bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ventilator-associated pneumonias in children ( i ) - diagnostic criteria, etiology and pathogenesis
Authors: Yankov Ivan V. , Shmilev Tonyo Il. 
Published: May 2018

ABSTRACT
Ventilator-associated pneumonias have been estimated to be the second most common nosocomial infections among children treated in intensive care units. They occur in mechanically ventilated patients through intubation tube or tracheostomy, the infl ammation usually involving the lung parenchyma. The ventilator-associated pneumonia is associated with a longer antibiotic treatment, greater duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) and higher mortality rates in children. The condition is also associated with a higher cost of the treatment. This paper reviews and comments in detail the criteria formulated by the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance (NNSI) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonias in children. The disease etiology is associated with the typical causes of nosocomial infections in this age: P. aeruginosa, E. coli and K. pneumoniae. The pathogenesis of the condition is inadequately studied but the aspiration of gastric contents and immune defi ciency are proven risk factors. Two mechanisms have a major role in the development of the disease - micro-aspiration of gastric contents and colonization of the lower airways with pathogens.
Fluctuations of the Number of Critical Points of Random Trigonometric Polynomials
Authors: Nicolaescu Liviu I. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
Denote by Znthe number of critical points of a random trigonometric polynomial of degree ≤ n We prove that as ν→∞ the expectation of Zν is asymptotic to 2ν √⅗ while its variance is asymptotic to δ∞νwhere δ∞≈ 0.35.
Positive stable realizations for fractional descriptor continuous-time linear systems
Authors: Kaczorek Tadeusz 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
A method for computation of positive asymptotically stable realizations of fractional descriptor continuous-time linear systems with regular pencil is proposed. The method is based on the decomposition of the improper transfer matrix into strictly proper matrix and a polynomial matrix. A procedure for decomposition of a positive asymptotically stable realization is given and illustrated by a numerical example.
Analysis and design of thermo-mechanical interfaces
Authors: Dems K. , Mróz Z. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract.
An elastic structure subjected to thermal and mechanical loading with prescribed external boundary and varying internal interface is considered. The different thermal and mechanical nature of this interface is discussed, since the interface form and its properties affect strongly the structural response. The first-order sensitivities of an arbitrary thermal and mechanical behavioral functional with respect to shape and material properties of the interface are derived using the direct or adjoint approaches. Next the relevant optimality conditions are formulated. Some examples illustrate the applicability of proposed approach to control the structural response due to applied thermal and mechanical loads.
Incremental method of Young modulus updating procedure in topology optimization
Authors: Kutyłowski R. , Rasiak B. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract.
This paper presents a new Young modulus updating procedure as an extension to the SIMP method used for topology optimization. In essence, the modified Young modulus updating procedure consists in taking into account in a given optimization step not only the material density from the preceding step, but also the increment in density in the two preceding steps. Thanks to this, it is possible to obtain a solution in cases in which the classic SIMP method failed. The variational approach was adopted and the structure’s strain energy was minimized under constraints imposed on body mass. FEM was used to solve numerical examples. The numerical analysis confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed method, particularly for structures with relatively long spans.
Improved aeroelastic design through structural optimization
Authors: Nowak M. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract.
The paper presents the idea of coupled multiphysics computations. It shows the concept and presents some preliminary results of static coupling of structural and fluid flow codes as well as biomimetic structural optimization. The model for the biomimetic optimization procedure was the biological phenomenon of trabecular bone functional adaptation. Thus, the presented structural bio-inspired optimization system is based on the principle of constant strain energy density on the surface of the structure. When the aeroelastic reactions are considered, such approach allows fulfilling the mechanical theorem for the stiffest design, comprising the optimizations of size, shape and topology of the internal structure of the wing.
Configurational forces for growth and shape regulations in morphogenesis
Authors: Ciarletta P. , Ambrosi D. , Maugin G.A. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract.
Morphogenetic theories investigate the mechanisms of creation and regulation of definite biological forms in living organisms. The incredible diversity of shapes and sizes is generated through a barely unknown coordination of biochemical processes occurring at molecular levels. Such a crosstalk not only defines the rules of a robust scheme of matter differentiation, but it also has the capacity to adapt with respect to some variations of the environmental conditions. In this work, we propose a continuum model of growth and mass transport for biological materials during morphogenetic processes. Using the theory of configurational forces, we define the thermomechanical bases for understanding how both the mechanical and the biochemical states can orchestrate growth. The model is successfully applied to describe the morphogen-driven growth control in the imaginal wing disc of Drosophila melanogaster.
Extremum principles for biological continuous bodies undergoing volumetric and surface growth
Authors: Ganghoffer J.F. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract.
The volumetric and surface growth of continuum solid bodies is considered, in the framework of the thermodynamics of open systems exchanging mass, work and chemical species (nutrients) with their environment. More specifically, we address the issue of setting up extremum principles for such growing bodies. A general three-field variational principle is set up, based on the so-called zero potential, which is a byproduct of the grand potential. The stationnarity conditions of those potentials deliver balance laws for generalized volumetric and surface Eshelby tensors, leading further to the identification of the material forces for growth.
On constrained stochastic controllability of dynamical systems with multiple delays in control
Authors: Sikora B. , Klamka J. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract.
Linear, continuous stochastic dynamical systems with multiple delays in control are studied in the paper. Their relative stochastic controllability with constrained control is discussed. The definitions of various type of constrained relative and absolute stochastic controllability for linear systems with delays in control are introduced. Criteria of relative and absolute stochastic controllability with constrained control are established. Constraints on control values are considered. Mutual implications between constrained relative stochastic controllability of systems with and without delays are studied as well as implications between constrained relative and absolute stochastic controllability of systems with delay in control.
Characteristics of the use of coupled hidden Markov models for audio-visual polish speech recognition
Authors: Kubanek M. , Bobulski J. , Adrjanowicz L. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract.
This paper focuses on combining audio-visual signals for Polish speech recognition in conditions of the highly disturbed audio speech signal. Recognition of audio-visual speech was based on combined hidden Markov models (CHMM). The described methods were developed for a single isolated command, nevertheless their effectiveness indicated that they would also work similarly in continuous audiovisual speech recognition. The problem of a visual speech analysis is very difficult and computationally demanding, mostly because of an extreme amount of data that needs to be processed. Therefore, the method of audio-video speech recognition is used only while the audiospeech signal is exposed to a considerable level of distortion. There are proposed the authors’ own methods of the lip edges detection and a visual characteristic extraction in this paper. Moreover, the method of fusing speech characteristics for an audio-video signal was proposed and tested. A significant increase of recognition effectiveness and processing speed were noted during tests - for properly selected CHMM parameters and an adequate codebook size, besides the use of the appropriate fusion of audio-visual characteristics. The experimental results were very promising and close to those achieved by leading scientists in the field of audio-visual speech recognition.
Rheological scaling properties of starch solutions in dimethylsulfoxide
Authors: Ptaszek Paweł , Łukasiewicz Marcin , Ptaszek Anna , Grzesik Mirosław 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
The possibility of scaling viscoelastic properties of starch solutions in relation to biopolymer concentration was presented in this study. An application of this empirical method enabled to widen the observation horizon of viscoelastic properties. It was also determined that the scope of its applicability is limited by amylose content in the solution. In high amylose solutions, for which up to 40% (w/w) concentration was the highest one obtained, calibration caused the formation of master curve in the widest frequency range. Determined values of scaling coefficients aC changed exponentially in starch concentration function in the solution. For waxy starch solutions of maximum concentration equal to 20% (w/w), scaling did not significantly widen the observation window. Based on master curves constructed in such way, continuous relaxation spectra H(λ) were determined using Tikhonov regularisation method. Their structure indicates advantageous of viscous elements in the process of viscoelastic phenomena formation.
Triple-layer based control strategy for molten carbonate fuel cell – hybrid system
Authors: Milewski Jarosław , Miller Andrzej 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
Based on mathematical modelling and numerical simulations, a control strategy for a Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell Hybrid System (MCFC-HS) is presented. Adequate maps of performances with three independent parameters are shown. The independent parameters are as follows: stack current, fuel mass flow and compressor outlet pressure. Those parameters can be controlled by external load, fuel valve and turbine-compressor shaft speed, respectively. The control system is purposed to meet many constraints: e.g. stack temperature, steam-to-carbon ratio, compressor surge limitation, etc. The aim is to achieve maximum efficiency of power generated within these constraints. Governing equations of MCFC-HS modelling are given. An operational line of the MCFC-GT system is presented which fulfils several constraints (temperature difference, cell temperature, etc.) The system is able to achieve efficiency of more than 62% even in part-load operation.
Calculation of vapour - liquid - liquid – equilibria in quaternary systems
Authors: Wyczesany Andrzej 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
A method of parameters fitting to the experimental vapour - liquid - liquid equilibrium (VLLE) data is presented for the NRTL and the Uniquac equations for six quaternary mixtures. The same equations but with coefficients taken from the simulator Chemcad database were also used for calculation of the VLLE for the same mixtures. The calculated equilibrium temperatures and compositions for all the three phases were compared with the experimental data for these four cases. The investigated models were also applied for calculation of the compositions and temperatures of ternary azeotropes occurring in the considered quaternary mixtures. The computed values were compared with the experimental ones to appreciate the model's accuracy and to confirm whether the model correctly predicts the presence of homo- or heteroazeotrope. The NRTL equation with coefficients fitted to the VLLE data proved to be the most accurate model. For the mixtures containing water, ethanol and two different hydrocarbons this model shows particularly high accuracy. In three cases the mean deviations between the calculated and measured temperatures do not exceed 0.25 K, and for the fourth mixture the difference equals 0.33. Besides, the mean deviations between the calculated and the measured concentrations in the gas and liquid phases, with one exception do not exceed 1 mole %.
Thermochemical analysis of a flue gas-driven biomass gasification
Authors: Litka Rafał , Kalisz Sylwester 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
One of the methods of obtaining energy from renewable sources is the technology of indirect cofiring of biomass. It consists in the gasification of secondary fuel and combustion of the generated gas in the boiler together with its primary fuel. The paper presents a thermodynamic analysis of the use of the boiler flue gases as the converting medium in the process of indirect co-firing - a technology which is being developed at the Institute of Power Engineering and Turbomachinery of the Silesian University of Technology. The basis of the analysis are the data resulting from variant calculations conducted with the use of the Gaseq program. The calculations were made for various compositions of gasified fuel and the converting medium, variable fuel/oxidiser ratios and variable gasification temperatures. As a result, the equilibrium composition and the calorific value of the generated gas were obtained. The main optimisation objective adopted here was the nondimensional efficiency coefficient, which is the ratio of the chemical energy of products to the chemical energy of the process reactants.
Metrological conditions of strain measurement optoelectronic method by the use of fibre bragg gratings
Authors: Kisała Piotr 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
This article presents a linear strain measurement method insensitive to temperature variations and using fibre Bragg gratings. Two Bragg gratings were applied with periods selected to obtain partial coverage of their spectrum characteristics. One of the gratings was subjected to a tension strength. Placing both gratings in one thermal chamber allowed - through ensuring the same thermal conditions - to obtain insensitivity of the entire scheme to temperature variations. The gratings were recorded on the same optical fibre and reacted to temperature variations in the same degree. Value of strain was indicated based on the transmission spectrum characteristic of two grating schemes. The use of transmission, not reflectance, characteristics of the gratings allowed for a direct measurement of the spectrum, without having to use a coupler or optical circulators, and at the same time, this allowed to simplify the strain detection scheme. We proposed applying the continuous wavelet transform with characteristics of the spectrum scheme of two gratings for improvement of static properties. Especially, the thermal linearity and stability of the sensor was improved. For a strain range up to 750 μe, the non-linearity error of processing characteristic obtained was 0.45%. Thermal stability of the scheme proposed was defined as relative sensitivity of the power to temperature variations. The mean value of such relative sensitivity of the scheme proposed in the temperature scope of 21ºC-95ºC, amounted to 0.195.
Stress and strain measurements in static tensile tests
Authors: Adamczak Stanisław , Bochnia Jerzy , Kundera Czesław 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
The paper deals with the accuracy of measurements of strains (elongation and necking) and stresses (tensile strength) in static room-temperature tensile strength tests. We present methods for calculating measurement errors and uncertainties, and discuss the determination of the limiting errors of the quantities measured for circular and rectangular specimens, which is illustrated with examples.
Measurement Data Processing in Spectrophotometric Analysers of Food
Authors: Morawski Roman Z. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
Spectrometry, especially spectrophotometry, is getting more and more often the method of choice not only in laboratory analysis of (bio)chemical substances, but also in the off-laboratory identification and testing of physical properties of various products, in particular - of various organic mixtures including food products and ingredients. Specialised spectrophotometers, called spectrophotometric analysers, are designed for such applications. This paper is on the state of the art in the domain of data processing in spectrophotometric analysers of food (including beverages). The following issues are covered: methodological background of food analysis, physical and metrological principles of spectrophotometry, the role of measurement data processing in spectrophotometry. General considerations are illustrated with examples, predominantly related to wine and olive oil analysis.
Digital Finite Impulse Response Notch Filter with Non-Zero Initial Conditions, Based on an Infinite Impulse Response Prototype Filter
Authors: Kocoń Sławomir , Piskorowski Jacek 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
In this paper a concept of finite impulse response (FIR) narrow band-stop (notch) filter with non-zero initial conditions, based on infinite impulse response (IIR) prototype filter, is proposed. The filter described in this paper is used to suppress power line noise from ECG signals. In order to reduce the transient response of the proposed FIR notch filter, optimal initial conditions for the filter have been determined. The algorithm for finding the length of the initial conditions vector is presented. The proposed values of the length of initial conditions vector, for several ECG signals and interfering frequencies, are calculated. The proposed filters are tested using various ECG signals. Computer simulations demonstrate that the proposed FIR filters outperform traditional FIR filters with initial conditions set to zero.
Heart rate turbulence in mild-to-moderate aortic stenosis in boxers
Authors: Noszczyk-Nowak A. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
Heart rate turbulence (HRT) is a new electrocardiographic parameter used in human medicine to predict the possibility of death in patients with cardiac diseases. There is no information about HRT in healthy dogs and those with cardiac diseases. The aim of the present study was to compare the HRT in healthy Boxers dogs with Boxers with mild and moderate subaortic stenosis (SAS), to disclose the relationship between HRT and specific echocardiographic parameters and to evaluate if HRT can be used as a prognostic value in dogs with aortic stenosis. The study revealed significantly lower values of turbulence onset (TO) and turbulence slope (TS) HRT dogs with SAS (TO = -0.76 ± 2.6, TS = 7.1 ± 3.21) in compared with healthy dogs (TO = -7.45 ± 9.72, TS = 14.33 ± 8.76). TO values correlated with the left ventricular mass (LVM)/body mass factor (r = 0,32; p = 0.048). Based on the results obtained it can be stated that dogs with SAS have a compromised baroreceptor response, which can influence the mortality of the animals with described cardiac defect.
Immunohistochemical characterization of neurons in the vestibular ganglion (scarpa’s ganglion) of the pig
Authors: Dudek A. , Sienkiewicz W. , Kaleczyc J. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
The study was carried out on three 4-month old female pigs. All the animals were deeply anesthetized and transcardially perfused with 4% buffered paraformaldehyde (pH 7.4). Vestibular ganglia (VG) were collected and processed for double-labelling immunofluorescence method. The preparations were examined under the Zeiss LSM 710 confocal microscope equipped with adequate filter blocks. Neurons forming VG were round or oval in shape with a round nucleus in the center. The majority of them (58%) were medium (M) (31-50 μm in diameter) while 28 % and 14% were small (S) (up to 30 μm in diameter) or large (L) (above 50 μm in diameter) in size, respectively. Double-labeling immunofluorescence revealed that VG neurons stained for CGRP (approx. 81%; among them 70.5%, 26.2% and 3.3% were M, S and L in size, respectively), VACHT (57%; 63% M, 24% S, 13% L), Met-Enk (25%; 60% M, 12% S, 28% L), VIP (20%; 88% M, 6% S, L), NPY (15%; 67% M, 20% S, 13% L), GAL (15%; 74% M, 21% S, 5% L), SP (12%; 69% M, 25% S, 6% L) and NOS-positive (12%; 50% S, 50% M). The most abundant populations of intraganglionic nerve fibers were those which stained for CGRP or Met-Enk, whereas only single SP- or NOS-positive nerve terminals were observed.
Pseudophysiological transcomplementary activation of reconstructed oocytes as a highly efficient method used for producing nuclear-transferred pig embryos originating from transgenic foetal fibroblast cells
Authors: Samiec M. , Skrzyszowska M. , Lipiński D. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThe completely new strategy of pseudophysiological transcomplementary (transcytoplasmic) activation (PP-TCA) of nuclear-transferred oocytes, which had been derived frompWAPhGH-GFPBsdtransfected foetal fibroblast cells, was recently applied to the somatic cell cloning of pigs. It resulted in the considerable enhancing not only the cleavage activity of cultured cloned embryos, but also their morula and blastocyst formation rates as compared to the use of standard simultaneous fusion and electrical activation of reconstituted oocytes (77% vs. 57%, 63% vs. 46% and 40% vs. 27%, respectively). Altogether, the use of cytosolic components descended from heterologous (rabbit) zygotes as the agents for stimulation of porcine clonal cytoplasmic hybrids (cybrids) turned out to be reliable and feasible strategy for the generation of transgenic blastocysts by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Furthermore, to our knowledge, no previous study has reported the preimplantation developmental outcome of transgenic nuclear-transferred pig embryos following the PP-TCA that was developed and optimised in our laboratory.
Viral infections in goose flocks in Poland
Authors: Kozdruń W. , Woźniakowski G. , Samorek-Salamonowicz E. , Czekaj H. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the infectious agents isolated from infection - suspected geese sent for the diagnostic examination to National Veterinary Research Institute. The birds were sent from goose flocks localized in different parts of Poland. Totally, 1,013 birds from 122 flocks were examined. The presence of goose parvovirus (GPV), goose haemorrhagic polyomavirus (GHPV), and goose circovirus (GoCV) was detected by triplex PCR. The presence of GPV DNA was shown in 36 flocks. The disease was most frequently diagnosed in goslings aging 3.5 weeks (ten flocks), and 2.5 weeks (six flocks). The analysis of the nucleotide sequence of VP1 encoding region has shown close similarity of Polish GPV strains within the group which ranged from 92% to 100%. Moreover, the similarity level of these strains with GPV isolated in Europe was from 91.3% to 100%. The occurrence of GoCV DNA was shown in 25 goose flocks. The presence of GoCV DNA was found among geese aged from 2 to 6 weeks, but predominantly in those aging 3.5 (three flocks) and 5 weeks (five flocks). The sequence analysis of PCR products from the sequenced region of ORFC1 capsid protein of GoCV has shown that Polish isolates share from 85% to 91% similarity with the sequences of GoCV strains isolated in other countries. The presence of DNA of GHPV was found in 3-week-old geese. During the last 2 years the presence of GHPV was confirmed in three flocks of goslings at the age from 3 to 3.5 weeks. During the last 12 years the occurrence of co-infection with GPV and GoCV was detected in six flocks aging from 5 to 6 weeks.