bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transepithelial Fluid and Salt Re-Absorption Regulated by cGK2 Signals
Authors: Chang Jianjun , Ding Yan , Zhou Zhiyu , Nie Hong-Guang , Ji Hong-Long
Published: March 2018

Transepithelial fluid and salt re-absorption in epithelial tissues play an important role in fluid and salt homeostasis. In absorptive epithelium, fluid and salt flux is controlled by machinery mainly composed of epithelial sodium channels (ENaC), cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE), aquaporin, and sodium potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na+/K+-ATPase). Dysregulation of fluid and salt transport across epithelium contributes to the pathogenesis of many diseases, such as pulmonary edema and cystic fibrosis. Intracellular and extracellular signals, i.e., hormones and protein kinases, regulate fluid and salt turnover and resolution. Increasing evidence demonstrates that transepithelial fluid transport is regulated by cyclic guanosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase (cGK) signals. cGK2 was originally identified and cloned from intestinal specimens, the presence of which has also been confirmed in the kidney and the lung. cGK2 regulates fluid and salt through ENaC, CFTR and NHE. Deficient cGK2 regulation of transepithelial ion transport was seen in acute lung injury, and cGK2 could be a novel druggable target to restore edematous disorder in epithelial tissues.
The Role of Post-Translational Modifications on Prion-Like Aggregation and Liquid-Phase Separation of FUS
Authors: Rhoads Shannon , Monahan Zachary , Yee Debra , Shewmaker Frank
Published: March 2018

Subcellular mislocalization and aggregation of the human FUS protein occurs in neurons of patients with subtypes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. FUS is one of several RNA-binding proteins that can functionally self-associate into distinct liquid-phase droplet structures. It is postulated that aberrant interactions within the dense phase-separated state can potentiate FUS’s transition into solid prion-like aggregates that cause disease. FUS is post-translationally modified at numerous positions, which affect both its localization and aggregation propensity. These modifications may influence FUS-linked pathology and serve as therapeutic targets.
An Interplay between Senescence, Apoptosis and Autophagy in Glioblastoma Multiforme—Role in Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Perspective
Authors: Pawlowska Elzbieta , Szczepanska Joanna , Szatkowska Magdalena , Blasiak Janusz
Published: March 2018

Autophagy, cellular senescence, programmed cell death and necrosis are key responses of a cell facing a stress. These effects are partly interconnected, but regulation of their mutual interactions is not completely clear. That regulation seems to be especially important in cancer cells, which have their own program of development and demand more nutrition and energy than normal cells. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) belongs to the most aggressive and most difficult to cure cancers, so studies on its pathogenesis and new therapeutic strategies are justified. Using an animal model, it was shown that autophagy is required for GBM development. Temozolomide (TMZ) is the key drug in GBM chemotherapy and it was reported to induce senescence, autophagy and apoptosis in GBM. In some GBM cells, TMZ induces small toxicity despite its significant concentration and GBM cells can be intrinsically resistant to apoptosis. Resveratrol, a natural compound, was shown to potentiate anticancer effect of TMZ in GBM cells through the abrogation G2-arrest and mitotic catastrophe resulting in senescence of GBM cells. Autophagy is the key player in TMZ resistance in GBM. TMZ can induce apoptosis due to selective inhibition of autophagy, in which autophagic vehicles accumulate as their fusion with lysosomes is blocked. Modulation of autophagic action of TMZ with autophagy inhibitors can result in opposite outcomes, depending on the step targeted in autophagic flux. Studies on relationships between senescence, autophagy and apoptosis can open new therapeutic perspectives in GBM.
Glycoform Modification of Secreted Recombinant Glycoproteins through Kifunensine Addition during Transient Vacuum Agroinfiltration
Authors: Xiong Yongao , Li Qiongyu , Kailemia Muchena , Lebrilla Carlito , Nandi Somen , McDonald Karen
Published: March 2018

Kifunensine, a potent and selective inhibitor of class I α-mannosidases, prevents α-mannosidases I from trimming mannose residues on glycoproteins, thus resulting in oligomannose-type glycans. We report for the first time that through one-time vacuum infiltration of kifunensine in plant tissue, N-linked glycosylation of a recombinant protein transiently produced in whole-plants shifted completely from complex-type to oligomannose-type. Fc-fused capillary morphogenesis protein 2 (CMG2-Fc) containing one N-glycosylation site on the Fc domain, produced in Nicotiana benthamiana whole plants, served as a model protein. The CMG2-Fc fusion protein was produced transiently through vacuum agroinfiltration, with and without kifunensine at a concentration of 5.4 µM in the agroinfiltration suspension. The CMG2-Fc N-glycan profile was determined using LC-MS/MS with a targeted dynamic multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method. The CMG2-Fc expression level in the infiltrated plant tissue and the percentage of oligomannose-type N-glycans for kifunensine treated plants was 874 mg/kg leaf fresh weight (FW) and 98.2%, respectively, compared to 717 mg/kg leaf FW and 2.3% for untreated plants. Oligomannose glycans are amenable to in vitro enzymatic modification to produce more human-like N-glycan structures that are preferred for the production of HIV-1 viral vaccine and certain monoclonal antibodies. This method allows glycan modifications using a bioprocessing approach without compromising protein yield or modification of the primary sequence, and could be expanded to other small molecule inhibitors of glycan-processing enzymes. For recombinant protein targeted for secretion, kifunensine treatment allows collection of glycoform-modified target protein from apoplast wash fluid (AWF) with minimal plant-specific complex N-glycan at higher starting purity and concentration than in whole-leaf extract, thus simplifying the downstream processing.
Health Risks of Hypovitaminosis D: A Review of New Molecular Insights
Authors: Caccamo Daniela , Ricca Sergio , Currò Monica , Ientile Riccardo
Published: March 2018

Hypovitaminosis D has become a pandemic, being observed in all ethnicities and age groups worldwide. Environmental factors, such as increased air pollution and reduced ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation, as well as lifestyle factors, i.e., decreased outdoor activities and/or poor intake of vitamin D-rich food, are likely involved in the etiology of a dramatic reduction of vitamin D circulating levels. The insufficiency/deficiency of vitamin D has long been known for its association with osteoporosis and rickets. However, in the last few decades it has become a serious public health concern since it has been shown to be independently associated with various chronic pathological conditions such as cancer, coronary heart disease, neurological diseases, type II diabetes, autoimmune diseases, depression, with various inflammatory disorders, and with increased risk for all-cause mortality in the general population. Prevention strategies for these disorders have recently involved supplementation with either vitamin D2 or vitamin D3 or their analogs at required daily doses and tolerable upper-limit levels. This review will focus on the emerging evidence about non-classical biological functions of vitamin D in various disorders.
Amino Acid Transporters and Glutamine Metabolism in Breast Cancer
Authors: Cha Yoon , Kim Eun-Sol , Koo Ja
Published: March 2018

Amino acid transporters are membrane transport proteins, most of which are members of the solute carrier families. Amino acids are essential for the survival of all types of cells, including tumor cells, which have an increased demand for nutrients to facilitate proliferation and cancer progression. Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women worldwide and is still associated with high mortality rates, despite improved treatment strategies. Recent studies have demonstrated that the amino acid metabolic pathway is altered in breast cancer and that amino acid transporters affect tumor growth and progression. In breast cancer, glutamine is one of the key nutrients, and glutamine metabolism is closely related to the amino acid transporters. In this review, we focus on amino acid transporters and their roles in breast cancer. We also highlight the different subsets of upregulated amino acid transporters in breast cancer and discuss their potential applications as treatment targets, cancer imaging tracers, and drug delivery components. Glutamine metabolism as well as its regulation and therapeutic implication in breast cancer are also discussed.
Identification and Characterization of Mycemycin Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in Streptomyces olivaceus FXJ8.012 and Streptomyces sp. FXJ1.235
Authors: Song Fangying , Liu Ning , Liu Minghao , Chen Yihua , Huang Ying
Published: March 2018

Mycemycins A–E are new members of the dibenzoxazepinone (DBP) family, derived from the gntR gene-disrupted deep sea strain Streptomyces olivaceus FXJ8.012Δ1741 and the soil strain Streptomyces sp. FXJ1.235. In this paper, we report the identification of the gene clusters and pathways’ inference for mycemycin biosynthesis in the two strains. Bioinformatics analyses of the genome sequences of S. olivaceus FXJ8.012Δ1741 and S. sp. FXJ1.235 predicted two divergent mycemycin gene clusters, mym and mye, respectively. Heterologous expression of the key enzyme genes of mym and genetic manipulation of mye as well as a feeding study in S. sp. FXJ1.235 confirmed the gene clusters and led to the proposed biosynthetic pathways for mycemycins. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on DBP biosynthetic gene clusters and pathways.
A Greener and Efficient Method for Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution of Nitrogen-Containing Fused Heterocycles
Authors: Campos Joana , Loubidi Mohammed , Scherrmann Marie-Christine , Berteina-Raboin Sabine
Published: March 2018

A simple and efficient methodology for the nucleophilic aromatic substitution of nitrogen-containing fused heterocycles with interesting biological activities has been developed in an environmentally sound manner using polyethylene glycol (PEG-400) as the solvent, leading to the expected compounds in excellent yields in only five minutes.
Thiazoles and Thiazolidinones as COX/LOX Inhibitors
Authors: Liaras Konstantinos , Fesatidou Maria , Geronikaki Athina
Published: March 2018

Inflammation is a natural process that is connected to various conditions and disorders such as arthritis, psoriasis, cancer, infections, asthma, etc. Based on the fact that cyclooxygenase isoenzymes (COX-1, COX-2) are responsible for the production of prostaglandins that play an important role in inflammation, traditional treatment approaches include administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which act as selective or non-selective COX inhibitors. Almost all of them present a number of unwanted, often serious, side effects as a consequence of interference with the arachidonic acid cascade. In search for new drugs to avoid side effects, while maintaining high potency over inflammation, scientists turned their interest to the synthesis of dual COX/LOX inhibitors, which could provide numerous therapeutic advantages in terms of anti-inflammatory activity, improved gastric protection and safer cardiovascular profile compared to conventional NSAIDs. Τhiazole and thiazolidinone moieties can be found in numerous biologically active compounds of natural origin, as well as synthetic molecules that possess a wide range of pharmacological activities. This review focuses on the biological activity of several thiazole and thiazolidinone derivatives as COX-1/COX-2 and LOX inhibitors.
Synthesis of Some Novel Fused Pyrimido[4″,5″:5′,6′]-[1,2,4]triazino[3′,4′:3,4] [1,2,4]triazino[5,6-b]indoles with Expected Anticancer Activity
Authors: Ali Rania , Saad Hosam
Published: March 2018

Our current goal is the synthesis of polyheterocyclic compounds starting from 3-amino-[1,2,4]triazino[5,6-b]indole 1 and studying their anticancer activity to determine whether increasing of the size of the molecules increases the anticancer activity or not. 1-Amino[1,2,4]triazino[3′,4′:3,4]-[1,2,4]triazino[5,6-b]indole-2-carbonitrile (4) was prepared by the diazotization of 3-amino[1,2,4]-triazino[5,6-b]indole 1 followed by coupling with malononitrile in basic medium then cyclization under reflux to get 4. Also, new fused pyrimido[4″,5″:5′,6′][1,2,4]triazino-[3′,4′:3,4][1,2,4]triazino[5,6-b]indole derivative 6 was prepared and used to obtain polycyclic heterocyclic systems. Confirmation of the synthesized compounds’ structures was carried out using elemental analyses and spectral data (IR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR and mass spectra). The anticancer activity of some of the synthesized compounds was tested against HepG2, HCT-116 and MCF-7 cell lines. The anticancer screening results showed that some derivatives display good activity which was more potent than that of the reference drug used. Molecular docking was used to predict the binding between some of the synthesized compounds and the prostate cancer 2q7k hormone and breast ‎cancer 3hb5 receptors.
A New 3D Object Pose Detection Method Using LIDAR Shape Set
Authors: Kim Jung-Un , Kang Hang-Bong
Published: March 2018

In object detection systems for autonomous driving, LIDAR sensors provide very useful information. However, problems occur because the object representation is greatly distorted by changes in distance. To solve this problem, we propose a LIDAR shape set that reconstructs the shape surrounding the object more clearly by using the LIDAR point information projected on the object. The LIDAR shape set restores object shape edges from a bird’s eye view by filtering LIDAR points projected on a 2D pixel-based front view. In this study, we use this shape set for two purposes. The first is to supplement the shape set with a LIDAR Feature map, and the second is to divide the entire shape set according to the gradient of the depth and density to create a 2D and 3D bounding box proposal for each object. We present a multimodal fusion framework that classifies objects and restores the 3D pose of each object using enhanced feature maps and shape-based proposals. The network structure consists of a VGG -based object classifier that receives multiple inputs and a LIDAR-based Region Proposal Networks (RPN) that identifies object poses. It works in a very intuitive and efficient manner and can be extended to other classes other than vehicles. Our research has outperformed object classification accuracy (Average Precision, AP) and 3D pose restoration accuracy (3D bounding box recall rate) based on the latest studies conducted with KITTI data sets.
Unannounced Meals in the Artificial Pancreas: Detection Using Continuous Glucose Monitoring
Authors: Ramkissoon Charrise , Herrero Pau , Bondia Jorge , Vehi Josep
Published: March 2018

The artificial pancreas (AP) system is designed to regulate blood glucose in subjects with type 1 diabetes using a continuous glucose monitor informed controller that adjusts insulin infusion via an insulin pump. However, current AP developments are mainly hybrid closed-loop systems that include feed-forward actions triggered by the announcement of meals or exercise. The first step to fully closing the loop in the AP requires removing meal announcement, which is currently the most effective way to alleviate postprandial hyperglycemia due to the delay in insulin action. Here, a novel approach to meal detection in the AP is presented using a sliding window and computing the normalized cross-covariance between measured glucose and the forward difference of a disturbance term, estimated from an augmented minimal model using an Unscented Kalman Filter. Three different tunings were applied to the same meal detection algorithm: (1) a high sensitivity tuning, (2) a trade-off tuning that has a high amount of meals detected and a low amount of false positives (FP), and (3) a low FP tuning. For the three tunings sensitivities 99 ± 2%, 93 ± 5%, and 47 ± 12% were achieved, respectively. A sensitivity analysis was also performed and found that higher carbohydrate quantities and faster rates of glucose appearance result in favorable meal detection outcomes.
Dynamic Non-Rigid Objects Reconstruction with a Single RGB-D Sensor
Authors: Wang Sen , Zuo Xinxin , Du Chao , Wang Runxiao , Zheng Jiangbin , Yang Ruigang
Published: March 2018

This paper deals with the 3D reconstruction problem for dynamic non-rigid objects with a single RGB-D sensor. It is a challenging task as we consider the almost inevitable accumulation error issue in some previous sequential fusion methods and also the possible failure of surface tracking in a long sequence. Therefore, we propose a global non-rigid registration framework and tackle the drifting problem via an explicit loop closure. Our novel scheme starts with a fusion step to get multiple partial scans from the input sequence, followed by a pairwise non-rigid registration and loop detection step to obtain correspondences between neighboring partial pieces and those pieces that form a loop. Then, we perform a global registration procedure to align all those pieces together into a consistent canonical space as guided by those matches that we have established. Finally, our proposed model-update step helps fixing potential misalignments that still exist after the global registration. Both geometric and appearance constraints are enforced during our alignment; therefore, we are able to get the recovered model with accurate geometry as well as high fidelity color maps for the mesh. Experiments on both synthetic and various real datasets have demonstrated the capability of our approach to reconstruct complete and watertight deformable objects.
Penalized Maximum Likelihood Angular Super-Resolution Method for Scanning Radar Forward-Looking Imaging
Authors: Tan Ke , Li Wenchao , Zhang Qian , Huang Yulin , Wu Junjie , Yang Jianyu
Published: March 2018

Deconvolution provides an efficient technology to implement angular super-resolution for scanning radar forward-looking imaging. However, deconvolution is an ill-posed problem, of which the solution is not only sensitive to noise, but also would be easily deteriorate by the noise amplification when excessive iterations are conducted. In this paper, a penalized maximum likelihood angular super-resolution method is proposed to tackle these problems. Firstly, a new likelihood function is deduced by separately considering the noise in I and Q channels to enhance the accuracy of the noise modeling for radar imaging system. Afterwards, to conquer the noise amplification and maintain the resolving ability of the proposed method, a joint square-Laplace penalty is particularly formulated by making use of the outlier sensitivity property of square constraint as well as the sparse expression ability of Laplace distribution. Finally, in order to facilitate the engineering application of the proposed method, an accelerated iterative solution strategy is adopted to solve the obtained convex optimal problem. Experiments based on both synthetic data and real data demonstrate the effectiveness and superior performance of the proposed method.
Measurement of Temperature and Relative Humidity with Polymer Optical Fiber Sensors Based on the Induced Stress-Optic Effect
Authors: Leal-Junior Arnaldo , Frizera-Neto Anselmo , Marques Carlos , Pontes Maria
Published: March 2018

This paper presents a system capable of measuring temperature and relative humidity with polymer optical fiber (POF) sensors. The sensors are based on variations of the Young’s and shear moduli of the POF with variations in temperature and relative humidity. The system comprises two POFs, each with a predefined torsion stress that resulted in a variation in the fiber refractive index due to the stress-optic effect. Because there is a correlation between stress and material properties, the variation in temperature and humidity causes a variation in the fiber’s stress, which leads to variations in the fiber refractive index. Only two photodiodes comprise the sensor interrogation, resulting in a simple and low-cost system capable of measuring humidity in the range of 5–97% and temperature in the range of 21–46 °C. The root mean squared errors (RMSEs) between the proposed sensors and the reference were 1.12 °C and 1.36% for the measurements of temperature and relative humidity, respectively. In addition, fiber etching resulted in a sensor with a 2 s response time for a relative humidity variation of 10%, which is one of the lowest recorded response times for intrinsic POF humidity sensors.
Generic Sensor Failure Modeling for Cooperative Systems
Authors: Jäger Georg , Zug Sebastian , Casimiro António
Published: March 2018

The advent of cooperative systems entails a dynamic composition of their components. As this contrasts current, statically composed systems, new approaches for maintaining their safety are required. In that endeavor, we propose an integration step that evaluates the failure model of shared information in relation to an application’s fault tolerance and thereby promises maintainability of such system’s safety. However, it also poses new requirements on failure models, which are not fulfilled by state-of-the-art approaches. Consequently, this work presents a mathematically defined generic failure model as well as a processing chain for automatically extracting such failure models from empirical data. By examining data of an Sharp GP2D12 distance sensor, we show that the generic failure model not only fulfills the predefined requirements, but also models failure characteristics appropriately when compared to traditional techniques.
Motor Planning Error: Toward Measuring Cognitive Frailty in Older Adults Using Wearables
Authors: Zhou He , Lee Hyoki , Lee Jessica , Schwenk Michael , Najafi Bijan
Published: March 2018

Practical tools which can be quickly administered are needed for measuring subtle changes in cognitive–motor performance over time. Frailty together with cognitive impairment, or ‘cognitive frailty’, are shown to be strong and independent predictors of cognitive decline over time. We have developed an interactive instrumented trail-making task (iTMT) platform, which allows quantification of motor planning error (MPE) through a series of ankle reaching tasks. In this study, we examined the accuracy of MPE in identifying cognitive frailty in older adults. Thirty-two older adults (age = 77.3 ± 9.1 years, body-mass-index = 25.3 ± 4.7 kg/m2, female = 38%) were recruited. Using either the Mini-Mental State Examination or Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), 16 subjects were classified as cognitive-intact and 16 were classified as cognitive-impaired. In addition, 12 young-healthy subjects (age = 26.0 ± 5.2 years, body-mass-index = 25.3 ± 3.9 kg/m2, female = 33%) were recruited to establish a healthy benchmark. Subjects completed the iTMT, using an ankle-worn sensor, which transforms ankle motion into navigation of a computer cursor. The iTMT task included reaching five indexed target circles (including numbers 1-to-3 and letters A&B placed in random order) on the computer-screen by moving the ankle-joint while standing. The ankle-sensor quantifies MPE through analysis of the pattern of ankle velocity. MPE was defined as percentage of time deviation between subject’s maximum ankle velocity and the optimal maximum ankle velocity, which is halfway through the reaching pathway. Data from gait tests, including single task and dual task walking, were also collected to determine cognitive–motor performance. The average MPE in young-healthy, elderly cognitive-intact, and elderly cognitive-impaired groups was 11.1 ± 5.7%, 20.3 ± 9.6%, and 34.1 ± 4.2% (p < 0.001), respectively. Large effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 1.17–4.56) were observed for discriminating between groups using MPE. Significant correlations were observed between the MPE and MoCA score (r = −0.670, p < 0.001) as well as between the MPE and dual task stride velocity (r = −0.584, p < 0.001). This study demonstrated feasibility and efficacy of estimating MPE from a practical wearable platform with promising results in identifying cognitive–motor impairment and potential application in assessing cognitive frailty. The proposed platform could be also used as an alternative to dual task walking test, where gait assessment may not be practical. Future studies need to confirm these observations in larger samples.
Finite Element Quarter Vehicle Suspension Model under Periodic Bump and Sinusoidal Road Excitation
Authors: Castravete Ștefan Cristian , Marinescu Gabriel Cătălin , Dumitru Nicolae , Oţăt Oana Victoria
Published: March 2018

The paper studies the behavior of a quarter-car suspension model under periodic road excitation: sinusoidal and bump (trapezoidal shape) for a constant vehicle speed. A theoretical and a finite element model were developed. The theoretical model has two degrees of freedom and a modal and sinusoidal excitation was performed to compare with finite model analysis. The finite element analysis consists of three parts: preload, modal analysis and deterministic external excitation. The study consists of the analysis of forces, displacements and accelerations that are transmitted to the vehicle regarding their variation in time and frequency.
Implementation of Total Productive Maintenance Principles for Quality Improvement in an Automotive Company
Authors: Pascu Cristina Ileana , Dumitru Ilie , Gheorghe Stefan , Nisipasu Mihai
Published: March 2018

In the automotive field, the application of Lean Manufacturing principles has become a common practice in recent decades. One of the basic methodologies of Lean philosophy is the Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). The TPM includes a number of methods initially designed to ensure the continuous operation of the machines involved in the production process so that production is never interrupted. In this paper some of the most important steps in quality improvement by implementation of TPM in an automotive company are presented. It is described the monthly implementation extent of TPM indicators starting from 2014 until now, especially on the production lines of the factory. Finally, the major benefits of TPM principles implementation in the company are highlighted.
Simulation of Air in the Intake Manifold Flap of an Internal Combustion Engine
Authors: Dima Alexandru , Oprica Alexandru , Nicu Ana Maria , Staicu Diana Camelia , Dumitru Ilie
Published: March 2018

The objective of this study is to analyze and predict the flow through the intake manifold using a computational fluid dynamics program (CFD). The performance of internal combustion engine depends of the intake manifold and its components. Three model of the intake manifold flap was created and analyzed by using the commercially available ANSYS software. The volumetric efficiency which affects the engine power and torque is affected by the flow of air in the intake manifold. These paper reviews the work realized by various researchers in the field of variable intake manifold. The CFD plots offers valuable information’s of the flow field and tension distribution in the various part of intake manifold flap mechanism. The results show that the CFD model can be used as a tool for improve and optimize various part of the intake manifold flap.
CFD and Structural Analysis of the Intake Manifold Flap of an Internal Combustion Engine
Authors: Tutunea Dragos , Oprica Alexandru , Nicu Ana Maria , Staicu Diana Camelia , Dumitru Ilie
Published: March 2018

The objective of this study is to analyze the flow filed in the intake manifold using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The main function of the intake manifold flap is to regulate the air flow and to uniformly distribute in the cylinders. If the air is distributed uneven to the engine the volumetric efficiency, power and fuel consumption is reduced. The finite element method can be used to optimize the throttle flap. The results in the simulation offer valuable information’s of the flow field in the throttle assembly. The results show that the CFD model can be used as a tool for improve and optimize various part of the intake manifold flap.
The Influence of Alloy Elements on the Mechanical Features of Nanostructured Composite Materials with Recovered Silicone Rubber Matrices
Authors: Popescu Daniel , Cernăianu Corina
Published: March 2018

The following paper indicates variants of new materials obtained with various organic alloy elements. Our research has used recoverable silicone rubber, obtained from used scrapped silicone rubber, used for the tyre of 24 kV composite electrical insulators as a basic matrix, under the form of silicone powder, liquid silicone rubber to various proportions, along with nanopowders obtained through recycling
Nonlinear Analysis of Temperature during Orthogonal Turning
Authors: Craciunoiu Nicolae , Marghitu Dan B. , Dumitru Nicolae , Rosca Adrian Sorin
Published: March 2018

In this paper orthogonal turning processes are analyzed for different depth of cut. The temperature during the machining is analyzed. The nonlinear dynamics of the orthogonal turning are characterized with fft, phase plane, time delay, embedding dimension and largest Lyapunov exponents. The Lyapunov exponents can be used as a dynamic stability index for the system. The largest Lyapunov exponents for two different depth of cut show the chaotic behavior of the system.
Experimental Investigations Concerning Friction from Threaded Assemblies
Authors: Geonea Ionut , Dumitru Nicolae , Margine Alexandru , Copilusi Petre Cristian
Published: March 2018

In this research an experimental test rig and method to measure friction torque from screw-nut assemblies is presented. The experimental test rig uses to measure friction torque an elastic cylinder bush with strain gauge transducers. The frictions torque and the traction force from the threaded assembly are transmitted to the elastic cylinder bush and produce elastic deformations. The elastic cylinder is calibrated in order to establish a correlation between elastic deformation and force of solicitation. In order to measure the experimental data the MGCPlus data acquisition system is used. The experimental results obtained are presented, consisting in the dependence between friction torques and axial traction force occurred in the screw.
Experimental Determinations for the Massive Masonry Resistance of Patrimony Buildings Subjected to the Action of Environmental Factors and Mechanical Demands
Authors: Mogoșanu Barbu Anca Mihaela , Călbureanu Mădălina Xenia , Kopenetz Ludovic Gheorghe
Published: March 2018

The paper presents the results of the experimental determinations of the resistance of the massive masonry elements from a patrimony building in the Oltenia Region, the masonry under the action of the environmental factors and the strong seismic movements occurring during their lifetime. Starting from the models of massive masonry behavior specific to the analyzed building type, the short compressive strength of the masonry elements from the analyzed building was determined experimentally. All the researches undertaken bring valuable data needed to predict the collapse of massive masonry buildings in national and world heritage.
Evaluation of Compacting of Fresh Concrete through Vibration Based on the Newton Viscous Model
Authors: Pinţoi Ramona , Ionescu Adriana
Published: March 2018

The paper is based on dynamic modeling research and experimental results obtained for freshly compacted concrete under stationary vibration. Thus, computational relationships and laws for vibration parameters and dissipated energy will be presented.
In correlation with the dissipated energy, it will be evidenced by the evolution of the compaction degree and the resistance of the concrete depending on the vibration duration. It is noted that significant correlations have been established between the displacement curve of the dissipated energy and the loop hysteresis area for several vibration frequencies specific to the dynamic compaction regime
Comparison of the Results Obtained in Simulation of SERB Dampers Using Two Different Hysteresis Models
Authors: Ionescu Adriana , Negru Mihai , Burada Cristian Oliviu
Published: March 2018

This paper presents the difference between the results obtained with GenEcAm in simulating the seismic behavior of a P + 10E building equipped with SERB dampers modeled with two hysteresis models, namely the classic Bouc-Wen model and a Bouc-Wen modified model Bouc-Wen_Exp, in order to highlight the most appropriate theoretical model for modeling these dampers. The GenEcAm program is created by the author for the dynamic analysis during seism for structures of buildings equipped with different earthquake damping systems, with the possibility to use 9 different theoretical models of hysteresis for simulating the hysterical behavior of seismic energy dissipation devices that fit the antiseismic system of the analysed building.
Rules of Taxing Property Buildings
Authors: Băbălau Anişoara , Ionescu Adriana
Published: March 2018

An Integral Part of the Economic and Financial Mechanism, Taxation Means, on the One Hand, the Collection of Resources to the State Budget, but Also a Legal Relationship between a Debtor and a Creditor, Including their Correlation Rights and Obligations. the Determinants of Budgetary Revenues Refer to the Subjects of Taxation, the Object of Taxation, the Unit of Taxation, the Tax Rate, the Rights and Obligations of the Debtors, their Liability, as well as the Payment Terms. Building Tax is an Annual Tax due to the Local Budget of the Administrative-Territorial Units in which the Building is Located by its Owners. Therefore, Subjects of Taxation are those who Own a Building Located on the Territory of Romania, with Certain Exceptions Regulated by the Fiscal Code. for Residential Buildings and Annex Buildings owned by Individuals, the Building Tax is Calculated by Applying a Rate between 0.08% and 0.2% on the Taxable Value of the Building. for Non-Residential Buildings owned by Individuals, the Tax is Calculated by Applying a Rate between 0.2% and 1.3% on the Taxable Amount of the Building. for Mixed-Purpose Buildings Owned by Individuals, the Tax is Calculated by Adding Together the Tax Calculated for the Area Used for Residential Purposes with the Tax Determined for the Area Used for Non-Residential Purposes. for Residential Buildings Owned or Held by Legal Entities, the Tax or the Building Tax is Calculated by Applying a Rate between 0.08% and 0.2% on the Taxable Value of the Buildings; and for Non-Residential Buildings the Tax or Tax on Buildings is Calculated by Applying a Rate between 0.2% and 1.3% Inclusive of the Taxable Value of the Building.
Analysis of the Commercial Speed of a Public Passenger Transport Line from Craiova-Romania
Authors: Constantinescu Augustin , Popa Mitroi Gheorghe , Trotea Mario , Bogdan Mihaela Liana
Published: March 2018

This paper presents the analysis and the way of determining the commercial speed for a public transport route (a line) of people from Craiova. Calculate the optimal distance between the stations on the route under consideration, which will ensure a minimum journey time for the passengers. Commercial speed was determined according to the length of the route and its time, which depends on the number of stations, the passenger flow and traffic conditions specific to Craiova.
Numerical Calculation of Uniformly Loss Pressure Distributed in the Industrial Pipes with Ring-Eccentric Section and non Uniform Roughness - The Case of Critical Transition Flow with Re0≤Re≤Re1, Δ≥0,007
Authors: Ţălu Mihai , Vintilă Daniela , Grigorie Laura Diana , Ţălu Ştefan
Published: March 2018

This paper presents a computer software application (using the Maple programming language) together with numerical applications which allow the determination of the pressure drop uniformly distributed in the pipes with circular-eccentric section, which appears in the case of critical transition flow subdomain I.
The NASGRO Method - Comparison Model for the Crack Growth Rate Calculus
Authors: Roşca Valcu , Miriţoiu Cosmin Mihai
Published: March 2018

The products materials failure process subjected to a time variable loading can be watched and controlled through the study of an important parameter from the “Fracture Mechanics” given by the crack growth rate or the cracking rate. This is marked with da/dN, sometimes da/dt, representing the length variation a at a fatigue loading cycle. From the most used models for its study, one can remember: methods that use the American standards ASTM, Paris formula model or the Walker one. The model called NASGRO or FNK is used to study the crack growth evolution in NASA studies, being a more complex method, for the cracking process. The results obtained were compared to the ones determined with the above methods. For the tests, steel samples R520 were used, CT type, with side notch. The loading cycle was made with the asymmetry coefficient R= 0.5, at the temperatures: 293K, 252K and 213K.
Analysis about Influence of the Mechanical Vibrations on the Function of Shaping-Machine
Authors: Bogdan Mihaela Liana , Simniceanu Loreta , Constantinescu Augustin
Published: March 2018

In this paper, it is analyzed the effect of shocks on the kinematical parameters, linear and angular courses and accelerations, of shaping-mechanism at the function with shocks. In this scope, with experimentally recorded data it is plotted the diagram of variation (in time) of mentioned parameters obtained for the different regimes of processing for the component elements of the shaping mechanism in the case of function with shocks. It is made a comparative analysis of the laws of variation for kinematical parameters obtained for the different regimes with shocks in the conditions imposed, resulting, finally, the effect of shocks.
Aerosol optical depth in the European Brewer Network
Authors: López-Solano Javier , Redondas Alberto , Carlund Thomas , Rodriguez-Franco Juan J. , Diémoz Henri , León-Luis Sergio F. , Hernández-Cruz Bentorey , Guirado-Fuentes Carmen , Kouremeti Natalia , Gröbner Julian , Kazadzis Stelios , Carreño Virgilio , Berjón Alberto , Santana-Díaz Daniel , Rodríguez-Valido Manuel , De Bock Veerle , Moreta Juan R. , Rimmer John , Smedley Andrew R. D. , Boulkelia Lamine , Jepsen Nis , Eriksen Paul , Bais Alkiviadis F. , Shirotov Vadim , Vilaplana José M. , Wilson Keith M. , Karppinen Tomi
Published: March 2018

Abstract. Aerosols play an important role in key atmospheric processes and feature high
spatial and temporal variabilities. This has motivated scientific interest in
the development of networks capable of measuring aerosol properties over
large geographical areas in near-real time. In this work we present and
discuss results of an aerosol optical depth (AOD) algorithm applied to
instruments of the European Brewer Network. This network is comprised of
close to 50 Brewer spectrophotometers, mostly located in Europe and adjacent
areas, although instruments operating at, for example, South America and Australia are
also members. Although we only show results for instruments calibrated by the
Regional Brewer Calibration Center for Europe, the implementation of the AOD
algorithm described is intended to be used by the whole network in the
future. Using data from the Brewer intercomparison campaigns in the years
2013 and 2015, and the period in between, plus comparisons with Cimel
sun photometers and UVPFR instruments, we check the precision, stability, and
uncertainty of the Brewer AOD in the ultraviolet range from 300 to
320 nm. Our results show a precision better than 0.01, an uncertainty
of less than 0.05, and, for well-maintained instruments, a stability similar to that of the ozone measurements. We also discuss future improvements to our
algorithm with respect to the input data, their processing, and the
characterization of the Brewer instruments for the measurement of AOD.
Topography significantly influencing low flows in snow-dominated watersheds
Authors: Li Qiang , Wei Xiaohua , Yang Xin , Giles-Hansen Krysta , Zhang Mingfang , Liu Wenfei
Published: March 2018

Abstract. Watershed topography plays an important role in determining the spatial
heterogeneity of ecological, geomorphological, and hydrological processes.
Few studies have quantified the role of topography in various flow variables.
In this study, 28 watersheds with snow-dominated hydrological regimes were
selected with daily flow records from 1989 to 1996. These watersheds are
located in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, and range in
size from 2.6 to 1780 km2. For each watershed, 22 topographic indices
(TIs) were derived, including those commonly used in hydrology and other
environmental fields. Flow variables include annual mean flow
(Qmean), Q10 %, Q25 %, Q50 %, Q75 %,
Q90 %, and annual minimum flow (Qmin), where Qx %
is defined as the daily flow that occurred each year at a given percentage
(x). Factor analysis (FA) was first adopted to exclude some redundant or
repetitive TIs. Then, multiple linear regression models were employed to
quantify the relative contributions of TIs to each flow variable in each
year. Our results show that topography plays a more important role in low
flows (flow magnitudes ≤ Q75 %) than high flows. However, the
effects of TIs on different flow magnitudes are not consistent. Our analysis
also determined five significant TIs: perimeter, slope length factor, surface
area, openness, and terrain characterization index. These can be used to
compare watersheds when low flow assessments are conducted, specifically in
snow-dominated regions with the watershed size less than several thousand
square kilometres.
Addition of rutin/quercetin mixture to spreadable processed cheese: antioxidant and textural characteristics
Authors: Červenka Libor , Hájek Tomáš , Salek Richardos Nikolaos , Černí­ková Michaela , Velichová Helena , Buňka František
Published: March 2018

Spreadable processed cheese is a traditional product made from a mixture of cheese, fat, water and emulsifying salts.The aim of this research was prepared spreadable processed cheese with new functional properties. Spreadable processed cheese enriched with the mixture (1:1) of rutin and quercetin (1.0 g.100g-1) was prepared at two melting temperature (80°C and 90°C) for three holding times (1, 5 and 10 min). The effect of melting temperature and holding time on the quercetin and rutin content was assessed using liquid chromatography with UV detection after ultrasonic-assissted extraction to methanol. The corresponding antioxidant characteristics were determined using spectrophotometric assays for total phenolics (TPC) and radical scavenging activities DPPH and ABTS. The extraction yield for quercetin varied from 45.8 to 66.4% and from 12.8 to 40.8% for rutin. The level of quercetin significantly descrased with the increase of holding time, while rutin content has increased with the increase of melting temperature. TPC values ranged from 10.8. to 14.8 mg GAE·g-1 in SPC sample enriched with rutin/quercetin mixture, and the increase of melting temperature resulted in the decrease of TPC values. DPPH and ABTS assays did not reveal any statistically significant pattern using Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA. The addition of the mixture of flavonoids into the processed cheese significantly reduced the complex modulus in comparison with the control sample (without flavonoids). This indicate that the structure of enriched SPC sample was more flexible than those in control processed cheese samples. Both melting temperature and holding time increased the complex modulus. Spreadable processed cheese are scarcely used as a carrier of flavonoids in scientific researches probably due to very complex matrices. Our research proved that spreadable processed cheese containing rutin/quercetin mixture can be used as a functional food.
Square wave voltammetry at carbon paste electrode modified with surfactant for alpha tocopheryl acetate determination in cosmetics
Authors: Žabčí­ková Simona , Nallbani Arlinda , Sýs Milan , Mikysek Tomáš , Červenka Libor
Published: March 2018

The aim of this study was describe electrochemical properties of a carbon paste electrode (CPE) bulk modified with 30% (w/w) surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate (CPE/SDS) and demonstrates its application in the determination of α‑tocopheryl acetate (α‑TAc), known as vitamin E acetate, in selected cosmetic products, especially body creams. In addition to anionic SDS, cationic hexadecylpyridinium chloride monohydrate (CPC) was also tested as possible modifier. It was found that selection of surfactant type and its content significantly affect an electrical conductivity and mechanical stability of these heterogeneous electroanalytical sensors in pure organic solvents. Under this study, it was found that CPC is a totally inappropriate mediator due to very high backgroundcurrent. Together with other lipophilic vitamins characterized by antioxidant activity (dominantly retionoids), this completely synthetic substance is widely used as significant cosmetic additive due its preservative properties. Monitoring of its content in cosmetic products is usually performed by high‑performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection. This standard analytical protocol is always burdened with the complex and time‑consuming preparation of the sample before analysis. For that reason, robust and simple electroanalytical method based on anodic oxidation of the α‑TAc at CPE/SDS by square wave voltammetry (SWV) performed in pure organic electrolyte (99.8% acetonitrile containing 0.1 mol·L‑1 LiClO4) was developed. Moreover, simple dissolution of sample in supporting electrolyte using ultrasonic bath and subsequent filtering through a stacked filter included all the necessary procedures for sample preparation. The linear range from 0.1 to 1.2 mmol·L‑1and limit of detection 37 µmol·L‑1 were found at pulse amplitude 10 mV and frequency 10 Hz as optimum. In analysis of selected cosmetics, the developed electroanalytical method was not validated using comparison with standard HPLC. At least, the recovery was verified by analysis of model sample and value 95.8% was calculated.