bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mass Heritage of New Belgrade: Housing Laboratory and So Much More
Authors: Jovanović Jelica
Published: January 2018

The central zone of New Belgrade has been under tentative protection by the law of the Republic of Serbia; it is slowly gaining the long-awaited canonical status of cultural property. However, this good news has often been overshadowed by the desperation among the professionals, the fear among  flat owners and the fury among politicians: the first because they grasp the scale of the job-to-be-done, the last because it interferes with their hopes and wishes, and the second because they are stuck between the first and the third group. This whirlpool of interests shows many properties of New Belgrade, that stretch far beyond the oversimplified narratives of ‘the unbuilt capital of Yugoslavia’, ‘the largest dormitory of Belgrade’ and ‘the unrestrained modernist playground’. This paper attempts to offer other points and value nods to those that are the most frequently used, from the complexity of the integrative efforts to the emergence of this new city, as well as the omitted and overlooked aspects of its reconstruction, deregulation and failure. The focus of the paper is the emergence, the use and the disappearance of the peculiar Yugoslav prefabricated housing, the path less travelled.
Att problematisera ”problemet”: Bedömning och utveckling av problemformuleringar i lärarutbildningens självständiga arbeten
Authors: Karlsudd Peter
Published: January 2018

How well a research problem is formulated in theses, according to many educators and textbook writers, is of great importance for the final quality of a thesis project. To investigate if there is a link between the construction and formulations of a problem and the grades well accepted and accepted, 58 theses projects were reviewed. 82 students were tested on their ability to evaluate, discuss and formulate research problems through specific exercises. The results of the comparison between how the research problem was designed and the theses gradings show that a well-formulated problem is not an absolute necessity for the grade well accepted. However, the results indicate that writers who strive to express higher ambitions when it comes to the problem have a greater opportunity to realize these in their thesis. Highly formulated problems have been well represented among the theses that receive the grade well accepted.

The conclusion of the study shows that a well constructed purpose and problem is of particular importance to achieve a good standard of a thesis project and the specific training efforts undertaken suggest that this training will continue as a regular feature of the programme.
Exercise and Mitochondrial Dynamics: Keeping in Shape with ROS and AMPK
Authors: Trewin Adam , Berry Brandon , Wojtovich Andrew
Published: January 2018

Exercise is a robust stimulus for mitochondrial adaptations in skeletal muscle which consequently plays a central role in enhancing metabolic health. Despite this, the precise molecular events that underpin these beneficial effects remain elusive. In this review, we discuss molecular signals generated during exercise leading to altered mitochondrial morphology and dynamics. In particular, we focus on the interdependence between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and redox homeostasis, the sensing of cellular bioenergetic status via 5’ adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and the regulation of mitochondrial fission and fusion. Precisely how exercise regulates the network of these responses and their effects on mitochondrial dynamics is not fully understood at present. We highlight the limitations that exist with the techniques currently available, and discuss novel molecular tools to potentially advance the fields of redox biology and mitochondrial bioenergetics. Ultimately, a greater understanding of these processes may lead to novel mitochondria-targeted therapeutic strategies to augment or mimic exercise in order to attenuate or reverse pathophysiology.
Multi-Agent System for Demand Prediction and Trip Visualization in Bike Sharing Systems
Authors: Lozano Álvaro , De Paz Juan , Villarrubia González Gabriel , Iglesia Daniel , Bajo Javier
Published: January 2018

This paper proposes a multi agent system that provides visualization and prediction tools for bike sharing systems (BSS). The presented multi-agent system includes an agent that performs data collection and cleaning processes, it is also capable of creating demand forecasting models for each bicycle station. Moreover, the architecture offers API (Application Programming Interface) services and provides a web application for visualization and forecasting. This work aims to make the system generic enough for it to be able to integrate data from different types of bike sharing systems. Thus, in future studies it will be possible to employ the proposed system in different types of bike sharing systems. This article contains a literature review, a section on the process of developing the system and the built-in prediction models. Moreover, a case study which validates the proposed system by implementing it in a public bicycle sharing system in Salamanca, called SalenBici. It also includes an outline of the results and conclusions, a discussion on the challenges encountered in this domain, as well as possibilities for future work.
Estimation of Mental Distress from Photoplethysmography
Authors: Zangróniz Roberto , Martínez-Rodrigo Arturo , López María , Pastor José , Fernández-Caballero Antonio
Published: January 2018

This paper introduces the design of a new wearable photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor and its assessment for mental distress estimation. In our design, a PPG sensor obtains blood volume information by means of an optical plethysmogram technique. A number of temporal, morphological and frequency markers are computed using time intervals between adjacent normal cardiac cycles to characterize pulse rate variability (PRV). In order to test the efficiency of the developed wearable for classifying distress versus calmness, the well-known International Affective Picture System has been used to induce different levels of arousal in forty-five healthy participants. The obtained results have shown that temporal features present a single discriminant power between emotional states of calm and stress, ranging from 67 to 72%. Moreover, a discriminant tree-based model is used to assess the possible underlying relationship among parameters. In this case, the combination of temporal parameters reaches 82.35% accuracy. Considering the low difficulty of metrics and methods used in this work, the algorithms are prepared to be embedded into a micro-controller device to work in real-time and in a long-term fashion.
Placing Visual Sensors Using Heuristic Algorithms for Bridge Surveillance
Authors: Jun Sungbum , Chang Tai-Woo , Yoon Hyuk-Jin
Published: January 2018

This study addresses the camera placement problem for bridge surveillance and proposes solutions that minimize the cost while satisfying the minimum coverage level. We discuss the field of view of cameras in the three-dimensional space. We also consider occlusions, the characteristics of surveillance targets, and different pan-tilt-zoom cameras in the visibility test. To solve the camera placement problem while minimizing the total cost, we propose a genetic algorithm (GA) and a uniqueness score with a local search algorithm (ULA). Problem sets for a large-scale dimension scenario are generated based on the data of actual bridges in the Republic of Korea. For three simulation sets and a case study of Samoonjin Bridge, the proposed ULA yields better results than GA.
Prescribed Performance Constraint Regulation of Electrohydraulic Control Based on Backstepping with Dynamic Surface
Authors: Guo Qing , Liu Yili , Jiang Dan , Wang Qiang , Xiong Wenying , Liu Jie , Li Xiaochai
Published: January 2018

In electro-hydraulic system (EHS), uncertain nonlinearities such as some hydraulic parametric uncertainties and external load disturbance often degrade the output dynamic performance. To address this problem, a prescribed performance constraint (PPC) control method is adopted in EHS to restrict the tracking position error of the cylinder position to a prescribed accuracy and guarantee the dynamic and steady position response in a required boundedness under these uncertain nonlinearities. Furthermore, a dynamic surface is designed to avoid the explosion of complexity due to the repeatedly calculated differentiations of the virtual control variables derived in backstepping. The effectiveness of the proposed controller has been verified by a comparative results.
The Impact of Tipuana tipu Species on Local Human Thermal Comfort Thresholds in Different Urban Canyon Cases in Mediterranean Climates: Lisbon, Portugal
Authors: Santos Nouri Andre , Fröhlich Dominik , Matos Silva Maria , Matzarakis Andreas
Published: January 2018

Based upon the case of Lisbon, this article examined the in-situ effects of vegetation upon pedestrian thermal comfort levels. Focussing specifically upon the historic quarter that often witnesses the highest Tamb values and Urban Heat Island (UHI) intensities during the summer, the most common urban canyon cases (UCCs) were modelled, along with one of the most commonly used vegetative semi-deciduous species found in the city, Tipuana tipu. Based upon a reference point (RP) system, the assessments were undertaken through the use of a new version of the SkyHelios model, local obtained Grad values, and the modified physiologically equivalent temperature (mPET) index calculated through the human-biometeorological model RayMan. The study identified the in-situ thermo-physiological influences of Tipuana tipu during different periods of the year: (1) during the summer, which revealed considerable reductions of PET/mPET of up to 15.6 °C/11.6 °C during a very hot day (where daily maximum Tamb surpassed 35 °C); and (2) during the winter, which revealed the risks of oversharing as a result of the species keeping its foliage during the winter with reductions of PET/mPET of up to 2.7 °C/2.6 °C. Furthermore, the study utilised the climate tourism/transfer information scheme (CTIS) to categorise and facilitate the interpretation of the results.
Characterization of an Antioxidant-Enriched Beverage from Grape Musts and Extracts of Winery and Grapevine By-Products
Authors: Aguilar Tabita , De Bruijn Johannes , Loyola Cristina , Bustamante Luis , Vergara Carola , Von Baer Dietrich , Mardones Claudia , Serra Ignacio
Published: January 2018

The recovery of antioxidants from complex winery and grapevine by-products into Vitis vinifera must offers new opportunities for wine grapes by the development of a new, enriched fruit juice. However, this demands the search for new valorization methods to get hold of additional antioxidant compounds. The objective of this study was to find a novel functionality for grape pomace, grapevine leaves, and canes by its reuse as a functional matrix for the extraction of antioxidants into grape must. After thermomaceration, 22 polyphenols were identified by high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Grape pomace was a good source of anthocyanins (malvidin-3-glucoside), while flavonols (quercetin-3-hexoside) and phenolic acids (caftaric acid) were the main phenolic compounds in leaf extracts. Catechin dimer was the only polyphenol compound present in all of the matrices. Enriched grape juice comprised by 40:20:40 (v/v/v) of pomace, leaf, and cane extracts, yielded an oxygen radical absorbance capacity of pirogallol red and fluorescein ratio of 0.70, indicating that the reactivity of antioxidants present in enriched grape juice was at least as efficient as other polyphenol-rich beverages. Thus, pomace, leaves and canes supply additional polyphenols to grape must that results into a beverage with promissory antioxidant activity and potential health benefits.
Interaction Analysis of Longevity Interventions Using Survival Curves
Authors: Nowak Stefan , Neidhart Johannes , Szendro Ivan , Rzezonka Jonas , Marathe Rahul , Krug Joachim
Published: January 2018

A long-standing problem in ageing research is to understand how different factors contributing to longevity should be expected to act in combination under the assumption that they are independent. Standard interaction analysis compares the extension of mean lifespan achieved by a combination of interventions to the prediction under an additive or multiplicative null model, but neither model is fundamentally justified. Moreover, the target of longevity interventions is not mean life span but the entire survival curve. Here we formulate a mathematical approach for predicting the survival curve resulting from a combination of two independent interventions based on the survival curves of the individual treatments, and quantify interaction between interventions as the deviation from this prediction. We test the method on a published data set comprising survival curves for all combinations of four different longevity interventions in Caenorhabditis elegans. We find that interactions are generally weak even when the standard analysis indicates otherwise.
The Botica or Apothecary in the Monastery of San Lorenzo el Real de El Escorial (Madrid, Spain): Written Sources, Historic Drawings, and New Surveys Applied to Architectural Analysis
Authors: Chias Pilar , Abad Tomás
Published: January 2018

Though there are a great number of studies of the Monastery of El Escorial, the surrounding buildings built in the 16th century have gone almost unnoticed. Among them, the Botica or Apothecary was designed by a disciple of Juan de Herrera and still arouses interest for several reasons. Firstly, because it composes an outstanding closure to the Monastery’s main building and the surrounding Lonja, while at the same time it connects other neighbouring buildings; secondly, because the surviving documents about its history, uses, and construction processes had not then been studied; and thirdly, because there was no accurate survey permitting an in-depth study of its materials, construction methods, and techniques. We based our research on the information in archive documents, on the study of an outstanding set of ancient drawings, and on the production of a new survey. As a first step, we drew the first set of accurate plans of the building. From this base we undertook the essential formal, functional, and constructive analysis. We also put forward and confirmed the main hypotheses about the building’s chronology and the stages of its construction. Finally, we analysed the conservation works that were carried out facing the two main risks of termite attacks and weathering.
Translocation Breakpoints Preferentially Occur in Euchromatin and Acrocentric Chromosomes
Authors: Lin Cheng-Yu , Shukla Ankit , Grady John , Fink J. , Dray Eloise , Duijf Pascal
Published: January 2018

Chromosomal translocations drive the development of many hematological and some solid cancers. Several factors have been identified to explain the non-random occurrence of translocation breakpoints in the genome. These include chromatin density, gene density and CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF)/cohesin binding site density. However, such factors are at least partially interdependent. Using 13,844 and 1563 karyotypes from human blood and solid cancers, respectively, our multiple regression analysis only identified chromatin density as the primary statistically significant predictor. Specifically, translocation breakpoints preferentially occur in open chromatin. Also, blood and solid tumors show markedly distinct translocation signatures. Strikingly, translocation breakpoints occur significantly more frequently in acrocentric chromosomes than in non-acrocentric chromosomes. Thus, translocations are probably often generated around nucleoli in the inner nucleoplasm, away from the nuclear envelope. Importantly, our findings remain true both in multivariate analyses and after removal of highly recurrent translocations. Finally, we applied pairwise probabilistic co-occurrence modeling. In addition to well-known highly prevalent translocations, such as those resulting in BCR-ABL1 (BCR-ABL) and RUNX1-RUNX1T1 (AML1-ETO) fusion genes, we identified significantly underrepresented translocations with putative fusion genes, which are probably subject to strong negative selection during tumor evolution. Taken together, our findings provide novel insights into the generation and selection of translocations during cancer development.
Sulfur and Water Resistance of Mn-Based Catalysts for Low-Temperature Selective Catalytic Reduction of NOx: A Review
Authors: Gao Chen , Shi Jian-Wen , Fan Zhaoyang , Gao Ge , Niu Chunming
Published: January 2018

Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) with NH3 is the most efficient and economic flue gas denitrification technology developed to date. Due to its high low-temperature catalytic activity, Mn-based catalysts present a great prospect for application in SCR de-NOx at low temperatures. However, overcoming the poor resistance of Mn-based catalysts to H2O and SO2 poison is still a challenge. This paper reviews the recent progress on the H2O and SO2 resistance of Mn-based catalysts for the low-temperature SCR of NOx. Firstly, the poison mechanisms of H2O and SO2 are introduced in detail, respectively. Secondly, Mn-based catalysts are divided into three categories—single MnOx catalysts, Mn-based multi-metal oxide catalysts, and Mn-based supported catalysts—to review the research progress of Mn-based catalysts for H2O and SO2 resistance. Thirdly, several strategies to reduce the poisonous effects of H2O and SO2, such as metal modification, proper support, the combination of metal modification and support, the rational design of structure and morphology, are summarized. Finally, perspectives and future directions of Mn-based catalysts for the low-temperature SCR of NOx are proposed.
Solution-Processed Efficient Nanocrystal Solar Cells Based on CdTe and CdS Nanocrystals
Authors: Liu Songwei , Liu Weigeng , Heng Jingxuan , Zhou Wenfeng , Chen Yanru , Wen Shiya , Qin Donghuan , Hou Lintao , Wang Dan , Xu Hui
Published: January 2018

Solution-processed CdTe nanocrystals solar cells have attracted much attention due to their low cost, low material consumption, and potential for roll-to-roll production. Among all kinds of semiconductor materials, CdS exhibits the lowest lattice mismatch with CdTe, which permits high junction quality and high device performance. In this study, high quality CdS nanocrystals were prepared by a non-injection technique with tetraethylthiuram disufide and 2,2′-dithiobisbenzothiazole as the stabilizers. Based on the CdTe and CdS nanocrystals, devices with the architecture of ITO/ZnO/CdS/CdTe/MoOx/Au were fabricated successfully by a solution process under ambient condition. The effects of annealing conditions, film thickness, and detailed device structure on the CdTe/CdS nanocrystal solar cells were investigated and discussed in detail. We demonstrate that high junction quality can be obtained by using CdS nanocrystal thin film compared to traditional CdS film via chemical bath deposition (CBD). The best device had short circuit current density (Jsc), open circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF) of 17.26 mA/cm2, 0.56 V, and 52.84%, respectively, resulting in a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.14%, which is significantly higher than that reported using CBD CdS as the window layer. This work provides important suggestions for the further improvement of efficiency in CdTe nanocrystal solar cells.
Bioactive and Antibacterial Coatings Based on Zein/Bioactive Glass Composites by Electrophoretic Deposition
Authors: Meyer Nima , Rivera Laura , Ellis Tim , Qi Jiahui , Ryan Mary , Boccaccini Aldo
Published: January 2018

This study investigated the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of the natural polymer zein combined with bioactive glass (BG) particles. Through the deposition of various BG compositions, namely 45S5 BG and Cu-doped BG, this work sought to demonstrate the ability of the films to potentiate the formation of hydroxyapatite (HA) in contact with simulated body fluid (SBF). Following incubation in SBF, the physical and chemical surface properties of the EPD films were evaluated using different characterization techniques. The formation of HA at the surface of the coatings following immersion in SBF was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results demonstrated HA formation in all coatings after seven days of immersion in SBF. Coating morphology and degradation of the zein films were characterized using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The results confirmed EPD as a very convenient room temperature technique for production of ion releasing, bioactive, and antibacterial coatings for potential application in orthopedics.
Temporal Variation of the Pressure from a Steady Impinging Jet Model of Dry Microburst-Like Wind Using URANS
Authors: Skote Martin , Sim Tze , Srikanth Narasimalu
Published: January 2018

The objective of this study is to investigate the temporal behavior of the pressure field of a stationary dry microburst-like wind phenomenon utilizing Unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) numerical simulations. Using an axisymmetric steady impinging jet model, the dry microburst-like wind is simulated from the initial release of a steady downdraft flow, till the time after the primary vortices have fully convected out of the stagnation region. The validated URANS results presented herein shed light on the temporal variation of the pressure field which is in agreement with the qualitative description obtained from field measurements. The results have an impact on understanding the wind load on structures from the initial touch-down phase of the downdraft from a microburst. The investigation is based on CFD techniques, together with a simple impinging jet model that does not include any microphysical processes. Unlike previous investigations, this study focuses on the transient pressure field from a downdraft without obstacles.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of High Density DNA Arrays
Authors: Podgornik Rudolf , Zavadlav Julija , Praprotnik Matej
Published: January 2018

Densely packed DNA arrays exhibit hexagonal and orthorhombic local packings, as well as a weakly first order transition between them. While we have some understanding of the interactions between DNA molecules in aqueous ionic solutions, the structural details of its ordered phases and the mechanism governing the respective phase transitions between them remains less well understood. Since at high DNA densities, i.e., small interaxial spacings, one can neither neglect the atomic details of the interacting macromolecular surfaces nor the atomic details of the intervening ionic solution, the atomistic resolution is a sine qua non to properly describe and analyze the interactions between DNA molecules. In fact, in order to properly understand the details of the observed osmotic equation of state, one needs to implement multiple levels of organization, spanning the range from the molecular order of DNA itself, the possible ordering of counterions, and then all the way to the induced molecular ordering of the aqueous solvent, all coupled together by electrostatic, steric, thermal and direct hydrogen-bonding interactions. Multiscale simulations therefore appear as singularly suited to connect the microscopic details of this system with its macroscopic thermodynamic behavior. We review the details of the simulation of dense atomistically resolved DNA arrays with different packing symmetries and the ensuing osmotic equation of state obtained by enclosing a DNA array in a monovalent salt and multivalent (spermidine) counterions within a solvent permeable membrane, mimicking the behavior of DNA arrays subjected to external osmotic stress. By varying the DNA density, the local packing symmetry, and the counterion type, we are able to analyze the osmotic equation of state together with the full structural characterization of the DNA subphase, the counterion distribution and the solvent structural order in terms of its different order parameters and consequently identify the most important contribution to the DNA-DNA interactions at high DNA densities.
Self-Monitoring of Emotions and Mood Using a Tangible Approach
Authors: Sarzotti Federico
Published: January 2018

Nowadays Personal Informatics (PI) devices are used for sensing and saving personal data, everywhere and at any time, helping people improve their lives by highlighting areas of good and bad performances and providing a general awareness of different levels of conduct. However, not all these data are suitable to be automatically collected. This is especially true for emotions and mood. Moreover, users without experience in self-tracking may have a misperception of PI applications’ limits and potentialities. We believe that current PI tools are not designed with enough understanding of such users’ needs, desires, and problems they may encounter in their everyday lives. We designed and prototype the Mood TUI (Tangible User Interface), a PI tool that supports the self-reporting of mood data using a tangible interface. The platform is able to gather six different mood states and it was tested through several participatory design sessions in a secondary/high school. The solution proposed allows gathering mood values in an amusing, simple, and appealing way. Users appreciated the prototypes, suggesting several possible improvements as well as ideas on how to use the prototype in similar or totally different contexts, and giving us hints for future research.
Potential Use of Spin Traps to Control ROS in Antipollution Cosmetics—A Review
Authors: Sawant Prashant
Published: January 2018

Pollution from air and sunlight has adverse effects on human health, particularly skin health. It creates oxidative stress, which results in skin diseases, including skin cancer and aging. Different types of antioxidants are used as preventative actives in skin-care products. However, they have some limitations as they also scavenge oxygen. Recently, spin traps are being explored to trap free radicals before these radicals generating more free radicals (cascading effect) and not the oxygen molecules. However, not all spin traps can be used in the topical cosmetic skin-care products due to their toxicity and regulatory issues. The present review focuses on the different pathways of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation due to pollution and the potential use of spin traps in anti-pollution cosmetics to control ROS.
Removal of SO42− from Li2CO3 by Recrystallization in Na2CO3 Solution
Authors: Cai Wei , Chen Ruosong , Yang Yurong , Yi Meigui , Xiang Lan
Published: January 2018

Li2CO3 with high purity is an important raw material for the fabrication of lithium rechargeable batteries. This paper reports a facile recrystallization way to produce Li2CO3 with high purity from commercial Li2CO3 containing 0.8 wt % of SO42− by the treatment of the commercial Li2CO3 in Na2CO3 solution. The increase of temperature from 30 °C to 90 °C favored the recrystallization of Li2CO3 in Na2CO3 solution and promoted the removal of SO42− adsorbed or doped on/in the commercial Li2CO3. The content of SO42− in Li2CO3 decreased to 0.08 wt % after the treatment of the commercial Li2CO3 in 1.0 mol·L−1 Na2CO3 solution at 90 °C for 10.0 h.
ARTutor—An Augmented Reality Platform for Interactive Distance Learning
Authors: Lytridis Chris , Tsinakos Avgoustos , Kazanidis Ioannis
Published: January 2018

Augmented Reality (AR) has been used in various contexts in recent years in order to enhance user experiences in mobile and wearable devices. Various studies have shown the utility of AR, especially in the field of education, where it has been observed that learning results are improved. However, such applications require specialized teams of software developers to create and maintain them. In an attempt to solve this problem and enable educators to easily create AR content for existing textbooks, the ARTutor platform was developed. It consists of a web-based application that acts as an AR authoring tool, and an accompanying mobile application that is used to access and interact with the educational AR content. In addition, the ARTutor application allows students to ask questions verbally and receive answers based on the contents of the book. This means that the system is suitable for distance learning and promotes self-study and independent learning.
Perceived and Reported Reliability of the Electricity Supply at Three Urban Locations in Indonesia
Authors: Kunaifi  , Reinders Angèle
Published: January 2018

This paper focuses on the reliability of electricity supply at three different locations in Indonesia, namely in Sumatra, Timor, and Papua, through a comparison of reported indices of power reliability (SAIFI and SAIDI) and experimental results from user surveys and power measurements. The reason for this study is the lack of information about the actual, quantified reliability of power supplied by the main grid in Indonesia, while narratives of end-users indicate the reliability might be unsatisfactory. The study was executed using data from 114 randomly-selected respondents in the city of Pekanbaru in Sumatra, 65 in the city of Kupang in Timor and 26 in the city of Jayapura in Papua, totaling 205 respondents. These users experienced a higher unavailability of power delivered by the grid than expressed by the utility-reported SAIDI and SAIFI. Therefore, for this study, new indices are introduced, namely the Perceived (P) SAIDI and SAIFI, which are based on the frequency and duration of blackouts experienced by the users. It is concluded that the reported reliability indices do not always demonstrate the experience of the grid users. P-SAIFIs were 1.3 to 4.6 times higher in Pekanbaru and Kupang, respectively than the utility-reported SAIFIs for the same provinces. Also, P-SAIDIs were 2.6 to 3.9 times higher in Pekanbaru and Kupang, respectively, than the utilities’ SAIDIs. It is therefore not surprising that depending on the location, 14% to 65% of the users own a backup generator and that households are willing to pay $3 to $8 extra per monthly electricity bill or $1c–$3c per kWh for improved reliability.
A Novel Dual-Permanent-Magnet-Excited Machine with Flux Strengthening Effect for Low-Speed Large-Torque Applications
Authors: Shi Yujun , Jian Linni
Published: January 2018

This paper proposes a novel dual-permanent-magnet-excited (DPME) machine. It employs two sets of permanent magnets (PMs). One is on the rotor, the other is on the stator with PM arrays. When compared with the existing DPME machines, not all of the PMs are located in the slots formed by the iron teeth. Specifically, the radially magnetized PMs in the arrays are located under the short iron teeth, while the tangentially magnetized PMs are located in the slots formed by the long stator iron teeth and the radially magnetized PMs. Each long stator iron tooth is sandwiched by two tangentially magnetized PMs with opposite directions, thus resulting in the flux strengthening effect. The simulation analysis indicates that the proposed machine can offer large back EMF with low THD and large torque density with low torque ripple when compared with Machine I from a literature. Meanwhile, by comparison, the proposed machine has great potential in improving the power factor and efficiency.
The Role of Environmental Filtering in Structuring Appalachian Tree Communities: Topographic Influences on Functional Diversity Are Mediated through Soil Characteristics
Authors: Chapman Julia , McEwan Ryan
Published: January 2018

Identifying the drivers of community assembly has long been a central goal in ecology, and the development of functional diversity indices has provided a new way of detecting the influence of environmental gradients on biotic communities. For an old-growth Appalachian forest, we used path analysis to understand how patterns of tree functional diversity relate to topography and soil gradients and to determine whether topographic effects are mediated through soil chemistry. All of our path models supported the idea of environmental filtering: stressful areas (high elevation, low soil moisture, low soil nutrients) were occupied by communities of low functional diversity, which suggests a selective effect for species with traits adapted to such harsh conditions. The effects of topography (slope, aspect, elevation) on functional diversity were often indirect and moderated through soil moisture and fertility. Soil moisture was a key component of our models and was featured consistently in each one, having either strong direct effects on functional diversity or indirect effects via soil fertility. Our results provide a comprehensive view of the interplay among functional trait assemblages, topography, and edaphic conditions and contribute to the baseline understanding of the role of environmental filtering in temperate forest community assembly.
Low Tree-Growth Elasticity of Forest Biomass Indicated by an Individual-Based Model
Authors: Hember Robbie , Kurz Werner
Published: January 2018

Environmental conditions and silviculture fundamentally alter the metabolism of individual trees and, therefore, need to be studied at that scale. However, changes in forest biomass density (Mg C ha−1) may be decoupled from changes in growth (kg C year−1) when the latter also accelerates the life cycle of trees and strains access to light, nutrients, and water. In this study, we refer to an individual-based model of forest biomass dynamics to constrain the magnitude of system feedbacks associated with ontogeny and competition and estimate the scaling relationship between changes in tree growth and forest biomass density. The model was driven by fitted equations of annual aboveground biomass growth (Gag), probability of recruitment (Pr), and probability of mortality (Pm) parameterized against field observations of black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP), interior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco), and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.). A hypothetical positive step-change in mean tree growth was imposed half way through the simulations and landscape-scale responses were then evaluated by comparing pre- and post-stimulus periods. Imposing a 100% increase in tree growth above calibrated predictions (i.e., contemporary rates) only translated into 36% to 41% increases in forest biomass density. This corresponded with a tree-growth elasticity of forest biomass (εG,SB) ranging from 0.33 to 0.55. The inelastic nature of stand biomass density was attributed to the dependence of mortality on intensity of competition and tree size, which decreased stand density by 353 to 495 trees ha−1, and decreased biomass residence time by 10 to 23 years. Values of εG,SB depended on the magnitude of the stimulus. For example, a retrospective scenario in which tree growth increased from 50% below contemporary rates up to contemporary rates indicated values of εG,SB ranging from 0.66 to 0.75. We conclude that: (1) effects of warming and increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and reactive nitrogen on biomass production are greatly diminished, but not entirely precluded, scaling up from individual trees to forest landscapes; (2) the magnitude of decoupling is greater for a contemporary baseline than it is for a pre-industrial baseline; and (3) differences in the magnitude of decoupling among species were relatively small. To advance beyond these estimates, studies must test the unverified assumptions that effects of tree size and stand competition on rates of recruitment, mortality, and growth are independent of climate change and atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
Transcription Factor and lncRNA Regulatory Networks Identify Key Elements in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Li Dan , Yang William , Zhang Jialing , Yang Jack , Guan Renchu , Yang Mary
Published: January 2018

Lung cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed carcinoma and is the leading cause of cancer death. Although significant progress has been made towards its understanding and treatment, unraveling the complexities of lung cancer is still hampered by a lack of comprehensive knowledge on the mechanisms underlying the disease. High-throughput and multidimensional genomic data have shed new light on cancer biology. In this study, we developed a network-based approach integrating somatic mutations, the transcriptome, DNA methylation, and protein-DNA interactions to reveal the key regulators in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). By combining Bayesian network analysis with tissue-specific transcription factor (TF) and targeted gene interactions, we inferred 15 disease-related core regulatory networks in co-expression gene modules associated with LUAD. Through target gene set enrichment analysis, we identified a set of key TFs, including known cancer genes that potentially regulate the disease networks. These TFs were significantly enriched in multiple cancer-related pathways. Specifically, our results suggest that hepatitis viruses may contribute to lung carcinogenesis, highlighting the need for further investigations into the roles that viruses play in treating lung cancer. Additionally, 13 putative regulatory long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), including three that are known to be associated with lung cancer, and nine novel lncRNAs were revealed by our study. These lncRNAs and their target genes exhibited high interaction potentials and demonstrated significant expression correlations between normal lung and LUAD tissues. We further extended our study to include 16 solid-tissue tumor types and determined that the majority of these lncRNAs have putative regulatory roles in multiple cancers, with a few showing lung-cancer specific regulations. Our study provides a comprehensive investigation of transcription factor and lncRNA regulation in the context of LUAD regulatory networks and yields new insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying LUAD. The novel key regulatory elements discovered by our research offer new targets for rational drug design and accompanying therapeutic strategies.
“Time is Production”: Process-Art, and Aesthetic Time in Paul Valéry’s Cahiers
Authors: Ustun Berkay
Published: January 2018

This paper offers a contextually inflected discussion of the extensive investment Paul Valéry makes in going beyond formal understandings of time. To this end it takes the processual work Cahiers as both a repository of insights, and a practical motor of conceptual creation for new time concepts through its very writing and production. In a speculative engagement with Valérian concepts such as phase, prolongation as well as reconfigured relations between central categorical pairings such as quality-quantity and succession-simultaneity, the paper situates Valéry’s writings on time with regard to their ambiguously critical attitude to a given image of philosophy as a form of verbal exercise ungrounded in empirical observation of local systems.
Living with Smoker(s) and Smoking Cessation in Chinese Adult Smokers: Cross-Sectional and Prospective Evidence from Hong Kong Population Health Survey
Authors: Mai Zhi-Ming , Ho Sai-Yin , Wang Man-Ping , Ho Lai-Ming , Lam Tai-Hing
Published: January 2018

Background: Results on the environmental influence on unassisted quitting are scarce. We investigated the associations of living with smoker(s) with quitting in Chinese adult smokers. Methods: We examined both cross-sectional and prospective data in the Hong Kong Population Health Survey recruited participants in 2003/04, and followed up to 2006. Unconditional logistic regression yielded adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of (i) planning to quit, (ii) ex-smoking (cross-sectional), and quitting (prospective) for living with smoker(s). 1679 ever smokers aged 18+ years at baseline, and 323 of them who were successfully followed-up were included in the cross-sectional, and prospective analysis. Results: At baseline, living with smoker(s) was significantly associated with lower odds of planning to quit in current smokers (AOR 0.41, 95% CI 0.25–0.68), and lower odds of ex-smoking (AOR 0.45, 95% CI 0.34–0.58), particularly if the smoker(s) smoked inside home (AOR 0.35, 95% CI 0.26–0.47). Prospectively, living with smoker(s) non-significantly predicted lower odds of new quitting (AOR 0.48, 95% CI 0.13–1.78). Conclusions: Our study has provided the first evidence in a Chinese general population that living with smoker(s) is an important barrier against smoking cessation. To boost quit rate in nonusers of smoking cessation services, smoking at home should be banned, especially for populations living in crowed urban environments that are typical of economically developed cities in China.
Safety Assessment of Electronic Cigarettes and Their Relationship with Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Zhang Guangwei , Wang Zhangli , Zhang Kai , Hou Rui , Xing Chunli , Yu Qi , Liu Enqi
Published: January 2018

Smoking leads to the occurrence and development of a variety of diseases. Most importantly, it is an independent risk factor of cardiovascular atherosclerosis. In recent years, electronic cigarettes have become a popular alternative to traditional cigarettes, since modern micro-electronic techniques provide the possibility of simulating the process of traditional smoking. Additionally, it is convenient and fashionable. Nevertheless, comments about the safety of electronic cigarettes remain controversial. Although the research about electronic cigarettes increased exponentially, there has been no systematic study of its safety. The aim of the current study is to review the literature reports about the safety of electronic cigarettes, and to understand their hazards and disadvantages. It was found that most of the current research about electronic cigarettes comprises short-term and in vitro studies. There are few reports of in vivo and long-term studies. Notably, the level of harmful components such as volatile organic compounds, tobacco-specific nitrosamines and heavy metals in electronic cigarettes are even higher than in traditional cigarettes. Therefore, the harm of electronic cigarettes should not be underestimated. In conclusion, the question of whether electronic cigarettes are a safe and sufficient substitute for traditional smoking needs further investigation.
Community Engaged Cumulative Risk Assessment of Exposure to Inorganic Well Water Contaminants, Crow Reservation, Montana
Authors: Eggers Margaret J. , Doyle John T. , Lefthand Myra J. , Young Sara L. , Moore-Nall Anita L. , Kindness Larry , Other Medicine Roberta , Ford Timothy E. , Dietrich Eric , Parker Albert E. , Hoover Joseph H. , Camper Anne K.
Published: January 2018

An estimated 11 million people in the US have home wells with unsafe levels of hazardous metals and nitrate. The national scope of the health risk from consuming this water has not been assessed as home wells are largely unregulated and data on well water treatment and consumption are lacking. Here, we assessed health risks from consumption of contaminated well water on the Crow Reservation by conducting a community-engaged, cumulative risk assessment. Well water testing, surveys and interviews were used to collect data on contaminant concentrations, water treatment methods, well water consumption, and well and septic system protection and maintenance practices. Additive Hazard Index calculations show that the water in more than 39% of wells is unsafe due to uranium, manganese, nitrate, zinc and/or arsenic. Most families’ financial resources are limited, and 95% of participants do not employ water treatment technologies. Despite widespread high total dissolved solids, poor taste and odor, 80% of families consume their well water. Lack of environmental health literacy about well water safety, pre-existing health conditions and limited environmental enforcement also contribute to vulnerability. Ensuring access to safe drinking water and providing accompanying education are urgent public health priorities for Crow and other rural US families with low environmental health literacy and limited financial resources.
Environmental Risk Factors for Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review
Authors: Dendup Tashi , Feng Xiaoqi , Clingan Stephanie , Astell-Burt Thomas
Published: January 2018

Different elements of the environment have been posited to influence type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This systematic review summarizes evidence on the environmental determinants of T2DM identified in four databases. It proposes a theoretical framework illustrating the link between environment and T2DM, and briefly discusses some methodological challenges and potential solutions, and opportunities for future research. Walkability, air pollution, food and physical activity environment and roadways proximity were the most common environmental characteristics studied. Of the more than 200 reported and extracted relationships assessed in 60 studies, 82 showed significant association in the expected direction. In general, higher levels of walkability and green space were associated with lower T2DM risk, while increased levels of noise and air pollution were associated with greater risk. Current evidence is limited in terms of volume and study quality prohibiting causal inferences. However, the evidence suggests that environmental characteristics may influence T2DM prevention, and also provides a reasonable basis for further investigation with better quality data and longitudinal studies with policy-relevant environmental measures. This pursuit of better evidence is critical to support health-orientated urban design and city planning.
On the Simulation-Based Reliability of Complex Emergency Logistics Networks in Post-Accident Rescues
Authors: Wang Wei , Huang Li , Liang Xuedong
Published: January 2018

This paper investigates the reliability of complex emergency logistics networks, as reliability is crucial to reducing environmental and public health losses in post-accident emergency rescues. Such networks’ statistical characteristics are analyzed first. After the connected reliability and evaluation indices for complex emergency logistics networks are effectively defined, simulation analyses of network reliability are conducted under two different attack modes using a particular emergency logistics network as an example. The simulation analyses obtain the varying trends in emergency supply times and the ratio of effective nodes and validates the effects of network characteristics and different types of attacks on network reliability. The results demonstrate that this emergency logistics network is both a small-world and a scale-free network. When facing random attacks, the emergency logistics network steadily changes, whereas it is very fragile when facing selective attacks. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the protection of supply nodes and nodes with high connectivity. The simulation method provides a new tool for studying emergency logistics networks and a reference for similar studies.