bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Carbon Nanotubes on the Microstructure and Thermal Property of Phenolic/Graphite Composite
Authors: Nguyen The Huu , Vu Minh Thanh , Le Van Thu , Nguyen Tuan Anh
Published: September 2018

In this work, composites based on phenolic resin (P), graphite powder (G), carbon fibers (CFs), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared by using hot compression molding. The effect of CNTs on the microstructure and thermal property of these composites was investigated. FESEM analysis indicated that the surface structure of phenolic/graphite composites became more dense and homogeneous with the presence of CNTs. The carbonization behavior of composites was characterized by using thermal gravimetric analyses (TGAs). TGA data showed that the presence of CNTs in phenolic/graphite composites enhanced their thermal stability, by increasing the temperature of maximum weight loss rate (Tm) during pyrolysis and decreasing the weight loss after pyrolysis. In addition, incorporation of CNTs into phenolic/graphite composites reduced significantly their open porosity.
Distributed Consensus of Semi-Markovian Jumping Multiagent Systems with Mode-Dependent Topologies
Authors: Ji Yidao
Published: September 2018

This paper investigates the distributed consensus problem of multiagent systems with semi-Markovian jumping dynamics in the mean-square sense. Moreover, the mode-dependent communication topologies and sampled-data consensus protocol over the networks are considered. By semi-Markov jump theory, the consensus problem is first transformed into a mean-square stability problem. Then, sufficient conditions are established with the designed mode-dependent consensus protocol. Finally, a numerical example is provided for verifying the effectiveness of our theoretical results.
Evaluation of the Corrosion Inhibiting Capacity of Silica/Polypyrrole-Oxalate Nanocomposite in Epoxy Coatings
Authors: Vu Van T. H. , Dinh Thanh T. M. , Pham Nam T. , Nguyen Thom. T. , Nguyen Phuong T. , To Hang T. X.
Published: September 2018

Silica/Polypyrrole nanocomposites (SiO2/PPy) incorporating oxalate as counter anion (SiO2/PPyOx) were chemically polymerized in the solution with the presence of pyrrole, silica, and sodium oxalate. Nanocomposites SiO2/PPyOx at different concentrations of oxalate anion were characterized with FTIR, XRD, EDX, TGA, and TEM. The corrosion protective properties for carbon steel of nanocomposites in epoxy coating were studied by electrochemical techniques including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and open circuit potential (OCP). FTIR results of nanocomposites show a slightly red-shift in terms of wavelength compared with the case of PPy and SiO2 spectra. It may be due to a better conjugation and interactions between PPy and SiO2 in nanocomposite structure. TEM image indicated that nanocomposites have spherical morphologies with diameters between 100 and 150 nm. The EIS results showed that |Z| modulus values of epoxy coatings containing SiO2/PPyOx composites reached about 109.7 Ω.cm2, always higher than that of epoxy coating. These results are also confirmed by OCP results. It proves that the presence of oxalate anion can enhance the resistance against corrosion and it has been shown that the content of counter anion strongly affects the anticorrosion ability.
Towards an Understanding of Conservation-Based Costs, Benefits, and Attitudes of Local People Living Adjacent to Save Valley Conservancy, Zimbabwe
Authors: Matseketsa Given , Chibememe Gladman , Muboko Never , Gandiwa Edson , Takarinda Kudakwashe
Published: September 2018

Communities juxtaposed to protected areas (PAs) often disproportionally accrue the costs of conservation, but they can also receive benefits from the existence of a PA. The extent to which local communities benefit or incur costs as a result of residing next to PAs is of interest to conservationists and policy-makers. This study sought to understand the costs, benefits, and attitudes of local people living adjacent to Save Valley Conservancy (SVC), Zimbabwe. The purpose was to determine whether benefit and loss accrual has a bearing on the levels of illicit wildlife-based activities experienced in the SVC. Data were collected through a household questionnaire survey and key informant interviews from April to July 2014. A three-stage sampling was adopted: firstly, purposive sampling was employed to select wards adjacent to the SVC; secondly, random sampling was used to select villages within the selected wards; and thirdly, systematic sampling was used to select 71 household questionnaire respondents. Snowball sampling was used to select 9 key informants. The study results show that the majority of locals living close to SVC are not deriving discernable benefits and the costs of conservation are escalating influencing negative attitudes towards wildlife conservation, thus causing them to view wildlife as a nuisance. Overall, our results indicate that conservation losses and benefit accrual by local communities influence their attitudes toward SVC and conservation in general. We conclude that costs incurred outweighed the benefits accrued, a situation that triggers a more negative form of reciprocity towards SVC and wildlife conservation. It is recommended that a more socially and economically inclusive management approach based on a stakeholder-driven access and benefit sharing (ABS) framework be instituted to promote a more positive form of reciprocity towards SVC and nature conservation.
The Earth-Mars Transfer Trajectory Optimization of Solar Sail Based on hp-Adaptive Pseudospectral Method
Authors: Guo Yufei , Feng Dongzhu , Wang Xin , Li Cong , Liu Yunzhao
Published: September 2018

Solar sails have many advantages over traditional chemical propulsion spacecraft, such as needlessness of fuel, high payload ratio, long service life, and great application potential in deep space exploration, interstellar voyage, and other aerospace application fields. However, the period of solar sail transfer from the initial orbit to the desired orbit is relatively long. Thus, it is necessary to optimize the transfer trajectory of solar sail according to specific tasks. The hp-adaptive pseudospectral method combines the global pseudospectral method with the finite element method, which adopts double layer optimization strategy to solve the optimal control problem and has higher computational efficiency and accuracy than the traditional global pseudospectral method. In this paper, the pressure of solar light acting on the solar sail is analyzed, and the kinematic equation of the solar sail is established in polar coordinate system first; then the basic principle of the hp-adaptive pseudospectral method is introduced, and the steps of solving the transfer trajectory optimization problem by hp-adaptive pseudospectral method are proposed; finally, the trajectory optimization of the solar sail from Earth orbit to Sun-centered Mars orbit is simulated as an example to demonstrate the effectiveness of hp-adaptive pseudospectral method in the orbit transfer optimization problem of solar sail. The simulation results show that the adopted method is not sensitive to the initial values and has more reasonable distribution and less computational cost than the Gauss pseudospectral method.
Composites from Thermoplastic Natural Rubber Reinforced Rubberwood Sawdust: Effects of Sawdust Size and Content on Thermal, Physical, and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Homkhiew Chatree , Rawangwong Surasit , Boonchouytan Worapong , Thongruang Wiriya , Ratanawilai Thanate
Published: September 2018

The aim of this work is to investigate the effects of rubberwood sawdust (RWS) size and content as well as the ratio of natural rubber (NR)/high-density polyethylene (HDPE) blend on properties of RWS reinforced thermoplastic natural rubber (TPNR) composites. The addition of RWS about 30–50 wt% improved the modulus of the rupture and tensile strength of TPNR composites blending with NR/HDPE ratios of 60/40 and 50/50. TPNR composites reinforced with RWS 80 mesh yielded better tensile strength and modulus of rupture than the composites with RWS 40 mesh. The TPNR/RWS composites with larger HDPE content gave higher tensile, flexural, and Shore hardness properties and thermal stability as well as lower water absorption. The TPNR/RWS composites with larger plastic content were therefore suggested for applications requiring high performance of thermal, physical, and mechanical properties.
Urban Rail Transit Scheduling under Time-Varying Passenger Demand
Authors: Zhao Xing , Hou Zhongyan , Chen Jihuai , Zhang Yin , Sun Junying
Published: September 2018

In view of the conflict between the time-variation of urban rail transit passenger demand and the homogeneity of the train timetable, this paper takes into account the interests of both passengers and operators to build an urban rail transit scheduling model to acquire an optimized time-dependent train timetable. Based on the dynamic passenger volumes of origin-destination pairs from the automatic fare collection system, the model focuses on minimizing the total passenger waiting time with constraints on time interval between two consecutive trains, number and capacity of trains available, and load factor of trains. A hybrid algorithm which consists of the main algorithm based on genetic algorithm and the nested algorithm based on train traction calculation and safety distance requirement is designed to solve the model. To justify the effectiveness and the practical value of the proposed model and algorithm, a case of Nanjing Metro Line S1 is illustrated in this paper. The result shows that the optimized train timetable has advantage compared to the original one.
Integration of Genome-Wide DNA Methylation and Transcription Uncovered Aberrant Methylation-Regulated Genes and Pathways in the Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Zhu Honglin , Zhu Chengsong , Mi Wentao , Chen Tao , Zhao Hongjun , Zuo Xiaoxia , Luo Hui , Li Quan-Zhen
Published: September 2018

Objective. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a systemic connective tissue disease of unknown etiology. Aberrant gene expression and epigenetic modifications in circulating immune cells have been implicated in the pathogenesis of SSc. This study is to delineate the interaction network between gene transcription and DNA methylation in PBMC of SSc patients and to identify methylation-regulated genes which are involved in the pathogenesis of SSc. Methods. Genome-wide mRNA transcription and global DNA methylation analysis were performed on PBMC from 18 SSc patients and 19 matched normal controls (NC) using Illumina BeadChips. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially methylated positions (DMPs) were integrative analyzed to identify methylation-regulated genes and associated molecular pathways. Results. Transcriptome analysis distinguished 453 DEGs (269 up- and 184 downregulated) in SSc from NC. Global DNA methylation analysis identified 925 DMPs located on 618 genes. Integration of the two lists revealed only 20 DEGs which harbor inversely correlated DMPs, including 12 upregulated (ELANE, CTSG, LTBR, C3AR1, CSTA, SPI1, ODF3B, SAMD4A, PLAUR, NFE2, ZYX, and CTSZ) and eight downregulated genes (RUNX3, PRF1, PRKCH, PAG1, RASSF5, FYN, CXCR6, and F2R). These potential methylation-regulated DEGs (MeDEGs) are enriched in the pathways related to immune cell migration, proliferation, activation, and inflammation activities. Using a machine learning algorism, we identified six out of the 20 MeDEGs, including F2R, CXCR6, FYN, LTBR, CTSG, and ELANE, which distinguished SSc from NC with 100% accuracy. Four genes (F2R, FYN, PAG1, and PRKCH) differentially expressed in SSc with interstitial lung disease (ILD) compared to SSc without ILD. Conclusion. The identified MeDEGs may represent novel candidate factors which lead to the abnormal activation of immune regulatory pathways in the pathogenesis of SSc. They may also be used as diagnostic biomarkers for SSc and clinical complications.
A Note on the Waiting-Time Distribution in an Infinite-Buffer GI[X]/C-MSP/1 Queueing System
Authors: Banik A. D. , Chaudhry M. L. , Kim James J.
Published: September 2018

This paper deals with a batch arrival infinite-buffer single server queue. The interbatch arrival times are generally distributed and arrivals are occurring in batches of random size. The service process is correlated and its structure is presented through a continuous-time Markovian service process (C-MSP). We obtain the probability density function (p.d.f.) of actual waiting time for the first and an arbitrary customer of an arrival batch. The proposed analysis is based on the roots of the characteristic equations involved in the Laplace-Stieltjes transform (LST) of waiting times in the system for the first, an arbitrary, and the last customer of an arrival batch. The corresponding mean sojourn times in the system may be obtained using these probability density functions or the above LSTs. Numerical results for some variants of the interbatch arrival distribution (Pareto and phase-type) have been presented to show the influence of model parameters on the waiting-time distribution. Finally, a simple computational procedure (through solving a set of simultaneous linear equations) is proposed to obtain the “R” matrix of the corresponding GI/M/1-type Markov chain embedded at a prearrival epoch of a batch.
Study on Gasoline Vehicle Emission Inventory Considering Regional Differences in China
Authors: Guo Dong , Wang Zhan-gu , Sun Liang , Li Kai , Wang Juan , Sun Feng , Zhang Hai
Published: September 2018

Rapid growth of China’s urban road vehicles, in particular, the increase in the number of gasoline vehicles, leads to an increase in the traffic congestion and problems pertaining to air pollution. The establishment of the emission inventory of gasoline vehicles is influenced by several factors, like environmental characteristics, vehicle conditions, road conditions, and so on. In order to obtain gasoline vehicle emission inventory in accordance with the actual situation in different regions, this study proposed a method of establishing a list of gasoline vehicles with regional differences. Comprehensive consideration and evaluation of various factors that affect the vehicle emissions were carried out and the corresponding correction factors were obtained. According to the formula of comprehensive emission factor for Zibo city, the emission inventory of gasoline vehicle was established. This method can be effectively utilized to obtain the emission inventory of gasoline vehicles in different cities more accurately and provide theoretical support for control strategies of gasoline vehicle emissions.
Pythagorean Fuzzy (R,S)-Norm Information Measure for Multicriteria Decision-Making Problem
Authors: Guleria Abhishek , Bajaj Rakesh Kumar
Published: September 2018

In the present communication, a parametric (R, S)-norm information measure for the Pythagorean fuzzy set has been proposed with the proof of its validity. The monotonic behavior and maximality feature of the proposed information measure have been studied and presented. Further, an algorithm for solving the multicriteria decision-making problem with the help of the proposed information measure has been provided keeping in view of the different cases for weight criteria, when weights are unknown and other when weights are partially known. Numerical examples for each of the case have been successfully illustrated. Finally, the work has been concluded by providing the scope for future work.
Bond Strength between Glass Fiber Fabrics and Low Water‐to‐Binder Ratio Mortar: Experimental Characterization
Authors: Bohling Daniel , Cwirzen Andrzej , Habermehl-Cwirzen Karin
Published: September 2018

Full utilization of mechanical properties of glass fiber fabric‐reinforced cement composites is very limited due to a low bond strength between fibers and the binder matrix. An experimental setup was developed and evaluated to correlate the mortar penetration depth with several key parameters. The studied parameters included fresh mortar properties, compressive and flexural strengths of mortar, the fabric/mortar bond strength, fabric pullout strength, and a single‐lap shear strength. Results showed that an average penetration of mortar did not exceed 100 µm even at a higher water‐to‐binder ratio. The maximum particle size of the used fillers should be below an average spacing of single glass fibers, which in this case was less than 20 µm to avoid the sieving effect, preventing effective penetration. The pullout strength was strongly affected by the penetration depth, while the single‐lap shear strength was also additionally affected by the mechanical properties of the mortar.
The Pattern of mRNA Expression Is Changed in Sinoatrial Node from Goto-Kakizaki Type 2 Diabetic Rat Heart
Authors: Howarth F. C. , Qureshi M. A. , Jayaprakash P. , Parekh K. , Oz M. , Dobrzynski H. , Adrian T. E.
Published: September 2018

Background.In vivoexperiments in Goto-Kakizaki (GK) type 2 diabetic rats have demonstrated reductions in heart rate from a young age. The expression of genes encoding more than 70 proteins that are associated with the generation and conduction of electrical activity in the GK sinoatrial node (SAN) have been evaluated to further clarify the molecular basis of the low heart rate.Materials and Methods. Heart rate and expression of genes were evaluated with an extracellular electrode and real-time RT-PCR, respectively. Rats aged 12-13 months were employed in these experiments.Results. Isolated spontaneous heart rate was reduced in GK heart (161 ± 12 bpm) compared to controls (229 ± 11 bpm). There were many differences in expression of mRNA, and some of these differences were of particular interest. Compared to control SAN, expression of some genes were downregulated in GK-SAN: gap junction,Gja1(Cx43),Gja5(Cx40),Gjc1(Cx45), andGjd3(Cx31.9); cell membrane transport,Trpc1(TRPC1) and Trpc6 (TRPC6); hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels,Hcn1(HCN1) andHcn4(HCN4); calcium channels,Cacna1d(Cav1.3),Cacna1g(Cav3.1),Cacna1h(Cav3.2),Cacna2d1(Cavα2δ1),Cacna2d3(Cavα2δ3), andCacng4(Cavγ4); and potassium channels,Kcna2(Kv1.2),Kcna4(Kv1.4),Kcna5(Kv1.5),Kcnb1 (Kv2.1),Kcnd3(Kv4.3),Kcnj2(Kir2.1),Kcnk1(TWIK1),Kcnk5(K2P5.1),Kcnk6(TWIK2), andKcnn2(SK2) whilst others were upregulated in GK-SAN:Ryr2(RYR2) andNppb(BNP).Conclusions. This study provides new insight into the changing expression of genes in the sinoatrial node of diabetic heart.
Dynamic Analysis of Slider-Crank Mechanism with a Cracked Rod
Authors: Cheng Shouguo , Liu Shulin
Published: September 2018

The dynamical equation of the slider-crank mechanism is established by using Lagrange equation and Newton’s second law. The slider-crank mechanism with an open crack rod is investigated and then establishes the equivalent mechanics model by a massless torsional spring to simulate the influence of the crack in the rod, and the mechanism of a cracked rod is divided into two subsystems. The dynamical equation of the slider-crank mechanism with a crack rod is established. Comparing the dynamic analysis results between with and without crack in the rod, the results show that the existence of the crack leads to a great change in the motion characteristics of the slider. The calculated maximum Lyapunov exponent is positive, which shows that the movement of the slider in the crank slider mechanism with a cracked rod is chaotic.
Tram-Oriented Traffic Signal Timing Resynchronization
Authors: Ji Yuxiong , Tang Yu , Wang Wei , Du Yuchuan
Published: September 2018

Modernized trams usually run on exclusive rail lanes along urban streets, but they share the right of way with general vehicles at intersections and often get interrupted by traffic signals. We developed a mixed integer model to resynchronize traffic signal timings to favor tram movements. The objective is to balance the operational needs between minimizing bidirectional tram travel times and reducing the likelihood of activating the green extensions. The model depicts both tram and vehicle progressions in one signal timing plan, making it possible to control the impact of signal timing resynchronization through traffic. Trams following the tram bands produced by the proposed model are prevented from being stopped by red phases at signalized intersections. The applicability and effectiveness of the proposed model were demonstrated in a real-world case study. Compared with the state-of-the-art practice approach, the developed model reduced tram travel time by 10% with lower negative impacts on traffic on side streets. The reduction in tram travel time was obtained without sacrificing the mobility of through traffic.
An Improved Method for Temporary Suture Medialisation of the Middle Turbinates following Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Authors: Wong Eugene , Singh Narinder
Published: September 2018

Background. Middle turbinate (MT) lateralisation with adhesion formation (MiTLAF) is a common complication following endoscopic sinus surgery, frequently resulting in surgical failure, persistence of preoperative symptoms, and delayed secondary complications. Packing materials, splints, or spacers reduce the risk of MiTLAF but often result in postoperative nasal obstruction and discomfort, along with reduced access for irrigation. Temporary suture medialisation of the MTs reduces the risk of MiTLAF and prevents the problems encountered with packing, splints, or spacers. However, the techniques described in the literature are technically challenging and often ineffectual. Methods. We describe a method of suture placement that provides a secure temporary MT medialisation, without the technical challenges of traditional techniques, using a 4-0 Monocryl (Poliglecaprone 25, Ethicon, Somerville, NJ, USA) suture on a 19 mm precision point reverse cutting PS-2 curved needle. We review 25 consecutive patients undergoing sinonasal procedures with our new technique and assess for MiTLAF. Results. In our cohort, only one patient experienced MiTLAF which was not clinically significant. Conclusions. Our method is simple, easy to perform, and highly effective and prevents adhesion formation without the need for postoperative splints or packing.
Sensory Overresponsivity, Loneliness, and Anxiety in Taiwanese Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Syu Ya-Cing , Lin Ling-Yi
Published: September 2018

Purpose. Sensory overresponsiveness is highly prevalent in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and typically persist into adulthood. However, the role of sensory processing difficulties in influencing emotional well-being among adults with ASD remains unclear. Additionally, the associations between sensory overresponsiveness, anxiety, and loneliness are yet to be examined among adults with ASD. Therefore, to address these critical gaps in the literature, we aimed to investigate the relationships among sensory avoiding, anxiety, and loneliness in a sample of adults with ASD. Participants. Seventy adults (age, 20–39 years) completed three self-reported measures. All participants had a documented diagnosis of ASD and had normal IQ. Methods. Sensory processing, loneliness, and anxiety were assessed with the Adult Sensory Profile, short-form UCLA loneliness scale, and Beck Anxiety Inventory, respectively. Results. Autism spectrum traits and sensory avoiding were associated with anxiety and loneliness. Participants who experienced sensory avoiding more frequently reported higher anxiety and feelings of loneliness, with loneliness mediating the relationship between sensory avoiding and anxiety. More anxiety symptoms in participants with greater sensory avoiding were associated with their higher level of loneliness. Conclusion. This study demonstrates that the relationships existed between sensory processing difficulties, loneliness, and anxiety among adults with ASD. Interventions regarding sensory processing difficulties and emotional well-being are substantial need for adults with ASD, and our results highlight the importance of sensory overresponsiveness and anxiety in evaluating and improving the psychological well-being of adults with ASD.
A ROF Access Network for Simultaneous Generation and Transmission Multiband Signals Based on Frequency Octupling and FWM Techniques
Authors: Zhou Hui , Shen Yunlong , Chen Ming , Cheng Jun , Zeng Yuting
Published: September 2018

We report a radio-over-fiber (ROF) access network with multiple high-repetive frequency mm-wave signals generation utilizing a dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulator (DP-MZM) and an semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) for multiple base stations (BSs). In the scheme, at the central station (CS), signal and pump with frequency interval of 8fRF are generated by properly adjusting the parameters of the DP-MZM. After FWM in a SOA, new converted optical signals are obtained. Two tones of the optical signals are selected by using tunable optical filter (TOF), which are then sent into a photodiode (PD) to generate multiple mm-wave signals with different frequencies (8fRF, 16fRF, and 24fRF) for different BSs. Based on the proposed scheme, the mm-wave signals with frequencies of 20, 40, and 60 GHz carrying 2.5 Gb/s signal by a 2.5GHz RF signal have been generated by numerical simulation. Simulation results show that the proposed ROF system architecture with multiple-frequency millimeter-wave signals generation serving multiple BSs can work well. This scheme can raise the capacity of ROF system, reduce the requirement of the repetitive frequency of the driven RF signal, and support multiple mm-wave wireless access for BSs.
Safety-Guaranteed Course Control of Air Cushion Vehicle with Dynamic Safe Space Constraint
Authors: Fu Mingyu , Gao Shuang , Wang Chenglong
Published: September 2018

This paper develops a safety-guaranteed course controller for air cushion vehicle (ACV). As the safety criterion, the unique safety limit of ACV including turn rate (TR) and sideslip angle (SA) changes with the speed when ACV is turning. To be more intuitive to show the change of safety limit and more convenient for safety monitoring and control, dynamic safe space of ACV is proposed. If the work point is within the safe space during the manual operation or automatic control, the sailing of ACV is safe. Then, the safety-guaranteed controller is designed to keep TR and SA within the safe space during the course control process based on the dynamic safe space constraint, terminal sliding mode control, and adaptive mechanism. The adaptive mechanism can effectively estimate the system uncertainty and external disturbances online without the requirement of their upper bounds. The proposed controller guarantees the convergence of tracking error. Simulations are implemented to demonstrate the efficacy of the designed controller.
Begging in the City: Complexities, Degree of Organization, and Embedded Risks
Authors: Owusu-Sekyere Ebenezer , Jengre Enock , Alhassan Eliasu
Published: September 2018

Until recently and despite its familiarity, begging in Ghanaian cities had been considered worthy of little attention. Despite the best efforts of a few academics to highlight the motives of beggars, critical analysis of the begging phenomenon within the spectrum of urban livelihood remains embryonic. This article unpacks the complexities, degree of organization, and embedded risks in street begging involving children in Kumasi, Ghana. The article draws on empirical evidence from 55 conveniently selected child beggars from five heavily congested locations and presents extensive review of existing scholarships on the phenomenon. The results reveal that child beggars adopt varied operational strategies to woo public sympathy. Begging strategies are mapped by adult escort who also counts the money as it is made. For many, begging has increasingly become a socially and economically constituted process that mediates how they deal with poverty and livelihood challenges. The beggars are also daily exposed to risky encounters but without any protection. We argue that stopping the phenomenon will require innovative approaches that go beyond conventional legislations.
O psicanalista e a pólis
Authors: Voltolini Rinaldo
Published: September 2018

A relação do psicanalista com a pólis não é sempre a mesma. A frase lacaniana de que o analista deve estar à altura de seu tempo implica que sua participação na pólis leve em conta em qual organização discursiva ele se encontra. A passagem de uma pólis organizada prioritariamente pelo discurso do mestre para outra – agora chamada sociedade – cuja organização passou a se dar sob as coordenadas do discurso capitalista sugere repensar a inserção do psicanalista. Do intelectual crítico ao analista cidadão, observamos um salto que qualifica a nova posição do analista na pólis.
Measures for concordance and discordance with applications in disease control and prevention
Authors: Aerts Marc , Juga Adelino JC , Hens Niel
Published: September 2018

Bivariate binary response data appear in many applications. Interest goes most often to a parameterization of the joint probabilities in terms of the marginal success probabilities in combination with a measure for association, most often being the odds ratio. Using, for example, the bivariate Dale model, these parameters can be modelled as function of covariates. But the odds ratio and other measures for association are not always measuring the (joint) characteristic of interest. Agreement, concordance, and synchrony are in general facets of the joint distribution distinct from association, and the odds ratio as in the bivariate Dale model can be replaced by such an alternative measure. Here, we focus on the so-called conditional synchrony measure. But, as indicated by several authors, such a switch of parameter might lead to a parameterization that does not always lead to a permissible joint bivariate distribution. In this contribution, we propose a new parameterization in which the marginal success probabilities are replaced by other conditional probabilities as well. The new parameters, one homogeneity parameter and two synchrony/discordance parameters, guarantee that the joint distribution is always permissible. Moreover, having a very natural interpretation, they are of interest on their own. The applicability and interpretation of the new parameterization is shown for three interesting settings: quantifying HIV serodiscordance among couples in Mozambique, concordance in the infection status of two related viruses, and the diagnostic performance of an index test in the field of major depression disorders.
ER-phagy at a glance
Authors: Grumati Paolo , Dikic Ivan , Stolz Alexandra
Published: September 2018

Selective autophagy represents the major quality control mechanism that ensures proper turnover of exhausted or harmful organelles, among them the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is fragmented and delivered to the lysosome for degradation via a specific type of autophagy called ER-phagy. The recent discovery of ER-resident proteins that bind to mammalian Atg8 proteins has revealed that the selective elimination of ER involves different receptors that are specific for different ER subdomains or ER stresses. FAM134B (also known as RETREG1) and RTN3 are reticulon-type proteins that are able to remodel the ER network and ensure the basal membrane turnover. SEC62 and CCPG1 are transmembrane ER receptors that function in response to ER stress signals. This task sharing reflects the complexity of the ER in terms of biological functions and morphology. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and the accompanying poster, we summarize the most recent findings about ER-phagy in yeast and in mammalian cells.
Stereoisomerism Accompanied with Bond Rotations. Characterization of Propane Derivatives by Correlation Diagrams of Epimeric Stereoisograms
Authors: Fujita Shinsaku
Published: September 2018

The stereoisomerism of propane derivatives with bond rotations is investigated by means of correlation diagrams of stereoisograms, where the diagrams are governed by epimeric RS-stereoisomeric groups formulated as subgroups of stereoisomeric groups. A molecular-symmetry group GCσ for specifying the eight positions of a propane skeleton is obtained as a wreath product with chirality fittingness (C2v[C3v, C∞v]), where bond rotations are taken into consideration. The group GCσ of order 36 is extended to give the corresponding RS-stereoisomeric group $\boldsymbol{{G}}_{\boldsymbol{{C}}\boldsymbol{{\sigma}}\tilde{\boldsymbol{{\sigma}}}\skew2\hat{\boldsymbol{{I}}}}$ of order 72, which characterizes the global symmetry of the propane skeleton. Then the group $\boldsymbol{{G}}_{\boldsymbol{{C}}\boldsymbol{{\sigma}}\tilde{\boldsymbol{{\sigma}}}\skew2\hat{\boldsymbol{{I}}}}$ is further extended to give a stereoisomeric group H of order 288 for treating chiral and achiral proligands (or $\ddot{\boldsymbol{{H}}}$ of order 144 for treating achiral proligands only) by considering epimerizations at the three RS-stereogenic carbon centers (for Ci, i = 1,2,3). The groups H or $\ddot{\boldsymbol{{H}}}$ are useful to investigate thestereoisomerism of propane derivatives. An epimeric RS-stereoisomeric group $\boldsymbol{{G}}_{\boldsymbol{{C\boldsymbol{{\sigma}}} }}^{\tilde{{\boldsymbol{{\sigma}}}}_{\boldsymbol{{i}}}}$ (or $\ddot{\boldsymbol{{G}}}_{\boldsymbol{{C\boldsymbol{{\sigma}}} }}^{\tilde{{\boldsymbol{{\sigma}}}}_{\boldsymbol{{i}}}}$) is selected as a subgroup of H (or $\ddot{\boldsymbol{{H}}}$) in order to show the local RS-stereogenicity at a given RS-stereogenic center (Ci), where the element $\tilde{\sigma }_{i}$ represents an epimerization at the Ci atom. Such an epimeric RS-stereoisomeric group $\boldsymbol{{G}}_{\boldsymbol{{C\boldsymbol{{\sigma}}} }}^{\tilde{{\boldsymbol{{\sigma}}}}_{\boldsymbol{{i}}}}$ (or $\ddot{\boldsymbol{{G}}}_{\boldsymbol{{C\boldsymbol{{\sigma}}} }}^{\tilde{{\boldsymbol{{\sigma}}}}_{\boldsymbol{{i}}}}$) corresponds to a correlation diagram of stereoisograms for showing RS-stereoisomeric relationships at the Ci atom, i.e., enantiomeric, RS-diastereomeric, and holantimeric relationships. Two RS-diastereomers of each pair are pairwise specified by a pair of RS-stereodescriptors of the CIP system.
The attitudes of mainland Chinese secondary students towards democracy and equality: Being a young citizen in twenty-first-century China
Authors: Cheung Chris Hin Wah , Chong Eric King Man , Kennedy Kerry J. , Chow Philip Chin Fung
Published: September 2018

The purpose of this article is to explore mainland Chinese students’ attitudes towards democracy and equality and the influence of Chinese national identity on their attitudes towards democracy. The development of Chinese students’ political values is an important topic to the academic community and world because of the rise of China. Although democracy is a universal value and widely promoted, it is a sensitive topic in an authoritarian regime such as China. As more is learnt about the internal workings of the country, especially in relation to citizenship education, the clearer it is that Western constructs alone do not always help in understanding the attitudes of Chinese citizens. Recent work has shown that traditional values characteristic of Asian societies can help to shed light on attitudes to democracy. Research has also has shown that young people in mainland China are very aware of the constraints of their civic environment and they shape their attitudes accordingly. Despite a constrained environment, there is little doubt that young people in Mainland China have very strong views about their country and their citizenship. By adopting mixed methods research, this article explores Chinese secondary school students’ attitudes towards democracy and equality and how their national attitudes affect their attitudes towards democracy. The results indicated that Chinese students were supportive of aspects of democracy and they had a healthy attitude to equality even though they live in contexts quite different from Western-type democratic societies. These findings not only help to develop a better understanding of China itself but also provide insights into the attitudes of students living in an authoritarian regime. It also provide for further comparisons between Eastern and Western societies and democratic and authoritarian regimes.
Religiosity and citizenship values in Chinese language textbooks
Authors: Zhao Zhenzhou , Fairbrother Gregory P.
Published: September 2018

Recent years have seen an increase in the number of studies of the impact of religious faiths on citizens’ values in several Chinese societies, but little is known about the position and role schooling has had in relation to the rise of religious activity, especially in Mainland China. Drawing on data from Chinese language textbooks at both the primary and secondary level, this study examines the intersection of religiosities and state-prescribed values in the national curriculum in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The wide coverage of different themes related to social life in the Chinese language curriculum may present different understandings of religiosities than the Marxist interpretation of religious phenomenon in other social studies subjects in China. This study’s research findings suggest that representations of religious traditions are integral to depictions of the Chinese nation, including interpretations of the nation’s cultural traditions, architecture, history and literature. Moreover, the religious narratives identified in the textbooks tend to be more associated with the transmission of positive values, for example dedication, love, caring for nature, and a respect for diversity.
A journey through modern foundations: Re-imagining modernity in the work of Photolanguage
Authors: Wilson Robin
Published: September 2018

This article reflects on the use of arts-based research methods to engage with a regional history of modern architecture and urbanism. Moving between archival sources and the remaining physical sites in East Sussex, the art practice Photolanguage documented and reimagined the modernist legacy in this region of southern England. Through photography, the gathering of found objects and notation, we construct ‘new’ narratives of place, working across, or in between the official, or dominant, narratives of local history. This reflection back on the production of work for the exhibition East Sussex Modern (2016) focuses on our adoption of the modern ‘sunken garden’ as a recurrent, topographic theme and our exploration and projective appropriation of found ruins as alternative examples of this official, municipal typology of public space.
Towards a taxonometric architecture: D-con: an
Authors: Cantley Bryan
Published: September 2018

It might be said that a draw-er acts upon a surface by impregnating its membrane, to create a drawing. How then might a drawing perform or draw upon itself, or how might the draw-ing and the draw-er become simpatico? The Act of Drawing within the architectural context promotes several typologies of classifications and methodologies. Three classic conditions of writing notation are used to flesh out a new drawing typology – denotation, connotation and annotation. Denotation, or description of the object, refers to the designation or rendering of an architectural object or condition – it is the physical. Connotation, or the imaginative association, refers to the ‘readings’ associated with its interpretation(s). Annotation, or physical residue, refers to the act of recording new corporeal data based on the collision and overlap of the denotation and the connotation. These systems engender the Taxonometric Drawing© – an entity that complexly annotates itself as part of its presentation. It is a system of instruction and construction that denotes, connotes and annotates simultaneously. It is a drawing system that functions both as an author and as simultaneous reader. Metonymic and Antonymic references play conditions of drawing interiority and exteriority off each other to create a potential contradiction in the drawing’s evolution as both a recorded entity and a syphon of (other) input. The hypothesis suggests the introduction of the concept of the SwarmDraw, a perpetual user-configured VR drawing-world. It is a prime example of the nature of the possibilities of a Taxonometric Architecture – a condition of expressed self-classification, self-impregnation and self-construction.
The Calais Winds took our plans away: Art therapy as shelter
Authors: Lloyd Bobby , Press Naomi , Usiskin Miriam
Published: September 2018

This article examines the role of construction materials, story and group as alternative forms of shelter and crisis relief for refugees in transit in Calais, northern France. It draws on examples from an ongoing art therapy project delivered by Art Refuge UK since Autumn 2015, first in the large makeshift refugee camp known as ‘The Jungle’ and since in various settings in and around Calais, including a day centre for unaccompanied refugees.
Displacement, art and shelter: Art therapy in a temporary refugee camp
Authors: Kalmanowitz Debra
Published: September 2018

This article looks at art therapy in a refugee camp in Northern Greece. Although the work in Greece is ongoing, the example represented here took place in May 2016. The notions of do no harm, psychological first aid (PFA) and Portable Studio are explored as ideas pertinent to the context of acute crisis, displacement and distress where art therapy is seen as providing a shelter.
Towards an archaeology of gesture in Kurt Schwitters’ ‘Pointless’ collage (or how I ‘learned’ about Schwitters’ work through painting leftovers)
Authors: Ross Heather
Published: September 2018

This article will discuss how an analysis of the readable gestures within the work of Kurt Schwitters (1887–1948) can provide a new way of experiencing his artwork in the present. Specifically addressing two artworks by Schwitters, Merzoil (1939) and Untitled (with Porcelain Shard) (1946), the article will use theoretical and art-practice-based methods to analyse the ‘stain’, to provide new insights into his working processes, relationship to materials and site. This research is aimed towards a better understanding of Kurt Schwitters’ final ‘Merzbau’ the Merz Barn Wall (1947) situated within the Hatton Gallery, Newcastle.
‘Linguartistics’
Authors: Minden Laure Van
Published: September 2018

An attempt to define my artistic practice would be fine art calligraphy or lettering art. Drawing with words or writing drawings has become a way of explaining my research. In fact, text IS my practice and the dialogue between text and image is very real: the text is image and the image is created out of text. One does not exist without the other: they form an entity that develops a connection with myself and ultimately the viewer. Art as Text as Art is the venture of ‘linguartistics’.
How do non-places affect our identities?
Authors: Modi Jaya
Published: September 2018

Non–Places: Introduction to an Anthropology of Supermodernity (1995) introduces readers to a curious notion of spatiality, wherein Marc Augé describes non-places – spaces where interactions, existences and experiences are regarded as temporary and unreal. This article aims to interrogate the subtleties and loci of such non-places to better understand how they affect or alter the identities of people submerged within them. In considering the notion of non-place, this article establishes boundaries between simulated spaces and non-places, and further discusses the possibilities within such places offered by psychogeographic mapping and geosemiotics.
How to create a metaphorical body from a cardboard box
Authors: Spindler Stephanie
Published: September 2018

This article is an instructional, narrative and illustrated guide that articulates a creative process from a body of work in my practice research. The body of work is the Boxing Series (2015–present); artworks in this series develop ideas through consecutive performances, building on experience, technique and exploratory innovation. The set of instructions detailed in this article enable the creation of an artwork done in this specific invented style, through a process termed ‘boxing’. The instructions are a guide in order to experience the process of making, and to also experience a metaphorical and sculptural body, one that embodies and reflects something other or something unknown prior to the undertaking of the making process. This is to say that a metaphorical body may emerge for the maker from the instructions provided, using materials and tools listed, key characteristics, reflective considerations, sculptural and improvisational techniques. The artworks from the Boxing Series originate from a cardboard box that is covered/fortified with a latex skin and then wrestled with in an improvisational technique. This intuitive process of making is also a deconstruction, transformation and collaboration (with the material). The event of the ‘boxing’ uses a premeditated theoretical structure for making, but the process is un-choreographed, involving spontaneity. This article is fashioned after a specific artwork from the Boxing Series, Animalia Interruptous (AI). AI, was an intervention, a performance or rather a ‘making intervention’ that replaced the format of a traditional academic presentation. It was presented at the 2018 Theatre and Performance Research Association (TaPRA) postgraduate symposium titled Materials and Materiality: How do they Matter? held at Central Bankside, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama on Friday, 9 February 2018. The symposium sought to investigate the roles and significance of the various materials that are around us and that make up or are negotiated in theatre and performance practice and research.
Artistic devices and the ethical nature of recycling: Burning as détournement, destruction as materiality
Authors: Ferreira Inês Monteiro
Published: September 2018

Many artists use recycling as a didactic tool and as a form of activism. In my practice I make use of both but the core concept is that the destruction we are inflicting upon our world, through the destruction of our natural environment, it’s ceased. I call it the Destruction of Destruction, in which the act of destroying turns against itself. Through artistic devices such as redundancy and détournement, the materiality of the artwork becomes imbued with energies that come from actions. This article explores some of the contextual remits of my art practice in the context of socio-political actions, materiality and immateriality, but also from an individual point of view: the forces that move me as an artist to make art.
Mixed fibres: Human and non-human collaboration
Authors: Bowmott Ashleigh
Published: September 2018

Ephemeral and durable; humble and ubiquitous – paper is a complex material of unique necessity in human lives, treading a line between climatological pariah and saviour. It degrades, rots and burns but can outlast our ephemeral bodies, spending its days withdrawing beneath our activities. This article considers a performance practice with paper in response to the new materialist theories of Karen Barad, as more than the continued instrumentalization of a pervasive yet passive material, but an artistic collaboration. This acknowledges the more-than-human relations we are part of and how we must find ways to work together in consideration of feminist and eco-critical concerns.