bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investigating Influencing Factors on the Ductility Capacity of a Fixed-Head Reinforced Concrete Pile in Homogeneous Clay
Authors: Chiou J.-S. , Tsai Y.-C. , Chen C.-H. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThis study performs parametric analyses on the displacement ductility capacity of a fixed-head reinforced concrete pile in homogeneous clay, considering the spread of plasticity in the pile. The parametric study regards the pile as a limited ductility structure, which conditionally allows the pile to have inelastic response during large loading. The variables considered include the pile section parameters andp-ymodel parameters. A large number of pushover analyses are conducted to examine the displacement ductility capacity of the pile. The results show that the plastic hinging will occur at the pile head region for a fixed-head pile, and the displacement ductility capacity of the pile is mainly influenced by the over-strength ratio of the pile section. Furthermore, the second plastic region may occur in ground when the axial force is in high tension. Based on the design concept of limited ductility structures, the high tensile force in pile should be avoided in pile design. A quantitative relationship between the displacement ductility capacity and over-strength ratio is suggested for engineering applications.
High Velocity Impact of Projectiles on Ceramic and Metal Dual Layer Target Panels
Authors: Lin C. S. , Chen Y. L. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractCavity expansion theory has been widely adopted by many researches in predicting penetration depth of objects under impact. The main purpose of this paper is to construct two models, each comprising different damaged zones based on the cavity expansion theory, to predict the target resistance when regarding the dual-layer ceramic/aluminum panel with finite thickness under high velocity impact. Once the target resistance obtained, the modified Bernoulli equation T-A model was adopted to predict the residual velocities of the projectile after penetrating targets with different thickness combination. The residual velocities predicted by the two models were compared with the results from ballistic test using .30” AP projectile. It was found that the accuracy of the models depends mainly on the thickness of ceramic material, that is, different model is suitable to predict different thickness combination of dual layer target considered. The damaged phenomenon after test was also investigated and analyzed. Therefore, it is suggested that the damaged models constructed in this study could be applied to predict the energy absorption of dual layer panel with different combination and thickness, as long as consideration of the cavity expansion zones is adjusted.
Viscoplastic Simulation of Rate Dependent behavior of the Taipei Silty Clay
Authors: Chin C.-K. , Ou C.-Y. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThe objective of this study was to derive e an anisotropic viscoplastic rate dependent constitutive model. The model was derived on the basis of the viscoplastic theory proposed by Kutter and Sathialingam and the yield surface function suggested by Wheeleret al.The adopted yield surface function was more consistent with the yield surface of the Taipei silty clay, compared with the existing constitutive models. The model was confirmed able to simulate the undrained stress strain response for theK0-consolidated undrained compression and extension tests. The model was also used to simulate the isotropic consolidated andK0-consolidated undrained creep test. Results show that the predicted strain from the proposed model was close to the test data. Especially the model is able to predict the tertiary creep failure when the soil is subject to high stress level.
Heat Transfer Phenomena in a Moving Nanofluid Over a Horizontal Surface
Authors: Vajravelu K. , Prasad K. V. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractA numerical study is carried out to study the effects of variable fluid properties on the boundary layer flow and heat transfer of a nanofluid at a flat sheet. The effects of Brownian motion, thermophoresis and viscous dissipation due to frictional heating are also considered. The temperature-dependent variable fluid properties, namely, the fluid viscosity and the thermal conductivity are assumed to vary, respectively, as an inverse function and a linear function of temperature. Using a similarity transformation, the governing non-linear partial differential equations of the model problem are transformed into coupled non-linear ordinary differential equations and these equations are solved numerically by Keller-Box method. Velocity, temperature, and nanoparticles volume fraction profiles are presented and analyzed for several sets of values of the governing parameters; namely, variable fluid viscosity, variable thermal conductivity, Brownaian motion, thermophoresis and plate-velocity parameters with changes in the Prandtl and Schmidt numbers. It is observed that there is an increase in the skin friction in the upstream movement of the plate: But quite the opposite is true in the downstream movement of the plate. Also, the effect of the Schmidt number and the Brownian motion parameter is to reduce the Sherwood number, where as the effect of thermophoresis parameter is to enhance it.
The Making and Unmaking of Assam-Bengal Borders and the Sylhet Referendum
Authors: HOSSAIN ASHFAQUE 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThe creation of Assam as a new province in 1874 and the transfer of Sylhet from Bengal to Assam provided a new twist in the shaping of the northeastern region of India. Sylhet remained part of Assam from 1874 to 1947, which had significant consequences in this frontier locality. This paper re-examines archival sources on political mobilization, rereads relevant autobiographical texts, and reviews oral evidence to discover the ‘experienced’ history of the region as distinct from the ‘imagined’ one. The sub-text of partition (Sylhet) is more intriguing than the main text (Bengal), because events in Sylhet offer us a micro-level study. Generations of historians—writing mostly in Bengali and relying on colonial archives—have tended to overlook the mindset of the people of Sylhet. This paper, on the basis of an examination of combined sources, argues that the new province was implicated in overlapping histories, across Bengal-Assam borders. The voice of the indigenous—mostly Hindus but partly Muslim—elites were dominant from 1874 onwards. However, the underdogs—particularly ‘pro-Pakistani’dalits(lower-caste Hindus) and madrasa-educated ‘pro-Indian’maulvis—emerged as crucial players in the referendum of 1947. Hardly any serious study, however, has focused on the Sylhet referendum—a defining moment in the region. This study of the Sylhet referendum will reveal a new dimension to the multiple responses to these issues and provide a glimpse of the ‘communal psyche’ of the people in this frontier district, rather than a binary opposition between ‘religious’ and ‘secular’ forces.
Exact solution of inverse kinematic problem of 6R serial manipulators using Clifford Algebra
Authors: Azmy Eriny W. 
Published: August 2012

SUMMARYIn this paper, Clifford Algebra is used to model and facilitate solving the inverse kinematic problem for robots with only two consecutive parallel axes. It is shown that when a solution exists, it is usually the case that one of the angles of rotation can be arbitrarily chosen from a union of intervals. The remaining angles are then uniquely determined. Of course, there are cases when no solution exists, such as when the object is out of reach. But typically, when solutions exist, there are infinitely many sets of solutions.
A Systematic Review of Screening Tools for Predicting the Development of Dementia
Authors: Lischka Andrea R. , Mendelsohn Marissa , Overend Tom , Forbes Dorothy 
Published: August 2012

RÉSUMÉLa détection précoce de la démence est essentielle pour guider les praticiens en premier ligne de soins de santé concernant de nouvelles évaluations cliniques et des traitements. Il y a une pénurie de la littérature qui évalue l’efficacité des outils de dépistage pour prédire le développement de la démence; ainsi, nous avons effectué une revue systématique pour combler cette lacune. Le but de l’examen systématique était de formuler des recommandations pour les praticiens de soins de santé sur lequel outil de dépistage prévoit mieux le développement de la démence et serait la plus faisable dans le contexte de soins primaires. On a cherché dix bases de données, ce qui a donné 751 articles. Parmi eux, 12 ont satisfait les critères de pertinence pour être inclus. Les outils de dépistage ont été évalués pour la précision des tests, la couverture du domaine cognitif, la capacité prédictive, et la faisabilité. Quatre outils de dépistage ont été recommandées. L’Examen cognitive d’Addenbrooke (ECA) a été considéré comme l’outil idéal. Une version revisée de cet outil est utilisée maintenant dans la pratique clinique, mais les propriétés psychometriques de l’ECA-R restent à déterminer.
Extreme water-related weather events and waterborne disease
Authors: CANN K. F. , THOMAS D. Rh. , SALMON R. L. , WYN-JONES A. P. , KAY D. 
Published: August 2012

SUMMARYGlobal climate change is expected to affect the frequency, intensity and duration of extreme water-related weather events such as excessive precipitation, floods, and drought. We conducted a systematic review to examine waterborne outbreaks following such events and explored their distribution between the different types of extreme water-related weather events. Four medical and meteorological databases (Medline, Embase, GeoRef, PubMed) and a global electronic reporting system (ProMED) were searched, from 1910 to 2010. Eighty-seven waterborne outbreaks involving extreme water-related weather events were identified and included, alongside 235 ProMED reports. Heavy rainfall and flooding were the most common events preceding outbreaks associated with extreme weather and were reported in 55·2% and 52·9% of accounts, respectively. The most common pathogens reported in these outbreaks were Vibrio spp. (21·6%) and Leptospira spp. (12·7%). Outbreaks following extreme water-related weather events were often the result of contamination of the drinking-water supply (53·7%). Differences in reporting of outbreaks were seen between the scientific literature and ProMED. Extreme water-related weather events represent a risk to public health in both developed and developing countries, but impact will be disproportionate and likely to compound existing health disparities.
Observations of the ophiuroids from the West Antarctic sector of the Southern Ocean
Authors: Sands Chester J. , Griffiths Huw J. , Downey Rachel V. , Barnes David K.A. , Linse Katrin , Martín-Ledo Rafael 
Published: August 2012

AbstractOphiuroids are a conspicuous and often dominant component of the Antarctic continental shelf benthos. Here we report on the ophiuroids collected from the Burdwood Bank, off the Patagonian Shelf, through the shallow water areas of the Scotia Arc, down the west Antarctic Peninsula and as far south as Pine Island Bay in the eastern Amundsen Sea. This preliminary and primarily pattern based study identifies some regional differences in assemblages and highlights the role of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current as a barrier, as well as a facilitator, to dispersal. In order to effectively compare between studies we highlight the need for accurate, expert taxonomic identification of specimens.
Posttraumatic Stress in Professional Firefighters in Japan: Rescue Efforts after the Great East Japan Earthquake (Higashi Nihon Dai-Shinsai)
Authors: Fushimi Masahito 
Published: August 2012

AbstractIntroductionFirefighters are often exposed to stressful duty-related events and may experience extreme trauma. Such work-related stress can result in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is therefore important to understand the traumatic stress experienced by firefighters in the course of their work and to promote appropriate intervention when necessary.MethodsData were collected from 118 workers (all males) in the Fire Department of Akita City, Japan who had participated in the Great East Japan Earthquake (Higashi Nihon Dai-Shinsai) rescue effort from March 11 through March 31, 2011. Study participants completed self-report surveys at three time intervals: shortly after return from the rescue effort, approximately two weeks after return from the rescue effort, and approximately one month after return from the rescue effort. The surveys included questions of demographics, physical complaints, medical history, and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) Japanese version, in which a cut-off point of 24/25 was set to screen for PTSD.ResultsA total of 117 participants undertook the initial survey with a range of 0-36 points obtained on the IES-R score. For the initial survey, two of 117 participants scored ≥25 points. For the intermediate survey phase, a range of 0-19 was obtained for 116 participants and for the final survey phase, a range of 0-11 points was obtained for 114 participants.ConclusionContrary to expectations, the survey results showed no participant was judged to require prompt consultation for PTSD. The firefighters who participated in this study were in good mental health. However, more detailed study is required to ascertain whether these findings adequately and clearly reflect the mental health status of these participants.FushimiM. Posttraumatic stress in professional firefighters in Japan: rescue efforts after the Great East Japan Earthquake (Higashi Nihon Dai-Shinsai). Prehosp Disaster Med.2012;27(5):1-3.
Vitamin D deficiency is a problem for adult out-patients? A university hospital sample in Istanbul, Turkey
Authors: Cigerli Ozlem , Parildar Hulya , Unal Aslı D , Tarcin Ozlem , Erdal Rengin , Guvener Demirag Nilgun 
Published: August 2012

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the frequency of vitamin D deficiency in relation to demographics, clinical diagnosis, season of measurement and laboratory parameters in adult out-patients.DesignDescriptive, retrospective study concerning evaluation of the initial 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels determined at admission in relation to demographics, clinical diagnosis, season of measurement and laboratory parameters. 25(OH)D levels <20 ng/ml were classified as deficiency, 20–30 ng/ml as insufficiency and >30 ng/ml as sufficiency.SettingOut-patient clinics at a tertiary care centre.SubjectsA total of 2488 adult patients (mean age: 53·3 (sd 15·2) years; 85·2 % were females) admitted to out-patient clinics at Baskent University Istanbul Hospital were included.ResultsMean level of 25(OH)D in the overall population was 17·4 (sd 11·5) ng/ml while insufficiency and deficiency were evident in 24 % and 66 % of patients, respectively. Mean 25(OH)D levels in males >45 years old were higher than in their female counterparts (19·4 (sd 11·3) ng/ml v. 17·8 (sd 12·2) ng/ml; P < 0·05). Mean 25(OH)D levels obtained in summer (18·6 (sd 11·1) ng/ml) and autumn (23·3 (sd 13·6) ng/ml) were significantly higher than levels in spring (16·1 (sd 10·3) ng/ml) and winter (14·6 (sd 10·2) ng/ml; P < 0·01). Mean 25(OH)D levels were determined to be significantly lower in obese patients compared with non-obese patients (15·6 (sd 10·4) ng/ml v. 17·6 (sd 11·6) ng/ml; P < 0·05). Levels of 25(OH)D were significantly negatively correlated with serum parathyroid hormone levels (r = −0·194; P < 0·001) while significantly positively correlated with phosphorus (r = 0·059; P < 0·01) and HDL cholesterol (r = 0·070; P < 0·01) levels.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that vitamin D deficiency is very common among out-patients in Turkey, regardless of gender and age, especially among obese people and during winter and spring.
Dietary intake in pregnant women in a Spanish Mediterranean area: as good as it is supposed to be?
Authors: Rodríguez-Bernal Clara L , Ramón Rosa , Quiles Joan , Murcia Mario , Navarrete-Muñoz Eva M , Vioque Jesús , Ballester Ferran , Rebagliato Marisa 
Published: August 2012

AbstractObjectiveTo assess food and nutrient intakes and compliance with nutritional recommendations in pregnant women according to selected sociodemographic characteristics.DesignCross-sectional study based on data from the INMA-Valencia cohort (Spain), which recruited pregnant women between 2004 and 2005. Information on maternal sociodemographics and anthropometry was collected. Dietary intake was assessed through an FFQ. Intakes of foods were compared with Spanish food-based dietary guidelines. Intake inadequacy for nutrients was assessed using the Dietary Reference Intakes of the US Institute of Medicine.SettingValencia, Spain.SubjectsWe studied 822 pregnant women who had information on dietary intake during their first trimester of pregnancy.ResultsMore than 50 % of pregnant women did not meet the guidelines for cereals and legumes; reported intakes of carbohydrates, n-3 and n-6 fatty acids were below recommendations and exceeded the total fat intake according to dietary references. Dietary inadequacy for folate, Fe and vitamin E ranged from 99 % to 68 %. Vegetable intake was related to age only. Younger and less educated women showed lower intakes of protein and n-3 fatty acids and higher intakes of trans-fatty acids as well as greater inadequacy for micronutrients. Spanish women reported lower intakes of fruit and carbohydrates and higher intakes of protein, total fat, SFA, MUFA and n-3 fatty acids compared with their foreign-born counterparts.ConclusionsWomen in the studied area have inadequate intakes of several nutrients relevant during pregnancy. Age, education and country of origin are factors significantly related to dietary intake and adequacy.
Providing additional money to food-insecure households and its effect on food expenditure: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Smith Claire , Parnell Winsome Ruth , Brown Rachel Clare , Gray Andrew Robert 
Published: August 2012

AbstractObjectivesFinancial constraint is the underpinning determinant of household food insecurity; however, there has been little research examining the impact that increasing the ‘money available’ to food-insecure households could have on food purchasing. The main objective of the present study was to examine the effect of additional money (in the form of supermarket vouchers) on food expenditure in food-insecure households with children.DesignA parallel randomized controlled trial with a 4-week baseline phase followed by a 4-week intervention phase. Households were randomized to either receive vouchers (coupons) for 4 weeks or a control group that did not receive any vouchers.SettingDunedin, New Zealand.SubjectsLow-income households with children (≤18 years) reporting food insecurity (n 214).ResultsThe mean monetary value of the vouchers received by households was $NZ 17·00 per week. The voucher group spent $NZ 15·20 (95 % CI 1·46, 28·94) more per week on food during the intervention phase compared with the control group (P = 0·030). There were no differences in expenditure between the voucher and the control group for the food groups ‘fruit and vegetables’ (mean difference: $NZ 0·46; 95 % CI −1·97, 2·89; P = 0·709), ‘meat and poultry’ (mean difference: $NZ 0·29; 95 % CI −3·07, 3·64; P = 0·866) and ‘dairy’ (mean difference: $NZ 0·82; 95 % CI −0·75, 2·42; P = 0·302).ConclusionsProviding money via supermarket vouchers to food-insecure households resulted in an increase in overall expenditure on food.
The Effects of Election Reform on Legislator Perceptions: The Case of Taiwan
Authors: RICH TIMOTHY S. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractMixed member legislative systems have proliferated in the last twenty years, and while our knowledge of the institutional impacts has grown, we have had difficulty in separating institutional and contextual (namely party) influences. Through an analysis of Taiwan before and after the implementation of a mixed member majoritarian (MMM) system, the level of contamination between tiers and variance between parties becomes clearer. Survey results show a marked shift in constituency focus for district candidates, moving from multimember to single-member districts, while party list seats focus on district factors at higher rates post-reform. Variance between the two major parties further suggests differing levels of party pressure.
Economic Voting in South Korea: Pocketbook or Sociotropic?
Authors: LEE AIE-RIE , GLASURE YONG U. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractUsing 2003 Asian Barometer Survey study data, this paper examines the economic voting model in the 2002 presidential election in South Korea. The core emphasis of the paper is on an investigation of the relative effects of different dimensions/scopes of economic evaluations on voting behavior, namely whether one form of assessment (e.g., pocketbook vs. sociotropic) can have similar consequences for electoral participation as others. The findings indicate that the overall economy is salient for Koreans to shape their political choices. In other words, voting behavior in Korea depends on how she or he thinks the national economy has been for the past five years. Also found is that voters’ perceptions of their own personal financial situations did not matter much as a predictor of voter choice.
The Political Economy of Arms Export Restrictions: The Case of Japan
Authors: TAGO ATSUSHI , SCHNEIDER GERALD 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThe export of arms belongs to the most contested issues in democracies. In this article, we examine the economic repercussions of the recent easing of the Japanese arms exports restrictions. We develop a rational expectations argument to understand why some political events increase the income of the arms manufacturers, while other ones reduce it or have no effect at all. Event studies suggest that investors closely observe relevant political developments since stock prices of the six arms manufacturers companies reacted consistently to the announcements and leaks as to whether the arms export restrictions would be lifted or not.
Facing a Crisis with Calmness? The Global Response to the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster
Authors: KUBOTA YUICHI 
Published: August 2012

AbstractLiterature expects that an attitude toward nuclear power is in direct proportion to the perceived risk of accidents at an operational nuclear power plant; that is, the oppositional attitude is based on the view that nuclear technology is risky and support for nuclear power is related to a perceived low risk and/or potential benefit. However, it is misleading to assume that individuals’ risk perception alone can linearly explain their position after such an accident. The association between risk perception and attitude toward nuclear power varies significantly according to country but, until now, has been largely unexamined. This article takes into consideration the effects of structural factors on that relationship by examining public attitudes toward nuclear energy after the Fukushima nuclear accident in March 2011 and reveals that the need for the efficient production of electricity (i.e., nuclear energy) outweighs concern for the potential danger of a nuclear incident. Although a country's dependence on nuclear power for the production of electricity engenders anti-nuclear attitudes, it is evident that a level of economic development largely alleviates any negativity relative to that energy source.
Signed sums of terms of a sequence
Authors: Chen Feng-Juan , Chen Yong-Gao 
Published: August 2012

We give a sufficient and necessary condition on the sequence

{

a
n

}

\{a_n\}

of integers that for any integer

l
≥
1

l\ge 1

, every integer can be represented in the form

ε
l

a
l

+

ε

l
+
1

a

l
+
1

+
⋯
+

ε
k

a
k

\varepsilon _l a_l+\varepsilon _{l+1} a_{l+1}+\cdots + \varepsilon _ka_k

, where

ε
i

∈
{
−
1
,
1
}

(
i
=
l
,
l
+
1
,
…
,
k
)

\varepsilon _i\in \{-1, 1\}\ (i=l,l+1,\ldots , k)

. This generalizes the known result on integral-valued polynomial values. Moreover, we show that such sequences exist with any growth rate. This answers two problems posed by Bleicher. We also pose several problems for further research.