bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Soliloquies and Self-Fashioning in Volpone: An Empirical Approach
Authors: Hirsh James
Published: April 2018

In Volpone Ben Jonson employed in daring and sophisticated ways the astonishingly precise and intricate late Renaissance convention of self-addressed speech. Plentiful, conspicuous, unambiguous, varied, and entirely one-sided evidence demonstrates that in late Renaissance drama soliloquies represented the spoken words of characters as a matter of convention, not their unspoken thoughts. This nuance of the convention is illustrated by the episode in which Mosca overhears part of a soliloquy spoken by Corvino in 2.6 of Volpone. Similarly overwhelming evidence demonstrates that soliloquies by characters engaged in the fictional action in late Renaissance drama represented self-addressed speeches, rather than passages knowingly addressed by characters to playgoers. If a soliloquy had represented a speech knowingly directed by the character to the hearing of playgoers, the character's motive in speaking would have been to inform, entertain, persuade, dismay, or otherwise produce an effect on a large group of strangers. A self-addressed speech depicts how the character interacts with himself. Playgoers evidently took voyeuristic pleasure in eavesdropping on the most private speeches of characters and were not interested in what a character engaged in the action would say to themselves if the character knew that he was merely a character in a play. Soliloquies in Volpone depict characters engaged in a huge variety of self-directed activities: self-congratulation, self-justification, self-reassurance, self-control, self-determination, self-denigration, self-manipulation, self-deception, wishful thinking, and so on.
“Of things as yet unborne”: The Poetics of Fantasy in John Marston's What You Will
Authors: Bednarz James P.
Published: April 2018

The Romantic period has been identified as the paradigmatic moment of transformation in western culture when the mimetic and didactic theories of literature typically favored by classical and Renaissance theoreticians were decisively challenged for preeminence by emotive and expressive models of creativity. But as M.H. Abrams observes in The Mirror and the Lamp, this intellectual revolution, through which psychology displaced rhetoric as the predominant mode of critical evaluation was not unprecedented. This essay examines an early modern example of this phenomenon in John Marston's What You Will, a play, probably written in 1601 for the Children of Paul's, which represents a kind of Renaissance romanticism insofar as it displaces what Marston calls the “rules of Art” with an extra-rational source of human creativity, the psychological faculty of “fantasy” or “imagination.” Here, Marston proposes an explicitly physiological framework for understanding the psychology of creativity that rejects the principal tenets of conventional humanist theory advocated by Ben Jonson in Cynthia's Revels. In What You Will, at the height of the Poets' War, in a radical shift of perspective, Marston unexpectedly extols the pleasure of imagination's spontaneous generative power. This is, in a parallel previously unnoticed by scholars, the same power of “Phantasie” that he invokes in supplementing the “metaphysical” wit of William Shakespeare's mysterious elegy “The Phoenix and Turtle” in the contemporaneous Diverse Poetical Essays of Love's Martyr.
Design of Contactlessly Powered and Piezoelectrically Actuated Tools for Non-Resonant Vibration Assisted Milling
Authors: Silge Martin , Sattel Thomas
Published: April 2018

This contribution presents a novel design approach for vibration assisted machining (VAM). A lot of research has already been done regarding the influence of superimposed vibrations during a milling process, but there is almost no information about how to design a VAM tool where the tool is actually rotating. The proposed system consists of a piezoelectric actuator for vibration excitation, an inductive contactless energy transfer system and an electronic circuit for powering the actuated tool. The main benefit of transferring the required power without mechanical contact is that the maximum spindle speed is no longer restricted by friction of slip rings. A detailed model is shown that enables for preliminary estimation of the system’s response to different excitation signals. Experimental data are provided to validate the model. Finally, some parts are shown that have been manufactured using the contactlessly actuated milling tool.
Genome-Wide Linkage Mapping of Quantitative Trait Loci for Late-Season Physiological and Agronomic Traits in Spring Wheat under Irrigated Conditions
Authors: Liu Yuxiu , Wang Rui , Hu Yin-gang , Chen Jianli
Published: April 2018

Many late-season physiological traits affect grain yield in wheat, either directly or indirectly. However, information on the genetic control of yield-related traits is still limited. In this study, we aimed to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for canopy temperature and chlorophyll content index during anthesis (CTa and CCIa, respectively), the mid grain-filling stage (CTg1 and CCIg1, respectively), and the late grain-filling stage (CTg2 and CCIg2, respectively) as well as for plant height (PH), thousand kernels weight (TKW), and grain yield (GY) using genome-wide linkage mapping. To this end, a double haploid population derived from a cross between two high yielding wheat cultivars, UI Platinum and SY Capstone, was phenotyped in four irrigated environments and genotyped using the wheat 90K iSelect platform and simple sequence repeats. The genotypic data were used to construct a high-density genetic map of 43 linkage groups (LGs) with a total length of 3594.0 cm and a marker density of 0.37 cm. A total of 116 QTL for all nine traits was detected on 33 LGs, spreading to all wheat chromosomes, except for Chr. 7D. Of these, six QTL (CTa.ui-4B.1, Q.CTg1.ui-5B-2.1, Q.CTg2.ui-6B.1, Q.PH.ui-6A-2.1, Q.TKW.ui-2D-1, and Q.GY.ui-6B) were consistently detected in more than three irrigated environments, called as stable QTL. Additionally, we identified 26 QTL clusters for more than two traits, of which the top four were located on Chromosomes 4A-1, 1B-1, 5B-2, and 2D-1. Overall, the stable QTL significantly related with grain yield, QTL clusters, and linked molecular markers identified in this study, may be useful in marker-assisted selection in early generation and early growth stage for grain yield improvement.
Analytical Point-Cloud Based Geometric Modeling for Additive Manufacturing and Its Application to Cultural Heritage Preservation
Authors: Tashi  , Ullah AMM Sharif , Watanabe Michiko , Kubo Akihiko
Published: April 2018

Point-cloud is a valuable piece of information for geometric modeling and additive manufacturing of different types of objects. In most cases, a point-cloud is obtained by using the 3D scanners or by using image processing. Alternatively, one can rely on an analytical approach for creating the required point-cloud. In this study, we develop an analytical method that uses both equation and algorithm-based approaches for creating a point-cloud for modeling a given object (or shape). The analytically created point-cloud can then be processed by using a commercially available CAD package to create a virtual model (or solid CAD model) of the object. Finally, the virtual model can be used to create a physical model (or replica) of the underlying object using a commercially available additive manufacturing device (e.g., a 3D printer). The abovementioned procedure of analytical point-cloud based geometric modeling for additive manufacturing can be applied to preserve artifacts having cultural significance. In particular, we consider the Ainu motifs that represent the cultural heritage of Ainus living in the northern part of Japan (Hokkaido). We first classify the motifs and then model them in the form of a point-clouds using both equations and a recursive process (algorithm) proposed in this study. Finally, we create the CAD model and physical models of the artifacts having Ainu motifs on them. This way, we show the effectiveness of the analytical point-cloud based geometric modeling for additive manufacturing.
Quantitative Analysis of Patellar Tendon Abnormality in Asymptomatic Professional “Pallapugno” Players: A Texture-Based Ultrasound Approach
Authors: Meiburger Kristen M. , Salvi Massimo , Giacchino Maurizio , Acharya U. Rajendra , Minetto Marco A. , Caresio Cristina , Molinari Filippo
Published: April 2018

Abnormalities in B-mode ultrasound images of the patellar tendon often take place in asymptomatic athletes but it is still not clear if these modifications forego or can predict the development of tendinopathy. Subclinical tendinopathy can be arbitrarily defined as either (1) the presence of light structural changes in B-mode ultrasound images in association with mild neovascularization (determined with Power Doppler images) or (2) the presence of moderate/severe structural changes with or without neovascularization. Up to now, the structural changes and neovascularization of the tendon are evaluated qualitatively by visual inspection of ultrasound images. The aim of this study is to investigate the capability of a quantitative texture-based approach to determine tendon abnormality of “pallapugno” players. B-mode ultrasound images of the patellar tendon were acquired in 14 players and quantitative texture parameters were calculated within a Region of Interest (ROI) of both the non-dominant and the dominant tendon. A total of 90 features were calculated for each ROI, including 6 first-order descriptors, 24 Haralick features, and 60 higher-order spectra and entropy features. These features on the dominant and non-dominant side were used to perform a multivariate linear regression analysis (MANOVA) and our results show that the descriptors can be effectively used to determine tendon abnormality and, more importantly, the occurrence of subclinical tendinopathy.
Iterative 2D Tissue Motion Tracking in Ultrafast Ultrasound Imaging
Authors: Albinsson John , Hasegawa Hideyuki , Takahashi Hiroki , Boni Enrico , Ramalli Alessandro , Rydén Ahlgren Åsa , Cinthio Magnus
Published: April 2018

In order to study longitudinal movement and intramural shearing of the arterial wall with a Lagrangian viewpoint using ultrafast ultrasound imaging, a new tracking scheme is required. We propose the use of an iterative tracking scheme based on temporary down-sampling of the frame-rate, anteroposterior tracking, and unbiased block-matching using two kernels per position estimate. The tracking scheme was evaluated on phantom B-mode cine loops and considered both velocity and displacement for a range of down-sampling factors (k = 1–128) at the start of the iterations. The cine loops had a frame rate of 1300–1500 Hz and were beamformed using delay-and-sum. The evaluation on phantom showed that both the mean estimation errors and the standard deviations decreased with an increasing initial down-sampling factor, while they increased with an increased velocity or larger pitch. A limited in vivo study shows that the major pattern of movement corresponds well with state-of-the-art low frame rate motion estimates, indicating that the proposed tracking scheme could enable the study of longitudinal movement of the intima–media complex using ultrafast ultrasound imaging, and is one step towards estimating the propagation velocity of the longitudinal movement of the arterial wall.
Optimization of Two-Level Disassembly/Remanufacturing/Assembly System with an Integrated Maintenance Strategy
Authors: Guiras Zouhour , Turki Sadok , Rezg Nidhal , Dolgui Alexandre
Published: April 2018

With an increase of environmental pressure on economic activities, reverse flow is increasingly important. It seeks to save resources, eliminate waste, and improve productivity. This paper investigates the optimization of the disassembly, remanufacturing and assembly system, taking into account assembly-disassembly system degradation. An analytical model is developed to consider disassembly, remanufacturing of used/end-of-life product and assembly of the finished product. The finished product is composed of remanufactured and new components. A maintenance policy is sequentially integrated to reduce the system unavailability. The aim of this study is to help decision-makers, under certain conditions, choose the most cost-effective process for them to satisfy the customer as well as to adapt to the potential risk that can perturb the disassembly-assembly system. A heuristic is developed to determine the optimal ordered date of the used end-of-life product as well as the optimum release dates of new external components. The results reveal that considering some remanufacturing and purchase components costs, the proposed model is more economical in comparison with a model without remanufactured parts. Numerical results are provided to illustrate the impact of the variation of the ordering cost and quality of the used end-of-life product on the system profitability. Finally, the risk due to system repair periods is discussed, which has an impact on managerial decision-making.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Resource-Constrained Settings for Hypoglycaemia Detection: Looking at the Problem from the Other Side of the Coin
Authors: Bila Rubao , Varo Rosauro , Madrid Lola , Sitoe Antonio , Bassat Quique
Published: April 2018

The appearance, over a decade ago, of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices has triggered a patient-centred revolution in the control and management of diabetes mellitus and other metabolic conditions, improving the patient’s glycaemic control and quality of life. Such devices, the use of which remains typically restricted to high-income countries on account of their elevated costs, at present show very limited implantation in resource-constrained settings, where many other urgent health priorities beyond diabetes prevention and management still need to be resolved. In this commentary, we argue that such devices could have an additional utility in low-income settings, whereby they could be selectively used among severely ill children admitted to hospital for closer monitoring of paediatric hypoglycaemia, a life-threatening condition often complicating severe cases of malaria, malnutrition, and other common paediatric conditions.
Value Engineering and Function Analysis: Frameworks for Innovation in Antenna Systems
Authors: Fartookzadeh Hamid Reza , Fartookzadeh Mahdi
Published: April 2018

Value engineering (VE) and function analysis (FA) are technological tools for the functional enhancement and cost reduction of engineering projects. They also help to overcome mental inertia by acknowledging the voice of the customer in complicated systems. Antenna engineering, providing electromagnetic remote links, is an important area in engineering science, with a large number of innovative concepts. However, managing innovative ideas to improve performance, reliability, quality, safety, and reduce life cycle costs, is still a work in progress. This research was designed to apply VE and FA as frameworks for innovative ideas in antenna systems, especially with regard to imaging and radar systems. FA diagrams free a designers’ mind from tools to instead focus on purpose, which can help them to obtain better ideas for solutions to problems. It was identified that there were several options available for functionality enhancement and cost reduction. The required functionalities of the components of antenna systems, and their advantages and limitations were indicated. In addition, it was identified that some of the advantages and limitations appeared for combinations of the components. Alternative methods for applications, such as polarization conversion and the separation of outgoing and incoming electromagnetic waves, were studied. Circular polarization (CP) is important for two-way communication, since left-handed circularly polarized waves usually return with right-handed CP from targets. Therefore, various methods for producing CP were discussed, such as metamaterial-based linear to circular polarization converters and waveguide polarizers. Also, potential extra applications for these systems were explained. Two examples were: (1) merging multiple systems with different operating frequencies using multiband components; and (2) applying a feeding system for multiple reflectors using surfaces that reflect half of the wave and transmit the other half. Consequently, it was identified that the clearance of existing functions, prioritization of customers, identification of system bottlenecks requiring innovative methods, and better communication between users and designers, were the key benefits of VE and FA.
The Bubble Shape in Contaminated Bubbly Flows: Results for Different NaCl Concentrations in Purified Water
Authors: Ziegenhein Thomas , Lucas Dirk , Besagni Giorgio , Inzoli Fabio
Published: April 2018

The bubble shape influences the transfer of momentum and heat/mass between the bubble and the surrounding fluid as well as the flow field around the bubble. The shape is determined by the interaction of the fluid field in the bubble, the physics on the surface, and the surrounding flow field. It is well known that contaminations can disturb the surface physics so that the bubble shape can be influenced. Indeed, an influence of sodium chloride (NaCl) on the hydrodynamics of bubbly flows was shown for air/water systems in previous studies. The aim of the present work is to investigate if, and to what extent, the NaCl concentration affects the bubble shape in bubble columns. For this purpose, several experiments at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf and at the pilot-scale bubble column at the Politecnico di Milano are evaluated. The experiments were executed independently from each other and were evaluated with different methods. All experiments show that the bubble shape is not distinctly affected in the examined concentration range from 0 to 1 M NaCl, which is in contrast to a previous study on single bubbles. Therefore, the effect of NaCl on the hydrodynamics of bubbly flows is not induced by the bubble shape.
Starch-Based Coatings for Preservation of Fruits and Vegetables
Authors: Sapper Mayra , Chiralt Amparo
Published: April 2018

Considerable research has focused on the control of the physiological activity of fruits and vegetables in postharvest conditions as well as microbial decay. The use of edible coatings (ECs) carrying active compounds (e.g., antimicrobials) represents an alternative preservation technology since they can modify the internal gas composition by creating a modified atmosphere through the regulation of the gas exchange (oxygen, carbon dioxide, volatiles) while also limiting water transfer. Of the edible polymers able to form coating films, starch exhibits several advantages, such as its ready availability, low cost and good filmogenic capacity, forming colourless and tasteless films with high oxygen barrier capacity. Nevertheless, starch films are highly water sensitive and exhibit limited water vapour barrier properties and mechanical resistance. Different compounds, such as plasticizers, surfactants, lipids or other polymers, have been incorporated to improve the functional properties of starch-based films/coatings. This paper reviews the starch-based ECs used to preserve the main properties of fruits and vegetables in postharvest conditions as well as the different factors affecting the coating efficiency, such as surface properties or incorporation of antifungal compounds. The great variability in the plant products requires specific studies to optimize the formulation of coating forming products.
Mixed Cryptography Constrained Optimization for Heterogeneous, Multicore, and Distributed Embedded Systems
Authors: Nam Hyunsuk , Lysecky Roman
Published: April 2018

Embedded systems continue to execute computational- and memory-intensive applications with vast data sets, dynamic workloads, and dynamic execution characteristics. Adaptive distributed and heterogeneous embedded systems are increasingly critical in supporting dynamic execution requirements. With pervasive network access within these systems, security is a critical design concern that must be considered and optimized within such dynamically adaptive systems. This paper presents a modeling and optimization framework for distributed, heterogeneous embedded systems. A dataflow-based modeling framework for adaptive streaming applications integrates models for computational latency, mixed cryptographic implementations for inter-task and intra-task communication, security levels, communication latency, and power consumption. For the security model, we present a level-based modeling of cryptographic algorithms using mixed cryptographic implementations. This level-based security model enables the development of an efficient, multi-objective genetic optimization algorithm to optimize security and energy consumption subject to current application requirements and security policy constraints. The presented methodology is evaluated using a video-based object detection and tracking application and several synthetic benchmarks representing various application types and dynamic execution characteristics. Experimental results demonstrate the benefits of a mixed cryptographic algorithm security model compared to using a single, fixed cryptographic algorithm. Results also highlight how security policy constraints can yield increased security strength and cryptographic diversity for the same energy constraint.
Sialidosis: A Review of Morphology and Molecular Biology of a Rare Pediatric Disorder
Authors: Khan Aiza , Sergi Consolato
Published: April 2018

Sialidosis (MIM 256550) is a rare, autosomal recessive inherited disorder, caused by α-N-acetyl neuraminidase deficiency resulting from a mutation in the neuraminidase gene (NEU1), located on 6p21.33. This genetic alteration leads to abnormal intracellular accumulation as well as urinary excretion of sialyloligosaccharides. A definitive diagnosis is made after the identification of a mutation in the NEU1 gene. So far, 40 mutations of NEU1 have been reported. An association exists between the impact of the individual mutations and the severity of clinical presentation of sialidosis. According to the clinical symptoms, sialidosis has been divided into two subtypes with different ages of onset and severity, including sialidosis type I (normomorphic or mild form) and sialidosis type II (dysmorphic or severe form). Sialidosis II is further subdivided into (i) congenital; (ii) infantile; and (iii) juvenile. Despite being uncommon, sialidosis has enormous clinical relevance due to its debilitating character. A complete understanding of the underlying pathology remains a challenge, which in turn limits the development of effective therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, in the last few years, some atypical cases of sialidosis have been reported as well. We herein attempt to combine and discuss the underlying molecular biology, the clinical features, and the morphological patterns of sialidosis type I and II.
Energy Reduction Multipath Routing Protocol for MANET Using Recoil Technique
Authors: Sahu Rakesh Kumar , Chaudhari Narendra S.
Published: April 2018

In Mobile Ad-hoc networks (MANET), power conservation and utilization is an acute problem and has received significant attention from academics and industry in recent years. Nodes in MANET function on battery power, which is a rare and limited energy resource. Hence, its conservation and utilization should be done judiciously for the effective functioning of the network. In this paper, a novel protocol namely Energy Reduction Multipath Routing Protocol for MANET using Recoil Technique (AOMDV-ER) is proposed, which conserves the energy along with optimal network lifetime, routing overhead, packet delivery ratio and throughput. It performs better than any other AODV based algorithms, as in AOMDV-ER the nodes transmit packets to their destination smartly by using a varying recoil off time technique based on their geographical location. This concept reduces the number of transmissions, which results in the improvement of network lifetime. In addition, the local level route maintenance reduces the additional routing overhead. Lastly, the prediction based link lifetime of each node is estimated which helps in reducing the packet loss in the network. This protocol has three subparts: an optimal route discovery algorithm amalgamation with the residual energy and distance mechanism; a coordinated recoiled nodes algorithm which eliminates the number of transmissions in order to reduces the data redundancy, traffic redundant, routing overhead, end to end delay and enhance the network lifetime; and a last link reckoning and route maintenance algorithm to improve the packet delivery ratio and link stability in the network. The experimental results show that the AOMDV-ER protocol save at least 16% energy consumption, 12% reduction in routing overhead, significant achievement in network lifetime and packet delivery ratio than Ad hoc on demand multipath distance vector routing protocol (AOMDV), Ad hoc on demand multipath distance vector routing protocol life maximization (AOMR-LM) and Source routing-based multicast protocol (SRMP) algorithms. Hence, the AOMDV-ER algorithm performs better than these recently developed algorithms.
Predicting Charging Time of Battery Electric Vehicles Based on Regression and Time-Series Methods: A Case Study of Beijing
Authors: Bi Jun , Wang Yongxing , Sun Shuai , Guan Wei
Published: April 2018

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) reduce energy consumption and air pollution as compared with conventional vehicles. However, the limited driving range and potential long charging time of BEVs create new problems. Accurate charging time prediction of BEVs helps drivers determine travel plans and alleviate their range anxiety during trips. This study proposed a combined model for charging time prediction based on regression and time-series methods according to the actual data from BEVs operating in Beijing, China. After data analysis, a regression model was established by considering the charged amount for charging time prediction. Furthermore, a time-series method was adopted to calibrate the regression model, which significantly improved the fitting accuracy of the model. The parameters of the model were determined by using the actual data. Verification results confirmed the accuracy of the model and showed that the model errors were small. The proposed model can accurately depict the charging time characteristics of BEVs in Beijing.
A Semi-Analytical Methodology for Multiwell Productivity Index of Well-Industry-Production-Scheme in Tight Oil Reservoirs
Authors: Liu Guangfeng , Meng Zhan , Cui Yan , Wang Lu , Liang Chenggang , Yang Shenglai
Published: April 2018

Recently, the well-industry-production-scheme (WIPS) has attracted more and more attention to improve tight oil recovery. However, multi-well pressure interference (MWPI) induced by well-industry-production-scheme (WIPS) strongly challenges the traditional transient pressure analysis methods, which focus on single multi-fractured horizontal wells (SMFHWs) without MWPI. Therefore, a semi-analytical methodology for multiwell productivity index (MPI) was proposed to study well performance of WIPS scheme in tight reservoir. To facilitate methodology development, the conceptual models of tight formation and WIPS scheme were firstly described. Secondly, seepage models of tight reservoir and hydraulic fractures (HFs) were sequentially established and then dynamically coupled. Numerical simulation was utilized to validate our model. Finally, identification of flow regimes and sensitivity analysis were conducted. Our results showed that there was good agreement between our proposed model and numerical simulation; moreover, our approach also gave promising calculation speed over numerical simulation. Some expected flow regimes were significantly distorted due to WIPS. The slope of type curves which characterize the linear or bi-linear flow regime is bigger than 0.5 or 0.25. The horizontal line which characterize radial flow regime is also bigger 0.5. The smaller the oil rate, the more severely flow regimes were distorted. Well rate mainly determines the distortion of MPI curves, while fracture length, well spacing, fracture spacing mainly determine when the distortion of the MPI curves occurs. The bigger the well rate, the more severely the MPI curves are distorted. While as the well spacing decreases, fracture length increases, fracture spacing increases, occurrence of MWPI become earlier. Stress sensitivity coefficient mainly affects the MPI at the formation pseudo-radial flow stage, almost has no influence on the occurrence of MWPI. This work gains some addictive insights on multi-well performance for WIPS scheme in tight reservoir, which can provide considerable guidance on fracture properties estimation as well as well adjustment of production operation for WIPS scheme.
Thermal Behavior of Coal Used in Rotary Kiln and Its Combustion Intensification
Authors: Zhong Qiang , Zhang Jian , Yang Yongbin , Li Qian , Xu Bin , Jiang Tao
Published: April 2018

Pyrolysis and combustion behaviors of three coals (A, B, and C coals) were investigated and their combustion kinetics were calculated by the Freeman–Carroll method to obtain quantitative insight into their combustion behaviors. Moreover, the effects of coal size, air flow, oxygen content, and heating rate on coal combustion behaviors were analyzed. Results showed that the three coals have a similar trend of pyrolysis that occurs at about 670 K and this process continuously proceeds along with their combustion. Combustion characteristics and kinetic parameters can be applied to analyze coal combustion behaviors. Three coals having combustion characteristics of suitable ignition temperature (745–761 K), DTGmax (14.20–15.72%/min), and burnout time (7.45–8.10 min) were analyzed in a rotary kiln. Combustion kinetic parameters provide quantitative insights into coal combustion behavior. The suitable particle size for coal combustion in a kiln is that the content of less than 74 μm is 60% to 80%. Low activation energy and reaction order make coal, especially C coal, have a simple combustion mechanism, great reactivity, be easily ignited, and a low peak temperature in the combustion state. Oxygen-enrichment and high heating rates enhance coal combustion, increasing combustion intensity and peak value, thus shortening burnout time.
Gas Supply, Pricing Mechanism and the Economics of Power Generation in China
Authors: Liu Yuanxin , Li Feng Yun , Yu Xinhua
Published: April 2018

During the “13th Five-Year Plan” period, green energy is the top priority for China. China has realized that natural gas, as a low-carbon energy source, fits with the nation’s energy demand and will play a critical role in the energy transition, but the actual industry development is slower than expected. By analyzing the major gas corporations around the world, the paper finds that the key factors of the sector are supply and price of the energy resource. A comprehensive analysis on domestic and foreign imported gas reveals a trend of oversupply in China in the future. Given the critical import dependence, China has introduced a series of gas price reforms since 2013, which have led to negative impacts on important gas consumption sectors including power generation. With the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) model, we find that under the prevailing gas supply structure and price level, the economy of utility gas power generation will remain unprofitable, while combined cooling heating and power (CCHP) is only commercially feasible in coastal developed regions. If continuing, such a trend will not only bring forth disastrous consequences to gas power industry, but also damage the upstream gas industry, more importantly, impede the energy transition. We conclude the paper with policy implications on pricing mechanism reform, developing domestic unconventional gas and the R&D of gas turbine.
Model for Estimation of Fuel Consumption of Cruise Ships
Authors: Simonsen Morten , Walnum Hans Jakob , Gössling Stefan
Published: April 2018

This article presents a model to estimate the energy use and fuel consumption of cruise ships that sail Norwegian waters. Automatic identification system (AIS) data and technical information about cruise ships provided input to the model, including service speed, total power, and number of engines. The model was tested against real-world data obtained from a small cruise vessel and both a medium and large cruise ship. It is sensitive to speed and the corresponding engine load profile of the ship. A crucial determinate for total fuel consumption is also associated with hotel functions, which can make a large contribution to the overall energy use of cruise ships. Real-world data fits the model best when ship speed is 70–75% of service speed. With decreased or increased speed, the model tends to diverge from real-world observations. The model gives a proxy for calculation of fuel consumption associated with cruise ships that sail to Norwegian waters and can be used to estimate greenhouse gas emissions and to evaluate energy reduction strategies for cruise ships.
Development of a GPS Forest Signal Absorption Coefficient Index
Authors: Wright William , Wilkinson Benjamin , Cropper Wendell
Published: April 2018

In this paper GPS (Global Positioning System)-based methods to measure L-band GPS Signal-to-Noise ratios (SNRs) through different forest canopy conditions are presented. Hemispherical sky-oriented photos (HSOPs) along with GPS receivers are used. Simultaneous GPS observations are collected with one receiver in the open and three inside a forest. Comparing the GPS SNRs observed in the forest to those observed in the open allows for a rapid determination of signal loss. This study includes data from 15 forests and includes two forests with inter-seasonal data. The Signal-to-Noise Ratio Atmospheric Model, Canopy Closure Predictive Model (CCPM), Signal-to-Noise Ratio Forest Index Model (SFIM), and Simplified Signal-to-Noise Ratio Forest Index Model (SSFIM) are presented, along with their corresponding adjusted R2 and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). As predicted by the CCPM, signals are influenced greatly by the angle of the GPS from the horizon and canopy closure. The results support the use of the CCPM for individual forests but suggest that an initial calibration is needed for a location and time of year due to different absorption characteristics. The results of the SFIM and SSFIM provide an understanding of how different forests attenuate signals and insights into the factors that influence signal absorption.
Phenolic Profiling and Antioxidant Capacity of Eugenia uniflora L. (Pitanga) Samples Collected in Different Uruguayan Locations
Authors: Migues Ignacio , Baenas Nieves , Gironés-Vilaplana Amadeo , Cesio María Verónica , Heinzen Horacio , Moreno Diego A.
Published: April 2018

The use of nutrient-rich foods to enhance the wellness, health and lifestyle habits of consumers is globally encouraged. Native fruits are of great interest as they are grown and consumed locally and take part of the ethnobotanic knowledge of the population. Pitanga is an example of a native fruit from Uruguay, consumed as a jelly or an alcoholic beverage. Pitanga has a red-violet pigmentation, which is a common trait for foods that are a good source of antioxidants. Hence, fruits from different Uruguayan regions were analyzed via miniaturized sample preparation method, HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn and RP-HPLC-DAD techniques to identify and quantify phenolic compounds, respectively. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated via DPPH and ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) assays. A multivariate linear regression was applied to correlate the observed antioxidant capacity with the phenolic content. Furthermore, Principal Components Analysis was performed to highlight characteristics between the various samples studied. The main results indicated differences between northern and southern Uruguayan samples. Delphinidin-3-hexoside was present in southern samples (mean of 293.16 µmol/100 g dry weight (DW)) and absent in the sample collected in the north (sample 3). All the samples contain high levels of cyanidin-3-hexoside, but a noticeable difference was found between the northern sample (150.45 µmol/100 g DW) and the southern sample (1121.98 µmol/100 g DW). The antioxidant capacity (mean ORAC of 56370 µmol Trolox®/100 g DW) were high in all the samples compared to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) database of similar berry-fruits. The results of this study highlight the nutraceutical value of a native fruit that has not been exploited until now.
Glacier Changes on the Pik Topografov Massif, East Sayan Range, Southeast Siberia, from Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Osipov Eduard Y. , Osipova Olga P.
Published: April 2018

Small mountain glaciers represent the most abundant class in many glaciarized areas around the world; however, less is known about their recent area changes under climatic variability of the last decades. The recent fluctuations of glaciers located in the inner parts of continents are the least studied. In this study we present the results of repeated mapping of seven small (<1.5 km2) glaciers located in a continental setting on the northern slope of the Pik Topografov massif, East Sayan Range, southeast Siberia. The multitemporal glacier inventory was derived from the late summer Landsat TM/ETM+ scenes acquired between 1986 and 2010. Glacier outlines were mapped with thresholded ratio (TM3/TM5) method. Topographic inventory parameters were measured from SRTM DEM. Glacier outlines of the Little Ice Age maximum (LIA, ~1850) were reconstructed from terminal moraines widely distributed around the glacier snouts. The results indicate a total ice area decrease from 8.1 km2 in the LIA to 3.8 km2 in 2010 (53%, 0.33% year−1). We revealed accelerated area shrinkage between 1991 and 2001 (almost two times higher than during the period 1986–2010), while between 2001 and 2010, the ice area did not change significantly. Overall, the glacier changes are consistent with the regional climatic trends (winter precipitation and summer temperature). Local topographic settings significantly impacted the glacier dynamics.
The Question of Space: A Review Essay
Authors: Roberts Les
Published: April 2018

This article is a review essay which discusses the inter-disciplinary collection of essays edited by Marijn Nieuwenhuis and David Crouch, titled The Question of Space: Interrogating the Spatial Turn between Disciplines (London: Rowman & Littlefield 2017). The book was published as part of the Place, Memory, Affect series, edited by Neil Campbell and Christine Berberich. As well as providing a detailed critical overview of The Question of Space, the article responds to some of the broader questions that the book poses in terms of the radical inter-disciplinary of space and spatiality, relating these firstly to ideas drawn from Henri Lefebvre’s discussion of ‘blind fields’. The review essay then goes on to question what we might understand by the so-called ‘spatial turn’ and whether this itself requires some rethinking in order to better take stock of the developments in and around the inter-disciplinary scholarship on space and spatiality. Following this, the essay engages more directly with the individual chapter contributions in The Question of Space, before drawing together some concluding remarks that speak to the concept of ‘atmosphere’ as an affective and phenomenological quality of space as experiential and embodied ‘spacing’.
Furthering the Evidence of the Effectiveness of Employment Strategies for People with Mental Disorders in Europe: A Systematic Review
Authors: Muñoz-Murillo Amalia , Esteban Eva , Ávila Carolina C. , Fheodoroff Klemens , Haro Josep Maria , Leonardi Matilde , Olaya Beatriz
Published: April 2018

(1) Purpose: This systematic review aims to assess the effectiveness of strategies used in the professional (re)integration of persons with mental disorders (MD) in European countries; (2) Methods: We conducted a search for scientific publications available in relevant electronic databases (Medline, PsycINFO, CDR-HTA, CDR-DARE, and Cochrane Library). The present study collected evidence on the effectiveness, from 2011 to 2016, of employment strategies for persons with MDs; (3) Results: A total of 18 studies were included, representing 5216 participants (aged 18–65, mean age of 38.5 years old) from 7 countries. Job access programs demonstrated effectiveness in four out of six studies. Return to work (RTW) interventions showed significant positive results in two studies, while four studies did not refer to effectiveness. There were inconsistent results in another four studies; (4) Conclusions: Our findings highlight the complexities of the implementation of employment strategies (job access and return to work). Job access strategies seem to improve employment outcomes. The effectiveness of return to work strategies remains unclear. The involvement and commitment of physicians, employment specialists, and employers, and employees capacity for self-care seem decisive for employment re-integration success. Further analyses are needed to assess the cost-effectiveness of these interventions and corroborate our results, with longer follow-ups.
General Practitioners’ Perceptions of Heat Health Impacts on the Elderly in the Face of Climate Change—A Qualitative Study in Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Authors: Herrmann Alina , Sauerborn Rainer
Published: April 2018

Heat health impacts (HHI) on the elderly are a growing concern in the face of climate change and aging populations. General practitioners (GPs) have an important role in health care for the elderly. To inform the development of effective prevention measures, it is important to investigate GPs’ perceptions of HHI. Twenty four qualitative expert interviews were conducted with GPs and analyzed using the framework approach. GPs were generally aware of heat health impacts, focusing on cardiovascular morbidity and volume imbalances. Perceptions of mortality and for instance impacts on respiratory diseases or potentially risky drugs in heat waves partly diverged from findings in literature. GPs judged the current relevance of HHI differently depending on their attitudes towards: (i) sensitivity of the elderly, (ii) status of nursing care and (iii) heat exposure in Baden-Württemberg. Future relevance of HHI was perceived to be increasing by most GPs. The main cause identified for this was population aging, while impacts of climate change were judged as uncertain by many. GPs’ perceptions, partly diverging from literature, show that GPs’ knowledge and awareness on HHI and climate change needs to be strengthened. However, they also emphasize the need for more research on HHI in the ambulant health care setting. Furthermore, GPs perceptions suggest that strong nursing care and social networks for elderly are major elements of a climate resilient health system.
Impact of a Translated Disease Self-Management Program on Employee Health and Productivity: Six-Month Findings from a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Smith Matthew Lee , Wilson Mark G. , Robertson Melissa M. , Padilla Heather M. , Zuercher Heather , Vandenberg Robert , Corso Phaedra , Lorig Kate , Laurent Diana D. , DeJoy David M.
Published: April 2018

Disease management is gaining importance in workplace health promotion given the aging workforce and rising chronic disease prevalence. The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) is an effective intervention widely offered in diverse community settings; however, adoption remains low in workplace settings. As part of a larger NIH-funded randomized controlled trial, this study examines the effectiveness of a worksite-tailored version of CDSMP (wCDSMP [n = 72]) relative to CDSMP (‘Usual Care’ [n = 109]) to improve health and work performance among employees with one or more chronic conditions. Multiple-group latent-difference score models with sandwich estimators were fitted to identify changes from baseline to 6-month follow-up. Overall, participants were primarily female (87%), non-Hispanic white (62%), and obese (73%). On average, participants were age 48 (range: 23–72) and self-reported 3.25 chronic conditions (range: 1–16). The most commonly reported conditions were high cholesterol (45%), high blood pressure (45%), anxiety/emotional/mental health condition (26%), and diabetes (25%). Among wCDSMP participants, significant improvements were observed for physically unhealthy days (uΔ = −2.07, p = 0.018), fatigue (uΔ = −2.88, p = 0.002), sedentary behavior (uΔ = −4.49, p = 0.018), soda/sugar beverage consumption (uΔ = −0.78, p = 0.028), and fast food intake (uΔ = −0.76, p = 0.009) from baseline to follow-up. Significant improvements in patient–provider communication (uΔ = 0.46, p = 0.031) and mental work limitations (uΔ = −8.89, p = 0.010) were also observed from baseline to follow-up. Relative to Usual Care, wCDSMP participants reported significantly larger improvements in fatigue, physical activity, soda/sugar beverage consumption, and mental work limitations (p < 0.05). The translation of Usual Care (content and format) has potential to improve health among employees with chronic conditions and increase uptake in workplace settings.
A Trajectory Regression Clustering Technique Combining a Novel Fuzzy C-Means Clustering Algorithm with the Least Squares Method
Authors: Zhou Xiangbing , Miao Fang , Ma Hongjiang , Zhang Hua , Gong Huaming
Published: April 2018

Rapidly growing GPS (Global Positioning System) trajectories hide much valuable information, such as city road planning, urban travel demand, and population migration. In order to mine the hidden information and to capture better clustering results, a trajectory regression clustering method (an unsupervised trajectory clustering method) is proposed to reduce local information loss of the trajectory and to avoid getting stuck in the local optimum. Using this method, we first define our new concept of trajectory clustering and construct a novel partitioning (angle-based partitioning) method of line segments; second, the Lagrange-based method and Hausdorff-based K-means++ are integrated in fuzzy C-means (FCM) clustering, which are used to maintain the stability and the robustness of the clustering process; finally, least squares regression model is employed to achieve regression clustering of the trajectory. In our experiment, the performance and effectiveness of our method is validated against real-world taxi GPS data. When comparing our clustering algorithm with the partition-based clustering algorithms (K-means, K-median, and FCM), our experimental results demonstrate that the presented method is more effective and generates a more reasonable trajectory.
Protection of Spleen Tissue of γ-ray Irradiated Mice against Immunosuppressive and Oxidative Effects of Radiation by Adenosine 5′-Monophosphate
Authors: Cheng Cuilin , Yi Juanjuan , Wang Rongchun , Cheng Li , Wang Zhenyu , Lu Weihong
Published: April 2018

The immune system is very sensitive to radiation. This study revealed that adenosine 5′-monophosphate (5′-AMP) increased the DNA contents of the spleen and the spleen index of irradiated mice. Moreover, the exogenous 5′-AMP could significantly repair the ultra-structure of the damaged spleen through transmission electron microscopy. When indicators of the mouse immune system were assessed, the flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed that the administration of exogenous 5′-AMP could reduce the apoptosis in the splenic cells. It could also regulate the transition of cells towards S phase, increase the proportion of CD4+ and CD8+ cellular subsets, and enhance the secretion of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-10, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). These effects were associated with a decrease in oxidative stress, as evidenced by changes in superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of spleen tissues. These results suggested that exogenous 5′-AMP could repair the damaged spleen, increase the spleen index, and regulate the cell cycles and apoptosis. There was an increase in the production of various cytokines and play a protective role on the immune system of irradiated mice by dynamically adjusting the REDOX balance.