bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new perspective and extension of the Gaussian Filter
Authors: Wüthrich Manuel , Trimpe Sebastian , Garcia Cifuentes Cristina , Kappler Daniel , Schaal Stefan
Published: January 2017

The Gaussian Filter (GF) is one of the most widely used filtering algorithms; instances are the Extended Kalman Filter, the Unscented Kalman Filter and the Divided Difference Filter. The GF represents the belief of the current state by a Gaussian distribution, whose mean is an affine function of the measurement. We show that this representation can be too restrictive to accurately capture the dependences in systems with nonlinear observation models, and we investigate how the GF can be generalized to alleviate this problem. To this end, we view the GF as the solution to a constrained optimization problem. From this new perspective, the GF is seen as a special case of a much broader class of filters, obtained by relaxing the constraint on the form of the approximate posterior. On this basis, we outline some conditions which potential generalizations have to satisfy in order to maintain the computational efficiency of the GF. We propose one concrete generalization which corresponds to the standard GF using a pseudo measurement instead of the actual measurement. Extending an existing GF implementation in this manner is trivial. Nevertheless, we show that this small change can have a major impact on the estimation accuracy.
Research data management in Switzerland
Authors: Burgi Pierre-Yves , Blumer Eliane , Makhlouf-Shabou Basma
Published: January 2017

In this article, the authors report on an ongoing data life cycle management national project realized in Switzerland, with a major focus on long-term preservation. Based on an extensive document analysis as well as semi-structured interviews, the project aims at providing national services to respond to the most relevant researchers’ data life cycle management needs, which include: guidelines for establishing a data management plan, active data management solutions, long-term preservation storage options, training, and a single point of access and contact to get support. In addition to presenting the different working axes of the project, the authors describe a strategic management and lean startup template for developing new business models, which is key for building viable services.
Digitization of indigenous knowledge on forest foods and medicines
Authors: Sraku-Lartey Margaret , Acquah Stella Britwum , Samar Sparkler Brefo , Djagbletey Gloria Djaney
Published: January 2017

This paper discusses the digitization of indigenous knowledge on forest foods and medicine for the effective management of Ghana’s forest resources. The paper is based on a survey conducted in nine communities in Ghana where primary data were obtained from 606 respondents using in-depth face-to-face interviews. The aim of the study was to assess what knowledge local communities had about products of the forest especially indigenous forest foods and medicine. The findings reveal that local communities have an in-depth knowledge of indigenous forest foods and medicines. They are conversant with what foods and medicines are available in the forests, how they are consumed and when they mature. The study reveals that consumption of indigenous forest foods is on the decline, while the use of traditional medicine is on the ascendancy. The study recommends the promulgation of laws and legal instruments to protect communities from bio-piracy.
Long-Term Prognosis of Patients With Achilles Tendinopathy
Authors: Paavola Mika , Kannus Pekka , Paakkala Timo , Pasanen Matti , Järvinen Markku
Published: January 2017

To determine the long-term outcome of patients treated nonoperatively for acute or subchronic (duration of the symptoms before initiation of the treatment less than 6 months) Achilles tendinopathy, we performed a follow-up analysis on 83 of 107 patients an average 8 2 (SD) years after the initial contact. The analysis included a questionnaire, clinical examination, performance tests, muscle strength measurement, and ultrasonographic examination. Twenty-four of the 83 patients (29%) had to be operated on during the follow-up period. Seventy patients (84%) had full recovery of their activity level, and at 8 years' follow-up 78 patients (94%) were asymptomatic or had only mild pain with strenuous exercise. However, a clear side-to-side difference between the involved and the uninvolved sides was observed on the performance test, clinical examination, and ultrasonography. Also, 34 patients (41%) started to suffer from overuse symptoms in the initially uninvolved Achilles tendon. The results of our 8-year follow-up showed that the long-term prognosis of patients with acute-to-subchronic Achilles tendinopathy is favorable as determined by subjective and functional assessments. In the clinical and ultrasonographic examinations, mild-to-moderate changes were observed rather frequently in both the involved and initially uninvolved Achilles tendons, but the occurrence of these changes was not clearly related to the patients' symptoms.
Clinical Outcome of Isolated Subcortical Trabecular Fractures (Bone Bruise) Detected on Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Knees
Authors: Wright Rick W. , Phaneuf Mary Ann , Limbird Thomas J. , Spindler Kurt P.
Published: January 2017

Isolated subcortical trabecular bone injury (bone bruise) has rarely been described. Our purpose is to report a series of patients who had a history of traumatic injury, knee effusion, normal radiographs, and initial equivocal physical examination for ligament and meniscal integrity, and who were found to have isolated injury of the trabecular bone on magnetic resonance imaging. We evaluated demographic data, physical examination findings, radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging, and clinical outcome for 23 patients. Follow-up data included time to return to preinjury activity level, International Knee Documentation Committee activity level rating before and after injury, and postinjury Lysholm scores. All magnetic resonance imaging scans were negative for associated grade III meniscal lesions and ligament injury. Time to return to preinjury activity level was under 7 months in 96% of the patients. Postinjury International Knee Documentation Committee rating was unchanged in 91% of patients. Postinjury Lysholm score was 90 or more in 91% of patients. We propose that the recognition of these injuries is important because magnetic resonance imaging can distinguish them from meniscal or ligament injury requiring surgical intervention (arthroscopy). If detected on magnetic resonance imaging as an isolated injury, surgical arthroscopy is unnecessary since these patients can be expected to recover well in the short term with restricted weightbearing and initial activity modification.
Radiofrequency Energy-Induced Heating of Bovine Articular Cartilage Using a Bipolar Radiofrequency Electrode
Authors: Shellock Frank G. , Shields Clarence L.
Published: January 2017

Radiofrequency energy is used for thermal-assisted chondroplasty to treat grade II and III chondromalacia with the lowest possible energy setting that achieves the desired result. The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine the temperature changes associated with the use of radiofrequency energy delivered at different settings to bovine articular cartilage using a bipolar electrode. Cartilage samples were placed in a temperature-controlled (37°C) saline bath for the delivery of radiofrequency energy. A fluoroptic thermometry probe was positioned to record the temperatures at the electrode-tissue interface. The electrode was activated for 2 seconds at settings of V2—120, V2—60, V2—40, and V2—20 in two modes: ablation and desiccation. Additionally, the cartilage samples were visually inspected to determine changes in appearance. The highest average temperatures were as follows: ablation mode, 78.5°C (V2—120), 62.6°C (V2—60), 58.1°C (V2—40), and 54.1°C (V2—20); desiccation mode, 71.8°C (V2—120), 61.4°C (V2—60), 57.7°C (V2—40), and 53.3°C (V2—20). There were statistically significant increases in temperatures associated with each of the respective settings. There were no substantial visual changes produced by the V2—20 settings, while the other settings produced a gradation of effects. These data provide information to help guide the use of a bipolar radiofrequency electrode and electrosurgical system for thermal-assisted chondroplasty.
Immunohistochemical Analysis for Neural Markers of the Lateral Retinaculum in Patients with Isolated Symptomatic Patellofemoral Malalignment
Authors: Sanchis-Alfonso Vicente , Roselló-Sastre Esther
Published: January 2017

We evaluated 13 lateral retinacula excised at the time of Insall proximal realignments or isolated lateral retinacular releases performed in patients with isolated symptomatic patellofemoral malalignment recalcitrant to nonoperative treatment. Evaluation was performed by means of conventional histologic and immunohistochemical analysis for neural markers (S-100 protein, neurofilament protein, substance P, and neural growth factor). The observations reported here provide a neuroanatomic basis for anterior knee pain syndrome in active young patients with isolated symptomatic patellofemoral malalignment and support the clinical observation that the lateral retinaculum may have a key role in the origin of this pain as a result of increased neural growth factor production, which induces proliferation of nociceptive axons, mainly in a perivascular location.
Differences in Living Arrangements Among Older Adults Transitioning Into the Community: Examining the Impact of Race and Choice
Authors: Fabius Chanee D. , Robison Julie
Published: January 2017

The federal Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration program allows nursing home residents to use Medicaid funds for home and community-based services rather than institutional care. Race, choice in housing, and challenges faced prior to transitioning may impact living arrangements following a discharge into the community. This study examines the influence of these factors on living arrangements for 659 program participants age 65 or older. Unmarried Blacks and people with financial or legal challenges are less likely to live with a live-in caregiver or in supervised housing compared with unmarried Whites. Race did not determine living arrangements among married participants, but housing transition challenges did. Findings inform policies targeting nursing home rebalancing efforts by highlighting racial diversity in living arrangements and emphasizing the need for affordable, accessible housing options for older adults of any race seeking to live in the community rather than remain in an institutional setting.
Facilitating greater energy access in rural and remote areas of sub-Saharan Africa: Small hydropower
Authors: Ebhota Williams S , Inambao Freddie L
Published: January 2017

Flowing water has hydraulic energy that can be transformed into electrical energy, sub-Saharan Africa has an abundance of hydro resources that are untapped. In this study, various barriers limiting the use of small hydropower to tap the abundant hydro potentials for power generation are discussed. These barriers include insufficient fund; lack of adequate manufacturing infrastructure; lack of adequate power generation and distribution policies; inaccurate hydrological data; insufficient human and power infrastructure capacities; and inadequate domestic and regional participation in design and manufacture of small hydropower component devices and systems. This study sees hydro as a cleaner energy source and small hydropower as the best power system for rural and remote areas and for stand-alone electrification. For power sustainability in the region, public–private partnership, domestication of small hydropower technologies and less reliance on foreign technologies and international support are key factors.
Measuring active and healthy ageing in Europe
Authors: Zaidi Asghar , Gasior Katrin , Zolyomi Eszter , Schmidt Andrea , Rodrigues Ricardo , Marin Bernd
Published: January 2017

The active and healthy ageing measure reported here is calculated for the 28 European Union countries, with a specific focus on the current generation of older people and by using the latest data from multiple surveys. It covers diverse aspects of active and healthy ageing, by measuring older people’s contribution with respect to not just employment but also their unpaid familial, social and cultural contributions and their independent, healthy and secure living. The article presents the first-of-its-kind quantitative measure of active and healthy ageing in the literature on active and healthy ageing which hitherto has focused largely on concepts, definitions and public policy strategies. In this pursuit, an important contribution of this measure, referred to as the Active Ageing Index (‘AAI’), is that it also captures how countries differ with respect to capacity and enabling environments for active and healthy ageing. The AAI offers a breakdown not just by four domains of active and healthy ageing but also by gender. Key findings are that Sweden comes at the top of the country ranking, followed closely by Denmark, the United Kingdom, Finland, the Netherlands and Ireland. The four southern European countries (Italy, Portugal, Spain and Malta) are middle-ranked countries. Greece and many of the Central European countries are at the bottom, highlighting much greater untapped potentials of active and healthy ageing among older people in these countries and a need for greater policy efforts. Women fare worse than men in most countries, identifying a need for an emphasis on reducing gender disparity in experiences of active and healthy ageing. The AAI tool developed has the potential to identify the social policy mechanisms behind the differential achievements of active and healthy ageing, for example, what active and healthy ageing strategies have driven top performers, and in what respect the bottom-ranked countries have lagged behind.
In utero exposure of high-dose di-n-butyl phthalate resulted in opposite effects on testicular cell apoptosis in late embryonic and pubertal male rat offspring
Authors: Shen H , Liao K , Wu H-F , Lu H-C , Li Y , Li Z , Zhang W
Published: January 2017

Objective:

To investigate the effects of in utero exposure to high-dose di- n-butyl phthalate (DBP) on testicular cell apoptosis in late embryonic and pubertal male rat offspring.

Methods:

Twenty pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into two groups. During gestation day (GD) 12 to GD 19, control group was given 1 ml day−1 of olive oil and experimental group was given DBP 500 mg kg−1 day−1 by gavage. On GD 19.5 and postnatal day (PND) 45, the testes were removed. Morphological analysis of the testes was observed by transmission electron microscopy and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Testicular cell apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). The expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and p53 was presented by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and western blot. Data of the two groups was compared using independent samples t-test and Mann–Whitney test by SPSS 20.0.

Results:

H&E staining showed that spermatogenetic cells were significantly decreased in DBP exposed pubertal rat testis. The apoptosis index of testes in DBP-treated group was significantly lower on GD 19.5 but higher on PND 45 than that of the controls ( p < 0.01). IHC and western blot revealed significantly increased expression of Bcl-2 in GD 19.5 rat testis and Bax and p53 in PND 45 rat testis after DBP exposure, compared with the control ( p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

In utero exposure of high-dose DBP resulted in opposite effects on testicular cell apoptosis in late embryonic and pubertal rat offspring. The overexpression of Bcl-2, Bax, and p53 might be related to the occurrence of abnormal apoptosis and finally produce male infertility.
A novel rank-based non-parametric method for longitudinal ordinal data
Authors: Zhuang Yan , Guan Ying , Qiu Libin , Lai Meisheng , Tan Ming T , Chen Pingyan
Published: January 2017

Longitudinal ordinal data are common in biomedical research. Although various methods for the analysis of such data have been proposed in the past few decades, they are limited in several ways. For instance, the constraints on parameters in the proportional odds model may result in convergence problems; the rank-based aligned rank transform method imposes constraints on other parameters and the distributional assumptions with parametric model. We propose a novel rank-based non-parametric method that models the profile rather than the distribution of the data to make an effective statistical inference without the constraint conditions. We construct the test statistic of the interaction first, and then construct the test statistics of the main effects separately with or without the interaction, while “adjusted coefficient” for the case of ties is derived. A simulation study is conducted for comparison between rank-based non-parametric and rank-transformed analysis of variance. The results show that type I errors of the two methods are both maintained closer to the priori level, but the statistical power of rank-based non-parametric is greater than that of rank-transformed analysis of variance, suggesting higher efficiency of the former. We then apply rank-based non-parametric to two real studies on acne and osteoporosis, and the results also illustrate the effectiveness of rank-based non-parametric, particularly when the distribution is skewed.
New interpretive criteria for danofloxacin antibacterial susceptibility testing against Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida associated with bovine respiratory disease
Authors: Sweeney Michael T. , Papich Mark G. , Watts Jeffrey L.
Published: January 2017

Danofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibacterial agent approved for use in veterinary medicine to treat and control bovine respiratory disease caused by Mannheimia haemolytica or Pasteurella multocida. Susceptible minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) breakpoint (≤0.25 µg/mL) and disk diffusion interpretive criteria (≥22 mm) values for danofloxacin against M. haemolytica and P. multocida were first approved by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) in 2003. However, intermediate and resistant breakpoint values were not established because only susceptible wild-type populations were evident at the time of breakpoint approvals. Since then, nonsusceptible isolates of M. haemolytica and P. multocida have been identified. We report danofloxacin intermediate MIC breakpoint (0.5 µg/mL) and disk diffusion interpretive criteria (18–21 mm), as well as danofloxacin-resistant MIC breakpoint (≥1 µg/mL) and disk diffusion interpretive criteria (≤17 mm), based on scattergram plots of MIC values versus disk zone diameters and calculated error-bound rates using M. haemolytica and P. multocida isolates recovered from bovine respiratory disease in North America in 2004–2014. These newly established intermediate and resistant clinical breakpoint values have been endorsed by CLSI and can be used for interpreting results from antibacterial susceptibility testing of danofloxacin against M. haemolytica and P. multocida isolated from bovine respiratory disease.
Validation of a competitive ELISA and a virus neutralization test for the detection and confirmation of antibodies to Senecavirus A in swine sera
Authors: Goolia Melissa , Vannucci Fabio , Yang Ming , Patnayak Devi , Babiuk Shawn , Nfon Charles K.
Published: January 2017

Senecavirus A (SVA; family Picornaviridae) is a nonenveloped, single-stranded RNA virus associated with idiopathic vesicular disease (IVD) in swine. SVA was detected in pigs with IVD in Brazil, United States, Canada, and China in 2015, triggering the need to develop and/or validate serologic assays for SVA. Our objective was to fully validate a previously developed competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) as a screening test for antibodies to SVA. Additional objectives included the development and validation of a virus neutralization test (VNT) as a confirmatory test for SVA antibody detection, and the comparison of the cELISA, VNT, and an existing immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for the detection of SVA antibodies in serial bleeds from SVA outbreaks. The diagnostic specificity and sensitivity were 98.2% (97.2–98.9%) and 96.9% (94.5–98.4%) for the cELISA, and 99.6% (99.0–99.9%) and 98.2% (95.8–99.4%) for the VNT, respectively. There was strong agreement among cELISA, VNT, and IFAT when compared based on kappa coefficient. Based on these performance characteristics, these tests are considered suitable for serologic detection of SVA in pigs.
Assessment of human bones encompassing physiological decay and damage using piezo sensors in non-bonded configuration
Authors: Srivastava Shashank , Bhalla Suresh , Madan Alok
Published: January 2017

In the recent years, several biomedical applications of lead zirconate titanate piezo-electric ceramic patches based on the electro-mechanical impedance technique have been reported in the literature. However, practical application of the technique on live subjects is severely hampered due to the requirement of bonding the patch with bone or cartilage with an adhesive. In addition, live subjects have skin cover over the bone. This article proposes and evaluates the feasibility of employing lead zirconate titanate patches as biomedical sensors in non-bonded configuration for assessing the physiological conditions of bones. For this purpose, a special design is proposed where the lead zirconate titanate patch is first bonded on a thin aluminum strip, which is in turn clamped securely on the biomedical subject. The proposed configuration is investigated both in vitro and in vivo. The non-bonded piezo sensors are first investigated to identify dynamic parameters of the bone through lab-based experimental study involving artificial bones. Thereafter, physiological damage and decay conditions are artificially simulated in the experimental bones and the same are correlated with changes in conductance signatures from the non-bonded piezo sensor as well as the lead zirconate titanate patch in the conventional adhesively bonded (direct bonding to the subject) configuration. The trend of the conductance signatures in the healthy and the damaged conditions from the non-bonded piezo sensor is found to correlate well with the corresponding signatures from the directly bonded piezo sensor. At the same time, the repeatability of the signatures is also found to be satisfactory. After success in bare bones, the non-bonded piezo sensor configuration is extended to monitor the condition of bones covered with skin and tissue, simulated in the lab with the aid of silicone-based coating. Finally, a proof-of-concept experiment on a live human subject is successfully demonstrated. The overall results of the study demonstrate very good prospects of employing lead zirconate titanate patches in non-bonded piezo sensor mode for monitoring the condition of human bones and other related biomedical subjects.
The field-dependent complex modulus of magnetorheological elastomers consisting of sucrose acetate isobutyrate ester
Authors: Ahmad Khairi Muntaz Hana , Mazlan Saiful Amri , Ubaidillah  , Ku Ahmad Ku Zarina , Choi Seung-Bok , Abdul Aziz Siti Aishah , Yunus Nurul Azhani
Published: January 2017

In this work, epoxidized natural rubber-50 magnetorheological elastomer was synthesized using conventional rubber processing. The ester plasticizer sucrose acetate isobutyrate was then incorporated into epoxidized natural rubber-50 to soften the matrix and to improve the relative magnetorheological effect. The influence of sucrose acetate isobutyrate ester on the microstructures and properties of epoxidized natural rubber-50 magnetorheological elastomers were experimentally investigated. It has been identified that the addition of sucrose acetate isobutyrate ester can reduce the viscosity of the matrix and increase the mobility of magnetic particles in a matrix. The elongation of magnetorheological elastomer was increased by 19%, and the tensile strength was reduced by 17% at 10 wt% content of the sucrose acetate isobutyrate ester. It is observed that the employment of sucrose acetate isobutyrate ester enhanced the thermal stability leading to low degradation of the properties of magnetorheological elastomer. In rheology test, both absolute and relative magnetorheological effects were increased by 0.16 MPa and 23%, respectively, with incorporation of the 7.5-wt% sucrose acetate isobutyrate ester. It is also identified that the storage and loss moduli as well as loss factor are increased as the excitation frequency is increased. It is finally concluded that agglomeration issues in isotropic magnetorheological elastomer which degrade performances of magnetorheological elastomer application devices and systems can be resolved by the addition of sucrose acetate isobutyrate ester to epoxidized natural rubber-50 used in this work.
Formulations in Psychotherapy: Admission Interviews and the Conversational Construction of Diagnosis
Authors: Bonnin Juan Eduardo
Published: January 2017

In this article, we contribute to understanding the interactional aspects of making clinical diagnosis in mental health care. We observe that therapists, during the “problem presentation” sequence in clinical encounters, often use a specific form of diagnostic formulations to elicit more diagnostically relevant information. By doing so, they often substitute one type of verb with another, following a diagnostic hypothesis. Specifically, in interviews that arrive at a diagnosis of neurosis, therapists formulate with behavioral verbal processes; in interviews that arrive at a diagnosis of psychosis, they do so with material ones. Such formulations often prove useful to define clinical diagnoses. They can, however, also be dangerous in that they may favor the therapist’s agenda over the patient’s. Our analysis helps therapists not only better understand the diagnostic process but also reflect upon their own use of diagnostic formulations and become aware of the clinical effects of their interactional performance.
Closing the Professional Gap Between Journalism and Civic Engagement Using the Culture-Centered Approach
Authors: Borron Abigail , Urban Emily , Cabrera Emily
Published: January 2017

With the need to promote the ideals of democracy in the journalism field as a whole, increased focus on the preparation of future upcoming professionals is required. This article proposes and tests a theoretical model intended to pedagogically revitalize the preparation of journalism and communication students for their professional roles within a democratic society. Using the culture-centered approach to guide students’ experiences with a marginalized segment of the community, the authors conclude that this curricular model provides value by facilitating students’ critical investigation of personal identity and self, their positionality amid structural complexities, and how this relates to their professional role.
Patterns and Predictors of Service Utilization Among Youth With ADHD-Predominantly Inattentive Presentation
Authors: Capriotti Matthew R. , Pfiffner Linda J.
Published: January 2017

Objective: This study examined rates and predictors of educational and mental health service utilization among youth with ADHD-predominantly inattentive presentation (ADHD-I). Method: Participants were 199 children with ADHD-I in Grades 2 to 5. Parents reported past-year child service utilization. Parents and teachers rated child ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptom severity and functional impairment. Children completed an academic achievement test. Results: All children had impairment at school and home. Most received some sort of school service (79%), but only 23% received community-based services. ADHD symptom severity was unrelated to service utilization. However, higher parent-rated functional impairment predicted community service utilization. Academic underachievement and higher teacher-rated functional impairment predicted school service utilization. Conclusion: Many youth with ADHD-I experience impairment across domains without receiving adequate services for these problems. Functional impairment appears to be a stronger predictor of service utilization than ADHD symptom severity, demonstrating the importance of impairment in understanding service needs for ADHD-I.
Engendering civil resistance: Social media and mob tactics in Malaysia
Authors: Lim Joanne BY
Published: January 2017

Mass movements in the form of flashmobs and smartmobs, which emerged out of friend-to-friend network topology on different online social media platforms, have revolutionary potential and have become powerful and creative tactics for political protests, particularly under repressive conditions. Focusing on the Bersih rallies in Malaysia, which advocate free and fair elections, it is useful to draw from Deleuze and Guattari’s notion of a rhizomatic assemblage of power to understand the workings of social media in the organization of political rallies among young adults in Malaysia, and the extension of these rallies abroad via the crisscrossing of multiple solidarities online. A textual and discourse analysis of the online mob activities is juxtaposed with interviews conducted with Malaysians who have participated in and/or contributed to these mob movements, to uncover the changing dynamics of social and political protest in the new media ecology. By mapping the rhizomatic patterns and behaviors on social media – from the ‘call to participate’ through to its occurrence (in the form of color-coded rallies) – this article discusses the ‘civic responsibility’ upheld by Malaysians and the (re)purposing of community via internet connectivity.
Flexural properties of steel fiber types and reinforcement ratio for high-strength recycled concrete beams
Authors: Zhang Hai-Long , Pei Chang-Chun
Published: January 2017

This article took fly ash and silica fume as cementing materials to replace part of cement and took recycled coarse aggregate to replace part of gravel to mix plain concrete and studied the flexural properties of the beams with high-strength steel fiber–recycled concrete by changing the types of steel fiber and reinforcement ratio. The results showed that fly ash and silica fume could improve strength and flexural capacity of the recycled concrete beam by filling micro-cracks of recycled coarse aggregate and reduce the development speed of deflection and crack width of the test beam. Steel fibers could significantly slow the development of deflection and crack width of the beams with high-strength recycled concrete, and the difference in end-structure could increase the flexural capacity of the beams in varying degrees. The article put forward theory of improving the bearing capacity of the beam with three kinds of steel fibers by introducing the influence factor of steel fiber end-structure.
Insulated catalyst with heat storage for real-world vehicle emissions reduction
Authors: Daya Rohil , Hoard John , Chanda Sreedhar , Singh Maneet
Published: January 2017

In previous publications, the model development and simulation of a vacuum-insulated catalytic converter was presented. GT-Suite model simulations demonstrated the heat retention capacity of the converter and corresponding emissions reductions. This article provides an update of the converter model development and analysis of real-world benefits of the converter. The vehicle-aftertreatment model of the vacuum-insulated catalytic converter was improved significantly, and detailed explanations of all theoretical modeling considerations are presented. In the absence of experimental data, a flow test experiment was conducted to measure the flow rate in exhaust tailpipe during vehicle soak due to thermosiphon. These results were used as inputs in the GT-Suite model simulations of conventional and hybrid electric vehicles. New model simulations demonstrated the ability of the vacuum-insulated catalytic converter to achieve significant emissions reductions following vehicle soaks of up to 18 h. To examine the real-world benefits of the converter, driving data were obtained from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and a MATLAB code was developed to statistically analyze 23,156 drive cycles. The vacuum-insulated catalytic converter was simulated on standard drive cycles to develop a correlation between melt time of the phase-change material and average drive cycle speed and acceleration. This correlation was used to predict the probability that the phase-change material will melt in a given real-world driving cycle. The MATLAB code was also used to calculate the soak time and re-solidification time probability. Finally, Federal Test Procedure emission results were weighted with the soak time probabilities. This analysis showed that in real-world driving conditions, the vacuum-insulated catalytic converter is expected to reduce cold-start CO and hydrocarbon emissions by 26% and 48%, respectively.
Dealing fairly with winners and losers in school: Reframing how to think about equality of educational opportunity 50 years after the Coleman Report
Authors: Jacobs Lesley A.
Published: January 2017

Although the policy and methodological legacy of Equality of Educational Opportunity, the so-called Coleman Report published by the US Department of Education in 1966, is widely recognized, the way in which it played a role in shaping theorizing about equality of educational opportunity has been less well-explored. This article reconsiders the Coleman Report in light of how it has contributed to the framing of how we think about the very idea of equality of educational opportunity and its normative capacity to evaluate the education system. The main argument is that the Coleman Report helped to crystallize the concept of equality of educational opportunity as being fundamentally about how education provides ladders of opportunity and enables upward mobility for socially disadvantaged students. This framing has, however, created certain normative blind spots that have seriously impeded its ability to engage certain issues in education. The normative blind spot singled out, in particular, is the competitive structure of the current education system – the school system is structured so that some children win, while some lose. The competitive nature of schools has often been challenged, from a wide range of perspectives, but rarely utilizing an equality of opportunity framework. Given this normative blind spot, the more constructive dimension of the article is to advance an alternative theory of equality of educational opportunity that is better able to function as a regulative ideal for competition in the education system, one that identifies standards or principles of fairness to guide policy on how to deal fairly with winners and losers.
Parametrisation of a Maxwell model for transient tyre forces by means of an extended firefly algorithm
Authors: Hackl Andreas , Hirschberg Wolfgang , Lex Cornelia , Magele Christian
Published: January 2017

Developing functions for advanced driver assistance systems requires very accurate tyre models, especially for the simulation of transient conditions. In the past, parametrisation of a given tyre model based on measurement data showed shortcomings, and the globally optimal solution obtained did not appear to be plausible. In this article, an optimisation strategy is presented, which is able to find plausible and physically feasible solutions by detecting many local outcomes. The firefly algorithm mimics the natural behaviour of fireflies, which use a kind of flashing light to communicate with other members. An algorithm simulating the intensity of the light of a single firefly, diminishing with increasing distances, is implicitly able to detect local solutions on its way to the best solution in the search space. This implicit clustering feature is stressed by an additional explicit clustering step, where local solutions are stored and terminally processed to obtain a large number of possible solutions. The enhanced firefly algorithm will be first applied to the well-known Rastrigin functions and then to the tyre parametrisation problem. It is shown that the firefly algorithm is qualified to find a high number of optimisation solutions, which is required for plausible parametrisation for the given tyre model.
Structural behavior analysis of a continuous steel truss arch railway bridge integrating monitoring data
Authors: Song Yong-sheng , Ding You-liang , Zhao Han-wei , Wang Gao-xin , Li Ai-qun , Cao Bao-ya
Published: January 2017

Using theoretical modeling combined with monitoring data, the typical dynamic and static behaviors of a continuous steel truss arch railway bridge are evaluated. The dynamic behavior involves an impact factor induced by the action of running trains, and the static behavior refers to axial bending performance and the stress distribution among different planes of the truss. The transverse position, length, and speed of running trains are introduced to conduct an analysis of their influences on the dynamic and static behaviors of the bridge superstructure. A structural safety evaluation is also conducted by comparison with the provisions recommended by design codes and by analysis of absolute stress. It is concluded that three types of members present different dynamic behaviors and that the value of the impact factor for chords B exceeds the provision recommended by the design codes. Chords C present the greatest ratio of bending stress versus axial stress. An imbalance of stress distribution exists among the three planes of the truss, and the difference is the smallest when trains run along the middle railways. Because the train-induced stress is considerably lower, the dynamic and static performances of the bridge are within the scope of safety.
Improving method of real-time offset tuning for arterial signal coordination using probe trajectory data
Authors: Zhang Jian , Cheng Yang , He Shanglu , Ran Bin
Published: January 2017

In the environment of intelligent transportation systems, traffic condition data would have higher resolution in time and space, which is especially valuable for managing the interrupted traffic at signalized intersections. There exist a lot of algorithms for offset tuning, but few of them take the advantage of modern traffic detection methods such as probe vehicle data. This study proposes a method using probe trajectory data to optimize and adjust offsets in real time. The critical point, representing the changing vehicle dynamics, is first defined as the basis of this approach. Using the critical points related to different states of traffic conditions, such as free flow, queue formation, and dissipation, various traffic status parameters can be estimated, including actual travel speed, queue dissipation rate, and standing queue length. The offset can then be adjusted on a cycle-by-cycle basis. The performance of this approach is evaluated using a simulation network. The results show that the trajectory-based approach can reduce travel time of the coordinated traffic flow when compared with using well-defined offline offset.
A substructure-based interval finite element method for problems with uncertain but bounded parameters
Authors: Zhu Yihuan , Shao Guojian , Su Jingbo , Li Ang
Published: January 2017

In this article, the dependency between different elements in solid structures is considered and a substructure-based interval finite element method is used to model the interval properties. The penalty method is applied to impose the necessary constraints for compatibility. In order to obtain the interval stresses, an approximation solution based on the Taylor expansion method is presented. Then, the proposed interval substructure model is expanded to nonlinear problems. In consideration of the nonlinear property of the elasticity modulus, an interval elastoplastic substructure analysis method using constant matrix based on the incremental theory is proposed and the interval expression of the interval stress updated formation is derived. Finally, numerical examples are carried out to demonstrate the reasonability and feasibility of the proposed method and evaluation system.
Experimentally validated structural vibration frequencies’ prediction from frictional temperature signatures using numerical simulation: A case of laced cantilever beam-like structures
Authors: Talai Stephen M , Desai Dawood A , Heyns Stephan P
Published: January 2017

This article pertains to the prediction of structural vibration frequencies from frictional temperature evolution through numerical simulation. To achieve this, a finite element analysis was carried on AISI 304 steel cantilever beam-like structures coupled with a lacing wire using the commercial software ABAQUS/CAE. The coupled temperature–displacement transient analysis simulated the frictional thermal generation. Furthermore, an experimental analysis was carried out with infrared cameras capturing the interfacial thermal images while the beams were subjected to forced excitation, thus validating the finite element analysis results. The analysed vibration frequencies using a MATLAB fast Fourier transform algorithm confirmed the validity of its prediction from the frictional temperature time domain waveform. This finding has a great significance to the mechanical and aerospace engineering communities for the effective structural health monitoring of dynamic structures online using infrared thermography, thus reducing the downtime and maintenance cost, leading to increased efficiency.
A multidisciplinary coupling relationship coordination algorithm using the hierarchical control methods of complex systems and its application in multidisciplinary design optimization
Authors: Yuan Rong , Li Haiqing
Published: January 2017

Because of the increasing complexity in engineering systems, multidisciplinary design optimization has attracted increasing attention. High computational expense and organizational complexity are two main challenges of multidisciplinary design optimization. To address these challenges, the hierarchical control method of complex systems is developed in this study. Hierarchical control method is a powerful way which has been utilized widely in the control and coordination of large-scale complex systems. Here, a hierarchical control method–based coupling relationship coordination algorithm is proposed to solve multidisciplinary design optimization problems. Coupling relationship coordination algorithm decouples the involved disciplines of a complex system and then optimizes each discipline objective at sub-system level. Coupling relationship coordination algorithm can maintain the consistency of interaction information (or in other words, sharing design variables and coupling design variables) in different disciplines by introducing control parameters. The control parameters are assigned by the coordinator at system level. A mechanical structure multidisciplinary design optimization problem is solved to illustrate the details of the proposed approach.
A two-phase ranging algorithm for sensor localization in structural health monitoring
Authors: Wan Chunfeng , Zhao Lei , Ding Youliang , Xue Songtao
Published: January 2017

Information about the positions of the sensors in sensor networks is very important, and the deployment of more and more sensors is increasing the need for automatic sensor localization. This article therefore describes a novel two-phase ranging algorithm that first obtains rough estimate of the distance to a sensor’s position using time difference of arrival or time of arrival methods and then obtains a high-resolution estimate based on the rough one using a phase-based ranging scheme. This algorithm can easily resolve the otherwise intractable integer ambiguity that often appears in localization systems, and experimental results show that it can greatly decrease the ranging error in a decentralized distance-based localization system having transmitter beacons and receivers in the nodes. Related problems such as signal filtering and multipath effect are also discussed. This algorithm can make the deployment of large numbers of sensors very simple and the determination of their positions so accurate that it would be feasible to use dense networks of sensors to monitor the structural integrity of large structures.
The implications of school marketisation for students enrolled on introductory programmes in Swedish upper secondary education
Authors: Dovemark Marianne , Arreman Inger Erixon
Published: January 2017

Sweden has, like most countries, transformed its educational system with the aim of increasing the economic productivity of its citizens. Nowadays, it has one of the world’s most market-oriented school systems, including few hindrances for new free-school actors. Swedish students have thus become commodities in a competitive school market. The aim of the article is to study students’ exchange value in relation to choice of different schools and study paths with a special focus on the introductory programmes within the Swedish upper secondary school. Traditionally, Swedish upper secondary schools offered vocational and academic programmes, channelling young people into skilled jobs or higher education. Introductory programmes are recent innovations, aimed at the 13% of young people who do not qualify for vocational or academic programmes. This group includes those who have failed to complete compulsory school for a variety of reasons, including those who are recent arrivals in the country. Through observations, formal and informal interviews as well as reading of national and local documents and marketing material, we conclude that introductory programme students do not seem to be sufficiently ‘profitable’ to warrant investment by free schools. Public schools are obliged to help this group of students attain additional qualifications, investing heavily in their education so that they may become part of the mainstream school market.
Variability of Diabetes Alert Dog Accuracy in a Real-World Setting
Authors: Gonder-Frederick Linda A. , Grabman Jesse H. , Shepard Jaclyn A. , Tripathi Anand V. , Ducar Dallas M. , McElgunn Zachary R.
Published: January 2017

Background:

Diabetes alert dogs (DADs) are growing in popularity as an alternative method of glucose monitoring for individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Only a few empirical studies have assessed DAD accuracy, with inconsistent results. The present study examined DAD accuracy and variability in performance in real-world conditions using a convenience sample of owner-report diaries.

Method:

Eighteen DAD owners (44.4% female; 77.8% youth) with T1D completed diaries of DAD alerts during the first year after placement. Diary entries included daily BG readings and DAD alerts. For each DAD, percentage hits (alert with BG ≤ 5.0 or ≥ 11.1 mmol/L; ≤90 or ≥200 mg/dl), percentage misses (no alert with BG out of range), and percentage false alarms (alert with BG in range) were computed. Sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), and true positive rates were also calculated.

Results:

Overall comparison of DAD Hits to Misses yielded significantly more Hits for both low and high BG. Total sensitivity was 57.0%, with increased sensitivity to low BG (59.2%) compared to high BG (56.1%). Total specificity was 49.3% and PLR = 1.12. However, high variability in accuracy was observed across DADs, with low BG sensitivity ranging from 33% to 100%. Number of DADs achieving ≥ 60%, 65% and 70% true positive rates was 71%, 50% and 44%, respectively.

Conclusions:

DADs may be able to detect out-of-range BG, but variability across DADs is evident. Larger trials are needed to further assess DAD accuracy and to identify factors influencing the complexity of DAD accuracy in BG detection.