bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Delivering the Goods
Authors: Crawford Mark
Published: July 2018

This article highlights the importance of effective supply chains that could prove to be vital for success in developing markets. Supply chains in developing markets are often longer and more complex than those in the developed world’s markets. Developing countries will greatly benefit from the reverse logistics, where produce from smaller villages and farms can reach big cities and global markets efficiently. This can open up a large customer base globally for products that were only available in villages. Local sourcing and manufacturing of products can lead to significant improvements in local and regional economies by creating jobs, improving health, and reducing environmental impacts. Many entrepreneurs underestimate the influence that trust-based relationships have on buying decisions in developing markets. The amount of trust customers have in a product depends on how strongly their shopkeepers advocate for it. The key to shopkeeper buy-in often centers on reliable and efficient after-sales service. Developing countries can learn much from best practices that are established in developed countries, but companies that try to simply duplicate Western supply chain designs in emerging economies will almost certainly fail.
Object Control Skills Mediate the Relationship Between Neighborhood Vulnerability and Participation in Physical Activities
Authors: Temple Viviene A. , Lefebvre Dawn L. , Field Stephanie C. , Crane Jeff R. , Smith Beverly , Naylor Patti-Jean
Published: July 2018

This study examined the influence of physical health and well-being vulnerability on participation in physical activities, and whether motor skill proficiency mediated this relationship. Kindergarten children (n = 260) completed the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 and the Children’s Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment survey. A multivariate analysis of covariance was used to compare the motor skills and participation in physical activities of children in schools classified as more or less vulnerable. We also examined whether motor skill proficiency mediated the relationship between vulnerability status and participation. Children in neighborhoods with higher vulnerability demonstrated lower motor skill proficiency and participation. Object control skill proficiency mediated the relationship between vulnerability and participation. Children from more vulnerable schools started their school career with less developed motor skills and a narrower array of recreation participation. Children in vulnerable neighborhoods need more opportunities to master object controls skills and access recreational activities. Fortunately, motor skill proficiency among children considered ‘at risk’ is amenable to improvement and intervention early in the children’s school career may have a beneficial impact on children’s physical activity at school and beyond the school environment.
Effects of Kinesio Taping on the Relief of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Hazar Kanik Zeynep , Citaker Seyit , Yilmaz Demirtas Canan , Celik Bukan Neslihan , Celik Bulent , Gunaydin Gurkan
Published: July 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Kinesio taping (KT) on delayed onset muscle soreness. Design: Randomized controlled study. Setting: Clinical laboratory. Participants: Fifty-four nonathletic volunteers were assigned randomly to KT (n = 27) and placebo KT (n = 27) groups. Interventions: The intense exercise protocol consisted of 100 consecutive drop jumps from a 0.60-m-high platform. Kinesio tape was applied with the fan technique on the quadriceps muscles in the KT group. The placebo KT group received the Kinesio tape with no technique and tension. Main Outcome Measure: Muscle soreness, maximal isometric quadriceps muscle strength, vertical jump height, and blood analyses (creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, myoglobin, and C-reactive protein) were measured preexercise, immediately postexercise, 48 hours postexercise, and 72 hours postexercise. Results: There was a significant effect of time in all outcome measures (P < .05) except serum C-reactive protein level (P > .05). The intensity of muscle soreness was significantly lower in the KT group relative to the placebo KT group at 72 hours postexercise (P = .01). The serum creatine kinase level was significantly higher in the KT group compared with the placebo KT group at 72 hours postexercise (P = .01). There were no statistically significant differences between groups for the other outcome measures (P > .05). Conclusions: These findings indicate that KT intervention following the intense exercise protocol reduced muscle soreness. However, it had no effect on maximal quadriceps isometric strength and vertical jump height or serum lactate dehydrogenase, myoglobin, and C-reactive protein levels. Furthermore, KT application after intense exercise also increased serum creatine kinase levels.
Comparison of Shoulder Protraction Strength and Electromyography Activity of Serratus Anterior and Pectoralis Major in Subjects With or Without a Winged Scapula
Authors: Kim Jun-Seok , Kim Moon-Hwan , Ahn Duk-Hyun , Oh Jae-Seop
Published: July 2018

Context:A winged scapula (WS) is associated with faulty posture caused by weakness of the serratus anterior (SA), which mainly acts as a scapular stabilizer muscle. It is important to accurately assess and train the SA muscle with a focus on scapula stabilizers during musculoskeletal rehabilitation of individuals with a WS.Objective:The authors examined muscle activity in the SA and pectoralis major (PM), upper trapezius (UT), and anterior deltoid (AD) as well as shoulder protraction strength during isometric shoulder protraction in individuals with and without a WS.Design:Cross-sectional study.Setting:A clinical biomechanics laboratory.Participants:In total, 27 males with no shoulder, neck, or upper-extremity pain participated.Main Outcome Measures:Isometric shoulder protraction strength was collected and surface electromyography used to measure the activity of the SA, PM, UT, and AD muscles and selective SA activity ratio to other shoulder muscles.Results:Electromyography activity of the SA muscle and shoulder protraction strength were significantly lower in individuals with a WS compared with the non-WS group (P < .05). In contrast, PM muscle activity and the PM-to-SA, UT-to-SA, and AD-to-SA ratios were significantly greater in individuals with a WS than in individuals without winging (P < .05).Conclusions:Isometric shoulder protraction for measuring SA strength in individuals with a WS should focus on isolated muscle activity of the SA, and SA strengthening exercises are important for individuals with a WS.
Lower-Extremity Kinematics During Ankle Inversion Perturbations: A Novel Experimental Protocol That Simulates an Unexpected Lateral Ankle Sprain Mechanism
Authors: Simpson Jeffrey D. , Stewart Ethan M. , Mosby Anastasia M. , Macias David M. , Chander Harish , Knight Adam C.
Published: July 2018

Context: Lateral ankle sprains are a common injury in which the mechanics of injury have been extensively studied. However, the anticipatory mechanisms to ankle inversion perturbations are not well understood. Objective: To examine lower-extremity kinematics, including spatial and temporal variables of maximum inversion displacement and maximum inversion velocity, during landings on a tilted surface using a new experimental protocol to replicate a lateral ankle sprain. Setting: Three-dimensional motion analysis laboratory. Participants: A total of 23 healthy adults. Interventions: Participants completed unexpected (UE) and expected (EXP) unilateral landings onto a tilted surface rotated 25° in the frontal plane from a height of 30 cm. Main Outcome Measures: Ankle, knee, and hip kinematics at each discrete time point from 150 ms pre-initial contact (IC) to 150 ms post-IC, in addition to maximum ankle inversion and maximum inversion velocity, were compared between UE and EXP landings. Results: The UE landing produced significantly greater maximum inversion displacement (P < .01) and maximum inversion velocity (P = .02) than the EXP landing. Significantly less ankle inversion and internal rotation were found during pre-IC, whereas during post-IC, significantly greater ankle inversion, ankle internal rotation, knee flexion, and knee abduction were observed for the UE landing (P < .05). In addition, significantly less hip flexion and hip adduction were observed for the UE landing during pre-IC and post-IC (P < .05). Conclusions: Differences in the UE and EXP landings indicate the experimental protocol presented a UE inversion perturbation that approximates the mechanism of a lateral ankle sprain. Furthermore, knowledge of the inversion perturbation elicited a hip-dominant strategy, which may be utilized to assist with ankle joint stabilization during landing to further protect the lateral ankle from injury.
Sensitivity to “sunk costs” in mice, rats, and humans
Authors: Sweis Brian M. , Abram Samantha V. , Schmidt Brandy J. , Seeland Kelsey D. , MacDonald Angus W. , Thomas Mark J. , Redish A. David
Published: July 2018

The impact of time wasted

The amount of time already spent on a task influences human choice about whether to continue. This dedicated time, known as the “sunk cost,” reduces the likelihood of giving up the pursuit of a reward, even when there is no indication of likely success. Sweis
et al.
show that this sensitivity to time invested occurs similarly in mice, rats, and humans (see the Perspective by Brosnan). All three display a resistance to giving up their pursuit of a reward in a foraging context, but only after they have made the decision to pursue the reward.

Science
, this issue p.
178
; see also p.
124
Mechanisms of inside-out signaling of the high-affinity IgG receptor FcγRI
Authors: Brandsma Arianne M. , Schwartz Samantha L. , Wester Michael J. , Valley Christopher C. , Blezer Gittan L. A. , Vidarsson Gestur , Lidke Keith A. , ten Broeke Toine , Lidke Diane S. , Leusen Jeanette H. W.
Published: July 2018

Cytokine stimulation drives nanoscale reorganization of surface FcγRI to augment antibody-dependent cellular functions.
Identification of Different Putative Outer Membrane Electron Conduits Necessary for Fe(III) Citrate, Fe(III) Oxide, Mn(IV) Oxide, or Electrode Reduction by Geobacter sulfurreducens
Authors: Jiménez Otero Fernanda , Chan Chi Ho , Bond Daniel R.
Published: July 2018

Gram-negative metal-reducing bacteria utilize electron conduits, chains of redox proteins spanning the outer membrane, to transfer electrons to the extracellular surface. Only one pathway for electron transfer across the outer membrane ofGeobacter sulfurreducenshas been linked to Fe(III) reduction. However,G. sulfurreducensis able to respire a wide array of extracellular substrates. Here we present the first combinatorial genetic analysis of five different electron conduits via creation of new markerless deletion strains and complementation vectors. Multiple conduit gene clusters appear to have overlapping roles, including two that have never been linked to metal reduction. Another recently described cluster (ExtABCD) was the only electron conduit essential during electrode reduction, a substrate of special importance to biotechnological applications of this organism.
Does MRI add value in general practice for patients with traumatic knee complaints? A 1-year randomised controlled trial
Authors: Swart Nynke M , van Oudenaarde Kim , Bierma-Zeinstra Sita MA , Bloem Hans JL , van den Hout Wilbert B , Algra Paul R , Bindels Patrick JE , Koes Bart W , Nelissen Rob GHH , Verhaar Jan AN , Reijnierse Monique , Luijsterburg Pim AJ
Published: July 2018

Objective

To determine whether referral to MRI by the general practitioner (GP) is non-inferior to usual care (no access to MRI by GPs) in patients with traumatic knee complaints regarding knee-related daily function.

Methods

This was a multicentre, non-inferiority randomised controlled trial with 1-year follow-up. GPs invited eligible patients during or after their consultation. Eligible patients (18–45 years) consulted a GP with knee complaints due to a trauma during the previous 6 months. Patients allocated to the MRI group received an MRI at (median) 7 (IQR 1–33) days after the baseline questionnaire. Patients in the usual care group received information on the course of knee complaints, and a referral to a physiotherapist or orthopaedic surgeon when indicated. The primary outcome measure was knee-related daily function measured with the Lysholm scale (0 to 100; 100=excellent function) over 1 year, with a non-inferiority margin of 6 points.

Results

A total of 356 patients were included and randomised to MRI (n=179) or usual care (n=177) from November 2012 to December 2015. MRI was non-inferior to usual care concerning knee-related daily function during 1-year follow-up, for the intention-to-treat (overall adjusted estimate: 0.33; 95% CI −1.73 to 2.39) and per-protocol (overall adjusted estimate: 0.06; 95% CI −2.08 to 2.19) analysis. There were no differences between both groups in the amount of patients visiting other healthcare providers.

Conclusion

MRI in general practice in patients with traumatic knee complaints was non-inferior to usual care regarding knee-related daily function during 1-year follow-up.

Trial registration number

NTR3689.
Patient and Hospital Factors associated with 30-Day Unplanned Readmission in Patients with Stroke
Authors: Lee Sang Ah , Park Eun-Cheol , Shin Jaeyong , Ju Yeong Jun , Choi Young , Lee Hoo-Yeon
Published: July 2018

Stroke is frequently associated with readmission; moreover, readmission is regarded as an important indicator of the quality of stroke care. Thus, we investigated factors associated with 30-day readmission in patients with stroke in South Korea. We used claims data from 2013 for stroke (I60–I62) patients (n=44 729) in 94 hospitals and classified unplanned readmission according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid guidelines. We used multilevel models to investigate patient (age, gender, type of insurance, admission via emergency room, length of stay, type of stroke, Elixhauser Index Score) and hospital (stroke care quality grade, location of hospital, type of hospital, number of doctors and nurses per 100 beds) factors associated with readmission within 30 days of discharge. Among the 44 729 patients admitted due to stroke, 9.2% (n=4124) were readmitted to hospital and 7.6% (n=3379) had unplanned readmissions. Regarding patient characteristics, medical aid and longer hospital stay were associated with 30-day readmission rate. Among hospital factors, patients admitted to a low-grade hospital or a non-capital area hospital were more likely to be readmitted within 30 days of discharge. We identified patient and hospital factors associated with 30-day readmission among stroke patients. In particular, patients admitted to hospitals with higher quality stroke care showed lower readmission rates.
Tall building influence on city wind pattern
Authors: Almeida M. S. , Araújo A. D. , Almeida M. P.
Published: July 2018

The population growth in big urban centers generates the necessity for tall buildings. This phenomenon happens also in tourist regions where it is necessary to host many people. However, locations with high buildings interfere with the flow of the wind and can affect the comfort and safety of pedestrians at street level. Tall buildings barrier reduces the natural ventilation in regions far from the beach. This work presents the results concerning the effects created by tall buildings on Mucuripe beach, Fortaleza, Brazil. We performed numerical simulations to verify the wind interference with buildings in an area of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m2, using the OpenFOAM toolbox, to solve the Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations with the [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] turbulence model. The results showed how the obstacles alter the airflow. From them, one can identify the regions with reduced safety and pedestrian comfort, and also the weak wind zone created by the downstream of the constructions for the different wind directions that are locally observed.
High energy physics and cosmology at the unification frontier: Opportunities and challenges in the coming years
Authors: Nath Pran
Published: July 2018

We give here an overview of recent developments in high energy physics and cosmology and their interconnections that relate to unification, and discuss prospects for the future. Thus there are currently three empirical data that point to supersymmetry as an underlying symmetry of particle physics: the unification of gauge couplings within supersymmetry, the fact that nature respects the supersymmetry prediction that the Higgs boson mass lie below 130 GeV, and vacuum stability up to the Planck scale with a Higgs boson mass at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]125 GeV while the Standard Model does not do that. Coupled with the fact that supersymmetry solves the big hierarchy problem related to the quadratic divergence to the Higgs boson mass square along with the fact that there is no alternative paradigm that allows us to extrapolate physics from the electroweak scale to the grand unification scale consistent with experiment, supersymmetry remains a compelling framework for new physics beyond the Standard Model. The large loop correction to the Higgs boson mass in supersymmetry to lift the tree mass to the experimentally observable value, indicates a larger value of the scale of weak scale supersymmetry, making the observation of sparticles more challenging but still within reach at the LHC for the lightest ones. Recent analyses show that a high energy LHC (HE-LHC) operating at 27 TeV running at its optimal luminosity of [Formula: see text] can reduce the discovery period by several years relative to HL-LHC and significantly extend the reach in parameter space of models. In the coming years several experiments related to neutrino physics, searches for supersymmetry, on dark matter and dark energy will have direct impact on the unification frontier. Thus the discovery of sparticles will establish supersymmetry as a fundamental symmetry of nature and also lend direct support for strings. Further, discovery of sparticles associated with missing energy will constitute discovery of dark matter with LSP being the dark matter. On the cosmology front more accurate measurement of the equation of state, i.e. [Formula: see text], will shed light on the nature of dark energy. Specifically, [Formula: see text] will likely indicate the existence of a dynamical field, possibly quintessence, responsible for dark energy and [Formula: see text] would indicate an entirely new sector of physics. Further, more precise measurements of the ratio [Formula: see text] of tensor to scalar power spectrum, of the scalar and tensor spectral indices [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] and of non-Gaussianity will hopefully allow us to realize a Standard Model of inflation. These results will be a guide to further model building that incorporates unification of particle physics and cosmology.
EFFECT OF NITROGEN DOPING ON FRICTION AND WEAR PROPERTIES OF THICK TETRAHEDRAL AMORPHOUS CARBON COATING
Authors: RYU HOJUN , LEE WOO YOUNG , KIM JONGKUK , JANG YOUNG-JUN
Published: July 2018

In the present study, the coating was deposited by the filtered cathode vacuum arc (FCVA) plasma technique, and the effect of the nitrogen gas doping on the friction and wear performances of the thick layer of nitrogen-doped tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C:N) coating were investigated. The tribological behavior of the coating was investigated by sliding an SUJ2 ball over the coating in a ball-on-disk tribo-meter. The experimental results revealed that doping using a high nitrogen gas flow rate improved the wear resistance of the coating, while a low flow rate of 0–10 sccm increased the coefficient of friction (CoF) and wear rate dramatically decreased when the nitrogen flow rate was increased to 30–40 sccm. This was due to the nitrogen-induced phase transformation, resulting in the production of a graphite-like structure in the interface between disk and SUJ2 ball. The widths of the wear track and wear scar were also observed to decrease with increasing nitrogen flow rate. Moreover, the G-peaks of the wear scar around the SUJ2 ball on the worn surface increased with increasing nitrogen doping.
Broadband spectra translation between mid-infrared band and telecom band in a nonlinear silicon-based symmetric hybrid plasmonic waveguide
Authors: Li Xibin , Tu Zhihua , Jin Qiang , Gao Shiming , He Sailing
Published: July 2018

A symmetric hybrid plasmonic waveguide is designed to realize high-efficient conversion between mid-infrared (MIR) and telecom wavelength bands. The proposed hybrid plasmonic waveguide consists of an insulator–metal–insulator structure buried into a silicon ridge on silica substrate. By using geometry optimization, the dispersion of waveguide is optimized, leading to broadband (resulting in a 3-dB bandwidth of 1,919[Formula: see text]nm from 1.496[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m to 3.415[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m) and efficient (resulting in a peak conversion efficiency of [Formula: see text]18.9[Formula: see text]dB) four-wave mixing (FWM) in a 200-[Formula: see text]m-long waveguide pumped by a 1.725-[Formula: see text]m source of 0.5 W. This waveguide configuration shows its great potential in all-optical switching between MIR band and telecom band.
A construction by deformation of unitary irreducible representations of SU(1,n) and SU(n + 1)
Authors: Cahen Benjamin
Published: July 2018

We recover the holomorphic discrete series representations of [Formula: see text] as well as some unitary irreducible representations of [Formula: see text] by deformation of a minimal realization of [Formula: see text].
Entangled Mobility: Hui Migration, Religious Identity and Cultural Capital in Malaysia
Authors: WENG HEW WAI
Published: July 2018

In recent years, there is an increasing number of Hui migrants in Malaysia. This paper examines the accumulation of various forms of capital (cultural, social and economic) and the intersection of capitalization of “Chineseness” and “Muslimness” among overseas Hui. It begins with a discussion on the mobility capital — in which Hui Muslims enjoy relative freedom to move around in China and beyond China, compared to their Uyghur counterparts who have limited mobility. It is followed by analyzing how aspirations such as “cultural affinity,” “religious authenticity,” “educational mobility” and “business opportunity” drive contemporary Hui mobility to Malaysia. By describing the religious, cultural and business activities of Hui migrants, it explores how the accumulation and circulation of different forms of capital take place in mosques, in restaurants and on social media platforms. It proposes a concept of “entangled mobility” to examine the intersection between their cultural and religious identity, the interconnection between spatial and social mobility, the combination of religious and economic aspiration, as well as how their capital circulations are entangled with broader economic, social and political processes. However, instead of reifying cultural capital as given one, Hui migrants re-enact their cultural capital depending on the Malaysian contexts. Such enactment of cultural capital plays an important role in Hui mobility and enables them to navigate their life in multi-ethnic and multi-religious Malaysia.
How to teach computer ethics through science fiction
Authors: Burton Emanuelle , Goldsmith Judy , Mattei Nicholas
Published: July 2018

Science fiction in particular offers students a way to cultivate their capacity for moral imagination.
Automatic Data Augmentation from Massive Web Images for Deep Visual Recognition
Authors: Bai Yalong , Yang Kuiyuan , Mei Tao , Ma Wei-Ying , Zhao Tiejun
Published: July 2018

Large-scale image datasets and deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) are the two primary driving forces for the rapid progress in generic object recognition tasks in recent years. While lots of network architectures have been continuously designed to pursue lower error rates, few efforts are devoted to enlarging existing datasets due to high labeling costs and unfair comparison issues. In this article, we aim to achieve lower error rates by augmenting existing datasets in an automatic manner. Our method leverages both the web and DCNN, where the web provides massive images with rich contextual information, and DCNN replaces humans to automatically label images under the guidance of web contextual information. Experiments show that our method can automatically scale up existing datasets significantly from billions of web pages with high accuracy. The performance on object recognition tasks and transfer learning tasks have been significantly improved by using the automatically augmented datasets, which demonstrates that more supervisory information has been automatically gathered from the web. Both the dataset and models trained on the dataset have been made publicly available.
Algorithms behind modern storage systems
Authors: Petrov Alex
Published: July 2018

Different uses for read-optimized B-trees and write-optimized LSM-trees.
Properties and Design of Variable-to-Variable Length Codes
Authors: Kirchhoffer Heiner , Marpe Detlev , Schwarz Heiko , Wiegand Thomas
Published: July 2018

For the entropy coding of independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) binary sources, variable-to-variable length (V2V) codes are an interesting alternative to arithmetic coding. Such a V2V code translates variable length words of the source into variable length code words by employing two prefix-free codes. In this article, several properties of V2V codes are studied, and new concepts are developed. In particular, it is shown that the redundancy of a V2V code cannot be zero for a binary i.i.d. source {X} with 0 <

p
X

(1) < 0.5. Furthermore, the concept of prime and composite V2V codes is proposed, and it is shown why composite V2V codes can be disregarded in the search for particular classes of minimum redundancy codes. Moreover, a canonical representation for V2V codes is proposed, which identifies V2V codes that have the same average code length function. It is shown how these concepts can be employed to greatly reduce the complexity of a search for minimum redundancy (size-limited) V2V codes.
Estimating Collective Attention toward a Public Display
Authors: Narzt Wolfgang , Weichselbaum Otto , Pomberger Gustav , Hofmarcher Markus , Strauss Michael , Holzkorn Peter , Haring Roland , Sturm Monika
Published: July 2018

Enticing groups of passers-by to focused interaction with a public display requires the display system to take appropriate action that depends on how much attention the group is already paying to the display. In the design of such a system, we might want to present the content so that it indicates that a part of the group that is looking head-on at the display has already been registered and is addressed individually, whereas it simultaneously emits a strong audio signal that makes the inattentive rest of the group turn toward it. The challenge here is to define and delimit adequate mixed attention states for groups of people, allowing for classifying collective attention based on inhomogeneous variants of individual attention, i.e., where some group members might be highly attentive, others even interacting with the public display, and some unperceptive. In this article, we present a model for estimating collective human attention toward a public display and investigate technical methods for practical implementation that employs measurement of physical expressive features of people appearing within the display's field of view (i.e., the basis for deriving a person's attention). We delineate strengths and weaknesses and prove the potentials of our model by experimentally exerting influence on the attention of groups of passers-by in a public gaming scenario.
Animals teach robots to find their way
Authors: Edwards Chris
Published: July 2018

Navigation research demonstrates bio-machine symbiosis.
Electronics are leaving the plane
Authors: Monroe Don
Published: July 2018

Stacking chips and connecting them vertically increases both speed and functionality.
Designing sustainable rural infrastructure through the lens of OpenCellular
Authors: Ali Kashif , Heimerl Kurtis
Published: July 2018

Understanding the unique local context, as well as technical considerations, are essential components of successful project deployment.
Providing equitable access to computing education
Authors: Guzdial Mark , Bruckman Amy
Published: July 2018

Seeking the best measures to reach advantaged and less-advantaged students equally.
Synchronous Signals
Authors: Moore Brad
Published: July 2018

In Ada 2012, the language expanded its support for concurrency with the addition of the Synchronous Barriers library package to the Real-Time Systems annex[1]. This package provides a mechanism to synchronize a group of tasks after the number of blocked tasks reaches a specified count value. One use for this feature is to interleave sequential processing with concurrent or parallel processing. For this usage, two syncrhonous barrier objects can be utilized where one barrier manages the transition from parallel to sequential code, and the other barrier manages the transition back from sequential to parallel code. In general, performance can be improved by minimizing the amount of synchronization in an application. The more that threads of execution can proceed independentally without interference with other threads, the more likely that the available CPUs can focus on completing the independent tasks rather than spending time synchronizing with the other threads. A Synchronous Signal is a synchronization primitive that provides a similar abstraction as a Synchronous Barrier, except it can reduce the amount of synchronization needed by a factor of two. In addition, only one object is needed, to manage both transitions instead of two. In this paper, the abstraction is explored and an interface to use the abstraction is presented. Two forms of the abstraction are considered; a blocking form and a non-blocking form, and the performance measurements are reported and compared against Synchronous Barriers usage. Finally, these examples are also compared and considered for use in a Ravenscar environment.
Proposal for a new Ada profile for small microcontrollers
Authors: Aldea-Rivas Mario , Pérez-Tijero Héctor
Published: July 2018

This paper presents a proposal for a new Ada profile targeted to microcontrollers with tight memory constraints. The profile has the same restrictions that the Ravenscar profile but includes a new scheduling policy based on the "one-shot task" model that allows stack sharing techniques to be applied to Ada tasks. A preliminary implementation based on a small kernel, a modified run-time system and an automatic code generation tool has been developed. The initial tests bring promising results, showing the profile is functionally correct and has a small memory footprint.
Ravenscar Support for Time-Triggered Scheduling
Authors: Real Jorge , Sáez Sergio , Crespo Alfons
Published: July 2018

This position paper follows from a previous proposal to integrate a time-triggered scheduler in a priority- based, preemptive scheduler such as that supported by Ada's task dispatching policy FIFO Within Priorities . The resulting combined scheduling carries the advantages of both time-triggered and priority-based scheduling, and helps mitigating their drawbacks. The paper presents a system model for the time-triggered subsystem that extends the original proposal, and describes a Ravenscar implementation of the scheduler at the run-time system level, in the form of a new package Ada.Dispatching.TTS. Multiple programming patterns can be implemented on top of this scheduler. With respect to the previously proposed full-Ada implementation, only patterns that implied the use of asynchronous transfer of control have been excluded. On the other hand, the extension of the original model enables new patterns, not supported in our previous proposal, using the new types of continuation and optional slots. We hold that bringing the time-triggered paradigm to Ravenscar is both feasible and convenient for the High-Integrity and Embedded application domains.
Session Summary
Authors: Vardanega Tullio , Andy Wellings Andy
Published: July 2018

This position paper follows from a previous proposal to integrate a time-triggered scheduler in a priority- based, preemptive scheduler such as that supported by Ada's task dispatching policy FIFO Within Priorities . The resulting combined scheduling carries the advantages of both time-triggered and priority-based scheduling, and helps mitigating their drawbacks. The paper presents a system model for the time-triggered subsystem that extends the original proposal, and describes a Ravenscar implementation of the scheduler at the run-time system level, in the form of a new package Ada.Dispatching.TTS. Multiple programming patterns can be implemented on top of this scheduler. With respect to the previously proposed full-Ada implementation, only patterns that implied the use of asynchronous transfer of control have been excluded. On the other hand, the extension of the original model enables new patterns, not supported in our previous proposal, using the new types of continuation and optional slots. We hold that bringing the time-triggered paradigm to Ravenscar is both feasible and convenient for the High-Integrity and Embedded application domains.
The Intention to Use Mobile Student Portal: A Mobile Human Computer Interaction Study in a University Context in Egypt
Authors: El Said Ghada Refaat
Published: July 2018

Mobile devices are increasingly being used as platforms for interactive services. However, factors affecting adoption of mobile services in some specific contexts, such as student portals, are still underresearched. This paper reports thematic analyses of semistructured interviews conducted with 52 undergraduate users of mobile student portal in a developing country. The results uncover design features affecting the use of mobile student portals, such as (1) Content Sharing, comprising an Integrative Design to share posts from the mobile portal to social media, (2) Personalized Content and Notification, for personalized notification based on student’s academic status, (3) Location-Aware notification, providing location-based updates, (4) User Control, allowing to choose content formats and details level, and (5) Context Switching and Interrupted Behavior, leading to the need for displaying content in small, meaningful chunks to help pick up after interruptions of messages and calls. The findings suggest design recommendations for mobile student portal, in specific.
Team Resilience in Complex and Turbulent Environments: The Effect of Size and Density of Social Interactions
Authors: Giannoccaro Ilaria , Massari Giovanni F. , Carbone Giuseppe
Published: July 2018

How are teams able to cope with environmental threats? Why are some teams better than others in facing this challenge? This paper addresses these questions by investigating two drivers of team resilience: the team size and the density of social interactions among team members. We adopt a complex system approach and employ a model of team decision‐making where collective dynamics of team members are governed by a continuous‐time Markov process. The model simulates team performance in complex and turbulent environments. It is used to measure the resilient ability of team to quickly adapt to disturbance and secure a new more desirable condition. Scenarios characterized by increasing levels of complexity and turbulence are simulated, and the resilience performance is calculated and compared. Results show that the team size negatively affects the team resilience, whilst the density of social interactions plays a positive influence, especially at a high level of complexity. We also find that both the magnitude and the frequency of disturbance moderate the relationship between team size/density and the team resilience.
Using Smart Card Data Trimmed by Train Schedule to Analyze Metro Passenger Route Choice with Synchronous Clustering
Authors: Li Wei , Luo Qin , Cai Qing , Zhang Xiongfei
Published: July 2018

The metro passenger route choice, influenced by both train schedule and time constraints, is important to metro operation and management. Smart card data (Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) data in metro system) including inbound and outbound swiping time are useful for analysis of the characteristics of passengers’ route choices in metro while they could not reflect the property of train schedule directly. Train schedule is used in this paper to trim smart card data through removing inbound and outbound walking time to/from platforms and waiting time. Thus, passengers’ pure travel time in accord with trains’ arrival and departure can be obtained. Synchronous clustering (SynC) algorithm is then applied to analyze these processed data to calculate passenger route choice probability. Finally, a case study was conducted to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. Results showed the proposed algorithm works well to analyze metro passenger route choice. It was shown that passenger route choice during both peak period and flat period could be clustered automatically, and noise data are isolated. The probability of route choice calculated through SynC algorithm can be used to revise traditional model results.
Study on the Magnitude of Reservoir‐Triggered Earthquake Based on Support Vector Machines
Authors: Wei Hai , Wang Mingming , Song Bingyue , Wang Xin , Chen Danlei
Published: July 2018

An effective approach is introduced to predict the magnitude of reservoir‐triggered earthquake (RTE), based on support vector machines (SVM) and fuzzy support vector machines (FSVM) methods. The main influence factors on RTE, including lithology, rock mass integrity, fault features, tectonic stress state, and seismic activity background in reservoir area, are categorized into 11 parameters and quantified by using analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Dataset on 100 reservoirs in China, including the 48 well‐documented cases of RTE, are collected and used to train and validate the prediction models established with SVM and FSVM, respectively. Through numerical tests, it is found that both the SVM and FSVM models are effective in the prediction of the magnitude of RTE with high accuracy, provided that sufficient samples are collected. While the results of FSVM which is extended from SVM by introducing a fuzzy membership to reduce the influence of noises or outliers are found to be slightly less accurate than those of SVM in the current analysis of RTE cases. The reason might be attributed to the high discreteness of the sample data in the current study.
Magnetostrictive Bioinspired Whisker Sensor Based on Galfenol Composite Cantilever Beam Realizing Bidirectional Tactile Perception
Authors: Zhao Ran , Lu Qan-guo , Cao Qinghua
Published: July 2018

A magnetostrictive bioinspired whisker sensor based on a galfenol/beryllium-bronze/galfenol composite cantilever beam was developed in this work. According to the new design concept, the proposed whisker can output positive and negative voltages under different bending directions. Besides, the proposed whisker sensor can realize the bidirectional distance and microforce perception. Using the classical beam theory, a theoretical model was used to predict the output performance of the whisker. An experimental system was established to test the whisker’s output performance. In the experiment, the designed whisker, compared with a traditional unimorph whisker, displayed an output voltage range of −240 to 240 mV. The parameters were as follows: the distance was 0–22 mm, with the microforce sensing range of 9.8–2744 mN, the average distance was 10.90 mm/mV, and the force sensitivity was 11.4 mN/mV. At last, obstacle perception was applied. The experiment showed that the proposed whisker sensor can realize the bidirection tactile perception in one-dimensional space. The work expands the function of the magnetostrictive bioinspired whisker, acquiring the multi-information for single-sensor system.
Exponential Synchronization of Neural Networks via Feedback Control in Complex Environment
Authors: Lv Xiaoxiao , Li Xiaodi , Cao Jinde , Duan Peiyong
Published: July 2018

The problem of exponential synchronization for neural networks is investigated via feedback control in complex environment. By constructing suitable Lyapunov‐Krasovskii functionals and applying the piecewise analytic method, some sufficient criteria for exponential synchronization of the addressed neural networks are established in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The feedback control in complex environment includes the delayed aperiodically intermittent control and dynamic output feedback control. Moreover, the delayed aperiodically intermittent dynamic output feedback controller is designed based on the established LMIs. A numerical example and its numerical simulations are finally presented to show the effectiveness of obtained theoretical results.
Facile Synthesis of Mesoporous Graphene Materials from Potassium Humate for Supercapacitor Electrodes
Authors: Huang Guangxu , Geng Qianhao , Kang Weiwei , Liu Yingbin , Duan Bin , Zhang Chuanxiang
Published: July 2018

Mesoporous graphene materials (MG-X) were prepared from potassium humate coupled with magnesium acetate. The freeze-drying pretreatment and MgO particles not only prevent the agglomeration of graphene sheets and form mesopores but also help to reduce the oxygen content and enlarge the sp2 carbon domain of MG-X. MG-X possess optimized characteristics including large specific surface area (>1100 m2·g−1), high mesoporosity (~90%), and low oxygen content (~7%). When used as supercapacitor electrodes, MG-X demonstrate optimal electrochemical performances among all materials prepared here, such as high gravimetric capacitance (150 F·g−1 at high current density of 3.3 A·g−1) and enhanced rate capability with the capacitance retention of ~80% from 0.041 to 3.3 A·g−1. Moreover, MG-5 exhibits good cycling stability with a capacitance retention of 98.6% after 1000 cycles at 2.46 A·g−1. This work provides a facile and efficient preparation method for mesoporous graphene materials used as supercapacitor electrodes.
Study of the Corrosion Characteristics of Tunnel Fissures in a Karst Area in Southwest China
Authors: Zhao Yanjie , Wang Fugang , Li Cangsong , Cao Yuqing , Tian Hailong
Published: July 2018

The development of the fissures in soluble rock of karst areas directly affects the construction and operation safety of tunnel engineering. It is thus of theoretical and practical significance to study the characteristics of its corrosion and its influencing factors. Taking the Wulong tunnel as the research object, the numerical model of the study area was established to quantitatively analyze the corrosion range, corrosion ratio, and changes in the permeability and porosity of the fissures in soluble rock of karst areas of the tunnel over the past 100 years, and the simulation results were verified by field experiments. The results show that the main controlling factor of the fissure corrosion of the tunnel in the karst area is the flow rate. The corrosion range and corrosion ratio of the fissures of the tunnels in the karst area increased with temperature because the reaction rate constant increased with temperature, causing the reactions’ equilibrium to move towards the direction of the solution. The larger the initial permeability and the larger the porosity of the fissures, the faster the fissures corrode. In the same time period, the fissures with high permeability and large porosity will lead to the permeability and porosity being more enhanced, thus causing the corrosion of the fissures to exhibit secondary enhancement effects. The opening of the dead-end pores greatly enhanced the permeability and slightly increased the porosity, which caused the differential corrosion of fissures in the karst area. The protection of the tunnel should be strengthened, mainly in strong hydrodynamic conditions and in the fracture development zone.
Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Exert Diverse Effects on Different Macrophage Subsets
Authors: Chen Bin , Ni Yanhong , Liu Jiaying , Zhang Yangheng , Yan Fuhua
Published: July 2018

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their secreted molecules have shown great potential for tissue regeneration and the treatment of inflammation and autoimmune diseases. However, they can also be associated with therapeutic failure or even side effects. Possible causes for this could include the state of the stem cells themselves and the influence of the local microenvironment, wherein macrophages play important roles. As such, we utilized conditioned medium from bone marrow-derived MSCs (MSC-CM) and studied its effect on different macrophage subsets. Effects on macrophage proliferation, apoptosis, polarization, and phagocytosis were determined, and it was discovered that MSC-CM had no significant effect on macrophage proliferation but inhibited M0 macrophage apoptosis and marginally induced M1 macrophage apoptosis. MSC-CM was shown to reduce CD80 expression on the surface of M1 macrophages. Moreover, it promoted and inhibited CD163 expression on the surface of M0 and M1 macrophages, respectively. However, MSC-CM tended to initially promote CD163 expression on M2 macrophages but inhibited expression of this marker after additional incubation time. Unlike MSCs, MSC-CM had no significant effect on the expression of TNF-α and IL-10 in macrophages. Thus, the effect of MSC-CM on different types of macrophages is different, and after stem cells are implanted, their effects on the local immune microenvironment are closely related to the original immune status of the implantation site. Therefore, we suggest that when utilizing stem cells for therapeutics, the immune status of the treatment site should be fully elucidated.
Discordance in Couples Pregnancy Intentions and Breastfeeding Duration: Results from the National Survey of Family Growth 2011–2013
Authors: Wallenborn Jordyn T. , Chambers Gregory , Lowery Elizabeth P. , Masho Saba W.
Published: July 2018

Background. Parental disagreement in pregnancy intention elevates the risk of adverse health events for mother and child. However, research surrounding parental pregnancy intention discrepancies and breastfeeding duration is limited. This study aims to examine the relationship between couple’s discordant pregnancy intention and breastfeeding duration.Methods. Data from the 2011–2013 National Survey of Family Growth was analyzed. Parental pregnancy intention was categorized as “intended by both parents,” “unintended by both parents,” “father intended and mother unintended,” and “father unintended and mother intended.” Breastfeeding duration was categorized as “never breastfed,” “breastfed less than six months,” and “breastfed at least six months.” Multinomial logistic regression, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated.Results. Couples with a concordant unintended pregnancy were more likely to have a child who was never breastfed or breastfed less than six months compared to couples with a concordant intended pregnancy. Similarly, couples with a discordant pregnancy were more likely to have a child who was never breastfed or breastfed less than six months.Conclusions. Findings from this study show a relationship between couples’ pregnancy intentions and subsequent breastfeeding behaviors. Healthcare professionals should be cognizant of parents’ differing opinions surrounding pregnancy intention and the implications on breastfeeding outcomes.