bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors Associated with Low Lean Mass in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Müller Raili , Kull Mart , Põlluste Kaja , Valner Annika , Lember Margus , Kallikorm Riina
Published: November 2019

Background and Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate body composition (BC) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients at disease onset compared to population controls focusing on the associations between low lean mass and disease specific parameters, nutritional factors and physical activity. Materials and Methods: 91 patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA) (72% female) and 328 control subjects (54% female) were studied. BC-lean and fat mass parameters were measured with a Lunar Prodigy Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) machine. The prevalence, age and gender adjusted odds ratios of having low lean mass and overfat, associations between nutrition, physical activity, and ERA disease specific parameters and the presence of low lean mass were evaluated. Results: We found that the BC of patients with recent onset RA differs from control subjects—ERA patients had a higher mean body fat percentage (BFP) and lower appendicular lean mass (ALM). 41.8% of the ERA patients and 19.8% of the controls were classified as having low lean mass adjusted OR 3.3 (95% C.I. 1.9–5.5, p < 0.001). 68.1% of the ERA subjects and 47.3% of the controls were overfat (adjusted OR 1.9 (95% C.I. 1.1–3.3, p = 0.02)) and the adjusted odds of having both low lean mass and overfat were 4.4 times higher (26.4% vs. 7.0% 95% C.I. 2.3–8.4, p < 0.001) among the ERA group. Higher ESR (OR 1.03, C.I. 1.002–1.051, p = 0.03), CRP (OR 1.03, C.I. 1.002–1.061, p = 0.04), lower protein intake (OR 0.98 C.I. 0.96–0.99, p = 0.04), corticosteroid usage (OR 3.71 C.I. 1.4–9.9, p < 0.01) and lower quality of life (higher HAQ score OR 2.41 C.I. 1.24–4.65, p < 0.01) were associated with having low lean mass in the ERA group (adjusted to age and gender). Conclusions: Patients with early RA have lower appendicular lean mass and higher body fat percentage compared to healthy controls. Loss of lean mass in early RA is associated with elevated inflammatory markers inducing catabolism, lower protein intake and also with GCS treatment.
Nanofiltration of Succinic Acid in Strong Alkaline Conditions
Authors: Schlackl Klaus , Herchl Richard , Samhaber Wolfgang
Published: November 2019

Nanofiltration is considered to be an appropriate separation technique in the production of bio-based materials. For the utilization of process streams from the viscose-fiber production, understanding the separation behavior of organic compounds in highly alkaline solutions is necessary. Experiments with succinic acid in sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solutions with varying concentrations up to 5 mol L−1 were performed with the NP030 membrane from Microdyn Nadir. Furthermore, experiments with aqueous disodium succinate and solutions of sodium sulfate in sodium hydroxide were carried out. The influence of concentration ratios and temperature was studied. The Spiegler and Kedem model as well as the Pusch model were applied to fit the experimental data. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and infrared (ATR–IR) measurements were performed to validate the chemical and thermomechanical stability of the membrane. The succinic acid retention varies with its degree of dissociation. In a fully dissociated form, the NaOH concentration shows no impact on the retention. In contrast, the retention of sulfate decreases with increasing NaOH concentration.
Thermal Methods for Damage Evaluation of Metallic Materials
Authors: Galietti Umberto , Palumbo Davide
Published: November 2019

Thermal methods represent a set of techniques and procedures based on the investigation of the thermal phenomena related to damage during static or fatigue stresses, or more in general, to the behaviour of damaged and defected areas [...]
Effect of Heat Treatment on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a Composite Made of Al-Si-Cu-Mg Aluminum Alloy Reinforced with SiC Particles
Authors: Li Xin , Yan Hong , Wang Zhi-Wei , Li Ning , Liu Jian-Long , Nie Qiao
Published: November 2019

In this paper, the effect of heat treatment (solution treatment and artificial aging) on the microstructure and properties of as-cast Al5Si1Cu0.5Mg aluminum alloy and its composite reinforced with 1.5 wt.% SiC particles was studied. The results showed that at 520 °C the optimal solution time for the aluminum alloy and its composite is 9 h and 6 h, respectively. After solution treatment, the microstructure of these two materials consists of a uniform distribution of nearly spherical eutectic Si and skeletal γ phase, furthermore, the composite eutectic Si phase is smaller and γ phase is more dispersed. After artificial aging at 175 °C for 6 h, the microstructure of the composite is more dispersed and finer than that of the aluminum alloy on the whole and Al2Cu is precipitated. After heat treatment, the microhardness, ultimate tensile strength, and elongation of the aluminum alloy and its composite are higher than those of the as-casts. At the same time, the morphology of tensile fracture surface changes very much from a large area of cleavage plane to a large number of dimples and the tearing ridges become thicker for both the aluminum alloy and its composite.
Comparison of Six Commercial Meat Starter Cultures for the Fermentation of Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Paste
Authors: An Borremans , Sam Crauwels , Dries Vandeweyer , Ruben Smets , Christel Verreth , Mik Van , Bart Lievens , Leen Van
Published: November 2019

In this study, six commercial meat starters, each consisting of a pure strain of a lactic acid-fermenting bacterium (including Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus curvatus, L. farciminis, L. plantarum, L. sakei, and Pediococcus acidilactici), were tested for their ability to ferment a paste produced from the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor). During fermentation, microbial counts, pH, and the bacterial community composition were determined. In addition, UPLC-MS was applied to monitor the consumption of glucose and the production of glutamic (Glu) and aspartic (Asp) acid. All tested starters were able to ferment the mealworm paste, judged by a pH reduction from 6.68 to 4.60–4.95 within 72 h. Illumina amplicon sequencing showed that all starters were able to colonize the substrate eciently. Moreover, the introduction of the starter cultures led to the disappearance of Bacillus and Clostridium species, which were the dominant microorganisms in un-inoculated samples. Of the six cultures tested, Lactobacillus farciminis was most promising as its application resulted in the largest increase (±25 mg/100 g of paste) in the content of free glutamic and aspartic acid. These amino acids are responsible for the appreciated umami flavour in fermented food products and might stimulate the acceptance of insects and their consumption.
First Proteomic Approach to Identify Cell Death Biomarkers in Wine Yeasts during Sparkling Wine Production
Authors: Porras-Agüera Juan Antonio , Moreno-García Jaime , Mauricio Juan Carlos , Moreno Juan , García-Martínez Teresa
Published: November 2019

Apoptosis and later autolysis are biological processes which take place in Saccharomyces cerevisiae during industrial fermentation processes, which involve costly and time-consuming aging periods. Therefore, the identification of potential cell death biomarkers can contribute to the creation of a long-term strategy in order to improve and accelerate the winemaking process. Here, we performed a proteomic analysis based on the detection of possible apoptosis and autolysis protein biomarkers in two industrial yeast strains commonly used in post-fermentative processes (sparkling wine secondary fermentation and biological aging) under typical sparkling wine elaboration conditions. Pressure had a negatively effect on viability for flor yeast, whereas the sparkling wine strain seems to be more adapted to these conditions. Flor yeast strain experienced an increase in content of apoptosis-related proteins, glucanases and vacuolar proteases at the first month of aging. Significant correlations between viability and apoptosis proteins were established in both yeast strains. Multivariate analysis based on the proteome of each process allowed to distinguish among samples and strains. The proteomic profile obtained in this study could provide useful information on the selection of wine strains and yeast behavior during sparkling wine elaboration. Additionally, the use of flor yeasts for sparkling wine improvement and elaboration is proposed.
The Effect of Nitrogen Content on Archaeal Diversity in an Arctic Lake Region
Authors: Lv Jinjiang , Liu Feng , Han Wenbing , Wang Yu , Zhu Qian , Zang Jiaye , Wang Shuang , Zhang Botao , Wang Nengfei
Published: November 2019

The function of Arctic soil ecosystems is crucially important for the global climate, and nitrogen (N) is the major limiting nutrient in these environments. This study assessed the effects of changes in nitrogen content on archaeal community diversity and composition in the Arctic lake area (London Island, Svalbard). A total of 16S rRNA genes were sequenced to investigate archaeal community composition. First, the soil samples and sediment samples were significantly different for the geochemical properties and archaeal community composition. Thaumarchaeota was an abundant phylum in the nine soil samples. Moreover, Euryarchaeota, Woesearchaeota, and Bathyarchaeota were significantly abundant phyla in the three sediment samples. Second, it was found that the surface runoff caused by the thawing of frozen soil and snow changed the geochemical properties of soils. Then, changes in geochemical properties affected the archaeal community composition in the soils. Moreover, a distance-based redundancy analysis revealed that NH4+–N (p < 0.05) and water content were the most significant factors that correlated with the archaeal community composition. Our study suggests that nitrogen content plays an important role in soil archaeal communities. Moreover, archaea play an important role in the carbon and nitrogen cycle in the Arctic lake area.
Management of Exciton for Highly-Efficient Hybrid White Organic Light-Emitting Diodes with a Non-Doped Blue Emissive Layer
Authors: Luo Wei , Chen Xing , Sun Shuang-Qiao , Zhang Yi-Jie , Wang Tong-Tong , Liao Liang-Sheng , Fung Man-Keung
Published: November 2019

Hybrid white organic light-emitting diodes (WOLEDs) have drawn great attention both for display and solid-state lighting purposes because of the combined advantages of desirable stability of fluorescent dyes and high efficiency of phosphorescent materials. However, in most WOLEDs, obtaining high efficiency often requires complex device structures. Herein, we achieved high-efficiency hybrid WOLEDs using a simple but efficacious structure, which included a non-doped blue emissive layer (EML) to separate the exciton recombination zone from the light emission region. After optimization of the device structure, the WOLEDs showed a maximum power efficiency (PE), current efficiency (CE), and external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 82.3 lm/W, 70.0 cd/A, and 22.2%, respectively. Our results presented here provided a new option for promoting simple-structure hybrid WOLEDs with superior performance.
Recent Progress and Advances of Multi-Stimuli-Responsive Dendrimers in Drug Delivery for Cancer Treatment
Authors: Le Ngoc Thuy Trang , Nguyen Thi Nhu Quynh , Cao Van Du , Hoang Duc Thuan , Ngo Van Cuong , Hoang Thi Thai Thanh
Published: November 2019

Despite the fact that nanocarriers as drug delivery systems overcome the limitation of chemotherapy, the leakage of encapsulated drugs during the delivery process to the target site can still cause toxic effects to healthy cells in other tissues and organs in the body. Controlling drug release at the target site, responding to stimuli that originated from internal changes within the body, as well as stimuli manipulated by external sources has recently received significant attention. Owning to the spherical shape and porous structure, dendrimer is utilized as a material for drug delivery. Moreover, the surface region of dendrimer has various moieties facilitating the surface functionalization to develop the desired material. Therefore, multi-stimuli-responsive dendrimers or ‘smart’ dendrimers that respond to more than two stimuli will be an inspired attempt to achieve the site-specific release and reduce as much as possible the side effects of the drug. The aim of this review was to delve much deeper into the recent progress of multi-stimuli-responsive dendrimers in the delivery of anticancer drugs in addition to the major potential challenges.
New Aspects of HECT-E3 Ligases in Cell Senescence and Cell Death of Plants
Authors: Lan Wei , Miao Ying
Published: November 2019

Plant cells undergo massive orderly changes in structure, biochemistry, and gene expression during cell senescence. These changes cannot be distinguished from the hydrolysis/degradation function controlled by the ubiquitination pathway, autophagy, and various hydrolases in cells. In this mini-review, we summarized current research progress that the human HECT (homologous to the E6AP carboxyl terminus)-type ubiquitin E3 ligases have non-redundant functions in regulating specific signaling pathways, involved in a number of human diseases, especially aging-related diseases, through the influence of DNA repair, protein stability, and removal efficiency of damaged proteins or organelles. We further compared HECT E3 ligases’ structure and functions between plant and mammalian cells, and speculated new aspects acting as degrading signals and regulating signals of HECT E3 ligase in cell senescence and the cell death of plants.
Viologen-Based Electrochromic Materials: From Small Molecules, Polymers and Composites to Their Applications
Authors: Shah Kwok Wei , Wang Su-Xi , Soo Debbie Xiang Yun , Xu Jianwei
Published: November 2019

Organic materials have gained considerable attention for electrochromic (EC) applications owing to improved EC performance and good processability. As a class of well-recognized organic EC materials, viologens have received persistent attention due to the structural versatility and property tunability, and are major active EC components for most of the marketed EC devices. Over the past two decades, extensive efforts have been made to design and synthesize different types of viologen-based materials with enhanced EC properties. This review summarizes chemical structures, preparation and EC properties of various latest viologen-based electrochromes, including small viologen derivatives, main-chain viologen-based polymers, conjugated polymers with viologen side-chains and viologen-based organic/inorganic composites. The performance enhancement mechanisms are concisely discussed. The current marketed viologens-based electrochromic devices (ECDs) are briefly introduced and an outlook on the challenges and future exploration directions for viologen-based materials and their ECDs are also proposed.
Esterification of Free Fatty Acids with Glycerol within the Biodiesel Production Framework
Authors: García Martín Juan Francisco , Carrión Ruiz Javier , Torres García Miguel , Feng Chao-Hui , Álvarez Mateos Paloma
Published: November 2019

Companies in the field of the collection and treatment of waste cooking oils (WCO) for subsequent biodiesel production usually have to cope with high acidity oils, which cannot be directly transformed into fatty acid methyl esters due to soap production. Since glycerine is the main byproduct of biodiesel production, these high acidity oils could be esterified with the glycerine surplus to transform the free fatty acids (FFA) into triglycerides before performing the transesterification. In this work, commercial glycerol was esterified with commercial fatty acids and commercial fatty acid/lampante olive oil mixtures over tin (II) chloride. In the first set of experiments, the esterification of linoleic acid with glycerol excess from 20 to 80% molar over the stoichiometric was performed. From 20% glycerol excess, there was no improvement in FFA reduction. Using 20% glycerol excess, the performance of a biochar obtained from heavy metal-contaminated plant roots was compared to that of SnCl2. Then, the effect of the initial FFA content was assessed using different oleic acid/lampante olive oil mixtures. The results illustrated that glycerolysis was impeded at initial FFA contents lower than 10%. Finally, the glycerolysis of a WCO with 9.94% FFA was assayed, without success.
Third Mission as an Opportunity for Professionalization in Science Management
Authors: Henke Justus
Published: November 2019

With the rise of the Third Mission of universities, the role of science management, which itself has been growing steadily over the years, is gaining relevance for organizational success. Science managers possess exclusive knowledge of organizational processes and keep their own external networks; neither scientists nor university management can give up on successfully carrying out Third Mission activities, such as lifelong learning or student exchange programs. This study takes up the question of whether this exclusive knowledge of science managers fosters their institutional establishment as influential—and therefore, professional—actors. This leads to the research question: Which power resources are available and used by science managers in the relationships with scientists and university management? The theoretical approach builds upon power resources and micro-politics as the core explaining variables for influencing others. In this pursuit, case studies of four German universities with altogether 27 qualitative interviews were conducted with science managers, university management and scientists. The results show that science managers only partially experiment with tactics that entail more risk, such as barter trade or dominance and the most common strategy in relation to others is moderation by idealization or objectivity. In contrast to expectations, they hereby lean more often on internal than on external networks as power resources. In general, two patterns emerge from the analysis: One group of science managers that act managerial and wishes for more room for individual maneuver, and a second group that sees itself as a service provider with little self-interest and wishes for more rules to strengthen their position towards scientists.
Mutually Unbiased Bases and Their Symmetries
Authors: Alber Gernot , Charnes Christopher
Published: November 2019

We present and generalize the basic ideas underlying recent work aimed at the construction of mutually unbiased bases in finite dimensional Hilbert spaces with the help of group and graph theoretical concepts. In this approach finite groups are used to construct maximal sets of mutually unbiased bases. Thus the prime number restrictions of previous approaches are circumvented and this construction principle sheds new light onto the intricate relation between mutually unbiased bases and characteristic geometrical structures of Hilbert spaces.
An Affordable Image Detector and a Low-Cost Evaluation System for Computed Tomography Using Neutrons, X-rays, or Visible Light
Authors: Schillinger Burkhard
Published: November 2019

Neutron computed tomography (nCT) has been established at many major neutron sources worldwide, using high-end equipment requiring major investment and development. Many older and smaller reactors would also be capable of doing nCT, but cannot afford the investment before feasibility is proven. We have developed a compact low-cost but high-quality detection system using a new cooled CMOS camera that can either be fully integrated into a sophisticated setup, or used with a rudimentary CT control and motion system to quickly evaluate feasibility of neutron CT at a given beam line facility. Exchanging the scintillation screen makes it feasible for X-rays as well, even for visible light (and transparent samples) using a matte screen. The control system uses a hack to combine motion control with existing imaging software so it can be used to test several dozen different cameras without writing specific drivers. Freeware software can do reconstruction and 3D imaging.
Living the Bhagavad Gita at Gandhi’s Ashrams
Authors: McLain Karline
Published: November 2019

The Bhagavad Gita is a philosophical Hindu scripture in which the god Krishna imparts lessons to the warrior prince Arjuna about sacred duty (dharma) and the path to spiritual liberation (moksha). This classical scripture has had a long and active interpretive life, and by the 19th century it had come to be regarded as a core text, if not the core text, of Hinduism. During the colonial period, interpretations of the Bhagavad Gita considered the relevance of Krishna’s lessons to Arjuna in the context of British colonial rule. While some Indians read a call to arms into their interpretation of this scripture and urged their fellow Indians to rise up in armed resistance, Gandhi famously read a nonviolent message into it. This article argues that equally as important as Gandhi’s hermeneutics of nonviolence is his commitment to enacting the lessons of the Bhagavad Gita as he interpreted them in the daily life of his intentional communities. When explored through the lens of daily life in these intentional communities (which Gandhi called ashrams), we see that Gandhi’s interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita emphasized not just nonviolence but also disciplined action, including self-sacrifice for the greater good.
Correction: Fiorini, L., et al., Unsupervised Machine Learning for Developing Personalised Behaviour Models Using Activity Data. Sensors 2017, 17, 1034
Authors: Fiorini Laura , Cavallo Filippo , Dario Paolo , Eavis Alexandra , Caleb-Solly Praminda
Published: November 2019

A correction is presented to correct the section headings of Sections 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3 in[Sensors, 2017, 17, 1034].
Blockchain in Smart Grids: A Review on Different Use Cases
Authors: Alladi Tejasvi , Chamola Vinay , Rodrigues Joel J. P. C. , Kozlov Sergei A.
Published: November 2019

With the integration of Wireless Sensor Networks and the Internet of Things, the smart grid is being projected as a solution for the challenges regarding electricity supply in the future. However, security and privacy issues in the consumption and trading of electricity data pose serious challenges in the adoption of the smart grid. To address these challenges, blockchain technology is being researched for applicability in the smart grid. In this paper, important application areas of blockchain in the smart grid are discussed. One use case of each area is discussed in detail, suggesting a suitable blockchain architecture, a sample block structure and the potential blockchain technicalities employed in it. The blockchain can be used for peer-to-peer energy trading, where a credit-based payment scheme can enhance the energy trading process. Efficient data aggregation schemes based on the blockchain technology can be used to overcome the challenges related to privacy and security in the grid. Energy distribution systems can also use blockchain to remotely control energy flow to a particular area by monitoring the usage statistics of that area. Further, blockchain-based frameworks can also help in the diagnosis and maintenance of smart grid equipment. We also discuss several commercial implementations of blockchain in the smart grid. Finally, various challenges to be addressed for integrating these two technologies are discussed.
A Fast and Efficient Measurement System for Nuclear Spin Relaxation Times in Atomic Vapors
Authors: Huang Ting , Miao Cunxiao , Wan Shuangai , Tian Xiaoqian , Li Rui
Published: November 2019

With the rapid progress of cutting-edge research such as quantum measurement technology, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) gyroscopes represent a major development direction of high-precision micro-miniature gyroscopes, which have significant advantages such as high precision, small size, and low power consumption. It is meaningful to measure the relaxation times of noble-gas atoms which are crucial indicators to accurately and quickly characterize the vapor cell performance as a core component of gyroscopes. In this paper, a test platform for relaxation time is built and an automatic relaxation time test system based on free induction decay (FID) and the π pulse method is designed to accelerate the relaxation time test. Firstly, the formula of the atomic dynamic process based on the Bloch equation was deduced, a GUI (Graphical User Interface) simulation based on the derived differential equation was conducted, and the moving process of the magnetic moment was visually described. Then, the virtual instrument was used to integrate multiple test instruments into an auto-test system, and LabVIEW programming was used for control to realize the automation of the test process on the test platform. Finally, the test results in different conditions were compared. The results show that the test system is stable and reliable with excellent man–machine interaction, and the measurement efficiency was increased by about 185%, providing an effective test scheme for vapor cell performance.
Development of a Sensor Node for Remote Monitoring of Plants
Authors: Catini Alexandro , Papale Leonardo , Capuano Rosamaria , Pasqualetti Valentina , Di Giuseppe Davide , Brizzolara Stefano , Tonutti Pietro , Di Natale Corrado
Published: November 2019

The appraisal of stress in plants is of great relevance in agriculture and any time the transport of living plants is involved. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are an optimal solution to simultaneously monitor a large number of plants in a mostly automatic way. A number of sensors are readily available to monitor indicators that are likely related to stress. The most common of them include the levels of total volatile compounds and CO2 together with common physical parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, and illumination, which are known to affect plants’ behavior. Recent progress in microsensors and communication technologies, such as the LoRa protocol, makes it possible to design sensor nodes of high sensitivity where power consumption, transmitting distances, and costs are optimized. In this paper, the design of a WSN dedicated to plant stress monitoring is described. The nodes have been tested on European privet (Ligustrum Jonandrum) kept in completely different conditions in order to induce opposite level of stress. The results confirmed the relationship between the release of total Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and the environmental conditions. A machine learning model based on recursive neural networks demonstrates that total VOCs can be estimated from the measure of the environmental parameters.
Flexible and Highly Sensitive Strain Sensor Based on Laser-Induced Graphene Pattern Fabricated by 355 nm Pulsed Laser
Authors: Jeong Sung-Yeob , MA Yong-Won , Lee Jun-Uk , Je Gyeong-Ju , Shin Bo-sung
Published: November 2019

A laser-induced-graphene (LIG) pattern fabricated using a 355 nm pulsed laser was applied to a strain sensor. Structural analysis and functional evaluation of the LIG strain sensor were performed by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging, and electrical–mechanical coupled testing. The electrical characteristics of the sensor with respect to laser fluence and focal length were evaluated. The sensor responded sensitively to small deformations, had a high gauge factor of ~160, and underwent mechanical fracture at 30% tensile strain. In addition, we have applied the LIG sensor, which has high sensitivity, a simple manufacturing process, and good durability, to human finger motion monitoring.
Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (SAM): A Robust Method for Defect Detection during the Manufacturing Process of Ultrasound Probes for Medical Imaging
Authors: Bertocci Francesco , Grandoni Andrea , Djuric-Rissner Tatjana
Published: November 2019

The main aim of this paper is to provide the feasibility of non-destructive testing (NDT) method, such as scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM), for damage detection in ultrasound (US) probes for medical imaging during the manufacturing process. In a highly competitive and demanding electronics and biomedical market, reliable non-destructive methods for quality control and failure analysis of electronic components within multi-layered structures are strongly required. Any robust non-destructive method should be capable of dealing with the complexity of miniaturized assemblies, such as the acoustic stack of ultrasonic transducers. In this work, the application of SAM in an industrial scenario was studied for 24 samples of a phased array probe, in order to investigate potential internal integrity, to detect damages, and to assess the compliance of high-demanding quality requirements. Delamination, non-homogeneous layers with micron-thickness, and entrapped air bubbles (blisters) in the bulk of US probe acoustic stacks were detected and studied. Analysis of 2D images and defects visualization by means of ultrasound-based NDT method were compared with electroacoustic characterization (also following as pulse-echo test) of the US probe through an ad-hoc measurement system. SAM becomes very useful for defect detection in multilayered structures with a thickness of some microns by assuring low time-consuming (a limit for other NDT techniques) and quantitative analyses based on measurements. The study provides a tangible contribution and identifies an advantage for manufacturers of ultrasound probes that are oriented toward continuous improvement devoted to the process capability, product quality, and in-process inspection.
Static and Dynamic Evaluation of a Winding Deformation FBG Sensor for Power Transformer Applications
Authors: de Melo Aguinaldo Goes , Benetti Daniel , de Lacerda Luiz Alkimin , Peres Rodrigo , Floridia Claudio , Silva Artur de Araujo , Rosolem Joao Batista
Published: November 2019

Power transformer is the most important and expensive equipment used in the electric power industry. Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors has stood out as a flexible and particularly suitable tool for power transformer monitoring being a passive and dielectric sensor element. In this work we evaluated the performance of FBG pressure sensors developed to monitor the static and dynamic pressure in high voltage winding transformers during events such as short-circuit and inrush current. Two types of sensors packaging materials were evaluated in laboratory: polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and transformerboard (TB). The sensors have been tested for high intensity and short duration impacts similar to those occurring in short circuits. In addition, we evaluated the time response of sensors using an interrogation system with a 5 kHz sweep in order to analyze the short circuit response time properly. The results pointed that FBG pressure sensors using PEEK and TB are suitable for transformer winding monitoring. The static sensitivity obtained to PEEK based sensors was 0.911 pm/N, in the range of 800 N to 1500 N. This sensitivity is 4.47 higher than TB based sensors sensitivity. Dynamical tests performance showed an excellent repeatability for both sensors, in agreement with static observation.
Integrated Photogrammetric-Acoustic Technique for Qualitative Analysis of the Performance of Acoustic Screens in Sandy Soils
Authors: Bravo José M. , Buchón-Moragues Fernando , Redondo Javier , Ferri Marcelino , Sánchez-Pérez Juan V.
Published: November 2019

In this work, we present an integrated photogrammetric-acoustic technique that, together with the construction of a scaled wind tunnel, allows us to experimentally analyze the permeability behavior of a new type of acoustic screen based on a material called sonic crystal. Acoustic screens are devices used to reduce noise, mostly due to communication infrastructures, in its transmission phase from the source to the receiver. The main constructive difference between these new screens and the classic ones is that the first ones are formed by arrays of acoustic scatterers while the second ones are formed by continuous walls. This implies that, due to their geometry, screens based on sonic crystals are permeable to wind and water, unlike the classic ones. This fact may allow the use of these new screens in sandy soils, where sand would pass through the screen, avoiding the formation of sand dunes that are formed in classic screens and drastically reducing their acoustic performance. In this work, the movement of the sand and the resulting acoustic attenuation in these new screens are analyzed qualitatively, comparing the results with those obtained with the classic ones, and obtaining interesting results from the acoustic point of view.
Training Competences in Industrial Risk Prevention with Lego® Serious Play®: A Case Study
Authors: Cerezo-Narváez Alberto , Córdoba-Roldán Antonio , Pastor-Fernández Andrés , Aguayo-González Francisco , Otero-Mateo Manuel , Ballesteros-Pérez Pablo
Published: November 2019

This paper proposes the use of the Lego® Serious Play® (LSP) methodology as a facilitating tool for the introduction of competences for Industrial Risk Prevention by engineering students from the industrial branch (electrical, electronic, mechanical and technological engineering), presenting the results obtained in the Universities of Cadiz and Seville in the academic years 2017–2019. Current Spanish legislation does not reserve any special legal attribution, nor does it require specific competence in occupational risk prevention for the regulated profession of a technical industrial engineer (Order CIN 351:2009), and only does so in a generic way for that of an industrial engineer (Order CIN 311:2009). However, these universities consider the training in occupational health and safety for these future graduates as an essential objective in order to develop them for their careers in the industry. The approach is based on a series of challenges proposed (risk assessments, safety inspections, accident investigations and fire protection measures, among others), thanks to the use of “gamification” dynamics with Lego® Serious Play®. In order to carry the training out, a set of specific variables (industrial sector, legal and regulatory framework, business organization and production system), and transversal ones (leadership, teamwork, critical thinking and communication), are incorporated. Through group models, it is possible to identify dangerous situations, establish causes, share and discuss alternative proposals and analyze the economic, environmental and organizational impact of the technical solutions studied, as well as take the appropriate decisions, in a creative, stimulating, inclusive and innovative context. In this way, the theoretical knowledge which is acquired is applied to improve safety and health at work and foster the prevention of occupational risks, promoting the commitment, effort, motivation and proactive participation of the student teams.
Ecological Citizens with a Movie Camera: Communitarian and Agonistic Environmental Documentaries
Authors: Hedemann Katrin
Published: November 2019

Environmental documentaries attained wider public and academic attention, especially in the aftermath of Al Gore’s prominent documentary on climate change An Inconvenient Truth. Making environmental documentaries is a cinematic form of political advocacy. However, there is a lack of research on the broad range of such films from Germany. While earlier works tended to an accusatory style, newer environmental documentary seems to be more constructive and aiming at spreading information about feasible alternatives. This article pursues three objectives: first, to gain a deeper understanding of the shift from accusatory to constructive documentaries; second, to connect film studies to the political change-making role and therefore to theories of ecological citizenship; and third, to explore the question of what citizenship with a movie camera means. The accusatory and constructive style are associated with agonistic and communitarian ecological citizenship. A sample of two films from the German context, namely Leben ausser Kontrolle produced by Bertram Verhaag in 2004 and Voices of Transition produced by Nils Aguilar in 2012, is analyzed comparatively. The interpretive research method combines methods of studying audio-visual rhetoric with the framing approach from social movement studies.
Changes in Relative Fish Density Around a Deployed Tidal Turbine during on-Water Activities
Authors: Staines Garrett , Zydlewski Gayle , Viehman Haley
Published: November 2019

Global interest in mitigating climate change effects is a driver for the development of renewable energy sources. In-stream tidal power, a type of marine hydrokinetic (MHK) energy uses tidal currents to generate electricity and is one example of developing a renewable energy industry. Effects and impacts on fishes in areas of tidal power development are a consideration, and presently there are many unanswered questions in this field of research. Knowledge of how fish use these areas before and after device installation is essential to informing regulators for decision-making. We attempted a Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) study design to compare an index of fish density near and away from an MHK tidal energy device deployed in Cobscook Bay, Maine. The index was mean volume backscattering strength (Sv) obtained from 24-hour stationary, down-looking hydroacoustic surveys. Data were collected several times per year at an “impact” site within 50–75 m of a device and at a “control” site approximately 1.6 km away, both before and after turbine installation in August 2012. Fish density was lowest in March surveys and highest in May surveys at both sites. One of four comparisons (August 2011/before vs. 2012/after) indicated an interaction of fish density with turbine installation. Operational status of the installed turbine and on-water activity disturbances (e.g., industry vessel and diving activities) varied at the impact site and possibly influenced results. Lower fish densities were observed during installation and maintenance periods than during normal device operation. The effects of construction activities must be separated from the effects of a deployed device to effectively implement a statistically rigorous assessment that could separate the effects of these different activities. This parsimonious approach and results were used for permit licensing by federal and state regulatory bodies at this site and others and can be used to consider regulatory adjustments during different phases of device operation and maintenance.
Global Spatial Distributions of and Trends in Rice Exposure to High Temperature
Authors: Wang Ran , Jiang Yao , Su Peng , Wang Jing’ai
Published: November 2019

Due to the effects of global warming, extreme temperature events are posing a great threat to crop yields, especially to temperature-sensitive crops such as rice. In the context of disaster risk theory, exposure is central to disaster prevention and reduction. Thus, a comprehensive analysis of crop exposure is essential to better reduce disaster effects. By combining the maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) and a multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), this paper analyzed the global distribution and change in rice exposure to high temperature. The results showed the future states of rice after exposure to high temperatures. Our results are: (1) the areas of potential rice distribution zones decreased within the representative concentration pathway (RCP) scenarios RCP2.6 to RCP8.5 in MaxEnt, where the long-term (2061–2080) decreases are greater than those seen in the medium term (2041–2060). (2) In the future, the number of high temperature hazards in potential rice distribution areas increased. In the RCP8.5 scenario, the intensities of global high temperature hazards on rice were reduced because the total area of potential rice distribution zones decreased. (3) Through the view of barycenter shift, the barycenter of the global potential rice and high temperature hazard distributions showed a trend of backward motion, which meant the global rice exposure to high temperature was in a downward trend. With the background of global change, this paper has great significance for the mitigation of high temperature risk in rice and its effect on the potential security of future global rice production. Future research is warranted to concentrate on discussing more socioeconomic factors and increasing rice exposure change from the temporal vision.
Empirical Insights into the Long-Run Linkage between Households Energy Consumption and Economic Growth: Macro-Level Empirical Evidence from Pakistan
Authors: Chandio Abbas Ali , Jiang Yuansheng , Sahito Jam Ghulam Murtaza , Ahmad Fayyaz
Published: November 2019

This study is a maiden empirical attempt to examine the long-run linkage between households’ usage of energy and economic progression in Pakistan from the period of 1972–2017. The Autoregressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) bounds testing method to co-integrate is employed to expose the causality dynamics between the variables such as households’ electricity consumption, households’ gas consumption, population growth, and per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Pakistan. The study adopted three renowned unit root approaches through the use of the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF), the Phillips-Perron (P-P), and Zivot-Andrews (Z&A) tests to check the stationarity of the variables, while the Johansen cointegration technique is also employed to assess the robustness of the long-run association. The validity of outcomes is also checked with casualty and variance decomposition. The estimated results reveal that, in both the short and long run, households’ electricity and gas usage positively affect economic growth, while population growth in the long-run has a negative impact, but the short-run analysis has a positive impact on economic growth in Pakistan. Additionally, the Granger causality and variance decomposition confirm the robustness of outcomes and suggesting a long run association among the variables, and a unidirectional causal link running from three variables to economic growth of Pakistan in the short run.
Bed Shear Stress Influence on Local Scour Geometry Properties in Various Flume Development Conditions
Authors: Kiraga Marta , Popek Zbigniew
Published: November 2019

Numerous approaches in sediment mobility studies highlighted the key meaning of channel roughness, which results not only from bed material granulation but also from various bed forms presence, caused by continuous sediment transport. Those forms are strictly connected with the intensity of particle transport, and they eventuate from bed shear stress. The present paper comprised of local scours geometric dimensions research in three variants of lengthwise development of laboratory flume in various hydraulic properties, both in “clear-water” and “live-bed” conditions of sediment movement. Lots of measurements of the bed conformation were executed using the LiDAR device, marked by a very precise three-dimensional shape description. The influence of the bed shear stress downstream model on scours hole dimensions of water structure was investigated as one of the key factors that impact the sediment transport intensity. A significant database of 39 experimental series, lasting averagely 8 h, was a foundation for delineating functional correlations between bed shear stress-and-critical shear stress ratio and geometry properties of local scours in various flume development cases. In the scope of mutual influence of bed shear stress and water depth, high correlation coefficients were attained, indicating very good and good functional correlations. Also, the influence of bed shear stress and the total length of the scour demonstrated a high correlation coefficient.
Analysis of Optimal Battery State-of-Charge Trajectory for Blended Regime of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Authors: Škugor Branimir , Soldo Jure , Deur Joško
Published: November 2019

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) typically combine several power sources, which call for the use of optimal control strategy design techniques. The PHEV powertrain efficiency can be improved if the battery is gradually discharged by blending fully electric and hybrid driving modes during the whole trip. Here, the battery state-of-charge (SoC) trajectory profile is of particular importance to achieving near-optimal powertrain operation. In order to reveal optimal patterns of SoC trajectory profiles, numerical optimizations of PHEV control variables based on the dynamic programing (DP) algorithm are conducted in the paper. The obtained optimal SoC trajectories are found to form linear-like profiles of minimum length when expressed with respect to travelled distance. Detailed analyses of the DP results point out that the SoC trajectory length is minimized in order to minimize electric losses, which is then reflected in reduced total fuel consumption. This finding is further justified by analyzing the problem of optimal discharging for the simplified battery-only system and for the powertrain as a whole. The impact of engine specific fuel consumption characteristic on the optimal SoC trajectory profile under simplified driving conditions is analyzed, as well.
Néoformation de silicates ferrifères amorphes dans la sédimentation pélagique récente
Authors: Fröhlich François
Published: November 2019

Les sédiments pélagiques récents de l'océan Indien montrent à l'analyse IR une forte proportion de silicates amorphes, les « complexes silico-ferriques amorphes ». Les principaux caractères sont décrits et la structure proposée est compatible avec leur néoformation à partir des eaux océaniques profondes.
Étude par spectroscopie Mössbauer de vivianites oxydées naturelles
Authors: Dormann Jean-Louis , Poullen Jean-François
Published: November 2019

Huit échantillons de vivianite à divers degrés d'oxydation ont été analysés en spectroscopie Mössbauer. Ces échantillons ont été préalablement triés afin de séparer les zones monocliniques (vivianite) des zones tricliniques (métavivianite), la symétrie et l'homogénéité de chaque fraction étant vérifiée aux rayons X. Sachant que la métavivianite est un terme de la séquence d'oxydation de la vivianite, les spectres Mössbauer confirment et précisent les résultats que nous avions précédemment obtenus. Ils permettent en outre de délimiter les différentes phases apparues au cours des variations du degré d'oxydation du cristal ainsi que de suivre l'évolution des polyèdres de coordination du fer.
Gentianella montesinosii (Gentianaceae, Gentianeae, Swertiinae), a New Species from Peru
Authors: Pringle James S.
Published: November 2019

The new species Gentianella montesinosii J. S. Pringle is described from Huánuco Department, Peru. It resembles G. pyrostelium J. S. Pringle, from which it differs in its much greater plant size, less deeply lobed corollas, and stamens inserted lower on the corolla tube.