bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Smart Recommender Based on Hybrid Learning Methods for Personal Well-Being Services
Authors: Nouh Rayan M. , Lee Hyun-Ho , Lee Won-Jin , Lee Jae-Dong
Published: January 2019

The main focus of the paper is to propose a smart recommender system based on the methods of hybrid learning for personal well-being services, called a smart recommender system of hybrid learning (SRHL). The essential health factor is considered to be personal lifestyle, with the help of a critical examination of various disciplines. Integrating the recommender system effectively contributes to the prevention of disease, and it also leads to a reduction in treatment cost, which contributes to an improvement in the quality of life. At the same time, there exist various challenges within the recommender system, mainly cold start and scalability. To effectively address the inefficiencies, we propose combined hybrid methods in regard to machine learning. The primary aim of this learning method is to integrate the most effective and efficient learning algorithms to examine how combined hybrid filtering can help to improve the cold star problem efficiently in the provision of personalized well-being in regard to health food service. These methods include: (1) switching among content-based and collaborative filtering; (2) identifying the user context with the integration of dynamic filtering; and (3) learning the profiles with the help of processing and screening of reflecting feedback loops. The experimental results were evaluated by using three absolute error measures, providing comparable results with other studies relative to machine learning domains. The effects of using the hybrid learning method are gathered with the help of the experimental results. Our experiments also show that the hybrid method improves accuracy by 14.61% of the average error predicted in the recommender systems in comparison to the collaborative methods, which mainly focus on the computation of similar entities.
Experimental-Numerical Design and Evaluation of a Vibration Bioreactor Using Piezoelectric Patches
Authors: Valentín David , Roehr Charline , Presas Alexandre , Heiss Christian , Egusquiza Eduard , Bosbach Wolfram
Published: January 2019

In this present study, we propose a method for exposing biological cells to mechanical vibration. The motive for our research was to design a bioreactor prototype in which in-depth in vitro studies about the influence of vibration on cells and their metabolism can be performed. The therapy of cancer or antibacterial measures are applications of interest. In addition, questions about the reaction of neurons to vibration are still largely unanswered. In our methodology, we used a piezoelectric patch (PZTp) for inducing mechanical vibration to the structure. To control the vibration amplitude, the structure could be excited at different frequency ranges, including resonance and non-resonance conditions. Experimental results show the vibration amplitudes expected for every frequency range tested, as well as the vibration pattern of those excitations. These are essential parameters to quantify the effect of vibration on cell behavior. Furthermore, a numerical model was validated with the experimental results presenting accurate results for the prediction of those parameters. With the calibrated numerical model, we will study in greater depth the effects of different vibration patterns for the abovementioned cell types.
Space‒Time Evolution Analysis of the Nanjing Metro Network Based on a Complex Network
Authors: Yu Wei , Chen Jun , Yan Xingchen
Published: January 2019

Many cities in China have opened a subway, which has become an important part of urban public transport. How the metro line forms the metro network, and then changes the urban traffic pattern, is a problem worthy of attention. From 2005 to 2018, 10 metro lines were opened in Nanjing, which provides important reference data for the study of the spatial and temporal evolution of the Metro network. In this study, using the complex network method, according to the opening sequence of 10 metro lines in Nanjing, space L and space P models are established, respectively. In view of the evolution of metro network parameters, four parameters—network density, network centrality, network clustering coefficient, and network average distance—are proposed for evaluation. In view of the spatial structure change of the metro network, this study combines the concept of node degree in a complex network, analyzes the starting point, terminal point, and intersection point of metro line, and puts forward the concepts of star structure and ring structure. The analysis of the space‒time evolution of Nanjing metro network shows that with the gradual opening of metro lines, the metro network presents a more complex structure; the line connection tends to important nodes, and gradually outlines the city’s commercial space pattern.
The Role of a Manager’s Intangible Capabilities in Resource Acquisition and Sustainable Competitive Performance
Authors: Ying Qianwei , Hassan Hazrat , Ahmad Habib
Published: January 2019

The answer to the challenging question, “Should one either invest in tangible resources or intangible resources/capabilities?” is still fragmented. In prior studies, more emphasis is given to tangible resources, while intangible resources have comparatively received minor attention, despite their significant role in the success of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Particularly the role of the intangible skills; intellectual capital, financial literacy (FL), and business experience (BE) in resource acquisition and sustainable competitive performance has missed in prior studies. Grounded on the resource-based view and upper echelon theory, this study examines the role of intellectual capital in sustainable competitive performance with a mediating role of resource acquisition. This research also assesses the moderating role of financial literacy and business experience between intellectual capital and resource acquisition. Data are collected through structured questionnaires from 384 owners/managers of Pakistani SMEs. After analyzing the data through structural equation modeling (SEM), the results indicate that intellectual capital helps managers in acquiring valuable resources, which in turn enhance sustainable competitive performance. Resource acquisition partially mediates the relation between intellectual capital and sustainable competitive performance. Financial literacy is a significant predictor of resource acquisition, but it does not significantly moderate the relation between intellectual capital and sustainable competitive performance. Business experience significantly boosts the acquisition of resources and strengthens the path between intellectual capital and resource acquisition. SMEs should encourage their managers to acquire unique, rare, and immutable external resources in the turbulent markets.
Cause Related Marketing among Millennial Consumers: The Role of Trust and Loyalty in the Food Industry
Authors: Lerro Marco , Raimondo Maria , Stanco Marcello , Nazzaro Concetta , Marotta Giuseppe
Published: January 2019

The current study investigates the willingness of Millennial consumers towards several corporate social responsibility initiatives carried out by food companies. More specifically, it explores four cause related marketing campaigns implemented by food companies to spread corporate social responsibility. The analysis was carried out in Italy by administering a structured questionnaire to 308 consumers. The willingness of participants to switch a chocolate snack of their favourite brand to another with similar characteristics but produced by a company supporting different social and environmental causes was assessed in four different scenarios. The study uncovered the effects of both loyalty towards the brand and trust in cause related marketing on consumers’ willingness to support different corporate social responsibility initiatives. The findings unveiled the willingness of Millennials to support companies’ social and environmental initiatives. Both trust and loyalty played a key role in affecting consumers’ willingness to support corporate social responsibility initiatives of food companies. Social and environmental concerns as well as socio-demographics aspects are also significant in supporting cause related marketing campaigns. The study has shed light on the preference of consumers towards corporate social responsibility and cause related marketing. Specifically, it provides marketing insights on the initiatives most preferred by consumers to which companies should address their efforts.
The Challenges and Strategies of Food Security under Rapid Urbanization in China
Authors: Wang Yong-sheng
Published: January 2019

Food security has received wide attention in China for a long time due to the challenges of a huge population and limited farmland area. Under conditions of rapid urbanization, the food scenario has changed, creating major challenges for massive populations in China. This paper intends to reveal the impact of urbanization on food security and to propose strategies for mitigating the threats to it. Total grain production has continuously increased, but most of the grain production has been distributed in the northern region since 2006. Although the per capita rural income has increased significantly since 1980, the agricultural income ratio has consistently declined from 56.13% in 1983 to 26.61% in 2012. A dramatic shift in food consumption away from grain towards meat, poultry, eggs, milk and liquor has been found in both rural and urban areas. The faster agricultural water consumption growth in northern China over southern China helped close the gap. There has been net increase of cultivated land in northern China, whereas southern China has seen a net decrease. The medium- and low-level cultivation ratios of land were 52.84% and 17.69%, respectively, in 2015. This paper concluded that food security in China could be ensured by increasing production and optimizing consumption. It suggested that enhanced grain production capacity, strict water management, and land consolidation engineering as well as agricultural industrialization could be used for maintaining grain production. Food consumption itself can be managed by optimizing resident dietary pattern, reducing food waste, adjusting grain consumption structure and moderating food imports policy.
Soil Microbial Community Structure and Physicochemical Properties in Amomum tsaoko-based Agroforestry Systems in the Gaoligong Mountains, Southwest China
Authors: Liu Guizhou , Jin Man , Cai Chuantao , Ma Chaonan , Chen Zhongsuzhi , Gao Lunlun
Published: January 2019

Amomum tsaoko is cultivated in forests of tropical and subtropical regions of China, and the planting area is expanding gradually. However, little attention has been paid to the impact of A. tsaoko cultivation on the soil characteristics of the regions. We analyzed the effects of the A. tsaoko-forest agroforestry system (AFs) on the composition of soil microbial communities with increasing stand ages. We also compared the soil physicochemical properties, microbial biomass, and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) composition between native forest (NF) and AFs. The results showed that the level of total carbon, nitrogen, and organic matter dramatically dropped in AFs with increasing stand ages. pH affected other soil properties and showed close correlation to total carbon (P = 0.0057), total nitrogen (P = 0.0146), organic matter (P = 0.0075), hydrolyzable nitrogen (P = 0.0085), available phosphorus (P < 0.0001), and available potassium (P = 0.0031). PLFAs of bacteria (F = 4.650, P = 0.037), gram-positive bacteria (F = 6.640, P = 0.015), anaerobe (F = 5.672, P = 0.022), and total PLFA (F = 4.349, P = 0.043) were significantly affected by different treatments, with the greatest value for NF treatment, and least value for AF5. However, the microbial biomass declined during the initial 5 years of cultivation, but it reached the previous level after more than 10 years of cultivation. Our research suggests that AFs is a profitable land-use practice in the Gaoligong Mountains and that AFs showed a recovering trend of the soil nutrient condition with increasing stand ages. However, the severe loss of nitrogen in the soil of AFs requires additional nitrogen during cultivation to restore it to pre-cultivation levels.
Typical Combined Travel Mode Choice Utility Model in Multimodal Transportation Network
Authors: Liu Yue , Chen Jun , Wu Weiguang , Ye Jiao
Published: January 2019

The primary purpose of this paper is to explore the mechanism of combined travel mode choice in multimodal networks. To meet the objective, stated preference survey and revealed preference survey are designed under short, middle, and long travel distance scenarios. Data including travelers’ socio-economic/personal information, trip characteristics, and mode choice are collected and analyzed. To recognize the influential factors of mode choice, a nested logit model is established. A value of time estimation and sensitivity analysis are conducted to quantify the influencing degree. The results reveal that cost has a significant influence on the short-distance travel mode; waiting time is perceived as the most important factor in short-distance scenario, and transfer-walking time as the most significant in middle and long distance scenario. Moreover, the traveler is more sensitive to the decrease of the transfer walking time than increase. Regarding socio-economic/personal information, travelers aged 40–50 prefer to choose combined travel mode than other ages; female travelers have a greater acceptance of metro-based transfer travel than male; individuals with higher economic level have a positive image of metro than bus.
Resource Integration, Reconfiguration, and Sustainable Competitive Advantages: The Differences between Traditional and Emerging Industries
Authors: Ma Hongjia , Sun Qing , Gao Yang , Gao Yuan
Published: January 2019

Emerging industries bear great difference from traditional industries. It is valuable to explore the effectiveness of different resource management methods in the two industries. Based on this, the purposes of this paper are first to define and distinguish two core resource management methods (i.e., resource integration and resource reconfiguration), and second to research the different impact paths of resource integration and resource reconfiguration on the sustainable competitive advantages in different industries. Primarily, in order to achieve these purposes, this paper explores the generation path of resource integration and resource reconfiguration from the perspective of organizational learning; secondly, the empirical analysis method is applied to examine the different influences between resource integration and resource reconfiguration on sustainable competitive advantages. Based on 208 samples in traditional industries and 220 samples in emerging industries, the results show that resource integration and resource reconfiguration are the consequence of organizational learning. In traditional industries, resource integration and resource reconfiguration have a positive impact on sustainable competitive advantages, respectively, resulting in a “concerto effect” on sustainable competitive advantages. While, in emerging industries, though resource integration has a positive impact on sustainable competitive advantages, however, there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between resource reconfiguration and sustainable competitive advantages. In such a situation, the “concerto effect” disappeared. This paper not only reveals the uniqueness of different resource management methods in different industries but also enriches the applications of resource management theories in different situations.
Thermodynamic Cycle Concepts for High-Efficiency Power Plans. Part A: Public Power Plants 60+
Authors: Kosowski Krzysztof , Tucki Karol , Piwowarski Marian , Stępień Robert , Orynycz Olga , Włodarski Wojciech , Bączyk Anna
Published: January 2019

An analysis was carried out for different thermodynamic cycles of power plants with air turbines. Variants with regeneration and different cogeneration systems were considered. In the paper, we propose a new modification of a gas turbine cycle with the combustion chamber at the turbine outlet. A special air by-pass system of the combustor was applied and, in this way, the efficiency of the turbine cycle was increased by a few points. The proposed cycle equipped with a regenerator can provide higher efficiency than a classical gas turbine cycle with a regenerator. The best arrangements of combined air–steam cycles achieved very high values for overall cycle efficiency—that is, higher than 60%. An increase in efficiency to such degree would decrease fuel consumption, contribute to the mitigation of carbon dioxide emissions, and strengthen the sustainability of the region served by the power plant. This increase in efficiency might also contribute to the economic resilience of the area.
Mathematical Modeling of Tissue Folding and Asymmetric Tissue Flow during Epithelial Morphogenesis
Authors: Hiraiwa Tetsuya , Wen Fu-Lai , Shibata Tatsuo , Kuranaga Erina
Published: January 2019

Recent studies have revealed that intrinsic, individual cell behavior can provide the driving force for deforming a two-dimensional cell sheet to a three-dimensional tissue without the need for external regulatory elements. However, whether intrinsic, individual cell behavior could actually generate the force to induce tissue deformation was unclear, because there was no experimental method with which to verify it in vivo. In such cases, mathematical modeling can be effective for verifying whether a locally generated force can propagate through an entire tissue and induce deformation. Moreover, the mathematical model sometimes provides potential mechanistic insight beyond the information obtained from biological experimental results. Here, we present two examples of modeling tissue morphogenesis driven by cell deformation or cell interaction. In the first example, a mathematical study on tissue-autonomous folding based on a two-dimensional vertex model revealed that active modulations of cell mechanics along the basal–lateral surface, in addition to the apical side, can induce tissue-fold formation. In the second example, by applying a two-dimensional vertex model in an apical plane, a novel mechanism of tissue flow caused by asymmetric cell interactions was discovered, which explained the mechanics behind the collective cellular movement observed during epithelial morphogenesis.
A Variable Acceptance Sampling Plan under Neutrosophic Statistical Interval Method
Authors: Aslam Muhammad
Published: January 2019

The acceptance sampling plan plays an important role in maintaining the high quality of a product. The variable control chart, using classical statistics, helps in making acceptance or rejection decisions about the submitted lot of the product. Furthermore, the sampling plan, using classical statistics, assumes the complete or determinate information available about a lot of product. However, in some situations, data may be ambiguous, vague, imprecise, and incomplete or indeterminate. In this case, the use of neutrosophic statistics can be applied to guide the experimenters. In this paper, we originally proposed a new variable sampling plan using the neutrosophic interval statistical method. The neutrosophic operating characteristic (NOC) is derived using the neutrosophic normal distribution. The optimization solution is also presented for the proposed plan under the neutrosophic interval method. The effectiveness of the proposed plan is compared with the plan under classical statistics. The tables are presented for practical use and a real example is given to explain the neutrosophic fuzzy variable sampling plan in the industry.
MoSa: A Modeling and Sentiment Analysis System for Mobile Application Big Data
Authors: Zhang Yaocheng , Ren Wei , Zhu Tianqing , Faith Ehoche
Published: January 2019

The development of mobile internet has led to a massive amount of data being generated from mobile devices daily, which has become a source for analyzing human behavior and trends in public sentiment. In this paper, we build a system called MoSa (Mobile Sentiment analysis) to analyze this data. In this system, sentiment analysis is used to analyze news comments on the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) event from Toutiao by employing algorithms to calculate the sentiment value of the comment. This paper is based on HowNet; after the comparison of different sentiment dictionaries, we discover that the method proposed in this paper, which use a mixed sentiment dictionary, has a higher accuracy rate in its analysis of comment sentiment tendency. We then statistically analyze the relevant attributes of the comments and their sentiment values and discover that the standard deviation of the comments’ sentiment value can quickly reflect sentiment changes among the public. Besides that, we also derive some special models from the data that can reflect some specific characteristics. We find that the intrinsic characteristics of situational awareness have implicit symmetry. By using our system, people can obtain some practical results to guide interaction design in applications including mobile Internet, social networks, and blockchain based crowdsourcing.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Symmetry in 2018
Authors: Office Symmetry Editorial
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Dynamics of Laterality in Lake Tanganyika Scale-Eaters Driven by Cross-Predation
Authors: Hori Michio , Kohda Masanori , Awata Satoshi , Takahashi Satoshi
Published: January 2019

Scale-eating cichlid fishes, Perissodus spp., in Lake Tanganyika have laterally asymmetrical bodies, and each population is composed of righty and lefty morphs. Righty morphs attack the right side of prey and lefty morphs do the opposite. This anti-symmetric dimorphism has a genetic basis. Temporal changes in the frequencies of morphs in two cohabiting scale-eating species (Perissodus microlepis and P. straeleni) were investigated over a 31-year period on a rocky shore at the southern end of the lake. Dimorphism was maintained dynamically during the period in both species, and the frequencies oscillated with a period of about four years in a semi-synchronized manner. Recent studies have indicated that this type of anti-symmetric dimorphism is shared widely among fishes, and is maintained by frequency-dependent selection between predator and prey species. The combinations of laterality in each scale-eater and its victim were surveyed. The results showed that “cross-predation”, in which righty predators catch lefty prey and lefty predators catch righty prey, occurred more frequently than the reverse combination (“parallel-predation”). The cause of the predominance of cross-predation is discussed from the viewpoint of the physical and sensory abilities of fishes.
Generating All 36,864 Four-Color Adinkras via Signed Permutations and Organizing into ℓ- and

ℓ
˜

-Equivalence Classes
Authors: Gates S. James , Iga Kevin , Kang Lucas , Korotkikh Vadim , Stiffler Kory
Published: January 2019

Recently, all 1,358,954,496 values of the gadget between the 36,864 adinkras with four colors, four bosons, and four fermions have been computed. In this paper, we further analyze these results in terms of B C 3 , the signed permutation group of three elements, and B C 4 , the signed permutation group of four elements. It is shown how all 36,864 adinkras can be generated via B C 4 boson × B C 3 color transformations of two quaternion adinkras that satisfy the quaternion algebra. An adinkra inner product has been used for some time, known as the gadget, which is used to distinguish adinkras. We show how 96 equivalence classes of adinkras that are based on the gadget emerge in terms of B C 3 and B C 4 . We also comment on the importance of the gadget as it relates to separating out dynamics in terms of Kähler-like potentials. Thus, on the basis of the complete analysis of the supersymmetrical representations achieved in the preparatory first four sections, the final comprehensive achievement of this work is the construction of the universal B C 4 non-linear σ -model.
The Incidence of Marine Toxins and the Associated Seafood Poisoning Episodes in the African Countries of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea
Authors: Tamele Isidro José , Silva Marisa , Vasconcelos Vitor
Published: January 2019

The occurrence of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and bacteria can be one of the great threats to public health due to their ability to produce marine toxins (MTs). The most reported MTs include paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs), amnesic shellfish toxins (ASTs), diarrheic shellfish toxins (DSTs), cyclic imines (CIs), ciguatoxins (CTXs), azaspiracids (AZTs), palytoxin (PlTXs), tetrodotoxins (TTXs) and their analogs, some of them leading to fatal outcomes. MTs have been reported in several marine organisms causing human poisoning incidents since these organisms constitute the food basis of coastal human populations. In African countries of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, to date, only South Africa has a specific monitoring program for MTs and some other countries count only with respect to centers of seafood poisoning control. Therefore, the aim of this review is to evaluate the occurrence of MTs and associated poisoning episodes as a contribution to public health and monitoring programs as an MT risk assessment tool for this geographic region.
Meta-Analysis of Human IgG anti-HEV Seroprevalence in Industrialized Countries and a Review of Literature
Authors: Capai Lisandru , Falchi Alessandra , Charrel Rémi
Published: January 2019

Although Hepatitis E is increasingly described as a major cause of liver disease in industrialized countries, the epidemiology is far from being fully elucidated. We provide here a comprehensive review of documented clusters of cases, and of serological studies conducted in populations with distinct types of exposure. Seroprevalence rates range from <5% to >50% depending on the countries and the groups of population. Such discrepancies can be attributed to the type of serological assay used, but this solves only a part of the problem. We performed a meta-analysis of studies performed with the broadly used Wantai HEV-IgG ELISA and found striking differences that remain difficult to understand with the current knowledge of transmission pathways.
Aerosol and Contact Transmission Following Intranasal Infection of Mice with Japanese Encephalitis Virus
Authors: Chai Chunxia , Palinski Rachel , Xu Yixuan , Wang Qiao , Cao Sanjie , Geng Yi , Zhao Qin , Wen Yiping , Huang Xiaobo , Yan Qiguai , Ma Xiaoping , Wen Xintian , Huang Yong , Han Xinfeng , Ma Wenjun , Wu Rui
Published: January 2019

The Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a causative agent of severe viral encephalitis in humans, has a biological cycle fluctuating between transmission in mosquitoes and avian species and amplification in pigs. Contact transmission of JEV was recently shown in pigs in the absence of arthropod vectors. Here, we show JEV transmission between infected and contact mice and further demonstrate that JEV transmission occurs between animals via aerosols, as both viral RNA and infectious JEV were detected in direct contact- and aerosol-exposed contact animals. The results of this study change our understanding of JEV transmission in densely populated regions and may help to explain JEV outbreaks without the presence of arthropod vectors.
Co-Infection with Three Mycoviruses Stimulates Growth of a Monilinia fructicola Isolate on Nutrient Medium, but Does Not Induce Hypervirulence in a Natural Host
Authors: Tran Thao T. , Li Hua , Nguyen Duy Q. , Jones Michael G. K. , Wylie Stephen J.
Published: January 2019

Monilinia fructicola and Monilinia laxa are the most destructive fungal species infecting stone fruit (Prunus species). High-throughput cDNA sequencing of M. laxa and M. fructicola isolates collected from stone fruit orchards revealed that 14% of isolates were infected with one or more of three mycoviruses: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum hypovirus 2 (SsHV2, genus Hypovirus), Fusarium poae virus 1 (FPV1, genus Betapartitivirus), and Botrytis virus F (BVF, genus Mycoflexivirus). Isolate M196 of M. fructicola was co-infected with all three viruses, and this isolate was studied further. Several methods were applied to cure M196 of one or more mycoviruses. Of these treatments, hyphal tip culture either alone or in combination with antibiotic treatment generated isogenic lines free of one or more mycoviruses. When isogenic fungal lines were cultured on nutrient agar medium in vitro, the triple mycovirus-infected parent isolate M196 grew 10% faster than any of the virus-cured isogenic lines. BVF had a slight inhibitory effect on growth, and FPV1 did not influence growth. Surprisingly, after inoculation to fruits of sweet cherry, there were no significance differences in disease progression between isogenic lines, suggesting that these mycoviruses did not influence the virulence of M. fructicola on a natural host.
Characterization of Hydraulic Heterogeneity of Alluvial Aquifer Using Natural Stimuli: A Field Experience of Northern Italy
Authors: D’Oria Marco , Zanini Andrea
Published: January 2019

This study investigates the hydraulic heterogeneity of the alluvial aquifer underneath the dam and the stilling basin of a flood protection structure in Northern Italy. The knowledge of the interactions between the water in the reservoir upstream of the dam and the groundwater levels is relevant for the stability of the structure. A Bayesian Geostatistical Approach (BGA) combined with a groundwater flow model developed in MODFLOW 2005 has been used to estimate the hydraulic conductivity (HK) field in a context of a highly parameterized inversion. The transient hydraulic heads collected in 14 monitoring points represent the calibration dataset; these observations are the results of the hydraulic stresses induced by the variations of the lake stage upstream of the dam (natural stimuli). The geostatistical inversion was performed by means of a computer code, bgaPEST, developed according to the free PEST software concept. The results of the inversion show a moderate degree of heterogeneity of the estimated HK field, consistent with the alluvial nature of the aquifer and the other information available. The calibrated groundwater model is useful for simulating the interactions between the reservoir and the studied aquifer under different flood scenarios and for forecasting the hydraulic head levels due to strong flood events. The use of natural stimuli is useful for obtaining information for aquifer heterogeneity characterization.
Effect of Aluminium Salt Dosing on Activated Sludge Settleability Indicators: A New Settleability Model Development
Authors: Ojo Peter , Ifelebuegu Augustine Osamor
Published: January 2019

There has been a significant rise in the use of aluminium salts (Al3+) for the chemical precipitation of phosphates in wastewater treatment plants due to growing stricter regulatory requirements for wastewater effluent release to the environment. The modelling of the settleability of the resultant Al3+ sludge in present engineering practice for design and optimisation are still based on conventional sludge settleability models. This paper describes a novel activated sludge settleability model which is designed to analyse the effects of Al3+ dosing on activated sludge settleability indicators, zone settling velocity (ZSV), and stirred specific volume index (SSVI). The impact of Al3+ dosing concentrations on ZSV and SSVI of full scale activated sludge plant were analysed in the laboratory over a three years’ period and the exponential form of the Vesilind equation was optimised and validated to include alum chemical dosing parameters. The proposed model equation was found to effectively describe the settleability of Al3+ dosed sludge for dosing concentrations range of 0 to 100 mg/L.
Histoire profane et théorie politique dans le constitutionnalisme de Théodore de Bèze
Authors: Serrano Nunes Silvio Gabriel
Published: January 2019

Cette étude a pour but d’analyser le rôle de l’histoire profane en tant que recours légitimateur du droit de résistance, par le biais de l’argument constitutionnel des magistratures inférieures, dans le principal ouvrage politique de Théodore de Bèze, Du droit des magistrats (1574).
Accompagnateur en moyenne montagne, un régime de genre égalitaire ?
Authors: Bonnemaison Fleur , Hoibian Olivier , Mennesson Christine
Published: January 2019

Cet article met en relation l’état des rapports sociaux de sexe dans le métier d’accompagnateurs en moyenne montagne avec la position occupée par ce métier dans le sous-champ des professionnels de la montagne. Les rapports sociaux de sexe observés se distinguent nettement des processus de différenciation repérés dans le métier plus prestigieux de guide de haute montagne. Les compétences requises, distantes de la masculinité hégémonique, favorisent des modalités d’exercices professionnelles similaires. Ce constat n’annule toutefois pas complètement les différences entre hommes et femmes, notamment en ce qui concerne les modes d’articulation entre vie familiale et vie professionnelle.
Le Mixed Martial Arts, entre innovation et hybridation : genèse et développement techniques d’un sport de combat de synthèse. Étude empirique de la diversité des techniques victorieuses à l’Ultimate Fighting Championship
Authors: Quidu Matthieu
Published: January 2019

Le Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) s’est constitué en tant que sport de combat de synthèse à partir d’un projet originel de confrontation des différents styles martiaux. Nous examinons l’autonomisation de cette discipline à partir d’un processus, non prémédité, d’hybridation et discutons l’idée suivant laquelle l’intégration de différentes spécialités de combat produirait nécessairement un enrichissement gestuel. Inversement, le MMA professionnel est marqué par un double mouvement paradoxal de rétrécissement et d’uniformisation techniques, dominé par les frappes de poings, et qui résulterait de la conjonction de facteurs économiques, médiatiques et réglementaires.
Patellofemoral Joint Contact Pressures: Current Concepts and Use in Patellar Instability Studies
Authors: Osborne Jeffrey D. , Luczak S. Brandon , Acker William B. , Bicos James
Published: January 2019

The patellofemoral joint is thought to be a common source for knee pain. Improper alignment and function of the patellofemoral joint can lead to abnormal contact pressures, which may explain patients' symptoms. In this review, the authors examine techniques for measuring patellofemoral joint contact pressures and summarize the relevant patellofemoral joint anatomy and contact pressures in normal knee kinematics. Finally, they discuss the results of studies investigating contact pressure changes in cases of patellar instability. This includes both reconstruction of the medial patellofemoral ligament and tibial tubercle osteotomy. [
Orthopedics
. 2019; 42(2):e172–e179.]
Le voyage à Cubitas dans Sab de Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda
Authors: Marie Joséphine
Published: January 2019

Le roman Sab (1841) entend réélaborer une mémoire par le paysage, lequel excède le geste de réappropriation symbolique d’un patrimoine nommé, décrit, circonscrit et valorisé par l’auteur romantique natif. Avec la recomposition non mimétique du paysage-trace (Glissant) à Cubitas, Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda fait du récit littéraire l’endroit de la compréhension et de l’expression d’une histoire antillaise brisée et occultée. Les lieux, qui ne sont plus des marqueurs d’identités, disparaissent au profit de la mouvance de divers espace-temps et d’un éclatement de paroles multiformes. Ces marques du refus du « grand récit » à l’occidentale révèlent une intuition de la postmodernité et de certains paradigmes postcoloniaux.
El paisaje en la poesía de José Ángel Valente
Authors: Terrasson Claudie
Published: January 2019

À travers quelques exemples de paysages extraits de l’œuvre poétique de José Ángel Valente, nous nous proposons de réfléchir à la place qu’occupe le paysage et à ses fonctions afin de dégager la singularité d’une esthétique qui se fonde sur la tension entre la déconstruction et le mouvement de déprise. De cette articulation naît une œuvre radicale qui concilie une écriture de la mémoire et une esthétique du dénudement.
Cochabamba (Bolivie): Hacer ciudad, Hacer Sociedad, du rêve à la réalité
Authors: Delfour Christine
Published: January 2019

Il s’agit du récit d’un échec, celui de l’approbation du Plan Municipal de Ordenación del territorio (PMOT), d’autant plus cuisant que l’adéquation inédite entre le projet d’aménagement du territoire mené par la municipalité de Cochabamba (province de Cercado-Bolivie) et la construction d’un nouveau modèle du vivre ensemble dans un environnement plurinational (Nouvelle Constitution Politique de l’Etat- NPCE) portaient à croire que ce serait une réussite. Quelles sont les raisons de cet échec ? Le volet politique (idéologique) a-t-il prévalu au détriment du volet sociétal ? Bref, peut-on « Faire ville » et « Faire société » dans un pays où la prégnance des villes et des régions a très souvent orienté la politique nationale ?
Filmwise Condensation of Steam on Pin Fin Arrays Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting
Authors: Ho J.Y. , Leong K.C.
Published: January 2019

In this study, nine vertical flat plates of pin fin arrays were fabricated by selective laser melting to investigate the possible enhancements of external condensation. These specimens are cylindrical pin fins of the same fin diameter of 300 μm but are of different fin heights (l) and fin pitches (p) from 300 μm to 900 μm. Experiments were conducted in a condensation chamber with near quiescent vapor to simulate free-convection condensation. The aim is to investigate the effects of fin pitch and fin height on the condensation heat transfer performance of the surfaces. The results of this study show that the increase in fin height and the decrease in fin pitch lead to a systematic increase in the condensation heat flux (q''). At the same fin pitch, the increase in fin height from 600 μm to 900 μm resulted in a more significant increase in q'' as compared to the increase in fin height from 300 μm to 600 μm. On the other hand, at the same fin height, a larger increase in q'' is observed when the fin pitch is reduced from 900 μm to 600 μm as compared to the reduction in fin pitch from 600 μm to 300 μm. It can be deduced that increasing the fin height enables the fins to protrude out of the thick condensate film and increases the effective heat transfer area of the surfaces. However, when the fin density is large, it impedes the condensate drainage path and limits the enhancement in q''. The enhancement factor (η), which is the ratio of the average condensation heat flux of a pin fin surface to that of a plain surface, was computed for each specimen. The highest η value of 1.72 was achieved with the specimen of 900 μm fin height and 300 μm fin pitch. Finally, a relationship between η and the dimensionless fin pitch-to-height ratio (p/l) is proposed.
Influence of Silica Nanofluid on CO2 Mass Transfer and Hydrocarbon Property Alteration in a Carbonated Water-Hydrocarbon System
Authors: Bagalkot Nikhil , Hamouda Aly A. , Isdahl Ole Morten
Published: January 2019

The study investigates the impact of a nanofluid suspended in carbonated water (CW) on the CO2 mass transfer into hydrocarbon in a carbonated water/hydrocarbon system. Furthermore the study addresses into the influence of the nanofluid assisted CO2 mass transfer on the viscosity and density of hydrocarbon and its relevance to enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The experiments were carried out at 10-70 bar at 25°C and 45°C using an axisymmetric drop shape analysis (ADSA) for three concentrations of silica nanofluid (0, 0.05, 0.5, and 1.0 g/l). A pressure decay method was used to estimate the change in CO2 solubility in water in the presence of the nanofluid. A mathematical model coupled with experimental input was used to quantify the mass of CO2 transferred into the hydrocarbon from the CW. Although this work does not address the EOR process, it indicates its applicability for EOR. The results showed that the dispersed nanofluid in CW enhanced the CO2 mass transfer into the hydrocarbon, and reduced the hydrocarbon viscosity and density. The pressure decay experiments indicated that the nanofluid increases the mass of CO2 in water by 17% compared to that without nanofluid. Compared to CW, CNF (CW+nanofluid) increased the CO2 mass transfer into the hydrocarbon drop by approximately 2% at 10 bar and 45% at 60 bar, this leads to an increment in volume of the pendant drop by approximately 3% at 10 bar and 48% at 60 bar at 25°C. A similar observation was made at 45°C. The nanofluid through CO2 mass transfer was responsible for approximately 40% and 29% reduction in the viscosity and density respectively, when compared with CW. Compared to CO2/hydrocarbon the CNF/hydrocarbon lead to a 17.3% volume increase at 30 bar to 91.2% at 50 bar. The increase in the drop volume is unlikely to be due to the migration of nanofluid across the interface into the hydrocarbon drop as indicated by analysis done using UV spectrophotometry and may be due to increase in the CO2 concentration gradient across the interface due to increase in the CO2 solubility in CW.
Investigation of Iranian pomegranate cultivars for wound healing components
Authors: Omidi Ghaleh Mohammadi Mohammad , Mirghazanfari Sayid Mahdi
Published: January 2019

One of the most important issues which medical science has been facing is wound healing for the tissue repair with the least complications. In this study, we aimed to isolate, purify and quantitate tannins and phenolic compounds from exocarp and pulp of fruits of Iranian pomegranate cultivars. Our findings demonstrate that the highest amount of tannin extracts from ethanol extract of the black peel exocarp was 201.76 ± 1.93. The highest amount of flavonoids from the ethanol extract of Sweet Alac exocarp was119.69 ± 1.02 as well as antioxidant compounds activity in the exocarp and pulp showed that the highest activity is in the ethanol extract of the black peel was 95.65 ± 3.1. The total phenolic activity indicated that the Sour white peel ethanol extract has the highest phenolic activity 327.05 ± 863. Our data suggest that the ethanol extract of pomegranate exocarp has the higher amounts of tannins and flavonoids, compounds that are known to be beneficial for wound healing. Taken together, these data suggest that compounds isolated from Iranian pomegranate cultivars offer new options for managements of wound healing.
Strategic Improvement of Oral Antineoplastic Investigational Agents Compliance
Authors: Alshawa Anas , Gong Jing , Marcott Valerie , Khan Rabia , Boving Valentine , Brown Lakeshia , Beno Jeff , Kheder Ed , Fu Siqing
Published: January 2019

Background: The use of oral antineoplastic agents has increased in cancer medicine. However, the convenience of oral medication carries the risk of nonadherence and dosing errors, which could jeopardize therapeutic benefits and patient safety. This is a quality improvement project to investigate reasons for nonadherence and medication errors in patients receiving oral investigational treatment at the Phase 1 Department at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. Early-phase clinical trials have an enormous impact on drug development and patient safety, not much has been done to evaluate adherence in patients receiving investigational oral antineoplastic agents. Materials and Methods: We examined our clinic dynamic including the initial encounter, follow-up phone calls, medication administration, and patient adherence the following visit. Then we explored and classified the main possible reasons for nonadherence and medication error across the workflow. Results: When examining potential deficiencies in the clinic flow, which are actionable and carry high impact, we found the initial encounter had a significant room for improvement and errors happened when instructions provided were unclear, not correct, or contradicted with the prescription or the label. Furthermore, the follow-up calling was also an important step to monitor and improve compliance. However, it was not a consistent practice and lacked a standardized format. Lastly and although the multistep reconciliation process for oral medication is important to monitor compliance, it was complex, had multiple manual aspects, and added substantial burden on the research staff. Conclusion: In this project, our goal was to shed light on the possible causes of oral medication errors and nonadherence in clinical trials. We proposed feasible measures including educational, training, and adherence monitoring tools. We will continue to monitor and evaluate our data to see any positive or negative impact from our interventions.
Research into the Causes of Venom-Induced Mortality and Morbidity Identifies New Therapeutic Opportunities
Authors: Girish Kesturu S. , Katkar Gajanan D. , Harrison Robert A. , Kemparaju Kempaiah
Published: January 2019

Snakebite primarily affects rural subsistent farming populations in underdeveloped and developing nations. The annual number of deaths (100,000) and physical disabilities (400,000) of snakebite victims is a societal tragedy that poses a significant added socioeconomic burden to the society. Antivenom therapy is the treatment of choice for snakebite but, as testified by the continuing high rates of mortality and morbidity, too many rural tropical snakebite victims fail to access effective treatment. Here, we advocate for more basic research to better understand the pathogenesis of systemic and local envenoming and describe how research outcomes can identify novel snakebite therapeutic strategies with the potential to be more accessible and affordable to victims than current treatment.
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices regarding Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome in Endemic Areas of Anhui Province, Eastern China
Authors: Gong Lei , Song Dandan , Lyu Yong , Wang Jinsheng , Zhang Yong , Yang Ming , Wu Jiabing , Ma Li , Xu Xuewei , Gao Weilin , Su Bin
Published: January 2019

This study aimed to assess baseline knowledge, attitudes, and practices about severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) and identify the target population for health education programs in endemic areas of Anhui, China. This cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2017. Of 752 participants, 383 (50.9%) were from Nanqiao District, 397 (52.8%) were female, and 430 (57.2%) were farmers; 37.4% had heard about SFTS, but knowledge of symptoms and signs including fever (34.2%), leukopenia (8.0%), and thrombocytopenia (10.1%) was low. Only 12.1% knew that SFTS virus is transmitted by ticks, 9.4% realized that the blood and body fluid of SFTS are infectious, and only 38.2% thought that the tick should be paralyzed using medical alcohol or iodine. Meanwhile, 61.3% wore long-sleeve clothes, whereas 20.2% used repellents. Median scores for knowledge, attitudes, and practices, and the total score were 4.0, 6.0, 5.0, and 16.0, respectively. Knowledge was influenced by region (OR = 0.632, 95% CI: 0.399–0.999), education (OR = 0.516, 95% CI: 0.434–0.612), gender (OR = 1.865, 95% CI: 1.165–2.987), and age (OR = 3.406, 95% CI: 2.345–4.947). Education was a predictor of lack of appreciation of infection risk (OR = 0.519, 95% CI: 0.449–0.599) and practice (OR = 0.481, 95% CI: 0.396–0.584). Our findings indicate that SFTS-related health education programs are required for females; participants from Qianshan Prefecture; those with an occupation of farmer, retiree, houseworker, or unemployed; elderly participants; and those with low education. Large-scale sustainable health education programs focusing on the target populations are urgently needed in endemic areas.