bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Performance of an activated sludge followed by membrane process (AS-MP) treating simulated industrial wastewaters: effects of operating factors and feed characteristics
Authors: Rahimi S. , Zinatizadeh A. A. , Mohammadi P. , Zinadini S. , Asadi A. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe main aim of the present study is to determine the optimum operating conditions for different feed compositions with less irreversible membrane fouling in an activated sludge followed by membrane process (AS-MP). In this regard, three different wastewaters with different BOD5/COD ratios (0.83 for soft drink, 0.63 for pineapple fruit juice and 0.36 for amoxicillin) as an index of biodegradability were selected. The AS-MP system was operated with biomass concentration of 7000–8000 mg/l and different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) in the range of 4–20 h. The optimal HRT was decreased as BOD5/COD ratio was increased. In order to investigate fouling behavior of membranes in the AS-MP, a commercial polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) microfiltration (MF) membrane and high-performance synthetic ZnFe2O4/SiO2 embedded polyether sulfone (PES) ultrafiltration (UF) membrane were applied. As a result, the UF membrane indicated the highest flux recovery ratio (FRR) for pineapple fruit juice wastewater relative to the other wastewaters. Soft drink wastewater had the maximum permeability and FRR for MF membrane due to low turbidity of the feed and low interaction with MF membrane composition, whereas this wastewater showed a lower permeability and FRR in the UF membrane, implying an effective interaction between the residual soluble microbial products and the UF membrane composition. Both membranes showed almost the same performance for amoxicillin wastewater.
Good and bad events: combining network-based event detection with sentiment analysis
Authors: Moutidis Iraklis , Williams Hywel T. P. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe huge volume and velocity of media content published on the Web presents a substantial challenge to human analysts. In prior work, we developed a system (network event detection, NED) to assist analysts by detecting events within high-volume news streams in real time. NED can process a heterogeneous stream of news articles or social media user posts, combining text mining and network analysis to detect breaking news stories and generate an easy-to-understand event summary. In this paper, we expand the NED event detection and summarisation approach in two ways. First, we introduce a new approach to named entity disambiguation for tweets, which contain minimal information due to brevity. Second, we apply sentiment analysis techniques to documents associated with a detected event to characterise the event as either broadly ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ based on media portrayal. Our expansion focuses on Twitter streams since Twitter has become an important news dissemination platform and is often the site where emerging events are first seen. To test the extended methodology, we apply it here to three data sets related to political elections in the UK and the USA. The addition of sentiment analysis to the NED event detection methodology improves the insight gained by the user by allowing quick evaluation of the perceived impact of an event. This approach may have potential applications in domains where public sentiment is relevant to decision-making around events, such as financial markets and politics.
Investigation of residual stresses in polypropylene using hot plate welding
Authors: Wübbeke Andrea , Schöppner Volker , Geißler Bastian , Schmidt Michael , Magnier Arnaud , Wu Tao , Niendorf Thomas , Jakob Fabian , Heim Hans-Peter 
Published: August 2020

AbstractDuring the cooling process of the molten material, residual stresses appear because the reduced volume of the cooled material cannot fully fill the space formerly occupied by the molten material. The morphology in and around the weld is formed by different factors depending on the material and process parameters. Different morphological structures relate to different mechanical properties. The process parameters and the welding results including morphology and residual stress are linked together. In this article, residual stresses and the mechanical properties of a hot-plate-welded polypropylene specimen with 0.1 wt.-% content of carbon black are investigated in relation to the morphology. Different measurement positions and joining displacements of parts to be joined result in different residual stress states and morphological structures. The higher the joining displacement, the higher the residual stress. Investigations of the morphology show a relation between the size of the alpha spherulites and the joining displacement. Diffractions patterns of wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) are not able to resolve the beta phase of the specimen.
A review of recent progress in thermoelectric materials through computational methods
Authors: Gutiérrez Moreno J. Julio , Cao Jiang , Fronzi Marco , Assadi M. Hussein N. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractReducing our overwhelming dependence on fossil fuels requires groundbreaking innovations in increasing our efficiency in energy consumption for current technologies and moving towards renewable energy sources. Thermoelectric materials can help in achieving both goals. Moreover, because of recent advances in high-performance computing, researchers more increasingly rely on computational methods in discovering new thermoelectric materials with economically feasible performance. In this article, significant thermoelectric materials discovered through these computational methods are systematically reviewed. Furthermore, the primary computational tools that aid the design of the next-generation thermoelectric materials are introduced and discussed. These techniques include various levels of density functional theory, electronic transport simulations, and phonon calculations.
Determinants of dental treatment avoidance: findings from a nationally representative study
Authors: Spinler Kristin , Aarabi Ghazal , Walther Carolin , Valdez Richelle , Heydecke Guido , Buczak-Stec Elzbieta , König Hans-Helmut , Hajek André 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackgroundOral health care of older adults is of rising importance due to ongoing demographic changes. There is a lack of studies examining the determinants of dental treatment avoidance in this age group. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify those determinants.MethodsCross-sectional data were drawn from the second wave (year 2002) of the German Ageing Survey which is a population-based sample of community-dwelling individuals ≥ 40 years in Germany (n = 3398). Dental treatment avoidance was quantified using the question “Did you need dental treatments in the past twelve months, but did not go to the dentist?” [no; yes, once; yes, several times]. Socioeconomic and health-related determinants were adjusted for in the analysis. Multiple logistic regressions were performed.ResultsIn terms of need, 6.7% of individuals avoided dental treatment in the preceding twelve months. Multiple logistic regressions revealed that dental treatment avoidance was associated with younger age (total sample [OR 0.978; 95% CI 0.958–0.998] and men [OR 0.970; 95% CI 0.942–0.999]), unemployment (total sample [OR 1.544; 95% CI 1.035–2.302] and men [OR 2.004; 95% CI 1.085–3.702]), lower social strata (women [OR 0.814; 95% CI 0.678–0.977]), increased depressive symptoms (men [OR 1.031; 95% CI 1.001–1.062]), and increased physical illnesses (total sample [OR 1.091; 95% CI 1.006–1.183] and men [OR 1.165; 95% CI 1.048–1.295]). The outcome measure was not associated with income poverty, marital status and physical functioning.ConclusionsThe present study highlights the association between dental treatment avoidance and different socioeconomic and health-related factors. These results suggest that it is necessary to promote the importance of dental visits.
Image-Based Inertial Impact (IBII) Tests for Measuring the Interlaminar Shear Moduli of Composites
Authors: Van Blitterswyk J. , Fletcher L. , Pierron F. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe image-based inertial impact test has previously shown that inertial effects generated with high-strain-rate loading can be used to measure the dynamic constitutive properties of composites at strain rates on the order of $$1600\,{\rm s}^{-1}$$

1600

s

-
1

. This work represents an important next step in exploring the potential of this concept with two tests presented where loading heterogeneity is exploited to measure the interlaminar shear modulus and stress–strain behaviour at high strain rates. The first test configuration used a short-beam with asymmetric loading to activate the shear behaviour. The virtual fields method was used to directly identify the interlaminar shear modulus from heterogeneous full-field maps of strain and acceleration. Simulated experiments were used to optimise the test configuration, select optimal smoothing parameters, and quantify uncertainty from grid rotation on the shear modulus identifications. The test was validated experimentally with three different virtual fields identifying an average shear modulus ranging from 5.7 to 5.9 GPa measured at $$1600\,{\rm s}^{-1}$$

1600

s

-
1

, representing a 16–19% increase compared to quasi-static measurements. The shear modulus could also be identified from shear introduced into specimens tested in the standard, end-on interlaminar IBII configuration from slight in-plane misalignments of the impactor. The identified value of 5.6 GPa validates measurements from the first configuration and also demonstrates the capability to identify multiple interlaminar stiffness parameters from a single test.
The unfinished business of defining competences for 21st century curricula—a systematic research review
Authors: Tahirsylaj Armend , Sundberg Daniel 
Published: August 2020

AbstractEighty-four articles are examined in this systematic research review, to provide a synthesis of the state of art with regard to educational research that focused on competence-based education (CBE) and curricula covering a period of 20 years from 1997 to 2017. Relying on PRISMA methodology and framed by discursive institutionalism, and curriculum and Didaktik traditions theoretically, the review was guided by two overarching research questions, focusing first on how much and what educational research on CBE approaches is available, and secondly, primarily in the present article, on the definitions that are reported in CBE research in terms of explicit and systematic versus implicit and tacit references, main educational perspectives/paradigms and academic versus applied orientation. Findings show Spain and New Zealand with most articles related to educational research on CBE, and identify four sources of competence definitions: OECD/DeSeCo, European Commission, national policy documents and the academic literature. It is concluded that there is still unfinished business for educational researchers in critically engaging with framing and defining competences for the twenty-first century, their causes, impact and consequences for schooling and learning internationally, as well as how CBE is recontextualised into specific national contexts.
In Vitro Maturation of Fully Grown Mouse Antral Follicles in the Presence of 1 nM 2-Hydroxyestradiol Improves Oocytes’ Developmental Competence
Authors: Merico Valeria , Zanoni Mario , Parada-Bustamante Alexis , Garagna Silvia , Zuccotti Maurizio 
Published: August 2020

AbstractCathecolestrogens are estradiol metabolites produced during folliculogenesis in the mammalian ovary. 2-Hydroxyestradiol (2-OHE2) is one of the most abundant although its role remains unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the presence of 2-OHE2 during the germinal vesicle-to-metaphase II transition affects oocyte meiotic and preimplantation developmental competence. Mouse cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs), isolated from fully grown antral follicles, were in vitro–matured (IVM) in the presence of 2-OHE2 (0.1, 1, 10 or 100 nM) for 6 or 15 h; then, their meiotic and developmental competence was evaluated using a number of cytological quality markers. With the exception of the highest dose (100 nM), the addition of 2-OHE2 to the IVM medium, did not alter, compared with untreated control, the frequency of oocytes that reached the MII stage. Instead, IVM in the presence of 1 nM 2-OHE2 highly increased the rate of preimplantation development and blastocyst quality. To understand whether this positive effect could be attributed to the events occurring during meiosis resumption, we analysed a number of specific cytological quality markers of the asymmetric division, such as PB-I volume and position, presence and extension of the cortical F-actin cap, meiotic spindle shape and area, and microtubule organisation centre localisation. The results highlighted how the presence of 1 nM 2-OHE2 significantly improved the overall cytological organisation required for a correct asymmetric division. Our results contribute a first step to acknowledge a potential role of this estradiol metabolite during the GV-to-MII transition, contributing to the acquisition of oocytes developmental competence.
Premium private label: how product value, trust and category involvement influence consumers willingness to buy
Authors: Bertoli Giuseppe , Busacca Bruno , Imperato Marta 
Published: August 2020

AbstractPremium private labels (PPLs) are applied to products with distinctive features with prices equal, and sometimes even higher, than those of the category leaders. The objective of the retailers is to obtain, in the minds of consumers, the same positioning of national brands. So, PPLs are becoming more and more crucial for competitive advantage and store loyalty. Starting from this evidence, this paper aims to contribute to the advancement of knowledge on the subject, analyzing the impact of consumer trust in retailer, consumer involvement and product value on consumer willingness to buy PPLs. Data for hypotheses testing were collected through a 2 × 2 × 2 experiment between subjects, in which different groups of consumers were randomly exposed to different experimental conditions. Results show that: (a) consumer trust in retailer positively influences consumer’s willingness to buy in case of products with hedonic value; (b) consumer involvement has a significant main effect and there is a significant two-way interactions between trust and involvement; (c) when consumer trust in retailer is low, non-involved consumers show a greater willingness to buy the PPL for products with utilitarian rather than hedonic value.
Wet cupping therapy ameliorates pain in patients with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes: A controlled clinical study
Authors: Rahman Heshu Sulaiman , Ahmad Govand Ali , Mustapha Baram , Al-Rawi Hisham Arif , Hussein Ridha Hassan , Amin Kawa , Othman Hemn Hassan , Abdullah Rasedee 
Published: August 2020

ABSTRACT

Background:
Cupping therapy has long been practiced in several cultures for the treatment of ailments and improvement of general well-being. Thus, the aim of this current study is to observe the clinical efficacy and safety of wet cupping treatments in relieving headache, chest pain and muscle ache in patients recently have diagnosed with hyperlipidemia, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Materials and methods:
This study determines the effects of wet cupping on some blood parameters and pressure in 50 males and 50 female patients aged between 35 and 55 years undergoing wet cupping therapy at the Sheefa Cupping and Acupuncture Private Center after they have been diagnosed clinically to have hyperglycemia, diabetes and high blood pressure by a specialist at Department of Chronic Diseases, Sulaimani Teaching Hospital. Venous blood was obtained, and blood pressure taken from patients immediately before and 72 h after cupping therapy. The hematological parameters and serum lipid profile, fasting blood sugar, ferritin, urea, and creatinine concentrations were determined.

Results:
Wet cupping significantly reduced the cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, fasting blood sugar, ferritin, urea, and creatinine, lowered blood pressure but did not significantly affect the erythrocyte parameters, leukocyte or platelet counts in the patients. The normal hematological parameters in patients after wet cupping therapy showed that the treatment is not detrimental to health. The treated patients showed significantly reduced headache, chest pain and muscle ache verbally.

Conclusion:
Wet cupping therapy is beneficial as a prophylactic and/or complementary treatment for hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension and in prevention and control of diabetes mellitus and kidney disease, hence reducing the headache, chest pain and muscle ache.

Highlights:
From topic to object: Grammaticalization of differential object marking in Romanian
Authors: Onea Edgar , Mardale Alexandru 
Published: August 2020

AbstractIn this paper, we provide new evidence for the hypothesis that in some languages, differential object marking (DOM) may have evolved from marking of the information structural category of topicality. While Iemmolo (2010) suggested that topic left-dislocation might have facilitated the evolution of DOM, and Dalrymple and Nikolaeva (2011) argued for systematic marking of secondary topics as the source of DOM, we suggest a third possible grammaticalization source within the topical domain: the prepositional marking ofembedded topics. In particular, we show that the Romanian DO (Direct Object) markerpehad a function as marker of embedded topics in Old Romanian. Moreover, we show how DOM in Old Romanian may additionally have been facilitated by the re-analysis of embedded topics asthemes in certain constructions.
Verifiability of genus-level classification under quantification and parsimony theories: a case study of follicucullid radiolarians
Authors: Xiao Yifan , Suzuki Noritoshi , He Weihong , Benton Michael J. , Yang Tinglu , Cai Chenyang 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe classical taxonomy of fossil invertebrates is based on subjective judgments of morphology, which can cause confusion, because there are no codified standards for the classification of genera. Here, we explore the validity of the genus taxonomy of 75 species and morphospecies of the Follicucullidae, a late Paleozoic family of radiolarians, using a new method, Hayashi's quantification theory II (HQT-II), a general multivariate statistical method for categorical datasets relevant to discriminant analysis. We identify a scheme of 10 genera rather than the currently accepted 3 genera (Follicucullus,Ishigaconus, andParafollicucullus). As HQT-II cannot incorporate stratigraphic data, a phylogenetic tree of Follicucullidae was reconstructed for 38 species using maximum parsimony. Six lineages emerged, roughly in concordance with the results of HQT-II. Combined with parsimony ancestral state reconstruction, the ancestral group of this family isHaplodiacanthus. Five other groups were discriminated, theParafollicucullus,Curvalbaillella,Pseudoalbaillella,Longtanella, andFollicucullus–Cariverlineages. The morphological evolution of these lineages comprises a minimum essential list of eight states of four traits. HQT-II is a novel discriminant analytical multivariate method that may be of value in other taxonomic problems of paleobiology.
Who Benefits? How Local Ethnic Demography Shapes Political Favoritism in Africa
Authors: Beiser-McGrath Janina , Müller-Crepon Carl , Pengl Yannick I. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractEmpirical studies show that many governments gear the provision of goods and services towards their ethnic peers. This article investigates governments’ strategies to provide ethnic favors in Africa. Recent studies of ethnic favoritism find that presidents' ethnic peers and home regions enjoy advantages, yet cannot disentangle whether goods are provided to entire regions or co-ethnic individuals. This article argues that local ethnic demography determines whether governments provide non-excludable public goods or more narrowly targeted handouts. Where government co-ethnics are in the majority, public goods benefit all locals regardless of their ethnic identity. Outside of these strongholds, incumbents pursue discriminatory strategies and only their co-ethnics gain from favoritism. Using fine-grained geographic data on ethnic demographics, the study finds support for the argument's implications in the local incidence of infant mortality. These findings have important implications for theories of distributive politics and conflict in multi-ethnic societies.
Factors driving the discovery and utilization of a newly available area by African elephants
Authors: Pandraud Anne , Shrader Adrian M. , Sholto-Douglas Craig , Chamaillé-Jammes Simon 
Published: August 2020

AbstractFor large mammals, area expansion is a key conservation measure to prevent species’ decline and extinction. Yet, its success depends on whether animals discover and later use these areas. Here, using GPS data, we investigated how herds of elephants detected and used an area made available to them after the removal of a fence. We studied the elephants’ behaviour before and after the fence removal, accounting for seasonal changes in movement patterns. In contrast to previous studies, herds visited the newly available area within a month of the fence removal, and the maximum distance they moved into the new area was reached between 5 and 9 months after the fence removal. Yet, elephants did not preferentially visit the new area at night. By the second year, all herds had shifted their seasonal home ranges and incorporated the new area, in contrast to a previous range expansion event. Our analyses show that the regular proximity of elephants to the original fence, and the fact that the new area was generally composed of preferred habitats of the elephants, probably explained the rapid discovery and use of the area. Our study improves our understanding of animal exploration and the role of habitat quality, and thus may improve range expansion and corridor programmes.
Is Nigeria really on top of COVID-19? Message from effective reproduction number
Authors: Adekunle A. I. , Adegboye O. A. , Gayawan E. , McBryde E. S. 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Following the importation of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) into Nigeria on 27 February 2020 and then the outbreak, the question is: How do we anticipate the progression of the ongoing epidemic following all the intervention measures put in place? This kind of question is appropriate for public health responses and it will depend on the early estimates of the key epidemiological parameters of the virus in a defined population.
In this study, we combined a likelihood-based method using a Bayesian framework and compartmental model of the epidemic of COVID-19 in Nigeria to estimate the effective reproduction number (R(t)) and basic reproduction number (R0) – this also enables us to estimate the initial daily transmission rate (β0). We further estimate the reported fraction of symptomatic cases. The models are applied to the NCDC data on COVID-19 symptomatic and death cases from 27 February 2020 and 7 May 2020.
In this period, the effective reproduction number is estimated with a minimum value of 0.18 and a maximum value of 2.29. Most importantly, the R(t) is strictly greater than one from 13 April till 7 May 2020. The R0 is estimated to be 2.42 with credible interval: (2.37–2.47). Comparing this with the R(t) shows that control measures are working but not effective enough to keep R(t) below 1. Also, the estimated fraction of reported symptomatic cases is between 10 and 50%.
Our analysis has shown evidence that the existing control measures are not enough to end the epidemic and more stringent measures are needed.