bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reviews
Authors: Chambers Douglas , Munk Linda , Bloom Karen , Nowlin Michael
Published: March 2013

Peter Davidson, ed., Poetry and Revolution: An Anthology of British and Irish Verse 1625–1660, reviewed by Douglas Chambers

David Norbrook, Writing the English Republic: Poetry, Rhetoric and Politics 1627–1660, reviewed by Douglas Chambers

J.R. Watson, The English Hymn: A Critical and Historical Study, reviewed by Linda Munk

Homer Obed Brown, Institutions of the English Novel: From Defoe to Scott, reviweed by Karen R. Bloom

Ross Posnock, Color and Culture: Black Writers and the Making of the Modern Intellectual, reviewed by Michael Nowlin
The Paradox of Flaubert
Authors: Giese
Published: March 2013

There are few religions that we cannot on the whole approve; there are few substitutes for religion that we are not forced to disapprove. Unhappily, Flaubert's religion of art, so pure, so strenuous, and so disinterested, had its disqualifications. His aloofness from temptation was founded on a certain inhumanity, and his uncompromising artistic orthodoxy on a distressing intellectual narrowness. We cannot but feel that the man was sacrificed to the artist, and that life lost all that art gained. If the art had lost nothing in the process, if it were not itself debased by this ambiguous genesis, the whole matter might be dismissed with a sigh, at the heavy cost paid for all greatly precious things. But the artist's work is inevitably an expression of his inner and outer life; what is wanting in the man is the index of a corresponding deficiency in the work.
Poetry
Authors: Brown
Published: March 2013

Reviews of poetry published in Canada in 1937.
The Visual Arts: Freedom or Regimentation
Authors: McInnes Graham
Published: March 2013

Whether art institutions and societies of artists are productive of more good than harm, whether their presence and their activities contribute to the progress of the fine arts, has long been a fruitful source of controversy. Organizations of many sorts exist in the art world, but it is against the body with an "official" outlook that criticism is as a rule directed. We may take it that art museums, and art associations formed by laymen to encourage a wider appreciation of the arts, can merit nothing but praise. Nor should artists, banded together to uphold a certain standard of craftsmanship, or to explore the possibilities of a certain medium, be suspect. It is only when a body of artists attempts, frequently with official patronage, to establish a cabal which, by means of certain inelastic rules and precepts, would rigidly demarcate what is to be considered "in the line," that we should look askance.
Mitlon's Hell and the Phlegraean Fields
Authors: Nicolson Marjorie
Published: March 2013

The classical and medieval elements in Milton's description of Hell have been so fully established that it has not seemed necessary to ask whether the poet drew his inspiration from other than literary sources. Yet there is a realism in Milton's details which accounts in large part for their vividness, and which gives to the first book of Paradise Lost a verisimilitude not unnaturally lacking in the scenes in Paradise, and not equalled even by the scenes in the terrestrial Paradise of the Garden of Eden. Is it possible that in the first book Milton was drawing upon memory no less than upon imagination, and combining actual sense impressions with literary reminiscence? If so, what was the district which so fired his imagination that even in later blindness he remembered it in close detail?
Roman Comedy
Authors: Adams
Published: March 2013

Appreciation of Plautus and Terence does not leap forth, like Athena from the brows of Zeus, adult and armed. It enters into existence, if at all, in a manner much more painful and prosaic, and quite ungeared for battle. I hold no energetic brief for these unhappy poets; I merely offer a few considerations which seem to justify the verdicts given by their contemporaries, and which may also serve to temper our modern judgments.
Mr. Pepys Goes to Church
Authors: Smith Neil
Published: March 2013

Sameul Pepys attended church fairly regularly between 1660 and 1669, and the Diary contans numerous comments on the churches where he worshipped, and the sermons which he heard. His remarks are not only interesting, and often amusing, in themselves, but they serve to reveal how the Church and its clergy at that period impressed an astute man of the world, who was a shrewd and appreciative, and occasionally a harsh, critic.
French-Canadian Letters
Authors: Woodhouse
Published: March 2013

Reviews of French-Canadian books published in 1937.
The Unexpurgated Mein Kampf
Authors: Stewart Herbert
Published: March 2013

A German autobiography, in two different English translations, has reached us, with surely the most singular notice to recommend it which even the “jacket” of a publishing house has yet displayed. Messrs Reynal and Hitchcock beg us to bear in mind that all profits from the sales of their version will be applied for the benefit of the author's unhappy victims, while from StackpoleSons, although they do not undertake to apply profits in that way, we have at least the assurance that no share in them will go to the author. Each publisher intimates that the new translation, unlike its predecessors, is “complete”—a point which it seems quite natural to emphasize. But the further epithet, “unexpurgated,” on which each relies to secure a sale, is a distinct novelty in the advertisement of a book by the living ruler of a great nation in Europe. The translators have rendered signal service in reproducing for the English reader the full text of that strange manifesto, some of whose contents it is urgent that the foreigner should see, for just the same cause which makes the Nazi enthusiast wish to conceal them. In no ordinary or conventional sense is the public indebted for such timely work, so admirably done.
Recent Trends in Historical Thought
Authors: Flenley
Published: March 2013

History is the way we look at the past, and in so doing we are conditioned by time, place, and circumstance. Although we may and do speak of “objective” history, the objectivity is relative: we cannot in this twentieth century write history from the eighteenth-century point of view, much less from that of earlier ages. All written history reflects in some degree the personal, “subjective” point of view of the writer, and, more obviously, all sorts of social, national, political, or religious influences to which we are exposed. Even the recognition of this (which recognition is in itself a part of our view of life today) does not emancipate us from our environment. Hence history cannot be written once for all: it must be rewritten from generation to generation, as time moves on, and the point of view changes. It is therefore worth while to ask: how has historical thought developed in recent times, and what are its trends today?
Reviews
Authors: Woodhouse  , Lowry Howard , Allen Frank , Barker
Published: March 2013

Robert Kilburn Root, The Poetical Career of Alexander Pope, reviewed by A. S. P. Woodhouse

Geoffrey Tillotson, On the Poetry of Pope, reviewed by A. S. P. Woodhouse

B. Sprague Allen, Tides in English Taste (1619-1800): A Background for the Study of Literature, reviewed by A. S. P. Woodhouse

Hoxie Neale Fairchild, Religious Trends in English Poetry, Vol. I: 1700-40, Protestantism and the Cult of Sentiment, reviewed by A. S. P. Woodhouse

Carleton Stanley, Matthew Arnold, reviewed by Howard F. Lowry

W. H. Watson, On Understanding Physics, reviewed by Frank Allen

J. W. Allen, English Political Thought, 1603-1660; volume I, 1603-1644, reviewed by A. E. Barker

William Haller, The Rise of Puritanism; or, the Way to the New Jerusalem as Set Forth in Pulpit and Press from Thomas Cartwright to John Lilburne and John Milton, 1570-1643, reviewed by A. E. Barker
Driver Anticipation in Car Following
Authors: Deng Hui , Zhang H. Michael
Published: March 2013

In normal driving conditions, drivers can usually anticipate with a good degree of accuracy the movements of vehicles ahead of them. Such anticipation can reduce the gaps between vehicles and produce high flows on freeway lanes. This anticipation effect is introduced in a car-following model in continuous space and discrete time, along with a set of driving rules that capture the car-following behavior of drivers. Detailed analysis shows that the model can simulate the full range of traffic conditions—free flow, congestion, and traffic jams under fixed and moving bottlenecks—and produce realistic flow capacities and fundamental diagrams with different levels of anticipation. Moreover, analysis of jam formation and decay reveals the underlying relationship between the parameters of the model and the triangular fundamental diagram. The platoon effect can be captured in the model by gap anticipation level (a) dependent on the gap.
Phase Transition Model Based on Driver Reaction Time and Sensitivity
Authors: Kim Taewan
Published: March 2013

A fundamental diagram has great significance for traffic flow studies. An empirically obtained fundamental diagram shows widely scattered points of density–flow and traffic hysteresis phenomena. The scattering of a fundamental diagram with driver reaction time and sensitivity is explained. A simple phase transition model is presented. It is shown that driver reaction time primarily determines the direction of the density–flow transition path. The convexity or concavity of the density–flow transition path is affected by the sensitivity of a following vehicle. The traffic hysteresis, which represents the existence of two congested branches in the fundamental diagram, is also explained with driver reaction time and sensitivity.
Integrated Lane Change Model with Relaxation and Synchronization
Authors: Schakel Wouter J. , Knoop Victor L. , van Arem Bart
Published: March 2013

A proposed lane change model can be integrated with a car-following model to form a complete microscopic driver model. The model resembles traffic better at a macroscopic level, especially regarding the amount of traffic volume per lane, the traffic speeds in different lanes, and the onset of congestion. In a new approach, lane change incentives are combined for determining a lane change desire. Included incentives are to follow a route, to gain speed, and to keep right. Classification of lane changes is based on behavior that depends on the level of lane change desire. Integration with a car-following model is achieved by influencing car-following behavior for relaxation and synchronization, that is, following vehicles in adjacent lanes. Other improvements of the model are trade-offs between lane change incentives and the use of anticipation speed for the speed gain incentive. Although all these effects are captured, the lane change model has only seven parameters. Loop detector data were used to validate and calibrate the model, and an accurate representation of lane distribution and the onset of congestion was shown.
Simplified Model for Pedestrian–Vehicle Interactions at Road Crossings Based on Discrete Events System
Authors: Ottomanelli Michele , Iannucci Giuseppe , Sassanelli Domenico
Published: March 2013

Road accident reports show that many accidents involve pedestrians, the category of road users generally considered “weak” with respect to other mobility users, and that these accidents occur at pedestrian crossings. Therefore, traffic engineers need simulation tools that can forecast the results of a given design solution and compare the solution with alternatives. A simplified model that simulates interactions between pedestrians and vehicles at road crossings is presented. In the model, the crossing process is represented as a discrete events system, and the model uses basic and easy-to-collect parameters to estimate interactions. Pedestrian behavior in the decision phase is characterized with a gap acceptance criterion, which is based on parameters derived from probabilistic distribution and takes into account the heterogeneity of the pedestrian population. Interaction between pedestrians during the crossing phase is taken into account with a cellular model of the crossing area. The model allows estimation of safety benefits for pedestrians and crossing level of service for both pedestrians and vehicular flows, starting from site geometry and field measurements of flow parameters of pedestrians and vehicles. The model was applied to a real site in a case study. The effects of traffic-calming interventions were also simulated and evaluated.
Calibration of Pedestrian Simulation Model for Emergency Doors by Pedestrian Type
Authors: Daamen Winnie , Hoogendoorn Serge
Published: March 2013

Emergency doors may be bottlenecks in the evacuation of a building. When a pedestrian simulation model is used to assess designs of buildings, the model should accurately predict the behavior of pedestrians around emergency doors and thus the doors’ capacity. Data from laboratory experiments were used to calibrate the pedestrian simulation model Nomad. In these experiments, large heterogeneous groups of people passed through a door under evacuation conditions. The collected trajectory data were used as input for an automated calibration procedure, which yielded parameter estimates for individual pedestrians. This automated calibration procedure has been extended through inclusion of data from multiple pedestrians into a single estimate. This change overcomes convergence problems because the log likelihood is insensitive to changes in some of the parameters and because of the problems of unrealistic parameter estimates. The resulting parameter distributions provided insight into pedestrian behavior. Dedicated parameter sets for the elderly, adults, and children were estimated. The parameter sets and thus behaviors of the types of pedestrians were compared and showed that different behavior was indeed observed.
Exit Choice Decisions during Pedestrian Evacuations of Buildings
Authors: Duives Dorine C. , Mahmassani Hani S.
Published: March 2013

This paper assesses how exit choice behavior influences the total egress behavior of a crowd during building evacuation. A discrete choice model is proposed to represent pedestrian exit choice decisions during evacuation. The proposed model is based on responses to an Internet questionnaire conducted in the Netherlands and the United States. The results of the Internet questionnaire, consisting of 20 choice experiments by 100 respondents making trade-offs between distance, angular deviation, and group following behavior, are used to estimate a multinomial logit model. Accordingly, a new pedestrian simulation approach that uses a microscopic cellular automata model (EvacPed) is presented. Three levels of decision making are incorporated: global exit choice, regional adaptive route choice, and local operative behavior. Simulations estimate the difference in evacuation time between four exit choice strategies: least distance path, least travel time path, discrete choice incorporating hive knowledge, and discrete choice incorporating vision field. The results suggest that group following behavior has a large impact on the effectiveness of building evacuation.
Dynamic Simulation Assignment Model for Pedestrian Movements in Crowded Networks
Authors: Abdelghany Ahmed , Abdelghany Khaled , Mahmassani Hani S. , Al-Zahrani Abdulrahem
Published: March 2013

The planning of crowded pedestrian facilities involves providing adequate capacity for all walkways, as well as designing effective schemes for crowd management. PEDSTREAM is a mesoscopic simulation-based dynamic trip assignment model for large-scale pedestrian networks. The model can represent temporospatial distribution of pedestrians and associated service levels over the network and can predict pedestrian responses to changes in design, operational conditions, and crowd management strategies. The model was used to develop a simulation platform for the Al-Mashaa'er corridor in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, which served about 3 million pilgrims in a peak period that lasted several hours. Use of the platform is illustrated for the evaluation of design alternatives under future pedestrian demand levels and proposed crowd management strategies.
Safety First
Authors: Talebpour A. , Mahmassani Hani S. , Hamdar S. H.
Published: March 2013

Prevailing traffic conditions affect highway safety and the processes by which drivers perceive a stimulus, evaluate it, and execute a corresponding driving maneuver. Several efforts have been made to use microscopic traffic simulation for evaluating highway safety. However, these efforts faced serious challenges because previous acceleration and lane-changing models had been built in an accident-free environment with different layers of safety constraints. A new approach relies on a cognitive risk-based microscopic model to study the relationship between prevailing traffic conditions and the risk experienced by drivers in a traffic stream. The model can consider accidents endogenously through lane-changing logic and provide an indicator of relative roadway safety as experienced by drivers. Six scenarios are simulated. The results show the importance of lane changing to understanding accident and near-accident occurrence in simulation models. A risk value comparison reveals that work zone bottlenecks have a greater impact on drivers’ risk-taking tendencies than bottlenecks caused by uphill grades.
Modeling Concepts for Mixed Traffic
Authors: Schönauer Robert , Stubenschrott Martin , Huang Weinan , Rudloff Christian , Fellendorf Martin
Published: March 2013

A first step is presented toward a simulation tool for shared space zones, including all three prevailing individual modes of transport: cars, bicycles, and walking. Unlike on conventional roads, the behavior in shared spaces cannot be modeled by following a predefined path and strictly obeying traffic rules because the architectural design allows for many more degrees of freedom. Therefore, the research focused on two main aspects: finding a path for each individual and handling potential conflicts with other individuals. A simulation tool is needed because many urban planners see shared space as a modern design concept for busy urban roads. A growing number of cities are interested in experimenting with shared space zones but are uncertain about safety issues and the effectiveness of the design. Although mature simulation tools exist for conventional road designs, no such tool is available for shared space designs because of the added degrees of freedom in movement and more-complex social interactions. To tackle these problems, an infrastructure model was created to help all agents find a path to their destinations. A separate system for handling conflict detects when two agents, following their individual paths, might collide. Game theory is used to resolve these conflicts by maximizing a utility function for different strategies. First results give a preliminary assessment of the functionality of the proposed simulation model for shared space zones and its calibration that uses real trajectories from an existing shared space.
Development of Microscopic Traffic Simulation Model for Safety Assessment at Signalized Intersections
Authors: Tan Dang Minh , Alhajyaseen Wael K. M. , Asano Miho , Nakamura Hideki
Published: March 2013

Because of traffic accidents at signalized intersections, improvement in the design of geometric layouts and operations of intersections is needed. Traffic simulation provides an innovative approach to assessing the safety performance of various layouts and operational policies of signalized intersections. A microscopic simulation model was developed to assess the safety of signalized intersections. The proposed simulation model integrates many key behavioral models of road users, such as the stop–go decision at the onset of a yellow light, turning paths, turning speeds, start-up response time, and pedestrian gap acceptance models. The main feature of these empirical models is their consideration of the stochastic behavior of road users. Furthermore, these models are sensitive to the layout and operation of signalized intersections. This paper discusses how conflicts are presented inside the simulation by demonstrating the mechanism of one of the conflicts. Model validation and a case study were conducted. The validation results show that the simulation model reasonably represents the occurrence of conflicts at signalized intersections, which proves that the proposed model can be a reliable approach to safety assessment. A case study compares the performance of compact intersections with wider layouts. The simulation results show trends in safety improvements, although a general conclusion cannot be made.
Intervehicle Safety Warning Information System for Unsafe Driving Events
Authors: Oh Cheol , Jung Eunbi , Rim Heesub , Kang Kyungpyo , Kang Younsoo
Published: March 2013

Driver inattentiveness and distraction resulting in unsafe vehicle maneuvers are a significant safety concern because such behavior can directly lead to crashes. An effective technical countermeasure is to detect unsafe driving events and provide drivers with advanced warning information. This study presents an intervehicle safety warning information system. An inertial measurement unit consisting of an accelerometer and gyro sensor in addition to a Global Positioning System receiver was used to collect data for the developed algorithm. Vehicle position, speed, acceleration, and angular velocity data were analyzed and were used as inputs for the algorithm. A support vector machine classifier was also incorporated into the algorithm to identify further the severity of unsafe driving events. The performance evaluation results showed that the detection algorithm could capture longitudinal and transverse unsafe driving events. In addition, a prototype of the proposed warning information system was implemented on a test bed in support of vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. Extensive field tests have been conducted in the test bed to fine-tune the prototypical system. These results demonstrate that the system holds promise for improving drivers' safety and mitigating crash risks.
Framework for Intersection Decision Support in Adverse Weather Conditions
Authors: Zohdy Ismail , Rakha Hesham A.
Published: March 2013

The impact of inclement weather on driver behavior can be significant and may lead to erroneous driver decisions. Consequently, the research being presented used sensor information to assist opposed left-turning vehicles at signalized intersections under various weather conditions. The research proposed a new framework for a real-time intersection decision support system for left-turning vehicles entitled IDS-W. The proposed system was tested with data from a signalized intersection in Christiansburg, Virginia. The intersection was equipped with four video cameras and an on-site weather station. Nine thousand fifty-eight observations covering various weather conditions were gathered. Each observation consisted of the driver decision (accept or reject), weather condition (dry, rain, or snow), illumination (day or night), gap size, and gap-offered location (lane number). The observed decisions and the corresponding gap variables were aggregated to build the IDS-W database, which was developed by fusing data from roadside sensors (input data) and provided a decision (accept or reject the offered gap) to the driver. A case-based reasoning approach was used to provide the gap acceptance decision. The approach's cycle starts with the entering of a new case (the combination of the gap size and the corresponding independent variables) and ends with the proposed decision (accept or reject the gap). The model was developed with 80% of the data to deduce the appropriate decision (accept or reject) and validated with the remaining 20% of the data through a Monte Carlo simulation. The results demonstrate the potential for delay reductions at the signalized intersection.
CityMobil, Advanced Transport for the Urban Environment
Authors: van Dijke Jan P. , van Schijndel Margriet
Published: March 2013

CityMobil was an integrated project in the Sixth Framework Program of the European Union. The objective of the project was to achieve more effective organization of urban transport for more rational use of motorized traffic with less congestion and pollution, safer driving, a higher quality of living, and enhanced integration with spatial development. This objective was reached by developing integrated traffic solutions: advanced concepts for innovative autonomous and automated road vehicles for passengers and goods embedded in an advanced spatial setting. The project was split into two parts: (a) research and development and (b) demonstration. The primary aim of the research and development part was to identify, address, and, where possible, eliminate barriers that still blocked the large-scale implementation of automated transport systems in urban traffic. The heart of the demonstration part consisted of three large-scale implementations of automated transport systems in urban areas and a number of smaller showcases and demonstrations. CityMobil was a 5-year project that started in May 2006 and ended in December 2011. The project results were presented at a final conference in Brussels, Belgium. This paper provides an update of a paper presented in 2009 and includes an overview of the final CityMobil results. The detailed results are available on the CityMobil website: www.citymobil-project.eu .
Optimization of Dynamic Parking Guidance Information for Special Events
Authors: Lv Nengchao , Yan Xinping , Ran Bin , Wu Chaozhong , Zhong Ming
Published: March 2013

Planned special events attract thousands of attendees from nearby cities or suburbia by car and transit. In most cases, the majority of attendees use personal automobiles, and a high parking demand results in a short time, with a consequent parking shortage. Parking guidance information systems can solve the problem by displaying information on parking lot availability to dynamically divert vehicles. This study focused on optimizing dynamic parking guidance information for automobile drivers at special events. An original multimode traffic network was converted to a novel network by considering parking lots as dummy links; therefore the shortest path and traffic assignment could be implemented in this extended network. A bilevel programming model based on quasi-dynamic route choice and linear programming was proposed to optimize the dynamic parking guidance information. On the basis of travelers' reaction to the guidance, stochastic dynamic user optimal route choice was employed within the lower-level model. The upper-level model was a linear program aimed at minimizing network total travel time. The solutions of the bilevel programming model were based on discrete particle swarm optimization and the method of successive average algorithms. Results of a case study implemented with a hypothetical network indicated that the optimization model could reduce the system total travel time by 4%.
Advanced Traffic Management System
Authors: Kim Woon , Liu Yue , Chang Gang-Len
Published: March 2013

Implementing a well-designed detour plan to minimize the impact of nonrecurrent congestion has long been adopted by responsible highway agencies, mainly on the basis of estimated incident duration or number of blocked lanes. Because an effective detour operation necessitates rigorous plans in advance and a vast amount of resources during implementation, a convincing justification for taking such actions becomes increasingly essential in practice, especially in view of diminishing resources for traffic management. This paper presents a multicriterion decision support system to assist traffic managers in effectively making such decisions in real-time operations by taking into account (a) associated costs and benefits from various perspectives, including the operational cost, and (b) the resultant benefits from reduced delay, fuel consumption, and emissions, as well as (c) the likelihood of incurring secondary incidents. The impact of potential driver compliance in response to the detour strategy and of the local traffic condition on the effectiveness of detour operations can be included in the decision process. The proposed system, with its embedded analytical hierarchy process structure and optimal corridor detour model, allows potential users to rank by priority all essential decision criteria (on the basis of either resource constraints or the demand of the general public) and to make the critical decision that can best manage any nonrecurrent congestion and maximize the total resultant socioeconomic benefits.
Onboard Sensing System for Intersection Safety
Authors: Hisaka Shoma , Kamijo Shunsuke
Published: March 2013

A dedicated onboard sensor that used wireless communications devices was developed for collision avoidance around intersections. Four ZigBee wireless receivers were installed in the four corners of the driver's vehicle. Each receiver was shielded and had slight directivity. These settings enabled the sensor to estimate the positions of transmitters on pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, and vehicles on the basis of a comparison of four signal strengths received from the four receivers. Positions were obtained relative to the driver's vehicle as combinations of four directions: near or far and approaching or leaving. Because the estimation algorithm considered relative values obtained from the four wireless receivers, the detection results should not have been affected by the transmission power. Onboard sensors with vision, lidar, and radar cannot detect objects hidden by road facilities and other vehicles. Although infrastructure sensors for vehicle-to-infrastructure cooperative systems can detect such hidden objects, they are substantially more expensive than onboard sensors. The onboard wireless sensor developed in this work would function as an alternative tool for collision avoidance around intersections.
Influence of plant residual compost and ash on yield and economic performance of cherry tomato
Authors: Mondol MN , Chamon AS , Rahman MM
Published: March 2013

A field experiment was conducted with different levels of compost, ash and their mixture to investigate the effect of compost and ash on their vegetative growth, fruiting characteristics as well as yield attributes and economic performance of cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme). The plots were treated with three levels of compost/ash (5. 10 and 15 t/ha) and three levels of compost+ash mixture i.e. (2.5+2.5), (5.5+5.5) and (7.5+7.5) t/ha. There were three replication for each treatment. The highest plant height, number of cluster/plant, number of flower/plant, fruit yield/plant, fruit yield/ha were obtained from the treatment T10 receiving 7.5 t compost+7.5 t ash/ha. Compost significantly increased fresh matter production of tomato fruit yield compared to the control. Between compost and ash, performance of compost was better. It was further observed that the combination of 7.5 t compost+7.5 t ash/ha appeared to be the economically viable treatment which offered maximum benefit cost ratio (3.25) for cherry tomato production. Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 47(4), 387-392, 2012 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsir.v47i4.14067
Studies on the preparation of lead(II) chloride from galvanizing plant wastes
Authors: Rahman MM , Neger AJMT , Gafur A , Kurny ASW
Published: March 2013

Galvanizing plant wastes containing 71.82% lead was leached in hydrochloric acid. Lead was precipitated from the leach liquor as lead chloride and purified by recrystallisation. The process parameters like concentration of hydrochloric acid, time of leaching, mode of reaction, number of re-crystallization etc. were optimised. Nearly 70% of lead contained by the waste material could be leached out and converted to lead(II) chloride. The product (PbCl2) was characterised by atomic absorption spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, x-ray diffraction analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. Atomic absorption spectroscopic analysis showed that the product was 93% pure. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the product possess cotunnite phase having orthorhombic structure. The needle like shape of the prepared PbCl2 crystal was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Physical properties like melting point and density were also very close to those reported in literature. Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 47(4), 415-420, 2012 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsir.v47i4.14071
A way to reduce friction between ring and traveller of a ring spinning frame
Authors: Begum HA , Helali MM
Published: March 2013

The paper presents a method, which applied to the ring of the ring spinning machine will improve its productivity. Through the system vibration is applied on the ring-traveller, which has effects on the centrifugal force of the traveller and helps the traveller to rotate around ring with intermittent contact. The effect of vibration on yarn tension as well as friction between the ring and the traveler and the corresponding raise in temperature of the ring during spinning are measured. An external facility is designed and incorporated in a miniature ring spinning frame to generate and apply vibration to the ring. The miniature ring spinning frame has the facility to vary twist and count of yarn and is modified to vary the spindle speed. Study shows that the ringtraveller friction is affected by the application of vibration. Results obtained with and without the applications of vibration are compared. It is found that yarn tension and friction between the ring and the traveller reduce significantly depending on the type of vibration. Therefore it can be concluded that application of vibration may be a way to reduce friction between the ring and the traveler and thus the mechanical process of twisting and winding can be done at higher speed for higher productivity which is a limiting factor of ring spinning system. Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 47(4), 421-426, 2012 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsir.v47i4.14072
Mudskipper, periophthalmodon schlosseri (pallas) from the Naf river
Authors: Saha BK
Published: March 2013

A study on morphometrics, meristics sex ratio, ovary condition of Periophthalmodon schlosseri was conducted in 2001. The mean of total length (49.63 + 5.99 mm), standard length (40.84 + 5.30 mm), snout length (4.12 + 0.65 mm), head length (9.86 + 1.39 mm), height of body (6.89+1.24 mm) and the length of caudal peduncle (6.96 + 1.08 mm) were calculated. The length-weight relationship was determined as TW = 0.00004639+2.5882 TL. The fin formula was D1 . 8-9; D2 .1/10-13; P1 . 11-14; P2 . 11-14; A. 1/11. The sex ratio was found to be 1:0.63. The average of ovary length (6.2 +0.84 mm), ovary breadth (3.54 +0.95 mm) and diameter of ova (0.22 +0.04 mm) were also determined. Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 47(4), 449-452, 2012 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsir.v47i4.14076
Stem Cell Transplantation for Neuroprotection in Stroke
Authors: Shinozuka Kazutaka , Dailey Travis , Tajiri Naoki , Ishikawa Hiroto , Kaneko Yuji , Borlongan Cesar
Published: March 2013

Stem cell-based therapies for stroke have expanded substantially over the last decade. The diversity of embryonic and adult tissue sources provides researchers with the ability to harvest an ample supply of stem cells. However, the optimal conditions of stem cell use are still being determined. Along this line of the need for optimization studies, we discuss studies that demonstrate effective dose, timing, and route of stem cells. We recognize that stem cell derivations also provide uniquely individual difficulties and limitations in their therapeutic applications. This review will outline the current knowledge, including benefits and challenges, of the many current sources of stem cells for stroke therapy.
Climate Change Impacts on Biodiversity—The Setting of a Lingering Global Crisis
Authors: Rinawati Fitria , Stein Katharina , Lindner André
Published: March 2013

Climate change has created potential major threats to global biodiversity. The multiple components of climate change are projected to affect all pillars of biodiversity, from genes over species to biome level. Of particular concerns are “tipping points” where the exceedance of ecosystem thresholds will possibly lead to irreversible shifts of ecosystems and their functioning. As biodiversity underlies all goods and services provided by ecosystems that are crucial for human survival and wellbeing, this paper presents potential effects of climate change on biodiversity, its plausible impacts on human society as well as the setting in addressing a global crisis. Species affected by climate change may respond in three ways: change, move or die. Local species extinctions or a rapidly affected ecosystem as a whole respectively might move toward its particular “tipping point”, thereby probably depriving its services to human society and ending up in a global crisis. Urgent and appropriate actions within various scenarios of climate change impacts on biodiversity, especially in tropical regions, are needed to be considered. Foremost a multisectoral approach on biodiversity issues with broader policies, stringent strategies and programs at international, national and local levels is essential to meet the challenges of climate change impacts on biodiversity.
A Multi-Site Study on Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs and Practice of Child-Dog Interactions in Rural China
Authors: Shen Jiabin , Li Shaohua , Xiang Huiyun , Pang Shulan , Xu Guozhang , Schwebel David
Published: March 2013

This study examines demographic, cognitive and behavioral factors that predict pediatric dog-bite injury risk in rural China. A total of 1,537 children (grades 4–6) in rural regions of Anhui, Hebei and Zhejiang Provinces, China completed self-report questionnaires assessing beliefs about and behaviors with dogs. The results showed that almost 30% of children reported a history of dog bites. Children answered 56% of dog-safety knowledge items correctly. Regressions revealed both demographic and cognitive/behavioral factors predicted children’s risky interactions with dogs and dog-bite history. Boys behaved more riskily with dogs and were more frequently bitten. Older children reported greater risks with dogs and more bites. With demographics controlled, attitudes/beliefs of invulnerability, exposure frequency, and dog ownership predicted children’s self-reported risky practice with dogs. Attitudes/beliefs of invulnerability, dog exposure, and dog ownership predicted dog bites. In conclusion, both demographic and cognitive/behavioral factors influenced rural Chinese children’s dog-bite injury risk. Theory-based, empirically-supported intervention programs might reduce dog-bite injuries in rural China.
Water Deficit and Heat Affect the Tolerance to High Illumination in Hibiscus Plants
Authors: Muñoz Romualdo , Quiles María
Published: March 2013

This work studies the effects of water deficit and heat, as well as the involvement of chlororespiration and the ferredoxin-mediated cyclic pathway, on the tolerance of photosynthesis to high light intensity in Hibiscus rosa-sinensis plants. Drought and heat resulted in the down–regulation of photosynthetic linear electron transport in the leaves, although only a slight decrease in variable fluorescence (Fv)/maximal fluorescence (Fm) was observed, indicating that the chloroplast was protected by mechanisms that dissipate excess excitation energy to prevent damage to the photosynthetic apparatus. The incubation of leaves from unstressed plants under high light intensity resulted in an increase of the activity of electron donation by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and ferredoxin to plastoquinone, but no increase was observed in plants exposed to water deficit, suggesting that cyclic electron transport was stimulated by high light only in control plants. In contrast, the activities of the chlororespiration enzymes (NADH dehydrogenase (NDH) complex and plastid terminal oxidase (PTOX)) increased after incubation under high light intensity in leaves of the water deficit plants, but not in control plants, suggesting that chlororespiration was stimulated in stressed plants. The results indicate that the relative importance of chlororespiration and the cyclic electron pathway in the tolerance of photosynthesis to high illumination differs under stress conditions. When plants were not subjected to stress, the contribution of chlororespiration to photosynthetic electron flow regulation was not relevant, and another pathway, such as the ferredoxin-mediated cyclic pathway, was more important. However, when plants were subjected to water deficit and heat, chlororespiration was probably essential.
Selenium for the Prevention of Cutaneous Melanoma
Authors: Cassidy Pamela , Fain Heidi , Cassidy James , Tran Sally , Moos Philip , Boucher Kenneth , Gerads Russell , Florell Scott , Grossman Douglas , Leachman Sancy
Published: March 2013

The role of selenium (Se) supplementation in cancer prevention is controversial; effects often depend on the nutritional status of the subject and on the chemical form in which Se is provided. We used a combination of in vitro and in vivo models to study two unique therapeutic windows for intervention in the process of cutaneous melanomagenisis, and to examine the utility of two different chemical forms of Se for prevention and treatment of melanoma. We studied the effects of Se in vitro on UV-induced oxidative stress in melanocytes, and on apoptosis and cell cycle progression in melanoma cells. In vivo, we used the HGF transgenic mouse model of UV-induced melanoma to demonstrate that topical treatment with l-selenomethionine results in a significant delay in the time required for UV-induced melanoma development, but also increases the rate of growth of those tumors once they appear. In a second mouse model, we found that oral administration of high dose methylseleninic acid significantly decreases the size of human melanoma xenografts. Our findings suggest that modestly elevation of selenium levels in the skin might risk acceleration of growth of incipient tumors. Additionally, certain Se compounds administered at very high doses could have utility for the treatment of fully-malignant tumors or prevention of recurrence.
Error Modeling and Calibration for Encoded Sun Sensors
Authors: Fan Qiaoyun , Zhang Guangjun , Li Jian , Wei Xinguo , Li Xiaoyang
Published: March 2013

Error factors in the encoded sun sensor (ESS) are analyzed and simulated. Based on the analysis results, an ESS error compensation model containing structural errors and fine-code algorithm errors is established, and the corresponding calibration method for model parameters is proposed. As external parameters, installation deviation between ESS and calibration equipment are introduced to the ESS calibration model, so that the model parameters can be calibrated accurately. The experimental results show that within plus/minus 60 degree of incident angle, the ESS measurement accuracy after compensation is three times higher on average than that before compensation.
Design Optimization of Structural Parameters for Highly Sensitive Photonic Crystal Label-Free Biosensors
Authors: Ju Jonghyun , Han Yun-ah , Kim Seok-min
Published: March 2013

The effects of structural design parameters on the performance of nano-replicated photonic crystal (PC) label-free biosensors were examined by the analysis of simulated reflection spectra of PC structures. The grating pitch, duty, scaled grating height and scaled TiO2 layer thickness were selected as the design factors to optimize the PC structure. The peak wavelength value (PWV), full width at half maximum of the peak, figure of merit for the bulk and surface sensitivities, and surface/bulk sensitivity ratio were also selected as the responses to optimize the PC label-free biosensor performance. A parametric study showed that the grating pitch was the dominant factor for PWV, and that it had low interaction effects with other scaled design factors. Therefore, we can isolate the effect of grating pitch using scaled design factors. For the design of PC-label free biosensor, one should consider that: (1) the PWV can be measured by the reflection peak measurement instruments, (2) the grating pitch and duty can be manufactured using conventional lithography systems, and (3) the optimum design is less sensitive to the grating height and TiO2 layer thickness variations in the fabrication process. In this paper, we suggested a design guide for highly sensitive PC biosensor in which one select the grating pitch and duty based on the limitations of the lithography and measurement system, and conduct a multi objective optimization of the grating height and TiO2 layer thickness for maximizing performance and minimizing the influence of parameter variation. Through multi-objective optimization of a PC structure with a fixed grating height of 550 nm and a duty of 50%, we obtained a surface FOM of 66.18 RIU−1 and an S/B ratio of 34.8%, with a grating height of 117 nm and TiO2 height of 210 nm.
Can We Model the Scenic Beauty of an Alpine Landscape?
Authors: Schirpke Uta , Hölzler Sonja , Leitinger Georg , Bacher Maria , Tappeiner Ulrike , Tasser Erich
Published: March 2013

During the last decade, agriculture has lost its importance in many European mountain regions and tourism, which benefits from attractive landscapes, has become a major source of income. Changes in landscape patterns and elements might affect scenic beauty and therefore the socio-economic welfare of a region. Our study aimed at modeling scenic beauty by quantifying the influence of landscape elements and patterns in relationship to distance. Focusing on Alpine landscapes in South and North Tyrol, we used a photographic questionnaire showing different landscape compositions. As mountain landscapes offer long vistas, we related scenic beauty to different distance zones. Our results indicate that the near zone contributes by 64% to the valuation of scenic beauty, the middle zone by 22%, and the far zone by 14%. In contrast to artificial elements, naturalness and diversity increased scenic beauty. Significant differences between different social groups (origin, age, gender, cultural background) occurred only between the local population and tourists regarding great landscape changes. Changes towards more homogenous landscapes were perceived negatively, thus political decision makers should support the conservation of the cultural landscape.
Diversity of Pea-Associated F. proliferatum and F. verticillioides Populations Revealed by FUM1 Sequence Analysis and Fumonisin Biosynthesis
Authors: Waśkiewicz Agnieszka , Stępień Łukasz , Wilman Karolina , Kachlicki Piotr
Published: March 2013

Fusarium proliferatum and F. verticillioides are considered as minor pathogens of pea (Pisum sativum L.). Both species can survive in seed material without visible disease symptoms, but still contaminating it with fumonisins. Two populations of pea-derived F. proliferatum and F. verticillioides strains were subjected to FUM1 sequence divergence analysis, forming a distinct group when compared to the collection strains originating from different host species. Furthermore, the mycotoxigenic abilities of those strains were evaluated on the basis of in planta and in vitro fumonisin biosynthesis. No differences were observed in fumonisin B (FB) levels measured in pea seeds (maximum level reached 1.5 μg g−1); however, in rice cultures, the majority of F. proliferatum genotypes produced higher amounts of FB1–FB3 than F. verticillioides strains.