bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Sorption Pressure on Gas Diffusion in Coal Particles: An Experimental Study
Authors: Yang Xin , Wang Gongda , Zhang Junying , Ren Ting
Published: April 2019

Gas pressure changes during the process of coal mine gas drainage and CBM recovery. It is of great importance to understand the influence of sorption pressure on gas diffusion; however, the topic remains controversial in past studies. In this study, four samples with different coal ranks were collected and diffusion experiments were conducted under different pressures through the adsorption and desorption processes. Three widely used models, i.e., the unipore diffusion (UD) model, the bidisperse diffusion (BD) model and the dispersive diffusion (DD) model, were adopted to compare the applicability and to calculate the diffusion coefficients. Results show that for all coal ranks, the BD model and DD model can match the experimental results better than the UD model. Concerning the fast diffusion coefficient Dae of the BD model, three samples display a decreasing trend with increasing gas pressure while the other sample shows a V-type trend. The slow diffusion coefficient Die of BD model increases with gas pressure for all samples, while the ratio β is an intrinsic character of coal and remains constant. For the DD model, the characteristic rate parameter kΦ does not change sharply and the stretching parameter α increases with gas pressure. Both Dae and Die are in proportion to kΦ, which reflect the diffusion rate of gas in the coal. The impacts of pore characteristic on gas diffusion were also analyzed. Although pore size distributions and specific surface areas are different in the four coal samples, correlations are not apparent between pore characteristic and diffusion coefficients.
“Fasad, Hijra and Warlike Diaspora” from the Geographic Boundaries of Early Islam to a New Dar al-Hikma: Europe
Authors: Demichelis Marco
Published: April 2019

This paper aims to emphasize the influence that “Classic” Islamic Thought had on the contemporary European-Islamic one regarding the conceptualization and action of emigration (hijra-hajara) through the geographical and juridical redefinition of the Old Continent as a new “house” (dar/bayt) in hosting a Muslim population. The analysis should also be considered in relation to the sectarian and violent phase which followed the peaceful one of the so-called “Arab Spring” and the current deflagration of part of the Middle East. During the proto-Islamic historical phase, the term muhajirun was adopted to define those who made the hijra, referring to the prophet Muhammad’s followers in 622. They aimed to live according to religious behaviour and started to be different from their polytheist society of origin; the same term was also used to categorize those who partially populated the new conquered territories in the following decades: Syria, Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Iranian plateau, etc., and who decided to take root and become in-urbanized. The contemporary juridical, political, and religious perception, before and after 2011, started to consider a different “emigration” perspective, which, not so differently from the original hijra conceptualization, is rooted in abandoning a land of warlike and sectarian violence to reach a geography where individual religious affiliation can be safeguarded.
Estimation of Changes of Forest Structural Attributes at Three Different Spatial Aggregation Levels in Northern California using Multitemporal LiDAR
Authors: Mauro Francisco , Ritchie Martin , Wing Brian , Frank Bryce , Monleon Vicente , Temesgen Hailemariam , Hudak Andrew
Published: April 2019

Accurate estimates of growth and structural changes are key for forest management tasks such as determination of optimal rotation times, optimal rotation times, site indices and for identifying areas experiencing difficulties to regenerate. Estimation of structural changes, especially for biomass, is also key to quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions/sequestration. We compared two different modeling strategies to estimate changes in V, BA and B, at three different spatial aggregation levels using auxiliary information from two light detection and ranging (LiDAR) flights. The study area is Blacks Mountains Experimental Forest, a ponderosa pine dominated forest in Northern California for which two LiDAR acquisitions separated by six years were available. Analyzed strategies consisted of (1) directly modeling the observed changes as a function of the LiDAR auxiliary information ( δ -modeling method) and (2) modeling V, BA and B at two different points in time, including a term to account for the temporal correlation, and then computing the changes as the difference between the predicted values of V, BA and B for time two and time one. We analyzed predictions and measures of uncertainty at three different level of aggregation (i.e., pixels, stands or compartments and the entire study area). Results showed that changes were very weakly correlated with the LiDAR auxiliary information. Both modeling alternatives provided similar results with a better performance of the δ -modeling for the entire study area; however, this method also showed some inconsistencies and seemed to be very prone to extrapolation problems. The y -modeling method, which seems to be less prone to extrapolation problems, allows obtaining more outputs that are flexible and can outperform the δ -modeling method at the stand level. The weak correlation between changes in structural attributes and LiDAR auxiliary information indicates that pixel-level maps have very large uncertainties and estimation of change clearly requires some degree of spatial aggregation; additionally, in similar environments, it might be necessary to increase the time lapse between LiDAR acquisitions to obtain reliable estimates of change.
Combining Segmentation and Edge Detection for Efficient Ore Grain Detection in an Electromagnetic Mill Classification System
Authors: Budzan Sebastian , Buchczik Dariusz , Pawełczyk Marek , Tůma Jiří
Published: April 2019

This paper presents a machine vision method for detection and classification of copper ore grains. We proposed a new method that combines both seeded regions growing segmentation and edge detection, where region growing is limited only to grain boundaries. First, a 2D Fast Fourier Transform (2DFFT) and Gray-Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) are calculated to improve the detection results and processing time by eliminating poor quality samples. Next, detection of copper ore grains is performed, based on region growing, improved by the first and second derivatives with a modified Niblack’s theory and a threshold selection method. Finally, all the detected grains are characterized by a set of shape features, which are used to classify the grains into separate fractions. The efficiency of the algorithm was evaluated with real copper ore samples of known granularity. The proposed method generates information on different granularity fractions at a time with a number of grain shape features.
Remote Control of Greenhouse Vegetable Production with Artificial Intelligence—Greenhouse Climate, Irrigation, and Crop Production
Authors: Hemming Silke , de Zwart Feije , Elings Anne , Righini Isabella , Petropoulou Anna
Published: April 2019

The global population is increasing rapidly, together with the demand for healthy fresh food. The greenhouse industry can play an important role, but encounters difficulties finding skilled staff to manage crop production. Artificial intelligence (AI) has reached breakthroughs in several areas, however, not yet in horticulture. An international competition on “autonomous greenhouses” aimed to combine horticultural expertise with AI to make breakthroughs in fresh food production with fewer resources. Five international teams, consisting of scientists, professionals, and students with different backgrounds in horticulture and AI, participated in a greenhouse growing experiment. Each team had a 96 m2 modern greenhouse compartment to grow a cucumber crop remotely during a 4-month-period. Each compartment was equipped with standard actuators (heating, ventilation, screening, lighting, fogging, CO2 supply, water and nutrient supply). Control setpoints were remotely determined by teams using their own AI algorithms. Actuators were operated by a process computer. Different sensors continuously collected measurements. Setpoints and measurements were exchanged via a digital interface. Achievements in AI-controlled compartments were compared with a manually operated reference. Detailed results on cucumber yield, resource use, and net profit obtained by teams are explained in this paper. We can conclude that in general AI performed well in controlling a greenhouse. One team outperformed the manually-grown reference.
Basic MAC Scheme for RF Energy Harvesting Wireless Sensor Networks: Throughput Analysis and Optimization
Authors: Choi Cheon Won
Published: April 2019

Traditionally, how to reduce energy consumption has been an issue of utmost importance in wireless sensor networks. Recently, radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting technologies, which scavenge the ambient RF waves, provided us with a new paradigm for such networks. Without replacement or recharge of batteries, an RF energy harvesting wireless sensor network may live an eternal life. Against theoretical expectations, however, energy is scarce in practice and, consequently, structural naiveté has to be within a MAC scheme that supports a sensor node to deliver its data to a sink node. Our practical choice for the MAC scheme is a basic one, rooted in ALOHA, in which a sensor node simply repeats harvesting energy, backing off for a while and transmitting a packet. The basic medium access control (MAC) scheme is not able to perfectly prevent a collision of packets, which in turn deteriorates the throughput. Thus, we derive an exact expression of the throughput that the basic MAC scheme can attain. In various case studies, we then look for a way to enhance the throughput. Using the throughput formula, we reveal that an optimal back-off time, which maximizes the total throughput, is not characterized by the distribution but only by the mean value when the harvest times are deterministic. Also, we confirm that taking proper back-off times is able to improve the throughput even when the harvest times are random. Furthermore, we show that shaping the back-off time so that its variance is increased while its mean remains unchanged can help ameliorate the throughput that the basic MAC scheme is able to achieve.
A Novel Racing Array Transducer for Noninvasive Ultrasonic Retinal Stimulation: A Simulation Study
Authors: Yu Yanyan , Zhang Zhiqiang , Cai Feiyan , Su Min , Jiang Qiuju , Zhou Qifa , Humayun Mark S. , Qiu Weibao , Zheng Hairong
Published: April 2019

Neurostimulation has proved to be an effective method for the restoration of visual perception lost due to retinal diseases. However, the clinically available retinal neurostimulation method is based on invasive electrodes, making it a high-cost and high-risk procedure. Recently, ultrasound has been demonstrated to be an effective way to achieve noninvasive neurostimulation. In this work, a novel racing array transducer with a contact lens shape is proposed for ultrasonic retinal stimulation. The transducer is flexible and placed outside the eyeball, similar to the application of a contact lens. Ultrasound emitted from the transducer can reach the retina without passing through the lens, thus greatly minimizing the acoustic absorption in the lens. The discretized Rayleigh–Sommerfeld method was employed for the acoustic field simulation, and patterned stimulation was achieved. A 5 MHz racing array transducer with different element numbers was simulated to optimize the array configuration. The results show that a 512-element racing array is the most appropriate configuration considering the necessary tradeoff between the element number and the stimulation resolution. The stimulation resolution at a focus of 24 mm is about 0.6 mm. The obtained results indicate that the proposed racing array design of the ultrasound transducer can improve the feasibility of an ultrasound retinal prosthesis.
Low-Cost FPGA-Based Electronic Control Unit for Vehicle Control Systems
Authors: Pérez Fernández Javier , Alcázar Vargas Manuel , Velasco García Juan M. , Cabrera Carrillo Juan A. , Castillo Aguilar Juan J.
Published: April 2019

The development of new control algorithms in vehicles requires high economic resources, mainly due to the use of generic real-time instrumentation and control systems. In this work, we proposed a low-cost electronic control unit (ECU) that could be used for both development and implementation. The proposed electronic system used a hybrid system on chip (SoC) between a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and an Advanced RISC (reduced instruction set computer) Machine (ARM) processor that allowed the execution of parallel tasks, fulfilling the real-time requirements that vehicle controls demand. Another feature of the proposed electronic system was the recording of measured data, allowing the performance of the implemented algorithm to be evaluated. All this was achieved by using modular programming that, without the need for a real-time operating system, executed the different tasks to be performed, exploiting the parallelism offered by the FPGA as well as the dual core of the ARM processor. This methodology facilitates the transition between the designing, testing, and implementation stages in the vehicle. In addition, our system is programmed with a single binary file that integrates the code of all processors as well as the hardware description of the FPGA, which speeds up the updating process. In order to validate and demonstrate the performance of the proposed electronic system as a tool for the development and implementation of control algorithms in vehicles, a series of tests was carried out on a test bench. Different traction control system (TCS) algorithms were implemented and the results were compared.
Travel Route Planning with Optimal Coverage in Difficult Wireless Sensor Network Environment
Authors: Gao Yu , Wang Jin , Wu Wenbing , Sangaiah Arun Kumar , Lim Se-Jung
Published: April 2019

In recent years, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been widely applied to sense the physical environment, especially some difficult environment due to their ad-hoc nature with self-organization and local collaboration characteristics. Meanwhile, the rapid development of intelligent vehicles makes it possible to adopt mobile devices to collect information in WSNs. Although network performance can be greatly improved by those mobile devices, it is difficult to plan a reasonable travel route for efficient data gathering. In this paper, we present a travel route planning schema with a mobile collector (TRP-MC) to find a short route that covers as many sensors as possible. In order to conserve energy, sensors prefer to utilize single hop communication for data uploading within their communication range. Sojourn points (SPs) are firstly defined for a mobile collector to gather information, and then their number is determined according to the maximal coverage rate. Next, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is used to search the optimal positions for those SPs with maximal coverage rate and minimal overlapped coverage rate. Finally, we schedule the shortest loop for those SPs by using ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm. Plenty of simulations are performed and the results show that our presented schema owns a better performance compared to Low Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (LEACH), Multi-hop Weighted Revenue (MWR) algorithm and Single-hop Data-gathering Procedure (SHDGP).
Cross-Sectional Investigation of Stress Fractures in German Elite Triathletes
Authors: Neidel Pauline , Wolfram Petra , Hotfiel Thilo , Engelhardt Martin , Koch Rainer , Lee Geoffrey , Zwingenberger Stefan
Published: April 2019

Triathlon is a popular sport for both recreational and competitive athletes. This study investigated the rates and patterns of stress fractures in the German national triathlon squad. We developed a web-based retrospective questionnaire containing questions about the frequency of stress fractures, anatomic localisation and associated risk factors. The survey was conducted as an explorative cross-sectional study. Eighty-six athletes completed the questionnaire. Twenty athletes (23%) sustained at least one stress fracture. All documented stress fractures were located in the lower extremities. Factors associated with a higher risk for stress fractures were female gender, competitive sport prior to triathlon career, Vitamin D or iron deficiency, menstrual disturbances and a high number of annual training hours. Disseminating knowledge among athletes and their professional community in order to raise awareness about early symptoms and relevant risk factors could help to improve prevention and reduce the incidence of stress fractures.
The Mechanisms of Creating Value vs. Financial Security of Going Concern—Sustainable Management
Authors: Kaczmarek Jarosław
Published: April 2019

The subject of this research study is the quantification of corporate value creation in relation to the level of the financial security of a company’s functioning. The research aims to compare the two mechanisms. Assessments concern the degree of the balancing of effects in the context of value creation and financial security sustainable management. The analysed entities comprise all the manufacturing enterprises in Poland in 2007–2018, included in public statistical data. In light of the above, the study is unique in character, comprising the broadest possible range of entities. The results support the main hypothesis—which is subordinated to the study’s adopted main target—as well as five sub-hypotheses. The study employs a multifaceted logit model of financial security, and the multifaceted value measure. The paper examines value drivers as well as financial security explanatory variables. The study makes use of cause and effect analysis, object relocation analysis and an analysis of the variability and clustering of objects. On the basis of the detailed research findings, the following rule was demonstrated: there is a directly proportional relationship between the effects of the value creation process and the ensuring of financial security in manufacturing enterprises (compliance with the sustainable management principle).
Sustainable Valorization of Animal Manure and Recycled Polyester: Co-pyrolysis Synergy
Authors: Akyürek Zuhal
Published: April 2019

In this study sustainable valorization of cattle manure, recycled polyester, and their blend (1:1 wt.%) were examined by the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) method. Pyrolysis tests were performed at 10, 30, and 50 °C/min heating rate from room temperature to 1000 °C under a nitrogen environment with a flow of 100 cm3/min. Kinetics of decomposition were analyzed by using Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO) method. Based on activation energies and conversion points, a single region was established for recycled polyester while three regions of pyrolysis were obtained for cattle manure and their blend. Comparison between experimental and theoretical profiles indicated synergistic interactions during co-pyrolysis in the high temperature region. The apparent activation energies calculated by FWO method for cattle manure, recycled polyester and their blend were 194.62, 254.22 and 227.21 kJ/mol, respectively. Kinetics and thermodynamic parameters, including E, ΔH, ΔG, and ΔS, have shown that cattle manure and recycled polyester blend is a remarkable feedstock for bioenergy.
Beyond Limitations of Current Behaviour Change Apps for Sustainable Mobility: Insights from a User-Centered Design and Evaluation Process
Authors: Cellina Francesca , Bucher Dominik , Veiga Simão José , Rudel Roman , Raubal Martin
Published: April 2019

How can we encourage people to make sustainable mobility choices, reducing car dependency and the related CO 2 emissions and energy consumption? Taking advantage of the wide availability of smartphone devices, we designed GoEco!, an application (app) exploiting automatic mobility tracking, eco-feedback, social comparison and gamification elements to persuade individuals to change their mode of transport. The app features and contents are grounded in the transtheoretical model for behaviour change and were designed to avoid over-reliance on “one-size-fits-all”, simplistic point-based systems. The GoEco! app was designed in a user centred approach and was field-tested in Switzerland in a three-month experiment involving around 150 voluntary users. In this paper, we present the app’s features and comment on their evaluation from the perspective of the field-testers. The insights we collected through an online questionnaire and individual interviews allowed us to develop recommendations for similar persuasive apps and to identify open challenges for the future. In particular, we recommend to endow such apps with multi-modal travel planning components and features evoking the feeling of belonging to a community, that provide support and helping relationships.
Research on China’s Power Sustainable Transition Under Progressively Levelized Power Generation Cost Based on a Dynamic Integrated Generation–Transmission Planning Model
Authors: Huang He , Liang DaPeng , Liang Liang , Tong Zhen
Published: April 2019

The government of China has introduced a series of energy-saving and emission reduction policies and energy industry development plans to promote the low-carbon development of the power sector. Under relatively clear and specific low-carbon development goals, the ongoing power transition has recently been studied intensively in the frame of global sustainable transition. With the development of renewable technologies, besides the long-term development goals, learning and diffusion of innovative technologies and the incentive effect of supportive policies are also important driving forces of the transition. The levelized power generation cost is the power generation cost when the net present value of the power project is zero. In this paper, the levelized power generation cost model with a learning curve and policy scenario is used to reflect the impact of technology diffusion and incentive policies from the economy perspective. By treating it as a state transfer function, a dynamic power generation–transmission integrated planning model based on the Markov Decision Process is established to describe the long-term power transition pathway under the impact of power technology diffusion and incentive policies. Through the calculation of power demand forecasting data up to 2050 and other power system information, the dynamic planning result shows that the current low-carbon policies cannot obviously reduce the expansion of coal power, but if strict low-carbon policies are implemented, the renewable power will gradually become dominant in the power structure before 2030.
Electric Charging Demand Location Model—A User- and Destination-Based Locating Approach for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Authors: Pagany Raphaela , Marquardt Anna , Zink Roland
Published: April 2019

In recent years, with the increased focus on climate protection, electric vehicles (EVs) have become a relevant alternative to conventional motorized vehicles. Even though the market share of EVs is still comparatively low, there are ongoing considerations for integrating EVs in transportation systems. Along with pushing EV sales numbers, the installation of charging infrastructure is necessary. This paper presents a user- and destination-based approach for locating charging stations (CSs) for EVs—the electric charging demand location (ECDL) model. With regard to the daily activities of potential EV users, potential positions for CSs are derived on a micro-location level in public and semipublic spaces using geographic information systems (GIS). Depending on the vehicle users’ dwell times and visiting frequencies at potential points of interest (POIs), the charging demand at such locations is calculated. The model is mainly based on a survey analyzing the average time spent per daily activity, regional data about driver and vehicle ownership numbers, and the georeferenced localization of regularly visited POIs. Optimal sites for parking and charging EVs within the POIs neighborhood are selected based on walking distance calculations, including spatial neighborhood effects, such as the density of POIs. In a case study in southeastern Germany, the model identifies concrete places with the highest overall demand for CSs, resulting in an extensive coverage of the electric energy demand while considering as many destinations within the acceptable walking distance threshold as possible.
Interest Rate Marketization, Financing Constraints and R&D Investments: Evidence from China
Authors: Zhao Xinxin , Wang Zongjun , Deng Min
Published: April 2019

Under the background of the initial completion of Chinese interest rate marketization process, this paper aims to test the actual impact of interest rate marketization on micro-enterprise research and development (R&D) investments financing. Based on the current situation, we put forward the assumption that Chinese enterprises are generally facing financing constraints in R&D investment. The interest rate marketization, which reduced government intervention in fund pricing, helps alleviate financing constraints, especially for non-state-owned enterprises. This paper focuses on the moderating effect of interest rate marketization on financing constraints and R&D investments. The interest rate marketization index is constructed from three indicators: interest rate determination ways, interest rate fluctuation restrictions, and real interest rate level. We use the Euler-equation investment model to test the financing constraints of R&D investment. Based on panel data of listed firms for 2007–2016, we find that R&D investment faces wide financing constraints, and interest rate marketization alleviates financing constraints. More specifically, financing constraints are more significant for non-state-owned firms than for state-owned enterprises, and the deepening marketization of interest rates can effectively alleviate the financing constraints of non-state-owned enterprises.
The Impact of Industry–University–Research Alliance Portfolio Diversity on Firm Innovation: Evidence from Chinese Manufacturing Firms
Authors: Zhang Shuman , Yuan Changhong , Wang Yuying
Published: April 2019

Innovation is a key factor for the sustainable development of firms. Although it has been a prevalent phenomenon that firms maintain multiple industry–university–research (I–U–R) alliances simultaneously to generate innovation, there is a lack of explorations in this phenomenon in extant literature. In this study, we introduce a new construct, I–U–R alliance portfolio, and investigate the impact of its diversity on a focal firm’s innovation performance. Hypotheses are proposed and examined using datasets of 176 listed firms in the Chinese manufacturing industry. We find that I–U–R alliance portfolio diversity exerts a positive effect on a focal firm’s innovation performance and a firm’s absorptive capacity positively moderates this relationship. Furthermore, we contend that with increasing levels of government financial support, the positive relationship between I–U–R alliance portfolio diversity and firm innovation performance is strengthened. Finally, our findings provide several theoretical and practical implications for the I–U–R alliance portfolio and firm innovation.
The Economic-Environmental Impacts of China’s Action Plan for Soil Pollution Control
Authors: Li Zhitao , Wang Xiahui , Li Jia , Zhang Wei , Liu Ruiping , Song Zhixiao , Huang Guoxin , Meng Linglong
Published: April 2019

To effectively control soil pollution, an action plan (called Soil Plan) was carried out by Chinese government in 2016, which may cost CNY 1.14 trillion during the 2016–2020 period. To evaluate the potential impacts of this action plan on the national economy and environmental control, this study employed a closed macro input-output model to quantitatively account for the economic and environmental impacts from the view of the whole domestic supply chain. Our results show that the implementation of the Soil Plan may stimulate economic development and bring more jobs. It will help generate a gross domestic product (GDP) of CNY 2.72 trillion, with CNY 358.11 billion (15%) made from direct contributions, and CNY 2.36 trillion (85%) from indirect contributions. Meanwhile, the scheme could also produce 2 million jobs within five years, of which 580,000 (29%) are a direct contribution, and 1.42 million (71%) are an indirect contribution. On the other hands, increased demands for products and services of various sectors (such as power/heat production and supply, and chemical products) would also cause more air and water pollutants along with domestic supply chains. The emissions of sulfur dioxide(SO2), nitrogen oxide(NOx), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen(NH3-N) would increase by a total of 5.20 × 105 t, 5.27 × 105 t, 1.62 × 105 t and 9.36 × 103 t, respectively. Our results may raise the concern about the indirect impacts of an environmental policy for the policy maker from both economic and environmental perspectives.
On Efficient Estimation of Process Variability
Authors: Akhlaq Tanveer , Ismail Muhammad , Shahbaz Muhammad Qaiser
Published: April 2019

Variability or dispersion plays an important role in any process and provides insight into the spread of data from some central point, usually the mean. A process with less spread is preferred over a process in which values differ greatly from the mean. Various methods are available to estimate the process dispersion by using information on the variable of interest. Certain additional variables provide good insight to estimate the process dispersion. In this paper, we propose an efficient method for the estimation of process variability by using the exponential method. The properties of the proposed method were studied. We conducted simulation and empirical studies to compare the proposed method with some existing methods of estimation of variability. The results of the numerical study show that our proposed method is better than the other methods used in the study.
System Identification Based on Tensor Decompositions: A Trilinear Approach
Authors: Dogariu Laura-Maria , Ciochină Silviu , Benesty Jacob , Paleologu Constantin
Published: April 2019

The theory of nonlinear systems can currently be encountered in many important fields, while the nonlinear behavior of electronic systems and devices has been studied for a long time. However, a global approach for dealing with nonlinear systems does not exist and the methods to address this problem differ depending on the application and on the types of nonlinearities. An interesting category of nonlinear systems is one that can be regarded as an ensemble of (approximately) linear systems. Some popular examples in this context are nonlinear electronic devices (such as acoustic echo cancellers, which are used in applications for two-party or multi-party voice communications, e.g., videoconferencing), which can be modeled as a cascade of linear and nonlinear systems, similar to the Hammerstein model. Multiple-input/single-output (MISO) systems can also be regarded as separable multilinear systems and be treated using the appropriate methods. The high dimension of the parameter space in such problems can be addressed with methods based on tensor decompositions and modelling. In recent work, we focused on a particular type of multilinear structure—namely the bilinear form (i.e., two-dimensional decompositions)—in the framework of identifying spatiotemporal models. In this paper, we extend the work to the decomposition of more complex systems and we propose an iterative Wiener filter tailored for the identification of trilinear forms (where third-order tensors are involved), which can then be further extended to higher order multilinear structures. In addition, we derive the least-mean-square (LMS) and normalized LMS (NLMS) algorithms tailored for such trilinear forms. Simulations performed in the context of system identification (based on the MISO system approach) indicate the good performance of the proposed solution, as compared to conventional approaches.
Readings of the Post-Crisis Spanish City: Between Social Inequity and Territorial Destruction
Authors: Cebrián-Abellán Francisco , Piñeira-Mantiñán María José , González-Pérez Jesús M.
Published: April 2019

The 2008 crisis entailed a turning point in the process of creating and managing cities and territories. There has been a change from a city model, based on expansive growth, which was also speculative and deregulated, had provoked an unprecedented expansion of the outskirts of towns and cities, and the artificialization of thousands of hectares of land, to a model based on the reconstruction of the original city, before the impact of the crisis. Gone are the days of urban mega-projects—source of indebtedness for local administrations- and big urbanizations, which, in many occasions, have not been inhabited. The financial, social, and residential reality requires a better thinking of the city models, as well as recuperating the neighborhoods and recomposing the social gap and conflicts, which had become affected by unemployment, evictions, and austerity policies. In this paper, two models of understanding and managing cities have been presented, as a way of identifying strengths, weaknesses, and impacts on the modern city. Several case studies have been collected at a regional level (Extremadura and Valencian Community), and at an urban level (Las Palmas, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Toledo), and even at a sub-urban level (via the study of certain neighborhoods).
Impact of Amyloid Polymorphism on Prion-Chaperone Interactions in Yeast
Authors: Killian Andrea N. , Miller Sarah C. , Hines Justin K.
Published: April 2019

Yeast prions are protein-based genetic elements found in the baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, most of which are amyloid aggregates that propagate by fragmentation and spreading of small, self-templating pieces called propagons. Fragmentation is carried out by molecular chaperones, specifically Hsp104, Hsp70, and Hsp40. Like other amyloid-forming proteins, amyloid-based yeast prions exhibit structural polymorphisms, termed “strains” in mammalian systems and “variants” in yeast, which demonstrate diverse phenotypes and chaperone requirements for propagation. Here, the known differential interactions between chaperone proteins and yeast prion variants are reviewed, specifically those of the yeast prions [PSI+], [RNQ+]/[PIN+], and [URE3]. For these prions, differences in variant-chaperone interactions (where known) with Hsp104, Hsp70s, Hsp40s, Sse1, and Hsp90 are summarized, as well as some interactions with chaperones of other species expressed in yeast. As amyloid structural differences greatly impact chaperone interactions, understanding and accounting for these variations may be crucial to the study of chaperones and both prion and non-prion amyloids.
Assessing Groundwater Mineralization Process, Quality, and Isotopic Recharge Origin in the Sahel Region in Africa
Authors: Modibo Sidibé Aboubacar , Lin Xueyu , Koné Sidi
Published: April 2019

In the Sahel region in Africa, and in most arid regions, groundwater is the crucial source for water supply since surface water is scarce. This study aimed to understand a complex geochemical mechanism controlling the mineralization process in the Taoudeni Basin. A thousand randomly distributed groundwater samples acquired from different aquifers were used for this research. The results show that the majority of the samples observed are of the Ca2+-Mg2+-HCO3− and Na+-HCO3− types depending on the different aquifers. Mg2+ and Ca2+ may react with HCO3− precipitating as calcite and dolomite. The Na+-HCO3− groundwater type is mainly derived from the ion exchange process. This type indicates a paleo-marine depositional environment or that it passes through paleo-marine channels. Calcium of the standard Ca2+-HCO3− groundwater type exchanges with the sodium. Groundwater is characterized by the water-rock interactions that indicate the chemical alteration of the rock-forming minerals influencing its quality by a dissolution. The δ2H and δ18O stable isotopes designate the evaporation importance in the basin and recharge with recent rain. The bicarbonate-type presence in groundwater suggests that it is young and fresh water. Multivariate statistical methods, notably Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, confirm affinities among the aquifers and identify three main clusters grouped into two water types. Cluster 1 consists of Infra-Cambrian and Quaternary aquifers, whereas cluster2 includes the Precambrian basement and Permian-Triassic aquifers.
Numerical Research of Flows into Gullies with Different Outlet Locations
Authors: Carvalho Rita F. , Lopes Pedro , Leandro Jorge , David Luis M.
Published: April 2019

Gullies are sewer inlets placed in pavements usually covered by bar grates. They are the most common linking-element used to drain a wide range of flows from surface runoff into the buried drainage system. Their hydraulic behavior and their overall hydraulic performance is dependent on the flow conditions, the gully dimension, geometry, and location of the outlet device. Herein a numerical research based on Volume Of Fluid ( V O F ) to detect the interface, and on the Shear Stress Transport S S T k - ω turbulence model was conducted to study the importance of the outlet location and characterize flows through them in drainage conditions. Results provided detailed information about flow features, discharge coefficients, and efficiencies for different outlet locations. The authors identified three different regimes, R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 , and concluded that the outlet location influences the velocity field along the gully, the discharge coefficient, and the drainage efficiency. This allows for the estimation of uncertainty and its variation for different outlet positions.
THE EFFETENESS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Authors: Yankova Reni
Published: April 2019

Social media are a new phenomenon attracting the interest of researchers from different fields–marketing experts, sociologists, anthropologists, even philosophers and semioticians. The problems related to them vary and many remain unanswered. The current paper analyzes the level of social media habituation, taking Charles Peirce`s evolutionary cosmology, and more specifically the concept of effete mind, as its milestones. Other important studies considered here are from the fields of anthropology and media studies.

Communication and the transfer of information have always been vital for living creatures, not only humans but animals, plants and even microorganisms. During the centuries of our existence and evolution we have developed complicated sign systems to satisfy the need for knowledge transfer among the members of our social groups. In the digital era many questions about the new forms of communication arise. Here I will analyze one of them: are these new media something totally new or do they follow some kind of universal tendency and predisposition? To answer this question I will consider Charles Peirce`s ideas of habit and habit-taking tendency, his concepts of living and effete mind, together with the studies of Robin Dunbar and Tom Standage.

In his book Writing on the wall. Social media–the first 2, 000 years (2013) Standage examines the question of writing on the walls as one of the oldest methods of communication and knowledge transfer. It dates back to the age of cavemen, long before any of societyЎЇs modern tools were even considered possible. Over the centuries these methods evolved and became more sophisticated but it kept their essence and main function–to transfer information for the well-being of the group and its members. Centuries ago at the dawn of human kind, the necessity of survival shaped our predisposition for communication. Since then, the tools have changed but the necessity and the reasons for it remain the same. As such, the current state of well-developed digital social media could be considered a manifestation of the Peircean concept of habit-taking tendency, combined with human natural need of communication and information sharing stated by Standage and also by the evolutionary anthropologist Robin Dunbar.
SHIFT FROM “ME” TO “WE” IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Authors: Lankauskaitė Viktorija , Liubinienė Vilmantė
Published: April 2019

Currently media power is distributed via the multi-media World Wide Web. Web 2.0 has transformed every prosumer into an individual, mini-organism – “Me the Media” (the concept coined by Bloem, van Doorn & Duivestein 2009). Recently a trend has started to emerge, which indicates that Web conversations are creating new power relationships. This is especially vivid in the current multi-media coverage of political events, supported by cross-cultural social activism. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyse the emerging new trends in current social media that embody the shift from “Me” to “We” in power relationships. The idea that everyone is inter-linked and inter-active on the Web, involving not only common citizens and politicians, but also companies or brands, supports the finding that “We the Media” is the next development in social media, which needs to be taken seriously and investigated on a wider scale.
FORMALISM AND DIGITAL RESEARCH OF LITERATURE
Authors: Debnár Marek
Published: April 2019

The relation between the humanities and information technologies has become so strong in recent decades that it is no longer possible to see this relationship as a mere temporary phenomenon. Together with massive digitalization of books, journals and other texts, collected into extensive electronic libraries and hypertextual databases, it is now necessary to rethink and redefine not only the concept of reading, but to specify new possibilities for analysing literary and specialized texts. The aim of this study is to point at new approaches to reading large text collections in the light of Moretti’s method of distant reading. This paper uses the methodological issues of relation between distant reading and Russian formalism as background for this consideration.
ENCHANTED OBJECT: INDIAN SARI, NEGOTIATING THE ONLINE AND THE OFFLINE SPACE
Authors: Khanwalkar Seema
Published: April 2019

This paper is an attempt to understand the intersections between the internet, global cultures and technology, and the material object, the Indian sari. The Indian Sari, like other ethnic clothing, has always acted as a means of affirming position and agency for Indian women. Even today it is a significant part of the communicative grammar for its offline avatar. But its online presence makes this garment even more discursive. Typically online communities, in linguistic terms, are ‘cultural communities’ (paradigmatic) where knowledge is shared to deepen expertise, and offline communities are ‘communities of practice’ (s yntagmatic) where people share concerns, passions, and problems to deepen interaction. But as Umberto Eco says, more and more paradigmatic communities are becoming syntagmatic, and the Indian Sari is in an interesting intersection of offline and online contexts as the wearer, the garment, and the transactions all create discursive spaces that implicate the global and local in identity formations. It also forces us to relocate the Sari as a signifier and reexamine its materiality in relation to its floating presence.
The management of sexually transmitted infections: a scoping survey in primary care
Authors: Dave Jayshree , Paul John , Johnson Julie , Hutchinson Jane , Phiri Glenn , Dave Asha , Verlander Neville , Carrington David
Published: April 2019

Background

National guidelines for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in primary care exists but their management is uncertain.

Aim

To assess the management of STIs against national standards in primary care.

Design & setting

A questionnaire based study in London and Brighton. The survey was conducted in 2015 following reorganisation of sexual health services in England.

Method

Questionnaires were sent to GPs in London and Brighton about testing for STIs, treatment for gonorrhoea, specialist advice, and referral services.

Results

Of 119 GPs who responded, most expressed confidence in treating chlamydia (n = 105/119, 88%), trichomonas (n = 81/119, 68%), and herpes (n = 82/119, 69%) but not gonorrhoea (n = 32/119, 27%). Most referred cases of syphilis (n = 92/119, 77%) and genital warts (83/119, 70%) to genito-urinary medicine (GUM) as per guidance. Most GPs tested for gonorrhoea on patient request (n = 95/119, 80%), in tandem with chlamydia screening (n = 89/119, 75%), because of high risk status (n = 85/119, 71%) and genital symptoms (n = 108/119, 91%). Some GPs (n = 22/119, 18%) sampled urine for culture, 53/119 (45%) provided high vaginal swabs (HVS), and 28/119 (24%) provided self-taken vulvovaginal swabs (STVVS) for culture. These samples are not appropriate for gonococcal culture and not processed in the laboratory. Urethral swabs for men and endocervical swabs (ECS) are recommended for gonococcus culture. Over half (n = 60/102, 59%) of GPs did not treat gonorrhoea but some prescribed cefixime, ciprofloxacin, or azithromycin. Eighty-seven per cent (n = 104/119) sought advice from GUM, and 83/103 (81%) referred gonorrhoea nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT)-positive patients.

Conclusion

There is scope for improvement of STIs management in primary care to ensure that patients are optimally investigated, treated, and referred.
Overseas GP recruitment: comparing international GP training with the UK and ensuring that registration standards and patient safety are maintained
Authors: Fletcher Emily , Sansom Anna , Pitchforth Emma , Curnow Gerens , Freeman Adrian , Hawthorne Kamila , Campbell John
Published: April 2019

Background

Ambitious overseas recruitment targets have been set by the UK government to help alleviate the current GP shortage. European Economic Area (EEA) doctors can join the UK’s GP register under European law. Non-EEA doctors must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility for General Practice Registration (CEGPR), demonstrating equivalence to UK-trained doctors. CEGPR applications can be time-consuming and burdensome. To meet overseas recruitment targets, it is important to facilitate the most efficient route into UK general practice while maintaining registration standards and patient safety.

Aim

To develop a methodology to map postgraduate GP training and healthcare contextual data from an overseas country to the UK.

Design & setting

Desk-based research and stakeholder interviews.

Method

Four stages were undertaken: 1) developing a data collection template; 2) conducting a case study (using Australia as a test case); 3) refining the data collection template; and 4) creating a mapping framework. The case study used the 2016 curricula for the UK and Australia.

Results

Five ‘domains’ were identified: healthcare context, training pathway, curriculum, assessment, and continuing professional development (CPD) and revalidation. The final data collection template comprised 49 mapping items across the domains. The methodology incorporated the application of a red, amber, or green (RAG) rating to indicate similarity of data across the five domains. Australia was rated ‘green’ for training pathway, curriculum, and assessment, and ‘amber’ for healthcare context and CPD and revalidation. The overall rating was ‘green’.

Conclusion

Implementing this systematic methodology for mapping GP training between countries may support the UK’s ambitions to recruit more GPs, and alleviate current GP workforce pressures.