olive, coconut, and sunflower seed oil in the treatment of atopic dermatitis and xerosis with a focus on children Currently available evidence suggests that olive oil may exacerbate xerosis and atopic dermatitis. Further studies are needed to make definitive recommendations regarding the use of coconut and sunflower seed oil.
Poikiloderma with neutropenia and associated squamous cell carcinoma: A case report
Authors: Hertel Daniel P. , Mohammad Tasneem F. , Shwayder Tor A.
Published: August 2018

Here, we describe a case of a patient with known poikiloderma with neutropenia who developed cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in a chronically sun‐exposed area at the age of 14. To date, there is only one other report of this association. This report highlights the need for routine skin cancer screening in patients with this diagnosis as well as the importance of a correct initial diagnosis.
The Role of Political Practices in Moral Injury: A Study of Afghanistan Veterans
Authors: Molendijk Tine
Published: August 2018

While much research has been conducted on military trauma, conceptualizations of deployment‐related suffering have been predominantly approached through a medical, individual‐focused lens. Since the military is an instrument of the state, it is crucial to expand the conceptual scope to include political processes, particularly for the fast‐growing literature on “moral injury,” which refers to the emotional impact of perpetrating, witnessing, or falling victim to perceived wrongdoing. This article examines the role of political practices in the onset of moral injury as well as the micropolitical responses of morally injured veterans. A study of the Dutch mission in Uruzgan, Afghanistan, shows that decisions and frames at the political level helped create distressing quandaries on the ground and that in all the ways the political leadership acknowledged the problems that veterans subsequently developed, it also maintained a silence on its direct contribution to these problems, as such perpetuating them. Consequently, veterans tried to make the political leadership take a material and symbolic share in their burden. Clearly, moral conflict may exist both in the veteran and between the veteran and the political domain, and therefore, experiences of institutional betrayal and a resultant search for reparations should be included in theory on moral injury.
Setting Air Quality Standards for PM2.5: A Role for Subjective Uncertainty in NAAQS Quantitative Risk Assessments?
Authors: Smith Anne E.
Published: August 2018

The U.S. Clean Air Act (CAA) requires the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set and periodically review national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for criteria pollutants. Because NAAQS must be set without balancing health risks against cost, Administrators look for where health risk tapers off. For some pollutants, however, no evidence exists of such a diminishment. The Administrator must instead evaluate how the strength of evidence for the scientific validity of risk estimates weakens for exposure levels below the central mass of observations indicating a pollutant–health risk relationship. Such an evaluation requires judgments about uncertainties that are inherently subjective. The risk assessments the Agency prepares during NAAQS reviews provide a natural platform for quantitatively characterizing these subjective uncertainty judgments, but the Agency is no longer making use of this opportunity. This article describes EPA's early development of methods to quantitatively characterize subjective uncertainty in NAAQS risk assessments, then traces the progressive elimination of such uncertainty analysis in the risk assessments for the three past NAAQS reviews for fine particulate matter (PM2.5), even while judgments about this uncertainty were becoming increasingly central to Administrators’ NAAQS decisions. As a result, the risk assessments now lack relevance to NAAQS decision making. To reestablish a meaningful decision‐support role for NAAQS risk assessments, this article suggests alterations to the process of preparing them. Taking no position on the scientific or legal appropriateness of past NAAQS decisions, the suggested process is intended to better synthesize the scientific evidence to better inform (without constraining) the Administrator's policy decisions.
Progressive Tax and Inequality in a Unionized Economy*
Authors: Huang Chun‐Chieh , Chang Juin‐Jen , Hung Hsiao‐Wen
Published: August 2018

In this paper, we develop a heterogeneous‐agent, endogenous growth model of a unionized economy with distinct progressive tax schedules on labor and capital income. With time preference heterogeneity, the effective labor force, balanced growth, and income inequality are endogenously determined, and these interact with each other. A reduction in the degree of progressive labor tax yields a “double‐dividend” in terms of reducing income inequality and boosting economic growth, while capital income progressivity displays the usual growth–inequality trade‐off. Particularly, the double‐dividend effect becomes more pronounced when unionization is declined or trade unions become more wage‐oriented, leading to the so‐called “Cheshire cat” phenomenon.
King‐Devick test normative reference values and internal consistency in youth football and soccer athletes
Authors: Moran Ryan N. , Covassin Tracey
Published: August 2018

The King‐Devick (K‐D) test has gained popularity as a sideline concussion assessment tool, comprising of visual tracking and saccadic eye movements. However, limited normative data exist for youth athletes under the age of 13. The purpose of this study was to establish normative reference values and examine the internal consistency of the K‐D test in youth athletes. The K‐D test was administered to 422 youth football and soccer athletes prior to their respective season. The average K‐D score was 54.29 ± 11.5 seconds. Across the two trials, 55% of participants committed at least one error. Overall, the K‐D test demonstrated a high internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.92) when administered at baseline. Inter‐item correlations revealed a moderate‐to‐strong relationship between test cards and trials (r range = 0.71 to 0.95; P < 0.001), along with test cards and baseline K‐D time (r range = 0.85 to 0.94; P < 0.001). Although the K‐D test was consistent during baseline testing, the high percentage of errors at baseline makes the K‐D test questionable for post‐concussion comparisons.
The antipoverty effectiveness of child support: Empirical evidence for Latin American countries
Authors: Cuesta Laura , Hakovirta Mia , Jokela Merita
Published: August 2018

In this article we examine the role of child support in the economic well‐being of children in single‐parent families in Latin America. We use the Luxembourg Income Study wave IX and the 2012 Colombian Quality of Life Survey to answer three questions: (1) Are children in single‐parent families more likely to be poor than children in two‐parent families? (2) What is the relative importance of different income sources in the income packages of these families? and (3) Are child support transfers improving the economic well‐being of children in single‐parent families? Our results show that children in single‐parent families are disproportionally poor relative to two‐parent families in Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay. For other countries, poverty rates are similar (Guatemala and Peru), or higher in two‐parent families than single‐parent families (Mexico). Labor income is the most important income source for both types of families in all of these countries. However, child support represents between 20% and 39% of total income among families receiving this transfer. The largest antipoverty effectiveness of child support is also observed among these families. Child support brings between 30% and 55% of children receiving this transfer out of poverty.
The role of the welfare state in supporting economic transitions following family bereavement: Comparing Britain and Israel
Authors: Holler Roni
Published: August 2018

Despite its centrality to the experience of death and grief, it is only in recent years that the economic burden following family bereavement has been recognized by social care professionals and scholars. Based on the realization that death and bereavement are grounded in social context, and assuming this economic burden is a multifaceted phenomenon, the present study compares the British and Israeli welfare systems in three policy settings: social security, funeral services, and bereavement leave. The findings suggest that while in both systems bereavement and especially widowhood is considered a deserving category, recent pressures for restructuring the British welfare state have been successful in shifting provision from the state to the market. The findings also show that in both cases, albeit to a lesser extent in Israel, current policy measures are not fully aligned with critical scholarship on bereavement and its financial consequences, nor with socio‐economic and demographic trends. These disparities are addressed using the notion of disenfranchised grief and by emphasizing the pivotal, although often overlooked role of the welfare state in constituting it. Lastly, the differences between the two cases are discussed in terms of the powerful role of Judaism in shaping Israeli policy.
Integrated compression of vehicle spatio‐temporal trajectories under the road stroke network constraint
Authors: Zhao Dongbao , Stefanakis Emmanuel
Published: August 2018

With fast growth of all kinds of trajectory datasets, how to effectively manage the trajectory data of moving objects has received a lot of attention. This study proposes a spatio‐temporal data integrated compression method of vehicle trajectories based on stroke paths coding compression under the road stroke network constraint. The road stroke network is first constructed according to the principle of continuous coherence in Gestalt psychology, and then two types of Huffman tree—a road strokes Huffman tree and a stroke paths Huffman tree—are built, based respectively on the importance function of road strokes and vehicle visiting frequency of stroke paths. After the vehicle trajectories are map matched to the spatial paths in the road network, the Huffman codes of the road strokes and stroke paths are used to compress the trajectory spatial paths. An opening window algorithm is used to simplify the trajectory temporal data depicted on a time–distance polyline by setting the maximum allowable speed difference as the threshold. Through analysis of the relative spatio‐temporal relationship between the preceding and latter feature tracking points, the spatio‐temporal data of the feature tracking points are all converted to binary codes together, accordingly achieving integrated compression of trajectory spatio‐temporal data. A series of comparative experiments between the proposed method and representative state‐of‐the‐art methods are carried out on a real massive taxi trajectory dataset from five aspects, and the experimental results indicate that our method has the highest compression ratio. Meanwhile, this method also has favorable performance in other aspects: compression and decompression time overhead, storage space overhead, and historical dataset training time overhead.
Quality of life and associated factors in patients with chronic Chagas disease
Authors: Santos‐Filho João C. L. , Vieira Marcelo C. , Xavier Isis G. G. , Maciel Erica R. , Rodrigues Junior Luiz F. , Curvo Eduardo O. V. , Pereira Iane M. , Quintana Marcel S. B. , Sperandio da Silva Gilberto M. , Veloso Henrique H. , Mendes Fernanda S. N. S. , Hasslocher‐Moreno Alejandro M. , Sousa Andrea S. , do Brasil Pedro E. A. A. , Saraiva Roberto M. , Mediano Mauro F. F.
Published: August 2018

Objectives

To evaluate the quality of life (QoL) of patients with Chagas disease (CD) and the association between QoL domains and several clinical, socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics of this population.

Methods

Cross‐sectional observational study conducted from March 2014 to March 2017 including a total of 361 outpatients followed at Evandro Chagas National Institute of Infectious Disease, Brazil. QoL was assessed using the Portuguese shorter version of the original WHO Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL‐BREF). Information about clinical CD presentation, presence of comorbidities, functional class, previous benznidazole treatment, socioeconomic profile and lifestyle was also obtained.

Results

Environment and physical domains presented the worst QoL scores, while the social relationship domain presented the highest score. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that variables independently associated with QoL were functional class, sex, clinical presentation of CD, sleep duration, schooling, physical activity level, smoking, income per capita and residents by domicile.

Conclusions

The low socioeconomic status and the physical limitations imposed by the disease presented an important impact on the QoL reduction among CD patients, especially on environment and physical domains. Strategies to improve QoL among CD patients should be tailored and consider many different variables to maximise improvements not only of patients' physical but also of their mental health.
International capital mobility and unemployment dynamics: Empirical evidence from OECD countries
Authors: Vallanti Giovanna
Published: August 2018

We use a panel of 20 OECD countries over a 30‐year period to investigate empirically the implications of international capital mobility for aggregate unemployment dynamics. To this aim, we employ standard regression analysis and dynamic simulations to illustrate the channels through which international capital mobility impacts unemployment adjustments to productivity shocks and quantify its effect on unemployment volatility. We find that capital mobility plays a significant role in generating unemployment responses to idiosyncratic productivity shocks which are wider but less persistent. Moreover, the empirical evidence suggests that the responsiveness effect dominates the persistence effect, implying that higher international capital mobility increases unemployment volatility. The effect is not negligible. Monte Carlo simulations of the model show that moving from a closed economy to an open economy scenario causes the standard deviation of unemployment to increase by around 26%.
Firm heterogeneity, market choice and productivity: Evidence from foreign‐owned enterprises in China
Authors: Yang Chih‐Hai , Tsou Meng‐Wen
Published: August 2018

This study examines the effects of firm heterogeneity on foreign‐owned enterprises’ (FOEs) choices regarding serving the local market, undertaking assembly exports or undertaking ordinary exports. It also investigates the effects of serving these markets on productivity. Using a detailed firm–transaction level matched data set of FOEs in China covering 2000–07, the first‐stage estimation of propensity score matching (PSM) method reveals that less productive FOEs tend to undertake assembly exports, and this effect is particularly relevant to those located in inland regions. By contrast, more productive FOEs are likely to serve domestic markets or undertake ordinary exports. Other firm characteristics also exhibit diverse influences on market choices. Export‐oriented FOEs, particularly those undertaking assembly exports, experience lower productivity growth than that of local market‐oriented FOEs. This suggests that the effects of local market competition do result in substantial enhancement of the productivity of FOEs in China. This pattern is mainly exhibited by FOEs in inland regions, whereas FOEs undertaking ordinary exports in coastal regions might have somewhat higher total factor productivity (TFP) growth than their local market‐oriented counterparts. Among export‐oriented FOEs, exporting more product value—whether assembly or ordinary exports—has a positive influence on productivity.
Parallel trade with an endogenous market structure
Authors: Shih Pei‐Cyuan , Hwang Hong , Peng Cheng‐Hau
Published: August 2018

This paper sets up a two‐country model in which there is one domestic manufacturer authorising its product to a distributor in the foreign country. The distributor can sell the product not only to its own market (i.e., the foreign market) but also back to the domestic market. The latter is called parallel trade (PT). The paper investigates the effects of PT on the profits of the manufacturer and social welfare if the domestic market structure is endogenously determined. It is found that PT should be encouraged rather than banned as it increases not only the profits of the manufacturer but also the welfare of both the domestic and the foreign countries.
The effects of social networks on the flow of international students
Authors: Stuen Eric T. , Ramirez Stefanie
Published: August 2018

International study provides many benefits to the countries that host students, to the students’ home countries and to the students themselves. We extend the empirical knowledge regarding flows of international students, using a panel of data that spans 17 years, 26 host countries and 85 countries of origin. We examine the hypothesis that social networks are an important factor motivating study abroad by including lagged variables of the levels and shares of enrolment in the analysis. The analysis shows that they are significant factors: a 1% rise in a host country's share of an origin country's international student “diaspora” is associated with a 0.09%–0.12% rise in the number of students studying in that host from that origin, 5 years later. This is consistent with the literature on the economics of immigration, which finds social networks to be important, and transitory, in inducing immigration. These effects are found in models that control for other factors as well: earnings differentials, quality of higher education system, distance, common language and colonial relationship. The results suggest that one‐off policies to better recruit or attract international students will have ongoing benefits, in terms of follow‐on recruitment of further students by the initial students.
The future impact of Trans‐Pacific Partnership’s rule‐making achievements: The case study of e‐commerce
Authors: Hamanaka Shintaro
Published: August 2018

While policymakers and scholars often emphasise the significance of the rule‐making aspect when they discuss the benefits of negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs), we know little about the ways in which rules are actually made. We need impartial assessment of the status of rule‐making to draw any concrete policy implications. Moreover, “how international economic rules develop” in terms of enforceability has been a neglected but important research question for students of international economics and laws. International economic rules evolve through a series of FTAs that are signed by a different set of countries. By using the case study of e‐commerce chapters, this paper will specifically examine: (1) how earlier FTAs paved the way to the Trans‐Pacific Partnership (TPP) e‐commerce negotiations; (2) whether rule‐making achievements of TPP are substantial compared against earlier FTAs; and (3) whether rule‐making achievements of TPP, if any, are likely to have some impact on post‐TPP FTAs.
Association of macrophage and lymphocyte infiltration with outcome in canine osteosarcoma
Authors: Withers Sita S. , Skorupski Katherine A. , York Daniel , Choi Jin W. , Woolard Kevin D. , Laufer‐Amorim Renee , Sparger Ellen E. , Rodriguez Carlos O. , McSorley Stephen J. , Monjazeb Arta M. , Murphy William J. , Canter Robert J. , Rebhun Robert B.
Published: August 2018

Immunotherapeutic strategies have shown promise for the treatment of canine osteosarcoma (cOSA). Very little is known about the immune microenvironment within cOSA, however, limiting our ability to identify potential immune targets and biomarkers of therapeutic response. We therefore prospectively assessed the disease‐free interval (DFI) and overall survival time (ST) of 30 dogs with cOSA treated with amputation and six doses of adjuvant carboplatin. We then quantified lymphocytic (CD3+, FOXP3+) and macrophage (CD204+) infiltrates within the primary tumours of this cohort using immunohistochemistry, and evaluated their association with outcome. Overall, the median DFI and ST were 392 and 455 days, respectively. The median number of CD3+ and FOXP3+ infiltrates were 45.8 cells/mm2(4.6‐607.6 cells/mm2) and 8.5 mm2(0‐163.1 cells/mm2), respectively. The median area of CD204+ macrophages was 4.7% (1.3%‐23.3%), and dogs with tumours containing greater than 4.7% CD204+ macrophages experienced a significantly longer DFI (P= 0.016). Interestingly, a significantly lower percentage of CD204+ macrophages was detected in cOSA arising from the proximal humerus compared to other appendicular bone locations (P= 0.016). Lymphocytic infiltrates did not appear to correlate with outcome in cOSA. Overall, our findings suggest that macrophages may play a role in inhibiting cOSA progression, as has been suggested in human osteosarcoma.
REDEEMING A CRUCIFORM NATURE
Authors: Rolston Holmes
Published: August 2018

Christopher Southgate recognizes that the natural world is both ambiguous, mixing goods and bads, and simultaneously dramatically creative, such creativity resulting from just this ambiguous challenge of environmental conductance and resistance. Life is lived in green pastures and in the valley of the shadow of death. Perhaps this is the only way God could have created the values found on Earth, by means of such disvalues, as a Darwinian natural selection account suggests. Generating Earth's biodiversity requires struggle, success, and failure—and such an only way would constrain a powerful, loving God. But Southgate judges this too uncaring of suffering individuals, the products of evolution sacrificed to the systemic process. Perhaps God through Jesus redeems all the sacrificed individuals—pelicans in a pelican heaven—but redemption of all the bullfrogs and acorns becomes an incredible hope. Nature is a cruciform creation, where life persists in perpetual perishing. Life is forever conserved, regenerated, redeemed.
TEACHING SCIENCE AND RELIGION IN THE TWENTY‐FIRST CENTURY: THE MANY PEDAGOGICAL ROLES OF CHRISTOPHER SOUTHGATE
Authors: Corbally Christopher , Rappaport Margaret Boone
Published: August 2018

With the goal of understanding how Christopher Southgate communicates his in‐depth knowledge of both science and theology, we investigated the many roles he assumes as a teacher. We settled upon wide‐ranging topics that all intertwine: (1) his roles as author and coordinating editor of a premier textbook on science and theology, now in its third edition; (2) his oral presentations worldwide, including plenaries, workshops, and short courses; and (3) the team teaching approach itself, which is often needed by others because the knowledge of science and theology do not always reside in the same person. Southgate provides, whenever possible, teaching contexts that involve students in experiential learning, where they actively participate with other students. We conclude that Southgate's ultimate goal is to teach students how to reconcile science and theology in their values and beliefs, so that they can take advantage of both forms of rational thinking in their own personal and professional lives. The co‐authors consider several examples of models that have been successfully used by people in various fields to integrate science and religion.
Rod Bow Ultrasonic Measurements Possibilities
Authors: Kopeć Marcin , Malá Martina
Published: August 2018

The ultrasonic (UT) measurements have a long history of utilization in the industry, also in the nuclear field. As the UT transducers are developing with the technology in their accuracy and radiation resistance, they could serve as a reliable tool for measurements of small but sensitive changes for the nuclear fuel assembly (FA) internals as the fuel rods are. The fuel rod bow is a phenomenon that may bring advanced problems as neglected or overseen. The quantification of this issue state and its probable progress may help to prevent the safety-related problems of nuclear reactors to occur—the excessive rod bow could, in the worst scenario, result in cladding disruption and then the release of actinides or even fuel particles to the coolant medium. Research Centre Rez has developed a tool, which could serve as a complementary system for standard postirradiation inspection programs for nuclear fuel assemblies. The system works in a contactless mode and reveals a 0.1 mm precision of measurements in both parallel (toward the probe) and perpendicular (sideways against the probe) directions.
A Preliminary Investigation on the Risk Arising From the Use of High Pressure Fuel Gas Supply System in LNGC by Analyzing Risk Contributors Comparatively
Authors: Yoon Joon Young , Park Sung-In , Lee Jae Bong , Kwon Seungmin , Hwang Yoonsik
Published: August 2018

This work is motivated by the need to identify the fire and explosion risk on liquefied natural gas carriers (LNGCs) developed by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd., because the main engines are designed to use highly pressurized natural gas (about 300 bar), which has caused vague fears of fire and explosion risks. In this context, to identify the risk of fires and explosions quantitatively, a fire and explosion risk analysis (FERA) was carried out for the LNGCs. This paper, as a part of the FERA, presents the results of a preliminary investigation on the effect of introducing the highly pressured fuel gas system into LNGCs on the fire and explosion risk especially in the cargo compressor room. This study is conducted in a comparative way considering the risk contribution of each parameter that could impact on the fire and explosion risk. The effect of the highly pressured fuel gas is indirectly taken into account by the change of the initial leak rate in the system. To identify effects of the considered parameters quantitatively, dozens of simulations for the selected gas dispersion, explosion, and fire scenarios were carried out using FLACS and KFX. Based on the simulation results, it is concluded that, in case of the LNGCs, the effects of the initial large leak rate due to the high pressure in the fuel gas pipes on the fire and explosion risk are not significant compared with the effects of other parameters such as leak amount, leak location, and leak direction.
Dynamic Characterization of a Novel Externally Pressurized Compliantly Damped Gas-Lubricated Bearing With Hermetically Sealed Squeeze Film Damper Modules
Authors: Delgado Adolfo , Ertas Bugra
Published: August 2018

Ever-increasing demand for cleaner energy is driving the need for higher power density turbomachinery while reducing cost and simplifying design. Gas-lubricated bearings are representing one of the enabling technologies that can help maximize these benefits and have been successfully implemented into turbomachinery applications with rotors weights in the order few kg's. However, load capacity and damping limitations of existing gas bearing technologies prevent the development of larger size oil-free drive trains in the MW power output range. Compliantly damped hybrid gas bearings (CHGBs) were introduced as an alternative design to overcome these limitations by providing external pressurization to discrete tilting pads while retaining flexibility in the bearing support to help tolerate misalignment and rotor-pad geometry changes. Additionally, the CHGB concept addresses damping entitlement through the application of bearing support dampers such as metal mesh. An alternative CHGB design, featuring a novel hermetically seal squeeze film damper (HSFD) in the bearing support, was introduced as alternative approach to metal mesh dampers (MMDs) to further improve bearing damping. This paper details the rotordynamic characterization of a CHGB with modular HSFD for various operating conditions. Direct and cross-coupled stiffness and damping coefficients are presented for different rotor speeds up to 12,500 rpm, frequencies of excitation between 20 and 200 Hz, bearing loads between 200 and 400 lbf, and external hydrostatic pressures reaching 180 psi. Direct comparisons to experimental results for a CHGB using MMD show 3× increase in direct damping levels when using HSFD in the compliant bearing support. In addition to the experimental results, an analytical model is presented based on the implementation of the isothermal compressible Reynolds equation coupled to a flexible support possessing a pad with three degrees-of-freedom. The numerical results capture the direct stiffness and frequency dependency but underpredict the absolute values for both cases when compared to experimental data.
Vibration Analysis From Simulated Tip Timing Sensor Signal Shape Modulation
Authors: Heller Daniel , Sever Ibrahim , Schwingshackl Christoph W.
Published: August 2018

Blade Tip Timing (BTT) enables non-contact and non-intrusive measurements of the vibrational behaviour of rotating blades. The classical tip timing technology is based on arrival times when blades pass sensors mounted around the casing. Various post-processing methods have been proposed in the literature to extract the vibration behaviour of the bladed disk from arrival time data. However, the accuracy of these methods to determine vibration and modal parameters suffers from inherent under-sampling of BTT. Novel solutions are needed to extend BTT capabilities to non-linear and multi-mode vibration analysis. In this paper, an alternative approach to the signal processing of BTT sensor data is presented, focusing on the actual sensor signal shape data. The approach is based on the assumption that the vibration of blades leads to a certain modulation of the sensor output. Comparing this modulation with one from a non-vibrating condition, it is possible to extract vibration information. In this numerical study, a virtual capacitance sensor and bladed disk model is introduced to simulate the sensors with adjustable signal shape functions and to generate signal shapes from passing blades for three test cases. Data processing techniques are used to extract relevant vibration data from simulated signal shapes. It could be shown that the sensor signal shapes are modulated differently depending on the vibrational state of a passing blade. Parameters such as the blade tip dimension, sensor field characteristics, excitation, rotational speed, amplitude and frequency of vibration have a discernible effect on the sensor signal shapes.
Design and Emulation of a Turbocharged Bio-Fuelled SOFC Plant
Authors: Ferrari Mario L. , De Campo Marco , Magistri Loredana
Published: August 2018

This paper presents a steady-state model of an innovative turbocharged solid oxide fuel cell system fed by biofuel. The aim of this plant layout is the development of a reduced-cost solution, which involves the pressurization carried out with a mass production machine such as a turbocharger (instead of a microturbine). The turbocharger pressurizes the solid oxide fuel cell to increase the performance.

Following the experimental results to choose the suitable machine and for validating the turbocharger model, this tool was implemented to model the whole plant. It was used to calculate the operational conditions and to define the coupling aspects between the turbocharger, the recuperator and the solid oxide fuel cell system (comprising a fuel cell stack, an air preheater, a reformer, an off-gas burner and an anodic ejector).

The model permitted the component characterization and supported the design of an emulator test rig based on the coupling of a turbocharger and a pressure vessel. This facility was designed to conduct the experimental tests at system level on the matching between the machine and the fuel cell, especially for the dynamic and the control system aspects. To emulate the fuel cell, the rig was based on a specially designed pressure vessel equipped with a burner and inert ceramic materials. Moreover, the facility was designed to produce the turbine inlet conditions in terms of mass flow, temperature, pressure and gas composition (similitude conditions can be evaluated).
Design and Test Campaign of a Ducted Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine
Authors: Rivarolo Massimo , Spoladore Alessandro , Cravero Carlo , Traverso Alberto , Freda Andrea , Torrielli Stefano , Gualco Marco , Valditerra Enrico
Published: August 2018

Electrical energy production by wind energy has assumed more and more relevance in the last years. This paper presents the design of a ducted horizontal axis wind turbine, in order to enhance the performance. The study compares the energy production of a ducted turbine to a traditional free turbine, highlighting the different features. In the first part of the work, different possible geometries have been investigated through a quasi-1D model, using correlations from literature to evaluate pressure, velocity and producible electrical power by the wind turbine. A 3D CFD model, in a set of configurations, has confirmed the preliminary results. The most promising geometries have been selected by combining the outputs of the two models. In order to confirm the results obtained by the numerical models, a test rig has been assembled at the wind tunnel of the Polytechnic School of the University of Genoa. Different possible configurations of the wind energy harvesting system have been tested: free turbine, horizontal duct, convergent duct and convergent-divergent ducts (with the turbine installed in the throat section). In particular, the convergent-divergent duct has shown the best results, with an increase factor close to 2.5 in terms of produced power, compared to the reference free turbine. Finally, the results obtained in the experimental campaign have been used to validate the two models (1D and 3D CFD). Considering the advantages in terms of energy production, this kind of configuration can be considered an interesting solution for many different situations, including energy harvesting.