bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Story‐based Simulation for Teaching Sampling Distributions
Authors: Turner Stephen , Dabney Alan R.
Published: September 2014

Statistical inference relies heavily on the concept of sampling distributions. However, sampling distributions are difficult to teach. We present a series of short animations that are story‐based, with associated assessments. We hope that our contribution can be useful as a tool to teach sampling distributions in the introductory statistics classroom.
Provider perspectives on the enabling environment required for skilled birth attendance: a qualitative study in western Nepal
Authors: Morgan Alison , Jimenez Soto Eliana , Bhandari Gajananda , Kermode Michelle
Published: September 2014

Objectives

In Nepal, where difficult geography and an under‐resourced health system contribute to poor health care access, the government has increased the number of trained skilled birth attendants (SBAs) and posted them in newly constructed birthing centres attached to peripheral health facilities that are available to women 24 h a day. This study describes their views on their enabling environment.

Methods

Qualitative methods included semi‐structured interviews with 22 SBAs within Palpa district, a hill district in the Western Region of Nepal; a focus group discussion with ten SBA trainees, and in‐depth interviews with five key informants.

Results

Participants identified the essential components of an enabling environment as: relevant training; ongoing professional support; adequate infrastructure, equipment and drugs; and timely referral pathways. All SBAs who practised alone felt unable to manage obstetric complications because quality management of life‐threatening complications requires the attention of more than one SBA.

Conclusions

Maternal health guidelines should account for the provision of an enabling environment in addition to the deployment of SBAs. In Nepal, referral systems require strengthening, and the policy of posting SBAs alone, in remote clinics, needs to be reconsidered to achieve the goal of reducing maternal deaths through timely management of obstetric complications.
Successful use of eculizumab for treatment of an acute hemolytic reaction after ABO‐incompatible red blood cell transfusion
Authors: Weinstock Christof , Möhle Robert , Dorn Christiane , Weisel Katja , Höchsmann Britta , Schrezenmeier Hubert , Kanz Lothar
Published: September 2014

Background

Transfusion of ABO major–incompatible red blood cells (RBCs) can activate the complement system and can cause severe and even lethal acute hemolytic reactions. The activation of the complement system with formation of C3a and C5a (anaphylatoxins) and the release of hemoglobin from the lysed RBCs are thought to mediate clinical signs like fever, hypotension, pain, and acute renal failure. Therapeutic inhibition of the complement cascade in case of ABO‐incompatible RBC transfusion would be desirable to ameliorate the signs and symptoms and to improve the outcome of the reaction.

Study Design and Methods

A patient with blood group B was erroneously transfused with a unit of group A2 RBCs. Within 1 hour after transfusion she received eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody that binds to the complement component C5 and blocks its cleavage. Clinical and immunohematologic observations are reported here.

Results

Hemoglobinemia and hemoglobinuria were present for several hours after transfusion, but she developed no hypotension, no renal failure, and no disseminated intravascular coagulation. As shown by flow cytometry, group A cells survived in the peripheral blood for more than 75 days. No immunoglobulin G was detectable by column agglutination technique on these cells.

Conclusion

A low isoagglutinin titer and blood group A2 of the erroneously transfused cells most likely were the reason for the absence of clinical signs during and immediately after the ABO‐incompatible transfusion. In the further course, eculizumab successfully protected the incompatible RBCs from hemolysis for several weeks.
Niche similarities among white‐eared opossums (Mammalia, Didelphidae): Is ecological niche modelling relevant to setting species limits?
Authors: Tocchio Luana J. , Gurgel‐Gonçalves Rodrigo , Escobar Luis E. , Peterson Andrew Townsend
Published: September 2014

A complex of white‐eared opossums (Didelphis spp.) is distributed across three distinct areas of South America, but recent taxonomic treatments have disagreed regarding species limits in the group. We used ecological niche modelling to test whether ecological niches have been conserved or have diverged among the three forms in this group. Differences in combinations of niche and range were clear; however, when hypotheses of accessible areas for each species were considered, coarse‐grained niche dimensions (i.e. climatic dimensions) were seen not to differ across the complex. We discuss implications of these results for taxonomic recognition of species based on geographic and ecological characteristics and the implications of using ENM approaches to setting species limits. We suggest that ENM should be used to explore speciation mechanisms, rather than being applied to questions of setting species limits.
Continuum Mechanics Based Bilinear Shear Deformable Shell Element Using Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation
Authors: Yamashita Hiroki , Valkeapää Antti I. , Jayakumar Paramsothy , Sugiyama Hiroyuki
Published: September 2014

In this investigation, a continuum mechanics based bilinear shear deformable shell element is developed using the absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) for the large deformation analysis of multibody shell structures. The element consists of four nodes, each of which has the global position coordinates and the transverse gradient coordinates along the thickness introduced for describing the orientation and deformation of the cross section of the shell element. The global position field on the middle surface and the position vector gradient at a material point in the element are interpolated by bilinear polynomials. The continuum mechanics approach is used to formulate the generalized elastic forces, allowing for the consideration of nonlinear constitutive models in a straightforward manner. The element lockings exhibited in the element are eliminated using the assumed natural strain (ANS) and enhanced assumed strain (EAS) approaches. In particular, the combined ANS and EAS approach is introduced to alleviate the thickness locking arising from the erroneous transverse normal strain distribution. Several numerical examples are presented in order to demonstrate the accuracy and the rate of convergence of numerical solutions obtained by the continuum mechanics based bilinear shear deformable ANCF shell element proposed in this investigation.
An Experimental Study of the Load-Orientation Sensitivity of Three-Lobe Bearings
Authors: Khatri Rasish , Childs Dara W.
Published: September 2014

Static and dynamic performance test results are provided for a three-lobe bearing evaluated over the following range of radial static-load orientations (taken from the leading edge of the loaded pad): 0 deg, 20 deg, 30 deg, 40 deg, 60 deg, 80 deg, 90 deg, and 100 deg. Static and dynamic test results are evaluated to determine the sensitivity of the bearing to changes in the static load direction. The bearing has the following specifications: 100 deg arc angle, 0.52 preload, 70% offset, 101.74 mm minimum bore diameter, 0.116 mm radial pad clearance, and 76.3 mm axial length. The bearing is tested at 6750 rpm, 9000 rpm, 10,800 rpm, and 13,200 rpm, and at five different unit loads. Static measurements include hot and cold clearances, static eccentricities, and pad metal temperatures. Dynamic results include stiffness coefficients, damping coefficients, and whirl-frequency ratios (WFRs). Dynamic tests show that the three-lobe bearing is very sensitive to load orientation at low speeds and high loads. Kxx is highest for the 80 deg, 90 deg, and 100 deg load orientations. Kyy is highest for the 20 deg, 30 deg, and 40 deg load orientations. Kxy is highest for the 80 deg, 90 deg, and 100 deg load orientations. The magnitude of Kyx is highest for the 0 deg and 20 deg load orientations. Cxx is largest for the 80 deg, 90 deg, and 100 deg load orientations, and Cyy is largest for the 0 deg, 20 deg, 30 deg, and 40 deg load orientations. In terms of WFRs, it is generally dynamically advantageous to orient the static load vector for this bearing toward the leading edge of the pad. WFRs at 6750 rpm with loads of 1149 kPa, 1723 kPa, and 2298 kPa are equal to zero when the static load vector is pointed toward the leading edge of the pad and between 0.25 and 0.5 when the static load vector is pointed toward the trailing edge of the pad. The bearing is not sensitive to load orientation at high speeds and light loads. At 13,200 rpm, measured WFRs are between 0.2 and 0.6 at all loads and for all load orientations. Measured WFRs at the no-load condition are between 0.3 and 0.6 at all speeds. Static data showed that the 30 deg and 90 deg load orientations yielded slightly higher measured maximum pad-metal-temperature increases at each speed relative to the other load orientations. At the highest static-load magnitudes, the pad metal temperatures are not as dependent on load orientation. The 20 deg, 30 deg, and 40 deg load orientations had the smallest measured eccentricity ratio, and thus the highest static stiffness.
Experimental Investigations of Spark Ignition in a Model Combustor With Synthesis Gas
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyu , Zhong Di , Weng Fanglong , Zhu Min
Published: September 2014

The components of syngas derived from coal, biomass, and waste are significantly different from those of typical gas turbine fuels, such as natural gas and fuel oils. The variations of hydrogen and inert gases can modify both the fluid and the combustion dynamics in the combustor. In particular, the characteristics of spark ignition can be profoundly affected. To understand the correlation between the varying fuel components and the reliability of ignition, a test system for spark ignition was established. The model combustor with a partial-premixed swirl burner was employed. The blending fuel with five components, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, carbon dioxide and nitrogen, was used to model the synthesis gas used in industry. The ignition energy and the number of sparks leading to successful ignition were recorded. By varying the fuel components, the synthesis gases altered from medium to lower heat value fuels. The ignition time, ignition limit, and subsequent flame developments with variations of air mass flow rates and fuel components were systematically investigated. With the increase of airflow, the syngas with a lower hydrogen content has a shorter ignition time compared with higher hydrogen syngas in the lean condition, whereas in the rich condition, syngas with a higher hydrogen content has a shorter ignition time. The effects of the hydrogen content, inlet air Reynolds number and spark energy on the ignition limit were investigated. The ignition limit was enlarged with the increase in the hydrogen content and the spark energy. Meanwhile, three distinct flame patterns after ignition were investigated. Finally, a map for the characteristics of the ignition and subsequent flame development was obtained. The results are expected to provide valuable information for the design and operation of stable syngas combustion systems and also provide experimental data for the validations of theoretical modeling and numerical computations.
Accounting for Unsteady Interaction in Transonic Stages
Authors: Rubechini Filippo , Marconcini Michele , Giovannini Matteo , Bellucci Juri , Arnone Andrea
Published: September 2014

This paper discusses the importance of the unsteady interaction in transonic turbomachinery stages. Although the flow in a turbomachine is inherently unsteady, most current calculations for routine design work exploit the steady state assumption. In fact, unsteady flow effects are often taken into account for mechanical integrity checks, such as blade flutter or forced response, or heat transfer issues associated with circumferential nonuniformities, whereas steady state calculations are usually selected for the aerodynamic design. In this work, some cases are discussed in which significant departures are found between steady and time-averaged results, and the basic fluid mechanisms responsible for them are examined. Finally, a current perspective of unsteady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations for the aerodynamic design is given.
Thermomechanical Modeling of Additive Manufacturing Large Parts
Authors: Denlinger Erik R. , Irwin Jeff , Michaleris Pan
Published: September 2014

A finite element modeling strategy is developed to allow for the prediction of distortion accumulation in additive manufacturing (AM) large parts (on the order of meters). A 3D thermoelastoplastic analysis is performed using a hybrid quiet inactive element activation strategy combined with adaptive coarsening. At the beginning for the simulation, before material deposition commences, elements corresponding to deposition material are removed from the analysis, then elements are introduced in the model layer by layer in a quiet state with material properties rendering them irrelevant. As the moving energy source is applied on the part, elements are switched to active by restoring the actual material properties when the energy source is applied on them. A layer by layer coarsening strategy merging elements in lower layers of the build is also implemented such that while elements are added on the top of build, elements are merged below maintaining a low number of degrees of freedom in the model for the entire simulation. The effectiveness of the modeling strategy is demonstrated and experimentally validated on a large electron beam deposited Ti–6Al–4V part consisting of 107 deposition layers. The simulation and experiment show good agreement with a maximum error of 29%.
Stereovision to MR image registration for cortical surface displacement mapping to enhance image‐guided neurosurgery
Authors: Fan Xiaoyao , Ji Songbai , Hartov Alex , Roberts David W. , Paulsen Keith D.
Published: September 2014

Purpose:

A surface registration method is presented to align intraoperative stereovision (iSV) with preoperative magnetic resonance (pMR) images, which utilizes both geometry and texture information to extract tissue displacements as part of the overall process of compensating for intraoperative brain deformation in order to maintain accurate neuronavigational image guidance during surgery.

Methods:

A sum‐of‐squared‐difference rigid image registration was first executed to detect lateral shift of the cortical surface and was followed by a mutual‐information‐based block matching method to detect local nonrigid deformation caused by distention or collapse of the cortical surface. Ten (N = 10) surgical cases were evaluated in which an independent point measurement of a dominant cortical surface feature location was recorded with a tracked stylus in each case and compared to its surface‐registered counterpart. The full three‐dimensional (3D) displacement field was also extracted to drive a biomechanical brain deformation model, the results of which were reconciled with the reconstructed iSV surface as another form of evaluation.

Results:

Differences between the tracked stylus coordinates of cortical surface features and their surface‐registered locations were 1.94 ± 0.59 mm on average across the ten cases. When the complete displacement map derived from surface registration was utilized, the resulting images generated from mechanical model updates were consistent in terms of both geometry (1–2 mm of model misfit) and texture, and were generated with less than 10 min of computational time. Analysis of the surface‐registered 3D displacements indicate that the magnitude of motion ranged from 4.03 to 9.79 mm in the ten patient cases, and the amount of lateral shift was not related statistically to the direction of gravity (p = 0.73 ≫ 0.05) or the craniotomy size (p = 0.48 ≫ 0.05) at the beginning of surgery.

Conclusions:

The iSV–pMR surface registration method utilizes texture and geometry information to extract both global lateral shift and local nonrigid movement of the cortical surface in 3D. The results suggest small differences exist in surface‐registered locations when compared to positions measured independently with a coregistered stylus and when the full iSV surface was aligned with model‐updated MR. The effectiveness and efficiency of the registration method is also minimally disruptive to surgical workflow.
A multiscale adaptive mask method for rigid intraoperative ultrasound and preoperative CT image registration
Authors: Zhang Zhijun , Liu Feng , Tsui Hungtat , Lau Yunwong , Song Xubo
Published: September 2014

Purpose:

Rigid registration of intraoperative ultrasound (US) and preoperative CT image is important for providing real‐time guidance during operations. However, due to the low spatial and temporal resolutions and the dissimilarity between US and CT, accurate registration of CT and US images is still a challenging problem.

Methods:

The authors propose an adaptive‐mask‐based CT and US registration method. The registration is initialized by matching the image regions of CT and US with intensity distinctiveness. The registration is a multistage iterative process in which the US region mask is adaptively updated. Each stage is an interleaving process of optimizing a global similarity energy and updating the mask of US by selecting high saliency and local statistical dependency regions.

Results:

Performances of their proposed method and mutual information (MI) based method are validated with simulated, in vitro phantom and real patient datasets. Results show that their method has larger capture range in all datasets. The estimated transformation parameters in their method are more accurate than the mutual information based method.

Conclusions:

By using an adaptively updated mask of the US image, regions with salient intensity information and high intensity correlation with CT are included in the registration. Regions which have low correlation with CT such as artifacts are excluded in the registration so that the robustness and accuracy of the intensity‐based registration method are improved.
Validation of simplified dosimetry approaches in 89 Zr‐PET/CT: The use of manual versus semi‐automatic delineation methods to estimate organ absorbed doses
Authors: Makris N. E. , van Velden F. H. P. , Huisman M. C. , Menke C. W. , Lammertsma A. A. , Boellaard R.
Published: September 2014

Purpose:

Increasing interest in immuno‐positron emission tomography (PET) studies requires development of dosimetry methods which will provide accurate estimations of organ absorbed doses. The purpose of this study is to develop and validate simplified dosimetry approaches for 89Zirconium‐PET (Zr‐PET)/computed tomography (CT) studies.

Methods:

Five patients with advanced colorectal cancer received 37.1 ± 0.9 MBq 89Zr‐cetuximab within 2 h after administration of a therapeutic dose of 500 mg m−2 cetuximab. PET/CT scans were obtained 1, 24, 48, 94, and 144 h post injection. Volumes of interest (VOIs) were manually delineated in lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys for all scans, providing a reference VOI set. Simplified manual VOIs were drawn independently on CT scans using larger voxel sizes. The transformation of VOIs based on rigid and/or nonrigid registrations of the first CT scan (CT1) onto all successive CT scans was also investigated. The transformation matrix obtained from each registration was applied to the manual VOIs of CT1 to obtain VOIs for the successive scans. Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and Hausdorff distance were used to assess the performance of the registrations. Organ total activity, organ absorbed dose, and effective dose were calculated for all methods.

Results:

Semi‐automatic delineation based on nonrigid registration showed excellent agreement for lungs and liver (DSC: 0.90 ± 0.04; 0.81 ± 0.06) and good agreement for spleen and kidneys (DSC: 0.71 ± 0.07; 0.66 ± 0.08). Hausdorff distance ranged from 13 to 16 mm depending on the organ. Simplified manual delineation methods, in liver and lungs, performed similarly to semi‐automatic delineation methods. For kidneys and spleen, however, poorer accuracy in total activity and absorbed dose was observed, as the voxel size increased. Organ absorbed dose and total activity based on nonrigid registration were within 10%. The effective dose was within ±3% for all VOI delineation methods.

Conclusions:

A fast, semi‐automatic, and accurate delineation method based on nonrigid registration was developed for determination of organ absorbed and effective dose in 89Zr‐PET/CT studies which may also be applied to other long‐lived radionuclide PET/CT studies.
Simple and inexpensive stereo vision system for 3D data acquisition
Authors: Mermall Samuel E. , Lindner John F.
Published: September 2014

We describe a simple stereo-vision system for tracking motion in three dimensions using a single ordinary camera. A simple mirror system divides the camera's field of view into left and right stereo pairs. We calibrate the system by tracking a point on a spinning wheel and demonstrate its use by tracking the corner of a flapping flag.
The concept of negative mass and its application to Helium-balloon-type dynamics
Authors: Dias C. J. , Gonçalves L. N.
Published: September 2014

We propose that by using the concept of negative mass, the dynamics of objects embedded in fluids can be considerably simplified. For example, helium balloons, whose motion can be puzzling in a non-inertial reference frame, can be easily explained using the concept of negative mass. Two experiments have been carried out to demonstrate this idea. The same conceptual idea can serve as a model for other circumstances, when it is simpler to focus our attention on the lack of matter rather than on its presence.
Analytic time-dependent solutions of the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation
Authors: van Dijk Wytse , Toyama F. Masafumi , Jan Prins Sjirk , Spyksma Kyle
Published: September 2014

We show that one can obtain analytic solutions of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation that are more complex than the well-known oscillating coherent wave packet. Such Hermite-Gaussian or initially square wave packets exist for a free particle or for one subject to the harmonic oscillator potential. In either case, the Hermite-Gaussian packets retain their nodal structure even after long times. There is a single class of exact solutions for the system with oscillator constant K > 0, K = 0, or K < 0, leading to wave functions for the harmonic oscillator, the free particle, and the inverted oscillator, respectively.
Science Signaling
Podcast: 23 September 2014
Authors: Simons Michael , VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: September 2014

Signaling through the receptor FGFR1 prevents endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition by inhibiting TGF-β signaling.
A Pathway That Controls Our Mood
Authors: Stern Peter R.
Published: September 2014

The relative level of excitation and inhibition controls activity of a brain region that is linked to depression.
Shorter Filaments Yield a Better Antiviral Response
Authors: Gough Nancy R.
Published: September 2014

The pattern-recognition receptor (PRR) LGP2 optimizes the size of the filaments formed between the PRR MDA5 and viral RNA to maximize the antiviral response.
Characterization of the molecular mechanisms underlying increased ischemic damage in the
aldehyde dehydrogenase 2
genetic polymorphism using a human induced pluripotent stem cell model system
Authors: Ebert Antje D. , Kodo Kazuki , Liang Ping , Wu Haodi , Huber Bruno C. , Riegler Johannes , Churko Jared , Lee Jaecheol , de Almeida Patricia , Lan Feng , Diecke Sebastian , Burridge Paul W. , Gold Joseph D. , Mochly-Rosen Daria , Wu Joseph C.
Published: September 2014

The decrease of function in the
ALDH2*2
genotype disrupts an important cardioprotective oxidative stress regulatory circuit, thus increasing cardiac cell death after ischemic insult.
Burned to the Bone
Authors: Forsberg Jonathan A. , Davis Thomas A. , Elster Eric A. , Gimble Jeffrey M.
Published: September 2014

Heterotopic ossification—a complication of severe burns, head or blast injuries, and orthopaedic trauma—can result from altered adenosine metabolism in mesenchymal stem cells in response to elevated extracellular ATP (Peterson
et al
., this issue).
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in children
Authors: DeWitt Elizabeth S , Abrams Dominic J
Published: September 2014

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) have become an integral component in the management of children with life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias complicating a variety of different inherited and congenital cardiovascular conditions. Implantation often requires novel approaches and configurations to overcome the size and anatomic limitations posed by many children needing ICDs. While their use has undoubtedly saved many lives, ICD use may be associated with significant morbidity, so detailed case selection and individualised postimplant programming is critical.
A cluster randomised controlled trial of a brief couple-focused psychoeducational intervention to prevent common postnatal mental disorders among women: study protocol
Authors: Rowe Heather , Wynter Karen , Lorgelly Paula , Amir Lisa H , Ranasinha Sanjeeva , Proimos Jenny , Cann Warren , Hiscock Harriet , Bayer Jordana , Burns Joanna , Ride Jemimah , Bobevski Irene , Fisher Jane
Published: September 2014

Introduction

Postnatal common mental disorders among women are an important public health problem internationally. Interventions to prevent postnatal depression have had limited success.What Were We Thinking (WWWT)is a structured, gender-informed, psychoeducational group programme for parents and their first infant that addresses two modifiable risks to postnatal mental health. This paper describes the protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial to test the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness ofWWWTwhen implemented in usual primary care.

Methods and analysis

48 maternal and child health (MCH) centres from six diverse Local Government Areas, in Victoria, Australia are randomly allocated to the intervention group (usual care plusWWWT) or the control group (usual care). The required sample size is 184 women in each group. English-speaking primiparous women receiving postpartum healthcare in participating MCH centres complete two computer-assisted telephone interviews: baseline at 4 weeks and outcome at 6 months postpartum. Women attending intervention MCH centres are invited to attendWWWTin addition to usual care. The primary outcome is meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV (DSM-IV) diagnostic criteria for major depressive episode; generalised anxiety disorder; panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, agoraphobia with or without panic, social phobia, adult separation anxiety or adjustment disorder with depressed mood, anxiety or mixed depressed mood and anxiety within the past 30 days at 6 months postpartum. Secondary outcomes are self-rated general and emotional health, infant sleep problems, method of infant feeding, quality of mother–infant relationship and intimate partner relationship, and healthcare costs and outcomes.

Ethics and dissemination

Approval to conduct the study has been granted. A comprehensive dissemination plan has been devised.

Trial registration number

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000506796.

UTN

U1111-1125-8208.
Prevalence, causes and consequences of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in emergency care: a mixed-methods study of UK NHS Consultants
Authors: Dasan Sunil , Gohil Poonam , Cornelius Victoria , Taylor Cath
Published: September 2014

Objective

To estimate prevalence and explore potential causes and consequences of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue in UK emergency medicine consultants.

Methods

A sequential mixed-methods design. Cross-sectional e-survey to all UK NHS emergency medicine consultants (n=1317) including Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) (compassion satisfaction/fatigue), followed by interviews with consultants scoring above (n=6) and below (n=6) predefined ProQOL thresholds.

Results

681 (52%) consultants responded. Most (98%) reported at least ‘average’ compassion satisfaction. Higher scores were associated with type of workplace (designated trauma centres faring better) and number of years worked as a consultant (gradually worsen over time, except 20 years onwards when it improves). Consultants with lower (worse) compassion satisfaction scores were more likely to report being irritable with patients or colleagues and reducing their standards of care (a third reported these behaviours at least monthly) and were more likely to intend to retire early (59% had such plans). Key features distinguishing ‘satisfied’ from ‘fatigued’ interviewed consultants included having strategies to deal with the high work intensities associated with their role and having positive views of the team within which they worked. The degree of variety in their roles and the ability to maintain empathy for their patients were also distinguishing features between these groups.

Conclusions

Findings support an urgent review of workforce and resources in emergency medicine and suggest that a multifactorial approach to identification, prevention and treatment of occupational stress in the workforce is required that considers individual, job and organisational factors, particularly those that impact on perceived control and support at work.
Degenerating Kähler structures and geometric quantization
Authors: Nunes João P.
Published: September 2014

We review some recent results on the problem of the choice of polarization in geometric quantization. Specifically, we describe the general philosophy, developed by the author together with his collaborators, of treating real polarizations as limits of degenerating families of holomorphic polarizations. We first review briefly the general framework of geometric quantization, with a particular focus on the problem of the dependence of quantization on the choice of polarization. The problem of quantization in real polarizations is emphasized. We then describe the relation between quantization in real and Kähler polarizations in some families of symplectic manifolds, that can be explicitly quantized and that constitute an important class of examples: cotangent bundles of Lie groups, abelian varieties and toric varieties. Applications to theta functions and moduli spaces of vector bundles on curves are also reviewed.
Review of the holographic Lifshitz theory
Authors: Park Chanyong
Published: September 2014

We review interesting results achieved in recent studies on the holographic Lifshitz field theory. The holographic Lifshitz field theory at finite temperature is described by a Lifshitz black brane geometry. The holographic renormalization together with the regularity of the background metric allows to reproduce thermodynamic quantities of the dual Lifshitz field theory where the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy appears as the renormalized thermal entropy. All results satisfy the desired black brane thermodynamics. In addition, hydrodynamic properties are further reviewed in which the holographic retarded Green functions of the current and momentum operators are studied. In a nonrelativistic Lifshitz field theory, intriguingly, there exists a massive quasinormal mode at finite temperature whose effective mass is linearly proportional to temperature. Even at zero temperature and in the nonzero momentum limit, a quasinormal mode still remains unlike the dual relativistic field theory. Finally, we account for how adding impurity modifies the electric property of the nonrelativistic Lifshitz theory.
Analysis of excited neutrinos at the CLIC
Authors: Köksal M.
Published: September 2014

We analyze the single and pair production of excited neutrinos at the CLIC through the processes [Formula: see text], e+e-→e+γ* e- →e+ν*W- and [Formula: see text] (γ* is the Weizsacker–Williams photon). We examine comprehensively the excited neutrino signal and corresponding backgrounds to obtain limits on excited neutrino mass for various values of the integrated luminosity and center-of-mass energy. We show that the obtained bounds are more restricted than current experimental bounds.
Optical characterization of TiAlON-based film used for solar energy
Authors: Zhao Minglin , Lian Jie , Sun Zhaozong , Wang Xiao , Zhang Wenfu , Hu Juanjuan , Li Mengmeng
Published: September 2014

Optical characterization of TiAlON film applied in solar energy is presented in this paper. TiAlON -based films with different thicknesses have been deposited by magnetron sputtering. The spectrophotometer and spectroscopic ellipsometry (GES5) have been used to study the samples. Surface morphology and component of the films were investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The optical constants and film thicknesses of TiAlON films with different thicknesses have been obtained by theoretical modeling analysis fitting (Cauchy model) and point-to-point analysis fitting. Results show that the refraction coefficient and extinction coefficient change with the film thickness increased. Those optical properties are useful for selecting the layers with adequate optical constants and thickness to design a solar selective absorber.
N-soliton statistics and condensate formation in dense quantum gases
Authors: Mirza Babur M.
Published: September 2014

Statistics of N quantum density soliton waves [B. M. Mirza, Mod. Phys. Lett. B28 (2014) 1450148] is extended here to the case of systems with symmetric wave function. Since many such systems exhibit condensation phenomena, application is made of the soliton wave statistics to investigate condensation and phase transition in quantum gases such as4He and also dense systems such as the alkali atoms. Specific heat discontinuities are used to determine the condensation temperature for dense quantum gases and liquids. For the model case of helium the statistical theory is shown to predict not only the observed superfluid condensation temperature (2.17 ± 0.01 K) correctly but also the normal condensation temperature (4.21 ± 0.02 K), as well as the exact specific heat λ-profile.
The localized surface plasmon resonances based on a Bragg reflector
Authors: Wang Jie , Liu Yumin , Yu Zhongyuan , Ye Chunwei , Lv Hongbo , Shu Changgan
Published: September 2014

In this paper, we present the theoretical analysis on how the wavelength of the localized surface plasmon resonances of gold nanoparticle can lead shift for the resonance wavelength. In our results, we calculate the scattering cross-section, the absorption cross-section and the field enhancement due to the nanoparticle. Numerical simulation were done using the finite element method (FEM). The work that we do here is different from the previous work because we use the Bragg reflector as a substrate. The Bragg reflector has a property of high reflectivity in some certain frequency bandwidth because of its periodic structure. The coherence interference of the Bragg reflector contributes to the plasmon resonances and results in some special character for a wide variety application, from sensing to photovoltaic. The periodic number of the Bragg reflector substrate and shapes of the nanoparticles are also discussed that result in a shift of the resonance wavelength.
Arabic and Farsi Font Recognition: Survey
Authors: Luqman Hamzah , Mahmoud Sabri A. , Awaida Sameh
Published: September 2014

Font Recognition (FR) is useful in improving optical text recognition accuracy and time. In addition, it can be used to restore the original document text fonts, styles and sizes. In this paper, we survey the literature of Arabic and Farsi FR research and used databases. The main phases of FR systems are surveyed (viz. preprocessing, classification techniques and used features). All published work of Arabic and Farsi FR, which the authors are aware of, are surveyed. To our knowledge, this is the first survey of Arabic/Farsi FR and used databases. In addition, the paper addresses the strengths and limitations of the presented techniques and specified areas of research that are not, so far, addressed in Arabic/Farsi FR as well as areas of possible improvement.
Activity-Based Resource Allocation for Motion Estimation Engines
Authors: Imran Naveed , Ashraf Rizwan A. , Lee Jooheung , DeMara Ronald F.
Published: September 2014

An architecture proof-of-concept which adapts the throughput datapath based on the anticipation of computational demand in dynamic environments is demonstrated and evaluated for a motion estimation (ME) engine. The input signal characteristics are exploited to anticipate the time varying computational complexity as well as to instantiate dynamic replicas (DRs) to realize fault-resilience. The scheme employs amorphous processing elements (APEs) which either perform as active elements (AEs) to maintain quality/throughput, serve as DRs to increase reliability levels, or hibernate passively as reconfigurable slack (RS) available to other tasks.

Experimental results from a hardware platform for field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based video encoding demonstrate power efficiency and fault-tolerance of the ME engine. A significant reduction in power consumption is achieved ranging from 83% for low-motion-activity scene's to 12.5% for high motion activity video scenes. The scenes motion activity is utilized to improve redundancy for the purpose of priority based diagnosis of the computing modules. In addition, a graceful degradation strategy is developed to recover from hard errors by adapting the search range of candidate motion vectors (MVs). This adaptive hardware scheme is shown to automatically demote the faulty resources in FPGA devices based on streaming performance.
Effects of some physical factors on the stability of collapsing stars
Authors: Sharif M. , Bhatti M. Zaeem Ul Haq
Published: September 2014

This paper formulates the instability regions of a general charged spherically symmetric matter distribution with anisotropic pressure, shear viscosity, radiation density and radial heat flux. Matching conditions are found by taking Reissner–Nordström–Vaidya spacetime as an exterior geometry. The perturbed forms of Einstein–Maxwell field equations and conservation laws are constructed to formulate the collapse equation. The instability regions are identified under N and pN limits for the stability analysis. We conclude that the adiabatic index identifies the instability range which depends upon physical parameters like anisotropic pressure, energy density, shear viscosity and electromagnetic field and heat flux but radiation density has no role.
A SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS FOR BREAST DISPLACEMENT BY VARYING MATERIAL PROPERTIES
Authors: AGHAJANI ATEFEH , RAHIMI MAHAN , HAGHPANAHI MOHAMMAD
Published: September 2014

In the quasi-static ultrasound breast elastography, the simulated displacement greatly influence the results. The breast modeling requires certain mechanical parameters for generating the simulated displacements. However, there are wide ranges of data in the existing literature for the breast mechanical parameters. Therefore, the sensitivity analysis of displacement to the changes of mechanical parameters worths a particular attention.

In this paper we construct a three-dimensional (3D) breast model using magnetic resonance images. The constitutive equations corresponding to both linear elastic and hyperelastic (nonlinear) mechanical behaviors are considered. Then, two series of finite element analysis are performed in order to investigate how the changes of mechanical parameters of the fat and fibroglandular tissues may influence the displacement. The obtained results demonstrate that the displacement are generally less sensitive in the hyperelastic modeling (to the changes of material properties) than they are in the linear elastic modeling. Furthermore, the breast deformation is more influenced by the changes of material properties of fat part than the fibroglandular part.
Highly Efficient SnO2/MgO Composite Film-Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Sensitized with N719 and D358 Dyes
Authors: Jayaweera E. N. , Ranasinghe C. S. K. , Kumara G. R. A. , Rajapakse R. M. G.
Published: September 2014

SnO 2/ MgO composite film-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs), sensitized with both N719 dye and metal-free D358 dye, employing [Formula: see text] redox couple-based liquid electrolyte, show superior performance to those sensitized with only D358 dye, and N719 dye. A significant improvement in the power conversion efficiency was attained by co-sensitizing the N719-based DSCs with metal-free D358 dye when compared to those obtained for DSCs with individual dyes. As confirmed by UV-visible absorption spectra, N719 dye adsorption is more prominent than that of D358 dye when sensitizing the SnO 2/ MgO composite film with the two dyes, D358 and N719. However, N719 and D358 dyes, when used alone, are prone to form aggregates on the SnO 2/ MgO composite film, when N719 dye is used together with D358, the latter effectively suppresses the aggregation of N719 dye on the SnO 2/ MgO composite film, thereby enhancing the power conversion efficiency of the DSCs. Hence, the corresponding power conversion efficiency of the SnO 2/ MgO composite film-based DSCs can be significantly improved by sensitizing with both N719 and D358 dyes. The reported power conversion efficiencies for the SnO 2/ MgO composite film-based DSCs, sensitized with, (a) D358 dye, (b) N719 dye, and (c) both N719 dye and D358 dye, are 6.37%, 7.43% and 8.60% respectively, under AM 1.5 illumination.
THE EIA SYSTEM AND HAZARD MANAGEMENT OF SEDIMENT-RELATED DISASTER IN JAPAN — A CASE STUDY IN WIND FARM PROJECTS
Authors: AZECHI KEITA , NISHIKIZAWA SHIGEO
Published: September 2014

Japan suffers many sediment-related disasters due to intense rainfall and other geographical and meteorological features. This paper aims to clarify the potential role and challenges of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a hazard management tool of sediment-related disaster, through surveys of the regulatory framework and analyses of case studies of wind farm projects. Based on the analysis, this paper mainly obtains the following conclusions:

(1) One of the important roles of the EIA is to identify potential hazards of sediment-related disaster, because a large proportion of the projects involve potential hazards in terms of the siting, nevertheless, few of EIAs evaluate the hazards;

(2) Long-term monitoring is a needed and essential role for EIA because, while re-vegetation would be carried out as a hazard mitigation on average for half the area with land change, in some cases re-vegetation has not been successful in 5 years since the implementation;

(3) Improvements in the EIA system are required in order to be able to integrate the various features of hazardous information, including non-legally binding hazardous areas and local knowledge, into a common consideration for robust hazard management.
FLOOD MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATION IN SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL AND STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND
Authors: HAYES SAMUEL , BARKER ADAM , JONES CARYS
Published: September 2014

The impact of flood events in the UK has drawn attention to limitations associated with traditional flood defence regimes. In recognition of this there has been a significant level of advocacy for a systems based approach which assumes a greater role for spatial planning. This paper considers the extent to which strategic assessment contributes toward the consideration of flooding within spatial planning. The paper draws on four cases from England and Scotland. Specific attention is given to the nature of flood management approaches considered in assessment and the recommendations presented. The research indicates that assessment practice is dominated by probabilistic calculations of flood risk and typically replicates national policy and guidance on flood management. It is argued that there exists potential for assessment to foster more nuanced and tailored consideration of flood management by including multiple perspectives, such as management of the whole system, risk and vulnerability, resilience and adaptation.
THE USE OF THE FLASH ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY PREVENTION, PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
Authors: NIJENHUIS RENE , WAHLSTROM EMILIA
Published: September 2014

Natural disasters have the potential to trigger technological accidents with the accompanying release of contaminating substances in the environment. Such incidents are expected to increase as the effects of climate change become more pronounced in an increasingly urbanized landscape. The Flash Environmental Assessment Tool (FEAT) has been developed at the request of the Joint Environment Unit (JEU) of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in order to allow disaster responders, including assessment and coordination teams, to identify and prioritize locations with an evident risk of technological accidents and corresponding chemical releases. The evaluations from use of FEAT in disaster response, simulations, trainings and for hazard mapping provide evidence that the tool is considered useful, easy to use, and widely applicable both in disaster preparedness and response in developing countries, As such, FEAT can be first step in embarking on an inclusive disaster risk reduction programme, and should be followed by identified priority actions such as conduction of detailed risk assessments at the local level, creation of industrial hazard maps, regulation and enforcement of land-use in the vicinity of industrial facilities, and training disaster managers and adjacent communities on chemical accident response.
SINGULAR SPECTRUM DECOMPOSITION: A NEW METHOD FOR TIME SERIES DECOMPOSITION
Authors: BONIZZI PIETRO , KAREL JOËL M. H. , MESTE OLIVIER , PEETERS RALF L. M.
Published: September 2014

This study introduces singular spectrum decomposition (SSD), a new adaptive method for decomposing nonlinear and nonstationary time series in narrow-banded components. The method takes its origin from singular spectrum analysis (SSA), a nonparametric spectral estimation method used for analysis and prediction of time series. Unlike SSA, SSD is a decomposition method in which the choice of fundamental parameters has been completely automated. This is achieved by focusing on the frequency content of the signal. In particular, this holds for the choice of the window length used to generate the trajectory matrix of the data and for the selection of its principal components for the reconstruction of a specific component series. Moreover, a new definition of the trajectory matrix with respect to the standard SSA allows the oscillatory content in the data to be enhanced and guarantees decrease of energy of the residual. Through the numerical examples and simulations, the SSD method is shown to be able to accurately retrieve different components concealed in the data, minimizing at the same time the generation of spurious components. Applications on time series from both the biological and the physical domain are also presented highlighting the capability of SSD to yield physically meaningful components.
An Empirical Investigation of Consumption-Based Asset Pricing Models with Stochastic Habit Formation
Authors: Dai Qiang , Grishchenko Olesya V.
Published: September 2014

We econometrically estimate and test a consumption-based asset pricing model with stochastic internal habit. The model departs from existing deterministic internal habit models by introducing shocks to the coefficients in the distributed lag specification of consumption habit and consequently an additional shock to the marginal rate of substitution. Habit shocks are persistent and provide an additional source of time variation in expected returns. Using returns on aggregate market and Treasury bond portfolios, we show that stochastic internal habit models provide a better explanation of time variation in expected returns than models with either deterministic habit or stochastic external habit.