bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Body build and the level of development of muscle strength among male Jiu-Jitsu competitors and strength-trained adults
Authors: Pietraszewska Jadwiga , Burdukiewicz Anna , Stachoń Aleksandra , Andrzejewska Justyna , Stefaniak Tadeusz , Witkowski Kazimierz
Published: May 2015

Purpose

The aim of the present study was to assess the morpho-functional characteristics of male jiu-jitsu practitioners against a sample of strength-trained university students.

Methods

The all-male research sample included 49 jiu-jitsu competitors and 30 university students actively involved in strength training. Measures of body mass and height, lower extremity length, sitting height, arm span, trunk width, skeletal breadths, circumferences and skinfold thicknesses of the trunk and extremities were collected. Body tissue composition was assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Somatotype was classified according to the anthropometric method of Heath and Carter. Participants also performed three motor tests composed of the standing long jump, flexed arm hang, and sit-ups and two dynamometer tests measuring handgrip and back muscle strength. Differences between the measured characteristics in both samples were analyzed using Student’s t test. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to the determine the relationships between the morphological characteristics and the results of the motor tests.

Results

The jiu-jitsu sample was slightly smaller than the strength-training students. In contrast, body mass was almost identical in both groups. The remaining length, height, and skinfold characteristics also did not differ significantly between the groups. Only hip breadth was significantly larger in the jiu-jitsu sample. No between-group differences were noted in the levels of endomorphy, mesomorphy, and ectomorphy. The composite somatotype of the jiu-jitsu athletes (2.1-5.8-2.0) was very similar to that of the strength-trained students (2.1-5.9-2.4). Statistically significant differences were observed in the tests assessing muscle strength. Handgrip and back muscle strength was greater in the strength-training students, whereas the jiu-jitsu athletes performed better in all three motor tests.

Conclusions

The minor morphological differences between the jiu-jitsu and strength-training groups may be due to the different sporting level of the participants. Whereas the intense weight training regime of the strength-training students allowed them to achieve higher results in the dynamometer tests, the more multidimensional aspect of jiu-jitsu training was reflected in achieving better results in the motor tests.
A pilot study involving the effect of two different complex training protocols on lower body power
Authors: Smith Chad E. , Lyons Brian , Hannon James C.
Published: May 2015

Purpose

Complex training (CT) involves the coupling of two exercises ostensibly to enhance the effect of the second exercise. Typically, the first exercise is a strength exercise and the second exercise is a power exercise involving similar muscles. In most cases, CT is designed to enhance power. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, this study was designed to determine if lower body power could be enhanced using complex training protocols. Second, this study investigated whether the inclusion of a power exercise instead of a strength exercise as the first exercise in CT would produce differences in lower body power.

Methods

Thirty-six recreationally-trained men and women aged 20 to 29 years attending a college physical education course were randomly assigned to one of three groups: squat and countermovement squat jumps (SSJ), kettlebell swings and countermovement squat jumps (KSJ), and a control (CON). Training involving CT lasted 6 weeks. All participants were pre- and posttested for vertical jump performance in order to assess lower body power.

Results

Vertical jump scores improved for all groups (p < 0.01). The results also indicated that there were no statistically significant differences between group scores across time (p = 0.215). The statistical power for this analysis was low (0.312), most likely due to the small sample size. However, the results did reveal a trend suggesting that the training improvements were greater for both the SSJ and KSJ groups compared with the CON (by 171% and 107%, respectively) although significance was not reached.

Conclusions

Due to the observed trend, a replication of this study with a greater number of participants over a longer period of time is warranted.
The effects of load and effort-matched concentric and eccentric knee extension training in recreational females
Authors: Fisher James , Langford Christopher
Published: May 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of load and intensity of effort-matched concentric and eccentric knee extension training on isometric strength.

Methods

Unilateral isometric torque was measured using a MedX knee extension after which eleven recreationally trained females performed both concentric-only (CONC) and eccentric-only (ECC) unilateral knee extension exercise once per week for 8 weeks. Participants performed a single set of both CONC and ECC exercise loadmatched at 80% of maximum isometric torque for each condition. All participants exercised to repetition maximum in both CONC and ECC conditions at a pace of ~3 s duration for each muscle action. This ensured that participants exercised to the same intensity of effort for both CONC and ECC training interventions.

Results

Analyses revealed significant increases in isometric torque for both CONC (14.8%) and ECC (13.0%) conditions (p < 0.05). Absolute change from pre- to post-intervention was compared for CONC and ECC training conditions revealing no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05). Effect sizes are reported as 0.60 (CONC) and 0.53 (ECC). In addition, analyses revealed significantly greater mean total training volume for ECC compared with CONC conditions (15903 vs. 8091, respectively; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The present findings indicate that, when matched for intensity of effort, both CONC and ECC knee extension exercise can significantly improve strength to the same extent. This supports previous research that load and repetitions are not as important as intensity of effort in resistance exercise.
Estimating maximal heart rate with the ‘220-age’ formula in adolescent female volleyball players: a preliminary study
Authors: Nikolaidis Pantelis Theodoros , Padulo Johnny , Chtourou Hamdi , Torres-Luque Gema , Afonso José , Heller Jan
Published: May 2015

Purpose

Although maximal heart rate (HRmax) is used widely to assess exercise intensity in training, there are limited data with regards to the validity of age-based prediction equations of HRmax in volleyball players. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare the measured-HRmax of two prediction equations (Fox-HRmax = 220 − age and Tanaka-HRmax = 208 − 0.7 × age) in young female volleyball players.

Methods

The study involved 47 volleyball players (age 13.39 ± 2.01 years, body mass 54.0 ± 10.8 kg, height 162.7 ± 10.2 cm) who performed a graded exercise field test (20 m shuttle run endurance test) to assess HRmax. Measured-HRmax values were compared with the Fox and Tanaka prediction equations.

Results

The results showed that mean scores for HRmax significantly differed between measured and predicted values (p < 0.001, ŋ2 = 0.49). Post-hoc tests revealed that Fox-HRmax overestimated measured-HRmax (mean difference 5.7 bpm; 95% CI [3.0, 8.5]), whereas Tanaka-HRmax was similar to measured-HRmax (-2.2 bpm; 95% CI [-4.9, 0.4]). HRmax did not correlate with age (r = 0.16, p = 0.291).

Conclusions

The results of this study failed to validate the widely used ‘220−age’ formula in volleyball players. Coaches and fitness trainers should take into account that the overestimation of HRmax by the Fox equation might lead to prescribing exercise at a higher intensity than what is targeted. Therefore, the Tanaka equation appears to offer a more accurate prediction equation of HRmax than the Fox equation in young female volleyball players.
The sports background, personality, attitudes, and social competencies of coaches and assistant coaches in the just soccer program for pupils with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Schliermann Rainer , Stolz Isabel , Anneken Volker
Published: May 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to empirically analyze the sports background, personality dimensions, attitudes, and social competencies of adult head coaches and young assistant coaches involved in the German Einfach Fußball (Just Soccer) program, which promotes the participation of pupils with intellectual disabilities in soccer/sports and society.

Methods

The study recruited 28 head coaches and 29 assistant coaches who completed a questionnaire battery of standardized instruments (NEO Five-Factor Inventory, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, Social Self-Efficacy) as well as self-developed instruments. Analysis of the data involved descriptive and inferential statistical procedures. A descriptive comparison of the assistant coaches with a normative sample of males aged 16-20 years was performed.

Results

The head coaches were found with little soccer/sports experience with persons with disabilities prior to participation in the Just Soccer program. However, the majority were familiar with these persons through personal/vocational contacts. Overall, the head coaches were differentiated by formal coaching levels and playing backgrounds, with very few holding any additional formal qualifications in special education. The assistant coaches presented below average scores in the analyzed five personality dimensions when compared with the normative sample. Their attitudes and social competencies did not change during their 8-month involvement in Just Soccer.

Conclusions

The findings highlight the important role of the coaching staff in the success of the Just Soccer program. Coaches involved in such activities should be familiarized with needs of people with disabilities, be stress-resistant, and possess a balanced set of personality traits. In addition, the results suggest that such individuals should be coaches/players from conventional soccer clubs instead of special school physical education teachers.
A critical review of position- and velocity-based concepts of postural control during upright stance
Authors: Portela Fellipe Machado , Rodrigues Erika Carvalho , Ferreira Arthur de Sá
Published: May 2015

Purpose

Postural control during quiet standing has been modeled by concepts using kinematic variables estimated from center of pressure (COP) signals. The concept of position-based postural control has had particular ramifications in the literature, although a more recent concept of velocity-based control has been proposed as being more relevant.

Methods

This study reviews the literature investigating these concepts and their respective quantitative methods alongside current supporting evidence and criticisms.

Results

The position-based control concept suggests the existence of two control loops that alternate whenever certain thresholds are exceeded. Such a theory is supported by studies describing the time delay between the skeletal muscle activation and CoP displacement. However, this concept has been criticized to be the result of statistical artifacts due to it not being adapted to the analysis of bounded time series. Conversely, the velocity-based control concept claims that velocity is the most relevant kinematic variable for postural control. Such a theory suggests that postural adjustments are executed to change the trajectory of the CoP whenever the velocity crosses a threshold. Both theories have their major methodological limitations, while interpretation of data from the position-based concept is difficult, velocity-based thresholds are empirical and still need verification in different motor tasks and populations.

Conclusions

Given the observed similarities and mutual exclusivity of both concepts, there is a need for the development of methods that can quantitatively analyze stabilometric signals while simultaneously considering both kinematic variables.
Sports massage therapy on the reduction of delayed onset muscle soreness of the quadriceps femoris
Authors: Boguszewski Dariusz , Szkoda Sylwia , Adamczyk Jakub Grzegorz , Białoszewski Dariusz
Published: May 2015

Purpose

Massage therapy is one of most commonly applied treatments during athletic training. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of sports massage therapy on reducing post-exercise quadriceps muscle soreness.

Methods

A sample of 29 women aged 24-26 years was divided into an experimental group (n = 15) receiving classic sports massage therapy and a control group (n = 14) given no treatment. An exercise session consisting of five sets of deep squat jumps was administered after which lower limb power as assessed via the vertical jump test. Muscle soreness was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and exercise intensity with the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale. Subsequent measurements of lower limb power and muscle soreness were performed 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after the exercise session. Differences between the measurements were assessed by the Friedman and least significant difference tests while between-group comparisons involved the Mann-Whitney U test.

Results

The largest decrease in lower limb power was observed between the first measurement after the exercise session and 24 h later (p < 0.01). The smallest decrease in power was observed in the massage group. The highest levels of muscle soreness were noted 24 h post-exercise in the massage group and 48 h post-exercise in the control group. The experimental group showed a decrease in muscle soreness in each subsequent measurement, with the results close to zero on the VAS 96 h postexercise.

Conclusions

Massage therapy quickened recovery and improved muscle efficiency post-exercise and may serve as an effective treatment of muscle soreness. The analgesic effect of massage suggests it should be widely applied in sport, physical therapy and rehabilitation.
Guidelines for normalising Early Modern English corpora: Decisions and justifications
Authors: Archer Dawn , Kytö Merja , Baron Alistair , Rayson Paul
Published: May 2015

Corpora of Early Modern English have been collected and released for research for a number of years. With large scale digitisation activities gathering pace in the last decade, much more historical textual data is now available for research on numerous topics including historical linguistics and conceptual history. We summarise previous research which has shown that it is necessary to map historical spelling variants to modern equivalents in order to successfully apply natural language processing and corpus linguistics methods. Manual and semiautomatic methods have been devised to support this normalisation and standardisation process. We argue that it is important to develop a linguistically meaningful rationale to achieve good results from this process. In order to do so, we propose a number of guidelines for normalising corpora and show how these guidelines have been applied in the Corpus of English Dialogues.
Modest XPath and XQuery for corpora: Exploiting deep XML annotation
Authors: Rühlemann Christoph , Bagoutdinov Andrej , O’Donnell Matthew Brook
Published: May 2015

This paper outlines a modest approach to XPath and XQuery, tools allowing the navigation and exploitation of XML-encoded texts. The paper starts off from where Andrew Hardie’s paper “Modest XML for corpora: Not a standard, but a suggestion” (Hardie 2014) left the reader, namely wondering how one’s corpus can be usefully analyzed once its XML-encoding is finished, a question the paper did not address. Hardie argued persuasively that “there is a clear benefit to be had from a set of recommendations (not a standard) that outlines general best practices in the use of XML in corpora without going into any of the more technical aspects of XML or the full weight of TEI encoding” (Hardie 2014: 73). In a similar vein this paper argues that even a basic understanding of XPath and XQuery can bring great benefits to corpus linguists. To make this point, we present not only a modest introduction to basic structures underlying the XPath and XQuery syntax but demonstrate their analytical potential using Obama’s 2009 Inaugural Address as a test bed. The speech was encoded in XML, automatically PoS-tagged and manually annotated on additional layers that target two rhetorical figures, anaphora and isocola. We refer to this resource as the Inaugural Rhetorical Corpus (IRC). Further, we created a companion website hosting not only the Inaugural Rhetorical Corpus, but also the Inaugural Training Corpus) (a training corpus in the form of an abbreviated version of the IRC to allow manual checks of query results) as well as an extensive list of tried and tested queries for use with either corpus. All of the queries presented in this paper are at beginners to lower-intermediate levels of XPath/XQuery expertise. Nonetheless, they yield fruitful results: they show how Obama uses the inclusive pronouns we and our as a discursive strategy to advance his political strategy to re-focus American politics on economic and domestic matters. Further, they demonstrate how sentence length contributes to the build-up of climactic tension. Finally, they suggest that Obama’s signature rhetorical figure is the isocolon and that the overwhelming majority of isocola in the speech instantiate the crescens type, where the cola gradually increase in length over the sequence.
Oscillatory MHD Convective Flow of Second Order Fluid Through Porous Medium in a Vertical Rotating Channel in Slip-Flow Regime with Heat Radiation
Authors: Garg B.P. , Singh K.D. , Bansal A.K.
Published: May 2015

An analysis of an oscillatory magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) convective flow of a second order (viscoelastic), incompressible, and electrically conducting fluid through a porous medium bounded by two infinite vertical parallel porous plates is presented. The two porous plates with slip-flow condition and the no-slip condition are subjected respectively to a constant injection and suction velocity. The pressure gradient in the channel varies periodically with time. A magnetic field of uniform strength is applied in the direction perpendicular to the planes of the plates. The induced magnetic field is neglected due to the assumption of a small magnetic Reynolds number. The temperature of the plate with no-slip condition is non-uniform and oscillates periodically with time and the temperature difference of the two plates is assumed high enough to induce heat radiation. The entire system rotates in unison about the axis perpendicular to the planes of the plates. Adopting complex variable notations, a closed form solution of the problem is obtained. The analytical results are evaluated numerically and then presented graphically to discuss in detail the effects of different parameters of the problem. The velocity, temperature and the skin-friction in terms of its amplitude and phase angle have been shown graphically to observe the effects of the viscoelastic parameter γ, rotation parameter Ω, suction parameter λ , Grashof number Gr, Hartmann number M, the pressure A, Prandtl number Pr, radiation parameter N and the frequency of oscillation ω .
Hall Effects on Mhd Flow Past an Accelerated Plate with Heat Transfer
Authors: Sundarnath J.K. , Muthucumarswamy R.
Published: May 2015

Hall current and rotation on an MHD flow past an accelerated horizontal plate relative to a rotating fluid, in the presence of heat transfer has been analyzed. The effects of the Hall parameter, Hartmann number, rotation parameter (non-dimensional angular velocity), Grashof’s number and Prandtl number on axial and transverse velocity profiles are presented graphically. It is found that with the increase in the Hartmann number, the axial and transverse velocity components increase in a direction opposite to that of obtained by increasing the Hall parameter and rotation parameter. Also, when Ω=M2m /(1 + m2 ) , it is observed that the transverse velocity component vanishes and axial velocity attains a maximum value.
Effect of Celebrity Endorsement in Advertising Activities by Product Type
Authors: Karasiewicz Grzegorz , Kowalczuk Martyna
Published: May 2015

This article seeks to answer two related questions: are celebrity endorsements more likely to be result in a higher evaluation of the product being advertised than use of an anonymous individual (e.g. a typical consumer); and, if present, do these positive effects vary by product category? To answer these two questions research was conducted on a 237 student sample employing a quasi-experiment consisting of four groups (two product categories and two types of endorsers) using data collected through an online survey. The results indicate that celebrity endorsements do have a positive impact on the evaluation of durable goods, but do not affect the evaluation of frequently purchased products. This finding largely confirms the assumptions of the match-up model, the meaning transfer model, and the ELM model.
Modelling selected parameters of granular elements in the mixing process
Authors: Matuszek Dominika
Published: May 2015

This paper presents the effects of mixing non-homogeneous bicomponent granular structures by the flow method with the use of an inverted cone insert as a supporting element. The analysis of homogeneity of mixtures after 10 consecutive flows was carried out based on computer image analysis. Based on these tests, the use of a nonlinear regression for the modelling of two selected parameters of the process was proposed. Spatial dependence was described by the relation between the variance of the tracer distribution (dependent variable) and density ratio of the mixed components, and the diameter of the cone insert used (independent variables). The mathematical description was made with the use of a ‘nonlinear regression’ module. The results obtained in these tests proved that the use of supporting insert improves the degree of mixability of granular materials. The twodimensional model in the form of a quadratic function may be a formula for describing the influence of selected parameters on the homogeneity of a granulate mixture before the beginning of the mixing process.
Effect of soil bulk density on forest tree seedlings
Authors: Kormanek Mariusz , Banach Jacek , Sowa Paweł
Published: May 2015

The paper presents the results of an analysis of the influence of soil bulk density in a forest nursery plot on the growth and quality parameters of Scots pine and European beech seedlings. Particular density variants were obtained using a tractor device exerting controlled pressure on the soil, while field examinations were performed on an area of ‘Kłaj’ forest nursery in Niepołomice Forest District. Three series of plots were prepared for each species, applying a unit pressure of the values of 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 kPa, corresponding to the dry bulk density in the range of 1.03-1.19 g cm-3, and control plots without the pressure. Seeds of the examined species were sown on the prepared plots, and after 6 months of growth the seedlings were subjected to biometric analysis determining differentiation in root neck diameter, length of the above-ground part and root system, as well as dry mass of particular parts of the plant. The quality of the seedlings was also determined using the method of Schmidt-Vogt. The results obtained show that the change in dry bulk density soil significantly affected most of the growth parameters of the examined seedlings. Especially high negative correlations were obtained for the length and dry mass of the root system. A significant influence of dry bulk density variant on all growth parameters of Scots pine seedlings, and on some parameters of European beech was demonstrated. An increase in soil bulk density clearly caused also a deterioration of European beech seedlings quality
Comparison of the Effectiveness of 1D and 2D Hmm in the Pattern Recognition
Authors: Bobulski Janusz
Published: May 2015

Hidden Markov Model (HMM) is a well established technique for image recognition and has also been successfully applied in other domains such as speech recognition, signature verification and gesture recognition. HMM is widely used mechanism for pattern recognition based on 1D data. For images one dimension is not satisfactory, because the conversion of one-dimensional data into a twodimensional lose some information. This paper presents a solution to the problem of 2D data by developing the 2D HMM structure and the necessary algorithms.
Directional Image Filtering Based on the Fourier Transform
Authors: Korohoda Przemysław , Grabska-Chrząstowska Joanna , Przybyło Jaromir
Published: May 2015

An algorithm to design the small size 2-D filter masks with arbitrarily selected rotation angle has been proposed. The classical filter mask of size 3 × 3 is obtained from the reference Fourier space characteristics, rotated in the Fourier domain. The efficiency of the suggested method was illustrated with examples based on the Sobel gradient mask and two test images. Comparative computations indicated that the accuracy of the filtering result with use of the small size filters is noticeably better when the filter has been designed with use of the Fourier characteristics rotation than after direct rotation of the mask in the pixel domain.
Image Segmentation and Object Counting as an Instance of Travelling Salesman Problem
Authors: Wołoszyn Paweł
Published: May 2015

The goal of this paper is to evaluate possible application of travelling salesman problem and its solving methods to image segmentation and object counting. This approach is inspired both by human skill of subitization and by ability of biological systems to solve optimization problems. Subitizing, or the ability to determine a number of objects without counting them, can be treated as a special case of image processing focused on extracting objects from background and enumerating them. This paper describes a method of generating linear image profile based on simple graph representation in which an optimal or suboptimal cycle is sought. Segmentation and counting can be then carried out by dividing the profile into coherent segments.
FPGA Implementation of Decision Trees and Tree Ensembles for Character Recognition in Vivado Hls
Authors: Kułaga Rafał , Gorgoń Marek
Published: May 2015

Decision trees and decision tree ensembles are popular machine learning methods, used for classification and regression. In this paper, an FPGA implementation of decision trees and tree ensembles for letter and digit recognition in Vivado High-Level Synthesis is presented. Two publicly available datasets were used at both training and testing stages. Different optimizations for tree code and tree node layout in memory are considered. Classification accuracy, throughput and resource usage for different training algorithms, tree depths and ensemble sizes are discussed. The correctness of the module’s operation was verified using C/RTL cosimulation and on a Zynq-7000 SoC device, using Xillybus IP core for data transfer between the processing system and the programmable logic.
Detection and Recognition of Selected Class Railway Signs
Authors: Mikrut Sławomir , Mikrut Zbigniew , Moskal Agnieszka , Pastucha Elżbieta
Published: May 2015

The paper aims at presentation of results of research on detection and recognition of selected class railway signs (W11p). When conducting the research, the authors have proposed their own algorithm, which achieved about 90% effectiveness at detecting W11p signs and 98% effectiveness at classifying them. The processes of localisation, segmentation and recognition of W11p signs were considerably simplified thanks to the application of backpropagation neural network. The authors believe that two non-standard methods related to the use of the network deserve attention: the application of an interactive method of generating the training set, owing to which also pixels highly diversified in terms of their colours could be included, and the use of a full spectrum of neural network responses, which made it possible to accomplish a feedback. It consisted in an automatic adjusting of the network responses’ threshold to the results of segmentation and recognition.
Apples, Quality Signs and Trademarks for Local Products
Authors: Becuţ Anda
Published: May 2015

The interest for food quality is one result of the changes in consumption practices and of the food crisis that generated customers’ distrust. The latter became more and more interested not only in the food’s properties, but also in the conditions of its production (hygienic security, fairly paid labor and proper work conditions) and distribution (product’s origin, traceability control). In this context, the attention has moved to food production and distribution and to economic practices, focusing on the economic and social dimension of the food system. In this article, I have analyzed how food quality is built, both culturally (through signs such as authenticity, hygiene and ecology) and politically (through official labels such as protected designation of origin - PDO, protected geographical indication - PGI). I also analyze how Voineşti apples achieved commercial notoriety as an example of the food products known in the Francophone literature as ‘terroir’ products, in order to highlight specific practices of quality performing and different types of quality discourses related to them. I touch upon the economy of quality, the quality standards, signs and marks, the European and Romanian legislation regarding local products, the process of quality certification and the local products as quality products.
Stories of Love and Hate. Images of ‘Homeland’ in the Identity Narratives of Romanians in Ireland
Authors: Macri Gloria
Published: May 2015

Identity is a term that has sparked criticisms in the academic debates, with some scholars fully embracing this rather insufficiently defined concept, whereas others militate for its complete removal from the vocabulary of social sciences. However, in spite of the fierce criticism, identity research has become a central part of the social sciences. Striving to address some of the existing challenges in identity scholarship, the research presented in this article focuses on the diaspora identity narratives of Romanians in Ireland. By adopting a constructivist perspective on identity, this is a study of the continuously flowing boundaries between ‘us’ and ‘them’, as well as of the boundaries where the symbolic space is negotiated and identities are fiercely debated, constructed and re-constructed. While Romanians use a multitude of ‘other’ groups against which they construct their diaspora identities, one of the key markers used in their identity narratives is their relation with the ancestral homeland. Interesting findings have emerged, as Romanians talked about their mixed feelings towards their homeland and their fellow countrymen. As these narratives of the homeland unfold, it becomes clear they bear a strong imprint on their diaspora identity and feelings of belonging. The study presents an analysis of data collected over a six-year period (2004-2010) in the archives of the online discussion forum of the Romanian community from Ireland.
Circulating Food and Relationships: the Movement of Food (and Other Things) Between Brazilians in Boston and Brazil
Authors: de Assunção Viviane Kraieski
Published: May 2015

In 2009, I conducted fieldwork about the culinary practices of Brazilian immigrants in Greater Boston, USA. I assume that food is a good way to understand the migration process, because it is related to the construction of ethnic and national identity, as well as gender, power and class relations. In this article, I emphasize that food is used by Brazilian immigrants in Greater Boston to strengthen social relations with family members and relatives who stayed in Brazil. There is a circulation of many types of goods, such as laptops, computers and cosmetics, between the participants of social networks in the USA and Brazil. In this flow, I highlight the role of food, that maintains through its sensuality (specially smell and taste) the connection of the immigrants with their place of origin.
Brand Clans: Consumption and Rituals Among Low-income Young People in the City of Porto Alegre
Authors: Pinheiro-Machado Rosana , Scalco Lucia Mury
Published: May 2015

This article aims to analyze the Brazilian phenomenon of ‘brand clans’ or ‘brand communities’, which means a group of young people who spend all their money buying branded clothes. The research is based on an ethnography carried out about the youngsters, mostly male, from Morro da Cruz – the largest lower class community in Porto Alegre, Brazil. On the one hand, we discuss the tension between poverty and brand consumption and on the other hand, we aim to make an inventory of subjectivities, emotions, logic and meaning of these young people coming from lower class who make great sacrifices in order to become ‘fashionable’ and thus feel socially included. The article is divided into five sections. In the first three, we discuss more theoretical topics, such as consumption, class, youth, totems and rituals. In the last two, we enter more thoroughly in the empirical universe, showing the results obtained through an ethnographic study. We argue that brands play a vital role in the life of the informants. Brands are not only a source of prestige, but also of vitality, power, and citizenship.
On Emotion and Memories: the Consumption of Mobile Phones as ‘Affective Technology’
Authors: Silva Sandra Rubia
Published: May 2015

In this article, which is theoretically affiliated to studies of consumption as material culture as developed especially by Miller (1987; 2010), the goal is to analyze the consumption of mobile phones in its interaction with social dynamics related to gender and generation categories. How do the consumption practices related to mobile phones influence the emotions experienced in the relationships between parents and children and between men and women? Drawing from an ethnographic approach, I am investigating which emotional investments the social agents express through the consumption of mobile phones, and I am also considering how emotions change when mediated by the consumption of this mobile technology. Through the analysis, I expect both to highlight the richness and complexity of the material and symbolic dimensions involved in the daily processes of consumption, as well as enlighten the study of consumption practices from a segment that is still poorly studied: the popular groups.
Amazonian Exchanges: Txema's Lessons With Outboard Engines, Mosquito Nets and Images
Authors: Arisi Bárbara Maisonnave
Published: May 2015

This article provides an ethnographic analysis of lessons given by an Amazonian Indian elder called Txema concerning transactions of objects and images. Txema has lived until 1978 in the Amazon as a hunter and farmer in very small communities spread in the forest mainly avoiding conflict with non-indigenous people. The Matis established contact with the Brazilians in 1978 and now Txema deals with British TV crews and researchers. This paper brings detailed information on how Txema transacts many objects like outboard engines and mosquito nets for images and care. Values are discussed in those transactions. Drawing an ethnographic description as the way to achieve reflection, this paper tries to show a close approach to what kind of transformation a lot of industrialized objects provoke in an indigenous community. Material culture exchanges are closely related to values and Txema teaches us what is valuable for this elder Amazonian man.
Least Support Orthogonal Matching Pursuit Algorithm With Prior Information
Authors: Tawfic Israa Sh. , Kayhan Sema Koc
Published: May 2015

This paper proposes a new fast matching pursuit technique named Partially Known Least Support Orthogonal Matching Pursuit (PKLS-OMP) which utilizes partially known support as a prior knowledge to reconstruct sparse signals from a limited number of its linear projections. The PKLS-OMP algorithm chooses optimum least part of the support at each iteration without need to test each candidate independently and incorporates prior signal information in the recovery process. We also derive sufficient condition for stable sparse signal recovery with the partially known support. Result shows that inclusion of prior information weakens the condition on the sensing matrices and needs fewer samples for successful reconstruction. Numerical experiments demonstrate that PKLS-OMP performs well compared to existing algorithms both in terms of reconstruction performance and execution time.
Applying LCS To Affective Image Classification In Spatial-Frequency Domain
Authors: Lee Po-Ming , Hsiao Tzu-Chien
Published: May 2015

Recent studies have utilizes color, texture, and composition information of images to achieve affective image classification. However, the features related to spatial-frequency domain that were proven to be useful for traditional pattern recognition have not been tested in this field yet. Furthermore, the experiments conducted by previous studies are not internationally-comparable due to the experimental paradigm adopted. In addition, contributed by recent advances in methodology, that are, Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) (i.e. Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) and Hilbert Transform (HT)), the resolution of frequency analysis has been improved. Hence, the goal of this research is to achieve the affective image-classification task by adopting a standard experimental paradigm introduces by psychologists in order to produce international-comparable and reproducible results; and also to explore the affective hidden patterns of images in the spatial-frequency domain. To accomplish these goals, multiple human-subject experiments were conducted in laboratory. Extended Classifier Systems (XCSs) was used for model building because the XCS has been applied to a wide range of classification tasks and proved to be competitive in pattern recognition. To exploit the information in the spatial-frequency domain, the traditional EMD has been extended to a two-dimensional version. To summarize, the model built by using the XCS achieves Area Under Curve (AUC) = 0.91 and accuracy rate over 86%. The result of the XCS was compared with other traditional machine-learning algorithms (e.g., Radial-Basis Function Network (RBF Network)) that are normally used for classification tasks. Contributed by proper selection of features for model building, user-independent findings were obtained. For example, it is found that the horizontal visual stimulations contribute more to the emotion elicitation than the vertical visual stimulation. The effect of hue, saturation, and brightness; is also presented.
Effect Of Robot Utterances Using Onomatopoeia On Collaborative Learning
Authors: Jimenez Felix , Kanoh Masayoshi , Yoshikawa Tomohiro , Furuhashi Takeshi , Nakamura Tsuyoshi
Published: May 2015

We investigated the effect of robot’s utterances using onomatopoeia in collaborative learning. The robot was designed to provide encouragement using onomatopoeia when students are given problems to be solved issued by a learning system. Eight college students used a mathematics learning system with a robot for three weeks and then took exams. The results indicated that the robot using utterances with onomatopoeia could comfort learners more than the robot without onomatopoeia. It suggests that the robot that praises or comforts using onomatopoeia helps learners maintain their motivation in collaborative learning.
Web–Based Framework For Breast Cancer Classification
Authors: Bruździński Tomasz , Krzyżak Adam , Fevens Thomas , Jeleń Łukasz
Published: May 2015

The aim of this work is to create a web-based system that will assist its users in the cancer diagnosis process by means of automatic classification of cytological images obtained during fine needle aspiration biopsy. This paper contains a description of the study on the quality of the various algorithms used for the segmentation and classification of breast cancer malignancy. The object of the study is to classify the degree of malignancy of breast cancer cases from fine needle aspiration biopsy images into one of the two classes of malignancy, high or intermediate. For that purpose we have compared 3 segmentation methods: k-means, fuzzy c-means and watershed, and based on these segmentations we have constructed a 25–element feature vector. The feature vector was introduced as an input to 8 classifiers and their accuracy was checked.

The results show that the highest classification accuracy of 89.02 % was recorded for the multilayer perceptron. Fuzzy c–means proved to be the most accurate segmentation algorithm, but at the same time it is the most computationally intensive among the three studied segmentation methods.
A Data Mining Approach To Improve Military Demand Forecasting1
Authors: Thiagarajan Rajesh , Rahman Mustafizur , Gossink Don , Calbert Greg
Published: May 2015

Accurately forecasting the demand of critical stocks is a vital step in the planning of a military operation. Demand prediction techniques, particularly autocorrelated models, have been adopted in the military planning process because a large number of stocks in the military inventory do not have consumption and usage rates per platform (e.g., ship). However, if an impending military operation is (significantly) different from prior campaigns then these prediction models may under or over estimate the demand of critical stocks leading to undesired operational impacts. To address this, we propose an approach to improve the accuracy of demand predictions by combining autocorrelated predictions with cross-correlated demands of items having known per-platform usage rates. We adopt a data mining approach using sequence rule mining to automatically determine cross-correlated demands by assessing frequently co-occurring usage patterns. Our experiments using a military operational planning system indicate a considerable reduction in the prediction errors across several categories of military supplies.
Advanced Supervision Of Oil Wells Based On Soft Computing Techniques
Authors: Camargo Edgar , Aguilar Jose
Published: May 2015

In this work is presented a hybrid intelligent model of supervision based on Evolutionary Computation and Fuzzy Systems to improve the performance of the Oil Industry, which is used for Operational Diagnosis in petroleum wells based on the gas lift (GL) method. The model is composed by two parts: a Multilayer Fuzzy System to identify the operational scenarios in an oil well and a genetic algorithm to maximize the production of oil and minimize the flow of gas injection, based on the restrictions of the process and the operational cost of production.

Additionally, the first layers of the Multilayer Fuzzy System have specific tasks: the detection of operational failures, and the identification of the rate of gas that the well requires for production. In this way, our hybrid intelligent model implements supervision and control tasks.
A Priori Approach Of Real-Time Ridesharing Problem With Intermediate Meeting Locations
Authors: Aissat Kamel , Oulamara Ammar
Published: May 2015

Ridesharing is a mobility concept in which a trip is shared by a vehicle’s driver and one or more passengers called riders. Ridesharing is considered as a more environmentally friendly alternative to single driver commutes in pollution-creating vehicles on overcrowded streets. In this paper, we present the core of a new strategy of the ridesharing system, making it more flexible and competitive than the recurring system. More precisely, we allow the driver and the rider to meet each other at an intermediate starting location and to separate at another intermediate ending location not necessarily their origins and destinations, respectively. This allows to reduce both the driver’s detour and the total travel cost. The term “A priori approach” means that the driver sets the sharing cost rate on the common path with rider in advance. An exact and heuristic approaches to identify meeting locations, while minimizing the total travel cost of both driver and rider are proposed. Finally, we analyze their empirical performance on a set of real road networks consisting of up to 3,5 million nodes and 8,7 million edges. Our experimental results show that our heuristics provide efficient performances within short CPU times and improves the recurring ridesharing approach in terms of cost-savings.
Concrete-Design
Authors: Leczovics Péter , Domonyi Erzsébet
Published: May 2015

Present paper introduces a new interpretation of concrete, demonstrating some extreme possibilities of this rigid material such as a design element. In the first part a brief overview of the previous achievements are shown. The second part of this paper focuses on the relationship between concrete and fashion.

The „typCon” studio was founded in the Institute of Construction Management of the Szent István University, Ybl Miklós Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering. The new developments, researches and formulas related to concrete design elements are also introduced.
Tuneable Current Mode RMS Detector
Authors: Petrović Predrag B.
Published: May 2015

A new realization of RMS detector, employing two CCCIIs (controlled current conveyors), metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors and single grounded capacitor is present in this paper, without any external resistors and components matching requirements. The proposed circuit can be applied in measuring the RMS value of periodic, band-limited signals. The proposed circuit is very appropriate to further develop into integrated circuits. The errors related to the signal processing and errors bound were investigated and provided. To verify the theoretical analysis, the circuit PSpice simulations have also been included, showing good agreement with the theory.
Multi–Frequency Analysis For Interstitial Microwave Hyperthermia Using Multi–Slot Coaxial Antenna
Authors: Gas Piotr
Published: May 2015

The presented paper shows a new concept of multi-slot coaxial antenna working at different frequencies to predict the best solution for interstitial microwave hyperthermia treatment. The described method concerns a microwave heating of unhealthy cells using a thin microwave antenna located in the human tissue. Therefore, the coupled wave equation in a sinusoidal steady-state and the transient bioheat equation under an axial symmetrical model are considered. The 4-Cole-Cole approximation has been used to compute the complex relative permittivity of the human tissues at different antenna operating frequencies. At the stage of numerical simulation the finite element method (FEM) is used. Special attention has been paid to estimate the optimal antenna parameters for thermal therapy for three microwave frequencies mainly used in medical practice and make comparison of the obtained results in the case of single-, double- and triple-slot antennas.