bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
RC columns longitudinally strengthened via novel EBRIOG technique
Authors: Saljoughian Alireza , Mostofinejad Davood 
Published: September 2019

AbstractCarbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are materials that have been acceptably used for the external reinforcement of structural load carrying elements such as reinforced concrete (RC) columns. When subjected to axial compression loads, columns longitudinally strengthened with CFRP sheets undergo buckling and debonding of their longitudinal CFRP strips as their failure modes. The present study investigates the efficiency of the new technique called “externally bonded reinforcement in/on grooves” (EBRIOG) on square RC columns strengthened with longitudinal FRP composites when subjected to cyclic axial compression loading, and examines whether EBRIOG delays the buckling and debonding of longitudinal CFRP sheets. Another aspect of the study involves investigation of the influence of the recently developed corner strip‐batten (CSB) technique on confining specimens. In the CSB technique, CFRP battens used for transverse strengthening tend to stretch as entirely straight sheets like what occurs with flat coupons, as they do not tolerate any curvature. In order to compare the above‐mentioned techniques and the conventional ones, 12 square column specimens (150 × 150 × 900 mm3) are subjected to cyclic axial compression. The experiment parameters consist of the method used for longitudinal strengthening and the technique utilized for confining the specimens. The results exhibit improved efficiency of square RC columns (as realized by their peak load, ductility indices, energy dissipation, equivalent damping factor, secant stiffness, and average compressive stress of longitudinal composite sheets) when the EBRIOG and CSB techniques are employed simultaneously. For instance, the column strengthened through the CSB and EBRIOG method exhibits increases of 192 and 72% in its ductility and load carrying capacity, respectively, compared to those of the unstrengthened one.
Pesticides and herbicides
Authors: Choudri B. S. , Charabi Yassine 
Published: September 2019

AbstractThis paper provides a review of some important scientific articles published in the year 2018 about pesticides and herbicides. The literature review presented in this paper cover pesticides and herbicides presence as well as occurrence in the environment. The review is divided into four sections. Each of these sections highlight issues related to pesticides and herbicides on toxicology, ecology, risk assessment, modeling, and treatment strategies.
Planning for the Future: Special Education and the Creation of ‘Healthy Minds’
Authors: Taylor Steven J. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractAt the end of the nineteenth century, attention on children and their social ‘improvement’ increased. Compulsory state schooling, gradually introduced from 1870, became a vehicle to mould the minds of children and ensure the survival of nation and empire. This chapter explores the development of the Sandwell Hall School for Mentally Defective Children to gain a greater insight into the treatment and experience of those unable to attend ordinary schools. Using records from the Department for Education and Sandwell Hall, it will be possible to better understand the experience of both periphery and centre to demonstrate the interventions that were forced upon children and families in the first half of the twentieth century.
Galilean free Lie algebras
Authors: Gomis Joaquim , Kleinschmidt Axel , Palmkvist Jakob 
Published: September 2019

AbstractWe construct free Lie algebras which, together with the algebra of spatial rotations, form infinite-dimensional extensions of finite-dimensional Galilei Maxwell algebras appearing as global spacetime symmetries of extended non-relativistic objects and non-relativistic gravity theories. We show how various extensions of the ordinary Galilei algebra can be obtained by truncations and contractions, in some cases via an affine Kac-Moody algebra. The infinite-dimensional Lie algebras could be useful in the construction of generalized Newton-Cartan theories gravity theories and the objects that couple to them.
Optimization of a Simulation Code Coupling Extended Source (k−2) and Empirical Green’s Functions: Application to the Case of the Middle Durance Fault
Authors: Dujardin Alain , Hollender Fabrice , Causse Mathieu , Berge-Thierry Catherine , Delouis Bertrand , Foundotos Laetitia , Ameri Gabriele , Shible Hussein 
Published: September 2019

AbstractWe developed a ground-motion simulation code base on extended rupture modeling combined with the use of empirical Green’s functions (EGFs), adapted for low-to-moderate seismicity regions (with a limited set of EGFs), and extended its range of applicability to the lowest source-to-site distances. This code is based on a kinematic source description of an extended fault and is designed to allow complex fault geometries and to generate a ground motion variability in agreement with that of the recorded databases. The code is developed to work with a sparse set of EGFs. Each available EGF is therefore used in several positions on the rupture area. To be used in positions different of their original position, we applied to the EGFs some adjustments. In addition to the classical adjustments (i.e. time delay correction, geometrical spreading correction and anelastic attenuation correction), we propose here a radiation pattern adjustment. The effectiveness of it is tested in a numerical application. We showed noticeable improvements at the lowest distances, and some limitations when approaching the nodal planes of the subevents the recording of which were used as EGFs. We took advantage of the development of this code, its ability to work with a sparse set of EGFs, its ability to take into account complex fault geometries and its ability to master the general variability, to perform a ground-motion simulation scenario on the Middle Durance Fault (MDF). We perform simulations for a hard rock site (VS30 = 1800 m/s) and a sediment site (VS30 = 440 m/s) of the CEA Nuclear Research Site of Cadarache (France), and compared the computed ground motion with several ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs). The GMPEs slightly underestimate the sediment site but strongly overestimate the ground motion amplitude on the hard rock site, even when using a specific correction factor which adapts GMPEs predictions from rock site to hard rock site. This general ascertainment confirms the need to continue efforts towards the establishment of consistent GMPEs applicable to hard-rock conditions.
Lattice dynamical systems: dissipative mechanism and fractal dimension of global and exponential attractors
Authors: Cholewa Jan W. , Czaja Radosław 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
In this work, we examine first-order lattice dynamical systems, which are discretized versions of reaction–diffusion equations on the real line. We prove the existence of a global attractor in $$\ell ^2$$ℓ2, and using the method by Chueshov and Lasiecka (Dynamics of quasi-stable dissipative systems, Springer, Berlin, 2015; Memoirs of the American Mathematical Society, vol 195(912), AMS, 2008), we estimate its fractal dimension. We also show that the global attractor is contained in a finite-dimensional exponential attractor. The approach relies on the interplay between the discretized diffusion and reaction, which has not been exploited as yet for the lattice systems. Of separate interest is a characterization of positive definiteness of the discretized Schrödinger operator, which refers to the well-known Arendt and Batty’s result (Differ Int Equ 6:1009–1024, 1993).
Association genetics of bunch weight and its component traits in East African highland banana (Musa spp. AAA group)
Authors: Nyine Moses , Uwimana Brigitte , Akech Violet , Brown Allan , Ortiz Rodomiro , Doležel Jaroslav , Lorenzen Jim , Swennen Rony 
Published: September 2019

Abstract

Key message
The major quantitative trait loci associated with bunch weight and its component traits in the East African highland banana-breeding population are located on chromosome 3.

Abstract
Bunch weight increase is one of the major objectives of banana improvement programs, but little is known about the loci controlling bunch weight and its component traits. Here we report for the first time some genomic loci associated with bunch weight and its component traits in banana as revealed through a genome-wide association study. A banana-breeding population of 307 genotypes varying in ploidy was phenotyped in three locations under different environmental conditions, and data were collected on bunch weight, number of hands and fruits; fruit length and circumference; and diameter of both fruit and pulp for three crop cycles. The population was genotyped with genotyping by sequencing and 27,178 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were generated. The association between SNPs and the best linear unbiased predictors of traits was performed with TASSEL v5 using a mixed linear model accounting for population structure and kinship. Using Bonferroni correction, false discovery rate, and long-range linkage disequilibrium (LD), 25 genomic loci were identified with significant SNPs and most were localized on chromosome 3. Most SNPs were located in genes encoding uncharacterized and hypothetical proteins, but some mapped to transcription factors and genes involved in cell cycle regulation. Inter-chromosomal LD of SNPs was present in the population, but none of the SNPs were significantly associated with the traits. The clustering of significant SNPs on chromosome 3 supported our hypothesis that fruit filling in this population was under control of a few quantitative trait loci with major effects.
Health‐Related Quality of Life and Cosmesis After Thyroidectomy: Long‐Term Outcomes
Authors: Linos Dimitrios , Christodoulou Spyridon , Kitsou Vassiliki , Karachaliou Angeliki , Ntelis Spyridon , Petralias Athanassios 
Published: September 2019

AbstractBackgroundHealth‐related quality of life (HRQoL) after thyroidectomy has been recently reported with conflicting conclusions. In this study, we assess HRQoL and neck scar cosmesis of thyroid patients several years after thyroidectomy for benign and malignant pathology.MethodsThree hundred and thirty patients who underwent thyroidectomy between 2000 and 2010 answered the SF‐36 Health Survey and Patient Scar Assessment Questionnaire (PSAQ) in 2010 and at the end of 2018. Changes in the SF‐36 and PSAQ scores were analyzed taking into account various demographic, surgical and medical characteristics of the patients.ResultsPatients reported worse SF‐36 scores after 8.5 years, in scales of physical functioning (p < 0.001), social role functioning (p = 0.002), bodily pain (p = 0.001) and general health perceptions (p < 0.001). Interestingly enough, there were no significant changes in scales of physical role functioning (p = 0.304), mental health (p = 0.681), emotional role functioning (p = 0.903) and vitality (p = 0.121). Multivariate analysis showed that several chronic diseases were related to worse HRQoL scores. On the other hand, PSAQ appearance, symptoms and consciousness scores improved during this period (p < 0.001).ConclusionsIn the long term, patients undergoing thyroidectomy do not show worse HRQoL outcomes in terms of mental health, emotional functioning and vitality, whereas scar cosmesis perception is improved. They show deteriorated outcomes in terms of physical, social functioning and bodily pain, which is mainly related to specific chronic diseases that are common to the aging person.
High prevalence of ascending aortic dilatation in a consecutive coronary CT angiography patient population
Authors: Kauhanen S. Petteri , Saari Petri , Jaakkola Pekka , Korhonen Miika , Parkkonen Johannes , Vienonen Juska , Vanninen Ritva , Liimatainen Timo , Hedman Marja 
Published: September 2019

Abstract

Objectives
To clarify the prevalence and risk factors of ascending aortic (AA) dilatation according to ESC 2014 guidelines.

Methods
This study included 1000 consecutive patients scheduled for diagnostic coronary artery computed tomographic angiography. AA diameter was retrospectively measured in 3 planes: sinus valsalva, sinotubular junction, and tubular part. The threshold for AA dilatation was set to > 40 mm which has been suggested as an upper normal limit for AA diameter in ESC 2014 guidelines on aortic diseases. Aortic size index (ASI) using the ratio between aortic diameter and body surface area (BSA) was applied as a comparative measurement. The threshold for AA dilatation was set to the upper limit of normal distribution exceeding two standard deviations (95%). Risk factors for AA dilatation were collected from medical records.

Results
The patients’ mean age was 52.9 ± 9.8 years (66.5% women). The prevalence of AA dilatation was 23.0% in the overall study population (52.5% males) and 15.1% in the subgroup of patients with no coronary artery disease or bicuspid (BAV)/mechanical aortic valve (n = 365). According to the normal-distributed ASI values, the threshold for sinus valsalva was defined as 23.2 mm/m2 and for tubular part 22.2 mm/m2 in the subgroup. Higher BSA was associated with larger AA dimensions (r = 0.407, p < 0.001). Male gender (p < 0.001), BAV (p < 0.001), hypertension (p = 0.009) in males, and smoking (p < 0.001) appeared as risk factors for AA dilatation.

Conclusions
The prevalence of AA dilatation is high with current ESC guidelines for normal AA dimension, especially in males. Body size is strongly associated with AA dimensions; it would be more reliable to use BSA-adjusted AA diameters for the definition of AA dilatation.

Key Points
• The prevalence of AA dilatation is high in patients who are candidates for coronary CT angiography.
• Body size is strongly associated with AA dimensions.
Trust, choice, and self-preservation: a computational approach
Authors: Cofta Piotr 
Published: September 2019

AbstractTrust tends to be described through the lens of a rational choice of a trustor driven by the trustworthiness of a trustee. This, however, does not exhaust scenarios where people seem to be comfortable trusting without having an actual choice or not trusting while having a selection of potential trustees. This paper proposes that there should be another force at work that only expresses itself through the rationality in situations of choice. It is the self-preservation that strongly influences our decisions, specifically when choices seem to diminish. Ignoring this force makes the theory of trust incomplete. This paper brings this area of social behaviour closer to computational trust by proposing a unifying model that builds on theories of social systems. It focuses specifically on the containment of complexity and the associated risk to self-preservation, where trust is not an option but a necessity. The model, by being both simple and expressive, can computationally explain several phenomena associated with trusting in situations where self-preservation may be under a threat. This is further demonstrated by several use cases.
Impact of internal variability on climate change for the upcoming decades: analysis of the CanESM2-LE and CESM-LE large ensembles
Authors: Rondeau-Genesse Gabriel , Braun Marco 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
The pace of climate change can have a direct impact on the efforts required to adapt. For short timescales, however, this pace can be masked by internal variability (IV). Over a few decades, this can cause climate change effects to exceed what would be expected from the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions alone or, to the contrary, cause slowdowns or even hiatuses. This phenomenon is difficult to explore using ensembles such as CMIP5, which are composed of multiple climate models and thus combine both IV and inter-model differences. This study instead uses CanESM2-LE and CESM-LE, two state-of-the-art large ensembles (LE) that comprise multiple realizations from a single climate model and a single GHG emission scenario, to quantify the relationship between IV and climate change over the next decades in Canada and the USA. The mean annual temperature and the 3-day maximum and minimum temperatures are assessed. Results indicate that under the RCP8.5, temperatures within most of the individual large ensemble members will increase in a roughly linear manner between 2021 and 2060. However, members of the large ensembles in which a slowdown of warming is found during the 2021–2040 period are two to five times more likely to experience a period of very fast warming in the following decades. The opposite scenario, where the changes expected by 2050 would occur early because of IV, remains fairly uncommon for the mean annual temperature, but occurs in 5 to 15% of the large ensemble members for the temperature extremes.
Supporting the development of students’ technological understanding in craft and technology education via the learning-by-doing approach
Authors: Niiranen Sonja 
Published: September 2019

AbstractMany studies have shown how practical learning and the hands-on activities help students to conceptualize technological knowledge and develop their intellectual processes. Researchers have also pointed out that a variety of cognitive skills and higher-order thinking skills can be nurtured through their application to a practical context. Learning by doing and creating things using the hands have always been key elements in Finnish craft and technology education.The overall purpose of this study was to explore and produce knowledge about the pedagogical approach of learning by-doing and making in the context of craft and technology education in Finland. The study focused on the learning processes when students were acting (doing and making) in craft lessons, but the aim was also to develop a pedagogical tool for teachers to better observe and guide the development of their students’ technological understanding. First, a qualitative theory-oriented content analysis was performed to examine the extent of the learning-by-doing approach in craft and technology education in the National Core Curriculum for Basic Education (Määräykset ja ohjeet 2014:96, Juvenes Print – Suomen Yliopistopaino Oy, Tampere, 2014) document. In the analysis, Roberts (Beyond learning by doing: theoretical currents in experiential education, Routledge, New York, 2012) descriptions of four philosophical tenets for pragmatism were utilised. To gain broader knowledge regarding the pedagogical approach of learning by-doing in craft and technology educational practices a questionnaire for students who were studying craft and technology education was created. The questions were formulated on the basis of Roberts’ (2012) four philosophical tenets so that each tenet was representative to provide knowledge on the phenomenon.This data were analyzed using the frequentist descriptive method by identifying students’ descriptions of each category. The findings of this study support the argument that technology education has the potential to develop students’ skills in many ways by providing pupils with opportunities to work in a practical way, accessing the domain of technological knowledge and working technologically. It was also evidenced that social interaction and learning from peers is a highly present component in craft and technology education lessons.
Thermal, spectroscopic, X-ray and theoretical studies of metal complexes (sodium, manganese, copper, nickel, cobalt and zinc) with pyrimidine-5-carboxylic and pyrimidine-2-carboxylic acids
Authors: Świderski G. , Świsłocka R. , Łyszczek R. , Wojtulewski S. , Samsonowicz M. , Lewandowski W. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractThe new 3d metal complexes of pyrimidine-2-carboxylic (2PCA) and pyrimidine-5-carboxylic (5PCA) acids were synthesized and characterized using thermal analysis (TG–DSC, TG–FTIR), X-ray, spectroscopic (IR, Raman) methods and theoretical (DFT) studies. In the complexes of pyrimidine-2-carboxylic acid of the general formula M(2PCA)2·xH2O (where 2PCA-pyrimidine-2-carboxylate; M = Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn; x = 0 for Mn and Cu; x = 2 for Co, Ni and Zn) coordination of metal ions occurs through nitrogen atom from pyrimidine ring and carboxylate oxygen atom. The complexes of pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid of the general formula M(5PCA)2·xH2O (where 5PCA—pyrimidine-5-carboxylate; M = Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn; x = 6 for Cu and 4 for remaining complexes) were obtained as monomeric isostructural compounds. Coordination of metal centers occurs through two nitrogen atom from different pyrimidine-5-carboxylate ligand and four oxygen atoms from water molecules. The IR and Raman spectra of free acids as well as obtained metal(II) complexes were described in detail. Aromaticity (HOMA, EN, GEO and I6) of complexes was determined and discussed. The investigated compounds decompose in air in two main stages connected with dehydration and decomposition/burning of anhydrous compounds to the suitable metal oxides. Thermal decomposition in nitrogen leads to the evolution of water, carbon oxides, ammonia and pyrimidine molecules.
Continuous vocoder applied in deep neural network based voice conversion
Authors: Al-Radhi Mohammed Salah , Csapó Tamás Gábor , Németh Géza 
Published: September 2019

AbstractIn this paper, a novel vocoder is proposed for a Statistical Voice Conversion (SVC) framework using deep neural network, where multiple features from the speech of two speakers (source and target) are converted acoustically. Traditional conversion methods focus on the prosodic feature represented by the discontinuous fundamental frequency (F0) and the spectral envelope. Studies have shown that speech analysis/synthesis solutions play an important role in the overall quality of the converted voice. Recently, we have proposed a new continuous vocoder, originally for statistical parametric speech synthesis, in which all parameters are continuous. Therefore, this work introduces a new method by using a continuous F0 (contF0) in SVC to avoid alignment errors that may happen in voiced and unvoiced segments and can degrade the converted speech. Our contribution includes the following. (1) We integrate into the SVC framework the continuous vocoder, which provides an advanced model of the excitation signal, by converting its contF0, maximum voiced frequency, and spectral features. (2) We show that the feed-forward deep neural network (FF-DNN) using our vocoder yields high quality conversion. (3) We apply a geometric approach to spectral subtraction (GA-SS) in the final stage of the proposed framework, to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the converted speech. Our experimental results, using two male and one female speakers, have shown that the resulting converted speech with the proposed SVC technique is similar to the target speaker and gives state-of-the-art performance as measured by objective evaluation and subjective listening tests.
From electric circuits to chemical networks
Authors: Cardelli Luca , Tribastone Mirco , Tschaikowski Max 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
Electric circuits manipulate electric charge and magnetic flux via a small set of discrete components to implement useful functionality over continuous time-varying signals represented by currents and voltages. Much of the same functionality is useful to biological organisms, where it is implemented by a completely different set of discrete components (typically proteins) and signal representations (typically via concentrations). We describe how to take a linear electric circuit and systematically convert it to a chemical reaction network of the same functionality, as a dynamical system. Both the structure and the components of the electric circuit are dissolved in the process, but the resulting chemical network is intelligible. This approach provides access to a large library of well-studied devices, from analog electronics, whose chemical network realization can be compared to natural biochemical networks, or used to engineer synthetic biochemical networks.