bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Workspace Analysis and the Effect of Geometric Parameters for Parallel Mechanisms of the N-UU Class
Authors: Shah Divya , Metta Giorgio , Parmiggiani Alberto 
Published: November 2018

N-UU class mechanisms, exemplified by the Omni-Wrist III, are compact parallel kinematic mechanisms (PKM) with large singularity free workspaces. These characteristics make them ideal for applications in robot wrists. This article presents the detailed kinematic and workspace analysis for four N-UU class mechanisms. More in detail, the equations defining the mechanism’s moving platform kinematics are derived as a function of the motion of the input links; these are then used to explore the mechanism’s workspace. These results are furthermore validated by comparing them to the results obtained from CAD-based simulations.
The analyses suggests that the workspace of the mechanism is non-uniform, with a “warping” behaviour that occurs in an asymmetric fashion in a specific region of the workspace. Furthermore we show how the rotation of the input links, which mainly actuates the yaw and pitch angles of the mechanism, also causes unwanted coupled rotations along the roll axis.
Design Exploration of Reliably Manufacturable Materials and Structures With Applications to a Microstereolithography System
Authors: Morris Clinton , Seepersad Carolyn C. 
Published: November 2018

One of the challenges in designing for additive manufacturing (AM) is accounting for the differences between as-designed and as-built geometries and material properties. From a designer’s perspective, these differences can lead to degradation of part performance, which is especially difficult to accommodate in small-lot or one-of-a-kind production. In this context, each part is unique, and therefore, extensive iteration is costly. Designers need a means of exploring the design space while simultaneously considering the reliability of additively manufacturing particular candidate designs. In this work, a design exploration approach, based on Bayesian network classifiers (BNC), is extended to incorporate manufacturability explicitly into the design exploration process.
The example application is the design of negative stiffness (NS) metamaterials, in which small volume fractions of negative stiffness (NS) inclusions are embedded within a host material. The resulting metamaterial or composite exhibits macroscopic mechanical stiffness and loss properties that exceed those of the base matrix material. The inclusions are fabricated with microstereolithography with features on the scale of tens of microns, but variability is observed in material properties and dimensions from specimen to specimen.
In this work, the manufacturing variability of critical features of a NS inclusion fabricated via microstereolithography are characterized experimentally and modelled mathematically. Specifically, the variation in the geometry of the NS inclusions and the Young’s modulus of the photopolymer are measured and modeled by both nonparametric and parametric joint probability distributions. Finally, the quantified manufacturing variability is incorporated into the BNC approach as a manufacturability classifier to identify candidate designs that achieve performance targets reliably, even when manufacturing variability is taken into account.
Hydraulic Pressure Control and Parameter Optimization of Brake-by-Wire System Based on Driver-Automation Cooperative Driving
Authors: Liu Xiaohui , Yu Liangyao , Zheng Sheng , Chang Jinghu , Li Fei 
Published: November 2018

The automatic driving technology of vehicle is being carried out in real road environment, however, the application of unmanned vehicle still needs proof and practice. Autonomous vehicles will be in the stage of co-drive for a long time, that is, driver-control and autonomous system assisting or autonomous system control and driver assisting. The braking system of the intelligent vehicle needs to work in driver driving mode or automatic driving mode during a long stage. Brake-by-Wire system is the development trend of vehicle braking system. The brake modes of the Brake-by-Wire system can be switched easily and it can satisfy the demand for braking system of the intelligent vehicle. However, when the driving mode changes, the characteristic of the braking intention and braking demand will change. In order to improve the braking performance of the intelligent vehicle, hydraulic pressure control and parameter optimization of the Brake-by-Wire system during different driving modes should be different.
Researches are made on hydraulic pressure control and parameter optimization of the Brake-by-Wire system with consideration on differences of braking intensity input and braking requirement between driver driving mode and automatic driving mode through theory analysis, Matlab/Simulink-AMESim simulation and bench test. The study is helpful for improving the braking performance of Brake-by-Wire system in hydraulic pressure control of driver-automation cooperative driving.
A Study on the Influence of Planar Mechanism Design on Energy Use During Controlled Movements
Authors: Myszka David H. , Fischer Austin M. , Murray Andrew P. 
Published: November 2018

This paper presents a study on the energy utilization of planar automation mechanisms that operate with controlled moves. Designers of factory automation for pick & place tasks often select multiple degree-of-freedom robotic devices. With multiple degrees-of-freedom, task flexibility is available, but many operations require little or no flexibility. The majority of research on the energy usage of these robot devices for pick & place tasks focuses on path planning.
The study presented in this paper explores the energy savings in using low degree-of-freedom devices and the influence of design parameter selection. Energy predictor equations are developed and confirmed through experimentation. Various positioning mechanisms of differing dimensions are studied for trends in energy utilization. Lastly, an actuator control strategy is proposed for further reducing energy requirements. The study concludes that energy usage can be substantially decreased in pick & place applications by reducing the degrees of freedom of the device, implementing a prudent mechanism architecture, ideally selecting mechanism dimensions and optimally controlling the actuator(s).
Message Framing to Reduce Automobile Idling
Authors: Paniccia Christian , Shu L. H. 
Published: November 2018

This work aims to develop interventions to reduce automobile idling, where a driver runs the engine unnecessarily while not moving. Idling is a serious problem that wastes fuel, pollutes the air, and releases greenhouse gas emissions. Drivers idle for different reasons, including misconceptions about the time needed to warm up their engines and how much additional fuel is expended by turning the engine off and back on. Information-based interventions, i.e., messages to address idling, may therefore work more effectively to change behavior by correcting such misconceptions than for other types of pro-environmental behaviors where corresponding misconceptions may not exist.
This work incorporates Regulatory Focus Theory, a social-psychological framework which differentiates between promotion- and prevention-focused individuals. Furthermore, messages are framed with respect to idling-relevant concerns that participants identify — finance, health, or the environment.
Participants were asked to express behavioral intention and engagement in response to messages tailored for their regulatory focus and domain of concern. Results revealed that 1) participants prioritized finance and health much more often than the environment; 2) most participant categories responded well to their targeted messages; 3) Promotion/Finance participants seemed especially challenging to motivate, but modifications to their targeted messages led to improved results.
Vibrational Behavior of Epicyclic Gear Trains With Lumped-Parameter Models: Analysis and Design Optimization Under Uncertainty
Authors: Wehrle Erich , Palomba Ilaria , Vidoni Renato 
Published: November 2018

Vibrational behavior of epicyclic gearing a critical aspect as this can lead to detrimental structural-mechanical effects including fatigue, comfort and acoustics. In order to better understand this behavior, lumped-parameter models are used in early development phases. Here the eigenfrequencies as well as frequency responses are ascertained with and without consideration of uncertainty. Uncertainty is critical in the early design phases and beyond. In such systems, there is variation in parameter values from a variety of sources. Here the uncertain stiffness will be considered.
It is also the goal of this work to dimension the epicyclic gear train to optimize performance. The early design phase is plagued by uncertainty and if this is neglected in the design optimization, this can lead to drastically suboptimal designs. In this work, a methodology is introduced to optimally design and dimension epicyclic gear trains under uncertainty. Though specifically aimed at epicyclic gearing, the methods developed here are general enough for further application fields.
Mass and inertia terms are chosen as design variables, though others are possible in this framework. The constraints are so formulated so that the eigenfrequencies avoid the harmonics of the mesh frequencies and its side bands. The uncertain parameters are treated as bounded and therefore intervals are used instead of statistical distributions. Statistical information needed for probabilistic methods of the uncertain parameters are assumed here to be unavailable in early development phases.
Population Genetics and Molecular Epidemiology of Eukaryotes
Authors: Blanton Ronald E. 
Published: November 2018

ABSTRACT

Molecular epidemiology uses the distribution and organization of a pathogen’s DNA to understand the distribution and determinants of disease. Since the biology of DNA for eukaryotic pathogens differs substantially from that of bacteria, the analytic approach to their molecular epidemiology can also differ. While many of the genotyping techniques presented earlier in this series, “Advances in Molecular Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases,” can be applied to eukaryotes, the output must be interpreted in the light of how DNA is distributed from one generation to the next. In some cases, parasite populations can be evaluated in ways reminiscent of bacteria. They differ, however, when analyzed as sexually reproducing organisms, where all individuals are unique but the genetic composition of the population does not change unless a limited set of events occurs. It is these events (migration, mutation, nonrandom mating, selection, and genetic drift) that are of interest. At a given time, not all of them are likely to be equally important, so the list can easily be narrowed down to understand the driving forces behind the population as it is now and even what it will look like in the future. The main population characteristics measured to assess these events are differentiation and diversity, interpreted in the light of what is known about the population from observation. The population genetics of eukaryotes is important for planning and evaluation of control measures, surveillance, outbreak investigation, and monitoring of the development and spread of drug resistance.

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This article is part of a curated collection.
Laboratory Methods in Molecular Epidemiology: Viral Infections
Authors: Parreira Ricardo 
Published: November 2018

ABSTRACT

Viruses, which are the most abundant biological entities on the planet, have been regarded as the “dark matter” of biology in the sense that despite their ubiquity and frequent presence in large numbers, their detection and analysis are not always straightforward. The majority of them are very small (falling under the limit of 0.5 μm), and collectively, they are extraordinarily diverse. In fact, the majority of the genetic diversity on the planet is found in the so-called virosphere, or the world of viruses. Furthermore, the most frequent viral agents of disease in humans display an RNA genome, and frequently evolve very fast, due to the fact that most of their polymerases are devoid of proofreading activity. Therefore, their detection, genetic characterization, and epidemiological surveillance are rather challenging. This review (part of the Curated Collection on Advances in Molecular Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases) describes many of the methods that, throughout the last few decades, have been used for viral detection and analysis. Despite the challenge of having to deal with high genetic diversity, the majority of these methods still depend on the amplification of viral genomic sequences, using sequence-specific or sequence-independent approaches, exploring thermal profiles or a single nucleic acid amplification temperature. Furthermore, viral populations, and especially those with RNA genomes, are not usually genetically uniform but encompass swarms of genetically related, though distinct, viral genomes known as viral quasispecies. Therefore, sequence analysis of viral amplicons needs to take this fact into consideration, as it constitutes a potential analytic problem. Possible technical approaches to deal with it are also described here.

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This article is part of a curated collection.
How do type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)-related complications and socioeconomic factors impact direct medical costs? A cross-sectional study in rural Southeast China
Authors: Wu Haibin , Eggleston Karen N , Zhong Jieming , Hu Ruying , Wang Chunmei , Xie Kaixu , Chen Yiwei , Chen Xiangyu , Yu Min 
Published: November 2018

ObjectiveTo evaluate type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)-related direct medical costs by complication type and complication number, and to assess the impacts of complications as well as socioeconomic factors on direct medical costs.DesignA cross-sectional study using data from the region’s diabetes management system, social security system and death registry system, 2015.SettingTongxiang, China.ParticipantsIndividuals diagnosed with T2DM in the local diabetes management system, and who had 2015 insurance claims in the social security system. Patients younger than 35 years and patients whose insurance type changed in the year 2015 were excluded.Main outcome measuresThe mean of direct medical costs by complication type and number, and the percentage increase of direct medical costs relative to a reference group, considering complications and socioeconomic factors.ResultsA total of 19 015 eligible individuals were identified. The total cost of patients with one complication was US$1399 at mean, compared with US$248 for patients without complications. The mean total cost for patients with 2 and 3+ complications was US$1705 and US$2994, respectively. After adjustment for socioeconomic confounders, patients with one complication had, respectively, 83.55% and 38.46% greater total costs for inpatient and outpatient services than did patients without complications. The presence of multiple complications was associated with a significant 44.55% adjusted increase in total outpatient costs, when compared with one complication. Acute complications, diabetic foot, stroke, ischaemic heart disease and diabetic nephropathy were the highest cost complications. Gender, age, education level, insurance type, T2DM duration and mortality were significantly associated with increased expenditures of T2DM.ConclusionsComplications significantly aggravated expenditures on T2DM. Specific kinds of complications and the presence of multiple complications are correlated with much higher expenditures. Proper management and the prevention of related complications are urgently needed to reduce the growing economic burden of diabetes.
Exploring parents’ reasons for attending the emergency department for children with minor illnesses: a mixed methods systematic review
Authors: Butun Ahmet , Linden Mark , Lynn Fiona , McGaughey Jennifer 
Published: November 2018

BackgroundThe number of EDs visit is on the increase, and the pressure on EDs is of significant concern worldwide. The usage of EDs by parents of children with minor illness is an important and still unresolved problem causing a burden to healthcare services. The aim of this study was to review the literature to summarise parental reasons for visiting ED for children with minor illness.MethodSeven electronic databases (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus) were comprehensively searched during a 2-week period in August 2016 and updated between 11 and 20 June 2018. The study selection process was undertaken independently by two authors. Qualitative and quantitative studies that focused on the reasons for parents of children with minor illness to attend an ED were included. Studies were assessed for quality and data were analysed by means of narrative synthesis.ResultsTwenty-four studies were included. Eleven studies employed quantitative methods, eleven studies used qualitative methods and two studies used mixed methods. Parental reasons for using ED included perceived urgency, ED advantages (eg, faster service, superior ED resources and efficiency), difficulties with getting a general practitioner appointment, lack of facilities in primary healthcare services, lack of health insurance, reassurance, convenience and access.ConclusionThis review identified some of the reasons why parents bring their children to the ED for minor illnesses highlighting the multifaceted nature of this problem. Understanding parental reasons behind their choice to use the ED may help us better design targeted interventions to reduce unnecessary ED visits and alleviate the burden on overstretched healthcare services. This review may help inform emergency care policy makers, researchers and healthcare staff to understand parents’ reasons for visiting the ED, to better meet their healthcare needs.
Dietitian first gastroenterology clinic: an initiative to reduce wait lists and wait times for gastroenterology outpatients in a tertiary hospital service
Authors: Mutsekwa Rumbidzai N , Canavan Russell , Whitfield Anthony , Spencer Alan , Angus Rebecca L 
Published: November 2018

ObjectiveThe demand for outpatient gastroenterology medical specialist consultations is above what can be met within budgetary and staffing constraints. This study describes the establishment of a dietitian first gastroenterology clinic to address this issue, the patient journey and its impact on wait lists and wait times in a tertiary gastroenterology service.DesignA dietitian first gastroenterology clinic model was developed and a mixed-methods approach used to evaluate the impact of the service over a 21-month period.SettingGold Coast University Hospital, Queensland, Australia (a public tertiary hospital).Patients658 patients were triaged to the clinic between June 2016 and March 2018.InterventionA dietitian first gastroenterology clinic for low-risk gastroenterology patients.Main outcome measuresWe examined demographic, referral, wait list, wait time and service activity data, patient satisfaction and patient journey.ResultsAt the time of audit, 399 new (67.9% female) and 307 review patients had been seen. Wait times for eligible patients reduced from 280 to 66 days and the percentage of those in breach of their recommended wait times reduced from 95% to zero. The average time from referral to discharge was 117.8 days with an average of 2.4 occasions of service. 277 patients (69.4%) had been discharged to the care of their general practitioner and 43 patients (10.7%) had an expedited specialist medical review. Patient surveys indicated a high level of satisfaction.ConclusionA dietitian first gastroenterology model of care helps improve patient flow, reduces wait times and may be useful elsewhere to address outpatient gastroenterology service pressures.
Economic and environmental effects of reduction in smoking prevalence in Tanzania
Authors: Jha Veena , Narayanan Badri G , Wadhwa Deepika , Tesche Jean 
Published: November 2018

BackgroundIn Tanzania, strong tobacco control measures that would lead to a reduction in prevalence (consumption) have so far not been implemented due to concern about possible economic effects on gross domestic product and employment. The aim of this study is to analyse the economic effects of reducing tobacco consumption in Tanzania.MethodsThe study uses computable general equilibrium (CGE) modelling to arrive at the effects of decreasing tobacco prevalence. A full-fledged global CGE model was developed, including comprehensive details on tobacco and tobacco products/sectors using the Global Trade Analysis Program-Environment model and database.ResultsThe results indicate that a 30% reduction in prevalence could lead to employment losses of about 20.8% in tobacco and 7.8% in the tobacco products sector. However, when compensated by increases in other sectors the overall decline in employment is only 0.5%. The decline in the economy as a whole is negligible at −0.3%.ConclusionInitially, some assistance from the Tanzanian government may be needed for the displaced workers from the tobacco sector as a result of the decline in smoking prevalence. However, these results should be taken as a lower bound since the economic burden of diseases caused by tobacco may be far higher than the sectoral losses. The results do not include the health benefits of lower smoking prevalence. In addition, the revenues from higher taxes, as part of measures to decrease prevalence, would provide more fiscal space that can be used to finance assistance for displaced tobacco farmers and workers.
Generalizations of a Conway algebra for oriented surface-links via marked graph diagrams
Authors: Bae Yongju , Choi Seonmi , Kim Seongjeong 
Published: November 2018

In 1987, Przytyski and Traczyk introduced an algebraic structure, called a Conway algebra, and constructed an invariant of oriented links, which is a generalization of the HOMFLY-PT polynomial invariant. In 2018, Kim generalized a Conway algebra, which is an algebraic structure with two skein relations, which is called a generalized Conway algebra. In 2017, Joung, Kamada, Kawauchi and Lee constructed a polynomial invariant of oriented surface-links by using marked graph diagrams. In this paper, we will introduce generalizations [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] of a Conway algebra and a generalized Conway algebra, which are called a marked Conway algebra and a generalized marked Conway algebra, respectively. We will construct invariants valued in [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] for oriented marked graphs and oriented surface-links by applying binary operations to classical crossings and marked vertices via marked graph diagrams. The polynomial invariant of oriented surface-links is obtained from the invariant valued in the marked Conway algebra with additional conditions.