bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Portable Spark-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopic (SIBS) Instrument and its Analytical Performance
Authors: Doh Iyll-Joon , Gondhalekar Carmen , Patsekin Valery , Rajwa Bartek , Hernandez Keegan , Bae Euiwon , Paul Robinson J.
Published: April 2019

A compact spark-induced plasma spectroscopic device was developed to detect elements used in a variety of applications. The system consists of a spark generator connected to tungsten electrodes, a custom-built delay generator, and two spectrometers that together cover the ultraviolet visible (UV–Vis) range (214–631 nm). The system was evaluated by qualitatively and quantitatively sampling copper standards. Prominent spectral peaks were identified using the NIST database for atomic emissions. The effectiveness of the proposed system was also tested with a lanthanide sample (gadolinium) and provided qualitative identification of the characteristic peaks. A semi-quantitative measurement for silicon and gold was performed using variable amounts of each particulate. Silica microbeads in solution were applied to paper wafers, while gold nanoparticles were sputter-coated onto silicon wafers. Results showed a positive correlation between the intensity of the signal and the concentration of each type of particulate. The variation of signal intensity was investigated to determine the repeatability, and the coefficient of variation was lowered from 60% to 25% after averaging measurements of multiple ablations per observation.
Quantitation of Oxcarbazepine Clinically in Plasma Using Surfaced-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) Coupled with Chemometrics
Authors: Liu Manhua , Wang Yangyang , Jiang Yueping , Liu Haitao , Chen Jingjing , Liu Shao
Published: April 2019

Nondestructive, sensitive, near-real-time quantitative analysis approaches are gaining popularity and attention, especially in clinical diagnosis and detection. There is a need to propose an alternative scheme using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) assisted by chemometrics to improve some defects existing using other analytical instruments to meet clinical demands. In this study, clinical drug oxcarbazepine (OXC) in human blood plasma has been quantified and detected using this method. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) modeling was employed to assess the relationship between full SERS spectral data and OXC concentration. The calibration set's correlation coefficient of the model is > 0.9, the result suggests that this method is favorable and feasible. Furthermore, other multivariate calibration algorithms like Monte Carlo cross-validation (MCCV) sample set partitioning based on joint XY distances (SPXY), adaptive iteratively reweighted penalized least squares (AIR–PLS), moving window partial least squares regression (MWPLS), and leave-one-out cross-validation were used to handle these spectral data to obtain an accurate predictive model. The results achieved in this study provide a possibility and availability for us to apply SERS in combination with chemometrics to diagnosis detection.
Boredom and meaningful activity in adults experiencing homelessness: A mixed-methods study
Authors: Marshall Carrie Anne , Davidson Lisa , Li Andrea , Gewurtz Rebecca , Roy Laurence , Barbic Skye , Kirsh Bonnie , Lysaght Rosemary
Published: April 2019

Background.

Boredom has been reported as a frequent problem experienced by homeless persons, with implications for mental and social well-being.

Purpose.

This study aimed to explore the nature and impact of boredom in the lives of homeless and formerly homeless persons.

Method.

A mixed-methods design was used to engage 13 participants in a structured 92-item quantitative interview using six standardized measures, followed by a semistructured qualitative interview. Correlational analyses were performed with the data compiled from the quantitative interviews, and grounded theory strategies were used to analyze our qualitative data. The two analyses were integrated at the stage of interpretation.

Findings.

Boredom was described as a profound and pervasive experience for homeless persons, imposing deleterious impacts on mental well-being and driving substance use. A strong positive correlation between meaningful activity and mental well-being ( r s = .767, p <. 01) and a strong negative correlation between boredom and belonging in one’s community ( r s = –.771, p < .01) were identified.

Implications.

Boredom is a critical topic of study for occupational therapy in the area of homelessness. Future research is needed to design and test interventions to optimize the mental well-being, participation, and social connectedness of this population.
Editors’ Reflections on the Crown Jewel of the Society of Counseling Psychology: 1969–2019
Authors: Buki Lydia P. , Whiteley John M. , Heppner P. Paul , Carter Robert T. , Fouad Nadya A. , Lang Samantha F. , Weiterschan Kari A.
Published: April 2019

The living editors of The Counseling Psychologist provide reflections on their editorial terms to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Journal. They recall their vision for the Journal and include noteworthy accomplishments and changes during their terms. Two members of The Counseling Psychologist’s 50th Anniversary Committee provided retrospective accounts for editors Fretz and Stone.
The Past and the Future of The Counseling Psychologist
Authors: Kim Bryan S. K.
Published: April 2019

In this article, I describe the development of The Counseling Psychologist since its founding in 1969 and the ways in which counseling psychologists can further promote the future growth of TCP. Also, in an attempt to forecast the future articles published in TCP, I conducted an exploratory content analysis of the Major Contributions published between 1969 and 2018 and a Delphi poll with expert counseling psychologists and I describe the results in this article.
Research and application of weak fault diagnosis method based on asymmetric potential stochastic resonance
Authors: Li Zhixing , Shi Boqiang , Ren Xueping , Zhu Wenyan
Published: April 2019

Because fault characteristics are often difficult to extract from a strong noise background, it is essential for mechanical fault diagnosis to extract a weak characteristic signal with a very small signal-to-noise ratio from a noisy interference. Therefore, this paper proposes a new method for diagnosing weak faults in asymmetric potential stochastic resonance. Compared with the existing methods, the asymmetric potential stochastic resonance method not only has characteristics common to the symmetric potential stochastic resonance, but can also change the inclination of the barrier and slope of the wall to obtain a better model structure. The proposed method solves the local adjustment problem of the existing method from the perspective of potential structure and optimizes the asymmetric system shape to better target frequency detection during much interference from noise. After simulation, a bearing failure test, and rolling mill gearbox bearing failure experiments, we concluded that the asymmetric potential stochastic resonance detection technology can effectively identify faults. Compared with the symmetric potential stochastic resonance method, the proposed method has better recognition.
Multi-response optimization of dry sliding wear parameters of AA6026 using hybrid gray relational analysis coupled with response surface method
Authors: Gajalakshmi K , Senthilkumar N , Prabu B
Published: April 2019

Experimental study on dry sliding wear properties of aluminum alloy 6026 were performed utilizing pin-on-disk wear testing machine, considering the wear parameters like the applied load on the pin and the rotational and track diameter of disk. Wear of the pin, coefficient of friction and frictional force were observed during the test procedure for analysis. The experimental trials were designed by L16 Orthogonal Array based on Taguchi’s design of experiments and a hybrid approach of gray relational analysis combined with response surface methodology was applied for optimizing the output responses. The optimum conditions obtained for lower wear, coefficient of friction and frictional force were 35.21 N load, 376 r/min speed of disk and 111.53 mm disk track diameter, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy image of specimens taken after testing shows that abrasive wear mechanism is the predominant mechanism of wear. Experiment of confirmation with optimum conditions shows that the result was nearer to the predicted results.
Oju and Inu: Solidarity in the Informal Market Space in Ibadan, Nigeria
Authors: Omobowale Mofeyisara Oluwatoyin , Omobowale Ayokunle Olumuyiwa
Published: April 2019

Informal markets provide employment for a large spectrum of Nigerians. These markets provide access to livelihood for those willing to work within the market environment and operate within its rules. A major normative value, which also spells out the ethics in the informal market space, is solidarity-in-completion. Indeed, traders are in competition, but they also solidarize for individual and market progress. This article examines the context of solidarity in informal markets in Ibadan, Nigeria. The study was guided by the Asuwada theory of sociation, which explains the context of solidarity as ethical in traditional societies. Qualitative data were collected through 12 key informant interviews, 60 in-depth interviews, six focus group discussion sessions, and 12 case studies. Access to space and retention of such space in the market is structured by the local contexts of oju and inu relations that determine and contextualize solidarity, and normative solidarity regulates competition among traders.
Naming Black Studies: Results From a Faculty Opinion Survey
Authors: Kopkin Nolan , Winkler Erin N.
Published: April 2019

The ongoing debate about nomenclature has been part of the discourse in Black Studies since the late 1960s, yet there remains no consensus on an ideal name. The existing literature ties specific name choices to political, ideological, and paradigmatic approach; regional focus; and/or institutional and market pressure. In this study, we augment the literature with survey data on the opinions of Black Studies scholars. Our findings show “Africana Studies” is most often chosen as the ideal name, followed by “Black Studies,” “African Diaspora Studies,” “African American Studies” and “Pan-African Studies,” “Africology,” and “African Studies,” and that trends for positive and negative connotations follow a somewhat similar pattern. Just as the literature ties specific name choices to political, ideological, and paradigmatic approach; regional focus; and/or institutional and market pressure, so too do our respondents. It is our hope these results add to the ongoing scholarly discussion around nomenclature in Black Studies.
Morphology control of extruded polystyrene foams with benzene-trisamide-based nucleating agents
Authors: Aksit M , Klose B , Zhao C , Kreger K , Schmidt H-W , Altstädt V
Published: April 2019

Polystyrene is a low-priced, amorphous polymer, showing excellent foaming behavior. Polystyrene foams are widely used in a variety of applications including insulation panels for building and construction. In this context, foam morphology plays a significant role to tune the macroscopic properties of the foams and research focusses on the fabrication of foams with homogenous morphology and an average cell size distinctly below 100 µm at densities lower than 100 kg/m³. Here, we demonstrate how 1,3,5-benzene-trisamides can be used as supramolecular foam nucleating agents to control the morphology of extruded amorphous polystyrene foams. Depending on the concentration and the processing temperature, benzene-trisamides can be homogeneously dissolved in the polystyrene melt. Upon cooling, the benzene-trisamides self-assemble into finely dispersed, solid supramolecular nano-objects, which subsequently act as nucleating sites for foam cell formation. Various concentrations of the benzene-trisamide-based additive were selected to systematically study the influence of the morphology of the extruded polystyrene foams. In the same way, neat polystyrene foams were produced as a reference. We found that for extruded polystyrene foams with 0.2 wt% of additive, the cell sizes were significantly reduced by a factor of 35 from 632 to 18 µm compared to those of a neat extruded polystyrene reference foam.
Medical Trainees’ Experiences With Dying and Death
Authors: Jedlicska Nana , Srnová Dagmara , Scheide Laura , Wijnen-Meijer Marjo , Gartmeier Martin , Berberat Pascal O.
Published: April 2019

This study investigates medical trainees’ experiences with dying and death, by means of semistructured interviews. Nine medical students and nine residents reported a total of 114 experiences. The great majority of these experiences took place during the final year of medical school. The authors identified the latent characteristics, which illustrate an in-depth understanding of the significance of the described experiences. Three main themes emerged: circumstances of death, personal relationship, and one’s own role. The age of the dying person, the extent of suffering, time frame and setting, and the patients’ behaviors were factors that influence the perceptions of the experiences. The interviewees reported powerful emotional consternation by the patients’ deaths with whom they had developed a close relationship. Failure, helplessness, and guilt were negatively associated perceptions of one’s own role. This study illustrates the tension between emotional concern and professional detachment. It highlights the continuing existence of a physician image, in which control represents the key issue.
Crowd-Sourced Equity Funding in Australia — A Critical Appraisal
Authors: Kamalnath Akshaya , Lin Nuannuan
Published: April 2019

This article reviews the equity crowdfunding law and practice in Australia. It argues that a light regulatory approach for issuers and investors is required to ensure that crowd-sourced equity funding (CSEF) is attractive enough to both investors and issuers. At the same time, it argues that regulation focused on preventing and detecting fraud is essential for CSEF to be successful. The article therefore recommends that caps on the amount each investor can invest are not desirable and, instead, suggests other means of safeguarding against fraud, like the use of whistleblower programs, investor education and reliable dispute resolution mechanisms, in addition to what the legislation provides.
God Concept, God Image, and Religious Orientation in Same-Gender Attracted Christians
Authors: Colpitts David , Yarhouse Mark A.
Published: April 2019

Same-gender attracted Christians can arrive at very different conclusions as to how to live in congruence with their religious values. In an attempt to understand what might contribute to this difference a quantitative examination of God concept (rational knowledge of God), God image (experiential knowledge of God), and the role of religion was conducted. A total of 156 gay-affirming and 59 traditional-believing same-gender attracted (SGA) Christians completed an online God adjective checklist and intrinsic/extrinsic religiosity questionnaire. Results indicated that within both populations there was a statistically significant difference between God concept and God image. A statistically significant difference was also found between the two groups in both God concept and God image. Traditional-believing SGA Christians reported a God concept and God image that was significantly more wrathful than their gay-affirming counterparts. Results also indicated that traditional-believing SGA Christians were significantly more intrinsically religiously oriented than were the gay-affirming participants. Together these findings suggest that there are significant differences between the way traditional-believing and gay-affirming SGA Christians understand and experience both God and religion.
Automatic ROI Placement in the Upper Trapezius Muscle in B-mode Ultrasound Images
Authors: Behr Michael , McNabb Evan , Noseworthy Michael , Sidkar Siddhartha , Kumbhare Dinesh
Published: April 2019

Research involving B-mode ultrasound imaging often requires user defined regions of interest (ROIs) for analysis, traditionally drawn/selected by a trained operator. This manual process is incredibly time consuming and subjective. Here, we propose a fast and simple method of detecting the average location of aponeurosis layers in ultrasound images of the upper trapezius to place a rectangular ROI for quantitative image analysis. A total of 56 B-mode ultrasound images were analyzed, where rectangular ROIs were manually placed in the skeletal muscle by two trained operators. Interoperator agreement was determined between the ROI border locations using intercorrelation coefficient (ICC). Next, our automatic algorithm was applied (image thresholding, binary masking, and pixel intensity peak detection), estimating the mean position of both aponeurosis layers for rectangular ROI placement. The automatic estimation method was compared with the manual (visual) method by various statistics ( t test, linear correlation, Bland-Altman plot). The performance was also evaluated under additive noise conditions (Speckle). Finally, agreement of the overlapping ROI area between the manual and automatic methods was also computed. Performance of the automatic method compared with manual placement was excellent for both the superficial and deep ROI borders, performing consistently even with additive noise (error <0.674 ± 1.69 mm). Manual measurements indicated excellent consensus (ICC = 0.902) between operators. The overlapping area between the manual and automatic measurements demonstrated good agreement (90.65 ± 11.3%). With constraints, our method is robust even under large levels of noise addition making the automatic algorithm an acceptable replacement for manual ROI placement in the upper trapezius.
Locating Richard II in contemporary Athens
Authors: Mitsi Efterpi
Published: April 2019

In Act 2 Scene 2 of Richard II, Bushy advises the Queen against ‘looking awry’ upon the King’s departure, comparing her gaze first to a perspective glass and then to a perspective picture that appears distorted unless viewed at an angle. I rely on this metaphor of anamorphosis to examine two recent productions of Richard II in Athens, both of which ‘distort’ the text and situate it in a bleak context. Viewed from the angle of the current political discontent, the 2014 and 2016 adaptations, directed by Elli Papakonstantinou and Efi Birba respectively, assume distinct meaning for the Athenian audience.
Ophelia’s terror: Anatomising the figure of the female suicide bomber in The Al-Hamlet Summit
Authors: Walkling Saffron Vickers
Published: April 2019

2002: three months, three Palestinian women, three bombs. That same year, Sulayman Al-Bassam premiered The Al-Hamlet Summit, his political appropriation of Hamlet, Mahmoud Darwish’s Palestinian poetry, and Heiner Müller’s Hamletmachine, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Mapping the politics of anger and despair onto Shakespeare’s play, he suggests that terrorism from Palestine to the United States is rooted in colonialism and Western military interventions in the Middle East. Hamlet is a jihadist, Horatio becomes a British Arms Dealer and Ophelia, a suicide bomber. This article explores the politics of representation in the body of Ophelia, who is anatomised as she detonates herself under the palace orange trees.
Cytoplasmic Vacuolation and Tapetal Changes Induced by a Novel Analgesic Agent in Beagle Dogs
Authors: Takahashi Kei , Morita Yasuhiro , Udagawa Shuji , Yamakawa Seiki , Watanabe Dai , Mutsuga Mayu , Nakajima Mayumi , Kohno Makoto , Miyamoto Yohei , Oshida Keiyu
Published: April 2019

Drug-induced unique cytoplasmic vacuolation was found in the subchronic oral toxicity study of 4-dimethylamino-1-{3-(1-methyl-1H-imidazole-2-yl)propanoyl}piperidine (DMIP), a potential therapeutic agent for neuropathic pain, in beagle dogs. In the first study, DMIP was administered at a dose of 250, 500, or 1,000 mg/kg/day once daily for 14 days. Discoloration of tapetum lucidum accompanied by tapetal swelling was observed at ≥250 mg/kg/day. The tapetal swelling was correlated to the light microscopic observation of cytoplasmic vacuolation in tapetal cells, and similar vacuolation was observed in several other tissues, including the coronary artery and aortal arch, in a dose-dependent manner. Immunohistochemistry for lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2 indicated that the vacuoles were enlarged lysosomes. However, the nature of these vacuoles was different from that of phospholipidosis because no lamellar bodies were observed. In the second study, DMIP was administered at a dose of 10, 50, or 250 mg/kg/day once daily for 14 days followed by a 14-day recovery period. Tapetal changes and systemic vacuolation were not observed at ≤50 mg/kg/day, and vacuolation observed at 250 mg/kg/day was reversible. A few reports have described the enlargement of lysosomes not attributable to phospholipid accumulation. Our findings provide further information about the toxicological implications of drug-induced lysosomal swelling.
No Evidence of Neurogenesis in Adult Rat Sympathetic Ganglia Following Guanethidine-Induced Neuronal Loss
Authors: Walters Karen M. , Boucher Magalie , Boucher Germaine G. , Opsahl Alan C. , Mouton Peter R. , Liu Chang-Ning , Ritenour Casey R. , Kawabe Thomas T. , Pryski Hayley N. , Somps Christopher J.
Published: April 2019

The potential for neurogenesis in the cranial (superior) cervical ganglia (SCG) of the sympathetic nervous system was evaluated. Eleven consecutive daily doses of guanethidine (100 mg/kg/d) were administered intraperitoneally to rats in order to destroy postganglionic sympathetic neurons in SCG. Following the last dose, animals were allowed to recover 1, 3, or 6 months. Right and left SCG from guanethidine-treated and age-matched, vehicle-treated control rats were harvested for histopathologic, morphometric, and stereologic evaluations. Both morphometric and stereologic evaluations confirmed neuron loss following guanethidine treatment. Morphometric analysis revealed a 50% to 60% lower number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons per unit area of SCG at both 3 and 6 months of recovery, compared to ganglia of age-matched controls, with no evidence of restoration of neuron density between 3 and 6 months. Reductions in TH-positive neurons following guanethidine treatment were corroborated by unbiased stereology of total hematoxylin and eosin-stained neuron numbers in SCG. Stereologic analyses revealed that total neuron counts were lower by 37% at 3 months of recovery when compared to age-matched vehicle controls, again with no obvious restoration between 3 and 6 months. Thus, no evidence was found that postganglionic neurons of the sympathetic nervous system in the adult rat have a neurogenic capacity.
Efficacy of HRCT Imaging vs SPECT/CT Scans in the Staging of Malignant External Otitis
Authors: Balakrishnan Ramaswamy , Dalakoti Pooja , Nayak Dipak Ranjan , Pujary Kailesh , Singh Rohit , Kumar Rajesh
Published: April 2019

Objective

The prognosis of patients with malignant external otitis (MEO) depends on the extent of the inflammatory changes in the temporal bone and skull base. The efficacy of high‐resolution computed tomography (HRCT) imaging in accurately assessing the extent of disease is compared with that of single‐photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) scan.

Study Design

A clinical chart review was conducted with medical records and radiologic images.

Setting

Tertiary care medical college hospital.

Subjects and Methods

This study involved patients with clinically diagnosed MEO who underwent both modalities of imaging of the skull base. Staging of the disease extent was compared between the imaging systems among patients. Symptom control and survival rates were analyzed with respect to the SPECT/CT staging of MEO.

Results

Out of 28 patients included in this study, 72% had SPECT/CT scans showing higher staging than the HRCT imaging. Four patients had mild uptake (stage 1), and 15 had disease confined to the mastoid/temporal bone, not reaching midline (stage 2). All patients in stages 1 and 2 were surviving with good symptom control. Five patients with petrous involvement reaching midline (stage 3) had persistent symptoms, and all 4 cases with SPECT/CT showing sphenoid involvement and crossing midline (stage 4) died within a year of diagnosis.

Conclusions

SPECT/CT scan is more sensitive than HRCT imaging in detecting the extent of disease and is a better prognosticator for patients with MEO.
Closure of Tracheoesophageal Puncture after Total Laryngectomy
Authors: Riva Giuseppe , Dagna Federico , Ricci Eugenia , Cavalot Andrea Luigi
Published: April 2019

Tracheoesophageal puncture with voice prosthesis placement is used to restore vocal function after total laryngectomy. However, closure of the fistula is sometimes needed. At our department, a simple and effective technique for closure was developed. It does not require interposed tissues or materials. Moreover, our procedure allows for a short rehabilitation time for swallowing and a short hospitalization. We describe advantages, pitfalls, and errors to avoid. This technique should not be performed for patients who are irradiated and those with large fistulas.
Exploring the influence of body awareness on instrumental sound
Authors: Dora Claudia , Conforti Simone , Güsewell Angelika
Published: April 2019

Results from recent research have demonstrated positive effects of somatic approaches, such as the Feldenkrais Method, somaesthetics, and body mapping in the field of music. However, the direct impact of such approaches on instrumental sound has not been studied so far. The present pilot study was thus designed to investigate the influence of non-judgmental body awareness on the sound of high string instruments. Eleven students of the music universities of Neuchâtel and Lausanne were requested to sense specific parts of their body while playing one long note. The analysis of audio recordings and interviews conducted post hoc show a positive correlation between the subjective experience of ease participants reported, and objective sound volume or stability. The largest effects were observed when participants were aware of their pelvis, rib cage or head region. Increases of sound volume or stability were often accompanied by non-voluntary changes in body-weight distribution, indicating that body awareness had a direct influence on the musculoskeletal system. In view of the reportedly high numbers of playing-related health problems in professional orchestra players, more research should be carried out to examine in detail possible effects of body awareness on instrumental sound and on psychological and physical well-being.
Bus Arrival Time Modeling Based on Auckland Data
Authors: Ranjitkar Prakash , Tey Li-Sian , Chakravorty Enakshi , Hurley Kirsten L.
Published: April 2019

Inaccurate bus arrival time predictions are counterproductive to changing transport habits and promoting public transport use. This research sought to improve the bus passenger experience in terms of bus arrival time prediction by investigating various time series and regression-based techniques suitable for bus arrival time modeling. The models developed in the current study included: random walk with drift, multivariate linear regression, decision tree, artificial neural networks, and gene expression programming models. Historic automatic vehicle location and passenger flow data obtained for four bus routes spanning Auckland city, in both travel directions, were used as model inputs. Specifically, 10 independent variables were incorporated in the regression models, with distance between bus stops being the most significant predictor for bus travel time. Research results indicated that time series models outperformed regression techniques, with the time series artificial neural network being the most successful of the seven models developed. Moreover, the alternative models all performed significantly better than the prediction engine currently utilized by an Auckland bus company for arrival time prediction. However, these results require corroboration with manually collected field data, on account of the quality concerns afflicting the raw data reported by the transport company.
Analysis of the Risk Factors Affecting the Size of Fatal Accidents Involving Trucks Based on the Structural Equation Model
Authors: Yuan Yalong , Yang Min , Gan Zuoxian , Wu Jingxian , Xu Chengcheng , Lei Da
Published: April 2019

For decreasing the casualties and property losses in truck-involved fatal accidents, efforts to identify risk factors and their impacts on the fatal accidents are urgently needed. First, for scaling damage extent in fatal accident, truck occupant injury factor and accident size were selected from occupant- and crash- levels respectively. Then, a general structural model was built to explore the relationships between environmental, roadway, vehicle, driver factors and fatal accident severity. Afterwards, by analyzing 2010 data from the Trucks Involved in Fatal Accidents (TIFA) database, a weighted least squares (WLS) based structural equation model (SEM) was adopted to estimate the parameters of the general structural model. Significant differences between various risk factors determining truck occupant injury factors and accident severity were identified. The results indicate that environmental, roadway, vehicle, and driver factors all have statistically significant effects on the accident size and truck occupant injury factors. However, the extent to which these risk factors impact these two latent endogenous variables differ significantly. Measurement models including different latent risk factors and the corresponding observed variables are then analyzed. The results show that main indicators affecting accident severity are: environmental and roadway factors such as weather, surface conditions; vehicle factors such as truck weight and body type; and driver factors such as age, driving experience, and history of crashes or convictions. Finally, several countermeasures are suggested for truck manufactures and safety planners with the goal of reducing the number and severity of fatal accidents involving trucks.
Applications of Measurement Error Correction Approaches in Statistical Road Safety Modeling
Authors: Musunuru Anusha , Porter Richard J.
Published: April 2019

Road safety modelers frequently use average annual daily traffic (AADT) as a measure of exposure in regression models of expected crash frequency for road segments and intersections. Recorded AADT values at most locations are estimated by state and local transportation agencies with significant uncertainty, often by extrapolating short-term traffic counts over time and space. This uncertainty in the traffic volume estimates, often termed in a modeling context as measurement error in right-hand-side variables, can have serious effects on model estimation, including: 1) biased regression coefficient estimates; and 2) increases in dispersion. The structure and magnitude of measurement error in AADT estimates are not clearly understood by researchers or practitioners, leading to difficulties in explicitly accounting for this error in statistical road safety models, and ultimately in finding solutions for its correction. This study explores the impacts of measurement error in traffic volume estimates on statistical road safety models by employing measurement error correction approaches, including regression calibration and simulation extrapolation. The concept is demonstrated using crash, traffic, and roadway data from rural, two-lane horizontal curves in the State of Washington. The overall results show that the regression coefficient estimates with a positive coefficient were larger and those with a negative coefficient were smaller (i.e., more negative) when the measurement error correction methods were applied to the regression models of expected crash frequency. Future directions in applications of measurement error correction approaches to road safety research are provided.
On the Genealogy of the Symbol of the Cross in the Polish Political Imagination
Authors: Waligórska Magdalena
Published: April 2019

This article traces the genealogy of the cross as a key Polish national symbol back to the independence struggles of the nineteenth century and the post-1918 attempts to map the new Polish nation-state over its multiethnic territory. Discussing the shifting meaning ascribed to the symbol in the changing political conditions in the 1860s and during the Second Republic, the article relates the semantic content of the symbol to the cycle of solidification and defiance (corresponding with Victor Turner’s “structure” and “anti-structure”). While, in conditions of defiance, during the January Uprising (1863–1864), the cross connoted progressive and egalitarian ideas of emancipation and solidarity with other nations who were also deemed as deserving their freedom, this changed once Poland regained its independence. After the First World War, the cross came to be employed as a marker of Poland’s territorial ambitions and an emblem that redefined ingroup boundaries by excluding from the national community the threatening Others: whether Bolsheviks, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Lithuanians, or Jews.
Symbolic Thickening of Public Culture and the Rise of Right-Wing Populism in Poland
Authors: Kotwas Marta , Kubik Jan
Published: April 2019

A key feature of thin populist ideology is a sharp division of the social world into “good people” and “bad elites.” Populist ideology “thickens” when it is combined with another ideology, for instance, when this basic distinction is formulated in terms of a nativist or religious discourse with the aim of defining “aliens” or “enemies.” Ideological thickening of populism is boosted by and contributes to the cultural process we call symbolic thickening. Thin symbolic systems, congruent with some forms of populism, have relatively few symbols with rather simple connotations, are amenable to many interpretations, and are thus potentially attractive to a large group of people. They can be “thickened” by adding new symbols and suggesting tight interrelations between them. The resulting “thick” symbolic system offers a narrower definition of collective identity and thus attracts a narrower group of people. Our central argument is that a powerful cultural-political feedback loop has emerged in Poland. A gradual symbolic thickening of the Polish public culture through the intensification of Catholic and nationalist discourses resulted in the expansion of the discursive opportunity structure. This produced conditions conducive to the thickening of populist ideologies and helped to increase the legitimacy of populist movements and parties. The rising legitimacy and popularity of the increasingly vigorous “thick” populism, in turn, contributed to the further symbolic thickening of public culture. The argument is based on detailed descriptions and interpretations of four performances and visual displays.
Claiming the Shipyard, the Cowboy Hat, and the Anchor for Women: Polish Feminism’s Dialogue and Struggle with National Symbolism
Authors: Graff Agnieszka
Published: April 2019

This article examines the evolving role of national symbolism in Polish feminist discourses and activist practices since 1989. Three case studies involving symbolic appropriation are presented; in each, cultural signs of great importance to the national imaginary are put to work for women’s equality in acts of resistance to nationalist rhetoric. The first case is the graffiti reportedly seen on the wall of the Gdańsk Shipyard during the 1980 Solidarity strike: “Women, do not disturb us, we are fighting for Poland.” The sign and the story behind it came to play an important role in feminist debates about national belonging and exclusion. The second example is the 1989 election poster featuring Gary Cooper, twice transformed by feminists. Finally, the article examines the struggle between nationalists and feminists over the “fighting Poland” sign associated with the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. The Black Protest of 2016 creatively transformed this symbol, which led to much public debate and several court cases. This article argues that Polish feminism is engaged in contestation of the dominant understanding of nationhood imposed by right-wing, male-centered forces and the Catholic Church. Responses to the post-1989 resurgence of nationalism have constituted key dividing lines between strands of feminist activism and thinking in Poland. The two competing strategies have been pathos and irony. The Black Protest seems to mark a new stage in these developments—one that corresponds to Victor Turner’s communitas, with its characteristic turmoil and symbolic intensity.
Investigation of the effect of CNTs on the mechanical properties of LPET/glass fiber thermoplastic composites
Authors: Demircan O , Al-darkazali A , İnanç İ , Eskizeybek V
Published: April 2019

Within this research, four kinds of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs; 0.0, 0.7, 0.9, and 1.1 wt%) integrated thermoplastic composites with commingled yarns (low melting point polyethylene terephthalate fiber/glass fiber) were fabricated using hot-press machine. The fabricated composites were tested against tensile and three-point flexural loadings. Specimens with 0.9-wt% MWCNTs in 90° direction showed the highest values of tensile and flexural properties with an improvement of about 7% and 33% in tensile and flexural modulus and about 3% and 65% in tensile and flexural strength compared to specimens without MWCNTs in 90° direction. This improvement can most likely be attributed to an increase in interfacial adhesion due to the presence of the carbon nanotubes.
Automated generation of control logic from system design based on SysML and the IEC 61499 Function Block
Authors: Cao Yue , Xu Jing , Liu Yusheng , Ye Xiaoping , Zhao Jianjun
Published: April 2019

To satisfy rising flexibility and reconfigurability, the combination of system design and control software design has been adopted as a common paradigm for engineering manufacturing systems. However, there is still a lack of efficient approaches to automating the projection from the system design to the control software dimension. In this study, a model-driven approach is proposed to generate the control logic design based on the IEC 61499 Function Block from the system design in SysML. First, the system design model is formally defined to be unambiguously interpreted. Second, the SysML-FB profile is defined based on which control logic can be modelled in compliance with the IEC 61499 Function Block in the unified SysML modelling environment. Third, transformation rules between these two models are proposed, according to which a distributed event-driven control logic design can be automatically generated. This approach is implemented as a computer-aided design tool extended from the mainstream SysML modelling platform MagicDraw and illustrated using a computer numerical control bending machine as the case study.
Modeling and experimental verification of a squeeze mode magnetorheological damper using a novel hysteresis model
Authors: Meng Fanxu , Zhou Jin , Jin Chaowu , Ji Wentao
Published: April 2019

The squeeze mode of the magnetorheological damper can be used to stabilize precision instruments (balances, optical devices, etc.) to eliminate interference from external vibrational noise, due to the small displacement and large damping offered by the magnetorheological fluid. The squeeze-strengthen effect observed experimentally in the magnetorheological fluid with squeeze mode can lead to the strain stiffening phenomenon, which is similar to that of the magnetorheological elastomer. In this study, a novel model is developed to characterize the dynamics of the squeeze mode magnetorheological damper considering the strain stiffening hysteresis behavior. An experimentally derived differential evolution algorithm is used to identify the model parameters. Simulation results show that the proposed model can accurately describe the dynamics of the squeeze mode magnetorheological damper including the strain stiffening phenomenon. Furthermore, the identified results obtained by the proposed model appear to be better than those obtained by the hyperbolic model.
Tolerable longitudinal forces for freight trains in tight S-curves using three-dimensional multi-body simulations
Authors: Krishna Visakh V , Berg Mats , Stichel Sebastian
Published: April 2019

With the need for increasing length of freight trains, the longitudinal train dynamics and its influence on the running safety become a key issue. Longitudinal train dynamics is a complex issue with contributions from both the vehicle and the operating conditions such as infrastructure design, braking regimes, etc. Standards such as the UIC Code 530-2 and EN-15839 detail the procedure for on-track propelling tests that should be conducted to determine the running safety of a single wagon. Also, it only considers a single S-curve and specifies neighbouring wagons and buffers. Hence, the resulting longitudinal train dynamics would not be able to judge the effects of various heterogeneities in the train formation such as the adjacent wagons, buffer types, carbody torsional stiffnesses, curvatures, etc. Here, there is a potential of using three-dimensional multi-body simulations to develop a methodology to judge the running safety of a train with regard to its longitudinal dynamic behaviour, subjected to various heterogeneities. In this study, a tool based on three-dimensional multi-body simulations has been developed to provide longitudinal compressive force limits and tolerable longitudinal compressive force for wagon combinations passing through S-curves of varying curvatures, and the sensitivities of the various heterogeneities present in the train are assessed. The methodology is applied to open wagons of the ‘Falns’ type on tight S-curves by calculating the corresponding tolerable longitudinal compressive force, and the effect of various parameters on the same is discussed.
Integrated guidance and control of interceptors with impact angle constraint against a high-speed maneuvering target
Authors: Hu Guanjie , Guo Jianguo , Zhou Jun
Published: April 2019

An integrated guidance and control method is investigated for interceptors with impact angle constraint against a high-speed maneuvering target. Firstly, a new control-oriented model with impact angle constraint of the integrated guidance and control system is built in the pitch plane by combining the engagement kinematics and missile dynamics model between the interceptor and target. Secondly, the flight path angle of the target is estimated by extended Kalman filter in order to transform the terminal impact angle constraint into the terminal line-of-sight angle constraint. Thirdly, a nonlinear adaptive sliding mode control law of the integrated guidance and control system is designed in order to directly obtain the rudder deflection command, which eliminates time delay caused by the traditional backstepping control method. Then the Lyapunov stability theory is used to prove the stability of the whole closed-loop integrated guidance and control system. Finally, the simulation results confirm that the integrated guidance and control method proposed in this paper can effectively improve the interception performance of the interceptor to a high-speed maneuvering target.
Influence of two-dimensional roughness element on boundary layer structure in the favourable pressure gradient region of the swept wing
Authors: Tolkachev Stepan , Kozlov Victor , Kaprilevskaya Valeriya
Published: April 2019

In this article, the results of research about stationary and secondary disturbances development behind the localized and two-dimensional roughness elements are presented. It is shown that the two-dimensional roughness element has a destabilizing effect on the disturbances induced by the three-dimensional roughness element lying upstream. In this case, the two-dimensional roughness element causes the appearance of stationary structures, and then secondary perturbations, whose frequency range lies lower than in the case of the stationary vortices excited by a three-dimensional roughness element.
Where Does Time Go When You Blink?
Authors: Grossman Shany , Gueta Chen , Pesin Slav , Malach Rafael , Landau Ayelet N.
Published: April 2019

Retinal input is frequently lost because of eye blinks, yet humans rarely notice these gaps in visual input. Although previous studies focused on the perceptual and neural correlates of diminished awareness to blinks, the impact of these correlates on the perceived time of concurrent events is unknown. Here, we investigated whether the subjective sense of time is altered by spontaneous blinks. We found that participants ( N = 22) significantly underestimated the duration of a visual stimulus when a spontaneous blink occurred during stimulus presentation and that this underestimation was correlated with the blink duration of individual participants. Importantly, the effect was not present when durations of an auditory stimulus were judged ( N = 23). The results point to a link between spontaneous blinks, previously demonstrated to induce activity suppression in the visual cortex, and a compression of subjective time. They suggest that ongoing encoding within modality-specific sensory cortices, independent of conscious awareness, informs the subjective sense of time.
The ‘Poitrot Report’, 1945: the first public document on Nazi euthanasia
Authors: Müller Thomas , Reichelt Bernd
Published: April 2019

The aim of this paper is to shed light on the so-called ‘Poitrot Report’, submitted to the French Military Government in Baden-Baden, Germany, in December 1945 and published in a reduced German version in 1946. Its author was the French-Moroccan psychiatrist Robert Poitrot, who had been put in charge of the public mental asylums in Südwürttemberg after World War II. Poitrot took responsibility for restoring psychiatric care during the occupation, and was also eager to document Nazi ‘euthanasia’ and to start investigating the role of staff in mental hospitals during National Socialism. Focusing on the ‘Poitrot Report’, this paper also reflects on life in Württemberg mental hospitals and the interaction between French representatives such as Poitrot and regional German medical staff.
A nonparametric test for association with multiple loci in the retrospective case-control study
Authors: Wang Chan , Deng Shufang , Sun Leiming , Li Liming , Hu Yue-Qing
Published: April 2019

The genome-wide association studies aim at identifying common or rare variants associated with common diseases and explaining more heritability. It is well known that common diseases are influenced by multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are usually correlated in location or function. In order to powerfully detect association signals, it is highly desirable to take account of correlations or linkage disequilibrium (LD) information among multiple SNPs in testing for association. In this article, we propose a test SLIDE that depicts the difference of the average multi-locus genotypes between cases and controls and derive its variance–covariance matrix in the retrospective design. This matrix is composed of the pairwise LD between SNPs. Thus SLIDE can borrow the strength from an external database in the population of interest with a few thousands to hundreds of thousands individuals to improve the power for detecting association. Extensive simulations show that SLIDE has apparent superiority over the existing methods, especially in the situation involving both common and rare variants, both protective and deleterious variants. Furthermore, the efficiency of the proposed method is demonstrated in the application to the data from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium.