bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Breathing exercise combined with cognitive behavioural intervention improves sleep quality and heart rate variability in major depression
Authors: Chien Hui‐Ching , Chung Yu‐Chu , Yeh Mei‐Ling , Lee Jia‐Fu
Published: September 2015

Aims and objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a cognitive behavioural intervention combined with a breathing relaxation exercise on sleep quality and heart rate variability in patients with major depression.

Background

Depression is a long‐lasting illness with significant effects not only in individuals themselves, but on their family, work and social relationships as well. Cognitive behavioural therapy is considered to be an effective treatment for major depression. Breathing relaxation may improve heart rate variability, but few studies have comprehensively examined the effect of a cognitive behavioural intervention combined with relaxing breathing on patients with major depression.

Design

An experimental research design with a repeated measure was used.

Methods

Eighty‐nine participants completed this study and entered data analysed. The experimental group (n = 43) received the cognitive behavioural intervention combined with a breathing relaxation exercise for four weeks, whereas the control group (n = 46) did not. Sleep quality and heart rate variability were measured at baseline, posttest1, posttest2 and follow‐up. Data were examined by chi‐square tests, t‐tests and generalised estimating equations.

Results

After adjusting for age, socioeconomic status, severity of disease and psychiatric history, the quality of sleep of the experimental group improved, with the results at posttest achieving significance. Heart rate variability parameters were also significantly improved.

Conclusions

This study supported the hypothesis that the cognitive behavioural intervention combined with a breathing relaxation exercise could improve sleep quality and heart rate variability in patients with major depression, and the effectiveness was lasting.

Relevance to clinical practice

The cognitive behavioural intervention combined with a breathing relaxation exercise that included muscle relaxation, deep breathing and sleep hygiene could be provided with major depression during hospitalisation. Through group practice and experience sharing, participants could modulate their heart rate variability and share feeling about good sleep as well relaxation.
Symptoms and fear in heart failure patients approaching end of life: a mixed methods study
Authors: Abshire Martha , Xu Jiayun , Dennison Himmelfarb Cheryl , Davidson Patricia , Sulmasy Daniel , Kub Joan , Hughes Mark , Nolan Marie
Published: September 2015

Aims and Objectives

The purpose of this study was to consider how fear and symptom experience are perceived in patients with heart failure at the end of life.

Background

Heart failure is a burdensome condition and mortality rates are high globally. There is substantive literature describing suffering and unmet needs but description of the experience of fear and the relationship with symptom burden is limited.

Design

A convergent mixed methods design was used.

Methods

Data from the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (n = 55) were compared to data from in‐depth interviews (n = 5).

Results

Patients denied fear when asked directly, but frequently referred to moments of being afraid when they were experiencing symptoms. In addition, patients reported few troublesome symptoms on the survey, but mentioned many more symptoms during interviews.

Conclusions

These data not only identify the relationship between psychological issues and symptom experience but also elucidate the benefit of a mixed method approach in describing such experiences from the perspective of the patient. Future research should examine relationships between and among symptom experience, fear and other psychological constructs across the illness trajectory.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

Conversations about the interaction of symptom burden and fear can lead to both a more robust assessment of symptoms and lead to patient centred interventions.
Self‐management support for people with chronic kidney disease: Patient perspectives
Authors: Havas Kathryn , Bonner Ann , Douglas Clint
Published: September 2015

Background

Self‐management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is crucial for health outcomes and people need to be effectively supported by healthcare professionals (HCPs). Some programmes designed to improve self‐management have been implemented, but people with the disease are rarely consulted regarding what they desire from these programmes.

Objectives

To provide a synthesis of the literature on preferences for self‐management support of people with CKD.

Design

An integrative review.

Methods

Four databases (MedLine, CINAHL, PsycARTICLES and PsycINFO) were searched using relevant search terms.

Results

The search strategy identified 1,913 records, of which 12 studies met inclusion criteria. Ten themes were identified as important areas to be addressed by self‐management interventions. In addition, patient suggestions for implementation of such interventions are discussed.

Conclusion

The principles of a person‐centred approach ought to frame the support provided by HCPs when supporting those with CKD to better self‐manage.
OPTION PRICING AND HEDGING WITH EXECUTION COSTS AND MARKET IMPACT
Authors: Guéant Olivier , Pu Jiang
Published: September 2015

This paper considers the pricing and hedging of a call option when liquidity matters, that is, either for a large nominal or for an illiquid underlying asset. In practice, as opposed to the classical assumptions of a price‐taking agent in a frictionless market, traders cannot be perfectly hedged because of execution costs and market impact. They indeed face a trade‐off between hedging errors and costs that can be solved by using stochastic optimal control. Our modeling framework, which is inspired by the recent literature on optimal execution, makes it possible to account for both execution costs and the lasting market impact of trades. Prices are obtained through the indifference pricing approach. Numerical examples are provided, along with comparisons to standard methods.
Using Panel Data to Estimate Income Under‐Reporting by the Self‐Employed
Authors: Kim Bonggeun , Gibson John , Chung Chul
Published: September 2015

Self‐employment income is believed to be understated in economic statistics but there is debate about the extent of under‐reporting. This paper refines the widely used method of Pissarides and Weber (Journal of Public Economics, Vol. 39, No. 1 (1989), pp. 17–32) that relies on discrepancies between food shares and reported incomes. Our panel data approach disentangles under‐reporting from fluctuations in transitory income and gives a point estimate of the under‐reporting rate. Previous studies just give an interval estimate and also make the unlikely assumption that under‐reporting is independent of transitory income fluctuations. Panel data from Korea and Russia are used to illustrate the method, and suggest that in both countries almost one‐quarter of the income of self‐employed households is not reported.
Power law analysis of the human microbiome
Authors: Ma Zhanshan (Sam)
Published: September 2015

Taylor's (1961, Nature, 189:732) power law, a power function (V = amb) describing the scaling relationship between the mean and variance of population abundances of organisms, has been found to govern the population abundance distributions of single species in both space and time in macroecology. It is regarded as one of few generalities in ecology, and its parameter b has been widely applied to characterize spatial aggregation (i.e. heterogeneity) and temporal stability of single‐species populations. Here, we test its applicability to bacterial populations in the human microbiome using extensive data sets generated by the US‐NIH Human Microbiome Project (HMP). We further propose extending Taylor's power law from the population to the community level, and accordingly introduce four types of power‐law extensions (PLEs): type I PLE for community spatial aggregation (heterogeneity), type II PLE for community temporal aggregation (stability), type III PLE for mixed‐species population spatial aggregation (heterogeneity) and type IV PLE for mixed‐species population temporal aggregation (stability). Our results show that fittings to the four PLEs with HMP data were statistically extremely significant and their parameters are ecologically sound, hence confirming the validity of the power law at both the population and community levels. These findings not only provide a powerful tool to characterize the aggregations of population and community in both time and space, offering important insights into community heterogeneity in space and/or stability in time, but also underscore the three general properties of power laws (scale invariance, no average and universality) and their specific manifestations in our four PLEs.
Transatlantic secondary contact in Atlantic Salmon, comparing microsatellites, a single nucleotide polymorphism array and restriction‐site associated DNA sequencing for the resolution of complex spatial structure
Authors: Bradbury Ian R. , Hamilton Lorraine C. , Dempson Brian , Robertson Martha J. , Bourret Vincent , Bernatchez Louis , Verspoor Eric
Published: September 2015

Identification of discrete and unique assemblages of individuals or populations is central to the management of exploited species. Advances in population genomics provide new opportunities for re‐evaluating existing conservation units but comparisons among approaches remain rare. We compare the utility of RAD‐seq, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and a microsatellite panel to resolve spatial structuring under a scenario of possible trans‐Atlantic secondary contact in a threatened Atlantic Salmon, Salmo salar, population in southern Newfoundland. Bayesian clustering indentified two large groups subdividing the existing conservation unit and multivariate analyses indicated significant similarity in spatial structuring among the three data sets. mtDNA alleles diagnostic for European ancestry displayed increased frequency in southeastern Newfoundland and were correlated with spatial structure in all marker types. Evidence consistent with introgression among these two groups was present in both SNP data sets but not the microsatellite data. Asymmetry in the degree of introgression was also apparent in SNP data sets with evidence of gene flow towards the east or European type. This work highlights the utility of RAD‐seq based approaches for the resolution of complex spatial patterns, resolves a region of trans‐Atlantic secondary contact in Atlantic Salmon in Newfoundland and demonstrates the utility of multiple marker comparisons in identifying dynamics of introgression.
Sporothrix brasiliensis outbreaks and the rapid emergence of feline sporotrichosis
Authors: Sanchotene Karine Ortiz , Madrid Isabel Martins , Klafke Gabriel Baracy , Bergamashi Mariana , Terra Paula Portella Della , Rodrigues Anderson Messias , de Camargo Zoilo Pires , Xavier Melissa Orzechowski
Published: September 2015

Sporotrichosis is the main subcutaneous mycosis in Brazil, and is caused by Sporothrix schenckii and allied species. Sporothrix propagules present on soil and plant debris may be traumatically inoculated into the cutaneous/ subcutaneous tissues of the warm‐blooded host. An alternative route involves direct animal–animal and animal–human transmissions through deep scratches and bites of diseased cats. Sporotrichosis is much more common than previously appreciated with several cases emerging over the years especially in South and Southeast Brazil. We conducted an epidemiological surveillance in endemic areas of feline sporotrichosis in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Over the last 5‐year period the number of feline sporotrichosis in Rio Grande increased from 0.75 new cases per month in 2010 to 3.33 cases per month in 2014. The wide geographic distribution of diagnosed cases highlights the dynamics of Sporothrix transmission across urban areas with high population density. Molecular identification down to species level by PCR‐RFLP of cat‐transmitted Sporothrix revealed the emergence of the clonal offshoot S. brasiliensis during feline outbreaks; this scenario is similar to the epidemics taking place in the metropolitan areas of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Controlling and preventing sporotrichosis outbreaks are essential steps to managing the disease among humans and animals.
The ABCG transporter PEC1/ABCG32 is required for the formation of the developing leaf cuticle in Arabidopsis
Authors: Fabre Guillaume , Garroum Imène , Mazurek Sylwester , Daraspe Jean , Mucciolo Antonio , Sankar Martial , Humbel Bruno M. , Nawrath Christiane
Published: September 2015

The cuticle is an essential diffusion barrier on aerial surfaces of land plants whose structural component is the polyester cutin. The PERMEABLE CUTICLE1/ABCG32 (PEC1) transporter is involved in plant cuticle formation in Arabidopsis. The gpat6 pec1 and gpat4 gapt8 pec1 double and triple mutants are characterized. Their PEC1‐specific contributions to aliphatic cutin composition and cuticle formation during plant development are revealed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy.

The composition of cutin changes during rosette leaf expansion in Arabidopsis. C16:0 monomers are in higher abundance in expanding than in fully expanded leaves. The atypical cutin monomer C18:2 dicarboxylic acid is more prominent in fully expanded leaves. Findings point to differences in the regulation of several pathways of cutin precursor synthesis.

PEC1 plays an essential role during expansion of the rosette leaf cuticle. The reduction of C16 monomers in the pec1 mutant during leaf expansion is unlikely to cause permeability of the leaf cuticle because the gpat6 mutant with even fewer C16:0 monomers forms a functional rosette leaf cuticle at all stages of development.

PEC1/ABCG32 transport activity affects cutin composition and cuticle structure in a specific and non‐redundant fashion.
A transcriptomics investigation into pine reproductive organ development
Authors: Niu Shihui , Yuan Huwei , Sun Xinrui , Porth Ilga , Li Yue , El‐Kassaby Yousry A. , Li Wei
Published: September 2015

The development of reproductive structures in gymnosperms is still poorly studied because of a lack of genomic information and useful genetic tools. The hermaphroditic reproductive structure derived from unisexual gymnosperms is an even less studied aspect of seed plant evolution.

To extend our understanding of the molecular mechanism of hermaphroditism and the determination of sexual identity of conifer reproductive structures in general, unisexual and bisexual cones from Pinus tabuliformis were profiled for gene expression using 60K microarrays. Expression patterns of genes during progression of sexual cone development were analysed using RNA‐seq.

The results showed that, overall, the transcriptomes of male structures in bisexual cones were more similar to those of female cones. However, the expression of several MADS‐box genes in the bisexual cones was similar to that of male cones at the more juvenile developmental stage, while despite these expression shifts, male structures of bisexual cones and normal male cones were histologically indistinguishable and cone development was continuous.

This study represents a starting point for in‐depth analysis of the molecular regulation of cone development and also the origin of hermaphroditism in pine.
Exploring the evolutionary signature of food webs' backbones using functional traits
Authors: Dalla Riva Giulio V. , Stouffer Daniel B.
Published: September 2015

Increasing evidence suggests that an appropriate model for food webs, the network of feeding links in a community of species, should take into account the inherent variability of ecological interactions. Harnessing this variability, we will show that it is useful to interpret empirically observed food webs as realisations of a family of stochastic processes, namely random dot‐product graph models. These models provide an ideal extension of food‐web models beyond the limitations of current deterministic or partially probabilistic models. As an additional beneﬁt, our RDPG framework enables us to identify the pairwise distance structure given by species' functional food‐web traits: this allows for the natural emergence of ecologically meaningful species groups. Lastly, our results suggest the notion that the evolutionary signature in food webs is already detectable in their stochastic backbones, while the contribution of their ﬁne wiring is arguable.

Synthesis

Food webs are influenced by many stochastic processes and are constantly evolving. Here, we treat observed food webs as realisations of random dot‐product graph models (RDPG), extending food‐web modelling beyond the limitations of current deterministic or partially probabilistic models. Our RDPG framework enables us to identify the pairwise‐distance structure given by species' functional food‐web traits, which in turn allows for the natural emergence of ecologically meaningful species groups. It also provides a way to measure the phylogenetic signal present in food webs, which we find is strongest in webs' low‐dimensional backbones.
Feeding transgenic plants that express a tolerogenic fusion protein effectively protects against arthritis
Authors: Hansson Charlotta , Schön Karin , Kalbina Irina , Strid Åke , Andersson Sören , Bokarewa Maria I. , Lycke Nils Y.
Published: September 2015

Although much explored, oral tolerance for treatment of autoimmune diseases still awaits the establishment of novel and effective vectors. We investigated whether the tolerogenic CTA1(R7K)‐COL‐DD fusion protein can be expressed in edible plants, to induce oral tolerance and protect against arthritis. The fusion protein was recombinantly expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana plants, which were fed to H‐2q‐restricted DBA/1 mice to assess the preventive effect on collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA). The treatment resulted in fewer mice exhibiting disease and arthritis scores were significantly reduced. Immune suppression was evident in treated mice, and serum biomarkers for inflammation as well as anticollagen IgG responses were reduced. In spleen and draining lymph nodes, CD4+ T‐cell responses were reduced. Concomitant with a reduced effector T‐cell activity with lower IFNγ, IL‐13 and IL‐17A production, we observed an increase in IL‐10 production to recall antigen stimulation in vitro, suggesting reduced Th1, Th2 and Th17 activity subsequent to up‐regulated IL‐10 and regulatory T‐cell (Treg) functions. This study shows that edible plants expressing a tolerogen were effective at stimulating CD4 T‐cell tolerance and in protecting against CIA disease. Our study conveys optimism as to the potential of using edible plants for oral treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
Turn the Beat Around: A Stroke Prevention Program for African‐American Churches
Authors: Williams Lovoria B. , Franklin Brandi , Evans Mary B. , Jackson Chazeman , Hill Alethea , Minor Michael
Published: September 2015

Objective

The objective was to pilot a socioculturally tailored church‐based stroke prevention program delivered by trained community health workers (CHWs) and to test its effects on participant knowledge scores.

Design and Sample

A single‐group, pre‐post test pilot study was conducted with a convenience sample of 201 adult African‐Americans recruited from nine churches in three Alabama counties. Measurements included participant weight, blood pressure (BP), physical activity level; knowledge related to hypertension, heart disease, and stroke; cigarette smoking; and access to care, as well as the Stages of Change constructs within the Transtheoretical Model. The intervention was a six‐session group‐based health education program delivered by trained CHWs.

Measures

Measurements included participant weight, blood pressure (BP), physical activity level; knowledge related to hypertension, heart disease, and stroke; cigarette smoking; and access to care, as well as the Stages of Change constructs within the Transtheoretical Model. The intervention was a six‐session group‐based health education program delivered by trained CHWs.

Results

From baseline to 12 weeks, knowledge increased significantly (p < .001). Systolic BP measures improved (p = .0008). More than half of participants lost weight; however, weight change did not reach significance (p = .1380). Most (87%) participants indicated having a medical home at baseline; at the end of the study the percentage increased to 92% (p = .0138).

Conclusion

A church‐based intervention delivered by trained CHWs is feasible and may be a promising public health strategy to increase knowledge regarding hypertension and stroke prevention among African‐Americans.
Differential responses of two wetland graminoids to high ammonium at different pH values
Authors: van Diggelen J. M. H. , Smolders A. J. P. , Visser E. J. W. , Hicks S. , Roelofs J. G. M. , Lamers L. P. M.
Published: September 2015

Enhanced soil ammonium () concentrations in wetlands often lead to graminoid dominance, but species composition is highly variable. Although is readily taken up as a nutrient, several wetland species are known to be sensitive to high concentrations or even suffer toxicity, particularly at low soil pH. More knowledge about differential graminoid responses to high availability in relation to soil pH can help to better understand vegetation changes. The responses of two wetland graminoids, Juncus acutiflorus and Carex disticha, to high (2 mmol·l−1) versus control (20 μmol·l−1) concentrations were tested in a controlled hydroponic set up, at two pH values (4 and 6). A high concentration did not change total biomass for these species at either pH, but increased C allocation to shoots and increased P uptake, leading to K and Ca limitation, depending on pH treatment. More than 50% of N taken up by C. disticha was invested in N‐rich amino acids with decreasing C:N ratio, but only 10% for J. acutiflorus. Although both species appeared to be well adapted to high loadings in the short term, C. disticha showed higher classic detoxifying responses that are early warning indicators for decreased tolerance in the long term. In general, the efficient aboveground biomass allocation, P uptake and N detoxification explain the competitive strength of wetland graminoids at the expense of overall biodiversity at high loading. In addition, differential responses to enhanced affect interspecific competition among graminoids and lead to a shift in vegetation composition.
Effects of a firm's and their partners' alliance ego–network structure on its innovation output in an era of ferment
Authors: Karamanos Anastasios G.
Published: September 2015

A technological discontinuity can disrupt an existing technological regime and it has a profound effect on firms' economic activities and outcomes. The period between the discontinuity and the establishment of the new regime is defined as an era of ferment, which can unleash significant innovation opportunities while creating great uncertainty in the business environment. Although it is well‐known that firms often use alliances both to respond to uncertainty and facilitate innovation, little is known about the alliance behavior of firms during an era of ferment and how it can affect their exploratory and exploitative innovation output. The article tests this relationship using as large panel sample of alliances during the era of ferment in the biotechnology industry and the exploitative and exploratory innovation output of biotechnology firms during that time. The results suggest that managers in charge of innovation and alliance formation should proactively optimize the design their firms' ego–network structure as follows: First, alliance ego–network centrality supports exploitative innovation because a central firm coherently and reliably performs experiential search to source complementary knowledge through ‘pipeline’ alliances to the ‘whole’ network. Moreover, very high centrality offers little additional gains in coherence and reliability of knowledge received from the network because it restricts access to novel information beyond the focal firm's ego–network neighborhood. Second, ego–network structural holes support exploratory innovation because they provide efficient access through cognitive search to non‐redundant flows of information and knowledge, offering ample opportunities for knowledge recombinations. Third, a focal firm's partners' centrality positively affects its exploratory innovation because the focal firm can learn by observing and cognitively evaluating the behavior and associated innovation outcomes of their central partners.
Sustainability and scalability of university spinouts: a business model perspective
Authors: Ziaee Bigdeli Ali , Li Feng , Shi Xiaohui
Published: September 2015

Most previous studies of university spinouts (USOs) have focused on what determines their formation from the perspectives of the entrepreneurs or of their parent universities. However, few studies have investigated how these entrepreneurial businesses actually grow and how their business models evolve in the process. This paper examines the evolution of USOs' business models over their different development phases. Using empirical evidence gathered from three comprehensive case studies, we explore how USOs' business models evolve over time, and the implications for the financial sustainability and operational scalability of these ventures. This paper extends existing research on the development of USOs, and highlights three themes for future research.
Physical Activity, Suicide Risk Factors, and Suicidal Ideation in a Veteran Sample
Authors: Gutierrez Peter M. , Davidson Collin L. , Friese Ariel H. , Forster Jeri E.
Published: September 2015

The association between current level of suicidal ideation and physical activity was tested in a broad sample of veterans seeking care from the Veterans Health Administration. It was hypothesized that the two variables would be significantly inversely related. It was further hypothesized that the relationship would be mediated by depressive symptoms, disturbed sleep, and a measure of heart rate variability based on existing research regarding physical activity and sleep. Due to the first hypothesis not being supported, the second could not be tested. Post hoc correlation analyses did find associations between physical activity and depressive symptoms, in expected directions, and are discussed. Possible explanations for the negative findings along with recommendations for future research to continue exploring links between suicide risk and physical activity are presented. We conclude by suggesting that physical activity may have promise as a risk reduction intervention and that prospective data are more likely to yield significant results than the cross‐sectional methodology employed in the current study.
Assessing Raster GIS Approximation for Euclidean Shortest Path Routing
Authors: Hong Insu , Murray Alan T.
Published: September 2015

Identifying a route that avoids obstacles in continuous space is important for infrastructure alignment, robotic travel, and virtual object path planning, among others, because movement through space is not restricted to a predefined road or other network. Vector and raster GIS (geographic information system) solution approaches have been developed to find good/efficient routes. On the vector side, recent solution approaches exploit spatial knowledge and utilize GIS functionality, offering significant computational advantages in finding an optimal solution to this path routing problem. Raster‐based shortest path techniques are widely applied in route planning for wayfinding, corridor alignment, robotics and video gaming to derive an obstacle avoiding path, but represent an approximation approach for solving this problem. This research compares vector and raster approaches for identifying obstacle‐avoiding shortest paths/routes. Empirical assessment is carried out for a number of planning applications, highlighting representational issues, computational requirements and resulting path efficiency.
Jasmonic acid promotes degreening via MYC2/3/4‐ and ANAC019/055/072‐mediated regulation of major chlorophyll catabolic genes
Authors: Zhu Xiaoyu , Chen Junyi , Xie Zuokun , Gao Jiong , Ren Guodong , Gao Shan , Zhou Xin , Kuai Benke
Published: September 2015

Degreening caused by rapid chlorophyll (Chl) degradation is a characteristic event during green organ senescence or maturation. Pheophorbide a oxygenase gene (PAO) encodes a key enzyme of Chl degradation, yet its transcriptional regulation remains largely unknown. Using yeast one‐hybrid screening, coupled with in vitro and in vivo assays, we revealed that Arabidopsis MYC2/3/4 basic helix‐loop‐helix proteins directly bind to PAO promoter. Overexpression of the MYCs significantly enhanced the transcriptional activity of PAO promoter in Arabidopsis protoplasts, and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment greatly induced PAO expression in wild‐type Arabidopsis plants, but the induction was abolished in myc2 myc3 myc4. In addition, MYC2/3/4 proteins could promote the expression of another Chl catabolic enzyme gene, NYC1, as well as a key regulatory gene of Chl degradation, NYE1/SGR1, by directly binding to their promoters. More importantly, the myc2 myc3 myc4 triple mutant showed a severe stay‐green phenotype, whereas the lines overexpressing the MYCs showed accelerated leaf yellowing upon MeJA treatment. These results suggest that MYC2/3/4 proteins may mediate jasmonic acid (JA)‐induced Chl degradation by directly activating these Chl catabolic genes (CCGs). Three NAC family proteins, ANAC019/055/072, downstream from MYC2/3/4 proteins, could also directly promote the expression of a similar set of CCGs (NYE1/SGR1, NYE2/SGR2 and NYC1) during Chl degradation. In particular, anac019 anac055 anac072 triple mutant displayed a severe stay‐green phenotype after MeJA treatment. Finally, we revealed that MYC2 and ANAC019 may interact with each other and synergistically enhance NYE1 expression. Together, our study reveals a hierarchical and coordinated regulatory network of JA‐induced Chl degradation.
Household water efficiency strategies in Cornwall, SW of England
Authors: Sharpe Richard A. , Osborne Nicholas J. , Skerratt Glynn
Published: September 2015

Demand‐side measures are thought to be a sustainable approach to meeting the future supply‐demand balance. We assess the uptake of domestic demand‐side measures and potential factors that may promote the uptake of water efficiency devices. Fifty‐one face‐to‐face questionnaires were used to collect demographic and household characteristics data. We use descriptive statistics and univariate models to assess factors promoting water efficiency. Fifty‐one adult participants aged between 30 and 64 years provided data on water consumption and efficiency. Participants investigating water saving solutions and homeowners were more likely to utilise water efficiency devices. Targeted factors shown to promote consumer up‐take of water efficiency measures along with strategies utilising low‐cost efficiency devices provide a cost‐effective means to reduce water consumption.
Farmers’ willingness‐to‐pay towards soil and water conservation measures in agro‐ecosystems of Chotanagpur Plateau, India
Authors: Gulati Aastha , Rai Suresh Chand
Published: September 2015

Lack of importance given to farmers’ knowledge and perceptions towards soil and water conservation (SWC) is a major factor responsible for failure of conservation programs. The study explores farmers understanding of SWC and further adds to the limited empirical evidence towards farmers’ willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) for SWC. Contingent valuation survey conducted to elicit the WTP (cash and labor days) for SWC draws attention to the importance of adopting SWC to ensure year‐round water availability. The willing households of the area could generate US$1302.2 and/or 1207 labor days monthly. The WTP (cash) showed strong positive influence by qualification, total income, off‐farm income and previous irrigation farming experience; while WTP (labor days) showed strong negative influence by age, qualification, dependency ratio, market access and livestock holding. The study will be useful for decision makers regarding investments and policy purposes for soil–water conservation measures in agricultural lands of developing countries.
Human Brucellosis Trends: Re‐emergence and Prospects for Control Using a One Health Approach in Azerbaijan (1983–2009)
Authors: Kracalik I. T. , Abdullayev R. , Asadov K. , Ismayilova R. , Baghirova M. , Ustun N. , Shikhiyev M. , Talibzade A. , Blackburn J. K.
Published: September 2015

Brucellosis is one of the most common and widely spread zoonotic diseases in the world. Control of the disease in humans is dependent upon limiting the infection in animals through surveillance and vaccination. Given the dramatic economic and political changes that have taken place in the former Soviet Union, which have limited control, evaluating the status of human brucellosis in former Soviet states is crucial. We assessed annual spatial and temporal trends in the epidemiology of human brucellosis in Azerbaijan, 1983–2009, in conjunction with data from a livestock surveillance and control programme (2002–2009). To analyse trends, we used a combination of segmented regression and spatial analysis. From 1983 to 2009, a total of 11 233 cases of human brucellosis were reported. Up to the mid‐1990s, the incidence of human brucellosis showed a pattern of re‐emergence, increasing by 25% annually, on average. Following Soviet governance, the incidence rates peaked, increasing by 1.8% annually, on average, and subsequently decreasing by 5% annually, on average, during the period 2002–2009. Despite recent national declines in human incidence, we identified geographic changes in the case distribution characterized by a geographic expansion and an increasing incidence among districts clustered in the south‐east, compared to a decrease of elsewhere in the country. Males were consistently, disproportionately afflicted (71%) and incidence was highest in the 15 to 19 age group (18.1 cases/100 000). During the period 2002–2009, >10 million small ruminants were vaccinated with Rev1. Our findings highlight the improving prospects for human brucellosis control following livestock vaccination; however, the disease appears to be re‐emerging in south‐eastern Azerbaijan. Sustained one health measures are needed to address changing patterns of brucellosis in Azerbaijan and elsewhere in the former Soviet Union.
Prediction of Cutting Forces in High Speed Machining of Ti6Al4V Using SPH Method
Authors: Olleak Alaa A. , El-Hofy Hassan A.
Published: September 2015

Over the last few decades, the interest in modeling of machining processes has been growing. In this regard, the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method is one of the latest powerful techniques used for that purpose. The strength of SPH lies behind its accuracy in stress calculations and the ability to handle situations involving large amount of deformation, which is difficult to be tackled using traditional finite element methods. This work aims to present and evaluate the use of SPH method in modeling of high speed machining (HSM). A thermo-mechanical coupled analysis of both 2D and 3D models is performed using LS-DYNA. The simulation aims to predict the cutting forces and chip morphology during high speed orthogonal cutting of Ti6Al4V alloy. In order to accurately simulate the material behavior during cutting, Johnson-Cook material constitutive model is used. The results from SPH model are validated using published experimental data.
The Effect of Nanoclay on the Rheological Properties of Polylactic Acid/Polyhydroxybutyrate-Valerate Blends
Authors: Zhao Haibin , Peng Xiangfang
Published: September 2015

In this article, the effects of nanoclay (CN) on the rheological behavior of polylactic acid (PLA)/polyhydroxybutyrate–valerate (PHBV) blends was investigated. The rheological behavior of PLA/PHBV blends showed a Newtonian plateau that converted to strong shear thinning behavior over the full range of frequency by the incorporation of nanoclay. The results indicate that the storage modulus and complex viscosity of PLA/PHBV blends were sensitive to nanofillers. An obvious pseudo-solid-like behavior over a wide range of frequency in PLA/PHBV/CN nanocomposites showed that the strong interaction between the PLA/PHBV blend and the nanoclay restricted the relaxation process of the polymer chains. Therefore, the PLA/PHBV/CN nanocomposites possess a higher modulus and greater melt strength, which are desirable for creating an improved foamed structure when manufactured via microcellular injection molding.
The Large Pulsed Electron Beam (LPEB)-Assisted Hybrid Deburring Process of the Patterned Metal Masks
Authors: Kim Jisoo , Park Hyung Wook
Published: September 2015

Burrs on the patterned metal mask could degrade the quality of pixels on the semiconductor devices during a vacuum deposition process. In this study, deburring process on the patterned metal mask was performed using abrasive deburring, pulsed electron beam irradiation, and hybrid deburring process combining abrasive deburring and electron beam irradiation. The most widely used material for the metal mask, AISI 304 stainless steel, was patterned by fiber-laser cutting. The performance of each deburring method was evaluated measuring sizes of burrs remained after processing. Surface textures were also observed by white-interferometer. Electrochemical analysis on the bare, fiber-laser cut, and LEPB-treated surface was performed to evaluate a corrosion resistance. Based on the potentiodynamic polarization test, corrosion rate and polarization resistance on the surface was calculated using Tafel extrapolation.
Utilizing Small External Vibrational Sources to Increase Polishing Material Removal Rates
Authors: Mainuddin M. , Keanini R. , Mullany B.
Published: September 2015

Although precision polishing of optical grade components using pitch based tools is still common practice, the process has not received the same level of scientific attention as other precision material removal processes. Building on previous research results, this paper demonstrates the relationship between low amplitude, broad spectrum vibrational power input and fused silica material removal rates obtained with different tool-polishing machine combinations. A low cost, easy to implement method of increasing vibrational power is presented and verified through polishing tests. The method uses small, off the shelf, high speed (>10 krpm), DC motors with eccentric masses (0.5 g and 4 g). Attachment of the battery driven motors to the underside of the platen and the workpiece holder increased the vibrational input from 0.7 W to 0.22 W resulting in an increase in the material removal rate from 0.96 mg/hr to 1.10 mg/hr. A method to attenuate process generated vibrations, and thus material removal rates, is also outlined. To achieve this the tool construction is modified by the addition of a cork layer between the substrate and the pitch layer. While this approach is not as flexible as that for increasing the vibrational power input, it successfully attenuated process vibrations (0.2 W to 0.14 W) and reduced the associated material removal rate (9.67 mg/hr to 6.13 mg/hr). The results outlined this paper demonstrate that recording and controlling process vibrations provides practitioners with viable process monitoring and optimization options.
Simultaneous 9-Axis-Laser-Processing
Authors: Flemmer John , Willenborg Edgar
Published: September 2015

In many laser applications laser scanners are used for a fast laser beam deflection. Providing a deflection in up to three Cartesian directions they are able to position the laser beam focus with over 10 m/s at accelerations even above 1000 g. Nevertheless for the treatment of complex shaped parts, these scanning systems often need to be combined with a conventional mechanical axis system. This is because a laser scanner is not able to manipulate the direction of beam incidence and therefore the accessibility to all areas cannot be ensured. Through rotational mechanical axes this direction can be manipulated. Furthermore the working volume of a laser scanner is limited in general. State of the art is the sequentially processing of larger or curved areas by dividing them into subareas. Therefore multiple subareas, processed by the laser scanner, are positioned next to each other by means of the mechanical system. In the overlapping areas this can lead to unwanted defects induced by the process itself or by positional errors. In contrast simultaneous processing is an approach to avoid the segmentation of areas into subareas in general. This will lead to more homogenous processed surfaces and reduces the time for repositioning. In this case the laser scanner and the mechanical system are in motion at the same time. The main challenge in simultaneous processing is the kinematic transformation and the synchronization between both systems. For a productive use this method also needs to be integrated flawlessly in the existing process chain. For accommodating these challenges the Fraunhofer ILT developed a solution which is almost fully software based and can be integrated in the existing process chain with little effort.
Surface Roughness Prediction Using Numerical Scheme and Feedback Control
Authors: Ayomoh Michael K. O. , Abou-El-Hossein Khaled A. , Ghobashi Sameh F. M.
Published: September 2015

This paper proposes a numerical modelling scheme for surface roughness prediction. The approach is premised on the use of 3D difference analysis method enhanced with the use of feedback control loop where a set of adaptive weights are generated. The surface roughness values utilized in this paper were adapted from [1]. Their experiments were carried out using S55C high carbon steel. A comparison was further carried out between the proposed technique and those utilized in [1]. The experimental design has three cutting parameters namely: depth of cut, feed rate and cutting speed with twenty-seven experimental sample-space. The simulation trials conducted using Matlab software is of two sub-classes namely: prediction of the surface roughness readings for the non-boundary cutting combinations (NBCC) with the aid of the known surface roughness readings of the boundary cutting combinations (BCC). The following simulation involved the use of the predicted outputs from the NBCC to recover the surface roughness readings for the boundary cutting combinations (BCC). The simulation trial for the NBCC attained a state of total stability in the 7th iteration i.e. a point where the actual and desired roughness readings are equal such that error is minimized to zero by using a set of dynamic weights generated in every following simulation trial. A comparative study among the three methods showed that the proposed difference analysis technique with adaptive weight from feedback control produced a much accurate output as against the abductive and regression analysis techniques presented in [1].
Experimental and Physical-Based Constitutive Model Study of FCC Metal Over Wide Temperature and Strain Rate Ranges
Authors: Yu Jianchao , Wang Gang , Qin Jianwei , Shuai Maobing , Rong Yiming
Published: September 2015

Dynamic deformation behaviors of aluminum alloy Al1060 (FCC metal) are studied by the uniaxial compression tests on the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar over wide temperature and strain rate ranges. The experimental results show that the flow stress is both strain rate and temperature sensitivity. The flow stress decreases with increasing temperature when the strain rate keeps constant. When the temperature keeps constant, the flow stress increases with increasing strain rate. Considering the thermal activation of dislocation gliding in the dynamic deformation process, a physical-based constitutive model is developed based on the experimental results to predict the flows stress of Al1060 at a given strain rate and temperature. The material constants in the constitutive model are determined by the nonlinear genetic algorithm. The true stress-true strain curves predicted by the proposed constitutive models can give good correlations with the experimental results, which confirm that the proposed physical-based constitutive can accurately characterize the dynamic deformation behaviors of the studied aluminum alloy Al1060.
Analysis of Weld Formation in Multilayer Ultrasonic Metal Welding Using High-Speed Images
Authors: Lee S. Shawn , Kim Tae Hyung , Hu S. Jack , Cai Wayne W. , Abell Jeffrey A.
Published: September 2015

One of the major challenges in manufacturing automotive lithium-ion batteries and battery packs is to achieve consistent weld quality in joining multiple layers of dissimilar materials. While most fusion welding processes face difficulties in such joining, ultrasonic welding stands out as the ideal method. However, inconsistency of weld quality still exists because of limited knowledge on the weld formation through the multiple interfaces. This study aims to establish real-time phenomenological observation on the multilayer ultrasonic welding process by analyzing the vibration behavior of metal layers. Such behavior is characterized by a direct measurement of the lateral displacement of each metal layer using high-speed images. Two different weld tools are used in order to investigate the effect of tool geometry on the weld formation mechanism and the overall joint quality. A series of microscopies and bond density measurements is carried out to validate the observations and hypotheses of those phenomena in multilayer ultrasonic welding. The results of this study enhance the understanding of the ultrasonic welding process of multiple metal sheets and provide insights for optimum tool design to improve the quality of multilayer joints.
Effect of Incremental Depth and Part Shape on Failure Modes in Single Point Incremental Forming of Polymers
Authors: Davarpanah Mohammad Ali , Malhotra Rajiv
Published: September 2015

Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF) has received considerable attention recently due to advantages such as part-shape-independent tooling, higher formability and higher process flexibility as compared to conventional forming. While significant research has been performed on SPIF of metals, recent work has also shown the feasibility of using SPIF for cold-forming of thermoplastic polymer sheets. However, the effects of incremental depth and part shape on the modes of failure during polymer SPIF have rarely been investigated. This paper examines the effects of part shape and incremental depth on the formability and failure modes in polymer SPIF. It is shown that greater incremental depths result in greater formability in polymer SPIF. Furthermore, it is shown that increasing the rate of change of the wall angle with the Z depth of the part increases the maximum formability achievable using a given incremental depth. At the same time, it is observed that this dual advantage of greater formability and reduced forming time, possible with higher incremental depths, is limited by the occurrence of sheet wrinkling when the incremental depth becomes too high. Additionally, the dependence of sheet wrinkling on the overall shape of the part being formed is also shown.