bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Spatiotemporal Stochastic Framework Of Groundwater Fluctuation Analysis On The South - Eastern Part Of The Great Hungarian Plain
Authors: Fehér Zsolt Zoltán 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
The current study was performed on a Hungarian area where the groundwater has been highly affected in the past 40 years by climate change. The stochastic estimation framework of groundwater as a spatiotemporally varying dynamic phenomenon is proposed. The probabilistic estimation of the water depth is performed as a joint realization of spatially correlated hydrographs, where parametric temporal trend models are fitted to the measured time series thereafter regionalized in space. Two types of trend models are evaluated. Due to its simplicity the purely mathematical trend can be used to analyze long-term groundwater trends, the average water fluctuation range and to determine the most probable date of peak groundwater level. The one which takes advantage of the knowledge of expected groundwater changes, clearly over performed the purely mathematical model, and it is selected for the construction of a spatiotemporal trend. Model fitting error values are considered as a set of stochastic time series which expresses short-term anomalies of the groundwater, and they are modelled as joint space-time distribution. The resulting spatiotemporal residual field is added to the trend field, thus resulting 125 simulated realizations, which are evaluated probabilistically. The high number of joint spatiotemporal realizations provides alternative groundwater datasets as boundary conditions for a wide variety of environmental models, while the presented procedure behaves more robust over non-complete datasets.
Effects of climate change on the spread of zika virus: a public health threat
Authors: Asad Hina , Carpenter David O. 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Zika is a vector-borne viral disease transmitted to humans primarily by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The increased climate instability has contributed to the emergence of infections carried by mosquitoes like dengue, chikungunya and zika. While infection with the zika virus is not new, the recent epidemic of microcephaly in Brazil and other countries in South America resulting from the infection of pregnant women with the zika virus raise a number of serious public health concerns. These include the question of how climate change affects the range of zika vectors, what can we do to shorten the length of mosquito season, how and why the symptoms of zika infection have changed and what can be done to reduce the burden of human disease from this infection? Another important question that needs to be answered is what are the factors that caused the zika virus to leave the non-human primates and/or other mammals and invade the human population?
Derivative structures based on the sphere packing
Authors: Umayahara Akihiro , Nespolo Massimo 
Published: March 2018

AbstractA significant number of non-molecular crystal structures can be described as derivative structures of sphere packings, with variable degrees of distortion. The undistorted sphere packing model with all the cavities completely occupied is the aristotype, from which an idealized model of the real structure can be obtained as a substitution, undistorted hettotype. The real structure can then be seen as a distorted derivative of the substitution hettotype. In this article we revive the symbolism introduced by Zoltai and Stout to describe the substitution hettotypes and compare these with the corresponding real structures. In most cases, the distortions are small or even negligible. For some structures, a significant departure from the substitution hettotype is observed, which however does not prevent to adopt the same description as a unifying scheme.
Effects of Heavy Squat Training on a Vibration Platform on Maximal Strength and Jump Performance in Resistance-Trained Men
Authors: Hammer Roger L. , Linton Joshua T. , Hammer Adam M. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractHammer, RL, Linton, JT, and Hammer, AM. Effects of heavy squat training on a vibration platform on maximal strength and jump performance in resistance-trained men.J Strength Cond Res32(7): 1809–1815, 2018—The purpose of this investigation was to determine maximal strength and jump performance outcomes of heavy squat training on a low-amplitude (<1.0 mm peak-to-peak) vibration platform (VP). Nineteen recreationally resistance-trained college-aged men (22.3 ± 1.66 years) completed the 6-week study. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 training groups: SQT (n= 10) performed conventional back squats on the floor and SQTV (n= 9) performed back squats on the VP. Supervised training took place over 12 sessions (2 d·wk−1), which used an aggressive strength development protocol (85–95% 1 repetition maximum [1RM]), which was identically followed by both groups. After the intervention, both groups showed (viat-test) a marked increase (p< 0.001) in 1RM squat strength (SQT = 34.5 kg vs. SQTV = 36.2 kg), but there was no significant difference (via mixed analysis of variance) between groups (p= 0.875). Standing broad jump performance increased by an average of 5–6 cm, but was not significantly changed in either group (SQT;p= 0.199, SQTV;p= 0.087). In conclusion, squats performed with whole body vibration (WBV) were not superior to conventional squats with respect to maximal strength and jump performance outcomes. It seems that there was no additive effect of superimposed WBV training on strength beyond that caused by strength training alone. This study can help strength conditioning professionals and athletes make an informed decision on whether to invest in a VP and use WBV as an alternative or a complementary mode of training.
Evaluating the Best Outsourcing Service Country in the Southeast Asian Region: A Fuzzy-AHP Approach
Authors: Pham Van Kien , Hoang Anh Tho Truong , Thanh Ha Le Thi 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Over the last two decades, the popularity of outsourcing, one of the most important elements in supply chain management, has been on the rise. Outsourcing is considered to be a key vehicle for firms to narrow their business operations and focus on core competencies. More recently, outsourcing has also been seen as a key source of innovation. Because of this phenomenon, an increasing amount of research in this field has come to aid firms in figuring out the optimal outsourcing service destinations. However, most of these studies concentrate on a specific field at the company level, therefore leaving a gap in research for a complete and comprehensive framework study. This study attempts to address this research gap by constructing an outsourcing hierarchy model with four levels. The four levels introduced in this study are the following: overall goal, criteria, sub-criteria, and alternative. Criteria would include the most important attributes, such as cost competitiveness, human resources, business environment, and government policies. Each criterion itself would be supported by several sub-criteria. With respect to these criteria, seven typical countries in the Southeast Asian region were selected to serve as alternatives. This article applied the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process approach to help decision makers identify the most important dimensions and the optimal outsourcing service country. As a result, the higher the priorities’ weights, the more important the criterion or the alternative will be. In this study, cost competitiveness is the most important element, followed by human resources and business environment. The results of this study indicate that China is the best destination among seven typical outsourcing service countries. Furthermore, the rise of Vietnam, Thailand, and The Philippines is creating new choices for decision makers. This study not only enriches the existing literature but also provides readers and decision makers a comprehensive view of the given field.
Assessment of Stress-Strain Behavior of Corroded Steel Reinforcement Using Digital Image Correlation (DIC)
Authors: Rajagopal Ranjitha , Sharma Sameer , Pillai Radhakrishna G. , Subramanian Sankara J. 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Understanding the stress-strain behavior of corroded rebars is essential for understanding the structural behavior of corroding reinforced concrete structures. However, conventional methods of testing have several drawbacks, which have led to differences in opinion among researchers regarding the mechanical behavior of corroded rebars. This article proposes an improved method using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) to assess the stress-strain behavior of corroded rebars. The study is conducted in two phases: (a) development of the testing and evaluation method and (b) determination of the mechanical properties (i.e., yield strength, ultimate strength, and ultimate strain) of naturally corroded cold-twisted deformed (CTD) steel rebars using the developed method. The stress-strain behavior of one pristine plain mild (PM) steel and 13 naturally corroded steel rebars collected from a 15-year-old building are investigated in this study. The experimental results show that the proposed method can provide more accurate estimates of mechanical properties than the conventional methods. The developed method facilitates a better understanding of the stress-strain behavior at the fracture location (FL) and other local points of interest on corroded steel rebars. Because DIC measures local strains, the proposed method is able to measure local strain heterogeneity and therefore distinguish between the effects of geometrical variations from those due to true material degradation. This is in contrast to the conventional methods wherein deformation is measured over a finite gauge length, which results in a measurement of average deformation rather than true local deformation. This study emphasizes the need for measurement of full-field deformation to assess the stress-strain behavior of the corroded rebars with highly uneven cross-sectional area.
Combined Effect of Heat Storage, Reflective Material, and Additional Heat Source on the Productivity of a Solar Still—Techno-Economic Approach
Authors: Rufuss D. Dsilva Winfred , Iniyan S. , Suganthi L. 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Food, water, and energy are essential for life on earth. Among these, water plays a vital role. Although it occupies a major portion (70 %) of the earth, good drinking water is always in short supply. Of this quantity, 98 % of water is salty and only around 2 % is fresh water. Desalination using a solar still is one economic method used to purify salt water. This article studies a single-slope solar still with three modifications: (i) sensible heat storage medium (SHM), (ii) heat recovery system (HRS), and (iii) reflective material on the interior surface. Modification by SHM and HRS enabled heat input and water output to be maintained during the night. Theoretical models were developed for the modified still. The productivity of the conventional still and modified still was measured experimentally in Tamil Nadu, India. The daily productivity increased by 21 %, from 3.4 kg m−2 in the conventional still to 4.1 kg m−2 in the modified still. The experimental results validated the theoretical results. Economic analysis of the solar still revealed that the approximate cost of distilled water per liter from a modified still was 4.7 % less than that from a conventional still. Hence, the modified still with SHM, HRS, and reflective material is technically and economically viable.
Nanosized Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Recovered Binders from Weathered Asphalt Mixtures
Authors: Liu Yan , Shen Junan , Shi Pengcheng , Zhu Hong , Gao Qiju 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Aging of asphalt binders can be more accurately simulated in the laboratory by an accelerated weathering machine (AWM) considering most of the weathering factors, and the nanosized properties of the aged binders can be examined at the nanoscale level by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). In this study, two gradations of asphalt mixtures, i.e., stone matrix mixture (SMA) and asphalt concrete (AC), were at first weathered by the AWM, and then asphalt binders were recovered. AFM technologies were applied for measuring the nanomorphology and nanomechanical properties of the recovered binders. The results are the following: (1) the roughness of morphology of recovered binders was gradually reduced, indicating a flattening asphalt surface phenomenon as the weathering time increased; (2) the average roughnesses of both adhesion and nanomodulus of the recovered binders increased as the weathering time increased because of the increased polymerization and the macromolecule; (3) there were fairly good linear correlations between the nanomorphology and the nanomechanical properties of the aged binders.
Relationship Between Machinability, Microstructure, and Mechanical Properties of Al-7Si Alloy
Authors: Uludağ Muhammet , Yazman Şakir , Gemi Lokman , Bakircioğlu Barış , Erzi Eray , Dispinar Derya 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
In this work, commercially available Al-7Si alloy was used, and the microstructure was modified by the additions of AlSr15, AlTi5B1, and Al3B. Cylindrical samples were cast into a sand mold and the machinability of the alloys was characterized by means of surface roughness, chip morphology, and buildup edge of the chips. Tool life and surface finish can be improved by decreased chip size by lowering the energy required for machining. The surface finish is an indicator of the quality of the material during the machining process. Therefore, in addition, melt quality was measured by means of reduced pressure test and the calculation of the bifilm index was used to compare the melt quality with machinability. It was found that there is a good correlation between bifilm index and surface roughness of the machined parts. Thus, for a better surface finish, melt quality, which can be quantified by bifilm index, has to be high. AlSr15 modified alloy exhibits the lowest built-up edge with the lowest surface roughness, because strontium modification causes coarse silicon crystals to transform to fine fibrous structure, which enhances machinability.
Evolution of the Temperature Field of the Subgrade in the Permafrost Regions of the Great Khingan Mountains
Authors: Liu Haiping , Ding Lin , Yang Yang , Guo Meng , Wang Yiqi 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
The distribution characteristics and changing trend of the temperature field of the subgrade in the permafrost region were simulated by using an enthalpy value-based numerical method. The Greater Khingan Mountains were selected as a case, and the environmental conditions, including solar radiation, temperature, wind speed, route trend, and subgrade construction mode, were analyzed. Results demonstrated that the values calculated by the established model agreed with the measured values in temperature holes, which indicated the feasibility of the model. The temperature field of the subgrade in the permafrost regions changed in an approximately cyclical fluctuation of the cosine form. The annual changing curve of ground temperature slowed down gradually with the increase of depth, accompanied by a phase lag. A noncohesive state was observed within a certain depth range between the active layer and permafrost in cold winter. The maximum thawed depth increased linearly as time increased. The rate of subgrade melting presented nonlinear changes with increasing time. The growth rate was fastest in the first five years. After 5 years, subgrade melting decreased generally with time and became stable after 15 years, reaching zero at the 30th year.
Characteristic Analysis of Welding Crack Acoustic Emission Signals Using Synchrosqueezed Wavelet Transform
Authors: He Kuanfang , Li Qi , Yang Qing 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
The synchrosqueezed wavelet transform (SST) is introduced to conduct analysis and processing of the acoustic emission (AE) signal in the welding process. The energy distribution of the signal in the time-scale plane is compressed and reorganized by SST, which obtains the time-frequency diagram of the AE signal. Meanwhile, the correlation coefficient is introduced as the criterion for removing the undesirable frequency components, which can effectively eliminate the noise and retain the characteristics of the welding crack AE signal. The test experiment of the AE signals in the welding process is designed. The time-frequency distribution characteristics of the AE signals in the welding process are described and extracted by SST, which is characterized by high aggregation and prominent instantaneous frequency information. Experimental results are provided to confirm the effectiveness of this approach to extract the AE signal physical information related to the welding crack.
Functional Validation of Candidate Genes Detected by Genomic Feature Models
Authors: Rohde Palle Duun , Østergaard Solveig , Kristensen Torsten Nygaard , Sørensen Peter , Loeschcke Volker , Mackay Trudy F C , Sarup Pernille 
Published: March 2018

AbstractUnderstanding the genetic underpinnings of complex traits requires knowledge of the genetic variants that contribute to phenotypic variability. Reliable statistical approaches are needed to obtain such knowledge. In genome-wide association studies, variants are tested for association with trait variability to pinpoint loci that contribute to the quantitative trait. Because stringent genome-wide significance thresholds are applied to control the false positive rate, many true causal variants can remain undetected. To ameliorate this problem, many alternative approaches have been developed, such as genomic feature models (GFM). The GFM approach tests for association of set of genomic markers, and predicts genomic values from genomic data utilizing prior biological knowledge. We investigated to what degree the findings from GFM have biological relevance. We used the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel to investigate locomotor activity, and applied genomic feature prediction models to identify gene ontology (GO) categories predictive of this phenotype. Next, we applied the covariance association test to partition the genomic variance of the predictive GO terms to the genes within these terms. We then functionally assessed whether the identified candidate genes affected locomotor activity by reducing gene expression using RNA interference. In five of the seven candidate genes tested, reduced gene expression altered the phenotype. The ranking of genes within the predictive GO term was highly correlated with the magnitude of the phenotypic consequence of gene knockdown. This study provides evidence for five new candidate genes for locomotor activity, and provides support for the reliability of the GFM approach.
Whole-Genome Analysis Illustrates Global Clonal Population Structure of the Ubiquitous Dermatophyte Pathogen Trichophyton rubrum
Authors: Persinoti Gabriela F , Martinez Diego A , Li Wenjun , Döğen Aylin , Billmyre R Blake , Averette Anna , Goldberg Jonathan M , Shea Terrance , Young Sarah , Zeng Qiandong , Oliver Brian G , Barton Richard , Metin Banu , Hilmioğlu-Polat Süleyha , Ilkit Macit , Gräser Yvonne , Martinez-Rossi Nilce M , White Theodore C , Heitman Joseph , Cuomo Christina A 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Dermatophytes include fungal species that infect humans, as well as those that also infect other animals or only grow in the environment. The dermatophyte species Trichophyton rubrum is a frequent cause of skin infection in immunocompetent individuals. While members of the T. rubrum species complex have been further categorized based on various morphologies, their population structure and ability to undergo sexual reproduction are not well understood. In this study, we analyze a large set of T. rubrum and T. interdigitale isolates to examine mating types, evidence of mating, and genetic variation. We find that nearly all isolates of T. rubrum are of a single mating type, and that incubation with T. rubrum “morphotype” megninii isolates of the other mating type failed to induce sexual development. While the region around the mating type locus is characterized by a higher frequency of SNPs compared to other genomic regions, we find that the population is remarkably clonal, with highly conserved gene content, low levels of variation, and little evidence of recombination. These results support a model of recent transition to asexual growth when this species specialized to growth on human hosts.
Análisis global de las nuevas relaciones estado/ciudadano en el marco del neoliberalismo político del siglo XXI
Authors: CASTRO VALDEBENITO Hugo Jose 
Published: March 2018

Las discusiones a nivel académico, a propósito de la evolución contemporánea de los conceptos de ciudadano y ciudadanía, han puesto en evidencia la necesidad de adecuarlos a la realidad actual de las relaciones internacionales. El quiebre del estado-nación, enmarcado en un proceso de institucionalización neoliberal, ha generado una crisis de representación y legitimidad política, que afecta directamente las relaciones entre el ciudadano y el estado-nación. Por otro lado, el aumento del fenómeno migratorio sur–norte, y los avances en el reconocimiento jurídico de las ciudadanías múltiples por parte de algunos países, hacen necesario realizar una reconceptualización de las nuevas relaciones estado/ciudadano en el siglo XXI.
En este artículo plantea desde un análisis sistémico la importancia del fenómeno migratorio en la formación de la sociedad civil internacional, rompiendo la tradicional relación de vinculación jurídico/territorial entre el ciudadano y el estado-nación. El principal eje metodológico de este estudio está dado por la comparación histórica en el desarrollo de concepto contemporáneo de ciudadanía, y su relación con la migración, en la creación y conceptualización de un nuevo trato ciudadano/ estado, de carácter global y desterritorializado.
Politicisation and Depoliticisation of Migration: Discourses and Practices of the International Organisation for Migration
Authors: PÉCOUD Antoine 
Published: March 2018

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is a sparsely studied organisation, whose mandate includes, however, one of the most politicised issues currently present in Western countries. This article outlines the history, doctrine and practices of the IOM. We will show that although it has been a weak organisation for a long time, in a context where migratory policies don’t respond to a robust international regime, the IOM has been able to impose itself -from the 1990s- as an essential actor in globalization and the externalization of such policies. The strategy of the IOM consists of depoliticising the challenges of the migratory phenomena, and of promoting the technical management of migrations, centering on the economic utility that these would represent for all parts (countries of origin, destination countries, and the migrants). Such a strategy allows it to seem like a neutral intermediary, accepted as much by states, civil society and the private sector. However, this depoliticisation finds itself accompanied by an alignment of the IOM with the immigration interests of Western countries, which makes highly political interventions possible, especially in the migrants’ countries of origin.