bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measles in North East and North Central London, England: a situation report
Authors: Ashmore J , Addiman S , Cordery R , Maguire H
Published: October 2017

To date in 2007, there have been 187 cases of measles confirmed in London, United Kingdom, reported up to the end of week 34 (24 August).
Brain abscess caused by Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Egypt, April 2007
Authors: Enany S , Higuchi W , Okubo T , Takano T , Enany M , Yamamoto T
Published: October 2017

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has increasingly been noted as an emerging pathogen worldwide
Active intestinal schistosomiasis in travellers returning from the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Clerinx J
Published: October 2017

Although schistosomiasis is a widespread infection in the tropics, travellers are almost exclusively infected in sub-Saharan Africa, through exposure to freshwater infested with cercariae of either S. mansoni or S. haematobium.
Extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae: the first six months of notifications according to the Swedish communicable disease act
Authors: Söderblom T , Struwe J
Published: October 2017

Extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing (ESBL) Enterobacteriaceae are an emerging problem with global spread imposing new challenges in treatment and infection control. In Europe, ESBL are now found not only in healthcare settings, but also increasingly in the communitY.
First European Scientific Conference on Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology closes in Stockholm
Authors: Giesecke J ,   ESCAIDE committee
Published: October 2017

The First European Scientific Conference on Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology (ESCAIDE) took place in Stockholm, Sweden, from 18 to 20 October 2007.
Confirmed cases and report of clusters of severe infections due to Clostridium difficile PCR ribotype 027 in Germany
Authors: Kleinkauf N , Weiss B , Jansen A , Eckmanns T , Bornhofen B , Kuehnen E , Weil H- P , Michels H
Published: October 2017

In late September 2007, the local health authorities in Trier, Rhineland-Palatine, in south-western Germany, were informed of four cases with a severe course of Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD) on several wards in a local hospital.
Contact tracing of passengers exposed to an extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis case during an air flight from Beirut to Paris, October 2006
Authors: Chemardin J , Paty M  C , Renard-Dubois S , Veziris N , Antoine D
Published: October 2017

Contact tracing of air travellers exposed to cases of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB) has become an increasingly important issue.
“Juegos de lenguaje” del género negro: novela, cine y series
Authors: Corcuff Philippe
Published: October 2017

Las series negras actuales pueden ser subsumidas en una configuración más global, tomando en cuenta sus relaciones con el género literario de la novela negra y del cine negro. La metodología de los “juegos de lenguaje”, tomada del segundo Wittgenstein, permite hacer traducciones entre el “juego de lenguaje” de la novela, el del cine de ficción y el de la serie, en diálogo con los “juegos de conocimiento” de la filosofía y de la sociología. Se realiza una crítica social radical, vinculada con una interrogación existencial y moral, en cada “juego de lenguaje” mediante analogías y tomando en cuenta las especificidades. Al examinar sucesivamente una novela (Gone, Baby, Gone, de Dennis Lehane), una película (Dans la vallée d’Elah, de Paul Haggis), y una serie (The Killing, en versión americana, de Veena Sud), se detectan ciertos desplazamientos producidos en estas traducciones. Emerge del análisis de estas tres obras una crítica de la trama narrativa conspiracionista, así como deslizamientos hacia una ética perfeccionista. Las investigaciones propuestas tienen un carácter exploratorio y programático.
PENERAPAN ALOGRITMA LIPAT PADA STEGANOGRAFI YANG MEMANFAATKAN RMS ( RECORD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ) DI J2ME
Authors: Wintolo Hero , Retnowati Nurcahyani Dewi , Fendriyanto Prasetyo
Published: October 2017

The continued development of technology driven by the growing digital media facilities. A digital device in particular should pay attention to the level of security. Ease of sending messages in both text and image becomes very easy. However, one thing is important in the information, which can be performed using encryption steganography. In this thesis, steganography implemented by utilizing the mobile phone messaging facilities. The process of insertion into the text is converted into a binary image first, then take the final bit of the binary to insert text to be inserted. After the insertion process, the message to be sent by using the provider as the link destination address. The process of sending a message that has been tested on several telecommunication provider in Indonesia indicates the existence of different delivery success rate, but the message until it can not be opened unless the application has been made.
PENERAPAN GRID COMPUTING UNTUK MENGKOMPILASI PROGRAM BERBAHASA C/C++
Authors: Indrianingsih Yuliani , Wintolo Hero , Sari Ika Kartika
Published: October 2017

Grid computing is a group of computers that connected to computer network and working together to complete a certain task. The computers inside must be coheren so the processors can work evenly when given a task from server. Grid computing can be used in many areas and purpopes, and in this research it will be used to compile C/C++ program. Compilation is a process to transform a human readable source code into a computer readable code. The compilation process will take place in a personal computer (PC). By using grid system in compilation process, the waiting time of a source code will be reduced as the compilation task will be divided among the computers. For that reason a C/C++ compiler software that using grid computing will be made. The task will be distributed among the computers inside the grid. It can also help someone who want to compile C/C++ source code but he doesn’t have the compiler on his PC.
OPTIMALISASI LETAK NOZZLE VENTURI MIXER PADA GENSET BERBAHAN BAKAR BIOGAS
Authors: Khudhori Muhrom
Published: October 2017

Carburetor modification to the venturi mixer to put a hole in the center of the venturi (end of hole venturi type nozzle on the outlet end venturi section) can turn the engine generator using biogas fuel. Airflow velocity carburetor venturi section will begin upon entering the venturi section and will be maximal at the time in the middle of the venturi section. So of course the location of the placement of venturi carburetor venturi mixer on the right cross section will be obtained velocity airflow + optimum biogas. It is necessary for optimizing the placement location of the modification of the carburetor venturi mixer, air flow + in order to obtain optimum biogas which will have implications for the performance of the generator engine. In this research, manufacture three prototypes nozzle venturi mixer that will be placed at different places in the venturi duct, then the performance test was done to determine the type and location of the venturi nozzle prototype mixer is optimal. From the results of this study that : 1) Prototype nozzle venturi mixer with the tip of the nozzle in the middle (shape elbow) has the most complicated construction than the second type (type 1 and 2) the other. Manufacturing and assembly to form the elbow (type 3) is also more complicated and more difficult , this is because the space available / remaining biogas is limited to hole channel, and 2) Using a prototype generator machine type 3 is more stable when compared with other types, despite the decline, but not very significant in comparison with the other 2 types, so the prototype mixer venturi nozzle is the most optimal type 3 (square shape).
PERANCANGAN TATA LETAK FASILITAS LABORATORIUM PERAWATAN PESAWAT TERBANG
Authors: Poerwanto Eko
Published: October 2017

Each system installed in the aircraft requires high accuracy . Aircraft maintenance will be able to be reliable if all maintenance support needs ergonomically designed . One factor that is needed in the laboratory is an ergonomic layout needs good facilities . The layout of the facility that will support in improving the accuracy required in aircraft maintenance . The purpose of this study is to determine and organize work area and all the optimal aircraft maintenance facilities . The method used is to use the ARC and the Work Sheet . Based on the results of the analysis using ARC and Work Sheet layout arrangement forms an ideal material for aircraft maintenance is fixed (fixed material location ) . While the treatment facility will be located around the main products,namely plane that is on the floor is desired perawatan. Hope STTA as sound institutions may have facilities aerospace aircraft maintenance practices are sufficient.
PENGUJIAN KINERJA JARINGAN SISTEM AKSES FILE BERBASIS CLIENT SERVER MENGGUNAKAN SAMBA SERVER
Authors: Kusumaningrum Anggraini
Published: October 2017

Data communication is the process of exchanging data between two or more devices through a transmission medium such as a cable. In order for the data communication can occur, the device must be connected to communicate with each other or be a part of a communication system consisting of hardware (hardware) and software (software). Samba server is a software bridge between the two operating systems that run within a computer network. Samba is able to share files with computers that use operating system linux, unix and windows with a peer to peer system. The time needed on the LAN network access system based on client file servers using Samba server with a minimum file size of 3MB and a maximum of 1GB for the download process is 04 minutes 54 seconds while the upload is 09 minutes 24 seconds. Speed transfer rate that is produced with a minimum file size of 3MB and a maximum of 1GB for the download process is 4.762Kbps and to upload is 1.896Kbps. On QoS testing conducted on 5 PCs, 10PC, 15pc and client 20PC result more and more PC client that accesses 1 file the success rate will be getting worse, it is because the bottleneck on the network.Kata Kunci : Network, client server, Samba Server
Pemrosesan Paralel pada Low Pass Filtering Menggunakan Transform Cosinus di MPI (Message Passing Interface)
Authors: Ayuningtyas Astika
Published: October 2017

Parallel processing is a process of calculating two or more tasks simultaneously through the optimization of the computer system resource, one treatment models is a desktop system. The model allows to perform parallel processing between computers with specifications different computers. An implementation of a model network of workstations using MPI (Message Passing Interface). In this study, applied to the case of the low-pass filtering (LPF), a process in the image or the image of the shape of the filter that retrieves the data at low frequencies. filtering programs lowpass using the cosine transform MPI implemented by modifying the algorithm in the process on each node (computer). Depending on the test results, so that the processing speed of a parallel system is influenced by the number of nodes / processes and the number of frequency components that are processed. In the treatment of single larger process, the time it takes more and more and the value prop affects only the amount of high frequency data is filtered on the field. While parallel processing of more and more computers involved in the filter calculation process low-pass, plus the time required to perform the calculation.
Magnetic resonance imaging in the prone position and the diagnosis of tethered spinal cord
Authors: Stamates Melissa M. , Frim David M. , Yang Carina W. , Katzman Gregory L. , Ali Saad
Published: October 2017

OBJECTIVE

Tethered cord syndrome (TCS) is a neurosurgical disorder with varied clinical manifestations believed to result from vascular compromise due to stretch forces on the spinal cord. Conventional supine MRI findings may include a low-lying conus medullaris, thickened or fat-infiltrated filum terminale, or lipoma; however, imaging sensitivity and specificity for tethered cord can be low. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of prone MRI in the diagnosis of tethered and retethered spinal cord.

METHODS

Medical records were reviewed in 41 patients who underwent surgical release of tethered cord and in whom preoperative prone MRI sequences were available. Patients were divided into Group 1 (new TCS diagnosis) and Group 2 (recurrent TCS after previous untethering). Absolute conus ventral motion and motion as a percentage of canal width between supine and prone positions was measured in these 2 groups via sagittal T2-weighted sequences; these groups were compared with 30 consecutive patients (Group 3) who were classified as the normal control group.

RESULTS

The mean ventral motion was as follows: Group 1 (absolute: 0.5 ± 0.5 mm [range 0–2.4 mm]; canal percentage: 3.7% ± 3.9% [range 0%–16.3%]); Group 2 (absolute: 0.4 ± 0.7 mm [range 0–2.6 mm]; canal percentage: 2.2% ± 3.7% [range 0%–14.0%]); and Group 3 (absolute: 3.4 ± 1.3 mm [range 1.4–5.6 mm]; canal percentage: 22.0% ± 7.2% [range 10.5%–36.1%]). Whereas 38/41 surgically treated patients with TCS had diminished (< 10% canal width) ventral motion on preoperative MRI, 30/30 controls had > 10% canal width motion. Sensitivity and specificity were thereby calculated as 92.7% and 100%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In the present series, prone imaging is found to be a sensitive and specific tool, and the authors believe it may have a role as supportive evidence in the diagnosis of tethered and retethered spinal cord.
Relationship between cortical resection and visual function after occipital lobe epilepsy surgery
Authors: Heo Won , Kim June Sic , Chung Chun Kee , Lee Sang Kun
Published: October 2017

OBJECTIVE

In this study, the authors investigated long-term clinical and visual outcomes of patients after occipital lobe epilepsy (OLE) surgery and analyzed the relationship between visual cortical resection and visual function after OLE surgery.

METHODS

A total of 42 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with OLE and underwent occipital lobe resection between June 1995 and November 2013 were included. Clinical, radiological, and histopathological data were reviewed retrospectively. Seizure outcomes were categorized according to the Engel classification. Visual function after surgery was assessed using the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire 25. The relationship between the resected area of the visual cortex and visual function was demonstrated by multivariate linear regression models.

RESULTS

After a mean follow-up period of 102.2 months, 27 (64.3%) patients were seizure free, and 6 (14.3%) patients had an Engel Class II outcome. Nineteen (57.6%) of 33 patients had a normal visual field or quadrantanopia after surgery (normal and quadrantanopia groups). Patients in the normal and quadrantanopia groups had better vision-related quality of life than those in the hemianopsia group. The resection of lateral occipital areas 1 and 2 of the occipital lobe was significantly associated with difficulties in general vision, peripheral vision, and vision-specific roles. In addition, the resection of intraparietal sulcus 3 or 4 was significantly associated with decreased social functioning.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors found a favorable seizure control rate (Engel Class I or II) of 78.6%, and 57.6% of the subjects had good visual function (normal vision or quadrantanopia) after OLE surgery. Lateral occipital cortical resection had a significant effect on visual function despite preservation of the visual field.
Eccrine spiradenoma mimicking a painful traumatic neuroma: case report
Authors: Donaldson Katelyn , Scott Gretchen , Cantor Fredric K. , Patronas Nicholas J. , Quezado Martha , Heiss John D.
Published: October 2017

Diagnosing and treating patients with persistent neuropathic pain associated with peripheral nerve lesions can be challenging. The authors report the rare case of a painful eccrine spiradenoma treated as a traumatic neuroma for many years because of a history of acute trauma, the presence of a tender palpable mass, and symptoms of allodynia. Surgical excision of the neoplasm completely relieved the pain and hypersensitivity that 2 prior surgeries and other nonsurgical treatments failed to resolve. The diagnosis of eccrine spiradenoma was not established until resection and histopathological analysis of the tissue. This case highlights the need to develop and consider an extensive list of differential diagnoses, including eccrine spiradenoma, for peripheral nerve lesions that fail to respond to treatment.
Chemotherapy Versus Chemoradiation for Node-Positive Bladder Cancer: Practice Patterns and Outcomes from the National Cancer Data Base
Authors: Haque Waqar , Verma Vivek , Butler E. Brian , Teh Bin S.
Published: October 2017

Background:

Management of clinically node-positive bladder cancer (cN+ BC) is poorly defined; national guidelines recommend chemotherapy (CT) alone or chemoradiation (CRT).

Objective:

Using a large, contemporary dataset, we evaluated national practice patterns and outcomes of CT versus CRT to elucidate the optimal therapy for this patient population.

Methods:

The National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) was queried (2004–2013) for patients diagnosed with cTanyN1-3M0 BC. Patients were divided into two groups: CT alone or CRT. Statistics included multivariable logistic regression to determine factors predictive of receiving additional radiotherapy, Kaplan-Meier analysis to evaluate overall survival (OS), and Cox proportional hazards modeling to determine variables associated with OS. Propensity score matching was performed to assess groups in a balanced manner while reducing indication biases.

Results:

Of 1,783 total patients, 1,388 (77.8%) underwent CT alone, and 395 (22.2%) CRT. Although patients receiving CRT tended to be of higher socioeconomic status, they were more likely older ( p = 0.053), higher T stage, N1 (versus N2) disease, squamous histology, and treated at a non-academic center ( p < 0.05). Median overall survival (OS) was 19.0 months and 13.8 months ( p < 0.001) for patients receiving CRT or CT, respectively. On Cox multivariate analysis, receipt of CRT was independently associated with improved survival ( p < 0.001). Outcome improvements with CRT persisted on evaluation of propensity-matched populations ( p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

CRT is underutilized in the United States for cN+ BC but is independently associated with improved survival despite being preferentially administered to a somewhat higher-risk population.
MiR-101 reduces cell proliferation and invasion and enhances apoptosis in endometrial cancer via regulating PI3K/Akt/mTOR
Authors: Zhang Suxia , Wang Min , Li Qirong , Zhu Ping
Published: October 2017

This article has been retracted, and the online PDF replaced with this retraction notice.
Performance of broiler fed on diet containing Koroch (Pongamia pinnata) seed cake
Authors: Husna AU , Habib M , Islam MT , Ferdaus AJM , Ali MS
Published: October 2017

A total of 180 day old broiler chicks (Cobb 500) were allocated randomly to five treatment groups with 3 replicate having 12 birds in each reared for a period of 28 days. The aim of this study was to find out whether koroch seed cake (KSC) had any effect upon broiler at different age group. Therefore, two diets were formulated: 1) basal diet with 0% KSC and 2) basal diet with 2% KSC. The birds of different treatment groups received either diet i or ii in the following way: Control group (T1)=0% KSC throughout the experimental period, T2 =1st 21days 0% KSC diet + rest 7 days 2% KSC diet, T3=1st 14days 0% KSC diet + rest 14 days 2% KSC diet, T4=1st 7 days 0% KSC diet + rest 21 days 2% KSC diet, and T5=2% KSC throughout the experimental period. Body weight, body weight gain, feed consumption and mortality of broilers were recorded weekly and also whole experimental period. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was also calculated. Weekly body weight and body weight gain did not show significant differences during 1st, 2nd and 4th week of age, while significant differences were found in 3rd week of age. In 3rd week, the body weight and body weight gain was the lowest in T5 (fed 2% KSC diet) among the Treatments. The final body weight was 906.69, 864.05, 869.92, 860.87 and 838.89 g for T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively and found non-significant result. Similar pattern of result found in body weight gain of the birds. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio of birds at different weeks and during whole experimental period did not differ significantly (p>0.05). All the meat yield parameters showed a non-significant effect of age of broilers fed with 2% KSC.  Results of this experiment revealed that the feeding of 2% KSC at different ages fail to show any significant effect on broiler performance.Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2017. 46 (2): 88-94
Comparative performance of Giriraja chicken reared on different feeding regimes for economic production in Nepal
Authors: Neupane D , Bhandari BB , Poudel S , Shrestha S , Sapkota S
Published: October 2017

The experiment was conducted to study the comparative performance of Gririaja birds reared on different feeding regime in Nepal. A total of 384 Giriraja birds of aged 40 weeks were assigned to four treatment groups in four replications with 24 birds (20 female and 4 male) per replication over a period of 180 days. The birds of control group were provided with 130g of feed in confinement. In group 1, 10% feed was replaced by green seasonal forage mainly oat and birds were kept on scavenging, while in group 2, 10 % feed was replaced by similar forage but the birds were in confinement. However, in group 3, birds were provided 10 % less feed on scavenging without forage supplementation. The result showed that the feed consumption required for dozen of egg production was lower (P<0.01) at 2610 g/bird in group 1 and higher (3114 g/bird) in control group. The birds kept in control and in group 1 was found significantly (P<0.05) superior in egg production as compared with the second and third treatment groups (15.05 and 16.15 vs. 15.55 and 14.31 in number, respectively). There was no significant difference on egg weight between the groups. Feed cost for dozen of egg production was recorded $1.17 and more gross returns from sale of eggs ($ 0.27) was observed in treatment group 1 but less return ($ 0.04) was obtained from control group. The result showed that rearing of Gririaja birds with forage supplementation having the facilities of outdoor range is a good profitable venture, considering the minimum feed consumption and feed cost with maximum egg production.Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2017. 46 (2): 134-139
Economics of fodder production for dairying in selected areas of Bangladesh
Authors: Islam S , Begum J , Sarker NR , Khatun M
Published: October 2017

Dairy farming along with fodder production is a highly profitable enterprise. Considering these views, the studywas aimed to estimate profitability of fodder production, to determine the income coefficient of fodder farm householdsand to assess the contribution and impact of fodder production on livelihood change. In this regard, six study areas were selected from six districts viz: Dinajpur, Jessore, Kurigram, Rangpur, Pabna and Sirajgonj considering the concentration of fodder production and dairy farming systems. A purposive sampling technique was followed for collecting primary data from the field. Two categories of sample farmers were selected namely: i) Fodder Producer cum Seller; ii) Fodder Producer cum Dairy owner having 1-2 dairy cows as small, 3-4 dairy cows as medium and 5 and above dairy cows as large farmer. A total of 220 fodder farmers were interviewed. Field survey method and focus group discussions were followed to collect necessary data and information. Descriptive statistics and Cobb Douglas type revenue function were applied to get the meaningful results. The production cost of fodder for producer was estimated Tk. 1,82,415/ha and for producer cum seller Tk.1,79,748/ha. On average, total cost was estimated Tk. 1,81,081/ha/year irrespective of fodder producer. Bio-mass yield was found 207ton/ha/year and per ton fodder price was estimated Tk.1,714. On the contrary, annual net return from fodder production was estimated Tk.1,67,823/ha/year and Tk.1,81,489/ha/year for producer and producer cum seller, respectively. The BCR was 1.92 for producer and 2.01 for producer cum seller. Functional analysis revealed that fodder sale and livestock rearing and fodder business significantly contributed to the household income of the fodder farmers. The dairy farmers having 1-2, 3-4 and 4-5  cross-bred dairy cattle earned Tk. 1,20,227, Tk. 1,91,728 and Tk. 4,17,287, respectively, whereas local cattle earned Tk. 33, 658, Tk. 51,601 and Tk. 1,13,558, respectively from milk sell annually. For addressing the impact on livelihood status of the dairy farmers with fodder production, it was found improved human capital component over time acquiring knowledge and education, better health condition, easy and more entrance to information, etc. Cultivable land, using open water resources and forests were indicated to determine the changes situation in the natural capital aspects. In case of financial capital, cash in hand, savings and liquid assets had increased notably over the periods. Physical assets had also observed positive trends in the study regions. Thus, dairy owner cum fodder farmers overall livelihood status had shown a positive trend.Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2017. 46 (2): 140-149
‘That famous manifesto’: The Declaration of Arbroath, Declaration of Independence, and the power of language
Authors: Harrison Laura S.
Published: October 2017

In 2012 Graeme Dey, MSP for Angus South, told the Scottish Parliament: ‘The signing of the Declaration of Arbroath at the [Arbroath] Abbey and the American Declaration of Independence might be separated by more than 450 years, but the connection between those documents and therefore our two nations is beyond challenge.’ In order to promote American tourism in Scotland, Dey was calling to emphasise a popular notion that the idea of the sovereignty of the people, enshrined in the Declaration of Arbroath, heavily influenced the writing of the American Declaration of Independence. There is a significant amount of scholarship denying any link between these documents, yet this association is constantly referenced on both sides of the Atlantic. This article is not concerned with once again proving this association incorrect, but rather considering where it may have come from and why it continues to be propagated despite being categorically untrue. By examining the naming practices of the Declaration of Arbroath in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, this article will show that the connection between the documents likely stems from an issue of terminology.
Efficient Structure-Based Models for the McKibben Contraction Pneumatic Muscle Actuator: The Full Description of the Behaviour of the Contraction PMA
Authors: Al-Ibadi Alaa , Nefti-Meziani Samia , Davis Steve
Published: October 2017

To clarify the advantages of using soft robots in all aspects of life, the effective behaviour of the pneumatic muscle actuator (PMA) must be known. In this work, the performances of the PMA are explained and modelled with three formulas. The first formula describes the pulling force of the actuator based on the structure parameters; furthermore, the formula presented is the generalised contraction force for wholly-pneumatic muscle actuators. The second important model is the length formula, which is modified to our previous work to fit different actuator structures. Based on these two models, the stiffness of the actuator is formulated to illustrate its variability at different air pressure amounts. In addition, these formulas will make the selection of proper actuators for any robot arm structure easier using the knowledge gained from their performance. On the other hand, the desired behaviour of this type of actuator will be predefined and controlled.
Model-Based Requirements Management in Gear Systems Design Based On Graph-Based Design Languages
Authors: Holder Kevin , Zech Andreas , Ramsaier Manuel , Stetter Ralf , Niedermeier Hans-Peter , Rudolph Stephan , Till Markus
Published: October 2017

For several decades, a wide-spread consensus concerning the enormous importance of an in-depth clarification of the specifications of a product has been observed. A weak clarification of specifications is repeatedly listed as a main cause for the failure of product development projects. Requirements, which can be defined as the purpose, goals, constraints, and criteria associated with a product development project, play a central role in the clarification of specifications. The collection of activities which ensure that requirements are identified, documented, maintained, communicated, and traced throughout the life cycle of a system, product, or service can be referred to as “requirements engineering”. These activities can be supported by a collection and combination of strategies, methods, and tools which are appropriate for the clarification of specifications. Numerous publications describe the strategy and the components of requirements management. Furthermore, recent research investigates its industrial application. Simultaneously, promising developments of graph-based design languages for a holistic digital representation of the product life cycle are presented. Current developments realize graph-based languages by the diagrams of the Unified Modelling Language (UML), and allow the automatic generation and evaluation of multiple product variants. The research presented in this paper seeks to present a method in order to combine the advantages of a conscious requirements management process and graph-based design languages. Consequently, the main objective of this paper is the investigation of a model-based integration of requirements in a product development process by means of graph-based design languages. The research method is based on an in-depth analysis of an exemplary industrial product development, a gear system for so-called “Electrical Multiple Units” (EMU). Important requirements were abstracted from a gear system specification list and were analyzed in detail. As a second basis, the research method uses a conscious expansion of graph-based design languages towards their applicability for requirements management. This expansion allows the handling of requirements through a graph-based design language model. The first two results of the presented research consist of a model of the gear system and a detailed model of requirements, both modelled in a graph-based design language. Further results are generated by a combination of the two models into one holistic model.
Applied Engineering Using Schumann Resonance for Earthquakes Monitoring
Authors: Gazquez Jose , Garcia Rosa , Castellano Nuria , Fernandez-Ros Manuel , Perea-Moreno Alberto-Jesus , Manzano-Agugliaro Francisco
Published: October 2017

For populations that may be affected, the risks of earthquakes and tsunamis are a major concern worldwide. Therefore, early detection of an event of this type in good time is of the highest priority. The observatories that are capable of detecting Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) waves (<300 Hz) today represent a breakthrough in the early detection and study of such phenomena. In this work, all earthquakes with tsunami associated in history and all existing ELF wave observatories currently located worldwide are represented. It was also noticed how the southern hemisphere lacks coverage in this matter. In this work, the most suitable locations are proposed to cover these geographical areas. Also, ELF data processed obtained from the observatory of the University of Almeria in Calar Alto, Spain are shown. This is a contribution to help protect against natural disasters such as those caused by earthquakes and tsunamis.
Biomarkers Associated with the Outcome of Traumatic Brain Injury Patients
Authors: Lorente Leonardo
Published: October 2017

This review focuses on biomarkers associated with the outcome of traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients, such as caspase-3; total antioxidant capacity; melatonin; S100B protein; glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP); glutamate; lactate; brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF); substance P; neuron-specific enolase (NSE); ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L-1 (UCH-L1); tau; decanoic acid; and octanoic acid.
Oxidation of Glycerol with Unactivated Electroless CuNiMoP Catalyst
Authors: Sankar Joel , Onyeozili Edith , Kalu Egwu
Published: October 2017

Unannealed CuNiMoP electrocatalyst was found active in electrochemical oxidation of glycerol, providing over 60% conversion without optimization. Prompted by this result, the same catalyst was investigated for the thermochemical oxidation of glycerol. For the thermochemical oxidation of glycerol using the as-deposited electroless CuNiMoP catalyst, a 23 full factorial design of experiments (two level factorial experiment design with three factors) to assess the influence of temperature (A), reaction time (B) and pressure (C). The major reaction products detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were glyceric, hydroxypyruvic, tartronic, oxalic and formic acids. The factors found to be most significant for the production of glyceric and tartronic acids were A, B, C, AB and BC. The highest percent conversion obtained for 30-min and 60-min catalysts was 10.6% and 9.4%, respectively. The presence of lactic acid was observed only for the 60-min as-deposited electroless CuNiMoP/Al2O3 catalyst. The results suggest the feasibility of an inexpensive catalyst based on non-noble metals for the thermochemical oxidation of glycerol through the electroless deposition technique. Some differences exist between the thermochemical and electrochemical product selectivity of the CuNiMoP catalyst, and reasons are suggested for the observed differences.
Indentation Plasticity and Fracture Studies of Organic Crystals
Authors: Mannepalli Sowjanya , Mangalampalli Kiran
Published: October 2017

This review article summarizes the recent advances in measuring and understanding the indentation-induced plastic deformation and fracture behavior of single crystals of a wide variety of organic molecules and pharmaceutical compounds. The importance of hardness measurement for molecular crystals at the nanoscale, methods and models used so far to analyze and estimate the hardness of the crystals, factors affecting the indentation hardness of organic crystals, correlation of the mechanical properties to their underlying crystal packing, and fracture toughness studies of molecular crystals are reviewed.
A Kernel-Based Intuitionistic Fuzzy C-Means Clustering Using a DNA Genetic Algorithm for Magnetic Resonance Image Segmentation
Authors: Zang Wenke , Zhang Weining , Zhang Wenqian , Liu Xiyu
Published: October 2017

MRI segmentation is critically important for clinical study and diagnosis. Existing methods based on soft clustering have several drawbacks, including low accuracy in the presence of image noise and artifacts, and high computational cost. In this paper, we introduce a new formulation of the MRI segmentation problem as a kernel-based intuitionistic fuzzy C-means (KIFCM) clustering problem and propose a new DNA-based genetic algorithm to obtain the optimal KIFCM clustering. While this algorithm searches the solution space for the optimal model parameters, it also obtains the optimal clustering, therefore the optimal MRI segmentation. We perform empirical study by comparing our method with six state-of-the-art soft clustering methods using a set of UCI (University of California, Irvine) datasets and a set of synthetic and clinic MRI datasets. The preliminary results show that our method outperforms other methods in both the clustering metrics and the computational efficiency.
Numerical Investigation of the Tip Vortex of a Straight-Bladed Vertical Axis Wind Turbine with Double-Blades
Authors: Yang Yanzhao , Guo Zhiping , Zhang Yanfeng , Jinyama Ho , Li Qingan
Published: October 2017

Wind velocity distribution and the vortex around the wind turbine present a significant challenge in the development of straight-bladed vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs). This paper is intended to investigate influence of tip vortex on wind turbine wake by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. In this study, the number of blades is two and the airfoil is a NACA0021 with chord length of c = 0.265 m. To capture the tip vortex characteristics, the velocity fields are investigated by the Q-criterion iso-surface (Q = 100) with shear-stress transport (SST) k-ω turbulence model at different tip speed ratios (TSRs). Then, mean velocity, velocity deficit and torque coefficient acting on the blade in the different spanwise positions are compared. The wind velocities obtained by CFD simulations are also compared with the experimental data from wind tunnel experiments. As a result, we can state that the wind velocity curves calculated by CFD simulations are consistent with Laser Doppler Velocity (LDV) measurements. The distribution of the vortex structure along the spanwise direction is more complex at a lower TSR and the tip vortex has a longer dissipation distance at a high TSR. In addition, the mean wind velocity shows a large value near the blade tip and a small value near the blade due to the vortex effect.
Determination of the Optimum Heat Transfer Coefficient and Temperature Rise Analysis for a Lithium-Ion Battery under the Conditions of Harbin City Bus Driving Cycles
Authors: Wu Xiaogang , Lv Siyu , Chen Jizhong
Published: October 2017

This study investigated the heat problems that occur during the operation of power batteries, especially thermal runaway, which usually take place in high temperature environments. The study was conducted on a ternary polymer lithium-ion battery. In addition, a lumped parameter thermal model was established to analyze the thermal behavior of the electric bus battery system under the operation conditions of the driving cycles of the Harbin city electric buses. Moreover, the quantitative relationship between the optimum heat transfer coefficient of the battery and the ambient temperature was investigated. The relationship between the temperature rise (Tr), the number of cycles (c), and the heat transfer coefficient (h) under three Harbin bus cycles have been investigated at 30 °C, because it can provide a basis for the design of the battery thermal management system. The results indicated that the heat transfer coefficient that meets the requirements of the battery thermal management system is the cubic power function of the ambient temperature. Therefore, if the ambient temperature is 30 °C, the heat transfer coefficient should be at least 12 W/m2K in the regular bus lines, 22 W/m2K in the bus rapid transit lines, and 32 W/m2K in the suburban lines.
Implementation, Comparison and Application of an Average Simulation Model of a Wind Turbine Driven Doubly Fed Induction Generator
Authors: Widanagama Arachchige Lidula , Rajapakse Athula , Muthumuni Dharshana
Published: October 2017

Wind turbine driven doubly-fed induction generators (DFIGs) are widely used in the wind power industry. With the increasing penetration of wind farms, analysis of their effect on power systems has become a critical requirement. This paper presents the modeling of wind turbine driven DFIGs using the conventional vector controls in a detailed model of a DFIG that represents power electronics (PE) converters with device level models and proposes an average model eliminating the PE converters. The PSCAD/EMTDC™ (4.6) electromagnetic transient simulation software is used to develop the detailed and the proposing average model of a DFIG. The comparison of the two models reveals that the designed average DFIG model is adequate for simulating and analyzing most of the transient conditions.
Visual Assessment of Surface Fuel Loads Does Not Align with Destructively Sampled Surface Fuels
Authors: McColl-Gausden Sarah , Penman Trent
Published: October 2017

Fuel load and structure are fundamental drivers of fire behaviour. Accurate data is required for managers and researchers to better understand our ability to alter fire risk. While there are many ways to quantify fuel, visual assessment methods are generally considered the most efficient. Visual hazard assessments are commonly used by managers, government agencies and consultants to provide a fuel hazard score or rating but not a quantity of fuel. Many systems attempt to convert the hazard score or rating to a fuel load for use in fire behaviour models. Here we investigate whether the conversion table in the widely used Overall Fuel Hazard Guide (OFHG) matches destructively sampled fuel loads from 116 sites across five forest types. We specifically examine whether there are quantifiable differences that can be attributed to forest type. We found there is overlap between the two methods for low, moderate and high hazard categories, however for the very high and extreme hazard categories, visual assessment overestimated fuel load in four of the five forest types. Using a commonly applied fire behaviour model, we found that the overestimation of fuel load in very high and extreme hazard categories leads to an overestimation of fire behavior in these hazard categories.
FttC-Based Fronthaul for 5G Dense/Ultra-Dense Access Network: Performance and Costs in Realistic Scenarios
Authors: Mazzenga Franco , Giuliano Romeo , Vatalaro Francesco
Published: October 2017

One distinctive feature of the next 5G systems is the presence of a dense/ultra-dense wireless access network with a large number of access points (or nodes) at short distances from each other. Dense/ultra-dense access networks allow for providing very high transmission capacity to terminals. However, the deployment of dense/ultra-dense networks is slowed down by the cost of the fiber-based infrastructure required to connect radio nodes to the central processing units and then to the core network. In this paper, we investigate the possibility for existing FttC access networks to provide fronthaul capabilities for dense/ultra-dense 5G wireless networks. The analysis is realistic in that it is carried out considering an actual access network scenario, i.e., the Italian FttC deployment. It is assumed that access nodes are connected to the Cabinets and to the corresponding distributors by a number of copper pairs. Different types of cities grouped in terms of population have been considered. Results focus on fronthaul transport capacity provided by the FttC network and have been expressed in terms of the available fronthaul bit rate per node and of the achievable coverage.
Recreational Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) Fishery: Angler Practices in South Florida (USA)
Authors: Lerner Justin , Levesque Juan , Talaue-McManus Liana
Published: October 2017

The management of highly migratory species (HMS) is a complex domestic and international system that was initially established to regulate HMS taken in commercial fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean. For managing HMS taken in recreational fisheries, the authority and the data required is lacking and remains to be stipulated by regulating bodies. In the United States, Florida saltwater anglers target various HMS, but swordfish (Xiphias gladius) is a favorite among anglers. The recreational swordfish fishery off the Southeast Florida coast has experienced resurgence in recent years, with directed tournaments resuming in 2001 after being absent almost 20 years. Today, South Florida supports the largest group of recreational swordfish anglers in the world. Despite the increasing popularity and interest, little data is available describing the recreational swordfish fishery and its socio-economic aspects in South Florida. This study aimed to compile, describe, and identify the demographics, fishing tactics, costs, and fishery management perceptions of recreational swordfish anglers in South Florida based on nonprobability purposive sampling organized through the Southeast Swordfish Club (SESC). The sample size (n = 38) represented about 16–38% of the SESC members and between 6% and 8% of the recreational anglers that actively targeted swordfish in South Florida during the time of the survey. We acknowledge the sample size was small (n = 38), but believe the study encompassed the most active swordfish anglers given their knowledge, expertise, and connection with the fishery in terms of participants, fishing effort, and fishing techniques. As such, it is highly probable that a large portion of the recreational swordfish angling population was represented by members of the SESC in terms of swordfishing gear, techniques, and socio-economics, which reduced apparent bias in the study. Overall, the annual income of recreational swordfish anglers in 2007 ranged from US$15,000 to $200,000 with an average income of $91,940 (n = 33). Sixty-nine percent of polled anglers indicated they had more than 26 years of recreational fishing experience and 81% had less than 10 years of experience targeting swordfish in South Florida. Thirty-seven percent of surveyed anglers indicated they departed from Port Everglades, Florida. To target swordfish, anglers generally used five rods and set their bait, commonly squid, at 91 m. Anglers also indicated they changed their fishing tactics from day to night, and took about five fishing trips per month. Overall, anglers spent around $14,210 on annual costs associated with swordfishing, which was 16% of their annual income. Many polled anglers also reported they were dissatisfied with the current swordfish management regulations.
A Narrowing of the Phenotypic Diversity Range after Large Rearrangements of the Karyotype in Salmonidae: The Relationship between Saltational Genome Rearrangements and Gradual Adaptive Evolution
Authors: Makhrov A.
Published: October 2017

The problem of how a gradual development of ecological and morphological adaptations combines with large genome rearrangements, which have been found to occur in the phylogeny of many groups of organisms, is a matter of discussion in the literature. The objective of this work was to study the problem with the example of salmonids, whose evolution included at least six events of multiple chromosome fusions. Large karyotype rearrangements are associated with a decrease in ecological and morphological diversity in salmonids. In the above example, genome rearrangements seem to distort the function of the genetic systems that are responsible for the occurrence of certain ecological forms in salmonids.
Water Pollution Prediction in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area and Countermeasures for Sustainable Development of the Water Environment
Authors: Li Yinghui , Huang Shuaijin , Qu Xuexin
Published: October 2017

The Three Gorges Project was implemented in 1994 to promote sustainable water resource use and development of the water environment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (hereafter “Reservoir Area”). However, massive discharge of wastewater along the river threatens these goals; therefore, this study employs a grey prediction model (GM) to predict the annual emissions of primary pollution sources, including industrial wastewater, domestic wastewater, and oily and domestic wastewater from ships, that influence the Three Gorges Reservoir Area water environment. First, we optimize the initial values of a traditional GM (1,1) model, and build a new GM (1,1) model that minimizes the sum of squares of the relative simulation errors. Second, we use the new GM (1,1) model to simulate historical annual emissions data for the four pollution sources and thereby test the effectiveness of the model. Third, we predict the annual emissions of the four pollution sources in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area for a future period. The prediction results reveal the annual emission trends for the major wastewater types, and indicate the primary sources of water pollution in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area. Based on our predictions, we suggest several countermeasures against water pollution and towards the sustainable development of the water environment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area.