bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A tale of two green walls: a functional trait approach to assess vegetation establishment on restored steep slopes
Authors: Monteiro Juliana , Brilhante Miguel , Domingues Inês , Amaro Rute , Gonçalves Dulce , Cavaco Teresa , Fonseca Gonçalo , Serrano Helena C. , Branquinho Cristina
Published: October 2019

Green walls (GWs) have been increasingly recognized as an important restoration technique for steep slopes resulting from quarrying activities or major infrastructure construction projects. In practice, GW irrigation is considered essential, although studies evaluating vegetation establishment under different irrigation regimes are lacking. Besides taxonomic metrics, functional diversity measures were used to compare the diversity and composition of plant communities of two hydroseeded GWs, with different irrigation regimes (irrigated vs. low‐irrigated). The studied GWs were installed in Peneda‐Gerês National Park (NW Portugal) to minimize the visual impact of shotcrete walls, along a road infrastructure, and promote their ecological restoration. Species' cover was recorded 3 years after installation. Species were classified according to their growth form, life form, and life strategy. Despite hydroseeding approximately 57 species, GW vegetation was dominated by spontaneous species, particularly acrocarpous mosses, regardless of irrigation regime. Species and functional richness were higher under irrigated conditions, while no differences were observed for species diversity and functional dispersion. Functional trait composition did not differ between GWs, indicating that both systems potentially provide the same ecosystem functions and services. Our results also suggest that spontaneous species colonizing GWs are highly adapted to local environmental conditions, given their dominance in both irrigated and low‐irrigated communities. Overall, irrigation did not affect the structure and functioning of GW communities, only their redundancy, since more species exhibiting similar traits were established in the irrigated GW. Therefore, our findings suggest that low‐irrigated GWs, hydroseeded with native species, represent a more cost‐effective solution to reduce the ecological impacts of steep slopes.
Bayesian Modelling of Marked Point Processes with Incomplete Records: Volcanic Eruptions
Authors: Wang Ting , Schofield Matthew , Bebbington Mark , Kiyosugi Koji
Published: October 2019

Modelling point processes with incomplete records is a challenging problem, especially when the degree of record completeness varies over time. For volcanic eruption records, we expect the degree of missingness to depend on both the time and the size of an eruption. We propose a time-varying intensity function for a marked point process to model the non-stationary variation of the observed point process caused by missing data. We apply this model to global and regional volcanic eruption records and use Bayesian inference to obtain hazard estimates and their uncertainties based on the observed incomplete records, to carry out residual analysis and to provide forecasts.
The role of dark‐side of motivation and intention to continue in exercise: A self‐determination theory approach
Authors: Rodrigues Filipe , Teixeira Diogo S. , Cid Luis , Machado Sérgio , Monteiro Diogo
Published: October 2019

Motivation plays an important role when it comes to regular physical exercise. Hence, low levels of intentions to continue exercising in the future may ultimately lead to higher rates of exercise dropout. The first objective of the present research was to test a theoretical model considering the dark side of motivational determinants on intentions towards exercising in the future. The second objective consisted in comparing groups with different characteristics, as a way to identify individuals with weaker intention, which is believed to be an indicator of a higher dropout risk. In total, 544 (294 female; 250 male) gym exercisers aged between 18 and 58 years (M = 35.00; SD = 11.57) partook in the present research. Participants were engaged in fitness group classes (n = 273) or in cardio/resistance workouts (n = 271), and their exercise experience ranged from 3 to 120 months (M = 47.41; SD = 7.54). Results showed that the measurement and the structural model had an excellent fit. In addition, the structural model was invariant between gender, fitness activities, and exercise experience. Each group displayed different explained variance in intention to continue exercising. Overall, male, young adults and more experienced exercisers had stronger intentions towards exercising. Fitness instructors should be aware of their own thwarting behaviors, especially when interacting with female, young and less experienced exercisers, since they have weaker intentions to exercise in the future, possibly representing an increased risk of withdrawal.
Device and method matter: A critical evaluation of eccentric hamstring muscle strength assessments
Authors: Wiesinger Hans‐Peter , Gressenbauer Christoph , Kösters Alexander , Scharinger Manuel , Müller Erich
Published: October 2019

Equivocal findings exist on isokinetic and Nordic hamstring exercise testing of eccentric hamstring strength capacity. Here, we propose a critical comparison of the mechanical output of hamstring muscles as assessed with either a dynamometer (IKD) or a Nordic hamstring device (NHD). Twenty‐five volunteers (26 ± 3 years) took part in a counterbalanced repeated‐measures protocol on both devices. Eccentric peak torque, work, angle of peak torque, bilateral strength ratios, and electromyography activity of the biceps femoris long head, semitendinosus and gastrocnemius muscles were assessed. There was a very poor correlation in eccentric peak torque between the devices (r < 0.58), with a systematic and proportional bias toward lower torque values on the IKD (~28%) and a high typical error (~19%) in IKD and NHD measurements comparison. Furthermore, participants performed a higher total eccentric work on IKD, reached peak torques at greater knee extension angles, and showed a greater side‐to‐side strength difference compared to the Nordic hamstring exercise. Gastrocnemius muscle activity was lower during the Nordic hamstring exercise. Reliability was low for work on NHD and for angle of peak torque and bilateral strength ratios on either device. We conclude that the evaluation of eccentric knee flexor strength depends on the testing conditions and even under standardized procedures, the IKD and NHD measure a different trait. Both tests have limitations in terms of assessing strength differences within an individual, and measurements of the angle of peak torque or side‐to‐side differences in eccentric knee flexor strength revealed low reliability and should be considered with caution.
Challenges of Quality Management: A Case Study at Malaysian Electronics Manufacturing Services Company
Authors: Abdullah Nasuha Lee , Jamaludin Khairur Rijal , Abdul Talib Hayati Habibah
Published: October 2019

The majority of Malaysian electronics manufacturing companies are electronics contract manufacturers (CM) and the industry is known as electronics manufacturing services (EMS). The industry is lucrative yet challenging. Companies in this industry need to have strong and flexible production system as well as supply chain to cater for diverse customer requirements such as high mix low volume demand. The objective of this paper is to identify the challenges in managing quality effectively and efficiently in a contractâ€“manufacturing environment. Observation and semiâ€“structured interviews were conducted to understand and identify the operational problems in a local EMS company. The problems are then analyzed and generalized against existing quality theories. Interestingly, the findings showed that all the problems have been addressed in the quality theories some 30 years ago.
Biomechanics Analysis for Dominant Leg During Instep Kicking
Authors: Mahamad Ali MohdFirdaus , Md. Deros Baba , Ismail Ahmad Rasdan
Published: October 2019

This paper presents the 3D biomechanics analysis on a soccer player during performing instep kick. This study was conducted to investigate the significant correlation within variables, such as: approach angle, distance of supporting leg from the ball and ball internal pressure with respect to knee angular velocity of the ball on the kicking leg. Six subjects from different categories were selected to take part in this study. Subjects selected are using dominant right leg and free from any injury. Subjects were asked to perform one step instep kick according to the setting for the variables with different parameter. Data analysis was performed using 3 Dimensional â€œQualisys Track Managerâ€. Statistical analysis was conducted by using Microsoft Excel 2007 software. Taguchi statistical analysis method was used to determine the composition of L9 Orthogonal and larger noise to signal ratio (S/N). It was found the results of ANOVA analysis of Pâ€“values for all three parameters were lower than 0.05. It means that the approach angle, distance of supporting leg from the ball and the ball internal pressure have significant correlation with knee angular velocity.
A Study on Benchmarking Technique Understanding and Knowledge in Malaysia Palm Oil Milling Industry
Authors: Rahman Norashikin , Md. Deros Baba , Ab Rahman Mohd. Nizam
Published: October 2019

Benchmarking is a tool that can lead to broad improvements to an organization. It has been implemented in various industries such as manufacturing and services. The objective of this study is to identify the level of understanding and knowledge on benchmarking in palm oil milling industry. A survey instrument, tested for reliability and validity by experts and practitioner was developed to collect data from respondents involved the palm oil milling industry. Later, the survey questionnaire which comprise of two sections was distributed through postal mail and email to 230 respondents in different palm oil milling industry. Seventy four survey questionnaires were completed and returned, giving a response rate of 32.2%. Analysis of survey results shows that 18.9% of respondents are in good category, 71.6% are still in moderate category and 9.5% in low category. Thus, it can be concluded that 81.1% of survey respondents in palm oil milling industry is still lacking of knowledge and understanding in benchmarking concept. Further guidance, support and awareness are really needed to encourage more organisations in palm oil industry to use benchmarking in order to survive and remain competitive.
Analysis of Remanufacturing Practices in the Malaysian Automotive Industry
Authors: Mohd Yusop Nurazua , Abdul Wahab Dzuraidah , Saibani Nizaroyani
Published: October 2019

At 605,156 units, Malaysia recorded the highest sales in passenger car market in 2010. It provided a very strong positive impact to the local automotive manufacturers like Proton and Perodua which monopolized approximately 60% of the Total Industry Volume (TIV). However, the global paradigm-shift towards environmental sustainability also played a significant role in ensuring the sector remains strong and competitive. The trend in the global automotive industry today has led to considerations for green design concept cars. Recently, remanufacturing activity is known to be more profitable and able to minimize the negative impacts of end of life vehicle to the environment. Since remanufacturing is a relatively new industry in Malaysia, it is essential to develop and gather good knowledge and information from the appropriate parties such as Proton, Perodua, Honda and Toyota as well as government agencies or enforcement authorities such as MITI & JPJ including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) such as Motor Teknologi & Industri Sdn Bhd (MTI). By using a survey questionnaire as the methodology tool, this study is developed with the hope that ample knowledge and information could be collected and further analyzed. Results from the study would be channelled as a tool to contribute towards research activities in the Malaysian automotive industry with regards to environmental impact from product remanufacturing.
Effect of Corrossion on the Electrical Conductivity of Metals and Polymer Composite
Authors: Mohd Sabri Mohd Anas , Sulong Abu Bakar , Chin Fung Kuon , Sahari Jaafar
Published: October 2019

Applications of a metallic bipolar plate in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) are currently being developed in the market. The main challenge for metal usage is the effect of corrosion on the overall performance of a PEMFC. The materials used in this study are stainless steel 316L (SS316L), aluminum 6061, titanium, compressed graphite, and graphite/CNTs/epoxy nanocomposite. The materials and its measurements were studied using digital multimeter to obtain the conductivity of the material, potentiostatic test to determine the corrosion rate, pH meter to determine the pH level of the sulfuric acid, and microscope to study the topography surface of the corrosion material before and after the corrosion test. Results show that aluminum corrosion is the fastest and the most severe, followed by SS316L, titanium, compressed graphite, and graphite/CNTs/epoxy nanocomposite. Corrosion decreases the electrical conductivity of the material and the pH level of sulfuric acid, consequently making the material dull and coarse. Metal plates face more severe corrosion problems compared with compressed graphite and graphite/CNTs/epoxy nanocomposite. Despite the corrosion problems it creates, metal use is low cost, easy to fabricate, light, and has good heat and electric conductivity. Hence, the development of the metallic bipolar plate shows high potential, and its modification is encouraged.
Effects of Manganese Addition on Tensile Strength of AA6063 Alloy for Marine Application
Authors: Pratikno Herman , Ghazali Mariyam Jameelah , Daud A. R.
Published: October 2019

AA6063 alloy is a common materials used in boat and ship construction due to its lightweight and good strength. However, its strength is lower than steel's strength. For that reason, an improvement in strength is needed. In this work, an attempt has been made to improve the tensile strength of AA6063 alloy by adding manganese (Mn) element. From 0.5 to 2.5 wt.% of Mn was added to AA6063 alloy and melted together before being cast into a cylindrical steel mould. The alloy was solutionised at 535oC for 6 hours and followed by water-quenching. The alloy was then artificially aged at 200oC for 5 hours and followed by natural aging for 14 days. Tensile tests were carried out according to ASTM E8M-03 procedures. The combination of artificial and natural aging has increased the ultimate tensile strength of all AA6063 alloys (with and without Mn). The ultimate tensile strength of the alloys increased with the increase of Mn content. An addition of 2.5 wt% Mn has increased the ultimate tensile strength of AA6063 alloy to 189.55 MPa after solution treatment and artificial aging followed by 14 days natural aging compared to as-cast AA6063 alloy which has the ultimate tensile strength of 61.33 MPa.
Different Types of Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) Systems for Simultaneous Electricity Generation and Pollutant Removal
Authors: Zain S. M. , Ching N. L. , Jusoh S. , Yunus S. Y.
Published: October 2019

The aim of this study is to identify the relationship between the rate of electricity generation and the rate of carbon and nitrogen removal from wastewater using different MFC processes.  Determining whether the generation of electricity using MFC process could be related to the rate of pollutant removal from wastewater is noteworthy. Three types of MFC process configurations include the batch mode (SS), a continuous flow of influent with ferricyanide (PF) as the oxidizing agent and a continuous flow of influent with oxygen (PU) as the oxidizing agent. The highest quantity of electricity generation was achieved using the continuous flow mode with ferricyanide (0.833 V), followed by the continuous flow mode with oxygen (0.589 V) and the batch mode (0.352 V). The highest efficiency of carbon removal is also achieved by the continuous flow mode with ferricyanide (87%), followed by the continuous flow mode with oxygen (51%) and the batch mode (46%). Moreover, the continuous flow mode with ferricyanide produced the highest efficiency for nitrogen removal (63%), followed by the continuous flow mode with oxygen (54%) and the batch mode (27%).
A FRAMEWORK FOR STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS USING NAÏVE BAYES CLASSIFIER
Authors: Abdul Aziz Azwa , Ismail Nur Hafieza , Ahmad Fadhilah , Hassan Hasni
Published: October 2019

Educational database of Higher Learning Institutions holds an enormous amount of data that increases every semester. Data mining technique is usually applied to this database to discover underlying information about the students. This paper proposed a framework to predict the performance of first year bachelor students in Computer Science course. Naïve Bayes Classifier was used to extract patterns using WEKA as a Data mining tool in order to build a prediction model. The data were collected from 6 year period intakes from July 2006/2007 until July 2011/2012. From the students’ data, six parameters were selected that are race, gender, family income, university entry mode, and Grade Point Average. By using Naïve Bayes Classifier, it would predict the class label “Grade Point Average” as a categorical value; Poor, Average, and Good. Result from the study shows that the students’ family income, gender, and hometown parameter contribute towards students’ academic performance. The prediction model is useful to the lecturers and management of the faculty in identifying students with weak performance so that they will be able to take necessary actions to improve the students’ academic performance.
PROCESS SIMULATION OF PINEAPPLE JUICE SPRAY DRYING
Authors: Bello A. Aliyu , Ahmad Arshad , Ripin Adnan
Published: October 2019

Pineapple juice is one of the known natural sources of bromelain, a bioactive compound beneficial to health. The dried powder has potential commercial value and is a convenient source of the juice drink. The quality of spray dried pineapple juice is dependent on the powder moisture content. Spray dried pineapple powders with low moisture contents were produced in a lab-scale spray dryer in this study.  Powder production of 25% of total solids were obtained by use of DE6 maltodextrin to solids ratio of 0.41:0.59. A heat and mass transfer model of the spray drying process was implemented in Matlab and solved to determine its predictive utility. The simulation results showed agreement with experimental data at high inlet air temperatures but widely diverged at other air temperatures. The error size in predicted product moisture varied from 73% at 165 oC to almost zero at 185 oC while that for the predicted exit air temperatures varied from about 38% to zero over the same temperature range.  Accuracy can be improved if transient heat effects, and sub models for the feed drying are included in the model.
THE EFFECT OF RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN ON THE USER EXPERIENCE WITH LAPTOP AND SMARTPHONE DEVICES
Authors: Hussain Azham , Mkpojiogu Emmanuel O.C.
Published: October 2019

The introduction of smartphones with their accompanying capacity to access the Internet, changed the way the Internet is used. Many people now use mobile devices to browse the Web. However, the varying screen sizes of these devices portend some impact on their users’ experience, as the Web content on the devices vary in size and the navigation of pages are also different in the various devices. The advent of the responsive web design (RWD) philosophy, revolutionized the way Web pages are designed and the way they appear to the users in the various devices. RWD makes Web pages to adjust to the size of any devices’ screen irrespective of the device type. In this study, the effect of responsive web design of the user experience witha laptop and smartphone devices while using the e-Ebola Awareness System, (a Web based health awareness portal for Ebola virus disease), was measured and evaluated. The results revealed that users had a better user experience with Smartphones than with laptops while using the system, however, for most of the metrics collected, users’ experiences with the two device types were not significantly different at 95% level of confidence, implying that for those metrics, the responsive web design had a similar effect on the users’ experiences and attitudes
DIGITAL RITUALIZED INTERACTION: TOWARDS CONCEPTUALIZING MEDIATED FAMILIAL BONDING VIA FAMILY CONNECTING TECHNOLOGY
Authors: Kamal Fazillah Mohmad , Md. Noor Nor Laila , Baharin Hanif
Published: October 2019

Appropriation of connecting technology in the context of family use has revealed its affordance as mediating tool to facilitate familial bonding, as that which is beyond communication. Yet, its operationalization through the HCI design is still not extensively studied. It is postulated that the theory of Interaction Ritual and family ritual could serve as a lens for understanding of how interface design mediates such bonding in digital environment. As theories, they are specifically tailored to understanding interactions among people and technologies which further assist in conducting an interpretative analysis in producing mappings of interaction design concepts to bonding eliciting design features informed by earlier work. The model serves as a new foundation to inform appropriate design of future family connecting technology in pursuit of familial bonding.
WEBSITE SPEED TESTING ANALYSIS USING SPEEDTESTING MODEL
Authors: Bartuskova Aneta , Krejcar Ondrej , Sabbah Thabit , Selamat Ali
Published: October 2019

Page load speed reflects the website´s performance. It has a significant influence on user experience and satisfaction. In this work we study and analyze the reasons cause the slowness of webpages laod speed. By the deep invistigation of the related literature and the reviwe of websites’s speed testing services from different perspectives such as functions, interface and additional settings. We present a detailed recommendations that can be followed to optimize site's performance. Our hypotheses about reliability of website speed testing has been tested and conformed experimentally. 378 individual speed tests with various combinations of settings experiemnts have been performed to confirm out hypotheses, and recommendations have been provided based on our results. We believe that following these rules would ensure significantly more reliable website speed testing in comparison with a common practice.
ANALYTICAL APPROXIMATE SOLUTION FOR THE FORCED KORTEWEG-DE VRIES (FKDV) ON CRITICAL FLOW OVER A HOLE USING HOMOTOPY ANALYSIS METHOD
Authors: David Vincent Daniel , Abdul Aziz Zainal , Salah Faisal
Published: October 2019

Free surface flows in a two-dimensional channel past over a hole is studied using shallow water forced Korteweg-de Vries (fKdV) equation. The forcing term of fKdV equation represents the hole shaped bottom topography. Froude number (Fr), which represents the ratio of flow speed to the wave speed, will also be used in solving fKdV equation. The fKdV equation is solved using Homotopy Analysis Method (HAM). HAM is an approximate analytical technique used to obtain series of solutions for the nonlinear problems where HAM has an auxiliary parameter coto adjust and control the convergence region of the series solution. Solitary wave solutions are obtained from the series of solutions of HAM and wave flows are observed at particular time. The HAM solution shows the hole shaped bottom topography plays an important role in determining the evolution of solitary waves.
CFD STUDY OF CYCLONE PERFORMANCE: EFFECT OF INLET SECTION ANGLE AND PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION
Authors: Piemjaiswang Ratchanon , Ratanathammapan Kongpob , Kunchonthara Prapan , Piumsomboon Pornpote , Chalermsinsuwan Benjapon
Published: October 2019

A numerical simulation technique was employed to model the two phase flow in cyclones using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Three different inlet angles of cyclone, including 45, 0 and -45 degrees were compared to describe the efficiency of the conventional cyclone with the modified inlet angle ones. The results showed that the interaction between solid particles in dilute system could be neglected. The pressure drop was decreased when the inlet angle of the cyclone increased. The cyclone with 45 degrees inlet angle tended to have the lowest pressure drop. The collection efficiency was improved with 45 degrees inlet angle due to high swirling motion of gas flow.
DATA MINING TO PREDICT THE USE OF VASOPRESSORS IN INTENSIVE MEDICINE PATIENTS
Authors: Braga André , Portela Filipe , Filipe Santos Manuel , Abelha António , Machado José , Silva Álvaro , Rua Fernando
Published: October 2019

The role that decision making process plays in Intensive Medicine is very critical essential due to the bad health condition of the patients that go to Intensive Care Units (ICU) and the need of a quick and accurate decisions. Therefore each decision is crucial, because it can help saving endangered lives. The decision should be always taken in the patient best interest after analyzing all the data available. In the eyes of the intensivists, the ever growing amount of available data concerning the patients, makes it each time more difficult for them to make a decision based on so many information. It is based on this ideal of improving the decision making process, that this work arises and Data Mining models were induced to predict if a patient will need to take a vasopressor, more specifically: Dopamine, Adrenaline or Noradrenaline. This work used real data provided by an Intensive Care Unit and collected in real-time. The data mining model were induced using data from vital sign monitors, laboratory analysis and information about the patient’s Electronic Health Record. This study was based in clinical evidences and provided very useful results with a sensitivity around 90%. These models will reduce the need of vasopressor drugs by helping intensivists to act and take accurate decision before the vasopressor be need by the patient. It will improve the patient condition because when the time comes the predicted necessity of the vasopressor will cease to exist due to the early care provided by the intensivist. The decisions can be for example change the therapeutic plan. Overall, the decision making process becomes more reliable and effective and the quality of care given to patients is better.
OPTIMIZATION OF EXTRACTION AND DETECTION METHOD FOR IMAZAPYR AND IMAZAPIC RESIDUES IN WATER, SOIL AND FISH TISSUE SAMPLES USING HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY
Authors: Mohamad Shaifuddin Siti Norashikin , Hussain Hazilia , Hassan Hamzah Fansuri
Published: October 2019

The combination of imazapyr and imazapic herbicides was first introduced to increase the crop yields in agricultural areas around the world by killing unwanted plants. Unfortunately, previous literatures have proved that imazapyr is persistent in environmental media (soil and groundwater). In some studies, these herbicides have also been claimed to pose a potential risk to non-target organisms as well as causing possible health threats to humans. Therefore, developing a suitable extraction and detection method of these residues at low level in biological and environmental samples is highly necessary to ensure food safety and to protect the environment. Imazapyr and imazapic were extracted from water and fish tissues using solid phase extraction, whereas solid-liquid extraction was used for soil samples. The extracts were analyzed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Results showed that recoveries were found to range from 80% to 130%. These were the methods used to determine the residues from the actual samples collected in Sawah Sempadan. Analysis showed that a total of 86% of the samples revealed presence of imazapyr and imazapic. Therefore, these methods are proven to be sufficient in analyzing the environmental presence of these herbicides.
MEASUREMENT OF HEART RATE TO DETERMINE CAR DRIVERS’ PERFORMANCE IMPAIRMENT IN SIMULATED DRIVING: AN OVERVIEW
Authors: Ismail Faizul Rizal , Khamis Nor Kamaliana , Nuawi Mohd Zaki , Schramm Dieter , Hesse Benjamin
Published: October 2019

Fatigue is a gradual process related with an effort to keep awake, eventually resulting in declination of human performance. It is one of the well-known risk factors for traffic accidents. The objective of this study is to understand the psychophysiological aspects of driver fatigue by using driving simulator. This study had focused on heart rate (HR) measures to determine drivers’ performance as this method can be measured in a less intrusive manner. Hence, in this study, 17 relevant studies were discussed, chosen from electronic databases. This study encompasses a range of subject areas, including concepts and theories of fatigue, driver fatigue, and psychophysiological indicators and countermeasures of driver fatigue. A variety of psychophysiological measures and parameters have been used in past research as indicators of fatigue. Based on this review, HR can assists researchers to determine performance according to a task demand, condition and its complexity.  The review highlighted gaps in the literature and opportunities for future studies.
SUITABILITY OF HEART RATE RECORDING AS PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES TOOL TO DETERMINE DRIVERS’ PERFORMANCE IMPAIRMENT: A PRELIMINARY STUDY
Authors: Khamis Nor Kamaliana , Ismail Faizul Rizal , Hesse Benjamin , Schramm Dieter , Maas Niko , Koppers Martin , Nuawi Mohd Zaki , Md Deros Baba
Published: October 2019

Performance impairment may occur if the driver feels fatigue while driving. This study investigated the drivers’ condition while performing one hour driving simulation in a controlled environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether heart rate measures can be used to detect impaired driver performance as well as reduced alertness. There are two different experiments conducted among the subjects; (i) without vibration and (ii) with vibration. A monotonous driving simulation scenario with low demand of traffic flow was utilized to detect drivers’ performance impairment. Heart rate (HR) was recorded over the entire experiment; (i) 30 minutes before driving, (ii) one hour during driving and (iii) 30 minutes after driving in the morning before lunch break.  The baseline measurement was recorded when the subject has performed his daily routine in the same hours of experiment, which is about three hours. HR measures were derived and correlated to variation of lane deviation (VLD), a driving performance measure, and to the driver's state, which was estimated by the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS). Experimental result shows all subjects’ HR data were lower at the end of the driving task, particularly when driving in the simulator without vibration. Based on KSS evaluation, subjects tend to feel sleepy during driving and become less sleepy when they reach the destination. In term of VLD, all subjects tend xto cross the lane, which means they were not focused to the task. In conclusion, HR can be used as a tool to detect drivers’ performance and it is a useful indicator of physiological adaptation and intensity of effort.
INVESTIGATION ON DIELECTRIC AND SOUND ABSORPTION PROPERTIES OF BANANA FIBERS REINFORCED EPOXY COMPOSITES
Authors: Jayamani Elammaran , Hamdan Sinin , Ezhumalai Pushparaj , Bakri Muhammad Khusairy
Published: October 2019

This research work focused on the development of banana fiber reinforced epoxy resin composites for dielectric and sound absorption applications. The dielectric and sound absorption properties of the composites were studied with respect to the fiber loading and treatment. The fibers were treated using 5wt % of sodium hydroxide at room temperature. The properties of the composites were measured using HP Impedance Analyzer E4980A and two-microphone transfer function impedance tube method according to the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM D150-11 and ASTM E1050-12) standards. In general, the composites displayed higher dielectric constant and sound absorption coefficients at the higher fiber loading. In extend, the treated fibers reinforced composites showed higher sound absorption coefficients, but lower dielectric constant values
AN ADAPTIVE LOCALIZATION SYSTEM USING PARTICLE SWARM OPTIMIZATION IN A CIRCULAR DISTRIBUTION FORM
Authors: Alhammadi Abdulraqeb , Hashim Fazirulhisyam , Fadlee Mohd , M. Shami Tareq
Published: October 2019

Tracking the user location in indoor environment becomes substantial issue in recent research High accuracy and fast convergence are very important issues for a good localization system. One of the techniques that are used in localization systems is particle swarm optimization (PSO). This technique is a stochastic optimization based on the movement and velocity of particles. In this paper, we introduce an algorithm using PSO for indoor localization system. The proposed algorithm uses PSO to generate several particles that have circular distribution around one access point (AP). The PSO generates particles where the distance from each particle to the AP is the same distance from the AP to the target. The particle which achieves correct distances (distances from each AP to target) is selected as the target. Four PSO variants, namely standard PSO (SPSO), linearly decreasing inertia weight PSO (LDIW PSO), self-organizing hierarchical PSO with time acceleration coefficients (HPSO-TVAC), and constriction factor PSO (CFPSO) are used to find the minimum distance error. The simulation results show the proposed method using HPSO-TVAC variant achieves very low distance error of 0.19 meter.
Brilliant mid-infrared ellipsometry and polarimetry of thin films: Toward laboratory applications with laser based techniques
Authors: Hinrichs Karsten , Shaykhutdinov Timur , Kratz Christoph , Furchner Andreas
Published: October 2019

Tunable quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) have recently been introduced as mid-infrared (mid-IR) sources for spectroscopic ellipsometric and polarimetric setups. QCLs, with their unique properties with respect to coherence and brilliance in either pulsed or continuous-wave operation, are opening up numerous new possibilities for laboratory and industrial applications. In this review, the authors will focus on thin-film characterization techniques like ellipsometric and nanopolarimetric methods and summarize related state-of-the-art techniques in this rapidly developing field. These methods are highly relevant for optical, electronical, and biomedical applications and allow detailed structural analyses regarding band properties, spectra–structure correlations, and material anisotropy. Compared to classical Fourier-transform-IR spectroscopy, thin-film sensitivity can be achieved at high spectral and spatial resolution (<0.5 cm−1, <150 μm). Measurement times are reducible by several orders of magnitude into the millisecond and microsecond range with laser-based polarimetric setups involving modulation or single-shot concepts. Thus, mid-IR ellipsometric and polarimetric hyperspectral imaging can be performed on the time scale of minutes. For mid-IR ellipsometric imaging, thickness and structure information become simultaneously accessible at spatial resolutions of a few 100 μm and possibly even at the micrometer scale by the integration of microscopic concepts. With the atomic force microscopy-infrared spectroscopy based nanopolarimetric approach, anisotropy in the absorption properties can be investigated with lateral resolutions beyond the diffraction limit, reaching a few 10 nm.
Postglacial environmental change of a high-elevation forest, Sangre de Cristo Mountains of south-central Colorado
Authors: Anderson R. Scott , Soltow Hanna R. , Jiménez-Moreno Gonzalo
Published: October 2019

Continuous sediment, pollen, and charcoal records were developed from an 8.46-m-long sediment core taken from Hermit Lake in the northern Sangre de Cristo mountain range of Colorado. Presently, vegetation around the lake is upper subalpine forest, consisting of Picea engelmannii (Englemann spruce) with some Abies lasiocarpa (subalpine fir), and the lake lies >200 m below present tree line. We used several pollen ratios to reconstruct the relative position of the tree line and the occurrence of clay layers to infer landscape instability through time.

Deglaciation of the Hermit Lake drainage began during the Bølling-Allerød interval. Between ca. 13.5 and 12.4 ka, high Artemisia (sagebrush) pollen abundance, low Picea/Pinus (spruce/pine; S/P) ratios, and sporadic occurrence of Picea macrofossils indicate alpine tundra-spruce conditions. Though the pollen record shows no transition to the Younger Dryas, the subsequent absence of Picea needle fragments suggests a lowering of tree line. By ca. 10.2 ka, a subalpine forest of Picea and Pinus grew there. Based on pollen ratios, tree line was higher than today from ca. 9.0 to ca. 3.8 ka, after which the tree line began to lower to its present elevation. Maximum expansion of the Picea-Abies subalpine forest, determined from both pollen and macrofossils, was coincident with the highest influx of charcoal particles and maximum deposition of postfire erosion (clay layers) into the lake. The period ca. 7.8–6.2 ka was the driest period, as shown by aquatic indicators, but pollen ratios suggest that ca. 6.2–3.8 ka was the warmest period of the Holocene, accompanied by high rates of burning, and consequently elevated erosion of clays into the lake. During the late Holocene, declining S/P ratios are interpreted as declining alpine tree line, while decreases in both Picea to Artemisia (S/Art) and Pinus to Artemisia (P/Art) ratios suggest climate cooling. Pollen evidence suggests expansion of the lower-elevation Colorado piñon (Pinus edulis), which has been documented as part of a widespread phenomenon noted by other studies.
Socioeconomic differences in mortality among 27 million economically active Germans: a cross-sectional analysis of the German Pension Fund data
Authors: Grigoriev Pavel , Scholz Rembrandt , Shkolnikov Vladimir M
Published: October 2019

Objectives

To assess disparities in mortality by socioeconomic status in Germany.

Design and participants

We analyse a large administrative dataset of the German Pension Fund (DRV), including 27 million person-years of exposure and 42 000 deaths in 2013. The data cover the economically active population, stratified by sex and by East and West.

Outcome measures

Age-standardised mortality rates and Poisson regression mortality rate ratios (MRRs).

Results

The risk of dying increases with decreasing income: the MRRs of the lowest to the highest income quintile are 4.66 (95% CI 4.48 to 4.85) among men and 3.06 (95% CI 2.90 to 3.23) among women. The impact of income attenuates after controlling for education and other explanatory variables, especially for females. In the fully controlled model for females, individual income is a weaker predictor of mortality, but there is a clear educational mortality gradient. In the fully controlled model, the MRRs of the unemployed to the employed are 2.09 (95% CI 2.03 to 2.15) among men and 2.01 (95% CI 1.92 to 2.10) among women. The risk of dying is around half as high among foreigners as among German citizens. The socioeconomic disparities are greater among East than West German men.

Conclusions

Low socioeconomic status is a major determinant of excess adult mortality in Germany. The persisting East-West differences in male adult mortality can be explained by the higher socioeconomic status of men living in the West, rather than by contextual differences between East and West. These differences can be further monitored using DRV data.
Quantum entanglement in some topological insulator models
Authors: Lima L. S.
Published: October 2019

Quantum entanglement is studied in the neighborhood of a topological transition in some topological insulator models such as the two-dimensional Qi–Wu–Zhang model or Chern insulator. The system describes electrons hopping in two-dimensional chains. For the one-dimensional model case, there exist staggered hopping amplitudes. Our results show a strong effect of sudden variation of the topological charge Q in the neighborhood of phase transition on quantum entanglement for all the cases analyzed.
Multitasking: Dual Leucine Zipper–Bearing Kinases in Neuronal Development and Stress Management
Authors: Jin Yishi , Zheng Binhai
Published: October 2019

The dual leucine zipper–bearing kinase (DLK) and leucine zipper–bearing kinase (LZK) are evolutionarily conserved MAPKKKs of the mixed-lineage kinase family. Acting upstream of stress-responsive JNK and p38 MAP kinases, DLK and LZK have emerged as central players in neuronal responses to a variety of acute and traumatic injuries. Recent studies also implicate their function in astrocytes, microglia, and other nonneuronal cells, reflecting their expanding roles in the multicellular response to injury and in disease. Of particular note is the potential link of these kinases to neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. It is thus critical to understand the physiological contexts under which these kinases are activated, as well as the signal transduction mechanisms that mediate specific functional outcomes. In this review we first provide a historical overview of the biochemical and functional dissection of these kinases. We then discuss recent findings on regulating their activity to enhance cellular protection following injury and in disease, focusing on but not limited to the nervous system.
Inhibiting myeloperoxidase prevents onset and reverses established high-fat diet-induced microvascular insulin resistance
Authors: Chai Weidong , Aylor Kevin , Liu Zhenqi , Gan Li-Ming , Michaëlsson Erik , Barrett Eugene
Published: October 2019

A high-fat diet (HFD) can rapidly recruit neutrophils to insulin target tissues and within days induce microvascular insulin resistance (IR). Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is highly enriched in neutrophils, can inhibit nitric oxide-mediated vasorelaxation in vitro and is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. AZD5904 irreversibly inhibits MPO and in human clinical trials. MPO knockout, or chemical inhibition, blunts HFD-induced metabolic IR in mice. Whether MPO affects microvascular IR or muscle metabolic insulin sensitivity in vivo is unknown. We used contrast-enhanced ultrasound and the euglycemic insulin clamp to test whether inhibiting MPO could prevent the development or reverse established HFD-induced metabolic and/or microvascular IR in Sprague-Dawley rats. Two weeks of HFD feeding blocked insulin-mediated skeletal muscle capillary recruitment, inhibited glucose utilization, and insulin signaling to muscle. Continuous subcutaneous AZD5904 infusion during the 2 wk selectively blocked HFD’s microvascular effect. Furthermore, AZD5904 infusion during the last 2 of 4 wk of HFD feeding restored microvascular insulin sensitivity but not metabolic IR. We conclude that inhibiting MPO selectively improves vascular IR. This selective microvascular effect may connote a therapeutic potential for MPO inhibition in the prevention of vascular disease/dysfunction seen in IR humans.
Activation of protein synthesis, regeneration, and MAPK signaling pathways following repeated bouts of eccentric cycling
Authors: Valladares-Ide Denisse , Peñailillo Luis , Collao Nicolás , Marambio Hugo , Deldicque Louise , Zbinden-Foncea Hermann
Published: October 2019

The aim of this study was to examine the activation of skeletal muscle signaling pathways related to protein synthesis and the gene expression of regeneration/degradation markers following repeated bouts of eccentric cycling. Nine untrained men (25.4 ± 1.9 yr) performed two 30-min eccentric cycling bouts (ECC1, ECC2) at 85% of maximal concentric workload, separated by 2 wk. Muscle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis before and 2 h after each bout. Indirect markers of muscle damage were assessed before and 24–48 h after exercise. Changes in the Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/rbosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1)/ribosomal protein S6 (rpS6) and MAPK signaling pathways were measured by Western blot and changes in mRNA expression of IL-6 and IL-1β, and myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) were measured by real-time PCR. ECC1 induced greater increases in indirect markers of muscle damage compared with ECC2. Phosphorylation of S6K1 and rpS6 increased after both exercise bouts ( P < 0.05), whereas phosphorylation of mTOR increased after ECC2 only ( P = 0.03). Atrogin-1 mRNA expression decreased after ECC1 and ECC2 ( P < 0.05) without changes in muscle RING-finger protein-1 mRNA. Basal mRNA levels of myoblast determination protein-1 (MyoD), MRF4, and myogenin were higher 2 wk after ECC1 ( P < 0.05). MRF4 mRNA increased after ECC1 and ECC2 ( P < 0.05), whereas MyoD mRNA expression increased only after ECC1 ( P = 0.03). Phosphorylation of JNK and p38 MAPK increased after both exercise bouts ( P < 0.05), similar to IL-6 and IL-1β mRNA expression. All together, these results suggest that differential regulation of the mTOR pathway and MRF expression could mediate the repeated bout effect observed between an initial and secondary bout of eccentric exercise.
Psychometric Properties of Sinhala Version of Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire-2 (SF MPQ-2-Sin) among Patients with Cancer Pain in Sri Lanka
Authors: Edirisinghe Nirosha P. , Makuloluwa Thamasi R. , Amarasekara Thamara D. , Goonewardena Christine S. E.
Published: October 2019

Introduction. Pain is one of the most common and unpleasant symptoms that distress the well-being of patients with cancer. Considerable evidence supports the validity and reliability of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) and its short forms, the SF MPQ and SF MPQ-2—which are the most widely used tools for pain assessment—in terms of patients with cancer. Pain and its characteristics are best assessed using validated and culturally adapted tools developed in participants’ mother tongue. Although many pain assessment tools are available worldwide, only a limited number of them have been translated into Sinhala language and validated in Sri Lanka. We aimed to translate SF MPQ-2 into Sinhala language and validate using Sinhala-speaking patients suffering from cancer pains in Sri Lanka. Materials and Methods. Translation has been conducted according to the guidelines laid down by Mapi Research Trust, in five stages, namely, forward translation, backward translation, expert opinion, cognitive debriefing interviews, and proofreading. The questionnaire was administered among 207 patients attending Apeksha Hospital, Sri Lanka, who are suffering from cancer pain. Content validity was tested using expert opinion, and face validity, by interviewing patients with cancer pain. Factor structure was tested through a factor analysis, and reliability, by internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha. Results. A total of 207 participants (112 males and 95 females), aged between 20 and 80 years, were included in the study. Factor analysis identified four factors compatible with studies done in other countries, which explained 53.5% of the variance. The analysis of data indicated Cronbach’s alpha of neuropathic, affective, intermittent, and continuous subscales as 0.768, 0.791, 0.824, and 0.789, respectively, which were over the acceptable threshold of 0.70. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the four-factor model. Conclusion. SF MPQ-2-Sinhala version is a statistically proven reliable and valid pain descriptor which can be utilized to evaluate pain suffered by patients with cancer in Sri Lanka whose mother tongue is Sinhala.