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Developing higher-order critical thinking skills as one of the central objectives of education has been recently facilitated via software packages. Whereas one such technology as computer-aided argument mapping is reported to enhance levels of critical thinking (van Gelder ), its application as a pedagogical tool in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) settings has been rarely explored. In addition, the literature fails to acknowledge whether having the basic skill of representing an argument diagrammatically even with paper and pencil can lead to similar results. That being the case, this study was conducted with the aim of comparing the impact of teaching argument mapping via Rationale software versus paper and pencil on Iranian EFL majors' critical thinking skills development. To this end, 180 EFL participants were screened into low and high levels of reading proficiency based on their scores on a sample reading proficiency test. Next, they were randomly assigned to two experimental and one comparison groups. During 12 sessions, the experimental groups were provided with argument mapping instructions while the comparison group received a conventional reading instruction. All participants were pre- and post-tested with the California critical thinking skills test (CCTST). Results suggested that students in the software group significantly outperformed those in the paper and pencil group on overall CCTST and the sub-skills of inference and inductive reasoning. They also scored significantly higher on all tests compared to the comparison group. However, participants' level of proficiency as well as sex did not show any significant effect on their performance on overall CCTST and its sub-skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of purple glazed pottery in fifteenth-century England represented a major change in the character of domestic material culture. These wares typically evolved from the orange bodied, green glazed pottery of the later medieval period and were produced by a number of centres. This paper examines the technological advancements made by potters working at West Cowick (East Yorkshire) as they navigated the transition from green to purple glazed Humber wares. While it well known that recipes and firing regimes can be manipulated by potters to modify and enhance their colour pallet, the change exacted by West Cowick’s potters has been overlooked, dismissed by archaeologists as the result of over-firing. Through a range of analytical techniques (thin section petrology, scanning electron microscopy microstructural analysis, chemical characterisation of fabric and glaze by portable X-ray fluorescence analysis and scanning electron microscope–energy dispersive spectroscopy), we reconstruct the glazing practices employed by these potters, revealing innovative artisans, skilled in controlling glaze recipes and firing regimes, and able to effect major intentional changes in their product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-known that the satisfiability problem of feature diagrams (FDs) is computationally hard. This paper examines the complexities of the satisfiability problems of sixteen FD sublanguages, i.e., languages that only permit a subset of the syntactic modeling elements of general FDs. Previous work neglected a detailed examination of the complexities of the satisfiability problems of FD sublanguages, although results in this area could lead to the development of efficient satisfiability checking procedures for the FDs of specific sublanguages. This paper contributes to fill this gap by analyzing the complexities of the satisfiability problems of sixteen FD sublanguages that differ in whether they allow or-groups, xor-groups, excludes constraints, and requires constraints. The results of this paper show that the satisfiability problem is NP-complete for eight of these sublanguages, is solvable in linear time for two of these sublanguages, and is trivial for the remaining six sublanguages in the sense that every FD of these sublanguages is satisfiable. The results are extended to feature model sublanguages with complex cross-tree constraints by extending FD sublanguages that have satisfiability problems, which are solvable in polynomial time. The feature model sublanguages also have satisfiability problems that are solvable in polynomial time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Citation counting can be used to evaluate the impact an article has made on its discipline. This study characterizes the most cited articles related to clinical pediatric neurosurgery as of July 2013. Methods: A list of search terms was computed using Thomson Reuters Web of Science® (WOS) to capture the 100 most cited articles in the overall literature and the top 50 articles from 2002 to 2012 related to clinical pediatric neurosurgery from non-dedicated pediatric neurosurgical journals. The following information was recorded for each article: number of authors, country of origin, citation count adjusted for number of years in print, topic, and level of evidence. Results: The 100 most cited articles appeared in 44 journals. Publication dates ranged from 1986 to 2008; two were class 1 evidence, nine class 2, 26 class 3, and 52 class 4. Citations ranged from 90 to 321 (mean = 131); average time-adjusted citation count was 10. The 50 most cited articles from 2002 to 2012 appeared in 31 journals; four were class 2 evidence, 15 class 3, and 21 class 4. Citations ranged from 68 to 245 (mean = 103); average time-adjusted citation count was 13. Conclusion: Overall, papers from non-pediatric neurosurgical journals had higher citation counts and improved level of evidence grades compared to articles from pediatric neurosurgical periodicals. An original paper related to clinical pediatric neurosurgery in a non-pediatric neurosurgical journal having a total citation count of 100–150 or more and an average citation count of 10–15 per year or more can be considered a high-impact publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The state assessment of remotely-controlled complex technical systems is considered. For this assessment, the authors used high-level digital twins generated through visualization technology. The paper examines modern visualization technologies (including virtual reality), which provide a means to perform various tasks for complex technical systems, such as interactive control and repairs. A scope analysis of visual models revealed that they can serve as either interpreters or simulators. This paper examines simulation models. Of note is that a higher number of properties taken into account when creating models increases their adequacy. Thus, in order to obtain highly adequate models, it is proposed to use current advances in visualization technology, which enables the evaluation of a large number of properties attributed to a real object (a complex technical system). The authors developed a procedure for assessing the state of complex technical systems, proposing an algorithm for the analyst designed to ensure the virtual presence of a specialist at the controlled facility, implement conventional testing techniques, and perform additional measurements when checking for failures. An example is given of how this procedure can be implemented in an interactive analysis and control system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of identifying and locating the retina vessels is to specify from the fundus image the various tissues of the vascular structure, which can be wide or tight. The classification of vessels in the retinal image often confronts several challenges, such as the low contrast accompanying the fundus image, the inhomogeneity of the background lighting, and the noise. Moreover, fuzzy c-means (FCM) is one of the most frequently used algorithms for medical image segmentation due to its effectiveness. Hence, many FCM method derivatives have been developed to improve their noise robustness and time-consuming. This paper aims to analyze the performance of some improved FCM algorithms to recommend the best ones for the segmentation of retinal blood vessels. Eight derivatives of FCM algorithm are detained in this study: FCM, EnFCM, SFCM, FGFCM, FRFCM, DSFCM_N, FCM_SICM and SSFCA. The performance analysis is conducted from three viewpoints: noise robustness, blood vessels segmentation performance, and time-consuming. At first, the noise robustness of improved FCM clustering algorithms is evaluated using a synthetic image degraded by various types and levels of noise. Then, the ability of the selected algorithms to segment retinal blood vessels is assessed based on images from the DRIVE and STARE databases after a pre-processing phase. Finally, the time consumption of each algorithm is measured. The experiments demonstrate that the FRFCM and DSFCM_N algorithms achieve better results in terms of noise robustness and blood vessels segmentation. Regarding the running time, the FRFCM algorithm requires less time than other algorithms in the segmentation of retinal images. The results of this study are extensively discussed, and some suggestions are proposed at the end of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire can be especially dangerous when it occurs in hospitals because many patients in any typical hospital are not physically fit enough to quickly respond to emergency measures, especially evacuation calls. The present paper reports an in-depth assessment of the factors which have led to major fire accidents in Indian hospitals. The study reveals that several building safety codes, acts and guidelines are available, not only to prevent accidental fires but also to minimize harm when such fires do take place. However, observance of the stipulations is very lax, and seems to be exercised more in breach than in compliance. The study reveals that hospitals have zones like the intensive care units which are not only more prone to accidents than other zones but can also cause greater loss of lives due to the presence of critically ill patients, or persons who are extremely vulnerable (for instance newborn babies). Special codes and practices need to be framed for such zones. The study has also identified and catalogued a series of measures which must be implemented in future to prevent accidental fires in hospitals. The study is with reference to accidents that have occurred in India from 2010 to the present but is representative of the situation prevailing in most developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an overview of the results obtained with different analysis techniques applied to long-range signal recordings of the acoustic event associated with the loss of the Argentinian submarine ARA San Juan that occurred on 15 November 2017 around 500 km off the coast of Chubut, Argentina. The published works including analyses of those signals have mainly considered the source geolocation. In contrast, this work is focused on the nature of the source that generated the registered signals. An inverse problem approach is followed for estimating some features of impulse-like sources through the application of spectral and cepstral analyses to a set of acoustic data associated with an unknown source. The International Monitoring System (IMS) of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) detected an unusual hydroacoustic signal originating in the vicinity of the last known location of the ARA San Juan, reported as a hydroacoustic anomaly, at two of its hydrophone stations located at Ascension Island and Crozet Island, in the central Atlantic Ocean and the southern Indian Ocean, respectively. The analyses performed on the raw acoustic data provided by the CTBTO are also applied to the signals produced by an underwater explosion of a depth charge during a controlled experiment conducted by the Argentinian Navy in a nearby area on 1 December. The propagation effects along these very long-range paths (approximately 7000 km) are calculated using a range-dependent 2D underwater acoustic propagation model based on the resolution of the wide-angle parabolic equation. Results of exhaustive comparative analyses of the signals generated on 15 November and 1 December, together with comparisons between the energy spectral density of recorded and modelled signal levels, reinforce the hypothesis of at least two close and successive implosions with a time lag of 329 ms and a separation of approximately 38 m, with an azimuth to the north in accordance with the expected heading of the submarine. The values obtained are compatible with the submarine dimensions and the course over ground of the submarine towards Mar del Plata harbour. Finally, an optimization process is performed for estimating the depth of occurrence of the acoustic event related to the submarine loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the simulation of selected activities in the warehouse. Routine logistics activities are the receipt of the goods, the control of the goods, and the goods' storage in the warehousing system on the side of the entry into the warehouse. On the output side, these are activities such as picking, packing and shipping. The economy of warehouse operations depends on the efficiency of the logistics activities performed and on deployed the technical means. The paper's main goal is to present a created simulation model for a selected warehouse activity—receipt of goods into the warehouse. This operation involves unloading the goods from the trucks, moving them to the physical receipt, where the quantitative and qualitative control of the goods is performed (acceptance of goods). An analysis of this activity preceded the creation of the simulation model under operating conditions. The research was performed by observing and measuring the forklift's work cycle, which unloaded pallets from the trucks. The obtained data from the analysis were the input to the simulation model. The EXTENDSIM8 simulation system was used to create a simulation model. The several experiments were performed on the model after its creating and verifying the functionality. The paper evaluates 3 experiments and analyzes their results. The main benefit, novelty, of the article is the simulation of a selected activity for a specific company's conditions. The experiments results are a reasonable basis for the creation of an operational tool for the company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the damage mechanism and protection method of ionizing radiation damage based on electromagnetic radiation characteristics. In this paper, the ferroelectric layer polarization model was established based on the ferroelectric field effect transistor (FEFET) capacitance variation with gate voltage. This paper analyzed the ionizing radiation damage mechanism of electrical characteristics from two aspects of horizontal voltage and threshold voltage drift. The reinforcement design of the ferroelectric effect transistor was realized by using the anti-transient ionizing radiation reinforcement design method of the FPGA circuit. The three-fold redundancy design method based on instantaneous ionizing radiation effect was applied to protect electronic devices from ionizing radiation in reinforcement design. The results show that the threshold voltage drift caused by the oxide trap charge is proportional to the radiation dose. The threshold voltage drift caused by the interface trap charge is proportional to the radiation dose in the case of low dose, and the relationship is exponential when the radiation dose is greater than 60 krad SiO2. The delay signal of the FPGA circuit of the FEFET designed by the reinforcement has not been delayed again, to prove the effectiveness of ionizing radiation protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design optimization of structural and multidisciplinary systems under uncertainty has been an active area of research due to its evident advantages over deterministic design optimization. In deterministic design optimization, the uncertainties of a structural or multidisciplinary system are taken into account by using safety factors specified in the regulations or design codes. This uncertainty treatment is a subjective and indirect way of dealing with uncertainty. On the other hand, design under uncertainty approaches provide an objective and direct way of dealing with uncertainty. This paper provides a review of the uncertainty treatment practices in design optimization of structural and multidisciplinary systems under uncertainties. To this end, the activities in uncertainty modeling are first reviewed, where theories and methods on uncertainty categorization (or classification), uncertainty handling (or management), and uncertainty characterization are discussed. Second, the tools and techniques developed and used for uncertainty modeling and propagation are discussed under the broad two classes of probabilistic and non-probabilistic approaches. Third, various design optimization methods under uncertainty which incorporate all the techniques covered in uncertainty modeling and analysis are reviewed. In addition to these in-depth reviews on uncertainty modeling, uncertainty analysis, and design optimization under uncertainty, some real-life engineering applications and benchmark test examples are provided in this paper so that readers can develop an appreciation on where and how the discussed techniques can be applied and how to compare them. Finally, concluding remarks are provided, and areas for future research are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the parameters of reactors and reduce the cost of generated electricity, we carry out research aimed at determining the most rational use of fuel. Different methods use different mathematical and physical models, which leads to some difference in the obtained data. One of these methods is the profiling of fuel assemblies. In this paper, we present the theory used in modeling and calculations by the Serpent 2 software package, consider methods of axial profiling of compositions in a reactor, and provide a comparison of the obtained results and substantiation of their reliability at an intermediate stage of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines variation in the structure and properties of an antifriction composite produced from grinding waste of the R6AM5 high-speed steel with additives of CaF2 solid lubricant depending on the quantitative composition of the main components. The composite is intended to perform in friction units of offset and press cylinders of printing machines that operate in self-lubrication conditions at high rotation speeds (up to 5,000 rpm) and increased loads (up to 5 MPa) in air. The developed production modes allowed the R6AM5 steel grinding waste composite to be appropriately structured. The composite structure is a metal matrix in which CaF2 solid lubricant particles are evenly distributed. The composite's metal matrix consists of pearlite–carbide and carbonitride phases formed in the presence of R6AM5 steel doping elements. The appropriate amount of the CaF2 solid lubricant, which contributes to reaching the maximum antifriction properties, was determined by a series of experimental mechanical and tribotechnical tests and by fractographic analysis of the materials containing from 3.0 to 10.0 wt.% CaF2. The microstructural, fractographic, mechanical, and tribotechnical tests showed that content of the CaF2 solid lubricant that ensured high mechanical properties and significantly increased the antifriction characteristics of the composites varied from 4.0 to 8.0 wt.%. Electron microscopy studies of the friction surfaces of the R6AM5 + (4.0–8.0)% CaF2 composites confirmed the formation of uniform continuous protective antifriction films that completely covered the contact pair's friction surfaces and provided self-lubrication. Field tests showed the feasibility of using antifriction bushings made of the new composites produced from R6AM5 steel grinding waste and (4.0−8.0)% CaF2 in the friction units of offset and press cylinders of roll newspaper offset printing machines. The research identified prospects for expanding studies over a wide range of valuable metal waste for the development of new effective antifriction composites with a well-grounded content of components. This would also make another important contribution to protecting the environment against contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is rapidly affecting the world population with statistics quickly falling out of date. Due to the limited availability of annotated Coronavirus X-ray and CT images, the detection of COVID-19 remains the biggest challenge in diagnosing this disease. This paper provides a promising solution by proposing a COVID-19 detection system based on deep learning. The proposed deep learning modalities are based on convolutional neural network (CNN) and convolutional long short-term memory (ConvLSTM). Two different datasets are adopted for the simulation of the proposed modalities. The first dataset includes a set of CT images, while the second dataset includes a set of X-ray images. Both of these datasets consist of two categories: COVID-19 and normal. In addition, COVID-19 and pneumonia image categories are classified in order to validate the proposed modalities. The proposed deep learning modalities are tested on both X-ray and CT images as well as a combined dataset that includes both types of images. They achieved an accuracy of 100% and an F1 score of 100% in some cases. The simulation results reveal that the proposed deep learning modalities can be considered and adopted for quick COVID-19 screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quite likely the most sacrosanct principle in epistemology, it is near-universally accepted that knowledge is factive: knowing that p entails p. Recently, however, Bricker, Buckwalter, and Turri have all argued that we can and often do know approximations that are strictly speaking false. My goal with this paper is to advance this nascent non-factive project in two key ways. First, I provide a critical review of these recent arguments against the factivity of knowledge, allowing us to observe that elements of these arguments mutually reinforce respective weaknesses, thereby offering the non-factive project a much stronger foundation than when these arguments were isolated. Next, I argue tentatively in favor of Bricker's truthlikeness framework over the representational adequacy account favored by Buckwalter and Turri. Taken together, while none of this constitutes a knock-down argument against factivity, it does allow us to quiet some of the more immediate worries surrounding the non-factive project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an interpretation of Father Bocheński's saying "Beyond logic there is only nonsense." He considered the battle against superstitions of various kinds as one of the most important intellectual and social duties. The phrase in itself suggests that logic is a weapon in the mentioned battle. Logic is understood broadly, that is, as semantics, formal logic and the methodology of science, and was considered by Bocheński as the main instrument of rational philosophy. Hence, the formula under discussion has an explicit metaphilosophical significance, although Bochenski's understanding of the concept of differs from that of the Vienna Circle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geo-environmental information is an important basis for geohazard analysis and the integration of geo-environmental data is crucial in the construction of urban emergency management systems. In existing urban spatial information systems, the integration of geo-environmental data is neither intuitive nor efficient enough to support the analysis of geohazards well. On the basis of Web virtual globe, this paper proposes a comprehensive framework for the integration and analysis of geo-environmental data. This framework can effectively integrate geological data with a 3D geological model as a carrier, seamlessly connect geographic data, dynamically load real-time monitoring data, and build 3D visualisation and analysis scenes of urban full-space temporal information in the browser. The application example shows that the proposed framework can provide good geo-environmental data and practical data analysis functions for geohazard early warning and decision making, and improve the efficiency of government departments' response to geohazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roller clinching is a variation of conventional clinching by using rotational tool movement. The joining quality of roller clinching is significantly affected by tooling geometries and motions. Considering the formation difference of joints at different locations, this paper investigated the deformation features of roller clinching of square joints and utilized multiple linear regression analysis to optimize the processing parameters. It was found that roller geometry has significant impact on the formation of interlocks of the front/rear sides of joints, while the impact on the formation of lateral sides is less. With the increase of roller diameters, the clearance variation of front/rear sides decreases; meanwhile, the separation clearance s at the front side after forming decreases. In the study, when the roller diameter is raised from 35 to 150 mm, the connection strength increases by 44%. If the diameter difference w of rollers increases, the squeezing degree of the front side decreases, and the joining quality increases; however, if the squeezing degree of the rear side increases, then the joining quality of the rear side and s decrease. In the sample, an increase in w by 3 mm enhanced the connection strength by 9%. When the clearance difference t between the rollers increases, the capability to contain metal increases in the rear side. When t increases by 0.6 mm, the connection strength augments by 12%. The separation clearance s of the front side is greatly affected by friction μ, roller diameter, w, and draft angle γ of the lower roller, while the effect of draft angle β of the upper roller on s is small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Model transformations are one of the core artifacts of a model-driven engineering approach. The relational logic language Alloy has been used in the past to verify properties of model transformations. In this paper we introduce the concept of functional Alloy modules. In essence a functional Alloy module can be viewed as an Alloy module representing a model transformation. We describe a sublanguage of Alloy called F-Alloy specifically designed to concisely specify functional Alloy modules. The restrictions on F-Alloy's syntax are meant to allow efficient execution of the specified transformation, without the use of backtracking, by an adapted interpretation algorithm. F-Alloy's semantics is given in this paper as a direct translation to Alloy; hence, F-Alloy specifications are also analyzable using the powerful automatic analysis features of Alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network and service management is an established research field within the general area of computer networks. A few years ago, an initial taxonomy, organizing a comprehensive list of terms and topics, was established through interviews with experts from both industry and academia. This taxonomy has since been used to better partition standardization efforts, identify classes of managed objects and improve the assignment of reviewers to papers submitted in the field. Because the field of network and service management is rapidly evolving, a biyearly update of the taxonomy was proposed. In this paper, a large-scale questionnaire is presented which was answered by experts in the field, evaluating the relevance of each individual topic for the next five years. Missing topics, which are likely to become relevant over the next few years, are identified as well. Furthermore, an analysis is performed of the records of papers submitted to major conferences in the area. Based on the obtained results, an updated version of the taxonomy is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal treatments are often applied during processing or preparation of muscle foods aiming to both improve the palatability and organoleptic properties and to ensure the safety of the treated food. However, the application of inappropriate or severe thermal treatments can lead to undesirable changes in the sensory and nutritional quality of heat-processed products, and especially so for foods that are sensitive to thermal treatments, such as meat and meat products. The impact of traditional and new heat processing technologies (e.g. microwaving, ohmic, and radio frequency heating) on meat quality has been widely assessed by a wide range of conventional methods, such as sensory, microbiological, and physicochemical methods. Due to the destructive nature and the time required to perform these assessments, alternative online methods are highly needed in order to achieve continuous monitoring through online applications. In this review paper, both traditional and new heat processing methods and their impact on the quality of meat will be first briefly presented. The methods and techniques that have been applied to monitor changes induced by application of thermal treatments will be then discussed. The main focus will be put on the application of spectroscopic techniques, as rapid and non-destructive methods compared to most conventional techniques. Finally, future trends and possible applications and research directions will be suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the possibilities of quantitative linguistic method application in the context of psychological disciplines, especially psychodiagnostics. It presents the theoretical basis for this approach, as well as documentation and selected results of the Quantitative Psycholinguistic Analysis of the Formal Parameters of the Text (QPA-FPT) research. The research sample consisted of 76 undergraduates who wrote two types of texts according to in advance given criteria, a stylistically formal text (apology letter) and a stylistically informal text (letter from holiday). Besides, results of psychodiagnostic tests (STAI-X, KṢAT, SSI and PSSI) were collected. During data analysis, all the texts were computationally processed and described by the means of 48 linguistic characteristics (parameters of text). The outcomes of the analysis were then compared with the test results, and significant correlations were identified. The research results include a number of key findings, pointing out the influence of a given text type on its morphological structure, but also the potential links among linguistic features (i.e. text parameters) and specific personality characteristics of the writer, e.g. between the quantity of verbs, emotional skills and the overall score in the SSI test, and between incidence of punctuation and the PSSI test scale distrustful—paranoid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is the development of a separation technique for geological samples, namely bismuthinites, with the goal to isolate Tl from excess amounts of Bi. This will enable an isotopic measurement of the Tl content on the ultra-trace level to identify a possible signature of Bi α-decay. The separation of Tl from other elements like e.g. Pb has been the subject of numerous studies. However, the separation of ultra-traces of Tl from bulk Bi had not yet been investigated sufficiently. This paper describes a separation technique for the system Bi/Tl for application to ultra-trace analysis. The separation technique uses a column chromatographic system, utilizing the specific redox behavior of Tl. The results show, that Tl can be successfully separated in appearance of vast excess amounts of Bi, showing recovery rates up to 96%. The developed procedure was successfully applied for the ultra-trace analysis on a number of bimuthinites using ICP-MS. On base of the results it is discussed, which prerequisites bimuthinite samples must fulfill to be suitable for the quantification of Bi alpha decay on base of the Tl isotopic ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important engineering material, aluminum alloy profile is widely used in each department of national economy. With polyurethane mandrel in the hollow of the profiles, equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) can be used to refine mechanical properties of these hollow materials with good shape control effects. However, based on existing researches, the hollow profiles are only limited to circular ones. In this paper, a mechanical analysis of a square tube in ECAP with polyurethane mandrel is provided. Through the slab method in different deformation planes, the mechanical mechanism of shape control effects is found. The thicknesses can be maintained as its initial ones after ECAP. Both simulations and experiments are used to verify the calculated results by the analysis. After calculating, most errors between the final and initial thicknesses in both simulations and experiments are less than 10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper systematizes methods used to determine trace concentrations (1n to 1000n ppb) of PGE and Au in geochemical materials. The methods involve various techniques of sample preparation for analysis and instrumental determination of elements. Each of the methods is briefly characterized, and the analytical possibilities of the application of the suggested approaches in solving various fundamental and applied geochemical problems are illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was to improve the teaching management mode of the track and field (T&F) web course in college. Methods: literature study, interview, system design method, software programming method, questionnaire survey. Results: the course teaching management modules are easy to operate with the multifunction and the smooth links; the design includes resource information, course view and course property, which make the content diverse and rich and easily adjustable; the question types of the assignments, test papers and course forum management are various, the scores are reasonable and the question bank can be recycled and edited; the course questionnaire includes question management, questionnaire management and voting which can be processed by automatic statistics and assessment. Conclusion: this study is applicable to the web-based teaching management of track and field for physical education majors (selective course, required course, minor course), the operation guidance form for the teaching management shall be strengthened; the editing and update of teaching management shall be adjusted and arranged timely according to the teaching practice problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new multi-residue method for the quantification of more than 142 anthropogenic compounds of emerging concern (CECs) in various environmental matrices. These CECs are from a wide range of major classes including pharmaceuticals, household, industrial and agricultural. This method utilises ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) for analysis of five matrices (three liquid and two solid) from wastewater treatment processes and the surrounding environment. Relative recoveries were predominantly between 80 and 120%; however, due to the complexity of the matrices used in this work, not all compounds were recovered in all matrices, from 138/142 analytes in surface water to 96/142 analytes in digested solids. Method quantification limits (MQLs) ranged from 0.004 ng L−1 (bisoprolol in surface water) to 3118 ng L−1 (creatinine in wastewater treatment work (WwTW) influent). The overall method accuracy was 107.0%, and precision was 13.4%. To test its performance, the method was applied to the range of environmental matrices at WwTWs in South West England. Overall, this method was found to be suitable for application in catchment-based exposure-driven studies, as, of the total number of analytes quantifiable in each matrix, 61% on average was found to be above their corresponding MQL. The results confirm the need for analysing both the liquid and solid compartments within a WwTW to prevent under-reporting of concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractional circuits have attracted an extensive attention of scholars and researchers for their superior performance and potential applications. The passive realization of the fractional-order immittance function plays an important role in fractional circuits theory, which is useful in fractional circuits design and modeling. This paper deals with the analysis and passive synthesis of fractional two-element-kind network. Firstly, the time-domain response of fractional two-element-kind network is analyzed based on its immittance function expressions, and the response shows oscillation only in fractional L β C α circuits. Then, necessary and sufficient conditions to realize the fractional-order immittance functions by a passive network with only two kinds of elements are obtained in view of impedance scaling. A procedure is also proposed to realize such immittance functions using two-element-kind network. Finally, three examples are given to illustrate the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many open source software (OSS) quality assessment models are proposed and available in the literature. However, there is little or no adoption of these models in practice. In order to guide the formulation of newer models so they can be acceptable by practitioners, there is need for clear discrimination of the existing models based on their specific properties. Based on this, the aim of this study is to perform a systematic literature review to investigate the properties of the existing OSS quality assessment models by classifying them with respect to their quality characteristics, the methodology they use for assessment, and their domain of application so as to guide the formulation and development of newer models. Searches in IEEE Xplore, ACM, Science Direct, Springer and Google Search is performed so as to retrieve all relevant primary studies in this regard. Journal and conference papers between the year 2003 and 2015 were considered since the first known OSS quality model emerged in 2003. Results: A total of 19 OSS quality assessment model papers were selected. To select these models we have developed assessment criteria to evaluate the quality of the existing studies. Quality assessment models are classified into five categories based on the quality characteristics they possess namely: single-attribute, rounded category, community-only attribute, non-community attribute as well as the non-quality in use models. Our study reflects that software selection based on hierarchical structures is found to be the most popular selection method in the existing OSS quality assessment models. Furthermore, we found that majority (47%) of the existing models do not specify any domain of application. Conclusions: In conclusion, our study will be a valuable contribution to the community and helps the quality assessment model developers in formulating newer models and also to the practitioners (software evaluators) in selecting suitable OSS in the midst of alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the development of Roman antimony decolourised natron glass, its dominance, and subsequent decline, using new trace element data for colourless glass found in Britain. Experimental glasses are used to investigate the influence of different proportions of raw materials (particularly the ratio of natron to calcium carbonate) on the resulting transparency or opacity of glass when antimony is added. Focusing on the 1st to 3rd centuries AD, the study has found that (1) There are chronological differences in antimony colourless glass compositions including (a) some early vessels have abnormally low calcium, aluminium and barium levels; (b) 1st/mid-2nd-century AD vessels in Britain may also contain up to 0.6 wt% lead oxide whereas mid-2nd/3rd-century AD vessels contain less than 300 ppm, and (c) the antimony content tends to decline over time. (2) These developments can be linked to production and recycling practices; but trace elements suggest that all of these antimony colourless glasses share an origin, probably Egypt. (3) Crucially, production of experimental glasses illustrates the inherent suitability of a sodium-rich, calcium-poor base glass composition for making antimony colourless glass, as it readily dissolves added antimony; conversely lower-sodium, higher-calcium glasses start to form opacifying calcium-antimonate crystals with the same quantities of antimony. Thus, the sodium-rich, calcium-poor glass composition from Egypt was ideally suited for decolourising with antimony and formed a water-clear glass. The calcium-rich Syro-Palestine glasses were more easily opacified with antimony to make opaque glass, but were decolourised with manganese, not antimony. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of intelligent algorithm technology and big data technology, the dance is more and more urgent to get accurate analysis of optimization algorithm. It not only achieves the fusion of music and movement for the driven motion which provides a platform for integration, but also uses the optimization algorithm to realize an important project which produces the progress in the dance, the analysis of the dance is based on the generation method of creative methods. This paper designs and implements the automatic generation algorithm of genetic algorithm which is based on the basic design idea of dance movements, the design will be the triangle program as a typical example, and it's generating test case as much as possible to complete path coverage in the specified range of data and input data. The experimental data shows that the algorithm generates test case which can not only complete the preset target path, and be able to complete a full. The generation of traversal target path meeting the required choreography. At the same time, the algorithm can coordinate the path of music and action to the greatest extent, and this algorithm lays the foundation for further integration of technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the expanding applications, concerns about the charging safety of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have become more significant. In this paper, the constant-current (CC) overcharge electrode process of pouch LiCoO2/graphite batteries are analyzed at 0.25 C, and then, a self-protection mechanism for decreasing the overcharge risk of batteries is evaluated. As for the batteries passing the safety test, their typical overcharge behaviors show the battery voltage and temperature begin to dramatically increase to about 5.2 V and 65 °C from about 155% state of charge (SOC) and then decrease slowly after a short fluctuating period. The element analysis of two electrodes and separator reveals that besides the well-known metal lithium, cobalt precipitation pierces the separator and subsequently forms an internal micro-short circuit at about 155% SOC to consume the charge energy and subsequently avoid the overcharge explosion and ignition. As a conclusion, a self-protection mechanism based on an internal micro-short circuit model, which is closely related with the deposited electric lithium and cobalt and the separator porosity, is proposed and experimentally verified. These results offer an idea and method to decrease the CC overcharge risk of LIBs and can advance the safe application of LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of self-reflections of undergraduate education students in a project involving web-supported counterintuitive science demonstrations is reported in this paper. Participating students (N = 19) taught science with counterintuitive demonstrations in local elementary school classrooms and used web-based resources accessed via wireless USB adapters. Student reflections to seven questions were analyzed qualitatively using four components of reflection (meeting objectives/perception of learning, dynamics of pedagogy, special needs accommodations, improving teaching) deriving 27 initial data categories and 12 emergent themes. Overall the undergraduates reported meeting objectives, engaging students in pedagogically relevant learning tasks including, providing accommodations to students with special needs, and gaining practice and insight to improve their own teaching. Additional research is needed to arrive at generalizable findings concerning teaching with web-supported counterintuitive science demonstrations in elementary classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the automatic recognition of map projection, its inverse and re-projection. Our analysis leads to the unconstrained optimization solved by the hybrid BFGS nonlinear least squares technique. The objective function is represented by the squared sum of the residuals. For the map re-projection the partial differential equations of the inverse transformation are derived. They can be applied to any map projection. Illustrative examples of the stereographic and globular Nicolosi projections frequently used in early maps are involved and their inverse formulas are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the design and development of a multimodal engine for preemption and post-treatment recommendations for skin diseases using a deep learning-based hybrid bioinspired process. The proposed system integrates multiple modalities, including image analysis, patient sleep patterns, eating habits, and other medical parameters, to provide personalized and accurate recommendations for the prevention and treatment of skin diseases. The system is based on a novel hybrid bioinspired process that combines elephant herding optimization (EHO) with antlion optimization (ALO) to improve the accuracy and robustness of the recommendations. The system employs a binary cascaded convolutional neural network (BCCNN) for skin image analysis and natural language processing (NLP) with pattern analysis for patient history analysis. The system's architecture comprises multiple modules, including a data preprocessing module, a feature extraction module, a multimodal fusion module, and a recommendation generation module, that are tuned by the bioinspired optimization process. The system was trained and evaluated on a large dataset of skin disease images and patient histories. The results demonstrate that the proposed system outperforms existing state-of-the-art methods by 4.5% in terms of accuracy, 3.2% in terms of precision, 5.9% in terms of recommendation recall, and 1.4% in terms of AUC (area under the curve) metrics, when evaluated on clinical data samples. The proposed system has the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of skin diseases by providing personalized and accurate recommendations to healthcare professionals and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper describes an approach based on Monte Carlo simulation for the evaluation of uncertainty of nuclear spent fuel analysis. The mathematical model of measurement was established by examining the dissolution process step by step. The results are consistent with those obtained by the classical propagation of variance approach. This paper shows the importance of taking the process into account in order to give a more reliable uncertainty assessment to the result of a concentration ratio of two isotopes in spent fuel. Indeed, for some radionuclides, the uncertainty associated with the upstream steps of the analysis ('process' uncertainty) can represent up to 95 % of the overall uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nominal group technique (NGT) is a method to elicit healthcare priorities. Yet, there is variability on how to conduct the NGT, and limited guidance on how to analyse a diverse sample of multiple groups. This paper addresses some of this ambiguity, and explores whether different approaches to analysis provide the same outcome/s. Conceptual papers and empirical studies were identified via PubMed and informed an adapted version of the NGT. Twenty-six nominal groups were conducted, which provided in-depth knowledge on how to best conduct this method. Pilot group data were used to compare different analysis methods and to explore how this impacted on reported outcomes. Data analyses for large data-sets are complex; thematic analysis is needed to be able to conduct across group comparisons of participant priorities. Consideration should be given not just to the strength, i.e. sum of votes, or relative importance of the priority, but to the voting frequency, i.e. the popularity of the idea amongst participants; our case study demonstrated that this can affect priority rankings for those ideas with the same score. As a case study, this paper provides practical information on analysis for complex data sets. Researchers need to consider more than one analysis process to ensure that the results truly reflect participant priorities. A priority that has a high score may not necessarily reflect its popularity within the group; the voting frequency may also need to be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a brief review of methods of qualitative and quantitative study of various classes of stochastic systems with aftereffect. We describe schemes of analysis of stochastic ordinary and partial differential and integrodifferential equations, which are also applicable for their deterministic analogs. These numerical and analytical schemes are implemented in the software package Mathematica and in the language Intel Fortran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes the preparation of a fluorescent probe based on the use of up-conversion particles (UCPs) of the type NaYF: Er, Yb and shelled with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) that is specific for the antibiotic enrofloxacin. The upconverted green luminescence emitted by the UCPs upon photoexcitation at 980 nm was used to locally generate a thin MIP shell around the UCPs via photopolymerization. Enrofloxacin is used as the template, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the cross-linking agent. It is found that enrofloxacin is well captured by the MIP and then quenches the fluorescence of the UCPs. Fluorescence decreases linearly in the 63 ng·L to 60 μg·L enrofloxacin concentration range, with a 8 ng·L limit of detection. The method was applied to the determination of enrofloxacin in spiked fish samples. Recoveries ranged from 83.7 to 87.7%, with relative standard deviations between 2.0 and 5.5% (for n = 3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active magnetic regeneration (AMR) is refrigeration concept that provides higher energy efficiency as compared to conventional vapor compression refrigeration techniques. However, AMR poses a complex problem of heat transfer, fluid dynamics and magnetic field, which requires detailed and robust modeling. To solve this complex problem, fast and flexible numerical model is developed to study-in detail-the operation of AMR systems. Once the model is established, a sensitivity analysis has to be done and the performance characteristics have to be investigated. In order to analyze the performance of AMR systems, a new approach-based on the statistical design of experiments (DOE) method-is developed and presented in this paper. It will be demonstrated how the DOE method can help to obtain maximum information and results from the analysis of an AMR system at minimum computation cost. Furthermore, based on the developed approach, some optimal operating-regions are determined and evaluated in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a case study of aspects of the design of large slope cuttings in complex geological conditions in South Korea. During the original cutting of the slopes to geometries prescribed by Korean standards for rock slopes, several translational slides occurred on daylighting bedding planes. From observation it was evident that away from the areas of distress, some parts of the slopes appeared to be relatively stable, apparently because of the strengthening influence of relatively strong and massive igneous dykes and sills through the sedimentary rock. This paper describes how the geological conditions were assessed and stability analysed, section-by-section, along the road. This was achieved using a form of the method of slices to account for those sections of potential failure surfaces where sliding could occur along bedding and others where failure would necessitate shear through the intrusive igneous rock. Results were checked using UDEC models of critical sections. Following these analyses, recommendations were made for localized additional preventive measures including anchors and drainage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approaches to access control (AC) policy languages, such as eXtensible access control markup language, do not provide a formal representation for specifying rule- and policy-combining algorithms or for verifying properties of AC policies. Some authors propose formal representations for these combining algorithms. However, the proposed models are not expressive enough to represent formally history-based classes of these algorithms, such as ordered-permit-overrides. In addition, some other authors propose a formal representation but do not present automated support for formal verification of properties of AC policies that use these algorithms. This paper demonstrates a new representation that can express all existing AC rule and policy combinations of which the authors are aware. This representation can also be used to automate the formal verification of properties of AC policies related to these algorithms. A new modeling representation for rule- and policy-combining algorithms based on state machines is used to specify rule- and policy-combining algorithms. Examples of these algorithms are programmed in the language of the SPIN model checker, and the programs are then used to support the automated formal verification of properties of AC policies. We present our approach and then use the AC policies and properties of CONTINUE, a conference management system, to compare it with prior work. Our first contribution is a new modeling representation for combining algorithms based on state machines. The second contribution is the formal verification of AC properties under certain combining algorithms that are beyond the capability of other approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the instability and intermittent connectivity of links among the nodes and the lack of connectivity in opportunistic network, it is not feasible to use common routing for delivering messages . The only practical method for routing and delivering messages is to use the store-carry-forward routing method. As a case in point, spray and wait is considered to be one of the most appropriate routing methods. The efficiency of this method depends directly on the proper selection of the next hop and the number of copies when it encounters a node. In this paper, a method was proposed that constantly selects the next node and considers the number of copies a node can deliver. In the proposed method, the selection of the next node and the number of message copies to be transmitted by the next hop are based on message carrying time and the probability of message delivery. The network model, based on Markov chain, is extended for analysis. Simulation and analysis results showed that significant enhancement is obtained with the proposed method when measuring metrics such as delay, delivery ratio and copy do comparisons with similar methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formal analysis of functional properties of system requirements needs precise descriptions. However, the stakeholders sometimes describe the system with ambiguous, vague or fuzzy terms, hence formal frameworks for modeling and verifying such requirements are desirable. The Fuzzy If-Then rules have been used for imprecise requirements representation, but verifying their functional properties still needs new methods. In this paper, we propose a refinement-based modeling approach for specification and verification of such requirements. First, we introduce a representation of imprecise requirements in the set theory. Then we make use of Event-B refinement providing a set of translation rules from Fuzzy If-Then rules to Event-B notations. After that, we show how to verify both safety and eventuality properties with RODIN/Event-B. Finally, we illustrate the proposed method on the example of Crane Controller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large landslide (40 × 10 m) was reactivated on the left bank of Canelles reservoir, Spain. The instability was made evident after a considerable reduction of the reservoir level. The drawdown took place during the summer of 2006 after several years of high water levels. The drawdown velocity reached values between 0.5 and 1.2 m/day (registered at low elevations). The paper reports the geological and geotechnical investigations performed to define the movement. The geometry of the slip surface was established from the detailed analysis of the continuous cores recovered in deep borings and from limited information provided by inclinometers. Deep piezometric records provided also valuable information on the pore water pressure in the vicinity of the failure surface. These data allowed validating a flow-deformation coupled calculation model, which takes into account the changes in water level that occurred 4 years previous to the failure as well as the average rainfall. The analysis indicates that the most likely reason for the instability is the rapid drawdown that took place during the summer of 2006. The potential sudden acceleration of the slide is also analysed in the paper introducing coupled thermal hydraulic and mechanical effects that may develop at the basal shearing surface of the sliding mass. The results indicate that the slide velocity may reach values around 16 m/s when displacement reaches 250 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the application of principal component analysis (PCA) to thoroughly analyse and interpret multidimensional data from a cold rolling process. The analysis includes the effects of variables on the final properties of strips in a cold rolling mill. Unscrambler software was used to analyse and identify hidden variables. Variable correlations were also used to derive correlations between the control parameters. The results of this research will be used to improve the selection of material in order to reduce the occurrence of defects in the cold rolling process and to improve the adjustment of the set points that are performed in every pass or section of the cold rolling process. The hot rolled strips that enter the cold rolling mill are made of different materials and are produced by different strip manufacturers. Some strips break during the thickness reduction process in the cold rolling mill. This paper focuses on two possible causes of breakage: non-uniform strip material properties and failures in the rolling mill process. Two types of rolled strips (those that break and those that do not break) were compared to identify causes of breakage. The results indicate that breakages are caused by material or process failures. PCA was applied to the dataset in order to identify and analyse the relationships between the variables in the process. This information was used to interpret and diagnose the process behaviour. Swarm analysis and relating observations to process behaviour were able to distinguish between different start-up conditions, and between desirable and undesirable process conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper takes the passing of Peter McHugh as an occasion to examine the intellectual development of his work. The paper is mainly focused on the product of his collaboration with his colleague and friend, Alan Blum. As such, it addresses the tradition of social inquiry, Analysis, which they cofounded. It traces the influence of Harold Garfinkel's Ethnomethodology on McHugh and on the beginning of Analysis. The collaboration with Blum is examined through a variety of coauthored works but most especially in the two books On the Beginning of Social Inquiry () and Self Reflection in the Arts and Sciences (). It also examines the relation of his independent writing before 1974, and since 1984 to the expression of the tradition of inquiry as exemplified in those two texts. The paper builds on some interview material with Peter McHugh and reflects on the influence of Peter the teacher as well as the theorist McHugh. Most especially, through its engagement with this material, it seeks to exemplify the dialectic and living nature of the program called Analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paradox of analysis has been a problem for analytic philosophers at least since Moore’s time, and it is especially significant for those who seek an account of analysis along classical lines. The present paper offers a new solution to the paradox, where a theory of analysis is given where (1) analysandum and analysans are distinct concepts, due to their failing to share the same conceptual form, yet (2) they are related in virtue of satisfying various semantic constraints on the analysis relation. Rather than distinguish between analysandum and analysans by appeal to epistemic considerations, the paper appeals to semantic considerations in giving a candidate account of the identity conditions for concepts. The distinctness of analysandum and analysans then serves to block the paradox in a straightforward way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the increasing complexity of software systems, there is a growing need for automated and scalable software synthesis and analysis. In the last decade, active research in the formal methods community brought interesting results and valuable tools. However, there are still challenges to face and hard problems that need to be solved. We briefly outline some recent trends, and review some of the latest achievements, introducing six papers selected from the 20th International Conference on Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems (TACAS 2014). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the arrival of the nineteenth century, a process of change guided the treatment of three basic elements in the development of mathematics: rigour, the arithmetization and the clarification of the concept of function, categorised as the most important tool in the development of the mathematical analysis. In this paper we will show how several prominent mathematicians contributed greatly to the development of these basic elements that allowed the solid underpinning of mathematics and the consideration of mathematics as an axiomatic way of thinking in which anyone can deduce valid conclusions from certain types of premises. This nineteenth century stage shares, possibly with the Heroic Age of Ancient Greece, the most revolutionary period in all history of mathematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]