bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Computational and Experimental Efficiency Investigation of Nonlinear Energy Harvesting Systems Based on Monostable and Bistable Piezoelectric Beams
Authors: Kardarakos G. C. , Chrysochoidis N. A. , Varelis D. , Margelis N. , Leventakis N. , Plagianakos T. S. , Bolanakis G. , Saravanos D. A. , Papadopoulos E. 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Piezoelectric energy harvesting from vibrating structures under nonlinear oscillations has been proved quite promising, with a large amount of scientific works focusing on the maximum energy harvested. However, the detailed dynamic response of an electromechanical coupled nonlinear vibrating system and the interaction between the piezoelectric structure and an external electric circuit deem to be an extremely important parameter of interpreting this complex dynamic phenomenon. Current work focuses on a combined experimental and computational campaign conducted to analyze and quantify various factors affecting the efficiency of energy harvesting in vibrating nonlinear piezoelectric–composite strips subjected to compressive loading. The model aims to simulate the power dissipated at an external purely resistive circuit connected at the piezoelectric device terminals during nonlinear oscillations. Experimental studies on a fabricated prototype are also conducted for different excitation frequencies and resistive loads, as to provide an estimation of the energy dissipated. In addition, a preliminary experimental study is performed to quantify the available electrical energy that is produced from the oscillating structure into three different harvesting circuits. Measured results exhibit their performance, indicate their benefits and drawbacks concluding to the most promising piezoelectric energy harvester.
Virtual Reality Supported Design of Smart Grasper
Authors: Djokikj Jelena , Rizov Tashko , Jovanova Jovana 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Smart material graspers have shown potential for different applications in terms of functionality and actuation, especially in handling arbitrary shapes, fragile objects and complex 3D geometries. However, to take these initial designs further towards real applications, the challenge remains to determine the optimal size, shape, and passive and smart material location. Virtual reality can be beneficial in the early concept generation as it can help visualize and understand the grasping process. The access to suitable hardware and the development of virtual reality (VR) software has resulted in increased use of this technology. The 3D visualization offered by VR especially in the early stages of the design process assists engineers in making appropriate and efficient decisions, and it can also support the interaction with the end user to iterate on potential design improvements.
The conceptual phase is often overlooked and rushed by the other departments involved in the design and development process although it is of great importance for successful outcome. It is important to make the most of it in order to assure quality result. In order to ensure short conceptual phase that will not reflect on the products’ quality we propose introduction of the VR in the early stages of the design process.
In this paper we show how the use of VR can be beneficial in new product development. In this case we focus on the design of smart material grasper.
3D Printed Resonant Compliant Mechanism to Reduce Motor Torque Requirements of Machines With Cyclic Operation
Authors: Luzi Luca , Carloni Amedeo , Agostini Lorenzo , Pucci Riccardo , Refat Mohamed , Berselli Giovanni , Vertechy Rocco 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
In the last decade, additive manufacturing technologies (AMT) have spread widely in the industrial field, mostly for fast prototyping but also for the production of finished parts that need a high level of customization. With respect to the well-established material subtractive technologies (MST), some limitations due to component shape can be overcome with AMT. Topology optimization (TO) combined with AMT is a powerful tool capable of realizing components characterized by similar stiffness but smaller inertia concerning those realized with MST. This tool can be very useful in automatic machinery design in order to reduce the required motor torque. In fact, in this realm, the mechanisms are usually subjected to predominant inertial loads. Moreover, since the introduction of fuse filament deposition modeling (FDM) of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastics (CFRT), mechanical characteristics comparable to highperformance metal materials can be reached. Thus, rigidity and precision can be achieved as well.
In addition to TO, with FDM and size optimization (SO), the designer can easily realize components characterized by a proper stiffness to be included in mechanisms to tune their dynamic mechanical characteristics. In fact, due to their ability to passively store and release mechanical energy, elastic elements can be introduced in a mechanism in order to compensate for kinetic energy variations, which drastically reduce motor torque requirements. The required elasticity can be easily introduced in the mechanism by replacing standard kinematic pairs with Compliant Joints (CJ) in the form of flexible lamina, also assuring lightness, precision and ease of realization.
This paper analyzes the potentiality of FDM in combination with TO and CJ design (CJD) for the realization of automated machinery mechanisms subjected to inertial loads. A pusher mechanism is considered: the pros and cons of adopting the procedure are shown with respect to the standard procedure.
The Effectiveness of 2D Unit Cells in Creating χ-Spring Based Metamaterials
Authors: Kastner Jared , Joodaky Amin , Gibert James 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Elastic metamaterials can be used in a variety of vibration and shock absorbing applications due to having mechanical properties that are not typically seen in nature. This work creates 2-dimensional metamaterial from a tessellation of unit cells composed of array Chi-springs. The Chi-springs exhibit a J shaped force displacement relationship or equivalently an effective stress strain relationship that is characterized by three regions: a linear stiffness/module, a quasi-zero stiffness/modulus region, and region of high tangent force/stress. The springs form the fundamental building block for a 2-dimensional unit cell and are created through a series of isometric transformations while meeting constraints on its effective constitutive behavior. The orientations of each unit cell are analyzed using Cayley diagrams, which are then used to determine various 2 × 2 tessellations of the structure. The resulting unit cells and their tessellations are manufactured through 3D printing. They exhibit a J shaped effective constitutive relationship in 2 material loading directions that resembles the force displacement relationship. Material testing indicates that the resulting structures are anisotropic. Furthermore, they have a dominant loading direction that displays larger values of linear modulus, plateau stress, and toughness. This work represents the first nascent steps toward the systematic design of metamaterial behavior in multiple load directions.
Pulmonary Function in Royal Navy Firefighting Instructors and Trainees
Authors: Calverley J. , Goad R. F. , Legg S. J. , Page B. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractTests were carried out on 18 Royal Navy firefighting instructors and on 16 trainees over a period of four weeks in order to study the effect of firefighting training on pulmonary function. Maximal forced expiratory flow-volume data was obtained breathing air and oxyhelium. The instructors (but not the trainees) also performed single breath carbon monoxide transfer factor tests. When the trainees were tested before and after fighting a single wood fire without breathing apparatus, no significant changes were seen in the group as a whole for the flow volume indices. No statistically significant changes in the pulmonary function of the instructors were detected over the course of a working week and over two weekends. The transfer factor per litre of effective alveolar volume fell significantly over a 12 day leave period and did not recover over the first week back at work. It is suggested that this may be related to cigarette smoking. The flow volume indices showed no significant changes over the leave period, but over the first week back at work there were significant decreases in FEVi and FVC and increases in the FEVX/FVC ratio and in flow at 75% of FVC. These changes however were not confined to smoke exposed individuals. No significant changes were seen in any of the other flow volume indices measured, which included peak flow rate, forced mid expiratory flow rate, flows at 25% and 50% of FVC, and the ratio of flows at 50% FVC breathing air and oxyhelium.It is concluded that over the period studied there is no evidence that pulmonary function is adversely affected by firefighting as carried out at the fire school. Plans for a long term follow-up of the subjects in the initial baseline study are described.
Measurement of Eustachian Tube Function using Electro-acoustic Techniques
Authors: McNicoll W. D. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractRecordings from ears with retracted tympanic membranes consistently show negative middle ear pressures, indicating dysfunction of the Eustachian tube. Using a Grason Stadler 1723 middle ear analyser which has a tympanometric and acoustic reflex capability, plus a Eustachian function test facility, 221 adult males with bilaterally intact tympanic membranes were assessed as to the state of their Eustachian function. The classical inflation-deflation test and Toynbee’s and Valsalva’s tests were not performed. The Eustachian function test facility was used and the ability to produce a deflection on the induced positive pressure curve on performance of the Valsalva and Toynbee manoeuvres, or the ability to vent an induced positive pressure was regarded as being evidence of positive Eustachian tube function. These findings were confirmed by exposing each subject to an increase in ambient pressure of 10 metres of water at which depth equivalent those subjects who vented or produced deflections on the positive pressure curve were found to be able to equilibrate their middle ear pressures.
Bullet and Missile Wounds in Northern Ireland
Authors: Ramage J. K. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractA unique experience of treating wounds has been gained by medical staff in Northern Ireland over the last 12 years. Despite the wealth of experience and research, it is often very difficult to associate a wound with the missile of any particular weapon. This article attempts to summarise the characteristics of the various weapons used and the injuries sustained during a recent tour in Belfast by 45 Commando Group, Royal Marines. This unit covered a large area of West Belfast from June to November 1981 and encountered some of the increased levels of violence that followed the deaths of the hunger strikers.
Unexpected sudden infant deaths in Gosport—some comparisons between Service and civilian families
Authors: Powell J. , Machin D. , Kershaw C. R. 
Published: October 2021

SummaryIn both the Service and civilian populations the incidence of unexpected sudden infant death (USID) occurring in Gosport during the 5-year period from 1 January 1977 to 31 December 1981 was considerably higher than in other areas in South-east Hampshire. The results of a retrospective study of 47 of the 49 deaths over this period suggest that potentially avoidable social and child care factors may have contributed to this relatively high incidence. An analysis of risk factors suggests that a scoring system similar to the ‘Sheffield’ system with additional information on weight gain collected by health visitors would be useful in identifying babies at high risk of USID in Gosport in the future. There appear to be no significant differences either in incidence or predicted risk of USID between the civilian and Service population overall (the latter comprising almost entirely families from the Royal Navy).
Dental health of men in the Royal Navy 1978–80
Authors: Keeble G. B. , Rugg-Gunn A. J. 
Published: October 2021

SummarySince there have been few reports of the dental health status of armed service personnel, a survey was undertaken of 742 men in the Royal Navy/Royal Marines over the same period as the Adult Dental Health Survey of the United Kingdom in 1978. Free comprehensive dental care is available to armed service personnel in contrast to UK civilians who have poorer access and have to pay a share of the cost of dental care. It was thus possible to compare the effectiveness of two systems for maintaining adult dental health. Comparisons of dental health of men in the RN/RM and the UK were made for four 10 year age groups between 16 and 54 years. Edentulousness was much less common in the RN/RM reaching a maximum of 5% compared with 27% in the UK at age 45–54 years. The mean number of decayed teeth in dentate males in the RN/RM was 0.8 teeth or less in all 4 age-groups. The total DMFT was similar in the two groups except in the oldest 10 year age group where the RN/RM males had 2.3 sound teeth more than their civilian counterparts. The results suggest that although RN/RM men keep their teeth and have decayed teeth filled, any preventive care is masked by the high level of disease already present by early adulthood and the inability of the DMFT index to detect further treatment of teeth.
Arctic Survival Training—Norway 1985
Authors: Soul J. O. 
Published: October 2021

SummaryAll members of the Royal Naval Surgical Support Teams are theoretically liable to have to serve on the northern nank of NATO, and a number of places are allocated to the SST each year on the Arctic Survival Training (AST) course in Norway. This is a personal account of my participation in AST with the Commando Logistic Regiment of the Royal Marines at Gardermoen in Norway in February 1985.
Blood pressure and diving
Authors: Green R. D. , Leitch D. R. 
Published: October 2021

SummaryIt is generally recommended that individuals should not commence diving training or continue with diving if their arterial blood pressure exceeds 140/90 mmHg. This current standard is reviewed with particular reference to factors in diving which might influence blood pressure. Epidemiological evidence indicates that individuals with a blood pressure above 140/90 mmHg have an increased mortality and morbidity and justifies the existing standard for entry to diving. Diving does not appear to unduly stress individuals who have borderline hypertension (defined as an arterial blood pressure between 140/90 mmHg and 159/94 mmHg) and there is no indication that these individuals experience an excessive rise in blood pressure when exposed to the diving environment or increased workloads. Individuals with a blood pressure between 140/90 mmHg and 150/95 mmHg have a slightly increased risk of experiencing cardiovascular illness but this risk is considered acceptable when considering the diving future of an experienced diver. It is important to exclude associated cardiovascular illness and these individuals should not be using medication which will compromise their maximal cardiovascular response.
Interventional Radiology Part I: Hepatobiliary procedures
Authors: HOGG J. I. C. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractA series of three articles will review some of the procedures now practised by Interventional Radiologists. Physicians will be familiar with many of these—particularly where they relate to areas of medicine of personal interest. However, others may not be aware of the diversity of activities now undertaken within this rapidly developing sub-division of Medical Imaging. A broad presentation is attempted but particular attention will be paid to those procedures which are or could be undertaken in the Department of Radiology at the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar. The latter are considered with respect to available financial resources and to the cost-effectiveness of the procedure.The first article covers Hepatobilary procedures. The second will review Vascular procedures and the third will consider both Urological procedures and the techniques of Biopsy, Aspiration and Drainage.
A description of the outbreak of meningitis in HMS Raleigh in February 1987
Authors: Evans C. W. , Lambert B. E. , Gaunt P. N. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThis paper describes an outbreak of meningococcal meningitis at HMS Raleigh in February 1987 and the action taken to control it.The three cases all responded to conventional penicillin therapy and returned to duty. Meningococcal naso-pharyngeal carriage rates of up to 62% were recorded during the outbreak. The poor compliance with rifampicin prophylaxis, the emergence of resistant strains and the use and effectiveness of ciprofloxacin are described. Recommendations are made on some aspects of the management of similar outbreaks.
The incidence of symptomatic urolithiasis in Royal Naval Submariners: A comparison with personnel of the surface fleet
Authors: Raffaelli P. I. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractSubmariners are exposed to a number of environmental, dietary and behavioural factors thought to be associated with urolithiasis. A comparative study of the incidence rate in submariners and non-submariners over a seven year period was carried out.A total of 267 cases of urolithiasis resulting in illness of 48 hours or greater duration were recorded during the years 1979 to 1985 of which 251 were available for study. Thirty four were identified as submariners and 217 as non-submariners (94% successfully identified). The total person years at risk for the two groups were 45,171 and 311,619 respectively. The crude incidence rates, indirectly standardised incidence ratio, the indirectly standardised incidence rates and the relative risk were calculated. Although each respective rate was greater for submariners than that for non-submariners the differences were not statistically significant. It is concluded that this study has failed to identify an increased relative risk for submariners to develop symptomatic urolithiasis.
CCM3 Loss-Induced Lymphatic Defect Is Mediated by the Augmented VEGFR3-ERK1/2 Signaling
Authors: Qin Lingfeng , Zhang Haifeng , Li Busu , Jiang Quan , Lopez Francesc , Min Wang , Zhou Jenny Huanjiao 
Published: October 2021

Objective:

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) can happen anywhere in the body, although they most commonly produce symptoms in the brain. The role of CCM genes in other vascular beds outside the brain and retina is not well-examined, although the 3 CCM-associated genes (
CCM1
,
CCM2
, and
CCM3
) are ubiquitously expressed in all tissues. We aimed to determine the role of
CCM
gene in lymphatics.

Approach and Results:

Mice with an inducible pan–endothelial cell (EC) or lymphatic EC deletion of
Ccm3
(
Pdcd10
ECKO
or
Pdcd10
LECKO
) exhibit dilated lymphatic capillaries and collecting vessels with abnormal valve structure. Morphological alterations were correlated with lymphatic dysfunction in
Pdcd10
LECKO
mice as determined by Evans blue dye and fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC)-dextran transport assays.
Pdcd10
LECKO
lymphatics had increased VEGFR3 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3)-ERK1/2 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2) signaling with lymphatic hyperplasia. Mechanistic studies suggested that VEGFR3 is primarily regulated at a transcriptional level in Ccm3-deficient lymphatic ECs, in an NF-κB (nuclear factor κB)–dependent manner. CCM3 binds to importin alpha 2/KPNA2 (karyopherin subunit alpha 2), and a CCM3 deletion releases KPNA2 to activate NF-κB P65 by facilitating its nuclear translocation and P65-dependent VEGFR3 transcription. Moreover, increased VEGFR3 in lymphatic EC preferentially activates ERK1/2 signaling, which is critical for lymphatic EC proliferation. Importantly, inhibition of VEGFR3 or ERK1/2 rescued the lymphatic defects in structure and function.

Conclusions:
Our data demonstrate that CCM3 deletion augments the VEGFR3-ERK1/2 signaling in lymphatic EC that drives lymphatic hyperplasia and malformation and warrant further investigation on the potential clinical relevance of lymphatic dysfunction in patients with CCM.
Trees as Village Protectors, Guru Rinpoche’s Wayfinders and Adopted Family Members
Authors: Bhutia Kalzang Dorjee 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Forests occupy a large amount of territory in the contemporary state of Sikkim. However, their ubiquitousness should not be interpreted as a signal that Sikkimese communities are inherently environmentally friendly. Historically trees have been exploited as fuel for human use; but they have also fueled forms of interspecies relationality and sustained ecosystems, health for multiple species, folklore, history and ritual life. Just as trees have different parts—the roots, the trunk, the branches, and the foliage—so do Sikkimese relationships with trees. In this paper, I will draw on Buddhist ritual literature, oral sources related to traditional forest management, and state-level forest management materials to examine the complexity of tree traditions in conversation with other global examples of tree veneration traditions. In Sikkim, human-tree relationality evades politicization and state control in the Anthropocene, and offers an alternative local environmental ethics.
India, the Rome Statute, and the International Criminal Court
Authors: Hall Ian , Jeffery Renée 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Despite its long-standing rhetorical support for an international criminal justice regime, India continues to resist signing the 1998 Rome Statute that created the International Criminal Court. This article explores the reasons for this reluctance. It observes that during the negotiations that led to the Rome Statute, India voiced multiple objections to the design of the ICC, to how it was to function, and to the crimes that it was to address. It argues that analyzing the negotiating strategy India employed during those talks allows us to discern which reasons mattered more to New Delhi and what accounts for India’s ongoing refusal to sign the Rome Statute.
Are SDG s Counting What Counts?
Authors: Novovic Gloria 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Agenda 2030) encompasses social, economic, and environmental commitments within a single global framework. However, experts have been warning that the ambitious nature of Agenda 2030’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG s) might be lost in indicator-driven implementation. This article examines the assumption that SDG indicators result in policy shrinking (offering a less ambitious framing) by exploring how the framing of Agenda 2030’s gender commitments shifts from SDG s to their indicators. Employing critical frame analysis, this article shows that SDG global indicators result in policy shrinking of gender-specific targets in terms of their 1) human rights framing 2) overall scope, and 3) inclusivity of target groups. This policy shrinking does not necessarily undermine Agenda 2030, but it does call for greater attention, especially by actors promoting gender equality, to national interpretations of specific SDG targets and the inclusivity of otherwise marginalized policy target groups.