bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simulating Growth and Development Processes of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.): Adaptation and Evaluation of the CSM-CROPGRO Model
Authors: Präger Achim , Boote Kenneth J. , Munz Sebastian , Graeff-Hönninger Simone
Published: December 2019

In recent years, the intra-annual yield variability of traditional food crops grown in Europe increased due to extreme weather events driven by climate change. The Andean crop quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), being well adapted to drought, salinity, and frost, is considered to be a promising new crop for Europe to cope with unfavorable environmental conditions. However, cultivation guidelines and cropping experiences are missing on a long-term scale. The adaptation of a mechanistic crop growth model will support the long-term evaluation of quinoa if grown under the diverse environmental conditions of Europe. The objective of this study was to adapt the process-based cropping system model (CSM) CROPGRO, which is included in the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT). Therefore, species and genetic coefficients were calibrated using literature values and growth analysis data, including crop life cycle, leaf area index (LAI), specific leaf area (SLA), dry matter partitioning and nitrogen concentrations in different plant tissues, aboveground biomass, and yield components, of a sowing date experiment (covering two cultivars and four sowing dates) conducted in southwestern Germany in 2016. Model evaluation was performed on the crop life cycle, final aboveground biomass, and final grain yield for different sowing dates using an independent data set collected at the same site in 2017. The resulting base temperatures regarding photosynthetic, vegetative, and reproductive processes ranged between 1 and 10 °C, while the corresponding optimum temperatures were between 15 and 36 °C. On average, the crop life cycle was predicted with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 4.7 and 3.0 days in 2016 and 2017, respectively. In 2016, the mean predicted aboveground biomass during the growth cycle showed a d-index of 0.98 (RMSE = 858 kg ha−1). Furthermore, the LAI, SLA, and leaf nitrogen concentrations were simulated with a high accuracy, showing a mean RMSE of 0.29 (d-index = 0.94), 25 cm2 g−1 (d-index = 0.88), and 0.51% (d-index = 0.95). Evaluations on the grain yield and aboveground biomass across four sowing dates in 2017 suggested a good robustness of the new quinoa model. The mean predicted aboveground biomass and grain yield at harvest maturity were 6479 kg ha−1 (RMSE = 898.9 kg ha−1) and 3843 kg ha−1 (RMSE = 450.3 kg ha−1), respectively. Thus, the CSM-CROPGRO model can be used to evaluate the long-term suitability, as well as different management strategies of quinoa under European conditions. However, further development on the simulation of small seed sizes and under water or nitrogen-limited environments are needed.
Design, Manufacturing, and Testing of a New Concept for a Morphing Leading Edge using a Subsonic Blow Down Wind Tunnel
Authors: Communier David , Le Besnerais Franck , Botez Ruxandra Mihaela , Wong Tony
Published: December 2019

This paper presents the design and wind tunnel test results of a wing including a morphing leading edge for a medium unmanned aerial vehicle with a maximum wingspan of 5 m. The design of the morphing leading edge system is part of research on the design of a morphing camber system. The concept presented here has the advantage of being simple to manufacture (wooden construction) and light for the structure of the wing (compliance mechanism). The morphing leading edge prototype demonstrates the possibility of modifying the stall angle of the wing. In addition, the modification of the stall angle is performed without affecting the slope of the lift coefficient. This prototype is designed to validate the functionality of the deformation method applied to the leading edge of the wing. The mechanism can be further optimized in terms of shape and material to obtain a greater deformation of the leading edge, and, thus, to have a higher impact on the increase of the stall angle than the first prototype of the morphing leading edge presented in this paper.
Dissolution of Chitin in Deep Eutectic Solvents Composed of Imidazolium Ionic Liquids and Thiourea
Authors: Idenoue Satoshi , Yamamoto Kazuya , Kadokawa Jun-ichi
Published: December 2019

Chitin is an abundant organic resource but shows poor solubility, leading to difficulty in utilization as materials. We have already reported that an ionic liquid (IL), 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide, dissolves chitin at concentrations up to ca. 5 wt %. However, the color of the resulting solution is blackened, mainly owing to the presence of bromide. On the other hand, some deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been already reported to dissolve chitin. In this study, we found that DESs composed of imidazolium ILs and thiourea dissolved chitin without obvious coloring. DESs are systems formed from eutectic mixtures of hydrogen bond accepters and donors. We first prepared DESs by heating mixtures of imidazolium ILs with thiourea at 100 °C for 30 min with stirring. Predetermined amounts of chitin were then added to the DESs, and for the dissolution, the mixtures were left standing at room temperature for 24 h, followed by heating at 100 °C for 24 h with stirring. The dissolution processes were evaluated by CCD camera views, which revealed in most cases the dissolution of chitin at 2–5 wt % concentrations with the present DESs.
On the Development of Mechanothermodynamics as a New Branch of Physics
Authors: Sosnovskiy Leonid A. , Sherbakov Sergei S.
Published: December 2019

This paper aims to substantiate and formulate the main principles of the physical discipline-mechanothermodynamics that unites Newtonian mechanics and thermodynamics. Its principles are based on using entropy as a bridge between mechanics and thermodynamics. Mechanothermodynamics combines two branches of physics, mechanics and thermodynamics, to take a fresh look at the evolution of complex systems. The analysis of more than 600 experimental results allowed for determining a unified mechanothermodynamical function of limiting states (critical according to damageability) of polymers and metals. They are also known as fatigue fracture entropy states.
Disclosure of Non-Current Tangible Assets Information in Local Government Financial Statements: The Case of Lithuania
Authors: Kanapickiene Rasa , Keliuotyte-Staniuleniene Greta
Published: December 2019

The aim of the research is to examine and evaluate the accounting information disclosure quality of the non-current tangible assets in the financial statements of the municipalities of Lithuania and identify municipality characteristics having an impact on the accounting information disclosure quality. Although the question of Lithuania public sector accounting information disclosure quality has been relevant since the Public Sector Accounting and Financial Reporting Reform in 2010, this research is the first of its kind in Lithuania. Based on the legal and regulatory requirements and related scientific literature, the research model of the accounting information disclosure quality in the financial statements has been created. Using the content analysis of consolidated annual financial statements of Lithuanian municipalities (years 2013–2016), the disclosure quality index has been calculated, as well as the accounting information disclosure quality of the tangible assets has been evaluated and compared. The results show that the quality of accounting information disclosure of Lithuanian municipalities in 2013 was low (revealed 37.87% of the mandatory information), while in subsequent years, the disclosure of mandatory information increased (to 45.50% in 2016) and the quality of information disclosure became average. Multiple panel regression analysis revealed that specific factors such as size of the municipality, municipality debt-paying capacity, municipality tangible assets, and municipality revenue, have a statistically significant impact on the accounting information disclosure quality.
Study on Operating Strategy of Electric–Gas Combined System Considering the Improvement of Dispatchability
Authors: Zhang Wei , Liu Ruoyao , Yang Xinyu
Published: December 2019

The uncertainty of distributed energy (DG) and load in the electric–gas combined system (EGCS) requires EGCS to have higher dispatching capacity. A novel strategy is introduced in this paper to operate EGCS considering dispatchability evaluation indexes in order to improve the dispatchability of EGCS. Firstly, the paper describes the physical architecture of EGCS and its main devices. Based on the typical structure of EGCS, the main coupling modes between the two networks are analyzed and summarized, and a power flow model of deep coupling EGCS is established. Then, it proposes a unified quantitative modeling method of dispatchability, and qualitatively analyzes the dispatchability capability of different types of resources in the system through the definition, connotation, and multi-dimensional attributes of EGCS dispatchability. In order to characterize the strength of the overall dispatchability of EGCS, two evaluation indexes, upward/downward dispatchability margin, are proposed. The case study validates the applicability of the proposed dispatchability indexes through simulation. The uncertainties existing in various sources, namely networks and loads of EGCS, the output power of wind farms, and photovoltaic plants, are analyzed emphatically through actual data of a certain area. The EGCS economic dispatching model is established by considering the DG output prediction errors, introducing the expected penalty term of insufficient dispatchability into the objective function, and calculating the dispatchability margin through the simulation model to quantitatively analyze the dispatchability capability of the system.
Nanomaterial Gas Sensors for Online Monitoring System of Fruit Jams
Authors: Núñez-Carmona Estefanía , Abbatangelo Marco , Zottele Ivano , Piccoli Pierpaolo , Tamanini Armando , Comini Elisabetta , Sberveglieri Giorgio , Sberveglieri Veronica
Published: December 2019

Jams are appreciated worldwide and have become a growing market, due to the greater attention paid by consumers for healthy food. The selected products for this study represent a segment of the European market that addresses natural products without added sucrose or with a low content of natural sugars. This study aims to identify volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that characterize three flavors of fruit and five recipes using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) analysis. Furthermore, an innovative device, a small sensor system (S3), based on gas sensors with nanomaterials has been used; it may be particularly advantageous in the production line. Results obtained with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) show that S3 can distinguish among the different recipes thanks to the differences in the VOCs that are present in the specimens, as evidenced by the GC–MS analysis. Finally, this study highlights how the thermal processes for obtaining the jam do not alter the natural properties of the fruit.
Lalibela: Spiritual Genealogy beyond Epistemic Violence in Ethiopia
Authors: Woldeyes Yirga Gelaw
Published: December 2019

The rock hewn churches of Lalibela have special significance in the formation of Ethiopia’s consciousness as a sacred land of God’s covenant. Numerous local stories express the sanctity of Lalibela as a Heavenly Jerusalem on earth and the faithful use holy soil from the churches to cure the sick. Every year, thousands of Tewahido believers travel to receive blessings. Local scholars who studied decades in the indigenous education system serve as intermediaries between the sanctity of the place and the people, and transmit their knowledge to the younger generation. This paper traces this spiritual genealogy to the creation story in the Kebra Nagast regarding the Ark of the Covenant (Tabot) and relates it to Lalibela’s famous churches. It demonstrates the existence of enduring spiritual genealogy that considers place as alive and powerful. The paper also reflects on how the loss of indigenous sources of knowledges, particularly through the stealing or taking of manuscripts by foreign collectors, and the rise of a Eurocentric interpretation of the history of Lalibela challenges this millennial spiritual tradition. It argues that this has resulted in epistemic violence, the practice of interpreting local knowledge with a foreign lens in a way that reinforces colonial Eurocentric views that are then internalised within Africans themselves. Despite such challenges, it shows how the genealogy continues through the very identity and practice of local communities and individuals.
Core Element Cloning, Cis-Element Mapping and Serum Regulation of the Human EphB4 Promoter: A Novel TATA-Less Inr/MTE/DPE-Like Regulated Gene
Authors: Scalia Pierluigi , Williams Stephen J. , Giordano Antonio
Published: December 2019

The EphB4 gene encodes for a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor involved in embryonic blood vessel differentiation and cancer development. Although EphB4 is known to be regulated at the post-translational level, little is known about its gene regulation. The present study describes the core promoter elements’ identification and cloning, the cis-regulatory elements’ mapping and the serum regulation of the human EphB4 gene promoter region. Using bioinformatic analysis, Sanger sequencing and recombinant DNA technology, we analyzed the EphB4 gene upstream region spanning +40/−1509 from the actual transcription start site (TSS) and proved it to be a TATA-less gene promoter with dispersed regulatory elements characterized by a novel motif-of-ten element (MTE) at positions +18/+28, and a DPE-like motif and a DPE-like-repeated motif (DRM) spanning nt +27/+30 and +32 +35, respectively. We also mapped both proximal (multiple Sp1) and distal (HoxA9) trans-activating/dispersed cis-acting transcription factor (TF)-binding elements on the region we studied and used a transient transfection reporter assay to characterize its regulation by serum and IGF-II using EphB4 promoter deletion constructs with or without the identified new DNA-binding elements. Altogether, these findings shed new light on the human EphB4 promoter structure and regulation, suggesting mechanistic features conserved among Pol-II TATA-less genes phylogenetically shared from Drosophila to Human genomes.
Understanding the Experience and Needs of School Counsellors When Working with Young People Who Engage in Self-Harm
Authors: Te Maro Ben , Cuthbert Sasha , Sofo Mia , Tasker Kahn , Bowden Linda , Donkin Liesje , Hetrick Sarah E.
Published: December 2019

Self-harm rates are increasing globally and demand for supporting, treating and managing young people who engage in self-harm often falls to schools. Yet the approach taken by schools varies. This study aimed to explore the experience of school staff managing self-harm, and to obtain their views on the use of guidelines in their work. Twenty-six pastoral care staff from New Zealand were interviewed. Interviews were analyzed and coded using thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: The burden of the role; discrepancies in expectations, training, and experience; and the need for guidelines to support their work. This research, therefore, demonstrated a need for guidelines to support school staff to provide support around decision making and response to self-harm in the school environment.
Bio-Capture of Solid Pollutants by Vegetation Canopy Cave in Shallow Water Flow
Authors: Li Yanhong , Xie Liquan , Su Tsung-chow
Published: December 2019

Vegetation has already been acknowledged to have the ability to remove fine solid pollutants by retention and absorption, and is widely used in the biorestoration engineering of natural shallow water flow. Vegetation usually takes a long time to obtain the expected removal rate. Therefore, vegetation is not applicable for some urgent or pressing situations. In addition, in traditional biorestoration engineering, solid pollutants usually deposit in the soil of flow bed, which infiltrates into the far-field and accumulates in crops to threaten human health. Herein, we propose a new biotechnique of foliage capture by designing a cave on the top of a vegetation canopy, which is aimed to enhance the removal efficiency (i.e., achieve quick removal) and avoid the soil deposition of pollutants. The effectiveness and efficiency of this new design were validated by a set of indoor water flume experiments, with one flat canopy top configuration serving as the model of a traditional bioretention system and three cave configurations of differing aspect ratios. The results showed that compared with that of the flat canopy top, the total amount of foliage-captured solid particles for the three caved canopies increased by 3.8, 7.3, and 12.2 times. Further, we found that the foliage-capture efficiency depended on the aspect ratio of the canopy cave. The results revealed that the effectiveness of foliage capture and the enhanced efficiency were mainly from three hydrodynamic mechanisms: (i) as flow penetrated the cave boundary from the above-canopy region to the within-canopy region, it entrained solid pollutants to collide with the foliage and increased their fate of capture; (ii) the large eddy vortices of turbulence broke due to the increasing canopy resistance, which resulted in enhanced mixing dynamics for fine, suspended, solid pollutants to collide into foliage; and (iii) the flow shear along the cave boundary decreased, which provided a reduced lift force for solid pollutants to suspend or resuspend. Comparisons between the flat canopy and caved canopies of three aspect ratios showed that the design of the canopy cave is highly significant for capture efficiency.
Using a Developmental-Relational Approach to Understand the Impact of Interpersonal Violence in Women Who Struggle with Substance Use
Authors: Andrews Naomi C. Z. , Motz Mary , Bondi Bianca C. , Leslie Margaret , Pepler Debra J.
Published: December 2019

Substance use among women is a major public health concern. This review article takes a developmental-relational approach to examine processes through which early relational trauma and violence in relationships may lead to substance use. We examine how early exposure to violence in relationships can impact neurological development, specifically through interference with physiological mechanisms (e.g., the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), brain structure and functioning (e.g., the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex), and neuropsychological development (e.g., executive functioning and emotion regulation) across the lifespan. Further, we discuss the impact of exposure to violence on the development of relational capacity, including attachment, internal working models, and subsequent interpersonal relationships across the lifespan, and how these developmental pathways can lead to continued problematic substance use in women.
Integrated Methylome and Transcriptome Analysis between the CMS-D2 Line ZBA and Its Maintainer Line ZB in Upland Cotton
Authors: Zhang Meng , Guo Liping , Qi Tingxiang , Zhang Xuexian , Tang Huini , Wang Hailin , Qiao Xiuqin , Zhang Bingbing , Feng Juanjuan , Zuo Zhidan , Li Ting , Shahzad Kashif , Wu Jianyong , Xing Chaozhu
Published: December 2019

DNA methylation is an important epigenetic modification involved in multiple biological processes. Altered methylation patterns have been reported to be associated with male sterility in some plants, but their role in cotton cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) remains unclear. Here, integrated methylome and transcriptome analyses were conducted between the CMS-D2 line ZBA and its near-isogenic maintainer line ZB in upland cotton. More methylated cytosine sites (mCs) and higher methylation levels (MLs) were found among the three sequence contexts in ZB compared to ZBA. A total of 4568 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and 2096 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) were identified. Among the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with DMRs (DMEGs), 396 genes were upregulated and 281 genes were downregulated. A bioinformatics analysis of these DMEGs showed that hyper-DEGs were significantly enriched in the “oxidative phosphorylation” pathway. Further qRT-PCR validation indicated that these hypermethylated genes (encoding the subunits of mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) complexes I and V) were all significantly upregulated in ZB. Our biochemical data revealed a higher extent of H2O2 production but a lower level of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis in CMS-D2 line ZBA. On the basis of the above results, we propose that disrupted DNA methylation in ZBA may disrupt the homeostasis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and ATP synthesis in mitochondria, triggering a burst of ROS that is transferred to the nucleus to initiate programmed cell death (PCD) prematurely, ultimately leading to microspore abortion. This study illustrates the important role of DNA methylation in cotton CMS.
Oligosaccharyltransferase: A Gatekeeper of Health and Tumor Progression
Authors: Harada Yoichiro , Ohkawa Yuki , Kizuka Yasuhiko , Taniguchi Naoyuki
Published: December 2019

Oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) is a multi-span membrane protein complex that catalyzes the addition of glycans to selected Asn residues within nascent polypeptides in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. This process, termed N-glycosylation, is a fundamental post-translational protein modification that is involved in the quality control, trafficking of proteins, signal transduction, and cell-to-cell communication. Given these crucial roles, N-glycosylation is essential for homeostasis at the systemic and cellular levels, and a deficiency in genes that encode for OST subunits often results in the development of complex genetic disorders. A growing body of evidence has also demonstrated that the expression of OST subunits is cell context-dependent and is frequently altered in malignant cells, thus contributing to tumor cell survival and proliferation. Importantly, a recently developed inhibitor of OST has revealed this enzyme as a potential target for the treatment of incurable drug-resistant tumors. This review summarizes our current knowledge regarding the functions of OST in the light of health and tumor progression, and discusses perspectives on the clinical relevance of inhibiting OST as a tumor treatment.
Pisidium coreanum Inhibits Multinucleated Osteoclast Formation and Prevents Estrogen-Deficient Osteoporosis
Authors: Choi Mun Hwan , Lee Kyunghee , Kim Mi Yeong , Shin Hong-In , Jeong Daewon
Published: December 2019

Mollusks have served as important sources of human food and medicine for a long time. Raw Pisidium coreanum, a freshwater bivalve of the phylum Mollusca, is used in traditional therapies in parts of Asia. However, the therapeutic effects of Pisidium coreanum on bone diseases are not known. We investigated the functional roles of Pisidium coreanum in osteoporotic bone diseases. Pisidium coreanum inhibited the differentiation of bone marrow-derived monocytic cells into mature osteoclasts in vitro. The ovariectomized mice that received oral administration of Pisidium coreanum showed improvements in both trabecular and cortical bones. This preventive activity of Pisidium coreanum against bone loss was due to limited osteoclast maturation with reduced osteoclast surface extent in trabecular bone tissue. The formation of large multinucleated osteoclasts in vitro was significantly decreased in response to Pisidium coreanum, consistent with the reduced expression levels of osteoclast markers and fusion-related genes, such as NFATc1, p65, integrin αvβ3, DC-STAMP, OC-STAMP, Atp6v0d2, FAK, CD44, and MFR. These data suggest that Pisidium coreanum inhibits osteoclast differentiation by negatively regulating the fusion of mononuclear osteoclast precursors. Thus, our data demonstrate the ability of Pisidium coreanum to effectively prevent estrogen-deficient osteoporosis through inhibition of multinucleated osteoclast formation.
Thermoresponsive Catechol Based-Polyelectrolyte Complex Coatings for Controlled Release of Bortezomib
Authors: Reis Berthold , Vehlow David , Rust Tarik , Kuckling Dirk , Müller Martin
Published: December 2019

To overcome the high relapse rate of multiple myeloma (MM), a drug delivery coating for functionalization of bone substitution materials (BSM) is reported based on adhesive, catechol-containing and stimuli-responsive polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs). This system is designed to deliver the MM drug bortezomib (BZM) directly to the anatomical site of action. To establish a gradual BZM release, the naturally occurring caffeic acid (CA) is coupled oxidatively to form poly(caffeic acid) (PCA), which is used as a polyanion for complexation. The catechol functionalities within the PCA are particularly suitable to form esters with the boronic acid group of the BZM, which are then cleaved in the body fluid to administer the drug. To achieve a more thorough control of the release, the thermoresponsive poly(N-isoproplyacrylamide-co-dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate) (P(NIPAM-co-DMAEMA)) was used as a polycation. Using turbidity measurements, it was proven that the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) character of this polymer was transferred to the PECs. Further special temperature dependent attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) showed that coatings formed by PEC immobilization exhibit a similar thermoresponsive performance. By loading the coatings with BZM and studying the release in a model system, via UV/Vis it was observed, that both aims, the retardation and the stimuli control of the release, were achieved.
Dual RNA Sequencing of Vitis vinifera during Lasiodiplodia theobromae Infection Unveils Host–Pathogen Interactions
Authors: Gonçalves Micael , Nunes Rui , Tilleman Laurentijn , Van de Peer Yves , Deforce Dieter , Van Nieuwerburgh Filip , Esteves Ana , Alves Artur
Published: December 2019

Lasiodiplodia theobromae is one of the most aggressive agents of the grapevine trunk disease Botryosphaeria dieback. Through a dual RNA-sequencing approach, this study aimed to give a broader perspective on the infection strategy deployed by L. theobromae, while understanding grapevine response. Approximately 0.05% and 90% of the reads were mapped to the genomes of L. theobromae and Vitis vinifera, respectively. Over 2500 genes were significantly differentially expressed in infected plants after 10 dpi, many of which are involved in the inducible defense mechanisms of grapevines. Gene expression analysis showed changes in the fungal metabolism of phenolic compounds, carbohydrate metabolism, transmembrane transport, and toxin synthesis. These functions are related to the pathogenicity mechanisms involved in plant cell wall degradation and fungal defense against antimicrobial substances produced by the host. Genes encoding for the degradation of plant phenylpropanoid precursors were up-regulated, suggesting that the fungus could evade the host defense response using the phenylpropanoid pathway. The up-regulation of many distinct components of the phenylpropanoid pathway in plants supports this hypothesis. Moreover, genes related to phytoalexin biosynthesis, hormone metabolism, cell wall modification enzymes, and pathogenesis-related proteins seem to be involved in the host responses observed. This study provides additional insights into the molecular mechanisms of L. theobromae and V. vinifera interactions.
Breathing Signature as Vitality Score Index Created by Exercises of Qigong: Implications of Artificial Intelligence Tools Used in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Authors: Zhang Junjie , Su Qingning , Loudon William G. , Lee Katherine L. , Luo Jane , Dethlefs Brent A. , Li Shengwen Calvin
Published: December 2019

Rising concerns about the short- and long-term detrimental consequences of administration of conventional pharmacopeia are fueling the search for alternative, complementary, personalized, and comprehensive approaches to human healthcare. Qigong, a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine, represents a viable alternative approach. Here, we started with the practical, philosophical, and psychological background of Ki (in Japanese) or Qi (in Chinese) and their relationship to Qigong theory and clinical application. Noting the drawbacks of the current state of Qigong clinic, herein we propose that to manage the unique aspects of the Eastern ‘non-linearity’ and ‘holistic’ approach, it needs to be integrated with the Western “linearity” “one-direction” approach. This is done through developing the concepts of “Qigong breathing signatures,” which can define our life breathing patterns associated with diseases using machine learning technology. We predict that this can be achieved by establishing an artificial intelligence (AI)-Medicine training camp of databases, which will integrate Qigong-like breathing patterns with different pathologies unique to individuals. Such an integrated connection will allow the AI-Medicine algorithm to identify breathing patterns and guide medical intervention. This unique view of potentially connecting Eastern Medicine and Western Technology can further add a novel insight to our current understanding of both Western and Eastern medicine, thereby establishing a vitality score index (VSI) that can predict the outcomes of lifestyle behaviors and medical conditions.
Prediction of Plate Crown during Aluminum Hot Flat Rolling by Finite Element Modeling
Authors: Gavalas Evangelos , Papaefthymiou Spyros
Published: December 2019

The roll deflection during hot rolling can result in uneven thickness distribution across the width of a plate (crown). A conventional rolling mill is equipped with bending systems that can control this convex shape of the plate. However, the determination of the proper bending load is very complicated as the plate crown is influenced by the rolling conditions. In this paper, a thermo-mechanical Finite Element Model on LS-DYNA™ software was utilized to predict crown evolution based on the rolling conditions in order to determine the setting values for achieving the target crown. The simulation results were compared and verified with actual industrial data for rolling force, plate temperature and plate crown. This approach is essential for pass schedule design and process parameter optimization in order to achieve the desired product quality.
Bivariate α,q-Bernstein–Kantorovich Operators and GBS Operators of Bivariate α,q-Bernstein–Kantorovich Type
Authors: Cai Qing-Bo , Cheng Wen-Tao , Çekim Bayram
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we introduce a family of bivariate α , q -Bernstein–Kantorovich operators and a family of G B S (Generalized Boolean Sum) operators of bivariate α , q -Bernstein–Kantorovich type. For the former, we obtain the estimate of moments and central moments, investigate the degree of approximation for these bivariate operators in terms of the partial moduli of continuity and Peetre’s K-functional. For the latter, we estimate the rate of convergence of these G B S operators for B-continuous and B-differentiable functions by using the mixed modulus of smoothness.
Bounded Solutions of Semilinear Time Delay Hyperbolic Differential and Difference Equations
Authors: Ashyralyev Allaberen , Agirseven Deniz
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we study the initial value problem for a semilinear delay hyperbolic equation in Hilbert spaces with a self-adjoint positive definite operator. The mean theorem on the existence and uniqueness of a bounded solution of this differential problem for a semilinear hyperbolic equation with unbounded time delay term is established. In applications, the existence and uniqueness of bounded solutions of four problems for semilinear hyperbolic equations with time delay in unbounded term are obtained. For the approximate solution of this abstract differential problem, the two-step difference scheme of a first order of accuracy is presented. The mean theorem on the existence and uniqueness of a uniformly bounded solution of this difference scheme with respect to time stepsize is established. In applications, the existence and uniqueness of a uniformly bounded solutions with respect to time and space stepsizes of difference schemes for four semilinear partial differential equations with time delay in unbounded term are obtained. In general, it is not possible to get the exact solution of semilinear hyperbolic equations with unbounded time delay term. Therefore, numerical results for the solution of difference schemes for one and two dimensional semilinear hyperbolic equation with time delay are presented. Finally, some numerical examples are given to confirm the theoretical analysis.
Homotopy Analysis Method for a Fractional Order Equation with Dirichlet and Non-Local Integral Conditions
Authors: Mesloub Said , Obaidat Saleem
Published: December 2019

The main purpose of this paper is to obtain some numerical results via the homotopy analysis method for an initial-boundary value problem for a fractional order diffusion equation with a non-local constraint of integral type. Some examples are provided to illustrate the efficiency of the homotopy analysis method (HAM) in solving non-local time-fractional order initial-boundary value problems. We also give some improvements for the proof of the existence and uniqueness of the solution in a fractional Sobolev space.
Game Analysis of Wind Storage Joint Ventures Participation in Power Market Based on a Double-Layer Stochastic Optimization Model
Authors: Ma Bin , Geng Shiping , Tan Caixia , Niu Dongxiao , He Zhijin
Published: December 2019

The volatility of a new energy output leads to bidding bias when participating in the power market competition. A pumped storage power station is an ideal method of stabilizing new energy volatility. Therefore, wind power suppliers and pumped storage power stations first form wind storage joint ventures to participate in power market competition. At the same time, middlemen are introduced, constructing an upper-level game model (considering power producers and wind storage joint ventures) that forms equilibrium results of bidding competition in the wholesale and power distribution markets. Based on the equilibrium result of the upper-level model, a lower model is constructed to distribute the profits from wind storage joint ventures. The profits of each wind storage joint venture, wind power supplier, and pumped storage power station are obtained by the Nash negotiation and the Shapely value method. Finally, a case study is conducted. The results show that the wind storage joint ventures can improve the economics of the system. Further, the middlemen can smooth the rapid fluctuation of power price in the distribution and wholesale market, maintaining a smooth and efficient operation of the electricity market. These findings provide information for the design of an electricity market competition mechanism and the promotion of new energy power generation.
Thermo-Fluidic Characteristics of Two-Phase Ice Slurry Flows Based on Comparative Numerical Methods
Authors: Akhtar Shehnaz , Ali Haider , Park Cheol Woo
Published: December 2019

Ice slurry is a potential secondary refrigerant for commercial refrigeration systems because of its remarkable thermal properties. It is necessary to optimize the heat transfer process of ice slurry to reduce the energy consumption of the refrigeration system. Thus, this study investigates the heat transfer performance of single-phase (aqueous solution) and two-phase (ice slurry) refrigerants in a straight horizontal tube. The numerical simulations for ice slurry were performed with ice mass fraction ranging from 5% to 20%. The effects of flow velocity and ice concentration on the heat transfer coefficient were examined. The results showed that heat transfer coefficient of ice slurry is considerably higher than those of single-phase flow, particularly at high flow velocity and ice content, where increase in heat transfer with a factor of two was observed. The present results confirmed that ice slurry heat transfer ability is considerably affected by flow velocity and ice concentration in laminar range. Moreover, the second part of this paper reports on the credibility three distinct two-phase Eulerian–Eulerian models (volume of fluid (VOF), mixture, and Eulerian) for the experimental conditions reported in the literature. All two-phase models accurately predict the thermal field at low ice mass fraction but underestimate that at high ice mass fractions. Regardless of the thermal discrepancies, the Eulerian–Eulerian models provide quite reasonable estimation of pressure drop with reference to experimental data. The numerical predictions from the VOF model are more accordant with the experimental results and the maximum percentage error is limited to ~20% and ~13% for thermal and pressure drop predictions, respectively.
Copper Adsorption by Magnetized Pine-Needle Biochar
Authors: Nicolaou Eleni , Philippou Katerina , Anastopoulos Ioannis , Pashalidis Ioannis
Published: December 2019

The Cu(II) adsorption from aqueous solutions by magnetic biochar obtained from pine needles has been studied by means of batch-type experiments. The biochar fibers have been magnetized prior (pncm: carbonized-magnetized pine needles) and after oxidation (pncom: carbonized-oxidized-magnetized pine needles) and have been used as adsorbents to study the presence of carboxylic moieties on the magnetization and following adsorption process. The effect of pH (2–10), initial metal concentration (10−5–9·10−3 mol·L−1) and contact time (0–60 min) has been studied by varying the respective parameter, and the adsorbents have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements prior and after Cu(II)-adsorption. FTIR measurements were performed to investigate the formation of surface species and XRD measurements to record possible solid phase formation and characterize formed solids, including the evaluation of their average crystal size. The data obtained from the batch-type studies show that the oxidized magnetic biochar (pncom) presents significantly higher adsorption capacity (1.0 mmol g−1) compared to pncm (0.4 mmol g−1), which is ascribed to the synergistic effect of the carboxylic moieties present on the pncom surface, and the adsorption process follows the pseudo-second order kinetics. On the other hand, the FTIR spectra prove the formation of inner-sphere complexes and XRD diffractograms indicate Cu(II) solid phase formation at pH 6 and increased metal ion concentrations.
Effect of Orientation and Aspect Ratio of an Internal Flat Plate on Natural Convection in a Circular Enclosure
Authors: Wang Anjie , Ying Cunlie , Wang Yingdong , Yang Lijun , Ying Yunjian , Zhai Lulu , Zhang Wei
Published: December 2019

This work presents a numerical investigation on natural convection in a circular enclosure with an internal flat plate at Ra = 106. The cross-section area of the plate was fixed at three values, H·W/D2 = 0.01, 0.04, and 0.09, in which H and W are the height and width of the plate and D is the diameter of the enclosure while the aspect ratio changes, which makes the plate vertically placed (H > W) or horizontally placed (H < W). The objective of this work was to explore the effects of the orientation and aspect ratio of the plate on the characteristics of natural convection in various aspects. The numerical results reveal that the overall heat transfer rate is higher for the vertically placed plate and increases with the cross-section area, while the width of the plate has almost no effect for the horizontally placed plate, especially for the plate with a relatively large cross-section area. Depending on the orientation and aspect ratio, there can be one primary vortex, one primary and one secondary vortex, or one secondary and two separated vortices to each side of the plate, and the thermal plume structure may appear at the sharp top corners of the plate. Consequently, local heat transfer on the surfaces of the enclosure and plate is affected. Synergy analysis reveals that the enhancement of heat transfer from the fluid circulation is the most significant at the center of the vortices and at the boundary between them.
High Precision Dimensional Measurement with Convolutional Neural Network and Bi-Directional Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM)
Authors: Wang Yuhao , Chen Qibai , Ding Meng , Li Jiangyun
Published: December 2019

In modern industries, high precision dimensional measurement plays a pivotal role in product inspection and sub-pixel edge detection is the core algorithm. Traditional interpolation and moment methods have achieved some success. However, those methods still have shortcomings. For example, the accuracy is still insufficient with the resolution limitation of the image sensor. Moreover, prediction results can be affected by image noise. With the recent success of deep learning technology, we propose a sub-pixel edge detection method based on convolution neural network (CNN) and bi-directional long short-term memory (LSTM). First, one-dimensional visual geometry group-16 (VGG-16) is employed to extract edge features. Then, a transformation operation is developed to generate sequence information. Lastly, bi-directional LSTM with fully-connected layers is introduced to output edge positions. Experimental results on our steel plate dataset demonstrate that our method achieves superior accuracy and anti-noise ability than traditional methods.
A Portable and Wireless Multi-Channel Acquisition System for Physiological Signal Measurements
Authors: Liu Shing-Hong , Wang Jia-Jung , Tan Tan-Hsu
Published: December 2019

We propose a portable and wireless acquisition system to help consumers or users register important physiological signals. The acquisition system mainly consists of a portable device, a graphic user interface (GUI), and an application program for displaying the signals on a notebook (NB) computer or a smart device. Essential characteristics of the portable device include eight measuring channels, a powerful microcontroller unit, a lithium battery, Bluetooth 3.0 data transmission, and a built-in 2 GB flash memory. In addition, the signals that are measured can be displayed on a tablet, a smart phone, or a notebook computer concurrently. Additionally, the proposed system provides extra power supply sources of ±3 V for the usage of external circuits. On the other hand, consumers or users can design their own sensing circuits and combine them with this system to carry out ubiquitous physiological studies. Four major advantages in the proposed system are the capability of combining it with a NB computer or a smart phone to display the signals being measured in real time, the superior mobility due to its own independent power system, flash memory, and good expandability. Briefly, this acquisition system offers consumers or users a convenient and portable studying tool to measure dynamic vital signals of interest in psychological and physiological research fields.
A Personalized Approach to Improve Walking Detection in Real-Life Settings: Application to Children with Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Carcreff Lena , Paraschiv-Ionescu Anisoara , Gerber Corinna N. , Newman Christopher J. , Armand Stéphane , Aminian Kamiar
Published: December 2019

Although many methods have been developed to detect walking by using body-worn inertial sensors, their performances decline when gait patterns become abnormal, as seen in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The aim of this study was to evaluate if fine-tuning an existing walking bouts (WB) detection algorithm by various thresholds, customized at the individual or group level, could improve WB detection in children with CP and typical development (TD). Twenty children (10 CP, 10 TD) wore 4 inertial sensors on their lower limbs during laboratory and out-laboratory assessments. Features extracted from the gyroscope signals recorded in the laboratory were used to tune thresholds of an existing walking detection algorithm for each participant (individual-based personalization: Indiv) or for each group (population-based customization: Pop). Out-of-laboratory recordings were analyzed for WB detection with three versions of the algorithm (i.e., original fixed thresholds and adapted thresholds based on the Indiv and Pop methods), and the results were compared against video reference data. The clinical impact was assessed by quantifying the effect of WB detection error on the estimated walking speed distribution. The two customized Indiv and Pop methods both improved WB detection (higher, sensitivity, accuracy and precision), with the individual-based personalization showing the best results. Comparison of walking speed distribution obtained with the best of the two methods showed a significant difference for 8 out of 20 participants. The personalized Indiv method excluded non-walking activities that were initially wrongly interpreted as extremely slow walking with the initial method using fixed thresholds. Customized methods, particularly individual-based personalization, appear more efficient to detect WB in daily-life settings.
Feature Selection of Grey Wolf Optimizer Based on Quantum Computing and Uncertain Symmetry Rough Set
Authors: Zhao Guobao , Wang Haiying , Jia Deli , Wang Quanbin
Published: December 2019

Considering the crucial influence of feature selection on data classification accuracy, a grey wolf optimizer based on quantum computing and uncertain symmetry rough set (QCGWORS) was proposed. QCGWORS was to apply a parallel of three theories to feature selection, and each of them owned the unique advantages of optimizing feature selection algorithm. Quantum computing had a good balance ability when exploring feature sets between global and local searches. Grey wolf optimizer could effectively explore all possible feature subsets, and uncertain symmetry rough set theory could accurately evaluate the correlation of potential feature subsets. QCGWORS intelligent algorithm could minimize the number of features while maximizing classification performance. In the experimental stage, k nearest neighbors (KNN) classifier and random forest (RF) classifier guided the machine learning process of the proposed algorithm, and 13 datasets were compared for testing experiments. Experimental results showed that compared with other feature selection methods, QCGWORS improved the classification accuracy on 12 datasets, among which the best accuracy was increased by 20.91%. In attribute reduction, each dataset had a benefit of the reduction effect of the minimum feature number.