bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Weak BeiDou signal acquisition in the presence of sign transition over multiple periods
Authors: Wu Falin , Fu Yong , Jan Tahir , Liang Yuan 
Published: July 2018

SummaryTo improve the acquisition sensitivity of weak BeiDou signal, multiple periods accumulation is applied. However, as the Neumann‐Hoffman code is modulated onto the BeiDou MEO/IGSO signal, the sign transition may occur in even 1‐ms interval. This paper proposes a modified multiblock zero padding method to solve the sign transition problem for weak BeiDou signal acquisition. The proposed modified multiblock zero padding method applies differentially coherent accumulation to detect the weak signal. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, the Monte Carlo simulation experiments are conducted. Simulation experiments have demonstrated the validity and availability of the proposed method, which can achieve weak signal acquisition under the BeiDou‐challenged environment.
Der verschwundene Ingenieur
Authors: Trautz Martin 
Published: July 2018

AbstractHerrn Dr.‐Ing. Dr.‐Ing. E.h. Karl‐Eugen Kurrer anlässlich seines Eintritts in den Ruhestand gewidmetIm letzten Jahr lag die Einweihung der Müngstener Brücke, der höchsten und zugleich weit gespanntesten Brücke aus Stahlfachwerk in Deutschland, im Städtedreieck Solingen – Remscheid – Wuppertal 120 Jahre zurück. Mit einer Bogenspannweite von 170 m und einer Konstruktion, die den großen Bogenbrücken der Firma Eiffel in Portugal, der Maria Pia‐Brücke und die Dom Luís I‐Brücke über den Duoro, und in Frankreich, dem Garabit‐Viadukt über die Truyère ähnelt, sollte die Müngstener Brücke ein Symbol für die technologische und wirtschaftliche Kraft des wieder gegründeten Deutschen Reiches sein. In diesem Kontext ist sie aktuell auch Teil eines Konvolutes hochrepräsentativer europäischer Stahlbrückenkonstruktionen des 19. Jahrhunderts, die als erhaltenswerte technische Denkmäler dem UNESCO‐Weltkulturerbe zugeführt werden sollen. Der frühere Name „Kaiser‐Wilhelm‐Brücke” unterstreicht die Ambitionen, mit denen man dieses Projekt verfolgte und dabei neueste Technologien zur Anwendung brachte. Ein Projekt, das zugleich und von Beginn an von Legenden umrankt war. Eine davon berichtet von einem Ingenieur, der sich im Zuge der Fertigstellung und Inbetriebnahme der Brücke den Freitod gegeben haben soll, weil er infolge eines Fehlers in der Berechnung ein Bauwerksversagen befürchtete. Neu erschlossene historische Quellen nennen tatsächlich Namen von einem in diesem Kontext bisher unbekannten Ingenieur, der außer dem bekannten Protagonisten Anton von Rieppel (1852–1926) an der Planung und am Bau der Müngstener Brücke aller Wahrscheinlichkeit nach auch federführend tätig war, aber aus unbekannten Gründen bis zum heutigen Tage verschwiegen wird. Die Tatsache, dass diese Person kein „Nobody” in den damaligen Fachkreisen war, sondern zu den erfahrensten Brückenbauingenieuren jener Zeit zählte, deutet auf außergewöhnliche Umstände hin, die dazu geführt hatten, das Andenken dieser verdienstvollen Persönlichkeit auszulöschen.
Zum Alterungsverhalten von ETFE‐Konstruktionen in der Architektur
Authors: Maywald Carl , Mißfeld Michael 
Published: July 2018

AbstractDas Alterungsverhalten von ETFE‐Folien in Gebäudeanwendungen wurde sowohl unter dem Gesichtspunkt der chemischen Struktur als auch hinsichtlich möglicher Änderungen der mechanischen Eigenschaften untersucht. Die vergleichende Untersuchung von neuen und gealterten Folien mit Hilfe der Raman‐Spektroskopie zeigte keine Änderungen der chemischen Struktur. Auch unter Einsatz einer speziellen statistischen Methode konnte kein Unterschied zwischen alten und neuen ETFE‐Folien festgestellt werden.Der durch einen Hagelschaden bedingte Austausch des ersten jemals gebauten ETFE‐Foliendaches ermöglichte erstmals die vergleichende Untersuchung des Einflusses von natürlichen Umwelteinflüssen einschließlich mechanischer Belastungen an ETFE‐Folienproben mit Folien aus dem Archiv bzw. mit neuen Folien aus aktueller Produktion. Mono‐Axial‐Tests zeigten für ETFE‐Folien aus realen Projekten eine signifikant erhöhte Steifigkeit bei 10 % Dehnung. Um dieses für Bauprodukte ungewöhnliche Alterungsverhalten zu verstehen, wurde ein Verfahren entwickelt, mit welchem unter Einsatz von zyklischen bi‐axialen Belastungen das Alterungsverhalten von ETFE‐Folien simuliert werden kann. Diese Methode wurde sowohl auf Proben aus realen Projekten wie auch auf neue Folienproben aus laufender aktueller Produktion angewendet.
Why is chlorophyll b only used in light-harvesting systems?
Authors: Kume Atsushi , Akitsu Tomoko , Nasahara Kenlo Nishida 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
Chlorophylls (Chl) are important pigments in plants that are used to absorb photons and release electrons. There are several types of Chls but terrestrial plants only possess two of these: Chls a and b. The two pigments form light-harvesting Chl a/b-binding protein complexes (LHC), which absorb most of the light. The peak wavelengths of the absorption spectra of Chls a and b differ by c. 20 nm, and the ratio between them (the a/b ratio) is an important determinant of the light absorption efficiency of photosynthesis (i.e., the antenna size). Here, we investigated why Chl b is used in LHCs rather than other light-absorbing pigments that can be used for photosynthesis by considering the solar radiation spectrum under field conditions. We found that direct and diffuse solar radiation (PARdir and PARdiff, respectively) have different spectral distributions, showing maximum spectral photon flux densities (SPFD) at c. 680 and 460 nm, respectively, during the daytime. The spectral absorbance spectra of Chls a and b functioned complementary to each other, and the absorbance peaks of Chl b were nested within those of Chl a. The absorption peak in the short wavelength region of Chl b in the proteinaceous environment occurred at c. 460 nm, making it suitable for absorbing the PARdiff, but not suitable for avoiding the high spectral irradiance (SIR) waveband of PARdir. In contrast, Chl a effectively avoided the high SPFD and/or high SIR waveband. The absorption spectra of photosynthetic complexes were negatively correlated with SPFD spectra, but LHCs with low a/b ratios were more positively correlated with SIR spectra. These findings indicate that the spectra of the photosynthetic pigments and constructed photosystems and antenna proteins significantly align with the terrestrial solar spectra to allow the safe and efficient use of solar radiation.
Different trends in phylogenetic and functional structure of plant communities along an elevation gradient
Authors: Kitagawa Ryo , Koide Dai , Mori Akira S. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe study of diversity gradients due to elevation dates back to the foundation of biogeography and ecology. Although elevation‐driven patterns of plant diversity have been reported for centuries, uncertainty still exists about the assembly rules that drive these patterns. In this study, we revealed the causal factor of community assemblies for the diversity of tree and herb species along an elevation. To this end, we applied an integrated method using both functional traits and phylogeny, called the mean pairwise functional‐phylogenetic distance, to understand the assembly rules for woody and herbaceous species communities along an elevation gradient. At higher elevation sites, woody and herbaceous communities were comprised of species having similar traits. The phylogenetic trends for woody species were consistent with the functional trends; closely related species co‐occurred more frequently than expected at higher elevations. Phylogenetic trends for herb species were opposite to the functional trends; species with similar traits but having a random phylogenetic distribution co‐occurred at higher elevations. We suggest that the community assembly rules for woody and herb species vary with elevation; and functional constraints due to environmental filtering at higher elevation act as assembly rules along gradients in both woody and herbaceous communities, even though their phylogenetic backgrounds differ.
An empirical examination of surgeon experience, surgeon rating, and costs in perioperative services
Authors: Venkataraman Sriram , Fredendall Lawrence D. , Taaffe Kevin M. , Huynh Nathan , Ritchie Gilbert 
Published: July 2018

AbstractWe examine how physicians affect the flow of patients through Perioperative Services (POS) on the day of surgery by studying the effects of surgeon experience and surgeon quality (measured by Healthgrades rating) on patients' flow. We control for the work environment created by the POS manager's resource allocation decision, which determines the utilization levels of the three POS departments: Pre‐operative (PreOp), Operating Room (OR), and Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). Using patient level data from a large teaching hospital, we find that POS managers in all three departments view overtime costs as more important than idle time costs, which implies that they keep capacity slack available for patient care in each department. Further, our findings suggest that highly experienced surgeons take ownership of their patients' experience in the POS and that their patients spend less time in PreOp and the OR. We argue that not only do more experienced surgeons perform surgical procedures more efficiently, but they also coordinate better with PreOp to reduce patient waiting time there. We find that a surgeon's rating has no direct effect on a patient's actual surgery time in the OR, but that the effect of surgeon experience on actual surgery time is higher, in magnitude, for a lower‐rated surgeon than for a higher‐rated surgeon. Finally, we conduct a counterfactual analysis and find that highly experienced surgeons reduce the total length of a patient's stay in the POS.
Patient perspectives of the experience of a computerized cognitive assessment in a clinical setting
Authors: Robillard Julie M. , Lai Jen‐Ai , Wu Julia M. , Feng Tanya L. , Hayden Sherri 
Published: July 2018

AbstractIntroductionComputerized assessments are becoming widely accepted in the clinical setting and as a potential outcome measure in clinical trials. To gain patient perspectives of this experience, the aim of the present study was to investigate patient attitudes and perceptions of the Cognigram [Cogstate], a computerized cognitive assessment.MethodsSemi‐structured interviews were conducted with 19 older adults undergoing a computerized cognitive assessment at the University of British Columbia Hospital Clinic for Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders. Thematic analysis was applied to identify key themes and relationships within the data.ResultsThe analysis resulted in three categories: attitudes toward computers in healthcare, the cognitive assessment process, and evaluation of the computerized assessment experience. The results show shared views on the need for balance between human and computer intervention, as well as room for improvement in test design and utility.DiscussionCareful design and user‐testing should be made a priority in the development of computerized assessment interfaces, as well as reevaluating the cognitive assessment process to minimize patient anxiety and discomfort. Future research should move toward continuous data capture within clinical trials and ensuring instruments of high reliability to reduce variance.
Perceived Discrimination and Political Behavior
Authors: Oskooii Kassra A.R. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractCan different experiences with discrimination produce divergent political behaviors? Does it make a difference whether individuals are discriminated against by their peers or community members in the course of everyday life as opposed to political actors or institutions tasked with upholding democratic norms of equality and fairness? Crossing disciplinary boundaries, this study proposes a new theoretical perspective regarding the relationship between discrimination and political behavior. Specifically, it distinguishes between societal (interpersonal) and political (systematic) discrimination when examining the behaviors of racial and ethnic minorities in Great Britain. The results illustrate that although experiences of political discrimination may motivate individuals to take part in mainstream politics for substantive or expressive purposes, the same conclusion cannot necessarily be drawn for those who experience societal rejection. The principal aim of this study is to further highlight the complex and multidimensional nature of discrimination, and to encourage further analyses of how different types of discrimination may impact the civic and political behaviors of minority groups.
Inside the Asian Cold War Intrigues: Revisiting the Taiwan Strait crises
Authors: XIAO RUPING , LIN HSIAO-TING 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThis article revisits the issue of the offshore islands in the Taiwan Strait during the Cold War. Benefitting from archival materials only recently made available, specifically Chiang Kai-shek's personal diaries, CIA declassified materials, Taiwanese Foreign Ministry files, and rare publications from the Contemporary Taiwan Collection at the Library of the Institute of Oriental Culture, University of Tokyo, this research examines the cloud of suspicion surrounding the secret contacts between Taipei and Beijing leading up to and during the 1958 offshore islands crisis, elucidating how such a political tête-à-tête, and the resultant tacit consensus over the status of the islands, gradually brought about an end to the conflict between Taiwan and Communist China. In hindsight, the crises over the offshore islands along China's southeast coast momentarily brought the United States closer to war with Communist China, while putting the relationship between Taipei and Washington to a serious test. The end result, however, was that, while these isles were technically embedded in the unfinished civil war between the Chinese Nationalists and Communists, they provided, ironically, an opportunity for secret communications and, ultimately, a kind of détente between the two supposedly deadly enemies across the Taiwan Strait. A close examination of the details of these crises, along with their attendant military, political, and diplomatic complexities, reveals an amazing amount of political intrigue at both the local and international levels that has not been fully realized until now.
Molecular epidemiology of Cryptosporidium spp. in dairy cattle in Guangdong Province, South China
Authors: Liang Nan , Wu Yayun , Sun Mingfei , Chang Yankai , Lin Xuhui , Yu Linzeng , Hu Suhui , Zhang Xiangqian , Zheng Shuangjian , Cui Zhaohui , Zhang Longxian 
Published: July 2018

AbstractTo determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium in dairy cattle in Guangdong Province, South China, 1440 fecal samples were collected from 10 farms and screened for Cryptosporidium with PCR. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium was 4.38% (63/1440), and the infection rates in preweaned calves, postweaned calves, heifers and adults were 6.4% (19/297), 6.19% (33/533), 1.48% (4/271) and 2.06% (7/339), respectively. Three Cryptosporidium species, Cryptosporidium andersoni (n = 33), Cryptosporidium bovis (n = 22) and Cryptosporidium ryanae (n = 8) were detected by DNA sequence analysis of the 63 positive samples, and C. andersoni was identified as the most common species on the dairy cattle farms. In preweaned calves, C. bovis was the most prevalent species (9/19, 47.4%). In contrast, C. andersoni was the predominant species (19/33, 57.6%) in postweaned calves and the only species found in heifers and adults. The zoonotic species Cryptosporidium parvum was not detected in this study. Twenty-four C. andersoni isolates were successfully classified into three multilocus sequence typing (MLST) subtypes. MLST subtype A4,A4,A4,A1 was the predominant subtype, and MLST subtype A2,A5,A2,A1, previously found in sheep, was detected in cattle for the first time. A linkage disequilibrium analysis showed that the C. andersoni isolates had a clonal genetic population structure. However, further molecular studies are required to better understand the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium in Guangdong.
Co-circulation of Chikungunya and Dengue viruses in Dengue endemic region of New Delhi, India during 2016
Authors: Hisamuddin M. , Tazeen A. , Abdullah M. , Islamuddin M. , Parveen N. , Islam A. , Faizan M. I. , Hamza A. , Naqvi I. H. , Verma H. N. , Malik A. , Ahmed A. , Parveen S. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractCo-circulation of Chikungunya and Dengue viral infections (CHIKV and DENV) have been reported mainly due to transmission by commonAedesvector. The purpose of the study was to identify and characterise the circulating strains of CHIKV and DENV in DENV endemic region of New Delhi during 2016. CHIKV and DENV were identified in the blood samples (n= 130) collected from suspected patients by RT-PCR. CHIKV was identified in 26 of 65 samples (40%). Similarly, DENV was detected in 48 of 120 samples (40%). Co-infection with both the viruses was identified in five (9%) of the samples. Interestingly, concurrent infection with DENV, CHIKV andPlasmodium vivaxwas detected in two samples. CHIKV strains (n= 11) belonged to the ECSA genotype whereas DENV-3 sequences (n= eight) clustered in Genotype III by phylogenetic analysis. Selection pressure of E1 protein of CHIKV and CprM protein of DENV-3 revealed purifying selection with four and two positive sites, respectively. Four amino acids of the CHIKV were positively selected and had high entropy suggesting probable variations. Co-circulation of both viruses in DENV endemic regions warrants effective monitoring of these emerging pathogens via comprehensive surveillance for implementation of effective control measures.
Post-Campylobacter Guillain Barré Syndrome in the USA: secondary analysis of surveillance data collected during the 2009–2010 novel Influenza A (H1N1) vaccination campaign
Authors: Halpin A. Laufer , Gu W. , Wise M.E. , Sejvar J. J. , Hoekstra R. M. , Mahon B. E. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractGuillain Barré syndrome (GBS), which is triggered by autoantibodies produced in response to antigenic stimuli such as certain infections and vaccinations, is the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis worldwide. Campylobacter, the most common bacterial enteric infection in the USA, is reported to be the most commonly diagnosed antecedent of GBS, yet little information is available about the risk of post-Campylobacter GBS. Data collected through active, population-based surveillance in the Emerging Infections Program during the 2009–2010 novel Influenza A (H1N1) vaccination campaign allowed us to compare confirmed and probable GBS cases to non-cases to determine whether antecedent Campylobacter infection (or a diarrhoeal illness consistent with campylobacteriosis) was more common among cases and to assess the risk of GBS following Campylobacter infection. We estimate that 8–12% of GBS cases in the USA are attributable to Campylobacter infection (or a diarrhoeal illness consistent with campylobacteriosis), with 434–650 cases of post-diarrhoeal GBS annually and about 49 cases of GBS per 100 000 Campylobacter infections. These results provide updated estimates for post-Campylobacter GBS incidence in the USA and highlight an important benefit of effective measures to prevent Campylobacter infections.
Improvement in rice seed storage longevity from high-temperature drying is a consistent positive function of harvest moisture content above a critical value
Authors: Whitehouse K.J. , Hay F.R. , Ellis R.H. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractDrying reduces seed moisture content, which improves subsequent seed survival periods. Diverse maximum temperatures have been recommended to limit or avoid damage to seeds, but some high-temperature drying regimes may improve subsequent seed quality. Seeds from 20 different accessions of five rice (Oryza sativaL.) variety groups (aromatic, Aus, Indica, temperate Japonica, tropical Japonica) were harvested over several seasons at different stages of maturation and either dried throughout at 15°C/15% relative humidity (RH) or for different initial periods (continuous or intermittent) in different drying regimes at 45°C before final equilibrium drying at 15°C/15% RH. Subsequent seed longevity in hermetic storage at 45°C with 10.9% moisture content was determined. In no case did initial drying at 45°C provide poorer longevity than drying at 15°C/15% RH throughout. There was a split-line relation, which did not differ amongst investigations, between longevity after initial drying at 45°C relative to that at 15°C/15% RH throughout and harvest moisture content, with a break point at 16.5% (a seed moisture status of about –14 MPa). Below 16.5%, relative longevity did not differ with harvest moisture content with little or no advantage to longevity from drying at 45°C. Above 16.5%, relative longevity showed a positive relation with harvest moisture content, with substantial benefit from drying at 45°C to subsequent longevity of seeds harvested whilst still moist. Hence, there are temporal (immediatelyex plantacf. subsequent air-dried storage) and water status discontinuities (above cf. below 16.5%) in the effect of temperature on subsequent air-dried seed longevity.
The dilemma of knowledge use in political decision-making: National Guidelines in a Swedish priority-setting context
Authors: Sandberg Johanna , Persson Bo , Garpenby Peter 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThere is a growing recognition of the importance of evidence to support allocative policy decisions in health care. This study is based on interviews with politicians in four regional health authorities in Sweden. Drawing on theories of strategic use of knowledge, the article analyses how politicians perceive and make use of expert knowledge represented by the National Guidelines, embracing both a scientific and a political rationale. As health care is an organisation with a dual basis for legitimacy – at the same time a political and an action organisation – it affects knowledge use. We investigate how the context of health care priority setting influences the conditions for knowledge use among regional politicians. Our findings illustrate the dilemma of political decision-makers and how they prefer to use expert knowledge. The politicians use this policy instrument in a legitimising fashion, as it will fit into the current political debate on more equal care. As an instrument for resource allocation the politicians noted that ‘facts’ per se could not provide them with a sufficient basis for legitimising their governing of health care. The dualistic organisational context makes knowledge important as a political weapon in negotiations with the medical profession.