bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Approximate Formulae for Willmore Surfaces via Support Functions and Matlab
Authors: Galboa Phillip , Barg Michael
Published: May 2019

Bio-membrane shapes are calculated numerically by minimizing a bending energy with area and volume constraints. We use a modified Helfrich’s bending energy that includes buoyancy. Spheres, prolate and oblate discocytes, tori, Y -shapes, and dumbbells are some of the variety of bio-membranes that have been observed without buoyancy. Since the system of differential equations that minimizers must satisfy is extremely complex, many shapes are only known to exist through their numerical solutions. Indeed, exact analytical solutions for many shapes remain elusive. Here, we consider Y -shapes and dumbbells and give closed-form approximate formulae for these shapes using a support function method.

KEYWORDS: Bio-membranes; Support Functions; Willmore Surfaces; Generating Curves; Polynomial Approximation; Numerical Solutions; Matlab; Helfrich’s Bending Energy
The Wellbeing of Young Adults as a Function of Parental Status in Rural Tanzania
Authors: Silver Callie
Published: May 2019

The East-African nation of Tanzania has one of the highest HIV/AIDS rates in the entire world, and thus, an alarmingly high number of orphaned children. The present study sought to determine if being an orphan during childhood, either single or double, is related to one’s psychological wellbeing in young adulthood. Orphan status and psychological wellbeing information was gathered via surveys containing background information and standardized wellbeing scales. The oral survey was administered in person in Kiswahili, the national language of Tanzania. Sixty-three young adults, ages 18–25, in a small rural village community participated in the study. The results of the study found no significant association between orphan status in childhood and psychological wellbeing in young adulthood, leading to a discussion on how parental loss may be experienced in small, African, rural villages, under the framework of resilience. Conclusions were all speculative and further research is thus recommended.

KEYWORDS: Psychological; Wellbeing; Orphan; Parental Loss; HIV/AIDS; Tanzania; Sub-Saharan Africa
Sensitivity Analysis of Common Input Parameters in Tools for Modeling Energy in Homes
Authors: Tabban Sheikh Tijan , Fumo Nelson
Published: May 2019

Energy models of buildings can be developed and used for analysis of energy consumption. A model offers the opportunity to simulate a building under specific conditions for analysis of energy efficiency measures or optimum design. Due to the great amount of information needed to develop an energy model of a building, the number of inputs can be reduced by making variable the most relevant input parameters and making the others to take common or standard values. In this study, an analysis of input parameters required by computational tools to estimate energy consumption in homes was done in two stages. In the first stage, common input parameters were identified for three software and three webtools based on the criteria that the input parameter should be common for at least two software and at least one webtool. In the second stage, a sensitivity analysis was performed on the inputs identified in the first stage. The software BEopt, developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, was used as the source of typical input parameters to be compared, and to perform the simulations for the sensitivity analysis. The base or reference model to perform simulations for the sensitivity analysis corresponds to a model developed with information from a research house located on the campus of the University of Texas at Tyler and default inputs for the BEopt B-10 reference benchmark. Results show that besides the location, and consequently the weather, common parameters are building orientation, air leakage, space conditioning settings, space conditioning schedule, water heating equipment, and terrain. Among these parameters, the sensitivity analysis identified the largest variations in energy consumption for variations on space conditioning schedule (heating and cooling setpoints), followed by the type of water heating equipment.
KEYWORDS: Residential Buildings; Energy Consumption; Energy Analysis; Input Parameters; Building Simulation; Source Energy
Feeding Anti-Semitism: Representations of Jewish Food Practices in Der ewige Jude
Authors: Picher Forrest
Published: May 2019

The film Der ewige Jude has received a considerable amount of scholarship, but never solely in the context of its representations of Jewish food practices. This paper addresses this void arguing that the representations are used to de-civilize and dehumanize the Jewish people in the minds of the viewers. The representation of Jewish home life around the dinner table is done in such a way as to emphasize filth and bugs. Similarly the conditions of street food are naturalized and used as “evidence” that the Jewish people are a lower race. Later, as the film describes Jewish cultural practices it completely subverts the meaning of Purim in such a way as to access the longstanding prejudices of Jews as “bloodsuckers”. Finally, kosher slaughter is used to separate Jewish people from both a sense of Germanness and a European identity altogether. In fact, I argue this representation served as an argument to deny European Jews their humanity altogether. In all of these ways the film creates a cinematic argument that attempts to justify what would become the mass-murder and genocide of the European Jews.
KEYWORDS: Food; Film; Representations; Ghetto; Purim; Kosher
Exploration of the Influence of Smiling on Initial Reactions Across Levels of Facial Attractiveness
Authors: Shields Stephanie , Morse Caitlin , Arrington Paige , Nichols David
Published: May 2019

Both attractiveness and emotionality independently affect perception and interact to influence how a person perceives others. It has previously been shown that expressing positive emotions increases perceived attractiveness in general, but the relative influence of smiling across attractiveness levels and timing of this interaction is unknown. Such an interaction could entail dependent brain processing with interactions between brain areas or independent processing within each brain area. The present studies aimed to investigate this interaction and how it occurs through behavioral, specifically self-report, and physiological, specifically electrophysiological, methods. In each study, female undergraduate participants were shown images of male faces with smiling or neutral expressions. Study 1 used participant ratings to provide insight into the interaction and to establish an image subset of faces of high attractiveness (HA) and low attractiveness (LA). An interaction was found wherein HA faces were rated significantly higher on attractiveness when smiling whereas LA faces were rated similarly attractive regardless of emotional expression. Study 2 used electroencephalography (EEG) to examine the timing of brain responses to attractiveness, emotionality, and their interaction. Though a main effect of attractiveness consistently occurred prior to a main effect of emotional expression across two data sets, the presence of an interaction effect was inconsistent. There was some evidence for independent processing wherein the earliest brain responses are predominantly affected by attractiveness and are influenced by emotional expression, but dependent interactions between modular processing areas cannot be ruled out. Together, these results help to shed light on the interplay of attractiveness and emotionality though additional research could help to clarify the timing of the interaction on a neural level.
KEYWORDS: Attractiveness, Emotionality, Emotional Expression, Smiling, Electroencephalography, Event Related Potentials
Characterization of Rectifying and Sphere Curves in ℝ3
Authors: Logan Julie , Oh Yun Myung
Published: May 2019

Studies of curves in 3D-space have been developed by many geometers and it is known that any regular curve in 3D space is completely determined by its curvature and torsion, up to position. Many results have been found to characterize various types of space curves in terms of conditions on the ratio of torsion to curvature. Under an extra condition on the constant curvature, Y. L. Seo and Y. M. Oh found the series solution when the ratio of torsion to curvature is a linear function. Furthermore, this solution is known to be a rectifying curve by B. Y. Chen’s work. This project, uses a different approach to characterize these rectifying curves.
This paper investigates two problems. The first problem relates to figuring out what we can say about a unit speed curve with nonzero curvature if every rectifying plane of the curve passes through a fixed point in ℝ3. Secondly, some formulas of curvature and torsion for sphere curves are identified.
KEYWORDS: Space Curve; Rectifying Curve; Curvature; Torsion; Rectifying Plane; Tangent Vector; Normal Vector; Binormal Vector
Strategy Abandonment Effects in Cued Recall
Authors: Robinson Stephanie , Overman Amy , Stephens Joseph
Published: May 2019

Decades of research have investigated the effects of encoding strategies in the formation of associations in memory. Despite this, it is not known whether or how changes in the use of strategies within a brief time span may affect memory. For example, what is the effect on memory of abandoning a recent strategy or switching to a different strategy? The present study systematically varied the strategies used by participants in two closely-spaced associative memory tasks. Results indicated that intentional abandonment of a verbal (sentence-generation) strategy had disproportionately negative consequences on memory for semantically unrelated word pairs. The findings suggest that memory encoding is affected by differences in strategy use across recent memory tasks, and have implications for effective use of memory strategies in practical settings.
KEYWORDS: Cued Recall; Encoding Strategies; Inhibition
Derivation of Explicit Solutions Describing Early Stages of Platelet Activation
Authors: Austin Rachel , Fones Scott , Santoleri Dominic , Thomesen Kaitlyn , Fok Pak-Wing
Published: May 2019

The formation of blood clots is vital for biological repair of injured blood vessels. When a blood vessel is injured, platelets come into contact with collagen, causing glycoprotein VI (GPVI) to undergo a conformational change and initialize the clotting process. This project aimed to simplify and solve a system of coupled ordinary differential equations (ODEs) proposed in Model A of Regulation of Early Steps of GPVI Signal Transduction by Phosphatase: A Systems Biology Approach by JL Dunster et al., modeling early platelet activation kinetics. In doing so, the ODEs were non-dimensionalized and the approximate analytical solutions were then found. The approximate solutions compare favorably to the numerical solutions and provide deeper insight into the signal regulation pathway. Most notably, the solutions expose a time at which the pathway dynamics change drastically. This illustrates the critical role of cytosolic spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) as a molecular timer in the cascade.
KEYWORDS: Platelet Activation; Signal Cascade; Coupled Differential Equations; Asymptotic Analysis; Systems Biology; Mathematical Modeling; Model Simplification; Glycoprotein VI; Spleen Tyrosine Kinase; Syk Activation Dynamics
An All-Atomistic Molecular Dynamics Study to Determine the Structural Importance of Disulfide Bonds in Immunoglobulin G and Bovine Serum Albumin
Authors: Mathavan Akshay , Mathavan Akash , Fortunato Michael , Colina Coray
Published: May 2019

A fully-atomistic molecular dynamics study was performed to determine the importance of disulfide bonds on the stability of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and bovine serum albumin (BSA).The transferability of a previous prescreening methodology to assess contributions from individual disulfide bonds on conformational stability was tested on both proteins. In IgG, it was apparent that inter-chain and intra-chain disulfide bonds play different roles in maintaining structure, evidenced by clear separation of inter-chain cysteine residues upon cleavage of disulfide bonds. In BSA, a set of double disulfide bonds required both to be broken in order to observe significant structural changes, equivalently seen in a previous study of human serum albumin (HSA), a structurally similar protein. Structural analysis of IgG showed deviations in distances between domains, while analysis of BSA suggested more local structural changes. This work helps confirm the efficacy and reproducibility of the prescreening methodology on both a novel, larger protein such as IgG and a more homologous (to HSA), globular protein such as BSA. The results provide insight into the role of specific disulfide bonds in the stability of IgG and BSA.
KEYWORDS: Molecular Dynamics; Atomistic Simulations; Immunoglobulin G; Bovine Serum Albumin; Disulfide Bonds
Investigation of Flow Rate on Chemical Bath Deposition of Silver Films Inside Hollow Polymer Cylinders
Authors: Ehrsam M , Taz H , Malasi A , Carr C , Kalyanaraman R
Published: May 2019

In thin film solar cells made as planar structures, the absorption of solar light and hence, the solar conversion efficiency, is heavily determined by the position and orientation of the sun. One way to overcome this is to use solar cell geometries that could better absorb sunlight from different angles. One potential geometry is a hollow cylinder, which has the ability to better absorb the sun’s rays incident at various angles due to the light trapping nature of the cylindrical geometry. If such solar cells could be fabricated inside polymer tubes with micrometer diameters, many potential applications built around non-woven or woven textiles could be realized. Here we investigate the deposition of homogeneous thin metallic films inside hollow polymer cylinders using the process of chemical bath deposition (CBD). Although films deposited via CBD have been studied extensively, mechanisms to achieve high quality deposition inside hollow cylinders are still not well understood. The objective of this project was to deposit a smooth, homogeneous silver film inside a hollow cylindrical structure using varying flow rates. The early stage film growth for very short deposition times was observed by the localized surface plasmon resonance of the silver nanoclusters via absorption spectra along the length of the tube. For longer deposition times, silver films formed and were analyzed for their morphology, thickness, roughness, and resistance using a combination of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and two-probe conductivity. The findings from this study showed that deposition under flow with different Reynolds numbers had a strong influence on the morphology and electrical resistance of the deposited films.
KEYWORDS: Thin-films; Chemical Bath Deposition; Nanoparticles; Solar Cells; Silver
Feasibility of Man-Portable Power Generation Systems
Authors: Allen Earl , Fumo Nelson
Published: May 2019

Electric power is the most common source of power for many portable devices used in outdoor recreation, emergency scenarios, and military applications. Batteries that have limitations regarding power and energy are currently meeting the power demand for most of these devices. There is a search to use alternative power sources for portable energy needs. This search has mostly been researched particularly for the military to satisfy functions necessary for soldiers. However, any alternative that would provide electricity in an efficient and timely manner is useful in many applications beyond the military. The feasibility of man-portable power generation systems using thermal energy from any kind of fuels needs to be studied further, to understand if they are truly an option for situations where batteries are currently used. In this study, the feasibility of fueled power systems is investigated. Commercially available small power systems show that they are not small enough to satisfy the definition of man-portable power system. However, power systems working on an internal combustion engine show to be a better option when compared to batteries and fuel cells.
KEYWORDS: Fueled Power Generation; Man-portable Power; Power Density; Energy Density
The Role of Gender Stereotypes in Gubernatorial Campaign Coverage
Authors: Bjerre Karen
Published: May 2019

Through a content analysis of 1,152 articles covering 20 different gubernatorial races between 2004 and 2014, I examine how the presence of a woman candidate in a gubernatorial race affects media coverage of that campaign. This paper considers the prevalence of gender biases and stereotypes and examines whether print media outlets perpetuate these stereotypes or subvert them. Existing research suggests that voters favor traditionally masculine traits over traditionally feminine traits when evaluating candidates for public office. The difference in media coverage may therefore influence women’s chances of getting elected, and thereby influence women’s descriptive and substantive representation. I find that races with a woman candidate receive less issue coverage and more horse race coverage than races with two men running. Additionally, the types of adjectives used in campaign coverage differ depending on the gender of the candidate: women are more likely to be described as able to “change government,” while men are more likely to be described as “experienced.”
KEYWORDS: Media Coverage; Gender; Gubernatorial Campaigns; Women in Politics; Gender Stereotypes; Newspaper Coverage; American Politics
GENÇ TÜKETİCİLERİN YİYECEK VE İÇECEK TERCİHLERİNİ ETKİLEYEN FAKTÖRLER VE GAZİANTEP MERKEZİNDE BİR ARAŞTIRMA
Authors: DURMAZ Yakup , DÜZGÜN Mehmet , SÜRME Metin
Published: May 2019

İnsanlar tüketim davranışlarını yönlendiren bir takım değer ve kriterler söz konusudur. Bu değer ve kriterler genel anlamda olduğu gibi yiyecek ve içeceklerin tercihinde de geçerli olmaktadır. Bu araştırmada genç tüketicilerin yiyecek ve içecekleri tercih ederken referans aldıkları kriterler belirlenmiş, söz konusu kriterlerin yoğun yaşam temposu içinde yiyecek ve içecek tüketimi açısından önemli bir yer tutan fast food işletmelerine yönelik tüketici davranışı arasındaki ilişki ortaya konulmaya çalışılmıştır. Bu amaçla oluşturulan anket 394 genç tüketici üzerinde uygulanmıştır. Bu araştırma sonucunda genç tüketicilerin yiyecek ve içecekleri tercih ederken faydacı değerleri benimsedikleri fast food işletmelerine güvendikleri ancak söz konusu işletmelere yönelik bağlılıklarının düşük olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bununla beraber araştırmada faydacılık değeri artarken yiyecek içecek memnuniyetinin de arttığı belirlenmiştir. Araştırma bulgularına göre dikkat çeken bir diğer sonuç ise UNESCO Kültür mirası listesinin gastronomi kategorisinde yer alan Gaziantep’te yaşayan genç tüketicilerin yiyecek ve içecek tercihinde sosyo-kültürel değerleri daha az benimsemiş olmalarıdır.
Entrepreneurial Intentions in Students from a Trans-National Perspective
Authors: Ward Alexander , Hernández-Sánchez Brizeida , Sánchez-García Jose
Published: May 2019

Studying the variability of entrepreneurial attitudes within different countries is important in order to identify where attempts to increase entrepreneurial spirit and activity should focus. This article analyzes differences within multiple countries, as well the causal relationship of three attitudinal variables, namely, perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, and entrepreneurial motivations with entrepreneurial intention. We used a cross-national framework and analyzed the relation of four different countries with a sample of 800 students from Argentina (200), Chile (200), Panama (200), and Spain (200). Results show variability in all attitudes between countries with Panama rating the highest in most and Spain rating the lowest. Motivations expressed for entrepreneurship are not statistically significant between most countries, which suggests the perception of entrepreneurship as an engine for personal goals is high and similar in all four countries. Regression analysis showed subjective norm’s effect is not statistically significant in Argentina nor Chile for intentions, and Panama’s intentions are highly driven by entrepreneurial motivations. These suggest policies and programs should tap on the fairly consistent entrepreneurial spirit to capitalize on student’s interest in entrepreneurship, and pull them into training programs to strengthen their competences.
Testing for Structural Changes in the European Union’s Agricultural Sector
Authors: Martinho Vítor João Pereira Domingues
Published: May 2019

Over recent decades several European and global occurrences have had an impact on the European Union’s economic sectors, and subsequently on farms. In fact, the various Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms, namely those since 1992, and the global financial and economic crises, specifically after 2008, seem to have had several effects on the dynamics of the entire European Union agricultural sector and on the performance of farms. However, there is doubt as to whether these events were enough to promote structural breaks in European Union farms. In this way, the main objective of this study is to analyse both the known and unknown structural breaks in European farms, between 1989 and 2016. To this purpose, data from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) from the twelve former member-states (the countries with the longer time series) and methodologies based on the Chow test and on the Quandt likelihood ratio (QLR) were considered. The results show that the structural breaks are different across the several twelve former European Union countries and among the several variables considered. In any case, the financial and economic crises, as well as changes in the European Union’s methodologies relative to statistical information, seem to have had a greater impact on the European farms than the several CAP reforms (with the exception of the reform of 1992 the trade liberalization). However, the several consequences of all these European and world events on European farms seem to be delayed for some years.
Spatialities of Dog Theft: A Critical Perspective
Authors: Allen Daniel , Peacock Adam , Arathoon Jamie
Published: May 2019

Dogs are considered property under U.K. law, while current discourses of pet ownership place canine companions as part of an extended family. This means sentences for those who steal dogs are not reflective of a dogs’ sentience and agency, rather in line with charges for those who steal a laptop or wallet. This is particularly problematic as dog theft is currently on the rise in England and Wales, leading to public calls to change the law. Recognising that a more robust analysis of dog theft crime statistics is required, we gathered dog theft data for 2015, 2016, and 2017 from 41 of 44 police forces through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. This paper uses these data to examine how dog theft crime statistics are constructed, assesses the strengths and weaknesses of these data, and categorises, maps, and measures dog theft changes temporally per police force in England and Wales. Our findings reveal there has been an increase in dog theft crimes, with 1559 in 2015, 1653 in 2016 (+6.03%), and 1842 in 2017 (+11.43%), and a decrease in court charges related to dog theft crimes, with 64 (3.97%) in 2015, 51 (3.08%) in 2016, and 39 (2.11%) in 2017. There were police force inconsistencies in recording dog theft crime, which meant some data were unusable or could not be accessed or analysed. We recommend a qualitative study to understand stakeholder perspectives of dog theft crime in different areas, and a standardised and transparent approach to recording the theft of a dog by all forces across England and Wales. This could be achieved by classifying dog theft (or pet theft more generally) as a crime in itself under the Sentencing Guidelines associated with the Theft Act 1968.
Separation of N–C5H12–C9H20 Paraffins Using Boehmite by Inverse Gas Chromatography
Authors: Contreras-Larios José L. , Infantes-Molina Antonia , Negrete-Melo Luís A. , Labadie-Suárez Juan M. , Yee-Madeira Hernani T. , Autie-Pérez Miguel A. , Rodríguez-Castellón Enrique
Published: May 2019

The separation of a mixture of C5–C9 n-paraffins was achieved by Inverse Gas Chromatography (IGC) by using boehmite; AlO(OH), in a packed column with short exposure times and temperatures; from 45 °C to 52 °C. The boehmite was characterized by XRD; ATG; SEM; IR spectroscopy and N2 adsorption. The material exhibited a low crystalline boehmite (AlOOH) structure and presented high hydration (pseudoboehmite). The reverse gas chromatography measurements showed that the elution temperatures of the C5–C9 n-paraffins were low compared with those obtained for other adsorbents. The differential heat of adsorption values ensures the satisfactory separation of the components in the C5–C9 mixture under suitable chromatographic conditions.
Determining Symptomatic Factors of Nomophobia in Peruvian Students from the National University of Engineering
Authors: Rosales-Huamani Jimmy Aurelio , Guzman-Lopez Rita Rocio , Aroni-Vilca Eder Eliseo , Matos-Avalos Carmen Rosalia , Castillo-Sequera Jose Luis
Published: May 2019

The use of cell phones has increased worldwide in the past few decades, particularly in children and adolescents. Using these electronic devices provides personal benefits. Communicating through cell phones was a very important factor in the socioeconomic progress of developed countries. However, it is beyond doubt that its indiscriminate use can bring up certain psychiatric disorders or cause some disorder in a person, within the phobic group of anxiety disorders called nomophobia; basically associated with anxiety, nervousness, discomfort, and distress when contact with the smartphone is lost, mainly in the youngest users. This research proposal aims to identify symptoms that have not yet been detected by unceasing cell phone use, considering that in Peru there are few studies of human health engineering and the physical mental health. For that reason, we sought to identify the symptomatic factors of nomophobia presented by students at the National University of Engineering and its interference with their academic life. To accomplish this study, we designed a questionnaire according to our reality with the use of focus groups techniques when the test was taken in class. Three symptomatic factors of nomophobia were identified: feelings of anxiety, compulsive smartphone use, and feelings of anxiety and panic. The study included a representative sample of 461 students in different years of study engineering (21% women, 79% men, over 17 years of age). Finally, given the widespread adoption of smartphones and their integration into educational environments, the results of this study can help educators understand students’ inclination to use their smartphones at all times.
Fully Convolutional Neural Network with Augmented Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pool and Fully Connected Fusion Path for High Resolution Remote Sensing Image Segmentation
Authors: Chen Guangsheng , Li Chao , Wei Wei , Jing Weipeng , Woźniak Marcin , Blažauskas Tomas , Damaševičius Robertas
Published: May 2019

Recent developments in Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have allowed for the achievement of solid advances in semantic segmentation of high-resolution remote sensing (HRRS) images. Nevertheless, the problems of poor classification of small objects and unclear boundaries caused by the characteristics of the HRRS image data have not been fully considered by previous works. To tackle these challenging problems, we propose an improved semantic segmentation neural network, which adopts dilated convolution, a fully connected (FC) fusion path and pre-trained encoder for the semantic segmentation task of HRRS imagery. The network is built with the computationally-efficient DeepLabv3 architecture, with added Augmented Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pool and FC Fusion Path layers. Dilated convolution enlarges the receptive field of feature points without decreasing the feature map resolution. The improved neural network architecture enhances HRRS image segmentation, reaching the classification accuracy of 91%, and the precision of recognition of small objects is improved. The applicability of the improved model to the remote sensing image segmentation task is verified.
Rate Decline Analysis for Limited-Entry Well in Abnormally High-Pressured Composite Naturally Fractured Gas Reservoirs
Authors: Wu Mingtao , Wang Xiaodong , Zhao Wenqi , Zhao Lun , Sun Meng , Zhou Hai
Published: May 2019

Most naturally fractured gas reservoirs in China exhibit strongly heterogeneous, abnormally high-pressured and, stress-sensitive behaviors. In this work, a semianalytical solution is developed to study the production performance for limited-entry well in composite naturally fractured formations. The pressure-dependent porosity and permeability, anisotropy and limited-entry characteristics are taken into consideration. Furthermore, conventional Warren-Root model is amended to accommodate for permeability anisotropy. Laplace and finite Fourier cosine transforms are used to solve the diffusivity equations. The model is verified on the basis of previous literature’s results and data of a field example from Moxi gas field in Southwest China. Through the parameters sensitivity analysis, the effects of prevailing factors on production performance are investigated. Results indicate that a large inner region radius and high mobility ratio can improve gas production rate in the early stage, while they also lead to a drastic decline of production rate in the late stage. Large permeability stress-dependent coefficient and low penetrated interval both have a negative impact on production rate. With its high efficiency and simplicity, this proposed approach can serve as a convenient tool to evaluate the behavior of partially penetrated production well in abnormally high-pressured composite naturally fractured gas reservoirs.
Box-Jenkins Transfer Function Modelling for Reliable Determination of VO2 Kinetics in Patients with COPD
Authors: Buekers Joren , Theunis Jan , Peña Fernández Alberto , Wouters Emiel F. M. , Spruit Martijn A. , De Boever Patrick , Aerts Jean-Marie
Published: May 2019

Oxygen uptake (VO2) kinetics provide information about the ability to respond to the increased physical load during a constant work rate test (CWRT). Box-Jenkins transfer function (BJ-TF) models can extract kinetic features from the phase II VO2 response during a CWRT, without being affected by unwanted noise contributions (e.g., phase I contribution or measurement noise). CWRT data of 18 COPD patients were used to compare model fits and kinetic feature values between BJ-TF models and three typically applied exponential modelling methods. Autocorrelation tests and normalised root-mean-squared error values (BJ-TF: 2.8 ± 1.3%; exponential methods A, B and C: 10.5 ± 5.8%, 11.3 ± 5.2% and 12.1 ± 7.0%; p < 0.05) showed that BJ-TF models, in contrast to exponential models, could account for the most important noise contributions. This led to more reliable kinetic feature values compared to methods A and B (e.g., mean response time (MRT), BJ-TF: 74 ± 20 s; methods A-B: 100 ± 56 s–88 ± 52 s; p < 0.05). Only exponential modelling method C provided kinetic feature values comparable to BJ-TF features values (e.g., MRT: 75 ± 20 s). Based on theoretical considerations, we recommend using BJ-TF models, rather than exponential models, for reliable determinations of VO2 kinetics.
Observation and Simulation Studies of Three Types of Wire Icing
Authors: Wang Tianshu , Niu Shengjie , Lv Jingjing , Zhou Yue , Wang Yuan
Published: May 2019

Research on three types of wire icing evolution mechanism is of great significance for ice disaster recognition and prediction. Comprehensive field observations of wire icing were conducted in the winters of 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 at the Lushan Mountain Meteorological Bureau Observatory (elevation 1164.5 m), Jiangxi Province, China, and the ice thickness, weather phenomena, meteorological elements, and fog spectrum were measured. Four icing cases were recorded, in which high ice-producing conditions, such as freezing rain, snow and supercooled fog, occurred. The icing growth and shedding mechanisms in three types of weather (freezing rain, snow, and supercooled fog) were analyzed and compared. Considering mixed ice-producing conditions, the ice thickness was simulated by integrating freezing rain, snow, and supercooled fog icing models, with inputs such as the precipitation rate and wind speed. The average measured icing growth rates in freezing rain, snow, and supercooled fog were 0.4, 0.3, and 0.2 mm h−1, respectively. The correlations between the icing growth rate and both the temperature and the wind speed were stronger in the snow and supercooled fog than in freezing rain. With the decreasing temperature, the icing growth rate increased faster with snow, while that in supercooled fog increased faster as the wind speed increased. In freezing rain, snow, and supercooled fog, the icing growth rates were all positively correlated with the ice thickness, with correlation coefficients of 0.55, 0.67, and 0.79, respectively. Ice was shed when the temperature remained below 0 °C, the wind speed fell to 2.7 m s−1, and the fog liquid water content fell to 0.036 g m−3 in supercooled fog, and when the solar radiation increased and the temperature exceeded 0 °C in freezing rain. The average sticking efficiency of the wire to snow was 0.03; its variation range was 0.01–0.10. The integrated model can simulate the changes in actual ice thickness well.
Characteristics of Transient Eddy Fluxes during Blocking Highs Associated with Two Cold Events in China
Authors: Li Yan , Zhang Jinyu , Lu Yao , Zhu Jianlei , Feng Juan
Published: May 2019

In Eastern Asia, two categories of cold air outbreaks, ordinary type and extensive and persistent type, usually occur during boreal winter, with obviously different circulation backgrounds. Blocking highs, which play an important role in cold events, are closely related to the evolution of transient eddies in their dynamical mechanism. This paper investigates the characteristics of thermal-dynamical transport of transient eddies associated with blocking events in two cold air events: a low-temperature, snowfall, and freezing event in early 2008 and a cold wave in January 2016. The results suggest that there is a convergence of transient eddy momentum and heat transport around blocking high locations during both cold events, which are beneficial for establishing and maintaining the blocking events. Moreover, the convergence of transient eddy momentum and heat transport is stronger in the 2016 event than in the 2008 event, with a northward shift of the convergence centers. Further analysis shows that the blocking high location is controlled by the convergence of Eliassen-Palm (E-P) flux in both events, which contributes to the westerly wind deceleration and provides a beneficial background for the development of blocking events. Moreover, the anticyclonic Rossby wave breaking (RWB) event occurs two days prior to the onset of blocking and weakens along with the collapse of blocking in both cold events; however, the RWB has a longer duration, stronger intensity, and more north-eastward location in the 2016 event than for the 2008 event. These results indicate that the effect of a synoptic-scale eddy is one important factor influencing different characteristics of the blocking highs and is related to different weather phenomena during the two cold events.
Emission Factors Derived from 13 Euro 6b Light-Duty Vehicles Based on Laboratory and On-Road Measurements
Authors: Valverde Victor , Mora Bernat , Clairotte Michaël , Pavlovic Jelica , Suarez-Bertoa Ricardo , Giechaskiel Barouch , Astorga-LLorens Covadonga , Fontaras Georgios
Published: May 2019

Tailpipe emissions of a pool of 13 Euro 6b light-duty vehicles (eight diesel and five gasoline-powered) were measured over an extensive experimental campaign that included laboratory (chassis dynamometer), and on-road tests (using a portable emissions measurement system). The New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) and the Worldwide harmonised Light-duty vehicles Test Cycle (WLTC) were driven in the laboratory following standard and extended testing procedures (such as low temperatures, use of auxiliaries, modified speed trace). On-road tests were conducted in real traffic conditions, within and outside the boundary conditions of the regulated European Real-Driving Emissions (RDE) test. Nitrogen oxides (NOX), particle number (PN), carbon monoxide (CO), total hydrocarbons (HC), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission factors were developed considering the whole cycles, their sub-cycles, and the first 300 s of each test to assess the cold start effect. Despite complying with the NEDC type approval NOX limit, diesel vehicles emitted, on average, over the WLTC and the RDE 2.1 and 6.7 times more than the standard limit, respectively. Diesel vehicles equipped with only a Lean NOX trap (LNT) averaged six and two times more emissions over the WLTC and the RDE, respectively, than diesel vehicles equipped with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst. Gasoline vehicles with direct injection (GDI) emitted eight times more NOX than those with port fuel injection (PFI) on RDE tests. Large NOX emissions on the urban section were also recorded for GDIs (122 mg/km). Diesel particle filters were mounted on all diesel vehicles, resulting in low particle number emission (~1010 #/km) over all testing conditions including low temperature and high dynamicity. GDIs (~1012 #/km) and PFIs (~1011 #/km) had PN emissions that were, on average, two and one order of magnitude higher than for diesel vehicles, respectively, with significant contribution from the cold start. PFIs yielded high CO emission factors under high load operation reaching on average 2.2 g/km and 3.8 g/km on WLTC extra-high and RDE motorway, respectively. The average on-road CO2 emissions were ~33% and 41% higher than the declared CO2 emissions at type-approval for diesel and gasoline vehicles, respectively. The use of auxiliaries (AC and lights on) over the NEDC led to an increase of ~20% of CO2 emissions for both diesel and gasoline vehicles. Results for NOX, CO and CO2 were used to derive average on-road emission factors that are in good agreement with the emission factors proposed by the EMEP/EEA guidebook.
Electrochemical Immunosensors for Antibiotic Detection
Authors: Pollap Aleksandra , Kochana Jolanta
Published: May 2019

Antibiotics are an important class of drugs destined for treatment of bacterial diseases. Misuses and overuses of antibiotics observed over the last decade have led to global problems of bacterial resistance against antibiotics (ABR). One of the crucial actions taken towards limiting the spread of antibiotics and controlling this dangerous phenomenon is the sensitive and accurate determination of antibiotics residues in body fluids, food products, and animals, as well as monitoring their presence in the environment. Immunosensors, a group of biosensors, can be considered an attractive tool because of their simplicity, rapid action, low-cost analysis, and especially, the unique selectivity arising from harnessing the antigen–antibody interaction that is the basis of immunosensor functioning. Herein, we present the recent achievements in the field of electrochemical immunosensors designed to determination of antibiotics.
Applying Level of Detail in a BIM-Based Project: An Overall Process for Lean Design Management
Authors: Uusitalo Petteri , Seppänen Olli , Lappalainen Eelon , Peltokorpi Antti , Olivieri Hylton
Published: May 2019

Few construction companies apply the available lean tools and processes in an integrated manner when managing design. Additionally, lean design management tools and processes each have their own strengths and optimal phases in which they should be applied. Earlier approaches in lean design management have not explicitly included the level of detail of building information model (BIM) models in connection with planning methods. For example, the Last Planner System (LPS) uses collaborative social methods to obtain task dependencies and commitments from project stakeholders, but it does not provide any guidance regarding what those tasks should be in a BIM-based process. With regard to production, this guidance is provided by combining location-based methods, such as a location-based management system or takt planning, to LPS. In a similar manner, by combining information from various sources, this paper defines a location-based design management process using the concept of level of detail that can be integrated with LPS. The level of detail definition must be based on the requirements of the end-user in each stage of the construction project. The process was cocreated and validated in focus group meetings with design and construction companies and further evaluated and assessed by applying it in a case project.
Insights into the Morphological Effect of Co3O4 Crystallite on Catalytic Oxidation of Vinyl Chloride
Authors: Wang Chao , Hua Wenchao , Chai Guangtao , Zhang Chuanhui , Guo Yanglong
Published: May 2019

Co3O4 catalysts of cube and sphere shapes were prepared by one-step hydrothermal synthesis with different controlled amounts of Co(NO3)2·6H2O and NaOH. The morphological effects on both physicochemical properties and catalytic activities of vinyl chloride oxidation were investigated by material characterization and performance evaluation. The obtained results showed that the morphology, resulting in the exposure difference of crystal planes, significantly affected the catalytic property. The catalytic activity for vinyl chloride oxidation followed a descending order of Co3O4 cube (Co3O4-c) > Co3O4 sphere (Co3O4-s) > Co3O4 commercial (Co3O4-com). The cube-shaped Co3O4 presented higher catalytic activity and stability than Co3O4 spheres despite their similar crystallographic structures as well as physicochemical and redox properties. Accordingly, the different catalytic behaviors should be attributed to a morphological effect. The Co3O4 cube with a preferential exposure of (001) plane presented higher abundance of surface Co2+ cations and adsorbed oxygen species, which acted as the active sites responsible for the improvement of its catalytic activity.
The Effects of Sodium Dichloroacetate on Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Neuronal Death Following Hypoglycemia-Induced Injury
Authors: Kho A Ra , Choi Bo Young , Lee Song Hee , Hong Dae Ki , Jeong Jeong Hyun , Kang Beom Seok , Kang Dong Hyeon , Park Kyoung-Ha , Park Jae Bong , Suh Sang Won
Published: May 2019

Our previous studies demonstrated that some degree of neuronal death is caused by hypoglycemia, but a subsequent and more severe wave of neuronal cell death occurs due to glucose reperfusion, which results from the rapid restoration of low blood glucose levels. Mitochondrial dysfunction caused by hypoglycemia leads to increased levels of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) and suppresses the formation of ATP by inhibiting pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activation, which can convert pyruvate into acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA). Sodium dichloroacetate (DCA) is a PDK inhibitor and activates PDH, the gatekeeper of glucose oxidation. However, no studies about the effect of DCA on hypoglycemia have been published. In the present study, we hypothesized that DCA treatment could reduce neuronal death through improvement of glycolysis and prevention of reactive oxygen species production after hypoglycemia. To test this, we used an animal model of insulin-induced hypoglycemia and injected DCA (100 mg/kg, i.v., two days) following hypoglycemic insult. Histological evaluation was performed one week after hypoglycemia. DCA treatment reduced hypoglycemia-induced oxidative stress, microglial activation, blood–brain barrier disruption, and neuronal death compared to the vehicle-treated hypoglycemia group. Therefore, our findings suggest that DCA may have the therapeutic potential to reduce hippocampal neuronal death after hypoglycemia.
The Role of YAP and TAZ in Angiogenesis and Vascular Mimicry
Authors: Azad Taha , Ghahremani Mina , Yang Xiaolong
Published: May 2019

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing vasculature, is a physiological process that begins in utero and continues throughout life in both good health and disease. Understanding the underlying mechanism in angiogenesis could uncover a new therapeutic approach in pathological angiogenesis. Since its discovery, the Hippo signaling pathway has emerged as a key player in controlling organ size and tissue homeostasis. Recently, new studies have discovered that Hippo and two of its main effectors, Yes-associated protein (YAP) and its paralog transcription activator with PDZ binding motif (TAZ), play critical roles during angiogenesis. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms by which YAP/TAZ regulate endothelial cell shape, behavior, and function in angiogenesis. We further discuss how YAP/TAZ function as part of developmental and pathological angiogenesis. Finally, we review the role of YAP/TAZ in tumor vascular mimicry and propose directions for future work.
Seed Volume Dataset—An Ongoing Inventory of Seed Size Expressed by Volume
Authors: Ganhão Elsa , Dias Luís Silva
Published: May 2019

This paper presents a dataset of seed volumes calculated from length, width, and when available, thickness, abstracted from printed literature—essentially scientific journals and books including Floras and illustrated manuals, from online inventories, and from data obtained directly by the authors or provided by colleagues. Seed volumes were determined from the linear dimensions of seeds using published equations and decision trees. Ways of characterizing species by seed volume were compared and the minimum volume of the seed was found to be preferable. The adequacy of seed volume as a surrogate for seed size was examined and validated using published data on the relationship between light requirements for seed germination and seed size expressed as mass.
Brief Motivational Interviewing in Dental Practice
Authors: Gillam David G. , Yusuf Huda
Published: May 2019

Motivational Interviewing has been demonstrated to be effective for a wide range of health behaviors. It is an effective behavior change method, which can be utilized in the dental practice setting. It can be used as a brief intervention to increase motivation to improve patients’ oral hygiene behaviors as well as providing a framework for delivering diet, smoking cessation, oral health changes, and alcohol advice. It involves four processes: engaging, focusing, evoking, and planning, guiding, which supports the patient towards a positive behavior change. Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative, patient-centered approach evoking the patient’s own motivation to change, thereby enhancing the relationship between the clinician and patient and improving patient outcomes. This review will provide an overview on the topic for dental professionals as well as helpful suggestions for supporting a positive behavior change in their dental practices.
Delimitating the Natural City with Points of Interests Based on Service Area and Maximum Entropy Method
Authors: Liu Lingbo , Xia Binxin , Wu Hao , Zhao Jie , Peng Zhenghong , Yu Yang
Published: May 2019

The natural city, which is essential to understand urban physical scale and identify urban sprawling in urban studies, represents the urban functional boundaries of the city defined by human activities rather than the administrative boundaries. Most studies tend to utilize physical environment data such as street networks and remote sensing data to delimitate the natural city, however, such data may not match the real distribution of human activity density in the new cities or even ghost cities in China. This paper suggests aggregating the natural city boundary from the service area polygons of points of interest based on Reilly’s Law of Retail Gravitation and the maximum entropy method, since most points of interests provide services for surrounding communities, reflecting the vitality in a bottom-up way. The results indicate that the natural city defined by points of interests shows a high resolution and accuracy, providing a method to define the natural city with POIs.